12th January 2026

Calvary's Sacrifice

“Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ

to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.”

Luke 24:46

Today's Bible Reading: Luke 24:44-49.

What was the power and influence that changed the cross from an instrument of bloody torture into the most glorious and beloved of all symbols? The Romans crucified thousands of people before and after Calvary. If the Lord Jesus had not risen from the dead, no right-minded person would have glorified anything so hideous and repulsive as a cross stained with the blood of Christ. By the miracle of His rising from the grave, Jesus placed the seal of assurance upon the forgiveness of our sins. 

A dead Christ could not have been our Saviour. An unopened grave would never have opened heaven. By bursting the chains of the tomb, Jesus proved Himself to all ages the conqueror of sin. The sacrifice on Calvary had fulfilled its purpose; the ransom price paid for your sins and mine had been accepted by God. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

Prayer: Each time I see the empty cross Lord God, let me be reminded of the suffering and victory of Your Son, the Lord Jesus. Amen.

11th January 2026

The Potter's Wheel

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord . . .

Jeremiah 18:1

Today's Bible Reading: Jeremiah 18:1-4.

We have, before us, today, one of the very few parables in the Old Testament. This imagery of the potter and the clay is a powerful metaphor for our relationship with God. We are like the clay in the hands of the potter, and God is the one who shapes and moulds us into the vessels He desires us to be. Just as, the potter had to apply pressure and make adjustments to the clay to form it into the vessel he desired. Likewise, God sometimes allows pressure and difficulties in our lives to shape us and mould us into the image of His Son.

It is important to note that the potter's work was not finished in just one step. He had to rework the clay multiple times in order to get it to the desired shape and form. Likewise, our journey with God is not a one-time event. It is a lifelong process of being moulded and shaped by His loving hand (Philippians 1:6).

Thus, if you find yourself going through a difficult season or if you feel like you are marred and flawed, remember that God is the potter and you are the clay. Trust in His loving hands to mould you into the person He has called you to be, and be patient in the process. Allow Him to rework and reshape you until you become a useful and beautiful vessel for His work, witness and His glory. 

Prayer: Wonder working God, thank You for the powerful imagery of the potter and the clay. I pray that You would help me to trust in Your loving hands as you shape and mould me into the vessels that You desire me to be. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

10th January 2026

The Believer's Birthmark

This is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life,

and this life is in His Son.

1 John 5:11

Today's Bible Reading: 1 John 5:1-13.

In the church I attended as a boy, there was a set of twin girls who attended there also. These two girls were absolutely identical, except for the fact that one of them had a large birthmark on her cheek. Without that birthmark, it would have been impossible, at least for me, to have told them apart.

Did you know that all true believers also possess certain marks that set them apart from the rest of humanity? We could rightly call these things that set us apart our birthmarks. They appear when we are saved and they mark us as children of God. Every saved person has every one of the birthmarks of salvation.

Some people doubt whether it is possible to know for sure that one is saved. Well, the Bible tells us of some who knew: Job, Job 19:25; Paul, 2 Tim. 1:12. Since God is no respecter of persons, you may have that same assurance also. 

The Birthmarks Of The True Believer.

First: A SPIRITUAL CONVERSION 1 John 5:1

Second: A SPIRITUAL CHANGE 1 John 5:6-7

Third: A SPIRITUAL CHARITY 1 John 5:9-11

Fourth: A SPIRITUAL COMPANION 1 John 5:12-13

My friends, if you lack even one of these birthmarks of the true believer, then today's devotional is for your benefit. You need to come to Jesus and get things settled now and forever. If the Lord is speaking to your heat, you need to come! If you are in doubt, you need to come. If you are convinced that you are lost, you need to come to the Saviour, today.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for the gift of eternal life through your son Jesus Christ. In the name of Your Son, I pray. Amen.