First15 Devotional

Worship is essential to our daily walk with God, which is why it’s always been a major part of the First15 Devotional. There is something unique about the way worship speaks to our hearts, and draws us into a deeper connection with our heavenly father. So today on the First15 Podcast, we dive into the powerful, soul-connecting power of worship!  That’s why we are thrilled to have our friend and wo...

As we wrap up our week on God’s heart to meet with man, today we’ll look at the encouraging story of John on the island of Patmos. Right when we think we’re unusable, a season is too dry or we’re past our prime, God comes and speaks fresh life and vision. If you find yourself like John on Patmos today, I pray God brings a new word of courage and life to you despite your season. Our Scripture for t...

As we near the end of our week on God’s heart to meet with man, we look today at Pentecost. The day of Pentecost was a major fulfillment of God’s desire to meet with us. On that day, his Holy Spirit flooded the earth and was poured out on ordinary people, just like you and me. We see God’s desire to dwell with a people satisfied as his Spirit fills them and remains with them forever. May you be en...

Have you ever believed the lie that your sin makes you unlovable to God? I think we all have at one time or another. We will look today at the story of the woman caught in adultery. For some reason, every time I read this story it surprises me again. God is oftentimes different than we expect, much kinder in fact. May today be no different. I pray you’re met by a generous, kind, merciful Savior as...

As we continue our week on God’s heart to meet with man, today we’ll look at the best example I can think of. Many of us doubt the love of God due to all kinds of circumstances, but I pray today you become even a little bit more convinced and sure of his pursuit and unconditional love for you specifically. Open your heart today and allow God to give you a renewed sense of how much you mean to him....

Oftentimes we look at Old Testament stories of man’s encounters with God and grow jealous. We question why God doesn’t show up in the way he did with Moses for us now. There is a portion of relationship, encounter and intimacy available to us with God today that men of the Old Testament could have never dreamed of. It is my hope and prayer that you leave today having experienced the richness, unit...

Have you ever felt incompetent for the work God sets before you? The mission and call of God on our lives can seem daunting and impossible. Know that Gideon felt that way, and it’s okay if you do too. But God wants to speak courage and empowerment to our hearts today that he will be with us, moving through us every step of our journey. Open your heart today that God may fill it with fresh fire and...

Throughout Scripture we see countless examples of God meeting with man and countless lives being transformed as the result. These examples are in Scripture to stir our faith and fill us with a desire to meet with our Creator. When we read about the life of David, we should be filled with a longing to live as he did, centered around meeting with our heavenly Father. When we read about Gideon or Mos...

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling the fatigue set in from months of stress, change, and uncertainty. Not only that, but we’ve lost so many  of the outlets that we would normally run to for relaxation, relationship, and entertainment. So today on the First15 podcast, we thought we’d have a fun conversation with Jason Romano, a long-time producer at ESPN, and the author of books like Liv...

People are messy. We are difficult and challenging. And it’s because of that no church is perfect. But there must be some reason Jesus desires for us to be unified and be one. Today we’ll explore how and why it’s important to encounter God through other people. May your wounds be healed, and your heart be opened to how God wants to use others to lead you to him. Our Scripture for today comes from...

Many of us know God’s presence is always available to us, but rarely do we take a second to become aware of how near he truly is. Today we’ll explore what it means to encounter God through receiving his presence. This simple concept has radically changed my life, and it is my prayer it changes yours too. May we learn to practice God’s presence on a regular basis and see his goodness flood our live...

In this world, it’s not difficult to become disheartened, visionless and confused about the direction of our lives or our circumstances. But God has given us a priceless gift to ground and root us in truth and vision for life—his word. If you’re feeling purposeless or lost today, look no further than the wisdom God has graciously provided through the Bible. Today we’ll dive into how we can encount...

Worship is essential to a vibrant, thriving Christian life. In worship, much like thanksgiving, we are reminded of who our God is, and who we are. Worshipping Jesus grounds us in our identity because it reminds us whose we are and all that he has done on our behalf. Jesus is worthy of all our worship, and it’s my prayer today that you have a fresh encounter with him through this transformative ave...

Expressing gratitude and thanks to God has a miraculous way of opening and changing our hearts. Today we’ll explore the discipline of thanksgiving, and encounter God in response. May you take away from our time today, timeless principles that quickly get your heart in the right place despite your season or circumstances. Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 100:4 , and today's worship is T...

Prayer is so simple, but often times our minds convolute and complicate it. Today we’re exploring how to encounter God through prayer, and I pray you take away a simplified, childlike approach to spending time with your heavenly Father. May your heart and mind be at peace today as you encounter the living God. Our Scripture for today comes from Hebrews 11:6 , and today's worship is Confident b...

Having consistent and transformational encounters with God while on earth is meant to be foundational to the Christian life. Our God has not left us. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we’ve been filled with the very Spirit of God who longs to reveal to us daily the nearness and love of our heavenly Father. We are never alone. There is nowhere we can flee from the presence of our God. May this week b...

In our final devotional of this week long series on the marks of a true Christian, today we’re looking at God’s command to overcome evil with good. May God show us the pathway to his power today, and illuminate specific ways we can overcome evil with good today. Our Scripture for today comes from Romans 12:21 , and today's worship is Let There Be Light by Hillsong Worship.  First15 is a daily...

2020 has been one of the most challenging years we’ve experienced as a nation, and it seems that no other city has had to bear as much as New York City. So today, we are grateful to spend some time with Jon Tyson, lead Pastor of Church of the City, New York, located right in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen. Over the last few months he has gained an up close and personal perspective on the challenges w...

As we near the end of our series on the marks of a true Christian, today we’re going to explore together what it means to live in harmony with one another. There’s hardly a better feeling than being in harmony with those that are close to you. We were created for close, thriving relationship with God and others. And God in his power and love wants to equip us to build and keep harmony, even in the...

In today’s devotional, we’re going to continue our series on the marks of a true Christian by looking at Paul’s encouragement to rejoice and weep with others. One of the most powerful acts of love we can make is to follow the way of empathy and compassion. Jesus allowed himself to be burdened by others burdens, pained by their pain. And may we follow the way of our Savior today as we spend time in...

In the middle of our week on the marks of a true Christian, today we’re looking at Paul’s command to bless those who persecute you. Truly blessing those around us that seem to be against us is an incredible act of love, producing fruit not only in the lives of others, but in our lives as well. May God give us insight into his heart for this command today, as well as the courage to live it out. Our...

In our third devotional in this week-long series on the marks of a true Christian, today we’re going to explore together what it means to rejoice in hope. In a world that can so often bring us down, so often appear to be without hope, today we have the opportunity to make room for God to give us his perspective, that we might rejoice in his hope. May God give us wisdom, joy, and eternal perspectiv...

I could not be more thrilled to share with you a conversation that Rachel and I had this week with Latasha Morrison.  Our conversation covers topics like the history of racism in the United States, how we ended up here today, and crucial steps in moving forward. We had a ton of questions going into this podcast and as we walked away we felt a renewed sense of passion knowing that we can actually b...

As we continue this week on the marks of a true Christian, today we’re going to look at what it means to be fervent in spirit. You were made to live with a fervent faith, zealous in response to God’s passionate love for you. May God fill all our hearts with his love in a meaningful, authentic way. And may we find the courage in him to live our faith passionately. Our Scripture for today comes from...

This week in First15 we’re going to take a look at seven principles found in  Romans 12  that describe the marks of a true Christian. The intent of studying this passage is not to condemn or lead you to comparison. Instead, let Paul’s teaching fill you with a deep, transformative longing to wholeheartedly pursue the life God intends for you. Ask God to help you see yourself as he sees you, to see...