It’s possible to read the Bible and only look for interesting facts, helpful advice, or a verse that makes you feel better. And God does all of that! But what if the Bible is meant to do something more than just inform us? What if God wants to use His Word to form you?

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16.)

The Scriptures have the power to reshape your desires, decisions, character, and worship of God. So when you’re reading the words of the Bible, they’re not like ordinary words in any other book. You are positioning yourself to hear the voice of God. 

Here’s your one thought: God’s Word trains you for the life God wants for you. If you want to be shaped by Scripture today, pray with us through the prayer below.

You can be full and still unsatisfied. It’s that empty feeling after what you thought would fill you. The letdown after a big win. And so what do we do? We try to fill ourselves with something else? Full schedule. Full bank account. Full calendar. Full phone. But as you know, full does not always mean satisfied. 

It’s not a bad thing to be hungry, but maybe we’re hungry for the wrong things. Jesus says,
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6. 

It is possible to be hungry for holiness, what is right, and God’s way of life. The temptation is to hunger for success, comfort, attention, or control. But God blesses the hunger that leads you closer to Him.  

If your feeling restless, maybe the answer is not more __________. What is one thing that you can do today that brings you closer to God? Let’s ask Him to bless this hunger to be closer to Him.

Just because you can do anything doesn’t mean you should. Just because something is allowed doesn’t automatically make it helpful. Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 6:12: “I have the right to do anything, but I will not be mastered by anything.” 

What might your life be like if you thought of freedom like Paul? Because freedom is so much more than just doing whatever you want or not being controlled by lesser things. 

Freedom is allowing Jesus to be the master of your life so that He can lead you to life. Today’s One Thought is a question, and it’s worth asking honestly from time to time: What has more control over me than it should?

If you want to bring your habits honestly before God, pray with us through this prayer:

What’s the last good intention that you’ve had? Have you ever meant to check in on an old friend? Or maybe you’ve intended to only speak kindly to yourself and others. In big or small ways, we usually have good intentions to love. But love isn’t meant to just live in our intentions. 

1 John 3:18 says, “Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Words absolutely matter, but maybe they matter less to a watching world when our actions don’t match our words. Love becomes a little more visible when it moves.

A meal delivered. A text returned. A sacrifice made. An act of generosity given. A choice to serve when it would be easier not to. 

Let’s strive to be like Jesus who didn’t just say that He loves us; He showed us through His actions. Here’s your one thought: Love becomes real when it moves from words to actions.