Aug 01 2024

Today's Bible Verse

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

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In this morning's verse, Paul is telling Christians in Thessalonica (modern-day Greece) about the importance of forgiving each other. He says they should follow what "is good." Rather than repaying evil with evil, they should extend grace and forgiveness to all those who hurt them. This is an important reminder for us today that God doesn't want us to be vengeful or try to hurt those who have wounded us; instead, we must leave justice in His hands.

When we refuse to repay evil with evil, and treat others well no matter how they have treated us, we are extending grace to them. Instead of holding their wrongs over their heads, we are saying that we forgive them—exactly as Jesus has done for us. We were once sinners forever separated from the Lord, but when Jesus died for us, it became possible for us to be redeemed once and for all. The Lord set us free from sin and shame. When we forgive other people, we show them the heart of Jesus.

Yet giving unconditional grace to another person can be challenging. Sometimes, showing grace or forgiveness seems like we're saying their bad treatment of us was okay—but that isn't the case. The act of forgiving is actually acknowledgement that a wrong was committed against us, but we're not going to harbor anger and resentment over it. So we forgive.

Indeed, when the Lord forgives us, He is not saying we never did anything against Him. Much to the contrary, He is saying that it was wrong, but the debt has already been paid by Jesus. If we need to know what the Lord thinks about sin, we need only look at the cross. He takes other people's actions against us seriously—so seriously that Jesus had to die for them to be forgiven.

This means showing grace to another person—"following that which is good," in Paul's words—is not erasing the wrong that has been done. It is recognizing that Jesus has paid the price once and for all. We live because of His grace, and it is our privilege to extend that grace to other people.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for forgiving me for all of my sins. Thank you for Jesus, who makes it possible for me to give grace to other people—and for me to receive grace when I hurt others. Help me to forgive other people and follow what is good. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Jul 31 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. :

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Yesterday's Bible study

In this verse from 1 Chronicles, King David gives his son Solomon the plans to build the Lord's permanent temple in Jerusalem. Then, David blesses the Lord in front of the assembly, praising Him for His greatness so everyone knows that the Lord has provided this opportunity and given them the strength to get to this point.

King David knew that God was Israel's ultimate source of strength. He had seen the Lord supernaturally deliver him personally out of impossible circumstances. Israel's might and strength were not ultimately in their army, fortifications, or military strategy, but in the God whom they served. David describes their Lord as great—only through this great God could the country of Israel ever become great.

David acknowledged that everything was the Lord's. It was His power and glory that led to the victory and establishment of the Israelite kingdom. His majesty ruled over all things, and everything in Heaven and Earth was His. David knew the Kingdom of Israel belonged to the Lord; the Lord made it possible. Even their victories were not their own, but belonged to God, who made them possible in the first place.

This means we are not responsible for seeing God's will perfectly accomplished. Instead, we have only to do what He puts in front of us—obeying day by day so that we can honor Him. The victory is the Lord's responsibility; our responsibility is to obey Him.

This is how the Lord becomes our strength: We focus on Him above all things. Indeed, King David did not aspire to be a King—he only aspired to follow the Lord. Abraham's intent was not to found a nation, but he, like David, wanted to serve the Lord. When we make our focus the Lord above all else, He will supply just what we need at the right time, becoming our everlasting source of strength.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for giving me supernatural strength to face each day. Thank you for loving me every day of my life and helping me serve you. You are so good, Lord; mighty and beyond my wildest comprehension. Thank you, Lord, for who you are. In Jesus' name, amen.
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