Bible Verse for Today

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
— 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...The Holy Spirit is God's abiding gift, God's seal and promise. The Spirit is our assurance that what he began with Jesus' sacrificial death and our participation in it through faith and baptism, he will bring to completion at Jesus' return...

 

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
— Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Seek -- pursue relentlessly -- God's Lordship over your life and the righteousness that he demands in your daily life. The other stuff you pursue is all temporary. Only God and his Kingdom remain. In the process of pursuing God's kingdom and his righteousness, you will find that the God who gives you his Kingdom and righteousness, also will...

 

We know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
— Hebrews 10:30-31 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...God hates injustice, unfairness, brutality and abuse. In a world where the greedy, the murdering, the thieving, the raping, the mugging ... get away with their shameless and despicable behavior, God is the ultimate assurance that justice will be done and the wicked...

 

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense -- Jesus Christ the Righteous One.
— 1 John 2:1 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...God hates sin. Don't you? I know I do. But isn't it amazing how we'll fall back into the same old traps again and again. This is where John, the tender Shepherd that he was, hits the nail on the head. The goal is to not sin even one sin. But, knowing our struggle...

 

Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
— Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...There are some tough times that go with living. They're inescapable. That's when our confidence in the Lord's salvation and our relationship with him get tested! It is one thing to sing "it is well with my soul" at the end of a peel-the-paint and raise-the-roof worship...

 

We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
— Romans 5:3-4 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...I remember the old Corrie ten Boom phrase, "Thank God for the fleas." The fleas kept the German soldiers out of the barracks in the Jewish concentration camp where she was imprisoned. This allowed her to minister and visit with those who were being persecuted. There she could show and share Jesus. Even in...

 

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
— Romans 15:7 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...I hate racism and exclusivity. But my loathing does not match God's revulsion at these things. On the other hand, we can anticipate the choir of heaven (see Revelation 7:9ff.) if we will accept one another in Jesus and not let race, language, culture, or suspicion keep us from loving each other as we have already been loved by the Savior.

My...

 

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
— 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...I have a friend in Jesus who has taught me the power of sharing a spiritual blessing with others. I can't think of a better one than the short blessing in today's verse! Grace, love, and fellowship -- all rooted in the eternal, sacrificial, and gracious nature of our God. We share these blessings with God's children...

 

Rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.
— Joel 2:23 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse..."The prayers go up and the blessings come down..." The words to this children's song are only half right, because God sends his blessings many times even when we don't pray. But just as we love the special smell that comes with a drought-breaking rain, God loves the aroma of his...

 

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. The goal is not just to be understood. The goal is not just to be truthful. The goal is to be appropriate, encouraging, and building up others based on the needs of the other person.

My Prayer...Tender Shepherd...