Here's a 5-day Bible reading plan and devotional guide based on the themes from the sermon on Sunday, December 28, 2025:
Day 1: God Has Plans For You
Reading: Proverbs 16:1-3, Jeremiah 29:11
Devotional: God is not a distant deity uninvolved in the details of your life. He has specific, purposeful plans for you—plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Yet He invites you into the planning process. "The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord." This beautiful partnership means you don't plan in isolation or presumption. You plan prayerfully, seeking His wisdom, aligning your desires with His will. Today, ask yourself: Are my plans submitted to God's authority? Take time to write down your goals for this year, then prayerfully surrender each one to Him, asking Him to redirect, confirm, or reshape them according to His perfect will.
Day 2: He Is In Control
Reading: Proverbs 16:4, Romans 8:28
Devotional: "The Lord has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom." This sobering truth reminds us that God's sovereignty extends over everything—even the evil intentions of others. Consider the cross: what Satan meant for evil, God used for the greatest good in human history. When your plans fall apart, when circumstances seem chaotic, when people oppose you, remember—God is still in control. He can redeem any situation. He can take your mistakes, your failures, your detours, and weave them into His perfect tapestry. Nothing catches Him by surprise. Rest in this truth today: the God who holds the universe also holds your future securely in His hands.
Day 3: He Is My Leader
Reading: Proverbs 16:5, Luke 9:23-25
Devotional: Pride whispers, "I can handle this myself." It plans without prayer, decides without seeking God, and moves forward in self-sufficiency. But God calls pride an abomination. Following Jesus requires humility—a daily surrender of your agenda for His. Consider Lucifer's downfall: "I will ascend... I will be like the Most High." His future-tense rebellion mirrors our own when we plan without submission. But what a privilege we have! Our Leader loves us perfectly, knows us completely, and guides us wisely. Today, examine your heart: Are you leading your life, or is Christ? Surrendering control isn't losing freedom—it's finding it. Humble yourself before Him and experience the joy of following the only Leader truly worthy of your trust.
Day 4: He Is My Forgiveness
Reading: Proverbs 16:6, Lamentations 3:22-23
Devotional: "In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity." Your past doesn't have to define your future. The crooked paths behind you—the twisted decisions, the skewed priorities, the wasted time—God can straighten. His mercies are new every morning, not because you've earned them, but because of His great faithfulness. Iniquity speaks of distorted perception, seeing things crookedly rather than clearly. Perhaps you've valued the wrong things, prioritized the temporary over the eternal. God's truth realigns your vision. His forgiveness doesn't just pardon; it transforms your perspective. As you plan this year, remember: you're not dragging your failures forward. Through Christ, you're starting with a clean slate. Let His mercy motivate you toward righteousness, and let His truth guide your steps forward.
Day 5: He Is My Reward
Reading: Proverbs 16:8-9, Matthew 6:19-21, Philippians 3:7-8
Devotional: "Better is a little with righteousness than vast revenues without justice." What are you really working toward? What treasure are you seeking? Paul counted everything as loss compared to knowing Christ. The man who found treasure in a field sold everything to buy that field. Is God your ultimate reward, or just a means to other ends? This question transforms how you plan. When God is your treasure, you gladly sacrifice lesser things. You schedule time with Him not as obligation but as privilege. You prioritize His kingdom because you value His glory above your comfort. As you look at this year ahead, ask: Am I living for eternal rewards or temporary ones? Let this truth anchor your planning: a life lived for God's glory, however simple, is infinitely more valuable than a life of worldly success without Him. Seek first His kingdom.
Day 1: God Has Plans For You
Reading: Proverbs 16:1-3, Jeremiah 29:11
Devotional: God is not a distant deity uninvolved in the details of your life. He has specific, purposeful plans for you—plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Yet He invites you into the planning process. "The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord." This beautiful partnership means you don't plan in isolation or presumption. You plan prayerfully, seeking His wisdom, aligning your desires with His will. Today, ask yourself: Are my plans submitted to God's authority? Take time to write down your goals for this year, then prayerfully surrender each one to Him, asking Him to redirect, confirm, or reshape them according to His perfect will.
Day 2: He Is In Control
Reading: Proverbs 16:4, Romans 8:28
Devotional: "The Lord has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom." This sobering truth reminds us that God's sovereignty extends over everything—even the evil intentions of others. Consider the cross: what Satan meant for evil, God used for the greatest good in human history. When your plans fall apart, when circumstances seem chaotic, when people oppose you, remember—God is still in control. He can redeem any situation. He can take your mistakes, your failures, your detours, and weave them into His perfect tapestry. Nothing catches Him by surprise. Rest in this truth today: the God who holds the universe also holds your future securely in His hands.
Day 3: He Is My Leader
Reading: Proverbs 16:5, Luke 9:23-25
Devotional: Pride whispers, "I can handle this myself." It plans without prayer, decides without seeking God, and moves forward in self-sufficiency. But God calls pride an abomination. Following Jesus requires humility—a daily surrender of your agenda for His. Consider Lucifer's downfall: "I will ascend... I will be like the Most High." His future-tense rebellion mirrors our own when we plan without submission. But what a privilege we have! Our Leader loves us perfectly, knows us completely, and guides us wisely. Today, examine your heart: Are you leading your life, or is Christ? Surrendering control isn't losing freedom—it's finding it. Humble yourself before Him and experience the joy of following the only Leader truly worthy of your trust.
Day 4: He Is My Forgiveness
Reading: Proverbs 16:6, Lamentations 3:22-23
Devotional: "In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity." Your past doesn't have to define your future. The crooked paths behind you—the twisted decisions, the skewed priorities, the wasted time—God can straighten. His mercies are new every morning, not because you've earned them, but because of His great faithfulness. Iniquity speaks of distorted perception, seeing things crookedly rather than clearly. Perhaps you've valued the wrong things, prioritized the temporary over the eternal. God's truth realigns your vision. His forgiveness doesn't just pardon; it transforms your perspective. As you plan this year, remember: you're not dragging your failures forward. Through Christ, you're starting with a clean slate. Let His mercy motivate you toward righteousness, and let His truth guide your steps forward.
Day 5: He Is My Reward
Reading: Proverbs 16:8-9, Matthew 6:19-21, Philippians 3:7-8
Devotional: "Better is a little with righteousness than vast revenues without justice." What are you really working toward? What treasure are you seeking? Paul counted everything as loss compared to knowing Christ. The man who found treasure in a field sold everything to buy that field. Is God your ultimate reward, or just a means to other ends? This question transforms how you plan. When God is your treasure, you gladly sacrifice lesser things. You schedule time with Him not as obligation but as privilege. You prioritize His kingdom because you value His glory above your comfort. As you look at this year ahead, ask: Am I living for eternal rewards or temporary ones? Let this truth anchor your planning: a life lived for God's glory, however simple, is infinitely more valuable than a life of worldly success without Him. Seek first His kingdom.
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