Posts with the category “devotions”

Today This Scripture is FulfilledJesus finished reading from Isaiah. He rolled up the scroll. He handed it back to the attendant. Every eye in the synagogue was fixed on Him. He sat down and spoke. He...  Read More

 Deliverance for the CaptivesJesus announced He was sent to preach deliverance to the captives. He came to liberate prisoners of war. Humanity is held hostage by sin, a tyranny worse than any prison c...  Read More

To Heal the BrokenheartedJesus read from the scroll of Isaiah. He declared He was sent to heal the brokenhearted. He came for people who know they are a mess. He targets those aware of their spiritual...  Read More

 As Was His CustomJesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Luke notes this was His custom. It was His regular habit. The synagogue in Nazareth was not a perfect place. The preaching was likely poor...  Read More

 The Scroll in the Nazareth SynagogueJesus walked into the small synagogue in Nazareth. Dusty floors and tired people filled the room. He stood to read from the prophet Isaiah. They handed Him a large...  Read More

Twisted Scripture on the PinnacleSatan took Jesus to the highest point of the temple. He said, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down.” Then he quoted Psalm 91. He said, “He shall give His an...  Read More

Who Sits on the Throne?Satan told Jesus, “Bow down and worship me.” This was not a request for atheism. It was a demand for divided loyalty. He wanted Jesus to share the throne. This reveals the true ...  Read More

The Whisper in WeaknessSatan came to Jesus when He was at His weakest. Jesus was hungry, tired, and alone. The enemy often knocks during our most vulnerable moments. He comes when we are discouraged, ...  Read More

A Crown Without a CrossSatan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. He saw every throne, every palace, and every army. The enemy offered it all to Him. “All this authority I will give You,” he sa...  Read More

 Stones and Hot BiscuitsJesus was hungry. He had fasted for forty days in the wilderness. His body was weak. Satan came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread....  Read More

It Is WrittenJesus did not argue with Satan. He did not debate. He simply said, “It is written.” He quoted Scripture from memory. The Word of God is not just information. It is a weapon. It is a sword...  Read More

The Attack on Your IdentitySatan came to Jesus and said, “If thou be the Son of God…” He directly attacked the identity God had just declared at Jesus’ baptism. Satan’s strategy is not to start with y...  Read More

The First Adam and the LastAdam was in a perfect garden. He had everything he could want. He had plenty to eat and perfect conditions. Yet when Satan came, Adam took the bait. He sinned. Because of hi...  Read More

Temptation is Not SinJesus was tempted by the devil for forty days. He felt the full force of temptation. He was fully God and fully man. In His human nature, He felt our weakness. He felt the hunger....  Read More

The Wilderness and the BaitJesus stood in a barren wilderness. The sun was relentless. The ground was cracked and dry beneath His feet. His body was exhausted after forty days without food. His stomac...  Read More

While We Were Yet Sinners The genealogy is full of broken people. Adam broke everything. Noah needed grace after the miracle. Abraham tried to help God and messed up. David committed adultery and murd...  Read More

The Night God Changed a NameJacob was a schemer. He lied to his father and deceived his brother. He manipulated his way through life. But one night, he wrestled with God and refused to let go. God cha...  Read More

 Building a Boat for 100 Years God told Noah to build a massive boat. There was no ocean nearby and no rain in sight. For nearly a century, Noah built. He faced critics and worked without applause. He...  Read More

 The Unseen Relay RaceGod works through generations. The genealogy shows a chain: Abraham to Isaac, Isaac to Jacob, and on to David. It was a relay race of faith. Someone ran before you ever stepped o...  Read More

A Name on God’s Hands Luke lists 77 names in his genealogy. Over half of them are unknown. They never preached a sermon or killed a giant. They left no highlight reel. They were just names on a list. ...  Read More

Your Place in the New Family TreeThere are only two family trees. You are born into the first one, the family of Adam. This family comes with sin, guilt, and death. But you can choose to be in the sec...  Read More

The Wait in the WorkshopJesus did not start His ministry young. Luke tells us He was about thirty years old. For years, Jesus waited. He worked in a carpenter’s shop. He learned. He grew. He matured i...  Read More

 Chosen by an Adoptive FatherLuke says everyone thought Jesus was Joseph’s son. But that was not the whole story. Jesus was born to a virgin. He was a miracle. Joseph was not His biological father. Jo...  Read More

 A Crime Scene, Not a Hall of FameLook at the names in Jesus’ family. This is not a list of spiritual superheroes. It is a list of sinners. Terah was an idol worshiper. Abraham lied about his wife. Ja...  Read More

The Seventy-Seven Name Breadcrumb TrailJesus’ family tree in Luke is long. It has seventy-seven names. Some sound like Jedi knights. People often skip this part of the Bible. But every name is a bread...  Read More

Day 5: Our Identity is Secure in Christ's Approval 4/17At Jesus’ baptism, the Father declared His love and pleasure over His Son before Jesus had performed any miracles or preached any sermons. This l...  Read More

Day 4: Christ Identifies With Us in Our Mess 4/16Jesus, the sinless Son of God, willingly stepped into the line of sinners to be baptized. He did not remain at a distance from our brokenness and failu...  Read More

Day 3: The Courage to Proclaim Uncomfortable Truth 4/15John the Baptist boldly confronted sin, even when it was costly. He did not soften his message to make it more palatable to a powerful ruler, bec...  Read More

 Day 2: The Transforming Power of Internal ChangeExternal religion focuses on behavior modification, but the work of Christ goes much deeper. He does not merely call us to clean up our outward actions...  Read More

 Day 1: The Superiority of Christ Over All Things 4/13John the Baptist understood that his entire purpose was to point away from himself and toward the one true Savior. He refused the spotlight and th...  Read More

Day 5: He walks with you in your brokennessYou are never alone in your confusion, pain, or disappointment. The risen Christ is the King who draws near to walk with the brokenhearted, even when He is n...  Read More

Day 4: Salvation is a simple cry for remembranceEternal life begins not with our perfection, but with our honest recognition of need. Like the thief on the cross, we come with nothing to offer but our...  Read More

Day 3: The King who chose to stay for youThe crucifixion was not a tragic accident of history; it was a deliberate act of love. Jesus endured the cross, not because He was powerless, but because He wa...  Read More

Day 2: Why seek the living among the dead?We often look for life, peace, and fulfillment in places that can only offer death and emptiness. These pursuits may appear promising but ultimately leave us ...  Read More

God is already at work before you arriveWhile the world sleeps and situations appear unchanged, God is moving behind the scenes. Darkness often feels permanent, but it is always temporary in the light...  Read More

Worship That Sees the SaviorIt is possible to offer loud praise for Jesus while completely missing the point of who He is. The crowd celebrated what they wanted Him to be, a political liberator, but f...  Read More

 Obedience Without NegotiationThe Lord’s instructions are not always accompanied by a full explanation. He asked His disciples to perform a simple yet strange task: untie a donkey and bring it to Him....  Read More

 The King Who Walked Forward PurposefullyJesus was not a victim being dragged toward a tragic end. He was a King moving with resolve toward a divine assignment. He knew the suffering that awaited Him ...  Read More

The Danger of Our Own ExpectationsWe often approach God with a predetermined idea of how He should work. We want a king who will fix our problems, change our circumstances, and meet our demands. When ...  Read More

The King Who Comes in HumilityThe true King did not arrive on a powerful warhorse, but on a humble donkey. This was not an accident or a sign of weakness, but a deliberate fulfillment of prophecy. Hi...  Read More