He knows that we are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Tuesday, September 8, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[He knows that we are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News]

Scripture reading:

Paul encouraged the believers to be unified, as they stood “side by side, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.” How sad that much time and effort are lost in some churches by fighting against one another instead of uniting against the real opposition! It takes a courageous church to resist infighting and to maintain the common purpose of serving Christ. (NLT)

Philippians 1:27 – Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.

Philippians 2:1-4 – Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Today’s devotional story is titled: What a Fellowship by: Patricia Raybon

Rachel “church hopped” for three years before finding a Bible study group that provided what she couldn’t find in a traditional church—community. Rachel is Deaf. Around the world, many Deaf people face similar worship challenges. Her house church nurtures community by watching a Deaf church service on YouTube, discussing the teaching with each other, and then sharing a meal. The small group provides the Spirit-led church family Rachel craves.

The apostle Paul explains what makes a church a community: the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Writing from prison, he urged this connection to the church at Philippi. His hope, in part, was to encourage spiritual unity in a congregation he’d formed and loved.

“Stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one,” Paul urged (Philippians 1:27). He added, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit. . . . then make my joy complete by being like-minded” (2:1-2).

So don’t be selfish, he said, “not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of other others” (vv. 3-4). Those wise words can guide all church families. By the power of God’s Holy Spirit, our communities can serve Him in harmonious fellowship with each other.

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ How do you sense the Holy Spirit working in your life?

~ How can God’s Spirit help you grow His fellowship in your church?

Prayer: Dear God, in a sometimes-unloving world, please inspire me to follow Your Holy Spirit’s leading to help build communities that reflect You.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/what-a-fellowship?ts=1788825600000

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.

He will guide us with love and wisdom along the best pathway for our life; He will advise us and watch over us

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Monday, September 7, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[He will guide us with love and wisdom along the best pathway for our life; He will advise us and watch over us]

Scripture reading:

God describes some people as being like horses or mules that have to be controlled by bits and bridles. Rather than letting God guide them step by step, they stubbornly leave God only one option. If God wants to keep them useful for Him, He must use discipline and punishment. God longs to guide us with love and wisdom rather than punishment. He offers to teach us the best way to go. Accept the advice written in God’s Word and don’t let your stubbornness keep you from obeying God. (NLT)

Psalm 32:6-8 – Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

Psalm 32:10 – Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.

Today’s devotional story is titled: God’s Loving Eyes by: Dave Branon

My wife, Sue, and I had just finished walking five miles across the Mackinac Bridge, which links Michigan’s two peninsulas. This annual Labor Day event in the United States is a tradition in our state dating back to 1958. We grabbed a seat on a park bench to rest. A man sat down next to us to catch his breath as well. Soon his wife and adult daughter joined him, and we learned that their family—also believers in Jesus—had suffered through the death of a teenage girl just as we did many years ago.

Together we were able to share how God has sustained us and given us strength and faith through the years. It was amazing to think that among the 33,000 walkers that day, we found a family that understood our hearts.

Two families with similar stories ending up together in a sea of people. It sounds a little like something that can happen only because of what God told King David in Psalm 32. After David expressed his appreciation to God for protection and deliverance, he got this encouraging word from Him: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (v. 8 NKJV).

God watches over His children, and He brings them together because they need each other. It’s another indication that “the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him” (v. 10).

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ When have you experienced something that reminded you that God has His loving eye on you?

~ What does His unfailing love mean to you?

Prayer: Dear God, thank You that You’re real and that You’re always watching over me.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/gods-loving-eye?ts=1788739200000

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.

He is calling us to rescue others, to build each other up in our faith, pray in the power of His Spirit, and keep ourselves safe in His love

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Sunday, September 6, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[He is calling us to rescue others, to build each other up in our faith, pray in the power of His Spirit, and keep ourselves safe in His love]

Scripture reading:

Bringing people to Jesus saves them from God’s judgment. We can do this through compassion and kindness. We are to hate the sin, but we must witness to and love the sinner. Unbelievers, no matter how successful they seem by worldly standards, are lost and in need of salvation. We should not take witnessing lightly—it is a matter of life and death. (NLT)

Jude 1:20-23 – But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

Today’s devotional story is titled: Contending for the Faith by: Marvin Williams

A twenty-seven-year-old student studying in Japan had to be rescued from Mount Fuji twice in one week! After being airlifted during his first climb due to dangerous conditions, he realized he’d left his phone and other belongings behind. Four days later, ignoring warnings, he returned to the mountain, only to need to be rescued again—this time suffering from altitude sickness. His story made headlines for its rarity but also because he’d knowingly trekked back into danger.

This account mirrors a spiritual reality—we often tend to head back to what God has rescued us from. Jude captures this tension in his little letter. Written to a church threatened by false teachers and moral compromises, he exhorted believers “to contend for the faith” (1:3¹), not just for themselves but for others too. Jude challenged them to snatch others “from the fire” (v. 23)—taking an active role in shielding struggling believers from false teachers. As believers in Jesus, we can’t simply stand back and watch others flounder and fail.

Today, God is calling us to rescue others and to resist returning to the place we were rescued from. His grace will rescue us more than once, but it also calls us to live like we’ve already been rescued. Through God’s strength, let’s contend for the faith and help others be built up in the “most holy faith” (v. 20).

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ How can we show mercy to believers who doubt?

~ What does it mean to show mercy mixed with reverent fear?

Prayer: Dear God, please help me contend for the faith and help those experiencing doubt.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/contending-for-the-faith?ts=1788652800000

Scripture reference:

¹) Jude 1:3 – Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.

We may know what He wants us to do, but we are blinded by our desires; ultimately, it is for our benefit to follow Him

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Saturday, September 5, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[We may know what He wants us to do, but we are blinded by our desires; ultimately, it is for our benefit to follow Him]

Scripture reading:

God let Balaam go with Balak’s messengers, but He was angry about Balaam’s greedy attitude. Balaam claimed that he would not go against God just for money, but his resolve was beginning to slip. His sin was the sin of willfulness: he had wanted to curse those whom God had blessed (NKJV). His greed for the wealth offered by the king blinded him so that he could not see how God was trying to stop him. Though we may know what God wants us to do, we can become blinded by the desire for money, possessions, or prestige. In the strongest manner, the Angel of the Lord instructed Balaam to speak only what God spoke to him (NKJV). We can avoid Balaam’s mistake by looking past the allure of fame or fortune to the long-range benefits of following God. (NLT)

Numbers 22:22-23 – But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road.

Numbers 22:25-32 – When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the Lord moved father down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff.

Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.

“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”

“But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”

“No,” Balaam admitted.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.

“Why did you beat your donkey those three time?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me.

Today’s devotional story is titled: When God Opens Our Eyes by: Monica La Rose

In thirteenth-century France, legend has it that a knight left his baby boy at home guarded by his greyhound dog Guinefort. The knight returned to find chaos—the crib overturned, his son nowhere to be seen, and his hound’s mouth covered in blood. Assuming the dog had harmed his son, he killed it. Afterward, he found the body of a large snake covered in dog bites—and his son unharmed under the cradle. Guinefort had saved the baby’s life. The dog’s heroism and unjust fate so moved people that they misguidedly revered Guinefort as a saint.

Scripture records a similar incident, in which an animal was unjustly punished for protecting its owner. The prophet Balaam had been hired by the Moabite king to curse God’s people (Numbers 22:4-6¹). On Balaam’s journey, an “angel of the Lord . . . with a drawn sword” (v. 23) blocked his path. Balaam’s donkey, seeing the danger, avoided the angel twice—only to be beaten for his efforts (vv. 23, 25). When the donkey could no longer evade the angel, he refused to move and was again punished (vv. 26-27).

Finally, God enabled the donkey to speak and defend itself (vv. 29-30), and then He opened Balaam’s eyes to see the angel and heed God’s instructions (v. 31-32).

We’re not likely to hear an animal talk back to us anytime soon, but God can still open our eyes in unexpected ways. When that happens, let’s be prepared to listen.

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ When has God opened your eyes?

~ How has that changed you?

Prayer: Gracious God, please help me to hear and respond to Your leading.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/when-god-opens-our-eyes?ts=1788566400000

Scripture reference:

¹) Numbers 22:4-6 – The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!”

So Balak, king of Moab, sent messengers to call Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor near the Euphrates River. His message said: “Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me. Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.”

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.

Remove every weight that slows us down, keep our eyes on Him who initiates and perfects our faith

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Friday, September 4, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[Remove every weight that slows us down, keep our eyes on Him who initiates and perfects our faith]

Scripture reading:

Long-distance runners work hard to build endurance and strength. On race day, their clothes are lightweight and their bodies lean. To run the race that God has set before us, we must also strip off the excess weight that slows us down. How can we do that? (1) Choose friends who are also committed to the race. Wrong friends will have values and activities that may deter you from the course. Much of your own weight may result from the crowd you run with. Make wise choices. (2) Drop certain activities. That is, for you at this time these may be weight. Try dropping them for a while; then check the results in your life. (3) Get help for addictions that disable you. If you have a secret “weight” such as pornography, gambling, or alcohol, admit your need and get help today. (NLT)

Hebrews 12:1-7 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?

Hebrews 12:10 – For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.

Hebrews 12:14 – Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

Today’s devotional story is titled: Junk Files by: Adam R. Holz

My smartphone occasionally reminds me I’m not good at digital housekeeping. “Junk files are taking up space,” the message reads. “Delete 675MB of junk files.” Now, I dislike being nagged by my phone. But if I clean out those files, I’ve got more space for things that really matter. Then, when I’m at my daughter’s swim meet, for instance, I’ll have enough digital storage to actually shoot a video of her winning a race instead of unexpectedly realizing that those pesky “junk files” have sabotaged my ability to capture the moment.

Junk files on our phones are easy to delete. But what about the “junk files” in our souls? Like our phones, our souls can be clogged with stuff that keep us from flourishing spiritually. The author of Hebrews understood this reality, encouraging us to pay close attention to anything that trips us up in our walk with God. “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,” he writes, followed by this challenge: “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).

What weighs you down? What trips you up? Hebrews encourages us to fix “our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (v. 2), who alone can help us identify and delete the “junk files” that hinder our abundant life in Him.

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ What most trips you up in your relationship with God?

~ How does your faith help you identify and throw off sinful influences?

Prayer: Dear Father, please give me the wisdom and courage to “throw off . . . the sin that so easily entangles” me.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/junk-files?ts=1788480000000

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.

Have deep respect for Him, concentrate on His real requirements and find peace

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Thursday, September 3, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[Have deep respect for Him, concentrate on His real requirements and find peace]

Scripture reading:

Often we ask, What does God expect of me? Here Moses gives a summary that is simple in form and easy to remember. Here are the essentials: (1) Fear God (have reverence for Him). (2) Live in a way that pleases Him. (3) Love Him. (4) Serve Him with all your heart and soul. (5) Obey His commands. How often we complicate faith with man-made rules, regulations, and requirements. Are you frustrated and burned out from trying hard to please God? Concentrate on His real requirements and find peace. Respect, follow, love, serve, and obey. (NLT)

Deuteronomy 10:12-15 – “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.

“Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God. Yet the Lord chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all the other nations, as is evident today.

Today’s devotional story is titled: Reverent Fear of God by: Karen Huang

“I killed people in the past,” Tanitan said, “but ever since I chose to believe in Jesus Christ, He will not allow me to commit such practices anymore.” Tanitan, a member of the Ilongot tribe from the Sierra Madre mountains in the Philippines, came from a culture of head-hunting—the practice of hunting humans and severing their heads. In comparing his life before he new God to his life now, Tanitan said, “Before, I was afraid to die but not afraid to kill. Now, I am afraid to kill but not afraid to die.”

As I read Tanitan’s story in the book To the Headhunters of Sierra Madre by Florentino Santos, I thought of how his newfound fear of or reverence toward God developed his desire to obey Him. I remembered Moses’ words to the Israelites before they entered the land God promised them: “What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 10:2). Reverence toward God was to be reflected in obedience to Him. God’s people were to “walk in obedience to Him, to love Him . . . and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees” (vv. 12-13).

As believers in Jesus, our deep respect for God’s holiness compels us to hate evil and do what pleases Him (Proverbs 8:13¹). Let’s ask Him to help us make reverence toward God a way of life.

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ From today’s Scripture, how would you describe the “fear [of] the Lord”?

~ Where do you find obeying God difficult, and how can the command to fear Him help you?

Prayer: Holy God, please help me to experience reverent fear in Your presence.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/reverent-fear-of-god?ts=1788393600000

Scripture reference:

¹) The more a person fears and respects God, the more he or she will hate evil. Love for God and love for sin cannot coexist. Harboring secret sins means that you are tolerating evil within yourself. Make a clean break with sin and commit yourself completely to God. (NLT)

Proverbs 8:13 – All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.

See our problems and limitations as His opportunity to demonstrate His power; our weakness allows His power to strengthen us moment by moment

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Wednesday, September 2, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[See our problems and limitations as His opportunity to demonstrate His power; our weakness allows His power to strengthen us moment by moment]

Scripture reading:

. . . As we face great troubles, it’s easy to focus on the pain rather than on our ultimate goal. Just as athletes concentrate on the finish line and ignore their discomfort, we, too, must focus on the reward for our faith and the joy that lasts forever. . .

It is easy to lose heart and quit. We all have faced problems in our relationships or in our work that have caused us to think about giving up. Rather than quitting when persecution wore him down, Paul concentrated on the inner strength that came from the Holy Spirit. Don’t let fatigue, pain, or criticism force you off the job. . . Your very weakness allows the resurrection power of Christ to strengthen you moment by moment.

Our troubles should not diminish our faith or disillusion us. We should realize that there is a purpose in our suffering. Problems and human limitations have several benefits: (1) They remind us of Christ’s suffering for us; (2) they keep us from pride; (3) they cause us to look beyond this brief life; (4) they give us opportunities to prove our faith to others; and (5) they give God the opportunity to demonstrate His power. See your troubles as opportunities!

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 – We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Today’s devotional story is titled: The Ultimate Snapshot by: Kenneth Petersen

Before our trip to Switzerland, my mental snapshot was of snowy Alps, goats grazing, and mountain farmers blowing alpine horns. However, as we drove south from Zurich, the landscape was the same drab tangle of highways we saw in any city. When we got close to our lodging, we had to drive up a precarious one-lane dirt road. At our rental place, we hauled our suitcases up steep stone stairways. Exhausted and disappointed, we finally made our way onto the patio. And there, opening up before us, stretched an extraordinary vista: the Alps rising up majestically over the blue expanse of Lake Lucerne, with small towns glittering like fireflies below us. The ordeal was worth it.

I recalled the verse, “Therefore we do not lose heart” (2 Corinthians 4:16). The apostle Paul writes of his own struggles: “We are hard pressed on every side, but . . . not in despair” (v. 8). He reveals his positive outlook: “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (v. 17). He advises us to “fix our eyes . . . on what is unseen” (v. 18), to hope for that eternal landscape.

Sometimes our journey is drab and difficult. But in Christ, we’re assured that we’ll witness the ultimate snapshot. The ordeal will be worth it: His eternal glory far surpasses anything we can imagine.

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ What are the difficult roads in your life these days?

~ What does “eternal glory” mean to you?

Prayer: Loving God, I need encouragement through this tough journey. I pray for assurance of Your eternal glory.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/the-ultimate-snapshot?ts=1788307200000

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.

The way we can grow is to seek out other believers for fellowship, prayer, and teaching

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Tuesday, September 1, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[The way we can grow is to seek out other believers for fellowship, prayer, and teaching]

Scripture reading:

. . . Jesus was crucified at Passover time, and He ascended 40 days after His resurrection. The Holy Spirit came 50 days after the Resurrection, 10 days after the Ascension. Jews of many nations had gathered in Jerusalem for this festival. Thus, Peters speech was given to an international audience, and it resulted in a worldwide harvest of new believers-the first converts to Christianity. (NLT)

Acts 2:1-6 – On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

Acts 2:36-37 – “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Today’s devotional story is titled: Gathering to Grow in Christ by: Xochitl Dixon

In Monterey Bay, California, a boat captain saw fifteen Pacific white-sided dolphins join a super pod of more than two thousand dolphins. Various types and ages of dolphins gather in pods to fend off predators, feed, and socialize. Still, the size and diversity of this super pod was a rare sight to behold.

The Bible records a rare gathering of diverse people that’s foundational in our faith history. As the disciples celebrated Pentecost in Jerusalem, “a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). They were “filled with the Holy Spirit,” who enabled them to speak in different languages (v. 4). People God created “from every nation under heaven” had also gathered for Pentecost (v. 5). When they investigated the loud noise, each person “heard their own language being spoken” by the disciples (v. 6). Then Peter proclaimed Jesus as “both Lord and Messiah” (v. 36). About three thousand believed and were baptized (v. 41¹). As God’s people lived in community like never before, He “added to their number daily those who were being saved” (v. 47²).

By the power of the Holy Spirit, God’s people around the world still gather to grow in community and proclaim Jesus as Lord. Through us, He will continue expanding His kingdom.

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ How are you gathering to grow with God’s diverse people?

~ How has He used people who are different from you to grow your faith and His church?

How are you gathering to grow with God’s diverse people? How has He used people who are different from you to grow your faith and His church?

Prayer: Dear God, please grow Your church as I gather to grow with others.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/gathering-to-grow-in-christ?ts=1788220800000

Scripture reference:

¹) About 3,000 people became new believers when Peter preached the Good News about Christ. These new Christians were united with the other believers, taught by the apostles, and included in the prayer meetings and fellowship. New believers in Christ need to be in groups, where they can learn God’s Word, pray, and mature in the faith. If you have just begun a relationship with Christ, seek out other believers for fellowship, prayer, and teaching. This is the way to grow. (NLT)

Acts 2:41-42 – Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and the fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

²) Acts 2:47 – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.

Christianity is not about dying, but about living; we are no longer alone, for He lives in us, He is our power for living and our hope for the future

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Monday, August 31, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[Christianity is not about dying, but about living; for He lives in us, He is our power for living and our hope for the future]

Scripture reading:

How have our old selves been crucified with Christ? Legally, God looks at us as if we had died with Christ. Because our sins died with Him, we are no longer condemned. Relationally, we have become one with Christ, and His experiences are ours. Our Christian life began when, in unity with Him, we died to our old life. In our daily life, we must regularly crucify sinful desires that keep us from following Christ. This, too, is a kind of dying with Him.

And yet the focus of Christianity is not on dying but on living. Because we have been crucified with Christ, we have also been raised with Him. Legally, we have been reconciled with God and are free to grow into Christ’s likeness. And in our daily life, we have Christ’s resurrection power as we continue to fight sin. We are no longer alone, for Christ lives in us—He is our power for living and our hope for the future. (NLT)

Galatians 2:19-21 – For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

Today’s devotional story is titled: Christ in Me by: !Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer became famous for his talent at age twenty. The art critics of his day called him “the greatest mind that ever expressed itself in line.” As his frame spread, influential people tried to hire him with promises of luxury and ease. Even other acclaimed artists such as Giovanni Bellini and Raphael revered his work.

In what experts consider to be his best self-portrait, Dürer mingled his physical characteristics with what he thought Jesus might have looked like. He painted himself with long, wavy hair, a beard, and eyes that seemed to convey a sense of divine purpose. While many assumed this was the artist’s prideful opinion of himself, others who knew him believed Dürer wanted to live a life that would allow people to see Jesus in him.

If we truly know Christ, this is our desire as well. Believing in Him and accepting His death and resurrection as the basis for our relationship with God means we should now live for Jesus—not for ourselves (Galatians 2:19). We live for Him, and He lives in us and works through us. The apostle Paul said this about his spiritual transformation: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (v. 20). May the glory of Christ shine through our lives today so that the world sees Him in us.

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ How do you feel when you sense Jesus working through you to make Himself known?

~ What challenges prevent this from happening at times?

Prayer: Father in heaven, please help me to stop living to satisfy my desires. Help me to surrender to Your Spirit so others will see Christ in me.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/christ-in-me?ts=1788134400000

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.

We can trust that He will always meet our needs; we will find that by being generous, He is generous towards us

I will trust in the Lord for He is good, faithful, and just. He has wonderful plans for me, and I know He holds my future.

Dear Lord, open our hearts and our minds to the power of Your Word, which as we read, we may know, understand, and obey Your Word for us today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Author unknown)

Heavenly Father, bless my day with miracles and blessings. Help me walk into tomorrow with a better approach, mind, and attitude! I pray today you do the impossible in my life and others. Heal bodies, change lives, and turn situations around. In Jesus’ name. Amen (Author unknown)

Click on the following link for helpful topics and previous posts: https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/

DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Sunday, August 30, 2026

For more Helpful Inspirational Material:

May you find comfort, encouragement, guidance, hope, inspiration, love, and peace – https://helpfulinspirationalblog.wordpress.com/. May you also find answers to your question(s) through the Scriptures that address every situation you face, and help with your problems. Deb ♥

Today’s daily reading:

[We can trust that He will always meet our needs; we will find that by being generous, He is generous towards us]

Scripture reading:

We can trust that God will always meet our needs. Whatever we need on earth He will always supply . . . We may not get all that we want. Those who are generous toward God will find that He is generous toward them and will supply their every need . . . in Christ Jesus (ESV). By trusting in Christ, our attitudes and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting His provision and power to live for Him. (NLT)

Philippians 4:15-19 – As you know, You Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.

At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Today’s devotional story is titled: God’s Rich Provision by: Patricia Raybon

After Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters nearly destroyed his small North Carolina town in 2024, a pastor noticed an inspiring pattern. As he struggled to answer the persistent question, “What do you need?” donations kept showing up exactly when he needed them. Phone chargers? Out of the blue, a man drove up with a generator, creating a charging station at the church. Drinking water? Suddenly, pallets of water bottles arrived.

Coincidence? The Bible points us to God, not mere happenstance: “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). The promise might seem empty to a town nearly demolished by a thirty-foot wall of raging water. But Paul, who was in prison when he offered this encouragement, was no stranger to hardship.

Paul was writing to the church in Philippi to thank them for badly needed financial gifts. Except for them, he’d been neglected (v. 15). But God used them to meet his needs. So His words shined a bright light on God, who provided the “riches of His glory” found in Christ Jesus our Savior, in whom we have “every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3¹). Joy, peace, truth, and salvation are among the things He provides for us. In kindness as well, He’ll provide a drink of water too, if that’s what we need. What a loving, generous God.

[If you would like to journal, reflect, meditate, or pray on today’s reading:]

~ What spiritual needs do you have today?

~ What practical needs do you have?

Prayer: I thank You, loving God, for providing my spiritual and practical needs today according to Your will and the riches of Your glory in Christ Jesus.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/gods-rich-provision?ts=1788048000000

Scripture reference:

¹) “Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms” means that in Christ we have all the benefits of knowing God—being chosen for salvation, being adopted as His children, forgiveness, insight, the gifts of the Spirit, power to do God’s will, the hope of living forever with Christ, we can enjoy these blessings now. The “heavenly realms” means that these blessings are eternal, not temporal. . . (NLT)

Ephesians 1:3 – All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

I am not a licensed psychologist or specialist healthcare professional.  My information does not replace the care of psychologists or other healthcare professionals. I share educational and informational resources that are intended for inspiration and help.