#184 CHRIST AT THE CENTER 9-24-26

Christ should not be an addition to our lives. Christ should be at the center of our lives. There is a difference. We can give Jesus a place in our schedule, a place in our thinking, and even a place in our worship, yet still keep ourselves at the center. “That in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). Christ is not looking for a corner of our lives. He deserves the center.

CHRIST AT THE CENTER OF OUR HEARTS

When Christ is at the center, He changes what we love, what we desire, and what we pursue. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Our hearts begin to beat in rhythm with His will. We love what He loves. We care about people because He cares about people. We forgive because He forgives. We serve because He served. “For to me, to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). That is more than believing in Jesus. That is living with Jesus at the center.

CHRIST AT THE CENTER OF OUR DAILY LIVES

Christ belongs in Monday morning, Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday evening, and every ordinary moment in between. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). Our faith cannot be confined to a church building. Christ belongs in our conversations, our decisions, our relationships, our work, and our homes. When Christ is at the center, even ordinary things become opportunities to honor Him.

CHRIST AT THE CENTER OF OUR FUTURE

When Christ is at the center of our lives, He also becomes the center of our hope. We do not know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds our future. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Our hope is not ultimately found in health, money, success, possessions, or circumstances. Our hope is Christ. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

Put Christ at the center, and everything else finds its proper place. The heart finds its direction. The life finds its purpose. The future finds its hope. The church finds its message. The Christian finds his strength. Christ is not simply someone we believe in. He is the One around whom everything else is to revolve.

________________

Lord Jesus, take the center place in our hearts, our homes, our decisions, our work, and our future. Help us to move ourselves out of the center and give You the preeminence in everything. May our lives point toward You, depend upon You, and bring glory to You. Amen.

BDD

#183 THE SUFFICIENCY OF JESUS 9-24-26

Jesus saves. Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is the Savior of His people. The angel said, “You shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The name itself carries the mission. Jesus came to save. He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). He came to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). We do not need another Savior. We do not need another sacrifice. We do not need another way. Jesus is sufficient.

JESUS IS SUFFICIENT TO SAVE

Sin created a problem that humanity could not solve by itself. Good intentions cannot erase sin. Morality cannot remove guilt. Religious activity cannot take the place of redemption. But Jesus can save completely. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him.” His blood provides redemption (Ephesians 1:7), His death provides reconciliation (Romans 5:10), and His resurrection gives us living hope (1 Peter 1:3). What we could not do, Christ came to do.

JESUS IS SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN

Jesus does not save us and then abandon us to figure out the Christian life alone. He remains our Shepherd. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). The One who saves us is the One who walks with us. When we are weak, He is our strength. When we are discouraged, He is our hope. When we are confused, His Word gives us direction. Paul could say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

JESUS IS SUFFICIENT TO SECURE

The sufficiency of Jesus does not expire. He is sufficient today, tomorrow, and at the end of our earthly journey. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). When we face death, Jesus is still sufficient. When we stand before God, Jesus is still sufficient. Our confidence is not in ourselves but in Him. Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Jesus saves. Jesus sustains. Jesus will see His people through. He is not part of our salvation. He is the Savior. He is not merely an addition to our lives. He is our life (Colossians 3:4). And when everything else has been stripped away, Christ will still be enough.

________________

Lord Jesus, help us to trust completely in Your saving power, Your sustaining grace, and Your unfailing presence. Teach us to stop looking everywhere else for what can only be found in You. You are our Savior, our Shepherd, our strength, and our hope. Help us live every day knowing that You are sufficient. Amen.

BDD

#182 THE WAY TO LIVE 9-24-26

There is a way to live that brings joy to the heart, purpose to the day, and strength for the journey. It is not found in having everything we want or knowing everything that will happen tomorrow. It is found in knowing the Lord, serving the Lord, and trusting the Lord. “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). That is the way to live.

DELIGHT IN THE LORD

The Christian life begins with finding our greatest joy in God Himself. We are not merely to use God to get what we want from life. We are to delight in who He is. “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You” (Psalm 63:3). When God becomes our delight, worship is no longer a duty. Prayer becomes a conversation. His Word becomes nourishment. His people become family. Even difficult days can be faced with confidence because our joy is anchored in something deeper than circumstances. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

DO THE WORK OF THE LORD

Delighting in the Lord should lead us to doing something for the Lord. Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day” (John 9:4). We have not been saved merely to sit and watch the world go by. There is somebody to encourage, somebody to teach, somebody to help, somebody to forgive, somebody to love, and somebody who needs to hear about Jesus. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Every day gives us another opportunity to leave some evidence that we have walked with Christ.

DEPEND ON THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD

But none of us can do this by our own strength. There will be days when the road is hard, the burden is heavy, and our own resources seem insufficient. That is when we learn the beautiful truth of Zechariah 4:6: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). The strength does not originate in us. It comes from Him. “The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped” (Psalm 28:7).

So here is the way to live: delight in the Lord, do the work of the Lord, and depend on the strength of the Lord. Find your joy in Him. Give your life to His service. Trust His strength when yours runs out. And when the journey is finished, may we be able to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

_________________

Father, teach us to delight in You above everything else. Give us willing hearts to do Your work, and give us strength when our own strength fails. Help us to walk with Christ, serve others, and trust You every step of the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#181 WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? 9-24-26

There comes a time in every journey when we stop and ask, “Where do we go from here?” We have come to Christ. We have believed in Him. We have trusted His promises and placed our lives in His hands. But faith in Christ is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning. The road ahead may not always be clear, but the One who walks with us is. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). When we have Christ, we do not have to know every turn in the road. We simply need to keep walking with Him.

WE HAVE FAITH IN CHRIST.

Faith gives us a foundation beneath our feet. We believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through Him we have life. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith does not mean we understand everything. It means we trust Someone who does. When Abraham went out, “he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8). He knew where he was going because he knew who was leading him. There will be days when we cannot see the road ahead, but we can still see Christ. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

WE FOLLOW CHRIST

Faith is not just believing something about Jesus. Faith moves our feet. Jesus said, “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19). The Christian life is a daily decision to walk in the footsteps of our Lord. We follow Him in obedience, in love, in humility, in compassion, and in truth. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Where do we go from here? We go wherever Jesus leads. We serve where He gives us opportunity. We love whom He puts in our path. We forgive because He has forgiven us. We keep going when the road becomes difficult because our destination is greater than our present difficulty.

WE FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST

And here is the beautiful thing: we are not simply following Jesus toward some distant destination. We fellowship with Him along the way. “Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). Christ is not merely waiting for us at the end of the road. He is with us on the road. We know Him now through His word, through prayer, through worship, through service, and through the fellowship of His people. And this fellowship will not end when this life ends. He promised, “I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3).

So, where do we go from here? We go forward with faith. We follow Christ wherever He leads. And we fellowship with Him along the way, knowing that the fellowship we enjoy now will one day become the fullness of His presence forever. The road may have questions, but Christ is the answer. The future may have uncertainties, but Christ is certain. We do not know everything that tomorrow holds. We know who holds tomorrow, and more importantly, we know who walks with us today.

Where do we go from here?

We go with Jesus.

And wherever Jesus is, that is the right direction.

_______________

Lord Jesus, help us to trust You when we cannot see the road ahead. Give us faith to believe, courage to follow, and hearts that desire fellowship with You every day. Walk with us through this life and lead us safely into the fullness of Your presence forever. Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Thursday, September 24, 2026

5:30 AM

“Jesus In Leviticus”

(Leviticus 17:11)

10:00 AM

“Jesus Saves”

(Matthew 1:21)

2:00 PM

“ The Sceptor of Righteousness”

(Hebrews 1:9)

5:00 PM

“The Death of the Witnesses”

(Revelation 11:7)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#180 THE JESUS FACTOR 9-23-26

All is different when Jesus enters the equation. We can look at the same circumstance, face the same difficulty, and carry the same burden, but everything changes when we remember that Jesus is there.

Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water as long as his eyes were fixed on Jesus. When he looked at the wind and waves, fear took over. Jesus did not remove the storm before Peter stepped out. He simply made His presence greater than the storm. The Jesus factor does not mean we will never have trouble. It means trouble never has to have the final word.

The Jesus factor changes what we do with our burdens. Paul could say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Notice that Paul did not say he could do everything because circumstances were easy. He had known hunger and abundance, suffering and comfort, rejection and acceptance. His strength came from Christ. When Jesus is at the center, weakness can become an opportunity to discover His strength. The burden may still be heavy, but we no longer carry it alone. As Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

The Jesus factor also changes how we see other people. Jesus looked at Zacchaeus and saw more than a dishonest tax collector. He saw a man who needed salvation. Jesus looked at Peter after his denial and saw more than his failure. He saw a disciple who could still be restored and used. At the cross, Jesus prayed for those who were crucifying Him, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

When Jesus becomes the center of our lives, people stop being interruptions and start becoming opportunities to love, serve, forgive, encourage, and introduce them to the Savior.

And perhaps that is the greatest difference of all. Jesus does not merely improve a life. He gives life a new center, a new direction, and a new hope. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Put Jesus into your marriage, your work, your suffering, your decisions, your relationships, your plans, and your future. Put Jesus into the ordinary Tuesday and the darkest Friday.

The circumstances may not immediately change, but you will not face them the same way. The Jesus factor is the difference Christ makes when He is not merely part of your life, but the heart of it.

______________

Lord Jesus, help us to remember that everything changes when we place You at the center. Give us Your strength when we are weak, Your peace when we are troubled, Your wisdom when we are uncertain, and Your love when people are difficult to love. Teach us to see every circumstance and every person through Your eyes, and let our lives show the difference You make. Amen.

BDD

#179 IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES 9-23-26

We talk about tomorrow as though it is guaranteed. Tomorrow I will call them. Tomorrow I will apologize. Tomorrow I will spend more time with my family. Tomorrow I will get serious about God. But the Bible reminds us that tomorrow is never promised. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14).

We make plans for tomorrow because we should plan wisely, but we must never live as though tomorrow belongs to us. Today is the only day God has placed in our hands.

If tomorrow never comes, what will remain of today? Will someone remember that you loved them? Will someone know that you forgave them? Will someone have heard you speak about Jesus? Will the people closest to you know what they mean to you?

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). There are things we can postpone for a while, but there are some things we should never postpone. Say the kind word. Make the phone call. Give the encouragement. Ask for forgiveness. Tell someone about Christ. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Perhaps the greatest question is not what will happen if tomorrow never comes, but what are you doing with the day God has given you today? Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day” (John 9:4). He understood that earthly opportunities have an expiration date.

One day our last sunrise will come, our last conversation will be spoken, and our last opportunity to serve God in this life will be behind us. So live today with eternity in your heart. Love while you can. Serve while you can. Forgive while you can. Preach while you can. And above everything else, follow Jesus while you have today.

_______________

Lord, thank You for giving us this day and reminding us that tomorrow is never promised. Help us not to postpone the things that matter most, but to love, forgive, serve, and speak of Jesus while we have the opportunity. Give us wisdom to number our days and hearts that are ready to meet You whenever our last tomorrow comes. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#178 THE SUN WILL RISE TOMORROW 9-23-26

There are days when the darkness seems to have settled in for good. A disappointment comes, a prayer seems unanswered, a door closes, or someone we love walks out of our lives, and for a moment it feels as though the night will never end.

But the night never closes the story, does it. God built a rhythm into His creation: evening comes, darkness falls, and then morning arrives. The psalmist said, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). You may not know what tomorrow will bring, but you can know Who will be there when it comes. The sun will rise tomorrow because God is still faithful today.

Sometimes we spend so much energy staring at today’s darkness that we forget tomorrow is already on its way. The prophet Jeremiah stood in the middle of national sorrow and still declared, “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Every morning is a quiet announcement from heaven that God has not abandoned His creation.

Jesus taught us not to borrow tomorrow’s troubles: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things” (Matthew 6:34). Let tonight be tonight. Let tomorrow belong to God. There may be tears when you go to bed, but there is mercy waiting when you wake up.

And even when we reach a morning when the earthly sun no longer rises for us, there is still a greater morning ahead. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). The Christian’s hope does not rest merely on another sunrise over this world, but on the risen Christ and the promise of life beyond the grave.

The sun may rise tomorrow, but one day we will see a morning that never ends. Revelation speaks of that eternal city where “there shall be no night there” (Revelation 21:25). So keep walking through the darkness. Keep praying. Keep believing. Keep trusting Christ.

The night may be long, but morning is coming.

BDD

#177 THE POWER OF PRAYER 9-23-26

Prayer is powerful because God is powerful. When we pray, we are not merely expressing our thoughts, emptying our emotions, or hoping that someone is listening somewhere beyond the clouds. We are speaking to the living God. He hears. He knows. He cares. He loves. And because He loves us, He works in ways we cannot always see.

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). What an invitation! God does not tell us to call because He is annoyed by our voices. He tells us to call because He wants us to come to Him.

GOD LISTENS.

Sometimes the greatest power of prayer is simply knowing that someone is listening. David said, “I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications” (Psalm 116:1). The God who heard David still hears His children today.

He hears the prayer that never makes it past a whisper. He hears the words spoken through tears. He hears the prayer prayed in the quiet of the morning and the desperate cry offered in the middle of the night. “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry” (Psalm 34:15).

You may feel forgotten by people, but you are not forgotten by God.

GOD WORKS.

Prayer does not mean that God will always give us exactly what we request. It means we place ourselves, our circumstances, and our future into the hands of the One who sees what we cannot see.

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Elijah prayed, and God answered. Hannah prayed, and God remembered her. Hezekiah prayed, and God heard him. Jesus prayed in the garden, and even in His darkest hour He trusted the Father.

Sometimes God changes the circumstances. Sometimes He changes us in the circumstances. Sometimes He opens a door. Sometimes He gives us strength to stand when the door remains closed. But prayer places our lives in the hands of a God who is always at work.

“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28). We may not understand the work while it is happening, but we can trust the Worker.

GOD CARES.

“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Notice the personal pronoun: you.

God does not merely care about humanity in some distant, abstract sense. He cares about the individual. He cares about your burden, your sorrow, your fear, your family, your future, and the things that keep you awake at night.

If it matters to you, you can bring it to Him.

Jesus said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God” (Luke 12:6). If God does not forget the sparrow, He certainly has not forgotten you.

GOD LOVES.

The deepest reason prayer works is not found in the eloquence of the person praying. It is found in the character of the God who hears.

“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Prayer is the child coming home to the Father. It is the wounded heart finding somewhere to rest. It is the fearful soul remembering that it does not have to face tomorrow alone.

And when we do not know what to say, God understands even that. “For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:26).

So pray.

Pray when you are strong. Pray when you are weak. Pray when you understand. Pray when you do not understand. Pray when the answer seems near, and pray when heaven seems silent.

God listens.

God works.

God cares.

God loves.

And that is why prayer is never wasted.

_________________

Father, thank You for hearing us when we call upon You. Help us to trust Your wisdom when we cannot see Your work, and remind us that Your love never leaves us alone. Teach us to pray with faith, patience, and confidence in You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

BDD

#176 GOD KNOWS YOUR NAME 9-23-26

There is a difference between knowing about God and knowing God personally. We can know facts about His creation, read about His mighty acts, and speak His name, but God desires something deeper. He wants us to know Him as the living God who sees us, hears us, understands us, and walks with us through the circumstances of our individual lives.

The God of the Bible is not merely the God of nations and generations. He is your God, and He knows you personally.

In the Old Testament, God said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you” (Jeremiah 1:5). Think about that. Before Jeremiah had a name that anyone else knew, God knew him. Before his parents could hold him, God knew him. Before he had accomplished anything, God knew who he was.

David expressed the same wonder in Psalm 139. He wrote, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off” (Psalm 139:1-2). God knew David’s movements, his thoughts, his words, and the deepest places of his life. David concluded, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it” (Psalm 139:6).

God knows the details.

He knows your name. He knows where you were born. He knows the circumstances surrounding your childhood. He knows the people who influenced you and the people who wounded you. He knows the prayers you prayed when nobody else was listening. He knows the tears you cried when you didn’t have words for them.

He even knows the seemingly insignificant things that have become part of your story. God knows what you watched on television in 1973. He knows the songs you heard, the places you went, the conversations you remember, and the moments you have completely forgotten. Nothing about your life is hidden from Him.

Why does God know so much about us?

Because He cares.

Jesus brought this truth into the New Testament with remarkable tenderness. He said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God” (Luke 12:6). Then He made the application personal: “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7).

God’s knowledge is not cold information. It is the knowledge of love.

Jesus demonstrated this repeatedly. He knew Zacchaeus by name before Zacchaeus ever expected a personal encounter with Him. Jesus looked up into that tree and said, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5). Zacchaeus was not merely another face in a crowd. Jesus knew him.

Jesus also knew Nathanael. When Nathanael came toward Him, Jesus said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” Nathanael asked, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you” (John 1:47-48).

That sentence should make us stop.

“I saw you.”

There are moments in our lives when nobody else sees us. God does.

There are burdens nobody else understands. God understands them.

There are battles we fight privately, memories we carry silently, and questions we cannot explain. God knows them all.

Jesus told His disciples, “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). He does not merely know what we say. He knows what we need.

This is why knowing God personally changes the way we live. We are not wandering anonymously through an enormous universe. We are living before the God who knows us completely and loves us anyway.

Paul could therefore say, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His’” (2 Timothy 2:19).

What a beautiful thought: The Lord knows those who are His.

You may feel forgotten by people. God has not forgotten you.

You may wonder whether your life matters. God knows your life intimately.

You may think your prayers disappear into the ceiling. They do not.

The God who knew Jeremiah before birth, who searched David and knew him completely, who saw Nathanael beneath the fig tree, and who called Zacchaeus by name is still God today.

So do not settle for merely knowing about God.

Know Him.

Talk to Him. Listen to His word. Walk with Him. Trust Him. Bring Him your joys, your failures, your questions, your memories, and your future.

The God who knows everything about you invites you to know Him.

And perhaps that is one of the most beautiful truths in all of the Bible: God knows you completely, and He still wants you near.

_________________

Father, help us to know You personally and not merely know about You. Thank You for knowing every detail of our lives and caring about every burden we carry. Teach us to trust Your love, listen to Your word, and walk closely with You each day. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Wednesday, September 23, 2026

5:30 AM

“Jesus in Exodus”

(Exodus 3:14)

10:00 AM

“All Longsuffering and Doctrine”

(2 Timothy 4:2)

2:00 PM

“The One Who Knew No Sin”

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

5:00 PM

“Can Two Walk Together?”

(Amos 3:3)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#175 A CODE OF KINDNESS 9-22-26

Kindness is not weakness. Kindness is strength under control. It is love translated into action. It is the decision to treat another person with dignity even when they cannot give us anything in return.

The world has plenty of opinions. Plenty of arguments. Plenty of criticism. What the world needs is kindness. “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

That sounds like a code worth living by. Be kind. Be tenderhearted. Be forgiving.

The Christian does not get to choose kindness only when kindness is convenient. We are called to kindness because we have received kindness from God. “The kindness of God our Savior and His love toward mankind appeared” (Titus 3:4).

God was kind to us when we did not deserve it. Christ was merciful to us when we were sinners. Grace came looking for us. Therefore, grace ought to be visible in us.

A code of kindness begins with our words. “A soft answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1). We cannot control how everyone speaks to us, but we can control how we answer. Sometimes the most Christlike sentence we can speak is the one we decide not to speak.

Not every battle needs to be fought. Not every insult needs an answer. Not every disagreement needs to become a war. Sometimes kindness means lowering the temperature in the room.

A code of kindness continues with our actions. Jesus said, “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matthew 7:12). That is more than avoiding cruelty. It is actively looking for opportunities to do good.

Open the door. Make the call. Give the encouragement. Visit the lonely. Feed the hungry. Forgive the offender. Help the struggling. Notice the person everyone else overlooks. Small kindnesses can carry enormous weight.

A code of kindness also means kindness toward people who cannot repay us. “Love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return” (Luke 6:35).

That is where Christian kindness becomes different. Anybody can be kind to someone who is kind to them. Christ calls us to something deeper. He calls us to reflect the Father. “The Most High is kind to the unthankful and evil” (Luke 6:35).

Imagine what would happen if Christians made kindness part of their daily discipline. Churches would become warmer. Families would become stronger. Communities would become healthier. Strangers would encounter something they may desperately need: a glimpse of Christ.

We may not be able to solve every problem. But we can refuse to become another problem. We can leave kindness behind us wherever we go. And perhaps someday someone will remember us not because we won every argument, accumulated the most possessions, or made the loudest noise, but because we were kind.

That would be a life well lived.

So make it your code. Speak kindly. Act kindly. Forgive freely. Serve quietly. Love generously. And remember why.

“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

________________

Father, make us people of kindness. Put gentleness in our words, compassion in our hearts, and generosity in our hands. Help us treat others as people made in Your image and reflect the kindness we have received through Christ. May someone encounter Your love today because we chose to be kind. Amen.

BDD

#174 A WAY TO SERVE 9-22-26

There is a way to serve. There is always a way to serve.

We sometimes imagine that serving God requires a particular position, a particular talent, or a particular opportunity. But the kingdom of God has room for willing hands, compassionate hearts, encouraging words, quiet sacrifices, and simple acts of goodness.

“As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

As we have opportunity.

That means opportunity is all around us.

Someone needs encouragement. Serve them. Someone is lonely. Sit with them. Someone is hungry. Feed them. Someone is struggling. Help them. Someone needs forgiveness. Give it. Someone needs to hear about Jesus. Tell them. Someone needs a prayer. Pray.

“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). We do not have to wait for some grand assignment from heaven before we begin doing good on earth. Sometimes the greatest service is remarkably ordinary.

Jesus noticed people others overlooked. He stopped for blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). He welcomed children (Mark 10:13-16). He washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:12-15).

The Son of God was not too important to serve people. Neither should we be.

There is another wonderful truth about doing good: there is no law against it. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Think about that.

Nobody has ever been arrested for being too kind.

There is no commandment against excessive compassion.

There is no statute prohibiting forgiveness.

There is no heavenly regulation limiting how much good you can do.

So do it.

Do good generously. Do good quietly. Do good when nobody applauds. Do good when nobody knows your name. Do good because God is good.

Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Our good works are not the foundation of our salvation. Christ is. But a redeemed heart naturally begins looking for ways to serve.

You may not be able to preach to thousands. You may not be able to travel around the world. You may not have great wealth. But you can do something.

There is a way to serve.

Look around.

Someone needs what you can give.

And if all you can do today is one small act of goodness, do it. Heaven notices. “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23).

There is a way to serve.

There is always a way.

Find yours.

And serve.

__________________

Father, open our eyes to the opportunities You place before us each day. Give us willing hearts, generous hands, compassionate spirits, and courage to do good whenever we can. Help us serve without seeking recognition and let everything we do point others toward Your goodness and the love of Christ. Amen.

BDD

#173 THE GREATEST CAUSE IN THE WORLD 9-22-26

People give their lives to causes. Some fight for justice. Some fight for freedom. Some fight for the poor. Some fight for education, equality, peace, or human dignity. Causes can stir the heart, mobilize communities, and change history.

But there is a cause greater than any earthly cause.

There is the cause of Christ.

And at the heart of that cause are redemption, righteousness, and reconciliation.

THE CAUSE OF REDEMPTION

Humanity’s deepest problem is not poverty, politics, education, or even physical suffering. It is sin. Sin separates us from God. Sin corrupts the heart. Sin brings death.

But God did not abandon us to our condition. Jesus came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7).

Redemption is the great announcement that sinners can come home. The cross stands at the center of this cause. Peter wrote that we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19). Jesus gave Himself for us because we could never redeem ourselves.

This is a cause worth living for. To tell the lost there is salvation. To tell the guilty there is forgiveness. To tell the broken there is hope. To tell the wandering there is a way home.

THE CAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

But redemption does not end the story. God does not save us so that we can continue living exactly as we did before. He saves us and calls us into holiness.

“As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15). The cause of righteousness is the cause of becoming what God has called us to be. Paul wrote that the grace of God teaches us “that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12).

Holiness matters. How we speak matters. How we treat people matters. How we conduct ourselves when nobody is watching matters.

The world needs Christians who do not merely talk about Christ but demonstrate His character. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). Light does not argue with darkness. Light shines.

THE CAUSE OF RECONCILIATION

Then there is the cause of reconciliation. God “has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18).

God reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and now He gives us the privilege of helping bring reconciliation into a divided and wounded world.

This means we do not spend our lives making the world darker. We bring light. We do not multiply hatred. We practice love. We do not delight in division. We pursue peace. We do not merely complain about what is wrong. We ask what we can do about it.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). We cannot repair everything. But we can repair something. We can encourage someone. Feed someone. Forgive someone. Visit someone. Serve someone. Teach someone. Pray for someone. Lead someone toward Christ. Make a difference where God has placed us.

That is part of the cause.

The cause of redemption tells people that they can be saved.

The cause of righteousness shows people what a redeemed life looks like.

The cause of reconciliation sends redeemed people back into a broken world to become instruments of peace.

And all three meet in Jesus. He is our redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). He is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). He is our peace and reconciliation (Ephesians 2:14-16).

So give your life to something bigger than yourself. Give your strength to something eternal. Give your time to something that will outlive you. Fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12). Serve the cause of Christ.

Because one day every earthly cause will end.

But what we do for Christ will never be wasted.

_________________

Father, thank You for the great cause of Christ. Thank You for redeeming us through the blood of Jesus, calling us to righteousness, and giving us the ministry of reconciliation. Help us live holy lives, serve others faithfully, make this world better through love and truth, and spend our lives advancing the cause of Christ. Amen.

BDD

#172 THE FULLNESS OF TIME 9-22-26

Here is something that I doubt we consider very often. There is a clock in heaven.

We cannot see it. We cannot hear it ticking. But God has never lost track of a single second. “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Galatians 4:4). Jesus did not arrive early. He did not arrive late. Bethlehem was not an accident. Calvary was not an interruption. The coming of Christ happened in the fullness of God’s appointed time.

Think about that.

For generations, Israel waited. Prophets spoke. Promises were given. Empires rose and fell. Kings came and went. Nations changed. History moved forward one day at a time.

But God was working through it all. Then, at precisely the right moment, heaven came down. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

The fullness of time had come.

Sometimes we struggle with God’s timing because we see only the moment. God sees the whole story.

Abraham waited for the promised son. Joseph spent years in circumstances he could not understand. Moses spent decades in the wilderness before God called him to deliver Israel. David was anointed king long before he sat upon the throne.

God was not doing nothing during the waiting. He was preparing the moment.

God’s timing is holy. Ecclesiastes says that God “has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Not everything is beautiful when we want it to be. Not everything makes sense while we are standing in the middle of it. But God sees what we cannot see.

And then came Christ.

The Son of God entered our world at the fullness of time because humanity needed more than another teacher. We needed a Savior.

Jesus came when the world was broken by sin.

He came when humanity needed redemption.

He came to seek the lost, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty, and announce the gracious purposes of God (Luke 4:18-19).

And notice what He did when His hour came. He did not run from the cross. He said, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified” (John 12:23).

The cross had a time.

The resurrection had a time.

The ascension had a time.

And every moment was moving according to the purpose of God.

Perhaps you are living in a season of waiting right now. Waiting for an answer. Waiting for a door to open. Waiting for direction. Waiting for healing in a relationship. Waiting for something you have prayed about again and again.

Remember the fullness of time.

God’s silence is not God’s absence.

God’s delay is not necessarily God’s denial.

Sometimes God is doing His deepest work while we are wondering why nothing seems to be happening.

The farmer plants before he sees the harvest. The seed disappears beneath the soil, but beneath the surface something is happening. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground” (Mark 4:26). There is a process between planting and harvest.

Trust the process because you trust the God who controls the seasons.

And there is another fullness of time coming.

Paul said that God has a purpose “that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10).

God is moving history toward Christ. The story has a center. The center is Jesus. So do not despise the waiting. Do not waste the season. Do not assume that because you cannot see God’s hand, God has stopped working.

The same God who knew exactly when to send His Son knows exactly what He is doing with your life.

There was a fullness of time for Bethlehem.

There was a fullness of time for Calvary.

There was a fullness of time for the empty tomb.

And God has not forgotten you.

His clock is still moving.

His purpose is still unfolding.

His grace is still sufficient.

Trust Him until the fullness of time.

_______________

Father, help us trust Your timing when we cannot understand it. Teach us to wait faithfully, work diligently, and believe that You are working even when we cannot see what You are doing. Thank You for sending Jesus in the fullness of time and for giving us hope that Your purposes will ultimately be fulfilled in Him. Amen.

BDD

#171 THE LORD IS CONCERNED 9-22-26

The Lord is concerned.

He knows you. He sees you. He watches over you. He knows what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will yet do. He knows the thoughts you never speak, the burdens you never explain, and the tears nobody else sees. “You understand my thought afar off” (Psalm 139:2).

There is no one who knows more about you than God. And there is no one who cares more about you than God. That ought to astonish us.

God’s knowledge of us is complete, but His knowledge is not accompanied by contempt. He knows our weaknesses, yet He is compassionate. He knows our failures, yet He is merciful. He knows our sins, yet He has provided salvation. “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Psalm 103:8).

The Lord is concerned.

He is concerned about our destiny. Eternity is not a minor footnote in the story of humanity. We were created for more than a few decades between the cradle and the grave. God has “put eternity in their hearts” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). He calls us to Himself because He cares where we spend eternity.

And what has He done about it?

He gave His Son.

Jesus did not come merely to improve our lives. He came to save us. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). At Calvary, God’s concern became visible. The cross tells us what our sin cost and what His love was willing to pay.

Sacrifice.

Service.

Salvation.

Look at the sacrifice of Christ. “Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us” (Ephesians 5:2). Look at the service of Christ. He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Look at the salvation of Christ. “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25).

The Lord is concerned.

But His concern does not end with saving us from sin. He is concerned with what He does through us after He saves us.

Paul understood this. He said, “I labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily” (Colossians 1:29). Paul worked, but he knew the power behind his work was God’s power. He labored, but God’s strength was working in him.

What a beautiful balance.

We work.

God works in us.

We strive.

God supplies the strength.

We serve.

God gives the power.

Paul did not boast about what he could accomplish by himself. He understood that everything worthwhile in his ministry ultimately depended upon the power of God working through him.

That same power is available to those who belong to Christ. Paul prayed that believers would know “what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19).

Think about that.

The God who created the heavens works in His people.

The God who raised Jesus from the dead works in His people.

The God who sustains creation works in His people.

His power is not merely something we read about in ancient history. It is power at work toward us and within us.

And all of it flows from His concern.

He knows.

He watches.

He loves.

He calls.

He saves.

He strengthens.

He sends.

He sustains.

From eternity to eternity, God has been working for our good and for His glory. Before we ever knew His name, He knew ours. Before we ever sought Him, He was calling us. Before we could offer Him anything, He had already given us everything in Christ.

So do not mistake His silence for indifference.

Do not mistake His patience for absence.

Do not mistake your weakness for His weakness.

The Lord is concerned.

He is concerned about your soul. He is concerned about your walk. He is concerned about your witness. He is concerned about your eternity.

And the God who is concerned about you is also the God who is powerful enough to do something about it.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

The Lord knows you completely.

The Lord loves you deeply.

The Lord works in you mightily.

And the Lord is not finished with you yet.

__________________

Father, thank You that You know us completely and love us faithfully. Thank You for the sacrifice of Christ, the gift of salvation, and the power You place at work within those who follow You. Help us trust Your compassion, depend upon Your strength, serve You faithfully, and live with eternity always before us. Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Tuesday, September 22, 2026

5:30 AM

“Jesus in Genesis”

(Genesis 3:15)

10:00 AM

“Love Is the Answer”

(1 Corinthians 13:5)

2:00 PM

“Be Transformed”

(Romans 12:2)

5:00 PM

“Can These Bones Live?”

(Ezekiel 37:3)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#170 DO NOT DELAY 9-21-26

There are some things we can put off.

A phone call.

A chore.

A trip to the store.

A decision about what to eat for dinner.

But there is one decision we dare not postpone forever.

Our response to Jesus Christ.

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). The word “now” carries an urgency that cannot be ignored. Salvation is not a matter to be placed on tomorrow’s calendar. Tomorrow is a promise God has never made to us.

Do not delay.

Felix heard Paul preach “about faith in Christ” and trembled. He answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you” (Acts 24:24-25). Felix had heard enough to be convicted, but he wanted another time.

The Bible never tells us that the convenient time came.

That is the danger of delay. We imagine that postponing a decision leaves the decision unchanged. It does not. A heart can become accustomed to resisting the voice of God. Conviction can be ignored until it becomes easier to ignore. What once disturbed us may eventually cease to disturb us.

Do not delay.

Jesus told a story about a rich man whose fields produced abundantly. He decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. He said to himself, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19).

But God said, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you” (Luke 12:20).

His problem was not that he had made plans. His problem was that he planned for everything except eternity.

He had barns.

He had possessions.

He had years in his imagination.

But he did not have tomorrow.

Do not delay.

The prodigal son eventually came to himself and returned home (Luke 15:17-20). The Father was waiting. Grace was available. The door was open.

That same grace calls us today.

Jesus still says, “Come to Me” (Matthew 11:28). He still stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20). He still invites the thirsty to come and drink freely from the water of life (Revelation 22:17).

Why wait?

What are we waiting for?

A better life?

A more convenient season?

A cleaner past?

More knowledge?

More time?

We may tell ourselves that someday we will get serious about God. Someday we will obey. Someday we will make things right. Someday we will come home.

But someday is not a day on the calendar.

James reminds us that life is “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). The brevity of life makes the urgency of eternity unmistakable.

Do not delay.

If you need to repent, repent.

If you need to forgive, forgive.

If you need to obey Christ, obey Him.

If you have wandered, come home.

If you have never trusted the Savior, seek Him while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6).

There is mercy today.

There is grace today.

There is opportunity today.

There is Christ today.

And today is enough.

“Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15).

Tomorrow may come.

Tomorrow may not come.

But Jesus is calling now.

Do not delay.

_____________________

Lord Jesus, help us never to presume upon tomorrow. Give us tender hearts that respond when You call, courage to obey when You command, and wisdom to understand the brevity of our lives. May we seek You today, follow You today, and never allow delay to become an excuse for disobedience. Amen.

BDD

#169 BEHOLD THE CHRIST 9-21-26

“Behold the Lamb of God!” John the Baptist cried when he saw Jesus coming toward him (John 1:29). He did not say, “Consider the Lamb.” He did not say, “Study the Lamb.” He said, “Behold.”

Look.

See.

Fix your eyes upon Him.

There is something about Jesus that demands more than a passing glance. He cannot be reduced to a name on a page, a figure in history, or an idea preserved by religious tradition. He is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). He is the One through whom all things were created (John 1:3). He is the One who came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

Behold the Christ in His glory.

John opened his Gospel by taking us beyond Bethlehem and back into eternity: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Then came the astonishing announcement: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

The eternal entered time.

The Creator entered His creation.

The One whom angels worshiped became the One whom men could touch.

Behold the Christ.

Behold Him in His compassion. He saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion for them (Matthew 9:36). He healed the sick. He welcomed children. He stopped for Bartimaeus. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35). He looked upon people others had overlooked and saw souls made in the image of God.

His holiness never made Him cold.

His truth never made Him cruel.

His purity never kept Him from reaching toward the broken.

Behold the Christ in His authority. He spoke and demons fled. He spoke and diseases disappeared. He spoke and the winds and waves obeyed Him (Mark 4:39-41). He forgave sins, something that caused the religious leaders to ask, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7).

They were asking the right question.

The answer was standing in front of them.

Behold the Christ.

But most of all, behold Him at the cross.

There we see the love of God displayed without ornament or exaggeration. “He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). The One who knew no sin was made to be sin for us, “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Behold Him crowned with thorns.

Behold Him carrying the cross.

Behold the nails.

Behold the blood.

Behold the Savior giving Himself for sinners.

Isaiah had looked forward through the centuries and declared, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). At Calvary, prophecy became history. Love took flesh and walked into death.

But do not stop at the cross.

Behold the risen Christ.

The stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty. Death had done its worst and Christ had conquered it. Paul declared that Christ “was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:25).

This is the Christ we behold.

The Christ who came.

The Christ who died.

The Christ who rose.

The Christ who reigns.

The Christ who intercedes.

The Christ who will come again.

Hebrews tells us to look “unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). When we behold Him, the world grows strangely small. Our troubles find their proper size. Our pride loses its throne. Our fears lose their voice. Our hearts remember what they were made for.

So behold Him.

Not merely on Sunday.

Not merely in suffering.

Not merely when you need something.

Behold the Christ every day.

Look long enough to love Him.

Look closely enough to trust Him.

Look steadily enough to follow Him.

And when your eyes are fixed upon Jesus, you will discover that the greatest need of your soul was never merely to know more about Him.

It was to behold Him.

___________________

Lord Jesus, turn our eyes toward You. Help us to behold Your glory, trust Your grace, remember Your cross, rejoice in Your resurrection, and follow You faithfully each day. When the world distracts us, draw our hearts back to Christ until He becomes the center of our thoughts, the object of our love, and the hope of our souls. Amen.

BDD

#168 JESUS IS THERE 9-21-26

The road gets dark. Jesus is there.

The burden gets heavy. Jesus is there.

The future becomes uncertain. Jesus is there.

We sometimes imagine that faith means never being afraid, never becoming discouraged, and never wondering what comes next. But the Bible gives us something better than a life without trouble. It gives us the presence of Christ in the middle of trouble.

When the disciples were caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus was there. The wind was fierce. The waves were rising. Their little boat was being battered. Yet Jesus was in the boat with them. When they awakened Him, He stood and said, “Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39). The storm was frightening, but it was never greater than the One who was there.

When Joseph was carried away from his home and sold into slavery, Jesus was there. The Bible says, “The LORD was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2). His circumstances changed, but God’s presence did not. Joseph went from the pit to the prison, but he never went where God could not find him.

When three Hebrew men were thrown into a fiery furnace, Jesus was there. Nebuchadnezzar looked into the flames and said, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt” (Daniel 3:25). God did not keep them from entering the furnace, but He did not leave them alone inside it.

When David walked through the valley, he could say, “I will fear no evil; for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4). Notice the reason for his courage. The valley had not disappeared. The danger was still real. But Someone was there.

That is the great comfort of Christianity.

Jesus is there.

He is there when you pray and do not immediately see an answer. He is there when you serve and nobody notices. He is there when your heart is broken. He is there when you stand beside a hospital bed. He is there when you bury someone you love. He is there when temptation comes. He is there when you wonder whether you have enough strength for another day.

Jesus promised His disciples, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Always.

Not just on Sunday. Not just when life is going well. Not just when our faith feels strong.

Always.

The Christian does not walk through this world alone. Christ walks with us, strengthens us, teaches us, corrects us, forgives us, and leads us. And when this earthly journey finally ends, Jesus will still be there.

Paul could face death because he knew whom he belonged to. “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

So lift your head.

Take the next step.

Face tomorrow.

The storm may be there.

The trial may be there.

The unanswered question may be there.

But Jesus is there.

And sometimes that is the greatest answer God gives us.

__________________

Lord Jesus, thank You for the promise that You are with us always. When we are afraid, remind us that You are there; when we are weak, strengthen us; and when we cannot see the way ahead, help us trust the One who already knows the way. Keep our hearts close to You until the day we see You face to face. Amen.

BDD