What a man desires is unfailing love.

Proverbs 19:22a

Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

Psalms 33:3

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Colossians 3:9-10

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 11:19

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
—2 Corinthians 4:5

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Our message is not ourselves. Jesus is Lord. One day all of creation will acknowledge and praise him. But for the people around us to praise Jesus today, they need to see him alive in us. We serve others in Jesus' name. We are his body — his hands of compassion, his heart of mercy, and his voice of tenderness. So let's lift up Jesus — not just by telling others about him, but serving others as his presence in the world.

My Prayer...
God of grace, thank you for the privilege of sharing your love with others. Thank you for saving me FROM my sin. Thank you for saving me FOR service to bless others for Jesus' sake. In the name of Jesus, my Savior, I pray. Amen.

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.
– Proverbs 14:12

It is important that we base our plans for the future upon what God values and not just on what we (or others) think is right. Instead of trying to determine what we think is the best path, take some time and seek after the wisdom of God in Scripture. You may find that the extra time that you spend in the planning stage is FAR less than the time you spend dealing with any disastrous results at the end.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
—Galatians 5:6

Thoughts on Today's Verse...
What matters most? Priorities are key in our everyday lives if we are to be successful and productive. This is equally true in our discipleship. We want to concentrate on what is key, essential, and most important. Paul reminds us what is essential: Faith showing itself in loving actions. Faith that does not show itself in loving and helpful action is dead (James 2). Jesus wants our faith to express itself in vibrant and loving service.

My Prayer...
Almighty God, please forgive me for the times I have lost sight of what is essential and focused on what is peripheral. Please forgive me for the times when my interests and concerns were more important to me than loving service to others. Please give me eyes to see the people you would have me serve today so others may know Jesus' love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.