07 Jan 2026
Our choices determine the path we take, so we need to be careful with that. But the ultimate thing is God’s mercy. He has discretion over our lives. Hence the need to seek Him with a sincere and contrite heart. May we find favour with Him this year. Psalm 90:1-17.
Today’s Verse – 1 Peter 1:13
Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. —1 Peter 1:13 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… When Jesus came the first time, he came to reveal God (John 1:18; Hebrews 1:1-3). As wonderful, powerful, and gracious as he was in his earthly ministry, he did not fully reveal all of who he is. Our hope is tied to his return. When he comes this time, he won’t come to reveal God, but to reveal himself – the conquering LORD, the Rider on the white horse, our eternal Savior. Every knee will bow. We will get to see him as he really and fully is – Immanuel in power and grace, triumphant in every way. When we set our hope on Jesus’ grace at his return, we can be confidently ready for active service to our king today. We can live under his leadership with obedience and praise today because we know that great tomorrow is coming! My Prayer… O Almighty God, I long for the day when I get to see Jesus face to face, coming with the angels in power. Until that time, please fasten my heart in hope to the glory Jesus will share with me on that day, and please empower me to live as one who knows that victory is mine in Jesus beginning today. Jesus, through your powerful name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
First Things First
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, If you are going to put “first things first,” then what are these “first things” you must do with your friends and family? I know each of your relationships is unique. The history you have with friends and family can make relationships easy, quirky, difficult, confusing, and a host of all sorts of other things. So when I was asked about the two greatest commands in the Scriptures, I tried to make things very clear: Love God with all you are and love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). Your “first things” with your friends and family should be clear: Love God and love them. After I had been baptized by John the Baptist, he began to point his disciples to Me. He wanted them to follow Me. One of those who followed Me first was a fellow who eventually becomes one of My twelve apostles. His name was Andrew. Andrew was always bringing people to meet me (John 6:5-9; John 12:20-22). This focus of Andrew’s life began immediately after he realized Who I AM. The first thing he did after spending time with Me was to go and find his brother, Simon Peter, and bring him to meet Me. One of the ways you put “first things first” with friends and family is to do what Andrew did: you bring them to Me. You don’t have to convince them of anything. Share why you have hope in Me (1 Peter 3:15-16). Then, with gentleness and respect, help them come to Me and learn more about me. You don’t have to answer all of their questions. You shouldn’t criticize them for not following me. Just simply invite them to come and see Who I AM for themselves. Invite them to decide what they believe they should do with Me. One of the reasons the Father gave you four gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in your New Testament — is to tell the story of My life so that you would have a way of inviting people to come and to get to know about Me. So I want to challenge you to let first things be first. Love the Father with all that you are. Love your friends, family, and neighbors as you love yourself. Let these two principles overlap and invite those you love to come and meet Me! It won’t necessarily be easy, but I will help you know what to say, when to say it, and how to share the invitation. Who knows, one of your friends or family members just may be someone waiting for you to be like Andrew! Verses to Live Andrew could invite his brother to meet Me physically. You can invite your friends and family to meet Me by reading John or Mark or Luke or Matthew with you. You don’t have to know the answers to all of their questions; just be a friend and an example to them of how I love them! The following day John [the Baptist] was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John — but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”). (John 1:35-42 NLT) Response in Prayer O Father, there are precious people in my life who I want so desperately to know Jesus. I ask that the Holy Spirit give me the wisdom to know the right moment, the best way, and the most helpful attitude to reach their hearts. Use me, please dear Father, to invite them to Jesus, in Whose name I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
06 Jan 2026
As we begin the year, are you starting from a point of advantage? Are you walking in tandem with the Lord? In the old testament, God continuously reminded His people of His intention to bless them with the promise that He would establish them. And the blessing would extend to others as well. May we do our part even as we plan and pray for a great year. Jeremiah 4:1-4.
Today’s Verse – Isaiah 1:16-17
Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. —Isaiah 1:16-17 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Do you find it easy to replace service to those in need with religious rituals? I know many sure seem to do so. However, God wants us not to get so caught up in talking about him and celebrating his deeds that we forget we’re supposed to provide hands-on care for others. God loved us so much that he wasn’t content just to send us words in a holy book; he also came to us personally as the Word incarnate in Jesus, Immanuel, God with us (John 1:1-18; Hebrews 1:1-3; Matthew 1:23). In Jesus, God cared for people face-to-face with hands-on in love (Mark 1:40-42). Whether it is Jesus defining his ministry (Luke 4:18-19) or James talking about the kind of piety that pleases God (James 1:26-27), we must realize that true faith always involves treating others as God would treat them (1 John 3:16-18). Today’s verse defines what God does and how God feels (Deuteronomy 10:16-18) by instructing us to live as his presence in our world today (John 20:19-22). My Prayer… O Great God of all comfort, please open my eyes today to see those who need your love and please give me the heart to do so attentively, investing in them personally and giving my time compassionately to serve them. May Jesus’ heart be seen in the work of my hands and bring glory to you, O God. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Tested True
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, Temptation. You face it. It is hard. The devil makes sure that the temptation is presented at just the right time, appealing to just the right vulnerabilities of the moment, and packaged in a way that is appealing. Temptation. I faced it, too. Notice that I was tempted to use My power to be self-serving — to ease My hunger. I was tempted to take a shortcut around the plan of God — to bow down to the evil one, and all the kingdoms of the world would be mine without the price of the cross. I was tempted to be spectacular — I could show the world in a grand display that I was the Messiah because the Father protected Me. You will be tempted. Temptation can come from your own desires (James 1:13-15). Temptation can be specially planned and orchestrated by the devil and his evil scheming (Ephesians 6:11). And yes, as I was tempted, the devil will tempt you to be self-serving, to take shortcuts around the requirements of God, and to be spectacular so you can call attention to yourself. Your first line of defense against temptations is knowing the Father’s will revealed in Scripture. Just as I answered each of the devil’s temptations with principles from Scripture, you need to know Scripture to know how We want you to live and act so you can recall Our will for you when you face temptations. However, knowing Scripture is not sufficient to fend off your temptations. You need to know the Father and His deep and abiding love for you. When I faced these temptations, I not only knew the Scriptures, but I also knew the Father and His great love for Me. In your trials and temptations, remember this: I faced temptations and trials, too. I know what they are like. I can help you through them. I love you. I will walk with you through temptation to strengthen, encourage, and support you. And if you fall, I will help you back up and put you back on the path of God. Verses to Live There is a truth I want you to hear about My temptations. This truth can bless you in your own struggles and temptations if you accept it. For Jesus is not some high priest who has no sympathy for our weaknesses and flaws. He has already been tested in every way that we are tested; but He emerged victorious, without failing God. So let us step boldly to the throne of grace, where we can find mercy and grace to help when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:15-16) Here is the way Luke tells the story of My first major confrontations with the devil after my baptism. Notice that the Spirit led Me during this whole process and I emerged from this time of temptation ready to begin My ministry! When Jesus returned from the Jordan River, He was full of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit led Him away from the cities and towns and out into the desert. For 40 days, the Spirit led Him from place to place in the desert, and while there, the devil tempted Jesus. Jesus was fasting, eating nothing during this time, and at the end, He was terribly hungry. At that point, the devil came to Him. Devil: Since You’re the Son of God, You don’t need to be hungry. Just tell this stone to transform itself into bread. Jesus: It is written in the Hebrew Scriptures, “People need more than bread to live.” Then the devil gave Jesus a vision. It was as if He traveled around the world in an instant and saw all the kingdoms of the world at once. Devil: All these kingdoms, all their glory, I’ll give to You. They’re mine to give because this whole world has been handed over to me. If You just worship me, then everything You see will all be Yours. All Yours! Jesus: Get out of My face, Satan! The Hebrew Scriptures say, “Worship and serve the Eternal One your God — only Him — and nobody else.” Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem, and he transported Jesus to stand upon the pinnacle of the temple. Devil: Since You’re the Son of God, just jump. Just throw Yourself into the air. You keep quoting the Hebrew Scriptures. They themselves say, He will put His heavenly messengers in charge of You, to keep You safe in every way. And, they will hold You up in their hands so that You do not smash Your foot against a stone. Jesus: Yes, but the Hebrew Scriptures also say, “You will not presume on God; you will not test the Lord, the one True God.” The devil had no more temptations to offer that day, so he left Jesus, preparing to return at some other opportune time. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and soon people across the region had heard news of Him. (Luke 4:1-14) Response in Prayer Lord Jesus, thank You for sharing the pain of being human, including facing temptations. I am comforted knowing that You have experienced the challenges of temptation. I am encouraged knowing that You defeated the tempter. I am blessed to have You at the right hand of the Father interceding for me now. Thank You for being the Savior Who was one of us! Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
05 Jan 2026
Happy New Year! I hope you are well. I am certain you have resolutions for the year. There are things you desire to accomplish in 2026. Our priority should be to get closer to God, to dwell in His presence. As we are there, we should then seek Him concerning everything. I will find shelter there and the guidance I need. Hopefully, I will abide there and His will shall prevail. I wish you a blessed 2026. May the Lord order your steps and minister to you continuously. May you find favour with Him and with man. Psalm 27:4-6.
Daily Prayer for January 5
The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Matthew 4:16, NIV Dear Father in heaven, be close to us as we seek you in the quiet of our hearts. Grant us the strength of your Spirit, the strength to wait patiently for your help in our lives. Help us to hold to all that is good. Help us to feel, each one of us, that we are your children and that we may rejoice in your fatherly care. May your will be done more and more fully in us and around us. May your will be done so that we may be given ever greater freeing and your light can dawn where there is still darkness. Amen. Recent articles on Plough How Does Scripture Talk About Beauty? Joy Marie Clarkson and Ben Quash In a new season of the Another Life podcast, Joy Marie Clarkson and Ben Quash look at beauty in the Old and New Testaments. Read now Icon or Idol? Natalie Carnes Christianity has a love-hate relationship with sacred art. Read now The Riddle of Beauty in Nature C. S. Lewis and Gregory of Nyssa Why the poets tell us lovely falsehoods about nature. Read now Luna of Tasajera Philip Holsinger On a windswept island far from the gangs and prisons, I saw the future of El Salvador. Read now Finding Faith on YouTube Nathan Dufour Oglesby Can anything good come out of Gen Z Christians arguing about doctrine on YouTube? I think so. Read now
Preparing Your Heart for Me
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, My cousin John the Baptist “appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4 NIV). People were baptized by John to prepare themselves for My coming (Mark 1:7-8). They needed to change their hearts, minds, and behaviors if I was going to be their Lord when I came! Repentance is more than feeling sorry for your sin. Rather, inner pain and conviction about your past sin produce “godly sorrow,” which should lead you to repentance — to make changes, real behavioral and heartfelt changes, in your life (2 Corinthians 7:10-11). Those who believed John and truly repented did three things: Confessed their sins (Matthew 3:6). Were baptized (Mark 1:1-8). Bore the fruit of repentance in their lives (Luke 3:8). Hear what John says to you. Make practical changes in your life to make room in your heart for Me to come and bring life to the full to you (John 10:10). Verses to Live John’s message was a hard, but important, message. If I AM to come and live with you and inside you, you must offer yourself to Me fully, in practical and tangible ways: [C]rowds streamed out from the villages and towns to be baptized by John at the Jordan. John the Baptist: You bunch of venomous snakes! Who told you that you could escape God’s coming wrath? Don’t just talk of turning to God; you’d better bear the authentic fruit of a changed life. Don’t take pride in your religious heritage, saying, “We have Abraham for our father!” Listen — God could turn these rocks into children of Abraham! God wants you to bear fruit! If you don’t produce good fruit, then you’ll be chopped down like a fruitless tree and made into firewood. God’s ax is taking aim and ready to swing! People: What shall we do to perform works from changed lives? John the Baptist: The person who has two shirts must share with the person who has none. And the person with food must share with the one in need. Some tax collectors were among those in the crowd seeking baptism. Tax Collectors: Teacher, what kind of fruit is God looking for from us? John the Baptist: Stop overcharging people. Only collect what you must turn over to the Romans. Soldiers: What about us? What should we do to show true change? John the Baptist: Don’t extort money from people by throwing around your power or making false accusations, and be content with your pay. (Luke 3:7-14) Have you prepared your heart for My arrival? “Those I [Jesus] love I also correct and discipline. Therefore, be shamelessly committed to Me, and turn back. Now pay attention; I am standing at the door and knocking. If any of you hear My voice and open the door, then I will come in to visit with you and to share a meal at your table, and you will be with Me.” (Revelation 3:19-20) Response in Prayer O Father of mercy, please accept my confession of sin and also my commitment to live my life for You. Fill me and empower me, please dear Lord, with Your Holy Spirit. May the character of Jesus come alive in me as I offer myself to You. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
God’s Good News Always Begins with a Servant
Note from Jesus Dear Servant of God, I love the way Mark begins his good news story about Me: This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King, the Son of God. Isaiah the prophet told us what would happen before He came: Watch, I will send My messenger in front of You to prepare Your way and make it clear and straight… That messenger was John the Baptist… (Mark 1:1-2; Mark 1:4) This introduction is Mark’s way of saying that My ministry, My whole story, begins with a servant — and this servant’s name is John the Baptist. There are no birth stories about Me in Mark. Nothing about My childhood is written in Mark. There are no genealogies that tell about My ancestry. Mark is clear, purposeful, and to the point: for people to hear and believe the good news about Me, God most frequently uses those who offer themselves to Me to be servants so others can believe. That’s why in My Kingdom, the greatest is always a servant. As I said during My earthly ministry: If you are recognized at all, let it be for your service. Delight in the one Who calls you servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:11-12) Just as John the Baptist was a servant who prepared the hearts of others to know Me, please know that you are to have that same role in the lives of your friends and family. For the good news about Me to reach the hearts of your friends, associates, and family, they must know that you do what you do for them because of your love for Me as well as for them. Verses to Live Let’s return to how Mark begins his good news story of My life: This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King, the Son of God. Isaiah the prophet told us what would happen before He came: Watch, I will send My messenger in front of You to prepare Your way and make it clear and straight. You’ll hear him, a voice crying in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Eternal One, a straight way in the wandering desert, a highway for our God.” That messenger was John the Baptist, who appeared in the desert near the Jordan River preaching that people should be ritually cleansed through baptism with water as a sign of both their changed hearts and God’s forgiveness of their sins. People from across the countryside of Judea and from the city of Jerusalem came to him and confessed that they were deeply flawed and needed help, so he cleansed them with the waters of the Jordan. John dressed as some of the Hebrew prophets had, in clothes made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. He made his meals in the desert from locusts and wild honey. He preached a message in the wilderness. John the Baptist: Someone is coming Who is a lot more powerful than I am — One Whose sandals I’m not worthy to bend down and untie. I’ve washed you here through baptism with water; but when He gets here, He will wash you in the Spirit of God. (Mark 1:1-8)John’s life was a preparation for My own life. Just as John the Baptist was a servant to Me, I am a servant to you: Jesus: Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to be a servant — to offer His life as a ransom for others. (Mark 10:45) Response in Prayer O Father in heaven, bless me as I seek to show Your love and serve those close to me — my family, my friends, my co-workers, and my neighbors. Holy Spirit, I ask that You fill my heart with love so others can see this love in what I do and be drawn to Jesus, in Whose name I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.