Birhen.com

The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. — 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 Thoughts on Today's Verse... What do you have that is forever? Most of what we have in this world falls apart, breaks, or wears out quickly. But we have three things that last forever: God (Father, Son, Spirit), our Christian friends, and our praise of God. These are eternal. The glorious truth is that Jesus is going to return, the dead who died in him will be raised to receive their eternal bodies, and those living at his return will have their bodies changed into their immortal bodies. The best part of all of this is we will be reunited with all the faithful of all the centuries, and we all will be with the Lord foreve...

In God, whose word I praise — in God I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? — Psalm 56:4 Thoughts on Today's Verse... One of the powerful things about having a Bible as a repository of God's words is that its age and influence across diverse countries and cultures remind us how enduring God's truth is. Still, we remember that it is God in whom we put our trust! His enduring presence across cultures, centuries, and countries reminds us that eternity is beyond our grasp. Still, the Eternal One holds us in his hands as we journey toward the destination he has for us. Our lives, with our future secured, are hidden with Christ in God and are destined for his glory ( Colossians 3:1-4 ). Our worst days, months, and years of suffering, hardship, difficulty, and challenges cannot compare to the glory that is yet to be revealed in us ( Romans 8:18-21 ). Our trust is in our eternal Savior, so let's keep our eyes focused and our hopes centered on him and t...

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children — with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. — Psalm 103:17-18 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Forever love is sometimes talked about in dime store novels, but this kind of love is only found in God's faithful lovingkindness. Thankfully, we can tap into that reservoir of eternal and divine love through the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus pours into our hearts to help us both receive that kind of forever love and share it with others ( John 7:37-39 ; Romans 5:5 ). Importantly, our verse emphasizes how God's kind of love is multigenerational - generations before us passed it along to us, and we must pass it on to the generations that come after us. This multigenerational principle is not just a practice of celebrating God's love and our love for others found under the Old Covenant; it is also one that the apostle Paul taugh...

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. — Romans 12:15 Thoughts on Today's Verse... We are not alone. God promised that he would never leave us or forsake us ( Hebrews 13:5-6 ). He has given us Jesus' family to find support and share our joys. Along the way, we want to share each other's burdens and soar on each other's joys. We want to love each other through our hurts and mourn with each other through our grief. There should be no such thing as a solo Christian, whether joyful or in sorrow, excited or downtrodden. If we see a brother or sister struggling in life and feeling alone, let's decide to walk with them. If we see one in joyful celebration, we should join them in that celebration. If they feel horrible sorrows and grief, we should sit with them and let them share their grief with us. We demonstrate our love for Jesus by the ways we love each other, and demonstrate that love in clear, practical ways of being with them, serving them, and ...

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. — Acts 20:24 Thoughts on Today's Verse... How important is grace? Paul said that sharing the good news of God's grace was more important to him than his life! In fact, that was his life after his conversion to Jesus. The wonderful thing for Paul is that he aligned his life's mission to be an expression of God's grace. That's why he could tell the Philippians: I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain ( Philippians 1:20-21 ). The challenge for us is to find out where we fit in God's story of unfolding grace and live into that role as our life's mission. We don't have to be a missionary,...

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. — John 3:17 Thoughts on Today's Verse... How do you view God? Is he someone looking for a way to condemn or punish you? Is he an out-of-touch ol' curmudgeon who doesn't really know what it's like in our modern world? Is he too pious and holy to soil himself with the concerns of mere mortals and has left it up to us to work everything out for ourselves, including earning our salvation? No. NO. NO! God chose to enter our world and experience it from the side of mortality ( John 1:14-18 ; Hebrews 2:14-18 , 4:14-16 ). Why? Because he loves us and yearns to save us. God chose to enter our world, not to condemn us or it, but to redeem it and each of us. Jesus is the great reminder that God longs to save us, not condemn us. He's looking for ways to give us life, not to exclude us from his presence. Thank God for God! Thank God for Jesus, who was and is Immanuel, God with us ( M...

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. — James 1:19 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Let's just put this in cornbread English: "We must pump the brake on our speech and hit the throttle for our ears." When possible, we should let our emotional temperature cool for a few days before responding, pray to determine whether we need to respond, craft a response (written or verbal) with care, and then carefully edit and filter it before delivering our message - especially when we've had a zinger come our way. We keep our mouths shut, our hearts pure, and our ears open. Now, if we would all obey what James 1:19-21 teaches in this whole passage, we'd all be more blessed: My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral fi...

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. — Romans 12:10 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Being "devoted to another in brotherly love" requires that our church talk - we're family, brothers and sisters, children of God - be more than mere words. We must enter into each other's lives, getting to know one another so that we can serve, love, and bless one another. The many "one another" commands of the New Testament remind us that this is the heart of being followers of Jesus. Each of us needs to ask ourselves: "What have I done lately to get more involved in the lives of my fellow Christians?" Devotion to others follows a commitment to know and be known by them, so that we can honor each other appropriately, love each other fully, and bless each other based on each person's needs. My Prayer... Father, thank you for giving me a worldwide family. Thank you for loving me so completely. Father, I ask that you he...

Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. — Romans 15:2 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Being disappointed and dissatisfied with life can stem from a myriad of problems. For many of us, however, these disappointments are symptoms that we have focused too much on ourselves and have allowed ourselves to become angry with life. We have forgotten to count our blessings, neglected to give thanks to God, grown silent in our praise to our Father, and quit helping those around us. Thinking of others is how Christ lived, and we are going to live for others if we are going to have a JESUShaped life. When we follow his example, our actions make a difference in the lives of those we bless, and we find ourselves immensely blessed as well. Let's get our focus off ourselves and look to bless our neighbors! As the ancient Christian hymn Paul quoted reminds us: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, d...

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. — Galatians 5:13 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Our freedom as followers of Jesus, the freedom to live by the power of the Spirit and not by law ( Romans 8:1-4 ; Galatians 5:1 ), is a wonderful gift, especially when it is handled with responsibility and grace ( Romans 14:13 ; 1 Peter 2:16 ). Not being under law is such a sweet grace, but we want to pass that sweetness on to each other through service, kindness, and care ( Romans 13:10 ). Just because we are free to do something doesn't mean doing it is beneficial to our brothers and sisters in Christ or to those we are trying to influence toward Jesus. Freedom gives us the opportunity to do things in love, not just because we are commanded to do them. Love should be, could be, and must mean more than law. Video Commentary... ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer... O Great God...

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. — 1 Corinthians 1:10 Thoughts on Today's Verse... If people in our congregations are ever going to get along, the leaders of those churches must remind God's people of the importance of unity. Shortly before facing his passion, Jesus' prayer was that we would be one ( John 17:1-26 ). Why? If the world knows we are Christians because of our love for one another ( John 13:34-35 ), then the world needs to see our loving unity so that the lost can know that the Father has sent Jesus to save them ( John 17:20-21, 23 ). When we are divided, we tell the world we're not offering them something the world doesn't have on its own. All we have is just a religious message that doesn't produce consequential changes. So, unity is not only important; it is also essential. It...

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. — Romans 15:5-6 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Unity comes from God's Spirit as we all draw closer to Jesus ( John 17:20-21 ). As we are drawn to Jesus through the Spirit, we immediately find ourselves drawn closer to one another ( 1 John 1:1-4 ). Unity also has a purpose much deeper than our getting along with each other. Jesus prayed we would be one so that the world would know that God sent him into the world as the Son to save the world ( John 3:16-17 , 17:21, 23 ). We want to be united so that our praise can bring glory to God and lead others to him. Unity is far more than a goal; it is a process through which the world learns of Jesus. At the same time, we glorify the Father who sent Jesus to save us when we live together in unity. Leading others to Jesus and gl...

The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. — James 3:17-18 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Now I know why righteousness is so hard to find these days. We don't have many in our world who are full of heavenly wisdom - if that means being considerate, submitting to others' needs, living with mercy toward those who are different, bearing good fruit, treating others with impartiality, and demonstrating genuine concern for our neighbors. These traits of wisdom are hard to find in our world, probably because they are often associated with weakness. And, while many claim to love peace, so few are willing to make peace and to sow peace into the lives of others. Heavenly wisdom is full of sacrificial earthly action. That's a powerful reminder to me that wisdom is not what we know but what we sow! We don't pr...

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. — Hebrews 6:10 Thoughts on Today's Verse... The Holy Spirit offers us great assurance in today's verse! God is not unjust. Oh, that is such an understatement: God furnished the atoning sacrifice for our sins by sending Jesus ( 1 John 2:1-2 ). When we seek after him, Jesus promised we could find him ( Matthew 7:7-8 ; Acts 17:27 ). God will not forget the work and love we share with others. God has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west ( Psalm 103:10-12 ). He chooses to keep an eternal record of the good we have done. We are his people. He claims us. He is gracious and loving, remembering the good we have done to others while forgiving and forgetting our sins. Wow! What great motivation for us to keep maturing into the likeness of Jesus Christ as we become more JESUShaped ( 2 Corinthians 3:18 ). My Prayer... God, you are s...

Oh, the depth and riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out. — Romans 11:33 Thoughts on Today's Verse... God's plan to save us is incredible. His blueprints for the creation of our universe are beyond our imagining. He is so rich in wisdom and knowledge that we cannot even imagine his greatness. What else can we do but go to him and ask him to open our minds to his work, will, and presence in our lives? God is far greater than our minds can comprehend. His judgments are not fully comprehensible to us, and ways beyond us, but we do know this: What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ( Romans 8:31-32 ) "Oh, the depth and riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!" And on top of his greatness, he loves us and has g...

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. — Zephaniah 3:17 Thoughts on Today's Verse... I still remember trying to learn to affirm my son's value to him. I didn't know exactly what that looked like or what I was supposed to do or say. Then, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me of what God the Father did to affirm Jesus the Son at his baptism. "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased" ( Luke 3:21 ). God affirmed his relationship with Jesus, "You are my Son..." God affirmed his love and affection for Jesus, "...my Son, whom I love..." God affirmed his delight in Jesus, "...with you I am well pleased." Zephaniah reminds us that the Father feels much the same about us as his children: "He will take great delight in you..." On top of that, he calms us with his love and rejoices over us in singin...

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. — Ecclesiastes 11:5 Thoughts on Today's Verse... "I don't know!" This sure seems to be one of the hardest phrases for us to say. When thinking about God and his ways, especially his work on us and plans for us made when we were in the womb, that's really all we can say. "I don't know!" The truths we know about God and his ways with us when we were in the womb are only what he has chosen to reveal to us. He is the Mystery of mysteries. He is the supreme unknowable Knowable. Yet what we do know of him, what he has revealed to us in Jesus, is not only mighty and awesome, but loving, tender, and merciful. We know his love is willing to sacrifice for us, so we could seek after him and find his grace. So in reverence, we kneel to pray to the Father we cannot fully know - at least not yet, but will one...

You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. — Psalm 139:13-14 Thoughts on Today's Verse... You are made by God. Just as surely as ANYone has been made by God, we have been made by God. He knew us before anyone knew we were in the womb. He knew us before our mother had even felt our flutter inside of her. God had plans for us before anyone even planned our arrival. He fashioned us for his purpose with plans for our lives. He made us purposely, faithfully, and he made us wonderfully. We are wonderfully made by a loving Creator! My Prayer... God Almighty, my Savior and Redeemer, thank you for knowing me before I was able to know. Thank you for choosing my life and giving it to me. Thank you for giving me the gifts, abilities, and talents that you have given me. Now, dear Father, please help me to live with a reverential awareness that you fashioned ...

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. — Proverbs 31:30 Thoughts on Today's Verse... So many things we honor and exalt in our culture are shallow and temporary. The one thing that lasts in a beautiful woman is not her charm or her external beauty, but her godliness. Let's make sure that our church families and our physical families value godly women and give them the praise they deserve. Then, we will recognize true beauty and true charm, because they reflect the beauty and charm of God! (See also the related thoughts from May 9 .) My Prayer... Holy God, please give us better eyes and more faithful hearts that we may see value in all people, especially those godly women whose character reflects your holiness, goodness, and grace. Please bless us as we raise our children, that we may instill in them a sense of proper values as they choose their life partners. And dear Father, please help us in our churches to value and praise ...

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life in Christ has set me free from the law of sin and death. — Romans 8:1-2 Thoughts on Today's Verse... We can join the apostle Paul in thanking God for his grace and use the famous words of Dr. Martin Luther King, as he quoted the old spiritual song: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" Becoming a Christian means we have been liberated from law-keeping as the basis of our salvation. We now have God living in us through the Holy Spirit, empowering us. The Spirit helps us to know God's will and then live it ( 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 ; Galatians 5:22-23 ). Through the Spirit's power, we can do what no law could make us do: live up to God's standards of righteousness by the power of the Spirit ( Romans 8:1-4 ). We are set free from law-keeping - not just Old Testament Law, but any law ( Galatians 3:21-22 ) - and e...

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. — Ephesians 4:32 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Be kind and compassionate? These two qualities seem to be in short supply these days as we look at social media, politics, and people's personal agendas. Maybe it's because we hold up the wrong heroes? Maybe it is because we haven't let the Holy Spirit rule in our hearts? Unfortunately, kindness and compassion are two qualities often seen as signs of weakness rather than strength. To forgive as God forgave us requires great courage and great strength, two resources the Holy Spirit can supply if we pray for that strength, and pray for that strength in our brothers and sisters ( Ephesians 3:14-21 ). So, let's pray for each other to be strong and courageous, and display those qualities through our kindness and compassion! Let's forgive each other, as God in Christ has forgiven us. My Prayer... Holy God, there is no way I c...

If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. — Matthew 18:15 Thoughts on Today's Verse... The right thing to do can also be the very hardest thing to do. Many of us find it much easier to gossip about someone who has wronged us than to obey Jesus. But one thing is the right thing when we have been wounded by the action of another brother or sister in Christ. Jesus commanded us to go to the person who has wronged us, try to keep the damage contained to just the two of us, and work on being reconciled with each other. Satan lives in the festering and poisonous places in our hearts where unforgiveness and resentment reside. God's desire, and what should be our goal as his children, is reconciliation that is personal, face-to-face, and genuine. Our desire to be reconciled to our offending brother or sister "for whom Christ died" ( Romans 14:15-16 ; 1 Corinthians 8:11 ) must...

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies ... She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. — Proverbs 31:10, 27-28 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Give honor to whom honor is due is what Paul commanded the believers in Rome to do ( Romans 13:7 ). Giving proper honor is important. We must give godly women the honor they are due, and doubly so to those who are godly mothers, whether their motherhood is physical or spiritual. Proverbs demonstrates this by devoting an entire chapter to the principle of honoring godly women ( Proverbs 31:1-31 ). Paul also emphasized the vital role women played among the believers in Rome as he closed his letter to them, and dedicated much of chapter 16 to honoring them. He named ten women who made significant contributions in leadership and service to the Kingdom of God that are worthy of respect and ho...

Make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. — Colossians 4:5-6 Thoughts on Today's Verse... When presented with an opportunity, we choose to do and say kind things because Jesus has called us to that. He challenged us to be salt that adds savor and preservation to the world's hopelessness and decay ( Matthew 5:13 ). He called us to be light that casts out the world's darkness ( Matthew 5:14-16 ). We are committed to acting in ways that are kind and beneficial to others, especially with our speech. We pray for opportunities to be kind and encouraging because we want what we say to benefit others ( Ephesians 4:29 ). This verbal kindness is an indication of the Holy Spirit's presence ( Galatians 5:22-23 ) as the Spirit conforms us to our Savior's kindness and character ( 2 Corinthians 3:18 ). This kind of salty speech - not the profane, crude, and coarse speech often...

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Thoughts on Today's Verse... Where does your heart live? That's what these verses remind us to ask ourselves. They challenge us to notice where we spend the most time and what we focus on most in our hearts. Is there a constant awareness in our lives that God is present? Is he the unseen but always present companion in all our ups and downs? Or is God with us when it is convenient and gone when things are busy, or you feel that everything is going well? Joy comes from knowing we are never alone. Prayer is the ongoing conversation we have, spirit to Spirit, child to Abba, human with God. Thanksgiving and joy are great reminders that we have been lavishly blessed, regardless of what our temporary outward circumstances suggest. Being joyful, praying continually, and giving thanks in all situations is God's will for us. Why? Because...