30 Jan 2026
The Holy Spirit is a deposit or seal for every believer, guaranteeing the genuineness of our faith. He is also our helper on our journey on the earth. We need Him to be able to live a fruitful Christian life. Ephesians 1:13-14.
Affirming Their Best and Not Giving Up in Their Stumbles
I can’t help but believe that every time Peter heard a rooster crow, he also remembered the Lord’s words of affirmation and assurance. Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus gave his closest disciples the following words of praise: “You are those who have stood by me in my trials” (Luke 22:28). What? How could Jesus say this to the loose lug nuts that we call his apostles? Didn’t he know they would all abandon him? Absolutely! Didn’t he know that Peter was about to deny him, and Judas would betray him? Certainly! Didn’t he know, especially after three years of being with them, that they were sometimes undependable, unpredictable, and petty? Of course, Jesus knew. Listen to the context in which Jesus spoke his words of affirmation and assurance: A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. … “For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me” (Luke 22:24-34). Jesus knew the awful events that were unfolding before him. He knew that his disciples were weak and that their resolve would waver during his arrest, trials, beating, crucifixion, and entombment. He knew his apostles were loose lug nuts who made a lot of noise and were thoroughly undependable. He also knew there was goodness, strength, courage, resolve, passion, toughness, and hope, woven into the fiber of their faith. He chose to affirm the good even before the bad was fully demonstrated. The Lord made clear that Peter, his lead apostle, would stumble and fall but that his faith would not fail (Luke 22:31-32). Failure would have been for Peter to quit when he stumbled and abandoned his Lord for a time. Failure would have meant he wouldn’t have shown up to be with his fellow disciples after the Lord’s death. Failure would have meant that Peter would have quit in his sorrow and shame of denying he knew his Lord (Luke 22:54-62). Peter didn’t. And in his struggles, we find our hope. In Jesus’ handling of Peter, we find our example of how we need to treat each other in our stumbling moments. Jesus looked past Peter’s immediate and embarrassing denials to his potential to lead his fellow apostles to greatness: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” I can’t help but believe that every time Peter heard a rooster crow, he also remembered the Lord’s words of affirmation and assurance. Jesus saw and affirmed the good in Peter, even though he knew Peter would stumble. Jesus did the same kind of thing with the other apostles. The Lord’s affirmation of their standing by him in his trials was not vain praise. They all would eventually give their lives to sharing Jesus’ story. Despite knowing that his closest friends would let him down, Jesus saw the good in them and the strength in them. He entrusted the message of grace with them. Doesn’t that say something important to us about our behavior in the bite-and-devour-world of hyper-criticism, shame-casting, name-calling, and blame-passing? If Jesus believed the best while knowing the worst in those whom he loved, shouldn’t we? Aren’t we all too eager to give up on a friendship, ditch a spouse, throw in the towel on those we once trusted, or turn our back on someone who let us down? Unlike Jesus, we let the worst day, the worst moment, the worst action of a friend, become the defining one in our relationship. We see their worst and we forever plaster it to them. That’s how we choose to permanently view them. We don’t practice forgiveness. We don’t remember the good. We don’t see the best. We label them with their worst. We can do better. We must do better because of the Spirit of Christ in us. We must do better because people matter eternally. We must do better because everyone we call a friend, a lover, a spouse, a confidant, or a mentor, is just as fallible and breakable, as we are. Each of them is as vulnerable to stumbling and letting down someone they love, as we have been. Yes, each of their stumbles could crush us, mar our friendship, and leave us wounded. But, should we forever define them by their stumble or by the years of faithfulness or their future years of goodness? What if Jesus treated us based on our worst moments and not when we are best selves? Thank God, Jesus doesn’t. He doesn’t see our horrible missteps as a final failure, but as a stumble from which we can turn, come back, and be able to strengthen others. Isn’t this affirming their best and not giving up on their stumble what Jesus is calling us to do in our family of faith? (See, Matthew 18:15-35.) After all, Jesus views us as those who have stood by him in his trials, people he looks forward to blessing in the presence of the Father! Special thanks for the use of images related to Jesus’
God’s Good Creation
Why such a sour look on our faces? We tend to forget that Christianity was formed in the womb of Judaism. Born into first-century Hebrew culture. Received and interpreted to us by apostles and evangelists who knew Jesus in the context of his Jewishness. Yet most of us know the Christian faith as it has been passed through the vocabulary, culture, and mindset of Greco-Roman culture. So what? One of the major “so-what’s” is the difference the two mindsets take toward material things. The human body in particular. And pleasure. Greek religion and philosophy separate material and spiritual, body and soul in a way foreign to Judaism. Hebrew thought sees persons as “living souls” in their totality. The invisible, spiritual part of a person is not trapped in a body (i.e., the Greek idea), but is made real and functional by means of it. Thus the goal is not to escape or to chastise the body but to direct its energy God-ward. Pleasure is not wicked. Laughter is God’s gift! But, that is hardly the notion most non-Christians reflect back to believers. They see us as a pretty joyless crowd. Rather prune-faced. And more inclined to scowl than to laugh. We seem to have worked hard to create that unhealthy – and, I might add, uninviting – image. Our “saints” tend to be dour, rather than smiling. They look austere, rather than lovable. They often appear rigid and forbidding, rather than humane and merciful. What a pity! Jesus went to parties. He enjoyed life so much that his critics tried to make him out to be a drunk and a glutton. He had friends. Enjoyed being with people. And made people feel comfortable around him. I have no problem whatever in seeing him raise a glass to say, “L’chaim.” To life! A long list of negatives is a poor way to define the gospel. The very idea of “redemption” is less about going to heaven when we die as it is making life here something positive and holy. Paul says Jesus “gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age” (Galatians 1:4). Peter reminds Christians “that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you” (1 Peter 1:18). Steak, golf, sunsets, music, sex, money – not one is unholy. All are given by God to meet human needs. Directed toward him, each is both a celebration of his goodness and a participation in his fullness. Divorced from him, both pleasure and pain become vulgar. Not the act, but its God-ward direction makes it holy. In a world of wrinkled brows and wringing hands, one has to wonder if the rediscovery of godly joy might be our best advertisement for the faith we profess. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5 TNIV). About the author: Rubel Shelly preached for decades, been a professor of medical ethics, Bible, and philosophy at multiple universities and a med school. He is currently Professor of Philosophy & Religion at Lipscomb University. He is the author of more than 30 books and hundreds of inspirational articles.
Today’s Verse – Mark 9:35
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” —Mark 9:35 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Did you hear that? Last! Last? Nobody likes to be last. When it comes to lines, we all hate to be last! Many of us have a hard time settling for second place, much less last place. Jesus, however, reverses the way the world ranks people (Luke 22:25-27). The person who is most important to him is not the person seeking status, Facebook® likes, a big following on social media, notoriety, or a place of honor at “bigwig” gatherings (events centered on status and influence). The most important person is like Jesus himself: they are willing to give up their rank, status, and place importance to serve the least, last, and lost. Why? Because that’s how Jesus was. For Jesus, being last meant being first in service and first in the eyes of God. My Prayer… Magnificent God, my Savior, you have made the world wonderful for me and have given your Son to redeem me. How can I ever thank you or repay you for your grace and kindness? Help me serve others with grace and kindness just as my LORD did. Please give me eyes to see people as you do, not judging by mere appearances, but valuing and treating people like Jesus did in his earthly ministry. I want to be willing to serve; to be last. So, where you place me (Luke 14:7-14) is in your hands. I pray in the name of the LORD Jesus, the one who washed his disciples’ feet to show them his love and the place of proper importance. 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.
Questions You Need to Ask!
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, How’s your boat? No, I’m not talking about a literal boat you may own. I’m talking about the things in your life that furnish you security, a sense of safety, identity, order, or purpose. So let Me ask you again. How’s your boat? Are your investments up or down? Do you own your stuff or does your stuff own you? Has the job or person you trusted for security let you down? Are you working madly to keep your body and your appearance looking young and vibrant while fearing that aging is stealing away your identity and usefulness? Is your family all that you hoped it would be? Have your achievements brought you joy and a sense of fulfillment, or do you feel as if you have to accomplish more to be significant? Your boat is whatever you have used as your sense of safety, security, identity, order, or purpose. So how’s your boat? Here’s the truth: Sooner or later, something much bigger than you, something you can’t control, is going to rock your boat! So what are you going to do then? How are you going to face the raging storms of life if you are depending on a fragile and temporal boat? Today’s verses speak directly to one of life’s harshest truths: no mortal can protect or even navigate his or her boat in the face of life’s raging realities. Many who claim to follow Me have had Me along as a sleeping passenger, a mere mascot, someone to talk to through some of the minor squalls of life when they needed something fixed. They never really have given Me control of their boat. They’ve never handed Me control of the sails and rudder. Then when life’s storms hit, they want to know why I’ve let the troubles of life threaten them. So when the next storm hits and rocks your boat and scares you down to the depths of your soul, what are you going to do? I hope it will be this: I hope you will wake Me from being your sleeping mascot. I hope you will ask Me for help. And most of all, I hope when it is all done, you will ask the questions My disciples did when the storm rocked their boat: Who is this man? How can He command wind and water so they do what He says? Then, I hope you will make Me your boat and not just your mascot! Better yet, why not make Me your boat, your Master, your Lord, today… before the next storm hits and the waves pound and the wind blows? Verses to Live As you read today’s verses, ask yourself, “What is my boat?” Answer as honestly as you can. Then invite Me to be more than your passenger or your mascot; ask Me to be your Boat — to provide you security, direction, and your future. Picture this: One day Jesus and His disciples get into a boat. Jesus: Let’s cross the lake. So they push off from shore and begin sailing to the far side. As they progress across the lake, Jesus falls sound asleep. Soon a raging storm blows in. The waves wash over the sides of the boat, and the boat starts filling up with water. Every second the situation becomes more dangerous. The disciples shake Jesus and wake Him. Disciples (shouting): Master! Master! We’re all going to die! Jesus wakes up and tells the wind to stop whipping them around, and He tells the furious waves to calm down. They do just that. Then Jesus turns to the disciples. Jesus: What happened to your faith? The disciples had been terrified during the storm, but now they’re afraid in another way. They turn to each other and start whispering, chattering, and wondering. Disciples: Who is this man? How can He command wind and water so they do what He says? (Luke 8:22-25) Response in Prayer Lord Jesus, forgive me for making other things in my life my basis of security. I want You to be Lord of my life and the basis of my security. Please help me as I make You my Boat! 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.
29 Jan 2026
Nothing that happens to us catches God by surprise. He called us to Himself even before we knew ourselves. Our task is to choose to walk with Him, to accept His invitation to be His close friend. Our second task is to learn what His will for us is. This understanding and hope is the anchor we need to keep us grounded in Him, no matter what happens. Ephesians 1:3-12.
Finding God’s Will
How in the world do we know what God wants? Ever have trouble determining God’s will for your future? You’re not alone. The questions are endless. Every new responsibility brings new decisions. How in the world do we know what God wants? To know God’s will, we must totally surrender to God’s will. So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him (Romans 12:1 MESSAGE). Our tendency is to make God’s decision for him. Don’t go to God with options and expect him to choose one of your preferences. Go to him with empty hands – no hidden agendas, no crossed fingers, nothing behind your back. Go to him with a willingness to do whatever he says. Have trouble determining God’s will for you? The Bible says that if you surrender your will, then he will “equip you with everything good for doing his will” (Hebrews 13:21). It’s a promise! From Max’s book God is With You Everyday © Max Lucado. Used by permission. All rights reserved. About the author: Max is the best selling author of many many Christian books, a sought out speaker, and loving husband, father, and grandfather. Max is in real life what you see in his book — someone who loves Jesus and loves the same kind of people that Jesus loves!
Your Sins Are Forgiven
Only God can forgive. A fourth of the way through his Gospel, Luke uses the seventh chapter to have Jesus, in words and actions, leave little doubt that he is God. The chapter opens with him healing a servant from a distance, then he raises a son from the dead as his corpse was being carried to the graveyard. In fact, Jesus himself describes the activities by saying: [T]hat the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the Gospel preached to them (Luke 7:22). Jesus did a lot of miracles in the course of two days, things that man could do only with God’s help. In fact, some of the Old Testament prophets did similar things, with God’s help. It is at the end of the chapter, that he does something only God can do. The story has Jesus eating at the home of one of the religious leaders when a woman from the city begins to wash Jesus’ feet. This woman had a reputation. Jesus knew this, the religious leader knew, everyone else knew, that she was a sinner. Actually that probably should be spelled SINNER. I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for She loved much… Then he said to her, “Your sins are Forgiven… Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Luke 7:47-50). And with those words, spoken out loud for all to hear, Jesus claims he is God. Only God can forgive sin, his followers couldn’t, the religious leader couldn’t, the woman herself couldn’t, only God could and can. Only God through Jesus can forgive you, SINNER! Want to know how you can claim that forgiveness? Join our conversation at www.hopeforlife.org or email me at bbrant@heraldoftruth.org. (Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org) About the author: Bill Brant is the President and CEO of Herald of Truth Ministries based in Abilene, Texas.
Trust God to Lead
Why do we worry about what lies ahead when we know the One Who is already there? Worrying is one job you cannot farm out – but you can overcome it! And there’s no better place to begin than David’s beloved “Shepherd Psalm”: He leads me beside the still waters… (Psalm 23:2 ESV). David declares: “He leads me!” God isn’t behind me, yelling, “Go!” He’s ahead of me bidding, “Come!” He’s in front, clearing the path and cutting the brush. Standing next to the rocks, He warns watch your step there. Isn’t this what God gave the children of Israel? He promised to supply them with manna each day, but He told them to collect only one day’s supply at a time. Jesus reminded us to give our entire attention to what God is doing right now; don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. God is leading you – so, leave tomorrow’s problems until tomorrow. Adapted from Max’s book Traveling Light. © Max Lucado. Used by permission. All rights reserved. About the author: Max is the best selling author of many many Christian books, a sought out speaker, and loving husband, father, and grandfather. Max is in real life what you see in his book — someone who loves Jesus and loves the same kind of people that Jesus loves!
Today’s Verse – John 4:24
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship him in spirit and in truth. —John 4:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Genuine worship is a gift. God is spirit. God is holy. So, we cannot fully and authentically approach God in worship without the gift and blessing of his Holy Spirit. As Christians who received his Spirit when we were born of God through our faith and baptism (John 3:3-7, 4:23-24; Titus 3:3-7), we can now speak to him and worship him openly and confidently – our spirit combined with the Holy Spirit in us, worshiping God who is Spirit. The Spirit within us makes us a place where God lives through his Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The Spirit intercedes for us when we approach God in prayer (Romans 8:26-27). We are then filled with God’s Spirit as we worship him (Ephesians 5:18-20). No wonder Jesus commanded: God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship him in spirit and in truth. That’s with our spirit, combined with the Holy Spirit, and with worshiping God appropriately; then God is praised and pleased. My Prayer… Abba Father, by the gift of your Spirit, I come to you as your child. Thank you so much for giving me your Spirit so that I can approach you with confidence and know you hear the concerns of my heart. Please accept the worship of my heart, of my words, and of my actions in my daily life. May the things I do today bring you glory as I worship you authentically and through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus 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.