Daily Archives: September 12, 2026

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Great Reunions: Jacob and Esau

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Then [Jacob] crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. But Esau ran to meet [Jacob], and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
Genesis 33:3-4

Recommended Reading: Matthew 5:23-24

The word estranged comes from a Latin word that meant “not belonging to the family; a stranger.” Family members can sometimes be estranged from one another due to a conflict in the past. But when they meet and are reconciled, their reunion is watered by tears of joy.

That was the situation with the two sons of Isaac—Esau and Jacob. As the older brother, Esau was in line to receive Isaac’s blessing as the firstborn. But Jacob tricked Isaac into bestowing the blessing on him instead. Esau’s grudge against Jacob caused Jacob to flee for his life to the home of a family relative in a distant land (Genesis 27:41-45). Many years later, Jacob returned to Canaan with his own family. When Esau saw his younger brother coming, he ran to him and embraced him—and they wept together.

Reconciliation and reunion don’t have to take years of estrangement to heal. Be the first to build a bridge if estrangement has taken place (Matthew 5:23-24).

The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.
William Blake

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Persevering into Joy

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Blessed is the one who perseveres. James 1:12

Today’s Scripture

James 1:2-12

Listen to Today’s Devotion

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Today’s Devotion

Nestled in a corner of the brick steps leading up to our front door is a hardy little scarlet begonia. We didn’t plant it—it must have grown there from a seed that fell out of a hanging basket. But we’ve let it remain. Year after year it’s a cheerful reminder to my wife and me that perseverance is a beautiful thing.

James offers even more beautiful encouragement to persevere, especially to those facing opposition for their faith in Jesus: “Consider it pure joy . . . whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3).

Pure joy? We balk at those words, but the apostle is looking forward to the truth that God is over everything and is able to bring good out of even difficult circumstances. James completes the thought: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because . . . that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (v. 12). The word blessed is the same word Jesus uses in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12), and it carries the meaning—among other things—of “happy.”

Whatever we face, including spiritual battles and life’s hard challenges, God will sustain us in His love and will one day mercifully reward us with the beauty of His joy.

Reflect & Pray

How does it help you to know that God is able to 
bring good out of our most challenging circumstances? 
What do you most look forward to from Him today?

Thank You for persevering to the cross for me, dear Jesus. You bring the greatest happiness of all!

Today’s Insights

Jesus is the greatest example of one who persevered under trial. Hebrews instructs us to “[Fix] our eyes on [him], the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:2). The Greek word translated “endured” (hypomenō) is rendered “perseveres” in James 1:12: “Blessed is the one who perseveres.” What’s in view in both usages is hopeful endurance. The anticipation of God-honoring, soul-strengthening outcomes calls for “joy” (v. 2) even in the midst of our challenges. Because navigating life’s difficulties can be hard, we’re invited to ask God for wisdom (v. 5) and trust that He’ll bring good out of our trials.

For further study, listen to the following podcast: A Trust Trial

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Forgive As God Does

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 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out, ‘Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.’ 

—Exodus 34:6–7

Scripture:

Exodus 34:6-7 

An unforgiving Christian is a contradiction in terms, an oxymoron. To say that you’re a follower of Jesus Christ and yet harbor unforgiveness in your heart is simply wrong. This reality brings us to our final amazing truth in this week’s devotions: You are never more like God than when you forgive.

Alexander Pope wrote, “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” We reflect the nature of God in a dramatic way when we are willing to forgive because He is a forgiving God. He makes this clear throughout Scripture.

Exodus 34:6–7 says, “The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, ‘Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.’” He wants His people to know that He is forgiving. And if we want to be like Him, we must be forgiving as well.

Jesus touched on the issue of forgiveness time after time during His earthly ministry. It was a theme of many of His parables. He hammered on the issue repeatedly in His private talks with the disciples.

When Jesus taught us to pray, He used these words: “And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” (Matthew 6:12 NLT). That’s how closely intertwined God’s forgiveness and our forgiveness must be. In that same passage, Jesus also said, “May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (verse 10 NLT). What’s going on in Heaven? The worship of God, the exaltation of Christ, and the granting of forgiveness. Therefore, we should be worshipping God. We should be exalting Jesus Christ. And we should be forgiving one another.

You’ll notice that God doesn’t downplay the seriousness of sin or the effect it has on our relationship with Him. But when we repent, He chooses to forgive, to restore the relationship—not with ulterior motives but rather with a sincere desire for reconciliation. This should be our attitude as well when we forgive others. God wants what’s best for us, even after we’ve done our worst.

 

Reflection question: Whom might God be calling you to forgive? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – Two Faithful Friends

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by Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.

“But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.” (Philippians 2:19–20)

Paul cited Timothy and Epaphroditus as two faithful ministry friends (Philippians 2:19–30). Their activities provide a great inventory to follow as we “work out [our] own salvation” (Philippians 2:12).

  • Likeminded: The Greek word is isopsuchos, or “equal in soul.” Effective ministry friendships agree in purpose (Amos 3:3).
  • Genuine Care: The Holy Spirit used merimnao, a burden for others’ needs. Philippians 2:2–4 lists the restrictions.
  • Seek Christ’s Things: Edify each other (1 Corinthians 14:12), focus on heavenly ideals (Colossians 3:1), and crave the kingdom and God’s righteousness more than our welfare (Matthew 6:33).
  • Serve Together: Timothy was to Paul like a “son with the father,” serving with him “in the gospel” (Philippians 2:22). To be acceptable, that service must be in “righteousness, and peace, and joy” (Romans 14:17).
  • Companion in Labor: Similarly, Epaphroditus is said to work with Paul (Philippians 2:25). As with Timothy, their focus was “to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith” (1 Thessalonians 3:2).
  • Fellow Soldier: Military metaphors abound in the Bible, with a common thread of the spiritual warfare defined in Ephesians 6:10–18. We must “endure hardness” when we assist in the ministry (2 Timothy 2:3).

Not every Christian meets the excellence of these faithful friends. “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6). HMM III

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Put God in Remembrance of His Word

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I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who will never hold their peace day or night; you who [are His servants and by your prayers] put the Lord in remembrance [of His promises], keep not silence.

Isaiah 62:6 (AMPC)

Today’s verse instructs us to remind God of the promises He has made to us, and one of the best ways to do that is to pray His Word back to Him.

God’s Word is extremely valuable to Him and should be to us as well. After all, He speaks to us clearly through His Word, and it is a trustworthy way to hear His voice. In fact, the Amplified Bible renders Psalm 138:2 as I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name! This verse indicates that God magnifies His Word even above His name. If He honors it to that extent, we need to make a priority out of knowing the Word, studying the Word, loving the Word, getting the Word deeply rooted in our hearts, esteeming the Word more highly than anything else, and incorporating the Word in our prayers.

When we honor the Word and commit ourselves to it as I have just described, we are “abiding” in it (John 15:7). Abiding in the Word and allowing the Word to abide in us are directly related to confidence in prayer and to having our prayers answered. When we pray the Word of God, we are less likely to pray for things that are not God’s will for us. Jesus Christ is the living Word (John 1:1–4), and as we abide in the Word, we abide in Him—and that brings unspeakable power to our prayers.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me to be fully confident when I pray. I’ll need Your help as I learn to pray Your Word back to You, reminding You of Your promises. I want to walk in wisdom and obedience in everything I do, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – The Foundation Laid

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Read Ezra 3:7–13

The foundation is the most important part of any building. It has to be stable, secure, and well-built. It’s also the first part to be built because, well, everything else goes on top of it. In Ezra 3:7–13 we read about the laying of the temple’s foundation. There’s great rejoicing over this monumental step, but it’s mixed with weeping from some of the people who were old enough to remember the first temple.

Verses 7 and 8 recount that the workers received payment for their work. This is a small detail that reminds us of what Jesus said in Luke 10:7: “The worker deserves his wages.” Ezra 3:8 gives us a date stamp: “the second month of the second year.” This is April–May, 537 BC; it’s the same month (though a different year, of course) that Solomon began work on the first temple (1 Kings 6). Great care was taken to ensure that the work was overseen properly. This was a massive undertaking of supreme importance.

Finally in verse 10 we read that “the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD.” The priests and Levites erupted in praise, some with trumpets and other with cymbals, and all of them singing “praise and thanksgiving…to the LORD” (v. 11). Quoting Psalm 107:1, they rejoice in God’s hesed, His covenant love toward His people Israel. He had brought them back from exile and allowed them once again to worship Him in the land of Israel (v. 11).

Next the people “gave a great shout of praise,” but some of them “wept aloud” even while “many others shouted for joy” (vv. 11–12). Their great rejoicing was tinged with sorrow for those who had seen Solomon’s temple. Nevertheless, they all rejoiced, for God had shown great faithfulness to His people.

Go Deeper

What do you think of the people’s loud and exuberant worship? Have you ever experienced a time of rejoicing in God like they did?

Pray with Us

Everlasting God, You are our foundation and cornerstone. We build our lives on You. When the storms of life feel mighty, You stand firm.

He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.Ezra 3:11

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/