Apr 18 2025

Afternoon Bible Verse

Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Afternoon Bible study

As little children, we enjoyed learning to do new things on our own. Once we learned to ride a bike or tie our shoes, we felt the independence that came with our accomplishments. We had no idea how very much we still had to learn.

King David recognized that he didn't know everything and certainly not all that God wanted him to know. Although there are several scriptural references to King David as a man after God's own heart, David made mistakes—serious ones. His destructive behavior affected himself, his family, and the people whom he led.

In Psalm 143:10, David is humble and expresses a true desire to follow God's will for his life. When we come to the same realization as he did, and submit to God's wisdom and will, God will not fail to lead us into what He knows is right for us.

So we have a choice: We can either continue in our self-driven life, or we can submit ourselves to God. But the only way to find true satisfaction and joy in life is by trading our desires for what God wants us to do.

Before Jesus left the earth and returned to Heaven, He said that God would send a comforter, the Holy Spirit, to lead us in His ways. That same Spirit dwells inside every believer and has the life-changing power to lead us in God's truth.

Afternoon Prayer

Dear Lord, I struggle to relinquish control of my life to you—and at the heart of this attitude is pride. I long for a heart that wants your will more than anything else. Forgive me for the times I take the lead, when I know I should be submitting to your authority. As I grow closer to you, please direct my steps and teach me to be upright in your sight. In Jesus' name, amen.

Apr 17 2025

Yesterday Afternoon's Bible Verse

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. :

Yesterday Afternoon's Bible study

Every day is a gift from God. Before we were born, God knew what each day of our lives would hold and how long we would live. He knows every failure and every success, and He loves us no matter what.

There are some days when we'd love to have a do-over, and other days we would like to forget altogether … but every one of our days was created by God. Rather than being burdened by the stress in our lives, we can choose to rejoice and give thanks.

Our joy isn't dependent on everything going well in life because our joy comes from the Lord. Sometimes that means our flesh doesn't want to rejoice, but we can still be joyful in our spirit.

Psalm 118 also encourages us to worship God with others, saying, "we will rejoice and be glad." When we gather together with others who love the Lord, it encourages us in our mutual faith.

Every day is a new opportunity to share God's love with others … and another day to embrace the love God has for us.

Yesterday Afternoon's Prayer

God, thank you for every new day that you give to me. Help me to seek you first every morning and worship you throughout the day. I'm so glad that you walk with me every step of the way. Help me to rejoice, whether I'm having the best day I've ever experienced or the worst. When I feel overwhelmed, please remind me to honor you in every moment of the day. In Jesus' name, amen.
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