Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Father, please help me trust that you have great plans for me. Please help me catch a glimpse of what you can do with me and through me to bring you glory and bless those I love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

The next day John was there again. John had two of his followers with him. John saw Jesus walking by. John said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" The two followers heard John say this, so they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw the two men following him. Jesus asked, "What do you want?" The two men said, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" ("Rabbi" means "Teacher.") Jesus answered, "Come with me and you will see." So the two men went with Jesus. They saw the place where Jesus stayed. They stayed there with Jesus that day. It was about four o'clock. These two men followed Jesus after they heard about Jesus from John. One of these two men was named Andrew. Andrew was Simon Peter's brother. The first thing Andrew did was to go find his brother, Simon. Andrew said to Simon, "We have found the Messiah." ("Messiah" means "Christ.") Then Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at Simon and said, "You are Simon, the son of John. You will be called Cephas." ("Cephas" means "Peter.") The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Jesus found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Philip was from the town of Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "Remember what Moses wrote in the law. Moses wrote about a man that was coming. The prophets wrote about him too. We have found him. His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph. He is from Nazareth." But Nathanael said to Philip, "Nazareth! Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip answered, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him. Jesus said, "This man coming is truly one of God's people. There is nothing false in him." Nathanael asked, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you when you were under the fig tree. That was before Philip told you about me." Then Nathanael said to Jesus, "Teacher, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel (God's people)." Jesus said to Nathanael, "I told you that I saw you under the fig tree. That is why you believe in me. But you will see much greater things than that!" Jesus also said, "I tell you the truth. You will all see heaven open. You will see 'angels of God going up and coming down' on the Son of Man."

Related Scripture Readings

From this time on we don't think of any person like the world thinks of people. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ like the world thinks. But we don't think that way now. If any person is in Christ, then that person is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new!

Lord, you made my whole body. You knew all about me while I was still in my mother's body. Lord, I praise you! You made me in an amazing and wonderful way. I know very well that what you did is wonderful! You know all about me. You watched my bones grow while my body took shape, hidden in my mother's body. You watched my body parts grow. You listed them all in your book. You watched me every day. Not one of them {is missing}.

The fishermen were all amazed at the many fish they caught. When Simon Peter saw this, he bowed down before Jesus and said, "Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!" James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were amazed too. (James and John worked together with Simon.) Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid. From now on you will work to gather people, {not fish}!" The men brought their boats to the shore. They left everything and followed Jesus.