First15 Devotional

Today we are going to explore the actual discipline of simplicity by answering questions like, What does it mean to simplify life? How would Jesus have us actually simplify our lives? How can embracing simplicity enrich our day to day experience? May your heart and mind be open to all the wisdom and goodness God has for you today. And may you find comfort in making Jesus your one necessary thing....

As we continue our week on simple Christianity, we have the joy today of discovering what it means to truly rest in God. In all the stress and hurry of life, don’t we all need to find even just a few moments of rest today? May God reorient the way you see him today, and show you his purpose and pleasure over his children taking time for true rest in him. More from First15 Read today's devotion...

On the third day of our series on pursuing simple Christianity, we’re looking at what it means to live a life of sacrifice to God. May we discover what it means for our hearts, minds and will to be fully surrendered to Jesus, and in return may we find the abundant joy he has promised. He is trustworthy and true. And we will find the life God has planned for us when we surrender all to him. Get you...

As we continue our week exploring the simple principles of the Christian faith, today let’s look at what it means to love people. Many of us know that God asks us to love others, but often loving people is easier said than done. God knows our weaknesses, and any command he gives, he has a plan to empower us and give us grace to be obedient. As you explore how God may want you to love people today,...

This week we’re going to focus on the simplicity the Christian life is meant to be marked by. Jesus summed up our purpose with two statements: love God and love people. But in our humanity we have made complex what God designed to be peaceful, purposeful, and simple. A. W. Tozer remarks in The Pursuit of God, “Every age has its own characteristics. Right now we are in an age of religious complexit...

As we wrap up our week on the simplicity of love, today we’ll look at the concept of simplicity itself and what it means to have a solitary pursuit. As you fix your eyes on Jesus today, may you find that the weight of the world falls away. And may you choose the path of simplicity and love going forward living out in joy and peace. Get your copy of Wrestling with God your donation to First15! More...

God is the perfect parent. He is unlike anyone we’ve ever known, and his love is unlike anything we’ve experienced before. Imagine knowing your parent loved you perfectly, and that their intentions and motives behind giving you direction was literally perfectly loving? That’s how God is with us. His wisdom and direction is something we can trust implicitly because he can trust his heart toward us,...

Most of the time our emotional happiness is based on our life’s circumstances. As we continue our week on the simplicity of love, today we’ll be taking a look at the joy that comes from living a love-based life. Once we know that God’s love is for us always, unconditionally—no matter what, our hope is secure and joy is ours for the taking. May you walk in joy today as you lean into this love-based...

It has been and always will be easy for people, especially religious people, to become focused on the wrong things in life. I constantly find myself making things more difficult or convoluted than they really are. The reality of this life with God is that all he asks of us is love. As we continue this week on the simplicity of love, today we’ll explore God’s heart on the subject. What does God req...

There is nothing in the world more freeing than being loved as you are. Today we’ll be exploring how God’s love has set us free as we continue in our week of the simplicity of love. Having God’s love and affection from the start before giving him anything in return frees us from the burdens and weight of having to earn his love and strive for his affections. Today God wants us to step out in and f...

As we explore the simplicity of love this week, today we’ll look at how God’s love has redeemed us. There is an amazing Brennan Manning quote that says, “In loving me, you made me lovable.” And that is basically the concept we’ll be unpacking today. God’s love has come in and given us meaning, beauty, redemption, and purpose. It is through God loving us that we become sons and daughters; we become...

1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” The greatest of all aspects of the Christian life is love. Love is to be at the foundation of all we do, all we are, and all we hold on to. If we focus on love and allow the Holy Spirit to strip everything else away, what will be left is a life of blessed simplicity rooted in face-to-fac...

God loves to exceed our expectations and break our boxes. Today’s topic does just that. As we end our week, today we’re exploring God’s attributes that make him a fun, joyful Father. Let’s allow God to reshape our notion of him and free our hearts up to enjoy just how good God really is. He is better than anyone we’ve ever known, and it’s my hope today we can see that with clear eyes. Get your cop...

Discipline can be a tricky subject. Many of us have not seen discipline done well, and no one really loves being disciplined or having something they’ve done wrong pointed out. But something we must keep in mind with our heavenly Father is that he loves perfectly, so discipline must be a part of his perfect love. As we wrap up our week of looking at who God is, this is a crucial topic we have to l...

As we continue our week on God being our Father, we look today at how God encourages us. There is nothing like an encouraging word from the Father when we’re feeling low and discouraged. Sometimes life can be daunting, and our good Father knows just what to say when we need to hear it most. If you’re feeling discouraged today, I pray the Lord speaks courage to your weary heart and strengthens your...

In the kingdom of God, we find a culture different from that of our world. We are often taught to be self-made, pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, and that it’s the survival of the fittest. God’s kingdom turns these principles on their head. We are encouraged to wait, trust, and receive from our God who supplies for our every need. Does your life mimic one of trust and waiting? One of open hands...

Many of us deal with a fear of abandonment, rejection, or loneliness, and often for good reason. The beautiful thing about our heavenly Father is that he is present in our lives, and we are never alone. As we continue our week looking at the ways God is good to us, open your heart today to the very tangible presence of your Father, even now in your midst. Allow truth to permeate the broken places...

In our fallen state, patience isn’t something we find very often in ourselves or others. I don’t know if I know one person who has perfectly displayed patience for me, myself included. What’s incredible about our Father in heaven is that he is an endless well of patience. He has patience in abundance, and it never runs out for us. Today allow God to reorient the way you understand him and his hear...

There is no better father than our Creator God. He formed us and knows us. He provides for us, loves us unconditionally, and longs for a real, life-giving relationship with us. He runs out to meet us in our sin, clothes us with a new identity, and restores to us the abundant life he has always planned for us. As we spend time looking at the father’s heart, may a fresh revelation of his love for yo...

In today’s devotional, we wrap up our week on God giving good gifts by looking at how God is the giver of courage. Fear is something that plagues us all in this life. But our Father’s way is better. The Lord wants to cast out all fear with his perfect love and empower you to live boldly, full of courage and confidence. Open your heart today in light of God’s love. Let go of anything holding you ba...

In today’s First15, we’re going to explore and experience the ways God gives us strength. There is not much better than becoming aware of our weakness and being met by God’s strength and grace in the midst of it. God fills in all the places we lack, and he wants to hold you up and strengthen you today in your weakness. We can release the need to appear strong because we have a very strong God on o...

As we near the end of our week on God giving us good, heavenly gifts, we’re going to take time today to discover and reflect on the ways God gives us direction. Sometimes life can be confusing, and it is difficult to know which decisions to make. Thankfully, we have a Father who has sent his Spirit to speak and lead us through life’s winding paths. He has a plan for each of our lives, and he desir...

In today’s First15, we’re going to explore the way God gives us contentment in the midst of every season and place he plants us. May you walk in immense satisfaction today as you open your heart and mind to the Lord’s presence and truth. As you fix your eyes on Jesus and trust him, I pray you experience rich contentment today in God’s love and provision. More from First15 Read today's devotion...

As we continue our series on God the Giver of Gifts, we’re going to take time today to look at the peace God is faithful to give. We all need peace in this chaotic world, and thankfully God has an abundance of it, which he wants to lavish on his children. Open your heart today, be still, and take in the peace of heaven. More from First15 Read today's devotional or listen to today's worship...

Today as we continue to explore ways God is a wonderful, giving Father, we’re going to focus on the delivering power of God to set the captive free and rescue his people. Wherever you find yourself today, know that God is a safe rescue and the deliverer of our souls. He loves you mightily and is working on your behalf at all times. May that truth bring you immense peace and comfort as you experien...