1 Kings 5, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: SIMPLY TRUST AND OBEY - October 29, 2026

Jesus told the blind man, “Go and wash in the pool of Siloam,” which is translated, “sent.”  Access to the pool of Siloam involved the descent of three sets of stone hewn steps, five steps each, no casual stroll for anyone, much less a blind man. But he did it, and he leaned over the edge of the pool and began to wash his eyes. And from one moment to the next, he could see.

The question is often asked, what does a person need to know to become a follower of Christ?  This story provides an answer. The man knew nothing of the virgin birth or the beatitudes. He received sight, not because he deserved it, earned it or found it. He received sight because he trusted and obeyed the one who was sent to open eyes that are blind.

Remember friends, you are never alone.

You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence & Power

1 Kings 5

International Fame

1–45Hiram king of Tyre sent ambassadors to Solomon when he heard that he had been crowned king in David’s place. Hiram had loved David his whole life. Solomon responded, saying, “You know that David my father was not able to build a temple in honor of God because of the wars he had to fight on all sides, until God finally put them down. But now God has provided peace all around—no one against us, nothing at odds with us.

5–6“Now here is what I want to do: Build a temple in honor of God, my God, following the promise that God gave to David my father, namely, ‘Your son whom I will provide to succeed you as king, he will build a house in my honor.’ And here is how you can help: Give orders for cedars to be cut from the Lebanon forest; my loggers will work alongside yours and I’ll pay your men whatever wage you set. We both know that there is no one like you Sidonians for cutting timber.”

7When Hiram got Solomon’s message, he was delighted, exclaiming, “Blessed be God for giving David such a wise son to rule this flourishing people!”

8–9Then he sent this message to Solomon: “I received your request for the cedars and cypresses. It’s as good as done—your wish is my command. My lumberjacks will haul the timbers from the Lebanon forest to the sea, assemble them into log rafts, float them to the place you set, then have them disassembled for you to haul away. All I want from you is that you feed my crew.”

10–12In this way Hiram supplied all the cedar and cypress timber that Solomon wanted. In his turn, Solomon gave Hiram 125,000 bushels of wheat and 115,000 gallons of virgin olive oil. He did this every year. And God, for his part, gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised. The healthy peace between Hiram and Solomon was formalized by a treaty.

The Temple Work Begins

13–18King Solomon raised a workforce of thirty thousand men from all over Israel. He sent them in shifts of ten thousand each month to the Lebanon forest; they would work a month in Lebanon and then be at home two months. Adoniram was in charge of the work crew. Solomon also had seventy thousand unskilled workers and another eighty thousand stonecutters up in the hills—plus thirty-three hundred foremen managing the project and supervising the work crews. Following the king’s orders, they quarried huge blocks of the best stone—dressed stone for the foundation of The Temple. Solomon and Hiram’s construction workers, assisted by the men of Gebal, cut and prepared the timber and stone for building The Temple.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Thursday, October 29, 2026

By Karen Pimpo

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

1 Chronicles 16:12-27

Remember all the wonders he performed,

the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth.

Seed of Israel his servant!

Children of Jacob, his first choice!

He is God, our God;

wherever you go you come on his judgments and decisions.

He keeps his commitments across thousands

of generations, the covenant he commanded,

The same one he made with Abraham,

the very one he swore to Isaac;

He posted it in big block letters to Jacob,

this eternal covenant with Israel:

“I give you the land of Canaan,

this is your inheritance;

Even though you’re not much to look at,

a few straggling strangers.”

20–22They wandered from country to country,

camped out in one kingdom after another;

But he didn’t let anyone push them around,

he stood up for them against bully-kings:

“Don’t you dare touch my anointed ones,

don’t lay a hand on my prophets.”

23–27Sing to God, everyone and everything!

Get out his salvation news every day!

Publish his glory among the godless nations,

his wonders to all races and religions.

And why? Because God is great—well worth praising!

No god or goddess comes close in honor.

All the popular gods are stuff and nonsense,

but God made the cosmos!

Splendor and majesty flow out of him,

strength and joy fill his place.

Today's Insights

The song in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 celebrates the faithfulness of God. David said, “He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations” (v. 15). Remembering God’s faithfulness prompts him to respond in praise and prayer: “Sing to the Lord, all the earth . . . . For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise” (vv. 23, 25). “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations’ ” (vv. 34-35). God’s faithfulness in the past inspires hope, trust, and rejoicing in the present and the future. No matter what we face today, we can trust that God is faithful.

For further study, feel free to browse through our resources at the store:  Reclaim Today Guide - Ecclesiastes

Hope in a Hero

Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 1 Chronicles 16:10

In a film about a vigilante crime-fighting hero, the protagonist seems to be waging an impossible war. Not only is his city overrun with violence and theft, but he also discovers that the police force, court system, and public officials are corrupt. He’s repeatedly tempted to give up on the city and leave. But our hero realizes that what people need is hope. He chooses to stay.

That fictional world isn’t too different from our world. Evil is present. Those in power will disappoint us. But thankfully God never abandons His people, no matter how dark things appear. We see evidence of this in King David’s song of praise after the ark of the covenant was moved to Jerusalem. David exhorted his people to praise God, who “remembers His covenant forever” (1 Chronicles 16:15) and faithfully led them to the promised land (v. 18).

Despite threats from powerful enemy nations around Israel and grumbling and idolatry among its people, God “allowed no one to oppress them” (v. 21). He guided the Israelites through the desert, displaying strength (v. 11), wonders and miracles (v. 12), and righteous judgments (v. 14). Because of God’s great love (v. 34), His people had hope for the future. The same is true today. We can trust that God won’t abandon us; He’s stronger than any evil we face.

Reflect & Pray

What situation in our world seems hopeless? How do you see that God is still working?

Heavenly Father, I’ve heard of Your great faithfulness to keep Your promises through many generations. I trust You to do it again.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Thursday, October 29, 2026

Substitution

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. —2 Corinthians 5:21

The modern view of the death of Jesus is that he died for our sins out of sympathy. The New Testament view is that he bore our sins by substitution: God “made him . . . to be sin.” Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the explanation of his death is his obedience to his Father, not his sympathy with us. We are acceptable to God not because we’ve obeyed or promised to give up things but because of his Son’s death.

We say that Jesus came to reveal the loving-kindness of God. The New Testament says that Jesus came to take away the sins of the world. Jesus never spoke of himself as one who’d been sent to reveal the Father’s sympathy. Instead, he spoke of himself as a stumbling block, as someone who came to erect new standards and place new demands on all who heard his word: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin” (John 15:22). The great stumbling blocks in modern spiritual life are our Lord’s character and the demands of the Spirit. We think we’d be happy if only God would stop demanding personal holiness. Maybe so, but we’d be happy on the way to hell. It is God who puts the stumbling blocks in our path, and the stumbling over them awakens us.

The idea that God died for me and therefore I go scot-free is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught is that “he died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15) and that, by identification with his death, I can be freed from sin and have his righteousness imparted to me (Galatians 2:20–21). The substitution taught in the New Testament is twofold: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” It’s not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me.

Jeremiah 18-19; 2 Timothy 3

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

We are not fundamentally free; external circumstances are not in our hands, they are in God’s hands, the one thing in which we are free is in our personal relationship to God. We are not responsible for the circumstances we are in, but we are responsible for the way we allow those circumstances to affect us; we can either allow them to get on top of us, or we can allow them to transform us into what God wants us to be. 

Conformed to His Image, 354 L

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Thursday, October 29, 2026

New Ground - More Than Memories - #10384

October 29, 2026

Scripture:  Philippians 3:13-14

I remember the day we ran into some newlywed friends of ours. They just had that look, you know, hand-in-hand and grinning. The bride and my daughter started to talk excitedly about how the wedding went. When it was time to leave, I couldn’t find my daughter, until I got into the van.

There she was with our friend, the bride, and there were wedding pictures spread out all over the floor of the van. The new bride was talking about the ceremony, and the dresses, and the flowers, and who was in the wedding party, and how they did the vows and what happened at the reception. Of course my daughter was drinking it all in; she was delighted to hear it all. Well, of course, it’s normal for a new bride to keep talking about the day it all began, but eventually she’d better have something else to talk about.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “New Ground - More Than Memories.”

The Apostle Paul had one of the most dramatic spiritual, shall we say, weddings in history. The day he and Jesus Christ got together was unforgettable; that great experience on the Damascus Road. And he did tell people about that glorious day that his relationship with Jesus began, but he wasn’t content with just having wedding pictures to talk about.

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Philippians 3:13-14, out of what some might say was the mega-Christian life of all time. Here’s what he says, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it, but one thing I do; forgetting what is behind and straining for what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Paul says, “There’s always a new front ahead of me; I’m always pushing for something new in my relationship with Christ. There’s always new ground to be gained just like an Olympic runner.” His testimony was as current as yesterday’s victory or today’s Jesus’ challenge in his life. You can’t get it by just living in your spiritual scrapbook; all those wonderful memories you have with the Lord. I think too many Christians are still just talking about the day it all began…their wedding day so to speak. “How I got saved. Oh, the day I accepted Christ! Let me tell you how I accepted Christ as my Savior.” And that’s important, but there’s got to be more than that. Even if it was five, ten, 20, 40 years ago, some people are still talking about that spiritual wedding day like that’s all there is. It’s good to show people how to come to know Christ, but a married couple is in trouble if most of what they have to talk about is still just their wedding.

The question is, “What’s going on in your relationship today? How did this commitment change your life? How is Jesus changing your life right now? What’s the Jesus’ difference?” Not what happened five years ago or ten years ago, or the day you got together with Jesus. You say, “Well, we had this time when we went away together…” No, no, no, tell me about now. A marriage has to be built on new, current, growing experiences together. So is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Our churches may be filled with people who have only had the beginning of that relationship, but there’s really not much after that in the scrapbook. And there’s not much going on today.

Maybe you’ve been living too much on memories and past accomplishments, old victories, and aging miracles. Paul says, “Forget what is behind; press forward to new ground.” Let the Lord touch you in a new way today. Every day give Him a specific piece of new ground, and then you’ll have more than a wedding to talk about. You will have a fresh, exciting, life-changing relationship.

Acts 7:22-43, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: MIRACLES IN MUD MOMENTS - October 28, 2026

“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).  After saying this, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva and put it on the man’s eyes” (vs. 6). Now there’s something you don’t expect to read in the Bible. Jesus spitting. A prayer would have seemed appropriate, perhaps a hallelujah.  But who expected a heavenly spit into the dirt?Read Bestsellers

The God who sent manna and fire dispatched a blob of saliva. And as calmly as a painter spackles a hole in the wall, Jesus streaked miracle mud on the man’s eyes. Sometimes God uses the less than pleasant. He initiates the miracle through mud moments, layoffs, let downs, and bouts of loneliness.  Can you relate? If so, do not assume that Jesus is absent or oblivious to your struggle. Just the opposite. He is using it to reveal himself to you. He wants you to see him.

Remember friend, you are never alone.

You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence & Power

Acts 7:22-43

Moses was educated in the best schools in Egypt. He was equally impressive as a thinker and an athlete.

23–26“When he was forty years old, he wondered how everything was going with his Hebrew kin and went out to look things over. He saw an Egyptian abusing one of them and stepped in, avenging his underdog brother by knocking the Egyptian flat. He thought his brothers would be glad that he was on their side, and even see him as an instrument of God to deliver them. But they didn’t see it that way. The next day two of them were fighting and he tried to break it up, told them to shake hands and get along with each other: ‘Friends, you are brothers, why are you beating up on each other?’

27–29“The one who had started the fight said, ‘Who put you in charge of us? Are you going to kill me like you killed that Egyptian yesterday?’ When Moses heard that, realizing that the word was out, he ran for his life and lived in exile over in Midian. During the years of exile, two sons were born to him.

30–32“Forty years later, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to him in the guise of flames of a burning bush. Moses, not believing his eyes, went up to take a closer look. He heard God’s voice: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Frightened nearly out of his skin, Moses shut his eyes and turned away.

33–34“God said, ‘Kneel and pray. You are in a holy place, on holy ground. I’ve seen the agony of my people in Egypt. I’ve heard their groans. I’ve come to help them. So get yourself ready; I’m sending you back to Egypt.’

35–39“This is the same Moses whom they earlier rejected, saying, ‘Who put you in charge of us?’ This is the Moses that God, using the angel flaming in the burning bush, sent back as ruler and redeemer. He led them out of their slavery. He did wonderful things, setting up God-signs all through Egypt, down at the Red Sea, and out in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to his congregation, ‘God will raise up a prophet just like me from your descendants.’ This is the Moses who stood between the angel speaking at Sinai and your fathers assembled in the wilderness and took the life-giving words given to him and handed them over to us, words our fathers would have nothing to do with.

39–41“They craved the old Egyptian ways, whining to Aaron, ‘Make us gods we can see and follow. This Moses who got us out here miles from nowhere—who knows what’s happened to him!’ That was the time when they made a calf-idol, brought sacrifices to it, and congratulated each other on the wonderful religious program they had put together.

42–43“God wasn’t at all pleased; but he let them do it their way, worship every new god that came down the pike—and live with the consequences, consequences described by the prophet Amos:

Did you bring me offerings of animals and grains

those forty wilderness years, O Israel?

Hardly. You were too busy building shrines

to war gods, to sex goddesses,

Worshiping them with all your might.

That’s why I put you in exile in Babylon.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

By Xochitl Dixon

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Psalm 86:1-12

Bend an ear, God; answer me.

I’m one miserable wretch!

Keep me safe—haven’t I lived a good life?

Help your servant—I’m depending on you!

You’re my God; have mercy on me.

I count on you from morning to night.

Give your servant a happy life;

I put myself in your hands!

You’re well-known as good and forgiving,

bighearted to all who ask for help.

Pay attention, God, to my prayer;

bend down and listen to my cry for help.

Every time I’m in trouble I call on you,

confident that you’ll answer.

8–10There’s no one quite like you among the gods, O Lord,

and nothing to compare with your works.

All the nations you made are on their way,

ready to give honor to you, O Lord,

Ready to put your beauty on display,

parading your greatness,

And the great things you do—

God, you’re the one, there’s no one but you!

11–17Train me, God, to walk straight;

then I’ll follow your true path.

Put me together, one heart and mind;

then, undivided, I’ll worship in joyful fear.

From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord;

I’ve never kept secret what you’re up to.

Today's Insights

In Psalm 86, David describes being in grave danger. Ruthless enemies “are trying to kill [him]” (v. 14), but he turns to God for protection and deliverance (vv. 1-4). The psalmist proclaimed God’s sovereignty and omnipotence: “There is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. . . . For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God” (vv. 8, 10). David affirmed that God hears and answers prayers (vv. 6-7). He’s “ready to forgive [and] full of unfailing love for all who ask for [His] help” (v. 5 nlt). Whatever our life’s circumstances, we can put our trust in God (v. 4), for He’s “compassionate and gracious . . . , abounding in love and faithfulness” (v. 15). As we wait on Him, we can pray, “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; . . . I will glorify your name forever” (vv. 11-12).

For further study, read: Why Should I Trust God

Because God!

You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Psalm 86:5

Six-year-old Tiana clasped her hands. She prayed as she scanned the crowd, glancing toward the front door of the church. Her classmates waved at guests settling in for the Father’s Day concert. Fathers and father figures returned the greetings. But nobody waved at Tiana. Her teacher encouraged her to join the choir, but Tiana didn’t budge. Suddenly her daddy rushed through the door. As he waved and found a seat, Tiana smiled, burst into tears, and stepped onto the stage.

Whatever our age, there’s a tender heart of a child within each of us that aches to be seen, heard, and loved. But the psalmist David demonstrated how God delights in showing up for His children. David prayed with confidence in a love that never fails, forgets, or forsakes—the love of our heavenly Father. Confessing his need, David prayed with faith in God’s trustworthiness (Psalm 86:1-4). He declared that God is “forgiving and good, abounding in love” (v. 5). He sang, “When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me” (v. 7). David cried out with expectation because God had proven His faithfulness (v. 11).

Like David, we can trust our heavenly Father to show up because He promises to do so. We too can sing, “I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever” (v. 12). Why? Because God is incomparable; He alone is God (vv. 8, 10).

Reflect & Pray

How does trusting that God never leaves change how you wait? How can you pray expectantly today?

Dear Father, please help me trust You because You alone are God!

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Justification by Faith

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! —Romans 5:10

I am not saved by believing; I realize I am saved by believing. Repentance isn’t what saves me; repentance is merely the sign that I realize what God has done in Jesus Christ.

The danger, when it comes to thinking about salvation, lies in identifying the wrong cause. I imagine that the cause of my being right with God is my own obedience. Never! I am put right with God because prior to everything—prior to all my beliefs, actions, and experiences—Christ died.

When I turn to God and, by belief, accept his revelation, the amazing atonement of Jesus Christ rushes me instantly into a right relationship with God. By the supernatural miracle of his grace, I stand justified—not because I’m sorry for my sins, not because I’ve repented, but because of what Jesus Christ has done. The Spirit of God brings this to my awareness with a dawning, allover light, and I know, though I do not know how, that I am saved.

The fact that I don’t understand logically how I’m saved is beside the point. Salvation doesn’t follow human logic. Salvation is based on the sacrificial death of Jesus. Only through his atonement can we be born again; only through the marvelous work of God in Jesus Christ can sinful men and women be changed into new creatures.

Praise God that the total, impregnable safety of salvation and sanctification lies not in us but in God himself. There’s nothing we have to do to bring it about, nothing we can do. Our salvation and sanctification have been worked out by the atonement, the miracle by which the supernatural becomes natural. They have been worked out long ago and for all time: “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Jeremiah 15-17; 2 Timothy 2 

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it. 

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, 1459 R

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Saving Lives With What You Have - #10383

Scripture:  Exodus 4:2

It started out like just another day driving a school bus for Ponderosa Elementary. But that night, Kevin McKay would be hailed as "the bus driver from heaven." In between, came the most deadly wildfire in California's history.

On the morning of November 8, McKay had just dropped off his students when he saw the smoke. Ten minutes later, the evacuation order. Ultimately - and quickly - you know, the entire community would be consumed by flames. Most parents made it to the school to quickly pick up their child. But as the fire was, in McKay's words, "coming down in a thousand places," there were 22 children still left at the school.

Since he had just unloaded, he had an empty bus. Within minutes, he had them aboard that bus with the help of two teachers, Abbie Davis and Mary Ludwig. That's when they began what became their five-hour journey through what Ludwig said "felt like Armageddon." The smoke and gridlock was so heavy they only traveled an eighth of a mile in the first hour.

They continued to navigate the wall of cars ahead, and McKay could see the fire was creeping ever closer to the road. One fourth-grader said, "There were fires left and right, everywhere you looked." Abbie Davis confessed that she thought they were going to die at several points along the journey. But they didn't, because of one man's courage and determination to save lives from those relentless flames.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Saving Lives With What You Have.”

I was really moved as I read his story. Yes, because of Kevin McKay's selfless heroism. But also because of that Scripture that kept playing back in my heart in the midst of that conflagration. "Save others by snatching them from the fire." That’s in Jude 23. Jesus left heaven on that rescue mission - to save us "from the fire." The fire of God's judgment for defying our Creator to, in essence, be our own "God." Running our own life. The "fire" I deserve that fell on Jesus on the cross as He (in the words of the Bible) "gave Himself for our sins to rescue us" (Galatians 1:4).

But I know people who don't even know the fire is coming. Let alone, that Jesus loved them enough to take the fire for them. Most of us know folks like that. Someone needs to "snatch them from the fire." Someone needs to do what a courageous bus driver did as Paradise went up in flames. Use whatever vehicle we have to save lives!

Like our influence, for example. In someone's life. Our connection, our relationship with someone who, each day, is one day closer to a judgment Jesus died to save them from. We know them, and we know Jesus. They don't know Jesus. Could our responsibility be any clearer? Is it any wonder God says in Ezekiel 3:18, "if you do not...speak out...I will hold you accountable for their blood"?

When God called Moses to join Him in rescuing his people, He asked Moses a probing question, and it’s our word for today from the Word of God in Exodus 4:2, "What is that in your hand?" It was only a shepherd's rod, but God told him to "throw it down" so He could transform it into something that would set people free. And that piece of wood, super-naturalized by God, helped liberate a nation.

When God asks me and each of His people, "What is that in your hand?" You got a home? A job? A computer? A Facebook page? A Bible study? Do you have a membership at the gym? A school or service club you're in? You have money in the bank? You have some respect at work or in the community? You have musical ability? A gift for writing or art? Do you have a relationship with a coworker, a neighbor, someone with a common interest?

God has heard the cries of the lost hearts around you and me and He's coming to rescue them. But He's asking you to use whatever has been trusted to you to save the ones you know; whatever’s in your hand. There's one vehicle we all have. Our most powerful vehicle - our story. Your life, your background, your battles, your pain, your failures, and how Jesus has changed your life. Your story, interwoven with His Story, could change their story forever!

The heroism of a man who saved lives with the vehicle he had makes me do some soul-searching. What do I have that God wants me to surrender so He can use it to change someone's eternity?

I can't imagine that bus driver simply driving off in that bus to save only himself. Not when there were people he could save from an unthinkable fate. I don't want to arrive in heaven with an "empty bus."

Song of Solomon 8, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: JESUS SEES EVERY PERSON - October 27, 2026

As Jesus went along, he saw a man blind from birth. No one else saw him. The disciples saw only a theological case study. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  They didn’t see a human being. They saw a topic of discussion.

Jesus, by contrast, saw a man who was blind from birth. A man who had never seen a sunrise, who couldn’t distinguish purple from pink. He dwelled in a dark world. Others had reason to hope. He had reason to despair.  But then Jesus saw him and he sees you.

The first lesson of this miracle is a welcome one. You and I aren’t invisible. We aren’t overlooked. Jesus spots us on the side of the road and he makes the first move. Remember my friend, you are never alone.

You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence & Power

Song of Solomon 8

I wish you’d been my twin brother,

sharing with me the breasts of my mother,

Playing outside in the street,

kissing in plain view of everyone,

and no one thinking anything of it.

I’d take you by the hand and bring you home

where I was raised by my mother.

You’d drink my wine

and kiss my cheeks.

3–4Imagine! His left hand cradling my head,

his right arm around my waist!

Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem:

Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up,

until the time is ripe—and you’re ready.

The Chorus

5Who is this I see coming up from the country,

arm in arm with her lover?

The Man

I found you under the apricot tree,

and woke you up to love.

Your mother went into labor under that tree,

and under that very tree she bore you.

The Woman

6–8Hang my locket around your neck,

wear my ring on your finger.

Love is invincible facing danger and death.

Passion laughs at the terrors of hell.

The fire of love stops at nothing—

it sweeps everything before it.

Flood waters can’t drown love,

torrents of rain can’t put it out.

Love can’t be bought, love can’t be sold—

it’s not to be found in the marketplace.

My brothers used to worry about me:

8–9“Our little sister has no breasts.

What shall we do with our little sister

when men come asking for her?

She’s a virgin and vulnerable,

and we’ll protect her.

If they think she’s a wall, we’ll top it with barbed wire.

If they think she’s a door, we’ll barricade it.”

10Dear brothers, I’m a walled-in virgin still,

but my breasts are full—

And when my lover sees me,

he knows he’ll soon be satisfied.

The Man

11–12King Solomon may have vast vineyards

in lush, fertile country,

Where he hires others to work the ground.

People pay anything to get in on that bounty.

But my vineyard is all mine,

and I’m keeping it to myself.

You can have your vast vineyards, Solomon,

you and your greedy guests!

13Oh, lady of the gardens,

my friends are with me listening.

Let me hear your voice!

The Woman

14Run to me, dear lover.

Come like a gazelle.

Leap like a wild stag

on the spice mountains.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

By Monica La Rose

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-10

I, Paul, am on special assignment for Christ, carrying out God’s plan laid out in the Message of Life by Jesus. I write this to you, Timothy, the son I love so much. All the best from our God and Christ be yours!

To Be Bold with God’s Gifts

3–4Every time I say your name in prayer—which is practically all the time—I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors.

And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.

8–10So don’t be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.

Today's Insights

Paul’s invitation to Timothy to “join with [him] in suffering for the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:8) is one that most would rather take a pass on. When we experience suffering and discomfort because of our faith in Jesus, we often resist it rather than welcome it. The consolation and hope that strengthens us, however, is found in the words in the remainder of the verse: “by the power of God.” Believers in Christ have resources that more than match the challenges they encounter. Those assets include God’s “power” (v. 7)—His might and strength. Furthermore, God’s Spirit resides in us: “Guard the good deposit . . . with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us” (v. 14; see v. 7). Finally, in our suffering, God’s grace strengthens us: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2:1).

For further study, read: Does Gratitude Help Our Mental Health?

A Rich Life of Gratitude

[God] has saved us and called us to a holy life . . . because of his own purpose and grace. 2 Timothy 1:9

In a letter dated September 13, 1943—five months after his imprisonment for opposing the Nazi regime—Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote his parents. He asked for books and paper. He thanked them for the ways they’d helped him, and said, “It’s a strange feeling to be so completely dependent on other people; but at least it teaches one to be grateful, and I hope I shall never forget that. In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”

In 2 Timothy, writing while “being chained like a criminal” (2:9), the apostle Paul too expressed his deep gratitude to those who’d loved and cared for him (1:3-4, 16). He asked for Timothy to bring his “scrolls, especially the parchments” (4:13).

And he lifted up the greatest gift God has given—“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we’ve done but because of his own purpose and grace” (1:9). The grace revealed through Christ—who “destroyed death” and “brought life and immortality to light” (v. 10)—brought Paul peace and purpose even in his suffering.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was never freed from Nazi imprisonment. He was executed on April 9, 1945. It’s believed Paul was executed not long after writing 2 Timothy. Yet both could testify to the goodness of a God who always gives immeasurably more than we could ever give in return.

Reflect & Pray

In what ways have you experienced others’ care? How has gratitude changed you?

Gracious God, thank You for all You are.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

The Method of Missions

Go and make disciples of all nations. —Matthew 28:19

Jesus didn’t tell his disciples, “Go and save souls”; salvation is the sovereign work of God. He said, “Go and make disciples.” But you can’t make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself—that is, unless you are rightly related to Jesus Christ.

When the disciples came back from their first mission, they were filled with joy at what they’d been able to do: “Lord, even the demons submit to us” (Luke 10:17). Jesus replied, “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (v. 20). He was saying, “Do not rejoice in successful service. The great secret of joy is that you are rightly related to me.”

We have to keep this secret at the forefront of our minds, so that we may remain true to the call of God. God calls his missionaries to a single purpose: discipling men and women to Jesus Christ. If we aren’t rightly related to our Lord, we risk losing focus and giving in to a passion for winning souls that doesn’t spring from God but from the desire to make converts to our point of view.

The challenge the missionary faces isn’t that people are difficult to save or that the world is full of indifference. The missionary’s challenge lies in maintaining a relationship with Jesus Christ; it lies in believing that what he said is true. In every case we encounter as missionaries, our Lord asks us: “Do you believe I am able to do this?” In turn, we have to ask ourselves: “Am I wise enough in God’s sight, and foolish enough in the world’s sight, to bank on what Christ has said, or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of boundless confidence in him?” If I take up any method other than acting in total confidence on what Jesus Christ has said, I depart from the method he set down: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go” (Matthew 28:18–19).

Jeremiah 12-14; 2 Timothy 1

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth.

The Place of Help, 1005 R

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Down Is Your Way Up - #10382

Scripture:  1 Peter 5:6

I used to be at Moody Bible Institute several times a year to do some radio programs, and I was usually there on a weekend. Now, Moody is right in the heart of Chicago. If you are in the heart of any big city, you’ve got to think about security, especially on the weekend when a lot of things are closed and there's no one working. You don’t want people just wandering around your buildings then.

The studios at Moody Bible Institute are located on the eighth and the tenth floor in a building which houses most of the administrative offices. Like I said, there’s not many people there on the weekend, so they need to make sure that they shut off the floors they don’t want just anyone to have access to. They keep the library open for the students and some things like that, but most of the floors are shut down as far as the elevator is concerned.

I can’t get to the eighth floor or the tenth floor where I need to get to do radio programs unless the security man specifically turns on the elevator to stop at those floors. Well, guess where he is? He’s downstairs in the lobby. If I’m in the eighth floor studios and I need to go to the tenth floor, can I just get on the elevator on 8 and push the button to 10? Nope! It wouldn’t be that easy. No, no, no. I have to go down to the lobby, get the man to open up 10, and then I ride back up to the top floor. I got a lot of elevator rides on weekends there. You may be getting a few right now.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Down Is Your Way Up.”

Our word for today from the Word of God, 1 Peter 5:6. It happens to be in a passage about young men who are moving into, or want to move into spiritual leadership. It says, “Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time.” Okay, Hutchcraft translation: “The way up is down” like my friendly weekend elevator.

You may be an ambitious person, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You’ve got goals, you’ve got dreams, and you’ve got a desire to get ahead. I hope you’ve got a desire to make a mark for Jesus. You’ve probably pushed the “up” button on your life’s elevator, but you know what? God takes us up through the most unusual route. He insists you go down first. Maybe that’s what’s going on in your life right now. He says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand.” You’ve got to do that first.

Right now God might just be saying to you, “Will you quit pushing for yourself? Would you quit trying to get out in front? Don’t promote yourself. Don’t defend yourself. Don’t position yourself. I do the promoting.” God’s asking you to release all that self-pushing, and self-promoting and leave it at His feet; to surrender your ego; to surrender those ambitions, surrender those goals. As long as you really want that spot, you really want to get out in front, you really need to be as it says here “lifted up,” you can’t be trusted with it. You’ll make an idol out of it if God gives it to you. It will ruin you.

Instead, it’s time to say, “Lord, all I am is your humble servant. I lay aside all my rights as You did when You came here. I expect no preferred treatment. I expect no recognition. I yield my need to You, my need to be noticed, and to be successful, to get stroked, to get the credit. Anything goes, Lord, whether it’s little or big. I’m here for Your purposes, not mine. I’m here for Your glory, not mine. Take me, I’m yours.” The Bible says then is when He can lift you up.

Get your fingerprints off your future. Let God promote you “in due time” when He knows you’re ready. If you want to go up, hit the down button and let God run your elevator.

Luke 24:1-35, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: THOSE WHO CAN’T SEE - October 26, 2026

From Heaven’s viewpoint, our earth is populated by sightless people. They do not see the meaning of life or the love of God. How else do we explain the confusion and chaos? How else do we explain the constant threat of world war, plagues of hunger, racism, and the Holocaust of the unborn? Billions of people simply cannot see.

The scripture says, “The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe.” They cannot see the light of the good news, the good news about the glory of Christ who is exactly like God. We need a spiritual ophthalmologist. We need Jesus to do for us what he did for the man on the side of the Jerusalem road. He restored his sight and he will do the same for us. Remember, my friends, you are never alone.

You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence & Power

Luke 24:1-35

Looking for the Living One in a Cemetery

1–324At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn’t find the body of the Master Jesus.

4–8They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, “Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?” Then they remembered Jesus’ words.

9–11They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to the Eleven and the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them kept telling these things to the apostles, but the apostles didn’t believe a word of it, thought they were making it all up.

12But Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb. He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes, that’s all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head.

The Road to Emmaus

13–16That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was.

17–18He asked, “What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?”

19–24He said, “What has happened?”

They said, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn’t find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn’t see Jesus.”

25–27Then he said to them, “So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don’t you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?” Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.

28–31They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: “Stay and have supper with us. It’s nearly evening; the day is done.” So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared.

32Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?”

A Ghost Doesn’t Have Muscle and Bone

33–34They didn’t waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: “It’s really happened! The Master has been raised up—Simon saw him!”

35Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Monday, October 26, 2026

By Katara Patton

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Isaiah 43:1-7

When You’re Between a Rock and a Hard Place

1–443But now, God’s Message,

the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,

the One who got you started, Israel:

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.

I’ve called your name. You’re mine.

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.

When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.

When you’re between a rock and a hard place,

it won’t be a dead end—

Because I am God, your personal God,

The Holy of Israel, your Savior.

I paid a huge price for you:

all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!

That’s how much you mean to me!

That’s how much I love you!

I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,

trade the creation just for you.

5–7“So don’t be afraid: I’m with you.

I’ll round up all your scattered children,

pull them in from east and west.

I’ll send orders north and south:

‘Send them back.

Return my sons from distant lands,

my daughters from faraway places.

I want them back, every last one who bears my name,

every man, woman, and child

Whom I created for my glory,

yes, personally formed and made each one.’ ”

Today's Insights

Because of the Israelites’ unrepentant unfaithfulness, God exiled them to Babylon (Isaiah 39:6-7). But He assured them, “I will be with you” (43:2; see v. 5). He also promised He’d bring them back to the promised land (vv. 2-6). He lovingly called them “my sons . . . and my daughters . . . who [are] called by my name” (vv. 6-7). As believers in Jesus, we too are called by God. Paul says, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ” (Ephesians 1:4 nlt). Calling us by our names, Jesus leads us to follow Him (John 10:3). We don’t need to be afraid of the uncertainties of our future, for God has assured us, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1 nlt). He knows us and has written our names “in the book of life” (Philippians 4:3; see Revelation 20:12-15).

For further study, read: You Are Seen

God Knows Your Name

I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

One particularly catchy book promotion featured the auctioning of the chance for readers to have their name in print. Willing participants could pay to have their names used for a character in a bestselling author’s upcoming novel. The highest bidder in the auction won a chance to select a name to be used in the book. The money raised went to charity—and of course the author’s novel was promoted.

Many people enjoy seeing their names in print. It’s a way for them to be known or even “seen.” But rest assured, Someone much more important already knows your name and already sees you.

When Isaiah reminded the Israelites about God’s love for them, he said, “[God has] summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). The prophet was reminding the people of God’s covenant agreement with them formed with their forefather Abraham many years before (see Genesis 12:1-3). And even though the people may have felt abandoned during the time these words were spoken, Isaiah’s reminder showed that God knew their needs and was with them (Isaiah 43:2-5).

Similarly, those who believe in Jesus are known by God. John 10:3 says, “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” We’re known by God when we seek to follow Him and follow His commands outlined for us in Scripture. We’re known and we’re loved. God sees us and knows us by name.

Reflect & Pray

How does reflecting on the fact that God knows your name help you? How can you share the good news of being known by Him?

Almighty God, thank You for knowing me and seeing me.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Monday, October 26, 2026

What Is a Missionary?

As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. —John 20:21

A missionary is one sent by Jesus Christ as Jesus Christ was sent by God. A missionary’s purpose isn’t serving the needs of humanity; it’s obeying the command of Jesus: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

The inspiration for the missionary’s work lies behind, not before. Today, the tendency is to put the inspiration out front; we look forward to our own success. In the New Testament, the inspiration for doing God’s work is found in Jesus Christ, in what he has already accomplished. The missionary’s ideal is to be true to the Lord and to carry out his enterprises.

Personal attachment to Jesus and his point of view is the one thing that must not be overlooked in the missionary’s work. The great danger is in getting so wrapped up in people’s needs that our sympathy drowns out God’s call and overwhelms the meaning of being sent by Jesus. Humanity’s needs are so enormous, and the conditions of human life so perplexing, that every power of mind falters and fails when confronted with them. It’s easy to forget that the great reason for the missionary enterprise isn’t educating people or meeting their needs but first and foremost obeying the command of Jesus Christ.

When looking back on the lives of missionaries who seem to have risen to every challenge and perplexity, we have the tendency to say, “What wonderful wisdom they had! How perfectly they understood what God wanted!” It wasn’t human wisdom at all; the astute mind behind what they did was the mind of God. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to divine guidance. If any man or woman seems to possess divine wisdom, it’s because they were childlike and simple enough to trust the supernatural guidance of God.

Jeremiah 9-11; 1 Timothy 6

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

We are in danger of being stern where God is tender, and of being tender where God is stern. 

The Love of God—The Message of Invincible Consolation, 673 L

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Monday, October 26, 2026

Compartment Faith - #10381

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:11

Sometimes when I’m speaking at a youth conference, I show up on the platform with a pie and a can of whipped cream. Sometimes it makes the front row a little nervous. But not to fear—it’s only an illustration, not a weapon. I have my pie cut into six slices. I cover one of those slices with a generous serving of whipped cream. Then the big question to the audience, “How many slices are going to taste like whipped cream?” There’s no trick question here. One slice will. Then I spray the whipped cream all over that pie and then there’s whipped cream everywhere. And then I repeat the question. This is not hard. Every slice of the pie now will taste like whipped cream. Which, whether you realize it or not, could have a lot to do with how God feels about you as a Christian!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Compartment Faith.”

When we think about letting Jesus Christ be the Lord of our life, as He says He must be, we tend to think of one big slice that will be His—it becomes the Jesus-slice of our life. So, in that slice, you read His Book, you go to His meetings, you give to His offerings, you believe all His beliefs, you learn His language. That spiritual slice of our lives really tastes like Jesus.

But when Jesus talks about being our Lord, He’s talking about changing the flavor of every slice of your life; how you act at work, at home, at school, what you do with your money, what you do with your talents, what you look at on the internet, what you watch, what you listen to, and what you do with your friends. But, see, you and I live in the Age of Compartmentalization where our beliefs are pretty much one compartment of our life. After all, what are beliefs for? You just believe them, right? And if you believe them, and visit them every Sunday at the Belief Museum, that’s enough, right? “Hey, I really believe this stuff. I really do.” We may not agree openly, but surveys, and just everyday life, show that a lot of us live like our relationship with Jesus is just a slice of our life—an important slice, but just a slice.

In our word for today from the Word of God in Isaiah 1:11, God reveals His shocking reaction to our compartmentalized faith. “’The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to Me?’ says the Lord... ‘I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats... Stop bringing meaningless offerings... When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.’” Imagine, your Lord calling all your Christian meetings and activities “meaningless”; telling you that all your God-stuff is a waste of time in His eyes—that He’s not going to respond to your prayers.

Here’s the reason. God says, “Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of My sight. Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!” Then God proceeds to name specific areas where their lives do not measure up to their beliefs. The message here is clear. No matter how beautiful the spiritual compartment of your life is, it means nothing when the rest of your life contradicts it.

Your Lord responds to what you live, not just what you believe. And maybe right now He’s seeing how you cheat in your business, how you treat your family, how you watch or listen to portrayals of things that He hates, your racial prejudice, your out-of-control mouth, what you’re doing romantically. And, in His holy eyes, you are neutralizing whatever you’re doing over there in your spiritual compartment of your life.

Jesus asks this blunt question, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord” and do not do what I say?’” (Luke 6:46). He bought you with His life. He didn’t pay for just a slice of your life. Either He’s Lord of all or He’s not Lord at all!

Maybe Jesus has only been in your head all these years and you’ve never moved Him to your heart. Which means you're still lost. You’ve never gone to the cross and said, “What happened there, Jesus, was for me, and I’m giving me to You.” If you realize that today and you want to change it, and you want to be His for real, would you tell Him today, "Jesus, finally, I'm really yours."

Go to our website and check out what you need to know to be sure you belong to Him. It’s ANewStory.com.

Remember, if He’s not Lord of all, He’s not Lord at all.

Song of Solomon 7,Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Heaven’s Throne Room

You sleep alone in a double bed. You walk the hallways of a silent house. You catch yourself calling out his name or reaching for her hand. Good-bye is the challenge of your life! To get through this is to get through this raging loneliness, this strength-draining grief.  Just the separation has exhausted your spirit. You feel quarantined, isolated.

May I give you some hope?  If heaven’s throne room has a calendar, one day is circled in red and highlighted in yellow. The Bible says that the The Master himself will give the command. Archangel thunder!  God’s trumpet blast! He will come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then the rest of us who are still alive will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. (I Thessalonians 4:15-17).

Oh, what a day that will be! We’ll be walking on air! And there will be one huge family reunion. I leave you with this reminder: You will get through this!

From You’ll Get Through This

Song of Solomon 7

Shapely and graceful your sandaled feet,

and queenly your movement—

Your limbs are lithe and elegant,

the work of a master artist.

Your body is a chalice,

wine-filled.

Your skin is silken and tawny

like a field of wheat touched by the breeze.

Your breasts are like fawns,

twins of a gazelle.

Your neck is carved ivory, curved and slender.

Your eyes are wells of light, deep with mystery.

Quintessentially feminine!

Your profile turns all heads,

commanding attention.

The feelings I get when I see the high mountain ranges

—stirrings of desire, longings for the heights—

Remind me of you,

and I’m spoiled for anyone else!

Your beauty, within and without, is absolute,

dear lover, close companion.

You are tall and supple, like the palm tree,

and your full breasts are like sweet clusters of dates.

I say, “I’m going to climb that palm tree!

I’m going to caress its fruit!”

Oh yes! Your breasts

will be clusters of sweet fruit to me,

Your breath clean and cool like fresh mint,

your tongue and lips like the best wine.

The Woman

9–12Yes, and yours are, too—my love’s kisses

flow from his lips to mine.

I am my lover’s.

I’m all he wants. I’m all the world to him!

Come, dear lover—

let’s tramp through the countryside.

Let’s sleep at some wayside inn,

then rise early and listen to bird-song.

Let’s look for wildflowers in bloom,

blackberry bushes blossoming white,

Fruit trees festooned

with cascading flowers.

And there I’ll give myself to you,

my love to your love!

13Love-apples drench us with fragrance,

fertility surrounds, suffuses us,

Fruits fresh and preserved

that I’ve kept and saved just for you, my love.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

October 25, 2026

by Kenneth Petersen

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Exodus 2:1-10

Moses

1–32A man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant and had a son. She saw there was something special about him and hid him. She hid him for three months. When she couldn’t hide him any longer she got a little basket-boat made of papyrus, waterproofed it with tar and pitch, and placed the child in it. Then she set it afloat in the reeds at the edge of the Nile.

4–6The baby’s older sister found herself a vantage point a little way off and watched to see what would happen to him. Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the Nile to bathe; her maidens strolled on the bank. She saw the basket-boat floating in the reeds and sent her maid to get it. She opened it and saw the child—a baby crying! Her heart went out to him. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew babies.”

7Then his sister was before her: “Do you want me to go and get a nursing mother from the Hebrews so she can nurse the baby for you?”

8Pharaoh’s daughter said, “Yes. Go.” The girl went and called the child’s mother.

9Pharaoh’s daughter told her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me. I’ll pay you.” The woman took the child and nursed him.

10After the child was weaned, she presented him to Pharaoh’s daughter who adopted him as her son. She named him Moses (Pulled-Out), saying, “I pulled him out of the water.”

Today's Insights

Stephen’s defense before the council of Jewish leaders included biographical snapshots from Moses’ life, including his rescue by Pharaoh’s daughter (Acts 7:20-21; see Exodus 2:1-10) and that “Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action” (Acts 7:22). Though Moses’ forty years in Pharaoh’s household prepared him for his leadership assignment, it took an additional forty years of the Master Artist’s work to ready him for rescuing the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery (see Acts 7:28-36). Today, just as God prepared Moses for his task, He’s working in our lives to conform us to His image.

For further study, read: The Intimacy of Prayer

God’s Portrait of You

She saw that he was a fine child. Exodus 2:2

The British TV reality show Portrait Artist of the Year pits nine amateur painters against each other in creating portraits of a local celebrity. The images have to be completed in just four hours, which is condensed into the one-hour program. It’s fascinating to watch the cameras capture each artist’s creation slowly emerging from a blank canvas.

The Bible records the story of creation in Genesis, where God brings life out of the void —a blank canvas. Yet there’s a another “creation story” in Exodus 2—the birth of Moses. This language echoes earlier Genesis accounts. The mother of Moses “saw that he was a fine child” (Exodus 2:2); this is the Hebrew word tov, meaning “good,” as used in Genesis: “God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:25). Baby Moses is put in a basket and floated on the water to be saved—basket being the same word for ark in the story of Noah. Here, we see God bringing to life a portrait of the leader of His chosen people, Israel.

How is God “painting” your life? Perhaps you have come from the bulrushes of humble beginnings. Maybe you feel inadequate for the tasks ahead, as Moses did (see Exodus 4). Yet God’s portrait of you is slowly emerging: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:10). As God paints your life, be assured he is bringing tov (good) out of your blank canvas.

Reflect & Pray

How are you experiencing God’s development of you? What does His portrait of you look like?

Dear Father, please conform me into the image of Your Son, Jesus. Lead me into the portrait You wish me to be.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Sunday, October 25, 2026

Submitting to God’s Purpose

I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. —1 Corinthians 9:22

A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things. Never protest by saying, “If only I were somewhere else!” All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them. Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts, we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God. We are not workers for God by choice. Many people deliberately choose to be workers, but they have no purpose of God’s almighty grace or His mighty Word in them. Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do, and he never lost sight of that one thing. We must continually confront ourselves with one central fact— “…Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

“I chose you…” (John 15:16). Keep these words as a wonderful reminder in your theology. It is not that you have gotten God, but that He has gotten you. God is at work bending, breaking, molding, and doing exactly as He chooses. And why is He doing it? He is doing it for only one purpose— that He may be able to say, “This is My man, and this is My woman.” We have to be in God’s hand so that He can place others on the Rock, Jesus Christ, just as He has placed us.

Never choose to be a worker, but once God has placed His call upon you, woe be to you if you “turn aside…to the right or the left…” (Deuteronomy 28:14). He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

“When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” We all have faith in good principles, in good management, in good common sense, but who amongst us has faith in Jesus Christ? Physical courage is grand, moral courage is grander, but the man who trusts Jesus Christ in the face of the terrific problems of life is worth a whole crowd of heroes.  The Highest Good, 544 R

Song of Solomon 6 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Unnecessary Messes

A lot of us make unnecessary messes. But we can change that. May I make a suggestion? Before you face the world, face your Father.

Take this "pocket prayer:"

"Father. . .You are good. Your heart is good." The words come slowly at first, but stay at it… "Your ways are right. The weather's bad, the economy is bad, but God, you are awesome."

Don't underestimate the power of this moment. You just opened the door to God and welcomed truth to enter your heart. Who knows, you might even start to worship. Is your world different because you prayed? In one sense, no. But you are different. You have peace. You've talked with your Father.

Here's my challenge to you today! With a "pocket prayer" you'll find at BeforeAmen.com-join me every day for 4 weeks to pray 4 minutes-it'll change your life forever!

Before Amen

Song of Solomon 6

So where has this love of yours gone,

fair one?

Where on earth can he be?

Can we help you look for him?

The Woman

2–3Never mind. My lover is already on his way to his garden,

to browse among the flowers, touching the colors and forms.

I am my lover’s and my lover is mine.

He caresses the sweet-smelling flowers.

The Man

4–7Dear, dear friend and lover,

you’re as beautiful as Tirzah, city of delights,

Lovely as Jerusalem, city of dreams,

the ravishing visions of my ecstasy.

Your beauty is too much for me—I’m in over my head.

I’m not used to this! I can’t take it in.

Your hair flows and shimmers

like a flock of goats in the distance

streaming down a hillside in the sunshine.

Your smile is generous and full—

expressive and strong and clean.

Your veiled cheeks

are soft and radiant.

8–9There’s no one like her on earth,

never has been, never will be.

She’s a woman beyond compare.

My dove is perfection,

Pure and innocent as the day she was born,

and cradled in joy by her mother.

Everyone who came by to see her

exclaimed and admired her—

All the fathers and mothers, the neighbors and friends,

blessed and praised her:

10“Has anyone ever seen anything like this—

dawn-fresh, moon-lovely, sun-radiant,

ravishing as the night sky with its galaxies of stars?”

11–12One day I went strolling through the orchard,

looking for signs of spring,

Looking for buds about to burst into flower,

anticipating readiness, ripeness.

Before I knew it my heart was raptured,

carried away by lofty thoughts!

13Dance, dance, dear Shulammite, Angel-Princess!

Dance, and we’ll feast our eyes on your grace!

Everyone wants to see the Shulammite dance

her victory dances of love and peace.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

October 24, 2026

By 

Marvin Williams

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 15:51-58

But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I’ll probably never fully understand. We’re not all going to die—but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it’s over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we’ll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true:

Death swallowed by triumphant Life!

Who got the last word, oh, Death?

Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?

It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!

58With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.

Today's Insights

In 1 Corinthians 15:58, the apostle Paul reminds us that nothing we do for God is in vain. The Scriptures provide other examples of those who gave to God. A destitute widow gave her last bit of food to feed Elijah—“only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil” (1 Kings 17:12). A little boy offered his “five small barley loaves and two small fish” to feed five thousand men (John 6:9). Jesus commended a poor widow for giving two small copper coins (the smallest coin in circulation) as her offering to God. It was considered of the most worth, however, because she had in effect given all she had (Luke 21:1-4). God doesn’t measure the size of the gift but the sacrificial heart of the giver. We serve Him in differing capacities, and we may not always feel seen. But we can be assured that God sees whatever is done for Him.

For further study, read: Finding Satisfaction in Our Work

Quiet Faithfulness in Christ

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

At a large university, an artist painted ten stunning portraits of the men and women who keep the university running: those working in maintenance, food service, groundskeeping, and security. Moore said he wanted to paint them “in a position of power.” And that’s exactly what he did. He gave dignity to people whose work is often unseen but deeply valuable. One university leader said the portraits even helped to heal long-standing wounds of ethnic division on campus.

That’s a reflection of God’s heart. As the members of the church in Corinth considered God’s promises, the apostle Paul implored them to “give [themselves] fully to the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Because of the victorious death and resurrection of Jesus (v. 57), nothing they did for Him—humble or hidden—was in vain. If they were hesitant or discouraged to do good because they didn’t readily see the results, Paul wanted them to have a heavenly perspective—one that would make them steadfast in their faith, not wavering, and taking every opportunity to do good. They could know that they bore “the image of [Jesus]” (v. 49), and their work for Him counted.

When our service feels small or unseen, we can take heart. God sees and helps us in our work done for Him. Faithfulness may not always make headlines, but it always matters to God.

Reflect & Pray

How does it encourage you to know that the work you do for God isn’t in vain? How can you be more fully committed to working for Him?

Dear God, please help me to do all my work fully for You.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, October 24, 2026

The Proper Perspective

Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ… —2 Corinthians 2:14

The proper perspective of a servant of God must not simply be as near to the highest as he can get, but it must be the highest. Be careful that you vigorously maintain God’s perspective, and remember that it must be done every day, little by little. Don’t think on a finite level. No outside power can touch the proper perspective.

The proper perspective to maintain is that we are here for only one purpose— to be captives marching in the procession of Christ’s triumphs. We are not on display in God’s showcase— we are here to exhibit only one thing— the “captivity [of our lives] to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). How small all the other perspectives are! For example, the ones that say, “I am standing all alone, battling for Jesus,” or, “I have to maintain the cause of Christ and hold down this fort for Him.” But Paul said, in essence, “I am in the procession of a conqueror, and it doesn’t matter what the difficulties are, for I am always led in triumph.” Is this idea being worked out practically in us? Paul’s secret joy was that God took him as a blatant rebel against Jesus Christ, and made him a captive— and that became his purpose. It was Paul’s joy to be a captive of the Lord, and he had no other interest in heaven or on earth. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to talk about getting the victory. We should belong so completely to the Victor that it is always His victory, and “we are more than conquerors through Him…” (Romans 8:37).

“We are to God the fragrance of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 2:15). We are encompassed with the sweet aroma of Jesus, and wherever we go we are a wonderful refreshment to God.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Am I learning how to use my Bible? The way to become complete for the Master’s service is to be well soaked in the Bible; some of us only exploit certain passages. Our Lord wants to give us continuous instruction out of His word; continuous instruction turns hearers into disciples.  Approved Unto God, 11 L

Acts 7:1-21, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Don't Put Your Trust in Stuff

Don't put your trust in stuff! Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:17, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."

The rich in this world-that's you…that's me…and that's okay. Prosperity is a common consequence of faithfulness. Paul didn't tell the rich to feel guilty about being rich; he just urged caution. The abundance or lack of money will only be felt for one life. Don't get tangled up in it. If you and I stockpile earthly treasures and not heavenly treasures, what does that say about where we put our trust? Glory Days happen to the degree that we trust God. Whom do you trust? God or King More?

From Glory Days

Acts 7:1-21

Stephen, Full of the Holy Spirit

17Then the Chief Priest said, “What do you have to say for yourself?”

2–3Stephen replied, “Friends, fathers, and brothers, the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was still in Mesopotamia, before the move to Haran, and told him, ‘Leave your country and family and go to the land I’ll show you.’

4–7“So he left the country of the Chaldees and moved to Haran. After the death of his father, he immigrated to this country where you now live, but God gave him nothing, not so much as a foothold. He did promise to give the country to him and his son later on, even though Abraham had no son at the time. God let him know that his offspring would move to an alien country where they would be enslaved and brutalized for four hundred years. ‘But,’ God said, ‘I will step in and take care of those slaveholders and bring my people out so they can worship me in this place.’

8“Then he made a covenant with him and signed it in Abraham’s flesh by circumcision. When Abraham had his son Isaac, within eight days he reproduced the sign of circumcision in him. Isaac became father of Jacob, and Jacob father of twelve ‘fathers,’ each faithfully passing on the covenant sign.

9–10“But then those ‘fathers,’ burning up with jealousy, sent Joseph off to Egypt as a slave. God was right there with him, though—he not only rescued him from all his troubles but brought him to the attention of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He was so impressed with Joseph that he put him in charge of the whole country, including his own personal affairs.

11–15“Later a famine descended on that entire region, stretching from Egypt to Canaan, bringing terrific hardship. Our hungry fathers looked high and low for food, but the cupboard was bare. Jacob heard there was food in Egypt and sent our fathers to scout it out. Having confirmed the report, they went back to Egypt a second time to get food. On that visit, Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers and introduced the Jacob family to Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent for his father, Jacob, and everyone else in the family, seventy-five in all. That’s how the Jacob family got to Egypt.

15–16“Jacob died, and our fathers after him. They were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb for which Abraham paid a good price to the sons of Hamor.

17–19“When the four hundred years were nearly up, the time God promised Abraham for deliverance, the population of our people in Egypt had become very large. And there was now a king over Egypt who had never heard of Joseph. He exploited our race mercilessly. He went so far as forcing us to abandon our newborn infants, exposing them to the elements to die a cruel death.

20–22“In just such a time Moses was born, a most beautiful baby. He was hidden at home for three months. When he could be hidden no longer, he was put outside—and immediately rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter, who mothered him as her own son.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

23 OCT 2026

By Alyson Kieda

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Psalm 92:1-5, 12-15

What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks,

to sing an anthem to you, the High God!

To announce your love each daybreak,

sing your faithful presence all through the night,

Accompanied by dulcimer and harp,

the full-bodied music of strings.

4–9You made me so happy, God

I saw your work and I shouted for joy.

How magnificent your work, God!

How profound your thoughts!

“Good people will prosper like palm trees,

Grow tall like Lebanon cedars;

transplanted to God’s courtyard,

They’ll grow tall in the presence of God,

lithe and green, virile still in old age.”

15Such witnesses to upright God!

My Mountain, my huge, holy Mountain!

Today's Insights

The superscript for Psalm 92 reads, “For the Sabbath day.” It’s the only psalm written for the Sabbath, and the tone is one of thanks and praise. “I sing for joy at what your hands have done,” writes the psalmist (v. 4). This references creation, after which God “rested from all his work” (Genesis 2:2). The psalm also draws on a familiar theme of Scripture’s poets—“the righteous will flourish like a palm tree” (Psalm 92:12). This echoes Psalm 1, which likens the one “whose delight is in the law of the Lord” (v. 2) to “a tree planted by streams of water” (v. 3). Psalm 1 notes how “the Lord watches over the way of the righteous” (v. 6). Psalm 92 acknowledges God Himself as the source of that righteousness, for “the righteous” (v. 12) declare, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock” (v. 15). Through our joys and trials, we can praise God, knowing that He cares for us.

For further study, read: Walk with Me

Carried Through

It is good to praise the Lord . . . proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night. Psalm 92:1-2

Lillie Cunningham is 110 years old, yet she isn’t reliant on a cane or walker. She does rely on Scripture, however, which she reads every morning and night—and attends church every Sunday. When she considers her life, she states, “I just always had faith and trust in God that he was going to carry us through.”

Mrs. Cunningham trusts in and praises God for carrying her through hardships, including wars, pandemics, and the death of her husband and siblings. Her life resembles that of the psalmist who proclaimed God’s “love in the morning and [His] faithfulness at night” (Psalm 92:1-2); and her perseverance points to the psalmist’s words: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree . . . ; planted in the house of the Lord . . . . They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green” (vv. 12-14). And like the psalmist, she attributes it all to God (v. 15).

We can learn much from this centenarian’s example. Like Lillie, may we live our lives in communion with and praise for God by spending time in prayer, reading Scripture, and worshiping “in the courts of our God” (v. 13). We aren’t promised a long life on earth, but through Him, we can stay “fresh and green” (v. 14) as God prepares us for eternal life with Him.

Reflect & Pray

What does it look like to flourish through walking with God? How has God carried you through hardships?

Dear God, thank You for bringing me through both the joys and trials of my life. Please help me to walk with You in my everyday activities.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Friday, October 23, 2026

Nothing of the Old Life!

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. —2 Corinthians 5:17

Our Lord never tolerates our prejudices— He is directly opposed to them and puts them to death. We tend to think that God has some special interest in our particular prejudices, and are very sure that He will never deal with us as He has to deal with others. We even say to ourselves, “God has to deal with other people in a very strict way, but of course He knows that my prejudices are all right.” But we must learn that God accepts nothing of the old life! Instead of being on the side of our prejudices, He is deliberately removing them from us. It is part of our moral education to see our prejudices put to death by His providence, and to watch how He does it. God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.

When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation in us, and there will come a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and “all things are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:18). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that “is kind…is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God— such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Am I learning how to use my Bible? The way to become complete for the Master’s service is to be well soaked in the Bible; some of us only exploit certain passages. Our Lord wants to give us continuous instruction out of His word; continuous instruction turns hearers into disciples.  Approved Unto God, 11 L

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Light and The Cockroaches - #7510

Most young married couples make some purchases that turn out to be a transaction that they are not proud of. Remember something you bought back then that ended up being a mistake? My wife and I were marriage rookies when we bought that refrigerator. We were also pretty broke. We saw an ad in the paper for a cheap refrigerator. I was getting tired of just putting another block of ice in the sink in the kitchen. (Not really.) Well, we picked up the refrigerator, we sat it up in the kitchen and it worked!

One night when we returned home, we flipped on the kitchen light and saw we had company. Cockroaches were everywhere, scurrying for cover. It turns out the seller had stored that refrigerator in the basement, and roaches had gotten in and laid eggs in the insulation a long time ago, and they hatched out in their new home which was our home! Just turning on the light that night exposed a serious problem we had to deal with.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have "A Word With You" today about "The Light and The Cockroaches."

Our word for today from the Word of God, we are in Matthew 11, beginning in Verse 20. It says, "Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed." Why? Because they did not repent. You see, these people had seen a blaze of light from heaven in the form of miracles that the Lord had done in their lives. But it says "they didn't repent." He says they should have!

Verse 21: "Woe to you Chorazin, woe to you Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes, but I tell you it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of Judgment than for us." He goes on to talk about Capernaum. He said, "Years ago, Sodom would have shaped up if they had seen God at work like you've seem Him. Which brings us to you and me.

Has God done some pretty powerful things in your life? Have you been an eye-witness to His grace, His goodness, to the provision of God? That's suppose to be like a bright light that shines into your life, but do you know what God's miracles on your behalf are suppose to do? That blaze of light is suppose to show you the cockroaches that need to be dealt with: sin, compromise, areas where you've been settling for less than His best.

The bottom line: His miracle should lead to your repentance. God breaks into your situation not only to deliver you, but to call you to examine your relationship with Him. God did what you asked Him to do. Now are you going to do what He's asking you to do?

In our ministry we've seen the Lord answer prayer dramatically. We've seen Him do some things that only He could do, and we've praised Him and we've thanked Him. But He's also expecting us to stand in the light of those miracles and ask, "Lord, what do you want to show us about how we can be more like you; anything you want us to change?"

See, repentance isn't just about feeling sorry for something; it literally means a change of mind. God often sends a miracle to make you reflective about your relationship with Him about your life, and then to lead you closer to Him than you've ever been before, to change something you might have never thought about if it hadn't been for the light of His miracle breaking into your life.

Now, you've got your answer to prayer; you've got your miracle from God. Jesus shone a bright light on your life. Now the light should also show you those cockroaches, the things you need to deal with that you never would have seen except in the light of the great work Jesus has done.