Verse from Luke

“耶稣对他们讲一个比喻，论到人必须常常祈祷，不可灰心。”

路加福音 18:1 

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, (Luke 18:1)

In Luke 18, the widow’s persistent request to the judge for justice against her adversary made her sound like a “squeaky wheel” until she got the result she needed. Luke explains that Jesus told this story to teach us the need to pray continually and not to give up, even if it appears that the answer to our prayer is delayed (vv.1-5).

God is certainly not an unjust judge who must be harassed before He responds to us. He is our loving Father who cares about us and hears us when we cry to Him. Regular, persistent prayer draws us closer to Him. It may feel like we are a squeaky wheel, but the Lord welcomes our prayer and encourages us to approach Him with our cries. He hears us and will come to our aid in ways that we may not expect.

As Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:5-8, constant prayer does not require long periods of “vain repetitions.” Rather, as we bring our needs before God “day and night” (Luke 18:7) and walk with the One who already knows our needs, we learn to trust God and wait patiently for His response.

Don’t give up—God hears you when you pray!

Verses from Hebrews

“所以，你们不可丢弃坦然无惧的心，这样的心是带有大赏赐的。 你们还需要忍耐，好使你们行完了神的旨意，可以领受所应许的。”

希伯来书 10:35-36 

“Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.”

Hebrews 10:35-36 

There are some tough times that go with living. They're inescapable. That's when our confidence in the Lord's salvation and our relationship with him get tested! 

It is one thing to sing "it is well with my soul" at the end of a peel the paint worship service, but it is quite another to be able to sing it when they auction your house off at the courthouse steps, you are told you have a long-term debilitating illness, or you lose a child to death. Faith can't take a holiday when we travel through the suburbs of hell or we'll never find our way out. So don't throw it away. Persevere! 

Keep putting one step in front of the other trusting that God will give you the strength for the next step. No matter how hard it is at the moment, don't give up to despair. Be like Job or Jeremiah who both argued and complained to God, but never let go of God. Don't quit. Christ is coming, for you with grace or in glory once and for all, is just around the bend.

Verse from Psalms

“我永远不会忘记你的训词，因为你用这些训词使我存活。”

诗篇 119:93 

“I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me.”

Psalms 119:93 

Much like the rules parents have for young children — don't drink what's under the cabinet, don't play in the street, don't walk out from behind parked cars... — God's guidance is not to restrict us, but to protect us. 

His commands, both positive and prohibitive, are for our protection and perfection. By them we find life and have it preserved. (The Old Testament Law had all sorts of cleanliness laws that did not make any sense at all until thousands of years after they were written when we began to understand bacteria and viruses. All through these years, the Israelites were preserved by God's command when they had no real understanding why God had given the laws in the first place.)

Verses from James

“我的弟兄们，你们遭遇各种试炼的时候，都要看为喜乐；因为知道你们的信心经过考验，就产生忍耐。但忍耐要坚持到底，使你们可以完全，毫无缺乏。”
‭‭雅各书‬ ‭1:2-4‬ ‭

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)

As we face different situations, we should remember that God is sovereign over both the blessings and the troubles that come our way.

Verse from Jonah

“神看见他们所作的，就是悔改离开恶行，神就转意，不把所说的灾祸降在他们身上了。”

约拿书 3:10 

“When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.”

Jonah 3:10 

What a difference a couple of chapters can make in the tone of Jonah’s prayers! In Jonah 2:2, the desperate prophet prayed, “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.” 

But in Jonah 4:3, he asks God to kill him. God answered the first prayer miraculously, delivering Jonah from death. But with the second prayer, God simply asked, “Is it right for you to be angry?” (4:4). Then Jonah actually repeats his death wish. “I’m so angry I wish I were dead” (v. 9). Even then, God appealed to Jonah by sharing His heart for all of humanity. “Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh?” God even extends His concern to the animals that would have been destroyed in Nineveh (v. 11). 

The book of Jonah provides a fascinating contrast between human nature, which is self-serving, and the profoundly loving and patient character of God.

How do we respond to God’s grace to us? 

Do we resent it when He extends that grace to others we may perceive as “worse” than we are? 

Do we resemble Jonah when things don’t go the way we’d like them to?

Verse from Mark

“耶稣说：「由她吧！为什么难为她呢？她在我身上做的是一件美事。”

马可福音 14:6 

“But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.”

Mark 14:6 

Just before her death, artist and missionary Lilias Trotter looked out a window and saw a vision of a heavenly chariot. According to her biographer, a friend asked, “Are you seeing many beautiful things?” She answered, “Yes, many, many beautiful things.”

Trotter’s final words reflect God’s work in her life. Not only in death, but throughout her life, He revealed much beauty to her and through her. Although a talented artist, she chose to serve Jesus as a missionary in Algeria. John Ruskin, a famous painter who tutored her, is said to have commented, “What a waste,” when she chose the mission field over a career in art.

Similarly, in the New Testament, when a woman came to Simon the Leper’s house with an alabaster jar and poured perfume on Jesus’s head, those present saw it as a waste. This expensive perfume was worth a year’s common wages, so some of the people present thought it could have been used to help the poor. However, commending this woman’s deep devotion to Him, Jesus said, “She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Mark 14:6).

Every day we can choose to let Christ’s life shine in our lives and display His beauty to the world. To some, it may seem a waste, but let us have willing hearts to serve Him. May Jesus say we have done many beautiful things for Him.

Verse from Isaiah

“每当你偏左或偏右的时候，你必听见后面有声音说：“这是正路，要行在其中！””

以赛亚书 30:21 

“Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”

Isaiah 30:21 

How often do we veer from obediently walking with God, enchanted by the temptations to pursue what we want instead of seeking His ways?

Earlier in this chapter, God had rebuked His people for their rebelliousness. But if they would trust His strength instead of their own ways (v. 15), He promised to show His graciousness and compassion (v. 18).

One expression of God’s graciousness is His promise to guide us by His Spirit. That happens as we talk to Him about our desires and ask in prayer what He has for us.

Father, 

You’ve promised to guide us through the ups and downs and decisions we face in life. 

Help us to trust and follow You, and to actively listen for Your guiding voice.

When have you placed your trust in something other than God?

Verses from James

“我的弟兄们，你们中间若有人被骗离开了真道，如果有人使他回头，你们应该知道，那使罪人从歧途上转回的，就会拯救他的灵魂脱离死亡，也会遮盖许多罪恶。”

雅各书 5:19-20 

“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

James 5:19-20 

The underlying theme of today’s text emphasizes that the church is not just a social organization. Instead it is a spiritual family. The very idea of calling someone “brother” in addressing possible offenses shows how real the idea of the family is. 

A teachable spirit evidenced by listening to those who are more mature is the starting point for growth in community. The book of Proverbs admonishes us: “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise” (Proverbs 19:20). Listening to more experienced believers and having a teachable attitude can do wonders in maintaining harmony within the body of Christ.

Is there someone you need to listen to so that you can grow spiritually?

Verse from Acts

“惟有巴拿巴接待他，领去见使徒，把他在路上怎么看见主，主怎么向他说话，他在大马士革怎么奉耶稣的名放胆传道，都述说出来。”

使徒行传 9:27 

“But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.”

Acts 9:27 

The 2010 movie The King’s Speech tells the story of England’s King George VI, who unexpectedly became monarch when his brother abandoned the throne. With the country on the brink of World War II, government officials wanted a well-spoken leader because of the increasingly influential role of radio. King George VI, however, struggled with a stuttering problem.

Throughout his struggle to overcome his speech difficulty, George’s wife, Elizabeth was his constant source of encouragement. Her steadfast devotion provided the support he needed to overcome his challenge and rule well during the war.

The Bible highlights the stories of encouragers who gave powerful assistance during challenging circumstances. Moses had Aaron and Hur’s support during Israel’s battles (Exodus 17:8–16). Elizabeth encouraged her pregnant relative Mary (Luke 1:42–45).

After his conversion, Paul needed the support of Barnabas, whose name literally means “son of encouragement.” When the disciples were fearful of Paul, Barnabas, at the risk of his own reputation, vouched for him (Acts 9:27). His endorsement was essential to Paul being welcomed by the Christian community. Barnabas later served as Paul’s traveling and preaching companion (Acts 14). Despite the dangers, they worked together to proclaim the gospel.

Believers in Jesus are still called to “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). May we be eager to offer encouragement to help support others, especially as they face difficult circumstances.

The encouragement of a friend can make all the difference.

Verse from Genesis

“于是，神照着自己的形象创造人；就是照着神的形象创造了他；他所创造的有男有女。”

创世记 1:27 

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Genesis 1:27 

If you’ve ever experienced an amazing sunset, breathtaking landscape, or the vastness of the ocean, then there have been times when you were likely taken aback by the beauty of creation. What’s crazy is that God created flowers, birds, and everything else in creation and yet that all pales in comparison to God’s ultimate masterpiece – you and me. When it comes to you and me, God actually created us in His own image and “breathed into us the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7). Out of all that God created, He formed us specifically so that we could be in relationship with Him.

God created a world where we were fulfilled because we were in harmony with God. The person who creates something knows best how it functions; that’s why God knows that we are most fully satisfied when we are in relationship with Him. As a matter of fact, Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Our relationship with God matters, and there are ways that we can grow in relationship with God.

We all have areas of our lives where we would like to see God work. Maybe we need a full life in our marriage, our relationships, our hurts, and our struggles. God has given us that opportunity! The question is whether you and I will take Him up on His offer and give ourselves to Him so that He can give us life to the full.

Reflect:

• What are some areas in your life where you would like to see God work so that you can have life to the full?

• Have you tried to get fulfillment from places other than God? Where did that leave you? Did it work?

Verse from Romans

“盼望是不会令人蒙羞的，因为神借着所赐给我们的圣灵，把他的爱浇灌在我们的心里。”

罗马书 5:5 

“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Romans 5:5 

Elizabeth struggled for a long time with drug addiction, and when she recovered wanted to help others in return. So she started writing notes and anonymously placing them throughout her city. Elizabeth tucks these notes under car windshield wipers and tacks them on poles in parks. She used to look for signs of hope; now she leaves them for others to find. One of her notes concluded with these words: “Much love. Hope sent.”

Hope with love—that’s what Jesus gives. He brings us His love with each new day and strengthens us with that hope. His love is not rationed out to us drop by drop but flows out of His heart freely and is poured lavishly into ours: “We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5 nlt). He desires to use the hard times to develop perseverance and character and bring us a satisfying, hope-filled life (vv. 3–4). And even when we’re far from Him, He still loves us (vv. 6–8).

Are you looking for signs of hope? The Lord gives hope with love through inviting us to grow in a relationship with Him. Our hope for a fulfilling life is anchored in His unfailing love. 

I’m grateful, God, for the love You lavishly pour on me. 

Please bring me contentment in You and confidence in what You are doing in me.

Verse from Ecclesiastes

“他使万事各按其时，成为美好；他又把永恒的意识放在人的心里；虽然这样，人还是不能察觉　神自始至终的作为。”

传道书 3:11 

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 

Solomon, Israel’s third king, wrote that God appoints “a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). We humans have little control over the events of our lives—whether we view those events as favorable or not. But God, in His mighty power, makes “everything beautiful in its time” (v. 11).

In seasons of heartache, we can trust God to bring something good from them in time. Our comforts and joys may come and go, but God’s works “will endure forever” (v. 14). We may not relish every season—some are quite painful—yet He can bring beauty to them all. 

Father, 

You have permitted this season in my life. 

Help me to be content in the midst of it, and to recognize Your power and might are at work.

Verse from Isaiah

“看哪！我已经把你刻在我的掌上；你的城墙常常在我面前。”

以赛亚书 49:16 

“"Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.”

Isaiah 49:16 

In Charles Spurgeon’s many years at his London church during the 1800s, he loved to preach on the riches of Isaiah 49:16, which says that God engraves us on the palms of His hands. He said, “Such a text as this is to be preached hundreds of times!”

As the Lord promised to engrave His people on His palms, so Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross, receiving the nails in His hands so we could be free of our sins.

If and when we’re tempted to think that God has forgotten us, we only need to look at our palms and remember God’s promise. He has put indelible marks on His hands for us; He loves us that much.

Verse from Matthew

“照样，你们的光也应当照在人前，让他们看见你们的好行为，又颂赞你们在天上的父。”

马太福音 5:16 

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16 

The family language used in 2 Timothy 1:1–5 is hard to miss. In addition to the reference to “God the Father” (v. 2), other family terms are used. Paul refers to Timothy as “my dear son” (v. 2). The word translated “son” can refer to literal or spiritual offspring, the latter being the case here. Paul was a “spiritual father” who had invested in Timothy’s ministerial training and development. The family term in verse 3 is the word “ancestors,” and it refers to those from whom Paul had inherited a legacy of faith. Paul had spiritual roots (see Acts 22:1–3; 23:6; Philippians 3:5–7).

Timothy’s connection to his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother Lois was not just biological. His “sincere faith” had been nurtured by these godly women. Because of the influence of these family members, Paul could write in 2 Timothy 3:14–15: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

What kind of spiritual roots are you leaving for those who will follow you?

Verse from Matthew

“但你祈祷的时候，要进到密室里去，关上门，向在隐密中的父祈祷。你父在隐密中察看，必定报答你。”

马太福音 6:6 

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

Matthew 6:6 

Our Lord simply desires prayer that begins and ends with humility (Matthew 6:5). He invites us into an intimate exchange through which He promises to listen (v. 6). He never requires fancy or memorized words or phrases (v. 7). He assures us that prayer is a gift, an opportunity to honor His majesty (vv. 9–10), to display our confidence in His provision (v. 11), and to affirm our security in His forgiveness and guidance (vv. 12–13).

God assures us He hears and cares about every single spoken and unspoken prayer, as well as the prayers that slip down our cheeks as silent tears. As we place our trust in God and His perfect love for us, we can be sure praying with a humble heart that’s surrendered to and dependent on Him is always the right way to pray.

Verse from Psalms

“你本是良善的，你所行的也是良善的；求你把你的律例教导我。”

诗篇 119:68 

“You are good and do good; Teach me Your statutes.”

Psalms 119:68 

Listen to what the Bible can do for the follower of Jesus who is seeking to build a relationship with God.

It can keep you pure (Psalm 119:9, 11).

It blesses you (Luke 11:28).

It makes you wise (Matthew 7:24).

It gives light and understanding (Psalm 119:130).

It helps you grow spiritually (1 Peter 2:2).

Our God is good: “The Lord is good to all,” says Psalm 145:9. And in His goodness, He’s provided those who love Him with a guide that helps us see how to enhance our relationship with Him. As we try to decide how to live in a world full of choices, praise God that He’s told us in Scripture what’s good for us. Let’s say with the psalm-writer: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103).

God, 

thank You for leaving us Your inspired Word. 

Help us to read it carefully, interpret it correctly, and apply it enthusiastically in our lives.

Verse from Isaiah

“唉！口渴的人哪！你们都就近水来吧。没有银钱的，你们也要来，买了就吃。你们要来，买酒和奶，不用银子，也不用付代价。”

以赛亚书 55:1 

“"Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.”

Isaiah 55:1 

Jesus’s invitation in John 7:37 echoes the call of Isaiah 55:1–7. The setting is the Feast of Tabernacles, and one of the daily rituals of the feast was designed to point to the exodus of Israel from Egypt. On each of the seven days of the feast, the priest would perform a ritual by bringing a pitcher of water to the altar and pouring it out—a reminder of God’s provision of water in the wilderness. 

In John 7, it’s the last day of the feast, and it appears that at the moment when the priest is pouring out the water, Jesus declares, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink” (v. 37). Water satisfies. It quenches thirst. It meets our deepest needs—and Jesus declares Himself to be the source of that ultimate satisfaction.

 In what things might you be pursuing satisfaction other than in Christ?

Verse from 2 Timothy

“你应当遵守所学和确信的；你知道是跟谁学的，”

提摩太后书 3:14 

“You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,”

2 Timothy 3:14 

Too many of us Christians don't know what we really believe. Like a cork in the ocean, driven and tossed by the waves, we bounce from opinion to opinion, influenced more by the last book we read than by a lifetime of biblical study. We've become activity junkies, seldom stopping long enough to decide what really matters to us, too busy to determine what's really worth living for, let alone worth dying for. 

As a result we live our lives based upon "near beliefs." Near beliefs have just enough truth in them to sound strangely familiar to convictions, yet they're too weak to inspire us or our actions. Too anemic to influence us to make a decision that demands a sacrifice. 

Near beliefs wimp out when a teenager is pushing you out of his or her life. Near beliefs won't keep a marriage together when romance fades. Near beliefs almost always fall silent on such issues as same-sex marriages and homosexuals adopting children. Near beliefs don't inspire the courage to change a behavior or to press on against disapproval or opposition from "the herd." 

Near beliefs are to blame for a new brand of Christianity that is epidemic in our homes and churches—a faith that has little flavor, little light and little influence. When near beliefs are our only source of motivation, tough stands are never taken, feathers are never ruffled, and absolutes are held very loosely. Without core convictions to help us navigate, we stand uneasily on shifting sand, and we lack the solid footing with which to stage a life of principle and character. 

Today is a call to biblical conviction. A call to spending time studying the Word. A clarion call to challenge you to determine: What do I believe? 

What is needed today is a battalion of believers who follow Christ and stand for Him and His truth.

Verse from Proverbs

“聪明人的心寻求知识，愚昧人的口只吃愚妄。”

箴言 15:14 

“The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.”

Proverbs 15:14 

Many of us become anxious when we’re separated from our smartphones. And when we do have our iPhones or Androids in our hands, we can be fixated on our screens.

Like many things, the internet and all that it allows us to access can become either a distraction or a blessing. It depends on what we do with it. In Proverbs we read, “A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash” (15:14 nlt).

Applying the wisdom of God’s Word to life, we can ask ourselves: Do we check our social networks compulsively throughout the day? What does that say about the things we hunger for? And do the things we read or view online encourage sensible living (vv. 16–21), or are we feeding on trash—gossip, slander, materialism, or sexual impurity?

As we yield to the work of the Holy Spirit, we can fill our minds with things that are “true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable” (Philippians 4:8 nlt). By God’s wisdom we can make good choices that honor Him.

God, 

help me to use my time well and to fill my mind with what is pure.

What we let into our minds shapes the state of our souls.

Verse from Psalms

“我虽然行过死荫的山谷，也不怕遭受伤害，因为你与我同在；你的杖你的竿都安慰我。”

诗篇 23:4 

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Psalms 23:4 

Psalm 23 describes God's intimate love for us. We see the same theme in the New Testament. In John 10, Jesus described Himself as the “good shepherd” who lays down His life for the sheep (v. 11). But this is only one facet of His personal, intimate care for the flock. 

In verse 3 Jesus says, “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” He calls His sheep “by name”! This is beautifully pictured on resurrection day. 

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to mourn Jesus’s death and to complete the burial process (20:1–18). Finding the tomb empty, she wept (v. 11); and the risen Jesus came to her, asking questions that probed her heart. She failed to recognize Jesus—until He called her by name (v. 16). In that moment, she was aware that Christ Himself stood before her. No wonder Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” 

To be loved and known by God is one of salvation’s greatest gifts!

Verses from Jude

“愿荣耀、威严、能力、权柄，借着我们的主耶稣基督，从万世以前，及现在，直到永永远远，归给独一的神我们的救主。他能保守你们不至跌倒，使你们毫无瑕疵、欢然站在他荣光之前。阿们。”

犹大书 1:24-25 

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

Jude 1:24-25 

Who among us hasn’t taken a spill of some sort? Wouldn’t it be nice to have something or someone to keep us on our feet all the time? 

While there are no guarantees of surefootedness in the physical sense, there is One who stands ready to assist us in our quest to honor Christ in this life and prepare us to stand joyfully before Him in the next.

Every day we face temptations (and even false teachings) that seek to divert us, confuse us, and entangle us. Yet, it’s not ultimately through our own efforts that we remain on our feet as we walk in this world. 

How assuring to know that when we hold our peace when tempted to speak angrily, to opt for honesty over deceit, to choose love over hate, or to select truth over error—we experience God’s power to keep us standing (Jude 1:24). 

And when we appear approved before God when Christ returns, the praise that we offer now for His sustaining grace will echo throughout eternity (v. 25).