Intentional Faith

On Second Thought “Jesus answered and said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.” —Luke 7:22 John the Baptist had once stood beside the Jordan with the confidence of a prophet. He called Israel to repentance, confronted…

The Bible in a Year “A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.” —Proverbs 27:12 As we journey through the Bible this year, Proverbs continually reminds us that wisdom is more than possessing information. Biblical wisdom teaches us how to recognize what is happening, anticipate where a path is leading, and respond before unnecessary damage is…

In the Life of Christ “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.” —Mark 3:25–27 As I walk with Jesus through Mark 3, I am struck by how clearly…

As the Day Begins “Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? For to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.” —Jeremiah 10:7 Jeremiah spoke these words while contrasting the living God with the powerless idols of the nations. Those idols had to be shaped by craftsmen, carried from place to place, and…

May the Lord bless your spiritual walk today and draw you into a steadier awareness of His presence. Wherever you are and whatever responsibilities await you, may these daily devotions help you pause, listen, and respond to the voice of Scripture. God remains faithful to complete the good work He has begun in us, and each act of prayerful attention becomes part of that continuing work of…

现今的天堂、属灵的关注与上帝正在展开的救赎故事 当我们思念已经离世、在基督里安息的亲人时，心中常常会出现一个很自然的问题：他们是否知道我们现在正在经历什么？他们是否看见我们的眼泪、挣扎、祷告和成长？圣经没有给我们一份完整的“天堂观察说明书”，也没有告诉我们天上的圣徒能知道地上一切事情。然而，圣经确实提供了一些重要线索，使我们有理由相信，住在现今天堂里的人，至少在上帝允许的范围内，能够知道地上某些重要的事情，特别是与上帝救赎计划有关的事件。 这里需要先作一个清楚的区分。圣经从未教导已经离世的圣徒是无所不知的。只有上帝拥有完全的知识。天上的居民仍然是受造者，他们所知道的一切，都是上帝向他们显明的。因此，我们不应想象已故亲人随时都在观看我们生活中的每一个细节，好像天堂是一间巨大的监控室。更合乎圣经的理解是：上帝可以让他们知道那些与祂的荣耀、祂的公义、祂百姓的得救，以及祂国度进展有关的事情。 启…

As the Day Ends “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus.” Romans 3:26 As this day closes, Romans 3:26 invites us to rest in a truth greater than our failures: God does not forgive sin by pretending that it does not matter. He remains perfectly just, yet He justifies those who place their faith in Jesus. At the…

DID YOU KNOW “‘Too often they have attacked me from my youth.’ Let Israel say, ‘Too often they have attacked me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me.’” Psalm 129:1–2 The way we frame an experience often determines what we believe about it. Two people may endure similar hardships, yet one concludes, “My life has been ruined,” while the other says, “God has preserved me through…

On Second Thought “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1–3 Some wounds hurt because the words spoken were cruel. Others hurt because, beneath the cruelty,…

The Bible in a Year “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” Proverbs 23:23 Truth is described here as something we must acquire, treasure, and refuse to surrender. Of course, truth cannot be purchased with money as though it were merchandise in a marketplace. The language of buying speaks of commitment. We “buy” the truth when we are willing to accept…

In the Life of Christ “But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin—because they were saying, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’” Mark 3:29–30 Few teachings of Jesus create more anxiety than His warning about the unforgivable sin. Spiritually sensitive people sometimes fear that a careless sentence, an angry prayer, an intrusive thought, or a…

As the Day Begins “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.” Luke 15:10 Repentance is rare because the human heart usually prefers self-defense to surrender. We explain our conduct, minimize our failures, compare ourselves with others, and protect our respectable appearance. Yet Jesus teaches that heaven responds with joy when even one sinner turns back to…

May the Lord bless every reader in every place as we enter today’s rhythm of spiritual disciplines, daily devotions, and thoughtful Scripture reflections. Wherever this day finds you—at home, at work, in a season of peace, or carrying a burden—God remains present and faithful. He has not abandoned the work He began in us, and He will continue shaping our Christian walk as we listen, repent,…

天堂中的记忆、安慰与永恒意义 “我看见在祭坛底下，有为上帝的道、并为作见证被杀之人的灵魂。他们大声呼喊说：‘圣洁真实的主啊，你不审判住在地上的人，给我们伸流血的冤，要等到几时呢？’” 启示录…

As the Day Ends “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 As this day comes to a close, James invites us to examine not only whether we prayed, but why we prayed. Prayer is not a spiritual method for persuading God to bless whatever we have already decided to pursue. The phrase “ask amiss” translates the Greek kakōs, meaning wrongly, badly,…

DID YOU KNOW Did You Know? God’s redemption can be so unexpected that it feels unreal when it arrives. Psalm 126 opens with the memory of a restoration so astonishing that the people could scarcely believe it was happening: “When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream” (Psalm 126:1). The Hebrew expression translated “turned again” carries the idea of restoring…

On Second Thought “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed.” Romans 4:16 “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Hebrews 11:3 There are moments when life feels like standing outside a locked door. We can see what we need on…