Bible Verse for Today

Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
— Psalm 4:1 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...At first, this cry for help seems very demanding. However, closer inspection shows that this is really the cry of desperation. Have you been there? I surely have and I regularly hear from folks who are there now. But, read how this Psalm ends! What is the secret to surviving a long agony? I believe three things are...

 

Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.
— Proverbs 3:31-32 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...While many are seeking a cure for the rampaging violence that destroys lives, threatens schools, and makes our streets unsafe, why has no one bothered to remind us what God's wise servant taught us centuries ago? Let's not let any person, real or fictional, be our hero if his or her fame is built on...

 

He must become greater; I must become less.
— John 3:30 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...For John the Baptist, this ultimate formula for greatness did not take many words. What's your formula? Paul told the Galatians that a similar formula was needed for them (Galatians 4:19). He told the Colossians that this is what he expended every ounce of his energy to have happen in the lives of Christians (Colossians 1:28-29). Paul told the Corinthians that this was what the Spirit was doing in...

 

"I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete."
— John 3:28-29 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...John the Baptist is an incredible example of a servant. He lived his life for one central and controlling purpose -- to prepare others to recognize, to welcome, and to follow Jesus Christ as...

 

Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.
— Deuteronomy 3:27b-28 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt and in the wilderness, but did not get to enter into the Promised Land because of his sin. Yet, for all those years, Moses nurtured and prepared the...

 

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
— Romans 3:27-28 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...God's salvation leaves us no room for boasting. We couldn't live up to the righteous demands of the Law. When we are broken and sinful, God buys our salvation by sending Jesus and having him pay the debt of our sin. We have nothing to boast...

 

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
— Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...What are you wearing today? I hope you are clothed with Christ. Anything else is simply out of style by heaven's standards, no matter what designer fashions you may be wearing. You can be clothed with Christ by surrendering your life to Jesus as your Savior through faith; believe that he is God's...

 

He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
— Daniel 3:25 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...I love the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel 3. Their faith is solid whether God chooses to save them from the fire, or not. God not only saves them, but those who intended to execute them become the key witnesses of their faith and God's miraculous deliverance. They are not only sons of the One...

 

So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
— Galatians 3:24 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Galatians reminds us again and again that law cannot make us righteous or save us, not even the Old Testament Law. However, the Law does one very important thing. It leads us to Christ. We recognize right and wrong because of the Law. We recognize our failures, imperfections, sins, transgressions, and weaknesses because of the Law. Most of all, we...

 

... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
— Romans 3:23-24 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...No matter how hard we try, how good we are, and how much we work, we can never measure up to the only standard that matters -- the glory of Almighty God. Thankfully, God doesn't require us to pretend to be what we are not -- perfect, spotless, and holy. Instead, God makes us to be these...