Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Epizode

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  Joseph Scriven: What a Friend 19.08.2026 4min

  READ: PROVERBS 18:24; JOHN 15:9-17 Sometimes, when we walk through dark valleys, we can more fully grasp just how faithful a friend the Son of God is to frail humanity. Joseph Scriven left his mark on the church after tragedy had left its mark on his life. Born in Ireland in 1819, Joseph loved the Lord and was full of aspiration. He was engaged to a young lady he’d grown up with, and soon their long-awaited wedding ceremony was only a day away. But their dreams together were suddenly dashed when his fiancée was thrown from her horse and drowned in the River Bann. Overcome with sorrow, Joseph became a wanderer, eventually making his home in Canada. He quickly became a well-respected tutor and unexpectedly fell in love again around age twenty-five. But tragedy struck again, and pneumonia stole his fiancée from him shortly before their wedding. Utterly broken-hearted, Joseph sold everything and dedicated his life to helping the financially destitute and physically disabled. Later in life, a friend visited Joseph during a short illness and discovered a poem lying on the nightstand. Joseph admitted to being the author, having written the poem for his lonely mother in the hope of providing her some spiritual comfort. This poem has since become the well-beloved hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” It goes like this: “What a friend we have in Jesus / all our sins and griefs to bear! / What a privilege to carry / everything to God in prayer! / O what peace we often forfeit, / O what needless pain we bear, / all because we do not carry / everything to God in prayer!” The many tragic sorrows Joseph Scriven experienced in his life seemed to drive him closer to his dearest friend, the Lord Jesus. May we too draw nearer to our friend Jesus during our trials and temptations, seeking His peace during our pain. • Jaela Deming • Jesus cares about our pain, and He faced the deep pain of the cross to make the way for us to be with Him forever. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know He is always so very near to us. And He promises that when He returns, all our pain will be over. Can you think of a time you experienced the closeness, comfort, and peace of Jesus in the midst of a painful situation? • Consider taking a moment to look up all the lyrics to “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” or find a recording of the song. Which lines stick out to you today? One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 (NIV) 
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  God Is with You When You Fear 18.08.2026 3min

  READ: PSALM 94:16-19; MATTHEW 11:28-30; ROMANS 8:38-39; 1 PETER 5:7 What makes you worry? Some people fear being in crowds—afraid that something bad will happen to them when they’re in a large group of people. It’s understandable. A lot of horrible things happen in our broken world. But is there a peace we can find even when we’re in situations that make us nervous? Other people have faced health scares in their families. They’ve seen how bad things can get, so now they worry about every little sickness. It’s understandable for them to be nervous about health stuff because they’ve dealt with such serious issues in their lives before. What peace can we rest in— no matter what happens health-wise? This world is a scary place because it’s been broken by sin and its effects. In our lives, so many things can cause our hearts to beat fast. So what hope can we cling to? Because Jesus has come to save us, we can know that God is right here with us. When we’re worried, God invites us to tell Him our concerns. When we’re on edge, God stands with us. No matter what happens—good or bad—we have Jesus with us. We are never alone. • Emily Acker • We all feel worried or anxious from time to time, but God has so much compassion on us, and He wants to help us. Consider taking a moment to talk to God about any worries on your mind. • How could it be comforting to know that—because Jesus died and rose again for us—we can rely on His promises: to one day get rid of everything that is worrisome, and to be with us every day until then? (Matthew 28:20; Revelation 21:1-5) • Sometimes we experience thoughts and feelings that are too much for us to handle on our own, even by praying and reading the Bible. Thankfully, one of the ways God wants to help us is through other people, such as friends, parents, pastors, and medical and mental health professionals. If you find yourself feeling afraid, stressed, or worried a lot of the time, or if you’re finding it difficult to rest, who is a trusted adult you could talk to? • If you need someone to talk to, you can request a free conversation with Focus on the Family’s Counseling Department by calling 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time). Please be prepared to leave your contact information for a counselor to return a call to you as soon as possible. In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate. [Jesus said,] “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV)  
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  Growing in the Lord 17.08.2026 4min

  READ: GALATIANS 6:1-10; EPHESIANS 4:1-16; HEBREWS 10:23-25 When I was just starting high school, it was tough. I wasn’t getting the grades I wanted to get, there was so much more work than in middle school, and I didn’t fit in very quickly. It was such a hard transition, and I was just so confused. Why is this so much harder? I wondered. And then I started to compare myself to others. Why isn’t it this hard for everyone else? My sister is doing so much better than me, and she seems fine with the workload. So why am I struggling so much? It’s the same way in our walk with Jesus. When we struggle with sin, doubt, or hard passages of the Bible, we sometimes start to compare ourselves to other Christians. We can even start to believe everyone else’s faith is, well, perfect! But that’s not true. We all struggle with following Jesus, and different aspects of our walk with Him may be easier or harder at different times in our lives. The good news is, God calls us to community with other Christians—not comparison. Remember, we all need Jesus. He loves us so much that He died and rose again to save us, and we all need to be reminded of that gospel truth every day. Growing in Him is a process, and it’s a process we do in community as we preach the gospel to ourselves and to each other. Our struggles are easier when we share them with people close to us— whether that be our friends, our parents, our siblings, a pastor, a Bible study group, or someone else. When we share our struggles with other believers, we find that everyone is struggling with something. That honesty allows us to encourage each other as we all grow in the Lord! • Kaelyn Hartman • What’s one area of your faith you’ve been struggling with lately? Who are trusted Christians in your life you can talk to about your struggles—people who will listen with empathy and remind you of Jesus’s love, compassion, forgiveness, and help? (If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to help you identify someone in the future.) • Why is community such an important part of following Jesus? (Hint: reread today’s Bible passages.) But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part. Ephesians 4:15-16 (CSB) 
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  Biblical Errors? 16.08.2026 4min

  READ: PSALM 119:103-105; LUKE 1:1-4; 2 PETER 1:16-21 Have you ever heard someone say that the Bible is full of errors? Biblical teachings can be tough, which is one reason a lot of people believe the Bible isn’t true. While some biblical claims are genuinely difficult to understand, other supposed errors are easily explained. Many of these kinds of objections fall into the pattern I call “The Corroboration Problem.” These arguments often go something like this: “The Bible refers to people/places/events that didn’t exist. If they existed, we’d have some record of it.” But lack of corroborating sources isn’t evidence of an error. Outside of the Bible, we may not find other sources showing that something did exist, but we also can’t say it didn’t. It’s just that biblical texts are the only historical record we have of some people, places, and events. Two points are worth noting here. First, the Bible itself is a record. There are plenty of other things we only know about the ancient world because they’re mentioned in a single, non-biblical text. So, if we’re willing to believe other ancient histories and stories, why not the Bible? Second, it’s possible that other records do exist, but we just haven’t found them yet. For example, some people used to say the Hittites never existed, but then we found their royal archive. Similarly, the book of Luke was criticized for using the title tetrarch, but then other writings were found confirming Luke’s accuracy. Another variation of “The Corroboration Problem” goes, “The Bible refers to a person/place/event by a name that wasn’t used until many years later.” But consider a similar scenario: If I said, “The Chippewa people historically lived around Lake Superior,” we wouldn’t say I made an error just because the lake wasn’t called Lake Superior yet. Similarly, the authors of the Bible used the common names their readers understood, even when telling old stories. The takeaway? Let’s not be too quick to believe accusations of biblical errors. It’s a stunningly accurate book, which God gave us because He loves us and wants us to know Him through Jesus. • Christiana Albrecht • God loves us so much that, over thousands of years and through dozens of authors, He gave us the Bible so we could know Him. It shows how the Father sent the Son, Jesus, to die and rise again to save us from sin and death. What questions do you have about the Bible? Who are trusted Christians you could talk to about these questions, such as pastors, parents, or youth leaders? So that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed. Luke 1:4 (CSB)  
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  Measuring Up 15.08.2026 4min

  READ: EPHESIANS 1:4-14; 2:4-10; 1 PETER 2:4-10 “You have NO idea how much pressure that is,” Maura said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Along with over forty other students, we’d just gathered for a state scholarship competition. Maura (not her real name) had explained how a previous national winner attended her school. She was expected to uphold that legacy, and she seemed up for the challenge. I looked from Maura to the other participants. She acted so confident, so assured of success. I measured myself against her and found myself lacking. The other students—with stellar scores on college entrance exams—also ranked higher than me in ability and potential; at least, in my opinion. The judging hadn’t even begun, yet I’d already concluded that I’d failed. I didn’t think I could compare to the others, and although I’d earned my spot, I believed I didn’t belong. I just wasn’t good enough. That week of the competition, I lacked confidence and believed lies about my worth. I compared myself to others and assumed I wasn’t valuable just for being me. Later, I started asking, Where do I get my self-esteem? Achievements, awards, approval? I couldn’t depend on things that didn’t last for a lasting sense of self-worth. So, what’s my source of self-acceptance? Jesus told us how much we’re worth when He went to the cross for us. God’s love for us is so great that He paid the ultimate price—Jesus, God the Son, died and rose again to provide us with forgiveness of sins and new life. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can rest knowing that we’ve been adopted into God’s family, and we are forever free from sin’s punishment. We are the Father’s much-loved children—the ones He sent His own Son to save. The question of our value has been settled. No successes or failures of ours can alter God’s welcome for His children. I didn’t advance past that round of the competition, and Maura certainly outperformed me. Years later, though, I’m learning to see myself through a different lens: the one my loving Father sees me through. • Allison Wilson Lee • What are some of the ways the world tends to measure our worthiness? Can you think of a few things you’ve done because you felt you had to earn love or acceptance? • What hinders you from believing you’re valuable to God? Consider taking a moment to talk to Him about whatever comes to mind. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1 (NIV) 
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  Hidden Keys 14.08.2026 4min

  READ: PSALM 91; JOHN 1:35-39, 43-46; 4:28-30 Would you give the key to your home to just anyone? Probably not! Usually we guard those spare keys, securing them in hiding places to avoid detection. My spare house key is so cleverly disguised, I’d challenge you to find it. Yet, there are a few people on this planet who know the secret. I can trust them with the key to a place that holds everything I own in the world. One of these trusted people is my dog-sitter. I let her in on my clever secret because I got to know her. I interviewed her, checked out her references, and watched her interacting with my dog. Over time, I’ve come to know her better and better, each encounter deepening my trust in her ability to be true to her word, to take care of my puppy, and to do what she says. In fact, my interactions with her only deepen my conviction that we’re super blessed to have her in our lives! In Psalm 91, the psalmist declares they will trust God. What a great way to live! It’s like they’re giving God the keys to their home. But how do we get to a place where we can say, like Psalm 91:2, the Lord is “my God, in whom I trust”? How can we be ready to give Him access to everything we own in the world? How can we have the assurance that He really is trustworthy? We learn to trust God the same way we learn to trust anybody. We get to know Him. Kind of like how I spent time intentionally getting to know my dog-sitter. By spending time with God in prayer, in Scripture, and with other believers, we get to know Him better and better. The Bible is the best way to know Him, since He wrote it. It’s all about Him, His love for us, and His extraordinary plan to bring us into relationship with Himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We often find that, over time, we discover more and more about His trustworthiness as we read the Bible. And our trust has opportunities to build naturally with every encounter with God. We see that He is always true to His word and that He genuinely cares for us. Eventually, we may even give Him the keys to our home. • Kristen Merrill • Building trust takes time, and God is so patient with us. Can you think of a way you’ve seen God’s trustworthiness, either in Scripture, in your own life, or in the life of someone else? • Even after we’ve put our trust in Jesus for salvation, trusting Him with the day-to-day details of our lives is often a process. What is one area of your life God might be inviting you to trust Him with today? I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:2 (NIV) 
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  Dangerous 13.08.2026 4min

  READ: MATTHEW 16:24-26; 28:16-20; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-11; PHILIPPIANS 1:12-26 Somewhere along the way, I got the idea that Christians should always run toward danger and never be concerned with their own safety. But is that really what the Bible says? I read Matthew 2 recently, and I was struck by how God called Joseph to respond to a very dangerous situation, not by facing it head-on, but by running away. God appeared to Joseph in a dream, warning him of Herod’s plot to kill the young Jesus and telling Joseph to escape to Egypt with the child and His mother Mary. So Joseph got up, and under cover of night the three of them snuck away (verses 13-15). Through Joseph’s obedience, Jesus was protected—and an Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah was fulfilled (Hosea 11:1). After Jesus grew up and began His ministry, there were plenty of times when people wanted to kill Him. So what did Jesus do? Once, when an angry mob tried to throw Him off a cliff, Jesus “walked right through the crowd and went on his way” (Luke 4:28-30). Another time, when some Jewish leaders were plotting to take his life, Jesus delayed going to the festival where He knew they would be looking for him. And when He did go, He went in secret (John 7:1-10). Jesus knew that He was eventually going to die a sacrificial death at the hands of these same leaders, but He was waiting for the Father’s appointed time. When Jesus did let Himself be put to death on the cross, He rose from the grave three days later, just as He said He would! After Jesus ascended into heaven, His followers often faced great danger. Many times, God provided ways of escape, yet many Christians also lost their lives for Jesus’s sake. But even in their suffering, they were comforted by Jesus’s constant presence with them and by the hope of eternal life (Romans 8:35-39). What does all this mean for us? It means that God works in lots of ways—sometimes by calling us to run away from danger, and other times by inviting us to trust Him as we step toward a potentially dangerous situation. Whenever we face danger, we can look to Jesus for direction, relying on His love and trusting that no matter what happens, He will be with us. • Hannah Howe • What questions do you have about facing danger? Who are trusted Christians you can ask? • For examples of times when God provided escape for His people and times when He called them into dangerous situations, read Acts 9:20-25; 12:1-19; 21:10-27; 27:1–28:31; 2 Corinthians 11:32-33. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Psalm 23:4 (NIV) 
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  The Writing on the Wall 12.08.2026 4min

  READ: PSALMS 9:10; 56:3; ACTS 16:22-36; PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7, 12-13 Jesus, help me, Rowan cried inwardly as he heard the clang of a heavy door close behind him. Arrested for distributing Christian books and Scriptures, my Australian co-worker Rowan was now locked in a Tunisian prison cell in North Africa. He had not been allowed any phone calls, and no one knew where he was. During the next few days, Rowan tried to share Jesus with his Arab and African cellmates—wanting them to know God’s great love for them. He kept trying until some of them surrounded him, intent on forcing the foreigner to become Muslim. He was gripped with fear and uncertainty. What were they going to do to him? “Looking into the eyes of those men, I did not see love,” he remembered. “I did not see God. I had never felt so alone.” By the third evening, he had sunken into depression. He didn’t feel like singing—as Paul and Silas did in their prison in Acts 16—nor did he experience an earthquake or an angel miraculously setting him free. As his eyes idly scanned the graffiti covering the dirty wall beside him, however, his attention was suddenly riveted. Some words had been roughly scrawled in English: Trust in the Lord Jesus and He will surely do it for you. It was as if the words were a message for him alone. Rowan’s heart lifted with joy as he realized that God was with him—and working on his behalf. The next day, the police escorted Rowan to a ship in a nearby port, ordering him to leave the country. “I learned something through all this,” Rowan later reflected. “God is there in our darkest times, even when we don’t feel Him. He is able to bring us through any situation.” • Deborah Meroff • Jesus loves you, and He died and rose again to make the way for you to be with Him forever. Once you’ve put your trust in Jesus, you can know that He is always with you, even in your darkest moments (Psalm 23:4; 139:7-12). Have you ever seen God’s work in surprising ways when you were in a dark time? What happened? Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10 (NIV) 
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  It All Points to You 11.08.2026 3min

  READ: PSALMS 19:1-6, 14; 103:12 I feel it in the warmth of the sun on my face, A gentle reminder of Your love and Your grace. I hear it in the whipping wind, Your removal and forgiveness of my sin. The air around me that is fresh and new, It reminds me I can be washed clean of my wrongs too. The chirping birds, the buzzing bee, Remind me You always take care of me. The grass that is bright and green, Reminds me I am always seen. The majestic eagle, the strong deer, Show me Your power and remind me that You are here. Keep me thinking about You each day, Remind me of all You have to say. Let my eyes be open to all that points to You, And let me honor You with all that I do. • Emily Acker • Today’s poem is written in the style of a psalm. Can you think of a time nature drew your thoughts to God? Perhaps a beautiful sunset reminded you of His power, or a fluttering bird reminded you that He takes care of you. Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. • Where are you right now? If you’re inside, can you see out a window, or look closely at an indoor plant, or take a few minutes to step outside? What can you see around you that reminds you of our Creator and how good He is? • All things were created through Jesus. He is fully God, and He came and lived among us, fully human, to die and rise again to save us from sin and restore His creation from sin’s effects (John 1:1-14; Colossians 1:15-22; Revelation 21:1-5). Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that He is always with us. And reminders of His goodness are everywhere! This week, consider writing down times when you notice something in nature that reminds you of God. As you do, praise and thank Him for these reminders of His goodness! Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:26 (NIV) 
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  The Whole World in His Hands 10.08.2026 6min

  READ: ROMANS 8:18-25, 38-39; REVELATION 1:13-16 Yuna spent her lonely days peering through her lens, gazing upon the planet that was no longer her home. The shuttle that she now considered home orbited the planet ceaselessly. Since she was stationed there, she’d been capturing images of the planet’s surface through the tele lens. With each orbit, she dutifully documented the horrors below. Green once blanketed the equator, but now the land was stripped bare and plundered for resources. Yuna often compared the shrinking ice sheets to older images and noted how little of the tundra remained. Wildfires were even more terrifying to spot. Massive plumes of orange and gray moved across the land leaving nothing in their wake, as if giants had marched through with torches. Yuna imagined the planet living and breathing, only to suffocate on its own polluted air. As deeply as she cared for the planet and the animals and plants that inhabited it, she recalled a phrase she’d been taught. Imago Dei. She thought now of the people her God created. She thought of them as the shuttle crossed over lands that made her mourn. She knew the region well. Old images showcased vibrant roofs and fields during the day. At night, the cities lit up and resembled webs of neurons. But the region looked like this no more. Yuna braced herself for what she might see and choked back a sob when she focused the camera. Everything was gray. Buildings were flattened, streets were bare, and as the sun fell behind the planet, Yuna realized that the city was as dark as the endless space surrounding her. Yuna turned and wept. Tears blurred her sight completely, but then she looked out the window and saw something, someone, clearly. A constellation of stars flew into a new place, creating the shape of a person. He had white hair and eyes that burned like twin suns, making her tremble. Bronze feet stood steadfast in the bedrock of the galaxy way below. But in His right hand, He held the planet—and all those in it—like one might swaddle a child. He reached out a hand and placed it gently upon her. • Zoe Sherman • Today’s allegorical story echoes the old children’s song, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Because of sin, God’s good creation has been permeated by a brokenness that is beyond natural repair, and humanity’s very own relationship with God has been fractured. How have you experienced brokenness, pain, or sorrow in this world? Consider taking a moment to tell God about this. He longs to listen to you and wrap you in His tender compassion. • This brokenness was not God’s design, and it’s not the end. God still loves us, and He still wants to be with us. Throughout the Old Testament prophecies, God promised that He would send a Savior who would restore our relationship with Him and bring peace to this broken world. That Savior is Jesus. Fully God and fully human, Jesus took all our sin upon Himself when He died on the cross, and when He rose from the grave, He defeated death! Jesus’s promise for today is that He will be with us always, and His promise for the future is that He will make all things new. How can these promises give us hope? • In Revelation 1, the author John depicts Jesus, in all His glory, holding seven stars in His hand. In John’s vision, each star represents one of the seven churches that receive letters, and the number seven symbolizes completion in the Bible. Therefore, this is also an image of God holding all of His church in His hands. Everyone who has put their trust in Jesus is part of the church, together with all believers everywhere and throughout history. For more about the good news of Jesus, and what it means to belong to Him, see our "K...
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  Knot Enough 09.08.2026 5min

  READ: PSALMS 16:11; 63:1-8; JEREMIAH 2:5-13; JOHN 10:10 Growing up, I admired my mom’s ability to sew everything from Christmas decorations to Easter dresses. I wanted to develop those skills too. One aspect of sewing I learned the hard way was that I needed to tie a knot at the end of my thread before I made the first stitch—and ensure the knot was large enough. I couldn’t begin my project unless the knot filled the needle hole and held my thread securely in place. If I pulled the needle through the fabric and the knot at the end of the thread slipped right through without stopping, I hadn’t created a big enough knot. Then I’d need to create a larger one. I could only continue stitching fabric together or sewing on a button if the knot was bigger than the puncture. The success of my entire project depended on the knot. When God formed humans in the Garden of Eden, humanity was whole and complete. Our lives (and relationships with God) hadn’t yet been broken by sin. But then sin entered the world. Now we each start life with shattered spirits and holes in our hearts. Blaise Pascal, a 17th century mathematician and philosopher, described this hole as an “infinite abyss [that] can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.” Like the needle leaving a hole in the fabric, our rebellion against God leaves us with a vacuum—an emptiness in our souls that only God can fill. Yet how often have I used created things to try to fill the void in my soul? Success, academics, music, others’ approval…I’ve sought out what might give me a sense of worth, significance, or acceptance. All those pursuits, though, turned out to be too-small knots, unable to fill the void. Never providing lasting wholeness. Only by knowing God through Jesus, who loves us and gave His life so we could be forgiven and experience a relationship with Him, can the God-shaped vacuum be filled. Only Jesus can make us whole. • Allison Wilson Lee • We all try to fill the void with created things instead of turning to the Creator (Romans 1:25). What have you turned to as a way of filling the void? How have those things let you down? • Only a relationship with God can provide lasting fulfillment. God longs for this relationship with us, and He made the way for us to be with Him through Jesus. Consider spending some time talking with Him in prayer, asking Him to help you notice His love and His invitations to more. You [God] satisfy me as with rich food; my mouth will praise you with joyful lips. Psalm 63:5 (CSB) 
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  Out of Style 08.08.2026 4min

  READ: PROVERBS 18:21; EPHESIANS 4:14-32; JAMES 3:1-18 I grew up wearing lots of hand-me-downs from my aunts, a few friends, and an older cousin. Once, I got a second-hand dress that I felt great wearing. The following Sunday, I showed up at church in it feeling polished and put together. Then came the comment—from someone I’ll call Bonnie. Bonnie complimented my dress, remarking that it looked pretty. I thanked her enthusiastically, pointing out how I liked its belt. Bonnie followed up with, “I mean, it’s not the latest style, but it looks nice.” I swallowed hard and thanked her once more— less exuberantly this time. My confidence wavered, and I questioned whether I actually felt attractive in my new-to-me dress. Bonnie’s words held power. First they uplifted me. Then they deflated me. I don’t know her reason for announcing that my hand-me-down clothing had gone out of style, but I wonder if she considered the impact of her speech before she spoke. In the New Testament book of James, the younger brother of Jesus writes to Christians encouraging them to “tame the tongue” (3:8). When we place our faith in Jesus for forgiveness of sins and a renewed relationship with God, we start a journey as followers of Jesus. His words are always full of truth and love, and He died so our sinful words could be forgiven. Following Jesus involves learning to honor Him in all parts of life, including how we speak to others. James warns his readers about the damage the tongue can do, reminding these believers we should not use our mouths to speak words of both praise and cursing. Controlling what we say presents many challenges, especially during disagreements or in the heat of anger. Yet, because we have the power of Jesus at work in us through His Holy Spirit, we can grow in keeping our tongues in check—using our words to bless instead of curse. • Allison Wilson Lee • What struggles do you have in controlling your words? Do conversations with certain people tend toward gossip, inappropriate talk, or harsh criticism of others? • Can you think of a time you were hurt by someone’s careless (or even cruel) words? Jesus grieves with us and offers comfort. How can it be helpful to remember what He says about us? • Can you think of a time you spoke carelessly and hurt someone else? Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about this. He invites us to confess any sin, rest in His sure forgiveness, and rely on Him to help us move forward in His love, kindness, and wisdom. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) 
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  Seeing the Face of God 07.08.2026 4min

  READ: GENESIS 27:41-45; 32:3-6; 33:1-11; ROMANS 5:6-11 The story of Jacob and Esau is a roller coaster. These twin brothers started fighting before they were even born (Genesis 25:21-23). Jacob’s name can be translated “trickster,” and he lived up to it. Jacob stole Esau’s birthright (the unique privileges Esau had as the firstborn) and later tricked their dying father into giving him Esau’s special blessing (Genesis 25:27-34; 27:1-45). No wonder Esau wanted to kill his brother! Jacob had stolen Esau’s inherited property, power, and prestige. Because of Jacob’s wrongdoing and Esau’s anger, their relationship was broken, and Jacob feared it would never be fixed. But, twenty years after Jacob stole Esau’s blessing, God did something amazing: He brought Jacob and Esau back together—and He reconciled them. Upon hearing Esau was on his way, Jacob was terrified to meet with his brother, thinking he might kill him. But on the night before the brothers met, God appeared to Jacob. Jacob wrestled with God all night. Later, Jacob said, “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared” (Genesis 32:30). Then, when the brothers saw each other the next day, Esau ran to Jacob, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. They even wept together. Jacob told Esau, “To see your face is like seeing the face of God” (Genesis 33:10). This doesn’t mean Esau looked like God. It means Jacob recognized how deeply he had wronged his brother and how little he deserved Esau’s forgiveness. So, when Esau forgave Jacob, it was a reminder of God’s undeserved forgiveness. Our God is a reconciler. We, like Jacob, have committed wrongs against God that we can never hope to make right. But God loves us, and He wants to be with us. So, from the time Adam and Eve first sinned, God has been reconciling His people to Himself, first through the law, priests, and prophets—and ultimately through Jesus’s death and resurrection. And one day, Jesus will return, resurrecting us from the dead so we can enjoy being with Him for all eternity! Every time we reconcile with someone, we get a glimpse of that ultimate reconciliation. And if God reconciled Jacob and Esau, He can reconcile anyone. • Taylor Eising • Why does God care about our broken relationships with other people? • Reconciliation doesn’t always happen overnight. It took twenty years for Jacob and Esau! When we’re waiting on reconciliation, how can the hope we have in Jesus give us comfort? And through him [Jesus] to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20 (NIV)  
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  Grow the Habit and Come to Love It 06.08.2026 4min

  READ: PSALM 119:97-104 I used to read my Bible because I felt like it was something I was supposed to do. I thought I had to read a chapter a day, minimum, and that’s usually what I did. I read one chapter at the end of the day and left it at that. In recent years, though, I’ve completed a number of different Bible reading plans using an app on my phone. These plans always require multiple chapters each day. And somewhere along the way, I went from feeling like I have to read my Bible every day to wanting to read it. Now, I look forward to reading both at the start of my day and at the end of it—and sometimes in between too, if I have free time or I simply want to spend some extra time with God. What once would have made me tired—and maybe even bored—is something I now love! Sometimes we have to sort of force a habit in order to get used to doing something regularly. But, when we do, we often find we start to love what we’re doing. The Bible offers so much—it’s the amazing story of God’s relentless love for us, culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (John 20:31). And the more we read it and meditate on its truth, the more we come to love what’s inside its pages. The Holy Spirit uses the truth of Scripture to transform us from the inside out, helping us know God more deeply. In fact, we often find that the more time we spend in Scripture, the closer He feels. What a tremendous gift from God! • Emily Acker • Have you ever had a strong desire to read and understand the Bible? There is so much richness in God’s Word, and we have a whole lifetime to dig into it. It’s normal to go through seasons when we’re hungry for the Bible, as well as seasons when reading the Bible feels boring, difficult, or annoying. Thankfully, in every season Jesus is with us. He never gives up on us, and He always invites us to spend time with Him in His Word, both by ourselves and with other believers. This could look like reading long passages, or listening to just a few verses and meditating on them, etc. How could you spend time in the Word this week? I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees. Psalm 119:48 (NIV) 
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  Entrust It to God 05.08.2026 3min

  READ: PROVERBS 3:1-8; MATTHEW 11:28-30; JAMES 1:5 When I try to figure my life out, that’s when it tends to feel the most overwhelming and confusing. When I entrust it to God, that’s when I have peace. When I try to think too far into the future, I feel uncertain. When I look to God to lead me step by step, I feel much better. God is a great planner. He is a great leader. In fact, He’s the best. And He invites us to seek Him and rely on Him through every situation and decision. We don’t have to be worried or afraid. When I have decisions to make in life, I like to carefully weigh my options. I like to take my time and consider every possible scenario. But even when I do all that, I can still be left feeling stressed. It’s easy to forget that I can trust God with the situation. I don’t have to be obsessed with it. Sure, I still need to make decisions and work toward things, but I can do this more peacefully when I remember that He loves me, He wants to guide me, and He will help with all the details. There’s no need to worry because Jesus is there with me through it all. God cares about us and where our lives are going. Whenever we’re overwhelmed or confused, He has compassion on us. He invites us to entrust all our worries to Him and seek His wisdom and guidance. He will make the next step clear to us in His good timing. • Bethany Acker • Can you think of a time God helped you feel peace about a future situation or decision? Or a time something turned out better than expected? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. • Especially when we’re overwhelmed, it’s easy to forget that God wants to help us! Who are trusted Christians in your life who can help you discern His guidance—people who love spending time in God’s Word and in prayer, and whose lives display the godly wisdom described in James 3:13-18? Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (CSB) 
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  Old Potatoes 04.08.2026 4min

  READ: ISAIAH 55:9; ROMANS 8:28-39; 11:33-36 “I’m not going to make you take out any stinky potatoes this time.” My grandma laughed as my sisters and I entered her house to help with some chores. I smiled. I was okay with the smelly task we’d done before—and all the jokes that had come from it. Growing up, I would join my siblings in helping my grandparents care for their home. One time, that required me and my sister to take some potatoes that had gone bad out to the garbage. Those potatoes smelled, and my grandma was pretty embarrassed about it. The task wasn’t a fun one, but we got it done. For weeks afterward, my grandma would joke when we arrived— she knew nothing we did after that would be quite as disgusting. The potatoes might have been stinky, and they might have gone bad, but they gave me many good memories. The task of taking them out and cleaning up after them wasn’t fun, but some of my best memories of my grandma have to do with her laughing over them. As I was thinking about this the other day, I realized that sometimes God gives us gifts that don’t seem like gifts at first. Sometimes we face something difficult—or have to deal with something gross—and it isn’t until later that we see how God blessed us as He brought us through it. The potatoes might be a silly example, but I know that God works in ways we don’t always understand. Sometimes we end up on a funny path, and that’s how He shapes us. Remember, we never walk those paths alone. Jesus is always with us, even when we deal with difficult or gross things. And in the end, we might be surprised when we end up being blessed with good memories. • Emily Acker • Can you think of a time you went through something difficult or gross, and then in hindsight you saw how God brought blessing out of it—maybe even through community or humor? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this! • What are some of the rotten potatoes in your life right now? Are there any ways you’ve seen God bring good out of these situations, or are you still waiting? (Remember, sometimes we won’t see the good until Jesus returns, but we can know that God is always at work.) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV) 
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  Shining in the Darkness 03.08.2026 4min

  READ: PSALM 27:1; JOHN 1:1-5; 8:12; 16:33; COLOSSIANS 1:11-22 How do you detect a fake? The best way to spot counterfeits is to be intimately familiar with the real thing. Based on this idea, the United States government offers an online currency education program so the public can study the security features of various bills. The better acquainted a person is with the real currency, the less likely they will be deceived by fakes. Studying original currency allows us to detect counterfeits. In the same way, when we grow in our relationship with Jesus by studying the truth of the Bible, God’s Word, we learn to detect Satan’s lies. In a world rife with terror, oppression, deception, and injustice, it can be so easy to fall into believing lies—counterfeit truths that say darkness and evil have overcome. Yet, the opening verses of the book of John remind us that Jesus, the Word, was present at the beginning of the world, and He is with us still: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). The better acquainted we are with Jesus, the Light, the more we understand His power over sin and evil. As we pray and read the Bible—both individually and with other believers—the Holy Spirit deepens our understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ. With this understanding, we are less likely to be deceived by the appearance of evil’s dominance. Jesus has already defeated sin, death, and the devil through His own death and resurrection! Whatever darkness we encounter, the Light of the world shines through. He will always overcome it. • Remi Oyedele • Have you ever spotted a counterfeit? The devil is the father of lies, and he uses counterfeits all the time (John 8:44). He tries to trick us into believing that darkness is winning because he wants us to fall into despair. And these lies can be so sneaky, often we don’t even realize we’re believing them. Thankfully, God has given us His Word, His Spirit, and His people to help us. Who are trusted Christians in your life who can remind you of the gospel (the good news of Jesus) and help you identify lies you might be believing? (For more about the gospel, see our "Know Jesus" page.) • The best way to guard ourselves against the enemy’s counterfeits isn’t by studying the lies—it’s by spending time with Jesus and resting in His love. How could you set aside time for this today? The light [Jesus] shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 (NIV) 
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  Surrender 02.08.2026 3min

  READ: PSALM 46; MATTHEW 11:28-30 Holding, grasping tightly, Hands clenched, Heart clenched, Tightly. Out of fear, mistrust. Must not lose what I worked to get. Earned? Or received? Too tight, can hardly breathe, I need to exhale, need to breathe. Need. Stuffed up, stopped up, Losing it all anyway. So, I pry my fingers away, One by one, loosening up. Opening up. Heart unclenched, Hands unclenched, Exhaling, breathing. Release, relief. Surrender. • Allison Wilson Lee • Can you think of a time you felt like today’s poem? What circumstances in life have been causing you to feel restless or anxious lately? Jesus knows what that feels like. He lived among us in this broken world, and He faced the terrible anxiety and anguish of the cross, all to make the way for us to be with Him forever. We can always turn to Him in our moments of restlessness and anxiety. He loves us, and He invites us to surrender our cares into His hands and find rest in His peaceful presence (Psalm 46:10; Isaiah 9:6). Consider taking some time to accept His invitation to be still and sit with Him in prayer, surrendering anything that comes to mind. • God wants to help us in lots of ways—through prayer and Scripture, and also through the care and expertise of other people. When you find yourself feeling worried or anxious, who is a trusted person you could talk to? If you need someone to talk to, you can request a free conversation with Focus on the Family’s Counseling Department by calling 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time). Please be prepared to leave your contact information for a counselor to return a call to you as soon as possible. In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). [Jesus said,] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NIV) 
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  Scared but Willing 01.08.2026 3min

  READ: MATTHEW 28:18-20; LUKE 12:11-12; 1 PETER 3:15-18 Recently, I volunteered to help teach at my church’s weeklong Vacation Bible School (VBS). I was super excited to have an opportunity to tell these kids about Jesus, but I was also terrified I’d say the wrong thing. So I prayed as I practiced my lessons every day before I taught. Even though I was scared, God was at work. I enjoyed teaching the kids, and—most importantly—they seemed to be learning more about Jesus. By the last night, I was sad the week was over, but I was glad I had persevered and listened to God instead of my fears. While I didn’t get to see anyone profess faith in Jesus that week, I did get to glimpse a little girl’s awe as she heard for the first time how God made the whole world. I also got to witness a fifth grader’s face as she realized how much pain Jesus went through on the cross. God used VBS to show me that sharing the gospel whenever you have the opportunity is worth it, even if it’s scary (Ephesians 5:16). You never know how He will work through you to share the good news—that God loves us, and through Jesus’s death and resurrection, He offers rescue from sin and death to everyone who puts their trust in Jesus. • Rachel Nissing • Are there any fears that have held you back from sharing the gospel—the good news of Jesus? Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about whatever comes to mind. • What are some promises from God and truths about Jesus that could help us when we’re afraid? (Hint: reread today’s Scripture.) • How might God be inviting you to share the gospel in your own life? (For more about the gospel, and how to share it with others, see our "Know Jesus" page.) Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV) 
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  Walking in Darkness? 31.07.2026 4min

  READ: MATTHEW 5:14-16; PHILIPPIANS 2:15-16; 1 JOHN 1:5-7 Every night, after darkness falls, my sister and I don headlamps and head outside to close up our family’s chicken coop for the night. It’s a mundane daily task…but it turns out God loves speaking profound truth through our everyday routines. As we were going out one day, I pushed the button on my headlamp, and it didn’t work. I wasn’t shocked—batteries do die, after all—so I plugged it in. The next day, I put it back on my head, pressed the button, stepped outside, and suddenly…I could see. I saw things in vivid color, and things that were thirty feet away. I was shocked, because I hadn’t had a clue that my flashlight had grown dim—so dim as to be nearly useless. Why did the flashlight have to die for me to realize it had hardly been fulfilling its purpose? When I stepped back into the house and laid my headlamp in its place, it hit me—that light was exactly like we can be as Christians. We often start off bright—on fire for the Lord and feeling very close to Him. But, as time goes on, we may get distracted or discouraged. We may not notice His presence with us as much. Our light fades, and we don’t even notice the difference. It’s often not until I hit the very end of myself that I realize how weak my awareness of God has been. Why do we settle for dim lights when we could be walking in the fullness of what Jesus has for us? He is the light of the world, and He promises we don’t have to walk in darkness. Brothers and sisters, may we choose to pursue the abundant light of His loving presence rather than accepting a dim status quo. • Hannah Ruth Johnson • Jesus loves us so much that He came to give us light through His death and resurrection. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that He is always with us—both in our dim moments and our brightly-lit moments. But our awareness of Him and our enthusiasm toward the gospel may wax and wane throughout our lives. Can you remember a dim season in your life? What was that like? What brought you out of it? • What could you do this week to intentionally pursue Jesus and the light of His presence, remembering that He is already pursuing you? Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 (NLT)