Posts with the category “daily-devotionals”

The tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” - Matthew 4:3The first temptation Jesus faced was not really about hunger…it was about identity. Satan did not begin by attacking Jesus’ behavior. He attacked what God had already spoken over Him.“If you are the Son of God…”Just moments earlier, heaven had opened, and the Father’s voice declared, “...  Read More

After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. - Matthew 4:2Matthew’s statement in today’s key verse is brief, but it carries tremendous weight. After forty days and forty nights without food, Jesus was hungry. That may be the most obvious statement in Scripture, but it is also one of the most important. Hunger meant weakness. Depletion. Vulnerability.And that is exactly when the ...  Read More

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. - Matthew 4:1Spiritual victory is often followed by spiritual attack.Jesus experienced a powerful moment at His baptism. The heavens opened. The Spirit descended like a dove. The Father spoke words of affirmation. This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. If you were writing the story, you would expect t...  Read More

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. - John 20:1Before anything miraculous happened after Jesus’ death, there was waiting.Jesus had been crucified, buried, and sealed inside a tomb. Mary had watched everything unfold. She had followed closely, loved deeply, and now she believed the story had ended. Scripture tells us that after the burial, t...  Read More

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her. - John 20:18Mary’s phrase, “I have seen the Lord,” carried significant meaning in the first century. It was the language of legal testimony. It implied firsthand witness. Mary was saying, “I saw Him with my own eyes. I encountered Him myself.” This was not secondhand information o...  Read More

Jesus told her, “Do not cling to me, since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” - John 20:17When Mary realized who Jesus was, her instinct was to cling to Him. That response makes sense. The One she believed was gone forever was suddenly standing alive before her. Holding on felt natura...  Read More

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it that you are seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him away.” - John 20:15When Mary saw Jesus standing in front of her, she assumed He was the gardener. That detail is easy to overlook, but it is incredibly revealing.Grief narrows perspective....  Read More

Jesus said to her, Mary. Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni,” which means Teacher. - John 20:16Mary Magdalene stood in the garden, overwhelmed by grief and confusion. She had seen the empty tomb. She had spoken with angels. She had even turned and looked directly at Jesus. And still, she did not recognize Him.It is striking how close she was to the truth and yet how unaware she r...  Read More

Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” – John 20:14-15Mary was seeking Jesus, but she was seeking Him through sorrow. She saw a man standing nearby and assumed He was the gardener. Her assumption makes sense. Resurrection was not on her radar. Grief shaped ...  Read More

But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” – John 20:11-13The story of the resurrection begi...  Read More

And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” – Luke 23:43Jesus’ response to the criminal on the cross is immediate and decisive. He does not hesitate. He does not delay. He does not require proof. He makes a promise.“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”That single sentence rewrote a lifetime of failure.The criminal could not save himself. He c...  Read More

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” – Luke 23:42This statement by the second criminal in today’s key verse may be one of the most remarkable statements of faith in all of Scripture. Hanging on a cross, gasping for breath, staring at his own death, he turns to Jesus and says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”Do not rush past that sentence.Jesus di...  Read More

But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” – Luke 23:40-41The second criminal responded very differently from the first criminal, as we discussed yesterday. Instead of mocking Jesus, he rebuked the other m...  Read More

Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” – Luke 23:39The words of the crucified criminal recorded in today's key verse were loud, demanding, and revealing. “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” This man was not asking for forgiveness. He was not confessing sin. He was demanding rescue.What he wanted was relief w...  Read More

Two others—criminals—were also led away to be executed with him. When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. – Luke 23:32-33Crucifixion was never meant to be hidden. The Romans intentionally carried out executions in public places so that as many people as possible would see them. These were not quiet de...  Read More

There was also an inscription above him: This is the King of the Jews. – Luke 23:38Crucifixion was not accidental. It was intentional humiliation. Romans chose public places near major roadways so everyone could see what happened to those who challenged their authority. The goal was fear. Obedience through terror.Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, outside the city walls of Je...  Read More

Two others—criminals—were also led away to be executed with him. When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. – Luke 23:32-33In 2009, a man named James Washington was nearing the end of a 15-year prison sentence when he suffered a massive heart attack behind bars. Lying on what he believed was his deathbe...  Read More

Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” – Matthew 26:27-28The Last Supper was more than a meal. Jesus made it clear that night that the table was not just about remembering the past. It was about responding to the present.When Jesus spoke of...  Read More

According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. – Hebrews 9:22The entire Passover story hinges on one critical detail: the blood of the lamb. In Exodus 12, God instructed each Jewish family to sacrifice a lamb and smear its blood on the doorposts of their home. When the angel of death passed through Egypt, if he saw the bloo...  Read More

As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” – Matthew 26:26-28Every year, the Jewish people celebrated Passover ...  Read More

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way. – Psalm 139:23-24Encountering Jesus always involves an examination of the heart. When the disciples heard that one of them would betray Him, their assumptions crumbled, and fear surfaced. This was not just about Judas. It was about every heart at the table.We of...  Read More

Deeply distressed, each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?” – Matthew 26:22When the Titanic set sail in 1912, it was called the unsinkable ship. It was the largest, most luxurious vessel ever built. Passengers boarded with excitement, confident in its safety. One crew member even claimed that not even God Himself could sink it. Four days later, it lay at the bottom of the ocean.The disc...  Read More

While they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” – Matthew 26:21The disciples walked into the upper room expecting a good meal, meaningful fellowship, and a joyful celebration of Passover. They were reclining at the table, symbolizing freedom and rest, remembering God’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Everything about the night pointed toward joy and victory.Then ...  Read More

“When evening came, he was reclining at the table with the Twelve. – Matthew 26:20There are moments in life that change everything. Encounters we experience that are so significant that we walk away different than we were before. Most of us can name a few of those moments without much effort. The day you gave your life to Jesus. The day you were married. The moment you became a parent. Moments tha...  Read More

“Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they won’t become discouraged.” - Colossians 3:21 Children start learning about God long before they ever have words for Him. They pick up tone before theology. Long before they can explain who God is, they are forming impressions of what He is like. The voice they hear most often in moments of correction, encouragement, and failure slowly shapes how...  Read More

“The Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.” - Proverbs 3:12 Discipline often gets misunderstood, especially when emotions are high. In those moments, it can feel like punishment or control, something meant to shut behavior down as quickly as possible. Most parents are not trying to be harsh. They are just tired, overwhelmed, and trying to keep...  Read More

“Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they won’t become discouraged.” - Colossians 3:21 Parenting has a way of turning into behavior management without us even realizing it. Stop that. Do this. Fix your attitude. Clean it up. When you’re tired, busy, and just trying to get through the day, control feels efficient. You’re not trying to be harsh. You’re just trying to survive. But deep dow...  Read More

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” - Colossians 3:20 Obedience often gets reduced to behavior. Do this. Do not do that. Follow the rules and move on. In real life, especially with kids, it can feel like obedience is just about getting through the moment. You want cooperation. You want things to run smoothly. But deep down, you know God designed obedience to be ...  Read More

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:35 It is possible to talk about faith and still miss it where it matters most. You can know the right verses, say the right things, and even believe the right truths, yet still struggle in real life. Discipleship always shows up somewhere practical. It shows up in how you speak when you are tired. It shows u...  Read More

“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” - Hebrews 12:15 Some of the most damaging growth happens quietly. Nothing dramatic at first. No big arguments. No clear breaking point. Just small things left unaddressed. Over time, bitterness spreads. Pride hardens. Neglect settles in. Like kudzu, it grows fast, wraps...  Read More

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” - John 15:5 Relationships are always growing into something. They never stay neutral. Even when no one is trying, something is forming beneath the surface. Over time, patterns develop, tone settles in, and trust either deepens or erodes. What grows in your relat...  Read More

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” - Colossians 3:1 Resurrection is not just something Christians believe happened to Jesus. It is something that is meant to show up in the way you live. When God brings someone to life in Christ, the change does not stay hidden. Over time, it begins to surface in how you think, respo...  Read More

“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” - Colossians 3:12 Every morning, you make a choice whether you think about it or not. You decide what you are going to wear. No one assumes yesterday’s clothes automatically carry over. What fit the day before gets taken off, and something fresh is put on. Paul uses that exact...  Read More

“So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17 When an athlete joins a new team, one thing changes immediately. The jersey. It does not matter how long they played for the old team or how familiar that uniform feels. Once they belong somewhere new, they dress like it. Wearing the old jersey would send the wrong mess...  Read More

“Do not give the devil an opportunity.” - Ephesians 4:27 Some sins do not look dangerous anymore. They feel familiar, manageable, almost harmless. You tell yourself it is under control now, that it is not like it used to be. You keep it close, not active, just nearby. But sin that is tolerated never stays quiet. What sleeps next to you eventually wakes up stronger than before. Old sin is deceptive...  Read More

“Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.” - Colossians 3:5 New life in Christ is real, but it is not passive. When God brings you to life, He also calls you to deal honestly with what once destroyed you. Some things that felt normal before now threaten what God is growing in you. Grace does not ignor...  Read More

“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” - Colossians 3:3 There is a strange pull that comes with new life in Christ. Part of you wants to move forward, but another part keeps glancing back. Old habits feel familiar. Old mindsets feel comfortable. Old identities still whisper your name. Even when God is clearly calling you into something new, the past has a way of trying to...  Read More

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” - Colossians 3:2 Most drifts in life do not start with big decisions. It starts quietly in the mind. Thoughts begin to wander. Focus shifts. What once felt clear starts to blur. You do not wake up one day far from God. You slowly think your way there. Before behavior ever changes, attention does. What you allow your mind to dwell on will eve...  Read More

“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” - Colossians 3:1 Sometimes, we can lose sight of life and start living as if this life is all there is. Bills, schedules, pressure, and expectations pull your attention downward every day. Even as a believer, your focus can slowly shrink to what is urgent instead of what is eternal. W...  Read More

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17 It is possible to look put together while still feeling unfinished inside. You adjust behavior, clean up habits, and manage appearances, hoping that will bring peace. From the outside, it can look like growth. On the inside, the same fears, patterns, and frustrations keep resurf...  Read More