Verse from Luke

“然而不要因为鬼服了你们就欢喜，却要因为你们的名字记录在天上而欢喜。””

路加福音 10:20

“However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.””

Luke 10:20

In Luke 10, Jesus sent His disciples on an evangelistic mission. On their return, they happily reported their success. But Jesus told them: “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (v. 20). The focus of our joy is not merely that we are successful but that our names are inscribed in God’s book.

But how can we be sure of that? God’s Word tells us, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). 

In Revelation 21, John makes a breathtaking description of the Holy City that awaits those who trust Christ. Then he writes, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (v. 27).

The Book of Life is God’s heavenly manifest. Is your name written in it?

Have you open your heart to Him?

Verse from Psalm

“至于我，我是困苦贫穷的；主仍顾念我。你是我的帮助，我的拯救；我的神啊！求你不要耽延。”

诗篇 40:17

“But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.”

Psalm 40:17

C. S. Lewis and his older brother, Warren (Warnie), endured several terms at Wynyard, an English boarding school for boys. The headmaster was a cruel man who made life unbearable for everyone there. Decades later, Warnie wrote in his understated dry wit, “I am now sixty-four and a bit, and have never yet been in a situation in which I have not had the consolation of reflecting that at any rate I was better off than I was at Wynyard.” Most of us can recall a similar dark and difficult time in our lives and be grateful that we’re better off now than we were then.

Psalm 40:1-5 records a low point of David’s life when he cried out to the Lord who rescued him. God brought him up from “the slimy pit” and “the mud and mire” and set his feet on a rock (v. 2). “He put a new song in my mouth,” David says, “a hymn of praise to our God” (v. 3).

But deliverance from depression and despair are seldom one-time events. Psalm 40 continues with David’s renewed plea for God’s mercy, lovingkindness, and truth to deliver him from his own sin and the threats of his enemies (vv. 11-14).

Along with David, we can say at every low point, “I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer” (v. 17).

The One who holds the universe will never let you down.

Verse from 1 Corinthians

“所以人应当省察自己，然后才吃这饼，喝这杯。”

哥林多前书 11:28

“Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.”

1 Corinthians 11:28

Long ago, before the invention of mirrors or polished surfaces, people rarely saw themselves. Puddles of water, streams, and rivers were one of the few ways they could see their own reflection. But mirrors changed that. And the invention of cameras took fascination with our looks to a whole new level. We now have lasting images of ourselves from any given time throughout our entire life. This is good for making scrapbooks and keeping family histories, but it can be detrimental to our spiritual well-being. The fun of seeing ourselves on camera can keep us focused on outward appearance and leave us with little interest in examining our inner selves.

Self-examination is crucial for a healthy spiritual life. God wants us to see ourselves so that we can be spared the consequences of sinful choices.  

Dear Lord, 

help me to be more concerned with the reflection of my heart than with my physical reflection.

Verses from Jeremiah

“耶和华这样说：“倚靠世人，恃凭肉体为自己的力量，心里偏离耶和华的， 这人该受咒诅。

但倚靠耶和华，以耶和华为他所信赖的，这人是有福的。”

耶利米书 17:5, 7

“This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.”

Jeremiah 17:5, 7

When we face problems, what do we do? Who do we turn to? Is it really God most of the time or all the time? Or do we try to solve on our own first? 

How much trust do we have in the Lord? Who do we really trust in more, human or God? 

Verse from Psalm

“你们要称谢耶和华，因他本是良善的；他的慈爱永远长存。”

诗篇 118:1

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Psalm 118:1

“应当毫无忧虑，只要凡事借着祷告祈求，带着感恩的心，把你们所要的告诉神。”

腓立比书 4:6

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Philippians 4:6

Scripture contains dozens of reminders that expressing gratitude is of primary importance in our relationship with God. Psalm 118 begins and ends with the exhortation to “give thanks to the Lord” (vv. 1, 29). We are to give thanks when we come into His presence (100:4). And the requests we bring to Him are to be wrapped in a spirit of thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6). Such an attitude of gratitude will help us remember our abundant blessings. Even in the midst of trouble and despair, God’s presence and love are our constant companions.

Lord, 

Your goodness is enough to make me thankful every day. 

Teach me to live with a thankful heart and remind me to regularly thank You for Your goodness and steadfast love.

It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Verse from John

“我要请求父，他就会赐给你们另一位保惠师，使他跟你们永远在一起。”

约翰福音 14:16

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;”

John 14:16

In every stage of life we face times of separation from those we love, sometimes because of geographical distance and sometimes because of death. However, we need to remember that even if we feel forsaken by others, God hasn’t forsaken us. He has promised to be with us always. God sent the Spirit of truth—our Advocate and Helper—to dwell with us and in us forever (John 14:15-18). We are His beloved children.

We can’t see the Spirit, but we  can feel His power as each day He encourages us and guides us as we read God’s Word. 

Let us thank God for His wonderful provision, the Spirit of Christ who is with us and in us. 

We are never alone.

Verse from Psalms

“你要等候耶和华，谨守他的道；他必高举你，使你承受地土；恶人被剪除的时候，你必看见。”

诗篇 37:34

“Wait for the LORD and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.”

Psalms 37:34

Perhaps you’ve seen the video of the little boy who learns he’s getting another sister. In the middle of his meltdown he laments, “It’s always girls, girls, girls, girls!”

The story gives an amusing glimpse into human expectations, but there’s nothing funny about disappointment. It saturates our world. One story from the Bible seems especially steeped in disappointment. Jacob agreed to work 7 years for the right to marry his boss’s daughter Rachel. But after fulfilling his contract, Jacob got a wedding night surprise. In the morning he discovered not Rachel but her sister Leah.

We focus on Jacob’s disappointment, but imagine how Leah must have felt! What hopes and dreams of hers began to die that day as she was forced to marry a man who did not love or want her? 

Psalm 37:4 tells us, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Are we to believe that God-fearing people are never disappointed? No, the psalm clearly shows that the writer sees injustice all around him. But he takes the long view: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” (v. 7). His conclusion: “The meek will inherit the land” (v. 11).

In the end, it was Leah whom Jacob honored and buried in the family grave plot with Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 49:31). And it was through the lineage of Leah—who in life thought she was unloved—that God blessed the world with our Savior. Jesus brings justice, restores hope, and gives us an inheritance beyond our wildest dreams.

Lord, 

sometimes it’s so hard to wait patiently for good things. 

Forgive us for comparing ourselves to others and for complaining about what we don’t have. 

Help us meet You in a new way today.

Jesus is the only friend who never disappoints.

Verse from Proverbs

“义人的嘴唇培育多人，愚妄人因无知死亡。”

箴言 10:21

“The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.”

Proverbs 10:21

There was a man who loves fishing observed, “Shallow streams make the most noise,” a delightful turn on the old adage, “Still waters run deep.” He meant, of course, that people who make the most noise tend to have little of substance to say.

The flip side of that problem is that we don’t listen well either. There is this line in the old Simon and Garfunkel song "Sounds of Silence" about folks hearing without listening. Oh, they hear the words, but they fail to silence their own thoughts and truly listen. It would be good if we all learned to be silent and still.

There is “a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:7). Good silence is a listening silence, a humble silence. It leads to right hearing, right understanding, and right speaking. “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,” the proverb says, “but one who has insight draws them out” (Prov. 20:5). It takes a lot of hard listening to get all the way to the bottom.

And while we listen to others, we should also be listening to God and hearing what He has to say. Think of Jesus, scribbling with His finger in the dust while the Pharisees railed on the woman caught in adultery (see John 8:1-11). What was He doing? He could have been simply listening for His Father’s voice and asking, “What shall we say to this crowd and this dear woman?” His response is still being heard around the world.

Father, 

today may Your Spirit remind us to seek the quiet so that we may listen first to Your voice and then understand the hearts of others. 

Teach us when to speak and when to be quiet.

Well-timed silence can be more eloquent than words.

Verse from Luke

“但是最需要的只有一件，马利亚已经选择了那上好的分，是不能从她夺去的。””

路加福音 10:42

“but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."”

Luke 10:42

When Martha complained that her sister Mary wasn’t helping, Jesus defended Mary’s choice to sit at His feet. But the Lord wasn’t saying that Mary was more spiritual than her sister. On occasion Martha seems to have shown more trust in Jesus than Mary did (John 11:19-20). And He wasn’t being critical of Martha’s desire to look after their physical needs. Rather, what the Lord wanted Martha to hear is that in the busyness of our service, listening to Him is the main event.

Dear Lord, 

help me to remember that my service for You is important, 

but it can never take the place of intimate fellowship with You.

Jesus longs for our fellowship.

Verse from Deuteronomy

“你要记念耶和华你的神，因为得财富的能力是他赐给你的，为要坚定他向你的列祖起誓所立的约，像今天一样。”

申命记 8:18

“But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

Deuteronomy 8:18

As we enter the month often associated with giving thanks, this reminder from Moses is an important one! 

We so easily forget to give thanks when things are going well. It's easy for us to whine and ask God to help us when we are in trouble, but we often feel like we "deserve" the good things that happen to us. 

God reminds us that what we have is simply a confirmation of His grace and His faithfulness to do what He has said. We need to remind ourselves, and each other, that the blessings we have come from His hand and not because we deserved them more than someone else.

Verse from Galatians

“我现在是要得人的欢心，还是要得　神的欢心呢？难道我想讨人欢喜吗？如果我仍然要讨人欢喜，就不是基督的仆人了。”

加拉太书 1:10

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Galatians 1:10

Peer pressure is part of everyday life. Sometimes we base our decisions on what other people will think or say rather than on our convictions and on what will please God. We’re worried that we’ll be judged or made fun of.

The apostle Paul experienced his fair share of peer pressure. Some Jewish Christians believed that Gentiles should be circumcised to be truly saved (Gal. 1:7; see 6:12-15). However, Paul stood his ground. He continued to preach that salvation is by grace through faith alone; no further works are required. And for that he was accused of being a self-appointed apostle. They further asserted that his version of the gospel had never received the apostles’ approval (2:1-10).

Despite the pressure, Paul was very clear about whom he served—Christ. God’s approval mattered most, not man’s. He made it his goal not to win the approval of people, but of God (1:10).

Similarly, we are Christ’s servants. We serve God whether people honor or despise us, whether they slander or praise us. One day “each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (Rom. 14:12). That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t consider what people think or say, but ultimately, we make pleasing God our main concern. We want to hear our Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matt. 25:23).

Dear Lord, no matter what others may say or do, give me the courage to be faithful to You today.

Keep following Jesus.

Verse from Proverbs

“柔和的回答使烈怒消退， 暴戾的话激动怒气。”

箴言 15:1

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

The tragedy of war is staggering, yet our relationships and families can begin to fracture with only a few hateful words. James wrote, “See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” (James 3:5).

On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia in response to the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie. Within 90 days, other European countries had taken sides to honor their military alliances and pursue their own ambitions. A single event escalated into World War I, one of the most destructive military conflicts of modern time.

A small comment can start a large fight. When we, by God’s grace, choose not to retaliate with our words, we honor Jesus our Savior. When He was abused and insulted, He fulfilled the prophetic words of Isaiah, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth” (Isa. 53:7).

Proverbs urges us to speak the truth and seek peace through our words. “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, . . . and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” (15:4,23).

A careless word may kindle strife,

A cruel word may wreck a life;

A timely word may lessen stress,

A loving word may heal and bless. —Anon.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Verse from Ephesians

“一句坏话也不可出口，却要适当地说造就人的好话，使听见的人得益处。”

以弗所书 4:29

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Ephesians 4:29

The goal in communication is not just clarity. Neither is the goal just to be understood. The goal is not even just to be truthful. The goal is to be appropriate, encouraging, and uplifting to others based on the needs of that other person.

Regardless whether it's to our partner, family, colleagues, friends or acquaintances, do we watch our words or do we just spout out words, irregardless of whether it's going to be hurtful or not? Have we been using words to tear down others? 

How have we been communicating to others? 

Verse from Isaiah

“人怎样受他母亲的安慰，我也怎样安慰你们；你们要在耶路撒冷得安慰。””

以赛亚书 66:13

“"As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem."”

Isaiah 66:13

Through Isaiah, God told the Israelites, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you” (Isa. 66:13). God promised to give His children peace and to carry them the way a mother totes a child around on her side. This tender message was for the people who had a reverence for God—those who “tremble at his word” (v. 5).

God’s ability and desire to comfort His people appears again in Paul’s letter to the Corinthian believers. Paul said the Lord is the one “who comforts us in all our troubles” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). God is gentle and sympathetic with us when we are in trouble.

One day all suffering will end. Our tears will dry up permanently, and we will be safe in God’s arms forever (Rev. 21:4). Until then, we can depend on God’s love to support us when we suffer. 

Do you believe in His love and His ability to support and comfort you when you suffer?

Verse from Galatians

“你们各人的重担要互相担当，这样就成全了基督的律法。”

加拉太书 6:2

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2

April 25, 2015, marked the 100th commemoration of Anzac Day. It is celebrated each year by both Australia and New Zealand to honor the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought together during World War I. It marks a time when neither country had to face the dangers of war alone; soldiers from both countries engaged in the struggle together.

Sharing life’s struggles is fundamental to the way followers of Christ are called to live. As Paul challenged us, “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2 nlt). By working together through life’s challenges we can help to strengthen and support one another when times are hard. By expressing toward one another the care and affections of Christ, the difficulties of life should draw us to Christ and to each other—not isolate us in our suffering.

By sharing in the struggles of another, we are modeling the love of Christ. We read in Isaiah, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isa. 53:4 nkjv). No matter how great the struggle we face, we never face it alone.

We can go a lot further together than we can alone.

Verse from 1 Peter

“然而你们是蒙拣选的族类，是君尊的祭司，是圣洁的国民，是属神的子民，为要叫你们宣扬那召你们出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。”

彼得前书 2:9

“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”

1 Peter 2:9

In her autobiography, Corrie ten Boom described her and her sister Betsie’s horrific time in a Nazi concentration camp in the early 1940s. On one occasion they were forced to take off their clothes during an inspection. Corrie stood in line feeling defiled and forsaken. Suddenly, she remembered that Jesus had hung naked on the cross. Struck with wonder and worship, Corrie whispered to her sister, “Betsie, they took His clothes too.” Betsie gasped and said, “Oh, Corrie, . . . and I never thanked Him.”

It is easy for us to live thanklessly in a world that is full of trouble, struggles, and woes. On any given day we can find many reasons to complain. However, Psalm 100 exhorts God’s people to be glad, joyful, and thankful for “it is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (v. 3). As we remember who we are, we can respond in thanksgiving. For even in the worst of times, we can remember Christ’s love and sacrifice for us.

Don’t let the brutality of the world take away your thankful heart. Remember you are God’s child, and He has shown you His goodness and mercy through His work on the cross.

I thank You, Lord, that though my heart can grow cold at times, You still love me, and has not forsaken me.

Verse from Isaiah

“耶和华我们的神啊！现在求你拯救我们脱离亚述王的手，使地上万国都知道唯有你耶和华是神。””

以赛亚书 37:20

“Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, LORD, are God."”

Isaiah 37:20

It began as a distant, foreboding hum, then grew into an ominous, earth-rattling din. Soon hundreds of tanks and thousands of enemy infantrymen swarmed into view of the badly outnumbered soldiers in Finland. Assessing the murderous wave, an anonymous Finn lent some perspective. Courageously, he wondered aloud about the enemy: “Where will we find room to bury them all?”

Some 2,600 years before Finland showed such pluck in that World War II battle, an anxious Judean citizenry reacted quite differently to their own overwhelming situation. The Assyrian armies had trapped the people of Jerusalem inside its walls, where they faced the hopeless prospect of a starvation-inducing siege. Hezekiah nearly panicked. But then he prayed, “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth” (Isa. 37:16).

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord answered with strong words for Assyria’s King Sennacherib. “Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!” (v. 23). Then God comforted Jerusalem. “I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!” (v. 35). The Lord defeated Sennacherib and destroyed the Assyrian army (vv. 36-38).

No matter what dangers loom on your horizon today, the God of Hezekiah and Isaiah still reigns. He longs to hear from each of us and show Himself powerful.

In what ways has God shown Himself strong in the past?

God is greater than our greatest problem.

But do you believe that or do you have doubts? 

Are you trusting Him or turning away from Him when you face issues in life?

Verse from Genesis

“因为神知道你们吃那果子的时候，你们的眼睛就开了；你们会像神一样，能知道善恶。””

创世记 3:5

“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."”

Genesis 3:5

In August 2013, large crowds gathered at the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to witness the blooming of the tropical plant known as the corpse flower. Since the flower is native to Indonesia, and may flower only once every several years, its blooming is a spectacle. Once open, the huge spiky, beautiful, red bloom smells like rotten meat. Because of its putrid fragrance, the flower attracts flies and beetles that are looking for rotting meat. But there is no nectar.

Like the corpse flower, sin holds out promises but in the end offers no rewards. Adam and Eve found this out the hard way. Eden was beautiful until they ruined it by doing the one thing God urged them not to do. Tempted to doubt God’s goodness, they ignored their Creator’s loving warning and soon lost their innocence. The God-given beauty of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil became like a corpse flower to them. The reward for their disobedience was alienation, pain, emptiness, toil, and death.

Sin looks inviting and may feel good, but it doesn’t compare with the wonder, beauty, and fragrance of trusting and obeying God, who has made us to share His life and joy.

Verse from Romans

“可能的话，总要尽你们的所能与人和睦。”

罗马书 12:18

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

Romans 12:18

There is beauty in even the most difficult person if we can get close enough to discover it, and the pain they’re giving out may be reflective of the pain they are feeling. The apostle Paul says in Romans, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (12:18). We can ask God to help us be patient with the “hard side” of others. This doesn’t always produce a happy outcome, but it is remarkable how often God redeems these relationships.

As we encounter difficult people, by God’s grace we can see and love them through His eyes.

By Your grace, Lord, 

help us to live peaceably with others. 

And help us to recognize when we are the difficult person in other people’s lives and need Your intervention. 

Give us the will and desire to change.

Peace can come if we respond with a gentle answer.

Verse from Daniel

“但以理知道这文告签署了以后，就上到自己家里楼顶上的房间，这房间的窗户朝向耶路撒冷开着；他一日三次双膝跪下，在他的神面前祷告称谢，像往日一样。”

但以理书 6:10

“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”

Daniel 6:10

Daniel was a busy man. He held a high government position in the ancient kingdom of Babylon, and I’m sure he had a full schedule. However, he had developed the habit of spending time with God—praying three times a day, praising God, and thanking Him. This routine helped him develop a strong faith that did not waver when he faced persecution (Dan. 6).

God desires a relationship with us. In the morning we can invite Him into our day, and then we can praise Him and ask Him for His help throughout the day. At other times we can treasure some time alone with Him and reflect on His faithfulness. As we spend time with God in prayer and in His Word, we grow in our relationship with Him and learn to become more and more like Him. As time with God becomes a priority, we enjoy His company more and more. 

Dear Father, 

I want to have an intimate relationship with You. 

I invite You to be part of my entire day—from the time I awake until I go to sleep.

Those who hope in the Lordwill renew their strength. Isaiah 40:31

Verse from 1 Peter

“如果你们热心行善，有谁能害你们呢？就算你们要为义受苦，也是有福的。“不要怕人的恐吓，也不要畏惧。” 只要心里尊基督为圣，以他为主；常常作好准备，去回答那些问你们为甚么怀有盼望的人，但要用温柔敬畏的心回答。当存无愧的良心，使那些诬赖你们这在基督里有好品行的人，在毁谤你们的事上蒙羞。如果神的旨意是要你们受苦，那么为行善受苦，总比为行恶受苦好。”

彼得前书 3:13-17

“Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”

1 Peter 3:13-17

Wang Xiaoying (pronounced Shao-ying) lives in a rural area of China’s Yunnan province. Due to health problems, her husband couldn’t find work in the fields, causing hardship for the family. Her mother-in-law attributed the trouble to Xiaoying’s faith in God. So she mistreated Xiaoying and urged her to go back to the traditional religion of her ancestors.

But because Xiaoying’s husband had observed her transformed life, he said, “Mother, it isn’t enough for Xiaoying alone to believe in God; we too should put our faith in God!” Because of the noticeable change in his wife, he is now considering the good news of Jesus.

People will watch our walk before listening to our talk. The best witness combines good behavior with appropriate words, reflecting the difference Christ makes in our lives.

This was the apostle Peter’s instruction to the first-century believers, and to us, on how we can introduce Jesus to a hostile world. He challenged his readers to be “eager to do good” (1 Peter 3:13), to live obediently in Christ, to have a good conscience, and to be prepared to explain to others why we have such hope (v. 15). If we do this, we have no reason to fear or be ashamed when people mistreat or slander us because of our beliefs.

Whatever our situation, let’s shine for Jesus where we are. He can provide the grace we need to reach even those who don’t agree with us.

Lord, 

we tend to react defensively when people shun us or attack us for our faith. 

Give us Your courage to offer wise and gentle responses when we are mistreated.

The more we live like Jesus, the more others will be drawn to Him.

Verse from Nahum

“耶和华是良善的；在患难的时候，他作人的避难所；信靠他的人，他都认识。”

那鸿书 1:7

“The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.”

Nahum 1:7

Charity Island is the largest island in Saginaw Bay in the Michigan waters of Lake Huron. For many years the island has provided a lighthouse for navigational aid and a safe harbor for those sailing these waters. The island received its name because sailors believed it was there “through the charity of God.”

Sometimes in life we have to navigate through seas of troubling circumstances. Like those sailors we need guidance and a place of safety; we might wish for our own Charity Island. The psalmist understood that God is the one who can bring tranquility to troubled waters and guide us to safe harbors. He wrote, “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven” (Ps. 107:29-30).

While no one asks for the storms of life, they can multiply our appreciation for the guidance and refuge God provides. He offers the light of His Spirit and His Word to guide us. It is the safe harbor of His love that we long for. He alone can be our ultimate “Charity Island.”

The living God will always be our shelter.

Verse from Proverbs

“酒能使人亵慢，浓酒使人喧嚷；凡因酒错误的，就无智慧。

“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”

Proverbs 20:1

Rather than spending millions on ad campaigns filled with bright lights, leggy blondes, fast cars, and handsome young studs like the alcohol industry does, God plainly states the truth: We are unwise to be in bondage to anything that makes us look foolish, that destructively incites our passions, and that open us up to temptation.

Are we in bondage to alcohol? Or do we know of someone who is in bondage to it?

Verse from John

“你不信我是在父里面，父是在我里面吗？我对你们说的话，不是凭着自己说的，而是住在我里面的父作他自己的事。”

约翰福音 14:10

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.”

John 14:10

A church group invited a speaker to address their meeting. “Talk about God,” the group leader told him, “but leave out Jesus.”

“Why?” the man asked, taken aback.

“Well,” the leader explained, “some of our prominent members feel uncomfortable with Jesus.  Just use God and we’ll be fine.”

Accepting such instructions, however, was a problem for the speaker who said later, “Without Jesus, I have no message.”

Something similar was asked of followers of Jesus in the days of the early church. Local religious leaders conferred together to warn the disciples not to speak about Jesus (Acts 4:17). But the disciples knew better. “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard,” they said (v. 20). 

To claim to believe in God and not in His Son Jesus Christ is a contradiction in terms. In John 10:30, Jesus clearly describes the unique relationship between Himself and God: “I and the Father are one”—thus establishing His deity. That is why He could say, “You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Paul knew that Jesus is the very nature of God and equal with God (Phil. 2:6).

We need not shy away from the name Jesus, for “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

The name of Jesus is at the heart of our faith and our hope.

Verse from Psalms

“耶和华我的盘石是应当称颂的。他教导我的手作战，训练我的指头打仗。”

诗篇 144:1

“Blessed be the LORD, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle;”

Psalms 144:1

When former NBA player David Wood was playing for Taugrés de Baskonia, I was with him at a Spanish Basketball Cup final. Before one game, he read Psalm 144:1: “Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” He turned to me and said, “You see? It’s as if God has written this verse just for me! He trains my hands to catch rebounds and my fingers to shoot!” David felt called to play basketball and had learned that God takes us as we are and enables us to do what He calls us to do.

We can easily dismiss ourselves as having little use to God because we feel we have nothing to offer. When God appeared to Moses and assigned him the task of telling the Israelites that He would deliver them from the Egyptians (Ex. 3:16-17), Moses felt inadequate. He said to the Lord, “I have never been eloquent . . . . I am slow of speech and tongue” (4:10). Perhaps Moses had some kind of speech impediment, or he was just afraid, but God overcame his inadequacy with His sufficiency. God said, “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (v. 12).

All God wants from us is to follow His plans. He will sort out the rest. In His mighty hands, you can be a blessing to others.

God’s call to a task includes His strength to complete it.

Verse from Proverbs

“愚昧人把怒气尽情发泄，智慧人却抑制怒气。”

箴言 29:11

“A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back.”

Proverbs 29:11

Our anger is often wrapped around a bundle of lies: “I deserve better than this.” “God isn’t enough after all.” “Nobody cares anyway.” When we choose to cling to our anger, we become mired in the trap of bitterness, never moving forward. And the only cure for anger is truth.

The truth is that God does not give us what we deserve; He gives us mercy instead. “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you” (Ps. 86:5). The truth is that God is more than enough, despite what we see. The truth is that His strength is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9). Yet before we can find such reassurance, we may need to step back, lay down the shovel of our own efforts, and take Jesus’ hand that’s extended to us in mercy and grace.

God is big enough to listen to our anger and loving enough to show us, in His time, the path forward.

Grace: Getting what we don’t deserve.

Mercy: Not getting what we do deserve.

Verse from Exodus

“你不可敬拜别的神，因为耶和华是忌邪的神，他名为忌邪者。”

出埃及记 34:14

“-for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God-”

Exodus 34:14

In 2014 a University of California researcher used a stuffed dog to show that animals are capable of jealousy. Professor Christine Harris asked dog owners to show affection for a stuffed animal in the presence of their pet. She found that three-fourths of the dogs responded with apparent envy. Some tried to get attention with touch or a gentle nudge. Others tried to push between their owner and the toy. A few went so far as to snap at their stuffed rival.

In a dog, jealousy seems heartwarming. In people, it can lead to less admirable results. Yet, as Moses and Paul remind us, there is also another jealousy—one that beautifully reflects the heart of God.

When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he said he was “jealous for you with a godly jealousy” (2 Cor. 11:2). He didn’t want them to be “led astray from [their] sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (v. 3). Such jealousy reflects the heart of God, who told Moses in the Ten Commandments, “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Ex. 20:5).

God’s jealousy is not like our self-centered love. His heart expresses His protective zeal for those who are His by creation and salvation. He made us and rescued us to know and enjoy Him forever. How could we ask for anything more than a God who is so zealous—and jealous—for our happiness?

God loves every one of us as if there were but one of us to love. Augustine

Verse from Colossians

“无论你们作甚么，都要从心里去作，像是为主作的，不是为人作的，”

歌罗西书 3:23

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,”

Colossians 3:23

Most of life is simply repetition—a round of dull, uninspiring, lackluster things we must do again and again.

“Repetition is both as ordinary and necessary as bread,” said Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. But he went on to say, “It is the bread that satisfies with benediction.”

It’s a matter of taking up each duty, no matter how mundane, humble, or trivial, and asking God to bless it and put it to His intended purposes. In that way we take the drudgeries of life and turn them into holy work, filled with unseen, eternal consequence.

The poet Gerard Manley Hopkins said, “To lift up the hands in prayer gives God glory, but a man with a [pitchfork] in his hand, a woman with a slop pail, give Him glory, too. God is so great that all things give Him glory if you mean that they should.” 

If whatever we do is done for Christ, we’ll be amazed at the joy and meaning we’ll find in even the most ordinary tasks.

Remind us today, Lord, that You are in the dull and ordinary tasks of life in a most extraordinary way. Let us not forget that we do even the smallest tasks for You.

A willing spirit changes the drudgery of duty into a labor of love.

Verse from Ecclesiastes

“听智慧人安安静静说出来的话，胜过听管理愚昧者的人的喊叫。”

传道书 9:17

“The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.”

Ecclesiastes 9:17

Scripture warns us not to be wise in our own eyes or proud (Prov. 3:7; Isa. 5:21; Rom. 12:16). In other words, let’s not assume that we have all the answers! Proverbs 19:20 says, “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” Whether it is a friend, a spouse, a pastor, or a co-worker, God can use others to teach us more of His wisdom.

 “Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning,” declares the book of Proverbs (14:33). Part of recognizing the Spirit’s wisdom is discovering how to listen and learn from each other.

True wisdom begins and ends with God.

Verse from Ezra

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: (Ezra 1:1)

In 1879, archaeologists discovered a remarkable little item in an area now known as Iraq (biblical Babylon). Just 9 inches long, the Cyrus Cylinder records something that King Cyrus of Persia did 2,500 years ago. It says that Cyrus allowed a group of people to return to their homeland and rebuild their “holy cities.”

It’s the same story told in Ezra 1. There we read that “the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia” to make a proclamation (v. 1). And in that proclamation, Cyrus said he was releasing the captives in Babylon to go home to Jerusalem, re-establish their homes, and rebuild their temple (vv. 2-5).

But there’s more to the story. Daniel confessed his sins and his people’s sins and pleaded with God to end the Babylonian captivity (Dan. 9). In response to Daniel’s prayer, God sent an angel to speak to Daniel (v. 21). Later He moved Cyrus to release the Hebrews. (See also Jer. 25:11-12; 39:10.)

Together, the Cyrus Cylinder and God’s Word combine to show us that the king’s heart was changed and he allowed the exiled Hebrews to go home and worship.

This story has great implications for us today. In a world that seems out of control, we can rest assured that God can move the hearts of leaders. We read in Proverbs 21:1 that “the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord.” And Romans 13:1 says that “there is no authority except from God.” 

The Lord, who is able to change our own hearts as well as the hearts of our leaders, can be trusted for He is in control. Let’s ask Him to work.

Dear Father, the world so often seems out of control. We know You are sovereign over everything. We pray that Your will be done in our homeland and in the hearts of our leaders.

Rather than complain, pray.