Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Abba Father, thank you for being so close to me and concerned for me. Thank you for finding great delight in being gracious to me. Thank you for being patient with me. Please forgive me for the times I've disappointed you or rebelled against your will. I love you Father. Please have your will triumph in my life. In the name of Jesus, my older brother, I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

"Don't judge other people, and God will not judge you. If you judge other people, you will be judged in the same way you judge them. And the way you give to other people will be the way God gives to you. "Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your brother's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood that is in your own eye? Why do you say to your brother, 'Let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye'? Look at yourself first! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. You are a hypocrite. First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your brother's eye. "Don't give holy things to dogs. They will only turn and hurt you. And don't throw your pearls to pigs. They will only step on them. "Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, if a person continues asking, that person will receive. If a person continues looking, that person will find. And if a person continues knocking, the door will open for that person. "Do any of you have a son? If your son asked for bread, would you give him a rock? No! Or if your son asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? No! {You are not like God}—you are evil. But you know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those people that ask him. "Do to other people the same things you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law {of Moses} and the {teaching of the} prophets.

Related Scripture Readings

The true children of God are those people that let God's Spirit lead them. The Spirit that we received is not a spirit that makes us slaves again and causes us to fear. The Spirit that we have makes us God's chosen children. And with that Spirit we say, "Abba, Father." And the Spirit himself joins with our spirits to say we are God's children. Also, the Spirit helps us. We are very weak, but the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We don't know how to pray like we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us. The Spirit begs God for us. The Spirit speaks to God with deep feelings that words cannot explain.

Everything good comes from God. And every perfect gift is from God. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky (sun, moon, stars). But God never changes {like those lights}. He is always the same.

Always be happy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be happy. Let all people see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks. And God's peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. That peace which God gives is so great that we cannot understand it.