“God is light.” — 1 John 1:5
When the lights went out on the streets of Highland Park, Michigan, there was a longing for another source of light – the sun. The city did not have enough funds to pay the utility company. Energy workers turned off the street lighting and removed the bulbs from 1,400 lanterns. This left the residents in danger and in the dark. “There’s a couple of kids walking, they’re going to school,” a local resident told a news crew. “There’s no lights. They just have to take their chances walking down the street.”
The situation changed when a non-profit group appeared in the city and decided to install solar street lights. By working together, the humanitarian organization saved the city money on its electricity bills while providing a source of light that helped meet the needs of residents.
In our Christian life, the reliable source of light is Jesus Himself, the Son of God. Apostle John wrote: “God is light, and there is no darkness in Him” (1 John 1:5). He also noted: “When we walk in the light, as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin” (v. 7).
Jesus himself proclaimed: “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12). With God’s Holy Spirit guiding our every step, we will never walk in darkness. His light always shines brightly.
How have you felt the light of Jesus in your life? Who can you tell about Him today?
Dear God, let Your light shine brightly in every corner of my life.
Author: Patricia Raybon
“You give them to eat.” — Mark 6:37
My friend and her husband could not conceive a child. Doctors recommended that she undergo an appropriate medical procedure. But she hesitated, “Isn’t prayer enough to solve our problem? Do I really need to do this procedure?” My friend was trying to understand what role human actions play in seeing how God works.
The story of how Jesus fed the crowd can help us in this (Mark 6:35-44). We may know how this story ends: thousands of people were miraculously fed with bread and fish (v. 42). But notice who fed this crowd? Pupils (v. 37). And who provides the food? They (v. 38). Who distributes the food and cleans up afterwards? Disciples (vv. 39-43). “You give them something to eat,” said Jesus (v. 37). Yes, Jesus did a miracle, but it was because of the actions of the disciples.
A good harvest is a gift from God (Ps. 64:10-11), but the farmer must still work the land. Jesus promised Peter a “catch” of fish, but the fisherman still had to cast his nets (Lk. 5:4-6). God can care for the earth and work miracles without us, but usually He chooses to work in partnership with man.
A friend of mine went through this procedure and later successfully became pregnant. Although this is not a miracle formula, it has become a lesson for us. God often does His miraculous work through methods He puts into our hands.
When are you tempted to just pray and do nothing? What is God calling you to do right now?
Dear God, thank you for including me in Your wonderful work. Please take what is in my hands and work miracles through it.
Author: Sheridan Voysey
“Therefore apply all vigilance to this, and show virtue in your faith.” — 2 Peter 1:5
The family gathered at the bedside of Dominic Bukhur, a seventeenth-century grammarian who was dying. Having taken his last breath, he, according to tradition, said: “I am about to die or already dying; any expression will be correct.” Who cares about grammar on their deathbed? Only to those who have devoted their whole life to grammar.
By the time we reach old age, we have already largely decided on our paths. We have had a whole life for our choices to be confirmed in habits that later turn into character – good or bad. We are who we choose to be.
It is easier to develop godly habits while our character is young and flexible. Apostle Peter urges: “Therefore, pay all attention to this, and show virtue in your faith, and in virtue, knowledge, and in knowledge, temperance, and in temperance, patience, and in patience, piety, and in piety, brotherhood, and in brotherhood, love” (2 Pet. 1:5-7). Practice these virtues, and then “the entrance to the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be generously opened for you” (v. 11).
Which traits from this list are most characteristic of you? Which ones still need to be worked on? Ask the Lord to change you and give you strength. It can be a slow and difficult journey, but Jesus “specializes” in giving us exactly what we need. Ask Him to change your character so that you will be more and more like Him.
What traits of your character would you most like to change? How to seek God’s strength and His provision and begin to change?
Dear Jesus, please make me more like You so that others can see You clearly.
Author: Mike Whittmer
In the midst of long periods of life and difficult circumstances, God, as before, invites us to come to Him. And one of the best ways to draw closer to God is to spend time in His Word. His words connect our hearts with His truth and remind us of His faithfulness.
So here are five steps you can take right now to help yourself pause, rest, and trust God every day.
Prepare your heart
You are my Counselor, my Protector, I rely on Your words with all my heart!
Psalm 119:114
Begin your quiet time by reading this psalm, then write down your worries and concerns. Imagine putting together a box of everything that claims your attention and then giving that box to God.
Ask God to speak to you
Before you dive into the scriptures, ask God to help you understand His Word and show you how to apply the Scriptures in your life. He promises to give us His wisdom when we ask for it.
Open passage
When was the passage written? Who was the target audience? What is the main topic? Are there repeated words and phrases (if so, why)? What does this passage tell you about God and other people?
Read the passage several times, answering the following question each time. Pay special attention to any phrases and ideas that continue to attract attention.
Briefly summarize the scriptures
Spend a few minutes asking God to show you truths in His Word, and then write down 1-3 key takeaways from this passage. This will help you think through the ideas that God is showing you.
Application
Write down 2-3 ways you can apply the scriptures you have studied, and then regularly review your progress. You can even turn your goals into prayers in the YouVersion app and set reminders to pray for them!
After you have finished meditating on the scriptures, spend a few minutes in silent meditation, and then reflect on what you have learned throughout the day.
Jesus said many powerful, instructive, and important things. But there is one commandment that sums it all up:…
“This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you.”
John 15:12
Sounds simple, right? But when we look at the life of Jesus, how did He love? And how can we strive to love as He does?
Love made Jesus give up His privileges. As Creator and Lord, Jesus can do whatever He wants. But instead, the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14) — temporarily giving up His rights so that we could be righteous before God.
Love motivated Jesus to put people first. Woman at the well. The man is sick with leprosy. Roman officer. A blind beggar. Peter’s mother-in-law. Widow’s son. A despised tax collector. Even the thief hanging next to Him on the cross. Jesus did not see problems – He saw and loved people.
Love motivated Jesus to serve others. He washed the feet of His disciples, helped the needy, sympathized with the sick, tired and broken. After all, He gave His life for us.
Love led Jesus to value truth and grace. In a world where many extol grace and others only magnify truth, Jesus valued both. He was passionate about God’s ways and God’s Word, and showed great compassion for those who needed it most.
If we are ever in doubt about how to love others, look to Jesus as the best example. He lived selflessly, put other people first, served until death, and valued both truth and grace.
And when we love like Jesus, we will become more like Him.
“Allow me to speak to the people.” — Acts 21:39
Paul went to the temple for the Jewish purification ceremony (Acts 21:26). However, some Jews who believed he was teaching against the law tried to kill him (v. 31). Roman soldiers quickly intervened in the situation; they arrested Paul, tied him up, and led him out of the temple grounds to the shouts of the crowd: “Away with him!” (v. 36).
How did the apostle respond to this? He asked the army commander if he could “speak to the people” (v. 39). When the Roman officer gave permission, Paul, bloodied and bruised, turned to the angry crowd and shared his faith in Jesus (Acts 22:1-16).
This was two thousand years ago – an ancient biblical story that we may find difficult to relate to modern life. However, a man named Peter was recently arrested. He visited a friend who was imprisoned for his faith in Jesus in a country where believers are regularly persecuted. Peter himself was thrown into a dark prison cell and blindfolded during interrogations. When the blindfold was removed, he saw four soldiers in front of him with their weapons aimed at him. What was Peter’s reaction? He saw in this “a wonderful opportunity to share his faith.”
These stories point to an important truth. Even if God allows us to experience difficult times, our mission remains the same: “Preach the Gospel!” (Mark 16:15). God will be with us and give us wisdom and strength to share our faith.
Have you or someone you know been persecuted for your faith in Christ? How will you preach the Gospel today?
Dear Jesus, please give me the courage to represent You with love and wisdom.
Author: David Brenon
The Old Testament is full of prophecies about future events. And those recorded in the book of Isaiah are a glimpse of future hope…
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light – over those who live in the land of the shadow of death, the light will shine.”
Isaiah 9:1
In the verse preceding this, the text explains that sometime in the future these “people who walk in darkness” from the “Galilee of the Gentiles” (or nations) will be flooded with light. (The word “Gentiles” is a term for non-Jews who are an eclectic mix of other peoples).
Israel was God’s chosen people through whom the Savior of the world was to be born. But even to Abraham, who is considered the father of the Jewish people, God said that through his descendants all the families and peoples of the earth would be blessed (see Genesis 12:2-3; 22:18).
When Jesus, the Messiah, appeared on the scene, He was rejected by His own people—mostly because He was not what they imagined. However, He was surprisingly accepted by many of the once unbelieving pagans.
God talks about this in Isaiah 49:6 when he speaks about the prophesied Savior:
“It is not enough that You will be My Servant to revive the tribes of Jacob and convert the rest of Israel. Behold, I make You the Light of other nations, and that through You My salvation may spread to the ends of the earth!”
Isaiah 49:6
And in the New Testament, Matthew quoted Isaiah 9:1-2 when he wrote about Jesus’ ministry near the Sea of Galilee, where many Gentiles lived. He understood it as the fulfillment of God’s words through the prophet Isaiah.
It’s a beautiful reminder that no matter who you are, where you live, what you look like, what your story or heritage is, no matter how deep the darkness around you, a great light has come. It pierces darkness, uproots shadows, and brings life to all it touches.
This great light is Jesus, and only in Him is our hope.
Once we were in darkness, but now we have light.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good salary for their work.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9
A participant in the London Marathon saw first-hand why it is important not to run a long race alone. After months of grueling training, the man wanted to finish strong. But when he stumbled at the finish line, he found himself bent over from exhaustion and nearly passed out. To prevent him from falling to the ground, two other marathon runners picked him up by the arms – one on the left and the other on the right – and helped him finish the distance.
Like that runner, the author of Ecclesiastes reminds us of several important benefits that come from having others run the race of life with us. Solomon came to the conclusion that “two are better than one” (Eccl. 4:9). He shed light on the benefits of joint efforts and mutual work. Solomon also wrote that the result of partnership can be “a good reward for labor” (v. 9). In difficult times, a friend should be close, because then “one will lift up his friend” (v. 10). When the nights are dark and cold, friends can huddle together for warmth (v. 11). And in times of danger they will stand together against the attacker (v. 12). Those whose lives are intertwined can have great power.
With all our weaknesses and shortcomings, we need strong support and security in the community of believers in Christ Jesus. So, let’s move forward together under His guidance and leadership!
Why is communication with other Christians so important in the race of life? How can you improve the quality of your communication with God?
Dear God, please help me to build a healthy community in Christ.
Author: Marvin Williams
“As one who loves Me, he will keep My word.” —John 14:23
Winters in the Netherlands rarely bring much snow, but it can be quite cold. When my husband, Tom, was growing up there, his parents made it a family rule: “Don’t go out on the ice until it’s thick enough to support the weight of a horse.” Since the horses left traces of their presence, Tom and his friends decided to take the manure from the road. They threw him onto the thin ice and ventured out onto the ice surface. They were not hurt, no one discovered them, but deep down they knew that they had disobeyed.
Obedience is not always natural. The choice to obey or disobey may stem from a sense of duty or fear of punishment. We can also choose to submit out of love and respect to those in authority over us.
In the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John, the words that Jesus said to His disciples are recorded: “He who loves Me will keep My word… He who does not love Me will not keep My words” (vv. 23-24). Obedience is not always an easy choice, but the power of the Spirit living in us gives us the desire and ability to show this obedience to God (vv. 15-17). With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can obey the commandments of the One who loves us most.
Have you deliberately disobeyed God? Why is it important for you to obey God even when it is difficult or inconvenient?
Loving God, please change my stubborn heart to obey Your instructions. Help me to put aside my own plans and obey You faithfully.
By Cindy Hess Kasper
“Choose life, so that you and your seed may live.” — Deuteronomy 30:19
Nathan grew up in a Christian family, but when he became a college student, he began to drift away from his childhood faith, indulging in drinking and partying. “However, God brought me back to Himself when I didn’t deserve it,” he testified. Later, Nathan spent the summer telling strangers about Jesus on the streets of major US cities. He is currently engaged in youth ministry at his church. Nathan’s goal is to help young people avoid wasting time and start living for Christ.
Israel’s leader Moses was also concerned about the next generation. Knowing that he would soon have to leave the leadership, Moses gave the people God’s good commandments and then listed the results of obedience and disobedience: for obedience – blessing and life, and for disobedience – curse and death. “And you choose life, so that you and your seed may live… for [the Lord] is your life” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20). Moses called the people to love God, to “obey His voice and…flow to Him” (v. 20).
Sin brings consequences. If we dedicate our lives to God, the Lord will certainly have mercy on us (v. 2-3) and restore us (v. 4). This promise was fulfilled throughout the history of the nation of Israel. Today, thanks to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we have free access to communication with God. We too have a choice and are free to choose life.
In what area of your life do you find it most difficult to follow God’s path? How can you encourage the next generation to choose life?
Dear Jesus, thank You for finding a way to bring me back into communion with You.
Author: Karen Pimpo
