First Baptist Church Pleasanton, TX

06/01/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧⁣
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Jeremiah 40:3 (NASB)⁣
“…𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”⁣
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There is something in each of us that wants to believe we are doing better than we really are.⁣
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When life becomes difficult, relationships strain, conviction comes through Scripture, or someone lovingly confronts us, there is often a quiet voice inside that says, “I’m fine. I’m right. Nothing needs to change.” That voice can sound protective, but if left unchecked, it becomes dangerous.⁣
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Jeremiah 40:3 records a painful moment in Israel’s history. Jerusalem had fallen. Families were displaced. The nation experienced the consequences of generations of rebellion. Yet the explanation was not political failure or unfortunate circumstances. The reason was direct: they sinned against the LORD and did not listen to His voice.⁣
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What a sobering reminder.⁣
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Sin rarely remains isolated. It spreads. It affects our worship, relationships, priorities, and fellowship with God. Even more concerning, sin has a way of convincing us that we are not the problem. Pride disguises itself as wisdom. Defensiveness presents itself as conviction. We justify ourselves while resisting the very God who desires to restore us.⁣
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But this is where the gospel becomes beautiful.⁣
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God does not expose our sin to crush us—He exposes it so He can redeem us.⁣
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The greatest evidence of the seriousness of sin is not judgment; it is the cross. If sin could be fixed through effort, self-improvement, or religious activity, then Jesus would not have needed to die. Yet our rebellion was so deep and our condition so severe that only the perfect Son of God could stand in our place.⁣
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Romans 5:8 reminds us:⁣
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“𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘶𝘴, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴.” (NASB)⁣
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The cross tells two truths at once: my sin is worse than I want to admit, and God’s grace is greater than I can imagine.⁣
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Rejecting God is dangerous because it refuses the only One who can restore fellowship. But for the one who listens, repents, and comes to Christ, there is forgiveness—not partial forgiveness, but complete cleansing.⁣
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1 John 1:9 gives this promise:⁣
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“𝘐𝘧 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴.” (NASB)⁣
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Today, ask the Lord to reveal areas where defensiveness has replaced surrender. Resist the urge to justify yourself. Listen to His voice. The God who convicts is also the God who forgives.⁣
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Because of Jesus, conviction does not have to end in condemnation—it can lead to restoration.

05/28/2026

VBS is a free, faith based week of fun for the kids! See details below and sign up at www.fbcpleasanton.org!

05/27/2026

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝗪𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧⁣
Jeremiah 26:2–3 (NASB)⁣
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“𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋, ‘𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋’𝘚 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋’𝘚 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘋𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥! 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴.’”⁣
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There is something deeply encouraging in the words, “𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯.” Jeremiah was sent to a rebellious people who had repeatedly ignored the warnings of God. Their sin was not hidden. Their hearts had wandered far from Him. Judgment was coming because of their continued rebellion. Yet even in the middle of such stern warnings, the heart of God is revealed—not as eager to destroy, but eager to restore.⁣
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God told Jeremiah not to soften the message or omit a single word. Why? Because truth is an act of grace. The Lord was not seeking to crush His people, but to call them back to Himself. The coming calamity was never meant to be the final destination; it was meant to awaken repentance. God’s warnings are often expressions of His mercy.⁣
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How often do we misunderstand the discipline of God? We may think hardship means abandonment, when in reality it may be the loving hand of a Father drawing His children away from sin and back into fellowship with Him. Hebrews 12:6 reminds us:⁣
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“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴.”⁣
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God disciplines because He loves. He corrects because He desires restoration. Even in judgment, His mercy is visible.⁣
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The phrase “𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯” also reveals the patience of God. He still extended an invitation to repent, even after generations of rebellion. This is consistent with His character throughout Scripture. In Ezekiel 33:11, the Lord declares:⁣
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“𝘐 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦.”⁣
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What hope this gives us today. No matter how far someone has wandered, God still calls sinners to return. No matter how stubborn the heart has become, His grace still reaches outward. The conviction we feel over sin is not evidence that God has given up on us—it is evidence that He is still pursuing us.⁣
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Perhaps today the Lord is using conviction, difficulty, or even disappointment to draw your heart back toward Him. Do not harden your heart against His voice. Listen while He calls. Repent while grace is extended. Restoration is always found on the other side of surrender.⁣
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God’s desire is not merely to expose sin, but to redeem the sinner and transform them into a testimony of His grace.

05/26/2026

𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐞⁣
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Pride is rarely loud at first. More often, it whispers. It convinces us that our perspective is clearer, our timing is wiser, and our desires are more reasonable than what God has allowed into our lives. That is exactly what makes Isaiah 29:16 so piercing: “𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘺?” The image is intentionally humbling. Clay does not shape the potter. Clay does not question the craftsman’s wisdom. Clay is entirely dependent upon the hands that form it.⁣
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Yet how often do we subtly reverse those roles?⁣
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When life becomes painful, when prayers seem unanswered, or when God’s direction feels confusing, the temptation is not merely frustration—it is pride. Pride says, “God should explain Himself to me.” Pride believes God ought to consult us before moving circumstances in ways we dislike. Pride quietly assumes we are essential enough that heaven should revolve around our plans and comfort. Isaiah exposes the foolishness of such thinking. The created thing is never equal to the Creator.⁣
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The danger of pride is that it is easiest to recognize in others while remaining hidden in ourselves. We can quickly identify arrogance in someone else’s words or actions, yet justify it in our own hearts as “discernment,” “strength,” or even “confidence.” But confidence and pride are not the same thing. Biblical confidence rests in God; pride rests in self. Confidence says, “God is able.” Pride says, “I know better.”⁣
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This is why the Lord repeatedly reminds His people of His greatness. In Isaiah 55:8–9, God declares, “𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘔𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴…𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩, 𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘔𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴.” That is not meant to discourage the believer—it is meant to comfort us. If God were only as wise as we are, He would not be worthy of our trust. The very fact that His wisdom surpasses ours is the reason we can rest in Him even when we do not understand His purposes.⁣
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Jeremiah echoed this same truth when he wrote, “𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥” (Jeremiah 18:6). The potter shapes with purpose. Sometimes the pressure of His hands feels uncomfortable. Sometimes the spinning wheel of life feels disorienting. Yet the clay is safest in the hands of the potter, not abandoned on the table untouched. Even God’s correction is evidence that He has not discarded His people. Hebrews 12:6 reminds us, “𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴.” The pain of conviction, correction, or hardship is not proof God has abandoned you—it may instead be proof that He is still shaping you.⁣
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Humility, then, is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking rightly about God. It is recognizing that He owes us nothing, yet graciously gives us everything in Christ. It is surrendering the illusion of control and trusting the hands that formed us. The proud heart resists the potter’s touch, but the humble heart learns to rest there.⁣
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Today, let this truth settle deeply into your soul: God is not your equal. He is infinitely wiser, holier, and greater than you could ever imagine. And that is good news. Because the One who shapes your life is also the One who loved you enough to send His Son to die for you. The hands of the Potter are nail-scarred hands.

05/25/2026

05/25/2026

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬⁣
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One of the sobering realities of Scripture is that God holds leaders accountable for how they influence others. In Jeremiah 23:1, the Lord rebukes the shepherds of Israel because they were entrusted with caring for His people, yet through their actions and words they scattered the flock instead of protecting it. Leadership has always carried weight because those who lead shape the direction, beliefs, and even the habits of the people who follow them.⁣
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That truth is not limited to pastors. We live in a culture filled with voices competing for influence. Some speak from pulpits, others from platforms, podcasts, social media accounts, and television screens. As trust in spiritual leadership has declined in many places, people still continue searching for someone to guide them. Humanity was created to follow something. The danger comes when we follow voices that speak confidently but do not speak truthfully.⁣
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This is why Scripture repeatedly calls leaders to a higher standard. James 3:1 warns, “𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘯, 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘶𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.” A pastor, teacher, or influencer who misrepresents God may gain applause from people, but he will still answer before the Lord. Influence is never neutral. Words shape hearts, direct families, and impact eternity.⁣
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Yet this passage is not only a warning to leaders—it is also a reminder to those being led. God never intended His people to follow blindly. In Acts 17:11, the Bereans were praised because they “𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰.” They listened carefully, but they also tested what they heard against God’s Word. That responsibility still belongs to every believer today.⁣
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This does not diminish the need for faithful spiritual leadership. God graciously gives pastors and teachers to shepherd His people (Ephesians 4:11-12). Healthy leadership protects, encourages, corrects, and points people toward Christ. But believers must also know the truth personally. A shallow understanding of the gospel leaves people vulnerable to deception, while a growing knowledge of God’s Word produces discernment and stability.⁣
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The encouraging truth is that God has not left His people without guidance. Jesus declared in John 10:11, “𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘥.” Earthly leaders may fail, but Christ never misleads His flock. He speaks truthfully, leads faithfully, and laid down His life for the sheep. When our hearts are anchored in Him and our minds grounded in His Word, we can recognize the difference between truth and error.⁣
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So let this be both a caution and an encouragement. If you lead others, speak carefully and humbly, remembering that you represent the Lord before people. If you are being led, know the Scriptures for yourself and examine every voice through the truth of God’s Word. Faithful leadership matters deeply, but ultimately our confidence rests not in human personalities, but in the Good Shepherd who never fails His people.

05/24/2026

" Living Worthy of the Gospel "
Philippians 1:27-30

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05/19/2026

𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐝'𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬⁣
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Jeremiah 9:24 is one of the clearest reminders in Scripture that the greatest treasure in life is not success, strength, wealth, or influence—it is truly knowing God. Judah had exchanged the living God for idols that could not speak, save, or satisfy. Even after repeated warnings, they continued in rebellion. Yet in the middle of judgment, God revealed His heart. He delights in “𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴.” That is who He is.⁣
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What makes this truth so humbling is realizing that we are not entirely different from Judah. Even after receiving grace, we still wrestle with sin. We know what is right, yet we often drift toward selfishness, pride, anger, or compromise. But the beauty of the gospel is this: God’s faithfulness does not rest upon our perfection. It rests upon His unchanging character.⁣
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David understood this deeply when he wrote:⁣
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“𝘐𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶, 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋, 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘖 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥? 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥.”⁣
— Psalm 130:3–4 (NASB)⁣
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God’s forgiveness is not permission to live carelessly. Rather, forgiveness should produce surrender. A heart that truly knows Christ cannot comfortably remain in rebellion. Grace does not make us casual about sin; grace makes us grieve sin because we love the One who redeemed us.⁣
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This is why Jeremiah 9:24 matters so much. God is not simply calling His people to know facts about Him. He calls them to know Him personally and to reflect His character. If He delights in lovingkindness, then His people should demonstrate mercy. If He delights in justice, then His people should walk with integrity. If He delights in righteousness, then His people should pursue holiness.⁣
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The Apostle Paul echoed this same truth:⁣
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“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺: 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘪𝘮, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘪𝘮.”⁣
— 2 Timothy 2:11 (NASB)⁣
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The believer’s life is no longer centered on self. We live in the faithfulness of the One who saved us. Even when we stumble, we are reminded that Christ remains faithful.⁣
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What incredible joy comes from being able to say, “𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘏𝘪𝘮.” Not because we have earned His favor, but because He pursued us first. Before you were formed, God knew you. Before you called upon Him, He extended grace toward you. And today, He continues shaping you into the likeness of Christ.⁣
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So do not boast in your wisdom, achievements, or abilities. Boast in this—that through Jesus Christ, you know the living God.⁣
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And because you know Him, live differently. Love deeply. Walk honestly. Pursue righteousness. Reflect the character of the One who redeemed you.⁣
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“𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥.”⁣
— 1 John 2:6 (NASB)

05/18/2026

𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞⁣
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Jeremiah 5 is a sobering reminder that sin always carries consequences. Judah had rejected God’s Word, ignored repeated warnings, and continued walking in rebellion. The repeated phrase, “they will devour,” paints a terrifying picture of judgment that would touch every area of life—harvests, families, cities, and security (Jeremiah 5:17). Yet in the middle of such deserved judgment comes a remarkable statement of mercy: “𝘠𝘦𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴… 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯” (Jeremiah 5:18). God’s holiness demanded judgment, but His covenant mercy restrained total destruction.⁣
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That is both a warning and a comfort for us today.⁣
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Sin should never be treated lightly. We often assume we can resist God without consequence, delay repentance, or simply blame others for our condition. Judah did exactly that. Even while judgment approached, the people refused to fully acknowledge their guilt. Hebrews 3:13 warns us about “𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘪𝘯.” Sin hardens the heart until conviction feels distant and rebellion feels normal.⁣
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But what shines through Jeremiah 5 is the patient character of God. He knew Judah’s failures long before they occurred, yet He continued calling them back to Himself. Even in judgment, He preserved a remnant. That same grace is seen fully in Jesus Christ.⁣
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The Holy Bible reminds us that God does not delight in destruction but in redemption. This is why Romans 5:8 declares, “𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘶𝘴, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴.” Even more astonishing is Romans 5:10: “𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘯.” God’s grace is not extended because we are deserving, but because He is merciful.⁣
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That truth should humble us. The cross reminds us that judgment against sin is real, but so is God’s love for sinners who repent and trust in Christ. 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝟹:𝟸𝟸-𝟸𝟹 𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦: “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋’𝘚 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.”⁣
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Perhaps today you feel the weight of failure, regret, or even the consequences of your own choices. Jeremiah 5 reminds us that God disciplines, but He also restores. His patience is meant to lead us to repentance, not complacency (Romans 2:4). The warning is clear: do not continue hardening your heart. The hope is equally clear: God still extends mercy through Christ.⁣
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Run to Him today. The same God who preserved Judah in judgment has provided salvation through Jesus. There is hope for every person willing to repent and trust in Him.

05/15/2026

𝗪𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭h 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬⁣
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Isaiah 59 paints a sobering picture of a society that has rejected God’s standard of truth. The prophet writes, “𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵,” and we can almost see the image—a culture so confused by sin that righteousness is pushed aside and uprightness is no longer welcomed. What Isaiah described in his day feels painfully familiar today. Morality is constantly redefined, truth is treated as negotiable, and even among many who claim the name of Christ, compromise is often embraced rather than confronted.⁣
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Yet the darkest part of the chapter is not the end of the story.⁣
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Isaiah 59:16 declares, “𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐦.” When humanity could not rescue itself, God intervened. This verse points us forward to Jesus Christ, the promised Redeemer who entered a broken world filled with rebellion, deception, and spiritual blindness. The world rejected Him, mocked Him, and condemned Him to die on a cross. Yet through that very sacrifice, God accomplished salvation for sinners.⁣
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The hope of the gospel is not that humanity eventually improves itself. Our hope is that God acted when we could not save ourselves. Romans 5:8 reminds us, “𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘶𝘴, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴.” Jesus stepped into the darkness we created and became the light we desperately needed.⁣
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Because of Christ, believers are not left hopeless even when truth seems forgotten. The same Savior who redeemed us also sustains us. When the world celebrates confusion, we can stand firmly on the unchanging truth of God’s Word. When righteousness feels distant, we remember that our righteousness is found in Christ alone. When society grows darker, the light of Jesus shines even brighter.⁣
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Isaiah closes this section with the promise of a Redeemer coming to Zion (Isaiah 59:20). For us today, that promise has already begun to be fulfilled in Christ. And one day, He will return again to establish perfect justice and righteousness forever.⁣
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Until then, we live with confidence, not fear. We do not place our hope in culture correcting itself or morality suddenly returning. Our hope rests in Jesus—the One who stepped into the chaos of sin and brought salvation by His own mighty arm.⁣
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So when truth seems to stumble in the street, do not lose heart. The Savior still reigns. His truth still stands. His gospel still saves. And His light still shines in the darkness.⁣
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“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵.” — John 1:5 (NASB)