Thursday, July 20, 2023

Thursday, July 20, 2023
Ecclesiastes 3:4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance

The world God made has so much joy woven into it, but that same world has also been broken by sin. You can’t be happy all the time, and you will inevitably experience things that make you wonder whether you can ever be happy again. But sadness doesn’t have to last. There’s a time for everything, and God isn’t upset at you when you can’t muster a laugh. He understands your pain and your hardships; after all, He was human once, and even the Son of God mourned. But thanks to Him, though some things can rob you of a smile, nothing can ever rob you of hope. Hope that the Lord has a plan for everything, and that one day, He will wipe away every tear.

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Wednesday, July 19, 2023
James 5:13
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

If you’re happy, praise God for everything He’s blessed you with, and be happy! If you’re in a tough spot, pray that He would calm the storms and help you endure. Both are equally important, and life isn’t made up of just one or the other. What matters is that, in whatever mood you find yourself in, you give it all to the Author of your life. He’s responsible for every good thing that comes your way, and He’s the one who will answer your prayers during the darkest hour.

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Psalm 126:2
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

All throughout history the Lord has done great things for His children, and He hasn’t stopped. For Israel He swept away armies, healed plagues, and demonstrated mercy and grace century after century. And for you, God will provide for your needs, comfort you in hardships, forgive your sins, and give you the heart to forgive others. The Bible tells us that the Lord takes care of those who draw close to Him, and for that, the writer of Psalms sings praise! Be thankful for the blessings God has given, and don’t forget that even while you and I were sinners, undeserving of sympathy, Christ gave up His life so that you could be saved. The Lord has done great things for us, indeed!

Monday, July 17, 2023

Monday, July 17, 2023
Proverbs 17:22
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones

In the perfect paradise of Eden, God created human beings to enjoy life, and to be enjoyed by Him. Joy, peace, love and contentedness are what we were created to feel and express to one another, and though painful emotions have been grafted into Creation by sin, it doesn’t disqualify the good ones. Every good and perfect thing comes from the Lord, and the blessings He’s given you should be enjoyed, because they’re a gift. Even hard things can be faced with a smile, knowing that God never changes, and that the suffering you experience here is not even worth comparing to the joy that awaits in Heaven. The final destination for anyone who is in Christ is everlasting joy and the infinite love of God; how can we not smile?

Friday, July 14, 2023

Friday, July 14, 2023
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Every single person is sinful and broken, and their eternal destiny is separation from God. But in His grace, God sent His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life and joy. It’s the greatest news anyone could ever hear, and it’s the greatest gift you could ever receive. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed by the gospel you believe in, or the Savior who cancelled your debt, or the God you now serve. The good news is real, realer than anything this world is selling, and the last command that Jesus gave was to spread the good news to the lost. So, stand up for Christ in a world that hates Him more and more every day, because the gospel isn’t just a colorful Sunday school story: it’s hope for the hopeless, and salvation for the sinner.

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Thursday, July 13, 2023
1 Corinthians 13:7
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love can take many forms and be expressed different ways. The love you’d show to a neighbor or friend is different from the love you’d show a spouse. But at the core, love is caring for someone over yourself, putting your own cares aside and making someone else your first priority. Jesus spent His days on earth showing love to the unlovable, going out of His way to comfort, heal, and lift up the lowly. Someone who shows Christlike love doesn’t care about circumstance or fairness or what they get in return; steadfast love bears all things, believes all things, and endures all things.