Today Daily Devotional

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

— Psalm 46:1

Ann, a dear supporter of our ministry, worked as a nurse in a mental-health hospital in the Netherlands during World War II. She shared that as the war drew to an end, their hospital had to be evacuated to save the patients from extermination by the occupying Nazi forces.

This story would make for a gripping movie. Under bombardment in a freezing rain, a handful of young nurses had to take care of hundreds of patients with mental disabilities. The women worked hard and prayed a lot. Ann told me they had to fully rely on God for their deliverance. The evacuees finally escaped and were transported by train to safety.

Most of us have been spared from experiencing something so dramatic. Our lives seem to be much safer and secure.

But let us not forget how dependent we are on God. Today’s passage reminds us that the God we rely on is “our refuge and strength”—our help in every kind of trouble. Our situation may change drastically for the worse, but the Lord will always be near. Psalm 46 declares that even if continents break up and sink beneath the surging sea, we need not be afraid. What a powerful statement of faith!

No matter where we live or what kind of life situation we are going through, our souls are secure in the protection of the Lord.

Father, we thank you for being our refuge! When difficult times and circumstances come, we can trust in your faithful love and protection. In Jesus, Amen.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

— Romans 8:18

An old friend of mine, a committed Christian, was recovering from an excruciating chemo­therapy treatment. When I visited with him, he smiled and joked a lot. But at one point his face became serious. “I’d like to live for as long as God wants me to. But I’m not afraid to die, because I know Jesus,” he said.

Our reading for today is a powerful passage in which the apostle Paul discusses living, as a Christian, through the suffering that often comes as part of our fallen humanity. The apostle knows what pain and suffering are all about. So he is addressing this topic both personally and theologically.

Paul maintains that “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” This does not minimize the pain we are going through. Rather, it elevates the much more outstanding glory to come.

How can Christ be glorified in us through our suffering? By our declaration of our love for him, by our trusting in his faithfulness, by our holding to the peace of God despite our pain and struggle. The Spirit always helps us—even if we don’t know what to do and how to pray about our situation.

In your suffering remember that God’s grace is real. Nothing can separate you from his love in Christ Jesus.

Our Father, encourage us with your Spirit when we go through difficult times. Even in our suffering remind us of the glory you have prepared for us in Christ. Amen.

Be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

— Hebrews 13:5

Our ministry friend Yulia lives in Ukraine. She shared with us how the recent war in her country changed her perspectives on life and faith. One change was an acute sense of God’s closeness. “When you wake up in the morning, you are so thankful to be alive. You know that the Lord is near, and you can’t stop praising him,” Yulia wrote.

The Bible calls us to be content with everything we have. Our family, health, meals we can share with loved ones—and, of course, life itself—all are precious gifts from the Lord. But discontent distracts us from appreciating and treasuring the precious gifts God has given us so generously. Greed robs us of our inner peace and harmony with God. Fears make our faith feeble and our hearts small.

Let’s be honest—we don’t know what the future holds. We might have to go through some painful experiences and difficult times in life. Or perhaps right now you are in a difficult situation that brings you pain, sorrow, and tears.

No matter what happens, we are assured as God’s children that the Lord will never leave us. We can count on his continuous love and care. God is always near. He is our helper and our peace in this perilous and unpredictable life.

Father in heaven, thank you for being our reliable helper and protector. Fill our hearts with peace and contentment through Jesus, your Son. Amen.

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God. . . .

— Ephesians 6:10-11

When my wife’s colleague Petro was conscripted into the Ukrainian military service, his family and friends began collecting money for a special project. They decided to buy him the best body armor system they could afford. In addition to prayers, that was their way of showing that they cared and wanted Petro to return home alive from deadly combat.

The Bible contains many military-related words and descriptions. It explains that the Christian life involves spiritual warfare and that we must take our stand “against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

In Ephesians 6 the apostle Paul uses battle armor as a metaphor to show that we can be equipped by God to be victorious and protected against evil. But our armor and weapons are very different from what the world would expect. The armor of God includes truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and the salvation found in God’s Word.

The apostle calls us to be brave and to rely fully on God in battle—and our victory is assured. All we have to do is hold to the love of God in Jesus Christ, who invites us to be part of a victory that he has already won.

Lord and Father, you know our struggles and the battles we fight. Strengthen our faith in the gospel of peace, and give us courage to fight the good fight. In your Son’s name we pray. Amen.

Encourage one another . . . live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

— 2 Corinthians 13:11

An orchestra conductor was taking a leisurely walk when he suddenly felt assaulted by the sounds of poorly played musical instruments. The off-key noises came from a building that housed a church.

Ready for a fight, the conductor went inside to complain. The source of the racket turned out to be a rehearsing church orchestra. But the people he met were friendly, humble, and apologetic. Instead of fighting back, they invited him to stay for the service.

For the first time in his life, the man heard the gospel preached. The beautiful harmony of God’s grace moved his heart to repentance. He became a Christian and joined the church a few months later.

Today we are reading the closing words of the apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. In this very personal letter, we see the depth of Paul’s relationship with the church in Corinth. We also get a glimpse of some challenges to his spiritual leadership there. Yet at the end of this letter Paul speaks of mutual encouragement and of living in peace with one another. The peaceful relations in the community of Christ are part of the fuller experience of God’s love.

When we reflect God’s love to others, we experience more than just peace in interpersonal relations; we grow in our understanding of God’s grace and receive his amazing peace.

Father, help us to reflect your peace in this world with grace. And may we keep growing in our experience of your love and peace. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

“Those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord.”

— Proverbs 8:35

Oksana, a young tennis player, dreamed of winning a particular competition. She trained diligently for many months, and her hard work finally paid off. She became a champion.

But her joy was short-lived. “I’m always hard on myself. I don’t know how to be happy with who I am,” Oksana shared with our ministry in an email after her victory.

Do you have a nagging feeling that keeps telling you that you don’t measure up? Too many people go around thinking nega­tively about themselves. They keep noticing shortcomings and weaknesses in their personality. They have a constant battle going on inside them.

In the book of Proverbs, wisdom is sometimes personified as a guiding attribute of God. Our Scripture for today ­encourages us to seek God’s wisdom, because those who find wisdom will receive life and favor from the Lord.

If we don’t have the assurance of salvation in Christ, we need to seek his face, calling on the Lord to lift us out of our sin and misery so that we can have life. The Holy Spirit uses our restless hearts to direct us to God. By faith and in repentance we can lean on Christ to discover his peace.

And throughout our lives as believers, we need to be reminded that we are not finished yet. God is still working on us. As we lean on Jesus for guidance each day, he won’t disappoint us.

Heavenly Father, grant us your wisdom so that we may know your peace and enjoy life to the full. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Therefore, Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. . . .

— Romans 5:1

As a Jehovah’s Witness for almost 40 years, Ilya tried his best to earn salvation and find peace with God. But one day he heard a Christian radio program about salvation by grace through faith in Christ. For Ilya this was an eye-opener. He started studying the Christian Bible and visited a local Christian church.

Today he is a committed believer, professing Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He says that studying the Bible has helped him finally find peace with God.

In our verses for today the apostle Paul explains that through faith in Jesus, we have a sinless record, as if we’ve always obeyed God’s righteous standards. This ushers us into a place of friendship, unity, and peace with God.

Our sin separates us from God. No matter how hard we work, we cannot bridge the gap that separates us from God the Father. All our good deeds aren’t enough to bring us to the point of being at peace with God. Things such as our religious background, our ethnicity, or our cultural heritage cannot make us right with God either. We are too weak, too sinful, to free ourselves.

But the Son of God can set us free. We find real peace when we wholeheartedly believe in and follow the teaching of Jesus Christ. Have you found God’s peace and hope in Christ?

Heavenly Father, we praise you for your grace in Jesus Christ. Open our hearts and minds to your truth. Give us your peace and hope. Amen.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”

— John 14:27

To me, one of the fascinating things about the English language is homonyms—words that sound the same but have a different spelling and meaning. A good example of a homonym phrase is in the saying “No Jesus, no peace—know Jesus, know peace.”

Besides being a catchphrase for a t-shirt or bumper sticker, this statement reflects a profound biblical truth. In tumultuous times we long for peace, but without Jesus such inner harmony is impossible.

In today’s passage Jesus calls on all who love him to obey his teaching. This obedience comes as a direct result of knowing Jesus and fellowshipping with him. The Holy Spirit comes into our lives in order to keep us securely grounded in the teaching of Jesus.

The peace that Jesus promises is much more than a wish for an end to war, or even for emotional calm and quiet. Rather, it brings an inner tranquillity and harmony rooted in the very essence of our caring Savior.

The power of the peace that Jesus gives us is such that we don’t have to be troubled or scared. Regardless of what may be happening in our lives, we can be at peace because we know that the love of Jesus is always stronger.

Father, we praise you for peace that we can enjoy in your Son, Jesus Christ. In his name we pray. Amen.

Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

— Jeremiah 17:14

Yesterday I shared about my grandfather who had fought in World War II and was badly wounded. A shell exploded close to his position, and he was hit with many pieces of shrapnel.

Later, in a makeshift hospital, a surgeon took out the bigger shell fragments. But smaller ones were left in my grand­father’s body for the rest of his life. As a result, he had difficulty passing through security scanners because pieces of metal under his skin would set off alarms.

Most of us do not experience such dramatic events in our lives. But we may carry bits and pieces of our traumas from the past. In our media ministry we often hear from people who cannot enjoy their life fully because of severe hurts they experienced years ago. Their wounds can still set off alarms in their daily living.

The Bible teaches us to turn to the Lord in every situation—particularly in our hurts and struggles. Though we may be in pain or feel haunted by old memories, God is closer than we realize. Like the prophet Jeremiah, we can lean on the Lord in faith.

Intellectually we may know that the Lord heals and saves. But when we trust him fully, his salvation and peace become our personal reality.

Father, set us free from the burdens of old traumas and bitter memories. Give us a heart of praise by assuring us of your love and salvation in Jesus. Amen.

Neither death nor life . . . will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

— Romans 8:38-39

My grandfather Ivan fought in World War II as a machine-gun operator. He was badly wounded in a battle. He survived, but for a long time it seemed as if his Christian faith did not.

He grew up as a Christian but claimed to have lost his faith after seeing the horrors of war. Yet toward the end of his life he began reading the Bible to his wife, my grandmother, who had become very sick. And he rediscovered God’s grace and found peace with Jesus.

Our passage today reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God that comes to us through his Son, Jesus Christ. Neither death nor life, nor supernatural ­powers, nothing in the present nor the future, not a single created thing—nothing can separate us from God’s love!

Many Christians who formally accept the teaching of God’s love may still have fears about losing God’s salvation and ­favor. But even in the midst of the most terrible struggles of life, we can be reassured that the Lord is with us. Gently he is holding us in his hand. When God loves us in Christ, he loves us forever.

Have you put your trust in God? Have you found his peace?

Father, we praise you for your unfailing love for us in Jesus Christ. With your Spirit make us lean on you fully as the Creator and Sustainer of our faith. Amen.