Today’s Verse – 1 Peter 1:15-16
Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” —1 Peter 1:15-16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “Holy” is one of those words we generally associate with the “stained glass ghetto” – a word only “church folks” use around church buildings. That may be true, but it’s still a great concept. Most kids know that you don’t eat hot dogs and potato chips on your grandmother’s china. Grandmother’s china is reserved for “special company” or “special occasions.” Hot dogs are for paper plates. China is for special events and occasions – special moments with special people we want to remember as special. When God is calling us to be holy, he’s calling us to be china in a paper-plate world – something special just for him, and as Peter emphasizes, someone special who lives like him. My Prayer… Holy LORD, God Almighty, I come before you knowing how great the distance is between your holiness and my commonness. I thank you for making me holy through the sacrifice of Jesus and for sending your Holy Spirit to live inside me, making me a holy temple where you dwell (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Please receive my life today as a holy offering to you. I pray in the name of Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of my faith, who has made me holy by your grace (Hebrews 2:10, 12:2; Colossians 1:21-23). 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.
Will You Truly Believe?
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, I know the struggle that goes on inside your heart to truly believe. You want to believe, but really placing your full trust in Me is hard to do… especially when you are desperate for a solution to whatever difficulty you are facing. You may want to see the solution before you will really trust Me. However, true discipleship doesn’t work that way. You have to trust Me. Even before you receive the results of your faith, you have to act on your faith that what I say is true. Real faith is something more than thinking I can do something for you: It is acting on that belief. My half-brother, James, said it well: Without actions, faith is useless. By itself, it’s as good as dead. (James 2:17) I love the government official you meet today in My story. He was desperate. He wanted to believe that I could heal his son, but he wasn’t sure. He had hoping faith, but not full faith. So I nudged him to truly believe. I challenged him to really trust Me and to act before his faith in Me was proven true — to go home because he believed I had already healed his son before he could validate it. This situation is where his hoping faith became acting trust. He took Me at My word and headed home. On the way home, he discovered that I had done what I said at the time he trusted Me. Then his trust became experienced faith. He believed — not just with hoping faith and acting faith, but with validated faith. He then shared that faith with others and they believed, too. I want you to see the progression of faith in this story and know that this is the way faith often works in real life: Hoping faith — Desperate for answers, the father whose son was near death came to Me. Acting faith — The father started back home, taking Me at My word. Validating faith — The father discovered I did what I said. Sharing faith — The father told this story so others could believe. Verses to Live Are you willing to act in trust before your faith is validated? When you do, it is real faith — believing without immediate validation, trusting while you are waiting, and acting before you have proof! For many of you, the wait between acting faith and validating faith can be much longer than it was for this father. But, no matter how short or how long the wait might be, this is the kind of faith that I’m calling you to have as you follow Me! After two days of teaching and conversation, Jesus proceeded to Galilee where His countrymen received Him with familiar smiles. After all, they witnessed His miracle at the feast in Jerusalem; but Jesus understood and often quoted the maxim: “No one honors a hometown prophet.” As Jesus traveled to Cana (the village in Galilee where He transformed the water into fine wine), He was met by a government official. This man had heard a rumor that Jesus had left Judea and was heading to Galilee, and he came in desperation begging for Jesus’ help because his young son was near death. He was fearful that unless Jesus would go with him to Capernaum, his son would have no hope. Jesus (to the official): My word is not enough; you only believe when you see miraculous signs. Official: Sir, this is my son; please come with me before he dies. Jesus (interrupting him): Go home. Your son will live. When he heard the voice of Jesus, faith took hold of him and he turned to go home. Before he reached his village, his servants met him on the road celebrating his son’s miraculous recovery. Official: What time did this happen? Servants: Yesterday about one o’clock in the afternoon. At that moment, it dawned on the father the exact time that Jesus spoke the words, “He will live.” After that, he believed; and when he told his family about his amazing encounter with this Jesus, they believed too. This was the second sign Jesus performed when He came back to Galilee from Judea. (John 4:43-54) Response in Prayer O Father, I believe, but help my unbelief! Jesus, thank You for this challenge. You are right; I prefer everything to be proven and to be easy before I step out. Nevertheless, I commit to acting on my faith by trusting Your words are true, and Your intentions in my life are for my good. Holy Spirit, I need Your strength and comfort to act on what I say I believe. For this grace — of believing, acting, and being strengthened — I thank You. 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.
Today’s Verse – Matthew 6:19-20
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. —Matthew 6:19-20 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Where do you hide your heart? Jesus tells us that what we most value – what we consider our real treasure – is where we will find our heart. That’s why asking the question is so important. So, where do you hide your heart? You see, we can treasure riches, control, security, and relationships – or a host of other things. However, Jesus reminds us that only by letting go of the things, the things that most of us keep as our treasures, will we find what is truly a lasting treasure. Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Majestic Father, I pray that out of the riches of your grace, you will help me find my treasure in you, treasuring nothing else above you and holding nothing as a treasure comparable to you. Today, I want to offer you all that I am, have, and treasure. I want to live my life for your glory as a witness to your grace. In the name of Jesus, my example, LORD, Savior, and lasting treasure, 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.
Your Best Is Not Good Enough
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, What do you do when you recognize that your best isn’t good enough to get you to God? That’s the essential question that every religion has to answer. The resolution is also what separates being My disciple from being part of just another religious group. This response is also what Nicodemus — the best of the best by Jewish standards — had to learn. Getting to God is about being re-born by God’s power and not about being better at practicing religion. New birth into God’s family is about grace — the Father loving you so much that He sent “Heaven’s Best” to pay the price for your worst to adopt you into Our family through the power and the work of the Holy Spirit — I called it “water and Spirit birth.” You can’t make that new birth happen. That birth is the work of the Holy Spirit to make you fresh and new. The Holy Spirit changes everything! You are cleansed. You are forgiven. You are re-born. You are adopted. You are part of the Father’s family! You couldn’t earn it. You couldn’t work hard enough to deserve it. You couldn’t get enough things right to reach it. You aren’t consistent enough to achieve it. You are made new by the Holy Spirit! Verses to Live Yes, Nicodemus was right: To be re-born physically is impossible — you can’t crawl back into the womb and be born again! That’s why I came. By trusting in what I did when I was “lifted up” and by being born from above in the “water and Spirit birth,” you can start a new life. Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees, a man with some clout among his people. He came to Jesus under the cloak of darkness to question Him. Nicodemus: Teacher, some of us have been talking. You are obviously a teacher Who has come from God. The signs You are doing are proof that God is with You. Jesus: I tell you the truth: Only someone who experiences birth for a second time can hope to see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus: I am a grown man. How can someone be born again when he is old like me? Am I to crawl back into my mother’s womb for a second birth? That’s impossible! Jesus: I tell you the truth, if someone does not experience water and Spirit birth, there’s no chance he will make it into God’s kingdom. Like from like. Whatever is born from flesh is flesh; whatever is born from Spirit is spirit. Don’t be shocked by My words, but I tell you the truth. Even you, an educated and respected man among your people, must be reborn by the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. The wind blows all around us as if it has a will of its own; we feel and hear it, but we do not understand where it has come from or where it will end up. Life in the Spirit is as if it were the wind of God. Nicodemus: I still do not understand how this can be. Jesus: Your responsibility is to instruct Israel in matters of faith, but you do not comprehend the necessity of life in the Spirit? I tell you the truth: We speak about the things we know, and we give evidence about the things we have seen, and you choose to reject the truth of our witness. If you do not believe when I talk to you about ordinary, earthly realities, then heavenly realities will certainly elude you. No one has ever journeyed to heaven above except the One Who has come down from heaven — the Son of Man, Who is of heaven. Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. In the same way, the Son of Man must be lifted up; then all those who believe in Him will experience everlasting life. For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction. No one who believes in Him has to fear condemnation, yet condemnation is already the reality for everyone who refuses to believe because they reject the name of the only Son of God. Why does God allow for judgment and condemnation? Because the Light, sent from God, pierced through the world’s darkness to expose ill motives, hatred, gossip, greed, violence, and the like. Still some people preferred the darkness over the light because their actions were dark. Some of humankind hated the light. They scampered hurriedly back into the darkness where vices thrive and wickedness flourishes. Those who abandon deceit and embrace what is true, they will enter into the light where it will be clear that all their deeds come from God. (John 3:1-21) Response in Prayer O Father, thank You for giving me new birth into Your family. Thank You for saving me through My faith in Your Son. Thank You for making me new and giving me new birth through the work of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, 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.
09 Jan 2026
When we allow the Lord to order our steps then we become effective and we accomplish much. Some of the things He will call us to do require His help and faith on our part. We need to believe that He can help is achieve what He wants us to do. As we get older, we need to be efficient. May we accomplish much with great efficiency, like Paul did, as God enables us for His glory. 1 Corinthians 16:1-9
Today’s Verse – Amos 5:14-15
Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. —Amos 5:14-15 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… A whole bunch of folks claim that God is on their side. In reality, the important question is whether or not we are on God’s side! That’s determined more by what we seek and do rather than what we think and say. God longs to be with us, but he will not sacrifice his character to extend us cheap grace, a grace that does not call us to be like him and act for the good of others in our world. He’s looking for believers who put their character, concerns, and actions where their mouths are. My Prayer… Most holy God, your righteousness and holiness are beyond me. I know that my best efforts are only vain attempts to attain them on my own. Yet I long, dear Father, to be more like you and your Son in every way that it is humanly possible. So, dear Father, I pursue knowing Jesus as my Savior and LORD, living for him, and as much as I can, like him, in my world. As I do, I intentionally partner with the Holy Spirit to see Jesus’ love, character, and compassion come alive in me. In the name of Jesus the Righteous One, 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.
Just Another Face in the Crowd?
Note from Jesus Dear Follower, I surprised people when I went to the Jordan River to be immersed by John the Baptist. John’s baptism — like baptism in the early church — was immersion based on repentance and for the forgiveness of sins.* It was practiced to prepare people for My coming (Mark 1:2-4). John was reluctant to baptize Me, feeling that he needed to be baptized by Me instead (Matthew 3:13-14). So why was I baptized by John? As I told John, I did it to fulfill the righteous will of My Father (Matthew 3:15). But there was also another reason. I did it to identify with you. I came as one of you (Luke 1:31). I didn’t come to your world as some alien from a foreign galaxy. I didn’t come as some super-protected divine being Who couldn’t be hurt or tempted or killed. I came as one of you: Born of a woman, just like each of you. Vulnerable to death, just like each of you. Able to be tempted, just like each of you. I shed tears, just like you. My heart broke when people made wrong choices, when they rejected Me, and when they died. I got thirsty and hungry and tired. I was truly one of you! So when I came to John the Baptist to be baptized, I may not have been just another face in the crowd, but I was one of you because you matter so much to the Father and to Me! * See Acts 2:38; cf. Acts 22:16. The English word baptize is a transliteration of the Greek word baptizô which means to dip, immerse, or plunge under water. John’s baptism was in anticipation of Jesus and did not include the gift of the Holy Spirit or the Spirit’s role baptism — Acts 19:1-7 and Titus 3:3-7. Verses to Live I love the way that Luke tells about My baptism. The way his account starts, he makes it seem like such a normal day with John the Baptist baptizing people in the Jordan River. And just as those people came to be baptized, so did I — I came as one of you! One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” (Luke 3:21-22 NLT) One of the great blessings for you about My baptism is that you can do something I did: You can be baptized. And when you are baptized, you share in My death, burial, and resurrection so that you can also share in My victory over sin and death. I came as one of you so that you can be one with Me! Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:3-11 NLT) Response in Prayer Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be one of us. Lord Jesus, thank You for coming and sharing our world so that we can share Your home with the Father. Holy Spirit, thank You for living inside of us and transforming us to be more and more like 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.
08 Jan 2026
There are goals for 2026,things we want to accomplish. These can easily take up all our time and energy. I pray that we shall commit these to God and ask Him to show us what to do concerning them. May we hear Him and remain open to His direction. 1 Timothy 6:6.
Daily Prayer for January 8
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” Luke 17:5–6, NIV Father in heaven, we thank you for the many ways you strengthen us and reveal your life to us. We thank you for all your protection, also for your protection of our faith and hope. Grant that your Spirit may penetrate us more and more, enabling us to be your witnesses in this evil and unhappy world. May your Spirit give us hope for this life and for the life to come. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Forsaking Mammon Andreas Ehrenpreis Community is not compulsory; it a joyful, voluntary act of surrender. Read now Beckoned by Beauty Kacey Sycamore How I stumbled into a story much bigger than my own – and found my way to the Bruderhof. Read now 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
Today’s Verse – Ephesians 5:1-2
Be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. —Ephesians 5:1-2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. So, if we are to sincerely flatter* God, we must choose to have the righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful love and justice of God in our daily actions. Such imitation may be the most costly form of flattery as well. You see, love for God is never something that occurs just in our minds or our hearts. Love is something we do for another – love demonstrates itself by its actions. John said that we must love in both our deeds and our words (1 John 3:16-18). Love means to give ourselves up – what we want, our rights, our desires – to honor God and serve others (1 John 4:7-10; Philippians 2:1-10). This sacrificial love can change a marriage, a family, a friendship, a fellowship of God’s people, and ultimately the world! as dearly loved children, let’s live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us! * You may feel as I do that our goal is to honor, praise, and love God more than flattering Him. My Prayer… Abba Father, I will never fully understand how you could love me so much that you would allow your son to die for me, as the sacrifice for my sins against you. Please help me love others sacrificially. I know the power to do this is not within me, so please pour your love into my heart through your Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5) so that I can share your love with others. Through Jesus, my brother, my sacrifice, my Savior and my LORD, 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.