Carter Conlon | Daily Devotionals

This Independence Day, I want you to remember something: America started with a group of people who wanted to be independent from tyranny. They wanted to form a nation where they could study, believe, and practice the Word of God as God revealed His Word to them.  Their heart was to have a nation that brought glory to the name of Jesus Christ, and where the gospel of Christ could be propagated. Bu...

Matthew 5:14 — “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”   When Jesus spoke these words, there were no streetlights, no electricity—only the stars, the moon, and the distant planets reflecting the sun’s light.  For centuries, travelers have relied on these lights to navigate their way, trusting in their permanence and guidance. Just as the stars light the night sky,...

Psalm 32:8–10 — “Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.”   God can see the path ahead, and He promises to guide you. Don’t be like the horse or mule, lacking understanding and needing restraints...

Isaiah 40:26 — “Lift up your eyes and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name.”   God calls His people now to look at the heavens, to see the stars.  See each one set in place, and not even one of them is missing. We know only a few stars by name, but God knows billions of them all. He placed each one for a purpose, and they remain exactly where He...

1 Corinthians 2:9   “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”   Right now, you and I see only a glimpse of His plans, but one day we will step into His presence and understand everything fully. Every mystery will be revealed, and every question that we’ve had in our hearts will be answered.  Until that day, w...

Isaiah 40:25–26, 28–31   “To whom then will you liken Me…? Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name… Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: ‘My way is hidden from the Lord’? … The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary… He gives power to the weak… But...

God’s presence is refreshing—a place where we worship in spirit and in truth. He gathers His people both near and far, so that His kingdom may come and His will be done.  He is our source of strength, the one who anoints and equips us to bring His Word to others.  We live in an hour very close to Christ’s return, and we desire to be His people—a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. He has pro...

1 Corinthians 10:12   “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”   I’ve been praying and reflecting, asking God not to let me fall into the trap of relying on my own understanding and not making excuses for why His principles don’t apply to me.  You and I are seeing today many pastors fall from grace. They’re teaching truth, yet deceiving themselves into thinking that the tru...

John 1:1, 3–5, 9   “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it… That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.”   He was...

Exodus 1:9   “And he said to his people, ‘Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.’”   The enemy opposes the children of God by keeping God’s people convinced that they’re less than they are. In Exodus 1:9 , the king acknowledged that the children of Israel were indeed greater in number and mightier than those in Egypt. Yet his plan was to make them believe the opp...

Genesis 1:3–4   “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.”   God always moves in harmony with His Word. The Spirit of God stirred upon the darkness, and when God proclaimed, “Let there be light,” light appeared.  Isn’t that incredible? When God speaks, darkness must yield to light, and emptiness...

Genesis 1:1   “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”   The earth at this time was formless and empty, shrouded in darkness. Do you recall a time in your life when you felt that way?  For those listening today, think back to when you experienced emptiness and uncertainty about the purpose of your life. Just as the earth existed without form, you also may have felt lost and withou...

James 1:5   “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.”   One of the great promises of Scripture is found in the book of James , where God says that if you ask for wisdom, He will give it to you and will not withhold—if you believe that He will.  So the question is, are you reading God’s Word and asking Him for wis...

We’re currently in a season where God can still be found—but there will come a day when that opportunity is gone. It will be too late for many to seek Him then.  You cannot save yourself through good deeds or by changing your mind. No amount of human effort can bring you into God’s presence and promise of salvation.  That’s why God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, over 2,000 years ago. Jesus took upon...

We’ve come to a time again in history where there’s an open rejection towards those who believe in and live for Jesus Christ. But I believe that it’s a good thing. This rejection sends us back to where we have belonged all along—and that is a place of prayer.  We’re going there not in our strength, but in dependence upon Jesus. When we’re praying in our own strength, we have a tendency to add our...

Psalm 32:4–5   “For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.”   It’s God’s mercy and goodness that draw us closer to Him. When we resist Him, His hand may feel heavy—but not from anger,...

Psalm 32:3   “When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long.”   In other words, when we refuse to align ourselves with God—when we resist His call to address our character flaws and seek His forgiveness—we end up feeling the weight of our silence.  The Lord is trying to communicate with us, but we often cling to the idea that there’s still some goodness within ourselve...

Do you consider yourself wise? Do you know that merely acquiring knowledge does not equate to wisdom? As the Apostle Paul warned, in the last days there will be individuals who are always learning, yet fail to reach the deeper understanding and transformation that that knowledge should inspire.  In fact, their very lives may contradict the very truths they’re learning.  It’s essential for you and...

Jeremiah 1:5–10   “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you… Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you… Do not be afraid… Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.’”   Jeremiah chapter 1 tells us that God said to Jeremiah, “Before you were formed,...

Luke 14:16–17   Then he said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’”   You and I are invited to a great feast—not just in heaven, but also on this side of eternity. It’s a feast of strength, a feast of renewed life and vision, of passion and power to perform everything...

Psalm 32:2   “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”   In other words, blessed is the person who has received forgiveness and is on a transformative journey, evolving from one state of grace to another by the Spirit of God. Blessed is that man, blessed is that woman.  Remember, we don’t have to have everything figured out when we firs...

Philippians 4:6–7   “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”   I don’t know about you, but I have peace in my heart. I refuse to be governed by the news, by troubling phone calls, or even negative r...

To truly grasp and embrace the life-changing truth presented in a church grounded in sound doctrine, you and I must seek God’s wisdom. The potential for an open heart before God is incredible, revealing the remarkable path that only He can lead us down.  However, this journey demands transformation. It requires letting go of certain aspects of our past, as the Apostle Paul encourages us to do. You...

John 7:38   “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”   In the midst of our struggles, we hold onto the promise that if we believe in Jesus, a river of living water will flow from within us.  Many among us, whether at home or elsewhere, are facing discouragement, depression, and various other challenges. Some may even be battling mental...

Here’s a prayer that I hope I never hear you pray. It can be found in Luke 14:18 . Here’s what it says: “They all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’”   The expression “I ask” really means “I pray.” In other words, “I pray to be excused.” To hear people make excuses is telling God,...