Today's Verse - Philippians 3:20

Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

—Philippians 3:20

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

No matter what any passport says, if we are a disciple of Jesus, there is no earthly country that can hold us, no borders that can fully claim us, and no flag that flies above us that can spiritually contain us. We belong to Jesus and are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. We have more in common with the believing aboriginal tribesman of Indonesia, the Christian refugees from Africa; the Bedouin brothers and sisters in Egypt; the Spirit-filled Brazilian housewife and her husband; the high-rise believing business person in Hong Kong; the thousands of believers in India, Pakistan, and Asia; and the hundreds of thousands of Christ-followers scattered throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean Rim; than we have in common with your next-door neighbors if they don't know Christ Jesus as their LORD and Savior. And because we are citizens of that holy and heavenly Kingdom, we eagerly await the arrival of our King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. So we live on tiptoe in this world, looking to the horizon, anticipating and awaiting the arrival of our coming King!

My Prayer...

Glorious God and Father, we look forward to the day when people, more people than any of us can count, folks from every nation, tribe, people, and language join the angels and elders around your throne and worship Jesus in joy, together forever (Revelation 7:9-11). Make all of your scattered children from all over our world one, as we await our Savior. We ask you LORD Jesus, please come quickly, and in your 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 - Luke 11:13

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for him.

—Luke 11:13

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Remember the best gifts you have ever given to someone else. Recall all the great gifts you've been given by others. Next to the gift of Jesus, God's gracious sacrifice for our salvation, the gifts we've given and received pale in comparison. Yet in giving us the gift of Jesus, the Father didn't stop his gift-giving. Through Jesus, God gave us the Holy Spirit when we came to Jesus as our LORD and Savior. And the Holy Spirit dwelling in us is the gift that keeps on giving, like an ever-flowing spring of cool water welling up to eternal life. What greater gifts can Father give than the gift of his Son and the abiding presence in us through the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 21, 23). He assures us that he will be with us and make his home with us until we go home to be with him in our eternal home with him, forever.

My Prayer...

Abba Father, through the intercession of the precious Holy Spirit, your wonderful gift through Jesus, I come before you asking you to empower me, my loved ones, and our church family through the power of your Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27). I pray for renewal to sweep over our country and throughout our world, led by your Spirit of grace, power, and love. Thank you for this incomparable gift of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, the giver of this great gift, 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 - Psalm 19:1-2

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

—Psalm 19:1-2

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God's voice is always speaking through his creation. His witnesses give testimony to his glory, majesty, and creative grace. The universe shouts with joy that behind its intricate beauty, astounding powers, and marvelous wonders is the One who gave it life, purpose, order, specificity, and intention. The apostle Paul said something similar when he wrote to the Corinthians:

...what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20)

The Creator is magnificent and glorious. All his creation - with its vast expanses of the universe, dazzling array of stars and planets, intricate patterns of beauty, its incredible variety of species and terrain, and wonderful motion and forces - proclaim his glory!
Are we listening to the voice behind it all, or are we simply taking it for granted?

Video Commentary...

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My Prayer...

O Great God, Creator of the countless heavens and gracious one who tends to our own small blue planet, we thank you for noticing the heart-cry of each of us, even though we are so small in a universe so vast. We love you, admire you, trust you, and worship you with wonder at your greatness and grandeur. Your marvelous love, demonstrated to us in Jesus, silences us in the breathless wonder of your grace just as creation shouts to your glory about your marvelous work as Creator, in Jesus' name. 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.