To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the Scripture referenced throughout.

Depending on the circumstance, submission can be positive or negative. When it’s imposed, relationships are corrupted and people are wounded. (That’s one reason we condemn slavery and human trafficking.) But when submission is voluntary, it becomes a beautiful expression of love—which is what characterizes followers of Jesus.

Consider the relationship between God and His Son. The Father didn’t demand Jesus’ death for our sins—Jesus chose to lay down His life (John 10:17-18). This willing and active participation in God’s plan bears no resemblance to the forced obedience we typically imagine when we think of submission. The same is true for us: The exhortation to yield to one another (Eph. 5:21) is an invitation to exercise the freedom God has given us. And in that way, we experience fellowship with Him.

What kind of relationships would we have if loved ones forced us to serve them, or if God forced us to worship? Thankfully, He’s given us a choice, and each time we yield to Him—or to family and friends as appropriate—we taste true freedom.

Think about it
• Knowing submission is a freedom we’ve been given, how are you inspired to exercise it this week?  

Bible in One Year: Matthew 22-24

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Romans 5:1-11

Scripture can paint a grim picture of mankind. We’re spiritually dead in our sins, alienated from God, and objects of His wrath. Can you imagine a scarier situation to be in? But there’s hope for us through faith in Jesus. God opens our eyes to our hopeless condition so we can turn to His Son in repentance and receive the riches of His salvation.

By God’s grace, we’ve been reconciled to Him. On the cross, Jesus bore the Father’s wrath for our sins so we could be forgiven and declared righteous. Now instead of being His enemies, we’re His beloved children. He made us spiritually alive by giving us a new nature created in righteousness and holiness. And now His love has been poured out in our hearts, and we have the sure hope of the glory of heaven.

Knowing how amazing God’s grace is, we should respond with gratitude, praise, and wholehearted devotion. In addition, today’s passage tells us to rejoice not only in God and our hope of glory but also in our troubles. That’s because He graciously uses difficulties to make us like Christ and increase our confidence in His love.

Bible in One Year: Zechariah 11-14

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Philippians 2:12-13

There are many books promising a successful Christian life, but no humanly inspired technique can ever achieve the work of God. Any commitment or rededication that is based on our own effort will not last; true transformation comes from the Holy Spirit alone. That’s why the Lord wants our humble dependence on Him for strength, growth, and perseverance.

Today’s passage reminds us of these basic truths about the Christian life:

• We participate in the working out of our salvation. This isn’t referring to our initial conversion through faith in Christ; rather, it’s the process of sanctification by which we grow into Christlikeness. An obedient, holy lifestyle is something we must choose and pursue.

• We need an attitude of fear and trembling. There should be no flippancy about how we live, because God is holy and we must one day give Him an account of our life.

• God works in us. Jesus said we can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5). He’s the one who equips and enables us to live in the way He desires.

God has not left us to do the best we can on our own. He is always at work in believers, to fulfill His desired goals for each of us.

Bible in One Year: Zechariah 6-10

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2 Corinthians 3:4-6

Have you ever considered inadequacy a blessing? Life is filled with struggles that reveal our insufficiency, and it arouses uncomfortable emotions that make us feel useless, insignificant, and weak. No one likes the frustration and fear of facing challenges that are too big to handle, but God can use them for our good. Our job is to acknowledge our helplessness, depend on His strength, and step out with confidence in Him.

Inadequacy can be a blessing since it …

• Drives us to the Lord as we recognize our helplessness.
• Relieves us of trying to do God’s will in our own strength.
• Motivates us to live in the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Provides opportunity for God to demonstrate His power.
• Humbles our pride.
• Allows Christ to receive all the glory.
• Produces peace as we rely on Him.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers have the ability to endure difficulty and accomplish whatever the Lord calls them to do. By claiming the adequacy of Christ, we can face every circumstance with confidence—not in ourselves but in God, who is totally capable.

Bible in One Year: Zechariah 1-5

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Deuteronomy 1:26-36

Because we’re human, at some point we will all experience inadequacy. So the real issue you and I face is not whether we are sufficient for a task but how we respond when a challenge is beyond our capabilities. Oftentimes as an obstacle grows in our mind, we want to run in the opposite direction, away from the challenge and toward safety. However, avoiding a task that God has given us will lead to bondage. The more we feed our fear, the more we’ll be controlled by feelings of inadequacy, which can impact decisions we make and, ultimately, our future.

Look at the Israelites in today’s passage. Standing on the edge of the Promised Land, they were overcome by fear. The size and strength of the enemy was overwhelming. As a result of their refusal to trust the Lord and move forward to conquer the local inhabitants, those Israelites never saw the land that He wanted to give them. Opportunities are often lost when we let fear overrule our faith.

When God calls you to a task beyond your abilities, acknowledge your feelings of inadequacy and then choose to rely on Him and His promises. By moving forward in faith despite your fear, you will discover the Lord’s faithfulness. He always empowers us for the works He assigns.

Bible in One Year: Zephaniah 1-3, Haggai 1-2

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2 Kings 19:10-20

Unlike King Hezekiah, you are probably not facing an invading army. But if you’re like most of us, your life is nonetheless full of obstacles, problems, and everyday needs that threaten your sense of peace and security. What do you do about that? Do you rely on your own strength and ingenuity to find a way through, or do you call out to God for help? 

One of the purposes of prayer is to make us aware of our own dependence upon the Lord. No concern is too small to bring to Him, and nothing is too big for Him to handle. In fact, we are told to worry about nothing and to pray about everything (Phil. 4:6). The outcome of prayerful dependence is inexplicable peace, even in the midst of unchanged circumstances (Phil. 4:7).

Sometimes we forget that we are creatures who are completely dependent on the Creator for our next breath. Prayer is a privilege God has given His children—it lets us humbly lay our cares before our Father, trusting Him to direct our path and provide for our needs. We have nothing to lose—except our pride and self-sufficiency, along with the resultant fear and anxiety.

Bible in One Year: Habakkuk 1-3

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Psalm 15

In today’s Psalm, David describes a life of integrity—it is marked by truthfulness, righteousness, and honesty. To develop and maintain this God-pleasing lifestyle, we must …

• Formulate beliefs based on Scripture. Our need for a Savior, Christ’s death on our behalf, salvation by faith alone, and the Father’s gift of eternal life are foundational truths upon which to build our life. As we align our thinking with God’s Word, our identity and priorities should flow from these tenets.

• Submit to Christ’s lordship. Jesus commands us to deny ourselves and follow Him (Mark 8:34). Wholehearted commitment to Him helps us choose righteousness over temptations.

• Build relationships with godly individuals. The influence of mature Christians strengthens our dedication and obedience to the Lord.

• Acknowledge our mistakes. Everyone misses the mark at times. We are to confess any known sin to God (1 John 1:9) and turn away from the wrong behavior. We must also ask for forgiveness from anyone we have wronged.

God understands our struggle to resist temptation and choose righteousness, and He has sent His Holy Spirit to help us live with integrity. Ask Him today to help you embody the values in Psalm 15.

Bible in One Year: Micah 1-4

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Psalm 72:12-14

When you hear about a calamity, how do you respond? As believers, we should approach such situations with a selfless and compassionate attitude. True compassion not only tries to understand the pain of others but also provides practical help.

In times of disaster, remember that you and I have the privilege of touching anybody anywhere through prayer. No matter how far away victims might be, they can be comforted by God as He responds to your heartfelt cries. So as soon as word of a tragedy reaches you, start praying. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in petitioning for protection, provision, comfort, and awareness of His presence (Rom. 8:26).

Next, remember that donations (whether money or goods) and hands-on assistance are usually high priority. It is wise to team up with dependable relief organizations and consult trusted sources about what’s needed. In local situations, you can also provide words of comfort, a warm embrace, or simply a listening ear.

We should take care to notice others’ needs and to reach out with Christ’s love. Through these actions, the world will recognize the light of Jesus, who was anointed to bring good news to the afflicted, bind up the brokenhearted, and comfort all who mourn (Isa. 61:1-2).

Bible in One Year: Obadiah 1, Jonah 1-4

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James 4:4-8

When reading in the Old Testament, we might not understand why people would bow down before idols they had made. But we make a similar mistake, placing too high a value on things like money, relationships, appearance, and power. Though not bad in themselves, these can become objects of worship if we prioritize them above God. That’s why He is jealous for our heart.

There are two reasons the Lord doesn’t let His children’s devotion stay out of balance. First, He deserves the glory, and second, He loves us and wants the best for us. Praising God above all else is actually in our own best interest, so when our heart does not belong solely to Christ, He disciplines us. This might mean He allows challenges to remind us who is the one and only God. Hardships are not pleasant, but we can be encouraged that God is making us complete in Him.

This week, notice where you spend your time and money and what dominates your thoughts. Even if your pursuits seem good on the surface, ask the Lord to reveal whatever has become an idol in your life. Confess any misplaced affection, and ask for help in making God the object of your devotion.

Bible in One Year: Amos 5-9

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Genesis 22:1-18

When God asks us to surrender our will to His, it’s our job to trust He will show us the way (Prov. 3:5-6). I’ve learned that, while it’s a struggle to put everything on the altar, we don’t have to understand how God will accomplish His plans. Telling God “no” because we first want to understand why amounts to getting in our own way. But when we say “yes,” He can pour out His goodness and reward our obedience.

Today’s passage shows a remarkable example of relinquishment. Abraham’s deep faith in God’s trustworthiness allowed him to obey and offer up what was most precious to him: his son Isaac. As a result, the Lord provided a substitutionary sacrifice that day and also promised Abraham countless descendants, one of whom would be Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind.

God shouldn’t be mistaken for a parent who withholds a treat until the child complies. Rather, obedience positions us to receive what He is already trying to give us—and to accomplish what He has in mind for our life. So, when we fail to trust God enough to do what He says, we could be closing ourselves off from those good things.

What has the Lord told you to do? Have you only partially cooperated, or have you relinquished your need to understand and obeyed completely? If the Lord says to give, know that you too can trust Him to provide.

Bible in One Year: Amos 1-4

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In Touch Ministries; Charles

Matthew 19:16-26

We may think we have no attachments that come between us and the Lord, but He knows our heart better than we ourselves do. One Sunday as I was about to preach a sermon along those lines, God showed me something I had prioritized too highly. Then He let me know I needed to reconsider the place it held in my thinking. So I was glad when the choir’s song took a while, because I had time to come to the place of being able to say, “Lord, if that’s what You desire, I want to commit it to You. It’s Yours right now.”

It’s difficult to be obedient if we’re holding onto something too tightly. The Lord wants our attachment to be exclusively to Him so we can shine His light in the world. You may have multitudes of things that God has blessed you with, but the moment any of it controls you, His work is stunted. When you open your hands, however, you allow the Holy Spirit’s power to flow freely through you.

Think about what captivates you, and honestly consider whether it also enslaves you. Is there anything you feel you could never give up? I challenge you to release the relationship or situation to the Lord right now so He can have your full devotion.

Bible in One Year: Joel 1-3

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1 Thessalonians 5:14-18

Jesus told us that we would have hardships (John 16:33), and He was right, wasn’t He? As unpleasant as trials are, there’s still reason for giving thanks. Yesterday, we looked at three provisions believers can count on during adversity: God’s presence, a pathway through the trouble, and potential to grow. Today, let’s explore two more.

1. Protection. God doesn’t keep believers from suffering or disappointment, but He does offer protection by staying with us in the struggle. Once we trust in Jesus, God’s Spirit indwells us and will never leave. What’s more, we have assurance that nothing can separate us from His love (Rom. 8:38-39). So our ever-present God walks with us through the hardships, providing guidance and speaking truth into the situation.

2. Peace. While difficulties cause many people anxiety, God’s peace is available to His followers. This inner serenity doesn’t depend on whether circumstances improve; it’s a result of our relationship with Him. For this reason, we should be more concerned about relying on God than about fixing the problem.

As we recognize the Lord’s provision, we can genuinely express gratitude, which will fix our eyes on Him rather than on our circumstances. We may not know what the purpose is for each trial, but we do know that our God is good and trustworthy.

Bible in One Year: Hosea 1-5

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Matthew 14:22-33

We all face trials. Realistically, if you’re not currently in a storm, you’re either just getting out of one or about to enter one. Thankfully, we serve a good God who always provides—including during the dark periods of life. Today’s passage tells of a stormy night on the Sea of Galilee. Let’s look at three ways Jesus provides for us today just as He did for the disciples then.

1. Presence. God is with every believer through His indwelling Holy Spirit, and He promises never to leave (John 14:16-17; Heb. 13:5). This is a great gift because it gives a sense of comfort, courage, and confidence.

2. Pathway. He blesses Christians with guidance through trouble. Jesus is in total control of our storm and will use it for His purposes. We may not understand, but we can trust Him to lead us and accomplish good.

3. Potential. He offers believers the ability to grow. Hardships are exercises in trust and times to learn more fully who God is and how great His power and love are.

No one enjoys trials, but we can be grateful for God’s hand in our life and the ways He will use us. Hardships are opportunities to trust the Creator and know Him better.

Bible in One Year: Daniel 10-12

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1 Timothy 1:3-7

Yesterday we looked at how powerful our conscience can be, but even this divinely bestowed moral compass can be swayed by our thoughts, experiences, and background. What matters most is the amount of truth that informs it.

Since Jesus is the truth (John 14:6), trusting Him is the first step toward developing a good conscience. When He comes into our life, He gives us a new heart and mind, which can understand and apply truth. Things we once considered acceptable, we now recognize as sinful.

We also have the truth of God’s Word. As we let Scripture fill our mind, our “monitoring system” is sharpened. Then we filter thoughts and actions through the grid of God’s standard for right and wrong.

In addition, we have been given the Holy Spirit, who works with our conscience to assist us in discriminating between righteousness and sin. He also interprets Scripture for us and prompts us to apply it accurately to our life.

Thankfully, the Lord has given us everything we need to develop a good conscience, which is essential for living a godly life.

Bible in One Year: Daniel 7-9

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1 Timothy 1:18-20

God gave us the gift of a conscience to act as a moral compass, but if we ignore it, we may suffer shipwreck. When writing to Timothy, Paul charged the young man to keep the truths of the faith and a good conscience. Ignoring either piece of advice could have put Timothy in danger.

The conscience is an inner monitor that judges our actions as right or wrong, but it is fallen and in need of redemption. Depending on how it’s been programmed, our moral compass even has the potential to nudge us in the wrong direction.

Paul himself is an illustration of this. His formal education as a Pharisee had taught him that Christians were a threat to God and the Jewish faith. His conscience had been programmed to see killing them as service to the Lord. So he passionately hunted believers down without a twinge of guilt. Only after Christ met him on the way to Damascus was his inner sense of right and wrong transformed and his life’s course altered.

We need the truths of faith to shape our conscience so we can trust it to lead us in the right direction. Take a moment to ask the Lord if anything is clouding your internal signals, and trust in His promise to make your path straight (Prov. 3:5-6).

Bible in One Year: Daniel 5-6

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Psalm 139:23-24

When we think about prayer, we frequently focus on what we want the Lord to do for us or others, but communing with Him also impacts us in spiritual ways that we may not realize. Scripture tells us to devote ourselves to prayer and to pray without ceasing (Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:17). Continuous conversations with our heavenly Father are one of the means He uses to impact us personally.

Prayer changes us. As we seek the Lord and regularly spend time in His Word, we’ll be transformed. Our desires will be replaced by His, and our thinking will align more closely with His thoughts. As our understanding of His character grows, we’ll have a better idea of how to pray in accordance with His will.

Through prayer, we invite God to accomplish His work in us. While we can’t alter a single divine plan or make the Lord change His mind, we can invite Him to alter us. In prayer, we submit to God’s will, repent of sin, and ask Him to shape us into the image of His Son. And He will hear and answer this kind of prayer because it is exactly what He desires to do in each of us.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 40-42

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John 15:7-16

Have you ever wondered why the Lord wants us to pray? After all, He controls everything, and His plans won’t fail because of our lack of intercession. Yet amazingly, through prayer, He allows us the privilege of being involved in His work. Prayer connects inadequate people to an all-sufficient God.

One of the reasons for prayer is that it teaches us to depend on God. That’s why Philippians 4:6 tells us to talk with our Father about everything. James 4:2 adds that sometimes the reason we don’t receive is because we haven’t bothered to ask. However, this doesn’t mean we’ll automatically receive whatever we request. God isn’t subservient to us—He works all things after the counsel of His will, not ours.

Another reason we should pray is because God wants us to bear much fruit. If we abide in Christ and His words abide in us, our requests will align with His will, and we’ll receive what we ask (John 15:7). Then our faith will be strengthened to trust Him in even greater ways. And the more we rely on Him to provide, protect, and guide us, the deeper our relationship with Him will grow. 

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 37-39

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Psalm 40:1-5

Practicing patience is difficult because it often goes against our expectations and desires for immediate results. This is especially true when we are waiting on the Lord and His timetable doesn’t match our own. In such situations, it’s important to remember we can’t go wrong waiting for Him. Blessings will come in God’s good time when we refuse to run ahead of Him.

We ask the Lord for what we think we need, based on our limited information. But His understanding is infinite. At times God simply says no to our requests. In other cases, He may adjust our desire to match His. And sometimes He answers in a way that looks nothing like what we requested, but it will be exactly what we need. A submissive heart accepts the omnipotent Father’s gentle redirection, recognizing that He is always right.

Waiting patiently on the Lord strengthens our faith in Him: We learn to rest in His loving care and accept that whatever He gives us is best. It’s also a witness to others, who see His care and faithfulness to us and may choose to put their trust in Him as well.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 34-36 

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Proverbs 3:5-6

Do you trust God? Most believers will quickly answer yes. But stop and consider if that’s true in your prayer life. When your need is urgent but God isn’t answering as soon as you desire, do you still trust Him? Scenarios like this lead some believers to doubt that the Lord has His children’s best interests at heart.

However, Isaiah 64:4 assures us that God “acts on behalf of those who wait for him” (NIV). Joseph had to wait in very difficult circumstances before the Lord set him free from prison and gave him authority as a ruler in Egypt (Gen. 37:18-28; Gen. 39:19-20). From an outsider’s viewpoint, it didn’t look as if God was acting on Joseph’s behalf. But from a heavenly perspective, events were right on track (50:20).

The same is true in your life. During a period of waiting, God could be preparing you for a future answer that will come at just the right time. Or He might be teaching you to trust Him so you can walk by faith rather than sight. Another possibility is that your desire would ultimately involve something against His will, and withholding it serves as protection.

You may never find out why God delays answering your prayer, but you can always trust in His goodness, wisdom, and love.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 32-33

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