The Arm Is Raised

Thursday, July 9, 2026

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, load me with desire to seek You first-the knowledge of Your kingdom and Your insight to righteousness. Hold my attention constantly and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: 1 John 1:8–9

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the 

truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all 

unrighteousness.

Verse of the day-Psalm 138:2 “I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.”

Today’s reading:  Job 38-40 Acts 16:1-21

The Arm Is Raised But Broken

15 “Light is not given to evil people.    Their arm is raised to do harm, but it is broken.” Job 38:15

Allowing hate in a time of tragedy will put anyone in a dark place. One of the problems is that we are so used to it that we don’t realize what is happening.

We see something on the web or social media that is meant to hurt us or someone we love or our city or state or faith and we grit our teeth and take up the mantle of hate in our hearts for the folks who made the statement.

God spoke to Job. He said ‘light is not given to evil people’. This should take a burden off of us. God is the judge of who is evil and who is not. If someone makes a hurtful or destructive statement, we must read the rest of the verse which says,

“Their arm is raised to do harm, but it is broken”

The ones who would harm us with words have no light and are broken. That is not judgment, that is the Word of God.

We need to see them with the mind of Christ which sees how miserable they are and have compassion on them-yes pray for those who persecute you(Matthew 5:44).

So, the next time you see or hear something that tears you down or hurts someone you love, please remember:

“Their words betray their misery”.

Pray for them to see the light. Jesus said the poor will always be with us, Matthew 26:11, the same is true for those who are broken and without light.

Pray for yourself to see sin in hate that starts with a mad reaction to harsh words ‘hides us from His light’.

In Proverbs 6:18, God says he hates “18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil”

If we think of what we would like to do to someone for having bad words, that puts us on their level.

In Proverbs 8, God says:

8 All the words of my mouth are just;    none of them is crooked or perverse.9 To the discerning all of them are right;    they are upright to those who have found knowledge.

In Christ this is who we are...we are not those who embrace hate.

Tell God you are sorry for your hate for those who speak ill words and that you want hate to be gone.

...because He loves us...He will do it...

Father in Heaven,

Hallowed be Your name-and not my judgment. Your kingdom thinking is what I need. Give me light to see my sin. Forgive me for reacting in sin. Lead me away from judgment of those who have no light and help me love them as Jesus said.

Loving God,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen