Today's Verse - 1 John 2:15-16

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world.

—1 John 2:15-16

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Love for things, especially temporary ones, can sure get us into trouble. We can begin to assume that these worldly things will make us happy or fill the empty places in our souls. These assumptions soon become cravings. Acting on these lusts, cravings, and pride then drives, enslaves, and addicts us. Not only do these false allures from the evil one leave us unfulfilled, but they also lead us away from the LORD and the life he longs to share with us (John 1:4, 10:10). Only when we truly place our hopes and yearnings in our Abba Father, seeking to know and experience him in our lives, do we find truly satisfying and lasting life (John 17:3).

My Prayer...

Please give me wisdom, righteous Father, to see beyond the evil one's false advertising - his mirages of life that entrap and enslave us. I ask for the Spirit's help to fully invest in you and what truly matters. I confess to you that my eyes and my heart are often distracted by the glitzy, temporary "stuff" that appeals to my fleshly cravings, selfish lusts, and egotistical pride. Please stir my heart to yearn for you - to find lasting life in Jesus as the Holy Spirit empowers me to know and experience you. In the precious name of Jesus, I pray and turn my heart fully toward you. 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 - Job 37:5-6

God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, "Fall on the earth," and to the rain shower, "Be a mighty downpour."

—Job 37:5-6

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Aren't those beautiful words?! "God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding." Amen! Isn't that so?! Instead of spending a lot of time talking or thinking about how marvelous God is - if he is greater than our words can capture (And he is!) - let's praise him in prayer through what we do today; not just in words, but in words and deeds. Like the rain and snow, let's do what the LORD asks of us and bring refreshment to our dry and weary world!

My Prayer...

Holy, righteous, and eternal God, you alone are marvelous, mighty, gracious, and holy. God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - we can barely comprehend the distant "outskirts" of your ways,* but we do love you. We admire you. We worship you. You are so far beyond and above us on our best days. We can't quite understand why you would pay such a terribly high cost to redeem people like us and bring us into your holy presence. But, dear God, we thank you and praise you from the bottom of our hearts for loving us, redeeming us, and bringing us your refreshment. In Jesus' name, we praise you. Amen.

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* This wonderful thought comes from Job 26:14 ESV:

Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power, who can understand?

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 - Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

—Isaiah 1:18

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Nothing stains and leaves a foul spiritual residue on our hearts quite like sin and rebellion against God. However, God's grace is lavish when we turn our hearts to him - when we hear his call to reason with him and receive his grace. When we confess our sins, God doesn't just forgive them; he doesn't just forget them; he cleanses us and removes both the sin and its residue (1 John 1:9, 2:1-2). Our sins are gone forever. Sin's stain is removed; our guilt is taken away. We are cleansed by his grace (Romans 5:6-11). "Come ... let us reason together," says the LORD. Well, let's listen to reason and submit to his grace!

My Prayer...

OH, the glorious joy your grace gives us, dear God! We can never thank you or praise you enough for rerouting our lives away from sin and destruction, and into your love and grace. We find our life, our hope, and our holiness in your grace. We do not take that grace for granted, but respond to that grace by living to honor your love, forgiveness, and redemptive purposes in our lives. In Jesus' name, we thank you and pray to live to honor your 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.