Sep 30 2024

Today's Bible Verse

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

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This verse tells us that if Jesus has freed us, then we really are free. Jesus gets the final word regarding our bondage to sin. Once He sets us free, nothing on Earth (or beyond) has the power to bind us up. Jesus defeated sin for us on the cross; we are able to enjoy the spoils of the battle forevermore.

However, sometimes the greatest enemy against this freedom is found within ourselves. We might hear that we are free from sin but then struggle with temptation. We might intellectually assent to our freedom, but never feel the joy that it is supposed to give us. To live in this freedom is very different from merely acknowledging that we have it.

So how do we live in freedom? There are many practical ways to embrace it in your life. The first is to memorize this Bible verse. As you memorize, pray for the Lord to use it in your heart when you find yourself being defeated by sin. Then, when you are tempted to return to your old ways, you can repeat the verse to yourself, reminding yourself that you have a choice between embracing sin or turning your back on it.

As we make this a habit, the benefits of living in freedom will come. Over time, we will not view sin as something desirable or pleasurable. Instead, we will see it as it really is: an abomination against the Lord. Collaborating with the Lord to grow in our sanctification produces intimacy with Him. As we get to know Him better, the thought of doing something that displeases Him becomes more and more repulsive to us.

Indeed, while we are free from sin, we are not without a master. Jesus is our Lord, and He has set us free from sin—not that we are able to live morally good lives on our own, but instead, that we would embrace His goodness, kindness, and love. In Him, and in Him alone, there is true freedom.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank you so much for freedom. Thank you for your sweet, sweet kindness to me. You're above everything I could ever want, and you are so much better than the sin that sometimes seems to ensnare me. Help me to remember that when I face temptation. I love you, Jesus. In your name, amen.

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Sep 29 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

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Yesterday's Bible study

In this verse, Jesus talks about His ability to satisfy the thirst of every person. He knows exactly what we need, and He created us with desires that will only ever be met in Him. When we come to Him, our thirst will be quenched.

What are you thirsty for? Love? Attention? Praise? A kind word? These are not wrong desires—we were made with them in our being. Each person has different wants and needs, and the Lord created us uniquely. Regardless of your particular desires, it's pretty safe to assume that you want something. We all do!

Where people (including me) often fall into trouble is by trying to get those normal human needs met in the wrong places. Social media obsessions, unhealthy relationships, and a preoccupation with our image, work, or status can result from our trying to meet our desires in the wrong places.

The right place to go to meet our needs is the Lord. When we spend time with Him, we learn about His character as well as how He loves us. He loves us enough to speak to us personally through His Word. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we pray. Jesus, the Son of God, endured a horrific death—a crucifixion—so that we could have a relationship with Him. This is how much He cares for us.

When we fill ourselves up with scripture and truths from His Word, our eyes will be opened to how the Lord feels about us. He sees us as friends and His children, and He loves us more than we can ever know. Regardless of what circumstances we find ourselves in, when we go to the Lord, we will find our thirsts quenched in His presence.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you so much for quenching my thirst. Help me to realize when I am trying to get my needs met in something or someone other than you. I want to run to you for living water, not get caught up in this world. I love you, Jesus. In your name, amen.


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