January 31, 2026
Romans 5:3-5 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
When a trial comes, we can look at it from two viewpoints: We can see it with our own understanding, or we can see it as declared by today’s verses. Our own understanding will leave us anxious and confused. The other, though not painless, will build patience and hope. As our faith grows, we begin to recognize that the tests we face are not random but circumstances God has allowed for our good. Nothing reaches us unless it first passes through His will. We often repeat familiar phrases during hard seasons: “God is in control,” or “He’s working all things together for good.” Those statements are true, but they are meant to be more than comfort sayings. They are truths to be believed, spoken, and stood upon while we wait. Confessing the Word is not denial of reality; it is faith taking its stand. When our words drift toward fear, “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” or “Why does this always happen to me?”, we are quietly surrendering ground the Word has already claimed for us. God has said He is for us. Faith agrees with Him, even when emotions think otherwise. With time, and with scars to prove it, we can look back and see how the Lord carried us through earlier trials. Strength was increased. Faith was proven, and gratitude followed. But Scripture calls us further than gratitude after the fact. It speaks of joy in the middle of the trial. That kind of joy doesn’t come from ignoring reality; it comes from confidence. A believer who knows the Lord can do nothing but good, even when in pain, can rejoice while still enduring. Faith allows them to see the outcome before it arrives. The Bible tells us this confidence rests in the love of God being “shed abroad” in our hearts. The phrase speaks of something poured out fully, not measured or restrained. It seems almost impossible to imagine that kind of assurance when trials are sharp, disruptive, or frightening. Human reasoning can’t produce it. Faith can. Faith knows that even when the process hurts, the hand guiding it is loving and trustworthy. This kind of faith brings us to a place of surrender to God’s will. It lays everything at the feet of Jesus: Our plans, our abilities, our ambitions, our future, and holds nothing back. It bows before Him and says, “You are Lord of all.” That prayer may sound simple, but it costs us something. It admits that we do not always understand His ways, yet we trust His heart. “Here I am,” it says. “Do with me as You will, and give me grace to receive it with joy.”
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January 30, 2026
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
The Lord doesn’t think like we do, and He doesn’t act like we do. We think from the ground up, from our limited knowledge and our short lifespans. God thinks and reasons from eternity down. Our thoughts are shaped by time, emotion, fear, memory, and experience. His thoughts are shaped by holiness, wisdom, and perfect knowledge. That distance is not small. Isaiah says it is the distance between earth and heaven. We often try to shrink that gap, imagining that God sees things as we do, feels things as we do, or reacts the way we would. We picture God as a person like us, and we expect Him to see things and act on them from a human perspective. Scripture says otherwise. Even when God became a man, He did not begin to think like men think. Jesus Christ took on flesh, but He did not take on fallen reasoning. He walked among us, yet His mind was never governed by impulse, pride, or self-preservation. “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). That is not how we naturally think. Our instinct is to protect and promote ourselves. His was to obey. Consider how Jesus responded to pressure. When misunderstood, He did not scramble to explain Himself. When wronged, He did not rush to defend His reputation. “When he was reviled, reviled not again” (1 Peter 2:23). That silence was not weakness; it was divine restraint. His thoughts were higher because His purpose was higher. The Lord’s ways also confound us because they do not follow human logic. He brings life through death (John 12:24). He displays strength through weakness (Judges 7:2). He corrects His children not to crush them, but to help them by conforming them. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Revelation 3:19). We would avoid pain. God uses it for a greater purpose. This truth should bless us. When God delays, He is not careless. When He says no, He is not cruel. When His path feels unfamiliar, it is because it is higher, not because it is wrong. “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness” (Job 5:13). Our clever plans often collapse so that His better purpose can stand. Faith grows strong when we stop demanding that God think like us, act like us, and we start trusting that He does not because He is God, Lord of heaven and earth, and perfect in all His ways.
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January 29, 2026
John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
When Jesus spoke these words, He was not only pointing us to His sacrificial death on the cross. He was also teaching us that self-sacrifice is the highest mark of true friendship. In Mark 2, the Bible tells us about a man who was paralyzed and unable to get himself to the house where Jesus was teaching. The story is remarkable not only because of the miracle, but because this man had four friends who refused to leave him behind. When they arrived and could not get him through the crowd, they carried him up to the roof, made an opening, and lowered him down into the room where Jesus was. The Bible tells us that Jesus healed him, and the man who had been paralyzed stood up, took the bed, some kind of pallet or stretcher, and walked away. It is a beautiful account of compassion, persistence, grace, hope, and divine power. Yet one detail is often overlooked: the loving care and genuine friendship shown by those four men. We are not told whether they were relatives, neighbors, or lifelong companions. What we do know is that they cared enough to put their own lives on hold for someone who could not help himself. They could have seen the crowd and decided it was pointless to go any further. Instead, they found a way. Somehow, they carried him up the stairs or a ladder to the roof, without further injuring or killing the man, and took the bold step of opening someone else’s roof, lowering him down so Jesus could see him. What a picture of friendship and teamwork. Some people may not even take the time to pray for us, let alone do what these four men did. Real friends, however, stand with us. They celebrate our joys, encourage us in weakness, and when the moment demands it, they willingly sacrifice their time, strength, and resources to help us through hard seasons. They put their own plans on pause. As this verse teaches, they lay their lives down in the name of love. The Bible does not tell us the rest of the healed man’s story, but we know this much: the faith of his friends, faith that moved them to action, made a life-changing difference. We are often given opportunities to be that kind of friend, to show love not only with words, but with deeds. Jesus said this is the greatest kind of love. It’s love that’s proven by sacrifice.
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January 28, 2026
Acts 17:28 “For in him we live, and move, and have our being”
This verse tells us where we came from, what keeps us alive, and where we get the ability to do what we do: God is the only reason. Most people in the world don’t recognize the Lord as the source of these things. Our consciousness, our daily routines, and the way we consider ourselves and the world around us are mostly self-centered, not God-centered. Even as believers, it’s easy to drift from the truth of God’s Word and live as if God is merely our helper, an answer when we have tried everything else, or heaven’s 911 dispatcher when we’re in trouble. It’s hard to clear our minds and absorb the weight of this truth: we exist because God made us, and He made us individually. We continue to live, as does everything on this planet, because God keeps it all going. Every ability we have, to do what we do, think what we think, and carry on the ordinary motions of living, is given to us by God. So much for the foolish chant of the world, “It’s my life, and I’ll do what I want,” as if we are the source and somehow own ourselves and our existence. The Bible says in Romans 1:21-22, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” The words “In him we live…” have sometimes been translated as because of him, through him, or by his power. While those phrases are true, they still fall short of the full meaning. The simple words “in him” bring God and His creation together, up close and personal. Phrases like “because of him” or “by his power” can acknowledge His greatness and authority while still keeping Him at a distance. But Scripture tells us His eye is on the sparrow, and He knows the number of hairs on our heads. All of creation responds to Him. Every atom in our bodies, every spark in our neurons, and every breath we take exists because God wills it to be so. How is it that we become spiritually numb to our connection to our Creator, our Sustainer, and the only reason for our existence? The depth of our unbelief, and the foolish, selfish wickedness of our human frame, is both astonishing and sobering. When God is declared to be the Creator of all things and the Sustainer of all He has made, He is rightly honored as the Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and all that is therein. Can you testify with me today, “In Him I live, I move, and I have my being”? Hallelujah!
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January 27, 2026
2 Corinthians 1:12 “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”
How many times have you started something that seemed simple, only to wish later that you had never begun it at all? Often, it’s because we cannot see the details of what’s involved at the start. As we move forward, what once looked easy becomes messy, complicated, and far more demanding than we expected. It can be the same with our Christian Walk: What God intended as blessed, joyful, and satisfying can become something that’s not our Father’s will. In today’s verse, the apostle Paul said he rejoiced because he had lived his life with simplicity and godly sincerity. The Greek word translated simplicity is haplotēs, and it carries the idea of doing what is right with a sincere, straightforward heart, unmixed with hypocrisy or deception. Some translations render it honesty, but the word simplicity paints a fuller picture. Paul is saying his life and ministry were free from hidden motives and unnecessary complications, and that transparency gave him peace of conscience before God. This matters because how we live is how we represent the Lord. Our words and actions bear witness to the grace we have received. God gave us the gospel through Jesus Christ and presented it as a simple offer: Jesus took our place, and God forgives and saves those who trust in Him. What took place on God’s side of redemption is deep beyond human understanding, and perhaps one day, when we see Him face to face, we will grasp it more fully. But in how it is offered to sinners, the message is wonderfully plain. Acts 16 records the Philippian jailer asking, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas answered with simplicity: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” No layers. No formulas. No added conditions. Yet somehow, something so simple has been turned into a storm of confusion. The clear truth of Christ has been buried beneath man-made systems, religious machinery, and added demands. What God designed to be Christ-centered has morphed into man-centered, church-centered, denomination-centered, and even experience-centered religion. Feelings, emotions, and spiritual performances have been woven together so tightly that many can no longer see Jesus clearly through it all. That kind of complexity does not produce lives of godly sincerity. God never intended His people to live under systems that divide, control, or fleece the sheep. The gospel calls us back to a life marked by simplicity, sincerity, and grace.
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January 26, 2026
Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
People hunger and thirst for many things, but rarely for what truly satisfies. Over 2,700 years ago, Isaiah wrote words that are still true today. In Isaiah 55, he invited the hungry and thirsty to come to the Lord and be satisfied, then asked a searching question: “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not?” You would think we might have learned by now. Yet we are still doing the same thing, searching for something to fill souls that remain empty. We look everywhere, it seems, except in the presence of the Lord. Scripture tells us that many are “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” When I read today’s verse, one detail stands out to me. Jesus does not say that the hunger and thirst are directly for God, but for righteousness. Of course, righteousness cannot be separated from God, but this wording broadens the meaning. It points to a deep desire for God’s righteousness to be applied: First within us, and then in the world around us. David Guzik notes that this hunger refers to a longing for a righteous nature, a desire to be sanctified, to grow in holiness, and to walk closely in God’s presence. It also carries the idea of a gnawing need to see righteousness at work, lived out in real life, not just spoken of in religious talk. The promise attached to this hunger is clear: “they shall be filled.” God never ignores a sincere appetite for what is right. Psalm 81:10 says, “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” A wide-open mouth pictures a heart that longs for the nature, blessings, and ways of God, and the Lord promises to respond. Luke 1:53 reminds us, “He hath filled the hungry with good things.” And Psalm 107 declares that God “satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” Sadly, many children today never witness this kind of hunger in their homes. They see religion, but not always righteousness. Lost people often observe church activity without seeing lives truly filled with the Holy Spirit and marked by God’s righteous glory. This kind of hunger is not common, and it is rarely taught, even though it carries a clear promise. Those who truly hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. It brings us to this question: What are you truly hungry for? Jesus assures us that a sincere desire for righteousness will never go unanswered. When we long for God’s ways, His character, and His work to be formed in us and lived through us, He promises fullness, not emptiness.
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January 25, 2026
John 13:34-35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Jesus did not say the world would know His disciples by their strictness, their religious vocabulary, or the number of meetings they attend. He said the identifying mark would be love: visible, Biblical, unmistakable love for one another. That is the evidence. Not moral high grounds, declared doctrines, verbal declarations of love, or church involvement. The Pharisees had all that. Not religious intensity because religion can and does exist without Christ. Not constant activity for even churches that show no mercy, kindness, or forgiveness in their church culture are often busy with church stuff. The proof Christ gives, is love that looks like His love, acts like His love, and produces the results that His love produces. That matters because the word love has been stretched thin by time and overuse. It is claimed by movements, slogans, and causes that have little to do with the gospel. The church often finds its voice lost in the racket. Yet Jesus places the responsibility squarely on His people to show what real love is. God’s love is not defined by culture or religious creed: It is revealed in Christ. History gives us examples. There was a generation or two ago that preached love as protest, love as refusal to fight, love as rebellion against authority, love as freedom from restraint. It spoke often of peace, but it was not anchored in repentance or redemption. It was shaped more by reaction than by the cross, and over time it splintered into ideas far removed from the mercy of God. In another direction, love is preached as relief alone. A message of meeting needs while avoiding the message of sin, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God. Feeding the hungry and helping the hurting are necessary works, and the church should never neglect them. But when compassion is separated from salvation in Christ, it becomes incomplete. The gospel does not ignore human need; it addresses it at the root. When a life is brought into order under the lordship of Jesus, both the soul and the circumstances begin to change. Then, there is also a popular message that turns love inward. It speaks endlessly of self-care and self-acceptance, presenting God as a supporting character in our personal improvement story. But love that begins and ends with self is not the love Jesus commands. That message is no different from secular motivation, dressed in religious language. The love Jesus Christ places within His people flows from knowing how deeply we are loved by God. It is born of grace, exemplified by the cross, and powered by the Holy Spirit. It forgives when wronged, refuses bitterness, seeks no revenge, and does not rejoice in sin or injustice. It is patient, kind, and steady. It is not loud, but it is unmistakable. This kind of love cannot be manufactured. Law cannot produce it. Human effort cannot sustain it. It is only found in a life transformed by Jesus Christ, a life that is built on a foundation of obedience to Him.
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Psalms 136:16 “To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever”
Here in East Tennessee, when we think about the word wilderness, we might think about Wilderness at the Smokies, home to Tennessee’s largest indoor waterpark. But when the Bible speaks of the wilderness, it is referring to vast desert regions: Uninhabited places of scrub brush, little or no water, sand, rocks, scorching heat by day, and bone-chilling cold by night. When God delivered His people from Egypt, He led them directly through the wilderness. They had no shelter, no food supply, no map or GPS to guide them, and no tour director to solve their problems. Their transportation was their own feet, and this was not a little day hike through a park. It was rough, miserable, and completely unlike anything they had known in Egypt. It looked like they had been delivered from the frying pan into the fire. Yet this was God’s chosen path, because He wanted them to learn dependence upon Him, trust in His promises, and to grow into a strong and courageous people of faith. Even though God shaded them by day with a cloud, warmed them at night with a pillar of fire, rained down manna, bread from heaven, and provided fresh water from a rock, the people despised their situation. They lifted their voices in anger against God and Moses, longing to return to slavery in Egypt rather than remain in the wilderness. They could not see that what they were experiencing was a blessing, and that when it was over, they would be a nation of people with unstoppable faith. A season of wilderness is not something any of us would choose. It is uncomfortable, confusing, painful, and usually miserable. It doesn’t take long before the unbelief and grumbling begins. We forget that God has a purpose for placing us there, and that the wilderness is never meant to be permanent. Wilderness paths prepare us for what lies ahead. They teach us to trust our Savior fully. When we learn to view our wilderness seasons by faith, we recognize that the Lord, who always works for our good, leads us through these places because He is bringing us forward in our Christian Walk. We can even learn to thank God for wilderness trials, because they are producing a work of grace in our lives, for His glory and our good. When we are led into such a desert place, we are invited to draw close to God because part of the wilderness purpose is to loosen our grip on the world and its grip on us, and come clean before the Lord. Our Good Shepherd is with us there in those desert places. He is leading us through it for a reason, and most importantly, it is temporary.
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January 23, 2026
Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”
The parable in this chapter is about a woman who sought justice in a matter. She went to a judge and requested action, but he would not listen to her. Still, she would not stop coming with her request until finally, he gave her what she asked for. The Lord is not teaching that pestering God will eventually wear Him down, but rather that we should not become discouraged when He does not answer us right away. The emphasis is on perseverance in prayer. It simply means: keep praying. And if there is no answer, keep praying. And if there is still no answer, keep praying. Don’t stop until the answer comes. It is interesting to me that Jesus gave us the same lesson in Luke 11:5-8. There He told the story of a man who had guests arrive at his house at midnight, and he had no food to give them. So he went to a friend, beat on the door until he woke him up, and asked for bread. At first the friend would not get up, but the man kept knocking until finally he arose and gave him what he needed for his guests. Jesus said the request was granted because of the man’s insistence, which He called importunity, or persistence. The Lord followed this story with a clear promise: “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.” The teaching is plain. The power of answered prayer is not always found in the words of the prayer itself, but in the persistent fervency of those who continue to bring their requests before God and refuse to stop. There is a holy determination in prayer that does not let go. I urge us not to overthink this with questions about why God sometimes works this way, or with carefully constructed explanations about heart alignment and timing. Those discussions may have their place, but Jesus did not complicate His teaching here. He gave us simple examples and clear instructions. Let’s receive them with childlike faith. So, let’s keep knocking on heaven’s door. Let’s keep boldly approaching the Lord of all creation at His throne of grace. And let’s dig our heels in against the temptation to grow weary or give up. Jesus gave us these words and promises for a reason: do not stop praying, no matter how long it takes for the answer to come.
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January 22, 2026
Romans 8:31 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
If you are a born-again believer, then you are a child of God, and God is for you. Sometimes, in the moment, it may not look like God is for us, but He was, is, and always will be. Circumstances may confuse us, emotions may cloud our vision, and trials may test our faith, but none of these change God’s promises to His children. Of this verse, William Newell wrote in Romans: Verse by Verse: “Our weak hearts, prone to legalism and unbelief, receive these words with great difficulty: God is for us… They have failed Him; but He is for them. They are ignorant; but He is for them. They have not yet brought forth much fruit; but He is for them.” That truth alone should steady our hearts. In this eighth chapter of Romans, the Scriptures plainly describe the trials, sufferings, and hardships we all face. Yet after naming them, the Word declares in verse 37, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” God never dismisses the battle, but He always guarantees the outcome. The enemy wants us to see ourselves as weak, powerless, and unable to live a victorious Christian life. He delights when we believe the lie that God might let us down, that we are not good enough to expect His help, or that we are too insignificant to matter. But the Word of God tells us otherwise. We are saved to the uttermost (Heb. 7:25), predestinated for glory (Rom. 8:30), and indwelt by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 1:14). We are guarded by angels (Ps. 34:7), joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17), hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3), seated in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6), and citizens of heaven (Eph. 2:19). This world does not own us. It cannot control us. We will not bow to its demands. We are free in Jesus: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Sometimes, believers think too little of themselves because of wrong patterns of thinking. At other times, humility has been misunderstood, and meekness has been confused with weakness. But biblical humility never denies what God has declared. God is for us, not against us, and His will is that we live as more than conquerors: victorious, courageous, and full of faith. What the enemy fears more than a child of God is a child of God who knows full well that he is a child of God. One who understands his spiritual position, is equipped with spiritual weapons and stands firmly on the promises of God. Trouble may come, floods may rise, and winds may beat upon us, but in all these things, the believer in Jesus will always emerge in victory, because God is for us.
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January 21, 2026
Romans 9:30 “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.”
Why does the Bible say that the Gentiles did not follow after righteousness? Much has been written on this question, but the answer becomes clearer when we look back to Romans 9:4-5: “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” The path to righteousness, and the responsibilities that accompanied it, was entrusted to Israel. God did not give the Gentiles the Law, commonly called the Law of Moses or the Levitical Law. He gave it to His chosen people. That distinction matters more than we often admit. When I was a young man, sitting in churches and being beaten over the head with the club of the Law of Moses, as though obedience to certain portions of it were required to be saved, I wish someone had walked in, taken me by the arm, and said, “You don’t belong here. None of that applies to you.” Even for Jewish people today who still desire to cling to the Law, there is no temple, no ark of the covenant, no mercy seat upon which to sprinkle blood, no functioning priesthood, and no sacrificial system. The Law cannot be practiced as it was given. Looking back, the Gentiles, excluded from the adoption, the glory, the covenants, and the giving of the Law, were on the sidelines of God’s covenant relationship with Israel. We don’t like to hear that, because we prefer our doctrines neat, orderly, and framed entirely through the lens of the present church age. It unsettles us to remember that God is sovereign, and He does not operate according to our systems. The Gentiles did not follow after righteousness in the way Israel did, because God never gave them that path. Instead, Scripture gives us insight such as Romans 2:14-16, where Paul explains that Gentiles, though without the Law, show “the work of the law written in their hearts,” with conscience bearing witness. Those words disrupt our tidy religious formulas. They force us to acknowledge that God has always been at work beyond the boundaries we prefer. But praise be to God, Romans 9:30 does not end in exclusion. It ends in grace. Righteousness is now attained by faith, specifically faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16). Jew and Gentile alike stand before the same open door, and the welcome mat has a single name written on it: Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. God never intended righteousness to be earned by lineage, law, or religious performance. The Law revealed sin; faith receives salvation. What Gentiles could not pursue through commandments, they now receive through Christ. And what Israel could not complete through obedience, God fulfilled through His Son. The righteousness that saves has always been God’s gift, and it is received the same way by all: by faith alone in Jesus Christ.
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January 20, 2026
John 1:16 — “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”
For many years in my early life, the enemy, my own mind, and a lot of other voices, many of them from pulpits, told me I was just a no-good sinner, a depraved failure, bad to the bone. When I became an adult, seeds had already been planted that there was no reason to try, because I could never measure up to what God demanded. I lost all motivation to do right, because I had tried so many times to live up to the standards that I thought God required of those who wanted to live in His presence. Every time I tried, I believed that this time I would finally get it right and live above the grasp of sin. Sometimes I did well for a few days, but inevitably I failed, and my hopes of being “right with God” were crushed by my own weakness. Looking back now, I can see that the churches I grew up in were not exactly Christ-centered. They taught that Jesus is the Son of God, but they were primarily sin-centered, preaching continually, loud and long, against any conceivable sin, real or imagined. I remember, even as a child, staying constantly worried, believing God was always angry with me. I was convinced there had to be some sin in my life, even though I couldn’t always put my finger on exactly what it was. I knew I had asked Jesus into my heart, but I had no relationship with the Lord, because I was convinced that I was stained and unacceptable. I found out later I wasn’t the only one beaten down by these same lies. Many others have been taught the same way. Yes, sin is bad, but our sin is not a surprise to God. He foresaw it before He created us, and before we were born into sin, He had already planned our salvation and fixed the sin problem through His Son, Jesus Christ. Today’s verse tells us that from the fullness, the completeness, of all that Jesus is, we receive grace for grace. That phrase means grace piled on top of grace. Grace that just keeps coming in an endless supply. Grace that covers us, surrounds us, and even paves the path ahead of us. We do not have to “get right with God” by our own efforts. God has already done that for us. In Christ, we are not an “unclean thing,” and God no longer sees us as condemned sinners, but as His children. Colossians 2:10, “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” We stand before God not in our weakness, but in His Son, complete, accepted, and covered by grace upon grace.
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January 19, 2026
Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
What the world sometimes calls karma, the Scriptures present as the biblical law of sowing and reaping. It is a law in the sense that it is established by the Lord, and once set in motion, it will run its course. The words “God is not mocked” remind us that God cannot be fooled, nor can anyone make a fool of Him. This principle is further explained in verse 8: “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” This law is God’s rule, and He uses it to both warn and reward. When we hear His truth, believe it, and act on it in faith, choosing what is right in God’s eyes, we are doing what pleases our Heavenly Father. The opposite is also true. When we hear His Word, ignore its truth, and act out of selfishness, revenge, or human reasoning, we move against the will of God. In His wisdom, He allows us to reap the consequences of those choices. This explains many of the circumstances we face in life. Sometimes we forget that our own actions, good or bad, have played a role in either the hardship we’re experiencing or the blessing we’re enjoying. The principle remains simple: do good in all things, and expect the Lord to honor obedience. Verse 10 is closely connected to this law and instructs us that when we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to fellow believers. When we consider how often opportunities to do good come our way, it becomes a sobering thought. Many times, we clearly know what is right, and still fail to do it. We may have the opportunity to stand up for someone and refuse to condemn them when others are speaking harshly. We may have the opportunity to show kindness when we don’t feel like it, to help advance someone else even when it costs us something, or to withhold judgment and allow the Lord to be the Judge. At other times, we are given the chance to use our God-given resources, talents, or time to come alongside someone in need. Opportunities often test our character and integrity. Other times, they are simply part of everyday life: moments when the Lord places someone in our path so we can reflect His love. The greatest opportunities of all are those times when we can tell others about the goodness, mercy, and grace of God. In the end, it comes down to this: sow the seeds of love, goodness, and truth, and trust the Lord with the harvest.
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January 18, 2026
Lamentations 3:40 “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.”
There have been many times in my Christian journey when I found myself far from God, cold and indifferent to the work of the Holy Spirit, and needing revival. But His love never fails, and every time, the Lord was faithful to draw me to Himself and reveal His kindness, mercy, and grace. Today’s verse humbles me because even though it is urging us to examine ourselves and the way we are living, and make a conscious effort to turn back to God, all the while we’re doing that, it is He who’s directing our path. That’s who we are, and that’s who He is. The enemy will say, “Give up, there’s no hope, you’ve gone too far, wait until later, you’ve messed up so badly God won’t hear”, and on and on. But the Lord is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He is always full of compassion. In fact, the Word of God says in Psalm 145:8, “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy”. He is ready, able, and willing to save and restore. Today’s verse finds a counterpart in two of my favorite verses that I reference often in these daily devotions: Psalms 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”. When we search and judge our ways, we are opening ourselves up to the work of the Holy Spirit, who is always ready to help us turn away from everything that is not God’s best for us and turn completely to the Lord. Shouldn’t we also be encouraging everyone we know that today is the day of salvation and now, right now, is the perfect time to call on the Lord? Shouldn’t we be telling those who are standing far off from the Lord to return, and that He will bless them, heal them, and restore them? The Bible says in Hosea 6:1, “Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up”. God sent these Words through Hosea at a time when the people of Israel had turned away from the Lord and were standing on the brink of impending judgment. But God’s desire is not a desire for destruction and death, but for life and hope. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. So, “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD”.
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January 17, 2026
1 Timothy 2:8 “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
The Bible does not say that prayer belongs only somewhere special, but everywhere. That small word changes the whole direction of our prayer-life. Prayer is not just for church pews or prayer meetings. It belongs in kitchens and cars, break rooms and ball fields, waiting rooms and grocery lines. Wherever life happens, prayer is meant to follow. That fits hand in glove with Paul’s instruction elsewhere to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Not because we are expected to walk around with bowed heads and closed eyes all day, but because a praying life is a God-conscious life. The trouble is, forgetting to pray comes naturally to us. For decades now that we have mobile phones, we have talked, texted, scrolled, and chatted constantly about nearly everything under the sun. Yet we often manage to leave the Lord out of most of those conversations. But when trouble hits, we suddenly remember His name. The irony is hard to miss. We need Him all the time. He is willing to help, able to act, patient to listen, and gracious to respond. Yet we often treat prayer like an emergency tool instead of a daily relationship. Daniel found victory in prayer by choosing a pattern. Three times a day, on his knees, giving thanks before God (Daniel 6:10). That was not ritual for ritual’s sake; it was a rhythm that kept his heart steady in a hostile world. There are certainly prayers we pray in passing, like asking the Lord to help us find a parking spot, or thanking Him for a meal, and there is nothing wrong with those. But a praying life must be deeper than quick requests and hurried words. Prayer patterns are often taught before they are understood. As a boy, I remember our family kneeling together in the evening. I can still hear my father’s voice drifting down the hallway late at night as he called out each of our names before the Lord, asking God to bless us and keep us. May we all set an example of prayer before our children and grandchildren. The Bible adds an important condition: prayer must be offered “without wrath and doubting.” The word translated doubting carries the idea of inward arguing, disputing, debating, reasoning ourselves into unbelief. Prayer is not the place for anger, grudges, or stubborn self-justification. We are speaking to our Father, who already knows our needs and the true condition of our hearts. The Lord addressed this very issue in Isaiah 58, rebuking people who fasted and prayed while harboring strife and selfish ambition. Their prayers had become a tool to win arguments and defeat enemies, what God called a “fist of wickedness.” Prayer is not meant to force God’s hand or win Him over to our cause. It is meant to surrender our hearts to His will. Prayer weaves itself into daily life: spoken and silent, eyes open and eyes closed, kneeling and standing, alone and in public. It is not about who is watching or listening. It is about walking and talking with God.
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January 16, 2026
1 Samuel 12:24 “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you”.
Has the Lord done great things for you? Every day, the world tries to brainwash us into thinking we’re victims, that things are out of control, that the future looks dark, and that we’re powerless against all life’s harmful forces. It seems some people think the government is responsible to bless our lives, and they get angry when they think they’re not getting the benefits they believe they’re due. I looked back at a devotion I wrote a few years ago that mentioned my grandmother. She was a tiny woman, maybe not quite 5 feet tall, and she raised 5 children by herself when my grandfather suddenly died at a young age. She asked no one for anything. When she was born in 1896, Grover Cleveland was president, and she lived to see 19 different presidents. She died in 1999 at 103, and if you could ask her today, which presidents do you credit with taking the best care of you in your life, she’d tell you, “It was no president or government that took care of me. God has done great things for me and He been good to me”. This should be the shouting testimony of all believers who know the source of their life, their sustenance, their victory, their hope, and their strength: ”We are blessed and have a great hope and a secure future because God has been, is, and forever will be good to me”. God can and does use people in our lives to bless us and help us, and He allows us to enjoy the fruits of our labors. But He is the one from whom all blessings flow. In today’s verse, to fear the Lord means to stand in awe of, reverence, honour, and respect to the uttermost. The Bible tells us that every good gift comes to us from God. That’s not only the blessings for us while we live on this earth, but also looks ahead to the things God has waiting for us. Our future is so marvelous it can’t be imagined because there’s nothing on this earth that we can use as a reference to understand what is ahead. Luck and good fortune didn’t bring us our blessings. Our own intelligence and hard work didn’t bring favor. All that we have, are, and ever hope to be, we owe the praise to Him who provides for us as a loving heavenly Father. Let’s consider the good things the Lord has done for us.
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January 15, 2026
John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep”
Jesus is not a zookeeper, and we are not His wild animals. When He spoke the words in today’s verse, He presented Himself to the people of His day as something they knew very well: The good Shepherd. We are His sheep. He contrasts Himself to the thief in verse 10, who comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, and to the hireling or hired hand shepherd in verse 12, who cares nothing for the sheep and will run away when danger comes. What a perfect New Testament picture that’s built on Psalm 23, a Psalm that the Jewish people deeply love and use as comfort in times of sickness, suffering, and in their daily prayers. But the beauty of our Savior as the Good Shepherd, is not only in caring for the sheep but is also seen in the fearless, tireless work of the Shepherd in St Luke 15:4-5: “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing”. The Lord didn’t set some rules that if and when we decided to do better and get our act together, then He would come after us. But quite the opposite. While we were yet sinners, unlovable, uninterested in a Savior, and determined to live our lives without Him, Jesus died for us, and then came seeking and searching for us. His heart of mercy, His eyes of compassion, and His power of grace reached into the depths of our sins and depravities and pulled us out. He washed away our sins and presented us, redeemed and whole, to our Father. And He did it with rejoicing. We can’t help but marvel at Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”. I urge you to cast aside your stale, unsatisfying religion. Turn away from repetitious cycles of church-speak and predictable routines, and dive headfirst into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. Abandon your pride and the shame of being immersed in the Savior so deeply that some may call you a fool for Christ’s sake. Talk to Him, and with Him. Let His Word be your daily Bread. Thirst for His water of life, and overthrow the distractions that would block your way to Him. Remember that when access to Jesus was blocked, they tore the roof off the house to get someone to Him. The good Shepherd. Our Good Shepherd.
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January 14, 2026
Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”
This verse makes it clear that Noah’s faith saved him. He became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. When God determined to destroy the first world with a flood, He revealed His plans to Noah and gave him specific instructions about building a great ark. In Genesis 6, God promised Noah that every living thing outside the ark would die, but everything inside the ark would live. The Bible gives us reason to believe that while Noah was building the ark, he also preached to the people about what was coming (2 Peter 2:5). Yet when the time came to enter the ark, only eight people, Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives, stepped inside. Their salvation was not in the craftsmanship of Noah’s boat-building skills, but in the promise of Almighty God, who had given His Word in the matter. Noah may have been the worst boat builder in history. The ark may have been an unsightly structure of crooked beams, tar-covered seams, and lopsided construction. We simply don’t know. But because God promised to save them alive in the ark, that ark was flood-proof and unsinkable. Everyone inside was drown-proof. When God says, “I will save you,” He saves you. Every person who believed God and walked into the ark before the floods came walked out alive and well when it was over. So how secure is our eternal life when we believe on Jesus as Savior? The Bible answers that plainly. 1 John 5:13 says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” Acts 2:21 declares, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” And Romans 10:9 assures us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Not might be saved. Not saved if certain standards are met or if we measure up to some man-made doctrine. But shall be saved. The same God who gave Noah and his family an unfailing promise of salvation gives us the same certainty today. When we call on the name of Jesus, believing that He died for our sins and rose again, God saves us. Period. In Noah’s day, he believed God, and God kept His promise. In our lives, we believe what God has said about His Son, Jesus Christ, and God still keeps His promises.
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January 13, 2026
John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled.”
The word troubled in this verse means to lose calmness of mind, to be stricken with fearfulness or dread, to be agitated and anxious. Our Lord spoke these words to His disciples as part of His final encouragements before His crucifixion. Things were about to change for them. The three years they had enjoyed walking with Him were coming to an end, and what lay ahead would stun them, try their faith, and send their lives in very different directions. We can all wake up one morning expecting a normal day, only to find before nightfall that our life’s path has taken a sharp and unexpected turn. Some who are reading this devotion may be walking through circumstances right now that you never saw coming. In moments like these, the assurance of the Lord’s presence and His promises becomes more precious than ever. In this chapter, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, and assured His followers that no matter the situation, God’s desire for His children is peace. Not the kind of peace the world talks about, because this world cannot know true peace until Jesus comes again. But it is the peace Jesus promised in verse 27: “My peace I give unto you.” That is easy to trust when life is smooth, when we feel healthy and strong, have a little money in the bank, and no family feuds happening. But seasons of trial and sorrow come to us all. That is why John 14 is such a needed reminder: while our circumstances change, Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). The Lord repeats today’s verse again in verse 27: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” He adds the part about fear because He knows our need for His blessed assurance. Well over one hundred times in the Gospels, Jesus tells us in different ways not to be afraid and to take courage. He is not saying we should deny reality or think that fear is evil. Rather, when we are caught off guard, blindsided by trouble, and overwhelmed with worry and helplessness, He invites us to fix our eyes on Him and let faith in His Word be our response. Can Jesus give peace in times of trouble? Absolutely: yes, yes, and yes. He can, He does, and He will. He knows our need, and as Psalm 56:3 says, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” What will He do for us? He will either take us through our troubles or deliver us from them. But one thing is certain: He will never fail us.
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January 12, 2026
Psalms 100:1-2 “A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.”
Without the foundation of the absolute truth of God’s Word, if we watch the news, try to put our finger on the pulse of the world’s heartbeat, and make sense of what’s happening, it’s enough to make us feel as though all hope is being stripped away. Many people are talking about a shift they sense in their spirits, something unlike anything they’ve experienced before. It almost feels as if time itself, and even reality, is different than it was just a few months ago. The world seems more volatile and uncertain, and there is a sense of foreboding that refuses to go away. But some things are certain. The Lord God has not changed, and His Word will never change. The remainder of Psalm 100 gives us these marvelous words: “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Nations, governments, cultures, and societies have risen and fallen again and again, and through it all, the Lord was God, still is God, and will be God forever. It is far better to be on our knees, drawing closer to the One who holds the future in His hands, than wringing our hands in fear or tormenting ourselves in frustration over circumstances we cannot control. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is our shelter, our refuge, our rock, and our peace. He alone is our joy, our hope, our security, our future, and our resting place. Let’s double down on our determination to praise the Lord and declare His greatness. Let’s confront the uncertainty of a fallen world with the certainty that our God reigns, and that He is good. He holds the future, and we will reign with Him. Let us drown out the evil noise of unbelief with a joyful noise that proclaims God’s mercy is everlasting and His truth endures forever. Psalm 100 contains only five verses, yet it is filled with eternal anchors. If we have not memorized it, now is a good time to do so and make it part of our daily worship. I love the line that says, “We are his people.” Perhaps what we are sensing is the wind of the Holy Spirit, gently reminding us that what lies ahead is Titus 2:13, “that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”.
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January 11, 2026
Proverbs 21:23 “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”
The message here is clear: if we are careful about the words that come out of our mouths, we can keep ourselves out of a great deal of trouble. I wonder how many times in my own life, if I had simply kept my ignorant mouth shut instead of blurting out thoughtless words, I could have spared myself some painful situations. The Scriptures tell us in James 1:19, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” All of that goes together. Listen carefully and allow time to process what others are saying. Think before responding. Use wisdom. And tamp down our temper before we react in anger. James goes on to say in verse 20, “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” Words spoken in the heat of anger never express, or produce, anything good. But it’s not only angry words that lead us into trouble. Bad advice, offered from our narrow perspectives and without Holy Spirit-led wisdom, can push people we love away from God’s will for their lives. Words that come from a critical, unloving spirit can wound people Jesus died for. If we consider the source of most arguments, and even many violent situations, spoken words are often the catalyst. Children grow up in homes where they do not feel safe because their parents cannot control their tongues. Thinking about these things gives us a deeper understanding of James 3:6: “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” That phrase, telling us the tongue is set on fire from hell, ought to give us pause and cause us to take today’s proverb seriously. We need the Holy Spirit’s help to become people who are slow to speak and quick to listen. People who keep a guard over their lips and tongues, so that we are peacemakers rather than sources of trouble. We need to hear what God is saying to us. He will bring His Word to our minds and hearts to guide and correct us. But too often, we are busy forming a response instead of listening, speaking over the top of God’s voice. Because of loose, unloving, ungodly words, spouses are abused, children are wounded, neighbors go to war, and relationships are painfully damaged beyond repair. Love grows cold, blood pressure rises, churches divide, and judgment replaces compassion. Lives are damaged, and sometimes lives are lost. Our words are never neutral: They either heal or harm, build or burn, reflect God’s righteousness or our own unchecked flesh. So today, let us pause and pray simply, “Lord, help me control my mouth.”
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January 10, 2025
Revelation 22:21 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
The Holy Bible closes with these words, pointing us plainly to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When some people consider the entirety of the Scriptures, they see its primary themes as sin, judgment, and human failure, and all of these are certainly there. We are confronted with blatant truth, such as Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” But all who have truly seen Jesus Christ for who He is, and who have received the message of the gospel, know that over the top of all the mess that sin, darkness, and death brought into God’s amazing creation, there reigns the most wonderful and powerful reality imaginable: the grace of God. The picture of mankind apart from God’s grace, viewed through the lens of His holiness, is both horrific and hopeless. Our sin struck us down, separated us completely from God, and demanded our eternal death. To add to our dreadful condition, we became depraved and trapped in our sins, utterly unable to rescue ourselves. All our efforts to cover our condition or correct it are useless. As Isaiah declares, even our very best efforts at righteousness are not enough. But oh, praise be to the Lord, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20). Not only was sin no match for God’s grace, but Scripture goes on to say, “Even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Grace does not merely respond to sin; it reigns triumphant over it. The Scriptures speak of grace in growing progression. There is saving grace, “For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). There is sustaining grace, “But he giveth more grace” (James 4:6). And there is empowering grace, “and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33). Grace is the good news that God loves us, desires to forgive us, and gave His Son to prove that love and set His redemptive plan into motion. How remarkable, then, that the Bible begins with humanity’s fall into sin and ends with a declaration of grace. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s final word to His people is not condemnation, but grace, grace through Jesus Christ our Lord. It’s no wonder that the hymn, “Amazing Grace,” has become an anthem of believers through the years. We, helpless, guilty, and unable to save ourselves, were rescued by our God who intervened with grace so powerful it overcame our sins and restored our lives. As we read the last verse of Scripture, may we also remember the words of Amazing Grace: “And grace will lead me home”.
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January 9, 2025
Mark 9:7-8 “And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.”
Jesus only. Today’s verses come from the account of the day when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a mountain and our Lord was gloriously transformed before their eyes. Moses and Elijah appeared, talked with Him, and then the voice of God the Father boomed from the fog-like cloud saying, “This is my beloved Son: hear him”. Then everything became normal again with Moses and Elijah disappearing, and the voice of God silent. When the disciples looked around, they saw only Jesus. That’s a lesson for us to consider. The spiritual world holds many mysteries, and it’s tempting to get caught up in speculating what it all means and pursuing experiences and doctrines that seem otherworldly. But all we need is Jesus because the Bible says in Colossians 2:9, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily”. He is life, power, and eternity. Jesus is the past, present, and future, and He is the beginning and end. Consider the day recorded in Matthew 14 when Peter climbed out of the boat and walked on the water towards the water-walking Savior. When we’re talking about walking on water, are the strength of the wind or the fierceness of the waves really factors? Isn’t it more about the impossibility of doing what natural laws say can’t be done? Even if it had been a bright, bright sunshiny day, people can’t just walk on the water. But Peter did the impossible: He walked on the water towards Jesus. It’s when Peter took his eyes off the Lord that everything became a jumbled mess of unbelief. The force of the wind became more of a factor than the impossibility of walking on the water, and Peter began to sink. But he prayed, maybe yelled, that three-word prayer, “Lord, save me”, and Christ rescued him. When our eyes are on Jesus, we know He is more than able to help us in every circumstance of life. When we focus on Him, the supernatural becomes our natural, and we believe anything is possible. We know His story: it’s one of miracles, hope, salvation, and healing. It’s a story of deliverance, blessing, peace, and assurance. When our eyes are on Him, we can expect protection, grace, mercy, power, light, abundance, and goodness. He never fails. He is the Eternal God, and He is for us, not against us. It’s Jesus only.
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January 8, 2025
Acts 27:23–24 “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”
Acts 27 is the story of a shipwreck while the Apostle Paul was on a ship headed for Rome. Paul and many others were sailing from Caesarea to Rome when their ship was slammed by a terrible cyclonic storm. For fourteen long days they were driven helplessly by the fierce winds. At last, miraculously, every life was spared, and everyone made it safely to shore on the island of Malta. It’s one of my favorite Bible stories because it shows the grace of God and His power to protect in the worst of situations. The journey itself began with some bad decisions. Had the owners of the ship and the captain listened to the advice of the Apostle Paul before they ever sailed, the story would have turned out quite differently. They would not have lost their valuable ship, its precious cargo, nor endured such wrenching fear. In Acts 27:10, Paul warned them plainly: “Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.” But the next verse says: “Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.” I think many of us can look back over our lives and say, “If only I had listened.” Wise fathers, godly friends, faithful pastors — the Lord places voices of warning and love around us. And sometimes, we sail right past them into storms we could have avoided. But here is the good news: the Lord does not abandon us because we have made foolish choices. Today’s verse gives us the words of Paul that he spoke to the frightened people on board the ship while they were all suffering through the hurricane, thinking they were doomed. He told them in effect, “God is with us: He gave me His promise that we will survive”. God was still with them. He still had a purpose. He still heard their cries. Not one life would be lost. We need that same consolation. No matter our circumstances, God will never forsake His people (Hebrews 13:5). We need the steady assurance that He hears our prayers and is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). And when the winds and waves of life crash over us, we remember the Savior who still says, “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39). So let us look to Christ alone — for ourselves, for our families, and for every soul we love who needs a Savior and Friend. As Paul reassured his fellow travelers, may we rest in this truth: God is well able to give us “all those who sail with us.”
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January 7, 2025
Luke 6:27-28 “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”
In these verses, Jesus is teaching us God’s will for our lives, and it’s not always something we want to hear. When people are mean to us, treat us badly, or run us down to others, the last thing we want to do is good to them, pronounce blessings on them, and pray for their well-being. We want revenge. We want them to feel the same, or worse, pain than they caused us. We want them to suffer in some way as punishment for their meanness. The normal way of life is to love those who love us and be good to those who are good to us. That’s pretty much the example we’ve seen since childhood. The “revenge and vengeance” theme has been the norm. We’ve grown up watching movies where the bad guys always “get it in the end.” On a side note, it’s strange nowadays that some killers and evil people have become the heroes, and their anarchy and violence are celebrated. But when we hear the “love your enemies” lesson at a time when no one is hurting us, we might nod and agree that it’s the right way. However, catch us when we’re in the middle of being mistreated, when we’re angry, hurting, and our feelings are raw, we don’t want our noses rubbed in THIS passage. We want God, or somebody, to settle the score! Yet this is sometimes one of the hardest things we have to do: cool off, meditate on God’s Word concerning the matter, and then obey the will of the Lord. If we keep doing what’s right in every situation, it may look like people are going to get by with their hurtful, mean ways forever. But God has given us a promise: He will set the record straight because we belong to Him. Romans 12:19 says, “…for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” When we want revenge, some people scheme in their minds to “get even,” and think about it over and over. Some even carry it out, ignoring the consequences. It’s hard to remember that God loves our enemies too, and He wants them to turn and follow His ways. When we love our enemies, we are really wanting them to know the Lord, His love, mercy, and forgiveness, just as we know Him. Loving our enemies doesn’t mean we approve of what they’ve done, nor does it mean they were right. It means we choose obedience over emotion, and trust God to handle what we cannot. God sees. God knows. And God will deal with every matter righteously: in His time, and in His way.
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January 6, 2026
John 14:16, 18 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever…I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter. Notice that the title is capitalized in today’s verse, meaning it’s a proper noun: One of the Spirit’s names. And, because the Holy Spirit is God, it’s a name of God and reminds us of 2 Corinthians 1:3, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort”. He is called “the God of all comfort”. That’s because nothing on this earth, nothing we’ve ever encountered, and nothing we’re able to dream of hope for ever ends in lasting comfort. Yes, people wish us well, offer their condolences, and try to cheer us up when we’re down. They make efforts to help us when we’re in a battle of life, and tell us they’re praying for us. All that helps us and is a wonderful part of what people can do when they come alongside each other in troubling times. But when the Lord reaches into our souls and brings peace, confidence, and courage, He makes changes unlike anything else. He brings strength, healing, and unspeakable, amazing grace for our needs. That’s comfort that goes beyond description: Comfort that lasts and drives out despair, dismay, discouragement, and all those other “dis” things. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Trouble is always around, and comes in all types and ways. Job said in Job 3:26 “…yet trouble came.” It could be sickness, pain, or disappointments. It might be a painful tragedy, accident, or unforeseen calamity. It might be from our own making, caused by others, or it could be just stuff that’s no one’s fault. The end result is the same: we need comfort. The Holy Spirit might send someone with help, or He might turn the winds and tides of life in our favor. But He is the Comforter. He can also use us as instruments of comfort to others. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1:4 that He, “comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God”. Jesus is with us in the Holy Spirit just as if He were standing with us in a fleshly body. He is our Comforter and helps us reach out to others in His name. We can offer words spoken in love, a comforting gesture like a hug, a hand on a shoulder, and an offer to pray with them to the God of all comfort.
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January 5, 2026
Proverbs 19:17 “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
When we show compassion to the helpless, the hurting, the wounded, the hungry, and the downcast souls of this world, it does not go unnoticed in Heaven. It moves the heart of our Father. The Scripture even tells us here that when we give to the poor, we are actually lending to the Lord Himself, and He will repay. That’s quite a promise. And Proverbs 19:17 is not alone. Listen to the beautiful assurance found in Psalms 41:1-3: “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.” Think about that for a moment. The Lord promises blessings. He promises preservation. He promises deliverance in time of trouble. He even promises strength in sickness. All this simply connected to a heart that considers the poor. So why would we ever hand this holy opportunity over entirely to government programs or social agencies when it’s a storehouse of blessings for us? Not just for the ones we help, but also for those who obey the Lord in doing so. It’s easy to mistake “unwanted stuff donation” for true compassion. We clean out our closets, gather up clothes that no longer fit, find items we’ve replaced, or box up food we don’t prefer, and we drop it all off somewhere and feel we have done our part. None of that is wrong; it has value. But it may be far from our best efforts. The Lord gave us a better picture in the parable of the good Samaritan. Luke 10:33-34 says, “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” The religious crowd passed the wounded man by. They saw him, but they didn’t help him. Yet the Samaritan, an outcast himself, stopped and helped the suffering man. Jesus closed the story with these words in verse 37: “Go, and do thou likewise.” And mission work? It’s not always across the ocean. Many times, it’s across the street. Or at the end of your driveway. Or sitting at your own dinner table. The Holy Spirit will lead us, if we’re willing to see. The Lord has attached rich promises to caring for the poor. Not because He needs our help, but because He desires our hearts to reflect His.
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January 4, 2026
Philippians 2:14 “Do all things without murmurings and disputings”
This verse speaks to us about complaining and arguing, or as my mom used to say, “fussin’ and fightin’”. It’s referring to people who are argumentative, seldom content, and ready to express their misery to anyone they meet. But if we’re believers, we should first look at the truth of who we are. We are children of the eternal God. We are blessed, loved by our Father, and indwelt with the Holy Spirit. We have the mind of Christ. Our needs are met, and our way is prosperous. We have eternal life, and we have a home in heaven. And on top of all this, our God is working all things together for good in our lives. With all that being true, why would we complain and argue? Why wouldn’t we instead be rejoicing, praising the Lord, enjoying His promises, and declaring that we are forgiven and free? Sure, everything in this life isn’t perfect, but we’re headed to a place where it will be. If complaining and arguing have become our pattern, something is amiss, and we’re not enjoying God’s best for us. Not only are we missing the joy of Psalm 118:24, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it,” but we are also giving a poor testimony of the goodness of God. We picture ourselves as unthankful, miserable, mean-spirited, and arrogant. Trust me, no one wants to see us coming if all we do is complain, fuss, and oppose everything. God’s will for us is stated in verse 15: “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” We are meant to reflect God’s goodness and glory, not grumble. Do you know someone who complains and argues about everything? It’s hard to know whether it’s just a habit with them or if that’s who they really are. They complain about the weather, the temperature, their spouse, their children, and their job. They don’t like their neighbors, the state of the world, politics, other drivers on the road, or high prices, and on and on it goes. A few minutes of that is about all most people can take. It makes you want to say, “Really, is there anything on earth that pleases you?” and then quietly slip away from their toxic words. What’s worse, sometimes these people are Christians. If we’re complainers, it may be the fruit of an unthankful or bitter heart. Let’s yield to the Holy Spirit who leads us toward gratitude, peace, and contentment. And let’s encourage each other to remember and declare what great things the Lord has done for us.
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January 3, 2026
Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
These words follow verse 12, where we find the statement that has perplexed people for years: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” What does it mean to work out our own salvation and then acknowledge that it is God who works in us to perform His will and pleasure? At first glance, the two almost seem to contradict one another. We first settle the matter with Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Clearly, Scripture is not teaching that “working out” our salvation means doing good works to earn eternal life. If that were so, salvation would no longer be a gift: it would be wages earned. The phrase looks back to Philippians 2:10-11: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” When the glory of Christ is revealed, every created being will bow before Him and confess His Lordship. But we, as redeemed people, are unique among His creation in that we have been given forgiveness and eternal life through God’s salvation plan. That truth alone should cause us to walk humbly and reverently, deeply aware that it is only Jesus who sets us apart. Christ did not save us so that we would wander through life as if we have no Lord or Master. He saved us so we would fully enter into this great gift of salvation and pursue every blessing and responsibility that comes with it. The Greek word for “work out” means to put into practice, to realize in daily living, and to shape or mold into fitness. I often think of going to the gym and “working out” to strengthen the body. In the same way, we follow the ways of God as the salvation we have received directs us. And, as today’s verse declares, it is God Himself working in us to produce His will and pleasure. There are times when it may not seem that the Lord is at work in us. There are moments when we miss the mark and fail to live out the beautiful attributes that accompany salvation. Yet we are reminded in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” So let us work out our salvation by doing what is right, even when it is difficult, and by seeking the fullness of the Holy Spirit so that our hearts stay tender toward God’s Word. He is working in us: And therefore, we gladly work for His glory.
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January 2, 2026
Luke 15:24 “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”
The story of the prodigal son is a story of hope and restoration. It’s a message about humility, repentance, and forgiveness. And from the scene between the father and the older brother, it’s also a lesson about stepping back from our own situations and seeing them from a heavenly perspective. The prodigal was a cocky, headstrong young man who made some terrible choices. He fell from a place of blessing and abundance into a hopeless, stinking mess. Truth is, in one way or another—either in big things or in small—we might all confess that we were, or are, a prodigal at one time or another. It was the heart of the father that made the difference. His unconditional love for his wayward son still speaks to us about God’s goodness and grace. There was no hesitation in making this filthy, pig-smelling, rebellious, money-wasting, loose-living son know he was still a child of his father, and that he still had a right to his sonship. Sure, great damage had been done. Bad memories were made. Blessings were wasted. But sometimes that’s how it is in this life. We mess things up. The prodigal didn’t receive what he deserved; he received grace. The older son didn’t get the rebuke he probably expected; he received a gentle reminder of who he was, what he possessed, and the value of life. The father got his son back, and the family was restored. Both sons needed mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and their father’s unconditional love. I’ve certainly been a prodigal—made stupid choices and wandered far from God’s best for me. And like the older brother, I’ve also sat in the seat of the snooty and become a critic of others, as if I were the righteous judge. But it’s the character and will of the Father that humbles me. I want to be more like Him. May the Lord help me remember that prodigals have a path back to the Father. He loves them, wants them with Him, and is still extending His arms of mercy and grace. May God help me remember Psalms 1:1: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful”, and stay out of that seat of self-righteous criticism. Summary: The parable of the prodigal shows us that God’s heart is rich with mercy. Some wander openly and return broken; others stay near but grow cold and critical. Yet all need the Father’s grace. The best place to stand is in the father’s shoes.
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January 1, 2026
Philippians 3:13-14 “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”
Five years ago today, and three months after a complete laryngectomy, I began writing short Daily Devotions and posting them on our website. It’s what came to mind after I lost my vocal cords and was adjusting to a new kind of life, one where my only verbal voice is a squawking sound I make in my cheek. I sound a lot like Donald Duck. Those five years have gone by in a flash. In that time, I’ve posted over 1,800 Daily Devotions, 1,800 daily prayers, and my wife Laura reposts them each day on our Facebook page. In the big picture of the millions of religious things that get posted every day, it’s a small thing, but I pray that those who read these posts are blessed and that their faith is strengthened. Today’s verse was the very first verse used in these devotions, and it reminds us that there comes a time when we must stop looking back at where we’ve been and fasten our attention on what is ahead. In the Apostle Paul’s case, his past was a mess. He described his former self in 1 Timothy 1:13 as a blasphemer, a persecutor, and one who injured others. We can always look back and beat ourselves up over past sins and mistakes, allowing guilt and remorse to rob us of joy and peace. But the Lord has taken all the sins and failures of our past away and will never remember them against us (Hebrews 8:12; Psalm 103:12). We know we cannot change the past, yet some allow the past to dominate the present and control the future. The Lord calls us to forget that past in the sense of no longer living under its shadow, and to accept that He has completely and eternally taken it away. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is also time for us to forgive and release the wrongs committed against us by others: injustices, mistreatments, and unfair acts that dishonored and hurt us. The Lord has a better plan than for us to continue carrying the pain of rejection, injury, or unfairness. We are called to reach for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus. Our Lord would have us free, at peace, and filled with the Holy Spirit. He gives victory so that we may rejoice always and live a life governed by love, not dominated by regret, sadness, pain, or revenge. In 2026, let’s choose to stop the habit of living life in reverse and look forward in faith and hope. Proverbs 4:18, “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.