Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (John 16:33; Eph 6:10-13; 1John 5:4, 4:4)

Today's Thought

Today's Thought:

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Pro 22:1; Gal 6:3; Pro 26:12; Rom 12:3; 2Cor 10:18; Mic 6:8)

Today's Thought

Today's Thought:

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1Pet 4:10; Rom 12:4-8; 1Thes 5:11)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. (Eph 4:11-14; Col 2:4, 8; 2Cor 11:3, 13:5a)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” (Rom 5:19; 2Cor 5:21; Heb 7:25; John 6:37, 10:27-29)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (Php 2:14-16a; 1Tim 2:3-6; 2Cor 5:14-15)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind? For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (Psa 51:6; John 4:23-24; Job 38:36; 2Cor 4:6, 3:18, 5:17)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Psa 51:10; Eze 36:26; Rom 10:10; 1John 5:11-12; 2Cor 5:21; 1Cor 1:30; Col 2:6-7)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Pro 15:14; Isa 44:20; Job 15:31; Pro 3:5-6; 2Cor 4:6; Rom 12:3)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. (Heb 4:12; 1Cor 1:18; 2Tim 1:9; Eph 3:11-12; Titus 3:3-5)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (1Pet 1:3-5; 2Cor 4:6-7; Eph 2:8-10)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification, because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Rom 4:3, 23-25, 10:9-11; Heb 13:20-21)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Rom 5:1; 2Cor 5:21; Eph 1:64; Rom 5:19; Eph 4:1; Col 1:10-12)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (Isa 53:6; Rom 5:8-11; 2Cor 5:17-19)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.” But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Eze 18:4; Rom 3:21-25; 1Cor 1:30; Rom 5:1, 8:1-2)

Today's Thought

 Today's Thought:

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior. (1Pet 2:13-15; Rom 13:1-2; 1Tim 2:1-3)