SA Spiritual Life

09/01/2026

'I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.' 📖 Philippians 1:3-6

As we embark upon this new book to take us to the end of 2026, I hope you will find much joy in the readings set out within these pages. Sometimes, it will be necessary to remain in one paragraph of Scripture for several days, but the intention is to better acquaint us with the words.

The walk of a Christian disciple can at times be tough, and there are hard knocks that come along the way, but the Christian faith is meant to be a journey that is full of joy. There is much about Christian discipleship that brings or causes joy within us.

Over the next few days, we will look at Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. This is a letter of joy. Paul celebrates the faithfulness of the Christians in Philippi, he encourages them to keep on in the faith, and he calls for them to follow his own example.

In the early verses of the first chapter, we see Paul declaring how thankful he is for the church in Philippi; so much so, that he thanks God for them every time he thinks of them. What do you thank God for each time your thoughts turn to your own church or corps? Who are the people who bring joy to you each time you think of them? What is it about them that causes you to be filled with joy?

As we begin this journey through Philippians together, let us thank God for the people who bring joy and energy to our lives. They have been placed there by God to contribute to the life of the Church (just as you have), and they are clearly fulfilling that function within your congregation effectively.

➡ 'Joy to the world' is our is the first reflection in the new Words of Life series, Joy to the World. Join us as we journey through Philippians together, discovering the joy, hope, and encouragement found in God's Word. Read the series for free on the YouVersion Bible App:
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08/12/2026

Save the date! A global holiness event, initiated by International Headquarters, will take place from May 14-16, 2027, with the theme “Transformed by Holy Love.” It will be an opportunity for Salvationists around the world to come together in local settings, engaging with a common set of teachings and resources.

More information and resources will be shared in the coming months, and we look forward to this opportunity to gather together and share our faith.

08/09/2026

August 9 marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Today and every day, The Salvation Army is committed to listening, learning and standing in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples as we honour their rights, cultures, histories and contributions in Canada and around the world.

Check out our resources to help guide your learning journey → salvationist.ca/indigenousministries/

08/06/2026

'And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ 📖 1 Kings 19:12-13

Having faced everything the prophets of Baal could throw at him, and surviving the death threats of Jezebel and Ahab, Elijah finally stands before the Lord, waiting for him to speak.

First, there is an earthquake, and we can almost hear Elijah crying out, ‘Lord, I know you can speak through the earthquake. Speak to me.’ And God replying, ‘O Elijah, I may have spoken through the earthquake in the past, and I may do so in the future, but I don’t always speak that way.’

Then, a sound like a rushing wind, and we can imagine Elijah making another heartfelt request to the Lord: ‘Lord, speak to me, I know you can speak through the wind,’ then hearing the response: ‘O Elijah, I may have spoken through the wind in the past, and I may do so in the future, but that is not always my way.’

And then there is a fire, and Elijah is perhaps even more sure that God will speak: ‘Lord, you have spoken to and through me using fire just days ago, here I am and I’m listening.’ But God again says, ‘Elijah, when will you learn? I may have spoken through the fire in the past, and I may do so in the future, but I don’t always only speak through the fire.’

Finally, there is ‘a gentle whisper’, and God speaks. Elijah listens and hears the Lord, receiving the next detail of what God’s will is for him.

God chooses different ways and times to speak to us. It is our responsibility to be listening, and we must make sure that we don’t try to put God in a box. The Sovereign God will always choose the best way to speak to us.

➡ 'God – the whisperer' is today’s reflection from Words of Life – Life on the Edge.
God doesn't always speak in the dramatic. Sometimes his voice is found in the quiet moments, calling us to pause, listen, and trust his leading.

📖 Continue exploring Words of Life on the YouVersion Bible App:
🌐https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70703

08/04/2026

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'Elijah was afraid and ran for his life… ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.'
📖 1 Kings 19:3-4

The next part of the story shows how becoming overtired can be completely debilitating. Elijah had battled the prophets of Baal and won a resounding victory, but it had come at a cost. He was now utterly tired and his resources were low at best and at worst, non-existent.

Physically, he was exhausted. Elijah was a strong man. He was fit and fast, outrunning the king’s chariot. He was strong-willed and purposeful, but he had reached his limit. Mount Carmel had taken its toll on him.

Mentally, he was drained. Try to imagine the impact of the last three years on Elijah. He had been forced to live as a fugitive from King Ahab, who had vowed to kill him. He would have been unpopular in Israel because the king would undoubtedly have made it clear that the drought was down to the prophet.

Emotionally, he was spent. He had given everything he had and was effectively running on empty. He had been in a situation of insecurity for this past period and had lived in poverty.

Spiritually, he was under attack. His strong stand against the prophets of Baal was a spiritual battle, and that will have come at considerable cost to him, even given his great victory.

To make matters worse, the awful Queen Jezebel had put out a contract on his life, and he was afraid. When we reach the lowest moments of our life, fear can easily overwhelm us. Here was Elijah at his lowest. Every part of his being was depleted; he had no more resources.

👉 'When we reach the end' is today’s reflection from Words of Life – Life on the Edge. Even Elijah reached a point where he had nothing left to give. His story reminds us that God meets us in our weakness, providing the strength, rest, and hope we need for the next step.

📖 Continue the journey with Words of Life – Life on the Edge, available on the YouVersion Bible App: 🌐https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70703

08/03/2026

07/25/2026

‘And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.’ 📖 Ruth 3:11

When you first read this chapter, it would be easy to consider that there is some manipulation and lack of integrity in play. However, Ruth going to lay at the feet of Boaz was a declaration that he was perhaps the closest relative of her deceased husband, and as such he had a responsibility to marry this widow. This was acceptable in Jewish law and was considered to be the right way to approach the situation (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10). It was an invitation to marriage.

However, Boaz also shows integrity because he is aware of a closer relative who would have the responsibility ahead of him, and so he declares this and promises to find out the other relative’s intentions, and if he won’t marry Ruth then Boaz will.
Then we see more evidence of Boaz’s generosity, as he sends her back to Naomi carrying still more grain. But the two women must wait patiently to discover the outcome of Boaz’s investigation.

Waiting patiently has become something of an art in today’s world, where everything is seen to be immediate. Emails have added time pressures that letters didn’t hold, computers cause expectations of action to accelerate; some frown on the idea of waiting patiently.

But the message of this story is that we must learn to wait on the Lord who answers our prayers in his time and who moves according to his agenda, not ours. Bringing our petitions to him (as we should) means that we must wait for his response. The danger of not waiting patiently is that when God does move or speak we are too busy to notice, and we should avoid that at all costs.

⏲️ 'The art of patience' is today’s reflection from Words of Life – Life on the Edge.
Ruth's story reminds us that God is always at work, even in the waiting. His timing may not match ours, but it is always purposeful and faithful.

Continue the journeying with us with Words of Life, FREE on the YouVersion Bible App: 🌐https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70703

07/08/2026

Watching a person fall back from their commitment as a follower of Jesus has always caused me great hurt and pain. It usually begins almost imperceptibly, but then cracks in the façade start to appear, and eventually the person slips away and is lost to the Kingdom. In The Salvation Army, we call it ‘backsliding’.

How much worse to witness an entire nation doing the same thing? And, worse still, seeing the people whom God had chosen to be his own steadily abandoning their closeness to God; it must have been heartbreaking for the prophet.

Jerusalem is defiled and rebellious towards Jehovah. The nation is abandoning God’s law and drifting away. Zephaniah highlights the failure of the people of Jerusalem and compares it to the pure and consistent goodness of God in the hope that they will repent, with the warning that their ways were leading only to destruction.

Pete Greig is a Christian leader serving in the south of England. He provides the person stepping back from their faith with both confrontation and hope in one of his writings. He says this in his series of teachings on prayer:

‘It doesn’t matter what you have said or done. There is more grace in God than there is sin in you. You cannot be too bad, too broken or too boring for God’s unconditional love. Only too proud to acknowledge how desperately you need it.’

We each have a responsibility to maintain our discipleship as a close walk with Jesus. When distractions, difficulties or temptations come along, we must see them for what they are and avoid allowing them to deter our following.

👉 'Backsliding is easy' is today’s reflection from Words of Life – Life on the Edge. Zephaniah’s message is both a warning and an invitation. However far we may drift, God’s grace continues to call us back to a close and faithful walk with him.

📖 Discover more daily Bible reflections, devotionals, and reading plans on the YouVersion Bible App:
🌐https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70703