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It's About Jesus
Personal Devotion
Spending time in personal devotion to God is crucial for deepening one's spiritual relationship and fostering a sense of inner peace and guidance. This dedicated time allows individuals to reflect on their faith, seek wisdom, and find solace in prayer and scripture. Personal devotion helps align one's life with God's will, offering clarity and direction in daily decisions and challenges. It also provides a space for personal growth, repentance, and renewal, strengthening the foundation of one's faith.
The Problem Beneath the Problem
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned.” — Romans 5:12 Most of us think we know what sin looks like. Sin is lying, cheating, stealing, hurting someone, or doing something bad enough that we hope nobody ever finds out. Those things certainly can be sin. But the Bible says the problem goes deeper. Sin is not only about the bad things we do. Sin is something inside us that whispe
The One Thing We Won't Let Go
The One Thing We Won’t Let Go “Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing… then come, follow me.’” — Mark 10:21 The rich young man came to Jesus with a very good question. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” He was sincere. He was respectful. He had tried to live a good life. He had kept the commandments. Honestly, he sounds like the kind of fellow most churches would put on a committee before he made it back to the parking lot. But Jesus saw somethi
Made for Purpose
“And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant…” — Isaiah 49:5 Most of us spend a good part of life asking, “What do I want to do?” What career do I want? Where do I want to live? What kind of life do I want? Even our prayers can become a spiritual version of a wish list: “Lord, here is my plan. Please sign at the bottom.” Isaiah starts somewhere very different. God says He formed us. God made us. And God made us for His purpose. That changes the question
Obey Your Way Clear
“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.” — John 14:21 Sometimes we make following Jesus much harder than it needs to be. We analyze. We debate. We make lists. We lose sleep. We imagine twelve possible outcomes, eleven disasters, and one unlikely situation involving a lawyer. Then we pray, “Lord, please make this clear.” And sometimes Jesus has already made it clear. We just do not like the answer. Jesus says something wonderfully simple in John 14:21.
God Has Bigger Plans Than Making You Happy
“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” — 1 Peter 1:16 Most of us have a fairly simple plan for God. Keep me healthy. Keep my family happy. Keep enough money in the checking account. Keep the car running. Keep difficult people at least three counties away. And, Lord, if it is not too much trouble, could You arrange things so that everybody appreciates me? We would like God to make us happy. God has something bigger in mind. He wants to make us holy. That sounds slightly less exci
The Peace Jesus Gives
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” — John 14:27 Some peace comes because we do not know what is coming. The doctor has not called yet. The bills have not arrived yet. The storm is still somewhere over the horizon. We are peaceful because, for the moment, we do not know enough to be afraid. But that is not the peace Jesus gives. Jesus spoke these words on the night before the cross. He knew exactly what was coming. He knew about Judas. He knew about the soldiers. H
The Narrow Road
“Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” — Matthew 7:14 Nobody accidentally climbs a mountain. You may accidentally wander into a grocery store. You may accidentally take the wrong exit. You might even accidentally end up sitting through a meeting you never intended to attend. But nobody wakes up on top of a mountain and says, “Well, how did I get here?” Some places require a climb. Jesus says the same thing about following Him. Ther
When Moses is Gone
“The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.” — Deuteronomy 34:8 For forty years, Moses had been there. When Pharaoh threatened, Moses was there. When the Red Sea stood in their way, Moses was there. When they had no food, no water, and no idea where they were going, Moses was there. He was their leader, teacher, and guide. Then Moses died. And Israel wept. The Bible does not rush past their grief. For t
You Do Not Have to Convince God.
“In that day you will ask in my name… for the Father himself loves you.” — John 16:26–27 Don't treat prayer like a sales pitch. We come to God with our reasons. We explain the problem. We remind Him how important it is. We may even quietly wonder if we can somehow say the right words and convince God to help. Jesus gives us a much better picture. He says, “The Father himself loves you.” That changes prayer. Prayer is not standing outside God’s door, hoping He will let us in.
Wait
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” — Psalm 27:14 Waiting is one of the hardest things God asks us to do. We would rather move. Fix. Call. Explain. Push. We want to see the road ahead and know how the story will end. But sometimes God closes the door, quiets the room, and says, “Wait.” Waiting can feel like nothing is happening. But with God, waiting is never wasted time. A seed waits beneath the soil. A child waits in the womb. The sun waits
Empty Hand
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:3 Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with empty hands. Not strong hands. Not successful hands. Not hands full of good works and proud promises. Empty hands. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” At first, that does not sound like a blessing. We would rather be rich in spirit. Strong. Confident. Certain. We want to believe we can handle life, fix our mistakes, and become good enough for God. Then
Together
“Until all of us come… to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” — Ephesians 4:13 God’s goal is not simply to make us happier. His goal is to make us more like Jesus. We often come to God because we need something. We need peace. We need forgiveness. We need strength for a hard day. We need hope when life has broken our hearts. God gladly meets us in those places. He comforts, forgives, strengthens, and restores. But God does not stop there. He not only want
Let Us Provoke...
“Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together... but encouraging one another.” — Hebrews 10:24–25 Following Jesus was never meant to be a solo journey. Some people imagine the Christian life as a quiet cabin by a lake. Just me, my Bible, and a little peace and quiet. There is nothing wrong with enjoying silence with God. Jesus often withdrew to pray. But He always came back to people. He healed them, taught them, served th
Two Kinds of Freedom
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 Today we celebrate freedom. Flags wave. Families gather. Parades roll down Main Street. Fireworks light up the sky. We remember the gift of living in a land where freedom has been cherished, defended, and passed on. That kind of freedom is precious. But there is an even deeper freedom. Paul says, “For freedom Christ has set us free.” He is not talking first
Settle It!
If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. - Romans 12:18 “Live peaceably with all.” That includes living peaceably with yourself. Here is a bit of Godly advice to make it happen. You must take care of the darkness, or it will take care of you. God loves us too much to let a little darkness live in our hearts. We may try to excuse it. We may say, “It was not that bad.” “They started it.” “I will deal with it later.” “I am just not ready.” But the Ho
Swords, Clubs, and Darkness
“Have you come out with swords and clubs as though I were a rebel? 53 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness!” - Luke 22:52b-53 Jesus was not shocked by swords, clubs, and darkness. When the soldiers came with torches and weapons, Jesus did not say, “How could people do this?” He knew what was in the human heart. He knew how fear could turn into anger. He knew how sin can dress itself up
Do You Love Me?
“Do you love me? … Feed my sheep.” John 21:16 Jesus did not ask Peter, “Do you love doing good?” He did not ask, “Do you love helping people?” He did not ask, “Do you love being useful?” He asked, “Do you love me?” That question still comes to every follower of Christ. It comes before the prayer, worship service, or act of service. Before the organizational meeting. Before the Bible study. Before the good work. Before the cause. Before the mission. Jesus comes to the heart an
God Said It First
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” Hebrews 13:6 Our words are strongest when they are built on God’s words. God says, “I will never leave you.” So we can say, “The Lord is my helper.” God says, “I will never forsake you.” So we can say, “I will not be afraid.” Notice the order. God speaks first. We speak second. That matters. Faith does not begin with our say-so. Faith begins with God’s say-so. A child can walk into a dark room if his father says, “I am right here.
Prayer Like Breathing
“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Most of us think prayer is something we stop to do. We bow our heads. We fold our hands. We close our eyes. We say, “Dear God.” And that is prayer. Good prayer. Needed prayer. Holy prayer. But Paul points us to something deeper. He says, “Pray without ceasing.” That sounds impossible at first. How can we pray all day? We have work to do. Meals to cook. Emails to answer. Kids to help. Meetings to attend. Lawns to mow. Bills to pay
What Does God Dream About?
“He will judge between the nations… They will beat their swords into plowshares” (Isaiah 2:4). What does God dream about? Not the way we dream. God does not fall asleep in heaven and drift into wishes. God does not close His eyes and hope for a better tomorrow. But God does have a heart that yearns. And Isaiah lets us hear the beat and feel the yearning. God dreams of a day when the battlefield becomes a garden. When the sword is no longer sharpened for war but melted down fo
Jesus in Your Shoes
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.” (Ephesians 1:18) God did not save you to become a dusty trophy on heaven’s shelf. He saved you so Jesus could walk into the room wearing your shoes. That is the hope of His calling. Not just that you are forgiven. You are. Not just that heaven is promised. It is. Not just that your name is written in the book of life. By grace, it is. But God has more in
Focus on the Source!
Love is patient; love is kind.” 1 Corinthians 13:4 We know those words. We hear them at weddings. We print them on cards. We hang them on walls. But Paul is not giving us a poem for special days. He is showing us what the life of Jesus looks like when the Holy Spirit is free to work in us. Real love cannot be manufactured. We cannot wake up and say, “Today I will force myself to be patient. Today I will make myself kind. Today I will believe all things and hope all things.” W
When the Crowd Gets Quiet
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. - Psalm 27:8 There are seasons in life when the crowd gets quiet. The people you looked up to are not as strong as they once seemed. A friend moves away. A leader lets you down. Someone you thought would always be there is suddenly gone. It can leave your heart feeling shaky. You may wonder, Now what? Who do I lean on? That is when this verse becomes so precious: “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” God never
Walk in the Light
Ephesians 5:8 “ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light…” There are moments in life when everything feels clear. A sermon grips your heart. A song in worship opens your eyes. A quiet prayer time leaves you full of courage. In those moments, faith feels strong and bright. You feel ready to obey God, ready to forgive, ready to change, and ready to trust. Paul says, “ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Singing at Twilight
“Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me” (Ps. 63:7–8). There are days when faith feels strong and steady. Then there are days when it feels like you are hanging on by your fingernails. Psalm 63 gives words for both kinds of days. It is not the voice of a man sitting in comfort. This is the voice of someone who knows what fear feels like, what danger feels like, what need feels like. And still he sings. Th
He Must Increase
He must increase, but I must decrease.” John the Baptist John the Baptist knew who he was and who he was not. He was not the Christ. He was not the Savior. He was not the center. He was the voice pointing to the Voice. He was a lamp pointing to the Light. He did not cling to his place. He said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). That is not the cry of a sad man. That is the joy of a faithful one. That word is hard for us, because we like to matter. We like t
Resurrection Day – 1: Sealed and Guarded
Day 40 (April 4 th ) Matthew 27:62-66 62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise, his disciples may go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception wou
Resurrection Day – 2: The Fires
Day 39 (April 3 rd ) Luke 22:54-56 5 4 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. 55 When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 Then a female servant, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” Two days before God raised Jesus from the dead, two fires blazed in the night. One is inside the h
Resurrection Day – 3: The Hour Has Come
Day 38 (April 2 nd ) Mark 14:41 41 " He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners" Three days before God raised Jesus from the dead, after the celebration of the Passover the disciples are asleep at the wheel. Not once. Not twice. Three times. Jesus steps back into the circle of drooping heads and heavy eyes and says words that feel like a bell in the night
Resurrection Day – 4: The Number One
Day 37 ( April 1 st ) Matthew 26:14-16 14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment, he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. Four days before God raised Jesus from the dead, Judas betrayed. Judas didn’t fall all at once. He didn’t wake up one morning and say, “Today I will betray the Son of God.” No, he w
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