Author: mary

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Verse of the Day

Psalm 119:108-109

Lord, accept my offering of praise,
     and teach me your regulations.
 My life constantly hangs in the balance,
     but I will not stop obeying your instructions. Psalm 119:108-109

An Offering to Give

Even though we do not have to bring offerings to the altar anymore like they did in the Old Testament, we can still offer up ourselves to the Lord. The offerings in the Old Testament served as sacrifice for sins. Each offering represented a different kind of sin and the purpose was to make the believer clean again. When Jesus died on the cross, He died once for all, to rid us of our sins and the punishment of death. Once He died and we accepted His salvation, there was no need for another sacrifice.

Even though there is not a need for a sacrifice, we can still offer ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice, as Romans 12:1 says. We can daily submit ourselves over to the Lord. In this Psalm, the writer is offering up his praise. He also is offering his life; he is willing to be a student and learn from the Lord. He is willing to trust the Lord with his life. As Christians, we should be willing to live for the Lord everyday. That is how we can offer ourselves as offerings.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for sacrificing your Son as the ultimate sacrifice for my sins. May my life be an offering before you. Amen.

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: Never Abandoned

2 Corinthians 4:9 tells us, “We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” Have you ever felt abandoned and alone? Maybe a parent abandoned you or a spouse. Maybe you have just felt like you’ve walked through this life alone. Maybe you were let go at your last job and are struggling to figure out what you need to do.

One of the best promises we have in this life is that God will never abandon us. John 14:18 tells us that He will not leave us alone like orphans; He will come back to us. He is trustworthy. We know that He did not create us to be alone. He created us to be with Him and feel His presence. We were made for Him. When you are going through a trial, you are not alone. When everyone abandons you, you are not alone. When you feel as though you cannot go on, you are not alone. When you have been persecuted and feel knocked down, you are not destroyed because you have the foundation of Christ supporting you.

No matter what you go through in this life, take hope; for you are not alone and you will not be destroyed. Paul was abandoned and knocked down often, but he knew he couldn’t be destroyed because he was a child of God. Is this something you struggle with? What do you need to understand about God today?

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Verse of the Day

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

Psalm 119:105

A Lamp For Our Feet

Sometimes walking in this world can feel like walking in a dark room. It can be difficult to see which way to go when there is no light to be found. Luckily for the Christian, we do not have to walk through the darkness without the light. God’s Word is our light. It is the lamp to guide our feet and a light for our path to show us which way to go. We do not have to guess which way or stumble through the darkness, we can see what is right in front of us.

However sometimes, even as believers, we set the light down and try it on our own. We fall and stumble even though the lamp is right beside us, waiting for us to pick it up and use it. The same can be true of God’s Word. It radiates light, but only if we choose to pick it up and take it with us. If we leave it behind, it is of no good to us. We must seek the wisdom of God in the words of His scriptures to lead us through this life. We have the manual teaching us and telling us where to go and what to do. We must choose to take that manual and use it. Spend some time in prayer today asking God to give you a desire for His Word. May it be a lamp to your feet and a light for your path.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your Word. May it be living and active in my life. May I use it to lead and guide me. Amen.

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: Pressed on Every Side

Nothing in this life can completely crush us when we have the hope of Jesus Christ. We may experience tragedies and trials, but nothing can take that hope away from us when we have it living inside of our hearts. 2 Corinthians 4:8 says that “we are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.”

There are many troubles in this world. Those troubles often lead people down dark paths that can even lead to death. There is nothing more devastating than hearing about someone who took their own life because of the troubles that pressed in on them and made them feel as though they were trapped. So this verse is not saying that there won’t be troubles; it is just describing what it looks like when we live according to the hope we have in Christ. We will always experience troubles; they never go away. But with the Holy Spirit, we can endure and persevere through those troubles.

Troubles cannot crush us when we live in Christ. They can perplex us, as this verse says, but they cannot drive us to despair. God is bigger than our troubles. Pray today and ask Him to go before you and hedge you in on every side so that you will not let troubles crush you anymore.

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Verse of the Day

1 John 4:4

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

1 John 4:4

Children of God

If you know Christ, then you are one of God’s children. You are a daughter or son of the King! Because you are a child of God, then the victory has already been won over your life. You do not have to worry about the enemy’s attacks because Jesus won the victory over you when He died on the cross. And that victory is greater than anything that can happen in your life. The Spirit that lives in you is greater than the spirit that lives in the world. God has crushed the enemy under his feet, so we do not have to worry because God is in control and Christ is king. We will still go through troubles and trials, but we will not have to worry about what happens at the end of our lives.

Have you ever been to a funeral of someone who did not know Christ? It can be very devastating to watch and listen to others as they mourn the loss of their loved one, knowing that their life on earth was the end. But for the Christian life in this world is not the end, it is the beginning! That is all the more reason to share the good news about Jesus with our fellow man. When life ends on this earth, it can be seen as a celebration instead of mourning. The believer has passed from one life to the other. Yes, we still grieve the life of our loved ones, but we grieve for ourselves, not for them. We know that they are in eternity with God the Father and Jesus the Son. So, take heart when you go through suffering in this life and know that it is only momentary. There is so much more that we can live for.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You have overcome this world. You sent your son to overcome the grave. May I look forward to eternity instead of focusing on the momentary troubles of this world. Amen.

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: Jars of Clay

2 Corinthians 4:7 states that “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” What does this verse mean for the Christian?

A clay jar serves a purpose. While it is not as pretty as other types of jars or vessels, it can still hold precious things, and it can be of use. The light and the great treasure that this verse mentions is the gospel message of Jesus Christ. We are those jars of clay. God has chosen to place His precious treasure of the salvation message into ordinary vessels like you and me. We do not have to look a certain way or have a certain status for Him to use us. We just have to be willing.

However, we are still fragile jars of clay. We bear the greatest message ever and must protect ourselves from the enemy so that we can shine the gospel through us. He will attempt to destroy us, so we must always look to the Lord so He will protect us. If you have been broken or feel broken, you can still bear the message of Christ. Even a broken pot can be beautiful when you place a light inside of it and let the light shine through the cracks. All it takes is a willing spirit.

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Verse of the Day

1 Corinthians 15:58

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Be Strong and Immovable

So while you are on this earth and living for God, be strong and immovable as this verse says. Think of something that is strong and immovable. The strongest building can not withstand a hurricane with its fierce winds and waves. Water is too strong. But there are things in God’s natural creation like rocks and mountains that are immovable. The mountains do not give way to the seas. They will not be moved or shaken. Your foundation in Christ should be so strong that nothing can move it or shake it. If your foundation is found in Him, then when the storms come, He will not be overwhelmed because God is not overwhelmed.

The second part of this verse tells us to always work enthusiastically as if working for the Lord, not for men. We know that everything we do in the name of the Lord is useful, not useless. If we place our trust in God and live according to His will, then when we serve Him, even if we do not see it come to fruition, He will still do a work. Sometimes we do not get to see the fruits of our labor. But God always does. He always comes through. Someday we will see the rewards of that work.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
God, may my foundation be found in you. I know that you are the only one who can withstand the storms of life. May I work enthusiastically for you. Amen.

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: Hiding the Light of Christ

Isn’t it miraculous to think that the God of the universe who said let there be light in the darkness is the same God who has made His light shine in our hearts so we could know His glory shown through Jesus Christ His Son (2 Corinthians 4:6). This verse reveals the truth about how God feels about mankind. He created man in his own image as Genesis 1:27 tells us. God is the light in this dark world. He is the hope for mankind.

When we come to know Christ, God places that light inside our hearts. We then have the ability to share that light with the dark world around us. God’s will is not that anyone should perish, but that all would come to know His saving grace (2 Peter 3:9). So He uses us as His servants to shine His light and draw others to Him.

Are you sharing that light with the world around you or are you hiding it? If someone was lost and couldn’t see which way to go, wouldn’t you want to share your light with them so they could find their way? That is what it is like when a Christian keeps their greatest gift a secret. Pray today and ask God to make sure that your life is always shining for Him.

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Verse of the Day

1 Peter 5:10

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

1 Peter 5:10

We Do Not Suffer Without Hope

Before we knew God, we were doomed to eternal death. A life without God and instead, eternal suffering. So in His kindness, God called us to share in His glory. Out of His love for us, He made a way for us to be in His presence and live in His glory forever. That means that in this life, while on earth, we must suffer for a little while. But, we do not suffer without hope. We have the hope of Jesus Christ and eternity living in our hearts forever. We have the hope that someday, God will restore us to himself. He made a way through Jesus Christ, and He continues to make a way and prepare a place for us while we are on this earth. He will continue to support and strengthen us so that someday we will be ready for His eternal glorification.

God also promises to give us a firm foundation if we are living according to His will. As long as we keep our eyes focused on Him and not on this world, He will be our foundation, and He cannot be shaken.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Be my foundation. I know you are preparing me a place with you, so give me strength to endure suffering in this life. Amen.

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Today’s Truth

Today’s Truth: Preach the Good News

Many people spend their lives searching for their purpose and the meaning of life. They look to self-help books and celebrities. They look to the wisdom of family and friends. Some Christians prefer to look to Christian books and authors and others look to the Lord, His wisdom, and the Bible. Our purpose is to be known by God, know Him fully, and make His name known.

If you have been saved by Christ, then why wouldn’t you want to shout it from the rooftops? Why wouldn’t you want everyone else to know the promise that you know? He has given you life, and now he wants you to share it with the world. 2 Corinthians 4:5 says, “You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.” There is nothing that we can preach about ourselves, but yet we continuously want praise for the things we do. We glorify ourselves and sometimes, we don’t even realize it. However, if we can humble ourselves, then we will be able to lift Christ up. We can only become servants when we seek to glorify Him above all else.

Have you placed more priority on yourself or on your relationship with the Lord? Do you truly want to honor him? Do you want to see the people you love spend eternity with God the father? Then preach the good news about Jesus Christ instead of focusing on yourself and you will begin to see your perspective change as well as the lives of those around you.