Today's Verse - 1 Corinthians 11:23-24

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."

—1 Corinthians 11:23-24

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Remember Jesus!

Remember his great sacrifice.

Remember his incomparable love for you!

Remember him through his Supper!

Remember Jesus!

My Prayer...

O Father, thank you so much for Jesus! Thank you for blessing me with a spiritual meal that reminds me and helps me proclaim that Jesus died, offering his body and blood as the atoning sacrifice for my sins. Thank you for giving me the day of his resurrection, Sunday, the first day of the week, as a day I can powerfully remember this great sacrifice and anticipate the great day of reunion that his resurrection has secured for your children. I remember him and thank you, dear Father, until I share the Holy Supper with Jesus in glory. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

Today's Verse - Proverbs 11:22

Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

—Proverbs 11:22

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

To take what is physically beautiful and then profane it with sin is to waste a great gift. It is sinfully sharing with someone who is clueless why God gave the blessing of physical beauty in the first place. It is debasing to the person given the beauty to waste it in what and on what is sinful. No matter what gifts we have been given, whether physical beauty, athletic talent, keen intellect, charming personality, or anything else, we must remember that God blessed us with these gifts so we could bless others, honor the LORD, and lead others closer to him!

Video Commentary...

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My Prayer...

Dear God, please forgive me for the times that I have not used my gifts and abilities to bless others, honor you, and bring them closer to Jesus. Please give me a renewed sense of purpose as I seek to live for your glory and to bless others with your grace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

Today's Verse - John 11:21

"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

—John 11:21

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

If you have ever stood at the grave side of a loved one, this thought probably crossed your mind, too — "if you had only been here, LORD..."! Where is Jesus when we hurt? Why couldn't he be here to help us? There are a couple of crucial answers to remember.

1. Jesus is with us in our moments of loss and grief. The Church is Jesus' Body and every act of kindness, word support, effort to comfort us, and simple helping actions are part of Jesus working to alleviate our grief.
2. While Jesus may not have kept our loved one from passing from this life to the next, he has been the abiding and unbroken presence for each Christian who has died physically. Paul reminds us that when a Christian dies, he or she goes to be with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:6-7; Philippians 1:21-23) and God's loving presence is never lost to him or her (Romans 8:35-39).

Martha seems to have something deep inside her that resonated with these promises because she was convinced that even though her brother, Lazarus, had died, she trusted that Jesus could still do something. She says, "But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask" (John 11:20). In the face of overwhelming grief and deep sorrow, we as believers can yearn to have had Jesus present to prevent the death of a loved one. Yet in the face of this unwanted intrusion of death, we can say with faith, "Even now God will" provide victory out of our heartbreak!

My Prayer...

Holy Father, please help me see Jesus' ministering presence with me in my times of loss and grief. Help me see him in the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit who abides in me. Help me see him in the acts of love and kindness your bodily presence, the church, as your people help me. In addition, dear Father, please help me see ways that I can serve as Jesus' presence to someone else who is experiencing grief. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.