Sep 08 2024

Today's Bible Verse

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

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In this verse, we see the transformative effect of a relationship with Jesus. We were once in darkness, and now we are in the light. Jesus came into the world as a light, taking us out of the darkness once and for all.

That darkness is both sin and a lack of knowledge about the Lord. We didn't know the power of the Gospel until we experienced it, and we were not able to say no to sin until Jesus broke the chains it had on us. When Jesus came into the world, He revealed God's plan of redemption for the whole world. He set us free from sin once and for all.

When we're struggling with persistent sin in our lives, we can remember that the Lord has set us free from it. The Holy Spirit dwells within us. He gives us the strength to be different from who we once were. He reveals to us the love that the Lord has for us, and this love is much more captivating and exciting than anything else that the world has to offer. Because of Him we walk in the light.

The Bible is living and active upon our hearts. It helps us step into the light about who God is and what He is like. Opening its pages and making the decision to read so we can get to know God is like turning the lights on in a dark room: It dispels the darkness and illuminates the truth. It will help us see the Lord as He is, and we will not abide in darkness when we're growing in our knowledge of the Lord.

Today, we can make the decision to no longer drift into the darkness. Instead, we can step into the full knowledge of Jesus, walking in holiness and purity, and experience the illumination of the soul that Jesus has for all of us.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank you for having more than darkness for me. I thank you for being the light that came into the world and for penetrating the darkness in my heart. You are so good to me, and I don't deserve it. Help me to walk in your ways, Jesus. In your name, amen.

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Sep 07 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

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Yesterday's Bible study

In this verse, we are reminded of the importance of being kind and forgiving to one another. Paul knows these qualities will encourage a spirit of unity among church members, and he emphasizes that the root of this behavior is that Christ has forgiven them.

To adjust our mindset and ensure that our hearts are in the right place, it's a good idea to meditate on the reality of the forgiveness that the Lord has shown us. Consider this: We were utterly hopeless in our sin. We had no way of overcoming how we had turned against the Lord. We were unrighteous and could never approach a holy God.

Yet the Lord made up His mind to forgive our sin long before any of us sinned. He had a plan for redemption in place before it was ever put into action. And when the time came, He sent Jesus to live and die so we could know Him and be cleansed from our sins by His blood. This is the forgiveness that He has provided each of us.

We cannot believe the Gospel and remain unchanged—it touches every aspect of our lives. The Gospel changes the way we see ourselves and the way we see the Lord. It paints us as unworthy but beloved beneficiaries of grace, and the Lord as a loving redeemer. Knowing that God is so, so good to us changes the way we respond to other people and to our own circumstances. Instead of looking to ourselves in times of trouble, we look to the Lord in faith for deliverance.

Because God has been tenderhearted and forgiving to us, we should naturally become more and more tender to other people. This will happen as we grow nearer to the Lord. Over time, we will become more and more like Him, living out this verse in Ephesians as we spend more time with Him.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, I am so grateful that you saved me. I needed you more than I will ever really understand, and you met that need. Help me to show your love to other people around me. Create in me a tender and forgiving heart. I thank you for your kindness to me. In Jesus' name, amen.


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