Bible Verse for Today

Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.
— Proverbs 26:20 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Ol' Smokey The Bear said: "Only you can prevent forest fires!" Basically, that's what the Wiseman says about gossip. We can turn down the heat, douse the fire, and let the quarrel die. How? By not supplying juicy morsels of gossip, by ditching the urge to spread destructive innuendo, and by refusing to keep alive an ugly rumor. Without gossip, the bitterness of a rivalry...

 

Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.
— Psalm 79:9 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...We don't deserve the grace we need! We have no right to presume God's forgiveness! We have no reason to expect divine deliverance! But in Jesus, God has shown us his incredible love and generosity. We can confidently call out for his mercy and receive his grace, forgiveness, and deliverance -- not because we deserve it, but because...

 

[Jesus said,] "The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful."
— Matthew 13:22 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...All sorts of things can distract us from Kingdom matters. The wear and tear of everyday life can make it hard to keep our spiritual focus. But in an affluent society, our desire for riches, our pursuit of material things, and our selfishness...

 

Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old.
— Lamentations 5:21 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...When these words were first spoken, they focused on God's restoration of Israel back to its place, its prominence, its life, and its Temple. Yet from our vantage point, this prayer can be ours as well. Restoration can mean Christ's return which brings us home to God. On that day, every barrier standing between God and us will fall. Our mortality will be...

 

[The apostle Paul said,] "God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."
— Acts 17:27 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Our seeking God longs to be sought! God placed his fingerprints all over the universe and then gave us places to find life and meaning. He had a purpose in this plan: he wanted us to seek the One behind it all. He is never far away from us, but he longs to be sought and found. When we seek...

 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
— Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...The goal in Christian communication is not just clarity. Neither is the goal just to be understood. The goal is not even just to be truthful. The goal is to be appropriate, encouraging, and uplifting to others based on the needs of that other person.

My Prayer...Tender...

 

This is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: "Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba."
— Amos 5:4-5 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Do you "go to church"? I hope not! Now don't get me wrong; I'm not advocating you skip worship and fellowship this Sunday! We're told not to forsake gathering together as believers (Hebrews 10:25). But when we assemble as a body of believers, we're gathering together for encouragement and meeting with...

 

Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
— 1 Chronicles 16:11 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...After restoring the presence of God to his people through the Ark of the Covenant, David and Asaph gave them these verses as a song to perpetually remind them of the importance of seeking God because ... our strength is found in him ... our grace is from his loving presence ... and our hope is in seeing him face to face and knowing him even as we are known by him. We must...

 

[Jesus said,] "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."
— John 5:30 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse..."So who you tryin' to please, anyway?" These words of my dad still ring in my ears. His point? There are only two we MUST please: (1) our Father in heaven, because all praise and honor is due to him, and (2) ourselves, because we want to know that we've done the best we could do and been the best...

 

Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.
— Leviticus 19:32 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...In an age where respect is little known and even less practiced, showing honor for those who are older is often overlooked. Yet in this place, by the LORD's own word, showing respect for the elderly ranks right up there with reverencing God. But then we shouldn't be surprised, since God made honoring parents the very first commandment...