Nov 16 2024

Today's Bible Verse

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

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Today's Bible verse comes from the opening of Peter's first letter, which he writes to Christians who were being persecuted throughout Asia Minor. He tells them that even during this time, they can have "lively hope" because of Jesus' resurrection. Let's examine the concept of "lively hope," which we're privileged to have open to us today. The resurrection revealed that God has power over everything, including death. Prior to that, death was seen as an end, something that no person could avoid, much less come back from. When Jesus died on the cross and three days later walked out of the grave, He showed that the Lord had power over the worst thing that could happen to a human—death. He revealed that even death does not have the final say. The verse reminds us that the resurrection happened as a result of God's abundant mercy. It was the final piece in His plan for our salvation, but it came at a very high cost: the crucifixion. Jesus was willing to die so that we might live. He had no reason to give up his life except for love, but this love was strong and He decided to show us mercy.

We serve a God for whom nothing is impossible. We have experienced many miracles in our own lives, the greatest of which was our salvation. It is a miracle for any of us to desire to know God; the fact that we know Him and want to know Him more shows that He has worked a miracle in our own hearts. This is comforting, reminding us that God is still working within us today. He has performed a resurrection in our own hearts! We have a lively hope in Jesus because we know He is alive. We know He answers prayers every day and that He is near us when we call out to Him. He is good to us, and we can rest in Him and the hope of His resurrection forever.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you so much for Jesus, who is the source of all my hope. Thank you for the resurrection, which proved your love for me once and for all. There is none like you, and I am so grateful for my salvation. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Nov 15 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.:

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Yesterday's Bible study

In this morning's verse, the prophet Jeremiah talks about the many sins of the Kingdom of Judah, which was formerly part of Israel. The people have turned against God and will face the consequences of their sins. If they turn away from sin, however, the Lord will be gracious and save them. Let's talk about how this applies to our lives today.

The verse asserts God's sovereignty over every circumstance. Jeremiah says that if God wills to heal Judah, He will heal the kingdom; in the same way, if He wills to save Judah, He will save the kingdom. The Lord has power over everything that happens; nothing will miss his attention or occur by accident. By writing this verse, Jeremiah confirms his faith that God can do whatever He pleases. Nothing will stop the Lord from honoring His promises or being faithful to His servants.

When you pray for healing: spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, and otherwise, do your words reflect the same confidence as Jeremiah? To be honest, my prayers don't often sound very much like Jeremiah's words. Sometimes praying for healing seems like what I am supposed to do instead of truly asking God to intervene. When that happens, we can model our prayers after Jeremiah's, saying something like, Lord, I know you can heal me, and I ask that you would for your own glory.

God doesn't always answer these prayers as we would like Him to. Indeed, the Kingdom of Judah did fall because of the people's sins and unrepentant hearts. When this happens, we can remember that God is still faithful and good. We don't have to understand why he works in the way He does, but instead, continue to have faith that He will work everything together for His glory. When we pray for healing, we can believe that He will hear us and will never forsake us no matter what.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for always being willing to show me compassion. Thank you for answering my prayers when I come to you with an honest, contrite heart. You are so good to me, and I love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.
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