First15 Devotional

Today we're talking with Bethany and Jordan Cranfield from an incredible ministry called Rise+Shine. Their mission is to come alongside the less fortunate in South Asia, helping them to rise above their current circumstances, and then train and release them to rise and shine in their communities. You don't want to miss this! For more information on Rise+Shine, click here !  

In our third podcast looking at Jesus’ story of the prodigal son, we’re going to take time today to look at how quickly, how instantly God forgives us. May regret, and fear over God’s judgement be washed away as we see an incredible picture of how quickly and easily God forgives our sins. Our Scripture for today comes from Luke 15:20 , and today's worship is You Came Running  by All Shores Mus...

Today we’re going to look at how incredible patient God is with us, as we begin our second day in a week long focus on the story of the prodigal son. So often we judge ourselves, we can be our own worst critic. But today, if we’ll open our hearts and minds to listen and receive, we’ll find a patient God whose never surprised by our mistakes, and who never casts us out in the midst of our failures...

The story of the prodigal son moves my heart to delve into new depths of God’s limitless grace. I find myself in every facet of Jesus’ words of this story. I identify with the younger son’s rebellion. I identify with the older son’s judgement and resentment. I identify with the experience of the father’s compassion and love. Today we begin a week long focus at this lifegiving, and perception shatt...

As we reach the end of our weeklong focus on forgiveness, today we’re going to look at what it takes to forgive ourselves. For some of us, forgiving ourselves can be the hardest part of forgiveness. May God give us the grace to see ourselves as he does, and offer ourselves love, compassion, and forgiveness regardless of what we’ve done. Our Scripture for today comes from Proverbs 28:13 , and today...

As we near the end of our week on forgiveness, today we’re going to look at a more foundational aspect of forgiveness, living without expectation of perfection. The goal today isn’t to adopt a pessimistic way of looking at the world around us, but to actually see others the way that God does. God isn’t surprised by our sin, but looks at us with eyes of hope and love. May we gain his perspective to...

Today we continue our weeklong focus on forgiveness by looking at the idea of separating out our forgiveness of the person from their actions. It’s often our failure to do this separation that keeps us from engaging in the lifegiving command to forgive. But God has wisdom and revelation for us today as we look at his word, and freedom for our hearts today if we’ll engage with him in prayer. May yo...

In the middle of this week on forgiveness, we’re taking time today to look at what it means to live a lifestyle of continual forgiveness. Over time, as we open our hearts and allow God to do a continued work in us, we’re equipped to develop a new normal, a new way of living. So today we’re looking at how we can live with a constant openness towards forgiveness, equipped to both receive it and offe...

Today we’re going to explore God’s healing for our past wounds and present scars. There is so much power in forgiveness, so much healing in reconciliation. May you find healing today for any wounds or scars you’ve been carrying, whether big or small. And may you find a greater measure of abundant life as the result of God’s presence and mercy. Our Scripture for today comes from 1 Peter 2:24 , and...

Today we continue our weeklong focus on forgiveness, by looking at the incredible gift of forgiveness we’ve been offered in Jesus. Every command God has given us, he has already supplied the grace to live in obedience to. Forgiveness is no different. May we find the grace to forgive as we rest in the forgiveness we’ve already been offered through our Savior. Our Scripture for today comes from Ephe...

Offering forgiveness to others is one of the most difficult and important aspects of the Christian life. The Bible clearly commands us to forgive others. God longs to fashion us into his likeness that we might model the love we’ve been shown to a world with no concept of mercy. He longs for us to offer grace and forgiveness to the undeserving as we have been offered grace and forgiveness when we w...

Today, in the last day of our week long focus on joy, we’re going to explore how we can be carriers for the joy of our God. Joy is contagious. It’s powerful. And it’s meant to be at the heart of our communication of who God is, and what relationship with him is like.  May God fill us all with a greater measure of his joy today, and a greater understanding of how to carry that joy into a world in d...

As we near the end of our week on joy, today we look at another aspect of the joy available to us in God, specifically how our joy could be so great that the Bible would call it inexpressible. May our hearts be opened to a greater measure of joy than we’ve yet experienced, and the wisdom and faith to hold on to that joy as our portion in God. Our Scripture for today comes from  1 Peter 1:8-9 , and...

Today we’re going to explore the role of the Holy Spirit in living with the joy available to us in God. Know that as a believer, the Holy Spirit is with you, ready to search the heart of God for you, and to give you this free gift of joy, if you’ll simply trust him and receive it.  May your relationship with the Spirit deepen today, and yield a joy so real and strong that no trial or tribulation c...

I think one of the hardest things to do in life is to live with joy in the midst of trials and challenges. It’s so easy to let life dictate to us our emotions and state of being. But in God, there is a joy available to us right where we are, no matter how good or bad the situation may be. Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 126:5-6 , and today's worship is Taste & See  by Travis Green...

In our third day of looking at Joy, we’re going to take time today to look at David’s statement in Psalm 16:11 , where he describes a “fullness of joy.” There is a greater fullness of life available to you and in me in God that most of us will ever experience. To experience more of God almost always requires laying down more of the things of the world. But if we, today, will give a greater measure...

As we continue our week of looking at Joy, we’re going to take time today to receive a fresh revelation of how God rejoices over us. God not only loves you, but he likes you. He rejoices over you, just as you are. I hope and pray that you get a real, tangible sense of God’s joy over you today as we create space in his presence together. Our Scripture for today comes from Zephaniah 3:17 , and today...

In a world that knocks us down, joy can feel so elusive. But Scripture is filled with encouragement, that there is a joy available to us in God that transcends the pain and suffering of the world.  This week we’re going to take time every day to open our hearts and receive the joy of the Father, that we could be children marked by the joy of heaven. May you discover the greater portion of joy avai...

God loves to exceed our expectations and break our boxes. Today’s topic does just that. As we end our week, today we’re exploring God’s attributes that make him a fun, joyful Father. Let’s allow God to reshape our notion of him and free our hearts up to enjoy just how good God really is. He is better than anyone we’ve ever known, and it’s my hope today we can see that with clear eyes. Our Scriptur...

Discipline can be a tricky subject. Many of us have not seen discipline done well, and no one really loves being disciplined or having something they’ve done wrong pointed out. But something we must keep in mind with our heavenly Father is that he loves perfectly, so discipline must be a part of his perfect love. As we wrap up our week of looking at who God is, this is a crucial topic we have to l...

As we continue our week on God being our Father, we look today at how God encourages us. There is nothing like an encouraging word from the Father when we’re feeling low and discouraged. Sometimes life can be daunting, and our good Father knows just what to say when we need to hear it most. If you’re feeling discouraged today, I pray the Lord speaks courage to your weary heart and strengthens your...

In the kingdom of God, we find a culture different from that of our world. We are often taught to be self-made, pull ourselves up by our boot straps, and that it’s the survival of the fittest. God’s kingdom turns these principles on their head. We are encouraged to wait, trust, and receive from our God who supplies for our every need. Does your life mimic one of trust and waiting? One of open hand...

Many of us deal with a fear of abandonment, rejection, or loneliness, and often for good reason. The beautiful thing about our heavenly Father is that he is present in our lives, and we are never alone. As we continue our week looking at the ways God is good to us, allow truth to permeate the broken places and make you confident and whole in God’s ever-present love. Our Scripture for today comes f...

In our fallen state, patience isn’t something we find very often in ourselves or others. I don’t know if I know one person who has perfectly displayed patience for me, myself included. What’s incredible about our Father in heaven is that he is an endless well of patience. He has patience in abundance, and it never runs out for us. Today allow God to reorient the way you understand him and his hear...

There is no better father than Creator God. He formed us and knows us. He provides for us, loves us unconditionally, and longs for real, life-giving relationship with us. He runs out to meet us in our sin, clothes us with new identity, and restores to us the abundant life he has always planned for us. As we spend time looking at the father heart of God, may a fresh revelation of his love for you g...