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

The apostle Paul knew how dangerous false teaching could be. After he planted churches and moved on to preach the Gospel elsewhere, deceptive teachers often followed behind him, spreading destructive doctrines. In Thessalonica, some even circulated a false message claiming that Jesus had already returned.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to 2 Thessalonians, where Paul corrected these lies and gave believers clear teaching about events surrounding the second coming of Christ.

Paul warned first of a great rebellion—a falling away from Biblical truth. Dr. Youssef emphasizes the impo...

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...

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...

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 o...

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 speec...

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 sinner...

Our daily battles may exhaust us, but they will not last forever. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that a day is coming when Satan will be finally defeated, sin will be judged, and those who belong to Jesus will enter eternal rest.

Jesus spoke clearly about the reality of judgment. Hell is not a topic we can afford to ignore, because understanding its seriousness should deepen our concern for those who do not yet know Christ. The reality of eternal separation from God should energize our prayers, sharpen ou...

Sometimes the headlines make it seem as though evil is advancing unchecked. Wars, persecution, instability, and suffering can tempt believers to fear that darkness is winning. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us that Christians do not interpret history by sight alone—we see through the eyes of faith and stand on the promises of God.

Dr. Youssef shares the story of an interrupted semaphore message during the Napoleonic Wars. When fog obscured part of the transmission, London received only the words, “Wellington defeated.” Panic followed. But when the fog lifted...

When Christians think about end-times prophecy, attention often turns to the coming Antichrist. But in today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us that the apostle John warned of something already present: many antichrists spreading deception and denying the Truth about Jesus Christ.

First John gives believers a clear test. The spirit of antichrist denies that Jesus is the Christ and rejects the unique relationship between the Father and the Son. Any teaching that reduces Jesus to merely one path among many stands in direct opposition to His declaration that He alone is...

For thousands of years, humanity has rebelled against God, rejected His authority, and blasphemed His name—yet God has shown extraordinary patience. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that God’s delay in judgment is not weakness or forgetfulness. It is an expression of His mercy and His call for sinners to repent.

People offer many reasons for postponing surrender to Christ: I’m not ready. I’m a good person. My friends won’t understand. I want control of my own life. But no excuse can save a soul. Scripture re...

In 520 BC, God’s people faced a season of uncertainty. They had returned from exile and begun rebuilding the temple, but opposition and discouragement brought the work to a halt. Into that moment, God spoke through the prophet Haggai: “Be strong … and work. For I am with you.”

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us that God does not ignore our pain or minimize our struggles. He knows exactly what we have endured, what we fear, and what we need. And His answer is not empty optimism—it is the promise of H...

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the story of ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom. All were invited. All expected him to come. All carried lamps. All even fell asleep. But when the bridegroom finally arrived, only five were ready.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains why this parable should cause every professing Christian to examine the reality of his or her faith. The difference between the wise and foolish virgins was not what they claimed to believe—it was whether they were actually prepared when the bridegroom came.

Jesus warn...

At the root of much anxiety is the fear that something valuable will be taken away—our possessions, security, plans, or future. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that true peace cannot be found in what we own, but in the God who owns everything and graciously provides for His people.

God does not bless us merely so that we can accumulate more. He desires willing conduits through whom His gifts can flow to others and His Kingdom work can advance. When we recognize that everything we have comes from...

Whenever lives are lost unexpectedly, the same painful questions rise: Where is God? Why did He allow this? Could He have stopped it? In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef looks at how Jesus responded to two tragedies that shook the people of His day.

In Luke 13, Jesus refers to Galileans who were killed while worshiping and to eighteen people who died when the tower of Siloam collapsed. The crowd assumed those victims must have been worse sinners than everyone else. Jesus rejected that conclusion outright.

Instead, He turned the co...

What should believers do when the foundations of society seem to be crumbling?

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef points to Psalm 11 and the prophet Isaiah for encouragement in seasons of anxiety, uncertainty, and change. Judah faced such a moment when King Uzziah died after more than five decades on the throne. The nation suddenly found itself asking, “What happens now?”

Isaiah may have wondered the same thing. But in that very season of upheaval, God gave him a transforming vision: “I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a thr...

The judgments described in Revelation are sobering. Seal after seal reveals war, famine, death, persecution, upheaval, and divine judgment against a world hardened in rebellion.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef points to the Lamb of God as the central figure in this unfolding vision. Jesus Christ alone is worthy to open the scroll because through His death and resurrection He has conquered sin, Satan, and death. History is not spiraling out of control—it is moving toward the triumph of its rightful King.

As the seals and trumpets unfo...

What comes to mind when you think about heaven—uncertainty and fear, or anticipation and joy? God gave the apostle John an extraordinary glimpse into the heavenly throne room so believers could live with confidence in the eternal hope of the Gospel.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef walks through the magnificent scene of Revelation 4. At its center stands the throne of God, declaring His absolute sovereignty and authority. Around it are vivid signs of His glory, sacrifice, faithfulness, power, and holiness, while the elders and heavenly creatures respond with unceasing wors...

Jesus Christ is not merely part of history—He is its focal point, the Beginning and the End, worthy of all glory, honor, majesty, and praise.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to John’s extraordinary vision of the glorified Christ in Revelation. Jesus stands among seven golden lampstands representing His churches, reminding us that the Church exists to shine His light faithfully into a dark world.

John sees Christ in overwhelming majesty: clothed with authority, perfectly holy, seeing all things, speaking with supreme power, and prepared to judge...

Revelation is not simply a book about future events. It is a message from God meant to shape our lives right now.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef points to the blessing promised in Revelation 1:3 for those who read, hear, and take its words to heart. Through this extraordinary vision, Scripture reveals Jesus Christ as the suffering Savior who died and rose again—and the victorious King who will return in power and righteous judgment.

The Messiah who came first in humility will come again in glory. Today, Christ grac...

You can be doing the right thing for the right reason—and still become discouraged enough to stop.

After decades of exile in Babylon, a faithful remnant of God’s people returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. They had chosen obedience over comfort, but fierce opposition eventually brought their work to a halt. For years, the mission God had given them remained unfinished.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to Haggai 1 and 2, where God confronted His discouraged people with a repeated challenge: “Consider your ways.” The Israelites needed to...

Living a godly life in an ungodly world can be costly. Scripture makes it clear that believers should not be surprised when obedience to Christ brings rejection, ridicule, or resistance.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef points to Paul’s warning in 2 Timothy and Jesus’ words in John 15: those who belong to Christ will sometimes face opposition precisely because they no longer belong to the world. When Christians pursue purity, righteousness, and integrity, a culture walking in darkness may resent the light their lives represent.

But God does not call H...

What gives believers the courage to obey God when His plan seems confusing or impossible? The heroes of Hebrews 11 understood that their confidence did not rest in circumstances—it rested in the character of Almighty God.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us that courageous faith begins by recognizing the greatness of God’s power and the certainty of His promises. The God who created the heavens and calls every star by name cannot fail, lie, or make a mistake. When He speaks, His people can trust Him enough to obey.<...

What will you do when obedience to God costs you something?

Hebrews 11 describes men and women who endured ridicule, imprisonment, mistreatment, and even death rather than abandon their faith. They could have escaped much of their suffering by conforming to the world around them, but they chose obedience because they trusted God and His promises.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us that followers of Christ still face pressure to compromise. It may come through rejection from friends, career consequences for refusing unethical practices, ridicule from coworkers, or ho...

Every runner knows that unnecessary weight makes a long race harder. The same is true in the Christian life. Hebrews 12 calls believers to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” so we can run with perseverance the race God has marked out for us.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef identifies some of the spiritual weights that can slow us down: anxiety, worry, bitterness, greed, unconfessed sin, and doubts about God’s power. Left unchecked, these burdens can exhaust us and eventually bring our spiritual progress to a hal...

Abraham understood that God had a greater plan for his life, so he learned to shift his focus from the world he could see to the world that was still to come.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to Hebrews 11 and the faith of Abraham and the other Old Testament saints. They lived as foreigners and strangers on earth, trusting promises they could only see from a distance because they were “longing for a better country—a heavenly one.”

For believers in Jesus Christ, that same eternal perspective changes...

Noah faced an assignment that must have seemed impossible: build an enormous ark on dry land, despite having no known experience as a shipbuilder or mariner. Yet year after year, Noah continued working because he trusted the God who had called him.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that God chose Noah not because of his expertise, but because of his faithfulness. Genesis describes Noah as a righteous man who “walked faithfully with God.” God was more interested in an obedient heart than an impressive résumé.

And God did...

Sometimes God calls us to surrender something precious. Other times He asks us to step beyond what feels comfortable to share the Gospel, serve His Kingdom, or obey a command we do not fully understand. Whatever the assignment, genuine faith eventually comes to the same conclusion: God must be obeyed.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to the story of Noah in Genesis 6 and 7. God gave Noah an extraordinary command—to build an ark in preparation for a flood that had not yet come. The task was enormous and perplexing, yet...

Courageous faith can lead to extraordinary victories—but sometimes it also leads straight into danger, suffering, and persecution.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to Hebrews 11:30–40, where Scripture remembers men and women who trusted God even when obedience cost them dearly. Some conquered kingdoms and defeated enemies. Others endured imprisonment, rejection, torture, and death. Yet both groups were commended for the same thing: faith.

From Rahab and Gideon to Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, these Biblical heroes demonstrate that God works powerfully through people who trust...

What gives a Christian courage when circumstances are frightening, costly, or painful? It begins with how we see God.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that courageous faith rests on the character of God. He is sovereign, holy, loving, faithful, all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present. Because God cannot be wrong or defeated, those who fully trust Him can face an uncertain world with confidence and peace.

Our view of God determines whether we walk by faith or by sight. Jesus promised that believers would experience trouble in this wo...

Have you ever skimmed instructions simply to confirm what you already believed? We can do the same thing with Scripture—approaching the Bible with predetermined ideas and searching only for verses that support them.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef warns against reading our own assumptions into God’s Word. When we force a favorite theme, opinion, or belief onto every passage, we risk missing what God is actually saying. Pride in our knowledge can blind us to fresh truths about His character, His love, and our continuing need for Him.

...

Many of us have a habit of skipping the instructions and trying to figure things out on our own. But when it comes to Scripture, that approach can lead to serious misunderstanding. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains why learning to read the Bible properly is essential for Christian growth.

Dr. Youssef identifies several common pitfalls, including proof-texting, ignoring context, confusing literal and figurative language, overlooking historical and cultural background, and trying to understand Scripture apart from the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:29 provide an i...

Hebrews 4:12 describes the Word of God as alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. Scripture is far more than ink on a page—it carries God’s authority, power, will, and Truth, producing fruit and transforming the lives of those who receive it.

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef compares the penetrating power of Scripture to a surgeon’s scalpel. In unskilled hands, a blade can wound. But in the hands of a gifted surgeon, that same blade becomes an instrument of healing.

When we approach the Bible with hum...

If the Bible were truly just another book, why would so many people resist what it has to say? In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains why Scripture provokes such a strong response: God’s Word is living Truth, sent with divine authority to accomplish His will.

Isaiah declares that God’s Word will not return empty. It carries His power, authority, and purpose—and that is precisely why the enemy works so hard to keep believers from reading, trusting, and obeying it.

Satan’s strategy has not changed since the...

A mirror can show you what is wrong, but imagine having no way to wash or clean what you see. That is how many people approach the Bible: They recognize their sin and failure, feel powerless to change, and eventually close the Book in discouragement.

But Scripture is more than a mirror. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef points to the Bible’s cleansing power. Ephesians describes Christ sanctifying His church through “the washing with water through the word,” while Peter reminds believers that obedience to the Truth purifies the soul.

We...

Every morning, we look into a mirror and make adjustments to our appearance. But when was the last time you looked into the spiritual mirror of God’s Word?

In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explores James’ powerful picture of Scripture as a mirror—one that reveals our true spiritual condition. When we read the Bible honestly, it exposes hypocrisy, compromise, complacency, and the areas where repentance and change are needed.

That process may be uncomfortable, but God does not reveal our shortcomings simply to condemn us. His Word is “alive an...

Before beginning His public ministry, Jesus entered the wilderness for forty days and nights to face Satan’s temptation. Hungry and physically weakened, Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread—but He responded with the Word of God: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that Scripture is not optional nourishment for the believer—it is the only food that can truly sustain the soul. Just as our bodies need daily, nutritious food, our sp...

There was a time when many people in the Western world—believers and non-believers alike—knew the Bible’s stories, teachings, and moral foundations. But today, Biblical knowledge is fading as postmodern thinking declares truth to be personal, shifting, and based on feeling. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that God’s Word does not bend to culture, opinion, emotion, or circumstance.

Throughout history, people have loved the Bible, hated it, believed it, rejected it, tried to change it, and attempted to destroy it. Dictators and rulers have sought to silence...

Many people today are racing after careers, success, possessions, status, or even the achievements of their children. But in today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that Christians are running a far greater race—one that is not about personal glory, but about God’s glory and the advance of the Gospel.

The apostle Paul understood this race well. He was willing to go any distance, endure any hardship, and sacrifice personal comfort in order to win people to Christ. Paul knew that in the end, what matters most is what we hav...

Today, many people talk about social justice, but not every vision of justice reflects the way of Jesus. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef points believers back to the Biblical foundation of true justice: God owns everything, and His people are called to manage what He has entrusted to them for His glory.

Our bodies, money, possessions, time, and gifts do not ultimately belong to us. We are stewards—managers serving God and His Kingdom. When we resist giving to Gospel ministry, it may reveal that we have not yet experienced the...

In Christ, believers are free—but Christian freedom must never become a stumbling block to others. In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef continues in 1 Corinthians 8, where Paul addresses the issue of eating meat that had been offered to idols.

The mature believers in Corinth knew they were free to eat the meat with a clean conscience. But some younger or weaker believers, remembering their former life in idolatry, could not eat it without spiritual distress. Paul’s instruction was clear: love must override rights. Even when something is not morally or spirit...