First15 Devotional

In our last day of our weeklong focus on humility, we’re going to reflect on how much God has given us. The more we recognize the extent of what we’ve been given, the easier it becomes to walk with a heart of humility. God has been so generous to us. Let’s live today in light of that generosity and grace as we spend time in his presence.  Our Scripture for today comes from Romans 12:3 , and today&...

We all have an innate human need to be loved. But where we get that love makes the difference between living to give or living to get. Let’s remind ourselves today of the incredible love God has lavished on us. You are loved unconditionally, you have nothing to prove, and God desires to meet with you as we spend time in his presence today. Our Scripture for today comes from John 3:30 , and today&#...

As we’re drawing closer to the end of our week on humility, today we’re going to look at the importance of counting others as more significant than ourselves. Pride comes so naturally for all of us, but if we are going to live a life of humility, we must learn to look up at God rather than look down at others. Allow God to redirect your attention today and continue to transform you in his presence...

We know that God desires a relationship with us. He wants to be close to us. Then why does it feel at times that he’s so far away? As we continue our week on humility, let’s explore how humility is essential in having a close relationship with our heavenly Father.  Our Scripture for today comes from Isaiah 57:15 , and today's worship is Make Room by Community Music.  -- Being intentional about...

Prayer can sometimes feel daunting. How do you pray? What do you pray for? Did God hear my prayer? Is he going to answer my prayer? Today we’re going to look at God’s invitation to pray vulnerably and honestly. We don’t have to earn the right for God to hear us. And we don’t have to pray the perfect prayer for him to answer us. Let’s come before God boldly today as we learn to pray in faith. Our S...

God is worthy of our worship. But have you ever wondered why God needs our worship? In today’s devotional we’re going to explore why God deserves, and even requires, our worship. Let us come before him in humility as we trust that he will give us his best as we give him ours.  Our Scripture for today comes from James 4:10 , and today's worship is Behold by Phil Wickham & Anne Wilson . -- T...

We all want to live blessed lives. But the path to blessing the world offers runs contrary to the path God calls us to walk. In this first devotional of the week, we’re going to look at how we can live a life God can bless. May he help us to live in a way that honors him today. Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 5:3 , and today's worship is To Worship You I Live by Israel & The New...

  Happy New Year!! I'm Craig Denison, author and founder of First15.    A growing relationship with God comes when you experience him every day. So thank you so much for starting your year with us.    I’ve got a really exciting announcement with what you can expect from First15 this year.    One is, we’re expanding the writers that are contributing to the daily devotionals. There will still be...

Happy New Year!! I'm Craig Denison, author and founder of First15.    A growing relationship with God comes when you experience him every day. So thank you so much for starting your year with us.    I’ve got a really exciting announcement with what you can expect from First15 this year.    One is, we’re expanding the writers that are contributing to the daily devotionals. There will still be a...

Happy New Year!! I'm Craig Denison, author and founder of First15.    A growing relationship with God comes when you experience him every day. So thank you so much for starting your year with us.    I’ve got a really exciting announcement with what you can expect from First15 this year.    One is, we’re expanding the writers that are contributing to the daily devotionals. There will still be a...

As the pace of our world continues to accelerate, it can be difficult for us to live in the present. Life passes us by in a flash, and if we’re not careful, we can miss what God is doing right here, and right now. God wants to work in your life today. Let’s explore this truth as we spend time in God’s presence. Our Scripture for today comes from Isaiah 43:18-19 , and today's worship is Song Fo...

  Happy New Year!! I'm Craig Denison, author and founder of First15.  A growing relationship with God comes when you experience him every day. So thank you so much for starting your year with us.  I’ve got a really exciting announcement with what you can expect from First15 this year.  One is, we’re expanding the writers that are contributing to the daily devotionals. There will still be a lot...

Happy New Year!! I'm Craig Denison, author and founder of First15.  A growing relationship with God comes when you experience him every day. So thank you so much for starting your year with us.  I’ve got a really exciting announcement with what you can expect from First15 this year.  One is, we’re expanding the writers that are contributing to the daily devotionals. There will still be a lot o...

Happy New Year!! I'm Craig Denison, author and founder of First15.  A growing relationship with God comes when you experience him every day. So thank you so much for starting your year with us.  I’ve got a really exciting announcement with what you can expect from First15 this year.  One is, we’re expanding the writers that are contributing to the daily devotionals. There will still be a lot o...

As we begin this year, today I want to create space to simply dream with God. God has so many incredible plans for you this year. He has so many dreams in his heart for you. And today as we create space for him, my hope is that he shares those dreams with us, that we could partner with him in running after the abundant life he has for each of us. May your heart be filled with the fruit of his incr...

Today we’re going to take a look at the fresh hope we have in God’s nearness. God’s promise to be near to us as his people, and the great lengths he’s gone to commune with us in the Holy Spirit, has the power to change every moment of our lives. And one of the most powerful changes his nearness provides is hope, and the peace that comes with it. As we make space for his presence today, I pray that...

As we continue our series allowing God to prepare us for the new year, today we’re going to look at the promise of God that we can do all things in his strength.   My hope is that we’re filled with courage and hope today for what God can and will do in us as we make space to live and work in him in this new year. Our Scripture for today comes from Philippians 4:13 , and today's worship is Cent...

As we continue our series, allowing God to prepare us as the new year approaches, today we’ll make space for God to create new beginnings in our lives. Every one of us needs a new beginning in some way, a fresh start in some area of our life. And this season heading into the new year is a perfect time to allow God to fill us with new life. May you get a real sense of redemption and grace today as...

As this year comes to a close, it’s vital that we take time to both reflect on what God has done and allow him to prepare us for what’s to come. A new year marks a fresh opportunity to center our lives around the goodness of God. I pray that as you begin looking toward what is to come you will make space to gain God’s perspective, ground your hopes and pursuits on his grace, and celebrate all that...

Today we’ll be celebrating Christmas, Christ come for you and me, by allowing the reality of his coming to fill our hearts with overflowing joy. Whatever is happening in your life today, there is joy to be found in the reality that Christ came for you, wants to make his presence known in your life, and that he will come again. May your heart be filled with joy this Christmas.   Our Scripture for t...

Christmas is a time where we as believers celebrate God’s heart to write himself into our story. Prior to Jesus we had no real picture of God’s love. All we had to know him by was through stories of old and commandments written into law. But only in Jesus was a pathway created whereby we could walk in intimacy with the Father again. Only in Jesus was the veil torn allowing God’s manifest presence...

As we finish our week on drawing near to God this Advent season, today we’ll focus outward on how we can carry the presence of Christ into our spheres of influence. We have learned this week that God is with us always and available to us at all times. There is never a time he isn’t by your side, and you have the profound privilege of carrying his presence with you everywhere you go. As you practic...

As we begin to wrap up our week on drawing near to God, today we’ll explore what it means to draw from the endless well of living water and life available to us in Christ. In a season where consumerism is at an all-time high, God is inviting us to draw from his wellsprings of life for true satiation and satisfaction in him. Allow God to remind you afresh today of his love and ability to meet every...

We have spent this week looking at different aspects of Christ’s kingship. Today we’ll explore how the Lord is merciful in nature toward us and the world. May you come to treasure the mercy of God in your life as we take time today to explore it. He is truly so good to us, and it is fitting for us to celebrate him in all of his goodness.   Our Scripture for today comes from John 1:14 , and today&#...

In the midst of this crazy season, it is important to remain sensitive to the Spirit of God. It can be so easy to miss out on the uniqueness of this Advent season because we get busy serving, celebrating, shopping. We are all guilty of it. But I can promise you, if you commit yourself to practicing sensitivity this Advent season, you will be so blessed for it.   Our Scripture for today comes from...