Choose Thankfulness
For years, nothing in King David’s life looked “good.” His family underestimated him, giants despised him, and his father-in-law spent years trying to kill him. But the whole time, David clung to a promise that God would establish him, and eventually make him king of Israel.
David never gave up or gave in—he chose to stay close to God and wait for Him to act. And when God showed up, this is how David responded:
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV
David knew that even when life didn’t look good, he served a God who IS good. And this same God is still actively fighting for us now.
Through His Son, Jesus, He has given us continual access to Himself. We can never lose His unfailing love toward us—a love that endures forever, no matter what goes on around us.
David recognized this, and proclaimed it. And every day, we have the opportunity to do the same.
Here are 2 practical ways that we can respond to God’s goodness and love:
- THANK HIM IN PRAYER
When Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray, he told them to start like this: “Our Father in heaven, help us to honor Your name.” It’s fine to ask God for things, but real relationships include both giving and taking. So at least once a day for the next week, go to God in prayer and thank Him for something He’s done—without asking Him for anything in return.
- SHARE YOUR STORY
The writer of Hebrews encourages us to honor God by “proclaiming our allegiance to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15-16) So what has God done for you? Where have you seen Him provide, protect, show up, or show off through your life? Look for natural opportunities to share what God is doing in you with someone else.
Right now, reflect on your life and thank God for His eternal goodness. Nothing you have faced or will face is too much for the God who loves you and died for you. Bring Him your concerns, surrender your expectations, choose thankfulness, and allow Him to reveal the evidence of His goodness in your life.
How to Live with Wisdom...
How to Live with Wisdom
The world is full of ways to grow in knowledge. We can learn from schools, books, documentaries, or other means. But more important than gaining knowledge is growing in wisdom.
Scripture also says that true wisdom begins with God. While there are many people on earth who are smart, real wisdom—in God's eyes—begins with our relationship with Him. God is perfect in truth and knowledge, so all wisdom must begin with Him.
Those who live with true wisdom will be a bright light for God in a dark world. How we act and speak matters. Though we cannot be perfect on this side of heaven, we are representatives for God to the rest of the world—so it's important that we act wisely and strive to honor Him.
One aspect of living wisely is pursuing righteousness. Righteousness is living in accordance with God’s law and God's ways. When we live according to God’s Word, we are living in accordance with His design for our lives.
Jesus says that people will know that we are His disciples by the way we love others (John 13:35). That means that loving others is living according to God’s Word. And by loving God and loving others, we will point others to Jesus.
This is why Jesus compares us to a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, and a light in the darkness (Matthew 5:14). Daniel 12:3 explains that as we live wisely and righteously, we will shine bright like stars in the darkness.
The way we live, think, and act matters. Those are the primary ways that other people will see the love God has for them.
So consider your own life. Think of ways you can live in accordance with God’s Word. Write down one or two ways that you can shine the light of Jesus today by loving others in tangible ways.
Prove It...
Prove It
If you’re a good athlete, it shows every time you compete. If you’re a fantastic cook, the truth comes out in the kitchen. If you have a brilliant mind, you can’t help but solve problems. If you have a stunning voice, such talent can’t stay hidden.
We might present ourselves a certain way, but who we are will eventually come out. This is why James encourages Christians to prove who they are through the way they live. To prove something simply means to show that it’s true.
Do you say that you trust God? Prove it by starting your day with a genuine confidence in Him.
Do you say that you love your neighbor? Show it by going out of your way to notice, serve, and honor the people around you.
Do you call yourself a follower of Jesus? Prove it by living your life in a way that reflects His heart.
This doesn’t mean you’ll be perfect, but it does mean that even when you mess up, you will still try to make things right. And not because you must work for God’s favor or earn His love, but because your actions reveal what is happening inside of you. As Jesus said in Luke 6:45, “… What you say flows from what is in your heart.”
So, how can we live an honorable life? By doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. Not worldly wisdom, but godly wisdom. When we stick close to God, who invented wisdom, He transforms us from the inside out.
So if you claim to be wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by the way you live. And when questions arise—go to the One who has answers. Even on the most overwhelming of days, trust that God is by your side.
Today, ask yourself: “Do my thoughts match what people see on the outside?” Then, ask God: “Show me how to do what You’ve called me to do, and be who You’ve called me to be.”
Breaking Down Barriers
Breaking Down Barriers
Human beings tend to form groups, drawing close to people who think like us, act like us, or look like us. It gives us a sense of safety and belonging. But this also means we tend to build barriers. We place ourselves into categories based on culture, language, race.
Throughout history, religion—our practiced efforts to please God—has included some and shut out others. The results have been awful, because…
This is not the way of Jesus.
Before Jesus walked the earth, God chose the people of Israel to uniquely demonstrate His goodness to the nations. Outsiders could and did follow God, yet there was still a clear line of distinction between Israel and the other nations.
The book of Ephesians is the apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. They’re struggling with issues of division and exclusivity. Paul explains that the division between the Hebrew people and the rest of the nations changed when Jesus came.
Jesus broke down the barrier that separated humanity from God, and the walls we built between each other.
Paul writes in Ephesians 2:18: “Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”
That means every person is invited to come and know Jesus—His love, mercy, and compassion, and promises. Every person is invited to follow Him into eternity. There are no exceptions!
None of us earned this gift. Jesus reached out first. He loved us when we were lost, hopeless—when we didn’t even know we needed Him.
Consider this: Are you hiding behind walls that Jesus has already torn down? Or will you open your heart and arms wide, as Jesus did, when He extended His generous welcome to everyone?
The Gospel is Good News for the whole world. Let’s share it!
An Example worth Following...
An Example Worth Following
Jesus stood there in silence as a cohort of soldiers stripped him, spit on him, beat him, and mocked him. He stood there as they twisted thorns into a crown and shoved it onto His head. He watched as they gambled for His clothes. He was rejected, accused, beaten, stripped, and crucified—and He endured all of this willingly, because of love.
Imagine having unlimited power and authority, and giving it all up. Imagine voluntarily sacrificing your life so that others could also experience God’s deep, unconditional love. This is what Jesus modeled for us.
“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges… When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:6-8 NLT
Jesus knew whose He was and what He was called to do. He knew that selfless service mattered more than selfishness. He knew that humility was greater than pride. And He knew that obeying God would lead to our freedom and His glory.
Jesus modeled humility by laying down His life so that we could know the love of God personally. And if we say that we follow Jesus, then we need to have the same attitude and outlook on life that Jesus did. But we can only do this by staying united in Jesus as we follow His example together.
So, how do we stay united? We show love to each other. And how do we show love to each other? By thinking about other people first, and choosing not to hold onto bitterness. True love requires a willingness to let go of pride, and to serve without expecting anything in return.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:12-13 ESV
So who can you show love to today? Spend a few moments allowing God to reveal how you can practically embrace humility, stay united in love, and serve others selflessly today.
The Way You Life, The Way You Think
The Way You Live, The Way You Think
"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads."
Deuteronomy 11:18 NIV
When Moses speaks these words in Deuteronomy 11, he’s not talking about just any words—he’s talking about God’s commands, which he had just finished restating to the people of Israel. These were the foundational truths of how God called His people to live: to love Him, obey Him, and walk in His ways.
Earlier in the chapter, Moses reminds the people of God's power—the way He rescued them from Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and promised them a land of blessing. But along with the blessings came a choice: to remain faithful to God or to turn away. That’s why Moses urges them so passionately to “fix these words” in their hearts and minds.
Why the hands and the forehead? It’s a vivid picture. The hands represent what we do, and the forehead represents what we think. In other words, Moses is saying: let God’s Word guide both your thoughts and your actions. Let it shape the way you live and the way you see the world.
For the Israelites, this even took a physical form—many wore small scrolls of Scripture (phylacteries) as a literal expression of this command. But whether literal or symbolic, the call remains the same: Keep God’s Word close. Let it saturate your life. Let it lead your heart, direct your mind, and shape your everyday choices.
How will you fix God's words in your heart and mind today?
Bottomless Riches
Bottomless Riches
Writing from prison to the believers in Philippi, the apostle Paul divulged that he’d learned the secret to being content—no matter the situation.
Because of the faithfulness of God and the generosity of the Philippians, Paul’s needs had been met—even while in jail. He went on to say:
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 NLT
What an incredible perspective from captivity, where Paul was placed for spreading the truth about Jesus.
God had given Paul peace, his friends had sent supplies, and Paul’s joy was unapologetically obvious—despite his imperfect circumstances.
Paul knew that the same God who was taking care of Him would also take care of his friends. He knew that, because Jesus had already made a way, they could access the storehouses of heaven. He knew that, because of God’s generous character, they were covered in His grace.
Have you ever considered what a treasure trove of riches God has? And it’s not just what He has, but also who He is. God’s glorious riches, never-ending resources, and both visible and invisible qualities are limitless, bottomless, boundless, and inexhaustible.
Think about that for a moment.
The amazing thing is—He’s granted us access.
In His kindness, God fashioned raspberries and puppies. In His brilliance, He crafted the human eye and hung the earth on nothing. By His creativity, He made hammerhead sharks and sparkling fireflies. By His power, He designed galaxies that even the smartest of scientists are just now discovering.
The same God who cares for His creation will also provide for you.
When we become His children, we are given the key to eternal riches, to incorruptible goods, and to traits of His Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Do you need peace? You have a God who gives peace. Do you need provision? You have a God who offers provision. Do you need rest? You have a God who extends rest.
The ways in which God shows up are literally countless, and it’s all because of His gloriously limitless riches.
From Dawn to Dusk
From Dawn to Dusk
Close your eyes for a moment. And while you do that, picture this wonderfully diverse planet we call home. (Yes, really.)
Everything you just imagined? God created all of it. And God created all of us to worship Him.
From north to south and east to west. From bustling cities to slow-paced villages. From lifeless deserts to life-packed forests. From the highest mountains to the farthest oceans.
“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised!”
Psalm 113:3 NIV
The sun “rises” and “sets” on all of us. All people, all languages, all nations. All skin colors, eye colors, and hair colors. All shapes, sizes, and personalities. Rich and poor. Aching hearts and contagious smiles.
An eclectic mix of people from various parts of the world have always been praising God from generation to generation—and it continues to happen now. And we know it will never stop.
In Revelation 7, John has a vision of a “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,” who is Christ. They are serving and worshiping, all day and night.
God’s people—past, present, and future—are worshiping people.
We can worship with our songs.
We can worship with our money.
We can worship with our lives.
And one day, when we finally see things clearly, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. But today, we don’t have to wait to worship.
When sunlight streams through your windows, you can worship.
When the evening sky turns orange-ish pink, you can worship.
When you’re in a season of waiting, you can worship.
When you’re in a season of receiving, you can worship.
When your heart is breaking, you can worship.
When your heart is full, you can worship.
From dawn to dusk, let the name of the Lord be praised.
Today, think about this verse and consider what compels you to worship God. Then, shift your heart toward Him and don’t forget to worship.
Waiting Well
Waiting Well
Waiting can be hard.
Most of us would prefer quick, efficient, and—when possible—instant results and answers.
But waiting is a part of life.
We must wait for seeds to grow into food, for one season to fade into the next, for babies to mature into adults, and for trees to stand tall enough to finally offer shade.
Like it or not, waiting takes patience.
We can wait days, months, years, or even decades for a prayer to be answered, for an overdue apology, for the timing to be right, or for a dream to finally come to pass.
Waiting requires courage.
King David lived nearly 3,000 years ago, but he knew what it meant to wait for God’s timing, to wait to be king, to wait to be rescued from his enemies. He wrote:
“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
Psalms 27:14 NLT
If David thought waiting on God was important enough to write it twice in one verse, we should probably pay attention.
But waiting patiently for the Lord isn’t an excuse to do nothing.
We can proactively wait on God by staying in communication with Him, by looking for His fingerprints in ordinary moments, by reading about His story and His plans in His Word, by worshiping Him no matter what’s happening across the globe, by serving the people both inside and outside of our circles, and by thanking Him for the gifts He’s already given us.
Just because a specific door isn’t opening, or a particular opportunity isn’t available at this moment, doesn’t mean God isn’t moving.
Even when we are waiting—God is working.
Noah spent decades building an ark as he waited for God to do what He’d said. Ruth journeyed with her mother-in-law and worked in the grain fields while trusting in God’s provision after her husband’s death. Joseph stayed faithful in prison for several years before his promotion to second-in-command of Egypt. John trusted God’s ultimate will for his life, even writing a book of the Bible while sentenced to exile on the island of Patmos.
So, no matter what you’re facing, you can ask God for patience and trust that He is in control of your future. No matter what uncertainty lies before you, when you rely on the Lord, you can be someone who waits well.
Ask God Honestly
Ask God Honestly
Everything begins with our relationship with God.
Jesus made it possible for us to have a restored relationship with God. We can talk with God, spend time in His presence, and ask Him to help us—because, as believers, we are called His sons and daughters.
Because of our relationship with God, He listens to us. Much like a child talking to their parents, God wants us to speak to and connect with Him. When we pray, we have the opportunity to tell God our needs, our concerns, and the desires of our heart.
Jesus tells us that if we seek a relationship with God, we will find it. God gives Himself freely to all who are looking to Him. God isn’t hiding in heaven, hoping that we will someday find Him. He is readily available to engage with His people.
This means we should be persistent in our relationship with Him. We have access to the Creator of the world! Everything comes from Him and has life because of Him. He has the ability to give us the things we need, and even the things we desire with pure motives.
However, while we can ask for whatever we want, it doesn’t mean He will give us everything we ask for. Just like an earthly father won’t give his child something harmful, God also won’t give us something we do not need (Matthew 7:10-11).
Sometimes, we don't ask God for things because we may feel guilty for doing so. But God actually desires for us to go to Him—even with the smallest of requests.
So take some time today and tell God how you honestly feel. Ask Him for the things you truly need in life—the ways you're counting on Him to show up. Continue each day building a relationship with Him through Scripture reading and prayer.
A Father to the Fatherless
A Father to the Fatherless
The word “father” can evoke a wide range of emotions in each of us.
Maybe you smile when you hear the word because it brings up wonderful memories of your own father. Or perhaps your heart feels torn—because you're missing your father, or grieving the loss of a relationship that never met your expectations.
Whether you had an engaged, caring, and dependable father or a distant, neglectful, or mean one, you have a Heavenly Father who cares deeply for you—and is always near. He sent His Son to earth to rob our brokenness and replace it with a hope-filled eternity.
And the best news is: we don’t have to fear being separated from Him. There is no death, fear of the future, or anything else that can separate us from our Everlasting Father. He existed before time began, and He exists without the assistance of anyone. He draws near to us because He loves us. And His love isn’t something we can earn—it’s a free gift from Him that He longs for us to accept.
He sufficiently sets the bar for any earthly father to strive for. And He cares for us in a tender, fatherly way. We may not know what lies ahead, but we can trust Him fully.
Lean back and rest in your Heavenly Father’s comfortable arms. Spend time talking to Him and listen for His guidance as you bring Him the concerns and the joys on your heart. He is worthy of your trust.
Commit to the Work
Commit to the Work
It’s a complex dance—being faithful with the opportunities God gives you while also trusting Him with the variables that are out of your control.
The writer of Proverbs, typically attributed to King Solomon, said this:
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
Proverbs 16:3 ESV
It sounds simple enough—to commit your work to the Lord. But it takes intentional effort, continual surrender, and genuine trust.
Throughout Scripture, we see all kinds of work: farming, building, pastoring, parenting, fishing, doctoring, leading, designing, singing, writing, engineering, shepherding, and much more.
In his letter to the Roman believers, Paul discusses talents and gifts when he says:
“In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
Romans 12:6-8 NLT
You can commit your work to God by:
- honoring Him with your efforts
- valuing the people you interact with
- faithfully returning the tithe
- promoting truth and love
- living graciously and generously
- thoughtfully utilizing your time
- leveraging your God-given creativity to glorify Him
You can plant a seed in good soil, position it for ideal sunlight, and water it consistently, but—above all—it’s God who gave you the seed and it’s God who makes the seed grow.
Your job is obedience, God’s job is everything else. So whatever you do, commit your work, your efforts, and your life to Him—and watch Him work through you.
He Will Lead You
He Will Lead You
Moses led the people of Israel for forty years. He led them out of slavery in Egypt, through the Red Sea, gave them the Ten Commandments from his time with God on Mount Sinai, and walked with them through the wilderness until they reached the edge of Canaan.
But as he neared the end of his life, God showed Moses that it was time to hand off leadership to someone else. In a final address to the people of Israel, he shares these final words with his successor, Joshua:
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV
This is the last record we have of Moses talking to Joshua. Notice he didn’t say, “Good luck, these people are exhausting." Or, “Here’s a situation going on, you should handle it this way.” Moses wasn’t telling Joshua exactly how to do something, but instead, how to see everything.
Moses drew Joshua’s attention to the most important part of the story: God. Moses had been a crucial leader, but it was only because of God that Israel could move forward. It was only because of God that they had made it that far. And because God is the author of the story, His provision would continue even after Moses was gone.
Because God was with Israel, Joshua didn’t need to fear anything. And when God is with you, there is nothing to fear. He will lead the way!
A Journey with God
A Journey with God
Following God is a journey.
It’s not just a one-time decision. It’s a lifelong pilgrimage, a day-by-day walk of trust, transformation, and faithfulness. Psalm 84 paints a beautiful picture of travelers whose hearts are set on reaching God’s dwelling place. They’re blessed, not because the road is easy, but because their strength comes from Him.
If our strength came from ourselves, we wouldn’t make it very far. Life brings challenges: dry seasons, steep climbs, unexpected detours. If we’re depending only on our own energy, it’s easy to get weary and discouraged.
But when our strength is in God, the journey changes. We’re not walking alone. We’re empowered by His Spirit. We’re supported by His promises. We have a clear destination, and the blessing is not just at the end, but along the way.
A heart set on pilgrimage is a heart that knows this world is not our home. We’re pressing on toward something greater, and toward Someone greater.
If today finds you tired or uncertain, remember this: the strength you need isn’t something you have to muster up. It’s something God freely gives. Lean into Him. Set your heart on the journey. He’ll be faithful every step of the way.
Who Are You?
Who Are You?
“I’m not good enough.”
“I’m not smart enough.”
“I’m not strong enough.”
“I’m not enough.”
Every day, we are bombarded with lies that try to convince us that we don’t have what it takes to follow Jesus.
Every time we mess up, our insecurities reach out and tell us that we’ll always be weak—we’ll never experience the freedom Jesus says we can have. But Scripture reminds us that it’s Jesus’ divine power that gives us everything we need to live a godly life. With His strength, when we fall down—we can still get back up.
It’s in our weakness that God’s power is made perfect within us (2 Corinthians 12:9). By the power of Christ, nothing can keep its grip on us. Not fear, worry, doubt, defeat, discouragement, loneliness, hardship, or pain.
Through Jesus, we have everything we need to combat anything that attempts to seize our rightful identity.
God’s Word is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It discerns the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. It was breathed out by God. It corrects, teaches, and encourages us. God’s Word lights up our paths.
God’s Word is filled with reminders of our true identity. It can remind you that…
You are enough because you are a child of God. (John 1:12, 1 John 3:1)
You can rejoice in suffering because Christ suffered for you. (1 Peter 4:12-19, James 1:2-4)
You are greatly loved, and you can love others like you have been loved. (John 15:9-14)
Nothing can separate you from God’s love. (Romans 8:37-39)
When you understand who you are, that is when you will truly be able to do all things through Christ’s strength.
So let’s start applying the life-giving truth we find in the Bible so that we move from victimhood to victory. Embrace who you are in Christ.
And the next time a daunting situation comes up or a threatening thought comes to mind, remember that you can overcome it by Jesus’ divine power working in and through you. You don’t have to go through life on your own—and you weren’t meant to.
Created to Love Others...
Created to Love Others
When we believe in Jesus and live our lives following after Him, we get to experience His grace and mercy every day! We get to walk in new life and new ways of thinking about God's creation and our place in it. Not to mention, we can rest knowing we are God's own children!
But it can be just as easy to live life thinking only of ourselves and the good things we have received. Jesus spent most of His ministry helping and assisting others, but if we're being honest—and Jesus was always honest, too—most of us have a tendency to be selfish with God's gifts, or ignore opportunities to serve the weak or needy in our everyday lives.
As Paul was speaking to the leaders at the church in Ephesus in Acts 20:35, he made sure to remind them that his life has not been about himself, but about helping others. Paul says that everything he has done has been about helping those who are weak and in need. Paul didn't say these things to boast about himself, he said them to point back to Jesus as the truest example of love.
While the Christian faith is certainly about loving God, it is also about loving others as well. It is about using our new life in Christ to bring positive change to the lives of others—the same positive change Christ brought about in us.
Jesus said that when we use our life to help others, we end up even more blessed. It is always more blessed to give to others than to receive for ourselves.
Take some time to consider the way your own life has been blessed by others. Then, write down a few ways that you can begin to help others who are in need. What practical ways can you bless those in your neighborhood, work, or school? Begin to build a habit of being a blessing to others.
Shining the Light of Jesus...
Shining the Light of Jesus
Have you ever walked from a dark room into an extremely bright space? Light has incredible power over our senses, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. But light is necessary for us to live. Light tells us about reality. It illuminates things around us.
In Matthew 5, Jesus uses various light metaphors to describe the life of a disciple. He says that His disciples are like a city built on a hill that shines light into the valley (Matthew 5:14). He also says we’re like a lamp that gives light to a whole house (Matthew 5:15).
The life of a disciple of Jesus is meant to be like that of light that shines brightly for others to see. So what is the light that we have?
First and foremost, it is the message of the Gospel. We have been given knowledge of what Jesus has done for us, and it’s that knowledge that changes everything. We now have a new life because of Him.
We’ve been entrusted with this message so that we could share it with others. The message and hope of Jesus is a bright light that illuminates reality.
Jesus also says that people recognize our light through our good deeds. When we go out of our way to love others, we are showing them the light and love of Jesus. Actions that help others opens up opportunities for us to share the hope of Jesus.
There are many ways that you have been equipped in life to share the message of Jesus with others. It might be at work, with your neighbors, with someone in your community, or with your own family. It might be through an act of love, a financial gift, an encouraging word, or random act of kindness, but everything you do should be accompanied by the message of the gospel.
Without love, our actions are meaningless. The most illuminating act of all is loving people like Jesus, so that they might know Him. Today, consider how you can be a light to those around you in how you love.
The Greater Light
The Greater Light
From the gentle sun rays that break through your window in the morning to the headlights that guide you on your way home at night, light is essential to life.
Yet, there is a greater Light than any physical light we know…
In Isaiah 60:1, the prophet speaks of this greater Light. And his words are more than poetry and prophecy; they are a call to action, an encouragement for God's people to find hope—Light, in the midst of darkness (Isaiah 59:9-10):
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you."
Isaiah 60:1
This Light is a beacon of hope, the picture of salvation and spiritual awakening. This Light is the true Light, the Messiah—Jesus Christ. He is the light God’s people needed then (Isaiah 59:9-10), and He is the light our hearts desperately need today.
In a world that can sometimes feel like it’s drowning in darkness—disasters, wars, injustice, and suffering—Isaiah's message is an invitation to embrace God’s true Light of salvation, revealed in the New Testament to be Jesus Christ. Let this light shine brightly within you, driving out the shadows of darkness and illuminating the path for those who don’t yet have this Light.
Pause for a moment. Imagine a world filled with the light of God's love and truth. Can you imagine a place where the light of Christ shines from the windows of every home and lights up every street?
God wants to use you—yes, you—to shine His light. Share His message of hope with somebody today!
True Beauty
True Beauty
In God’s infinite wisdom and creativity, He has crafted magnificent things: watercolor sunsets, awe-inspiring mountains, turquoise oceans, and beautiful people.
Proverbs 31 is a well-known chapter in the Bible about a God-fearing, hard-working, generosity-driven woman.
Interestingly, Proverbs 31 was written by a man—specifically, King Lemuel, although it’s technically advice from his mother that he shared when he was king.
Something that’s not obvious in non-Hebrew languages is that verses 10-31 actually make up an acrostic poem—each verse beginning with one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, successively working their way from aleph to tau (from beginning to end).
Toward the climax of the poem, the author writes:
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
Proverbs 31:30
Deep down we know this to be true, don’t we?
No matter how charming or beautiful someone is, we know that beauty is fleeting. We know that charm will not last. We know that the aging process will eventually run its course.
But there’s barely any mention of this woman’s physical beauty, instead, the focus is on her character—on this woman who fears the Lord.
An earlier Proverb explains that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10)—the humble realization that anything good and wise and pure and true must have come from Him.
So if you know a woman like that—one who loves and respects God, one who honors and cares for people, one who invests wisely and lives purposefully—you might take a moment to thank God for her life. You might even consider how you can be more like her … as she aims to be more like Him.
Forgiven and Free...
Forgiven and Free
John 3:17 comes right after one of the most famous verses in the Bible, and it continues to clarify the manner in which Jesus brings us eternal life. The great gift of God through Jesus comes to all who believe in Jesus as the way to salvation.
John tells us that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world because of its sin, but rather to save the world through His life, death, and resurrection.
It can be easy to feel condemned or guilty because we don’t often see ourselves as worthy of God’s love. But this verse tells us something important—regardless of who you are or what you’ve done, you are loved by God.
God is not trying to make your life difficult. He wants the best for you and desires a relationship with you. He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to the earth to give us grace and life that we did not deserve.
While it is true that Jesus exposes the darkness of this world (John 3:19), anyone who believes in Jesus and follows Him will experience salvation, and all that God has to offer.
If we choose to follow the ways of this world rather than Jesus, then our actions and thoughts will lead us to condemnation and death. But if we follow Jesus and believe in His Word, then we will experience eternal life in relationship with God.
Spend some time thanking God for the amazing gift of eternal life that He's given to you for free. Continue to walk in the light of Jesus—knowing that you are no longer condemned, but forgiven and free!