#66 THREE WAYS GOD WANTS US TO LOVE HIM 9-1-26

God does not merely want us to say that we love Him. He wants our whole life to become an expression of that love. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). Our love for God should reach our head, our heart, and our hands. What we know about God should shape what we feel toward God, and what we feel toward God should determine what we do for God.

WE LOVE GOD WITH OUR HEAD

God wants us to love Him with our minds. Faith is not a rejection of thought. It is a surrender of our thoughts to the truth of God. We learn who God is through His Word, we think about His character, we meditate upon His promises, and we allow His truth to correct our thinking. Jesus said that knowing the truth brings freedom (John 8:31-32). Paul told the Romans to be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2).

What we think about God matters because wrong thoughts about God will eventually produce wrong attitudes toward God. When we understand His holiness, we will reverence Him. When we understand His grace, we will trust Him. When we understand His love, we will love Him in return. The more we know Him, the more reasons we discover to love Him.

WE LOVE GOD WITH OUR HEART

God does not want a cold, mechanical religion. He wants our affection. He wants our gratitude. He wants our devotion. The heart is where love becomes personal. We can know facts about God without loving God, but when truth reaches the heart, knowledge becomes worship.

“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). We do not love God merely because we are commanded to love Him. We love Him because He loved us first. He loved us when we were sinners. He gave His Son for us. Christ died for us, rose again, and opened the way for us to be reconciled to God. When we look at the cross and see the love of God displayed there, our hearts should respond with love, gratitude, and surrender.

WE LOVE GOD WITH OUR HANDS.

Real love eventually becomes visible. If we love God with our heads and our hearts, that love will find its way into our hands. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Love is not merely something we say. Love does something.

Our hands should serve what our hearts love. We feed the hungry. We help the hurting. We encourage the discouraged. We forgive those who have wronged us. We speak the truth. We share the gospel. We serve others in the name of Christ. We use what God has placed in our hands for His glory. James reminds us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Our works do not purchase God’s love, but they can demonstrate that His love has taken hold of us.

The head, heart, and hands belong together. The head knows Him. The heart loves Him. The hands serve Him. If we have knowledge without love, we become cold. If we have emotion without truth, we can become unstable. If we have activity without love, our service can become empty. But when truth fills the head, love fills the heart, and obedience fills the hands, our entire life becomes an offering to God.

Perhaps we should ask ourselves three simple questions: What am I learning about God? What am I feeling toward God? And what am I doing for God? God wants more than our thoughts. He wants our hearts. He wants more than our hearts. He wants our lives.

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Lord, teach us to love You with our heads by knowing Your truth, with our hearts by receiving Your love, and with our hands by serving You faithfully. May everything we think, everything we feel, and everything we do point others to Jesus Christ. Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Tuesday, September 1, 2026

5:30 AM

“Poor In Spirit”

(Matthew 5:3)

10:00 AM

“Blessed Are Those Who Mourn”

(Matthew 5:4)

2:00 PM

“Meekness”

(Matthew 5:5)

5:00 pm

“Hungering and Thirsting After Righteousness”

(Matthew 5:6)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#65 THE DAY OF THE LORD 8-31-26

The Bible speaks often about the Day of the Lord. It is a phrase that reminds us that there is a day when God acts, God speaks, God saves, God judges, and God brings His purposes to their appointed end. For the Christian, the Day of the Lord is not something to fear. It is something that teaches us to live faithfully today. The Day of the Lord reaches into every part of life. Salvation is the Day of the Lord. Death is the Day of the Lord. Judgment is the Day of the Lord.

Salvation is the Day of the Lord. The prophet Joel declared, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Joel 2:32). The apostle Peter applied that promise to the coming of the Spirit and the proclamation of the Gospel (Acts 2:16-21). Paul likewise wrote, “Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). There is a day when God calls sinners to Himself. There is a day when grace reaches into a person’s life and says, “Come home.” We should never presume that tomorrow will give us what God is offering us today. The gospel calls us now.

Death is the Day of the Lord. We do not choose the day when our earthly journey will end. “It is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). Every day we live is a day given to us by God, and the day of our death is ultimately in His hands. Death reminds us that life is temporary and eternity is real. For the Christian, death is not the final defeat. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25). The child of God can face death knowing that Christ has conquered the grave.

Judgment is the Day of the Lord. The Bible also points us toward the day when God will judge the world in righteousness. Paul declared that God “has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained” (Acts 17:31). There is coming a day when every life will be brought before God. Our deeds matter. Our words matter. Our choices matter. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). The Day of the Lord reminds us that history is not wandering aimlessly. God has an appointed purpose, and every person will ultimately answer to Him.

Think about a calendar hanging on the wall. We may turn its pages without thinking much about them, but every page brings us closer to an appointed day. We cannot tear the page off the calendar and make the day disappear. We can ignore it, but we cannot cancel it. In the same way, God’s appointed purposes will come to pass. The wise person does not spend his life pretending the day will never come. He prepares for it.

The Day of the Lord therefore calls us to faith, faithfulness, and readiness. If today is the day of salvation, then receive God’s grace. If tomorrow brings the end of our earthly journey, then walk faithfully with Christ today. If judgment is coming, then live in the fear of God and the love of Christ. We do not know how many days remain, but we know who holds every day in His hands.

The Christian does not have to fear the Day of the Lord as though Christ were his enemy. Jesus is the One who saves us. Jesus is the One who conquered death. Jesus is the One who will judge righteously. The One who will judge the world is the same One who stretched out His hands on the cross for sinners. Therefore, the answer to the Day of the Lord is not panic. The answer is Christ.

There is a day of salvation. There is a day of death. There is a day of judgment. And through every day, Christ remains Lord. So live today with eternity in your heart. Trust Christ while there is opportunity. Love people while there is time. Forgive while you can. Serve while you have strength. Preach the gospel while the door is open. And when your final day comes, may you be found faithful, knowing that the Lord who walked with you through every earthly day will receive you into His eternal presence.

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Lord, teach us to number our days and to live them wisely. Thank You for the day of salvation and for the grace You have made available through Jesus Christ. Help us to remember that death is certain, judgment is real, and eternity is forever. Keep us faithful while we have breath. Give us courage to proclaim the gospel, compassion to love others, and faith to trust You with every tomorrow. When our final day comes, may we be found in Christ, faithful to You and ready to meet our Lord. Amen.

BDD

#64 THE PEACE WITHIN US BECAUSE OF CHRIST 8-31-26

There is something Christ gives us that the world cannot give and circumstances cannot take away. It is peace. Because of Christ, we can have peace with God, peace with each other, and peace within ourselves. The world searches for peace in possessions, relationships, success, comfort, and security, but true peace is found in a Person. Jesus Christ is our peace. When we come to Him, He changes our relationship with God, our relationship with others, and our relationship with ourselves.

First, Christ gives us peace with God. Sin made us enemies of God, but Christ made reconciliation possible through His death on the cross. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). We do not have to live wondering whether God will receive us. In Christ, we have been brought near. The cross has settled what sin could never settle. The blood of Jesus speaks of forgiveness, reconciliation, and acceptance. We were once separated from God, but through Christ we can come boldly into His presence.

Second, Christ gives us peace with each other. Jesus did not merely reconcile us to God. He also tears down the walls that separate people from one another. “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation” (Ephesians 2:14). At the foot of the cross, human distinctions lose their power. Pride has no place there. Hatred has no place there. Bitterness has no place there. We are all sinners who need the same Savior. The person who has received the grace of Christ should become a person who gives grace to others. “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).

Third, Christ gives us peace within. There are storms that rage around us and storms that rage inside us. We cannot always control what happens around us, but Christ can rule what happens within us. He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you” (John 14:27). Notice that Jesus did not simply promise to give us peace. He promised to give us His peace. His peace is greater than our circumstances. His peace does not depend upon everything going right. His peace remains when the answers have not come, when the future is uncertain, and when the night seems long.

Imagine a small boat on a stormy sea. The waves may rise, the wind may howl, and the darkness may surround the boat. But the greatest difference is not the absence of a storm. It is the presence of someone who can say, “Peace, be still!” Jesus may not always calm the storm immediately, but He can calm the heart in the middle of the storm. His presence gives us a peace that circumstances cannot explain.

The peace of Christ reaches every direction. Peace with God looks upward. Peace with each other looks outward. Peace within looks inward. Upward, we know that we have been reconciled to our Creator. Outward, we seek reconciliation and fellowship with others. Inward, we rest in the presence and promises of Christ. This is the peace the world cannot manufacture because it is the peace that only Christ can provide.

We need to remember that peace is not merely the absence of conflict. Peace is the presence of Christ. You can have a quiet house and a troubled heart. You can have money in the bank and turmoil in the soul. You can have people around you and still feel alone. But when Christ is at the center, there is a peace deeper than circumstances and stronger than feelings. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

So let us rest in Christ. Let us live at peace with God through faith. Let us pursue peace with one another through love and forgiveness. Let us receive peace within through the presence of Jesus. The world needs many things, but above all it needs Christ. For when Christ comes into a life, peace comes with Him.

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Lord Jesus, thank You for being our peace. Thank You that through You we can have peace with God, peace with one another, and peace within our own hearts. Help us to stop trying to find in the world what can only be found in You. Teach us to forgive, to love, to reconcile, and to rest. When the storms come, remind us that You are with us. When our hearts are troubled, let Your peace rule within us. May our lives become a testimony that the peace of Christ is greater than anything this world can give or take away. Amen.

BDD

#63 THE GRACE OF GOD NEVER FAILS 8-31-26

The grace of God never fails. It reaches farther than our sin, deeper than our shame, and stronger than our weakness. We may fail, but His grace does not fail. We may wander, but His grace knows how to find us. We may fall, but His grace knows how to lift us. The grace of God is not merely something God gives us. It is the loving work of God upon us.

Grace touches us. God’s grace reaches into the places of our lives that no one else can see. It touches the broken heart, the wounded soul, the guilty conscience, and the weary spirit. Jesus healed the sick, sinners, the hurting, and the hopeless. His grace still touches people today through His Word, His love, His people, and His presence. Grace does not stand at a distance and condemn us. Grace comes near and touches us.

Grace turns us. When grace truly touches the heart, it begins to change the direction of our lives. Grace does not leave us where it found us. It turns us from sin toward God, from darkness toward light, from self toward Christ, and from rebellion toward obedience. The goodness of God leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4) Grace does not give us permission to remain in our sin. Grace gives us the power and desire to leave it behind.

Grace teaches us. Paul said that the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. (Titus 2:11-12) Grace is therefore not only pardon for yesterday. It is instruction for today. Grace teaches us how to walk, how to speak, how to love, how to forgive, how to serve, and how to live for Christ.

What a wonderful work grace accomplishes. Grace touches us, grace turns us, and grace teaches us. It touches the sinner, turns the sinner, and teaches the sinner how to walk with God. The same grace that saves us is the grace that shapes us. The same grace that welcomes us home is the grace that teaches us how to stay close to the Father.

We should never abuse the grace of God by using it as an excuse to continue in sin. Instead, we should receive grace with grateful hearts and allow it to do its transforming work within us. Grace is not cheap because it cost Christ His blood. Grace is not weak because it has the power to transform a life. Grace never fails because the One who gives it never fails.

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Father, thank You for Your amazing grace. Thank You that Your grace reaches us when we are broken, turns us when we are wandering, and teaches us how to live for You. Help us never to take Your grace for granted. Let Your grace change our hearts, direct our steps, and make us more like Jesus every day. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

BDD

#62 CHRIST RECEIVES SINNERS 8-31-26

One of the most beautiful truths in all the world is this: Christ receives sinners. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day accused Him of being “a friend of sinners,” and they meant it as an accusation. But what they intended as an insult became one of the greatest descriptions of our Savior. Jesus really was a friend of sinners. He came into a sinful world to seek and save the lost. He did not come because humanity was worthy of Him. He came because humanity needed Him. And if Jesus were not a friend of sinners, He could not be my friend, and He could not be your friend. (Luke 19:10)

He welcomes sinners. Jesus never told the broken, the rejected, the ashamed, or the guilty that they had to clean themselves up before coming to Him. He said, “Come to Me.” The invitation of Christ is extended to those who are weary, burdened, thirsty, hungry, and lost. He welcomed Zacchaeus when everyone else despised him. He received the woman who had been living in sin. He allowed the repentant thief to come into His kingdom. He welcomed Peter after Peter had denied Him. The arms of Jesus are not closed to the sinner who comes to Him in repentance and faith (Matthew 11:28; Luke 19:5-10; Luke 23:42-43)

He washes sinners. Jesus does more than welcome us. He cleanses us. The sinner who comes to Christ does not remain what he was. Christ washes away the guilt and stain of sin through His blood. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” There is no stain too deep for His cleansing power and no past too dark for His mercy. We cannot wash ourselves. Religion cannot wash us. Good works cannot wash us. Only Christ can make the sinner clean. (Isaiah 1:18; Revelation 1:5)

He warns sinners. The friendship of Jesus is never a friendship that ignores sin. Because He loves sinners, He tells them the truth. Jesus warned about judgment, hell, hypocrisy, unbelief, and the consequences of rejecting God. His warnings were not expressions of hatred but of holy love. A doctor who knows a disease is killing his patient does not prove his love by remaining silent. In the same way, Jesus loved sinners enough to warn them to repent. His grace does not excuse sin. His grace calls us out of sin and into a new life (Luke 13:3; John 5:14; John 8:11).

It is wonderful that Jesus was called a friend of sinners. He did not become a sinner to be our friend, but He came near to sinners so that sinners could become friends with God. He touched the diseased without becoming unclean. He ate with sinners without approving their sin. He went into the homes of the rejected without compromising His holiness. He was holy enough to confront sin and compassionate enough to receive the sinner. That is the Savior we need.

Perhaps you have a past you wish you could erase. Perhaps there are sins you are ashamed to remember. Perhaps you have failed God more times than you can count. Do not run from Christ because you are a sinner. Run to Christ because you are a sinner. The church should never forget that every redeemed person was once a sinner in need of grace. We stand before God, not because we were good enough, but because Christ was merciful enough (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:8-9)

Christ receives sinners. He welcomes sinners. He washes sinners. He warns sinners. And He calls sinners to follow Him. The same Jesus who opened His arms to the prodigal still calls the wandering home. The same Savior who forgave the repentant still offers mercy today. The gospel is not good news for people who think they do not need saving. It is glorious news for sinners who know they need a Savior. Jesus Christ is still the friend of sinners, and that means there is hope for you and there is hope for me.

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Lord Jesus, thank You for receiving sinners like us. Thank You for welcoming us when we were lost, washing us when we were stained, and warning us when we were walking in the wrong direction. Help us never to forget that we need Your grace every day. Give us hearts that receive others with the same mercy You have shown us, while never compromising the truth of Your Word. May our lives point sinners to the One who came to seek and save the lost. Amen.

BDD

#61 JESUS AND THE FIG TREE 8-31-26

The story of Jesus and the barren fig tree is one of those passages that can seem puzzling when we first read it. Jesus came to a fig tree covered with leaves, but He found no fruit. Mark tells us that “it was not the season for figs” (Mark 11:13). Jesus then spoke to the tree, saying, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again” (Mark 11:14), and the next morning the disciples saw that it had withered from the roots (Mark 11:20–21).

Some have criticized this account as though Jesus acted in frustration against a tree that could not possibly have produced fruit. But that interpretation misses the purpose of the miracle. Jesus did not act impulsively or without purpose. The fig tree became a living object lesson, and its message becomes clear when we consider what happened immediately afterward. Jesus entered Jerusalem, cleansed the temple, and confronted a religious system that had plenty of outward appearance but had failed to produce the fruit God desired (Mark 11:15–19).

The fig tree therefore serves as a picture of Israel, particularly the religious leadership of Israel, which had the appearance of spiritual life but had become spiritually barren. They had the temple, the Scriptures, the sacrifices, the traditions, and the outward forms of religion, but they had rejected the Messiah standing in their midst.

Jesus had already wept over Jerusalem because the city did not recognize the time of God’s visitation (Luke 19:41–44). In the parable of the wicked vinedressers, He described the religious leaders as men who rejected God’s servants and finally killed His Son. He then declared that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to a people who would produce its fruit (Matthew 21:33–43).

In the parable of the marriage feast, He again spoke of judgment upon those who rejected God’s invitation, saying that the king would send his armies and destroy those murderers and burn their city (Matthew 22:1–7). In Matthew 23, Jesus pronounced judgment upon the scribes and Pharisees and concluded by saying, “Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation” (Matthew 23:36).

The barren fig tree was therefore not an isolated act. It was part of a larger prophetic picture of judgment upon Jerusalem and its unfaithful leadership, a judgment that would reach its fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

But the lesson does not end with first-century Israel. The same Lord who looked for fruit then still looks for fruit now. Throughout the Bible, God has never been impressed merely by outward appearance. He desires a people whose lives demonstrate genuine faith and obedience. Jesus said, “By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:20). He warned that every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 7:19).

In John 15, He taught that those who abide in Him will bear fruit, because a branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains connected to the vine (John 15:4–5). The question for us is not whether we look religious, attend worship, know Scripture, or possess Christian vocabulary. The question is whether our lives are bearing the fruit of a genuine relationship with Christ. Are we growing in love, holiness, obedience, humility, patience, goodness, and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22–23)?

The fig tree had leaves, but it had no fruit. May God keep us from having the appearance of Christianity without the reality of Christ. God is not merely looking for leaves. He is looking for fruit.

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Father, search our hearts and show us whether our lives are truly bearing fruit for Your glory. Keep us from an empty religion that has appearance without obedience, words without action, and leaves without fruit. Help us to abide in Christ, walk in fellowship with You, and produce the fruit that demonstrates a genuine faith. May our lives bring honor to Jesus and point others toward Him. Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Monday, August 31, 2026

5:30 AM

“Awake, O Sleeper”

(Ephesians 5:12-21)

10:00 AM

”The Spirit Who Gives Life”

(Romans 8:9-11)

2:00 PM

”Delivered From This Present Evil Age”

(Galatians 1:4)

4:00 pm

”The Heavenly Things”

(John 3:9-13)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#60 THE FAITH ONCE FOR ALL DELIVERED 8-30-26

The Christian faith is wonderfully settled. Jude tells us to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Notice the language. The faith was delivered, and it was delivered once for all. Jude was not speaking merely about believing in something. He was speaking about the body of truth entrusted to God’s people. Christianity is not an unfinished revelation waiting for someone today to add another prophecy, another doctrine, or another message from God. The faith has been delivered to us through the apostles and the inspired Word of God (Ephesians 2:20; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

This does not mean that we have learned everything there is to know about God. We can continue studying, growing, learning, and discovering the depths of God’s truth. But there is a difference between growing in our understanding of the faith and adding to the faith. We are called to search the Scriptures, examine what we hear, and hold fast to what is good (Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). We do not need new revelation because God has already spoken to us in His Son and has given us the apostolic testimony concerning Him (Hebrews 1:1–2). Our responsibility is not to wait for another word from heaven, but to faithfully obey the Word God has already given.

Therefore, we should contend for the faith, but we must do it with the spirit of Christ. Contending does not mean being cruel, arrogant, or argumentative. Jude calls us to stand firmly for the truth while Scripture calls us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). The faith once delivered is not merely a collection of doctrines to defend. It is the gospel centered in Jesus Christ, producing lives marked by faith, holiness, love, and obedience. We do not need something new to make Christianity complete. We need to faithfully live what God has already delivered. The question is not, “What new message can I discover?” The question is, “Am I faithfully believing, teaching, and living the faith God has already given?”

BDD

#59 WHY NO ONE IS WORKING MIRACLES TODAY 8-30-26

If the miraculous gifts of the Spirit are still operating today, then we should honestly ask why we do not see the kind of miracles described in the New Testament. I am not talking about answered prayer, providential blessings, medical recoveries, or things we cannot explain. I mean real biblical miracles, such as the blind receiving sight, the lame immediately walking, the dead being raised, or diseases being instantly and completely healed. Jesus performed these signs openly, and His apostles did the same (Matthew 11:4-5; Acts 3:6-8; Acts 9:34-35; Acts 20:9-12). These were not private experiences that could not be examined. They were visible signs that demonstrated the authority of Christ and confirmed the message being preached (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4).

That is why I believe we have to be consistent. If someone says that tongues, prophecy, and miraculous healing are still operating as the same spiritual gifts they were in the first century, then there should be no reason to limit God to a lesser version of those gifts. The New Testament does not present a category of “real miracles” that have somehow disappeared while only certain miraculous manifestations remain. Paul speaks of these gifts together in the context of the Spirit’s work in the early church (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). The apostles and prophets were part of the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:19-20), and the Bible gives us good reason to believe that these miraculous gifts belonged especially to that foundational period. That does not mean God has stopped working. It means God is no longer giving men the miraculous gifts by which they could perform signs.

And there is an important distinction between God doing a miracle and a person possessing the gift of miracles. God still answers prayer, heals according to His providence, opens doors, protects His people, and does things we could never accomplish ourselves (James 5:14-16). But we should not confuse God’s sovereign activity with the continuation of the apostolic miraculous gifts. More importantly, Christianity does not stand or fall on our ability to produce signs. It stands upon Jesus Christ and the once-for-all revelation He has given us (Hebrews 1:1-2; Jude 3). We do not need someone today to duplicate the miracles of Peter or Paul in order to know that the gospel is true. The greatest miracle is not a spectacular sign performed before our eyes, but a sinner transformed by the gospel into the likeness of Christ. And the evidence we should most desire is not miraculous power, but the fruit of the Spirit in a faithful life (Galatians 5:22-23).

BDD

#58 THE GIFT OF PROPHECY 8-30-26

The gift of prophecy was a genuine spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit to certain people in the early church. A prophet was not simply someone who predicted the future. Prophecy involved speaking a message given by God for the instruction, exhortation, encouragement, and edification of His people (1 Corinthians 14:3). We see this gift operating in the early church as God revealed His will through inspired men and women (Acts 11:27-28; Acts 13:1-2; Acts 21:8-11). We should be careful not to dismiss everything associated with prophecy as false or foolish. The biblical gift was real, important, and necessary during the foundational period of the church.

At the same time, there are strong biblical reasons to believe that the miraculous gift of prophecy is not being exercised today. The apostles and prophets belonged to the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:19-20), and the Bible points us toward the completeness and sufficiency of God’s revealed Word rather than a continuing stream of new revelation (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Jude 3). Paul also connected miraculous gifts such as prophecy with a time when the partial would give way to the complete (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). Therefore, while I want to be charitable toward sincere Christians who use the word “prophecy” differently, I do not believe anyone today is receiving direct, inspired revelation from God in the biblical sense of the prophetic gift.

And even if someone claimed to have the gift, the question would still be, What kind of fruit does that person’s life produce? Jesus taught that false prophets are known by their fruits (Matthew 7:15–20). The Holy Spirit’s work is not demonstrated merely by extraordinary claims, dramatic experiences, or impressive spiritual language. It is seen in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We do not need a new prophecy when we have the Word of God. We do not need spectacular manifestations when we have Christ. The greatest evidence that the Spirit is working in us is not that we can claim to speak for God, but that our lives increasingly look like Jesus.

BDD

#57 SPEAKING IN TONGUES AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 8-30-26

The subject of speaking in tongues has created much discussion and disagreement among sincere Christians. Some believe the miraculous gift of tongues continues today, while others believe these gifts served a specific purpose in the early church and ceased when that purpose was fulfilled. There are good biblical reasons to believe that the miraculous gift of tongues was temporary, particularly when we consider its connection with the apostles, the confirmation of the gospel, and the foundational period of the church (Mark 16:17-20; Acts 2:1-11; Hebrews 2:3-4; 1 Corinthians 13:8-10). Therefore, while we should be gracious toward those who sincerely believe they possess this gift, I believe it is highly unlikely that what is commonly called “speaking in tongues” today is the biblical gift of tongues.

But even if someone could prove to me that the gift of tongues is still being given today, that would not change what matters most. Paul made it clear that spiritual gifts were never intended to become a badge of spiritual superiority. The Corinthians were fascinated with gifts, yet their lives were marked by jealousy, division, pride, and disorder. Paul redirected their attention from spectacular gifts to something far greater: love (1 Corinthians 12:29-31; 13:1-3). A person may speak in tongues, prophesy, understand mysteries, possess great knowledge, and demonstrate remarkable spiritual experiences, yet without love, it amounts to nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

The real evidence of the Spirit’s work in our lives is not how impressive our spiritual experiences appear, but what kind of people those experiences are making us. The fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). I would rather see a Christian who patiently loves difficult people, forgives offenses, controls his temper, serves others, walks humbly, and lives faithfully than someone who claims the most spectacular spiritual gift imaginable. Gifts may attract attention, but fruit reveals character. Whatever we believe about tongues, let us make this our pursuit: not to appear spiritual, but to become more like Jesus.

BDD

#56 THE GOSPEL: THE POWER OF GOD 8-30-26

The Gospel of God is not merely a message among many messages. It is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). The gospel is powerful because Christ is powerful. Its power does not rest in the eloquence of the preacher, the ability of the speaker, or the wisdom of men. Its power rests in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospel tells us what God has done through His Son so that sinners may be reconciled to Him.

THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. God takes the message of Christ and uses it to awaken faith in the hearts of those who hear it. The gospel announces that Jesus died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This is not simply information to be admired. It is truth to be believed and embraced. The Gospel points the sinner away from himself and toward the Savior.

This is why Paul could say that he was not ashamed. The world may consider the message of the cross foolishness, but the cross is the very place where God displayed His wisdom, love, grace, and saving power. “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). What the world sees as weakness, God has made the means of redemption. What men may reject, God has used to save.

THE PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL

The gospel has a purpose. It is not merely to inform us that Jesus lived. It is not merely to tell us that He was crucified. It is not merely a historical account of an empty tomb. The Gospel calls people to faith in Jesus Christ. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). God has chosen the proclamation of His truth to bring people to faith.

There is therefore no reason for us to alter the gospel to make it more attractive to the world. We do not need to improve the cross. We do not need to soften Christ. We do not need to substitute entertainment for proclamation. We simply need to preach Christ faithfully. The Gospel has its own power because God has given it its own purpose. Our responsibility is to proclaim it, and the responsibility of the hearer is to respond in faith.

THE PEOPLE OF THE GOSPEL

The gospel is for people who believe. Paul said it is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). The invitation is wonderfully broad. The gospel is not reserved for one race, one social class, one nation, one economic group, or one kind of sinner. Christ is proclaimed to all. Whoever believes in Him has life (John 3:16).

Yet the Gospel can be heard and still remain hidden from the heart. “Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The problem is not a weakness in the gospel. The problem is unbelief. The light is shining, but some refuse to see it. The message is being proclaimed, but some refuse to believe it.

How different it is for the person who hears and believes. The same gospel that is foolishness to one person becomes the power of God to another. The difference is not in the gospel. The difference is in the response to the gospel. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life” (John 3:36).

THE POWER, THE PURPOSE, AND THE PEOPLE

The gospel has power because it is God’s gospel. It has purpose because God intends to use it to bring people to salvation. It has people because God calls everyone to hear and believe. Therefore, let us never be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Let us preach the cross. Let us proclaim the resurrection. Let us call people to believe in Jesus.

The world does not need a new gospel. It needs the old gospel proclaimed with fresh conviction. It needs to hear that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He died for our sins, that He was raised from the dead, and that salvation is found in Him. The power is in the gospel. The purpose is salvation. The people are those who hear and believe.

So preach the gospel. Believe the gospel. Live the gospel. Share the gospel. Never be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, because what appears weak to the world is the mighty power of God unto salvation.

_______________

Father, thank You for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Give us courage never to be ashamed of the cross. Help us faithfully proclaim Christ, trust Your power, and call people to believe in Him. May the Gospel reach hearts that are perishing and may many turn to Christ in faith. Let our lives point people to the Savior and let everything we say and do exalt Jesus. In His precious name, Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Sunday, August 30, 2026

8:00 AM

“The Gospel Came With Power”
(1 Thessalonians 1:5)

3:30 PM

“Drawing Near With Confidence”
(Hebrews 10:19-25)

5:00 pm

“The Fellowship of Love”
(Philippians 2:1-4)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#55 KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS 8-29-26

Maybe we shouldn’t worry so much about what is behind us or what is ahead of us that we fail to see what is distracting us right now. We can become so occupied with yesterday, so concerned about tomorrow, or so consumed with what everyone else is doing that we lose sight of the One who matters most. The Christian life is not complicated at its center. Look to Jesus. Follow Jesus. Stay with Jesus.

Paul told Timothy, “Preach the word!” (2 Timothy 4:2) The answer to a distracted generation is still the Word of God. We do not need to invent a new message. We need to proclaim the old message with fresh conviction. We need to open the Scriptures, point people to Christ, and remind ourselves that heaven and earth will pass away, but the words of Christ will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

Preach the Word when people listen, and preach it when they do not. Preach it when you are applauded, and preach it when you are criticized. Preach it when the work seems fruitful, and preach it when you wonder whether anyone is paying attention. Our responsibility is not to control the results. Our responsibility is to be faithful to the message God has entrusted to us. “Be ready in season and out of season.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

And while you preach the Word, look to Jesus.

The writer of Hebrews tells us to run the race “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) There will always be something trying to take our eyes away from Him. People will disappoint us. Churches will disappoint us. Friends will disappoint us. Sometimes even our own hearts will disappoint us. But Jesus remains faithful.

If you keep staring at people, you will eventually become discouraged.

If you keep staring at yourself, you will eventually become either proud or defeated.

If you keep staring at your circumstances, you will eventually become afraid.

Look to Jesus.

He is still Lord.

He is still faithful.

He is still worthy.

He is still enough.

Walk with God.

Enoch walked with God. (Genesis 5:24) That simple statement may be one of the most beautiful descriptions ever given of a man’s life. He walked with God. He did not merely know about God. He did not merely speak about God. He walked with God.

That is what God wants from us.

Walk with Him when the road is easy.

Walk with Him when the road is hard.

Walk with Him when you understand what He is doing.

Walk with Him when you do not understand.

There is something precious about fellowship with God that cannot be replaced by activity for God. We can become so busy working for Christ that we forget to walk with Christ. We can become so busy talking about Him that we neglect talking to Him.

The Christian life is not simply doing things for God.

It is living with God.

And as you walk with God, do not spend your life looking backward.

There is a proper place for yesterday. Look back long enough to learn, but not long enough to live there.

Remember your failures so that you do not repeat them. Remember God’s faithfulness so that you do not doubt Him. Remember where you came from so that you remain grateful for where God has brought you.

But do not build your house in yesterday.

“Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” (Philippians 3:13)

Some people are prisoners of their past because they cannot forget their failures.

Others are prisoners of their past because they cannot forget their victories.

Both can become distractions.

Yesterday had its purpose, but yesterday is gone.

You cannot change it.

You cannot relive it.

You cannot repair every mistake you made.

But you can surrender it to God and walk faithfully today.

The devil would love to keep you staring at what you used to be.

Jesus is calling you to become what He wants you to be.

So stay focused on Christ.

There will always be another controversy.

Another criticism.

Another disappointment.

Another temptation.

Another distraction.

Another voice telling you to look somewhere else.

But keep your eyes on Jesus.

Peter learned how quickly we can lose our focus. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked on the water. When he began looking at the wind and the waves, he began to sink. (Matthew 14:28–31)

The wind did not suddenly become more powerful.

The waves did not suddenly become more dangerous.

Peter simply took his eyes off Jesus.

There is a lesson there for all of us.

Sometimes the circumstances have not changed as much as our focus has changed.

Look to Jesus.

Walk with God.

Preach the Word.

Learn from yesterday.

Live faithfully today.

Trust God with tomorrow.

And whatever happens around you, do not lose sight of Christ.

He is the center of our faith, the source of our strength, the object of our worship, and the hope of our future.

The world may change.

People may change.

Circumstances may change.

But Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

So keep walking.

Keep preaching.

Keep believing.

Keep praying.

Keep looking.

And above everything else, keep your eyes on Jesus.

_________________

Father, help us to keep our eyes upon Jesus. When we are tempted to live in the past, teach us to learn from it without becoming prisoners of it. When we are distracted by people and circumstances, turn our eyes back toward Christ. Help us to walk with You in daily fellowship and to remain faithful to Your Word. Give us courage to preach the truth, humility to learn from our failures, gratitude for Your faithfulness, and faith to trust You with tomorrow. May Christ remain the center of our hearts, our message, and our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#54 CHRIST AND THE CLOCK OF TIME 8-29-26

We live by clocks.

We watch the hands move across the face. We mark our lives by birthdays and anniversaries, beginnings and endings, yesterday and tomorrow. We hurry because the clock is moving. We worry because time is passing. We look backward and wish we could return. We look forward and wonder what is coming.

Time is one of the great mysteries of our existence.

But there is One who is not controlled by the clock.

Christ is the Christ before time, the Christ within time, and the Christ beyond time.

THE CHRIST BEFORE TIME

“In the beginning was the Word.” (John 1:1)

John takes us back before Bethlehem. Before there was a manger, there was Christ. Before there was a star over Bethlehem, there was glory in heaven. Before Mary carried Him in her arms, He existed with the Father.

Christ did not begin at His birth.

His earthly life began, but His existence did not.

He was with God in the beginning. He was God in the beginning. All things were made through Him. (John 1:1-3).

Think about the mystery of that truth.

The hands that were formed in Mary’s womb were the hands that formed the world. The voice that cried as an infant was the voice that spoke creation into existence. The One who lay beneath the stars in Bethlehem was the One who had hung those stars in the heavens.

He was before the clock began ticking.

Before there was a first day, there was Christ.

Before there was a first sunrise, there was Christ.

Before there was time, there was eternity.

And Christ was there.

THE CHRIST WITHIN TIME

Then something happened that angels must have wondered at.

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)

Eternity entered time.

The Creator stepped into His creation.

The One who existed before time allowed Himself to be born into time. He entered the world He had made. He walked roads He had created. He breathed the air He had fashioned. He became tired. He became hungry. He wept. He suffered.

And He did it for us.

Galatians says, “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son.” (Galatians 4:4)

Not when Rome was ready.

Not when Jerusalem was ready.

Not when humanity thought it was ready.

When the fullness of the time had come.

God’s clock was never wrong.

Jesus came at precisely the appointed time. He lived according to the Father’s will, and when His hour came, He went to Calvary. Again and again in John’s Gospel we hear about His “hour.” (John 2:4, John 7:30, John 12:23)

The cross was not a divine interruption.

It was the divine appointment.

Jesus entered time so that He could die within time, rise from the grave, and redeem people who were trapped beneath the curse of sin and death.

What a Savior.

The eternal Son became temporal flesh so that temporal sinners could receive eternal life.

THE CHRIST BEYOND TIME

But Christ did not remain in the grave.

The clock moved forward.

The stone was rolled away.

The tomb became empty.

And the One who had entered time through Bethlehem conquered death within time through the resurrection.

Now He reigns in glory.

And one day, when our clocks have stopped and our calendars have ended, Christ will still be Christ.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Yesterday cannot change Him.

Today cannot surprise Him.

Tomorrow cannot threaten Him.

Time changes us, but time does not change Christ.

We grow older.

He does not.

Our strength fades.

His strength does not.

Our circumstances change.

His promises do not.

Our earthly homes disappear.

He is preparing an eternal home for His people. (John 14:2–3)

This is why the Christian does not have to fear tomorrow.

Tomorrow is already in the hands of Christ.

We do not know what the next hour will bring. We do not know what the next year will hold. We do not know how many pages remain in the story of our earthly lives.

But we know the Author.

And that is enough.

The clock may be ticking, but Christ is reigning.

The years may be passing, but Christ remains.

Our bodies may grow weak, but Christ is our life.

And someday our final earthly hour will come.

For the believer, that hour will not be the end.

It will be the doorway.

The clock will stop, but eternity will begin.

And there we will discover that the Christ who was with us in our first hour is the Christ who will welcome us into our eternal home.

So do not spend your life merely watching the clock.

Watch Christ.

Do not let yesterday enslave you.

Christ is there.

Do not let today overwhelm you.

Christ is here.

Do not let tomorrow frighten you.

Christ is already there.

He was there before your first breath.

He is with you in every breath you take.

And He will be there when you breathe your last.

Christ before time.
Christ within time.
Christ beyond time.

The clock belongs to Him.

The ages belong to Him.

And if you belong to Christ, then your life is safely held in the hands of the One who holds eternity itself.

________________

Lord Jesus, You were before time, You entered time for us, and You reign beyond time. Help us not to be imprisoned by yesterday, overwhelmed by today, or frightened by tomorrow. Teach us to trust You with every moment You give us. When our days seem short, remind us that eternity is long. When our lives seem uncertain, remind us that You never change. And when our earthly clock finally stops, may we find ourselves safely in Your presence, where time shall be no more. Amen.

BDD

#53 CHRIST THE WORD OF GOD 8-29-26

John begins his Gospel by taking us farther back than Bethlehem. Before there was a manger, there was the Word. Before Mary held Him in her arms, He was with God. Before the angels sang over His birth, He was already the eternal Son. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Christ is the Word of God. He is God’s perfect expression, God’s eternal message, God’s living revelation. When God wanted humanity to know what He is like, He did not merely send another prophet with another message. He sent His Son. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)

HE REVEALS GOD

We cannot climb our way into heaven and discover God by human wisdom. We need God to reveal Himself to us. And that is precisely what Christ came to do.

John says that “no one has seen God at any time,” but the Son has declared Him. (John 1:18) Christ came to make the invisible God known.

Philip once said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus answered, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:8–9)

Look at Christ, and you see the compassion of God. Look at Christ welcoming sinners, and you see the mercy of God. Look at Christ confronting hypocrisy, and you see the holiness of God. Look at Christ weeping at the grave of Lazarus, and you see the tenderness of God. Look at Christ on Calvary, and you see the love of God.

Jesus did not merely talk about God.

Jesus revealed God.

HE REFLECTS GOD

Christ does not give us a distorted picture of the Father. He perfectly reflects Him.

Paul calls Christ “the image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:15) The writer of Hebrews says that He is “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.” (Hebrews 1:3)

A reflection reveals what is before it. Christ’s character, His holiness, His love, His righteousness, His mercy, His authority, and His compassion all declare the character of God.

There is no conflict between the God of the Old Testament and the Christ of the New Testament. The same holy God who judged sin is revealed in Christ. The same merciful God who called sinners to repentance is revealed in Christ. The same God who promised redemption is revealed in Christ.

Christ is not less than God.

Christ is not merely similar to God.

Christ is the perfect revelation of God.

If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus.

HE REACHES GOD

And then Christ does something that we could never do ourselves. He brings us to God.

Sin separated us from God. Our righteousness could never bridge that separation. Our religion could never climb high enough. Our works could never pay the debt. Our wisdom could never discover the way home.

But the Word became flesh.

The eternal Son entered our world. He took upon Himself humanity. He walked our roads, bore our sorrows, endured our temptations, suffered our rejection, and finally gave Himself upon the cross.

Peter said that Christ “suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)

There it is.

That He might bring us to God.

Christ reveals God to us, reflects God before us, and brings us to God.

He stands as the bridge between the holy God and sinful humanity. He is the Mediator between God and men. (1 Timothy 2:5) Through Him we have access to the Father. (Ephesians 2:18)

The Word who was with God came to where we were so that those who believe could be brought to where He is.

That is grace.

The One who came from heaven came looking for sinners on earth. The One who reveals the Father became our Redeemer. The One who shares the glory of God humbled Himself to the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6–8)

So do not merely admire Christ.

Come to Christ.

Do not merely study His words.

Believe His words.

Do not merely acknowledge that He reveals God.

Receive the God He reveals.

Christ is the Word of God.

He reveals God.

He reflects God.

He reaches us to God.

And when we come to Christ, we have not merely found a teacher. We have found the One who was in the beginning, the One through whom all things were made, the One in whom life is found, and the One through whom sinners can come home to God.

The Word became flesh.

The Word dwelt among us.

The Word went to the cross.

The Word rose from the grave.

And the Word is still calling sinners to Himself.

Christ is God’s message to a world that needs to hear Him.

__________________

Father, thank You for giving us Your Son, the eternal Word. Thank You that in Christ we can see Your character, know Your heart, and come into Your presence. Help us to look to Jesus when we want to understand You. Help us to trust Jesus when we are burdened by sin. Help us to follow Jesus when we do not know which way to go. And may our lives reflect the Christ who has revealed You to us and brought us near to You. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

BDD

#52 CHRIST—THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE 8-29-26

These words of Christ seem to gather all of heaven into one sentence. When Martha stood weeping at the grave of her brother Lazarus, Jesus did not merely tell her that a resurrection was coming. He did not simply promise that death would someday be defeated. He looked into the face of a grieving woman and declared, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)

Notice the words. He did not say, “I can give you resurrection.” He said, “I am the resurrection.” He did not say, “I can point you toward life.” He said, “I am the life.” Resurrection is not merely an event. Life is not merely a gift. Both are found in a Person, and that Person is Jesus Christ.

THE PRICE HE PAID

Before Christ could come forth from the tomb, He had to go into it. Before there could be an empty grave, there had to be a bloody cross. The resurrection morning cannot be understood apart from Calvary.

Jesus did not purchase our redemption with silver or gold. He purchased it with His precious blood. (1 Peter 1:18–19) He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. (1 Peter 2:24) He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:5)

What a price!

The hands that had touched the sick were pierced. The feet that had walked the dusty roads of Galilee were nailed to the cross. The brow that deserved a crown was crowned with thorns. The One who spoke worlds into existence allowed Himself to be mocked by the very creatures He had made.

And why?

For us.

The cross was not an accident. It was not a tragedy that God failed to prevent. It was the great purpose of redemption being accomplished through the willing sacrifice of the Son. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3–4)

The price was paid in full.

THE PROMISE HE MADE

But Jesus did not leave His disciples with a dead Savior and a sealed tomb. He made a promise that death itself could not cancel.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” (John 11:25)

What a promise!

Christ does not merely promise life after death. He promises Himself. He is our life now, and He is our hope beyond the grave. The believer may enter the valley, but Christ is there. The believer may face the grave, but Christ is there. The believer may close his eyes in death, but Christ remains the resurrection and the life.

Death may take the body, but it cannot take Christ.

The grave may receive the believer, but it cannot hold what belongs to Christ forever.

That is why Paul could write, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

The Christian’s hope is not wishful thinking. Our hope rests upon an empty tomb.

The grave of Jesus is different from every other grave. Other graves contain people who are waiting for resurrection. His grave became empty because He Himself is the resurrection.

THE PLACE HE STAYED

There is something else that ought to capture our hearts. Jesus was not raised merely to walk out of a tomb and return to ordinary earthly life. Lazarus was raised and eventually died again. Christ rose never to die again. He conquered death permanently. Death no longer has dominion over Him. (Romans 6:9)

And after His resurrection, He ascended into heaven.

The One who was laid in a borrowed tomb now reigns upon the throne of heaven.

The One who was rejected by men is exalted by God.

The One who wore a crown of thorns now wears glory.

The One whose hands were nailed to a cross now intercedes for His people. (Hebrews 7:25)

Where is Christ now?

He is not in the tomb.

He is not hanging upon the cross.

He is at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)

And He has gone to prepare a place for His own. “I go to prepare a place for you,” He told His disciples. (John 14:2)

Think about that.

He paid the price.

He made the promise.

He prepared the place.

And because He lives, those who belong to Him have hope.

The resurrection is therefore more than an empty tomb. It is heaven’s declaration that the sacrifice of Christ was accepted, the power of sin was broken, and death had been defeated. The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out, but so that the world could see that He was already gone.

The tomb could not hold Him.

Death could not conquer Him.

The grave could not keep Him.

And because He lives, there is hope for every sinner who comes to Him in faith.

Martha thought Jesus was talking about something that would happen someday. Jesus showed her that resurrection was standing right in front of her.

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

That is still the answer.

Not merely resurrection.

Not merely life.

Christ.

Christ is our resurrection.

Christ is our life.

Christ is our hope.

Christ is our home.

And when our journey through this world is finished, we will discover that the One who met us at the beginning of faith is the same One who will meet us at the end of the road.

The price He paid was sufficient.
The promise He made is certain.
The place He stayed is prepared.

And the Savior who rose from the grave will one day raise all who belong to Him.

Hallelujah.

___________________

Lord Jesus, thank You that You are not merely the giver of resurrection and life. You are the Resurrection and the Life. Thank You for the price You paid at Calvary, for the promise You made to those who believe, and for the place You have prepared for Your people. Teach us to look beyond the grave and see Your glory. Amen.

BDD

#51 WHEN NUMBERS BECOME A SUBSTITUTE FOR GOD 8-29-26

There is nothing inherently wrong with counting. God Himself commanded Israel to number the people on more than one occasion. A census was not automatically a sin. The problem with David’s numbering of Israel was not the counting. The problem was the heart behind the counting. David had begun looking at the strength of Israel instead of resting in the strength of God. (2 Samuel 24:1; 1 Chronicles 21:1)

1 Chronicles tells us that Satan stood against Israel and moved David to number Israel. (1 Chronicles 21:1) 2 Samuel tells us that the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. (2 Samuel 24:1). Whatever the mysterious workings of God’s providence behind the event, David was still responsible for his decision. He wanted to know how many fighting men he had. He wanted to measure his military strength. He wanted to count what was in his hand.

But David had spent his entire life learning that victory does not come from numbers. Victory comes from God.

David knew that lesson better than almost anyone. He had stood before Goliath when the odds were completely against him. He did not defeat Goliath because he had a larger army. He did not have better weapons. He had faith in God. The shepherd boy had learned that one person with God is never outnumbered. Yet now, after becoming king, David was tempted to measure his security by the size of his army.

That is how easily we can drift.

We can begin by thanking God for what He has given us, and eventually begin trusting what He has given us. We can thank God for our resources and then start depending upon our resources. We can thank God for people and then begin trusting people. We can thank God for a ministry and then begin trusting the ministry. We can thank God for a church and then begin trusting the numbers in the church.

There is nothing wrong with numbers. But numbers make a terrible god.

David’s servant Joab apparently recognized that something was wrong and questioned the king’s command. (2 Samuel 24:3) But David insisted. The census was completed, and afterward David’s heart condemned him. He said, “I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing.” (2 Samuel 24:10)

David finally saw what had happened. He had allowed something good to become something dangerous. The army was not the problem. The number of soldiers was not the problem. The problem was that David had begun to find confidence in what he could count instead of confidence in the God whom he could trust.

David himself had once declared, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7) That is the great lesson of the census. We must never allow the things we can see to replace the God we cannot see.

We count money. We count possessions. We count followers. We count accomplishments. We count attendance. We count opportunities. We count everything that can be measured. But God is reminding us that the most important things cannot always be counted.

Faith cannot be counted on a spreadsheet.

Love cannot be measured with a ruler.

Obedience cannot be reduced to statistics.

And the power of God cannot be determined by the size of our numbers.

David had an army, but he needed God. David had a kingdom, but he needed God. David had wealth, influence, experience, and authority, but he still needed God.

And so do we.

Never let the size of what you possess become the measure of your security. Never let the number of people around you become the measure of your significance. Never let your resources become the foundation of your confidence.

Count your blessings, but trust the Blesser.

Count what God has given you, but never forget the God who gave it.

Count the people, but love the people.

Count the opportunities, but depend upon the Lord.

And when everything that can be counted is stripped away, remember that if you still have God, you still have everything you truly need.

________________

Father, forgive us when we trust Your gifts more than we trust You. Help us never to measure our strength by our numbers, our resources, our possessions, or our accomplishments. Teach us to remember that our confidence is not in chariots or horses, people or possessions, but in the name of the LORD our God. Give us the heart of David when he was at his best, a heart that knows that apart from You we have nothing and that with You we have everything we need. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Saturday, August 29, 2026

10:00 AM

“The Wheat and the Straw”
(Matthew 3:12)

2:00 PM

“Established in Christ”
(2 Corinthians 1:20-21)

4:00 pm

“Shadows and Substance”
(Hebrews 10:1-4)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST