“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Psalm 119:103 ESV

Most of us don’t need to be reminded to eat! We eat without thinking about it because we want food. A good meal with people we love brings real joy. We don’t need reminders to eat because we want to.

But how often do Christians admit they’re not reading their Bibles? Maybe you’ve said this yourself.

The answer to reading your Bible every day isn’t guilt or another big reading plan (though those can help). The answer is simple: desire. When you really want something, you go after it naturally.

God made your taste buds to enjoy honey. He also made His Word to satisfy your spiritual hunger. Once you start finding God’s truth in the Bible, you’ll see His words really are “sweeter than honey!”

Before you open your Bible, ask God to give you a strong hunger for His Word. He will answer. Then reading your Bible will come naturally.

Many Christians do. We feel shame just for being tempted. But today’s verse shows us something surprising about temptation—and God’s role in it.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
Matthew 4:1 (CSB)

Did you catch that?

The Holy Spirit led Jesus into a place of temptation.
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This wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t a detour. It was part of God’s plan.

Think about it.

Jesus—perfect and sinless—faced temptation. Being tempted isn’t sin. It’s part of being human.

But here’s the real comfort: God doesn’t abandon us in temptation. He’s right there, providing a way out.

Remember Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:13:

“No temptation has overtaken you that isn’t common to humanity. God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide a way out so that you may be able to bear it.”

How to Defeat Temptation

Jesus showed us how to find that way out. His weapon? God’s Word.

With each temptation, Jesus responded with Scripture. “It is written,” he said. He wielded God’s Word like the sword it is (Ephesians 6:17).

This tells us something vital: We need to know God’s Word to use it.

Jesus didn’t google Bible verses in the wilderness. He had them ready in his heart.

Just like David wrote in Psalm 119:11… “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Today, when temptation comes—and it will come—remember two things:

1. You’re not alone. God is with you.
2. You’re not defenseless. You have His Word.

What are your toughest battles? Write them down. And ask God to reveal hidden temptations you haven’t recognized.

Then, find Scripture you can start memorizing today to prepare for tomorrow?

This person maintained the children couldn’t possibly understand the depth of the experience. Plus, their parents should have baptized them when they were infants (this denomination practiced infant baptism).

I could not believe my ears. My skin crawled. My mind was blown. I was outraged.

How on earth could we think kids getting water baptized was a bad thing?!

I pressed the issue. We had children coming to know Jesus and now, as a board, we were preventing them from taking the next steps in their discipleship.

It was unconscionable. I didn’t understand it until I heard this…

The lead elder said, “It’s so sad we’ve lost the beauty of infant baptism. No one values it anymore. We are a reformed church but parents don’t care about our traditions.”

…and there it was.

This person was saying, “I miss how we did things when I was younger. Things were better and if I can’t have my way, no one can have theirs.”

I share this story because it perfectly illustrates a dangerous mindset we find in today’s devotional verses.

The Israelites had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. In Ezra 3, they laid the foundation. This was a cause for celebration for some, but for many others, it was reason to weep.

But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away.

Ezra 3:12–13 ESV

The Babylonians destroyed the first temple that Solomon built (1 Kings 8).

It was breathtaking. It represented the height of Israel’s power. The older priests and leaders knew this temple would never touch that level of grandeur.

Rather than celebrate that God was reuniting his people, restoring worship, and repairing their connection with him, they lamented. They couldn’t see the gain because they only focused on what used to be.

God was doing a new thing, but they couldn’t let go of the old. They missed a chance at joy, at trusting God, at looking forward.

This was the thought pattern that board member was stuck in, and many of us can get caught in, too. We cling to nostalgia and wrap ourselves in comfortable memories. We dream about the glory days and run down (or even outright prevent) the new things God’s doing now.

Let’s look ahead to the New Jerusalem God has prepared for us—because nothing compares to what the Lord has in store (Romans 8:18).

Don’t cling to the old when God is doing something new.

“You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”

Psalm 139:5-6

It seems like everyone this time of year is talking about their goals for the new year. Often I hear things like: eat healthy, work out, save more money, etc.

What if we were less focused on our outward appearance and possessions and more focused on our relationship with God and how God wants us to love others?

If our goals looked more like: more love, more peace, more patience, more gentleness, more kindness and more self control.

Don’t get me wrong here, take care of that body of yours. Eat healthy, get moving and know where your money is going. But take heart that those things are not the things that define us. Let us be aware of what and who we are putting first in our life and in our hearts.

Would it be challenging for us to have goals that were more outwardly focused? Goals that looked more like: invite someone over to dinner once a week, be more patient with so-and-so at work, listen when we hear God’s whisper to go talk to a stranger. What would our life look like if we made what the the world says quiet enough to hear every whisper of God? He is always speaking to us.

May our wonderful Father give you glimpses of the things he has in store for you this year. May you find peace and contentment for being right in this moment of time. May you trust him with your whole heart for every answered and unanswered prayer that was whispered last year. May you lean into His whispers of promises and shouts of love.

He has such great things in store for our lives, too wonderful for us to understand if He were to tell us in this moment! I pray you search for him in the mundane, in the routines and in the choirs. I pray that you lean into the moments of uncertainty with full confidence in Who holds your tomorrows.

If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 14:15 ESV

Have you ever heard the saying: “Talk is cheap”?

It’s a great way to summarize today’s devotional verse.

Jesus was spending his last night with the disciples before being crucified. They still didn’t fully understand what was happening. But with all his talk about loving one another, he was about to show them what ultimate love looked like on the cross.

Jesus doesn’t love the way our culture typically defines it. He didn’t simply say, “I love you!” and rely on warm fuzzies to prove it. He went beyond emotions, denying his own desires to obey the Father (Luke 22:42) and love the world by saving us (John 3:16).

For Jesus, love is an action word.
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People make promises and break them all the time. I’m guilty of this, too! Remember what Peter did on Jesus’ final night alive? He assured Jesus that he loved him and would never deny him. Yet before the rooster crowed at dawn the next morning, he had denied him three times!

Jesus wasn’t saying that God bases our relationship with him on good works. Instead, he said your actions will prove your love.

Disciples aren’t all talk. We’re action-oriented, faith-filled people obsessed with fulfilling God’s mission.

So our question today, am I all talk? Or do my actions of obedience show my love for Jesus and others?

“Cherish [Wisdom], and she will guard you. . .”
Proverbs 4:8a CSB

Once, in London, I saw the British Crown Jewels.

The jewelry was nice and all. But do you know what was really amazing?

The security!

They’re some of the highest guarded objects in recorded history, having been under lock and key in the Tower of London since 1660. Clearly, they’re cherished treasure.

So here’s a question for you: What do you cherish?

In today’s verse, the Hebrew word for cherish is salselehah, meaning to “esteem or highly prize.”

To cherish means more than an afterthought. It means it’s top of mind. Not a nice-to-have, but a must-have. Something you value so highly, you’d sooner build a tower around it than lose it!

Here’s the really cool part. . .

As we cherish wisdom, she guards us.
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Here are seven benefits of wisdom to paint a picture of what that looks like.

7 Benefits of Wisdom

One: Wisdom Offers Protection and Safety

“He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.” (Proverbs 2:8 CSB)

“Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you.” (Proverbs 2:11 CSB)

Two: Wisdom Grants Knowledge and Understanding

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6 CSB)

“Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and integrity — every good path.” (Proverbs 2:9 CSB)

Three: Wisdom Brings Joy and Fulfillment

“For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight you.” (Proverbs 2:10 CSB)

Four: Wisdom Gives Guidance for Life

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 CSB)

Five: Wisdom Offers Long Life and Prosperity

“My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands; for they will bring you many days, a full life, and well-being.” (Proverbs 3:1-2 CSB)

Six: Wisdom Blesses With Peace and Rest

“You will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.” (Proverbs 3:24 CSB)

Seven: Wisdom Has Eternal Value

“Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold.” (Proverbs 3:13-14 CSB)

What is one situation in which you can highly prize wisdom today?

Do my kids really get what it means to follow Jesus?

And I’m not talking about churchy words that fly over most people’s heads.

Here’s a flyover of some of the most common answers:

“A Christian loves God.”

Sounds nice, but that puts all the weight on how I feel. And who’s to say how much love is enough?

“A Christian said sorry for their sins.”

Hold up – there’s no biblical get-out-of-jail-free card for feeling bad.

“A Christian believes Jesus.”

Okay, but believes what exactly? The Bible doesn’t just say “believes” – it says “believes into.” And that’s the difference between demons and disciples.

I’ve known plenty of people who were scared of hell. Fair enough – hell should scare us. But is fear the path to saving faith?

“A Christian gave their life to Jesus.”

Nice sentiment, but what does that actually look like? And let’s be real – don’t we all keep parts of ourselves off-limits?

Here’s the thing: being a Christian involves both starting a relationship with God through Jesus and living it out day by day.

There’s also Romans 10:9: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

If you truly believe Jesus is Lord (capital L) that’s going to shake up your whole life.

Remember Jesus’ sobering words about judgment: “I never knew you; get out of my sight, you lawbreakers” (Matt 7:23).

These folks probably had a conversion story, but they weren’t true Christians. They thought they’d walked through the gate, but they never actually hit the trail (Matt 7:13).

Yikes.

“A Christian lives in a covenant relationship with God through Jesus.”

That’s getting warmer, but how do you kick off that relationship?

One of my Favorite Answers

I think Dr. Wayne Grudem nails it when he defines “saving faith” as “trust in Jesus Christ as a living person for forgiveness of sins and for eternal life with God.”

This covers both the starting line — and the marathon — of faith.

Saving faith is a response to God’s invitation into his family. And with that change in identity (belief and belonging) comes a renaissance in how we live (becoming and behaving).
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Here’s my challenge to you (and to myself):

• How do we describe the most important decision of our lives?
• How do we make sure our kids really get it?
• With so many young people, especially millennials, walking away from the church, do they understand that Jesus and the church aren’t one and the same?
• Are they rejecting a relationship with Jesus, or just a flawed human institution?

So, here’s the trillion-dollar question: How would your kids answer if you asked them, “What is a Christian?”

To begin, how would you define this eternally-important question?

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 150:6 NIV

Psalm 150 is the last chapter in the Psalms. It’s all about where to praise God, how to praise God, and who should praise him.

We could also translate today’s verse like this: “All the breath, let it praise God!”

The Hebrew word for breath, “neshamah,” implies that the very act of living and breathing is a form of praising God! This connects to the truth that all life is sustained by God’s breath (Genesis 7:22).

This means praising God isn’t simply a human activity—it is for everything that breathes. Every swimming fish, tail-wagging puppy, and soaring eagle praise God as his creatures. Their very existence showcases God’s creative power. Every creature’s breath comes from God (Genesis 7:22). Every inhale and exhale glorifies God.

Remember what the Apostle John heard in Revelation 5:13:

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Whether or not we do, creation praises God nonstop.
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So the big question: will I join creation by praising God with the breath he’s given me?

6 Ways to Praise God Today

1. Dance (Psalm 149:2)
2. Play music (Psalm 150:3)
3. Sing to him (Psalm 149:1)
4. Act in ways that please him (Colossians 3:17)
5. Talk in ways that honor him (Psalm 35:28)
6. Devote your full heart to him (Psalm 86:12)

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord—and that means you! How will you praise God today?

“How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

Psalm 119:103 ESV

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter found in the Bible and is famous for its teaching on God’s law.

But it’s not simply about what to do and not do—it’s about how God’s law deepens our relationship with him.

In today’s verse, the words of God are described as “sweeter than honey.”

Honey is a natural sweetener. And God’s words (or laws) bring a sweetness to the life we live.

Just as like we crave sweet treats, our lives should crave the sweetness of God’s words if we are followers of Jesus (1 Peter 2:1-3).

Sweeter Than Honey in Our Lives

This desire does not come from good works or going to church, but from the one and only giver of sweet things, God (Psalm 119:18).

While we can learn much from God’s word as we listen to a pastor preach or musician sing, we shouldn’t rely on just these as our honey. We need to learn to enjoy God’s Word by ourselves also. But without the desire to read God’s Word, even the most self-disciplined of efforts will fail.

As C.S. Lewis said:

“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

To fall in love with God’s Word requires that we fall in love with the Author himself. His words are sweeter than honey because everything that comes from him is good. So if you’re struggling with a lack of desire to spend time in the Bible, don’t start by trying to manufacture that desire.

Instead, begin by asking yourself these two questions:

1. Do I love God?
2. Do I desire to spend time in his presence?

If the answer to question two isn’t a true, “Yes,” then reconsider your answer to question one. Don’t receive this as a harsh chastisement. Instead, consider it a fresh chance to understand where you’re at.

Remember, loving God’s Word means more than loving Scripture—it means loving the Word, Jesus Christ himself.

No matter where you’re at today, join me in praying this prayer today:

God, I want to love your Word. I want to love you more than I do right now… More than I ever have before. Move on my heart and my affections. Give me a deep, burning desire to be near you. To hear your voice. To love your presence. Overshadow all things by your majesty and become the single longing of my soul. 

“The ear tests words as the palette tastes food…”
Job 34:3-4

Have you ever heard of a sommelier?

They’re world-class wine experts. And while I personally don’t drink, their skills illustrate the truth in today’s verse tremendously well!

Sommeliers have an incredible ability to taste wine and tell you virtually everything about it.

They can tell you about the soil composition, how the rocky, well-draining earth stressed the vines just enough to produce grapes with concentrated flavor. They might even be able to pinpoint the year it was harvested, based on the weather patterns that influenced the growing season.

It’s a remarkable skill, honed through years of study and practice. And it’s not so different from what we need to do when it comes to the voices we allow to speak into our lives.

As disciples, need to develop a discerning “palette for truth.” One that can taste the difference between truth and lies, between wisdom and folly, between life and death.

Just like a sommelier trains their senses to pick up on the subtlest flavors in a wine, we need to train our spiritual senses to detect the nuances in the messages we hear.

We need to be able to take a sip of what someone is saying and discern whether it aligns with God’s Word, whether it resonates with the truth of who He says we are.

And just like a sommelier would never settle for a cheap, mass-produced wine, we can’t settle for cheap, mass-produced “wisdom.”

We need to seek out the good stuff, the words that have been carefully crafted and aged in the presence of God. We need to surround ourselves with people who have walked with Jesus, who have weathered the storms of life and come out with a vintage faith, full-bodied and complex.

So let’s become connoisseurs of truth. Let’s develop a palette that can taste the difference between what brings life and what brings death. And let’s be intentional about who we allow to pour into us, knowing that who we listen to is everything.

Because truth matters.