Category: Verse of the Day

It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.

1 Peter 2:15

Live an Honorable Life

In this life, you will have trouble and will encounter people who do not like you or bring accusations against you. Know that when you are in the Lord’s will and are serving him, accusations cannot stand against you. The accusations are against the Lord. The enemy wants to use people to attack you when you are doing his work. Take heart and live an honorable life so that they will have no grounds to stand on.

Bring your anxiety and fears to the Lord. Know that he will protect you and encourage you when you are discouraged.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
It can be hard sometimes when people attack. Protect me and help me continue your work. Amen.

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

1 Peter 2:2-3

Grow in the Lord

The best part of the Christian life is growing close to the Lord. Salvation is not the end for the Christian, but the beginning of a lifetime of growth. Sadly, some Christians never go beyond the beginning of their salvation. There must be a desire for growth. To repent means to turn away from sin. Repentance leads to salvation, so after salvation, there must be a continuous desire to change. When God does work in our hearts, we will desire more of him. We will not want to stay as newborn babies but instead will want nourishment.

So how can you continue to grow in the Lord? Meet with his people in Bible study and fellowship. Spend time in prayer, study the scriptures. Ponder them and keep them close to your heart. When you think about the words of God, you will long to know more and grow more.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
I long to grow closer to you every single day. Lead my heart. Amen.

So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.

1 Peter 2:1

Get Rid of Evil Behavior

It seems like such a simple task, right? “Get rid of all evil behavior.” It is never that easy, is it? Sure maybe the “big” behaviors seem easier than others. But it is the little behaviors that are harder, maybe even the ones that no one sees that only God knows. The jealous thoughts over someone else’s promotions. The unkind thoughts about those who wrong us. The hypocritical words and actions contradicting our faith. All of these things block our view of who God is.

It starts with a thought. If you spend time in prayer and soaking in God’s Word, you will change your behavior and see God do great things in your life.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Change my thinking and my behavior. May my thoughts, words, and actions be pleasing to you. Amen.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

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Humility

Humility means looking past yourself. It means taking an interest in others and looking out for them. The advice in these verses is something that every Christian should condor and keep in their hearts as they serve others. Don’t be selfish. This is so difficult when our fleshly desires take over, but we must look to the needs of others instead of our own. Don’t impress others. In a world that pushes you to keep up with the Joneses, be who God created me to be. Do not worry What the world will think. Trying to live competing with others and their successes, you will be focused on one thing: yourself. Instead of successes, you will find emptiness. It is so fulfilling to meet the needs of others just as you this is true serving as well.

Take some time and pray today about how you can serve those around you, your community, and your church. You will find great joy.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Help me be a more humble person who looks out for the needs of others instead of my own. Amen.

…agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

Philippians 2:2b

One body, One Purpose

God wants His people to work together in love and unity. The Bible talks about Christ being the head of the church. God created the church to glorify him, but we can only do that when we are working together in love and unity. This verse says to agree wholeheartedly with each other. Does that mean we have to always think the same? No, God created us differently for a reason but we must be able to come to agreements and work together so the church can thrive. We must work together with one mind and purpose. That purpose is to bring glory to God and spread his name.

As a church body we should never let trivial things come between us and the work that God is doing. Many churches have split because they can’t come to an agreement. I have even heard of a church splitting over what types of chairs to have in their building! We can go so far away from our purpose as Christians sometimes. So work hard to agree with others to serve one purpose for God.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for our differences as a body of Christ. Thank you for being the purpose that drives us and keeps us together. Amen.

Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:14

Unbiased Love

The gift of Jesus Christ was for every person. This is such good news. Even though God loved the Israelites, he brought Jesus into the world to rescue all mankind. His followers understood this message and spread it after his death. They knew that salvation was for anyone who would accept and follow him. The gospel is still for everyone today. It does not matter someone’s background or culture, the past, or their sins, only their present. He will rescue anyone that puts their faith in him. This is the message we must share with the world today. There are so many that think his salvation is only for a certain type of people, and this is simply not true. His love does not discriminate. He created every person, and he wants every person to love him just the same. We must choose him.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your unbiased gospel that will reach any person who chooses to follow you. Amen.

He was despised and rejected—
     a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
 We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
     He was despised, and we did not care. Isaiah 53:3

A Man of Sorrows

Jesus was despised and rejected by some while he was on this earth. They did not believe he was the son of God and wanted nothing more than to watch him fail. Out of their hatred for Christ, they devised a plan to kill him. This is exactly what Isaiah prophesied about. Out of Christ’s love for us came his death and resurrection. Even though we did not deserve it, his death brought about grace and forgiveness.

Christ is still rejected by men today. There are some who completely reject his teachings. Even Christians deny him by the way they live. We have all had times in our lives when we thought we knew better than god or tried to do things without god. With every sin we reject him. We are always in need of his mercy.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
May I not reject you in the way I live my life, but instead glorify you every single day. Amen.

My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
     like a root in dry ground.
 There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
     nothing to attract us to him.
Isaiah 53:2

Father and King

Isaiah foresaw the coming of the Savior in this verse. He describes Jesus Christ as being nothing special. He did not grow up as something special, was not born of royal blood, or clothed in glorious splendor. He was an ordinary man with the extraordinary power of God the Father. I imagine that if you saw him on the street amongst the people, then he would look like anyone else.

However, he was so much more than anyone we can imagine. He was gentle with the children, gracious with the sinner, and kind-hearted with the lame and sick. He did not look like a king, and he had the heart of a servant.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are the good shepherd and the gracious king. Thank you for loving me. Amen.

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Colossians 2:9-10

The Fullness of Christ

Christ is the head of the Christian faith. Without Christ, there would be no Christian faith, no salvation, no grace and forgiveness. In Him is the fullness of God. When someone comes to know the saving grace of Christ, they become complete. He is everything we need in this life.

Our world is full of heartache, sorrow, and anxieties. Many are looking in so many other places for happiness and completion. They want people to complete them. They want hobbies, talents, or successes to make them happy. The problem is that people find emptiness when they continuously seek earthly things to complete them. Take some time today and thank God for making you complete through Christ.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
In you I find my joy and completeness. I am never empty in you. Amen.

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

Colossians 2:8

Do Not Get Captured

As a new believer (or even as a seasoned follower), you can be captured by empty philosophies and human thinking that is not grounded in the Lord. When I was younger, there were many phrases and beliefs that I thought were in the Bible. As I grew in His teachings and had a deeper understanding of His Word, I realized how many things I thought were in Scripture that actually was not. The more I questioned my thinking and beliefs, the more I grew in my walk with Him.

As believers, we must question what we hear and make sure it is lined up with scripture. If we do not, then we will find ourselves on a slippery slope. Take some time each day to read the Word, grow in your understanding and love for the Lord.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Give me longing for who you are and your Word. May my desire for truth and your Word be greater than my desire for the world.