Posts with the category “daily-devotional”

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?" - Luke 15:4 Most people don’t count what’s missing. We count what we have. We track success by what stayed, by who showed up, and by how much was retained. But Jesus flips that. He counts what is missing. In Luke 15, Jesus ...  Read More

"Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep" - John 10:7 You’ve probably heard the phrase “all roads lead to God” or “just be a good person.” It sounds inclusive. It sounds fair. But Jesus didn’t leave that option open. He didn’t come to improve religion. He came to replace it with Himself. When He said, “I am the door of the sheep,” He wasn’t just giving a metaphor for comfort or safe...  Read More

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit." - John 12:24 If you’ve ever felt like your story was over, like the weight of what you’ve lost or endured has crushed any hope for what could be ahead, you’re not alone. Most people reach a point where things feel final. Like a chapter has ended, and it’s too ...  Read More

"This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." – Luke 22:19 When was the last time you stopped to think about what you were actually doing during communion? Not just the motions. Not just the bread and cup, but the meaning and the weight, the relationship behind it. See, in the ancient world, breaking bread meant something sacred. It was all about relationship. It meant t...  Read More

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" – John 1:14 If you’ve ever flipped an hourglass, you’ve seen what happens as all the grains of sand funnel into a single point. Everything narrows for a moment before expanding again. That image is a helpful way to think about the story of God’s revelation. Throughout the Old Testament, God revealed Himself in many ways. Through creation, covenants, p...  Read More

"Now he had to pass through Samaria" – John 4:4 You might not always feel worthy of God’s attention. You might even assume He’s waiting for you to figure things out, get your act together, or clean up the mess before He'll come close. But that is not how God works. Jesus was on His way from Judea to Galilee when Scripture says He “had to pass through Samaria.” At first glance, it sounds like a tra...  Read More

“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding” – Proverbs 3:13 Long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, or before His name was whispered in Nazareth, the wisdom of God was already at work in the world. Proverbs describes wisdom like a treasure, like a tree of life, like something that brings peace and delight to all who find it. But wisdom was never meant to stay abstrac...  Read More

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." – John 1:1 Some battles cannot be fought with fists or clever words. They are internal wars. Battles against fear, temptation, doubt, and lies. And when you are in the middle of that kind of fight, you do not need a motivational quote. You need a weapon. The Bible is not just a book filled with wise sayings and relig...  Read More

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." – Psalm 90:2 You live in a world that runs on time. Alarms wake you up. Calendars fill your day. Deadlines mark your goals. And sometimes, it feels like time is either running out or dragging on. But God does not live inside your schedule. He exists outside of it....  Read More

"Then the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’" – Exodus 3:4 Moses wasn’t in a temple when God spoke to him in Exodus 3. He wasn’t in a prayer meeting or reading Scripture. He was tending sheep in the wilderness, walking the same paths he had probably walked for years. It was an ordinary day in an ordinary place. Until i...  Read More

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." – Matthew 5:14 At the Bowery Mission in New York City, there was a man named Joe who didn’t have a platform or a microphone. He didn’t preach sermons or lead Bible studies. He cleaned the bathrooms. He scrubbed floors. He served food and carried those too weak to stand. And he did it with gentleness, grace, and joy. Joe’s lif...  Read More

"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." – Matthew 5:16 We live in a time where everything gets filtered, edited, and shared. We track likes and followers, trying to prove that we are doing something meaningful. Even in church circles, it’s easy to confuse spotlight with significance. You might be doing good things. ...  Read More

“After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, Do you want to go away as well? Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” – John 6:66-68 This moment in John 6 is one of the most sobering scenes in the Gospels. Jesus had just delivered a hard teaching. Not a feel-good message or a crowd-pleaser...  Read More

"Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" – John 4:29 She wasn’t looking for a Savior. She was just trying to get water without being seen. In John 4, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well in the middle of the day. That detail matters. Women in that culture usually came in groups during the cool morning hours, but she came alone, likely because of the shame tied ...  Read More

“When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?’” – John 6:60 Not long after Jesus fed more than five thousand people with just five loaves and two fish, the crowds followed Him across the sea, looking for more. They had seen a miracle with their own eyes. Their stomachs were full. Their curiosity was stirred. But Jesus didn’t give them another perfor...  Read More

"Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'" – John 8:58 When Jesus said, “I Am,” He wasn’t being poetic or mysterious. He was making one of the boldest statements ever recorded. He was identifying Himself with the eternal God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. That name, “I Am,” wasn’t just sacred; it was personal. And because Jesus claimed it, everything c...  Read More

“One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and, seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.” – Exodus 2:11-12 Before Moses led Israel through the Red Sea, before the plagues and the burning bush, he tried to step into his calling with his o...  Read More

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16 When Jesus told His followers to let their light shine, He didn’t just mean any kind of light. The word He used for “good” in this verse was kalos, not just morally good, but beautiful, attractive, winsome. That word matters. Because how we shin...  Read More

“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’” – John 8:58 In John chapter 8, Jesus was in the middle of a heated conversation with the religious leaders. They were accusing Him of all kinds of things, questioning His authority, and dismissing His words. But what Jesus said next stopped everyone cold. He claimed a name that carried weight beyond anything they expecte...  Read More

“So they said to him, ‘Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?” – John 6:30 The moment is almost hard to believe. Just one day earlier, Jesus had fed over five thousand people with a boy’s lunch. They had seen it with their own eyes. Tasted it with their own mouths. But now here they are, the same people who stood there the day before, are standing in f...  Read More

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14 Some people see Jesus as just another spiritual leader. A wise teacher. A compassionate healer. Maybe even a revolutionary voice who challenged broken systems. But Scripture paints a much bigger picture. In John 1:14, we are told plainly that Je...  Read More

"Jesus said to her, 'I who speak to you am he.'" – John 4:26 She didn’t expect a conversation. She definitely didn’t expect transformation. But that’s what happened when Jesus met the woman at the well. He broke through every barrier she tried to throw up, not with force, but with love. And we do the same thing she did. We offer excuses to keep Jesus at arm’s length. But He keeps showing up anyway...  Read More

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." – John 1:5 It’s easy to feel like your light doesn’t matter. Maybe you’re the only Christian in your family. Maybe your coworkers don’t get why you live the way you do. Maybe you’ve kept quiet at school because the pressure to blend in is just easier than standing out. When the world feels overwhelmingly dark, your little sp...  Read More

“So they said to him, ‘Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” – John 6:30-31 When reading John 6, we can see that the crowd wanted more bread. They wanted more signs and another show. They followed Jesus not because they loved Him, but because He had...  Read More

“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.’” – Exodus 3:14 When God called Moses at the burning bush, He didn’t give him a pep talk about his skill set. He didn’t offer a leadership manual or walk through the basics of public speaking. Instead, when Moses asked, “Who should I say sent me?” God simply replied, “I AM.” In other words...  Read More

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” – Matthew 5:14 Jesus didn’t just say He was the Light. He looked at His followers and gave them the same identity. That wasn’t a compliment. It was a calling. Light stands out. It exposes what’s hidden. It brings warmth and clarity. That’s what you’re meant to do when you walk into any environment: make it brighter because yo...  Read More

“Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” - Isaiah 55:2 We don’t usually call it hunger, but we all feel it. That gnawing sense that something is missing. For some, it shows up in the endless scrolling, the need to always be in the loop. For others, it’s chasing money, success, affirmation, or even just a sense of control. We’re all ...  Read More

"Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'" – John 8:58 It is one of the most explosive things Jesus ever said. He did not say, “I was,” though that would’ve already been staggering. He said, “I am.” Not past tense. Not future. Present. Eternal. Unchanging. With those two words, Jesus wasn’t just making a statement about time. He was claiming the name of God. The ...  Read More

"But Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?' He said, 'But I will be with you.'" – Exodus 3:11–12 Moses had a million reasons to disqualify himself. He was a runaway with a past. He had no clout in Egypt, no eloquent voice, and no army at his back. When God called him, his first reaction was the same as ours often is, "Who am I?" But...  Read More

"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" - John 8:12 Jesus made this declaration at a moment that would have stunned the crowd. It was not a random statement. It happened during the Feast of Tabernacles, when massive lamps lit up the temple courtyard to celebrate God’s past guidance in the wil...  Read More

“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” - John 6:27 In our world, bread is optional. It comes in baskets at restaurants, sits on the side of your plate, or gets avoided altogether in trendy diets. But in the world Jesus lived in, bread was life. It wasn’t a side dish; it was survival. So when Jesus said He was ...  Read More

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” - Acts 2:36 Most people are cool with Jesus as long as He stays in the past tense. A wise teacher. A kind healer. A man who did good things and said powerful words. But the problem is, Jesus is not just a man from history. He is alive. He is exalted. And He is Lord. I...  Read More

"I AM WHO I AM." - Exodus 3:14 There is a moment in Scripture where Moses stands before a burning bush, overwhelmed, confused, and uncertain. God calls him to something far greater than himself, and Moses has one very practical question. Who do I say sent me? In other words, who are You? God doesn’t respond with a title or a job description. He doesn’t say, “Tell them the Creator sent you” or “Tel...  Read More

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6 Following God will take you places that feel uncertain. He may lead you into situations that stretch your faith or require bold action. But over and over again in Scripture, God tells His people the same thing: Do not be afraid. Tha...  Read More

"God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him." - Psalm 18:30 Sometimes God rescues in ways we don’t immediately recognize. The story of Israel in 605 BC is a perfect example. Nebuchadnezzar’s attack on Jerusalem was brutal and left the people defeated, scattered, and seemingly hopeless. But that wasn’t the end of the story. It was the beginnin...  Read More

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able.” - Luke 13:24 There are some things you just cannot afford to get wrong. Jesus does not dodge the hard questions. When someone asks Him if only a few will be saved, He does not give a number or a timeline. Instead, He gives a warning. He says to make every effort to enter through the ...  Read More

“Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.” - Hebrews 10:23 Endurance is not just about surviving hard seasons. It is about holding on to the right thing in the middle of them. Anyone can grit their teeth and wait for the storm to pass, but as followers of Jesus, we are called to something deeper. We are called to endure in faith. To hold on ...  Read More

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12 It is easy to say we love the Bible when it encourages us. When the verses speak peace over our anxiety or remind us of God’s promises, we welcome them with open arms. But the m...  Read More

“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” - 1 John 2:6 We often imagine discipleship as a classroom or a stage. We think of sermons, conferences, or podcasts. And while God absolutely uses those, most discipleship is not forged in the spotlight. It is built in the ordinary. When Jesus walked with the disciples, not every moment was recorded. But we know they...  Read More

“But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.” - Matthew 10:19-20 If you are saved, you are sent. And if you are sent, you are called to go unashamed. That does not mean you will always be comfortable. Jesus was clear that following H...  Read More