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Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. — Romans 14:13 Thoughts on Today's Verse... It is so easy to be judgmental of others. We must remember that we don't know their struggles, circumstances, or discouragements. Most of all, we don't know their hearts. When we are judgmental, we erect a barrier between others and ourselves as we set ourselves up as superior to a brother or sister for whom Christ Jesus died! If we are not careful, we can spread our judgmental impression of them to others in gossip. Our stubbornness to only view them with a judgmental spirit erects a stumbling block that can lead them to become discouraged and cause them to stumble. Jesus warns us sternly about such a damaging practice ( Matthew 18:6-7 ). Let's set our minds on being an encouragement and blessing to our brothers and sisters and not put an obstacle in the way of others. My Pray...

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. — 1 Thessalonians 3:12 Thoughts on Today's Verse... God is love. God is also the source of love. He pours love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit ( Romans 5:5 ). So, how do we make our churches, our families, our small groups, and communities more loving? We pray for God to grow the love in those in groups, letting them know that we are praying for them, and then communicate and demonstrate our love to those very same groups in words and actions. As John wrote to early believers: Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth ( 1 John 3:18 ). My Prayer... Father, use me to help be an example of love to those around me. Please pour your love into my heart through your Spirit, as you promised, and then help me channel that love out into the lives of others. Please empower the love in our congregations, schools, and families to gro...

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. — Romans 14:1 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Our life in Christ is such a blessing! We want to welcome new disciples into our fellowship to share the blessings that Jesus has given us. We don't bring them in to scrutinize their past failures or the current struggles, but to bring them into the love of God's acceptance as part of his eternal family. They will make mistakes and stumble, just as we did when we were new believers. Yet God welcomed us patiently, graciously, and compassionately. Let's do the same with new believers as they learn to live for Jesus. As Paul commanded the Romans: Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God ( Romans 15:7 ). My Prayer... Father, please make me more understanding and patient with my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who are new to the faith. Give me insight and empathy so I can encourage them, buil...

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. — Matthew 11:28-30 Thoughts on Today's Verse... We could call it the irony of discipleship. To follow Jesus Christ means that we surrender everything and follow Him. To follow Christ means that we receive untold blessings in this life and eternal life with God in the life to come. So is it hard? Yes, sometimes it is very challenging, downright exhausting, and at certain times, filled with rejection and persecution. Jesus said it would be that way at times. And let's be honest, life is hard. So, can our burden be light as Jesus promised? Yes, because we do not live our lives in vain, and we are living life as God intended us to live. Our efforts make a difference, and we get to meet incredible people whom we will know forever. Then, when our life i...

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops... — Proverbs 3:9 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Honoring God must come first in everything. We don't give him the last, the least, or the leftovers. He gave us his best, most precious, and most perfect of gifts - his Son Jesus and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gifts! How could we give him anything less than our best, our first, and our most precious - our firstfruits in everything! My Prayer... Gracious God and loving Father, thank you for every good and perfect gift you have lavished upon me. Please accept the offering of my heart, which I freely give to you. Soften it and make it gracious and generous. I commit to offer you and your work in the world my first and my best. In Jesus' name, I make this pledge in prayer. Amen. The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware. You can email questions or comments to [email protected] . © 1998-20...

If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. — Romans 14:8 Thoughts on Today's Verse... We are the LORD's care. We submit our lives to him because he bought us out of bondage to sin and death and brought us into his eternal family of grace. We have voluntarily placed our lives into his hands. No matter what we do or where we go, his grace goes with us. He has promised never to leave us ( Hebrews 13:5-6 ). He has assured us that nothing can separate us from his love ( Romans 8:32-39 ). So let's live with a sense of excited anticipation, looking to see where the LORD will lead us next. Let's face our difficulties, trials, and even death, with the assurance that we will not face tough times alone or forever. The glory we anticipate is far greater than any of our trials ( Romans 8:19 ). Even as we walk in the dark shadows of death, we don't have to fear what the evil one and his minions can do to ...