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THE WORD OF GOD WORLD OUTREACH

You Must Ask for Eternal Life... Matthew 21:22 - And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. John 16:24 - Here to have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy…

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Created by Bishop Dr. Joshua Smith Oct 18, 2011 at 3:47am. Last updated by Bishop Dr. Joshua Smith Mar 21, 2014.

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Meeting You Where You Are?

Daily Bible Verse & Prayer

Today's Verse - 1 Corinthians 13:6

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

—1 Corinthians 13:6

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Love does have its delights. One of those delights is in what is authentic, genuine, and true — love rejoices in TRUTH! So, as Jesus' disciples, we are not deceitful, manipulative, or coercive in our relationships. Instead, we strive to be transparent, intimate, honest, and vulnerable. Why? Because true love delights in truth.

My Prayer...

O LORD, God of love and truth, as you pour your love into my heart through your Holy Spirit,* please refine my love to be genuine and true, without guile, manipulation, and deceit. In Jesus' name, we pray, asking that we can be people of love and truth. Amen.

* Romans 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:8-9.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 - Zechariah 4:5-6

He answered, "Do you not know what these are?"
"No, my lord," I replied.
So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' " says the LORD Almighty.

—Zechariah 4:5-6

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

There are times in each of our spiritual lives when we face challenges far too big for our own resources and strengths. Zerubabbel faced such a challenge. God sent a prophet to remind him, and remind us through him, that our greatest victories will not be won by our power and might. No, these most significant victories — the ones that catch us up in God's great story of salvation — will occur when we trust that God's power is greater than our weakness and God's might is greater than our insufficiency (2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Ephesians 3:14-21). The real question that each of us must face is very simple: in our personal lives, and in our ministry efforts, where do we place our trust, and what is the source of our confidence? Are they in our abilities, skills, insight, and strength, or God's?

My Prayer...

Please forgive me, dear Father and God the LORD Almighty, for trusting in my own power too much and not leaning into you and your might. Forgive me, God, for being overwhelmed and afraid by the obstacles, challenges, and opportunities placed before me. Through your great stories of faithfulness and victory in the Old Testament, please stir me to trust that your power is at work in me and your people, as you empower us through the intervention of the Holy Spirit. 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 - 1 John 5:4

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

—1 John 5:4

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Our verse today is the companion passage to 1 John 2:17:

The world and its desires are passing away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

Our destinies and futures are not limited to the boundaries of our temporary existence as mortal passengers on our "tiny blue planet" in the vast enormity of the universe. Our future and our hope burst the boundaries of mortality and are tied to our faith in our resurrected and victorious Savior, who is coming back to bring us to his eternal home. This faith is displayed by doing God's will even when most people in our contemporary culture choose to chase what is fleeting and transient. Why? Because we await a better world, a new heaven and earth where life is free of earthbound limitations and human frailties and sin (Philippians 3:20-21; Hebrews 11:14-16; 2 Peter 3:13). Yet we still yearn for that future world to burst forth in our mortal world and change people to await the Savior with us. We seek to partner with God in doing just that!

My Prayer...

Thank you, dear Father, for the assurance of victory, immortality, reunion, and joy. O, Holy Spirit, please help me hold onto this hope as I await the glorious return of my conquering Savior, Jesus Christ, my LORD, in whose name I pray. Amen.

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