Daily Archives: July 25, 2026

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – The Solid Rock: A House on the Rock

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Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Matthew 7:24

Recommended Reading: Luke 6:46-49

“The wise man built his house upon the rock…. And the rains came tumbling down. The rains came down, and the floods came up…. And the house on the rock stood firm.”1

Many Christians have fond memories of singing in their childhood Sunday school classes. One of the most memorable songs they probably sang was about a wise man who built his house on the rock and a foolish man who built his house on the sand. Complete with hand motions, the song taught the lesson found in Jesus’ parable in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:24-27). Jesus likened the rock to His teachings—building a house (life) on His words would be a strong defense against life’s winds, rains, and floods. Ignoring His teachings would be the equivalent of building a house on the sand. In the Middle East there is no shortage of rocks and sand—the lesson would have been obvious to Jesus’ listeners.

Take Jesus’ words to heart—build your life on the sure foundation of His Word.

My conscience is captive to the Word of God.
Martin Luther

  1. Ann Omley, “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man,” 1948, public domain.

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Serving God, Not Self

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During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it . . . as a monument to himself. 2 Samuel 18:18

Today’s Scripture

2 Samuel 18:12-18

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Today’s Devotion

The ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II thought so much of himself that he had numerous structures built in his honor, including many monuments that captured his physical features. One, the colossal statue of Ramesses II, stands thirty-six feet tall and weighs eighty-three tons in all its red-granite glory. Age wasn’t kind to the proud ruler, however. In fact, when he died, he was suffering from bad teeth, arthritis, and chronic heart problems. Some of his monuments might last for a while, but—like all mortals—he himself passed.

Absalom, one of King David’s sons, also built “a monument to himself” (2 Samuel 18:18). Fueled by rage from past tragedy (see ch. 13) and selfish ambition, this younger man worked to steal “the hearts of the people of Israel” from his father (15:6). When Absalom attempted to pilfer the throne, however, God didn’t allow him to overpower David, His anointed king (1 Samuel 16:12-13), and David’s fighting men (2 Samuel 18:6). In the end, Absalom was killed for his treachery. Although his monument still stood (v. 18), he died humbled and defeated.

Building monuments to ourselves and serving our own pride and desires won’t end well. But as we humbly serve God and love Him well (Philippians 2:3-8), we’ll find true meaning and fulfillment in His presence.

Reflect & Pray

Why is living for and serving yourself an empty pursuit? What does it look like for you to humbly serve God?

All-powerful God, please help me to serve You in love and humility. You’re the only one who’s worthy of my worship.

Today’s Insights

In 2 Samuel 13, we learn that Absalom’s sister Tamar is assaulted by their half-brother Amnon. Their father, King David, is furious about the news but does nothing (v. 21). Two years later, Absalom takes matters into his own hands and has Amnon killed (vv. 23, 28-29). Again, David does nothing—for years (see ch. 14). So Absalom’s anger and insurrection against his father was largely due to David’s inaction, poor choices, and lack of guidance. Absalom’s “monument to himself” (18:18) is just one sign of his alienation from David and from God. Today, as believers in Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit inside us to guide us. Empowered by Him, we’re called to trust in God’s sense of justice. He helps us to humbly serve Him and to value others above ourselves.

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – What many people don’t know about “The Odyssey”

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I saw The Odyssey this week. I’m a bit late to the party: The film has made over $322 million as of today. When BBC Culture asked writers around the globe to pick stories that have endured across generations and changed society, Homer’s poem topped the list. The book has been translated into English at least sixty times and rendered in movies more than three dozen times.

Christopher Nolan’s version is truly spectacular. His film required 5,300 costumes and spanned 91 days of filming in six countries. Moving the Trojan horse alone required 250 actors and stunt performers. The movie amazes audiences with its mythical creatures brought to life largely without CGI.

But there’s more to the story behind the movie than many people know.

Giving the audience “reasons to believe”

The Odyssey is a poem comprising 12,109 lines that is thought to have been composed by the Greek poet Homer around three thousand years ago. The poem circulated orally for centuries before it was written down in the mid-sixth century BC for the Panathenaia Festival, likely on rolls of papyrus. More than a thousand ancient copies of The Odyssey and The Iliad have been found, substantiating the accuracy of the manuscripts we possess.

Continue reading Denison Forum – What many people don’t know about “The Odyssey” →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Secret of Success

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 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 

—Ecclesiastes 12:13

Scripture:

It is my belief that one of the reasons for the great success of the United States of America over our 250-year history can be found in our origins, the fact that our nation’s founding was deeply shaped by a belief that liberty depends on moral virtue, and many of the founders saw biblical faith as essential to that virtue.

Now that certainly is a far cry from where we are today. But we desperately need a biblical worldview today, and we desperately need to follow God’s commandments.

We can either accept the truths of Scripture or fight against them as a nation and as individuals. And, I might add, we will reap the inevitable results.

As Vance Havner, a preacher and revivalist, once said, “We speak of ‘breaking the laws of God’ but actually we cannot break them. If you jump from the Empire State Building you don’t break the law of gravitation—you just break your neck! The Ten Commandments stand today, unchanged and unchangeable. When we violate them, we suffer. What we sow, we reap. God is not mocked. When we crash into the pillars of God’s eternal principles, we are smashed but the pillars remain standing.”

He’s right. You can’t break the laws of God, but you will break yourself against them. You can buck against these truths and say, “These don’t apply to me, and I will live the way I want to live.” Or you can see the wisdom God has in giving these commandments to us.

The author of Ecclesiastes could not be any clearer on the matter. “That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT).

But obeying God’s commands is more than a duty; it’s also an opportunity. Remember, God created us. He knows exactly how we’re wired and what’s best for us. His commands are one of the means He uses to help us discover what’s best for us.

His commands are intended not to restrict us but rather to allow us to enjoy life to the fullest, as He intends. They show us the way to experience soul-deep joy—the kind of joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances or moods. His commands also point the way toward genuine fulfillment and the peace that comes from knowing that we’re doing what we were created to do.

God’s commands keep us in spiritual balance. Obedience is essential to our relationship with our heavenly Father. When we prioritize His instructions and live according to His principles, we enjoy His blessings.

Likewise, our country was created to honor God’s commandments. Until we begin to prioritize them again, we will not fulfill the destiny He has for us.

It’s our choice. We can do it the easy way, or we can do it the hard way.

 

Reflection question: What helped you recognize the wisdom in obeying God’s commands? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Come Thou Fount

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21:6)

Promises of God’s fountain of blessings fill Scripture. They beckon our prayers for fulfillment, not only in heaven but even now. Christ assured us that “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The precious hymn “Come Thou Fount” reminds us of our position of blessing in Christ. The first verse says:

Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

God acts toward believers in grace and mercy, not deserved justice, eliciting praise from the recipients. His “fount” assures us that He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

We look forward to singing and praising our Lord with the angelic “flaming tongues” above for all eternity. “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever . . . saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:10–11). “I heard the voice of many angels . . . saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing” (5:11–12).

Even so, come Thou Fount. JDM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – God Wants You to Enjoy Life

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He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?

Romans 8:32 (AMPC)

Some people seem to have the idea that to be a Christian they have to give up everything they enjoy, but that is not true. God is love, He is good, and He wants us to enjoy good things. The Bible says God gives us all things ceaselessly to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). God loves us so much, He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to take our sins and give us life, and life more abundantly (John 3:16; 10:10). That’s something to be forever grateful for! Anything God teaches us not to do is only for our benefit. We obey His commands for our own good according to the Word of God.

When we receive Jesus, we receive the kingdom of God within us, and that kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). We can choose to continue living with misery, depression, discouragement, fear, worry, anxiety, guilt, and condemnation, but Jesus wants us to receive freedom from those things. God doesn’t want us carrying them around any longer. Through Jesus, we can live the joyful, overcoming, abundant life we were meant to live.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to realize that You have nothing but good things in store for my life. Thank You that even when You correct and instruct me, You are showing me a better way to live. I am grateful for Your goodness and the joyful life I can experience in You.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

 

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – The Golden Rule

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Read Matthew 7:9–12

As I was writing this devotional, my daughter celebrated a birthday. I selected the perfect gift and wrapped it—a rock from our backyard. No. Of course not. What kind of father would do that? Instead, I gave her something called a Squishmallow, a gift I knew she would love.

As Jesus pointed out, if human fathers know how to love their children, how much more does our heavenly Father love us! Our confidence to ask, seek, and knock (as we learned yesterday) is ultimately rooted in the goodness and love of our Father God (vv. 9–11). If our child asked us for bread, we would not give them a stone. Why not? Because we love them and want the best for them. Once again, Jesus was arguing from the smaller to the greater: If we, sinners though we are, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will God do the same! So why are we afraid to trust Him?

This is a humbling analogy for us. We know how to give good gifts to our children even though we’re evil (v. 11). Ouch. And that’s a best-case scenario. We all know that some parents do treat their children in truly evil ways. God never does so.

Jesus concluded: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (v. 12). This is sometimes called the Golden Rule. If applied, it would definitely slow down our tendency to judge (v. 1)! It’s not just an ethical idea that sounds fair. As we see here, in context, it’s based on the goodness of God: Since God does good things for us, we should do good things for others.

Go Deeper

Why does Jesus tell us that we can fully depend on God? In what ways can we better trust the Lord to be the good and loving Father He is?

Pray with Us

Righteous Father, we look to You in humble gratitude for all that You have given us. Lead us to love others as You love us.

Do to others what you would have them do to you.Matthew 7:12

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/