A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.—Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)
A “gentle answer ” can transform difficult situations into opportunities for growth and healing. By allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you through stressful interactions, you can have meaningful and impactful discussions.
Heavenly Father, help me develop a gentle spirit that reflects Your love and wisdom in my interactions with others.
Part 5 of 5
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
More than 1 billion people—10 times more than the most-watched Super Bowl—watched the livestream of 33 Chilean miners rescued after being trapped nearly a half mile underground for 69 days. One of the key leaders was Dr. Jean Romagnoli, who helped oversee the men’s medical needs.
Romagnoli was one of a handful of doctors whose job it was to keep the men alive. On his hard hat he wrote, “Nadie se queda abajo,” or “No one stays under.” For 52 days—from the time the men were discovered until their rescue—intense pressure and responsibility rested on the doctor’s shoulders. He sent down pre-recorded training exercises so the men could stay in shape, and even prepared iPods with personalized play lists. As each man was rescued and exited the escape capsule, the doctor asked them to sign his hard hat.
It’s hard to receive help from other men, and almost as hard to ask someone if they need help. But that’s exactly what the Father wants us to do: be open to both receiving and giving help. And the further we journey into adulthood, the busier and more complicated life tends to become—filling up the margins. Stealing our free time. Sucking us dry emotionally.
So how do we make room for having each other’s backs? Start by taking the risk to reach out. Proverbs 18:24 says, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Unlike family, a friend is someone who chooses us—and vice versa. We all need at least one friend like that. Whose name is written on your hard hat?
Father, allow your Holy Spirit to guide me to those few who will stick closer than a brother.
Part 4 of 5
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:8–9
After a drill bit pierced the roof of the chamber in which 33 Chilean miners were trapped, things rapidly kicked into high gear for rescue workers above. Nutritional supplements, food packets, and medicines were sent down in small capsules called palomas (“doves,” like carrier pigeons); letters from relatives, along with Bibles and other requested items came next.
Now that the outside world knew the miners were all alive, the challenge would be to find a suitable way to drill a big enough hole down 2,300 feet to extract each miner. To accomplish the feat, Chilean mining experts led a team that included engineers from around the world—including NASA engineers and medical experts. Three different rescue holes were drilled, and the first reached the men on October 9. October 12—69 days after the cave-in—all 33 men were rescued. One after another, each of the miners was lifted to safety via a specially constructed capsule.
If you’ve ever suffered from mental fatigue or depression, you know how suffocating it can be. It can completely deplete a person—mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Hope is the “drill bit” the Holy Spirit uses to pierce through the darkness to reach the dark places of a wounded and weary soul. Though it may feel like you are alone, He is relentless in His love. 1 Corinthians 2:10 assures us that “the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
At times we may be sitting in the darkness of depression or shame and it seems like God is not there—or that He is delayed in His response. But we have the assurance from His Word that He will incline and hear our cry. Tune your ear to the drill bit. It is coming. Help and hope are on the way.
Father, help me hold on until your hope arrives.
Part 3 of 5
But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1–2
Despite the fact that 33 miners at the San Jose mine cave-in had been missing for days, with no indication that they were even alive, the wives, friends, and families of “Los 33” kept 24-hour vigil near the entrance of the main access to the Chilean mine complex. Soon a tent city called Campamento Esperanza (Camp Hope) had sprung up. Prayer gatherings met frequently. The relatives organized themselves and appointed speakers to advocate on behalf of Los 33. They asked the critical questions: Why were ladders missing from emergency escape routes? Why was the mining company slow to offer updates? What exactly was being done to find the men?
The group of advocates for the miners grew and the event drew international media attention. Supporters banged pots and pans as a reminder to local and national mining officials and politicians that they would not be silenced. Soon scenes of the San Jose mine and the loved ones rallying on behalf of the trapped miners rolled across TV and phone screens on every continent. If not for this media exposure, perhaps the search effort would not have proceeded as aggressively as it did, and the men may not have been reached in time.
Romans 8:34 says that Jesus “is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” He is our Advocate—the One who argues and defends on our behalf. And just like the miners’ families who advocated passionately on behalf of Los 33, God calls us to advocate for those who cannot do it for themselves. With Christ as our Advocate, we have the perfect model to emulate. It’s a dark, hurting world. Do dangerous good in it. Reach out. Make the call. Walk across the room. Be an advocate.
Father, help me be an advocate for those who do not have a voice in this world.
Report Reveals How Ruthlessly The Biden Administration Persecuted Christian Education
While Americans were focused on the weaponization of federal law enforcement and the justice system, the Biden administration was also quietly but ruthlessly weaponizing the U.S. Department of Education against Christian institutions as well. Those are the findings of a shocking new report by the pro-family group American Principles Project.
The numbers are shocking but hard to deny. According to new data obtained by APP, almost 70 percent of the Biden education bureaucracy’s “enforcement actions” targeted faith-based and career schools. For perspective, those categories represent less than 10 percent of students across the country.
Two of the nation’s largest and most important Christian institutions of higher education, Liberty University and Grand Canyon University, both found themselves in the crosshairs. The universities were hit with record-breaking fines totaling more than all other fines combined: Almost $38 million for Grand Canyon and $14 million for Liberty.
Both of those institutions, along with many other smaller ones, were targeted by a relatively unknown office within the Department of Education called the “Office of Enforcement.” The three primary tactics for “dismantling its targets” described in the APP report are huge penalties, “scrutinize and fine” investigations, and cutting off federal funds.
Grand Canyon University spokesman Bob Romantic expressed hope that change was coming. Officials there “look forward to an administration that, rather than using federal agencies to harass universities to which they are ideologically opposed, will reduce bureaucracy while applying regulations fairly and equitably,” he told The Center Square.
According to the report, at least 12 Christian colleges or universities were targeted by the Biden administration with “excessive penalties.” In some cases, students at those colleges have even been prohibited from receiving student aid. Not a single Ivy League school received similar treatment, researchers at APP reported.
The disparity in fines between Christian schools and non-Christian schools was also astounding. APP researchers, citing government data, found that the average fine for a “Clery Act” violation by a Christian school was $815,000. The average fine for similar violations by non-Christian institutions was less than $229,000.
“Using its scrutinize-and-sue tactics, the Department of Education can penalize and withhold federal aid to non-traditional schools,” the report warns. “When they go under, the administration can cancel students’ loan debt, making good on its campaign promise. And, of course, students then have fewer higher education options, cornering the market for conventional universities.”
Critics are now calling for drastic action by the incoming administration. “For the last four years, Democrats have been busy weaponizing every part of the federal government to target their opponents,” argued APP Policy Director Jon Schweppe, noting that the corrupt efforts of federal agencies went far beyond the U.S. Department of Justice.
“As our report details, the Biden-Harris Department of Education has been engaged in a long-running scheme to punish Christian colleges that are ideologically opposed to the left’s agenda,” he continued. “The unfair targeting of these institutions has been egregious, and it needs to stop immediately.
“During his first term, President Donald Trump deprioritized the Enforcement Office, and his next administration should eliminate it,” argued APP Policy Director Jon Schweppe, expressing hope that newly elected leaders would “end the Democrats’ years-long campaign to control and eliminate faith-based universities once and for all.”
Last year, the Biden administration increased funding for the “Office of Enforcement” by more than 600 percent, according to researchers. It was originally created during the Obama administration before being “deprioritized” during Trump’s first term and then super-charged by the Biden administration.
Unsurprisingly, the department did not respond to multiple requests for comment from media outlets about its targeting of Christian institutions. However, as the scandal grew, the department finally released a statement claiming a “school’s religious affiliation or non-profit status has absolutely no bearing on our oversight and enforcement actions.”
The Department of Education spokesman also accused the APP report of dishonesty. “Our top priority is protecting safety and academic opportunity for all students at institutions of higher education,” the spokesman said. “The data in the APP report itself pushes a false narrative by distorting information released publicly by the Department.”
The persecution of Christian institutions by the federal government shows the danger of allowing them to become dependent on public money. While Trump and Republican lawmakers may be able to rein in some of the lawlessness over the next few years, Democrats will resume their attacks as soon as they are able. Christians must prepare.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Today’s Scripture
Today’s Insights
In John 16, as Jesus addressed His disciples’ fears and the grief and suffering that would come during and after His death, it’s noteworthy that nowhere did He suggest they’d be rescued from experiencing fear and pain. As Christ faced death, they’d abandon Him in terror—“leave [Him] all alone” (John 16:32). The grief they’d experience from His death was unavoidable—they’d “weep and mourn while the world [rejoiced]” (v. 20).
Instead of a comfort based on escaping suffering, however, Jesus offered His disciples hope rooted in His resurrection (16:22). They couldn’t avoid the pain they’d experience, but because Christ has “overcome the world” (16:33), their suffering would be like that of childbirth—the pain wouldn’t be purposeless but would “turn to joy” (v. 20)—tremendous joy that “no one will take away” (v. 22).
Today’s Devotional
Fear woke me at 3 a.m. on the first day of the new year. The year ahead weighed heavily on me, overwhelming me with dread. Illness in the family had long wearied me, and now, thoughts of the future made me afraid. Will more bad things happen? I wondered.
Jesus’ disciples understood the fear of bad things happening. Even though their Master had prepared and reassured them the day before He died, they were still afraid. They fled when He was arrested (Matthew 26:56); Peter denied Him (John 18:15-17, 25-27), and they went into hiding (20:19). Their fear during the upheaval of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, as well as of persecution, led them to act contrary to His command to “take heart” and His promise, “I have overcome the world” (16:33).
But Christ’s death and resurrection proved His authority and power over life and death. He has the ultimate victory. Even though the sinful state of our world makes suffering a certainty, we can rest in the truth that all things are subject to the authority of our wise and loving God. Jesus’ presence is with us (16:32-33), just as it was with His disciples, who later confidently went on to share the gospel to the world. May God’s promise that He’s in control strengthen our hearts to trust Him in this new year and be courageous even when we don’t know what the future will bring.
Reflect & Pray
What’s your response to difficulty, suffering, and trials? What would “taking heart” look like for you?
Thank You, Jesus, for helping me with my fears and for showing me how to live courageously.
Visit ODBU.org/OT315 for further study on suffering and trials from the book of Job.
One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4 (NIV)
When I think about what stirs up our emotions, the hurtful things people do to us is at the top of the list, perhaps more frequently than anything else. Since we cannot control what others do, we need to look for ways to quiet our emotions when people upset us. The amplification of today’s scripture teaches us to look for the best in things, and I believe this applies to people as well as situations.
Our natural thoughts and emotions, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, can be negative. Romans 8:5 teaches us that we can either set our minds on what the flesh (human nature without God) desires or on what the Holy Spirit desires. If we set our minds on the flesh, we will be filled with negative feelings and attitudes. But if we set our minds on the Spirit, we will be filled with life and peace in our souls, which includes calm emotions. I encourage you to choose what creates peace, because a life of emotional turmoil makes us miserable.
I realized years ago that most of my emotional turmoil came from people problems. I knew from experience that I could not control people and what they decided to do, so I began to pray about what I could do to keep their words and actions from upsetting me. In answer to my prayers, and through studying God’s Word, I started obeying 1 Corinthians 13:7 by choosing to believe the best of everything and everyone.
Prayer of the Day: Help me, Lord, to control what I can control—my thoughts and emotions—while trusting You to handle what I can’t control.
Christianity is once again the most persecuted religion in the world according to the latest report from the International Christian Concern (ICC), a non-profit based in Washington DC that has tracked the statistic for nearly three decades. Persecution against Christians has long been a fixture of the faith in places dominated by Islamic extremism, such as in parts of the Middle East and Africa. North Korea, China, and India are other locales where the government is known to be hostile toward Christianity.
Yet the report found that persecution has also increased in Latin American countries like Nicaragua and Venezuela—both traditionally Christian.
As ICC president Jeff King notes, these nations have begun “the targeting of religious citizens and suppression of dissenting voices.” And they have done so largely through the advanced surveillance technology that China has provided to the countries’ authoritarian leaders.
In India and Pakistan, social media has also played a role, with groups using the platforms to “incite mob violence and spread disinformation about Christian communities, leading to targeted attacks.”
Ultimately, the majority of places where the church seems to have escaped direct persecution are the countries in the West where their governments and culture have increasingly grown disinterested in the faith. And that is, perhaps, the most alarming trend of all.
The slow atrophy of neglect
Christians in America are fortunate to be able to practice our faith, for the most part, without fear of imprisonment or violence. However, it would be a mistake to read about the persecution of other believers around the world and think our faith is safe because we do not face the same threats as our brothers and sisters in those foreign lands.
In nations where Christianity is less established, it appears that Satan still hopes he can stamp out the faith before it takes root and flourishes. That belief seems questionable, given that Iran has one of the fastest-growing Christian populations in the world, the underground church continues to flourish in China, and the faith is also spreading in many of the other nations where it is most dangerous to practice.
But in much of the West—and America in particular—it’s unlikely the government or society will ever turn to persecution in the same way. Christianity is simply too entrenched in the broader culture and history to be overcome so directly, and the value placed on religious liberty is enshrined to a degree that would be difficult to overcome. As such, Satan has adopted a much different strategy here.
While persecution certainly exists and is, in some ways, increasing, threats to our sense of comfort and cultural security are still accomplishing his goals quite well.
As such, if Christianity is going to die here, it will have to be through the slow atrophy of neglect rather than the swift attack of persecution. So what can we do to avoid that fate?
What is required of us to be good?
A recent article for Christianity Today describes a lesson gathered from the personal correspondence of the great Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. While the article applied that lesson to the field of parenting—and it’s worth reading for that context as well—the basic point is also relevant to our current conversation.
In the story, Dostoevsky is asked by a reader for advice on how to teach her eight-year-old to know right from wrong. His answer is to simply model what it means to be good by loving the truth. As the article goes on to describe, Dostoevsky essentially defines a love of truth as “the personal commitment to moral goodness in everyday life and opposition to any form of a lie, both lies to ourselves and lies to others.”
Dostoevsky’s understanding of what it means to be good—one that starts with the development of personal character rather than outward action—is also the key to fighting against the slow atrophy of our faith that we see in so much of America today.
A faith God can bless
A Christianity more focused on doing good than being good will eventually become so useless to the advancement of God’s kingdom that, for all practical purposes, it might as well be dead.
Such a religion was quite similar to what Jesus encountered from the religious leaders in the Gospels, and he was quick to denounce that form of faith. Instead, he called his followers to remember that their responsibility to the Lord starts with their hearts, and it was only when they were right with God personally that they could expect to glorify him with their actions.
After all, our private thoughts, words, and actions shape our character in ways that cannot help but manifest themselves in public. And, chances are, you don’t have to look too far into your own history to see how that’s true.
If you nurse vengeful or angry thoughts about those who have hurt you in the past, you will not be able to extend God’s love to them in the present. If you curse in the relative privacy of your own home, a time will come when those same words slip out for others to hear. And if you fail to pour into your marriage and kids at home, don’t be surprised when the façade of the perfect family begins to crack on your way into church on Sundays.
God has never been interested in the kind of performative religion that prioritizes outward actions over inner character. So of course he’s not going to bless a faith that accepts such hypocrisy as its foundation.
The primary reason that the church continues to grow in the places where it is persecuted the most is that the believers there understand that truth and have embraced their relationship with God on his terms. That doesn’t mean they live perfect lives or have flawless theology, but their faith is genuine in a way that can be difficult for us to replicate. They can’t afford to be cultural Christians, and the gospel is thriving as a result.
Fortunately, what God is doing in Iran, China, and throughout so much of the rest of the world, he can still do here. But if awakening is going to come, it has to start with individual Christians deciding that Jesus will be their Lord when only he is watching, rather than just when their faith is on display for the world to see.
Will that be you today?
Friday news to know:
*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.
Quote of the day:
“So often we try to develop Christian character and conduct without taking the time to develop God-centered devotion. We try to please God without taking the time to walk with Him and develop a relationship with Him. This is impossible to do.” —Jerry Bridges
by John D. Morris, Ph.D.
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” (Job 19:25)
This famous testimony of Job has encouraged many. He knew, as we can know, the reality of his living Redeemer and that the Redeemer would one day reign over His creation as intended.
A redeemer is one who buys back something that has fallen into the hands of the enemy. Originally, the creation was in the proper hands, but Adam sinned, and the rebellious world and its inhabitants fell into bondage at the hands of Satan. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). We became the slaves or “servants of sin” (Romans 6:20).
To be freed, a slave must be redeemed. Could we as slaves have bought ourselves back? No, we had nothing of worth. Silver and gold would not do it. In fact, nothing short of the blood of a completely innocent sacrifice would suffice to pay the “wages of sin” (Romans 6:23). Only God the Son, by being both God and man, could be that perfect sacrifice. “And he saw that there was no man [capable of redeeming mankind], and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation” (Isaiah 59:16). “In his love and in his pity he redeemed them” (Isaiah 63:9) by His own blood, buying us out of bondage to sin and Satan.
Notice also that this redemption is not just something we hope for; it is a fact! He has done it, and it will never be undone! “Thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob” (Isaiah 60:16). “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). JDM
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. —Ephesians 2:8
No one can be saved by their own efforts. We have the sneaking idea that we can earn God’s favor by praying or by believing, by obeying or by repenting. But the only way we get into his favor is by the free gift of his almighty grace.
It takes some of us a long time to understand that we don’t deserve to be saved, and that nothing we do can make us deserving. We say to God, “I really am sorry for what I’ve done. I really am sick of myself.” If only this were true! We have to become sick to death of ourselves, even to the point of despair, even to the point where we can do nothing. Then we will be in the exact right state for receiving his overflowing grace. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
Think of what God’s forgiveness means: it means he forgets away all our sins. Forgetting, in the human mind, may be a defect; in the divine mind it is an attribute. God illustrates it through vibrant images drawn from his creation: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist” (Isaiah 44:22).
When we think of forgetting in human terms, we place limits on God’s grace that don’t exist. His overflowing grace never ends. When God forgets our sins, he forgets them completely: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). This is the grace of God’s forgetting.
Wisdom from Oswald
For the past three hundred years men have been pointing out how similar Jesus Christ’s teachings are to other good teachings. We have to remember that Christianity, if it is not a supernatural miracle, is a sham. The Highest Good, 548 L
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
—John 15:9
The great Swiss theologian, Dr. Karl Barth, was probably in his generation the greatest theologian in the world, and a great philosopher as well. I did not always agree with him, but he was my friend and I respected him. While he was in this country, a student at one of the seminaries said, “Dr. Barth, what is the greatest truth that ever crossed your mind?” All the seminary students were sitting on the edge of their seats to hear some great, profound, deep, complicated answer. Dr. Barth slowly raised his great shaggy gray head and looked at the student and said, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
Have you accepted this simple truth? Follow these simple steps to peace with God.
Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.
Prayer for the day
Lord Jesus, may I always keep the knowledge of Your love in true simplicity—unencumbered by much learning. Thank You for loving me.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.—1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NIV)
Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and it’s essential to honor God by maintaining your well-being. Embrace new, healthy habits that will lead you to a more balanced and fulfilling life. Remember, you are not alone in this journey; God is with you every step of the way. Trust in His guidance as you make these positive changes in your life.
Heavenly Father, help me make wise choices to improve my well-being and grant me the strength to persevere in this journey.
Part 2 of 5
I cry to you, Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Psalm 142:5
Immediately after the August 2010 cave-in at the San José mine in the Atacama Desert of Chilé, fellow mine workers jumped into action. Attempts to reach the 33 men trapped below via alternate routes failed, and ventilation shafts were missing escape ladders that should have been in place.
Meanwhile, nearly half a mile underground, “Los Treinta Tres” workers were facing 95 degree heat, stifling humidity, food meant to last two days, and water accessible from just a single spring and from old radiators. The men got themselves organized, with their crew boss, Luis Urzuza, taking the lead. They implemented a democratic, majority-vote process for major decisions. They ate once a day—two cookies and a spoonful of tuna fish—and organized themselves into work shifts. One miner served as medic while other men led daily prayer sessions.
For 17 days the men had no contact with the outside world, huddled in a 530-square-foot shelter. Alone in the dark, they chose solidarity over despair. It’s hard to imagine the relief they experienced when they heard the first faint sounds of drilling, and then the moment when the drill bit broke through the roof of the shaft near where they were sheltering.
We will all experience moments of pitch black darkness in life. Do we risk bruised egos and reach out to someone, or do we just sit in the dark? I imagine King David writing Psalm 40 after he and his men hid from Saul in the cave of Adullam. Penned in, outnumbered, sitting in the damp, David cried out to God, who delivered him to safety. David rejoiced and said, “He brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock” (Psalm 40:2, nkjv).
“Los 33” survived the pit because they stuck together, rationed food, shared each other’s burdens, and prayed together. We don’t need to remain in the darkness of guilt and shame—no matter what we’ve done, we have brothers ready to help. But if we are sitting in the dark, others can’t help unless we let them know we are out there, in need of a helping hand or reassuring word.
Father, help me out of the pit so I might help others do the same.
The heavens will vanish like smoke . . . . But my salvation will last forever. Isaiah 51:6
Today’s Scripture
Today’s Insights
What does Isaiah 51:1 mean? “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut.” God is challenging His exiled people to “look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth” (v. 2). The people were trying to gain righteousness by keeping the law. What they needed was the faith of their spiritual father Abraham. The apostle Paul wrote, “It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith” (Romans 4:13).
Today’s Devotional
As Hurricane Laura raged through the Gulf of Mexico toward the US coastline of Louisiana, the warnings were dire. One sheriff, noting the 150-mile-per-hour winds, issued this jolting message: “Please evacuate. But if you choose to stay and we can’t get to you, write your name, address, social security number, and next of kin and put it in a Ziploc bag in your pocket. Praying that it does not come to this.” Rescue crews knew that once Laura hit land, they could only watch the storm’s destructive path—helpless in its wake.
Whenever God’s people in the Old Testament faced natural or spiritual calamity, His words were far more certain and hopeful, promising His presence despite destruction. He said that He would “look with compassion on all her ruins; [and would] make her wastelands . . . like the garden of the Lord” (Isaiah 51:3). And more, God always assured His people of the rescue and healing that would certainly follow if they would only trust Him. Even though “the heavens [would] vanish like smoke,” God said, His “salvation [would] last forever” (v. 6). Whatever the damage, His ultimate goodness toward them wouldn’t be thwarted, ever.
God doesn’t safeguard us from hardship, but He does promise that His restorative healing extends far beyond the ruin.
Reflect & Pray
Where are you facing calamity and ruin? How do you hear God’s promise to be with you, to heal and rebuild after the ruins?
Dear God, the ruins are so devastating. I’m not sure I can believe that You have a promise big enough for this. But I choose to believe.
Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!
Matthew 5:9 (AMPC)
The prayer of agreement is only effective when those who agree in prayer are living in agreement in their natural, everyday lives. Living in agreement does not mean never having our own opinions, but it does mean that there is harmony, mutual respect, and honor in our relationships. It means an absence of the things that cause division and strife—like selfishness, anger, resentment, jealousy, bitterness, or comparison. Living in agreement is like being on the same ball team—everyone works together, supports, and encourages each other, believes in, and trusts each other as they all pursue the same goal and share the victory.
The prayer of agreement is very powerful, but it can only be used effectively by those who make the effort to live in agreement. For example, if Dave and I argued and had strife most of the time but wanted to pray in agreement when we had a pressing need, then that would not work. There is no power in agreeing occasionally; we must live in agreement. Live with others respectfully and peacefully. Adapt and adjust yourself to people and things in order to be a maker and maintainer of peace (see Romans 12:16).
Maintaining unity and harmony does require effort, but the power released when people pray who live in agreement is worth it.
Prayer of the Day: God, thank You for the power that is released when I pray. I thank You that right now, incredible power is being released in my life, amen.
If you want good luck in the new year, consider these new year’s traditions:
Speaking of dropping things to bring in the new year: Manhattan, Kansas, dropped a giant apple last night. Not to be outdone, St. George’s, Bermuda, dropped a giant onion, while Boise, Idaho, dropped a giant illuminated potato (of course).
If you step back and look at such strange practices objectively, you’ll admit that they are indeed strange. Why would presumably sane people do such bizarre things?
“A Diet Writer’s Regrets”
One answer is that New Year’s traditions give us a way to feel more in control of what is ultimately uncontrollable—the future. When we do what we know to do, we hope, however naively, that we are doing something to influence the unknowable.
And, of course, millions are making resolutions to begin 2025 as well. Here we believe we are acting in a more practical way, choosing behaviors we can influence to improve our lives and our world. However, only 9 percent of those who make such resolutions keep them through the year.
In this context, an Atlantic headline caught my eye: “A Diet Writer’s Regrets.” The author has written on diet and health for thirty years and struggled mightily with her weight before finally taking weight-loss drugs. Her story shows that resolutions and good intentions often are not enough.
I’m reminded of the story of Baron Munchausen, who tried to pull himself out of a swamp by his own hair. Without solid ground on which to stand, no amount of such effort is enough.
Here’s the good news: “ground” for living our best lives this year is available to each of us. We just have to know where—or to Whom—to look.
“His manhood was of the same clay as our own”
St. Hippolytus of Rome (died AD 236) said regarding the incarnation of Jesus:
We know that his manhood was of the same clay as our own; if this were not so, he would hardly have been a teacher who could expect to be imitated. If he were of a different substance from me, he would surely not have ordered me to do as he did, when by my very nature I am so weak. Such a demand could not be reconciled with his goodness and justice.
No. He wanted us to consider him as no different from ourselves, and so he worked, he was hungry and thirsty, he slept. Without protest he endured his passion, he submitted to death and revealed his resurrection. In all these ways he offered his own manhood as the first fruits of our race to keep us from losing heart when suffering comes our way, and to make us look forward to receiving the same reward as he did, since we know that we possess the same humanity.
Consider the fact that your body is no more flawed and fallen than was the body of Jesus of Nazareth. Your temptations are no different from his (Hebrews 4:15). And the same Spirit who empowered and enabled him to defeat temptation and fulfill his earthly calling resides in us (1 Corinthians 3:16) and can do the same in us.
The difference is that Jesus knew he needed the power of the Spirit (cf. Matthew 12:28; Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38). This is why he so often began his days in prayer (Mark 1:35) and concluded them the same way (cf. Luke 6:12–13). It’s why he spent so much time alone with his Father (Luke 5:16) and why he turned to his word first when temptation struck (cf. Matthew 4:1–11).
It’s why he called on his Father when facing the cross, trusting his will even when it meant his crucified death (Matthew 26:36–46). It’s why his last words before he died were, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46).
It’s why he taught us to “ask and keep on asking, and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking, and you will find; knock and keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7, my literal translation from the Greek). It’s why we are told to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), staying connected with our Lord as we walk in his presence each day.
The best way to begin the year
I am convinced that cultural Christianity is the greatest threat to the abundant, victorious life Jesus intends for us (cf. Romans 8:37). It is the amputated “faith” that separates Sunday from Monday and the spiritual from the secular, the pridefulness that makes God a means to our ends, the self-reliance that calls on him only when we have nowhere else to turn.
In response, I pray these words from the Anglican Book of Prayer each morning because I need their reminder:
To my humble supplication
Lord, give ear and acceptation.
Save thy servant, that hath none
Help nor hope but thee alone (my emphasis).
I know of no better way to begin this day and this year than with such “humble supplication” before our omnipotent Lord.
Do you?
Wednesday news to know:
*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.
Quote for the day:
“God is not just one thing we add to the mix called life. He wants an invitation from us to permeate everything in every part of us.” —Francis Chan
by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.
“Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” (Mark 16:14)
Apparently many people—even Christians—are afflicted with “spiritual cardiosclerosis” (hardening of the heart), for there are some 40 references in the Bible to this malady. The first was in reference to Egypt’s unbelieving pharaoh. Concerning him, God told Moses: “I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go” (Exodus 4:21).
But when the children of Israel did escape Pharaoh’s persecutions, they also contracted this debilitating attitude: “Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work” (Psalm 95:8-9).
Even the very disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ were rebuked by Him for their hardness of heart. In spite of the Old Testament prophecies, and in spite of His own repeated promise that He would rise from the dead, the disciples forsook Him and fled into hiding when He was arrested. Some were even skeptical about the first reports of His resurrection until they saw Him for themselves. His rebuke (our text) essentially equated their unbelief with “hardness of heart” (Greek sklerokardia).
If this heart of hardness and unbelief could attack the 11 disciples, it could surely happen to us, if we allow it. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief….But exhort one another daily…lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin….To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 3:12-13, 15). Instead, we should heed Christ’s first great commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart” (Matthew 22:37). HMM
By faith Abraham . . . obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. —Hebrews 11:8
Have you ever set off on an unplanned journey, taking, as Christ instructed, no thought for your life, no thought for what you would eat or drink or wear (Matthew 6:25)?
“Where are you going, and what will you do?” If you begin to live for God, people will ask you this all the time. But if you are living in the way Christ wants, you won’t have a logical answer: there is none. You can’t know what you’re going to do; you can’t know what God is going to do. All you can know is that God knows. This is what it means to trust entirely in him.
Have you been begging God to tell you his plans? He never will. God doesn’t tell us what he’s going to do; he reveals to us who he is. It is through taking action, through stepping out in faith, that we receive this revelation. Ask yourself: Do I believe in a miracle-working God, and will I step out in surrender to him until I am not surprised one iota at anything he does? To step out in this way is to journey beyond your convictions and creeds and past experiences, until, as far as your faith is concerned, there is nothing at all between yourself and God.
Imagine, for a moment, that God really is who he says he is: the God of your days and your nights, of your future and your past; the God of all. What an impertinence worry is! Set aside your worries, and let your attitude be one of eager adventure.
Wisdom from Oswald
Always keep in contact with those books and those people that enlarge your horizon and make it possible for you to stretch yourself mentally.The Moral Foundations of Life, 721 R
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee . . .
—Psalm 63:1
Some Christians have learned little of a daily devotional life. Some time ago a policeman asked me what the secret of victorious living was. I told him that there is no magic formula that can be pronounced. If any word could describe it, I would say surrender. The second word I would say would be devotion. Nothing can take the place of a daily devotional life with Christ. Your quiet time, your prayer time, the time you spend in the Word, is absolutely essential for a happy Christian life. You cannot possibly be a happy, dynamic, and powerful Christian apart from a daily walk with Christ. Christ is calling Christians today to cleansing, to dedication, to consecration, and to full surrender. It will make the difference between success and failure in your spiritual life. It will make the difference between being helped and helping others. It will make a difference in your habits, in your prayer life, in your Bible reading, in your giving, in your testimony, and in your church membership. This is the Christian hour of decision!
Need help getting started? Read “How to Dive Into Your Walk with God.”
Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.
Prayer for the day
I long for a deeper devotional life, living Lord. May I consecrate myself completely to You.
Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.”—Judges 16:28 (NIV)
Samson, known for his incredible strength, faced times of vulnerability and dependence on God. It’s important to recognize that your true strength comes from God’s grace. When you embrace your weaknesses and rely on His power, you become a vessel for His divine work.
Heavenly Father, help me trust Your strength when I feel weak and remain humble as I serve You.
DAILY DEVOTIONS, NEWS AND INFORMATION 