Carter Conlon | Daily Devotionals

How could Solomon—the wisest man—end up building temples to heathen gods that required the sacrifice of children, without realizing it was wrong? Scripture tells us that his heart was turned by the love he allowed into his life as he grew older. This serves as a sobering warning: as we age, natural zeal may fade, revealing what truly exists within us. Just like a desert lizard that wags its tail t...

Have you ever felt a call to do something significant in the kingdom of God—or to become someone you’re not yet? Maybe you wrestle with feelings of inadequacy, wondering if you’re ready or mature enough for this calling. You might find yourself crying out to God: “I feel like a child. I don’t know how to love others as I should, or forgive my enemies. I don’t know how to be the husband or wife I n...

Romans 7:18 says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” At the cross, you and I are invited to bring our flawed selves—this body entrenched in sin—and exchange it for the new life promised to us through Jesus Christ. We can trade our failures for His strength, our confusion for clarity, our...

Proverbs 3:5–7 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.” Despite sharing this profound wisdom, Solomon later reflects on his life and concludes that all is vanity and emptiness. He became wise in his own eyes, strayed fr...

Would you be surprised today if I told you that we’re on the edge of experiencing a supernatural visitation of God? I say this prophetically because I know it to be true in my heart. We’re at a moment in time where Jesus Christ is soon returning. Before God moves, He sends voices to call His people’s attention to what He is about to do—things that only He can do. In His mercy, before Christ return...

When Mary, the mother of Jesus, came to dedicate Him in the temple, things were spoken about His life, and the Scripture tells us that Mary pondered these things in her heart ( Luke 2:19 ). Thank you to every mother who has taken time to ponder and believe for God’s best for each of your children. Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for never turning your back on us. Thank you for belie...

Proverbs 4:5–13 passionately urges us: “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.” Solomon reassures us that wisdom will preserve and honor those who embrace it, promising that it leads to a fulfilling life. He writes not just for his own son, but as a message from God—highlighting the path of wisdom that keeps our steps steady and unhindered. Yet, des...

Psalm 40:2–3 says, “He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.” This passage reminds us that God gives us a new song when we choose to follow His ways and respond to His gentle call. In Him, we find a profound com...

King Solomon, once the wisest man, reflects on his life in Ecclesiastes 2 and reveals a troubling drift from his calling. Despite possessing unparalleled wisdom, he sought to gratify his flesh with wine, leading him away from God and His purpose. Solomon realized that the pursuit of pleasure ultimately left him feeling empty. He even declared that wisdom seemed pointless if it led him to the same...

We need to start asking God for bigger things than just our own needs because evil is rising all around us. This present generation needs people who have mountain-moving faith—people who are willing to look outward and recognize the great need and great deception in the world. As believers in Christ, we can’t be afraid of these things. We can’t keep praying small, self-focused prayers, thinking th...

James 1:5–8 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” God take...

Proverbs 3:5–6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” We are reminded not to rely solely on our own understanding. Instead, we should seek a word from God and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. But there comes a point—myself included—when God’s truth must take precedence over o...

True wisdom is found in the ability to discern the motives of our own hearts.  Solomon, in Proverbs 2 , warned others about the seductive influences of the world, particularly cautioning against immoral relationships that lead to destruction. Yet, in 1 Kings 11 , we see that Solomon himself fell into the very trap he advised others to avoid—being with many women despite God’s command against it. H...

We are now active participants in the Kingdom of God, and the devil is well aware of the power that you and I possess. Even the weakest among us, when filled with the power of God, can cause significant damage to the enemy’s plans and the forces that seek to keep this generation in captivity.  It’s time for us to step forward and break through any barriers that are holding us back. The Church of J...

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, “Glory!” ( Psalm 29:8-9 )  When the Lord finds a spirit that is willing, a heart that won’t resist Him, and has no need to reason everything out, there’s no limit to what God can do through that vessel. ...

I want to remind you today that we shouldn’t play games with God or start thinking that our thoughts are better than His. His words bring light, and in Christ, we have the promise of becoming a new creation.  Let’s walk according to His thoughts, not our own. Ask Him today for wisdom with the right intentions, trusting that God, as He says, will give it to you generously. Let the light within you...

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly...

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve laid him, and I will take him away.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary.”  She turned and said to him, “Rabboni,” which is to say, “Teacher.”  Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go...

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had laid. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they’ve taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”  Now, when she had said this,...

To new believers—you may have finally found what you’ve been searching for: a relationship with God that brings peace and abundance. However, like David in Psalm 23 , you will face challenges.  In verse 4 , he walks through the valley of the shadow of death , feeling uncertain and hunted by an insane king. Every Christian faces trials, and in these seasons, it’s easy to feel as though God’s promis...

Whatever God is saying to you, take the time to listen and obey. Start there, and you’ll be amazed at the transformation that follows.  I can promise you this: in a week, a month, or even a year from now, you will find yourself filled with joy, eager for worship to continue, because you have made the right choices. You’ll be standing at the right altar, connected with God, with the promise of fini...

The Apostle Paul speaks of a peace that surpasses understanding—a profound sense of well-being that often has little to do with our external circumstances. As the hymn goes, “It is well with my soul,” this can become your song, no matter what we face or hear in the news.  You and I can find comfort in knowing that Christ restores our souls. We all make mistakes, and our lives can become tangled, b...

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” ( Romans 8:28 )  This encompasses all things—not just the pleasant or the easy moments, but every experience that you and I encounter. Each situation contributes to our growth and development as believers in Christ.  Even if the challenges we have faced were solely to bring...