Latest Thoughts of the Day

James 5:11

1/13/2025

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

James is challenging us all to keep on trusting God and to keep on looking to Him to accomplish His purpose in our lives. God is working all around us to judge sin, to address injustice, to work in the lives of each human being. We are caught up in the vortex of His activity among us, and the response we need to have is perseverance. Hold on while everything is swirling around us. Trust Him, whether conditions are pleasant for us right now, or not. We all remember and appreciate Job’s response to the terrible trials God allowed in his life. Out of suffering, blessing. Even as in the life of our Lord Jesus.

Hebrews 13:13

1/12/2025

Let us, then, go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.

The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolishness to him. Jesus was despised and rejected by men, counted of no worth and given a place of disgrace, definitely outside the boundaries of decency and fashion. And it is our joy to accept that place and let the world reject us, that we may be identified with Jesus. He has said to us, “Blessed are you when men reject you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake.” “Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.” We stand with Him, and in Him we overcome the world. We willingly identify with the One who was despised. We embrace Your reproach and are willing to share it, Lord Jesus.

Philemon 13

1/11/2025

I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.

How Philemon dealt with a runaway slave who subsequently came to Christ had implications for all the centuries that would follow. Paul is not content simply to tell Philemon what to do. Implications must be thought through and decisions must be made in light of the Gospel. The decision had an impact on the attitude toward slavery of all succeeding generations, and we are still thinking about the issues. Paul makes it clear that he could just order Philemon to make the right decision concerning how he would deal with the slave, but Paul refuses to make the decision. Philemon needs to see the importance and act because he is convinced. Help us, Lord, to make the right decisions for Jesus.

Titus 3:8

1/10/2025

This is a trustworth saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Paul has pulled together in a remarkable way the whole message of the Gospel. We were terrible, but God had mercy and rescued us, transformed us, restored and empowered us, with the ultimate view of taking us to heaven for all eternity. If we meditate on these truths we will be inwardly motivated to live a life well-pleasing to God and to do a lot of good to our fellow man. Our salvation in Christ, applied by the Holy Spirit, will work in us a life that is well-pleasing to God. We will live for God’s glory because we feel within a desire to please our Lord Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:12

1/9/2025

I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

The Apostle Paul knows that his time is short, but he is not worrying about himself at all. To the end his concern is for believers he will leave behind, and the church in Ephesus cannot but be much on his heart. He ministered there for years. Tychicus has shown himself a faithful and loyal servant of the Lord and of Paul in his need, and Paul decides to send him to Ephesus at this particular time. God’s concern for His church is such as He will not leave us without care and support. If He takes to Himself a beloved teacher, He continues to meet our need with another. We need to provide as best we can for those we leave behind, and leave them in the hands of the Lord. Thank you for Your helpers in our lives, Lord Jesus.

1 Timothy 6:11

1/8/2025

But you, man of God, flee from all this and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

There will always be people who want to wrangle about points of doctrine or invent concepts that strike people as new. There will always be those whose heart is really on the things of this world, and who end up pursuing worldly fame and fortune. “But not you”, says Paul. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control are the fruit of the Spirit. This life-pattern is what Paul puts before us here. We need to be filled with the Spirit, to keep in step with the Spirit, to be encouraged by the Spirit as we pursue the life God has given to us. Paul will go on to call this, “taking hold of eternal life”. Don’t copy the world. Let us determine to live our life for Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 3:10

1/7/2025

For even when we were with you we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work he shall not eat."

Generosity, kindness, compassion may move us to feed every hungry person, no matter what. Certainly this is the place to start in our dealings with other people, especially if they are Christians. But if the pattern of our provision reveals that particular people are using our generosity as a way of avoiding their responsibility, Paul tells us to be on our guard. It is not good for a Christian to be selfish and lazy. It is not fair to take advantage of another Christian’s generosity. We do not want to care for the body at the expense of the soul. We need Your wisdom, Lord. We want truly to do good. Thank You for Your principles. Help us follow them to the glory of Jesus.

I Thessalonians 5:13

1/6/2025

Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

Members of a church should highly respect the elders of the church, should appreciated the ministry they pursue and should be committed to live in peace with all members of the church. Elders should strive to be worthy of the member’s respect, should labor diligently in the Word of God and should seek to maintain peace and appreciation among members. This is a context in which true love of the brethren may flourish. True love of the brethren is something God plants in the hearts of members of a congregation and should be sought earnestly in prayer and should be pursued according to the Scriptures. The dynamic of a God-honoring church is dependent upon the contribution of each member. Lord, help us respect and love one another in Jesus.