VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
January 7, 2011
VERSE:
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is
unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
-- Psalm 130:7

THOUGHT:
What do we have in this life that is unfailing and
inexhaustible? Nothing except God's unfailing love. Even when we
disappoint, hurt, offend, or rebel against him, he still loves us.
While we were sinners he sent Jesus to redeem us from sin and
death. Why trust anything or anyone else with our future? Let's
lean on God's unfailing love!
PRAYER:
Abba Father, loving God, I place my hopes, dreams, and future in
your hands. I trust that you are at work for my eternal good. I
believe that you alone offer freedom from all that enslaves me.
Thank you for your forgiveness of my sins and your promise of life
forever with you. But most of all, dear Father, thank you for your
unfailing love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
January 6, 2011
VERSE:
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
-- 2 Corinthians 4:18

THOUGHT:
What do you see most clearly today? Is it what is seen or what
is unseen? No matter our belief system, we ultimately have to trust
what we can't see. Even the most atheistic scientists trust
gravity, breathe air, and depend upon principles they cannot see
until these realities produce results in the tangible world of
human perception. But as Christians, we don't believe the seen
world is any more real as the unseen world. In fact, most of the
seen world is subject to death, disease, disaster, decay, disorder,
and death. I don't know about you, but if it isn't any more
permanent than that, it's not going to be very real for any of us
for very long. I want to hang on to something that allows me to
look past the seen and to find my Father who is unseen. He is the
one who guarantees the unseen!
PRAYER:
Eternal Father and God of all peoples, help me see more clearly
the spiritual, eternal, and real world of the unseen. I am not
seeking novelty, nor am I on some quest for the bizarre. I only
want to know you, your truth, and your character so I may more
appropriately display them to others and help them come find you in
the world of the unseen. Please grant me greater success at
reaching others, to your glory. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT -
January 5, 2011
VERSE:
But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me
and lift up my head.
-- Psalm 3:3

THOUGHT:
My dad would never let me walk slouched over with my head down.
"Remember son, you are a Ware. That's nothing to be ashamed of.
Even on your worst day you are still my son and a child of God!"
God is our protector and our proud Father. He gives us glory
because he loves us. Because he is our Father who gives us such
gracious gifts, we don't walk with our head bowed low and our
spirits slumped over. He gives us ultimate victory! Even on those
dark days when victory is hard to find, we are still God's
children. Our Father paints the sunsets and holds the stars in
their orbits. He guarantees our future. How can we walk dejectedly
when we remember this?
PRAYER:
God of glory, majesty, and might, I praise you for all the many
evidences of your handiwork I see in nature. I praise you for the
laws that hold our universe in place by your command. I praise you
for the redeeming work of Jesus. So to you, God, I lift my heart,
my hands, and my head and praise you for your grace and glory. In
Jesus' name. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
January 4, 2011
VERSE:
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the
LORD will do amazing things among you."
-- Joshua 3:5

THOUGHT:
"Get ready. Get set. Go!" These words from our childhood are
very important for us today as we seek to do God's will. God wants
us to be ready. But all the personal preparation in the world is
not going to make a difference if we have not dedicated ourselves
and consecrated ourselves to do everything that we do to glorify
God. What plans do you have for this next year? What plans do you
have for tomorrow? What plans do you have for today? Before we "Get
set" and "Go," let's get ready by dedicating ourselves to the Lord
and his work!
PRAYER:
Father of Mercies, I recognize that my plans and my ways are not
necessarily your plans or your ways. Please help me as I dedicate
myself to reading Scripture and listening for your will. I want to
honor you in all I do and dedicate my efforts and myself to your
glory, honor, and praise. In the name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord,
I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
January 2, 2011
VERSE:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be
terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be
with you wherever you go.
-- Joshua 1:9

THOUGHT:
This command and promise to Joshua are also for us as we embrace
the upcoming year. We have no idea what lies ahead; we only know
that God will go with us if we will ask him on our journey and seek
to follow his will. So this verse is not just a promise to cherish:
"I will go with you." It is also a command! "Be strong and
courageous, and do not be terrified or discouraged. " We embrace
this upcoming year as an opportunity to serve God and not as
something to fear!
PRAYER:
Holy and Almighty Father, thank you for being with me as I begin
this new year. Please empower me with your Spirit to greet it with
passion and excitement for the opportunities ahead. Please forgive
me when my own inadequacies and the unknown ahead of me make me
fearful and indecisive. Give me courage to live boldly for you this
year. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
January 1, 2011
VERSE:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old
has gone, the new has come!
-- 2 Corinthians 5:17

THOUGHT:
It's better than starting over! As Christians, we get a fresh
and new start. God not only forgave us, pardoned us, ransomed us,
and saved us; he also made us a new creation! And every time we
come to him, every day we rededicate ourselves to serve him, and
every new year we offer to him, we get a new start and a whole new
world. So as we begin this new year, let's begin by offering
ourselves to him, asking him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
and take leadership of our lives.
PRAYER:
Almighty and holy God, I want to glorify you and bring you
praise in the choices that I make, the people that I influence, the
words that I speak, and the actions that I take in this coming
year. I know that I am not guaranteed a single new day, but I want
each one that I live to be a day I have lived for your glory and
honor and praise. In the name of Jesus my Lord I pray. Amen.


---------------
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT December 31, 2010
VERSE:
This is what the Lord says, ... "Forget the former things; do
not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs
up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and
streams in the wasteland."
-- Isaiah 43:16,18-19

THOUGHT:
The year is gone, finished, past. We cannot reclaim it or undo
it. We cannot rest on the great distance it has brought us. If
tomorrow dawns, it will be another day, a new opportunity, and the
time to show our faith in Jesus as Lord. Let's journey forward,
knowing that God already inhabits the future and promises to
provide us refreshment on our journey there.
PRAYER:
Lord of all eternity, please help me to learn from my mistakes
this past year, but not to dwell on them. Please help me not rest
on my accomplishments in this past year, but use them to further
your work in me and through me. Please help me not quarrel with
those who injured me yesterday, last month, or this past year.
Instead, O Father, lead me in your paths and help me see your
mighty works this next year. In Jesus' name and by his power I ask
it. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
December 30, 2010
VERSE:
[Jesus said,] "I have told you these things, so that in me you
may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take
heart! I have overcome the world.
-- John 16:33

THOUGHT:
This world is a place of struggle. Yes, we can live above the
struggle for awhile. We can find a way to simply ignore or re-label
the struggle for a time. But in the end, the struggle will find us.
But in the midst of struggle, we can remind ourselves that our
victory is secure. Jesus has won! We will share in his great
triumph. In case you didn't know, the final outcome is already
determined and Christians "win big" through Jesus. And this victory
is a forever win!
PRAYER:
Thank you, God, for giving me the victory through Jesus Christ
my Lord. I greet the future with anticipation because I know each
day brings me closer to you and the glorious future you have
planned for all of your children. Until then, I pray that I may
never lose sight of that victory and yearn for the day of its
arrival! In the name of Jesus, the triumphant Rider on the white
horse, I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

VERSE:
[Jesus said,] "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God;
trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were
not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place
for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back
and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
-- John 14:1-3


THOUGHT:
He's coming back! As much as the world likes to remember Jesus'
first coming during the Christmas season, we need to remind them
that his Second Coming will be even greater. We want to be prepared
-- lives dedicated to his glory and hearts full of expectation at
his coming.

PRAYER:
Loving God, I know Jesus will come again. May I be found
faithful and expectant when he returns. Thank you for sending him
the first time to live in my world and take away my sin. Thank you
even more for his next coming to take me to live in your world and
share in your victory over sin. In the name of Jesus my Lord, I
pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

VERSE:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace.
-- Isaiah 9:6

THOUGHT:
While Jesus is God's Son and Mary's son, according to Isaiah's
prophecy, he is also shared with us. Jesus is the child given to
the world so you and I can become God's child. What greater gift
can we have than Jesus, and through Jesus, God as our Father.
PRAYER:
O loving Father, on a day so glorious, when the world pauses and
acknowledges your gift of Jesus, all I can think to say is simply
"Thank you!" Then I am reminded once again that all I have comes
from him, because it is in his name, Jesus Christ, Immanuel, I
pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

VERSE:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census
should be taken of the entire Roman world. ... So Joseph also went
up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the
town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married
to him and was expecting a child.
-- Luke 2:1 and 4-5

THOUGHT:
Isn't it amazing at how many inconveniences in our lives the
Lord uses to accomplish his will in us. Can you think of a worse
time to have to go on a cross-country trip with their modes of
travel than Joseph and Mary faced. Yet God turned it into the
moment in which the angels found their tune and Satan met his
match.
PRAYER:
Father, I thank you that behind history, and especially behind
the part of history where I live, your hand is always working for
my redemption and your glory. Give me faith to ride out the
difficult times, knowing that you will use those difficulties to be
the incubator of your next great work in me. In the name of Jesus,
the Joy of angels, I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
December 15, 2010
VERSE:
The angel said to [Mary], "Do not be afraid, you have found
favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and
you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be
called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of
Jacob forever."
-- Luke 1:30-33

THOUGHT:
Jesus is identified by many names stated or implied in the four
Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). Notice how Jesus is identified
in just this one passage: child, son, Jesus, great, Son of the Most
High, King, son of David, and leader of Israel (Jacob). Jesus
exhausts all descriptions, and yet chose to be limited to imperfect
descriptions by becoming human. But this flood of names and
descriptions helps us find Jesus as our Savior in every trial and
blessing of life. Jesus is Savior for all seasons.
PRAYER:
Holy and Almighty Father, I thank you for all the ways Jesus is
described and all the names he is given. They help me see the
breadth of his nature and the depth of his character. Please bless
me that I may always find a dimension of Jesus' ministry or a name
or description of Jesus to help sustain me, when I walk through the
shadows of doubt caused by the evil one. Help me, O Father, to see
Jesus and not my preoccupations and biases so that when he comes
again, I will know him, and he me. Through the glorious name of the
Savior I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

VERSE:
When [King Herod] had called together all the people's chief
priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was
to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is
what the prophet has written: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of
Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for out
of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people
Israel.'"
-- Matthew 2:4-6

THOUGHT:
"The first will be last and the last will be first." That's one
of Jesus' favorite sayings. Isn't it interesting that God said it
long before he was born. Isn't it interesting that those who knew
the Scriptures, but didn't know Jesus, said it too! Isn't it
interesting that Herod and Jesus lived it thirty years before Jesus
would teach it? Isn't it interesting that the Jesus gave us the
Lord's Supper to remember that while Jesus died and shed his blood,
on the first day of the week, Sunday, he rose. When it matters
most, Jesus and his people will finish first!
PRAYER:
You, O Lord, are marvelous. You are God Almighty, the holy and
majestic Creator. Yet you became the least so I can share in your
glory. Please help me, O God, never to look down on someone else
because they look like the least. I know, Father, that as I serve
and love them, I'm serving and loving you. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
December 8, 2010
VERSE:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me."
-- John 14:6

THOUGHT:
I don't want to be any more exclusive than Jesus. But I do want
to hear his voice. He calls me to find the way to the Father
through him. I must also know that others must know him to find
their way to the Father, too. How can we not be more passionate
about those around us who do not really know Jesus as their Savior,
Redeemer, Brother, and Lord? How can the first four books of our
New Testament lie unread?
PRAYER:
Holy God and Righteous Father, give me a passion for Jesus and a
heart that knows him in word, deed, and concern. In the name of
Jesus, your mighty Word, I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

December 6, 2010
VERSE:
[Jesus said,] "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my
sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father -
and I lay down my life for the sheep."
-- John 10:14-15

THOUGHT:
The goal of our walk with Jesus is to come to know him as our
shepherd just as intimately as he knows the Father. A key thing for
us to remember: In a world where so many people want to attract our
attention and are willing to give us advice, we can refuse their
voice. We listen to Jesus because he has shown his love for us by
laying down his life for us. He is not a hireling, he is the Good
Shepherd.
PRAYER:
Holy Father, you are wonderful and generous beyond description.
You have shown your love by sending your Son to be my Shepherd.
Help me hear his voice through your Word. Help me hear his voice
through the wise counsel of spiritual friends. Help me hear his
voice through the words sung to me by my brothers and sisters when
we are assembled. Help me hear his voice in the Holy Spirit's work
on my conscience. Father, I want to follow your Son as my Shepherd
and Lord because I know he, like you, is good! In the name of my
Shepherd and Lord I pray. Amen.

December 5, 2010
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
VERSE:
Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate
for the sheep. ... whoever enters through me will be saved. He will
come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal
and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have
it the full."
-- John 10:7,9-10

THOUGHT:
Jesus came to the world to give us life. He didn't come to bring
us rules, or judgement, or fear, or work. Jesus came to give us
life in its fullest form. While we know that this is promised to us
when we go to be with him for all eternity, John wants us to
clearly hear that Jesus' promise to give us life begins right now!
Not JUST life later, but also life NOW!
PRAYER:
Almighty God, I confess that sometimes I play life too
carefully, not risking failure and loss and not reaching for your
opportunities and your concerns. Give me a heart that yearns to
live life in all its fullness by seeking after your will, Jesus'
example and the Holy Spirit's leading in my decisions today, and
always. Through the name of Jesus I ask this to your glory. Amen.

December 4, 2010
VERSE:
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light
of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but
will have the light of life."
-- John 8:12

THOUGHT:
Darkness is more than a symbol; it is a pervasive way of living
and viewing the world. Darkness is the place of deception, evil,
crime, predators, sin, and death. To follow Jesus means to bring
him our heart and let him cast out the darkness that plagues us on
the inside so we don't have to be afraid of the darkness on the
outside. In this way, Jesus gives us light, but it is a light that
does more than fill a dark room with light. This is a light that
illumines the heart.
PRAYER:
Holy God who lives in glorious and irrepressible light, I praise
you for sending Jesus to cast away the dark fears that so easily
envelop me. I pray for strength and courage to not only live in the
light, but show others their way to the light. In Jesus' name I
pray. Amen.
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
December 3rd, 2010

VERSE:
Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will
never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."
-- John 6:35

THOUGHT:
We crave food at regular intervals during the day. During this
holiday season food occupies our thoughts and fills up our
activities. But deep in our soul is a hunger, a soul hunger. This
hunger cannot be filled by food, drink, or chemicals. This hunger
was the desire built into us by our Creator, placed there when he
knit us together in our mother's womb. This hunger can only be
satiated by Jesus.
PRAYER:
Please fill me, my Father, with Jesus. Give me today, my Daily
Bread, that I may find life in all its fullness. Precious Lord,
Jesus my brother and Savior, fill me and touch me with your
presence so that I can serve you by blessing those around me with
your grace. In the name of Jesus, my Living Bread, I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
December 2, 2010
VERSE:
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at
many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has
spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and
through whom he made the universe.
-- Hebrews 1:1-2

THOUGHT:
God is a speaking God. He loves us and has chosen to get his
message to us in words. First there were the patriarchs and great
prophets. Then there was the written record in the Scriptures. But
God's greatest message, his most powerful words, were not really
words at all, but a person named Jesus of Nazareth, who is Christ
and Lord of all. For us, his Church, to be what he wants us to be,
we must not just look at Scripture, we must also look at him. He is
the key to understanding what Scripture means and how it is to be
lived.
PRAYER:
Holy Father, help me to see Jesus and his work and purpose more
clearly as I open your Book and seek to understand your will. Fill
me with your Spirit, so that I may greet each decision awakened to
the answer to "What would Jesus do?" In the name of Jesus, my Lord
and Savior I pray. Amen.

December 1, 2010

VERSE:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. ... The Word
became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his
glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
-- John 1:1-2 and 14


THOUGHT:
All true ministry is "incarnational" - it involves people to
people contact, human touch, and genuine physical care. While
Heartlight is an Internet ministry, it will never live in
cyberspace. It must be carried into the daily life of believers who
are committed to share the grace of Jesus with their FRANs
(Friends, Relatives, Acquaintances, Neighbors). Just as God
purposely sent Jesus at the right time to the right place, he did
so with us. We are here to bless others, "not just in word, but in
deed and truth!"

PRAYER:
Glorious Father, thank you for putting me where I am. I know I
am here to do your work and carry on Jesus' ministry. Help me seize
the opportunities you give me today to bless others in the name of
Jesus. In that mighty name of my Lord I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT
VERSE:
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the
wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of
mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law
he meditates day and night.
-- Psalm 1:1-2

THOUGHT:
I get to choose which sources of information I feed my mind. But
this privilege and freedom is also a responsibility. God longs to
bless me, but that blessing remains dormant until my heart delights
in knowing and doing his will.
PRAYER:
Wondrous Creator, just as you fashioned such a beautiful world
and put me together in my mother's womb, I also ask that you create
in me a desire to know your truth and an insight in how to live
that truth. I know your Holy Spirit is in me to help me in this
journey, but I want so much to please you and bless you because of
all the ways you have blessed me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

VERSE:
Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying
for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will
through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
-- Colossians 1:9

THOUGHT:
In a world where we can feel so isolated and alone at times, it
is so important for us to know that someone is praying for us and
for our spiritual needs. As I think of the thousands who are a part
of the Today's Verse ministry, I cannot help but pray that each of
them, that you, are blessed by knowing that you share a spiritual
journey with people all over the world, and that today, we will be
praying for each other. And of course there can be no better prayer
than the one that Paul prayed for the Colossian friends he had
never met -- "I ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will
through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. " Let's pray that
for each other today.
PRAYER:
Oh precious and divine Father, today I pray for the other
believers who come before you and seek to live for you. I pray
especially for those who share the Today's Verse journey with me.
Even though we live all over the world and have all sorts of needs,
we all know that our deepest need is to know and live your will and
to be confident that we are known and loved by you. Please fill all
of us with the knowledge of your will through Spirit-led wisdom and
understanding. We want to know you, honor you, serve you, and
ultimately see you face to face. In the name of our older brother
Jesus, we pray. Amen.

VERSE:
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves
the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in
the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and
the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father
but from the world.
-- 1 John 2:15-16

THOUGHT:
Love for things, especially temporary ones, can sure get us into
trouble. Even worse, we can begin to think they will make us happy
or fill the empty places in our hearts. But if we really sink our
hopes and dreams in our Abba Father, we are attached to eternity
and what we need most is always with us!
PRAYER:
Give me wisdom, Holy God, to invest in you and things that
matter. I confess to you that my eyes and my heart are often
distracted by the glitzy stuff that is temporary. By your Spirit, O
Father, stir my heart to yearn for you. In the precious name of
Jesus I pray. Amen.
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

VERSE:
I urge, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in
authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all
godliness and holiness.
-- 1 Timothy 2:1-2

THOUGHT:
God wants us to be a praying people. But more than that, God
wants us to pray for people. The blessing of that kind of prayerful
life is that we get to live peaceful and quiet lives full of
godliness and holiness. So pray, dear friend in Jesus, pray as if
world peace depends upon it, because it does!
PRAYER:
Majestic and Holy God, your greatness is beyond my mind to grasp
but your grace reaches me and teaches in a new way each day.
Forgive me when my prayer life has not been passionate. Forgive me
for letting my prayers focus only on what is wrong. Use your
Spirit, O God, to ignite a hunger in my soul so that I come to find
satisfaction only in you and your presence. In the name of Jesus
Christ and through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, I pray.
Amen.
TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

VERSE:
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of
your heart.
-- Psalm 37:4

THOUGHT:
Rather than seeing this as a way to get our wish list granted,
let's see it for what it really is -- an invitation to seek a love
relationship with God above all other things. In finding him, we
will find our priorities properly aligned and our hearts tuned to
know what is really valuable and what is not. Then we will see that
what we have in him is our hearts' greatest desire.
PRAYER:
Awesome and Gracious Father, I confess to you that so often my
heart is full of selfish things. But in moments like these, Father,
I recognize that you are what I most need and your will is my
heart's desire. Please kindle your Spirit in me so that I may see
through any selfish deception that would rob me of having you first
in my life. Forgive me when I'm petty, selfish and shallow. May I
know you as much as possible for a mortal to know you, not so that
I may be full, but that you may be honored. Because of your grace
and in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.