For the Week Beginning Sunday, January 11, 2026

Day 1: God's Original Design

Reading: Genesis 2:18-25

Before sin entered the world, God established His perfect design for human relationships. Marriage wasn't a cultural invention or social experiment—it was God's sacred idea. When God brought Eve to Adam, He was creating more than companionship; He was establishing a covenant picture that would point humanity toward Christ and His church. God's designs are always good, always intentional, and always for our flourishing. When we struggle with God's standards in any area—marriage, forgiveness, generosity, humility—we must return to this truth: God's ways are not restrictive; they are protective. His commands flow from His character of love. Today, ask yourself: Am I trusting that God's design for my life is better than my own preferences?

Day 2: The Danger of Hard Hearts

Reading: Psalm 95:7-11; Hebrews 3:7-15

Hardness of heart is not sudden rebellion; it's gradual resistance. It begins when we hear God's truth but look for loopholes instead of obedience. The Israelites in the wilderness knew God's power—they'd seen the plagues, crossed the Red Sea, received manna—yet their hearts grew hard through repeated testing and complaining. Similarly, we can attend church, know Scripture, and still have hearts that resist transformation. Hardness reveals itself in our justifications: why we don't need to forgive that person, why our gossip is somehow different, why our judgmental attitude is warranted. God isn't looking for perfect people; He's looking for soft, teachable hearts. Where have you been negotiating with God's Word instead of surrendering to it? Confess that area today and ask God to soften your heart.

Day 3: Learning Without Living

Reading: James 1:22-27

The disciples had front-row seats to Jesus' teaching, yet immediately after hearing about humility and service, they rebuked people bringing children to Jesus. They had information without transformation. This is the great danger of the modern church—we can become experts in biblical knowledge while remaining unchanged in character. James warns us that hearing without doing deceives us. We look in the mirror of God's Word, see what needs to change, then walk away and forget. True discipleship isn't measured by how much Scripture we know but by how much we obey. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Today, identify one truth you've learned recently but haven't applied. What specific action will you take this week to move from learning to living?

Day 4: Receiving Like a Child

Reading: Matthew 18:1-5; Mark 10:13-16

Children don't negotiate. They don't justify. They don't look for loopholes. They simply receive. When Jesus said we must receive the Kingdom like a child, He wasn't praising ignorance or naivety—He was highlighting humble trust. Children depend completely on others; they don't pretend self-sufficiency. They ask questions without shame. They believe what they're told by those they trust. Contrast this with the Pharisees, who approached Jesus not to learn but to trap Him, or with the disciples who thought they knew better than Jesus about who deserved His attention. Childlike faith doesn't mean mindless acceptance; it means wholehearted trust in a good Father. Are you approaching God's Word with the posture of a child—ready to receive and obey—or with the posture of a lawyer, looking for exceptions?

Day 5: Total Surrender to the King

Reading: Romans 12:1-2; Luke 9:23-25

Jesus is not a lifestyle accessory we add to our existing priorities. He is King, and He demands total surrender. The gospel doesn't just save us from hell; it transforms how we live on earth. Paul calls this presenting our bodies as living sacrifices—not partial commitment, not selective obedience, but complete surrender. This means bringing every area under His lordship: our marriages, our money, our mouths, our motives. It means allowing His Word to define truth in our relationships, even when our feelings disagree. It means dying to self daily and taking up our cross. Cultural Christianity wants Jesus as Savior but resists Him as Lord. But you cannot separate the two. Where are you still holding back from full surrender? What area of your life are you managing instead of submitting? Today, lay it at His feet. He is worthy of everything.