Daily Devotional

Scripture (KJV) – Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Reflection Waiting is something most of us do not enjoy. We pray for an answer and want it today. We ask God to open a door and wonder why it remains closed. We pray for a family member, a financial need, a difficult situation, or direction about an important decision, and sometimes it seems as though nothing is happening. But waiting on God does not mean God is doing nothing. Isaiah tells us, “they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength.” Notice that the promise is not that God will immediately change every circumstance. Sometimes He changes the circumstance. Other times, He strengthens us while we are still walking through it. There have been times in my own life when I could not understand why God was making me wait. Looking back, I can see that He was working on things I could not see at the time. That is where faith comes in. Anybody can trust God when everything is happening according to our timetable. Faith is tested when we have prayed and still do not have an answer. Maybe you are waiting right now. You may be waiting for a loved one to come to Christ. Keep praying. You may be waiting for God to give direction. Keep trusting. You may be going through a season where you feel tired and wonder how much longer you can continue. Keep walking. God has not forgotten where you are. I love the progression in this verse. Sometimes God allows us to “mount up with wings as eagles.” Those are the wonderful moments when He lifts us above the circumstances. Sometimes He gives us strength to “run, and not be weary.” But there are also seasons when all we can do is walk. And God promises strength for that too. Not every day of the Christian life will feel like soaring. Some days we simply put one foot in front of the other and trust God for enough strength to make it through another day. That is still faith. If God has not answered your prayer yet, do not assume He has forgotten you. His timing is not always our timing, but His timing is never late. When you cannot see what God is doing, keep trusting who God is. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You that I can trust You even when I do not understand Your timing. There are things I have prayed about and answers I am still waiting to see. Help me not become discouraged or give up. Renew my strength when I am tired and give me patience when I want to move ahead of You. Teach me to trust that You are working even when I cannot see what You are doing. Help me soar when You lift me, run when You strengthen me, and simply keep walking when the road becomes difficult. Keep my eyes upon Jesus Christ and help me faithfully trust You one day at a time. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries Top of Form Bottom of Form

Scripture (KJV) – Proverbs 14:30 “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” Reflection Envy is one of those sins that can quietly enter the heart without anyone else knowing it is there. We see someone else’s success, possessions, family, ministry, home, job, or opportunities, and instead of being thankful for what God has given them, we begin wondering, “Why don’t I have that?” Comparison can quickly steal our contentment. Solomon tells us, “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” That is strong language because envy does something destructive inside us. The person we envy may not even know how we feel, yet we are the ones carrying the bitterness. Envy can eventually make another person’s blessing feel like our loss. That should never characterize the heart of a Christian. God has not given every person the same life, abilities, possessions, opportunities, or calling. He knows exactly what He is doing with each one of us. Instead of constantly looking at what someone else has, we should learn to recognize what God has already placed in our own hands. Social media can make this struggle even harder. We see people’s vacations, accomplishments, homes, families, and celebrations, but we rarely see their struggles, disappointments, fears, or tears. We can end up comparing the difficult reality of our own life with the carefully selected moments of someone else’s. That is not a fair comparison. There is another danger with envy. If we allow it to remain long enough, it can become resentment. Instead of rejoicing when God blesses someone, we secretly become disappointed. We may even begin looking for faults in that person simply to make ourselves feel better. When that happens, we need to stop examining them and start examining ourselves. Can you genuinely rejoice when someone else receives something you wanted? Can you thank God for another person’s blessing without asking why He did not give the same thing to you? Those questions can reveal what is happening within our hearts. The cure for envy is gratitude. Begin thanking God for what He has already given you. Thank Him for salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank Him for another day of life. Thank Him for the people who love you. Thank Him for every opportunity He has placed before you. You may discover that while you were looking at someone else’s blessings, you had overlooked many of your own. Do not allow comparison to steal the joy of what God has already placed in your life. Prayer Heavenly Father, search my heart and reveal any envy, jealousy, or resentment that I have allowed to grow within me. Forgive me for the times I have compared my life with others instead of being thankful for Your blessings. Help me genuinely rejoice when You bless someone else. Give me a grateful and contented heart, and remind me that You know what is best for my life. Keep my eyes upon Jesus Christ instead of constantly looking at what others have. Thank You for Your mercy, Your provision, Your love, and especially for the salvation You have given me through Your Son. Help me live each day thankful for what You have placed in my hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries Top of Form Bottom of Form

Scripture (KJV) – Hebrews 2:1 “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” Reflection Most people do not wake up one morning and suddenly decide they are going to walk away from God. Usually, it happens little by little. A prayer gets skipped. The Bible stays closed another day. Church becomes less important. Something we once knew was wrong does not bother us quite as much anymore. The voice of conviction becomes easier to ignore. Before long, we can find ourselves farther from God than we ever intended to go. That is why Hebrews warns us to “give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard.” We need to pay attention to the truth God has already given us. One of the dangers of being around Scripture for many years is becoming so familiar with it that we stop allowing it to examine us. We can know the verses, understand the doctrines, and recognize the Bible stories while our hearts slowly drift. Knowing God’s Word is not the same as obeying God’s Word. The phrase “lest at any time we should let them slip” gives us a picture of something drifting away. Spiritual drifting can be so gradual that we hardly recognize it while it is happening. That makes this a good verse for personal examination. Is your prayer life stronger today than it was a year ago? Do you still hunger for God’s Word? Does sin still trouble your conscience? Are you as concerned about lost souls as you once were? Is Jesus Christ still at the center of your life, or have other things slowly taken His place? Those are questions every Christian should occasionally ask. And if you recognize that you have drifted, do not convince yourself that you have gone too far to return. Come back. Open God’s Word again. Get alone with Him in prayer. Confess whatever needs to be confessed. Remove whatever has been pulling your heart away. Begin walking closely with Christ again. God may be using this very moment to get your attention. Spiritual drifting happens one small step at a time. So does coming back. Take that first step toward God today. Prayer Heavenly Father, examine my heart and show me if I have begun drifting away from You. Forgive me for the times I have neglected prayer, ignored Your Word, excused sin, or allowed the things of this world to become more important than my relationship with You. Give me a renewed hunger for Scripture and a tender heart toward the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Help me pay careful attention to the truth You have already shown me and give me the strength to obey it. Keep my heart close to Jesus Christ and help me faithfully follow Him every day of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Reflection There is something deeply personal about these words of Jesus. He does not force the door open. He stands outside and knocks. In its immediate context, Jesus was speaking to the church at Laodicea, a church that had become lukewarm and self-satisfied. They believed they were rich and needed nothing, yet spiritually they did not recognize how desperately they needed the Lord. That warning still speaks to Christians today. We can become comfortable in our faith. We can attend church, read our Bible, know the right answers, and still allow our relationship with Christ to become cold. Sometimes we become so busy doing things for the Lord that we neglect spending time with the Lord. Jesus said, “if any man hear my voice.” The question is not whether Christ is speaking through His Word. The question is whether we are listening. Perhaps God has been dealing with you about something for a while. Maybe there is a sin that needs to be confessed. Maybe your prayer life has grown weak. Perhaps bitterness has settled into your heart, or the things of this world have slowly become more important than the things of God. We should never become so spiritually comfortable that we stop recognizing the knock at the door. Notice also that Jesus says, “if any man.” Even though He was addressing a church, the invitation becomes personal. Revival can begin with one person who decides, “Lord, I want You to have every part of my life.” There is also a beautiful picture here of fellowship. Jesus says, “I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” He desires closeness with His people. Christianity is not merely following a set of religious rules. It is a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Maybe today you need to ask yourself: Have I allowed something to come between me and the Lord? If so, do not ignore His conviction. Open the door. Confess what needs to be confessed. Return to prayer. Return to His Word. Give Him first place again. Never become so comfortable with religion that you fail to recognize when Jesus is standing at the door and knocking. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for continuing to speak to my heart through Your Word. Forgive me for the times I have become spiritually comfortable, distracted, or lukewarm. Search my heart and show me anything that has come between You and me. Help me hear Your voice clearly and respond when You bring conviction. Restore within me a hunger for Your Word, a desire to pray, and a passion to live faithfully for Jesus Christ. I do not want merely to go through the motions of Christianity. I want a close and genuine walk with You every day. Help me give You first place in every part of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Reflection Sometimes the greatest damage we cause does not come from our hands. It comes from our mouths. A few words spoken in anger can remain in someone’s memory for years. Gossip can destroy a reputation. A harsh response can wound someone we love. A careless comment can discourage a person who is already struggling. But words can also do something beautiful. They can encourage someone who feels defeated. They can comfort someone who is grieving. They can restore a broken relationship. Most importantly, our words can tell a lost person about Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers. Solomon tells us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” That should cause us to think before we speak. We live in a time when people can immediately say whatever comes into their minds. Social media has made it possible to speak to hundreds or thousands of people in seconds. But being able to say something does not mean we should say it. As Christians, we need to ask ourselves: Do my words sound like they belong to someone who follows Jesus Christ? It is easy to praise God on Sunday and then use the same mouth to tear someone apart on Monday. It is easy to speak kindly when everything is going our way, but the real test often comes when we are angry, frustrated, offended, or hurt. Personal conviction begins when we stop saying, “That’s just the way I am,” and allow God to change the way we speak. Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is simply remain quiet until our heart is right. And when we do speak, our words should be truthful, gracious, and helpful. That does not mean we never confront sin or speak difficult truths. Jesus spoke truth plainly. But biblical truth never gives us permission to be cruel. Think about the people closest to you. Your spouse. Your children. Your grandchildren. Your friends. Your church family. What kind of fruit are your words producing in their lives? Are you building them up or constantly tearing them down? Before speaking today, ask yourself: Is it true? Is it necessary? Will it honor Christ? Once words leave our mouths, we cannot pull them back. Use your words to give life, speak truth, show love, and point someone toward Jesus Christ. Prayer Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have spoken without thinking and hurt others with my words. Guard my mouth and help me control my tongue, especially when I am angry, frustrated, or offended. Remove gossip, bitterness, criticism, and cruelty from my speech. Give me words that encourage the discouraged, comfort the hurting, strengthen my family, and honor Jesus Christ. Give me courage to speak the truth when necessary, but always help me speak it with love and grace. Most of all, use my voice to tell others about Jesus and the salvation He offers. May the words of my mouth bring glory to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – Hebrews 4:13 “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Reflection There are things about our lives that other people will never know. There are private thoughts, hidden motives, secret temptations, and perhaps even sins that we have successfully concealed from everyone around us. But nothing is hidden from God. Hebrews tells us that “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” That is a sobering statement. God does not merely see what we do publicly. He sees what happens when nobody else is around. We may be able to fool our family. We may fool our friends. We may even fool the people sitting beside us in church. But we will never fool God. He knows why we said what we said. He knows the thoughts behind our actions. He knows whether our service is truly for His glory or whether we secretly desire recognition. He knows the bitterness we have never spoken aloud and the temptation we continue entertaining in our minds. That truth should bring personal conviction. But there is another side to this verse that I believe we should remember. The God who sees our sin also sees our struggles. He sees the believer fighting temptation when nobody else knows there is a battle. He sees the person praying alone in the middle of the night. He sees the quiet acts of kindness that receive no recognition. He sees the tears that nobody else notices. Nothing is hidden from Him, including our faithfulness. For the person who does not know Jesus Christ, however, this Scripture carries a serious warning. There will be no hidden evidence when we stand before God. Every secret sin is already known to Him. We cannot hide behind excuses or appearances. That is why we need Jesus Christ. The answer to hidden sin is not becoming better at hiding it. The answer is bringing it before God, confessing it, turning from it, and receiving the forgiveness that is found through Christ. Maybe there is something in your life today that nobody else knows about. God already knows. Instead of running from Him, run to Him. Bring it into the light. Ask for forgiveness. Ask Him for strength to overcome it. Whatever we try to hide eventually becomes a burden, but what we honestly bring before God can become the beginning of repentance, healing, and restoration. Live privately the same way you want people to believe you live publicly. God sees both. Prayer Heavenly Father, You know everything about me. You see my actions, my thoughts, my motives, my struggles, and even the things I have tried to hide. Search my heart today and reveal anything that does not please You. Forgive me for every secret sin and every thought or attitude that dishonors You. Give me the courage to bring everything into the light and the strength to turn away from temptation. Help me live with integrity when others are watching and when I am completely alone. Thank You that through Jesus Christ there is forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration. May my private life honor You just as much as my public testimony. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Reflection There is coming a day when every believer will stand personally before Jesus Christ. Paul does not say that some Christians will appear before Him. He says, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” That should cause every believer to think seriously about how we are living the life God has given us. For those who have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation, this is not a judgment to determine whether we are saved or lost. Christ settled the penalty for our sins at Calvary. We are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. But being saved does not mean the way we live no longer matters. There will be an accounting. How did we use the time God gave us? How did we treat people? What did we do with the opportunities He placed before us? Did we faithfully serve Him when nobody was watching? Did we share the Gospel when He opened the door? Were our motives centered upon Christ, or were we more concerned about receiving recognition from people? Those are uncomfortable questions, but sometimes we need uncomfortable questions. It is easy to become so occupied with everyday life that we forget eternity is approaching. We work, make plans, pay bills, take vacations, build homes, and prepare for retirement. There is nothing wrong with those things, but none of them should cause us to forget that our earthly life is temporary. One day our opportunities to serve Christ here will be finished. There will be no going back to encourage the person we ignored. There will be no second opportunity to share Christ with someone after our earthly life is over. There will be no way to recover years that were wasted living entirely for ourselves. That is why this Scripture should motivate us rather than merely frighten us. We still have today. We can serve Him today. We can love someone today. We can forgive today. We can share the Gospel today. We can make things right today. We can invest our lives in things that will still matter when we stand before Jesus Christ. I believe every Christian should occasionally stop and ask one simple question: “If I stood before Jesus Christ today, would I be pleased with how I have been living for Him?” We cannot change yesterday, but by God’s grace we can determine how we will live today. Live today with eternity in view, because one day we will stand before the One who gave His life for us. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for the salvation You have given me through Jesus Christ. Help me never take Your grace for granted. Remind me that my life belongs to You and that one day I will stand before Christ and give an account of how I lived. Show me where I have wasted opportunities, neglected Your calling, or lived too much for myself. Help me use my time, abilities, possessions, and opportunities for Your glory. Give me a greater burden for lost souls and a stronger desire to faithfully serve You. When I finally stand before Jesus Christ, may I look back upon a life that was lived faithfully for Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Reflection Jesus did not say that the world would recognize His disciples simply because they attended church, knew Scripture, or talked about their faith. He pointed to something that should be clearly visible in the life of every believer: the way we love one another. But notice the standard Jesus gave us. He said, “as I have loved you.” That takes love to an entirely different level. Jesus loved people when they failed Him. He loved Peter even though Peter denied Him. He loved His disciples even though they sometimes argued among themselves. He showed compassion toward sinners, touched those others avoided, and gave His life upon the cross for people who did not deserve His mercy. That is the kind of love Christ calls us to demonstrate. It is easy to love someone who agrees with us, appreciates us, and treats us well. The real test comes when someone disappoints us, hurts us, misunderstands us, or simply gets on our nerves. How do we respond then? Sometimes Christians can speak about the love of Christ while carrying bitterness toward another believer. We can sing about grace on Sunday and refuse to show grace on Monday. We can tell lost people that Jesus loves them while allowing anger, jealousy, gossip, or unforgiveness to control the way we treat one another. Jesus said the world is watching. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples.” That should cause every one of us to examine our hearts. Our testimony is not only found in what we say about Jesus. It is also found in how we treat people. Love does not mean approving sin or compromising biblical truth. Jesus never compromised truth. But He always spoke and acted from a heart of perfect love. Maybe there is someone in your life who needs to see the love of Christ through you today. Perhaps they need forgiveness. Maybe they need encouragement. Maybe they simply need someone to listen. We live in a world filled with anger, division, and hatred. What an opportunity Christians have to show something different. Let people see Jesus not only in what you believe, but in the way you love. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me when I did not deserve Your love. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to die for my sins and showing me what true love looks like. Help me love others as Christ has loved me. Remove bitterness, jealousy, anger, and unforgiveness from my heart. Give me compassion for those who are hurting and patience with those who are difficult. Help me stand firmly upon Your truth while always treating people with grace and love. May the way I live and the way I treat others show the world that I belong to Jesus Christ. In His name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Reflection Pride is one of the easiest sins to recognize in someone else and one of the hardest to recognize in ourselves. It does not always appear as boasting or arrogance. Sometimes pride quietly shows itself when we refuse correction, will not admit we are wrong, hold ourselves above others, or believe we can handle life without depending upon God. Scripture gives us a serious warning: “Pride goeth before destruction.” Pride tells us that we do not need advice. Pride says we do not need to apologize. Pride convinces us that our way must be right and everyone else must be wrong. Eventually, pride can even cause us to resist God when His Word confronts something in our lives. That is a dangerous place to be. Think about how different Jesus Christ was. The Son of God had every right to receive glory, yet He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. If our Savior demonstrated humility, how much more should humility characterize those who follow Him? This Scripture calls for personal conviction. When was the last time you sincerely admitted that you were wrong? Can someone correct you without immediately making you angry or defensive? Do you secretly look down upon people because of their failures, possessions, education, appearance, or position in life? Pride can also affect our relationship with God. Sometimes we pray only after we have exhausted every other possibility. We try to solve everything ourselves and turn to God when nothing else works. Humility recognizes that we need Him every day, not simply when trouble comes. The opposite of pride is not thinking that we have no value. Biblical humility means recognizing who we are before a holy God and understanding that everything good in our lives ultimately comes from Him. If God reveals pride within your heart today, do not defend it. Confess it. It is far better to humble ourselves willingly before God than to have pride bring us to a fall. Prayer Heavenly Father, search my heart and reveal any pride that I may not recognize in myself. Forgive me for the times I have refused correction, looked down upon others, insisted upon having my own way, or tried to live without depending upon You. Give me a humble and teachable spirit. Help me admit when I am wrong, ask forgiveness when I have hurt someone, and remember that every blessing in my life comes from Your hand. May the humility of Jesus Christ be seen in the way I speak, serve, love, and treat others. Keep me close to You and protect my heart from the destruction that pride can bring. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries

Scripture (KJV) – John 3:19-21 “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” Reflection Jesus tells us something very revealing about the human heart. The problem is not that God has left mankind without light. The Light has already come. Jesus Christ came into this world bringing truth, salvation, and the opportunity for sinners to be reconciled to God. Yet Jesus said that “men loved darkness rather than light.” Why? Because light exposes what darkness tries to hide. That is still true today. God’s Word shines light into areas of our lives that we might rather leave untouched. It exposes pride, lust, bitterness, dishonesty, jealousy, unforgiveness, selfishness, and secret sin. Sometimes we become uncomfortable when Scripture confronts us, but that discomfort can be God’s mercy calling us to repentance. When someone wants to continue in sin, the truth often becomes offensive to them. They do not necessarily reject Christ because there is not enough evidence. Sometimes they reject Him because coming to the Light means admitting that something in their life is wrong. But we should also apply this personally as believers. Are there areas of our lives that we do not want God’s Word to examine? Are there things we would be embarrassed for other Christians to know? Do we behave differently when nobody is watching? We can hide things from people, but we cannot hide them from God. The answer is not to run farther into darkness. Come to the Light. Bring the secret sin before God. Confess it. Turn from it. Allow the truth of Scripture to expose whatever needs to change. There is something beautiful about walking in the light. We no longer have to spend our lives hiding. Through Jesus Christ there is forgiveness, cleansing, restoration, and a new direction. For the person who has never received Christ, this passage carries an eternal warning. Rejecting the Light does not remove the coming judgment. Jesus came so that sinners could be saved, but salvation must be received. Do not choose darkness because it hides your sin for a little while. Come to Jesus Christ, step into the Light, and let Him change your life. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. Search my heart and expose anything I have tried to hide from You. Forgive me for the times I have preferred darkness because I did not want my sin confronted. Give me humility to receive correction from Your Word and courage to turn away from anything that does not please You. Help me walk openly and honestly before You each day. Give me a burden for those who are still living in darkness and help me point them toward the salvation found in Jesus Christ. May my life reflect His light in a dark world. In Jesus’ name, Amen. juniortateministries.com greatcommissiontoday.com amazon.com/author/juniortateministries