July 20, 2026

Hebrews 12:1-2

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Running can be awful. Anyone who tells you differently has endured so much running that they enjoy it becoming slightly less awful as they get stronger. Why run any race? Why run this race? If running this race means you have to give up sins that you love, why go through with it?

Because of Jesus. God has set this race before us with Jesus as the example, the reward, and the constant encouragement. He is the reason we run and the strength to run. There will be pain on this road, but Jesus is worth it. We can endure it with the joy set before us.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please hold Jesus before my eyes all day today.

July 18, 2026

Hebrews 12:1-2

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

How do we stop sinning? This verse, like many places in the New Testament, uses the metaphor of a race. Because I want to cross the finish line, I toss anything that may slow me down. That’s what sin does.

God has given us the great desire of life with Him and the great mission of reaching the world with the gospel. With a race to run like that, our desires begin to work for us rather than against us. Instead of wanting our sin, we will want to lay that sin down in order to run with greater speed and constancy. What is slowing you down?

Prayer prompt: Lord, please teach me to run to You.

July 17, 2026

Psalm 119:11

11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

When I was growing up, this verse was sometimes used to get children to memorize scripture. Teachers used the fear of sin and God’s judgment to push your nose into the text. Sin is tempting but leads to God’s wrath. Memorize scripture or you’ll fall into it! I think they were right; fear of punishment is a fair and helpful motivator, but it’s not the only one.

God’s word is full of a beauty that captures the heart. When I memorize those words they open up in my mind like a remembered view of Zion Canyon or the sunset over the Pacific. They calm, inspire, invigorate, and woo. They put the true God back into my world and leave the sin I was tempted by to shrivel away. Find and memorize that beauty today.

Prayer prompt: Lord, open up Your word so that I can’t sleep until I store it up in my heart.

July 16, 2026

Ezekiel 20:7

7 And I said to them, ‘Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.’

God wanted to give the Israelites the greatest of all lands, a place with pleasure overflowing. But the people wanted to return to the idols of Egypt. If you remember, Egypt was the nation that had enslaved the Israelites. In a very real sense, the people of God wanted to leave God and go back to idols even if that meant slavery. How stupid is that?

The Bible tells us about Israel’s folly because we make the same choice. When we reject God’s ways, we reject God’s rewards. When we return to sin, we return to slavery. Following God does mean pursuing purity, self-control, sacrifices, service to others, and rampant giving. It can seem like a grueling walk, but remember two things: the reward and the alternative. Be free!

Prayer prompt: Lord, corral me back to Your ways and away from the slavery my heart sometimes desires.

July 15, 2026

Ezekiel 20:6

6 On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands.

Travel is always difficult. It’s hard to look longingly at photos of amazing landscapes or read reviews of paradise-on-earth beach resorts and know they’re probably too expensive. It would be bliss to get away from where we are, to walk in a stress-free, beauty-filled somewhere instead of being stuck in our more dark, difficult, real life.

Take that little version of longing and let it inform the longing we should feel for the “most glorious of all lands” God is preparing for us. It will be a place flowing not only with provision but with pleasure. You don’t need milk or honey to survive, but are you really living without them? God has promised to take you to pleasure, to Himself, will you walk away from your sin and into His paradise?

Prayer prompt: Lord, fill me so full of longing for You and Your blessings that sin loses all allure.

July 14, 2026

Acts 18:9

9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”

When it comes to telling other people about Jesus, many of us get scared and just don’t. It would be an incredible boost to have God give us a personal promise that we won’t be attacked in our city! But be honest for a second, is that why you’re silent? Are you really afraid of physical attacks?

Blinded by our pride, arrested by our fear, insensible through our total self-absorption, there are very few of us who are faithful to our calling to make God’s name known. Yet look at the end of those verses, “I have many in this city who are my people.” God has people in SLC who need to be rescued. It is time for us to speak.

Prayer prompt: Lord, open my eyes to the people You have planned for me to speak to today.

July 13, 2026

Exodus 15:1

1 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying,  “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.

God saved the people of Israel by the waters of the Red Sea twice. The water moved so Israel could cross on dry land, then the waters crashed over the Egyptians, killing them to the last man. As the waters stilled over the defeated enemy, a nation of former slaves broke out in song. Imagine the million mouths hanging open in shock, then the eruption of cheers and praise!

If you find it difficult to praise God today, take a moment to remember the enemy He has defeated, that He swallowed up in victory. You haven’t been saved from an Egyptian army, Jesus saved you from the penalty and sting of death itself. There is no problem facing you that He can’t overcome. Look back, praise, and trust for tomorrow.

Prayer prompt: Lord, I praise You as my Protector and Savior! May praise fill up my thoughts and bring me joy even through the tears.

July 11, 2026

Psalm 31:23

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.

Here’s the real question: are you more in love with God or yourself? Which love wins in a fight? The results of each option are described above. You can either love God most which makes you a saint and faithful, or you can love yourself most, with is called pride.

If in your heart, pride wins, you are working against the flow of the universe. You have attempted to make a fantasy into a reality. Believing you can fly is harmless if it’s only a fantasy, but if you jump off a house you’ll break your neck. At some point, God will either preserve you because you are His or He will let you attempt to fly on your own. Humble yourself before God.

Prayer prompt: Lord, increase in my love of You and humble my heart.

July 10, 2026

Revelation 7:9-10

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

In Heaven, before God’s throne, we are united. All the differences that seem so obtrusive fade in that glorious picture. The things that make us unique unite in a harmony as each heart unites in adoration of God. They all love the same thing.

The differences in our world breed suspicions; we wonder at another person’s deeper motives and allegiances. But in the Kingdom, whatever I don’t know about you pales in comparison with what I do know. We can spread that love of God and watch it unite across any boundary, no matter how formidable. That’s our calling as believers. Pursue it today.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please use the pain I see around me to push me to spread Your gospel.

July 9, 2026

Psalm 69:5

5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

No temptation has ever hooked the brain of a human without whispering “And, no one will ever know.” The thought is so seductive. But it’s also a lie. It doesn’t matter if the action only happens in your mind or heart, God knows what you’ve done. How could we possibly hide anything from the One who is everywhere and knows everything?

That truth is terrifying, and it should be. We should see sin and hate it the same way God does. As we start to really cringe, even to weep for the wrong things we have done, then we go to the cross. Yes He knows, and still He loves. Knowing you, He still died for you. Feel that forgiveness and go and sin no more!

Prayer prompt: Lord, please forgive me. I commit to a new level of holiness walking in the confidence of Your love.

July 9, 2026

2 Corinthians 5:18

18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

When the world is on fire, what do we Christians do? Didn’t God see all this coming? If you check the manual, what are His people supposed to be doing when sins big and small rip the world apart? We have to stay focused on the one real answer out there: continue in your ministry of reconciliation.

God has reconciled us to Himself. He put away our sins by nailing them to the cross. He now hands us the family business of reconciliation. We can only really put out the fire in this world by bringing people to Jesus. Any other solution leaves the real problem to smolder and flame up again and again. Join us in praying and then pursuing the ministry of reconciliation.

Prayer prompt: Lord, heal our land by bringing the multitudes to Yourself.

July 8, 2026

Psalm 69:5

5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

No temptation has ever hooked the brain of a human without whispering “And, no one will ever know.” The thought is so seductive. But it’s also a lie. It doesn’t matter if the action only happens in your mind or heart, God knows what you’ve done. How could we possibly hide anything from the One who is everywhere and knows everything?

That truth is terrifying, and it should be. We should see sin and hate it the same way God does. As we start to really cringe, even to weep for the wrong things we have done, then we go to the cross. Yes He knows, and still He loves. Knowing you, He still died for you. Feel that forgiveness and go and sin no more!

Prayer prompt: Lord, please forgive me. I commit to a new level of holiness walking in the confidence of Your love.

July 7, 2026

Isaiah 53:3

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

In life, you can be certain of suffering. It can be the big disasters that affect masses of people, or the painful tragedy of losing loved ones. As a pastor, I have to try and comfort the bereaved, but Jesus is able to be there for them in a way I cannot. I haven’t been through their experience, but Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

As one song says, “Man of sorrows, what a name for the Son of God who came.” How could the Lord of Glory become a man and then a man acquainted with grief? Yet He did, and He did for you. Now He can hold your hand in your grief. He can tell you that He’s felt that pain too and that God will make it right. This morning, let your heart grow warm to that kind of leader.

Prayer prompt: Lord, thank you for being so close, for loving me enough to suffer.

July 6, 2026

2 Timothy 3:16

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

In Scripture, God has given you every tool you need, made you complete and equipped for every good work. It is like M showing James Bond the functions on that unbelievable Jaguar. It is like the cases of guns and gadgets the Men in Black have stashed all over the world. Everything you need is bursting from that book, waiting on you to open it up.

It is as effective and profitable as the verse says because of its source. The Bible is God’s actual word. God’s word created the universe from the Sun’s magnitude to the complexity of your circulatory system. His Word was among us in Christ. His Word is with you right now. You can hear Him speak to you if you open your Bible today.

Prayer prompt: Lord, as I read Your Word, help me to remember I hear Your Voice.

July 4, 2026

Psalm 19:7

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

Wisdom doesn’t come from lots of schooling. There are educated fools all over the history books. Wisdom doesn’t come with money; if anything, money gives you many more opportunities to go after what is really foolish. Wisdom has one source and it can make wise even the simple and the poor.

God’s words, His law and testimony, revive the soul. Open your bible, and you can experience God’s word to you. He can breathe wisdom and life into you every day. Your soul, poor and broken, injured and small, can be revived. The defibrillator paddles that shoot electricity through a failing heart are a perfect illustration of the work of God’s word. Wake up and get wise with God’s Word today.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please keep my nose to Your Word and my heart alive in You.

July 3, 2026

Isaiah 26:3

3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Growing up, we used to love when big storms would roll in. Lightning would spider across the sky as towering clouds, deep darkness, thunder you could feel as well as hear, and hard rain filled the sky. As dangerous as those storms were, we felt nothing but excitement because we trusted the protection of our house. Instead of fearing judgment from Heaven, the lightning seemed like a fireworks display for our pleasure.

If God is your protection, if He is your perfect wall about you, you can stay in perfect peace. Storms will come, but you have peace if your mind is stayed on God. Each day, in every small bump and inconvenience, turn to God in prayer. Practice for the time when the big storms come and find peace for your soul.

Prayer prompt: Lord, teach me to think of Your strength and trust in Your love to have peace in the storm.

July 2, 2026

1 Corinthians 9:24

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

Running is like speaking a foreign language. I would love to be a runner like I would love to do a lot of things. I’d love to speak French, but I don’t want to learn French just like I don’t want to get up 3 or 4 days a week to run. If I could somehow skip the work and get the result, I’d be all in.

Do you see your relationship to God that way? We default to looking for results without effort over time. If that doesn’t happen (and how could it?) we just imagine we’ll get there someday … hopefully. No. There is a prize to be won. We don’t run for the diminishing benefits of physical running, but the eternal prizes of maturity in Christ. Get serious about how you are going to seek this prize.

Prayer prompt: Lord, motivate me and help me to run well.

July 1, 2026

Acts 17:27b-28a

27 … Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’ …

God isn’t far from you right now. How could He be? It is only in Him that we can live, move, or continue to exist. As Hebrews 1:3 says, “he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” Even knowing He’s as close as can be, we often feel a terrible distance from God. Why?

In the verse above, Paul was connecting with his audience in Athens by quoting a hymn written to the Greek god Zeus. The Stoics and pagans in Athens did believe in a god. The problem was putting their hope in the wrong god. If you feel that distance from God, it could be that you’ve been looking to other things for your life, your activity, and your joy. Turn back to Him this morning; He is not far from you!

Prayer prompt: Lord, let me look to You alone! Thank You for always being so close.

June 30, 2026

Leviticus 9:18

18 Then he killed the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings for the people. And Aaron's sons handed him the blood, and he threw it against the sides of the altar.

This may be a graphic way to start the day, but the whole bible is given for a reason. In the time before Jesus, God commanded His people to sacrifice animals to remove their guilt, to atone for their sin, and to bring peace between God and the People. To be clear, the blood of bulls and rams can’t take away sin, but it pointed to something else.

Today, pray your prayers with the absolute conviction that God loves you. How do you know? Because our High Priest Jesus threw blood against your sin by His death on the cross. You didn’t do or even understand this stuff, but God did, and paid that price out of His love for you.

Prayer prompt: Lord, help me to see the price You paid because of my sin and Your incredible love.

June 29, 2026

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Think for a moment of the incredible work that Jesus accomplished. In just about 3 years of ministry in an unnoticeable corner of the Roman empire with no money and a tendency to say things that would scare crowds of followers away, Jesus built a movement that has turned the world upside down. He broke the power of storms, demons, and illness with a word. When His enemies killed Him, He got back up.

In these verses above, we hear the prayer that our hearts would be comforted by that Jesus. Jesus is the One who loved us and gave us comfort that won’t end and a bright light of hope that can’t go out. After doing all that, He will set us up to go out and do every good work and word.

Prayer prompt: Lord, comfort me so that I will be ready for every good work and word.