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March 31
God’s View
Bible in a Year :

• Judges 11-12
• Luke 6:1-26

Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring.
Exodus 14:13

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Exodus 14:1-4, 8, 10-14
Hudson Taylor was troubled. He’d left England to share the gospel about Christ in China, and ministry—though challenging—had gone well. But in 1865, as he considered sending more people to minister to a more dangerous part of the country, without protection, he felt “intense conflict.” After wrestling with God in prayer, he wrote, “The Lord conquered my unbelief, and I surrendered myself to God . . . [recognizing] that all responsibility . . . and consequences must rest with him.”
Moses received a call from God that likely left him troubled. As he was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, God said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea” (Exodus 14:2). This meant they were trapped between Pharaoh and a vast body of water! The Israelites trembled as “Pharaoh approached” (v. 10). Panic-stricken, they told Moses, “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (v. 12). But Moses replied, “Do not be afraid” (v. 13). And he was right. God provided rescue and victory for His people as they rested in Him (vv. 15-31).
At times, we won’t understand what God’s doing in our lives because we don’t have His view. It was during such a moment that Hudson Taylor wrote, “As his servant it was [my responsibility] to obey and to follow him.” We too can rest in God’s view and plans.
By: Tom Felten



Reflect & Pray
Why is it vital for you to surrender to God’s plans for you? How can you rest in Him?
Loving God, please help me rest in Your perfect plans for my life.

 

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April 8
God Our Provider
Bible in a Year :

• 1 Samuel 10-12
• Luke 9:37-62

Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin.
Matthew 17:27

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Matthew 17:24-27
In 2024, teenager Keegan happily reeled in a two-foot barramundi. But his happiness became elation when his little sister pointed out a tag on the fish. His catch was worth one million dollars as part of an Australian fishing competition. The annual event had been held since 2015; Keegan was the first to win the coveted top cash prize.
However slim the odds of catching that fish, the odds were far lower that a fish caught at random would have a coin in its mouth. But in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus instructed His disciple Peter to “go to the lake and . . . take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin” (17:27).
The context of this unlikely catch was a question of whether Jesus paid the temple tax (v. 24). The irony of insisting that Jesus—God’s Son—pay a tax to support God’s temple, wasn’t lost on Him. He pointed out that the king’s children don’t pay taxes to the king (vv. 25-26).
But there was no need to “cause offense” and distract others from His teaching by being perceived as a tax evader (v. 27). So Jesus instructed Peter to catch that fish, which had the exact amount to pay both His and Peter’s tax! Perhaps in part it was a reminder to Peter—and to us—that God is a provider who is always with His children as they follow Him.
By: Monica La Rose



Reflect & Pray
When have you experienced unlikely events in which you saw God’s hand at work? How does trusting Him free you to live in obedience?
Loving God, please help me rest in Your provision as I follow You.

 

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RESPONSE TO A PROVOKED SPIRIT
April 13, 2026
Bryant Wright, Founder

“Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols.”
Acts 17:16

Think about the last time you were in an airport.

You’re at your gate, ready to board your flight. An eclectic group of travelers surrounds you. Sitting next to you is a businesswoman on an important call. Across sits the young couple, infatuated with each other as they prepare for a weekend away. In the distance, you see a teenager’s eyes glued to his phone. A devout Muslim reads a magazine, wearing her hijab. A pair of Mormon missionaries dressed in traditional white shirts, name tags, and ties are watching the news on a monitor.

An airport is one of the best reminders that we are in a world full of different people, each with different idols. (And yes, we ALL have idols.)

However, like Paul, our spirits should be provoked from within.

What does it mean to be provoked? It means to be impassioned or inspired.

Paul was surrounded by idols. The years changed, but some things consistently stayed the same. Paul’s heart was stirred. We see his love for Jesus as well as those far from God. What follows in Acts 17 is a masterclass at how to engage a lost world with the gospel.

Take a moment now and read Acts 17:16-34.

You may have noticed that Paul wasn’t preaching from the Bible. His audience, much like our present-day secular world, doesn’t know anything about the Bible and, therefore, has no respect for it or the truths it embodies.

Paul is preaching Biblical themes.

You might be surprised to hear a preacher say this, but in talking with the lost, there are times when we don’t need to start with the Bible! Paul was constantly discerning how to best communicate with his particular audience while never compromising the message.

As we share with others, we, too, need to find common ground as we address false worldviews and idols they may hold. We should always discern how to share the gospel, knowing our audience.

And finally, we must trust the results to God.

Acts 17 is not another Pentecost moment. Some rejected, some wanted to hear more, and a few followed (Acts 17:34).

Success is actually not found in the results.

Success is found in obedience as the Holy Spirit provokes our hearts.

So, how’s your heart?

How are you following through on the way the Spirit is leading you to share Jesus?

DIG DEEPER
Read “Are You Willing to Share Your Faith?” also by Bryant Wright

 

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Rivers to Cross
Joshua 3:9-11, 13-17
Tim Gustafson
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April 24, 2026
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Joshua 3:9-11, 13-17
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When Chris McCandless wandered off the grid and into the Alaskan wilderness, he expected to return. But he crossed the Teklanika in April, well before summer ice-melt would swell that river into an impassable torrent. Months later, out of food, McCandless couldn’t get back. His tragic death is memorialized in book and film.
The people of ancient Israel faced a crucial river crossing in order to enter the promised land. However, “the Jordan [was] at flood stage” (Joshua 3:15), a challenge that would grow their faith. God told Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses” (v. 7).
Joshua told the people, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you” (v. 11). Taking the ark, the priests stepped into the Jordan, and “the water from upstream stopped flowing” (vv. 15-16). The entire nation stepped across on a dry riverbed (v. 17).
From time to time we’ll face “river crossings”—impossible situations that can grow our faith if we’ll turn to the one who makes the way across. The greatest of these crossings is from this life into the next. No matter what it is, the God who was with Moses, Joshua, and the Israelites also makes a way for us.
Reflect & Pray
What “river crossing” do you face today? How have you seen God show His power on your behalf in the past?
Thank You, dear Jesus, that You make the way across any river I face, including the final one.
Today's Insights
God personally led Israel out of Egypt, through the sea, across the wilderness, and through the Jordan River (Joshua 3:13-17) into the promised land. These miracles are explainable only by God’s presence among them. At Mount Sinai, Moses had confessed, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:15-16). God’s presence is vital for us today too and the primary source of our witness to an onlooking world. No matter what situations we face, He’ll go with us and make a way for us.
Through His Spirit, God enables you to persevere no matter what you face.

 

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• Restoration Efforts

Restoration Efforts
Ezra 2:68; 3:1, 3-7
Kirsten Holmberg
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April 26, 2026
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Today's Scripture
Ezra 2:68; 3:1, 3-7
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In April 2019, a fire broke out in Notre-Dame de Paris—the city’s famed medieval cathedral—destroying the spire and a “forest” of oak beams supporting the lead roof. Almost immediately, plans formed to restore the cathedral. Donations poured in from across the globe, and craftsmen have undertaken restoration using the same building techniques and the same types of timber and stone employed in the original structure.
When Nebuchadnezzar instructed his armies to set fire to God’s temple in 586 bc as part of his siege on Jerusalem, the structure was decimated (2 Kings 25:9). When the people returned to Jerusalem after decades in captivity in Babylon, they “gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God” (Ezra 2:68).
After tending first to the altar, they “gave money to the masons and carpenters” and secured “cedar logs by sea from Lebanon” to lay the temple’s foundation (3:7). Though their rebuilding efforts were opposed and even sabotaged, the task was finally completed, and God’s people once again worshiped Him in His temple (6:14-22).
As believers in Jesus, we—together—are God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). God equips us to continuously restore fellow believers and “build each other up,” not with wood or stone, but with encouraging words, prayer, and spiritual gifts (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Reflect & Pray
How are you building up fellow believers in Jesus? How has someone built you up recently?
Thank You, loving Father, for supplying what I need to build up and restore others as Your temple.
Today's Insights
Just as God equipped the leaders and priests to encourage the Israelites (Ezra 2-3), throughout the ages, He’s equipped others to be encouragers. A prime example is “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus,” better known as Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). God used him to speak on Paul’s behalf to the disciples, who were fearful because of the apostle’s former role as persecutor of the church (9:1-4, 26-28). Barnabas also taught the believers in Jesus in the church of Antioch, where he “encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts” (11:23). Later, Barnabas sought out and brought Saul to work with him. Just as God gave others the tools needed to encourage others, He can do the same for us.
The words we speak can encourage or discourage, so we need to choose our words wisely.
Bible in a Year

• 2 Samuel 23-24
• Luke 19:1-27

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April 30
Follow God’s Way
Bible in a Year :

• 1 Kings 8-9
• Luke 21:1-19

The Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.”
Haggai 1:5

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Haggai 1:1, 5-11
Ken avoided the migrant workers in his building. Their habits and way of life, so different from his, annoyed him. One day, however, while Ken was praying, a thought pierced him: They’ve been your neighbors for years, yet not once have you shared the gospel with them. Think carefully about your attitude towards them.
Scripture tells us of when God confronted the Israelites with a similar warning: “Give careful thought to your ways” (Haggai 1:7). After their captivity in Babylon, His people returned to Jerusalem, tasked to rebuild the temple. God had “moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia” (Ezra 1:1) to order the construction and provide funds (vv. 2-4). But after the people laid the foundation, opposition grew (4:1-5), so they neglected the project for fourteen years.
Through the prophet Haggai, God told them, “Give careful thought to your ways. . . . My house . . . remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house” (Haggai 1:7, 9). God was saying, “Think carefully about how you’re living. Are you doing what I want you to do?”
God disciplined His people (vv. 5-11), but when they resumed construction, He encouraged them, “I am with you . . . . Do not fear” (2:4-5). And the temple was completed in less than five years.
In what area of life do we need to “give careful thought to [our] ways”? Let’s ask God to show us and help us follow His correction.
By: Karen Huang



Reflect & Pray
How is God’s way different from yours? What things do you need to change to truly obey Him?
Dear God, please help me to follow Your way.

 

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May 2
A Good Defense
Bible in a Year :

• 1 Kings 12-13
• Luke 22:1-20

Be alert and of sober mind.
1 Peter 5:8

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
1 Peter 5:8-11
On the basketball court, our grandson’s seventh-grade team did their best to score. Offense was their passion. But after each basket, their coach urged them to hurry back downcourt and play defense, which they were sometimes reluctant to do. Everyone wanted to score, but no one seemed eager to put in the hard work of defending.
The key to the game, the coach taught them, was to anticipate the movements of the opposing players. Stepping in front of a pass or shot would thwart the other team’s scoring and help the team win the game.
A defensive strategy that anticipates the moves of our enemy can also help in our spiritual lives. And who is that enemy? Peter’s letter to believers in Jesus reminds us: “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). So “be alert and of sober mind,” Peter wrote. Indeed, we’re called to “resist” our spiritual enemy, “standing firm in the faith” (v. 9).
Living out an active defense leads us as believers in Jesus to be more effective in our lives and in the productive work we seek to do for His kingdom. Then, if we have spiritual setbacks, the God of all grace “will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (v. 10). He is the one who establishes us, and who builds our strong defense—in Him.
By: Patricia Raybon



Reflect & Pray
Where have you “dropped the ball” defensively in your spiritual life? How can you be more alert and sober-minded?
When I let down my guard in life, please remind me, O God, of Your protection of me.

 

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May 4
No Fear of an Apocalypse
Bible in a Year :

• 1 Kings 16-18
• Luke 22:47-71

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.
Revelation 1:1

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Revelation 1:1-2, 12-18
In 1859, the largest solar storm in recorded history took place. Known as the Carrington Event, it produced a massive geomagnetic disturbance blamed for disrupting the telegraph system. The website Space.com says, “It’s been conjectured that a storm on the scale of the Carrington event, if it happened today, could cause an internet apocalypse.”
The ominous word apocalypse intrigues us. It’s the Greek title of the book of Revelation (apokalypsis). But the word doesn’t only mean a catastrophe or the end of the world. As the title Revelation implies, it also refers to an unveiling, a revealing.
The book opens, “The revelation from Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1). Revelation reveals Jesus as the Lamb of God, a term John uses in the book more than twenty-five times to describe Him. Revelation also reveals Christ as one whose “eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters” (vv. 14-15). When John first saw the Lamb of God, he “fell at his feet as though dead” (v. 17). But this Lamb touched him and said, “Do not be afraid. . . . I am alive for ever and ever!” (v.v 17-18).
Rather than fearing any apocalypse, we can embrace Revelation for showing us the glorified, resurrected Christ. He’s the one we worship.
By: Bill Crowder



Reflect & Pray
What are your fears about the future? How does Jesus help you transcend those fears?
Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing Your Son Jesus to me.
Learn more about the book of Revelation.

 

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May 11
God’s Word Endures
Bible in a Year :

• 2 Kings 13-14
• John 2

The word of our God endures forever.
Isaiah 40:8

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Isaiah 40:1-8
In the early 1900s, successful steel businessman Charles Schwab decided to build perhaps the most lavish mansion in New York City. Completed in 1906, his Riverside Drive estate took its inspiration from French chateaus and spanned an entire city block, with lush gardens, grand halls, and opulent interiors. It stood in stark contrast to the rising apartment buildings that would soon define Manhattan. Despite its grandeur, the estate struggled to find a buyer after Schwab’s death. The mansion was too large, too costly, and out of step with real estate trends. Riverside Drive estate was demolished in 1948. Both the mansion and the man faded away.
It’s easy for us to point to earthly realities like wealth, ambition, and mansions as destined to fade away. The words of Isaiah 40 remind us, “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field” (v. 6). Isaiah wrote to people enduring God’s discipline for their faithlessness. After He had corrected them, God would comfort them (vv. 1-2). What the prophet says about people, grass, and flowers is true (vv. 6-7). But the truth of God Himself? It will outlast men and mansions and wealth and ambition and accolades. Yes, “the word of our God endures forever” (v. 8).
It’s good to keep in mind how fragile we are. And it’s wise to remember God’s word is everlasting.
By: John Blase



Reflect & Pray
What have you witnessed that has withered and faded away? How does God’s eternal nature and unfailing word encourage you?
Eternal God, I praise You because Your word endures forever!

 

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SELF-HELP?
April 29, 2026
Bryant Wright, Founder

“Seek from the book of the Lord, and read…” Isaiah 34:16

We live in a world obsessed with fixing ourselves.

Scroll social media or browse a bookstore and you’ll see endless “life hacks,” podcasts, and programs promising to help you break bad habits, get healthier, think better, and be happier. Some of it can be helpful — but if you’ve tried and still find yourself stuck, you’re not alone.

Here’s the truth: self-help has limits. It can’t cure every disease. It can’t erase guilt or shame. It can’t break the deepest chains of sin. And it certainly can’t conquer death.

But God offers something far better — a transformation that’s supernatural, not just behavioral. Real change begins when we stop looking inward for strength we don’t have and start looking upward to the One who made us. Through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, God gives us a new heart, new desires, and new power to change where we can’t change ourselves.

Moreover, He offers hope that extends beyond this life. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, sin and death don’t get the final word. In Him, there’s forgiveness for the past, strength for the present, and eternal life for the future.

So, if the self-help path has left you exhausted, look beyond yourself. Open God’s Word. Seek Jesus.

Let His Spirit do what willpower can’t — heal, restore, and make you brand new!

“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

DIG DEEPER
Read “Why the Bible is So Important” by Michael Kelley

 

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May 12
Growing Our Knowledge of God
Bible in a Year :

• 2 Kings 15-16
• John 3:1-18

Present yourself to God, . . . a worker . . . who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
2 Timothy 2:14-19, 22-24
As soon as I jumped into the pool, my goggles filled with water, and I could barely see. Despite having no formal swimming instruction, I slowly persevered for the two laps of a race I had entered on a whim. Years later, after taking lessons and learning the proper breathing and swimming techniques, I enjoyed learning all four competitive swim strokes.
What a difference it makes when we have the proper training. The same applies to reading the Bible. When we understand the context and meaning of what we’re reading, we can properly apply it to our lives.
Paul wanted Timothy to stand firm in his faith, avoid quarrels, and not be deceived by false teachers. In his final letter, the apostle urged Timothy to study the Scriptures: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
As I learned and practiced proper swimming techniques, I became a better swimmer. In our spiritual walk, as we learn and understand the words and concepts in the Bible, we grow in our knowledge of God—enabling us to distinguish truth from falsehood and gain wisdom. As we read Scripture, let’s continue to grow “so that [we] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (3:17).
By: Nancy Gavilanes



Reflect & Pray
How often do you read the Bible? What have you learned lately as you read Scripture?
Dear God, please help me to learn more about You through the Scriptures.
Deepen your understanding of God’s redemptive story.

 

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“…YOU THROW THE FIRST STONE!”
May 11, 2026
Bryant Wright, Founder

“Jesus stooped down and with his finger, He wrote on the ground.”
John 8:6

The Pharisees had just brought an adulteress before Jesus and demanded, “Jesus, what do you say?”

Silence. Just writing in the sand.

The Bible doesn’t tell us what Jesus wrote in the sand that day.

• Maybe He wrote Scripture.
• Perhaps He was writing, “Where is the man? Doesn’t adultery involve two?”
• He could have been writing the sins of the Pharisees who were accusing this woman.
• Maybe Jesus just needed time to collect His thoughts because they were hoping to get at Him by humiliating this woman.

I have no idea what He wrote, but I’ll tell you what I believe was taking place.

I believe that Jesus’ heart was absolutely breaking as He knelt in the sand. When He looked at this woman, His passion for the lost caused His heart to break at how she was being treated as an object, unworthy of life. His heart was also breaking because He looked at the Pharisees and realized they just didn’t get it. Jesus would have been totally justified to get in the Pharisees’ faces and say, “You guys don’t get it! (my paraphrase) I came not to judge but to save.” John 3:17

But Jesus didn’t say that. He didn’t blow His top and blast them. In an amazing display of self-control and compassion for this woman, He finally stood and said,

“Whoever is without sin, you throw the first stone.” John 8:7

They slowly drifted away, dropping their stones as they left. Jesus, in a single moment, transferred the humiliation from the woman to the religious men.

What wisdom.

What a man, this Jesus.

You gotta love Him. I surely do.

How about you?

DIG DEEPER
Read “What Was Jesus Writing in the Dirt/Sand When the Pharisees Brought to Him a Woman Caught in Adultery?” at GotQuestions.org

 

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May 14
Good Soil in God
Bible in a Year :

• 2 Kings 19-21
• John 4:1-30

Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.
Luke 8:8

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Luke 8:4-8, 11-15
In late spring each year, I plant cucumber seeds in our garden. The seeds produce leaves quickly, but it takes time to see the fruit. In fact, one summer after I watered the seeds and waited, I questioned whether I’d get any cucumbers at all. I thought, Did I put too many seeds too close together, or was the ground not warm enough when I'd planted them? But one day, I spotted a green bulb. The next week, I spotted another. Then another. Within a few weeks, we moved from only vines to almost enough fruit to make salad for a week.
Spiritual growth looks like that sometimes. We don’t always see the things we’ve been praying for: patience, self-control, being gentle and loving (see Galatians 5:22-23). But if we ask God to help us create the conditions needed for growth—prayer, studying the Scriptures, worship, serving others—the Holy Spirit will produce the growth.
This is the crux of the parable Jesus shares in Luke 8: “A farmer went out to sow his seed” (v. 5). “The birds ate” some of the seeds that fell on the path (v. 5). Others landed on rocky ground, where they received no moisture and withered (v. 6). Some more fell among thorns and were choked before they could grow (v. 7). But the seed that was planted on good soil yielded a crop that was “a hundred times more than was sown” (v. 8).
As God helps us, let’s cultivate “good soil” and grow in Him.
By: Katara Patton



Reflect & Pray
How is God helping you cultivate “good soil”? Where have you observed growth in your life?
Master Gardener, please help me produce good fruit from good soil.
For further study, read The Forever Race: A Model of Spiritual Growth.

 

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May 17
Deep Roots
Bible in a Year :

• 1 Chronicles 1-3
• John 5:25-47

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
Jeremiah 17:7

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Jeremiah 17:5-8
As Douglas Kent, a landscape architect, toured a charred Los Angeles neighborhood after the city’s raging 2025 wildfires, he encountered a shocking surprise—trees, alive and green, right next to melted cars and burned buildings. Many of them bore lush palms and leaves, abundant fruit, and strong trunks and branches. How?
After two consecutive rainy winters, the trees’ roots had reached deep into the soil to draw moisture, carrying it to branches and leaves. In a fire, they proved resistant. “What I saw,” said Kent, “was that if you were deep-rooted, you survived.”
Our faith during the fiery trials of life can be like that. As we set our spiritual roots deep in Christ and His love, we become “like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:8).
Jeremiah, who never minced words, warned that those who trust in “mere flesh” are “cursed” (v. 5). “That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes.” Instead, “they will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives” (vv. 5-6). How much better to trust in God! Well-watered by His sustaining love, we thrive even in raging times, bearing spiritual fruit in Him.
By: Patricia Raybon



Reflect & Pray
How deep are your roots in Christ? How can you trust Him during fiery trials?
Dear God, as the world seems to burn around me, please remind me to trust in You.

 

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May 18
Anatomy of a Hardening Heart
Bible in a Year :

• 1 Chronicles 4-6
• John 6:1-21

Today, if you hear [God’s] voice, do not harden your hearts.
Hebrews 3:7-8

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Hebrews 3:7-15
It’s fascinating to see your own heart. Recently, I did. Chest pain led me to see a doctor, who ordered tests that allowed me to see that my heart has calcium buildup. More than I should have. Atherosclerosis, the doctors call it: hardening of the arteries.
I’ve made big diet and exercise changes. But I’ve also realized that my cardiac concerns didn’t emerge overnight. In my case, they were the fruit of unhealthy choices. In time, those habits couldn’t help but impact my heart’s health.
Scripture uses similar language to describe being spiritually unhealthy. Our hearts can gradually grow hardened toward God—one day and one choice at a time. Hebrews 3:7-8 (referencing Psalm 95:7-8) says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” After God delivered His people from Egypt, they “tested and tried [Him]” (v. 9) during their time in the wilderness.
God had faithfully provided for His people, but they refused to see it (vv. 9-10). What about us? What habits nudge us away from God—day by day hardening our hearts against Him? We all make some of those choices. So I’m thankful that today, right now, God offers to exchange our hearts of stone for those softened by His love (see Ezekiel 36:26).
By: Adam R. Holz



Reflect & Pray
How is God drawing you closer to Him? How can you learn to hear His voice?
Dear Father, sometimes my heart gets tired. Please forgive me for choosing the wrong things. Help me embrace Your offer to cleanse and soften my hard heart.

 

[boldstardex]

HIS FACE SHONE LIKE THE SUN
May 13, 2026
Bryant Wright, Founder

“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.”
Isaiah 53:2b

The world has always worshiped how we look on the outside.

All the way back to the Pharaohs, incredible value was placed on one’s outward appearance.

In modern culture, the entertainment business is all about finding and portraying the right “look.” The styles and attractive features may have fluctuated over the years, but the physical value placed on beauty and appearance has played a very real role in society throughout history.

So, isn’t it interesting that when God sent His Son to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world (a pretty big “starring” role if you ask me), He chose for Jesus to look pretty ordinary?

The Bible describes Jesus as not much to look at – which means that all those very beautiful portraits we have hanging on our walls depicting the image of Jesus are pretty unlikely portrayals.

Jesus was also a Jewish man from the Middle East, meaning that his features would likely not have included light blue eyes and a fair complexion.

This thought process might come as a surprise when considering the Son of God, but there was a reason behind it. God wanted to ensure that Jesus would identify with the majority of us. Hollywood beauties and heartthrobs are few, but there sure are a lot of us ordinary-looking folks.

Ok, but that was Jesus during His earthly ministry. What does He look like now?

The Bible describes a sneak preview of this heavenly Jesus that three of His closest disciples were lucky enough to experience firsthand. One day, Jesus led them up high on a mountain, “…and He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light” (Matthew 17:1-3).

This is how we will recognize Jesus as the Son of God in His triumphant second coming. And along those lines, there’s more good news for those who trust in Him; we, too, will receive new bodies – perfect bodies – that never get sick or tired, that never age or die (Philippians 3:20-21).

Like Jesus, our new bodies will also be dazzling – even for us ordinary folks.

And that’s just one more thing to be eternally grateful for.

DIG DEEPER
Read “What Does the Bible Say About Beauty?” at GotQuestions.org

 

[boldstardex]

Love God. Love Others.


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May 26
Acting with Integrity
Bible in a Year :

• 1 Chronicles 28-29
• John 9:24-41

The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy.
Proverbs 12:22

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Proverbs 12:13-23
In a moment of distraction, Sarah unknowingly dropped her diamond engagement ring into a homeless man’s cup. Billy Ray, the panhandler who was given the ring, had it appraised and considered selling it. But he chose honesty and returned it to Sarah when she came back a few days later. Sarah and her husband set up a fund so donations could be made to help Billy Ray, which led to an outpouring of generosity from others. Billy Ray received financial and legal counsel and was eventually able to buy a home. He was also reunited with his long-lost family.
When we practice integrity, we please God and inspire others. Solomon says God delighted in his integrity: "The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy” (Proverbs 12:22). He uses strong language to describe God’s view of dishonesty—He detests it. When God’s people lie or “deceit is in [their] hearts” (v. 20), it defies Him and goes against His character. In contrast, when His people have “truthful lips” (v. 19) and deal faithfully, it brings Him joy. So treating others well is more than just telling the truth—it reflects God’s own character. And in a world where deception can seem profitable, our integrity is something He “delights in” (v. 22).
Let’s commit to act with integrity as God helps us. Even if the world doesn’t notice, He’s delighted when we walk in His ways.
By: Marvin Williams



Reflect & Pray
How does being trustworthy reflect God’s character? How will you live out integrity today?
Dear God, please teach me to live out integrity before You and others.

 

[boldstardex]

Love God. Love Others.


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May 28
It Was Me
Bible in a Year :

• 2 Chronicles 4-6
• John 10:24-42

If [Israel] will confess their sins . . . I will remember my covenant with Jacob.
Leviticus 26:40-42

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Today's Scripture & Insight :
Leviticus 26:40-45
In an old movie comedy, a bumbling but brilliant programmer is chosen for the first manned mission to Mars. Constantly making foolish mistakes, the programmer has a habit of blurting out, “It wasn’t me!” When the crew lands on Mars, the programmer slips from the top of the ladder and falls to the planet’s surface—just before his partner sets foot on it. The first words spoken on Mars are, “It wasn’t me!”
It’s a farcical story, but that programmer’s phrase is hauntingly realistic. Whenever there’s blame to go around, our response can sound a lot like, “It wasn’t me!”
God desires our obedience. But He also knows we’re prone to disobey Him. In Leviticus 26:1-13, God outlined His plan for Israel. If they obeyed His commands, He said, “I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers” (v. 9). But habitual disobedience would bring curses and afflictions designed to bring the people to repentance. Then God said that if disobedient Israel would “confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors” (v. 40), He would remember His covenant with them.
The key to restoring relationship with God is our admission of what we’ve done wrong. Blaming others keeps us trapped in the guilt cycle, powerless to vindicate ourselves.
Feeling far from God? A good place to start is by saying, “It was me.”
By: Tim Gustafson



Reflect & Pray
What is your reflexive reaction when you might be to blame for something? Think of a time when you’ve been truly honest with God. What did it look like?
Loving God, I want to be honest with You about _______.