Oct 09 2024

Afternoon Bible Verse

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

Afternoon 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.

Afternoon 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.

Oct 08 2024

Yesterday Afternoon's Bible Verse

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. :

Yesterday Afternoon's Bible study

Why is it so difficult for us to answer each other with a simple yes or no? Jesus addresses the tendency to try to communicate more in how we respond to others.

In Jesus' day, the Jews had the practice of making promises based on objects, not on the name of God. This was their way out in case they broke an oath to another person. They felt like as long as they didn't promise in God's name, they wouldn't be judged. However, Jesus was displeased with this practice.

God wants us to keep our word because we represent Him. God has kept every promise He has ever made throughout time. When we break our promises to each other, we are not representing who Christ is in our words and actions.

God cares about our promises and whether or not we live a life of integrity. When we do what we say we will do, people learn to depend on us. It is better to say we can't do something than to go back on our word.

Before we respond to something that is asked of us, we should take some time to really consider the request. It's important to be realistic in the commitments we make, knowing that saying no is honoring the person enough that we are honest and are not making promises we can't keep.

We are walking testimonies of the faithfulness of God, whether we say a word or not. Let's always say yes to Him and not be afraid to say no to others.

Yesterday Afternoon's Prayer

God, sometimes I feel pulled in so many directions. My family, friends, and coworkers have expectations of me that sometimes I can't fulfill. Give me the strength to say no even when it might mean disappointing someone I love. Help me be honest in how I respond to others. I want to honor you in how I demonstrate love. In Jesus' name, amen.


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