The Tree Church Daily

Psalm 61:1-4 (ESV)

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;

from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,

for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Let me dwell in your tent forever!

Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!

Explanation:

The psalms are a collection of prayers and poems that were put to music for Israel’s private and corporate worship. Poetry is a unique language. A poem can pack an enormous amount of emotion into very few words. The purpose of the psalms was to express deep personal feeling, as well as extravagant praise.

As you read the psalms, each one requires you to read with your heart. Connect with the writer’s emotions, and imagine what it is like to be in a similar situation. Reading the psalms this way will feel vulnerable, because they were written from a vulnerable place. Cry out to God when your heart feels exposed and weak, and He will lead you to a rock of security.

This is why the psalms are some of my favorite scriptures. Words spoken from the heart are the purest ways to express your insecurities and weaknesses. Especially during times of stress, anxiety, or suffering, we need to open our hearts to God. Give all your worries to Him, and He will provide you with the rock to stand on. Trust in the presence of God to provide the comfort and strength you need.

Application:

1. Are you going through a season of difficulty or struggle?

2. What are some ways this psalm speaks to your situation now?

3. How can reading the psalms in this way help you trust God more?

4. Is there something practical that you feel like God would have you do during this season of struggle?

Devo Plus:

Psalm 40:1-4

Prayer:

Dear God, help us to open our hearts to You, and allow Your Spirit to comfort us. God, You are our healer and provider, our rock of foundation and our forever. Allow us to be in Your presence, so we may be reminded of Your faithfulness. Comfort those in need, be with those who are lonely and distressed. We give You all the praise. Amen.

Job 1:6-12 (ESV)

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Explanation:

Today’s passage is one of the of most profound yet profoundly confusing passages in the Bible. There are a lot of questions that can be asked of the passage, but it would be good for us not to get lost off the point of the story. We are ushered into the throne room of heaven, where satan is found before the throne of God. He is accusing Job of being a fair-weather fan of God. satan, whose name means “adversary,” is standing in the throne room lobbing the accusation that if God stopped giving Job good things, Job would not love God. Surprisingly, God gives satan permission to test Job…within limits.

For Job’s sake and for ours, it would have been great for God to just say “No.” But He doesn’t. He gives satan permission to test Job. One of the main takeaways from this story is the limitation of power that satan has, but more so, the overarching power that God has. No circumstance is outside of God’s power, and if suffering is a part of our lives, it is an opportunity to practice trust in God’s plan, power, and goodness.

Job may leave the verdict out on why God allows us to suffer. But God’s character, revealed in the cross of Jesus, promises our suffering can and will be used for good.

Application:

1. What is one question you have about today’s text?

2. Has there been a difficult time that left you feeling alone and lost?

3. Does it bring you comfort to think about God’s hand in all the circumstances of your life, both good and bad?

4. How does God’s love, displayed in the cross, bring peace during difficult times?

Devo Plus:

Luke 22:31-34 is very similar to this passage in Job. Read the passage and see what points of comparison you pick out from the two passages.

Prayer:

Father, Your ways are mysterious at times, but Your love for us and faithfulness to Your people can be trusted, no matter what we experience. Help us to trust that Your powerful hand is in control of our lives, and Your amazing love is what guides You. In Your precious name. Amen.

1 Peter 2:13-17 (ESV)

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Explanation:

If there was a word that I could choose to describe society in 2020, it would be “disgruntled.” It’s easy to fall into a pattern where we become emotionally charged and full of anger. This scripture should cause us to take pause; we must evaluate our behavior and our emotions against the standard God set for us. How do we accomplish that? Let’s review what Peter’s directions say.

We are called to submit. According to Peter, we must submit ourselves “to every human institution,” and accept the authority of every ruling power. I’ll be frank: this is a tough pill for me to swallow. I have read commentary after commentary, hoping I’d see some disclaimer that says, “as long as they are Christians” or “as long as they always do what’s right.” I didn’t find that. In fact, what I found instead was a comment that hit me right between the eyes: “Rebelling against human authority is rebelling against God.” Ouch.

Peter continues to say that when we live for God, we submit to these human institutions because of God’s authority. We submit because we are servants of the Highest King. When we use the word “freedom,” we must remember that we are free, but not to act dishonorably toward God or the world. We must evaluate our behavior regarding politics and submission, and see how it looks to those on the outside.

Peter does a great job of summarizing in the last part of this passage, and he gives us four distinct instructions:

Honor everyone- Don’t disrespect others for their beliefs. Speak kindness and respect to all.

Love the brotherhood- We are not a political party. We are Christians, serving one King. Our desire should be that God is glorified through us and our country, regardless of who is in charge.

Fear God- This should be at the center of our being.

Honor the emperor (president)- We honor the president because he or she is God’s chosen leader for this season in our country. We will look for His hand to be at work, regardless of who oversees the nation.

Application:

1. Today’s passage is full of instruction. What one instruction do you want to commit to doing better at following?

2. What does it mean to you to submit to “every human institution”? Is that something, like me, you have struggled with?

3. Peter tells us to live as people who are free, but live as servants of God. What does that mean to you? (For additional context, read Matthew 17:24-27. See how Jesus pointed out “not to give offense to them.”)

Devo Plus:

Review the following scriptures that expand on Peter’s instructions to us: Proverbs 24:21; Romans 12:10, 13:7; 1 Peter 1:22, Matthew 22:21, Ecclesiastes 8:2, Psalm 111:10.

Prayer:

Today in your prayer time, review the instructions Peter gave us at the end of this passage. Ask God to search your heart for ways you can improve in one, or all, of these areas. Ask Him to forgive behaviors that have reflected the world and not God.

Isaiah 55:8-11 (ESV)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Explanation:

Perhaps the greatest paradox of the Christian life is that we can experience intimacy with God, who is both trustworthy and mysterious. All other intimate relationships require mystery to be unveiled before trust is established. Not so with God.

One of the truths God reveals here for our consideration is what kind of God would He be if we understood Him completely? If we operated on the same level as God, we would have no need for faith and no reason to trust His timing. It is that period in between the prayer and the answer that God uses to develop our faith—which He could not do if we knew what He knows. I no longer try to predict how or when God will answer my prayers. With an infinite number of ways to reveal Himself, God rarely shows up as we imagine He will. We must learn to embrace His mystery.

Another truth found here is that God’s word is decisive. Whether it is the deliverance of the Israelites, the coming Messiah, or the ministry He told you to start, God speaks with purpose, and we have assurance that what He says will come to pass. That is why we can trust the Bible and why we can have intimacy with God when there are no answers to our prayers in sight.

Application:

1. Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one...” But not everything about God is a mystery. What are two things about God that you do not understand?

2. Do you know where to find answers to those questions? You can always email [email protected] with any questions you have about the Bible or your faith in Christ. Someone here will be happy to help you and pray for you.

Devo Plus:

Isaiah 46:11 is one of many verses in which God declares that whatever He speaks will happen.

Prayer:

Ask God to lead you to the answers for the things He wants you to know, and to give you peace about the things we all must accept by faith.

Isaiah 43:10-13 (The Message)

"But you are my witnesses." God's Decree.

"You're my handpicked servant

So that you'll come to know and trust me, understand both that I am and who I am.

Previous to me there was no such thing as a god, nor will there be after me.

I, yes I, am God. I'm the only Savior there is.

I spoke, I saved, I told you what existed long before these upstart gods appeared on the scene.

And you know it, you're my witnesses, you're the evidence." God's Decree.

"Yes, I am God. I've always been God and I always will be God.

No one can take anything from me. I make; who can unmake it?"

Explanation:

When the alarm rings every morning, we have one overriding arch to our minutes, hours, and day...to be God’s reflection to the world. Yes—life is in the middle— but surrounding it all are situations that need a correct response, and lives that need an accurate representation of who the real God is. That is accomplished through frail, messy, broken humans who have been hand-picked by God to show the world who He is and what He has done. God has hand-picked you.

With God's love and grace, all of our faltering is transformed into beautiful, tangible illustrations of God’s relentless pursuit - to teach us to trust Him and understand the meaning of “I am that I am.” When God declared to Moses in Exodus 3:14 that He was “I am that I am,” He was explaining to Moses and Israel that “I will become whatever you need me to become.” In their case, it was “deliverer.” In the somewhat dreadful year of 2020, God is saying to us, “I am that I am...I will become whatever you need me to become, to see you through.” Everything God does has at its core the purpose of revealing to you how much you can trust Him and who He authentically is.

The first thing God wants to settle in your heart is the reality that He is the only Savior. ONLY. The news broadcasters flooding your home would have you believe your hope might be in a political party, billionaires donating their money to helpful causes, a pharmacy figuring out a vaccine, science solving global warming, or specific leaders working out our national and world issues. While God has the power to use any of these to either grab our attention or for some solutions, none of these alone have the power to save and secure our futures. In reality, they are the upstart gods referenced in our passage today…things people mistakenly put their trust in.

There is only one Savior and it is Jesus. He is God and He always will be God.

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” ― Corrie ten Boom

Application:

1. Do people know what God is like through your words and example?

2. Since they cannot see God directly, how will they see Him reflected through you today?

3. Are you tempted to buy into the idea that it is Jesus + _______= Security?

4. Jesus always talked to the broken, shamed, and disillusioned with respect. He acknowledged their value, yet never sugar coated the solution. In light of God’s boundless love for you, no matter the uncertainty around you, the solution will always be to trust Him. What chaotic and shattered part of your world do you most radically need to trust God? Financial future, feeling victimized, moral redemption, unfairness, consequences of decisions, job uncertainty, isolation, relational ruin, compromised health, anxiety, disdain for a leader, shattered dreams, volatile emotions, or seething anger? These are just a few examples of where “I Am That I Am” wants to intersect and reveal Himself in power. Will you trust Him in your specific chaos?

Devo Plus:

Matthew 6:25-27

Prayer:

God, the world feels crazy to me right now. I am overwhelmed with worry and angst over my future and the world at large. I want to live with hope, but it all seems so big, and I feel so small. Help me grow in my awareness described in our passage today, “You have always been God and You will always be God.” I want this to move from mere words I am reading into reality in my life. I want to trust You more and reflect You better. Change me by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Daniel 4:17, 28-35 (ESV)

The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’

All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.

At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Explanation:

It seems sort of fitting right after Halloween to be reading a story such as this. It certainly sounds like a story you may hear or a movie you may watch around Halloween. But this is a real account from Nebuchadnezzar himself, describing a time when God gracefully humbled Nebuchadnezzar to help him discover the truth about Who holds true power and sovereignty. I say gracefully, because although this was an extreme case of humbling, God saw this as an opportunity for growth for Nebuchadnezzar. God felt this method was necessary to produce the heart in Nebuchadnezzar that God wanted. The very fact that Nebuchadnezzar got another opportunity to grow is true grace.

Nebuchadnezzar’s discovery of God’s power and sovereignty is something we all must grasp hold of and find peace with, in order to develop the trust required to follow God whole-heartedly. What we know to be true of God’s character is what must guide us through all the mystery, difficulty, or confusion that we can experience. If guided by our limited perspective and power, we can easily become disillusioned and jaded, and believe any way other than what God has set in motion is better. As we see from today’s reading though, it is not our responsibility to counsel God on what He should or should not do. When we choose to trust in God’s power and sovereignty, we can find rest to keep us grounded in every circumstance.

Application:

1. What do you know to be true of God’s character (i.e., how He loves, His goodness, etc.)?

2. How can knowing God’s character help you trust Him when you see Him move in a mysterious, difficult, or confusing way?

3. Why are we not fit to counsel God on how He moves?

4. What mindset led King Nebuchadnezzar to experience the humbling from God?

Devo Plus:

Read Proverbs 11:2 and 16:18. Describe a time when you have let pride get in the way of remembering how God has worked in your life.

Prayer:

God, please forgive me if and when I have thought my way is better. I want to trust in You, and trust that You know what is best in all circumstances. When things get mysterious, difficult, or confusing in my heart and the world around me, would You remind me of the goodness of Your power and sovereignty? Thank You for being a loving God.

Isaiah 44:28-45:7 (ESV)

Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,

and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;

saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’

and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,

whose right hand I have grasped,

to subdue nations before him

and to loose the belts of kings,

to open doors before him

that gates may not be closed:

“I will go before you

and level the exalted places,

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze

and cut through the bars of iron,

I will give you the treasures of darkness

and the hoards in secret places,

that you may know that it is I, the Lord,

the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

For the sake of my servant Jacob,

and Israel my chosen,

I call you by your name,

I name you, though you do not know me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other,

besides me there is no God;

I equip you, though you do not know me,

that people may know, from the rising of the sun

and from the west, that there is none besides me;

I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I form light and create darkness;

I make well-being and create calamity;

I am the Lord, who does all these things.

Explanation:

There is no power other than God. And in His grace, He moves on our behalf. On the outside, it may seem to people as our own power. But anyone who knows the character of God and the frailness of man, realizes that all power is truly God’s, and comes from His hand. In all things, in all situations, in all people and places, God alone holds the power and the outcomes. He is all-powerful and sovereign.

I’ve always known God is sovereign. Yet it’s like quite a few other things, where my actions at times have contradicted my words…and at times still do. But He is faithful. And the times when I grab tight, or fight others for the outcome I’m trying to finagle, or start losing hair because the stress is building...He calmly reminds me, “Brooke.” And I remember. This year, really the past six months, have been a fine tuning of this fact like never before. I have seen my usually low stress levels climb without me realizing it, and the Lord, in His goodness, has steadily and consistently reminded me of that until I’ve reached the point where I don’t have much fight left. That’s sounds negative, but it’s not. All my passion is still there, but the fight…the grasping and straining and fighting in my mind…it’s more at rest. God is sovereign. ALL things are in His hand, His power, His timing. I don’t have to fight. But I do have to pray. That is the ONLY power I have, to bend the ear of the Father. He is in control.

Application:

1. What are ways in which you have seen the power of prayer?

2. How has prayer taught you dependence?

3. What is a circumstance you need to pray through right now that would help bring peace to your life?

Devo Plus:

Read Ephesians 1:11, Romans 8:28, and Exodus 9:16.

Prayer:

Father, when life is overwhelming, help us remember that it is all in Your hand, and to release it to You. That is faith…the step of belief. Help us. In Jesus’s name.

Ezra 1: 1-4, 7 (ESV)

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods.

Explanation:

Like many stories in the Bible, this is an amazing one. King Cyrus was not some godly king who had a beautiful relationship with God. Quite the opposite. King Cyrus was an evil king, yet God used him to bless His people. We don’t know exactly how God revealed Himself to King Cyrus, but we do see in today’s scripture that God did something to stir up the spirit of Cyrus. In doing so, Cyrus releases the Jewish people (God’s chosen people) from captivity in Babylon, and allows them to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Not only that, but Cyrus proclaims that his kingdom will help supply the resources to rebuild the temple. Can you imagine something like this happening today?! We would be in complete awe! Well guess what, we should still be in complete awe of this true story.

One of the commentaries I read on this passage of scripture put it this way: “God governs the world by his influence on the spirits of men; whatever good they do, God stirs up their spirits to do it” (Matthew Henry concise commentary). This story is a perfect example of how God is sovereign, and He chooses who He wants to rule and lead. God orchestrates situation after situation to bring about His perfect plan. He is in control! He can turn the heart of a wicked king for His glory and His design. Isn’t that comforting? We don’t have to stress about who is in control of our country, because we know who is ultimately in control: God. The one true God can see the whole picture, and knows what’s best for us. I hope that brings you peace this week!

Application:

1. Do you truly trust that God is sovereign? If so, does this reminder help calm any fears that you are facing right now?

2. Write down some situations you have wanted to go one way in life, but they have gone another way. Can you see God’s plan in any of those things?

3. If you truly trust that God is sovereign, what things do you need to hand over to Him today?

Devo Plus:

Read Jeremiah 25:12; 29:10. This deliverance of the Jewish people was prophesied years prior to it happening. God’s Word was fulfilled in this event with King Cyrus. Think about that, and allow God to remind you of His faithfulness and sovereign plan.

Prayer:

God, You are true to Your Word, and we are so grateful we can rest in that truth. Thank You for these examples in Your Word, that show us Your faithfulness and Your power. Help us to continue to trust You in what You are doing in this world. We want to cast our cares on You, knowing we don’t have to control what is going on in this world, because we can trust You.

Proverbs 21:1-3 (ESV)

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. All deeds are right in the sight of the doer, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Explanation:

On the surface, this passage seems to be addressing two competing ideas: God’s sovereignty (His activity and Lordship over and throughout history) and human responsibility. God moves, works in, and works through the kingdoms of men (Daniel 4:17) to accomplish His purposes. He raises leaders and nations up, and tears them down. God has this power and He exercises it. But the kings who stand as God’s representatives of judgment for the nation they are given to rule does well to recognize that their actions reflect their heart. And the Lord weighs that heart, to see whether it reflects His love for righteousness and justice. It becomes a matter of whether the kings want to play their role as Pharaoh or as David. God was sovereign over both kingdoms. Pharaoh fulfilled God’s purposes by rejecting righteousness and justice, and God gave him over to that hardness for His purposes. David loved God and ruled the people with the heart of God, and God used David for His purposes. Both were part of something bigger than themselves and their kingdoms; both were used by God. Yet both were responsible for the part they played.

God holds our lives in His hands as we partake in His grand story. We may catch glimpses of it in our lifetime, or we may not. But we are left to decide in the days which we live whether or not we will participate by loving the things God loves, like justice, mercy, love, and truth. Or whether, like Pharaoh, we will play some part that becomes a byword in the history of redemption, where God used our already hardened heart to display His power. I would rather be a king in the line of David, than the line of Pharaoh.

Application:

1. Be gut-wrenchingly honest with yourself as you process these questions today. Do not settle for the quick, surface answers. If you have time, take a journal and write them down.

2. Do I love justice and doing right…or do I love comfort, convenience, power, etc.?

3. Am I comfortable doing religious things without ever really changing who I am?

4. When is the last time I felt convicted or challenged with anything in my life?

5. What am I going to do about it?

Devo Plus:

Read Exodus 7 to see Pharaoh’s response and God’s work in His heart. Contrast that with David’s response in 2 Samuel 7.

Prayer:

Father, help us to love what You love. Challenge us and convict us where we do not, and change us. I know faithfulness to You isn’t a destination to be achieved, every day is the process of giving our lives over to You, so help us. Let us look to You every day for everything we need. Help us to rely on You for the direction to walk, but also the strength to do the right thing. Give me a sensitive heart full of compassion, and tough skin to trust You through the difficult times of life. And most of all…let my life look like You in my love for righteousness and justice. Amen.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (TLB)

But you are not like that, for you have been chosen by God himself—you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own—all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were less than nothing; now you are God’s own. Once you knew very little of God’s kindness; now your very lives have been changed by it.

Explanation:

What separates you from the rest of the world? Peter makes it clear in today’s passage: God called you out of the darkness. This calling isn’t one we should take lightly. In Matthew 5:13, Jesus taught that we were the “salt of the earth.” We are the ones who are preserving the world from being lost. In Matthew 5:14, He goes on to say that we are also the “light of the world.” Before we came to see the light that only God can provide in the darkness, we were lost, decaying and dark. Peter says we were “less than nothing.”

If we are called out of darkness, we then should look different, act different, and even think in a different manner than the rest of our culture. We are given a privilege to call ourselves people of God. That is no small order. Today’s scripture convicts me at my core. How do people of God behave in the craziest times our generation has ever seen? We are to “show others how God called us out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” Am I doing that when I engage in heated political discussions? Am I doing that when I get angry at the person who cut in line in front of me at the grocery store? What about the person who wants to talk about why their stance on COVID is right and mine is wrong?

I can tell you with certainty as I look back over the last very long seven months, I have not been the light every time I should have been. In fact, there are times I have been so disappointed in myself that I wonder how God can still be willing to call me His own. But He does. When you have those times when you fall away from being the light, it’s important to remember that He calls you His own. His love for you has no boundaries, and when you seek His forgiveness with a genuine heart, He will grant that to you. You are called out of darkness.

Application:

1. Think of a time when you should have been the light over the last several weeks, months, or years. How could you have approached the situation differently?

2. What does it mean to you when you read that “once you were less than nothing; now you are God’s own”?

3. Challenge yourself today to find an opportunity to “be the light” in a dark world, or even in someone’s dark situation. Ask God to guide your words and actions in this situation, and praise Him for allowing you to break through the darkness.

Devo Plus:

Listen to the song “The Anthem” by Jesus Culture with Jake Hamilton. I encourage you to read the lyrics as you listen to the song. YOU are called out of darkness!

Prayer:

Seek God today in your prayer time. Ask Him to show you ways that you can be the light, and preserve the world from decay. Ask Him to help you be consistent in your reactions to others as you go about your daily life.