Verse from John

“耶稣第三次问他：“约翰的儿子西门，你爱我吗？”彼得因为耶稣第三次问他：“你爱我吗？”就忧愁起来，对耶稣说：“主啊，你是无所不知的，你知道我爱你。”耶稣说：“你喂养我的羊。”

约翰福音 21:17 

“He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

John 21:17 

Before she followed in the footsteps of John the Baptist by living in the desert, Mary of Egypt (c. ad 344–421) spent her youth pursuing illicit pleasures and seducing men. At the height of her sordid career, she journeyed to Jerusalem in an attempt to corrupt pilgrims. Instead, she experienced deep conviction of her sins and thereafter lived a life of repentance and solitude in the wilderness. Mary’s radical transformation illustrates the magnitude of God’s grace and the restoring power of the cross.

The disciple Peter denied Jesus three times. Only hours before the denials, Peter had declared his willingness to die for Jesus (Luke 22:33), so the realization of his failure was a crushing blow (vv. 61–62). After Jesus’s death and resurrection, Peter was fishing with some of the disciples when Jesus appeared to them. Jesus gave Peter a chance to declare his love for Him three times—one for each of his denials (John 21:1–3). Then, with each declaration, Jesus charged Peter to care for His people (vv. 15–17). The result of this stunning display of grace was that Peter played a key role in building the church and ultimately gave his life for Christ.

A biography of any one of us could begin with a litany of our failures and defeats. But God’s grace always allows for a different ending. By His grace, He redeems and transforms us.

Verse from Job

“他有智慧与能力，又有谋略与聪明。”

约伯记 12:13 

““To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are His.”

Job 12:13 

We won’t always understand why we’re going through trials. This was certainly the case for Job, who faced horrendous and unexplainable suffering and loss. Yet despite his many questions, in Job 12 he declares that God is mighty: “What he tears down cannot be rebuilt” (v. 14) and “to him belong strength and insight” (v. 16). “He makes nations great, and destroys them” (v. 23). 

Throughout this extensive list, Job doesn’t mention God’s motives or why He allows pain and suffering. Job doesn’t have the answers. But still despite everything, he confidently says, “to God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his” (v. 13).

We may not understand why God allows certain struggles in our lives, but we can put our trust in Him. The Lord loves us and has us in His hands (v. 10; 1 Peter 5:7). Wisdom, power, and understanding are His!

What struggle are you going through? How does it help to know that God is with you?

Lord, 

help me to trust You, even when I don’t understand what You’re doing. Thank You that You hold me in Your loving hands.

Verse from Exodus

“耶和华的使者从荆棘丛里的火焰中向摩西显现。摩西观看，看见荆棘被火烧着，却没有烧毁。”

出埃及记 3:2 

“There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.”

Exodus 3:2 

Archaeologist Dr. Warwick Rodwell was preparing to retire when he made an extraordinary discovery at Lichfield Cathedral in England. As builders carefully excavated part of the floor of the church to make way for a retractable base, they discovered a sculpture of the archangel Gabriel, thought to be 1,200 years old. Dr. Rodwell’s retirement plans were put on hold as his find launched him into an exciting and busy new season.

Moses was eighty years old when he made a fiery discovery that would forever alter his life. Though the adopted son of an Egyptian princess, he never forgot his Hebrew lineage and raged at the injustice he witnessed against his kinsmen (Exodus 2:11–12). When Pharaoh learned that Moses had killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew, he planned to have him killed, forcing Moses to flee to Midian, where he settled (vv. 13–15).

Forty years later, when he was eighty, Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock when “the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up” (3:2). In that moment, God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery (vv. 3–22).

At this moment in your life, what might God be calling you to do for His greater purpose? What new plans has He placed in your path?

What do you learn from Moses and his calling from God? Why is it vital to be open to something new He’s doing in your life?

Holy God, 

be Lord of all my days as I surrender them to You afresh.

Verse from Psalms

“你的话是我脚前的灯，是我路上的光。”

诗篇 119:105 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

Psalms 119:105 

During World War II, small compasses saved the lives of 27 sailors 300 miles off the coast of North Carolina. Waldemar Semenov, a retired merchant seaman, was serving as a junior engineer aboard the SS Alcoa Guide when a German submarine surfaced and opened fire on the ship. The ship was hit, caught fire, and began to sink. Semenov and his crew lowered compass-equipped lifeboats into the water and used the compasses to guide them toward the shipping lanes closer to shore. After three days, the men were rescued.

The psalmist reminded God’s people that His Word was a trustworthy “compass.” He likened it to a lamp. In that day, the flickering light cast by an olive oil lamp was only bright enough to show a traveler his next step. To the psalmist, God’s Word was such a lamp, providing enough light to illuminate the path for those pursuing God (Ps. 119:105). When the psalmist was wandering in the dark on a chaotic path of life, he believed that God, through the guidance of His Word, would provide direction.

When we lose our bearings in life, we can trust our God who gives His trustworthy Word as our compass, using it to lead us into deeper fellowship with Him.

God has given us His Word to help us know and follow Him.

Verse from 2 Chronicles

“耶和华的眼目遍察全地，一心归向他的，他必以大能扶助他们；你作这事太愚昧了。从今以后，你必常有战争。””

历代志下 16:9 

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.””

2 Chronicles 16:9 

In 2 Chronicles 16, Hanani the seer (God’s prophet) informed a king that his actions were under a royal gaze. He told Asa, king of Judah, “You relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God” (v. 7). Then Hanani explained, “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (v. 9). Because of Asa’s misplaced dependence, he would always be at war.

Reading these words, we might get the false sense that God watches our every move so He can pounce on us like a bird of prey. But Hanani’s words focus on the positive. His point is that our God continually watches and waits for us to call on Him when we’re in need.

Why is it vital for you to regularly look to God for direction and guidance? 

How does it encourage you to know that God awaits your calls for help?

O God, 

may You strengthen our hearts that we might be fully committed to You.

Verse from Deuteronomy

“他使你受苦，任你饥饿，把你和你的列祖不认识的吗哪赐给你吃，使你知道人活着，不是单靠食物，更要靠耶和华口里所出的一切话。”

‭‭申命记‬ ‭8:3‬ ‭

“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭8:3‬ ‭

The problem with material acquisition: Even the good things of life can’t give us the deep, lasting happiness we so strongly desire. Though we may have many possessions, we may still be unhappy.

The world offers happiness through material accumulation: new clothes, a new automobile, an update to our phone or watch. But no material acquisition can make us as happy as it did yesterday. That’s because we were made for God and nothing less will do.

One day, when Jesus was fasting and faint with hunger, Satan approached Him and tempted Him to satisfy His hunger by creating bread. Jesus countered by quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Jesus’s stating a fact: We’re spiritual beings and thus we can’t exist on material goods alone.

True satisfaction is found in God and His riches.

Verse from 1 Corinthians

“他也拣选了世上卑贱的和被人轻视的，以及算不得甚么的，为了要废弃那些自以为是的，”

哥林多前书 1:28  

“God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,”

1 Corinthians 1:28 

The video showed a man kneeling beside a busy freeway during an out-of-control brush fire. He was clapping his hands and pleading with something to come. What was it? A dog? Moments later a bunny hopped into the picture. The man scooped up the scared rabbit and sprinted to safety.

How did the rescue of such a small thing make national news? That’s why. There’s something endearing about compassion shown to the least of these. It takes a big heart to make room for the smallest creature.

Jesus said the kingdom of God is like a man who gave a banquet and made room for everyone who was willing to come. Not just the movers and shakers but also “the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” (Luke 14:21). 

Paul said, “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things . . . so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:27–29).

God, 

as Your servants please help us to value others the way You do, regardless of who they are or what they do.

Verse from Isaiah

“行在黑暗中的人民，看见了大光；住在死荫之地的人，有光照耀他们。”

以赛亚书 9:2 

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”

Isaiah 9:2 

On the streets of Los Angeles, a homeless man struggling with addictions stepped into The Midnight Mission and asked for help. Thus began Brian’s long road to recovery.

In the process Brian rediscovered his love for music. Eventually he joined Street Symphony—a group of music professionals with a heart for the homeless. They asked Brian to perform a solo from Handel’s Messiah known as “The People That Walked in Darkness.” A music critic for The New Yorker magazine wrote that Brian “made the text sound as though it had been taken from his own life.”

The gospel writer Matthew quoted that same passage. Called by Jesus from a life of cheating his fellow Israelites, Matthew describes how Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy by taking His salvation “beyond the Jordan” to “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Matthew 4:13–15).

Who would have believed one of Caesar’s tax collector thugs (see Matthew 9:9), a street addict like Brian, or people like us would get a chance to show the difference between light and darkness in our own lives?

How has the light of Christ affected you? 

In what ways are you reflecting it to others?

Verse from Proverbs

“照料无花果树的，必吃树上的果子；事奉主人的，必得尊荣。”

箴言 27:18 

“The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored.”

Proverbs 27:18 

We see a lot of advertising slogans today. Companies are always looking for newer, snazzier ways to position their products and services. But one positive feature that can never be dreamed up in a brainstorming session is a statement such as "Serving You for More than 50 Years" or "Celebrating 75 Years of Excellence."

Statements like these can't be bought from an ad agency. They can only be earned over time.

The same thing holds true in your life as a Christian. Even though all of God's promises were yours from the beginning of your walk with Christ, the awesome experience of bearing fruit over a lifetime can only be seen through the lens of many years. And when those years have been fully invested in the Lord rather than routinely squandered on foolish alternatives, the return is sure to be bountiful beyond measure.

Today's verse from Proverbs is a good reminder of this truth. Solomon was saying that our years of faithfulness will be rewarded. An orchard that is faithfully tended for many years will enjoy a much more productive yield than a new one. The more it matures, the more fruitful it becomes.

Perhaps the "slogan" you can hope to hear on that day when you stand accountable to Him in eternity is "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master" (see Matthew 25:21).

Verse from 1 John

“我们若行在光中，像他在光中一样，就彼此相通，他儿子耶稣的血也洁净我们脱离一切罪。”

约翰壹书 1:7 

“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”

1 John 1:7 

By rejecting God and turning to idols (Jeremiah 2:13), Jeremiah declared that the people of Israel had caused a permanent stain in their relationship with God: “‘Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,’ declares the Sovereign Lord” (v. 22). They were powerless to undo the damage they’d done.

On our own, it is impossible to remove the stain of our sin. But Jesus has done what we could not. Through the power of His death and resurrection, He “purifies [believers] from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Even when it’s hard to believe, cling to this beautiful truth: there’s no damage from sin that Jesus can’t totally remove. God is willing and ready to wash away the effects of sin for anyone willing to return to Him (v. 9). Through Christ, we can live each day in freedom and hope.

Verse from 2 Samuel

“大卫对拿单说：“我得罪了耶和华了。”拿单对大卫说：“耶和华已经除去了你的罪，你必不至于死。”

撒母耳记下 12:13 

“Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.”

2 Samuel 12:13 

When a man installed a security camera outside his house, he checked the video feature to ensure that the system was working. He was alarmed to see a broad-shouldered figure in dark clothing wandering around his yard. He watched intently to see what the man would do. The interloper seemed familiar, however. Finally he realized he wasn’t watching a stranger roam his property, but a recording of himself in his own backyard!

What might we see if we could step out of our skin and observe ourselves in certain situations? When David’s heart was hardened and he needed an outside perspective—a godly perspective—on his involvement with Bathsheba, God sent Nathan to the rescue (2 Samuel 12).

Nathan told David a story about a rich man who robbed a poor man of his only lamb. Though the rich man owned herds of animals, he slaughtered the poor man’s lone sheep and made it into a meal. When Nathan revealed that the story illustrated David’s actions, David saw how he had harmed Uriah. Nathan explained the consequences, but more important he assured David, “The Lord has taken away your sin” (v. 13).

If God reveals sin in our lives, His ultimate purpose isn’t to condemn us, but to restore us and to help us reconcile with those we’ve hurt. Repentance clears the way for renewed closeness with God through the power of His forgiveness and grace.

What sin(s) do you need to bring to God today in repentance?

God, 

help me to see my life the way You see it and experience Your grace.

Verses from Hebrews

“所以，弟兄们！我们凭着耶稣的血，可以坦然无惧地进入至圣所。这进入的路，是他给我们开辟的，是一条通过幔子、又新又活的路，这幔子就是他的身体。”

希伯来书 10:19-20 

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body,”

Hebrews 10:19-20 

It was a dark and somber day in the outskirts of Jerusalem. On a hill just outside the city walls, a Man who’d been attracting crowds of eager followers for the past three years hung in disgrace and pain on a rough wooden cross. Mourners wept and wailed in sorrow. The light of the sun no longer brightened the afternoon sky. And the intense suffering of the Man on the cross ended when He cried out in a loud voice, “It is finished” (Matthew 27:50; John 19:30).

At that very moment, another sound came from the great temple across town—the sound of ripping fabric. Miraculously, without human intervention, the huge, thick veil that separated the outer temple from the holy of holies tore in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51).

That torn curtain symbolized the reality of the cross: a new way was now open to God! Jesus, the Man on the cross, had shed His blood as the last sacrifice—the one true and sufficient sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10)—which allows all who believe in Him to enjoy forgiveness and enter into a relationship with God (Romans 5:6–11).

Amidst the darkness of that original Good Friday, we received the best news ever—Jesus opened a way for us to be saved from our sins and to experience fellowship with God forever (Hebrews 10:19–22). Thank God for the message of the torn veil!

Verses from John

“父爱我，因为我把生命舍去，好再把它取回来。没有人能夺去我的生命，是我自己舍去的。我有权把生命舍去，也有权把它取回来；这是我从我的父所领受的命令。””

约翰福音 10:17-18 

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.””

John 10:17-18 

As Jesus endured His darkest moment, He didn’t merely tell us He loved us; He showed it in specific ways. He showed it to the mocking soldiers who had just nailed Him to a cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). He gave hope to a criminal crucified with Him: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (v. 43). 

Nearing the end, He looked at His mother. “Here is your son,” He said to her, and to His close friend John He said, “Here is your mother” (John 19:26–27). Then, as His life slipped from Him, Jesus’s last act of love was to trust His Father: “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

Jesus purposefully chose the cross in order to show His obedience to His Father—and the depth of His love for us. To the very end, He showed us His relentless love.

What matters most to you? 

How do love and obedience fit together?

Verse from Psalms

“耶和华有怜悯，有恩典，不轻易发怒，并且有丰盛的慈爱。”

诗篇 103:8 

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

Psalm 103:8 

In Psalm 103 David celebrates God’s compassion. Comparing the love of God to the love of a father, he writes that the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. David doesn’t mean that God is merciful to those who are afraid of Him, as though God were watching to make sure everyone “toes the line.” Instead, “fear” in this sense is both a proper understanding of and attitude toward someone worthy of respect. God shows His love to those who fear Him, to those who understand and worship Him in reverence.

We might tend to think it’s our fear that garners God’s compassion. However, David, in poetic expression, tells us that compassion originates with God. Far from being a response to our recognition of who He is, it’s God’s response to who we are—dust. God has compassion on us because we are nothing but dust.

Verse from Proverbs

“傲慢只能引起争端；接受劝告的却有智慧。”

箴言 13:10 

“Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”

Proverbs 13:10 

Most fights aren’t about policy and principle, or about right and wrong; they’re almost always about pride. The wise man of Proverbs swings his axe at the root of the problem when he writes: “Pride leads to conflict” (13:10 nlt). Quarrels are fueled by pride, by needing to be right, by wanting our way, or by defending our turf or our egos.

On the other side, wisdom resides with the well-advised—those who listen and learn, those who allow themselves to be instructed. There is wisdom in those who humble themselves—those who set aside their own selfish ambition; who acknowledge the limits of their own understanding; who listen to the other person’s point of view; who allow their own ideas to be corrected. This is the wisdom from God that spreads peace wherever it goes.

Dear heavenly Father, 

help me as I battle pride today. It’s so easy to take my eyes off You and focus on myself. 

Give me a humble heart.

Humility brings wisdom.

Verse from John

“你们若行我所吩咐你们的，就是我的朋友了。”

约翰福音 15:14 

“You are my friends if you do what I command.”

John 15:14 

The Lord Jesus called His followers friends, and He showed them the marks of His friendship. “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you,” He said (John 15:9), even laying down His life for them (v. 13). He showed them His kingdom business (v. 15). He taught them everything God had given Him (v. 15). And He gave them opportunity to share in His mission (v. 16).

As our Companion for life, Jesus walks with us. He listens to our heartaches and our desires. When we’re lonely and downhearted, our Friend Jesus keeps company with us.

And our companionship with Jesus is tighter when we love each other and obey His commands (vv. 10, 17). As we obey His commands, we will bear “fruit that will last” (v. 16).

Verse from John

“耶稣看见他躺着，知道他病了很久，就问他：“你要痊愈吗？””

约翰福音 5:6 

“When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?””

John 5:6 

Does the sun rise in the east? Is the sky blue? Is the ocean salty? Is the atomic weight of cobalt 58.9? Okay, that last one you might only know if you’re a science geek or tend to dabble in trivia, but the other questions have an obvious answer: Yes. In fact, questions like these are usually mixed with a hint of sarcasm.

If we’re not careful, our modern—sometimes jaded—ears can hear a bit of sarcasm in Jesus’s question to an invalid: “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6). The obvious answer would seem to be, “Are you kidding me?! I’ve been wanting help for thirty-eight years!” But there’s no sarcasm present, that’s the furthest thing from the truth. Jesus’s voice is always filled with compassion, and His questions are always posed for our good.

Jesus knew the man wanted to get well. He also knew it had probably been a long time since anyone had made an offer to care. Before the divine miracle, Jesus’s intent was to restore in him a hope that had grown cold. He did this by asking a rather obvious question, and then giving ways to respond: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (v. 8). We’re like the invalid, each of us with places in our lives where hope has withered. He sees us and compassionately invites us to believe in hope again, to believe in Him.

Verse from Exodus

“神回答：“我必与你同在；你把人民从埃及领出来的时候，你们要在这山上事奉神；这就是我派你去的凭据。””

出埃及记 3:12 

“And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.””

Exodus 3:12 

When his wife contracted a terminal illness, Michael longed for her to experience the peace he had through his relationship with God. He had shared his faith with her, but she wasn’t interested. One day, as he walked through a local bookstore, a title caught his eye: God, Are You There? Unsure how his wife would respond to the book, he walked in and out of the store several times before finally buying it. To his surprise, she accepted it.

The book touched her, and she began to read the Bible too. Two weeks later, Michael’s wife passed away—at peace with God and resting in the assurance that He would never leave or forsake her.

When God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt, He didn’t promise him power. Instead, He promised His presence: “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12). In Jesus’s last words to His disciples before His crucifixion, He also promised God’s eternal presence, which they would receive through the Holy Spirit (John 15:26).

There are many things God could give us to help us through life’s challenges, such as material comfort, healing, or immediate solutions to our problems. Sometimes He does. But the best gift He gives is Himself. This is the greatest comfort we have: whatever happens in life, He will be with us; He will never leave nor forsake us.

Lord, 

thank You for the wonderful promise that You’ll be with me always. 

In the midst of life’s crises and routines, may I learn to rely on Your presence, knowing You are walking with me.

Verse from Psalms

“他使我的灵魂苏醒；为了自己的名，他引导我走义路。”

诗篇 23:3 

“He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.”

Psalm 23:3 

In his book The Call, Os Guinness describes a moment when Winston Churchill, on holiday with friends in the south of France, sat by the fireplace to warm himself on a cold night. Gazing at the fire, the former prime minister saw pine logs “crackling, hissing, and spitting as they burned. Suddenly, his familiar voice growled, ‘I know why logs spit. I know what it is to be consumed.’”

Difficulties, despair, dangers, distress, and the results of our own wrongdoings can all feel consuming. Circumstances slowly drain our hearts of joy and peace. When David experienced the consuming consequences of his own sinful choices, he wrote, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. . . . My strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3–4).

In such difficult times, where do we turn for help? For hope? Paul, whose experiences were filled with ministry burdens and brokenness, wrote, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9). 

How does that work? As we rest in Jesus, the Good Shepherd restores our souls (Psalm 23:3) and strengthens us for the next step of our journey. He promises to walk that journey with us every step of the way (Hebrews 13:5).