Thursday, January 4, 2024

Thursday, January 4, 2024
James 4:14-15
…Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

Who are you to say what life will or won’t be like? If there’s one thing life on earth has taught us, is that it’s unpredictable. You never know what might happen, or what part God wants you to play in His story. Does that mean life should screech to a halt? Should you put your dreams and plans on hold until God makes the way clear? There’s nothing wrong with seeking His guidance and meditating on His will but remember that God gave you your dreams and your free will for a reason. Live wisely, and honor Christ as you live the life He gave you to the fullest. Keep Him at the center of it, pay attention to where He is leading you, and remember that an even greater life awaits you beyond this one.

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Saying “what can go wrong?” seems like an invitation for something to go horribly wrong. But Paul had that level of confidence in his God: the confidence to face a world that was actively persecuting him, and say “what can mere man do to me?” What Paul understood was that all things are woven into the Lord’s plan, and no pit is ever dug that God can’t turn into a well. If Christ wanted Paul to proclaim the gospel to the whole world, He would make a way, and when Paul’s time came, death would only mean instant paradise with his Savior. That kind of confidence didn’t belong to just one man, either; the God that gave Paul his boldness is your God, too.

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.