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.

Song of Solomon 5, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: NEVER LOSE HEART - October 22, 2026

On April 21st, 2008, Katherine Wolf suffered a massive stroke. She lost her ability to walk, talk clearly, and care for herself. She went from being a California model to a wheelchair-bound patient. God stepped in.

In her wonderful book, Hope Heals, she writes, “I felt a deep awakening of the Word of God, which I had known since I was a little girl. It was my epiphany of hope. I would never lose heart in this situation because my soul was not what was wasting away.”

Don’t try to weather this storm alone, my friend. He is still the great I AM. The next time you pray, “Is anyone coming to help me?” listen for the response of Jesus. “I AM with you in this storm.” Remember my friend, you are never alone.

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

Song of Solomon 5

The Man

15I went to my garden, dear friend, best lover!

breathed the sweet fragrance.

I ate the fruit and honey,

I drank the nectar and wine.

Celebrate with me, friends!

Raise your glasses—“To life! To love!”

The Woman

2I was sound asleep, but in my dreams I was wide awake.

Oh, listen! It’s the sound of my lover knocking, calling!

The Man

“Let me in, dear companion, dearest friend,

my dove, consummate lover!

I’m soaked with the dampness of the night,

drenched with dew, shivering and cold.”

The Woman

3“But I’m in my nightgown—do you expect me to get dressed?

I’m bathed and in bed—do you want me to get dirty?”

4–7But my lover wouldn’t take no for an answer,

and the longer he knocked, the more excited I became.

I got up to open the door to my lover,

sweetly ready to receive him,

Desiring and expectant

as I turned the door handle.

But when I opened the door he was gone.

My loved one had tired of waiting and left.

And I died inside—oh, I felt so bad!

I ran out looking for him

But he was nowhere to be found.

I called into the darkness—but no answer.

The night watchmen found me

as they patrolled the streets of the city.

They slapped and beat and bruised me,

ripping off my clothes,

These watchmen,

who were supposed to be guarding the city.

8I beg you, sisters in Jerusalem—

if you find my lover,

Please tell him I want him,

that I’m heartsick with love for him.

The Chorus

9What’s so great about your lover, fair lady?

What’s so special about him that you beg for our help?

The Woman

10–16My dear lover glows with health—

red-blooded, radiant!

He’s one in a million.

There’s no one quite like him!

My golden one, pure and untarnished,

with raven black curls tumbling across his shoulders.

His eyes are like doves, soft and bright,

but deep-set, brimming with meaning, like wells of water.

His face is rugged, his beard smells like sage,

His voice, his words, warm and reassuring.

Fine muscles ripple beneath his skin,

quiet and beautiful.

His torso is the work of a sculptor,

hard and smooth as ivory.

He stands tall, like a cedar,

strong and deep-rooted,

A rugged mountain of a man,

aromatic with wood and stone.

His words are kisses, his kisses words.

Everything about him delights me, thrills me through and through!

That’s my lover, that’s my man,

dear Jerusalem sisters.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Thursday, October 22, 2026

By Adam R. Holz

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Galatians 5:16-26

My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?

19–21It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.

22–23But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

23–24Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

25–26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

Today's Insights

Paul had much to teach us about the Holy Spirit’s role in the life of the believer in Jesus. The moment a person believes in Christ through faith, they receive the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:2, 14). Referred to as “the Spirit of his Son” (4:6), God sent Him to dwell in our hearts. He adopted us to become His children and empowers us to call Him “Abba, Father” (v. 6). The apostle warned that our sinful human nature continues to resist the indwelling Spirit (5:17). The key to victory is to live in the power of the Spirit. As we’re led by Him and walk and keep in step with Him, He helps us to overcome the vices of the sinful nature and live in a right relationship with God (vv. 5, 16, 18, 25). Such a Spirit-controlled life is one that pleases God as it bears the “fruit of the Spirit” (v. 22).

For further study, read: The Fruit of the Spirit

In Step with God

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

Can you imagine sprinting as hard as you can possibly run . . . without being able to see?

That’s what happens in Paralympic guide running. Blind runners compete with a guide, someone who runs alongside them step by step, connected by a short tether. American runner David Brown is among the world’s fastest blind Paralympian runners, having won a gold medal for running a 100-meter dash in under eleven seconds. Jerome Avery was Brown’s guide for much of his career. Brown described their connection this way: “We’re like one person.” Avery agreed, saying, “It should look like one person running.”

What a beautiful illustration of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Even when we’re running with all we’ve got, the Spirit stays perfectly in step with us—directing our every movement, guiding us this way and that.

In Galatians 5, Paul describes how we overcome struggles with sin: by being in sync with the Spirit’s work in us. He writes, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (v. 16). A few verses later, he adds, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (v. 25). That, he says, would enable us to step past the “acts of the flesh” (v. 19) so we can be spiritually fruitful (vv. 22-23).

Let’s walk—and maybe even run—in step with the Spirit.

Reflect & Pray

How do you realize you’re out of step with God? In your life, what does being “in step” with the Spirit look like?

Dear Father, thank You that the Holy Spirit helps me walk closely with You. Please help me keep in step with You! For further study, read The Fruit of the Spirit at odbm.org.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Thursday, October 22, 2026

The Testimony of the Spirit

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit. — Romans 8:16

We are in danger of getting into a negotiating mindset with God, of trying to haggle him into giving us the testimony of the Spirit before we’ve done what he tells us to do. “Why isn’t the Spirit testifying with my spirit?” you ask. “Why doesn’t God reveal himself to me?” The answer is that he won’t, not as long as you are in his way, refusing to abandon yourself to him. The instant you do abandon, God begins to testify to himself. He can’t testify to you—that is, to your human nature. Rather, he testifies to his own nature inside you, the nature you received when you were baptized by the Holy Spirit.

If you were to receive the testimony of the Spirit before the Spirit was a reality inside you, it would end in sentimental emotion. But the moment you stop debating and complete the spiritual transaction, the moment you ask for the Holy Spirit and receive him, God gives you the testimony. When you abandon intellectual reasoning and argument and hand yourself in faith to God, you will be amazed at your impertinence in having kept him waiting so long.

If you are debating the question of whether God can deliver you from sin, either let him do it or tell him he can’t. Don’t come at him with evidence, quoting this or that expert. Instead, try Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.” Come, when you are burdened with doubt. Ask, if you know you are evil: “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).

The simplicity that characterizes commonsense decisions is easy to mistake for the testimony of the Spirit. But the Spirit testifies only to his own nature and to the work of redemption, never to our human reason. If we try to make him testify to our reason, it is no wonder we remain in darkness and perplexity. Fling your doubting and debating overboard, trust in God, and his Spirit will give the testimony.

Isaiah 65-66; 1 Timothy 2 

 

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

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Thursday, October 22, 2026

The Miracle in the Mirror - #10379

Scripture:  Psalms 139:13

Fasten your seat belt, science fans. These days it seems as if there's a blockbuster discovery almost every day in the rapidly expanding world of science. But few things have amazed me more than some of the discoveries that came out of the mapping of human genes, human cells, and the stuff of human life that we call DNA. You've lived in your body so many years you probably don't think much about it. Well, think about it for a minute. Your body has, according to the research, ten trillion cells. Each of those ten trillion cells contains a strand of DNA that, if you uncoiled it, would be about six feet long. Now, here's what they're telling us. If you were to place each of those ten trillion strands in your body end to end—ready for your mind to be blown? Your DNA would span the solar system! Go take another look in the mirror.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Miracle in the Mirror."

When King David wrote about his own being, it was some 3,000 years ago; long before people knew even a tiny fraction of the amazing stuff we know today about just one human being. But even then, with the little he knew, he penned these words, recorded in Psalm 139, our word for today from the Word of God, and actually amplified by these recent discoveries.

Beginning in verse 13, he says to God, "You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful ... All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." Now, imagine. God gave you your worth from birth—actually, before birth. Most of what you are today was all there in your genetic code, basically from the moment you were conceived. So, no one on earth gave you your worth, and no one on earth can take it away.

God ordained the number of days of your life before you lived even one of them. You are, in essence, immortal until your work is done. Now, fast forward to the New Testament, and you read this encouraging and amazing description of who you really are: Ephesians 2:10, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Just think, there's a plan made by God with your name on it, and you've been wired by Him to make a unique difference in your short time on this planet.

He started you. He'll decide when you're done here. He's the One who knows why you're here. Question: Do you belong to this awesome God who you were made by and made for? The Bible says we've actually turned away from this majestic Creator of ours to do our own thing. It’s got a name. It's called sin. And it took God becoming one of us, from the womb to the tomb, to give us a chance to get back to Him. That's what Jesus died on the cross to do. He died for your sins so you don't have to. He was abandoned by God the Father on the cross so you don't ever have to be.

And that hole in your heart that's never gone away can only be filled by the awesome God who made you; who we can only get to by giving ourselves to Jesus, the only bridge to our Creator. Maybe you've never actually put your life in the hands of the One who gave you your life and who gave His life for you. You could do that right now. Say, "Jesus, this is the end of me running my own life I was never meant to. You drive from this day on. I believe your payment for my sin on the cross is my only hope of heaven. And today, Jesus, I'm giving myself to you. I'm yours."

We’ve put some information on our website for a moment just like this; a beginning with Jesus Christ. A place to go to get this settled. The website is ANewStory.com.

You may have awakened this morning away from the awesome God who made you. You can go to bed tonight, knowing that you belong to Him forever.

Song of Solomon 4, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: UPWARD, NOT INWARD - October 21, 2026

We’d rather be spared the storm. Or if the storm comes, let it be mild and our deliverance be quick. Let the job dismissal come with a severance package and an offer of a better position. Let the marital strife turn quickly to romance. Sometimes it does.

But when it doesn’t, when we are thorax-deep in turbulence, Jesus wants us to know his name and hear him saying, “I am coming.” Such was the experience of the disciples. The moment they invited Christ into their boat was the moment they reached their destination. “So they gladly took Him aboard. And at once the boat reached the shore that they were making for” (John 6:21 Phillips).

Follow the example of the disciples. Welcome Jesus into the midst of this turbulent time. Don’t let this storm turn you inward. Let it turn you upward. Remember my friend, you are never alone.

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

Song of Solomon 4

The Man

1–54You’re so beautiful, my darling,

so beautiful, and your dove eyes are veiled

By your hair as it 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 lips are jewel red,

your mouth elegant and inviting,

your veiled cheeks soft and radiant.

The smooth, lithe lines of your neck

command notice—all heads turn in awe and admiration!

Your breasts are like fawns,

twins of a gazelle, grazing among the first spring flowers.

6–7The sweet, fragrant curves of your body,

the soft, spiced contours of your flesh

Invite me, and I come. I stay

until dawn breathes its light and night slips away.

You’re beautiful from head to toe, my dear love,

beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless.

8–15Come with me from Lebanon, my bride.

Leave Lebanon behind, and come.

Leave your high mountain hideaway.

Abandon your wilderness seclusion,

Where you keep company with lions

and panthers guard your safety.

You’ve captured my heart, dear friend.

You looked at me, and I fell in love.

One look my way and I was hopelessly in love!

How beautiful your love, dear, dear friend—

far more pleasing than a fine, rare wine,

your fragrance more exotic than select spices.

The kisses of your lips are honey, my love,

every syllable you speak a delicacy to savor.

Your clothes smell like the wild outdoors,

the ozone scent of high mountains.

Dear lover and friend, you’re a secret garden,

a private and pure fountain.

Body and soul, you are paradise,

a whole orchard of succulent fruits—

Ripe apricots and peaches,

oranges and pears;

Nut trees and cinnamon,

and all scented woods;

Mint and lavender,

and all herbs aromatic;

A garden fountain, sparkling and splashing,

fed by spring waters from the Lebanon mountains.

The Woman

16Wake up, North Wind,

get moving, South Wind!

Breathe on my garden,

fill the air with spice fragrance.

Oh, let my lover enter his garden!

Yes, let him eat the fine, ripe fruits.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

by 

Nancy Gavilanes

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Job 1:13-22

Sometime later, while Job’s children were having one of their parties at the home of the oldest son, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing in the field next to us when Sabeans attacked. They stole the animals and killed the field hands. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”

16While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Bolts of lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and fried them—burned them to a crisp. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”

17While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Chaldeans coming from three directions raided the camels and massacred the camel drivers. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”

18–19While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Your children were having a party at the home of the oldest brother when a tornado swept in off the desert and struck the house. It collapsed on the young people and they died. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”

20Job got to his feet, ripped his robe, shaved his head, then fell to the ground and worshiped:

21Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

naked I’ll return to the womb of the earth.

God gives, God takes.

God’s name be ever blessed.

22Not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God.

Today's Insights

Amid Job’s extreme pain, his words reflected a worshipful understanding of the sovereignty of God (Job 1:21). The psalmist also recognized God’s power and authority and said, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2). Believers in Jesus find the same comfort knowing that God controls all things, and nothing happens apart from His eternal gaze. The apostle Paul celebrated God’s sovereignty with these words: “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever!” (Romans 11:35). Today, when we experience trials, we can take our pain to God knowing that our lives are under His watchful care.

For further study, read: Grieving with Those Who Grieve

Grace in Grief

[Job said,] “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1:21

The world watched the news in horror as the sightseeing helicopter flying over the river tore into pieces. As the main rotor and tail broke off, the cabin plunged into the waters below, with the pilot and a family of five trapped inside. Just days after the tragedy that had taken the lives of his sister, brother-in-law, niece, and two nephews, the brother was at the site honoring his loved ones. “They left together,” he said.

Life can change in a moment, leaving us reeling from loss we can’t explain. Job also suffered unspeakable loss and sorrow. One tragic day, messengers told Job that his servants had been killed and his livestock were stolen or dead (Job 1:13-17). Then Job received even more devastating news. While his seven sons and three daughters were together, a mighty wind caused the house they were in to collapse, killing them (vv. 18-19). “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship” (v. 20). In anguish, Job said, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (v. 21).

Job didn’t know why he had to suffer, but even in his darkest hour he worshiped God. Breaking His silence, God reminded Job of His great wisdom and power, and he was able to trust God’s sovereign plan (chs. 38-42).

We may never understand why tragedies strike, but we can take our pain to God, who comforts us.

Reflect & Pray

When has God comforted you during a tragedy? How can you trust Him in your grief?

Dear God, please help me trust You even when I’m suffering.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Impulse

Building yourselves up in your most holy faith . . . — Jude 1:20

There was nothing impulsive and nothing cold-blooded about our Lord, just a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the line of our own impulses rather than along the line of God. Impulsiveness is a natural human trait, but our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple.

Watch how the Spirit of God checks our impulses. His checks bring a rush of self-consciousness that instantly makes us want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is fine in a child but disastrous in a man or a woman; an impulsive adult is always a petulant adult. Impulsiveness has to be trained into intuition by discipline.

Discipleship has no impulsiveness in it; it is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy in an impulsive burst of courage, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is a different thing. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus (Matthew 14:29)—but he also walked far with Jesus on the land. We don’t need the supernatural grace of God in order to weather crises; human nature and pride are sufficient for that. But we do need his grace in order to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, to go through drudgery as a child of God, to live an ordinary, unobserved, ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We think that we have to do exceptional things for God, but this isn’t true. We have to be exceptional in ordinary things, to be holy in mean streets, and this isn’t learned in five minutes.

Isaiah 62-64; 1 Timothy 1

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

There is no allowance whatever in the New Testament for the man who says he is saved by grace but who does not produce the graceful goods. Jesus Christ by His Redemption can make our actual life in keeping with our religious profession.

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Survivors To The Rescue - #10378

Scripture:  Jude 1:23

Each season in the U.S. seems to bring its beauty and its unique dangers. In the spring, think tornado, for example. In the summer and fall, some of us know what the word hurricane is all about. In the mountains in winter, it’s important to be aware that that season’s snowy beauty may also bring with it the danger of deadly avalanches. Every winter, we hear about some people who lose their lives as these massive chunks of snow suddenly break loose. But every once in a while, we hear about lives being saved. I remember a few years ago, the rescuers were there not long after an avalanche, and they immediately started digging for survivors. In minutes, they pulled out one skier who was not only grateful to be saved, but in remarkably good shape for what he had been through. And the news reported that after that man was rescued, he didn’t just head for a warm place to recover. He actually joined the rescuers, working side by side with them to save other lives. And they did!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Survivors To The Rescue.”

A person is saved from a deadly situation and they instinctively go back to help save someone else. That’s exactly how lives are saved eternally. The rescued are supposed to turn around and be the rescuers. When they’re not, they make it out, but they leave others to perish. It’s not supposed to be that way.

If someone rescued you spiritually by telling you about Jesus Christ, then the eight words in our word for today from the Word of God are personal orders from God to you. Jude, verse 23, simply says, “Snatch others from the fire and save them.” The implication is that you got snatched from the fire, now go back and get someone else.

That was instinctive for Andrew the day he met Christ. The Bible says, “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ … and he brought him to Jesus.”(John 1:41-42) And Simon, of course, became the great leader of the apostles, Simon Peter.

My guess is that when you first discovered the love of Jesus for yourself, you had that Andrew instinct. You may not have done the best job of explaining Jesus at that point, but you just knew that people you cared about had to have the same chance you had. That’s how the rescue work of Jesus has gone on for 2,000 years – rescued people become rescuers of others.

But as time has gone by, have you become content to just find a warm spiritual spot among other people who are already headed for heaven; you believe the beliefs and you live as if the reason you were rescued is to enjoy the fellowship of the others who’ve been rescued? No, you were rescued to rescue.

Oh, we have our excuses for our silence about our Savior. “I’m afraid, I’m inadequate, I’m imperfect, I don’t know enough, I might mess it up.” Well, look at who Jesus used to bring an entire Samaritan village to Him – a woman with the worst reputation in town, a woman who had just met Jesus, but she knew enough to say, “Come see a Man” (John 4:29). “Come on, check out Jesus.” If Christ could use her to be His ambassador to her tribe, He can surely use you to be His ambassador to yours. They’ll listen to you because you walk the same trail they do – much more than they might listen to some “professional rescuer” who comes from outside their world. You’re in their world with them.

Hundreds of people were rescued from the sinking Titanic by being in lifeboats. But those same people refused to turn those lifeboats around to rescue the people who were in the lifejackets in the water, even though a lot of lifeboats were half empty. And 328 people died because the people who had been rescued did nothing about the people who were dying all around them.

You’re in the lifeboat “Jesus.” Please, turn your lifeboat around and help pull some others to life.

Acts 6, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: HEAR GOD’S NAME - October 20, 2026

Jesus says to us what he said to the disciples on the stormy sea. “It is I, don’t be afraid” (John 6:20). The literal translation of what Jesus said is, “I AM, don’t be afraid.”

I AM. That’s God’s name. When we wonder if God is coming, he answers with his name, I AM. When we wonder if he is able, he declares, I AM. When we see nothing but darkness, feel nothing but doubt, and wonder if God is near or aware, the welcome answer from Jesus is this: I AM.

Pause for a moment and let him tell you his name. Your greatest need is his presence. Yes, you want this storm to pass. Yes, you want the winds to still. But yes, yes, yes, you want to know and need to know and must know that the great I AM is near. Remember friends, you are never alone.

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

Acts 6

The Word of God Prospered

1–46During this time, as the disciples were increasing in numbers by leaps and bounds, hard feelings developed among the Greek-speaking believers—“Hellenists”—toward the Hebrew-speaking believers because their widows were being discriminated against in the daily food lines. So the Twelve called a meeting of the disciples. They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we’ll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we’ll stick to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God’s Word.”

5–6The congregation thought this was a great idea. They went ahead and chose—

Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,

Philip,

Procorus,

Nicanor,

Timon,

Parmenas,

Nicolas, a convert from Antioch.

Then they presented them to the apostles. Praying, the apostles laid on hands and commissioned them for their task.

7The Word of God prospered. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased dramatically. Not least, a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith.

8–10Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them. But then some men from the meeting place whose membership was made up of freed slaves, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some others from Cilicia and Asia, went up against him trying to argue him down. But they were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke.

11So in secret they bribed men to lie: “We heard him cursing Moses and God.”

12–14That stirred up the people, the religious leaders, and religion scholars. They grabbed Stephen and took him before the High Council. They put forward their bribed witnesses to testify: “This man talks nonstop against this Holy Place and God’s Law. We even heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth would tear this place down and throw out all the customs Moses gave us.”

15As all those who sat on the High Council looked at Stephen, they found they couldn’t take their eyes off him—his face was like the face of an angel!

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

by Sheridan Voysey

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Acts 9:1-6, 17-20

The Blinding of Saul

1–29All this time Saul was breathing down the necks of the Master’s disciples, out for the kill. He went to the Chief Priest and got arrest warrants to take to the meeting places in Damascus so that if he found anyone there belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he could arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem.

3–4He set off. When he got to the outskirts of Damascus, he was suddenly dazed by a blinding flash of light. As he fell to the ground, he heard a voice: “Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me?”

5–6He said, “Who are you, Master?”

“I am Jesus, the One you’re hunting down. I want you to get up and enter the city. In the city you’ll be told what to do next.”

Acts 9:1-6, 17-20

So Ananias went and found the house, placed his hands on blind Saul, and said, “Brother Saul, the Master sent me, the same Jesus you saw on your way here. He sent me so you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes—he could see again! He got to his feet, was baptized, and sat down with them to a hearty meal.

Plots Against Saul

19–21Saul spent a few days getting acquainted with the Damascus disciples, but then went right to work, wasting no time, preaching in the meeting places that this Jesus was the Son of God.

Today's Insights

Believers in Jesus are distinctively described as “the faithful in Christ” (Ephesians 1:1; see Colossians 1:2). Paul says that we who are “in Christ . . . though many, form one body” (Romans 12:5). This solidarity between Jesus as “head” of the church, His body (Ephesians 4:15), is clearly affirmed when He warned Saul that an attack on the church was an attack on Him (Acts 9:4-5). In the gospel of Luke, Christ teaches through a parable about helping those in need (10:25-37). In another parable, He says that whatever help given to believers is a service rendered to Him personally (Matthew 25:40). Today, we can “do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10) knowing that when we serve those who are suffering, we serve Jesus.

For further study, listen to the podcast: Give Up

You Do It to Me

He . . . heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Acts 9:4

In September 1963, Welsh artist John Petts heard the news that a racially motivated bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, had killed four African American girls. Wanting to help, he offered to replace the church’s shattered stained-glass window. The people of Wales soon raised the funds.

Petts’ striking replacement window shows Jesus on the cross, His right hand pressing against the frame to signify His pushing out hatred, and His left hand open, offering forgiveness. Along the bottom of the window run the words, you do it to me. One wonders who Jesus is talking to in those words—the racist group that killed those three young believers or the Welsh people who donated the window?

Maybe we don’t have to choose. Before his conversion, Saul persecuted Jesus’ disciples (Acts 9:1-2). Yet, when Christ appeared to him, He said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (v. 4). Jesus identifies so closely with His people that to harm or bless them is to harm or bless the Lord Himself.

As Saul discovered, Jesus pushes out hatred by offering transforming forgiveness (9:17-20). His right and left hands always work together—and are never taken off the shoulders of His suffering people.

Reflect & Pray

How might Jesus’ example motivate you to serve the persecuted church? How might it change how you view generosity to any believer in need?

Dear Jesus, I want to serve You by serving Your suffering people today.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Is God’s Will My Will?

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified. — 1 Thessalonians 4:3

My sanctification isn’t a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me. The question is, Am I willing? Am I willing to let God do in me all that has been made possible by the atonement? Am I willing to let the life of Jesus Christ manifest itself in my mortal flesh?

Beware of saying, “I’m longing to be sanctified.” Stop longing and treat it as a transaction, a simple matter of asking and receiving. Ask God for the Holy Spirit on the basis of Luke 11:13: “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Then, in implicit faith, receive Jesus Christ to be made sanctification to you, and the great marvel of the atonement will be made real in you.

All that Jesus Christ made possible is mine because of one thing and one thing only: the free, loving gift of God. My attitude as a saved and sanctified soul must be one of profound, humble holiness. (There’s no such thing as proud holiness.) I recognize what Jesus has done for me with agonizing repentance and a sense of unspeakable shame and degradation. I have the amazing realization that even when I cared nothing for God, his love for me was so great that he completed everything for my salvation and sanctification.

No wonder Paul says that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in him one with God. This is done only through the atonement of Christ, which is the cause of my holiness. Never confuse the cause and the effect. My holiness and obedience and service and prayer are all effects—the outcome of speechless thanks and adoration for the sanctification worked in me by the atonement.

Isaiah 59-61; 2 Thessalonians 3

 

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

Both nations and individuals have tried Christianity and abandoned it, because it has been found too difficult; but no man has ever gone through the crisis of deliberately making Jesus Lord and found Him to be a failure.

The Love of God—The Making of a Christian, 680 R

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Lost and Not Knowing It - #10377

Scripture:  Luke 18:9

The setting was a beautiful Christian conference center, nestled in this idyllic spot in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Now Rocky Mountain fans won't be impressed, but some of the mountains around the conference center rise to five or six thousand feet. I had been speaking there, and the director began to tell me some interesting stories from their last few months at the center, like the man they had to go looking for at the top of a nearby mountain in the middle of the night. See, he'd gone too far, and he'd stayed out too long. I asked the obvious question: "Well, was he lost?" The director said: "He didn't think he was."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Lost and Not Knowing It."

Being lost can be a dangerous thing. Being lost and not knowing you're lost, or not admitting it, can mean extreme danger—especially if you're spiritually lost. You're away from God, you’re racing without knowing it toward an eternity without Him and you think you're doing just fine. If you're religious, or successful, or smart, things are going pretty well, you may be in the greatest danger of all of being lost and not knowing it, and as a result, ending up lost forever.

Jesus has made a lot of us people who don't seem lost give a second thought with His revealing story of these two men with very different views of their need for Him. In Luke 18, beginning with verse 9, our word for today from the Word of God, the Bible says: "To some who were confident of their own righteousness... Jesus told this parable: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee (that's the most religious people of Jesus' day) and the other a tax collector (usually regarded as some of the most sinful people in Jesus' day). The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'"

Jesus continues: "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' I tell you this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.'" Wow! You and I are probably one of these two men; the person who looks around at a lot of people who are much worse off and thinks, "Well, you know what? I'm doing okay." But we're not right with God. Or we're the person who says, "I know I'm lost. I know I have no hope of being forgiven. I have no hope of going to heaven except You, Jesus." Which one is you? The difference is the difference between heaven and hell.

Romans 3:10 bursts all our self-sufficient, self-righteous bubbles when it says: "There is none righteous, not even one." But if you don't think or you won't admit you're lost, you'll never reach out in desperate faith to the only One who can bring you home, and that is Jesus, the Son of God. He died for your sins because there was absolutely no other way for you to know God or get into His heaven.

Pride might be the number one reason people will end up in hell instead of the heaven they were sure they were going to. But they never admitted they were lost. They never pinned all their hopes on their only hope, Jesus, the Savior. God’s not willing to just leave you lost. He sent His Son for you. He doesn't want to lose you, and He's come to where you are today to give you this chance to admit that you are what He says you are—lost, and to finally surrender your pride and bow down at Jesus' feet.

This could be your day to say, "God, be merciful to me a sinner and save me, for Jesus' sake." Finally free. Finally His. If you're ready to make the Savior your Savior, would you tell Him that today, "Jesus, I'm yours."

I invite you to check out our website, where there's a lot more information about how to be sure you're going to heaven. It is ANewStory.com.

There are two choices. Don't admit you're lost and be lost forever. Admit you're lost and be found forever. The stakes are eternal.

Song of Solomon 3, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: JESUS IN THE STORM - October 19, 2026

Jesus’ disciples went down to the lake where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark. Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. The disciples were too far from the shore, too long in the struggle, too small against the waves. And Jesus was nowhere to be seen.

Have you ever encountered a dangerous, ominous, seemingly God-forsaken storm? Storms overtake us, and it sometimes seems they will never end. But then the unimaginable happens. John gives no details, just this economical statement. “They saw Jesus walking on the water” (John 6:19). That’s all we need to know. Before Jesus stills the storms, he comes to us in the midst of our storms. And he’ll come and meet you in yours. Remember friend, you are never alone.

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

Song of Solomon 3

Restless in bed and sleepless through the night,

I longed for my lover.

I wanted him desperately. His absence was painful.

So I got up, went out and roved the city,

hunting through streets and down alleys.

I wanted my lover in the worst way!

I looked high and low, and didn’t find him.

And then the night watchmen found me

as they patrolled the darkened city.

“Have you seen my dear lost love?” I asked.

No sooner had I left them than I found him,

found my dear lost love.

I threw my arms around him and held him tight,

wouldn’t let him go until I had him home again,

safe at home beside the fire.

5Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem,

by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer:

Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up,

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

6–10What’s this I see, approaching from the desert,

raising clouds of dust,

Filling the air with sweet smells

and pungent aromatics?

Look! It’s Solomon’s carriage,

carried and guarded by sixty soldiers,

sixty of Israel’s finest,

All of them armed to the teeth,

trained for battle,

ready for anything, any time.

King Solomon once had a carriage built

from fine-grained Lebanon cedar.

He had it framed with silver and roofed with gold.

The cushions were covered with a purple fabric,

the interior lined with tooled leather.

11Come and look, sisters in Jerusalem.

Oh, sisters of Zion, don’t miss this!

My King-Lover,

dressed and garlanded for his wedding,

his heart full, bursting with joy!

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Monday, October 19, 2026

By Tim Gustafson

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Ezekiel 26:1-6, 17-18

As the Waves of the Sea, Surging Against the Shore

1–226In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, Tyre cheered when they got the news of Jerusalem, exclaiming,

“ ‘Good! The gateway city is smashed!

Now all her business comes my way.

She’s in ruins

and I’m in clover.’

3–6“Therefore, God, the Master, has this to say:

“ ‘I’m against you, Tyre,

and I’ll bring many nations surging against you,

as the waves of the sea surging against the shore.

They’ll smash the city walls of Tyre

and break down her towers.

I’ll wash away the soil

and leave nothing but bare rock.

She’ll be an island of bare rock in the ocean,

good for nothing but drying fishnets.

Yes, I’ve said so.’ Decree of God, the Master.

‘She’ll be loot, free pickings for the nations!

Her surrounding villages will be butchered.

Then they’ll realize that I am God.’

Today's Insights

Ezekiel pronounces judgment not only against Jerusalem but also the nations who celebrated the downfall of God’s people. Chapters 25-32 include prophecies against seven nations, including Tyre (26:1–28:19). Judgment would be thorough; for instance, Egypt would go down “to the earth below . . . to the pit” (32:18), a reference to the place of the dead. And Tyre, a preeminent naval power (26:17), would disappear beneath “the ocean depths” as they also would go “down to the pit” (vv. 19-20). Pride inevitably leads to a fall. Serving God ultimately leads to peace (28:26). Today, God can help us serve Him in His strength.

For further study, read: The Promised King

The Lesson in the Ruins

Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us . . . worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. Hebrews 12:28

“You have to be careful about the snakes, insects, jaguars and everything else,” said archaeologist Ivan Šprajc. Wielding chainsaws and machetes, he and his team slashed through thick jungle to try to reach the lost city of Ocumtún. The ancient metropolis had disappeared along with the rest of the once-vibrant Mayan civilization on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. No one knows why.

“The study of history is, in large measure, the study of ruins,” says author George Will—an apt testimony to our human inability to do things that last.

In the Bible, we read a prophecy about a thriving city. “They will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers,” God said through His prophet Ezekiel (26:4). “Out in the sea she will become a place to spread fishnets” (v. 5). Tyre had been “a power on the seas” who put “terror on all who lived there” (v. 17). They’d also celebrated Jerusalem’s fall (v. 2). A companion prophecy says of Tyre’s destruction, “The Lord Almighty planned it, to bring down her pride in all her splendor” (Isaiah 23:9). Tyre fell because of its pride.

Working hard to create new things is one way we reflect God’s image. But beware the fatal trap of pride. Whatever we do, let’s do it for our eternal God and in His strength. He promises us “a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28).

Reflect & Pray

What city or civilization do you admire and why? How do you think of it when you consider that one day it will no longer exist?

Dear God, please help me serve You well as a citizen of Your kingdom, which can never be shaken.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Monday, October 19, 2026

The Unheeded Secret

My kingdom is not of this world. — John 18:36

Today, a great enemy of Jesus Christ is the idea we have of practical work. This idea doesn’t come from the New Testament but rather from systems of the world in which endless energy and activity are insisted upon, but no private life with God. The emphasis is placed on the wrong thing. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 kjv); it is hidden and obscure. Too often Christian workers live in the shop window. They’ve forgotten that it is the innermost of the innermost that reveals the power of the disciple’s life.

We have to rid ourselves of the spirit of the religious age we live in. As disciples, our lives are supposed to resemble our Master’s life; in his life, there was none of the stress and rush of tremendous activity that are regarded so highly today. The cornerstone of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship to him, not public usefulness to other people. Rather than wasting our time in activity, we should be soaking in the great fundamental truths of his redemption.

If we don’t get into the habit of soaking in God’s truths, we will snap when the strain comes—and it will come. None of us has any idea where God is going to put us nor any knowledge of what kinds of difficulty we will face. But if we’ve prepared ourselves beforehand by getting rooted and grounded in God, we will remain true to him whatever happens.

Isaiah 56-58; 2 Thessalonians 2

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

We all have the trick of saying—If only I were not where I am!—If only I had not got the kind of people I have to live with! If our faith or our religion does not help us in the conditions we are in, we have either a further struggle to go through, or we had better abandon that faith and religion. 

The Shadow of an Agony, 1178 L

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Monday, October 19, 2026

How Hard You Try - #10376

Scripture:  2 Timothy 4:5

Gym class can be a pretty unfair place in school. You’ve got your natural athletes, your average athletes, and your basic klutzes, like me, who are all lumped together in the same class. It’s tough to get a decent grade if the teacher compares your performances. The natural athletes, of course, are going to play better, score higher, run farther than many others who are trying just as hard. And many a good student has had his grade point dragged down. Not because of a C effort in gym, but because of a C result.

I guess we could debate about what’s fair, but I for one appreciate the breed of physical education teacher that my son had, and he said this about him, “Dad, you know, he grades you not on how well you finish, but on how hard you try.” Well, you know, I know someone else who grades that way.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “How Hard You Try.”

The Apostle Paul is, as we get to the end of 2 Timothy, a man about to receive his report card, and he’s about to graduate. This is the last letter he will write in his many letters of the New Testament, writing to his dear son in the faith, Timothy. Looking at his present situation, he doesn’t look very successful. He’s a prisoner in Caesar’s prison, he’s facing execution, there are no awards being given, there’s no applause, he’s very alone and he really has nothing on earth to look forward to. He is apparently a victim, not a victor. Maybe you know someone like that right now. Maybe it’s someone like you. He is looking forward, though, to God’s grades and God’s rewards.

Listen to what he says in 2 Timothy 4, beginning at verse 5, “Discharge all the duties of your ministry, for I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, and now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day.” I love this! He’s looking for the Lord’s awards.

We know Paul’s result. We look back on the tremendous results of his life. But where he was in that prison, he didn’t have much to show for his efforts there. It could be you right now. This word, “having fought a good fight” is the word for wrestling in the Olympics, and from that word we get our word agonize. He has agonized; he has agonizingly fought a good fight. It means he’s fought with good technique. He doesn’t say, “I won!” He says, “I have fought well.” Winning wasn’t the issue. Paul knew the issue was what kind of a fight he gave. Paul knows that his Lord rewards the effort, not the result, and so does your Lord. That’s why His welcoming words are, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Not successful, faithful servant.

Maybe you’ve have been in a dark, discouraging time. You’ve worked hard, you’ve served faithfully, you’ve witnessed sincerely, you’ve lived Christ in front of the people you love, and there just seems to be very little to show for it. The results aren’t there. And maybe you feel like you’ve failed. Maybe others even think you’ve failed.

But the question is, “Did you fight the good fight? Did you discharge your duties?” Maybe not perfectly, but faithfully, wholeheartedly. Well, then, I think you can expect A’s from the only person who really matters; the One who made you; the One who paid for you with His life.

You see, the awards of God are based on how hard you try.

Song of Solomon 2, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: He is Preparing a Place

God's purpose from all eternity is to prepare a family to indwell the kingdom of God. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11).

God's plotting for our good. In all the setbacks, He is ordaining the best for our future. Every event of our day is designed to draw us toward our God and our destiny. When people junk you in the pit, God can use it for good. When family members sell you out, God will recycle the pain. Falsely accused?  Utterly abandoned?  You may stumble but you will not fall.  You will get through this!

Not because you are strong, but because God is. Not because you are big, but because God is. Not because you're good, but because God is. He has a place prepared for you!

From You'll Get Through This

Song of Solomon 2

I’m just a wildflower picked from the plains of Sharon,

a lotus blossom from the valley pools.

The Man

2A lotus blossoming in a swamp of weeds—

that’s my dear friend among the girls in the village.

The Woman

3–4As an apricot tree stands out in the forest,

my lover stands above the young men in town.

All I want is to sit in his shade,

to taste and savor his delicious love.

He took me home with him for a festive meal,

but his eyes feasted on me!

5–6Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly!

Apricots, raisins—anything. I’m about to faint with love!

His left hand cradles my head,

and his right arm encircles my waist!

7Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem,

by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer:

Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up,

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

8–10Look! Listen! There’s my lover!

Do you see him coming?

Vaulting the mountains,

leaping the hills.

My lover is like a gazelle, graceful;

like a young stag, virile.

Look at him there, on tiptoe at the gate,

all ears, all eyes—ready!

My lover has arrived

and he’s speaking to me!

The Man

10–14Get up, my dear friend,

fair and beautiful lover—come to me!

Look around you: Winter is over;

the winter rains are over, gone!

Spring flowers are in blossom all over.

The whole world’s a choir—and singing!

Spring warblers are filling the forest

with sweet arpeggios.

Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed,

and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms.

Oh, get up, dear friend,

my fair and beautiful lover—come to me!

Come, my shy and modest dove—

leave your seclusion, come out in the open.

Let me see your face,

let me hear your voice.

For your voice is soothing

and your face is ravishing.

The Woman

15Then you must protect me from the foxes,

foxes on the prowl,

Foxes who would like nothing better

than to get into our flowering garden.

16–17My lover is mine, and I am his.

Nightly he strolls in our garden,

Delighting in the flowers

until dawn breathes its light and night slips away.

Turn to me, dear lover.

Come like a gazelle.

Leap like a wild stag

on delectable mountains!

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Sunday, October 18, 2026

by John Blase

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Matthew 4:18-22

Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed.

21–22A short distance down the beach they came upon another pair of brothers, James and John, Zebedee’s sons. These two were sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their fishnets. Jesus made the same offer to them, and they were just as quick to follow, abandoning boat and father.

Today's Insights

The account of Jesus calling His disciples to “fish for people” (Matthew 4:19) strongly emphasizes the force of Christ’s call on their lives. Typically, someone who wanted to study under a rabbi would make the decision to approach the rabbi about being a disciple. But Jesus is the one who approached His disciples and commanded them to follow Him. Immediately after the description of Christ calling His first disciples, we’re told of His healing ministry (vv. 23-25). His healing actions revealed that He was bringing God’s kingdom (v. 17) down to earth in a powerful way—and He’d chosen the disciples to be part of that mission. Those called by Jesus immediately left fishing—their livelihood—as well as their families (v. 22) to devote all of themselves to living out the mission of reaching those who need God. Today, as well, God has called us to share the gospel with others.

For further study, read: Waiting on God's Rescue

Fishers of Sheep

I will send you out to fish for people. Matthew 4:19

It was one of those videos that makes you stop and do a double take—Yemeni fishermen frantically rescuing hundreds of sheep from the Red Sea. A ship carrying thousands of sheep had run aground off the coast of Ras Al-Ara, Yemen. The vessel was headed for Djibouti when it capsized, leading to the drowning of more than 160 sheep. However, many were saved due to the combined efforts of a group of fishermen who found themselves, well, fishing for sheep.

Isaiah’s words came to mind when I first saw that image: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray” (53:6). In the same moment, perhaps reflecting the way the Old and New Testaments beautifully work in tandem, Jesus’ invitation to His first disciples surfaced from my memory. Matthew’s gospel records His invitation as He walked beside the Sea of Galilee: “ ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people’ ” (4:19).

For those of us intent on being Jesus’ disciples today, that same invitation is offered. Jesus calls us to fish for people. And why? People—and that means all of us—are like sheep who have strayed from God’s ways and will and words. We need rescue. Being introduced to the Savior can take place by way of His disciples. In His beautiful way, Jesus makes us—His sheep—fishers of other sheep.

Reflect & Pray

Who in your vicinity is like a drowning sheep? What part can you play in their rescue?

Dear God, please make me a fisher of sheep.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Sunday, October 18, 2026

The Key to the Missionary’s Devotion

It was for the sake of the Name that they went out. — 3 John 1:7

Our Lord has told us how our love for him should manifest itself: “Do you love me?” he asks. “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). Our Lord is saying, “Identify yourself with my interests in other people,” not “Identify me with your interests in other people.” This kind of love has a specific character. It’s defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8: “Love is patient, love is kind . . .” It is the love of God expressing itself. Other expressions of love are merely sentimental. The love of God is able to stand up to the most practical tests.

“It was for the sake of the Name that they went out.” The Holy Spirit fills my heart with the love of God and sends that love through me to everyone I meet. It enables me to remain loyal to the Name, even though every commonsense fact declares that Jesus Christ has no more power than the morning mist. This loyalty is the supernatural work of redemption, worked in me by the Holy Spirit.

The key to the missionary’s devotion is being attached to nothing and no one except our Lord himself. This doesn’t mean being separated from the outside world; our Lord was always in the world, among ordinary people and things. His detachment was entirely on the inside, where he was attached only to God. Avoiding the world is often a sign of a secret, inner attachment to the very things we’re setting out to avoid. The missionary has no such attachments. His or her soul is kept concentratedly open to Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ alone. The men and women our Lord chooses to send out as his missionaries, though they are made of ordinary human stuff, have a dominating devotion to him, formed by the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 53-55; 2 Thessalonians 1

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

The Bible is a relation of facts, the truth of which must be tested. Life may go on all right for a while, when suddenly a bereavement comes, or some crisis; unrequited love or a new love, a disaster, a business collapse, or a shocking sin, and we turn up our Bibles again and God’s word comes straight home, and we say, “Why, I never saw that there before.”

Shade of His Hand, 1223 L