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[Peter] said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.
Acts 12:17

Recommended Reading: Acts 12:5-17

The first twelve chapters of Acts concern Peter. In Acts 12, an angel freed him from prison, and he went to the home of John Mark and spoke to the disciples. Then he left for “another place.” Starting with chapter 13, the remainder of the book of Acts concerns the apostle Paul.

Where did Peter go? The Bible doesn’t tell us, but ancient traditions say John Mark led him from Jerusalem to a section of Egypt known as “Babylon” or “Old Cairo.” It was possibly the same place Joseph and Mary fled with the baby Jesus, beyond the reach of Herod. It was a place of refuge.¹

We all need a place of refuge. Deuteronomy 33:27 says, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” When we face trouble, we can retreat to our Refuge. He is always there, easily accessible. We have only to turn to Him. When everything else fails, there is still another place—His everlasting arms.

God will our strength and refuge prove, in all distress a present aid, and though the trembling earth remove, we will not fear or be dismayed.
The Presbyterian Psalter

1. Thomas C. Oden, The African Memory of Mark (Downers Grove: IVP, 2011), 118-122.

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Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6

Recommended Reading: Psalm 150

1. Sidlow Baxter wrote, “Our Lord is not a fair-weather companion only. When the dark hour comes, when the storm beats about us, when the grievous blow falls, He is the Friend that sticks closer than a brother…. Our Lord is not merely a distant spectator of our concerns, far removed from us in a far-off sky. He is a present help.”

When we truly grasp the nearness of God and His involvement in even the smallest concerns in life, we’re empowered to lift up our hearts and lungs in praise. We often rely on God during difficult times, but do we also remember that He’s there during the good times as well? He’s with us in the ups and downs, and we should take time during both to praise Him for that. Are things going well for you? Praise the Lord; He is a God who sends our blessings! Are things difficult right now? Praise the Lord; He is a God who bears our burdens.

Let everything on earth praise the Lord!

Most certainly is He the helper of His people and their cause considered collectively: but He is more than the God of the multitude. Each of His people may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper.”
J. Sidlow Baxter

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Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:4-5

Recommended Reading: Lamentations 3:22-23

In the New Testament era, the most prominent theme is the grace of God—encompassing love, mercy, and forgiveness. But it is important to remember that God is our Father who is willing to discipline His children when the need arises (Hebrews 12:5-13).

There are two aspects of discipline which need to be viewed differently. One is in the form of correction for sin as seen in 1 Corinthians 11:27-32—discipline in the form of punishment. The other is discipline for the purpose of training during times of hardship: “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children” (Hebrews 12:7, NIV). For His children, God’s discipline—regardless of the reason—is temporary. But His grace is never-ending: “His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life.” As the prophet Jeremiah wrote, God’s compassions never fail—“they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

If God has you in training, remember: It is only temporary. His grace and compassions fail not.

Discipline is a proof of sonship.
John Blanchard

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So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
Luke 1:59-60

Recommended Reading: Luke 1:11-17

It was not uncommon in Israel for firstborn sons to be named after their father—for example, “Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus” (Mark 10:46—bar in Hebrew meant “son”). Therefore, when it came time to name the firstborn son of the priest Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, their relatives assumed the child’s name would be the same as his father. But Elizabeth said his name would be John—a decision Zacharias confirmed.

The angel Gabriel, when revealing to Zacharias that his barren wife would conceive a son, said the boy’s name would be John. For being skeptical of Gabriel’s announcement, Zacharias was made mute until John was born. But apparently during Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Zacharias had somehow communicated to her what the angel had said. Out of loyalty to God’s will through Gabriel, and loyalty to her husband, Elizabeth confirmed the baby’s name would be John—who became John the Baptist.

Loyalty means choosing a priority that might be different than your personal preference. Loyalty to God always comes first.

God demands complete loyalty to His Word.
Richard L. Pratt

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I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
Acts 27:25, NIV

Recommended Reading: Acts 27:21-25

Scott Smiley is an American soldier who was blinded while fighting in Mosul, Iraq. In his book, Hope Unseen, he describes how he and his wife Tiffany learned to trust God with tragedy. Tiffany said, “The words that I read in the Bible prior to all of this became real. It was like oh, this is the peace that surpasses all understanding, you know, this is the hope that carries you through. So it all came to life for me. There’s still times where we’re like ‘Yeah, we wish Scotty could see.’ But God what has taught us through His word…. And going through this trial and this valley with the Lord, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”¹

When we go through trouble, we struggle, but out of the struggle comes strength. And out of the strength comes a shout of praise. Express your faith when you are experiencing a time of trouble. The action of expressing your faith aloud is often the first step toward courage and victory.

A lot of people look at the events in my life as a huge tragedy, and I don’t necessarily. I think God has given me the ability to understand Him more and to understand His purpose through my blindness.
Scott Smiley

1. Julie Blim, “Scott Smiley: A Soldier’s Sacrifice,” CBN, accessed January 26, 2026.

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On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred.
Esther 9:1

Recommended Reading: Esther 9:1-5

The book of Esther describes a plot to annihilate the Jewish people. It fails because of two brave people—Mordecai and Esther. The name of God is not mentioned in the book, but that’s the point. When God seemed absent and danger was near, the invisible hand of our Lord was working behind the scenes to save and deliver His people.

Sometimes we face danger or sorrow, and we wonder if God is near. Yes, He is! His eye is watching, His hand is moving, and His grace is available. That’s why we can be thankful even in tense times. The devil may threaten to undo us, but in the providence of God’s grace the opposite will occur.

That’s why we’re called to be thankful. In coming days, we’ll look back and see all the times and places where God has been faithful to us. Be sure each day to think of all God has done for you and ask Him to give you a spirit of gratitude regardless of the circumstances.

The Lord’s wisdom is seen in arranging the smallest events so as to produce great results. Everything, the most minute … as well as the most magnificent, is ordered by the Lord.
Charles Spurgeon

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The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise.
Psalm 51:17

Recommended Reading: 2 Samuel 12:11-17

The darkest blot on the life of David was his double sin of adultery and accomplice to murder (2 Samuel 11). David took another man’s wife and then tried to hide his sin by having the woman’s husband killed in battle. And he remained quiet about his actions for almost a year. After the baby that was conceived was born, a prophet confronted David, and he confessed his sin. Psalm 51 contains the record of his sorrowful confession to God.

David’s words in his psalm reflect “a broken spirit … and a contrite heart.” So we know that God heard his confession and forgave him for his horrendous sins. But what about the consequences of his sins? Confession does not remove consequences. The child that was born died, and several other tragic events happened in the lives of David’s adult children. God promises to forgive our sins, but He does not promise to erase the consequences of our sins.

It takes contrition and humility to confess our sins, but it takes the same attitudes to live with the consequences. Thankfully, God gives restoring grace to heal and repair.

Sin would have few takers if its consequences occurred immediately.
W. T. Purkiser

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Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
Psalm 32:4, NLT

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 12:4-6

Aerial photos are used to reveal the effects of a prolonged drought. One photo will show a lake during times of plentiful rainfall, followed by a photo taken during the drought. The change in the shoreline reveals the effects of evaporation.

The psalmist David used just such an image to describe the effects of unconfessed sin in his life: “My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.” Psalm 32 is one of the most graphic portrayals of the movement from hidden sin to open confession found in Scripture. We don’t know exactly what sin David was guilty of hiding—perhaps it was his sin with Bathsheba, detailed in Psalm 51—perhaps some other sin. Whatever the sin, David was only freed from his torment of guilt when he confessed to God: “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).

New Testament Christians are provided the same relief: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.
Richard Sibbes

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Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches.
Psalm 73:12

Recommended Reading: Psalm 73:1-28

A timeless question has plagued mankind: Why do the good suffer and the wicked prosper? That question surfaces in the Bible in two extended passages: Job 21 and Psalm 73. Job raised the question because he thought he was a righteous man who had been made to suffer. And the psalmist raised the question because it represented an apparent contradiction. Both writers resolved the question by encountering God and His purposes.

In the latter chapters of his book, Job encountered God and gained understanding about His sovereign ways (Job 42:1-6). The psalmist declared that the contradiction in God’s ways “was too painful for [him]—until [he] went into the sanctuary of God; then [he] understood their end” (Psalm 73:16-17). The “sanctuary” represents Job considering his questions in light of the sovereign purposes of God and the fact that God will balance the scales of justice in the end. For him, it was enough to put his trust in God and “draw near” to Him (verse 28).

Don’t let the carefree lives of those who don’t serve God be a source of frustration. Let Him be your only desire on earth (verse 25).

The humble Christian is far happier in a cottage than the wicked in a palace.
A. W. Pink

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[Hannah said], “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord.”
1 Samuel 1:27-28, NIV

Recommended Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:4-7

A woman in Israel had been childless for years but had faithfully prayed for a son. She even “made a vow” to God that if He gave her a son, she would dedicate him to God’s service (1 Samuel 1:11).

After years of worship and prayer, Hannah conceived and bore a son. After the boy was weaned, she took him to Eli the priest and fulfilled her vow. She gave her longed-for son to the Lord. The boy, named Samuel, “grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men” (1 Samuel 2:26) and ultimately became God’s chief prophet in Israel (1 Samuel 3:19-21)—all because a mother was devoted to the Lord and kept her promise to Him. Years later, King Solomon would write, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it …. Better not to vow than to vow and not pay” (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).

Being devoted to God is not without sacrifice. But with such sacrifice comes blessing.

Sacrifice is the giving up of something we genuinely value in order to express our devotion to God.
John Benton

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From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:15

Recommended Reading: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

In his book about holiness, J. I. Packer wrote, “Holiness is actually the true health of the person. Anything else is ugliness and deformity at character level; a malfunctioning of the individual; a crippled state of the soul…. Holiness effectively thwarts Satan in his designs on our lives.”¹

We’re always concerned about the health of our children. We want them to get the right nutrition and exercise, to have the right medical care, and to be in a sound educational environment. But the most important way of keeping children healthy is to show them what holiness looks like. The apostle Paul reminded Timothy of “the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5).

It’s important to protect our families from destructive influences. What they need to see in us is warm, true, Christlike holiness. Prayer then becomes a great force. Spend some time today praying for your family. And then share a Bible verse with someone in your family circle.

Holiness is the substance of which happiness is the spinoff. Those who chase happiness miss it, while to those who pursue holiness through the grace of Christ, happiness of spirit comes unasked.
J. I. Packer

1. J. I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness (Baker Books, 2009).

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Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.
Psalm 127:1

Recommended Reading: Psalm 127

John MacArthur wrote, “It is no mere accident of history that family relationships have always been the very nucleus of all human civilization. According to Scripture, that is precisely the way God designed it to be. And therefore, if the family crumbles as an institution, all of civilization will ultimately crumble along with it.”¹

When the Lord created humans, He immediately placed them in a marriage/family environment. The devil attacked that marriage, and he has been doing so ever since. But God is stronger than Satan, love is stronger than discord, and the Lord Jesus loves to be included in our homes. In fact, He expects to be first—the ever-near Savior whose presence fills our homes and hearts.

If you’re going to build your family successfully, you need to place God at the head of your home. If not, all your work will be in vain. To have Him at the head of your home, therefore, you need to install Him as the head of your life. Ask God to take charge of your life and of your family today.

God demands to be first in the family. It’s only when we love Him more than family that we can really love our families in the highest, purest sense.
John MacArthur

1. John MacArthur, “The Nucleus of Civilization,” Grace to You, accessed January 29, 2026.

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And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you.”
Genesis 26:24

Recommended Reading: Genesis 26:23-33

In Genesis 26, the patriarch Isaac faced multiple pressures. A terrible famine was threatening his livelihood (verses 1-5). He was in hostile territory, and he was worried he’d be killed by someone wanting his beautiful wife, Rebekah (verses 6-7). He also angered Abimelech, king of the Philistines, and was driven from his territory (verses 8-16). Local tribesmen constantly harassed and argued with him and his servants (verses 17-22).

Have you ever experienced a time when multiplied pressures and problems bore down on you? We all have! But that’s exactly when God appeared to Isaac and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you” (verse 24, NIV).

When you’re fearful or discouraged, learn to draw near to God. If you’ve admitted your fears to Him and called out to Him, He will deliver you. God doesn’t always remove you from your circumstances, but He will be with you through all of them, protecting you.

An awakened soul feels that his chief happiness is in coming before God…. In His presence is fulness of joy.
Robert Murray M’Cheyne

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For they all were trying to make us afraid.
Nehemiah 6:9

Recommended Reading: Nehemiah 6:1-9

In his autobiography, missionary John G. Paton wrote of being surrounded by hostile warriors, their weapons raised. “I expected next instant to die. But God moved me to talk to them firmly and kindly; I warned them of their sin and its punishment; I showed them … that my only desire to live was to make them all as happy, by teaching them to love and serve my Lord Jesus. I then lifted up my hands and eyes to the Heavens, and prayed aloud for Jesus to bless [them], and either to protect me or to take me home to Glory…. One after another they slipped away from me, and Jesus restrained them once again.”¹

The world wants to make us afraid. When fearful, we need to acknowledge the reliability of our God. He is in charge! When you feel fear, lift up your hands and eyes to heaven and pray aloud for Jesus to bless those around you and protect you—or to take you on to Glory!

Did ever mother run more quickly to protect her crying child in danger’s hour than the Lord Jesus hastens to answer believing prayer, and send help to His servants in His own good time and way, so far as it shall be for His glory and their good? 
John G. Paton

1. John G. Paton, John G. Paton: Missionary to the Hebrides (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1890), 266-67, 365.

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Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 6:20-23

The first automobiles were equipped with gas lanterns to provide light when driving at night. Fast forward to today—modern LED headlights can illuminate the road hundreds of feet ahead. Regardless of advances in technology, there is no headlight that can provide total illumination.

The psalmist seemed to understand this when he wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The lamp of which he spoke was a small, handheld clay lamp, fueled by olive oil, that created a flame only an inch or two high. Such a lamp only provided enough light to illuminate the next few steps. The psalmist refers to God’s Word as such a lamp. And for the one who trusts in God, that is illumination enough. We don’t need to know exactly what the future holds as long as we know who holds the future. The Bible doesn’t tell us everything about the future, but it does tell us how to trust in God for the steps immediately ahead of us.

The more we read and meditate on God’s Word, the more our path will be illuminated.

Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light.
V. Raymond Edman

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Now when Abigail saw David, she dismounted quickly from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground.
1 Samuel 25:23

Recommended Reading: 1 Samuel 25:2-42

Women of wisdom and courage are noted often in the Old Testament—see the stories of Deborah and Jael (Judges 4) and the woman of Abel Beth Maachah (2 Samuel 20:14-22). Abigail belongs on that list for the way she prevented David from committing a massacre.

Before King Saul died and David became king, David and his army were a paramilitary force in the land. After David protected the servants of a wealthy man named Nabal (“fool”), David asked Nabal for provisions for his men (1 Samuel 25). When Nabal refused, David gathered his army and went to attack Nabal. When Nabal’s wife, Abigail, heard of David’s plan, she gathered provisions and intercepted David and his army—without telling Nabal. She apologized for Nabal’s behavior and begged David to avoid needless bloodshed. David accepted her gifts and her courageous counsel and called off the attack. David was so impressed with Abigail’s wisdom and courage that after Nabal’s death he took Abigail as his wife.

Sometimes life calls for bold moves like Abigail’s. Wisdom plus courage will often bring godly results.

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.
Anonymous

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And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts.
Genesis 18:5

Recommended Reading: Genesis 18:1-8

The patriarch Abraham was sitting in the doorway of his tent when three strangers approached. Jumping up, he offered them water and a “morsel of bread” to refresh their hearts. The Lord does the same for us. In the heat of every day’s pressures, He provides fresh nourishment from His Word—daily morsels to refresh our hearts.

Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul” (NIV).

When we immerse ourselves in the Word of God, it can be more restorative than an afternoon nap, a strong broth, or a hot cup of tea. It will delight us. Digging into Scripture will help us understand who we are as children of God, and, even more, we will better know the God who restores our souls. Do you need a daily refreshment? Restoration? Come to His Word and seek Him out. Open it today and find a morsel of bread to refresh your heart.

Somehow, from the day men begin systematically to read the Bible, they begin to be sensible of a new power at work in mind and heart…. I would put higher value on one chapter of God’s Book than on all other books put together.
A. T. Pierson

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I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom.
Deuteronomy 4:5-6

Recommended Reading: Deuteronomy 4:5-10

We may think of Bible study as a chore or obligation, but the psalms use the word “delight” to describe our relationship with Scripture. Psalm 1:2 says our delight should be in the Word day and night. Psalm 94:19 says His Word will delight us even in the multitude of our anxieties. Psalm 112:1 tells us to delight greatly in God’s commands. And Psalm 119 contains nine exclamations about delighting in the Lord’s Word.

Christians should delight in the Bible. If your desire is to please God, reading His Word is a key part of learning how to please the Father. Each time you come to Scripture ask God to show you something that will help you please Him. As He shows you His wonderful truths, be careful to observe them, for this is your wisdom.

Can you honestly say that the Bible is a delight to you?… If you don’t desire the Word as much as you’d like, there is a solution. Ask the Lord to teach you to delight in it. Then start reading and meditating on a passage.
Charles Stanley

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May 6, 2026

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Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
Hebrews 2:1

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 2:1-9

It’s thrilling to see a shooting star. But it’s no fun for the meteoroid. When a space rock flies too close to our planet, it’s pulled into our atmosphere by gravity. The heat generated by friction causes intense heat, and the meteoroid is usually burned up.

Don’t become a shooting star! The world—along with the flesh and the devil—project a gravitational field. We’re drawn to them. We easily veer into sin, which burns us. We must be constantly on guard. Henry B. Carrington, a nineteenth-century Civil War soldier and writer, said, “There is a subtle pull also in the drift of fashion and usage which carries away everyone who is not established on a Bible conscience.”

Take attending church, for example. Losing the habit can start with a small, seemingly innocent decision to skip one week, then continue as you gradually miss more and more until the pattern is virtually burned up by the world’s atmosphere. Take care each day to avoid being drawn into the gravitational pull of the world.

The downward pull of sin is tremendous. To be able firmly to say, “Yet will not I,” requires the grace from above in the heart.
Henry B. Carrington 

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Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

Recommended Reading: Psalm 46:7-11

Greg Livingstone, the missionary giant who died last year, never knew his dad. Nor was his stepfather in his life. Greg was raised in foster homes. But when he found Christ as Savior, he said Jesus took up residence in him. “I had finally been adopted by a Father who would stick with me.”¹

There are times you might feel alone, but always know God is with you. He’s immediately accessible to you wherever you go. Jesus was called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” He has adopted you into His family. He loves you constantly. We certainly need human companionship, but when we don’t have as much fellowship as we need, let’s look to Him.

If you’re feeling alone today, you can talk to God and give Him thanks for never leaving your side.

I must learn the art of taking minute vacations—of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, to smile at a child, to read a few pages from a good book. I need to take more time to reflect, ponder, and enjoy companionship with God.
Greg Livingstone

1. Greg Livingstone, You’ve Got Libya (Monarch Books, 2014), 52.

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