1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NLT)

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1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭18‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"O how impatient and angry we are when we think ourselves unjustly slandered, reviled and hurt! Christ suffers strokes upon His cheek, the innocent for the guilty; yet we may not abide one rough word for His sake. O Lord, grant us virtue and patience, power and strength, that we may take all adversity with good will, and with a gentle mind overcome it. And if necessity and Your honour require us to speak, grant that we may do so with meekness and patience, that the truth and Your glory may be defended, and our patience and steadfast countinuance perceived.”

Myles (Miles) Coverdale (1488-1568)

Bishop, English Reformer, and Bible translator

1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭18‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! 

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

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Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭21‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭21‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) ...I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Apostle Paul 

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1 Thessalonians 5:14-22 (NLT)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭22‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. 

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 

Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.

Apostle Paul 

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2 Corinthians‬ ‭8‬:‭21‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Don’t rely on what a person says or feels at the moment. Rely on what he or she does over a long period of time."

Lawrence O. Richards (1931-2016)

The 365 Day Devotional Commentary

2 Corinthians‬ ‭8‬:‭21‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable.

Psalms‬ ‭25‬:‭21‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.

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2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭(NIV‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"...while we can’t plan or manufacture a revival, we can prepare the ground for one. Or, as I like to say, we can “pre-prayer” the ground. Nehemiah’s job was to rebuild; God’s job was to pour out His Spirit...God has given us a recipe for revival...Our part as believers is to humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from sin. God’s part is to hear us, forgive us, and heal our land."

Greg Laurie

Harvest Christian Fellowship 

Riverside, CA

2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) ...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

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2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭(NIV‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

More about Jesus would I know, 

More of His grace to others show;

More of His saving fullness see,

More of His love who died for me.

More about Jesus let me learn,

More of His holy will discern;

Spirit of God, my teacher be,

Showing the things of Christ to me.

More, more about Jesus,

More, more about Jesus;

More of His saving fullness see,

More of His love who died for me.

Eliza E. Hewitt (1851-1920)

"More About Jesus" (published 1887)

Public Domain

2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

1 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.

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2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭15‬, ‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

"Head! Think of Him whose brow was thorn-girt. 

Hands! Toil for Him whose hands were nailed to the cross. 

Feet! Speed to do His behests whose feet were pierced. 

Body of mine! Be His temple whose body was wrung with pains unspeakable."

Edward Herbert Bates (1905-1974)

Spiritual Thoughts from the Scriptures of Truth

2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭15‬, ‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them...This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

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Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

O Thou who died on Calvary, 

To save my soul and make me free; 

I'll consecrate My life to Thee, 

My Savior and my God!

I'll live for him who died for me, 

How happy then my life shall be! 

I'll live for him who died for me, 

My Savior and my God!

R. E. Hudson

Hymn: I'll Live For Him (1882)

Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

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Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭(NIV‬‬)

 FROM TODAY'S READING...

"We acknowledge God as rightful King over all, and take our place as His subjects. We make a conscious choice to live as citizens of His kingdom, inviting it to come fully into our lives as well as into the world at large...We submit to God, choosing to obey His revealed Word, yet aware that we must also be sensitive to any personal guidance He may give us through His Holy Spirit."

Lawrence O. Richards (1931-2016)

The 365 Day Devotional Commentary

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

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Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

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Psalms‬ ‭25‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

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Proverbs‬ ‭26‬:‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

FROM TODAY'S READING...

“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” 

Winston S. Churchill (1874-1965)

British Prime Minister 

Proverbs‬ ‭26‬:‭17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.

Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭25‬-‭27‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.

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