I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded. Exodus 31:6

Today’s Scripture

Exodus 31:1-6

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Today’s Devotional

After I joined the board of trustees of a seminary, the long-term leader announced his retirement. I found myself among those tasked with searching for a new president. Together, we amassed a daunting list of qualifications. How would we find someone to fulfill such a complicated and vital role?

I wondered the same as I read God’s specifications for the tabernacle’s lampstand to be crafted of pure gold, with flower-like cups and almond flowers and six branches (Exodus 25:31-36). And the courtyard was “to have curtains of finely twisted linen, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts” (27:9-10). Who could fulfill such assignments?

God answered, “I have chosen Bezalel . . . and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills . . . to engage in all kinds of crafts” (31:2-5). God also said, “I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you” (v. 6).

Where do we turn to fill a vacant role for a high-level leader, a volunteer at church or to orchestrate an event? To the God who calls and equips His people. God laid out an ambitious design for His temple. Then He chose and equipped His people to implement it. God’s answer to His plans is God’s people.

Reflect & Pray

How have you seen God gift people to do His work? What has He equipped you to do?

Holy God, I look to You to choose and equip the people needed in my life, my church, and in my place of work.

Today’s Insights

Having given Moses a series of instructions for the people of Israel, God now begins to show him how these will be carried out (see Exodus 31:1-11). Many of these commands included plans for work that must be done. God equipped the people with the appropriate skills to complete His work, and Bezalel and Oholiab were to lead much of that effort.

According to scholar John D. Barry, Bezalel’s name can be literally interpreted “in the shadow of El [God]”—another way of saying that his gifts came from God. Barry notes that El was an older name for the Supreme Being, not the name of Yah that had only recently been revealed by God to His chosen people. Similarly, Oholiab’s name means “father is my tent.” This is fitting, as he would be designing the tent of meeting (see Exodus 26). As He did with Oholiab, God also enables us to accomplish the tasks He gives us.

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There need be no poor people among you. Deuteronomy 15:4

Today’s Scripture

Deuteronomy 15:1-11

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Today’s Devotional

The members asked why their church was buying a steeple. Was this the best use of God’s resources? What about feeding the poor? The pastor replied that the funds came from donors and needed to be spent as they wished. “Besides,” he quoted Jesus, “you will always have the poor among you” (John 12:8).

The pastor quickly apologized for his flippant, out-of-context remark, which led me to wonder, What was Jesus’ context? Six days before His death, a woman anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. The disciples were disgusted. Why wasn’t this perfume sold to help the poor? Jesus replied by quoting Deuteronomy 15:11: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (John 12:8).

Jesus often cited Deuteronomy, so He knew what was written a few sentences earlier: “There need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you . . . , he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 15:4-5). Perhaps this was another reason for Jesus’ rebuke. Poor people existed only because Israel hadn’t obeyed God’s instructions. Now the poor were being used to distract from Jesus—the true Israelite who would fully obey to the end.

We need not choose between Jesus and the poor. We love people best by loving Him most, and loving Him most inspires us to love others best.

Reflect & Pray

How do you help those less fortunate? How does the life of Jesus and the things He taught inspire you to share with those in need?

Dear Jesus, You’re beautiful and worthy of all my praise.

For further study, read Missing the Mission: Disciples in an Age of Abundance.

Today’s Insights

In the first century bc, the Jews practiced what was known as prozbul, where a lender could transfer a personal loan to an institution or bank, making it exempt from the law of debt forgiveness in Deuteronomy 15. This attempted to encourage rich Jews to continue lending to the poor because it meant they’d still get their money back.

In the New Testament, Jesus often spoke about money and challenged His disciples to live radical lives: “Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back” (Luke 6:35). When we love Christ, He helps us to love those in need.

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Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

Today’s Scripture

Romans 12:1-3

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Today’s Devotional

“Did you grow up around here?” It was difficult to answer my dental hygienist’s question because her teeth-cleaning tools were still inside my mouth. She explained that in 1945, our city became the first in the world to add fluoride to public drinking water. Thought to prevent cavities, the treatment doesn’t require much: just 0.7 milligrams of fluoride to a liter of water. Its positive effects are obvious to a trained professional. But, I had no idea, I’d been drinking it all my life!

The things we consume every day can affect us over time. That applies not only to food and drink but also to entertainment, friends, and social media messages. The apostle Paul cautioned, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). While the Holy Spirit is making disciples of Jesus to be more like Him, the process takes a lifetime. Our habits can help or hinder His work. It’s not always easy to recognize what we’re consuming, but we can ask the one who’s rich in “wisdom and knowledge” to show us (11:33). Wisdom and discernment help us “test and approve what God’s will is” (12:2), while considering ourselves with “sober judgment” (v. 3).

Whatever He might be asking us to add to or remove from our daily lives is worth the price. All things are “from him and through him and for him” (11:36). He knows best.

Reflect & Pray

What’s one habit that reveals the Holy Spirit’s work in your life? What’s one that might be hindering His work?

Holy Spirit, thank You for working in and through my life.

Check out this simple prayer you can use to connect with the Holy Spirit.

Today’s Insights

When interpreting Scripture, the key words are often nouns and verbs because they tend to contribute the most to the understanding of the text. In Romans 12:1-3, however, a case could be made that the key word is therefore. This word indicates that we understand what follows is based on what has preceded it. “Therefore . . . in view of God’s mercy” (v. 1) tells us that the practical exhortations that follow are rooted in God’s great grace and forgiveness, which have been thoroughly explained in chapters 1-11. When we consider the greatness of God’s love that’s been poured out over our lives through the gift of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, no command of Scripture should seem grievous. In fact, as Paul says, offering our lives as “a living sacrifice” is our “true and proper worship” (12:1). We can ask the Holy Spirit to show us how to worship God with our lives and how to exhibit Christlike habits.

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I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. Luke 22:32

Today’s Scripture

Luke 22:28-34

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Today’s Devotional

Jesus, how are You praying for me? I’d never thought to ask that question until my friend Lou shared the experience of his heart-cry to Christ when he was faced with a situation that required more wisdom and strength than he was able to muster. Hearing him voice that noteworthy question in prayer has helped me add a fresh dimension to my understanding and practice of prayer.

In Luke 22, there was no mystery as to how Jesus was praying for Simon Peter: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (vv. 31-32). When Peter was battered through trial, his faith flickered. But because of Christ’s grace, it didn’t fail.

The book of Acts tells us how Jesus’ prayers for Peter—His eager but weak disciple—were answered. God used him to preach the good news about Christ to Jews and gentiles alike. And Jesus’ prayer ministry hasn’t ended. Paul reminds us that “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). When you find yourself in the throes of trial or temptation, remember that Jesus, who prayed for His disciples, remains in prayer for those who have believed their message about Him (see John 17:13-20).

Reflect & Pray

How does remembering that Jesus is praying for you affect how you pray? In view of His prayer ministry, how might you live and serve differently?

Dear Jesus, thank You for Your prayers on my behalf. Please help me to pray and live with this awareness.

Not sure how to pray? Check out this piece from Discovery Series to learn more.

Today’s Insights

Satan had to ask Christ for permission to test Peter and was permitted to sift him “as wheat” (Luke 22:31). This would entail forceful shaking, but Satan wasn’t allowed to destroy Peter. On the contrary, this sifting would remove the chaff from his life. This is reminiscent of Satan asking for God’s permission to test Job (Job 1:9-12; 2:3-6) and Job affirming that “when [God] has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (23:10).

Jesus’ sovereignty is evident in His prayers that Peter’s faith wouldn’t fail (Luke 22:32). His courage failed, however, as he denied knowing Christ three times (vv. 54-62). But though he momentarily faltered, his faith didn’t fail. Jesus’ prayer that Peter would turn back to strengthen his brothers (v. 32) was fulfilled when he repented (v. 62). He was later restored and commissioned by Christ to pastoral ministry (John 21:15-17). We can be encouraged when we remember that Christ also prays for us.

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Seek the Lord and live. Amos 5:6

Today’s Scripture

Amos 5:1-6, 10-14

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A family who’d lost touch with their son and brother Tyler received an urn that was said to contain his cremation ashes. Just twenty-two years old, he’d apparently died of a drug overdose. For years, Tyler had dealt with the effects of drug addiction and poor choices. But prior to the reported overdose, he’d been sober after spending time in a transitional housing facility and completing an addiction recovery program. Then authorities made a shocking discovery—Tyler was actually alive! They’d mistaken him for another young man who’d died of an overdose. Later, after being reunited with family and reflecting on the death of the other young man, Tyler said, “That could have been me.”

The Israelites once learned of their death—though they were very much alive. In a song of mourning, the prophet Amos sang these words to God’s rebellious people: “Fallen is Virgin Israel, never to rise again” (Amos 5:2). These words must have gotten their attention—they were dead?! But the prophet also spoke these comforting words from God Himself: “Seek me and live” and “Seek good . . . . Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you” (vv. 4, 14). Though Israel was dead in their sins against God, He invited them to turn to Him and find life.

As we deal with our sin, let’s confess it and bring it to the one who loves us and forgives us. God lovingly leads us from death to life (John 5:24).

Reflect & Pray

How does going against God lead to death? What do you need to confess to Him?

Loving God, please help me turn from sin and find life in You.

Today’s Insights

Amos was a prophet from Judah (Amos 7:12) whom God sent to warn Israel of His judgment for their sins. Amos lamented the death of the nation (5:1-3, 16-27) but offered a message of hope for those who repented and returned to God. Though punishment was certain, Amos urged the people to repent, to “hear” the words of God (v. 1), “seek the Lord and live” (v. 6), act justly (vv. 7-10), not oppress the poor (vv. 11-13), and do good and hate evil (vv. 14-15). He provides what we need to turn from sin and find true life in Christ.

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If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. Psalm 139:8

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 139:7-12

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When my grandmother was gently informed that my grandpa would likely pass away in the next few days, we were concerned that she’d be upset and anxious. “Are you worried?” someone asked her, thinking that she might have questions about her husband’s physical condition or need help for her own needs. She thought for a moment. “No,” she calmly answered, “I know where he’s going. God is there with him.”

Her expression of God’s presence with her husband echoes a similar one in Psalm 139, made by the psalmist David: “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (v. 8).

Although the certainty of God’s presence described in Psalm 139 carries a subtle warning that we can’t escape His Spirit no matter where we go, it also brings great comfort to those who love Him and desire the assurance of His presence: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence” (v. 7). As God’s redeemed people, we can be consoled that no matter where we are, He’s there guiding us and holding us in His hands (v. 10).

When we go through tough, worrisome situations and don’t feel that God is with us, we can be assured that He’s present with all those whom He loves and who love Him. May this knowledge of His certain presence bring you the comfort and hope you need today.

Reflect & Pray

What worries you most today? How does knowing the certainty of God’s presence help you?

Dear God, when I’m worried, please help me to know that my life is in Your hands.

God calls us to rest in Him. Read Overcoming Worry to learn more.

Today’s Insights

It’s impossible for us to fathom the scope of God’s all-seeing eye and the inescapability of His presence, but David attempts to do just that. Set in four stanzas, his song begins with his acknowledgment of just how intimately God knows him: “you are familiar with all my ways” (Psalm 139:3). He starts the next section with parallel rhetorical questions: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (v. 7). The farthest reaches of space won’t permit us to hide from this God, nor will death itself. This is the implication of David’s reference to “the depths” in verse 8. The psalmist even praises how God knew him when He “knit [him] together in [his] mother’s womb” (v. 13). Such a pervasive presence might well intimidate us if not for the fact that this is our all-wise, omnipresent, all-seeing, and perfectly loving God.

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Do not quench the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Today’s Scripture

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

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They were three adrenaline-fueled teenage boys, unleashed in the immense underground system connecting to Mammoth Cave. With them was their Uncle Frank, a veteran caver familiar with these parts. He knew the drop-offs and danger spots and continually called to the three, “Guys, this way!” Still, they ventured ever farther from him.

Dimming his headlamp, Uncle Frank decided to remain silent. Soon, the boys realized they’d lost their guide. Panic-stricken, they yelled his name. No response. Finally, they saw his headlamp flicker to life in the distance. Instant relief and peace! Now they were ready to follow their guide.

This true story makes an apt parable for how we can treat the gift of the Holy Spirit. Detours lure us away from the voice that calls us to follow the one who said, “Follow me” (Matthew 16:24). That voice is the Holy Spirit, who dwells inside each child of God (Acts 2:38-39).

God’s Spirit will never abandon us, but we can ignore Him. The apostle Paul warns, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Instead, “Rejoice always, pray continually,” and “give thanks in all circumstances” (vv. 16-18). By doing so, we stay close to our guide, “the God of peace,” who can keep us “blameless” (v. 23). It’s not our work that does it. It’s His. As Paul reminds us, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (v. 24).

Reflect & Pray

In what ways have you ignored the voice of the Holy Spirit? How might you follow Him more closely?

Father, please keep me close and attentive to You today.

Watch this video to learn how to Let the Spirit Lead You.

Today’s Insights

In this series of exhortations, Paul first urges us to “rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). How are we to rejoice when our situation is dire? Paul wasn’t naive; he faced constant difficulties with more challenges than most of us will ever experience. He knew that continual prayer was key (v. 17). This doesn’t mean that we pray literally every moment, but rather that we pray through all our circumstances, for the Spirit will never abandon us. Prayer becomes as natural as breathing. Connected closely to these vital concepts is gratitude (v. 18). When our hearts are inclined toward thankfulness, joy naturally follows. This pattern foreshadows a similar theme the apostle emphasizes in his letter to the Philippians, written several years later: “Rejoice in the Lord always. . . . In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:4-6). The inevitable result is the peace of God ruling in our hearts.

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Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” John 11:23

Today’s Scripture

John 11:1-7, 17-25

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In 2011, Karey Packard and her daughter were packing boxes for a move to a new home. Suddenly, Karey collapsed, and her heart stopped. Doctors revived Karey, but her condition worsened through the night. Her husband, Craig, was told to call family to say final goodbyes. They prayed what Craig called “a prayer of desperation.”

How often have we prayed a prayer of desperation in a crisis? Mary and Martha did. They sent a desperate message to Jesus: their brother Lazarus, “the one you love,” was gravely ill (John 11:3). When Christ finally arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha, in anguish, said to Jesus: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 21). She knew Christ could heal sick people but could not imagine His power to overcome death. Jesus, of course, raised Lazarus, a foreshadowing of His own resurrection weeks later.

Karey had officially flatlined, yet miraculously God brought her back to life. In the stories of both Karey and Lazarus, it’s easy to miss the point: God has purposes that we don’t know. He neither heals everyone nor brings all dead people back to life. But He gives us a transcending assurance: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (v. 25). As believers, whatever happens, we know we’ll be with Jesus. Maybe that makes our desperate prayers a little less desperate.

Reflect & Pray

What desperate experiences have you had? How have you prayed through them?

Father God, please help me see the bigger picture of Your purposes.

It can be hard to know God’s plan when we go through hardships. Learn how to change your perspective by reading Why Does God Allow Painful Circumstances?

Today’s Insights

The idea of a future resurrection (see John 11:23) was an ancient Jewish belief. Job was confident that after his death he would “see God” (Job 19:26-27). The prophets proclaimed that people would rise from the dead when the Messiah came (see Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2). Paul warned that “if there is no resurrection . . . , then not even Christ has been raised” and we “are still in [our] sins” (1 Corinthians 15:13, 17). Because Christ has “been raised from the dead” (v. 20), we can look beyond our desperate situation to the day when “the dead will be raised imperishable” (v. 52).

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Present yourself to God as one approved. 2 Timothy 2:15

Today’s Scripture

2 Timothy 2:14-16, 22-26

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In her early years as a Christian author, Gayle often received winsome gifts from her publisher. Bouquets of flowers, chocolates, boxes of herbal teas. All lovely. But over time, her publisher began to send gifts with lasting value. A one-year Bible, devotionals, and prayer journals. As she used them, Gayle became a more mature believer—less distracted by frilly gifts and more committed to using her life to lead others to Christ.

This approach recalls Timothy’s growth under the mentoring of the apostle Paul. Stressing spiritual maturity, Paul advised, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Then Paul added, “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly” (v. 16). He added, “Flee the evil desires of youth . . . . Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments. . . . And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful” (vv. 22-24).

Paul’s wise advice offers believers one other key benefit. Even opponents of Christ, when they see our mature choices in Him, may “come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil” (v. 26). So “growing up” in God has eternal outcomes beyond ourselves. Let’s not wait, therefore, to grow up in our faith. Others will benefit as well.

Reflect & Pray

Where is your faith immature? How can you “grow up” spiritually?

Wise God, please grow my spiritual maturity in You.

For further study, read Going the Distance—Spiritual Disciplines.

Today’s Insights

The name Timothy (which means “honoring God”) is the compound form of the Greek words timē (honor) and theos (God). From what’s recorded of Timothy in Scripture, he lived up to his name. He’s first mentioned in Act 16, where it’s noted that he was a disciple with a good reputation (v. 2). Paul recruited him as a member of his ministry team (vv. 3-5). Timothy’s path to belief in Jesus and maturity and usefulness began under the tutelage of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15). Paul mentions Timothy in many of his letters, including these accolades in Philippians 2: “I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. . . . But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel” (vv. 20, 22). As we grow in our relationship with Christ, others will benefit.

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God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5:11

Today’s Scripture

1 John 5:6-13

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Michael Sparks walked into a thrift store and bought a souvenir copy of the US Declaration of Independence for $2.48. Later, as he looked closely at his parchment copy, he felt there was something unusual about it. So he had it assessed by experts, who told him it was one of now thirty-six remaining copies of two hundred commissioned by John Quincy Adams in 1820. Sparks then sold his rare copy of the Declaration for $477,650!

While the acquisition of this treasure for such a small price is astounding, there’s a treasure that’s infinitely better. As a child, I found out about a priceless, matchless, and eternal treasure that didn’t cost me a cent. But I didn’t find it at a thrift store.

My parents revealed to me that a man named Jesus had purchased this gift by giving His life on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins. They then told me this gift was called salvation. It promised the treasure of an abundant “life . . . to the full” on earth (John 10:10) and an “eternal life . . . in [God’s] Son” with Jesus (1 John 5:11). I accepted that gift by faith.

It’s amazing to find an earthly treasure at low cost, but that can’t compare with the eternal treasure Christ offers at no cost. This treasure offered to each person is received as we “believe in the name of the Son of God”—Jesus (v. 13).

Reflect & Pray

What does it mean for you to trust Jesus as your Savior? How can you tell others about this great treasure?

Thank You, Jesus, for paying the price for my salvation. It’s a treasure I could never purchase on my own.

Learn more about having a personal relationship with God.

Today’s Insights

John says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). This echoes the purpose of his gospel: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). Faith in Christ not only saves us from judgment but gives us abundant and eternal life. John uses the word life more than forty times in his gospel, most dramatically in the shepherd parable: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (10:10-11). Jesus gave up His life to make eternal life possible for us.

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Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. Psalm 63:3

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 63

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With the referee’s final gesture, wrestler Kennedy Blades became a 2024 Olympian. She pressed her palms together, lifted her hands and eyes to the heavens, and praised God. A reporter asked about her growth over the past three years. The elite athlete didn’t even mention her physical training. “I’ve just gotten super close to Jesus,” she said. Professing Christ as King, she proclaimed that He’s coming again and encouraged others to believe in Him. “It’s Him,” she said. “That’s the main reason why I was able to accomplish such a big thing.” In other interviews, she faithfully declared that Jesus is everything to her and the reason for everything good in her life.

This passion for living a God-centered life reflects David’s confessions in Psalm 63. Acknowledging his desperation for his creator, he said, “I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you” (v. 1). David had “seen” God and “beheld” His “power” and “glory” (v. 2). He declared God’s steadfast love as “better than life” (v. 3). Then, he prayed: “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (vv. 7-8). God was clearly everything to David.

Our lives can be beacons that point others to a life-saving relationship with God when Jesus becomes our reason, our everything.

Reflect & Pray

In what ways does your life reflect that Christ is your reason, your everything? What do you need to surrender to acknowledge that He’s your king?

Dear Jesus, please help me truly live like You’re my reason, my everything.

Feeling tired? Learn how to find rest in God.

Today’s Insights

The heading of Psalm 63 tells us that David wrote it “when he was in the Desert of Judah.” This indicates that he was either fleeing from Saul (1 Samuel 23:14; 24:1) or from his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13-37). It’s more likely that he was fleeing from Absalom because in Psalm 63:11, David addressed himself as “king,” and he wasn’t yet king when Saul pursued him. In the arid desert, David thirsted for God (v. 1), affirming that God is his sustenance (vv. 7-8). With his life threatened, he turned to God instead of his army to rescue and protect him (vv. 9-11). His experience with God’s power and love (vv. 2-3) enabled him to trust Him, praise Him, and rejoice in Him (vv. 4-5, 11). Like David, as we earnestly seek God (v. 1), gratefully celebrate His love (vv. 2-5), passionately remember His faithfulness (vv. 6-8), and triumphantly rejoice in Him (vv. 9-11), our lives can point others to Him.

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We . . . are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Today’s Scripture

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

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Living in a coastal town, Valerie loved warm weather, wildlife photography, and being in the water. Above all, she loved watching the sunrise over the ocean. Every morning, she woke up before dawn to catch a view of the water. Val estimated that despite cloudy weather or travel, she still managed to see more than three hundred waterfront sunrises each year. She never tired of watching them. In her eyes, the sunrise held a glory she didn’t want to miss.

In Exodus 34, we read about Moses’ radiant face literally reflecting his glorious encounter with “the Lord” (vv. 29-35). Paul said that since Jesus came, there’s an even more glorious ministry than what Moses experienced (2 Corinthians 3:7-8). It’s the ministry of the Spirit, which brings righteousness (vv. 8-9). God’s plan of salvation has permanent glory, surpassing anything that came before (v. 10), and we get to participate in it. The apostle said, “We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (v. 18). That ever-increasing glory is not dependent on how well we perform but on the Holy Spirit. We, like the clouds at sunrise, just reflect a little more and a little better each day the glorious work that He’s doing.

Reflect & Pray

When is it more difficult to see the work of the Holy Spirit in your life? How do you know He’s still there?

Dear God, You’re doing a glorious work within me! Thank You for transforming me into Your image.

Watch this video to learn how the fruit of the spirit make us more like Jesus.

Today’s Insights

The “ministry” that Moses performed was “engraved in letters on stone” (a reference to the tablets of the law), yet it “brought death” (2 Corinthians 3:7). Despite this, it “came with glory”—a glory that was startlingly evident on Moses’ face. Paul says the ministry of the Holy Spirit is far more glorious (vv. 10-11) and belongs to those who have the hope of Christ. The glory that appeared on Moses’ face was “transitory” (v. 11)—it faded away. The glory believers in Jesus enjoy is “ever-increasing” because it “comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (v. 18).

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Far be it from me that I should sin . . . by failing to pray for you. 1 Samuel 12:23

Today’s Scripture

1 Samuel 12:19-25

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Today’s Devotional

“I don’t know where I’d be today if my mom hadn’t prayed for me. I don’t think I’d even be alive,” my friend Rahim related. He was a former addict who’d spent time in prison for drug distribution. Over coffee one day, he shared the difference his mother’s prayers had made in his life. “Even when I disappointed her so badly, she kept loving me with her prayers. I was in a lot of trouble, but if she hadn’t prayed for me, I know it would have been worse.”

The Old Testament account of Samuel tells another story of someone who showed faithfulness to God and others through prayer. On the day Saul was coronated as king at Gilgal, the prophet Samuel was also disappointed. The people had placed their faith and hope for their future in a monarchy instead of in God.

As the people gathered, God displayed His displeasure through an unseasonable storm that terrified them and made them regret their decision (1 Samuel 12:16-18). When they pleaded with Samuel to intercede for them, he replied, “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you” (v. 23).

Samuel’s response reminds us that praying for others is a way of keeping God first in our hearts and lives. When we love others by praying for them, we open the door to witness what only He can do. And we never want to miss that.

Reflect & Pray

How does consistent prayer help you to keep God first? How will you pray for others today?

Strong Savior, thank You for praying for me. Please help me to follow Samuel’s example and love others with my prayers today.

Learn how consistant prayer can change your relationship with God

Today’s Insights

Israel was set apart as “a holy nation” to serve Yahweh (Exodus 19:6; see Deuteronomy 7:6). God had always been their judge (Judges 11:27; 1 Samuel 2:10) and had fought their battles (Exodus 14:14; Joshua 10:42; 23:3; 1 Samuel 11:13). But by asking to become “like all the other nations, with a king to lead [them] and to go out before [them] and fight [their] battles” (1 Samuel 8:20), they’d rejected Him as their judge and king (vv. 7-8). After they crowned Saul as king, Samuel reminded them that God had faithfully come to their rescue time and again despite their unfaithfulness (12:6-18). Samuel warned of judgment if they persisted in unfaithfulness (v. 25). They confessed their sin and asked Samuel to intercede on their behalf. He assured them of his prayers and urged them to “fear the Lord and serve him faithfully” (v. 24). We too can pray for others, that they might keep God first in their hearts and lives.

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I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. Psalm 3:5

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 3

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Today’s Devotional

My friend confided that he hadn’t been sleeping well. His sleeplessness was related to a difficult family situation that had kept him up at night. It happened that this was the day I was prepared to discuss Psalm 3 in my adult Sunday school class.

In Psalm 3, King David also had a family problem, one that would lead most of us to sleeplessness. His son Absalom was undermining David’s rule over Israel as part of his plan to overthrow him and snatch the crown for himself.

David was in despair. He fled Jerusalem after a messenger said, “the hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom” (2 Samuel 15:13). In Psalm 3:1, David describes his situation: “Lord, how many are my foes!”

But notice how David found peace. He recalled that God was his shield of protection and that He “lifts [his] head” (v. 3). Then came the help we all need when we fret over our circumstances: David was able to “lie down and sleep.” He observed, “I wake again, because the Lord sustains me” (v. 5).

For my friend facing a tough time, this was great news. And for all of us who face hard circumstances and sleepless nights, our God protects us and gives us rest. When we place our total trust in Him, He helps us “lie down and sleep” (v. 5).

Reflect & Pray

What is your “David moment” today? Instead of listening to those who distrust God (Psalm 3:2), how are you trusting His offer to protect you?

Heavenly Father, sometimes like David I exclaim, “How many are my foes!” But You’re there for me. Please shield me, lift my head, and allow me to lie down and sleep.

Discover how to pray through the Psalms to express yourself to God.

Today’s Insights

Psalm 3 is a psalm of lament written by David. The superscription provides us with a reason for his despair: “A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.” The events surrounding this event are found in 2 Samuel 15. Absalom, with the aid of David’s close friend and counselor Ahithophel, tried to unseat his father as king and take the throne for himself, forcing him to flee Jerusalem (vv. 13-37). Psalm 3 captures David’s heartache when he was on the run from his own son. But, like most songs of lament, it ends with a hopeful note: “From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people” (v. 8). In his lament, David trusts in God for his rescue. God gives him rest and helps him “lie down and sleep” (v. 5) even in the midst of his circumstances. He provides rest for us too as we trust in Him.

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Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards. Song of Songs 2:15

Today’s Scripture

Song of Songs 2:8-15

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“It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine,” my grandmother used to say. Then my mom repeated the same thing. And now I say it to my own children. But what does it mean to beware of “the little foxes”?

After planting grapevines, it can take several years before they bear fruit. The vines require a lot of patience, care, watering, pruning, and protection. Foxes—even though small—can cause major damage by destroying the roots, eating the grapes, or chewing the stalk.

In the poetic love story of the Song of Songs, Solomon warns, “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards” (2:15). Some scholars believe this refers to seemingly small problems or behaviors that could threaten the young man and woman’s relationship if left unchecked.

Likewise for our spiritual journey, little things like bitterness (Hebrews 12:15), “unwholesome talk” (Ephesians 4:29), or even harmful influence from others (1 Corinthians 15:33) can slip into our lives and hardly be noticed.

My grandmother understood that little things can cause great harm, and her wisdom spoke volumes to her grandchildren. As we spend time in prayer and reading the Scriptures, the Spirit will help us “catch the little foxes”—the temptations or habits that might spoil our relationship with others and our walk with Christ.

Reflect & Pray

What little things do you need to catch before they cause harm? How can you warn others to watch for “little foxes”?

Dear Father, please help me be alert for and deal with the little stuff that causes great damage.

Check out this piece from Discovery Series to find hope even when times are tough.

Today’s Insights

First Kings 4:32 tells us that Solomon’s songs “numbered a thousand and five.” The very first verse of Song of Songs attributes the book to this wisest of kings (1:1). Also called Song of Solomon, the song differs substantially from Solomon’s other wisdom writings (Proverbs and Ecclesiastes). It isn’t a collection of proverbs; it’s a love poem. Solomon extols romantic love, and he does so in poetry so passionate it may cause some to blush (see ch. 7 for a case in point). Perhaps because of this frankness, some early church leaders tried to interpret the song allegorically (and some still do). They see it as a picture of God’s love for His church. That’s a possible interpretation, but the theme of the song is undeniably about sexual love. Importantly, this Song of Songs presents sex as God intended—within the context of a loving marriage between a man and woman. And as we live out what God has intended, we’ll also catch the “little foxes” (2:15) that can destroy us and others.

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Jesus replied, “ . . . That is why I have come.” Mark 1:38

Today’s Scripture

Mark 1:35-39

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“May we invite you to be the main speaker in our nationwide church leadership conference?” After Jose read the invitation from the renowned organization, he replied, “Please let me pray about it first.” Later, when he turned down the offer, he told a friend, “I knew God was calling me to editorial work on a mission’s project, and the speaking engagement would take time and energy away from that. I said no so I can do what God wants me to do.”

What God wants me to do—that was Jose’s priority and what determined his decision. Jesus also made God’s purpose His priority. The morning after healing many in Capernaum who were sick and demon-possessed, Jesus went to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:32-35). The disciples came, saying, “Everyone is looking for you!” (v. 37). Some of those seeking Him were likely requesting healing. Christ, however, didn’t allow urgency or His sudden popularity to determine what He’d do next. “Let us go . . . to the nearby villages,” He said, “so I can preach there also. That is why I have come” (v. 38). Jesus followed His priority—a ministry that covered the rest of Galilee, and one that included preaching (v. 39).

How may we know God’s purpose for us? We can approach Him in prayer, be led by His wisdom found in the Scriptures, and seek counsel from people who uphold His ways. Let’s spend our life doing what God wants us to do.

Reflect & Pray

How can you be intentional about asking God to lead you? How have you seen God help you live with His purpose?

Dear God, please show me what You want me to do.

Discover God’s will for you by reading Making Decisions God’s Way.

Today’s Insights

Mark 1:38 declares that Jesus’ mission is to preach the gospel. On a few occasions in the Gospels, Christ reveals in a deep and intimate way that He understands His mission. In Luke 4:18-19, He quotes the prophet Isaiah (61:1-2) to reveal to those listening in the synagogue who He is. Christ’s ministry included both the preaching of forgiveness and spiritual freedom as well as freeing those who were bound by various physical infirmities. During the years of His ministry, He never veered from that dedication. And He also entrusted that ministry to His disciples. He empowered them to preach the kingdom and heal the sick. They even drove out demons (see Matthew 10; Luke 10). Before Christ returned to the Father, He entrusted His mission to all His followers (see Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). God continues to show us what He wants us to do and how He wants to use us to share the gospel with others.

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Surely your God is . . . a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery. Daniel 2:47

Today’s Scripture

Daniel 2:1-5, 13-19

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Hundreds of guests filled a golden ballroom to celebrate a nonprofit’s fiftieth anniversary and honor those who made it possible, especially those who’d been involved for decades. A founding member shared with gratitude how, despite thousands of volunteer hours and millions of dollars in grants, they would not have succeeded without God. He repeated that the organization had blossomed not because of human effort—although there was plenty of that too—but because God had provided for them.

Daniel understood the importance of ascribing good gifts to God. When King Nebuchadnezzar received a dream of the future, he called for all the wise men of Babylon to retell his dream and then interpret it. Dismayed, they protested that no one on earth could do what the king asked; it would require a supernatural power (Daniel 2:10-11). Daniel agreed, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (vv. 27-28). In faith, he asked God to reveal the dream to him. When his prayer was answered, Daniel was humble and quick to attribute the interpretation not to his own wisdom but to his great God (vv. 30, 45).

It’s right to celebrate accomplishments, but at the same time we should give glory to God. The praiseworthy things in our lives can ultimately be traced back to Him.

Reflect & Pray

Where have you noticed God’s provision lately? Why is it sometimes hard to acknowledge Him?

Dear God, thank You for being the giver of all good things. 

Check out this quick prayer for God’s provision from Reclaim Today.

Today’s Insights

Daniel’s humility in giving God all the glory for the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:24-30) echoes Joseph’s experience with Pharaoh in Genesis 41. Having been summoned from prison to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, Joseph replied to Pharaoh: “I cannot do it . . . but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires” (v. 16). In both cases, these young men refused to leverage their ability for their own advantage. In ancient times, dreams were seen as messages from the gods. So, to be able to interpret dreams would have been a status builder. Joseph and Daniel both preferred glorifying God—giving Him the credit—to advancing themselves.

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I myself will gather the remnant of my flock . . . and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. Jeremiah 23:3

Today’s Scripture

Jeremiah 23:1-8

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Beneath the rugged cliffs of Brora, Scotland, a sheep needed rescue. Trapped at the base of a cliff, surrounded by steep and unyielding rock on one side and the vast ocean on the other, the sheep had been on its own for two long years. Despite several rescue attempts, no one could reach her until a determined farmer named Cammy Wilson and four friends successfully executed a risky rescue mission. Three members of the team carefully descended nearly 820 feet down the cliff to get her, using a winch and a lot of courage to lift her out of her predicament.

The determined and sympathetic farmer and team reflect the compassion of our loving Father as depicted in Jeremiah 23:1-3. The prophet denounced Judah’s sinful leaders as shepherds who were “destroying and scattering the sheep of [God’s] pasture!” (v. 1). God declared through Jeremiah that—due to the ruthless way they treated His helpless people—He’d “bestow punishment” on them (v. 2). He saw the plight of His scattered flock and was deeply concerned about them. Not only was God concerned, but He also said He’d lovingly regather His sheep from places of exile and bring them to a place of safety and abundance (v. 3).

When we feel lost, trapped, or isolated, our heavenly Father sees our plight and won’t leave us stranded. He actively seeks to rescue and restore us.

Reflect & Pray

In what ways are you spiritually trapped and isolated? How does it encourage you to know God sees your challenge?

Heavenly Father, thank You for being my Good Shepherd.

For further study, read Hope in Sorrow.

Today’s Insights

When describing the coming king who would shepherd God’s people in the way their corrupt leaders hadn’t (Jeremiah 23:1), Jeremiah said this king would be called “The Lord Our Righteous Savior” (v. 6). In Hebrew, this title is very similar to the name Zedekiah, the last king of Judah (52:1), which means, “Yah(weh) is righteousness.” This name suggested Zedekiah was meant to be a king who’d rule in a way that reflected God’s justice. But King Zedekiah utterly failed his people, disobeying God’s instructions with severe consequences (vv. 1-3). So Jeremiah emphasized that despite’s Zedekiah’s failures, God would enact justice and rescue for His people through the promised coming king.

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Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Hebrews 12:1

Today’s Scripture

Hebrews 12:1-3

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Watermelon vines had overtaken my garden. They snaked across the stone path, climbed the fence, and—worst of all—tried to choke my favorite vegetable plants. I knew the garden wouldn’t thrive unless I took action. So, one evening I went to work uncurling tendrils from stems and leaves. When the coils grew back, I kept removing them until the vegetable plants finally matured and produced plump tomatoes and shiny peppers.

Sins like greed, lust, and hate can overtake our lives like the vines that tried to dominate my garden. Left untended, the seed of a wrong thought may develop until it controls our desires and actions like a “sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1) and holds us back from growing spiritually.

The writer of Hebrews encourages us to “throw off everything that hinders” so that we can “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (v. 1). To break free requires that we acknowledge we need help to handle the sin. This can be difficult if we’ve convinced ourselves and others that it’s not a serious issue.

Once we sincerely admit the problem, Jesus welcomes our prayers of confession and forgives us immediately (1 John 1:9). He can show us how to change our life patterns and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, help us to overcome the bondage that prevents us from flourishing.

Reflect & Pray

What sin has the power to make you fall repeatedly? How does God want you to address this problem?

Dear God, please forgive me for the actions and attitudes that grieve You and help me change from this point forward.

How do you respond when you sin? Explore ways that people throughout the Bible responded to sin by listening this episode of Discover the Word.

Today’s Insights

The original audience of the letter to the Hebrews was Jewish believers in Jesus who may have considered reverting back to Judaism or were straying toward false teachings (see 2:1-4; 3:1-4). Many scholars believe the book was written before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in ad 70 because it includes references to Jewish ceremonies and sacrifices. The author understood that the readers would need perseverance to face trials and persecution. Hebrews encourages believers to endure and hold fast to Christ (2:1-4; 3:7–4:13; 5:11–6:2). In chapter 11, known as the “Hall of Faith,” the author commends the many men and women of the Bible who lived by faith and sometimes died because of it. Therefore, because of their witness and example, believers in Christ are prompted to “throw off everything that hinders”—including sin—and “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (12:1).

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