Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Psalm 51:10-11
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

As you read the Psalms, you may recognize some of your own prayers. Sometimes prayers come from a place of pure joy and confidence, praising God, and thanking Him for His goodness. Other times, they are prayers of desperation, coming from the very lowest points of your life. But a wise person, in happy or broken prays alike asking for the same thing: “Forgive me, God, and help me. Weed out the parts of me that are sinful and selfish and help me to want what you want. Stay close to me and help me to get through this. I need you.”

Monday, January 1, 2024

Monday, January 1, 2024
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

A new year stretches out before you, and who knows what opportunities, blessings, and challenges God will put in front of you. With every new day that He gives you, live well, and live for Him. That means sharing the gospel with others, loving your neighbors and enemies, and being responsible with the things the Lord has given you. Pious deeds will not get you one inch closer to Heaven… that’s not the point. Heaven is already yours; it’s the gift of God to anyone who relies on Jesus for forgiveness. The reason to dedicate every day to Jesus this year isn’t to earn His love, but rather, because He loved you first.

Friday, December 29, 2023

Friday, December 29, 2023
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

For as beautiful as life can be, there’s a lot of hardship, grief, and pain mixed in. Sometimes it’s hard to keep a tight hold onto hope, joy, and peace, especially when it’s all based on a Savior and a Heaven that you can’t see. But that’s when the Holy Spirit steps in; it’s the piece of God that lives inside you and changes you from the inside out. He can fill you with joy and peace even in your darkest hour, but like Peter walking on the water, you must keep your eyes on Jesus. In this new year, make nothing more important than your relationship with the One who made you and saved you, and watch Christ conquer your despair.

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Thursday, December 28, 2023
Matthew 6:20-21
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

There’s so much more to live for than life. This was a core theme of Jesus’ sermon on the mount, where He urged His followers to stop investing so much effort, stress and worry into making life perfect. Without God, and without Heaven, life is meaningless; it begins and ends, and everything in between, good and bad, amounts to nothing when the dust settles. But with Christ, suddenly life has purpose. That purpose isn’t to hoard up as much satisfaction as possible before you die: it’s to be Christ’s representative here on earth, leading others to Jesus and serving Him in your own unique way. And your reward? A treasure in Heaven that does not decay and cannot be taken.

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Wednesday, December 27, 2023
John 1:9-10
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

Jesus was born into this world, and He lived among its people. The world and everything and everyone in it, was made through Him; He and God are one. And yet, the creation didn’t recognize the creator. Pride was the core corruption that led Adam and Eve to reject God, and it was pride that blinded the scribes and pharisees when they saw Jesus. Instead of the religious big shots, it was the humble, the lowly, and the meek who saw Christ for who He really was. Who do you say that He is?

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Luke 2:14
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Isn’t it all so incredible? The God of the universe is an amazing, generous, and most of all personal God. He made you for a reason, and He loves you like His own child. How much better does it get? The angels who brought the good news to the shepherds weren’t kidding when they said, “peace on earth among those with whom He is pleased!” If you’ve made Jesus the Lord of your life and had your sins forgiven, what could go wrong? Even if life falls apart, your identity remains the same: you’re a child of the Most-High, bought for a price, and destined for eternity!