A daily quiet time journey as we search the scriptures and tell our story.
by Mark & Debbi Witt
Jan 1: A Fresh Start (Philippians 3:13-14)
Paul admits he hasn’t “arrived” yet, but he chooses to forget what is behind and press toward what is ahead in Christ.
In the early 1980s, a church invited me to speak to their men’s group on a Saturday morning. Because of my immaturity at the time, I completely forgot the commitment and did not realize it until years later when someone from the church mentioned it to me. I was deeply embarrassed.
That experience became a turning point. God used my failure to teach me humility, responsibility, and the importance of honoring my commitments. I offered my apologies and entrusted the situation to the Lord, choosing to learn rather than be defeated by my mistake.
Over the years, God has faithfully used my failures to mature me and shape my character. Through His grace, I have learned to be more disciplined, accountable, and responsible, trusting that He can redeem even our shortcomings for His purposes.
A new year gives you a chance to let go of past failures, sins, and regrets and fix your focus on Jesus and His calling for you. You can’t change yesterday, but you can surrender today and tomorrow to Him.
Prayer: Lord, help me release last year to You and press forward with my eyes on Jesus.
Challenge: Write down one thing you need to leave behind and one Christ-centered goal for this year.
Jan 2: New Every Morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)
These verses were written in a season of pain and devastation, yet the writer still declares that God’s mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is great.
In 2001 God began stirring our hearts to purchase property for Teen Quest where we could build a Ranch to reach thousands of young people with the Gospel. We didn’t know where the property would be, but I believed God already had the place picked out.
I searched all over the county, but nothing was available until I noticed a “Farm for Sale” sign on Rich Road only a few miles from our camp at Laurel Hill State Park.
As I drove down the long driveway and saw the house, buildings, and large barn, I felt complete peace that was the property God had for us.
As I now look back, it was a miracle that we were able to obtain a mortgage and purchase this 140 acre farm for only $335,000.
Your circumstances may change, but God’s character does not. His mercy doesn’t run out on December 31, it’s fresh again today.
Prayer: Father, thank You that Your mercy is new for me today.
Challenge: Start a short “faithfulness list” of ways God has been faithful to you in the past year.
Jan 3: Teach Us to Number Our Days (Psalm 90:12)
Moses asks God to teach us to number our days so we may gain a heart of wisdom.
The older I get, the more I realize how little time I have left here on earth and how important it is to be a mentor to the next generation.
Many Saturday mornings at the Teen Quest Ranch I stand in front of a group of kids to challenge and teach them how to begin a daily quiet time of Bible reading, meditation, and prayer.
We believe this habit can be one of the most important decisions a young person can make for a lifetime. We are blessed to see more than 3,000 students have stood up to take the challenge of a daily quiet time.
Life is short, and wise people live with eternity in view. When you remember your days are limited, you use them more carefully for what truly matters.
Prayer: God, teach me to live today as if my time is valuable and short.
Challenge: Look at your schedule and choose one time-waster to reduce this week so you can seek the Lord more.
Jan 4: God’s Plans, Not Mine (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
God promised His exiled people that He had plans for their good, not for disaster, and that they would find Him when they seek Him with all their heart.
Back in 1976, Debbi and I had the privilege of serving in youth ministry at our local church. We loved the work, loved the kids, and were grateful for the stability of a regular salary. Life felt settled and secure.
But three years later, God gently, and clearly, called us to something more. He asked us to step beyond our comfort, to trust Him in a new way, and to launch a ministry that would reach kids far beyond the walls of the church. It meant leaving security behind, raising our own support, and trusting God to provide every step of the way. This was not the path we had planned, but it was the path God had prepared for us.
Now, fifty years later, we can say with gratitude and awe that we are still walking by faith. God has proven faithful in every season, and the journey has been richer than we ever could have imagined.
His plans may not look like your plans, but they are always wiser and better. He calls you not just to know His plan, but to seek His face.
Prayer: Lord, I surrender my plans and ask for Your plans in my life this year.
Challenge: Pray honestly about one area where you’re trying to control the outcome. Give it to God in prayer.
Jan 5: First Things First (Matthew 6:33)
Jesus tells us to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, and then God will provide what we truly need.
During the time of the Revolutionary War, Britain was in a golden age of evangelical missions. Britain sent missionaries all over the world to proclaim Christ, including colonial America. Men like George Whitefield preached up and down the colonies, stirring the Christians and leading thousands to Christ.
It is interesting that the Godly influence the missionaries in Britain had on America about the same time we were fighting the British in the Revolutionary war.
Teen Quest and thousands of ministries throughout America have the freedom proclaim the Gospel because of the influence great British missionaries had on America hundreds of years ago.
Unfortunately, today, Britain is a mess because they have turned their back on God. Britain has gone from a sending missionary nation to a nation in spiritual crisis.
When people or a nation put Jesus first, everything else gets put in its proper place. God will bless a nation who’s God is the Lord.
Prayer: Jesus, help me put Your kingdom first in my priorities today.
Challenge: Before you pick up your phone, talk to a person, or start work today, pause and spend a few minutes with the Lord.
Jan 6: Abide in the Vine (John 15:4-5)
Jesus compares us to branches and Himself to the Vine. Apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal value.
After college, I taught and studied part-time at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Not long after arriving, I went to a home Bible study where I met Debbi, the love of my life. Honestly, I can’t remember a thing evangelist Danny Cantwell said that night, because my attention was fixed on her.
When the meeting ended, I introduced myself and promptly spilled punch all over Debbi. I was mortified. But over the next eighteen months, we built our relationship around God’s Word and prayer. As we drew closer to the Lord, our relationship with each other grew stronger too.
We even chose a “life verse” together: Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Two years later, we were married in her hometown of Martinez, California. And for many years now Christ has remained at the center of our home.
That’s how it works, we are the branches, and we need the Vine, Christ, to keep us spiritually alive, strong, and fruitful.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me close to You today, I want to remain in You.
Challenge: Take one verse from John 15 and think about it slowly several times today.
Jan 7: Guided by God’s Word (Psalm 119:105)
God’s Word is a lamp for your feet and a light for your path. It doesn’t always show you the whole journey, but it gives you enough light for the next step.
We began Teen Quest with the idea that we were going to do everything we can to proclaim God’s Word to young people.
A few days after we closed on our mortgage for the Teen Quest Ranch back in 2001, we enlisted a group of men to come and remodel the Ranch House so we could house kids for our upcoming Snow Camps. We really had no idea how we were going to build the ranch but know God would send men and women to build it.
The men put in bathrooms, upgraded the lighting, and made it possible for kids to come. These men really wanted to see this project reach young people for Christ.
With out the hundreds of volunteers over the years we would have never been able to reach as many kids for Christ.
That first winter, almost every weekend was full of students hearing the Word of God. Today, Teen Quest still stands on God’s Word. At every camp and every event, the Bibel is taught and the gospel is proclaimed.
When you trust the Lord and follow his word, your decisions start to line up with God’s heart.
Prayer: Father, let Your Word guide my choices today.
Challenge: Read one short passage today and ask, “What is one step of obedience I can take from this?”
Jan 8: You Were Made for This (Ephesians 2:8-10)
We are saved by grace through faith, not by works. But once He saves us, God has good works already prepared for us to walk in.
Several year ago a stepfather called me to allow his 12-year-old wayward step son to come to the Teen Quest Ranch. This young boy was a hard case, but when he discovered the truth of the Bible and heard that Christ loved him, he surrendered to Christ and came to many of our events.
As he grew older he fell away for a while, but by the grace of God he came back to the Lord in recent days. He often comes to the Teen Quest Ranch to serve now. These kinds of stories keep me excited to serve my Lord.
Your life in Christ has purpose, you are His workmanship, created to show His goodness to the world.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for saving me by grace. Show me the good works You’ve prepared for me.
Challenge: Look for one specific act of service you can do for someone today, quietly, without needing credit.
Jan 9: A Living Sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2)
Paul urges us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.
Several years ago, we received an email from a group who asked us to fill out a form requesting that our camp become a gay-affirming facility. If we would agree, they would send us a seal to be placed on our facility proclaiming our agreement with the homosexual lifestyle.
While we love everyone it was obvious that we cannot celebrate a destructive lifestyle. We did not answer the email, nor would we depart from Scripture to celebrate a behavior.
We are not to be conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of our minds. As your thinking is reshaped by God’s Truth, you begin to recognize His will.
Prayer: God, I offer myself to You today, my body, mind, and plans.
Challenge: Identify one “worldly” pattern of thinking you tend to fall into and replace it with a specific truth from Scripture.
Jan 10: Trade Worry for Prayer (Philippians 4:6-7)
Instead of being anxious about everything, we are invited to bring everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving. When we do, His peace, which goes beyond understanding, guards our hearts and minds.
Every year we meet with our Teen Quest Board of Directors and set our budget. Since we do not have a congregation to work with, the reality of total trust in God to provide the needs to meet our budget hits us. We know that the ministry cannot continue reaching students and families for Christ without our financial needs met.
I would often pray, “Lord, how can we possibly meet this budget?” God reminds me, as I recite passages such as Philippians 4:6-7, to let God take over and not to worry.
You may not feel in control, but you can talk to the One who is.
Prayer: Lord, I bring my worries to You right now, guard my heart with Your peace.
Challenge: Write down your top three worries, pray over each one and then draw a cross through the list as a sign of surrender.
Jan 11: He Cares for You (1 Peter 5:6-7)
We are called to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand and cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us.
Before moving to the Teen Quest Ranch, we had been camping at Laurel Hill State Park for many years. A few years before we moved to the Ranch, a big fire broke out in a cabin with our cook’s camper adjacent. When we saw the camper engulfed with fire, we were panicking thinking that the cook and her grandkids were in that trailer.
Although the camper and truck were destroyed, we were so grateful that our cook and her granddaughters had decided to return home for the weekend and were not in the camper. We saw firsthand how God cared for all of us during this crisis.
Humility means admitting we can’t carry everything ourselves. Casting your cares isn’t ignoring them, it’s placing them into His hands.
Prayer: Father, I cast my cares on You. Thank You that You truly care about me.
Challenge: When you feel a worry pop up today, pause and say out loud, “Lord, I give this to You.”
Jan 12: Strength in Weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
God told Paul that His grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in weakness. Instead of hiding his weaknesses, Paul learned to boast in them so Christ’s power could rest on him.
In 2006, more than 300 kids were scheduled to come to the Teen Quest Ranch for one of our February Snow Camp weekends. Since we really had nowhere to meet, one of our board members said we must build an auditorium.
With my lack of faith I said, “We have no money, no one to build the building, and it is wintertime. Three strikes, you’re out.”
Because of this impossible situation, God provided the money and the manpower to build the auditorium in a short time for 300 kids to pack into the building. That night several kids came to know the Lord. God turned my lack of faith into a blessing.
Your weakness is not a barrier to God, it’s often His doorway.
Prayer: Jesus, meet me in my weakness and show Your strength through me.
Challenge: Admit one weakness to God and, if appropriate, to a trusted friend, and ask for prayer.
Jan 13: Be Strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10-11)
We are told to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, putting on the full armor of God so we can stand against the devil’s schemes.
Back in 2001 people would tell us we were nuts for trying to purchase the farm right then. They said the economy was bad, we were at war, and people didn’t seem to care about much. Charities were having a rough time financially at the time because of September 11.
Some people were critical of us purchasing the farm to build the Teen Quest Ranch. They gave us a hard time, but we stood our ground because we knew God had called us to build the ranch and we would not let anything or anyone discourage us.
We knew the enemy was not the people giving us a hard time, but spiritual warfare with the devil and his clever schemes.
The battle is real, but the strength is not your own. God gives you spiritual armor to resist temptation and stand firm.
Prayer: Lord, help me rely on Your strength and stand firm in spiritual battles today.
Challenge: Read through all the “armor of God” pieces (Ephesians 6:10-18) and thank God for each one.
Jan 14: Growing the Right Fruit (Galatians 5:22-23)
The fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control is the character of Jesus formed in us.
I would always go to my dad for counsel when I needed him the most. He never had a lot to say except, “Pray about it.”
The best gift my dad ever gave me was watching him live out his Christian faith. He exemplified the Spirit-filled man and exemplified the fruit of the Spirit that helped to transform my life.
The best gift we can give our kids and our grandkids is walking with the Lord and living the fruit of the Spirit.
We don’t grow fruit by trying harder, but by walking in step with the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, grow Your fruit in my life today.
Challenge: Choose one “fruit” you especially need and ask God to show you one way to practice it today.
Jan 15: Love That Looks Like Jesus (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
These verses describe what real love looks like, patient, kind, not proud or easily angered, rejoicing in the truth and never giving up.
I grew up in the privacy of the country on 12 acres in the woods. One day our neighbors wanted to make our driveway in front of our house a public road. When my dad did not agree, our neighbors began cursing at us, throwing rotten eggs at our house, and harassing us to get their way. My dad would not back down but always showed love to these people.
Dad would always say, “Love your enemies, it will drive them crazy.” Dad later had another road built to bypass our house to keep our property private. Even in tough times Dad remained patient and kind even when the neighbors treated us badly.
This is how Jesus loves us and how He calls us to love others. True love is more than a feeling, it’s a choice to act like Christ.
Prayer: Lord, teach me to love others the way You love me.
Challenge: Pick one person who is hard to love and intentionally show them kindness today.
Jan 16: Walking in the Light (1 John 1:7-9)
If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with God and with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
During the Carter administration, gasoline was being rationed, and stations followed an odd-even rule based on your license plate number. I didn’t realize it had started. I was a young youth pastor, rushing to get to Bible study, and I needed gas badly.
When the station manager told me I couldn’t buy any that day, I snapped. I drove off furious, until the Holy Spirit stopped me in my tracks. Convicted, I turned around, walked back in, and apologized sincerely.
That apology changed everything. We ended up becoming friends, and I was reminded that my testimony isn’t proven by what I preach, it’s proven by how I respond when I’m frustrated.
God invites us out of hiding and into honesty. Confession is not a shameful act, it’s the doorway to cleansing and restored fellowship.
Prayer: God, shine Your light into my heart and help me walk honestly before You.
Challenge: Ask the Lord to show you any unconfessed sin. Confess it and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Jan 17: Trust God’s Direction (Proverbs 3:5-6)
God doesn’t always show the whole plan at once, but when we trust Him more than our own understanding and acknowledge Him in prayer, He promises to direct our path.
We had been satisfied renting from the State Park to run our camps for 25 years. “Let the State take care of the facility and we will run the program” was our cry. In the summer of 2001, we found the state park facility neglected because of drastic budget cuts. The cabins were being neglected, the grass was not being cut, water fountains were let go, and the playing field was destroyed by the removal of a sewage pipe. The state was not able to keep up with the facility.
If we were going to continue to build a first-class facility, we had to do something. We went to the Lord in prayer asking what to do. God led us to start our own camping facility that we call the Teen Quest Ranch just four miles from the State Park.
Prayer: Lord, help me trust You with what I can’t figure out. As I acknowledge You, please direct my steps and give me courage to obey.
Challenge: Name one decision or need you’re carrying. Surrender it to the Lord today and ask Him to direct your next step, then take one small step of obedience.
Jan 18: Trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Often our ministry has challenges raising funds, but one November our ministry was in a destitute situation. Debbi and I sat in our office in the Ranch House begging God to send needed support for our ministry.
About two hours later Debbi received a phone call from one of our supporters who had just sold their house. God moved on their hearts to donate $30,000 to our ministry. When the news of the donation came, I cried like a baby, thanking the Lord for this miracle.
Because of Him, we can come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help. You are never a nuisance when you come to God, you are welcomed.
Trust doesn’t mean you understand everything, it means you rest in the One who does.
Prayer: Lord, I choose to trust You more than my own understanding.
Challenge: Whenever you catch yourself overthinking today, pause and say, “Lord, I trust You with this.”
Jan 19: Guard Your Heart (Proverbs 4:23)
We’re told to guard our hearts with all diligence, because everything we do flows from there.
Just before entering college, I had the chance to work at a playground in New Mexico. During the long train ride my friends convinced me to play a game of poker even though I knew it was not a good idea. I really didn’t have a lot of money with me but gambled away a lot of it.
I remember asking the Lord, “If You let me win, I will never play poker again.” My heart was not right, and I thought gambling was an easy way to make money at the expense of others. Even though I lost, I still told the Lord I would never gamble again.
What you allow into your heart through your eyes, ears, and thoughts shapes the direction of your life. Guarding your heart is not about fear, it’s about wisdom.
Prayer: Father, help me guard my heart and fill it with what honors You.
Challenge: Ask yourself, “Is there anything I’m watching or listening to that is pulling my heart away from God?” Be willing to change it.
Jan 20: Go and Make Disciples (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus, with all authority in heaven and on earth, commands us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey Him.
In March of 2019 we took a team of 10 to China to recruit Chinese kids to come to our Teen Quest Ranch. During our time in China God opened the doors for us to do parenting classes. Five hundred parents showed up. We introduced the parents to our ministry in Pennsylvania and that summer 89 students came.
During the camp we shared Christ with the Chinese, and many heard the claims of Christ for the very first time. That week about 30 Chinese students and a few teachers trusted Christ as Lord.
A few years later we received reports of the rippling effect our ministry had on others in China. Our short-term mission was definitely a disciple-making venture.
Making disciples is not just for pastors or missionaries, it’s for every follower of Christ. And He promises to be with us always.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, show me how to make disciples in my everyday life.
Challenge: Pray for one person who doesn’t know Christ and ask God for an opportunity to show or share the Gospel with them.
Jan 21: Empowered to Be Witnesses (Acts 1:8)
Jesus promised His followers that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them, and they would be His witnesses.
During my college days in Ohio, my friend Doug was going to church but did not believe in God. I had the opportunity to share with him the plan of salvation, and during our summer break he trusted Christ as Savior and Lord.
During our second year of college we would go and pass out Gospel tracts, go to church and do things together.
Many years later my good friend Doug died from a blood disease. During his funeral service family members and friends stood up to tell how they came to know Christ because of Doug ministering to them. Doug led his family and many of his friends to the Lord.
A witness simply tells what they have seen and experienced. You don’t have to know everything, you just have to know Jesus.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, empower me to be a bold and loving witness for Jesus.
Challenge: Think of a short version of your testimony (1-2 minutes) and practice how you might share it.
Jan 22: Greatness Through Serving (Mark 10:43-45)
Jesus taught that in His kingdom, greatness is found in serving, not in being served.
Trevor, a father of three, lost his leg in a truck accident in Johnstown, PA. He had a difficult time getting into his house and going to the bathroom on the second floor. Teen Quest sent a mission team to his house to build a ramp. Our team tried to build a bathroom on his first floor but ran out of time and materials. Later we enlisted a group of men to help finish the much-needed bathroom.
Most importantly, Trevor and his wife came to trust Christ as a result of the love our team showed them.
Jesus, Himself came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. Following Jesus means learning to lay down our rights and lift up others.
Prayer: Jesus, make me more like You, a servant.
Challenge: Serve someone today in a way that costs you something, your time, comfort, or convenience.
Jan 23: The Joy of Generosity (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)
Paul reminds us that those who sow generously will also reap generously. God loves a cheerful giver and can provide all that we need so we can abound in good works.
Debbi and I support a lot of missionaries because we believe God will use our gifts to further the kingdom of God. We almost always give something when asked because we know how important support is to ministry. We believe when you support a ministry you will also pray for that ministry.
If everyone on our support list would give to our mission, we would never have a financial problem. Debbi and I love to give to missions because it is biblical.
The Scripture teaches us to sow seeds of giving so those seeds will spread the Word of Christ throughout this generation.
Generosity reflects God’s heart and breaks the grip of greed.
Prayer: Lord, make me a cheerful giver, trusting that You will provide.
Challenge: Give something today, money, time, or encouragement, with a joyful heart and no expectation of return.
Jan 24: Stir One Another Up (Hebrews 10:24-25)
We are commanded to consider how to stir up one another toward love and good works, not neglecting to meet together but encouraging one another.
I constantly surround myself with godly men who are living out a biblical worldview. I can count on these men to pray when I have a need, and they can count on me to do the same. Many times, they have been an encouragement to me when I needed encouragement the most.
I was asked to preach in a church in Johnstown a few years ago. On the way to the church, we stopped for gas but accidentally locked the keys in the car. Now what am I going to do because I will be late for my preaching engagement? I called my friend Rob, who didn’t hesitate at all to rescue me and take me to the church on time for my preaching engagement.
Christian community is not optional, it’s essential. We’re not meant to run this race alone.
Prayer: Father, help me be an encourager in my church and relationships.
Challenge: Send a message, call, or talk in person to encourage someone in their walk with Christ.
Jan 25: My Peace I Give You (John 14:27)
Jesus gives us His peace, not as the world gives. He tells us not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid.
One of my missionary friends from Kansas shared with me a true story of a group of kids who met for prayer every morning before class. The principal didn’t like that the kids were using the school grounds to pray, so he stopped the prayer meeting.
A few days later the weather center contacted the school to say a huge windstorm was headed in the direction of the school and there would be no time to evacuate. In a panic the principal got on the PA system and asked every kid to pray for their safety. The praying kids met, asking God to save their school from destruction.
When the storm came, it wiped out houses on both sides of the school, but the school was saved. From that day on the kids were allowed to pray s in school.
His peace is not the absence of problems, it’s His presence in the middle of them.
Prayer: Jesus, fill my heart with Your peace today and know you are in control of every situation.
Challenge: When you feel fear or stress today, whisper, “Jesus, You are here,” and breathe slowly as you focus on Him.
Jan 26: Come and Rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
Jesus invites all who are weary and burdened to come to Him and find rest. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
In the early days of our ministry, Debbi, my cousin Geary, and I traveled in the dead of winter to Kansas City Youth for Christ in the greater Kansas City area. After a big youth rally in town, we started back to the YFC Ranch where we were staying.
But as we turned onto that long, pitch-black Ranch driveway, the car suddenly slid and slammed into a snowdrift, and that was it. Stuck. Tires spinning, engine running, but we weren’t going anywhere.
We sat there for a moment in the silence, staring into the darkness. No houses. No traffic. No help coming down that road. The only light we could see was a faint glow more than a mile away.
And the worst part? We were dressed in church clothes and thin shoes. We were completely unprepared to walk through deep snow in the freezing night. We had to figure out what to do.
In spite of how unprepared we were, we had no choice but to move forward. Every step felt heavier than the last, and the darkness seemed to press in around us. We fixed our eyes on a faint light in the distance, our only reason to believe we might make it out. When we finally reached the house, we were exhausted and shaking, and the family took us in and gave us shelter for the night.
As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus, He will give us peace in the midst of our circumstances and problems. He doesn’t just offer escape, He offers a new way of living, walking beside Him instead of carrying life alone.
Prayer: Lord, I bring my tired heart to You. Give me Your rest.
Challenge: Take ten minutes today to be quiet before the Lord, no phone, no noise, just resting in His presence.
Jan 27: Stay Alert, Stand Firm (1 Peter 5:8-9)
God warns us to be alert because our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Our response is not fear, but resistance. We resist him by standing firm in our faith.
During my senior year in high school, I had to take a special test. As soon as the teacher left the room, I noticed the answer sheet lying on a table. In that moment, temptation felt quick and convenient. I told myself it would help me get a good grade, and I gave in. I copied some answers and finished the test. I never got caught. But not getting caught didn’t make it right.
That’s one of Satan’s favorite traps, temptations that feel reasonable. “You need this.” “It’s just this once.” “It’ll all work out.” And many Christians quietly live with that same mindset, as long as things end well, it justifies cutting corners, cheating, lying, stealing, exaggerating, hiding the truth.
But God isn’t only interested in the outcome. He cares about the heart and the path we take to get there.
Walking in the Spirit means we choose God’s way even when it costs us something. It means we trust Him with the results and refuse to compromise our integrity to gain what we want. The devil devours through small compromises, because one compromise makes the next one easier.
Temptation is real. But so is God’s power to help you stand firm. When the “easy way” shows up, that is your moment to be alert, resist, and trust God to honor obedience.
Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to temptation before it traps me. Give me strength to resist the devil and courage to do what is right, even when no one is watching. Help me walk in the Spirit and trust You with the results.
Challenge: Identify one area where you’re tempted to “bend the rules” (even in small ways). Decide ahead of time what obedience looks like, and take one step today to choose God’s way.
Jan 28: Be Holy (1 Peter 1:14-16)
As “obedient children,” we are called not to be shaped by our former desires, but to be holy in all we do, because God is holy. Holiness isn’t cold perfection or trying to look better than everyone else. Holiness is being set apart for God, reflecting His character in our choices, our words, and our motives.
When I was a kid, adults would smoke, curse, or tell dirty jokes right in front of me. I remember thinking, Why would they talk like that in front of a kid? When I gave my life to Christ at twelve, I made some strong decisions, no smoking, no drugs, no alcohol, and no chasing the lifestyle so many of my friends were choosing. By God’s grace, I’ve held those convictions to this day.
But here’s what I’ve learned, not doing certain things doesn’t automatically make me holy. You can avoid a list and still be full of pride, anger, selfishness, or hidden sin. Holiness is deeper than “I don’t do that.” Holiness is a heart that belongs to God.
And the truth is, I have sinned many times. I have not always stayed on the path of holiness. But God has been faithful to convict me, correct me, and call me back. He doesn’t shame His children, He trains them. He doesn’t give up on us, He continues shaping us.
Holiness is not a badge you earn, it’s a direction you walk. And every day, God invites us to live set apart.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for calling me to a holy life. Forgive me for the times I’ve blended in with the world or relied on outward rules instead of a surrendered heart. Give me strength to live set apart, and let my life reflect Your character.
Challenge: Pick one area where the world’s influence has been shaping you (words, entertainment, attitudes, friendships, online habits). Take one specific step today to choose holiness in that area, and ask God to help you stay set apart.
Jan 29: Blessed Is the Forgiven (Psalm 32:1-5)
David describes the joy of being forgiven and the heavy weight he felt when he tried to keep quiet about his sin. When he stayed silent, he didn’t feel stronger. He felt crushed. But when he confessed, God met him with mercy and restored his joy.
As a teen, I occasionally struggled with anger. One day, in a moment of frustration, I pulled my dad’s car into the garage too fast and scraped the side of it along the inside wall. I couldn’t even back it out because the car was pressed tight against the wall. My heart sank. Now what am I going to do?
When my dad came home, I was bracing for yelling. But he didn’t say a word. He quietly got a jack and moved the car back into place. His silence was devastating, not because it was harsh, but because it was heavy. Without him saying anything, I felt the full weight of what I’d done. I knew it wasn’t just a mistake. It was anger out of control.
In that brokenness, I confessed to my dad what happened, and I confessed to God what was going on inside of me. That confession set me free. I still had to make restitution for the damage, but something deeper happened, the guilt and hiding ended, and healing began.
David learned the path back to joy isn’t silence, it’s confessing. When we confess, God forgives, cleanses, and leads us in the right path.
Prayer: Lord, I don’t want to live with hidden sin. Search my heart and show me what I’ve been keeping in the dark. Give me humility to confess and faith to believe You forgive and restore. Set me free and renew my joy.
Challenge: Take five quiet minutes today and ask God, “Is there anything I’m hiding?” Write down what He brings to mind. Confess it to Him immediately, and if appropriate, make one step toward restitution or reconciliation.
Jan 30: Looking for His Appearing (Titus 2:11-13)
God wants us to live self-controlled, upright lives and if God forgives me, so it doesn’t matter what I do.” But real grace does the opposite.
I saw that firsthand through my friend Stan. Stan came to our first youth rally in Pittsburgh in November of 1976. His whole family came to trust in Christ, and Stan began growing in his faith. But like many new believers, he still struggled with temptations that kept pulling at him. It eventually came to the point where his parents didn’t know what to do.
One day his dad called me asking for help. I went right away to spend time with Stan. I remember challenging him to say “no” to what he was facing, and not just to resist, but to replace. Stan listened. He took Scripture seriously. And over time, we watched God change him.
Years later Stan told me how much he appreciated that someone cared enough to step in, challenge him, and walk with him. Today, he serves as a missionary in Guatemala, and he credits those early days of discipleship as a major part of his spiritual foundation.
And now, in God’s beautiful timing, we take teams of young people to Guatemala to serve alongside Stan, reaching kids for Christ in that country.
As we wait for Christ’s appearing we do not live in bondage but in freedom because Christ has set us free.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your grace that saves me and trains me. Help me say “no” to ungodliness. not in my own strength, but through Your power. Teach me to replace temptation with what is holy and life-giving. Make my life ready and expectant as I wait for Jesus.
Challenge: Name one temptation you’ve been battling. Write down one godly “replacement” action you can do instead (Scripture, worship, calling a mature believer, serving, exercise, accountability)
Jan 31: Finishing Well (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
Near the end of his life, Paul could say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
People sometimes ask me, “When are you going to retire?” I don’t really see “retirement” in the Bible the way our culture uses it, stepping away from purpose and serving the Lord. I do see people changing seasons, roles, and even careers, but not retiring from serving God.
I’ve asked seniors, “How are you serving the Lord?” and some respond, “I’m retired,” meaning they’ve retired from everything, including ministry. But that attitude isn’t found in Scripture as God repeatedly used older men and women to strengthen the next generation by teaching, discipling, mentoring, and passing on faith. Think of Moses, Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, Naomi and Ruth.
God has called me to serve Him for the rest of my life. And that’s why, in the fourth quarter of my life, I want to make a bigger impact for Christ than I did in the first three quarters. I want to keep introducing people, especially young people, to Jesus, and helping them grow strong in Him until the day I go to be with the Lord.
God’s desire isn’t just that you start well, but that you finish well.
Prayer: Lord, help me be faithful to You for a lifetime, not just for a season. Keep my heart hungry for You and useful for Your purposes. Show me how to invest in others and finish my race well.
Challenge: Look back over January. Thank God for what He’s taught you, then write down one key truth you want to carry into February, and one person you can encourage or disciple this month.
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Quest For The Journey — February 2026