July 5, 2020


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Today's Bible Verse
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
3 John 1:2 (KJV)



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Today's Bible Study
In today's verse, John opens a very short letter to his dear friend Gaius by expressing hope that he is in good health, and prospering physically just as he does spiritually. This is an encouragement to us, showing that the Lord cares about all aspects of our lives, both the body and the soul. Today, we will think about what it means for the Lord to care about all of ourselves, inside and out.

Sometimes, especially in times of pain, the Lord seems far away. When this hits while we're trying to seek Him and grow spiritually, it may feel like He's trying to test us. However, we see from today's verse that it is the Lord's desire that we prosper--spiritually and physically. This does not change in times of suffering … the Lord is the same.


What does spiritual and physical prosperity look like? It means having confidence that the Lord is with us and cares about us--spiritually and physically. He wants us to be able to be strong in Him and have good health. In fact, because of Jesus, we have a guarantee of total healing. We know that one day, we will be with Him forever, and there will be no sin or brokenness affecting our lives. We will be free from these afflictions, once and for all. We will have new, strong bodies and enjoy communion with the Lord forever.

Because of this, we can pray with confidence for healing, physical and spiritual, right where we are. At the same time, we must also recognize that this promised healing might not come on this side of life; it might be answered when we join the Lord in Heaven. Regardless of how the healing comes, we know that someday we will all be healed and made whole. Today, we can trust in Him, praying with confidence for the healing that will inevitably come.
Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for caring about my health. Please do help me to prosper and be in good health according to your will. Thank you for caring about not only my soul, but also my body. I trust you with both of them, knowing that you are faithful and love me so much. In Jesus's name, amen.
Yesterday's Devotional
July 4, 2020
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Yesterday's Bible Verse
"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."
1 Corinthians 1:10 (KJV)



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Yesterday's Bible Study
In this verse from 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses the issue of division among members of the church in Corinth. He knows that such division will prevent the church from being able to grow and accomplish the work of the Lord. Today, we should also work toward unity in our Christian relationships and our local church so that we can be as effective at sharing the Gospel as possible.

Paul was concerned about unity because when a church is unified, its members are able to make concentrated efforts toward specific goals. It is very difficult to change a community if only a few people are involved; but if many people get on board with that mission, they can have a huge impact. In addition, churches and Christian relationships are supposed to reflect the love of God. If they struggle to show the love of the Lord to their own members who also know the Lord, how much harder would it be for them to show love to outsiders and those who are not yet Christians?

Unity can be difficult to achieve because differences in opinions and personalities are inevitable. In addition, we live in a fallen world. Even Christians who are mature in their faith can occasionally get caught up in pride and their own interests, which ultimately leads to division. The enemy does not want the church to be unified and will seize upon the opportunity to capitalize on these weaknesses.


However, we can trust that the Lord will help us achieve unity. This begins in our own lives, looking for relationships that are broken and in need of repair. We should ask the Lord to show us how we can achieve unity in those. In church, we should do the same. When we put on the mind of Christ and strive for unity, the Lord will help us see the proper next steps.

Today, think about how you might be an instrument of unity. In a world that seems increasingly divided and opinionated, Christians can stand out with our humility and submission to the Lord in all things, and become a unified force that works to spread the love of the Lord throughout the nations.
Yesterday's Prayer
Dear Lord, help me to bring a spirit of unity wherever I go. I do not want to cause division or confuse other Christians; I want to be an instrument of reconciliation and love in all times. Help me to join together, loving and honoring people in my church and my life just as Jesus would love them. In Jesus's name, amen.
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