What’sYour Cause?

Read Jeremiah 51:1–64 Everyone needs a cause, a reason to get up in the morning, something worth fighting or even dying for. Some people spend their lives protecting animals or fighting against those who harm the environment. Their motivation varies, as does their dedication. Some abandon a cause rather quickly. Therefore this is what the Lord says: “See, I will …

Hope in Despair

Read Jeremiah 31:1 through 32:44 God’s people were taken into captivity at the hands of a madman (Nebuchadnezzar). At a time when they faced deep despair and perhaps even wondered if God had forsaken them, God sent a message of hope to them through the prophet Jeremiah. The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you …

Too Blessed to Fail

Read Jeremiah 7:1 through 10:25; 26:1–24 It is completely possible to experience tremendous growth and prosperity over years, decades, or centuries, only to suffer the loss of it all. All too often the news tells of glamorous movie stars, giant financial institutions, and once grand governments failing. But why? Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the …

A Refuge in Trouble

Read Nahum 1:1 through 3:19 On a Sunday evening in 2003, a deadly F-3 tornado barreled down on the small town of Battlefield, Missouri. The local Assembly of God church had just concluded services when the alarm was raised. Members of the congregation, along with dozens of residents from the neighborhood, took refuge in the basement. As they huddled together …

The Right Tools

Read 2 Timothy 1:1 through 4:22 Jonathan prepared his son Evan to properly take care of a car. He taught Evan how to maintain and repair a car by having his son work alongside him on cars. Jonathan stressed having the right tools and good technical manuals. God has given Christians a manual to help them serve Him. All Scripture …

God Is Always There

Read Isaiah 44:1 through 48:22 Sunlight was streaming through the windows of the Boeing 747. Then, without warning, the light disappeared. The plane had climbed into a dark cloud. Finally, the big plane tilted upward into the bright sunshine again. Outside the window was a beautiful sight. The sunlight was shining on the clouds beneath the plane, turning the clouds …

Don’t Get Bogged Down

Read Hebrews 11:1 through 13:25 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1). A hindrance may slow down progress, but it need not stop it. The presence of …

Worry Is Not Trust

Read Isaiah 7:1 through 12:6 America is a nation obsessed with worry. Because of broken homes, single parents, and a degenerate culture of rebellion and hate, the disease of worry has grown to epidemic proportions. American citizens spend millions of dollars every year on pills and other medicines, in an attempt to arrest this painful experience, which in essence is …

Walking or Stumbling?

Read Hosea 14:1–9 Walking along a forest path in darkness can be dangerous. Roots and rocks threaten to cause a walker to stumble. A wise man will carry a flashlight on such a journey to prevent falling and injury. Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; …

Not What They Deserve

Read Obadiah 1:1–21; Jonah 1:1–4:11 In Corrie ten Boom’s autobiography, The Hiding Place, she described the day she met the Nazi guard from Ravensbruck concentration camp who asked for her forgiveness. She wrote, “Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” When the man held out his hand to …