Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Luke 6:31

 Do to others as you would have them do to you. – Luke 6:31 (NIV)

Today’s Bible verse is one that is pretty hard for me to do. My natural reaction when someone wrongs me is to respond in anger. I want to defend myself, get even or just make things right. However, in today’s verse we see that we are supposed to do to others as you would have them do to you.

That means that instead of taking the best food, we should consider others and let them have a good piece too. Or if we’re going through a door, consider letting the person near you go first. Things like that aren’t easy to do, but they do go a long way toward what Jesus was talking about in Luke 6:31.

Even when it seems like loving someone when they haven’t been nice to you is impossible, it’s not as difficult when we realize that this is the way God loves us. We deserved hell, but we got grace. We do all kinds of things that are sinful all the time. And God is full of mercy toward us. When we really begin to focus on God’s goodness and His mercy toward us, it makes our response to others easier.

If we really begin to understand how much God loves us, then it makes loving others easy. We realize that we can love others because we’ve been given so much from God.

So today, take some time to really think about what this verse means. How it helps us to walk in love toward others when we focus first on God’s love to us.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Ephesians 2:10

It’s true, you’ve probably got your share of issues. Maybe you dunk your cookies in milk (totally gross by the way). Maybe you have a deeper issue, like a lack of trust. Or perhaps you have a bad habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

Ugh, we all have those days when we wish we could change everything about ourselves. Yes, literally everything.

We wish we looked different. We wish our personality was different.

All that wishing for change can often end up leaving us feeling disappointed in who we are and who we’re becoming. It can be easy to begin to dislike yourself and that can lead you down a bad path toward self-hate and self-harm.

Learning to like yourself can be hard. It’s a process and it’s not going to happen in just one day. However, don’t lose hope. You can begin to like yourself, even in the middle of all your issues.

One of the best ways to start liking yourself is to see yourself as God sees you. When He looks at you, He doesn’t focus on all your problems, rather, He sees you with eyes of love. He loves you and is proud that you’re His child.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Here is a list of Bible verses to help you get started seeing yourself as God sees you.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 10:11

Do you feel alone sometimes? Like you’re overwhelmed by all the pressure around you and that no one really gets you?

Maybe you’ve just gone through something really difficult, and it’s hard to even have hope that things will get better.

In those times when you’ve given up on hope, take courage. Jesus is the good shepherd.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. – John 10:11 (NIV)

That doesn’t mean that your life will be perfect. It doesn’t even mean that bad things won’t happen. What it does mean is that in the middle of them Jesus is good. Jesus’ heart for you is good.

Jesus is there like a good shepherd, leading you. Guiding you. Helping you.

Today’s Challenge: When it seems impossible, believe in the goodness of Jesus.

In those moments when it seems impossible. When it feels like there is no hope. Jesus is there. He’s there to be your encouragement. Jesus is good and He’s there to walk life with you. So choose to believe it. Choose to believe that Jesus is good and that things will turn around in your life. As you do, you’ll experience the goodness of God.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 10:27

Icon for Listen to God's Voice

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:27 (NLT)

Right now, we are living in a time when there are so many voices. From social media accounts to our leaders, everyone is talking, talking, talking. All those voices sometimes can make your heart feel anxious.

When the news, social media, and other sources cause us confusion, we should choose to listen to God’s voice.

Today’s Truth: Listen to God’s Voice

As we listen to God’s voice by reading our Bible and spending time praying, it often brings us the peace we need and long for. It’s good to listen to God’s voice because it will set your heart at peace even if it seems like the world is far from peaceful.

God’s voice tells you that you’re loved. He tells you that you have a purpose. As you listen to His voice, it helps bring your heart to a place of peace and rest.

Today, if you’ve been guilty of listening to all the voices out there on the news and social media, choose to make some adjustments. Take some time away from those voices and focus on the voice of truth: God’s Word. Hear what God has to say about your situation and your circumstances. Learn to rest in His peace and presence.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – James 1:9

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, – James 1:19 (NIV)

Have you ever been in class and your teacher said, “Pay attention to this, it’s going to be on the test”? I feel like that’s the tone James was trying to set in today’s verse. He’s saying, “pay attention guys, this stuff is important”.

So what is so important about this verse that James was trying to get our attention? I think that James was trying to set us up for success in life. James knew that becoming wise really starts with listening. If you listen to others, you can learn a lot and get good advice.

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt – Mark Twain

He also talks about being slow to speak and being slow to get angry. As Christians, we are to be light to those around us. We should be doing things that make others want to know Christ more. A great way to do that is to be slow to speak, and be slow to anger. Instead of getting mad at someone because of what they believe or do, choose to be slow to anger. Look for opportunities to share God’s love with others.

If you choose to develop these areas in your life, you’ll be setting yourself up for success in the long run. Choose to do what James suggests in this verse, be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry!

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Philippians 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. – Phil 4:19 (NIV)

How often do you spend looking at all your needs? Do you see the lack of money, the lack of time, the lack of courage, or any other lack in your life and let it get you discouraged?

If so, don’t be discouraged. Today’s Bible verse is telling you to be encouraged. Whatever need you have, God says He will meet it. Sometimes that can be hard to believer, however. But the truth is, we don’t have to be concerned about the things you lack. Instead, you can look unto Jesus, who meets our needs.

The other good thing is that Jesus doesn’t just have enough to meet your need, but he has an abundant supply. He’s got more than enough for every need you face. Just decide to put your trust in Him and let Him be the supply for your every need!

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Proverbs 14:14

The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs. – Proverbs 14:14

If you want to be a person full of godly character, you’ve got to pay attention to your habits. The little things you say and do each day make a huge impact on how far you get in life. For example, if you’re out for basketball, but you don’t do any extra running or put in any extra effort at practice, you might squeak by for a while. However, a time will come during a game when you won’t have the energy and endurance like those who put in the work at practice.

Today’s Truth: The effort you put into something determines your reward.

It’s the little things that you choose to do and the little habits you allow to develop in your life that make a big difference. If you want to achieve great things in life, you’ve got to begin now by putting those good habits into place.

“The law of harvest is to reap more than you sow. Sow an act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny. ”
― James Allen

So today, choose to put aside habits that are ungodly. Choose to put in the extra effort in the things that you do. As you do a little bit extra every day, you’ll find that you’re able to accomplish great things.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 15:11

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. – John 15:11 (NIV)

Jesus doesn’t want you to go through life without joy. He feels this way so much that He promises to put his joy in us. As He does that our joy is complete.

So instead of going through life trying to find things that bring us joy, we can look to Jesus, who is the true source of joy. Joy found in Jesus is complete and fulfilling. When we look toward other things instead of Jesus to be our joy, we will always come up short.

So today, spend some time to look toward Jesus. Look to Him to be the source of your joy. Don’t let circumstances, feelings, or worldly success be where your joy comes from. Those things will lose their joy and fade. Instead, let Jesus be the source of your joy today.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 15:9

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. – John 15:9 (NIV)

I don’t know if you’re anything like me, but I have days where I really struggle with my emotions. Sometimes I feel really good about myself. But, most of the time, I see my flaws, the areas where I struggle, and often get down on myself.

That’s where today’s verse comes in. It talks about remaining in Jesus’ love. When I think about remaining, to me it means to stay, don’t move, just be there. Have you ever taken some time to think about just staying in the love of Jesus? Just focusing your attention on His love toward you?

How would our view of our shortcomings change, if we became really focused on His love toward us? If we got serious about remaining in that love? Would we be more aware of Him and less aware of ourselves?

Today, if you’ve struggled in this area, take some time to really think about what it means to remain in His love, and then do it. Every time a thought comes that says you’re a failure, or that you don’t measure up, replace that thought with the truth from God’s word. Realize that what matters is what He says about you, not how you feel.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 15:8

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. – John 15:8 (NIV)

There’s a really pretty garden about 20 minutes from my house. It’s available to tour, and you can walk through it and enjoy all the sculpted plants, flowers, and lots of other beautiful things. When you go to the garden, however, you don’t ever think that those beautiful sculpted plants just grew that way. Rather, you see the sculpted bush that looks like a frog, and you think, what an amazing gardener.

That’s a little like what today’s verse is talking about. When our lives are fruitful, it brings the glory to God. Rather than us getting praise because we made good grades this semester, or because we’re really good at public speaking, if we succeed and are fruitful, it should point back to God.

Everything we do, should be done for the glory of God. Why? Because we were created to bring God glory. When we bring glory to ourselves and don’t give God credit for our success and fruitfulness, it brings a joy to our lives that isn’t lasting.

In everything we do, we should do it for God’s glory. Whether we’re doing a chore we don’t really like, or loving a person that is unlovable, all should be done for the glory of God. And when we do it for Him, it shows our maturity as disciples.

So today, take some time to examine your heart. Are you living your life in such a way that you are conscious of bringing God glory through everything you do? Do you do schoolwork for the glory of God? How about your chores? Are they done for God’s glory? In everything, be aware that you are bringing Him glory. Grow into maturity by giving Him glory in everything you do.