This devotional from Day by Day by Grace draws a striking contrast between two ways of living: one based on external observance, the other flowing from inward transformation. Bob Hoekstra uses Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 3:6 to contrast life under the letter of the law with life in the Spirit. The first is rule-driven, demanding righteousness without providing the power to live it. The second is relationship-based, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, who supplies all that is needed to live in union with God.

In today’s reflection, Oswald Chambers brings us back to the sobering truth that salvation originates in the heart of God—not in human striving or emotion. It’s not something we generate or even fully comprehend. Experience may alert us to salvation’s presence, but it does not define it. Salvation is God's eternal purpose made visible in Christ, and when we proclaim the gospel, we’re not offering comfort or counseling—we’re revealing the truth of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to expose hearts.

Today’s reading from Miles Stanford takes us deep into the spiritual principle at the heart of resurrection life: the necessity of death. Just as a seed must die before it bears fruit, so too must we embrace our co-death with Christ in order to live in His resurrection power.

Today’s devotional by Witness Lee paints a bold and beautiful picture of Christ’s resurrection—not as a dramatic rescue but as a walk through and out of death’s prison. It connects the release of Joseph from the dungeon with the resurrection of Jesus, not as one being delivered by others, but as One who entered the prison of death voluntarily—and walked out in divine authority.

T. Austin-Sparks opens Chapter 6 with a penetrating examination of deception as the prevailing condition of fallen humanity. He outlines that from Eden onward, man has lived under a lie—not merely having believed one, but having been constitutionally reoriented to operate from the soul rather than the spirit. This soul-life, disconnected from God, becomes the very ground by which Satan perpetuates his work of deception.

In Colossians 2, Paul addresses the believers in Colossae and Laodicea, emphasizing the importance of unity in love and the full assurance that comes from understanding the mystery of God—Christ Himself. He warns against deceptive philosophies rooted in human tradition and elemental spiritual forces, which can lead believers astray. Paul asserts that in Christ dwells the fullness of deity, and through union with Him, believers are made complete.

E. Stanley Jones offers a stirring reminder that the Holy Spirit was not given solely to religious leaders, but to all who belong to Christ. At Pentecost, the Spirit descended on 120 people—men and women, not just the Twelve. This wasn’t a trivial historical detail—it was a radical, Spirit-driven affirmation that no one in Christ is “less sacred” than another.

Today’s devotional by Ray Stedman highlights the matchless reality of resurrection power — not as a concept, but as the very energy of God that raises the dead and brings life to what is hopeless. Ray underscores the sharp contrast between man’s futile attempts to evade death (like cryogenic freezing) and God’s unmatchable act of raising Jesus in full life, vitality, and glory.

Today’s reflection by A. B. Simpson brings our attention to the subtlety of spiritual warfare. Satan doesn’t always come at us with overwhelming attacks. Sometimes, he simply tosses a straw in our path — and if we’re not discerning, that tiny obstruction can cause a fall.

Today’s devotional by Bob Hoekstra explores the beautiful contrast between the old covenant written on lifeless stone and the new covenant written on living hearts. Under the old covenant, the law was etched externally — a perfect but unreachable standard, exposing humanity’s need for a Savior. Holiness was declared but not imparted; the commandments could convict but could not transform.

Oswald Chambers draws us into the holy tension of intercession—not as a place for emotional appeals or sentimental alliances, but as a sacred arena where self is reckoned crucified and God's redemptive interest reigns.

Today’s reflection by Miles Stanford invites us to reject the instability of chasing spiritual highs and to instead remain fixed in our position in Christ. The core message is that the victorious Christian life is not an experience, nor is it defined by an emotional breakthrough or isolated crisis of surrender. Rather, it is a Person—Jesus Himself—living His life in and through us moment by moment.

Today’s devotional by Witness Lee invites us into the tension of waiting. It reveals the remarkable faith of Joseph, who dared to interpret the dreams of others with boldness and clarity—even while his own dreams remained unfulfilled. His story whispers a powerful truth: vision doesn’t require fulfillment in order to be true.

E. Stanley Jones draws our attention to a beautiful moment in Luke’s Gospel when Jesus corrected the disciples' creeping exclusivity by sending out seventy others—ordinary laypeople—two by two into every town He planned to visit. The Twelve had begun to see themselves as a spiritual elite. They quarreled about who would be greatest, silenced others ministering in Jesus' name, and even wanted to call down fire on the unwelcoming Samaritans. But Jesus, rather than rebuke with words alone, issued a course correction through action: He appointed seventy others to go ahead of Him, giving them the same commission and authority as the Twelve.

In this powerful moment from Acts 2, Peter stands before a curious and skeptical crowd, stirred by the sudden, strange scene of believers speaking in different tongues. Guided by the Holy Spirit, he doesn't defend or argue—he simply explains reality. The crowd saw emotion and thought: drunkenness. But Peter points to Scripture and clarifies: this is not intoxication—it is fulfillment. Joel’s ancient prophecy is unfolding right before their eyes.

In today’s devotional entry, A. B. Simpson points us to the quiet center of every believer’s soul—Christ Himself, who offers not just any peace, but His peace. Unlike the world’s version, Christ’s peace isn’t circumstantial. It’s a Person. And the abiding of that peace hinges on one crucial truth: where our attention rests.

Today’s devotional by Bob Hoekstra contrasts two ways of living: one based on man’s own sufficiency and effort (the old covenant), and the other based on the sufficiency of God through the Spirit (the new covenant). The imagery of ink versus the Spirit helps highlight the radical difference. Ink represents natural, human capability—something anyone can access but which ultimately lacks life-giving power. It symbolizes self-effort, law-keeping, and performance without divine life.

Oswald Chambers invites us to a higher plane of prayer—intercession that is not rooted in emotional sympathy but in identification with the heart and purposes of God. When we intercede for others, we are stepping into the work of Christ Himself, aligning our will with the Father's, not simply feeling concern or compassion on a human level. Chambers warns that personal sympathy—though often well-meaning—can interrupt the work of God if it causes us to desire relief over refinement for those we love.

Today’s devotional by Miles Stanford invites us to reflect deeply on the truth that what God has already accomplished for us in Christ is something He now works into us by His Spirit. We are not meant to admire the Cross from afar or speak of it only in terms of forgiveness — we are to experience its power daily, as it “unforms” the old life and makes room for the new life to rise and reign within.

In today’s reading from eManna, we’re drawn into the beauty of Joseph as a picture of Christ — beloved by his father not because of performance, but because of who he was in the eyes of Israel. The devotional draws a direct line from Joseph to Jesus, who is eternally the Beloved Son of the Father.