Today's Verse: Matthew 13:22

Friday, September 22, 2023

Our Donation Drive Ends Tomorrow...

There is still time to donate — we appreciate those of you who have already contributed!

Donate Now
[Jesus continued explaining his parable of the soils, saying,] "The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful."
— Matthew 13:22
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

All sorts of things can distract us from Kingdom matters. The wear and tear of everyday life can make it hard to keep our spiritual focus. In an affluence-driven society, our desire for riches, our pursuit of material things, and our selfishness with wealth can entangle us. The worries of this life can stifle our faith. Eventually, the fruitfulness of the Gospel is choked out, and we lose our spiritual vitality. Our most valuable riches are found in Jesus, not in stuff that decays or can be stolen from us. If he is our priceless treasure, so his Kingdom must be our highest priority, then we can handle the other things that come our way (Matthew 6:33).

My Prayer...

Gracious Father, please help me faithfully use the blessings you have lavishly poured upon me. Please, Holy Spirit, don't let me be deceived or owned by the things I possess, nor do I want to covet what I do not have. Give me an undivided heart, Lord Jesus, about the matters of your Kingdom. Please bring to life the fruitfulness of a heart full of your grace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Friday, September 22, 2023

A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
"There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. ...."
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
"When the uproar [in Ephesus] was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. While there, he..."
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
"Dear Beloved, You are reading from a letter the apostle Paul wrote to believers in Rome. They lived in the seat of the Roman Empire's government and...."
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
"The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the...."

Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 13:22 — [Jesus continued explaining his parable of the soils, saying,] "The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.