New Identity in Jesus
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Posted:Jan 1, 2024 9:00 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 7:59 am 22029 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:14–21
Bible in a Year: Genesis 1–3; Matthew 1
See what great love the Father has lavished on us. 1 John 3:1
“I’m not who I once was. I’m a new person.” Those simple words from my , spoken to students at a school assembly, describe the change God made in his life. Once addicted to heroin, Geoffrey previously saw himself through his sins and mistakes. But now he sees himself as a of God.
The Bible encourages us with this promise: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). No matter who we’ve been or what we’ve done in our past, when we trust Jesus for our salvation and receive the forgiveness offered through His cross, we become someone new. Since the garden of Eden, the guilt of our sins has separated us from God, but He has now “reconciled us to himself through Christ,” “not counting” our sins against us (vv. 18–19). We are His dearly loved (1 John 3:1–2), washed clean and made new in the likeness of His .
Jesus liberates us from sin and its dominating power and restores us into a new relationship with God—where we’re free to no longer live for ourselves but “for him who died for [us] and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:15). On this New Year’s Day, let’s remember that His transforming love compels us to live with new identity and purpose. It helps us point others to our Savior, the One who can make them new people too!
What does it mean to you that a new beginning is possible with God? How can you live as His “new creation”?
Abba, Father, thank You for sending Your to save me. Please send me to someone who needs You too.
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The Righteous City
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Posted:Dec 31, 2023 6:26 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 7:59 am 21899 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Hebrews 13:14–21 | Bible in a Year: Malachi 1–4; Revelation 22
May he produce in you . . . every good thing that is pleasing to him. Hebrews 13:21
On New Year’s Eve 2000, officials in Detroit carefully opened a hundred-year-old time capsule. Nestled inside the copper box were hopeful predictions from some city leaders who expressed visions of prosperity. The mayor’s message, however, offered a different approach. He wrote, “May we be permitted to express one hope superior to all others . . . [that] you may realize as a nation, people, and city, you have grown in righteousness, for it is this that exalts a nation.”
More than success, happiness, or peace, the mayor wished that future citizens would grow in what it means to be truly just and upright. Perhaps he took his cue from Jesus, who blessed those who long for His righteousness (Matthew 5:6). But it’s easy to get discouraged when we consider God’s perfect standard.
Praise God that we don’t have to rely on our own effort to grow. The author of Hebrews said it this way: “May the God of peace . . . equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ” (Hebrews 13:20–21). We who are in Christ are made holy by His blood the moment we believe in Him (v. 12), but He actively grows the fruit of righteousness in our hearts throughout a lifetime. We’ll often stumble on the journey, yet still we look forward to “the city that is to come” where God’s righteousness will reign (v. 14).
For what Christlike attributes would you like to be known? How can you encourage others to seek God’s righteousness?
Dear God, please work in me what’s pleasing to You.
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Troubled Souls, Honest Prayers
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Posted:Dec 30, 2023 5:58 am
Last Updated:Dec 30, 2023 5:59 am 20408 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: John 12:27–32
Bible in a Year: Zechariah 13–14; Revelation 21
Father, glorify your name! John 12:28
Three days before a bomb blast rocked his home in January 1957, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had an encounter that marked him for the rest of his life. After receiving a threatening phone call, King found himself pondering an exit strategy from the civil rights movement. Then prayers emerged from his soul. “I am here taking a stand for what I believe is right. But now I am afraid. I have nothing left. I’ve come to the point where I can’t face it alone.” After his prayer, there came quiet assurance. King noted, “Almost at once my fears began to go. My uncertainty disappeared. I was ready to face anything.”
In John 12, Jesus acknowledged, “My soul is troubled” (v. 27). He was transparently honest about His internal disposition; still He was God-centered in His prayer. “Father, glorify your name!” (v. 28. Jesus’ prayer was one of surrender to God’s will.
How human it is for us to feel the pangs of fear and discomfort when we find ourselves with the option of honoring God or not; when wisdom requires making hard decisions about relationships, habits, or other patterns (good or bad). No matter what we’re faced with, as we pray boldly to God, He’ll give us the strength to overcome our fear and discomfort and do what brings glory to Him—for our good and the good of others.
What experiences have prompted prayers for God to be honored? What advice would you give to others facing such situations?
Father, please help me to face challenging things honestly and prayerfully that are for my good and will bring You glory.
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The Crown of Life
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Posted:Dec 29, 2023 6:08 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 7:59 am 7922 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: James 1:1–12
Bible in a Year: Zechariah 9–12; Revelation 20
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. James 1:12
Twelve-year-old LeeAdianez Rodriguez-Espada was worried that she’d be late for a 5K run (just over 3 miles). Her anxiousness led her to take off with a group of runners fifteen minutes earlier than her start time with participants of the half-marathon (more than 13 miles)! LeeAdianez fell in pace with other runners and put one foot in front of the other. At mile four, with the finish line nowhere in sight, she realized that she was in a longer and more difficult race. Instead of dropping out, she simply kept running. The accidental half-marathoner completed her 13.1-mile race and placed 1,885th out of 2,111 finishers. Now that’s perseverance!
While undergoing persecution, many first-century believers in Jesus wanted to drop out of the race for Christ, but James encouraged them to keep running. If they patiently endured testing, God promised a double reward (James 1:4, 12). First, “perseverance [would] finish its work” so they could be “mature and complete, not lacking anything” (v. 4). Second, God would give them the “crown of life”—life in Jesus on earth and the promise of being in His presence in the life to come (v. 12).
Some days the Christian race feels like it’s not the one we signed up for—it’s something longer and more difficult than we expected. But as God provides what we need, we can persevere and keep on running.
What difficulty are you enduring right now? What can you do to remain faithful to God as you undergo testing?
Dear God, my legs are tired, and I feel like giving up. Please strengthen me.
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Meeting the Needs of Others
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Posted:Dec 28, 2023 2:57 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 7:59 am 7123 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Exodus 22:22–27
Bible in a Year: Zechariah 5–8; Revelation 19
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset. Exodus 22:26
Phillip’s father suffered from severe mental illness and had left home to live on the streets. After Cyndi and her young Phillip spent a day searching for him, Phillip was rightly concerned for his dad’s well-being. He asked his mother whether his father and other people without homes were warm. In response, they launched an effort to collect and distribute blankets and cold-weather gear to homeless people in the area. For more than a decade, Cyndi has considered it her life’s work, crediting her and her deep faith in God for awakening her to the hardship of being without a warm place to sleep.
The Bible has long taught us to respond to the needs of others. In the book of Exodus, Moses records a set of principles to guide our interaction with those who lack plentiful resources. When we’re moved to supply the needs of another, we’re to “not treat it like a business deal” and should make no gain or profit from it
(Exodus 22:25). If a person’s cloak was taken as collateral, it was to be returned by sunset “because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?” (v. 27).
Let’s ask God to open our eyes and hearts to see how we can ease the pain of those who are suffering. Whether we seek to meet the needs of many—as Cyndi and Phillip have—or those of a single person, we honor Him by treating them with dignity and care.
How has God supplied your needs through others? Whose needs might you be able to supply?
Heavenly Father, please open my eyes to the needs of others.
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God’s Wisdom Saves Lives
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Posted:Dec 27, 2023 5:16 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 7:59 am 7040 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Proverbs 11:24–31 | Bible in a Year: Zechariah 1–4; Revelation 18
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives. Proverbs 11:30
A mail carrier became concerned after seeing one of her customers’ mail pile up. The postal worker knew the elderly woman lived alone and usually picked up her mail every day. Making a wise choice, the worker mentioned her concern to one of the woman’s neighbors. This neighbor alerted yet another neighbor, who had a spare key to the woman’s home. Together they entered their friend’s home and found her lying on the floor. She had fallen four days earlier and couldn’t get up or call for help. The postal worker’s wisdom, concern, and decision to act likely saved her life.
Proverbs says, “the one who is wise saves lives” (11:30). The discernment that comes from doing right and living according to God’s wisdom can bless not only ourselves but those we encounter too. The fruit of living out what honors Him and His ways can produce a good and refreshing life. And our fruit also prompts us to care about others and to look out for their well-being.
As the writer of Proverbs asserts throughout the book, wisdom is found in reliance on God. Wisdom is considered “more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her” (8:11). The wisdom God provides is there to guide us throughout our lives. It just might save a life for eternity.
How can you use wisdom to help someone today? How much do you value wisdom?
Heavenly Father, please give me wisdom to follow Your path and directions. Help me to look out for others as You guide me.
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The Day after Christmas
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Posted:Dec 26, 2023 5:44 am
Last Updated:Dec 26, 2023 5:48 am 6963 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Luke 2:15–20
Bible in a Year: Haggai 1–2; Revelation 17
Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19
After all the joy of Christmas Day, the following day felt like a letdown. We’d stayed overnight with friends but hadn’t slept well. Then our car broke down as we were driving home. Then it started to snow. We had abandoned the car and taxied home in the snow and sleet feeling blah.
We’re not the only ones who’ve felt low after Christmas Day. Whether it’s from excessive eating, the way carols suddenly disappear from the radio, or the fact that the gifts we bought last week are now on sale half price, the magic of Christmas Day can quickly dissipate!
The Bible never tells us about the day after Jesus’ birth. But we can imagine that after walking to Bethlehem, scrambling for accommodation, Mary’s pain in giving birth, and having shepherds drop by unannounced (Luke 2:4–18, Mary and Joseph were exhausted. Yet as Mary cradled her newborn, I can imagine her reflecting on her angelic visitation (1:30–33), Elizabeth’s blessing (vv. 42–45), and her own realization of her baby’s destiny (vv. 46–55). Mary “pondered” such things in her heart (2:19), which must’ve lightened the tiredness and physical pain of that day.
We’ll all have “blah” days, perhaps even the day after Christmas. Like Mary, let’s face them by pondering the One who came into our world, forever brightening it with His presence.
When are you prone to feeling a “low” after a “high”? How can you ponder today all that Jesus has brought into the world?
Dear Jesus, I praise You for entering our dark world, forever brightening my days with Your presence.
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The Promise of Christ’s Birth
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Posted:Dec 25, 2023 6:03 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 7:59 am 6717 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Luke 2:1–7
Bible in a Year: Zephaniah 1–3; Revelation 16
You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, . . . out of you will come . . . one who will be ruler over Israel. Micah 5:2
In November 1962, physicist John W. Mauchly said, “There is no reason to suppose the average boy or girl cannot be master of a personal computer.” Mauchly’s prediction seemed remarkable at the time, but it proved astonishingly accurate. Today, using a computer or handheld device is one of the earliest skills a learns.
While Mauchly’s prediction has come true, so have much more important predictions—those made in Scripture about the coming of Christ. For example, Micah 5:2 declared, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” God sent Jesus, who arrived in tiny Bethlehem—marking him as from the royal line of David (see Luke 2:4–7).
The same Bible that accurately predicted the first coming of Jesus also promises His return (Acts 1:11). Jesus promised His first followers that He would come back for them (John 14:1–4).
This Christmas, as we ponder the accurately predicted facts surrounding the birth of Jesus, may we also consider His promised return, and allow Him to prepare us for that majestic moment when we see Him face to face!
How might you respond in worship to the truth of the prophecies of Christ’s birth? How does His promise to return for us impact your decision-making?
Loving Father, I’m so grateful for the birth of Jesus and His mission of rescue and redemption. Thank You for His certain return for me.
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The Christmas Star
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Posted:Dec 24, 2023 5:38 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 7:59 am 6665 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Matthew 2:1–5, 7–12
Bible in a Year: Habakkuk 1–3; Revelation 15
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. Matthew 2:10
“If you find that star, you can always find your way home.” Those were my father’s words when he taught me how to locate the North Star as a . Dad had served in the armed forces during wartime, and there were moments when his life depended on being able to navigate by the night sky. So he made sure I knew the names and locations of several constellations, but it was being able to find Polaris that mattered most of all. Knowing that star’s location meant I could gain a sense of direction wherever I was and find where I was supposed to be.
Scripture tells of another star of vital importance. “Magi from the east,” learned men (from an area encompassed by Iran and Iraq today) had been watching for signs in the sky of the birth of the One who was to be God’s king for His people. They came to Jerusalem asking “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him”
(Matthew 2:1–2).
Astronomers don’t know what caused the star of Bethlehem to appear, but the Bible reveals that God created it to point the world to Jesus—“the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). Christ came to save us from our sins and guide us back to God. Follow Him, and you’ll find your way home.
In what practical way will you follow Jesus today? What can you do this week to share His love with others?
Dear Jesus, thank You for being the Way to my forever-home in heaven. Please help guide me by Your light today!
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Fellowship in Jesus
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Posted:Dec 23, 2023 3:27 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 7:59 am 6728 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:11–15
Bible in a Year: Nahum 1–3; Revelation 14
Encourage one another and build each other up. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
I’m not sure who’s responsible for turning out the lights and locking up the church after our Sunday morning service, but I know one thing about that person: Sunday dinner is going to be delayed. That’s because so many people love to hang around after church and talk about life decisions, heart issues and struggles, and more. It’s a joy to look around twenty minutes after the service and see so many people still enjoying each other’s company.
Fellowship is a key component of the Christlike life. Without the connectivity that comes from spending time with fellow believers, we’d miss out on many benefits of being a believer.
For instance, Paul says we can “encourage one another and build each other up”
(1 Thessalonians 5:11). The author of Hebrews agrees, telling us not to neglect getting together, because we need to be “encouraging one another” (10:25). And the writer also says that when we’re together, we “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (v. 24).
As people dedicated to living for Jesus, we prepare ourselves for faithfulness and service as we “encourage the disheartened” and are “patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Living that way, as He helps us, allows us to enjoy true fellowship and “to do what is good for each other and for everyone else” (v. 15).
What benefits do you gain from being with believers? How can you help others experience fellowship in Christ?
Dear God, please help me to be a “fellowshiper”—one who generously encourages others in love and compassion.
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