Today's Verse - 1 John 5:12

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

—1 John 5:12

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

This statement is both a reminder of God's glorious grace and also of our need to share that grace with others. Life is such a precious gift; it would be a shame and a deep loss for anyone we know and love to miss out on the gift of God's life. God gave us the gift of his Son so that in finding him, we too could share in his life, and share that life with others. As Jesus himself said:

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6)
"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent..." (John 17:3).

My Prayer...

Father of all nations, please resurrect a desire in your people to spread your grace to every language, tribe, nation, and people (Revelation 7:9-10). Empower us with your Spirit so that we will speak the Gospel of Jesus with boldness and respect to a world that does not know him and does not have life. Use us to help others come to life in the Son! Through the name of Jesus, your Son, and our Savior, 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 - Philippians 1:21

To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

—Philippians 1:21

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

The truth is often as simple as it is sweet - if Jesus is our life, then our lives have no end. In faith, we shared with Jesus in his saving death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-7) through our baptism as we called on the name of the LORD to save us (Colossians 2:12). Our lives - our eternal essence and identity - are hidden with Christ and will be fully revealed when we share with Jesus in his eternal glory (Colossians 3:3-4). Death does not strip life from us, but ushers us into life in Jesus' very presence, where no power or event, not even death, can steal us from his grasp (Romans 8:38-39).

My Prayer...

O Eternal God, thank you for sending Jesus to show us your love, and thank you for sending him again in the future. Jesus is our anchor in the storms of life and our light in our darkest nights, reminding us that you love us with an undying love. In the name of Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, and the one in whom we find life that never ends,* we pray. Amen.

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* This is based on John 11:25-26 when Jesus said to Martha about her brother Lazarus:

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

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 10:17-18

"Let him who boasts boast in the LORD." For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

—2 Corinthians 10:17-18

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

We live in a world with skewed values, false promises, lust for notoriety, and desperation for fleeting fame. The real question for us, needs to be this: What can we boast in other than the steadfastness of the LORD's love, the incredible riches of the LORD's grace, the incomparable supply of the LORD's blessings, the sweetness of the LORD's people, the mercy of the LORD's plan for our salvation, the promise of the LORD's tomorrow, and the promise of the LORD Jesus' nearness (Philippians 4:5; Romans 8:38-39; Hebrews 13:5-6) - who is with us and in us and for us? So, dear friend of Jesus, let's have our only boast be in the LORD because that is where everything else that matters in our lives can be found!

My Prayer...

LORD of majesty and mercy, every good and enduring thing in our lives we have because of your love, grace, mercy, and presence. You are our assurance and hope. You are our blessing and boast. We place our assurance of a glorious future in you, LORD Jesus. In your name, we offer our thanks and praise as we boast only in our LORD. 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.