October 22, 2025

John 11:32-35

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept.

Why do we cry on almost every Disney movie when they kill off one of the parents in the first couple of scenes? We know it's a movie. We know it’s not real, but the tears still flow. Disney does a great job of quickly building a relationship between you and the characters. They feel real.

In the passage above Jesus is relating to these people as He feels their pain. Don’t forget Jesus is God. He was in the beginning and His kingdom will have no end, yet He is relating with these lowly sinners. He also relates with you and me. Don't you want a King that is all powerful, all knowing, everlasting, but still willing to step down from his throne to embrace you and weep with you?

Prayer prompt: Lord, thank you for loving me enough to feel my pain.

Written by David Bowers

October 21, 2025

Psalm 33:13-15

13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;

In school, were you a front of the class person or back of the class troublemaker? In the back, it’s easier to nod off or goof off. In the front, the person who wants to learn, who wants to get some kind of approval from the teacher can get right under her nose. What’s your strategy in life with God who sees all mankind? Are you trying to avoid His notice or hoping to win His approval?

God sees you; you can’t get away from His close attention. There’s no escaping His program for bringing your life back to life and filling you up with His presence and pleasures. But God has also already proved His love for you; you can’t earn it. He has paid for your sin through Jesus. So you have definitely sinned and really need instruction. But you are also already declared clean and loved. Full of that love, you can get to the steady work of learning and change.

Prayer Prompt: Lord, please remind me that You always see me.

October 20, 2025

Romans 1:11-12

11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Paul, one of Jesus’ followers who came to faith after the Resurrection, wrote a letter to the church in the empire’s capital, Rome. He was fundraising on his way to take the gospel to modern day Spain. But he loved the church and didn’t just see it as a piggy bank to crack open. He also wanted to give them a gift way greater than any funding they could give him.

What can he give them? He had a treasure that grew with each recipient. The treasure would make them wildly wealthy but not in property or net worth. No, in this life they would have bottomless bank accounts of love and in the next life live forever in houses of gold. Jesus’ open invitation to Heaven is yours! Do you value it?

Prayer prompt: Lord, please open my eyes to the phenomenal wealth I have in Your love.

October 18, 2025

Jeremiah 8:12

12  Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the LORD.

Have you ever turned on a favorite show around your parents? Suddenly, every crude joke makes your cheeks redden. Watching by yourself or with your friends didn’t feel like this. It’s possible to sin and not blush because you choose to believe that the sins are really okay. In a similar way, when we want things God hates we start to feel motivated to pretend God doesn’t exist.

There is a children’s song that says, “Be careful little eyes what you see for the Father up above is looking down in love…” I do often want to look at things or do things God wouldn’t approve of, but I need to remember the tradeoff. I don’t ever want to pretend God isn’t watching me. Fearing God and remembering His Fatherly gaze rests on me will lead me to holiness and joy.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please remind me of Your loving and holy gaze.

October 17, 2025

Matthew 3:16-17

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Do you ever feel confused about the Trinity? Christians have always taught that God is three persons and one God. So do we believe in 3 Gods? No, just one. But He is just God the Father? No, The Father, Son, and Spirit. The Trinity is so confusing, why do we believe it?

First because it’s what the Bible teaches. Second, it is a beautiful truth. Look at God’s love for the Son as He comes out of the water, the descent of the Spirit to be with the Son. God has invited you into that love. The Son takes your sin so you see the Father’s face in love while you are filled with the never-leaving Spirit. What would we do without the Trinity?

Prayer prompt: Lord, please teach me to value what’s true and enjoy who You are.

October 16, 2025

Deuteronomy 6:4

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

Most moderns see animals and plants and rocks and put man right at the top of the universe. Animals can’t do or begin to do a thousand things any person can do. For example, if you tell me some elephant in a zoo can paint, I will tell you to look at those paintings. I wouldn’t call that art. Yet, even if humans are the greatest of the creation we can see, we still fall infinitely below the creator who made us.

The gap between creator and creation is infinitely greater than the gap between Da Vinci and Dumbo. When the scripture declares that God is one, the unbridgeable gap is fixed. He can choose to be with us and know us but we can’t become Him. He isn’t one among many and we can’t grow into something like Him. He is the Lord and He is one. When you remember that truth you can trust your big God and not lean so much on your own skills.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please remind me that You are God and I am not.

October 15, 2025

1 Timothy 1:15-16

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

You can ask any parent, it’s not easy to comfort a kid who wakes up after a bad nightmare. It’s not easy to prove anything to a person in a panic. The conversations are filled with the need for extreme proof. Parents have to step into the closet or go under the bed to prove the monsters, well if we can’t prove they never existed, at least that they aren't still there.

Paul’s argument in this verse works really well. He knew people who heard that Jesus came to save sinners would ask, “But could He save me?” So Paul, knowing his past as a man who killed Christians because they were Christians, put himself forward as an example. If He can save the worst sinner, He can save you too.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please convince my panicky heart that You will save even me.

October 14, 2025

1 Timothy 1:5

5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

I don’t think I’ll ever see a leprechaun or a unicorn. Honestly, at this point, I’ve given up looking. Even rarer than these, I’ve never seen a person who has a pure heart, a good conscience, or a sincere faith, much less all three. Personally, I’ve never gotten close to having love as my only motive in my work as a pastor. It’s always mixed with selfish ambition and a need for thanks and praise. How do we get close to this aim Paul says we have?

The answer to everything in scripture is Jesus. He makes your heart pure as He woos you away from sin. He cleanses your conscience by reminding you that your debt is paid. He proves Himself by His word and through His church as He leads you to make your faith strong and as sturdy as a granite foundation. He loves you so that you can love others.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please continue to change me and motivate me to work hard, like Paul, from love.

October 13, 2025

Hebrews 9:28

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Jesus’ first appearance is the famous one we get from many historical sources. He walked around Judea for 3 years then dealt with our sin by killing death through His own humble, excruciating end. When we believe and enjoy that forgiveness, when our hearts grow warm toward Him, we don’t need another redemption, we just need Him.

After His resurrection, Jesus found His lead apostle Peter, who had repeatedly denied Jesus during His arrest and torture, and asked him one question, “Do you love me?” When the judgment happens, Jesus will tell some to leave because, “I never knew you.” This verse in Hebrews says Jesus will save not the busy or important but those who eagerly wait for Him. What is your heart’s temperature toward Jesus?

Prayer prompt: Lord, I do love You, but I want to love You more and more. Please, stir my heart up as I think about how good You are.

October 11, 2025

Hebrews 9:13-14

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Those verses are a bit complicated for a modern reader. The images of the animal sacrifice, the robed priest, and the bloody altar all seem as foreign to our experience as a Tesla would be to Moses. But we can understand the desperate need to be clean. We may not have burned cows but we do know shame.

Your conscience can burn you with a constant smoldering shame. We can try to clean ourselves, but we need something infinitely stronger than soap. God taught the Old Testament saints to do sacrifices as a small scale example of what Christ came to do. We can’t clean ourselves, but Jesus’ blood purifies us so we stand up to serve the living God.

Prayer prompt: Lord, don’t let me hide from my shame or try to clean myself with dead works. Teach me to trust in and really enjoy Your cleansing work for me through Jesus. 

October 10, 2025

Exodus 20:20

20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.”

Home Depot will let you rent really nice chainsaws, and I love chainsaws. I also love having functional limbs. If having a healthy fear of chainsaws can keep me from lopping off my limbs, I need to make sure I maintain a healthy fear of chainsaws. Sin is infinitely more dangerous than any yard equipment, but do you fear it?

In Exodus 20, the people feared the presence of God, and Moses said that was a good thing. Yes, God wants us to draw near to Him, that’s the whole point of Jesus’ ministry and death, not to mention the Exodus from Egypt. But we can’t draw near to the Holy if we’d rather keep our sin. Having a healthy fear of God can be the best way to stay well away from sin and actually draw near. Do you fear God enough to walk away from sin?

Prayer prompt: Lord, help me commit to obedience because I trust Your love for me.

October 9, 2025

Revelation 4:11

11  “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Americans know “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” That’s a fancy way of saying something I was pretty sure about anyway: Tom Hanks is not better than me. He could be better at certain things than me, like making movies or being iconic, but no matter how much more beloved or respected he is, we are still just parts of creation. Not God though. God is the Creator.

Humility can make you sing. The song in Revelation 4:11 makes it really clear that God gets the glory, honor, and power because He is the Creator. Do you bow the knee to God as the creator or fear people who are also part of the creation? Let your heart join the song to the one who made you.

Prayer prompt: I sing to you Father because You are always greater, more powerful, more honored, more glorious than all creation, including me. 

October 8, 2025

Philippians 1:15, 17

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. … 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

Do you want classmates, coworkers, siblings, or friends to do better than you? That’s usually an easy yes on the outside but more complicated on the inside. Saying “Congratulations!” is easier than actually feeling happy for someone else. To understand that conflict, you have to think about your motives. Do you work for the glory of your name or for the wellbeing of someone else?

Paul felt joy that people were hearing about Jesus even if it meant his imprisonment got harder. He cared more about their salvation than his comfort. He learned that from Jesus who cared more about our salvation than His life. Don’t be like those envious evangelists. What can you do for someone else’s good today instead of your own glory?

Prayer prompt: Lord, help me desire someone else’s joy even if it costs me my own ambitions.

October 7, 2025

Revelation 1:16-17

16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,

“Fear not” is an interesting command. Fear isn’t an action like murder or adultery, but a reaction like flinching. The person who makes the command has to have a combination of strength and love. We can only obey if the one making the command is strong enough to be in control and yet kind enough to trust.

I’m sure it took a minute for John to obey. He had just seen Jesus in His fierce glory, glowing like the sun. That Jesus, who has all strength to handle any situation, laid His world-shaping right hand on John and said, “Fear not”. We have seen His power, now we see His care. We need never fear again.

Prayer Prompt: Lord, please forgive us for thinking You too small or too uncaring to help in our time of need.

October 6, 2025

Revelation 1:12-13

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.

Revelation can be a weird place for Christians because we don’t know the Old Testament well enough. The pictures John saw all had references in the writings of people like Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Moses. The verses above show us a somewhat wild picture of Jesus. What are we supposed to see?

In Revelation, John was writing to real churches. In his vision, he saw each church as a lampstand. Lampstands are supposed to be on fire, but these churches were also under fire. They were being killed and harassed and exiled. With these visions, the churches saw Jesus with all the power needed to make His people (even us!) bright in a dark, dark world.

Prayer Prompt: Lord, please lift our eyes to You as You encourage us, correct us, command us, and warn us so we can be Your Light to a world that needs You.

October 4, 2025

Psalm 84:3

3  Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.

Ever feel like you don’t belong, like you got in by mistake? I’m sure medical students dream of being called Dr., but I bet they also feel a little scared to answer life-or-death questions. I know people dream of having children, but most parents are sure they don’t know what they’re doing. Imposter syndrome can hurt the Christian too. How can we say we, with all our sin, are God’s children?

The verse above describes the heart of God as the perfect host. Even the little swallow or sparrow has a special designated place for even the delicate task of raising young. Though God is so high above us, He is able to make you really ready to be with Him forever. Prayer Prompt: Lord, my soul longs to be with You forever.

Prayer Prompt: Please preach the gospel to me so I will desire You and trust Your ability to declare me clean!

October 3, 2025

Psalm 92:1-2

1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,

Some say the secular person is embracing the reality of a world without God while the Christian escapes to our fantasy of something more. Are we like dads binging the NFL or teens with PS5s or moms with … chores? Or is there a deeper rest and worship involved?

The subtitle for Psalm 92 says it is a Song for the Sabbath. It models how we are to rest by enjoying God’s steadfast love and the works of His hands. The Psalmist wants God’s people to rest in a deeper reality than the one we see everyday. We don’t escape when we praise God, we remember what is more true than the violence, waywardness, and injustice of our world. Make sure to rest in the Lord today.

Prayer Prompt: Lord, Your steadfast love means I can slow down for a day and trust that You are in control.

October 2, 2025

Luke 19:5

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”

How do we know we’re okay? In this story, Jesus felt the press of a huge crowd in Jericho while an immoral, hated, and rather short tax collector climbed a tree to try to see him. When Jesus called to him, the ridiculous sinner felt not only the joy of seeing Jesus, but the much greater joy of acceptance. Zacchaeus knew he was okay.

Not long after, Jesus was taken by the crowd and nailed to a tree. Jesus, who alone among men could stand without sin before God's presence died as a cursed man. Why? He switched places with Zacchaeus. Jesus went from the center of everything to the tree so Zacchaeus, and you, could be forgiven and accepted and brought into the presence of God. Don’t answer your soul’s nagging question with anything less than the smile of Jesus telling you to come down and eat with Him.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please help me to accept and enjoy Your loving invitation.

October 1, 2025

1 Corinthians 12:11

11 All these [gifts] are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

My lovely wife’s brain is as different from mine as possible. We agree on everything that matters, the Lord, parenting, Utah, but when it gets down to how our brains actually work, we never approach anything the same way. She likes details, repetition, and knocking out tasks. I like thinking about why, trying something new, and letting my mind wander. You’d think that may make us frustrated with each other, but it’s led to a lot of laughs and a much bigger view of the world.

God has made His church with incredible diversity, many more than just the two notes in my marriage. Like keys on a piano, the different tones harmonize beautifully when played together. God weaves melodies and rhythm together through the Church to teach the world His song. We should joyfully embrace the humility required to enjoy His Church.

Prayer Prompt: Lord please teach me to value the people who frustrate me with their different ways of seeing the world and doing Your mission.

September 30, 2025

2 Corinthians 4:7-8

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

The world today is overwhelmingly perplexing. The speed of technological development changes the way we interact constantly and deeply. The speed of social change creates wild new questions for ethical considerations about categories as obvious and settled as mountains to previous generations. Add to that the everyday questions about speaking with love and wisdom to coworkers or spouses and you’ve got a very perplexing world.

We don’t despair when our knowledge is so small because the Lord planned to use our smallness to show His bigness. He can change a culture even with such limited servants. Take your big questions to the Lord and gain confidence in His good plan.

Prayer Prompt: Today, I don’t know what to do about this situation (trade the word “this” for a perplexing situation in your life.) Lord, please teach me to trust in You so that You increase and I decrease!