Carter Conlon | Daily Devotionals

In 2020, we had the privilege of visiting the first home in America, Lot 1, where 51 survivors from the Mayflower gathered to pray. There was an undeniable presence of God in that house. When I first walked into it, I could feel His lingering presence. In the front yard of that house, the first Thanksgiving in America was held. They had no go-forward strategy, but they prayed. I don't know what th...

Hebrews 4:1 says, *"Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it."* There remains a rest for the people of God. This rest is not in activity. It's actually surrender. To enter his rest is to cease from your own works, as God once did from his. It's the end of trusting your own strength, your own thinking, your own ability...

A church leader once said to me, "Pastor, I'm ashamed of our denomination. We have over 50,000 churches in America, but I've only found 23 prayer meetings. The cry for Christ is gone. Many churches are still gathering, sermons are preached, songs are sung, but prayer has faded. People no longer believe that God answers." When prayer disappears, something inside has already died. People sit in chur...

Mark 14:34, Jesus said, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death." Jesus spoke honestly about his suffering. He didn't pretend strength he didn't possess in his humanity. He asked for help. He asked his disciples to watch with him. This moment teaches us that acknowledging weakness is not failure. The battle was fierce, deeper than anything the disciples had known. They wanted to stand, but they...

Mark 14:41. *And He said unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest.* Jesus spoke these words in the Garden of Gethsemane after returning from prayer. He had asked his disciples to watch with him as he faced the cross, but they couldn't stay awake. Their strength, their natural strength, was gone. When Jesus said, "Sleep on now," he wasn't dismissing them. He was revealing to them something deepe...

Many people are wondering if we are currently living in the last days. As you and I see this world continuing to push God out and we continue to see this antichrist spirit rise all around the world, we can't help but wonder if we are. But we know that the last days will come and we don't have to be afraid when they do, because God has given us the power of His Holy Spirit to cause us to stand. He'...

Mark 14:36. Jesus said, *All things are possible unto thee.* Jesus prayed these words in the garden at the moment of greatest pressure. He acknowledged his Father as the source of all strength. He didn't deny the weight of what was before him, but he surrendered himself fully to the will of his Father. In his humanity, he did not rely on natural strength alone. God enabled him to go forward in a s...

I remember standing in the church years ago when the call was given to yield your future into the hands of God. I remember nobody moving, but my heart started pounding. Oh God, I said, you can't mean me. I had nothing to give to the kingdom of God, at least I thought. I had a bad temper. I was selfish to the core and I was fighting a lot of my own struggles. But I walked to the altar and I said, G...

Mark 14:37 'and he came and found them sleeping'. Jesus came back to the garden and found the disciples asleep, not because they didn't care, but because the battle was beyond their ability and their strength. Jesus was not surprised. He was revealing a truth that they needed to see. They wanted to stand with Him and they meant it with all their hearts, but human ability cannot sustain spiritual w...

Psalm 127:1: "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." God makes it clear that anything built in human strength in his kingdom will not last. The disciples labored sincerely, yet God showed them their effort was not enough. Staying up late, eating the bread of sorrows, striving to prove loyalty cannot produce a lasting testimony. If God is not building the work inside of...

We must pray for God's mercy as the days get darker. You and I must pray for our homes, our families, and our children. We must even pray to God to have mercy on our enemies. We shouldn't be rejoicing at the judgment of anyone. Jesus Christ said that he didn't come down to condemn, but he came to forgive, and we are to be the ambassadors of that forgiveness. God didn't appoint us to wrath, but to...

Gospel of Mark 14:38: "The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." Jesus spoke these words in the garden, not as condemnation, but as revelation. Peter the Apostle wanted to stand. His desire was real, but desire is not strength. Jesus was showing him that human willingness cannot overcome human weakness. Sitting at the table, Peter believed that he could endure anything. In the fire, he di...

"Loose him and let him go." This is what Jesus said when Lazarus came out of the tomb. When God calls you, he does not call you to remain bound. You are loose to clap your hands. You are loose to give glory to God. You are loosed to be the person that Jesus Christ made you to be. You're not meant to stay wrapped in yesterday's grave clothes. You're not meant to live under the voice that says you w...

Finding strength in the fire begins with admitting that you don't have the strength you need. Peter learned this lesson in the Garden of Gethsemane, and every believer must learn it as well. Sitting at the table, Peter believed that he had the strength to stand, but the fire of trial revealed the truth. God leads us to the end of ourselves so that he can become everything to us. The fire strips aw...

Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the greatest trial of his life. He had asked his disciples to watch and pray with him as he prepared to go to the cross. Earlier that night, they promised loyalty. Peter said they would never deny him. Yet when Jesus returned from prayer, he found them asleep again. Scripture says they had nothing to answer him. The boasting was gone. The confidence ha...

Are we in the last days? If we are, there must be a witness to the current events of our day in Scripture. Now some scriptures speak about the last days, but there is a sign that is given to followers of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that since we are not children of darkness, the last days will not overtake us as a thief. So in other words, there's an interior witness given to us by the Holy Spiri...

Are we in the last days? If we are, there must be a witness to the current events of our day in Scripture. Now some scriptures speak about the last days, but there is a sign that is given to followers of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that since we are not children of darkness, the last days will not overtake us as a thief. So in other words, there's an interior witness given to us by the Holy Spiri...

Jesus took Peter, James, and John into an inner place of suffering and prayer. He told them his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. He asked them to watch with him. They wanted to, but they couldn't. Their eyes were heavy because the battle was deeper than anything they'd ever faced. Jesus was not measuring devotion. He was just revealing reality. Human strength cannot sustain spiritual...

Jesus took Peter, James, and John into an inner place of suffering and prayer. He told them his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. He asked them to watch with him. They wanted to, but they couldn't. Their eyes were heavy because the battle was deeper than anything they'd ever faced. Jesus was not measuring devotion. He was just revealing reality. Human strength cannot sustain spiritual...

Jonah 2:2, the prophet says, *I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.* There are moments when you are surrounded by circumstance and feel there is no way out. But it was not my cry that brought me back to life. It was when I heard Jesus Christ crying out to me. His cry for you is deeper than your cry for Him. His voice comes when...

In the Bible, Peter believed he had the strength to follow Jesus to the end. He even said he would die with Him. Jesus told him plainly that he would not even get through the night. Peter argued with God because he was sincere, and many believers do the same. We believe that we have in ourselves the resources to finish this journey. But sincerity does not create endurance. It was in the garden tha...

In the Bible, Peter believed he had the strength to follow Jesus to the end. He even said he would die with Him. Jesus told him plainly that he would not even get through the night. Peter argued with God because he was sincere, and many believers do the same. We believe that we have in ourselves the resources to finish this journey. But sincerity does not create endurance. It was in the garden tha...

Did you know that there remains a rest for the people of God? The rest is entered when a person ceases from his or her own works. It's the end of striving in human strength. The disciples labored sincerely but without rest. Jesus said to them, Sleep on now, take your rest. He was making a way for them to discover where true strength can be found. God's kingdom is not built by you and I staying up...

Romans 8:11 says this: But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. You see, that's what Easter is all about. It's about a resurrected Christ willing to give us not only redemption but a full life and an abundant life here on this side of eternity. He also wa...

Jesus said to his disciples, Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. He wasn't condemning them, he was just revealing the truth. To Peter, he said, Could you not even muster one hour of strength in yourself? Do you remember your boast? Do you remember saying you would go with me wherever I go? Jesus was showing them they didn't have the reso...