18 Sep 2025
A lot of the time, the odds are stacked up against us. We face challenges that look insurmountable. May these cause our faith in God to grow. May our default setting be how great our God is. May He show Himself faithful every time. John 8:32.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. —Psalm 23:4 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Death is the ultimate profanity in today’s world. We don’t like to think about it, much less talk about it. However, death is the one reality that will not leave us alone. We must all address it! We lose friends and family members to death. At one point in our lives, we, too, will face this inevitability unless Jesus comes before our passing. So what is our assurance as we face the inescapable? Our Shepherd! The LORD, who is our Good Shepherd, will walk us through the fears and dangers of death, guiding and protecting and comforting us in our journey. And as followers of Jesus, this promise is only intensified because we know Jesus as our Good Shepherd. He has taken the walk through death’s dark valley ahead of us to assure us that our walk through death’s valley doesn’t end in death, but in glory. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. My Prayer… Dear Heavenly Father, my Shepherd and Savior, thank you that I do not have to face death alone. I look for your guidance and listen for your voice to lead me through death’s dark valley and bring me to your holy and glorious presence in victory and with great joy. I can say this, and believe this, and pray this confidently, in Jesus’ name. 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.
17 Sep 2025
The fact that victory for the Christian is guaranteed does not mean our lives will be 100% peaceful. The enemy wants to derail us so that we do not attain God’s purpose. We ought to dedicate our lives and the lives of our children to God to ensure our divine purposes are not destroyed. 1 Samuel 1:26-28.
Today’s Verse – Proverbs 16:16
How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver! —Proverbs 16:16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What are the greatest riches in life? Well, surely they are not silver and gold. Of infinitely greater value is wisdom, which helps us understand what is valuable, what is true, what is worthy of our hearts, and what is not. Silver and gold can buy a lot of things, but they can’t buy us favor with God, or wisdom and understanding. These only come when we seek God and rely on the gift of the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom that is spiritual and lasting, not something that is fleeting and selfish. My Prayer… Heavenly Father, God of the Ages and giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17), please bless me with holy and practical wisdom so that I can more fully know how you have blessed me and so that I can be the blessing to others in the ways that you want me to be. Please give me wisdom and understanding. In Jesus’ name, I ask this. 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.
16 Sep 2025
Jehovah is gracious and mighty. He saves us and makes His salvation known. Let us praise Him for with Him, victory is guaranteed. Let everything that has breath praise and adore Him. Psalm 98:1-9.
Today’s Verse – Romans 6:15
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! —Romans 6:15 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… This matching verse to Romans 6:1-2 serves as a great reminder that sin is no longer our master and no longer our choice (Romans 6:14). We choose to live for God with every fiber of our being and loathe the life of sin that once held us in bondage to defeat. So, with the Holy Spirit’s power at work in us, our lives are being transformed to become like Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). My Prayer… Dear God, my Father; precious Jesus my LORD; Holy Spirit, my inner companion and holy fire; please stir in me a holy passion to be the person of righteous grace you have created me and redeemed me to be in Jesus. I refuse to go back to the old way of sin. I choose to live in grace, by faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, I rejoice in grace. 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.
15 Sep 2025
Why was it easy for the fishermen to leave their trade and follow Jesus? They heard and saw what He was doing. They were convinced He was special. We would probably have done likewise. May we display something worthwhile that would help attract people to God. Matthew 4:18-25.
Daily Prayer for September 15
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways. This is the very word of the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8–9, NEB Lord our God, we thank you for allowing us to come to you and to stand before your face. We thank you for helping us throughout our life on earth, for strengthening our faith in you and our trust in all you do. Bless us and give us courage. May your light shine out among the peoples so that they recognize your will. May your light shine out so that your name may be praised and we can rejoice in the new time you give us. For you will be at work and you will accomplish it. Even when we do not know what will become of our time, you know what our time needs, and you will carry out your will. You will let your name be honored. You will bring your kingdom, and you will change everything for the good. Amen. Recent articles on Plough We Are All Heirs Grace Hamman Thomas Traherne wants you to enjoy the world. Read now Miracles Are Not Magic Carlos Eire For saints who flew, miracles came as a byproduct of holiness. Read now Readings: On Divine Nature Herbert McCabe and Augustine of Hippo The church father Augustine of Hippo and Irish priest Herbert McCabe help us recognize the sacred all around us. Read now Against Re-Enchantment Joy Marie Clarkson Secularism has robbed the world of gods and goblins, we are told. Is that a bad thing? Read now Strange Gifts of the Spirit Sarah Killam Crosby What might other Christians learn from Pentecostalism? Read now
Today’s Verse – Romans 6:14
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. —Romans 6:14 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… As we called on Jesus’ name in baptism and trusted him to be our Savior, we died to sin (Romans 6:3-4). By sharing in his death and resurrection, we died to dying (Romans 6:8-10; John 11:25-26). We passed from death to life because of our faith in Jesus and God’s power (John 5:24). Our life is joined with Jesus, and his glorious future becomes our own (Colossians 2:12, 3:1-4). We are not under law, but grace. Let’s respond to the gift of grace with passion and with zeal to be holy. Let’s open ourselves to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, who is daily at work transforming us to become more like Jesus with ever-increasing glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are grace-children. We don’t earn our righteousness. We don’t keep laws to be owed salvation. In fact, we could never succeed at such a venture. We are not in bondage to sin, but liberated by grace to be all that God has made us to be – his craftsmanship, his artistry created to do good works (Ephesians 2:1-10). So let’s refuse to let sin be our master and live fully into the grace we have received! My Prayer… Purify my heart, dear LORD, and make it new and alive to your grace and dead to the sin that once entangled me. By grace I rejoice and choose to live by the power of your 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.
Today’s Verse – Titus 2:13-14
We wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. —Titus 2:13-14 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We haven’t arrived at our destination (Philippians 3:12-14). We are a people “in waiting” – saved and redeemed but awaiting the full realization of these at the “glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”! Jesus, who offered his own life for our redemption, will gloriously return to take us home. During our time of waiting, let’s not waste our time. Instead, let’s be eager to do what is right, good, and holy, showing that we are God’s very own people. My Prayer… Father, please continue your work of transformation and sanctification in me. Holy Spirit, make me eager to be transformed to become like my Savior. Jesus, make me eager to do what is good and bless others. Please do these things for your praise and for the blessing of those who need to know you better. I am not seeking my own glory, but yours, dear Father. Please forgive me for the times I have settled for mediocrity and stir me to a holy passion to belong to you and be more like you in the life I live here. In Jesus’ name and until he returns, I ask for your help and grace to be more like my Savior. 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.