Together in Christ: 'We Will Be Like Him!' — 1 John 3:1-3
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who b... View MoreTogether in Christ: 'We Will Be Like Him!' — 1 John 3:1-3
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because they don't know him. Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.
— 1 John 3:1-3 NLT
Key Thought
The apostle Paul made clear that his mission was to see Jesus come alive and become perfectly formed in the life of believers. [1] Jesus was emphatic: If we are His disciples, then we are going to become like Him, our teacher. [2] The Holy Spirit is at work transforming us to become like Jesus. [3] Unfortunately, while we are still on this earth, we are never going to fully arrive at this destination even though God views us as His "holy and blameless" children "without a single fault." [4] We have to grow up to become the followers of Christ that God has declared us to be. [5]
The glorious truth for us is that we will fully arrive at "destination Jesus" when our Lord returns for us in glory. [6] John tells us in our relationship-verse today that we can't fully know what we will be like in glory until Jesus comes. Nevertheless, John stresses that we will be like Jesus and see our Lord, the King of glory, as He fully is. [7] Waiting for this day can be hard, especially as we go through all sorts of trials, troubles, and sorrows, [8] so God has given us each other to encourage one another until our faith becomes sight. [9]
So, dear friend of Jesus, press on toward the Lord and your future with Him. [10] Help others on their journey to Jesus and invite them to help you. We will get to share in the grand reunion of all God's people of all time and share in Jesus' glory. Until that day, we choose to keep ourselves pure and to help each other on our way home to God!
[1] Colossians 1:28-29.
[2] Luke 6:40.
[3] 2 Corinthians 3:18.
[4] Colossians 1:22.
[5] 1 Peter 2:2-3.
[6] Matthew 16:27, 25:31; Mark 8:38; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
[7] Psalm 24:7-10; 1 Timothy 1:17.
[8] 2 Corinthians 4:17-18.
[9] 2 Corinthians 5:7-8 NIV.
[10] Philippians 3:12-14.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Precious Father, I long for the day Jesus returns in Your glory and the glory of all of Your angels. [A] I look forward to seeing You in Your glory because I will be in my perfected, resurrected, and immortal body. Until that day, I commit to purity as I help other brothers and sisters in Christ on their journey home to You. Help us press on as we lean on each other's strength and the power of the Holy Spirit. In the name of the conquering and crucified Jesus, I pray. Amen.
[A] Luke 9:26.
RELATED SCRIPTURE READINGS
Philippians 1:19-26
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Unstoppable! 'Opposition Is Expected' — Acts 6:9-10
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with [Stephen]. They were J... View MoreUnstoppable! 'Opposition Is Expected' — Acts 6:9-10
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with [Stephen]. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.
— Acts 6:9-10 NLT
Key Thought
We should expect opposition from Satan anytime we begin to make a difference for the cause of Christ. Satan's opposition comes in many forms — discomfort, criticism, illness, political pressure, threatened persecution, abuse, church quarrels, or even martyrdom. However, we can take hope in this opposition. Sometimes, as in the case of Stephen's death in Acts 7 or the problem with the neglect of Greek-speaking widows in Acts 6:1-7, the results can lead to a great advance for the message of Christ. We must remember two essential resources we have as followers of Christ: prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit. These two spiritual tools help make the message of Christ unstoppable!
TODAY'S PRAYER
Father, I pray today for all of your servants sharing the Good News of Jesus in hostile circumstances and facing opposition. Empower these servants of your word with the Holy Spirit. Open doors for your message to be heard. Deliver your servants from the evil one. Break down barriers that Satan has placed in their path. Give us courage, Lord Jesus, to believe that your message of grace is unstoppable. Amen!
RELATED SCRIPTURE READINGS
Ephesians 6:18-20
Colossians 4:2-6; 2 Corinthians 11:23-27
Verse of the Day for Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is ju... View MoreVerse of the Day for Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
—Romans 3:27-28
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
God's salvation leaves us no room for boasting. We couldn't live up to the righteous demands of the law. We couldn't live up to the character of God. When we were broken and sinful, God bought our salvation by sending Jesus for us and having him pay the debt of our sins (Romans 5:6-11). We have nothing to boast about except the overwhelmingly generous grace of God and the incredible sacrificial love of our Savior, Jesus.
MY PRAYER...
Thank you, Father, for redeeming me from the righteous judgment of the law. Thank you, Jesus, for paying my debt for sin. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for cleansing me, making me holy, and living inside me. Thank you, God, for your incredible grace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.
Together in Christ: 'Time for a Return to the Car Wash?' — Proverbs 28:13
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will re... View MoreTogether in Christ: 'Time for a Return to the Car Wash?' — Proverbs 28:13
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
— Proverbs 28:13 NLT
Key Thought
Have you ever looked up and realized you were staring at four lanes of traffic coming head-on directly at you? There is only one solution when you are on a one-way street going in the wrong direction. It's U-turn time! And it would be best if you did it quickly and thoughtfully. The Bible word for this kind of turnaround in our lives is repentance [1] — a change of heart and mind that leads to a life change. Repentance isn't only feeling bad for our sins; it's godly sorrow that leads us to our true, full, spiritual U-turn. [2] True repentance means a lifestyle change that bears good fruit in our lives and blesses the lives of others. [3]
People generally have several possible approaches to the sin problems in their lives:
Basket Case Denial — They are a basket case in denial — sometimes humorously called "Baby Moses Syndrome" or a basket case in de-Nile. They deny that their sins matter and proceed on their way toward disaster, pretending nothing is wrong as Satan deceitfully injects his poison into their hearts.
Hide and Sneak — They conceal their sins because they think they get to experience more by living in rebellion to God, at least until disaster strikes and sin catches up with them.
Purge and Binge — They sin and feel sorry for what they have done (especially if they get caught) but they keep on sinning and never repent and turn their lives around.
Return to the Car Wash — They turn heart and life around, accepting God's cleansing mercy. A good car wash cleans the grime, grease, and dirt from a car and rinses it down the drain. The car's clean. We trust that when we are honest about our sin as we confess them, God's grace and mercy restore us and remove any residue of sin.
Jesus made clear that He will reveal everything that has been concealed, and the apostle Paul made the same point [4] — except those things that have been through the car wash of God's mercy and grace and totally removed from us as a result of true repentance. Jesus' disciples confess their sins with genuine sorrow, turning their lives around to live for God. Such people gladly accept God's grace and mercy, trusting that God has not only forgiven them but also purified and cleansed them. [5] Jesus presents them to the Father with their original shine as they re-enter life as pure as when they first became Christians. [6]
God gave us each other to strengthen and encourage each other in our walk with Jesus. Let's not hide our sins. It is an insult to God, a distrust of our friends, and a residue of sin we let remain in us and poison our faith. John, the apostle of love, said it this way:
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to [Jesus], he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. [7]
James, the brother of Jesus, reminded us that Jesus gave us our spiritual family to pray for us so we could put our sins behind us — "confess and turn from them" to "receive mercy" as our verse puts it. James wrote:
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. [8]
We cannot conceal our sins if we confess them to another believer. We must not see confession as a private matter only between God and us. Confession involves other believers who love us and can hold us accountable and support, encourage, and love us in the direction of God and holiness! As followers of Jesus, we need relationships that challenge, lovingly confront, correct, and restore us. [9]
[1] Acts 17:30.
[2] 2 Corinthians 7:10.
[3] Luke 3:7-8, 10-14. Notice that John the Baptizer said that repentance means doing things differently with ours lives, and the people to whom he spoke understood his point.
[4] Matthew 10:26; 1 Corinthians 3:13, 4:5.
[5] 1 John 1:5-10, 2:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
[6] Colossians 1:19-22.
[7] 1 John 1:8-9.
[8] James 5:16.
[9] Proverbs 27:17; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Father, please forgive me for the times I've played games with the sin in my life. I know that sin poisons my heart and weakens my discipleship and influence. Thank You for providing some strong believers who can hold me accountable, be my sounding board for decisions, and help me as I seek to make my repentance stick in my life with changed behaviors. Thank You, Jesus, for not only interceding in this prayer for me but also for presenting me as your righteous, holy, and blameless disciple to God. [A] Amen.
[A] Paul says this in Colossians 1:22: "Yet now [God] has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." Praise God!
RELATED SCRIPTURE READINGS
1 John 1:5-10, 2:1-2
Luke 3:1-14
Unstoppable! 'New Leaders for Fresh Growth' — Acts 6:8-9
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. But one day some... View MoreUnstoppable! 'New Leaders for Fresh Growth' — Acts 6:8-9
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia.
— Acts 6:8-9 NLT
Key Thought
Stephen was one of the seven men selected by the people and commissioned by the apostles to help make sure Greek-speaking widows were not neglected in the daily distribution of food to widows in need (Acts 6:5). This successful ministry didn't just help address the needs of those widows; it also reached the hearts of priests who had been critics of Jesus' ministry (Acts 6:7). The men who led this ministry also developed their leadership skills and evangelistic passion. Stephen and Philip (e.g., Acts 8:4-5) were two such men. These early leaders remind us that when we raise up new leaders to serve, we not only empower new ministries; we also open the door to a lifetime of leadership that enables the church to grow!
TODAY'S PRAYER
O Lord, I know that many young people are turning away from the call to follow Jesus, so I am especially thankful when I look among our young men and young women in our churches today and see many young adults who are passionately giving themselves in service to the lost and broken of our world. I am thankful that, like Jesus, these young Christians' hearts break for the least, last, and lost among us. Give those of us who are older the wisdom to encourage and empower younger disciples. Give those of us who are younger the perseverance and passion for following Jesus and serving those he longs to reach. I ask this in Jesus' name and for his cause. Amen.
RELATED SCRIPTURE READINGS
Judges 2:6-10, Ecclesiastes 12:1-7
1 Timothy 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 4:1-5
Verse of the Day for Tuesday, March 26th, 2024
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
—Galatians 3:... View MoreVerse of the Day for Tuesday, March 26th, 2024
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
—Galatians 3:26-27
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
What are you wearing today? I hope you are clothed with Christ. Anything else is simply out of style by heaven's standards, no matter whose designer fashions you may be wearing. You can be clothed with Christ by surrendering your life to Jesus as your Savior through faith (Romans 13:14), believing that he is God's Son who died for you, and trusting in God's power that raised him from death to give you life (1 Corinthians 15:1-7; Colossians 2:12; 3:1-4). Confess Christ as your Lord and Savior, trust him for your salvation (Romans 10:9-13) as you share with him in his death, burial, and resurrection through baptism (Romans 6:3-14; Acts 22:16). He promises to send his Spirit to live inside you and to forgive you all of your sins as he gives you new birth into his family (Titus 3:3-7). You will be God's child and have a home waiting for you in heaven. For those of us who are Christians, these thoughts are a reminder of what God has done for us. If you are not a follower of Christ, the world doesn't have to be a cold and lonely place; the Lord Jesus can be with you everywhere you go if you respond to him in faith.
MY PRAYER...
Father, thank you for providing a way for me to become your child. Thank you for clothing me in Jesus' righteousness. Thank you for making it possible for me to call you Father and to have Jesus as my older brother. Thank you, dear Father, for Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.
Together in Christ: 'My Servant' — Isaiah 41:9-10
Monday, March 25, 2024
"I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, 'You are my servant.' For I have chosen you and will not throw yo... View MoreTogether in Christ: 'My Servant' — Isaiah 41:9-10
Monday, March 25, 2024
"I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, 'You are my servant.' For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God.
"I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."
— Isaiah 41:9-10 NLT
Key Thought
Our verses today are part of the four "Servant of the Lord" songs found in Isaiah. [1] These songs compose one of the prophetic streams about the Messiah that Jesus used to identify Himself and New Testament writers applied to Him. [2] Rather than coming as a conquering ruler, Jesus came as God's servant, sent by the Father to seek and save the lost. [3] He did not come claiming His divine and royal privileges but instead chose to serve all people. [4]
The words of our passage were written originally for Israel to remind God's people of their role as His servant and His witness to the nations. They were to serve and give witness to God's goodness even in the face of great difficulty: He promised He would be with, strengthen, and help them as they did. God would make them victorious. Israel refused to embrace this role. Jesus came and fulfilled God's intentions for His servant. So, these words became the Father's words of reassurance to the Messiah, His Son, as He endured horrible abuse, legal unfairness, and crucifixion. Yet, God never abandoned Him. [5] Jesus ultimately triumphed over sin, death, and hell through His resurrection. [6] Jesus then sent His disciples on a mission to the world promising them His help, power, and presence. [7]
Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." [8]
We can embrace Jesus' mission for us to be His servants to the lost around us and declare His goodness and grace. God wants all people to come to Him and embrace Jesus as their Savior and serve Him as their Lord! [9] We have been placed in the world to bless the people around us and help them find their way home to God. While most of our closest friends may be believers, we realize that we have been remade in Christ Jesus to enter the world to bless it — including the unbelievers in it — with God's grace as Jesus did. That means making friends and genuinely caring for our neighbors! [10]
[1] Isaiah 42:1-9; Isaiah 49:1-13; Isaiah 50:4-11; Isaiah 52:13-15, 53:1-12.
[2] Originally, these "servant songs" were used by the prophet to define Israel's role in the world for God. When Israel did not live this mission, Jesus came to fulfill it (Matthew 8:17, 12:20; Luke 22:37, 24:44-48; John 12:38; Acts 8:32-33; Romans 10:16; 1 Peter 2:22, 24-25)
[3] Mark 10:41-45; Luke 19:10.
[4] Luke 22:24-27; Philippians 2:5-11.
[5] John 16:32; Acts 2:31.
[6] Romans 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 15:54-57; 2 Timothy 1:9-10.
[7] John 20:19-23; Philippians 2:1-11; 1 Peter 2:9-10.
[8] Matthew 28:18-20.
[9] John 3:16-17; Acts 17:22-31;2 Peter 3:8-9.
[10] Luke 10:29-37
TODAY'S PRAYER
Dear Father, thank You for loving us so much that You came into our world in Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, and revealed God to us. [A] Jesus, as we look at Your life as God's Servant, we are humbled and awe-struck at Your love for us and desire to save us when we were dead in our sins. As my response of thanks and praise for Your overwhelming love and generous grace, I offer myself to Your service in Your mission to the lost world so others can find salvation in You. In Your name, I choose not to be discouraged or afraid but strengthened and helped by Your great power. Amen.
[A] Matthew 1:23.
Ephesians 2:1, 4-7; Colossians 2:13-14.
RELATED SCRIPTURE READINGS
Isaiah 52:13-15, 53:1-12
1 Peter 2:1-12
Unstoppable! 'Problems into Opportunities' — Acts 6:7
Monday, March 25, 2024
So God's message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish prie... View MoreUnstoppable! 'Problems into Opportunities' — Acts 6:7
Monday, March 25, 2024
So God's message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
— Acts 6:7 NLT
Key Thought
The Jewish priestly class had been some of the fiercest skeptics and adversaries of the Lord Jesus in his earthly ministry. They were also fierce opponents of the apostles in their ministry, often threatening and persecuting them, and they even approved Saul's going to Damascus to arrest Christians (Acts 9:1-2). The Holy Spirit used the solution to the problem in taking care of needy Greek-speaking widows in Jerusalem to open the hearts of many of those priests to follow Jesus. A potentially divisive controversy became an evangelistic opportunity. I am not sure what captured the hearts of the priests, but the way the apostles handled this problem became the Holy Spirit's tool of influence. The message of Jesus IS unstoppable! The Spirit used the solving of a potential conflict to spread the Good News to a group that seemed unreachable in those days. Imagine what the Spirit can do as we lovingly and spiritually address our problems today!
TODAY'S PRAYER
Almighty God, use our current problems as opportunities for us and for Jesus' people everywhere to reach those who are skeptical and critical of us. We ask this in Jesus' name so that your grace dawns in the hearts of more men and women looking for answers to life's problems. Amen.
RELATED SCRIPTURE READINGS
Acts 4:1-24, 5:17-32
Philippians 4:22-23
Verse of the Day for Monday, March 25th, 2024
[King Nebuchadnezzar, who had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into the furnace,] said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound ... View MoreVerse of the Day for Monday, March 25th, 2024
[King Nebuchadnezzar, who had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into the furnace,] said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
—Daniel 3:25
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
I love the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:1-30). Their faith was solid and unwavering whether God chose to save them from the fire or not. God not only saved them, but those who intended to execute them became the key witnesses of their faith and God's miraculous deliverance of them and presence with them. These three young men showed themselves as sons of the One True God and were examples to all of us when we are tempted to compromise our faith to get along in a society that has lost all respect for the Almighty God and his values.
MY PRAYER...
Dear Father in Heaven, please give me the same kind of faith that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego demonstrated! When adversity, persecution, ridicule, and ostracism come, I want my faith to stand up to the test. Thank you, dear Father, for giving me the Bible, my book of heroes who stood their ground and kept their faith, especially under fire. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.
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