First15 Devotional

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 yo...

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 Wai...

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...

We have a great High Priest who constantly intercedes on our behalf. The Son of God and Man loves you more deeply than you can fathom. He prays for you, that you might walk in the abundant life his death affords you. And in  John 17 we get a glimpse into the fullness of his desire for all those who would believe in him. As we dive deeply into the riches of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer this week, ma...

As we finish our week on vision and boundaries, today we’ll focus on having vision for eternity. The glorious truth is that this world is not the end for us. In fact, through Jesus, we will see a kingdom that has no end. Christ desires his people to be those that live with fresh vision for heaven and eyes fixed upward. May you be newly envisioned and encouraged today as you’re reminded of the worl...

As we begin to wrap up our week on boundaries and vision, today we’ll explore having clear vision for community. All of us will likely fall in different places with this topic today. It is my prayer you discover what is healthy and God-ordained for you in regards to community—and that may look completely different than someone else! We all have different capacity, and it’s very important to rememb...

Many of us are in a very necessary need of vision for and boundaries around our work. This may be one of the most important topics we discuss all week. We spend so many hours a day working, this time must surely be important. May you discover God’s heart for your work, and find deep purpose and joy today as you submit to God’s vision and boundaries for it. Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm...

As we continue our week on vision and boundaries, today we’ll explore what it looks like to have vision for loving and serving others well. Is loving people something you do intentionally? Or is something you believe will happen effortlessly as you live your life? Sometimes God is asking us to intentionally discover vision for certain seasons, and is specific about ways we could minister to or ble...

Today we will take some time for ourselves, something we’re often not very good at doing. The reality is God cares deeply for you before you can do anything for him, and he wants that truth to settle deeply into our hearts today. We will be exploring what it means to have vision for ourselves holistically. How do we set ourselves up for success emotionally, physically and spiritually? The truth is...

As we focus this week on boundaries for life and vision, today we’ll explore what it would look like to have the right priorities in place in our relationship with God. Many of us live as though God has a long list of expectations for us to meet. Today may God’s priorities for us become our own, and may we set the necessary boundaries in place to keep our priorities in the correct order. Our Scrip...

We serve a God of boundaries. In his limitless capacity, endless creativity, and boundless existence he still chose to create boundaries. He still had vision for what was good, right, pleasing, and perfect. And as children made in his image, we are to live, think, and create as he does. In a world marked by busyness from seemingly infinite opportunities, it’s important now more than ever for us to...

In today’s podcast, the last in our series on the parables, we’ll be looking at the parables of the lost sheep and coin. May you discover today how precious you are in the eyes of God. And may you be empowered to see yourself, your value, as he does. Our Scriptures for today come from Luke 15:4-7 and  Luke 15:8-10 , and today's worship is Everything You Are by  First15 Worship feat. John Marc...

As we near the end of our week on the parables, today we’re going to look at the parable of the prodigal son. Hanging in my office is a print of Rembrandt’s depiction of this biblical scene. It’s hard for me to think of another passage of Scripture that produces such continual fruit in my life on a daily basis. May these words of Jesus redefine our relationship with God for the better today. Our S...

One of my favorite stories is the parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector. Through this story, Jesus makes it abundantly clear how we’re to come before God. May we today begin a fresh revival of humility in the church as we humble ourselves before God in prayer and honest worship. I want to encourage you to be open and vulnerable as you approach the Lord today. Our Scripture for today comes from...

As we continue to look at the profound, life-transforming concepts Jesus shared through parables, today we’ll focus on the parable of the lamp on a stand. May what might’ve once been a concept that caused many of us to feel pressure, now bring forth peace, purpose and freedom in God’s love and identity for us. Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 5:14-15 , and today's worship is Let Ther...

Continuing our week on Jesus’s parables, we’ll look today at the parable of the mustard seed. As we dig into this rich, beautiful parable, may our hearts and minds be enlightened. Take a moment even now to ask God to give you fresh revelation. Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 13:31-32 , and today's worship is New Wine by Hillsong Worship feat. Brooke Ligertwood Click here to follow F...

As we continue this week allowing the parables of Jesus to speak directly to our situations, mindsets, and core beliefs about who God is, today we’ll dive into the parables of the hidden treasure and valuable pearl. Upon learning about God forsaking everything to find us, we’ll assess our own hearts and see what they value most in this life. Open your heart today and choose to take an honest look....

Jesus loved to use stories to illustrate profound, life-transforming concepts. He loved to use real and genuine settings, characters, and ideas that apply to all of us to reveal God’s heart of pursuit and love. This week we’re going to spend time allowing the parables of Jesus to speak directly to our situations, mindsets, and core beliefs about who God is. Open your heart and mind to be transform...

As we wrap up this week looking at the desires of every heart, we’re going to look today at the desire to live a life of significance. God has a plan to use you in ways far beyond what you could ask or imagine, a plan for you to make an eternal impact in the world. As we make space for God to speak and lead today, may he give us a deeper sense of purpose and calling in him. Our Scripture for today...

In today’s devotional, we’re going to explore the desire we all share to be passionate. Everyone of us desires to give our lives to something, our passion to something that truly matters. And God has given us all that desire with a perfect plan to satisfy it in a unique way, a way he’s perfectly wired each of us for. May each of us get a greater sense of how we can live more wholeheartedly in him...

In today’s podcast we’re going to look at the desire we all share to be fully known and fully loved. You and I were made for this. And pursuing that sense of knowledge and love from the world has left so many of us wounded. But the good news is that God has a path for healing, relationship, and love that’s void of shame, and wants to guide us down that path today as we create space and follow him...

Today as we continue our series looking at the desires of every heart, we’re going to take time to recognize and satisfy our desire to be great. The desire to be great within the heart of man has produced tremendous and terrible things. It’s produced peace and war, advancement and destruction. And as we look at this desire today, I pray that God reveals the purity and power of it as well as his pl...