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For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

1 Timothy 2:3-7
 

By 1435, both England and France were exhausted after ninety-eight years of conflict. Unable to resolve their differences over competing claims to the throne, they decided to petition Pope Marvin V to send a mediator to a conference in Arras in northern France. The pope sent Cardinal Niccolo Albergati, called by historian Jonathan Sumption, “perhaps the most experienced peacemaker in Europe.” However both sets of negotiators had been sent with strict instructions about holding firm to their central positions. They wanted peace, but they were not willing to budge. For weeks, Albergati went back and forth urging concessions but eventually the English delegates went home with no agreement reached. What we know as the Hundred Years' War continued for another eighteen years before finally coming to an end. The attempt at mediation failed.

The gap between God and man is far greater than the disagreement between England and France. There was no way to reconcile His perfect holiness with our sinful nature. God's righteousness cannot change, and we, in our sinful state, are utterly incapable of making ourselves right with Him. The only hope we had was for Jesus—the perfect mediator—to bridge that divide. Because He lived a sinless life, He owed no debt of His own. His death on the cross became the payment for our sins. Now, through His righteousness applied to our account, we can stand before God and be accepted. No one else can fill that role for us. No parent, preacher, or priest can reconcile us to God. Jesus is our only hope of salvation.

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Matthew 5:2-6

In 1907, Ernest Shackleton left England for his second expedition to Antarctica. He had been forced to return home early from his first trip because of sickness, and he was determined to be more successful in this new effort. In his book The Heart of the Antarctic, Shackleton detailed the grueling 127 day journey that left him and his men on the edge of starvation. After weeks of short rations, food was all they could think about or talk about. At one point Shackleton gave his food for the day—a single biscuit—to a member of his crew who was sick. Frank Wild wrote in his diary: “All the money that was ever minted would not have bought that biscuit, and the remembrance of that sacrifice will never leave me.”

No one wants to be physically hungry. Hunger drives us to do whatever is necessary to find nourishment. But when it comes to spiritual things, hunger is not a curse—it’s a blessing. Jesus said those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled. Whether we are rich or poor, well-fed or in need, the deepest need of our souls is for God. We should seek His truth and righteousness with the same urgency and desire we would have for a meal. If we become complacent in our walk with Him, our spiritual appetite will dull and our hearts will grow cold. We must continually cultivate a hunger for the things of God, for only He can truly satisfy. “Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep” (Luke 6:25).

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3
 

When his NFL career was cut short by an injury, Scott Bolzan became a businessman and entrepreneur. After a fall at work in 2008, he suffered what was described as permanent retrograde amnesia. In his book My Life, Deleted, Bolzan described sitting down with his wife and going through photographs, hoping something would bring back his memories of his family and career. He told a reporter, “I remember my feet going above my head—that's the last thing I can remember.” Unlike some other cases of severe amnesia, Bolzan is able to form new memories, but he says that all of his past life before the fall is gone.

The loss of memory of our lives would be tragic, but it is even worse for us to forget what God has done for us. While it should be true that the more God does for us the more grateful we are, too often we begin to take His blessings for granted and become ungrateful because He has not done more. All of the good things we have come from Him, and all of them come from His grace, not our goodness. We need to work diligently to recall and give thanks for what God has done so that we do not become spiritually blind to His goodness. “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9).

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9
 

If any Christian had reason to be puffed with pride, it was the apostle Paul. God, through direct revelation and inspiration, used Paul to write large portions of our New Testament. His ministry impacted countless lives as he was enabled by God to spread the gospel across the Roman Empire. 

But no Christian, including Paul, actually has reason to boast. We are all dependent on God’s grace in the service we do for Him. And to help Paul know that reality deeply and personally, God allowed a “thorn in the flesh.” Although we don’t know exactly what this thorn was, we do know what it produced—humility and dependence. Paul pleaded with God to remove it, but instead God reminded Paul that His grace was sufficient and that His strength would be made perfect in weakness.

God still gives sufficient grace and enabling strength today. Not every hardship is a “thorn” sent to humble us, but every hardship is a chance to lean on God's grace, draw near to Him, and experience His sustaining power. As James 1:3–4 tells us, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Our flesh craves ease, but spiritual maturity and faith grow best in pressure and weakness.

As Winston Churchill wisely noted, “Kites fly highest against the wind, not with the wind.” Growth doesn't come from comfort—it comes when we face resistance and learn to trust God's power instead of our own. In the struggle, His strength shines brightest.

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

2 Peter 3:17-18

The First World War involved death and destruction on a scale far surpassing anything seen in history up to that point. For more than four years, the armies of Europe slogged through mud and misery with neither side being able to make much headway. The arrival of American troops in the later part of 1917 began to tip the balance; and by November of 1918, the fighting had ended. The official agreement to end the war, the Treaty of Versailles, was signed in June of the following year, but many people quickly recognized the failure of the agreement to address the underlying issues. French Field Marshall Ferdinand Foch declared, “This is not a peace; it is an armistice for twenty years.” Yet despite the understanding that the treaty was deficient, the warnings went unheeded. And twenty years later, in September of 1939, an even larger and more deadly war began.

The fact that we know that there are problems and threats means nothing unless we respond to do something about them. Sometimes we are tempted to think that because we recognize a potential problem nothing else needs to be done. Peter knew from his own experience that merely being warned did not prevent a problem because he denied Jesus even though the Lord warned him specifically what was coming. Instead of being complacent, we must remain on guard. Living in a fallen world means that things we do not actively work to improve will decline over time. “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God” (Revelation 3:2). It is not enough to be content with knowing about the errors and dangers of the world. We must take steps to grow, or we will be going backward.

Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:2-5

For years Bob Greene was one of the most popular columnists at the Chicago Tribune. His articles often told stories of ordinary people who had touched the lives of others. One of his columns told the story of a fifteen-year-old boy named Douglas Maurer who had been diagnosed with leukemia. The doctors told him he would need three years of intense chemotherapy, and the side effects would be severe. Douglas was quite discouraged, and one of his aunts decided to send flowers through a florist. When he got the flowers, there was a note tucked inside that read: “Douglas—I took your order. I work at Brix Florist. I had leukemia when I was 7 years old. I'm 22 years old now. Good luck. My heart goes out to you. Sincerely, Laura Bradley.”

Greene concluded his column: “It's funny. Douglas Maurer was in a hospital filled with millions of dollars of the most sophisticated medical equipment. He was being treated by expert doctors and nurses with medical training totaling in the hundreds of years. But it was a salesclerk in a flower shop, a woman making $170 a week, who by taking the time to care, and by being willing to go with what her heart told her to do gave Douglas hope and the will to carry on.” 

All around us there are people who are going through difficult circumstances. A simple word, card, or gift of encouragement, especially from someone who shares their experiences can make all the difference. The same comfort we receive from God is meant to be passed on and shared with others.

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Revelation 22:16-17

During a revival campaign in Kansas City, Missouri, D. L. Moody collapsed. He was taken back to Massachusetts by train and his family gathered. Though he received treatment, it soon became apparent that he would not recover. Very few visitors were allowed to see him, but one who did was Will Thompson. Thompson had made a fortune in the music business, writing and selling songs, but he had determined to devote his life to God and stopped all his secular work to focus on hymns. When he learned that Thompson had come, Moody asked to have the author of “Softly and Tenderly,” one of the invitation songs most frequently sung in his meetings, brought to his room. Just days before his death Moody told Thompson how much the song had meant to him and so many other people.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He's waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.

Come home, come home;
You who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

The invitation to come to Jesus is still open today. Salvation is available to all who believe in Him. There is no other path by which we can come to God except through Jesus. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). (Learn more about what the Bible says about how to have a relationship with God and home in Heaven.)

Though the offer is open now, it will not always be. Those who reach the end of this life without being saved will never have another chance to come to Jesus. This is the most important decision of life, and it must not be delayed. “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation I have succoured thee; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). 

Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.

Psalm 115:15-18

When God's children are living in obedience to Him, their lives are characterized by praise. Certainly there is no shortage of things for which we can and should give thanks. All that we have is a result of God's grace and goodness to us. 

Yet, there are times when the busyness of life shifts our focus. We reach the end of the day only to find out that we have neglected things that should have been done. Too often we put off praising for later, falling into the trap of procrastination. Author Gloria Pitzer was best known for her cookbooks, but she also wrote this little poem that sums up the problem for many of us:

Procrastination is my sin
It brings me naught but sorrow.
I know that I should stop it;
In fact, I will...tomorrow.

All that we are going to do for God must be done while we are living. The time to praise God is right now. 

None of us knows how long we will live, so we have no time to waste. God is worthy of praise, and Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). The praise of God that others hear from our mouths must be offered before the lid closes on the casket. 

We will have all of eternity to praise Him in Heaven, but as perfect as the praise there will be, it will not be heard by those we leave behind. One of the things for which we should be most known is our faithfulness to praise and thank God for all He has done, and that starts with praise today.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Romans 8:16-19
 

Because of the effects of sin, the world is filled with sickness, evil, suffering, and death. None of this was part of God's original design. The world He created was perfect. Becoming a Christian does not exempt us from the troubles of the world. And faithfully following Jesus doesn't change that either. In fact, the more we are like Him, the more opposition we are likely to face. Jesus told His followers to expect that trouble is coming. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

But though trouble is real and suffering will last as long as we are in this world, this world is not all there is. Those who have put their faith in Jesus have something far better waiting in the future. In his book Bible Facts About Heaven John Rice wrote, “When the Christian dies, he loses his sorrows. If one glistening tear can stain the pure face of a saint in Glory, then God Himself will wipe it away and comfort with His own endearments all His own who have sorrowed! Pain will be forgotten. Poverty will turn into riches. Earth has no sorrow Heaven cannot heal.” 

In this world we have God's promise of comfort and grace, but in the next world we will not need them any more. Instead, we will be in a perfect place where no more tears will ever be shed.

All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

1 Corinthians 6:12-14

Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda spent almost all of his playing career in the minor leagues. But he proved to be a highly effective manager, leading the Dodgers to two World Series wins. He was also known for his clever stories that offered memorable life lessons. In a Sports Illustrated interview he described battling against bad habits. “I took a pack of cigarettes from my pocket, stared at it and said, 'Who's stronger, you or me?' The answer was me. I stopped smoking. Then I took a vodka martini and said to it, 'Who's stronger, you or me?' Again the answer was me. I quit drinking. Then I went on a diet. I looked at a big plate of linguine with clam sauce and said, 'Who's stronger, you or me?' And a little clam looked up at me and answered, 'I am.' I can't beat linguine!”

Though all of us struggle with bad habits from time to time, it is not God's plan that we should live under their power, and we do not have to do so. But victory over sin and damaging habits does not come from our strength of will or determination. If that is what we are relying on, we will be defeated. Paul wrote, “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Romans 7:19). 

The good news is that we are not left to our own resources. When we turn to God for help, He is always able to give the victory. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

John 15:4-6

Billy Sunday was a star player on the Chicago White Stockings baseball team, and was reported to be the fastest man in baseball. On an off day, he and some of his teammates heard music on the street and stopped to listen. When a sermon followed, Sunday kept listening and responded to the gospel. He would soon put baseball behind and become a noted evangelist. But the foundation for his later work for God was laid in those early days. 

The story goes that when Billy Sunday was converted and joined the church, a Christian man put his arm on the young man’s shoulder and said, “William, there are three simple rules I can give to you, and if you will hold to them you will never write 'backslider' after your name. Take fifteen minutes each day to listen to God talking to you; take fifteen minutes each day to talk to God; take fifteen minutes each day to talk to others about God.”

We cannot be effective and obedient Christians without a close and continuing fellowship with God. Jesus spoke of this when He urged His disciples to “abide in me, and I in you.” Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays connected to the vine, we cannot live fruitful lives apart from Him. Many Christians think of success in the Christian life as accomplishing visible results—checking spiritual boxes, completing tasks, or maintaining an image of faithfulness. But abiding is different. It’s not about what we produce in our own strength; it’s about staying connected to Christ so that He produces fruit through us. Real fruitfulness flows from dependence, not performance.

Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

2 Corinthians 8:20-22

Oscar Hammerstein II wrote more than 850 songs in his lifetime and had great success on stage and screen. In his book Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein he wrote, “A year or so ago, on the cover of the New York Herald Tribune Sunday magazine, I saw a picture of the Statue of Liberty taken from a helicopter, and it showed the top of the statue's head. I was amazed at the detail there. The sculptor had done a painstaking job with the lady's coiffure, and yet he must have been pretty sure that the only eyes that would ever see this detail would be the uncritical eyes of sea gulls. He could not have dreamt that any man would ever fly over this head. He was artist enough, however, to finish off this part of the statue with as much care as he had devoted to her face and her arms and the torch and everything that people can see as they sail up the bay. When you are creating a work of art, or any other kind of work, finish the job off perfectly. You never know when a helicopter, or some other instrument not at the moment invented, may come along and find you out.”

Not every task we have in life is equally important, but everything we do should be done with care and diligence, because everything we do is a reflection on our Father in Heaven. The temptation to slack off and do less than our best is always with us, but it must be rejected. We may think that no one else will know, but that is rarely the case—and even if it is, we still know and God still sees.

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:13-16

In 1934, a Viennese pianist named Paul Wittgenstein took the stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City for a concert with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. But unlike normal concerts, this one was covered by newspapers across the country. Wittgenstein, who had been a noted young pianist, was drafted into the Austrian Army in World War I and lost his right arm. He was captured by the Russians and kept in a POW camp where he traced a piano keyboard on a crate with charcoal and practiced playing with his left hand. On his release, he returned home to find that his mother had asked his music theory professor to write a piano concerto for the left hand only. He said “That was difficult, but I kept on.” That was the first of many pieces Wittgenstein learned, and he traveled around the world giving piano concerts even though he only had one arm.

We do not have to allow difficulties and hardship and loss to prevent us from continuing to serve God. Even when we cannot do all that we once did, we can still do all that we can. There is strength available to us from God that will enable us to continue forward, doing the things he has placed before us. Grace is always there no matter what our need may be. God helps us when we faithfully commit to serving Him, often allowing us to accomplish far more than we or others think possible.

Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. A prudent man concealeth knowledge: buthe heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Proverbs 12:22-25

Bob Harris was living out his dream career as a TV weatherman in New York, but in 1979 WCBS received an anonymous letter telling them to investigate his academic record. It turned out that “Dr. Bob,” who  claimed to have a PhD from Columbia, had never even finished college, let alone obtained an advanced degree. Despite a decade of work, Harris was promptly fired, not only by the television station but from his position as a consulting meteorologist for The New York Times. He later said, “I took a shortcut that turned out to be the long way around, and one day the bill came due. I will be sorry as long as I am alive.”

Again and again we are presented with opportunities to shade the truth. The devil tells us that a “little white lie” will keep us out of trouble or prevent us from being embarrassed or help us get ahead. It is no surprise that Satan promotes lies because they are his native language. Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).

The importance of only speaking what is true is vital for us to avoid sin. But the blessings of honesty are not just for ourselves. When we commit to the truth, it produces a positive result in the lives of those who come after us. “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him” (Proverbs 20:7). Every day we are setting an example, and it must be an example of honesty.

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:29-31

The disciples in the early church faced constant opposition and persecution. And time after time they responded the same way—they gathered and prayed. These were not casual prayers, but serious and intense prayers that sought the power of God. They knew that they needed His help to remain faithful and fulfill the mission they had been given. Their own strength would never be enough for the task. 

Although most of us aren't in danger of being arrested and thrown in jail for sharing the gospel, we still need God's power every day. And the means by which we access that power is prayer. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13).

John Bunyan wrote, “Prayer with earnestness and urgency is genuine prayer in God's account. Alas, the greatest number of people are not conscious at all of the duty of prayer. And as for those who are, it is to be feared that many of them are very great strangers to sincere, sensible, and affectionate—emotional—pouring out of their hearts or souls to God. Too many content themselves with a little lip-service and bodily exercise, mumbling over a few imaginary prayers. When the emotions are involved in such urgency that the soul will waste itself rather than go without the good desired, there is communion and solace with Christ. And hence it is that the saints have spent their strength, and lost their lives, rather than go without the blessings God intended for them.”

Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from aar country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

Isaiah 46:8-11

Robert Watson-Watt was instrumental in the development of radar, which contributed greatly to England's ability to survive German air attacks during the Blitz. But because the project was top secret, most people were unaware of his contribution until he received a knighthood. After the war, Watson-Watt moved to Canada where in 1956 he was stopped for speeding by a policeman—armed with a radar gun. He said, “Had I known what you were going to do with it, I would never have invented it!” Then he wrote an ironic poem called “A Rough Justice.”

Pity Sir Robert Watson-Watt,
Strange target of this radar plot;
And thus, with others I can mention,
The victim of his own invention.

His magical all-seeing eye
Enabled cloud-bound planes to fly;
But now by some ironic twist,
It spots the speeding motorist—
And bites, no doubt with legal wit,
The hand that once created it.

Often things do not work out the way we expect. There are consequences to our choices and actions that we never see coming. That never happens to God. Before the creation of the world He already knew all that has happened so far, and what is coming next. 

God's wisdom and His knowledge of the future makes it vital that we depend on His instruction rather than trusting our instincts, vision, and judgment. And the good news is that God graciously makes His guidance available to His children who seek Him and follow His instruction: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye” (Psalm 32:8).

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

In the late 1700s, an English newspaper publisher named Robert Raikes walked the streets of Gloucester and met a group of unruly boys—young troublemakers with no education, no guidance, and no Christian influence. His heart was stirred. He realized that if their lives were ever to change, it would have to begin with instruction—and that instruction would have to begin with God’s Word. So, he started something radical for his time: a class on Sunday to teach children to read and to know Scripture. These gatherings became the beginning of the modern Sunday school movement.

What began as a simple effort to reach children in one town spread rapidly—first across England, then around the world. Sunday school became a powerful tool for both evangelism and discipleship. For generations, men and women have faithfully taught the Bible to boys and girls through this local church ministry, and God has used those moments to shape lives for eternity. But Sunday school is not just for children. Teens and adults, too, benefit from the consistent, sequential teaching of God’s Word. Week after week, Sunday schools and adult small group studies help believers of all ages grow in their understanding of Scripture and their walk with Christ.

Whether in a formal program or informal life interactions, God calls every believer to pass on His truth. Parents are instructed to teach their children diligently in everyday life. Mature believers are called to disciple the young. And all of us are to teach and encourage one another with the Word of God. Whether in a classroom, at the dinner table, or through daily conversation, every Christian is to be teaching, instructing, and encouraging other believers. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Matthew 23:23-26

What others think about us is a vital part of our testimony and influence but it is far from the most important thing in our lives. If we choose to put up a front and pretend to be something we are not, we may convince people at least for a time that we are righteous. But God sees and knows what we really are. Before we worry about what is on the outside, we must first focus on being right in the things that no one else can see. We can do all the right things outwardly—show up to church, hold a Bible, sing with emotion, and fill pages with sermon notes—but without a heart that is right with God, it’s all hollow.

D. L. Moody said, “Some years ago a remarkable picture was exhibited in London. As you looked at it from a distance, you seemed to see a monk engaged in prayer, his hands clasped, his head bowed. As you came nearer, however, and examined the painting more closely, you saw that in reality he was squeezing a lemon into a punch bowl! What a picture that is of the human heart! Superficially examined, it is thought to be the seat of all that is good and noble and pleasing in a man; whereas in reality, until regenerated by the Holy Ghost, it is the seat of all corruption.”

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

2 Corinthians 11:12-15
 

In July of 2025, Indian police arrested Harshvardhan Jain in New Delhi at his “embassy” office. Jain had presented himself as an ambassador from “Westarctica” and his office was complete with flags, official looking seals and documents, and doctored photos showing Jain with world leaders. He even had fake diplomatic license plates for his cars. He convinced a number of people to pay for his services to receive overseas employment. In addition, Jain was operating a money laundering operation through a series of foreign shell companies. When police raided his office, they recovered almost 4.5 million Indian rupees, a testimony to how effective Jain's con operation had been.

The world around us is filled with lies and deceit, because the world around us is following the devil as he keeps leading people astray. If temptation and false doctrine were placed before us with the lies and consequences displayed, we would quickly turn away from them. That is why Satan instead packages his lies in a skin of truth, hoping to deceive us into error. The fact that someone stands behind a pulpit or quotes something from the Bible does not mean that what they say is correct. We need to be alert to the possibility of deception. 

God calls us to be spiritually discerning, to test what we hear against the truth of His Word. Not every spiritual-sounding message is from God, and not every teacher is trustworthy. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God…” (1 John 4:1).

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:1-4

Although T. DeWitt Talmage had a long and effective ministry, he went through a period after some years in the pulpit where no one was responding to his preaching. Discouraged, he considered either going to a new church or leaving the ministry, but instead he resolved to pray. He invited five of the men of his church to join him. Later he wrote, “We entered an upper room in my home. There we agonized in prayer that there would be a great turning by people from sin to God. We had agreed that we would not leave the room until we were assured in our hearts that God would send a great spiritual awakening. At the conclusion of the gathering, I requested that the meeting be kept secret. The following Sunday, over four hundred stood for prayer. A religious awakening took place that made that winter memorable for time and eternity!”

The work that God has called us to do cannot be accomplished in our strength, no matter how talented we are, how streamlined our programs may be, or how hard we work. God's work requires God's power, and God's power comes when God's people pray. The prayers that produce power are not casual or routine, but serious, devoted, persistent, continuing and dedicated prayer. 

Before Jesus chose His twelve disciples, he spent hours in prayer. “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). Before we attempt anything great for God, we should spend time in His presence depending on His power.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Romans 8:28-30
 

There are days when life feels frustrating—missed alarms, lost keys, interrupted plans, or traffic delays. But those passing annoyances are minor compared to the deeper trials that eventually come to us all. A job is lost. A diagnosis alters the future. A trusted relationship is broken. In those moments, the pain is real—but so is God’s presence. And though we may not see it at first, His sovereign hand is still at work, weaving every thread—both joyful and painful—into a purpose that is ultimately for our good and His glory.

John Newton wrote, “Faith upholds a Christian under all trials, by assuring him that every painful dispensation is under the direction of his Lord; that chastisements are a token of His love; that the season, measure, and continuance of his sufferings, are appointed by Infinite Wisdom, and designed to work for his everlasting good; and that grace and strength shall be afforded him, according to his need.”

The reality is that God is just as good when we are sick as He is when we are well. The fact that things go wrong is not evidence that He has forgotten us or ceased to love us. Nothing touches us that does not first pass through His plans. It may be years before we can discern His purpose, or it may be that we will never understand it in this life. Yet we do not have to understand in order to trust, for our faith is not built on our circumstances but on His character.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:7-10
 

Like many of her neighbors in the quiet beachside town of Mairangi Bay in New Zealand, Helen North owns a cat. At just fifteen months of age, Leo has demonstrated a remarkable ability—one that earned him the nickname “Leonardo da Pinchy”—for stealing items of clothing. His raids on clotheslines, closets, and even stores have made him something of a legend in the community. The items taken by the cat include socks, shirts, underwear, a $181 cashmere sweater with the price tag still attached, and a five foot long stuffed animal snake. Helen has created a social media page on which she lists Leo's stolen goods to help her get the items back to their rightful owners. So far she says the cat's record is nine items of clothing brought home in a single day.

The devil is a thief dedicated to taking things from us far more precious than earthly possessions. His whole purpose to destroy our lives, and it is vital that we remain alert for his schemes. There is never going to be a day until we reach Heaven that the devil does not pose a threat, but if we are alert to his schemes we will not be robbed of what God has given to us. Jesus said, “And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not suffered his house to be broken through” (Luke 12:39). The devil cannot make us do evil—he only succeeds when we let down our guard.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Galatians 6:7-10
 

When John Gurdon was a student, he struggled in science class. After turning in a major report, his teacher gave a scathing assessment: “I believe he has ideas of becoming a scientist. On his present showing, this is quite ridiculous. Your scientific ambitions are a waste of time.” Gurdon received the lowest grade in the class—250th out of 250. Most students would have been discouraged, but Gurdon kept that report—and the teacher’s comment—posted in his lab as motivation. Decades later, John Gurdon was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Medicine for groundbreaking work in cell reprogramming. The very subject he was told to give up became the area in which he changed the world.

There will always be reasons for us to give up. There will always be people who doubt we can succeed. There will always be voices of discouragement. Yet we do not have to listen to those voices. We can, instead, choose to continue going forward, doing what is right, and trusting God. We can choose to receive from Him the renewed strength we need to keep going even if everyone around us gives up. “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). And if we are faithful to keep going, we will certainly reap the harvest God has promised.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

James 1:5-8
 

President Ronald Reagan liked to tell the story of when his aunt took him to a cobbler for a new pair of shoes. The cobbler asked if he wanted round toes or square toes, but Reagan couldn’t decide. When he returned still uncertain, the cobbler told him to come back soon to pick them up. To his surprise, Reagan found one shoe with round toes and one with square. The cobbler said, “This will teach you to never let people make decisions for you.” Reagan later reflected, “If you don’t make your own decisions, someone else will.”

We’ve all faced decisions where we didn’t know what to do. Sometimes we hesitate, not because we’re careless or rebellious, but because we truly want to do what’s right. The problem isn’t indecision alone—it’s uncertainty about which path is best. Thankfully, God has not left us to figure out life on our own. He invites us to ask Him for wisdom. And when we do, He gives it generously.

God’s wisdom is not reserved for the brilliant or experienced—it’s available to anyone who will humbly ask. When we face uncertain choices, we don’t have to rely on guesswork or gut feelings. We can open God’s Word, seek counsel from godly people, and pray with confidence that He will guide us. The promise of James 1 is that God gives wisdom generously and graciously. Our responsibility is to seek it sincerely and follow it obediently, trusting that His wisdom is always best.

Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

Job 13:14-18

Daniel Whittle was not a Christian when he left to fight in the Civil War, but he was saved in a hospital while recovering from the loss of his right arm. After the war, Whittle returned to Illinois and a lucrative business career. But when D. L. Moody asked him to join the evangelistic effort, Whittle left all that behind. In addition to preaching, Whittle began writing hymns which included “Showers of Blessing,” “Hold the Fort,” and “I Know Whom I Have Believed.” He endured a great trial late in his life when his son was killed in an accident while Whittle was preaching an evangelistic campaign in Pennsylvania. He returned home to his family and poured out his grief in a poem.

Be still, my heart! Thy Savior knows full well
The burden on thee laid;
And to thy side He comes, with love to heal
The wound His love hath made.

The travails, trials, and loss that we experience in this world are often beyond our ability to understand. While there are times when God makes His purposes clear, He does not owe us an explanation, and we may not understand what His purpose was until we see Him face to face. Our responsibility is not to know why things are happening, but to trust the One who is in control. 

The unlimited power of God means that nothing we face is beyond His ability to control, and the unlimited knowledge of God means that He always knows what is best. When there are no explanations, faith looks up and declares that our trust in God will remain no matter what happens.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:17-19

There is only one thing in this world that is completely reliable and unchanging, and that is the Word of God. Science textbooks have to be updated with new discoveries. History textbooks have to be updated with new archaeological evidence. Laws and even constitutions are amended and changed to reflect new realities of life. Yet the Bible remains steadfast and sure. Jesus said that it was even more reliable than the created world—even if that ended, the Word of God would remain.

R. A. Torrey wrote, “Every type of destruction that human philosophy, human science, human reason, human art, human cunning, human force and human brutality could bring to bear against a book has been brought to bear against this Book, and yet the Bible stands absolutely unshaken today. At times almost all the wise and great of the earth have been pitted against the Bible, and only an obscure few for it. Yet it has stood.”

It was no accident that the very first temptation Satan used rested on undermining confidence in what God had said. There was no written Bible then, of course, but the attack was the same that we see in our day: “Did God really say that? Did He mean what He said? Are you sure?” There may be things in the Bible that are difficult to fully grasp, but everything in the Bible is certain and true. We can place our complete confidence in God's Word because it will never pass away.

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

2 Corinthians 5:6-9

F. B. Meyer had a long and fruitful ministry on both sides of the Atlantic. He even made a final trip to America when he was eighty years old for another preaching tour. Thousands of people came to hear him speak. When he returned home to England, he expected to be tired from his trip, but when his strength did not recover, he went to see a doctor. After receiving his diagnosis, he wrote a letter to a friend. “I have just heard, to my great surprise, that I have but a few days to live. It may be that before this reaches you, I shall have entered the palace. Don't trouble to write. We shall meet in the morning.”

This world is only a temporary home. Those of us who have trusted Christ as our Savior are headed for a destination that we will certainly reach. There is no doubt or question about the reality of Heaven, and there is no reason not to be confident concerning eternity. In Heaven we will be reunited with those who have gone before. All of us have buried those we love—grandparents, parents, spouses, children—but through the faithful promises of God we can be sure that we will see those who were believers again.

Even more importantly we will see Jesus, the One whose death made it possible for us to enter that perfect place. We will be with Him immediately when we leave this world, and we will be with Him forever. As the old song put it,

We shall see Jesus, just as they saw Him,
There is no greater promise than this.
When He returns in power and glory
We shall see Jesus, just as He is.

Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

Isaiah 59:1-3
 

Prayer works. The Bible is replete with examples of God's people having their needs met—even things that are, humanly speaking, impossible—in response to prayer. God has given us dozens of promises that He will hear and answer our prayers. Yet all of us know what it is like to pray and have nothing happen. While that is often a matter of timing or of God having something better in mind for us than what we ask, it is sometimes a matter of sin. Any sin that we are holding to rather than confessing and forsaking it will block our prayers from having their intended effect. In his autobiography, George Müller wrote, “It is not possible to live in sin, and at the same time, by communion with God, draw down from heaven everything one needs for this life.”

There is never a shortage of resources or power on God's end. If we are not seeing Him work and answer prayers as we once did, we should not think that He has changed. He is just as able to work today as He always was. If we want to see His power displayed and have our prayers answered, we should consider if there are obstacles between us and the Lord. We do not have to fear God will turn us away when we come to Him in repentance. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Our sins may not be visible to anyone else, but God sees them, and as long as we harbor that sin, we should not expect for our prayers to be answered.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20
 

Henry Nott wasn't trained as a preacher. He made his living as a bricklayer. But in his twenties he answered the call of the London Missionary Society and went to Tahiti. It took nearly a year at sea before he and other members of the team arrived on the island in 1797, and it would be five years before the next ship came. Sickness, loneliness, and a lack of response from the people there whittled down the missionary team until only Nott remained. He kept faithfully preaching, but no one responded. It would be twenty-two years before the first convert was baptized, but in 1819 the king of the island, Pomare II publicly declared his new faith before his people. Over the following decade, hundreds of others trusted Christ as their Savior. In total, Nott spent forty-seven years in Tahiti, only returning to England twice during that time. His faithfulness produced a great harvest.

The work of telling others the gospel is not always easy, but it is always vital for every Christian. Many times people do not feel like they are adequate or gifted enough to succeed at reaching others, but the task is never accomplished by our talents or training. It is the presence and power of God that makes the message of the gospel effective in changing people's lives and hearts. Our responsibility is to be faithful to deliver the message we have been given, and trust God to do the rest. Though we should hone our skills to do the best job possible, only God's power can reveal truth to the lost in a way that leads them to respond. “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).