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Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Luke 6:38, NIV

Recommended Reading: Luke 6:37-42

Glenn Morison, a Canadian Christian, wrote in his church-related paper, “I’ve never met a person who tithes who is unhappy doing so!”¹

We have a God who has promised to meet our needs as we cooperate with Him in our finances, worshiping Him with the first part of our income. We’re told that as we honor God with our possessions and the first part of our income, our “barns will be filled with plenty, and [our] vats will overflow with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10). We’re told our Lord will open to us the windows of heaven and pour out abundant blessings on us (Malachi 3:10).

When we don’t put God first in our giving, we are admitting that we don’t believe He will do what He says He will do—supply all our needs. Today rest in the assurance that God will provide.

Both the idea of tithing and the opportunity to tithe is a gift, and for me, it is a gift that God wanted me to have.
Glenn Morison

1. Glenn Morison, “The Joy of Tithing,” Friends Journal, January 1, 2025.

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And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
2 Corinthians 8:5

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-7

One day when twelve-year-old David Grant went with his father to a church service, a missionary named Charles Greenaway made an appeal for Christ. When the ushers later passed the offering plate, young David put it on the floor and stepped in it. The Lord seemed to say to him, “David, you will go to India.” In the decades that followed, David Grant had a powerful missionary career.¹

We all need to step into the offering plate, at least in a figurative sense. Paul commended the churches of Macedonia for more than just giving to the offering he was collecting for the poverty-stricken Jews of Judea. The Macedonians first gave themselves to the Lord.

Before we give our resources to God, we must first give ourselves, recognizing that we belong to God and that all we have is already His. Why don’t you take a stand for Christ by offering to Him all you are and have. Each day ask God to navigate your path.

When the Holy Spirit passes the offering plate, step in…. God is not so much interested in your money; He’s interested in you.
David Grant

1. George P. Wood, “The Boy Who Gave Himself to God,” U.S. Missions, September 17, 2021.

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And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to you.
Genesis 28:22

Recommended Reading: Genesis 28:16-22

Samantha Dobbins wrote in the newsletter of her South Carolina church how she and her husband had a new baby but very little income. They were discouraged searching for a job. One Sunday as she sat in church, Samantha felt the Lord whisper to her, “If you tithe, I will provide.” On a whim, she wrote a “tiny little tithe check.” The very next day a friend called her husband and offered him a job that grew into a successful career.¹

In the book of Genesis, Jacob had been a despicable scoundrel until he encountered God at Bethel in Genesis 28. That’s when his life began to change. He had a long way to go, and his story had ups and downs. But from the beginning he committed to giving God a tenth of his income, just as his grandfather Abraham had done in Genesis 14:20.

When we put God first and tithe, we can trust Him to lead us, provide for us, and bless us in unexpected ways.

I don’t even have to think about giving anymore. It’s just something I want to do now, and I can’t explain that.
Samantha Dobbins

1. “How Giving a Little Turned Into a Whole Lot More,” Newspring Church.

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You shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground … and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide.
Deuteronomy 26:2

Recommended Reading: Colossians 1:15-18

If you’ve ever grown a vegetable garden, you know the joy of picking the first ripe tomatoes from the vine or boiling the first young potatoes. In biblical times farmers would take some of their earliest harvests and present it as an offering to the Lord. They knew He was the one who made the soil and seed, who sent the sunshine and rain, and who gave them the ability to farm the land.

In the same way, we need to become aware that all we are and all we have comes from the Lord. We should give Him of our best. When we put Him first in terms of our money and time, He blesses all the rest. When we cease to put Him first, things don’t prosper in our lives as they should.

Colossians 1:18 says, “In all things He may have the preeminence.”
Are you putting the Lord first in all things?

The secret to living for God is to put Christ first in every decision … every food choice … every sexual choice … every entertainment choice … every choice of friends … everything.
Elmer Towns

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If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5

Recommended Reading: 1 Kings 3:6-14

At the beginning of King Solomon’s reign over Israel, God appeared to him in a dream and told him to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon asked God for a discerning heart in order to govern the multitudes of people over whom he now reigned. So God responded, “I have given you a wise and understanding heart” (1 Kings 3:12). Solomon’s wisdom became his defining characteristic.

One wonders if the apostle James had Solomon’s request in mind when he encouraged his readers to ask God for wisdom when needed (James 1:5). As you begin a new year, it’s easy to imagine areas in which wisdom might be needed: personal issues, family matters, financial decisions, job prospects, and more. James likely had in mind the Hebrew notion of wisdom which was “skill” (Hebrew chokmah). When we ask God for wisdom, we are asking Him for skill to navigate a challenging situation. Thankfully, He will give generously and without criticizing.

Whether wisdom (skill) for a day or a year, ask God—He will give “liberally and without reproach.”

The heavens declare Thy glory, Lord; in every star Thy wisdom shines. 
Isaac Watts

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Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Psalm 32:1

Recommended Reading: Psalm 51:7-12

While we celebrate the uniqueness of every individual created in the image of God, there is one way in which all humans are alike. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). That means we have all experienced what happens when we do things we know we shouldn’t. We all experience the guilt, shame, and remorse that comes with disappointing ourselves, others, and especially disappointing God.

What would our lives be like if there was no way to remove the consequences of our failures? Guilt and shame would multiply and lead us to a life of despair. The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that our sins can be forgiven and we can have a clear conscience. “The Lord has laid on [Christ] the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Those who have received God’s gift of forgiveness through faith in Christ can live a life of freedom from guilt and shame.

Experience today the blessing of God’s forgiveness for all your sins—past, present, and future.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

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Exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
1 Timothy 4:7-8

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Recommended Reading: 1 Timothy 4:6-11

You might think losing weight would be our top New Year’s resolution. But according to a 2024 YouGov survey, “saving more money” topped the list, followed by improving physical health, being happy, exercising more, eating healthier, and in sixth place, losing weight.¹ The survey listed 23 top New Year’s resolutions, but one item wasn’t mentioned at all—exercising toward godliness.

It was at the top of Paul’s list, but exactly how do we do it? Well, let’s try increasing the repetitions of lifting our Bibles, flexing our faith muscles, and pressing forward in conditioning our souls to run the race before us with perseverance.

Perhaps the first step is finding a place for your daily time of personal Bible study. A small table or desk in a quiet corner, a workplace by the window, or a chair with a lap tray or swing-away tray. When you have a dedicated place for your quiet time, you can leave your Bible open there all day. That’s a good first step toward exercising yourself in godliness.

Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face-to-face with God.
Oswald Chambers

1. Jamie Ballard, “What Are Americans’ New Year’s Resolutions for 2024?” YouGov, December 21, 2023.

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But [Jesus] answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4

Recommended Reading: John 8:43-44

Imagine it’s your first day at work in a new corporate job. A fellow employee greets you and gives you some free employee guidance: park your car wherever you like, take your lunch hour whenever you get hungry, dress however you like, and come and leave on your own schedule. Once you go through new employee orientation, you realize you were duped—all the previous advice was wrong. But how were you to have known? You didn’t know any better.

Something similar happened to Adam and Eve in the garden (bad advice) and later to Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus was approached by Satan three times with temptations (Matthew 4:1-11). But unlike the new employee, Jesus knew better—He had read the “handbook”! With each temptation—based on a twisted rendering of God’s words—Jesus answered with the truth from Scripture. Knowing he was defeated, the devil left Him alone (Luke 4:13).

The only way to defeat the lies and counterfeits of Satan is to know the truth. Begin or continue your daily intake of God’s Word in order to tell truth from error.

So the real question confronting you now is: How can you afford not to be in God’s Word.
Howard Hendricks

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Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?
Mark 4:40

Recommended Reading: Mark 4:35-41

Someone described daily life like having “a thick curtain hung across one’s path, a curtain that recedes before us as we advance, but only step by step. None of us can tell what is beyond that curtain; none of us can tell what events a single day or hour may bring into our lives.” This is what brings anxieties. Yet, “it is just as important to trust God as to obey Him.”¹

When we worry about the future or remain anxious, we’re not trusting enough in Christ to care for us. He responds: “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26) And “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31)

The Lord is sovereign and eternal. His word cannot fail; His eyesight cannot dim; His love cannot fade. Trust Him completely to provide for His creation and to meet all your needs.

Ask the Lord for the ability to trust Him more.

When we fail to trust God, we doubt His sovereignty and question His goodness…. In order to trust God, we must always view our adverse circumstances through the eyes of faith, not of sense.
Jerry Bridges

1. Jerry Bridges, Is God Really in Control? (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2006).

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Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5

Recommended Reading: John 14:27

Have you ever experienced a surge of anxiety that felt like an electric shock running through your emotions as if you were being electrocuted inwardly? Psychologists tell us anxiety can feel like electrical charges flying though our bodies and minds. One anxious person described a panic attack that felt “as if electricity ran from my lower stomach down to my knee.”

We need to wrap the sheathing of God’s promises around our minds and allow the Bible to insulate us from this pain. The power of Scripture can cast down anxious thoughts, bringing every aspect of our emotions and minds into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Find and claim the promises of God, being constantly in prayer for the peace of God that can and will overcome your high voltage thoughts of worry, anxiety, envy, hatred, unrest, and confusion. Picture the Lord wrapping you in the insulation of His promises, His peace, and His very presence.

Until you actually possess true peace with God, no one can describe its wonders to you.
Billy Graham

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Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23, NIV

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:21

It seems that most law enforcement personnel today wear bulletproof vests while on duty. While those vests are usually made of tough, synthetic material, in many combat situations soldiers have vests with actual metal or ceramic plates covering their chests. Why the emphasis on protecting the chest from fatal gunfire? Because a wound to the chest may result in a wound to the heart. And a wound to the heart is rarely survived.

In Paul’s description of the Christian’s spiritual armor, he wrote that righteousness is the believer’s breastplate—that which protects the heart (Ephesians 6:14). The leather breastplate of the Roman soldier in Paul’s day has been replaced by today’s bulletproof vests—but the purpose is the same. Righteousness implies holiness or sinlessness. But how are we, as sinners, able to protect our heart from Satan’s accusations of sinfulness? By relying not on our righteousness but on the righteousness of Christ who never sinned: “For [God] made [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Protect your heart by depending on Christ’s righteousness rather than your own.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
Edward Mote

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Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.
Psalm 19:12

Recommended Reading: Psalm 19

Last Christmas, a woman in Texas put up and decorated her Christmas tree. Shortly after, she heard a noise in the branches. Some kind of animal was hiding. Cladding herself in thick gloves, the woman reached into the tree and pulled out an opossum. It’s hard to know who was more shocked, but the creature was soon out of the house!

The Bible compares us to trees (Psalm 92:12). We need to make sure no unwanted sins are lurking in our branches. Our Adam-like nature is riddled with sin, and some of it is undetected. Psalm 19:12 gives us an important prayer: “Cleanse me from secret faults.”

As we acquire the truth about God through our study of the Scriptures, it should cause us to become more transparent. We should grow to be people of integrity. If we give the devil any foothold in our lives, we’re giving him an opportunity to gain influence. Ask God to reveal to you any hidden sins that may be in your heart so you can ask forgiveness and continue to walk in truth.

Search Thou my thoughts whose springs Thine eyes can see; from secret faults, O Savior, cleanse Thou me.
Fanny Crosby

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Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth.
Ephesians 6:14

Recommended Reading: Psalm 119:160

In recent years, a new phrase has entered the cultural conversation: “My truth” or “your truth” have, for many people, replaced “the truth.” Social media has made it possible for every person to speak his or her truth to the world. This trend is fallout from the rise of the postmodern worldview that says there is no truth. Instead, truth is in the eye of the beholder; truth is whatever you say it is.

Truth is like the rudder on a giant ship—the thing that keeps the ship on track regardless of how high the waves or how strong the winds. A life that is not based on “true truth” (a phrase from Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer) will be tossed about by life’s circumstances like a ship without a rudder. Jesus prayed that God would sanctify believers with His truth, concluding, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). There is no “my truth” or “your truth”; there is only God’s truth which is found in His Word.

There is no better way to “gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Peter 1:13) than by meditating on the truth of Scripture.

The Word of God is perfect; it is precious and pure; it is truth itself.
Martin Luther

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Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Ephesians 6:16

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 11:1-3

Do you remember the Pythagorean theorem from high school geometry class? “The square of the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle equals the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.”¹ Some mathematicians consider it the most important mathematical formula. In many areas of life we find a truth that is of primary importance.

In the spiritual life, faith can be seen as that primary truth. For instance, Paul wrote that the shield of faith can quench “all the fiery darts” Satan throws at us. Not hope and not love—faith is the protective shield. And what is faith? It is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV1984). When discouragement sets in, we lose faith in God. We are no longer “sure” and “certain” of what we hope God can do. When we drop the shield of faith, we are more likely to be struck by other fiery darts: anger, depression, despair, resentment, and more.

To remain sure and certain, feed on God’s promises in Scripture. God never fails to fulfill His Word (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Assurance is the fruit that grows out of the root of faith.
Stephen Charnock

1. “Pythagorean Theorem,” Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

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You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

Recommended Reading: 1 John 4:1-6

In his first epistle, the apostle John had a lot of say about the devil. He wrote to his churches, telling them they had overcome the wicked one (2:13). The devil, he said, has “sinned from the beginning” and tempts others to do the same, but Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil” (3:8).

John wrote, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (5:19). The One in us—Jesus Christ—is greater than he who dominates the world.

Satan may be a prince, a ruler, and the god of this world, but his power is limited, and his abilities can never match God’s omnipotence. Through Christ, we have overcome the devil, we are of God, and we belong to Him who is greater than Satan by far.

Let’s live like overcomers—unafraid, unintimidated, victorious. Be thankful Satan has limitations and our infinite God knows how to protect us from all evil.

God would not throw us into the conflict if He did not also give us the resources needed to stand against the enemy.
Erwin Lutzer

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For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
2 Corinthians 10:3

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 10:3-4

As of 2023, there were approximately 12,500 nuclear weapons in the world with 90 percent belonging to Russia (5,889) and the United States (5,244).¹ Those huge numbers are a holdover from the Cold War between Russia and the U.S. when the arms race was a way to intimidate each country’s main enemy. That has always been the way of the world: accumulate more and better material weapons.

The apostle Paul wrote that “we do not war according to the [ways of the world].” Paul doesn’t explain what war is. He assumes his readers know that we are in a spiritual war, and he wants them to understand the difference in the weapons we use. He goes on to say in 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 that our primary weapon is truth—“mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” of the enemy. His words remind us of God’s message to Zerubbabel: “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).

If you find yourself in a spiritual battle, don’t fight like the world. Turn to God and His truth, empowered by the Spirit, to find victory (Matthew 4:1-11).

Lies and false reports are among Satan’s choicest weapons.
J. C. Ryle

1. Einar H. Dyvik, “Number of Nuclear Warheads Worldwide 2023,” Statista, November 30, 2023.

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But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Recommended Reading: Acts 16:6-10

It happens—sometimes we don’t know what to do. We think we know the path ahead, then the door which appeared open, closes. In our proactive world, it seems the reasonable choice is to choose another path immediately and forge ahead. But is that the best option?

There was a time in the apostle Paul’s life when he seemed not to know what to do. On his second missionary journey he intended to travel into the region of Bithynia “but the Spirit did not permit them” (Acts 16:7). So he left that region and traveled by land to the city of Troas, a seaport on the coast of Asia Minor—apparently without any clear direction. Then one night in Troas while he was sleeping, Paul had a vision of a man in Macedonia across the Aegean Sea, beckoning Paul to “come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). After waiting on the Lord, Paul got the answer he needed.

It’s always acceptable to “wait on the Lord” for direction and refreshment. Our timing needs to conform to God’s timing in all things.

Men give advice; God gives guidance.
Leonard Ravenhill

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Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.
2 Timothy 4:13

Recommended Reading: Psalm 119:49-50

If you were exiled to a deserted island, what one thing would you take with you? While something similar happened to the apostle John (Revelation 1:9) and likely to others throughout history, the chance of it happening to us is nil. But it does raise the question: “What do we value most?”

The apostle Paul was exiled to a “deserted” place near the end of his life—the Mamertine Prison in Rome. A notoriously dark and punishing place, Paul seems to have been confined with little or nothing in terms of possessions. When writing to Timothy, he asked his young protégé to bring his cloak, no doubt to ward off the cold in his damp confines. But he also asked for something else: “the books, especially the parchments.” These were no doubt copies of the Old Testament Scriptures, in whole or in part. With the end of his earthly life in sight (2 Timothy 4:6-8), he desired his most cherished possessions: his copies of God’s Word to comfort and sustain his spirit.

May we never take for granted our access to God’s Word. May it be our daily source of strength and inspiration.

The health of our souls requires that we take the whole Bible as it stands and let it do its work in us.
A. W. Tozer

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I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
Philippians 4:18

Recommended Reading: Romans 15:25-27

When ending a conversation with a friend who is in the midst of a difficult situation, we often say, “I’ll be praying for you.” And that’s good; we should pray for those who are experiencing a season of difficulty. But often a time of trouble disrupts life’s normal routines, like grocery shopping, preparing meals, mowing the lawn, and taking children to school, not to mention possible financial pressures from missed work. So there is more we can do in addition to praying. Instead of asking, “How can I help?” we can take care of obvious needs that need to be met.

When the apostle Paul was under house arrest in Rome, the Philippian church sent material provisions to him. And they had done so before, multiple times, when he was in need in Thessalonica (Philippians 4:15-16). We don’t know exactly what they sent—food, clothing, or funds—but whatever it was, it reminded Paul that God is always able to meet our needs, often through fellow believers (Philippians 4:19).

When possible, tend to the material and physical needs, as well as the spiritual needs, of those going through a difficult time.

Love is service rather than sentiment.
John R. W. Stott

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Night and day praying exceedingly.
1 Thessalonians 3:10

Recommended Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The author of an old book about prayer, The Kneeling Christian, said, “It is not too much to say that all real growth in the spiritual life—all victory over temptation, all confidence and peace in the presence of difficulties and dangers, all repose of spirit in times of great disappointment or loss, all habitual communion with God—depend upon the practice of secret prayer.”

When we think God doesn’t hear our prayers, it’s not because He’s far away. He is nearer than we can imagine. Perhaps He knows our request isn’t really for our good. Or maybe the timing isn’t right. Sometimes we must “wait on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14). Perhaps a sinful habit is hindering our prayers.

Remember—God is always very near and working on our behalf. When we see immediate answers to our prayers, we should rejoice. When He doesn’t answer immediately, we should trust. The time we spend in prayer is precious because we are entering into and recognizing the presence of a God for whom nothing is impossible. Give Him time to work!

A child of God ought to expect answers to prayer. God means every prayer to have an answer; and not a single real prayer can fail of its effect in Heaven.
Unknown

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