Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint

Today's Thought: Let us be on our tour of duty.

When the Darius invaded Greece to expand his empire in 490 BC, Athenian army successfully routed the invaders. To take the news of triumph back to Athens, a dispatch runner named Pheidippides was sent. He ran twenty-six mils without stopping to rest. When he arrived, he breathed his last with these words: Joy, we win.

We are not in a cruise ship voyage of pleasure and rest. But we are traveling on a battleship as a tour of duty. The cause of Christ is always worthy of the sacrifice we make. Paul served the Lord with all he could and he had.

With this thought, let us allow God to renew our strength in this distance race. We need the strength of the Lord to keep us running and fighting this fight. Otherwise, we will fall out in the way.

Philippians 2:17

Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

Today's Thought: God deserves every sacrifice we make for Him.

Missionary Hudson Taylor had been monumental in reaching China to the Lord. But a woman spent her time with the missionary - his wife. Maria taught, wrote, witnessed and gave birth to nine children, only four survived. All four children became missionaries to China. Maria died in 1871 from cholera. On her gravestone, they wrote:

AN EARNEST CHRISTIAN AND DEVOTED MISSIONARY,
A FAITHFUL AND AFFECTIONATE WIFE AND TENDER MOTHER,
A SINCERE AND WARM HEARTED FRIEND,
TO HER TO LIVE WAS CHRIST, AND TO DIE WAS GAIN

We must endure for the glory of God. The very things we give up for the Lord are surely remembered by God. Our faithfulness will be rewarded by the Lord. This is the promise of God for sacrifice. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

Jeremiah 4:3

For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

Today's Thought: God's Word and grace can only grow in our hearts if we are willing and ready for its nourishment.


One of the basics in farming is breaking the ground and preparing it for the sowing of seeds. A wise farmer would not plant on a hard ground, but will make sure that the ground is properly broken and soil nutrients are mixed and distributed throughout. It takes patience and labor to prepare the ground for the seeds.

This is also the process of our hearts for the Word of God and His matchless grace. We need to break our hearts, get rid of weeds of sins growing, thoroughly mix the soil, and make sure the sun and air are able to pass through freely. Only then will the Word of God can take root in our hearts. It will be a laborious process, for sure, but it will make sure that the Word of God can find a place in our hearts and grow thereby.

If we want to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, we need to labor. We need to rid of the sins growing in our garden. We need to labor in reading the Word of God. We need to be patient in our prayers. And we need to be open to the leading of the Lord.

Philippians 4:17

For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

Today's Thought: Our financial investments in the work of the Lord speaks of our heart for Him.

The primary reason Paul wrote to the church at Philippi was to thank them for their generosity in supporting him even when he was in prison. Philippi and Rome were separated by around eight hundred miles. The church at Philippi sent their support even if they know how far it would be.

Giving can be very sensitive. Christ talks about money several times. When we cling to the resources that we do have, we are missing out on so many good things. We miss the opportunity to take part of the Lord's ministry.

God does not need our help for His work. That's the truth. He is not dependent on us to do His work. But God wants to us to give and take part in the ministry of the gospel. Giving should not be a burden or an obligation, but it should be an opportunity to take part in eternal gains.

Lamentations 1:18

The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

Today's Thought: Do not dig up a grave for your fall.


You are digging your own grave. These are words to describe how a person is destroying himself unassisted by others. It is like a death sentence and yet you are the one signing the order. It is a common scene in movies and villainy characters would often employ this to threaten the protagonist. But Christians are protagonists who are digging their own graves as well.

You and I know that the Lord is righteous. And because He is righteous, He will not do anything that would put us harm for His thoughts toward us are always good. Yet, in this passage of the Bible the righteousness of God is paired with the rebellion of the nation of Israel, their captivity and their ruin. Jeremiah acknowledges that it is the fault of man when he is in deep sorrow and pain. The trials of the Lord are always within His grace and what man can bear. But the punishments of the Lord are always severe and almost unbearable, even death.

Let us always remember how righteous the Lord is. This righteousness should keep us in His presence. Let us not look for ways that could lead us to ruin. But let us be diligent in our well-doing as much as we know that the Lord will one day reward us.