Daily Devotion
February 27, 2026
Matthew 1:5-6 “And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king”
When we read the list of ancestors of Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter one, we might expect to find only shining examples of spotless faith and unwavering obedience. We might assume every name would represent the purest Jewish lineage, carefully preserved and untouched. But that is not the case. Today’s verse is one of several reminders that the genealogy of Jesus includes people who were far from what we might expect. Ruth, named here as the great-grandmother of David, was a woman of Moab. She was a Gentile, an outsider to the commonwealth of Israel, and from a nation that God had cursed. Yet her story is so compelling, so filled with faith and devotion, that God gave this unexpected ancestor of Christ her own book, the Book of Ruth. From widowhood and poverty to redemption and royal lineage, her life testifies to the providence and mercy of God. We are not told every detail of how Ruth’s place in the line of Christ unfolded. Was it solely God’s sovereign design? Was it His hand working through human choice and willing obedience? In truth, it was both. Ruth chose to cling to Naomi and to Naomi’s God. “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16). And through that choice, God wove her into a story far greater than she could have imagined. Her presence in the genealogy of Jesus gives us God’s perspective on people, and on what they may become in His hands. Heritage does not limit Him. Past sins do not intimidate Him. Cultural boundaries do not restrain Him. He is always working to forgive, to restore, to bless, to establish, and to transform sinners into vessels for His glory. Consider the words of Romans 11:33-36: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” We see only fragments; He sees the finished work. What appears unlikely to us is often the very means by which God accomplishes His eternal purposes. Jesus Christ came to rescue us all, and He is not limited by our human condition. In His earthly body, He carried both Jewish and Gentile genetics. In Him, barriers fall. And by His Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:13 declares, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free.” Ruth’s story gives hope to every heart that feels unworthy or out of place. In Christ, no life surrendered to God is wasted. He still writes redemption into broken stories. He still brings outsiders near. And He still builds His church with those who simply trust in Jesus Christ.
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February 26, 2026
Hebrews 13:15 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
Here is some information that should make us stop and consider our blessings. Nearly a billion people in this world either have no electricity or have access that is unreliable and insufficient. Over two billion people do not have safe, piped water in their homes. That means roughly one out of every four people on this planet lacks convenient, safe water on the premises. Furthermore, more than 700 million people still lack even basic drinking water and often walk long distances just to collect it. And beyond that, hundreds of millions go to bed hungry every night. Yet in countries like ours, where we have so much, there is often so little gratitude. The shocking truth is that for many, the more we have, the less thankful we become. Scripture warns us that one of the defining marks of the last days is that men shall be “unthankful” (2 Timothy 3:2). Ingratitude is not a small flaw; it is a symptom of a heart drifting from God. Hebrews 13:15 calls thanksgiving a “sacrifice of praise.” A sacrifice costs something. It is easy to give thanks when everything is going well. It is another matter entirely to thank God when we are tired, inconvenienced, misunderstood, or hurting. Yet this verse tells us to offer praise continually. That means in the ordinary moments, in the hard moments, and in the joyful ones. If thanksgiving is not yet our pattern, we can begin today, by faith. When we rise in the morning, before our feet even touch the floor, we can say, “Thank You, Lord, for another day.” As we go to work, “Thank You for provision.” When we face difficult people, “Lord, bless them and open their eyes to the Lord Jesus.” In a trial, “Thank You that this will not last forever and that Your grace is sufficient.” When things go right, we are careful to give Him the glory. When someone treats us unkindly, we remember how our Savior was treated and thank Him for His mercy toward us all. This kind of gratitude reshapes the heart. It keeps us tender. It guards us from entitlement. It reminds us that every good gift comes from above (James 1:17). Thanksgiving is not denial of hardship; it is confidence in God’s goodness through it. Let it become our daily pattern, continual praise, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. Ingratitude may mark this godless age, but gratitude marks a godly heart. Thanksgiving is a sacrifice that costs us pride and self-focus, yet it produces joy and spiritual strength. Today, let’s deliberately give thanks in every circumstance and offer to God the continual sacrifice of praise.
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February 25, 2026
1 John 3:21-23 “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
Our human hearts often swing between two extremes. Some of us feel guilty over everything: every mistake, every weakness, every wandering thought. Others seem to feel no guilt at all, no matter what they do. For the Christian, both extremes can cloud our confidence when we come before the Lord in prayer. Scripture makes it clear that faith is the channel through which we receive from God. James tells us that the doubting heart is unstable, “like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:6-7). The enemy knows this well, and he works tirelessly to weaken our confidence, whispering that God is tired of us, disappointed in us, or unwilling to hear us. If he can erode our assurance, he can silence our prayers. Yet the Word of God offers a simple and liberating path. John tells us that when our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. This is not the confidence of perfection, but the confidence of relationship. Paul said he exercised himself to have “a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). That is a practiced posture of repentance, humility, and love, not sinless living. John goes on to say that we know we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren (1 John 3:14). This love is not mere words; it is active, sacrificial, and purposeful. To “lay down our lives” for others means we bow our pride, commit our hearts, and give ourselves in service. It is the daily choice to forgive, to help, to listen, to bear burdens. When we live in this posture of love, we are walking in the very will of God. Salvation by grace has brought us to what the law could never achieve, a transformed heart that loves. The accusing voice that says, “You’re not good enough,” forgets the blood of Christ. None of us are righteous in ourselves. None of us live without fault. But “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Grace does not make us careless; it makes us confident. The Spirit empowers us to love, even in our imperfections. Sometimes the simplicity of this truth is buried under layers of religious performance and fear-driven doctrine. Yet God’s command is wonderfully clear: believe on His Son, and love one another. When we rest in that truth, our conscience finds peace, our faith grows steady, and we can pray with the assurance that our Lord hears our prayers.
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February 24, 2026
2 Corinthians 4:18 “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Why is it so hard for us to keep the eternal view? In our waking moments, and even in our dream-life, the things of this world occupy our thoughts and form our awareness of what seems real. People, places, and things, what we see with our eyes, touch with our hands, and interact with, become the sum of our lives. Yet today’s verse calls us to change our view, to shift our thoughts away from all the stuff around us, because all of it is temporary. The Lord is not telling us to abandon our responsibilities or disengage from this life. Rather, He is calling us to live with awareness, that in the end, and compared to eternity, we must live looking to the things that are eternal. I believe that shift begins with God Himself. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” The reality of the eternal is that we must believe that God is: that He exists, that He is real, and that He is all that He says He is. But human unbelief is powerful, often more dominant than our faith. Scripture describes this wickedness of unbelief in Titus 1:16, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Some might say, “That’s not referring to me, I’m a believer.” I say respectfully that if we really believed in God on the level we claim, and truly had eternal vision, we would be tearfully, compassionately, and fearfully winning the lost. We would be horrified that they will face the judgment of God and its consequences. We would be separating from everything and anything that appears sinful, because we would know that we will reap what we sow. And we would be living by the principles of His Word, because we would trust that obedience to the Word of God brings a life of blessing that nothing else compares. Revivals, awakenings by the Holy Spirit, change our vision from the things of this earth to the things of God. When God helps us turn our eyes to Jesus and disdain this present evil age, we begin to embrace the unseen as our true reality, and push aside the fleeting, temporary distractions of this world. Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me.
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February 23, 2026
Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
This is an inspiring and wonderful verse, speaking to us of the determination of the servant of the Lord to never give up and complete the work assigned to him. It is sad that many modern versions have omitted the words, “But none of these things move me.” Those words summarize the determination, tenacity, and perseverance of those early missionaries in their fierce battle for the truth. Often, their faithfulness to war against unbelief and the wicked one brought them suffering and even death for the cause of Christ. Because of their steadfast commitment and courageous faith, they were reminded in Hebrews 10:32-33, “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.” Paul had already testified in verse 23 that the Holy Ghost warned him “that bonds and afflictions abide me.” Yet he declared that neither uncertainty, persecution, suffering, tears, nor temptations could shake him from the foundation of Jesus Christ or push him away from the course the Lord had purposed for him. This is the same encouragement given to us in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” The call for us is to dig deep, down to the solid rock foundation that has been laid, Christ Jesus, and by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, build a life anchored only on the finished work of the Lord. The cause of Christ and the Word of God are so powerful that the early disciples, simply by speaking the Word, caused uproars, anger, violence, and upheavals in the culture. Just for preaching Christ, they were described in Acts 17:6 as, “These that have turned the world upside down.” There are always forces that try to move us off the foundation of Jesus Christ. But we need to remember the words of Peter when many were turning away from Jesus in John 6. Jesus asked His disciples, “Will ye also go away?” Peter’s answer is still our answer today: “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” Maybe we can say together, with determined resolve and settled faith, “None of these things move me.”
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February 22, 2026
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
One day, human life as we know it will end. The human race, in its present form, will cease to exist. Even those who do not believe in God, and who laugh at the thought of the Bible being the Word of God, understand this reality. In their unbelief, they still recognize a problem that cannot be escaped. Our sun has a limited lifespan, and one day all its energy will be spent. When that happens, all life on Earth will end. The Bible speaks clearly about the end of all things. Peter wrote, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). The Holy Spirit gave us these words to point us to the only true hope for the future. That hope is found in the promise of God’s Word and in truths like today’s passage. There is a door that leads us away from destruction and into a future God prepared before He created all things. It is a door of hope, of eternal life, and of a reality far greater than anything this world can offer. Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). He is the way through, the only way through, and the only hope that stands when everything else falls. Jesus is returning. Though many today shy away from that message, and some even mock it, the Bible still declares it with clarity and authority. Churches may grow nervous about proclaiming the return of Christ, but Scripture calls it the blessed hope and the comfort of God’s people (Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:18). For believers, the end of this life, whether by death or by the coming of Christ, is not the end at all. It is the beginning of glory. Paul reminds us that when this corruptible puts on incorruption, and this mortal puts on immortality, death itself will be swallowed up in victory. (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). That promise grows brighter and more precious with every passing day. Our hope, our rejoicing, our victory, and our salvation are found in Christ alone. And our Lord still says, “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7). May we live with that blessed hope burning in our hearts.
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February 21, 2026
Acts 20:33 “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.”
To covet means to have a driving desire for, to lust after, to long for, and to set one’s heart upon. I was thinking about this verse in connection with a devotion I shared a few days ago about contentment: Being at peace with where we are, what we have, and where the Lord is taking us on our journey. Coveting is often the opposite of contentment. It is that restless stirring inside that says, I must have what I see, and it can quietly become the focus and driving force of our lives. This helps explain the intense language of Colossians 3:5, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” We usually think we are not idolatrous because we do not bow to statues, images, or icons. Yet when we covet, the object, person, experience, or status we desire takes the place of God in our affection and attention. It becomes what we think about, what we pursue, and what we believe will make us complete. In that sense, it becomes a rival god in the heart. Scripture repeatedly warns us about this subtle danger. Jesus said in Luke 12:15, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:6-8, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” Coveting tells us we need more to be whole. God tells us that in Him, we already have enough. In Acts 20, Paul is explaining his motive in ministry. He was not driven by money, possessions, or admiration. “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.” He was not trying to keep up with others, compare himself to others, or build a reputation based on appearance. His heart was fixed on serving Christ and shepherding the flock. He could say, with a clear conscience, that he was not in it for personal gain. There is an interesting contrast in Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 12:31, Paul says, “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” The next chapter shows that the more excellent way is love: love for God and love for others. We are encouraged to desire what God gives, but never to desire what replaces God. Covetousness quietly robs us of joy, gratitude, and peace. Contentment restores them. Most of us have walked this Christian life long enough to know that covetousness is a trap: We covet what we don’t have, and when we get it, it doesn’t satisfy.
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February 20, 2026
Luke 9:43 “And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God.”
How long has it been since you were amazed at the mighty power of God? I’m not talking about the wonder of God’s creation around us, or the relief and gladness we feel when something we were hoping or praying for works out for the good. I’m not talking about the normal way things work, like when day breaks in the morning and you see the first splendid rays of sunshine. Such things are so much a part of our everyday existence that they don’t make us slam on the brakes, jump out of the car, and yell, “This is simply awesome! It’s a miracle!” No, I’m talking about times when the Almighty reaches down through time and space and rearranges our reality. Sometimes I fear we’re so caught up in our routines of life, so much on autopilot with everyday stuff, that we forget the Bible is filled from cover to cover with accounts of God doing things that are truly amazing. We read about those things, and we know many of the stories by heart, having been taught them from our youth. But they seem so far away, so removed from the lives we live, that we become disconnected from them. We dismiss the thought of God being able to do the supernatural now by thinking that other people experienced the mighty power of God, other people witnessed His glory, but things are different in our world. Even when we hear of the mighty power of God being manifested, we can be skeptical, uncertain if it was real. The Lord has not changed, and He is ready to keep His promise in Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” If you are thinking I’m writing about emotion-based Christianity, stop. That’s another lie of the enemy, that anytime someone points to God’s power to do wonders just as recorded in Scripture, the enemy counters with, “Well, that’s emotionalism,” and quickly tries to steer us away from believing God for the impossible before our faith can arise and take hold of His promises. So, what’s our story going to be? Maybe it will be that we could have settled for humdrum, mediocre, Sunday-morning-style, Laodicean Christianity, but we didn’t. Maybe our testimony will be that we woke up, we sat up, we stood up, we reached up, we prayed up, we believed up—and heaven came down, and we saw exceedingly, abundantly above all we could think, ask, or even imagine. God’s power is not a relic of Bible times; it is alive and active today. When we refuse to settle for routine faith and instead believe Him for the impossible, we open our lives to witness His mighty hand at work. Let’s choose to believe, to pray boldly, and to expect God to move in ways that amaze us.
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February 19, 2026
Mark 12:42 “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.”
Less than a penny. When we step back and think about this story, it changes what we think about giving. Tithing and calculating percentages of income become less important. We rethink our plans for budgeting generosity and all the other things we have come to associate with contributing financially to the Lord’s work. The poor widow wasn’t cheap, and she wasn’t acting on some complicated plan. She had two small copper coins, the least valuable money of that time, but they were all the money she had. Our Lord remarked to His disciples in verse 44, and to us now who read this, “she of her want (poverty) did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” It reminds us of Zechariah 4:10, “For who hath despised the day of small things?” and if we’re honest, all of us would answer, “I have.” But even then, it’s not about size or amount. It’s about our intentions, our estimation of value, and our willingness to look at the world around us through God’s eyes, eyes that are revealed in His Word. Two small coins had more value than stacks of cash. A small boy’s lunch had more volume of food than several 18-wheelers could haul. A small stone that fit into a young man’s sling had more than enough power to bring down a towering, powerful giant. Yes, today’s verse about the poor widow who caught Jesus’ attention when she put a couple of small coins into the offering, and we hear Him say she put in more than everyone, makes us reexamine what is large and what is small in God’s eyes. Small things offered to the Lord are just as much a part of His plan as the giant-killing seasons. Giant-killing seasons only come along every now and then, but the small things happen every day. Without the small things, the framework of God’s plan would not be built. When we see this, we will not despise the day of small things. We will embrace them and rejoice in them. Though they seem insignificant and worthless like two tiny coins, they are just as huge and important as anything else in God’s plan. When the Lord hands you a small rock, don’t think, “Is this all?” Think, “Giant killer.” When the only tool He gives you is a staff like Moses, don’t say, “I need more than a stick.” Think, “Red Sea-parting power.” When you see the enemy coming and the only weapon God gives you is the jawbone of a donkey like Samson, don’t think, “I’m toast.” Think, “One thousand dead enemies.” The widow’s offering was great because she gave her best, her entire sum of existence, into the hands of God.
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February 18, 2026
Philippians 4:11 “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
The Apostle Paul wrote these Spirit-breathed words to help us understand that it takes a mature and Spirit-filled believer to arrive at the stage of the Christian life where we learn to be content with what the Lord has given us, where God has placed us, the circumstances He has allowed to come our way, and the unanswered prayers we are still waiting for Him to answer. Even then, when we think we have arrived there, we can never underestimate the corruptness and power of our flesh and of our adversary. The world offers so much, and every day there are great temptations to become discontent with what we have and wish we had something else. A similar truth is seen in 1 Timothy 6:6, “But godliness with contentment is great gain,” reminding us that the pursuit of godliness brings us greater gain than the pursuit of all this world holds. It also reminds us of a prayer recorded in Proverbs 30:7–9: “Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” It might be an expected prayer for the Lord to keep us from wretched poverty, but to pray for the Lord to keep us from wealth is most unusual. The state of poverty might cause us to become dishonest and dishonor the Lord, and the problem with riches is that they often cause people to become independent of the Lord, as they increasingly begin to trust their wealth for their security and sustenance. Balance is what the wise man desired of God—a life where an honest, humble person’s needs are met without dealing with the temptations and pitfalls of either extreme. Perhaps this is one of the meanings of the Lord’s Prayer that says, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” because being in the extreme of either of these two positions would certainly be a test for us, one that the wise man did not trust himself to pass. The balance of moderate circumstances means we can live in a contented state, our needs being met, food appropriate to our station, and remain faithful to our Lord. Contentment is not a natural trait: it is something learned in fellowship with Christ. Whether in want or in abundance, we are safest when our hearts trust in Him rather than in our circumstances. A balanced life, anchored in faith and gratitude, keeps us near the Lord and far from the temptations that pull us away from Him.
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February 17, 2026
Luke 19:41- 42 “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”
The Bible records at least three times when Jesus wept: at the tomb of Lazarus in John 11:35, in the Garden of Gethsemane as recorded in Hebrews 5:7, and here in today’s verse. The words for tears and weeping in John and Hebrews refer to crying, but today’s passage is much stronger. It tells us that our Lord Jesus was sobbing, wailing aloud, as He expressed His sorrow over the people and the city of Jerusalem. He was considering their rejection of His message of salvation, the invitation from their Heavenly Father to receive the kingdom, and their opportunity to be free. Instead, they were about to crucify their King, and their choice would bring unspeakable suffering, death, and the complete destruction of the blessed city. This reveals the heart of God toward the human condition, and the suffering we bring upon ourselves by our decisions. For the past few decades, much of Christian theology, preaching, teaching, music, and literature has been primarily introspective. We want to be happy, feel good about ourselves, be healed of all our life-scars, and succeed—and all of that is good and well. But let’s back up far enough to see the whole picture apart from ourselves for a moment. Remember, we must have God’s vision to have an eternal view. That view is one where people will either live eternally with the Lord, or be judged and cast into the darkness, eternally separated from God. Has that view been entirely removed from our sight, perhaps pushed so far away that we can’t even acknowledge its reality anymore? Is becoming more successful and happier in a life here, that is only a vapor and will very soon vanish away, more real and important than things that are forever and forever and forever? I believe the Holy Spirit can stir us, open our eyes, and fill us with God’s love for people until we see them as immortal souls, infinitely valuable to the Lord and precious in His sight. When we see people as they are, and see them from an eternal perspective, suddenly all that we usually obsess and concern ourselves with seems foolish and trivial. Jesus loves them. Jesus suffered for them. Jesus died for them. Jesus wants them in heaven with Him. Do we really, really believe that, and want that too? Jesus wept because He saw people from a realistic, eternal perspective. Let’s ask the Lord to give us His eyes and His heart, so that our priorities, prayers, and compassion are shaped by what will matter forever.
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February 16, 2026
Jeremiah 17:7-8 “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green.”
These words sound almost exactly like Psalm 1: “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” In both this chapter of Jeremiah and in Psalm 1, people who follow the ways of the Lord are contrasted with those who refuse Him. All Scripture is God-breathed and important, but for a principle to be repeated twice, by different writers almost four hundred years apart, means we should take a closer look at what God’s Word is saying to us. People who trust in God and follow His ways are described as a tree planted by an ever-flowing river of water. The tree sinks its roots into the water and becomes green and lush, unaffected by drought and heat, and it bears fruit. The words, “whatsoever he doeth shall prosper,” speak of blessing, stability, and pressing forward against adversity. Some have tried to twist this to imply material wealth and abundance, but that is a misrepresentation of the truth taught here. Yet the Bible does declare that we are not beggars or riff-raff—we are children of the King of heaven and earth. We are not at the mercy of this world, destined for a path of poverty. Our God will supply all our need. He has promised that when we follow His Word, He will not withhold any good thing from us (Psalm 84:11). Churches are sometimes so afraid of being branded with the prosperity gospel label that they hesitate to declare that God always has our best in mind as He works in our lives. What would you think if your pastor stood by the church door Sunday morning with a sign that said, “Will preach for food”? We know God’s people are promised better things than that! In contrast, both scriptures warn that those who reject the ways of God and refuse faith in Him will reap the consequences of their unbelief. It may look like they are getting ahead in this life, and sometimes they are part of this world’s elite. But God’s Word never fails. Those who trust in God and follow His ways will always end up planted by the water. Those who reject the Lord face the reality of a dark eternity.
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February 15, 2026
Jeremiah 31:3 “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
This weekend, a lot of people asked those they love, “Will you be my Valentine?” That question carries the meaning of closeness and acceptance and often comes connected to the declaration, “You’re my one and only.” It has the permanence people long for in a relationship, a sense of security that sets a couple apart in a bond of trust and interdependence. But all we know about love, apart from God’s love, is that it is not always permanent, and vows made one day can just as easily be broken the next. No number of cards, flowers, or gifts can guarantee that the pledges of love made between people will last or be followed up with faithfulness and respect. Today’s verse points us to a different kind of love, one not based on feelings or fleeting earthly promises. Our Father in heaven has given us the love He declares in today’s verse, “an everlasting love,” and He said, “therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Human love usually comes with stipulations, conditions that we expect to be met, and without them, our love falters, diminishes, and fails. Even the love bonds between parents and children are sometimes broken or damaged beyond repair. But God’s love is boundless, unconditional, and as declared in the verse above, eternal. The question as to why we love the Lord is easily answered, and scriptures such as Psalm 116:1–2 tell us: “I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.” That’s a good place to start thinking about reasons we have to love God. But the question as to why He loves us, and why He purposed to love us before He began creation, knowing that we would betray Him, rebel against Him, and choose other gods over Him, is one of the great mysteries of all. Yet He chose us, loved us, forgave us, redeemed us, and did it all Himself, with us kicking, screaming, and pulling away the entire time like a bunch of foolish, ungrateful brats. The Bible says in 1 John 3:1, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” It is presented in a sense of amazement, a shocking realization beginning with the word “Behold.” That is, open your eyes wide and stare. Look. Be aware. Gaze upon an attention-getting circumstance, and look for an answer. No wonder the question, “What kind of love is this?” There are no words that can fully describe it, no volumes of books that can explain it, and no amount of reasoning that can figure it out.
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February 14, 2026
Acts 22:4 “And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.”
Whenever Paul described who he was and what he did before he was converted, he didn’t hold back. He certainly wasn’t bragging about how evil he was, but he was completely honest, nothing left to the imagination. He sounded more like a hit man for the mafia, or maybe one of the thieves hanging beside our Lord when He was crucified, than the strict, ultra-conservative Pharisee that he was. He lived by a strict code of religious conduct concerning the Levitical law, but in reality, he was mean, unforgiving, blind to the truth, and by his own description, a wicked, unbelieving man. Did you ever wonder if, maybe when he was alone in a prison cell somewhere, the faces of the people he once persecuted, arrested, and destroyed came back to haunt him about his past? Did he ever remember the children, and how terrified they were when he and his henchmen came busting into their house and dragged their parents away to jail, to be tried and publicly murdered? Yet this bad-man-turned-preacher met Jesus face to face, went on to receive the enlightenment of the doctrine of grace, write much of the New Testament, plant churches throughout the region, and himself be martyred for his faith. He is outstanding proof that the Lord can and will use people with broken pasts, who have committed hideous sins, and who are the worst of the worst. Paul said of himself in 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” The enemy often comes to believers and points out their pasts and times when, even after they were converted, they made terrible mistakes, bad choices, and fell into cycles of sin. Then he says, “God can’t use you because look what you’ve done.” His words sound so convincing and true, and we forget that God delights in mercy (Micah 7:18), gives abounding grace (Romans 5:20), and never remembers our forgiven sin. Hebrews 10:17 says, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” God not only wants to use us, it is precisely His purpose to use us in spite of our mess. That demonstrates His attributes. If that sounds like sacrilege to you, it is because we’ve been systematically religiously poisoned against who God is and what He planned, by those who would rather hold back the truth and promote self-righteous glory, rather than stand in slack-jawed awe of our God and give glory to Him alone.
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February 13, 2026
1 Samuel 16:7 “For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
God sent Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel, directing him to Bethlehem, to the home of a man named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons, and God told Samuel that He had chosen one of them. As Jesse brought his sons before the prophet, Samuel assumed it must be one who looked kingly—strong, resolute, and impressive. But God spoke the words of today’s verse to remind Samuel that His ways do not usually line up with our thinking. After Jesse presented his seven most likely candidates, Samuel asked if there were any more. Jesse replied, “There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.” Samuel sent for him, and we know it was David, just a teenager, perhaps around fifteen years old, yet he was the one God had chosen. From this lesson, we learn that we cannot read the secrets of another person’s heart. We often judge by outward appearance because that is all we can see. Samuel was a powerful man of God, a prophet with unusual wisdom and great spiritual insight. Yet even he needed to be reminded to stop looking for what he thought was the right person and to yield his judgment to the Lord. God chose David not only for what He knew was in his heart, but also for how He planned to use him in the unfolding purposes of God. The first king of Israel, Saul, has been called the “people’s choice” because he fit the physical and superficial criteria the Israelites desired: tall, handsome, and commanding. They wanted a king who made them look strong before surrounding nations, and God allowed their desire. But God had a greater plan. He chose a young shepherd boy, and through him established a dynasty that led to the One called “The Son of David,” the Lord Jesus Christ. Even in David’s anointing, God was connecting the dots. David was born in Bethlehem and anointed there. About one thousand years later, God executed His plan perfectly when Jesus was born in the “city of David,” and He carried the promise given to Mary: Luke 1:32–33, “And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever.” May God help us not to judge people by how they appear, but to trust that He knows their hearts and that He has plans and purposes for people who may not meet our expectations. He looks into the heart and works out His eternal purposes in ways that often surprise us. Trust His wisdom, honor His choices, and be careful not to measure people by outward impressions alone.
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February 12, 2026
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
We should read and study Hebrews 11 often, because it forms in us an understanding of how to approach and please God. We might push back against that statement by saying that the attributes of Jesus Christ that were imputed to us are the grounds of approaching and pleasing God. But before God reckons us holy, righteous, and fully acceptable, we must begin in faith. Just as Jesus Christ is the door to God and eternal salvation, faith is the door to Christ. Listen to the words of our Lord: John 8:24, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” Just as we can understand the reality of the material world around us through our senses of vision, faith is our spiritual sense that allows us to see the reality of spiritual things. The blessing of faith is this: when Jesus was here on earth, many people saw Him with their eyes, but would not believe His reality as the Messiah. However, we have not seen Him with our eyes, but by our faith we see Him, hear His words, and trust in His reality that He is the Son of God, the Savior. We are coming to God, not by our natural senses, but by our faith, and He receives us as His children because we believe. God is so pleased by faith that our Lord said in Mark 9:23, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” The Lord doesn’t want us to put intense pressure on ourselves, as if we have to produce some supernatural, powerful faith to walk in His ways. Instead, He compares the kind of faith that pleases Him to child-like faith. When we understand this principle and start making choices of faith, it becomes a step-by-step learning that takes us from where we view things, what we call reality through our natural senses, to where we begin using what God says in His Word about life and reality as our eyes, ears, and understanding. Faith becomes the “substance.” The word for substance, the Greek hupostasis, has primary meanings as “that which has actual existence,” and “the substantial quality, nature, of a person or thing.” In other words, reality. It’s not that we’re living our lives in blind leaps of faith, but that God’s truth is always real and true, even when it cannot be explained or understood by our earthly senses or reasoning. Faith is the substance, the reality and the evidence that, for us, God said it, we believe it, and that settles the matter. Faith is not wishful thinking or spiritual guesswork. It is the way God teaches us to perceive what is truly real. As we learn to trust His Word over our senses and circumstances, faith becomes our new way to live.
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February 11, 2026
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
Jesus spoke these words on the night before He was betrayed, just hours before His crucifixion. They capture the essence of God’s plan of redemption and His purpose for His creation. They echo the Lord’s answer to the lawyer in Matthew 22, where He declared that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love one another, and that all the law and the prophets hang on these two truths. But after we are taught that the gospel calls us to love others, and that doing so fulfills what our Lord called “a new commandment,” how do we put this into action? Today’s verse references to Galatians 6:2: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” This verse does not point us to the law of Moses, but to the law of Christ, the new commandment of love. So, the question comes to us: How can we show the love of the Lord to someone today? How can we be a blessing? The opportunity is here, and it is now. All around us are hurting, fearful, lonely, and discouraged adults and children who need the people of God to stand up, speak up, and show them God’s love. It is God’s love, yet He has placed this treasure of love and hope within us. We have the love, the words, and the power of the Holy Spirit to make a difference, because we represent the Name that brings hope, healing, and wholeness, the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. We do not merely tolerate one another; we love one another. The Holy Spirit brings our words and actions into alignment with God’s plan, and that plan is to carry out the purpose of this great salvation: be good to people, forgive, and overcome evil with good. We are not waiting for big, dramatic opportunities to fall into our laps. We love others in the details of their lives, in moments that may be quickly covered by time, but in the moment are golden opportunities for pleasant words, friendship, encouragement, and stepping in with the resources we have when needed. We love not only with our words, but in our actions, from a truthful heart (1 John 3:18). The world sends a message of hopelessness; we carry heavenly hope. The world is brimming with hatred and violence; we know the Prince of Peace. The world carries sadness and gloom; we have joy unspeakable. The world has many problems but no answers; we represent the One who can solve any problem.
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February 10, 2026
Galatians 5:25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
If we are believers—if we have been born again from above—we are no longer alone. It’s easy for me to forget that I’m not the only one inhabiting this body. The Holy Spirit also lives here. That is the meaning of the first part of today’s verse, “If we live in the Spirit.” The Spirit has brought us to life, just as He brought Jesus back to life from the dead. Romans 8:11 says, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Every Christian is indwelt by the third Person of the Trinity, and we will either live our lives by His guidance or by the dictates of our old, sinful nature. The second part of today’s verse says we should “walk in the Spirit.” The word translated walk carries the idea of keeping in step, like a marching soldier moving in careful cadence. Many of our failures as believers—our weaknesses, our stalled growth—have their roots in not walking in the Spirit. Notice that Spirit is capitalized, referring to the Person of the Holy Spirit, not merely a mood or atmosphere, as when we speak of “the spirit of the pilgrims.” Walking in the Spirit is only possible when we are filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 reminds us, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Here, a Spirit-controlled believer is contrasted with a person under the influence of alcohol. The alcohol moves and motivates the drunk, and the Holy Spirit moves and motivates the Spirit-filled believer. This filling is not a one-time event. The wording in the Greek makes it clear that it is a continual, ongoing command. It is imperative—not optional. Walking in the Spirit—making decisions, responding to others, ordering our lives under His direction—cannot happen when we are ruled by pride, vain glory, arrogance, self-will, stubbornness, or a desire for preeminence. God’s will for us is to remember that He lives within us. Our Christian lives are at their best when we are walking in step with His leading, sensitive to His voice, and willing to follow where He directs. The Spirit has given us life, and He desires to guide that life day by day. Walking in the Spirit is a continual choice, yielding, listening, and obeying. When we keep in step with Him, our lives reflect His presence, His power, His character, and His peace.
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February 9, 2026
Psalms 90:14 “O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”
After the last few weeks of arctic-like weather, bitter wind, and snow, it looks like the forecast for our area next week is some much warmer weather. If you live around these parts in East Tennessee, you might say with me, “And I’m glad”. We don’t use the word glad often, and when we do, it’s usually when circumstances have changed for the better, and we are relieved and glad. It means to brighten up, cheer up, and even be gleesome. One verse we all know that speaks of being glad is Psalms 118:24, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”. We quote it, but we don’t always follow through with the being glad part. Today’s verse gives us part of the key to being glad “all our days”: We look to the Lord early, before the enemy and our own ways of thinking contaminate our day. The trap of the enemy is to keep us focused on things that caused us sorrow or pain, and let the thoughts of those things become a fountain for our emotions. But as I have written in earlier devotions, we should have kept a journal or diary from the day we got saved and made a record of every answered prayer, every rescue from trouble, every provision, and every healing. If we could remember every comfort, every blessing, every miracle, every deliverance, every person God sent to help us, and every encouragement, it would make us glad. How about every moment of awe at something He has done or created, every flood of peace, every filling of the Holy Spirit, every victory, every presence of joy, every relief from sorrow, and every time He’s shown Himself to be a true friend, we might never stop shouting with gladness. How is it we can forget all that and focus on a few times we’ve been through a trial or faced unwanted circumstances? It’s time to begin remembering just how good He’s been and begin to praise Him privately and publicly. It’s time to lift up His worthy name and give honor to the one who has been good to us. You might say, people don’t want to hear that stuff, and it might get embarrassing. Well, let me tell you, they don’t want to hear the same sad stories of gloom and doom we’ve told them over and over for years: They’re most likely tired and bored with it. Tell them how the Lord has been good to you, and that He’ll do the same for them. Maybe He already has, and they’ve just forgotten it. And then, let the joy and gladness roll!
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February 8, 2026
1 Thessalonians 3:3 “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.”
When we listen to the prayer requests of fellow believers in our churches, and when we scroll through messages from Christians around the world asking for prayer, it can be overwhelming to see the afflictions God’s people are facing. Some of it seems unbearable. Some of it doesn’t seem fair. We can be walking faithfully, trying to honor the Lord, trying to do what is right, and then, out of nowhere, trials, temptations, sickness, losses, and whirlwinds of trouble come crashing in. What makes today’s verse even more startling is the statement that “we are appointed thereunto.” Appointed to afflictions? That sounds almost contradictory to everything we know about being children of the King and heirs of God (Romans 8:17). Yet Scripture is honest: suffering is not an interruption to the Christian life; it is often part of God’s refining path. Jesus told His disciples, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The Bible says we are not to be “moved” by these afflictions. The word carries the idea of being shaken, agitated, unsettled, or frightened out of our spiritual footing. And that is exactly what trials are designed to do: to unsettle our faith, distract our focus, and weaken our resolve. But look around today. It is not only believers who are shaken; the whole world is trembling. Anxiety, depression, stress, addictions, broken families, violence, and social unrest dominate the headlines and the hearts of people. The foundations seem unstable. Yet in the middle of all this shaking, God calls His people to stand steady. That is why 1 Corinthians 15:58 still rings loudly: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” Our stability is not rooted in circumstances, governments, or emotions. It is rooted in Christ, who does not change (Hebrews 13:8). The storms may roar, but the Rock does not move. How do we remain steady when everything else is shaking? We stay anchored in Scripture, grounded in prayer, and connected to the body of Christ. We keep serving, loving, and witnessing, even when it feels hard. We remind our families and churches that God has not lost control, and He has not forgotten His people. Trials are not proof of abandonment; they are often tools of refinement. Afflictions may be appointed, but so is grace. Trials may be certain, but so is God’s faithfulness. And though the world trembles, the believer who stands on Christ stands on unshakable ground. Afflictions are part of the believer’s journey, but they are not meant to move us from our faith. In a shaking world, God calls His people to be steadfast and unmovable, anchored in Christ and His Word. Our trials refine us, but His grace sustains us, and He remains our sure foundation.
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February 7, 2026
2 Corinthians 6:17–18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
These verses follow Paul’s warning in verse 14: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” Most often, when I have heard verse 14 referenced in church, it has been limited to dating or marrying an unbeliever. While that application is valid, the meaning is much broader. Though written originally to the church at Corinth, it speaks with the same authority and relevance to us today. When we read about the Corinthian believers, we see a church that did not look or live much differently from the unbelieving culture around them. God’s call to “come out” was a call to disassociate, to walk away from a culture marked by unrighteousness and darkness. That is not an easy choice—especially in our day, when the message of God’s love is often preached without acknowledging His hatred of sin. Scripture reminds us in Psalm 7:11, “God is angry with the wicked every day.” That truth stands in sharp contrast to a modern message that, at its core, presents a God who seems to overlook abuse, the mistreatment of children, gross injustice, and a level of depravity so disturbing we can hardly bear to think about it. A holy God does not ignore these things. I urge my fellow ministers, pastors, and all who walk under the banner of Christ to speak clearly and passionately against the rising abuse of children, the addictions that enslave so many, and what Hebrews calls “the sin which doth so easily beset us.” The sin that clings, trips us up, and refuses to let go. Our rightful disdain for legalism must never silence our responsibility to preach truth in love, to declare the mercy, grace, and compassion of God, while also warning that the wages of sin are real, and that Jesus came to set us free. The separation spoken of in today’s verses is not a negative thing. It comes with a beautiful promise. When we break stride with this world and turn our steps toward God, we are separating ourselves unto the Lord. That pleases Him so deeply that He says, “I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.” This does not mean separation makes us children of God, but it describes a closeness of relationship—a tenderness and joy like that of a father embracing a prodigal child who has finally come home.
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February 6, 2026
Isaiah 28:12 “To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.”
God sent these words through Isaiah to the northern kingdom, warning them that their nation had fallen into the grip of alcohol. The Bible names the sin plainly in verse 3: “The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim.” The Lord then gives a sobering and graphic description in verses 7–8: “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink… they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.” Seven hundred years before Christ walked the earth, people were already struggling under the destructive power of alcohol, and it was ruining lives, families, and spiritual discernment. Sin has never needed modern inventions to do its damage. Yet in today’s verse, the Lord declares a better way: a way of rest, a place of true refreshing, a quiet repose for weary souls. Tragically, when God pointed them toward that rest, “they would not hear.” They preferred the false comfort of indulgence over the restoring peace God offered. Often, sin hides its effects from us. We don’t immediately see how it wears people down, strips away dignity, and slowly enslaves the heart, while all the time promising happiness, escape, and relief. Jesus spoke directly to this hunger for rest when He said in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” That promise reaches beyond relief from the burdens of the Mosaic Law; it speaks of deliverance from the bondage of sin itself. Scripture is clear in Romans 6:16: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” We cannot live in contradiction to God’s will and still expect freedom, joy, and peace. Sin is a master, and obedience determines our bondage. The great irony is that the more we believe the enemy’s lies, of good times, self-rule, and personal freedom, the more enslaved we become. The freedom he promises is always bondage in disguise. The alcohol addiction condemned in Isaiah’s day is still alive and well, and its fruits are visible all around us. Let us never forget that Scripture consistently condemns drunkenness and always points us to a better rest. God does not just forbid sin; He offers rest in its place. Every false comfort promises relief but delivers chains. True rest is found not in escape, indulgence, or control, but in yielding ourselves to Christ, whose yoke is easy and whose rest restores the soul.
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February 5, 2026
Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
The world teaches us to pursue happiness, and that is a trap, because happiness never remains. It is temporary and fleeting. When happiness becomes the goal, life turns into a constant quest to find things, situations, and even people we think can create that feeling for us. We look for something outside ourselves, hoping it will produce a happy emotion within. The result is almost always the same: greed, an insatiable desire for more, and eventually discontent with what we already have. That truth shows up in the parable of the rich man in Luke 12. He was greatly blessed. His barns were already full, overflowing with evidence of prosperity. Yet instead of being thankful and content, and instead of sharing his abundance with those in need, he chose to build bigger barns and hoard his harvest. God said he would die that very night, and others would take possession of what he stored up for himself. Have you ever walked through an estate sale? The owner is gone, and all the things once treasured are laid out and sold to complete strangers. Everything they worked for, saved, and guarded was left behind. Scripture reminds us plainly in 1 Timothy 6:7, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” But joy, that small word, carries great power. When joy flows from deep within, it remains. Nehemiah tells us plainly, “the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Joy that comes from the Lord is not fragile or momentary. It is an ongoing miracle, steady like a spring of water. It can exist even alongside sorrow. A believer may grieve and still be full of joy. Because joy strengthens and remains, the enemy works constantly to attack it. He uses circumstances, people, and the world’s false promises to strike at the root of our joy. Yet the Lord has given us a path that cannot fail. Psalm 16:11 declares, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” It is life lived in God’s presence that opens the fountain of true joy. Peter echoes this truth when he writes, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8). This joy is not produced by circumstances, it is produced by faith and sustained by the presence of the Lord.
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February 4, 2026
Romans 13:12 “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
The Holy Spirit breathed these words to remind us that what is spiritually referred to as “the night”, the era of an unbelieving world of sin and corruption, is almost over. “The day” speaks of the coming of the Lord and the ushering in of His kingdom. We are at a crucial point on the earthly timeline, and are about to see God close out everything we know as reality and reveal eternity. When we receive that as the truth, we want to cast off, push away, remove as if taking off a garment, everything that is a part of the darkness of this world. We cover ourselves with the truth of God and the things of God as if putting on an armor of protection: The armour of light. The Scriptures give us a list in the next verse that spells out things common to the works of darkness, paraphrased as: We should not have wild parties or be drunk. We should not be involved in sexual sin or any kind of immoral behavior. We should not cause arguments and trouble or be jealous. 1Thessalonians 5:5 says, “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness”. Our tendency as believers is to go to sleep spiritually. We can get worn down by the constant barrage of the world’s darkness and evil, and find refuge behind the walls of our churches. But the thought of putting on armour isn’t digging a religious hole and hiding in it. The enemy and his darkness will always come looking for us, and religion, church stuff, and passive avoidance will not protect us. The armour of light is the breastplate of Christ’s righteousness, the shield of faith, the sword of God’s Word, and the helmet of salvation. Jesus is called the light of the world, John 8:12, and we are called the light of the world, Matthew 5:14. While the world, apart from the Lord, is in darkness, Matthew 4:16, the Bible describes the Lord, the Captain of our salvation, in Psalms 104:2: “Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment”. God has not called us to blend in with the dark world, to apologize and offer excuses for our adamant stand against sin, or to cover our eyes and ears and hope things will get better. The armour of light is the equipment of a warrior, one who actively defends himself (herself) and their families against the swelling tide of evil.
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February 3, 2026
2 Chronicles 13:18 “Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.”
This verse comes from a grievous and sorrowful time in the history of God’s people. The nation had been divided, ten tribes in the north, called the children of Israel, and two tribes in the south, called the children of Judah. A people once delivered from Egyptian bondage by the gracious hand of God, a people given the land promised to Abraham and his seed, were now locked in civil war. They were bound together by blood, covenant, and shared history, and yet they were hating and killing one another. When we step back and consider the weight of it all, we see how much had been thrown away. God’s promises were abandoned, their heritage was despised and a future filled with hope was exchanged for senseless violence, murder, shame, fear, and self-reliance. Civil war is often the most bitter form of conflict because it is a violent struggle between people who were meant to live together in peace and blessing. It tears apart the very foundation of what God desires for His creation: love for one another. Yet when the battle recorded here came to its end, Judah prevailed. Not because they were stronger. Not because they were more skilled. In fact, they were outnumbered and should have been defeated by every human measure. They prevailed, Scripture says, because they relied upon the LORD. The Hebrew word shaan, translated “relied,” carries the idea of leaning upon something for support. It means to trust in, to rest upon, to place one’s weight on another. It appears throughout Scripture to describe something, or someone, bearing a load that cannot be carried alone. The picture is simple and vivid: a shepherd leaning his full weight upon his staff because his legs cannot support him by themselves. That raises a searching question for my heart. I may believe that God exists. I may confess that He is all the Bible declares Him to be. But do I rely upon Him? Or, like the northern army who trusted in their numbers and strength, do I stubbornly lean on my abilities, my resources, my experience, or my own sense of control instead of Christ alone? Judah’s victory did not come from advantage, but from dependence. God does not ask us to stand strong in ourselves: He asks us to lean. Where we place our weight reveals what we truly trust. Today, may we look at not only what we believe about God, but whether we are actually resting the full weight of our lives upon Him.
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February 2, 2026
Luke 17:1-2 “Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
Jesus spoke plainly in these verses. Offenses are not a possibility; they are a certainty. Wherever people gather, the possibility of friction follows. Words get sharp, motives are questioned, and feelings get wounded. But while offenses will come, the Lord places a solemn warning on those who cause them, especially when the harm is done to the vulnerable, the tenderhearted, or the growing believer. Some people seem unable, or unwilling, to stop wounding others with their words. They criticize as if it were a calling. They correct without compassion, expose without care, and speak as though they carry no responsibility for the damage left behind. Often, they stand close enough to be mistaken for friends. David knew that pain when betrayal came not from an enemy, but from a familiar voice (Psalm 55:12–14). Scripture gives us a clearer picture of what a true friend looks like. “A friend loveth at all times” (Proverbs 17:17). Not just when it’s convenient. Not just when agreement is easy. Real love does not seek to manage, diminish, or remake someone in its own image. It supports, prays, and walks alongside. Those who constantly tear others apart, magnifying weaknesses, rehearsing failures, or inventing faults, are not helping the body of Christ. They are becoming the very offenses Jesus warned about. We were not placed together to wound one another, but to strengthen one another. The church is meant to be a place where weary souls find safety, not another battlefield. Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:31-32 still set the standard: bitterness, wrath, harsh speech, and malice must be put away. In their place, kindness. Tenderheartedness. Forgiveness. This is the evidence of the Spirit at work. It is how the life of Christ shows itself through ordinary people. None of us are flawless. But we serve a perfect Lord, and we honor Him by how we treat His people. Jesus said that what we do to “the least of these,” we do to Him. There are more than enough offenses in the world without us adding to them. Our words, spoken or posted, should heal, steady, and strengthen. When offenses come, let us be helpers, not hurdles. Lifters, not contributors of pain. If God’s love and grace had not met us, none of us would be standing. Offenses are unavoidable, but becoming an offense is not. Let’s ask the Lord to guard our words and shape our responses so they reflect His kindness. We declare that starting today, we will choose words that build, forgive, and encourage, remembering that love for one another is the clearest testimony that we belong to Christ.
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February 1, 2026
Job 13:24 “Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?”
There are times when the Lord feels so near that everything else fades into the background. Prayer flows without effort. Worship feels less like words and more like awareness. You’re not asking for anything because your heart feels searched, known, and held in God’s hands. Those moments don’t follow a schedule, and they can’t be manufactured. They arrive quietly, sometimes when you weren’t even expecting them, and they leave you changed. Then there are other times when prayer feels powerless. Our words fall flat. We sit still, knowing we should call on the Lord, yet nothing seems to rise up from our soul. We start over, only to repeat the same phrases, as if we’re talking but not really praying. Our thoughts drift and our spirit feels restless and unsatisfied. That is the place where Job found himself when he asked why God seemed hidden and distant, even treating him like an enemy. It’s comforting to know Scripture gives voice to that feeling instead of pretending it never happens. God has never intended for our relationship with Him to become casual or routine. Any relationship that is taken for granted eventually loses its depth. When love is reduced to schedules and mindless patterns, it becomes weak and unfulfilling. God does not want to be reduced to religious habits or thoughtless autopilot responses. He does not want our attention only when we are desperate or afraid. His love toward us was not measured or minimal. It was costly. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” That small word carries enormous weight. His love was deliberate, deep, and sacrificial, and it remains the foundation of everything He desires with us. When God seems to withdraw, He is not being cruel or distant for its own sake. He is awakening desire. He is stirring hunger. Just as Jesus asked Peter again and again, “Lovest thou me?” the question was not for information, it was for restoration and to refocus on what it means to follow Christ. Love was the point. Relationship was the point. In those quieter, harder seasons, God is teaching us to seek Him for who He is, not merely how He makes us feel. And when His presence becomes clear again, it is sweeter, steadier, and more deeply rooted. He is shaping a heart that longs for Him above all else: Something we could never produce on our own. God’s hiddenness is not abandonment; it is invitation. He is stirring us up to rise above the mundane religious stuff many people erroneously think is the way of God. He draws us closer by teaching us to desire Him, not just His blessings. In the seeking, love deepens, and in His presence, the soul finds rest and restoration.
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