Category: Verse of the Day

Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.

Philippians 2:16

Hold Firm

Hold firm. Have you ever had that feeling of holding onto something for dear life? When I was little, I remember attempting to climb across the monkey bars and getting halfway across before I fell. Right before I fell, I hung onto the bar as tightly as I could so I wouldn’t fall. No matter what I did I still fell.

The beautiful thing about God is that when we cling to him, he grabs hold of us and never let’s go. We can hold firmly to him because his Word is a firm foundation and never fails. We can run the race because he runs with us, alongside us even.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for the race. May I run the race well and pleasing in your sight. May I hold tight to you. Amen.

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Philippians 2:14-15

A Toxic Spark

One of the ways Christians can shine the light of Jesus Christ is to do everything without complaining and arguing. Complaining and arguing can be toxic and spread like wildfire. If you have seen what it can do in a workplace, then you know it can be just as dangerous in the church. It only takes one spark to start a fire. In the same way it only takes one person to create a toxic environment. Complaining and arguing can ruin relationships, friendships, and bodies of believers.

Take some time today to examine your life. Do you tend to be more encouraging or discouraging? Do you lean toward positivity or negativity? Spend some time in prayer and fill your mind with the things of God so you will shine like him instead of distracting people from the Lord.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for who you are and how you love me. Help me be a light for you and fill me with your Word. Amen.

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

Galatians 3:13

Our Rescuer

Jesus is our rescuer. He became the curse meant for us. The penalty for sins is death as it says in Romans 6:23: “the wages of sin is death.” We deserved that death. We deserved the curse. Jesus took it instead. He hung on the cross for us.

The catch is that we have to realize and understand our need for a rescuer. We have to admit that there is a problem first. We must acknowledge our need for him. Then he will rescue us. Someone who is drowning automatically knows they’re drowning. They do not have to think about it. If someone throws them a life preserver or tries to save them, they will go for it because they know their situation. What about you? What about those you know? Take some time to pray and ask God to help those around you realize their need for a Savior.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are the only one who can rescue us from our sins. You are the Savior. Help me share that good news with the world. Amen.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
     We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
 Yet the Lord laid on him
     the sins of us all. Isaiah 53:6

We Have Gone Astray

We have all gone astray. We have all had moments of weakness. We have all chosen the things of this world over the Lord. As Christians, we still have a fleshly nature that wants to choose the desires of the world instead of Christ. We battle this nature daily. With every decision, word, or action we must choose whether to follow the Spirit living inside of us or the fleshly nature that constantly reaches out for the world. Sometimes we get distracted by shiny things. Or as this verse says, sometimes we leave God’s path to follow our own. This is why we needed Jesus and His forgiveness. It is why we still need Him every day.

Take some time today to pray and ask God to lead you and guide you so you will follow the Spirit instead of your flesh. When you ask him to lead, be ready to follow!

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
I want to follow you. Make my paths straight and give me guidance to walk in your ways. Amen.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Philippians 2:13

His Work in You

God is always working in and through you. You must submit to Him and allow Him to continuously do great things. If you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, then you always have a guide telling you which way to go and helping you live a life that pleases the Lord. He will give you the desires of God and the strength you need to please the Lord. His work is never finished. You will spend your entire life living and growing in him when you stay in his will and continue to follow him.

Spend some time in prayer each day asking God to change your heart and your desires so that day for him instead.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
you are my desire and I long to know you more and more. Help me stay focused on you. Amen.

But he was pierced for our rebellion,
     crushed for our sins.
 He was beaten so we could be whole.
     He was whipped so we could be healed. Isaiah 53:5

By His Wounds We Are Healed

Every wound Jesus bore was for us. He took every lash without any complaint. He willingly carried the cross to Golgotha. His love was deeper than any pain he endured. This verse even goes a step further and says that he made us whole with his wounds. He healed us with every strike. Think about that for a minute. Think about your sins and wrongdoings. Think about the wrong choices you have made just in the last week. Every beating he took was to heal you and forgive you from just one of those choices. That is a powerful thought, isn’t it?

We were incomplete and empty before him. We were a sinner walking around with the weight of our sins. By his death, we were forgiven for those sins and not just that, we were healed! Sin causes heartache, sorrow, brokenness, and dire consequences. When we understand his forgiveness, then we do not have to live in that anymore.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
I am forgiven and healed. Thank you for taking on my sins and rescuing me. Amen.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
     it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
 And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
     a punishment for his own sins! Isaiah 53:4

The Weight of the World

He carried the weight of the world on His shoulders. He carried every sin, every insult, every sorrow. He bore them all. He bore them for us. We were the ones whom he loved and adored. I cannot even imagine the weight of it all as he hung on the cross, tortured for us. There is not one person on this earth that could endure what he did. It was supposed to be our torture, our punishment, but yet he did it for us. John 15:13 says, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Christ showed the greatest love of all by laying down his life.

What about you? Do you love others with the type of sacrificial love that Christ showed for you? Are you willing to lay down your life for them? That is a difficult question, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that we lay down our physical lives for our friends, but that we should have that type of humility; we should put others before ourselves.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for sending Jesus to lay down his life and give the ultimate sacrifice. May I love others in that type of way.

I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments.

Colossians 2:4

False Teachings

Beware of the false teachers and those who try to deceive. This was common during Paul’s time. He often encountered them and warned others about them as well. New believers were especially prey to false teaching because they did not yet have a firm foundation to stand on.

Today, the body of believers still deals with false teachings. There are many doctrines out there that are not based on the Bible. The enemy would like nothing more than to lead you astray. This is why it is so important to continuously build on your foundation so you will not follow false teachings.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are the way, the truth, and the life. May I always follow you and no one else. Amen.

In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:3

All Wisdom

Jesus is the key to all happiness and answers. As this verse says, in Him lies the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He has the wisdom and knowledge you need. The world looks for wisdom anywhere they can. They rely on man, but man does not know even an ounce of what God knows.

He is always the answer. When you are devastated after a loss, look to him. When you are unsure of the future, look to him. When you are upset over a broken relationship, look to him. He wants to be the first place you go when you need help. He wants to be the one to comfort, heal, and love you. Turn to Him today.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are wisdom. Be my guide and help me through this life. Amen.

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.

Colossians 2:2

A Deep Love

Paul had such a deep compassion for others. He just wanted others to know the passionate love the He had for God and that God had for him. He had been someone who had followed all of the rules and laws and persecuted others for their faith in Jesus. However, the law will never fulfill; only Jesus can fulfill. After Paul came to know the saving knowledge of Jesus, he saw everything in a new light. He understood so much more about the Christian life. His passion for others was ignited inside him.

Can you say the same about yourself? Do you want others to be encouraged and knit together by ties of love? Do you have complete confidence in their understanding? If not, spend some time in prayer today about how you can love others in this way.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for loving me in such a deep way. May I love others in that same way. Amen.