Quiet Corner

[the only way]

 

[KakiMeow]

My Father Is Working Still, and I Am Working​

Wednesday 18 March 2026 / Don Schwager

GOSPEL READING: John 5:17-30
17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working still, and I am working." 18 This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing; and greater works than these will he show him, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25 "Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, 27 and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. 30 "I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah 49:8-15
8 Thus says the LORD: "In a time of favor I have answered you, in a day of salvation I have helped you; I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages; 9 saying to the prisoners, `Come forth,' to those who are in darkness, `Appear.' They shall feed along the ways, on all bare heights shall be their pasture; 10 they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall smite them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them. 11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be raised up. 12 Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene." 13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

Meditation: Who can claim authority and power over life and death itself? Jesus not only made such a claim, he showed God's power to heal and restore people to wholeness of life. He also showed the mercy of God by releasing people from their burden of sin and guilt. He even claimed to have the power to raise the dead to life and to execute judgment on all the living and dead. The Jewish authorities were troubled with Jesus' claims and looked for a way to get rid of him. He either had to be a mad man and an imposter or who he claimed to be - God's divine son. Unfortunately, they could not accept Jesus' claim to be the Messiah, the anointed one sent by the Father to redeem his people. They sought to kill him because he claimed an authority and equality with God which they could not accept. They failed to recognize that this was God's answer to the long-awaited prayers of his people: "In a time of favor I have answered you, in a day of salvation I have helped you" (Isaiah 49:8).

A "covenant" to the people
Jesus was sent by the Father as "a covenant to the people" to reconcile them with God and restore to them the promise of paradise and everlasting life. Jesus' words and actions reveal God's mercy and justice. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah when he brings healing, restoration, and forgiveness to those who accept his divine message.

The religious authorities charged Jesus as a Sabbath-breaker and a blasphemer. They wanted to kill Jesus because he claimed equality with God - something they thought no mortal could say without blaspheming. Little did they understand that Jesus was both human and divine - the eternal Son with the Father and the human son, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary. Jesus answered their charge of breaking the Sabbath law by demonstrating God's purpose for creation and redemption - to save and restore life. God's love and mercy never ceases for a moment. Jesus continues to show the Father's mercy by healing and restoring people, even on the Sabbath day of rest. When the religious leaders charged that Jesus was making himself equal with God, Jesus replied that he was not acting independently of God because his relationship is a close personal Father-Son relationship. He and the Father are united in heart, mind, and will. The mind of Jesus is the mind of God, and the words of Jesus are the words of God.

The unity of love and obedience
Jesus also states that his identity with the Father is based on complete trust and obedience. Jesus always did what his Father wanted him to do. His obedience was not just based on submission, but on love. He obeyed because he loved his Father. The unity between Jesus and the Father is a unity of love - a total giving of oneself for the sake of another. That is why their mutual love for each other is perfect and complete. The Son loves the Father and gives himself in total obedience to the Father's will. The Father loves the Son and shares with him all that he is and has. We are called to submit our lives to God with the same love, trust, and obedience which Jesus demonstrated for his Father.

If we wish to understand how God deals with sin and how he responds to our sinful condition, then we must look to Jesus. Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross. He, who is equal in dignity and stature with the Father, became a servant for our sake to ransom us from slavery to sin. He has the power to forgive us and to restore our relationship with God because he paid the price for our sins.

Jesus offers us abundant, life, peace, and joy
Jesus states that to accept him islife - a life of abundant peace and joy with God. But if we reject him, then we freely choose fordeath - an endless separation with an all-loving and merciful God. Do you want the abundant life which Jesus offers? Believe in him, the living Word of God, who became a man for our sake and our salvation, and reject whatever is false and contrary to the Gospel - the good news he came to give us.

Lord Jesus, increase my love for you and unite my heart and will with yours, that I may only seek and desire what is pleasing to you.

Psalm 145:8-9,13b-14,17-18
8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
9 The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.
13b The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.
17 The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.

 

[the only way]

 

[KakiMeow]

Resting in God​

Joyce Meyer – Mar 19, 2026

Adapted from The Power of Being Thankful

And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.

Exodus 33:14 (AMPC)

Being relaxed feels wonderful. Being nervous, tense, and worried are not so wonderful. Why aren’t more people relaxed? Jesus said if we are weary and overburdened, we should go to Him and He will give us rest, relaxation, and ease (Matthew 11:28–29).

Jesus wants to teach us the right way to live, which is different from the way most of the world lives.
It would be putting it mildly to say that I was an uptight woman for the first half of my life. I simply did not know how to relax, and it was due to me not being willing to completely trust God. I trusted God for things, but not in things. I kept trying to be the one in control. Even though God was in the driver’s seat of my life, I kept one hand on the wheel just in case He took a wrong turn. Relaxation is impossible without trust!

If you know you can’t fix the problem you have, then why not relax while God is working on it? It sounds easy, but it took many years for me to be able to do this. I know from experience that the ability to relax and go with the flow in life is dependent upon our willingness to trust God completely. If things don’t go your way, instead of being upset, you can believe that getting your way was not what you needed. God knew that, so He gave you what was best for you, instead of what you wanted.

If you are waiting much longer than you had hoped to, you can get frustrated, angry, and upset, or you can say, “God’s timing is perfect; He is never late. And my steps are ordered by the Lord.” Now you can relax and simply go with the flow of what is happening in your life. When it comes to things that are out of our control, we can either ruin the day or relax and enjoy it while God is working on the situation. As long as we believe, God keeps working!

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me release control and fully trust You today. Teach me to relax, rest in Your care, and follow Your way instead of my own, Amen.

 

[KakiMeow]

By: Rev. Dick Moes | https://reformedperspective.ca/march-19-doubting-the-fulfillment-of-gods-mission-for-his-glory-2/
Published March 19, 2026

March 19 – Doubting the fulfillment of God’s mission for his glory​

“And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”” – Genesis 15:6

Scripture reading: Genesis 15:1-6

Do you ever doubt that God will succeed in His mission for His glory, making all things new in a world where His people and His world will again dwell in His loving presence and be people and places where heaven and earth meet? Living in God’s life-giving, light-giving, and loving presence and reflecting this glorious presence to all those around you, it’s all yours as a reward, when you consider the promises of God to be trustworthy and entrust yourself to the God of this promise.

Abram also has his doubts about a promise of God: that he would become a great nation. How can he become a great nation if he does not even have one child and his wife is barren? Abram is asked to believe this promise, but this promise, humanly speaking, cannot be fulfilled. So God comes to Abram’s help, appearing to him in a vision, telling him not to be afraid, for He is his shield. Moreover, his reward shall be very great. His promise that he will become a great nation is trustworthy.

God then takes Abram outside, tells him to look at the sky and try to count the stars. God assures Abram that his descendants would be as countless as the stars of heaven. Abram believed God and God counted this to him as righteousness, i.e. believing God’s promises and entrusting yourself to the God of these promises is an attitude that does justice to your relationship with God.

Suggestions for prayer
If you have any doubts about the fulfillment of God’s mission for His glory, ask your heavenly Father to remove them. If you have no doubts, ask Him to continue to spare you these doubts.

 

[KakiMeow]

Vineyard in Tuscany, Italy. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.

Daily Devotion

Blessed to Bless Others​

Sharing our blessings with others leads to more blessings—not deprivation.​

March 20, 2026

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

God’s blessings to us are not meant to end with us.

He desires that they filter down to others. This principle applies in all areas of life, including our finances. Did you know that our heavenly Father has plans for our money?

The Lord graciously supplies us with income so we can provide for our needs and even some of our wants. But He also expects us to use our money to achieve His purposes. And one of those is to share our resources with others.

Look at His extravagant promise in 2 Corinthians 9: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (v. 8). This encouraging verse is a good reminder that sharing blessings with others will not lead to deprivation. In fact, the Lord promises to increase the harvest of our righteousness and enrich us abundantly in response to our generosity (Luke 6:38). Simply put, we can never outgive God.

A hoarded blessing is never enjoyed as richly as a shared one. Using your gift to meet someone else’s need glorifies the Lord by demonstrating His grace at work in your life. So don’t allow His generous provisions to stop with you. Instead, pass them on to others and discover the joy of never-ending blessings.

Bible in One Year: Judges 20-21

 

[KakiMeow]

Pray Before You Plan​

Joyce Meyer

Adapted from Starting Your Day Right

But this thing I did command them: Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God and you will be My people; and walk in the whole way that I command you, that it may be well with you.

Jeremiah 7:23 (AMPC)

Remember, you made your schedule, and you can change it. Pray about your day, your week, and your life goals to find out what God wants you to do, and what He doesn’t want you to do.
If you don’t do what God is telling you to do, you may let people control and manipulate you to do what they want you to do. You may end up doing things for which you are not anointed. If you do what God tells you to do, He will bless you with joy, peace, rest, and wonderful relationships.

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, I give You my schedule and my plans. Guide my steps today and help me prioritize what matters most to You so I can live in peace, Amen.

 

[KakiMeow]

Reaction to Jesus' Words​

Saturday 21 March 2026 / Don Schwager

https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation?ds_year=2026&date=mar21

Who is Jesus for you? And are you ready to give him your full allegiance? There will often come a time when we have to take a stand for the Lord Jesus and for the truth of the Gospel - the good news of God's kingdom and the free gift of salvation which Jesus came to bring us. To stand for Jesus and his kingdom may provoke mockery and opposition. It may even entail suffering and hardship - such as the loss of job, reputation, or life. The Lord Jesus richly rewards those who suffer for his name's sake.

Costly grace versus cheap grace
There are fundamentally only two choices that determine the course of our lives and the final destiny that awaits us: the choice to live for God's kingdom of peace, joy, and righteousness or the pursuit of the world's kingdom which stands in opposition to God's authority and commandments. We can choose to obey God's word and believe in his promise of blessing or we can choose to follow the voice of those who promise success and happiness apart from God's truth and laws. The costly grace and freedom - which the Lord Jesus offers to those who embrace the cross for his sake - leads to joy and blessing in this life as well as the promise of eternal happiness with God. Cheap grace - which tries to bypass the cross for the sake of being my own master and the ruler of my own destiny - leads to emptiness and endless futility. Who do you choose to be the master and ruler of your life and destiny?

Lord Jesus, your Gospel brings joy and freedom. May I be loyal to you always, even though it produce a cross on earth, that I may share in your crown of victory for all eternity

 

[the only way]

 

[KakiMeow]

Los Glaciares National Park, El Calafate, Argentina. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.

Daily Devotion

Inadequacy as a Blessing​

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to accomplish God’s will.​

March 22, 2026

2 Corinthians 3:1-6
Inadequacy can be a roadblock to doing God’s will, deterring us from stepping out in faith. It’s not sin to feel insufficient, but we can miss the mark by complacently accepting that attitude.

Even Paul felt inadequate, but he didn’t allow his feelings to prevent his sharing the gospel. (See 1 Timothy 1:15-16.) Instead, he allowed his limitations to drive him closer to God. For believers, the correct reaction is prayer and biblical meditation so that our ability to rely on the Lord is strengthened.

God’s Spirit enables us to achieve whatever He calls us to do. The disciples followed Jesus for years, but His final instructions left no doubt concerning their need for divine help: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8). Our inadequacy, like that of the disciples, showcases God’s ability to do great things with so little. Remember, Moses and David were shepherds and Gideon was least among Israel’s men (Judges 6:15), yet the Lord accomplished amazing feats through all three of them.

Our inadequacy can turn out to be a blessing by driving us to greater dependence upon God. Like Paul, we are able to say, “I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Bible in One Year: Ruth 3-4

 

[the only way]

 

[KakiMeow]

Stopping the Emotional Yo-Yo​

Joyce Meyer – Mar 23, 2026

Adapted from Closer to God Each Day

But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit…is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self- control…

Galatians 5:22-23 (AMPC)

I remember the years when I was what I call a “yo-yo Christian.” I was continually up and down emotionally. If my husband, Dave, did what I liked, I was happy. If he didn’t do what I liked, I would get mad. I had not yet learned how to be led by the Holy Spirit and was letting my feelings control my behavior.

More than anything else, believers tell me how they feel. “I feel nobody loves me.” “I feel my spouse doesn’t treat me right.” “I feel that I’ll never be happy.” “I feel . . . I don’t feel . . .” and on and on it goes.

God wants us to realize that our emotions are never going to go away, so we must learn to manage them rather than let them manage us. We can choose to exercise self-control and not let our flesh rule us. Not one of us will, or even should, get everything we want. A spiritually mature believer can be peaceful and happy even when they don’t get what they want. We can choose to tell ourselves that we are not going to be able to say everything we want to say, eat everything we want to eat, and always do what we feel like doing. Choose to let the Holy Spirit help you do what is right no matter how you feel!

Prayer of the Day:
Holy Spirit, help me manage my emotions instead of letting them control me. Teach me self-control, guide my choices, and help me do what’s right no matter how I feel, Amen.

 

[the only way]

 

[KakiMeow]

Smoky Mountains, Tennessee. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.

Daily Devotion

Turning Inadequacy Into Victory​

To live joyfully and confidently, shift your gaze from your limitations to Jesus’ sufficiency.​

March 23, 2026


Philippians 2:12-13
From time to time, a sense of insufficiency will surface in all of us, but through the Holy Spirit, we have the power to combat it. Here are three steps to take:

1. Acknowledge your weakness. Suppose a neighbor tells you about his sister’s life-threatening illness. He’s scared, wondering what comes after death. You sense God urging you to share your hope in Christ, but inadequacy nearly drowns out the prompting. Feeling unsure is a normal reaction, and following God’s directive requires acknowledging our fear. For example, we can pray, “Lord, I don’t feel capable. Help me witness to my neighbor.”
2. Pray for strength. Say, “Father, I know this is what You want me to do, so I’m trusting You to be true to Your Word. You said You’d make me adequate in Christ Jesus.” The Lord assumes responsibility for enabling you to know what to say, how to say it, and to deliver His message in the appropriate spirit (Matthew 10:20).
3. Step out in faith. Do something that propels you into the God-given opportunity, allowing Him to prove His power and your ability when relying on Him.

Let God turn inadequacy into victory. He delights in proving Himself in His children’s lives. When you look beyond your limitations to Jesus’ total sufficiency, you’ll find joy and confidence.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 1-3

 

[KakiMeow]

See the Good and Believe the Best​

Joyce Meyer – Mar 24, 2026
1 min read

Adapted from Quiet Times with God

Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

1 Corinthians 13:7 (AMP)

The Bible teaches us to always see the good in people and believe the best of every person.
But if we let our thoughts lead our lives, they usually tend toward negativity. Our flesh, without the influence of the Holy Spirit, is dark and negative. Thankfully, we don’t have to walk in the flesh, but we can choose to be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:5). When we choose to let the Spirit lead us, we will see the best in other people, and we will be filled with God’s love and peace in our souls.

In your time with God, ask Him to help you see other people as His children rather than as adversaries. Decide to look past their faults and see them as God sees them. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you see the best in every person in your life.

Prayer of the Day:
Lord, help me see people through Your eyes. Replace negative thoughts with love, grace, and peace, and teach me to believe the best in everyone, Amen.

 

[KakiMeow]

Patagonia. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.

Daily Devotion

In Search of Wholeness​

Jesus offers living water that quenches the thirst in our soul.​

March 25, 2026

John 6:32-35

God created us to be comfortable in our own skin. In spiritual terms, humans are designed to experience peace, joy, and contentment. But many people go through life feeling fragmented and empty.

In John 4:7-30, Jesus talked with a Samaritan woman who was clearly feeling incomplete and disillusioned with the way her life had turned out. Attempting to fill her soul with human love, she’d experienced many heartbreaking relationships and was presently involved in a sinful one. This woman had dipped her “bucket” repeatedly into the well of human love to get the acceptance that she hoped would make her whole. But each experience left her thirsty. Standing before Jesus, she was a broken soul and social outcast.

People throughout history have been drinking from false wells. The truth is that only a relationship with Jesus can make a person whole. From Him comes living water that quenches our thirst forever (John 7:37-38). This means He meets our every need in this life. In a world marred by sin, we will not have a perfect existence, but through Christ, we can expect to live with a sense of deep and lasting satisfaction.  

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 7-9

 

[the only way]

 

[KakiMeow]

Do It Afraid!​

Joyce Meyer – Mar 27, 2026
1 min read

Adapted from Ending Your Day Right

The Lord said to Abram, Go ... away from your country, from your relatives and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.

Genesis 12:1 (AMPC)

How would you feel if God told you to leave your home, your family, and everything that is familiar and comfortable and head out to who knows where?
That is the challenge Abram faced, and it frightened him. But God kept saying to him, “Fear not.” That’s the same message He gave to Joshua when He called him to lead the children of Israel to the promised land.

You want to wait until you’re not afraid before you do anything, but if you do that, you will accomplish very little for God. Abram and Joshua had to step out in faith and obedience to do what God had commanded them to do—and they had to do it afraid. They took “steps of faith” even though they had “feelings of fear.”

That’s what you will have to do to accomplish the job God wants you to do. But He’ll be with you, saying, “Fear not.”

Prayer of the Day:
God, help me step out in faith even when I feel afraid. I trust Your presence, Your guidance, and Your promises as I obey You, Amen.

 

[the only way]

 

[KakiMeow]

Red-and-Yellow Barbet, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.

Daily Devotion

Building for Eternal Rewards​

Are you living and working with eternity in mind?​

March 27, 2026

1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Today’s passage contains a sobering message about heavenly rewards and how they’re acquired. Paul is comparing kingdom work to the efforts of a master builder. He says Christ is the only foundation on which to build, but each of us is responsible for the materials we use on that foundation. We can build with wood, hay, and straw or with gold, silver, and costly stones. Each man’s work will be tested with fire to determine the quality of the materials used. Paul then tells us that if our works survive the trial by fire, we will receive a reward (v. 14).

For our achievements to survive, we must learn to build with imperishable materials. We’ll be judged not just by our “church work” but also by the way we’ve handled other responsibilities. This means we’re to go about our daily jobs with the same diligence that we would show when tending to matters we might typically label as “spiritual” (Colossians 3:23-24).

Ask yourself if you’re being honest with the Lord. Remember, He knows our heart and the truth of every situation. Our heavenly Father expects us to do our very best, and He has given us His Spirit to sanctify our efforts and enable the quality of work that He desires.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 13-14