In 2026, the daily devotional will look different than last year. The devotional will be posted Monday – Saturday, but it will not contain any comment on the reading for the day. Instead there will be a set of questions for you to answer as you seek to apply God’s word to your life. We have a created a reading plan which will take us through the New Testament three times from Jan. 1st – Aug. 31st. In addition to the reading plan, there will be prayers that will be provided for each day. The theme of the prayers will change from day to day but on certain days of the week, the prayer prompts will be the same. You are encouraged to take the prayer prompts and to personalize them as you voice your prayer to the Living God who hears and answers.
Theme of our prayers throughout the Week
Monday: The Great Commission
Tuesday: Our Missional Partners
Wednesday: Personal Concerns in our Church
** In James 5:16, the bible commands us to “pray for one another.” On this day of the devotional will list personal needs of people in our church.
Thursday: Global, National, and Cultural Concerns
** Jesus prayed that we would be in the world but not of the world (John 17:15-19). We will bring the changing challenges of our world to Jesus and ask him to meet the needs of our world as we seek to live as his people in this fallen world.
Friday: Training in Godliness
Saturday: A Faithful Church.
Below is a sample of the daily devotional
January 1, Matthew 1-4
Turn to God
1 Peter 2:2, 3 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Ask God, the Holy Spirit, to help you see what he has revealed in His Word. His word is living and active (Heb. 4:12) and he is devoted to revealing himself. Pray for eyes to see him, ears to hear from him, and a heart to obey him.
Thank God for the precious gift of his living and active word.
Read God’s Word
Today’s reading is Matthew 1 – 4.
- Open your bible and read
- Read the Scripture online
Grasp God’s Word
Use the follow questions to help you grasp God’s Word. Use a journal to write your answers and help you focus.
- What do you observe about the passage?
(Simply observe what the passage says and how it says it. Are there any repeated words, contrasts, comparisons, figures of speech, etc.? Also consider how the context informs the meaning.) - What does this passage teach me about God?
- What does this passage teach me about humanity (including me)?
- How does God want me to respond to what He has said from this passage?
- How does the gospel relate to my response?
- Is there something I read that I want to share with my small group or study further?
Talk to God
Talk to God about what you read today and ask him for help to apply his word to your life.
1 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Talk to God about your personal needs.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you
Join others from River and pray about the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20)
Ask God for personal opportunities to share the gospel with boldness.
Ask God to open the hearts of unbelievers you know to the truth of the gospel.
Ask God to send laborers into the harvest fields of our city, our nation, and around the globe.
Ask God to give our friends serving overseas fruit in evangelism.