True Rest...

Commentary: Is your day focused on submitting to the will of the Lord? It is easy to remain focused on your own plans. In the end, your true rest and since of fulfillment will only come from the Lord.

Scripture: Psalms 127:1-2

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,

         They labor in vain who build it;

         Unless the LORD guards the city,

         The watchman stays awake in vain.

 2 It is vain for you to rise up early,

         To sit up late,

         To eat the bread of sorrows;

         For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Sing Praise...

Commentary: Do we really believe the Lord is great and mighty? Let's make the time to sing praises that recognize the tremendous depth of his understanding and love for us.

Scripture: Psalms 147, Joy and Praise

 ¹ Praise the LORD. ^[a]
       How good it is to sing praises to our God,
       how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
 ² The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
       he gathers the exiles of Israel.
 ³ He heals the brokenhearted
       and binds up their wounds.
 ⁴ He determines the number of the stars
       and calls them each by name.
 ⁵ Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
       his understanding has no limit.
 ⁶ The LORD sustains the humble
       but casts the wicked to the ground.
 ⁷ Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
       make music to our God on the harp.

Find Rest...

Commentary: When is the last time you placed all of your cares in the hands of the Lord? He bears all burdens and makes them light. He wants to teach us how to receive the benefits of his gentle and humble heart.


Scripture: Matthew 11, Rest for the Weary

²⁸"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Determining What's Best....

Commentary: Often we rely on the opinions of others, our priorities, or circumstances in trying to make the best decision. How often do we seek to develop greater love? Even in the midst of being imprisoned, the Apostle Paul constantly prayed for others, that their love might overflow and guide their decisions.


Scripture: Philippians 1, Love that Overflows

⁹And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

The Greatest of All Time...

Commentary: If we are able to humble ourselves as a little child, we have the potential to become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. As children of God, our significance is revealed in the celebration described in heaven for the saving of just one lost soul. God loves us so much that he is willing to risk the safety of us all in order to save just one. He seeks out and welcomes us home at all times. That's why...He is the greatest.


Scripture: Matthew 18, Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

 ²He called a little child and had him stand among them. ³And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 ⁵"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. ⁶But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

 ⁷"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! ⁸If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.⁹And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

 ¹⁰"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

 ¹²"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? ¹³And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.