VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 18, 2012

VERSE:
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,
because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not
made perfect in love.
-- 1 John 4:18


THOUGHT:
Do you remember what Jesus said when he came walking on the
water to his disciples during the storm? He literally told them,
"Do not fear, I Am." In the presence of the holy and awesome Son of
God, we don't have to be afraid. God's grace to us in Jesus takes
away our need for fear because Jesus' sacrifice makes us holy,
without fault, and free from any charge against us (Colossians
1:21-22). Our response? Love! We love our Father for who he is, for
what he has done, for his great sacrifice for us, and most of all,
for making us holy and taking away our fear.


PRAYER:
Dear Father in heaven, you are holy, awesome, and glorious.
These are things I could never be without your grace, yet you have
chosen to give me these blessings through the sacrifice of your Son
Jesus. Thank you. I love you. In Jesus' name I praise you. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 17, 2012

VERSE:
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do
it, sins.
-- James 4:17

THOUGHT:
Jesus taught this principle when he healed on the Sabbath (Mark
3:1-7) and told the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37).
Our Lord made it clear that to neglect to do a good deed for
another in need, even if we had a religious excuse for not doing
it, was to do evil. Let's be a people known for doing good deeds
and sharing kindness. Let's not let any excuse, especially a
religious excuse, interfere with our glorious and holy
opportunities to serve others in the name of Jesus.


PRAYER:
Dear Father, please use me today to bless someone in need so
that they may know your grace and so that Jesus, your Son and my
Savior, will be glorified. In Jesus' sweet and precious name I
pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 16, 2012

VERSE:
From him [Christ] the whole body, joined and held together by
every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as
each part does its work.
-- Ephesians 4:16


THOUGHT:
Ephesians and Colossians emphasize that no human being, or even
group of human beings, is head of the Church. Jesus is head of the
Church. He sets our direction. He is our example. He is our goal
for ministry. In addition, Jesus also arranges us in his Body as he
chooses, gives us gifts to use to bless each other and God, and
holds us together so that we can effectively serve as his presence
in the world. So let's set our hearts on Jesus. Let's use his life
and love to inspire us and show us how to serve. Let's give him our
allegiance and loyalty. He alone is head of his Body, the Church.
Let's let him lead!


PRAYER:
Righteous Father, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for his
example, service, obedience, love, and sacrifice. Thank you for his
resurrection, exaltation, power, and presence today in your Church
and in my life. Father, please use me, and my brothers and sisters
in Christ with me, to do his work in our world and share your grace
with all who are lost. In the name of the Lord Jesus I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT -
April 15, 2012

VERSE:
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so
that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine
closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both
yourself and your hearers.
-- 1 Timothy 4:15-16


THOUGHT:
"Be diligent!" That's not a phrase you hear much about these
days. We want things to come easily. Sweat in the world of
pseudo-faith is frowned upon. But, Paul wanted Timothy (and us) to
know that maturity in Christ requires genuine effort. Having a
redemptive influence on others is hard work. While it is God's
power that transforms, our effort is also required. God gives us
the assurance that this effort will not only bear fruit in our own
lives, but it will also lead others to salvation as well.


PRAYER:
Abba Father, please stir my confidence, courage, diligence, and
determination so that the salvation you have blessed me with can be
shared with others because of my life, my teaching, and my example.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 14, 2012

VERSE:
We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that
God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
-- 1 Thessalonians 4:14


THOUGHT:
As horrible as the Cross was, it wasn't the final chapter of the
Jesus story. Jesus died and then rose again. We can believe two
things because of Jesus' resurrection: 1) that Jesus will return in
glorious victory for those who have believed in him, and 2) that we
will be with those we love who have fallen asleep in Christ when
Jesus comes again.


PRAYER:
Holy and Almighty Father, thank you for raising Jesus from the
dead and giving me the assurance of eternal life with you, and with
those I love who have already passed from this life into death. I
look forward to the day Jesus returns in glory, with the angels of
heaven, and brings complete victory over death. Thank you in Jesus'
name. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 13, 2012

VERSE:
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
-- Philippians 4:13


THOUGHT:
I don't know about you, but I know I've grown soft and spoiled
because of all the conveniences that I have allowed into my life.
Could I honor God with my praises and thanksgivings if these
conveniences were to suddenly vanish? I hope so. I want to be like
Paul and live with the assurance that I can withstand any situation
with the help of Christ.


PRAYER:
O God, without you my strength would fade and my confidence
would fail. Thankfully I will never have to worry about this
because your grace, your Spirit, and your Son will strengthen me
and help me weather any storm. Thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 12, 2012

VERSE:
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set
an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith
and in purity.
-- 1 Timothy 4:12


THOUGHT:
The idealistic passions of youth must not be rationalized away
or patronizingly pushed to the side. If you are younger, you are
not only part of the church of tomorrow, you are also God's servant
today. Serve him mightily and be an example to those who are older!
If you are older, don't look down on the enthusiasm of youth, but
encourage it and be inspired to emulate it! Let's remember, some of
our best examples are those who are younger who serve our Lord with
a vibrant faith!


PRAYER:
Father, thank you so much for energetic, enthusiastic, and
passionate Christians who are in the younger years of their
adulthood. Empower their witness, bless their service, and keep
their hearts pure as they grow and mature in your service. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 11, 2012

VERSE:
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words
of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God
provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus
Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
-- 1 Peter 4:11


THOUGHT:
We are given gifts to use in God's Kingdom for two reasons: 1)
to bring glory to God, and, 2) to bless others. Whether we serve or
speak, we are to do so with these two goals in mind, knowing that
God will supply the strength to do what he has gifted us to do.


PRAYER:
Holy Father, thank you for not just saving me, but for also
giving me abilities to use to bless your people and honor you. Help
me see the ways you want me to use my gifts today, and every day
that follows, to bless others. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 10, 2012

VERSE:
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and
sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
-- 1 John 4:10


THOUGHT:
Love is demonstrated, not just said. Love goes ahead sharing
itself instead of waiting until things are easy or safe. Love
redeems when all hope seems lost. Love is not only what God is, but
it is also what he does and what he gives.


PRAYER:
Thank you, dear Heavenly Father, for loving me so extravagantly.
Please help me to see the opportunities to love others whom you
place in my path everyday. Use me to demonstrate your love to
someone today and each day that follows. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 9, 2012

VERSE:
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen
in me -- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with
you.
-- Philippians 4:9


THOUGHT:
I don't know about you, but I truly hope that my life reflects
what I say and teach. What a great statement to be able to make to
those we lead, whether it is in the classroom, in our families, at
work, or at church.


PRAYER:
Almighty and Most High God, please bless me with the integrity
that comes when my convictions, my words, and my actions are
consistent and righteous. In Jesus' name. Amen.
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 8, 2012

VERSE:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash
your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
-- James 4:7-8


THOUGHT:
James always packs a lot into a small space. Let's focus on the
center of this call to holiness: let's draw ourselves closer to
God. When we come into God's presence and draw close to him, we
know our thoughts, our motives, and our behaviors will be seen for
what they are in the light of his holiness and righteousness. At
the same time, we know that the devil is forced out by the radiance
of our Father's holy life. Let's seek after God. Let's long to draw
near to him. Let's ask him to cleanse us and make us wholly his and
make us completely holy!


PRAYER:
Righteous Father, thank you for your love and forgiveness. Now,
dear Father, help me as I seek to draw closer to you and as I seek
to know you better. Purify my heart of any duplicity or secret sin.
Cleanse my conscience and empower me to be an example of your grace
and holiness. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 7, 2012

VERSE:
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but
God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
-- 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8


THOUGHT:
The call to holiness is easy to ignore in a world which lives by
much different standards. Satan gets us to compare our lifestyle
with those around us, deluding us into devaluing our sins in
comparison to others. But the issue is not comparison shopping our
sin; the issue is a thankful heart that has been cleansed by the
Holy Spirit and saved by grace. Ignoring, or toning down, the
Spirit's call for holiness is rejecting God. Let's be passionate
about holiness in our lives, both because it is what God wants and
also because it is what we should seek.


PRAYER:
Father, forgive me for trying to water down the significance of
my sin. Use your Spirit to kindle in me a passion for holiness and
please empower me to live in a way which honors you for all that
you have done to save me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 6, 2012

VERSE:
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our
hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."
-- Galatians 4:6


THOUGHT:
The first vocalizations of many babies are the syllables "ab,
ab, ba, ba." Not surprisingly in Jesus' day, that was the name
babies used for their fathers. When God saved us, he gave us his
Spirit. The Holy Spirit blesses us in many ways, but one of the key
blessings is his work with us in prayer. He intercedes for us when
words won't do (Romans 8:26-27) and he helps us approach God with
familiarity, dependency, and respect as we call God our Abba.


PRAYER:
Abba Father, thank you so much for loving me, saving me, and
inviting me into your family. Thank you for the Holy Spirit, who is
helping me right now as I share my thoughts, words, and emotions
with you. Thank you, dear Father, for giving me the power to be
what you want me to be. In Jesus' name. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 5, 2012

VERSE:
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of
every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace,
seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
-- Colossians 4:5-6


THOUGHT:
Jesus warned about our giving account for every idle word
(Matthew 12:36-37). Paul takes it a step further and emphasizes how
important this is with those who don't know Christ. We want to
seize every opportunity when around those who are not Christians
and show kindness, care, and control in the way we use our speech.
Someone's eternal destiny may be resting on our conversations with
them.


PRAYER:
Holy and Righteous God, I know you hate it when your people
wound and drive unbelievers away. Please help me display a winsome
attitude with all people, but especially those who do not yet know
Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 4, 2012

VERSE:
But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a
woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might
receive the full rights of sons.
-- Galatians 4:4


THOUGHT:
Wow! What a rich passage full of many wonderful thoughts. Let's
put it in cornbread English so that we can not only read it, we can
also believe it. God made history ready for a savior and then sent
his Son. That Son had to deal with all the difficulties of the Law
and faced all the frailties of being a human. Our Father bought our
freedom at the terrible cost of his Son's life on a cross in front
of a mob that was jeering and jealous of his popularity. He did
this so that you and I could be his honored children, entitled to
all of his wonderful inheritance. To put it succinctly: God's plan,
God's Son, God's ransom, Our glory.


PRAYER:
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for all the pain it caused you to
send Jesus and to see him persecuted, ridiculed, and crucified.
Thank you for redeeming me from my sinful condition, for buying me
out of the death that would have been the consequence of my sins,
and for giving me the gift of freedom and family. To you belongs
all glory, honor, and praise for your marvelous grace. In Jesus'
name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 3, 2012

VERSE:
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should
avoid sexual immorality.. .
-- 1 Thessalonians 4:3


THOUGHT:
Sanctified surely does sound "churchy," doesn't it? It means to
be special, reserved for God's use and glory, and not common. We
are to be an uncommon people! This is especially true in steering
clear of sexual immorality. We're to stay far away from it,
honoring God with our bodies (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20) while
celebrating God's plan for joyful sexual fulfillment in marriage
(Proverbs 5; 1 Corinthians 7:1-7).


PRAYER:
Father God, please protect and empower me as I seek to resist
sexual temptation in my sexually charged culture. I want to offer
myself to you as a holy sacrifice, pleasing to you and a blessing
to your people. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 2, 2012

VERSE:
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one
another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace.
-- Ephesians 4:2-3

THOUGHT:
Effort, sweat, and dedication seem to have become the profanity
of western Christianity. To our age of grace-abusers, the Holy
Spirit reaches out with his truth and reminds us that relationships
on earth, even those in Jesus' Church, are going to require a lot
of effort, gritty love, personal sacrifice, and rigorous
determination. If we read Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17, how
could we not make every effort to keep his Body unified and our
relationship with his people loving and patient? Since our
salvation was purchased at the cost of Jesus' sweat and blood, how
can we balk when our best efforts are required to preserve the
unity of his family?

PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, forgive my impatience with others and lack
of forgiveness for them. Stir your Spirit within me to curb my
tongue, soften my heart, and extend more of an effort to others who
need your blessing. Please use me to be a peacemaker in your
Kingdom, O Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
April 1, 2012

VERSE:
Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief
from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
-- Psalm 4:1


THOUGHT:
At first, this cry for help seems very demanding. However,
closer inspection shows that this is really the cry of desperation.
Have you been there? I surely have and I regularly hear from folks
who are there now. But, read how this Psalm ends! What is the
secret to surviving a long agony? I believe three things are
important: 1) honesty in our prayer life with God, 2) confidence
that God hears and cares even when our prayers sizzle with pain and
frustration, and 3) genuine praise for God included in our prayers
even when things seem bleak. It's not a magical formula, but it is
a Spirit-inspired one -- check it out in Psalm 4!


PRAYER:
O God, please hear my cry for relief, as well as the relief of
those I love, from agony, burdens, and suffering. Please answer in
amazing and miraculous ways so that we may not only be relieved,
but so that you may be glorified as well. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
March 31, 2012

VERSE:
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the
LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his
confidence.
-- Proverbs 3:31-32


THOUGHT:
While many are seeking a cure for the rampaging violence that
destroys lives, threatens schools, and makes our streets unsafe,
why has no one bothered to remind us what God's wise servant taught
us centuries ago? Let's not let any person, real or fictional, be
our hero if his or her fame is built on violence. The son of
Israel's most famous warrior understood this better than anyone.
Surely the Son of the Most Powerful on High said it best: "Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."


PRAYER:
Almighty God, save us from the violence of our culture and the
worship of violence that pervades our land. Please give us heroes
who are true peacemakers. In addition, dear Father, please give us
eyes to see them and the courage to honor them. In Jesus' name I
ask it. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
March 30, 2012

VERSE:
He must become greater; I must become less.
-- John 3:30

THOUGHT:
For John the Baptist, this ultimate formula for greatness did
not take many words. What's your formula? Paul told the Galatians
that a similar formula was needed for them (Galatians 4:19). He
told the Colossians that this is what he expended every ounce of
his energy to have happen in the lives of Christians (Colossians
1:28-29). Paul told the Corinthians that this was what the Spirit
was doing in their lives (2 Corinthians 3:18). So, don't you think
that maybe this is the real formula for your life?

PRAYER:
Dear Father in heaven, in my heart and in my life may Jesus
become greater and I become less. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
March 29, 2012

VERSE:
"I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him. The bride belongs
to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and
listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's
voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete."
-- John 3:28-29


THOUGHT:
John the Baptist is an incredible example of a servant. He lived
his life for one central and controlling purpose -- to prepare
others to recognize, to welcome, and to follow Jesus Christ as
Lord. Can you think of a greater purpose for your life? Let's live
so that when our last days approach, we can also say, "That joy is
mine, and it is now complete."


PRAYER:
Holy and Righteous Father, please use me to prepare others to
know and to receive Jesus. In the name of my Lord, Jesus of
Nazareth, I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
March 28, 2012

VERSE:
Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to
cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua, and encourage and
strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause
them to inherit the land that you will see.
-- Deuteronomy 3:27b-28


THOUGHT:
Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt and in the
wilderness, but did not get to enter into the Promised Land because
of his sin. Yet, for all those years, Moses nurtured and prepared
the person who would do what he could not do. That person was
Joshua. Who are you training, molding, encouraging, motivating, and
calling to do what you won't be able to do? What successor will
take your dreams farther than you can? Who is your Joshua?


PRAYER:
Holy and Righteous God, please lead me to those with whom you
want me to share my life and to pass on your heritage of faith.
Please open my eyes to see them. Give me strength to live my life
honestly and courageously before them. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
March 27, 2012

VERSE:
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On
that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we
maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the
law.
-- Romans 3:27-28


THOUGHT:
God's salvation leaves us no room for boasting. We couldn't live
up to the righteous demands of the Law. When we are broken and
sinful, God buys our salvation by sending Jesus and having him pay
the debt of our sin. We have nothing to boast about except the
overwhelmingly generous grace of God and the incredible sacrificial
love of our Savior, Jesus.


PRAYER:
Thank you, Father, for redeeming me from the righteous judgment
of the Law. Thank you, Jesus, for paying my debt for sin. Thank
you, Holy Spirit, for cleansing me and making me holy. Thank you,
God, for your incredible grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
March 26, 2012

VERSE:
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all
of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with
Christ.
-- Galatians 3:26-27


THOUGHT:
What are you wearing today? I hope you are clothed with Christ.
Anything else is simply out of style by heaven's standards, no
matter what designer fashions you may be wearing. You can be
clothed with Christ by surrendering your life to Jesus as your
Savior through faith; believe that he is God's Son who died for
you, trust that he rose from the dead to give you life, confess
Christ as your Lord and Savior trusting him for your salvation, and
share with him in his death, burial, and resurrection through
baptism. He promises to send his Spirit to live inside you and to
forgive you all of your sins. You will be God's child and have a
home waiting for you in heaven. For those of us who are Christians,
these thoughts are a reminder of what God has done for us and what
he expects of us. If you are not a Christian, the world doesn't
have to be a cold and lonely place; the Lord Jesus can be with you
everywhere you go if you will respond to him.


PRAYER:
Father, thank you that you provided a way for making me your
child and for clothing me in your righteousness. Thank you for
making it possible for me to call you Father and to have Jesus as
my older brother. Thank you, dear Father, for Jesus, in whose name
I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
March 25, 2012

VERSE:
He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire,
unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
-- Daniel 3:25


THOUGHT:
I love the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from Daniel
3. Their faith is solid whether God chooses to save them from the
fire, or not. God not only saves them, but those who intended to
execute them become the key witnesses of their faith and God's
miraculous deliverance. They are not only sons of the One True God,
but they are also examples to all of us who are tempted to
compromise our faith to get along in a society that has lost all
respect for the Almighty God.


PRAYER:
Dear Father in heaven, please give me the same kind of faith
that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego demonstrated! When adversity,
persecution, ridicule, and ostracism come, I want my faith to stand
up to the test. Thank you, dear Father, for giving me the Bible,
which is my book of heroes who stood their ground and kept their
faith, especially under fire. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
March 24, 2012

VERSE:
So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might
be justified by faith.
-- Galatians 3:24


THOUGHT:
Galatians reminds us again and again that law cannot make us
righteous or save us, not even the Old Testament Law. However, the
Law does one very important thing. It leads us to Christ. We
recognize right and wrong because of the Law. We recognize our
failures, imperfections, sins, transgressions, and weaknesses
because of the Law. Most of all, we recognize our need for a Savior
because of the Law. Praise God for the Law. Praise God a hundred
times more for Jesus!


PRAYER:
Thank you, dear Heavenly Father, that the goal of your Law was
to bring me to Jesus. It helps me appreciate his perfection. It
helps me know my sinfulness. Most of all, it helps me realize that
his sacrifice gives me what the Law cannot -- your righteousness.
Father, I do truly believe with all my heart that Jesus came to die
for me and give me life. In Jesus' name, and because of Jesus'
righteousness, I thank you! Amen.