Proverbs 14:34

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

Border control is a subject on American minds, a topic that cannot be escaped. People are examining it through many different lenses – politically, economically, legally, culturally, and ethically. Spiritually, we are struggling with righteousness-versus-unrighteousness, light-versus-darkness, and truth-versus-lie kinds of issues because we have violated God’s borders.

God has gifted us with the Bible – a book of borders. As long as we live within the borders He has designated, we receive His blessings, His provision and protection. The moment that we step across and outside of those borders, we begin to struggle. All around us, the world is struggling with all kinds of issues. Those issues are symptoms of a spiritual problem that we have created. We crossed the line!

We have changed our perspective on borders. Until recently, borders were considered blessings. Borders were considered the means to abundant life. By choosing obedience, instead of our own paths, we lived in the life-giving flow of God’s Word.

Now, borders are considered burdens. Many have believed the lie that, if we can step across that border, we can find a new level of freedom on the other side. The truth is that, outside of the parameters of God’s will, only chaos exists. We stand exposed and unprotected, and all the while, Satan is on the prowl “seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8).

God is not looking for a government policy or a political candidate to bring order back to our world. God is looking for the people whom He sent His Son to redeem, those for whom He bled and died, to become the kind of people that will obey what the Bible decrees, that will act as the righteous children He created us to be.

He is a God of order; He keeps order through borders. May we find a balance on border control as we return to being a people governed by God’s borders established in His book of truth. “…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14). Righteousness truly does exalt a nation!

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, help me see Your truth. Help me to consider those borders and boundaries in Your Word as divine blessings, as Your protection and best provision for me. Empower me to choose obedience to Your life-giving Word always. I choose Your path. In the name of Jesus…amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

2 Samuel 19:1-20

New Testament 

John 21:1-25

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 120:1-7

Proverbs 16:16-17

https://www.jhm.org

Isaiah 6:8

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’

The Church today is not so much guilty of the sin of commission or omission, but of no mission. We hang back and wait for the lost to enter our world when we need to enter their world with God’s love and His heart.

We have been rescued, saved, delivered, healed, showered with blessings, and highly favored. This good news should be so uncontainable that we are sharing it with every person we encounter. Instead, we often hoard it, hide it, and hope nobody asks.

We stall while we wait for the grand gesture – to speak to thousands, to touch the masses, to travel to a foreign land. But can we walk across the street and talk to our neighbors? Jesus’ example for us was often the opposite of the grand gesture. He held a child. He ate fish with his friends around a campfire. He touched a leper when no one else would. He discussed the Scriptures in the temple. And every one of those simple gestures had a profound impact.

Mother Teresa said, “God never asked me to be successful. God asked me to be obedient.” Let’s begin to think specifically about how we can obey the Lord. How can we be more intentional in the mission to which God has called us? Let’s stop drifting aimlessly.

Who can we invite to church?
Who can we visit in the hospital or nursing home?
Who can we ask out to share a meal?
How can we better use our finances for His purposes?
Who can we pray for tenaciously?
Can we give a cup of cold water to someone? Just start there!

A whole world around us is floundering, flailing, and fading fast. We have the hope. We have the remedy. Jesus has already sent us out on assignment (Matthew 28:19). Let’s fulfill our mission…starting now.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, here I am. Send me. Let me be quick to answer and quick to go. Where I lack courage, help me to be brave. Help me say the words that You would have me speak. Help me to share generously all that You have given to me. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

2 Samuel 18:1-19

New Testament 

John 20:1-31

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 119:156-176

Proverbs 16:14-15

https://www.jhm.org

Matthew 20:27-28

And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Social scientists have a name for the tendency to watch from the sidelines: The Bystander Effect. It’s a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer any means of help to a victim when other people are present. The greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any of them will help. Everyone thinks that someone else will do something or step in to rescue the victim.

It is easy, in the middle of our busy, fast-paced lives, to think that someone else will do what God is actually calling us to do. Someone else will witness to a neighbor or volunteer at our church or pray with a co-worker. We often think that throwing money at a need relieves us of the responsibility of wading in and getting our hands dirty.

If we are all honest, God is prompting us at this very point in time to do something we have not done before, to stretch beyond what is comfortable for us. So, why do we hesitate and hang back? Why are we content to watch while another believer steps in to meet that need?

For someone in your life right now, you are God’s Plan A. Jesus is counting on you to listen to His voice, to obey His prompting, and to reach out to meet the need. He created you for exactly this moment in history, to perform this good work that He ordained, and to be the answer to someone else’s prayer.

Blessing: 

Lord Jesus, help me to roll up my sleeves and get to work. Thank You for being my example of how to love and serve. Help me not to wait on someone else to do what I have been called to do. I was not saved to sit but to serve. In Your name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

2 Samuel 17:1-29

New Testament 

John 19:23-42

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 119:132-155

Proverbs 16:12-13

https://www.jhm.org

Ephesians 5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

With great freedom comes great responsibility. And we have received the deepest and widest of freedoms through Christ. We are free indeed!

We are free from the law of sin and death to live in the righteousness of God (Romans 8:2). We are responsible to be imitators of God and to be examples “in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). That may seem like a tall order, but once again, Jesus equips us with all that we need.

When we spend time with Jesus, we become more like Him. When we spend time in His Word, we begin to see things His way. When we spend time communicating with Him, our prayers become powerful and effective. We begin to speak His heart into situations. When we follow Him and step in His footprints, we begin to look a lot like Him Who “is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). We become imitators and examples.

When we spend time with Jesus, He leaves a mark on us that can be seen by those with whom we do life. He molds us, He shapes us, and He leaves His fingerprints all over us.

After Moses spent time with God on Mt. Sinai, he descended the mountain with the stone tablets in hand, his face aglow from the presence of the Lord. His countenance was kindled by the Light of God. In Acts 4, the crowds marveled at Peter and John when these uneducated and untrained men stood and boldly compelled others to accept the good news, but the people “realized that they had been with Jesus” (verse 13).

Spend time in His presence. Allow Him to leave His mark on you. Submit to His shaping. He will kindle a fire in you. He will make you bold. You will become an imitator of God and an example for others to follow.

Blessing: 

Lord Jesus, stamp me with Your signature. Mark me as Yours. As I spend time with You, let me look like You, speak like You, act like You, and love like You. Make me the image of my Father. In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

2 Samuel 15:23-16:23

New Testament 

John 18:25-19:22

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 119:113-131

Proverbs 16:10-11

https://www.jhm.org

Ephesians 6:13

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Americans boast a long history of “standing” — standing for civil rights, standing for women’s equality, standing for political freedoms, or standing for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As Christians, we stand on the promises and stand for the cause of Christ.

The Bible has much to say about standing. God often instructed people to stand – stand by the well, stand by the river, stand on the rock, stand before the priest, stand to minister, or stand still. And when they followed His direction, something interesting was bound to occur. We are still standing today.

We stand by grace. This amazing gift steadies us. Even in tribulation, we are filled with hope, and God’s love fills our hearts to overflowing (Romans 5:2). Because we have received grace, it pours out of our lives. We give it away freely because it will be measured back to us in the same way we extend it. If we give generously, it comes back in “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over” (Luke 6:38).

We stand by faith. When we place our confidence in God, believe on His Son and lean on the Holy Spirit, we are established in Him (Romans 11:20). Our lives are marked with order, strength, and courage (I Corinthians 16:13). He seals us with His Holy Spirit, and we feel His presence in our hearts (II Corinthians 1:22-24).

We stand in the gospel. This good news has been proclaimed to us, so we can stand and proclaim it to others (I Corinthians 15:1). Our lives are grounded in its foundational truths that provide and protect us. We find hope in its promises.

We stand in liberty. We have been set free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). We are no longer entangled in a yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1). We are free indeed!

Because we are standing in the grace, faith, and liberty of this glorious gospel, we stand fast. As Christians, we are rooted in unity — one spirit and one mind — all striving to spread this glorious gospel story and to glorify our Father (Philippians 1:27).

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the ability to stand strong and firm in Your grace and liberty. I am so thankful that I never stand alone. Help me to share Your grace and gospel generously. In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

2 Samuel 14:1-15:22

New Testament 

John 18:1-24

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 119:96-112

Proverbs 16:8-9

https://www.jhm.org

Matthew 16:25-26

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Now that we have moved beyond the curious to become the convinced and have committed our lives to Christ, He has commissioned us. He has given us the keys to the kingdom.

Let’s be honest though. We always approach commitment with caution. One of our first concerns is what it will cost us. What might I have to give up that I might not want to give up? How will that look? How will it feel? Will it be worth it?

Jesus gives us a new perspective in today’s verse: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” This is quite a paradox, but Jesus pushes the point even further: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”

Words like “deny,” “lose,” “sacrifice,” and “follow me,” understandably make us nervous. Jesus encouraged us, to stop focusing on what we have to lose and to, instead, think about all we have to gain.

Like the young boy who gave Jesus his lunch to feed the five thousand, he did not obsess about what he might lose. He willingly surrendered his all. And when he gave it to Jesus, it was out of his hands. Jesus took it, blessed it, and used it to meet not just his needs, but the needs of many. And then He gave the boy twelve basketfuls of leftovers. That was quite a return on his investment!

Hold nothing back from Jesus. He came to give us abundant life. He will not withhold any good thing from us. When we give our lives and all we value to Him, He will pour out blessings that we cannot contain. In Christ, we can love and live and give like we have nothing to lose…because we don’t.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, help me to live with hands and heart wide open. Let me take up my cross to follow You, to suffer any sacrifice for the joy of knowing You. I lose my life to find it in You. In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

2 Samuel 4:1-6:23

New Testament 

John 13:31-14:14

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 119:17-35

Proverbs 15:31-32

https://www.jhm.org

Proverbs 18:22

He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD.

In honor of Mother’s Day and in fulfillment of Proverbs 31:28, Pastor Matt Hagee shared this sweet story regarding his wife, Kendal. She was born at Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio on May 10. Just a few months later in July, Pastor Matt was born at the same hospital. In anticipation of things to come, he assured us that she left her name and number at the nurse’s station.

In 2001, he was not married, was not dating, and his parents were getting worried. He took matters in hand, and on October 21, 2001, he wrote and taped this note into his study Bible:

“Dear Heavenly Father, these things I promise to pray every day without ceasing until You provide the desire of my heart, a wife.

That she would love You and Your kingdom with all of her heart, her soul, her mind, and her body.
That she would love me for me and nothing else.
That she would have a good understanding of family because I’ve got a big one.
That her parents would value and cherish marriage.
That she loves children.
That she loves people.
That she has a servant’s heart.
That I could trust her with my heart.
That I would be able to tell her anything.
That I could be me in front of her.
That she’d never be ashamed of me or what God has called me to be.
That she would be pure under the blood of the Lamb.
That she would have a deep hunger for God.
That she would love to be treated like a queen.
That she would have dark hair and blue eyes.

… when God heard me praying for a wife, He answered my prayers with you, [Kendal].”

If you are single and longing for a spouse with whom to share your life, if you are married and yearning for a child to hold in your arms, even if Mother’s Day has little to do with you and your dreams, follow this simple step. Take your longings, yearnings, and dreams and write them down, make them plain, and pray them out to our loving Heavenly Father. He knows how to answer those prayers.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I write down my desires as plainly as I know how. These things I promise to pray every day, without ceasing, until You send the answer. In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Samuel 8:1-9:27

New Testament 

John 6:22-46

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 106:32-48

Proverbs 14:34-35

https://www.jhm.org

1 John 4:4

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.

In today’s verse, John the Apostle writes to the believers at Ephesus to make a very important point. Greatness lies within them. They did not need to go in search of greatness, and neither do we. As believers of Jesus Christ, we have received His greatness by virtue of Him living in our hearts.

All around us, creation testifies of His magnificence. From the rising to the setting sun, from the tiniest atom to the far-flung galaxies, there is no one like Him — no one above Him or beside Him. He laid the foundations of the earth. He established the boundaries for the oceans and told their proud waves where to stop. He stores up snow in heaven’s treasuries (Job 38). That same God Who hung every star and called it by name knows your name (Psalm 147:4). He keeps count of the hairs on your head (Luke 12:7).

Before you were born, God masterfully wrote on the blank pages of your life. He inserted beauty, pain, struggle, tears, joy, and, yes, greatness — some verses and chapters that you might have chosen to omit. Every day has been recorded in His book! (Psalm 139:16)

If you choose to surrender to His quill — His plot line with its twists and surprises, your divine destiny — He will redeem all the pages and weave together a story of adventure, passion, mystery, and the greatest of loves. He will make you His living love letter to the world (II Corinthians 3:1-3), pointing them to the author and finisher of our faith of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Before He even formed you in your mother’s womb, He knew what you would need for this life. He has equipped you with great gifts and talents to use to bring glory and honor to His name. Most importantly, He has brought all that He is and all that He has to live inside of you.

He empowers you to do the impossible! Not only are you His workmanship — His masterpiece — He will show you the way to complete the good works that God has planned for you, the unique purposes for which He created you (Ephesians 2:10). Look no further. You have Greatness inside!

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I am in awe that the Creator of the universe has come to live inside of me. In the daily humdrum of life, help me to be aware that there is greatness inside of me. Whatever I face, let me face it in the power of that greatness. Whatever I do, let me do it with the excellence of that greatness. Whomever I meet, let that greatness be extended to them. In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Samuel 5:1-7:17

New Testament 

John 6:1-21

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 106:13-31

Proverbs 14:32-33

https://www.jhm.org

Psalm 18:35

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great.

Nineteenth century English dramatist, Henry Taylor, once said, “The world knows nothing of its greatest men.” Two hundred years later, this statement still rings with truth.

In our media-saturated culture, superficial notoriety is often substituted for true greatness. People have traded the valuable for the vain, dignity for disrespect, kindness for callousness, and restraint for rebellion. They think that money, power, and fame represent the marks of true greatness.

Many people are willing to do many things for their fifteen minutes of fame. Grasping for short-lived celebrity, they break boundaries and push limits. Fame may garner some notice, but it does not constitute greatness. Attention spans are short. Spotlights fade.

Some equate money with greatness. People invest their lives in the pursuit of wealth and gain. The principle of living simply within one’s means has been discarded for a more-is-better, pay-with-plastic mentality. Money may fill someone’s life with stuff, but it cannot buy greatness.

Some correspond power with greatness. Since the dawn of time, people have striven for power. Armies have marched, emperors have schemed, kings have killed, executives have plotted. People scrabble over others to climb to the top of the heap, to demand deference and force fear, but coercion does not constitute greatness.

To ever be considered great, we must submit to the Source of greatness Himself. Jesus had much to say about true greatness in the Kingdom economy. For those who wish to be genuinely great, learn to be the least (Mark 9:35). He pulled a small child onto His lap — the picture of unassuming innocence, no fortune, no fame, no power — as He said those words.

True greatness lies in the character that is forged through a relationship with the One Who emptied Himself, became as nothing, and humbled Himself to go to His death on the Cross (Philippians 2:7-8). He came seeking no fame, fortune, or power. He came only to do the will of His Father Who sent Him. And therein lies true greatness.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, protect me from the deceptions of this world. It’s so easy to be convinced of my own importance — forgive me. Help me to always keep Jesus’ example in front of me. Give me power to do Your will humbly and obediently. In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Ruth 2:1-4:22

New Testament 

John 4:43-54

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 105:16-38

Proverbs 14:26-27

https://www.jhm.org

Psalm 18:35

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great.

Nineteenth century English dramatist, Henry Taylor, once said, “The world knows nothing of its greatest men.” Two hundred years later, this statement still rings with truth.

In our media-saturated culture, superficial notoriety is often substituted for true greatness. People have traded the valuable for the vain, dignity for disrespect, kindness for callousness, and restraint for rebellion. They think that money, power, and fame represent the marks of true greatness.

Many people are willing to do many things for their fifteen minutes of fame. Grasping for short-lived celebrity, they break boundaries and push limits. Fame may garner some notice, but it does not constitute greatness. Attention spans are short. Spotlights fade.

Some equate money with greatness. People invest their lives in the pursuit of wealth and gain. The principle of living simply within one’s means has been discarded for a more-is-better, pay-with-plastic mentality. Money may fill someone’s life with stuff, but it cannot buy greatness.

Some correspond power with greatness. Since the dawn of time, people have striven for power. Armies have marched, emperors have schemed, kings have killed, executives have plotted. People scrabble over others to climb to the top of the heap, to demand deference and force fear, but coercion does not constitute greatness.

To ever be considered great, we must submit to the Source of greatness Himself. Jesus had much to say about true greatness in the Kingdom economy. For those who wish to be genuinely great, learn to be the least (Mark 9:35). He pulled a small child onto His lap — the picture of unassuming innocence, no fortune, no fame, no power — as He said those words.

True greatness lies in the character that is forged through a relationship with the One Who emptied Himself, became as nothing, and humbled Himself to go to His death on the Cross (Philippians 2:7-8). He came seeking no fame, fortune, or power. He came only to do the will of His Father Who sent Him. And therein lies true greatness.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, protect me from the deceptions of this world. It’s so easy to be convinced of my own importance — forgive me. Help me to always keep Jesus’ example in front of me. Give me power to do Your will humbly and obediently. In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Ruth 2:1-4:22

New Testament 

John 4:43-54

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 105:16-38

Proverbs 14:26-27

https://www.jhm.org

Proverbs 4:20-22

My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.

Healing comes through the Scripture and the Spirit. Not only does He forgive all of our sins, He promises to heal all of our diseases, too (Psalm 103:3).

The Word of God speaks healing to us. When we cry out to the Lord in our troubles, He sends His Word to heal us, to deliver us from distress and darkness, even the very shadow of death. He breaks our chains into pieces (Psalm 107:13,14,20).

Our verse for today says that His Words bring life and health to our flesh. As we read His Word, as we memorize and internalize it, as we apply it and walk it out, it translates into healing and wholeness for us. One of the most powerful things that you can do to improve your health is to read God’s Word.

Not only does God heal through His Word, He heals through His Holy Spirit. According to Romans 8:11, the Holy Spirit raised Christ from the dead. As believers, that same Spirit lives in us. The Word tells us that Spirit will quicken our mortal bodies. He will bring new strength and new vitality to us — now and eternally.

As we immerse ourselves in the words of the Father, our faith unfurls and blossoms. Mustard-seed faith can move mountains of medical impossibility! As the Spirit comes alongside to convict us of our sin and convince us of His righteousness, we recognize our need to confess. He trades our sin for salvation and mends our broken hearts. As we heed His counsel, we find the power to forgive. When we find the strength to let go, we are set free.

Our Good Shepherd anoints our heads with the oil of His Spirit, and we flourish even in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23). The Lord is our Healer.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, as I read Your words, help them come alive to me. Help me to store them deep in my heart. Let them be life, truth, and light to me. Renew and restore me through the power of Your Holy Spirit. I believe that You are my Healer. In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Judges 19:1-20

New Testament 

John 3:23-4:3

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 104:25-35

Proverbs 14:22-24

https://www.jhm.org

Matthew 6:14-15

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

One of the greatest barriers to receiving the healing of God in our lives is to harbor unforgiveness. The individual who holds an offense against another builds a barricade between himself and God.

The disciple, Peter, asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who had wronged him. Seven seemed a generous number! Jesus corrected him and upped the ante to seventy times seven. Essentially, Jesus said to forgive so often that it becomes a lifestyle. Forgive so many times that the practice becomes an ingrained habit.

We sometimes hold onto a long list of grievances against others. We believe that no one understands the harm they have done to us, the pain they have caused, the rejection they have inflicted, the burdens they have heaped upon us. Our Good Shepherd does. And still He urges us to forgive them and cast all of our cares upon Him (I Peter 5:7). He comprehends the weight of carrying around that unforgiveness which is why He wants us to let it go. As long as we hold that list so tightly, He cannot pour healing and blessing into our hands.

Jesus told the story of a servant who owed ten thousand talents — about 50 billion dollars in today’s terms — to his master. His master had every right to judge him, to sell him and all his family for recompense. However, when the servant begged the master to have mercy, not only did the master pardon him, but he forgave the debt entirely.

The servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him fifteen dollars. He demanded immediate payment, and when the man could not pay, he had him thrown into debtor’s prison until he could pay back what he owed. When the master heard, he angrily reciprocated and threw the first servant into jail with the same sentence. Instead of two men going free, two people lived in bondage.

The King of Glory has forgiven us the debt of our sin. He paid the price to set us free when we had no ability to do so ourselves. How can we not forgive those who have offended us? Choose to forgive. Release the bitterness and the rage. Tear down the barricade between yourself and God to receive the healing you crave. When you set that person free, you open the door to your prison cell, too.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I never want any wall between us to cut off Your healing in my life. I choose to forgive those who have wounded me. In the same way You forgave me, I release them. Wash away the hurt, the anger, and the bitterness in me. Set me free! In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Judges 17:1-18:31

New Testament 

John 3:1-22

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 104:1-24

Proverbs 14:20-21

https://www.jhm.org

Proverbs 28:13

He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

Jesus is our Healer, but unconfessed sin can obstruct the blessings of God in our lives. As today’s verse points out, if we cover up our sins, we cannot prosper. Obtaining mercy involves two steps.

First, we must confess our sins to God and ask His forgiveness. Most of us find that step the easier one. Second, we must forsake our sins. This is the more difficult action. Repent actually means that we feel such regret for our actions that we amend our life; sorrow brings about a change of behavior.

God cannot bless our rebellious disobedience. It would deny His own character. If He did bless disobedience, it would enable us to remain in our sinful state…the place from which Jesus rescued us. He loves us too much to leave us there.

While God’s love is unconditional, available to all, many of His promises are not. Those promises are not based on Who He is, but on how we respond to Him. Consider I John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” His action hinges on ours. If we do what He commands, He considers us His friends (John 15:14). Exodus 15:26 tells us that if we heed the voice of God and do what is right in His sight, He will heal us.

Our Good Shepherd knows how far we stray. At our faintest cry, He will seek us out and bring us home. Restoration is as near as repentance. Maybe your healing is a confession away.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I open my heart before You. I confess my sin to You, all the places that I fall short. Cleanse me and make me whiter than snow. Create a clean heart in me, open to receive Your healing touch. In Jesus’ name… Amen

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Judges 15:1-16:31

New Testament 

John 2:1-25

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 103:1-22

Proverbs 14:17-19

https://www.jhm.org

Matthew 21:22

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

Jesus is our Healer! Evidences of this fact are scattered throughout the New Testament. He reached to touch a leper, He smeared mud in blind eyes, He stuck His fingers in deaf ears…and they were healed. Jesus is exactly the same — yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He still heals!

So, why do many go without a healing? One simple answer zeroes in on unbelief. The writer of Hebrews cautioned the believers to beware of an “evil heart of unbelief” that might cause them to be “hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-13). The children of Israel, because of their unbelief, were led astray to wander in the wilderness for forty years. Their rebellion and disobedience kept them from entering into the Promised Land.

James, the brother of Jesus, in his no-nonsense manner, said that a person who doubts should not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:6-8). Indecisiveness, an inability to make up our minds, causes us to be unstable and wavering. Jesus was unable to do many mighty works in Nazareth because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:58). Their lack of faith tied His hands.

In the gospel of Mark, we read the story of a desolate father who came to Jesus. His son was possessed by a mute spirit that would seize him, throw him to the ground, and cause him to convulse and foam at the mouth. The father had taken the boy to the disciples, but they were unable to help him. If these men — who saw firsthand the miracles of Jesus, who looked into His face and asked the hard questions, who were sent out by Him – could not lay hold of healing for this boy, how can we do any better? But wait — there is hope!

The despairing father brought his child to Jesus and told Him that the spirit often threw the boy into the fire or the water to try to completely destroy him (Mark 9:14-29). Sadly, the father looked to Jesus, “But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

Jesus already knew He could do anything, but He wanted this sad father to know, too. “If you can believe,” He told him, “all things are possible to him who believes.”

The desperate father, wanting to wholeheartedly believe but knowing there were gaps in his faith, cried out tearfully, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” And it was enough for Jesus. He rewarded the man’s mustard seed faith and healed his son. He will do it for us, too.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I believe that You heal. I believe that You are a miracle worker! But help me in my unbelief. I confess that I struggle with doubt sometimes, with unbelief. Please forgive me. Steady me. Help me to pray with faith, believing for the answers every time. In Jesus’ name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Judges 13:1-14:20

New Testament 

John 1:29-51

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 102:1-28

Proverbs 14:15-16

https://www.jhm.org

Exodus 40:21

And he [Moses] brought the ark into the tabernacle, hung up the veil of the covering, and partitioned off the ark of the Testimony, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Sin separates us from God. It comes between us and cuts off the blessings of God in our lives. Scripture details God’s holiness and His zero tolerance for sin. Even though our culture has become comfortable with sin, God has not. Without grace and mercy, His holiness would consume us.

In the book of Exodus, God told Moses that He wanted to dwell with, to tabernacle with the children of Israel. However, the sin issue had to be addressed. He commanded Moses to create a barrier, a veil, in the Tabernacle. He dwelt between the cherubim above the Ark of the Covenant behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies. The priests and the people lived on the other side of the curtain because if they approached God in their sin, His holiness would destroy them.

This was no ordinary curtain. God gave specific design instructions to Moses. Bible scholars say the veil was 50 feet wide and 30 feet high, made of fine linen with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. It was so heavy that it took 300 priests (150 to the right and 150 to the left) to pull it back for the high priest to enter through the middle. To raise and lower it, 150 oxen were used to pull it into place. It was comprised of 200 embroidered squares that, when put together, displayed beautiful gold cherubim.

In the Old Testament, forgiveness was not a simple matter of confession. A significant amount of effort had to be extended. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to atone for all the sins of Israel for the year. Bearing the sacrifice, he went in with bells around the hem of his robe and a rope around his ankle. If the bells ceased to ring, the priests would use the rope to pull out his body. The sacrifice was unacceptable. This was serious business.

When Jesus died on the Cross, Hebrews 9 tells us that He, as our perfect High Priest, entered the heavenly Tabernacle with His own Blood to make atonement once and for all for all of us. As Jesus breathed His last, God ripped the Temple veil from top to bottom (Mark 15:38).

His body was torn on the Cross, His Blood was shed, and we now have bold access to the throne of grace where we can obtain mercy (Hebrews 4:16). No ordinary Savior became no ordinary sacrifice to tear through no ordinary curtain.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, the perfection of Your plan amazes me. Thank You for the shed blood of Jesus, for His body that was torn to give us free access to Your throne of grace. Through the name of Jesus…amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Judges 2:10-3:31

New Testament 

Luke 22:14-34

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 92:1-93:5

Proverbs 14:1-2

https://www.jhm.org

1 John 2:22-23

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also

In today’s verse, the apostle John has harsh words for anyone who denies the Father and the Son, for anyone who rejects Jesus as the Christ. He declares that person antichrist – not the Antichrist, as the man who will rise up against God in Revelation – but one who exhibits a spirit that rejects God and His plan. Those who are not for Christ have pitted themselves against Him in an antichrist attitude (Matthew 12:30).

John goes on to say that the spirit of the Antichrist already abounds in the world around us (I John 4:2-3). Most of us would never blatantly deny Jesus, but can an antichrist attitude subtly invade our thoughts and the manner in which we live our lives?

When we refuse to read the Word of God to pick up the latest bestseller instead, what does this omission say? When we reject Jesus’ admonition to give and hoard every resource as if it were ours and not His, where have we placed our trust? When the Bible instructs us to pray without ceasing, and we fly through our days without giving Him a thought, how deep is this relationship that we claim? When we stand against His instructions, when we deny what He requests, isn’t this, in essence, against Christ? When we know right, and we do not choose to do right, it is antichrist.

We can easily point an accusing finger at the spirit of Antichrist in the culture all around us, but every time we choose to fall back on comfort rather than take a stand for conviction, the antichrist attitude wins. Every time we excuse corruption rather than speak against it, every time we soften the message of the Gospel rather than proclaim it unashamedly, antichrist wins. When we hide His light, when we do not stand in the day of evil, when we are more concerned with public opinion than honoring God, we bow to the antichrist attitude.

If we are for Him, if we are on His side, let us cast off our lukewarm lives. Let us fully embrace all that He requires. Let us deny ourselves, choose to sacrifice our will for His, and embrace the responsibilities, as well as the rights, of a life hidden in Christ. We are for Him.

Blessing: 

Dear heavenly Father, forgive me for the subtle ways that I have allowed an antichrist attitude to grow in me. Expel that spirit from my thoughts – transform my mind. Expel it from my actions – conform me to Your will. Give me strength to stand against it and to always stand firmly in You and for You. In the name of Jesus…amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Joshua 16:1-18:28

New Testament 

Luke 19:1-27

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 87:1-7

Proverbs 13:11

https://www.jhm.org

Ephesians 3:19

that you know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God

French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, alluded to a God-shaped hole inside of each one of us in his work, Pensees. Augustine, in his Confessions, declared that “our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.”

We can find ourselves attempting to fill that aching void with the obligations, pleasures, and busyness of this life. We earn advanced degrees. We pursue careers with single-minded ambition. We devote ourselves to the health and welfare of our children. We aspire and achieve more and more, yet never seem to arrive. We often are left exhausted and empty by the pursuit. We can become so full of ourselves that there is no room for the God we claim to serve.

Will we deny our own ambitions to serve Jesus? There is a place of surrender where our will is exchanged for His, where we submit to His purposes, where we are filled with the fullness of God. We may need to draw boundaries, to be stingier with our “yes” to lesser things. When we pour out our lives to Jesus, we find ourselves empowered and energized by the Holy Spirit. When we co-labor with Christ, His plan is brought to fruition in our lives. Along the way, we find love, joy, peace, and goodness. Let us be filled with the fullness of God Himself!

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, come fill us to the brim with You. Come in to abide with us, to fill us with the fullness of Your power and love. We submit our lives, our wills, and our desires to You. Make us part of Your plan. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Joshua 15:1-63

New Testament 

Luke 18:18-43

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 86:1-17

Proverbs 13:9-10

https://www.jhm.org

Romans 14:11

For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God’

In this country, we are blessed by the sacrifices of brave Americans who have served before we arrived and others who continue to serve in arenas around the world. The liberties and the freedoms we enjoy were not purchased by our own actions, but rather by others who were willing to take a stand in our stead.

Our grandfathers, fathers, aunts, cousins, and the friends who sat next to us in class are the individuals who sacrificed so we could continue to live in liberty. Freedom is the result of sacrifice.

In the almost 250 years that this nation has existed, we have not grasped the fullness of this freedom. In all of our history, our stories past, our painful pages, our difficult years, in all of the blood shed, and the sacrifices made, we still do not understand what we have in our freedom.

The Bible reveals the same truth: freedom is the result of sacrifice. Jesus’ death on the Cross bought us freedom from the weight of our sins, from guilt, and the shadow of death. He paid the price for our restored relationship with the Father, for our future, and our resurrected hope.

Someone fought. Someone died. Someone stood. Someone spoke. Someone sacrificed. How do we respond to such a sacrifice? Because we have a responsibility to do so. Freedom is not the liberty to do exactly what we want; it is the freedom to do exactly as we should. How do we exercise freedom responsibly? How will we protect freedom for the coming generations?

Responsibility for freedom begins and ends with us. Choosing to be responsible is a personal choice. If we do not choose well, we forfeit liberty. Choose this day whom you will serve. Will you choose to submit your life to Christ, the One Who bought and paid for it? Will you bow your knee to the only One worthy? And will you rise to fight for those who have not grasped the freedom available to all? Will you stand? Will you speak? Freedom is the result of sacrifice.

Blessing: 

Dear heavenly Father, open our eyes to recognize the sacrifice made on our behalf. May we bow our knees and our hearts in submission to our blessed Savior. And may we rise to defend freedom for all. We humble ourselves before You. Please come and heal our land. In the mighty name of Jesus…amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Joshua 9:3-10:43

New Testament 

Luke 16:19-17:10

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 83:1-18

Proverbs 13:4

https://www.jhm.org

Philippians 3:7-8

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…

We gladly embrace Jesus as Savior. As Savior, He becomes the sacrifice in our stead. As Savior, He sets us free from sin. As Savior, He delivers us from death. Making Him Lord in our lives requires a new level of submission and trust.

If Jesus is our Lord, we must obey Him. If He is Lord, He has the authority and the right to govern our lives. If Jesus is our Lord, our opinions no longer matter; His will is of the utmost and primary importance. We choose Him and what He says. Every. Single. Time.

As Jesus taught the disciples one day, He asked, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). The point is clear. Loving Him, serving Him, making Him Lord requires more than lip service. If we love Him, we must keep His commandments (John 14:15).

When He is Lord, He leads us. He is our Tender Shepherd. We know His familiar voice, and we will not follow another (John 10:4-5). We do not wander off on expeditions and adventures of our own. Always, He leads us in paths of righteousness for the sake of His name to do the things that honor Him most (Psalm 23:3). If we are careful to observe His commands, He will make us the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13). He will cause all the work of our hand to prosper abundantly (Deuteronomy 30:9).

Jesus came as the Suffering Servant. He did not come to do our will, but the will of His Father Who sent Him. Our responsibility is to follow His example. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith; He writes each one of our stories, and He alone has the ability to perfect them with every stroke of the pen (Hebrews 12:2). God has exalted Him and given Him the name above every other name. He truly is Lord.

He becomes our Savior in an instant, but making Him our Lord is a process. Some days, it can seem to be a minute-by-minute decision to place ourselves in the correct posture of bowed knee and submitted heart, to surrender to His purposes and His plan. Lay it all down to make Him Lord.

Blessing: 

Precious Jesus, please forgive me for the ongoing power struggle inside of me. Take Your rightful place on the throne of my heart. I surrender to Your purposes and plan. I lay down my will. You are my Savior and my Lord. Lead me. Guide me. Grant me grace to stand in Your strength and to walk humbly before You all the days of my life. In Your name… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Joshua 7:16-9:2

New Testament 

Luke 16:1-18

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 82:1-8

Proverbs 13:2-3

https://www.jhm.org