United by the Cross

Matthew 10:20 BSB

Today's verse of the day is: For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Matthew 10:20 BSB https://bible.com/bible/3034/mat.10.20.BSB [https://bible.com/bible/3034/mat.10.20.BSB] Today's verse in context:  And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts. Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on. As you enter the home, greet its occupants. If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it, but if it is not, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his...

Verse of the Day 05-02-26

Today's Verse of the Day from You Version Bible App: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 BSB Today's Verse in Context: Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, when the people of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds. Their behavior before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman’s impurity. So I poured out My wrath upon them because of the blood they had shed on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols. I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered throughout the lands. I judged them according to their ways and deeds. And wherever they went among the nations, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they had to leave His land.’ But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they had gone. Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: It is not for your sake that I will act, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profaned among the nations to which you went. I will show the holiness of My great name, which has been profaned among the nations— the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord GOD, when I show My holiness in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you back into your own land. I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances. Then you will live in the land that I gave your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine upon you. I will also make the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field plentiful, so that you will no longer bear reproach among the nations on account of famine. Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and abominations. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD — let it be known to you. Be ashamed and disgraced for your ways, O house of Israel! This is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be resettled and the ruins to be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through. Then they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and destroyed are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations around you that remain will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt what was destroyed, and I have replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it. This is what the Lord GOD says: Once again I will hear the plea of the house of Israel and do for them this: I will multiply their people like a flock. Like the numerous flocks for sacrifices at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 36:16‭-‬38 BSB https://bible.com/bible/3034/ezk.36.16-38.BSB Today's Devotional: DAY 3: A new heart One of the ways God transforms us is through a renewing of the mind – a gradual shifting of our worldly perspectives – but we are also told in the Bible that, as part of this transformation, God will also plant within us a ‘a new heart’ (Ezek. 36:26), that he will transform that inner part of ourselves that control

Verse of the day April 30 2026

Today’s verse of the day from You Version Bible App All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” Acts 10:43 BSB Today’s verse in context Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right. He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen — not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” Acts 10:34‭-‬43 BSB Today’s Devotional Fully Forgiven Imagine a grand choir echoing a single anthem. Each distinct voice adds to the chorus, creating a symphony filled with anticipation. Their melody spans generations; they sing of a Savior whose name brings forgiveness and hope! This song of eternity is described by Peter: “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43 NIV). The prophets, whose ancient voices echoed God’s plans and purposes, stood as witnesses to this ultimate promise: Christ’s forgiveness isn’t just a possibility—it’s a reality for all who believe. As believers in Jesus Christ, we can find encouragement standing on the foundation laid by these prophetic voices. We stand assured that through the name of Jesus, forgiveness is granted, and reconciliation is made possible with God and others. But we’re not onlookers! We are active participants in this grand choir, singing with hearts full of gratitude, hope, and confidence in the unifying power of Christ’s forgiveness. Jesus paid the price for your past, present, and future. What would it look like for you to fully embrace this forgiveness for your sins? Today’s Prayer God, thank You for forgiving all of my mistakes, both past and future. I realize there is freedom and power in the act of forgiveness. Teach me how to forgive others like You have forgiven me. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Note: This content is provided by the You Version Bible App. I simply combined it, added context to the verse of the day, and put it through text to speech. So if you find value in it, please check out the You Version Bible App where you can find this and much more. I make no money for sharing this. I only want to help people know Jesus Christ. Have a blessed day.

The Accusing Spirit - greatbiblestudy.com

As usual, I'm not affiliated with the writer(s) and I don't vouch for anything else on their site. I haven't read other articles. I don't use ads and I make nothing from sharing this, nor do I desire to, but only hope it blesses you like it did me. If you created the article and wante me to remove it, let me know. The following message is from https://www.greatbiblestudy.com/spiritual-warfare/the-accusing-spirit/ [https://www.greatbiblestudy.com/spiritual-warfare/the-accusing-spirit/] The Accusing Spirit - How it works and what it looks like The voice of condemnation And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:10 This is another one of those common tactics of the enemy that we see literally all the time in the ministry of deliverance. The accusing spirit is an anti-Christ spirit, because it approaches people with no love, but a tone of condemnation. It works through a voice; the voice of condemnation. It constantly tells you how much of a failure you are. It tells you how your heart is not right with God. It tells you that if you don’t read your Bible every day, that you aren’t serious about your relationship with God. It basically tells you that you’re never good enough. This is the exact opposite nature of God. It tears down rather than builds up. The accusing spirit uses the letter of the law to lay heavy burdens and crush it’s victims, just as the Pharisees would do: For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. Matthew 23:4 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 2 Corinthians 3:6 The accusing spirit works hand in hand with the family of religious spirits and strongholds, including legalism. The accusing spirit will manifest in a variety of ways. It can cause accuse a person directly, it can cause them to accuse others around them, or it can accuse God in a person’s mind. Anytime the enemy brings up your past failures, that is the work of the accusing spirit. This spirit feeds on past mistakes, in order to justify how that person is supposedly a failure, even though the Blood of Christ has washed away those failures and cast them into the depths of the sea! In this way, the accusing spirit is an anti-Christ spirit, because it deliberately writes off the work of Christ and the shed blood of Jesus. A while back, I wrote a teaching which I highly recommend reading, it’s on how to discern Condemnation versus Conviction. Who speaks the voice of condemnation? The accusing spirit! Even when the accusing spirit seems to be pointing to the answer, the burden that it lays on the person is overwhelming or irrational. For example, it may tell a person that they must go back to everybody that they have ever wronged, and apologize… then they can be forgiven. That is not only unBiblical, that is salvation by works, and God’s Word tells us that if we try to be made right by works, then we have fallen from grace: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. Galatians 5:4 And getting us to fall from grace, that is, to stop trusting God’s mercy and grace for our salvation and justification, is exactly what the accusing spirit wants to do. As I said earlier, the accusing spirit is a voice. It speaks to us. It may even sound righteous, because it speaks of how failures are bad. It’s true that failures are bad, but what Christ has done for us the a remedy to our failures. What the accusing spirit wants us to do is overlook or even discredit God’s remedy for our failures! Sound like a Satanic mission? That’s right! This spirit has all the makings of being righteous, even a...

The Character of God in Ezekiel 18

Today's message is from the book of Ezekiel. The will of the Father is that all would repent and come back to Him. He is a just and merciful judge that extends you opportunity after opportunity to change. You broke God's law, Jesus paid your fines. You are a lawbreaker, but you don't have to pay the debt if you surrender it to Jesus. Turn from intentional sin and give Him the burden you carry. Jesus tells us to take up His yoke, His burden is light. That means it's not so heavy when you know the hard work is already done. You are free from sin, so give it to God and stop trying to get it back. Jesus loves you.