September 4, 2026

1 Corinthians 4:3

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

In 1 Corinthians we are told not to be judged by people and our culture gives a surprised “Amen!” Culturally, we’ve been told to follow our heart, to make our own right and wrong for ourselves for generations. But then, the Scripture checks us by saying we don’t judge ourselves either. Let this light shine over your identity: you are not who people around you say you are, or even who the shame and insecurity in your own head say you are. You are who God says you are.

As we’ll see as we dig into the scriptures further, God goes way further than we would in the way He judges and in the way He loves. You are both way worse than you thought and infinitely more loved than you ever dreamed. If you can start trusting God’s picture of who you are then Heaven itself will open up to you.

Prayer prompt: Lord, thank You for loving me despite all my sin!

September 3, 2026

Romans 5:1

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Competition reality shows leverage the moment of judgment. Talent shows squeeze every last ounce of tension from the moment before a judge allows a contestant to continue or sends them home crying. Imagine being in a more serious version, in a real courtroom. The presiding juror hands the decision to the judge to read, then gets it back as everyone sweats with anticipation. Your freedom, maybe your very life, hangs on that judgment.

The gospel tells us a different story. We have been, in the past, justified by faith. It has already happened. The judgment has already come and you are declared innocent. Even now, right now, you have peace with God through Jesus Christ. It isn’t a hope for the future but a present reality. Live in the incredibly free joy of that most lovely truth!

Prayer prompt: Lord, thank you so much for giving me certainty of my future in Jesus.

September 2, 2026

Hebrews 10:30-31

30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

If I forgive you, does that mean you got away with it? I know movies have those dogged detectives who stay up at night looking at giant tack boards of clues and pictures, but can I count on justice when I’m the victim? I think that may be the biggest hurdle to forgiveness.

The hard truth of scripture is that God is the judge who will bring about vengeance on any and all who do evil. No one escapes, and His justice is perfect. That means I can forgive, but it also means I really, really need forgiveness. I may not be a picture on a detective’s cork board, but God has seen the way I’ve lived. Go to Jesus to be forgiven for your sin! Otherwise, well, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please forgive me my debt of sin as I forgive those who hurt me.

September 1, 2026

1 Corinthians 3:11

11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

So whose truth is really true? We live in a world that’s pretty sure of two things which can’t both be true. We believe each person can decide on what is true for him or herself, and we believe the lots of people who disagree with us are evil. You are encouraged to “live your truth”, unless of course it involves stepping on mine. So is truth something individuals come up with or is it something true for everyone?

The Bible is clear about where truth comes from. God’s view on truth is the True Truth. What He says goes. If you then, like you should, question who knows God’s truth, look with us at Jesus. That life and teaching which has unlocked the hearts of so many billions across time and culture is a sublime indicator. Look to that foundation and live.

Prayer prompt: Lord, teach me to tell the world Your Truth with humility and out of love.

August 31, 2026

Matthew 7:3

3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

God doesn’t have to give us the reasons behind His commands. I can’t explain all of my decisions to my children because sometimes the reasons are beyond their reasoning. Here though, God gives us a pretty plain sense of why we shouldn’t judge. We are hypocritical judges who use different standards for ourselves and other people.

We are willing to tolerate and even approve of massive transgressions in ourselves while at the same time finding the smallest infractions in our neighbors. Imagine a society where each legal case was decided by completely different and arbitrary laws. One person is fined $100 for murder while another is hanged for jaywalking. I don’t want to live in that world. Be glad that God, the only righteous one, is our Judge.

Prayer prompt: Lord, thank You for bringing order to the moral universe. Teach me to see myself and others the way You do.

August 29, 2026

Matthew 7:1

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.

I don’t know what the civil war would have felt like. Brother against brother, the country was filled with people who loved and hated the same people. Our world today is taking on some of that tinge. There are reasons to vilify a huge number of people, and so much of our media gives us those reasons. Horrible as it is, many of us enjoy being able to stand over someone else in their sin. It's here that Jesus’ radical command strikes like a lightening bolt.

Jesus has commanded the finger waving Pharisees and the easy-going tax collectors to hand God’s responsibilities back to God. It just isn’t our job to judge other people. We tell the world about sin and about God’s grace and forgiveness not as God’s judges, but as fellow sinners amazed by God’s love. We should get excited to rush in and restore those who are found in sin, with gentleness.

Prayer prompt: Lord, teach me to see things through Your eyes, loving all and trusting You to judge.

August 28, 2026

Romans 5:1

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

They say war is Hell. The Bible makes it clear that war with God will inevitably end up in Hell. He is undefeated. He has a perfect record against all challengers. His enemies are a deluded and doomed rabble. How terrifying then that God considers us His enemies. We rebel and rebel and disregard and disrespect Him in 1,000 ways daily. Being His enemy, what incredible joy would we have in finding peace with Him?

An old preacher said, “Peace is joy at rest. Joy is peace dancing.” In Christ, we are either resting in peace or whirling around changing the world with joy. God Has made peace with us through Jesus. He took His own Son and gave Him our punishment. We need to more regularly honor God for that peace and relish the sensation of a cease-fire with the All-Powerful.

Prayer prompt: Lord, thank You for giving me peace and making peace at such an unimaginable cost.

August 27, 2026

Psalm 124:2,4

2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, … 4 then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;

Israel had a thing about water. Think of what they saw when they looked out over the waters: the flood in Genesis, the storm that took Jonah, the monster Leviathan that God described to Job, and the chaos of dark waters that took many sailors down to death. Israel had a point, the water is dangerous.

When we see the waters like the Psalmist, then we’re ready to see how our God makes a way through death. All of Scripture shows us, in more and more elaborate ways, the beauty of God’s salvation. Just as Israel passed through the Red Sea and the Jordan river on dry ground, Jesus made a way for us through death. Jesus went down into the chaotic waters of death, truly died, and yet was raised. Now we can pass through death untouched!

Prayer prompt: Lord, help me to see Your salvation and praise You for it every day!

August 26, 2026

Psalm 130:3-4

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

If you’ve tried to talk to people about the Bible, you’ve probably heard them set the Old Testament against the New. The Old Testament God was angry, vengeful, and a judge. The New Testament God is forgiving, kind, and grandfatherly. If that were true, it would mean God changed His mind if not His entire character. Does the message of the Old Testament anticipate and set the stage for the message of the New Testament? Are they the same?

The message of the New Testament is summed up perfectly in the Gospel. God has made a way to forgive sinners through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Does the Old Testament prepare us for that message? Look at the verses above. We are sinners before God and yet He forgives. Let the weight of the whole bible assure you: God can forgive you. Do you trust Him?

Prayer prompt: Lord, I praise You for Your unending work of salvation for sinners like me.

August 25, 2026

Psalm 124:2-3

2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, 3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

Every time I go into the canyons, I hope I get to see one of those massive boulders come rolling down. Along the trails they sit where they landed, some as big as RVs, weighing thousands and thousands of pounds. I try to imagine the power, the noise, the sheer magnitude of that event. I would love to see it… from about 300 yards away. Any closer would be too terrifying.

It is sobering to realize that a force is chasing you with as much finality as that boulder. It will defeat you with as terrible a crash and as inevitable a result. There is only One who can save us from death. Only One can lead us through it. Have you put all your trust in God to bring you through those waters to Himself?

Prayer prompt: Lord, I trust in You alone to save me from my sin.

August 24, 2026

Psalm 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

I used to hear these verses in the voice of the Pharisee. Pharisees were confident of their righteousness before God. They were the kids who looked forward to exam day because of their confidence in an A++. “See if, because I’m sure there isn’t, if there be any grievous way in me.” But the whole of Psalm 139 shows it wasn’t that way for the Psalmist, and it’s not that way for the Christian.

The Christian knows sin because we have seen the cross. At the cross, God showed what we deserve for our sin and put nails and a spear, into our self-righteousness. Knowing our own guilt, we must confess. Being truly forgiven, we come back to God again and again asking to show us where to change. Go to Him ready to ruthlessly root out any grievous ways.

Prayer prompt: Lord, show me what must change and lead me as I walk in that new way.

August 22, 2026/26

Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

At Hope, every t-shirt we make says “Fully Known and Fully Loved”. Knowing us fully, God sees all our sin, but He still loves to the fullest extent. We can’t hide from His gaze and we can’t earn His love. After reading Ephesians 2:10, we could add another phrase: we are Fully Engaged. Now that God has saved us and called us, He lays out an adventure for us.

In any story, we love to read about the hero’s call to adventure. We love when a small town nobody gets tapped to join in and do something heroic. God’s horse snorts and paws the ground as He waits for you to mount up with Him and ride! What good work has He prepared for you today?

Prayer prompt: Lord, I am ready! Help me to see the tasks You have for me today.

August 21, 2026

Psalm 32:8

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

When you were young, did you ever get “the look” from a teacher or your parents? In that moment, no words are spoken, but something is very clearly communicated - stop doing that thing you’re doing. However, “the look” only works if the one being looked at is looking back. Are you looking at God to see what He’s trying to tell you?

God is looking at you with love and care, and he wants to show you the path of joy, peace, and life. Seek His face through prayer and reading His Word. Let Him guide you with His eye. Not to worldly riches and selfish ambition, but to the greatest joy of all - Himself.

Prayer prompt: Father, show me Your face and teach me how to follow You.

Written by Andrew Hobbs

August 20, 2026

Psalm 139:14

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 

Crowds line up to see the latest Apple or Tesla product. Those wizards make cool things, and the little logo is enough to excite potential buyers. If they make it, I’m interested. Think for a moment about taking that principle all the way to the extreme. If God made a smart phone or a car, how amazing would that be? With no constraint in materials, wisdom, skill, or capital God would make something beyond imagining.

Now, what has God actually made? He hasn’t invented a Tesla like Elon Musk, He invented Elon Musk. God didn’t start Apple, but He did invent Steve Jobs and actual apples. God did condescend to create something we can see and enjoy and the crown of that creation is humanity, even you. You aren’t something worthless to be thrown away in rebellion, but something that can be redeemed and sanctified to a high shine. Praise God for the impeccable craftsmanship evident even in you.

Prayer prompt: Lord, I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!

August 19, 2026

Psalm 139:7-8

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

You can’t get away from God. God isn’t just with us but loves us. That’s almost too good to be true. After the initial rush of amazement, God’s presence continues to be with us. He’s with us even when we might wish His Holy gaze would be somewhere else for a moment or two.

Horribly, the blessing of God’s presence can also spark some resentment. If He’s with me, I can’t pretend to be in charge. I can’t live however I choose. I can’t entertain pride or walk with a strut. It makes me want to hide away and create a smaller pond in which I can be the big fish. Yet, where can I hide from His presence? He won’t allow me to keep living in rebellion. That is even greater love.

Prayer prompt: Lord, I confess that I try to hide sometimes, but I can’t. Thank you for coming after me.

August 18, 2026

Psalm 139:5-6

5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

In the early days of a relationship, before your gaze loses the rose-tinting and warts emerge, it is just amazing to think this person would be with you. It feels like you’re walking on clouds; how could they like me? The first time you hold hands or kiss there is a rush of affirmation like a drug. Can you feel the Psalmist’s wonder that God lays His hand upon us?

In this case, you haven’t wooed God by showing your best side. Out of the overflow of a love we can’t understand, He chooses to love you. He has chosen to place His hand upon you and hem you in before and behind. Let that mystifying love change every thought and action you take today.

Prayer prompt: Lord, Your love is too wonderful for me. I turn it back to you in praise.

August 17, 2026

Psalm 18:6

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

When I read missionary biographies from past generations the lack of technology meant their families may never hear from them in this life again. Today though, I can message our missionary partners and get replies in seconds even if it would take me weeks to physically visit. We take for granted how easy it is to communicate.

Do you take for granted how easy it is to communicate with God? You have always, at any time and in any state of holiness or sin, been able to speak to the God of the Universe. The distance that separates us isn’t physical, He’s everywhere, but it is great. How could dust like us dare to speak to the Holy One? Yet, in our distress we can call and He will hear. Mercy like that should not be forgotten, but valued as precious. Pray to your God today.

Prayer prompt: Lord, thank You for hearing me, even me, when I call.

August 15, 2026

Psalm 20:9

9 O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call.

It would be a lot easier to trust God to help us if we knew how He was going to do it. I can trust you to fill my belly more easily when I smell something in the oven or see a loaded grill. My wife can trust our bills will be paid on time when she sees the budget we’ve laid out. It’s always easier to trust a process when you can see the means.

So much of my anxiety comes from my lack of trust in God. I can fight that fear by looking at how He is going to help me. He has put a King in this world. Our King will protect and provide for His people. He has a throne that will never be shaken and the power to destroy our enemies. He also has the scars of the price He paid to make His enemies His friends. Look to Jesus and Trust.

Prayer prompt: Lord, lift my eyes to my King so my heart will trust in You.

August 14, 2026

1 Peter 5:6-7

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Most of us don’t see it, but there’s a direct connection between our pride and our anxiety. If you sometimes experience anxiety in your life (and who isn’t?) take a minute to see how quickly that anxiety subsides when you cast your cares on God. The Holy Spirit, through Peter, tells us we can give God our anxieties. But let me ask, when you do, does your anxiety go down?

I think for most people, most of the time, it doesn’t. These verses help us see why. If I’m proud, I see myself as a big deal my problems as big deal problems. My God becomes relatively small. If I’m humble enough to admit God’s greatness, my problems may be big but my God is so much bigger. Why let pride get in the way? Humble yourself and get happy again.

Prayer prompt: Lord, humble me so I can be happy.

August 13, 2026

Psalm 63:1

1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

What creates desire? We’re born with a natural set of desires for things like food, drink, air, and affection. We have preferences in our foods, have felt thirst on hot day, and develop love relationships that deepen and expand. But how do we account for a desire for God like the verse above? Not only does he have a desire for God, but his desire is like the man dying in the desert crying out for water.

I don’t feel that way toward God, but I want to. He is more satisfying than food, more sustaining than water, and shows me a love much richer than even the love of my spouse. The answer is to drink deeply of that love. Tasting ice cream made me want ice cream so much more. We need to feast on His love and feel our desires wake up.

Prayer prompt: Lord, teach me to feast on Your goodness as I think of Your salvation and Your love.