Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:18 (NIV)

It can be really easy to say the “right” things. If someone asked you the question, ‘should you lie?’, you know what the “right” answer is. However, when you’re in a pinch and lying will help you look better, or get out of trouble, what do you do?

Today’s Bible verse is talking about this very thing. It’s telling us that not only saying something matters, it’s also about what you do.

If you say you love other people, but aren’t friendly to the new student, or help encourage the student being bullied, you’re loving people with words, but not with action. Loving someone with action and truth takes guts. It asks you to step beyond what seems comfortable to do what is right. That is what today’s Bible verse challenges us to do.

Today’s Challenge: Will you step beyond what is comfortable, to do what is right?

My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, – Philippians 3:10 (Holman)

What are some of your goals? Do you want to get married one day? Have a successful job or business? What are some of the goals that are driving your life?

In today’s Bible verse, we see that Paul’s goal was to know Jesus and His power. He didn’t want to just fake having a relationship with God. Paul. Paul studied the Bible and knew God in a real way.

He truly accomplished this goal of knowing Jesus because not only did he know the truth, but he applied it to his everyday life. And grew in his knowledge of God and the Bible.

Today will you also make it your goal to know Him and His power? Get into what the Bible has to say about Jesus. Primarily, get to know what happened to Jesus and what that sacrifice has done for us. As you do, you’ll begin to know Him more and the power of His resurrection.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29

Do you struggle with speaking life-giving words? Do you find yourself always speaking poorly of yourself? Maybe you feel like you’ll never understand algebra and so you say, I’m never going to get this…I’m so dumb.

It’s so easy to fall into negative speech patterns. We let words fly out of our mouths without giving them any attention. However, when we do that, it can bring some negative effects.

Instead, we should be speaking life-giving words over ourselves and others. When we speak words of encouragement and life it’s when we really see good things happen. Decide today to put a priority on speaking words that build yourself and others up. You’ll be encouraged at the good things that follow.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. – Romans 8:26 (NLT)

Let’s talk about anger. Have you noticed how it can often feel overwhelming when you think about trying to defeat anger in your life? It’s especially true when you have lots of good reasons to be angry.

Regardless of what’s been done to you or how you’ve been treated, Jesus wants you to live a life of freedom and hope. When anger is left to rule in your life, it controls you. It traps you and it leaves you without freedom.

That’s why the Bible talks a lot about anger. Because God wants the best for you and His best is freedom from the trap of anger.

If you’ve struggled with anger, there is hope in Jesus. The Holy Spirit is there to help you. He wants to guide you and help you walk in freedom from anger.

So go to Him. Pray, ask for help defeating anger in your life. Jesus wants you walking in freedom from anger.

The last part of today’s verse says, “you are mine”. Aren’t those words encouraging? To know that you’re God’s? You’re not an accident, regardless of what others say. You are God’s. That gives you dignity.

So no matter what people have said about you, you can hold your head high. You know that God loves you and calls you His. He will be with you and help you in every trouble that you face. He’s there to comfort you, protect you, provide for you, and meet any physical or emotional need you have.

But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. – Isaiah 43:1

So go out today to your world on purpose. Know that you’ve been created for this time and on purpose. Let the world see how good God is through you. God wants to do big things through you!

Today’s Truth: I am God’s.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13

Have you ever thought about God being your source of hope and joy? Many times it’s easy to look to other people and think they will bring us fulfillment. We can think that if we were dating the right person we’d be happy. We can think that if we had more friends or if we were more popular then we’d be happy.

However, none of those things will truly fill us. We need the joy and the peace that God gives us when we put our trust in Him. The reason that God can be our source of hope is that He’s the only person that won’t let us down. He won’t leave us, He can’t lie. God is constant and always good. He’s looking out for your best interests at all times.

Today’s Truth: Let God be your source of peace and joy!

It’s up to us to choose to put our trust in Him. We have to decide to let Him be where we find joy. We have to choose to let Him be where we find peace. When we do that, we find that we have true peace and joy!

And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. – Luke 12:7

Have you ever felt like no one gets you? Maybe you feel like your parents or friends just don’t seem to understand what you’re going through. It can be really difficult in those times to know you should turn to for help.

Today’s Bible verse helps us know where to turn to in difficult times. This verse shows us that God really gets you more than anyone else. He gets you because He created you. That means He knows all about you, and knows the number of hairs on your head. God loves you in a deeper way than anyone else can, because  He made you who you are. Because He knows you so well and understands you, you can turn to Him when things get tough.

Today’s Truth: Your Value Comes From God

So on days when you feel like no one gets you or you feel like you’re not worth much, remember today’s verse. You can take comfort knowing that God loves you so much!