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Verse of the Day

Ephesians 5:18

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18

Fill Yourself with the Spirit

Drinking alcohol is a very hot topic in the Christian world with many different views. Whether your view is that drinking alcohol can hurt your witness and be dangerous, or if your view is that a little alcohol does not hurt, you can hopefully agree that there is no benefit to being drunk with wine.

This verse makes it very clear that getting drunk can ruin your life. It can lead to addictions and it can also ruin any standing you have with people who are not saved. If they see you acting like a fool, then they will think that is what it looks like to be a Christian and they will not want any part of it. This verse goes on to tell us to instead be filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul was one who was accused often of being drunk when in fact he was filled with the Holy Spirit. He acted so differently from his former life and so passionate about Christ, that people just couldn’t believe it and thought he was intoxicated. When you live differently from the world, they will not recognize who you are and will try to reason in their mind why you act the way you do. So fill yourself with the Holy Spirit and make every action count.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Help me make good decisions that enhance my witness and lead others to you. May I be filled with the Holy Spirit instead of filled with things that are damaging and will not help my witness Amen.

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Verse of the Day

Ephesians 5:15-16

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

Ephesians 5:15-16

Be Careful How You Live

As Christians there are times when we make really good decisions and inspire the people around us, and there are times when we make some not so good decisions. Unfortunately, those actions can also affect the people around us. That is why this verse tells us to be careful how we live, not as unwise and like fools, but as wise. We should look different from the world because we have been redeemed. We have the Savior living inside of us. So why wouldn’t we want to live differently?

We also need to make the most of every single opportunity we are giving. Many times we let those opportunities pass us by. Or we let someone else take hold of the opportunity instead. God gives us opportunities to share his name and talk about our freedom every single day. If we do not take hold of them, we will allow someone else to take part in the blessing. But when we do take hold of these great opportunities, He rewards us tenfold. So make sure that you are living your life for the Lord and sharing your faith every chance you get.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Help me make the most of every opportunity you give. Help me to delight in the opportunities you give me and rejoice in your blessings. Amen.

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Verse of the Day

Ephesians 5:8-9

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Ephesians 5:8-9

Live in the Light

The Bible refers to light and dark many times. Sin is often referred to as darkness and God is often referred to as light. So, when someone comes to know the Lord, His Word tells us that that person is transferred from the darkness and into the light. It is almost as if He picks us up out of the darkness and puts us where we can see. It is difficult to make decisions in the dark. You cannot see what is in front of you or all around you, so your decisions are made based on what you hear no on what you can see. In the light, you can see everything. It is much easier to make decisions when you were living in the light.

God transferred us to the light so we would live in the light! Why would you go back to the darkness when the light is so much better? Examine your life today and pray that God would help you remain in the light!

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are the light of my life. May I constantly find my hope, joy, and life in the light instead of trying to move toward the darkness. Thank you for rescuing me from darkness. Amen.

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Verse of the Day

Psalm 121: 3-4

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.

Psalm 121: 3-4

The God Who Never Sleeps

Have you ever had a hard time sleeping at night? Maybe you just couldn’t turn your mind off. Maybe you just kept thinking about what you had to do the next day, or even worrying about something that was beyond your control. Well, the God of the universe never sleeps or slumbers. He doesn’t need to sleep. He is always active, watching over his people. What an intense thought! God is so in tune to our daily lives and cares so much about us, that he is constantly watching over us. His work is never done. He never calls it a day.

We must not think of God in human terms because He doesn’t act like we would act. There is only so much we can get done in a day and only so much we can do for other people. But God does not operate it like we do which is why He doesn’t require any rest or sleep. So the next time you are having trouble sleeping, just think that the God of the universe is acting right at that moment, working for you!

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
What an intense thought. You never sleep! It is such an encouraging thought to think that you are constantly working for my good. Thank you. Amen.

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Verse of the Day

Ephesians 4:23-24

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy.

Ephesians 4:23-24

Put on the New Nature

Once you have accepted the salvation of Jesus Christ and turned from your old ways and nature, it is time to begin living in your new life. So what does this look like? And how is it done? New nature may not look a whole lot different from the old nature when someone first converts. It can take some time and grace to become a new person. But over time? The new life should look completely opposite from the old life.

This verse tells us to renew our thoughts. Everything starts with a thought. The thought gives way to words and actions. So if you can change the things you think about and the way you think about them, you can change your life. Part of that is not thinking about the old things in the old life. Instead, think about the things of God and his goodness. The other important thing to renew is your attitude. A new life should look at things differently. For example, when everyone else is being negative, a Jesus-filled life looks for the good.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You have given me new life. Help me to live in that life and delight in the things that you have done. You are a good God. Amen.

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Verse of the Day

Ephesians 4:21-22

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.

Ephesians 4:21-22

Throw Off the Old

Repentance is the word that means to turn away and go the other way. Yet, there are some who think the Christian life is possible without repentance. In this verse Paul tells the people of Ephesus that they need to completely turn away from their sin and their former way of life because they have heard the truth about Jesus. Knowing the truth should set you free and make you want to turn away from what you once knew.

If you have no desire to turn from your sins for life, then you need to evaluate why. What makes your old life so much more desirable than a new life with Jesus as Lord of your heart? Is he worth more than everything you used to struggle with? Is he the king of your heart or have you allowed something else to rule over you?

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Be the king of my heart. You rescued me from my sins, but yet time and time again I return back to what I once knew. You are the truth. You are the love of my life. May I serve you. Amen.

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Verse of the Day

Lamentations 3:22-24

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

Lamentations 3:22-24

The Lord, My Inheritance

God’s mercies are new every single morning. He bestows those mercies to you when you need them and even when you don’t. His faithfulness never ends. Our faithfulness can only go so far, but His is unending. It is not in His nature to be unfaithful. He MUST be faithful. And we get to live in His faithfulness! He gives us another chance and new beginnings every morning. When we mess up, we get to awake to His mercies once again. When we fall away, we open our eyes to see His faithfulness.

This should make us want to live in His faithfulness everyday. This should make us want to serve Him and be faithful to Him. But many times we are enticed by things of this world and begin to walk away once again. So what is the answer? Start your day off by basking in His mercies and delighting in His faithfulness. Think about these things when you go throughout your day. At the end of the day, thank Him for showing you kindness, faithfulness, and goodness all day long.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are so good. You are so kind. You are so faithful to me. Help me be faithful to you. May I take joy in your mercies and forgiveness every day. Amen.

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Verse of the Day

Isaiah 43:19

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19

Something New

I love this verse because it gives so much hope. The people of Israel had been through so much. They had walked with God and then they disobeyed God. Then once again they found God and then they fell away again and served other gods. Through it all, God never changed. He still had a love for the people and a desire to see the change and obey. This verse is a “wait and see what I’m about to do” kind of verse. It gave the Israelites hope once again. He was telling them that He hadn’t given up on them. He still loved them and was making a way for them through the wilderness, the dry wasteland, the darkness.

Jesus was that way! Jesus was the way to salvation for the people of Israel and still is the way today! He cares just as much for you and me as He did for the Israelites all those years ago. Except, the way has already been made. Jesus Christ and His salvation paved the way for you and me! WHat great hope we have when we accept His salvation!

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are the way, the truth, and the life! No one comes to you except through Jesus Christ Himself. Thank you for making a way for me to live. Amen.

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Verse of the Day

Revelation 21:5

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

Revelation 21:5

Trustworthy and True

One promise we have as Christians is the promise that He makes all things new. When someone first becomes a believer, they are promised a new life. The old is gone and the new has come. This is the first promise. The second is just as good. There is a new life after this life ends. This verse tells us that the one sitting on the throne (God himself) is making everything new. He tells us in his word that there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

This verse gives us great hope. We have hope in this life that he is shaping us into the people he wants us to be and that after this life we will live in heaven for all of eternity with Him.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for giving me new life when I accepted your great gift of salvation. I know that you are making me into a new creation. Amen.

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Verse of the Day

Revelation 21:4

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Revelation 21:4

No More Tears

Someday there will be no more tears, no more death, no more sorrow, and no more pain. That is hard to imagine, isn’t it? A world without pain and suffering? Someday all of those things that tie us down and force us to look back instead of forward will be gone. This is God’s promise to man. When Jesus rose from the dead and went up to heaven, he said that he was going to prepare a place. When this life is over, we will wake up and see Jesus face to face.

We are used to sorrow in this life. From birth we experience pain or discomfort and as we grow those pains and hurts become more serious and really take a toll on the emotional and mental state. Can you picture heaven without all of those things that constantly cling to us?! Praise Him today and think about the wonderful promises He has in the future.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for heaven and everything you have for me in the future. You are my joy. May I cling to you and the future. Amen.