Matthew 5-6, Psalm 83
Matthew 5:15-16 (NLT)
“No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
In Matthew 5:15–16, during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells His followers that they are the light of the world. Like a lamp that is placed on a stand to give light to everyone around it, believers need to reflect Father-God through the way they live. Jesus says that when people see our good deeds, they should glorify Father-God in heaven.
One Bible commentary I read noted that Christ never challenged His followers to become light. Jesus said they already are light, and it is our responsibility to let that light shine before people in darkness. Christ wants our light to be intentional, like a lamp placed where it can be seen, so that through our good deeds other people will glorify the Lord we serve.
F. F. Bruce wrote in his book The Book of Acts that Jesus knew there would be a strong temptation for a person with light to hide it, so as not to draw the world's attention and expose themselves to people who hate the light. I know that for a long time in my life, I did hide my Christian faith because of criticism. But now that I've recognized the guidance of the Holy Spirit in my life, I feel much more confident about sharing my faith. I have the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help me discern when it is appropriate to share and what to share with people. And I know that when I am obedient to the Holy Spirit's guidance, I am following the Lord's direction for my life.
If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who calls His followers to shine His light before the world—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.
Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.
Friday, August 28, 2026
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Day 237 Bible Readings - Matthew 3:16-17 (NLT)
Matthew 3-4, Psalm 82
Matthew 3:16-17 (NLT)
“After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.’”
In Matthew 3:16–17, we read about the Spirit of Father-God descending like a dove upon Jesus Christ after He was baptized by John the Baptist. Then a voice from heaven identified Jesus as His Son.
I've read these verses many times over the years, but what stood out to me today was the similarity between what happened at Jesus' baptism and what happened in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. At Jesus' baptism, the Spirit descended like a dove, while at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came with the sound of a mighty wind and what appeared to be tongues of fire. When Jesus was baptized in water, Father-God spoke from heaven. At Pentecost, the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit enabled them to speak in other languages.
These verses remind me that the Lord sometimes reveals His power in similar ways throughout Scripture, showing believers that His purposes are unfolding across time. These events also remind me of the faithfulness and unchanging nature of Father-God. I can trust that when I read the Bible, I am seeing examples of the Lord's faithfulness and power, and that the same God who worked powerfully in the lives of His people then is still at work in my life today.
If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.
Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.
Matthew 3:16-17 (NLT)
“After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.’”
In Matthew 3:16–17, we read about the Spirit of Father-God descending like a dove upon Jesus Christ after He was baptized by John the Baptist. Then a voice from heaven identified Jesus as His Son.
I've read these verses many times over the years, but what stood out to me today was the similarity between what happened at Jesus' baptism and what happened in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. At Jesus' baptism, the Spirit descended like a dove, while at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came with the sound of a mighty wind and what appeared to be tongues of fire. When Jesus was baptized in water, Father-God spoke from heaven. At Pentecost, the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit enabled them to speak in other languages.
These verses remind me that the Lord sometimes reveals His power in similar ways throughout Scripture, showing believers that His purposes are unfolding across time. These events also remind me of the faithfulness and unchanging nature of Father-God. I can trust that when I read the Bible, I am seeing examples of the Lord's faithfulness and power, and that the same God who worked powerfully in the lives of His people then is still at work in my life today.
If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.
Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Day 236 Bible Readings - Matthew 2:5-6 (NLT)
Matthew 1-2, Psalm 81
Matthew 2:5-6 (NLT)
“‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they said, ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
n Matthew 2:5–6, King Herod was told by the chief priests and teachers of the law that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem in Judea. Years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Micah prophesied, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel” (Micah 5:2).
These verses show believers that the Lord is faithful and reliable in fulfilling His promises. Father-God promised David that his descendants would rule over the kingdom. Jesus Christ was descended from David and was born in the town associated with David, because David was born there and was later anointed as king by the prophet Samuel.
The Messiah being born in Bethlehem also shows that the Lord often uses the humble and seemingly insignificant to accomplish His purposes. Bethlehem was a small town in Judea and was insignificant compared with the great city of Jerusalem.
When I read these verses, I am reminded that the Lord is faithful to the promises He makes to His people and that Father-God will often use people and places that seem humble and insignificant to accomplish His plans. David was a shepherd who became Israel's greatest king. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, would come from the line of David and be born in the small town that had been David's birthplace. These verses also remind me that I have a role to play in the Lord's plans when I listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and faithfully fulfill what Father-God has called me to do.
If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who calls each of His believers to participate in His purposes—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.
Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.
Matthew 2:5-6 (NLT)
“‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they said, ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
n Matthew 2:5–6, King Herod was told by the chief priests and teachers of the law that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem in Judea. Years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Micah prophesied, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel” (Micah 5:2).
These verses show believers that the Lord is faithful and reliable in fulfilling His promises. Father-God promised David that his descendants would rule over the kingdom. Jesus Christ was descended from David and was born in the town associated with David, because David was born there and was later anointed as king by the prophet Samuel.
The Messiah being born in Bethlehem also shows that the Lord often uses the humble and seemingly insignificant to accomplish His purposes. Bethlehem was a small town in Judea and was insignificant compared with the great city of Jerusalem.
When I read these verses, I am reminded that the Lord is faithful to the promises He makes to His people and that Father-God will often use people and places that seem humble and insignificant to accomplish His plans. David was a shepherd who became Israel's greatest king. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, would come from the line of David and be born in the small town that had been David's birthplace. These verses also remind me that I have a role to play in the Lord's plans when I listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and faithfully fulfill what Father-God has called me to do.
If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who calls each of His believers to participate in His purposes—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.
Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Day 235 Bible Readings - 2 Chronicles 36:20-21 (NLT)
2 Chronicles 35-36, Psalm 80
2 Chronicles 36:20-21 (NLT)
“The few who survived were taken as exiles to Babylon, and they became servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said.”
In 2 Chronicles 36:20–22, the Chronicler tells us that Jeremiah's prophecy came true. Jeremiah prophesied that Judah would serve the kingdom of Babylon for seventy years and that the Lord would bring His people home after their exile. Babylon conquered Jerusalem, looted the Temple, and took the people who survived into exile, where they became servants. When Cyrus became king of Persia, the Lord moved his heart to allow the exiled people of Judah to return to Jerusalem.
These verses remind believers that the Lord is faithful to the promises delivered through His prophets. Everything the prophet Jeremiah warned about came true, including the consequences for disobedience outlined in Deuteronomy 28. Judah turned away from Father-God, and the people experienced the consequences of their actions. But Father-God also promised restoration to His people and preserved a remnant during their exile in Babylon.
When I read these verses, I can see the Lord's plan at work. Father-God gave His people promises and warned them what would happen if they turned away from Him and disobeyed His laws. But the Lord also promised that He would remain faithful to His covenant and restore His people. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I have been brought into the family of faith and can trust in the same unchanging character of Father-God: He is faithful to His promises, merciful toward those who repent, and offers restoration to those who turn back to Him.
If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One through whom we receive the blessings of salvation, forgiveness, and restoration—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.
Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.
2 Chronicles 36:20-21 (NLT)
“The few who survived were taken as exiles to Babylon, and they became servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said.”
In 2 Chronicles 36:20–22, the Chronicler tells us that Jeremiah's prophecy came true. Jeremiah prophesied that Judah would serve the kingdom of Babylon for seventy years and that the Lord would bring His people home after their exile. Babylon conquered Jerusalem, looted the Temple, and took the people who survived into exile, where they became servants. When Cyrus became king of Persia, the Lord moved his heart to allow the exiled people of Judah to return to Jerusalem.
These verses remind believers that the Lord is faithful to the promises delivered through His prophets. Everything the prophet Jeremiah warned about came true, including the consequences for disobedience outlined in Deuteronomy 28. Judah turned away from Father-God, and the people experienced the consequences of their actions. But Father-God also promised restoration to His people and preserved a remnant during their exile in Babylon.
When I read these verses, I can see the Lord's plan at work. Father-God gave His people promises and warned them what would happen if they turned away from Him and disobeyed His laws. But the Lord also promised that He would remain faithful to His covenant and restore His people. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I have been brought into the family of faith and can trust in the same unchanging character of Father-God: He is faithful to His promises, merciful toward those who repent, and offers restoration to those who turn back to Him.
If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One through whom we receive the blessings of salvation, forgiveness, and restoration—this may be your moment. Open your heart to Him. Speak to Him in prayer. Tell Him you trust Him and desire to walk with Him. He is faithful, and He will meet you exactly where you are.
Heavenly Father, I give You my life. Please forgive me for all my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive Your forgiveness and the gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord—I am saved, I am forgiven, I am clean, and I am made new in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of Father-God! I encourage you to find and join a Holy Spirit–filled, full-Gospel, Bible-based church where you can grow in your faith and experience the Lord’s love, signs, wonders, and miracles in your life.
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