Friday, November 24, 2023

Friday, November 24, 2023
1 Peter 4:8
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Peter emphasized how important it is for Christians to be unified by earnest love. Earnest love isn’t surface-level; it’s genuine and selfless, not seeking to gain anything, but to give instead. It’s doing good to your enemies, forgiving those who haven’t apologized, and reconciling with those who don’t deserve it. That kind of love was exemplified best by Christ, who even as He was being crucified, prayed that His tormentors would receive grace. Don’t simply be polite or pretend to be nice just to get by. Love the people in your life earnestly, echoing the love Jesus had for those whom He owed nothing.

Thursday, November 23, 2023

Thursday, November 23, 2023
2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Thanks be to God for everything that we have! For this country, for our families, our friends, and the food He has put on the table. Thank Him for this last year of life, with all its ups and downs that even now are being woven into God’s story. But most of all, be thankful for the inexpressible gift of Jesus Christ: God’s ultimate gift to mankind, which bought you freedom from guilt and shame, and eternal paradise with the One who loves you. When the Lord made you, He made you in His image, and the same breath of life that He breathed into Adam is in your lungs today. It was His love for you that held Christ on that cross, so that we could eat and drink and laugh at His table forever.

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Wednesday, November 22, 2023
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The good things in the world… a warm house, a warm family, and warm food… they are all gifts. God meant for us to enjoy them, and be thankful for them, because good things were a part of His original design for the world. But Paul urged all followers of Christ to be thankful even when the going gets tough. After all, this life is a vapor… it’ll pass before you know it, and then a new Heaven and a new earth awaits! Enjoy all the time that God has given you, and all the gifts He has blessed you with, whether you have just one thing to be thankful for, or a hundred.

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Without Jesus, there is no hope for life after death, or a relationship with God. If Christ didn’t rise from the dead, neither will you, which makes life nothing more than a cruel joke. But that stone was rolled away, and the tomb was empty; there is a paradise waiting for you, and a Savior who bled and died to get you there. So whatever you choose to do with the life that He’s given you, live it for Christ. Love the Lord your God, do good to your neighbors and your enemies, and in all things give thanks to the One who put the breath in your lungs.

Monday, November 20, 2023

Monday, November 20, 2023
Psalm 118:24
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

God made today, and today will look different for every single person on the planet. It’ll be a wonderful day for one person, and a less-than-wonderful day for someone else; but God made it, and as much as life may change day by day, He never does. The Lord holds all of time in His hands, including the day you’re experiencing now. Make the most of it, finding joy in the good days and bearing the hard ones patiently. God meant for you to enjoy the good days, and while hardship is a part of life, He uses both equally to strengthen your faith and chisel your character.

Friday, November 17, 2023

Friday, November 17, 2023
Psalm 25:21
May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

Jesus is coming back, and when He does, I don’t want to be caught off guard. I want to be someone who lives to make the Lord proud, and who hears the words “Well done, good and faithful servant,” when I get to Heaven’s gates. Dedicate your mind and your life to One who matters more than anything else in the world; live with integrity, and when faced with temptation, stay upright. Christ gave His followers clear instructions when He left this world, and I hope He finds all of us following them when He makes His glorious return.