Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning; thank Him for His comfort

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 11, 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:

[Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning; thank Him for His comfort]

Scripture reading:

The psalmist [David] has been transformed and renewed because of God’s blessing on his life (NKJV). He boasts in God as he fulfills his vow of praise (NKJV).

Psalm 30:1-12 – I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health. You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, “What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness? Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.”

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

Today’s devotional story is titled: Divine Comfort by: Nancy Gavilanes

The sound of the cascading water confirmed that I’d arrived at the 9/11 Memorial Pools in New York City, a place I’d avoided visiting for fear of being overwhelmed by sadness and grief from what took place there that tragic day in 2001. I walked around the two large reflection pools located where the Twin Towers once stood. It was deeply moving to see all the names of those who died etched on the walls—some with roses placed on them by loved ones.

I was in Manhattan on the morning of 9/11 but thankfully not near the Word Trade Center. Still, as a native New Yorker, the tragedy hit too close to home. I was finally at Ground Zero, yet I wasn’t overcome by sorrow or fear. I felt peace as I stood there and recalled God’s sustaining grace. That peace was a gift from the God who knows how to comfort us.

As we read the Psalms, we see that David experienced sorrow, fear, and grief as well as divine comfort. In Psalm 30, he writes, “I called to you for help, and you healed me” (v. 2). “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (v. 5). God turned David’s “wailing into dancing” and “removed [his] sackcloth and clothed [him] with joy” (v. 11).

When we’re feeling overwhelmed with sorrow, loss, or pain, let’s turn to the God of all comfort, who is close to the brokenhearted, and give thanks to Him as David did: “Lord my God, I will praise you forever” (v. 12).

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

~ When have you experienced God’s comfort?

~ How can you receive His comfort today?

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your comfort.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/divine-comfort?ts=1789084800000

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.

As we depend on Him for our needs, we are able to share both our faith and our resources

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 10, 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:

[As we depend on Him for our needs, we are able to share both our faith and our resources]

Scripture reading:

In the Book of Proverbs, wealth is a topic with many themes (NKJV). Walking with the wise includes prudence to care for children (1) by providing a material inheritance that extends even to grandchildren, and (2) by providing moral discipline (ESV). In thus seeking to provide, parents ought also to pursue justice, exhibiting their faith that the righteous will have enough to satisfy (ESV). A good man knows this and trusts in God to meet his needs; the sinner tries to acquire and keep wealth and in the end fails (NKJV).

Proverbs 13:18-22 – If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored.

It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.

Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous.

Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.

Today’s devotional story is titled: Legacy of Generosity by: Kirsten Holmberg

Though we didn’t live in the same state as my maternal grandparents, I’m grateful to have known them as well as I did. They traveled regularly to Colorado to see us, and we enjoyed visits with them in California. As my sister and I became adults, our conversations with our grandparents expanded from playful childhood topics to include more serious discussion of finances. They explained to us that they wanted to share their resources with us while they were alive but that most of their estate would be given to charity at their passing.

My grandparents were, indeed, quite generous to us over their lifetimes. When they died, I was genuinely proud to see their remaining resources to given to others. When I compare their real-life example with the words recorded in Proverbs 13:22, that “a good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,” I see their legacy to me from a broader perspective. We aren’t to live selfishly but instead care for those coming after us.

We won’t all have financial wealth to pass on to future generations. Yet in choosing to live generously toward others with whatever resources we have, even if just time and attention, our children (and theirs) receive a precious inheritance: a legacy of generosity. As we depend on God for our needs, we’re able to share both our faith and our resources with others.

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

~ Whose example of faithful, generous living benefited you?

~ How might you extend practical help to others today?

Prayer: Dear Father, please help me to live generously.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/legacy-of-generosity?ts=1788998400000

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.

His invitation is the most important event in our life, no matter how inconveniently it may be timed

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 9, 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:

[His invitation is the most important event in our life, no matter how inconveniently it may be timed]

Scripture reading:

The man sitting at the table with Jesus envisioned the glory of God’s Kingdom, but he did not yet understand how to have a share in it. In Jesus’ story, many people turned down the invitation to the banquet because of the timing was inconvenient. We, too, may resist or delay responding to God’s invitation, and our excuses may sound reasonable—work duties, family responsibilities, financial needs, or other reasons. Nevertheless, God’s invitation is the most important event in your life, no matter how inconveniently it may be timed. Are you making excuses to avoid responding to God’s call? Jesus reminds us that the time will come when God will pull His invitation and offer it to others—then it will be too late to get into the banquet. (NLT)

Luke 14:15-24 – Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!”

Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’”

Today’s devotional story is titled: God’s Open Invitation by: Karen Pimpo

Before my close friend’s wedding, we meticulously set the table for two hundred guests at the reception. With joyful anticipation we spent hours folding napkins, aligning cutlery, straightening tablecloths, and arranging flowers. After putting in all that work, we couldn’t wait for guests to arrive and enjoy it! But when many seats remained empty, we were sorely disappointed.

Jesus shared a similar story with some Pharisees as they ate together (Luke 14:15-20). He described a man who lovingly planned a great banquet for many people, but few attended and gave flimsy excuses. The man was angry at their rejection. He extended his invitation to society’s outcasts, “the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame” (v. 21). When there was still room, his servants went even further abroad to “compel [others] to come in” (v. 23).

This parable reminds us that many of God’s chosen people refused Jesus as their Messiah and rebuffed His invitation into His kingdom (John 1:11¹). To continue God’s plan to save the world despite their rejection, He opened His invitation to the gentiles, people not of Jewish heritage. All who receive Jesus by faith are welcome to God’s kingdom banquet, regardless of whether the world thinks they’re worthy. The invitation is still open today.

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

~ What do you think the guest list to God’s kingdom banquet looks like?

~ How can we spread the good news?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for making a way for me to experience a personal relationship with You.

Here is the link for Our Daily Bread Ministries: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/gods-open-invitation?ts=1788912000000

Scripture reference:

¹) John 1:11 – He [Jesus] came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

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 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.