2026 Devotions
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So Many Questions
During the week before the crucifixion—what we now call Holy Week—Jesus was bombarded with questions. Christianity is unusual in that it welcomes honest questions. Scripture never discourages sincere seekers. But the questions Jesus faced that week were not sincere. They were excuses—attempts to trap Him, discredit Him, or justify unbelief.
Yet Jesus answered them anyway.
One group tried to trap Him with flattery: “Teacher, you are so wise… tell us, should we pay taxes to Caesar?” They hoped He would say something illegal. Jesus saw straight through it. He asked for a coin, pointed to Caesar’s image, and replied:
“Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Another group—the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection—posed a ridiculous puzzle. They described a woman who married seven brothers in succession, each dying without children. Then they asked:
“At the resurrection, whose wife will she be?” (Matthew 22:25–26)
Jesus knew they didn’t believe in the resurrection at all. Their question wasn’t about truth—it was about mocking the very idea of eternal life. So He corrected them gently but firmly. He told them they misunderstood both Scripture and the power of God. In the resurrection, marriage as we know it will not exist. Their trick question collapsed under its own weight.
Then came a more basic test: “What is the greatest commandment?”
Jesus didn’t hesitate:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” — Matthew 22:37–40
Beautiful. Clear. Unshakeable.
But here is the tragedy: They asked their questions, heard the answers, even marveled at Jesus’ wisdom—yet they still refused to believe. Their questions were not bridges to faith but barriers to avoid it.
There is nothing wrong with honest questions. Many people have found Christ by asking them. But the heart matters. Questions can open the door to God—or they can become excuses to keep Him at a distance.
So ask your questions. Bring your doubts. But do so with a heart willing to listen, willing to learn, willing to be changed. Let your questions draw you nearer to Christ, not farther away.
To learn more watch today’s video.
What Children Knew
The old saying that children should be seen and not heard is something Jesus would never have endorsed. In fact, He often pointed to children as examples of the kind of faith we adults need. Children trust their parents without hesitation. They depend on them instinctively. And in the same way, many children show a simple, beautiful trust in God.
I’ve seen it again and again: parents who drifted from the Lord find themselves returning because of their children. They bring them to Sunday School or VBS out of a vague sense of duty, but then they witness their children’s excitement, their sincerity, their genuine faith. Before long, the parents are learning about Christ again—led back by the very ones they thought they were leading.
In today’s passage, adults had made worship complicated. Some had turned the temple into a marketplace, treating God’s house as a business opportunity. Jesus was enraged.
“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a den of robbers.’” — Matthew 21:13
Worship had drifted far from its purpose. It still happens today. We need the reminder: worship must be centered on Christ, grounded in Scripture, focused on God—not on profit, performance, or personal agendas.
Scripture tells us Jesus overturned the money changers’ tables and drove them out. He was purifying the temple. He is always purifying His church—always calling us back to Himself.
But the leaders didn’t want to hear it. They were indignant when they saw children shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”—praising Jesus as the Messiah. Their worship disrupted the leaders’ business interests. So they confronted Jesus:
“Do you hear what these children are saying?”
Their implication was clear: Make them stop. Children should be quiet.
But Jesus answered with Scripture:
“‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise.’” — Matthew 21:16
Children understood what the religious experts missed. They recognized the Messiah. They offered pure praise. They believed.
And sometimes, when we forget what faith looks like—simple, joyful, trusting—God uses our children to remind us.
To learn more watch today’s video
The Great Entrance
Jesus’ earthly mission was nearing its climax. The miracle of raising His friend Lazarus from the dead had pushed His enemies past the point of restraint. They wanted Him dead—the sooner, the better. Yet for all their scheming, they could do nothing until God’s appointed time.
The crowds, meanwhile, adored Jesus but misunderstood Him. They expected a conquering king, not a suffering servant. They longed for a political liberator, not a Savior who would conquer sin and death.
So Jesus instructed His disciples to bring Him a colt, the foal of a donkey. Conquerors like Alexander the Great or Roman generals rode magnificent white horses. Humble people—servants, laborers, the lowly—rode donkeys. Jesus chose the donkey deliberately. His entrance was a declaration of peace, humility, and prophecy fulfilled.
But even His humility could not quiet the crowds. They laid their cloaks on the road and shouted:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” — Matthew 21:9 (NIV)
The religious leaders seethed. How could they arrest a man so beloved? How could they silence the One who stirred such hope?
This moment should make us pause. Jesus was moving steadily toward the cross, yet the timing of His death was not in the hands of His enemies. It would not happen until Passover—God’s chosen moment. During Passover, families were gathered in their homes. Only the irreligious and the hypocritical leaders were out that night, plotting in the shadows.
And in God’s perfect timing, Jesus became the true Passover Lamb—sacrificed for the forgiveness of the sins of the world. His entrance into Jerusalem was not the arrival of a political hero but the beginning of the greatest act of love the world has ever known.
Watch Today’s Video to learn more.
An Ingenious but Costly Plan
Winning the world back to God unfolded in stages. First, Jesus had to come into the world, live a perfect and sinless life, suffer, die on the cross, and rise again in victory. Salvation would come through His sacrifice.
But while Jesus was on earth, He set another part of God’s plan into motion—discipleship.
Rather than trying to reach the world alone during His earthly ministry, Jesus invested deeply in a small group of followers. He taught them, walked with them, corrected them, and prepared them to carry the message forward after He returned to the Father. It was an ingenious plan: change the world by changing people who would then reach others.
Yet it was not easy.
The first disciples were not perfect heroes. In many ways, they were just like us. They struggled with pride, fear, doubt, and selfish ambition. They argued about who would be the greatest among them. Sometimes they were more focused on what they might gain than on whom they were following. On one occasion, the mother of two disciples even approached Jesus to ask that her sons be given positions of honor in His kingdom (Matthew 20:20–21).
Still, Jesus did not give up on them.
Patiently, He shaped them.
Lovingly, He corrected them.
When they failed, He restored them.
And after His resurrection, He entrusted them with the future of the gospel.
“Go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19)
That same mission continues today.
Jesus still calls ordinary people. He still shapes imperfect followers. And He still sends them into the world with His message of hope.
Discipleship has never been about perfection.
When we read about the disciples, it’s easy to imagine them as spiritual giants. But the truth is, they were very much like us.
At times they struggled with faith, even after witnessing Jesus’ miracles (Matthew 8:26). They were often afraid, panicking during storms and fleeing when Jesus was arrested (Mark 4:38; Mark 14:50). They misunderstood Jesus’ teachings, argued about who was the greatest, and sometimes focused on what they would gain from following Him (Mark 9:34; Matthew 19:27).
Some acted impulsively, like Peter who often spoke before thinking (John 18:10). Others showed anger or prejudice, struggling to accept people outside their circle (Luke 9:54). They even failed in the most critical moments—falling asleep when Jesus asked them to pray and promising loyalty but faltering under pressure (Matthew 26:40–41; Mark 14:29–31).
One denied Jesus. Another betrayed Him.
Yet despite all these weaknesses, Jesus did not give up on them.
He taught them, corrected them, forgave them, and ultimately transformed them. After the resurrection, these same flawed disciples became bold witnesses who carried the gospel to the world.
Their story reminds us of an encouraging truth: God does not call perfect people—He transforms willing ones.
If you sometimes feel weak, inconsistent, or unqualified, remember the disciples. The same Jesus who patiently shaped them is still shaping His followers today.
And He can use you too.
It is about willingness.
Willing to follow.
Willing to learn.
Willing to grow.
Willing to go where Jesus sends.
We are called, shaped, and sent—and we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do what we could never do on our own.
So the question remains:
Will you respond to the call?
Watch Today’s video
Not Even the Strongest Can Do It Alone
Long before the mission of Jesus unfolded on earth, the great spiritual leader and prophet Moses learned an important lesson: no one can do God’s work alone.
That lesson first came during Israel’s battle with the Amalekites. While Joshua led the army on the battlefield, Moses went up on a hill with two trusted companions, Aaron and Hur. From there Moses lifted his hands in prayer to God.
As long as Moses’ hands were raised, Israel had the advantage. But whenever his arms grew tired and began to fall, the Amalekites started to prevail. Anyone who has tried holding their arms up for a long period of time knows how exhausting that becomes.
Scripture tells the story this way:
Exodus 17:11–13 (NIV)
“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.”
Victory did not come through Moses’ strength alone. It came through shared support. Aaron and Hur literally held up the hands of their leader, and together they witnessed God’s deliverance.
But Moses’ need for help did not end on the battlefield.
Later, in Exodus 18, Moses was reunited with his father-in-law, Jethro. Moses joyfully told him about all the incredible things the Lord had done for Israel. Jethro praised God—but the very next day he noticed something concerning.
Moses sat alone as judge for the people from morning until evening. One by one, people came with their disputes, questions, and problems. Moses was handling every issue—both small and large. The burden was enormous, and it left little time for anything else God had called him to do.
Seeing this, Jethro lovingly confronted Moses with wise counsel:
Exodus 18:17–18 (NIV)
“What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.”
Jethro advised Moses to appoint capable and trustworthy leaders over groups of people. They would handle routine matters, while Moses would focus on the most important cases and continue seeking God on behalf of the nation. This plan would lighten the burden and allow the work to flourish.
The lesson is timeless: even God’s strongest leaders need others.
God never designed His mission to be carried by one person alone. His work moves forward when people support one another, share the burden, and serve together.
If you are serving God today, remember this truth: you were never meant to do it all by yourself. We all need people who will stand beside us, encourage us, and sometimes even hold up our hands.
And when God’s people work together, His mission moves forward in powerful ways.
Watch today’s video to learn more.
The Genius Communication Plan
The preparation for Jesus’ mission began long before Bethlehem—before the world was created. From eternity, God had a plan: that His Son would come into the world to save it. But make it personal—Jesus came to save you. He came to save your family. He came to save your children.
Jesus explained it this way:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
God’s mission was for the Son to become Immanuel—“God with us.” He would be born humbly in a manger, grow up largely unnoticed, and then step onto the stage of history around the age of thirty. His words carried authority unlike anyone who had spoken before. He healed the sick, opened blind eyes, and even raised the dead.
But His ultimate mission was far greater. Jesus came to be betrayed into the hands of men, to suffer and die on the cross for our sins, and on the third day to rise again in victory. Through His death and resurrection, salvation would be offered to the world.
Yet the question remained: How would this message reach the world?
God’s answer was a genius communication plan—multiplication through people.
Scripture tells us:
“Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” (Mark 3:13–15)
Notice the key words.
“He called.”
The initiative began with Jesus. The disciples did not volunteer for a mission they invented; they responded to a call from Christ Himself. In the same way, Jesus still calls people today to share in His mission.
“Those He wanted.”
Jesus chose specific individuals. While every Christian is called to follow Christ and be a disciple, God gives each believer unique gifts and assignments. Your calling may look different from someone else’s, but it is no less important in God’s plan.
“They came to Him.”
A call requires a response. Jesus calls, but we must choose to come. His call is persuasive, urgent, and deeply personal. Before He sends us out, He first calls us to Himself.
Notice the order: “that they might be with Him” before “He might send them out.”
You cannot fulfill God’s purpose for your life without spending time with Jesus. Prayer and the Word of God are not optional—they are the foundation. We are shaped in His presence before we are sent into His mission.
And this mission continues today.
Jesus said:
“Go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19)
This is God’s communication plan for the world—the message of salvation spreading from life to life, heart to heart, generation to generation.
And here is the remarkable truth: you are part of that plan.
Jesus is calling you to walk with Him, to grow in Him, and to share His message with the world. The same Savior who called fishermen beside the Sea of Galilee is still calling people today.
The question is simple:
Will you come to Him—and will you go for Him?
Watch today’s video based on Mark 3:13-19.
Some Were Not Happy When a “Bad Guy” Was Reached
In the days of Jesus, tax collectors were among the most despised people in society. Under Roman rule, they often grew wealthy by collecting more than required and keeping the extra for themselves. They were viewed as traitors, greedy, and corrupt. Almost no one liked them.
So you can imagine the shock when Jesus chose to eat with one.
In Mark 2:14–17, Jesus calls Levi (also known as Matthew) from his tax booth and later dines at his house. The room is filled not only with Levi, but with other tax collectors and “sinners.” The religious leaders are appalled.
“How can He eat with tax collectors and sinners?” they ask.
Didn’t Jesus understand who these people were? Didn’t He know their reputation?
Of course He did.
Jesus was on a mission.
“For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16). Not just the respectable world. Not just the religious world. The whole world — broken, sinful, rebellious humanity. He loves you too — sin and all — so much that He gave His life so you could be forgiven and receive eternal life.
It was no accident that Jesus sat at Levi’s table that night.
The real mistake was made by those who believed they were too good to need Him.
They knew the Scriptures. They had surely read,
“All we like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way” (Isaiah 53:6).
They knew it — but they ignored it. It is always easier to judge someone else than to examine our own hearts. Easier to point out another person’s failure than to confess our own.
So Jesus says plainly in Mark 2:17:
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
What they failed to see was this: though they looked righteous on the outside, inside they too were sinners in need of grace.
And so are we.
The next time you are tempted to judge someone’s past, someone’s reputation, or someone’s failures, remember — Jesus came for the real you. Not the polished version. Not the Sunday version. The real you.
We all have weaknesses. We all fall short. As Scripture reminds us,
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
The good news?
Jesus still sits at tables with sinners.
And He still calls them — and us — to follow Him.
To learn more watch today’s video base on Mark 2:13-16
Forgiveness and Healing
The story in Mark 2:1–12 is one of my favorites.
Jesus is teaching inside a crowded home — so full that people are spilling out the door. The room is packed. The air is still. Every ear is tuned to His voice.
Then come four men carrying their paralyzed friend on a mat. They have heard that Jesus is home, and they are determined to get their friend to Him. But when they arrive, the doorway is blocked. The crowd is too thick to push through.
Most people would have turned around.
Not these men.
They climb to the roof, dig through it, and lower their friend down in front of Jesus. It is a bold, disruptive, desperate act of faith. In our culture, it might even be considered inappropriate. But faith is sometimes willing to tear through barriers to get to Christ.
Scripture says, “When Jesus saw their faith…” (Mark 2:5). Notice — not just the faith of the paralyzed man, but the faith of his friends.
But then something unexpected happens.
Jesus does not immediately heal him physically. Instead, He says,
“Son, your sins are forgiven.”
The teachers of the law are outraged. In their hearts they think, Who can forgive sins but God alone? They understand the implication — forgiveness is divine authority.
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, asks,
“Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?”
Then He answers His own question:
“So that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…”
He turns to the man and says,
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
And the man stands up and walks out in full view of them all.
But here are the two truths we must not miss:
First, his spiritual healing mattered more than his physical healing.
Jesus addressed his deepest need before his visible one.
Second, the physical miracle was proof of the invisible miracle.
The healing of his body demonstrated Christ’s authority to forgive his sins.
We often come to Jesus asking Him to fix what hurts physically, financially, or emotionally. And He cares about those needs. But He cares even more about our souls.
The greatest miracle in this story is not that a man walked — it is that a sinner was forgiven.
And Jesus still forgives.
If you will come to Him — even desperately, even boldly — He will meet you. Ask. Believe. Trust His authority and His compassion.
He may heal your circumstances.
But He will always heal your soul.
To learn more, watch today’s video based on Mark 2:3–12.
Hungry for Jesus
When I was in my late teens, our youth group exploded with growth. By the time I became one of the leaders, we were already meeting on Mondays for serious Bible study. Our “Seeker” services on Wednesdays and Thursdays had grown so large they filled the sanctuary to capacity.
But what I remember most is not the numbers — it was the hunger.
When our youth pastor spoke, there was a holy silence in the room. Afterward, students lingered — some to give their lives to Christ, some to ask for prayer, some simply to be together with Christian friends. No one was rushing out the door. No one was checking the time. We were hungry for Jesus.
That’s how it was in Scripture when Jesus spoke.
In Mark 2:1–2, we read:
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.”
A few things stand out:
There was little warning — people simply heard Jesus was there and came running.
They were willing to stand, crowding inside and outside the house.
They pressed in because they were desperate to hear the Word.
They weren’t attending out of routine. They weren’t there to fulfill a religious obligation. They were hungry for the living Word of God.
And that is how it is meant to be.
Yet if we are honest, it is not always like that for us. We come to church tired. Sometimes we argue on the way. We think about lunch plans or the busy week ahead. The message can be forgotten before we reach the parking lot. Church becomes routine rather than revival.
But church was never meant to be routine. The Word was never meant to bore. Worship was meant to transform.
Jesus calls us back to that first love. In Revelation 2:4–5, He says:
“You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”
He also reminds us in Matthew 5:6:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
God fills hungry hearts.
The question is not whether Jesus is still speaking. The question is whether we are still hungry.
Let us come eager. Let us come expectant. Let us come desperate for His Word — ready to linger in His presence, ready to respond, ready to be changed.
“Lord, make us hungry again.”
To learn more, watch today’s video based on Mark 2:1–2.
The Light Enters the World
A Devotional from John 1:9–13
“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”
For nearly 400 years between the Old Testament and the coming of Christ, there was silence. No prophets. No new revelation. The people of Israel lived under political oppression and spiritual longing. They carried promises—but no fresh word.
And then, quietly and humbly, the Light entered the world.
Not with armies.
Not with political power.
Not with spectacle.
But as a child.
John writes in the Gospel of John:
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.”
The Creator stepped into His creation—and many did not even notice.
How could this be?
Jesus did not arrive in the halls of power. He did not demand attention. He lived most of His life in obscurity. The long-awaited Messiah stood in their midst, yet expectations blinded many to His presence.
John continues:
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”
He was not welcomed as King. He was rejected, misunderstood, and ultimately crucified. Yet what appeared to be failure was, in truth, the fulfillment of God’s saving plan. The rejection of Christ became the doorway to redemption.
But rejection is not the final word.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Here is the heart of the Gospel.
Salvation is not earned by heritage.
It is not secured by effort.
It is not achieved by human will.
It is received by faith.
To believe in Jesus is to trust who He is—the eternal Word, the true Light—and to trust what He has done through His life, death, and resurrection. Those who receive Him are given something astonishing: a new identity.
Not merely forgiven sinners.
Not merely improved people.
But children of God.
Born not by human striving, but by God Himself.
The Light entered the world so that you might know God personally, walk in His light daily, and live as His beloved child.
John’s question echoes through the centuries—and into our hearts today:
Have you received Him?
Reflection
Have I personally received Christ, or have I only admired Him from a distance?
Is there any way I might be overlooking how He is at work in my life right now?
Am I living as someone who truly believes I am a child of God?
To learn more watch today’s video base on John 1.9-13.
God’s Witness to the Light
“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.”
Jesus is not only Creator—He is the source of life itself. Every breath we take, every beat of our heart, and every hope of eternal life begins in Him.
John tells us that this life is light.
Light reveals what is hidden.
Light brings clarity where there is confusion.
Light gives direction when we cannot see the path ahead.
Darkness, in Scripture, represents sin, evil, fear, confusion, and brokenness. We all know what that darkness feels like—moments of doubt, hidden struggles, secret sin, lingering grief. Yet John makes a bold declaration: the darkness has not overcome the light.
It may resist it.
It may attempt to hide from it.
But it cannot defeat it.
One evening, as I turned onto the road near our home, a coyote was prowling in the darkness. The moment my headlights lit up the road, it fled. The light didn’t argue with the darkness. It didn’t negotiate. It simply shone—and the darkness retreated.
That is the power of Christ in our lives.
When His light shines into our hearts, it exposes sin—not to shame us, but to heal us. It drives away what hides in the shadows. It brings freedom where there has been fear. When we walk with Christ, we walk in the light.
“There was a man sent from God whose name was John.”
This is John the Baptist—not the author of the Gospel of John, but the forerunner of Christ.
John had a clear calling. He was not the light. He did not try to be the light. He simply pointed to the light.
His mission was to prepare hearts through repentance so that people would recognize Jesus when He came.
There is something deeply freeing about that. We are not called to save anyone. We are not the source of life. We are not the light.
We are witnesses.
Like John the Baptist, our role is to point—through our words, our love, our integrity, and our faith—to the One who truly gives life. When we shine His light, others can see their way out of darkness.
To go learn more, watch today’s video on John 1:4–8 today and ask God to show you how His light is already at work in your life.
The Mission
Jesus did not come merely to inspire us, impress us, or instruct us. He came with a mission—a mission that began long before Bethlehem, long before Mary and Joseph, long before the foundation of the world.
When we open the Gospel of John, we don’t find shepherds or wise men. Instead, we are taken back into eternity:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John uses the Greek word logos—“Word.” In the ancient world, logos meant reason, logic, the organizing principle behind everything. It was the idea that gave meaning and order to the universe.
But John makes a stunning declaration: God’s ultimate logic, God’s communication, God’s self-expression is not a concept. It is a Person.
Jesus is the Word.
Before time began, He already was. He was not created. He was not an afterthought. He did not come into existence at Bethlehem. He was with God—and He was God. Distinct in person, yet fully divine. Eternal. Almighty. The second person of the Trinity.
And then John writes:
“Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.”
Everything you see.
Everything you touch.
Every star in the sky.
Every breath in your lungs.
All of it came through Him.
This means something deeply personal: the One who came to save you is the One who made you.
His mission was not reactive. It was eternal. Before you were born, before you struggled, before you sinned, before you ever thought about Him—He already knew. And He already planned redemption.
Jesus came to save you.
Your family.
Your neighbors.
Even the people who are hard to love.
His mission is nothing less than the redemption of the world—and it began in eternity.
To learn more watch today’s video base on John 1.1-3
The Secret Mission of Jesus: No One Understood
The coming of Jesus was not only humble—it was, in many ways, hidden. God’s plan unfolded quietly, beyond the understanding of the powerful and the wise of this world. The apostle Paul explains it this way:
“None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory… What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.”
(1 Corinthians 2:8–10)
Why such secrecy? Why such quiet beginnings? In part, it was to confuse and thwart those who would try to stop God’s plan. The rulers of this world did not recognize what God was doing, and even their attempts to resist Him only fulfilled His purposes.
God announced Jesus’ birth to shepherds in the fields, but the news did not reach King Herod until much later, when the wise men arrived in Jerusalem asking, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” The question shook the palace.
Herod was a ruthless and fearful ruler, a man who would stop at nothing to protect his throne. When he heard of the Messiah’s birth, he ordered the massacre of the infants in Bethlehem. It was a tragic and evil act—but even this could not stop God’s plan. The Savior was preserved, and the mission of redemption continued.
This reminds us of a powerful truth: God’s purposes cannot be defeated. Human power, fear, and even great evil cannot overturn what God has determined to accomplish. And just as God was at work in hidden ways then, He is often at work in ways we cannot yet see in our own lives.
To learn more watch today’s video based on 1 Corinthians 2.
The Covert Beginnings
There were no television commercials, no royal proclamations, and no national celebrations announcing Jesus’ birth. The greatest rescue mission in human history began quietly—almost unnoticed—under the humblest of conditions.
Centuries earlier, the prophet Micah foretold this surprising beginning:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,though you are small among the clans of Judah,out of you will come for meone who will be ruler over Israel,whose origins are from of old,from ancient times.”
(Micah 5:2)
God’s plan did not begin in the grand cities and powerful centers of the world. It began in Bethlehem, a small and modest town—far from the world’s idea of influence and importance. Yet this was no accident. The Messiah had to come from the lineage of King David, and Bethlehem was David’s city.
God had promised David long before:
“I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel… I will raise up your offspring to succeed you… and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”
(2 Samuel 7:8–13)
What a striking contrast:
A humble town.
A young, unmarried teenage mother.
A difficult journey and a crowded place where no one made room.
And yet, in those quiet and unlikely circumstances, God was fulfilling promises made centuries before. The world may overlook small places and ordinary people, but God often chooses what seems humble to accomplish what is eternal.
Perhaps there are moments when our own lives feel unnoticed or small. This passage reminds us that God is still at work in quiet places, in ordinary days, and in hearts that make room for Him. The Savior who came in humility still works in humble lives today.
To learn more, watch today’s video.
The Secret Mission: Planned from Eternity
Jesus came to earth with a mission. He did not come merely to be a good teacher, to set a moral example, or even to perform miracles. Jesus came to save—to redeem people from every walk of life, including you and me. His mission was nothing less than the redemption of the world.
The Gospel of John begins by reminding us that this mission was not an afterthought. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The term Word (logos) speaks of God’s ultimate communication and expression. John reveals that this Word is not an idea but a Person—Jesus Christ. He existed before creation and is fully God. Through Him all things were made.
John goes on to say, “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). Jesus is the source of life and the light that drives away darkness. Sin, confusion, and brokenness cannot overcome Him. Wherever His light shines, truth is revealed and hope is restored.
Christ’s coming was planned from eternity, and His light still shines today. When we walk with Him, we walk in the light—guided, forgiven, and given life that never ends.
To learn more watch today’s video based on John 1:1-5.