Daily Devotion
July 24, 2026
Zechariah 9:17 “For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!”
The enemy wants us to doubt God’s goodness. He works to plant a picture in people’s minds of a God who is angry, vengeful, uncaring, and hard to approach. One of the arguments people often make when they reject the Lord is that sometime in their life, they asked God for something, or wanted Him to do something, and He didn’t answer the way they expected. So, they wrote Him off as either nonexistent or mean and uncaring. But goodness is one of God’s unchanging attributes. Whether we understand His ways and choices or not, He is eternally good. Throughout the endless ages of heaven, His goodness will be displayed in the light of His grace toward hell-deserving sinners. The goodness of God is plainly seen in Jesus. Every aspect of His life reveals the loving-kindness and mercy of God toward people. The God of glory became one of us, and everywhere He went He touched lives, forgave sins, fed the hungry, sat down and ate with people, healed the sick, delivered the oppressed, and blessed those who came to Him. He was good to children, Roman soldiers, Jews, Gentiles, outcasts, and sinners alike. God wants us to know Him as He truly is—full of goodness and ready to hear and answer our prayers. There is no limit to His ability to hear us or to provide good things for His children. Because He knows all things, He also knows what is truly good for us and what is not. Most of us can look back and thank God for not answering certain prayers because, in time, we realized what the outcome would have been had He given us exactly what we wanted. Even His correction is an expression of His goodness as our heavenly Father. Without His loving discipline, the path we were on could have led to heartache and misery. May we never hesitate to bring every desire before Him. In His wisdom and love, He sorts through our wants and gives us what we truly need and what will ultimately bring us joy. Just as a five-year-old boy might ask his dad for a sharp knife for his birthday, a loving father knows that would not be good for him and instead gives him something more fitting. If earthly fathers strive to give good gifts to their children, how much more does our heavenly Father delight in giving what is best to those who ask Him? So, let us look to Him with faith and expectation, trusting that He will answer our prayers and do exceedingly abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think.
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July 23, 2026
Matthew 6:20-21 “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
If you listen to someone talk for a while, they will eventually reveal what they treasure. Our verse for today tells us that our heart and our treasure are found in the same place. Jesus also said in Matthew 12:34, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” What fills the heart will, sooner or later, find its way to the lips. Some people treasure anger and revenge. You can hear the bitterness in their words, and often their eyes, gestures, and whole demeanor reinforce the message they are speaking. Others become consumed with the government, current events, or political issues, and their words carry such intensity that they stir the same emotions in everyone who listens. Then there are those whose treasure is found in hobbies, sports, or favorite pastimes. They are walking encyclopedias of facts, statistics, and stories about the things they love. Some people treasure nothing but filthy garbage, and when they open their mouths, profanity, crude jokes, and immoral conversations reveal the prison of sin that still holds them captive. If you meet a grandparent whose treasure is their grandchildren, be prepared to see pictures and hear wonderful stories. Their excitement is contagious and may remind you of your own grandparents who loved and cherished you. Sadly, many people today seem to treasure themselves above everything else. They constantly talk about their own opinions, accomplishments, and experiences, whether anyone wants to hear them or not. The truth is that our hearts are inseparably connected to whatever we value most. We simply cannot help but talk about what we treasure. The Lord is not teaching that we should place little value on the blessings He has graciously given us. Instead, He is reminding us to keep everything in its proper place. Jesus said in Luke 12:31, “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” When we put God first and honor Him above every desire, possession, relationship, and ambition, our lives come into heavenly order. When we fail to do this, our priorities become upside down, and God is pushed to the bottom of the list instead of remaining on the throne of our hearts. Peter loved fishing. Before Jesus called him, fishing was his livelihood and his life. That is why the Lord asked him in John 21:15, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” Jesus was lovingly helping Peter put his priorities back in order. Perhaps we should pause today and ask ourselves that same searching question. As we look at everything that occupies our thoughts, time, and affection, may we honestly answer: What is my treasure?
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July 22, 2026
1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”
H.A. Ironside commented on this verse, “We cannot always be uttering words of prayer, but we can be in the attitude of prayer continuously; that is, we can always be in the spirit of dependence on God.” Those words beautifully capture what Paul meant. We may not always be speaking a prayer, but our hearts can remain turned toward the Lord throughout the day. This simple command reminds us to pray about everything and never give up. We read these words often, yet it is easy to become discouraged. Sometimes the answer doesn’t come as quickly as we hoped. At other times, the burden seems so great that we wonder how anything could ever change. There are even moments when the silence causes us to question whether God has heard us at all. The truth is that persistent prayer is one of the greatest battles of faith. Yet Jesus gives us every reason to keep praying. In Luke 11:9-10, He said, “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Those are not empty words. They are the promises of our Savior, who cannot lie. We live in a world of instant results. We expect packages to arrive in a day or two, messages to be answered within minutes, and information to appear with the touch of a screen. Waiting has become harder than ever. But God’s work has never been measured by our timetable. He answers every prayer according to His perfect wisdom, His perfect will, and His perfect timing. What seems like a delay to us is often God preparing something far better than we could imagine. Our confidence in prayer rests in the One to whom we pray. We know our Heavenly Father loves us. We know He hears every cry of His children. We know the Holy Spirit helps us when we do not know how to pray as we ought. And we know the promise of Jesus in John 14:13-14, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” Take a moment today to remember the prayers God has already answered. Recall the times when there seemed to be no way, yet He made a way. Open the Scriptures and read how He answered the prayers of His people again and again. The same faithful God still hears, still answers, and still keeps every promise. So don’t stop praying, for “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).
July 21, 2026
John 1:16 “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”
The word fulness means to be filled up, to have an abundant supply. In today’s verse, John declares the wonderful truth that everyone who comes to the Father through Christ receives from His inexhaustible fulness. Children often sing, “My cup is full and running over,” but how many of us truly live with the confidence that in Christ we possess an endless wellspring of God’s blessings? This fulness is closely related to the truth of Colossians 2:10, “And ye are complete in him.” The moment we are saved, we are made complete in Christ. His fulness is not something we gradually earn but an eternal gift freely given by God. While we are complete in Him, God’s purpose for our lives unfolds one step at a time. He has a unique will for each of His children, and His fulness equips us to accomplish that purpose as we grow in Him. John also tells us that we have received “grace for grace.” This speaks of grace upon grace, an unending supply of God’s favor, strength, and help. Like a river that never runs dry, His grace continually meets every need along the journey. Think about the Lord Jesus as an infant lying in the manger. Though He could not yet walk, speak, or perform the mighty works He would later accomplish, all the fulness of the Godhead already dwelt in Him. Likewise, when we are born again, we begin as babes in Christ, yet we are fully God’s children from that very moment. We may not yet be prepared for everything the Lord has planned, but He faithfully develops us through every season of life. His grace never runs out, and His fulness never diminishes. In His perfect timing, the fulness of Christ within us produces the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself is our example. Many religious voices surrounded Him, and countless temptations sought to divert Him from His mission, yet He remained fixed upon His Father’s will. He declared in John 6:38, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” Even as a boy, His heart was set on His Father’s purpose. When Mary and Joseph found Him in the temple, He simply said in Luke 2:49, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” As Christ delighted to do His Father’s will, so our desire should be to walk faithfully in His steps. The words, “And of his fulness have all we received,” are not a command to achieve something but a declaration of what God has already given us in Christ. Because we belong to Him, we can rest in the assurance that the One who filled us with His grace will also accomplish His eternal purpose in our lives.
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July 20, 2026
Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
After 66 books, 1,189 chapters, and more than 780,000 words, the Bible closes with a plea to all people. Today’s verse is one of the final invitations in Scripture. It does not tell us to strive for perfection, never make another mistake, or somehow prove ourselves worthy. It simply says, “Come,” three times, then invites anyone who thirsts to receive the water of life freely. Those words take us back to Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. In John 4:14 He said, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Later, in Revelation 21:6, He declared, “It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” It is the very same invitation our Lord extended in Matthew 11:28: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” For centuries, denominations and religions have labored to define their own formulas and convince people they possess the exclusive method of salvation. Yet the call of Jesus has never changed. It is simply, “Come and receive.” It is the loving invitation of a Father with outstretched arms calling a child He dearly loves and longs to have with Him forever. Yes, God is holy beyond our ability to describe. He is spotless, perfect, and glorious. Yet He does not shut us out because of our weaknesses, failures, or sinful condition. Instead, He calls us to Himself through His Son. Jesus Christ is the door to the Father, and everything we lack in holiness, goodness, and righteousness is freely provided through the miracle of the new birth. We do not have to keep mending our robes of righteousness, wash away our sins by good works, or continually measure ourselves against some human standard to remain His child. If salvation depended on our performance, not one person besides Jesus would ever enter heaven. The parable of the great supper in Luke 14 reminds us that the invitation first went to the Jews, but many refused it. Then God threw open the doors to all who would believe His promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ. That is our hope and the hope of our families. After revealing His purposes, recording His mighty works, and unfolding His plan of redemption from Genesis to Revelation, God closes His Word with one simple appeal. Trust what He has said. Believe His promise. Come to Him.
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July 19, 2026
Psalms 12:6 “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
You don’t have to know every verse in the Bible about salvation to trust the Lord to save you. You don’t even have to be able to quote the salvation verses. Some people have been gloriously saved by simply believing that Jesus died for them, having never heard of the “Roman Road.” For hundreds of years following the day of Pentecost, most people could not read, and even if they could, there was no Bible in their own language. Many had no church nearby and no regular ministers to teach them. They depended on what they were able to hear. Many learned Bible truths through symbols, paintings, and pictures that told the story of God’s Word. For centuries, churches displayed paintings and stained-glass windows that illustrated Bible accounts, helping people keep the knowledge of the Holy alive in their minds and hearts. God is not looking for people who know the Bible from cover to cover. He is looking for those who believe what they do know and are willing to trust Him with it. If we simply take what we already know from God’s Word and act on it by faith, it will become a foundation that will stand against the winds, the rains, and the floods. Our theme verse says, “The words of the LORD are pure words,” and they carry His eternal power behind them. Confess what you know is true in whatever circumstance you face, and stand upon it. When the enemy comes with his lies, answer him with the truth just as Jesus did. You don’t have to quote the whole Bible. Jesus didn’t. He spoke the truth that applied to the situation. If you don’t know a verse that fits your need, look one up. Use a topical Bible if necessary. Write it down, text it to yourself, memorize it, and repeat it often, because God’s Word never fails. When David faced Goliath, he didn’t have advanced weapons or military technology. All he had were a few smooth stones and a leather sling. He didn’t have the size, the experience, or an army standing behind him. He was a young shepherd, while seasoned soldiers stood frozen with fear before the giant. What David did have was faith that God could take a small boy with a small stone and accomplish what thousands of trained soldiers could not. Pick out a stone or two from God’s Word and place them in your pouch, just as David did. You don’t need a truckload of stones. Use what God has already given you. Throw it with confidence, aim straight at the enemy or the obstacle before you, and believe that God’s Word has power all by itself to accomplish what nothing else can.
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July 18, 2026
Isaiah 32:2 “And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”
These words have sometimes been attributed to King Hezekiah, a God-fearing king of Judah who did what was right and helped usher in a revival among God’s people. Yet in the context of this chapter, they point us to the safety and security we have in Jesus Christ—not only now as believers, but also in the coming day when He reigns as King over all the earth. Our Lord, the God-man, is our hiding place, our shelter, and our protection in every storm. Even when the enemy and his forces come against us like a driving rain, Jesus remains our peace and our assurance that every detail of our situation is well known to Him. Nothing escapes His notice, and nothing is beyond His control. We may see the signs that a storm is approaching, or one may come without warning, but nothing ever catches our God off guard. He has promised to be our refuge and our strength. When we first came to Christ, we had to learn this truth. Then came the first storm, and then another. With each one, the promises of God’s Word began to build our faith. We discovered that when the next storm arrived, no matter how fierce it seemed, our Lord was greater than the storm and would never fail us. People who do not know the Lord are much like our little dog, who is terrified every time a thunderstorm rolls in. The storm is so powerful that all she senses is her own helplessness. Fear quickly takes over because she has nothing to trust beyond what she sees and hears. By God’s grace, that is not our testimony. We are not victims of our circumstances because Jesus, the One who calmed the sea in Mark 4, is still in the boat with us. Just as the ark in Noah’s day could not sink because God had ordained its safety, so our lives are secure in Christ. For any storm to destroy us, God’s Word would have to fail, God Himself would have to become a liar, and Jesus would have to sink with us. None of those things can ever happen. Sometimes the Lord speaks before the storm ever reaches us. Sometimes He allows it to rage for a while before saying, “Peace, be still.” At other times, He simply walks with us through it until we come out on the other side soaking wet and a little battered, yet still standing. What a testimony that becomes of the God who walks with His children through the fire, in and out of the lions’ den, and safely through every raging storm.
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July 17, 2026
1 Kings 19:18 “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.”
In the days of the prophet Elijah, Israel had become consumed with idolatry. From King Ahab to the common people, the nation had forsaken the Lord and turned from His Word. When Elijah stood on Mount Carmel and confronted the 450 prophets of Baal, he stood alone against the false religion that had captured the hearts of the people. Then he challenged Israel to choose whom they would follow, Jehovah or Baal. The silence of the people revealed how far they had drifted from God. After this great victory, Queen Jezebel was determined to kill Elijah, and he fled for his life. He cried out to the Lord in 1 Kings 19:14, “I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” From Elijah’s perspective, faithful believers had disappeared from the land. Yet the Lord answered with the words of today’s verse, reminding His weary servant that he was not alone. God had preserved seven thousand in Israel who had never bowed the knee to Baal or honored him with a kiss. Though unseen by Elijah, the Lord had faithfully kept a remnant for Himself. Throughout Scripture, God has always preserved such a remnant. When the world was filled with violence before the flood, Noah and his family remained faithful while surrounded by rebellion. In Sodom, where wickedness cried out for judgment, Lot is called a righteous man in 2 Peter 2:8, and God delivered him before the city was destroyed. During Israel’s bondage in Egypt, when Pharaoh ordered every Hebrew baby boy to be killed, Moses’ parents trusted God and hid their son by faith. In every generation, no matter how dark the times became, the Lord preserved those who belonged to Him. Our own generation is no different. Sin is celebrated, truth is rejected, and unbelief seems to increase with each passing day. One sobering reminder of our nation’s moral condition is that although American currency bears the words, “In God We Trust,” studies have found that the overwhelming majority of paper money contains traces of cocaine. Everywhere we turn, immorality floods our streets, our screens, and our conversations. Job’s description still fits mankind: “How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?” (Job 15:16). Yet God still has His people. There remains a faithful remnant who love His Word, refuse to compromise, and quietly shine as lights in a dark world. We may feel outnumbered, but we are never alone. The Lord knows every heart that belongs to Him, and He is still preserving His people until Christ returns. When evil appears to be overwhelming, remember Elijah. What he could not see, God already knew. The Lord has always kept a faithful remnant, and He is doing so today. By His grace, may we remain among those who stand firmly for Christ, trust His promises, and faithfully await His glorious return.
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July 16, 2026
Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Someone once described the Christian life as a life of freedom and peace, yet at the same time a journey of pressing forward through this present world toward the eternal life to come. That thought fits well with Paul’s words in today’s passage. He speaks of forgetting what is behind, reaching forward, and pressing toward the mark. There is movement in the Christian life. We are not called to stand still or live in yesterday. The Apostle Paul was a highly educated man, both a Jew and a Roman citizen. He was a descendant of the tribe of Benjamin and trained as a Pharisee. By every earthly measure, he possessed the background, ability, and opportunity to become one of the most respected leaders among his people. Yet when Christ saved him, everything changed. Paul willingly turned away from all that once seemed valuable. As he wrote in Philippians 3:7, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.” That is often the only way we can truly move forward with the Lord. We must be willing to leave behind whatever keeps us from fully following Him. Sometimes that means letting go of past failures that still haunt us. Other times, it means releasing the successes, ambitions, and comforts that the world applauds. Jesus expressed this truth in Mark 8:35: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” At first, those words seem difficult to understand, but the Lord is teaching us that the life surrendered to Him is the life that is truly found. Paul could have enjoyed wealth, influence, and recognition. Instead, he chose the path of obedience, sacrifice, and suffering. From a worldly perspective, some might say he wasted his potential. Heaven tells a very different story. Paul fulfilled God’s purpose for his life and received a reward that no earthly honor could ever equal. When Paul tells us to forget those things which are behind, he is speaking of more than our sins and failures. We must also leave behind the things this world prizes so highly. Like a runner leaning toward the finish line, we keep our eyes fixed on Christ and continue pressing forward. Jesus reminded the covetous Pharisees in Luke 16:15, “For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” The things of this world are temporary, but the treasures of our Savior are eternal. May we live each day with one desire—to faithfully press toward the mark until we hear those precious words, “Well done.”
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July 15, 2026
Psalms 85:8 “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints”.
The Words of the Lord to a fallen, sinful world are that there will be a day of reckoning, but we do not have to go the way that leads to destruction. There is hope. On the one hand, whether we like it or not, believe it or not, or preach it or not, nothing can change the truth that God will judge sin. His holiness demands it, and His justice cannot be ignored. We protect our little children from dangerous household items and anything else that might harm them. We stay away from brown recluse spiders and rattlesnakes because we know the danger they present. Yet some become offended when the Lord lovingly warns us that sin will slowly deteriorate our lives before it ultimately destroys us. God’s warnings are never given to rob us of joy but to keep us from needless heartache. At the same time, in the very message declaring that “the wages of sin is death,” come the wonderful words, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Yes, people need to hear about the danger of sin, but let that never be the only message they hear. They also need the comfort of knowing the Lord and the peace that comes from being safe and secure in the salvation purchased at the cross. People see hopelessness every day. They hear bad news from every direction. They struggle with family problems, financial burdens, physical weakness, and the ordinary pressures of life. Many are suffering from sickness and disease. Others quietly battle depression, anxiety, loneliness, or fear. Into all of that darkness, today’s verse reminds us that the Lord will speak peace unto His people. That is the heart of our Heavenly Father. He does not delight in seeing anyone overcome by sorrow or enslaved by sin. He desires to see lives changed, hearts restored, and His children walking in the joy and hope that only He can give. Our part is to offer others words of encouragement, words of help and healing, and point them to the Savior. James 2:16 reminds us that it is easy to look at people in need, offer a few religious words such as, “Be ye warmed and filled,” and then walk away without meeting their need. But Isaiah 40:1 says, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.” The Lord wants us to take every opportunity to speak the comforting words of His truth, lift up the name of Jesus, and remind people that His mercy is still available today. He is still speaking peace, mercy, forgiveness, and hope to all who will hear His voice.
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July 14, 2026
Proverbs 16:2 “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.”
The Hebrew word translated as “spirits” here, in this context, refers to our inner disposition, attitudes, and motives. It describes the desires and influences within us that move us to do what we do. Law enforcement officers and the courts often try to understand motives when investigating a crime because motives can play an important part in determining guilt and passing judgment. Juries also look for motives when weighing the evidence, and when no clear motive exists, especially in cases built on circumstantial evidence, doubt is often created. The Lord sees everything we do, but He is not only looking at our actions. He is looking deep within us to understand what causes us to make our choices. Psalm 139:1 declares, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.” The all-knowing, all-seeing eyes of God understand every detail about us. Jeremiah 17:10 says He searches the heart and tries the reins. A closer look at these two words helps us understand exactly what God is examining. The heart comes from the Hebrew word leb and refers to our mind, conscience, understanding, thoughts, knowledge, and will. The reins comes from the Hebrew word kilyah, which literally means kidneys, but figuratively refers to the deepest part of our emotions and affections. It is the place of our greatest love and compassion, but also our deepest hatred, anger, and bitterness. The Lord is telling us that He knows the motives behind everything we do. He knows what causes us to act as we do, speak as we do, and make the decisions we make. He knows when our motives are contaminated by self-will, pride, jealousy, revenge, or any other influence of the flesh. He also knows when our actions flow from compassion, mercy, forgiveness, kindness, and grace. The troubling reality is that we do not always know our own motives. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” That truth is reinforced by today’s verse: “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes.” Our sinful nature does not like to admit when we are wrong, when our opinions are mistaken, or when our motives are selfish. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit stands ready to reveal what God already sees. He faithfully exposes our hidden attitudes and helps us correct our thinking and purify our motives. He desires to direct our paths so that we not only do what is right, but do it with honesty, humility, and integrity. May the Holy Spirit help us not only follow the ways of the Lord, but also follow them for the right reasons.
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July 13, 2026
Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”
In Genesis 1:1, creation began in a state of chaos and darkness until God said, “Let there be light.” Throughout the Scriptures, darkness and light become the great symbols of evil and good. Satan is the epitome of darkness, while Jesus is the Light of the world. Today’s verse comes from a passage contrasting the ways of wickedness and death with those of righteousness and life. Verse 19 says, “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble,” while our verse declares that the path of those who follow the Lord is one of shining light. The difference between these two paths is found in Psalm 119:130, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” No matter what the world claims about knowledge, wisdom, truth, human reason, or progress, 1 John 5:19 reminds us that “the whole world lieth in wickedness,” and wickedness is always darkness. Jesus, the Word made flesh, said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Apart from Christ, every person walks life’s path in uncertainty, confusion, deception, and under the wages of sin, which is death. They are shrouded by the curse, enslaved to the flesh, and without hope beyond this life. They face sorrow, sickness, heartache, and death without the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Like an automobile speeding down a dark highway without headlights, they stumble toward a destination they cannot see. The life of the Apostle Paul illustrates these two paths. Before his conversion, he was deeply religious, highly educated, respected, and headed toward a life of honor. Yet by his own testimony, he was walking in unbelief and therefore in darkness. Then he met Christ. In Acts 26:13, he testified, “At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun.” Later, in verse 18, the Lord revealed Paul’s mission: to “open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.” The path we walk with God gives us hope and assurance that no matter how dark or uncertain the world becomes, the Lord is holding our hand, directing our steps, protecting us from evil, and safely leading us home. During the plagues of Egypt, when darkness covered the land so completely that the Egyptians could not see before them, there was light in the homes of God’s people. The darkness around us today is just as real. It is frightening to those without Christ. But we not only walk in the light, but we are also called to be the light of the world. May we shine more and more each day as faithful witnesses of His glory and grace.
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July 12, 2026
Matthew 27:13-14 “Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly”
There are times when we should answer the attacks and accusations made against us. We can read Paul’s thoughtful defenses in Acts 23-26 after he returned to Jerusalem and was confronted by those who opposed both him and the gospel of Christ. Yet notice that none of his words secured his freedom. Instead, they set the stage for his journey to Rome, where, sometime later, he was martyred by the wicked Caesar Nero along with many other faithful Christians. Jesus gives us wisdom concerning those times when we must speak for ourselves. Matthew 5:37 says, “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” There is much wisdom in simply answering truthfully and resisting the temptation to become entangled in endless arguments or desperate attempts to prove our innocence. Once we have spoken the truth, we can leave our defense in the Lord’s hands. In the account before us, Jesus knew every accusation being made against Him was false. Pilate was likely accustomed to hearing prisoners plead their case, protest their innocence, and blame their accusers. Jesus did none of that. He stood silent, reserved, and majestic. His confidence rested in His Father, not in His ability to persuade Pilate. We can waste an enormous amount of time and emotional strength worrying about what people think or say about us. It is easy to become consumed with trying to set the record straight and clear our name. It is especially painful when people unite against us, spread gossip, stir up social media, or treat us as though we are the enemy. Yet the Lord is faithful in His friendship and care for His children. He knows the truth even when others refuse to see it. If correction is needed, He is faithful to bring it in love for our good. But when we are falsely accused, treated unkindly, or slandered, He is fully able to defend and vindicate us in His own time. There are moments when our greatest act of faith is to stand still, keep silent, and let the Lord fight our battles. He knows every heart, hears every word, sees every trap laid against us, and knows how to deliver His people while dealing with those who oppose them. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:12-13, “being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat.” Jesus had a mission far greater than answering His critics. He would not allow the voices of His enemies to distract Him from pleasing His Father. Neither should we allow criticism, gossip, or rejection to consume the time and energy that ought to be spent loving our families, serving others, and walking through the doors God opens before us. The Lord will never forget His own, nor will He leave us defenseless when the world raises its voice against us.
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July 11, 2026
Isaiah 33:17 “Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.”
This is a wonderful verse. In its primary sense, it speaks of Hezekiah, who is considered one of the greatest and most faithful kings of Judah. Yet in its eternal meaning, it points us prophetically to the day when Jesus, the King of Kings, will appear, and we shall be with Him forever. How do we keep this heavenly view when we are surrounded by things that are only temporary? After all, we cannot spend our days staring into the heavens thinking about Gloryland. We have precious families to love, responsibilities to fulfill, and the Lord has given us many good things to enjoy on this side of eternity. Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. once said, “Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.” While that statement has often been repeated, there is truth in it. The Lord never intended for us to become so consumed with the hereafter that we neglect the present. The Scriptures, however, give us the balance of godly wisdom. Colossians 3:1-2 says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” We are told to seek the unseen by intentionally directing our hearts toward Christ through worship, desire, and daily fellowship with Him. Then we are to set our affection on things above by continually thinking about eternity. Someone summarized these verses with two simple words: “seek and think.” When we do this, we begin to assign everything around us its true value in light of eternity. Jesus said in Matthew 6:19, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.” Unless we keep an eternal perspective, temporary things will quietly worm their way into our hearts and provide tinder for the fires of covetousness. How many people have sacrificed their families, their futures, and their peace by becoming consumed with what will soon pass away? King David traded years of sorrow for a few moments of sinful pleasure. The price was far greater than the pleasure. A daily reckoning helps keep our hearts in balance. It takes only a moment to remind ourselves that everything we see, touch, and possess is temporary. Then we should lift our eyes heavenward and confess with the saints of old, as Hebrews 11:13-14 says, “These all died in faith… confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth… they seek a country.” May we never lose sight of that better country while faithfully serving Christ in this one.
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July 10, 2026
Psalm 139:8-10, “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”
Psalm 139 is both declarations, and a prayer. David begins by acknowledging that the Lord knows him completely. “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.” He closes with the willing invitation, “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” Between those two statements is the comforting assurance that every detail of our lives is safely in God’s hands. The Lord knows us far better than we know ourselves. He understands our thoughts before they fully form in our minds. He knows the words we are about to speak before we ever speak them. Nothing is hidden from Him: No burden He overlooks, and no circumstance that escapes His attention. The Bible says He is acquainted with all our ways. That truth should not fill us with fear but with confidence because the One who knows us perfectly also loves us completely. David then reminds us that there is nowhere we can go where God is absent. Whether we rise to the heights or descend into the depths, whether life carries us to distant places or into seasons of overwhelming sorrow, the Lord is already there. Better still, He is not merely present as an observer. He is actively leading us and holding us. “Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” His right hand speaks of His strength and power, and His hold reminds us that He does not let go of those who belong to Him. Sometimes the most difficult times we face are not caused by others but by our own poor decisions. Even then, God never abandons His children. David understood both great victories and painful failures, yet he could still declare, “Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee.” Our darkest moments do not hide us from the Lord, nor do they diminish His mercy toward those who humbly seek Him. The enemy delights in whispering that God has forgotten us, that we have failed too many times, or that we must somehow find our own way back. Those accusations are nothing more than lies. God’s Word tells a different story. Romans 8:38-39 reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Whatever path you are walking today, remember this simple promise from Psalm 139: the Lord sees you, He knows you, His hand is leading you, and His strong right hand is securely holding you. You are never beyond His reach and never outside His loving care.
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July 9, 2026
Mark 12:33 “And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
I don’t know about your particular situation, but it seems the warmth of neighborly relationships has cooled considerably. While we may throw up a hand to a passing neighbor, most of us are busy with our routines and have little time to forge stronger bonds with the people around us. When I was a kid, my dad was forever stopping to pick up people who were hitchhiking or having car trouble to give them a ride. It was a normal thing in those days. But now, because of lawlessness and the fear of what might happen, we shudder at the thought of giving a stranger a lift. Our world is one where you may feel safer carrying your concealed handgun and avoiding contact with people you don’t know, or even those you don’t know very well. If we break it down to where it all begins, God’s plan was for us to learn love, along with all its accompanying qualities such as respect, honor, and kindness, in the home. There, parents would set the standard for their children, who would internalize what they saw, heard, and felt in the interactions between their father and mother. Then they would know how to love when it came their turn. When the Lord told husbands to love and honor their wives as Christ loves His church, and wives to love and honor their husbands, He did so because it is the will of God. It also provides the example children need and neighbors should see. Studies show people are starving for love, and when the world cannot find genuine love, it usually substitutes lust, which only increases lawlessness, and love loses in the fray of that battle. For some time now, many children have grown up in homes filled with negativity, verbal abuse, and dysfunction. They are often raised in single-parent or blended families, caught in the middle of custody battles and parental mind games. Some become objects of warfare in a struggle for control between separated or divorced parents. Where is love in all this carnage? It may be claimed by one or more people, but it cannot be seen or developed in such chaos. Children miss precious opportunities during the critical stages of life to experience the security and comfort loving relationships provide. Hungry for the love they never received, many repeat the same cycle as adults. This is a world of insults, hypercriticism, and growing lawlessness, fulfilling the prophecy of 2 Timothy 3:2-4. In all that mess of wrongdoing, there is little place left for love.
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July 8, 2026
Psalms 25:15 “Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.”
Physical vision is used as a metaphor for spiritual sight, and in today’s verse, our attention is towards the Lord: My eyes always look to Jesus. It reminds us of Hebrews 12:1-2: “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the Syrian army, and Elisha’s servant was panicked. His eyes saw the great enemy with their powerful weapons, and he was certain he and Elisha had no hope. But Elisha looked to the Lord and prayed, “LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.” The Bible says, “And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” The servant’s natural eyes could not see the supernatural world around them, but God gave him the ability to see more of the scene. The army of the Lord was ready and waiting to deliver them. It’s strange how quick we are to forget that the Lord is always with us, the angels of the Lord are encamped around us, and God is always at work, helping us to be victorious in every circumstance. Today’s verse says the Lord will “pluck my feet out of the net,” and it’s a picture of how nets were used to capture enemies and hunted animals. The net is anything in this life that can trap us, entangle us in our journey, or stop us from following the Lord. When our eyes are on Jesus, there is safety and protection from the enemy and his devices. Many of you reading this right now can think of times when the Lord delivered you, protected you, and kept you from disaster. The danger was real, but so was the power of God, working all things for your good. God will always either remove the danger, lead us around or away from it, or walk with us through it. Our part is to fear no evil, for He is with us. The Lord sees us where we are, He knows our needs, and He will never surrender His children into the hands of this world. My prayer is, “Lord, help me always look to You, no matter the situation. Both in the good times and in times of trials, give me that heavenly vision so that I may truly see”.
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July 7, 2026
1 Timothy 1:14 “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
In the verses before this one, the Apostle Paul spoke about his life before his conversion. He says that he was disobedient to God, a blasphemer, and caused Christians a lot of pain and suffering. But the grace, faith, and love of Christ Jesus changed him. And, not just grace, but the scriptures here describe it as abundant grace, a word meaning to flood over. Grace that is more than enough to completely cover all our sins. That’s my thought today for this July 7th, my birthday. Looking back at seven decades, God’s grace is the only way my journey makes sense. The words of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” keep running through my mind when I remember that there has never been a moment when He wasn’t there, and never a situation He didn’t foresee and already have a way of escape. There was never a dumb choice I made that He didn’t help me through the consequences, never a dark night of uncertainty that He didn’t appear as my light and hope, and never a point of weakness when I thought I couldn’t go another step but He came to my rescue. And for all the times my earthly friends turned away and wrote me off as if there was no help for me in God, He came with comfort, unconditional love, and proved to be a friend that’s closer than a brother. I can look around and see that there are people who seem to be running the race better and faster, but that’s not the point because we’re all just a testimony that only grace is leading us on. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am”, and he says that even though he was not worthy to be an Apostle of Jesus, God’s grace prevailed. And, because of God’s grace, he was counted among the servants of our Lord. Again, I declare that on my birthday, this I know: my friends and family will always love me and pray for me. My enemies, who know nothing of the grace of God, will continually wonder why the Lord hasn’t already killed me. And the God of Heaven and Earth, who bought me with the blood of Jesus, will always be faithful, kind, and compassionate to me because that’s who He is. Grace, abundant and running over, faith, and love unspeakable, is what we can expect.
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July 6, 2026
Hebrews 9:12 “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
If we all look back to the beginning of our new birth, there is a truth we should have settled early, and that is the offering of Jesus as our sacrifice sealed God’s plan and purpose for us once and for all eternity. The amazing truth is that we received this eternal salvation as a gift from God, not by any merit, action, or ability on our part. Once the miracle of the new birth is received, it is complete and can never be reversed. Consider the words of Colossians 2:10, “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power,” where the word complete means crammed full, satisfied, and finished. It reveals that our standing with God is lacking in nothing and is not some state of gradual development. Knowing the completeness that God freely gave us, as declared in John 1:16, “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace,” removes so much confusion and uncertainty. Thank God, it is never too late to boldly receive this truth as the Word declares it and walk forward from that day completely blessed, eternally saved, and fully qualified. Everything Christ accomplished through His finished work is included in this wonderful gift. The suffering of Jesus, including His stripes, His unthinkable agony on the cross, His willing surrender of His life, His precious fountain of blood, His burial, His descent into hell, and His glorious resurrection, was all for us and secured our total forgiveness of sins—past, present, and future. It also imputed complete righteousness and justification, making us heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. Included in this wonderful gift is healing for body, soul, and spirit, freedom from the bondage of sin and the flesh, victory over all the power of the enemy, and all the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Part of this fullness is the infilling of the Holy Spirit, completing the prophecy of Immanuel, “God with us.” This was true not only when He walked among us as Jesus of Nazareth, but every second of every day as our Lord is with us, tabernacled within us. We are redeemed to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), spotless, sanctified, wrapped in God’s favor (1 John 4:17), qualified, and confident (Philippians 1:6). This bold faith in the truth of who we are as children of the Almighty, and all the blessings that accompany our salvation, brings peace and destroys anxiety because it establishes our security in everything concerning us. As 1 John 3:2 declares, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.”
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July 5, 2026
Hebrews 4:2 “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”
Our faith is established and strengthened as described in Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” This is not just saving faith, but all faith is built upon the foundation of God’s Holy Word. Faith is never rooted in emotions, circumstances, personalities, or experiences. It is rooted in what God has spoken. His Word is the solid ground beneath our feet when everything around us is uncertain. When we take the Word of God into us, we are eating His flesh and drinking His blood. John 6:56 says, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.” We are feeding upon Christ Himself through His living Word. The victory of faith is always found in “thus saith the Word of God,” not in us grabbing or slamming people while screaming, “In the name of Jesus,” expecting that to be the sword of the Spirit. It is not our words, our commands, our track record, or our accolades that get results. It is faith in what God has said. Even then, because of our innate unbelief and our prideful, faithless flesh, moving big mountains requires the big dynamite that includes prayer and fasting. The Bible says in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you,” where the Greek word for “power” is dunamis, the root word for dynamite, dynamo, and dynamic. God has provided everything necessary for spiritual victory, but He expects us to exercise faith through obedience instead of empty religious routine. Just as saying, “Be ye warmed and filled,” to someone needing food and clothing without doing what is needed is dead faith (James 2:16-17), saying, “I’ll be praying for you,” to someone living in torment and terror can become just another routine Christian cliché if we never actually pray. If we are going to be guilty of something, let us be guilty of taking people’s mountains seriously and applying the Lord’s teaching by rooting our faith in God’s Word while practicing the hard-core basics of prayer and fasting. The promise is that the mountains will move, and nothing shall be impossible. We have His Word on it.
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July 4, 2026
Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Often, the theme of the 4th of July is, “Let freedom ring.” As believers here in America, we balance our two freedoms, for we are doubly free: our freedom as Americans and our freedom in Jesus Christ. The churches we often attended displayed both the American flag and the Christian flag side by side. We all knew, because we had been taught, the differences and the similarities between the two. The Christian flag represented the Lord Jesus, His cross, and the great personal sacrifice He made to give us freedom from sin and its wages, death. Each time we looked at it, and sometimes in unison said a pledge to what it stood for, we proclaimed our citizenship in a heavenly land that is fairer than day and, by faith, we could see it afar. It stood for freedom that only comes through faith in Jesus Christ. When we, again in unison, said our pledge to the American flag, we did so remembering the sacrifice and blood given by those before us so that we could live in this great nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all. In our hearts and minds, we never confused the two because we knew we enjoyed dual citizenship and dual freedoms: living now in one great, free, and blessed country, but headed for another so wonderful that words fail us to describe it. As I have said in previous 4th of July devotions, I still remember when I was a little boy riding my bicycle to the 4th of July parade in Kingsport. Even though I couldn’t explain exactly what was happening when the honor guards and military processions walked by carrying the flag, something of respect and thankfulness rose up in my heart that even a boy of ten or twelve could experience. It affected me emotionally, and I had chill bumps on my arms. I was proud to be an American, and I still am. When I see those despising our flag and trashing our country, I wonder what has happened and how they can be so blinded. They are clueless as to how we would be forced to live if our great freedoms were taken away. In the same way, when the God who made us and gave us our freedom through the death of His Son is ridiculed on every level of our nation, and His Word is dishonored even by those ordained to uphold it, it makes us stop and think, how did we get to where we continually blaspheme the only One who has shown us how to love one another by demonstrating it Himself? I don’t have a problem honoring both our flag and our American heritage while also honoring our great God in heaven. As today’s verse says, we stand in liberty.
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July 3, 2026
Acts 8:5-6 “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did”
After Jesus ascended back to heaven, the church began in Jerusalem with a great revival. The Holy Spirit came, three thousand people were saved, and miracles happened. But it was only a short time until great persecution arose, and opposition to the gospel caused people to rise against Christians with violence. They stoned Stephen to death in Acts 7, and Saul began going door to door arresting believers, killing some, and putting others in prison. The church at Jerusalem was scattered as the believers fled the violence, and it looked as though what had started with great power and victory was ending in defeat. Perhaps they were confused, wondering why the Lord was allowing the enemy to push them away from the place where they had first received the Holy Spirit and entered into the joy of fellowship with other believers. But today’s verse shows us what was really happening. God was beginning the spread of the gospel in fulfillment of the words Jesus spoke before He returned to heaven: Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” God was allowing them to be forced out of their starting place in Jerusalem so they would carry the message of Christ throughout the surrounding regions. What looked like a terrible thing was really the providence of the Lord leading them to greater blessings. Philip may have been discouraged when he had to leave Jerusalem, where there had been such a great revival and sweet fellowship with other believers. But that disappointment was soon replaced with joy when he carried the good news of Christ into Samaria, a place the Jews had long condemned as idolatrous and heathen, and saw the Samaritans turn to the Lord. It can be painful and confusing when God allows us to be pushed out of a place that seemed like the very spot where we would spend the rest of our lives. Yet we belong to Him, and He has a purpose designed to use our talents and abilities to further His work and take us where He wants us to be. Joseph was happy and content at home with his multicolored coat and parents who loved him dearly. But God’s plan included years of hardship before bringing him to Egypt, where he became part of the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. Joseph was thrust out of his place of comfort into what seemed like years of chaos and pain until the Lord exalted him as a ruler over Egypt. When we are forced out of our comfort zones, may we look to God, remembering that He is always in control, and may we say with Isaiah, “Here am I; send me.”
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July 2, 2026
1 Peter 1:4 “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you”
One of the final promises to us in the Bible is found in Revelation 21:7, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” We are usually so absorbed in the circles of everyday life that this verse has little meaning or impact on us. But when we step back and look at the big picture, the brevity of life, and the fact that all we see and know will someday soon end, we begin to understand the depth of God’s promise of a heavenly inheritance. All the things that God made, all that exists in His creation, were first made for His pleasure and then promised to us as an incorruptible inheritance. Throughout endless eternity, it will remain uncontaminated by sin and decay, free from anything that would change or diminish its perfection, and it will never fade in its beauty and glory. Sometimes we misunderstand what we will receive as a reward for our good works. Such rewards will come from the evaluation at the judgment seat of Christ, where any crowns given will be in honor of our Lord Jesus, to whom all glory is due for anything we have done for His name. Those rewards will also determine the measure of our service to Him during the millennium. The new heavens, the new earth, and all that belongs to them are not an inheritance based on our works but are ours because we are the adopted children of God. One of the clearest verses revealing this truth points to Abraham, the father of faith, in Galatians 3:18: “For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” Sadly, heaven does not seem real to many people, and they cannot look forward with joy to the day we enter into the treasures the Lord has purposed and provided for us. Even the words of Jesus in St. John 14:2, “I go to prepare a place for you,” were not spoken merely to comfort us at the graveside of a loved one. They are the reality and substance of what everything, from the beginning of time throughout eternity, is all about. God chose to create us so that we might inherit all things. It all lies beyond Calvary, beyond the empty tomb, beyond all our ideas of religion, and beyond our obsessions with the here and now, which will soon pass away. We have eternal life, a glorious new heaven and new earth, and a permanent city so spectacular there are no words to fully describe it. There will be singing and everlasting joy, and forever we will be with the God who purposed us, created us, redeemed us, and made us His heirs.
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July 1, 2026
Jeremiah 17:2 “Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills”
Faith in God and His Word is something the Lord intended to be handed down from parents to their children and so on. He spoke to Moses in Deuteronomy 6:6-7, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” The children would remember these things, and the truth of the Lord would become the foundation upon which they would raise their own children. Yet the Jews did not follow the Lord, forsook His ways, and worshiped false gods. This is the meaning of today’s verse. When the children looked back on their childhood, they did not remember their dads and moms bowing to Jehovah God, walking in His ways, and honoring Him. Instead, they remembered being taken to the altars and worship places of the demonic gods of Israel’s apostasy. Likewise, most children of our generation are not being raised in God’s house by Spirit-filled parents who visibly, and in their presence, have a personal, consistent relationship with Jesus Christ. Prayer is non-existent in many homes, and Bible study never occurs. Parents do not live by God’s principles, and the things of the Lord are not the foundation of the family. Children learn by example to lie, cheat, slander, curse, show disrespect, argue, fight, and ignore Almighty God unless it is to take His name in vain. If there is any church attendance, it is often just an exercise in religion where the whole family cannot wait until it is over so they can return to their godless routines. Church is just like a costume people put on every once in a while, to pretend they’re something they’re not. Many dads are immersed in pornography, sports, and craft beer. Moms are driven by careers and wine, while children are raised by whatever is streaming on their TVs and phones. When these children look back on their childhood, what they will remember has nothing to do with God, the power of the Holy Spirit, or honor for the Word of God. There will be no memories of Dad and Mom honoring the Bible and praying together with the family. They will not remember parents or grandparents kneeling beside their beds, crying out to God for the souls of their children and grandchildren. No memories will exist of the Holy Spirit moving family members to repentance or the Lord miraculously changing lives. Children will never know the peace, unity, respect, and love that Jesus brings into a home. Worst of all, judgment will take them by surprise because no one ever told them it was coming—or if they did hear it, they refused to believe it.
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