Grace for Today - A Daily Devotional

By Craig Jones

Over fifteen years ago, in the early days of social media, I noticed that a lot of what appeared on the main platform at the time, Facebook, was largely trivial and inconsequential (some might argue nothing has changed since then!). It seemed to me that it might be helpful to start posting something that was more uplifting and encouraging, especially to the many contacts I had at the time who were fellow believers in the Lord Jesus. So I started posting a 'verse for the day', taken from my own daily Bible reading of the day, and accompanied by a brief comment.  My sincere prayer is that these daily verses, from the ever-relevant and enlightening Word of God, together with the accompanying comment and additional contextual scripture readings, will prove to be a rich blessing in your own devotional times in the Word of God, the Bible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hayes Press
• Release date: Jan 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215481431

Book preview

Preface

Over fifteen years ago, in the early days of social media, I noticed that a lot of what appeared on the main platform at the time, Facebook, was largely trivial and inconsequential (some might argue nothing has changed since then!). It seemed to me that it might be helpful to start posting something that was more uplifting and encouraging, especially to the many contacts I had at the time who were fellow believers in the Lord Jesus. So I started posting a ‘verse for the day’, taken from my own daily Bible reading of the day, and accompanied by a brief comment.

I kept an archive of these verses and comments and over the years some of them have been useful to the editors of the Golden Bells daily scripture reading calendar published by Hayes Press. During the restrictions imposed in connection with the Covid-19 virus in 2020 and 2021, I was unable to undertake my usual schedule of local and international preaching and teaching assignments and whilst there were a number of additional opportunities to connect to churches via online means, I found there were periods when I had extra time available. It seemed it might be useful then to use that time to compile a collection of some of what appealed to me as being the most helpful verses and comments from my archive.

What you hold in your hands then is the result of that process. My sincere prayer is that these daily verses, from the ever-relevant and enlightening Word of God, together with the accompanying comment and additional contextual scripture readings, will prove to be a rich blessing in your own devotional times in the Word of God, the Bible.

He who gives attention to the word will find good…

Proverbs 16:20

Day 1: Rich Words

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you … (Colossians 3:16)

Let implies that we have a personal and pro-active responsibility in this matter. ‘Richly’ implies abundantly, copiously. The only way that we can truly experience this is by spending regular, unhurried, quality time in the Word of God, so that it can find a settled place in our hearts and minds. Most of us will probably discover the challenge in ‘finding’ time in our daily schedules and so it will inevitably require us to intentionally make time, which may then mean sacrificing time that would otherwise be spent on other activities. So whether you are just embarking on the discipline of following a daily reading devotional guide or you’re a seasoned daily reader of the Word of God, may you be richly blessed on your journey with the Bible, with this little book as a help along the way.

Additional Reading: Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Day 2: A New Day Dawns

"Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place?" (Job 38:12)

No, of course you haven’t! But God has - and He continues to do so. It was the spoken word of God that brought creation into being in the first place, with all its complex and magnificent beauty and splendour. In divine partnership, the Lord Jesus was intimately involved in the wonder of creation and continues to uphold all things by the word of His power. Just as He is pro-actively engaged in the upholding of His creation, we can be confident that He is even more pro-actively engaged in the lives of His children - as long as we let Him!

Additional Reading: Genesis 1:14-19; Job 38:1-18; Hebrews 1:1-3

Day 3: The Ability of God

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

We live in a society that through overly casual use in spoken and written communication has tended to ‘dumb-down’ some of the superlatives of our language. Mundane things have become ‘awesome’ or ‘the best ever.’ Just think, though, about these all-encompassing superlatives here that describe God’s great ability. He is supremely able, then, to supply all the abundant grace we may need and in doing so ensuring that we have complete sufficiency for every aspect and circumstance of life as a disciple of the Lord so that we may walk in the good works that He prepared in advance for us to do. God’s ability to give us everything we need, which is also matched by His love and His willingness, is never lacking. The challenge is, then, does your faith meet God’s ability?

Additional Reading: Ephesians 2:4-10; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Day 4: Devoted to Prayer

"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving." (Colossians 4:2)

The vital importance of prayer in our lives - both personally and collectively in the church - is consistently highlighted time and time again in the Bible. Why do we then so often neglect it? And why are we then surprised, frustrated, even angry, when life constantly seems to be a challenge? Prayer itself isn’t a ‘cure-all’ panacea for the struggles of life - just because we pray doesn’t mean we’ll have an easy life! But praying and being prayed for surely puts these challenges into proper perspective and provides necessary peace and encouragement. And let’s be diligent not to overlook the thanksgiving aspect of our prayers; after all, we’ve got so much to be thankful to the Lord about and it’s good to let Him know that.

Additional Reading: Acts 2:42; Romans 12:9-13

Day 5: A Royal Friend

"… and Zabud the son of Nathan, a priest, was the king’s friend." (1 Kings 4:5)

This is the only reference in the whole Bible to this man Zabud, and he appears in the middle of a list of people who performed various important functions in the government of the great king Solomon of Israel. He didn’t have a title like secretary of state or a minister for this or that. No, he had a ‘title’ that was more privileged and honourable than all those, because he was known as the king’s friend. Hundreds of years later, a humble carpenter’s son came onto the scene with no outward royal pomp and circumstance but declared Himself to be greater than Solomon and was proclaimed to be the King long ago prophesied by Zechariah (9:9) - the Lord Jesus Christ. This majestic One who is greater than Solomon also declared something even more amazing, wonderful and privileged about those of us who believe and obediently follow Him: You are My friends …!

Additional Reading: 1 Kings 4:1-6; Matthew 12:38-42; John 15:12-15

Day 6: Pause for Thought

Many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no deliverance for him in God.’ Selah. But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head. (Psalm 3:2-3)

There are many ‘voices’ and worldviews that invade our minds from almost every angle, constantly trying to tell us that faith in God for salvation is futile, that there’s no such thing as God, that the Bible is an unreliable document of questionable origin and authenticity and that Jesus Christ was not the Son of God whose death on the cross provided the opportunity of forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who will believe. ‘Selah’ in the psalms is believed to mean ‘pause’ - in other words, take a breather, think about what you’ve just read and ponder whether in fact it’s true! When the contrary voices seem overwhelming, just follow David’s example and ‘Selah’, allowing the confidence you have in the truth of your faith in the Lord to resound again and drown out the noise of untruth.

Additional Reading: 2 Timothy 1:8-14; 2 Timothy 3:10-14; 1 Corinthians 1:20-31

Day 7: A New Wardrobe

See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes. (Zechariah 3:4)

Most of us like to wear new clothes, especially when we dress up for an important occasion. Sometimes we buy new clothes because our existing garments are worn out; sometimes it’s because we’ve grown tired of them; sometimes it’s because they’re no longer fashionable! The Bible tells us that even the best things we do in this life to earn God’s favour, approval or even salvation are just like ‘filthy garments.’ But when we believe in the Lord Jesus, the Bible also tells us that we are clothed with ‘garments of salvation’ - and that’s the best style makeover anyone could ever wish for and it’s definitely worth celebrating! Praise the Lord!

Additional Reading: Isaiah 64:6; Isaiah 61:10; Galatians 3:26-27

Day 8: Wisdom Acquisition

A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel. (Proverbs 1:5)

There is value in increasing our knowledge of certain things and that’s the basic foundation of gaining a good education. Even in work life, we continue to learn and gain knowledge. However, wisdom is different in that it’s more about how to apply knowledge gained in ways that are discerning and helpful. It’s not about educational qualifications, but an ability to know when and how to ‘do’ and ‘say’ - and when not to! Wisdom in the Bible is about that which comes from God and leads to God. Of all available wisdom and understanding, this is what we should make a priority of pursuing and acquiring. The Bible is the source of all such wisdom, and we cannot hope to acquire this wisdom without spending quality time in the Word of God. Deciding on that actual priority is in itself an expression of wisdom!

Additional Reading: Proverbs 2:1-10; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; Matthew 7:24-29

Day 9: The Treasure of Wisdom

If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures. (Proverbs 2:4)

The lengths that people will go to in search of hidden treasure is the stuff of many legends, adventure books, movies and TV programmes. Of far greater worth for both this life and the life hereafter is the pursuit of the godly wisdom that’s hidden in the Word of God. This wisdom of God is that which brings life and purpose and is immeasurably precious. We won’t get it simply handed to us on a silver platter though! It takes commitment and perseverance to pursue the godly wisdom and understanding that reveals eternal security and protection and equips us to live with integrity in this world and in reverence before God.

Additional Reading: Colossians 2:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:13-14; Matthew 6:19-21

Day 10: You’re Being Watched!

For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He watches all his paths. (Proverbs 5:21)

In 1949 George Orwell published his book ‘1984’, in which the term ‘Big Brother’ related to a certain character seemingly able to see (with sinister overtones) everything that the people living under his authority were doing. The expression has since become a byword for what some regard as the intimidating intrusion of government authorities - and more recently, social media companies - into the private lives of citizens. Are you uncomfortable with the thought of God seeing EVERYTHING that you do in your life? If so, then it’s likely you’re embarrassed about what He may see and so clearly you need to change some things! God’s purpose in looking is not to intrusively find fault but to provide needed fatherly guidance and help along the way - as long as we are willing to receive it from Him.

Additional Reading: Luke 12:6-7; Psalm 121:1-8

Day 11: Parental Guidance

My son, observe the commandment of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother. (Proverbs 6:20)

This is, generally speaking, sound advice on an everyday human level. Most parents have their children’s best interests at heart and that’s what guides and motivates their instruction and advice, even though perhaps sometimes it can seem like annoying nagging! Parental guidance often comes from vital experience of life, of lessons learned (sometimes the hard way!) and of dangers and compromises to be avoided. However, such advice and guidance is all the more valuable when it’s firmly based on the Word of God, whose principles and divine wisdom is timeless in its relevance and application.

Additional Reading: Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:20-21

Day 12: Wisdom is Wise

"Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning." (Proverbs 9:9)

Some people seem to instinctively ‘bristle’ at being given advice or guidance on a matter, as if being told what to do is an implied personal criticism of them or their approach to the matter. One good sign of being wise, though, is the willingness to accept further good advice, counsel and knowledge. Rejecting good instruction is the very definition of folly - all the more so when the instruction is grounded in the eternal wisdom of the Word of God. Is it time for you to ‘wise up’ then?

Additional Reading: Jeremiah 8:4-9; 1 Kings 12:6-16

Day 13: Think Before You Speak!

When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. (Proverbs 10:19)

The ‘many words’ in this verse includes the thought of arguments and contentions in view. We all know from personal experience how hurtful and long-lasting harmful words said in the heat of a moment can be. The old children’s playground saying ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never harm me’ simply isn’t true, is it? Perhaps we’ve also been the one saying such words and have regretted it deeply afterwards. How easily and how often differences of opinion can spiral out of control into heated arguments! We have our own modern proverb: ‘We have 2 ears and 1 mouth, and we should use them in that proportion.’ Rather than feeling the need to vindicate ourselves in arguments, to the other person’s hurt, we should think before we speak and then speak in a controlled and measured tone so as not to agitate the situation.

Additional Reading: James 1:19-20; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6

Day 14: Wise Women

The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands. (Proverbs 14:1)

Years ago, it was the ‘norm’ for wives to stay at home looking after the children, whilst their husbands went out to work as the ‘bread-winners.’ Things have changed significantly of course over recent decades, and in many respects for the better. However, women who still choose to be ‘stay-at-home’ wives and mothers - ‘homemakers’ in some societies - can be looked at disparagingly, as if they are perpetuating so-called gender stereotypes and surrendering hard-won equalities. But that’s what the wise woman of Proverbs is - a homemaker. Whilst it may not be popular in an aggressively gender-equality focused society, as far as God is concerned being a homemaker is a virtue. It’s not about furnishings and decorations, but it’s about love and nurture based on the wisdom from God. Give God thanks today for the faithful, godly homemakers in our lives! Their value and contribution may not be as widely recognized in society these days - but the Lord knows, values and appreciates each one.

Additional Reading: Proverbs 31:10-31; Judges 4:4-9; Colossians 3:18

Day 15: Putting Out the Fire

For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. (Proverbs 26:20)

In his letter, James famously described the tongue as a ‘fire’ and how apt that is! So many relationships are burned because of the spread of misunderstandings or blatant untruths. The simple message of the Bible is ‘Don’t gossip’! Don’t be part of the gossip chain and be careful about how and what you share, and with whom, even in the guise of ‘prayerful concern.’

Additional Reading: James 3:5-6; Romans 1:28-32

Day 16: Read the Word

"… give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation and teaching." (1 Timothy 4:13)

It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does it’s so disappointing - that someone has the responsibility to speak a message from the Word of God to an expectant audience, but they fail to actually read from the Bible itself! Here, then, is great advice from Paul to Timothy and indeed for all who have the privilege to speak to others from God’s Word: never fail to read the Scriptures out loud; make sure you include encouragement in your message; make sure you’re teaching something beneficial and necessary, rather than merely pontificating on a passage. I would also add: let it be obvious that you’re reading from the Bible itself, ideally by using a physical Bible that all can see in your hands. And what’s essential in the public context can be equally beneficial privately - reading the Bible out loud to yourself. Try it!

Additional Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-8; 1 Peter 4:10-11

Day 17: Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs

Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. (Psalm 96:1-2)

The debate rages on between the comparative value and relevance of the old hymns and the new modern worship songs. As is invariably the case in such polarizing situations, a balanced blend is the most helpful way forward. When the psalmists speak of singing ‘new songs,’ it’s not necessarily the idea of new, unheard compositions. When we sing old and familiar hymns and songs of the past with renewed appreciation from our hearts then they become ‘new’ songs to us all over again. What a vast treasure store we have available to us of hymns of praise and worship that convey deep spiritual truths, and also of newer songs that can connect us with the realities of life in a contemporary way. They all have their place, and the Lord can use them to speak His Word to our hearts in a powerful and touching way. Praise the Lord!

Additional Reading: Psalm 40:1-3; Psalm 98:1-6; Ephesians 5:19

Day 18: Purposefully Devoted

Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day. (1 Kings 8:61)

This was Solomon’s exhortation to the people of Israel, following a remarkable and unprecedented spiritual experience at the dedication of the temple in which the very awesome presence of God was made known to them. It echoes down to us today as powerfully as then, and not just in response to any recent experience we may have had but in response to our ongoing appreciation of who God is and what He has done and continues to do for us every day. Such a God is truly worthy of our utmost devotion!

Additional Reading: 1 Kings 8:1-21; Acts 2:42; Acts 18:5

Day 19: Divine Friendship

When the friendship of God was over my tent … (Job 29:4)

This is Job’s expression of delight in the intimate closeness of his relationship with Almighty God. Even though Job had been robbed of so much and had experienced a depth of pain and loss that few can truly relate to, he was still able to look fondly on the reality of his relationship with God and ponder the times of blessing that he had known. It is a profound truth of the Scriptures that God indeed desires such a deeply