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Our Daily Bread Daily Devotional for 2025

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Sunday, September 21, 2025 Peace With God Bible in a Year : Ecclesiastes 7-9, 2 Corinthians 13 Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 5:1-11 When I accompanied my friend to a beauty salon on her birthday, we were delighted by the pampering we received. Soothing music and a personal attendant welcomed us to the tranquil, dimly lit spa. The whole experience was calm, quiet and restful. I had to suppress a giggle, however, at a sign displayed on a table proclaiming: “This organic hair-care line gives you more...More Saturday, September 20, 2025 Minds That Can't Sleep Bible in a Year : Ecclesiastes 4-6, 2 Corinthians 12 [God] grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 127:1-2 “When I have to be in control, then sleep is terrifying,” admits John Hindley in Weakness Our Strength, “[so] no wonder anxiety keeps us awake or sets us bolt upright at 4 a.m.” Such sleeplessness is only increasing, with forty-seven percent of the UK having disturbed nights every week. Anxiety, finances and work-related stresses are key culprits. “What sort of God would create us to need such a wasteful,...More Friday, September 19, 2025 The Change Christ Brings Bible in a Year : Ecclesiastes 1-3, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 Whoever . . . confesses and renounces [their sins] finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 28:13-14 When a patch of irritated skin formed near my left eye, I used makeup to cover it. Temporarily, this kept my problem a secret. After a while though, the swollen red spot didn’t clear up, and I knew it needed medical attention. On the morning of the doctor’s appointment, I was tempted to apply makeup as usual, but I didn’t. I wanted the doctor to see the problem clearly and treat it so...More Thursday, September 18, 2025 Of Megalodons and Leviathan Bible in a Year : Proverbs 30-31, 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me. Job 41:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Job 41:1-5, 10-14 Years ago, a lumpy package arrived through my letterbox. I noticed my best friend’s return address on it and smiled. Joe sometimes sends me unexpected things. This package qualified: inside was a dark brown shark’s tooth—five inches long. Joe’s letter explained: it was a fossilised tooth from a prehistoric shark, a megalodon, many times bigger than a great white...More Wednesday, September 17, 2025 God’s Strength Bible in a Year : Proverbs 27-29, 2 Corinthians 10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him. Judges 3:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : Judges 3:7-11 Her husband’s death began a period of transition for Nora. She took over his hardware business and cared for their three children on her own. “Be strong,” friends often told her. But what does that mean? she’d think. That I must deliver without fail in my responsibilities? God gave great responsibilities to Othniel in a time of transition for the people of Israel. As discipline for the nation’s idolatry, God had...More Tuesday, September 16, 2025 Chosen First Bible in a Year : Proverbs 25-26, 2 Corinthians 9 He chose us in him before the creation of the world. Ephesians 1:3-14 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 1:3-14 As a teenager I had numerous short-lived crushes on girls at school. Hopes stirred were as quickly dashed and names doodled on pencil cases swiftly erased. Seeing those dreams evaporate while friends paired off was painful. I hoped one day someone may possibly, just possibly, like a shy, geeky teenager enough to date him. I longed to be chosen by someone; to be accepted and loved by somebody...More Monday, September 15, 2025 Carrying Jesus' Presence Bible in a Year : Proverbs 22-24, 2 Corinthians 8 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 28:16-20 Azeem was working in the supermarket café when a regular customer looked at him curiously. “They must be paying you a lot of money,” he said. “You’re always smiling.” Azeem chuckled, then told him the secret to his joy: “I’m not doing this for the company. I’m doing this for God.” Intrigued, the customer asked him to explain. Because of that conversation, the customer went to church...More Sunday, September 14, 2025 God’s Tender Care Bible in a Year : Proverbs 19-21, 2 Corinthians 7 He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart. Isaiah 40:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 40:10-11, 29-31 Sitting in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, I visited a mother as her newborn baby cuddled up against her chest. In this technologically advanced medical facility, the doctors had recommended a very low-tech ‘prescription’ to improve and strengthen the child’s health—the new mum was to spend extended periods of time simply holding her daughter. There’s...More Saturday, September 13, 2025 Searching for Mercy Bible in a Year : Proverbs 16-18, 2 Corinthians 6 Then you will know that I am the Lord your God. Exodus 16:12 Today's Scripture & Insight : Exodus 16:11-16 Her fans knew her as Nightbirde. Singer-songwriter Jane Kristen Marczewski won a following in 2021 on a popular TV talent show. In 2017, she’d been diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. In 2018, she went into remission. She started touring, but months later the cancer returned, giving her little chance of survival. Amazingly, she recovered and was declared cancer-free. But on 19 February, 2022, Nightbirde...More Friday, September 12, 2025 Guarding Thoughts in Christ Bible in a Year : Proverbs 13-15, 2 Corinthians 5 Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure . . . think about such things. Philippians 4:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Philippians 4:4-9 Lap after lap, Katie Ledecky was in a familiar spot during the 1500-meter freestyle race at the 2024 Paris Olympics. For some fifteen minutes, she was far ahead of the rest of the swimmers and alone with her thoughts. What was Ledecky thinking about during the long race? In an interview conducted immediately following her gold-medal-winning performance in...More Thursday, September 11, 2025 Lamenting to God Bible in a Year : Proverbs 10-12, 2 Corinthians 4 See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed. Lamentations 1:20 Today's Scripture & Insight : Lamentations 1:20-22 I viewed the opening displays of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City with curiosity but kept my emotions in check. That changed when we entered the inner exhibit, which the curators have wisely closed off from children and those wanting to shield themselves from the more heartrending images. As I encountered story after story of heartbreak and loss, waves of...More Wednesday, September 10, 2025 Powerless but Not Prayerless Bible in a Year : Proverbs 8-9, 2 Corinthians 3 We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Chronicles 20:2-4, 6-12, 15 Anita Bailey’s heart was warmed when she got this social media message about her son Jalen: “I was a greeter today at [church] and a young man with a child in his arms came up to me and put his arms around me. . . . I stared for a second, then I recognised him and said, ‘Jalen’! We embraced and chatted briefly. What a fine young man!” The greeter had known Jalen in his rebellious days...More Tuesday, September 9, 2025 Unashamed for Jesus Bible in a Year : Proverbs 6-7, 2 Corinthians 2 Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord. 2 Timothy 1:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Timothy 1:6-12 Before he was martyred for his steadfast faith in Jesus, an African minister whose name has not been preserved wrote “A Martyr’s Prayer”. This profound message from another era has become known as “The Fellowship of the Unashamed”. This pastor’s words present a challenge to all believers in Jesus—a challenge that echoes the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote in his letter to his young...More Monday, September 8, 2025 Embracing Christ’s Truth Bible in a Year : Proverbs 3-5, 2 Corinthians 1 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 14:1-7 When my friend Connor takes pictures on his old film camera, he doesn’t bother to find attractive lighting or airbrush blemishes or crop out anything unsightly. His photos are startlingly raw. They stand out in my social media feed next to heavily edited photos of gorgeous people and places. Though unconventional, his work is beautiful because it communicates truth about how things really are. We all...More Sunday, September 7, 2025 Dependence on God Bible in a Year : Proverbs 1-2, 1 Corinthians 16 The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. . Mark 10:14 Today's Scripture & Insight : Mark 10:13-16 “Oh, you look so serious!” I said to my ten-week-old granddaughter Leilani. She was studying my face with a knitted brow as I talked to her. “I’d be serious too,” I continued, “looking at this world. But you know what? Mummy loves you, Daddy loves you, and Baba and Papa [our nicknames as grandparents] love you too. But best of all, Jesus loves you! And that means everything!” Then it happened. Like a...More Saturday, September 6, 2025 A Sense of God’s Justice Bible in a Year : Psalms 148-150, 1 Corinthians 15:29-58 May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me. Psalm 109:20 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 109:6-9, 26-29 The news was horrific. A live-in foreign domestic helper had been so ill-treated by the family she worked for that she died. The employers were eventually jailed, but I felt it wasn’t enough. They should have suffered the same horrors they put that poor girl through, I thought, and then put to death. Then I wondered if my anger had crossed the line. Was I wrong to think such...More Friday, September 5, 2025 The Freedom God Provides Bible in a Year : Psalms 146-147, 1 Corinthians 15:1-28 Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper. . Deuteronomy 5:33 Today's Scripture & Insight : Deuteronomy 5:28-29, 32-33 A team of landscape architects studied the effects of providing a fence around a preschool playground. On playgrounds without fences, children tended to gather close to the school building and their teacher and didn’t stray away. But on fenced-in playgrounds, they enjoyed the entire area. The researchers concluded that boundaries can create a...More Thursday, September 4, 2025 A World of Mortals Bible in a Year : Psalms 143-145, 1 Corinthians 14:21-40 Stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. Titus 3:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Titus 3:1-8 Who might you cross paths with today? Apart from those you know and love, your list may look unremarkable. C. S. Lewis would challenge this notion, however. “There are no ordinary people,” he claims. His book The Weight of Glory anticipates eternity, where forever we will either enjoy God’s presence or be banished from Him. So, he...More Wednesday, September 3, 2025 A New Environment Bible in a Year : Psalms 140-142, 1 Corinthians 14:1-20 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 12:1-8 When Jo started working in a London-based marketing company after university, she felt dismayed and alienated by the cliques in the office. Later, when two women joined the team, Jo said, “I was determined they would have a better experience.” So she invited her new colleagues to lunch to get to know them, enjoying their company and eventually fostering a positive...More Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Mercy for Mass Murderers? Bible in a Year : Psalms 137-139, 1 Corinthians 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard . . . about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people.” Acts 9:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 9:1-17 Andrew, a Christian solicitor, faced a dilemma. He had been asked to represent a universally-hated mass murderer imprisoned for over two decades, who now claimed she was reformed and had become a Christian—and wanted to petition for parole. Her name was Myra Hindley. After some soul-searching, Andrew agreed, motivated by his faith. For him,...More Monday, September 1, 2025 Wishing for Joy Bible in a Year : Psalms 135-136, 1 Corinthians 12 We proclaim to you the eternal life, which . . . has appeared to us. . . . We write this to make our joy complete. 1 John 1:2, 4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Deuteronomy 5:28-29, 32-23 In her blog post “Regrets of the Dying,” Bronnie Ware outlines regrets she heard as a nurse caring for the terminally ill. Among them were “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard” and “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.” Perhaps most intriguing: “I wish that I had let myself be happier.” “Facing our own...More Sunday, August 31, 2025 Jesus Reaches for You Bible in a Year : Psalms 132-134, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Jesus . . . reached out his hand and touched the man. Mark 1:41 Today's Scripture & Insight : Mark 1:40-45 Letty, a cleaner in an office building, was known for walking fast—really fast. In doing so, she could easily avoid people. Wounded by poverty and accustomed to condescension, she passed others with one hand reflexively covering part of her face. Her shame, in her words, over not being “like normal, beautiful, educated people”, was profoundly deep. When a woman at work extended her friendship, Letty began...More Saturday, August 30, 2025 Digging Deep for Wisdom Bible in a Year : Psalms 129-131, 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 I saw all that God has done. Ecclesiastes 8:17 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ecclesiastes 8:14-17 A construction crew working on a £40 million drain project unearthed a valuable treasure. Deep in the soil, they found a well-preserved fishing boat from the 1800s. The vessel contained interesting artifacts, including part of a lamp, drinking cups made from coconut shells and coins. The ship is being studied with the hope that it will provide details of what life was like in that region more than one hundred years ago....More Friday, August 29, 2025 The Lost Ark Bible in a Year : Psalms 126-128, 1 Corinthians 10:19-33 David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 2 Samuel 6:12 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Samuel 6:1-2, 6-15 During his church’s weekend away at a nearby campsite, Pastor Jeff took a walk with my son, who led him through a wooded trail to the outdoor chapel. Suddenly, they came upon the ark of the covenant! Of course, it wasn’t the real ark, but a life-sized, gold-coloured replica begun by my husband years ago, with Jeff’s encouragement, and recently...More Thursday, August 28, 2025 God’s Superior Strength Bible in a Year : Psalms 123-125, 1 Corinthians 10:1-18 The Lord will deliver Jacob . . . from the hand of those stronger than they. Jeremiah 31:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Jeremiah 31:10-14 In his book From the Pit to the Pulpit, John Stroup shares about powerful, unfriendly forces of life that battered and bruised him physically, sexually and emotionally. He notes, “I started using drugs before I could drive a car. . . . I quit school and began to get farther and farther into the criminal lifestyle.” Eventually, John’s crimes landed him behind bars. While...More Wednesday, August 27, 2025 A Beautiful Ending Bible in a Year : Psalms 120-122, 1 Corinthians 9 I saw the Holy City . . . coming down out of heaven from God. Revelation 21:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Revelation 21:2-5, 9-11 On a warm evening, I met up with friends in a busy part of the city centre. We were excited to eat at a restaurant that offered live jazz music outside, but when we arrived, the patio was full. Disappointed, we left and had to walk for a while to find another place to eat. On earth, disappointments come in all sizes, both big and small. Beloved pets pass away. Careers fizzle. Health...More Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Sheep Crossing Bible in a Year : Psalm 119:89-176, 1 Corinthians 8 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. Ezekiel 34:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ezekiel 34:11-16 Traffic came to a halt, but I had no idea why. There were few cars on the road, and I could see no obvious reason to be stopped. And then, suddenly—to my great surprise and delight—a flock of sheep emerged and crossed the road. As a newcomer to the countryside, I wasn’t yet familiar with country lanes being held up this way. Local farmers escort their flocks into their various...More Monday, August 25, 2025 Being a Blessing Bible in a Year : Psalm 119:1-88, 1 Corinthians 7:20-40 Always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 During a heated game between two long-standing local high school football rivals, the home team kicked the ball into the goal. The ball went into the net but exited the back of the net through a hole. The referee didn’t see the ball enter the goal, and seeing the ball outside the net assumed it had simply gone out of play. The away team’s coach saw the goal and...More Sunday, August 24, 2025 God is Everywhere Bible in a Year : Psalms 116-118, 1 Corinthians 7:1-19 Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it. Genesis 28:16 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 28:10-17 The unassuming violinist, donning a baseball cap and T-shirt, set up near a train station. He moved the bow across the strings, making melodious tunes. But commuters rushed past, oblivious. He played an entire music programme with only a handful of people stopping to listen. If the crowd had only known they were rushing past Joshua Bell, one of the greatest virtuosos of our generation. Bell played...More Saturday, August 23, 2025 Comfort and Renewal Bible in a Year : Psalms 113-115, 1 Corinthians 6 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 5:1-10 Returning home to Australia, Jacqueline had to say goodbye to her mother at Heathrow Airport for what turned out to be the last time. In Departures, looking at her frail mum in the wheelchair, her heart filled with sadness. “Well, that’s it then,” her mother said simply. Jacqueline felt pained at this poignant public goodbye. Four years later, Jacqueline found herself waiting at the very same...More Friday, August 22, 2025 Seeing with God’s Heart Bible in a Year : Psalms 110-112, 1 Corinthians 5 The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down. Psalm 146:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 146 On Chantale’s thirteenth birthday, after hours of joyful celebration in her quiet home village, gunfire shattered the peaceful evening. Chantale and her siblings ran into the forest, obeying their mother’s frantic command to hide. All night, they huddled underneath the sanctuary of a tree. “The sun appeared in the morning. But not our parents,” Chantale recounts. She and her siblings were now orphans and refugees, joining...More Thursday, August 21, 2025 Feed the Need Bible in a Year : Psalms 107-109, 1 Corinthians 4 No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. Acts 4:32 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 4:32-37 Lisa and Freddie McMillan own a unique restaurant. They offer a full hot meal to all who stand in line—at no charge. This couple has invested from their own savings to make a difference for senior citizens who often go without meals and rarely enjoy a restaurant experience. A donation box receives contributions. Lisa says, “Sometimes we find nothing there. Sometimes a...More Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Eyes Fixed on Christ! Bible in a Year : Psalms 105-106, 1 Corinthians 3 Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Hebrews 12:1-3 Teaching his son to ride a bicycle, Andrew discovered, was frustrating. The five-year-old kept swerving to one side and falling. Realising that this happened because his son kept looking to one side, Andrew had an idea. “See that pole?” he asked his son. “Just keep your eyes on it and pedal.” His son did just that, and this time he kept going and going! The incident...More Tuesday, August 19, 2025 Hints of God’s Glory Bible in a Year : Psalms 103-104, 1 Corinthians 2 The one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Revelation 4:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : Revelation 4:1-4, 6-11 Australian photographer Christian Spencer has spent more than twenty years taking pictures in the Itatiaia National Park in Brazil. One amazing aspect of his photography is that he’s captured the effect of sunlight passing through the open wings of the hummingbird. He’s found that the wings create a prism-like rainbow of colours when...More Monday, August 18, 2025 God Will Keep It Bible in a Year : Psalms 100-102, 1 Corinthians 1 All who have this hope in [Christ] purify themselves, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 John 3:1-6 Wealthy benefactors in communities across the United States have made an inspiring promise to students. If they get good grades throughout their thirteen years of school in their district, the benefactors will pay for four years at a public community college or university in their state. Statistics have shown in some cities that this motivates the students, rich and poor, to start doing well...More Sunday, August 17, 2025 Jesus Rescued Us Bible in a Year : Psalms 97-99, Romans 16 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Peter 2:21-25 Two workers at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station desperately needed medical care. One had suffered a heart attack and the other was experiencing life-threatening issues. The only way to ensure their recovery was to launch a rescue mission. Due to harsh conditions, however, including darkness and -75 degrees Celsius...More Saturday, August 16, 2025 Making Room for Others Bible in a Year : Psalms 94-96, Romans 15:14-33 God sets the lonely in families. Psalm 68:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 68:1-10 Each year my family designs a custom wall calendar, but lately it’s got a bit crowded. We decorate each month with our favourite photos from the previous year and highlight significant dates. As our family welcomes new spouses and children, we’ve had to squeeze in more photos to make sure every person is included. We now have two sets of shared birthdays, and some holidays are covered up by anniversaries. But instead of detracting from...More Friday, August 15, 2025 None Like Him Bible in a Year : Psalms 91-93, Romans 15:1-13 I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no saviour. Isaiah 43:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 43:10-13 Bao’ai offered prayers to idols, like everyone else in his village. Over time his family spiralled into chaos and sadness. His wife left, and his son became a drug addict. The idols weren’t helping one bit. When the Bible was translated into Bao’ai’s language, he finally met the One who had announced through the prophet Isaiah, “Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after...More Thursday, August 14, 2025 Better Than Wine Bible in a Year : Psalms 89-90, Romans 14 Your name is ointment poured forth. Song of Songs 1:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : Song of Songs 1:1-4 Though Kelvin doesn’t remember it, he was flung from a car when it tipped over the bank and fell down to the ravine. The car landed on top of him, severing his spinal cord and leaving him paralysed. He was just twenty-three, returning from a hike with friends, and prayed desperately to God, “Please, don’t let me die.” Because his lungs had mostly collapsed, he struggled to breathe, and in that darkest of moments...More Wednesday, August 13, 2025 God of the Invisible Bible in a Year : Psalms 87-88, Romans 13 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people. Hebrews 6:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 1:35-42 “Sometimes I feel as if I’m invisible. But I so want God to use me.” Ann was tidying up the gym room at the hotel I was visiting when we struck up a conversation. As we talked, I discovered she had an amazing story. “I used to be a crack addict and prostitute living on the streets,” she said. “But I knew God wanted me to put down my...More Tuesday, August 12, 2025 Running and Rest Bible in a Year : Psalms 84-86, Romans 12 [Jesus] said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 Today's Scripture & Insight : Mark 6:30-46 The headline caught my eye: “Rest Days Important for Runners.” In a magazine article, a former sprinter emphasised a principle that dedicated athletes sometimes ignore—the body needs time to rest and rebuild after exercise. “Physiologically, the adaptations that occur as a result of training only happen during rest,” Manning wrote. “This means rest is as important as...More Monday, August 11, 2025 Filled to Overflowing Bible in a Year : Psalms 81-83, Romans 11:19-36 Be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 3:16-21 As my five-year-old son and I read his Bible storybook together, I commented that Jesus makes His home inside us. Looking thoughtful, he asked, “So God can fit inside us?” For a moment I was stuck: If I say yes, that sounds like God must be really small. If I say no, that sounds like I’m disagreeing with Jesus. Then I realised that I was focusing on the wrong thing—it’s not about God fitting...More Sunday, August 10, 2025 Unfounded Fears Bible in a Year : Psalms 79-80, Romans 11:1-18 I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. 1 Kings 11:38 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Kings 11:34-39; 12:31-32 “I love you. I’ll never leave you.” Julia saved her husband’s text message so she could read it whenever she was afraid. A troubled childhood had left her with a fear of loved ones abandoning her. She’d often ask for reassurance from her husband, and she would wait anxiously for him to come home from work. Prayer and counselling helped Julia...More Saturday, August 9, 2025 Aristotle at the Table Bible in a Year : Psalms 77-78, Romans 10 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 26:26-29 Aristotle said that no one can be friends with a god. Why? Because friendship requires equality, and what god would step down from their heavenly status to become equal with lowly human beings? I wonder what Aristotle would’ve done if he’d been present at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26-35). For there, Jesus—the Creator of all, who left His heavenly status to become a lowly human being...More Friday, August 8, 2025 Caring for the Oppressed Bible in a Year : Psalms 74-76, Romans 9:16-33 Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Jeremiah 22:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : Jeremiah 22:1-5 Josephine Butler, a prominent minister’s wife, found herself campaigning for the rights of women accused (often unjustly) of being “ladies of the night”, those seen in society as the “least desirables”. Spurred on by her deep faith in God, she fought for years against the British Contagious Diseases Acts of the 1860s, which subjected women to cruel and invasive ‘medical’...More Thursday, August 7, 2025 True Refuge Bible in a Year : Psalms 72-73, Romans 9:1-15 I take refuge in you. Psalm 25:20 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 25:16-21 The lights flickered and went dark as the fierce winter storm sent sheets of rain lashing through the night. Our loch was whipped into a frenzy of huge waves that smashed into next door’s seawall, flipping tons of water into their garden with each impact, totally obliterating it. How ironic that a wall built for protection should become the cause of so much damage! But isn’t life like that too? We build protective walls in our hearts...More Wednesday, August 6, 2025 Persevering Joyfully Bible in a Year : Psalms 70-71, Romans 8:22-39 The testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : James 1:1-4 I was ‘baptised’ into boating when I attempted sailing for the first time in the warm Aegean Sea. I capsized my small dinghy six times during the first lesson alone, taking my unfortunate instructor down with me. It was total immersion, sometimes with a mouthful of seawater! I’d right the boat and then clamber, exhausted from the effort, back on board to—within minutes—fall in again. Yet through the repeated dousing, I...More Tuesday, August 5, 2025 Never Alone Bible in a Year : Psalms 68-69, Romans 8:1-21 The Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Deuteronomy 31:1-8 Over the years, I’ve encouraged and prayed for many people battling loneliness for various reasons: nursing home residents whose family members don’t visit, the widow who spends her days outside so as not to be alone in her empty house, ministry leaders who don’t have anyone to confide in, and homeless people who feel ignored. Loneliness can strike anyone at any time. About...More Monday, August 4, 2025 Fear God (and Your Mother) Bible in a Year : Psalms 66-67, Romans 7 Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 25:17 Today's Scripture & Insight : Leviticus 25:8-17 When elite athlete Darren was first offered performance-enhancing drugs, it was by medical professionals. “You need to do what the others are doing,” they reasoned. Darren was shocked to discover that doping was indeed widespread in athletics, seemingly without consequence, but he vowed never to cheat himself. As he explained, “My mum had told me that the day I felt I needed...More Sunday, August 3, 2025 Peace in the Release Bible in a Year : Psalms 63-65, Romans 6 The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 Today's Scripture & Insight : Philippians 4:4-11 Kayla’s brow furrowed as she shoved yet another slip of paper into an overstuffed box labelled “Give It to God” on all four sides. Sighing deeply, she sifted through the written prayers she had previously placed in the box. “I read them out loud almost every day,” she said to her friend. “How can I be sure God hears me?” Chantel handed Kayla her...More Saturday, August 2, 2025 Hope Even When Life Hurts Bible in a Year : Psalms 60-62, Romans 5 We boast in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 5:1-11 “Hey friends,” wrote much-loved Christian comedian Steve Legg on Facebook just five days before he died in 2024. “I wanted to let you know that I came into hospital in an ambulance on Tuesday (which was exciting), because I was in a lot of pain (less exciting).” The doctors had predicted that an inoperable tumour on his bowel might be an “end-of-life event”. Yet Steve could testify in his final message, “God has been with us...More Friday, August 1, 2025 When Life Is Unfair Bible in a Year : Psalms 57-59, Romans 4 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 37:5-17 In Charles Dickens’ classic novel Oliver Twist, the sickly Oliver is born in a workhouse, an institution notorious for exploiting the poor. Orphaned at birth, the boy eventually runs away due to abusive treatment. Through an amazing set of ‘twists’, he learns he is heir to a sizable fortune. Dickens, who loved happy endings, ensured that everyone who harmed Oliver over the years either received justice or repented. His...More Thursday, July 31, 2025 Only Trust Bible in a Year: Psalms 54-56, Romans 3 There was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 1 Kings 17:15 Today's Scripture & Insight: 1 Kings 17:8-16 Three hundred children were dressed and seated for breakfast, and a prayer of thanks was offered for the food. But there was no food! Situations like this were not unusual for orphanage director and missionary George Mueller (1805–1898). Here was yet another opportunity to see how God would provide. Within minutes of Mueller’s prayer, a baker who couldn’t sleep the night before showed up at the door....More Wednesday, July 30, 2025 Connected to Jesus Bible in a Year : Psalms 51-53, Romans 2 Remain in me . . . No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. John 15:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 15:1-8 At the end of a wonderful rain-free week together on retreat in southern England, our group enjoyed the shade-giving canopy of a big tree for our final time of prayer and sharing. Yet we did receive a shower of sorts—of leaves! One of us observed, “When it’s so hot and dry, trees lose their leaves, even in early summer, as a way of conserving their energy. But notice how they aren’t shedding...More Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Sustained by God Bible in a Year : Psalms 49-50, Romans 1 [The Lord] will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 55:2-5, 16-23 My family and I brought my dad home from the hospital. He had a degenerative disease, and we were now adjusting to the new twenty-four-hour medical routines of his suddenly becoming bedridden and requiring a feeding tube. I was also planning for my mum’s gastric procedure and dealing with demanding clients at work. Feeling overwhelmed, I sought privacy in the bathroom one day and cried out to God: Help me, Father. Please...More Monday, July 28, 2025 To See and to Serve Bible in a Year : Psalms 46-48, Acts 28 You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life. Lamentations 3:58 Today's Scripture & Insight : Lamentations 3:31-42, 58-59 “Sometimes in life we see things that we can’t unsee,” Alexander McLean told a 60 Minutes interviewer. The South Londoner was eighteen when he went to Uganda to assist in prison and hospice work. That’s where he saw something he couldn’t unsee—an old man lying helpless next to a toilet. For five days McLean cared for him. Then the man died. The experience ignited a passion in McLean. He...More Sunday, July 27, 2025 Test of Our Faith Bible in a Year : Psalms 43-45, Acts 27:27-44 We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 1 Corinthians 4:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Corinthians 4:9-13 In AD 304, the Roman emperor Maximian victoriously entered the city of Nicomedia. Parades were ordered as the city gathered to thank pagan gods for the victory—everyone except for a church full of people who worshipped only the one true God. Maximian entered the church with an ultimatum: escape punishment by renouncing faith in Christ. They refused. All were killed when...More Saturday, July 26, 2025 God, Our Safe Place Bible in a Year : Psalms 40-42, Acts 27:1-26 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 18:10-11 We’d been driving for fifteen hours, and it was late at night when a high winds alert jolted us to attention. The warning said we should take cover. As if on cue, lightning exploded in the sky, and wind pressed against our car windows. We sped off the motorway and parked near a hotel. Sprinting inside, we were thankful to find shelter. Trouble reminds us we need a safe place...More Friday, July 25, 2025 God-Given Gifts Bible in a Year : Psalms 37-39, Acts 26 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. 1 Peter 4:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Peter 4:7-11 In a poignant performance of Pilgrim: The Musical, Leisa stood before a special section for the Deaf and, using Sign Language, expressively interpreted the performance. The musical, based on John Bunyan’s book The Pilgrim’s Progress about one man’s faith journey, was deeply moving, but so was Leisa’s delivery. When asked about her interpreting, Leisa said, “The reason I do Pilgrim and...More Thursday, July 24, 2025 Right Place, Right Time Bible in a Year : Psalms 35-36, Acts 25 Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? Esther 4:14 Today's Scripture & Insight : Esther 4:10-16 A nursing convention was being held at a hotel when a guest experienced a heart attack in the lobby. Immediately, more than two dozen carers came to his side and worked to keep him alive. The guest was incredibly grateful for all the nurses who were at the right place at the right time. Esther was also at the right place at the right time. She’d been chosen to be queen after winning the...More Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Led by the Holy Spirit Bible in a Year : Psalms 33-34, Acts 24 The Holy Spirit . . . will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 14:15-26 When the navigation app suggested a route that would cut almost an hour off their long drive, Shelby Easler and her brother followed the alternate directions. However, the ‘shortcut’ led them along a dirt path for hours that left them stranded in the middle of a field. They were able to reverse course, but they eventually had to be towed because of all the damage to their car...More Tuesday, July 22, 2025 Persisting in Prayer Bible in a Year : Psalms 31-32, Acts 23:16-35 Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Luke 18:7 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 18:1-8 When Royston’s daughter Hannah suffered a brain bleed that resulted in a coma, he and his family repeatedly turned to God in prayer. Over months of waiting, they clung to each other—and to God. The family’s faith awakened, as Royston reflected: “Never has God felt closer.” Throughout the ordeal, they were given “a renewal of faith to persist in prayer” like the “widow of Luke...More Monday, July 21, 2025 God's Gentle Leading Bible in a Year : Psalms 29-30, Acts 23:1-15 He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart. Isaiah 40:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 40:1-11 Everyone had admired Jill for her intelligence and drive. Her Cambridge science degree led to a PhD, which in turn led to a successful career in the oil industry by her thirties. When she had children, however, she stepped back and entered a season of ‘hiddenness’, where her work and service was very much in the background, unnoticed. Though this was a dry season for her spiritually, she clung to...More Sunday, July 20, 2025 Listen Up! Bible in a Year : Psalms 26-28, Acts 22 “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Samuel 3:1-11 “Bethany, wash your hands please. Dinner’s ready.” Engrossed in play, our little granddaughter totally ignored her dad’s instruction, so he repeated it. Again, no response. Turning up the volume slightly, my son advised, “Bethany! Switch on your ‘listening ears’! I said, ‘Go wash your hands. Dinner’s ready.’ ” Looking round, she tweaked both ears with an accompanying...More Saturday, July 19, 2025 It Makes No Sense Bible in a Year : Psalms 23-25, Acts 21:18-40 I call to you, Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you. Psalm 88:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 88:1-9 The lively, laughing children were enjoying a dance workshop in Southport, northern England, during their holidays. Suddenly a man appeared, wielding a knife. Cruelly, he murdered three precious little girls, utterly broke their loving families and horrified a peaceful community. Stunned, the watching nation couldn’t process such senseless devastation. A church leader promised that the church was...More Friday, July 18, 2025 God’s Plans? God’s People! Bible in a Year : Psalms 20-22, Acts 21:1-17 I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded. Exodus 31:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Exodus 31:1-6 After I joined the board of trustees of a Bible College, the long-term leader announced his retirement. I found myself among those tasked with searching for a new president. Together, we amassed a daunting list of qualifications. How would we find someone to fulfil such a complicated and vital role? I wondered the same as I read God’s specifications for the tabernacle’s...More Thursday, July 17, 2025 Explain It to Me Bible in a Year : Psalms 18-19, Acts 20:17-38 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning. Nehemiah 8:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Nehemiah 8:1-8 Time was running short for special agent Doug Carlin in the film Déjà Vu. Whoever was responsible for the devastating explosion might strike again. So to help identify the criminal, Carlin tapped into top-secret but mind-boggling technology that he hoped would send him back in time to prevent the tragic explosion from ever having happened. But on asking the experts to explain how it...More Wednesday, July 16, 2025 Coffee with Compassion Bible in a Year : Psalms 16-17, Acts 20:1-16 I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. Mark 8:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Mark 8:1-10 When Pam tragically lost her sixteen-year-old son in a car crash, she invited family and friends to the funeral home for a visitation. On that freezing cold December evening, her guests came in with cups of coffee, telling of a mysterious man called Matthew who was giving them out for free. Later she tracked him down to thank him. Not only had he provided the people with...More Tuesday, July 15, 2025 The Prayers of Jesus Bible in a Year : Psalms 13-15, Acts 19:21-41 I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. Luke 22:32 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 22:28-34 Jesus, how are You praying for me? I’d never thought to ask that question until my friend Lou shared the experience of crying out to Christ when he was faced with a situation that required more wisdom and strength than he was able to muster. Hearing him voice that noteworthy question in prayer has helped me add a fresh dimension to my understanding and practice of prayer. In Luke 22, there was no...More Monday, July 14, 2025 Digging for Meaning Bible in a Year : Psalms 10-12, Acts 19:1-20 They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. Jeremiah 2:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Jeremiah 2:5-13 We have a new puppy, Winston. He bites. Sleeps. Eats. (Does one or two other things). Oh, and he digs. Winston doesn’t dig casually. He tunnels. Like he’s escaping from prison. It’s compulsive, ferocious, and filthy. Why does that dog dig so much? I wondered recently. Then it hit me: I’m a digger too—prone to ‘digging’ into...More Sunday, July 13, 2025 Rescue Plan Bible in a Year : Psalms 7-9, Acts 18 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves. Ephesians 2:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 2:1-10 When he lived on the island of Lindisfarne, David Adam would regularly see people being rescued from the causeway, a helicopter hovering over those who were stranded in the rising tide waters. As he observed, the rescuer wouldn’t lecture the foolish people for not checking the tide times but would secure a harness around them and lift them up to safety. When I hear such...More Saturday, July 12, 2025 Serving God Each Season Bible in a Year : Psalms 4-6, Acts 17:16-34 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 1 Corinthians 3:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 After years of discipling Caleb by himself, Mark was dismayed to find out that a church leader had assigned another mentor to the young man. The leader remarked, “Finally, Caleb has a mentor.” What did they think I was doing all these years? Mark wondered. Though he hadn’t expected any reward or recognition, he couldn’t help feeling hurt. Years later, however,...More Friday, July 11, 2025 Life in Christ Bible in a Year : Psalms 1-3, Acts 17:1-15 Seek the Lord and live. Amos 5:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Amos 5:1-6, 10-14 Parents who’d lost touch with their son Tyler received an urn that was said to contain his cremation ashes. Just twenty-two years old, he’d apparently died of a drug overdose. For years, Tyler had dealt with the effects of drug addiction and poor choices. But prior to the reported overdose, he’d been sober after spending time in a transitional housing facility and completing an addiction recovery programme. Then the authorities made a shocking...More

Tuesday, July 8, 2025 Prayer of Desperation Bible in a Year : Job 36-37, Acts 15:22-41 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” John 11:23 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 11:1-7, 17-25 In 2011, Karey Packard and her daughter were packing boxes for a move to a new home. Suddenly, Karey collapsed, and her heart stopped. Doctors revived Karey, but her condition worsened through the night. Her husband, Craig, was told to call family to say final goodbyes. They prayed what Craig called “a prayer of desperation”. How often have we prayed a prayer of desperation in a crisis? Mary and Martha...More Monday, July 7, 2025 Growing Up in God Bible in a Year : Job 34-35, Acts 15:1-21 Present yourself to God as one approved. 2 Timothy 2:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Timothy 2:14-16, 22-26 In her early years as a Christian author, Gayle often received fun gifts from her publisher. Bouquets of flowers, chocolates, boxes of herbal teas. All lovely. But over time, her publisher began to send gifts with lasting value. A Bible, devotionals and prayer journals. As she used them, Gayle became a more mature believer—less focused on receiving superficial gifts and more committed to using her life to lead others to...More Sunday, July 6, 2025 Choices and Consequences Bible in a Year : Job 32-33, Acts 14 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food . . . she took some and ate it. Genesis 3:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 3:1-6 In 1890, amateur ornithologist Eugene Schieffelin decided to release sixty European starlings into New York City. While there were probably several introductions of the species, Schieffelin’s released starlings resulted in the first successful documented nesting. Now there are roughly eighty-five million of the birds flapping across North America. Starlings are invasive, pushing out...More Saturday, July 5, 2025 Grandma’s Last Night Bible in a Year : Job 30-31, Acts 13:26-52 The wise [virgins] . . . took oil in jars along with their lamps. Matthew 25:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 25:1-13 My grandmother had a routine on Saturday nights. Before she went to bed, she laid out all her clothing including the shoes she planned to wear to church the next morning. She always attended the early service and wanted to be ready to get up and go the next morning without any delay. One Saturday night, she was suddenly hospitalised. Later, Jesus called her name, and she died. When my grandfather returned...More Friday, July 4, 2025 The End of the World Bible in a Year : Job 28-29, Acts 13:1-25 We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. 2 Peter 3:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Peter 3:10-13 Icebergs melting. Global temperatures soaring. Yet more species endangered. The ongoing effects of climate change are unmistakeable. Sir David Attenborough warns that “even the most considerate of us” mustn’t forget our responsibilities. The Bible agrees: we are God’s handiwork, created in His image to care for the world He has made (Genesis 1:26). However, the respected broadcaster then adds, “Let...More Thursday, July 3, 2025 Jesus—Our Everything Bible in a Year : Job 25-27, Acts 12 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. Psalm 63:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 63 With the referee’s final gesture, wrestler Kennedy Blades became a 2024 Olympian. She pressed her palms together, lifted her hands and eyes to the heavens, and praised God. A reporter asked about her growth over the past three years. The elite athlete didn’t even mention her physical training. “I’ve just got super close to Jesus,” she said. Professing Christ as King, she proclaimed that He’s coming again and...More Wednesday, July 2, 2025 From Glory to Glory Bible in a Year : Job 22-24, Acts 11 We . . . are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 Living in a coastal town, Valerie loved warm weather, wildlife photography and being in the water. Above all, she loved watching the sunrise over the ocean. Every morning, she woke up before dawn to catch a view of the water. Val estimated that despite cloudy weather or travel, she still managed to see more than three hundred waterfront sunrises each year. She never tired of watching them. In her...More Tuesday, July 1, 2025 Loving Others Through Prayer Bible in a Year : Job 20-21, Acts 10:24-48 Far be it from me that I should sin . . . by failing to pray for you. 1 Samuel 12:23 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Samuel 12:19-25 “I don’t know where I’d be today if my mum hadn’t prayed for me. I don’t think I’d even be alive,” my friend Rahim related. He was a former addict who’d spent time in prison for drug distribution. Over coffee one day, he shared the difference his mother’s prayers had made in his life. “Even when I disappointed her so badly, she kept loving me with her prayers. I was in a lot of...More Monday, June 30, 2025 Sleepless? Bible in a Year : Job 17-19, Acts 10:1-23 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. Psalm 3:5 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 3 My friend confided that he hadn’t been sleeping well. His sleeplessness was related to a difficult family situation that had kept him up at night. It happened that this was the day I had planned to discuss Psalm 3 with my Bible study group. In Psalm 3, King David also had a family problem, one that would lead most of us to sleeplessness. His son Absalom was undermining David’s rule over Israel as part of...More Sunday, June 29, 2025 A Grandmother’s Prayers Bible in a Year : Job 14-16, Acts 9:22-43 A wife of noble character . . . gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family. Proverbs 31:10, 15 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 31:10-18 During a family reunion many years ago, my mother shared some words she’d written. She honoured her grandmother, a woman I’d never met but I’d heard her spoken of often. Mum wrote that she recalled Grandma Susan getting up “before dawn” and praying over her household. What a distinct memory that impacted my mother’s life—one I cling to even today although...More Saturday, June 28, 2025 Fighting For You Bible in a Year : Job 11-13, Acts 9:1-21 The Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you. Deuteronomy 20:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Deuteronomy 20:1-4 She knew something was wrong when she heard her five-year-old’s ear-piercing screams. Outside she discovered a mountain lion attacking him. I can’t even begin to imagine how this poor woman must have felt. But there was no time to panic—the mother “charged the animal”! Smacking away the lion’s paws, she even “reached into the animal’s mouth and wrested her son’s head from its...More Friday, June 27, 2025 God Can! Bible in a Year : Job 8-10, Acts 8:26-40 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel?” . . . The Lord answered, “I will be with you.” Judges 6:15-16 Today's Scripture & Insight : Judges 6:1-16 The paediatrician’s diagnosis of a devastating neurological condition was bad enough. But it was just the first in a series of blows relating to our baby daughter’s disability. Yet every time I said, “I can’t do this”, God promised, “I will be with you.” And He was. Gideon faced an impossible task. Yet again Midian’s annual...More Thursday, June 26, 2025 Christ Our Priority Bible in a Year : Job 5-7, Acts 8:1-25 Jesus replied, “ . . . That is why I have come.” Mark 1:38 Today's Scripture & Insight : Mark 1:35-39 “May we invite you to be the main speaker in our nationwide church leadership conference?” After Jose read the invitation from the renowned organisation, he replied, “Please let me pray about it first.” Later, when he turned down the offer, he told a friend, “I knew God was calling me to editorial work on a mission’s project, and the speaking engagement would take time and energy away from that. I said no so I can do...More Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Credit Where Due Bible in a Year : Job 3-4, Acts 7:44-60 Surely your God is . . . a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery. Daniel 2:47 Today's Scripture & Insight : Daniel 2:1-5, 13-19 Hundreds of guests filled a golden ballroom to celebrate a nonprofit’s fiftieth anniversary and honor those who made it possible, especially those who’d been involved for decades. A founding member shared with gratitude how, despite thousands of volunteer hours and millions of dollars in grants, they would not have succeeded without God. He repeated that the organization had...More Tuesday, June 24, 2025 The God Who Rescues Bible in a Year : Job 1-2, Acts 7:22-43 I myself will gather the remnant of my flock . . . and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. Jeremiah 23:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : Jeremiah 23:1-8 Beneath the rugged cliffs of Brora, Scotland, a sheep needed rescue. Trapped at the base of a cliff, surrounded by steep and unyielding rock on one side and the vast ocean on the other, the sheep had been on its own for two long years. Despite several rescue attempts, no one could reach her until a determined farmer named Cammy...More Monday, June 23, 2025 Entangled Bible in a Year : Esther 9-10, Acts 7:1-21 Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Hebrews 12:1 Today's Scripture & Insight : Hebrews 12:1-3 Watermelon vines had overtaken my garden. They snaked across the stone path, climbed the fence, and—worst of all—tried to choke my favorite vegetable plants. I knew the garden wouldn’t thrive unless I took action. So, one evening I went to work uncurling tendrils from stems and leaves. When the coils grew back, I kept removing them until the vegetable plants finally matured and produced...More Sunday, June 22, 2025 Leave It with God Bible in a Year : Esther 6-8, Acts 6 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. Psalm 18:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 18:1-2, 16-19 Perched high on the climbing wall, Sarah could feel panic rising as her weakening fingers began losing grip on the handholds. Just how hard will I hit the ground? she wondered. But the instructor kept calling out assurances from below. As the “belayer” tethered to the other end of the rope tied to Sarah’s harness through a pulley, his weight would hold her if she fell....More Saturday, June 21, 2025 I Will Sit With You Bible in a Year : Esther 3-5, Acts 5:22-42 He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. John 14:16–17 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 14:16-19 At the age of 21, writer Emily Owen contracted a rare neurological disease, losing her hearing and developing mobility problems. One day, her seven-year-old niece, who loved the adventure of travelling on the top deck of the bus, invited Emily to travel by bus to a local museum. “One of the buses has a wheelchair place, so you can use that,” the girl explained....More Friday, June 20, 2025 And God Sent . . . Moths? Bible in a Year : Esther 1-2, Acts 5:1-21 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Matthew 6:26 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 6:25-34 “AaaaAAAAHHH!” my daughter shrieked. “DaaaaDDDYY! Get UP here!” I knew what was wrong: a moth. Every spring, an armada of these dusty insects migrate past where we live. Each year, we brace for their arrival. This year had been especially bad. To humans, moths are unwanted pests that often fly right into your face. But to birds,...More Thursday, June 19, 2025 Peace with Enemy Christians Bible in a Year : Nehemiah 12-13, Acts 4:23-37 He himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed... the dividing wall of hostility. Ephesians 2:14 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 2:14-18 The 2003 World Cup rugby match between Samoa and South Africa was most memorable for what happened after the match. Having battled each other for eighty minutes, fighting for their victory and the honour of their country, at the end, the two teams gathered in a circle. They swapped rugby tops with each other, surrendering the tokens of their national...More Wednesday, June 18, 2025 No Turning Back Bible in a Year : Nehemiah 10-11, Acts 4:1-22 I want to know Christ . . .becoming like him in his death. Philippians 3:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Philippians 3:4-11 In the mid nineteenth century a man called Nokseng from the Garo tribe in Northeastern India came to faith in Jesus through a missionary. Nokseng was passionate about his newfound faith but met opposition from the local chief, who ordered him to recant. Tradition states that he tragically lost his children, then his wife, then his own life for refusing to deny his faith. At each stage of the horrific...More Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Clinging to God’s Promises Bible in a Year : Nehemiah 7-9, Acts 3 My ways [are] higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 55:1-3, 8-13 Wendy was feeling a little left out. During lunch break, her boss had left chocolates on everyone’s desks—except hers. Puzzled, she lamented to a friend, “Why did he leave me out?” When asked, their boss explained: “Those chocolates are still good, but they’ve been around for some time. Wendy’s pregnant, so I just wanted to play it extra safe.” Then he laughed. “As for the...More Monday, June 16, 2025 Transformed Bible in a Year : Nehemiah 4-6, Acts 2:22-47 We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 “Derek, how come you’ve stopped swearing?” a school friend asked. Derek hadn’t noticed the change, but two weeks earlier he’d visited the church youth group for the first time. At home afterwards, submitting his life to God as he gazed into the midsummer night sky, he said, “It felt like God had moved from the outskirts of...More Sunday, June 15, 2025 Hopeless Cases Bible in a Year : Nehemiah 1-3, Acts 2:1-21 Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; . . . the Lord has redeemed Jacob. Isaiah 44:23 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 44:21-25 The situation looked hopeless for Amy and Alan’s infant daughter Jem. Born with a condition called trisomy-18, she was expected to die within days or weeks. “There’s no point in treating her,” the doctor said coldly. But her mother said, “I have bigger dreams for her.” They took Jem home and loved her. And they prayed. Six years later, Jem needed surgery to...More Saturday, June 14, 2025 What Your Father Wants Bible in a Year : Ezra 9-10, Acts 1 The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. Romans 8:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 8:14-17 Steve grabbed his chainsaw and headed out to the woods. That’s when he heard five-year-old Sam. “Wait for me, Dad! I want to come!” Grabbing his toy chainsaw, work gloves and earmuffs, Sam followed Steve out the door. Steve set out a couple of logs for him a safe distance away. After ten minutes, Sam was worn out. Cutting logs with a fake chainsaw is hard work! But he was happy to ‘help’ his dad, and his dad...More Friday, June 13, 2025 Standing Firm in Faith Bible in a Year : Ezra 6-8, John 21 Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him. 1 Peter 5:8-9 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Peter 5:6-11 On my walk to catch the train to work a few years ago, I saw a woman with a ferocious-looking dog heading towards me. I grew up around pet dogs, so I’m usually not afraid of furry friends, but this one looked menacing. As the dog got closer, he barked at me. I tried to laugh it off. But then he lunged at me, so I screamed. Thankfully, the dog couldn’t harm me because he couldn’t...More Thursday, June 12, 2025 The Unknown Bible in a Year : Ezra 3-5, John 20 By faith Abraham . . . obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Hebrews 11:8-10 My eldest son seemed agitated, so I asked him what was bothering him. “I’m nervous about high school,” he admitted. In his mind, high school was a big, scary place—with foreboding dark towers housing fearsome teachers. But then we went along to the open evening. He met friendly staff and helpful students, whilst discovering welcome opportunities for sport. “I’m...More Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Stay Ready Bible in a Year : Ezra 1-2, John 19:23-42 We make it our goal to please [Christ]. 2 Corinthians 5:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 Betty is ready. She began following Jesus as a teenager and has taken opportunities her whole life to serve and please Him. She attends Bible studies, worship services and prayer meetings. She’s taught studies, visited mission fields, worked in the nursery, served alongside her pastor-husband and she loves being with God’s people every chance she gets. And remarkably she’s 102 years old and is still ready to do whatever...More Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Planning Prudently Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 34-36, John 19:1-22 The prudent give thought to their steps. Proverbs 14:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 14:7-8, 14-15 Ed nurtured a grand dream for his young daughter Eleanor. She has Down syndrome, and he hoped to open a business to provide paid work for her future. Feeling “terrified” to pursue his dream, he took an online course on how to start a business. Then he and his wife launched a family bakery in their town, and it’s thriving. “It has become a real business, with a staff,” Ed said. Eleanor, now grown, works the...More Monday, June 9, 2025 Heart Surgery Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 32-33, John 18:19-40 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. Ezekiel 36:26 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ezekiel 36:22-28 Some years ago, after exchanging heated words, Carolyn and I resolved our conflict through compassion and love for each other. I confessed my wrongdoing, and she prayed for me, referencing Ezekiel 36:26: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” I sensed that God was conducting a form of spiritual heart surgery on...More Sunday, June 8, 2025 Language of Love Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 30-31, John 18:1-18 All . . . were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 2:1-12 Mon Dieu. Lieber Gott. Drahý Bože. A?????? ???. Dear God. I heard French, German, Slovak, Greek and English prayers echo through the central Athens church as, in unison, we prayed in our native languages for people in our home countries to hear of God’s love. The beauty of the gathering was magnified when we realised our gathering was happening on...More Saturday, June 7, 2025 Joy in Relationship Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 28-29, John 17 Live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : Colossians 1:9-14 Two-year-old Peter sat in the highchair happily devouring his food with his fingers. Then his grandmother said matter-of-factly, “He needs to start eating with a spoon. You don’t want him to graduate from high school and still not know how to eat properly.” Diane felt insulted, as if her ability as a mother was being called...More Friday, June 6, 2025 No Wasted Pain Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 25-27, John 16 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people . . . and I am concerned about their suffering.” Exodus 3:7 Today's Scripture & Insight : Exodus 3:1-4, 7-10 She looked into my eyes and said, “Don’t waste your pain.” My mind immediately returned to the time years prior when I’d led the memorial service for her young adult son whose life was taken in a car accident. She knew what she was talking about. She knew pain. But she also knew how God could use it to honour Him and help others—something this friend...More Thursday, June 5, 2025 The Gift of Giving Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 23-24, John 15 Each of you should give . . . not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 In a 2024 address to 1,200 university graduates, a billionaire businessman said: “These trying times have heightened the need for sharing, caring and giving. [My wife and I] want to give you two gifts: the first is our gift to you, the second is the gift of giving.” His words were followed by the distribution of two envelopes each to the unexpectant...More Wednesday, June 4, 2025 ’Tis a Fearful Thing Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 21-22, John 14 Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her. Genesis 23:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 23:1-4, 17-20 “Tis a fearful thing / to love what death can touch.” That line starts a poem written more than a thousand years ago by the Jewish poet Judah Halevi, translated in the twentieth century. The poet clarifies what’s behind the fear: “to love . . . / And oh, to lose.” In Genesis, an outpouring of emotion occurred when Abraham lost Sarah in death. “Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep...More Tuesday, June 3, 2025 Unbroken Faith Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 19-20, John 13:21-38 He is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:7 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 95:1-7 When Dianne Dokko Kim and her husband learned that their son’s diagnosis was autism, she felt anxious about the future. Who would look after him when she passed away? She cried out to God: What will he do without me to care for him? God surrounded her with a support system of other adults raising children with disabilities. He empowered Dianne to trust Him with her often-unexplainable guilt,...More Monday, June 2, 2025 No Pain, No Gain Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 17-18, John 13:1-20 I do not run like someone running aimlessly. 1 Corinthians 9:26 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Andy Murray was described as “a gangly boy” when playing his first professional tennis match in Wimbledon’s Grand Slam. Having yielded to strict training, however, he later called his body a “machine”, the result of a strategic diet, exhausting gym workouts, sprint and hurdles training, hours on court—and ice baths! Years of self-discipline transformed his scrawny body into a powerhouse as he...More Sunday, June 1, 2025 Our Thoughtful God Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 15-16, John 12:27-50 Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime? 2 Kings 20:19 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Kings 20:12-19 “Do you want to see my scar?” My friend Bill had been paralysed from the chest down after falling off a ladder years ago, and now he was in the hospital for a severe infection acquired during a surgery. As we discussed his new challenge, he lifted his blanket to show me the long incision made to treat his infection. “Does it hurt?” I asked. “I can’t feel it at all,” he said. As soon as...More Saturday, May 31, 2025 God Knows Best Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 13-14, John 12:1-26 My ways [are] higher than your ways. Isaiah 55:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 55:6-11 Anxious about a health issue my teenage niece had, I was relieved when I heard of a promising natural remedy. My sister, however, felt it might cause side effects, based on her daughter’s medical history. I wanted to argue but refrained. No matter how concerned I was about my niece, I had to defer to her mum’s authority. Later, a doctor told us, “That natural remedy would’ve caused a strong allergic reaction.”...More Friday, May 30, 2025 In the Depths Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 10-12, John 11:30-57 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up. Psalm 69:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 69:6-15 San Fruttuoso Abbey is nestled in a cove off Italy’s northwest coast. Accessible only by boat or foot, it’s a secluded gem. But even more treasure hides in its bay. As divers venture into the sea and descend fifty feet down, the figure of a man starts coming into view. This is Christ of the Abyss, the world’s first underwater statue, placed in 1954. The bronze figure depicts Jesus in the depths,...More Thursday, May 29, 2025 God’s Great Power Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 7-9, John 11:1-29 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 1:1-9 Our city fell almost dark after a massive ice storm took down miles of power lines, leaving many of our friends without electricity to heat their homes in the dead of a frigid winter. Families longed to see repair teams in their neighbourhoods working to restore power. Later, I learned that a church car park served as a temporary command centre for the...More Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Go and Tell Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 4-6, John 10:24-42 Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord . . . . Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Timothy 1:6-14 Elliot is passionate about telling others about Jesus. During a week spent teaching from 2 Timothy for church leaders in a South Asian country, he reminded them of Paul’s farewell to Timothy. He urged them not to be ashamed of the good news but instead to embrace suffering and persecution for the gospel’s sake as did Paul (1:8-9). A few days later, Elliot...More Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Wow! Bible in a Year : 2 Chronicles 1-3, John 10:1-23 Now someone greater than Solomon is here. Luke 11:31 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 11:27-32 “Wow!” was the response of our team members who toured a retreat centre—purchased at great cost by a person with a vision for the refreshment and encouragement of people serving in ministry. We were amazed by double-decker, queen-sized bunks and bedroom suites with king-sized beds. The exquisitely equipped kitchen and dining area also generated wide-eyed delight. And, just when you thought that you’d seen it all, there...More Monday, May 26, 2025 Prone to Wander Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 28-29, John 9:24-41 I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant. Psalm 119:176 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 119:169-176 Robert Robinson’s travelling companion began humming the tune of “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”. After a while, she asked what he thought of the hymn. “I am the poor unhappy man who wrote it many years ago,” he sighed, “and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then.” Whilst this eighteenth-century story may be apocryphal, what seems clear is...More Sunday, May 25, 2025 Hope Renewed Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 25-27, John 9:1-23 Encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Thessalonians 5:4-15 Tim was puzzled. Why was his eighteen-year-old son spending so much time in the library these days? His son, who was autistic and rarely spoke to anyone, would usually return straight home after class. What changed? When pressed, his son finally replied: “Studying with Navin.” Navin, it turned out, was a classmate who noticed that Tim’s son was struggling in class and...More Saturday, May 24, 2025 Getting Back Up Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 22-24, John 8:28-59 For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. Proverbs 24:16 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 24:15-22 As a teen, I was enthralled with the sport of figure skating. I loved the blend of artistry and athleticism on ice, with the fast spins, high jumps and perfect poses. When I finally got the opportunity to join some group lessons, I was taught the most important skill for a skater at any level—how to get back up again quickly after a fall. Falling happened...More Friday, May 23, 2025 Love the Truth Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 19-21, John 8:1-27 They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 Jack hates school. The lectures on algebra, grammar and the periodic table bore him. But he loves building houses. His father takes him to work in the summer, and Jack can’t get enough. He’s only sixteen, but he knows about cement, woodwork and how to frame a wall. What’s the difference between school and construction? Love. Jack loves one and not the other. His love fuels...More Thursday, May 22, 2025 Love Worthy of Our Life Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 16-18, John 7:28-53 Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Matthew 16:25 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 16:21-28 William Temple, a twentieth-century English bishop, once concluded a sermon to Oxford students with the words of the hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” But he cautioned against taking the song lightly. “If you mean [the words] with all your hearts, sing them as loud as you can,” Temple said. “If you don’t mean them at all, keep silent. If you mean...More Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Loving the Stranger Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 13-15, John 7:1-27 Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners. Exodus 23:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : Leviticus 19:9-10, 33-34 A friend’s wife, a talented seamstress, made a loving plan before she passed away from a long illness. She donated all her sewing equipment to our town’s sewing guild, providing sewing machines, cutting tables and more for classes teaching newly arrived immigrants. “I counted twenty-eight boxes of fabric alone,” her husband told us. “Six women came by to pick up...More Tuesday, May 20, 2025 A Grieving God Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 10-12, John 6:45-71 Do not fear, for I am with you. Isaiah 41:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 41:10-13 In the aftermath of Turkey’s devastating earthquake in February 2023, a haunting photo occupied news feeds: a father sitting amid ruins holding a hand extending from the rubble—the hand of his daughter. We see the edge of the mattress where his daughter had been sleeping, and we see her lifeless fingers that he now holds. His face is grim; his grief is profound. In this father’s gritted face, I see a semblance of our...More Monday, May 19, 2025 Purified Gold Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 7-9, John 6:22-44 He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : Job 23:1-12 Andy moved around when he was a child, from Zimbabwe to Sheffield to Bristol, and struggled with social anxiety and making friends. “I had a lump in my throat every day and I couldn’t speak. I was quiet as a mouse, which wasn’t my personality.” Each day he’d cry, not knowing how to change. Then one day he opened the Old Testament to Job’s story, and the words felt like a...More Sunday, May 18, 2025 God’s Gracious Abundance Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 4-6, John 6:1-21 God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it.” Genesis 1:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 1:1-13 At the age of fifty-one, Ynes Mexia (1870-1938) decided to study botany, enrolling in a university alongside much younger students. Over her thirteen-year career, she discovered five hundred new species of plants. She’s not alone in her quest. Scientists discover nearly two thousand new plants each year. In Genesis 1, God took a...More Saturday, May 17, 2025 Following God Bible in a Year : 1 Chronicles 1-3, John 5:25-47 In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 3:1-8 On my free day in Paris during a visit a few years ago, I had some time to roam around the famed city by myself before meeting a friend by the Eiffel Tower for dinner. All was fine until my phone’s battery died. I didn’t have a map, so I wasn’t sure where I was going, but this city girl didn’t panic. I just continued to walk along the Seine River and kept my eyes on the towering Eiffel Tower....More Friday, May 16, 2025 The Son of God Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 24-25, John 5:1-24 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. Mark 1:1 Today's Scripture & Insight : Mark 1:1-8 Recently, my brother Scott acquired our dad’s military service records from World War II. As I studied the pages, there was nothing startling or shocking—nothing about who Dad was. There were mere facts. Data. It was interesting to read but ultimately dissatisfying because I didn’t come away feeling like I learned anything new about Dad. Thankfully, in giving us a record of the life and work...More Thursday, May 15, 2025 Called, Just As I Am Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 22-23, John 4:31-54 Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak. Exodus 4:11–12 Today's Scripture & Insight : Exodus 4:10-17 John felt called to ordained ministry but lost his sight. Assuming he wouldn’t be able to lead because of his blindness, for years he begged God for healing. One day, in Southwark Cathedral, feeling abandoned by God, he burst into angry prayer, till eventually he was exhausted. Then he sensed a voice: “John, do you think I am so small as to need to heal you to include...More Wednesday, May 14, 2025 Bring It to God Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 19-21, John 4:1-30 Hezekiah received the letter . . . and spread it out before the Lord. 2 Kings 19:14 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Kings 19:14-20 Brian had been with the heart specialist for more than an hour. His friend remained in the waiting room, praying for wisdom and healing for his ailing friend. When Brian finally returned to the waiting room, he showed him the pile of papers he’d received. As he spread them out on a table, he discussed the various options being considered to treat his threatening condition. The two discussed the need...More Tuesday, May 13, 2025 One More Egg Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 17-18, John 3:19-36 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Philippians 4:11-13 In between corporate jobs, Russell found himself working on a chicken farm for the minimum wage. It was a thankless, boring and unbelievably smelly job that didn’t even pay the bills. “That’s it, Lord, I’m done.” he snapped one afternoon, his heart raging. “I can’t put one more egg into one more crate!” At that very moment, his co-worker announced that he had to leave early: “You...More Monday, May 12, 2025 No Regrets Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 15-16, John 3:1-18 You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Luke 12:20 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 12:13-21 There was no mention made of the stuff we often spend our lives chasing. That’s what palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware discovered as she sat with the dying. She intentionally questioned them: “Would you do anything differently if you could do it again?” Common themes surfaced, and she compiled a list of the top five regrets of the dying: (1) I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to...More Sunday, May 11, 2025 A Mum Looks Back Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 13-14, John 2 “This time I will praise the Lord.” So [Leah] named him Judah. Genesis 29:35 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 29:31-35 Donna started her parenting life with high expectations. Reality lowered the bar. “Being a mother was really the hardest thing I ever did,” she said. And one particular child “pushed every button I had.” The mum of three continued that the daily battles and arguments “brought back to me all the inadequacies and failures I felt and feel as a mother.” When God chose Leah to be a matriarch...More Saturday, May 10, 2025 Living with Full Faith Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 10-12, John 1:29-51 In all this you greatly rejoice, though . . . you . . . suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 1 Peter 1:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Peter 1:3-9 Thousands of people around the world prayed for Sethie’s three-year-old son, who’d been hospitalised for months. When doctors said Shiloh had “no meaningful brain activity”, Sethie called me. “Sometimes, I’m scared I’m not living with full faith,” she said. “I know God can heal Shiloh and let him come home with us. I’m also at peace if God heals him by taking him...More Friday, May 9, 2025 God's Prevailing Goodness Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 7-9, John 1:1-28 We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Romans 8:28 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 8:28-39 Born with facial deformity, hearing loss, sight impediment and internal organ dysfunction, Hilary McDowell was diagnosed with no fewer than seven disabilities. The prognosis? She would never walk, might never speak and might well live for only three weeks. Yet her parents’ loving efforts to encourage and stimulate her helped nurture Hilary into the godly and influential woman she became. Nothing...More Thursday, May 8, 2025 Deeply Rooted in Christ Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 4-6, Luke 24:36-53 I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power. Ephesians 3:17-18 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 3:14-21 Beloved pastor Andrew Murray (1828-1917) shared how in his native South Africa, various diseases affect the orange trees there. To the unpractised eye, all may seem fine, but an expert arborist can spot the rot that heralds the tree’s slow death. The only way to save the diseased tree is to remove the stem and branches from the root and graft them onto a new one. Then the tree can thrive,...More Wednesday, May 7, 2025 Selective Memories Bible in a Year : 2 Kings 1-3, Luke 24:1-35 The Israelites started wailing and said, . . . “We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost.” Numbers 11:4–5 Today's Scripture & Insight : Numbers 11:4-9 In the 2020s, a married couple in their twenties are living as though they are in the 1940s. Their furniture, clothes and car are all from that period, and they embrace the lifestyle, eschewing modern technology, playing board games and attending 1940s dances at the weekend. They were attracted to that “simple life”, they explained. But of course, this isn’t the...More Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Humble Honour Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 21-22, Luke 23:26-56 All those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 14:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 14:7-11 As a primary school teacher, my friend often escorted her students to various other classrooms for subjects such as music or art. When asked to line up to make their way to another room, the ten-year-old students would jockey for position, some scrambling for the coveted spot at the head of the line. One day, Jenni surprised them by having everyone turn around and led them from what had...More Monday, May 5, 2025 God of the Fresh Start Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 19-20, Luke 23:1-25 When he prayed to him, the Lord was moved. 2 Chronicles 33:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Chronicles 33:10-17 “The Merchant of Death is Dead!” That was the headline for an obituary that may have caused Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, to make a course correction in his life. But the newspaper made a mistake—Alfred was very much alive. It was his brother Ludvig who had died. When Alfred realised he’d be remembered for a dangerous invention that claimed many lives, he decided to donate most of his significant...More Sunday, May 4, 2025 Never Alone Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 16-18, Luke 22:47-71 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows. Psalm 68:5 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 68:4-10 Except for my cat, I live alone. For me, as for many others, life is busy; sometimes a bit too much, yet I often find myself fulfilled with little time to brood. Mostly I’m fine with my pace of life and its many online meetings, but when I finally stop, I can ache for another person to share life with or to hug. And it’s not just me. A recent survey reported that 26 percent of adults in the UK feel lonely all or some of...More Saturday, May 3, 2025 God’s Perspective Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 14-15, Luke 22:21-46 I want you to know . . . what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. Philippians 1:12 Today's Scripture & Insight : Philippians 1:12-18 In 2018, pastor Tan Flippin had a cycling accident that landed him in the hospital with fractures to his hip. When the doctors ordered a CT scan to check for a concussion, they discovered a large malignant tumour on the front of his brain. The discovery led to a long medical journey with more masses found and extensive treatments performed—including a bone marrow...More Friday, May 2, 2025 Seasoned Answers Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 12-13, Luke 22:1-20 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Peter 3:15-16 Bert placed his debit card atop the restaurant bill. The waiter scooped it up and then paused to ask, “Wait, who is this guy who says, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life?’ That’s so conceited!” Bert realised the waiter was reacting to the words printed on the card by his Christian financial company—Jesus’ words from John 14:6. Amused at...More Thursday, May 1, 2025 Let's Talk About Heaven Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 10-11, Luke 21:20-38 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. Revelation 19:12 Today's Scripture & Insight : Revelation 19:11-16 Pastor Tom knew this would be their last conversation. The scent of death hovered over the hospital bed. Cancer had clawed its way through another frail, exhausted body. Yet Sophie’s eyes shone as she whispered, “Let’s talk about heaven.” But their conversation didn’t focus on heaven as a place. They spent the next hour anticipating Jesus and His welcome. “Heaven felt very...More Wednesday, April 30, 2025 Truly Trusting God Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 8-9, Luke 21:1-19 I will instruct . . . you in the way you should go . . . with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 32:6-11 The stray cat mewed pitifully, stopping me in my tracks. I had just walked past a pile of food that someone had carelessly discarded on the ground. Wow, God’s provided a meal for this hungry cat, I thought. The food was hidden behind a nearby pillar, so I tried to lure the emaciated cat to it. It moved towards me trustingly—then stopped and refused to follow me further. I wanted to ask, Why...More Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Hopeless or Hopeful Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 6-7, Luke 20:27-47 We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it. Numbers 13:30 Today's Scripture & Insight : Numbers 13:26-33 Every autumn, certain plants irritate my son’s sinuses. One night, his symptoms became so severe I thought he should see a doctor. Our family had just recovered from months of serious health issues, and I was so discouraged I didn’t even want to pray. My husband, however, found hope in all that God had already helped us through. He prayed for direction. Shortly after, with the help of...More Monday, April 28, 2025 Imitate Me Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 3-5, Luke 20:1-26 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 As his daddy cast his fishing line out into the lake, two-year-old Thomas mimicked his father’s actions with his own toy fishing pole. Later, as he stood on the shallow edge of the lake, Thomas also tried imitating his father’s example of throwing fish back into the water by dipping his pole in the water and ‘catching’ weeds. After each ‘catch’, Thomas held the weeds up for his daddy to admire...More Sunday, April 27, 2025 God’s Love Never Runs Out Bible in a Year : 1 Kings 1-2, Luke 19:28-48 His mercies never cease. Lamentations 3:22 Today's Scripture & Insight : Lamentations 3:19-26 When Josie’s ill and ageing father moved in with her, she felt overwhelmed by the daily needs of caring for him. The medications she needed to buy were expensive. The caring tasks and the wisdom needed to guide her decision-making for his worsening health condition, aside from her actual full-time job, were wearing her down. She said, “How could I keep gathering and giving out strength, practical resources, wisdom and...More

Friday, April 25, 2025 Steps of Faith Bible in a Year : 2 Samuel 21-22, Luke 18:24-43 You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : James 1:1-12 Four of us hiked through a beautiful gorge. At times we stood together in awe as we gazed in wonder at waterfalls and two-hundred-foot cliffs. Other times, we had to stop to catch our breath and rest our hurting legs as we climbed wet rocks and endless steps. When we neared the top, a hiker heading back down said, “You’ve got only 10 steps to go of your 832.” Maybe it was best we hadn’t known how...More Thursday, April 24, 2025 Confessing to Christ Bible in a Year : 2 Samuel 19-20, Luke 18:1-23 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 28:9-13 Hidden and ignored sources of toxins can have severe consequences. According to one report, telecom companies have left behind thousands of lead-covered cables around different parts of the world. The toxic lead runs underwater, “in the soil, and on poles overhead”. As the lead deteriorates, it ends up in places where people “live, work, and play”. Many...More Wednesday, April 23, 2025 Lament to Praise Bible in a Year : 2 Samuel 16-18, Luke 17:20-37 He said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Luke 23:42 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 23:32-34, 39-43 Several legends surround the naming of the beautiful five-petalled flower the forget-me-not. Among those stories is one from a German legend. According to the story, as God named all the plants He’d created, one little flower worried that it would be overlooked. So the flower called out “Forget-me-not, O Lord.” And that’s the name God gave to it. Though this is only a story, the...More Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Loving Others with God’s Love Bible in a Year : 2 Samuel 14-15, Luke 17:1-19 You are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:19 Today's Scripture & Insight : Deuteronomy 10:14-19 The people of Le Chambon, France, risked everything to help save the lives of as many as five thousand individuals, many of them Jewish children, during the Nazi occupation. The refugees fleeing their homes were hidden in the community’s homes and farms. The townspeople were inspired by pastor André Trocmé, who called on his congregation to help by referencing the words...More Monday, April 21, 2025 Deep Clean Bible in a Year : 2 Samuel 12-13, Luke 16 [Jesus said], “First clean the inside of the cup.” Matthew 23:26 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 23:23-26 On a frigid November day, our church hoped to fill two hundred backpacks for the homeless. Preparing to help fill them, I sorted through the items donated, praying to find new gloves, hats, socks, blankets. Bowls of soup and sandwiches would also be shared with those who were to receive the gifts. Then I noticed an item that surprised me: soap. I’d been focusing on helping people stay warm and fed. Someone had...More Sunday, April 20, 2025 The Best Evidence Bible in a Year : 2 Samuel 9-11, Luke 15:11-32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Acts 2:32 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 2:29-36 Lee didn’t believe in God, and he didn’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus. But Lee was a journalist with an analytical mind. When his wife believed in Jesus, he decided to study her new faith for himself. After two years of research, he gave in—to God, to the resurrection, to faith in Christ. The change in him was noticeable. After a few months, his five-year-old daughter said to his wife,...More Saturday, April 19, 2025 Clothed in Christ Bible in a Year : 2 Samuel 6-8, Luke 15:1-10 He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness. Isaiah 61:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 61:4-11 Rose Turner, a fashion psychologist at the London College of Fashion, studies the impact clothing has on how people think, how they behave and even how clothes affect their mood. As the closest thing to our bodies, clothing forms a type of “second skin” and girds us for whatever the day might hold. For example, donning professional attire can “help with motivation and...More Friday, April 18, 2025 No Longer Alone Bible in a Year : 2 Samuel 3-5, Luke 14:25-35 Jesus cried out . . . “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). Matthew 27:46 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 27:41-51 As an atheist, Deb had always lived how she pleased, but after years of having her heart broken by one destructive relationship after another, she was desperate. High on heroin and contemplating suicide, she stumbled upon a Gideon’s New Testament and there discovered that after death, she would have to give account to God for her wasted life. That...More Thursday, April 17, 2025 Straining at the Oars Bible in a Year : 2 Samuel 1-2, Luke 14:1-24 Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid. Mark 6:50 Today's Scripture & Insight : Mark 6:45-51 It was her worst nightmare, but it was for real. Hurricane Raymond’s 150-mile-an-hour winds and fifteen-metre-high waves had tossed the thirteen-metre yacht that Tammi and her fiancé were delivering to San Diego end over end like a toy. Knocked unconscious for twenty-seven hours, Tammi reawakened to find Richard had been lost overboard. Alone, heartbroken and without radio contact in a severely damaged yacht, the obstacles seemed...More Wednesday, April 16, 2025 A Pastry War Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 30-31, Luke 13:23-35 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ecclesiastes 7:3-9 Of all the foolish things that have led to nations going to war, could a pastry be the worst of all? In 1832, amid tensions between France and Mexico, a group of Mexican army officers visited a French pastry shop in Mexico City and sampled all the baker’s goods without paying. Though the details get complicated (and other provocations compounded the troubles), the result was the...More Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Going with God Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 27-29, Luke 13:1-22 Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Ruth 1:16 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ruth 1:6-17 In The Courier, a film inspired by true events, the main character Greville is confronted with a difficult decision. He learns that a close friend is going to be arrested and will probably face a gruelling imprisonment. Greville can save himself from the same fate if he flees the country immediately and denies association with his friend. Moved with compassion, Greville loyally refuses to leave and is imprisoned,...More Monday, April 14, 2025 Sharing Gospel Resources Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 25-26, Luke 12:32-59 I am not ashamed of the gospel. Romans 1:16 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 1:8-17 The venue and accommodations for our leadership meeting in the centre of town were in stark contrast with the neediness I encountered on my way there—neediness that included individuals who lacked the basics of food and shelter. The differences helped me picture and articulate things we needed to include in our vision planning for serving in the city and elsewhere: to get gospel resources (anything given by God to help spread the message...More Sunday, April 13, 2025 Listen to the Stones Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 22-24, Luke 12:1-31 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:40 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 19:37-40 After our family held a riverside memorial service for my father, we each selected a stone to help us remember him. His life had been a mix of wins and losses, but we knew his heart was for us. My fingers traced my stone’s smooth surface and helped me remember to hold him close. In Luke 19, Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, while the crowds waved palm branches, shouted...More Saturday, April 12, 2025 The Spirit’s Helpful Reminders Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 19-21, Luke 11:29-54 The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, . . . will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 14:15-17, 25-31 One year, I agreed to sing a song before one of my son’s sporting events. I practised for weeks, but I knew the song by heart already. So when I walked onto the field with the teams lined up on both sides of me, I closed my eyes and prayed. I started singing the first few lines. Then, I froze. In that moment I couldn’t remember the next line. A man behind me whispered the...More Friday, April 11, 2025 Good Grief Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 17-18, Luke 11:1-28 As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you. 2 Kings 2:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Kings 2:7-14 A man named Hidesabur? Ueno taught at Tokyo’s Imperial University in the 1920s. Every afternoon, he returned on the 3:00 p.m. train to find his dog, Hachiko, waiting for him. One day Professor Ueno suffered a stroke during class and died. When he didn’t get off the afternoon train, Hachiko lingered a while then went home. The dog returned the next day at 3:00, and the next day, and the day after that,...More Thursday, April 10, 2025 The Wright Sister Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 15-16, Luke 10:25-42 Our sister Phoebe . . . has been the benefactor of many people, including me. Romans 16:1-2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 16:1-12 Most people know about the Wright Brothers—Orville and Wilbur—who invented, built and flew the first successful airplane in the early 1900s. But few know the name Katherine Wright. Yet in her brothers’ story of creating their flying machine, Katherine was essential to their success. While her brothers concentrated on the myriad details and experiments that led to their invention,...More Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Forgetting Our Sins Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 13-14, Luke 10:1-24 I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake. Isaiah 43:25 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 43:18-25 Julie and her husband felt sadness and regret when they learned that their daughter had been shoplifting. But with God’s help, when she came to them weighed down with sorrow, they forgave her—and they helped her make restitution and receive counselling. Some months after the revelation, when their daughter made an offhand comment about how they might not trust her anymore, Julie wondered, What does she...More Tuesday, April 8, 2025 Bearing with One Another Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 10-12, Luke 9:37-62 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 4:1-6 I stopped behind a car at a red light the other day and noticed a bright sticker on the rear window boldly stating: “New Driver. Please Be Patient.” Given all the road rage we hear about (or experience), what a great reminder to be patient with other drivers. As I looked at the sticker, I wondered what would happen if people carried around signs that alerted us that they’re...More Monday, April 7, 2025 Never Beyond Hope Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 7-9, Luke 9:18-36 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Jeremiah 29:10-14 “You’re an alcoholic. You always will be.” Doctors and therapists said she had fallen too far. The best Sarah could do now was manage just one more day. Yet when she found herself in a Christian rehabilitation centre, Sarah encountered a starkly different message. Over the entrance, Jeremiah 29:11 proclaimed, “ ‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to...More Sunday, April 6, 2025 No One is Unreachable Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 4-6, Luke 9:1-17 “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” Acts 8:30–31 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 8:26-38 When Amy was a student, she and two friends felt called to go to Afghanistan and pray. The night before her flight, she had a dream of the three of them giving Bibles to the Taliban, and felt it was from God. Hastily, they stuffed their bags with Arabic Bibles. Miraculously, their smuggled books passed border checks, they gained entry...More Saturday, April 5, 2025 A Spiritual Dilemma Bible in a Year : 1 Samuel 1-3, Luke 8:26-56 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. Psalm 145:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 145:1-8 The average person checks his or her phone 150 times a day. Let that sink in a minute. Our phones have our attention—sometimes for our good, but sometimes not. Tristan Harris has concerns about this. He’s one of the voices in a film that features some of the top names in technology, people who ushered us into the world of social media. But instead of praise, their voices are sounding an alarm, calling our reality (and...More Friday, April 4, 2025 Our Father’s Treasures Bible in a Year : Ruth 1-4, Luke 8:1-25 They were holding golden bowls full of . . . the prayers of God’s people. Revelation 5:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Revelation 5:7-14 It’s just an old pocketknife, worn and tarnished with time. The blade is chipped and the handle notched, but it was one of my father’s treasures, kept in a box on his dresser until he gave it to me. “It’s one of the few things I have from your grandfather,” he told me. My grandfather died when my father was young, and Dad treasured the knife because he treasured his father. The...More Thursday, April 3, 2025 Not Grumbling Against God Bible in a Year : Judges 19-21, Luke 7:31-50 Moses cried out to the Lord. Exodus 15:25 Today's Scripture & Insight : Exodus 15:22-27 As an answer to prayer, unexpected funds from Alex’s insurance had already paid for his dental treatment. Now, another procedure was necessary. Where will I get the money for that? Alex grumbled. Resentful thoughts of heavy expenses filled his mind. When the next payment to the dentist was due, however, a cash gift from a relative suddenly arrived. “I felt ashamed,” Alex said. “I’d already seen how God had provided for me...More Wednesday, April 2, 2025 All is Forgiven Bible in a Year : Judges 16-18, Luke 7:1-30 This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. Luke 15:24 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 15:17-24 In one of his short stories, Ernest Hemingway tells a tale about a Spanish father who longs to reunite with his estranged son. He places an advertisement in a local newspaper: Paco, meet me at Hotel Montana at noon Tuesday. All is forgiven. When the father arrives, he finds a crowd waiting. Eight hundred Pacos had responded to his advertisement, longing to be forgiven by their fathers. It’s a...More Tuesday, April 1, 2025 Tears of Love Bible in a Year : Judges 13-15, Luke 6:27-49 Jesus wept. John 11:35 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 11:17-44 I was choked up that Saturday evening when I had to say goodbye to my daughters. I didn’t think it would be so hard, empty nesting a second time round. After all, the girls had previously been away at university and had now secured jobs they really wanted. But leaving them in a distant town and heading home to a house lacking their life—and their mess—touched me deeply. Jesus too was overcome with emotion the day he went to visit Martha and Mary...More Monday, March 31, 2025 Just Right for Jesus Bible in a Year : Judges 11-12, Luke 6:1-26 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 1 Timothy 1:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Eric’s childhood challenges included a severe skin rash, difficulties in school and getting high on alcohol or drugs daily from a very early age. Yet, the one who dubbed himself as the “king of bad” found that he excelled at football—until he abandoned it after becoming discouraged by discrimination. This allowed him even more time for using and dealing drugs. Things changed...More Sunday, March 30, 2025 Beauty from Infirmity Bible in a Year : Judges 9-10, Luke 5:17-39 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Galatians 4:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Galatians 4:13-15 The artist Degas suffered retina disease for the last fifty years of his life, switching from paint to pastel because the chalk lines were easier to see. Renoir had to have brushes placed between his fingers when arthritis made them clench like claws. And when surgery left Matisse immobile, he turned to collage, directing assistants to attach coloured pieces of paper to a large sheet on...More Saturday, March 29, 2025 God Never Loses Us Bible in a Year : Judges 7-8, Luke 5:1-16 [God] will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Deuteronomy 31:1-6 According to one report, global airlines mishandled over 26 million bags during 2022. Thankfully, many pieces were delayed or lost for only a short period. Thousands of others were lost for good, however. No wonder there’s a surging market for GPS devices that attach to gear, allowing you to track bags when airlines have given up. We’re all afraid that those in charge can’t be trusted to keep track of what’s...More Friday, March 28, 2025 Following God’s Plans Bible in a Year : Judges 4-6, Luke 4:31-44 If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that. James 4:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : James 4:13-17 I was unable to focus on a work project because of anxiety; I was afraid that my plans for it wouldn’t succeed. My anxiety came from pride. I believed my timeline and plans were best, so I wanted them to proceed unhindered. A question broke through my thoughts, however: Are your plans God’s plans? The problem wasn’t my planning—God calls us to be wise stewards of our time, opportunities and...More Thursday, March 27, 2025 The God of All Comfort Bible in a Year : Judges 1-3, Luke 4:1-30 We can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 Five devastating miscarriages led Zoe and Andy to share God’s love with other grieving couples. Reflecting on the stories of loss, hope and healing they have witnessed, Zoe says, “I don’t believe God allows us to go through painful experiences in order that we can use those experiences for good. . . . [But God] can turn that pain into something beautiful.” She concludes,...More Wednesday, March 26, 2025 Shaped by God Bible in a Year : Joshua 22-24, Luke 3 Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand. Jeremiah 18:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Jeremiah 18:1-10 Dan Les, a lifelong potter, creates decorative vessels and sculptures. His award-winning designs are inspired by the town in Romania where he lives. Having learned the craft from his father, he made this comment about his work: “[Clay needs to] ferment for a year, to have rain fall on it, to freeze and thaw out [so that] . . . you can shape it and feel through your hands that it is listening to...More Tuesday, March 25, 2025 Miracle, Miracle, Miracle, Miracle Bible in a Year : Joshua 19-21, Luke 2:25-52 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 5:6-10 The plane crashed in the Amazon jungle, killing three adults but leaving four children between the ages of one and thirteen alive but alone, surrounded by snakes and poisonous insects. A month later, some of the search party had given up. However, one army general was determined to continue, and the code word “Miracle” was agreed upon if anyone found a child alive. After forty...More Monday, March 24, 2025 Birth Pains Bible in a Year : Joshua 16-18, Luke 2:1-24 There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginnings of birth pains. Matthew 24:7-8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 24:1-8 The summer’s day dawned bright and sunny upon the old Victorian chapel that I and fellow graduates were using as our base for street evangelism with Mission England 1984. Billy Graham was drawing in crowds just down the road at Liverpool FC’s Anfield stadium and we were thrilled to be part of what God was doing. But suddenly we felt a great shaking. The...More Sunday, March 23, 2025 Being Still Before God Bible in a Year : Joshua 13-15, Luke 1:57-80 Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 46 I love the idea of stillness. Of quiet. Of resting in the refuge of God’s care (Psalm 46:1). And an often-quoted passage from Psalm 46 teaches us that quieting our hearts, our minds, and our souls is integral to knowing God: “Be still, and know that I am God” (v. 10). But being still isn’t easy, is it? Being quiet—and especially trying to still our hearts before God—can sometimes seem almost impossible. Why is...More Saturday, March 22, 2025 The Bible’s Cherished Words Bible in a Year : Joshua 10-12, Luke 1:39-56 You have the words of eternal life. John 6:68 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 6:60-69 My dad carried his beloved Bible for more than thirty years before the worn binding finally split in two. When we took it to a book binder for professional restoration, the craftsman was curious about what made the book so special. It wasn’t an expensive antique, and its pages were full of handwritten notes. His questions about the Bible created an opportunity for my family to share the gospel and pray with him. Yes, the Bible is...More Friday, March 21, 2025 God’s Own Bible in a Year : Joshua 7-9, Luke 1:21-38 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 43:1-7 One day, while serving as my mum’s live-in carer, we visited an art exhibit together. We were emotionally and physically drained. I gazed at two wooden row boats filled with colourful blown-glass shapes inspired by Japanese fishing lures and flower arrangements. The display sat in front of a black wall on a reflective surface—the Ikebana and Float Boats. Speckled, spotted and striped glass...More Thursday, March 20, 2025 Joy in Jesus Bible in a Year : Joshua 4-6, Luke 1:1-20 Your grief will turn to joy . . . and no one will take away your joy. John 16:20, 22 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 16:16-24 “I have the right to be happy,” said a teenager as she spoke before a legislature. Yet she could have been anyone, anywhere, speaking for everybody. It’s our human cry. One self-help guru even said, “God wants you to be happy.” Is that true? It’s not wrong to pursue happiness. That desirable state of mind, however, ebbs and flows with our moment-by-moment circumstances, and the...More Wednesday, March 19, 2025 Set Free Bible in a Year : Joshua 1-3, Mark 16 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him. Genesis 12:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 12:1-9 Chaz suffered as a child. He reflected, “Mum always wanted to be loved, but she used to put her trust in the wrong men.” When he was only seven she blamed Chaz for breaking up a relationship, saying to him: “I hate you. It’s all your fault. I wish you’d never been born.” He told himself, “I will never trust anyone in my life again.” Over the years he descended into drugs, crime and prison. Then a former partner...More Tuesday, March 18, 2025 God-Given Skills and Talents Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 32-34, Mark 15:26-47 I have filled [Bezalel] with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs. Exodus 31:3-4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Exodus 31:1-11 Some of the most famous pianists in the world, including Van Cliburn and Vladimir Horowitz, relied on Franz Mohr, the chief concert technician at a prestigious venue, to ensure that their concert pianos were ready for performances. A master piano tuner, Mohr was sought after for his intricate knowledge of pianos and...More Monday, March 17, 2025 Problems, Not Punishment Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 30-31, Mark 15:1-25 He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Psalm 103:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 103:1–2, 8–12 I simply didn’t have the emotional bandwidth to cope with yet another difficulty. I had lost two close relatives, encountered a stressful legal scenario and struggled with a problem that rumbled on for two years. When another issue erupted, the strain felt overwhelming. Feeling abandoned by God, I wondered if I’d lost His favour and was somehow being punished for my...More Sunday, March 16, 2025 Intervals of Rest Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 28-29, Mark 14:54-72 In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth . . . but he rested on the seventh day. Exodus 20:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Exodus 20:8-11 Running coach Jeff Galloway, a former Olympian, teaches a marathon training protocol that has a counterintuitive component to it. New and experienced marathoners are often surprised to learn that he advocates a “run/walk” strategy: alternating running for a set number of minutes with short periods of walking. The premise behind his approach is that the brief interludes of...More Saturday, March 15, 2025 The Language of Homecoming Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 26-27, Mark 14:27-53 We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! Acts 2:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 2:1-11 Karen, a Jamaican Christian, had always studied the Bible in English. It was Jamaican Creole, however, that she grew up with at home. One day, a team from Wycliffe Caribbean, a Bible translation organisation, presented her with a New Testament translated into Creole. Reading it was a surprisingly moving experience for her. “It made me understand that God speaks my heart language,” she explained. “I felt at...More Friday, March 14, 2025 Made to Do Good for God Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 23-25, Mark 14:1-26 We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Ephesians 2:10 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 2:6-10 At first, I ignored the card fluttering to the ground. The father and his little girl who dropped it were just twenty feet away, and I was late for work. Surely they’ll notice, I told myself. But they kept walking. My conscience got the better of me, and I went over to pick it up. It was a prepaid bus pass. When I gave it to them, their effusive thanks left me feeling unexpectedly satisfied. Why...More Thursday, March 13, 2025 A New Heart in Christ Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 20-22, Mark 13:21-37 I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ezekiel 11:14-21 Brock and Dennis were childhood friends, but as they grew up, Brock showed little interest in Dennis’ faith in Jesus. Dennis loved his friend and prayed for him because he knew the path he was going down was dark and depressing. In praying for Brock, Dennis adapted the words of the prophet Ezekiel: “Please God, remove from Brock a heart of stone and give him a heart of flesh” (see...More Wednesday, March 12, 2025 Loose Ends Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 17-19, Mark 13:1-20 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised. Hebrews 11:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Hebrews 11:8-16 Patty stroked the two incomplete crocheted blankets that had been intended for her sons, compounding her grief and loss. Patty’s mum had died before they could be finished. Masey and Jennifer, Patty’s friends, decided to step in. Although they couldn’t crochet themselves, they started a network called Loose Ends where people can volunteer to finish off craft...More Tuesday, March 11, 2025 Heirs of God’s Salvation Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 14-16, Mark 12:28-44 As long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. Galatians 4:1 Today's Scripture & Insight : Galatians 4:1-7 When Abigail’s parents died tragically in a car accident, she inherited a large real estate portfolio. She also learned that her parents had arranged to place the portfolio in a trust. For the time being, she could access only enough money for her university fees. The rest would come when she was older. Abigail was frustrated, but she later realised her parents’...More Monday, March 10, 2025 Working Together for Jesus Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 11-13, Mark 12:1-27 We rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. Nehemiah 4:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Nehemiah 4:1-9 During a trip to Brazil with a short-term missions team, we helped construct a church building in the Amazon jungle. On the foundation, already laid, we assembled the various parts of the church like a giant Lego set: supporting columns, concrete walls, windows, steel beams for the ceiling and tiles on the roof. Then we painted the walls. Some people were...More Sunday, March 9, 2025 Resting in Christ Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 8-10, Mark 11:19-33 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things.” Luke 10:41 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 10:38-42 Several years ago, a study analysed the link between teenage depression and the amount of sleep teens received each night. After reading the study, a young woman commented on the results: “I never seem to know when to stop—I push myself so hard that I end up making myself sick from lack of sleep and stress.” Then she said she wanted to know what it really meant to manage her...More Saturday, March 8, 2025 The List Is Life Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 5-7, Mark 11:1-18 These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt. Numbers 26:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Numbers 26:1-4, 20-22 Hunched over a manual typewriter, Itzhak Stern worked through the night, tapping out names—1,098 in all. The names comprised a list of Jewish workers protected from the Nazis by factory owner Oskar Schindler. Clutching the document, Stern declared, “The list is an absolute good. The list is life.” Those named on its pages would survive the Holocaust. In 2012, it was estimated that the descendants of the...More Friday, March 7, 2025 Give Your Worries to Jesus Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 3-4, Mark 10:32-52 Do not worry about your life. Matthew 6:25 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 6:25-27 Nancy feared the future, seeing only trouble. Her husband Tom had fainted three times during a hiking trip. But doctors at a small nearby hospital found nothing wrong. At a larger medical centre, where doctors conducted additional tests, they also found no problem. “I was very afraid,” Nancy stated. As her husband was released, she questioned the cardiologist one last time, asking, “What do we do now?” He gave her words of wisdom...More Thursday, March 6, 2025 Not Easily Offended Bible in a Year : Deuteronomy 1-2, Mark 10:1-31 Sensible people . . . earn respect by overlooking wrongs. Proverbs 19:11 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 19:8-13 When I entered my church after several months of quarantine, I was excited to see members I hadn’t seen in a while. I realised that some members, especially older ones, just wouldn’t be back—some due to safety reasons and others, unfortunately, because they’d passed from this life. So I was quite excited when I spotted an older couple coming into the church and taking their normal seat behind me. I...More Wednesday, March 5, 2025 Unfathomable God Bible in a Year : Numbers 34-36, Mark 9:30-50 His understanding no one can fathom. Isaiah 40:28 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 40:25-31 In February 2023, the James Webb Space Telescope made another remarkable discovery. Beyond where humankind had previously been able to peer into the universe, it discovered six new galaxies. This discovery upended much of what we know about space. One astronomer remarked, “It turns out we found something so unexpected it actually creates problems for science.” An astrophysicist said almost apologetically, “There is nothing wrong...More Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Reading, Writing and Jesus Bible in a Year : Numbers 31-33, Mark 9:1-29 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. Acts 3:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 3:15-24 Moses with horns? That’s the way he’s depicted in Michelangelo’s masterpiece sculpture completed in 1515. Two horns protrude from Moses’ hair just above his forehead. Michelangelo wasn’t alone—many Renaissance and medieval artists depict Moses that way. Why? It has to do with the Latin translation of the Hebrew Bible available at the time, which described Moses’ radiant face after being in...More Monday, March 3, 2025 Extending God’s Love to Neighbours Bible in a Year : Numbers 28-30, Mark 8:22-38 Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:37 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 10:27-37 One winter day, a delivery man noticed an elderly woman shovelling snow off her driveway. He stopped and convinced the eighty-one-year-old to let him finish the job. Concerned that he’d be late delivering his other packages, she retrieved another shovel. They worked side by side for almost fifteen minutes as her neighbours watched from afar. “I’m thankful you helped me,” she said. “You’re God-sent.” During a...More Sunday, March 2, 2025 Clean Hands Bible in a Year : Numbers 26-27, Mark 8:1-21 Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart. Psalm 24:3-4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 24:1-4 The Queen, in her pristine white gloves, was a picture of elegance. Bobby Moore’s hands, by contrast, were covered in dirt. He had just captained the England football team to an historic World Cup win. But now it dawned on him that he was about to shake hands with his monarch. Sweat dripping, stress rising, he frantically wiped his hands on his grubby shorts. It’s a funny and very...More Saturday, March 1, 2025 Understanding the Bible Bible in a Year : Numbers 23-25, Mark 7:14-37 The word of God is alive and active. . . . [It] judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Timothy 3:14-16 How important is the Bible? It’s so vital that people in many countries risk their lives to translate it into their native languages. Often, these are ordinary believers in Jesus who face arrest for translating the words of Scripture into a heart language others can understand. One female translator from a country hostile to believers in Jesus said, “I must...More Friday, February 28, 2025 Peace of Christ Bible in a Year : Numbers 20-22, Mark 7:1-13 As members of one body you were called to peace. Colossians 3:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : Colossians 3:8-17 Would they win by arguing? Never, a small-town leader warned residents in Adirondack Park, where a pitched battle between environmentalists and small-business owners ignited the “Adirondack Wars.” The name described their fight whether to save the area’s pristine wilderness in Upstate New York or develop it. “Go back wherever you came from!” a local leader had shouted at an environmentalist. But...More Thursday, February 27, 2025 A Path Forward Bible in a Year : Numbers 17-19, Mark 6:30-56 Love [your wife] as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods. Hosea 3:1 Today's Scripture & Insight : Hosea 3 What do we do? Scott and Bree agonized over how to relate to friends and family members who’d chosen unbiblical ways of life. As they studied the Scriptures and prayed, a path forward emerged: First, they reinforced their love for their friends and loved ones; second, they expressed what was true and good about them based on God’s good design; and third, they shared how they would lovingly...More Wednesday, February 26, 2025 The Joy of Giving Bible in a Year : Numbers 15-16, Mark 6:1-29 Tabitha . . . was always doing good and helping the poor. Acts 9:36 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 9:36-43 On a five-hour flight, a woman vigorously crocheted a sweater. As she moved her hook in and out of her yarn, she noticed a five-month-old baby who was mesmerized by her motions. Then the woman got an idea: instead of finishing the sweater she was working on; she would make a hat for her little admirer. She had to finish the hat in the remaining time of the flight, however—just one hour! When the woman presented the...More Tuesday, February 25, 2025 Responding to Generosity Bible in a Year : Numbers 12-14, Mark 5:21-43 Give, and it will be given to you. Luke 6:38 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 6:31-38 When Lydia was gifted $10,000 by anonymous donors, she spent little of it on herself. Instead, she gave generous gifts to coworkers, family, flood victims, and charities. Lydia, unbeknownst to her, was part of a study following how two hundred people responded to a no-strings-attached gift of $10,000 through a bank transfer. That study found that more than two-thirds of that gifted money was given away. Sharing this story, Chris Anderson,...More Monday, February 24, 2025 Rainbows and God’s Promises Bible in a Year : Numbers 9-11, Mark 5:1-20 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 9:8-17 While I stood watching the amazing power of Niagara Falls, I noticed that other tourists suddenly began taking photos. Looking in the same direction, I saw a rainbow had appeared—arching across the river. It seemed to begin at the base of the Horseshoe Falls, ending at the base of the American Falls. In reality, there’s no end to a rainbow. A rainbow is a...More Sunday, February 23, 2025 Planted by the Stream Bible in a Year : Numbers 7-8, Mark 4:21-41 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water. Psalm 1:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 1 Bill is an older retired gentleman who lives alone and recently had to give up driving. He needs help to pick up groceries, prescriptions, and get to church on Sundays. “But you know what,” says Bill, “I love my days at home. I enjoy free worship music online and Bible teaching on the TV all day long.” Bill spends his days surrounded by Scripture, prayer, and praise. The habits we keep influence where our...More Saturday, February 22, 2025 Legacy of Love in Jesus Bible in a Year : Numbers 4-6, Mark 4:1-20 As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 13:31-36 In Sweden, there’s a concept known as döstädning. It literally means “death cleaning.” The idea is that as we grow older, we should stop accumulating “stuff” and begin to cut out the clutter we have amassed throughout our lives. “Swedish death cleaning” is actually a gift of love to children and friends, for it simplifies for them the task of wading through what we leave behind. As believers in Jesus,...More Friday, February 21, 2025 Getting Back Up Bible in a Year : Numbers 1-3, Mark 3 For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 24:15-22 As a teen, I was enthralled with the sport of figure skating. I loved the blend of artistry and athleticism on ice, with the fast spins, high jumps, and perfect poses. After watching many professional skaters perform, I finally got the opportunity to go ice skating and be part of a group lesson. Along with learning how to glide and stop, we learned some of the most important skills for a...More Thursday, February 20, 2025 The Simple Truth Bible in a Year : Leviticus 26-27, Mark 2 Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. Acts 16:31 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 10:9-11 When my wife and I go biking, we like to know how many miles we’ve pedaled. So, I went to a bike shop to buy an odometer and came home with a minicomputer that I discovered was a bit too complicated for me to program. I headed back to the bike shop, where the person who had sold it to me had it working in no time. I realized it wasn’t as difficult to understand as I thought. In life, new things and...More Wednesday, February 19, 2025 Finding Love in God Bible in a Year : Leviticus 25, Mark 1:23-45 The Lord saw that Leah was not loved. Genesis 29:31 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 29:28-35 As a child, when asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Ben would say, “I want to be like Dave.” Ben’s older brother was athletic, sociable, and an honor student. Ben, on the other hand, says, “I was clumsy in sports, timid, and struggled with a learning disability. I’d always wanted a close relationship with Dave, but he didn’t. He called me ‘the boring one.’ ” Ben spent much of his life...More Tuesday, February 18, 2025 No Fake Ratings Bible in a Year : Leviticus 23-24, Mark 1:1-22 Put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 4:17, 22-32 A ride-sharing customer shared that he had endured a driver eating the world’s smelliest fruit, another driver who was bickering with a girlfriend, and one who tried to get him to invest money in a Ponzi scheme. In each case, instead of a poor rating, he gave the drivers five stars. He explained, “They all seemed like nice people. I didn’t want them to be kicked...More Monday, February 17, 2025 Wise Restraint in God Bible in a Year : Leviticus 21-22, Matthew 28 Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them. Proverbs 29:20 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 29:4-11, 20 Following the South’s catastrophic loss at Gettysburg in the American Civil War (1863), General Robert E. Lee led his battered troops back to Southern territory. Heavy rains flooded the Potomac River, blocking his retreat. President Abraham Lincoln urged General George Meade to attack. But Meade’s men were just as weary as Lee’s. He rested his troops. Lincoln...More Sunday, February 16, 2025 Reflecting God’s Mercy Bible in a Year : Leviticus 19-20, Matthew 27:51-66 In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. Matthew 7:12 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 7:7-12 A Finnish soldier in the three-month Winter War with Russia (1939-1940) lay wounded on the battlefield. A Russian soldier walked his way, pointing his rifle. The Finn was certain he’d met his end. However, the Russian handed him a medic kit, then kept moving. Remarkably, the Finn later found himself in a similar situation, only the roles were reversed—a Russian soldier lay wounded and helpless on...More Saturday, February 15, 2025 Perfectly Perfect Savior Bible in a Year : Leviticus 17-18, Matthew 27:27-50 We have a great high priest . . . who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:14-15 Today's Scripture & Insight : Hebrews 4:12-16 The interior designer on the home improvement show raved about the handmade ceramic tiles selected for the home’s new shower area. Different from commercially manufactured tiles, which are all identical, these handcrafted pieces were “imperfectly perfect.” The imperfections gave each tile unique beauty, adding to the charm and style of an otherwise...More Friday, February 14, 2025 Wedded to Love Bible in a Year : Leviticus 15-16, Matthew 27:1-26 Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 At Meredith’s wedding, her mother read a beautiful Scripture from 1 Corinthians. Often called “the love chapter” of the Bible, the thirteenth chapter sounded perfect for the occasion. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud” (v. 4). Listening, I wondered if modern brides and grooms knew what prompted the apostle’s stirring words. Paul wasn’t writing a love poem. The apostle...More Thursday, February 13, 2025 Never Overlooked by God Bible in a Year : Leviticus 14, Matthew 26:51-75 The Lord make his face shine on you. Numbers 6:25 Today's Scripture & Insight : Numbers 6:22-27 “Sometimes I just feel so . . . invisible.” The word hung in the air as Joanie talked to her friend. Her husband had left for another woman, leaving Joanie with young children still at home. “I gave him my best years,” she confided. “And now I don’t know if anyone would really see me or take the time to actually know me.” “I’m so sorry,” her friend responded. “My dad walked out when I was six, and...More Wednesday, February 12, 2025 Our Plans and God’s Plans Bible in a Year : Leviticus 13, Matthew 26:26-50 “Neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 55:8-12 Many years ago, my husband decided to take a trip to Africa with a group of people from his church. At the last minute, the group was prevented from going on its journey. Everyone was disappointed, but the money they’d collected for airfare, lodging, and food was donated to the people they’d tried to visit. The people used it to construct a building that would shelter victims of abuse. Recently, at a...More

Monday, February 10, 2025 Fishing for Friends Bible in a Year : Leviticus 8-10, Matthew 25:31-46 [Jesus said], “I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 4:18-22 Patty spent the afternoon on the banks of a local river, using her fishing pole to cast bait into the water. Having only recently moved to the area, she wasn’t hoping to catch fish; she was angling for some new friends. Her line wasn’t baited with worms or any other traditional lure. Instead, she used her heavy-duty sturgeon rod to extend packets of cookies to people who were floating down the river in...More Sunday, February 9, 2025 Jesus Our Peace Bible in a Year : Leviticus 6-7, Matthew 25:1-30 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. Ephesians 2:17 Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 2:11-18 Joan groaned when she saw Susan’s social media post. The photo showed ten church friends smiling around a restaurant table. For the second time this month, they were having a grand time—without her. Joan blinked away tears. She didn’t always get along with the others, but still. How strange to attend church with people who didn’t include her! How strangely...More Saturday, February 8, 2025 Caring in Christ Bible in a Year : Leviticus 4-5, Matthew 24:29-51 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5 Today's Scripture & Insight : Philippians 2:1-11 Ms. Charlene, my friend Dwayne’s mother, is ninety-four years old, under five feet tall, and weighs less than a hundred pounds. Yet this doesn’t stop her from doing what she can to care for her son, whose physical health prevents him from caring for himself. Visits to their two-story home often find her on the second floor, where she resides. Slowly, she descends sixteen stairs...More Friday, February 7, 2025 Not Irrelevant in God’s Eyes Bible in a Year : Leviticus 1-3, Matthew 24:1-28 People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Samuel 16:1, 6-13 During the annual National Football League Draft, professional football teams choose new players. Coaches spend thousands of hours evaluating prospective players’ skills and physical fitness. In 2022, Brock Purdy was the last—262nd—pick and labeled “Mr. Irrelevant,” the nickname given to the last football player selected. No one expected he would play in a game during the upcoming season....More Thursday, February 6, 2025 A Cultivated Life in Christ Bible in a Year : Exodus 39-40, Matthew 23:23-39 There was no one to work the ground. Genesis 2:5 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 2:4-9 When we built our home, it stood on little more than a muddy, empty lot at the end of a gravel road. We needed grass, trees, and shrubs to match the surrounding Oregon foothills. As I got out my lawn tools and set to work, I thought of the first garden waiting for humans: “No shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, . . . and there was no one to work the ground” (Genesis 2:5). The creation...More Wednesday, February 5, 2025 Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus Bible in a Year : Exodus 36-38, Matthew 23:1-22 [Jesus said], “These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.” John 5:39 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 5:36-40 June’s eyes were fixed on the gray car beside her. She had to change lanes to exit the highway, but each time she tried to overtake the vehicle, the other driver seemed to speed up too. Finally, she managed to cut in front. Smug in her moment of triumph, June looked in the rearview mirror and smirked. At the same time, she noticed her destination exit passing her by. With a rueful smile,...More Tuesday, February 4, 2025 God’s Spacious Place Bible in a Year : Exodus 34-35, Matthew 22:23-46 You . . . have set my feet in a spacious place. Psalm 31:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 31:1-2, 8-16 When theologian Todd Billings received a diagnosis of incurable blood cancer, he described his imminent mortality as like lights in distant rooms turning off or flickering. “As the father of a one- and three-year-old, I tended to think of the next few decades as an open expanse, assuming I would see Neti and Nathaniel grow and mature. . . . But in being diagnosed . . . there is a narrowing that takes...More Monday, February 3, 2025 Lowly but Loved by God Bible in a Year : Exodus 31-33, Matthew 22:1-22 Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. Psalm 138:6 nlt Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 138 One day at church, I greeted a visiting family. I knelt next to their little girl’s wheelchair, introduced her to my service dog, Callie, and complimented her pretty, pink glasses and boots. Though she was nonverbal, her smile told me she enjoyed our conversation. Another little girl approached, avoiding eye contact with my new friend. She whispered, “Tell her I like her...More Sunday, February 2, 2025 Christ’s Visual Paradox Bible in a Year : Exodus 29-30, Matthew 21:23-46 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 5:1-12 One of the great hymn writers of all time, Isaac Watts, wrote “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” In penning its lyrics, he used the poetic device of paradox to show a contrast in themes: “my richest gain I count but loss” and “pour contempt on all my pride.” We sometimes call these oxymorons, “words used in seeming contradiction to themselves”—like “awfully good” and “jumbo shrimp.” In...More Saturday, February 1, 2025 Our Father’s Love Bible in a Year : Exodus 27-28, Matthew 21:1-22 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 John 3:1-3, 16-24 Kim settled in by the window, bag packed, waiting eagerly for her daddy to arrive. But as the bright day darkened and then turned to night, her enthusiasm faded. She realized Daddy wasn’t coming—again. Kim’s parents were divorced, and she longed to spend time with her father. Not for the first time she thought, I must not really matter. He must not love...More Friday, January 31, 2025 Compelled to Tell Bible in a Year : Exodus 25-26, Matthew 20:17-34 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. Romans 1:16 Today's Scripture & Insight : Acts 20:17-24 “You know Jesus loves you. He really loves you.” Those were the last words of John Daniels. Just seconds after he’d given a homeless man money and shared those parting words, he was struck by a car and instantly killed. The printed program for the service that celebrated John’s life included these words: “He wanted to figure out how he could reach more...More Thursday, January 30, 2025 What Would You Ask Jesus? Bible in a Year : Exodus 23-24, Matthew 20:1-16 Let the little children come to me. Luke 18:16 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 18:9-17 “If Jesus were physically seated at the table with us this morning, what would you want to ask Him?” Joe inquired of his children at breakfast. His boys thought of their toughest questions. They decided they wanted to ask Jesus the most difficult math problems and have Him tell them how big the universe really is. Then his daughter replied, “I would ask Him for a hug.” Can’t you picture the love in Jesus’ eyes for...More Wednesday, January 29, 2025 Becoming Holy Bible in a Year : Exodus 21-22, Matthew 19 I am the Lord, who makes them holy. Leviticus 22:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : Leviticus 22:1-9 After viewing world-class ceramic sculptures at an art museum, I was invited to create my own “pinch pot” from air-dry clay. I spent two hours shaping a little bowl, engraving patterns, and painting. The result of all my hard work was underwhelming: a tiny, misshapen pot with uneven color. It wasn’t going to end up in a museum anytime soon. Living up to a high standard can be daunting. The Israelite priests experienced...More Tuesday, January 28, 2025 God—Our Sure Foundation Bible in a Year : Exodus 19-20, Matthew 18:21-35 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge. Isaiah 33:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 33:2-6 With a crumbling kitchen and sagging floors, our house needed renovation. After large sections of it were demolished, builders began digging a new foundation. Then things got interesting. As the builders dug, shovel loads of broken plates, 1850s-era soda bottles, even cutlery emerged. Were we built on an old garbage dump? Who knows, but as a result, our engineer...More Monday, January 27, 2025 Blessed to Be a Blessing Bible in a Year : Exodus 16-18, Matthew 18:1-20 They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 2 Kings 4:5 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Kings 4:1-7 During my years as a journalist, I enjoyed telling other people’s stories, but I was trained to not share my own opinions. So years after I had felt God call me out of my journalism career, when I increasingly felt God directing me to write a blog and speak about Him, I was a little nervous about sharing my thoughts, especially about my faith. As I started blogging, I was afraid I’d run out of things to say. But week...More Sunday, January 26, 2025 Reverent Fear Bible in a Year : Exodus 14-15, Matthew 17 If you look for [wisdom] as for silver . . . then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:4-5 Today's Scripture & Insight : Proverbs 2:1-11 Jeremy writes, “I know quite a bit about the fear of dying. Seven years ago . . . I felt intense, sickening, dizzying, overwhelming fear when I was told I had incurable cancer.” But he learned to manage his fear by leaning on the presence of God and moving from his fear of death to embracing a reverent fear of Him. To Jeremy, this means being in...More Saturday, January 25, 2025 God’s Perfect Care Bible in a Year : Exodus 12-13, Matthew 16 The life of my lord [David] will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God. 1 Samuel 25:29 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Samuel 25:28-31 David Vetter died at age twelve after spending his entire life in a bubble. Nicknamed “The Bubble Boy,” David was born with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). His parents had lost their first son to the disease and were determined to protect their second-born. To prolong his life, NASA engineers designed a plastic protection bubble as well as a spacesuit so his...More Friday, January 24, 2025 Christ Matters Most Bible in a Year : Exodus 9-11, Matthew 15:21-39 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy. Colossians 2:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Colossians 2:6-12 My wife and I like cheesy, feel-good romantic movies. I could say it’s her thing. But I like ’em too. Their charm and appeal lies in their predictable path toward happily ever after. Recently, we watched one that offered some questionable romantic advice. Love is a feeling, it said. Then, Follow your heart. Finally, Your happiness matters most. Our emotions matter, of course. But...More Thursday, January 23, 2025 God’s Promises Bible in a Year : Exodus 7-8, Matthew 15:1-20 What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 It was painful to see my dad losing his memory. Dementia is cruel, taking away all the recollections of people until there’s no remembrance left of the life they lived. One night, I had a dream I believe God used to encourage me. In the dream, He had a small treasure chest in His hands. “All your dad’s memories are safely stored here,” He told me. “I’ll keep them in the meantime. Then one...More Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Recognizing God Bible in a Year : Exodus 4-6, Matthew 14:22-36 The Son is the . . . exact representation of [God’s] being. Hebrews 1:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : Hebrews 1:1-4 I flew to India, a land I’d never visited, and arrived at the Bengaluru airport after midnight. Though there’d been a flurry of emails, I didn’t know who was picking me up or where I should meet him. I followed the streaming mass of humanity to the baggage claim and customs, then out into the sticky night where I tried to spot a pair of friendly eyes among the sea of faces. For an hour, I walked back and...More Tuesday, January 21, 2025 The Gift of Trials Bible in a Year : Exodus 1-3, Matthew 14:1-21 The Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 1 Peter 4:14 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Peter 4:12-19 The two men conquered human flight, but the Wright brothers’ journey to success was never easy. Despite countless failures, ridicule, money woes, and serious injury to one of them, the brothers weren’t stopped by the trials they faced. As Orville Wright observed, “No bird soars in a calm.” The idea, according to biographer David McCullough, means that adversity can “often be exactly what you need to give you a lift...More Monday, January 20, 2025 Let My People Go Bible in a Year : Genesis 49-50, Matthew 13:31-58 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.” Exodus 3:7 Today's Scripture & Insight : Exodus 3:1-10 The acclaimed painting Let My People Go by Aaron Douglas uses vibrant colors of lavender, green, and gold, along with traditional African imagery, to tell the biblical story of Moses and connect it with black Americans’ struggle for freedom and justice. The painting portrays God’s appearance to Moses in a burning bush when He revealed that He’d seen the plight of the Israelites in...More Sunday, January 19, 2025 Still Fruitful for God Bible in a Year : Genesis 46-48, Matthew 13:1-30 They will still bear fruit in old age. Psalm 92:14 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 92:12-15 There’s an old folktale about a woman who carried water home every day from a river using two buckets at either end of a long pole—one bucket new and solid, the other much older and cracked. When the woman got home, the new bucket was still full, but the old bucket almost empty. The old bucket felt bad and apologized. The woman turned and pointed back down the road and asked the old bucket, “Do you see all those flowers,...More Saturday, January 18, 2025 Made Right with Jesus Bible in a Year : Genesis 43-45, Matthew 12:24-50 Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 Corinthians 5:21-6:2 “We’re ready to board our flight to Montego Bay,” came the announcement. I was traveling as a speaker for and leader of a high school group on a missions trip to Jamaica. I reached into my backpack for my boarding pass and passport—and panic hit. My passport was gone! Our group boarded the plane without me, and I faced four days of frantic efforts trying to get a new...More Friday, January 17, 2025 Don’t Lose Heart Bible in a Year : Genesis 41-42, Matthew 12:1-23 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 Today's Scripture & Insight : Galatians 6:7-10 Weary. That’s how Satya felt after nine months in his new job. As a believer in Jesus, he’d sought to follow God’s principles in the way he solved problems and directed the work. But people-related problems persisted, and little organizational progress seemed to have been made. He felt like throwing in the towel. Perhaps, like Satya, you’re...More Thursday, January 16, 2025 Easy and Hard Bible in a Year : Genesis 39-40, Matthew 11 God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Exodus 13:17 Today's Scripture & Insight : Exodus 14:5-14 Mark was a promising young pastor. Then one morning his son, Owen, collapsed and died while kicking a ball with him. Mark was devastated and still grieves the loss. But through his pain he’s become a more compassionate pastor. I’ve mourned with Mark and wondered if his trial illustrates an insight A. W. Tozer noted: “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt...More Wednesday, January 15, 2025 A New Beginning with God Bible in a Year : Genesis 36-38, Matthew 10:21-42 While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Romans 5:6-11 “Did your sin also put Jesus on the cross?” That’s the question Dutch painter Rembrandt seems to be asking in his 1633 masterpiece, The Raising of the Cross. Jesus appears in the center of the picture as His cross is lifted and put in place. Four men are doing the lifting, but one stands out in the light surrounding Jesus. His clothing is different; he’s dressed in the style of Rembrandt’s day, wearing a cap the...More Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Walking with God Bible in a Year : Genesis 33-35, Matthew 10:1-20 Enoch walked faithfully with God. Genesis 5:24 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 5:21-24 For years, fitness experts have stressed the importance of running for cardiovascular health. But recent scientific studies have demonstrated that daily walking also has a range of health benefits. According to the US National Institute of Health, “Adults who took 8,000 or more steps a day had a reduced risk of death over the following decade than those who walked only 4,000 steps a day.” Walking is good for...More Monday, January 13, 2025 Scouting for Truth Bible in a Year : Genesis 31-32, Matthew 9:18-38 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19 Today's Scripture & Insight : James 1:19-27 Reflecting on why people tend to be entirely convinced they’re right—even when they’re not—author Julia Galef suggests that it has to do with a “soldier mindset”—where we’re focused on defending what we already believe against what we see as threats. Galef argues a more helpful mindset is that of a scout—someone focused not primarily on eliminating threats but on seeking the...More Sunday, January 12, 2025 God Will Act Bible in a Year : Genesis 29-30, Matthew 9:1-17 Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 2 Timothy 4:11 Today's Scripture & Insight: Acts 15:36-41 A hardworking clerk, Erin always did her job well. But after she was accused of dishonesty, Erin was put on leave while being investigated. She felt like quitting in protest but was advised to wait it out. “Leaving suggests you’re guilty,” she was told. So Erin stayed, praying for God to give her justice. Sure enough, months later, she was cleared. John Mark may have felt the...More Saturday, January 11, 2025 Out of the Mouths of . . . Bible in a Year : Genesis 27-28, Matthew 8:18-34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me.” Numbers 22:34 Today's Scripture & Insight : Numbers 22:21-23, 31-35 What if you could understand what your dog was saying? New technology uses “bark” recognition to help determine canines’ feelings when they bark. The high-tech collars interpret dogs’ barks using data from more than ten thousand barks to identify the emotion they’re expressing. Though the collars don’t enable a word translation,...More Friday, January 10, 2025 What Scripture Reveals Bible in a Year : Genesis 25-26, Matthew 8:1-17 Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. 2 John 1:7 Today's Scripture & Insight : 2 John 1:4-11 In April 1817, a disoriented young woman was found wandering around in Gloucestershire, England, wearing exotic clothes and speaking an unknown language. Assuming she was a beggar, authorities placed her in prison. However, she convinced her captors that she was Princess Caraboo from the island of Javasu. For ten weeks, the community treated her as royalty until a...More Thursday, January 9, 2025 Better than Life Bible in a Year : Genesis 23-24, Matthew 7 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. Psalm 63:3 Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 63 After another unexpected health setback, I joined my husband and others during a retreat in the mountains. I trudged up the wooden staircase that led to the tiny church on the top of a hill. Alone in the dark, I stopped to rest on a splintered step. “Help me, Lord,” I whispered as the music began. I walked slowly until I stepped into the small room. I breathed through the lingering pain, grateful that God hears us...More Wednesday, January 8, 2025 A Deaf Heart Bible in a Year : Genesis 20-22, Matthew 6:19-34 [Jesus] too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of . . . the devil. Hebrews 2:14 Today's Scripture & Insight : Hebrews 2:9-18 To improve her sign language skills, Leisa immersed herself in the world of the Deaf. Soon she learned the problems they face. The Deaf are awkwardly ignored by hearing people, expected to lip-read flawlessly, and routinely get passed over for promotions at work. Most public events go uninterpreted. Leisa’s signing steadily improved to the point where...More Tuesday, January 7, 2025 Seeing God in Creation Bible in a Year : Genesis 18-19, Matthew 6:1-18 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Job 42:5 Today's Scripture & Insight : Job 42:1-6 Kenny stood before the congregation he’d left years before after he’d lost faith in God. He shared that his belief had been restored. How? God had touched his heart through the beauty and design he saw in creation. Kenny was in awe of Him once more through the witness of God’s general revelation seen in the natural world, and he now embraced the wisdom found in the special revelation of Scripture. After sharing his...More Monday, January 6, 2025 Little Town of Bethlehem Bible in a Year : Genesis 16-17, Matthew 5:27-48 Bethlehem, . . . out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Matthew 2:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 2:1-11 Phillips Brooks wrote the lyrics to the beloved carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” after visiting Bethlehem. Brooks, pastor of a church in the United States, was so moved by his experience that he wrote this to his Sunday school students: “I remember . . . on Christmas Eve, when I was standing in the old church at Bethlehem, close to the spot where Jesus was born, when the whole...More Sunday, January 5, 2025 God Knows Everything Bible in a Year : Genesis 13-15, Matthew 5:1-26 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. Psalm 139:3 nlt Today's Scripture & Insight : Psalm 139:1-12 God truly knows all. But according to an article in The Wall Street Journal, the National Security Agency knows a great deal about us as well through our smartphone data trails. Everyone who owns a cell phone creates “metadata” that leaves a “digital trail.” While each individual crumb of data might seem insignificant, when it’s combined and analyzed, it provides “one of the most...More Saturday, January 4, 2025 Giving Back to God Bible in a Year : Genesis 10-12, Matthew 4 Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 1 Chronicles 29:14 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 Chronicles 29:10-16 One year, the leaders of our congregation invited us to give gifts, in addition to our regular weekly offerings, to build a new gymnasium—a space we could use to minister to the families in our community. After prayerfully considering the medical expenses caused by living with a disability, I asked my husband, “Are you sure we can do this?” He nodded. “We’re not giving God...More Friday, January 3, 2025 Fear of the Unknown Bible in a Year : Genesis 7-9, Matthew 3 In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 16:31-33 Fear woke me at 3 a.m. on the first day of the new year. The year ahead weighed heavily on me, overwhelming me with dread. Illness in the family had long wearied me, and now, thoughts of the future made me afraid. Will more bad things happen? I wondered. Jesus’ disciples understood the fear of bad things happening. Even though their Master had prepared and reassured them the day before He...More Thursday, January 2, 2025 God’s Promise Beyond the Ruins Bible in a Year : Genesis 4-6, Matthew 2 The heavens will vanish like smoke . . . . But my salvation will last forever. Isaiah 51:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : Isaiah 51:1-6 As Hurricane Laura raged through the Gulf of Mexico toward the US coastline of Louisiana, the warnings were dire. One sheriff, noting the 150-mile-per-hour winds, issued this jolting message: “Please evacuate. But if you choose to stay and we can't get to you, write your name, address, social security number, and next of kin and put it in a Ziploc bag in your pocket. Praying that it does not come to...More Wednesday, January 1, 2025 The Jesus Story Bible in a Year : Genesis 1-3, Matthew 1 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it. 1 John 1:2 Today's Scripture & Insight : 1 John 1:1-5 Most people have never heard of Kate Hankey, but she was a remarkable woman. A teacher, evangelist, school organizer, missionary, and poet, she faithfully served Jesus in 1800s England. In 1867, Kate contracted a serious illness. During her recovery, she penned a lengthy poem in two parts: “The Story Wanted” and “The Story Told.” The poem expresses in a very personal way her relationship with Jesus and the events of His...More

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