Donna is a wife, mother, grandmother, writer, and Biblical counselor. She has been blogging through the Bible each year since 2012. She loves God's Word and sharing how freeing and practical it is. She is certified through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors.
What would you say if someone you love looked at you and asked, “How can I know I’m going to heaven?”
Would you know how to answer?
What if they asked why Jesus had to die, how we know the Bible is true, or what it really means to be a Christian?
Most believers want to help others grow in their faith, but many of us hesitate because we’re not sure we know enough ourselves. Yet today’s reading reminds us that sharing the gospel and helping others understand God’s truth isn’t a task reserved for pastors, missionaries, or Bible teachers. It’s part of the calling of every believer.
We’ll also look at an often-overlooked warning from Proverbs about angry people. Why does God warn us about continually rescuing those who refuse to deal with their anger? And what does that reveal about true biblical love?
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to keep making the same painful mistakes over and over again?
Why do some believers experience unnecessary heartache, consequences, and spiritual struggles while others seem to enjoy God’s peace and guidance even during difficult seasons?
Could it be that one group is living inside God’s circle of blessings while the other has stepped outside it?
Today’s reading in Proverbs reminded me of a simple illustration we often use with children called the “Circle of Blessings.” It’s based on God’s promise that when children honor and obey their parents, things tend to go well for them. But the principle doesn’t stop with children. It applies to all of us.
We’ll also look at the life of King Saul. God blessed Saul with opportunities most people only dream about. He gave him a kingdom, military victories, loyal friends, and every reason to trust Him. Yet Saul repeatedly chose his own way over God’s way and eventually lost everything.
What happened? And could Saul’s story reveal something about the struggles we face in our own lives?
Have you ever wished someone could hand you a step-by-step plan for changing your husband—or your wife?
Most of us have tried. We’ve explained, reminded, pointed out problems, offered advice, and perhaps even repeated ourselves a few times. Yet somehow the results are often disappointing.
But what if the very thing we think will produce change is actually making it harder?
In today’s reading, Proverbs paints a vivid picture of one kind of spouse and then contrasts it with another. The difference isn’t personality, intelligence, or even spiritual maturity. It’s something far more practical—and surprisingly powerful.
Could the best way to influence your spouse be the exact opposite of what comes naturally to most of us?
Have you ever wondered why we don’t see the kinds of powerful moves of God that we read about in the book of Acts?
Was God simply working differently then? Or could there be another reason?
In today’s reading, we encounter one of the most shocking events in the New Testament. A husband and wife tell what many people would call a “little white lie,” and both lose their lives. At first glance, God’s response can seem severe. But what if this account reveals something important about holiness, hypocrisy, and the fear of God?
Could it be that one of the reasons there is so little spiritual power in many churches today is not that God has changed—but that we have?
Let’s take a closer look at Acts 5 and what it teaches us about truth, obedience, and the kind of faith God blesses.
What would you do if someone threatened you for talking about Jesus?
Would you become more cautious? More silent? More fearful?
Most of us probably would.
But in today’s reading, Peter and John do something completely unexpected. After being threatened by powerful religious leaders and ordered to stop preaching about Christ, they don’t pray for safety. They don’t ask God to remove the opposition. And they don’t retreat.
Instead, they ask for something surprising.
Why would persecution make them bolder rather than more fearful? What did they understand about God that allowed them to see threats differently than most of us do?
And what if opposition, criticism, and even persecution are opportunities for God to do something greater than we ever imagined?
Today’s readings challenge us to think differently about hardship, courage, and the sovereignty of God.
Most Christians know we’re supposed to respect authority.
The Bible tells us to honor government leaders, submit to those in authority, respect our employers, support church leadership, and honor God’s design within the family.
But what happens when those authorities ask us to do something God forbids—or forbid something God commands?
Where is the line?
Would you know what to do if obeying God put your job at risk? If following Christ created tension in your family? If speaking the truth cost you friendships, opportunities, or even your reputation?
In today’s reading, Peter and John find themselves facing that very dilemma. Their response reveals a principle every believer needs to understand, especially as our culture becomes increasingly hostile to biblical truth.
The answer may be more challenging—and more encouraging—than you expect.
When wicked people prosper, lies go unpunished, and the world appears to be moving farther and farther from God, it’s easy to wonder if He is really paying attention.
The psalmist Asaph wrestled with those very questions. In fact, he nearly lost his footing because of them.
But in today’s reading, he reaches a very different conclusion.
We’ll discover why God’s patience should never be mistaken for indifference, why His judgment always arrives at exactly the right time, and why one of the darkest chapters in Israel’s history ends with an unexpected reminder of God’s mercy.
And if you’ve ever wondered whether God is still working when everything around you seems to be falling apart, today’s readings offer a powerful answer.
What if one of the biggest obstacles to spiritual growth isn’t what happened to us—but how we respond to it?
Most of us can point to difficult people, painful experiences, unfair circumstances, or missed opportunities that have shaped our lives. And while those things certainly matter, Scripture challenges us with a deeper question:
What are we doing with what we’ve been given?
In today’s reading, we’ll meet a young king who had every excuse to fail spiritually. His family history was a mess. His role models were terrible. Yet somehow he became one of the godliest kings in Judah’s history.
What made the difference?
And what does his story teach us about excuses, responsibility, and the surprising freedom that comes when we stop blaming others and start pursuing God?
What is the very first thing you do when trouble comes?
Do you pray? Or do you immediately begin making phone calls, researching solutions, worrying, planning, and trying to fix the problem yourself?
Most of us believe in prayer. But too often, prayer becomes our last resort instead of our first response.
In today’s reading, King Hezekiah faces a crisis so overwhelming that there is no human solution. Yet instead of panicking or relying on his own wisdom, he takes the problem straight to God.
And in the process, he demonstrates something many of us need to learn: prayer isn’t just about getting God to solve our problems. It’s about seeking His glory above all else.
Most people would never bow down to a golden calf. We would never think of ourselves as idol worshipers.
But what if idolatry is far more subtle than that?
What if it shows up in our relationships, our fears, our ambitions, our parenting, our marriages, or our desire for approval?
In today’s reading, God’s patience with the Northern Kingdom finally comes to an end after generations of idolatry and compromise. But perhaps the most sobering part of the story comes after the judgment. The people who replaced Israel didn’t reject God completely—they simply added Him to everything else they were already worshiping.
Sound familiar?
Today we’ll consider one of the most important questions a believer can ask: Is Jesus truly Lord of my life, or have I simply added a little Christianity to a heart that is still controlled by other loves?
