31st October 2026

A Stone of Help

“Thus far the Lord has helped us. "

.

1 Samuel 7:12 

Reading: 1 Samuel 7:3–12.

On 31 October, many Christians around the world remember the Reformation—a movement that called the Church back to the authority of God's Word and the truth of the Gospel.

Samuel raised a stone and called it Ebenezer, meaning “stone of help,” as a lasting reminder of God's faithfulness to His people. In the same way, Reformation Day invites us to remember God's gracious help in restoring biblical truth to the heart of the Church.

The Reformers boldly proclaimed that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, and for the glory of God alone. These truths remind us that our hope is not found in human achievement or religious tradition, but in Jesus Christ and His finished work.

As we remember the Reformation, let us give thanks for those who stood faithfully for God's Word, often at great personal cost. May their example encourage us to treasure Scripture, hold firmly to the Gospel, and remain faithful to Christ in our own generation.

Let us pause and remember God's faithfulness, declaring with grateful hearts:

Prayer: God of all ages, keep me faithful to Your Word and true Gospel. In Jesus' name. Amen.

30th October 2026

Shining for Christ

“. . . Shine as lights in the world . . .

.

Philippians 2:15

Reading: Philippians 2:12-16.

After describing the coming of the Lord Jesus into our fallen world (Philippians 2:5-8), the apostle Paul gives believers in Christ a calling. As we pursue God’s will (v 13) and hold to the “word of life”—the Gospel (v 16)—we will be “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation” who “shine . . . like stars in the sky” (v 15).

A believer in Christ has only to live faithfully in order to change the world, because in that very act of living there is contained all the mystery of divine life. Let us ask God’s Spirit to empower us to live faithfully as the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, shining His light in the world’s darkest places.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to shine the light of Jesus in this dark world of sin. In His wonderful name I pray. Amen.

29th October 2026

Envy

"A sound heart is life to the body,

But envy is rottenness to the bones."

.

Proverbs 14:30

Reading: 1 Peter 2:1-23.

Envy is an easy trap for any of us to fall into. It feeds on our deepest vulnerabilities, wounds, and fears, and whispers in the ear that if we were only more like so-and-so, we would not be struggling, and we would not be feeling bad.

The apostle Peter reminded new believers in 1 Peter 2, the only way to “rid (ourselves)” of the lies that envy tells us is to be deeply rooted in the truth, to “have tasted”—deeply experienced—“that the Lord is good” (v 1–3). We can “love one another deeply, from the heart” (1:22) when we know the true source of our joy—“the living and enduring word of God” (v 23).

We can surrender comparison when we remember who we really are beloved members of “a chosen people, . . . God’s special possession.” We are called “out of darkness into His wonderful light” (2:9).

Prayer: Merciful Father, Cleanse me of all envy. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen.