Carter Conlon | Daily Devotionals

Psalm 40:3 “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.”   God gives you and me a song that isn’t just heard but it’s seen. It’s seen as a testimony of His power to lift us up from despair.  David was pulled from a pit from which he couldn’t escape, not even in his own strength. But just as God lifted him, He also lifts us from depres...

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. He...

Maybe today is the day that something stirs in your heart. You might not understand it all, but something deep inside is telling you that there’s more to life and that there’s a God who sees you, knows you, and loves you.  The message of Jesus is this: He came into the world to make a way for us to be right with God. We’ve all done wrong things you and I are not proud of and those things separate...

I remember my own moment of surrender in 1978, when I pulled over on the side of the road on my way to work. Another police officer named Erved had shared Christ with me, and all I could say was, “Lord, if what this man said is true, then I open my heart to You. I receive You as my Lord and Savior.”  That wasn’t a bold declaration; it wasn’t eloquent but God took it. That’s why I understand the th...

When God’s people were captive in Egypt and couldn’t get out, God Himself went and got them. I’m asking the Lord to come and rescue His people once again. I’m asking the Lord to redeem His people from all places of oppression and bondage.  You and I now need a visitation of God’s Holy Spirit. We need our hearts and minds to be quickened to do what we are each called to do. You and I need to pray t...

We understand from the Word of God that heaven is a real place with many mansions where you and I will rule and reign with Christ. But for now, we see it only as the Scriptures say: through a glass, darkly , like trying to look through a window that’s steamed up.  We catch glimpses, little pieces of what’s to come. But one day, you and I will stand in the very place Jesus died to give us. What a d...

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 r...

You were crafted by God. There’s something deep inside of you, long before it ever reaches your mind that knows this truth. You came from God, and you belong to God. You were created for a relationship with Him.  That’s what happened to the thief on the cross. In a moment of agony and clarity, his heart awakened, and he said, “God, I want You as Lord of my life.” He didn’t know where that road was...

The Bible tells us that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Something awakened in the heart of one of the thieves on the cross. In his final moments, he suddenly knew that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  He came to this earth, went to the cross, and paid the price for all the wrong we’ve ever done. That’s what the Bible calls sin. Sin separates us from God, but Jesus took that up...

In the Bible, a man hung on a cross, guilty, broken, and out of time. He had no chance to fix his life, no record of having done good, and no time left for religion. But in his final breath, he turned to Jesus and said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” ( Luke 23:42 ).  It wasn’t a perfect prayer, but it was a desperate cry from the heart. And Jesus answered, “Today you will be w...

When you give your heart to Jesus, I promise you that you won’t be the same. It may sound hard to believe, but something very real changes inside of you. Jesus Christ isn’t looking for perfection, just honesty.  He already knows your struggles. He just wants your heart. When I gave my life to Him, I found myself weeping for days. It wasn’t sadness but it was freedom. Don’t be afraid to feel someth...

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.  Actually, you’ll be standing at the right altar, connected with God, with the promis...

I plead with you today: if you haven’t surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, don’t play with your eternity. Don’t put it off. Don’t wait till tomorrow. Don’t wait till next week.  You might not even have a tomorrow. Only God knows what your next moment holds. One unexpected event can change everything. You and I live in a fragile world. It’s full of uncertainty today. But one thing is certain.  S...

I want to remind you today that at the cross, the ground is level. There are no big people there, no little people, no smart people, no uneducated just ordinary people like you and me.  And God will use anyone who says, “Here am I, Lord, use me.” The Bible has many stories of people used powerfully by God. Don’t just read them and think they’re interesting but somehow don’t apply to you.  Believe...

In Luke 23:39-43 , we see two men also crucified beside Jesus Christ, one hurling insults, mocking Him even in his final breaths, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”   It wasn’t a cry for mercy; it was defiance. But the other thief, something awakened in his heart. He said to his friend, “Do you not even fear God?” In pain, yet clear-eyed, he saw the truth. And these words came...

I remember in New York City, during a Tuesday night service at Times Square Church, when a deep burden filled my heart. At the altar call, I pleaded with anyone who hadn’t yet surrendered to Christ.  I said, “You don’t know if you have another tomorrow.” Yet no one responded to that second altar call. Minutes later, just down the street, a man in his 40s collapsed and died. I rushed over to him, b...

It’s troubling to do devotions at home while your life doesn’t reflect those beliefs, especially in front of your children. Many children turn away from God for this very reason.  We all need to pray for hearts that align with our faith, and this responsibility is for every one of us. If you seek change, be ready to walk away from anything that doesn’t honor God. Solomon’s choice led him to person...

In Matthew 27:37-44 , we see Jesus Christ crucified between two thieves. These were men who chose to steal, knowing that crucifixion was the likely end.  Why would anyone take that kind of risk? Were they that desperate, maybe fully hopeless? Maybe they thought there was no other way to survive or provide for their families. I don’t know. The cross wasn’t just pain; it was public shame.  It was th...

When we came to Christ, our captivity was taken captive. We were forgiven of our sin and given God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gave us giftings that make you and me supernatural beings.  The third person of God, the Holy Spirit Himself, is now living inside of us. Therefore, there’s no limit to what God can do through us. The only limits are the limits we choose to put upon Him. When you and I...

In this world, we teach that God is omnipresent. That means He is everywhere all the time. His Holy Spirit whispers to us, always calling us back to Him whether we’re walking down the street or in places we shouldn’t be.  In a bar, a club, or even in a quiet moment, God’s Spirit is still there, reaching out. The evidence of God literally surrounds us. Every bird in flight, every sunrise and sunset...

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” ( 2 Timothy 1:7 ). We are not ashamed of the testimony of Christ, for it is the only testimony that will endure.  Everything else, the city of New York, Wall Street, the towers of wealth and pride will vanish one day like a sandcastle in the tide. But what is built on Christ will remain. The shaking has begun...

Let’s avoid ending our lives bitter and disillusioned. This can happen to anyone, even the wisest among us. If we think it can’t happen to us, then we’re being naïve. We may not fully understand what actually lies in our hearts, and if we become complacent in studying God’s Word or begin to neglect our prayer life, we risk missing vital insights—even in the church we attend.  Instead of thinking o...

Even the most vile of sinners lives in a world where God is still present where His mercy is still trying to reach, and His Spirit is still calling. But can you imagine waking up one day in a place where God is not?  A place where the cry of your voice carries no sound, where the darkness is so heavy it can be touched, where there is weeping, gnashing of teeth, and no end in sight. The conscience...

I want to remind you today that God doesn’t choose mighty or noble people. He chooses the nobodies, the weak, the foolish people of this world. He puts His Spirit upon us and enables us to do exploits that we could never have done in our own strength.  And when the work is done through us, all the glory goes to Him. All that God requires of us is to have an open heart that’s willing to hear His vo...

I remember years ago walking the beat as a young police officer. One day, I stepped into a church and sat quietly in the back row. I took off my hat, and out loud I said, “God, if You are real, I wouldn’t mind knowing who You are.”   Now, it wasn’t much of a prayer, but it was sincere. It wasn’t just a question, it was a cry from my heart. And thank God, He answered me. Not long after that, someon...