You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. —John 15:16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Were you ever the last one chosen at recess when kids were dividing up teams?…

Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. —Psalm 31:16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Can your faith remain strong during trying times? I hope mine can! This is a Psalm written during trying times. However, no matter how difficult the situation seemed, the Psalmist still knew who God is and…

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. —Romans 8:15-16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Ab-ba. Listen to a baby and you will…

…those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. —Romans 8:14 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The Holy Spirit is God’s seal of ownership on us (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30), showing that we are his. The Spirit lives in us, and his presence in us means we are God’s holy…

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. —John 15:13 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Words can communicate and explain some of how we feel about others. We can even tell someone we love them. We can explain how precious they are to us. However, our actions will…

My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. —Proverbs 3:11-12 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Discipline is considered onerous, irritating, and unnecessary. The lazy and sinful parts of us want no boundaries, even if they…

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. —Romans 8:11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… In Romans 8, Paul reminds us repeatedly of the blessings of…

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. LORD Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you. —Psalm 84:11-12 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… These promises are made to the true worshiper of God (Psalm 84:1-10).…

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. —Psalm 103:8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God is holy, righteous, and just. As important as these qualities are, he reveals them within his compassion, graciousness, and patience with overflowing mercy and love. We can obey, worship, and show reverent respect to God. We…

The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin. —Proverbs 10:8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… When you hear a command from Scripture, do you wince? Do you try to rationalize it away? Do you try to transfer the responsibility of obedience to someone else? Or, do you commit to obey that…

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. —1 Timothy 6:7-8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Godliness with contentment is great wealth (1 Timothy 6:6). So, what does it take for us to be content? Jesus…

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. —1 Corinthians 13:6 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Love does have its delights. One of those delights is in what is authentic, genuine, and true — love rejoices in TRUTH! So, as Jesus’ disciples, we are not deceitful, manipulative, or coercive in our relationships. Instead,…

He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied. So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ ” says the LORD Almighty. —Zechariah 4:5-6 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… There are times in each of…

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. —1 John 5:4 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Our verse today is the companion passage to 1 John 2:17: The world and its desires are passing away, but the one who does the will of God…

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? —Romans 8:31-32 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We…

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day…

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. —Romans 8:1-2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Imagine the day when we see Jesus and he says to us, “You are mine!…

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. —Psalm 31:1 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… When all the clutter is stripped away, what is your real hope? When you push aside the diplomas, awards, accolades, and honors, what is the basis of your significance?…

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. —Matthew 7:1 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Am I judgmental? Can I assume I can judge another person’s intent? Am I critical and…

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. —Psalm 30:5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God has been, is, and will be the God of all comfort for both his Old Covenant and New Covenant people (Isaiah 40:1-3; 2…

For this is what the high and lofty One says — he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” —Isaiah 57:15…

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first…

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your…

“I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” —John 17:26 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus reveals God to us. That’s John’s Gospel in a nutshell, and his clear…

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. —Hebrews 13:2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What do you do to welcome new neighbors into your neighborhood or apartment complex? How warmly do you personally welcome visitors at your church gatherings or in your Bible study group?…

Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. —John 17:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Wow, what an unbelievable collection of high-powered phrases of truth, promise, and prayer!…

I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. —John 17:23 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… How will the world come to know that God sent his Son? Through our unity and…

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. —James 1:22 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Most of us try to live by the old proverb: “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” Well, the proof of biblical wisdom and understanding is in the living. Knowing the truth…

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “ —Matthew 25:21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We want it all now! Or, at least most of us do. We don’t want to…

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent…