Daily Archives: September 24, 2026

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Fair Warning

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Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is not fair.” O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
Ezekiel 18:29

Recommended Reading: Ezekiel 18:25-32

Many people say that if there is a God, He is not fair. Even in times of great trauma and loss, Christians understand that life doesn’t seem fair. This is especially true in a culture that says everyone should be treated the same.

What do we do, then, when we encounter more difficulty than others, when we face our own unique troubles, and when we’re tempted to feel disappointed in God? Ezekiel told the people of his day to trust in the wisdom and ways of the Lord. He said, “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezekiel 18:31).

When Abraham could not fully understand what the Lord was doing, he simply said, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25) That is a good sentence to remember, for we can rest assured and give thanks today that the Judge of all of the earth will always do what is right.

[The Christian] believes [God] to be too wise to err and too good to be unkind. 
Charles Spurgeon

 

 

 

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread – Words from Friends

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[None of Job’s friends] said a word to him, 
because they saw how great his suffering was. Job 2:13

Today’s Scripture

Job 2:7-13

Listen to Today’s Devotion

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Today’s Devotion

As I sat in a Bible class at the age of twenty-six, I was baffled. 
 Some of my classmates’ comments were discouraging. They 
 seemed to have so many problems. I responded by asking, “If we’re Christians, why are we so down? Don’t we know how this thing really ends?” I was referring to the promise of eternal life in Christ but also to the many promises in the Bible of God’s care for His people. The instructor simply smiled and moved on. But my comment has stuck with me for years.

Eventually life hit me. Job loss, bereavement, illness, and more led me to feel discouraged. Yes, God’s promises are comforting and true, but they don’t promise an easy life. Jesus said we “will have trouble” (John 16:33).

Quite naturally, we feel the impact of such troubles, just as a man named Job did. He was tested, and it hit him hard: He lost his children, his property, and his health (Job 1:13-20; 2:7). His friends came to visit him to console him (2:11-13). In the beginning they simply supported their friend quietly, noting “how great his suffering was” (v. 13). But then they began asking unhelpful questions, not too dissimilar to the one I posed in Bible class.

As we encounter others going through trouble, the Holy Spirit can help us respond with love and compassion. And as we experience sorrow, we can remember the comfort of God’s promises.

Reflect & Pray

How has a friend helped you during a rough time? 
How can you help others by using sensitivity and discernment?

Loving God, please teach me to use wisdom when sympathizing with others.

Today’s Insights

For seven days, Job’s friends were a silent presence with their suffering friend (Job 2:13). Silence tends to make us uncomfortable, so we may try to fill that void with words. But in times of great suffering (like Job’s), words alone are often inadequate to express the comfort or help that the hurting person truly needs. Job’s friends caused more hurt when they began to offer answers that didn’t ease his hurt, pain, or loss. We can ask God to give us wisdom to know when to speak and when to offer the comfort of a silent presence with those who are hurting.

For further study, listen to the Discover the Word Podcast: Rediscovering Friendship

 

 

http://www.odb.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Youth sports and the things that matter most

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The landscape of youth sports has changed dramatically over the last three to four decades. Youth sports once revolved around neighborhood teams, school programs, and local leagues. Today, it is a $40 billion industry. And it’s rapid growth is attracting increasing attention from private equity.

A growing scholarship and elite-development mindset has helped fuel travel teams, sport specialization, and private coaching at younger ages and with greater intensity. No sport seems immune. And for better or worse, the big business of youth sports is changing our society and appears here to stay.

So how should a Christian respond? What should we be aware of as our world changes in this area?

See your community (Matthew 22:39)

Sports were once a great vehicle for creating connections within your local neighborhood. Practices and games were a chance to build shared history with families whose lives you already had some overlap with. For the believer, it gave us opportunities to see how other families were doing and what their needs were. It also gave us natural opportunities to model our faith and serve as salt and light among people already woven into our lives.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Youth sports and the things that matter most →

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – Turning Worry into Prayer

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 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 

—Philippians 4:6–7

Scripture:

Philippians 4:6-7 

Worry is an obstruction that keeps us from seeing the bright future on the horizon. Yet it’s an obstacle that we put in our own way, for no good reason. Of all the things we worry about, how many are within our control? If we’re honest with ourselves, the answer is probably very few.

Martin Luther had the right idea when he wrote in a letter to his wife, “Pray, and let God worry.” God isn’t going to worry, of course. But we still need to pray, because worry is persistent. It keeps popping up unless we bring it to God.

Some people try to elevate worry to a virtue. They say things like, “I worry because I care.” But is worry actually a virtue? I don’t think so. In fact, I think worry can be a sin. I’m not saying that all worry is sin, but I am saying that it can be. And I would readily admit that worry is a sin I’ve committed.

I have unnecessarily worried about things. I have fretted and been filled with anxiety. So why is it potentially a sin? Because it’s evidence of a lack of trust in God. When we worry, we’re essentially saying, “God isn’t in control. He isn’t taking care of me in this situation. I’m not trusting in the providence of God.”

But if you’re a Christian and believe the Bible, then you know God is in control of all the circumstances that surround you. There are no so-called accidents in the life of a believer. Nothing that touches the life of a believer is outside God’s knowledge, care, or control. This is an important truth to remember because worry doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it instead empties today of its strength.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7 NLT).

Turn your worries into prayers. The next time you’re gripped by fear and worry, turn it into a prayer like this one: “Lord, I don’t know what to do, but I trust You. You are in control, and I commit this to You right now.” Look to the Lord and let Him give you His peace.

Your future is secure in Him. Don’t let worry convince you otherwise. Jesus asked, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:27 NLT). Worry can’t change anything. Prayer can move mountains, transform lives, produce soul-deep comfort, and reveal God’s wisdom. Choose prayer.

Reflection question: What worry do you need to turn into prayer? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

 

 

 

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie

Days of Praise

Days of Praise – For Thy Name’s Sake

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by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

“For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.” (Psalm 31:3)

In this psalm of misery and mercy, we see David’s testimony. “In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness” (Psalm 31:1). His faith was strong, but afflictions and opposition were on all sides. He appeals to God for relief (v. 2) and is confident of the reply and that that reply will reflect God’s omnipotence and grace. His total trust was in this benevolent God. “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth” (v. 5), which, of course, was quoted by Christ at the moment of His death on the cross (Luke 23:46).

But note David’s grounds for appeal to God for action: “For thy name’s sake,” as recorded in our text. David’s heartfelt desire here is more than merely relief from his persecution, as desperate as was that need. It was for the glory of God and the honor of His name.

God’s name and reputation are at stake when His children are being persecuted. Indeed, the national leaders of Israel had frequently prayed for God to act on the same grounds (for example, see Exodus 32:12). Even in the New Testament we are encouraged to pray in that name: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).

Even though we are always warranted in using this plea in our praying, we must do so in recognition of and submission to the fact that there are limitations. God will never contradict His nature or His Word, and in His sovereignty He knows better solutions to each problem than we can ask for. His greater plans must always take precedence. But when these prerequisites are recognized and accepted, the prayer in His name and for His glory is the one that prevails. JDM

 

 

 

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

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Be Responsible for Your Choices

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But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God].

Romans 8:9 (AMPC)

Romans 8:8 (AMPC) declares: Those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God or be acceptable to Him.

God wants us to enjoy the good life. Here He is saying to us, “If you walk in the Spirit, you will reap blessings from the Spirit-controlled life both now and hereafter.”

Be responsible for your choices today. You cannot choose to live in the flesh and still expect everything to work out well. Choose to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer of the Day: Father, please help me choose to walk in the Spirit today, and not according to my own will and desires. Give me strength to be responsible for my choices and to obey Your prompting in every moment, amen.

 

 

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Do Not Be Troubled 

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Psalm 23:4 (NKJV) reads, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” God promises to come at an unexpected hour and take us from the gray world we know to the golden world we don’t. But since we don’t, we aren’t sure we want to go.

Religion & Belief

On the night before his own death, Jesus told his friends, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled…I will come back and take you to be with me…” (John 14:1, 3 NCV). The apostle Paul announced that “Death has been swallowed up in victory…”  (1 Corinthians 15:54 NIV).

The message is consistent. We do not know the hour, nor do we know the circumstances. But an exit is scheduled for each one of us. Yet we need not fear the moment. Why? Because our Father is a good Father.

 

 

 

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Today in the Word

Today in the Word – Moody Bible Institute – Needing Help

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Read Ezra 8:1–20

I’m not very handy, but from time to time I’ll attempt a DIY home project. These typically require about a hundred trips to Home Depot, lots of hand-wringing, and then a call to a buddy or two for help. In today’s passage Ezra wasn’t wringing his hands or running to the home improvement store, but he did realize he needed more help. He called for reinforcements.

The passage opens with Ezra and the list of people in 8:1–14 “assembled … at the canal that flows toward Ahava” (v. 15). They camped “there three days,” during which Ezra “checked among the people and the priests,” searching for Levites (v. 15). He did not find any, so he gathered several leaders, whom he refers to as “men of learning,” and sends them to “Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia” (vv. 16–17). We don’t know exactly what Kasiphia refers to, but we do know there were Levites there, and the “men of learning” returned to Ezra with 20 more Levites, in addition to 220 “temple servants” (vv. 19–20). Ezra would need these temple servants, who ensure smooth and proper functioning at the Jerusalem temple, reestablishing and then maintaining proper worship.

As has been Ezra’s pattern, he credits the Lord with the success of this mission. It succeeded “because the gracious hand of our God was on us” (Ezra 8:18). A few things stand out about this passage. First, Ezra was humble. He recognized when he needed help and was willing to ask for it. Second, Ezra was wise. He took all necessary precautions to ensure his work would be successful. Third, Ezra relied fully on the Lord. Here and throughout the book, we see Ezra credit the Lord with any and all of his success.

Go Deeper

How do you measure up to those three qualifications: humility, wisdom, and reliance on God? How do these qualifications help you prepare wisely for the work God calls you to?

Pray with Us

Father, sometimes humility and wisdom feel like a burden. Remind us that they are gifts that help us serve You, and when we use them well, You are glorified.

The gracious hand of our God was on us.Ezra 8:18

 

 

 

https://www.moodybible.org/