July 19, 2020


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Today's Bible Verse
"And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on."
Luke 12:22 (KJV)



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Today's Bible Study
In this verse from Luke, Jesus tells his disciples that they have no reasons to worry about anything. The Lord has already provided their lives, food, and clothing; He will take care of them. Instead of worrying, they should focus on serving the Lord and doing the work that He has called them to do.

Have you ever spent a lot of time worrying about something that never happened? Or, if what you worried about came true, was it as bad as you feared? Worry is a massive energy zapper, stealing away precious time and effort that could be spent profitably elsewhere. It can exhaust you physically and emotionally, leaving you discouraged and frustrated. Most significantly, worry is a wedge between us and the Lord.

How does worry separate us from the Lord? For one, it turns our thoughts away from Him. It makes us spend time thinking about things that we cannot control, dwelling on uncertainties that make us nervous instead of proven truths that remind us of the Lord's faithfulness. Worry is an active rejection of the truth that the Lord will provide for us--even if the worst happens. While worry says that we might go through pain, lose our house, or even die, the Lord says that He is with us always and is working for our good.


The Lord recognizes our propensity to worry. The disciples must have struggled somewhat with worry; otherwise, why would Jesus have said this to the disciples? I am grateful that the Lord does not simply recognize a struggle and leave us to find our own way out of it. He Himself is the way out--and He offers us freedom from worry, even this very minute.

Freedom from worry happens when we begin to replace anxious thoughts with truths about the Lord. If the disciples were afraid of going hungry, they could remember His words that they would have food. If we are afraid about going through pain or suffering, we can remember that He will be right there with us. He will sustain us through everything, guiding us in His righteousness. He is the answer and the eliminator to all of our worries; we need only to call out to Him to set us free.
Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for seeing to all of my needs. I have nothing to worry about because you care for me. Help me to remember that you are not far away or distant; you are exactly where I need you--near to me always. Thank you for your great love for me. In Jesus's name, amen.
Yesterday's Devotional
July 18, 2020
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Yesterday's Bible Verse
"So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off."
Proverbs 24:14 (KJV)



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Yesterday's Bible Study
In this verse from Proverbs, we have a sweet reminder that our hope in the Lord is secure when it is based on wisdom. When we seek to know the Lord, we will grow in wisdom and be able to have right expectations. In this way, our hopes align with the Lord's will.

An earlier verse in Proverbs (9:10) tells us that wisdom begins with fearing the Lord. In other words, when we realize how powerful, perfect, and good the Lord is, we are on the path to walking in wisdom. We do not have to be afraid or worry about ourselves; we can trust that He is faithful and will help us. We can also trust that He is working everything together for the good.

This wisdom helps us align our hopes with the Lord's will. The more we know Him, the more we understand His will. For example, we know that reconciliation is God's will; He does not want us to be separated from His love. Instead, He wants us to enjoy sweet communion with Him and know Him more and more each day. Knowing these truths helps us fix our hopes on the Lord's promises.


What are the right hopes of a faithful Christian? We can hope for things like a sinless life, peace, and eternity with the Lord. We can rest during times of struggle that the Lord will bring good out of them. We can stay firm in our faith that the Lord sees us even in our worst moments and loves us anyway. We can hope to be reunited with loved ones who have passed on and now live in Heaven.

Perhaps most importantly, we can all hope for a life filled with intimacy with the Lord. Our expectation that the Lord will go before us and be with us through everything will never go unfulfilled. The best thing that has ever happened to us--reconciliation with the Lord--will never be taken from us. We can dwell in its benefits today and will do so for the rest of eternity. This is the foundation of our hope.
Yesterday's Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for being my source of hope in all seasons. Thank you for loving me more than I could ever deserve to be loved. Help me to have wisdom so that my hopes align with your will. In Jesus's name, amen.
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