Latest Thoughts of the Day

Jude 19

4/23/2026

These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

What is happening in the church is what the Apostles warned would happen. People who would think of themselves as gifted in religion want to direct the way things go in the church. But they operate without the inner instinct prompted by the Holy Spirit. They are not motivated by a love for Jesus. Jude feels deeply that he must speak out against this type of person, and we are glad he did. Remembering the bottom line will always help us stand against the ingenuity and energy of those who think too much of their own gifts. Love Jesus and long for His appearing. Walk humbly with our God. Reach out in love to rescue those who have been led astray, but keep alive in ourselves the love of Jesus.

3 John 9

4/22/2026

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us.

Diotrephes is first in a long line of ministers who are more concerned with their own leadership than in the flock they are commissioned to lead. Pride and personal ambition can sometimes gather a following, but in the end the people of God will be brought to see through the selfishness and pride and to abandon this “leader”. “My sheep hear my voice” “The voice of a stranger they will not follow.” It is refreshing to note that John does not fret about the situation. He is content to wait until he visits and then to bring the matter up. Perhaps Diotrephes will listen to reason. If not, John is trusting the Lord to guide as to what should be done. Help us to trust You, Lord Jesus.

2 John 9

4/21/2026

Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the son.

There is no “cutting edge” truth that puts anyone ahead of others within the church of Christ. What the apostles have written is the standard to which we hold; our progress within the church is entirely dependent on our understanding of what has been given. Jesus promised that the apostles would be guided into all truth. The impulse within to get ahead of others is a prompting of the devil. We not only fail, we lose fellowship both with the Father and the Son. Stepping beyond His Word steps beyond God Himself. Help us, Lord, to recognize how little we understand of what we already know from God, and quiet our hearts in a settled love for Jesus.

I John 5:19

4/20/2026

We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

The power that the evil one has over the world is his not by God’s bestowal, but by deception and lies and manipulative tricks. This is why truth has such power in our fight against our enemy. We have Jesus, and He is the truth. John would remind us of this as he concludes his special book designed to make us know that we belong to God. The most important thing we can do is to stay close to Jesus. Allow nothing in this world to usurp His place in our affections and we will be safe, even in a perilous world. John will finish his book by challenging us to steer clear of idols. Beware of loving anything the way we love our Lord Jesus.

2 Peter 2:19

4/19/2026

They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

What has control of your life? Your own selfish desires? What other people think of you? Your unclean thoughts? If Jesus Christ is not the master of your life, something else is—nobody is free. God did not make you to be free—He made you to willingly and joyfully bow to Him. A lot of people are slaves to their cell phones. They have to have it. Some people pay for insurance so that if anything happens to it they can get a new one quickly. Of course, they are slaves to what they access by it. Things they have got to look at. Things they have got to have. That is what slavery is. Freedom is wanting from the heart to serve Jesus.

I Peter 4:19

4/18/2026

So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Often we are the cause of our own difficulties, and at those times we should get our acts together, repent, confess and begin again. But sometimes it is not our fault, and the difficulties we face have come upon us anyway. At such times, Peter challenges us to rejoice, to embrace God’s will for us and to press on the best we can for the glory of Christ. God will help us to embrace reproach and opposition in the strength He supplies, knowing that it is sent to make us more like our Savior. He endured the very same kind of opposition, reproach and disdain that we are facing. He suffered for the glory of God. Lord, by Your Spirit, make us like our Lord Jesus!

James 5:19

4/17/2026

Brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,...

Just as on a hike when we follow the call of a bird or want a closer look at a flower, we can wander from the path and lose our way, one can be distracted into doctrinal error or sensual draw. Wandering from the path can waste us a lot of time, and can even put us in danger for our lives. We need to distract our brother back again to the path he should be on. We can keep each other safe on the path. We notice when a brother is not with us and we go after him. Lord, You keep us in Your tender care, but You are a God of means, and we may be the means in a particular case of keeping a brother close to Jesus.

Hebrews 13:19

4/16/2026

I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.

God purposes to connect Paul’s release from bondage with the prayers of His people, so Paul urges the people to pray to this end. As often as we can, you and I should pray this way. When we discern what is likely to happen, it is like getting on the bandwagon for the joy of being part of the journey. Paul is not enlisting support in order to sway God’s decision. He wants us to be a part of that decision, that our faith and our joy might be strengthened. Lord, help us to pray this way! Not that one more prayer may b somehow fulfill a quota, but that there is room for one more prayer on the victory train. We want to join what you are doing for the glory of Jesus.