Bible in a Year :

• Song of Songs 1-3
• Galatians 2

You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people.

Ephesians 2:19

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Ephesians 2:8-13, 17-22

“You don’t belong here.” Those words crushed an eight-year-old girl’s heart, and the pain stayed with her. Her family had emigrated from a refugee camp in a war-torn country to a new country, and her immigration card had the word alien stamped on it. She felt like she didn’t belong.

As an adult, although she put her faith in Jesus, she still felt alienated—stung by the feeling that she was an unwelcome outsider. While reading her Bible, she discovered the promises of Ephesians 2. In verse 12, she saw that old, troubling word alien. “You were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (nkjv). But as she kept reading, she saw how Christ’s sacrifice had changed her status. She got to verse 19, which told her, “You are no longer” a foreigner or alien. She was a “fellow citizen” with God’s people. Realizing that she was a citizen of heaven, she was overjoyed. Never again would she be an outsider. God had taken her in and accepted her.

Because of our sin, we’re alienated from God. But we don’t have to stay that way. Jesus brought peace to all who were “far away” (v. 17), making all who trust Him fellow citizens of His eternal kingdom—united as the body of Christ.

By:  Dave Branon

Reflect & Pray

In what way do you feel alienated? What does it mean for you to know that God has called all His children to be united in Him?

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to experience fellowship with You and with others who love and trust You.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Ecclesiastes 1-3
• 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

You will fill me with joy in your presence.

Psalm 16:11

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Psalm 16

The pandemic was winning. That’s how it looked to Jason Persoff, an emergency room doctor at a large hospital committed to saving patients with Covid. How could he give his best? During off hours, he relaxed by taking enlarged photos of something small—individual snowflakes. It “sounds crazy,” says Dr. Persoff. But finding joy in something small but beautiful is “an opportunity to bond with my Creator and also to see the world in a way that few people take the time to notice.”

Wisely looking for such joy—to ease stress and build resilience—is a high value in the medical profession, the doctor said. But for everyone, he has this advice: “You’ve got to breathe. You have got to find a way to take a breath and enjoy life.”

David the psalmist expressed this thought in Psalm 16 as he declared the wisdom of finding joy in God. “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup,” he wrote. “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure” (vv. 5, 9).

There are many unwise things people do as they try to decompress. Dr. Persoff found the wise path—one that pointed him to the Creator, who offers us the joy of His presence. “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (v. 11). In Him, we find joy evermore.

By:  Patricia Raybon

Reflect & Pray

How does finding wise joy bless your life? As you read Psalm 16, how can it inspire you to name the ways you find joy in God?

In my life’s journey, O God, please bless me to wisely find joy that starts with You.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Proverbs 30-31
• 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.

Isaiah 42:3

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Isaiah 42:1-7

When I give our beautiful, fluffy Norwegian Forest cat, Mystique, belly rubs and play with her, or when she falls asleep on my lap in the evening, it’s sometimes hard to believe that she’s the same cat we met years ago. Mystique used to live on the streets, underweight and fearful of everyone. But that gradually changed as I started putting out food for her each day. One day she finally let me pet her, and the rest is history.

Mystique’s transformation is a reminder of the healing that can come with patience and love. It reminds me of God’s heart as described in Isaiah 42. There, we’re told of a coming servant filled with His Spirit (v. 1), who would tirelessly and “in faithfulness” work to establish God’s “justice on earth” (vv. 3-4).

But that servant—Jesus (Matthew 12:18-20)—wouldn’t bring God’s justice through violence or pursuit of power. Instead, He’d be quiet and gentle (Isaiah 42:2), tenderly and patiently caring for those discarded by others—those “bruised” and wounded (v. 3).

God never gives up on His children. He has all the time in the world to care for our wounded hearts, until they finally begin to heal. Through His gentle, patient love we gradually learn to love and trust once more.

By:  Monica La Rose

Reflect & Pray

How have you seen transformation through patient love? How can you grow in experiencing and sharing God’s love?

Dear God, thank You for never giving up on me and for patiently loving and caring for my wounded heart. Please help me love others with that same patient love.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Proverbs 27-29
• 2 Corinthians 10

You, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others.

Romans 11:17

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Romans 11:11-21

During a visit with my father to his beloved Ecuador a few years ago, we visited the family farm where he grew up. I noticed a group of strange trees. My dad explained that when he was feeling mischievous as a boy, he would take a discarded branch from one fruit tree, make slits in a different kind of fruit tree, and tie the loose branch to the trunk like he saw the grownups do. His pranks went unnoticed until those trees started bearing different fruit than expected.

As my dad described the process of engrafting, I got a picture of what it means for us to be grafted into God’s family. I know my late father is in heaven because he was grafted into God’s family through faith in Jesus.

We can have the assurance of eventually being in heaven as well. The apostle Paul explained to the believers in Rome that God made a way for gentiles, or non-Jews, to be reconciled with Himself: “You, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root” (Romans 11:17). When we put our faith in Christ, we’re grafted in with Him and become part of God’s family. “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” (John 15:5).

Similar to engrafted trees, when we place our trust in Christ, we become a new creation and can bear much fruit.

By:  Nancy Gavilanes

Reflect & Pray

How does it feel to know you can be grafted into God’s family? How can you bear good fruit for Christ?

Dear God, thank You for loving me and accepting me into Your family.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Proverbs 25-26
• 2 Corinthians 9

You are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.

1 Peter 2:5 NLT

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

1 Peter 2:4-10

We have all sorts of names for groups of animals. No doubt you’ve heard of a flock of sheep, a herd of cattle, or even a gaggle of geese. But some names may surprise you. A group of crows is called a murder. How about a congregation of alligators, or a crash of rhinoceroses? Have you heard of a building of rooks (Eurasian crows)?

Building, in fact, is one of the names in the Bible for believers in Jesus. “You are . . . God’s building,” wrote the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 3:9). There are other names for believers as well: “the flock” (Acts 20:28), “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27), “brothers and sisters” (1 Thessalonians 2:14), and more.

The building metaphor recurs in 1 Peter 2:5, as Peter tells the church, “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house.” Then, in verse 6, Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone.” Jesus is the very foundation of His building.

We may have the sense that it’s our job to build the church, but Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). We’re chosen by God to “declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). As we declare those praises, we become instruments in His hands as He does His good work.

By:  Bill Crowder

Reflect & Pray

What does it mean for Jesus to build His church? How can you participate in that work?

Dear God, forgive me for the times I think it’s all about me. Please use me to serve You and love others as You build Your church.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Proverbs 13-15
• 2 Corinthians 5

Remember the Sabbath day.

Exodus 20:8

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Exodus 20:8-11

Have you ever been in the middle of telling a story and then stopped, stuck on a detail like a name or date you couldn’t recall? We often chalk it up to age, believing that memory fades with time. But recent studies no longer support that view. In fact, they indicate our memory isn’t the problem; it’s our ability to retrieve those memories. Without a regular rehearsal of some kind, memories become harder to access.

One of the ways to improve that retrieval ability is by regularly scheduled actions or experiences of recalling a certain memory. Our Creator God knew this, so He instructed the children of Israel to set aside one day a week for worship and rest. In addition to the physical rest that comes from such a respite, we gain an opportunity for mental training, to recall that “in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11). It helps us to remember there is a God, and it’s not us.

In the rush of our lives, we sometimes lose our grip on the memories of what God has done for us and for others. We forget who keeps close watch over our lives and who promises His presence when we feel overwhelmed and alone. A break from our routine provides an opportunity for that needed “retrieval practice”—an intentional decision to stop and remember our God and “forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).

By:  John Blase

Reflect & Pray

What tempts you to skip rest? How can taking time to rest draw you closer to God?

Dear God, please remember me and give me the wisdom to stop and remember You as well.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Proverbs 10-12
• 2 Corinthians 4

I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind.

Genesis 9:15

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Genesis 9:11-17

On September 11, 2023—the twenty-second anniversary of the attacks against the United States—a stunning double rainbow graced the skies above New York City. Home to the former Twin Towers, this city suffered the greatest losses in the attacks. More than two decades later, the double rainbow brought a sense of hope and healing to those who were there to see it. A video clip of the moment seemed to capture the rainbows emanating from the site of the World Trade Center itself.

Rainbows in the sky have brought an assurance of God’s faithfulness since the days of Noah. In the wake of God’s judgment of sin which resulted in unimaginable destruction, He set the colorful beacon as a visual reminder of “the everlasting covenant between [Himself] and all living creatures” (Genesis 9:16). After forty dark days of rain and months of flooding (7:17-24), one can only imagine how welcome the rainbow—“the sign of the covenant”—must have been to Noah and his family (9:12-13). It was a reminder of God’s faithfulness that “never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth” (v. 11).

When we face dark days and tragic losses—whether due to natural disaster, physical or emotional pain, or the plight of disease—let’s look to God for hope in the midst of it. Even if we don’t catch a glimpse of His rainbow in those moments, we can be assured of His faithfulness to His promises.

By:  Kirsten Holmberg

Reflect & Pray

How has God revealed His presence to you during difficult seasons of life? Who might need to hear your story today?

Father God, please help me to see You in the midst of my struggles today.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Proverbs 8-9
• 2 Corinthians 3

To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

John 1:12

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

John 1:9-13

When Jay Speights of Rockville, Maryland, took a DNA test, nothing could have prepared him for the results he received. They contained a big surprise—he was a prince of the West African nation of Benin! Soon he boarded a plane and visited the country. When he arrived, the royal family greeted and showered him with a festive homecoming—dancing, singing, banners, and a parade.

Jesus came to earth as God’s good news announcement. He went to His own people, the nation of Israel, to give them the good news and to show them the way out of darkness. Many received the message with apathy, rejecting the “true light” (John 1:9) and refusing to accept Him as Messiah (v. 11). But unbelief and apathy weren’t universal among the people. Some people humbly and gladly received Christ’s invitation, accepted Him as God’s eventual sacrifice for sin, and believed in His name. A surprise awaited this faithful remnant. He “gave [them] the right to become children of God” (v. 12)—to be royal children of His through spiritual rebirth.

When we turn from sin and darkness, receive Jesus, and believe in His name, we discover we’re children of God, adopted as royalty into His family. May we enjoy the blessings as we live up to the responsibilities of being the King’s kids.

By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

How should being a child of God affect you? What will you do this week to live out your status and responsibility as His child?

Father, it’s amazing that through Jesus’ death You invite me into spiritual royalty. I’m humbled and grateful.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Proverbs 6-7
• 2 Corinthians 2

I will build my church.

Matthew 16:18

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Matthew 16:13-19

A fire burned Balsora Baptist Church to the ground. As emergency workers and community members gathered after the blaze subsided, they were surprised to see a charred cross standing upright amidst the smoke and ashes in the air. A firefighter commented that the fire “took the structure, but not the cross. [This is a reminder] that the building was just that, a building. The church is the congregation.”

The church is not a building, but a community united by the cross of Christ—the One who died, was buried, and rose again. When Jesus lived on earth, He told Peter He’d build His worldwide church, and nothing would destroy it (Matthew 16:18). Jesus would gather believers from all over the globe into a group that would continue throughout time. This community would face intense difficulty, but they’d ultimately endure. God would dwell within them and sustain them (Ephesians 2:22).

When we struggle to establish local churches only to have them stagnate and sputter, when buildings are destroyed, or when we’re concerned about believers struggling in other parts of the world, we can remember that Jesus is alive, actively enabling God’s people to persevere. We’re part of the church He’s building today. He’s with us and for us. His cross remains.

By:  Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Reflect & Pray

In what ways might you support fellow believers? How does sharing the good news relate to God’s plan for the church?

Dear God, please strengthen Your people everywhere. Fill them with wisdom, protect them, and help them stay faithful to You.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 148-150
• 1 Corinthians 15:29-58

Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Ephesians 4:25

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Ephesians 4:22-29

A man was adept at beating his personal traffic tickets by lying. When he appeared before various judges in court, he would tell the same tale: “I broke up with my girlfriend and she took my car without my knowledge.” In addition, he had been repeatedly reprimanded for misconduct while on the job. Prosecutors finally charged him with four counts of perjury and five counts of forgery for allegedly lying to judges under oath and providing fictitious police reports. For this man, lying had become a lifelong habit.

In contrast, the apostle Paul said that telling the truth is a vital habit for believers in Jesus to live out. He reminded the Ephesians that they’d put away their old way of living through surrendering their lives to Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). Now, they needed to live like the new people they’d become, incorporating specific actions into their lives. One such action was something to cease—“put off falsehood”—and the other action something to practice—“speak truthfully to your neighbor” (4:25). Because it protected the unity of the church, the Ephesians were to always have their words and actions be about “building others up” (v. 29).

As the Holy Spirit helps us (vv. 3-4), believers in Jesus can strive for truth in their words and actions. Then the church will be unified, and God will be honored.

By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

What will help you consistently tell the truth? How do your words reflect new life in Christ?

Dear God, please help me to put away falsehood and clothe myself in Your truth.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 146-147
• 1 Corinthians 15:1-28

[Love] is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered.

1 Corinthians 13:5

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

We hurried to a fast-food restaurant to have lunch together on my friend Jerrie’s short work break. Arriving at the door about the same time, six young men got inside just in front of us. Knowing we didn’t have much time to spare, we grumbled inwardly. They stood as a group at both registers to be sure each of them could order first. Then I heard Jerrie whisper to herself, “Show grace now.” Wow! Sure, letting us go first would have been nice, but what a great reminder to think of others’ needs and desires and not only my own.

The Bible teaches that love is patient, kind, and unselfish; it’s “not easily angered” (1 Corinthians 13:5). “It often . . . prefers [others’] welfare, and satisfaction, and advantage, to its own,” wrote commentator Matthew Henry of this love. God’s kind of love thinks of others first.

In a world where many of us are easily irritated, we frequently have occasion to ask God for help and the grace to choose to be patient with others and to be kind (v. 4). Proverbs 19:11 adds, “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”

That’s the kind of loving action that brings honor to God, and He might even use it to bring thoughts of His love to others.

With God’s strength, let’s take every opportunity to show grace now.

By:  Anne Cetas

Reflect & Pray

In what ways might you need to not act out of frustration? How could turning to God help you?

I’m in need of Your help, God. I face many levels of irritation but want to instead be filled and overflowing with Your kind of love.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 143-145
• 1 Corinthians 14:21-40

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14 esv

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Philippians 3:12-21

Sometimes surprisingly spiritual messages turn up in unexpected places, like in a comic book, for example. Marvel Comics publisher Stan Lee passed away in 2018, leaving behind a legacy of such iconic heroes as Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, and many others.

The famously smiling man with sunglasses had a personal catchphrase that he used to sign off in monthly columns in Marvel comics for decades—the word excelsior. In a 2010 tweet, Lee explained its meaning: “ ‘Upward and onward to greater glory!’ That’s what I wish you whenever I finish tweeting! Excelsior!”

I like that. Whether Stan Lee realized it or not, his use of this unusual catchphrase certainly resonates with what Paul wrote in Philippians as he admonished believers to look not behind but ahead—and up: “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (3:13-14 esv).

We can easily become entangled in regrets or second-guessing past decisions. But in Christ, we’re invited to relinquish regrets and to press upward and onward to God’s greater glory through embracing the forgiveness and purpose He so graciously gives us! Excelsior!

By:  Adam Holz

Reflect & Pray

Why do you tend to look forward or backward in your life and in your faith? How can you let go of past mistakes and move forward?

Heavenly Father, thank You for forgiveness. Thank You that You invite me to move forward, upward, and onward for Your glory.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 126-128
• 1 Corinthians 10:19-33

Seek good, not evil, that you may live.

Amos 5:14

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Amos 2:6-16

As a teenager, Ryan lost his mom to cancer. He found himself homeless and soon dropped out of school. He felt hopeless and often went hungry. Years later, Ryan founded a nonprofit that empowers others, especially young children, to plant, harvest, and prepare their own garden-grown food. The organization is built on the belief that nobody should go without food and that those who have something should care for those who don’t. Ryan’s concern for others resonates with the heart of God for justice and mercy.

God cares deeply about the pain and suffering we face. When He observed terrible injustice in Israel, He sent the prophet Amos to call out their hypocrisy. The people God once rescued from oppression in Egypt were now selling their neighbors into slavery over a pair of sandals (Amos 2:6). They betrayed innocent people, denied justice to the oppressed, and trampled “on the heads” of the poor (vv. 6-7), all while pretending to worship God with offerings and holy days (4:4-5).

“Seek good, not evil, that you may live,” Amos pleaded with the people. “Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is” (5:14). Like Ryan, each of us has experienced enough pain and injustice in life to be able to relate to others and to be of help. The time is ripe to “seek good” and join Him in planting every kind of justice.

By:  Karen Pimpo

Reflect & Pray

What injustice do you see others enduring that resonates with your own experience? How might God use you to help them?

God of justice, thank You for not turning a blind eye to the pain and suffering in our world.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 123-125
• 1 Corinthians 10:1-18

Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Genesis 21:5

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Genesis 12:1-5

Talk about a layover. Phil Stringer waited eighteen hours to board a flight that was delayed due to thunderstorms. His patience and perseverance paid off, however. Not only did he get to fly to his destination and make it on time for important business meetings, but he was also the only traveler on the flight! All the other passengers gave up or made other arrangements. Flight attendants gave him whatever food items he desired, and Stringer adds, “I did sit in the front row, of course. Why not when you have the whole plane to yourself?” The outcome was definitely worth the wait.

Abraham also endured what must have felt like a lengthy delay. Way back when he was known as Abram, God told him that He would make him “into a great nation” and that “all peoples on earth [would] be blessed through” him (Genesis 12:2-3). Only one problem for the seventy-five-year-old man (v. 4): how could he become a great nation without an heir? His waiting was left wanting at times, however. He and wife Sarai tried to “help” God fulfill His promise with some misguided ideas (see 15:2-3; 16:1-2). And when he “was a hundred years old . . . Isaac was born to him” (21:5). His faith was later celebrated by the writer of Hebrews (11:8-12).Waiting can be hard. And, like Abraham, we might not do it perfectly. But as we pray and rest in God’s plans, may He help us persevere. In Him, it’s always worth the wait.

By:  Tom Felten

Reflect & Pray

What are you waiting for? How can you rest and persevere in God’s strength?

Dear God, please help me wait and persevere in You.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 120-122
• 1 Corinthians 9

They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

John 17:16

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

John 17:6-17

God designed the great gray owl as a master of camouflage. Its silver-gray feathers have a collective pattern of coloring which allows it to blend into the bark when perched in trees. When the owls want to remain unseen, they hide in plain sight, blending into their environment with the help of their feathery camouflage.

God’s people are often too much like the great gray owl. We can easily blend into the world and remain unrecognized as believers in Christ, intentionally or unintentionally. Jesus prayed for His disciples—those the Father gave Him “out of the world” who “obeyed” His Word (John 17:6). God the Son asked God the Father to protect and empower them to live in holiness and persevering joy after He left them (vv. 7-13). He said, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (v. 15). Jesus knew His disciples needed to be made holy and set apart so they could live out the purpose He’d sent them to fulfill (vv. 16-19).

The Holy Spirit can help us turn from the temptation to become masters of camouflage that blend into the world. When we submit to Him daily, we can look more like Jesus. As we live in unity and love, He’ll draw others to Christ in all His glory.

By:  Xochitl Dixon

Reflect & Pray

In what area of your life can you ask God to make you more like Jesus? How has God used others to draw you closer because of the way they lived and loved like Jesus?

Holy Spirit, please make me look so much like Jesus that others will be drawn to seek the one true God.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 110-112
• 1 Corinthians 5

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.

Psalm 55:22

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Psalm 55:16-23

For years, a mother prayed as she helped her adult daughter navigate the healthcare system and find counseling and the best medications. Her extreme highs and deep lows weighed on her mama’s heart day after day. Often exhausted from sadness, she realized she had to take care of herself too. A friend suggested writing out her worries and things she couldn’t control on small pieces of paper and placing them on “God’s plate” at her bedside. This simple practice didn’t eliminate all stress, but seeing that plate reminds her those concerns are on God’s plate, not hers.

In a way, many of David’s psalms were his way of listing his troubles and laying them on God’s plate (Psalm 55:1, 16-17). If the coup attempt by his son Absalom is what’s being described, David’s “close friend” Ahithophel had indeed betrayed him and was involved in the plot to kill him (2 Samuel 15-16). So “evening, morning and noon [David cried] out in distress,” and God heard his prayer (Psalm 55:1-2, 16-17). He chose to “cast [his] cares on the Lord” and experienced His care (v. 22).

We can authentically acknowledge that worries and fears affect us all. We may even have thoughts like David’s: “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest” (v. 6). God is near and is the only one who has the power to change situations. Place it all on His plate.

By:  Anne Cetas

Reflect & Pray

Where are your worries—on God’s plate or yours? What will you give to Him right now?

I often have concerns on my heart, dear God. I relinquish them all to You again. I’m emptying my plate and filling Yours.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 107-109
• 1 Corinthians 4

With one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:6

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Romans 15:1-6

James Innell Packer, better known as J. I. Packer, died in 2020 just five days shy of his ninety-fourth birthday. A scholar and writer, his best-known book, Knowing God, has sold more than 1.5 million copies since its publication. Packer championed biblical authority and disciple-making and urged believers in Christ everywhere to take living for Jesus seriously. He was asked late in life for his final words to the church. Packer had one line, just four words: “Glorify Christ every way.”

Those words reflect the life of the apostle Paul who, after his dramatic conversion, faithfully set about to do the work before him and trusted God with the results. Paul’s words found in the book of Romans are some of the most theologically packed in the entire New Testament, and Packer sums up in close company with what the apostle wrote: “Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (15:6).

Paul’s life is an example for us. We can glorify (honor) God in many ways, but one is by living the life set before us and leaving the results in God’s unchanging hands. Whether writing books or taking missionary journeys or teaching elementary school or caring for an aging parent—the same goal holds: Glorify Christ every way! As we pray and read Scripture, God helps us live with devoted obedience and keep our daily lives on track to honor Jesus in everything we say and do.

By:  John Blase

Reflect & Pray

What results do you find hard to leave with God? What’s one way today you can trust His plans and in doing so honor Christ?

Dear Father, please help me to honor You today.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 105-106
• 1 Corinthians 3

Believers . . . testified about your faithfulness to the truth.

3 John 1:3

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

3 John 1:1-8

When Dr. Lee, my seminary professor, noticed that Benjie, our school custodian, would be late in joining our lunch gathering, he quietly set aside a plate of food for him. As my classmates and I talked, Dr. Lee also quietly placed the last slice of rice cake on a dish for him—adding some grated coconut as a delicious topping. This kind act of an eminent theologian was one of many—and what I consider an overflow of Dr. Lee’s faithfulness to God. Twenty years later, the deep impression he made on me remains.

The apostle John had a dear friend who also left a deep impression on many believers. They talked about Gaius as one who was faithful to God and the Scriptures, continually walking in “the truth” (3 John 1:3). Gaius showed hospitality to traveling preachers of the gospel, even though they were strangers (v. 5). As a result, John said to him, “They have told the church about your love” (v. 6). Gaius’ faithfulness to God and to other believers in Jesus helped further the gospel.

The impact my teacher had on me and the impact Gaius had in his day are powerful reminders that we can leave an impact on others—one that God can use in drawing them to Christ. As we walk faithfully with God, let’s live and act in a way that helps other believers walk faithfully with Him too.

By:  Karen Huang

Reflect & Pray

How do you know that you’re walking in the truth? What can others learn from your life?

Dear God, I need Your help to be faithful to You and Your truth. Please help me to live in a manner that will draw others to You.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 103-104
• 1 Corinthians 2

The Lord turns my darkness into light.

2 Samuel 22:29

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

2 Samuel 22:1-7, 29-30

The army wouldn’t give Tony Vaccaro a chance as a photographer, but that didn’t stop him. Between terrifying moments of dodging artillery shells and shrapnel that seemed to rain from the trees, he took pictures anyway. Then, as his friends slept, he used their helmets to mix the chemicals to develop his film. The nighttime forest became the darkroom in which Vaccaro created a timeless record of World War II’s battle of Hürtgen Forest.

King David lived through his share of battles and dark times. Second Samuel 22 says, “The Lord delivered [David] from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul” (v. 1). David used those experiences to produce a record of God’s faithfulness. He said, “Waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me” (v. 5).

David soon pivoted from desperation to hope: “In my distress I called to the Lord,” he recalled. “From his temple he heard my voice” (v. 7). David made certain to praise God for His unfailing help. “The Lord turns my darkness into light,” he said. “With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall” (vv. 29-30).

David turned his difficulties into an opportunity to tell the world about his faithful God. We can do the same. After all, we rely on the One who turns darkness into light.

By:  Tim Gustafson

Reflect & Pray

When have you felt most desperate? How will you tell others about God’s faithfulness to you in that moment?  

Dear God, please help me to see the many ways You protect and help me—especially when it’s darkest.

http://www.odb.org

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 94-96
• Romans 15:14-33

They took offense at [Jesus].

Mark 6:3

Today’s Scripture & Insight :

Mark 6:1-6

Jon was installed as full professor in a prestigious college. His older brother David was pleased, but, as brothers do, he couldn’t resist teasing Jon how he’d wrestled him to the ground when they were boys. Jon had gone far in life, but he’d always be David’s little brother.

It’s hard to impress family—even if you’re the Messiah. Jesus had grown up among the people of Nazareth, so they struggled to believe He was special. Yet they were amazed by Him. “What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son . . . ?” (Mark 6:2-3). Jesus noted, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home” (v. 4). These people knew Jesus well, but they couldn’t believe He was the Son of God.

Perhaps you were raised in a godly home. Your earliest memories include going to church and singing hymns. Jesus has always felt like family. If you believe and follow Him, Jesus is family. He “is not ashamed to call [us] brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11). Jesus is our older brother in the family of God (Romans 8:29)! This is a great privilege, but our closeness might make Him seem common. Just because someone is family doesn’t mean they’re not special.

Aren’t you glad Jesus is family, and more than family? May He become more personal, and more special, as you follow Him today.

By:  Mike Wittmer

Reflect & Pray

How has Jesus become more personal to you? How might you make sure He remains special?

Dear Jesus, thank You for bringing me into the family of God.

http://www.odb.org