Psalm 28, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Sowing Seeds

Many parents aren’t proud of their family trees. The harvest was taken, but no seed was sown. Childhood memories bring more hurt than inspiration. If such is the case, put down the family scrapbook and pick up your Bible. John 3:6 reminds us, “Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit.” Your parents have given you genes, but God gives you grace.

Didn’t have a good father?  Galatians 4:7 says God will be your father. Didn’t have a good role model?  Ephesians 5:1 says, “You are God’s child whom He loves, so try to be like Him.”

You cannot control the way your forefathers responded to God. But you can control the way you respond to Him. The past does not have to be your prison. Choose well and someday—generations from now—your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thank God for the seeds you sowed!

From When God Whispers Your Name

Psalm 28

A David Psalm

1  28 Don’t turn a deaf ear

when I call you, God.

If all I get from you is

deafening silence,

I’d be better off

in the Black Hole.

2  I’m letting you know what I need,

calling out for help

And lifting my arms

toward your inner sanctum.

3–4  Don’t shove me into

the same jail cell with those crooks,

With those who are

full-time employees of evil.

They talk a good line of “peace,”

then moonlight for the Devil.

Pay them back for what they’ve done,

for how bad they’ve been.

Pay them back for their long hours

in the Devil’s workshop;

Then cap it with a huge bonus.

5  Because they have no idea how God works

or what he is up to,

God will smash them to smithereens

and walk away from the ruins.

6–7  Blessed be God—

he heard me praying.

He proved he’s on my side;

I’ve thrown my lot in with him.

Now I’m jumping for joy,

and shouting and singing my thanks to him.

8–9  God is all strength for his people,

ample refuge for his chosen leader;

Save your people

and bless your heritage.

Care for them;

carry them like a good shepherd.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Saturday, July 18, 2026

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Acts 16:6-10

They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn’t let them go there either. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas.

9–10  That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans.

Today's Insights

In Acts 16:6-7, it’s unclear how the Holy Spirit stopped Paul from moving forward with his plans. It may have been through a vision, a word of prophecy, or some other circumstance. When God prompted him to go to Macedonia so the gospel could be heard there, we’re told He spoke to him through a vision (vv. 9-10). Scripture doesn’t reveal the identity of the “man of Macedonia” (v. 9), but some scholars believe it may have been Luke, who wrote the book of Acts and joined the group at this point. As believers in Jesus, when God seems to close a door, it may be that the Holy Spirit is redirecting our plans to better align with His. The Spirit of God lives inside us to guide us. Christ said of the Spirit, “He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears” (John 16:13; see 14:26).

Road Closed, Spirit-Led

By Marvin Williams

Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. Acts 16:7

After a lengthy journey, my wife and I finally neared our street, but a large road closed to thru traffic sign blocked our path. I felt the urge to drive around it because home was just ahead, and I didn’t like being rerouted. But then I saw why the road was closed: A downed power line lay across the road. Had I ignored the warning, I could have driven into danger.

In Acts 16:6-10, Paul and his companions were eager to preach the gospel in the province of Asia, but the Holy Spirit closed that door. Detours aren’t always rejection, however. They can be divine redirections. Like the roadblock on our street, God rerouted Paul from entering the province of Bithynia. It must have been frustrating to be blocked, especially while Paul was striving to do his best. But then he received a vision in which a man said, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (v. 9). God said “no” to something good because He was preparing them for something else—taking the gospel to the people of another continent (v. 10).

Rather than seeing “no” as punishment and rejection, we can see it as His Spirit-led redirection. His detours are often pathways to divine appointments. Let’s not simply trust His direction when the roads are open; let’s follow when He closes them too.

Reflect & Pray

When has God placed a “road closed” sign in front of you as you were striving to do something good? How are you listening for the Spirit’s guidance as you work out your plans?

Dear God, please help me to trust Your closed doors as much as I trust Your open ones.

To learn more read When God Says No

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, July 18, 2026

The Mystery of Believing

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. —Acts 9:5

Saul of Tarsus was transformed in an instant from a strong-willed, intense Pharisee into a humble, devoted slave of the Lord. How was such a change possible? Only by the miracle of the redemption.

There’s nothing miraculous about the things we can explain. We command what we are able to explain; consequently, it’s natural for us to seek to explain. What Saul experienced on the road to Damascus had no logical explanation, and neither did the choice he made afterward: to live in total obedience to Jesus Christ.

Obedience isn’t natural, nor is disobedience necessarily sinful. There’s no moral virtue in obedience unless a higher authority belongs to the one who commands. Sometimes, refusing to obey is an act of self-liberation. If one person says to another, “You must” or “You will,” it breaks the human spirit and its loyalty to God. A person is a slave for obeying unless behind the obedience lies a recognition of a holy God. Too often religion loses sight of God and becomes all about obeying rules. Many souls begin to come to God when they stop being religious, because the human heart only has one master, and that isn’t religion but Jesus Christ.

When Jesus Christ appears to me, I’m in danger if I say, “I won’t.” Jesus will never insist on my obedience, but if I refuse to obey, I’ve begun to sign the death warrant of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face-to-face with Jesus Christ and say, “I won’t,” I’m backing away from the re-creating power of his redemption. If I come to the light, it’s a matter of indifference to God’s grace how abominable I am. But if I refuse the light, woe to me. “Everyone who does evil hates the light. . . . But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light” (John 3:20–21).

Psalms 20-22; Acts 21:1-17

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

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

Psalm 27, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: JESUS TAKES AWAY OUR SINS - July 17, 2026

Denalyn and I had enjoyed a nice dinner at a local restaurant. As we received our bill, a church member spotted us and came over.  After we chatted a few moments, he took our bill.  “I’ll take this,” he said. Guess what?  I let him do what he wanted to do.  I let him take it away.

Someday we will stand before God.  All of us will be present. All of us will have to give an account for our lives. Every thought, every deed, every action.  Were it not for the grace of Christ, I would find this to be a very terrifying thought.

Yet, according to Scripture, Jesus came to “take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29 Phillips). On that day, I will point to Christ.  When my list of sins is produced, I will gesture toward him and say, “He took it.” Let him take yours.

Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

Psalm 27

A David Psalm

1  27 Light, space, zest—

that’s God!

So, with him on my side I’m fearless,

afraid of no one and nothing.

2  When vandal hordes ride down

ready to eat me alive,

Those bullies and toughs

fall flat on their faces.

3  When besieged,

I’m calm as a baby.

When all hell breaks loose,

I’m collected and cool.

4  I’m asking God for one thing,

only one thing:

To live with him in his house

my whole life long.

I’ll contemplate his beauty;

I’ll study at his feet.

5  That’s the only quiet, secure place

in a noisy world,

The perfect getaway,

far from the buzz of traffic.

6  God holds me head and shoulders

above all who try to pull me down.

I’m headed for his place to offer anthems

that will raise the roof!

Already I’m singing God-songs;

I’m making music to God.

7–9  Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs:

“Be good to me! Answer me!”

When my heart whispered, “Seek God,”

my whole being replied,

“I’m seeking him!”

Don’t hide from me now!

9–10  You’ve always been right there for me;

don’t turn your back on me now.

Don’t throw me out, don’t abandon me;

you’ve always kept the door open.

My father and mother walked out and left me,

but God took me in.

11–12  Point me down your highway, God;

direct me along a well-lighted street;

show my enemies whose side you’re on.

Don’t throw me to the dogs,

those liars who are out to get me,

filling the air with their threats.

13–14  I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness

in the exuberant earth.

Stay with God!

Take heart. Don’t quit.

I’ll say it again:

Stay with God.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Friday, July 17, 2026

By Karen Pimpo

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Job 38:31-41

  “Can you catch the eye of the beautiful Pleiades sisters,

or distract Orion from his hunt?

Can you get Venus to look your way,

or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play?

Do you know the first thing about the sky’s constellations

and how they affect things on Earth?

34–35  “Can you get the attention of the clouds,

and commission a shower of rain?

Can you take charge of the lightning bolts

and have them report to you for orders?

What Do You Have to Say for Yourself?

36–38  “Who do you think gave weather-wisdom to the ibis,

and storm-savvy to the rooster?

Does anyone know enough to number all the clouds

or tip over the rain barrels of heaven

When the earth is cracked and dry,

the ground baked hard as a brick?

39–41  “Can you teach the lioness to stalk her prey

and satisfy the appetite of her cubs

As they crouch in their den,

waiting hungrily in their cave?

And who sets out food for the ravens

when their young cry to God,

fluttering about because they have no food?”

Today's Insights

God’s majestic creation reveals many things about His nature. In creation, we see evidence of His power (Romans 1:20), for He spoke the universe into existence (Genesis 1:3; Hebrews 11:3). Creation reveals His sense of order (Psalm 139:13-14) and His brilliant design (v. 15). Perhaps above all else, however, it teaches us about His sovereignty (Colossians 1:15-18). Not only did He create the universe by the word of His power, but He’s even now maintaining that universe. He not only made everything, but He also rules over all that He’s made (v. 17). The challenge for believers in Jesus is to live in the conscious awareness of His power, His word, His order, and His design. We can trust the creator of the universe to help us in our trials and bring us into the joy of His presence.

Visit go.odb.org/071726 to learn more about God’s wonderful creation.

God’s Handiwork

Do you know the laws of the heavens? Job 38:33

Dragonflies are dainty insects with some of the most amazing flight and endurance capabilities. Their aerial abilities have been studied to improve flight technology. Scientists recently found that with its wings beating thirty times a second, a dragonfly that has fallen upside-down can right itself in just 0.2 seconds. Its eyes process an incredible two hundred images per second to determine which way is up and make tiny adjustments. 

God’s creativity and wisdom are on display all throughout our natural world. In the book of Job, the main character struggles to reconcile his suffering with God’s goodness and righteousness. God responds by asking Job, “Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?” (38:33). God begins to describe many animals from birds and goats to the world’s largest predators (38:36; 39:1; 40:15-24; 41). He knows what each animal needs for survival and is aware of the hungry cries of their young (38:39-41). God has given each of them distinct characteristics, such as the speed of an ostrich or the strength of an ox, so they can thrive (ch. 39).

How exactly does a dragonfly maneuver so incredibly? We have a lot to learn. And yet we can trust that the all-knowing God who designed these creatures is the same one who knows how to bring us from the darkest night into the light and joy of His presence.

Reflect & Pray

Where do you see God’s handiwork in the world around you? What does it reveal about His nature?

Creator God, I trust Your wisdom and righteousness, even when I don’t understand it.

Read more on this topic in All Creation Sings.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Friday, July 17, 2026

The Miracle of Belief

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words. —1 Corinthians 2:4

Paul was a scholar and an orator of the highest abilities. When he says that he didn’t use “wise and persuasive words” in delivering the gospel, he isn’t speaking out of self-deprecating humility. He’s saying that if he’d tried to impress people with his talent when he preached the gospel, he would have veiled the power of God. Paul knew that belief in Jesus is a miracle produced by the redemption—by the sheer, unaided power of God—not by making fancy speeches.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to follow Paul’s example. If we are going to preach the gospel, we must practice a special kind of fasting—not from food but rather from eloquence and impressive diction, from everything that might hinder the word of God coming through us to reach others. The power of the redemption does flow through the preaching of the gospel, but we have to recognize that this power is never due to the personality or the eloquence of the preacher.

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Preachers are representatives of God. We are commissioned to present his gospel, not human ideals. If it’s only because of my charisma that people desire to be better, they’ll never get anywhere near Jesus Christ. Anything that flatters me in my preaching will end in making me a traitor to Jesus, because I will prevent the creative power of his redemption from doing its work. “And I,” said Jesus, “when I am lifted up . . . will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32).

Psalms 18-19; Acts 20:17-38 

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

To those who have had no agony Jesus says, “I have nothing for you; stand on your own feet, square your own shoulders. I have come for the man who knows he has a bigger handful than he can cope with, who knows there are forces he cannot touch; I will do everything for him if he will let Me. Only let a man grant he needs it, and I will do it for him.”

The Shadow of an Agony, 1166 R

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Friday, July 17, 2026

Getting All the Way Clean - #10310

Scripture:  Luke 3:7

When I go to the doctor, he sure is inquisitive. I tell him, “I feel sick!” And he insists on getting all the details: what’s your temperature, tell me about your symptoms, what about your throat? Let’s check your throat. I mean sometimes he even resorts to a blood test. How radical! And if it’s serious enough, we even have to get into my mother’s health and my father’s health, and my family history. Actually, I’d be wise to give the doctor all the specifics I can think of. If I just walk in and say, “I’m sick,” that doesn’t do much. It’s really tough to help someone when they’re not specific about what’s going on.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Getting All the Way Clean.”

Our word for today from the Word of God - Luke 3, I’ll begin at verse 7. “John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, ‘Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.’ ‘What should be done?’ the crowd asked. John answered, ‘The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.’ Tax collectors also came to be baptized. ‘Teacher,’ they asked, ‘what should we do?’ ‘Don’t collect any more than you are required to,’ he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, ‘And what should we do?’ He replied, ‘Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely - be content with your pay.’”

Now, the picture here is of people coming to the Jordan River where John the Baptist is preaching, and they’re coming to repent of their sins. But John isn’t going to let them get away with general repentance. He insists on getting specific. He talks about fruit that is in keeping with repentance. He tells some of them, “I want you to repent of your selfishness about your food and about your clothes.” He tells a different group, “I want you to repent of your cheating in your business.” And then he tells some others, “I want you to repent of lying about people and of complaining.”

Many people never really break free of a specific sin because they never come to God and specifically repent of that sin. We kind of like the safety of being general don’t we? “Lord, forgive my many sins, whatever they may be.” Do you ever name them? I think God might be saying, “Like what? Which one are you repenting of? Name the sin.”

It’s important to come to Jesus’ cross with the particulars of the sins that need forgiving. “Lord, I come to your cross with that lie I told this morning. I come to you with the lustful thoughts I’ve had toward _____ (fill in the blank). I come to you with that harsh response I gave to my son, my daughter, my husband, my wife last night. I come to repent of that night of sexual sin; of those websites that are poisoning me spiritually; of the neglect of my family’s needs.”

The point is that God calls us to specific repentance. We may have to go back and clean up a sin that we buried instead of dealing with it, maybe a long time ago. Until you’ve really brought it to the cross, you should not forget it. Once you have brought it to the cross, you shouldn’t remember it, because God has forgotten it forever at that point.

I can’t just go to the doctor and say, “Help my sickness.” I have to give him the specifics if I want to be well. I can’t just go to God and say, “Forgive my sins. I’m sorry for my sins.”

If I really want to beat one sin in particular, I need to be specific in dealing with that sin. It’s this simple: no specifics, no solutions.

Mark 15:26-47, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: GRACE SET ME FREE - July 16, 2026

I can bear witness to the power of God’s grace! I could take you to the church, to the section of seats in the church. I might even be able to find the very seat in which I was sitting when this grace found me.

I was a twenty-year-old college sophomore, living with a concrete block of guilt that had made a mess of my life. But then I heard a preacher describe the divine grace that is greater than sin.  At the end of the message he asked if anyone would like to come forward and receive this grace.  Iron chains couldn’t have held me back.  Truth be told, chains had held me back.  But mercy snapped the guilt chains and set me free.

I know this truth firsthand:  Guilt frenzies the soul; grace calms it! The benefit of being a great sinner is dependence upon a great grace!

Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

Mark 15:26-47

The charge against him—the king of the jews—was printed on a poster. Along with him, they crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!”

31–32  The high priests, along with the religion scholars, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—but he can’t save himself! Messiah, is he? King of Israel? Then let him climb down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then!” Even the men crucified alongside him joined in the mockery.

33–34  At noon the sky became extremely dark. The darkness lasted three hours. At three o’clock, Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

35–36  Some of the bystanders who heard him said, “Listen, he’s calling for Elijah.” Someone ran off, soaked a sponge in sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

37–39  But Jesus, with a loud cry, gave his last breath. At that moment the Temple curtain ripped right down the middle. When the Roman captain standing guard in front of him saw that he had quit breathing, he said, “This has to be the Son of God!”

Taken to a Tomb

40–41  There were women watching from a distance, among them Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and Joses, and Salome. When Jesus was in Galilee, these women followed and served him, and had come up with him to Jerusalem.

42–45  Late in the afternoon, since it was the Day of Preparation (that is, Sabbath eve), Joseph of Arimathea, a highly respected member of the Jewish Council, came. He was one who lived expectantly, on the lookout for the kingdom of God. Working up his courage, he went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate questioned whether he could be dead that soon and called for the captain to verify that he was really dead. Assured by the captain, he gave Joseph the corpse.

46–47  Having already purchased a linen shroud, Joseph took him down, wrapped him in the shroud, placed him in a tomb that had been cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the opening. Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Joses, watched the burial.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Thursday, July 16, 2026

by Mike Wittmer

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 18, 21-27

You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you’re still one body. It’s exactly the same with Christ. By means of his one Spirit, we all said good-bye to our partial and piecemeal lives. We each used to independently call our own shots, but then we entered into a large and integrated life in which he has the final say in everything. (This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized.) Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain—his Spirit—where we all come to drink. The old labels we once used to identify ourselves—labels like Jew or Greek, slave or free—are no longer useful. We need something larger, more comprehensive.

14–18  I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together.

As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it.

Today's Insights

Of the many different metaphors Paul used to describe the church (fellow citizens, household, family, temple, dwelling, field, flock, bride), “the body” is used most frequently (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4-16; 5:23, 30; Colossians 1:18, 24; 3:15). Some Corinthian believers in Jesus elevated certain ecstatic gifts (for example, speaking in unknown tongues) above others and disdained the less spectacular gifts. Refuting this error, the apostle used the body metaphor to teach unity among God’s people. The church, like the human body, has many parts (1 Corinthians 12:14, 20); but all parts are needed to make the body complete and function correctly and effectively (vv. 24-26).

Who Do You Need?

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” 1 Corinthians 12:21

A famous athlete sat tall in his seat as he prepared to fly to the championship bout he knew he’d win. A flight attendant walked by and said, “Sir, please fasten your seat belt.” The man smiled. “Superman don’t need no seat belt.” She replied without missing a beat, “Superman don’t need no airplane. Buckle up.” And he did.

Success can swell our heads. We don’t need a seatbelt or a flight attendant telling us what to do. We can take care of ourselves. If we bring this attitude to church, we’re like an eye that says to the hand, “I don’t need you!” or a head that says to the feet, “I don’t need you!” (1 Corinthians 12:21). The truth is, every part of the body is needed, and “those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (v. 22).

We’re made in the image of the triune God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who thrive in an interdependent community of love. The God who exists in perfect relationship within Himself made us to be in relationship with others in life and in the church. We’re not all the same, and that’s a good thing. “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?” (v. 17). We’re not all the same but we’re all “indispensable” (v. 22). Who helps you at your local body of Christ? Tell them you notice, that you see them, and thank them for their service. And ask God to show you where you can serve other believers.

Reflect & Pray

Why did God create us to need others? Who can you thank for their service to you?

Dear Jesus, please empower me to serve others from where You’ve placed me.

Learn more by watching Why is Community So Important.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Ask and it will be given to you. . . . How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! —Matthew 7:7, 11

Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those who have his Spirit. Through the simple argument of these verses, he urges us to keep our minds filled with the idea of God’s control behind everything, which means that the disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek. Jesus wants us to learn this way of reasoning: “God is my Father. He loves me. I will never think of anything he will forget. Why should I worry?”

Fix your mind on the idea that God is there. Once your thoughts are settled on this line, it becomes as easy as breathing to recall that your heavenly Father is behind everything that happens. Even when perplexities and difficulties press in on you, remembering the “much more” of your Father comes naturally and without effort. Before when troubles arose, you sought help from other people. Now, the notion of divine control is so powerfully formed in your mind that you go directly to God.

There will always be moments when God’s guidance is not at all obvious, moments when he does not lift the darkness. But trust him. Jesus said that God will appear at times like an unkind friend, but he is not (Luke 11:5–8). He will appear at times like an unnatural father, but he is not (vv. 9–13). He will appear at times like an unjust judge, but he is not (18:1–8). Keep the idea strong and growing in your mind that nothing happens unless God wills it. Rest in perfect confidence in him and learn to pray from this place of certainty. Prayer is not only asking; it is cultivating the frame of mind in which asking is perfectly natural. “Ask and it will be given to you.”

Psalms 16-17; Acts 20:1-16

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

The attitude of a Christian towards the providential order in which he is placed is to recognize that God is behind it for purposes of His own. 

Biblical Ethics, 99 R

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Thursday, July 16, 2026

Missing Your Meaning - #10309

Scripture:  Colossians 1:16

Tall grass - dead mower. That was my sad situation that spring. I tried everything to get my power mower going, but it really didn’t want to start. Of course, that didn’t stop the lawn from growing, no. I went away for a little while, came back, and the grass was now taking over. (Get your machete, Ron.) Well, I played with my mower again and again, and it still didn’t respond. We were starting to look like maybe the set of a “Tarzan” movie. And my mower, oh it didn’t care. So I started looking for alternative equipment to get the job done. Let’s see, my hair clippers. Yeah, how about that uh...the ones you use for your haircuts? I was desperate, but I did not try to cut the grass with my hair clippers. No, they work great on hair; they would not work great on my lawn. But, on the other hand, how would you like to get your hair cut with a lawn mower?

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Missing Your Meaning.”

Well, you’d have to wonder about someone who tried to use hair clippers to trim a lawn or a lawn mower to trim hair. They both work fine when you use them as they were supposed to be used. But machines don’t work when you use them for something they weren’t designed for and neither do we.

And right there is the reason so many of us are wondering what the meaning of our life really is; why we still don’t know the answer to life’s most fundamental question “Why am I here?” We’re missing what we were designed for and things just don’t seem to be working. Even people who are enjoying a lot of success, whose life is pretty smooth, have to admit that in their honest moments it’s still not very fulfilling. The meaning just isn't there. The peace isn’t there. And when we’re not living like we were designed to, things just don’t work very well. Marriage doesn’t work like it’s supposed to, relationships don’t, even our achievements. There’s never enough love, never enough excitement, and never any real peace.

Time to break out the Manufacturer’s instructions. Of course I mean the Manufacturer of you and me. Here’s how your Creator says you were designed to live. Put your life next to this blueprint and see how you’re doing. It’s in our word for today from the Word of God in Colossians 1:16. Speaking of Jesus Christ, God says, “All things were created by Him and for Him.”

There’s your created destiny in six words, “Created by Jesus and for Jesus.” Like the earth was created to revolve around the sun, you and I were created to revolve our life around the One who made us, but we don’t. The reality is more like this: “Created for Him - living for me. In the Bible’s words, “Each of us has turned to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).

If you’re missing the meaning of it all, it’s because you’re missing the One who gives life meaning; the One who gave you your life in the first place and the One who gave His life so you could get back to your Creator. Jesus died on the cross to pay the death penalty for all of your “me first” choices so that Grand Canyon between you and God could finally be bridged. So you could finally know the peace of being who you were made to be - of belonging to the One whose love you were made for.

Maybe you’re ready to begin this awesome personal relationship with your Creator God. It's like coming home. If you’d like to, why don’t you tell Jesus that right now? “Jesus, I’m Yours.” Tell Him you’re putting all your trust in Him to be your rescuer from your sin. And only He had the power to walk out of His grave under His own power and to walk into your life.

I’d love to have you visit our website today because there is the information you need to make sure you’ve begun a relationship with Jesus. That site is ANewStory.com.

You’ve done enough days without the meaning you were made for haven't you; without the Savior you were made for? If you’ll open your heart, you have just spent your last day without Him.

Psalm 26, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: PROBLEM OF UNRESOLVED GUILT - July 15, 2026

What kind of person does unresolved guilt create? An anxious one, forever hiding, running, denying, pretending. As one man admitted: “I was always living a lie for fear someone might see me for who I really was and think less of me.  I hid behind my super spirituality but this lie was exhausting and anxiety producing.”

Unresolved guilt will turn you into a miserable, weary, angry, fretful mess.  In a psalm David wrote after his affair with Bathsheba, the king said, “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long.  Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.  My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat” (Psalm 32:3-4 NLT).

As Paul told Titus, “God’s grace is the fertile soul out of which courage sprouts!  God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone!” (Titus 2:11, 15 MSG).

Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

Psalm 26

A David Psalm

1  26 Clear my name, God;

I’ve kept an honest shop.

I’ve thrown in my lot with you, God, and

I’m not budging.

2  Examine me, God, from head to foot,

order your battery of tests.

Make sure I’m fit

inside and out

3  So I never lose

sight of your love,

But keep in step with you,

never missing a beat.

4–5  I don’t hang out with tricksters,

I don’t pal around with thugs;

I hate that pack of gangsters,

I don’t deal with double-dealers.

6–7  I scrub my hands with purest soap,

then join hands with the others in the great circle,

dancing around your altar, God,

Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,

telling God-stories.

8–10  God, I love living with you;

your house glows with your glory.

When it’s time for spring cleaning,

don’t sweep me out with the quacks and crooks,

Men with bags of dirty tricks,

women with purses stuffed with bribe-money.

11–12  You know I’ve been aboveboard with you;

now be aboveboard with me.

I’m on the level with you, God;

I bless you every chance I get.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

by Winn Collier

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 5:15-20

So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!

17  Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.

18–20  Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.

Today's Insights

Ephesians 5 invites us to walk in Christ’s light rather than stumble through the darkness of the world (v. 8). In verses 15-20, we encounter a surprising source of spiritual strength: gratitude. Paul urges us to “be filled with the Spirit” (v. 18) and to “[give] thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 20). Gratitude is a posture and attitude that returns our focus to the source of all good things (see James 1:16-18). When we express our thankfulness—even in ordinary or difficult moments—we acknowledge God’s presence and goodness. This reorientation helps us to live intentionally, reflecting Christ’s love. The apostle’s command to give thanks is paired with God’s enabling presence (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit fills, shapes, and empowers us to live a life of gratitude, which turns our hearts toward God.

For further study, read God at the Center: Habits for Spiritual Growth.

Always Giving Thanks

Be very careful, then, how you live . . . . always giving thanks to God. Ephesians 5:15, 20

A fifty-ton, female humpback whale swam into a web of crab lines off the coast of California, trapping her in a tangled mess. Hundreds of feet of line and hundreds of pounds of traps wrapped around her body as she struggled to stay afloat. Four divers came to her rescue, swimming under her belly. For an hour, they cut rope—dangerous work since one flap of her tail could have killed them. After they freed her, rather than immediately escaping, she swam to and gently nudged each diver. “It felt to me like she was thanking us,” one rescuer said.

Whether or not whales are able to express gratitude, being thankful is truly an important part of being human. It’s vital for our life with God. Many of us thank Him for larger blessings (the birth of a child or healing from a disease). However, Paul tells us to offer gratitude for every gift we receive, for every bit of goodness we encounter. We’re to be “always giving thanks to God,” the apostle writes (Ephesians 5:20). Not sometimes. Not only for exceptional moments. Always. And to make sure he’s made his point, Paul adds a bit more. “[Make] the most of every opportunity” and give thanks “for everything,” he says (vv. 16, 20).

Genuine gratitude is more than an occasional word we offer; it’s the posture of our lives. Gratitude turns us to God over and over again, always giving thanks in celebration.

Reflect & Pray

What gifts can you thank God for today? How can you move toward a posture of gratitude?

Dear God, please help me to live a life of gratitude to You.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Spiritual Honor

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. —Romans 1:14-15

Paul’s obligation to others came from an overwhelming sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent himself to express it. The great inspiration in Paul’s life was his view of Jesus Christ as his spiritual creditor. Do I feel this same sense of obligation to Christ, so that I preach the gospel to “Greeks and non-Greeks . . . the wise and the foolish”—to every unsaved soul? The spiritual honor of my life is to pay my debt to Jesus Christ in relation to them.

Every bit of my life that is of value I owe to the redemption of Jesus Christ. Am I doing anything to help him manifest his redemption in others’ lives? Only when the Spirit forges inside me a sense of obligation to Christ will I be able to spend myself for him.

“You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). If I have a sense of indebtedness, I know that I am not a superior person but a slave of Jesus Christ. Paul sold himself to Jesus Christ and became the debtor of all. “I owe something to everyone on the face of the earth because of the gospel of Jesus,” Paul is saying in Romans 1:14. “I owe it to the world to preach his word.” Paul’s sense of spiritual honor meant that he was free to be an absolute slave only. Quit worrying about yourself and be spent for others as the slave of Jesus. That is the meaning of being made broken bread and poured-out wine for him.

Psalms 13-15; Acts 19:21-41

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

We should always choose our books as God chooses our friends, just a bit beyond us, so that we have to do our level best to keep up with them.

Shade of His Hand, 1216 L

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Helping Others Live - #10308

Ron Hutchcraft

Scripture:  2 Corinthians 5:11

I first learned about the United States Life-Saving Service years ago on a family vacation. We got to see a life-saving station that actually has been preserved at a strategic point along the Atlantic coastline. There used to be a lot of them. In some areas, they were like just seven miles apart, you know, along the coast. Each one was staffed by a seven-man crew. I’m going to tell you, these guys were ultimate heroes in every sense of the word! When a ship was in distress near their assigned area, they’d go out into the surf, out into the storm, even a hurricane to try to rescue the people on board. They lived their motto: “You have to go out. You don’t have to come back.” They saved countless lives who otherwise would have been lost.

But it was only recently that I learned how this heroism actually all began. William Newell was a medical doctor, and he was at the New Jersey Shore at a place called Barnegat the day after a ship had gone down during an overnight storm. He was at the beach and the bodies of 13 crewmen washed ashore. He said, “Here I was, a man who spent his life trying to save lives. And here was a situation where I was absolutely powerless to do anything to help them. Something’s got to be done about this.” Something was. A few years later, Dr. Newell was Congressman Newell; in a position to make a difference. So, he led the effort to birth the United States Life-Saving Service. It started with a few life-saving stations in New Jersey, and then it quickly spread all along the Atlantic Coast because of one man’s heart for those who were being lost.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Helping Others Live.”

One man looked at lives being lost and he said, “I cannot just let them die.” Jesus is like that. That’s why He went to an awful cross to rescue us from the otherwise inevitable eternal death penalty for our sins. And He’s looking for others who will have a heart like his; a heart that looks at people around you and says, “I can’t just let them die. I’ve got to do something about this.”

One of Jesus’ original rescuers, the Apostle Paul, expressed the heart that Jesus wants to plant in all of us in 2 Corinthians 5, beginning with verse 11. It’s our word for today from the Word of God. He said, “Since we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.”

Paul never wanted anyone he knew to have to face the awful judgment of God for their sin. He went on to say, “Christ’s love compels us because we are convinced that one died for all.” If Jesus could die to save them, can’t I at least tell them what He did for them? I can’t just let them die. Where I live, where I work, where I go to school, the groups I’m in - that’s my stretch of beach. I am His life-saving crew for the people there who don’t know Christ.

This isn’t about getting them to change their religion. It’s not about religion at all. It’s about the only One who died for their sins. There are a lot of religions. There’s only one Savior. There’s only one Rescuer. Your mission is to take them by the hand, walk with them up Skull Hill to that cross and say, “This was for you.”

The church you’re in, the ministry you’re in - is it committed as top priority to saving lives on the stretch of beach you’ve been assigned by God, or are you just feeding and comforting the life-saving crew? If your ministry, your church, your Bible study isn’t about rescuing those who will die otherwise, you might need a quick heart exam. Do you have the heart of your Savior? Because He said His reason for coming was to seek and rescue the lost. So you can’t say you’re following Jesus and not be reaching the lost. Because if you follow Him, that’s where He’s going.

An 1883 Life-Saving Service report to Congress displayed a photo of a life-saving crew and it asked this question, “Why would a group of ordinary men risk everything?” The answer explains why you and I must take whatever risks are necessary to help people we know be in heaven with us. Here’s the answer: “That others might live.”

Psalm 25, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: GRACE RESTORES YOUR SOUL - July 14, 2026

Guilt sucks the life out of our souls. Grace restores it.

No one had more reason to feel the burden of guilt than did the apostle Paul. He had orchestrated the deaths of Christians, an ancient version of a terrorist. Yet, Paul gave his guilt to Jesus. Period. He surrendered it to Jesus. As a result he could write, “I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us” (Philippians 3:13-14 TLB).

What would the apostle say to the guilt-ridden? Simply this: Rejoice in the Lord’s mercy. Trust in his ability to forgive. Cast yourself upon the grace of Christ and Christ alone!

Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

Psalm 25

My head is high, God, held high;

I’m looking to you, God;

No hangdog skulking for me.

3  I’ve thrown in my lot with you;

You won’t embarrass me, will you?

Or let my enemies get the best of me?

Don’t embarrass any of us

Who went out on a limb for you.

It’s the traitors who should be humiliated.

4  Show me how you work, God;

School me in your ways.

5  Take me by the hand;

Lead me down the path of truth.

You are my Savior, aren’t you?

6  Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;

Rebuild the ancient landmarks!

7  Forget that I sowed wild oats;

Mark me with your sign of love.

Plan only the best for me, God!

8  God is fair and just;

He corrects the misdirected,

Sends them in the right direction.

9  He gives the rejects his hand,

And leads them step-by-step.

10  From now on every road you travel

Will take you to God.

Follow the Covenant signs;

Read the charted directions.

11  Keep up your reputation, God;

Forgive my bad life;

It’s been a very bad life.

12  My question: What are God-worshipers like?

Your answer: Arrows aimed at God’s bull’s-eye.

13  They settle down in a promising place;

Their kids inherit a prosperous farm.

14  God-friendship is for God-worshipers;

They are the ones he confides in.

15  If I keep my eyes on God,

I won’t trip over my own feet.

16  Look at me and help me!

I’m all alone and in big trouble.

17  My heart and kidneys are fighting each other;

Call a truce to this civil war.

18  Take a hard look at my life of hard labor,

Then lift this ton of sin.

19  Do you see how many people

Have it in for me?

How viciously they hate me?

20  Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;

Don’t let me down when I run to you.

21  Use all your skill to put me together;

I wait to see your finished product.

22  God, give your people a break

From this run of bad luck.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

By Tim Gustafson

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Judges 6:36-40

Gideon said to God, “If this is right, if you are using me to save Israel as you’ve said, then look: I’m placing a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If dew is on the fleece only, but the floor is dry, then I know that you will use me to save Israel, as you said.”

38  That’s what happened. When he got up early the next morning, he wrung out the fleece—enough dew to fill a bowl with water!

39  Then Gideon said to God, “Don’t be impatient with me, but let me say one more thing. I want to try another time with the fleece. But this time let the fleece stay dry, while the dew drenches the ground.”

40  God made it happen that very night. Only the fleece was dry while the ground was wet with dew.

Today's Insights

God’s power at work amid human frailty is showcased in Gideon’s life. Though he doubted that God could use him (Judges 6:11-18), He had assignments for Gideon as well as the divine and human resources needed to fulfill them. When Gideon highlighted the frailty of his family (v. 15), God answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive” (v. 16). He also made sure He Himself would get the credit for victory by reducing an army of more than thirty thousand to just three hundred. When Gideon took the men “down to the water” to drink, He instructed him to “separate those who lap . . . with their tongues . . . from those who kneel down to drink” (7:5). He defeated the Midianites “with the three hundred men that lapped” (v. 7). Today, God still watches over us and is at work in our lives in ways we often can’t explain.

God at Work

Gideon replied, . . . “Give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.” Judges 6:17

Jay owned a Gideon Bible, yet his analytical mind didn’t permit him to accept its miracles. One thing haunted him, though: the genuine faith of his friend. So Jay offered a strange prayer. He told God, “If you want me to believe in You, then do something I can’t explain.”

One day, something drew Jay to look for his Bible. It was gone. How could that be? He never lost track of things.

He drove in the rain to his teaching job at the University of Zurich. Stepping out of his car, he spotted a Gideon Bible on the wet pavement. That’s strange, he thought. Picking it up, he noticed the Bible was totally dry despite the rain. Something he couldn’t explain!

Gideon Bibles are named for an Old Testament hero of Israel. When God chose Gideon to lead Israel into battle against a vast army, Gideon had huge doubts. He told God, “I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece . . . , then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand” (Judges 6:37). God answered Gideon’s challenge not once but twice (vv. 39-40).

Doubt-filled prayers aren’t a pattern for us to follow. They can, however, reveal God’s character. Gideon led a tiny army to a smashing victory (ch. 7). Jay put his faith in Jesus, recognizing that his prayer had been answered by a loving God who does things we can’t explain.

Reflect & Pray

What experiences have you had that seem beyond explanation? How do they help you see God at work?

Thank You, dear Father, that You hear my honest prayers and meet me where I am.

God is closer than you think. Read more.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

The Account with Persecution

If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. —Matthew 5:39

The message Jesus delivers in this verse reveals the humiliation of being a Christian. When cowards don’t hit back, it’s because of fear; when Christians don’t hit back, it’s because they are manifesting the life of the Son of God. There is a vast difference between the two responses, yet in the eyes of the world they are the same.

Am I willing to be thought a coward for my Lord’s sake? The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount isn’t “Do your duty.” It’s “Do what isn’t your duty.” It isn’t my duty to go the second mile or to turn the other cheek. Yet Jesus says that if I am his disciple, I will always do these things. When I am insulted, not only must I not resent it, but I must use it as an opportunity for exhibiting the disposition of the Son of God. I cannot imitate the disposition of Jesus; either it’s inside me or it isn’t. If it is, every personal insult will become an occasion for revealing his incredible sweetness.

When I find myself being offended and saying things like, “Oh well, I can’t do anything more. I’ve been so misrepresented and misunderstood,” I hurt the Son of God. I’m insisting upon my own rights. But when I take the blow myself, I prevent Jesus from being hurt. This is what Paul means when he says, “I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions” (Colossians 1:24). As a disciple, I must realize that it is my Lord’s honor which is at stake in my life.

We are always looking for justice for ourselves. The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is this: Never look for justice, but never cease to give it. The only right Christians have is the right not to insist upon their rights.

Psalms 10-12; Acts 19:1-20

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

I have no right to say I believe in God unless I order my life as under His all-seeing Eye.

Disciples Indeed, 385 L

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Hungry To Be Held - #10307

Scripture:  Isaiah 49:15-16

People who know me know that I’m a very focused person when I’m working on something. Except when it comes to the most distracting people I know - my grandchildren. I remember when my granddaughter was pretty little. She was just one-plus-year-old, there was just no way to resist her when she came my way. She’d pull herself up by my pant leg, she’d stretch her arms my direction, and then she'd make these cute little noises and irresistible faces - virtually begging me to pick her up. I’m not the only one who’s gotten nothing done when she was around. No, she was that way with other family members too; reaching out to be held. And I’ll tell you this: our arms were always open.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Hungry To Be Held.”

Sadly, my granddaughter’s quest for someone to hold her is a picture of someone who’s listening today, except open arms have been hard to find. And when you do, it seems like sooner or later you lose even those who do give you some of the love and attention that you need. Sometimes, you pay a price that’s too high to get someone to be there for you; making you vulnerable to being used and being hurt - a mistake that might be all too familiar to you.

I can’t forget these children we met at a hospital in Haiti. They were hospitalized early in life because they had tuberculosis or AIDS. We played with them, we sang with them, and we read to them, knowing that they probably didn’t understand a word of our English. But as we got ready to leave, the children surrounded us and called out, over and over again, two words they did know in English - words I’ve never forgotten, “Hold me. Hold me.” We gave one last hug, but we couldn’t hold them. We had to move on.

The cry of those precious Haitian children is a fundamental cry of every human heart, “Hold me!” But there aren’t many hugs that last. Even for those of us who have had someone who really has loved us and made us feel secure, there is still this strange love deficit inside. There’s never enough love.

We need someone who will always hold us, who will never let us go, who will never go away. We were made for that kind of love, but we’ve reached the wrong direction to find the one hug that will always be there. We’ve been reaching around us to other people. But to find the one we were made to be held by, we need to look up.

Listen to God’s words, describing the kind of relationship He wants to have with you. “The Lord your God is with you…He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). That’s intimate love. That's infinite love. That's expensive love. God paid the price for that love.

In Isaiah 49:15-16, our word for today from the Word of God, He says: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands.”

For Jesus, that engraving is the nail prints in His hands from the day He died to pay for your sins so you could be forgiven; so you could belong to the one whose love you were made for. Because He walked out of His grave, He’s alive. He’s offering the greatest love in the universe. But one-way love doesn’t make a relationship. He’s waiting to hold you, but you have to reach for Him.

God says that means putting your total trust in Jesus to be your personal rescuer from the death penalty for your sins. The wall that’s between you and God comes down when you tell Him, “Jesus, I’m Yours.” Ultimately, your hunger to be held all this time it's been a hunger for Him. He's reaching your direction. It's time to reach back. He'll hold you and never let you go.

Do you want to experience that love for yourself? Would you check out our website? There's a lot of information there about how to belong to Him and how to begin with Him. It’s ANewStory.com.

You are very, very close to experiencing the love that you have been looking for so very long.

Psalm 24, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: WHAT SUSTAINS YOUR BELIEF - July 13, 2026

Many years ago I spent a week visiting the interior of Brazil with a longtime missionary pilot. Wilbur and Orville had a sturdier aircraft! I could not get comfortable. I kept thinking the plane was going to crash in the jungle, and I’d be gobbled up by piranhas. I kept shifting around, looking down, and gripping my seat—as if that would help. Finally, the pilot had enough of my squirming. He looked over at me and shouted over the airplane noise, “We won’t face anything that I can’t handle. You might as well trust me to fly the plane.”

Is God saying the same to you? Examine the truths which sustain your belief in God. Make sure one of them is etched with the words, “My God is sovereign!” Then, be anxious for nothing.

Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

Psalm 24

A David Psalm

1–2  24 God claims Earth and everything in it,

God claims World and all who live on it.

He built it on Ocean foundations,

laid it out on River girders.

3–4  Who can climb Mount God?

Who can scale the holy north-face?

Only the clean-handed,

only the pure-hearted;

Men who won’t cheat,

women who won’t seduce.

5–6  God is at their side;

with God’s help they make it.

This, Jacob, is what happens

to God-seekers, God-questers.

7  Wake up, you sleepyhead city!

Wake up, you sleepyhead people!

King-Glory is ready to enter.

8  Who is this King-Glory?

God, armed

and battle-ready.

9  Wake up, you sleepyhead city!

Wake up, you sleepyhead people!

King-Glory is ready to enter.

10  Who is this King-Glory?

God-of-the-Angel-Armies:

he is King-Glory.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Monday, July 13, 2026

By John Blase

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

John 3:16-21

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

19–21  “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”

Today's Insights

Many people are familiar with John 3:16, which describes the scope of God’s love for the world: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Many, however, misinterpret this verse. They think that if God’s love is so great, no one will “perish.” The critical phrase is “whoever believes in [Jesus].” John also writes, “Whoever does not believe [in Jesus] stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (v. 18). John’s gospel begins with John introducing Christ as the light of the world (1:4-9). Jesus says of Himself, “Light has come into the world,” but people avoid the light “because their deeds [are] evil” (3:19). God is indeed love. But we must respond to His love by believing in His Son, Jesus—the light of the world.

God’s Drastic Love

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. John 3:16

Daniel was born into a Romanian orphanage. For seven years, he only left his crib to go to the bathroom. When he turned eight, a family from another country adopted him. They knew about attachment disorders—that Daniel could have difficulty attaching to them as his parents. Slowly, Daniel started to trust them. Over time, though, he began to rage to the point his parents hired a bodyguard to protect them from Daniel’s outbursts. They decided on a controversial therapy: For the next five years they were never away from Daniel even if he had a meltdown. On his thirteenth birthday Daniel broke down and, for the first time, told his parents he loved them very much. His mother summarized the experience: “Creating love is not for the soft and sentimental. Love is a battlefield.”

We’re all born knowing that something or someone is missing. Like Daniel, we have an attachment disorder. But God “so loved the world” so much that he took drastic action—“he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16), meeting us on earth’s battlefield in what we call the Incarnation. “Light has come into the world” (v. 19).

God took drastic measures to demonstrate His great love for the world. For you. His strong, determined Father-heart beats to hear from us the words Daniel’s parents finally heard: “I love you very much.”

Reflect & Pray

How have you felt that something or someone is missing? How can you respond to God’s drastic love for you?

Dear heavenly Father, I love You very much. Thank You for loving me first.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Monday, July 13, 2026

The Price of Vision

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. —Isaiah 6:1

Our soul’s history with God is frequently the history of the passing of the hero. Over and over again, God has to remove our King Uzziahs—our friends and personal heroes—so that he can take his rightful place in our lives. Often when this happens, we faint and fail and get discouraged.

Take it to heart: In the year I lost the person who held the place of God in my life, what did I do? Did I give up on everything? Did I become sick and disheartened? Or did I see the Lord?

My ability to see God depends upon the state of my character. Character determines revelation. Before I can say, “I saw the Lord,” there must be something corresponding to God in my character, something I received when I was born again in the Spirit. Until I am born again and begin to see the kingdom of God, I see through the cloud of my own prejudices. I need an internal purification as well as the surgical operation of external events. It must be God first, God second, and God third, until my life is faced steadily with God and no one else is of any importance.

Whom seek they or whom find? for in all the world

There is none but thee, my God, there is none but thee.

—Frederic W. H. Myers

Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to seek none but him.

Psalms 7-9; Acts 18

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

Jesus Christ reveals, not an embarrassed God, not a confused God, not a God who stands apart from the problems, but One who stands in the thick of the whole thing with man. 

Disciples Indeed, 388 L

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Monday, July 13, 2026

Letting Go of the Wheel - #10306

Scripture:  Numbers 13:16

“Who’s going to drive?” That was the question Dave and I were debating. And after the debate was over, we got a pretty good laugh out of it. Dave was new on our staff in the New York area at the time, and soon after he arrived we got, shall we call it, an “enlightened” look at each other’s personality. We were headed up to this retreat center for a day of prayer and planning, and we got to the parking lot and said in unison, “Well, who’s going to drive?” It turned out we both wanted to.

As we talked about that during the trip, we started to analyze why we both hate to ride and why we both love to drive. I guess it’s often true of people in leadership; we like to be able to control where things are going, and how fast we’re going to get there. Well, of course, we ended up falling all over each other saying, “You drive,” “No, you drive,” “No, you drive.” You know what? That’s not such a bad idea.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Letting Go of the Wheel.”

Our word for today from the Word of God: we’re in Numbers 13:16 - a turning point in the life of one of God’s great leaders, Joshua. One reason He was great might be because of what happened on this particular day. “These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land” the Bible says. And then it just talks about one of them. “Moses gave Hoshea the name Joshua.” You might look at that and say, “This is sort of like a genealogy; it’s just a name thing, right? Why is that important? Hoshea…Joshua, who cares?

As you know, when God changes someone’s name in the Bible, it’s always important. You have to know what the words mean in order to understand the significance of it. Hoshea, which was his given name, means “deliverer.” The name that he was changed to, Joshua – the name by which we know him – means “salvation is from the Lord.” In essence, Joshua grew up with the name saying, “I deliver.” Moses said, “No, I want to change your name to “God delivers.”

I think Joshua realized after that that he was not the controller. He wasn’t meant to drive. That’s especially significant if you tend to be a controlling person. Are you the type of person who tries to control your children’s lives a little bit so they’ll do what you think they should? Or maybe you try to control your mate so he or she will do what you think they should. Or you try to control the people you work with or who work for you. Are you the kind of person who decides what the outcome should be, and then maybe you sort of manipulate whatever you have to in order to make that outcome happen?

Your attitude, because you are a leadership type person, is “It’s up to me. Hey, I’ve got to make it happen!” Aren’t you getting tired? Aren’t you worn out from trying to do God’s job? I’ve gotten that way. He changed Hoshea, “I have to deliver,” to Joshua, “the Lord delivers.” So Joshua would never forget who wins the battles. And that’s true of your battles now too.

You know, I’ve been driving at times when my wife could tell that I was probably about to fall asleep at the wheel no matter what I tried. And she’d just keep going, “You want me to drive? Would you let me drive?” Probably just before we became a National Safety Council statistic, I’d pull over and I would let her drive. And boy, I was asleep before we pulled away from the side of the road.

God’s been saying for a long time, “Let go of that wheel. If you keep driving you’re going to crash this thing. Would you let go of the wheel?” Maybe God’s saying you were never meant to drive. Why don’t you become Joshua - the Lord delivers? Let go of the wheel! Hear God saying, “Relax and leave the driving to Me!”

Mark 15:1-25 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Your Place at God’s Table

Angry.  Sullen.  Accusatory.  Whiny.  Put them all together in one word and spell it b-i-t-t-e-r.  If you put them all in one person, that person’s in the pit, the dungeon of bitterness.  The dungeon calls you to enter.  You can, you know. You’ve experienced enough hurt.  You’ve been betrayed enough times. You can choose, like many, to chain yourself to your hurt.

Or you can choose, like some, to put away your hurts.  You can choose to go to the party.  You have a place there. If you’re a child of God, no one can take away your sonship. Which is precisely what the father said to his prodigal son in Luke 15. “You are always with me; all that I have is yours.”

What you have is more important than what you don’t have, and that is, your relationship with God the Father!  Your place at God’s table is permanent!

from He Still Moves Stones

Mark 15:1-25

Standing Before Pilate

1  15 At dawn’s first light, the high priests, with the religious leaders and scholars, arranged a conference with the entire Jewish Council. After tying Jesus securely, they took him out and presented him to Pilate.

2–3  Pilate asked him, “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”

He answered, “If you say so.” The high priests let loose a barrage of accusations.

4–5  Pilate asked again, “Aren’t you going to answer anything? That’s quite a list of accusations.” Still, he said nothing. Pilate was impressed, really impressed.

6–10  It was a custom at the Feast to release a prisoner, anyone the people asked for. There was one prisoner called Barabbas, locked up with the insurrectionists who had committed murder during the uprising against Rome. As the crowd came up and began to present its petition for him to release a prisoner, Pilate anticipated them: “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?” Pilate knew by this time that it was through sheer spite that the high priests had turned Jesus over to him.

11–12  But the high priests by then had worked up the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas. Pilate came back, “So what do I do with this man you call King of the Jews?”

13  They yelled, “Nail him to a cross!”

14  Pilate objected, “But for what crime?”

But they yelled all the louder, “Nail him to a cross!”

15  Pilate gave the crowd what it wanted, set Barabbas free and turned Jesus over for whipping and crucifixion.

16–20  The soldiers took Jesus into the palace (called Praetorium) and called together the entire brigade. They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thornbush on his head. Then they began their mockery: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” They banged on his head with a club, spit on him, and knelt down in mock worship. After they had had their fun, they took off the purple cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they marched out to nail him to the cross.

The Crucifixion

21  There was a man walking by, coming from work, Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. They made him carry Jesus’ cross.

22–24  The soldiers brought Jesus to Golgotha, meaning “Skull Hill.” They offered him a mild painkiller (wine mixed with myrrh), but he wouldn’t take it. And they nailed him to the cross. They divided up his clothes and threw dice to see who would get them.

25–30  They nailed him up at nine o’clock in the morning.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Sunday, July 12, 2026

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Genesis 50:22-26

Joseph continued to live in Egypt with his father’s family. Joseph lived 110 years. He lived to see Ephraim’s sons into the third generation. The sons of Makir, Manasseh’s son, were also recognized as Joseph’s.

24  At the end, Joseph said to his brothers, “I am ready to die. God will most certainly pay you a visit and take you out of this land and back to the land he so solemnly promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

25  Then Joseph made the sons of Israel promise under oath, “When God makes his visitation, make sure you take my bones with you as you leave here.”

26  Joseph died at the age of 110 years. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.

Today's Insights

The writer of Hebrews commended Joseph for believing God’s promise that He’d bring his family out of Egypt into the promised land: “By faith Joseph . . . spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones” (Hebrews 11:22; see Genesis 50:24-25). In reconciling with his brothers who grievously harmed him, Joseph points us to God’s sovereignty in directing human affairs. His statement that “you intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) is echoed in Romans 8:28: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Just as “the Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2, 23), we can trust in His promise that He’ll be with us and never forsake us: “We say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6; see Psalm 118:6-7).

Discover more by listening to Promise Keeper.

Acting on God’s Promises

Joseph . . . said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” Genesis 50:25

by Karen Huang

Pieter kisses a framed picture of his elderly parents every night. It’s been many years since he was last with them. As a young adult, when he became a follower of Jesus, his family and community pressured him to give up his newfound belief. When he didn’t, his parents disowned him. “In the Bible, God promised He’d help His children in difficult times, and I believed Him,” Pieter said. “Choosing to follow Him brought suffering, but He has helped me endure.”       

Pieter has the assurance from God that He keeps His word, so Pieter is able to trustingly act on God’s promises. We read in Genesis that Joseph, at the end of his life, was also confident in the promises of God. He told his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Genesis 50:24). Joseph was sure that God would keep His promise to take His people to Canaan. So he instructed the Israelites, “You must carry my bones up from [Egypt]” (v. 25).   

Four hundred years later, during the exodus from Egypt, “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him” (Exodus 13:19). Eventually, “Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem [in Canaan]” (Joshua 24:32).

Let’s follow Joseph’s example of faith (Hebrews 11:22), showing our faith in God’s promises by acting on them. 

Reflect & Pray

What promises of God can you act on? What practical steps can you take?

Faithful God, thank You for Your promises.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Sunday, July 12, 2026

The Spiritual Society

. . . until we all reach unity in the faith. . . , attaining

to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. —Ephesians 4:13

In the redemption, Jesus Christ rehabilitated the whole of humanity, putting it back into a right relationship with God. Our Lord’s sacrifice means that now each and every one of us is able to enjoy an intimate, personal relationship with the Father. But developing a spiritual life of our own isn’t the only reason we are here. We are also here to “reach unity in the faith”—to realize Jesus Christ in our shared life in the church.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers . . .” (1 Corinthians 12:27–28). The first great obedience of the church is to Jesus Christ. When the church stops putting Christ first and starts focusing on its own development as an organization, it ceases to be a spiritual society. The reason Jesus Christ places apostles and teachers in the church isn’t to build up a worldly institution; it’s to build up the body of Christ—the unified community of believers.

Am I building up the shared body of Christ? Or am I seeking personal development only? If I am keeping my focus on the essential thing—my relationship to Jesus Christ—then I am doing what is right for the entire body. If instead I am wanting and seeking things for myself, my relationship to Christ and to his community is distorted. It will be a big humiliation to recognize that I haven’t been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ, but only about realizing what he has done for me.

My goal is God himself, not joy nor peace,

Nor even blessing, but himself, my God.

—Frances Brook

Am I measuring my life by this standard, or by something less?

Psalms 4-6; Acts 17:16-34

 

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

Psalm 22, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Judgment is God's Job

There is power in revenge. Intoxicating power. Haven't we tasted it? Haven't we been tempted to get even? As we escort the offender into the courtroom, we announce, "He hurt me!" and jurors shake their heads in disgust. "He abandoned me!" we explain, and the chambers echo with our accusation. "Guilty!" the judge snarls as he slams the gavel. "Guilty!" the jury agrees. We delight in this moment of justice. We relish this pound of flesh.

I don't mean to be cocky, but why are you doing God's work for Him?  "Vengeance" is Mine," God declared. "I will repay." Proverbs 20:22 says, "Don't say, 'I'll pay you back for the wrong you did.' Wait for the Lord, and He will make things right." Judgment is God's job. To assume otherwise is to assume God can't do it. God has not asked us to settle the score or get even. Ever!

From When God Whispers Your Name

Psalm 22

A David Psalm

1–2  22 God, God … my God!

Why did you dump me

miles from nowhere?

Doubled up with pain, I call to God

all the day long. No answer. Nothing.

I keep at it all night, tossing and turning.

3–5  And you! Are you indifferent, above it all,

leaning back on the cushions of Israel’s praise?

We know you were there for our parents:

they cried for your help and you gave it;

they trusted and lived a good life.

6–8  And here I am, a nothing—an earthworm,

something to step on, to squash.

Everyone pokes fun at me;

they make faces at me, they shake their heads:

“Let’s see how God handles this one;

since God likes him so much, let him help him!”

9–11  And to think you were midwife at my birth,

setting me at my mother’s breasts!

When I left the womb you cradled me;

since the moment of birth you’ve been my God.

Then you moved far away

and trouble moved in next door.

I need a neighbor.

12–13  Herds of bulls come at me,

the raging bulls stampede,

Horns lowered, nostrils flaring,

like a herd of buffalo on the move.

14–15  I’m a bucket kicked over and spilled,

every joint in my body has been pulled apart.

My heart is a blob

of melted wax in my gut.

I’m dry as a bone,

my tongue black and swollen.

They have laid me out for burial

in the dirt.

16–18  Now packs of wild dogs come at me;

thugs gang up on me.

They pin me down hand and foot,

and lock me in a cage—a bag

Of bones in a cage, stared at

by every passerby.

They take my wallet and the shirt off my back,

and then throw dice for my clothes.

19–21  You, God—don’t put off my rescue!

Hurry and help me!

Don’t let them cut my throat;

don’t let those mongrels devour me.

If you don’t show up soon,

I’m done for—gored by the bulls,

meat for the lions.

22–24  Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship,

and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:

Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers;

give glory, you sons of Jacob;

adore him, you daughters of Israel.

He has never let you down,

never looked the other way

when you were being kicked around.

He has never wandered off to do his own thing;

he has been right there, listening.

25–26  Here in this great gathering for worship

I have discovered this praise-life.

And I’ll do what I promised right here

in front of the God-worshipers.

Down-and-outers sit at God’s table

and eat their fill.

Everyone on the hunt for God

is here, praising him.

“Live it up, from head to toe.

Don’t ever quit!”

27–28  From the four corners of the earth

people are coming to their senses,

are running back to God.

Long-lost families

are falling on their faces before him.

God has taken charge;

from now on he has the last word.

29  All the power-mongers are before him

—worshiping!

All the poor and powerless, too

—worshiping!

Along with those who never got it together

—worshiping!

30–31  Our children and their children

will get in on this

As the word is passed along

from parent to child.

Babies not yet conceived

will hear the good news—

that God does what he says.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Saturday, July 11, 2026

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

2 Timothy 2:1-13

Doing Your Best for God

1–7  2 So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.

8–13  Fix this picture firmly in your mind: Jesus, descended from the line of David, raised from the dead. It’s what you’ve heard from me all along. It’s what I’m sitting in jail for right now—but God’s Word isn’t in jail! That’s why I stick it out here—so that everyone God calls will get in on the salvation of Christ in all its glory. This is a sure thing:

If we die with him, we’ll live with him;

If we stick it out with him, we’ll rule with him;

If we turn our backs on him, he’ll turn his back on us;

If we give up on him, he does not give up—

for there’s no way he can be false to himself.

Today's Insights

Paul felt abandoned (2 Timothy 1:15). His imprisonment would end in his execution, a prospect that makes his words to Timothy endearing: “You then, my son, be strong” (2:1). He employed three metaphors to encourage Timothy. The soldier maintains a disciplined focus to “please his commanding officer” (v. 4). The athlete competes “according to the rules” (v. 5). And the farmer “should be the first to receive a share of the crops” (v. 6). Amid tremendous personal hardship, the apostle wanted Timothy to know the struggle “for the gospel” (1:8) was worth it. As we face difficulties today, God will help us endure whatever stands in the way of our service to Him.

To learn more, watch The Power of the Spirit

Unchained by God

Therefore, I endure everything . . . . 2 Timothy 2:10

by Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Bulgarian lifeguard Yane Petkov won a world record for swimming with his hands and feet tied together. He swam 3,380 meters through the water but added something to intensify the challenge—he wrapped his body in a sack.

The patience and strength required to keep moving despite being so “tied up” amazes me. The apostle Paul also displayed rugged resistance to obstacles as he served God in the days of the early church. Despite facing fatigue, hunger, sleeplessness, and beatings, Paul continued to preach and write letters of encouragement and instruction to his fellow believers.

Paul penned his last letter to Timothy when he was isolated in a Roman prison, awaiting execution. Although shackles restricted his body, he noted that the good news could not be “chained” (2 Timothy 2:9). “Therefore,” Paul said, “I endure everything” to give others the chance to hear and accept the truth about Jesus Christ (v. 10).

God can help us endure any kind of difficulty that stands in the way of serving Him. Physical limitations such as illness, injuries, and disabilities require care and attention, but they can’t ultimately surpass God’s power, which is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Let’s give God the glory when He works through us to do things we cannot do on our own.

Reflect & Pray

What’s your greatest area of struggle as you consider serving God? How does He want to help you cope with the frustration that comes from your limitations?

Dear God, I lay down my pride and ask for Your help to bring glory to Your name.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, July 11, 2026

The Spiritual Saint

I want to know Christ. —Philippians 3:10

The aim of the spiritual saint isn’t self-realization; it’s to know Jesus Christ and to realize his life in any and every circumstance. Spiritual saints embrace everything that comes their way with a reckless abandonment to their Lord. They don’t believe that the circumstances of their lives are haphazard or random; they don’t divide their lives into “secular” and “sacred.” Instead, they view every moment, every situation, as a God-sent opportunity for gaining knowledge of Christ. Even when they are engaged in the most menial work, spiritual saints take the initiative to manifest their Lord.

How do I view the work I do? If I view it as an opportunity for self-realization, I am enthroning work itself. Spiritual saints enthrone Jesus Christ in their work, no matter what the work may be.

“Jesus knew . . . that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he . . . poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet” (John 13:3–5). Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. At this moment in our Lord’s life, he performed a menial task. Yet even here, in this act of subservience, Jesus manifested his relationship to his Father. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will manifest Jesus Christ in this same way in every domain of life. The Spirit will bring us back to the same point, again and again, until we do.

Do I know the Lord as I should, in every aspect of my life? Do I know him today, at this very minute? If not, I am failing him. Let me take on the attitude of the spiritual saint and begin to know Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances God sends my way.

Psalms 1-3; Acts 17:1-15

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

We should always choose our books as God chooses our friends, just a bit beyond us, so that we have to do our level best to keep up with them.

Shade of His Hand, 1216 L