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Written by Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and Catholic writer.

Men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true. The cure for this is first to show that religion is not contrary to reason, but worthy of reverence and respect. Next, make it attractive, make good men wish it were true, and then show that it is.

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. [Titus 2:7-8]

Written by Dallas Willard(1935-2013), an American philosopher, speaker  and writer on spiritual formation. This is an excerpt from his book. This is an excerpt from his book “Life Without Lack.”

The steady stream of Christian Spirituality through our calling, vocation, and ordinary life flows down through the ages. We have only to step into it, to set ourselves to learn it, and we will see its radiant power at work on the “job,” where we are. Our challenge is to fill our hours, minutes, and actions from day to day with the appropriate amount of love for God’s creation and creating, and then work to produce more of the good he has put in this world. This is every person’s calling.

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. [1 Corinthians 7:17]

Today’s devotion is based on Romans 14 and is from the Pray.com team.

In Romans 14, Paul calls us to be intentional peacemakers and deliberate encouragers…Peace doesn’t just happen; we chase it down. In a world of division and criticism, we’re called to be builders, not wreckers. Every interaction is an opportunity: Will we add to the peace or the chaos? Will our words build up or tear down? We are challenged us to evaluate our conversations, social media posts, and attitudes. Are we known for stirring up controversy or settling troubled waters? The Kingdom of God advances not through winning arguments but through winning hearts. When we prioritize peace and encouragement, we reflect our Prince of Peace.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.  [Romans 14:19]

Written by John Newton (1725-1807), an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist.

The chief difference between us, and the disciples when our Savior was upon earth, is in this: They then walked by sight, and we are called to walk by faith…We conceive of him as at a distance; but when the heart is awakened, we begin to make Jacob’s reflection, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.” And when we receive faith, we begin to know that this ever present God is in Christ.

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. [Matthew 28:20]

Written by John Eldredge, a contemporary author, counselor, and lecturer.  This is an excerpt from his book “Walking With God.”

I assume that an intimate, conversational walk with God is available, and is meant to be normal. I’ll push that a step further. I assume that if you don’t find that king of relationship with God, your spiritual life will be stunted. And that will handicap the rest of your life. We can’t find life without God, and we can’t find God if we don’t know how to walk initimately with Him…You need to do more than believe in him. You have to stay close to him. Listen to his voice. Let him lead.

Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. [1 John 2:6]

This prayer was written by John Calvin (1509-1564), a theologian and reformer.

Almighty God, you have borne witness by the law and the prophets to what is right so that we may live in obedience to your will. You have also given us by your Gospel a fuller knowledge of perfect righteousness.  Let us be governed by your Spirit and give ourselves to you. Help us to be guided by your word…and never deviate from it—neither to the right nor to the left. Enable us to acknowledge our folly and vanity and consent to be taught by your Word. May we prove to be truly obedient to you to the end of this life. Then we will reach that heavenly rest which has been obtained for us by the blood of your only Son.  Amen.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. [Colossians 1:9-10] 

Written by George Mueller (1805-1898), a Christian evangelist and orphanage director. This is part of an address he gave to ministers and workers after his ninetieth birthday.

I was converted in November, 1825, but I only came into the full surrender of the heart four years later, in July, 1829. The love of money was gone, the love of place was gone, the love of position was gone, the love of worldly pleasures and engagements was gone. God, God alone became my portion. I found my all in Him; I wanted nothing else. And by the grace of God this has remained, and has made me a happy man, an exceedingly happy man, and it led me to care only about the things of God. I ask affectionately, my beloved brethren, have you fully surrendered the heart to God, or is there this thing or that thing with which you are taken up irrespective of God?

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. [Colossians 3:17]

Written by Courtney Fallick, a contemporary writer.

Have you ever had a moment where everything seemed to fall apart at once? A door slammed shut, a relationship shifted, your plans unraveled—or maybe something small but strangely persistent kept tugging at your heart. Sometimes, in the middle of chaos or quiet, we wonder: Is God trying to get my attention? … If you’ve felt like you’re in a season of disruption or confusion, I want to encourage you to pause and ask: “Lord, what are you trying to show me?” God is not distant or indifferent. He sees you, He’s speaking—and He just might be using this moment to draw you closer. If you’re sensing that God might be trying to get your attention—don’t ignore that nudge. Whether it’s through a storm or a whisper, His pursuit is always fueled by love. He doesn’t chase us to shame us—He calls us to restore us. Take a moment today to lean in, listen, and respond. Ask Him what He wants to show you, and trust that whatever He reveals is meant to bring you closer to His heart. He’s not done with your story yet! Keep walking with the King.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. [James 1:2-3]

Written by Jennifer Slattery, a contemporary writer and speaker.

We experience the most peace in our souls and relationships when we learn to deal with our emotions before we begin to devalue the other person. That was the message Jesus conveyed when He warned us against calling others worthless (raca in the original Greek) or a fool. May we, God’s beloved, redeemed and empowered children, never allow our anger to become so strong and unmitigated that we become unable to see the other person’s value as a human being created in the image of God.  I don’t mean to suggest this is easy. In fact, there are times when doing so will feel excruciatingly hard, if not impossible…When we remember that He sees our pain, every injustice we experience, and promises to reward our every obedient act, we feel less compelled to vindicate ourselves. We’re better able to trust Him to work all things for our good and His glory, and often, He does His most beautiful work in those very relationships we otherwise might have destroyed.  Because our God is for us—for our joy, peace, and relational fulfilment. 

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. [Matthew 5:23-24]

Written by J. R. Miller (1840-1912), an author, pastor, and Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication.

There is a fable about the way the birds got their wings at the beginning. They were first made without wings. Then God made the wings and put them down before the wingless birds and said to them, “Come, take up these burdens and bear them.” The birds had lovely plumage and sweet voices; they could sing, and their feathers gleamed in the sunshine, but they could not soar in the air. They hesitated at first when bidden to take up the burdens that lay at their feet, but soon they obeyed, and taking up the wings in their beaks, laid them on their shoulders to carry them. For a little while the load seemed heavy and hard to bear, but presently, as they went on carrying the burdens, folding them over their hearts, the wings grew fast to their little bodies, and soon they discovered how to use them, and were lifted by them up into the air — the weights became wings. It is a parable. We are the wingless birds, and our duties and tasks are the pinions God has made to lift us up and carry us heavenward. We look at our burdens and heavy loads, and shrink from them; but as we lift them and bind them about our hearts, they become wings, and on them we rise and soar toward God. There is no burden which, if we lift it cheerfully and bear it with love in our hearts, will not become a blessing to us. God means our tasks to be our helpers; to refuse to bend our shoulders to receive a load, is to decline a new opportunity for growth.

They shall mount up with wings as eagles [Isaiah 40:31]