Oswald Chambers directs our eyes to the reality that prayer is not simply a vague drifting of thoughts toward God, but a purposeful act of the will. Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:6 are clear: when we pray, we are to enter the secret place, shut the door, and speak to our Father who sees in secret. Prayer requires focus and intent. It is not daydreaming, nor the indulgence of a wandering mind, but a deliberate turning of the heart toward the Father.

Miles Stanford reminds us in today’s devotional that the law cannot give life, nor can it sustain it. The law only ever dealt with man while he lived in Adam, but in Jesus we have died to the law and been raised into a new standing. We are no longer striving to prove ourselves under commandments, nor are we seeking to squeeze fruit out of our flesh. Instead, we are united with the risen Lord, alive from the dead, and therefore able to bear fruit unto God by His indwelling life.

Witness Lee reminds us in today’s devotional that the high call of Jesus in Matthew 5:48, “You therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” is not a demand we meet in our own effort. It is an unveiling of the Father’s life within His children. This new life is not something we earn or grow into naturally, but something given at the moment of new birth. We are begotten of God, and with that new birth comes a new nature, one that reflects the Father Himself.

E. Stanley Jones leads us to one of the deepest waters of the Christian life: forgiveness. Paul’s command in Ephesians 4:32 is not simply to be kind or tenderhearted, but to forgive one another as God in Jesus forgave us. That last phrase is staggering, for it sets the highest standard imaginable. We are called to extend to others what God has already extended to us in His Son.

W. T. P. Wolston, in today’s devotional, points us to the beautiful truth that when we come to Jesus, the Living Stone, we ourselves are made living stones. Peter, once Simon, was renamed Cephas, meaning stone, to mark this new identity rooted in Jesus. What happened to Peter reflects what happens to all of us who respond to the voice of the Son of God. A change takes place that cannot always be explained, yet it is undeniable. We become joined to Jesus, the foundation, and our lives begin to reflect His life.

T. Austin-Sparks draws our eyes to a powerful truth from Daniel 11:32: “The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” This knowledge of God is not a matter of collecting verses, memorizing truths, or attending meetings. Those things can sharpen our understanding, but they cannot release divine power. Sparks reminds us that the knowledge which leads to strength and “great exploits” comes only by revelation from God Himself. It is knowledge that cannot be gained by mental effort, but by the Spirit opening the reality of Christ within us.

Ray Stedman draws us into the mystery of God’s everlasting love, a love that stretches beyond time itself. Jeremiah’s words remind us that even when discipline comes, it flows from the heart of a Father who cannot forget His children. He may speak firmly, but His heart always yearns with compassion. This is not a love that flickers or fades. It is everlasting, a word that carries more than mere duration. It speaks of something greater than we can measure, a love that existed before time and will remain when time itself is no more.

Bob Hoekstra reminds us today of one of God’s “unpopular” promises: the certainty of sowing and reaping. Paul’s words in Galatians 6:7-8 declare that whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. In a world that resists accountability, this truth often goes unwelcomed. Yet God’s principle stands unshaken. Just as a farmer who plants corn will not reap wheat, so every spiritual seed we sow will bear a harvest of its kind.

A.B. Simpson reminds us that many Christians stumble because they focus on their spiritual experiences rather than on Jesus Himself. When the Lord grants an initial joy of deliverance, it can feel as though temptations and trials will never return. But when they do, discouragement quickly follows. Instead of anchoring themselves to the living Christ, some cling to a memory of a past experience, only to find it slipping through their fingers. Their faith is shaken, and they conclude that what they had was either a mistake or something not meant for them.

Oswald Chambers reflects on the deep meaning of John the Baptist’s words, “I indeed baptize you with water, but He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Chambers presses us to ask whether we have come to that place in our lives where we truly say, “I indeed, but He.” That simple phrase captures the dividing line between self-effort and Spirit-filled living. Until we reach the end of ourselves, we do not truly grasp what it means to be baptized with the Spirit.

In today’s devotional, Miles Stanford gently addresses a subject we often resist: the discipline of our Heavenly Father. Our natural instinct is to shy away from correction, just as we did with our earthly fathers. Yet Scripture tells us that the Father’s discipline is not meant to crush us but to lift us into greater participation in His holiness. Hebrews 12 reminds us that His discipline is an expression of His love, shaping us into those who share His character.

In Matthew 5, Jesus raised the standard of life far above what the law required. He showed that sin is not only found in outward actions but also in the heart. Murder is tied to anger, and adultery is tied to lust. Both temper and lust trouble us constantly, and both expose our inability to live righteously apart from Him. As Witness Lee points out, we cannot escape these struggles through our own effort. If we were stone, untouched by human weakness, perhaps we would not be bothered. But as living people, our temper flares and our desires stir. These weaknesses are too strong to be mastered by self-discipline alone.

In today’s reading, we are reminded that our union with Jesus is not a matter of our building but of our believing. Psalm 118 points to the stone that the builders rejected, which became the cornerstone. Jesus is that cornerstone, and by faith, not works, we are added as living stones, forming a spiritual house. The Holy Spirit joins us to Him, rooting and grounding us in His life.

E. Stanley Jones reminds us that truth is not abstract, nor is it found in wandering speculation. Truth is embodied in Jesus, and to know Him is to know reality. Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:20-21 tell us that the truth is not merely about Christ but is found in Him. This is the safeguard that keeps us from drifting into strange teachings or empty detours. When we center our lives in Jesus, the truth is alive, personal, and transformative.

T. Austin-Sparks reminds us that there is only one place where life, direction, and fruitfulness are found: in Jesus. He has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and everything we need is contained in Him. The forces of darkness work tirelessly to keep people away from Jesus, or once they have come, to draw them off that ground onto distractions, substitutes, or seemingly harmless alternatives. But the word of the Lord stands clear and strong: remain in Me, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Ray Stedman reflects on the sobering reality of consequences. God told Israel, “I have done these things to you,” making it clear that He takes full responsibility for the unfolding of their history. Their pain was not random or meaningless but tied to their sin. Stedman reminds us that this is not only Israel’s story, but ours as well. We are not spectators to an ancient tale. The principle of sowing and reaping runs through all of life.

Bob Hoekstra points us today to one of the sweetest promises of God’s faithfulness. Philippians 1:6 assures us that the One who began a good work in us will bring it to completion until the day of Jesus Christ. This promise is more than comfort; it is the very foundation of our confidence as believers. The work of salvation is not left unfinished. What God has begun, He Himself will see through to the end.

Today’s devotional reminds me of the scene in 2 Chronicles 20 where King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah were faced with an overwhelming army. God’s word to them was clear and reassuring: the battle did not belong to them, but to Him. A.B. Simpson gently guides us to see that the same truth applies in our lives today. When we assume responsibility for the dangers and burdens we face, fear and discouragement quickly overtake us. But when we recognize that we belong to God, we rest in the fact that He takes full responsibility for His people.

Oswald Chambers invites us to consider the completeness that comes from resting in Jesus. He reminds us that when anything begins to disturb our union with Him, we should immediately turn to the Lord and receive His rest. Too often, we allow disquiet to remain in our hearts, treating it as something to endure rather than something to surrender. Chambers points us back to the promise of Jesus: “Come to me, and I will give you rest.”

Miles Stanford brings us to a vital truth: love alone, as precious as it is, cannot sustain the believer’s walk or service. Love may move us, but it does not equip us to overcome sin, nor does it empower us to live victoriously. What carries us through is not the love motive but the life motive. Paul wrote in Romans 8:2 that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death. This is not about trying harder or clinging to the law but about receiving life itself, the very life of the risen Lord expressed in us.