Posts with the category “spring-2024”

DAY 10 - Don’t Give UpLuke 18:1-8We need honesty to pray our pain but we also need perseverance. That means we keep carrying this burden to God, over and over again, until there’s breakthrough. Until ...  Read More

DAY 9 - Honest PrayerMatthew 6:5-8You have to be honest to pray your pain until it’s praise. Jesus urges us to be honest when he teaches about prayer. Don’t pray to get attention or put on a show. Don...  Read More

DAY 8 - The TurnPsalm 10:12-18Our songwriter prays his pain but makes a turn in v.12: “Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.” He calls on God to get up and do something! H...  Read More

DAY 7 - Handling HurtPsalm 10:7-11Psalm 10 wrestles with the question that holds a lot of people back from faith: if God exists, why do we suffer? It’s the so-called problem of evil. You’ve probably f...  Read More

DAY 1 - Why, God?Psalm 10:1-6We all ask “why?” It’s how we learn, but sometimes we ask “why” about things more emotionally explosive: Why am I sick? Why did he walk out on me? Why am I here? Sometimes...  Read More

DAY 5 - I Love You, LordPsalm 8:3-6“I love you” is easy to say when you already know you’re loved. What would adoration look like in your life? How can you more easily say, “I love you, Lord?”Think ab...  Read More

DAY 4 - A Little Lower Than…Psalm 8:3-6It’s natural to look at the bigness of the ocean or a mountain and feel small. Psalm 8 seems headed that way in v.4, but throws a curve in v.5: “You have made [u...  Read More

DAY 3 - Glory in the HeavensPsalm 19:1-6Psalm 8 says, “You have set your glory in the heavens.” Everything between here and v.8 is “I love you because…” He uses a Hebrew poetry pattern, repeating idea...  Read More

DAY 2 - I Love You Because…Psalm 8 Psalm 8 is a psalm of praise. Praise psalms teach us to say, “I love you, God!” You can feel the songwriter’s love oozing off the page!“O LORD, our Lord, how majesti...  Read More

DAY 1 - Honest PrayersPsalm 8:1Sometimes you can sing what you can’t say. In the 2010 film, The King’s Speech, King George VI learns to overcome his stutter by singing what he wants to say. This unusu...  Read More

NEW DEVO!Our new devotional (devo) begins Monday, April 15. It publishes every morning, Monday-Friday, around 5 am. This devo takes you deeper into our Sunday morning message series, Psalms: A  Prayer...  Read More

DAY 9 - Can You Change?Colossians 3:3Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we have new power. We have this new power through God’s Holy Spirit to live a new life, to change for the better.But can we r...  Read More

DAY 8 - Our EnemiesColossians 3:1-5 Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we have new power. We have power to overcome temptation and sin, to live a new life. The apostle Paul says, “You have been rai...  Read More

DAY 7 - NEW POWEREphesians 1:3, 18-23 Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we have new power. Christians often talk about the forgiveness available to us through Jesus Christ. It’s true! We’re forgiv...  Read More

DAY 6 - PEACEFUL THINKINGPhilippians 4:8-9Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can have peace. The apostle Paul called this “peace that passes understanding” - unbelievable peace! He also tells us...  Read More

DAY 5 - UNBELIEVABLE PEACEPhilippians 4:4-7 Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can have peace. The apostle Paul had unbelievable peace in his prison cell. He calls this “peace that passes all un...  Read More

DAY 4 - Peace I Give YouJohn 20:19-23Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can have peace. During his last night with the disciples, Jesus promised them peace. Soon they’d be separated and he’d be ...  Read More

DAY 3 - Embrace the New You2 Corinthians 5:16-17 Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can be a new person - even if you can’t always see it.Have you ever been misunderstood? In 2 Corinthians, the ...  Read More

DAY 2 -  Baptized into a New PersonColossians 2:9-12Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can be a new person. Baptism is key to our new identity in Christ. Baptism isn't just a ritual; it's a powe...  Read More

DAY 1 - Liberated from LabelsGalatians 3:26-28 * Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can be a new PERSON. *In a world obsessed with branding and labeling, it's easy to get imprisoned by the ident...  Read More

DAY 49 - Trusting GodLuke 23:44-49 What does it look like to take up your cross and follow Jesus?in Luke 23:46, we hear Jesus’ last words as he dies: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Foll...  Read More

DAY 48 - Forgive Like JesusLuke 23:26-34What does it look like to take up your cross and follow Jesus?Yesterday we talked about daily denial. As we follow Jesus through Holy Week to the cross, we also...  Read More

DAY 47 - Daily DenialLuke 9:23-24 What does it look like to take up your cross and follow Jesus?First, it means daily denial. Luke includes one word that dramatically clarifies what it means to carry ...  Read More

DAY 46 - Pick Up Your CrossLuke 9:21-27 Before we have time to wonder why Jesus would embrace suffering and death, he turns to us (yes, you and me). He says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple (that’s m...  Read More

DAY 45 - The Leadership of JesusLuke 19:28-44What kind of leader is Jesus?Last week, Peter correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah, but Jesus cautioned against spreading this news widely. Why the se...  Read More

DAY 44 - His DevotionLuke 9:30-31 We’ve talked about decision and depth of insight this week, but there’s one last thing to see, and that’s devotion.We’re not talking about our devotion but Jesus’ dev...  Read More

DAY 43 - Your Next StepLuke 9:20This week’s reflections began with Jesus asking the Twelve Apostles, “Who the crowds say that I am?” Then he turned the question to them, “Who do you say that I am?” Th...  Read More

DAY 42 - They Saw His GloryLuke 9:28-36 Eight days after Peter’s profession of faith, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain to pray. We read in v.29, “The appearance of his face changed…” a...  Read More

DAY 41 - Who is Jesus, Pt 2Acts 17:16-20, 29-32Jesus asked his Twelve Apostles, “Who do the crowds say I am?” Yesterday we looked at two possible answers to that question. Today we look at the other t...  Read More

DAY 40 - Decisions, DecisionsLuke 9:18-20Decisions can be hard to make. The word “decision” means “to cut.” You’re cutting off other options because you’ve committed to this one. Today we see Jesus ur...  Read More

DAY 39 - The Good HeartLuke 8:11-18Why do some people welcome the gospel while others reject it?In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus says that the heart makes the difference. “Heart” is mentioned twice,...  Read More

DAY 38 - The Seed and the SoilLuke 8:9-14 Why do some people not receive the gospel?Jesus identifies three possible reasons in the parable. First, some people are sabotaged by spiritual attack. That c...  Read More

DAY 37 - The Farmer and the SeedsLuke 8:4-11Why do some people embrace the gospel and others don’t?That’s the question burning behind the Parable of the Sower. It’s natural question for believers and ...  Read More

DAY 36 - Jesus and ParablesLuke 8:1-5Jesus is back on the road, going town to town in Galilee. As a big crowd gathers, Jesus starts up a story - a parable. Parables are little comparison stories: “Lif...  Read More

DAY 35 - Our Sin and Our SaviorEphesians 2:8-10How can we make sure we show people grace like Jesus does?Know grace. We have to know grace! Know grace by knowing your sin and your Savior. Confront and...  Read More

DAY 34 - The Grace You ShowLuke 7:36-50 But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He turns that truth around: “But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” What explains Simon’s lack of love? He doesn’t kn...  Read More

DAY 33 - God’s GraceLuke 7:44-47Why did the woman in this story lavish such love on Jesus?Jesus says in Luke 7:47 that it’s because “her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown.” This...  Read More

DAY 32 - Don't Be the HeroLuke 7:39-43Simon the Pharisee assumes, “This woman is a sinner.” Everyone else in town does, too. Simon assumes, “Jesus can’t be a prophet. A prophet would know a sinner on ...  Read More

DAY 31 - Dinner with a PhariseeLuke 7:36-39Jesus has clashed with Pharisees multiple times by this point in Luke’s Gospel. The Pharisees avoided spiritual contamination at all costs, especially by avo...  Read More

DAY 30 - Follow the LeaderLuke 6:43-49 Who influences you?The 21st century has introduced a new career: influencers. Influencers amass followers on social media to persuade people to do something the ...  Read More