Jan 16, 2026 – Walking Through
Prevail was buried under some papers as we finished yesterday; so, since Larson didn’t get to contribute, she’s going to start us off today and hopefully lead us into theme for the day. I always want these offerings to be what God wants to speak through me.
She bases day 15 on Exodus 14:29 and exposes the feelings we have at times when she points out, “The people of Israel – who identified more with their captivity than with their Maker – walked through the middle of the sea, on dry ground…. This happened! This is the God we serve…. Dare to believe that though the odds may be against you, they’re really irrelevant when God comes on the scene. Today, remember the great things God has done with seemingly no effort…. And He knows and loves you. He’ll intervene at the right time because He is God and He is good.”
Today’s Prevail entry, entitled “Finding Fault, Finding Favor,” seems to play well with Pastor Layne Shranz’s message this morning during the Church of the Highlands prayer service. His topic was self-control and he pointed out that we can’t be in control without the Holy Spirit. It’s not just about NOT doing something [and finding fault with the things we do]; we have to give Him the control [and we find favor when we lean in to His guidance and protection]. Layne says we need to pause the flesh (body & soul) and initiate the Spirit.
Larson writes, “Our circumstances won’t hinder us as much as we think they will, but our attitudes will. An earthbound heart is always looking for someone to blame. A heaven-bound heart knows that we’re passing through our valleys to a better place. In Christ Jesus we are surrounded by the favor and the provision of God. May we believe it, receive it, and walk in it today. Lift your eyes to the Lord and remind your soul that ultimately, He’s in control. What He allows, He will redeem.”
Utmost – Interestingly Chambers goes back to Isaiah 6:8, and the call of God, for today’s devotion as he writes, “The call of God is the expression of God’s nature, not of our nature…. It is the threading of God’s voice to us in some particular matter, and it is no use consulting anyone else about it. We have to keep that profound relationship between our souls and God…. As long as I consider my personal temperament and think about what I am fitted for, I shall never hear the call of God…. The majority of us have no ear for anything but ourselves, we cannot hear a thing God says. To be brought into the zone of the call of God is to be profoundly altered.” I would imagine that the Israelites were profoundly altered when they got to the other side of the Red Sea. (At least for a while they were, until they forgot! Self-control was somewhat lacking during those 40 days, and beyond. Good lesson for us to learn from.)
Power – Joyce draws from 1 John 3:14 as she writes, “From start to finish, in all kinds of ways, God’s Word encourages and challenges us to love other people; it is the example Jesus set for us throughout His life and ministry on Earth…. Focus on loving others, and you’ll have a life full of love and happiness and be a great encourager to others.”
JC – Come to Me, and rest in My loving Presence…. As you anticipate what is ahead of you, you forget that I am with you – now and always. Rehearsing your troubles results in experiencing them many times…. Do not multiply your suffering in this way! Instead, come to Me, and relax in My Peace. I will strengthen you and prepare you for this day, transforming your fear into confident trust.”
Max – James 5:16 – “When a believing person prays, great things happen.” Max writes, “This life is on-the-job training for eternity. We are part of God’s family. Ruling the universe is the family business. And when you, as God’s child, seek to honor the family business, God hears your requests.”
Streams – Cowman takes from “selected” sources as well as sharing her own thoughts today, “Some of life’s storms – a great sorrow, a bitter disappointment, a crushing defeat – suddenly come upon us. Others may come slowly…. Yet it is in the storm that God equips us for service. When God wants an oak tree, He plants it where the storms will shake it and the rains will beat down upon it. It is in the midnight battle with the elements that the oak develops its rugged fiber and becomes the king of the forest…. You have been in the storms and swept by the raging winds. Have they left you broken, weary, and beaten in the valley, or have they lifted you to the sunlit summits of a richer, deeper, more abiding manhood or womanhood? Have they left you with more sympathy for the storm-swept and the battle-scarred?”
JA – “WHEN THINGS ARE NOT GOING YOUR WAY, refuse to get flustered. Stop what you’re doing and take some deep breaths. Seek My Face…. Tell Me about the matters that are frustrating you. I will help you see things from My perspective and sort out what is really important…. Moreover, I will open up the way before you…. Your desire to feel in control is often the culprit behind your frustration…. Relax in My sovereign control, trusting in My unfailing Love.” Trials and control…good themes for today. Thank You, God, for walking through life with us, or at least being willing to if we will hear Your call and rest in Your strength, You guidance, Your love…. (See Psalm 27:8, Isaiah 55:9, Psalm 43:5, and Psalm 13:5.)
