MY Devotional: Daily Biblical Encouragement & Prayer from Leading The Way

The believers in Thessalonica knew what it meant to suffer. They faced persecution, loss, rejection, and even imprisonment—yet their faith continued to grow. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains why Paul could thank God for these believers even in the midst of their hardship.Their circumstances were painful, but their eyes were lifted toward Christ. Jesus made the difference. He brought light into darkness, comfort into suffering, and hope into seasons that could otherwise have produced despair.Dr. Youssef reminds us that Biblical hope does not deny the reality of evil or minimize suffering. Instead, it looks beyond present circumstances to the promises of God. The world will not remain broken forever. Jesus Christ will return, His glory will be fully revealed, and He will ultimately make all things new.When your own strength is gone, God can give you supernatural perseverance. As the world grows darker and hardship increases, this devotional challenges you to lift your eyes to heaven, trust Jesus completely, and anchor your hope in His promised return.Pray with me.Lord, help me to lift my eyes to You when my days are dark. I know You will give me all the strength I need to persevere in hope. Grant me Your nearness when my heart faints, that I might have peace that transcends understanding because of Your great love. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone. 🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer TeamsOur trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.https://ltw.org/care💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:https://myfaithassistant.comIf you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.❤️ Support Leading The Way:https://www.ltw.org/donate

A healthy vineyard requires constant attention. The gardener carefully removes shoots that consume resources without producing fruit so the vine can flourish. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains how this picture from John 15 reveals God’s loving work in the life of every believer.God is the gardener of your life. His pruning may sometimes feel painful, severe, or even wasteful, but He never cuts randomly. He removes what hinders spiritual growth—including selfishness, self-centeredness, and habits that keep us from becoming the people He created us to be.But pruning is only part of the process. Jesus calls us to abide in Him. Dr. Youssef reminds us that abiding means allowing God’s Word to nourish, shape, and direct our lives—not merely accumulating Biblical knowledge, but making Scripture the foundation of our decisions and actions.Fruitfulness does not come apart from Christ, and greater fruit often comes through seasons of pruning. This devotional challenges you to consider the legacy of your life: Are your time, resources, talents, and gifts being used for God’s glory? Ask the Father to prune whatever is necessary so your life will become a bountiful garden of Kingdom fruit.Pray with me.Lord, please prune me so I may produce fruit for You. I pray when the pruning becomes painful, I will trust in Your plan for my good and Your glory. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone. 🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer TeamsOur trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.https://ltw.org/care💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:https://myfaithassistant.comIf you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.❤️ Support Leading The Way:https://www.ltw.org/donate

Is it enough simply to believe the right things about Jesus? In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to the book of James to confront the danger of a faith that exists only in words or intellectual agreement.James declares that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Salvation is by faith alone, but genuine saving faith does not remain alone—it bears fruit. When Christ saves us, He changes us so profoundly that Jesus describes salvation as being born again.Dr. Youssef points to one of Scripture’s most sobering truths: even the demons believe in God and shudder. Knowing Biblical doctrine is not the same as trusting Christ as Savior and submitting to Him as Lord. Real faith goes beyond information—it changes the direction of our lives.So what does saving faith look like? It denies self, steps out in obedience, loves others, seeks to please God, and increasingly trusts Him in everyday life. This faith is not something we manufacture; it is a gift of God’s grace that transforms those who receive it.Whether you are questioning the genuineness of your faith or struggling to live out your faith consistently, this devotional calls you to draw near to Christ, trust Him fully, and ask Him to produce the fruit of living faith in your life.Pray with me.Jesus, I want You to be not only my Savior but the Lord of my life. Renew my faith where it has grown stale. Thank You for empowering me to obey You, even when it feels impossible. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone. 🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer TeamsOur trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.https://ltw.org/care💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:https://myfaithassistant.comIf you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.❤️ Support Leading The Way:https://www.ltw.org/donate

Your view of God shapes your praise—and your praise reveals your view of God. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef invites believers to consider what their worship says about how they see their heavenly Father.When you know God as loving, patient, forgiving, attentive, and faithful, praise begins to overflow naturally. Gratitude for salvation fuels worship. Confidence in God’s care strengthens faith. And the more deeply you believe that He is working for your eternal good, the more wholehearted your praise becomes.God’s greatness can leave us speechless with awe, yet that same greatness makes worship essential. Praise brings us into a fuller recognition of who God is and leads us to bow before Him in humility—not out of fear, but out of reverence, love, and surrender.Dr. Youssef also reminds us that worship is rooted in recognizing God’s worth. How much do you value who He is? How deeply do you treasure what He has done for you? How fully do you rely on His promises? This devotional will help you examine your heart and grow in a life of praise that reflects the true greatness of God.Join me in prayer.Heavenly Father, You are infinitely good. You are compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in love. Renew my mind to remember who You are and show me who I am as Your child. I want to see You rightly, that I may praise You rightly. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone. 🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer TeamsOur trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.https://ltw.org/care💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:https://myfaithassistant.comIf you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.❤️ Support Leading The Way:https://www.ltw.org/donate

The book of Revelation reveals Jesus Christ as the glorified, returning King—crowned with many crowns and unrivaled in power, authority, wisdom, and majesty. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef contrasts Christ’s humble first coming with the triumph of His promised return.At His first coming, Jesus was led like a lamb to the slaughter and wore a crown of thorns. At His second coming, He will lead the victory procession of His people and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. The Savior who was crucified for sinners will return in His full glory, and every rival will be exposed as powerless before Him.But the promise of Christ’s return is not merely something for believers to study—it should transform the way we live today. Dr. Youssef reminds us that those who truly anticipate Jesus’ appearing will give themselves more fully to His work. Every relationship, decision, sacrifice, and act of service can become an opportunity to honor the coming King.Jesus has gone to prepare a place for His people, and He has promised to return and bring them home. When eternity with Christ becomes our ultimate destination and purpose, the trials of this life lose their grip, and we can experience the peace that comes from knowing our King is coming again.Pray with me.King of kings and Lord of lords, forgive me for the times when I have forgotten Your majesty. Each day may I remember who You are and invite You to be the King of my life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today’s devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don’t have to walk through it alone. 🙏 Pastoral Care & Prayer TeamsOur trained prayer partners and pastoral care team are available to pray with you and offer Biblical support.https://ltw.org/care💬 Receive personal answers to your faith questions—anytime, day or night—at:https://myfaithassistant.comIf you’ve been blessed by this podcast, please consider a tax-deductible donation to help extend this ministry—so another person can be encouraged, prayed for, and pointed to Christ.❤️ Support Leading The Way:https://www.ltw.org/donate