A missionary surgeon in one of China’s hospitals restored sight to a man who had been nearly blinded by cataracts. A few weeks later, to his great surprise, forty-eight blind men showed up on his hospital doorstep. They had all come to be cured. Amazingly, these blind men had walked more than 250 miles from a remote area of China to get to the hospital. They had traveled holding onto a rope chain. Their guide and their inspiration was the blind man who had been cured. The Christian evangelist Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman concluded from his study of the New Testament gospels that Jesus healed some forty people personally and directly. Of this number, thirty-four were brought to Him or to His attention by friends or family members, or Jesus was taken to an ailing person by others. Only six of the forty people healed found their way to Jesus, or He to them, without someone assisting. When Jesus first recruited His disciples, He told them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." And He did. The Bible says of Andrew, Simon Peter's brother: "He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah'...and he brought him to Jesus" (Jn 1:41-42 NKJV). Again we read: "Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, 'We have found Him of whom Moses. ..and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth'" (Jn I:45 NKJV). So the word for you today is this: Never let an opportunity go by without telling others about Christ or leading them to the Lord.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

Daniel held a top spot in Babylon’s government. But he lived by a different set of convictions from those around him. Because he wouldn't eat their food or worship their idols, he landed in a lions' den. But God brought him out and promoted him. Daniel didn't live by the "just go along to get along' philosophy. If he had, his name wouldn't be remembered today. Popular thinking loves the status quo. It puts its confidence in "the idea of the moment" and holds onto it with all its might. As a result, it resists change and forfeits growth and progress. And that’s particularly so as we age. Because it took all our energy to get to where we are in life, the idea of "moving" or "changing" doesn't appeal to us as we age. But that doesn't have to be your legacy. "They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh" (Ps 92: 14 NIV). When the Promised Land was being divided up among the twelve tribes, Caleb was eighty-five. But he didn't have a retirement or rocking-chair mentality. He announced: "l am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day...And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb" (Jos 14:11-1 3 NKJV). A marker on a grave on Mount Everest says it all: "He died climbing." Let that be said of you!

Professor Benno Müller-HilI said that one morning, he stood last in a line of forty students in his schoolyard. His physics teacher had set up a telescope so that each student could view a planet and its moons. The first student looked through it. When the teacher asked if he could see anything, the boy said no; his nearsightedness hampered his view. The teacher showed him how to adjust the focus, and the boy finally said he could see the planet and moons. One by one, the students stepped up to the telescope and saw what they were "supposed" to see. Finally, the second to last student looked into the telescope and announced that he couldn't see anything. "You idiot," shouted the teacher, "you have to adjust the lenses." The student tried, but he finally said, "l still can't see anything. Its all black" The teacher, disgusted, looked through the telescope himself, and then he looked up with a strange expression. The cap still covered the telescope lens. None of the students had been able to see anything! Until Jesus came along, everybody thought the Pharisees had figured out the truth about God and how life should be lived. But Jesus said, "You don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God" (Mk 12:24 NLT). He also said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (Jn 8:32 NLT). Note the words: “You will know.” The only way to know the truth is through intuition, investigation, and application. It's not intellectual knowledge that comes from something you've heard, but intuitive knowledge that comes from experience.

John Maynard Keynes said: “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping old ones." Going against popular thinking can be difficult, whether you're a businessperson bucking company tradition, a pastor introducing new types of music and ministry to the church, a mother rejecting old wives' tales handed down from her parents, or a teenager ignoring peer pressure. if you value popularity over good thinking; you will severely limit your potential in life. John Maxwell says popular thinking is: 'Too average to understand the value of good thinking. Too inflexible to realize the impact of changed thinking Too lazy to master the process of intentional thinking. Too small to see the wisdom of big picture thinking. Too satisfied to unleash the potential of focused thinking. Too traditional to discover the joy of creative thinking. 100 naive to recognize the importance of realistic thinking Too undisciplined to release the power of strategic thinking. Too limiting to feel the energy of possibility thinking. Too trendy to embrace the lessons of reflective thinking Too shallow to question the acceptance of popular thinking. Too proud to encourage the participation of shared thinking. Too self-absorbed to experience the satisfaction of unselfish thinking. Too
uncommitted to enjoy the return of bottom-line thinking." So be teachable, and never stop asking questions. The truth will always stand up to honest investigation. The Bereans were thinkers: 'They received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed" (Ac 17:11-12 NKJV).

Paul wrote: "Test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good." That’s a scriptural principle you should live by! Jesus questioned popular thinking and it made Him unpopular. But it turns out that He was right, and they were wrong. Why don't we think for ourselves? Because good thinking is hard work. Its easier just to do what others do and hope they thought it out. Popular thinking once said the earth was the center of the universe. But Copernicus studied the stars and proved mathematically that the earth revolved around the sun. Popular thinking once said surgery didn't require clean instruments. But Joseph Lister studied the high death rate in hospitals and introduced antiseptic practices that have saved millions of lives. Popular thinking once said women shouldn't have the right to vote. But Susan B. Anthony fought for and won that right. Popular thinking put the Nazis in power in Germany, yet Hitler's regime murdered millions and nearly destroyed Europe. Millions follow the popular thinking of "buy now, pay later—so they pay, and pay, and pay. Many promises of popular thinking ring hollow. Don't let them fool you. When it comes to thinking, the path of least resistance often leads into a ditch. If you want to know what's right for you, spend time reading God's Word. It will never lead you astray. Job said, With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding" (Job
12:13 NKJV). God's wisdom will show you who you are and the assignment in life you are called to fulfill. So turn to Him for understanding.

This is what we know about the first thirty years of Jesus' life: He grew spiritually and intellectually as well as physically. Think about it: He spent thirty years preparing for a ministry that would last three and a half years. That's a ten-to-one ratio. But His three and a half years changed the world! Bottom line: Jesus was a thinker who lined up His thoughts with God. And as His disciple, you're called to do the same thing. That's not easy, and it may not make you popular. Most people want to take the path of least resistance. Or they fear rejection. Or they believe there's wisdom in doing what everybody else does, or that others must be right because they write books and appear on television. But if you want to succeed, you must know what's true according to God's Word and what's best for your life, not what's popular. As you begin to think against the grain of popular thinking, remind yourself: (1) unpopular thinking, even when resulting in success, is largely underrated, unrecognized, and misunderstood; (2) unpopular thinking contains the seeds of vision and opportunity; and (3) unpopular thinking is required for all progress. Popular thinking brings mediocre results. Here is popular thinking in a nutshell: popular—equals normal—equals average. It's the least of the best and the best of the least. You limit your success when you adopt popular thinking. It represents putting in the least amount of energy to just get by. But it you want to accomplish uncommon results, then you must reject common thinking and be guided by the unchanging truths at God's Word.

"Put no confidence...in the flesh." PHP 3:3 AMPC

When we talk about confidence, we usually mean "self-confidence." We think that we must believe in ourselves if we are to accomplish anything worthwhile in life. However, that is a misconception—we need to believe in Jesus in us! We do not dare feel good about ourselves apart from Him. When Paul said, "Put no confidence... .in the flesh," he meant just what he said—do not put confidence in yourself or in anything you can do apart from Jesus. Most of us fall into one of two categories: (l) We never accomplish anything no matter how hard we try, and we end up feeling negative about ourselves because of our lack of accomplishment. (2) We have enough natural talent to accomplish great things and take credit for all our achievements, which fills us with pride. Either way, we're a failure in the eyes of God. The only truly successful individuals in God's eyes are those who know they're nothing in themselves, but everything in Christ. Our boasting must be in Jesus alone, for He is to have all the glory for whatever accomplishments we may achieve, Paul preached in live languages, wrote half the New Testament, and was used by God to build the church. Yet here's what he said about himself: "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God" (2Co 3:5 NKJV). Then he added these words: "We have this-treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2Co 4:7 NKJV). So, be confident in Christ.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

Friday, October 2, 2026

Let's look at some examples of healing in the New Testament church. In Acts chapter three, Peter and John were used by God to bring healing to a crippled man who sat begging each day at the temple gate (vv. 1-10). In Acts 9:33-35, we read: "A certain man named Aeneas.. .had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.' Then he arose immediately. So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord" (NIOV). Acts 1 9:1 1-12 says: "God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them" (NKJV). We read that when Paul was shipwrecked and landed on the Island of Malta, "The father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed" (Ac NKJV). The apostles practiced divine healing, and they also preached it. James declared: "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up" (Jas 5:14-1 5 NKJV). So the word for you today is—pray, and believe God for your healing.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

October 1, 2026

When David was twelve years old, he convinced a restaurant manager that he was actually sixteen and was hired as a lunch-counter waiter for twenty-five cents an hour. The place was owned by two Greek immigrant brothers, Frank and George, who had started their lives in America as a dishwasher and a hot-dog seller. David remembered that they set high standards, and they never asked anything of their employees that they wouldn't do themselves. Frank once told David, "As long as you are willing to try, you can always work for me. But when you don't try, you can't work for me." Trying meant everything from working hard, doing whatever needed to be done, and treating customers politely. Once, when Frank noticed a waitress giving a customer a rough time, he fired her on the spot and waited on the table himself. David determined that this would never happen to him! The usual tip for waiters back in those days was ten cents. But David discovered that if he brought out •the food quickly, was especially polite, and gave great service, he sometimes got twenty-five cents as a lip- He set a goal for himself to see how many customers he could wait on in one night. His record was one hundred! He went on to become the founder and chairman of Wendy's International, Inc., a chain of 4,300 restaurants. He also founded a charity called Wendy's Wonderful Kids, which helps to place needy children into adoptive families. His life proves that when you strive for excellence, work hard, and seek to help others, God will bless the work of your hands.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."       Luke 12:15 NIV

Few people have undergone the trials and tribulations of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. He suffered decades of horrendous hardship as a political exile in the Siberian prison system known as the Gulag, and through faith in God, he survived and impacted the world. We can learn from him not only because he is a survivor, but also because he had been in a situation that few of us have ever known--an existence of near total deprivation. He not only lived without luxuries, but he also lived without necessities. Note carefully what he wrote in The Gulag Archipelago: "Don't be afraid of misfortune, and do not yearn for happiness; it is, after all, all the same: the bitter doesn't last forever, and the sweet never fills the cup to overflowing. It is enough if you don't freeze in the cold and if hunger and thirst don't claw at your insides. If your back isn't broken, if your feet can walk, if both arms can bend, if both eyes can see, and if both ears can hear, then whom should you envy? And why? Our envy of others devours us most of all. Rub your eyes and purity your heart--and prize above all else in the world those who love you and wish you well." Now there's a man who had figured out what really matters in life: not material things, but your relationship with God and with your loved ones. Jesus said, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"The things you have heard me say...entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."     2 Timothy 2:2 NIV

The writings of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn exposed the horrors that multitudes of innocent people suffered under the old Russian Communist prison system. And here's how he became a Christian. Jewish physician Boris Kornfeld was imprisoned in Siberia. There he worked in surgery, helping both the staff and prisoners. He met a Christian whose name is unknown, but whose quiet faith and frequent reciting of the Lord's Prayer moved Dr. Kornfeld. One day, while repairing the slashed artery of a prison guard, Dr. Kornfeld seriously considered suturing the artery in such a way that the guard would bleed to death internally over time. The violence he recognized in his own heart appalled him, and he found himself saying, "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." Afterward, he began to refuse to obey various inhumane prison camp rules, knowing it would put his life in danger. One afternoon, he examined a patient who had undergone a cancer operation. He saw in the man's eyes a depth of spiritual misery that moved him, and he told him his own story, including his secret faith in Christ. That night, Dr. Kornfeld was murdered as he slept. But his testimony was not in vain. The patient who had heard his confession became a Christian. And the name of that Christian? The 1970 Nobel Prize in Literature winner, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Don't keep it to yourself; share with others what Christ has done for you. "The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Full of grace and truth."      John 1:14 NKJV

The faith the disciples put Jesus isn't that remarkable--after all, they were eyewitnesses to His miracles. What's remarkable is the faith Jesus put in them--and the faith He puts In us! It's not easy to see past people's problems, much less their personalities. But that's what Jesus does, and it's how we should treat others too. Jesus certainly put the disciples in their place when the occasion called for it. When Jesus told His disciples He would die and be raised on the third day, "Peter...began to rebuke him... This shall never happen to you! (Matthew 16:22 NIV). Whereupon Jesus said to him: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me" (V. 23 NIV). But in the same chapter, Peter Identified Jesus as "the Son of the living God" and Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (see Matthew 16:16-19 NIV). Healthy relationships require both "grace and truth." Grace means, "I'll love you no matter what," and truth means, "I'll be honest with you no matter what." No one was more graceful and truthful than Jesus. And when these two elements combine in your life, you're loving people the way Jesus did.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today 

"The works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these."    John 14:12 NJKV

A school district picked three teachers to pilot a special program. They were told, 'You are the best teachers we have. We want you to teach ninety high-IQ students and see how much they can learn in a year." By the end of the school year, after having heard how special they were and what great potential they had, these students had achieved 20 to 30 percent more than the rest of the school district. That's when the principal called the three teachers into his office and told them: I have a confession to make. You did not have ninety high-lQ students. They were run-of-the-mill students randomly selected. The teachers felt pretty good about what they pulled off. Then the principal said, "I have another confession. You are not the best teachers we have. Your names were the first three out of the hat." So if they were average students taught by average teachers, how did they achieve above-average results? Because someone believed in them and told them so! The German poet Goethe said, "Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be, and he will become as he can and should be." No one modeled this better than Jesus: "The works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do." We need someone who believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. That's who Jesus is. That's what Jesus does. That's why you need to feed on His Word each day.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today 

"Keep to the paths of the righteous."             Proverbs 2:20 NIV

In his book The Mind  of Watergate, psychiatrist Leo Rangell, M.D., related what he called a "compromise of integrity" as he analyzed the relationship between former President Richard M. Nixon and several of his closest confidants in the White House. He recorded a conversation between investigative committee member Senator Howard Baker and young Nixon aid Herbert L Porter. Baker: "Did you ever have any qualms about what you were doing? Did you ever think of saying, 'I do not think this is quite right'... did you ever think of that? Porter: "Yes. I did." Baker: "What did you do about it?" Porter: "I did not do anything about it." Baker: "Why didn't you?" Porter: "In all honesty, probably because of the fear of group pressure that would ensue, and of not being considered a team player." There's nothing wrong with being a team player as long as you are careful about choosing your team! The old saying is true: "You become like the company you keep." The psalmist David said, "I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts" (Psalm 119:63 NIV). Solomon had a lot to say on this subject: "Walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous" (Proverbs 2:20 NIV). "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed" (Proverbs 13:20 NKJV).
"Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil" (Proverbs 4:14 NKJV). The friends you choose will profoundly influence the direction your life goes, so choose your friends wisely.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses)".     Isaiah 53:4 AMPC

If you're dealing with sickness and believing God for healing, here's the most important thing you can do: get into God's Word and get His Word into you." He sent his word, and healed them (Psalm 107:20 KJV). There's healing in the Word of God, so soak your mind on it. You may want long-term health and strength for your body. One of the most powerful verses in Scripture that reveals the purpose of Jesus' suffering as it relates to healing is Isaiah 53:4 (AMPC): "Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and dis-tresses)". The word borne means to take or to carry. He took and carried every form of sickness on Himself. That doesn't mean we won't experience sickness. But it does mean that when sickness shows up, we can take it to Jesus and believe Him for our healing. Clearly God cannot be the source of sickness in your life, for Jesus carried all sickness, weakness, and distress for you on the cross. He is the source of your healing! Sickness is the result of Satan's work and of living in a fallen world. But as a believer, you have the right to stand boldly on God's promises tor your healing and continued strength. When sickness rears its head and presses you with symptoms of any kind, remind yourself that Jesus carried that affliction for you, so you don't have to carry it. The same back that bore the cross that takes away all our sins also bore the stripes that take away all our sickness: "By whose stripes you were healed" (I Peter 2:24 NK/V).

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"If anyone serves, they should do so...so that in ail things God may be praised."     1 Peter 4:11 NIV

Someone may have hired you to do your job, but they didn't call you. Only God can call you. You may have been elected to your position, but your constituents didn't call
you. Only God can do that. No matter where you work or what you do, you were called
by God. In a sense, your job is your sermon, and your colleagues are your congregation. And that sense of calling means Monday morning begins another week of fulfilling your God-given assignment. Perhaps you're just starting out and working in a lower profile job. "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin" (Zechariah 4:10 NLT). While you are working on your Job, God Is working in you. Get the right perspective here. Its not your job; It's His. It's not your cause; it's His. It's not your business it's His. It's not your vision; it's His. It doesn't matter what domain of society you work in or where you are on the org chart. You are called by God. You are where he wants you to be--even if you're not where you want to be. Sometimes the greatest sermon is doing a good job at a bad job or doing a thankless job with a grateful heart. And here's a promise you can stand on every day as you do your job: "The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary, He wakens...my ear to listen like one being Instructed' (Isaiah 50:4 NIV) So. see your job as your calling.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again."       Proverbs 24:16 NIV

The difference between success and failure is often the ability to get up one more time than you were knocked down! Moses could easily have given up. He had a Interrupted childhood, lived with a foster family, had a criminal record, a stammering tongue, and a temper that would eventually keep him out of the Promised Land. But when God called him to lead Israel out of Egypt, he sald "yes." Joshua had been to the Promised Land, but then, through no fault of his own, he was forced to wander in the wilderness for forty years. He could have given up in discouragement, but he was willing to go when God sald to go. Peter sank while trying to walk on water, was rebuked by Jesus for trying to tell Him what to do, and even denled knowing the Lord. He could easily have seen himself as a hopeless failure. But after he'd been to the upper room and was filled with the Holy Spirit, he preached, and three thousand people were won to Christ in a day. Eventually he became a leader in the church, wrote two books of the New Testament, and ended as a martyr for the cause of Christ. Have you fallen and feel llke you can't get up? These Scriptures are for you: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord... Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand" (Psalm 37:23-24 NKJV). Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, when I fall, I will arise' (Micah 7:8 NKJV).

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power...and he sent them out."      Luke 9:1-2 NIV

Secure people seek to empower others. Jesus was a master at It. By empowering His disciples, He ensured that His mission on earth would continue to be accomplished long after He was gone. To empower means to fill with power Power is energy. When we make a habit of empowering others, we energize them to reach their goals. Jesus practiced this principle: "The works that I do shall (you) do also" (John 14:12 KJV). There's nothing more demoralizing than being kept out of the loop on information that impacts you. As difficult as It must have been to get His disciples to understand, Jesus knew He had to inform them of events to come that would affect them. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead" (Mark 9.31 NLT). Later He told them, "I am gong there to prepare a place for you. And... I will come back and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am" (John 14.2-3 NIV). Empowerment occurs when you trust people with a task or responsibility without micromanaging them. Empowering is simply loosening the reins over how something is going to be done while retaining control over what should be done. Good leaders empower others. They know people perform better when they're given the freedom to complete their jobs with some level of independence. When this happens, people "take ownership" of a project, job, or function, and things are completed with a better result. This is a win for everyone.  

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Plead my cause, O Lord...fight against those who fight against me."     Psalm 35:1 NKJV

Israel conquered the Promised Land not because of their skill, but God's skill. In his call to battle, Joshua told his men, "Go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you" (Joshua 1:11 NKJV). On the eve of the Jordan crossing, Joshua declared: "The Lord will do wonders among you" (Joshua 3:5 NKJV). As they stood on the western side of the river, Joshua deduced, "The Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan" (Joshua 4:23 NKJV). On the outskirts of Jericho, "Joshua said to the people: 'Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!'" (Joshua 6:16 NKJV). Joshua summarized the victory by saying, "For the Lord has driven out from before you great and strong nations; but as for you, no one has been able to stand against you to this day. One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you" (Joshua 23:9-10 NKJV).
Envision a single Hebrew soldier with drawn sword racing after an entire battalion of enemies. He is outnumbered a thousand to one, but since God fights for him, they scatter like scared pigeons. Now picture the same for yourself. Fears, dread, hatred, and hurt come at you, and you unsheathe the sword of God's Word and drive them back with "It is written." Here's a great promise: "God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always" (Psalm 121:7-8 MSG).

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

The Lord your God...has fought for you."     Joshua 23:3 NKJV

Here's one of the truly great promises in the Bible: "For he has said, I will never leave you or forsake you." So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6 NRSV). The Greek word for helper has two meanings: "a shout," and "to run." When you need help, God runs with a shout: "I'm coming!" Are you struggling to find a job? God is your helper. Your blood cell count is down? The One who made you is with you. The world is rife with conflict. Still, the Almighty will never leave you or forsake you. Consequently, everything changes! Since God is strong, you will be strong. Since He is able, you will be able. Since He has no limits, you have no limits. We can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid." And God also fights for you! Joshua testified to this--the walls of Jericho had fallen. Thirty-one different kings had been defeated. God had made the sun stand still to give Joshua time to overcome five hostile armies. Now Israel had taken possession of the Promised Land, and in his farewell address, Joshua told the people: "The Lord your God is He who has fought for you." Did you know that God is fighting for you? "With us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles" (2 Chronicles 32:8 NKJV). And "Our God will ight for us" (Nehemiah 4:20 NKJV). And the Lord will "Fight against those who fought against (you]" (Psalm 35:1 NKJV).

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today 

"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."     Romans 8:18 KJV

Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs. But instead of getting angry with God about the things he can't do, Nick made a defining decision as a teenager to be grateful for the things he can do. And he's done some amazing things. Nick's life is a standing rebuke against self pity. He refuses to be defined by his disabilities. Instead, he has leveraged his limitations and turned them into a testimony. Hundreds of thousands have put their faith in Christ after hearing his testimony. And it's the suffering Nick has endured that people identify with most. Simply put, God has turned Nick's pain into eternal gain for thousands of people. And Nick has come to terms with that fact. "I'd rather have no arms and no legs on earth," he says, "and spend eternity with those who come to faith through my testimony!" Paul wrote, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Paul was comparing present-tense suffering with future-tense glory. It's an accounting term, logizomai. Think spreadsheet or balance sheet--It's a record of debits and deposits. Almost like your checking account, your suffering will one day be reconciled. And while we may view suffering as a liability now, on the eternal ledger, it's an appreciating asset.  Peter wrote: "When you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called" (1 Peter 2:20-21 NKJV).

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today 

"The Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it."      Joshua 21:43 NKJV

Three times in three verses, Joshual told the people that God did what He said He would do: (1) "The Lord gave...all...He had sworn to give" (v. 43 NKJV); (2) "The Lord gave...rest...according to all that He had sworn to their fathers" (v. 44 NKJV); (3) "Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken...All came to pass" (v. 45 NKJV). Six hundred years before this, God made a promise to Abraham: "To your descendants I will give this land" (Genesis 12:7 NKJV). When Abraham died, the only land he owned was Sarah's cemetery plot. His descendants were sharecroppers at best, slaves at worst, in Egypt for four centuries. Moses led them near but never into Canaan. God promised Abraham, "I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:2-3 NKJV). This promise was partially fulfilled in Joshua and completely fulfilled in Jesus. In Him all nations are blessed. In Him every person has hope and the possibility of redemption. No wonder the apostle Paul wrote, "All the promises of God find their Yes in him [Jesus]" (2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV). Our God is a promise-making and promise-keeping God. Others may make a promise and forget it. But when our God makes a promise, you can count on it: "He who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23 NIV).

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"They made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept."
Song of Solomon 1:6 NKJV

Bill Galston was at the peak of his career when he resigned as a domestic policy adviser to President Bill Clinton to return to teaching at the University of Maryland. His reason was "to strike a new balance" between work and family. Galston had worked more than a decade on the ideas he hoped to see come to pass. At the White House, he helped form the National Campaign against Teen Pregnancy, planned the National Service Program, and worked on Education Reform and Head Start Legislation.  He consulted widely with administration officials, had an excellent reputation, and loved his job. He tried integrating, time with his son, Ezra, into his schedule--even bringing him to his White House office in the evening. However, Galston was continually hounded by the fact that he often came home too tired to spend quality time with the boy. He struggled with the contradiction between his "Putting Children First" theme for welfare and the practical implementation of this ideal in his own home. What triggered his resignation? His son Ezra sent him a note that said: "Baseball is not fun when theres no one there to applaud you." Was that a hard choice for Bill Galston to make? Yes, but it's one he never regretted. Question: Are you giving your family the time they need and the time they deserve? Do these words describe your struggle to balance the demands of work and family? "They made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard have not kept." If this Scripture speaks to you as a parent, it's time to rearrange your priorities at home.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?   Galatians 3:3 NLT

Do you beat yourself up when you fall short of your expectations? Or do you feel that what you accomplish is never good enough? Are you slow to make a decision because you must make sure it is just right? Is your quest to be blameless really an attempt to protect yourself from criticism and disapproval? You'll never experience peace and emotional security if everything associated with you has to be perfect. Perfectionism is a mindset of self-defeating thoughts and behaviors aimed at reaching unrealistic goals. Psychologist Dr. David Viscott explained it this way: "A controlling adult's wish to be perfect stems from the childhood wish to be blameless. Since real growth means embracing your faults and examining your weaknesses, controlling people run the greatest risk of becoming rigid and failing because of their insistence on always being right. They need to feel they are beyond criticism so that no one will have a good reason for withholding what they need or rejecting them. They believe they need to be perfect just to be safe, so admitting even small imperfections makes them uneasy and self-doubting." In today's society, many people believe that being a perfectionist is desirable and necessary for success. Therefore, they wear their perfections like a badge of honor. The truth is that by being a perfectionist, you set yourself up to fall each day. But you don't have to live that way. Why? Because when you accept Christ as your Savior, God accepts you with all your imperfections. And His unconditional love and acceptance set you free to love and accept yourself.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today 

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse."         Malachi 3:10 NIV

Picture yourself receiving ten one-dollar bills from God. Remember, God is the owner, and you are merely a steward of what He entrusts to you. Looking at the bills in your hand, you say, "God, what do You want me to do with them?" God says, "I want just one of them back." You reply, "Just one? Are you sure?" "Yep. Just give me one.," He says. "Well, what do you want me to do with the other nine?" you inquire. "Whatever you want," He replies. "You mean You're giving me ten dollars, and You want only one back--and I get to keep the other nine?" you exclaim in disbelief. You get the idea, right? Can you imagine hiring a money manager to handle your investments and telling him that he can keep 90 percent of it? That's basically what God does with you. All He asks for His investment is one-tenth of the principal. It's almost laughable. And to think sometimes we struggle to give Him any of it! If you truly approach your finances as if God were the owner of it all, giving a percentage back to Him is only appropriate. When it came to giving in the Old Testament, God decided that 10 percent was appropriate. You say, "Should I tithe off the gross or off the net?" What kind of harvest do you want, net or gross? God told His people, "Bring the whole tithe [before any deductions] into the storehouse...Test me in this...see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today