Daily Devotional

Let God Be God

Romans 9-12

03/15/22 – 03/22/22

God’s Mercy

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/15/22

Read Romans 9:1-18

At the beginning of Romans 9, Paul begins to reflect on the fact that his kinsmen, the Jews, are rejecting their Messiah. As he considers the judgment they will face, he cries out in anguish, “I would do anything for them to come to know Jesus. I would even give up my own salvation!”

In Romans 9:6-13, Paul makes it clear that though many Israelites have rejected Jesus, God’s sovereign will never fails. “[I]t is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring,” Paul explains (v. 8), meaning those who have faith in God and His Messiah are the true people of God—the true Israel. Likewise, today God’s salvation is promised not to those who simply attend church, but those who trust in Jesus Christ.

Grappling with why, in God’s sovereignty, some of physical Israel should reject their Savior, Paul recognizes God is not obligated to save anyone. Though humanity questions God’s actions, asking, “Is it fair?” Paul brings us back to reality: “The question is not whether God is fair; the question is: Why does He have mercy on sinners at all?”

God owes humanity nothing except judgment—for all have sinned. But in His merciful, sovereign will, He has chosen to save the undeserving. Therefore, let us rejoice in His mercy and humbly plead with Him for the lost, for our God is “[t]he LORD, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, . . .” (Exodus 34:6).

Prayer: God, You are a gracious, merciful God. Help me to see and experience the depth of Your love for me—the wonder of Christ’s sacrifice for the undeserving. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden” (Romans 9:18).

Awestruck

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/14/22

One of the greatest problems in the church today is that we have lost the vision of the holiness of God. We forget how worthy our loving Creator is—how set apart, how mighty to transform us from weary, heavy-laden people to rejoicing, peaceful citizens of heaven. God’s Word provides us glimpses of God’s glory in heaven that we cannot see on earth. His glory is hidden from view in our political system, in our schools, in our culture—yet right now in heaven, angels are awestruck by God and are worshiping Him. Angels, who have not been tainted by human sin, stand in fear and reverence of the holiness of God.

Read Isaiah 6:1-8. What an incredible picture! This vision was so moving for Isaiah that he said, “Woe to me! . . . I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (Isaiah 6:5).

Every time we enter God’s presence in praise and prayer, we should feel as humbled as the prophet Isaiah. We should stand in awe of His holiness. We should feel overwhelmed with gratitude and thankfulness.

Have you lost sight of the majesty of God’s holiness? Have you forgotten His call upon your life to live differently from the world? Spend time in prayer today praising Him for His holiness. Commit yourself to conforming to Jesus and not the trendsetters of this world.

Prayer: Lord Almighty, I praise and worship You today for Your holiness. Forgive me for losing sight of who You are and what You’ve done for me. Open my eyes afresh to Your beauty and majesty today. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3).

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/14/22

One of the greatest problems in the church today is that we have lost the vision of the holiness of God. We forget how worthy our loving Creator is—how set apart, how mighty to transform us from weary, heavy-laden people to rejoicing, peaceful citizens of heaven. God’s Word provides us glimpses of God’s glory in heaven that we cannot see on earth. His glory is hidden from view in our political system, in our schools, in our culture—yet right now in heaven, angels are awestruck by God and are worshiping Him. Angels, who have not been tainted by human sin, stand in fear and reverence of the holiness of God.

Read Isaiah 6:1-8. What an incredible picture! This vision was so moving for Isaiah that he said, “Woe to me! . . . I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (Isaiah 6:5).

Every time we enter God’s presence in praise and prayer, we should feel as humbled as the prophet Isaiah. We should stand in awe of His holiness. We should feel overwhelmed with gratitude and thankfulness.

Have you lost sight of the majesty of God’s holiness? Have you forgotten His call upon your life to live differently from the world? Spend time in prayer today praising Him for His holiness. Commit yourself to conforming to Jesus and not the trendsetters of this world.

Prayer: Lord Almighty, I praise and worship You today for Your holiness. Forgive me for losing sight of who You are and what You’ve done for me. Open my eyes afresh to Your beauty and majesty today. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3).

A Jealous God

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/13/22

The Israelites in Judges 2 did not set out to defy God or openly rebel against Him. They continued to be religiously observant. They continued to do charitable works. They went through the motions of their religion. But they had squeezed the Truth of who God is to the margins of their lives. They didn’t deny Yahweh or remove Him from their society. They simply pushed Him off to the side and denied Him His central place. They wanted to worship God, but they also wanted to enjoy the Canaanite ways.

The seeds of Israel’s decline began with spiritual compromise—the same kind of spiritual compromise we now see throughout America. Our churches are compromising the Truth of the Gospel. Even many self-proclaimed evangelical Christians are compromising Biblical Truth and morality, not wanting to appear intolerant.

In Truth, our God is an intolerant God—and rightfully so. He tells us, “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:4-5a). That is an intolerant statement by a righteously intolerant God. That’s what He means when He tells us He is a “jealous” God. He will not share His people with other gods. He will not tolerate idolatry.

Tolerance is not always a virtue. Showing tolerance toward sin, idolatry, blasphemy, demonic practices, and immorality is no virtue at all. Such tolerance is an offense to God, and it should be an offense to you and to me.

When Christians tolerate evil, when they allow moral lines to become blurred, then Christ is dethroned as Lord. Once He is relegated to being just one way to God among many, once He is no longer the way, the Truth, the life, and the only way to God the Father, moral relativism is sure to follow. Once Christianity becomes just another religious philosophy, the seeds of destruction have been planted. The authentic Christian faith is not a moral principle or a spiritual practice. It’s a relationship with the one who is the only way to eternal life.

Prayer: God, forgive me for going through the motions of Christianity. I want You on the throne. May the things that offend You offend me. And what You love may I love. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24).

Loving Jesus in Spite of Obstacles

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/12/22

If we want to grow in intimacy with Jesus, we will encounter distractions, temptations, and difficulties along the way. That is sure. What is not sure is whether we will allow these obstacles to be hindrances to our love for Jesus or whether we will see them as stepping stones for growing deeper in Christ.

In pursuing a deeper love and intimacy with Jesus, there are three things that stifle our relationship with Him: the inability to accept correction, the unwillingness to change, and the temptation to confuse the journey for the destination.

Let’s look at the first obstacle: the inability to accept correction. When a godly person points out some of the blind spots in our lives, how do we react? Our willingness to accept correction from a loving Christian brother or sister is one of the greatest indications that we are growing in our love for Jesus.

Secondly, to love the Lord Jesus with all our hearts, we have to be willing to grow and change. Some people are afraid of change and want to cling to the past. They would rather live comfortably than obey Jesus no matter the cost. As believers, our middle names should be change and growth because that is the nature of sanctification. In our efforts to love Jesus more intimately every day, we must realize that whatever heights we’ve attained, there is more. Whatever level of growth we have reached, there is always further to go in our love for Christ. The day we stop changing and growing is a day of immense spiritual danger.

Finally, the third obstacle to loving Jesus more intimately every day is confusing the journey for the destination. We either see ourselves as a citizen of this world with a passing interest in heaven or as a citizen of heaven passing through this strange land on our way to our final destination. Loving Jesus intimately means that we keep our eyes on our destination and yet serve Him here and now as we await the call of our Redeemer (see Philippians 3:20-21).

Prayer: Lord, protect me from the complacency, apathy, and pride that would keep me from seeking You wholeheartedly. When I encounter an obstacle in my faith, let it become a stepping stone to growth instead of a source of discouragement. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way” (Colossians 1:9-10).

With All Your Mind

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/11/22

In Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus spoke about loving the Lord with all your mind: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” Why is the mind so important?

The mind is the seat of the intellect and determination. The mind is the seat of the will and commitment. The mind is the battlefield. When you win the battle in the mind, you have won the hardest part of the battle.

If you want to grow in intimacy with Jesus, it has to be a continuous, decisive act of the mind and will. If you leave loving Jesus up to your feelings, moods, or circumstances, which change and fluctuate, your love will waver. It has to be the priority of your thinking, your decision making, and all your dreams and longings. It must be the priority of your time, your energy, and even your money.

When Jesus is the axle around which all the spokes of your priorities revolve, when He is the very center of your life, all other priorities will fall into place as everything begins to revolve around Him. When Jesus is at the center of the priority wheel, we will give Him the first fruit of the day—not the rotten, leftover fruit of our time and energy. We will make decisions with His will in mind rather than our own.

What do your thoughts revolve around? The center of your thinking—whether Christ, self, or something else—is the object of your worship. Only as you prioritize His desires over your own will you truly begin to love Jesus with all your mind.

As you become more dependent on Christ, the process of submitting your thoughts to Him will become more and more natural and joyful. As you partake in this act of worship, aligning your thoughts with His, He will be able to take you to new depths of intimacy with Him.

Prayer: Lord, as I seek to love You more with my mind, help me to rely on Your strength rather than my own. Only You can renew my mind. May my thoughts and decisions be centered around You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38).

Longing for More of Jesus

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/10/22

Many believe that their spiritual journey is complete once they have professed their faith in Christ. However, just as wedding vows are only the beginning of a marriage, so a profession of faith is only the beginning of something much greater: a daily, living relationship with Christ.

The apostle Paul was a man zealous for his religion. But after a life-changing encounter with Christ, Paul’s desire to grow in love for Jesus caused him to regard all his accomplishments as trash. In Philippians 3:8-9, after going through his laundry list of religious accomplishments, Paul boldly states, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, . . .”

Loving Jesus begins with a dissatisfaction with your current level of loving Jesus. A love for Jesus starts with a yearning to know Him and love Him more than anyone or anything in life. This love leaves no room for complacency or mediocrity because Christ is always worthy of more.

When you come to the point of saying, “Lord, my love for You is so pathetic, so shallow, so superficial, and so self-centered,” this is when you have taken the first step in the right direction.

Jesus longs to nourish our minds with the Truth. He longs to fill our hearts with His love. He longs to lift our imaginations to new heights. He longs for us to surrender our wills so that He may fill us with His. But it all begins with dissatisfaction.

There is no end to knowing and loving Jesus. That is the business of our life on earth and the focus of our worship in eternity. God is constantly inviting His children to know and love Him more every day. Hold nothing back today as you seek to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to examine my life and recognize where I have fallen out of love for You. Help me to repent and begin to grow in love for You every day. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29).

God’s Love

03/03/22 – 03/09/22

God Loves Us. Period.

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/09/22

We all are starving for a personal experience of genuine, Biblical love. The teachers of shadow spirituality tell us that it is only as we love ourselves that we are able to open our hearts to receive divine love. But this is the opposite of God’s true spirituality. We come to Christ when we recognize that we are nothing without God and that, even in our sinful state, Christ died for us. The person who is absorbed with self-love cannot find God because he sees no need for God.

True love does not occur apart from God, and for the follower of Christ, love is not optional. That is because God’s love flows from His nature. As John wrote, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). His character is defined by love. God has made an eternal choice from the foundation of all creation that He will love His creation.

At no time does God say, “I love you whenever it is convenient. I love you when you are good. I love you as long as you promise to try harder.” God’s love is constant, unchanging—not contingent on our performance. His love is sacrificial, always aimed at bringing about our eternal good.

God’s love never varies. He loves us even when we are rebellious and disobedient, when we turn our back on Him and refuse to return His love. He loves us. Period. He loves us because that is His choice. God is love.

Jesus said in the most famous verse of the New Testament, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). There is nothing in that statement about our earning or being worthy of God’s love. All the motivation and impetus are on God’s part.

Our appreciation for God’s love will grow when we realize that His love is not artificial or cheap. When God said to humankind, “I love you,” He gave up all that was most precious to Him. He wondrously demonstrated His love by paying the price for our sin and that price was the death of His own Son.

Take a moment and allow yourself to be overwhelmed with the unconditional love of God. Praise Him for loving you even when you were at odds with Him.

Prayer: God, You truly are love. Thank You that we are enabled to love You and others because You first loved us (1 John 4:19). I know Your love will never fail or even diminish. Thank You, dear Father, for Your constant love for me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“[H]e is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9).

God’s Love

03/03/22 – 03/09/22

Loving Him

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/08/22

God does not want a one-sided relationship with us. He did not send His own Son to die a painful death on the cross for us in order for us to merely accept His forgiveness and continue our lives without Him. He did not adopt us as His children only to receive the occasional visit in return. He wants a daily, close, personal relationship with us. He wants to see us commit our time and hearts to Him in prayer. He wants us to talk to Him, praise Him, and worship Him every day.

The more we comprehend the magnitude of God’s love for us, the more we will love Him back. The more time we spend in prayer learning about Him and developing a relationship with Him, the more our love for Him will grow.

Spend time in prayer today just adoring Him. Praise Him for His amazing love. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you in how to show the immensity of God’s love to the world.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your amazing love that allows me to have a personal relationship with You. Thank You that You want to spend time with me, that You want to hear from me, that You want to have a relationship with me. Help me to pour out Your love to a world that desperately needs it. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ . . . ‘Love your neighbor as yourself'” (Mark 12:30-31).

God’s Love

03/03/22 – 03/09/22

God Is Love

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/07/22

Many things have been said and written about love. Numerous songs recount stories of love gained, treasured, and lost. Tennyson wrote that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Each one of us has been given a tremendous ability to love. Why? Because we were created by God, and He is love (see 1 John 4:16). His love is the greatest. It is an eternal love—one that is unconditional—not based on what we do or don’t do. Rather, the love of God is based on one event: what Christ did for us on Calvary’s cross.

No matter what has happened in this life or what you will face in the future, God’s love for you will never fail. When you get up in the morning, God’s love embraces you. When you lie down at night, it is the love of God that is standing guard over your life. Throughout the day, God is pouring out His merciful love toward you. So essential is the love of God that Paul chooses to mention it first when writing about the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22).

If we truly want to be people who love others and love God fully, then we must begin by giving Christ our lives and by asking Him to teach us how to love the way He loves us. Love is a choice that many times we cannot make on our own. People will say hurtful words about us. Some will seek to harm us, and yet the love of God has the ability to cover all sin. Nothing is more powerful than God’s love in our lives.

Prayer: Father, Your Word says that no one can comprehend Your unlimited love and that I cannot be separated from that love. Thank You for offering Your love to me, covering my life with salvation. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2).

God’s Love

03/03/22 – 03/09/22

Undeserved Love

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/06/22

We did absolutely nothing to earn God’s love. We were born into sin; we were at enmity with God. We were unlovable and undeserving. Yet Christ still died for us. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

God’s love is so abundant that He not only saved us from eternal damnation but even adopted us as His own children. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). He changes our very nature upon salvation so that we can become more like Him. “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God” (1 John 3:9).

Prayer: Thank You, God, for loving me so much that You would adopt me as Your own child even when I could do nothing to deserve it. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—” (Ephesians 2:8).

God’s Love

03/03/22 – 03/09/22

His Incomprehensible Love

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.

The world’s viewpoint about God’s love is such a watered-down version of the Truth. They view Him as a benign and insipid force. They think that His love is so unconditional that He will happily overlook all their faults. They think that God is not concerned about what religion they belong to or what they believe.

As Christians we know that our God is loving and merciful, yet He is also just in His judgments. We know that although His love is not based on our accomplishments, His love is conditional upon Christ’s death on the cross and upon our acceptance of that gift.

Our human brains cannot comprehend the infinitude of God’s love. The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

God’s love does not come cheap. God’s love cost His own Son. Jesus endured immeasurable physical and emotional pain when He was separated from the Father in order to take away our sins. Perfect, holy, righteous Jesus died to pay the wages of our sin. That kind of sacrificial love is incomprehensible. How great is God’s love that He would give Himself for us! “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

Prayer: God, thank You for Your love—a love so great I cannot even comprehend it. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

God’s Love

03/03/22 – 03/09/22

God Revealed in Christ

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/04/22

Through Jesus—

(1)  God demonstrated His nature, which is to show compassion and to provide a way for us to know Him personally and intimately.

(2)  God displayed His unconditional love. He loves us without regret. However, this does not mean that He dismisses sin. We must choose to turn away from everything that separates us from His love.

When we do, He goes to work in our lives bringing heaven’s convicting light to the hidden areas. His presence in us through the Holy Spirit brings freedom to our souls so we can live to our full potential.

(3)  God disclosed His mercy. Our sinfulness is enough to condemn us and prevent us from knowing God, but our Heavenly Father would not allow this to happen. The birth of Jesus Christ heralded the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s plan. We are no longer sinners condemned to an eternal death. We are saints—forgiven and filled with the hope of glory.

(4)  God proclaimed His justice. When a person commits a crime, there is an outcry for punishment. But through His life and death on the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sin. He lived and died so that we might know God’s loving desire toward us.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son for me. Speak to me, that I may know You, and speak through me, that those around me would see Your unconditional love and come to know You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, . . .” (Titus 3:4-6).

God’s Love

03/03/22 – 03/09/22

The Heart of God

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/03/22

What do the religions of the world have in common? They all attempt to pursue and appease their gods, who have distanced themselves from humanity. That is a key difference between these religions and the Christian faith. Christianity is the only faith in which the one true God reaches out to humanity. He pursues and seeks us out; we are the ones who are lost—not God.

We can rejoice not only because God seeks us out but also because we can know our Creator personally and have a thriving, fulfilling relationship with Him. We can talk to Him as we would a close friend. We can know the very heart of our true God. In essence, Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship.

In the Gospels, we see Jesus conveying this message over and over again. At the beginning of Luke 15, the religious leaders are murmuring against Jesus: “But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them'” (v. 2). The Pharisees considered anyone who admitted his need for God’s forgiveness to be ignorant and weak. Though they studied the Scriptures, they were far from knowing and comprehending the heart of God.

Praise the Lord today for opening your eyes to your need for Him and for His gracious gift to you: Himself!

Prayer: Father, thank You for pursuing me when I was lost in sin. Thank You for being an intimate and loving God. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?” (Matthew 18:12).

Finding Contentment in Christ

02/26/22 – 03/02/22

Knowing God

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/02/22

God is the absolute authority and ruler over His creation. Neither a hair nor a sparrow fall apart from God’s will (see Matthew 10:29-30). Without infinite, unchanging power and authority God’s other attributes would be conditional. If God were not all-powerful, His love could be affected, or changed, by outside forces. Thankfully, we serve a God whose love is perfect and eternal; it is not affected by anything outside His will.

We know from Romans 8:28 that “God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Even though we do not know everything we may want to know about the Lord, in Scripture He has revealed what we need to know about His attributes and desires.

First and foremost is that He loves us: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He desires for us to share the Good News of Christ with others. Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

No matter how impossible our call may seem, how difficult our obstacles, or how fierce our opposition, we must hope in the LORD and let Him renew our strength (see Isaiah 40:31). God’s strength is sufficient for His children, and He will never let anything separate us from His love (see 2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 8:38-39).

There is much comfort in God’s revelation of Himself to us. Spend time in His Word and get to know Him in a richer and fuller way. In His presence lie all the contentment, peace, and joy you could desire—and more!

Prayer: Father, I am so grateful that You have absolute authority and that Your love is unconditional. Help me to spend more time in Your Word so that I will know You better. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).

Finding Contentment in Christ

02/26/22 – 03/02/22

Discontentment That Leads Us to Seek Christ

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/01/22

Not all discontentment is bad. Sometimes discontentment can motivate positive, godly change in our lives. Discontentment can be the warning sign that we need to make changes in our walk with God—and that can lead to contentment. When we are contented in life, we can face whatever roadblocks and detours we find. Instead of grumbling about our circumstances, we can look for the opportunities to trust God in new ways and bring glory to Him. We can use our valleys to remind us that only God can fill the emptiness in our lives.

Paul discovered this secret and was able to say, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).

Only Jesus can move us from coveting to contentment. Pray for God to show you how He views your circumstances and how He wants you to respond to them.

Prayer: God, I pray that when I am experiencing discontentment in my life, I will be motivated to turn to You. I pray that You would turn my coveting into contentment as You change my perspective. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

Finding Contentment in Christ

02/26/22 – 03/02/22

Responding to Discontentment

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/28/22

Running from God will never alleviate our problems, quell our guilt, or quiet our consciences. Running from God will never cure our restlessness or discontentment—it will only make our situations worse. Only running toward God will bring us healing, restoration, joy, and peace. The prodigal son shows us how God can use our discontentment to turn our hearts back to Him.

Read Luke 15:11-32. Restless and dissatisfied, the prodigal son ran away from his father. Yet instead of allowing his misery to drive him further and further away, the prodigal son realized that running away was not the answer. The prodigal used his discontent to repent and restore his relationship with his father.

When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.” (Luke 15:17-19).

Because the prodigal son changed course and sought contentment through his father and not his rebellion, he finally found happiness and peace. The father did not punish his son or send him away but instead welcomed him home with love.

How will you respond to your seasons of discontent?

Prayer: God, I confess that I’ve been restless and discontent. Forgive me for being prideful and stubborn. Thank You for Your unfailing mercy and forgiveness. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Ephesians 1:7-8).

Finding Contentment in Christ

02/26/22 – 03/02/22

God’s Peace

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/27/22

Some people believe that if they have a certain level of wealth, then they will have peace—or if they marry right, then they will know contentment. Others mistakenly believe that if they can just live in some ideal location or receive certain recognition at work, then they will have all they could ever hope to achieve.

However, none of these scenarios is capable of providing the peace and contentment we long to experience. True peace only comes as a result of living a life filled with the Spirit of God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Drawing from Isaiah 26:3, Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The God of peace gives perfect peace to those whose hearts are stayed upon Him.”

We can try to achieve peace through accomplishments and hard work. We may look for peace everywhere—thinking that new experiences, possessions, or large bank accounts will deliver peace. However, apart from God, we will never find lasting peace.

In order to experience the peace of God, we first must have peace with God, which only comes through complete surrender to Christ as our Lord and Savior. Once we are saved, God’s peace is available. A famous actress once lamented that she had everything she could possibly want, but she still did not have a sense of peace. There are some things that money cannot buy, and peace is one of them.

Before His death, Jesus comforted His disciples with these words: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

We, too, can find the peace and comfort we need within His eternal care.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the peace You offer me as Your child. I know the world can never offer the transcendent peace that can be found only in You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Finding Contentment in Christ

02/26/22 – 03/02/22

The Problem with Discontentment

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/26/22

Are you content with how your life has turned out? Are you happy with the career path, spouse, or home you have chosen? Are you enjoying this stage of your life for the blessings you have, or do you compare yourself to others and succumb to envy and self-pity?

Most everyone experiences discontentment on occasion—that wistful wishing that life was different. Unfortunately, discontentment often leads to sin as we begin to crave something that does not belong to us, and we become dominated by covetous thoughts, greed, and envy.

When we covet, we think, “If only I were him or her and had his or her career, spouse, and lifestyle, then I would finally be happy. If only, if only, if only . . .” But these desires only lead to self-pity and misery.

Our culture encourages the accumulation of material wealth as the answer to our misery. But Jesus tells us the opposite: “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in the abundance of possessions'” (Luke 12:15).

Prayer: God, forgive me for the times when I allow discontentment to lead me to covet. Help me keep a proper perspective, remembering that life is about so much more than material wealth. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Victorious

02/22/22 – 02/25/22

God’s Encouraging Word

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/25/22

Read 2 Timothy 2:11-13

As we face growing challenges both personally and globally, we mustn’t let our hearts melt within us. Instead, we must stand firm and stand together as believers. We need to understand that, no matter how terrible these times may appear, God is sovereign and faithful and loves to fight for His people. Armed with this encouragement, we can be courageous knowing that our Lord will strengthen us to stand (see Romans 14:4).

Timothy, the young pastor in Ephesus, knew what it was to be discouraged—he was struggling with timidity and fear in leading his flock. He was looking to himself for strength instead of to his Lord. So Paul wrote to him from a Roman prison to encourage him with the Gospel Truth—a call to remember Christ with what historians believe was a hymn of the early church: “If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:11-12). Paul pointed Timothy to the reward awaiting him if he would but stand firm in the faith: the reward of Christ Himself. For, if we die to self by the power of God’s Spirit, we will live with Jesus in glory. If we persevere and do not give up the fight of faith, we will be honored by God Himself.

Right now, the devil may be tempting you to throw in the towel, to give up, to surrender. It would be so easy to give in to discouragement and say, “Lord, don’t ask me to be a witness for You. Don’t ask me to share You with my neighbors and coworkers. I’m just going to mind my own business and leave well alone.” That’s Satan talking. He wants you to be overwhelmed and discouraged. Don’t listen to him! Instead, listen to the Spirit of God.
Read God’s Word and be encouraged. Remember how God has blessed you in the past. Remember how He has protected you, watched over you, and rescued you. Paul’s words to Timothy are a promise for you, too. God is with you, and your future is more secure and glorious than anything you can imagine!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Scripture that encourages me—for the story of Your work in and through Your people, the story of Your faithfulness. Help me to press on in my walk of faith and grow in Christlikeness, that more might see the power of the Gospel at work in my life and turn to You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; . . .” (2 Timothy 2:11).

Victorious

02/22/22 – 02/25/22

Loved and Unashamed

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/24/22

Read 2 Timothy 1:7-8.

Biblically speaking, shame can be a healthy response to sin. When we know we have done something that violates God’s commands, shame rises up within us in order to drive us toward the mercy of God. In this way, shame is a good thing, a blessing from the Lord.

But there is also an unhealthy version of shame. Whereas healthy shame alerts us to our need for forgiveness, unhealthy shame tells us we are unworthy of forgiveness. This twisted shame refuses to accept the grace and mercy of God and is therefore destructive and deadly. This unhealthy version of shame comes as a result of believing a lie—that somehow we have wandered too far away for God to love us. Brothers and sisters, this kind of shame does not come from God; it comes from Satan, the father of lies (see John 8:44). Do not believe it. No matter what you’ve done, God stands with arms wide open, ready to forgive you (see 1 John 1:9).

This, of course, is not the only lie our enemy wants us to believe when it comes to shame. He wants us to believe that we stand alone in our faith, that we would be better off pursuing worldly things. He wants us to be afraid of what others think—especially those close to us, our friends, our family, our coworkers—and he wants us to be ashamed of the Gospel. This temptation was just as real in the first century as it is in our day. That’s why Paul told Timothy, “[D]o not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner” (2 Timothy 1:8).

Paul made such a strong point of not being ashamed of the Gospel because he had wrestled this precise temptation, faced it, and conquered it. The unadulterated Gospel calls us to transcend our fear and embarrassment and to boldly confess before men and women that Jesus Christ is Lord. It may mean we will be ridiculed. It may mean that we will be persecuted. It may mean we will lose our jobs. But what did the Gospel cost our Lord? No matter what the world does to us, we must never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—for it is the Gospel alone that saves us, transforms us, and gives us a hope and a future.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times that I fall for Satan’s lies. I trust in Your unfailing love. Help me to stand firm no matter what You call me to face in this life, remembering the sacrifice of my Savior and the reward that awaits me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8).

Victorious

02/22/22 – 02/25/22

Faith over Fear

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/23/22

Read 2 Timothy 1:6-10.

When Jesus’ disciples were overwhelmed by a storm on the Sea of Galilee, He said to them, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” (Matthew 8:26). Another time, when Jairus learned that his daughter had died, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe” (Mark 5:36). And when His own death loomed large and He knew He would soon return to the Father, He told His friends, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Jesus was constantly telling people not to be afraid. Why? Because He knows that fear is one of the most powerful roadblocks in our walk with Him.

Are you afraid of what might happen to you in this life? Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). He is the author of life, and every detail of every life, including yours, is under His control.

Are you afraid of death? Jesus said, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18). On Easter morning, Jesus conquered the grave so that we can say with the apostle Paul, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Are you afraid of the unknown? Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13). He is the Creator of time and space, the future and the past. Nothing is unknown to Him. Nothing comes as a surprise to our great Savior.

Remember this: No matter how natural it may seem in the moment, fear is not your friend. In fact, fear is a weapon in the hands of our enemy. Satan wants to crush your effectiveness, neutralize your impact, and paralyze your spiritual life. He wants to trap you in a prison of fear. But the Spirit of God within you is greater than the spirit of fear. That is why Paul reminded Timothy, “[T]he Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

There is only one antidote to fear—faith in Almighty God. When fear threatens to overtake you, call on Jesus—and remember the Lord who is always with you.

Prayer: Lord, help me to bring my fears to You, knowing that they will disappear in the light of Your glory. I will look to Jesus my Savior and take heart for the work You would have me do. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Victorious

02/22/22 – 02/25/22

The Strength to Overcome

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/22/22

Read 2 Timothy 2:1-13.

Our strength does not come by gritting our teeth. It doesn’t come by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. It won’t be wrought with statements of self-affirmation—”Yes, I can!” The strength Paul described to Timothy doesn’t come from within. We only become strong through the grace that is in Jesus Christ.

Just like the old hymn says, grace is truly amazing. Consider how many ways grace works in our lives: We are saved by grace. We are justified by grace. We are sanctified by grace. We are to live every moment of every day by grace. And we are empowered by grace to overcome every struggle that comes our way in our daily lives. However, we must take hold of the grace God offers us.

We are all prone to forget about Jesus. We have fickle memories. Our lives are filled with distractions, and we have busy schedules. That’s why, all too often, we forget what the power of Christ can accomplish in our lives. How many times have you found yourself in a challenging situation, facing an unsolvable problem—only to respond with panic, anger, or blame? How often we forget to call upon the Lord and ask for His wisdom in our times of need!

Paul knew his disciple Timothy was prone to discouragement, self-pity, and the temptation to surrender—just as we are—so he wrote to him from the depths of a Roman dungeon and urged him to remember Jesus, to be strong in the grace of God, and to never give up the fight.

How do we begin to do this in our daily lives? We start by immersing ourselves in the Scriptures and dwelling on God’s Truth. The Bible delivers God’s promises to us afresh and reminds us of the beautiful story He is writing with our lives. Are you lonely? God’s Word will comfort you. Are you burdened with guilt? God’s Word will set you free. Are you full of bitterness and resentment? God’s Word will show you how to forgive. Are you discouraged? God’s Word will lift your spirit. Are you lost? God’s Word will light your way back to Him.

You can know triumph in times of defeat. You can know peace in the midst of chaos. And when fear, shame, and discouragement threaten your joy, you can stand strong in the grace of God.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the gifts of Your Spirit who gives me strength and Your Word that reveals Your sure promises. I have hope because You are with me. Your grace uplifts me and gives me courage. Grant me boldness to serve You and Your Kingdom. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1).

Fostering a Fulfilling Marriage

02/18/22 – 02/21/22

The Third Key to a Fulfilling Marriage: Conversation

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/21/22

Read Ephesians 5:21-33. You don’t have to look far to find a marriage that appears to be healthy on the surface. It can be easy to develop a routine with your spouse; we just want to get things done—get through the day. And things may look fine and feel fine, but what has really happened is that this married couple has ceased to converse, and worse still, they are content with that. They don’t realize the tremendous blessing of marital love and intimacy that they are forgoing.

There are several factors that contribute to the demise of conversational intimacy within a marriage. In my experience, there are three common weak points where the enemy applies pressure: our calendars, our children, and our conflicts.

These days it is tremendously easy to fill our calendars with good activities—work, school, church events, service projects, extracurriculars for the kids—but leave out essential time to converse with our spouse. Many couples never schedule time for themselves—to converse, to exchange their thoughts and feelings, to react to one another. Every couple needs time outside of the chaos of everyday life for conversation.

Small children, though they are a blessing from the Lord, can be one of the biggest hindrances to intimacy and conversation in marriage. Many people make the mistake of thinking children must come first in a marriage. But children draw security from seeing that Daddy is Mommy’s number-one priority and that Mommy is Daddy’s number-one priority. So it is healthy for the entire family when parents love one another well, following the example of Christ.

Lastly, there’s conflict. It is a great fallacy to say that a good marriage does not have any conflict. The Truth is that the only way to avoid conflict in marriage is to stop conversing, thereby stifling intimacy. But if you make conflict your ally, handling it wisely, you and your spouse will grow in leaps and bounds.

Implementing these three practical principles will certainly improve your conversation in your marriage. But before you put them into practice, if you haven’t already learned to pray together, hold hands and start praying! Pray for God to reveal to you your own inadequacies, weaknesses, and failures. Pray for the love of God to be poured into your heart toward your spouse. And see what new life He brings to your marriage.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for becoming complacent toward my spouse, for just getting through the day. Help me to prioritize with my spouse our calendars, children, and communication according to what will strengthen our relationship and glorify Your name. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21)

Fostering a Fulfilling Marriage

02/18/22 – 02/21/22

The Second Key to a Fulfilling Marriage: Forgiveness

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/20/22

In Matthew 18:21-22, when Jesus told Peter that he should forgive “seventy-seven times,” His intention was not that we should keep track of how many times someone sins against us. Rather, just as Abraham would have lost count staring up into the Middle Eastern sky to count the stars, Jesus is saying we should keep forgiving until we lose count, too. And nowhere is this more important than in marriage.

Many secular people today talk about forgiveness. But only those who have experienced the forgiveness of God, who know they have been forgiven much, can forgive others much. How can Christians intentionally develop this type of radical forgiveness in marriage?

First, it is important that we attack the insignificant. This is counterintuitive, and you may be thinking, “Doesn’t it make more sense to focus on the major issues rather than the small things?” Normally it does, but to forgive in all things we have to start by learning to forgive the small things. When you train yourself by the power of the Holy Spirit to forgive your spouse the small offenses, you will be prepared for the hurricanes as well.

Next, we must arrest the incompatible, meaning that once we forgive and let go of the hurt, we need to obey 2 Corinthians 10:5 when it says, “[W]e must take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” You see, even after we have decided on forgiveness, we will still be tempted to hold a grudge. This is just what the enemy wants so he can lead us into sin. That’s why whenever even a thought of unforgiveness enters your mind, you must arrest it, right then and there. Don’t let it get a foothold in your soul.

Finally, we must hold fast to our true identity. We have offended a holy God; we have wounded the heart of Jesus. And yet, every time we come to Him in confession and repentance, He extends forgiveness to us. This same power to forgive is available to all God’s children through the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Thus, husbands are able to freely forgive their wives, and wives, their husbands, as they remember their true identity.

It is not easy to forgive with this kind of freedom. But whenever feelings of unforgiveness come to mind, we can look to Christ and choose to “[f]orgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

Prayer: Father, help me to grasp the depth of Your love and grace for me. May I understand the dire state I was in before I received, through Christ, forgiveness and redemption. Then, by Your Spirit, I will forgive much in my relationships, just as I have been forgiven much. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

Fostering a Fulfilling Marriage

02/18/22 – 02/21/22

The First Key to a Fulfilling Marriage: Selflessness

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/19/22

Read Philippians 2:3-4. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were naked and without shame. This nakedness was of the physical sort, of course, but it was also a spiritual nakedness. You see, they had transparency with each other and with God. No secrets. No lies. No hidden shame. Nothing but openness and honesty. But when selfishness entered the hearts of our first parents, everything fell apart. Sin came in and blew everything up.

I am convinced that selfishness is Satan’s number-one tool to destroy a marriage. The beautiful relationship that the first couple enjoyed—the kind of marriage that was only possible because of their selflessness and transparency—was dismantled by Satan in an instant. Now, every fight between married couples, from the time of Adam and Eve down to today, stems from self-centeredness.

You may be saying to yourself, “If this problem has been going on for this long, is there any hope for me? For my marriage?” With Jesus, there is always hope. When you live in the power of the Holy Spirit, you’ll be able to live out the apostle Paul’s command to “value others above yourselves” and become a Christlike spouse who is mature, magnanimous, and malleable (Philippians 2:3).

Mature Christians ask, “How can I sacrifice for my spouse’s comfort?” not, “How can I get my spouse to do more for my comfort?” Mature Christians reflect, “How can I be more patient with my spouse? How can I respond gently when I am irritated?” This kind of maturity flows from God’s Spirit at work in you.

Magnanimity is generosity and benevolence—core characteristics of selflessness. To bless their marriage, magnanimous Christians seek to understand their spouse’s thought patterns, feelings, and needs.

Finally, selfless Christians are malleable or flexible, meaning that, in marriage, both husband and wife submit their personal desires to the other out of respect for Jesus. That’s why you do it—out of reverence for Christ. As each person sacrifices for the other, we see the clearest picture of Christ’s relationship with His Church.

As you and your spouse together die to self, your marriage will reflect the power of the resurrection to bring new life and abundant joy.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see the ways that I act and think selfishly in my relationships. Give me the strength to submit to Your Spirit so that I can become mature, magnanimous, and malleable toward my spouse. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4).