Last Man to Surrender
When is it time to surrender? Lt. Hiroo Onada was left on the Island of Lubang in the Philippines on Christmas Day, 1944. He was 22 years old. His standing orders were to “carry on the mission even if Japan surrenders.” As Japan evacuated the island, Onada and three other Japanese soldiers remained behind. One of the four surrendered in 1950. Another was killed in a skirmish with local police in 1954. Another was killed in 1972. Over the years, Lt. Onada lived off the land and raided the fields and gardens of the local citizens. He killed at least thirty nationals during his twenty-nine year personal war. He ignored the leaflets that were dropped and the command given over loudspeakers announcing that Japan and the United States had become allies. At one point, more than 13,000 men were used to try to locate him and convince him to surrender. The cost of that effort was more than half a million dollars. Finally, on March 10, 1974, after more than 29 years, he surrendered a rusty sword to his former superior officer who read a cease-fire order. He was the last man to surrender from World War II. When you think about it, all of us have some battles that we fight. The battle of good vs. evil rages every day around us and in us. We want for good to win and for the evil in our world to lessen. We fight battles over time, priorities, and managing our own lives and families. Sometimes we battle those closest to us with weapons of angry words or unspoken resentments. For some, illness is the battle that consumes our lives. There are battles everywhere. There are some fights we can’t avoid. There are some that are worth fighting. Some aren’t. The key for us is to recognize which is which. Do you need to surrender? You’ve probably heard the old saying that you can “win the battle and lose the war.” The prematurely aged 52-year-old Lt. Hiroo was quoted as saying, “Nothing pleasant happened in 29 years in the jungle.” His battle cost him much more than we can imagine. One thing of which I’m confident, our war has already been won. Jesus made sure of that at Calvary and the empty tomb. The sting of sin is death. The power of death is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:56-57)
Does God Have Faith in Me?
Does God have faith in you? In he walked, a sauntering stride, smirk on his face, attitude of disdain for those around him and with utter disregard for the protocols of the realm, until he stood looking in the face of the great King. “What have you been doing?” asks the Ruler. “Oh, just walking around,” was the flippant response and then under his breath “getting people to follow me and not just you.” Then with confidence of faith and knowing all along what the usurper was attempting to do, the Master of His World offered, “Have you considered My servant Job?” It’s an old, old story noted in the first chapter of the Old Testament book of Job. Some scholars think it is actually that, a story, a morality play, while others claim it happened just as described. The take-aways, lessons to be gleaned from the story of Job fill books and commentaries. Yet there is one aspect that is astounding and not always discussed. Why did God even suggest to the devil that he might try to dominate Job? Why would God purposely tell Satan to try his best to turn Job away from God and turn him into a follower of evil? Many claim this was a test of Job’s faith, which God wanted to see if Job was truly a faithful follower of the Almighty. Yet couldn’t it be a test of God’s faith in Job? From the verses in that first chapter it appears that God is confident that Job is a “blameless and upright man, who fears God and shuns evil” (verse 8). Even after Satan is allowed to inflict economical, physical and emotional horrors, God remains undeterred in His unwavering confidence in Job. That faith in His followers is not unique to Job. The writer of Hebrews lists some of those whose faith in God reflected His faith in them: Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Samuel, and others (Hebrews 13). So ultimately the question that must be asked is: Does God have faith in me as He did in Job? And in spite of my incalculable shortcomings and failures, the answer must be yes! That answer is found in the writings of the apostle John in his first letter: And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life. These things I have written that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (I John 5:11-13). Now the question is, does the Great God Almighty have faith in you? Would he suggest to Satan: “Have you considered my servant _________?” Let’s talk about it, join the discussion on my blog at www.hopeforlife.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.
Choosing the Right Path
Note from Jesus Dear Child of God, The Father is holy and wholly given to doing what is right, just, holy, gracious, and merciful. What about you? What is your consuming passion? Is it to honor the Father? Is it to obey My words and follow My example? Is it to be conformed to the righteous character and gracious compassion of God? Let Me warn you. Long before the instant age you find yourself inhabiting, many folks wanted an instant and easy holiness. The evil one has long twisted the truth and deceived the gullible into taking short cuts. My words today warn you about four deceptions and temptations that the devil will offer you in the name of religion: The wide door and the easy path — the ones that suggest all religions are OK and equal — but that really lead to destruction. The sweet deceiving words of false prophets whose lives (their bad fruit) show they cannot be trusted. Nice sounding religious words of praise and adoration that are disconnected from a life of obedience and end in shocking condemnation. A religion that is quickly embraced, shallowly believed, and focused on appearances, but cannot stand the stress and strain of real life. There is one path, one way, and one truth (John 14:6). Some folks in your day don’t like such talk. In fact, you may bristle at it yourself because you’ve had the easy way peddled to you by false prophets who talk a good religious game while living any way they want. Such talk is foolish. It’s not new or innovative or post-modern; it’s just the lie of the old deceiver who wants to steer you the wrong way so that when the floods of life come… well, he can be there for your destruction. Don’t be deceived. Follow Me. Obey Me. Trust Me. Doing so may look narrow and hard, but I promise you this: Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Put My yoke upon your shoulders — it might appear heavy at first, but it is perfectly fitted to your curves. Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. When you are yoked to Me, your weary souls will find rest. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30) Verses to Live These are My words from the Sermon on the Mount about choosing the right path that leads to the Father. If your heart is set on Me — if your heart’s desire is to follow Me and obey Me — then you will be able to resist the deceptions and temptations of the easy way, the false prophets, a religion that is all talk with little obedience, and quickly constructed facade-based religion! Jesus: There are two paths before you; you may take only one path. One doorway is narrow. And one door is wide. Go through the narrow door. For the wide door leads to a wide path, and the wide path is broad; the wide, broad path is easy, and the wide, broad, easy path has many, many people on it; but the wide, broad, easy, crowded path leads to death. Now then that narrow door leads to a narrow road that in turn leads to life. It is hard to find that road. Not many people manage it. Along the way, watch out for false prophets. They will come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath that quaint and innocent wool, they are hungry wolves. But you will recognize them by their fruits. You don’t find sweet, delicious grapes growing on thorny bushes, do you? You don’t find delectable figs growing in the midst of prickly thistles. People and their lives are like trees. Good trees bear beautiful, tasty fruit, but bad trees bear ugly, bitter fruit. A good tree cannot bear ugly, bitter fruit; nor can a bad tree bear fruit that is beautiful and tasty. And what happens to the rotten trees? They are cut down. They are used for firewood. When a prophet comes to you and preaches this or that, look for his fruits: sweet or sour? rotten or ripe? Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Simply calling Me “Lord” will not be enough. Only those who do the will of My Father Who is in heaven will join Me in heaven. At the end of time, on that day of judgment, many will say to Me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name? Did we not drive demons out of the possessed in Your name? Did we not perform miracles in Your name?” But I will say to them, “I never knew you. And now, you must get away from Me, you evildoers!” Those people who are listening to Me, those people who hear what I say and live according to My teachings — you are like a wise man who built his house on a rock, on a firm foundation. When storms hit, rain pounded down and waters rose, levies broke and winds beat all the walls of that house. But the house did not fall because it was built upon rock. Those of you who are listening and do not hear — you are like a fool who builds a house on sand. When a storm comes to his house, what will happen? The rain will fall, the waters will rise, the wind will blow, and his house will collapse with a great crash. With that Jesus finished His teaching, and the crowds were amazed by all He had said. But Jesus taught in His own name, on His own authority, not like the scribes. (Matthew 7:13-29) Response in Prayer Dear Father, I confess that I want my faith walk to be easier at times. I don’t always understand why I need to obey. Sometimes, I’m not convinced that what I hear is fully true.
23 Jan 2026
For Romans 8:31-39 to come to pass, I think the Lord desires a turn around, where His children have gone astray. I am always amazed by the lengths to which the Lord went in scripture to woo His people back to Himself. May we heed His call when He reaches out to us for God is merciful and does not give up on us. Whenever He calls us back to Himself, may we not hesitate to repent and turn back to Him. Jeremiah 3:6-25.
Sinking or Walking
How are you doing in your walk toward Jesus? The other day, I was reading a passage I have read probably a thousand times. It is the story of Jesus walking on the water and Peter joining him for a short while. (Matthew 14:22-33) As I read it this time, however, a new insight popped into my head. I have used that passage numerous times when preaching, but never really thought about the idea that struck me this day. If you are familiar with the story you know that Peter had a faith issue as he began to walk on the water. Then, the crucial verse puts it this way: But while Peter was walking on the water, he saw the wind and the waves. Peter became afraid and began sinking down into the water. Peter shouted, “Lord, save me!” You know what occurred to me? If I had written that scene, I would have probably phrased it differently – probably something like, “As the winds and rain blew mightily around him, Peter’s faith failed him and as he suddenly splashed down into the water he screamed, ‘Lord, save me!’” Now you may not have noticed the subtle difference, but in the biblical version, Peter appears to have BEGUN sinking into the water slowly – not with a sudden splash. As I read that, the thought occurred to me, “Isn’t that just like how Satan works on us today! He doesn’t cause us to question our faith all at once or tempt us to suddenly become totally lost in sin, it happens gradually as we bit by bit take our eyes off of Jesus.” We have something come into our lives that opens the door for sin, and gradually, it takes us over completely. Just like Peter, we begin to sink an inch at a time. In one of the first few stories recorded in the Bible, Cain is warned by God about this problem. He said to him: “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7 RSV) Sin did consume Cain; he didn’t call out to God for help or heed God’s warning. However, Peter cried out to the Lord for salvation. That tells me that we have an important choice that determines our outcome in such circumstances. Just like with Peter, Jesus has invited us to come to him, but do we have faith enough to take the walk across the stormy seas and be with him? An easy task? No! But it is not impossible, for the Lord is with us, calling us, reaching out for us. As Jesus said, “This is something that people cannot do themselves. It must come from God. God can do all things.” (Mark 10:27 ERV) There is an old hymn that puts it this way: I was sinking deep in sin,Far from the peaceful shore.Very deeply stained within,Sinking to rise no more;But the Master of the seaHeard my despairing cry,From the waters lifted meNow safe am I.Love lifted me!Love lifted me!When nothing else could help,Love lifted me. (Love Lifted Me by James Rowe) How are you doing walking on water toward Jesus? Bet you can’t do it by yourself! You need the Master of the universe to lift you up just like the rest of us. Praise God! Just like he did with Peter, he’s willing to do it for us! About the author: Russ Lawson is a former missionary to Africa and minister in Ohio. He now works with World Christian Literature Outreach and writes a weekly email devotional, Messages from the Heart. For more information about Russ, click here.
Sometimes I Just Like to Listen Now
Do you ever take time to listen and not sing? As a young preacher, one of the most intimidating things for me was having a brotherhood legend as one of my elders. It took several years and someone telling me what was happening before I stopped getting nervous. Every time Reuel took a note card out of his front pocket and wrote something down while I was preaching, I wondered what I had said that was wrong. Rather than writing down something I had wrongly said or something he didn’t agree with, I found out he was writing down what he liked and would use in his editorials. What I initially thought was a criticism was actually a compliment.) Another thing Reuel did that often concerned our worship leaders was to simply bow his head and not sing while we were singing congregationally. This was most noticeable on newer, more “contemporary” – whatever that really means – songs. This sometimes threw our worship leaders and irritated other members of the congregation. Finally, I got up enough nerve to go share this information with him. His answer – which I can still hear in his scratchy voice – went something like this: “Well, I sure don’t want to be discouraging during our singing, but sometimes I just like to listen.” No big problem here. No big theological issue or quarrel with song selection or content. With all he had on his plate, with all his years of ministry, with all his concerns about the future of God’s people, sometimes he just wanted to sit there and be blessed by the brothers and sisters as they sang! Years later, we lived in west Texas and suffered through several weeks of icy weather in the western and central parts of Texas. Roads had been closed. Businesses, schools, and churches had been closed. On Wednesday evening, our services were canceled at the building, but our HIP service (HIP stands for High Impact Praise) was conducted at a chapel on a university campus in town. The acoustics were great. There were only four of us who were over thirty years old in attendance. As we began to sing with no amplification or microphones, the sound of over three hundred voices melding into one great sound of praise drove me to sit there in silence. I just listened! As I sat there on the verge of major tear duct leakage, I remembered my elder’s old statement and made it my own. “Sometimes I just like to listen!” Like the proper salve for an open wound, like a glass of cool water on a hot day, and like a breath of fresh air for someone coming out of a mine shaft, this singing filled a deep soul-need. While I hope I’m never warped by an evil spirit as King Saul was, I sure understand how “the tormenting spirit would go away” when David sang and played for him (1 Samuel 16:23). Sitting there listening to these young adults praising God at the top of their voices in such beautiful harmony on a night when most folks in town didn’t venture outside their door sent my tormenting spirits scurrying for cover! I have known for years that praise music juices me in ways that I cannot define. So if you see me with a throng of worshipers and I’m not singing, please know this truth: I’m not angry. I don’t dislike the song selection. I’m not offended by something. it’s just that sometimes I just like to listen! About the author: Phil Ware has authored 11 years of daily devotionals, including VerseoftheDay.com, read by 500,000 people a day. He works with churches in transition with Interim Ministry Partners and for the past 21+ years, he has been editor and president of HEARTLIGHT Magazine, author of VerseoftheDay.com, God’s Holy Fire (on the Holy Spirit), and aYearwithJesus.com. Phil has also authored four books, daily devotionals on each of the four gospels.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is good for you! Nelson Mandela took a bit of proverbial wisdom and made it his: “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” Others had said it before him, but Mandela lived it out in a public way, showing nothing but forgiveness toward those who kept him in prison. When inaugurated as President of South Africa, Mandela even invited one of the prison guards to the ceremony. Studies have shown resentment to be harmful to our health, while forgiveness has the opposite effect. A 2004 Harvard study found five principal benefits to forgiveness: Reduced stress Better heart health Stronger relationships Reduced pain Greater happiness Jesus offered more powerful reasons. One is that we forgive others because God forgives us. He told the story of a man who was forgiven an impossible debt who then had another man thrown into prison because of a much smaller debt. God is willing to forgive every one of our sins; how can we then turn around and be unforgiving toward others? Jesus said: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15). Forgiveness is good for you. Resentment is harmful. The choice should be easy, yet we often find ourselves keeping a record of the wrongs done against us. Let me encourage you to let them go. Forgive. Move on with your life, focusing on the future and not the past. Find the peace that God can bring to your life when you’re willing to forgive. To talk more about forgiveness, write to me at tarcher@heraldoftruth.org or join the discussion at www.hopeforlife.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: Tim Archer is the author of Church Inside Out and leads a seminar by the same name on behalf of Hope For Life, a Herald of Truth ministry.
For Those Seeking
Note from Jesus Dear Seeker, Folks have talked for centuries about My methods as a teacher. Many have been intrigued by My stories that are often called parables — “everyday stories with heavenly meanings” is one description of them. There are several reasons I told these stories: Using stories with subjects and items that you see in your everyday life allows My stories to be recalled when you see the subject or item in your daily experiences. Stories are often better remembered than instruction because you use different parts of your brain to process stories. I occasionally like to sneak a humorous, ironic, or happy element into the stories to make them fun as well as memorable. Stories often elicit more emotion than simply making a point without the stories. My stories often make you think to gather the meaning or truth behind the story. I like to make you think! Thinking makes you own the truth because you’ve discovered it instead of having someone spoon-feed it to you. I always challenge you to follow Me as your Lord, to seek to bring My kingdom to your world, and to place your loyalty fully with Me. I want you to be a seeker — a seeker of My kingdom and a seeker of My truth. Your commitment to being a seeker opens the door for My stories to reveal God’s truth. However, there is an element of My stories that some miss even though I emphasize this truth in My teaching. My stories not only reveal truth, but they also can conceal truth. Those who do not seek Me and who do not seek My kingdom first will have the truth of many of My stories concealed from their hearts. There are several reasons for this concealment. Sometimes things are concealed from non-seekers in My stories because: The stories could get believers in trouble. In cultures pressured to express their first loyalty to king and country, some of My teachings are quite dangerous for believers. Some non-seekers have hard hearts. They can’t understand because they don’t want to understand. They don’t believe because they won’t believe. The promises and hopes of a certain story are only for believers, seekers, and followers. My stories explain hidden and obscure truths that are beyond the understanding of non-seekers because of their lack of faith — they do not share the worldview of a seeker. Remember the promise I made to you in My Sermon on the Mount? “Just ask and it will be given to you; seek after it and you will find. Continue to knock and the door will be opened for you. All who ask receive. Those who seek, find what they seek. And he who knocks, will have the door opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) Well, it’s true, and using this ASK principle (asking, seeking, and knocking) when you look at My stories is one of the ways you can discover this truth for yourself! So ASK. The Spirit of Truth within you, the Holy Spirit I sent to be with you and inside you, will help unlock the meaning and mystery of My stories and guide you into all truth! Verses to Live There is a vital reality that is a great reason for you, as a seeker, to rejoice. What is this reality? It is that I will open your minds and explain the truths of my stories if you will ask. As is illustrated at the end of the verses below, My disciples requested an explanation of one of My parables. The verses tomorrow show that I responded to the disciples’ request. Jesus gave all these teachings to the crowd in parables. Indeed, He spoke only in parables in fulfillment of the prophetic words of the psalms: I will open My mouth in parables; I will tell them things that have been hidden and obscure since the very beginning of the world. Then Jesus left the crowds and returned to … [the] house. His disciples followed Him. Disciples: Explain to us the story You told about… (Matthew 13:34-36) Response in Prayer O Father, thank You for the stories of Jesus. O Lord Jesus, thank You for sharing the mysteries and truths of heaven with me in stories. O Holy Spirit, please open my heart to receive the truth of Jesus, please open my mind to understand the truth of Jesus, and please use my hands to do the work of bringing Jesus’ kingdom to this world. 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.
22 Jan 2026
So, maybe things have not worked out like you had hoped. Life is tough and you are going through a rough patch. Just consider the words of Paul to the Romans, chapter 8 verse 31-39. The God of all creation did not spare His own Son for your sake. Let’s assume that this story of the death of Jesus for all mankind is true. That Jehovah stopped and thought of you and me, and decided to sacrifice His son, so that we may be saved and have everlasting life. What manner of love is that? How important are we to the King of kings? That’s how much He loves us. So, look to Him and thank Him. Look around you and realise that things could be much worse. Appreciate the “little things” even as you trust Him for more, like His love for you and me. Then trust Him because He truly cares for you.
I Will Not Abandon You, Ever!
What can we really expect the Spirit to do for us, today, in our world? The articles in “The Jesus Window” section for 2021 will be tied to our daily Bible reading that takes us through the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) once each quarter. Our reading focus this past week has been on John chapters 15-21. (Download the “Chasing Jesus” reading plan.) Years ago, we were going to a new church. When it came time to head home one evening, we could not find our 22-month-old son. He had been with us just a few moments earlier, but as they were turning off the lights and closing the building, Zach was nowhere to be found. The building was new turf for him. He didn’t know his way around. Worst of all, we didn’t know his favorite places in the building. All the lights, except a few in the foyer, were off. Donna and I were frantic! What if he made it to the street with it already dark outside with busy streets on both sides? Where could he be? How had he gotten away so quickly? Why wasn’t he crying? I began a search of the parking lot and the street. Donna searched through all the classrooms in the children’s wing. She found him in his Sunday morning classroom. The lights were off, but a window let light from the parking lot filter through the vertical blinds into where Zach played quietly with the teaching props. He was perfectly happy, playing with a few toys in near-total darkness. He talked and sang his Sunday school songs, unaware of his crazed parents looking for him. He didn’t feel alone in that room because he was in a place where people who loved him taught him to talk to God in prayer. They had spoken to him about God loving little children in this room where he now sat in darkness. This Bible classroom was home for him. He could be alone and unafraid because his church classroom was a familiar and safe place. We had telescoped our fear for our lost son onto him. We expected him to be frantic because he was alone and lost. We had transposed our adult fears onto him. Most of us know the terror of being a child who momentarily is lost. Many of us remember a time when we thought we were left alone as a child. Adults who are left alone and left behind collide with even deeper pain. Think of these jarring adult realities: Left at the altar. Left alone in ER after a beloved one dies. Left alone to pay the bills after a business partner has stolen funds. Left by a rebellious child who has run away from home determined to leave behind all the values a parent holds dear. Abandoned by a parent who left you alone as a child so she or he could live her or his own life. Left alone after having been served divorce papers by an officer of the court, surprised, devastated, and in shock. Jesus’ disciples were about to be left behind by their Lord. So, Jesus shared with them some of the most beautiful and comforting words ever recorded: [Jesus said,] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:1-3). As beautiful as these words can be in times of death, our question remains: “What do we do when we feel alone… today… at this moment in history… in the depths of our isolation… in our darkest moments of chaos and uncertainty?” Jesus’ words of comfort don’t stop with his promise that he is preparing a place for us with the Father later. They don’t stop with his promise to come back to take us home with him later. Jesus makes the following promises based upon the Holy Spirit’s coming to us and living in us, NOW: “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you” (John 14:18). “I too will love [you] and show myself to [you]” (John 14:21). “My Father will love [you], and we will come to [you] and make our home with [you]” (John 14:23). “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). Because of the Holy Spirit within us, Jesus reminds us that we will never be alone. The Spirit will live in us and make our heart the home for “all the fullness of God” living within us (Ephesians 3:16-19). God never abandons, forgets, or leaves us on our own (Romans 8:26-39). God is not only near; he is also present within us. Until the Father is ready for us to come home to him, He chooses to make his home in each of us! We are never left behind. The Spirit is always there with us, within us, to do God’s work and bring God’s blessings to us! (For a list of some of the things the Spirit does for us, with us, and through us, see the list at the end of this article.) Several months ago, I walked out into a field from my truck. It was a cold, dark, crisp morning, two hours before the sun would come up. There were no clouds in the sky. It was a new moon, so there was no moonlight. The first two hundred yards of my half-mile hike was a bit treacherous, so I used a green light to walk carefully yet not scare the wildlife. Once on an old