Day 243 Bible Readings - Matthew 16:24-25 (NLT)

Matthew 15-16, Psalm 88

Matthew 16:24-25 (NLT)

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.'”

In Matthew 16:24–25, Jesus outlines His expectations for His disciples. Christ expected His disciples to deny themselves and surrender their own way, understand that there was a cost to following Him that could include shame, suffering, and even death, take up their cross, and follow Him. Jesus then said that if a person tries to hold on to their old life, values, and priorities instead of following Him, that person will ultimately lose their life. But whoever is willing to lose their life for Christ's sake will find true life in Him.

Following Christ isn't simply believing that Jesus exists or agreeing with His teachings. Discipleship involves surrendering our own desires and following Him even when obedience costs something. To help us in our discipleship, Father-God sent the Holy Spirit to guide believers and help us surrender our lives to Him.

I know that giving up my own way of understanding and asking the Holy Spirit daily for guidance felt like such a step backwards at first. But as a new believer in my covenant with the Lord, I've come to realize that I need to ask the Holy Spirit for help every day. I feel like sometimes I know so little about why Father-God does things and why certain things happen. I don't always understand what I see at church and in the lives of people who love Father-God. But I've learned that I don't need to look to other people to determine how I should follow the Lord. I need to look to His Word and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. With the Holy Spirit's counsel, I know that my understanding will grow, and so will my knowledge of the Lord.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who sends us the Holy Spirit to help us surrender our lives to Him and follow Him—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.

Day 242 Bible Readings - Matthew 14:22-23 (NLT)

Matthew 13-14, Psalm 87

Matthew 14:22-23 (NLT)

“Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.”

In Matthew 14:22–23, after Jesus fed the five thousand, He told the disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake while He sent the people home. Then Jesus went up into the hills by Himself to pray, and He remained there alone until night fell.

A Bible commentary I read noted that Jesus was demonstrating the need for prayer amid His demanding ministry. Christ's example shows us that prayer is vital for spiritual strength and guidance and that believers need to set aside dedicated time to pray. Having time in solitude gives us an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Lord and seek His will in all aspects of our lives.

Recently, I started setting aside time every morning to speak in tongues and pray before I get out of bed and again before I go to sleep. Sometimes I stop and ask the Lord for guidance about anything I am going through, pray for people I know, and talk to Him about anything else that crosses my mind. Sometimes I start praying, and crying takes over for the rest of the time. Whatever happens, I know that this time is set aside for prayer to the Lord. I know that He hears and listens to me, and I often experience a sense of peace and calmness during this time with Him.

If these verses resonate with you—if you feel drawn to place your faith in Jesus Christ, the One who invites us to deepen our relationship with Him through prayer—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.