The Daily + Weekly by Vince Miller
Get ready to be inspired and transformed with Vince Miller, a renowned author and speaker who has dedicated his life to teaching through the Bible. With over 36 books under his belt, Vince has become a leading voice in the field of manhood, masculinity, fatherhood, mentorship, and leadership. He has been featured on major video and radio platforms such as RightNow Media, Faithlife TV, FaithRadio, and YouVersion, reaching men all over the world. Vince's Daily Devotional has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of providing them with a daily dose of inspiration and guidance. With over 30 years of experience in ministry, Vince is the founder of Resolute. www.vincemiller.com
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How Do I Make Wise Decisions When I’m Angry? | Esther 1:13–15
10/21/2026
How Do I Make Wise Decisions When I’m Angry? | Esther 1:13–15
Welcome to The Daily. I want to give a shout today to Sean Durkin from Morgan Hill, CA. Thanks for being a donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about . Our text today is Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king’s procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom): “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” — I have learned this the hard way: when I’m angry, I don't always want counsel; I just want agreement. I want someone to hear my side, affirm my frustration, and assure me that I am right. So I call the person most likely to agree with me. Then I tell the story in a way that makes my actions sound reasonable, and the other person’s actions sound ridiculous. I may not technically lie. I just make these small edits. That is what is happening here. King Ahasuerus is still burning with anger after Vashti refused his command. So he turns to seven influential lawyers. It may look like wisdom, but listen carefully to the question he asks: “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti?” He doesn't ask: Was my request reasonable? Why did she refuse? Did my intoxication affect my judgment? Did I play a part in her refusal? The king has already decided who is wrong. Now he wants his lawyers to decide what should be done to her. Anger does this to us. It turns counselors into jurors. Instead of inviting them to help us discover the truth, we recruit them to support our verdict. We don't want someone to examine the situation. We want someone to take our side. But truly wise voices do more than confirm your feelings. They slow you down. They ask questions. They point out what you may be missing. They help you separate facts from feeling. And sometimes, they tell you what you do not want to hear. Proverbs warns us that a fool believes his own way is right, but a wise man listens to advice (). This is especially important when we are angry because anger narrows our vision. We see the offense clearly but overlook our contribution. We remember their words but forget our tone. We magnify their failure while minimizing our own. But the gospel gives us the freedom to stop. Because Christ has already carried our guilt, we do not have to protect ourselves from the truth. We can admit that we were impatient, defensive, controlling, or wrong without being crushed by shame. So maybe before you send the message today, or make the decision, confront the person, or tell everyone your side, pause. Ask yourself: Am I looking for wisdom—or am I looking for a witness for the prosecution? DO THIS: Share one unresolved conflict with a spiritually mature person who will tell you the truth, not merely take your side. Ask what you may be missing. ASK THIS: Do I seek counsel or agreement? What part of the conflict is mine? Who tells me the truth? PRAY THIS: Father, humble me enough to seek truth, receive correction, and make decisions guided by your wisdom rather than my anger. PLAY THIS: Christ Our Wisdom.
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Why Do I Get Angry When I Don’t Get My Way? | Esther 1:9–12
10/20/2026
Why Do I Get Angry When I Don’t Get My Way? | Esther 1:9–12
Welcome to The Daily. I want to give a shout today to Gordo Christianson from Verton, VT. Thanks for being a donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about . Our text today is Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him. — Nothing exposes our need for control faster than hearing the word no. Remember, Ahasuerus had spent six months displaying his wealth and power. Then, on the final day of another seven-day feast, with his heart “merry with wine,” he commanded seven eunuchs—castrated male officials who served in the royal palace and were often assigned to women’s quarters because they posed no sexual threat—to bring Queen Vashti before his guests. What he was trying to do was display her beauty, just as he had displayed everything else. But Vashti refused. We need to be careful in our interpretation here because the text never tells us why she refused. We do not know if she was being courageous, defiant, wise, or wrong. But what is unmistakably clear is the king’s reaction to her action: “The king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.” This moment reveals a great deal about the king. We often focus on what someone “did to us” because it helps us avoid what their action exposed in us. You see, Vashti’s refusal did not create the king’s pride, insecurity, or need for control. It exposed what was already there. And resistance does the same thing in us. My will does not enjoy being resisted. I doubt yours does either. When our plans are interrupted, our advice is ignored, our authority is questioned, or someone refuses to do what we want, anger can rise quickly. The easy explanation is: They’re the problem. But anger often sits on top of something deeper—a threatened desire, wounded pride, lost control, or fear of embarrassment. Ahasuerus’s concern was not his relationship with Vashti. He needed her compliance to preserve the image he had spent months building. Her refusal threatened his public image, and his anger exposed just how fragile that image really was. The book of James teaches that conflict often comes from desires at war within us. We want something, and when we do not get it, we react. This does not mean every form of anger is sinful. Jesus became angry at hard hearts and injustice. But righteous anger seeks God’s honor and another person’s good. Selfish anger protects my image, comfort, timeline, and control. Here is a question I have had to ask myself in my own anger: What am I trying to protect right now? This one question can expose the idol hiding behind my anger. Unlike Ahasuerus, Jesus possessed all authority, yet he did not use his power to protect his public image. When he was rejected, mocked, and opposed, he entrusted himself to the Father. On the way to the cross, he did not retaliate. He surrendered himself for us. That is power under God’s control. So before you defend your reaction today, let God examine it. Maybe that interruption, disagreement, or refusal is not merely a problem to remove. Maybe it is an opportunity to reveal where you still demand control. Being told no does not have to make you burn with anger. It can become an invitation to surrender to the true King. DO THIS: When irritation rises today, do not respond immediately. Identify the desire beneath your anger and surrender it to God before you speak. ASK THIS: What usually triggers my anger? What am I trying to control? How would surrender change my response? PRAY THIS: Father, reveal what my anger is protecting and teach me to surrender control to you. Amen. PLAY THIS: I Surrender All.
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Why Am I Never Satisfied? | Esther 1:5–8
10/19/2026
Why Am I Never Satisfied? | Esther 1:5–8
Welcome to The Daily. I want to give a shout today to Andrew Bright from Highland Ranch, CO. Thanks for being a donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about . Our text today is And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. — The table is full. The room is stunning. The wine keeps flowing. And everyone is free to have exactly what they desire. It sounds like freedom—but it may be one of the clearest pictures of bondage in the chapter. After spending 180 days displaying his wealth to the leaders of the empire, King Ahasuerus hosts another feast. This one lasts seven days and includes everyone in Susa, “both great and small.” The details are intentionally excessive: white cotton curtains, violet hangings, silver rods, marble pillars, gold and silver couches, precious stones, and golden drinking vessels. An abundance of royal wine fills the scene. Every detail communicates the same message: there is more than enough. Then we arrive at the decisive line. The king orders his staff “to do as each man desired.” It may sound generous, but it exposes a lie we still believe: that if we give our desires more room, they will eventually be satisfied. But human desire is never satisfied, as the poet Mick Jagger famously observed. It only wants more. More money becomes the new normal. More food creates another craving. More attention raises the level of attention we require. And more comfort makes every inconvenience harder to bear. The line of desire keeps moving. I’ve noticed this in my own life. Something I once prayed for can quickly become something I take for granted. Before long, I’m reaching for the next thing as though the last blessing never came. That’s what desire does when it’s left unrestrained. It convinces us that satisfaction is always one more thing away—one more purchase, one more experience, one more promotion, one more relationship, or one more achievement. But the problem is not enjoying the good gifts God gives. The problem begins when we ask a created gift to carry a satisfaction only God can provide. Food, money, success, and attention can temporarily fill us, but none of them can fill the soul. Jesus does not shame this desire; he redirects it. He calls himself the Bread of Life because our deepest hunger can only be satisfied in him. Christ does not merely give us more—he gives us himself, the only source of true and lasting fulfillment. So today, ask: What desire is beginning to control me and redirect my heart away from God? You don’t need to satisfy every appetite simply because you feel it. Sometimes the most freeing response to desire is not indulgence, but restraint. The king’s feast declared, “Do as you desire.” But your Heavenly King says, “Come to me and be truly satisfied.” DO THIS: Choose one appetite you usually satisfy immediately—food, scrolling, spending, entertainment, or attention—and delay it today. Use the pause to thank God and remember that Christ is enough. ASK THIS: What desire has been quietly ruling me? When did enough stop feeling like enough? How can I practice contentment today? PRAY THIS: Jesus, expose the appetite that rules me and teach my heart to be satisfied in you. Amen. PLAY THIS: All I Have Is Christ.
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Why Am I Always Trying to Impress People? | Esther 1:1–4
10/18/2026
Why Am I Always Trying to Impress People? | Esther 1:1–4
Welcome to The Daily. I want to give a shout today to Robert Beauchemin from Alexis, NC. Thanks for being a donor as we teach through every book of the Bible over 23 years. We cannot do this without you. Read more about . Our text today is Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. — Imagine spending six months showing people how impressive you are. That’s how this book begins. King Ahasuerus rules 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. He sits on a royal throne in a fortified capital. His officials, military leaders, nobles, and governors all gather before him. And for 180 days, he shows them “the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness.” Six months of parading his wealth. That’s an extraordinary display of pride. The text doesn’t tell us everything happening in his heart, but it does linger on the duration of his display. His wealth isn’t merely possessed—it must be seen. Most of us will never experience this level of wealth, and we will probably never host such an extravagant display. But we understand the impulse. We want people to notice our house, our new title, our physical transformation, our family success, our growing ministry, even our spirituality. This reveals a deep need to impress, which can mature into a proud display. We don’t just want to be blessed—we want to be seen as blessed. Even I know how subtle and deceptive this can be. I can take something God has entrusted to me and, without anyone realizing it, turn it into evidence that I matter. Then approval becomes my oxygen. So I check the response. I start looking for the reaction. But, like you, I’ve learned that anything we use to secure our identity will eventually control us. So back to Ahasuerus. He really did possess enormous wealth, influence, and power. The issue wasn’t his wealth itself—it was making his glory the center of the room. The point is this: don’t diminish what God has given you. The time, talents, and treasures God has entrusted to you can be powerful. But we must deflect the glory to God and let go of the need to be seen. And don’t miss the contrast in this book. We begin with Ahasuerus spending 180 days displaying his glory. Yet God never announces himself in the Book of Esther. Still, God is the one quietly directing the story—not Ahasuerus. You don’t have to prove your worth. In Christ, your identity isn’t earned through effort or applause—it is received by God’s grace, not your performance. Stop trying to impress others like a human king. Be faithful because of your Heavenly King’s greatness. Remember, you are not a king—you are a child of the King. Live out of that identity today. DO THIS: Do one meaningful act of faithfulness today without announcing it, posting it, or waiting for someone to notice. ASK THIS: Where am I most tempted to impress people? Whose approval am I chasing? What would quiet faithfulness look like today? PRAY THIS: Father, free me from the need to impress others and teach me to find my identity in you alone. PLAY THIS: Only Jesus.
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How to Stay Faithful When Others Fall Away | Jude 20–25
10/17/2026
How to Stay Faithful When Others Fall Away | Jude 20–25
Welcome to The Daily. ESTHER: We will begin tomorrow. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, don't purchase one; we have already mailed it to you. Our text today is But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. — Jude has spent most of this letter exposing false teachers, distorted grace, corrupt leadership, rebellious desires, and divisive people. But after describing “these people,” Jude turns to believers and says: “But you, beloved.” In other words, they may live that way. But you don’t have to. Jude gives us four clear actions for staying faithful. Build yourselves up. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God. Wait for the mercy of Jesus. First, build yourselves up in your most holy faith. Jude is not telling us to invent a more relevant version of Christianity. Christ has already laid the foundation. Our job is to keep building on it. We do this through Scripture, sound teaching, obedience, worship, and relationships with other believers. And notice Jude says, “building yourselves up.” This is plural. Christian growth is not a solo construction project. We need other believers who will encourage us, correct us, pray for us, and remind us of the truth when our judgment gets cloudy. You cannot build a strong faith while continually separating yourself from faithful believers. Next, Jude says, pray in the Holy Spirit. This means prayer directed, shaped, and empowered by the Spirit of God. It is not praying whatever we want and attaching God’s name to it. It is bringing our desires under God’s will. The false teachers followed their ungodly passions. Spirit-led believers bring their passions before God and ask him to lead them. Sometimes the most spiritual prayer you can pray is: “God, I want this. But I want your will more.” Third, Jude says, keep yourselves in the love of God. Now, he is not saying you must work hard enough to keep God loving you. Jude has already called these believers “beloved.” God’s love is not the issue. Our wandering loves are. Keeping yourself in the love of God means staying close to him. Receiving his love. Responding to his love. Refusing to wander after every love that pulls you away. Fourth, Jude says, wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. We live with our eyes on Jesus. What you are waiting for shapes what you resist. If this life is all you see, you’ll chase every pleasure. But if Jesus is coming, you can say no to temporary desires because something better is ahead. And while we wait, we don’t withdraw from people—we help them. Some need mercy because they doubt. They are confused, hurt, or afraid. They don’t need judgment; they need patience and care. Others need to be snatched from the fire. They are heading toward real danger and need someone willing to speak clearly and urgently. And some need mercy with caution. We help them without joining their sin, staying humble and aware that we are not above falling ourselves. I can spend far too much time watching who is falling, who is wrong, and who is compromising. But Jude turns the question back on me. Am I building my faith? Am I praying? Am I staying close to God? Am I waiting for Jesus? Am I showing mercy to people who are struggling? And then Jude ends with one of the greatest promises in Scripture: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling.” We are commanded to keep ourselves in the love of God. But God is the one who keeps us from falling. That is not a contradiction. That is grace. We pursue faithfulness because his preserving power is already at work within us. Did you notice how Jude begins and ends this letter? Verse one: we are “kept for Jesus Christ.” Verse twenty-four: God is able to “keep you from stumbling.” From beginning to end, the entire letter is held together by God’s keeping power. So this is not a fragile faith held together by your grip on God—it is a secure salvation held together by God’s grip on you. And that means he is not merely going to drag you across the finish line. He will carry you all the way home. He will present you blameless before his glory “with great joy.” Not reluctant joy. Not barely enough mercy. But overflowing, triumphant joy. And that is not just good news—it is the end of the story. DO THIS: Write down these four words: Build. Pray. Stay. Wait. Circle the one that has been weakest in your life recently. Then take one action today to strengthen it. Also identify one person who is doubting or drifting. Reach out with mercy, not an argument. ASK THIS: Which of Jude’s four commands do you most need today: build, pray, stay, or wait? Is there someone you have treated like an enemy who may actually need patience and mercy? How does knowing that God is able to keep you from stumbling change the way you face temptation and uncertainty? PRAY THIS: Father, build my faith, lead my prayers, keep me close to your love, help me show mercy to others, and hold me faithful until Jesus returns. Amen. PLAY THIS: Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me.
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How Should Christians Respond to False Teaching? | A Bible Study of Jude
10/17/2026
How Should Christians Respond to False Teaching? | A Bible Study of Jude
How do you stand against false teaching without becoming cruel—and show mercy without compromising the truth? Summary: The Letter of Jude calls Christians to contend for the faith while refusing both compromise and cruelty. Jude warns that false teaching often enters quietly, twisting grace, rejecting Christ’s authority, and producing spiritual fruit that eventually exposes the deception. Believers are called to strengthen their own faith while moving toward those who doubt or drift with truth, wisdom, and mercy. Ultimately, our confidence is not in how tightly we hold onto God, but in the God who is able to keep us from stumbling and present us blameless before his glory. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions: 1. Why do Christians often drift toward either harshness or compromise when confronting false teaching? 2. What does Jude mean by “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3)? 3. How does knowing that you are “called, beloved, and kept” change the way you contend for truth? 4. What is the difference between being contentious and faithfully contending? 5. What do Cain, Balaam, and Korah teach us about the motives that often accompany spiritual rebellion? 6. Why should we evaluate teachers by both their doctrine and the fruit of their lives? 7. How can Christians show mercy to someone who doubts without affirming what is false? 8. Why does Jude give different responses for different kinds of people who are wavering (Jude 22–23)? 9. What is significant about the repeated idea of being “kept” throughout Jude? 10. Who in your life may be wavering right now, and how can you move toward them this week with both truth and mercy?
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How to Recognize Divisive People in the Church | Jude 14–19
10/16/2026
How to Recognize Divisive People in the Church | Jude 14–19
Welcome to The Daily. ESTHER: We will begin next Monday. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is “It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’ These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.’ It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” — You can usually hear division before you see it. It starts in the mouth. A complaint. Then a grievance. Finally, a strong personality gathers unsuspecting or willing people. And by the time a church visibly divides, hearts have usually been dividing for a while. Jude quotes a prophecy from Enoch. The reference may sound strange to us, but Jude’s point is very simple: The Lord is coming. And when he comes, every hidden motive, rebellious action, and harsh word will be brought into the light. God will not allow evil talk to divide his people forever. It ends when Jesus returns. He will execute judgment and convict the ungodly. In fact, Jude uses the word ungodly four times in a single sentence. These people might have sounded spiritual. They may have attended Christian gatherings, used Christian language, and presented themselves as leaders. But their lives and mouths kept pointing away from God. Then Jude tells us what that ungodliness sounds like. They are grumblers. They are malcontents. They follow their own sinful desires. They are loud-mouthed boasters. They show favoritism to gain an advantage. That’s a descriptive list. So let's work through this and see what Jude is calling these divisive people. What's a grumbler? Grumbling is not the same as honestly naming pain or addressing a real problem. Grumbling is different. Grumbling keeps God, leadership, circumstances, and everyone else on trial. It keeps talking about the problem without ever moving toward a faithful solution. Next on the list malcontents. These are people who are never satisfied. Change the circumstances, and they will find a brand new complaint. Give them what they asked for, and soon they will ask for something else. Next, sinful desires. In other words, their flesh or appetites lead, and their beliefs follow. They do not bring their desires under God’s control. They reshape truth to protect their personal desires. Next, Jude calls them loud-mouthed boasters. They talk big. They make themselves sound important, informed, spiritual, successful, or specially chosen. They use words to elevate themselves and diminish others. And finally, they show favoritism to gain an advantage. They tell influential people what they want to hear. They praise the person who can promote them, protect them, pay them, or give them access. They are driven by leverage. Then Jude tells believers, “You must remember.” He is reminding them that the apostles already warned that these scoffers would come. With the purpose of “causing divisions.” Not everyone who asks a question. But a deliberate divisive person who gathers groups around a grievance. They fracture trust, recruit supporters, stir suspicion, and pull others away from truth. They do not want resolution. They want a following. Jude calls them “worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” They may use spiritual words, but the Spirit of God is not directing them. Their desires, pride, and ambitions are. I really have to watch this in myself. I can call what is actually divisive discernment. I can repeat the same complaint to three different people and tell myself I’m just processing. But sometimes I’m not processing. I’m recruiting. That is how division spreads. And before long, people who once walked together become suspicious of one another. Jesus did the opposite. He never manipulated people with flattery. He never built himself up through boasting. He never gathered people around petty complaints. He spoke the truth. He submitted to the Father. And he laid down his life to bring divided people back together under God. So before we point at loud scoffers online or divisive voices in the church, we need to listen to our own words and test our own motivations. The Lord is coming; therefore, every word matters. So don't let your mouth become a doorway for division. Tell the truth. Take your complaint to God. Speak directly to the right person. Refuse to flatter people for personal advantage. And abide under the leadership of the Holy Spirit in all you do. DO THIS: Identify one complaint you have repeated recently. Before you repeat it again, write down: What is actually bothering me? What does Scripture require of me? Who is the right person to speak with? Then talk to the right person instead of three people who cannot resolve it. ASK THIS: Which pattern appears most often in your speech: grumbling, discontent, boasting, sinful desire, or favoritism? Are you genuinely trying to resolve a concern, or are you recruiting people into your frustration? How can you protect unity without avoiding necessary truth and confrontation? PRAY THIS: Jesus, guard my mouth from grumbling, pride, and division, and help me speak truth with humility under the leadership of your Spirit. Amen. PLAY THIS: O Church Arise.
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How to Recognize Self-Serving Spiritual Leaders | Jude 11–13
10/15/2026
How to Recognize Self-Serving Spiritual Leaders | Jude 11–13
Our text today is Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. — Not every spiritual voice wants to help you. Some want to use you. That sounds harsh, but Jude is not interested in softening the truth. These false teachers had worked their way into the church, used spiritual language, and gained their trust. But underneath it all, they were serving themselves. So Jude reaches back into the Old Testament and gives us three names: Cain. Balaam. Korah. Three men. Three different stories. But one shared problem. They wanted something from God without wanting to live under God. So take Cain. Cain worshiped God, but he wanted to worship on his own terms. When God accepted Abel’s offering and confronted Cain’s heart, Cain refused to repent. He became angry, jealous, and ultimately violent. Cain’s problem was not simply that he had strong emotions. His problem was that he refused correction. God warned him that "sin was crouching at the door." But he walked through the door anyway. That is the way of Cain. It looks religious on the outside but resists God on the inside. It compares, competes, and resents anyone whose faithfulness exposes its compromise. And when pride will not accept correction, it eventually turns against the person telling the truth. Then Jude mentions Balaam. We talked about him in our last study. Balaam was a spiritual man with a greed problem. He knew how to speak about God, but money kept pulling at his heart. He wanted the reward offered by a pagan king, so he kept searching for a way to get paid without appearing to disobey God. And when he could not curse Israel directly, he helped draw them toward compromise. We call it Balaam’s error. Using spiritual influence for personal gain. Today, that may look like someone using God’s name to build a platform, manipulate an audience, sell a promise, or pressure people into giving. The problem is exploitation. It is telling people what they want to hear because it keeps them watching, clicking, buying, or giving. And it's everywhere today. Then Jude brings up Korah. Korah rejected the authority God had established through Moses and Aaron. He gathered people around himself, questioned their leadership, and presented his rebellion as though it were a righteous cause. That is what rebellion often does. It rarely introduces itself by saying, “I’m ambitious and unwilling to submit.” It usually sounds more spiritual than that, like “I’m standing up for what is right.” But Korah was not correcting ungodly leadership. He was rejecting God’s order because he wanted more authority for himself. So here is what we have. Cain refused correction. Balaam used spiritual influence for gain. Korah rejected authority to gain power. And Jude says the false teachers followed all these paths. Then he gives us a series of pictures, and none of them are flattering. They are hidden reefs. A hidden reef sits below the surface where no one can see it. Everything looks safe until a ship strikes it and breaks apart. That is what deceptive teaching does. It does not always look dangerous at first. But beneath the surface, it can wreck faith, families, churches, and lives. They are shepherds feeding themselves. A shepherd is supposed to protect and feed the sheep. But these leaders were using the sheep to feed their own appetites. They took more than they gave. They wanted the position without the sacrifice. They are waterless clouds. They look promising. They sound promising. But when thirsty people come looking for water, there is nothing there. A lot of spiritual content works this way. It creates excitement without substance. It offers inspiration without truth. It promises a breakthrough without repentance, maturity, or obedience. It looks like rain, but nothing gets wet or grows. They are fruitless trees. Plenty of appearance. No fruit. That is why Jesus told us to pay attention to fruit. Not charisma. Not confidence. Fruit. Does this person’s life increasingly reflect humility, holiness, truth, love, self-control, and submission to Christ? Jude also calls them wild waves and wandering stars. Wild waves make noise and throw debris onto the shore. Wandering stars offer no reliable direction. This passage makes me seriously examine my own heart. It is easy to read Jude and think about corrupt pastors, celebrity teachers, or manipulative ministries. But I also have to ask whether I am serving people or using them. Am I pointing people toward Jesus, or quietly drawing attention toward myself? That is a question every spiritual leader should ask. Every pastor, teacher, small-group leader, parent, and every believer. Because influence always carries responsibility. So be careful who you follow. But also be careful how you lead. Do not be impressed by the cloud. Look for rain. Do not be impressed by the leaves. Look for fruit. Do not be impressed by the platform. Look for a shepherd who looks like Jesus. DO THIS: Choose one spiritual voice you regularly listen to—a pastor, teacher, author, podcaster, or online influencer. Do not evaluate charisma or popularity. Examine the fruit. Ask: Does this person consistently point me toward Jesus, Scripture, repentance, and obedience—or toward themselves, their platform, and their promises? ASK THIS: What warning from Cain, Balaam, or Korah do you most need to take seriously in your own life? Have you ever confused charisma, confidence, or popularity with spiritual maturity? In the areas where you have influence, are you genuinely serving people or quietly using them to meet your own needs? PRAY THIS: Jesus, protect me from deceptive voices, expose every selfish motive in me, and teach me to serve others with the humility and sacrifice of a faithful shepherd. Amen. PLAY THIS: More Like Jesus.
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When Spiritual Confidence Becomes Arrogance | Jude 8-10
10/14/2026
When Spiritual Confidence Becomes Arrogance | Jude 8-10
Welcome to The Daily. ESTHER: We will begin next Monday. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’ But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. — Some people sound the most certain when they understand the least. We’ve all seen it. A strong opinion. A spiritual tone. Maybe a Bible phrase or two. And suddenly someone speaks as though they are God. That’s the kind of arrogance Jude is confronting. These false teachers were “relying on their dreams.” In other words, they were using personal experiences and spiritual claims to justify what they wanted to believe. We see the same pattern today when people elevate personal impressions, “God told me” moments, or emotional experiences above Scripture's clear teaching. A verse may say one thing, but a feeling or a supposed revelation is used to override it. In those moments, experience doesn’t just influence interpretation—it replaces it. They didn’t submit their experiences to God’s truth. That’s always dangerous. A dream, impression, feeling, or strong desire might feel deeply personal. But feeling certain does not make something fact. Every experience must be tested under the authority of Scripture. When personal experience becomes the highest authority, Jude says three things begin to happen. Desire takes over the body. Pride rejects authority. Arrogance corrupts speech. Notice they didn’t want anyone telling them what to do. Not Scripture. Not spiritual leaders. Not even God himself. They wanted spiritual freedom without spiritual submission. But that isn’t freedom. It’s rebellion dressed up in religious language. Then Jude gives us a bizarre example involving Michael the archangel, the devil, and the body of Moses. Jude does not explain why they were disputing over Moses’ body, and Scripture doesn’t give us enough information to fill in all the blanks. So we shouldn’t pretend we know more than we do. And that’s actually part of Jude’s point. Michael was an archangel. He had real spiritual authority. Yet when confronting the devil, he did not speak recklessly or act as though ultimate authority belonged to him. He simply said, “The Lord rebuke you.” In other words, even Michael knew his place. He did not rely on himself. He relied on the Lord. That is a powerful picture of spiritual humility. And Michael had more spiritual knowledge than any of these false teachers, yet he spoke with greater restraint than they did. The false teachers were loud about things they did not understand. But Michael was careful even in an area he understood better than they ever could. Spiritual maturity does not make you louder about everything. Sometimes it makes you calmer and quieter, and it teaches you when to speak and how to speak. Jude says these people “blaspheme all that they do not understand.” They attacked what they had never taken the time to understand. Then they followed whatever they understood “instinctively.” And that still happens. It's happening like wildfire in our postmodern culture. We turn a strong feeling into a deeply held spiritual conviction. Or turn a personal preference into an authoritative command. We speak confidently about subjects we have barely studied. Just listen to most opinion podcasters today, and this is what you get. Feeling and opinions elevated to supreme authority, with complete disregard for the facts. And believers do the same when we wrongly use the phrase “God told me” to protect a choice from wise questions or biblical correction. Then, when anyone challenges us, we call it persecution when it is really just correction. I can see this tendency in myself. When I care deeply about truth, confidence can slowly turn into certainty about things Scripture has not made completely clear. I can speak too quickly, assume too much, and call it discernment. Biblical humility does not mean having weak convictions. It means placing our strongest convictions under Christ's authority. It means speaking clearly where Scripture is clear. Speaking carefully where Scripture leaves questions. And refusing to act like our opinions carry the same weight as God’s Word. So before you speak today, pause. Ask whether you are defending God’s truth or protecting your pride. Ask whether you understand the issue or are simply reacting to it. And remember Michael’s words: “The Lord rebuke you.” The authority, the truth, and the judgment are his. Stay humble, my friends. DO THIS: Before making a strong statement today, stop and ask: Is this clearly taught in Scripture? Do I understand the issue well enough to speak? Am I responding with humility or reacting from pride? Choose one conversation where you will listen longer and speak more carefully. ASK THIS: Have you ever treated a strong feeling or personal experience as though it carried the same authority as Scripture? Where are you most tempted to speak confidently about something you do not fully understand? How can you hold strong biblical convictions without becoming proud, harsh, or unteachable? PRAY THIS: Lord, keep my convictions rooted in your Word, my words under your authority, and my heart humble enough to receive correction. Amen. PLAY THIS: Confidence
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Grace Doesn’t Cancel Judgment | Jude 5-7
10/13/2026
Grace Doesn’t Cancel Judgment | Jude 5-7
Welcome to The Daily. ESTHER: We will begin next Monday. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. — One of the easiest lies to slip into is thinking that because God has already forgiven me, what I’m doing right now somehow doesn’t matter as much. God has been patient with me. God has forgiven me before. God knows my heart. All of that can be true—and still not change what I’m doing. Grace was never meant to sit quietly next to ongoing resistance to God. Jude is writing to a church that’s starting to lose that line. Some people were taking grace and stretching it into permission for whatever they wanted. So he pulls them back by pointing to three old stories everyone would’ve known: Israel in the wilderness, angels who stepped out of their place, and Sodom and Gomorrah. He basically says, “You already know this—I’m just reminding you.” And that’s the uncomfortable part. Most of the time, the problem isn’t that we don’t know. It’s that what we know just doesn’t feel as heavy anymore. Spiritual drift usually doesn’t start with ignorance. It starts when something we already believe stops pressing on us. We know what God has said. We know where compromise leads. We know what obedience asks of us. But knowing and actually living like it’s true are two different things. Jude starts with Israel. God brought them out of slavery in Egypt. They saw the plagues, walked through the sea, ate what fell from heaven, lived under his care in a way you’d think they could never forget. And still, Jude says, God later judged those who didn’t believe. That’s sobering. Being rescued didn’t cancel accountability. A past answered prayer doesn’t cover present unbelief. Church background, Bible knowledge, ministry involvement—none of it makes ongoing resistance harmless. If anything, it makes it heavier. Grace was never meant to make us casual. It was meant to keep us steady. Then Jude moves to the angels who “did not stay within their own position.” They stepped outside what God had given them, reaching for something that wasn’t theirs. At the root of it, it wasn’t curiosity—it was refusal. A refusal to stay under God’s ordering of things. And that’s where the illusion breaks: freedom without submission doesn’t expand life. It breaks it apart. They had knowledge. They had proximity. But none of that protected them when they rejected God’s authority. So Jude presses it into three short lines we can’t really soften: Knowledge doesn’t replace obedience. Position doesn’t replace submission. Privilege doesn’t cancel accountability. Then he brings up Sodom and Gomorrah. Cities that stopped accepting limits and started treating desire like it was the final word. And once desire becomes the final word, everything eventually bends around it. We still do this. We just use different language. If it feels right, if it feels true, if it feels like me—then it must be fine. But Scripture doesn’t let desire sit on the throne. It puts it under something higher. We don’t decide truth by what we want. We learn what to want from the truth. And yes—Jude is clear that sexual sin is part of this warning. But it’s not singled out as the only category. It’s an example of what happens when anything replaces God’s authority. And still, grace is real. Jesus forgives. He restores. He doesn’t turn away the repentant. But grace doesn’t agree to rename sin so we can keep it. It calls us out. So Jude lands the weight of it: God’s grace is not the opposite of God’s judgment. It’s the rescue from it. The cross doesn’t make sin small. It shows how serious it is. Jesus stepped into the judgment we were headed toward, so we could be brought back to God. But the same Jesus who saves is the one who will judge. That’s the tension we don’t get to erase. We can’t take him as Savior while ignoring him as Lord. And if I’m honest, I don’t always want that tension. I want grace that comforts without confronting. Forgiveness without interruption. Mercy without change. But that version of grace doesn’t exist. God’s warnings aren’t Him pulling away—they’re Him pulling me back. He warns so I’ll turn. He exposes so I’ll see. He confronts so I’ll come back. The danger is mixing up patience with permission. Or assuming that because God didn’t stop me yesterday, he’s fine with where I’m headed today. He isn’t. Grace doesn’t leave you where it found you. It doesn’t just pardon—it turns you around. DO THIS: Identify one clear command from God that you have been resisting, delaying, or explaining away. Write it down. Confess it specifically to God. Then take one measurable step of obedience before the day ends—end the conversation, remove the temptation, make the apology, tell the truth, or ask a mature believer for help. ASK THIS: Have you been relying on a past spiritual experience while resisting God in the present? Which desire or area of your life are you most tempted to place above the authority of Scripture? Is there a warning from God that you have mistaken for rejection instead of receiving it as mercy? PRAY THIS: Jesus, thank you for rescuing me from judgment, and give me the humility to receive your warnings, repent of rebellion, and live under your loving authority. PLAY THIS: His Mercy Is More
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Contend for the Faith Without Becoming Contentious | Jude 3-4
10/12/2026
Contend for the Faith Without Becoming Contentious | Jude 3-4
Welcome to The Daily. ESTHER: We will begin next Monday. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. — You can be right about the truth and still wrong in how you defend it. Some Christians avoid conflict at any cost. Others seem to thrive on it. One stays silent when truth is compromised; the other turns every disagreement into a battle. Jude calls us to a third way: contend for the faith without becoming contentious. Jude originally wanted to write about “our common salvation,” a letter of encouragement and shared joy in Christ. But something urgent changed his direction. A spiritual threat had entered the church, and he says, “I found it necessary to write.” I like what he does here, because sometimes faithfulness means addressing what we would rather avoid. There are moments when silence is not peaceful—it is passive. Jude then urges believers “to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” “The faith” here is not just personal belief, but the core truth of the gospel entrusted to the church: who Jesus is, what he has done, and how we are called to follow him. This faith was “once for all delivered.” It was not invented by the church—it was entrusted to it. And while culture and opinions shift, the truth about Jesus does not. Contending for the faith does not mean being argumentative or suspicious of everyone. It means refusing to surrender truth when it is under pressure. It takes courage, conviction, and sometimes confrontation. Why was this necessary? Because “certain people have crept in unnoticed.” We saw this same pattern back in 2 Peter. False teaching rarely arrives loudly. It slips in quietly, often using familiar language while slowly reshaping truth. These teachers “pervert the grace of our God into sensuality.” They did not reject grace—they distorted it, turning it into permission to live however they pleased. But grace is never permission to remain in sin. It is power to be freed from it. Grace forgives us, but it also transforms us. It teaches us to say no to what once ruled us. Any message that offers forgiveness without repentance distorts the gospel. Jude also says they “deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” This denial may not have been spoken outright—it was revealed in how they lived. They wanted Jesus as Savior without submitting to him as Lord. But we cannot receive the grace of Jesus while rejecting his authority. He is both Savior and Lord. It is easy to notice error in others while overlooking compromise in myself. I can recognize false teaching in culture or in someone else’s life while excusing areas where I resist Jesus’ authority. That is why contending for the faith begins in the heart. Before correcting others, we must ask whether we are submitted to the truth ourselves. Before defending biblical convictions, we must examine our own obedience. We must contend for the faith publicly, but first surrender to it personally. This also means we do not need to respond to every argument or controversy. Contending for the faith is not about winning every debate—it is about remaining faithful when truth is at stake. Know the truth. Live the truth. Speak the truth. Protect the truth. And do it with the character of Jesus. Conviction without love becomes harshness. Love without conviction becomes compromise. Jesus embodied both grace and truth, and his followers must do the same. So do not look for a fight today—but do not avoid faithfulness either. The gospel has been entrusted to us. It is worth knowing, living, defending, and passing on unchanged. DO THIS: Write one sentence that clearly explains the gospel. Then ask yourself: Am I only prepared to defend this truth, or am I also living in submission to it? ASK THIS: Do you tend to avoid necessary spiritual conflict or become overly combative during disagreement? Where are you tempted to use God’s grace as an excuse instead of allowing it to transform you? Is there an area of your life where you call Jesus Savior but resist him as Lord? PRAY THIS: Jesus, help me know, live, and defend your truth with courage, humility, and full submission to your lordship. PLAY THIS: Christ Our Hope in Life and Death.
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You Are Called, Loved, and Kept | Jude 1-2
10/11/2026
You Are Called, Loved, and Kept | Jude 1-2
Welcome to The Daily. ESTHER: We will begin next Monday. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. — You will never contend for the faith well if you forget who you are. Jude is about to confront spiritual corruption, false teaching, rebellion, and judgment. His letter will be direct. At times, it will be severe. But he does not begin with the threat. He begins with identity. Just like Peter did. Before Jude tells believers what they must defend, he reminds them of what God has already done for them. Jude introduces himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.” That is extremely humble because Jude was also one of Jesus' earthly brothers (half-brother). He could have emphasized his family connection. He could have said, “I grew up with J.C., and I knew him before any one of you did.” Instead, he calls himself a servant of Him. tells us there was a time when Jesus’ brothers did not believe in him. They had proximity to Jesus, but proximity was not faith. Yet after the resurrection, finds Jesus’ brothers gathered in prayer with the disciples. Their understanding had changed; therefore, their relationship changed. Jude no longer saw Jesus merely as the brother he knew. He recognized him as the Lord he needed to serve. You see, familiarity with Jesus is not the same as an all-in surrender to Jesus. You can grow up in church, know the language, understand Bible stories, and be surrounded by believers. But none of those things make Jesus your Lord. Faith becomes personal when you stop merely knowing about Jesus and surrender to him. Then Jude describes believers with three powerful words: Called. Beloved. Kept. First, you are called. Your relationship with God did not begin because you became spiritually curious enough, morally good enough, or religiously disciplined enough. God took the initiative. He called you out of darkness and brought you to his Son. The gospel is not the story of good people finding God. It is the story of a gracious God calling sinners to himself. Second, you are beloved in God the Father. God does not merely tolerate you because Jesus convinced him to be patient. The Father himself loves you. His love is not a reward for spiritual performance. It is a gift secured through the righteousness and sacrifice of Christ. You may feel forgotten by people. You may feel disappointed in yourself. You may even wonder whether your repeated struggles have exhausted God's patience. But if you belong to Christ, Jude gives you a better word: Beloved. Third, you are kept for Jesus Christ. You are not saved by grace and then preserved by your own grit. God is keeping you. That doesn't make obedience unnecessary. Jude will call believers to contend, remember, build themselves up, pray, remain in God’s love, and rescue others. But every command in this letter rests on this assurance: God is keeping (or preserving) his people for Jesus Christ. You are not holding your salvation together through sheer willpower. God’s preserving grace is holding you. I need this reminder because when I see compromise spreading, my instinct can be to tighten my grip, raise my voice, and act as though the survival of truth depends on me. It does not. Truth belongs to God. My responsibility is not to control the outcome. My responsibility is to remain faithful. Living out of these words and this identity also shapes the way we contend. For example, if you forget you were called, you may become proud, as though you discovered the truth through your own intelligence. If you forget you are beloved, you may become defensive, harsh, and desperate for approval. If you forget you are kept, you may panic and begin fighting with fear instead of faith. But when you remember that you are called, loved, and kept, you can live with conviction without cruelty and mercy without compromise. Tomorrow, Jude will command us to contend for the faith. But today, he gives us the foundation from which we contend. You are called by God. Beloved by the Father. Kept for Jesus Christ. So do not begin this one-chapter journey by worrying about everything wrong with the world that you need to contend with. Begin by remembering what is eternally right about your standing in Christ. DO THIS: Write these three words somewhere you will see them today: Called. Beloved. Kept. Read them before you respond to conflict, criticism, or compromise. ASK THIS: Which truth is most difficult for you to believe today: that you are called, beloved, or kept? Where has fear, insecurity, or pride affected the way you respond to spiritual compromise? How would remembering your identity in Christ change one conversation or decision today? PRAY THIS: Father, help me stand for truth from the security of knowing that I am called by your grace, loved as your child, and kept securely for Jesus Christ. PLAY THIS: He Will Hold Me Fast
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How Do You Stay Spiritually Stable? | 2 Peter 3:17–18
10/10/2026
How Do You Stay Spiritually Stable? | 2 Peter 3:17–18
Welcome to The Daily. HEADS UP: We are going to fly through this week, and then Jude, which is a one-chapter letter in the same Journal. But our next study is Esther. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is : You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. — Peter closes his letter with both a warning and a command. The warning is clear: Take care that you are not carried away by error. Deception has movement. It slowly pulls people away from truth until they lose their spiritual stability. This rarely happens all at once. It begins when we stop paying attention, loosen our grip on Scripture, tolerate compromise, or follow voices that tell us what we want to hear. That is why Peter tells us to stay alert. But staying alert does not mean becoming obsessed with every false teacher, cultural lie, or theological error. Peter gives us a better defense: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” You stay spiritually stable by continuing to grow closer to Jesus. Grace keeps you from trusting your own performance. Knowledge keeps you anchored in the truth about Christ. Together, they form a faith that is humble, discerning, and difficult to deceive. After decades of studying and teaching Scripture, I am still not finished growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. The more I learn, the more I recognize how much I still need him. Spiritual maturity is not reaching a point where we no longer need correction, reminders, or deeper dependence. It is becoming increasingly willing to receive them. Peter’s final command also summarizes the entire letter. In Chapter 1, he taught us to grow in truth by developing godly character and paying attention to God’s Word. In Chapter 2, he taught us to guard the truth by recognizing false teachers, corrupt motives, and empty promises. In Chapter 3, he taught us to get ready for the King by remembering Christ’s return, living holy lives, and handling Scripture carefully. Grow in grace. Guard the truth. Get ready for the King. Spiritual stability is not standing still. It is continuing to grow while the world attempts to carry you away. So do not assume yesterday’s growth will sustain tomorrow’s faithfulness. Keep opening the Word. Keep confessing sin. Keep receiving grace. Keep learning Christ. Keep walking with believers who will tell you the truth. DO THIS: Choose one specific practice that will help you grow in Christ over the next thirty days: daily Scripture reading, prayer, confession, accountability, worship, or serving others. Write down when and how you will practice it, then tell one person who can encourage you to follow through. ASK THIS: What influence is most likely to carry you away from spiritual stability? Where do you most need to grow in the grace or knowledge of Jesus? What consistent practice will help you remain alert and anchored during the next thirty days? PRAY THIS: Jesus, keep me anchored in your truth and help me continually grow in your grace and knowledge so that my life brings glory to you. Amen PLAY THIS: All Glory Be to Christ
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Why Hasn’t Jesus Returned Yet? | 2 Peter 3
10/10/2026
Why Hasn’t Jesus Returned Yet? | 2 Peter 3
Jesus has not forgotten his promise to return; what looks like delay is actually mercy, and that mercy demands a response from us today. Summary: Why hasn’t Jesus returned yet? In 2 Peter 3, Peter confronts scoffers who mistake God’s patience for failure. He reminds believers that God has intervened in history before, that Christ’s return is certain, and that every additional day is an opportunity for repentance and salvation. Rather than encouraging speculation or date-setting, Peter calls Christians to holiness, godliness, stability, and hopeful readiness. Reflection and Small Group Discussion Questions 1. What do the scoffers in 2 Peter 3 believe about history and the return of Christ? 2. Why does Peter connect their scoffing with their sinful desires? How can our desires influence what we are willing to believe? 3. What events do the scoffers “deliberately overlook,” and how do those events answer their argument? 4. What is the difference between God delaying his promise and God denying his promise? 5. What does 2 Peter 3:9 teach us about the reason Jesus has not yet returned? 6. Why should God’s patience produce repentance rather than presumption? 7. What does Peter’s description of the day of the Lord teach us about the temporary nature of our present world? 8. How should the promise of a new heavens and new earth shape a Christian’s hope today? 9. Because you assume you have more time, what act of obedience have you continued to delay? 10. What is one practical way you can live with greater holiness, urgency, or hope this week?
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Why Do People Twist Scripture? | 2 Peter 3:14–16
10/09/2026
Why Do People Twist Scripture? | 2 Peter 3:14–16
Welcome to The Daily. HEADS UP: We are going to fly through this week, and then Jude, which is a one-chapter letter in the same Journal. But our next study is Esther. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is : Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. — Peter now turns our attention back to the present. While we wait, we should be diligent to live without spot or blemish and at peace with God. We should also recognize that every additional day before Christ returns is another expression of his saving patience. He reminds us that Paul taught the same truth in his letters. Then he makes an honest admission: some things Paul wrote are hard to understand. The problem is not that every part of Scripture is equally simple. Some passages require careful study and help from other believers. The problem comes when ignorant and unstable people twist difficult passages to make them say what they want. And there are plenty of these people today. I can think of a long list of liberal theologians who do this from pulpits today. But there is a difference between struggling to understand Scripture and manipulating Scripture. One approaches the Bible asking, “What does God mean?” The other asks, “How can I make this support what I have already decided?” I have caught myself approaching a text hoping it will validate a conclusion I have already made. Instead of allowing Scripture to examine me, I am tempted to search for a verse that agrees with me. That is when I need to slow down, read the context, and let God’s Word correct me. We twist Scripture when we isolate a verse from its surrounding passage, ignore the author’s meaning, or use biblical language to justify our desires. We can also distort the Bible by emphasizing only the verses we like while avoiding the ones that confront us. Peter’s warning is severe because distorted Scripture does real damage. A misused verse can excuse sin, control people, create false hope, or lead someone away from Christ. Difficulty should produce humility, not contrived fiction. Do not force the Bible to agree with you. Let it correct you. The Bible becomes dangerous in the hands of someone determined to make it agree with them. DO THIS: Before quoting or sharing a Bible verse today, read the entire paragraph around it. Then ask: Am I receiving what this passage says, or trying to make it support what I already believe? ASK THIS: Why are difficult passages especially vulnerable to distortion? Have you ever used a verse without considering its original context? What habits can help you handle Scripture with greater humility and care? PRAY THIS: Lord, give me humility and wisdom to understand your Word faithfully and the courage to let it correct what I already believe. Amen PLAY THIS: Word of God Speak
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How Should You Live If Jesus Is Coming Back? | 2 Peter 3:11–13
10/08/2026
How Should You Live If Jesus Is Coming Back? | 2 Peter 3:11–13
Welcome to The Daily. HEADS UP: We are going to fly through this week, and then Jude, which is a one-chapter letter in the same Journal. But our next study is Esther. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is : Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. — Peter has just described the coming day of the Lord. The present heavens and earth will not last forever. Everything we treat as permanent will eventually be dissolved. Then Peter asks the only question that matters: “What sort of people ought you to be?” Peter does not give us an end-times prophecy merely to indulge our curiosity. He gives us end-times prophecy to transform our conduct. If Jesus is returning, then we should live lives marked by holiness and godliness. Holiness means being set apart for God. Godliness means living with a continued awareness of him. Together, they describe a life that increasingly reflects the character and priorities of Christ. Like other theologians, I can become more interested in understanding the details of the end times than in becoming the kind of man who is ready to meet Jesus. You see, it is possible to study timelines, debate interpretations, and still avoid the repentance God is asking from me today. Peter does not want us to do that. And he is not about to do that either. The purpose of comprehending what is coming is to change how we are living. We are waiting for “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” Our future home, here on earth, will not be marked by deception, corruption, exploitation, or rebellion. Righteousness will reign. And if that is where we are going, and what we should expect, then it should begin shaping us now. We should tell the truth because righteousness is coming. We should practice purity because righteousness is coming. We should forgive, serve, give, and obey because righteousness is coming. It is time to loosen our grip on temporary possessions, positions, and pleasures because the present world will not last. This does not mean we withdraw from life or neglect our responsibilities. It means we live in the present with our hearts anchored in God’s promised future. Christians are not waiting passively for escape. We are actively preparing for the King. So before making your next decision today, ask yourself: What would someone waiting for a world of righteousness do? Your answer may change the conversation you have, the temptation you resist, the money you spend, the apology you make, or the person you choose to serve. Prophecy was not given merely to inform your timeline. It was given to transform your life. DO THIS: Choose one decision you need to make today and ask: What would someone waiting for a world of righteousness do? ASK THIS: Are you more interested in understanding the timing of Christ’s return or being ready for it? What temporary concern has been receiving more attention than it deserves? How should the promise of a world where righteousness dwells change one decision you make today? PRAY THIS: Jesus, make me ready for your return by teaching me to live with holiness, godliness, and hope in every decision I make today. Amen PLAY THIS: Christ Our Hope in Life and Death
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Why Hasn’t Jesus Returned Yet? | 2 Peter 3:8–10
10/07/2026
Why Hasn’t Jesus Returned Yet? | 2 Peter 3:8–10
Welcome to The Daily. HEADS UP: We are going to fly through this week, and then Jude, which is a one-chapter letter in the same Journal. But our next study is Esther. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is : But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. — Why hasn’t Jesus returned yet? The answer—God does not experience time as we do. A thousand years are like a day to him, and a day is like a thousand years. Peter is not giving us a formula for decoding biblical prophecy. He is reminding us that God is not trapped inside our timetable. What feels long to us is not long to him. The Lord has not forgotten his promise. He is not distracted, powerless, or slow. He is patient. Like 1000 years patient. Every added day before Christ returns gives more people an opportunity to repent. What we interpret as delay may actually be God's mercy holding the door open. I am grateful God did not close that door before I walked through it. So I should not resent his patience toward someone else who has not yet come home. Maybe there is someone in your life you have almost given up on. You have prayed, shared the gospel, and watched that person continue resisting Christ. Peter reminds us that God’s patience is still working. As long as the door remains open, we should continue praying, loving, and speaking truth. But patience does not mean the day will never come. Peter says the day of the Lord will arrive like a thief—unexpectedly and decisively. The present world will not continue forever. Everything hidden will be exposed, and every person will answer to God. That means God’s patience should not produce carelessness. It should produce urgency. Don't delay your own repentance. Don't postpone obedience. Don't assume you will always have another opportunity to speak to someone about Jesus. Christ’s return is certain. God’s timing is perfect. And today is another expression of his mercy. What looks like delay to us may be mercy for someone who has not yet come home. DO THIS: Write down the name of one person who does not know Christ. Pray specifically for that person’s repentance, then take one caring step today: send a message, make a call, offer encouragement, or begin a spiritual conversation. ASK THIS: Why do we sometimes interpret God’s patience as slowness? Who in your life needs continued prayer and a clear invitation to follow Jesus? Is there any act of repentance or obedience you have been postponing? PRAY THIS: Lord, thank you for your patience toward me, and use my words and actions to help someone else turn to Jesus while the door of mercy remains open. Amen PLAY THIS: His Mercy Is More
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What Do Scoffers Choose to Forget? | 2 Peter 3:5–7
10/06/2026
What Do Scoffers Choose to Forget? | 2 Peter 3:5–7
Welcome to The Daily. HEADS UP: We are going to fly through this week, and then Jude, which is a one-chapter letter in the same Journal. But our next study is Esther. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is : For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. — The scoffers here claim that everything has continued unchanged since creation. Because judgment has not come yet, they assume it never will. But Peter says they are deliberately overlooking the facts and the evidence. The world has not always continued as it is now. God spoke creation into existence, and in Noah’s day, he brought judgment through the flood. The same God that formed the world also maintains its future. God has not lost control of what he created. The stability of the present can make us forget this. The sun rises, schedules fill, bills arrive, and life moves forward. Because tomorrow often looks like today, we begin treating temporary things as though they are all there is. I can easily do this myself. I invest attention, energy, and emotion in things that will not last while neglecting what has eternal value. A full calendar, like mine, can create the illusion that the present world is all that matters. But Peter reminds us that history is not moving in loops. It is moving toward a day God has already appointed. The world exists by his Word. The world is sustained by his Word. And judgment will come according to his Word. This does not mean the things of this time are worthless. God made everything we see, and we should steward it faithfully. But possessions, achievements, platforms, and earthly influence will not endure forever. People will endure. God’s Word will for sure endure. And the kingdom of Christ will endure. What we should do is examine what receives your best time and deepest affection. Are you building your life around what seems permanent, or around what God says is eternal? The scoffers deliberately forget what God has done because remembering it would force them to face what God has promised. Do not make the mistake the scoffers do. God spoke the world into existence and has not lost authority over how it ends. Remember what scoffers choose to forget! DO THIS: Review how you spent your time, attention, and money yesterday. Choose one investment that was focused only on temporary concerns, and redirect something today toward an eternal priority: God’s Word, prayer, generosity, obedience, or a person who needs Christ. ASK THIS: Why does the apparent stability of the world make God’s coming judgment easy to ignore? What temporary concern has been receiving too much of your attention? What would change if you truly believed your present choices carry eternal significance? PRAY THIS: God, keep me from treating temporary things as permanent, and teach me to invest my life in what will matter in eternity. Amen PLAY THIS: Only a Holy God.
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Why Do People Mock the Return of Jesus? | 2 Peter 3:3–4
10/05/2026
Why Do People Mock the Return of Jesus? | 2 Peter 3:3–4
Welcome to The Daily. HEADS UP: We are going to fly through this week, and then Jude, which is a one-chapter letter in the same Journal. But our next study is Esther. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is : Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation." — Peter warns that scoffers will come questioning their belief in the promised return of Jesus. You have to admit their argument sounds reasonable if you are not a believer: “Where is Jesus? Generations have come and gone, life continues as it has for decades, and nothing seems to have changed." But Peter looks beyond their words and exposes their hearts. The scoffers are not merely asking questions. They are “following their own sinful desires.” They don't want a King because a returning King means one thing—accountability. If Jesus is coming back, then all of history is moving toward an eventual judgment. That means our choices matter, and one day a King will call us to account. So, what do scoffers do? They mock the promise of his return. Scripture makes plenty of room for honest questions. But Peter warns that sometimes an intellectual objection, or ill-motivated questions, are protecting our moral preference. There are those who reject what God says because accepting it would require them to change how they live. For example, I can say that I believe Jesus is returning while making decisions that suggest I expect this life to continue forever. Therefore, I can delay obedience, hold tightly to temporary things, and assume there will always be more time. Peter’s warning forces me to consider whether Christ’s return is merely a theology I embrace or a reality shaping the totality of my life. I think there are plenty of believers who actually believe Jesus is coming back, but live as though he is not. Therefore, they are postponing repentance. They are delaying forgiveness. They are investing in things that will not last. The apparent normality of life does not cancel the promise of Christ's return. The sun may rise, work may continue, and another ordinary day may begin. But these ordinary days are still moving toward an extraordinary conclusion. The return of Jesus Christ. The issue is not whether unbelievers find this eventual reality unbelievable. The issue is whether your life shows that you really believe it. Christ’s return should never produce panic in us. It should produce active readiness. It should help us hold temporary things loosely, and take sin seriously, and love people urgently, and obey Jesus immediately. So today, live as if the King is coming back and don't privately mock his imminent return. DO THIS: Identify one area in which you have been living as though Jesus will never return. Take one immediate step of obedience today: confess the sin, make the call, forgive the person, end the compromise, or begin the work God has been telling you to do. ASK THIS: Why does the return of Jesus threaten a life built around personal autonomy? Is there an area where your actions contradict your stated belief that Christ is returning? What act of obedience have you been postponing because you assume there will always be more time? PRAY THIS: Jesus, help me live today with joyful readiness, taking your return seriously and obeying you without delay. Amen PLAY THIS: Even So Come
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Why Do Christians Need to Remember God’s Word? | 2 Peter 3:1–2
10/04/2026
Why Do Christians Need to Remember God’s Word? | 2 Peter 3:1–2
Welcome to The Daily. If you still don't have a get one now. HEADS UP: We are going to fly through this week, and then Jude, which is a one-chapter letter in the same Journal. But our next study is Esther. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our text today is : This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. — Peter begins chapter three with a reminder. In fact, he says that reminding believers was one of the main reasons he wrote both of his letters. He wanted to stir up their minds so they would remember what God had already revealed through past prophets, other apostles, and the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. Peter knew that even sincere followers could still become spiritually fatigued. We do not always drift from the truth because we openly reject it. Sometimes we drift because we stop spending time in it. The truth remains somewhere in the caverns of our minds, but it no longer influences our reactions, decisions, or desires. Thus Peter, the sage who had learned this same lesson, repeats himself. He needed the reminder to "tend" and "feed sheep," and they need the reminder as well. Peter knows what is coming next. Scoffers will question Christ’s return. False teachers will distort Scripture. The culture will continue pressing believers to doubt what God has promised. But before Peter confronts those people, he calls believers back to the Word they have already received. Remember what the prophets predicted, the apostles taught, and what Jesus commanded. God’s truth is undivided. It is one story centered on Christ. The prophets anticipated him, the apostles proclaimed him, and he remains the center and authority of it all. I have studied and taught Scripture for years, but I too still need reminders. Sometimes I open a familiar text and think I already know what it says. Then pressure comes, or discouragement settles in, and I realize I have remembered the words without living by the words. I don't always need something new from God's Word. Sometimes I need God to awaken me again to what I already know and what he has already told me to do in his Word. Maybe you do too. Maybe you know that Christ forgives, but you need to remember it when shame speaks. Maybe you know that Jesus is returning, but you need to remember it when the world appears permanent. Maybe you may know what God commands, but you need to remember it when obedience becomes costly. Biblical reminders are not meaningless repetition. They are protection against spiritual drift. Peter declares that reminders “stir up” the mind. The idea is active stirring. Truth that has settled into the bottom of our minds needs to be stirred up in our minds again. We need Scripture to interrupt our assumptions, challenge our emotions, and awaken our convictions. Don't assume that familiar truth has nothing more to teach you. The truths you know best may be the truths you most urgently need to practice. Before you chase a new insight today, return to what God has already told you to do. DO THIS: Write down one biblical promise or command you need to remember this week, and place it somewhere you will see every day. Each time you see it, read it aloud and ask: How should this truth shape my next decision? ASK THIS: What biblical truth do you know but frequently forget when pressure or temptation comes? How can a familiar passage still stir up and awaken your mind? What practical habit would help you remember God’s Word more consistently? PRAY THIS: Lord, stir up my mind through your Word and help me remember, trust, and obey the truth you have already given me. Amen PLAY THIS: Speak, O Lord
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Why Is Returning to Your Old Life So Dangerous? | 2 Peter 2:20–22
10/03/2026
Why Is Returning to Your Old Life So Dangerous? | 2 Peter 2:20–22
Our text today is : For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” — Peter ends this chapter with a graphic warning. He describes people who escaped the world’s corruption through the knowledge of Jesus Christ but became involved in it again. They learned the truth, experienced its power, and "appeared" to leave their former lives behind. But they returned to the very corruption they once escaped. Peter declares their final state became worse than their first state. Why? Because exposure to truth does not always produce real surrender. A person can learn Christian lingo, experience Christian community, modify external behavior, and still inwardly refuse the lordship of Christ, while looking like they do. Peter’s immediate focus in the text is false teachers. They knew the way, taught the way, and used the language of the way. But the way they taught was not the way they lived. He compares these fraudulent followers to a dog returning to its vomit and a cleaned-up pig returning to the mire. The images are intentionally repulsive because sin is repulsive and so is the action. But we all know old patterns have a way of calling us back. I know there are sins I have confessed, habits I have left, and attitudes I have rejected that still try to persuade me they have something new to offer. But sin never becomes better with time. It only becomes more deceptive and more destructive. When we return to the old life, it only comes with heavier chains. But remember, Peter is not describing a believer who stumbles, grieves his sin, repents, and returns to Christ. His warning is aimed at those who repeatedly resist the truth and deliberately return to immorality as a resolved way of life. A stumble is not the same as surrendering to our old ways. We should never treat any sin casually. What begins as one compromise can become a renewed entanglement. A reopened door can become a stronghold of sin. So pay attention to any old patterns inviting you back. A secret conversation. A hidden website. A dishonest practice. A wild appetite. Or a bitterness you once surrendered. Peter's point is this: knowing the way is not the same as living in it. Hearing truth is not the same as obeying it. Being cleaned up outwardly is not the same as being transformed inwardly. So let Christ continue to transform your life from the inside out. DO THIS: Identify one former pattern that has been inviting you back. Close one practical door to it today, and tell a trusted believer: “This has been calling me back, and I need your help to keep walking forward.” ASK THIS: What former pattern or temptation are you most vulnerable to returning to? How can you distinguish between struggling against sin and surrendering yourself back to it? What practical door needs to be closed before an old temptation becomes a renewed entanglement? PRAY THIS: Jesus, keep me from returning to what you rescued me from, and give me the courage to close every door that leads back into bondage. Amen PLAY THIS: Come Thou Fount
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How to Recognize a False Teacher | 2 Peter 2
10/03/2026
How to Recognize a False Teacher | 2 Peter 2
How can you recognize a false teacher before their message damages your faith? False teachers rarely identify themselves as false. They may use an open Bible, familiar Christian language, and confident spiritual claims. But in 2 Peter 2, Peter teaches us to look beyond the platform and examine the message, the motive, the character, and the fruit. In this Weekly Bible study, Vince Miller explains: How false teaching enters the church quietly Why an open Bible does not guarantee an accurate message How greed and uncontrolled desire distort spiritual leadership Why doctrine and character cannot remain separated What Peter means when he says God knows how to rescue and judge Why false freedom always produces slavery How to audit the voices currently shaping your faith False teachers promise freedom while remaining enslaved to corruption. Jesus offers something entirely different. He tells us the truth, lays down his life for us, forgives our sin, and gives us the power to walk in genuine freedom. Reflection and Small Group Discussion Questions 1. Why does Peter warn that false teachers will arise “among you,” and how should that shape the way Christians practice discernment? 2. What does it mean for someone to secretly introduce destructive teaching rather than openly reject Christianity? 3. How can Christian words such as grace, freedom, blessing, and love be used while their biblical meanings are being distorted? 4. What is the difference between evaluating a teacher by charisma and evaluating a teacher by character? 5. Why does Peter connect false teaching so frequently with greed, sexual immorality, and uncontrolled desire? 6. What encouragement should believers receive from Peter’s statement that God knows both how to rescue the godly and judge the unrighteous? 7. Why is delayed judgment easy to mistake for absent judgment? 8. Which of the voices shaping your faith need to be tested more carefully against Scripture? 9. Why does Peter describe false freedom as a form of slavery? Where have you seen sin promise freedom but produce bondage? 10. What desire within you might make a particular false message especially appealing, and how can you submit that desire to Christ?
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How to Trust God When He Seems Silent | Esther Bible Study
10/02/2026
How to Trust God When He Seems Silent | Esther Bible Study
God May Seem Silent. He Is Never Absent. We all want God to make his plan obvious. We want a sign. An open door. A clear answer. But sometimes, God leads differently. He works behind the scenes. He positions people. He prepares moments. He exposes threats. He overturns evil. And he invites ordinary believers to take courageous steps before they understand how the story will end. That’s the tension of Esther. Esther and Mordecai are living far from Jerusalem under the rule of a powerful pagan empire. Their people are vulnerable. Their identity is complicated. Their future is uncertain. Then a crisis arrives. Esther must decide whether she’ll remain comfortable and quiet or risk everything to do what is right. Her decision still confronts us today. Because faith isn’t only believing that God is working. Faith is acting like it. Now grab your and follow along. If you’re a , giving $35/month or more, your journal is already in the mail Make sure to subscribe for new and .
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How Do Greed and Lust Corrupt Spiritual Leaders? | 2 Peter 2:13–16
10/01/2026
How Do Greed and Lust Corrupt Spiritual Leaders? | 2 Peter 2:13–16
Our text today is : ...suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.— Peter now exposes what motivates false teachers under the surface. Their problem is not only incorrect doctrine. Their hearts are shaped by uncontrolled desire. He describes them as being consumed by sensuality, continually looking for opportunities to sin, and enticing people whose faith is unstable. Instead of protecting believers, they exploit them. Peter also says they have “hearts trained in greed.” That is a revealing expression. Greed is not something that suddenly appears. They practiced it. They repeatedly chose self-interest until using people for personal gain became natural—greed. Peter compares them to Balaam, an Old Testament prophet who knew how to speak about God but loved the financial reward of wrongdoing. Balaam had spiritual knowledge, but his appetite for gain distorted his judgment. His desire became so blinding that God used a work animal to restrain his madness. The warning here is stern: knowing spiritual truth does not protect us if we refuse to confront sinful desire. A person can know Scripture, speak convincingly, and look spiritually gifted while secretly being governed by all the wrong motivations—lust, money, recognition, or control. Eventually, what controls the motivation corrupts the ministry. For example. When I want something badly enough, I can begin finding spiritual angles and language to justify it. That is why I need God’s Word and trusted people who will challenge my motives, not merely affirm my decisions. This is not just a warning for leaders. Every believer has appetites that must remain submitted to Christ. What do you want badly enough that you are tempted to compromise for it? Approval? Pleasure? Money? Influence? Attention? Control? Desire becomes dangerous when it reigns over us. Once that appetite takes control, others become objects to satisfy our desires rather than souls to serve. Believers move in the opposite direction. They don't let desires reign over them; they let Christ reign over them. DO THIS: Identify one appetite that has been influencing your choices more than it should. Name it honestly before God, then tell one trusted believer who can pray for you and hold you accountable. ASK THIS: Which desire most easily tempts you to justify compromise? How can greed or lust cause a leader to begin using people instead of serving them? Who has permission to question your motives and challenge your private choices? PRAY THIS: Jesus, expose every desire that competes for control of my heart and train me to serve others with purity, honesty, and self-control. Amen PLAY THIS: Give Us Clean Hands
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Should a Christian Attend a Same-Sex Wedding?
09/30/2026
Should a Christian Attend a Same-Sex Wedding?
Should a Christian attend a same-sex wedding—even when it’s someone you deeply love? Does attending mean approval, and does declining mean rejection? Those are painful questions. In this video, I respond to a viewer wrestling with a possible wedding invitation from a family member. I explain why I would not attend a same-sex wedding, how I would communicate that decision, and why biblical conviction must never become an excuse for cruelty or withdrawing our love. We’ll look at what Jesus teaches about marriage, why attending a wedding raises a different question than sharing a meal, and how to respond with both clarity and compassion. But the conversation cannot end with a declined invitation. In 1 Corinthians 6:9–11, we find the hope that must shape our response: forgiveness, cleansing, and new life in Jesus Christ. Sexual sin is not beyond the reach of the gospel. And none of us stands before God without needing his grace. Love doesn’t require affirmation. Conviction doesn’t excuse cruelty. We have one Savior for sinners. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES John 1:14 Matthew 19:4–5 Romans 1:26–27 Ephesians 5:11 John 8:11 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 Subscribe for practical Bible teaching that helps you know God’s Word, understand God’s Word, and apply God’s Word. SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY https://beresolute.org/mdd/ EXPLORE BIBLE STUDIES AND RESOURCES https://beresolute.org/ Live all in. Vince Miller | Resolute #ChristianLiving #BiblicalMarriage #BibleTeaching
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Why Is Spiritual Arrogance So Dangerous? | 2 Peter 2:10–12
09/30/2026
Why Is Spiritual Arrogance So Dangerous? | 2 Peter 2:10–12
Our text today is : Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction — False teachers often seem impressive because they sound certain. They will be bold, willful, and willing to speak confidently about matters they do not understand. But confidence does not make something true. These teachers had a lot of opinions but little humility. They spoke carelessly about spiritual things while refusing to recognize the limits of their own understanding. Note that even angels, who possess greater power, showed more restraint than an arrogant teacher. Peter’s warning is blunt: spiritual arrogance eventually becomes spiritually destructive. How many Christian teachers can you describe this way? The list is long. I have learned that I am especially vulnerable to a forceful voice when that person is saying something I already want to believe. Confidence feels like confirmation to me. But a loud voice and a passionate delivery do not prove someone is handling God’s truth faithfully. That's because true spiritual authority remains under God’s authority. And you can sense it. A faithful teacher does not reshape Scripture to support personal opinions. He studies carefully, speaks plainly, invites correction, and admits when the Bible does not give every answer we want. Humility does not mean that a teacher lacks conviction. It means our convictions remain submitted to God’s Word, and our pride submits to it. This warning also applies to all of us. I have seen believers repeat claims they have never verified or attack people while convincing themselves they are defending truth. But before speaking, posting, or sharing, we should pause and ask: Have I examined what Scripture actually says? Am I speaking with humility? Am I trying to honor Christ or prove that I am right? Certainty without submission is not spiritual maturity. It is arrogance. So submit your opinions to Scripture, and speak Scripture with humility. DO THIS: Before repeating a strong spiritual claim today, find the passage being referenced and read it in context. Then ask: Am I submitting my opinion to Scripture, or using Scripture to support my opinion? ASK THIS: Why can confidence be mistaken for spiritual authority? When are you most tempted to speak beyond what you truly understand? How can you hold strong biblical convictions while remaining humble and teachable? PRAY THIS: Jesus, make me humble, teachable, and careful with my words so that every conviction I hold remains submitted to your truth. Amen PLAY THIS: Be Thou My Vision
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Can God Rescue You From a Corrupt Culture? | 2 Peter 2:7–10
09/29/2026
Can God Rescue You From a Corrupt Culture? | 2 Peter 2:7–10
Our text today is : ...and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. — After describing God’s judgment on rebellion yesterday, Peter turns to God’s rescue of Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot lived in a deeply corrupt culture. Day after day, he saw and heard behavior that violated God’s design. Peter says his righteous soul was tormented by what surrounded him. But Lot’s story is far more complicated. He made poor choices, placed himself dangerously close to corruption, and was not the best of husbands and fathers. Yet the point is clear: God knew the culture around Lot, understood his distress, and rescued him before the pending judgment. Then Peter reminds us of something we need to hear in a corrupt culture: “The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials.” God never loses track of his people, even when they live in dark times. Sometimes the corruption around us feels overwhelming. We see compromise celebrated, truth rejected, and sin presented as freedom. Therefore, we may begin to wonder whether it is still possible to stay faithful. I have felt that tension myself. There are moments when the darkness around me seems stronger than the faith within me. But this text reminds me that God’s ability to rescue me does not depend on my ability to see the way out. God always knows how to rescue. Sometimes when he rescues, it changes our circumstances. Sometimes he removes us from a destructive environment or provides a clear exit from temptation. At other times, he preserves us within the trial by strengthening us, giving us courage to remain faithful. But we must also be careful. Lot was distressed by the corruption around him, yet he chose to live dangerously close to it. We cannot repeatedly place ourselves close to temptation and then assume God’s rescue excuses our lack of wisdom. Perhaps God has already shown you a step toward his freedom. Stop the secret conversation. Remove the source of temptation. Leave the harmful environment. Ask another believer for help. The same God who knows how to judge evil knows how to preserve his people. You are not invisible, abandoned, or beyond his reach no matter the cutlure. God knows if you are in your Sodom and Gomorrah. And he knows how to lead you out. DO THIS: Name one environment, relationship, or temptation in which you need God’s rescue. Ask God to show you the next wise step, then take one practical action today instead of continuing to stand near what is pulling you away from him. ASK THIS: Where do you feel surrounded or pressured by spiritual compromise? Has God already shown you a step toward freedom that you have delayed taking? How can you remain compassionate toward people in a corrupt culture without becoming comfortable with its corruption? PRAY THIS: Lord, preserve me from the corruption around me and give me the courage to take the next step toward the rescue you provide. Amen PLAY THIS: Rescue
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Does God Judge False Teachers? | 2 Peter 2:4–6
09/28/2026
Does God Judge False Teachers? | 2 Peter 2:4–6
Our text today is : For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly — False teachers can look successful for a long time. Their audiences can grow, their influence can expand, and their wrongdoings seem to carry no consequences. This can leave us wondering whether God sees what is happening. Peter’s answer is unmistakable: God sees, and God judges. For evidence, he points to rebellious angels, the ancient world, and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. In each case, rebellion continued for a time, sometimes a long time, but not forever. God was patient and his judgment real. We have to remember: Delayed judgment is not denied judgment. Sometimes even I wonder why God allows deceptive or corrupt people to keep acquiring influence. I want him to act more quickly and make everything right. But this text reminds me that God sees what I cannot see, knows what I cannot know, and judges in a way I don't—perfectly. That truth should produce humility and sober self-examination. You see, Peter’s warning is not only about “those people out there.” It also confronts the compromises we excuse in ourselves. We can wrongly assume that if God has not disciplined us immediately, he must not be concerned. But God’s patience is not permission to engage in sin. His patience gives us time to repent. To turn back to him. You may be tolerating an attitude, habit, relationship, or secret behavior because nothing terrible has happened yet. But the absence of immediate consequences does not make your disobedience safe from God's judgment. Sin always brings destruction within it, even when the destruction is not yet realized. So don't worry, God will judge false teachers. He will expose what has been hidden and bring perfect justice in his time. Our responsibility is not to inflict or predict that judgment. It is to remain faithful, reject compromise, and respond with repentance in his patience. God's silence in this matter is not always his approval of their sin or yours. DO THIS: Identify one compromise you have excused because it has not yet produced visible consequences. Confess it honestly to God, remove one practical opportunity to repeat it, and take one step of repentance today. ASK THIS: Why are we tempted to confuse delayed consequences with God’s approval? Is there a compromise in your life that you have begun treating as harmless? How should the certainty of God’s judgment shape the way you respond to sin and false teaching? PRAY THIS: God, help me never mistake your patience for permission, and lead me to repent quickly from every compromise you reveal in me. Amen PLAY THIS: Lord, I Need You
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How Can You Recognize a False Teacher? | 2 Peter 2:1–3
09/27/2026
How Can You Recognize a False Teacher? | 2 Peter 2:1–3
Our text today is : But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. — False teachers rarely introduce themselves as false teachers. They use familiar words, quote Scripture, speak confidently, and often appear sincere. That is what makes deception dangerous. Peter says false teachers will “secretly bring in destructive heresies.” They do not usually reject every Christian belief at once. They quietly introduce falsehood beside the truth until the difference becomes difficult to recognize. They tell half-truths, mixing just enough mud in the water that you don't know the difference right away. But Peter gives us three ways to identify them. First, examine what they teach about Jesus. False teachers ultimately deny the Master who bought them. Their denial may be spoken directly, or it may appear in the way they resist Christ’s authority while continuing to use his name. Any teaching that diminishes Jesus, contradicts his Word, or removes the need to submit to him is spiritually destructive. Second, examine the life their teaching produces. Peter says many will follow their sensuality, and the way of truth will be blasphemed because of them. False teaching often gives people permission to pursue what God has forbidden, like homosexuality, gender ideology, or "my body, my choice." It promises grace, freedom, and blessing without the need for repentance, obedience, and surrender. Third, examine how they treat people. Peter says that in their greed, they will exploit others with false words. False teachers do not see people as souls to serve. They see them as opportunities for money, influence, attention, or control. Over the years, I have learned that not every confident teacher holding a Bible in his hands is handling it faithfully. Charisma will attract a crowd, but it will never replace character. A large audience at church does not prove a message is true. A persuasive delivery does not make someone trustworthy. But don't become over-suspicious of every pastor, teacher, or Christian leader. But do not also forfeit discernment. Never evaluate a message by asking, “Did I enjoy it?” Ask better questions. More probing questions, like: Does this agree with Scripture in the greater context? Does this elevate Jesus as Lord? Does this produce holiness in me or just excuse sin? Does this teacher serve people or use them? Remember: a teacher’s message may sound impressive, but the fruit will eventually reveal the root. Here are the three things to watch for: Watch the doctrine. Watch the character. Watch the motives. Dangerous lies are dressed up in Christian language. DO THIS: Choose one sermon, video, podcast, or spiritual claim you recently heard and test it against Scripture. Ask three questions: Does it honor Jesus? Does it promote holiness? Does it serve people rather than exploit them? ASK THIS: Why are false teachings often difficult to recognize at first? Which test do you tend to overlook most: doctrine, character, or motives? How can you practice discernment without becoming cynical or suspicious of everyone? PRAY THIS: Jesus, give me discernment to recognize deception, humility to submit to your Word, and courage to reject any teaching that leads me away from you. Amen PLAY THIS: Show Us, Christ.
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Can You Trust the Bible? | 2 Peter 1:19–21
09/26/2026
Can You Trust the Bible? | 2 Peter 1:19–21
Our text today is : And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. — In our last devotional, Peter has just described what he saw and heard on the mountain when Jesus revealed his majesty. Now he points believers to something they can hold onto every day: the prophetic Word of God. Peter compares Scripture to a lamp shining in a dark place. An oil lamp, like Peter is thinking about here, does not remove all the darkness in a room. But it does give enough light to see where you are and take the next step. In the same way, God’s Word does not answer every question we may have about the future, but it gives us the truth we need to live faithfully today. And we need this lamp in the deceptive world in which we live. We are surrounded by sound bites, messages, media, and posts telling us what to believe, what to value, and how to live. Some are antagonistic. Others are persuasive. Many may even sound spiritual. But Peter does not tell us to follow the latest voice, popular ideology, or trust even our own instincts. He tells us to pay attention to God’s Word, and it alone. I know how easy it is for me to reach for my device, listen to opinions, or replay my own fears before I open Scripture each morning. But when I scroll before Scripture, I allow the darkness to interpret the light instead of allowing God’s light to interpret the darkness. Peter says we should keep paying attention to Scripture “until the day dawns and the morning star rises.” In other words, from sun up to sun down. And know the present darkness we are experiencing now will not last forever. Jesus will return, and everything hidden will be brought into the light. Until then, God has not left us to stumble without supervision. He has given us his Word. The eternal and trustworthy Word of God. Scripture can be trusted. It's the only thing we can trust. It does not lie to us, like so many other messages today. Biblical prophecy did not originate in human imagination or personal desire. Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. God may have worked through human writers, but the message came from him. And that Word was inspired by Him. That means we do not have the freedom to alter Scripture so it says whatever we want it to say. We come to the Bible, the very message of God, ready to listen, learn, and submit. We do not stand over God’s Word. We place ourselves under its direction and the authority of God's voice. The world is going to grow darker. Confusion may increase. Convincing voices may compete for our attention. But the lamp is still shining. So keep that lamp close. Pay attention to it. Let it guide your next step. Keep the lamp of Scripture burning in your life today. DO THIS: Before checking social media, news, or messages today, read slowly. Choose one sentence from the passage and write it somewhere visible as a reminder to let God’s Word speak before other voices do. ASK THIS: Which voices most often shape your thinking before you turn to Scripture? What does it look like practically to “pay attention” to God’s Word? Where do you need the lamp of Scripture to guide your next step? PRAY THIS: God, help me pay close attention to your Word and trust its light until Jesus returns and every darkness gives way to dawn. Amen PLAY THIS: Speak, O Lord
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