Promise for Today - Where Are You?

The Lord is nearer to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

What if you’re exactly where you need to be?

In 2026, it feels like we’re constantly being told what will make us happy. A bigger house. A nicer car. A better job. More influence. More success. That promotion. That relationship. Better neighbors. While there’s pressure from all sides, the message is always the same: “The grass is always greener...”

Monday night, a storm rolled through our house, and it hit our little garden pretty hard. Especially our jalapeños. (My favorite thing we grow.)  The wind snapped branches, flattened the plants, and, sadly, we had to remove a large section. Months of growth…Gone in one night. 
Disappointing.

It wasn’t all bad. In the next bed over, we had recently planted green beans. They hadn’t even broken through the soil yet. While the jalapeños were taking the full force of the storm, the beans rested safely beneath the surface—hidden, protected and completely out of harm's way from the wind.

As I stood there looking at both beds, I couldn’t help but wonder…

What if we spent less time wishing we were somewhere else and more time trusting God with where we are? Content.

 
Sometimes life feels like the jalapeños. The winds come. Things break. Dreams fall apart. We feel crushed by life: Devastated. When that happens, I cling to these words:
"The Lord is nearer to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
(Psalm 34:18)

The reality?
God draws nearer to us in our brokenness. Regardless of how we feel, He’s not absent in the storm. He’s especially present there.

But, man, there are other times that life feels more like the green beans. Hidden. Unseen. Waiting. Expecting. Wondering when it’s finally going to be our turn. Questions like: “Does God care about me!?” “Does God see me!?”

Maybe—just maybe—that hidden season isn’t God holding us back.
Maybe it’s His loving kindness.
Maybe He knows we’re still developing roots.
Maybe He’s protecting us from pressures we’re not ready to carry yet.

Praise God in the moments I so desperately wanted to get out of the developing season, He was kind enough to say “not yet.”

The truth is, neither season is wasted. Both are good. And maybe you’re exactly where you need to be.

 
Whether you’re weathering the storm or waiting beneath the surface — God is still at work in you. Not every season looks like it’s producing fruit. But what if the fruit it’s producing is not seen, but felt?
Like: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Written by Christopher Glotzbach, Muncie, Indiana

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,
                          Whether I’m waiting for breakthrough, enjoying seasons of peace, standing in the middle of a storm, or picking up the pieces afterward, help me remain in You. Teach me to be content where You’ve planted me. Exactly where I am. Exactly how I am. Knowing I won’t be here forever.
Increase my trust that Your timing is better than mine. Keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, because You are worthy of it all. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Compassion: Anything It Takes

I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

John 10:10-11 (GW)

What's in our hearts often determines what we feel when we look at people. When we see a crowd, we can easily get irritated or impatient. But when Jesus saw a crowd, “he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36 ESV).

That's the same way God looks at you: with compassion. Remember: He doesn’t put you down. He lifts you up! No matter how angry, hurt, or betrayed you feel, Jesus will always respond with compassion. He knows how helpless we are without him, “like sheep without a shepherd.”

Without a shepherd, sheep are defenseless. They don't have any claws, they don't run fast, and their teeth are not very sharp. They need the protection of a shepherd.

Throughout the Bible, sheep are a symbol of God's people. John 10:10-11 says, “I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep” (GW).

That kind of compassion comes only from Jesus, our Good Shepherd. And it’s different from sympathy and empathy.

Sympathy says, “I'm sorry you're hurt,” and it stops there. Empathy is a deeper commitment that says, “I hurt with you." But compassion says, “I will do anything it takes to stop your hurt."

And that is, in essence, what Jesus did through his life, death, and resurrection. He did anything it took to stop your hurt, even if it meant dying on the cross, even if it meant having nails pounded through his hands and feet. Compassion does whatever it takes.

Jesus said the reason he came was “not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NLT). Notice the two words “serve” and “give.” They define what it means to follow Jesus.

Do you look at people who are hurting and helpless the way Jesus does? Are you full of love and compassion, willing to do whatever you can to stop their pain?

The Bible repeatedly tells us that when Jesus looked at people in pain, he was moved with compassion. God wants you to be like him, which means looking at others the same way.

Talk It Over

Describe a time you were moved with compassion for someone. How did your response reflect your compassion?

Do you struggle seeing God as compassionate? Why or why not?

In what areas of your life do you think God wants to build more compassion for others?

- by Pastor Rick

*******************************

Prayer:

Father, 

          Open our hearts to see others with kindness, to listen without judgment, and to give without expecting. Let our words bring comfort and our actions reflect Your love. In Jesus' Name we pray.
Amen.

Promise for Today - Guide, Guard, Save

When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice.
John 10:4 (CEV)

God guides you. 

When you get confused or wander away, Jesus will find you and bring you back. Much like sheep, we tend to wander—and we get lost. So God sent Jesus on a search and rescue mission to save us, “to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10 NLT).

Why? Because every single one of us matters to him.

When God brings you back from wandering away from him, he will not punish you, but he may discipline you. Like a shepherd who wraps the legs of a sheep that is prone to wander, God may give you a “limp” to keep you from wandering.

God guards you. 

If you fail or fall, Jesus rescues you and sets you on the road to recovery. We not only wander, but, just like sheep, we also stumble and fall. The good news is that you can run to Jesus every time you mess up and expect him to rescue and restore you.

Jesus said, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep!” (Matthew 12:11-12 NIV). If it’s common sense to rescue an animal that stumbles, won’t God act the same way toward you when you stumble?

God saves you. 

If you trust him to save you, Jesus will keep his promise to do just that. It’s not your job to save yourself. Your job is simply to put your hand in God’s and say, “I’m all yours—the good, the bad, and the ugly.” God loves you too much to ever let you go. Jesus said it like this: “My Father gave my sheep to me. He is greater than all, and no person can steal my sheep out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:29 NCV).

When you trust in Jesus as your Savior, you’re no longer on your own. When you feel lost, confused, or like you’ve fallen into a pit, you can trust that the Good Shepherd is always there for you. He will guide you, guard you, and save you.

Talk It Over

Have you experienced God’s discipline to keep you from wandering away from him again? How would you describe his discipline?

When did God rescue you from a bad situation? In what ways did your faith change through that experience?

What does God’s promise to always come after you when you surrender to him tell you about his character?

-by Pastor Rick

*********************************

Prayer:

Father,

           Guide our steps with Your wisdom and guard our hearts with Your peace. Keep us safe in Your care and lead us where we should go. Help us to always follow Your voice. In Jesus'' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Direct and Protect

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

John 10:10-11 (NLT)

Sheep are essentially defenseless animals, so a shepherd carries a few tools to care for and protect his sheep. He has a rod for guarding and protecting, and he uses a staff with a little crook in it to rescue the sheep.

We are like lost sheep in need of protection and direction, so Jesus came to earth to be our Good Shepherd. He said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:10-11 NLT).

Just as a shepherd uses the physical tools of the rod and the staff for direction and protection, God wants to direct and protect you. Here are two ways he does that:

If you follow him, Jesus leads you in the right direction.
You need a guide—a shepherd—to go before you in life. You need Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who leads from the front and calls you forward. This is different from a cowboy, who drives cattle from the back. Jesus is not going to push you through life. He gets in front of you and essentially says, “Watch how I do it. Look where I go.”

John 10:4 says, “When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice” (CEV).

If you bring your hurts to him, Jesus is compassionate.
Jesus has compassion on us because he knows that we are helpless without him. Matthew 9:36 says, “When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (NIV). The sense in the original Greek text is that Jesus hurt deeply for the people in the crowd and wanted to help them.

In the same way, when you bring your pain to Jesus, he doesn’t put you down; he lifts you up. He doesn’t hassle you; he heals you. Because of God’s goodness, Jesus directs and protects you. Jesus is our Good Shepherd, who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 ESV).

Talk It Over

When have you sensed God going in front of you to lead you? In what ways did that experience grow your faith?

How have you seen Jesus’ compassion bring healing in your own life or someone else’s?

In what direction is Jesus leading you right now? In your work? Your family? Your community? Your church? Your relationships?

- by Pastor Rick

*****************************************

Prayer:

Father,

          We come before You with open hearts. Guide our steps so they align with Your will, and light the path when the way ahead feels uncertain. Grant us wisdom to make choices that honor You, and courage to walk in faith even when we cannot see the whole road. Cover us with Your protection - shield us from harm, guard our minds from fear, and keep our spirits anchored in Your peace.
          Surround our loved ones with Your care, and let Your presence be the constant compass that leads us safely through each day. We trust that You go before us, and walk beside us. Watch over us always. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Fear Not

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

Psalm 23:4 (NLT)

What are you worried about today? The economy? Your health? Your bills? Your kids? Are you worried about the future? The fact is there are a lot of reasons to be afraid in today’s world. More than ever, we feel the stress of even everyday tasks that seem infinitely more difficult because of the state of the world. Life is just hard.

But God promises that, even in your darkest valleys, he is walking beside you.

It’s interesting to note that there are 365 verses in the Bible that say, “Fear not.” God provided us with one “Fear not” message for every day of the year! He wants us to hear the message: Don’t be afraid!

Why does God have to repeat himself so often when it comes to our worries and fears? It’s because our hurts and hang-ups can often cause us to think that God is out to get us, that all he wants to do is condemn us and punish us. But that simply isn’t true. Jesus is the proof of that.

When you understand God’s grace and mercy, then you have no need to fear the future. God isn’t trying to get even with you. Jesus has taken the penalty for everything you’ve ever done wrong or will do wrong. He paid for it on the cross. So, when a bad thing happens, you don’t have to think, “God’s getting even with me.” Instead, remember and pray this verse:“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 NLT).

But you can’t just say this Scripture and then expect all your fears to go away once and for all. These are verses you will have to pray over and over again as your human nature slips back into worry. But keep praying. Keep reminding yourself of God’s promises.

They never fail!

Talk It Over

What promises from God’s Word can you claim when you’re tempted to worry about something in your life?

In what ways does God protect you?

Why should understanding Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross keep you from fearing the future?

- by Pastor Rick

*************************************

Prayer:

Father, 

          When our hearts are overwhelmed, overwhelm us with Your peace. Lead us to You, our Rock. Guide us to Your word, which gives us strength and refuge. Help us not to run from our pain but to trust fully in Your goodness and power to carry us through. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

Promise for Today - A Never-ending Story

We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again . . . we know that God raised the Lord Jesus to life. And just as God raised Jesus, he will also raise us to life. Then he will bring us into his presence together.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 14 (CEV)

When the future is uncertain and there is a lot of fear, it might seem like your story is coming to an end. When life seems uncertain, remember this truth: You can’t lose! You’ll win in the end, no matter what happens. Even when you lose your life, you’re going straight into the presence of God if you believe in Jesus Christ as Savior. 

And when you arrive in heaven, your story is only just beginning.

Have you ever watched a TV show where every single episode ended in a cliffhanger and left you thinking the hero might not survive? Even though it’s just a story, the tension can feel enormous. But when all the episodes from the entire series are available to stream, you don’t feel as much tension because you know the hero survives for another six seasons. When you know the series will continue, then you know each episode is not the end of the story. The hero will make it out of a tight spot and on to the next season.

That’s how your life is. Even when you’re in a difficult circumstance, you know that the tough spot isn’t the end of your story. You can live with hope in the middle of a crisis because you have an eternal perspective.

One day, when you meet Jesus in heaven, all your pain, sickness, sorrow, sadness, stress, and grief will end. Here's what you can look forward to in heaven: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4 NIV).

This life is not the end of the story. We don't know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future.

Talk It Over

In what specific areas of your life do you need to change your focus from fear to hope?

What tools do you have to remind you of the hope of Jesus when you feel discouraged or fearful?

Why is it important for the world to see that Christians have hope and confidence, even in the midst of a crisis?

*******************************  
Are you certain of where you will go when you die?
One day your life on earth will end—but your story won’t end. If Jesus is your Savior, you’ll spend eternity with him in heaven. How can you have confidence that your story will continue after you die?

The Bible says that every one of us sins and that the penalty of sin is death. But God loves you so much that he sent his Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty of your sins, to bring you into the family of God, and to save you from the fear of death.

PRAYER:

If you’re ready to enter God’s family, here’s a prayer you can pray: “Dear God, I know that when I die, I’m going to give an account of my life to you directly. I confess I have ignored you. I know I have sinned against you, and I have lived by my plan, not yours. I want that to change, starting right now. I want to turn away from my sins and toward you.

“Thank you for sending Jesus to die for all I’ve done wrong so that I don’t have to pay the penalty. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know only your grace can save me, Lord.

“Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you took all my guilt on yourself. You made me acceptable for heaven, and I ask you to save me. Please save me from my sins and from my fear of death. I believe in you, Jesus, and your promise to save me instantly and bring me to heaven one day to continue my story with you in eternity. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.”

If you prayed the prayer above, please write and tell me at Rick@PastorRick.com. I’d like to send you some materials as you begin your journey with Jesus.

Promise for Today - Seeing Our Way Out

Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

When a crisis hits, you have to do the smart things necessary to get through it. You listen to God’s Word and godly advice, you make good choices, and you keep moving forward while remembering that this will pass. It’s not going to last forever!

The Living Bible paraphrases 1 Peter 4:12 this way: "Dear friends, don't be bewildered or surprised when you go through the fiery trials ahead, for this is no strange, unusual thing that is going to happen to you" (TLB).

In this world, there will be times of trial and testing. It’s guaranteed! Since sin entered the world, nothing works perfectly. Everything on this planet is broken—the weather, the economy, your body, and even your best plans. Nothing works perfectly in this life because sin broke everything on earth.

The Bible says, “The earth suffers for the sins of its people, for they have twisted God’s instructions, violated his laws, and broken his everlasting covenant . . . The earth has broken up. It has utterly collapsed" (Isaiah 24:5, 19 NLT).

On earth, everything is lost, abandoned, and confused. Even nature is groaning. We may wonder why God allowed sin and evil to enter the world; it’s because God wanted us to have a choice. And we're the ones who have chosen to cause evil. We're the ones who are selfish and self-centered, causing problems in society and in our environment.

This earth is not heaven. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray the Lord's Prayer—"your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10 NIV). Heaven is a perfect place with no sorrow, sickness, sadness, or stress, but we shouldn't expect heaven on earth. One day we'll get there, but we're not there yet.

You will get through whatever trial you’re facing right now. Soon enough you will marvel at all that God did in the midst of your trouble as you look at it from the other side.

There will be more challenges to face and adversity to endure. But you can always hope in this truth: "Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NIV).

Talk It Over

What are some ways you hope to grow spiritually, physically, and emotionally through a current time of trial?

God does not cause bad things to happen, but he can work to redeem those bad things. How have you seen him redeem adversity in your life or in someone else’s life?

What do you place your hope in during a crisis? Is it enough to sustain you?

- by Pastor Rick
***************************

Prayer:

Father, 

        We come before You with humble hearts, seeking solace and strength in the midst of crisis. In times of hardship, when the storms of life threaten to overwhelm us, we turn to You, the source of all comfort and grace.

In the depths of our struggles, we find refuge in Your boundless love. As we navigate the turbulent waters of uncertainty, we lean on the pillars of faith You have provided. Grant us the wisdom to recognize the lessons hidden within the challenges we face and the courage to embrace growth in adversity.

We lift up those directly impacted by crisis—whether through illness, loss, or unforeseen challenges—and surround them with Your healing light, O God. May Your comforting embrace be felt in the darkest moments, offering reassurance that even in the midst of pain, Your love prevails. Grant resilience to those at the epicenter of chaos, infusing their spirits with unwavering strength so they may stand firm against the winds of despair. May they emerge from the tempest with newfound courage, resilient like the mighty oak that withstands the fiercest storms.

In our collective efforts to manage a crisis, instill in us a spirit of unity and collaboration. Let compassion be the guiding force, inspiring acts of kindness that ripple through the tapestry of human existence. Guide the hands of those in positions of leadership so that they may navigate these challenges with wisdom, empathy, and a commitment to the greater good. Illuminate their minds to make decisions rooted in justice, equity, and compassion.

In our moments of despair, help us find solace in the power of community and connection. Let us be reminded that we are not alone in our struggles, for You have blessed us with the gift of one another. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen