Verse for Today

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Verse for Today

April 17th, 2024

April 17, 2024 • Luke 3:36

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‭Luke 6:36 ESV‬

[36] Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.6.36.ESV

Here’s what mercy really looks like…

What would you do if you ran into someone who offended, upset, or greatly wronged you?

The Pharisees in Jesus’ time taught that it was excessive to forgive someone more than three times. But Jesus’ teachings set a standard for extravagant forgiveness. He emphasized that we should forgive others generously and continuously.

The outward expression of forgiveness can look different for everyone, but true forgiveness should offer mercy and compassion to those who hurt us.

Forgiveness isn’t easy. Showing compassion to someone who hurt us goes against our natural desire. At times, it can even feel overwhelming, unfair, and impossible. But showing someone undeserved forgiveness and compassion is what mercy is … and it’s what Jesus does for us.

God so loved the world that—despite our constant mistakes and continual rejection of His presence—He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for us. Although we didn’t deserve His forgiveness or love, He offered it to us anyways. And now, anyone who believes in Jesus can receive unlimited mercy and unmerited grace.

It’s because God freely offers us mercy that He asks us to show mercy also.

The world will tell you to hold onto your hurt and allow it to shape you. But Jesus wants to release you from the pain of your past by changing your heart’s posture toward others. This isn’t easy—it is often an act of continual, painful surrender. But Jesus doesn’t expect us to go through the process of forgiveness alone. He offers to help us if we are willing to trust Him and honor His teachings.

Jesus isn’t asking us to do anything that He hasn’t already done for us. And when we offer mercy to someone who has wounded us, we illustrate how God’s forgiveness has impacted us.

So is there anyone you can offer mercy and forgiveness to today? Spend some time with God, ask Him to search your heart, and give Him any hurt you’ve been carrying.

Verse for Today

May 19, 2024 • Acts 2:38

‭Acts 2:38 ESV‬ [38] And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. https://bible.com/bible/59/act.2.38.esv A Better Way Have you ever gone the wrong way? Once you realized that you were headed in the opposite direction of where you wanted to end up, did you keep going—or did you turn around? We’ve all been lost at one time or another. We’ve all done things we regret. We’ve all messed up. “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 NIV “Sin” (the Greek word hamartia) means to miss the mark, to be mistaken, or to wander from the path of righteousness. “Repent” (the Greek word metanoeō) means to change one’s mind, change direction, or think and act differently. To summarize our situation: God made the world, we messed it up, and Jesus has come to make things right again. This is our story. But the great news is, even when we’ve made choices that haven’t honored God in the past, it’s not too late to turn around. But you (“each of you,” as Peter said) must decide if you want to abandon the path that eventually leads to empty pleasure and unnecessary pain, and turn back to God—allowing grace to wash over you, and by accepting the gift that’s already yours. And that awesome gift—the Holy Spirit—will help you, lead you, and comfort you … in a way that only He can. And though you can’t take credit for purchasing the gift or giving the gift, the gift isn’t truly yours until you reach out and take it. Your family cannot do it for you. Your friends cannot do it for you. Your church cannot do it for you. “He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” Psalm 23:3 NLT As you process today’s verse, in what way can you turn from your selfish desires and run back to God? Ask Him to give you the strength, discernment, and endurance to keep following Him … wherever He leads. He is the better way.

Verse for Today

May 17, 2024 • Matthew 28:19

‭Matthew 28:19 ESV‬ [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.28.19.esv The Mission of the Church After Jesus’ death and resurrection, he spent 40 days on earth ministering to people and preparing His disciples for life without Him. Jesus planned on leaving earth and ascending to heaven, but before doing so, He gave His disciples a mission found in Matthew 28:19-20. We often call this mission The Great Commission. The Great Commission begins with getting up and going to places where people need to hear about the good news of Jesus. This doesn’t mean you have to leave your country—there are people in your own neighborhood and workplace that need to hear the hope of Jesus. The ultimate goal of the Great Commission is to make followers of Jesus. So as we go about sharing the good news of Jesus with people, we're to show people how Jesus has changed our lives, and invite them to discover Jesus for themselves. Jesus also instructs us to baptize new believers. Baptism is a symbol of someone’s incorporation into the family of God. It is their public display of their new faith in Jesus. Baptism is such an important part of the Christian life that Jesus made sure to include it in our mission. It can be easy to think that making disciples and baptizing believers is the responsibility of our church pastors and ministry leaders. While those things certainly are part of every church’s mission, Jesus intended for every believer to be making disciples. So take a moment to think about someone in your own life who helped you grow spiritually. Ask God to bring to mind someone you can help and disciple. Then, allow God to give you the courage to share the hope of Jesus with those around you.

Verse for Today

May 16, 2024 • Proverbs 11:24

‭Proverbs 11:24 CSB‬ [24] One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. https://bible.com/bible/1713/pro.11.24.csb What Does It Mean to Be Generous? The word “generous” is often defined as: - Open in giving or sharing - Willing to give help or support - Unselfish Generous living is not a concept limited to the wealthy, the gifted, or the lucky. Generosity is a lifestyle that stems from a desire to worship God in every area of life. The principle of generosity is laced all throughout Scripture, and we have the best model and mentor when it comes to seeing it in action—God. He sent His Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice for our mistakes so that way we could spend eternity with Him. That is generosity in action. Psalm 24:1 says that “the earth is the LORD’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…” Everything we have belongs to God and is given to us by Him. He is the owner, and we are His managers. And the people who manage well are often entrusted with more to manage. It doesn’t matter how much we have—it matters what we do with what we’re given. We will live generously when we view everything we have as a gift from God. And when we do that, our mindsets switch from “This is mine?” to “How can I share?” So right now, think about how you view the things God has given you. Do you see them as gifts from God to be shared, or as accomplishments and possessions you’ve earned? What is one thing you can start doing today to become more generous?