First15 Devotional

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...

  Sometimes we just need a reminder that things with God are simple, and the weight of our experiencing God is not on us or dependent upon our ability to be spiritual. Jesus wants to remind us today of how he is pursuing our hearts in this life, and all we need to do is say yes. May you find God today as you open your heart to him, and experience the rest that his presence brings.   Our Scripture...

As we spend the week focusing on drawing near to God this Christmas season, today we’ll explore a fun concept. Every morning is like Christmas morning when you know and walk with God. God is so, so good. And he desires for us to walk in the gifts of his goodness all the days of our lives. May we reorient our thinking so that each morning with God is more exciting than the next as we experience afr...

The Christmas season is a powerful and unique time of year to remember that Jesus came to make a way for us to be near God. In his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus built a bridge between us and God allowing us to have continual, unhindered communion with our Creator. But God can’t force us into nearness with him. Even as believers filled with the Holy Spirit, we can choose to live as if God is...

As we end our week looking to Jesus, today we’ll explore one of my favorite aspects of his nature: his humility. Jesus, the King of all the earth, the one who has every reason to boast and show his power, chooses the path of humility, of submission, of lowering himself. We have so much to learn from this beautiful King. It is my hope that you are encouraged and challenged today. But also that your...

As we begin to wrap up our week celebrating Jesus our King, today we’ll celebrate the justice of God. What does it mean for God to be just? Does that stir up fear in you or peace? As we take a closer look at what God’s justice means for us, I pray you are filled with immense gratitude and worship today. God has looked on us with so much love. And Jesus, our just King, has done so much on our behal...

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 Matthew 9:13 , and toda...

As we continue our week exploring various aspects of Jesus’ kingship, today we’ll celebrate his triumphant nature. What does it mean for God to be triumphant? Like most things with Jesus, the deeper we look, the more we’ll find he is contradictory to the ways of this world. His victory is no different. Jesus’ victory confounded the Jews on his time, and still confounds many to this day. May the na...

As we explore the gift of Jesus this advent season, today we’ll dig into what it means for him to be our Savior King. Is salvation just for a time in the future, or could it also be for the here and now? What would it look like to take hold of our salvation this side of heaven, and experience the fruit of eternal life today? May you feel your faith and desire for more be spurred on today as you en...

As we spend this week to celebrating who Jesus is and what he’s done, today we’ll remind ourselves of the great authority and victory of Jesus as our King of kings. There is so much peace available to us today found solely in our shared victory with Christ, our King and his sovereignty over all of our circumstances. Allow this victorious King to settle your heart and mind today as you experience h...

What a gift we have in the Christmas season. God himself took on flesh and dwelt among us that we might find eternal relationship in him. His coming serves as a continual reminder of his grace and pursuit of us who are lost without him. As we look to Jesus this week to celebrate who he is and what he’s done, may you find life-giving hope and foundational joy.   Our Scripture for today comes from J...

As we end our week on Jesus’s High Priestly prayer, today we’ll dive into his desire for us to know the Father’s great love. Knowing the love of God for us is essential to healthy Christian living. God’s love is fundamental to our identity as his children and the sacrifice of Jesus. If we aren’t rooted and grounded in the unconditional love of God, we will be like untethered buoys being tossed abo...

  As we begin to wrap up our week on Jesus’s High Priestly prayer, today we look at what it means to reflect God’s glory. How could man ever look like God? In our broken, fallen state, can we ever reflect his glory? Let’s find out as we explore God’s heart and intention behind filling us with his Holy Spirit and giving us his new nature. May your heart and mind be open to God’s truth and will for...

Today we continue our week on Jesus’s High Priestly prayer by exploring the topic of sanctification. What does it mean to be in the world but not of the world? What does sanctification look like played out in our lives practically? Often the concept of being sanctified is daunting and a bit intimidating. But today God wants to clear up our common misconceptions and help us enter this process with...

Jesus is a joyful King, and we find in his High Priestly Prayer that he desires that his people would be filled with his joy too. We all have a myriad of burdens and things in life that cause us stress and worry. But what does it look like to have deep abiding joy in all circumstances? Today we’ll explore that and more.   Our Scripture for today comes from John 17:13 , and today's worship is J...

As we continue our week on Jesus’s High Priestly prayer, today we’ll explore God’s desire to see his people unified. Why would this be important to him? What good could be in unity for us and others? What is Jesus trying to communicate to the world through us? May our hearts be open to the answers we discover today as we take a deeper dive. Our Scripture for today comes from John 17:10-11 , and to...

As we take a deep dive into Jesus’s High Priestly prayer in John 17 this week, we will discover together the deep desires of the heart of God. Today we explore Jesus’s desire to be known by his people. Isn’t it amazing to think the God of the universe desires to be known intimately by you and me? What a beautiful blessing and gift he desires to give each of us. May we take hold of this gift and ex...