Today's Verse

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Romans 3:23-24
... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

— Romans 3:23-24 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

No matter how hard we try, how good we are, and how much we work, we can never measure up to the only standard that matters -- the glory of Almighty God. Thankfully, God doesn't require us to pretend to be what we are not -- perfect, spotless, and holy. Instead, God makes us to be these (cf. Colossians 1:21-23) by grace, through the gift of his Son who purchased our pardon and gave us his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Praise God. Praise our Savior, Christ Jesus. Now let's live with Jesus as our Lord; not to earn or secure our salvation, but to thank him for what he has so freely given us!

My Prayer...

Most precious and holy Father, all I can say to your marvelous grace is thank you! Please know that while these words are woefully inadequate, they are genuine. Dear Father, I look forward to showing you through the rest of my life how much I appreciate all that you have done for me. In Jesus' glorious name, I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Luke 3:22
... the Holy Spirit descended on him [Jesus] in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

— Luke 3:22 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God spoke these wonderful words to his Son when Jesus was baptized. God feels the same about us when we follow our Savior's example and are baptized, too! Jesus pours out his Spirit on us (Titus 3:4-7) guaranteeing that we are God's children (cf. Ephesians 1:13-14). No matter what Satan may do to make us doubt it (cf. Luke 4:3), we can confidently know that we are God's beloved children, with whom he is well pleased! Because of the Spirit, we can call God our Abba Father (Galatians 4:6) knowing that the Spirit intercedes for us making even our inexpressible thoughts known to our Father (Romans 8:26-27).

My Prayer...

Abba Father, I thank you for making me your child and making me an heir of your gracious inheritance. Please give me confidence to withstand the lies of Satan who tries to make me doubt my relationship with you. Thank you for your Spirit who helps even now by interceding for me as I pray. In Jesus' name. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Daniel 3:25
He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

— Daniel 3:25 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

I love the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel 3. Their faith is solid whether God chooses to save them from the fire, or not. God not only saves them, but those who intended to execute them become the key witnesses of their faith and God's miraculous deliverance. They are not only sons of the One True God, but they are also examples to all of us who are tempted to compromise our faith to get along in a society that has lost all respect for the Almighty God.

My Prayer...

Dear Father in heaven, please give me the same kind of faith that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego demonstrated! When adversity, persecution, ridicule, and ostracism come, I want my faith to stand up to the test. Thank you, dear Father, for giving me the Bible, which is my book of heroes who stood their ground and kept their faith, especially under fire. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Romans 3:27-28
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

— Romans 3:27-28 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God's salvation leaves us no room for boasting. We couldn't live up to the righteous demands of the Law. When we are broken and sinful, God buys our salvation by sending Jesus and having him pay the debt of our sin. We have nothing to boast about except the overwhelmingly generous grace of God and the incredible sacrificial love of our Savior, Jesus.

My Prayer...

Thank you, Father, for redeeming me from the righteous judgment of the Law. Thank you, Jesus, for paying my debt for sin. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for cleansing me and making me holy. Thank you, God, for your incredible grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Galatians 3:26-27
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

— Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

What are you wearing today? I hope you are clothed with Christ. Anything else is simply out of style by heaven's standards, no matter what designer fashions you may be wearing. You can be clothed with Christ by surrendering your life to Jesus as your Savior through faith; believe that he is God's Son who died for you, trust that he rose from the dead to give you life, confess Christ as your Lord and Savior trusting him for your salvation, and share with him in his death, burial, and resurrection through baptism. He promises to send his Spirit to live inside you and to forgive you all of your sins. You will be God's child and have a home waiting for you in heaven. For those of us who are Christians, these thoughts are a reminder of what God has done for us and what he expects of us. If you are not a Christian, the world doesn't have to be a cold and lonely place; the Lord Jesus can be with you everywhere you go if you will respond to him.

My Prayer...

Father, thank you that you provided a way for making me your child and for clothing me in your righteousness. Thank you for making it possible for me to call you Father and to have Jesus as my older brother. Thank you, dear Father, for Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Deuteronomy 3:27b-28
Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.

— Deuteronomy 3:27b-28 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt and in the wilderness, but did not get to enter into the Promised Land because of his sin. Yet, for all those years, Moses nurtured and prepared the person who would do what he could not do. That person was Joshua. Who are you training, molding, encouraging, motivating, and calling to do what you won't be able to do? What successor will take your dreams farther than you can? Who is your Joshua?

My Prayer...

Holy and Righteous God, please lead me to those with whom you want me to share my life and to pass on your heritage of faith. Please open my eyes to see them. Give me strength to live my life honestly and courageously before them. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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John 3:28-29
"I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete."

— John 3:28-29 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

John the Baptist is an incredible example of a servant. He lived his life for one central and controlling purpose -- to prepare others to recognize, to welcome, and to follow Jesus Christ as Lord. Can you think of a greater purpose for your life? Let's live so that when our last days approach, we can also say, "That joy is mine, and it is now complete."

My Prayer...

Holy and Righteous Father, please use me to prepare others to know and to receive Jesus. In the name of my Lord, Jesus of Nazareth, I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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John 3:30
He must become greater; I must become less.

— John 3:30 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

For John the Baptist, this ultimate formula for greatness did not take many words. What's your formula? Paul told the Galatians that a similar formula was needed for them (Galatians 4:19). He told the Colossians that this is what he expended every ounce of his energy to have happen in the lives of Christians (Colossians 1:28-29). Paul told the Corinthians that this was what the Spirit was doing in their lives (2 Corinthians 3:18). So, don't you think that maybe this is the real formula for your life?

My Prayer...

Dear Father in heaven, in my heart and in my life may Jesus become greater and I become less. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Ephesians 4:2-3
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

— Ephesians 4:2-3 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Effort, sweat, and dedication seem to have become the profanity of western Christianity. To our age of grace-abusers, the Holy Spirit reaches out with his truth and reminds us that relationships on earth, even those in Jesus' Church, are going to require a lot of effort, gritty love, personal sacrifice, and rigorous determination. If we read Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17, how could we not make every effort to keep his Body unified and our relationship with his people loving and patient? Since our salvation was purchased at the cost of Jesus' sweat and blood, how can we balk when our best efforts are required to preserve the unity of his family?

My Prayer...

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive my impatience with others and lack of forgiveness for them. Stir your Spirit within me to curb my tongue, soften my heart, and extend more of an effort to others who need your blessing. Please use me to be a peacemaker in your Kingdom, O Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Psalm 4:1
Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

— Psalm 4:1 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

At first, this cry for help seems very demanding. However, closer inspection shows that this is really the cry of desperation. Have you been there? I surely have and I regularly hear from folks who are there now. But, read how this Psalm ends! What is the secret to surviving a long agony? I believe three things are important: 1) honesty in our prayer life with God, 2) confidence that God hears and cares even when our prayers sizzle with pain and frustration, and 3) genuine praise for God included in our prayers even when things seem bleak. It's not a magical formula, but it is a Spirit-inspired one -- check it out in Psalm 4!

My Prayer...

O God, please hear my cry for relief, as well as the relief of those I love, from agony, burdens, and suffering. Please answer in amazing and miraculous ways so that we may not only be relieved, but so that you may be glorified as well. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Proverbs 3:31-32
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.

— Proverbs 3:31-32 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

While many are seeking a cure for the rampaging violence that destroys lives, threatens schools, and makes our streets unsafe, why has no one bothered to remind us what God's wise servant taught us centuries ago? Let's not let any person, real or fictional, be our hero if his or her fame is built on violence. The son of Israel's most famous warrior understood this better than anyone. Surely the Son of the Most Powerful on High said it best: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

My Prayer...

Almighty God, save us from the violence of our culture and the worship of violence that pervades our land. Please give us heroes who are true peacemakers. In addition, dear Father, please give us eyes to see them and the courage to honor them. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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1 Thessalonians 4:3
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality...

— 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Sanctified surely does sound "churchy," doesn't it? It means to be special, reserved for God's use and glory, and not common. We are to be an uncommon people! This is especially true in steering clear of sexual immorality. We're to stay far away from it, honoring God with our bodies (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20) while celebrating God's plan for joyful sexual fulfillment in marriage (Proverbs 5; 1 Corinthians 7:1-7).

My Prayer...

Father God, please protect and empower me as I seek to resist sexual temptation in my sexually charged culture. I want to offer myself to you as a holy sacrifice, pleasing to you and a blessing to your people. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Galatians 4:4
But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

— Galatians 4:4 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Wow! What a rich passage full of many wonderful thoughts. Let's put it in cornbread English so that we can not only read it, we can also believe it. God made history ready for a savior and then sent his Son. That Son had to deal with all the difficulties of the Law and faced all the frailties of being a human. Our Father bought our freedom at the terrible cost of his Son's life on a cross in front of a mob that was jeering and jealous of his popularity. He did this so that you and I could be his honored children, entitled to all of his wonderful inheritance. To put it succinctly: God's plan, God's Son, God's ransom, Our glory.

My Prayer...

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for all the pain it caused you to send Jesus and to see him persecuted, ridiculed, and crucified. Thank you for redeeming me from my sinful condition, for buying me out of the death that would have been the consequence of my sins, and for giving me the gift of freedom and family. To you belongs all glory, honor, and praise for your marvelous grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Galatians 4:6
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."

— Galatians 4:6 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

The first vocalizations of many babies are the syllables "ab, ab, ba, ba." Not surprisingly in Jesus' day, that was the name babies used for their fathers. When God saved us, he gave us his Spirit. The Holy Spirit blesses us in many ways, but one of the key blessings is his work with us in prayer. He intercedes for us when words won't do (Romans 8:26-27) and he helps us approach God with familiarity, dependency, and respect as we call God our Abba.

My Prayer...

Abba Father, thank you so much for loving me, saving me, and inviting me into your family. Thank you for the Holy Spirit, who is helping me right now as I share my thoughts, words, and emotions with you. Thank you, dear Father, for giving me the power to be what you want me to be. In Jesus' name. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Today's Verse
By Phil Ware, Heartlight Magazine
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Colossians 4:5-6
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

— Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Jesus warned about our giving account for every idle word (Matthew 12:36-37). Paul takes it a step further and emphasizes how important this is with those who don't know Christ. We want to seize every opportunity when around those who are not Christians and show kindness, care, and control in the way we use our speech. Someone's eternal destiny may be resting on our conversations with them.

My Prayer...

Holy and Righteous God, I know you hate it when your people wound and drive unbelievers away. Please help me display a winsome attitude with all people, but especially those who do not yet know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.