Verse of the Day
for Wednesday, June 21st, 2023

Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
-- Psalm 34:11

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
What better goal for a father or mother could there be? Even if you have no children of your own, or if your "own" children are grown, God gives you his children at your congregation so you can teach them to love, honor, and reverence their one and only heavenly Father. Jesus called us to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Timothy 2:1-2). That means we know that part of our life's mission is to see Jesus formed in those we love (Luke 6:40; Galatians 4:9; Colossians 1:28-29).

My Prayer...
Loving Father, help me to be involved in teaching your children, and as I teach, please bless my efforts to teach them to love, honor, and reverence you, the one true and holy God. In Jesus' name, I ask for this help and grace. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Verse of the Day
for Tuesday, June 20th, 2023

that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
-- 2 Thessalonians 1:12

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
I can't think of a more lofty goal for today than that the name of Jesus be glorified in what we do and say. But then Paul took it a step further — we should find our glory by being identified with him! So may Jesus be glorified in each of us today, and may our glory be seen in our walk with Jesus! As the famed old hymn "Beneath the Cross of Jesus" says, "My glory all the cross."

My Prayer...
Father of majesty and might, please help me as I strive to plan my daily activities and then prioritize those activities so that my focus and passion are on bringing you glory in all that I do, think, and say. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Verse of the Day
for Monday, June 19th, 2023

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” -- John 3:5

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Water and Spirit — they track together as vital components in conversion and the new birth throughout the New Testament (Acts 2:38-41; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Titus 3:3-7). One is an act of submission and surrender. The other is a gift and reminder that only God can make us new by his power poured into our lives through the Holy Spirit. Neither is something we can accomplish on our own. So, Jesus and John connected these two moves of grace into one new birth event grammatically — "born of water and Spirit." No wonder Jesus made them crucial to entering into his Kingdom life: we offer ourselves to faith to him, and the Spirit gives us new birth into God's family.

My Prayer...
Holy and righteous Father. I acknowledge that my best efforts often fail, and my consistency isn't always consistent. I'm so thankful you gave me your grace in Jesus and made me new by my spiritual birth into your family. In Jesus' name, I thank you. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Here's how one grandfather does it...

https://youtu.be/dVz0HPUYJs4

Verse of the Day
for Saturday, June 17th, 2023

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding. -- Proverbs 9:10

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
We can look for wisdom from many worthless sources and in many futile places. Ultimate wisdom is found only when we intentionally humble ourselves before our incredible God, giving him the reverence and worship he deserves. When we do, we can be assured of this promise:

"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6).

My Prayer...
Magnificent and awesome God, the great expanse of space and the incredible intricacies of the things in your creation that are so small humble me to silence. Please forgive my lapses into ignorant arrogance and lead me in the way of your wisdom. In Jesus, name. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware

Verse of the Day
for Friday, June 16th, 2023

Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. -- Psalm 109:1-2

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Satan has a way of discouraging us by using unscrupulous and evil people to spread lies and false rumors about us. This often occurs when we are most effective in our discipleship. We must not let the criticisms of wicked people derail our efforts to please the eternal and almighty God! In times like these, we can use the prayers of effective saints who have lived before us. We can cry out to God and pray:

"O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent, for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues."

When we do, we know we are not alone in our struggles as we use these words from ages past to pray to our God for deliverance and vindication.

My Prayer...
Please, dear God, silence the gossips, slanderers, and liars empowered by Satan to wound and maim me. Not only defeat what is evil but please empower all that is good in my life to your glory. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Verse of the Day
for Thursday, June 15th, 2023

And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things
-- Mark 6:34

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Jesus reminds us of the incredible importance of teaching. His disciples were tired from their recent mission to serve and bless others. Jesus was grieved that his cousin and forerunner, John the Baptizer, had been viciously executed by Herod. The crowds flocked to Jesus and his disciples, looking for more help, miracles, and attention. While we might expect him to do great miracles and wondrous signs arising out of his compassion and power, Jesus knew these shepherdless sheep needed good, solid, down-to-earth, practical teaching from the Teacher who knows them and cares for them most. People need food for the soul and food to fill their bellies.

My Prayer...
Almighty God, please bless your Church with dynamic, compassionate, and effective teachers. Please give your people, your sheep, a hunger for your Word and a willingness to put it into practice in our lives. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware

Verse of the Day
for Wednesday, June 14th, 2023

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
-- Hebrews 13:20-21

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
A good shepherd protects his sheep, feeds and nourishes them, equips them to face the trials of life, and provides them with everything they need to do what is good for them and those around them. As Psalm 23 reminds us, no shepherd equips his sheep quite like the ultimate Shepherd, God our Father and the Son who came to earth as our Shepherd (John 10:10-18). Let's unleash the Lord's power into the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ by praying for God to equip them "with everything good for doing his will"!

My Prayer...
O Great Shepherd of the sheep, please release the power of your Spirit in your people and equip us to do great things in our day, as the first Christians did in their day. Equip and strengthen us to serve others, and may all we do be done to your glory and the blessing of others. In the name of my hero, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware

Verse of the Day
for Tuesday, June 13th, 2023

And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. -- Acts 14:21-22

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Let's commit to doing better at helping our new brothers and sisters in Christ grow in Christ. The apostles didn't just lead people to Christ; they also encouraged and strengthened their faith. The early disciples recognized that Jesus had called them to do more than introduce people to faith in him; the Lord also sent them out to make mature disciples to help them become like Christ (Luke 6:40; Colossians 1:28-29). Jesus didn't send us out to call people to make a decision about him, but to become disciples of him (Matthew 28:18-20).

My Prayer...
Holy and loving God, thank you for those precious people who nurtured me as a young Christian. Please use me to bless new believers in my church family, physical family, and circle of influence. I pray this in the name of my older Brother, Savior, and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Verse of the Day
for Monday, June 12th, 2023

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
-- Hebrews 3:13

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
How serious are we about sin? The Bible reminds us how seriously God views it. The power of sin to entice, entrap, d**g us away from our faith, harden our hearts to God, and ultimately engulf us in its power is real and destructive (Hebrews 2:1, 3:12-14, 6:1-8, 10:23-29). Encouragement — especially in its full biblical range of meanings of encourage, comfort, and correct — is one of the great blessings we can bring to each other. Loving Christian friends who encourage each other daily can neutralize sin's influence and destructive allure.

My Prayer...
Father, I know sin's power is deceptive and alluring. Help me see those who need my encouragement today so that we can help each other escape sin's enticing traps. I pray in the name of Jesus, who withstood all of Satan's tests. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware

Verse of the Day
for Saturday, June 10th, 2023

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. -- John 10:11

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
The Bible uses the term "shepherd" for different kinds of Godly leaders. Only One, however, is the quintessential good Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-6; John 10:11-18). We follow this Shepherd because he values us above his own life — "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Jesus shows us that the heart of godly leadership is loving sacrifice, not a status-seeking privilege, and it is caring service, not a selfish attention-seeking position (1 Peter 5:1-4). As God's sheep, we are saved because Jesus IS our Good Shepherd who laid down his life to us to bring us home safely to God!

My Prayer...
Holy and sacrificial Father, I am humbled to silence by your plan to have Jesus be Lord and Lamb, Shepherd and Sacrifice. Thank you for giving me life through his death. Thank you for showing me leadership through his example. I offer you my undying thanks in Jesus' name. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Verse of the Day
for Thursday, June 8th, 2023

“The wicked is snared by the t***sgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble."
-- Proverbs 12:13

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Our mouths can sure get us into trouble, can't they?! This is especially true when that person's heart is tainted by evil. A person's conversation reveals much about their interior life, and an evil person has much to hide. What does our talk reveal about us? Does it help us escape trouble or reveal festering evil in our souls? After all, our words reveal what is going on in our hearts (Matthew 12:35, 15:18-19), so let's guard our hearts against evil (Proverbs 4:23).

My Prayer...
O Lord God, may the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pure and holy in your sight. Through your cleansing power, O Holy Spirit, purify my spirit, heart, and body so that I may serve you in honor and righteousness. Strengthen me so that when I open my mouth, the words that come out reveal that you are in charge of my life. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Stupidocrisy: Celebrating P***e Month
June 7, 2023

The government, media and corporations are going out of their way to “celebrate” a group of people who want to be identified by their sexual preferences. In reality, this is about bullying Americans into allowing these people access to confuse, indoctrinate, evangelize, sexually molest and sexually mutilate America’s children. That’s what this is about. E******y under the law doesn’t mean forced acceptance and a license to be sexual predators of children. Yet the government has allowed this, even promoted it in the public school system and beyond. This attack on children and the jamming of this q***r agenda down the throats of the majority is offensive and obscene in so many ways.

What is at the bottom of P***e? It is the reason Lucifer fell. Isaiah 14:12-14 reveals the sin of p***e: “How you are fallen from heaven, OLucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’” We can see that p***e was the sin that preceded Adam and Eve. It was followed by r*******n against the precepts of God. Those promoting “P***e Month” are following suit, even to the point of hijacking the symbol of God Almighty—the rainbow.

Ezekiel 1:28 says, “Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.” Revelation 4:2-3 says, “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.” Revelation 10:1 says, “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.” These are references to God the Father and his son Jesus the Christ.

Satan hijacked the symbol of God and now the L***Q+++ have appropriated it for their use. Yet, corporations, business and the media insist on displaying the rainbow as a badge of honor in celebrating L***Q+++ P***e. God says in Leviticus and Deuteronomy that men laying with men and women with women is a*********n. It’s not just Old Testament. Romans 1 goes into detail about how the homosexuals and lesbians “changed the t***h of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.” The L***Q+++ agenda is an attempt at replacing God and His righteousness with the most debased sin. Allowing these fanatics access to our children and celebrating P***e Month is not only blasphemy, but also…say it with me…Stupidocrisy.

Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!

Bill Wilson - The Daily Jot

God's covenant....