Insight for Today
A Daily Devotional by Pastor Chuck Swindoll

We need heroes. I mean genuine heroes, authentic men and women who are admired for their achievements, noble qualities, and courage. Such people aren't afraid to be different. They risk.

Life is a lot like a coin; you can spend it any way you wish, but you can spend it only once. Choosing one thing over all the rest throughout life is a difficult thing to do.

Our Father, we acknowledge that we need You, and our need is not partial; it's total. It's not occasional; it's always—today especially.

Our Father, as we acknowledge Your Son as Lord over all, it is with a sigh, because we cannot deny the pain or ignore the difficulty of earthly trials.

O God, as never before in this generation, we are dependent upon You for protection and strength.

Our Father, this is a sacred moment because we all must answer the question, "Am I ready to die?" And not until we're ready to die are we truly ready to live.

Father, we acknowledge that anxiety is not simply a worrisome little habit but rather, it is a sin . . . a repeated sin.

Our Father, we confess that placing Jesus first in our lives precludes competition from all other loyalties: that no hobby or occupation or pursuit, however engaging, can contain all of our passion

Thank You, Father, for being the perfect Parent. Thank You for those times that You've taken us to task, though the reproof sometimes seemed more than we could bear.

Lord, today we are living in a culture that has forgotten Your pattern for marriage. The world has lost its way because Your Word is being ignored.

Lord, we realize that this is straight talk from You: "Preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." It doesn't win votes, but it gets attention.

Lord God, Your Son has closed yesterday's door, therefore Your people don't have to live enslaved to sin or shame anymore. Not because we've been strong and good and noble, but because You have transformed our lives.

Our Father, our tongues are far too often wicked and out of control! We have breached confidences that were meant to be held in trust.

Thank You, Father, for breathing out Your Word through men so many centuries ago. Thank You for preserving the message that You revealed through the miracle of inspiration, Father.

Lord God, we thank You for the model of Jesus Christ our Savior who, when He walked this earth, dripped with authenticity. We long to be authentic as our Savior was.

Heavenly Father, it is our deep desire to glorify Your name. We want to honor Your Word, even when it squares off against our own feelings or experiences.

Thank You, dear Lord, for the beautiful way You teach us. Thank You for Your patience when we fail. Thank You for Your understanding in the midst of all our own confusion.

Father, personal purity is never automatic or easily produced. Integrity doesn't flow from our flesh naturally or freely. In fact, many of us have lived too many days of our lives in hypocrisy and deception.

Thank You, Father, for Your penetrating truth preserved through the centuries. Thank You for the careful concern of men like the apostles Peter and Paul who knew both sides of life on planet Earth.

We are grateful, Father, that Your Son did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.