Birhen.com

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." — Isaiah 55:8-9 Thoughts on Today's Verse... No matter how hard we try to perceive the awesomeness of God, he is still God, and we are not. We must forever remember that the original, and still primary, sin was seeking to become equal to God. We are to know God, and we should seek to know about God, but we can never fully know everything about him or become equal with him. Trying to become equal to God and losing our sense of reverence and awe for God are at the heart of all sin. While we should seek to put on God's righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful lovingkindness, in humility, we recognize that we cannot begin to approach his majesty, righteousness, wisdom, or holiness on our own. When we have done our best to describe and praise our gl...

He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. — Job 23:10-11 Thoughts on Today's Verse... How we long for Job's words in this verse to be our true confession. We are not yet gold, but long to be. We are not yet fully following the LORDs steps, but are trying to follow faithfully. We have tried not to turn aside from God's ways, but we sometimes falter. Thank God for his grace until our intentions and desires are fulfilled in our genuine discipleship. Until that day, we pursue Jesus as we seek to reflect his character and compassion, trusting in the Holy Spirit to do the work of transformation ( 2 Corinthians 3:18 ) so that the following may be true of us as it was in Jesus: He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. My Prayer... Magn...

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. — Psalm 73:25-26 Thoughts on Today's Verse... What can truly fulfill and sustain you? Maybe the best way to answer that question is by asking another: What can we keep when our bodies are placed silently in their graves at death? Only our relationship with God, our Christ-like character, and our loving relationships with Jesus' disciples are permanent. These last beyond the grave. So, if these are lasting, then why would we displace them for anything that isn't lasting? Earth's treasures fail, wither, dissolve, and decay. What we have in God is forever! My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. My Prayer... Mighty Yahweh, Strong One of Israel, Keeper of the Covenant and Fulfillment-Maker of every prophecy, you are my hope, my strength, and my future. I live...

God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. — 2 Timothy 1:7 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Power! We like that concept. Power! But if it is to be godly, power alone does not make us right. Godly power must be accompanied by love and self-discipline. These three together make a person's life effective, constructive, and godly. Live life to its fullest: not as a closet Christian afraid of standing true and firm, but as a disciple who lives by God's power, shares God's love, and displays God's virtues through a disciplined life of love and grace and power. My Prayer... Holy God, you are without compare in your majesty and might. I have no right to come into your presence, and yet you have invited me here by your love and your grace. You are my Rock, my Fortress, and my Strength. I depend upon you for guidance and mercy to sustain me through my storms in life and reclaim me from my stumbles. Holy God, I want to be stro...

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. — 1 John 3:18 Thoughts on Today's Verse... "Talk is cheap!" "You can tell me with your words all you want, but I won't believe it until I see it in your actions." "It's time to put your life where your mouth is." There are many slogans, but let's get down to the nitty-gritty and really live and love in truth. In a world where barter has replaced sacrificial, steadfast love, and as lust has become the modern definition of love, let's go against the cultural grain and truly love with our words and actions. Genuine love must be like God's love. It must involve emotion, commitment, and action. This is love in actions and in truth! Video Commentary... ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer... Sacrificial Father, I confess to you that at times I am selfish. Other times, my intentions are good, but my follow-through and faithfulness are l...

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. — 1 John 4:9 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Love is an action. The Bible stresses this truth again and again. Love must not only be spoken and felt, but it must also be demonstrated in daily life. The beginning of love is God. He showed his love for us in Jesus so we could know our incredible value to him. The price of our adoption was the emptying of heaven of its greatest treasure, God the Son, who is our Savior, and God's greatest demonstration of love. Because love is not genuine until it is both felt and acted on. "This is how God showed his love among us..." He sent Jesus! My Prayer... Loving Father, thank you for adopting me into your family. I can never thank you enough or ever repay you for your kindness, but please receive the service of my life as my ongoing thanksgiving for your grace and as my small way of trying to share the love you have ...