Matthew 6:6

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

In our marriage relationships, we will experience seasons of difficulty. Hurt will be inflicted. When two imperfect people unite, it is not unusual for friction to arise and damage to occur.

When damage has diminished our relationships, we must evaluate the issue privately. We must consider the role that we played in the rift, as well as the responsibility that we have to repent and reconcile with our spouses. Respect the intimacy of the marriage relationship; do not share issues haphazardly with those outside.

We need to take a journey of self-examination to understand the issues. We need to ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance. His Word and His Holy Spirit are best qualified to resolve marital issues.

What caused the walls of Jerusalem to be reduced to a pile of bricks? Internal neglect! When the Israelites walked away from God’s promises and neglected His covenant, the Babylonian enemy swooped in and destroyed the walls and the city.

We have an enemy, too. Satan prowls about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). When we do not keep God at the center of our marriages, we open ourselves to attacks and destruction.

We must choose to work with those we trust — those who talk to God more than others, who have no personal agenda but to seek God’s will for our marriage, and who have more experience than us. They live where we want to go and can help us build the marriages we desire.

When damage occurs and the walls of our marriages are breached, God will provide the tools that we need to repair and restore. Walls can be rebuilt with humility, wisdom, and love.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, thank You for my marriage. Please forgive me for inflicting hurt and damaging the walls of our relationship. Grant me the humility, love, and perseverance to repent, make restitution, and rebuild. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

2 Kings 9:16-10:31

New Testament 

Acts 17:1-34

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 144:1-15

Proverbs 17:27-28

https://www.jhm.org

Nehemiah 2:18

So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.

The borders that God establishes bring blessing to those who choose to honor them. One of the boundaries most in need of repair today is the broken border of marriage.

Biblical, God-honoring marriage between one man and one woman for a lifetime is under threat. The sacrificial love of which the Bible speaks, that inspires one person to give his life to another and to raise children in the fear of the Lord, has been forfeited. This breakdown of the family unit erodes the foundation for our future.

Great relationships require effort, practice, and intentionality. Good husbands, good wives, and good families are not born of luck. They are built by hard work. 

For single people who desire to marry, you are working on your future relationship. Are you preparing to be a superb spouse? Or just hoping for the best? If you are a broken person before you marry, marriage will only further break down what is already broken. Wholeness is only found in Jesus.

For those who have been married for decades, be gracious enough to share how God has led you through the difficulties to find strong, peaceful marriages. You are surrounded by people who need help in the tough times. Make yourselves available to pray or have a conversation.

Let us commit to do good work in our marriages. Let us use words that encourage and build up. Let us cut away all bitterness and strife. Let us seek to love our spouses more than we love ourselves. Let us determine to strengthen these relationships that God has given to us. Let us rebuild the broken borders of our marriages. We’ve got work to do…good work.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the spouse that You have given to me. Help me do the good work required to build a strong marriage. Help me to grant forgiveness and show mercy. Help me always build up – never tear down. Help me love my spouse in the same way that You love me. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

2 Kings 4:18-5:27

New Testament 

Acts 15:1-31

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 141:1-10

Proverbs 17:23

https://www.jhm.org

Exodus 32:26

…then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, ‘Whoever is on the LORD’s side—come to me!’ And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

The border of the cross, the border of salvation is absolute. Jesus is the Door, the only point of access to cross the border into freedom.

After we step through the Door, we need to close it behind us. Many of us want the door to swing both directions. We choose to live on one side and then the other – not one side OR the other. We cannot live on both sides of the border. Jesus said it this way: “He who is not with Me is against Me…” (Matthew 12:30).

What is truly worth pursuing on the other side of the cross? On the other side of the cross are guilt and shame. On the other side of the cross are sickness and disease. On this side of the cross, “…He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

On the other side of the cross are mountains that we cannot move and problems that we cannot solve. On this side of the cross, “whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:23).

On the other side of the cross, we have no hope, no power, and no ability. On this side of the cross, we have the authority of His name, the power of His Word, and the redemption of His blood. He makes it so easy to choose. Come on over to the Lord’s side.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I am on Your side! Whatever falls around me, I want to be found standing next to You. Make me strong in the power of Your might. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 22:1-53

New Testament 

Acts 13:16-41

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 138:1-8

Proverbs 17:17-18

https://www.jhm.org

John 10:9

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

By faith, we come to the border of the cross. We open the Door that is Christ Jesus, and we walk from death to life. When we step across that border to the other side…we shut the door!

We already know the blessings that await us! We already understand the quality of the life that we want is to be found on this side of the border. We already recognize the things that we want to leave behind. Some of us, though, want an open border so we can cross back over anytime that we desire.

We still struggle with the chains of our past. We may be bound by generations of sin, by circumstances and issues that create link after link that tighten around us. How easy it is to begin to doubt the power of God to redeem us. We want access to the freedom and the liberty found in the salvation of Jesus, but we begin to believe that it is up to us, that we must figure out a means to disentangle ourselves from the chains that hold us down.

There is more good news for us! The Word of God is alive, powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword. It declares that we are not redeemed by any schemes or works that we might muster up; we are saved by grace through faith. And even that faith is a gift from God!

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, help me to shut the door on my old way of life. Break off the chains of my past. Set me free to live in the freedom that faith in You brings. Help me to remember that it is not up to me, that I can lean on You for power and peace. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 20:1-21:29

New Testament 

Acts 12:24-13:15

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 137:1-9

Proverbs 17:16

https://www.jhm.org

Mark 11:25

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

Men, when you hear a Father’s Day message, two choices arise. Some men choose to look forward with hope and optimism to the fathers that they aspire to be. Others look back at the childhoods that they experienced, at the fathers that they had, and they are filled with regret or anger.

Not everyone had a great example, but that does not mean that you cannot be one. We have a Heavenly Father Who is an unsurpassed example of how to parent well. He loves lavishly (Ephesians 3:17-19). He will never abandon His children (Matthew 28:20). His Word is true; if He said it, He will do it (Numbers 23:19). He is patient (2 Peter 3:9).

If you did not have the father that you longed for, forgive him. For those of us in Christ Jesus, we are new creations. When we came to the cross, God forgave us. All of the old things passed away, and everything has become brand new (II Corinthians 5:17). We no longer carry the sins, the regrets, the guilt, the shame or condemnation from our past. You are free to become the man and the father that God has planned.

Decide to stop looking back. Teach your children that forgiveness is the key that unlocks doors and builds bridges. A grudge is too heavy a burden to bear. If forgiveness seems impossible, realize that you are not left on your own. Lean on the Lord Who will empower you through His Spirit and lead you out of the shadows of the past and into His glorious light. If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed (John 8:36).

Through the example of a Heavenly Father Who loves you deeply, and through the power of His might, you can become the father He intended you to be regardless of what your yesterday held. Choose to move forward. God has filled up your today with blessings. Tomorrow waits — filled with life, hope, and every good thing (Jeremiah 29:11)!

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me what a good, good father looks like. I confess that I lack the power and the wisdom to be all I should be. In my weakness, be strong. Teach me how to forgive the offenses of my past. Make me strong in the power of Your might. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 15:25-17:24

New Testament 

Acts 10:24-28

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 134:1-3

Proverbs 17:9-11

https://www.jhm.org

Luke 11:21

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.

Fathers, are you strong men? Are you fully armed? Are you guarding your palaces? Men, you are the protectors of your palace. Are you fully armed?

Technology has made protection much more difficult. Guarding your family means exercising diligence. It means paying close attention. It requires your strong presence and your willingness to provide a sense of direction.

Some fathers shrug their shoulders and relinquish control to their children. They decide to allow the kids to choose for themselves. Guarding and guiding requires discipline…for yourself, as well as the children.

Love them. Laugh with them. Talk to them. Train them. Get acquainted with their friends. Listen to their music choices. Guard them. Guide them.

Are you strong? This fathering business is not for the faint of heart. In Ephesians 6, Paul admonishes us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (verse 10). That is good news for the father who feels overwhelmed. You do not stand alone. You parent in the power of His might. You have the strongest of Allies as you guard your palace.

Are you armed? Paul goes on to encourage us to put on the whole armor of God so we can stand against the wiles of Satan (Ephesians 6:11). That armor covers every part of our bodies — except our backs. We cannot turn our backs or we leave ourselves — and our families — exposed to the enemy. God puts two offensive weapons in our hands — the sword of the Spirit that is His holy Word and the fervent and effective prayer of the righteous man (Ephesians 6:17-18; James 5:16).

Suit up, dads! Make sure that you are well-defended and fully armed with the whole armor of God, with His Word, and with the power of prayer. Stand in the gap for your family. Protect your palaces!

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, help me to put on the whole armor of God so I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one that he aims at me and my family. Help me to cover them with prayer. Help me to be present and engaged. Alert me to trouble, and help me to be diligent to address it right away. Most of all, help me to remember that when I am weak, You are strong. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 14:1-15:24

New Testament 

Acts 10:1-23

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 133:1-3

Proverbs 17:7-8

https://www.jhm.org

1 Peter 5:3

…nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock…

Fathers, God has entrusted you with your own “home team,” and He has called you to be an example to your family. He has provided some fundamentals that will help you succeed in this mission.

The very first — and most essential — fundamental is to read His Word, commit it to memory, and allow it to change the way that you think and act. An athlete cannot achieve well in his sport unless he is on the same page as his general manager. The Bible is the play book for the General Manager over all.

The second fundamental is to love. When the Pharisees pressed Jesus on which commandment was the greatest, He replied: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). Dads, love the Lord in such an out-loud way that your children will learn to love Him too.

Make sure they see you reading the Word and applying it to your life. They need to hear your prayers, to see you give thanks when God answers. Take them with you to the house of the Lord; worship Him with all your heart so that they, too, will begin to hunger and thirst after righteousness. The first God they will ever know is the One to Whom you introduce them.

The third fundamental is to lead. As Christ is the head of His church, so the husband is the head of his wife, the leader of his family (Ephesians 5:23). Dads, the trait that best qualifies you to lead is your ability to follow. If you follow Christ, He qualifies and equips you to lead. Every great coach is coachable. He never stops being a student of the game.

Hebrews 12:2 directs us to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, to be our example. When He walked among us, He taught His disciples by speaking truth to them and by demonstrating how to live it out.

He did not just instruct them to pray. He showed them how to pray. He did not just send them out to minister. He demonstrated what ministry “to the least of these” looks like.

As you learn the play book, love out loud, and lead by example, the General Manager promises to be beside you every step of the way. He will train and teach, encourage and inspire. He values your commitment to the home team; He recognizes your importance to its success.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I need Your help to be the father that my children need. Teach me from Your Word. As I follow You, show me how to love them well and lead them directly to You. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 12:20-13:34

New Testament 

Acts 9:26-46

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 132:1-18

Proverbs 17:6

https://www.jhm.org

Psalm 127:1

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

Fathers, if you wish to build a great family, you must recognize the Source from which true greatness flows. Greatness is found in God alone.

Today’s verse reminds us that “unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” Dads, your true and full success can only be tapped into when God is the foundation of your lives. When God is the foundation of your home, your children will have a secure base. When God is the Anchor to Whom you cling, your marriage can overcome any stormy sea that batters it. The Lord must build your house.

Our verse also makes it clear that we will labor in this life. That truth is an important one for a father to model and to teach his children. Some people work very hard at hardly working. Fathers, instill a strong work ethic in your children.

When examining the stories of the greatest coaches and athletes who played the game — whether it be baseball, basketball, football, golf, or tennis — one unifying factor leaps to the forefront. They were not extraordinarily gifted; they were extraordinarily diligent at practicing the fundamentals. They mastered the basics and executed them over and over again.

If you have the privilege of being called a dad, God has established some fatherly fundamentals that every man can master. There are not great dads or not-so-great dads. There are fathers who are diligent and those who need to be diligent. Read the “playbook” that God has provided in His Word. Then, faithfully practice the fundamentals that you find there. Execute them over and over until you can accomplish them with ease. Greatness is within reach.

Blessing:

Heavenly Father, I long to be a great dad, but I confess that I sometimes do not know where to begin. Instruct me from Your Word. Help me to find examples of great Godly dads around me, and help me learn from them. Give me the strength to keep practicing and to persevere because my children are too important to give up. I will do the work. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 11:1-12:19

New Testament 

Acts 9:1-25

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 131:1-3

Proverbs 17:4-5

https://www.jhm.org

Ephesians 6:4

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Fathers, your family should take top priority. Your children and grandchildren are your dynasty. They are the ones who demonstrate to the world that you are a leader that has thoroughly prepared them for life in a world that is not fair.

You must prepare your children for the opponents they will face. How you train them while they are yours is how well they will play in the future. You must train them to win, to live out the destiny that God has ordained for each child He has entrusted to your care.

One of the most important roles a father will serve is to train his family in the fundamentals that are required to succeed against the tremendous challenges they will one day face. Are they familiar with the “playbook” that God has given for instruction in righteousness (II Timothy 3:16)? Are they listening for the Coach’s voice and following the plays He calls (Proverbs 3:5-6)? Do they know how to come alongside their teammates to rally them on to victory (Philippians 2:3-4)?

Fathers, the home teams are counting on you! They need your wisdom, encouragement, discipline, and example. You are building a team of warriors at home that will be world-changers when they run onto the field of life.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the children that You have entrusted to me. I count them as my heritage and my reward. Help me raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Help me to train them in righteousness so that they seek You and honor You all the days of their lives. No other job in my life is more important. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 9:1-10:29

New Testament 

Acts 8:14-40

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 130:1-8

Proverbs 17:2-3

https://www.jhm.org

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Consider the cross of Christ. There, we find the border of salvation. There, Jesus accomplished the work that would save us from a life of sin and redeem us to the abundant life He died to make possible. This border was built by the hand of Almighty God through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son when He humbled Himself and went to a place called Calvary.

There, He won an absolute and complete victory over every power, every principality, every force of darkness, over death, hell, and the grave. The cross is a border of triumph!

The cross is not a border to exclude or prohibit; it was not built to keep out anyone who might approach. God provided it as a free gift to all people of all cultures and of all generations. The Holy Spirit calls, “Come!” to “whosoever will” (Revelation 22:17).

This border is open to set people free, to offer asylum from the attacks against the heart, from the suffering and torment of this world, from the wiles of Satan, and the temptations of the flesh. To anyone who wants to immigrate from the guilt and shame of their past, the border is open. To those who want to leave behind the bondage and cross over to the liberty that only Christ can give, the border is open.

The best news about this border is that, though millions have flooded through the open Door that is Christ Jesus, room abounds for more.

This point of access is enforced by the Word of God. Entry is not allowed by any other means. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Come, step through the Door, inside the border, and find a life overflowing with blessing — both now and forevermore.

Blessing: 

Precious Jesus, how can I ever express my gratitude? Thank You for Your great love for me that led You to Calvary to die in my place. I offer my heart and my life to You as a living sacrifice – it is my reasonable service. Use me to fulfill Your purposes. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 5:1-6:38

New Testament 

Acts 7:1-29

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 127:1-5

Proverbs 16:28-30

https://www.jhm.org

Psalm 16:6

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance.

God has gifted us with the Bible — a book of borders. Those borders are blessings, the means to abundant life. By choosing obedience instead of our own paths, we live in the life-giving flow of God’s Word.

God has established borders for us. You may have chosen to violate those boundaries — spiritually, emotionally, physically, financially or relationally. Choose the Door that is Christ Jesus. Walk through that Door to repent and return to your rightful place inside the blessings of God.

He is not looking for a perfect people; God is looking for a people who are willing. Not perfect, but willing to live by His truth, to speak out against evil, to reach out to alleviate suffering with His heart, His hands, and His feet. We are willing to choose for ourselves and our homes that we will serve the Lord with gladness.

God has chosen us to be the light of the world, to be the salt of the earth, right here and right now. He calls us to be blameless and harmless in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, to shine like the stars in the sky (Philippians 2:15). We are the seasoning that brings out the God-flavor in this world, that points others to Him (Matthew 5:13).

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). If God stands with us, who can stand against us? (Romans 8:31) Our faith is the victory that overcomes this world (1 John 5:4). 

Commit to live within the borders that God has established. Your obedience opens the windows of heaven, a pouring-out of the blessings that are exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ask or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Let us joyfully live within the boundaries so that we may see our King and be counted worthy to gladly enter into that holy city one day.

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the borders that You have established for me. I know that they are there to provide for me and to protect me. I commit to live within those boundaries. Thank You for the truth that sets me free, for the blessings found there. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 3:4-4:34

New Testament 

Acts 6:1-15

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 126:1-6

Proverbs 16:26-27

https://www.jhm.org

Hosea 10:12

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

God’s Word tells us that “righteousness exalts a nation” (Proverbs 14:34). God does something interesting in this verse: He combines an individual choice with a corporate organization.

The choices that we make as individuals create a blessing for the entire body. We often think of this in a backwards manner. Some believe that if we can get righteousness on a political platform, it will change everything. Wrong! Righteousness is not a political platform; it is a personal choice.

Righteousness is knowing to do right and following through with right action. It is a choice I make. It is a choice that you make. No candidate, no policy can force us to think and act rightly. Righteousness cannot be legislated. The personal decision to live rightly exalts a nation. If I do right, if you do right, if we all do right corporately, we begin to get better. It starts with you and with me. It is not an outside-in change; it is an inside-out change.

Change begins when we examine our lives, when we ask God to search our hearts and reveal any wicked way that He finds in us (Psalm 139:23-24). When we acknowledge where we have crossed the line, where we have crashed through the borders that He has erected for our best lives, we can repent and run back within the borders of blessing.

Let righteousness begin with you. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Re-establish the borders of God in your life. Return to His Word and His commandments. Change begins in you!

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, search my heart. Show me the places where I am in opposition to You and Your Word. Forgive me, and lead me back to right standing with You. I long to live and move and have my being in You. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 2:1-3:3

New Testament 

Acts 5:1-32

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 125:1-5

Proverbs 16:25

https://www.jhm.org

Psalm 103:17-18

But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.

God has given us the gift of borders. As long as we live within the boundaries He has designated in His Word, we receive His blessings, His provision, and protection. The moment that we step across and outside of those borders, we stand against His will and undefended.

Before a mother even knows that she is pregnant, the child has blood. God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). Before the man and woman ever conceived a child, before the mother even knew that she was carrying a baby, God knew that child.

Before a child ever draws a breath, God sees in them his image. God has chosen us to be the light of the world, to be the salt of the earth, right here and right now. 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. Choose to live within the border of blessing. Tear down the barricade between yourself and God to restore His ultimate purpose in your life.

Blessing: 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and give you His peace. May God take you through the problem to the provision. May you, with bold relentless faith, go straight through the problem and receive the promise of God. Let this day and the days that follow be days of triumph and victory because God is a faithful God who will never fail you. In Jesus’ name, we receive the answer, Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

1 Kings 1:1-53

New Testament 

Acts 4:1-37

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 124:1-8

Proverbs 16:24

https://www.jhm.org

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

God created us in His image. You are an expression of the manifested genius of God. He looked at this world and thought that this planet would be better off with you in it. He divinely designed you. Before He even formed you in the womb, He knew you (Jeremiah 1:5).

The book of Acts declares that God determined the seasons of our existence, that He set the boundaries of our lives so that we might seek Him and find Him because He is never far from us (Acts 17:26-27). He chose you. He appointed you for a purpose. He placed you on this earth for this specific time. God made a choice when He created you!

God’s heart is towards people. He sent His Son to redeem all of us. Jesus died to save us, to bring us into right relationship with God, into the parameters of the borders that God has established. It is time to point back to the unchanging borders that God has created. Let us fulfill His expectations of us!

Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge You as my Creator. Please forgive me for all the places that I have fallen short of Your expectations, where I have sinned. Please wash me clean and re-establish Your borders in my life. Empower me to live according to Your will…not mine. In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

2 Samuel 23:24-24:25

New Testament 

Acts 3:1-26

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 123:1-4

Proverbs 16:21-23

https://www.jhm.org

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