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Bible Reading
Ephesians chapter 6
Commentary
Faith as a Shield
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”—Ephesians 6:10-17 (NIV)
Sometimes it feels like every day is a fight with little darts flying towards us on all sides. We might consistently lose an argument with our toddler over broccoli. We might struggle with commuters who won’t use their turn signal in rush-hour traffic.
We might wrestle with negative thoughts consistently invading our mind . Today’s passage cautions us that we are, in fact, engaged in a very real battle against dark forces in the heavenly realms.
At the same time, the author, Paul, gives us the strategy for how we can stand firm in the midst of chaos. We are to put on God’s full armor.
The pieces of the armor we are to wear are: the belt of truth at our waist, the breastplate of righteousness on our chests, and the shoes of the gospel of peace on our feet. The pieces we are to take up are the helmet of salvation placed upon our heads, the sword of the Spirit in one hand, and the shield of faith in the other.
The shield Paul refers to is no ordinary shield. It’s large, oblong, and has four corners. It looks like a door and is meant to provide full body protection when we hold it in front of us. This representation of faith as a shield is powerful because faith is our first line of defense. The goal is to not let anything get past our shield or near to our bodies. It protects us, not only by stopping flaming arrows from the enemy, but by extinguishing them completely.
The problem with a shield is that it only protects us on one side, usually the front. As we stand and face the enemy, our sides and our back are exposed. The good news is, if we stand back-to-back with a fellow armored believer, we’ll double our protection. Even better news is, the Lord our God calls Himself a shield, a very great reward (Genesis 15:1).
He surrounds us like a three-sided shield, and so together with our faith, we have 360-degrees of protection on all sides.
The Lord, your shield, is your salvation. He’s the one who will charge and fight the enemy. In fact, He has already overcome the enemy for you. He simply invites you to stand still and see the victory!
The next time you feel those arrows coming your way, stand firm and hold up your shield. Your faith in God will protect you.
Pause: Take a moment to reflect on your first reaction to flaming arrows from the enemy.
Practice: Reach out to someone who can stand
back to back with you. You can share with them what you learned and practically stand with each other in prayer.
Pray: Dear Lord, I thank You that You are my shield and my reward. I choose to go to You first when I feel anxious, attacked, or afraid. I affirm my faith in Your mighty power! Amen.0 -
Bible Reading:
Hebrews chapter 11
Key verse Focus
Hebrews 11:11
Commentary:
The Righteous Live by Faith
By Kelsey Curran
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”—Romans 1:16-17 (NIV)
Try to think back on the last commercial you watched. Maybe it was selling the latest iPhone or pushing a new drug for back pain. Behind each one, there was a team that spent time and money pulling data, hiring creatives, pitching ideas, and ultimately selecting the approach they determined would be best received.
The gospel is far from that. It didn’t pass through various teams for review or approval. It was not made to be appealing in the way the world sees. The gospel isn’t glamorous. But unlike anything the world could ever sell, the gospel is the solution to everyone’s needs.
Remember the story of Naaman (2 Kings 5)? He was a man of high honor and a leper. He sought healing, but thought Elisha’s command to wash seven times in the Jordan was too simple a method to be effective or worthy his time. Elisha’s servants exhorted Naaman saying, “If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?” (verse 13) So he heeded Elisha’s words and “his flesh was restored” (verse 14).
In the same way, Paul tells the Romans (and us) not to be ashamed of the gospel! It may seem simple or even strange upon first glance (let’s be honest, crucifixion isn’t very relatable in 2020), but the gospel is the power of God! Let that sink in. The gospel is the power of the One who created the universe and brings dry bones to life. He is the author and the answer to everything. How then can we be ashamed of it?
Not only is the gospel “the power of God,” but through it “the righteousness of God is revealed.” Righteousness here can mean upright, virtuous, or faultless. So, it’s by the revelation of the Lord’s perfection that we are changed and begin to look more like Him. Our righteousness is actually His reflection resting on us (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are not righteous by our own works, but rather by His. We only need to believe and it will be attributed to us (Genesis 15:6).
But, like every revelation of truth, the revelation of the gospel should move us to action. As David Guzik says, “They are not only saved by faith, but they live by faith.” In the same way, when we see His power, we must then live by it. No longer should we walk in the same strength and mindset as the world!
Pause: Paul says the gospel is “the power of God.” Take some time to really think about the gospel in this way. It may seem foolish to the world (1 Corinthians 2:14), but let your eyes adjust and see it as Paul describes.
Practice: Read Ephesians 5:1-7 and 2 Kings 5. True faith is known by its works (James 2:18). Journal out some new ways you can live by faith.
Pray: God, You made a way for us like nothing else we could ever imagine. Please reveal to me the depth of that power and the beauty of Your righteousness. Let my face and my actions continually be a reflection of all You are. Amen.
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BibleReading
Hebrews chapter 11
Commentary
Remembered for Faith
By Priya Ramsaran
“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”—Hebrews 11:31 (NIV)
Have you ever looked at your life and thought it would never change, or that you would be stuck doing the same wrong thing? As a woman, sometimes I feel like the things that trip me up will always be my issue. Let me give you an example: I yelled at my kids again; therefore, I’m a terrible mom . . . or maybe I'm going to mess them up.
Does the anxiety of a situation keep you from feeling free? If someone knew what happened in your life, do you assume they’d reject you? Have you ever found yourself gripped by shadows of defeat and discouragement?
Satan has a way of highlighting our brokenness. He makes us feel the weight of what we should have done, so we will begin to write a faithless narrative for our lives.
I love reading the whole story of Rahab in Joshua chapter 2. She was known as the “town’s prostitute.” Who knows how long she was in the business, but it's safe to say that was her label. At this point in her story, she had heard about the God of Israel and all the heroic things He had done for His people. It was time for Rahab to take a step of faith. She expressed her fears, but didn't let them cripple her. She asked the Israelite spies to remember her and her family, and she made a promise to do what was right by the God of Israel.
Think about the enormous pressure she must have been under as she dared to step out of her comfort zone. The faith it took for her was huge, and it required a courageous step in a completely different direction. She wasn't required to come up with an entire plan for her life. She was only responsible to take that first step of faith.
How many times have we looked at things that separate us from God and see them as scary giants? Here's the truth: We don't have to have all the details figured out—for all of us planners, we aren't responsible for an elaborate plan.
The beauty of what God is asking us to do is to simply give Him our broken pieces in faith. When we release the things that once scared or defined us, we allow God to do what He does best—to create His masterpiece. Just look at Rahab. She isn’t remembered in history because of her mistakes or for being a prostitute. She’s remembered as a hero of faith and as a member of the family line of David and Jesus. What a beautiful picture of faith!
Are we willing to let God redefine us? Our acts of faith can become a cord that ties generations of people into a legacy of faith. Let's choose to step out in faith and do it together.
Pause: What are some labels you’ve been defined by? What power do they still hold over you?
Practice: What things do you need to release to God? Dig below the surface. Maybe ask someone that knows you well enough to help you see the areas in your life that need some attention.
Pray: Dear Lord, help me to release my negative thoughts and the things in my life that separate me from You. I ask in faith that You would do something new. Would You take what has been broken and reshape them into something
beautiful? Amen.0 -
Bible Reading
Hebrews chapter 12
Commentary
Race of Faith
By Annie Harley
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”—Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)
Did you know when you made the decision to follow Jesus, you also signed up for a race?
In fact, you’re running it right now.
However, this isn’t a normal race marked by speed or competition, but rather, one of consistency and completion.
And don’t worry, there are millions of others who have run this race before and millions more running it alongside you.
Hebrews 12 is preceded by an entire chapter of women and men who left a legacy of faith.
Over the past two days of this reading plan, we read about the faith of Rahab and Sarah. During their lives, they were probably known for many things.
Rahab’s was known for being a prostitute and Sarah for her infertility struggles. However, to this day they’re remembered for their faith.
As fully devoted followers of Jesus, we’ve been grafted into a family tree that’s full of faith.
Countless people have gone before us and displayed what it means to run the race of life with endurance.
When Paul said, “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,” he was referring to Sarah, Rahab, and many others whose lives are remembered for running the race with extraordinary faith.
Paul continues by writing, “let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles.” Imagine yourself running down the street carrying a backpack full of rocks! And then imagine tripping on tangled ropes.
This imagery reflects the sin that holds us back from running well.
However, there’s good news: You don’t have to carry that weight or keep tripping up.
Paul continues by telling us to run our race with perseverance (hupomone, which is synonymously translated as “endurance”).
Theologian William Barclay defines endurance as, “a determination, unhurrying and yet undelaying, which goes steadily on and refuses to be deflected.”
My gym offers workouts that fall under three categories: endurance, strength, and power.
Endurance day is always my least favorite. One time, I actually threw up during endurance day because I drank dairy before going to class. Now, whenever I hear it’s endurance day, a small part of me asks, “Would they notice if I slipped out?”
I’d much rather do sprints on the treadmill on a power day than run for what feels like forever on an endurance day. Similarly, I often find myself wanting to sprint through life, even though I know my race must be run with endurance.
The ultimate endurance runner of life was Jesus
—“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” We, too, are able to endure life because He endured the cross.
We just have to remember to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus!
Pause: Take a moment to ask yourself, “What is holding me back from living a life of faith?”
Practice: Write down what you sensed was revealed to you.. If you’re in a group, share it with your group!
Pray: Lord, thank You for revealing in me what is holding me back from living a life of faith. Amen.0 -
Bible Reading
1Corinthians 13
Commentary:
FAITH. HOPE. LOVE.
By Annie Harley
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”—1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
Faith, hope, and love, are the three defining characteristics of Christ followers. 1 Corinthians 13:13 explains that even if everything else fades, faith, hope, and love remain. Pastor David Guzik says, “The three greatest pursuits of the Christian life are not ‘miracles, power, and gifts.’ They are faith, hope, and love.” All throughout Scripture, these three distinctives are found together (Galatians 5:5–6; Colossians 1:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8; 2 Timothy 1:12–13; 1 Peter 1:21–22).
Faith is “the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT). Scripturally, faith and hope are inseparable. You cannot have faith without the hope of salvation, and it is impossible to have hope without believing in faith. Love is described as the greatest because it was out of God’s love for the world that He sent his son Jesus to die and be raised from death, overcoming sin, so that we could experience a life of faith and hope. Love is an attribute of God. (1 John 4:8).
Faith and love seem like very obvious pursuits of the Christian life. However, hope can oftentimes feel like an elusive concept. It may feel confusing. Hope can feel like crossing our fingers and wishing for the best. And that's exactly how many people view hope. Often times, we equate hope to a wishful thought in which the outcome is unknown. Thoughts such as, I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow or I hope my friend doesn’t get bad news on her health.
But that is not the biblical word. The idea behind the word we translate as hope in the New Testament is that it's like an anchor for our souls. Not wishful thinking, but confident expectation. It’s a joyful certainty! As Christ followers, hope is having confidence that God is who He says He is, which brings forth expectation that He will do what he says He will do. Confidence is found in the character of God. As we learn who God is through reading the Word, we are able to have expectancy that his promises are true.
Biblical hope is always rooted in the future. All throughout scripture, hope is always pointed towards what is coming. It gives perspective to see beyond the current moment. Whatever you are walking through right now, be encouraged that you can hope with confident expectation.
Over the next twelve days, we are confidently expectant. As you read each day’s devotional, we pray that “the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV).”
Pause and Reflect: Where do I need hope?
Practice: In your journal, write down what area of life you need hope.
Pray: Ask God to give you confident expectation in who He is and in His promises.0 -
Bible Reading
Psalms 62
Commentary:
REST IN HOPE
By Margarita Perez
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence for my hope is from him.”—Psalm 62:5 (ESV)
As a single woman who lives alone, I wake up every day to the silence of a quiet home. However, as the day goes on, my emotions and my circumstances make a loud noise in my heart and mind. When this happens, I end up having conversations. Some conversations I have with myself where I remind my soul of the promises of God, and some conversations I have with the Lord where I pour out my heart over the sadness I feel when things don’t go my way.
In today’s Scripture, we see David having a conversation with his soul; his inner man. The Psalm starts with these truthful words: "For God alone." Multitudes will place their hope in God plus someone or something else, but our hope should be in God alone! The more we are satisfied in Him, the better choices we’ll make.
David reminds himself of the attributes of God, followed by an outpouring of his troubled heart to the Lord. Then he addresses his soul by saying “wait in silence.” We should learn from this. We, too, can silence our emotions and insecurities and choose to quietly abide in God, in His unchanging character, in His steadfast love and power, but mainly, in His providence and sovereignty.
Throughout your journey of faith, you have held the hand of your Savior. You’ve experienced His unfailing presence. You’ve seen Him answer your prayers and wipe away your tears. He has come through for you an innumerable amount of times.
And yet, today, you may find yourself filled with uncertainty, making it hard to remain hopeful.
If that’s you, take the time today to quiet your emotions, to invite your soul to wait in silence, and to quietly submit to Jesus. You can believe in the love and will He has for you, without anxiously trying to force things to go your way.
Hope means to wait with expectation for Jesus to be your miracle maker and for His response. To hope in God means to fix your heart in His Word.
The more you meditate on His promises, the less you’ll give ground to your doubts and fears.
Let your hope in God be an anchor to your soul, sure and steadfast.
Pause and Reflect: Are you fixated on what you are waiting for rather than on Who you are waiting for?
Practice and Pray: Write a prayer where you share with God what is holding you back from
having an anchored hope in Him.0 -
Bible Reading
Hebrews chapter 6
Commentary:
CONFIDENT HOPE
By Gretchen Scruby
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”—Hebrews 6:19-20 (NIV)
I sank into the chair in our living room, waving my white flag of surrender. I spent the day cooking and creatively locating quiet places for the kids to work while I played referee.
I was drowning in my circumstances, which left me unsettled instead of hopeful. I couldn't find the words to pray nor the energy to open my Bible. I should have asked for prayer, except my stressful day seemed insignificant compared to what other people were facing. We had been home for over a month adjusting to our new routine due to COVID-19. Thankfully, my family was healthy, and I was grateful we were all together. How could I complain?
Nevertheless, the days were running together, and the tensions continued to rise. The thought of doing this again the next day took my breath away. I know Jesus is always with me (Hebrews 13:5), but I still felt alone. Why wasn't remembering this enough to remove my despair?
The same way a captain must use an anchor to keep his ship stable, especially in turbulent seas, I recognized I needed Jesus in order to keep me steady. So, I began replacing the lies swirling in my mind with God's truths. I Peter 5:7 (NLT) says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” Whatever we're facing, God wants us to bring it all to Him.
I made it through the day, and knew I could make it through the next one. I truly desired this new normal to end. I was seeking Jesus to change my difficulties instead of changing me. Embracing confident hope in Jesus doesn't mean all the storms will cease.
Despite the winds still raging, Jesus calmed me as I put a few practical steps in place: I shared how I was feeling with others and asked for prayer, I turned on worship music more often to combat the commotion in our house, and I focused on my blessings and how to bless others.
Most importantly, I now meditate on Scripture throughout the day. Over the past month while being at home, I began a Scripture journal—I just needed to open it. Little did I know God had been preparing me for when I'd grow weary in this season.
“This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”—1 John 3:19-20 (NIV)
Pause and Reflect: Is there a storm in your life which you're seeking Jesus to change the circumstances? Will you invite Him in to calm you in the midst?
Practice: Write down Hebrews 6:19-20 and meditate on it. Be reminded Jesus is your anchor of hope, even when you don't feel hopeful.
Pray: Continue to cling to the hope of Jesus, listen to worship music, list what you're thankful for, and reach out for prayer. You aren't alone. Jesus is with you, and He sees all that you're going through.0 -
Bible Reading
Isaiah 40:28-31
HOPE AND RENEWED STRENGTH
By Denise Trio
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”—Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)
“Eight . . . nine . . . ten!” I count in my head as I put the weights back down on the rack and wipe the sweat from my forehead. I lift weights because I know it’s good for my health and increases my physical strength. The way my muscles get stronger is with the resistance of the weight. The tiny tears in my muscles at the end of a hard workout are painful. My arms and legs feel weary.
Our hearts are like this as well. Sometimes the weight of life makes us tired and weary. Maybe you lost your job and you’re worried about how you’ll make ends meet next month. Perhaps a friend or family member is ill and the doctors are not optimistic about their diagnosis. Or maybe you’re suffering silently with depression, anxiety, and loneliness. It’s as if you’ve done one too many reps and there’s no way for you to carry on.
But the irony about lifting weights is that it’s proven to make your muscles stronger. Resistance makes you stronger.
The best news for our hearts is that we don’t have to face resistance alone. We have a supernatural, everlasting, all-powerful source of strength in our Creator who never grows tired or weary. The promise from Isaiah in today’s Scripture says that He will give strength to our weary hearts and increase our power when we are weak.
The psalmist says, “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit” (Psalm 147:5 NIV). We could spend our entire lives learning about the Lord, and we would still never gain full comprehension of who He is. In our weariness and our depleted strength, over and over again, we can turn to God and discover more about His character and His ways. In the depths of those moments of discovery of about our Father is where our hope is built.
“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” This promise is for you!
The Hebrew word for hope here is qavah and is also translated as “to trust, to wait, to look for, and to expect.” It’s used in other places in the Bible when describing binding material together, collecting, and holding fast as applied to strength.
Hope is not passive. Just like I have to grasp the dumbbell with my hands to perform each rep, there is action involved with hope. The protein-packed meal I eat after a workout provides my body energy and replenishes my strength. If our physical bodies are strengthened by weights and food, how much more will our hearts be strengthened by our almighty and everlasting God?
Put your hope in the Lord today and find your strength in Him.
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?’ For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”—Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)
Pause and Reflect: How can you look for and expect hope in an area of your life that seems hopeless?
Practice: Knowing that God is the source of all power and strength, consider what you can do to bind together, collect, and hold fast to strength.0 -
Bible Reading
Psalm 119:114
Commentary
HOPE IN THE WORD OF GOD
By Maritza Cosano
“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”—Psalm 119:114 (NIV)
People are seekers. Often, they’re seeking the benefits of God: peace, love, joy, and hope. But the truth is, to attain those benefits, you need to have a real relationship with Him. How does that develop? Well, just like any other relationship, it starts by getting to know Him, which can only be developed through Jesus Christ—the Word of God. John 1:1 (NIV) says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Pretty simple concept, right? Jesus is the Word of God. Having a relationship with Jesus produces hope. But how is this hope developed, and how is it different from the hope the world offers?
Before I answer that, think about someone who’s been diagnosed with cancer and has already exhausted all of their treatment options. Imagine them saying, “I’ve given up hope on getting well, but my hope in the Lord will never die.” What does this show?
This person’s hope to get well has been a wish, a desire, but their hope in the Lord is a firm conviction.
God knows we can’t live without hope. He’s not in the business of merely fulfilling wishes, He’s in the business of giving us a living hope. Even while facing death, Christians, though at times discouraged, have an eternal hope.
So, to answer those questions . . . Just as faith is a gift of God, hope is as well. The Holy Spirit is the One who fills us with the love and hope of God. This hope produces joy and contentment, and our experience of it can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit. No world remedy or provision can come close to that.
This assurance can only be found in God’s Word. It’s our “all-access badge”! From Genesis to Revelation, Jesus tells us several remarkable things: we’re God’s children, we’re chosen, we’re wanted, and we’re never alone.
The Scriptures clearly point out the path toward a life of joy and hope: accept your circumstances and be thankful in them (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), choose not to worry (Philippians 4:6), fix your eyes on Jesus rather than on your situation—following His example in suffering (Hebrews 12:2)—and put your hope in future glory (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Colossians 1:5; Titus 1:2).
Jesus is our refuge and shield (Ephesians 6:10-18). And when we engage in a real relationship with Him by praying, studying, and meditating on His Word, we experience the kind of hope that surpasses understanding.
Pause and Reflect: This week, look at your life from a new perspective. Imagine your life on the screen of eternity, where your 70+ years of life are a mere blip on the screen. It is eternity that matters.
Practice: Read Psalm 25:3, 119:105, and Ephesians 6:10-18. And then ask yourself: What are the benefits of the hope I have in Jesus, in God’s Word.
Pray: Praise Jesus that He is your hope. He will never disappoint you (Romans 5:5).0 -
Bible Reading:
Hebrews chapters 10 and 11
HOPE IN THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
By Maritza Cosano
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”—Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)
Commentary:
Hope is a special gift of our salvation. According to Hebrews 10:23, it’s a certainty of God’s promise. While we can “hope” that our troubles will be over tomorrow or that our children won’t spill their cereal on the living room carpet (again), we must remember that our only reliable hope is in what we cannot see or control: the outrageous faithfulness of God.
Like most women, my brain is wired for intuitive thinking and is good at controlling things. Make no mistake, although the technical ingenuity involved in our brain wiring is awesome, sometimes we can allow it to get a lot of things in a tangle. Mainly, that central desire to control things. Yes, I hate to admit it, most women don’t deal well with expecting the unexpected. So, we organize, plan, and execute that plan . . . whatever it may be.
A key thing to bear in mind is that from the time we were young girls, we were given certain responsibilities, like holding a baby (toy) in our arms. We rocked it. We fed it. We protected it from others, most especially from our boy siblings—or boys in general. Is it so surprising then that when it comes to our circumstances in life, we have a hard time placing our hope on something or someone other than ourselves or someone we can’t see or trust?
Trust . . . Now, this leads me to our second key thing. As women, most of us have had our share of mistrusting others. Be it from bad relationships with the opposite sex or with friends and family members. But, ladies, this is where we need to untangle our thoughts and let God take control. And that can only happen when we trust Him with all our hearts. I know trust doesn’t always come easy. But if there’s one person we CAN trust, it’s the One who made us and saved us, who sent His Son for us and gave us eternal life! And our responsibility to God as His daughters is to study His character so we will know, without a doubt, that whatever way He deals with our circumstances in life, it’s the right way. Even when things don’t go the way we thought or desired, we can still stand firm on knowing He is our Abba Father—all-loving, all-knowing, incredibly merciful and gracious.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to persevere in a number of areas, to hang on to hope when life gets crazy—moving forward, heading toward the day when Christ returns or takes us home. Meanwhile, let’s hold on to each other as sisters in Christ, offering the love, support, and assurance each of us needs.
Your relationship with Jesus is instrumental in your life as a believer. This week, I challenge you to place all your confidence in God’s plan for your life, with an expectation that He will fulfill everything He has promised, though you haven’t experienced fulfillment yet.
Pause, Practice, and Pray: Read Hebrews 11 and journal what God shows you, what it means to you. And then, ask God: “Lord, please increase my faith in you.”0 -
Bible Reading:
Romans chapter 8
Commentary:
HOPE IN WAITING
By Priya Ramsaran
“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”—Romans 8:24-25 (NIV)
Have you ever felt like you had no control over a situation and fear began to engulf you? A year ago, my dad was rushed to the hospital in a comatose state. I knew it was bad when my mom said those dreaded words, “He’s not doing well.” My emotions started to rage and my prayer was, “Lord please save him!”
The moment our lives are met with crisis, disappointment, or loss, it becomes evident we need hope—just like what we’re facing now in the middle of this pandemic. We need hope to carry on and make it through whatever we’re facing. It’s easy to lose hope because of our surroundings or the dreaded outcome. We don't need hope when things are good, but rather when things are hard and uncertain.
I love how Paul first tells us that in this hope we were saved. Our eternity becomes secure when we place our trust in Jesus, which is the greatest hope and outcome. That security gives us confidence to face any situation, even when anxiety, loneliness, or discouragement set in. This is the foundation of our faith.
Almost every morning my two-year-old goes outside in our front yard and takes rocks from our landscaping. She stacks them into beautiful little towers. We leave them there, and they become a reminder of her presence and handiwork. Similarly, we need stacks of hope in our lives so we can look back at our stories of hope, when our great God showed up, and share these beautiful moments of hope with others. It encourages others to see God's hand in our lives, and it builds great towers of faith.
But what about those unresolved things in our lives that still don't have an answer or an ending? How do we wait and for how long? This is the patience part of the verse that has to come into practice. Patience is the capacity to accept, tolerate, and delay trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset. It takes practice and repetition to work it out. Patience is not passive. We have to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and surround ourselves in His Word where we’ll find His promises of hope so we can trust Him with the process, regardless of time.
For months, I visited my dad in the hospital. I had to release control and exercise great patience. When he finally came home, I realized that hope takes great faith, patience, and perseverance.
Maybe you’re in need of hope. Do not grow weary in the waiting. Instead, look to the God of hope and surrender the outcome to Him. He will work all things out for good—in His time and in His perfect way.
Pause and Reflect: Take time to reflect and share moments of hope you’ve experienced in your life.
Practice: Is there a situation that requires hope in your life? How can you practice patience in the waiting? Write out some verses that will encourage you to stand and remain strong.
Pray: Ask the Lord for patience and His strength in the waiting.0 -
Bible Reading
Romans 15
OVERFLOWING WITH HOPE
By Colleen Robichaud
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”—Romans 15:13 (NKJV)
Among the many treasures received as a daughter of God are knowledge, Scripture, and the Holy Spirt. Let’s use these tools to mine the depth and blessedness of abounding hope.
In today’s Scripture, Paul introduces our Lord as “the God of hope,” which can also be interpreted as "the God who is Himself hope!" Romans 5:5 (TPT) tells us His “hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts . . .”
Fill means to the brim. We see this same meaning of this word used in John 12:3 (NIV) “as the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” used to anoint Jesus’ feet. Paul goes on to say, “fill you with all” to highlight that God is not stingy. He fills those that love Him to the max!
Paul then states that God lavishly fills “you with all joy and peace.” Our first joy is the forgiveness of sin, which leads to the joy of eternal life with Jesus—the prized upward call of God (Philippians 3:14 NASB). Life with God produces a deep inner rejoicing. It doesn’t matter whether circumstances are favorable or unfavorable, we will rejoice, “and no one will take away [our] joy” (John 16:22 NIV).
Biblically, peace is defined as “a state of harmony and restoration.” One Bible scholar called it, "The tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.” Peace is twofold . . . it comes when we accept God’s forgiveness, and thus experience restoration to God and harmony with God. And it’s felt when we’re in God’s intimate presence. In Mark 6:50–51 (NLT) with the winds howling and the storm raging, Jesus walks on water to meet His disciples and says to them, “‘Don’t be afraid . . . Take courage! I am here!’ Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped.” You see that? As soon as He entered the scene, as soon as they were in His presence, peace came!
Now we move on to the vital role of believing. Trust, faith, and belief all come from the Greek root word pistis, which means “to have complete confidence in what is worthy of trust.” Surely God is able “to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 NASB). We must believe in this!
Today’s verse ends with “by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Think about this: The same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11) is in you! Just as the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus at the beginning of His ministry (Luke 3:22–23), when the Holy Spirit enters you, it’s the beginning of yours.
Your mission is to abound in hope, knowing that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Friends, “may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!” (Romans 15:13 TPT).
Pause and Reflect: Using words from Romans 15:13 (NKJV), answer the following questions:
1. Who is the source of your hope?
2. What must you do to be filled with all joy and peace?
3. When you believe, who are you filled with and what does He bring?
4. What is the result of the power of the Holy Spirit in you? What will you abound in?
Practice: Write down Romans 15:13 and display it somewhere you'll see it each day.
Pray: As you spend time in prayer today, ask the Lord to fill you with His peace, His strength, and His joy, so that you may abound in hope.0 -
Bible Reading
Psalm 119:114
Romans 12
JOYFUL IN HOPE
By Isabelle Reardon
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”—Romans 12:12 (ESV)
Commentary:
Today’s verse falls amidst a lengthy list of actions that Paul encourages us to walk in. A few things he encourages us to do is to let our love be genuine, to love and honor one another, to bless those who persecute us, and to not be overcome by evil but to overcome evil with good.
Honestly, when I read Romans 12:12 I’m not encouraged because everything in me doesn’t want to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer. Instead, everything in me is prone to complain, is impatient especially when it comes to tribulation, and doesn’t want to be in constant prayer. I’d love to say to Paul, “Come on, who do you think I am? This feels like an impossible to-do list!”
You may be thinking the same thing. And it’s true. It’s hard to do all of these things in our own strength, which has proven to be quite weak and not really strong at all. Jesus doesn’t expect us to conquer a to-do list. Instead, He wants us to receive the gift of hope, patience, and steadfastness in prayer which can only come from abiding in Him.
We’re entirely incapable of doing anything on our own (John 15:5), and Jesus knows this. In 1 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV) Paul states, “What do you have that you did not receive?” Any good thing we have, and any good that has ever been produced out of us, has never come from our humanness. They have always been the result of the living God at work within us.
We don’t have to try and conjure up something that looks like rejoicing in hope. We have been freely given hope Himself, and because of this gift we’re able to rejoice.
Friends, Jesus has given us so much. He’s given us a family, the hope of eternity, and He’s given us Himself. But we do have free will. And as such, we get to choose where we’ll look and what we’ll cling to. The question is: Will we look to ourselves to muster up rejoicing in hope, will we look to our circumstances to satisfy our longing for joyful hope, or will we set aside the things we’ve held onto and take hold of the treasure we’ve been given—the Savior of the world who calls us His beloved and gives us purpose?
Let’s surrender, cling to Jesus, and watch as the gift of His joyful hope arises within us and changes the way we see the world around us.
Pause and Reflect: Why are joy and suffering so often linked together in Scripture?
Practice: It's been said before that happiness is a feeling, but joy is a choice. So, as an outpouring of the hope of Christ, consider ways you can practice joy today.
Pray: Hope in the Lord and joy in the Lord are fueled by time with the Lord. As you pray today, thank the Lord for all the things He has given you that cause you to walk in hope and live with joy.0 -
Bible Reading
John 15:1-14
Love Matters
Love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12)
When people puzzle over the mysteries of life, one of the deepest is the question of why anything exists at all. Why is there something rather than nothing?
The Bible’s one-word answer to that question is love.
God’s love is the power that called the universe into being. God’s love is the reason you and I were created, and why we’re still alive to draw breath at this very moment. Love is the very nature of God, and he wants it to be the nature of people as well.
Love is the supreme mark of an authentic human life.
The words Jesus spoke to his disciples in the upper room on the last night of his life constitute a sort of last will and testament for the family of his followers. His central instruction was short and simple: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
One of the things the Bible makes perfectly clear is that Christlike love is the only true measure of a successful life. All other gifts and abilities are negated, every other form of success is rendered null and void, where love is lacking. As the great theologian Karl Barth observed, all of your life’s accomplishments, without love, are like a string of zeroes without a positive number in front: however long the list, it still adds up to nothing.
So what does real love look like? It looks like Jesus, of course.
As you pray, ask God to help you love more like him every day.0 -
Bible READING
HOSEA 2:14-20
Commentary:
God's Patient Love
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. (Hosea 2:14)
When I was in second grade, a boy in my class swore he would hold his breath until the girl he liked said she liked him back. Fearfully watching as his face turned red, she blurted out, “OK! I like you!” Needless to say, that “relationship” didn’t last long.
In this beautiful passage in Hosea, we read that while God’s people chose to follow other gods, God did not give up on them.
But rather than force them to love him, God says he will allure them and speak tenderly to them, giving them hope where there was none.
Through this, God declares, they will one day call him “my husband” (v. 16).
This is the promise of Christ. Through the death and resurrection of Christ, the curtain was torn between us and God. We are completely forgiven, our previous indiscretions forgotten.
God has thrown wide the doors of hope, and we see that he is not a master demanding our love, but a patient God who seeks relationship with us.
Relationship that is not forced upon us, but one that we desire because he has shown us the depth of his love through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Today, consider the patient love of God. He will not demand that you love him, but he is always calling to you, ready to welcome you into his open
arms.
As you pray, thank our faithful God for his love.
Ask him to help you love others the way he loves you.0 -
Bible Reading
Hebrews 13:1-7
Commentary
Simple Love
Let mutual love continue. (Hebrews 13:1)
With two children in elementary school, I’m constantly signing student homework planners to keep track of what’s happening in class and receiving quarterly reports of all of the assignments my kids have or haven’t turned in. Report cards come home regularly to tell me my kids’ grades. And then there’s extra credit to boost their grade if we’re not satisfied.
Sometimes we treat following Jesus like earning a grade. We constantly wonder if we’ve done enough to get an A. If I’ve donated canned goods to a local food pantry this month, do I have to serve at the soup kitchen as well? I know I’m supposed to love my enemies, but what about the person who told a nasty rumor about me? We’re like Peter asking Jesus, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive?” (Matthew 18:21 ).
The author of Hebrews reminds us to keep it simple. Don’t worry about keeping score—just love! We might actually want a grade because it tells us where we stand. But for God, it’s not about the grade, it’s about the heart. God wants us to love freely, because we have been loved (1 John 4:19).
Instead of asking if you’ve done enough, ask yourself where God is giving you an opportunity to show love to others: remember those in prison, show hospitality, be content with what you have—but all of those things spring from one simple command: love.
As you pray, thank God for his simple love for you.0 -
Bible Reading:
Romans 12
Commentary
Called to Love God and Love Others
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. (Romans 12:9)
Jesus summarized the Old Testament’s many laws with the great commandment to love God with all of our heart and the second like it to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40).
“Neighbor” in this passage is not limited to those who share a property line with you.
Your neighbor is anyone you meet or are able to impact. It’s easy to love ourselves. We readily overlook our faults and focus on the good we do. It’s much harder to love others.
If we truly grasp God’s love and the good news of the gospel, we will aim to share that love with everyone we can.
Today’s passage is filled with many commands that provide examples of how we can show love, forgiveness, and grace to others.
Which of these commands might God be challenging you to apply in your interactions with others today?
Before we start making excuses, let’s never forget that Jesus went all the way to death, even death on a cross, to love us. Don’t forget that God calls each Christian to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)!
It may not be easy to love others, but it’s exactly what God wants from us. Start by praying for others, and God will soften your anger, help you overcome excuses, and provide open doors for showing and sharing the love of Christ.
As you pray, ask our God of love to help you to love others.0 -
Bible Reading:
1 Chronicles chapter 16
Key Verses 8 and 9
Commentary:
A Prayer… of Praise
Father, you are so worthy of it all—my attention, praise, worship, and love. Your works are amazing, beyond anything I can even express.
Help me be a light that shines toward you today. It is often hard for me to stand out from the world and be different. Give me the courage to make your goodness known and to never be ashamed.
Please give peace to my friends who are standing up for you and as a result have found themselves friendless or with few who understand them.
I thank you for your wonderful works and all that you have done and will do.
In the glorious name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Devotion by Max Lucado's new 365-day devotional God Is With You Every Day0 -
Bible Reading
Ephesians 5:15-16
Commentary
Today I Will . . .
Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s okay to stumble. . . . I will get up. It’s okay to fail. . . . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening.
Today I will make a difference.0 -
Bible Reading:
Luke chapter 2
Key verse- Luke 2:49
Commentary
Be About His Business
Time on God’s anvil should clarify our mission and define our purpose. When a tool emerges from a blacksmith’s anvil, there is no question as to what it is for. There is no question as to why it was made. One look at the tool and you instantly know its function.
As a human emerges from the anvil of God, the same should be true. Being tested by God reminds us that our function and task is to be about his business, that our purpose is to be an extension of his nature, an ambassador of his throne room, and a proclaimer of his message.
We should exit the shop with no question as to why God made us. We know our purpose.
We are God’s people, and we are to be about his business. If we live our lives in this way, then we can enter our final years with the assurance of knowing that life was well spent and that heaven is but a wink away.
And is there any greater reward than this?0
