My Comfort Is Jesus E-Book

Ray Comfort

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: Morning & Evening devotionals
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 862

Beschreibung

Commit your days to the Light of the World. Jesus is more than a role model or powerful historical figure. He is our hope and our joy. Our rock and our crown. My Comfort Is Jesus contains 365 morning and evening devotions, prayers, and suggested Scripture readings to help you journey through the entire Bible in a year. Start your morning with comfort and encouragement in Christ and end your day filled with the peace of his presence.  

Leseprobe

BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC

Savage, Minnesota, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

My Comfort is Jesus: 365 Daily Devotions for Morning and Evening Copyright © 2020 Ray Comfort

978-1-4245-6137-7 (faux leather)

978-1-4245-6138-4 (e-book)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture marked KJV is taken from the King James Version of the Bible, public domain. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. Scripture quotations marked GW are taken from GOD’S WORD®, © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of God’s Word Mission Society.

Stock or custom editions of BroadStreet Publishing titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, ministry, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email [email protected].

Cover and interior by Garborg Design at GarborgDesign.com

Printed in China or the United States of America

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Contents

Introduction

January 1: World’s Best-Selling Book

Breaking the Rules

January 2: God’s Creative Genius

The Wise Seek Him

January 3: The Days of Noah

Angelic News

January 4: Come into the Ark

Point to Jesus

January 5: Trail of Destruction

Can You Imagine?

January 6 : The Lying Issue

Truth in the Heart

January 7 : A Book of Violence

The Teachings of Jesus

January 8 : Those Who Trust God

Speak Up

January 9 : Who Will Inherit Heaven?

The Storms of Life

January 10: God Resists the Proud

Following Heroes

January 11: Hidden in Moses

Taming the Monster

January 12: Secure the Birthright

Free from Sin

January 13: The Good Mother

Loving God above All

January 14: The Great Stone

Children in the Market

January 15 : Sword of Contention

Keeping the Sabbath

January 16: Wrestling with God

Political Correctness

January 17 : Rage and Blindness

We Belong to Him

January 18: Joseph’s Bad Report

When We See Clearly

January 19: Losing Patience

Understanding

January 20: The Two Dreams

An Impetuous Decision

January 21: Honored in Christ

The Other Side

January 22: The Solemn Warning

Eternity

January 23: Joseph’s Revelation

The Only Sign

January 24: Joseph’s Business Sense

Unspeakable Gift

January 25: He Holds the Future

Faithless Generation

January 26 : Blameless

No Longer Lost

January 27 : Suffering

Creation

January 28: God and Justice

Share the Law

January 29: Unspeakable Majesty

Green-Eyed Monster

January 30: Oh Happy Day

The Way Up

January 31: My Redeemer Lives

He Hears

February 1: His Word Is Law

Go into the World

February 2: The Heat of God’s Law

God’s Righteous Anger

February 3: The Hidden Savior

Everything Belongs to God

February 4: Without Sin

God’s Longing

February 5: None Seek after God

We Are Right

February 6: Counsel without Knowledge

Watch for the Day

February 7: Our State before God

Unprofitable Servant

February 8 : Transform Hearts

The Enigma of Judas

February 9: Principles of Evangelism

Bold as Eagles

February 10: Heroes

Friend

February 11: God Made a Difference

The Rooster Crows

February 12: Firstborn Sin

Accursed Weeds

February 13: Another Kingdom

Forsaken for Acceptance

February 14 : Song of Joy

All Authority

February 15: Strike the Rock

Trumpet for the Gospel

February 16 : Perfect Justice

Blood-bought Redemption

February 17: The Door

Instruction

February 18 : Ancient Hebrew Law

The Key to Understanding

February 19: The Ark of the Covenant

The Most Famous Psalm

February 20: Contentment

From Scorn to Worship

February 21: Sons of Aaron

The Importance of Rules

February 22: Six Days of Work

Feed a Multitude

February 23: Promise of Mercy

Uphold God’s Law

February 24: Filled with Wisdom

Speak Clearly

February 25: His Words

Go to the Ant

February 26: Lead Me

We Trust

February 27: A Living Sacrifice

All about Me

February 28: Pain Worthy of Fear

Holding on to Hope

March 1: Sins of Ignorance

Cry Out Louder

March 2: He Is Our Peace

The Lord Needed Him

March 3: When to Say Nothing

Knowing

March 4: What to Eat

In the Morning

March 5: Unclean

It Will Keep You

March 6: The Cleansed Leper

Sender of Plagues

March 7 : The Yoke of Freedom

Hidden Gems

March 8: Precious Blood

Snake in the Grass

March 9: Plead with the Lost

Sin’s Evil Nature

March 10 : God’s Holy Name

The Joy of Trust

March 11: Merciful Judge

We Understand

March 12: The Law of Kindness

Stand in Awe

March 13: Weep for Jerusalem

Incessant Monster

March 14: At War

Those Different Faces

March 15: Silver and Gold

The Humble Shall Hear

March 16: The Gift

Many Afflictions

March 17: The Spirit of Jealousy

False Converts

March 18: Simeon Saw

Rejoicing in God

March 19: Shining the Light

His Father’s Business

March 20 : Witness in the Wilderness

The Righteousness of God

March 21: Never Look Back

Strong Men

March 22 : Giants in the Land

Turn These Verses Around

March 23: Gathering Sticks

Do Not Fret

March 24: Complaints

Roadblock

March 25: The Cross Was Sufficient

Make Me Wise, Lord

March 26: The Serpent on a Pole

The Coming New World

March 27: Strange Stories

Sinners Love Darkness

March 28: Predictable

Signs of God’s Love

March 29: The Will

The Power of Love

March 30: The Ultimate Leader

Remain Silent

March 31: A Difficult Passage

With All Your Heart

April 1: Sin Finds You Out

The Divine Sacrifice

April 2: Inhabitants

Rightly Dividing the Word

April 3 : The Principle of Intent

Strive for Unity

April 4: The Eyes of Faith

The Love of Mercy

April 5 : We Can Do Nothing

The Lord’s Prayer

April 6: Moses Could Not Enter

Instructions

April 7: Train Them Diligently

I Will Rejoice

April 8: The Great Leap

The Logical Conclusion

April 9: Eternal Consequences

The Sharp Sword

April 10: Be Weary of Dreamers

Rebuke a Wise Man

April 11: A Cheerful Giver

Divine Timing

April 12: A Prophet like Moses

Awake! Arise!

April 13: So Help Me God

The Incarnation

April 14: Parenting and Obedience

God’s Standard

April 15: Keep Your Word

Stony Heart

April 16: Blessings of Obedience

A Very Present Help

April 17: The Most Frightening Passage

Clap Your Hands

April 18: One Lord

Riches Profit Not

April 19: Life and Death

Human Praise

April 20: Only One Way

Ultimate Lovingkindness

April 21: The Ultimate Disease

Comfort in Scripture

April 22: The Special Promise

A Well of Life

April 23: The Golden Ark

This Covers Everything

April 24: The Big Shout

Nothing Like Us

April 25: Seek His Counsel

Open Rebuke

April 26: Serve the Kingdom

Take up Your Cross

April 27: The Tragedy of War

The Clean Heart

April 28: Melted Hearts

Make God Your Strength

April 29: Seek the Prize

The Daunting Task

April 30: The Place of Honor

Consistency of Scripture

May 1: Anger and Murder

By Your Name

May 2: He Keeps His Word

David’s Fearful Trial

May 3: In Sincerity and Truth

Past Friends Now Enemies

May 4: Ample Grace

The Word that Offends

May 5: The Worn Path

God’s Intimate Knowledge

May 6: God Honors Women

David’s Cave

May 7: Mighty Man of Valor

Set in Stone

May 8: Gideon’s Army

The Power of Belief

May 9: A Proud Man

Charmed by God

May 10: Friends of the World

Like Hungry Dogs

May 11: God and Numbers

The Angry Psalms

May 12: Samson’s Philistine Wife

No Diploma

May 13: There Is a King

Go and Sin No More

May 14: Stay and Feast

The Last Enemy

May 15: United as One Man

Three Metaphors

May 16: Glean the Field

Punishment for Sin

May 17: The Mind of God

Power to Lay It Down

May 18: Pray with Anguish

John Exalted Jesus

May 19: Honoring the Lord

Delayed Answers

May 20: Dealing with Idols

The Offense of Christ

May 21: Give Us a King

The Power of Celebrity

May 22: Joy and Gratitude

God and His Judgments

May 23: A Heart for Souls

Love Is Patient

May 24: Obedience Is Better

The Only Way

May 25: God Uses Nobodies

God First

May 26: Run at Goliath

Our Responsibility

May 27: Leave the Spear

God Sends the Rain

May 28: How Could This Be?

Shortcuts

May 29: The Higher Road

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

May 30: Take Care Who You Trust

The Will of God

May 31: Not My Home

It Is Finished

June 1: Lies in Eulogies

He Knows Our Name

June 2: Fishers of Men

Zeal for God’s House

June 3: Lame Feet

Give Your All

June 4: He Knows the Hearts

Whoever Calls

June 5: The Church

Lawless Hands

June 6: The Marriage Supper

Walking and Leaping

June 7: David and Bathsheba

A New Peter

June 8: The World’s Threats

Guard Your Heart

June 9: The Use of Parables

The Neglected Task

June 10: Shimei’s Cursing

Choosing Wisely

June 11: The Sin of Ambition

They Forgot Moses

June 12: The Son of David

The Rage of Saul

June 13: Jesus Is Our King

Sin in the Heart

June 14: The Cry of the Humble

The Fruit of Conversion

June 15: The Drink Offering

By All Means

June 16: Be Mature

Repentance to Life

June 17: Shimei’s Foolishness

Tie Your Shoes

June 18: The True Convert

Hardening the Heart

June 19: More Precious than Gold

You Who Fear God

June 20: The Presence of God

The Universal Gospel

June 21: Serious about Sin

He Did Good

June 22: Greater than Solomon

Another Gospel

June 23: Draw on Experience

The John Mark Affair

June 24: Religious Relativism

Opening the Heart

June 25: Perversion in the Land

Not on the Same Side

June 26: Trust in God

Going with Confidence

June 27: Answers by Fire

Speak with Courage

June 28: Mighty in the Scriptures

Paul’s Great Love

June 29: A Simple Answer

The Loving Rebuke

June 30: Why Not God?

Paul’s Consuming Passion

July 1: Instant Access

Don’t Be a Roadblock

July 2: Humility Brings Healing

Use Your Testimony

July 3: The Famine in Samaria

God Is Our Father

July 4: The Compromising Church

He Is with Us

July 5: Felix Called for Paul

Overcome and Triumph

July 6: The Machine Oil

A Certain Jesus

July 7: Father, Forgive Them

Approaching the Blind

July 8: The Loud Voice

Passion in our Tone

July 9: Hezekiah Reigns in Judah

Salt and Light

July 10: The Messengers’ Letter

No Doubt a Murderer

July 11: All Confidence

The Perverse Man

July 12: Shedding Innocent Blood

The Power of God

July 13: Trust His Word

Everyone Knows

July 14: The Personal Miracle

Children of Wrath

July 15: Magnify the Law

The Cure and Disease

July 16: Avoid Contentions

God’s Perspective

July 17: The Inadequacy of Language

God Bows Down

July 18: Abraham Didn’t Waver

In Due Time

July 19: The Law Entered

Faith Produces Joy

July 20: The Daily Battle

The City of God

July 21: Obedience from the Heart

Examine Yourself

July 22: The Function of the Law

Comfort of the Scriptures

July 23: The Higher Law

A Foolish Son

July 24: Everything for Good

The Glory of the Heavens

July 25: Jacob Prevailed with God

Angry at God

July 26: The Gift of Righteousness

Keep the Ladder

July 27: Satisfaction

Salvation Is by Grace

July 28: Forget the Past

Assurance of Salvation

July 29: The Ways of God

The Living Sacrifice

July 30: Overcoming Lust

Hidden in His Word

July 31: Liberty in Christ

No Greater Cause

August 1: The Green Light

Love the Unsaved

August 2: The Joy of Feasting

Our Aim

August 3: Avoid Troublemakers

The Power of His Anger

August 4: The Fear of God

Celebrities of the Faith

August 5: The Foolishness of the Cross

When I’m Weak

August 6: The Mind of Christ

Our Ministers

August 7: Skilled Musicians

Fight Discouragement

August 8: Our Greatest Weapon

The Smooth Flight

August 9: The Issue of War

The Monastery Mentality

August 10: The Open Promise

Great and Terrible Day

August 11: Vanity of Vanities

God’s Wonderful Gift

August 12: God Hears the Humble

First Days

August 13: No More Futility

The Flower of Youth

August 14: What Truly Matters

Woe unto Me

August 15: God of All Creation

The Imperishable Crown

August 16: The Lord’s Great Glory

Flee from Idolatry

August 17: National Healing

In Remembrance of Me

August 18: Jesus and His Bride

Steel Girders

August 19: Unseen Workers

The Love of Jesus

August 20: Be a Peacemaker

The Sweetness of Sin

August 21: Peace on Every Side

The Faithful of the Land

August 22: Trust in the Lord

The Resurrection of Jesus

August 23: Random Chance

The Trumpet Will Sound

August 24: Few Find It

Death Is Swallowed Up

August 25: Urgency

Many Adversaries

August 26: Beware Lest You Fall

The God of Mercies

August 27: Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple

When I See the Blood

August 28: Prioritizing our Time

The Poison of Unforgiveness

August 29: Remember Your Creator

Children of Light

August 30: The Consequences of Pride

The Ministry of Death

August 31: The Faithful Ally

Precious Free Will

September 1: Little Town of Bethlehem

Daily Groaning

September 2: Reason Together

An Acceptable Time

September 3: Divorced from Sin

A Sensitive Conscience

September 4: Calling Good Evil

Godly Sorrow

September 5: A Child Is Born

Keys to Zeal

September 6: The Wells of Salvation

Contagious Zeal

September 7: Warnings

Benefits

September 8: The Kingdom Is Near

The Weapons of Warfare

September 9: The Day of Trouble

Godliness with Contentment

September 10: Perfect Peace

The Abundant Life

September 11: The Fault of Sinners

Thorn in the Flesh

September 12: A Marvelous Work

Lawlessness

September 13: This Is the Way

Self-Examination

September 14: Do You See Him?

The Apostle of Love

September 15: The Seduction of Sin

Saved through Faith

September 16: The Appointment

The Love of God

September 17: A Bruised Reed

The Can of Worms

September 18: We Are His Witnesses

The Loving Father

September 19: What Did God Do?

Valiantly

September 20: A Living Sacrifice

Called to Liberty

September 21: The Learned Tongue

Reaping a Blessing

September 22: Open My Mouth

The Holy Spirit of Promise

September 23: The Universal Call

Hopeless and Helpless

September 24: He Will Not Hear Sin

Rooted and Grounded

September 25: The Mission of Jesus

God’s Special Gifts

September 26: Come Down

The Diagnosis

September 27: The Brethren Who Hate

You Were Once Darkness

September 28: God’s Jealousy

Parents in the Lord

September 29: The Sin of Deism

The Good Seed

September 30: Conduct Worthy of Christ

My Way

October 1: Unfaithful Shepherds

Fear and Trembling

October 2: Treasure in Earthen Vessels

You Delivered My Soul

October 3: The Humble Heart

Sowing and Reaping

October 4: A Horse in Battle

Preeminence

October 5: Knowing the Lord

Preaching a Person

October 6: The Ruined Sash

World or Word?

October 7: Speaking Up for God

The Bond of Perfection

October 8: The Testimony of God

As I Ought to Speak

October 9: A Gospel with Power

Trusted by God

October 10: Hindrances of the Enemy

Appointed to Afflictions

October 11: He Who Has Ears

Comfort Yourselves

October 12: A Mother’s Request

Objective Reality

October 13: Humanity Is Dominant

The Same Message

October 14: The Great Tornado

Fear of the Lord

October 15: Why Didn’t God Intervene?

Run Swiftly and Be Glorified

October 16: The Days Are Coming

The Law’s Lawful Use

October 17: Our True Home

Pray for Leaders

October 18: We Weaken Their Hands

Not a Novice

October 19: The Delusion of Unbelief

Doctrines of Demons

October 20: Not My Will

The Power of Incentive

October 21: Shelter from Perfect Justice

Pursue Righteousness

October 22: God Has the Power

Life and Immortality

October 23: Servant of the Lord

Fire on the Head

October 24: The Goodness of God

The Greatest of Sins

October 25: Come Out of Her

The Well of Bethlehem

October 26: Nothing is Pure

A Well-lit Path

October 27: Rejoice Evermore

Speak These Things

October 28: Is It Nothing?

May I Never Forget

October 29: More than Lamentation

Instructed by the Law

October 30: Great Is Thy Faithfulness

They Will Perish

October 31: How Shall We Escape?

The Lazy Man

November 1: Dereliction of Duty

Proof of God’s Existence

November 2: Enter Your Rest

Personal Earthquake

November 3: The Throne of Grace

The Obedient Soul

November 4: Spiritual Maturity

Saving to the Uttermost

November 5: Utterly Impossible

We Now Have Access

November 6: Separate from Sinners

The Continual Thirst

November 7: God Forgets

The Cleansing Blood

November 8: The Smoke Detector

Better than Secret Love

November 9: The Unwanted Appointment

He Preserves My Soul

November 10: Dry and Thirsty Land

A Body You Prepared

November 11: Parabolic Language

A Fearful Thing

November 12: Moved by Fear

A Contentious Woman

November 13: The Pleasures of Sin

The Snare Is Broken

November 14: Consider Him

Forever His

November 15: The Consuming Fire

Never in Vain

November 16: Priorities in the Pulpit

Lawful Lawlessness

November 17: Warning Every Man

The Mirror for Humanity

November 18: Woe to the Shepherds

The Perfect Law

November 19: The New Covenant

The Cruel Plowers

November 20: Goats among Sheep

Sin Blinds Sinners

November 21: Let Him Know

My Longing Soul

November 22: Love Demands This

Search Me, O God

November 23: The Christian Life

Love Will Plead

November 24: Christ Has Once Suffered

More Favor

November 25: Drinking Parties

Into the Dessert

November 26: He Cares for You

Lift Up Your Hands

November 27: The Latter Days

Give Us Souls

November 28: Open Doors

The Latter End

November 29: Writing on the Wall

Know This First

November 30: The Heart of Man

Truth in Love

December 1: The Mystery of Prophecy

The Fire-Breathing Dragon

December 2: Confidence before God

Willful Sinning

December 3: Casting Stones

The Fountain of Love

December 4: Perfect Love Rejects Fear

Your Word Is Magnified

December 5: Walk in Wisdom

Those Who Believe

December 6: Seek First the Kingdom

Heart of Discernment

December 7: Return to Me

The Fruit of Humility

December 8: The Crown of Life

Holy Fear

December 9: The Lowly Donkey

He Who Lives

December 10: Laughter to Mourning

Hatred of Evil

December 11: Keep from Idols

The Helmet of Salvation

December 12 : Perfect Justice

The Lukewarm

December 13: The Good Fight

Beyond Words

December 14: The Greatest Warrior

The Lost Generation

December 15: Blemished Sacrifices

I Am Your Servant

December 16: A Tight Heart

Thoughtfully Created

December 17 : The Body of Christ

Blessing the Nation

December 18: Built upon Christ

Lessons from the Animals

December 19: Exceedingly Glad

Two Witnesses

December 20: Praying for Authority

Everlasting Kingdom

December 21: Seek Wisdom

The Gift of Reason

December 22: The Virtue of Fasting

Drink for the Dying

December 23: Pagan Wives

Trust Only in God

December 24: Shrinking a Problem

Hope in His Mercy

December 25: Bolt the Fish Gate

True and Faithful Witness

December 26: God-Fearing Governors

The Bride of Christ

December 27: The Moral Law

Established Forever

December 28: Remember History

The Second Coming

December 29: Neglect

Offer of Mercy

December 30: The Massive Choir

All Things New

December 31: The Bright & Morning Star

Praise the Lord

About the Author

Introduction

One day, I was about to get into my car in the parking lot of our ministry when I spotted a deliveryman on his way to his truck. I was determined to share the gospel with him.

“Here’s a five-dollar gift card if you will let me speak to you for just one minute,” I said boldly, thrusting the In-N-Out Burger gift card into his hand.

Instead of looking joyful, he looked confused.

“Do you speak English?” I asked.

He didn’t. Sometimes things don’t go the way we plan. Life is like that.

Writing this devotional didn’t go the way I planned. As soon as I began, I realized what a mammoth task lay before me. I suddenly had great empathy for Charles Spurgeon when he wrote his classic devotional, Morning and Evening (published in 1865). The prince of preachers penned it without the convenience of modern technology. Not that I’m comparing myself to Spurgeon. I’m not worthy—neither intellectually nor spiritually—to wash his socks. Still, writing his book must have been a massive task. Let me explain why.

When I began writing books back in the late 1970s, if I wanted to do research on a particular subject, I would have to drive to a local library and tell the librarian what I needed. The librarian would then direct me to the appropriate area, where I would search through different publications until I found a quote, which I would photocopy, take home, and then incorporate into my book. What took me hours then now takes only seconds. I search the internet, scroll through the results, and find the information that fits my topic. Done. Without ever leaving home.

Even with the speed of the internet, I found the writing process for My Comfort Is Jesus a daunting task. It was three times the size of a standard book and required 730 daily devotional readings that were not only different from each other but also interesting. The mountainous task only grew larger with my determination to find a talking point in every portion of Scripture. Only once or twice did I stare at verses like a deer in headlights, and when that happened, I gratefully leaned on the wisdom of Spurgeon and Matthew Henry.

Let me share another secret about how I managed to write this devotional in just a few months. I built a literal wall between myself and my wonderful wife. It was fifteen inches high and just shy of three feet long. It was lightweight, painted black, and had a high-powered magnet on one end. I placed another high-powered magnet on the headboard of our bed, and each night, after we read Scriptures and prayed together, the wall would go up. That allowed me to write from my bed for hours in the middle of the night without disturbing Sue. It was wonderful. I would wake up around midnight, pray for thirty minutes, climb back into bed, and write my little heart out.

My Comfort is Jesus isn’t simply the title of this devotional book; it’s a testimony. Jesus is more than a role model or a great historical figure. He is my life, my hope, my joy, my rock, my first love, my comfort, and my crown. I hope he is that to you as well, and I hope that you enjoy this devotional as much as I enjoyed writing it.

JANUARY 1

World’s Best-Selling Book

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.

GENESIS 1:1–2

Morning Reading: Genesis 1; Genesis 2:1–17

If someone you know believes in evolution, ask them this question: “Do you know which publication is the best-selling book of all time?” It’s the Bible. It gives us our history. In a dark world where ignorance as to our origin prevails, it gives us light. Brilliant and clear light. The Bible doesn’t say “In the beginning…perhaps…maybe…possibly,” as evolution theorists are forced to say. It states facts.

This is the Word of our Creator, and his Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. In a lost world, it gives us direction. When generations have been told that their lives have neither rhyme nor reason to exist—that they are nothing more than the mindless products of a thoughtless explosion of nothing in space—the Bible provides meaning for their existence. It tells them that God was in the beginning, and it was he who said, “Let there be light.”

Father, please let me be light for someone in darkness today. Let my words help a lost soul to find a new beginning in Christ.

Breaking the Rules

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.

MATTHEW 1:1–2

Evening Reading: Matthew 1:1–25; Psalm 1:1–6

When actor Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived in Hollywood in the late 1970s, he broke all the rules. In those days, actors needed a name that was easy to remember, a great speaking voice, and the ability to act. People could hardly pronounce his name, let alone remember it. His thick accent was hard to understand, and in those days, he arguably couldn’t act. He didn’t need any of those things actors supposedly needed—probably because he had a body like Mr. Universe, which was a title Schwarzenegger held at the young age of twenty. He had the goods.

The New Testament breaks all the rules when it comes to writing books. A good book should begin with a strong opening that grabs the reader’s attention, but the New Testament doesn’t do that. Instead, the book of Matthew begins with genealogies—names that are hard to pronounce and remember. But it can break the rules because it has the goods. It tells us how we can find everlasting life, and those who realize they will die one day don’t need a compelling hook. Death is enough incentive to search the Scriptures.

Father, thank you for another day of life.

JANUARY 2

God’s Creative Genius

The Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

GENESIS 2:18

Morning Reading: Genesis 2:18–25; Genesis 3; Genesis 4:1–16

It was God who said that it wasn’t good for man to be alone, so he made a woman to keep him company. Neither of them was a hairy primate, nor were they swinging through the trees and grunting. They weren’t beasts without moral understanding. The first woman was no doubt a breathtaking thing of beauty. God made Adam first, and then he made someone to help him. God knew that no man can do well in life without the help of a good woman.

Evolution is the epitome of thoughtlessness, and those who embrace it as a credible explanation of our origin aren’t thinking deeply. It leaves more than one or two open-ended questions, such as how the first man found the first woman if his eyes weren’t fully evolved. Eyes don’t function unless they are complete. Neither does a heart or lungs or a brain. How did this lone, blind, breathless, thoughtless, heartless first primate find a mate to keep the species going? The answer to this question is that there isn’t one. That’s why, when asked how a myriad of impossibilities happened, believers of evolution admit that they don’t know.

Father, open my eyes today to the genius of your creative hand.

The Wise Seek Him

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.

MATTHEW 2:9

Evening Reading: Matthew 2:1–18; Psalm 2:1–12

A wise man once said that wise men still seek God. In the blackness they see the brightness of his star. Jesus stood out from the moment of his conception. The wise seek him because no other name is given among men whereby they may be saved from death. His wonderful words were without precedent, and those who are wise build their house upon the rock of his Word. The foolish ignore him—too busy with the cares of this life to be concerned with the next. Heaven is the last thing on their minds.

God offers eternal life, and his offer is universal. Whosoever will may come. That includes Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, agnostics, and atheists. Yet a considerable portion of humanity chooses to remain in the dark. Tears should fill our eyes at such a reality because we know that they run from the pleasures of heaven and instead walk toward the pains of hell. We empathize with them because we, too, once walked in their shoes.

Father, wash me of anything that tried to cling to my soul this day.

JANUARY 3

The Days of Noah

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

GENESIS 6:5

Morning Reading: Genesis 4:17–26; Genesis 5; Genesis 6

Matthew 24:37–39 is quite specific when it speaks of the end of the age: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Too many souls in the world are busy living life without the slightest concern of their need for the Savior. They unknowingly hold a hand grenade with the pinned pulled out. In Noah’s day, God saw that the wickedness of man was great and that every thought and imagination of the human heart was evil. Do you recognize a similar condition in the modern world? All around us today, we see the ways in which evil has exploded across the earth. Few look toward the heavens and ask, “What does God require of me?”

Father, help me to uphold Jesus—as the door of the ark.

Angelic News

When Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.”

MATTHEW 2:19–20

Evening Reading: Matthew 2:19–23; Matthew 3, Psalm 3:1–8

Herod died. No doubt his death finally answered the prayers of many of God’s people. What sort of monster would slaughter a mass of innocent children in an attempt to kill one tiny baby? But Herod did just that. The king wanted Jesus dead at any cost. Now he was dead, and Joseph heard the breaking news directly from an angel of the Lord during a vivid dream, in which the angel said, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead” (Matthew 2:20).

He wasn’t the first Joseph to have a divine dream. Many years earlier his namesake dreamed of the sun, the moon, the stars, and bundles of wheat. He also interpreted others’ dreams about grapes, wine, baskets of bread, fat cows, and thin cows (see Genesis 37 and 40). The instructions for both Josephs came in dreams; our instructions come straight from Jesus: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

Father, may any dreams I have this night glorify you.

JANUARY 4

Come into the Ark

The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.”

GENESIS 7:1

Morning Reading: Genesis 7; Genesis 8; Genesis 9:1–17

God told Noah that judgment would come after seven days (see Genesis 7:4–5). To the Lord, a single day is the equivalent of one thousand years (see 2 Peter 3:8). For a long seven thousand years, God has been warning humanity that judgment is coming. From Adam, whose conscience gave him a consciousness of sin, to contemporary humanity—every human being knows that a higher moral law exists. And we know this because God has given us light in the form of the work of the law written upon our hearts (see Romans 2:15).

In other words, we are without excuse and should seek God for his mercy. And those who seek him will find him if they search with all their heart (see Jeremiah 29:13). Noah feared God and did all that God commanded him to do. If we love and fear God, then we must do the same. That includes reaching out to those who will perish without the mercy of Christ.

Father, help me to remember this day that you will bring every work to judgment, including every secret thing.

Point to Jesus

Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

MATTHEW 4:1–2

Evening Reading: Matthew 4:1–22; Proverbs 1:1–7

Jesus prepared himself for ministry with a forty day fast. And because of his life, death, and resurrection, all we need is the new birth and a prepared attitude. We don’t need years of formal training. The moment a soul comes to know Jesus of Nazareth, like the woman at the well, they can point a dying world to the living Christ.

Jesus said to the woman, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly” (John 4:16–18). He used the moral law to help the woman understand her sin (see Romans 3:19–20, 7:7). The Bible says that once she acknowledged that he was the promised Messiah, “The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city and came to Him” (John 4:28–30).

Father, I trust today that I pointed someone to Jesus.

JANUARY 5

Trail of Destruction

Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.

GENESIS 9:20–21

Morning Reading: Genesis 9:18–29; Genesis 10; Genesis 11:1–9

Alcohol impaired Noah’s good judgment, and he embarrassed himself. But worse than that, his exploit was recorded in the world’s best-selling book for humanity to read for centuries to come. Alcohol wrecks good reputations. It not only caused grief in Noah’s family, but it has also been responsible for untold misery and death throughout history.

As Proverbs 20:1 reads, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whosoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). The wise consider alcohol’s trail of destruction before putting its poison to their lips. When we succumb to the temptation of substances that produce fleeting feelings of joy or numbness from worldly pain, we often experience lifelong repercussions. Instead, when we want to increase happiness or need relief from sadness or pain, we should turn to the Lord.

Father, help me to stay away from anything that would bring disrepute to the gospel.

Can You Imagine?

Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

MATTHEW 4:23

Evening Reading: Matthew 4:23–25; Matthew 5:1–20; Psalm 4:1–8

Do you ever imagine what it would have been like during the time Jesus walked in Galilee? Imagine hearing his gracious words as he taught in their synagogues, as he preached the gospel of the kingdom, and as he healed all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. What a joy it must have been to see sick people and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics receive complete healing. What would it have been like to see a dead person, surrounded by mourners, suddenly raised from the dead? Tears of joy must have flowed like a river.

Even though we can only imagine what it must have been like to be there, we have the next best thing: the precious set of writings called the New Testament, which tells us what Jesus both did and taught. We are privy, like a fly on the wall, to intimate conversations and behind-the-scenes happenings with Jesus and his disciples—in meticulous detail.

Father, thank you for your wonderful Word. Never let me doubt so much as one syllable.

JANUARY 6

The Lying Issue

Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.

GENESIS 12:13

Morning Reading: Genesis 11:10–32; Genesis 12; Genesis 13

Perhaps some are right when they try to justify Abraham in his deceitfulness. They believe he had good reason to lie since he feared for his life. This becomes a dilemma for many of us. Would we lie to save our lives? As Christians, are we bound to always speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help us God?

If we were in Nazi Germany and the Nazis asked if we were hiding Jews, would we say, “Yes, we’ve got three upstairs in a secret closet”? Do we then become responsible for the death of those three Jews, who would have lived had we lied? Fortunately, we do have a precedent in Scripture where the midwives lied to the Pharaoh because they didn’t want to kill the male children. And the Scripture says that what they did pleased God (see Exodus 1:15–21). Meanwhile, each of us needs to listen to our conscience, know the Scriptures, and pray for wisdom in the face of difficult moral dilemmas that come our way.

Father, this day I need your wisdom so that I always do what is right in your eyes.

Truth in the Heart

I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

MATTHEW 5:28

Evening Reading: Matthew 5:21–42; Psalm 5:1–12

The Sermon on the Mount is without question the greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest preacher who ever lived. It was a prophetic fulfillment of the promised Messiah, magnifying God’s law and making it honorable (see Isaiah 42:21). The religious leaders had dishonored it and made it vain so that it had lost its power to bring the knowledge of sin to those who heard it. Jesus changed that by showing that the moral law not only requires us to account for our actions but also for the words we have spoken, the intent in our hearts, and the deeds done in darkness.

Most of the world thinks the Sermon on the Mount is a heartwarming sermon when it’s truly the opposite. It convicts us. It shows us how far we have fallen short of the glory of God. Those who try to be justified by it are trying to leap across the Grand Canyon with their legs tied. It’s impossible for imperfect souls to keep a perfect law. But used rightly, the Sermon on the Mount acts as a mirror to show us our true sinful state, and it sends us to the cleansing blood of the cross.

Father, I praise you for the wonderful Sermon on the Mount.

JANUARY 7

A Book of Violence

When Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.

GENESIS 14:14

Morning Reading: Genesis 14; Genesis 15; Genesis 16

The Bible is filled with violence. The Old Testament in particular recounts war after war throughout the history of Israel and its neighboring countries. The Scriptures don’t hide the wickedness of humanity; they expose it and warn us that God has set aside a day in which he will judge every person who has committed evil deeds.

Some people maintain that religion is the greatest cause of wars in history, but this isn’t true. According to the Encyclopedia of Wars, only about 8 percent of wars throughout history have been religious. That means that 92 percent of wars in history were secular by nature, such as the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Hundreds of millions of people have lost their precious lives simply because evil men wanted power—to conquer and reign. And as long as sin reigns, war, too, will continue to be an inevitable and tragic stain on human history.

Father, don’t let me war with anyone this day but the enemy of my soul.

The Teachings of Jesus

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies.

MATTHEW 5:43–44

Evening Reading: Matthew 5:43–48; Matthew 6:1–24; Psalm 6

Unnatural is the appropriate word to describe what Jesus taught. It’s unnatural for someone to love those who hate him. The world teaches us to render evil for evil. It’s your right; however, love gives up that right. It means that you do good to the nastiest people you know. Over the years when I’ve tried to live by this rule, I’ve seen amazing results (see “Crazy Bible” on YouTube), and other times I’ve seen no visible results. Still, we shouldn’t show love and kindness solely for the purpose of being kind to people but because Jesus said to do it. It was for good reason.

Look at why he said we should do this: “Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44–45). We will act like our Father if we have been born of his Spirit.

Father, I am so grateful that I can call you my Father. Let me always unnaturally imitate you.

JANUARY 8

Those Who Trust God

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

GENESIS 17:1–2

Morning Reading: Genesis 17; Genesis 18; Matthew 6:25–34

Abraham’s claim to fame was that he trusted God, and he who trusts God walks in peace. In Matthew 6, Jesus spoke about having that sort of trust. Without faith we default to worry and its bad bedfellow, fear. In this passage, Jesus cites food and clothing as chief concerns, and then he directs our attention to the birds as an example of God’s providence.

Have we taken the time to consider how rare it is to see an underweight bird or one that lacks feathers? More often, we see healthy birds that are fed and clothed, and Jesus said that God is the One who provides for them: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26). Every time we see birds or hear them singing, it should remind us of our Father’s love and provision for us. And that should give us instant peace in our hearts.

Father, remind me today to listen to the sound of birds, to trust you, and to walk in peace.

Speak Up

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

MATTHEW 7:1–2

Evening Reading: Matthew 7:1–23; Proverbs 1:8–19

Whenever we make a moral judgment, this verse is often thrown back at us, as though Jesus is saying that we must remain silent because we have no right to judge. Context, however, puts the words in their rightful place. It’s always wise to observe to whom Jesus is directing his words: “First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5).

Jesus isn’t saying that Christians shouldn’t acknowledge that it is wrong to lie, steal, commit adultery, or engage in any other sin. These things are clearly wrong, and that’s a moral judgment based on the teachings of Scripture. In the end, it will not be us but God who will have the final judgment on the people who practice such acts without repenting and turning to Christ. Here, the context of what Jesus is saying is that we are not to judge our brothers and sisters in Christ. We have the liberty and the obligation to correct a Christian brother if he is sinning but not if we are doing the same thing.

Father, show me if I compromised with sin in any way today.

JANUARY 9

Who Will Inherit Heaven?

They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.

GENESIS 19:11

Morning Reading: Genesis 19; Genesis 20:1–18

The Bible is very clear about those given to any sexual sin: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.” (1 Corinthians 6:9).

Among the sexual sins is a strange bedfellow: idolatry. Idolaters are those who create and worship their own image of God. They often say things like, “My god is one of love and mercy. He doesn’t condemn people to hell.” In their minds, such a belief gives them license to remove their clothes and dance around their golden calf, as did Israel when they invented their own image of God (see Exodus 32). Idols don’t have a list of commandments telling us right from wrong. And those who give themselves to sexual sin almost always do so because they misunderstand God’s holy nature.

Father, help me to be free from any form of idolatry today.

The Storms of Life

Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

MATTHEW 7:24

Evening Reading: Matthew 7:24–29; Matthew 8:1–22; Psalm 7:1–9

Life is filled with sudden, frightening storms that appear out of nowhere. We call them problems. Some are big, and some are small. Some days our problems are a distant rolling thunder, and we are able to handle them. Other days, we feel as if lightning has suddenly struck us, or we feel so overcome by some seemingly insurmountable problem that we believe we are drowning in a flash flood.

These problems can appear in the form of a nagging pain with which we learn to live or the sudden death of a loved one. It is, therefore, essential that you and I build our houses on the solid rock of Jesus’ teachings. This is more than an intellectual acceptance of his words. It is an implicit trust in Jesus and his immutable promises that Scripture says are both sure and steadfast. If we trust in the living Savior and obey his Word, we have his personal assurance that we will not fall. He will uphold us, and there’s no higher authority. We may shake and rattle, but we will not fall.

Father, as I lay down to sleep this night, I rest in your promises and enjoy great peace because of them.

JANUARY 10

God Resists the Proud

It came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

GENESIS 22:1

Morning Reading: Genesis 21; Genesis 22; Genesis 23

It’s easy to see how proud skeptics can read the Bible and find nothing of value. If they do not seek truth, they will find what they believe are errors. But those who read accounts, such as this one of Abraham and Isaac, and do so with an attitude of humility are sure to discover wonderful truths.

Abraham willingly gave Isaac back to God because his Creator owned his son. The great truth that we own nothing sets us free from inordinate affection (loving anything more than we love God). He owns my wife, my life, my children, and my dog. There is nothing that I have that I didn’t receive. He made all these things and entrusted me with them. With this knowledge, it’s not hard to present myself as a living sacrifice because it’s my reasonable service: “I beseech you… that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

Father, today I present myself to you again as a living sacrifice. Use me this day.

Following Heroes

When He got into a boat, his disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves.

MATTHEW 8:23–24

Evening Reading: Matthew 8:23–34; Matthew 9:1–13; Psalm 7:10–17

When Jesus climbed into a boat, his disciples followed him. They followed him because they not only loved him and believed in him, but they also knew that he alone had the words of eternal life. And we follow this same Jesus for the same reasons—both in his Word and through the Spirit. We follow him as we read his amazing words recorded in Scripture. No human in history ever did the things he did or said the things he said. We follow him to the tomb of Lazarus, and he raises the dead. And we follow him as he rebukes the tempestuous wind and the raging sea, and nature obeys him.

The world follows its heroes who, in time, die and become inanimate bronze statues or have their names and deeds recorded in history books. But we serve a risen Christ, One to whom death itself bowed the knee. Nothing and no one could ever compare to this wonderful Jesus of Nazareth, who gives us light in our life and calms our storms.

Father, I praise you this night that I serve a risen Savior.

JANUARY 11

Hidden in Moses

He said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.”

GENESIS 24:12

Morning Reading: Genesis 24:1–67

Abraham sent his servant to look for a bride for his only son, Isaac. The faithful servant took ten of his master’s camels and journeyed to a foreign land. Then the servant prayed that God would give him a sign: “Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master” (Genesis 24:14).

God sent his Holy Spirit to search out a virgin bride for his Son. Those who come do so to satisfy the Ten Commandments as they thirst for eternal justice. They don’t come to the Savior because they have a marriage problem they need fixed. They don’t come to the cross to rid themselves of a drug or drinking problem. Nor do they respond to the gospel because they have a God-shaped vacuum in their hearts that can’t be filled with vices. They come because they realize they have sinned against God. They have violated the Ten Commandments, and they seek God’s oceans of mercy for the forgiveness of their sins.

Father, guide me today as you did Abraham’s servant.

Taming the Monster

The disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

MATTHEW 9:14–15

Evening Reading: Matthew 9:14–38; Psalm 8:1–9

Fasting isn’t the most exciting of practices because we enjoy eating. Consuming food that pleases our taste buds gives us great joy. It makes the daily grind of life almost worth the effort. But when that three-times-a-day joy is removed, we can easily become depressed and have to deliberately lift ourselves up from the valley. However, the alternative to having self-control is to yield to the monster of appetite, and that can be very dangerous. It does us good to say to the wants of the body, “Enough. No further.”

The practice of fasting can help us pull in the reigns and halt the runaway horse that our desires sometimes become. Fasting a meal here and there also humbles us. The psalmist said, “I humbled my soul with fasting.” Going without our beloved food shows us our weakness and reminds us of the power of sin.

Father, thank you for being my true source of strength.

JANUARY 12

Secure the Birthright

Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”

GENESIS 25:32

Morning Reading: Genesis 25; Genesis 26

Jesus said that unless we are born again, we will not enter the kingdom of God (see John 3:1–3). This is more than attending your local church, being baptized, reading your Bible, doing good works, or having an intellectual belief in Jesus. We are born again when we repent and entirely trust in Jesus for our eternal salvation. When that experience happens, we are made new creatures in Christ, old things pass away, and everything becomes new (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Esau sold his precious birthright. He thought lightly of it and even despised it. Don’t do that with your second birthright. Religious people sometimes despise the new birth and believe it’s beneath them. In reality, it’s their own sin that holds them back. Don’t let an appetite for sin keep you from salvation. Jesus has made a way for you to live forever with him, and that will only happen through the new birth. Esau wanted instant gratification. He didn’t think ahead. He never thought of what God wanted for him. Don’t fall into that same trap. Think ahead. Think into the eternal. Repent and trust alone in him, and he will make everything new.

Father, I trust alone in Jesus for my eternal salvation. Today let me live as a new creation in Christ.

Free from Sin

Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

MATTHEW 10:28,

Evening Reading: Matthew 10:1–31; Proverbs 1:20–33

Fear and love are not opposed to each other. The words of Jesus are designed to put the fear of God in our hearts, and they certainly do if we believe them. Even if we don’t, they still hold true. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. If we don’t fear our Creator, we haven’t begun to be wise. And the way to fear God is to understand his holiness. He’s without sin, which means he is just. And since he is just, he will bring every work to judgment including every secret thing, whether it is good or evil.

Those of us who hold these statements as truths keep our hearts free from sin. And the way to keep our hearts free from sin is to obey Scripture when it tells us to guard our hearts with diligence, for out of it are the issues of life (see Proverbs 4:23). Then immediately after these verses that make us tremble, Jesus spoke of the Father’s great love for his children. And he proved this great love for us beyond doubt at the cross (see Romans 5:8). We can walk in his fear and at the same time bask in his love.

Father, may I tremble this night at the thought of you and at the same time reflect on your love for me.

JANUARY 13

The Good Mother

Therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you. Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves.

GENESIS 27:8–9

Morning Reading: Genesis 27; Genesis 28:1–22

Rebekah favored Jacob and, like a good mother, wanted the best for him. In truth, she did him a great disservice. She wanted him to have God’s blessing, but to get it, she abandoned the path of righteousness. We can’t expect the God of perfect righteousness to bless that which is evil. Rebekah lied to her husband and persuaded her son to deceive his father and dishonor him. In doing so, she created grief for her precious family.

May we never forsake the right way because we want our own way. This was the way of Adam, Eve, Cain, David, Solomon, and so many others who reaped pain because of what their actions sowed. Let their error be signposts of where not to go. The key to walking in righteousness is to have our own Gethsemane experience where we cry out to God in genuine repentance, saying, “Not my will but yours be done.” In doing so we spare ourselves and those around us of grief by always looking to God for his direction.

Father, today let my ways have your smile.

Loving God above All

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

MATTHEW 10:37

Evening Reading: Matthew 10:32–42; Matthew 11:1–15; Psalm 9:1–6

Jesus used hyperbole, which is extreme exaggeration, to describe our walk with God, and this same literary device is often used in Scripture. Every affection we have in this life should seem like hatred compared to the love that we have for our Creator. Our love for our precious mother, father, brothers, sisters, and our own lives should pale in comparison to the love we have for the One who gave the wonderful gifts of our loved ones to us. To love anything more than we love our God is to set our affections on the gift rather than the Giver.

Prioritizing God first in our affections guards us from loving the pleasures of sin. All those who fall into sin do so because they fail to love him above all things. Everything we are and have comes from his kindness. How could we not love him as we should? Loving the One who gave us life is easy once we see the love he demonstrated for us at the cross.

Father, help me this night to realize that everything I am and own comes from your gracious hand.

JANUARY 14

The Great Stone

He looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth.

GENESIS 29:2

Morning Reading: Genesis 29; Genesis 30

Jacob came upon a well that was blocked by a great stone. The shepherds living in the area would roll the stone away and water the flocks of sheep from the well. Many years later, a great stone blocked a tomb, and when that stone was rolled away, the great Shepherd then gave living water to his sheep. When life came to Jesus in the tomb, it meant that God had opened the wells of salvation to souls dying in sin. Now we have the hope of eternal life. Now we can face each day without fear.

Don’t let the fear of man rob you of the opportunity to share the gospel with an unsaved person. Roll the stone away for someone who is living in the dark. Work with the Holy Spirit and with angels that have been sent for those who are the heirs of salvation (see Hebrews 1:14). Ask those around you what they think happens after death, let them share their thoughts, and then present the gospel. You can do this. All you need is love.

Father, give me two prepared hearts today: my own and one who will listen to the gospel.

Children in the Market

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!”