Today's Verse

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By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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1 Peter 5:8-9
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

— 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Satan is no play or pretend thing. He and his power are real and intended to harm. But rather than spending our time worrying about him, let's resist him when we are tempted and focus on Jesus. He's the one who won the big showdown at Calvary, triumphing over Satan. He took Satan's greatest tool and disarmed it. Now we can resist and Satan will flee.

My Prayer...

Thank you, Almighty God, for sending Jesus to break Satan's stranglehold over us. Through the Savior's death you have assured me that mine won't be the end of our relationship, but the beginning of life with you. Today, however, I ask that you help me especially resist Satan's power over my life in the following ways: ... Through power and in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

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By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Ephesians 1:18
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.

— Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Heaven is something we see with our heart. When we are discouraged, doubtful, and depressed, we need to have the eyes of our hearts "enlightened." The dawn needs to rise in our darkness and we see the dawn of hope and the riches of our inheritance. But when things look bad, the only way to remember these things is to sing them, pray them, and read God's promises of them.

My Prayer...

O God, you are my Hope. I trust in you and your promises. But I admit that at times, like even right now, I sometimes struggle with my confidence that you will act in response to my prayers and do what I've trusted you to do with my life. Please fill me with your Spirit and comfort my doubts and kindle my passion that I may serve you with boldness and share with others your grace. Through my Lord Jesus I pray. Amen.

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By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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1 Peter 2:9
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

— 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

We've been picked to be on God's team and we were picked first! We have an important role to play in the unfolding of the world's history. We're here to declare God's praises to those who don't know him, so they can find his marvelous light and leave their world of darkness.

My Prayer...

O Great Light of Eternal Hope, I praise you and thank you for including me in your people. Now please move me and empower me to share your Gospel with others so the world might truly know that Jesus is Lord. In the name of my Savior, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

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By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Romans 13:1
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

— Romans 13:1 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Yes, there are things we don't like about our government. But God has truly blessed most of us so we can enjoy the protection of the authorities where we live. But we also live in the time of some of the greatest persecution ever known in the Christian era. So, as we pray for our leaders and thank God for our freedoms, let's not forget the persecuted church all over the world.

My Prayer...

O Great Deliverer, God of the Exodus, as you have shown your power and deliverance in the past, we ask that you act today and bless every believer who is persecuted for your sake. Please bless them with tenderness, healing, and protection on this day. In the powerful name of Jesus we ask it. Amen.

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By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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2 Corinthians 3:6
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

— 2 Corinthians 3:6 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

A new covenant -- God willingly entered into a new agreement with us, his creatures, sealed it with the blood of his Son Jesus, and sent the Spirit to give us the power to live the life of this new covenant. God has made a covenant of love and grace with us. The Almighty has then turned around and made us worthy and competent to share that covenant with others. No wonder it is life giving: it brings life to us and through us!

My Prayer...

O holy and majestic God, thank you for your grace that has saved me from sin and has redeemed me from the law of sin and death. Thank you for sending the gift of your Son and the gift of your Spirit so that I can live with you in a covenant of life, grace, and love. While I confess my weaknesses, I also commit to you that I will live to honor your sacrifice, love and covenant, trusting that you will ultimately empower me to be what you are calling me to be. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Romans 13:6
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

— Romans 13:6 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Ouch! I hate taxes. But I have to admit, I enjoy many of the privileges and blessings that those taxes afford. Paul reminds us in Romans 13, that civil authorities are God's tools to hold back anarchy, chaos, and lawlessness. As a Christian, I'm immune to most laws because my faith in Jesus is going to regulate my behavior far more strictly than a legal code. But I do have a responsibility (I "owe" it, Paul says) to be a good citizen, a good financial manager, a nice respectful neighbor, and a person who willingly honors those who have merited it.

My Prayer...

Almighty God, I pledge my allegiance to you. You alone are Sovereign, Ruler, and King. But because you call me to honor my government, because you have so richly blessed me to be in a land such as this, because you have lavished your grace on me so richly, I commit to live today in a way that honors my allegiance to you, my citizenship in my country, and my respect toward those whom I meet this day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Ephesians 1:9-10
He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

— Ephesians 1:9-10 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Jesus IS Lord! God's plan was purposed in Christ. God's plan centered on Christ coming at the right time. God's plan was to bring unity in Christ by making him Lord of all! What's more, this plan that brings our salvation brings God great pleasure. God is the only saving God. Jesus is both our Savior and Lord. So the real issue we face today is this: What area of our lives, our hearts, our secrets, our sin, our rebellion, have we not submitted to his lordship?

My Prayer...

O Precious Father, I know my heart can be deceitful. At times I can even fool myself. But when I kneel in your presence and am convicted by your Word, I find myself reminded of those areas I have not yet fully submitted to your control and Jesus' lordship. Please, dear Father, use the Holy Spirit to gently show and convict of my self-deception so that I may be wholly lost in your will. In the name of Jesus, Lord of lords, I pray. Amen.

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By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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1 Timothy 2:1-2
I urge, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

— 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God wants us to be a praying people. But more than that, God wants us to pray for people. The blessing of that kind of prayerful life is that we get to live peaceful and quiet lives full of godliness and holiness. So pray, dear friend in Jesus, pray as if world peace depends upon it, because it does!

My Prayer...

Majestic and Holy God, your greatness is beyond my mind to grasp but your grace reaches me and teaches in a new way each day. Forgive me when my prayer life has not been passionate. Forgive me for letting my prayers focus only on what is wrong. Use your Spirit, O God, to ignite a hunger in my soul so that I come to find satisfaction only in you and your presence. In the name of Jesus Christ and through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, I pray. Amen.

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By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Joshua 24:15
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

— Joshua 24:15 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

While we can't speak for everyone in our family, we can commit to what everyone in our family should desire: We will serve the Lord! But more than commit, let's set the example and lead the way. "I will serve the Lord, TODAY!" Then we can ask them to join us.

My Prayer...

Give me wisdom, O tender Shepherd, on how to lead my family to love you more. Please bless my parents and thank you for their faith. Please give me courage and sensitivity so that I can effectively share your truth with my children. O God, please bless those parents who are seeking to raise godly children that will someday marry the children you've given me. I want my house to be a place where you are known, appreciated, honored, and loved. In Jesus' name I humbly ask it. Amen.

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By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Isaiah 1:18
'Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'

— Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Nothing stains quite as sin. It not only leaves a stain in our heart but a residue in our minds. But God's grace is shown in that he doesn't just forgive our sins, he doesn't just forget our sins, he banishes them. They are gone. The stain is removed, the guilt is taken away. We are clean by his grace.

My Prayer...

O the joy your grace gives me, glorious God! I can never thank you or praise you enough for rerouting the whole direction of my life so that it will end, and begin again, in you and your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Job 37:5-6
"God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'"

— Job 37:5-6 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Isn't that a beautiful phrase! "God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding." Rather than spending a lot of time talking or thinking about how marvelous God is, let's praise him in prayer.

My Prayer...

Holy, Righteous, and Eternal God! You alone are truly and fully holy. I cannot but comprehend the distant outskirts of your ways, but I love you. You are so far beyond me on my best days, I can't quite understand why you would pay such a cost to redeem someone like me. But, Dear God, I thank you and praise you from the bottom of my heart. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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1 John 2:15-16
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world.

— 1 John 2:15-16 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Love for things, especially temporary ones, can sure get us into trouble. Even worse, we can begin to think they will make us happy or fill the empty places in our hearts. But if we really sink our hopes and dreams in our Abba Father, we are attached to eternity and what we need most is always with us!

My Prayer...

Give me wisdom, Holy God, to invest in you and things that matter. I confess to you that my eyes and my heart are often distracted by the glitzy stuff that is temporary. By your Spirit, O Father, stir my heart to yearn for you. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

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Colossians 1:9
Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

— Colossians 1:9 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

In a world where we can feel so isolated and alone at times, it is so important for us to know that someone is praying for us and for our spiritual needs. As I think of the thousands who are a part of the Today's Verse ministry, I cannot help but pray that each of them, that you, are blessed by knowing that you share a spiritual journey with people all over the world, and that today, we will be praying for each other. And of course there can be no better prayer than the one that Paul prayed for the Colossian friends he had never met -- "I ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." Let's pray that for each other today.

My Prayer...

Oh precious and divine Father, today I pray for the other believers who come before you and seek to live for you. I pray especially for those who share the Today's Verse journey with me. Even though we live all over the world and have all sorts of needs, we all know that our deepest need is to know and live your will and to be confident that we are known and loved by you. Please fill all of us with the knowledge of your will through Spirit-led wisdom and understanding. We want to know you, honor you, serve you, and ultimately see you face to face. In the name of our older brother Jesus, we pray. Amen.

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1 Peter 2:15-16
It is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

— 1 Peter 2:15-16 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

What does the world most need to hear from me today? A life tuned to the melody of grace that I claim I believe. Doing good, being like Christ, is Peter's answer to opposition, cynicism, and even persecution. We are free in Jesus, but being free means that we don't have to pretentiously prove we are free. Instead, we can live for him who died to conquer death and renounced absolute heavenly freedom so we could find it. We are free to serve others, and most of all to serve God.

My Prayer...

Holy Father, my Great Emancipator, you have freed me from sin, law, and death at the cost of your precious Son. I open my heart to you today to say I love you. I want to thank you for this gift of incredible redemption. Please accept the actions of my life and the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my mind and the emotions of my heart today as my offering of thanks. In the name of Jesus, my Sacrifice and your holy Son, I pray. Amen.

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1 Peter 3:18
Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.

— 1 Peter 3:18 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Having stood over the open graves of friends, family, and strangers, I know the appearance and feel of death's finality and our human frailty. But Christ's death is that great reminder that death is a matter of perspective and faith. I believe God raised Jesus from the dead and that Jesus is the first fruits of those of us who believe in him. He is alive, not just in Spirit, but in bodily form. Because Jesus lives, so will we!

My Prayer...

Almighty God, thank you for the gifts of your grace, Spirit, forgiveness and life. Most of all, thanks for the gift of your Son, who brought life and immortality to life in me through your salvation. While I have no great desire to die, I know I can look through death to you and your victory in me through Jesus. Please give me the courage to live for you every day until that day you take me home. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.