Daily Reading Week 27
Sunday
John 8 (focus v.21–59)
Discover:
When Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38), it wasn’t the cry of a sincere seeker. It was the weary, cynical shrug of someone who had given up on the idea that truth could even be known.
Deep down, most of us long for meaning and clarity. But our natural resistance to God leaves us opposed to good and inclined toward evil. Without the Holy Spirit’s work, we live with darkened minds and hardened hearts (Eph. 4:17–18). So when God’s truth shows up, we often dismiss it with the same cynical wave Pilate gave.
It’s convenient to say absolute truth doesn’t exist or can’t be known. Yet those who claim moral absolutes are dangerous are themselves making a strong moral claim! You can’t even function in the world without quietly assuming some objective standard of right and wrong. In denying truth, people still bump into it, and remain “without excuse” (Rom. 1:20).
The great tragedy? Truth Himself was standing right in front of Pilate. Jesus, who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), was there in person. Yet Pilate missed Him.
For everyone God calls through the gospel, it’s different. In Christ, God’s truth becomes “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Ps. 119:105). When we believe the gospel, we’re sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and sanctified by the truth because God’s Word is truth (John 17:17).
We confess that our triune God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His truth. His promises never fail. Though we only understand imperfectly now, by His grace we can truly know Him, and that truth sets us free (John 8:32)
Respond:
• What truths from Jesus are hardest for you to fully surrender to?
• Have you ever resisted truth because it challenged your comfort or identity?
• How does recognizing Jesus as the great “I AM” change the way you view your life?
• Ask God to expose any lies you have believed and replace them with His truth.
Monday
Ezekiel 14 (Focus v.1–23)
Discover:
Sometimes things aren’t what they seem. Take the humble peanut. It’s not really a nut at all. It’s a legume, right at home with beans, lentils, and peas. Or the banana “tree,” which isn’t a tree either. Botanists call it a large herb, actually related to ginger. And the cucumber? Most of us think of it as a vegetable, but it’s technically a fruit in the same family as watermelons.
People can be the same way. There was a time when I worked hard to look like a Christian on the outside while my heart was far from God. I loved the things of this world more than Him. I was a hypocrite, putting on a show of outward goodness. I’m so grateful God brought me to a place of genuine repentance. He forgave me, made me His child, and the pretending finally stopped. What I appeared to be finally matched who I really was.
Our focus today is on the elders of Israel in Ezekiel’s time. They came to God’s prophet pretending to seek His guidance, but in their hearts they were worshipping idols. They went through all the right religious motions like visiting the temple and offering sacrifices, but it wasn’t sincere. God saw straight through their act. Because they were determined to chase false gods, He gave them over to the very idolatry they loved.
The good news is that God still sees every heart clearly. Each of us is responsible for our own walk with Him. As His people, let’s keep our devotion to God strong and first in our lives. When we do, nothing will steal our joy or His blessing.
Respond:
• Are there voices or desires competing for God’s place in your heart?
• What idols or distractions make it harder for you to hear God clearly?
• Why is honesty before God necessary for spiritual freedom?
• Ask God to reveal anything in your heart that has become more important than truth.
Tuesday
2 Peter 2 (focus v.17–19)
Discover:
In today’s passage, Peter continues his strong warning against false teachers. He calls them “springs without water” and “mists driven by a storm.” They look promising at first glance, but they deliver nothing of real value—just dryness and disappointment.
Peter adds, “The gloom of darkness has been reserved for them.” This is the fifth time in the chapter he warns of their coming judgment. God takes false teaching very seriously.
Here’s how they deceive people: “By uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce with fleshly desires and debauchery those who have barely escaped from those who live in error.” They especially target new believers who are still finding their footing. Sadly, in our day many longtime Christians are also vulnerable because of widespread biblical illiteracy. When false teachers twist Scripture or promise things the Bible never does, people fall for it.
Peter had already taught in his first letter that believers should no longer live for sinful human desires like the Gentiles do. Yet these false teachers appeal directly to the flesh and promise “freedom.” The irony? They themselves are slaves of corruption. As Peter says, “People are enslaved to whatever defeats them.”
Paul explained this in Romans 6: When we offer ourselves as slaves to sin, it leads to death. But when we belong to Christ, we become “slaves to righteousness,” which produces sanctification and ends in eternal life.
Jesus put it simply: “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin… So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free” (John 8:34-36).
Sin only pretends to offer freedom. True freedom is found in Christ. Stay rooted in God’s Word, keep growing in righteousness, and you won’t be easily led astray by empty promises.
Respond:
• Have you ever believed something would bring freedom but instead created bondage?
• What lies does culture commonly promote as “freedom” today?
• Why do you think sin often looks attractive before revealing its consequences?
• Ask Jesus to help you recognize and reject deceptive voices.
Wednesday
Psalm 25 (focsu v.4–5)
Discover:
One thing I loved about early elementary was “Show and Tell.” Kids would bring something special and share why it mattered to them.
In today’s Psalm, David prays a simple but meaningful prayer. He asks the Lord for three things: Show me, Teach me, and Lead me.
• Show – This is about vision. David wants God to open his eyes to what really matters. Even people who are blind can “see” beautifully through touch, hearing, and other senses. When we read God’s Word, we can pray, “Lord, show me what You want me to see.” It’s a heart that’s eager and ready to receive.
• Teach – Being shown something is good, but being taught takes it deeper. David asks God to teach him His paths. We need teaching and instruction from the Lord. Truth that sticks and changes how we live.
• Lead (or Guide) – Head knowledge isn’t enough. We need God to actually go before us and guide our steps. Knowing the path is one thing; walking it safely is another. We all need a Guide who knows the way.
It may sound simple, like something from grade school, but I still need this prayer every day. I want to stay childlike in my faith, fully dependent on the Lord. Like David, our heart’s desire should be: Lord, show me, teach me, and lead me.
Respond:
• Whose voice influences your thinking the most right now?
• Why is it sometimes difficult to let God lead us instead of trusting ourselves?
• How can Scripture help guard you from deception?
• Ask God to give you a heart that is teachable and willing to follow His truth.
Thursday
2 Corinthians 11 (focus v.13–15)
Discover:
Second Corinthians 11:14–15 gives us one of the most important truths every believer should remember about our enemy: Satan “disguises himself as an angel of light.”
While the Devil is behind plenty of obvious evil in the world, his favorite tactic is deception. As the “father of lies” (John 8:44), he would rather sneak up on us looking like something good, helpful, or even spiritual. An open attack would be easy to spot and resist. Subtle lies dressed up as light are much more dangerous.
With believers, Satan often comes as an accuser. He loves to remind us of our failures and whisper that God couldn’t possibly love or use us because of our mixed motives and repeated sins. This can feel a lot like the Holy Spirit’s conviction, but there’s a big difference:
• The Holy Spirit wounds us so He can heal and restore us.
• Satan wounds us to shame us, paralyze us, and keep us from God and from serving others.
That’s why we must always run back to the gospel. Yes, our sins are serious, but because of Christ’s finished work, no charge can stick against us (Rom. 8:31–39). When we repent, God truly forgives.
Remember: God is sovereign, not the Devil. As we see in Job’s story, Satan can only act when God allows it, and even then, the Lord uses it for our ultimate good and His glory (Rom. 8:28).
Stay alert, cling to God’s grace, and don’t believe the lies, no matter how brightly they’re packaged.
Respond:
• Why do you think deception is often subtle instead of obvious?
• Have you ever mistaken something unhealthy for something good or harmless?
• What helps believers develop spiritual discernment?
• Ask God to help you recognize truth clearly and reject distorted thinking.
Wednesday
Romans 6 (focus v.4–11)
Discover:
In Romans 6:8, Paul restates and builds on verse 5. He’s already shown us our identification with Christ’s death. Now he turns to the resurrection side of the story.
Here’s the heart of it: “If we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.”
Just as we died to sin’s power and penalty when we were united with Jesus, we also share in His resurrection life. We’ve been transferred from the reign of sin to the reign of grace. Sin’s control has been broken, so we can successfully resist it.
What’s even mor encouraging is that we don’t just fight against sin, we now live to God. Like Jesus, who after His death lives completely for the Father, we are called to please God, submit to His will, and glorify Him with our lives.
Paul knows we easily forget these truths in the daily struggle with sin. So he keeps reminding us. What is true of Jesus is now true of us. His victory over sin is ours. The key to holiness is knowing this and pressing forward in the new life we’ve been given.
Respond:
• What old labels or lies are hardest for you to let go of?
• How does your identity change when you see yourself through Christ instead of your past?
• Where do you need to believe that transformation is truly possible?
• Ask God to help you walk in the new life He has given you.
Saturday
1 John 1 (focus v.5–10)
Discover:
One of the tests John gives for genuine faith is that those who truly know the God of light will walk in the light (1 John 1:6–7). The false teachers claimed to know God while living in darkness, but John says that kind of life raises serious doubts about their profession of faith.
This naturally raises a question for us: Does this mean we must be sinless to be real Christians? How good do we have to be?
John answers that concern right away. In verse 8 he writes, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Even true believers still struggle with sin. We won’t be completely free from it until we go to be with the Lord.
The Christian life is lived in a healthy tension:
• On one hand, we walk in the light—we genuinely pursue holiness and try to please God.
• On the other hand, walking in the light also shows us our remaining sin, which leads us to repentance.
True Christians aren’t sinless, but they are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:17–19). When we do sin, it bothers us. We feel genuine sorrow and quickly turn back to Christ for forgiveness and cleansing. And here’s the wonderful promise: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Walking in the light doesn’t mean perfection. It means we’re moving in the right direction.
Respond:
• Are there areas of your life you tend to hide from God or others?
• Why is confession connected to freedom?
• How does God’s grace help us stop living in shame?
• Ask God to help you walk honestly and confidently in His light.