January 23, 2026 WEST

Today's reading takes us on a profound journey through Jeremiah 9, Matthew 9, Romans 9, and Daniel 9—a powerful convergence of scripture that reveals God's heart for His people and His call to genuine relationship over religious performance. We're confronted with a sobering truth: it's possible to know about God without truly knowing Him. The prophets weren't just addressing outsiders; they were speaking to those who thought they had it all figured out, those comfortable in familiar religion yet disconnected from God's heart. We see God's grief over people who refuse to know Him, who have taught their tongues to speak lies and heap oppression upon oppression. Yet in this convicting message comes hope—God promises to refine and test us, not as punishment but as purification. We're living in a season where the Spirit is doing cleanup work in the body of Christ, calling us to surrender our ambitions, our expectations, and our attempts to force God's fresh work into old methods. The question that pierces our hearts today is this: Are we trying to make God do something new in old ways? Are we putting boundaries on His movement, saying we want revival but only if it looks a certain way? The call to surrender echoes throughout—surrender our control, our predictions, our attempts to force outcomes. When we boast, let us boast only in knowing the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. This is a moment for the body of Christ to live congruently, where what we preach and how we live come into harmony. The refining fire isn't something to fear but something to embrace, because on the other side is a church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish—a people truly ready for the return of the Lord.