Today's Verse - James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

—James 5:16

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

To confess and be rid of our guilt of sin is to do three things with our sin:

1. Recognize sin for what it is in God's eyes - to confess literally means to call our sin the same thing God does.
2. Get rid of our secrets and be honest with another Christian about that sin.
3. Receive prayer from a righteous disciple of Jesus and receive forgiveness and healing from that sin.

James' language is powerful and clear. He wants us not only to experience forgiveness, but he also wants us to be healed from our past sins. Rather than hide, rationalize, dismiss, or ignore our sin, James and his brother Jesus want us to embrace God's path to full healing. Let's confess our sins to one another so we can be healed!

My Prayer...

Holy Father, I have sinned. I now confess my own personal sin of ____________. I ask for your forgiveness and for your Spirit to strengthen me in overcoming temptation. I want to live for you and not let my sin, present or past, entangle me and draw me away from you. In addition, dear Father, I commit to confess this sin with at least one righteous and spiritual friend who will pray with me for my forgiveness and healing, as well as walk beside me as I walk away from this sin. I pray and am determined to follow through with this commitment to honor you and discover your healing grace. 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 - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

—2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

What are you living for?
What drives your life?
What is the compelling motivation for your life?
While these are all important questions, the most important question, however, is this:
"Who am I living for?"
Only one person can ensure that my life will count in meaningful ways after my body quits working (1 Corinthians 15:57-58). Only Jesus enables me to confidently know that I will never die (John 11:25-26). He has already died for me and conquered death! If my body fails, the living part of me will go to be with Jesus, awaiting the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 1:19-24). If he was willing to do all of this for me, then I'm for sure going to live for him as long as we have breath in our lungs!

My Prayer...

Victorious LORD, thank you for giving me triumph over death through Jesus, my Savior. Thank you for giving me victory over sin through his sacrificial death. Thank you for giving me victory today in my life, as I live for him based on his resurrection. Through the precious name of Jesus, 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 - Ephesians 1:7

In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.

—Ephesians 1:7

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Forgiveness! What a sweet and precious gift. What we were powerless to fix or pay for, God did for us in Jesus. He gave us the gift of forgiveness. With him, each day is a fresh start and a rebirth of the springtime of our souls. But my, such a terrible cost he paid to give it to us! Jesus paid for what we could not afford so we could find "the riches of God's grace" in Jesus. Praise God!

My Prayer...

Thank you, Father, for your anguish and cost to forgive my sins by the blood of your Son. I refuse to take the cost of my sin lightly. I commit to live for your glory in appreciation for your grace. In the name of him who sacrificed all for my salvation and gave me the gift of "the riches of God's grace," 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.