Bible Verse for Today

Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire upon their cities that will consume their fortresses.
— Hosea 8:14 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...In prosperity, God's people left the LORD and followed their own gods and practiced their own morality. Except neither was "their own." The northern tribes of Israel simply became like the pagan people around them -- practicing the same detestable immoral lifestyles, forgetting the...

 

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
— Romans 8:13-14 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Sometimes it's a battle. Sometimes it's a war. Without the power of the Spirit, our willpower would eventually give out and our ending would be more distant from our Target than our beginning. But because of the Spirit's power, our...

 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
— John 8:12 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...After stumbling around in the dark watering my yard last night, I was overjoyed to find a flashlight so I wouldn't meet any unexpected "critters" as I reached into the shrubbery to turn my faucet on and off. My joy, however, is far greater at finding Jesus, who illuminates my heart on...

 

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
— Romans 8:11 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...The Holy Spirit doesn't just empower us now. He is our guarantee (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5) and our assurance that we will see God face to face (1 Jn. 3:1-2) and share in his glory (Col. 3:1-4). He is alive in us and promises us life that never will end.

My...

 

Jesus straightened up and asked her [the woman caught in adultery], "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
— John 8:10-11 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Forgiveness is wonderful if it leads to life change. Jesus came to call us from sin, into his presence, and for his good pleasure. He gave us grace but is also gracious enough to not leave us in sin!

My...

 

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
— Romans 8:9 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...We show who is in control in our lives by the way we live! We show our relationship to the Father by living with his character in our world. So let's live under the control of the Spirit -- obeying the Spirit's inspired Word and following the Spirit's...

 

But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
— 1 Corinthians 8:8-9 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...We have incredible freedom under grace. However, our freedom never gives us the license to destroy a weak brother or sister's walk with the Lord. Let's use our freedom considerately, especially toward our new brothers and sisters in...

 

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her [the woman caught in adultery]."
— John 8:7 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...When we find it easy to identify the sin of others, God wants us to be reminded of how important it is for us to take a rigorously honest inventory of our own faithfulness. He wants us to deal with our own sin before we evaluate anyone else.

My...

 

But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs [Those who served as priests in Old Testament times.] as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
— Hebrews 8:6 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...The Old Testament is a beautiful covenant of love, as God redeems fallen mankind and sets in motion his plan of grace to bring us to Jesus. But as powerful as that old covenant was, we have come to a superior covenant...

 

And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
— 2 Corinthians 8:5 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Paul was surprised at the Macedonians' generosity to the Lord's work for two reasons. First, they were very impoverished and didn't have much to share. Second, rather than viewing what they had as their own, they gave themselves to God and then to his servants who were asking for their help in ministering to...