Daily Archives: April 8, 2026

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Stressometer

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And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled.
Matthew 24:6

Recommended Reading: Psalm 46

Do you have a device that monitors your heart rhythm, sleep patterns, daily steps, oxygen levels, and body temperature? What if you had a stressometer that could measure your anxiety levels right now? Are you calm, nervous, frightened, worried, or afraid of the future? Most of our fears have to do with the future, and we find ourselves afraid of what might happen to our loved ones or to us.

In His sermon about the Last Days, Jesus made two seemingly contradictory statements: The world will be filled with war; we are to be filled with peace. See that you are not troubled.

How do we do that? By trusting Him with the future. We may not know all that is to come, but we do know that whatever happens Jesus is on His throne and in control. The throne of heaven governs the affairs of earth and the pathway of God’s children. So don’t be troubled. Ask Him today to give you the courage to trust Him.

To say that God is sovereign is to declare that He is the almighty and the owner of all power in heaven and earth. No one can defeat His plans, prevent His purposes, or resist His will.
A. W. Pink

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – God Our Provider

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Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Matthew 17:27

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 17:24-27

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Today’s Devotion

In 2024, teenager Keegan happily reeled in a two-foot barramundi. But his happiness became elation when his little sister pointed out a tag on the fish. His catch was worth one million dollars as part of an Australian fishing competition. The annual event had been held since 2015; Keegan was the first to win the coveted top cash prize.

However slim the odds of catching that fish, the odds were far lower that a fish caught at random would have a coin in its mouth. But in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus instructed His disciple Peter to “go to the lake and . . . take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin” (17:27).

The context of this unlikely catch was a question of whether Jesus paid the temple tax (v. 24). The irony of insisting that Jesus—God’s Son—pay a tax to support God’s temple, wasn’t lost on Him. He pointed out that the king’s children don’t pay taxes to the king (vv. 25-26).

But there was no need to “cause offense” and distract others from His teaching by being perceived as a tax evader (v. 27). So Jesus instructed Peter to catch that fish, which had the exact amount to pay both His and Peter’s tax! Perhaps in part it was a reminder to Peter—and to us—that God is a provider who is always with His children as they follow Him.

Reflect & Pray

When have you experienced unlikely events in which you saw God’s hand at work? How does trusting Him free you to live in obedience?

Loving God, please help me rest in Your provision as I follow You.

Today’s Insights

The law stipulated that every adult Israelite had to pay a tax to support the temple (Nehemiah 10:32). When Jesus was reminded that this tax was due, He said that just as kings don’t demand tribute from their own children, He—as the Son of God—is exempt. He’s “greater than the temple” (Matthew 12:6), for the temple belonged to Him. But as a law-abiding Jew, He’d pay the tax so that He wouldn’t be accused of breaking the law and causing others to stumble (17:27; see 11:6). He then miraculously provided Peter with the needed tax, showing that He’s the Lord of creation and will provide for our needs. Christ assures us “not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. . . . Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs” (6:25, 32 nlt). As children of God, we can trust Him to provide for our needs.

Learn why we should trust God.

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Artemis 2 pilot: There are no atheists “on top of rockets”

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Four astronauts aboard Artemis 2 are on their way home this morning. They broke the record for human travel on Monday afternoon, flying more than 248,655 miles from Earth and surpassing NASA’s Apollo 13 mission in 1970. Orion flew behind the moon last night, losing communications with our planet for forty minutes while reaching its maximum distance from our planet, 252,756 miles away.

Commander Reid Wiseman told President Trump, “We saw sights that no human has ever seen.”

The crewmembers are sharing a cabin roughly the size of two minivans. They sleep in bags attached to the wall of the craft, exercise on a flywheel machine, and share a toilet (with private doors). Their flight is historic not only for its distance into space but for the composition of their crew, which includes the first woman, the first Canadian, and the first Black astronaut to travel to the moon.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Artemis 2 pilot: There are no atheists “on top of rockets” →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Power to Change

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 To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations. 

—Isaiah 61:3–4

Scripture:

Isaiah 61:3–4 

I’ve been astounded by the testimonies of certain people who tell me the way they used to be. I’ve looked at them and thought, “There’s no way they used to be that way,” because Jesus Christ has so radically changed them.

Isaiah 61:3–4 promises that God “will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations” (NLT).

For those who have made a mess of their life—a pile of ashes, so to speak—God says, “I will bring beauty.” For those who mourn because of the people they’ve wronged and the sins they’ve committed, God says, “I will bring joy out of it.”

Only God can take a tangled mess of a life and transform it so completely that you wouldn’t even recognize the person it used to be. The Bible offers several such examples.

Think of the demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes who met Jesus when He got out of the boat. Luke 8 says, “For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town. . . . Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power” (verses 27, 29 NLT). Moments later, “He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane” (verse 35 NLT).

Think of Saul, the zealous defender of the Jewish faith who terrorized the early Christians. After an encounter with the risen Christ, he became the apostle Paul. He was speaking from personal experience when he wrote, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT).

Every such transformation gives hope to others who may still despair over the condition of their lives. If you come to Christ and say, “Lord, here I am, forgive me of my sin,” He can transform you and change you. He can take your mistakes and your sins, turn them around, and even use them for His glory. When you commit your life to Christ, putting the broken, stained, twisted pieces into His hand, He will transform it into a thing of beauty.

Reflection Question: What evidence of transformation can you see in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – The Living Word

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by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

This is the great verse of the Incarnation, declaring to us that the Creator of all things, the eternal Word of God (John 1:1–3), actually became a man, being “made flesh” (our text). Since this verse and the following verses unequivocally refer to Jesus Christ (v. 17), there is no legitimate escape (though many have tried) from the great truth that the man called Jesus of Nazareth was the great God and Creator as well as perfect man and redeeming Savior. Furthermore, He has assumed human flesh forever while still remaining fully God. He is Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

He is not part man and part God or sometimes man and sometimes God. He is now the God-man, fully and eternally true God and perfect man—man as God created and intended man to be (see Philippians 2:5–8 and 1 John 4:2–3).

When He first became man, He “dwelt among us” for a while. The word “dwelt,” however, is actually the Greek word for “tabernacled.” As in the tabernacle (or “tent”) prepared by Moses in the wilderness (Exodus 40:33), the glory of God in Christ dwelled on Earth for a time in a “body” prepared by God (Hebrews 10:5). We also “beheld his glory,” says His beloved disciple, John. The Greek word for “tabernacle” (skene) is a cognate word to shakan (the Hebrew word for “dwell”), both being related to what has come to be known as the Shekinah glory cloud that filled the ancient tabernacle (Exodus 40:34).

Eventually, when the Holy City descends out of heaven to the new earth, then “the tabernacle of God” will forever be “with men,” and He will “dwell with them” and “be their God” eternally (Revelation 21:3). Thus, God’s living Word is now and always our living Lord! HMM

 

 

https://www.icr.org/articles/type/6

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Says, “I Will Be with You”

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…As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.

Joshua 1:5 (AMPC)

The presence of God in our lives helps us overcome fear. If we know by faith that God is with us, we can be grateful for His presence and we can take on any challenge with confidence and courage. We may not always feel God’s presence, but we can be thankful for His Word, remembering that He said He would never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

In the Bible, the basis for not fearing is simply this: God is with us. And if we know God’s character and nature, we know He is trustworthy. We do not have to know what He is going to do, when He is going to do it, or how He is going to do it. Simply knowing He is with us is more than enough.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am grateful for this new day that You have given me. Regardless of the actions or attitudes of others, I am going to enjoy this day because You are the Source of my joy.

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Occupied by Christ 

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When grace happens, Christ enters. Christ in you, the hope of glory! For many years, I missed this truth. I believed all the other prepositions: Christ for me, Christ with me, Christ ahead of me. But I never imagined that Christ was in me.

I can’t blame my deficiency on Scripture. Paul refers to the indwelling of Christ 216 times. John mentions his presence 26. No other religion or philosophy makes such a claim. No other movement implies the living presence of its founder in his followers. Muhammad does not indwell Muslims. Buddha does not inhabit Buddhists. Influence? Instruct? Yes. But occupy? No!

The mystery of Christianity is summarized in Colossians 1:27: “Christ is in you!” Little by little a new image emerges, all because of  God’s grace.

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Bitter Naomi

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Read Ruth 1:19–22

There are many stories where the protagonist returns home after a long time away, such as The Count of Monte Cristo, Jane Eyre, The Lord of the Rings. In each, the main character comes back changed. But the hero’s motive for returning is different, as is the reception he or she receives.

This final scene of Ruth 1 opens with the women of Bethlehem welcoming Naomi home. The entire town was “stirred” and surprised by Naomi’s return. They were thrilled to have her back! The women said to one another: “Can this be Naomi?” (v. 19), a rhetorical question that carried the force of an exclamation. Naomi responded with sarcasm and accusations. She ordered the women to stop calling her “Naomi,” meaning “beautiful, pleasant, and good” (v. 20). In Hebrew thought, a person’s name was indicative of their character, so Naomi denied her name—twice (vv. 20–21). Instead, she demanded to be called “Mara” or “bitter.”

Even more concerning was Naomi’s accusation against the Lord. First, she blamed the Almighty for making her life “very bitter” (v. 20). The Hebrew word for “bitter” describes great anguish over one’s circumstance. Job made a similar declaration: “the Almighty, who has made my life bitter” (Job 27:2). Next, Naomi contrasted her “full” state when she left Bethlehem with her “empty” condition now. But her family left Bethlehem during a famine, so they could not have been physically full. Rather, she had been full emotionally, and spiritually.

Even though there was food again in Bethlehem, Naomi felt empty and alone. She even failed to acknowledge Ruth as she hurled her accusations at the Lord. The author reminds the audience of Ruth’s presence though—and the Lord’s provision of the harvest (v. 22). Naomi is not, in fact, empty at all.

Go Deeper

Did Naomi have good reason to be bitter? Have you ever blamed God for a season of pain?

Pray with Us

Holy God, our difficult circumstances can tempt us to take our eyes off Your blessings. When we feel the pain of loss, remind us of the many blessings You have given. Forgive us for our bitter hearts.

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again.Psalm 71:20

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/