Daily Devotionals

Devotional - Walking With Jesus

2026-10-09T04:58:00Z

WALKING WITH JESUS Friday - October 9, 2026

“But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” – 1 John 2:5-6

David Peterson wrote: “A TV reporter became interested in the Apollo trips to the moon—what did they talk about? He was surprised to find how much conversation was devoted to course corrections. Apparently, the lunar spacecraft was off course something like 85% of the time. When I asked a friend who was heavily involved in the Apollo missions if this was true, he told me it was. Once leaving the earth's orbit, because of limitations of fuel, the spacecraft mostly drifted, unpropelled to the moon. But occasionally, small retro-rockets were fired to correct the course. It's not a bad description of the Christian walk.”

When we walk with Jesus, our lives are transformed. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for new life in Him and seek to walk continually with the Lord.

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.” – Helen Keller

God’s Word: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” – John 13:15

DEVOTIONS IN LETTERS OF JOHN

Devotional - Born A Rebel

2026-10-08T04:58:00Z

“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.” – 1 John 2:3

Adam S. McHugh wrote the following: “It would seem that hearing is but a narrow channel pouring into the deep sea of doing. Yet the etymological dictionary taught me that the sharp distinction between hearing and doing is the result of human beings tearing asunder what belongs together. For this is its lesson: the words listen and obey have the same root. In Latin, the word “obey” would not exist without the word “listen.” The word we translate into English as “obedience” literally means a “listening from below.” Obedience is a deep listening, a listening of the whole person, a hearing with your ears and with your heart and with your arms and legs.”

We are all naturally born rebels. It takes a supernatural rebirth through Jesus Christ to be obedient to the Lord and to love his commands. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for His goodness and His commandments and seek to follow Him with all of your heart.

"The secret of true obedience is the clear and close personal relationship to God. All our attempts after full obedience will be failures until we get access to his abiding fellowship. It is God's holy presence consciously abiding with us that keeps us from disobeying Him. I must consciously include the Lord in every thought, activity, and conversation until the habit is established." - Andrew Murray

God’s Word: “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” – John 14:15

DEVOTIONS IN LETTERS OF JOHN

Devotional - Our Defense

2026-10-07T04:58:00Z

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” – 1 John 2:1

In 1829, Martin Van Buren, then governor of New York, wrote the following to the president: The canal system of this country is being threatened by the spread of a new form of transportation known as ‘railroads. ’The federal government must preserve our canals for these reasons: If canal boats are supplanted by railroads, serious unemployment will result. Captains, cooks, drivers, hostlers, repairmen and lock tenders will be left without any means of livelihood. Canal boats are essential to our defense. In the event of trouble with England, the Erie Canal could be the only means by which we could move supplies … The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel through the countryside at the breakneck speed of 15 miles per hour.

In Jesus Christ, we have a supporter and a family member who can speak to the Father in our defense. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He is Righteous and confess your sin to Him.

“If we sin, we’re not written off the list or kicked out of the family, for we have an advocate, a defense attorney in Jesus Christ.” – Jon Courson

God’s Word: “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” – Romans 8:34

DEVOTIONS IN LETTERS OF JOHN

Devotional - The Need To Confess Sins

2026-10-06T04:58:00Z

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9

In a way, the Reformation began in one monk's overwhelming guilt. Martin Luther was riddled with guilt and filled with anxiety because he could see that he could not live up to God's standard of righteousness. God's righteousness stood above him like a sword of Damocles, as he scrupulously tried to unearth and confess every one of his sins—again and again—afraid that he might overlook a transgression. Instead of a few minutes in confession, he would spend hours in the confessional. The guilt tormented him to the point that he later reported that he "hated the righteous God who punishes sinners." It was that same guilt, however, that worse out his confessors, that sent him into Romans—that justification comes by faith made him feel that he was "altogether born again and had entered paradise through open gates." Luther's liberation through the doctrine of justification by grace through faith—not by our own efforts or work—is a story which can offer this liberation anew to people suffering with guilt today. With Luther, we can have confidence, trusting in the work of Jesus Christ rather than in our own.

If we confess our sins to Jesus, he is faithful to forgive us of our sins. Today in prayer, confess your sins to the Lord and know He is faithful to forgive you and to purify you from all unrighteousness.

“The confession of evil works is the beginning of good works.” – Augustine

God’s Word: “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13

DEVOTIONS IN LETTERS OF JOHN

Devotional - Deceiving Ourselves

2026-10-05T04:58:00Z

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” – 1 John 1:8

Bill Tell wrote: “A number of years ago I was discipling a young man who had recently been released from the state’s juvenile detention center. As a teenager he had been hooked on drugs, and he had resorted to stealing to support his habit. His behavior had resulted in a new, unwanted identity. Standing before the judge, he likely heard something like this: “You stole (behavior), you are a thief (identity).” Not only was he declared guilty of law-breaking behavior, he was condemned as a thief. Parents often follow the same pattern with their children. A young teen comes home from school with another disappointing grade. Perhaps they got a speeding ticket. I’ve talked with countless students whose fathers’ words still haunt and define them: “You failed again (behavior) . . . you really blew it (behavior) . . . you are a failure (identity) . . . you are a disappointment (identity).” They were given identities based on their behavior. You sin, therefore you are a sinner. For those of us who are believers, is this a true statement? The behavioral part is certainly true: we still sin. A lot. The apostle Paul, writing as a mature believer, laments in Romans 7:19 that “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” Likewise, the apostle John wrote, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8). But what about the last part of the statement: you sin, therefore you are a sinner? Is this part true of a follower of Jesus? Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes that “what is worse than doing evil is being evil.” Paul openly admitted he still did evil but rejoiced that God did not consider him an evil person. He continues on in Romans 8:1: “There is . . . no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This is the absurd and exhilarating good news of the gospel: our identity is no longer based on our behavior; it is based on the behavior of Jesus! This is why we are called “saints” (for example, Romans 1:7). Our identity is not that of sinners trying hard to become saints. We are saints (because of Jesus’ behavior) who, like Paul, continue to do things we hate—and sometimes sadly don’t hate.”

We should not deceive ourselves. Today in prayer, confess your sins to Jesus Christ and seek His grace.

"The problem with people who have no vices, is that you can be fairly certain that they have some pretty annoying virtues!" – Elizabeth Taylor

God’s Word: “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” – Lamentations 3:40

DEVOTIONS IN LETTERS OF JOHN

Devotional - Walk In The Light

2026-10-02T04:58:00Z

“If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:6-7

Paula Huston wrote: “In the great scheme of things, light is actually quite rare. Geo-physicists tell us that 71 percent of the earth’s surface lies under the ocean, which means that most of our planet abides in eternal darkness. Astrophysicists add that over 95 percent of the total mass and energy content of the universe is “dark,” which means that it is entirely invisible to us. Since our earliest beginnings, we have indeed been a people dwelling in a land of gloom and living under the shadow of death.

No wonder the predominant symbol in the Christmas story is light. The people who walk in great darkness now see a great light. The glory of the Lord shines down upon the shepherds. The great star of Bethlehem sheds its light over the manger where the child sleeps, illuminating the way west for the wise men and their camels. Epiphany, which commemorates their journey, is known in Greek as “The Day of Lights.” Leo the Great says that for those who had no idea of what was about to happen, it must have been as though Jesus arrived “from a very remote and deep seclusion,” spreading light in his wake.”

We need to put our relationship with Jesus Christ first in our lives and when we walk in His light, all of our relationships will be correct. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for His fellowship and seek to follow Him in all that you do.

“A habit of devout fellowship with God is the spring of all our life, and the strength of it.” – H. E. Manning

God’s Word: “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” – 1 John 1:3

DEVOTIONS IN LETTERS OF JOHN

Devotional - The Life That Will Continue

2026-10-01T04:58:00Z

“The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.” – 1 John 1:2

Mark Batterson wrote: “I preached my first sermon at National Community Church on January 14, 1996. The only thing I remember about that message is my opening illustration. I can’t remember the original source, but I think I stumbled across it in a Reader’s Digest . It was a survey of fifty people who were over the age of ninety-five. Add it up and that’s about five thousand years of combined life experiences. They were all asked the same question: IF YOU COULD LIVE YOUR LIFE ALL OVER AGAIN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY? Three answers emerged as a consensus. One, they would reflect more —stop and smell the roses. Two, they would risk more —the greatest risk is taking no risks. And three, they would do more things that live on after they died . Are you living for time or eternity?”

All who trust in Jesus Christ have eternal life. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for His gift of eternal life.

“For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.” – William Penn

God’s Word: “so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” – Titus 3:7

DEVOTIONS IN LETTERS OF JOHN

Devotional - Giving With Devotion

2026-09-30T04:58:00Z

“Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple” – 1 Chronicles 29:3

David Peterson writes: “One day, a father bought his little boy some French fries. The father, doing what any dad would do, reaches over and moves to take one of the fries off of his kid’s plate. The little boy screams, slaps his father’s hand away, and says, “These French fries are mine! Don’t touch them!” Any bystander with common sense can see the absurdity of the boy’s claim. The father bought the entire plate of fries and gave them as a gift. Surely, taking a fry off the top is more than fair.

We are in the same situation with God and our tithe. God has given us everything we have. Yet, when he asks for a tithe, people scream, slap His hand away, and say, “This money is mine! Don’t touch it!” My friend, God owns everything. He even owns us. He wants us to manage what we have for His glory. God expects us to manage our finances and give back a portion of what He’s given to us.”

Let your giving be out of your love for Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that you can give so He may be glorified.

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

God’s Word: “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” – Proverbs 11:24

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

Devotional - Being Impartial

2026-09-29T04:58:00Z

“They divided them impartially by drawing lots, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.” – 1 Chronicles 24:5

Clifton Fadiman wrote the following anecdote: “On January 19, 1970, President Richard Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of G. Harrold Carswell to the Supreme Court. That Mr. Carswell was hardly qualified was apparent to most, though not to Mr. Nixon. He was rejected, of course, but has attained a certain immortality through his defense by Senator Hruska:

“Even if he was mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren’t they, and a little chance? We can’t have all Brandeises and Cardozos and Frankfurters and stuff like that there.””

The Lord is impartial and desires us to also to be free of prejudice. Today in prayer, confess any sin of prejudice and thank the Lord that He is impartial to all people.

“Prejudice is a disease caused by hardening of the categories.” – William Arthur Ward

God’s Word: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” – James 3:17

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES. †

Devotional - Only Room For One God

2026-09-28T04:58:00Z

“For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.” – 1 Chronicles 16:26

On July 4, 1965, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia titled “The American Dream.” He said, the whole concept of the imago Dei, . . . is the idea that all men have something within them that God injected. Not that they have substantial unity with God, but that every man has a capacity to have fellowship with God. And this gives him a uniqueness, it gives him worth, it gives him dignity.

And we must never forget this as a nation: there are no gradations in the image of God. Every man from a treble white to a bass black is significant on God’s keyboard, precisely because every man is made in the image of God. One day we will learn that. We will know one day that God made us to live together as brothers and to respect the dignity and worth of every man.

There is only one God, the Maker of Heaven and earth. Today in prayer, confess any idolatry and any love of things. Seek to love and follow Jesus with your whole heart.

“That to which your heart clings is your god.” – Martin Luther

God’s Word: “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” – 1 Corinthians 10:14

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

Devotional - Heed The Warnings

2026-09-25T04:58:00Z

“The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ‘Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.’” – 2 Kings 17:13

Imagine you’ve just purchased a brand-new car—it’s no ordinary car, it’s a luxury vehicle, with the highest trim levels, equipped with all the latest technology. Among its many upgrades is a voice alert system, with a charming British accent, that notifies you of potential issues: “The air pressure in your left front tire is low,” or “Check coolant soon.” Some alerts are urgent, while others are gentle reminders to keep things running smoothly.

Now, you have two choices when these notifications pop up. First, you can address the issue—fill the tire, check the coolant, or adjust your driving habits. Or, you could go with a different approach: keep a small hammer in your glove box. Every time a warning light appears, simply smash it. Problem solved, right? At least for now. But if you keep ignoring those alerts, the car will eventually break down—or worse, lead to an accident.

This is how many people handle guilt. When the “warning light” of conviction flashes in their hearts, instead of addressing the issue, they metaphorically grab a hammer. They justify their actions: “I’m not that bad,” “Others are worse,” or “I’ve improved a lot.” These justifications might silence the guilt temporarily, but the underlying problem remains.

Guilt, like a warning light, serves a critical purpose. It reveals the presence of sin—something both real and dangerous. Ignoring it may offer short-term relief, but unresolved issues often lead to greater harm. True healing begins when we acknowledge the conviction, take it seriously, and make things right. Responding to the warning, rather than smashing it, is the only path to restoration and peace.

The Lord warns us multiple times in order to protect us and to provide for us. Today in prayer, heed God’s Word and do not be complacent in following Jesus.

“Warnings aren’t meant to condemn us—they are meant to help us grow up so that we can be effectively used in building God’s kingdom on earth.” - Crystal McDowell

God’s Word: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” – 1 Corinthians 10:11

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

Devotional - In His Time

2026-09-24T04:58:00Z

“In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the LORD. Then he showed them the king's son.” – 2 Kings 11:4

William F. Allen, who in 1883 “pulled off a miracle.” What he did was to get not just an entire coast to pull in sync, but an entire nation. In [New Jersey Governor Tom] Kean’s words,

“Until high noon on October 18, 1883, every rail line ran on its own time. Every train station set its own clocks by the sun. So when it was noon in New York, it was 11:58 in Trenton and 11:56 in Camden, and so on. Pure chaos. Allen was chosen to sort out this mess, and after eight years he convinced the nation to adopt the time zones that we have today.”

The task the church faces is a lot like Allen’s, except we are trying to get people to adopt the time zone of eternity. As my mother, Mabel Boggs Sweet, used to put it, “God’s clock keeps perfect time.”

God’s timing is perfect. Today in prayer, give thanks to Jesus that He is always on time.

“In God, time and eternity are one and the same thing.” – Henry Suso

God’s Word: “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; itwill certainly come and will not delay.” - Habakkuk 2:3

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

Devotional - Eyes Wide Open To Reality

2026-09-23T04:58:00Z

“And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” – 2 Kings 6:17

Dallas Willard wrote: “Sometimes, of course, the sense of God with us becomes much more distinct. My oldest brother, J. I. Willard, served for over thirty years as a minister under the blessing of God. But his entry into the ministry came through long and intense struggles with personal and financial issues. One evening he faced a major decision that had to be made the next day, a decision that would commit him for years into the future.

He prayed long into the night, falling asleep at around 1:30 a.m. But, he relates, at 2 a.m. “that room lit up with the glory of God. I saw a figure. I did not see a face, but I recognized it to be the person of Christ. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I heard a voice that said, ‘Feed my sheep.’” The presence of God almost overwhelmed his consciousness (as has been the case for many others who have been given such experiences), and it also transformed various aspects of his personality.

He was suddenly living in the study of the Bible, memorizing much of it without trying to do so, even though his days were spent in hard physical labor. He had been painfully addicted to tobacco all of his adult life; desire for it was removed without his asking. According to him, the “aroma” of that room full of the presence of God has stayed with him ever since. Many others would testify that this was so.”

There is a reality that is beyond our eyes that only faith can reveal. Today in prayer, praise Jesus that He is Lord of all the seen and the unseen.

“My knowledge of that life is small, The eye of faith is dim; But ‘tis enough that Christ knows all, And I shall be with him.” – Richard Baxter

God’s Word: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” – Colossians 3:2

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

Devotional - Be Kind To Widows And Orphans

2026-09-22T04:58:00Z

“The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves." – 2 Kings 4:1

In this beautiful illustration from Tom Long’s well-known preaching guide, The Witness of Preaching, a pastor shares a true story of what valuing human life can look like when God’s Kingdom takes root in our lives:

“In the newspaper last week there was a story about the process families go through in adopting children. The account related the usual details: the huge number of couples wanting to adopt, the much smaller number of “desirable” children, the extremely long waiting lists, the high legal fees, the red tape, the resulting increase of interest in “surrogate parents,” and so on.

The story also told of the experience of the Williams family.

The Williamses, a deeply religious couple, have adopted four children so far, and they hope to adopt at least one more child in the future. For the Williamses there have been no delays and no waiting lists. The reason is that all of the children the Williamses have adopted are disabled.

One, a son, has Down’s Syndrome, and the other three, two daughters and another son, had major birth defects. All of the Williams’ children are, in the euphemism employed by the adoption agencies, “difficult to place.” In a world where virtually every prospective parent dreams of a bright, beautiful, and perfect child, the Williamses have chosen to offer the embrace of their parental love to children almost no one else wanted. “Our children are our greatest joy,” Mrs. Williams was quoted as saying. “Caring for them is what we’re on this earth for.””

In all that we do, we need to remember and to be kind to orphans and widows. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for His loving-kindness and seek to be kind to others.

“The greatest thing a man can do for his heavenly Father is to be kind to some of his other children.” – Henry Drummond

God’s Word: “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” – Psalm 82:3-4

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

Devotional - Losing Heart And Faith

2026-09-21T04:58:00Z

“As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” – 1 Kings 11:4 (NIV)

Lee Strobel tells an amazing story about the power of the Holy Spirit to act apart from our own knowledge.

Well, one average and routine day I was packing up my briefcase and getting ready to leave the newspaper when I felt a gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit. I sensed God wanted me to go into the business office and invite my friend, who was an atheist, to come to Easter services at my church.

Things did not go as he hoped. His friend shut him down — turning down every overture he made to talk about church, the resurrection, etc. Strobel left him with a stammered open invitation to talk more about it and beat a retreat.

The fact that the Holy Spirit’s nudging had led him to an apparently futile conversation bothered him — as far as Strobel knows, the man remains an atheist to this day.

Years later, while he was a pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, the twist in the story was revealed:

After I spoke one Sunday morning, a middle-aged man came up, shook my hand, and said, “I just want to thank you for the spiritual influence you’ve had in my life.”

“That’s very nice,” I said, “but who are you?”

The man told him his story. After losing his job, his friend, who ran the newspaper offered him the job of doing some tiling at the newspaper to earn some money:

So one day, not long before Easter, I was on my hands and knees behind a desk in the business office of the newspaper, fixing some tiles, when you walked into the room. I don’t think you even saw me. You started talking about God and Jesus and Easter and the church to some guy, and he wasn’t interested at all. But I was crouching there listening, and my heart was beating fast, and I started thinking, ‘I need God! I need to go to church!’

“As soon as you left, I called my wife and said, ‘We’re going to church this Easter.’ She said, ‘You’re kidding!’ I said, ‘No, we are.’ We ended up coming to this church that Easter, and my wife, my teenage son, and I all came to faith in Christ. I just wanted to thank you.”

Strobel was, in his own words, “dumbstruck.” But this is just the way of the Holy Spirit, operating in omniscience behind the scenes. When we follow his lead, amazing things happen.

Keep your heart focused on the Lord. Today in prayer, ask the Lord to give you wisdom to follow Jesus in all that you do.

“However advanced a man may be in piety or age, he is still in danger of falling.” – Charles Simeon

God’s Word: “So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.” – 1 Kings 11:6

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

Devotional - Believing God's Promises

2026-09-18T04:58:00Z

“Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.” – 1 Kings 8:56

Is it possible that God’s promises are given less consideration and value today than in the time of evangelist Dwight Moody? Moody described the preciousness of God’s promises this way:

“Let a man feed for a month

on the promises of God, and

he will not talk about his poverty. . . .

If you would only go from Genesis to Revelation

and see all the promises made

by God to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob,

to the Jews and the Gentiles,

and to all His people everywhere;

if you would spend a month feeding

on the precious promises of God,

you would not go about . . .

complaining about how

poor you are, but you would lift up your heads

with confidence and proclaim the riches of His Grace,

because you could not help it.”

The Bible is true and we can trust in God's Promises. Today in prayer, thank Jesus that He keeps His Word, and live by faith in the promises of God.

“The message of promise is the beginning and end of everything that is included in the Bible. It undergirds every word, sometimes openly, sometimes subtly, but it is always there. God’s promises are the common thread that unites the Old and New Testament, the core that makes sixty-six books into one.” – Mark Tabb

God’s Word: “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” – Numbers 23:19

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

Devotional - The Need For Discernment

2026-09-17T04:58:00Z

“Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” – 1 Kings 3:7-9

St. Martin of Tours was a Frankish soldier in the Roman army who abandoned his military post to follow Jesus at a time when Christianity had only begun to take root in France. He later became the bishop of Tours and, over time, was venerated as the patron saint of the region and eventually of France itself. Tradition credits him with performing many miracles, and one well-known legend illustrates his wisdom and discernment.

According to the story, Martin was once deep in study when a knock came at his door. Standing before him was a figure of striking presence, clothed in regal attire. “Who are you?” Martin asked. The visitor replied with authority, “I am Christ.”

His commanding tone and noble bearing might have convinced a lesser man, but Martin, unwavering, fixed his eyes on the stranger and posed a single question: “Where is the print of the nails?” He had observed the absence of Christ’s defining scars. Exposed in his deception, the imposter—none other than the Prince of Evil—fled at once. Though only a legend, the story conveys a profound truth: the surest test of what is truly of Christ is the mark of the cross.

In everything we need to practice discernment and ask “Is it good?” Today in prayer, ask Christ to give you wisdom and discernment in all that you do.

“God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.” – Oswald Chambers

God’s Word: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” – James 1:5

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES †

Devotional - Guard Your Heart

2026-09-16T04:58:00Z

“Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” – 2 Samuel 15:5-6

Diana Butler Bass wrote: “The seat of gratitude is the heart. Yet the workings of our hearts remain, in many ways, mysterious. On December 28, 2016, celebrated Hollywood actor Debbie Reynolds died at age eighty-four. The previous day, her sixty-year-old daughter, Carrie Fisher, star of the Star Wars films and noted author, had unexpectedly passed away from complications following a heart attack. A headline in the New York Times asked: “Did Debbie Reynolds Die of a Broken Heart?”

And that is a real thing: stress-induced cardiomyopathy, known as “broken heart syndrome,” when people who are particularly close die within a short time of one another. Indeed, that happened to my great-great-grandparents. Married for almost sixty years at a time when few people lived so long, they passed away within an hour of each other. Broken heart syndrome. Of course, we may never know about Debbie Reynolds.

Nor does the death certificate for my great-great-grandparents say “broken heart.” But the heart is a complex organ, necessary to all of life and susceptible to injury of both body and soul. We human beings did not always understand its biological functions, but somehow we came to celebrate the heart as the seat of emotions, conflating biological existence with the feelings that make our lives both miserable and glorious. During the last two decades, researchers have discovered real links between the heart and gratitude

…Indeed, multiple studies demonstrate connections between well-being (life satisfaction and happiness), physical health, and gratitude. In heart patients who are asymptomatic, researchers found that people who were grateful slept better, were less depressed and tired, and were more self-aware and confident, with lower risks of inflammation. According to one study, gratitude is a dimension of “spirituality and/or religious wellness”; it suggests that gratitude interventions might lower the risk of heart disease. “It seems that a more grateful heart,” says researcher Paul Mills, “is indeed a more healthy heart.””

There are many charismatic people who want to lead you astray from Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord and give Jesus alone your heart.

“Do your utmost to guard your heart, for out of it comes life.” – Walter Hilton

God’s Word: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

Devotional - The Kindness Factor

2026-09-15T04:58:00Z

“‘Don't be afraid,’ David said to him, ‘for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’” – 2 Samuel 9:7

Christopher H. J. Wright wrote: “What is kindness, then? What sort of behavior do we have in mind when we say that someone has been kind to us or to others? I think the essence of kindness is being thoughtful for others more than for myself in any particular situation.

To be kind means to want to help others, to encourage or comfort them, to do something that serves or benefits them. In order to be kind to others, I need to put myself in their shoes and think what I would most want or need them to do for me—and then do it for them.

Kindness seems very close to what Jesus meant when he said that we should do for others whatever we wish others would do for us. Kindness can be as simple as a pleasant word, or a caring smile. But more importantly, being kind means being willing to do something, or to take some action, that helps somebody else even if it might be inconvenient to myself.

When others are willing to use some of their precious time to help me out of some difficult or confusing situation, they are being kind. Kindness goes beyond duty—it means doing something you don’t have to do, but just choose to do. Kindness goes beyond reward—it means doing something you won’t get paid to do.

In fact, real kindness usually costs something and doesn’t expect any reward. You do what is kind for its own sake and for the sake of the other person. In that sense, kindness is its own reward. In the Bible, kindness is often linked with generosity. In fact, the word Paul uses often had that sense: kindness could often mean generously providing for another person’s benefit. That’s biblical kindness.”

One of the best testimonies of Jesus Christ is kindness we show to others. Today in prayer, praise Jesus for His kindness towards you and seek to be kind toothers.

“To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own.” – Abraham Lincoln

God’s Word: “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” - Colossians 3:12

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

Devotional - Guard Your Heart

2026-09-14T04:55:00Z

Tony Reinke wrote: “If your eye causes you to sin…” is one of the boldest phrases from the mouth of Jesus, appearing three times in the gospels. Our eyes not only leads us into sinful behaviors, but also to take in sinful images. We may think of our eyes as neutral or innocent receptors, but they are not. Eyes have inherent appetites and desires. Sinful eyes rove unchecked, looking for sin.

We would do well to reclaim the phrase “the lust of the eyes” (1 John 2:16 NIV) because even redeemed eyes are lustful, insatiable, never satisfied, even susceptible to spectacles of wealth, sex, power, and violence. Instead our eyes must serve as guardians of the heart. When they fail, they leave the heart exposed and unguarded. As one Puritan said, there are no means to guard the heart if we leave our eyes unguarded.”

There are many charismatic people who want to lead you astray from Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord and give Jesus alone your heart.

“Do your utmost to guard your heart, for out of it comes life.” – Walter Hilton

God’s Word: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

Devotional - The Kindness Factor

2026-09-11T04:58:00Z

Jennifer L. Holberg wrote: “Every morning among all my email is a small gem: a blessing from the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids. Mostly penned by Maxine Shonk, OP, the blessings focus on a characteristic of God and how that part of God’s multitudinous character models and transforms us. During some parts of the year, email subscribers to these blessings also receive stories about Dominican sisters who have reached milestones in their ministries, stories that chronicle the ways in which God has worked in equally multitudinous ways through these religious women.

One of my favorite stories is about Sister Leo Mergener, who worked in a children’s home in the 1940s and 1950s. She was chastised for giving the children too many cookies and told to limit them to only one a day. In response, Sister Leo began baking the biggest possible cookies she could. As per instructions, the children only received one daily cookie—but what a cookie it was! I love the spirit of Sister Leo’s cookies: the way they proclaim the abundant life, the way they insist that God’s extravagant love finds tangible expressions in the way we interact with and serve one another.”

One of the best testimonies of Jesus Christ is kindness we show to others. Today in prayer, praise Jesus for His kindness towards you and seek to be kind toothers.

“To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own.” – Abraham Lincoln

God’s Word: “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” - Colossians 3:12

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

Devotional - Mourning The Loss Of Others

2026-09-10T04:58:00Z

"Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword." - 2 Samuel 1:11-12

Esau McCaulley wrote: “A theology of mourning allowed Rev. Dr. King to look on the suffering of the people in Birmingham and refuse to turn away. Mourning calls on all of us to recognize our complicity in the sufferings of others. We do not simply mourn the sins of the world. We mourn our own greed, lusts, and desires that allow us to exploit others. Sin is more than exploitation, but it is certainly not less.

A theology of mourning never allows us the privilege of apathy. We can never put the interests of our families or our country over the suffering of the world. Mourning is intuition that things are not right—that more is possible. To think that more is possible is an act of political resistance in a world that wants us to believe that consumption is all there is. Our politicians run on our desires by convincing us that utopia is possible here and they alone can provide it.”

Mourning is an inevitable loss on earth. Today in prayer, thank Jesus that in Him, we have overcome death, one day all mourning will come to an end, and we will see those who trust in Him again in Heaven.

"Death is nothing else but going home to God, the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity." - Mother Teresa

God's Word: "Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him." - Acts 8:2

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

Devotional - Do Not Lose Heart

2026-09-09T04:58:00Z

“David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’” – 1 Samuel 17:32

John Ortberg wrote: “But there is a pursuit that is worthy of our devotion. There is a goal that is achievable even in the most desperate of situations. It will produce good far beyond our own little sphere of influence. It is something that our souls long for: the life we’ve always wanted.

It is the quest for what might be called a well-ordered heart. … What does it mean to have a well-ordered heart? Augustine suggested that to have a well-ordered heart is to love the right thing to the right degree in the right way with the right kind of love.”

In our darkest moments, our Heavenly Father is near. Today in prayer, ask the Lord for courage as you face difficult situations.

“Courage: The lovely virtue – the rib of Himself that God sent down to His children.” – James M. Barrie

God’s Word: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †

Devotional - God Looks At The Heart

2026-09-08T04:57:00Z

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” – 1 Samuel 16:7

Mark D. Roberts wrote: “I own a pair of protective goggles and use them faithfully. I wear them when I’m cutting branches with my chainsaw or attacking weeds with my weed whacker. My goggles serve a crucial purpose: they protect my eyes. Once, I forgot to wear my goggles while sawing a branch and ended up with a spec of wood in my eye. I had to make an emergency trip to the eye doctor. From then on, I became more careful about wearing goggles because my eyes are precious to me.

Psalm 17:8 doesn’t mention goggles explicitly. But this verse does reflect an understanding of the value of eyes and the need for their careful protection. The NRSV translates the first part of this verse: “Guard me as the apple of the eye.” The original Hebrew speaks of guarding “the little one of the daughter of the eye.” Traditional English translations, along with the NRSV, use “the apple of the eye” (KJV). These peculiar expressions, in both Hebrew and English, refer to the pupil of the eye, that which is essential for vision and most in need of protection.”

The Lord continually is looking for men and women, boys and girls that have a heart for Him. Today in prayer, give Jesus your heart and fully serve Him.

“Let your heart soar as high as it will. Refuse to be average.” – A.W. Tozer

God’s Word: “then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men)” – 1 Kings 8:39

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KING †

Devotional - Obedience Is Better

2026-09-07T04:58:00Z

“But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” – 1 Samuel 15:22

Kent Hughes wrote: “Elisabeth Elliot once stayed in the farmhouse of a Welsh shepherd and his family high in the mountains of North Wales. She stood watching one misty summer morning as the shepherd on horseback herded the sheep with the aid of his champion Scottish collie. The collie, she realized, was in its glory. It was doing what it had been bred and trained to do. Its eyes were always on the sheep, but its ears were dedicatedly tuned to obey its master.

Through obedience the dog had experience its glory. The same is true in the spiritual realm, as Mrs. Elliot insightfully summarized: “To experience the glory of God’s will for us means absolute trust. It means the will to do his will, and it means joy.””

The joy of the Christian life is obtained by obeying Jesus. Today in prayer, confess any sin in your life and seek to follow Jesus with all of your heart.

“Obedience is a part of the honor we owe to God.” – Thomas Watson

God’s Word: “With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:6-8

DEVOTIONS IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, CHRONICLES AND KINGS †