Category: Verse of the Day

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

2 Peter 1:5-7

Loving Others

With godliness comes brotherly affection. When you are striving to lead a godly life, you will be more likely to show love to others. This verse does not say show love to people who you like, or only your friends and family. This verse says to show love to EVERYONE. This includes people who annoy you or anyone else who you may be at odds with. This is how Jesus loved and if we are to be more godly, then we will also want to live this way!

Think about people who are easy to love and those who are not so easy to love. Spend some time in prayer for those who are not as easy to love, that God would give you the ability to love those people without any conditions.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are the ultimate example of love. I only know how to love because you first loved me. Thank you for loving me. Help me love others in the same way. Amen.

When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!

Job 42:10

More than Before

If you know the story of Job, then you know that the first part of his story is devastating. Job was a righteous man, so when the devil spoke to the Lord about how he had been patrolling the earth, God asked if he had noticed his servant Job, almost as if He was offering Job up. The accuser, the devil, tells God that He has always protected him, and thus the testing begins. God allows the devil to test Job’s faith and in the process Job loses his livelihood, his family, and even his health. Job’s friends come and try to suggest reasons why Job is going through these test (all of which are wrong) and become discouraging to him rather than lifting him up. However, the way Job reacts to all of it shows his true character. He PRAISES the Lord through it all and even PRAYS for His friends! It is because of this why the Lord not only restores his fortunes, but gives him twice as much as before!

In this life we will go through many tests and trials. Sometimes the Lord even allows these to happen to grow our faith. We choose how we allow these trials to affect us: we can either choose to grow in our relationship with the Lord, or we can run from Him and ultimately end up worse than before. So are you running from the Lord or into His arms?

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for the tests and trials in my life. I know just like Job, you have given them to me so I might grow in my faith. Help me grow closer to you every single day. Amen

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

1 John 4:16

God is Love

Do you ever wonder why God didn’t just leave Jesus on this earth? Why would He send His Son Jesus, just to live forty years and then die when there are so many more people who would need Him? God had a divine purpose in sending Jesus when He did and a purpose for why he lived only forty years. Part of that purpose was for us. He wanted us to be His hands and feet after Jesus was gone. He commanded us to go into the world to share the gospel. When we go, we are not alone. He is living and breathing inside of us in the form of the Holy Spirit. It is because of the Holy Spirit that His love grows inside of you and helps you not be afraid when you bring the gospel to the world. He is right there with you. Your love for the lost world will grow the more you pursue Him.

Even though Jesus died while on the earth, God raised Him from the dead, and even after He went to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit, so you are never alone. Do not be afraid, but have confidence!

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,

Thank you for always walking alongside me and giving me courage to bring the gospel to my friends, family, and everyone around me. Amen

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.

Hebrews 11:13

From a Distance

The men and women of faith mentioned in this chapter died on the other side of the salvation promise. They did not get to see their hope fulfilled in this life, but they went to their graves believing in it. That is hard for us to grasp because we live with the promise behind us instead of in front of us like they did. We even take that for granted sometimes. They did not see the fruit of salvation, but it still drove them and their faith. They knew that they were simply stopping by on this planet earth; there would be a greater hope to come. They trusted in this hope.

Today we live on the whole other side of the promise. It is different because we know the salvation of Christ, so our hope is in his promised return for us. Heaven is our hope. Just as they lived with salvation in their view, so we should live with heaven, knowing God will make good on His promise.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
May I always live with the hope of heaven in my view. May it drive me and my faith. Amen.

I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.

2 Peter 1:1

A Shared Faith

This Christian faith is shared with people all over the world in many different countries. How high and wide is the love of Christ! It reaches from ocean to ocean and sea to sea. It is incredible to think about how we share that faith with so many people. To think that our faith was given to us because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ. He is just, wanting everyone to choose Him. Even the thief on the cross, who chose Him in the last possible minutes, came to know the faith that we also have. This is because God is a just God. He is a fair God, too. He judges every person fairly. It does not matter the depths of the sins; He will offer His forgiveness to anyone who calls upon His name.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are a just God. You give your forgiveness freely and without hesitation. Thank you for your forgiveness and grace. Amen.

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

In His Kindness

In all of God’s kindness, He called you to spend eternity with Him. None of us deserve His kindness or grace, yet, He gave it anyway. In His kindness, He restores, strengthens, and gives you a firm foundation. He is the one who cares for you so much that He sent His Son to die for your sins.

His firm foundation is what strengthens and supports you. It is what allows you to live in His love and His grace. Spend some time today thanking God for who He is and that He continues to restore His people.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your kindness and grace. Thank you that you cared so much for me that you sent your Son Jesus. Amen.

Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

1 Peter 5:9

Stand Firm

1 Peter 5:8 tells us to be watchful of the enemy’s attacks. Verse 9 says to stand firm against him and be strong in the faith. How do we live in our strength, so that the enemy will be defeated in our lives? When you really spend time with the Lord and read the Bible, you will find yourself able to stand firm. The last part of this verse gives us great hope. We can take hope because others around the world are standing with us. We are not alone in our trials and suffering.

Take some time today to thank God for your Christian brothers and sisters who are going through the same things you are. Ask Him to help him encourage others as well.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for Christians everywhere who are standing firm against the devil and his schemes. Amen.

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:14

Love that Binds

Many people spend a lot of time on their outer appearance, finding the right clothes, the right accessories, just to make sure that they look presentable as the world would have them look. How many people actually spend that much time on their inner person? It is more important to spend time clothing yourself with the things of God than the things of the world. When you put on mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, you will find yourself changing into the person God wants you to be. The greatest attribute you can put on is love. Love binds us with those around us in unity. Love binds us with our spouses, When we put on love, we are able to show mercy to each other, kindness, humility for one another, gentleness, and we are able to be patient.

Love is something we have to put on everyday so we can have all of those attributes when we wake up next to each other and go to bed at night. Let His love bind you with your spouse everyday. His love binds together, covers sins, and heals all wounds.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,

Your love is so beautiful and pure. Your love cleanses and covers sins, heals past wounds, and binds us together. May you bind me with my spouse and show me how to love. Amen

It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead-a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

Hebrews 11:11-12

By Her Faith

Abraham was not the only one who was faithful. Hebrews also mentions his wife Sarah as a person of faith. There were many men mentioned in this chapter, but not as many women. That is what makes Sarah so special. She and Abraham had taken things into their own hands when they thought they couldn’t have children. They tried it their way and were ready to try it God’s way. She was in her old age and barren, yet God promised them an entire nation that would come from their line. Sarah believed it would happen and it did. Not only that, but these verses say that they would number the stars in the sky and the sand on the shore! There would be so many that no one could count them!

It is just like God to turn an impossible situation into a possible one. He loves to prove that He is able and trustworthy!

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are so trustworthy. Just like you made the impossible possible for Abraham and Sarah, you are still wowing us today. May I always believe in your miracles. Amen.

Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

Hebrews 11:10

Looking Forward

Abraham placed his faith in eternal things. The hope of God was His foundation. He knew that what God promised would not be temporary, but eternal. He knew that joy could not ever be found in earthly things, but in the One who led him to the promised land and would continue to lead him until his death. Abraham was another man who had failures and at times took matters into his own hands, but God always led him back and he followed.

We all have times when we go astray, but what we do after is what matters. When given the chance, will you return to the Lord? Will you follow Him no matter what happens? This life of faith is worth more than anything you can ever find in this world. His eternal city should spur you on!

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
May I always follow you and the faith that leads me on. Continue to lead me and guide me. Amen.