Today's Verse - 2 Corinthians 13:14

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—2 Corinthians 13:14

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

I have a friend in Jesus who has taught me the power of sharing a spiritual blessing with others. We share a conviction: Many times in life, ministry, and trial, people need way "more than my words"! Oh, for sure, they do need to hear from me. But my words are earthbound and relatively unproven. The Scriptures, however, are full of proven, inspired, and powerful blessings and prayers. They are way "more than my words"! Which brings us to today's verse. I can't think of a better blessing that is way "more than my words" than this short blessing from the apostle Paul: grace, love, and fellowship, all rooted in the eternal, sacrificial, and gracious nature of our God, are captured in this one short and amazing blessing!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And we share these blessings with God's children from all around the world, so let's remind each other how blessed we are by sharing this grace-filled blessing with those who might need it.

My Prayer...

Father, I am thinking of several precious friends who need this blessing to fall richly upon them. Please bless them graciously, fully, overflowingly. Please be real to them as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May they experience Jesus' grace, the Father's love, and the fellowship of other believers through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, I ask for this 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 - Joel 2:23

Rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.

—Joel 2:23

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

"The prayers go up, and the blessings come down..." The words to this children's song are only half right, because God sends his blessings many times even when we don't pray. But just as we love the special smell that comes with a drought-breaking rain, God loves the aroma of his children's joy, especially when he is the source of their delight! So, dear friends, let's find reasons to rejoice with the seasons changing to autumn (Northern Hemisphere) and spring (Southern Hemisphere). As the apostle Paul told the Philippians:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near (Philippians 4:4-5).

My Prayer...

Holy God and tender Father, you are our great delight. In the changing of our seasons, you remain our dependable, faithful, and loving God. You are our rock and fortress; you are our tender shepherd; and you are our solid mountain that cannot be shaken or moved. Your blessings and grace shower down upon us and fill us with joy. We can't wait for the day we get to see you face to face and delight in your presence forever. Until then, O LORD, we will rejoice in anticipation as you shower us with your blessings. In Jesus' glorious 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 - Ephesians 4:29

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

—Ephesians 4:29

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

The goal in Christian communication is not just clarity. The goal is not just to be understood. The goal is not just to be truthful. The goal is not only to be appropriate and helpful, but also to be JESUShaped disciples; it means we want to deliver our message based on their needs so it benefits, blesses, and builds up those who listen. Not only do we avoid crude, profane, or improper speech, but we are to fill our lives and the ears of those who hear us with the kinds of words that Jesus would share with people. God has called us to this high standard because we are to reflect and demonstrate Christ's character in our lives, bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) as he transforms us to become more like our Savior (2 Corinthians 3:18).

My Prayer...

Tender Shepherd, please bless me with a pure heart so my words will be a helpful blessing to those who hear them. Please give me a kind heart so my words will build up those who hear them. Please help my heart be full of joy and encouragement so that I may benefit those who need my words. In Jesus' name, I pray, asking the Spirit to help my words be shaped by the fruit you want to see come alive in me. 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.