First15 Devotional

Valerie Woerner is the owner of  Val Marie Paper  and author of  Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday  and  The Finishing School . Her mission is to create practical tools, including  prompted prayer journals , and content that equips women to cut through the noise of everyday life and find fullness in the presence of the Lord. She lives in South Louisiana with her husband Tyler and two girls, Vivi and Vana...

As we finish our week on Light, today we’ll explore our calling to be the light. What’s beautiful about this call is that the pressure if off. We have so many misconceptions about what God requires of us, and he is not the task master we so often mistake him for. May you be encouraged today to live out your calling as the light of world, free from the weight of the world. Our Scripture for today c...

As we begin wrap up our week on Light, today we’ll explore following God into the light. We each face temptations of various kinds. And God promises each of us a way out by his leadership in the midst of temptation and struggle. We are not alone in anything we face, as our Jesus has told us he’s faced it too. May you feel better equipped to face temptation and sin today as you encounter Jesus and...

All of our longings and needs were meant to be met in God. And yet, we live in a world constantly vying to meet our needs and desires in false, inadequate ways. Today we’ll explore how to walk in the light by looking to the light to meet all of our needs. As we re-train ourselves to seek God first for satisfaction, may we find how abundantly beyond our imaginings the Lord’s sufficiency is for us....

As we are called to the light, we are called to be fully known. Many of us shudder at the thought of complete, total vulnerability, and fall subject to the lie that we could never be fully loved if someone saw all of us. Today we’ll explore why being fully known before God is so important and life-giving. May you walk away today free from shame and fear after having faced a holy God vulnerably and...

As we learn this week of the light of God, today we’ll look to Jesus who is the Light. What does this mean about the Lord? And what does this mean for us personally? May our eyes behold him today, as we search out the source of goodness, beauty and holiness. May our hearts grow in wonder, worship and awe. And may our lives be forever transformed at the sight of him. Our Scripture for today comes f...

As we continue our week on living in and pursuing the light, today we’ll explore how we as God’s people are called out of darkness and to the light. Our new inheritance as God’s saints is to step out of hiding, and walk in full vulnerable honesty before God and man. May you be strengthened in grace and integrity today as you’re re-envisioned toward your calling to the light. Our Scripture for toda...

We live in the reality that there is both light and darkness around us at all times. This world has both good and evil, right and wrong. As believers we must grow in both our acceptance of this reality and our pursuit of the light. We must allow God to mold and shape us into those who rid ourselves of any darkness, become fully known to God, and allow his light to transform us into reflections of...

As we end our week on God’s longing to be encountered, today we’ll examine our hearts and ask the most important question, “Do we know him?” As we take time today to fix our hearts on the single pursuit of Jesus, may your heart swell with fresh love and devotion for him. He alone is worthy of all our hearts. And today may you place your heart solely in his hands. Our Scripture for today comes from...

So much of our faith is shrouded by mystery. It is impossible to fully comprehend the grandeur and elaborateness of God with our limited human understanding. But as we’ve seen this week, we have a God who longs to be sought out. May your questions and wonderings about God and his creation only push you farther into seeking him. Because he has made it clear that if you’ll seek him, you will find hi...

The will of God is often a scary and difficult process to discern. But just as we learned earlier this week—God longs for us to know his voice. And God promises to speak his will to us in a way we’ll understand. My hope is that today you can rest at ease in total peace that your future is in God’s hands, and he’s got you. May you gain some insight about next steps for you today, and fresh peace in...

As we continue our week on God’s longing to be encountered, today we’ll dig deeper into how he desires for us to know his truth. God has given us everything we need to walk in his truth and ways this side of heaven. As we look to Jesus as our model, may we be filled with courage and light to love not just in word but in deed and truth. Our Scripture for today comes from John 8:32 , and today's...

Hearing the voice of God can always be a tricky subject. Many feel inadequate or wounded when it comes to the topic of hearing God speak. Today we’ll discover the beauty and simplicity of God’s longing for us to know his voice, just as you know the voice of a parent, spouse or friend. Hearing from God is essential to encountering the Lord. May you walk away today feeling more confident and equippe...

Our relationship with our earthly father often shapes how we view God.  Stephen Murray works with Forerunner Ministries to raise up mentors for those without a good example of a father's love.  To find out more about Forerunner Ministries, click here . You can also watch the video on our Youtube Vlog!  First15 is a daily devotional written and recorded by Craig Denison. If you would like to le...

As we focus this week on God’s radical desire to meet with his people, today we’ll explore his longing for us to know his love. There is nothing more transformative than encountering the love of God. It changes everything about us and our lives. Every one of us needs to be reminded of the depth of his love on a regular basis, and it’s my hope that today we can take some time to do so. May you neve...

One of the most scandalous truths of the gospel is that our Creator longs to be encountered by his creation. God longs to meet with us. His greatest desire is for relationship with us. God is pursuing each of us with his relentless love, seeking out those who might respond to his open invitation by opening the door of their hearts to him. My prayer is that in response to God’s desire to meet with...

As we end our week on transcendent peace, today we’ll explore what it means to be a person of peace. Jesus refers to his people as “peacemakers.” Would you say that title accurately describes you? What kind of emotion does that word stir up? In a world full of principles like “an eye for an eye,” how can Christians be set apart and different? Today we’ll dive into that and more. Our Scripture for...

As we begin to wrap up our week on transcendent peace, today we’ll explore growing in relationship with the Holy Spirit, and how he can help us walk in peace. As we’ve learned this week, connectedness with God is crucial to peace in all circumstances, and today we’ll dive deeper into those thoughts. May you grow in your desire for and closeness with the Holy Spirit today. Our Scripture for today c...

What would it look like to have peace in all circumstances? I honestly can’t imagine anything better. We see promises in Scripture of this peace at all times, but so few of us experience that. Why is that the case? Today we’ll explore why that might be and how to walk in transcendent peace untouched by the circumstances of this world. Our Scripture for today comes from 2 Thessalonians 3:16 , and t...

For many, relationships can often the greatest source of joy, or be the quickest thing to rob us of peace. As we seek to walk in transcendent peace, it’s vital we seek peace in life’s relationships. It is vital we take the path of humility and considering others more significant than ourselves. Today we’ll dive into how live in harmony with others and experience the peace of heaven in our friendsh...

Today we will explore how to have a peaceful thought-life, as we continue our week on transcendent peace. The Bible speaks very specifically about our minds, and how important it is to have control over our thoughts. Today we’ll dive a little deeper into those biblical concepts, and I hope we each walk away better equipped to face life’s trials with the transcendent peace of God. Our Scripture for...

As we continue our week on transcendent peace, we’ll look today at where peace comes from. Peace isn’t something we can muster up in and of ourselves. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit of God. And thankfully, we have God’s Spirit living inside of us. May we learn today how to tap into the peace of God that’s so ever-readily available to us as Christians. Our Scripture for today comes from Galatians 5...

One of the most powerful marks of a believer is transcendent peace. This world offers us no reason to be peaceful. It offers us no reason to be without stress, burdens, cares, and total frustration. But we serve a God who offers us peace in the midst of any circumstance. We serve a God in whom all true peace finds its source. May you discover the heart of your heavenly Father to bring you peace th...

As we finish up our week on centering our lives around meeting with God, today we’ll discover the beauty of living from union with him. Today may you discover and wonder at how incredibly connected and one with God you already are through Christ. May you live each day aware of and benefitting from that union, and be forever changed. It is my prayer that the reality of Christ’s finished work on the...

As we begin wrapping up our week focused on centering our lives around Jesus, today we’ll look at how to make the most of our time. Where we spend our time is where we place our value. As you begin to examine your life today, may God give you eyes to see what’s hindering you and what truly brings you life. How we spend our time is foundational to how we center our lives around Christ. Our Scriptur...