Posts with the category “daily-devotion”

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished. And he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” - John 19:30When Jesus spoke the words “It is finished,” He was not announcing defeat. He was declaring victory. The work needed to save you, forgive you, and reconcile you to God was fully completed in that moment. Nothing needed to be added. Nothing needed to be improved. Nothi...  Read More

“For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Mark 10:45Every follower of Jesus must come face-to-face with an important truth. The power of the Christian life is not found in the moments that feel easy or familiar. It is found in the purpose that shaped every step Jesus took on earth. His life was not random. His actions were not accidental...  Read More

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” - 2 Corinthians 8:9There is a kind of richness this world cannot offer. It is not found in bank accounts, promotions, or possessions. It cannot be bought, measured, or displayed. Scripture teaches that Jesus gave up the highest place in he...  Read More

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” - Psalm 139:7There is a moment in Scripture when Jesus meets a man that everyone else had already given up on. This man lived among tombs, isolated from his community, controlled by darkness, and trapped in a life no one knew how to fix. People tried to restrain him, avoid him, or ignore him, but no one tried to reach him. His...  Read More

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” - Colossians 1:17Life has a way of coming apart at the seams. Responsibilities pile up, relationships strain, plans unravel, and the things you thought were steady suddenly feel fragile. You try to keep everything under control, yet the harder you work, the more it seems to slip through your fingers. In moments like that, it is easy t...  Read More

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” - Luke 19:10Christmas Day is a reminder of something many people never realize. You are not the one who took the first step toward God. He took the first step toward you. Long before you ever prayed a prayer, opened a Bible, or walked into a church, God was already moving toward your life with purpose and love. From the very beginning of Scri...  Read More

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” - Genesis 3:15Christmas Eve carries a special weight. Lights shine, songs rise, and hope feels close enough to touch. But the true story of Christmas began long before shepherds and angels and a baby in a manger. It started in a garden, at the moment humani...  Read More

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” - John 1:1When most people think about Jesus, they picture a baby in a manger, wrapped in cloths, lying in a quiet stable. But the story of Jesus does not start there. The manger is not His beginning. It is simply the moment He stepped into our world in human form. Scripture tells us something far greater. Before the...  Read More

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” - John 1:14There is a story of a young boy who stared at a picture of his father sitting in a frame on his coach’s desk. His father was serving overseas, and the boy looked at that photo with longing. When asked what he wanted for Christmas, he said he wished his father could step out of that picture and be with him. That desire captures some...  Read More

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” - Psalm 51:12There was a time when your faith felt alive. You could sense God’s presence, your prayers felt real, and your heart was tender to His voice. But somewhere along the way, other things began to fill the space that once belonged to Him. Work became heavier. Distractions grew louder. The spark of devot...  Read More

“She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” - Luke 2:7When Jesus was born, the small town of Bethlehem was bursting with people. Travelers filled every room and every corner. The inn was full, the streets were crowded, and no one had space for a young couple who had come late in the night. In the mi...  Read More

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” - Proverbs 19:21When Caesar Augustus issued a decree that forced everyone to return to their hometown for a census, it looked like another display of human power. He wanted control, recognition, and authority. What he did not know was that God was using his decision to fulfill a prophecy that had been spoken cent...  Read More

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.” - Ephesians 5:15-16Opportunities to encounter God rarely come wrapped in the ways we expect. They often arrive quietly, disguised as interruptions or inconveniences. The problem is that most of us are too busy to notice. Our schedules are packed, our minds are distracted, and our hearts are preoc...  Read More

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19There are seasons in life when you feel like you are doing everything you can just to keep moving forward. You show up, you try to stay faithful, yet nothing seems to go according to plan. The doors you hoped would open stay closed. The people you counted on are nowhere to be found. You fe...  Read More

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.” - Psalm 138:8Sometimes life feels random. The timing seems off, the path feels unclear, and the pieces just do not seem to fit together. You wonder if God sees what you are walking through or if the setbacks and delays are signs that you have somehow missed His plan. But nothing in your life is outside His co...  Read More

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28No one enjoys being interrupted. We build plans, routines, and expectations, only to have them overturned by something we never saw coming. A job changes. A relationship ends. A dream falls apart. When life gets inconvenient, our first thought is usually frustratio...  Read More

“Be still, and know that I am God.” - Psalm 46:10Every December seems to move faster than the one before. The calendar fills up, the noise gets louder, and the pressure to keep up never seems to stop. Even in seasons meant for worship, we often find ourselves rushing from one thing to the next, exhausted and distracted. Yet the story of Christmas is not about how much we can pack in. It is about c...  Read More

“She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” - Luke 2:7On the night Jesus was born, the streets of Bethlehem were crowded. People filled every room and every corner. Travelers who had come for the census packed the small town so tightly that when Mary and Joseph arrived, tired and desperate, there wa...  Read More

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” - 2 Corinthians 9:7In one version of the old Charlie Brown Christmas story, Charlie breaks open his piggy bank to buy gifts for his friends. Inside are only nine dollars and eleven cents in coins. When he tells Lucy about his plan, she laughs and says he canno...  Read More

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her.” - Luke 1:45When Mary received the message from the angel, she was told something no one had ever heard before. She would give birth to the Son of God. There were no examples to follow, no proof to lean on, and no clear explanation of how it would all work. Yet she chose to believe that every word God spoke would com...  Read More

“For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” - Luke 1:49Mary’s story is one of the clearest pictures of what it means to walk in faith. She was chosen by God for a purpose she never could have imagined. From the moment the angel greeted her with the words, “You are highly favored,” her life took a direction she could not control. She faced uncertainty, misunderstandin...  Read More

“For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on, all generations will call me blessed.” - Luke 1:48When God chose the person who would carry His Son into the world, He did not look to the powerful or the well-known. He did not go to the palace or the temple. He went to a small town called Nazareth and found a young woman named Mary. She had no title, no influence, and no p...  Read More

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” - Luke 1:46-47After hearing the angel’s message and visiting her cousin Elizabeth, Mary broke out into a song of praise. It was not a song born out of comfort or ease. It was a song sung in the middle of chaos. Mary was young, unmarried, and facing a future full of uncertainty. People would question her story and her character. ...  Read More

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” - Luke 1:37When the angel told Mary she would give birth to the Son of God, her mind must have flooded with questions. She was young, unmarried, and from a small town with no importance. Everything about that promise seemed impossible. Yet the angel didn’t offer her a detailed explanation. He simply gave her a truth that would carry her through the unknow...  Read More

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” - Matthew 1:20When Mary first told Joseph she was expecting a child, he must have felt his whole world collapse. They were engaged to be married, and by all appearances, it looked like she had betrayed him. The story she told him sounded impossible. Yet before he could...  Read More

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” - Luke 1:38When the angel finished speaking to Mary, the message must have left her breathless. She had just been told that she would give birth to the Son of God, even though she was not yet married. Every part of her life was about to change.In that moment, she could have said no. She could have asked for more proof, m...  Read More

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” - Luke 1:34When the angel told Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God, her response revealed something powerful about her faith. She didn’t say, “How can this be?” She said, “How will this be?” There’s a difference. “How can this be?” questions whether God is able. “How will this be?” trusts that He already is. Mary believe...  Read More

“But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.’” - Luke 1:30When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he greeted her with incredible words. He said she was favored by God. Imagine hearing that. To be told that the Creator of the universe sees you, chooses you, and calls you blessed. But what followed that announcement did not look like favor. Mary would soon fac...  Read More

“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” - John 1:46When God sent the angel Gabriel to deliver the news that the Savior of the world was coming, He didn’t choose a palace, a capital city, or a famous leader. He chose a small town called Nazareth. It was the kind of place people ignored or made fun of. In fact, one man in Scripture later asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” That was the re...  Read More

“Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.” - Luke 1:29Long before the first Christmas morning, God sent an angel named Gabriel to a young woman in a small town called Nazareth. Her name was Mary. She was engaged to be married, living an ordinary life, and had no idea that she was about to receive a message that would change history. When Gabriel appe...  Read More

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” - Colossians 3:23You do not need a stage to live out your faith. You do not need a spotlight, a massive audience, or some big spiritual moment. Real faith is not proven in the grand gestures. It is lived out in the quiet, repetitive, unseen corners of everyday life.Maybe you think your life is too normal to matter. You wake up, go t...  Read More

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary” - Luke 10:41-42You can be doing everything for Jesus and still miss being with Him. That’s the warning tucked inside the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10. One sister is busy preparing, serving, and managing the moment. The other is simply sitting at the feet of Jesus, soaking in His presence. And it’s t...  Read More

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” - Ephesians 2:10What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t what others say about you but what you’ve been saying about yourself?It’s easy to build a story in your head that’s based on your worst moments. Maybe you keep telling yourself you’re a failure because of something you did. Or you’ve convinced yourself you’ll never ...  Read More

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” - 1 Thessalonians 5:18You probably know when you come to read a devotion on this day, what exactly it will be about. It’s a day full of plates of food, people you may not see often, and moments that are supposed to feel special. But if we’re honest, Thanksgiving can sometimes feel forced. We say what we’re than...  Read More

"This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me" - Matthew 15:8Did you know that you can do all the right things and still miss the point? That’s what Jesus saw over and over again. People who looked the part, said the right words, showed up at the right places, but deep down were more concerned with appearances than connection. And He wasn’t impressed.Jesus didn’t come to c...  Read More

"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him" - Hebrews 11:6Sometimes, without even realizing it, we treat our faith like a transaction. We say the prayer, do the reading, go to church, and expect God to respond with blessings. And when He doesn’t give us what we hoped for, we start to wonde...  Read More

"But he said to me My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me" - 2 Corinthians 12:9If you’ve ever felt like you’re not smart enough, holy enough, talented enough, or strong enough for God to use you, you’re exactly the kind of person He’s looking for. God has never...  Read More

"For by grace you have been saved through faith And this is not your own doing it, is the gift of God not a result of works so that no one may boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9When it comes to our faith journey, too often, there is somewhere along the way that we start thinking God’s love is something we have to earn. Maybe you grew up in a home where approval was based on performance, or maybe you’ve jus...  Read More

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’” - Isaiah 6:8God is not always looking for the most qualified or the most prepared. He is often simply looking for the most willing. When He places something in front of you, it is not always about your strength or ability to figure it out. Sometimes, He just wants your yes.Ye...  Read More

“For we walk by faith, not by sight” - 2 Corinthians 5:7When it comes to moving in the direction God has called us to, most of us want to see the full picture before we take the first step. We want confirmation, clarity, and guarantees. But that is not how God works. He does not wait for the outcome to be obvious before He starts moving. He is not limited by uncertainty, and He does not need every...  Read More