One Verse Devotional

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith." -1 Thessalonians 3:7

"In essentials, unity; In nonessentials, liberty; In all things, love."

God's will is a mystery. The Bible makes that clear, but maybe it's not as mysterious as we make it. It is more like a great mystery novel. There are twists and turns, but in the end, all will be revealed. Everything is a mystery… until it isn't. And this is true of our faith. There is a difference between a mystery and a secret. God wants to reveal the mystery of His will to us. He isn't holding onto a secret.

Fill in the blank for yourself: "Some trust in _______ and some in________, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." -Psalm 20:7

"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." -Proverbs 2:6

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!

Our One Verse today comes from the book of Joshua. Joshua was the leader of Israel in the Old Testament after Moses. He took the Israelites into the Promised Land. At the end of his life, after years of service and leadership to his people. He made one of his final addresses. In a sense, he drew a line in the sand. You can serve whoever you want to serve, but me and my household will continue to serve the Lord. What an inspiring message! He could of pointed to himself, but this wise leader pointed everything to God. My prayer is this will be a phrase you live by in your own life. Will you serve the Lord?

The spiritual life is like a marathon. It takes time, energy, and discipline. Paul reminds us of this in 1 Corinthians 9. He encourages us to prepare ourselves for the race ahead and then to run in such a way as to gain the prize that will last forever. Where do you need discipline in your life?

God has invited you to participate in His grand story. We have been given a role to play, and He wants us to participate in what He is doing. Wow! The God of the universe has given each of us a personal invitation to play a role in His story. You matter to God, and He has given you a role to play.

Today is episode 800 of the One Verse Devotional. I want to say thank you for being a part of this journey, and I want to challenge you to love others.

Many of us feel pain and regret over past mistakes and sins. However, you will never fully realize the glorious future that God has for you until you let go of your past.