The Daily Dose

The Key to Success

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ~ Joshua 1:8

What if success is not as complicated as we make it? What if the thing we are striving to figure out has already been clearly given to us? In this world full of noise, opinions, strategies, and endless advice, it is easy to feel overwhelmed trying to make the right decisions. We search for answers, we weigh our options, and we often second guess ourselves. But God made it simple. He did not hide the key to success. In fact He clearly revealed it to us in His Word.

In today’s scripture reading we find Joshua about to step into a massive responsibility. He was leading God’s people into the promise after Moses. If anyone needed clarity on how to succeed, it was him. God did not give him a complicated plan. He gave him plain and simple instruction. Stay in My Word, keep it in your mouth, think on it constantly, and do what it says.

Below are three points that show us that it is important to understand that success in God’s Kingdom starts on the inside before it is ever seen on the outside.

1. Keep God’s Word in your mouth

Joshua was told that God’s Word should not depart from his mouth. That means speaking it, confessing it, and keeping it present in your everyday life.

Be intentional about speaking God’s Word over your current circumstances, problems and concerns. What you say matters. It shapes your perspective and strengthens your faith.

If you are facing a stressful situation at work or in your home, instead of speaking frustration or defeat, begin to speak the truth and promises of God’s Word. Say, God is with me, He is giving me wisdom, and He is guiding my steps and thank Him for these promises that He has already given you. This shifts your focus from the tension of your problems to His presence and His peace.

2. Meditate on it day and night

Meditating on God’s Word means thinking about it, turning it over in your mind, and letting it become part of how you see everything.

You are always thinking about something, and often times your greatest concern is what takes ownership of your mind.  Develop a habit of asking the Holy Spirit each morning for a scripture promise to think on and carry it with you throughout the day. When the cares of life try to take over your thought, replace them with the scripture God gave you for the day. Think about it while you are driving, cooking, or going about your routine. Let it settle into your heart.

If you are dealing with fear or uncertainty, hold onto a promise from God’s Word and keep bringing it back to your mind. When anxious thoughts come, thank Him for His promise and continue to think about that instead of the issue. Over time, that truth becomes stronger than the fear.

3. Follow what it says

It is not just about knowing the Word, it is about doing it. Obedience is where transformation happens. When God shows you something through His Word, act on it. No matter how big or small it feels, take that step.

If you read about forgiveness and someone comes to mind, do not ignore it. Take action. Reach out, pray for them, or release that offense. That one act of obedience can bring freedom in ways you did not expect.

This truth became real in my life just over a decade ago. I was doing all the things I knew to do to get my life back in line with the plan of God, but I was still struggling with the weight of guilt and shame from my past. On the outside, it may have looked like I was moving forward, but internally I kept getting pulled back into old thoughts and old feelings that I could not seem to shake.

It was during that time that I heard a message on the very scripture we read today in Joshua 1. It was like a light came on inside of me. I suddenly realized that success was not about trying harder or doing more. It was about what I was allowing to stay in my heart and mind. I saw clearly that I could be successful in leaving behind the baggage of the years gone by when I put God’s Word in place of the thoughts that kept trying to haunt me.

So I made a decision. I wasn’t going to let those thoughts run unchecked anymore. I was going to answer them with the truth of God’s Word.

I turned to Isaiah 53:5, and I held onto it. It assured me that He was wounded to pay the debt for my transgressions and bruised to remove the penalty for my iniquities, and that by His stripes my life was healed from the past. I also stood on 1 John 1:9, which reminded me that when I confessed my sin to Him, He washed me clean from all unrighteousness. Completely clean. No leftovers. No reminders held against me. Guilt and shame could not stick to me anymore.

Those scriptures became more than something I read during a quiet time. They became a shield of protection and a lifeline to freedom I carried with me throughout my day. I thought about them, I thanked God for them, and I let them take root in my heart.

Now, when thoughts of guilt over my past sin or shame over choices I had made would try to come back, I did something different. I used those moments as a reminder. Instead of sitting in those thoughts, I turned them into an opportunity to thank my heavenly Father for rescuing me from the traps I had once been in. I told Him “Thank You that You already paid the price for my sin. Thank You that I do not have to carry what You have already taken from me. Thank You that I have been made righteous through the blood and sacrifice of my Savior, Jesus.”

At first, it took a lot of intentionality and I had to choose it every time. But as I stayed consistent, reading His Word, thinking on it, and speaking it, something began to shift inside of me.

Everything on the outside of my life didn’t change overnight, but my heart did. The heaviness lifted and I found peace where there had been confusion and confidence where there had been uncertainty. Those old thoughts started to lose their hold because they were no longer being fed.

As I continued to follow what He was showing me, one step at a time, I began to see things settle into place in ways I never could have planned on my own. What once felt like a constant internal struggle became a place of steady growth and freedom.

That is when I truly understood what it means to meditate on His Word day and night. It is not just reading it, it is living in it. When you do that, it has the power to change everything.

Today I want to encourage you to go back to what God has already promised you in His Word. Scripture is not just something to read, it is something to live. As you keep it in your mouth, think on it throughout your day, and follow what it says, you will begin to walk in the kind of success and power that only He can produce. It is steady, it is rooted, and it leads you exactly where you are meant to be.

Today’s scripture reading: Joshua 1

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 

2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 

3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 

4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. 

5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 

6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 

7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 

11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”

12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, 

13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’ 

14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, 

15 until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 

17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. 

18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”

Journal:

• What is one scripture I can begin to speak over my life each day
• How can I make time to think on God’s Word throughout my daily routine
• Is there something God has already shown me that I need to act on
• What thoughts do I need to replace with truth from His Word
• What would it look like for me to trust His Word as my guide for success

Bring others along

_{Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. ~ Deuteronomy 34:9}

In today’s scripture reading there is a powerful picture of Moses’ journey coming to an end, but the mission was not. What he carried did not stop with him, and that mission was transferred to the next generation to continue. Joshua stepped into leadership already filled, already prepared, already strengthened. Why? Because Moses had poured out his life and wisdom into him.

As children of God, we are not just called to live out our own purpose, we are called to invest and accelerate the next generation so that what God has started continues far beyond us. It is important to understand that what you pour into others today becomes strength for their tomorrow.

Here are three truths to help you step into your calling to bring others along:

1. What you carry is meant to be shared

Moses did not keep everything God gave him to himself. He imparted wisdom, leadership, and faith into Joshua.

Look for opportunities to share what God has taught you, even in simple ways. If you are leading a team, use that influence to share your life experiences with someone, or even having a conversation with a younger believer, do not hold back what God has shown you.

Because you have walked through difficult times in life and learned how to trust God in them, you can share those story with someone who is struggling today. Your experience will be the encouragement they need to keep going. Let them know what you did right and what you did wrong.  That way they can walk through their struggle with a deeper faith and reliance on God’s love and care for them.

2. Preparation happens before promotion

Joshua was ready when the moment came for him to lead because of what had already been deposited into him.

Do not wait for someone to step into a role before you begin investing in them. Start now. Encourage, teach, and give responsibility in small ways so they can be ready when opportunities come.

If you serve in ministry, invite someone to come alongside you and learn. Let them take on a small responsibility and walk with them through it. What seems small today is preparing them for something greater tomorrow.

3. Your obedience impacts more than just you

Moses’ faithfulness affected an entire generation. What he poured into Joshua influenced the future of God’s people.

Recognize that your choices, your faith, and following God’s plan are not isolated. They are shaping the people around you, especially those who are watching you closely.

If you choose to stay consistent in your faith, even when life is busy or difficult, those around you will see it. Your children, friends, and those you are leading will draw strength from your consistency without you even realizing it.

For me, I intentionally pour into those around me through leading teams and small groups at my church. Even though I am surrounded with various talents and ages, I still take every opportunity to pour out all I know about walking by faith in this life.

It does not always look big or significant in the moment. Sometimes it is a simple conversation before or after a meeting. Sometimes it is encouraging someone who is unsure of themselves or reminding them of what God has already placed inside of them. Other times it is creating space for someone to step up and try something new, even if they are not fully confident yet.

Pouring into others is not about having all the answers, but about being willing to share what the Holy Spirit has shown me and trusting Him to do the rest. There are moments when I feel stretched, when I wonder if I have said the right thing or done enough, but I realize that obedience in those moments matters more than perfection.

What has meant the most to me is watching others grow over time. Seeing someone begin to recognize their gifts, step into leadership, and grow in their confidence in their faith and trust in their heavenly Father is something I never get tired of seeing. It reminds me that what I pour out does not return empty. It takes root. It grows. It multiplies.

Just like Moses with Joshua, it is not about holding on to what God has given me, but about releasing it so someone else can carry it forward. That is where the true impact is found, not just in what I do, but mostly in who I help to carry on the mission on after I am gone.

Today I want to encourage you to recognize that your life is not just about where you have been or where you are going, but who you are bringing with you. The wisdom, faith, and truth God has given you are meant to be poured out so that others can be strengthened and prepared. You may not always see the outcome right away, but God is using your faithfulness to build something that will last beyond you.

Today’s scripture reading: Deuteronomy 34

1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, 

2 all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, 

3 the South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 

4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.”

5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. 

6 And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day. 

7 Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished. 

8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. So the days of weeping and mourning for Moses ended.

9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.

10 But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 

11 in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, 

12 and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

Journal:

• Who is one person God has placed in my life that I can intentionally invest in
• What has God taught me that I need to begin sharing with others
• How can I create opportunities for someone to grow and step into more responsibility
• Where have I underestimated the impact of my influence
• What is one simple step I can take this week to pour into the next generation 

Carried and covered

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, ‘Destroy!’ ~ Deuteronomy 33:27

What if you are more supported than you feel right now? What if in the middle of your pressure, uncertainty, or this time of waiting, God is not distant but actively holding you up? Consider that you are not just getting through life, but being carried through it?

Today’s scripture reading is a powerful reminder of God’s blessing, identity, and covering. Moses spoke over the people of God, reminding them of who they were and how God went before them. In the middle of all the words spoken over each tribe, this one truth stands out. God is your refuge, and underneath you, whether you feel it or not, are His everlasting arms.

As children of God today, we are not walking through life unsupported or unnoticed. We are held, guided, and covered even when life feels crazy and uncertain.

Think about the three truths below and how they can shape how you are living right now.

1. You are carried even when you feel weak

There are moments when you simply do not feel strong. You may feel tired, overwhelmed, or unsure of what to do next. This is where many people try to push harder or figure everything out on their own. But God never asked you to carry what He has already promised to hold.

When you feel overwhelmed, pause and bring that weight to God in prayer. Be honest about what you are feeling. Then take a some time to sit quietly and allow His peace to settle in your heart. Remind yourself that you are not holding everything together, He is.

2. You are covered even when life feels uncertain

The people of Israel were stepping into unknown territory, yet God spoke blessing and covering over them. In the same way, you may not know how everything will work out in your life right now, but that doesn’t mean you are unprotected.

Instead of focusing on what you cannot control or what you do not know, begin to thank God for His protection and guidance. Speak truth over your situation. Tell yourself that God is your refuge and He is already ahead of you. Let your thoughts shift from worry to trust.

3. You are positioned with purpose, not by accident

Each tribe in Deuteronomy 33 received a specific blessing. It was intentional. It was purposeful. In the same way, your life is not random. Where you are right now, even in the challenges, God is working with purpose.

Ask God what He is doing in your current circumstances. Look for opportunities to respond in faith. Take one step of obedience, even if it feels small. Trust that He is using this moment to grow you and prepare you for what is ahead.

When you begin to live with the awareness that you are carried, covered, and positioned with purpose, everything starts to shift starting with your perspective. You are no longer striving to hold everything together. Instead, you are learning to trust the One who already is.

When I first started out in life as an “adult,” I thought that I was the one in control. I worked very hard to fight for my right to be wrong, even though I didn’t know that was what I was actually doing at the time. I thought that I was making the decisions that I wanted right now and never considered that there would be lasting consequences. Sure, I cried out to God when I was in trouble and got myself in a bind. He was always faithful, but it wasn’t until much later in life when I realized I was never actually in control and that His arms were there all along, holding me steady even when I fell flat on my face.

Looking back now, I can see how many times He protected me from what could have been so much worse. There were moments when my choices should have taken me further off course, but somehow I was still covered. I did not always recognize it at the time, but God was guiding, correcting, and even carrying me through, especially I didn’t have the wisdom to navigate on my own.

What changed for me was not that life suddenly became easy, but that my perspective shifted. I began to understand that His strength was what sustained me, not my ability to figure everything out. I started to lean on Him instead of striving to prove that I could handle things myself.

Now, when I think about those early years, I don’t just see my mistakes. I see His faithfulness. I see His grace. I see a God who never let me go, even when I was determined to go my own way. It reminds me that I can trust Him fully, not just in the moments when I feel weak, but in every step of my life.

Today I want to encourage you to trust that God is your refuge and that His everlasting arms are holding you up right now. You do not have to carry what feels too heavy, and you do not have to have every answer. Bring your situation to Him, receive His peace, and take your next step knowing that you are supported, protected, and guided by a faithful Father who never lets go.

Today’s scripture reading: Deuteronomy 33

1Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. 

2And he said: “The Lord came from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand came a fiery law for them.

3Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words.

4Moses commanded a law for us, a heritage of the congregation of Jacob.

5And He was King in Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.

6“Let Reuben live, and not die, nor let his men be few.”

7And this he said of Judah: “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people; Let his hands be sufficient for him, and may You be a help against his enemies.”

8And of Levi he said: “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, Whom You tested at Massah, and with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah,

9Who says of his father and mother, ‘I have not seen them’; Nor did he acknowledge his brothers, or know his own children; For they have observed Your word and kept Your covenant.

10They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, and Israel Your law. They shall put incense before You, and a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.

11Bless his substance, Lord, and accept the work of his hands; Strike the loins of those who rise against him, and of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”

12Of Benjamin he said: “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders.”

13And of Joseph he said: “Blessed of the Lord is his land, with the precious things of heaven, with the dew, and the deep lying beneath,

14With the precious fruits of the sun, with the precious produce of the months,

15With the best things of the ancient mountains, with the precious things of the everlasting hills,

16With the precious things of the earth and its fullness, and the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush.

Let the blessing come ‘on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.’

17His glory is like a firstborn bull, and his horns like the horns of the wild ox; Together with them

He shall push the peoples to the ends of the earth; They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.”

18And of Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and Issachar in your tents!

19They shall call the peoples to the mountain; There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness; For they shall partake of the abundance of the seas and of treasures hidden in the sand.”

20And of Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad; He dwells as a lion, and tears the arm and the crown of his head.

21He provided the first part for himself, because a lawgiver’s portion was reserved there. He came with the heads of the people; He administered the justice of the Lord, and His judgments with Israel.”

22And of Dan he said: “Dan is a lion’s whelp; He shall leap from Bashan.”

23And of Naphtali he said: “O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the Lord, possess the west and the south.”

24And of Asher he said: “Asher is most blessed of sons; Let him be favored by his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.

25Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; As your days, so shall your strength be.

26“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to help you, and in His excellency on the clouds.

27The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, ‘Destroy!’

28Then Israel shall dwell in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, in a land of grain and new wine; His heavens shall also drop dew.

29Happy are you, O Israel Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, and you shall tread down their high places.”

Journal:

• What am I trying to carry on my own that I need to place in God’s hands
• Where do I need to trust that God is covering me even if I cannot see it yet
• What step of faith can I take today in my current situation
• When have I experienced God holding me up in the past, and how can that strengthen me now
• How can I remind myself daily that I am not walking through this alone

Humility

And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet. ~ Mark 5:22

What if the breakthrough you are praying for is waiting on a step of humility you have not yet taken

I have read this passage many times and heard many messages about the power of Jesus to raise Jairus’s daughter. Yet as I read it again today, something new stood out to me. It was not just the miracle, it was the attitude and posture that led to it. It was the steps of humility Jairus took to get to Jesus.

Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue. In that time, many religious leaders approached Jesus with skepticism or even opposition. They often came to question Him or try to discredit and even trap Him in His words. For Jairus to go to Jesus publicly was a great risk. It could have affected his reputation and even his position in the synagogue.

But Jairus did not come to Jesus as a leader. He did not come with status or authority. He came as a father in need. The first thing he did was fall at Jesus’ feet. That position speaks volumes. He was not concerned about how he looked or what others thought. His focus was on one thing, his daughter being healed and restored to life. He was willing to lay down his pride, his position, and his image to receive what only Jesus could give and Jesus responded. He went with him.

Jesus is always ready to respond to a humble heart. When we come to Him with sincerity and surrender, He meets us there. It is not about status, being right, or having everything figured out. It is about coming to Him with a heart that is willing to trust Him fully.

Sometimes the very thing holding us back is not the problem itself, but our unwillingness to humble ourselves in the middle of it. We may hold onto control, cling to being right, or resist taking a step that feels uncomfortable. Yet humility opens the door for God to move.

So what is it for you? What situation are you facing where you are holding your ground instead of surrendering it to Him?
Is there a relationship that needs to be placed in His hands? Is there a step He is asking you to take that requires you to lay down some form of pride?

Psalm 34:18 reminds us that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted. There is something powerful about coming to Him with a heart that is open and willing. When restoration and peace become more important than being right or being seen a certain way, God begins to work in ways we could not have planned.

Here are some simple ways to begin walking in humility and taking your situation to Jesus:

1. Go to Jesus honestly, set aside pride and come to Him just as you are
2. Lay your situation before Him, release control and trust Him with the outcome
3. Ask Him for direction, be willing to listen for His next step
4. Act quickly on what He shows you, even if it requires humility
5. Choose restoration and peace over being right
6. Keep a heart of gratitude, thank Him for working even before you see results

Personally, I have had many opportunities to choose humility. Sometimes it feels hard in the moment, especially when I want to hold onto being right or protect my position. Other times, I can already see the value and know it is worth it. What I know now is that I do not have to get there on my own. When I feel that resistance rise up in me, I can pause and ask the Holy Spirit for help. He is always faithful to meet me right there. He softens my heart, shifts my perspective, and gives me the strength to take the step I could not take on my own. It is as if He is patiently waiting for me to invite Him into that struggle, ready to lead me into humility that brings peace, restoration, and a better outcome than I could have created myself.

Humility is not weakness. It is strength that chooses surrender. It is the doorway to healing, restoration, and breakthrough.

Today I want to encourage you to follow the example of Jairus and take that step of humility. Bring your situation to Jesus, fall at His feet, and trust Him completely. Be willing to do whatever He asks of you, even when it stretches you. Your willingness opens the door for Him to reach into the situation and as you do, you will see Him move in your situation, bringing healing, restoration, and peace in ways only He can.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 5:21-24

21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. 

22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 

23 and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” 

24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. 

Journal:

• What situation in my life requires me to humble myself before God
• Where might pride be preventing me from fully surrendering to Him
• What step is God asking me to take that I have been hesitant to follow
• How can I choose restoration and peace over being right in my current situation
• What would it look like for me to fully trust Jesus with this area of my life

Go to Him just as you are

Then they came to Jesus and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ~ Mark 5:15

What if the very thing you are trying to fix before going to Jesus is the very thing He is asking you to bring to Him just as it is. What if you don’t have to clean up the messes you are currently in before you go to Him in prayer. I used to feel like I needed to make everything perfect in my life before I could be in a position to reach out to Him with my worries and concerns.

Recently, as I was in prayer, the Lord showed me a picture of what it looks like when I carry my burdens to Him. As I lifted my hands and palms up in worship, I sensed this is how it looks when I bring Him my cares and concerns. In that position, I am taking every care, every concern, every request, and surrendering it before Him.

As I prayed, I realized something deeper. When I lay something down before Him, I am not meant to pick it back up again. Instead, I receive what He gives in return. Sometimes the answer is to wait. Sometimes it is a quiet assurance that He has it. Other times it is clear direction to follow. No matter what the answer is, I know I have received it because peace settles in my heart.

That peace becomes my evidence that I have truly given it to Him. I do not leave that place of prayer until I receive His peace. If I leave before that peace settles in my heart, then no exchange has truly been made. I need His peace as the confirmation that I have released my dilemma and received the assurance that He is taking care of the struggles that He has for me in return.

From that moment on, when the situation comes back to mind, I choose to be thankful. I thank Him that He has taken that concern and He is working on it. I continue to thank Him until I see the answer show up in real time. I remember the moment I placed it in His hands and received His provision and us that memory as an anchor for my faith to hold on to. Even if nothing has changed yet in the natural circumstances, I trust that something has already shifted in the Spirit.

If I find myself going back and asking Him for the same thing again and again, I realize I have not fully released it. I am carrying the burden back and forth instead of leaving it with Him. He is calling me to trust Him more deeply, to lay it down once and walk forward with what He has placed in my heart to replace that problem.

Sometimes this kind of prayer takes longer than simply telling Him what the problem is. I have to ask Him for wisdom and direction and take the time to listen in my heart for the words or pictures He ministers back to me. But it is always worth the time it takes, because the burden lifts, peace settles in, and I leave knowing that He is already at work, bringing everyone involved to a better place than they were before the crisis began.

Today’s reading in Mark 5 brings this picture to life. A man who had been tormented ran to Jesus at his first opportunity. He didn’t try to clean himself up and he didn’t try to fix his situation first. He simply went to Jesus as he was.

Jesus didn’t reject him in his condition. He met him there.

Jesus immediately recognized the problem and brought deliverance. When it was finished, the man was no longer the same. He was sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. Then Jesus gave him direction so he could walk in lasting freedom.

He did not leave the same way he came, and he did not have to make himself better before coming to Jesus. Jesus made him better because the man ran to Him for help.

This is what happens when we go to Jesus. We do not have to be perfect, prepared, or put together. We can come just as we are, and He meets us there. Then He leads us through the situation, bringing healing, direction, and restoration that leaves us stronger and more whole than we were before.

Here are some simple ways to begin walking this out in your own life:

1. Go to Jesus as you are, do not wait until you feel ready or have it all together
2. Be honest about your situation, hold nothing back from Him
3. Lay your cares before Him in prayer, intentionally release them
4. Ask Him for His wisdom and direction, then take time to listen
5. Receive the peace He gives, let it settle in your heart as confirmation
6. Write down what you sensed Him telling you to review what stress over the situation comes
7. Walk forward in what He shows you, even if it requires trust and humility
8. Thank Him for what He is doing, even before you see the outcome

You were never meant to fix yourself before coming to Jesus. You were meant to come to Him so He could do the work in you and through you.

Today I want to encourage you to stop trying to clean everything up before going to Him and simply come as you are. Bring your situation, your struggle, and your questions to Jesus and lay them at His feet. Receive His peace, follow His direction, and trust that as you walk with Him, He will lead you to an outcome that leaves you stronger, freer, and more whole than you ever were before.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 5:1-20

1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 

2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 

3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 

4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 

5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 

7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 

9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?”

And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 

10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 

12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” 

13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea and drowned in the sea.

14 So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. 

15 Then they came to Jesus and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 

16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. 

17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 

19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 

20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

Journal:

• What am I currently carrying that I need to lay down before Jesus
• What has God already spoken to me about this situation that I need to trust
• How will I remind myself to walk in peace instead of picking the burden back up again
• What step can I take today to follow the direction He is giving me
• What would it look like for me to leave His presence different than when I came 

He is the Rock 

He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He. ~ Deuteronomy 32:4

Have you ever felt like life is shifting beneath your feet, like the things you once counted on are no longer steady? Have you ever wondered where to anchor your heart when circumstances feel uncertain or overwhelming? In today’s world, it is easy to build on things that seem secure in the moment but cannot sustain us long term. This chapter reminds us that God alone is our true foundation, steady, faithful, and unchanging.

As children of God, we are called to build our lives on something that cannot be shaken. God is not only our creator, He is our Rock. When everything else feels unstable, He remains firm, trustworthy, and constant. The more we recognize Who He is, the more confident we become in how we live each day.

Consider this truth as you go through the points below, what you build your life on will determine how you stand when pressure comes:

1. Recognize God as your true foundation

In today’s scripture reading, Moses proclaimed that God is the Rock, perfect in all His ways. The people were reminded not to place their trust in temporary things, but in the One Who never changes.

Take a minute to consider what you have been depending on for security. It could be your routine, your abilities, or the approval of others. Begin to shift your focus by intentionally acknowledging God in your decisions throughout the day. When you feel uncertain, pause and say, “God, You are my foundation.” This simple step helps reposition your heart to rely on Him instead of unstable circumstances.

2. Stay Aware of Spiritual Drift

In this chapter, the people of Israel are warned about drifting away from God when life becomes comfortable. They forgot the One Who sustained them and began to rely on other things.

Pay attention to small areas where you may be becoming distracted or disconnected. It might be skipping time with God, losing patience with others, or becoming too busy to listen for His voice in your heart. Choose one simple way to stay connected each day, whether it is a short prayer in the morning or pausing to thank God throughout your day. These small, consistent moments help keep your heart steady and focused on Him.

3. Remember God’s Faithfulness in Every Season

Even when the people turned away, God remained faithful. His character did not change, and His desire to lead and restore them stayed strong.

Create a habit of remembering what God has already done and thanking Him for those times. Write down moments where He has provided, guided, or strengthened you. When you face new challenges, go back to those reminders. This builds confidence that the same God who was faithful before will continue to be faithful now.

I am currently walking through a struggle with one of my family members. I do not see them all the time, but they are constantly on my heart. Even though I pray for this loved one daily, it can be challenging at times to stay anchored in the truth that I have already committed this situation to my Heavenly Father. He is not only working in this relationship, but also in the hearts of others who are directly connected to us.

I am doing everything I know to do, but still I often feel unsettled inside. In those moments, I have to intentionally slow down and turn my focus back to God on purpose. It is so easy to begin leaning on my own understanding when I cannot see immediate change, but I am reminded that I was never meant to carry this on my own.

This morning when I woke up, a scripture came to mind that brought such peace as I sat with it. It was actually a line from the old hymn Great Is Your Faithfulness: “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”

For so long, I had only focused on the strength for today, because that is what I needed in the moment. But now, walking through a situation with someone so close to my heart that has stretched over years, I found myself deeply comforted by the reminder that there is also hope for tomorrow. That hope is not based on what I see, but on Who God is.

In Deuteronomy 32, He is revealed as the Rock, His work is perfect, and all His ways are just. That truth has been settling deeper in my heart each day. He is steady when I feel uncertain. He is faithful when I feel weary. He is unchanging in the middle of circumstances that feel unpredictable.

Jesus is the Rock of my salvation. He is my firm foundation, the One I can stand on when everything else feels unsteady. When I place my hope in Him, I am no longer shaken my external circumstances.

I am choosing to trust Him with every detail. I know He is working all things together for good because we love Him and are called according to His purpose. When I remind myself of this truth, the pressure of the everyday reminders begins to lift. In its place comes a renewed sense of peace and direction. As I continue to build my faith and my hope on Him and the bright future He has planned for us, I know that I do not have to carry the weight of this situation on my own. He is the Rock, and He is more than able to walk me through anything, one faith step at a time.

Today I want to encourage you to build your life on the One Who never changes. When everything around you feels uncertain, God will always be your firm foundation. As you choose to trust Him, stay connected to Him, and remember His faithfulness, you will find strength, peace, and stability no matter what you are facing. You are not meant to navigate life on your own, you are meant to stand on the Rock.

Today’s scripture reading: Deuteronomy 32

1 “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

2 Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distills as the dew, as raindrops on the tender herb, and as showers on the grass.

3 For I proclaim the name of the Lord: Ascribe greatness to our God.

4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice;

Righteous and upright is He.

5 “They have corrupted themselves; They are not His children, because of their blemish: A perverse and crooked generation.

6 Do you thus deal with the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, who bought you? Has He not made you and established you?

7 “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; Your elders, and they will tell you:

8 When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.

9 For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance.

10 “He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.

11 As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings,

12 So the Lord alone led him, and there was no foreign god with him.

13 “He made him ride in the heights of the earth, that he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock;

14 Curds from the cattle, and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs; And rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the choicest wheat; And you drank wine, the blood of the grapes.

15 “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick, you are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

16 They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger.

17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear.

18 Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you.

19 “And when the Lord saw it, He spurned them, because of the provocation of His sons and His daughters.

20 And He said: ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faith.

21 They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. but I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.

22 For a fire is kindled in My anger, and shall burn to the lowest hell; It shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

23 ‘I will heap disasters on them; I will spend My arrows on them.

24 They shall be wasted with hunger, devoured by pestilence and bitter destruction; I will also send against them the teeth of beasts, with the poison of serpents of the dust.

25 The sword shall destroy outside; There shall be terror within for the young man and virgin, the nursing child with the man of gray hairs.

26 I would have said, “I will dash them in pieces, I will make the memory of them to cease from among men,”

27 Had I not feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should misunderstand, lest they should say, “Our hand is high; And it is not the Lord who has done all this.” ’

28 “For they are a nation void of counsel, nor is there any understanding in them.

29 Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!

30 How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had surrendered them?

31 For their rock is not like our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.

32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah; Their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter.

33 Their wine is the poison of serpents, and the cruel venom of cobras.

34 ‘Is this not laid up in store with Me, sealed up among My treasures?

35 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.’

36 “For the Lord will judge His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is no one remaining, bond or free.

37 He will say: ‘Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge?

38 Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise and help you, and be your refuge.

39 ‘Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.

40 For I raise My hand to heaven, and say, “As I live forever,

41 If I whet My glittering sword, and My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, and repay those who hate Me.

42 I will make My arrows drunk with blood, and My sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the heads of the leaders of the enemy.” ’

43 “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.”

44 So Moses came with Joshua the son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. 

45 Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 

46 and he said to them: “Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe—all the words of this law. 

47 For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess.”

48 Then the Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying: 

49 “Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho; view the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession; 

50 and die on the mountain which you ascend, and be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people; 

51 because you trespassed against Me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin, because you did not hallow Me in the midst of the children of Israel. 

52 Yet you shall see the land before you, though you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving to the children of Israel.”

Journal:

• What have I been relying on that may not be a firm foundation
• In what areas of my life do I need to intentionally trust God more
• What is one simple way I can stay connected to God each day
• Where have I seen God’s faithfulness in my life that I can hold onto today
• How can I remind myself daily that God is my Rock

Be strong and go forward

_{Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”~ Deuteronomy 31:6}

Have you ever stood at the edge of something new and felt excitement and hesitation at the same time? Have you sensed God leading you forward, yet wondered if you are truly ready for what is ahead? In today’s world, it is easy to feel uncertain when stepping into unfamiliar territory, especially when the outcome is unknown. Today’s chapter in Deuteronomy reminds us of a powerful truth, God does not just call us forward, He goes with us.

As children of God, we are not asked to move in our own strength. We are called to walk in courage because His presence is constant. He already knows what is ahead, and He has made provision for every step. As we look at the times we are living in and the promise of the return of our Lord Jesus, this call to be strong and go forward becomes even more meaningful. We are not moving aimlessly, we are moving with purpose, knowing that our faithfulness today is part of a greater story God is leading us to.

It is important to remember this truth, courage is not the absence of fear, it is choosing to move forward because you trust the One who is leading you and believe He has your best interest in His heart.

Here are three actions you can begin to implement in your life today:

1. Trust that God goes before you

Moses was preparing Joshua and the people for a new season. Even though Moses would not go with them, God reassured them that His presence would remain. Their confidence was not in a person, it was in God.

When you are facing a new opportunity, a difficult conversation, or a step of obedience, take a minute to remind yourself that God is already there. Speak it out loud if you need to, “God, You are already in this.” This simple act shifts your focus from fear to faith and gives you the confidence to move forward.

2. Choose courage over comfort

God’s instruction to be strong and courageous was not a suggestion, it was a call to action. The people had to choose to step into what God had promised, even when it felt uncomfortable. In the days we are living in, it can be easy to shrink back or become distracted and even preoccupied with the busyness of this life, but God is calling His people to stand firm and continue moving forward with boldness as we anticipate His return.

Identify one area where you have been hesitating. It may be reaching out to someone, starting something new, or stepping into a leadership role. Instead of waiting until you feel ready, take one small step today. Courage grows as you move, not as you wait. Each step strengthens your confidence in God’s faithfulness.

3. Stay rooted in God’s Word

God instructed that His Word be read and kept before the people so they would not forget Him. Staying connected to His truth would guide them and keep their hearts steady. This becomes even more important as we draw closer to the return of Jesus, because His Word keeps us grounded, focused, and ready to step out in faith.

Create a daily rhythm of spending time in God’s Word, even if it is just a few minutes. Write down one verse or truth that stands out and carry it with you throughout the day. When challenges come, return to that truth. It will anchor your thoughts and keep you grounded in His promises.

I remember in my life when I first felt God prompting me to write the Daily Dose, but instead of jumping right in, I kept hesitating because I did not feel fully prepared. I had every reason to wait, and honestly, waiting felt more comfortable. But the more I prayed, the more I sensed that this was not about my readiness, it was about my willingness to trust Him. I made the decision to take a step forward, even though I felt unsure. What I found was that God met me in that step. He provided clarity, strength, and the right connections and creative ideas at just the right time. That experience showed me that God’s presence is not something I wait to feel before I move, it is something I discover as I take faith steps to follow His direction.

Today I want to encourage you to step forward with courage, knowing that God is already ahead of you and walking beside you. In a time where it matters more than ever to live with purpose and faith, your obedience is significant. You do not have to have every detail figured out. You simply need to trust His leading and take the next step. As you do, you will find that His strength is sufficient, His presence is steady, and His promises are true.

Today’s scripture reading: Deuteronomy 31

1 Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 

2 And he said to them: “I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’ 

3 The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the Lord has said. 

4 And the Lord will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites and their land, when He destroyed them. 

5 The Lord will give them over to you, that you may do to them according to every commandment which I have commanded you. 

6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. 

8 And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

The Law to Be Read Every Seven Years

9 So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 

10 And Moses commanded them, saying: “At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, 

11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 

12 Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, 

13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess.”

Prediction of Israel’s Rebellion

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that I may inaugurate him.”

So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting. 

15 Now the Lord appeared at the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood above the door of the tabernacle.

16 And the Lord said to Moses: “Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. 

17 Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ 

18 And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.

19 “Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel. 

20 When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant. 

21 Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants, for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them.”

22 Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel. 

23 Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”

24 So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, 

25 that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying: 

26 “Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you; 

27 for I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If today, while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord, then how much more after my death? 

28 Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them. 

29 For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands.”

30 Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song until they were ended:

Journal:

• What is one area in my life where God is calling me to step forward in courage
• What fears or hesitations have been holding me back from moving forward
• How can I remind myself daily that God is with me and goes before me
• How can I stay spiritually ready and focused as I live with the awareness of Jesus’ return
• What is one small step I can take today to walk in obedience to His leading

Choose Life

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; ~ Deuteronomy 30:19

Have you ever stood at a crossroads and wished someone would simply tell you what to do? Have you felt the tension between what seems easy, comfortable, or safe, and what God is calling you to do? The truth is God gives us the answer to these questions and every question we have  in this world.  In today’s reading, He plainly tells us that it is up to each individual to choose life and blessing or Death and cursing. He even tells us that the right answer is to choose life, but He doesn’t force us to follow it. Each of us has a choice. Choosing life requires intentional decision and courage, even when the path feels uncertain.

In Deuteronomy 30, Moses reminded God’s people that life and blessing are available, but they are contingent on obedience and choosing to follow God’s way and plan. God doesn’t leave us guessing. He has given the instructions, the principles, and the wisdom needed to experience His best for us. The question is, will we choose it?

Consider this: The small decisions you make today such as how you respond to a situation, what you speak over your day, how you interact with others are setting the trajectory of your blessings, influencing your relationships, and positioning you to experience God’s goodness or not.

Here are three ways to respond to God’s call to choose life:

1. Choose life by following God’s Word

God’s Word is a roadmap for life. Obedience to His instructions positions you to experience His blessing in every area. When you act on what He has already revealed, you are choosing life.

Pick a clear instruction from Scripture or a prompting from the Holy Spirit and act on it today. For example, if God is nudging you to forgive someone, make that phone call or send that message. If He is prompting generosity, find a way to give to someone in need. By doing what He has revealed, you step into life, blessing, and peace.

2. Choose life by trusting God’s guidance

Deuteronomy 30 emphasizes that God has not hidden the path from you. His guidance is accessible, but it requires faith to follow. Life, blessing, and fruitfulness are on the other side of trusting Him.

Intentionally ask for God’s direction in the small decisions of your day. When you feel unsure about how to respond to a challenge, pause, pray, and ask for His wisdom. Then take one step in faith in His direction, trusting that God will lead you through the process. Each time you follow His guidance, confidence grows, and you become more in tune to His voice.

3. Choose Life by Acting with Purpose and Intentionality

Choosing life is not passive. It is an active decision made daily. Every choice matters because each one either positions you for blessing or creates barriers to it.

Start by examining your daily routines, habits, and decisions. Are they creating space for God to lead? Are they in agreement with His principles? For instance, setting aside time for prayer, worship, or serving others intentionally is a daily choice that produces spiritual fruit. Choosing patience in a frustrating moment or speaking encouragement instead of criticism activates the path of life God wants for you.

There were many years of my life that I made decisions based on what I felt like at the time. Even when I had already made a commitment, if I did not feel like following through, I would cancel or make an excuse. At the time, I felt justified, but it took me a long time to realize that I was living under the weight of my own choices because I was allowing my feelings to lead instead of God’s Word and His plan.

As I began to grow in my walk with God, I started to see how those patterns were affecting every area of my life. I realized that choosing what felt right in the moment was not leading me to life, peace, or stability. It was actually keeping me stuck. Little by little, I began to make a different choice. I started choosing obedience even when I did not feel like it. I began to follow through on what I knew God was asking of me, even in the small things.

Over time, I saw a shift. There was more peace, more clarity, and more confidence in my decisions. I began to understand that choosing God’s way really does lead to life. It is not always the easiest choice in the moment, but it is always the right one, and it always produces His blessings and something better than what I could have chosen on my own.

Today I want to encourage you to choose life by obeying, trusting, and acting on the clear guidance God has given. His way is not burdensome; it is life-giving. When you follow His Word, trust His voice, and respond with intentionality, you open the door for blessing, peace, and fruitfulness that impacts not only your life but also those around you.

Today’s scripture reading: Deuteronomy 30

1 “Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, 

2 and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, 

3 that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. 

4 If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 

5 Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. 

6 And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

7 “Also the Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 

8 And you will again obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command you today. 

9 The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, 

10 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 

12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 

13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 

14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 

16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 

17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 

18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 

19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 

20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

Journal:

• What is one instruction or prompting from God that you can act on today?
• Are there choices you are making that move you away from life and blessing? How can you change that?
• How does trusting God in the small decisions of your day strengthen your faith for larger decisions?
• In what ways can you intentionally create space to hear the Holy Spirit’s guidance?
• What first step of obedience can you take this week to walk in the life God is offering you?

Standing firm in God’s Covenant     

Therefore, keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do. ~ Deuteronomy 29:9

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to experience God’s peace and blessing even in challenging seasons, while others feel stuck or frustrated? Do you ever question whether following God’s ways really impacts your everyday life, or if it’s just a set of rules to follow? Today’s scripture reading reminds us that God’s covenant with His people is not abstract. It is deeply personal, practical, and designed to guide our lives today with protection and success. Every choice we make, both big and small, either opens the door for God’s blessing or creates unnecessary obstacles.

God’s covenant calls us to intentional obedience and awareness. Here are three ways we can stand firm in God’s covenant and allow His guidance to shape our lives.

1. Remember God’s Faithfulness

Moses reminded the Israelites of all God had done for them when delivering them from Egypt, guiding them through the wilderness, and providing for their needs. Obedience was rooted in remembering and trusting God’s faithfulness.

Take time each day to remember how God has guided you in the past. Write down moments when His faithfulness was evident. When challenges arise, revisit your list and remind yourself that the same God who led you before is with you now. Gratitude for past provision strengthens your trust and readiness to obey today.

2. Understand the Consequences of Your Choices

Deuteronomy 29 makes it clear that obedience brings blessing, while turning away from God’s ways brings difficulty. Following His commands is not about earning God’s love, it is about living in agreement with the design God created for life.

Pay attention to how your choices shape your day and your relationships. Notice moments when acting in love, patience, and integrity brings peace, and when compromise or neglect creates confusion. Ask yourself, “Which choice honors God and carries His blessing?” By making deliberate, small choices that honor Him, you position yourself to walk in His guidance and favor all day long.

3. Live with Awareness and Commitment

The Israelites were called to hear God’s covenant and actively commit to it. Obedience requires intention, not casual agreement.

Set aside intentional time weekly to consider your commitments. Pray about your decisions, review your calendar, and evaluate whether your priorities match God’s. Commit to serve, give, or step out in faith where He prompts you. Being deliberate helps you respond quickly when the Spirit nudges your heart, building confidence in your ability to follow Him faithfully.

It wasn’t all that long ago when my schedule was packed from morning until night. Work, ministry, family responsibilities, and daily tasks left me feeling stretched too thin to respond to the small nudges and leading of the Holy Spirit. I realized I had no margin in my life to obey the gentle prompts God was giving me. I began intentionally creating space by waking up earlier to spend quiet time with Him, leaving breathing room between commitments, and prioritizing tasks so I could respond in the moments when the Spirit whispered. One morning, during that new margin, I felt a clear nudge to reach out to someone I had been avoiding. It felt inconvenient, but I ask the Holy Spirit for strength to do it and took that step of faith. That small act brought healing to a strained relationship and renewed my confidence in God’s direction. Creating that margin made all the difference because it allowed me to respond with faith and step into the blessing God had prepared. If I hadn’t set aside that quiet time, I would have been to busy to hear and go in the direction He was leading me and missed the blessing and healing He wanted me to have in my life. 

Since that time, I have had many prompts from God’s Spirit.  I can’t say that I follow Him perfectly and there are times when I forget that He will make everything fit when I take the time to follow His direction.  But when I am tempted to ignore or put off obedience, I now know that I can ask Him for help to follow His plan as He takes care of everything else.

Today I want to encourage you to pay attention to the nudges God gives in your daily life. Obedience in small moments, rooted in thanksgiving, awareness, and commitment, positions you to walk fully in His blessing and guidance. God’s covenant is alive today, and each choice matters. When you trust His words and commit to follow, you will find stability, fruitfulness, and peace right in the middle of life’s challenges.

Today’s scripture reading: Deuteronomy 29

1 These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them in Horeb.

2 Now Moses called all Israel and said to them: “You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land— 

3 the great trials which your eyes have seen, the signs, and those great wonders. 

4 Yet the Lord has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day. 

5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet. 

6 You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or similar drink, that you may know that I am the Lord your God. 

7 And when you came to this place, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out against us to battle, and we conquered them. 

8 We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh. 

9 Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.

10 “All of you stand today before the Lord your God: your leaders and your tribes and your elders and your officers, all the men of Israel, 

11 your little ones and your wives—also the stranger who is in your camp, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water— 

12 that you may enter into covenant with the Lord your God, and into His oath, which the Lord your God makes with you today, 

13 that He may establish you today as a people for Himself, and that He may be God to you, just as He has spoken to you, and just as He has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

14 “I make this covenant and this oath, not with you alone, 

15 but with him who stands here with us today before the Lord our God, as well as with him who is not here with us today 

16 (for you know that we dwelt in the land of Egypt and that we came through the nations which you passed by, 

17 and you saw their abominations and their idols which were among them—wood and stone and silver and gold); 

18 so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; 

19 and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.

20 “The Lord would not spare him; for then the anger of the Lord and His jealousy would burn against that man, and every curse that is written in this book would settle on him, and the Lord would blot out his name from under heaven. 

21 And the Lord would separate him from all the tribes of Israel for adversity, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this Book of the Law, 

22 so that the coming generation of your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, would say, when they see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses which the Lord has laid on it:

23 ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’ 

24 “All nations would say, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’ 

25 Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt; 

26 for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. 

27 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against this land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. 

28 And the Lord uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.’

29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Journal:

• What is one area of your life where God has already given you clear guidance that you have delayed acting on?
• How can you intentionally remember God’s faithfulness from past seasons to strengthen your trust today?
• Are there decisions or habits in your life that could be adjusted to reflect God’s priorities more clearly?
• When have small acts of obedience led to unexpectedly significant blessings in your life?
• What is one first step you can take this week to respond to God’s covenant in your daily life?

Living your blessed life

And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: ~ Deuteronomy 28:2

Have you ever wondered why some seasons of life seem filled with peace, direction, and favor, while other times feel heavy and uncertain? Have you ever asked yourself if God truly wants His people to live in blessing today, or if those promises were only meant for those in Bible times?

Many believers struggle with these questions. We know that God loves us and that salvation through Jesus has restored our relationship with Him. Yet we sometimes live as though God’s promises of blessing are distant or unreachable. The truth revealed in today’s scripture reading reminds us that God desires to bless His children as they walk closely with Him.

The heart of this passage is not about earning God’s love. His love has already been freely given. The message of this chapter shows us that when we listen to God’s voice and follow His ways, our lives begin to move in the direction of His blessing and guidance. The reason for this in not because God wants everything to be done His way, but because He is the Creator and Designer of everything and knows the way He designed it all to work.  He is also the One who planned out a blessed life for you, but you can only live that best life by letting Him lead you there.

As children of God living in today’s world, we are surrounded by many voices competing for our attention. Learning to follow the voice of the Lord brings stability, wisdom, and peace even in uncertain times.

Here are several powerful truths from this scripture that show us how God designed life to be successful:

1.Listening to God’s Voice Opens the Door to His Blessing

The foundation of Deuteronomy 28 begins with a simple invitation, to listen to the voice of the Lord and follow His direction. God’s blessing is connected to our willingness to hear Him and respond.

In a world filled with constant noise, one of the most practical ways to hear God’s voice is by setting aside intentional time with Him. For example, begin your day by reading a portion of Scripture and asking God for wisdom and direction to lead you through your day. When you create space to listen, you allow His guidance to shape your thoughts and choices. Over time, those small daily moments of listening begin to influence the direction of your life.

2.Obedience Positions Us for God’s Favor

This chapter repeatedly connects blessing with obedience. Obedience is not about perfection. It is about a heart that is willing to follow God even when it requires trust because you know He always has the best outcome in mind for you.  He is not trying to lead you to evil or destruction, He is trying to keep you from it.

When we choose to follow God’s instructions, we place ourselves in a position where His favor can work in ways we can’t get to on our own.

Consider an area where God has already given clear instruction through His Word. It may involve forgiveness, generosity, integrity, or serving others. Take one simple step of obedience this week. If God has been prompting you to restore a relationship, begin with a conversation. If He has placed generosity on your heart, look for an opportunity to give. Obedience often begins with one small step, but that step opens the door for God to move in powerful ways.

3. God’s Blessing Is Meant to Overflow Into Every Area of Life

Deuteronomy 28 describes blessings in many areas such as work, family, provision, and influence. God’s desire is not limited to one small part of our lives. He cares about every detail of our journey. When we walk with Him, His wisdom and favor begin to influence our decisions, relationships, and opportunities.

Invite God into the ordinary parts of your life. Pray about your work, your responsibilities, and your future plans. For example, before starting a project or making an important decision, ask God to guide your thinking and give you wisdom. As you include Him in everyday moments, you will begin to see how His direction brings clarity and peace.

For many years I thought I understood what it meant to follow God’s Word, but I slowly discovered there was a big difference between knowing it and letting it guide my life. I had memorized many scriptures when I was young because I grew up in that environment. Yet somehow many of those precious verses never got into my heart, and I didn’t realize that God’s Words were still applicable to my life today. I was saved by grace and had the unrealistic expectation that I would automatically do the right things now. Because I believed that many of God’s principles no longer applied the same way in today’s world since we now live under His grace, not His law, I didn’t realize that doing things the way He laid out in His “Owner’s manual,” the Bible, would lead me to His plan for my life. I knew the Scriptures, yet I had convinced myself that some of those instructions were outdated or unnecessary.

As I began spending more time in God’s Word again, something inside me started to shift. I realized that the principles I had once overlooked were actually the very things God was using to guide and strengthen my life.

Simple truths like seeking God first, honoring others, practicing generosity, and setting aside time for rest began to take on new meaning. These were not burdensome rules. They were pathways that allowed God’s blessing and wisdom to shape my life.

The more I followed what He had already made clear, the more I began to see His faithfulness in ways I had not noticed before. I realized that obedience was not about rules, it was about trusting the One who designed my life.

Today I want to encourage you to remember that God’s desire is not to restrict your life but to lead you into His blessing. When you listen to His Word, His voice in your heart and follow His instructions, you place yourself in the path of His guidance and favor. The world around you may be uncertain, but God’s promises remain steady and trustworthy. As you walk in obedience and trust Him with each step, you will discover that He wants to bless your life far beyond what you ever imagined.

Today’s scripture reading: Deuteronomy 28

1 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully  all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 

2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:

3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

4 “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

5 “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

8 “The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

9 “The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 

10 Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. 

11 And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 

12 The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 

13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. 

14 So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Curses on Disobedience

15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

16 “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country.

17 “Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

18 “Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

19 “Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

20 “The Lord will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me. 

21 The Lord will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. 

22 The Lord will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. 

23 And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron. 

24 The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.

25 “The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth. 

26 Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and no one shall frighten them away. 

27 The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed. 

28 The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart. 

29 And you shall grope at noonday, as a blind man gropes in darkness; you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you.

30 “You shall betroth a wife, but another man shall lie with her; you shall build a house, but you shall not dwell in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but shall not gather its grapes. 

31 Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you shall not eat of it; your donkey shall be violently taken away from before you, and shall not be restored to you; your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have no one to rescue them. 

32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, and your eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all day long; and there shall be no strength in your hand. 

33 A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the produce of your labor, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually. 

34 So you shall be driven mad because of the sight which your eyes see. 

35 The Lord will strike you in the knees and on the legs with severe boils which cannot be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.

36 “The Lord will bring you and the king whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods—wood and stone. 

37 And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the Lord will drive you.

38 “You shall carry much seed out to the field but gather little in, for the locust shall consume it. 

39 You shall plant vineyards and tend them, but you shall neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. 

40 You shall have olive trees throughout all your territory, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olives shall drop off. 

41 You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity. 

42 Locusts shall consume all your trees and the produce of your land.

43 “The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. 

44 He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.

45 “Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. 

46 And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your descendants forever.

47 “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, 

48 therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you. 

49 The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, 

50 a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favor to the young. 

51 And they shall eat the increase of your livestock and the produce of your land, until you are destroyed; they shall not leave you grain or new wine or oil, or the increase of your cattle or the offspring of your flocks, until they have destroyed you.

52 “They shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you at all your gates throughout all your land which the Lord your God has given you. 

53 You shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and your daughters whom the Lord your God has given you, in the siege and desperate straits in which your enemy shall distress you. 

54 The sensitive and very refined man among you will be hostile toward his brother, toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the rest of his children whom he leaves behind, 

55 so that he will not give any of them the flesh of his children whom he will eat, because he has nothing left in the siege and desperate straits in which your enemy shall distress you at all your gates. 

56 The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her delicateness and sensitivity, will refuse to the husband of her bosom, and to her son and her daughter, 

57 her placenta which comes out from between her feet and her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of everything in the siege and desperate straits in which your enemy shall distress you at all your gates.

58 “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE Lord YOUR GOD, 

59 then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 

60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 

61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. 

62 You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God. 

63 And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess.

64 “Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone. 

65 And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul. 

66 Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life. 

67 In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’ because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight which your eyes see.

68 “And the Lord will take you back to Egypt in ships, by the way of which I said to you, ‘You shall never see it again.’ And there you shall be offered for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”

Journal:

• What is one area of your life where you sense God inviting you to listen more closely to His voice?
• What is one instruction from God’s Word that you can begin practicing more intentionally this week?
• Have you experienced a time when obedience to God led to unexpected blessing or direction?
• What practical step can you take today to invite God into your daily decisions?
• How might your life change if you trusted that God truly desires to guide and bless His children today?