Today's Verse - John 3:17

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

—John 3:17

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God sent Jesus to save the world. God is not the mean ol' Scrooge in the sky, critically looking down on his flawed children, waiting to condemn them for their mess-ups. Instead, our Father in heaven saw how broken, flawed, and messed up we were, and he entered our world in Jesus to save it and save us from ourselves. God's purpose in sending Jesus was to give us lasting life, eternal salvation, and out of that grows our earthly mission - to join God in saving the lost world.

My Prayer...

O heavenly Father, deliver us from the sin that entangles our actions and pollutes our hearts. Create in each of us a clean heart and renew a right spirit in us through your sanctifying Holy Spirit. Please, awaken us to our salvation so that we don't keep it to ourselves, but share it with those who desperately need it. Thank you for your forgiveness, grace, and salvation. In Jesus' name, we pray with thankfulness and a renewed sense of our purpose. 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 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

—John 3:16

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

What else needs to be said? "For God so loved the world..." Ah, we should say, "Praise God!" We should say, "Thank you, Jesus!" We should say, "I believe!" We should say, "Let's go share Jesus' saving grace with the nations (Matthew 28:18-20).

My Prayer...

Thank you, Father, for loving us with everlasting love and for demonstrating that love in Jesus. We love you! We look forward to sharing the longest part of our lives with you in glory, enjoying your presence forever because you sent Jesus. Until then, loving Father, please use us to share this saving message -this message of your gracious and redeeming love -with others so they can believe and not perish. You sent Jesus so no one would perish. We commit to join you in sharing your love with the world. In Jesus' mighty name, we 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 - Psalm 3:8

From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

—Psalm 3:8

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Deliverance does come from the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our spiritual fathers from previous generations. We can trust in this deliverance because of God's faithfulness to his people under the Old Covenant (the Old Testament). We see God's deliverance as the Father sends his Son, Jesus, as our Savior. We experience this deliverance in the outpouring of the Spirit by the resurrected Savior. So, as this verse suggests, we can confidently ask the LORD to bless us with his richest and greatest blessings as his people because we know that he has already given us the greatest gift of his Son. So, we believe with the apostle, Paul, that since God has done this to save us, "how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32)

My Prayer...

Thank you, O God, for the salvation you have given to us in Jesus. Use us, your people, to spread this blessing to others so that all nations - all peoples - will know your love and come to know your deliverance found in your Son, our Savior and LORD. In the name of our Deliverer, we 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.