Bible Verse for Today

The LORD will fulfill [his purpose] for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever -- do not abandon the works of your hands.
— Psalm 138:8 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...First there is conviction: the LORD will finish his work in us! (cf. Phili. 1:6). Second, there is declaration: the LORD's love endures and doesn't fail (cf. 1 Cor. 13:8). Finally, there is supplication: O Lord, don't forget me, your creation (cf. Ps. 139:13-16). What beautiful balance for our walk with the Lord.My...

 

"Your right hand, O LORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy. "
— Exodus 15:6 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...One of the great images of the Old Testament is that of God stretching out his right hand with power and doing mighty things for his people. So often, Israel faced a larger and more experienced foe. Yet when his people fully trusted in him, he gave them great victory.My Prayer...Father, great in holiness and majesty, please uphold and...

 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
— Hebrews 10:24,25 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...We need each other. We cannot make it on our own. God calls us to get together regularly to encourage and to motivate each other to live vibrant lives of service and faith. With the day of Jesus' return...

 

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
— Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...God is slow to exercise his justice when that justice demands his people's punishment. "Gracious and slow to anger" is a phrase repeatedly used to describe God in the Old Testament. God longs to be gracious and bless his people. He extends time for us to repent and turn to him. In Jesus, God even...

 

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
— Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Close spiritual friends -- the kind that can hold us accountable when we need it, build us up when we're down, or celebrate with us when we've enjoyed success -- are truly rare. So many people are lonely; they're lonely for something, or better yet, someone, they've never experienced. We have a tendency in modern western culture to have...

 

I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.
— Ezekiel 36:23 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...God can and will use us even though we are not worthy vessels for him to use. Scripture gives us many examples of people God used who did not come up to his moral and holy requirements...

 

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
— Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Weariness is a part of life. Weariness is a part of ministry. Weariness is definitely something that overtakes us when we set our hearts on doing good for others. The wonderful blessing of God, however, is that he will renew us and sustain us and rekindle us. He does it through the encouraging word of a friend. He does it through...

 

For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
— Isaiah 54:5 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse..."For God so loved the world..." "The Father, from whom every family on earth derives its name..." God is not just the God of Israel. The LORD God, ruler of heaven and earth, is the God of all nations and one day, "every knee will bow and every tongue will confess... that Jesus Christ is Lord to...

 

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
— Galatians 5:6 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Ever notice how we get to fussing about things that are important, but still aren't the most important things of our faith. So often when we get to fighting the most important thing of all gets lost. In the first century, this fight often had to do with Jew/Gentile issues. While race, culture...

 

And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
— 1 John 4:21 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...For over a week, John has reminded us again and again. We must love our brothers and sisters in Christ. This reminder, however, is the clincher. If we love God, then we must love his children and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Notice that the word isn't "should" or "will try" or "want to." No, we must. The Bible is careful not to put many "must do" or...