#134 WHEN RELIGION BECOMES A BURDEN 9-14-26

Legalism quietly changes the center of Christianity. Instead of looking to Jesus and His finished work on the cross, we begin looking at ourselves—our performance, our rules, our record, and whether we have done enough. Grace says, “Look to Christ.” Legalism says, “Look at yourself.” One produces faith, gratitude, and freedom; the other produces fear, pride, comparison, and exhaustion.

BURDEN

Legalism places a burden upon human beings that human effort can never carry. If righteousness comes through perfect rule-keeping, then perfection is required. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse” (Galatians 3:10). James makes the problem even clearer: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). The problem is not that obedience is unimportant. The problem is thinking that our obedience can become the basis of our acceptance before God. We cannot build our righteousness upon our performance because our performance is never perfect. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23).

BONDAGE

Jesus did not die to move us from bondage under one religious system into bondage under another. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free” (Galatians 5:1). Paul warned believers not to return to regulations that were based upon human commands and teachings (Colossians 2:20-22). Christianity is not a prison constructed out of endless religious restrictions. We have been brought into a relationship with Christ. We obey Him because we love Him, not because we are trying to purchase the righteousness He freely gives. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14).

And grace does not become grace when we add enough works to it. Grace is grace precisely because it is God’s gift. “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace” (Romans 11:6). Paul went so far as to say, “If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain” (Galatians 2:21). Our obedience matters deeply, but obedience is the fruit of salvation, not the price we pay to make Christ save us. We do not obey in order to make Jesus love us. We obey because Jesus already loves us.

BLESSING

The blessing of the gospel is that Jesus does what legalism can never do: He reaches the heart. External regulations may change behavior for a while, but they cannot transform the human spirit. Paul said that man-made regulations have “an appearance of wisdom” but are ultimately “of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:23). Jesus said that religious people could honor God with their lips while their hearts remained far from Him, because they were teaching “the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8-9). God is not merely interested in making us look religious. He wants to make us new.

That is why the invitation of Jesus is so beautiful: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus does not call the weary to another ladder they must climb to reach heaven. He calls them to Himself. He does not say, “Work harder until you are worthy.” He says, “Come to Me.” His yoke is easy, and His burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).

The gospel does not produce careless Christians. Grace produces grateful Christians. When we understand what Jesus has done, obedience becomes an expression of love rather than an attempt to earn acceptance. We serve because we have been saved. We obey because we love Him. We pursue holiness because He has given us new life. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Never trade the freedom of Christ for the slavery of religious performance. Never move the cross out of the center and put yourself there. Your hope is not that you have finally done enough. Your hope is that Jesus has already done what you could never do. “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). We stand in grace. We walk by faith. We rest in Christ. And that is not bondage—it is the blessing of the gospel.

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Lord Jesus, keep me from trusting in myself, my performance, or my religious accomplishments. Teach me to rest in Your finished work, walk by faith, love You sincerely, and obey You gratefully. Let Your grace transform my heart rather than merely changing my outward behavior. Amen.

BDD

#133 STANDING WHERE GRACE HAS PUT YOU 9-14-26

It is stabilizing to know where you stand. The Christian life is not a life of constantly wondering whether God will accept us tomorrow. Through Jesus Christ, we have been brought into a position of grace. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand” (Romans 5:1-2). We stand in grace. We walk by faith. And we sit in heavenly places with Christ. Our circumstances may change, our emotions may fluctuate, and our earthly situation may be uncertain—but our position in Christ is secure (Ephesians 2:4-6; Colossians 3:1-3).

Think about that word stand. Paul did not say that we occasionally visit grace. He said we stand in it. Grace is not a temporary shelter for the spiritually successful; it is the ground beneath the feet of those who have trusted Christ. When we stumble, grace is there. When we fail, grace calls us back. When we are weak, grace supplies strength. When we are accused, grace reminds us that there is “no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). We are not standing on our record. We are standing on His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9).

Then the Bible says we walk by faith. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith means I do not have to see everything to trust the One who does. Abraham went out “not knowing where he was going” because he trusted God (Hebrews 11:8). Moses endured “as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). Faith does not deny the storm; faith remembers who is in the boat (Mark 4:37-41). Faith does not pretend the mountain is small; faith remembers that God is greater than the mountain (Matthew 17:20; Jeremiah 32:17).

And then comes one of the most astonishing truths in all the Bible: we sit with Christ in heavenly places. God “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). Notice the position. We are not merely struggling underneath everything that happens to us. In Christ, we have been given a higher position—a heavenly perspective.. “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above” (Colossians 3:1). We can look at earth from heaven’s perspective because our life is now “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

That changes the way we face tomorrow. I can stand because grace is holding me. I can walk because faith is leading me. I can sit because Christ has already accomplished what I could never accomplish for myself. Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The work of redemption does not begin every morning because I have to earn it again. I wake up every morning already loved, already invited, already accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6-7; Romans 8:32-39).

So when Satan reminds you of your past, remember where you stand. When fear tells you that you cannot make it, remember where you stand. When failure whispers that God is finished with you, remember where you stand. “Having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free” (Galatians 5:1). “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Your confidence is not in your ability to hold yourself up. Your confidence is in the God who is able to keep you from falling (Jude 24; 2 Timothy 1:12).

You do not have to live today trying to become someone God might someday accept. In Christ, you have already been brought near (Ephesians 2:13). You have peace with God (Romans 5:1). You have access to grace (Romans 5:2). You have been made alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5). You have been raised with Him (Colossians 2:12-13). You are seated with Him (Ephesians 2:6). Now live from that position. Stand in grace. Walk by faith. Set your mind on things above. The ground beneath you is grace, the road before you is faith, and the destination of your heart is Christ (Romans 5:2; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Colossians 3:1-4).

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Father, thank You that my standing does not depend upon my perfection but upon Your grace. Teach me to walk by faith when I cannot see, to stand when life shakes me, and to keep my heart fixed on Christ and the things above. Let me live today from the security of knowing that I am Yours. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#132 WHEN GOD SPEAKS 9-13-26

There is a great difference between listening to God and trying to figure out what God must have meant. For generations, restoration churches have often approached the Bible through a three-part system: commands, approved examples, and necessary inferences. But where did God give us that three-part formula? Where does the Bible say that everything God requires must be discovered through commands, examples, and deductions? The Bible tells us to listen to God, believe God, obey God, and walk by faith (John 10:27; John 14:15; Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6). It does not give us a mathematical system by which human beings determine what God supposedly requires.

WHEN GOD WANTS US TO KNOW SOMETHING, GOD SPEAKS. “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1). He spoke through prophets. He spoke through His Son (Hebrews 1:2). He speaks through the word that has been given to us (John 12:48; 2 Timothy 3:16–17). God is perfectly capable of communicating His will. “The entirety of Your word is truth” (Psalm 119:160). “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).

God speaks in PRINCIPLES. He tells us to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:39), to do good to everyone (Galatians 6:10), to care for the poor (James 1:27; 1 John 3:17–18), to forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13), and to make disciples (Matthew 28:19–20). These truths are not merely isolated commands waiting for us to connect the dots. They reveal the heart and character of God. Jesus taught us that the greatest commandments are love for God and love for our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). Paul said, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).

God also speaks in PROMISES. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). “Whoever comes to Me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). Christianity is not merely a system of commands to decipher. It is a relationship of faith with a God who has spoken, loved, promised, redeemed, and called us to Himself (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

And God speaks with POWER. “The word of God is living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12). “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void” (Isaiah 55:11). We don’t have to improve God’s communication by constructing elaborate chains of human reasoning. We don’t need to turn every historical detail into a binding law. We don’t need to make an example a universal command. We don’t need to decide that something is “necessary” simply because we have reasoned that it must be.

That raises an important question: WHO DECIDES WHAT IS NECESSARY? If God says it is necessary, then it is necessary. But if I reason that it must be necessary, I need to be honest enough to call it my conclusion, not God’s command. There is a difference between biblical wisdom and divine legislation. “For who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” (1 Corinthians 2:16). “Who are you to judge another’s servant?” (Romans 14:4). We should be very careful when we take something God has not explicitly required and place it upon another person’s conscience as though God Himself had spoken.

Jesus repeatedly confronted religious systems that turned human conclusions into divine requirements. “You have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition” (Matthew 15:6). He condemned those who were “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9). Paul likewise warned against allowing human regulations and “self-imposed religion” to become spiritual law (Colossians 2:20-23). The danger is not only adding to God’s word; the danger is making our interpretation of God’s word carry the same authority as God’s word itself (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18–19).

So let us return to something simpler and more beautiful: WHEN GOD SPEAKS, WE LISTEN. WHEN GOD PROMISES, WE TRUST. WHEN GOD COMMANDS, WE OBEY. WHEN GOD REVEALS A PRINCIPLE, WE LIVE BY IT. AND WHEN GOD HAS NOT SPOKEN, WE DO NOT PRETEND THAT HE HAS. “Let God be true but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). Our faith does not rest upon how cleverly we can construct an argument. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

The Bible is not a puzzle designed to see how many conclusions we can force from it. It is God’s revelation of Himself and His redemptive work in Christ (Luke 24:27; John 5:39-40; 2 Timothy 3:15). WE DON’T NEED TO MAKE GOD SPEAK. WE NEED TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS ALREADY SAID. And when we do that, we discover that His voice is sufficient, His promises are trustworthy, His grace is abundant, and His Son is enough (John 1:14; John 1:16-17; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:10).

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Father, teach me to hear Your voice without filtering Your word through human traditions and systems. Give me the humility to distinguish between what You have actually said and what people have concluded You must have said. Help me trust Your word, rest in Your promises, obey Your commands, and live according to the principles You have revealed. Above all, help me keep my eyes upon Jesus, in whom all Your promises find their Amen.

BDD

#131 PRIDE 9-14-26

Pride is dangerous because it rarely announces itself. It quietly grows in the heart until we begin to trust ourselves more than we trust God. We start thinking we know better, can handle things ourselves, or deserve more than we have received. But Proverbs 16:18 warns, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Pride always overestimates itself and underestimates the danger ahead.

The PRIDE comes first, but the PERIL follows. Pride makes us careless. It can cause us to ignore correction, resist wisdom, refuse repentance, and forget how dependent we really are upon God. “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). That is a sobering thought. We do not want to position ourselves against the God who loves us.

But there is a PROMISE for the humble. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10). God does not humiliate the person who humbles himself before Him. He lifts him. He strengthens him. He restores him. He gives grace where pride once stood.

Jesus Himself is our perfect example. Though He was Lord of glory, He “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death—even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). If the Son of God was willing to humble Himself, surely I can lay down my pride.

So today, let us examine our hearts. Where pride has taken root, let humility take its place. Where self-confidence has replaced dependence upon God, let faith return. Pride promises greatness but leads toward a fall. Humility may seem like a low road, but it is the road upon which God gives grace.

PRIDE brings PERIL, but humility brings the PROMISE of God’s grace.

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Lord, search my heart and show me where pride has taken root. Help me to humble myself before You, trust Your wisdom, receive Your correction, and follow the example of Jesus. Keep me from the fall that pride brings, and teach me to walk humbly with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Monday, September 14, 2026

5:30 AM

“What Are You Doing With Your Mind?”

(Colossians 3:1-4)

8:00 AM

“The One Thing You Must Do”

(John 6:28-29)

10:00 AM

“When Jesus Is All You Have”

(2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

12:00 Noon

“The Writing On the Wall”

(Daniel 5:1-31)

2:00 PM

“When God Calls Your Name”

(1 Samuel 3:1-10)

4:00 pm

“Why You Should Believe the Bible”

(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#130 PEACE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD 9-13-26

Life will give us plenty of reasons to be anxious, afraid, and unsettled. But the child of God has something the world cannot manufacture: peace. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you” (John 14:27). Notice that He did not promise a life without trouble. He promised His presence in the middle of trouble. Sometimes peace does not come because the storm has stopped; peace comes because we have learned where to stand while the storm is raging.

POSITION. Peace begins with our position in Christ. We need to stop trying to carry what God never asked us to carry and start resting in the One who can carry it for us. “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). When we place ourselves in the hands of God, we are in the safest position in the universe. Our circumstances may be uncertain, but our position in Christ can be secure.

PEACE. When our position is right, peace can guard our hearts. Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). And then comes the promise: “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). God’s peace does not always make sense to the world. It is the quiet confidence that says, “I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds me.”

PRAISE. One of the greatest expressions of faith is praising God before we see the answer. Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned, yet “at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:25). Their circumstances had not changed, but their hearts had. Praise reminds us that God is still God when life is not going our way. When we praise Him in the darkness, we are declaring that He is worthy even before the morning comes.

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Lord, help us find our position in You, rest in Your peace, and respond with praise. When life is uncertain, make us confident. When we are afraid, make us faithful. When we cannot understand what You are doing, help us trust who You are. Teach us to stand firmly in Christ, rest quietly in Your presence, and praise You in every circumstance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#129 WHEN GOD SEEMS SILENT 9-13-26

There are times when God seems silent. You pray, but you don’t seem to hear an answer. You ask for direction, but the road ahead remains unclear. You cry out, but heaven seems quiet. But the silence of God does not mean the absence of God. Sometimes God is doing His deepest work when we cannot see or hear what He is doing.

Consider Job. He lost almost everything, and there were long stretches when he could not understand what was happening. He cried, “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him” (Job 23:3). But even when Job could not find God, God knew exactly where Job was. Job eventually declared, “He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

Sometimes God is teaching us to TRUST WITHOUT SEEING. Faith does not require that we understand everything. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). If God explained every detail before we obeyed Him, we would be walking by explanation rather than faith.

Sometimes the silence is teaching us to WAIT. We live in a world that wants everything immediately, but God is not governed by our timetable. “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (Psalm 27:14). Waiting is not wasted time when we are waiting on God.

And sometimes God seems silent because He has already spoken. We may be asking for a new word while neglecting the word He has already given us. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we know the One who holds tomorrow.

So if God seems silent today, don’t assume He has forgotten you. Keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep walking. Keep obeying. The shepherd does not abandon the sheep simply because the sheep cannot see him. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

You may not see what God is doing. You may not understand why He is allowing it. You may not know when the answer will come. But you can still know who He is. And sometimes that is exactly what faith is: trusting the heart of God when you cannot trace the hand of God.

BDD

#128 THE WONDERFUL LOVE OF JESUS 9-13-26

It is difficult to describe the love of Jesus because human language seems too small for such a great love. We can talk about it, sing about it, preach about it, and write about it, but we will never exhaust it. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Before we ever thought about loving Jesus, Jesus was already loving us.

His love is a SEARCHING LOVE. He came looking for us when we were lost. Like the shepherd who went after the one wandering sheep, Jesus came into this world “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). He did not wait for us to find our way back to God. He came looking for us. The Cross was not an accident. It was the destination of a Savior who deliberately came to rescue sinners.

His love is a SACRIFICING LOVE. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus did more than speak about love—He demonstrated it. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He knew what we were, He knew what we had done, and He still went to the Cross.

His love is a STEADFAST LOVE. Human love can change. People can love us today and walk away tomorrow. But Jesus does not love us according to the changing weather of our emotions or circumstances. John wrote that Jesus, “having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1). His love does not disappear when life becomes difficult. His hand does not let go simply because we stumble.

And His love is a SAVING LOVE. Jesus did not come merely to make us feel better about ourselves. He came to save us from our sins. He came to bring us back to God. He came to give us life. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). What a wonderful thought: the One who loved us enough to die for us loves us enough to call us to follow Him.

So think about Jesus today. Think about His compassion. Think about His patience. Think about His Cross. Think about the empty tomb. Think about the fact that the Son of God loved you enough to give Himself for you. “The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). That is personal. That is powerful. That is wonderful.

There are many things we may never understand in this life. But we can know this: Jesus loves us. And when everything else is stripped away, that truth remains. His love is deeper than our failures, stronger than our fears, greater than our past, and sufficient for our future.

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Lord Jesus, help us never to take Your love for granted. Let the wonder of Your Cross soften our hearts, strengthen our faith, and move us to love You in return. Amen.

BDD

#127 THINK ABOUT JESUS 9-13-26

Being willing to live for Jesus means being willing to walk with Jesus. We cannot truly follow someone we never think about. We cannot obey Him while keeping our minds somewhere else. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15), and John reminds us that “he who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6). To obey Him, I must depend upon Him. To be fruitful for Him, I must cling to Him, rely upon Him, and keep my mind fixed upon Him. Jesus said plainly, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Fruitfulness begins with abiding.

So how do we abide in Christ? Think about Jesus. Make a conscious decision to put Him into your mind and keep Him there. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). “Whatever things are true…noble…just…pure…lovely…of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8). What could be more true, noble, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy than Jesus Christ? “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Hebrews 12:3). Think about Christ.

THINK ABOUT CHRIST. The man. Think about the person who walked among us. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). He lived and breathed. He became tired. He became thirsty. He sat weary beside Jacob’s well and said, “Give Me a drink” (John 4:6-7). He became so exhausted that He was asleep in a boat while a storm raged around Him (Mark 4:37-38). He knows what it is to experience the weakness of human existence, yet He was without sin. “We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Think about the One who is truly God and truly man, the One who came near enough to understand our tears, our weariness, our temptations, and our pain.

THINK ABOUT THE CROSS. Christ did not merely come to teach us how to live; He came to give His life for us. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Peter says we were “redeemed with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19). When we think about the Cross, we remember the terrible cost of our redemption and the immeasurable love of our Redeemer. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Paul could not get away from that thought: “The love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Think about the Cross until gratitude becomes obedience.

THINK ABOUT HIS CALL. Jesus still calls us to follow Him. “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19). He calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him (Luke 9:23). He calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). He calls us to love one another (John 13:34-35). He calls us to make disciples and take His message into the world (Matthew 28:19-20). The greatest cause in the world is the cause of Christ. There is nothing higher than living for Him, nothing greater than loving Him, and nothing more important than helping others know Him.

And if we are going to answer His call, we must abide in Him. Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you” (John 15:4). He did not say that we could bear fruit by ourselves. He said, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5). The branch does not struggle to produce fruit by independent strength; it remains connected to the vine. So we cling to Christ. We rely upon Christ. We pray to Christ. We listen to His word. We think about Christ. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). And as Christ becomes the continual focus of our hearts, His life begins to show itself in ours.

Think about Jesus when you wake up. Think about Him when you are tired. Think about Him when you are tempted. Think about Him when you are discouraged. Think about His life. Think about His Cross. Think about His resurrection. Think about His promises. Think about His call. “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). He is not simply part of life. He is what life is about. “For to me, to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). If we keep looking at Jesus, we will keep walking with Jesus. If we keep abiding in Jesus, we will bear fruit for Jesus. And if we keep our hearts fixed on Him, we will discover that He truly is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

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Lord Jesus, help me to think about You. When my mind wanders, bring it back to You. When I am weary, remind me of Your humanity and Your compassion. When I am guilty, remind me of Your Cross and Your precious blood. When I am tempted, remind me that You understand my weakness. When I am discouraged, remind me of Your promises. Teach me to abide in You, depend upon You, obey You, and bear fruit for You. Let my thoughts become more Christ-centered, my heart more Christlike, and my life more completely Yours. May I never forget that without You I can do nothing, Amen.

BDD

#126 FAITH HAS AN OBJECTIVE 9-13-26

Faith is more than believing that God exists. Faith is more than believing certain facts about Jesus. Faith has an object, and the object of our faith is Jesus Christ. We look to Him, trust Him, depend upon Him, and follow Him. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Faith thinks about its object. What we believe about Jesus determines how we live for Jesus.

THE OBJECT OF FAITH IS JESUS. Faith must have somewhere to look. We cannot have biblical faith without having Christ at the center of it. He is not merely the subject of our preaching; He is the object of our trust. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith says, “I may not see everything, but I know the One who holds everything.” When life becomes uncertain, faith looks to Jesus. When the future is unclear, faith looks to Jesus. When our own strength fails, faith looks to Jesus.

THE OBJECTIVE OF FAITH IS LIVING FOR JESUS. If I truly trust Christ, that trust will eventually show itself in the way I live. Faith does not merely look toward Jesus on Sunday and then turn away from Him on Monday. “For to me, to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). Faith changes our priorities, our choices, our relationships, our words, and our direction. We do not live for Christ in order to make Him worthy of our faith; we live for Christ because He has become the object of our faith. “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20).

And this is where faith becomes more than an idea. Faith thinks, faith trusts, and faith follows. Faith sees Christ as Lord and therefore wants to live under His lordship. Faith sees Christ as Savior and therefore wants to remain near the Savior. Faith sees Christ as worthy and therefore counts everything else as secondary. “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Obedience is not a substitute for faith; it is one of the ways living faith reveals itself.

THE OUTCOME OF FAITH IS SALVATION. We are not saved by believing in our own goodness. We are not saved by trusting in our religious accomplishments. We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Faith reaches out with empty hands and receives what only Christ can provide. “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).

So where is your faith looking today? If it is looking at yourself, you will eventually become discouraged. If it is looking at people, you will eventually become disappointed. If it is looking at circumstances, you will eventually become afraid. But if your faith is looking at Jesus, you have found a sure foundation. The object of faith is Jesus. The objective of faith is living for Jesus. The outcome of faith is salvation through Jesus. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

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Lord Jesus, teach me to look to You with a sincere and steadfast faith. Help me not merely to believe in You with my mind, but to trust You with my life. Let my faith shape my choices, my priorities, my words, and my walk. When I am afraid, help me look to You. When I am weak, help me depend upon You. And when I am tempted to trust myself, remind me that salvation belongs to You. May the faith I profess be seen in the life I live. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Sunday, September 13, 2026

2:00 PM

“Delight Yourself in the Lord”

(Psalm 37:4)

5:00 pm

“Your Faith Matters…A Lot”

(1 Peter 1:9)

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All times CST

#125 SUNDOWN 9-12-26

Thinking about sundown might make us slow down. The noise of the day begins to quiet. The work is finished. The light begins to fade. And for a moment, we have an opportunity to look back over the day and remember that we did not walk through it alone. “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

REFLECT. Sundown is a good time to reflect on the day God has given us. What did we do well? Where did we fail? Who did we encourage? Who did we hurt? Did we speak words of grace? Did we make time for God? “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Every day is a gift, and every sunset reminds us that one more day has passed that we will never get back.

But reflection should not become regret. We can look honestly at our failures without allowing our failures to define us. If we have sinned, we can confess it. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We can learn from yesterday without living in yesterday.

REST. When the sun goes down, there are things we have to leave unfinished. Some problems cannot be solved tonight. Some questions will have to wait until morning. Some burdens are simply too heavy for us to carry into bed. So we give them to God. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you” (Psalm 55:22). Rest is an act of faith. It says, “I have done what I could today, and now I trust You with what I cannot do.”

REJOICE. The sun may be going down, but God has not gone anywhere. His goodness did not disappear with the daylight. His promises did not grow dim with the evening sky. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23). There will be another morning because God is still faithful.

So when sundown comes, pause for a moment. Reflect on His goodness. Rest in His grace. Rejoice in His faithfulness. The day is ending, but God’s care for you is not. And if He gives you another morning, rise with gratitude and walk with Him again.

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Lord, thank You for this day. Help me to learn from it, release its burdens, and rest in Your grace. Let me go to sleep tonight with a grateful heart, trusting You with tomorrow. Amen.

BDD

#124 WHAT IS NEEDED 9-12-21

The lost need saving. The hurting need help. The righteous need encouragement.

Jesus did not come to make good people better. He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). There are people all around us who are wandering in darkness, carrying guilt, confusion, addiction, bitterness, and brokenness. They may look fine on the outside, but their souls are starving. We must never become so comfortable in the church that we forget the people who are still searching for their way home.

The hurting need help. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Sometimes people do not need another lecture. They need somebody to sit beside them. They need somebody to listen. They need a phone call, a meal, a prayer, a hand on the shoulder, or simply someone who will not walk away when life gets hard. Jesus saw hurting people, and He had compassion on them (Matthew 9:36).

The righteous need encouragement. Even faithful people can become weary. Even strong Christians can have difficult days. Hebrews 10:24–25 tells us to consider one another “in order to stir up love and good works,” and not to forsake assembling together. Sometimes the person encouraging everybody else needs somebody to encourage them. “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

That is what the church ought to be—a place where the lost can hear the gospel, the broken can find compassion, and the faithful can find strength. We should not merely ask, “Who is coming to church?” We should ask, “Who needs Christ? Who is hurting? Who is discouraged? Who can I help today?”

There is somebody who needs saving. Somebody needs help. Somebody needs encouragement. And God may have placed us in their path for that very reason. “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all” (Galatians 6:10).

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Lord, make us people who notice the lost, help the hurting, and encourage the faithful. Give us eyes to see, hearts to care, and courage to act. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#123 THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST 9-12-26

Jesus is coming again. His first coming was in humility, when He came as a baby in Bethlehem and ultimately gave Himself for our sins. His second coming will be different. He will come in glory, and every eye will see Him. Jesus Himself promised, “I will come again and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3). The Christian does not follow a dead Savior who once lived. We follow a risen Savior who is coming again.

THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING

We have the promise of Christ Himself: “I will come again” (John 14:3). The return of Jesus is not wishful thinking or religious speculation. It is a promise made by the Lord. The angels declared that Jesus would come again (Acts 1:11), and Paul proclaimed that “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Heaven has received Him, but heaven will not keep Him forever.

THE PURPOSE OF HIS COMING

Christ is coming to accomplish the final purposes of God. Jesus said that the dead will hear His voice and come forth—some to the resurrection of life and others to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28-29). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). His coming means resurrection, judgment, and the final triumph of righteousness. The One who came once to save will come again to consummate what He began.

THE PREPARATION FOR HIS COMING

Because Christ is coming, we should live ready. “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). Peter asked what kind of people we ought to be “in holy conduct and godliness” as we look for the coming of the Lord (2 Peter 3:11-12). We do not prepare for Christ by predicting dates. We prepare by trusting Him, obeying Him, serving Him, and remaining faithful.

The question is not simply, “Is Jesus coming?” The question is, “Will I be ready when He comes?” His promise should give the faithful hope, His purpose should give us seriousness, and His coming should give us motivation to live for Him today. “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

BDD

#122 ASK GOD FOR WISDOM 9-12-26

There are some things Google cannot answer. There are some problems money cannot solve. There are some decisions where experience is not enough. We live in a world filled with information, opinions, philosophies, and advice, but information is not the same thing as wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” If we want true wisdom, we must begin with the One who is its source.

God sees what we cannot see. He knows what we do not know. He understands the consequences of decisions we have not yet made. That is why His way may sometimes seem strange to us. Paul wrote that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). God does not have to make sense to us before He deserves to be obeyed. Before we ask everybody else what they think, we ought to ask God what He says. Before we make the decision, pray. Before we respond, pray. Before we move, pray. God does not merely want to bless our decisions; He wants to guide them.

But godly wisdom is more than knowing the right answer. It changes the way we live. James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits.” Heavenly wisdom produces heavenly character. It teaches us when to speak and when to remain silent, when to move and when to wait, when to stand and when to walk away. Sometimes wisdom is knowing what not to do. Sometimes the wisest thing you can do is wait. Sometimes it is forgiveness. Sometimes it is simply saying, “I don’t know, but I know Someone who does.”

James gives us a beautiful invitation: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5). Notice how simple that is. If you lack wisdom, ask God. There will be crossroads where you do not know which way to turn. There will be moments when tomorrow is hidden from you. You do not have to know everything. You do not have to understand everything. You do not have to see how everything will work out. You simply have to know who to ask.

But James adds, “Let him ask in faith, with no doubting” (James 1:6). We should not ask God for wisdom while secretly planning to do whatever we want. We should come with an obedient heart: “Lord, show me Your way, and when You show me, give me the courage to walk in it.” Wisdom is not proven merely by what we say. It is proven by the fruit our lives produce.

So do not let pressure make your decisions. Do not let fear make them. Do not let other people make them for you. Seek God. A single word from God can save us from years of consequences. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Knowledge can tell you what is possible. Experience can tell you what has happened. But wisdom tells you what you should do next. And true wisdom comes from God.

When you are confused—ask God. When you are under pressure—ask God. When you are standing at a crossroads—ask God. When you do not have the answer—ask God. And when God gives you wisdom—obey God.

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“Lord, give me wisdom—not merely to know Your will, but to have the courage to walk in it. Amen.”

BDD

Livestream Preaching Times for Saturday, September 12, 2026

8:00 AM

“Wisdom From God”

(James 1:5)

10:00 AM

“Free From the Law of Sin and Death”

(Romans 8:2)

2:00 PM

“Beware and Exhort”

(Hebrews 3:12-13)

TikTok: @dewaynedunawayministries

All times CST

#121 COMING TO CHRIST 9-11-26

Jesus does not merely invite us to admire Him from a distance. He calls us to come to Him. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Christianity begins with a movement toward Christ. We come with our burdens, our failures, our questions, and our need. We come because we recognize that we cannot save ourselves.

COME TO HIM. The first step is simply to come. “Him who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37). Christ does not tell us to clean ourselves up before we approach Him. We come as we are, trusting His mercy and receiving His grace.

CALL ON HIM. We call upon the Lord in faith. “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’” (Romans 10:13). Calling upon Christ means more than repeating words. It means turning to Him, trusting Him, confessing Him, and placing our lives in His hands. When we have nowhere else to turn, we can always turn to Jesus.

CONSIDER HIM. Slow down and look at Jesus. Consider who He is, what He has done, and what He endured for us. “Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1). Consider His sinless life. Consider His compassion. Consider His cross. Consider His resurrection. The more clearly we see Christ, the more clearly we understand why He is worthy of our trust.

CONFORM TO HIM. Coming to Christ changes the direction of our lives. Paul says we are to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). We do not come to Jesus simply to receive something from Him and then continue living as we please. We come to follow Him. We learn His ways, obey His word, love what He loves, and increasingly become like Him.

So come to Christ. Call upon Christ. Consider Christ. And conform your life to Christ. The Christian life begins by coming to Him and continues by walking with Him. “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19) is still His call. And there is no better direction for your life than toward Jesus.

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Lord Jesus, draw my heart closer to You. Help me to come to You with humility, call upon You with faith, consider You with wonder, and conform my life to Your will. When I am weak, remind me of Your strength. When I am burdened, remind me of Your invitation. May my life become more like Yours as I walk with You each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#120 A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION 9-11-26

The Christian life is not a life of perfection. It is a life of direction. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7). Notice the word walk. A walk is made one step at a time. Sometimes the step is strong. Sometimes it is weak. Sometimes we stumble. But if our hearts are turned toward Christ, we keep walking.

SUPERNATURAL FORCE. We cannot live the Christian life by human strength alone. There is a power beyond ourselves at work in us. “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). The Christian life is not simply self-improvement. It is dependence upon God.

SUSTAINED FAITH. A living faith keeps going. We may fall, but we get back up. We may become discouraged, but we continue. “The righteous falls seven times and rises again” (Proverbs 24:16). Our confidence is not in our ability to take a perfect step every time. Our confidence is in the grace of the One who keeps calling us forward.

SINCERE FOCUS. Walking in the light means that our hearts are honestly turned toward God. We are not pretending to be something we are not. We bring our failures into the light, confess our sins, and keep our eyes upon Jesus. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). The direction of our lives matters.

SAVING FINALITY. Our hope is ultimately found in Christ. We are not saved because we have walked perfectly. We are saved because Jesus Christ is our Savior. But the person who truly trusts Him does not turn around and deliberately walk away from Him. We continue in the faith, trusting His grace until the journey is finished. “He who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

So take the next step. You do not have to see the whole road. You do not have to be perfect today. Just keep walking in the light. Keep trusting Christ. Keep confessing when you stumble. Keep your eyes on Jesus. It is an imperfect walk, but it is a walk nonetheless. And by the grace of God, one step in the right direction can become a lifetime of following Christ.

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Lord Jesus, help me keep walking in the light. When I stumble, help me get back up. When I become weak, sustain my faith. When I become distracted, turn my eyes back toward You. I know I am not perfect, but I want my direction to be toward You. Give me the strength to take the next step, and by Your grace help me remain faithful until the journey is finished. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#119 SEEING THE UNSEEN 9-11-26

We live in a visible world, but the visible world is not all there is. There is an unseen spiritual realm that is just as real as the world we see with our eyes. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age” (Ephesians 6:12). The Christian must learn to see beyond what is immediately before him.

EVIL IS REAL. The devil is not a symbol for human weakness or simply another name for evil. Jesus spoke of him as a real adversary, and Peter warned, “Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The Bible also speaks of evil spirits. We should not become fascinated with them, but neither should we dismiss what God’s word plainly teaches. There is a spiritual battle taking place, and we need to be spiritually awake.

BUT CHRIST IS REAL. This is where our confidence rests. We do not face the unseen world alone, and we do not have to live in fear of darkness. Jesus Christ came into this world, died for our sins, and rose again. He has “disarmed principalities and powers” and triumphed over them (Colossians 2:15). “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The devil is real, but Christ is greater.

Faith teaches us to look beyond circumstances and trust what God has revealed. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). We may not see angels, demons, or the spiritual battle with our physical eyes, but we can see the effects of spiritual realities in the choices we make, the temptations we face, and the hope we have in Christ.

So do not become obsessed with darkness. Look to Christ. Do not live in fear of the unseen. Stand in faith. Put on “the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11), resist the devil (James 4:7), and keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus. The unseen realm is real—but so is the risen Christ, and those who belong to Him have every reason to hope.

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Lord Jesus, help me to see beyond the things that are temporary and to trust the eternal realities You have revealed. Keep me spiritually awake without becoming fearful or distracted. Give me wisdom to recognize evil, strength to resist temptation, and faith to stand firm. Remind me that whatever powers may oppose me, You are greater. Help me keep my eyes upon You, the living Christ, and walk faithfully with You each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD

#118 A LIVING FAITH 9-11-26

A living faith is not merely believing that God exists. It is a faith that reaches into our everyday lives. It is real. It is reliable. And it is relational. James says that “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). Genuine faith is alive because it changes the way we live.

REAL. Our faith is real because Jesus Christ is real. He came into this world, lived among us, died for our sins, and rose again from the dead. “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables” (2 Peter 1:16). Christianity is not built upon wishful thinking. We trust in a risen Savior who entered human history. Our faith has substance because Christ has substance.

RELIABLE. We can build our lives upon God because God can be trusted. People change. Circumstances change. Feelings change. But “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). When everything around us is uncertain, the promises of God remain certain. We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds us. “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

RELATIONAL. Faith is not simply believing facts about Jesus; it is knowing Jesus. “Abide in Me, and I in you” (John 15:4). The Christian life is a relationship of trust, obedience, prayer, love, and fellowship with Christ. We do not merely know about Him. We walk with Him. We listen to His word. We depend upon His grace. We seek to please Him because we love Him.

That is why a living faith continues. It trusts when the answer has not come. It obeys when obedience is difficult. It keeps walking when the road is dark. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). A living faith does not mean we never struggle. It means that even in the struggle, we continue to trust the One who is real, reliable, and near.

So let your faith be more than something you profess with your lips. Let it become something you live with your life. Real enough to stand upon. Reliable enough to trust. Relational enough to walk with every day. “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17).

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Lord Jesus, help me to have a living faith, not merely a faith I profess, but a faith I practice. Help me to trust You when I cannot see the way, to rely upon Your promises when life is uncertain, and to walk closely with You each day. Make my faith real, reliable, and relational. May my life demonstrate that I truly believe You, love You, and belong to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD