Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this... But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you.' 2 Corinthians 12:8-9DEVOTIONALPaul prayed repeatedly for God to remove what he called a 'thorn in the flesh.' God answered Paul, but He did not answer in the way Paul initially wanted. Instead of removing the weakness, God promised sufficient grace within it.Whether we receive our preferred outco...  Read More

When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. Matthew 6:6DEVOTIONALJesus did not say 'if' you pray. He said 'when' you pray. He expected prayer to be a normal part of a disciple's life.Jesus warned against using prayer as a public performance. Prayer is not an opportunity to impress people with spiritual language. It is an invitation to meet honestly ...  Read More

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. James 4:8DEVOTIONALPrayer is not primarily a transaction. It is a relationship. If prayer becomes nothing more than giving God a list of requests, we will eventually become frustrated whenever His answers do not arrive according to our expectations. But the greatest gift of prayer is not merely receiving something from God's hand. The greatest gift i...  Read More

I am the vine; you are the branches...apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5DEVOTIONALJesus did not say that apart from Him we would accomplish slightly less. He said that apart from Him we can do nothing. We may create activity, attract attention, and appear successful, but we cannot produce lasting spiritual fruit without remaining connected to Him.Prayer is where our dependence upon God be...  Read More

All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer. Acts 1:14DEVOTIONALJesus had given His disciples an enormous assignment: they were to carry the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Yet He specifically told them not to begin immediately. They had received the Great Commission, but before they could fulfill it, they needed the power of the Holy Spirit. So they waited and pra...  Read More

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42DEVOTIONALPrayer was not an occasional activity for the early Church. It was one of the central rhythms around which they organized their lives. Luke does not say they prayed only when someone became sick, when persecution began, or when they needed direction. He says they were ...  Read More

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! Revelation 5:12 DEVOTIONALWorship changes our focus, strengthens our faith, unites the Church, and sustains us through hardship. These are beautiful results of worship, but they are not its ultimate purpose. We do not worship God only because worship helps us. We worship because God...  Read More

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! Psalm 95:6 DEVOTIONALAgain and again throughout Scripture, when people recognized the presence, holiness, and goodness of God, there was a response. Some lifted their hands. Some bowed down. Some knelt. Some sang, shouted, clapped, danced, wept, or stood silently in awe. Their response did not create God's presence. The...  Read More

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25 ESVDEVOTIONALPaul and Silas had been publicly beaten, placed in the inner prison, and fastened in stocks. Their backs were wounded, their bodies were hurting, and their freedom had been taken from them. At midnight, they prayed and sang.They did not worship because the prison d...  Read More

Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. Ephesians 5:19 ESVDEVOTIONALCorporate worship moves in two directions. Paul says we sing and make melody to the Lord, but he also says we address one another. Our worship is directed toward God, yet it can strengthen the people standing around us.There will be Sundays when you ent...  Read More

Though the fig tree should not blossom...yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18 DEVOTIONALActs 2 was a mountaintop season for the early Church. Thousands were being saved, miracles were happening, needs were being met, and the believers were experiencing favor throughout Jerusalem. Praise flowed naturally from their glad and generous hearts. Bu...  Read More

They received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. Acts 2:46-47 DEVOTIONALThe early Church was devoted to biblical teaching, fellowship, sharing meals, prayer, generosity, and caring for people in need. These were beautiful and essential expressions of life together, but none of them was allowed to replace Jesus at the center.They praised God...  Read More

Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Hebrews 10:19-22DEVOTIONALUnder the Old Covenant, access to the Most Holy Place was restricted. Only the high priest could enter, and he entered only once each year on the Day of Atonement. A heavy curtain separated the place representing God's presence from ever...  Read More

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10DEVOTIONALReaching people was not a side interest in the life of Jesus. It was central to His mission. He entered homes others avoided, spoke with people others ignored, touched those society rejected, and intentionally searched for those who were far from God.If we are going to be the Church Jesus built, reaching people cannot be ass...  Read More

How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? Romans 10:14DEVOTIONALOur actions matter. Kindness, integrity, compassion, and love can demonstrate that Jesus has changed us. But our actions alone cannot fully explain the gospel.At some point, words are necessary.A person may see that you live differently, but they still need to kno...  Read More

Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? John 4:29 DEVOTIONALThe woman at the well did not have all the answers. Moments earlier, she had been asking Jesus questions about worship, history, and theology. But after encountering Him, she left her water jar, returned to her city, and invited others to meet Him.She simply said, "Come and see."She didn't present a compli...  Read More

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses... Acts 1:8 DEVOTIONALThe Greek word translated "witnesses" in Acts 1:8 carries the idea of someone who testifies about what they have seen, heard, or know to be true. It is the picture of someone called to the witness stand to provide evidence.A witness is not responsible for knowing everything. A witness ...  Read More

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness [and] self-control. Galatians 5:22-23DEVOTIONALBeing the Church should be reflected in our everyday lives. The early believers did not gather in the temple and then stop being the Church when they returned home. Their encounter with Jesus changed the way they treated people, handled pressure, re...  Read More

And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:47DevotionalThe early Church was not merely holding successful gatherings. God was transforming an entire community. Acts tells us that people were being saved "day by day." The gospel was not confined to a weekly service or a religious building. It was moving through homes, relationships, conversations, workplaces, a...  Read More

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine...and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? Luke 15:4DevotionalIn Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories about something valuable that was lost: a sheep, a coin, and a son. The circumstances are different, but each story reveals the same truth about the heart of God: God notices who is missi...  Read More

Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds...and laid them at the apostles' feet. Acts 4:34-35Devotional When we give to the local church, we are not merely funding an organization. We are participating in ministry. Every number on a church budget represents people. Resources allow children to hear about Jesus in a...  Read More

 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7Devotional God cares about what we give, but He also cares deeply about the heart from which we give. Paul says our giving should not be grudging or forced. God does not want generosity produced through manipulation, shame, or resentment. He wants our giving to flow f...  Read More

On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper. 1 Corinthians 16:2DevotionalSome acts of generosity are spontaneous. We see an urgent need, feel compassion, and respond immediately. Those moments are beautiful, but biblical generosity is not built only upon occasional emotional responses. Paul instructed the Corinthian believers to develop a regu...  Read More

 Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10DevotionalProverbs 3 is written in the language of a father instructing his son. The father is teaching him how to build a life upon truth, trust, humility, and obedience. He tells his son not to forget God's inst...  Read More