12/1/22: I just found out that most of the commentaries on the Bible Study Tools website are no longer free. That's where most of the quotes that appear on the "Verse of the Day" and "Previous Verses" pages of my website are taken from, so from now on, many of the "Source:" links that I provide on those pages will not contain the quoted text.

I was disgusted to read about the organization's new "PLUS" membership, and the only thing I can say about it is that the Bible has this warning in 1 Timothy 6:10 for the owner of Bible Study Tools: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
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8/8/21: Something is wrong with my Christian forum. Everything seems to be working normally (i.e., the articles are there, and the links work), but for some reason, the forum's format has changed slightly, and I am currently unable to post anything new.

I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. Hopefully, the problem is only temporay and will be fixed soon.

OCTOBER 7
1 Samuel 2:7

A Story About Infertility, Answered Prayer, and Keeping Promises to God

In the Old Testament, a man named Elkanah had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children; Hannah did not. For a long time, Peninnah mocked (made fun of) Hannah because she was barren (unable to become pregnant). However, Hannah kept praying for a child, and when God finally answered her prayer and gave her a son (whom she named Samuel), she said this:

1 Samuel 2:7: "The LORD [God] maketh [makes] [some people] poor, and [he also] maketh [makes] [some people] rich: he bringeth low [brings down, or humbles] [those who are full of pride] [i.e., he allows them to be humiliated (feel ashamed or stupid)], and [he] lifteth [lifts] up [or gives grace and honor to] [people who are humble (meaning they are not arrogant, not conceited, and not full of pride)]."
For more detailed background information on the above verse, read the GotQuestions.org article entitled "What is the story of Hannah and Samuel?" Here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/Hannah-and-Samuel.html.
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Another article that relates to today's verse is entitled "What is the significance of Hannah's prayer?" To read it, click here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Hannahs-prayer.html

OCTOBER 5-6
Matthew 6:25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33

Try not to worry about things that you can't control. If you are truly born again, God will supply your basic needs.

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his disciples (and--via the Bible--all Christians):

Matthew 6:25: "Therefore I [Jesus] say unto you [disciples and Christians] [regarding anxiety], Take no thought for your life [or 'don't worry about how you'll obtain the necessities of life, including'], what ye [you] shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on [or 'wear']. Is not the life more [valuable] than meat [or 'food'], and [is not] the body [more valuable] than raiment [clothing]?"

Matthew 6:26: "Behold [look at, observe, consider] the fowls of the air [i.e., the birds]: for they sow not [which means they don't plant or scatter seeds], neither do they reap [harvest crops], nor [do they] gather [the crops] into barns; yet your heavenly Father [God] feedeth [feeds] them [or 'makes sure they are fed']. Are ye not much better [more important] than they [are]?"

Matthew 6:27: "Which of you by taking thought [or 'by worrying'] can add one cubit [the length of a forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, which is about 18 inches] unto his [or her] stature [height--see note below*]?"

Matthew 6:28-29: "And why take ye thought for [or 'why do you worry about'] raiment [clothing]? Consider the lilies of the field [i.e., the wildflowers], how they grow; they toil not [they don't work], neither do they spin [make yarn or thread by twisting fibers of wool, cotton, etc.]: And yet I [Jesus] say unto you [disciples and Christians], That even [King] Solomon in all his glory [splendor (i.e., while wearing his finest royal robes)] was not arrayed [clothed, dressed] like one of these [beautiful flowers]."

Matthew 6:30: "Wherefore, if God so clothe [or 'dress'] the grass of the field [i.e., cereal plants, like wheat], which to day is [alive and growing], and to morrow [(after the grain has been harvested)] is [dead and dry and] cast [thrown, placed, inserted] into the oven [and used as fuel for baking, as was done in Bible times], shall he [God] not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?"

Matthew 6:31-32: "Therefore take no thought [don't worry] [about the things that you need], saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal [with what] shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles [non-Jewish people] seek:) for your heavenly Father [God] knoweth [knows] that ye have need of all these things."

Matthew 6:33: "But seek ye first [or 'first seek'] the kingdom of God [heaven], and his [God's] righteousness [in other words, make sure that you are saved, or 'born again']; and all these things [i.e., your basic necessities, such as food and clothing] shall be added unto [or 'given to'] you."
This doesn't mean that we shouldn't work to buy the things that we need and to pay our bills. It simply means that we must not worry needlessly, because God promises to take care of us.

*According to some commentaries, stature can also mean age in the Bible, so if that definition applies to this verse (Matthew 6:27), it means there is nothing that a person can do to increase the length of his or her life.

Here are some GotQuestions.org articles that relate to today's verses:

-- "Why are we told, 'Do not worry about your life' in Matthew 6:25?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/do-not-worry-about-your-life.html)

-- "Why should we consider the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28)?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/consider-the-lillies.html)

-- "If Matthew 6:31 is true, why do millions of people have nothing to eat, drink, or wear?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/what-shall-we-eat-drink-wear.html)

-- "What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/seek-first-kingdom-God.html)

OCTOBER 4
Psalm 51:10

Seeking forgiveness from God after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and tried to cover up that sin by having her husband murdered in battle, King David prayed:

Psalm 51:10: "Create in me a clean heart [which meant 'make my heart clean again; forgive my sins'], O God; and renew [restore, bring back] a right spirit [i.e., an obedient attitude] within me."
Sin always breaks our fellowship with God, so whenever we sin, we should seek God's forgiveness, like David did in the above verse, and try to do better.

You can read about David and Bathsheba in your Bible (2 Samuel, Chapters 11 and 12) or online (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2011:1-12:24;&version=kjv).
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This story also appears, along with explanations from well-known Bible commentators, in the June 2025 "Previous Verses" section of my website. To read it, go to https://www.mansioninheaven.com/PreviousVerses0625.html and scroll down to "JUNE 7-14."
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In addition, there is a summary of this story in the GotQuestions.org article entitled "Why did David ask God to 'create in me a clean heart' in Psalm 51:10?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/create-in-me-a-clean-heart.html.

OCTOBER 3
Psalm 140:12

This was written by David when he was suffering persecution (cruel or unfair treatment) during the reign of King Saul:

Psalm 140:12: "I know that the LORD [God] will maintain the cause of the afflicted [meaning he will help his people who are suffering, physically and/or mentally], and [that he will defend] the right [the rights, justice, judgment] of the poor [people, or those who are poor]."
The above statement is true for all Christians, not only those who lived in Bible times.

Although not specifically related to today's verse, there is a GotQuestions.org article about how Christians can help poor people. It's called "How should Christians respond to global poverty and hunger?" and can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/global-poverty-hunger.html.

OCTOBER 1-2
Romans 8:1

Referring mostly to what he said in the preceding (previous) chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul wrote:

Romans 8:1: "There is therefore now no condemnation [by God, referring to punishment in hell for sin] to them which are in Christ Jesus [meaning those who are saved, or born again], who walk [or 'live their lives'] not after the flesh [by doing worldly things], but after the Spirit [of God] [i.e., as the Holy Spirit leads or prompts] [see examples of 'works of the flesh' and 'fruit of the spirit' in the note below*]."
*Paul lists the following as:

WORKS OF THE FLESH

Galatians 5:19-20,21: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest [obvious, evident], which are these;

"Adultery [sex between a married person and someone other than his or her spouse],
"fornication [sex between two unmarried people],
"uncleanness [immorality, sinfulness],
"lasciviousness [lustfulness],
"Idolatry [worshiping idols],
"witchcraft,
"hatred,
"variance [disagreements, controversy],
"emulations [rivalry],
"wrath [extreme anger],
"strife [conflict],
"seditions [uprisings],
"heresies [beliefs or opinions contrary to established religious doctrines],
"Envyings,
"murders,
"drunkenness,
"revellings [celebrations with out-of-control behavior],
"and such like:

"of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God [which means they will not go to heaven when they die]."

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is

"love,
"joy,
"peace,
"longsuffering [or 'patiently enduring hardship'],
"gentleness,
"goodness,
"faith,
"Meekness [humility, submissiveness],
"temperance [moderation in eating and drinking]:

"against such [things] there is no law."

AN INDICATION OF SALVATION

Galatians 5:24: "And they that are [Jesus] Christ's [i.e., born-again Christians] have crucified the flesh [or 'turned their backs on sin'] with the [or 'its'] affections [loves] and lusts [desires]."

These GotQuestions.org articles relate to today's verse:

-- "What does it mean that there is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1)?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/no-condemnation.html)

-- "What are the works of the flesh?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/works-of-the-flesh.html)

-- "What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-of-the-Holy-Spirit.html)