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Weekly Verses - December 2
Monday
Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
We are receiving the triumphant and glorious victory of God in his Kingdom. We will join with the angels and the saints of old and live with the Father forever in victorious and never-ending joy. But this Kingdom doesn't begin just when Jesus returns. This Kingdom has started now in his Church, his people, those in whom God's will is cherished and obeyed. So our worship should be filled with awe that the holy God of Israel is also the lowly God in Jesus who has redeemed us and made us to be a holy people unto himself. What else can we do but worship with heartfelt thanksgiving and wonder-struck awe?
MY PRAYER ...
Holy and Righteous Father, all things are yours. Thank you for sharing your blessings, your promises, your hope, and your victory with us in Jesus. Please help me to live a more thankful, victorious life before my unbelieving friends and as an example to my children so they may come to share your glorious Kingdom and ultimate victory. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Tuesday
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
We sing when we are happy. We sing when we are heartbroken. Today we sing out of gratitude. God is not only worthy of all of our praise, he is worthy of all of our thankfulness. But the basis of all our songs is Jesus, and the proclamation of the good news that brings life to us through him. As that message, that word of Christ fills our hearts, we are tuned to be thankful children of the Most High.
MY PRAYER ...
I am so thankful today, Lord, for all the many blessings you have poured into my life. Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness give me hope for the future. Your gift of Jesus gives me life today and promises life tomorrow. The incredible physical blessings, as well as the blessings of family and friends, are wonderful. But the greatest of all blessings is the assurance that I will one day see you face- to-face and share your glorious presence forever. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
Giving thanks is more than being thankful to God, it is letting others know of his gracious works so they too can come to know him as Father, Redeemer, and Victorious Lord.
MY PRAYER ...
Holy God, Almighty King, bless all those who serve you in difficult places today. I especially am thankful for all the missionaries in other cultures sharing the grace of Jesus with people who need to know you as Abba Father. Empower their words, protect their lives and families, and bless their efforts with fruit. Please help me to understand that true thankfulness involves sharing your grace with others. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.
Thursday
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
Our thanks arises from the nature of God and his glory and goodness. The steadfast reason we give thanks is because God is good and his love is inexhaustible, beyond decay, and never ending.
MY PRAYER ...
O great Lover of my soul, thank you for sending Jesus as the demonstration of your love. I love you Father. I love you for who you are and what you have done. I love you for what you have promised. I love you for the blessings you shower upon me. I love you for giving me hope. I love you because you first loved me. I love you because you are worthy of all love. But I confess that my love is not as strong as yours, so please, fill me with your love by the power of the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus I lift my heart to you. Amen.
Friday
The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
Holiness is that forgotten character virtue that is the Christian's reflection of God, his or her holy and righteous Father. In a day of cheap grace, when anything goes just as long as we want to be buddies with Jesus, Peter's words should shock us into reverence – the commitment in life to set our lives apart from the evil and sludge that defiles our hearts and to offer our bodies, hearts, and minds to do his will and reflect his character.
MY PRAYER ...
Holy and Righteous Father, teach me to do your will and reflect your character while offering your grace. May the movements of my heart, the thoughts of my mind, and the actions of my life be pleasing to you and reflect your holiness and grace. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Saturday
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.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
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!"
MY 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. Through him I pray. Amen.
Sunday
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.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
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.
MY 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?" Through Jesus, my Lord and Savior I pray. Amen.
