Verse from Revelation

“看哪！我站在门外敲门；如果有人听见我的声音就开门的，我要进到他那里去，我要跟他在一起，他也要跟我在一起吃饭。”

启示录 3:20 

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

Revelation 3:20 

The apostle John’s words illustrate the kindness of Jesus. He gently knocks on the door of our souls with His offer of peace. Jesus stands and patiently waits for us to respond. He does not open the door Himself and force His way into our lives. He does not impose His will on ours. Instead, He offers to all people the gift of salvation and light to guide us.

To anyone who opens the door, He promises to enter. There are no other requirements or prerequisites.

If you hear the voice of Jesus and His gentle knock on the door of your soul, be encouraged that He patiently waits for you and will enter if you welcome Him in.

Insight

Why does Jesus, like Moses and the prophets before Him, remind us that it’s possible to see without seeing, to hear without hearing, and to think without understanding? (Matthew 13:15; Deuteronomy 29:4).

Seven times in His letters to the seven churches, the resurrected Lord of the church offers counsel to those who have an ear to hear. Seven times He repeats to people who already thought of themselves as believers, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Why such repetition? What are the distractions He mentions in these letters? (Revelation 2–3). 

What could possibly turn us away from the One who is waiting for us to realize we still need Him more than the air we breathe?

Verse from 2 John

“夫人哪，我现在请求你，我们要彼此相爱。我写给你的，不是一条新命令，而是我们从起初就有的。”

约翰贰书 1:5 

“Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.”

2 John 1:5 

Love is a prominent theme in the apostle John’s writings. In today’s reading (2 John 1:1–6) John writes: “It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us” (v. 4). 

Just as caring parents delight in the development of the gifts and character of their children, John had a father’s pride in those who walked in love. It is interesting to contemplate what John means by “walk in love” (v. 6). The Greek word translated “walk” can also mean a consistency one exhibits in speech, attitudes, and behavior. 

It’s clear that we’re being told to make sure the words we say, the attitudes we have toward others, and our general behavior be characterized by sensitivity and generosity. Of course, the ultimate example of love is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (1 John 4:10). 

We love others because Christ first loved us.

Verse from Matthew

““你们祈求，就给你们；寻找，就寻见；叩门，就给你们开门。”

马太福音 7:7 

“"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Matthew 7:7 

Throughout the Bible, God promises that those who seek Him will find Him. In Deuteronomy, He explained to the Israelites that they would find Him when they turned from their sin and sought Him with all their hearts (4:28–29). 

In the book of 2 Chronicles, King Asa gained encouragement from a similar promise (15:2). And in Jeremiah, God gave the same promise to the exiles, saying He would bring them back from captivity (29:13–14).

If we seek God, through His Word, worship, and in our daily lives, we will find Him. Over time, we’ll know Him on a deeper level.

Lord, 

help me to seek You with all my heart.

To find God, we must be willing to seek Him.

Verses from Colossians

“虽然你们从前也是和神隔绝，心思上与他为敌，行为邪恶，但现今神在爱子的肉身上，借着他的死，使你们与神和好了，为了要把你们这些圣洁、无瑕疵、无可指摘的人，呈献在他面前。”

歌罗西书 1:21-22 

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-”

Colossians 1:21-22 

These few verses (Colossians 1:13–23) in Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae are a theological goldmine! In them we read about Jesus’s relationship to God—His kingship, redemption, and forgiveness—and His role in creating and sustaining the universe. How amazing to see everything point to one thing—our reconciliation to God (v. 22).

Why not praise God today for unlocking you from the prison of sin and reconciling you to Himself.

Verse from Romans

“所以现在，那些在耶稣基督里的人就不被定罪了；”

罗马书 8:1 

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:1 

When we put our faith in Jesus, He graciously delivers us from sin and the hold that Satan had on us. However, because it may take time to change our sinful habits and behavior, Satan can make us feel trapped. But God’s Spirit has set us free; He doesn’t enslave us. Paul told the Romans, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2).

Through our Bible reading, prayer, and the power of the Holy Spirit, God works in us to cleanse us and to help us live for Him. The Bible encourages us to be confident in our walk with Jesus without feeling as if we are not set free.

Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). May the freedom we have in Christ spur us on to love Him and serve Him.

Verse from Colossians

“凡你们所作的，无论是言语或行为，都要奉主耶稣的名，借着他感谢父神。”

歌罗西书 3:17 

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

Colossians 3:17 

It’s good for us to thank the Lord before every meal, but it shouldn’t stop there.  The apostle Paul saw every activity, every endeavor as something for which we should thank God and that we should do for His glory (Colossians 3:17). 

Recreation, occupation, and education are all avenues through which we can honor the Lord and express our gratefulness to Him.

Paul also encouraged the believers in Colossae to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (v. 15).

The best place to “say grace” is anywhere and anytime we want to give thanks to the Lord and honor Him.

Verse from Job

“他们就七天七夜与他一起坐在地上，没有人向他说一句话，因为他们看出他极其痛苦。”

约伯记 2:13 

“Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.”

Job 2:13 

When Job experienced the devastating loss of his children and became afflicted with painful sores on his entire body, his suffering was overwhelming. The Bible tells us that three of his friends wanted to comfort him. When they found Job, “they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” (Job 2:12–13).

In this life, certain things will remain beyond our understanding. Perhaps someone close to you faces some unanswerable questions. Who might need your quiet presence today?

Verse from Isaiah

“那创造你，从母胎里就塑造了你，又要帮助你的耶和华这样说：我的仆人雅各啊！我所拣选的耶书仑啊！你不要惧怕。”

以赛亚书 44:2 

“This is what the Lord says— He who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, Jacob, My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.”

Isaiah 44:2 

In addition to the imagery found in Isaiah 44, we see other examples in Scripture of God as our Father. In the Old Testament, God is called the Father of Israel, not on a personal basis but as a nation. When God delivered the nation from slavery in Egypt, God declared that Israel is His “firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22). Moses reminded the Jews about to enter the Promised Land that Yahweh the Lord is their Father (Deuteronomy 32:6). God Himself said He is “Israel’s father” (Jeremiah 31:9). Because of their sins, Isaiah warned that the nation would go into exile (Isaiah 5:13). Then crying to Yahweh to restore them to the Promised Land, the Israelites said, “Surely you are still our Father!” (63:16 nlt).

In the New Testament, the Christian faith is a love relationship couched in the most basic of all human relationships—a father and child. Those who believe in Jesus are called children of God (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1). The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–31 is a picture of our loving and forgiving heavenly Father welcoming His wayward children into His arms.

Heavenly Father, 

we all come from families that are broken in one way or another. 

Thank You for loving us in that brokenness and for showing us what real love looks like.

Verse from John

“因为神差他的儿子到世上来，不是要定世人的罪，而是要使世人借着他得救。”

约翰福音 3:17 

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

John 3:17 

How do you view God? Is He someone looking for a way to condemn you? Is He an out of touch old man who doesn't really know what it's like in our modern world? Is He too holy to soil Himself with the concerns of mere mortals and has left it up to us to work everything out for ourselves? No! 

God chose to enter our world and experience it from the side of mortality. God chose to enter our world, not to condemn us, or it, but to redeem it and each of us. Jesus is the great reminder that God longs to save us, not condemn us. 

Verse from Ephesians

“要把握时机，因为这时代邪恶。”

以弗所书 5:16 

“making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

Ephesians 5:16 

“Westerners have watches. Africans have time.” So said Os Guinness, quoting an African proverb in his book Impossible People.

Moses prayed in Psalm 90, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (v. 12). And Paul wrote, “Be very careful, then, how you live . . . making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–16).

We have but a brief moment to make a difference for Christ in our world, and we need to maximize that opportunity. That may mean ignoring our watches and planners for a while as we show Christ’s patient love to those He brings into our lives.

As we live in the strength and grace of the timeless Christ, we impact our time for eternity.

Father, 

You have given us all the time we need to accomplish what You have given us to do. 

May we use our time in ways that honor You.

Time management is not about clock-watching, it’s about making the most of the time we have.

Verse from Philippians

“因为我活着就是基督，我死了就有益处。”

腓立比书 1:21 

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Philippians 1:21 

Significantly, Paul wrote Philippians while in prison. And he acknowledged a reality many Christians understand as they face their mortality: Even though heaven seems so inviting, the time we have left on Earth matters to God.

Even in our darkest moments, Christians can hold on to the promise of permanent joy in the company of God. And while we live, we enjoy relationship with Him. He fills all our moments with significance.

Lord, 

grant me the strength to serve You with every breath I take, 

so that every moment of my remaining days matters to Your Kingdom.

Verse from Matthew

““不可判断人，免得你们被判断。”

马太福音 7:1 

“"Do not judge so that you will not be judged.”

Matthew 7:1 

In today’s reading we see our Lord’s condemnation of a judgmental attitude. It’s remarkable how we can have a perfectionistic attitude toward others yet ignore the glaring faults we possess. 

The Pharisees of Jesus day were scathing in their attack on the sins of others while seemingly unaware of their own faults. In seeing the pretense of these hypocrites, Jesus gave a series of rebukes such as: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean” (Matthew 23:25–26).

The Greek word hypocrite means “he that wears the mask” and was used of actors in plays. The private lives of hypocrites do not match the image they project for public view. The Christian walk should lead to greater integrity and transparency. To avoid hypocrisy, it’s essential that we confess our sin and rely on the Spirit to help us live holy lives (Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:18; 1 John 1:9).

Verse from Philippians

“我深信那在你们中间开始了美好工作的，到了基督耶稣的日子，必成全这工作。”

腓立比书 1:6 

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6 

Jacob had spent a lifetime trying to alter his destiny. He’d been born second at a time when firstborn sons typically received their father’s blessing—believed to guarantee future prosperity.

So Jacob decided to do whatever it would take to get his father’s blessing anyway. Eventually, he succeeded—through deceit—obtaining the blessing intended for his brother (Genesis 27:19–29).

But the price was a divided family, as Jacob fled from his furious brother (vv. 41–43). As night descended (28:11), Jacob must have felt as far from a life of blessing as ever.

But it was there, leaving behind a trail of deception, that Jacob met God. God showed him he didn’t need desperate schemes to be blessed; he already was. His destiny—a purpose far greater than material prosperity (v. 14)—was held securely by the One who would never leave him (v. 15).

It was a lesson Jacob would spend his whole life learning.

And so will we. No matter how many regrets we carry or how distant God seems, He is still there—gently guiding us out of our mess into His blessing.

Lord, 

so often we feel trapped by our mistakes, 

thinking there’s no future left for us. 

Remind us that you are the God of Jacob, 

the God who will never give up on Your purposes for us.

Verse from Psalms

“我要论到耶和华说：他是我的避难所，是我的山寨，是我的上帝，是我所倚靠的。”

诗篇 91:2 

“I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.””

Psalm 91:2 

Our Father in heaven is always with us, protecting and caring for us when we are confused or afraid or in need. He declares: “When they call on me, I will answer” (Psalm 91:15 nlt). He is not just a place we can run to for safety. He is our shelter (v. 1). He is the Rock we can cling to for refuge (v. 2).

In times of fear, danger, or uncertainty, we can trust God’s promise that when we call on Him, He will hear and be with us in our trouble (vv. 14–15). God is our safe place.

Verse from Genesis

“上帝说：「你带着你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子，你所爱的以撒，往 摩利亚 地去，在我所要指示你的山上，把他献为燔祭。」”
‭‭创世记‬ ‭22:2‬ ‭

He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you." (‭Genesis‬ ‭22‬:‭2‬)

Abraham bound his son and laid him on an altar, but then God provided an alternate sacrifice. Hundreds of years later, God would supply another sacrifice—the final sacrifice—His own Son. Think of how agonizing it must have been for God to sacrifice His Son, His only Son whom He loved! And He went through all of that because He loves you.

If you wonder whether you are loved by God, wonder no more.

God has already proven His love for you.

The question is: do you love God? How much?

Verse from Jeremiah

“古时耶和华向以色列显现，说：我以永远的爱爱你，因此我以慈爱吸引你。”

耶利米书 31:3 

“The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”

Jeremiah 31:3 

Much of the book of Jeremiah deals with the prophet’s anguished appeal for God’s people to turn back to Him. Those pleas were ignored, making judgment inevitable. 

But God’s love is relentless, and in chapters 30–31 Jeremiah gives hope to the remnant who would live through the coming invasion. “The people who survive the sword will find favor in the wilderness,” God said (31:2). This “favor” would show up in ways the scattered survivors likely thought no longer possible. What the invading horde destroyed, God would rebuild, causing the people to “take up [their] timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful” (v. 4). Their farmers would plant fruitful vineyards (v. 5). No longer would watchmen cry out in warning, but would instead call the people to Zion (Jerusalem) for worship (v. 6).

When we begin to understand the scope of God’s love, we can accept His correction and learn from it. As we embrace His everlasting love, we find that God’s discipline is for our good and is proof that we are His children (see Hebrews 12:5–7).

No one loves us like our Father.

Verse from Nehemiah

““我们的神啊，求你垂听，我们被藐视，求你使他们的毁谤归到他们头上，使他们在被掳之地成为掠物。”

尼希米记 4:4 

“Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.”

Nehemiah 4:4 

Nehemiah had critics too as he led a team to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. They actually mocked Nehemiah and those working alongside him saying, “Even a fox climbing up on it would break down [your] wall of stones” (Nehemiah 4:3). 

His response to the critics: Instead of feeling dejected or trying to refute their comments, he turned to God for help. Instead of responding directly, he asked God to hear the way His people were being treated and to defend them (v. 4). After entrusting those concerns to God, he and his co-laborers continued to work steadily on the wall “with all their heart” (v. 6).

We can learn from Nehemiah not to be distracted by criticism of our work. When we’re criticized or mocked, instead of responding to our critics out of hurt or anger, we can prayerfully ask God to defend us from discouragement so we can continue with a whole heart.

Help me to evaluate the good and bad in the criticism, 

to trust You, 

and to continue in my work wholeheartedly.

Verse from Matthew

“你们中间最大的，必作你们的仆人。”

马太福音 23:11 

“But the greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Matthew 23:11 

Philippians 2 teaches us that how we behave is rooted in what we believe. Paul says the call to humble love and service is built on the example of Jesus. We are to be “like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” He then adds, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (vv. 2–4). 

This type of living does not come naturally. Only when we allow the Holy Spirit to enable us can we live out the humble love expressed perfectly by Christ.

Verse from John

“耶稣对她说：“马利亚！”她转过身来，用希伯来话对他说：“拉波尼！””

约翰福音 20:16 

“Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher).”

John 20:16 

Advertisers have concluded that the most attention-grabbing word that viewers react to is their own name. Thus a television channel in the UK has introduced personalized advertisements with their online streaming services.

We might enjoy hearing our name on television, but it doesn’t mean much without the intimacy that comes when someone who loves us says our name.

Mary Magdalene’s attention was arrested when, at the tomb where Jesus’s body had been laid after He was crucified on the cross, He spoke her name (John 20:16). With that single word, she turned in recognition to the Teacher whom she loved and followed, probably with a rush of disbelief and joy. The familiarity with which He spoke her name confirmed for her beyond a doubt that the One who’d known her perfectly was alive and not dead.

Although Mary shared a unique and special moment with Jesus, we too are personally loved by God. Jesus told Mary that He would ascend to His Father (v. 17), but He had also told His disciples that He would not leave them alone (John 14:15–18). God would send the Holy Spirit to live and dwell in His children (see Acts 2:1–13).

God’s story doesn’t change. Whether then or now, He knows those whom He loves (see John 10:14–15). 

Verses from Proverbs

“你要一心仰赖耶和华，不可倚靠自己的聪明；在你一切所行的路上，都要承认他，他必使你的路径平坦正直。”

箴言 3:5-6 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 

To “make . . . paths straight” means God will guide us toward His goals for our growth. His ultimate goal is that we become more like Him.

This does not mean that the paths He chooses will be easy. But we can choose to trust that His direction and timing are ultimately for our good.

Are you waiting on God for an answer? Choose to draw near to Him and trust that He will guide you.

Lord, 

thank You for guiding and caring for us every step of the way. 

Help us to trust in You daily.

Verse from 1 Peter

“你们要互相接待，不发怨言。”

彼得前书 4:9 

“Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

1 Peter 4:9 

In 1 Peter 4, the apostle challenges the church to hospitality then reinforces that challenge with a call to service (vv. 10–11). In verse 10 he reminds believers that we’ve received gifts for that very purpose, and as we utilize those gifts in serving others we become expressions of God’s grace. It appears from these statements that Peter is giving his readers a glimpse into the realm of spiritual gifts about which Paul wrote in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12.

Spiritual gifts are the Holy Spirit’s provision for equipping followers of Jesus to help one another (1 Corinthians 12:7). While Paul offers a more extended list of these gifts, Peter compresses them into two basic categories: speaking gifts and serving gifts (1 Peter 4:11). Both provide support and resources for the kind of hospitality described in today’s devotional. As we encourage people with the Scriptures and help them by acts of service, the family of God is strengthened and the hurting are helped.

Verse from Psalms

“虽然我的父母离弃我，耶和华却收留我。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭27:10‬ ‭

“For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the LORD will take me up.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:10‬ ‭

When David cried out for help, he expected God’s answers (vv. 7–9). Though earthly parents could reject, abandon, or neglect their children, David declared God’s unconditional acceptance (v. 10). He lived with assurance in the Lord’s goodness (vv. 11–13). Like most of us, David sometimes struggled, but the Holy Spirit helped him persevere in trust and dependence on the Lord (v. 14).

We will encounter difficult relationships on this side of eternity. But even when people fall short, fail us, or hurt us, we’re still completely loved and protected by the only Perfect Father.

Lord, 

thank You for being a Father we can always count on.