Today's Verse - Galatians 5:22-23

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

—Galatians 5:22-23

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Many religious groups offer various ways to know whether you have the Holy Spirit. Jesus has one simple answer: "By their fruit you will know them" (Matthew 7:16). Paul gives us the definition of God's holy fruit - LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL. These qualities come to life in us as good fruit that comes as a sign of the Spirit's work in our lives. Now, why not repeat them out loud and ask the LORD to make this fruit yours in full measure through the power of the Holy Spirit, the gift the Father gives to those who ask (Luke 11:13).

My Prayer...

Abba Father, through the Spirit, I call upon you, knowing you are interceding for me, O Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27). Please fulfill in me the character you possess and the fruit that displays your presence in my life. O Abba Father, I want to exhibit the qualities of your Son and my Savior, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verse - Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

—Romans 15:13

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Hope, joy, and peace sound terrific. The problem for us as mere mortals is that we live on a flawed planet with flawed people and with tendencies to go to war with each other. How are we going to find hope, joy, and peace? We for sure won't find them in the sloganeering, the sappy marketing version of hope, joy, and peace we hear from people with simplistic solutions that don't work in the real world. We need answers from someone who has lived with the grit of the real world, experienced the highs and lows that mortality brings, and yet still managed to live with hope, joy, and peace. That someone is Jesus, who loved deeply, gathered people to himself openly, blessed powerfully, and could calm raging seas or endure the worst kind of torture with grace and forgiveness!
Two moves are vital for us to find this kind of hope, joy, and peace:

• First, we must trust our Father in heaven to meet us in our mortal struggles and get us where we need to be when we need to be there - like Jesus, who lived on his Father's time (Galatians 4:4-6; James 4:13-17; John 2:4, 7:6-8, 12:20-26).
• Second, we must expect the power of the Holy Spirit to bless, guide, and empower us to be like Jesus, who lived with hope, joy, and peace (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22-23).

My Prayer...

Great and Mighty God, please bless me with hope, joy, and peace from the Holy Spirit as I follow Jesus as my Savior and LORD. As I follow Jesus, please bless me with greater trust that you are nearby and with me, helping me overcome life's trials and embrace life's blessings. Dear Father, bless and empower me to be the person you want me to be. Fill me with your Spirit so I may live my life more like Jesus. In the name of the Savior, I pray. Amen.

Today's Verse - Psalm 23:1-3

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.

—Psalm 23:1-3

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

"He restores my soul."
My, that sounds so good, doesn't it? But David's shepherd psalm (Psalm 23:1-6) and Jesus' promises as our Good Shepherd (John 10:14-15) are far more than sweet religious talk. When we've reached that point where we don't think we can continue, our Shepherd blesses us with the strength so that we can keep on walking. When we're in a struggle and things are tough, his power upholds us, so we run and not grow weary. When we're winning victories in his name, we can soar on wings like eagles because he supports and sustains (Isaiah 40:28-31). God the Son is our good Shepherd who loves us, sustains us, nourishes us, stills us, and restores us.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.

My Prayer...

O Gentle yet mighty Shepherd, please bless me with rest tonight, strength today and for tomorrow, perseverance for my times of trial, and confidence that you are nearby with grace and power to sustain me. In the name of Jesus, my Good Shepherd, I pray. Amen.