Verse of the Day

“⁶ that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ ⁷ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”

Joshua 4:6-7 (NKJV)

Quote of the Day

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

– Corrie ten Boom

Reflection

Many of us would do better to rest our confidence in God’s unchanging character and unshakeable promises (Hebrews 13:8). While we have seen His provision time after time, it doesn’t always fortify our faith the way it should (Philippians 4:19). It’s safe to say that is at least one facet of why the Israelites were commissioned by God to set up a memorial. 

The memorial would consist of twelve stones, each representing one of the tribes of Israel. They would commemorate how God’s providence had empowered them to cross the Jordan River miraculously. Future generations would possess an undeniable memory of God’s provision to their forefathers for many years to come.

It’s intriguing to me that after such a significant breakthrough, God desired for His people to pause and reflect on His goodness (James 1:17). Before Jericho came into view, God wanted Israel to remember the Jordan. How many times has He answered our prayers and blessed us along the way? It’s not to say we’re not thankful, but I suspect I am not the only one who sometimes forgets to pause, appreciate, reflect, and acknowledge how faithful God has been in my life.

God likely doesn’t need us to design a memorial for us to properly apply the lesson here. The point isn’t necessarily for us to perform in a way that justifies what God has done, although I would say living a sanctified life is part of the journey. However, it’s a crucial lesson for all of us to remember how far we’ve come because God’s grace fueled our arrival.

Instead of asking for the next blessing, why don’t we thank Him for the many we’ve already received (Psalm 103:2)? 

Instead of playing with fire and succumbing to temptation, maybe we can re-focus on God’s faithfulness despite the many times we’ve sinned against Him (Proverbs 6:27, 1 Corinthians 10:13). 

Instead of ruminating on the obstacles, failures, or fears we face, perhaps we can hold more tightly to how much greater, more majestic, and infinitely capable our God is (Jeremiah 32:17, Romans 8:31)?

No matter how you slice it, there’s room to grow in contentment, gratitude, and genuine appreciation for God’s presence, character, and significance in our lives.

Application

Today’s verse of the day isn’t a call to stay stuck in the past or to worry about the future. It’s about taking a moment to recognize what God has done, is doing, and will continue to do in our lives, according to His timing.

When you faced hardship, trials, and setbacks, do you remember your prayers? Now, when you look back in the rearview mirror with that in mind, does it hit you how far you’ve come? God’s track record in your life deserves remembrance. Your life is a testimony to His grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness.

If God was faithful to provide you with ways of escape from temptation, His presence to provide you with peace amid chaos, fortitude to stay steadfast in the faith, and strength to persevere in every circumstance, doesn’t that offer you the hope and courage you need for today? Isn’t that all He really asks of us? We must focus on each day as it comes because each carries enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34).

As today’s quote shares, we can absolutely trust an unknown future to a known God. Today’s blessings were yesterday’s hopes and prayers. Tomorrow’s dreams stem from today’s faithfulness, hope, and prayer too. We cannot grow weary and merely give up now; we’ve come much too far (Galatians 6:9).

You may wonder, “Victor that’s all great and I agree with a lot of your points, but how do I keep track of all of it?” I am glad you asked!

Maybe it’s a note in the margins of a verse that is speaking to you in this season.

Maybe it’s a journal full of your prayers and praise reports that demonstrate God’s unfailing love in your life.

Maybe it’s taking a few moments with a loved one to share how God delivered you from trouble, provided a solution, or gave you an extraordinary opportunity at the perfect time.

What it’s not is easily forgetting how far you have come and what God is doing in your life. From the outside looking in, people may see someone who hasn’t changed from when they last met you. On the surface, your life may look identical to how it looked 6 months, a year, or even several years ago. 

But God knows you better than everyone else! He knows the insecurities you’ve overcome, the mental burdens you’ve finally confronted and released, the anger in your heart that you surrendered, and the systematic removal of sin from your life.

External success in the eyes of the world may or may not come, but what matters most is that God sees everything. The things that no one else knows about you, He does. He knows you better than you know yourself, loves you more than you are capable of loving yourself, and wants to see you continue to acquire unrelenting confidence, boldness, and faith in Him.

What are the stones of remembrance that God wants you to collect in your life? Take a few minutes to recognize them before God today in your quiet time and prayer. If we make this a habit, we’ll live in the consistent knowledge that God always gives us what we need. 

Our timelines may differ, and our desires may not align, but we can rest assured that we can do no better than to surrender the final say to Him. There’s no better place to reside than in the center of God’s will for your life.

Prayer

Dear God,

Thank You, Father, for Your countless provisions. I have failed many times, but You have seen it fit to give me another chance. Please help me remember the many ways You’ve remained faithful in my life, and help me continually repent of my sins. Please help me align with Your will and recognize that Your plans are infinitely wiser and eternally better than anything I could devise on my own.

Thank You for positioning me in circumstances that reflect outstanding privileges, immense liberties, and great responsibility in Your eyes. You’ve entrusted me with what I know is much more than I deserve, and as such, I desire nothing more than to meet your expectations of me with Your supernatural help.

I acknowledge today that without Jesus Christ, I am nothing. Without Him, I wouldn’t offer any eternal value or lasting significance to myself or others. But I thank You wholeheartedly for His presence in my life. Your Son empowers me to do far more than I could ever do alone.

Jesus Christ, Your Son, is the Vine and I am one of His branches. Thank You for offering me the gift of eternal life through Him. Thank You for enabling me to serve You, build Your kingdom, and pursue righteousness by His grace for Your glory.

Please help me stack those stones of remembrance so that I never forget the ways You have come through for me and those around me. 

You’ve rescued me from the chains of various addictions. You’ve picked me up and restored my health from several hospitalizations. You’ve positioned me to contribute to Your kingdom and given me the privilege of storing up Heavenly treasures. If I didn’t have You, I would have perished in my sins long ago, but You’ve seen it fit to redeem my life for Your glory and my good. 

Please help me not to lose sight of all this and continue to stand firm in victory with Your Son, Jesus Christ. I am so thankful that He is with me now and forever. As You fill me with Your Holy Spirit, I ask that You continue to empower me to serve You every day.

I pray in Jesus Christ’s precious, holy, and mighty name.

Amen.

Verse of the Day 

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV)

Quote of the Day

“Some people spend so much time worrying about what might happen that they never enjoy what is happening [now]. … Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”

– Billy Graham

Reflection

Many of us are inclined to overthink or worry about the future. This mindset produces anxiety and becomes a barrier to a proper appreciation of the present. When we preoccupy ourselves with what may or may not be, we overload ourselves with concerns. If we dwell long enough, we rob today of its joy and misapply excess mental bandwidth on speculation about the future.

God’s word reveals that this is not the ideal approach. God instructs us to let each day to worry about itself because each one brings enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34). Today’s verse offers us encouragement in the same vein. It assures us that God “has made everything beautiful in its time.” Although we are not privileged to know what the future will bring, we can trust the One who will open those doors in their rightful time.

Making plans, setting goals, preparing for the future, and establishing a vision are all reasonable if we are willing and adaptable to shift those plans in light of God’s will. In my life, God has taken me on several unexpected detours and redirected me on a path I didn’t envision. Yet, every time He has done this, I have been able to look back and see that His plan made sense. The detours I resisted often became the very roads that shaped me.

Although God owes me no explanation, when I look back, I can see God’s mercy, grace, love, and patience in my life. In the middle of the battlefield, we might be in too much pain to understand His greater purpose. It could take months or even years to look back and acquire the perspective to grasp why He allowed certain things to happen. God may offer you perspective, but if He doesn’t, it is wise to trust that He has a reason for all of it. Take refuge in Him and remember that He has your best interests and His glory in mind with everything that He has ordained to come to pass.

Application

Remind yourself to focus on the present rather than worry about the future or obsess over the past. That doesn’t mean our current situation is a walk in the park. Many of us are fighting battles others may or may not know about. The key is to hold fast to God’s promises and rest in the certainty that God will not abandon us.

Everyone other than Jesus Christ is capable of letting you down. Even our most beloved family and friends may hurt us from time to time. That’s why we need to extend one another the grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness God has extended us. We exercise wisdom when we don’t allow the pain we encounter in this fallen world to lead us away from God.

We need to express our constant appreciation for God’s presence. Even if we have nothing obvious to be grateful for, which is seldom the case, as believers, we can still thank God for saving us from hell and securing our position in heaven with Him for eternity. Even if pain and distress envelop us for the rest of our lives, if we know Jesus Christ, we have everything that matters.

Praise God for that today, and take a few moments to express your gratitude for the other numerous things He has likely blessed you with. It may just be the icing on the cake compared to the most significant spiritual blessings, but other blessings may provide us the perspective we require to realize that God has never failed to give us what we need.

Prayer

Dear God,

Thank You, Father, for supplying all my needs. I appreciate all the doors You closed that weren’t right for me and those that You opened at the right juncture. As Your word tells us, You have made everything beautiful in its time. I surrender to Your timing, Father.

Thank You for putting eternity in my heart and giving me the peace of mind to know that it is secure in Your loving arms through Jesus Christ, Your Son, and my Lord and Savior.

Father, I confess I am a sinner who needs Your mercy, grace, love, and forgiveness. I know that despite my best efforts, I fail You and others every day in one form or another. However, I am thankful that every day is a fresh start to do my best to love You with all my heart, body, mind, soul, and strength. Please help me to love my neighbors as myself, too.

Please ease my worries and anxieties, dear God, and replace them with the comfort of Your presence and peace. I trust that I can persevere over any obstacle or difficulty with You on my side. Please steer me in the direction that delights You most. I have faith that You will work everything out for my good and Your glory.

I pray in Jesus Christ’s precious, holy, and mighty name.

Amen.

Do you pursue God’s will with a sense of purpose daily? Today’s video explores James 4:13-17. Explore with me why it makes sense to surrender your future to God. Of course, he is in absolute control, but it can shift our perspectives when acknowledging that reality. Let’s consider how God’s sovereignty doesn’t threaten our well-being but instead provides us with a comforting reassurance that everything will go according to plan.

Whether you are going through a good or bad season in your life today, I am optimistic you gather encouragement from diving into God’s Word with me today. This life has its share of ups and downs, but it makes things more manageable when you know the One who holds it all together.

Thanks for stopping by the channel. If you like the content and want to see more of it in the future, don’t forget to subscribe. Hit the notification bell to receive immediate updates when I upload new videos. May God bless you and your loved ones!

Note: I recommend that you never substitute my instruction or anyone else’s for your own time in the Bible. I can only hope that I faithfully deliver accurate exegesis and do my best to keep it free from error. If you have a Biblically sound reason to correct me on any of my content, I invite you to reach out.

In other instances, the issue may be to come to terms with the loss of a loved one. There comes the point where after a season of grieving, we must accept that they have passed away and continue to live our lives (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Any setback we face, no matter how big or small it is in the eyes of others, may pose a significant problem to us. However, regardless of whether others understand our difficulty, we cannot allow anything to compromise the mission God has placed in our hearts to fulfill here on earth. It would be an injustice in the eyes of God to live indefinitely with a disposition of anger, bitterness, or grudge to the detriment of God’s plan for us (Ephesians 4:31-32). While we should never minimize our battles or belittle others, it is also a significant error and threat to our well-being to allow an unreasonable amount of time to elapse with this kind of mindset. Of course, this is a subjective matter, and we do well to consider it on a case-by-case basis. Preferably with a firm reliance on God, prayer, and His supernatural strength to help us overcome the circumstances at hand.

Thinking about the frailty of life encourages me to make sure I am in right standing with God and redeem the time accordingly (Ephesians 5:15-16). It may also provoke a sense of obligation in us to reach out to our loved ones with the truth of the Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20). While we cannot force anyone to come to saving faith, our responsibility to share God’s Word includes reaching out to family and friends, too, not only those that show up at our Churches on Sundays. Finally, if we acknowledge that time is scarce, it will give us that sense of urgency we desperately require to take action in terms of evangelism. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are indeed few (Matthew 9:35-38). Every effort we make for the glory of God, and the building of His Kingdom is crucial for us to pursue.

I find it helpful to remind myself to take breaks to step back from a constant cycle of works for God and enjoy leisure time. While it can be enriching to serve God consistently, we need to recognize our limitations and avoid burnout to be most effective. As such, no matter your calling, it is critical to get ample rest and have a firm understanding of what you can take on without overexerting. I love to write, but it even mentions specifically in God’s Word that, “In the writing of many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh (Ecclesiastes 12:12).” Suffice it to say that if we take care of ourselves and go back to diligently pursuing God’s plans, we will do much better. I, for one, had to learn this lesson the hard way, but I have since learned that I can do a great deal better in service to God by balancing this out according to my needs.

We all have varying strengths and weaknesses too, so this is often a matter of getting better acquainted with ourselves and essentially how God has wired us to operate. For example, you may thrive in getting up early, having a schedule set in stone, and working on a highly defined program. On the other hand, others of us may do better with setting daily priorities that we tackle in a less detailed approach as far as the timetable is concerned. Many people firmly believe that breakfast is the most critical meal of the day. Meanwhile, I skip breakfast daily and implement intermittent fasting with my workout routine. Due to these dynamics, there is no one size fits all approach to successfully managing our daily agenda.

In any case, depending on your line of work and particular responsibilities, this may not always be a luxury you can offer yourself. That said, you can better cope with your schedule when you know how you excel most of the time. Some employers may even be glad to adjust your hours if you make a good case for improving your productivity under certain conditions. In the end, I would suggest that you try to get to know yourself before you experience burnout, anxiety, or excessive stress. It is better to cross out a few items from your to-do list than to do them all and be out of commission for a while because you were overzealous.

In the fast-paced world, we live, it is easy to get caught up in the future at the expense of appreciating the present. That said, I am not knocking preparation for the future. On the contrary, I think that is a wise thing to do. Goals and plans on how to execute those goals, and having a rough idea of where you want to be 1, 3, 5, and 10 years from now makes perfect sense. It is good to have a general vision for the course of your life, yet always remain flexible to what surprises God may have in store for you. I refer to constantly thinking about what is coming overshadowing your enjoyment today (Matthew 6:34).

One practical way I employ to do this is to make it a point to minimize my phone use when I am around family and friends. I want to give them the gift of my attention and enjoy their company. This minor adjustment can make a huge difference, and your loved ones will take notice of it. Instagram and Facebook will be there tomorrow. I know I check them too often, but setting them aside when I work on writing, editing videos, and sleep has been a blessing to me for a while now. Instead of provoking myself to scroll endlessly, it helps me improve my focus and attention span. Not having my phone on my bedside or putting it in sleep mode, and being disciplined about not touching it, has enhanced the quality of my sleep. There is still a ton of room for me to improve in this one area, but I find these incremental adjustments work well.

It does not take revolutionary changes with extreme effort on an isolated day to improve your life. Instead of drastic adjustments, small changes in the right direction are less intimidating to implement. If you had never been hiking or mountain climbing, but someone told you that you would need to climb Mt. Everest in a week, you would probably find it amusing and dismiss it as a joke. Yet, some who have made it one of their life goals decided that reaching the apex would be a manageable challenge and completed that monumental task. To them, it was a matter of preparation for the future. They acclimated to that extreme by executing a series of more minor challenges that eventually prepared them to tackle it.

You and I may not care to climb Mt. Everest, but I know that each of us tends to have desires that are crucial for us to obtain. It could be anything, but it may involve personal fitness, career goals, or a desire to learn more about God’s Word, to name a few possibilities. These will not achieve themselves, so we need to plan to make these dreams a reality. They also necessitate a certain degree of desire that excels the pain or sacrifice involved with their achievement. For example, if I value my leisure to a fault, I may not be willing to make the sacrifices of going back to school or taking an extra training course to improve my career prospects. Likewise, I may want to lose weight and get into great shape, but if the reason for doing so isn’t adequately compelling, I will not get there.

Furthermore, once you get there, you need extra motivation to maintain that level of excellence. No matter what, preparation for the future is only helpful if we also have a plan to get there, a plan to stay there, and a reason for getting it done. Otherwise, it will go in the basket with all of the other New Year’s resolutions that we, and others, may have made but never executed. So, New Year’s resolutions or not, let this year be different and push hard until you achieve your breakthrough. Most importantly, make sure that breakthrough counts for the glory of God. If your goal does not offer eternal value, perhaps you should evaluate whether it is still worth making. Ask yourself, “Can I do X to the glory of God?” If not, maybe you would make better use of your time applying your efforts elsewhere (Colossians 3:23-24).

It is remarkable how reading the scriptural reality of this having happened in the lives of our forefathers often brings us comfort. I usually try to personalize it a step further when it applies to my own life. How can I doubt God’s goodness when I have tasted of it first-hand? There’s no way I can lose faith because things are not going my way when I can see God’s perfect track record operating in my life. Does this mean He has always met my expectations? No. However, my expectations are not the standard for how He works. Situations, where I might see failure without redeeming value have often turned into some of the most valuable experiences of my life. The kinds of events that genuinely shape you into a better person are priceless. I concede that they happen according to God’s will, but I also pray for as much gentleness as possible to accompany His loving and firm correction (Hebrews 12:6-11). Indeed seeing how faithful He has been even in my time here on earth instills in me an unshakeable trust that there is no reason for Him to begin to let me down now. God is not in the business of leaving or forsaking us, nor starting a good work in us and not seeing it through to its completion (Hebrews 13:5, Philippians 1:6). With these realities in mind, along with the fact that He has greater control of all situations than we can fathom, how can we not find peace?

Indeed, there are times when we might not be feeling an immediate sense of peace or comfort. However, we know that our foundation does not need to be compromised when grounded in Jesus Christ. When our identity is firmly rooted in our Lord’s salvation, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and being partakers of an eternal inheritance as God’s children, we can find permanent security. No matter what chaos we might witness around us or even experience ourselves, He never fails us (Romans 8:35-39). Often, with a good dose of perspective, our perceived problems are truly minuscule and solvable. Unfortunately, in our culture, we tend to fall into the trap of dramatizing our issues and under-appreciating the numerous blessings God has bestowed upon us. Going back to that position of gratitude and contentment will help us appreciate the bigger picture.

No one has a perfect life regardless of what their Instagram or Facebook pages seem to tell you. Remember, comparison on social media often leads to envy and jealousy. It achieves nothing and leaves you feeling like you do not measure up. It fails to appreciate what someone sacrificed to get to where they are. You also show God in a sense that you think you know more than Him because perhaps your life is not at the stage you expected it to be by now. So instead of spending that precious time comparing your everyday life to their highlight reel, work on doing things God’s way. There is nothing wrong with celebrating milestones or congratulating friends on theirs, among other social media activities, but it can become toxic, like many different tools. If you know deep down it is your kryptonite, it might be best to disconnect for a time and turn back to God.

One of the most excellent ways of achieving peace is to set yourself up for it with intentionality. If you are not spending quiet time alone with God and His Word, how do you expect to experience the rewards associated with it? When we worry or get anxious about the future, we essentially mistrust God’s plans for us. Sometimes we know this as common sense or intuitive knowledge, but we lack wisdom if we fail to apply it. I am not claiming I am free from error and use this with flawless consistency. Armed with this knowledge I put an emphasis on trusting God and casting my cares to Him. Thus I have some seasons where I succeed a great deal in this area.

In contrast, others occasionally arise where I do not implement what I know I should. The sooner we catch ourselves sliding away, the better off we will be. Ideally, as it becomes the crucial necessity it deserves in our lives, reading the Bible will be integral to you. Essentially, Bible study should be as eating and prayer as breathing in your journey as a believer.

I encourage you to be considerate of others along the way too. Our strengths and weaknesses may all look different, but one thing is for sure, we are all fighting some battle. So let us make it a point to extend each other the grace, mercy, and love to persevere in life. If we love even our enemies, what excuse do we have not to try our best to be there for our loved ones (Matthew 5:43-48)? Do not let this be a guilt trip. There is no shame in being a work in progress, and as such, surely we ought to give ourselves the same grace we strive to provide others. In some cases, perhaps even more grace because many of us tend to be our most prominent critics.

Let the critic in you take a backseat as you peacefully take refuge in God’s sovereignty (1 Chronicles 29:11-12). There is no better place to be than at the center of the will of God for your life. No matter what that looks like, we all need to pursue it because tomorrow is not guaranteed, and we need to make the absolute best of every day. May God be glorified by our actions as we find satisfaction, joy, comfort, and peace in Him. Eventually, the Fruits of the Spirit, a relationship with Jesus Christ yields, will overflow into the various areas of our lives that He motivates us in. Without question, the more of our lives we surrender to God, the more we can see His hand working in them.