Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Forgiveness. It ain't easy. Whether real or perceived, offenses happen. What we do with them determines how we live from that moment on... unless we choose - yes, choose! - to forgive. Unforgiveness casts a shadow and colors everything we do. Matthew 6:14 NLT tells us, "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you." That sounds easy. However, verse 15 explains, "But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." We tend to want to hold on to the offenses so we can still be angry. The Word tells us that he who angers you controls you. We cannot walk in freedom unless we choose to forgive. It ain't easy. It takes a lot of practice.
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to grouse, gripe and grumble? Carp, complain and criticize? Sometimes it's so stinking easy that you catch yourself in the middle of doing it before you even realize you started. I hate it when that happens. Wouldn't it be just as easy to look for the good in something rather than the bad? Wouldn't it be just as easy to smile as smirk? Wouldn't it be easier to love our neighbors as ourselves if we looked for their gifts rather than focusing on their guilt? If we made a practice of giving instead of goading? Oh, I know, I know... that's HARD! It doesn't happen easily unless we practice...
We practice a lot of things in an effort to improve how we look and how we are perceived by those around us. Many people are motivated by not wanting to be judged. These thoughts determine even what we wear. God's Word gives us great instruction for what to wear. Colossians 3:12-14 The Message, "So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it."
Wear love. There cannot be love without forgiveness. It ain't easy, but through Christ, all things are possible.
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word, Since we have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, help us to throw off our old, sinful nature and our former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes. Help us to put on our new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. And to walk in forgiveness. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Promise for Today - Cutting Covenant
Then the Lord told him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession.”
But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?”
The Lord told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half.
After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River..."
Genesis 15:7-10, 17-18 NLT
"So the Lord made a covenant with Abram..." The phrase "to cut a covenant" comes from this practice, where BOTH parties would walk between the divided parts, invoking a curse upon themselves if they failed. This was covenant sealed with the shedding of blood.
The ritual of cutting an animal in two and walking between the severed pieces communicated that a person was pledging their very life to fulfill their promise. Astonishingly, none other than God, in the form of a burning torch, walked the path between the severed pieces. God had made a promise to Abram, and now, with this ritual, He was telling the terrified man, "I pledge My own life for the keeping of My promise. I am willing to suffer and die in order to follow through with My love for you and all the peoples of the earth. I am a God who keeps a covenant at any and all cost to Myself." (Excerpts from Strong's Concordance)
Throughout history, mankind has failed and continues to fail in the promises we make to God. This extraordinary act of inexpressible love and care - God's unique passage as a smoking oven and flaming torch in Genesis 15 - showed He took the curse upon Himself, guaranteeing His unbreakable promise.
But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?”
The Lord told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half.
After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River..."
Genesis 15:7-10, 17-18 NLT
"So the Lord made a covenant with Abram..." The phrase "to cut a covenant" comes from this practice, where BOTH parties would walk between the divided parts, invoking a curse upon themselves if they failed. This was covenant sealed with the shedding of blood.
The ritual of cutting an animal in two and walking between the severed pieces communicated that a person was pledging their very life to fulfill their promise. Astonishingly, none other than God, in the form of a burning torch, walked the path between the severed pieces. God had made a promise to Abram, and now, with this ritual, He was telling the terrified man, "I pledge My own life for the keeping of My promise. I am willing to suffer and die in order to follow through with My love for you and all the peoples of the earth. I am a God who keeps a covenant at any and all cost to Myself." (Excerpts from Strong's Concordance)
Throughout history, mankind has failed and continues to fail in the promises we make to God. This extraordinary act of inexpressible love and care - God's unique passage as a smoking oven and flaming torch in Genesis 15 - showed He took the curse upon Himself, guaranteeing His unbreakable promise.
The ritual foreshadowed the Cross, where God's promise was sealed by Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, who took the penalty for us because of our inability to keep our part of the covenant. Mark 14:24 NKJV, And He [Jesus] said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many." He fulfilled it and sealed it for all eternity in the Crucifixion; Jesus' body broken and spilled out for us.
Prayer:
Father,
We pray as Paul prayed. For this reason we bow our knees to You, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that You would grant us, according to the riches of Your glory, to be strengthened with might through Your Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to You who can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to You be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Now to You who can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to You be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Monday, January 5, 2026
Promise for Today - Salt and Light
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
Matthew 5:13 ESV
What does it mean to be "salt of the earth" in today's world? These are people who are honest and reliable, humble and genuine, hardworking and trustworthy. The kind of people you're glad to know. Oftentimes, someone who mentors others just by the way they live their day-to-day lives. That's who we're supposed to be. Jesus said so.
In biblical times, salt was used to preserve food and also to add flavor to it. Translated, that would mean that followers of Christ are meant to slow down moral and spiritual decay in society. The example we set as Christians adds richness and goodness to life, making things better.
But what happens if the salt has lost its taste? (In other words, what if there are lies and dishonesty? Betrayal? Moral failure?)
As Christ followers, verse 14 tells us we are the light of the world. A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Light to shine for all to see. In the same mode as salt of the earth. Verse 16 instructs us that "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
We are called to be salt and light, to be ambassadors above reproach to lead others to Christ.
Prayer:
Father,
Help us to clearly understand Your directives for our lives so we may be a light that shines to show others the path to You. Keep us ever mindful of the responsibility to bring honor and glory to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Matthew 5:13 ESV
What does it mean to be "salt of the earth" in today's world? These are people who are honest and reliable, humble and genuine, hardworking and trustworthy. The kind of people you're glad to know. Oftentimes, someone who mentors others just by the way they live their day-to-day lives. That's who we're supposed to be. Jesus said so.
In biblical times, salt was used to preserve food and also to add flavor to it. Translated, that would mean that followers of Christ are meant to slow down moral and spiritual decay in society. The example we set as Christians adds richness and goodness to life, making things better.
But what happens if the salt has lost its taste? (In other words, what if there are lies and dishonesty? Betrayal? Moral failure?)
As Christ followers, verse 14 tells us we are the light of the world. A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Light to shine for all to see. In the same mode as salt of the earth. Verse 16 instructs us that "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
We are called to be salt and light, to be ambassadors above reproach to lead others to Christ.
Prayer:
Father,
Help us to clearly understand Your directives for our lives so we may be a light that shines to show others the path to You. Keep us ever mindful of the responsibility to bring honor and glory to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Promise for Today - Almost
After 150 days, exactly five months from the time the flood began, the boat came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Two and a half months later, as the waters continued to go down, other mountain peaks became visible.
After another forty days, Noah opened the window he had made in the boat and released a raven. The bird flew back and forth until the floodwaters on the earth had dried up. He also released a dove to see if the water had receded and it could find dry ground. But the dove could find no place to land because the water still covered the ground. So it returned to the boat, and Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back inside. After waiting another seven days, Noah released the dove again. This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone. He waited another seven days and then released the dove again. This time it did not come back.
Noah was now 601 years old. On the first day of the new year, ten and a half months after the flood began, the floodwaters had almost dried up from the earth. Noah lifted back the covering of the boat and saw that the surface of the ground was drying. Two more months went by, and at last the earth was dry! Then God said to Noah, “Leave the boat..."
After another forty days, Noah opened the window he had made in the boat and released a raven. The bird flew back and forth until the floodwaters on the earth had dried up. He also released a dove to see if the water had receded and it could find dry ground. But the dove could find no place to land because the water still covered the ground. So it returned to the boat, and Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back inside. After waiting another seven days, Noah released the dove again. This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone. He waited another seven days and then released the dove again. This time it did not come back.
Noah was now 601 years old. On the first day of the new year, ten and a half months after the flood began, the floodwaters had almost dried up from the earth. Noah lifted back the covering of the boat and saw that the surface of the ground was drying. Two more months went by, and at last the earth was dry! Then God said to Noah, “Leave the boat..."
Genesis 8:3b - 16a NLT
Nearly. Just about. Approximately. Close to. All but. Not quite. Almost - conveying the meaning of being very near to a state of completion, but without fully reaching it. We think only of it raining for 40 days and 40 nights, just shy of 6 weeks, completely overlooking the timeline of the ark adventure. In reality, it stretched out over a year, floating in a vessel that included pairs of every kind of animal and bird known to mankind. Cargo that had to be fed and cared for by the 8 passengers onboard. AND there's nothing in Scripture that says God caused all the animals to be unable to make a sound. So, I think it's safe to say it was not your normal cruise line...
Five months later, the ark landed on the mountains of Ararat. The earth was still flooded. There was no getting off. So, they were there for another two and a half months before they saw other mountain peaks. Another almost 6 weeks before Noah initiated the first fly-by.
Three weeks later, and it was New Year's Day. Just think about how many people you know who were SO ready to begin a new year just a few days ago. They would want off that boat... but not yet, because the floodwaters had not dried up. Almost, but not quite. Two more months of watching the ground dry.
How many times do we find ourselves in situations where God has led us to fulfill His purpose and plan for us, but we're 6 weeks in, and we're done with the waiting? Or arrive in 5 months and have to wait for 2½ more months before we see any indication that we're moving forward? Would we jump off in the mud, or would we wait obediently for God's direction to leave the boat?
We're ALMOST there. Wait just a little longer...
Prayer:
Father,
We thank You for having the Master Plan. We confess we do not always understand, but this we know. You are God. You are faithful and trustworthy, All-Powerful, and All-Knowing. Impart Your wisdom and understanding to us. Give us Your Strength to see this through to the end of the age. We give You all praise and glory in Jesus' Name. Amen
Saturday, January 3, 2026
Promise for Today - He Answered
But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
Psalm 3:3-4 ESV
King David was on the run to hide from his son, Absalom. And in verses 1 and 2, his focus is on how many are his foes and their taunts, declaring that his God will never help him. Then there's a shift. David's spirit rises up within him, and he remembers who and what God is. No matter how many enemies! No matter the situation! No matter how overwhelming the circumstances seem!
It's so hard when we find ourselves in situations that are overwhelming, when the enemy of our souls reminds us of our past sins and mistakes, and keeps piling on the guilt and shame. satan wants us to think that no one can see or hear the trouble we're in. There's no help for us. We'll have to go it alone. LIES!! That's why it's SO important to read and know God's Word so we can know God and all that He is to us, for us, and in us.
"But You, O Lord, are a Shield about me, my Glory, and the Lifter of my head." Protection and salvation from the enemy, lifting our heads above what's trying to drown us. Lifting up our heads so we can see His glory and call out to Him for help.
I know it can be hard to ask for help. Not everyone hears the cry. And some who hear don't or won't answer. But our Promise for Today? "I cried aloud to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy hill."
Yes! The Lord hears and answers. Selah (pause and think about that!)
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for Your written Word - the perfect reference manual to learn about You and to know who You are and who You want to be in our lives. Give us a clear understanding of it and write it on our hearts, Father, lest we forget. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Psalm 3:3-4 ESV
King David was on the run to hide from his son, Absalom. And in verses 1 and 2, his focus is on how many are his foes and their taunts, declaring that his God will never help him. Then there's a shift. David's spirit rises up within him, and he remembers who and what God is. No matter how many enemies! No matter the situation! No matter how overwhelming the circumstances seem!
It's so hard when we find ourselves in situations that are overwhelming, when the enemy of our souls reminds us of our past sins and mistakes, and keeps piling on the guilt and shame. satan wants us to think that no one can see or hear the trouble we're in. There's no help for us. We'll have to go it alone. LIES!! That's why it's SO important to read and know God's Word so we can know God and all that He is to us, for us, and in us.
"But You, O Lord, are a Shield about me, my Glory, and the Lifter of my head." Protection and salvation from the enemy, lifting our heads above what's trying to drown us. Lifting up our heads so we can see His glory and call out to Him for help.
I know it can be hard to ask for help. Not everyone hears the cry. And some who hear don't or won't answer. But our Promise for Today? "I cried aloud to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy hill."
Yes! The Lord hears and answers. Selah (pause and think about that!)
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for Your written Word - the perfect reference manual to learn about You and to know who You are and who You want to be in our lives. Give us a clear understanding of it and write it on our hearts, Father, lest we forget. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Friday, January 2, 2026
Promise for Today - Refreshed
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25 NLT
Even though we have more ways to communicate than any other generation before us, isolation has disrupted our lives in ways we never imagined could happen in the 21st century. French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote, "All of humanity’s problems stem from the man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone." I don't know about all of humanity's problems, but I do know that the quarantine and social distancing took a toll on people's relationships.
While the world is calling for people to be kind and to check in with and care for those within their sphere of influence, as Christians, we should be leading the charge. We are called to love as Christ loved and gave Himself for others. Are we doing that? Unfortunately, I have heard many say they themselves are weary of everything and haven't the energy to give to others.
So, have we let our relationship with the Lord languish, too? If we're not spending time with Him, in His Word, we won't be filled with anything worth giving to others. To that, I have to say, get plugged in again. January is a great time to start with a new Bible reading plan. Acts 3:19 tells us times of refreshing come from being in the presence of the Lord.
Proverbs 11:25 NLT
Even though we have more ways to communicate than any other generation before us, isolation has disrupted our lives in ways we never imagined could happen in the 21st century. French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote, "All of humanity’s problems stem from the man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone." I don't know about all of humanity's problems, but I do know that the quarantine and social distancing took a toll on people's relationships.
While the world is calling for people to be kind and to check in with and care for those within their sphere of influence, as Christians, we should be leading the charge. We are called to love as Christ loved and gave Himself for others. Are we doing that? Unfortunately, I have heard many say they themselves are weary of everything and haven't the energy to give to others.
So, have we let our relationship with the Lord languish, too? If we're not spending time with Him, in His Word, we won't be filled with anything worth giving to others. To that, I have to say, get plugged in again. January is a great time to start with a new Bible reading plan. Acts 3:19 tells us times of refreshing come from being in the presence of the Lord.
I think I would have to amend Monsieur Pascal's statement to read, "All of humanity’s problems stem from the man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone WITH GOD." The world needs to be refreshed. Let's get to it.
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word in Acts 3:18, we repent and turn back to You so that our sins will be removed, and so that times of refreshing will stream from Your presence. Open our eyes to see those around us who are in need of being refreshed. Give us divine appointments, we pray. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Prayer:
Father,
According to Your Word in Acts 3:18, we repent and turn back to You so that our sins will be removed, and so that times of refreshing will stream from Your presence. Open our eyes to see those around us who are in need of being refreshed. Give us divine appointments, we pray. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Thursday, January 1, 2026
The Annual New Year Promise for Today
NOTE: The Promise for Today has been offline for the month of December because I had surgery on December 1st. I'm recovering nicely and looking forward to sharing with you again.
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...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...Joshua 24:15b NKJV
New Year's Day marks the anniversary of the first Promise for Today that I sent to a handful of friends and family members in 1996. When I first started sending out the Promise, I used other people's devotions from books I had. Sometimes, I would elaborate and add my own comments. Those of you who know me know that written words are my passion... but I started with the works of others.
Eleven years later, my beloved former pastor, Doc (Dr. Howard O. Jameson) challenged me to step up, to make it personal and write from my heart about how God's Word affects me, rather than from someone else's heart and perspective. It has been the most challenged commitment of my life.
The Promise started with the following excerpt from Max Lucado's book, "When God Whispers Your Name". Every year, I send it out as the first Promise of the New Year to remind us of our choices.
Max Lucado writes:
It's quiet. It's early. The coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming. In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I am free to choose. And so I choose.
I Choose Love ... No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I Choose Joy ... I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical ... the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I Choose Peace ... I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
I Choose Patience ... I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I Choose Kindness ... I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I Choose Goodness ... I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I Choose Faithfulness ... Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.
I Choose Gentleness ... Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I Choose Self-Control ... I am a spiritual being ... After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
Prayer:
Father,
We choose You. Thank You for the power of Your Word to change our lives and our choices for how we live the life You have given us. In this New Year, please give us the courage to walk in the conviction of Your Word. Father, we ask that You guide us in EACH step of life. I pray Your provision and protection over those You have allowed me to touch with Your Word. Let us be ever mindful of You, Lord, the Author and Finisher of our faith. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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