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You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light... — Ephesians 5:8 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Our before and after: we were lost, now found; we were darkness, now light. This should be our journey of grace. "I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see," as the old hymn "Amazing Grace" has us sing. If we could only fully grasp what we so easily sing, then maybe our lives would be filled with more grace and our churches with more confident servants of God. Let's "live as children of light" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:5 ), transferred from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of God's love ( Colossians 1:13-14 ), in whom we have light and life ( John 1:4 ). My Prayer... LORD God Almighty, by your grace we know that we stand before you today, welcomed into your glorious presence and received as your beloved children. You have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and flooded ou...

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. — James 3:13 Thoughts on Today's Verse... James promised that if we ask for wisdom in faith, God will grant it to us ( James 1:5 ). This kind of wisdom, God-granted wisdom, reveals itself through a loving, humble lifestyle. In worldly cultures, someone who is smart can easily justify acting arrogantly. In the LORD's eyes, however, smart but arrogant people are worse than those who are silly and foolish. The pridefully intelligent people of our world are woefully ignorant if they are ignorant. True godly wisdom is not about flaunting knowledge, but about living a "good life" characterized by good deeds done with humility. Which more closely resembles you in your walk with Jesus: Wisdom expressed through good deeds and a humble lifestyle, or an arrogant intelligence expressed in deeds and words of superiority and arrogance? My Prayer... Loving...

We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. — 1 John 4:16 Thoughts on Today's Verse... How do you know God is at home in your heart? It's an important question! You know when you are doing loving things to bless the lives of others, and your love reflects the Spirit-formed kind of love Paul defines in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ; God is at home in your heart: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. When we consistently act in unloving ways, we show we really do not know God, no matter how much Bible we think we know! Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever d...

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. — Philippians 2:1-2 Thoughts on Today's Verse... While our passage begins with an "If...," it would be better translated as "Since we have..." Our call to sacrificially submit ourselves to others does not begin with our sacrifice, but with Jesus' love, example, and sacrifice! We are called to unity in spirit and shared purpose after having received all these blessings from being in Jesus! We are encouraged by being united with Christ. We are comforted by his love. We do share in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We have received tenderness and compassion. So, dear brother and sister, how can we not share those blessings with our Christian family and find a way to live together in his Kingdom with lovi...

Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. — 1 Peter 3:8 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Unity and harmony are no accident! They happen because of intention and submission. More than just states of being we find along life's way, they are commanded by God. We are to pursue them! How do we have unity and harmony? Peter reminds us we must have three commitments in our "family of faith" lifestyle: We actively share our sorrows, losses, and concerns We love and value each other as family. We show compassion and humility with each other. Rather than acting superior to others as they deal with their failures and loss, we are sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble. We recognize that we are vulnerable to the same problems, hurts, wounds, and temptations as our brothers and sisters who need us, and whom we need to be fully JESUShaped disciples! My Prayer... Father, I confess that I have let my oversensitive self be wo...

Rejoice in the LORD always. I will say it again: Rejoice! — Philippians 4:4 Thoughts on Today's Verse... True and lasting joy is found in the LORD, not in temporary things, momentary achievements, or fleeting riches. True joy, abiding joy, unconquerable joy is found in knowing that God always accompanies, sustains, helps, protects, and upholds us, and then one day will come to include us in his forever home with us. How can we not rejoice? God loves us so much that he emptied heaven of his greatest treasure so that we can join him in glory and in never-ending joy. How can we be so sure of all of this? We remember the empty tomb, our risen Savior, and the LORD's disciples who met the risen Jesus and "disbelieved for joy" ( Luke 24:41-43 ). That disbelief, however, was swallowed up in unstoppable joy as Jesus ate some fish in front of them as they marveled at their resurrected Savior. My Prayer... Precious Father, thank you for always being there for us, with us, and i...