Verse of the Day for Monday, November 2nd, 2026:
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. — 1 Peter 2:10
Shar... View MoreVerse of the Day for Monday, November 2nd, 2026:
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. — 1 Peter 2:10
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Multiplication of Ministry: Year-End InformationKey dates and details about our year-end ministry transition and financial support. — See Details

Thoughts on Today's Verse....
Excluded. Rejected. Discarded. Abandoned. Forgotten. Pushed aside. Never picked. Each of these describes what it feels like to be a nobody. The evil one gives our sinful flesh the tools and the opportunities to speak these words of self-condemnation to ourselves. God, however, has extended his mercy and grace to us. "But now…" - two of the greatest words of hope when God is attached. "But now" we can trust that God has loved us in Christ, brought us into his family, and given us a purpose. We are now part of the people of God! We have been chosen to be part of the victorious team of teams. We have received mercy! Grace has washed over us, and God's love has adopted us into his family. Peter is reminding maligned and persecuted believers that they can choose to see themselves as "nobodies," or they can choose to see themselves by their new, God-shaped identity. Peter's words speak to our hearts, too. You, dear friend in Jesus, are God's child. You are part of his eternal and conquering people - like Moses, Esther, Paul, and Mary Magdalene. Mercy has reversed the power of sin and failure in your life and has graciously given you a new identity, empowered by the Holy Spirit's presence. Live today as you now are in Jesus: one of God's special people who "declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).
My Prayer...
O Father of mercy and God of all grace, thank you for making me part of your people, with a divine purpose for my life. In Jesus' name, I thank you. Amen.
The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware. Questions or comments can be sent to help@verseoftheday.com.
Today's Verse Illustrated

You may know the phrase said by former president Theodore Roosevelt: "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Roosevelt knew the power of words, and perhaps learned it from the first verse in this prover... View MoreYou may know the phrase said by former president Theodore Roosevelt: "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Roosevelt knew the power of words, and perhaps learned it from the first verse in this proverb. Speaking softly may be considered a sign of weakness by many, but I think it is more likely a sign of wisdom. People that speak loudly or argue too much are hard for me to take seriously. If I accuse you of doing something and you fight me tooth and nail, does that not make me think that you care too much? If anything, the vigor with which you defend yourself makes you seem more guilty. A good example is from the Shakespeare play Hamlet: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." If you had not done the thing, it would probably not merit much of a response on your end.
As Christians, we must be careful what words we say, how we say them, and when we say them. This proverb focuses on the tremendous power of words: they can heal, hurt, promise, and deceive. The wise speak softly (and arguably carries a big stick) while the foolish spew nonsense incessantly, trying to hear themselves speak. Which are you?
Thought:
How do you think people interpret the way you speak: wisely or foolishly? What can you change to improve?
“[12] For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and... View More“[12] For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart. ”
Hebrews 4:12 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/heb.4.12.HCSB
Verse of the Day for Sunday, November 1st, 2026:
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious... View MoreVerse of the Day for Sunday, November 1st, 2026:
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. — Ephesians 1:18
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Multiplication of Ministry: Year-End InformationKey dates and details about our year-end ministry transition and financial support. — See Details

Thoughts on Today's Verse....
Heaven is something we see now with our hearts through our faith. When we are discouraged, doubtful, and depressed, we need to have the eyes of our hearts "enlightened" so we can live our lives with that hope. The dawn needs to rise in our darkness; as we see the dawn of hope and the riches of our inheritance on the horizon, we can be strong, have faith, endure, persevere, and even thrive in our faith. When things look bad, however, sometimes the only way to remember "the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" is to sing them, pray them, and read God's promises of them in Scripture. These three spiritual practices awaken our faith to see beyond our circumstances! Paul reminds us that, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we can remind each other of these things when we pray for one another to experience them.
My Prayer...
O God, you are my lasting hope. I trust in you and your promises. I admit, however, that at times I struggle with my confidence in my hope that you will act in response to my prayers and do what I've trusted you with my life to do. So, please fill me with your Spirit, who can comfort my doubts, rekindle my passion to serve you with boldness, and to share my hope with others. Thank you for Paul's reminder, and I choose to pray about these hopes, sing about these hopes, and read about these hopes in the Scriptures. Through my Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.
The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware. Questions or comments can be sent to help@verseoftheday.com.
Today's Verse Illustrated

All three Persons of the Holy Trinity are seen here. The Son sends the Spirit into our hearts. The Spirit makes us to cry out to God the Father, calling him "Abba," an intimate term used by a child of... View MoreAll three Persons of the Holy Trinity are seen here. The Son sends the Spirit into our hearts. The Spirit makes us to cry out to God the Father, calling him "Abba," an intimate term used by a child of his father. All that God does, he does as a Trinity.
Many of the people that live near my apartment are incredibly wealthy. The parking lots are filled with fancy cars that are covered in dust, perhaps not ever remembered by their owners. It can foster ... View MoreMany of the people that live near my apartment are incredibly wealthy. The parking lots are filled with fancy cars that are covered in dust, perhaps not ever remembered by their owners. It can foster a bit of ill will to the other people around them, especially people with less money. We are taught to love our neighbors as ourselves, but it is much easier said than done.
This message of loving your neighbor and not holding a grudge is so important because it is so difficult! This is why it is mentioned so many times. Holding a grudge is a pestilence to all true believers. There is a famous quote that is a good summation of a grudge: "grudges are like swallowing poison and hoping your enemy dies from it". This negative feeling that we carry towards another person is mostly reflected on our own disposition. The proverbs mention that here: holding a grudge is a way to devise evil. Mercy and truth are how to devise good.
It may be difficult to reflect and understand the importance of these messages because we hear them so often, but they are said so often because of their importance!
Prayer:
Lord God, please hear my prayer. Help me to not begrudge or despise my neighbors for any wrongs they may have committed. As you have forgiven me, let me forgive them. As you say in the Proverbs, good is devised from truth and mercy. Help me to forgive those that have trespassed against me, as you have forgiven me for my trespasses. I pray this in your name, Amen.
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