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You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. — 1 Peter 1:18-19 Thoughts on Today's Verse... If value is determined by price, we are incredibly valuable to God. Our Father took the most precious treasure of heaven and redeemed us out of sin, evil, and death to adopt us into his family through Jesus' sacrifice. Silver and gold pale in comparison to that value. Without this redemption, we were in a mess. We were trapped in "the empty way of life handed down to us" . To know the depth of that empty way of life, we need to remember who we were before Christ ( Ephesians 2:1-3 ; Romans 5:6 ): Dead in our transgressions and sins. Following the ways of the evil ruler of the spiritual realm, who is at work among the disobedient. Gratifying the cravings of our flesh. By nature deserving of ...

It is written, "As surely as I live," says the LORD, "every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God." — Romans 14:11 Thoughts on Today's Verse... We live in anticipation of the day when every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" ( Philippians 2:10-11 ). Until that day, let's do all we can to influence as many as we can to receive the grace of God through faith in Jesus. We want them to bow before Jesus now as their Savior and LORD, today, so on that great future day, they can join with the host of heaven in joy, not in regret or fear, and acknowledge Jesus for who he is: LORD of all! My Prayer... Father, I thank you for saving me. May my anticipation of the day of Jesus' victory move me to be your agent of reconciliation so that others are ready for that day and will welcome it and our Savior with joy. Give me eyes to see those who ...

Since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. — Romans 1:20 Thoughts on Today's Verse... The touch of the Master's hand is all around us. We can see it in the order, beauty, specificity, and dazzling variety of creation. The great expanse of space, with its billions of stars, along with the incredible world of the microscopic, is all testimony to an Orderer of great creativity and inestimable power. Our heavenly Father has left his fingerprints all over his world, his creation, his universe, so we can know that he has been here and will not abandon the work of his hands. But, will we respond to this beauty in creation by seeking to live by the ways of the Great Orderer, the Creator of the universe, or will we choose for ourselves, or something else, to replace God? Will we choose to reflect his righteous character, gracious c...

Jesus said, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." — John 10:28-30 Thoughts on Today's Verse... "He's got the whole world in his hand." Yes, the song may be true, but in a much more significant way, God holds us, each of his children of faith, in his hands. As we entrust our lives to him in faith, his grace ensures that no one and nothing can steal us away from his grace, his promises, and his eternal loving care. Our future in Jesus is secure. We are in God's hands! My Prayer... O LORD, thank you for your steadfast and secure love. Thank you for the assurance that my future rests in your hands. Thank you for holding me in your protective grace. May I live today with confidence and joy, knowing that no matter where I find myself, you are there to uphold and sustain...

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 Thoughts on Today's Verse... We have victory, ultimate victory over death. If we don't have the answer for life's biggest test, death, then we have no lasting victory, ever. The Super Bowl and World Series are played every year. A champion is a victor for only one year and has to earn it again and again by competing and finishing the season in triumph. But a Christian is a champion forever. Because of Jesus, each true disciple of Christ Jesus has lasting victory over death. Yes, "thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." My Prayer... Thank you, God, for blessing us with lasting victory in Jesus Christ. In our daily struggles with sin, please make your will triumphantly present in us now, just as it will be when...

Christ has indeed been raised, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. — 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Being eternal is nothing new; in the beginning, God made us to live forever in fellowship with him. Being like Jesus ( 1 John 3:1-3 ) completely, eternally, will be new, however, when we're raised from the dead. When Jesus' lifeless body was placed in the ground, our lives with God forever in glory hung in the balance with him. Praise God. The Spirit of God revived Jesus from his death sleep. Jesus' resurrection also ensures our own, because our lives are hid with Christ in God ( Colossians 3:1-4 ), that death can no longer claim us. The only death that really matters for us is dying to our sin, through faith in baptism with Jesus ( Romans 6:4 ). If we have shared in that death, we will m...