Jul 06 2025

Today's Bible Verse

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Today's Bible study

David (the future king) wrote Psalm 59 after King Saul sent men to his home to spy on him and plot his murder. In the psalm David asks the Lord for deliverance, pouring his heart out before Him, and then makes up his mind to praise the Lord, even in the midst of what seemed like David's imminent demise. Today, we will talk about how the Lord gives us strength to praise Him even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Why is it so important to praise the Lord? The answer to this question begins with understanding what praise means: to glorify the Lord, honoring Him for His goodness and faithfulness. David knew the character of God and that the Lord loved him. In his time of struggle, he chose to set his heart on what he knew to be true about God: He knew that the Lord had power, was merciful, had long defended him, and was a refuge. Truths about God gave David strength to praise Him in the direst of circumstances.

Putting on the strength of the Lord can be very difficult, but when we focus on what is true, we will be able to lean into His strength. David knew his tough circumstances did not indicate that the Lord was unfaithful; they were not evidence against the Lord's character. David continued to believe that the Lord was trustworthy. Even when Saul's troops stood outside his door, he remained firm in his confidence in the Lord.

We can put on the strength of the Lord in the same way that David did: recalling specific truths about God that expose lies we have believed. The word of God is like a weapon—the "sword of the spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17) and we can use it to demolish false beliefs about the Lord and instead build an armor of truth around our hearts, just as David does in the psalm.

Today, if you are struggling to keep going or to have faith, remember that the Lord is our everlasting source of strength. Meditate on His goodness and kindness to us, just as David did, and ask Him to give you strength to respond to your circumstances in a way that honors Him.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, I want to praise you in every circumstance and through every trial. I will need your strength to be able to do that. Help me to ground myself in everlasting truths about your goodness and love. Please give me strength in your name so that I can become more like you. In Jesus' name, amen.

Jul 05 2025

Yesterday's Bible Verse

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. :

Yesterday'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.

Yesterday'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' name, amen.

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