Posts with the category “bible-reading-plan-2026”

Here’s the hard truth: rule-keeping is not the same as relationship. The young man wanted eternal life, but he also wanted to keep control of what gave him security and status. When Jesus exposed the competing allegiance—his wealth—he walked away disappointed. Not angry. Not rebellious. Just unwilling to surrender the thing that owned his heart.  Read More

When Jesus is questioned about divorce on the east side of the Jordan, He doesn’t enter the debate on technical loopholes or permissible exceptions. Instead, He takes His listeners back to the beginning. God’s original intention. God’s design. Covenant, not convenience.  Read More

It’s easy to instinctively place ourselves in the role of the forgiven servant—overwhelmed by mercy, relieved by grace, grateful that the debt is erased. And rightly so. The gospel really is that good. But Jesus doesn’t stop there. The uncomfortable turn in the story forces us to ask a harder question: what does “settling accounts” look like when we turn toward others? Receiving mercy is one thing. Extending it is another.  Read More

The goal isn’t to outperform other believers. The Christian life isn’t a leaderboard. It’s not a net-sum game where someone has to lose for you to win. You’re not trying to rank higher—you’re learning to live differently.   Read More

Slow down today. Sit with his words. Read them again—out loud if you can. Ask where you’ve been interrupting, resisting, or re-framing instead of obeying. Then do the hardest, holiest thing Matthew 17 calls us to do: Listen to Jesus—and trust him enough to follow.  Read More

Jesus’ signs were never about spectacle. They were always expressions of love and compassion. Even the resurrection—the greatest sign of all—will not be a flex of divine power, but a self-giving act for the redemption of the world.  Read More

The kingdom of God is first announced to Israel—but it is never meant to end there.  Read More

When regular, faithful giving erodes, the church’s ability to discern and pursue long-term Kingdom priorities is weakened—not because people are stingy, but because giving has shifted from trust to control.  Read More

Peter knows Jesus. He’s walked with him, listened to him, watched him heal and teach. And yet, when the wind picks up and the waves start shouting louder than the promise, Peter sinks. His faith falters—not because he doesn’t know Jesus, but because fear gets the focus.  Read More

It may have been brief. It may have felt interrupted. But it was enough. By the time Jesus steps onto the shore, his cup is full—not because circumstances improved, but because God met him in the crossing.  Read More

Will we release what gives temporary comfort and joy in order to receive what lasts? Will we give all we have to reflect the light of God in the world? Or will we settle for lesser treasures and call it wisdom?  Read More

Any sensible farmer knows you don’t waste seed. You don’t throw it on hardened paths or rocky ground or into choking weeds. Seed is precious. Food is survival. Careless scattering would look foolish—maybe even irresponsible. And yet, this farmer sows anyway.  Read More

Jesus draws the line clearly: “Whoever is not with me is against me.” Neutrality isn’t an option. Grace always demands cooperation.  Read More

So when Jesus is asked, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” the answer is obvious. Yes. Because the Sabbath is about restoration—of body, soul, and community. It is about coming into the presence of the Lord and receiving peace, not proving our worth.  Read More

Pause and be present. Take five quiet minutes with no agenda. Sit with God. Just be. Name the gift. Write down one clear way God has shown up in your life. Thank Him for it. Release the strain. Ask honestly: Where am I striving instead of trusting? Let it go. Practice rest. Do one thing today slowly and prayerfully, as an act of trust, not productivity.  Read More

The good news? God does not abandon us to white-knuckle faithfulness. The same grace that saves also empowers. The Holy Spirit keeps pressing us toward integrity, clarity, and courage. Pay attention. That nudge you feel is not condemnation—it’s an invitation.   Read More

If we read that as bias on Jesus’ part, we miss the point. Jesus isn’t drawing lines of worth—He’s teaching the disciples how the kingdom advances.  Read More

Trust that Jesus still heals—body, mind, and soul—and tell the story. Let your light shine.  Read More

Sanctification is not self-improvement. It is grace at work, stretching us so we can hold more of Christ.  Read More

Jesus is sovereign and in total control. Even the demons know it. They attempt negotiation, but Jesus does not bargain with evil. His authority is absolute. What they thought might be a loophole becomes a one-way trip back to the abyss. The will of God is not threatened, delayed, or diluted.  Read More

We believe grace is not passive. God’s grace invites a response. Hearing Jesus’ words without acting on them isn’t neutral; it’s a decision. Holiness isn’t about information stored in our heads but transformation lived out in daily faithfulness. Obedience doesn’t earn grace, but it is how grace takes root.  Read More

Seek to know God. Not as a concept, not as a religious taskmaster, but as Father. Over and over again, Jesus says, “your Father knows.” That’s covenant language. That’s relationship.  Read More

Transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It comes by grace, through faith, with obedience, in community. Ignited by the Spirit, shaped by the cross, and sent in the Father’s love—together, for a purpose.  Read More

Jesus didn’t call His disciples to be salty in the way we usually use the word today. In our culture, “salty” often describes someone sharp-tongued, cynical, or lacking grace. That kind of attitude might get attention, but it doesn’t bring life. And it certainly doesn’t reflect the heart of Christ.  Read More

Before Jesus begins his public ministry, he must be grounded in two unshakable truths: who he is and whose he is. Every temptation begins the same way: “If you are the Son of God…” The enemy isn’t questioning Jesus’ power as much as his identity and trust. Will he grasp? Will he rush? Will he take the easy road?  Read More

Prophecy again brings us from the promise made to the promise kept. Matthew is intentional here. John the Baptist doesn’t appear out of nowhere—he stands squarely in the line of the prophets, announcing that God is doing exactly what He said He would do. The long wait is over. The kingdom is at hand. God is faithful.  Read More

We may not receive angelic dreams or follow a literal star, but the invitation remains the same: listen, trust, and obey. Pay attention to where God is already at work. Take the next faithful step, even when the whole road is unclear.  Read More

How can we respond like Joseph did to allow God's plan to come to fruition in our own lives?  Read More

we enter into an intentional slowdown with this year's Bible reading plan. We're going to focus just on the New Testament...  Read More