E. Stanley Jones reflects on the limitations of human achievement, including advances in science and technology, in prolonging life. He acknowledges that while medical progress may extend one’s ability to function and thrive beyond middle age, it cannot prevent the ultimate reality of physical death. If one’s hope is rooted in human effort, the result is merely a delayed but inevitable decline. However, for those in Christ, there is no such fear, for life is not bound to the body but anchored in the eternal reality of union with Him.

Acts 2:4 recounts the moment when the Holy Spirit filled the disciples, empowering them to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. This passage isn’t just about a historical event—it unveils the divine reality of what it means to be fully yielded to the Spirit’s presence and power.

Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He gave His disciples a crucial promise: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me” (Acts 1:8). This was not a mere encouragement but an absolute necessity. The task of spreading the gospel was not something they could accomplish through their own ability. They needed divine power—the very life of Christ within them—to be His witnesses.

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself. — Acts 20:24

In today’s devotional, Oswald Chambers challenges the reader to consider whether they are truly abandoned to God or merely engaging in Christian service on a basis of personal reasoning. It is easier to work for God without a true calling because it allows one to operate by common sense rather than divine leading. Paul, however, was utterly gripped by Christ—his life was no longer his own, and he refused to weigh personal considerations. He did not evaluate his usefulness but lived solely to fulfill the ministry given to him. Chambers warns that practical work, when guided by human reasoning, can become a competitor to true surrender. The question remains: Do we see ourselves as belonging entirely to Christ, or do we still count our lives dear to ourselves?

📖 “Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” —Romans 6:17

The only solid foundation for a Christ-honoring life is faith in the unshakable truths of God’s Word. Our experiences must flow from sound doctrine, not the other way around. Paul reminded Timothy that good doctrine nourishes the soul and equips us for faithful service (1 Tim. 4:6,13).

Manasseh’s reign in Judah stands as a sobering reminder of the depths of human depravity. He not only embraced idolatry but led an entire nation into rebellion against God—defiling the temple, shedding innocent blood, and even sacrificing his own children. His evil surpassed that of the surrounding pagan nations, an unthinkable tragedy for the people chosen to bear God’s name.

The Israelites had a common saying in Ezekiel’s time: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Ezek. 18:2). They believed they were suffering for the sins of their ancestors, as if they were merely victims of God’s judgment rather than responsible for their own choices. But the Lord corrects their misunderstanding. He declares that each person is accountable for their own righteousness or wickedness, and that His justice is never unfair.

Zophar’s speech in Job 20 is blistering, harsh, and filled with certainty. He believes he is speaking on God’s behalf, delivering a scathing rebuke to Job. To him, Job must be wicked because suffering of this magnitude must be punishment. His words, while true in general about the wicked, are false when applied to Job. That is the great tragedy of legalistic, human reasoning—it assumes that suffering is always a direct result of personal sin.

“Feed the flock of God which is among you” (1 Pet. 5:2).

It should grieve us to realize how many abandoned babes in Christ there are—spiritual orphans left without guidance, struggling to understand what it means to walk in their new life. In these days of spiritual famine, the need to nurture new believers is more urgent than ever. Our role isn’t simply to bring someone to Christ and then move on, but to see them grow—“rooted and built up in Him, and established” (Col. 2:7).

Feed My sheep. — John 21:17

This is love in the making. The love of God is unmade—it is God’s very nature. When we receive the Holy Spirit, He unites us with God so that His love is manifested in us. But union with God is not the end in itself; the purpose is to be one with the Father as Jesus was. And what did that oneness look like? It looked like being sent to be spent. Jesus said, “As the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you” (John 20:21).

📖 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it. — Hebrews 12:11 BSB

God often works through paradoxes—strength through weakness, life through death, peace through surrender. Today’s devotional reminds me that power is not something we find; it’s something produced. The illustration of electrical energy being generated through friction captures a truth we often resist: the spiritual power to endure, to rise above, to trust in Christ's sufficiency is formed through the pressures of life.

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight…"
— Philippians 1:9

If we were writing a letter to new Christians, what would we say? Many would focus on urging them to be witnesses—speaking boldly about Jesus, sharing the gospel at every opportunity. And certainly, proclaiming Christ is important. But Paul’s prayer for the Philippians doesn’t begin there. Instead, he prays that their love may abound. Not just as a feeling, but as an active force, shaped by knowledge and discernment.

📖 Romans 8:38 – "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

E. Stanley Jones highlights a deep struggle that many face—fear of the future. He recounts a story of a woman trapped in anxiety because, though religious, she was still living in herself, not in Christ. The turning point came when she surrendered, shifting her confidence from her own fading strength to the eternal security of Christ's indwelling life.

Father, how often I have seen the grip of fear tighten around a person’s heart, squeezing out their peace, leaving them anxious and exhausted. Even among believers, I’ve watched as worries about the future consume their thoughts—what will happen to their health, their relationships, their security? I’ve felt it myself in the past, before You taught me that life is not found in managing outcomes but in resting in You.

Father, I see the truth in Paul’s prayer, that love isn’t just sentiment but action. And not just any action—love needs to be wise, discerning, and well-placed. It’s easy for me to think that love means always giving, always saying yes, always trying to fix. But it sure seems that You don’t love that way. Your love is perfect, abounding with wisdom. You waited for the prodigal to come to the end of himself before You lavished him with grace. You knew when to withhold and when to embrace. In my flesh, I don’t know how to do this.

"No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it." — Hebrews 12:11 (BSB)

You have sent me, just as You sent Jesus—and how that humbles me. But I praise You that this calling isn’t mine to accomplish in my own strength. It’s Yours to fulfill through me. Jesus walked this earth in the power of Your Spirit, proclaiming good news, healing the broken, and setting captives free. And now, by that same Spirit, You send me—not as one striving, but as one abiding, resting in the work You are already doing.

“Feed My sheep.” — John 21:17

Oswald Chambers reminds us that the love of God is not something we manufacture—it is His very nature. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, He unites us with God, and His love finds expression through us. But this love is not meant to be stored up; it is meant to be poured out. Jesus’ oneness with the Father led Him to be sent for us, and in the same way, He sends us—not merely to speak of love but to live it by caring for His sheep.

"Feed the flock of God which is among you." (1 Peter 5:2)

It is a tragedy when a child is abandoned and left to fend for themselves. Yet, how often does this happen in the spiritual realm? Many new believers are brought into the faith only to be left without guidance, nourishment, or care. They are spiritual infants, in need of growth, yet many are left to wander without discipleship.