Bible Verse for Today

We love because [God] first loved us.
— 1 John 4:19 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...It's all very simple. God is love. He is love's origin, example, and architect. I love because he loved me first. I know how to love because he has demonstrated it. I can love because he made me in his likeness and to share his character. He is the fountain, the motivation, and the pinnacle of love. I love because he does, first, last, and always.My Prayer...God of comfort, thank you for comforting me...

 

Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.
— Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Of all things to be rich in, I cannot think of anything I'd prefer the Holy God to be rich in than mercy. I know my failures, shortcomings, sins, and transgressions. Without his mercy, to pardon again, and without his grace to send Jesus to pardon at first, I would be...

 

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
— 1 John 4:18 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...What is there to fear since God sent his Son to die to redeem us? What is there to fear since we cannot be separated from the love God has for us in Christ Jesus? What is there to fear except ourselves, and God has poured his Spirit into our hearts to reassure us and strengthen us in our...

 

He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
— Proverbs 17:9 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse..."It's just a little harmless gossip." The Wise Teacher reminds us that gossip is neither little or harmless. Its consequences are huge and its damage horrible. Instead, it is much better to be a peacemaker and an offense mender.My Prayer...Father of Glory, I confess that I am often more a peace lover than a peacemaker. Give me the...

 

The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
— Romans 13:9-10 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to have laws to keep people in line! That's the point behind Paul's message here. Treat our neighbors like we would...

 

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
— 1 John 4:11-12 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Can you imagine what an honor it is to have the Creator of the universe, the Lord God Almighty, living inside of you! But when we love each other, that is exactly what happens. When our hearts are full of love, there is room for God. When they are not full of...

 

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.
— Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Separation is something we fear whether it's separation from a child, a parent, a sibling, a spouse, a friend, or from God. Jesus endured separation from God by becoming a...

 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
— Romans 8:35-37 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Conquerors! We win!! When you open up the final book of the Bible, Revelation, that is the message - Christians win because Jesus is the one true conqueror. No matter how the battle is going for you right now, remember that in the end, we...

 

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
— 1 John 3:11 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...The original message - love one another. The enduring message - love one another. The most convicting message - love one another. The most difficult message - love one another. I'm reminded of the little verse: To dwell above with saints we love, O that will be glory. But to dwell below with saints we know, now that's another story. But it's the story we're...

 

This is love: not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
— 1 John 4:10 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...He loved us first! He offered his Son to save us regardless of our decision to believe or ignore his grace. We are given the ability to accept or reject the death of his Son as the sacrifice for our sins. The only condition, as 1 John 2:1-2 emphasizes, is that we realize that he died for everyone else in the world, too!My...