Today's Verse - Matthew 10:38-39

And anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

—Matthew 10:38-39

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Jesus wants us to seriously look into our hearts and surrender those things that hold us back from fully following and serving him. He comes to us with his now nail-scarred hands and reminds us that he gave up everything to redeem us. He now wants us to surrender to the Cross all the things that distract us and hold us back from wholly yielding to him. Let's do it today! Only in Jesus will we find true, fulfilling, and eternal life! After all, he told us that "whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

My Prayer...

Father God, Almighty King, I am sorry for the areas of my life that I have kept hidden away from the righteousness that your Spirit is working to cultivate in me. I now confess those secret areas of sin to you and ask that you cleanse me and liberate me from the evil one's power that binds them to me and holds me back from wholehearted service to your Son. In Jesus' name and by the power of the cross where Jesus triumphed over all evil and demonic powers (Colossians 2:12-13, 15), I pray to be holy, and wholly yours! 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 119:133

Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.

—Psalm 119:133

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God's Scriptures, the word of God, and the LORD Jesus, the incarnated Word of God, provide light to our dark paths in our morally uncertain and confused world. God's Scriptures and our LORD Jesus must be our standards for right and wrong and set the goal for our behaviors as the Holy Spirit works to make them come alive in us (Colossians 1:28-29; 2 Corinthians 3:17). Let's ask God to have the Holy Spirit use both his words in Scripture, and his Word the Son, to have the formative influence in our lives and deliver us from all sorts of destructive practices that can ruin them.

My Prayer...

Great and Almighty God, who raises the dead and restores the fallen, shape my heart to delight in your truth. Mold my life to more perfectly conform to your will. Lead me in your way, and please guide my footsteps in righteousness. I ask you to empower me to freedom from any form of bondage that Satan might use to control me and ruin my godly influence. Use your Scriptures, the power of the Holy Spirit, and my desire to honor you to conform me to your living Word, my LORD Jesus, in whose name 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 - Proverbs 10:32

The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

—Proverbs 10:32

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

How many times have you said just the "wrong" thing at the wrong time? For me, it is more often than I like. Jesus' words on this topic are indeed convicting to me: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34-37). In other words, poor words and bad timing in our speech are more issues of our heart than a lack of proper social skills and decorum. Let's ask God to purify, mend, and re-focus our hearts on his will and passions, so that we can be a blessing to others.

My Prayer...

Almighty God, loving and merciful Father, please purify my heart of all evil, hate, duplicity, prejudice, malice, lust, and greed. By the powerful name of Jesus, please drive away any evil power or enticing temptation that would corrupt my heart and wound my soul. Please use the Holy Spirit to fill my heart with your love, grace, righteousness, holy passion, gentleness, forbearance, sensitivity, courage, and forgiveness. Give me discernment to know which of these qualities I need at any given moment. Sanctify me, body, soul, and spirit with your Holy Spirit.* In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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* I love this promise-prayer from Paul that we can pray for each other:

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV)

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.