Thankful Thursday | THE OPEN HAND OF GOD

📖 Daily Reading: Psalm 145:8–18

Sometimes one little word in Scripture can make us stop and see something we’ve been missing.

In Psalm 145, David keeps using the word “all” as he describes the reach of God’s goodness. Then he gives us this beautiful picture:

“You open Your hand…” — Psalm 145:16

Even when we’re still waiting on something, there is evidence of God’s goodness all around us.

💭 Today’s Truth: Thankfulness learns to recognize God’s open hand even while we’re still waiting on something else.

🙏 Today’s Prayer: Father, thank You for Your goodness and for the many ways Your open hand provides for me each day. Forgive me for receiving Your gifts so regularly that I sometimes fail to recognize the Giver. Open my eyes today to Your provision, Your mercy, Your kindness, and Your presence. Even in the places where I am still waiting, help me recognize how You are sustaining me and caring for me. Teach me not to become so focused on what I do not have that I miss what You are already giving. Help me walk through this day with open eyes and a thankful heart, looking for evidence of Your open hand. In Jesus name, Amen.

Today’s Five More Minutes is also available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Wisdom Wednesday | WISDOM RIGHT HERE

📖 Daily Reading: James 1:2–8

Some days it feels like you’re just trying to carry what you’ve been given while life keeps throwing things at you!

James tells believers walking through trials that if they lack wisdom, they should ask God. And sometimes the wisdom we need isn’t:

“God, tell me how to get out of this.”

It may be:

“God, show me how to walk through this.”

And here’s the beautiful part: James says God gives wisdom generously and without reproach. He doesn’t shame us for needing His help.

💭 Today’s Truth: When you don’t know what to do, ask: “God, what does wisdom from above look like right here?”

🙏 Today’s Prayer: Father, there are situations in my life where I simply don’t know what to do. Thank You that I can come to You honestly and ask for wisdom, and that You do not shame me for needing You. Teach me Your ways and show me Your path through the things I am facing. Give me wisdom that is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, and full of mercy. When difficult moments come today, help me slow down, seek You, and respond in a way that reflects Your wisdom rather than my frustration or fear. Show me what wisdom from above looks like right here. In Jesus name, Amen.

Today’s Five More Minutes is also available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Truth Tuesday | JESUS ALREADY KNEW
📖 Daily Reading: John 6:1–14
Have you ever looked at a situation, considered every option, and still thought, “I don’t see how this works”?

Philip did the math. Andrew tried to organize a potluck. Neither could see a solution.
But John 6:6 tells us something they didn’t know yet:
Jesus already knew what He was intending to do.

We don’t have to pretend we understand everything God is doing. Abiding means staying close to Jesus even when He hasn’t given us the whole plan.

💭 Today’s Truth: I may not know what Jesus is doing, but I know enough about Jesus to stay with Him while He does it.

🙏 Today’s Prayer: Jesus, when I reach the limits of what I can understand, help me trust You instead of leaning only on what I can see. When I don’t understand what You are doing, remind me that You see what I cannot see and know what I do not know. Keep me from trying to force my own answers or allowing fear to take control. Teach me to stay close to You, trust Your character, and faithfully take the next step You place in front of me. Thank You that I do not have to know the whole plan in order to walk with You today. In Jesus name, Amen.

Today’s Five More Minutes is also available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Motivation Monday | EAGERLY WATCH

Join me today as we spend Five More Minutes with God!

What do you do after you pray?

If you have time, read Psalm 5! It is a quick read with some real nuggets of truth!

Psalm 5:3 says, “In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”

Prayer isn’t just laying something before God and waiting for an answer. It’s continuing through the day attentive to what God is doing—around us and even in us.

I’ve talked with God about this. Now I’m walking with God through this.

💭 Today’s Truth: Don’t just watch for the answer. Watch for God.

🙏 Today’s Prayer: Lord, help me bring my concerns to You and then walk through my day with an expectant heart. Help me recognize where You are working, and use the waiting to grow and change me. Help me pray and eagerly watch! In Jesus name, Amen.

Today’s Five More Minutes is also available wherever you listen to podcasts.

FAITHFUL FRIDAY — STAY WITH HIM

Before Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, something important happened:

Andrew spent time with Jesus himself.

In John 1, Jesus gives Andrew and another disciple a simple invitation:

“Come, and you will see.” — John 1:39

They went—and Scripture says:

“…they stayed with Him that day…”

Then Andrew does something beautiful.

He finds his brother Simon and tells him:

“We have found the Messiah…”

And John 1:42 simply says:

“He brought him to Jesus.”

Don't miss the order.

Andrew stayed with Jesus before Andrew brought someone to Jesus.

💭 Today's Truth:

The more we stay close to Jesus, the more naturally we have something to share about Jesus.

We can become so busy doing things for Jesus that we neglect simply spending time with Jesus.

So this Faithful Friday, do both.

Stay with Him.

Open His Word. Talk with Him. Listen. Obey. Stay close.

Then look around and ask:

Who can I help bring closer to Jesus?

Maybe you pray for them. Maybe you share what Christ has been teaching you. Maybe this weekend you simply say, “Come with me.”

🙏 Today's Prayer:

Jesus, help me stay close to You and abide with You! Keep my relationship with You from becoming merely activity done for You. As I spend time with You, give me eyes to see the people around me who need You, and show me how I can help bring them closer to You. Amen.

If you're in the area, we'd love to have you at Pleasant View Baptist Church in Waynesburg this Sunday. Small Groups begin at 9:30 AM, and Morning Worship begins at 10:45 AM as we continue our ABIDE series.

Stay with Jesus. Then help somebody else move a little closer to Him.

Today’s Five More Minutes is also available wherever you listen to podcasts.

THANKFUL THURSDAY — LOOK AGAIN

The sun came up this morning.

Birds are outside.

Grass is growing.

There's food to eat, people to love, another day to live.

Ordinary stuff, right?

Maybe not.

Psalm 104 looks at many of those same everyday things and sees the extraordinary work and generosity of God.

“You give to them, they gather it up;

You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.”

— Psalm 104:28

Here's what struck me:

Creation hasn't become ordinary. We've just become accustomed to the extraordinary!

Sometimes we experience God's gifts so often that we stop noticing them.

But James 1:17 reminds us:

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above…”

💭 Today's Truth:

Familiar gifts are still gifts.

So here's your challenge for this Thankful Thursday:

Look again.

Notice something today that you've gotten used to—the view outside your window, the food on your table, someone you love, a cup of coffee, a sunset you've seen a thousand times.

Don't just see the thing.

See the gift. And then see the Giver.

🙏 Today's Prayer:

Father, thank You for the countless gifts You've placed around me. Forgive me when familiarity causes me to overlook Your goodness. Give me fresh eyes today to see Your hand in the things I've gotten used to, and let those gifts turn my heart toward You. In Jesus name. Amen.

What familiar gift from God can you look at with fresh eyes today?

Today’s Five More Minutes is also available wherever you listen to podcasts.

WISDOM WEDNESDAY — STAY INTERRUPTIBLE

David had just trusted God in a huge moment.

In 1 Samuel 24, he refused to kill Saul—the king who was literally trying to kill him.

Then in 1 Samuel 25, one foolish man named Nabal insults him, and David straps on his sword and heads out ready to take revenge.

Isn't that something?

David had been obedient in the bigger thing—and nearly stumbled over the smaller thing.

But God put Abigail in his path.

She challenged David to look beyond his anger and consider where this road was taking him. And David listened.

He told her:

“Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me…” — 1 Samuel 25:32

David recognized something important:

God was in the interruption.

💭 Today's Truth:

Stay interruptible.

Part of abiding in Christ is remaining sensitive to the Holy Spirit when He corrects us. Sometimes that happens through God's Word. Sometimes through conviction. And sometimes God uses someone who loves us enough to say, “Don't go any farther down this road.”

Correction isn't always rejection.

Correction can be one of God's gracious ways of keeping us close.

🙏 Today's Prayer:

Lord, keep my heart humble and teachable. Help me avoid spiritual arrogance. Help me remain sensitive to Your Spirit and willing to receive correction. If I'm headed down a road I shouldn't travel, give me the wisdom to listen and the humility to turn around. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Is there an area of your life where God may be trying to interrupt you?

Today’s Five More Minutes is also available wherever you listen to podcasts.

TRUTH TUESDAY — FAITH KNOWS WHO

I've always tended to picture Abraham walking up the mountain in Genesis 22 thinking something like, “I don't know how this is going to work out. I just hope somehow it does.”

But Hebrews 11 gives us an incredible glimpse into what Abraham was actually thinking.

Before going up the mountain, Abraham said:

“I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.”

— Genesis 22:5

We will return.

How could Abraham say that?

Hebrews 11:17–19 tells us that Abraham had actually reasoned that God was able even to raise Isaac from the dead.

Abraham didn't know what God was going to do. In fact, God didn't raise Isaac from the dead—He provided a ram instead.

But Abraham knew what God was able to do, and he knew God would remain faithful to His promise.

💭 Today's Truth:

Faith doesn't always know HOW. Faith knows WHO.

Faith isn't correctly predicting how God will work. Faith is trusting God when you cannot predict how He will work.

There will be moments when you don't understand what God is doing. Go back to what you know about the One you're walking with.

God is good. God is faithful. God keeps His Word.

🙏 Today's Prayer:

Lord, I don't know how everything in front of me is going to work out. I don't always understand what You are doing, and I cannot see what comes next. But I know You. Help me trust Your character and Your faithfulness when I cannot see Your plan. In Jesus Name. Amen.

What are you facing today where you need to trust Who God is—even though you don't know how He will work?

Today’s Five More Minutes is also available wherever you listen to podcasts.