Bible Verse for Today

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
— Luke 1:26-28 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Wow! Such a familiar sentence packed with emotion. An angel comes to Nazareth to visit and speak with a young woman engaged to be married. Before the history shattering news is...

 

When [King Herod] had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"
— Matthew 2:4-6 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse..."The first will be last and the last...

 

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ... that we might receive the full rights of sons.
— Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...God waited till history reached his appointed time and sent Jesus. Just the right time -- Roman rule, Jewish subordination, good roads, freedom, a degree of safety, a common trading language, cruel and barbaric punishment accompanied by religious infighting. In times such as these, he sent his Son to...

 

The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
— Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...God is interested in us personally. So much so, that he personally gives us this sign. Because of Matthew's explanation of the meaning of the name Immanuel, we know what that sign was - Jesus coming to live as God with us. His presence is God's presence. His life is God's sign. The miracle of his conception is...

 

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like [Moses] from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.
— Deuteronomy 18:15 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Jesus is that prophet like Moses. He has come and taught us God's truth. He has taught us with his words recorded in the Gospels. He has taught us with his example, through the deeds he has done. He is teaching us through his abiding presence in us and through the Spirit he has given us. But he teaches us most effectively...

 

[Jesus said,] "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ... This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
— John 15:5,8 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...We take on Jesus' character (bear fruit) by remaining intimately connected to him. The distance between heaven and earth is not so great when heaven lives within us. In John 14, Jesus reminded...

 

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
— John 14:6 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...I don't want to be any more exclusive than Jesus. But I do want to hear his voice. He calls me to find the way to the Father through him. I must also know that others must know him to find their way to the Father, too. How can we not be more passionate about those around us who do not really know Jesus as their Savior, Redeemer, Brother...

 

[Jesus said,] "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
— John 11:25 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...This is the most important question you will ever answer. Do you really believe this? Do you believe that when you died with Christ in baptism through faith, that you died the most significant death and that your physical death will not separate you from Jesus...

 

[Jesus said,] "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep."
— John 10:14-15 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...The goal of our walk with Jesus is to come to know him as our shepherd just as intimately as he knows the Father. A key thing for us to remember: In a world where so many people want to attract our attention and are willing to give us advice, we can refuse their voice...

 

Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. ... whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it the full."
— John 10:7,9-10 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Jesus came to the world to give us life. He didn't come to bring us rules, or judgement, or fear, or work. Jesus came to give us life in its fullest form...