Aug 11 2024

Today's Bible Verse

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

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In this verse from Isaiah, the Lord tells the people of Israel to arise and shine because light has come and the glory of the Lord is upon them. The "light" refers to the Gospel—the good news that Jesus has come to make it possible for people all over the world to have a relationship with the Lord. Today, we will consider what it means to live in the glory of the Lord.

What does it mean to live in the glory of the Lord? It means we recognize the grace of the Gospel. We remember the love that Jesus has shown us and allow that love to change the way we treat other people and ourselves. Instead of feeling like we have to fight for significance, we can rest in the truth that we are cherished by God more than we could ever understand. This gives us the freedom to enjoy our lives and walk with the Lord.

This verse includes a command: "arise" and "shine." The Gospel changes the way that we approach our lives. Our days are no longer just drudgery or filled with ordinary tasks. They become opportunities to express our love for the Lord through doing good work, loving other people, and serving Him with gladness. The Gospel transforms the way we approach our lives because they are no longer about ourselves and what we want, but instead about the Lord. We rise and shine unto Him… and that makes all the difference.

This does not mean, of course, that we'll never have a tough day or feel grumpy or oversleep. Christianity is not about being happy all the time, but rather, having joy in the sacrificial love of Jesus as we become like Him each day.

When we find ourselves struggling in the Lord, we can use this verse as a way to pray. We can ask the Lord to help us truly arise in Him, helping us experience His glory. He will meet us right where we are, and, when we call out to Him, He will help us be obedient to what He has called us to do.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the transforming power of the Gospel. Thank you for changing me supernaturally, making me more like you. Help me to arise in your name and shine for your glory. I love you, Lord, and I want to honor you with my heart and my mind. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Aug 10 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. :

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Yesterday's Bible study

In Hebrews 3, we learn that Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses. The writer uses an analogy in today's verse to illustrate his point: The builder of a house has more glory than the house itself. The builder of the house did all the work; the house is the result of the work. In the same way, the Lord has created us and is making us in His image—we cannot take credit for what He has done. This verse fills us with humility, helping us see that we are all recipients of the Lord's grace, just as Moses was so many centuries before us.

When we share our godly works with other people, our motivation is what matters… and is usually most obvious to the people around us. For instance, if we share to bring glory to the Lord, that's good. But if we do so to highlight our own altruism, it's sinful. This is because, as today's verse says, the Lord is the one who builds all things. He is the one who has given us the ability to love people self-sacrificially. He is the one who helps us meet other people's needs, and in all the good that we do, we should remember to focus on Him first.

The Lord is the one who initiates all things in our hearts that bring glory to Him. When we forget about that, we miss out on intimacy with Him and make ourselves vulnerable to pride. This is how it's possible to go on mission trips and be active in church life, but still be far from the Lord. We have inadvertently made Christianity about us instead of Jesus.

But when we recognize Him as our Creator, rely on Him, and come to Him whenever we need something—over and over again—we get to see how the Lord provides for us day after day, meeting all our needs and satisfying us in Him alone.

When we realize that God is the builder of all things, we can have freedom and joy. We can happily take our rightful place as unworthy but deeply loved servants in the house that the Lord Himself built. As we get to know Him more, recognizing Him as the builder of all things, He will satisfy us more than any accomplishment or good deed ever could.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, please help me remember that you are the builder of all things. I am your creation, and I want to serve you well, remembering your constant faithfulness and goodness to me always. Help me cling to your love for me and never try to find significance in what I have done. In Jesus' name, amen.
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