Max Lucado Daily: OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL HELP - July 31, 2026
In his fine book, The Dance of Hope, Bill Frey remembers the day he tried to pull a stump out of the Georgia dirt. One of his chores as a 12 year-old was to search for stumps of pine trees that had been cut down and chop them into kindling. But there was one root system he just couldn’t pull out of the ground.
He was still struggling when his father came over to watch. “I think I see your problem,” the dad said. “What’s that?” the son asked. “You’re not using all your strength.” Bill exploded and told him how hard he’d been working. “No,” the dad said. “You’re not using all your strength.” When Bill cooled down, he asked what his father meant and the dad said, “You haven’t asked me to help you.”
You don’t have to do it alone, friend. Present the challenge to your father and ask for help. Will he solve the issue? Yes, he will.
Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World
John 18:1-18
Seized in the Garden at Night
1 18 Jesus, having prayed this prayer, left with his disciples and crossed over the brook Kidron at a place where there was a garden. He and his disciples entered it.
2–4 Judas, his betrayer, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples went there often. So Judas led the way to the garden, and the Roman soldiers and police sent by the high priests and Pharisees followed. They arrived there with lanterns and torches and swords. Jesus, knowing by now everything that was coming down on him, went out and met them. He said, “Who are you after?”
They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
5–6 He said, “That’s me.” The soldiers recoiled, totally taken aback. Judas, his betrayer, stood out like a sore thumb.
7 Jesus asked again, “Who are you after?”
They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
8–9 “I told you,” said Jesus, “that’s me. I’m the one. So if it’s me you’re after, let these others go.” (This validated the words in his prayer, “I didn’t lose one of those you gave.”)
10 Just then Simon Peter, who was carrying a sword, pulled it from its sheath and struck the Chief Priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was the servant’s name.
11 Jesus ordered Peter, “Put back your sword. Do you think for a minute I’m not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?”
12–14 Then the Roman soldiers under their commander, joined by the Jewish police, seized Jesus and tied him up. They took him first to Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Chief Priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.
15–16 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and so he went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest’s courtyard. Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in.
17 The young woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples?”
He said, “No, I’m not.”
18 The servants and police had made a fire because of the cold and were huddled there warming themselves. Peter stood with them, trying to get warm.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, July 31, 2026
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
2 Chronicles 20:14-19
Then Jahaziel was moved by the Spirit of God to speak from the midst of the congregation. (Jahaziel was the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah the Levite of the Asaph clan.) He said, “Attention everyone—all of you from out of town, all you from Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat—God’s word: Don’t be afraid; don’t pay any mind to this vandal horde. This is God’s war, not yours. Tomorrow you’ll go after them; see, they’re already on their way up the slopes of Ziz; you’ll meet them at the end of the ravine near the wilderness of Jeruel. You won’t have to lift a hand in this battle; just stand firm, Judah and Jerusalem, and watch God’s saving work for you take shape. Don’t be afraid, don’t waver. March out boldly tomorrow—God is with you.”
18–19 Then Jehoshaphat knelt down, bowing with his face to the ground. All Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping God. The Levites (both Kohathites and Korahites) stood to their feet to praise God, the God of Israel; they praised at the top of their lungs!
Today's Insights
The example of King Jehoshaphat is one that’s worthy of emulation. Not only does he go to God in prayer with his overwhelming concern, he also unhesitatingly trusts Him for the solution to the problem (2 Chronicles 20:5-12). This is wisdom indeed, for God said, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please’ ” (Isaiah 46:10). Regardless of what challenges we face today, the one who knows the end from the beginning can be trusted to provide the help we need.
For further study, read Get Unstuck: Three Biblical Steps for Overcoming Anxiety.
The Battle Is God’s
Do not be afraid or discouraged . . . . For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15
by Leslie Koh
Though she enjoyed befriending and helping folks in her church’s seniors ministry, Carol found herself being picked on by its domineering leader. She felt so bothered by it that she had to seek counseling. She was advised to quit the ministry, but she didn’t want to “abandon” the seniors. Feeling caught in between, she prayed to God for guidance, and He gave her comfort and assurance as she submitted her fears to Him. He showed her that she should talk to the leader but trust Him to resolve the issue.
When King Jehoshaphat heard of a powerful enemy approaching Jerusalem, his first response was to pray. Appealing to God’s sovereignty, he said, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12). Instead of relying on their own strength, the king and people of Judah submitted themselves and their troubles to God (v. 18).
God’s answer to the king and people through the prophet Jahaziel was heartening: “Do not be afraid or discouraged . . . . For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (v. 15). God commanded Judah to march out, but to trust Him with the result. They did so in faith, praising God as if the prayer was already answered (vv. 20-21)—and found the battle already won (v. 24).
Whenever we face difficult situations, let’s pray and look to God for help. We may not always see victory, but whatever happens, we need not be afraid, for the battle is His.
Reflect & Pray
What difficulties are you facing now? How can you submit your troubles to God?
Mighty God, as I rest in Your sovereign hands, please help me to trust in You, for the battle is Yours.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, July 31, 2026
Till You Are Entirely His
Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. —James 1:4
Many of us are all right for the most part, but we’re still lazy about certain things. It isn’t sin that makes us this way; it’s the remnants of our old carnal life, the life we led before we were born again in the Spirit. Carelessness and laziness are an insult to the Holy Spirit. There should be nothing careless about us, whether it’s in the way we eat and drink or the way we worship God.
Not only must our relationship to God be right; the way we express that relationship must be right, too. Ultimately God will let nothing about us escape his attention. He keeps every detail of our lives under his scrutiny. In numberless ways, God will bring us back to the same issue over and over again until we learn our lesson. The issue may be our impulsiveness or our independent individuality or our tendency to let our thoughts run away with us. No matter what it is, God will bring us back to it again and again until he has made us fully aware of the thing that isn’t right. He’ll never tire, and he won’t stop—not until he has achieved the finished work.
Thanks to God’s wonderful work in you, you know that you are all right in what matters most: your relationship to him. Now “let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Watch out when you start letting things slide, or when you hear yourself saying, “Oh, that will have to do for now.” Whatever the issue, God will point it out with persistent patience until you are entirely his.
Psalms 54-56; Romans 3
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
Beware of bartering the Word of God for a more suitable conception of your own.
Disciples Indeed, 386 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, July 31, 2026
No Secrets in the Throne Room - #10320
Scripture: Hebrews 4:12
Man, everywhere you look guys are wearing baseball caps. And girls and women are wearing them too! More often than not, the caps really don't have anything to do with baseball! From school, to church, to everyday life you’ve got more and more people wearing those caps.
Every once in a while I would say to my sons, “Hey, guys, you look so good without a hat. You look better.” I usually got a simple explanation, (I’ll bet you know.) “Bad hair day, Dad!” Well, there are those days you don’t have time to wash your hair or get it to look right, so you just cover it with a hat, right? Which leads to an interesting moment in Christian youth meetings when it’s time to pray, because of course hats come off when you pray, right? No matter how bad your hair looks. I guess if you time it right, you can take it off after every eye is closed, hope no one peeks, and put it back on just before anybody’s got their eyes open.
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “No Secrets in the Throne Room.”
Our word for today from the Word of God begins in Hebrews 4:12. It says, “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” In other words, your hat is always off.
What we’ve managed to cover up from everyone else God sees. The covering comes off when you pray…or it ought to. But we have a tendency to get all dressed up for God, and we come to Him with this flowery prayer language. We talk to Him about religious stuff. But real prayer begins when you come into God’s presence with the real you; the one who isn’t together like everybody else thinks you are, the one who’s struggling and honest about it, the one who’s hurting, the one who’s doubting, or the one who’s grieving, the one who’s sinning. Maybe you’re falling. Maybe you’re giving out or maybe even giving up.
See, the first reason to come to God honestly is this: God already knows. That’s what this says, “All things are uncovered and laid bare.” There’s no point in coming to impress God. You come, not as you ought to be, but as you are. Then in verse 15 we’ve got a second reason we can come honestly to God. “We do not have a high priest who’s unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way just as we are yet without sin.” God really understands. You’re talking to the God who’s been here. He’s been hurt, He’s been lonely, exhausted, and criticized. Jesus was abandoned, slandered, tempted, betrayed, He was beaten, He was murdered. What a Savior! We can come uncovered to this Lord because He’s walked this road. Jesus gives us someone who laughs with us, who struggles with us, who cries with us.
And there’s one more reason to come honestly. God really responds to it. Verse 16 says, “Let us then approach the Throne of Grace with confidence that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” No condemnation; and not just understanding. God sends two supernatural resources in response to our honest sharing; mercy and grace aimed right at the honest need you just poured out to Him.
But God doesn’t impose himself. He only comes by invitation. You’ll only know the empowerment of God’s grace in an area that you have totally opened up to Him. Remember, bring the real you to God. Like the hymn says, “Just as I am without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me.” The you that has been hidden from everyone else is the you God wants. He wants to carry and He wants to heal that person.
A bad hair day is one thing; it’s the bad heart days that Jesus is concerned about. And when you pray, would you uncover what’s really there?
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