The Crucible's Fire

Today's Reading:

John 20:19–23

Key Verse:

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)

Devotional

Of all the miracles told of in the scriptures, this is one of my favorites. Maybe it’s because I like to imagine the looks on their faces when Jesus, who they just saw crucified and buried a few days ago, pops in for a visit with no physical way to enter. Just … *poof* … and he was there.

As dramatic as I may imagine the entrance, the reality is, Jesus comes with something they desperately needed … peace. Remember, the doors were locked because they were afraid. The Jews were “out there” waiting. You might think the Lord would tell them to stay put until things blew over, but that’s not at all what happened.

He does more than reassure them they are safe; He sends them out on mission, in the same fashion as the Father sent Him. Then He breathed on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Lest we get the idea the disciples were sent out because they were fearless, impressive, or fully prepared, we need to remember that Jesus found them hiding behind locked doors in fear! No, they were sent because they belonged to the risen King. His mission has become their mission.

Pentecost was more than just an interesting and inspiring supernatural event to pass along in stories to our grandchildren. It was the moment God gave His Spirit to His people, empowered them to go and carry His mission and Name to the nations.

Following Jesus isn’t just about gathering behind our locked doors and talking about what it would be like to join Him on His mission; it’s about being empowered by Him to actually live it out.

Most Christians won’t find themselves standing in front of multi-ethnic crowds proclaiming the gospel. But we will find ourselves sent into homes, workplaces, relationships, and ordinary conversations with people we meet along the way.

As we go, we aren’t making a name for ourselves, but we carry the Name of the One who sent us. Go in His peace.

Reflection

What fear most often tempts you to remain safely behind your own locked doors? Who or what has Jesus already placed near you so you can live as a faithful witness?

Prayer

Father, we are so grateful you came near a group of fearful disciples hiding behind the safety of locked doors and the illusion of control. Thank you that the success of your mission doesn’t depend on my strength or intelligence. Show me where fear has ruled my heart and give me courage to move towards the people and places you’ve already put me in so Your name may be made known. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Because Jesus sends me, I will step toward __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 35: Day 3: The Plans That Stand

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Pentecost

Day 3: The Plans That Stand

Today's Reading:

Psalm 33:6–11

Key Verse:

“The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart from generation to generation.” (Psalm 33:11)

Devotional

The Psalms have a unique way of focusing the heart, like a literary version of your mom gently grasping your cheeks as a child and turning your face towards hers so she knew you were listening when she spoke. Psalm 33 pulls our face towards the face of the Creator.

The heavens were made by the very Word of the Lord. All that exists in the expanses of the cosmos exists by the breath of His mouth. The nations of the world may make their plans and their people may form strategies, but the Psalm reminds us it is the counsel of God that stands forever.

We humans, have a unique ability to think we are safer when we can control the outcome of our endeavors. We make our plans, build our cities, and do our best to arrange the future “just so”. But being diligent in planning isn’t a problem … it’s when our confidence quietly shifts from dependence on God to dependence on what we’ve built ourselves.

As we’ve noted before, Babel exposed that human impulse on a massive scale. “Let us make a name for ourselves”, we said. Sometimes this can also become a not-so-subtle prayer of our own heart as well. We adore security we can feel, significance we can measure, and a future we can manage.

Today’s Psalm reminds us His purposes are not threatened by human ambition or the trifling of the nations. When human efforts fail, His counsel remains. What an incredibly freeing truth!
No one manufactured what happened at Pentecost. There were no fog machines to set the mood, no dimming of the lights to add ambiance. They simply gathered and waited. The Spirit came because God sent Him, and the mission moved onward when God acted according to His purpose and His promise.

Don’t get me wrong, faithful discipleship still takes planning, courage, wisdom, and a whole lot of work, but none of those things are our foundation and none of those things ensure our success or doom us to failure.

The question we must pose to our own hearts today is a bit uncomfortable, but necessary: What is it we find ourselves leaning on as if everything depends on it? Our jobs? Our finances? Our marriages? Our pastors? Our future plans?

It’s time for us to loosen our grip and open our hands on what we’ve planned. His purposes are greater than our ability to control anything.

Reflection

What would it look like to work faithfully while placing the outcome back into God’s hands? What is one area in your life right now you need to hold more loosely?

Prayer

Father, Your counsel stands forever, and mine does not. You see all I cannot see and hold everything together by the power of Your Spirit. Forgive me for letting my plans and outcomes carry the weight of my confidence. Help me to faithfully make plans but keep them in their proper place, submitted to Your perfect purpose. Teach my heart to rest in You and trust Your Kingdom doesn’t depend on my ability. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“A plan I need to place back in God’s hands is __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 35: Day 2: A Name for Ourselves

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Pentecost

Day 2: A Name for Ourselves

Today's Reading:

Genesis 11

Key Verse:

“Come, let’s go down there and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” (Genesis 11:7)

Devotional

We’ve alluded to this story before, but today let’s dive a bit deeper and make a real New Testament connection.

People remember Genesis 11 because of the tower, but there’s more to the story than impressive architecture. Here, humans shared a common, though misguided, purpose: to make a name for themselves.

They possessed real unity … in every way you could imagine. But unity organized around self-exaltation isn’t the unity God has called us to. Just because people are moving together doesn’t mean they are moving in the right direction. At Babel, humanity used their shared strength to secure and magnify themselves while resisting God’s purpose.

God responded by confusing their language and scattering them across the earth. His judgment completely fit their rebellion. They rallied together around themselves, so God drove them apart.

Fast forward to Acts 2. The different languages still remained as they do today. But in this instance, people understood the Good News in spite of this division. Babel sought a great name for humanity, but Pentecost proclaimed the name of the risen Lord. Babel gathered around ambition, but Pentecost gathered people around God’s accomplishment and around Jesus Himself.

Pentecost is a spiritual and actual reversal of the events of Babel. But there’s more going on here, too. With the impartation of the Holy Spirit, God is forming a people who don’t need to be exactly the same in order to belong together. The Spirit of God transcends our differences and unites in Himself, turning our attention towards Him and not what divides us.

In terms of our worldview, this gives us clear affirmation that Biblical unity isn’t just humanity being awesome enough to hold itself together or achieve great things. Lasting, Biblical unity is found only under the reign of the King of Glory.

Anyone can build great things and find ways to unite people around a cause; the question is, “in whose name are we doing the building?”

Reflection

Where are you most tempted to find security or significance in making a name for yourself? How does Babel challenge the assumption that unity is always good regardless of what that unity serves?

Prayer

Father, expose my heart where it still longs to make my name great. Forgive me for confusing success, influence, or even man’s approval for your blessing. Teach me to desire You name to be honored more than my own. Help me to gladly take my proper place under your rule and reign. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“One way I’m tempted to make a name for myself is __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 35: Day 1: When the Nations Hear

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Pentecost

Day 1: When the Nations Hear

Today's Reading:

Acts 2

Key Verse:

“We hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” (Acts 2:11)

Devotional

I love how the story of Pentecost begins, with a sound from heaven. The room at a house in Jerusalem is filled with it, and it spills over into the streets. The disciples then begin to speak in other languages, enabled by the Spirit. People have gathered in this place from all across the nations and hear the glorious words from God in their own languages.

As you can imagine, the crowd was utterly amazed at not only the miracle of the languages, but the fact that the message they were hearing was no longer confined to one people or place.

Acts 2 harkens all the way back to the story of Babel. There, humanity gathered to celebrate their own pride and sought to make a name for itself. As a result, their languages were confused, and humanity was scattered across the globe. Here, in this passage, the language barriers handed down from God in Genesis are supernaturally erased through the power of the Spirit.

Though Pentecost is special in its own right, it isn’t detached from the larger story. Peter tells the crowd that this is the promised outpouring of the Spirit, that the crucified Jesus has been raised, exalted, and He is the Lord and Messiah. This amazing event flows directly from the declared reign.

The story of redemption has taken a huge leap forward. The nations are now hearing the Good News.

What human rebellion fractured at Babel, Pentecost has restored. God is gathering the nations under the Lordship of Jesus, not because we finally “figured it out”, but because God has carried out His plan.

Reflection

What does Pentecost reveal about the size and direction of God’s mission? Where might your own vision of who needs to hear the good news be too small?

Prayer

Father, I’m grateful the nations have been redeemed! Thank you for Your Spirit and making the Good News known to people like me. Give me eyes to see the completeness of Your mission and create in me a willing heart to fulfill my place in it. Fill me with Your Spirit and make my life a faithful witness to Jesus. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“God’s mission is bigger than __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 34: Day 5: Blessed Be the God Who Saves

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Ascended King

Day 5: Blessed Be the God Who Saves

Today's Reading:

Psalm 68:17–20

Key Verse:

“Blessed be the Lord! Day after day he bears our burdens; God is our salvation.” (Psalm 68:19)

Devotional

This week opened with a miracle. We watched Jesus literally rise from the earth. We saw Daniel’s Son of Man receive an everlasting Kingdom. We joined in the rejoicing over the King in Psalm 47 and Hebrews fixed our attention on the exalted Son, seated at God’s right hand.
The passage in Psalms 68 speaks of God ascending in triumph, surrounded by imagery of Divine victory! Yet, we almost immediately shift to a much more tender place. “Day after day he bears our burdens; God is our salvation.”

Power and mercy belong together here. The God who reigns is also the God who carries. The God of victory is also the God of salvation. His greatness doesn’t make Him indifferent to our weaknesses and struggles.

Thankfully, His exaltation doesn’t mean He has become less concerned with ordinary human need. It is an incredible comfort to me to know the One who is interested in my needs, in my heart, and my flourishing is also the One who holds all authority over heaven and earth.
His throne gives you and me a reason for confidence no matter what life throws at us. We all still carry burdens, encounter unfavorable circumstances, and live in a world where full restoration has yet to come. But we can carry those burdens beneath His reign; in fact, we can lay those burdens at His throne and allow Him to carry them for us.

As always, we wrap up the week in a posture of worship. I hope this week was more than an information dump about the ascension of Jesus. I hope it led you to a place of peaceful dependence and genuine worship of the ascended King.

So many times we speak of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (all very important parts of the story), but we often fall short and fail to mention the ascension, a crucial piece of the story defining just Who it is we worship.

Next week, the story shifts again as we find the reigning Christ pouring out His Spirit on His people. For today, worship is enough. The King reigns, and He is good.

Reflection

What burden do you need to consciously place before the reigning Christ today? How has seeing Jesus as both exalted King and saving Lord shaped your worship this week?

Prayer

Father, blessed by Your name. Thank you that the risen Jesus reigns and His authority will never fail. I’m grateful that Your goodness and exalted throne don’t make You distant from my burdens. Teach me to worship with confidence, fully submitted to the reign of Jesus, to bring my needs and desires honestly to You, and to rest in the goodness of the King who holds all things together. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“I praise the reigning Jesus because __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 34: Day 4: Listen to the Son

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Ascended King

Day 4: Listen to the Son

Today's Reading:

Hebrews 1

Key Verse:

“The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3)

Devotional

I love the way Hebrews opens so directly. The writer minces no words. “Long ago the Lord spoke to our ancestors …” Throughout the story of human history, God has spoken in many different ways, but now, He has spoken to us by His Son, Jesus.

Then, immediately, the writer begins to pile on truth after truth. The Son is heir of all things, creation came through Him, He reveals God’s glory and nature, and He sustains all things by His powerful word. Then, after decisively dealing with sin, He sits at the right hand of the Most High.

The point he’s trying to make here is pretty clear; everything points to the Son.

But make no mistake, the writer isn’t just trying to give us a pile of facts to learn about Jesus. The exalted greatness of the Son demands we give Him a response. His superiority to the angels demands worship, and it demands we hear what He has to say.

Following Jesus isn’t just admiring His authority from below while we actively choose not to obey Him. If He is really the exalted Son through whom God is now speaking, being His disciple means allowing His word to carry weight, more weight than all the competing voices around us combined.

Fear tries to tell us what to do and when. The culture in which we live tries to convince us what matters and what is important. Our fleshly anger will point out who deserves our loyalty and who should be judged or condemned. Internal desire will persuade us of what it says will satisfy our longings. Even our ingrained instincts can become so loud we fail to notice we’ve made them the final authority in our life and practice.

Thankfully, Hebrews yanks our attention away from all those things and back to Jesus. The One seated at God’s right hand is more than one voice among many. He’s the Son. He’s the ONLY voice that matters.

To follow this ascended King, we must first be an attentive and obedient listener to all He has to say. We must trust in His character and order our lives around His authority. He needs no affirmation of HIs throne, but He does demand obedience to it. This is what it means to follow the ascended King.

Reflection

Which voices most often compete with Jesus for authority in your everyday decisions? What is one area where listening to Christ needs to become concrete obedience?

Prayer

Father, I’m so glad you’ve spoken to us through Your Son. I’m just glad You’ve spoken at all! Help me not to just admire Jesus, but to listen to Him and obey Him. Quiet the competing voices who jockey for my loyalty. Give me wisdom to see His authority and courage to obey. Form me so my words, choices, relationships, and priorities increasingly reflect the King I say I follow. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“This week I will listen to Jesus by __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 34: Day 3: Let the Heart Rejoice

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Ascended King

Day 3: Let the Heart Rejoice

Today's Reading:

Psalm 47

Key Verse:

“God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.” (Psalm 47:8)

Devotional

If you’re looking for a party, Psalm 47 is your place! From the first verse, it erupts in praise, clapping hands, shouts, and singing. The nations are summoned to recognize that the Lord is the great King over all the earth.

This week we’ve framed the ascension as more than Jesus’ relocation, but as His enthronement in the heavens. Psalm 47 brings that reality home to the heart. Knowing there IS a King and rejoicing THAT He’s King aren’t exactly the same thing.

Sometimes we want God’s rule in principle while resisting it in practice. It’s easy to celebrate Christ’s authority when His will matches up with ours, but His Kingship reaches far beyond the parts of life we’re comfortable surrendering.

A throne not only implies, but possesses, authority. If Jesus truly reigns, then my plans, wants, and desires aren’t any more ultimate than any earthly power. My fears and preferences don’t determine reality. Neither do my ambitions, disappointments, politics, possessions, or need for control.

Even so, Psalm 47 doesn’t present God’s rule as something we need to protect ourselves from, but as a reason and source of incredible joy. This can expose something important in the human heart. When surrender to God feels threatening, the problem isn’t with His throne; it could be our hearts have grown to attached to our own.

The good news for us is that this King isn’t just “someone” who’s in charge; Jesus is the King. The same crucified, risen Messiah reigns. The same One who gave Himself as a ransom for humanity and conquered death rules the nations … forever.

Psalm 47 invites us to more than a pure theology of the Kingdom; it invites us to allegiance. God reigns, Jesus is exalted, and His throne is a joy and a blessing to His people. That, my friends, is a reason to sing and celebrate.

Reflection

Where do you most easily welcome Christ's authority, and where are you tempted to resist it? What does joyful allegiance to the reigning Jesus look like in those parts of your life?

Prayer

Father, you are worthy to be praised because the Son reigns. Forgive me for the times I want your Kingdom without fully embracing your authority. Loosen my grip on the little thrones I like to protect. Teach me to rejoice in Jesus the King and to trust the character of the One who rules. May surrender become worship as I learn to gladly live in Your joyful reign. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“One part of my life I gladly place under Jesus' rule is __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 34: Day 2: A Kingdom That Will Not Pass Away

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Ascended King

Day 2: A Kingdom That Will Not Pass Away

Today's Reading:

Daniel 7

Key Verse:

“He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:14)

Devotional

Daniel 7 is like the “Book of Kingdoms”. Through the passage, these powers rise with incredible strength. They dominate, threaten, and make themselves out to be completely permanent. But one after one, their authority and power prove to be temporary.
Then, Daniel sees something … different.

He sees “One like the Son of Man” coming on the clouds of heaven and approaching the Ancient of Days. He then receives dominion, glory, and a Kingdom. Unlike the beastly kingdoms he’s seen before, His rule isn’t temporary; His dominion won’t pass away and will never be destroyed.

Daniel’s vision helps to shape the way we understand Jesus’ ascension. When Jesus rises from the earth in Acts 1, we should think beyond Him taking some cosmic space adventure to a place far away. Daniel provides us with a Kingdom-tinted lens through which to see the victorious Messiah. The risen Son receives the kind of everlasting rule that no human empire before or since has ever possessed. This Kingdom is, well, different.

That’s an important distinction because earthly powers are remarkably good at making themselves appear ultimate and permanent. Governments rise, leaders brag, and nations flex their strength. Some systems of power can dominate entire generations or thousands of years, even. From inside these empires, they can often feel permanent. But Daniel teaches us to see them differently.

Every manifestation of human authority, from your local school board to the world powers dominating the global scene, has limits. Jesus doesn’t. Every earthly empire will eventually pass, but His remains. There’s no election, war, cultural shift, economic collapse, or political triumph that can pose any threat to Jesus’ throne.

Now, this isn’t to say earthly authority is irrelevant. Daniel doesn’t treat oppressive regimes lightly; he simply lets us know which throne is the ultimate authority. It’s easy for us to place His name on earthly institutions and somehow feel as though we can then measure Christ’s Kingdom by the power and influence the earthly ones possess. But that’s backwards. We should measure the kingdoms and powers of this world by the everlasting dominion of the Son. And they will always be found wanting.

Reflection

Which earthly powers or circumstances are easiest for you to treat as though they were ultimate or at least more powerful than they are? How would Daniel's vision reshape the way you see them?

Prayer

Father, teach me to see Jesus as ultimate. I know earthly kingdoms rise and fall, help me remember His dominion lasts forever. Guard my heart from fear when these temporary powers overwhelm me and help me not to place undue confidence in them when they appear strong. Fix my focus on Jesus, the True King. Form a steady allegiance in me to the Kingdom of God. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“When the world feels unstable, I need to remember __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 34: Day 1: The King Takes His Throne

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 06:51:07 +0000

The Ascended King

Day 1: The King Takes His Throne

Today's Reading:

Acts 1

Key Verse:

“After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” (Acts 1:9)

Devotional

As Acts opens, it seems the Gospel story has already come to an end. Jesus has risen, He’s spent time with His disciples teaching them about the Kingdom of God. Then, as they were watching, He is taken up into the clouds and disappears from their sight.

From their perspective it would have been easy to see His ascension as Jesus leaving, but Luke won’t let us think that way.

Before He left, Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit and commissions His disciples as His witnesses to the ends of the earth. His departure doesn’t bring the work to an end; it marks a brand new stage of it.

The same Jesus we celebrated last week for defeating death through resurrection now ascends as the victorious King whose authority will frame everything that follows in the book of Acts.

The disciples are standing around gazing up into heaven, undoubtedly mesmerized by an unexplainable sight. Suddenly, two men interrupt their gawking, saying Jesus will return, but it was time to stop looking up to where He went. They’d been given more than a promise; they’d been given a calling.

This is where we enter the story. We live between Christ’s ascension and His ultimate return. The rest of this week will help us to see what it means that Jesus has already won victory over death and has ascended to the Father.

Today, notice what’s happening in the story. Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised to life. He’s now ascended into heaven, but His followers aren’t abandoned; they’ve been commissioned.

The King has taken His throne and the Kingdom mission continues.

Reflection

When you think about the ascension, have you pictured Jesus leaving or Jesus reigning? How does Acts 1 impact the way you understand your place between Christ's ascension and His return?

Prayer

Father, thank you that the resurrection wasn’t the end of the victory! Your Son has ascended, and Your purposes continue forward. Keep me from living as though Jesus is absent from His Kingdom. Teach me to understand my role in the story and to live faithfully while I wait for His return. Prepare my heart to follow where the King leads. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“The ascension reminds me that Jesus __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 33: Day 5: The Gate of Life Stands Open

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:15:58 +0000

Resurrection Victory

Day 5: The Gate of Life Stands Open

Today's Reading:

Psalm 118

Key Verse:

“I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done.” (Psalm 118:17)

Devotional

If ever there were a Biblical Victory Chant, it’s Psalm 118!

The worshipper finds himself surrounded, pressed, and brought near to death. Yet, the Lord has answered and has become his salvation. Over and over again, the Psalm calls God’s people to give thanks because His faithful love endures forever!

These are not the celebrations of a people living a life of ease and safety. This praise rises from a place of great and genuine danger and deliverance.

“I will not die, but I will live,” the Psalmist declares, “and proclaim what the Lord has done.”
We have a distinct privilege to be able to look back through the lens of Jesus to see the ultimate fulfillment of the hopeful words of this Psalm. He was rejected as a stone cast aside by the builders, surrounded by hostility, and brought finally to a place of death. But God raised HIm up; the rejected Stone became the corner!

We see this image applied to Jesus repeatedly in the New Testament. Human authorities rejected Him, but God vindicated Him. The resurrection overturned the verdict of the world.
This passage speaks of gates opened wide so the righteous may enter and give thanks. Likewise, the resurrection has opened wide what death sought to close. Jesus has passed through death, emerging indestructible and alive. This ‘gate of Life’ now stands open for you and for me.

Though our present bodies are currently bound up in mortality, Paul reminds us death is not our final destiny. Death has, for the follower of Jesus, become a defeated enemy awaiting its final destruction in the Day of the Lord.

In light of this, we find ourselves wrapped in praise to God, not because we are untouched by the grave or the sting of death and sickness, but because none of those things can overturn the accomplished work of the resurrected Christ!

Because of the resurrection, we can both be honest about sorrow and certain about hope.
Even before every tear is wiped away, we give thanks because our future has already been revealed. We can sing through the dark night of the soul because the light of the risen Jesus has pierced every nook and cranny of it. Regardless of the imposing landscape around us or the swelling billows of hardship that may threaten us, we can rise and declare today is the the Lord has made, and we can rejoice and be glad!

This week we began with the sadness of loss, sealing out hope and joy, but it ends with a gate opened wide for worship. The stone is rolled away and the Cornerstone established. Jesus is alive, and all who trust Him will share it with Him.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His faithful love endures forever.

Reflection

What reason for resurrection hope do you need to remember and proclaim today? How can worship help you live honestly with grief without surrendering your confidence in God’s promised future?

Prayer

Father, today I choose to give you thanks because of your faithful and enduring love. I’m grateful the resurrected Christ has become the cornerstone of the New Creation. Teach my heart to worship with honesty when sorrow is near. Keep my hope anchored in what You have done and promised. May my life proclaim that Jesus lives, the gate of life is open, and death is defeated. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Today I praise God because the risen Jesus has opened __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 33: Day 4: Sent by the Risen Jesus

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Resurrection Victory

Day 4: Sent by the Risen Jesus

Today's Reading:

John 20

Key Verse:

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.’” (John 20:21)

Devotional

John 20 begins before daybreak, in the darkness. Mary Magdalene arrives at the tomb and sees the stone has been moved. She alerts the others, and Peter and John rush to investigate. They plainly see the burial clothes lying there, but don’t yet understand fully the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.

Outside the tomb, Mary remains, weeping. The resurrection had already occurred, and victory won, but she doesn’t yet recognize what God has done. All she can see is the empty tomb and more loss. Then … Jesus calls her name.

“Mary …”

It’s an experience common to humanity and even to animals. Recognition is a result of relationship. Our outside cats and dogs love each other, sleep in a giant pile and care for one another all year long. But a dog or cat from another family or home isn’t welcome … there’s no relationship, no recognition.

For Mary, Jesus isn’t an abstract force or distant symbol of hope. He’s the same Lord who knows His people and calls them by name.

Later, behind the closed doors of the upper room, the disciples gather, afraid. While they cringed in fear, Jesus appeared and stood among them. His first words aren’t condemnation for abandoning Him or rebuke for hiding. Instead, He says, “Peace be with you.”

Then He shows them His hands and His side. I always wondered why, if they always wore sandals, no one looked at His feet! But that’s for another day. This body standing in front of them is the same body that was on the cross, the same body they laid in the tomb.

Resurrection had transformed Him, but it didn’t erase the story of His sacrifice. His wounds remained as a testimony that the One who conquered death is the same One who gave Himself for them.

But His resurrection didn’t end the mission; it empowered it. He hadn’t come to take them out of the world, but to send them out in it. He commissions a people who move toward fear, sorrow, doubt, and brokenness with the glorious message of peace.

They aren’t to go under their own power but in the Power of His Spirit. His life will sustain their mission.

I also love that John includes the story of Thomas. Jesus meets Thomas in the midst of his doubts and invites his examination. Thomas responds with one of the clearest and most concise confessions in the Gospels, “My Lord and my God!”

To live in the Way of resurrection isn’t to walk in denial, escapism, or triumphalism, but to be sent by Jesus, empowered by His Spirit, marked with His peace, and centered on Who He is.

Today, He still meets fearful and doubtful people behind locked doors and locked hearts. He then sends us into the world as His witnesses of the life we’ve received.

Reflection

Where has fear or doubt caused you to withdraw, hide, or remain silent? Who around you needs to encounter the peace, presence, or patient truth of the risen Jesus through your faithful witness? What can you do to take that peace to them today?

Prayer

Abba, thank you for meeting Your people in grief, fear, and doubt. Empower me to speak Your peace into places where it is missing. Speak Your peace into my own heart where I’ve withdrawn myself behind the closed doors of my own protection. Make my life a faithful witness to Your resurrection as I move towards others in humility, with courage, truth, and the peace You’ve given me. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“This week I can carry the peace of Jesus toward __________________.”

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Week 33: Day 3: A Heart That Rests Secure

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Resurrection Victory

Day 3: A Heart That Rests Secure

Today's Reading:

Psalm 16

Key Verse:

“For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.” (Psalm 16:10)

Devotional

In Psalm 16, David doesn’t make a laundry list of every danger or threat surrounding him, but he does declare he knows where safety is found. He begins, “Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you.” His confidence isn’t rooted in a favorable set of circumstances, but in the character and presence of God.

There’s an interesting progression we see take place in this passage as David moves from refuge to delight, and from delight to confidence, then from confidence to joy. He rejects the false security of other gods and receives the Lord as his portion and inheritance. His heart is glad, and his whole being rejoices.

I love what he says next: “My body also rests securely.”

He’s not just saying he feels calm and collected. David is saying his hope reaches even to the grave. He trusts that God will not abandon him to Sheol, the realm of the dead, or allow his faithful one to see decay.

This is an interesting statement, since the New Testament is plain (as is common sense and history) that David did, in fact, die and his body decayed in the grave. So, what can this passage mean? Ultimately, these words find their fulfillment in the resurrection of Jesus. Though David died, was buried, and saw decay, Jesus did not.

This Psalm also becomes a song of hope for you and me. Our hearts often seek security in things death can actually take from us. We trust in strength, plans, health, income, or our ability to control the world around us, but none of these can carry the full weight of our hope.

Only God who raises the dead can promise a security that reaches beyond the grave.
Scripture doesn’t rebuke us for feeling the weight of mortality or grieving under the intact sting of death in this life, but it does invite us to bring that grief into the presence of the risen Christ.

May we rest in the security not even death can destroy.

Reflection

What temporary refuge are you most tempted to treat as your ultimate source of security? What fear shows up in your heart when you consider death, deep loss, or even physical weakness?

Prayer

Father, I choose you to be my portion and my security. Forgive me for seeking temporary things for the safety only You can provide. When fear does spring up, turn my heart toward the risen Jesus. Thank you that we who belong to Christ are not abandoned. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“The fear I need to place in the hands of the risen Christ is __________________.”

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Week 33: Day 2: Resurrection Changes Reality

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Resurrection Victory

Day 2: Resurrection Changes Reality

Today's Reading:

1 Corinthians 15

Key Verse:

“But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)

Devotional

The doctrine of the resurrection isn’t some fringe doctrine of Christianity on which we can agree to disagree. According to Paul, everything stands or falls with it.

Apparently, there were some believers in Corinth willing to affirm Jesus had risen from the dead while denying God would raise His people bodily from the dead. Paul won’t let those two things be separated. He tells us if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised, and if Christ hasn’t been raised, then his preaching is empty, our faith is useless, sin still reigns, and those who have died in Christ are forever lost.

Paul minces no words: Without resurrection, there is no Gospel! “But as it is,” he writes, “Christ has been raised from the dead.”

Those words shift the entire argument. Christ isn’t just an isolated exception to the rule of death. Paul calls Him the ‘firstfruits’. In Israel’s worship, the first portion of the harvest was offered to God as a sign that the rest of the harvest was coming. They weren’t the entire harvest, but they did guarantee the harvest had begun.

Likewise, Jesus is the firstfruit of the resurrection. What happened to Him will happen to those who belong to Him. This truth reshapes the way we see the world. Creation isn’t disposable. Human bodies are not temporary containers with no lasting value. God intends to redeem embodied human life.

This resurrection body is described as imperishable, glorious, powerful, and animated by the Spirit. What he describes is the transformation of human existence. God’s plan isn’t to discard what sin and death have damaged. He plans to raise and renew it.

Paul ends the passage with a call to be steadfast and faithful. Resurrection is real, and our labor in the Lord is not in vain. Resurrection changes reality because it changes the future, secures our hope, and gives us the ability to live faithfully in the present.

Reflection

Do you think of the ultimate Christian hope as primarily leaving this world, or as God raising His people to a renewed creation? What work, obedience, or service sometimes feels wasted to you right now? How does the hope of resurrection challenge that conclusion?

Prayer

Father, recalibrate my view of the world through the resurrection of Jesus. Keep me from reducing my hope to the vague comfort of escape. Make me steadfast and faithful in the work you’ve given me, especially when the fruit is difficult to see. Help me live today in the certainty of the resurrection yet to come. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“The resurrection reminds me that my faithfulness is never __________________.”

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Week 33: Day 1: The Morning Everything Changed

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Resurrection Victory

Day 1: The Morning Everything Changed

Today's Reading:

Matthew 28

Key Verse:

“He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said.” (Matthew 28:6)

Devotional

We open our journey into the resurrection story this week as Matthew describes an empty tomb.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had arrived as dawn was just beginning to break. Despite what Jesus had told them, they weren’t there anticipating a victory; they’d come to the tomb carrying the grief of people who still believed death settled the matter, shattered their hopes.

Then, in one instant, the earth begins to shake … an angel descends from heaven … the stone is rolled away, and the Roman guards collapse in fear. The stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could escape; it was moved so they could see Jesus was already gone!

The angel’s announcement makes it perfectly clear, “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.”

Don’t rush past those last words. The resurrection wasn’t an unexpected fix to a failed plan; Jesus had told His disciples He would suffer, die, and rise again. It seemed impossible … yet it was unfolding before their eyes.

The empty tomb changed the direction of the biblical story. Death entered God’s creation by way of rebellion and had claimed victims in every generation since. Kings died. Prophets died. Priests died. The righteous and the wicked alike all found their way to the grave. Even those resurrected had to once again enter the grave (except for Elijah and Enoch, but that’s a different story).

Jesus entered death and came out on the other side.

Jesus didn’t just live on in the memory of His people; He rose bodily. The grave may have received Him, but it could not hold Him. The Son had overcome the curse.

The resurrection does more than tell a story; it creates mission and witnesses. Immediately after encountering the women, Jesus sends them to tell the others what they had seen and heard. It gives His followers purpose.

The resurrection is where our hope takes flight. We aren’t asked to pretend death is harmless or grief is easy, but we now know death has been invaded and defeated by the Life of the Messiah. Though the world still carries the marks of the grave, we know that isn’t our ultimate end. We are moving towards renewal!

This first day of the week became the morning everything changed … forever.

Reflection

Where do you find you are most tempted to live as though death, loss, or failure still reigns? How does the bodily resurrection of Jesus change the story you believe you are in?

Prayer

Father, we are grateful for Jesus conquering death and revealing the grave is no longer our final word. Help me when I’m surrounded by sorrow and uncertainty, to stay anchored in what you have already done. Help me remember that the resurrection was, and is, your decisive act in history, defeating the powers that so often bring us to fear. Teach me to live faithfully as a witness to the risen Christ, trusting Your work of renewal has already begun. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Because Jesus has risen, my story is moving toward __________________.”

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Week 32: Day 5: The Worship of the Rescued

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Cross

Day 5: The Worship of the Rescued

Today's Reading:

Psalm 116

Key Verse:

“How can I repay the Lord for all the good he has done for me? I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 116:12–13)

Devotional

One of the amazing things I’ve learned to appreciate over the years is the simple fact that we can pray to the Creator of the universe and He hears our prayers. Psalm 116 speaks to the gratitude of someone who has also cried out to the Lord and has been heard. His worship rises from the memory of being helpless and finding that God was gracious, righteous, and compassionate.

All week long we’ve looked to the cross and seen Jesus enter suffering, bear the weight of our sin, entrust Himself to the Father, and in so doing defeat the powers through His sacrificial love. This was not some remote and detached rescue operation, but an immersive mission to bring forgiveness, freedom, and nearness to sinners.

“How can I repay the Lord for all the good He has done for me?” the Psalmist asks. He’s not trying to earn what has already been given, but stands in awe of what it means to “receive the cup of salvation” as someone who knows they don’t deserve it. In his public declaration of thanks, he lives openly in the world as one who belongs to the King.

From our perspective, the cross doesn’t create sadness or grief, but worship. We can’t, and shouldn’t try, to repay Jesus by proving ourselves worthy of what He’s done. We simply receive the finished work and offer our lives in a grateful trust. We call on His name because we know He is the source of our rescue. We shout to the earth the depths of His goodness because silence no longer tells the richness of our story.

As rescued servants, gratitude shapes how we use our words, resources, time, relationships, and even our influence. We don’t live as remote people bent on self-protection, but as a people who’ve received mercy from the One who gave Himself a ransom for many.

We learn from the cross that thanksgiving and tears are not mutually exclusive. The Psalmist remembers his pain but isn’t ruled or controlled by it. Our worship will never erase the real cost of redemption or turn a blind eye to the wounds we see in the world around us. But we praise Him because He is good and His enduring mercy entered the world to save us.

The cross is more than a doctrine or theological argument. The cross is the thing that drives us to love and trust, to give our lives for His disposal and use. The cup of salvation is received, not achieved. Understanding that will change the way we look at everything.

What can we give to the One who gave Himself for us but the worship of rescued and surrendered life?

Reflection

How does Jesus’ work on the cross make you think about gratitude as you read? What would it look like for that gratitude to become even more visible in the way you live?

Prayer

Father, it’s our natural inclination to repay those who’ve been kind and generous. But how can we repay You for all the good You’ve done for us? We praise You with gratitude and thank You for hearing the cries of Your people. Let my worship be more than words and song. Inhabit the praise of my choices, commitments, relationships, and service in response to the rescue of my soul. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Today I call on the Lord with gratitude for __________________.”

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Colossians 2

Week 32: Day 4: The King Who Remained

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Cross

Day 4: The King Who Remained

Today's Reading:

Mark 15

Key Verse:

“When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:39)

Devotional

The story of Mark 15 is a familiar one to anyone who’s been around church for any time at all. Even for those who’ve never been a part of a church, they’ve likely at least heard something bout the story of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Mark places us before a King surrounded by mockery, dressed by soldiers in purple, a crown of thorns on His head, as they bow before Him in cruel ridicule. Meanwhile, the religious leaders scoffed at His claims to be the Messiah, and passersby shout for him to come down if He’s truly able. Everyone, even the disciples, seemed to believe a ‘true’ King would vindicate Himself through a visible show of power, especially those who believed Jesus was sent from God.

But Jesus flatly refuses their definition of kingship.

He didn’t come down, but remained until the very end. He didn’t stay on the cross because He lacked the authority or ability to come down, but because He was carrying His obedience to completion … until He could say, “It is finished.” His endurance wasn’t a sign of weakness, but of the price the faithful Son must pay for the salvation of all creation.

I’m certain there were myriads of yet untold stories from that day, ones we may only know if eternity, but Mark gives us a glimpse of one very impactful moment when one of the Roman Centurions appears to possibly come to saving faith. Having watched the way Jesus was tortured and died, he makes an unexpected confession, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” The cross reveals who the Son is because His self-sacrificing love displayed the character and nature of the King.

I’ve always been impressed by how the story ‘flips the script’ in this small but profound moment. The disciples have scattered, religious leaders rejected Him, and the crowds shouted for His death. Yet, a Gentile soldier standing near the cross sees what the others have missed. The suffering and death of Jesus didn’t negate His Kingship; in fact, it unveiled exactly what kind of King He had always been.

Following the King of Glory should reshape our understanding of real strength. His example isn’t one of domination, humiliation, or the protection of status and power. It forms a people who can remain faithful under unrelenting pressure. Who can tell the truth without cruelty, serve with no need for applause, and love without taking advantage of people as a means to an end.

Make no mistake, the day will come when Jesus will judge evil for what it is, but we, His followers, can’t fight the world’s darkness by adopting the world’s lust for control. We overcome the evil of this world in His way, through faithful witness, sacrificial love, holiness, courage, and unfailing trust in God. We overcome, John says in Revelation 12:11, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

The cross of Christ stands defiantly against every instinct we possess that winning means making others bow to our will. Jesus wins by bowing Himself to the Father’s will and giving His life as a ransom for many.

The way of the cross isn’t a “pattern for success”, it’s a pathway of allegiance to the Crucified King.

Reflection

Once again, I find myself asking us all for a moment of objective honesty before God; to look ourselves in the mirror and ask some hard questions. Where have we confused strength with power and control, retaliation, or self-preservation? What would total and complete allegiance to the crucified King look like in one real relationship or conflict you face right now where you struggle to let God be God?

Prayer

Father, Jesus is the only Righteous King, the One who stayed on the cross through mockery, violence, and murder. Forgive me for confusing strength with control and power. Form your way in me and give me courage to be truthful, resist evil, protect the vulnerable, and love without expectation of return. Keep me from using the weapons of this world to defend the Kingdom of God. Build in me faithful allegiance to the King of Kings. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Following the crucified King means I will __________________.”

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Colossians 2

Week 32: Day 3: Into Your Hands

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Cross

Day 3: Into Your Hands

Today's Reading:

Psalm 31

Key Verse:

“But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’” (Psalm 31:14)

Devotional

In Psalm 31, David writes to us from a life surrounded by distress, slander, fear, and threat. He finds his strength failing him, his reputation is under attack, and he feels forgotten. What we see is the heart of a man who can’t control what others are doing to him.

Having said the hard parts out loud, David then makes a bold confession: “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’” His faith and trust don’t magically make the fear and distress disappear, but it’s the surrender of his life to God in the midst of it. Later, Jesus echoes this Psalm on the cross: “Into your hands I entrust my Spirit.” With His death approaching, Jesus places Himself wholly and completely in the Father’s hands.

The cross reveals a heart that refuses both retaliation and despair. Jesus doesn’t seize control of the situation by force, and He doesn’t surrender to meaninglessness, either. He entrusts Himself to His Father. The Romans controlled the nails, the Jews levied the accusations, but they don’t demand His deepest loyalty. His life remains an offering given in perfect obedience and love.

How we respond when we feel threatened tells a great deal about where our trust and hope really lie. So often, we as Christians do what the world does; we reach for control, rehearse the accusations over and over, imagine revenge, and pray our enemies “get what they deserve.” Or, sometimes, we collapse beneath the weight of the opinions of others. We even find ourselves calling these reactions ‘wisdom’ and understanding because they make us feel less vulnerable. But Psalm 31 pushes us to a much more difficult question: “Whose hands do we actually trust?”

Control promises relief because it tells us we can prevent every unwanted outcome, shield ourselves from the world’s onslaught. Retaliation promises relief because it lets us imagine our pain transferred to someone else, to the ones who made us fear in the first place. Even despair has its own false hope by convincing us nothing matters and it’s all vain anyway. Jesus and David reject all three. They entrust themselves to the Father without denying the reality of the situation.

Trusting God doesn’t mean we can’t ask for rescue or we just sit by and do nothing. David asked for rescue, spoke truth about the evil, and sought refuge from it. Trust isn’t pretending danger is safe, but refusing to let danger become our god. It’s fine to pursue protection, seek justice, listen to counsel, and receive help while still placing our identity and hope in the Father’s care.

Jesus, on the cross, shows us what perfect surrender looks like. Because we belong to Him, we can lay our fear, shame, anger, and uncertainty into the same faithful hands. We may not control the moment, but we are not abandoned to it, either.

Reflection

Think on this question with honesty. These are some of the most difficult things to see in ourselves. If it’s helpful, ask someone close to you to answer them for you or with you, to give you insight into blind spots you may not be able to see.

What situation are you trying to control because entrusting it to God feels too vulnerable or risky? What faithful step toward truth, protection, or surrender can you take without letting fear rule you?

Prayer

Father, you know well the things that I fear and the accusations I can do nothing about, even the ones I make toward myself. Teach me to bring them into Your presence without pretending they are small. Help me entrust my life, my reputation, my future, and all my unanswered questions into Your hands. Give me wisdom to seek help when needed, and protect my heart from fear while doing so. Keep despair at bay and erase thoughts of retaliation from my mind. Remind me no painful moment can remove me from Your faithful love and care. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Into God’s hands, I need to entrust __________________.”

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Colossians 2

Week 32: Day 2: The Praise of Lament

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:32:18 +0000

The Cross

Day 2: The Praise of Lament

Today's Reading:

Psalm 22

Colossians 2

Key Verse:

“For kingship belongs to the Lord; he rules the nations.” (Psalm 22:28)

Devotional

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” One of the most recognizable phrases uttered by Jesus on the cross. As He agonizes in His impending death, He invokes the language and promise of Psalm 22. He isn’t hiding behind polished religious language or spiritual platitudes; He embraces the Psalmist’s anguish and pain. He gives voice to the real experience of being mocked, beaten, and brought to the door of death.

The beauty of the passage lies not in its embrace of lament, but in how the Psalmist, and how Jesus Himself, remembers the faithfulness of God, cries for help, and speaks of praise in the gathered assembly of the children of God. As he so often does, the Psalmist extends the cries of one man to one nation, and then to the ends of the earth. All will remember and turn to the Lord because the Kingdom belongs to Him.

At the cross, the crowds saw a rejected man and assumed He had failed to accomplish what He’d promised. Even the disciples, except Mary and John, scattered like scared kittens from His side. This passage reminds us to resist such a shallow portrait of the event. We learn that even in the midst of abject suffering, God’s saving purpose can be at work, even when His face feels hidden. This doesn’t mean every painful event is secretly good or every loss can be explained in this life. But it does mean suffering can’t derail the Kingship of Jesus or break His covenant promises.

Psalm 22 gives us the space to lament while allowing hope to remain. It teaches us that faith may cry out honestly in pain, yet still remember who rules and reigns at the end of it all. The Kingdom didn’t disappear the day Jesus died. It was beginning its powerful march forward, regardless of who could or could not see it.

Reflection

Where are you tempted to interpret God’s hiddenness or quiet as His absence? When this happens, what can Psalm 22 teach your heart about pushing through lament to embrace praise that floods the whole earth?

Prayer

Father, I admit sometimes Your presence feels hidden from me. In those times, teach me to pray honestly, but also teach me to embrace the hope of surrender. Thank you that Jesus carried the deep anguish and lament on the cross, truly One who has known sorrow and grief. Help me to keep my eyes on you when either I or those around me feel the pain of suffering. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“When God feels hidden, I will remember that __________________.”

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Colossians 2

Week 32: Day 1: Unexpected Victory

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Cross

Day 1: Unexpected Victory

Today's Reading:

Colossians 2

Key Verse:

“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15)

Devotional

Ancient Rome is known for many things, including art, government, and raw empirical power. But there’s one more less attractive reputation they carry even into the modern age. They perfected the science of torturous death by crucifixion.

They used this method of death to display their power, shame their enemies, and instill fear in the heart of anyone who would oppose them. There was no more pitiful a subject than someone hanging on a cross. Yet, Colossians 2 sees the cross in a very different light. Paul sees the weight of sin’s debt cancelled, captives set free, and hostile powers stripped of their claim to creation.

As Paul often does, he begins by centering the story on Jesus. The fullness of God dwells in Him, and those who belong to Jesus have been brought into His life. Surely, we find ourselves dead in trespasses, but God makes us alive with Christ. One of my favorite parts of the passage is when he says, “the record that stood against us was taken away and nailed to the cross.” No one has ever said, especially Jesus Himself, that our guilt is ignored or insignificant. On the contrary, it was dealt with by the faithful self-sacrifice of Jesus.

Ancient peoples saw ‘gods’ as far from them, somewhere out beyond the cosmos, but Paul points to something much closer. He says believers have been buried and raised with Him. His victory becomes the solid foundation beneath our new life in Him, not just an event we must admire from a distance.

Then Paul pulls our focus a bit wider, bringing clarity to a part of the Gospel that many forget about. The rulers and authorities are publicly disarmed and disgraced. Those who trafficked in fear, rebellion, and death are exposed as utterly defeated. They did their worst to Jesus, yet their violence became the place where their authority was shattered forever. They could wound Him, but they couldn’t turn Him from obedience. They could even kill Him, but they had no power to make death His master.

Today, we often fall into the trap of embracing the patterns and weapons of this world. But Jesus didn’t conquer by any of the means at our earthly disposal. He conquered by giving Himself in love, bearing sin, and remaining faithful to the Father all the way to Calvary. The King of Glory proved He could enter the darkest of places, endure the full assault of evil, and yet emerge victorious.

Today, as believers in Christ, we mustn’t face sin, shame, or spiritual opposition biting our nails, waiting to see who will win in the end. We stand in full union with Christ. The battle is real, and the wounds of this present age are just as real and painful, but the powers no longer have unquestioned authority.

What looked like the triumph of darkness became the moment Jesus triumphed over it. The King’s victory was hidden beneath suffering, but it was victory all the same.

Reflection

Satan literally means “the accuser” or “adversary”. What accusations or feelings of shame still speak to you as though they outweigh what Jesus accomplished on the cross? How can you face those voices from your union with His victory?

Prayer

Father, You are worthy of praise for the Victory of the cross. Thank you for canceling the debt I could never pay and disarming the powers that accuse and enslave. Protect me from a life of shame, fear, and believing evil has won the day. May the triumph of Jesus mold and shape my courage, obedience, and hope. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Because Jesus triumphed at the cross, I no longer have to live under __________________.”

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Week 31: Day 5: Tell the Nations He Reigns

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Transfiguration

Day 5: Tell the Nations He Reigns

Today's Reading:

Psalm 96

Key Verse:

“Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him.” (Psalm 96:9)

Devotional

Somewhere over the past few decades we’ve seen a shift in how we worship from a shared, corporate experience to an intentionally private one. We dim the lights so we can’t see our neighbor, turn up the volume so we can’t hear others sing, and the focus necessarily turns to self and whether or not we are “into it” that particular day.

Psalm 96 pushes back on our modern worship model pretty hard and calls us into something much bigger. First of all, it invites us to sing a new song, but it doesn’t take long for that invitation to widen. The Psalmist seems less interested in our private worship as he cries out, “Let the whole earth sing to the Lord.” God’s glory isn’t reserved only for us; it is to be declared among the nations, all the peoples of the world. Unlike His enemies, He isn’t a local deity with boundaries and borders. He made the heavens, reigns over the earth, and will judge the world with righteousness.

Three of the disciples witnessed the pure glory of Jesus on the mountain, and Peter spoke of it years later to encourage a beleaguered church. But that event wasn’t meant to be a private preserved memory. It was part of the story to which the disciples bore witness after the resurrection of what they had seen and what they had heard. His glory became a part of the church’s proclamation to the world

Another beautiful part of Psalm 96 is its admonition on how we respond to the Glory of the Son. This isn’t a time for intellectual assent or analysis. It’s a time for singing, praising, bowing, trembling, and rejoicing! All of creation shouts for joy in response to the arrival of the glorious King.

Recently, a national figure was quoted as saying the world is ruled by power and by might, but Psalm 96 serves as a stark reminder of a Kingdom in a form no one expected; a Kingdom where true power and authority come through suffering and sacrifice, not weaponry and rhetoric. Thankfully, though, the suffering and hardship aren’t where this story ends; it ends with resurrection and global proclamation to the nations.

In His presence, we tremble because He is holy. We also rejoice because He has come with righteousness and faithfulness to judge the nations.

So, we worship. Even when the road ahead is difficult. We praise Him because we know who He is and that the cross did not dampen His glory and our difficulties have not removed Him from His throne.

After the transfiguration, the disciples followed Jesus down the mountain toward Jerusalem … towards the cross. Now it’s our turn to follow Him into our own places of faithfulness, to carry His name, speak of His glory, and announce His reign to all the peoples of the earth.

The world must know that Jesus is the Glorious Son, the righteous King who makes all things new. Let the whole earth sing!

Reflection

How has this week’s vision of Jesus deepened or corrected your understanding of His glory? Where can you speak of Christ’s goodness and reign through your words, worship, or faithful presence?

Prayer

Father, thank you for Jesus, the Glorious Son and rightful King of heaven and earth. I praise you that you are holy, majestic, and faithful. Teach me to worship you with reverence and joy, especially in times of hardship. Give me courage to declare your glory among the nations until everyone has heard the good news. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Today I praise Jesus, the glorious King, because __________________.”

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Week 31: Day 4: Eyewitnesses of His Majesty

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Transfiguration

Day 4: Eyewitnesses of His Majesty

Today's Reading:

2 Peter 1

Key Verse:

“For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16)

Devotional

As someone who’s been preaching for over 30 years, I find I’ve carried stories with me of times the Lord has done something spectacular or profound, and I tell them over and over.
Many years after the transfiguration, Peter was still talking about what he saw on the mountain.

I can’t imagine how many countless remarkable moments Peter witnessed during his time with Jesus. From silenced storms, healed disease, driven-out spirits, and even the dead raised to life. He also saw Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and burial, and after, encountered the risen Lord.
Yet, when he wanted to reassure believers that the message about Jesus wasn’t just something they invented, he took them back to the mountain. He no doubt remembered the voice of the Father and the intense majesty of the Son.

This memory was important to Peter because he was writing his letter to believers who needed endurance. He remembered that when He saw the glory on the mountain, Jesus was preparing him for the suffering which was about to come their way, and he would need to remember the majesty to endure. He knew these believers needed the same thing.

Peter understood that our faith isn’t built on our ability to produce impressive experiences, but on God’s action through history and the trustworthy testimony of those who had seen the risen Christ. So he urges his readers to pay attention to these prophetic words “as a lamp shining in a dark place.” Illuminating light doesn’t eliminate the darkness all at once, but it does give enough light to stay on the path until the journey is complete.

This is a really clear image of what a faithful disciple looks like. Though we didn’t stand on the mountain with Peter, we have received his testimony of the event. We have the Word to bear witness to Jesus and His glory. Part of faithfully following the way of Jesus is paying careful attention to His Word when the world around us seems cold and dark, when suffering closes in, and false voices offer easier versions of the Christian life.

The Mount of Transfiguration isn’t handed down so we, too, can chase extraordinary experiences, but to teach us to trust in the revealed glory of Jesus.

Eventually, Peter’s obedience would lead him through suffering of his own. Remembering the majesty of Jesus transformation didn’t insulate him from hardship, but it did assure him that hardship wasn’t the final reality. He had seen the King with his own eyes … the glory was real.
You and I today can walk in the very same confidence of Peter. We read and obey the word just as he did, and in so doing we find the ability, with His power and sustaining presence, to remain, to endure, until the final dawn breaks on the dark night of the soul.

One day, His glory will be revealed to all. Maranatha, come quickly, Lord!

Reflection

What voices compete most strongly with your attention and obedience to Scripture? What concrete practice would help you pay closer attention to God’s Word during seasons of confusion or spiritual darkness?

Prayer

Father, I am grateful for the trustworthy witness of those who saw your glory and have proclaimed your death and resurrection ever since. Protect me from building my faith on unstable emotions, impressive personalities, or things that tickle my spiritual fancy. Give me courage when the full path is hidden from me and faith to trust you as I take one step after another on the road you’ve called me to. I look forward to the day when your full glory is revealed once and for all. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“This week I will attend more carefully to God’s Word by __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 31: Day 3: The Holy King

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Transfiguration

Day 3: The Holy King

Today's Reading:

Psalm 99

Key Verse:

“Exalt the LORD our God; bow in worship at his footstool. He is holy.” (Psalm 99:5)

Devotional

So much of Western Christianity is centered around packaging Jesus to match the feelings of the hearers. But in Psalm 99, there’s a very different approach. Instead of asking how we feel about God, it just plainly announces who He is and what He is doing.

“The Lord reigns!”

Three times at the end, the Psalmist declares, “He is holy!” Being holy literally means being “other”. He’s utterly distinct from His creation, absolutely pure, and unmatched in majesty. His authority isn’t dependent on public approval, and His character remains unchanged by human resistance.

The truth of His holiness confronts something deep in the human heart. We all love a God close enough to comfort, but we struggle with a God holy enough to confront us as well. Or, like Peter at the transfiguration, we can become eager to speak, organize, and offer our own plans before we have really listened to His word.

Psalm 99 points us to the proper position of worship, both physically and spiritually, before God: bowing before Him.

Bowing is a bodily acknowledgment that God is God; we are not. It’s both a symbol and embodiment of our surrender of control in the moment. It recognizes that the Holy One possesses every right to define what is true, good, and faithful.

At the same time, this Psalm reminds us that His holiness isn’t cold and inaccessible, either. We are reminded of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, who called on the Lord and were answered. God was both forgiving and just as He guided them, spoke to them, forgave them, and disciplined them when needed.

When Jesus came on the scene, we saw the very same union of holiness and mercy. Jesus isn’t declared glorious by the Father because He’s avoided the brokenness of the world, but because His obedience has led Him directly into it.

The proper response to the Glory of the Lord isn’t fascination or novel intrigue. The proper response is reverence, surrender, and attentive obedience. As we bow before our King, may we allow His words to judge and mold our assumptions, redirect our fleshly desires, and teach us what true holiness looks like.

Reflection

Where are you tempted to resist the King’s authority while still desiring His care and comfort? What expectation, desire, or personal plan do you need to surrender to His holiness?

Prayer

Father, I know you reign with justice, purity, and perfect wisdom. Sometimes I want Your comfort without Your correction. Expose the places in my heart where I’ve quietly tried to reshape Your will around my own desires. Create in me a heart that listens before it speaks and finds peace when You confront my assumptions. You are my Holy King. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Before the holy King, I need to surrender __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 31: Day 2: Unmanageable Glory

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Transfiguration

Day 2: Unmanageable Glory

Today's Reading:

Daniel 10

Key Verse:

“His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.” (Daniel 10:6)

Devotional

It has always seemed strange to me that modern Christians often fall into one of two camps. Some dismiss the supernatural realm as something limited to “Bible times,” while others become so fascinated with it that spiritual warfare turns into spectacle, speculation, and ridiculous practices.

Daniel 10 gives us a better way. It opens a window into the unseen realm without giving it more concern than is warranted.

Daniel had spent three weeks mourning, fasting, and seeking understanding when a vision came to him beside the Tigris River. He looked up and saw a figure clothed in linen and surrounded by signs of heavenly majesty. His face flashed like lightning, his eyes burned like flaming torches, his limbs gleamed like polished bronze, and his voice sounded like a multitude.

The men with Daniel couldn’t see the vision, but they somehow felt its terror and fled. Daniel’s own strength drained from him, and he fell face down, helpless before what was revealed.
This was not an experience Daniel could manage, manipulate, or control.

We like a world that fits neatly within our expectations. Even our thoughts about God can become far too small. We often reduce Him to someone who simply helps us reach our goals or improve our circumstances.

Daniel’s vision leaves no place for such a shallow understanding.

The messenger explains that Daniel’s prayer had been heard from the first day, yet unseen resistance had delayed the response. A spiritual power called the Prince of Persia had opposed him until Michael came to help. Earthly empires rise and fall within a world where God’s purposes encounter very real resistance but are never overcome or overthrown.

Daniel was allowed to glimpse a reality that had been present even when he couldn’t perceive it.

This vision also prepares us for the transfiguration we discussed yesterday. When Jesus’ face shone, and His clothing became radiant, the disciples fell facedown in terror. Yet Jesus approaches them, touches them, and tells them not to be afraid.

A proper biblical worldview will hold both truths together; God’s glory is greater than we can manage, while His grace brings us near. The unseen realm is real, spiritual conflict is real, and our strength is limited. Yet none of these truths place us beyond the presence or authority of Jesus.

Our confidence doesn’t rest in mastering spiritual mysteries. It rests in the glorious Son who rules over everything we can and cannot see.

Reflection

Have there been times you’ve reduced God to someone who mainly supports your plans or makes life more manageable? How does the combination of Christ’s overwhelming glory and compassionate nearness help to shape your view of Him?

Prayer

Father, you are holy and good, far greater than anything I can see and greater than anything beyond what I can see. Forgive me for sometimes reducing you to my cosmic gumball machine, present only to help me out in times of trouble. Help me recognize your holiness and authority while enjoying being near. Thank you that Jesus continues to draw near when my heart trembles in fear. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“One truth I need to remember about the unseen world is __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 31: Day 1: When Glory Breaks Through

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Transfiguration

Day 1: When Glory Breaks Through

Today's Reading:

Matthew 17

Key Verse:

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)

Devotional

Over the past several years, a core of my study has been focused on the times in the scriptures when the veil between the earthly and heavenly realms grows thin, and we get a glimpse of the reality that awaits. The Mount of Transfiguration is maybe one of the most exciting of those stories.

Though Peter had recently confessed Jesus as the Messiah, his understanding of Him was still terribly incomplete. When Jesus explains His impending suffering and death, Peter objects boldly... one might even say he rebukes the Lord for speaking such things. His still young spiritual mind could possibly imagine a glorious Messiah, or maybe even a suffering servant, but he hasn’t yet reached the place where he can see them both belonging to the same person.

That’s where we find Peter, James, and John as Jesus takes them up the mountain.
There, His appearance changes right before their eyes. His face shines bright as the sun; His clothes become white and pure in an instant. Then, Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus, linking this moment to both the Law (Moses), the Prophets (Elijah), and to God’s long history of revealing Himself on mountains.

What the trio saw wasn’t the addition of something Jesus had previously lacked, but a tiny glimpse of the glory He’d always had.

For most of His earthly life, that glory remained veiled, hidden beneath the ordinary appearance and actions of a man from Nazareth. His feet would cake in the dust of desert roads, and His body would grow weary with the journey. He ate, sang, worshipped, and lived among people who frequently misunderstood Him. But on this mountain, the mortal covering was peeled away, and the disciples saw their teacher as far more glorious than they could have ever imagined.

In one of the most “Peter-esque” moves of all, he responds by offering to build three shelters, perhaps hoping to preserve this moment, maybe to honor Jesus, Moses, and Elijah... but the Father interrupts his quest.

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!”

While Moses and Elijah are important parts of not only this but the whole biblical story, Jesus doesn’t stand beside them as a peer, as just another faithful messenger. He stands as the beloved Son. The Law and the Prophets bear witness to Him, not the other way around. His voice isn’t one among many; it is THE One to which the disciples must listen.

The words of God take on new meaning and weight when you consider what the Lord had told them just a short time ago; that He would suffer and die. I’m sure as He heard the Father’s directive, Peter remembered the words he had spoken about Jesus and His forthcoming pain. The disciples must listen to Him when He speaks of the Kingdom, but also when He speaks of suffering. They can’t accept the miracles while rejecting the cross. And just as they, we, can’t confess His identity while trying to correct His mission.

Blinded by the encounter, the disciples finally lift their eyes only to find Jesus standing alone, his countenance returned to normal.

This week begins here, in this divine moment. Before we see Jesus’ path descend to betrayal, rejection, and death, the Father opens the eyes of the inner three so they may see exactly who is walking it. This reaffirms that the suffering which lay ahead won’t diminish or dull His glory. It will, in fact, reveal the obedient path by which the glorious Son fulfills every ounce of the Father’s saving purpose.

Reflection

Place yourself in the disciples’ shoes. What would your reaction be to the news that your beloved teacher would suffer and die while you stood idly by, helpless to make a difference? What parts of Jesus’ teaching here are easiest for you to receive? Which is hardest? Which part are you tempted to resist or reinterpret?

Prayer

Father, thank you for preserving this wonderful window into the glory of the Son. Like the disciples, I’m aware that sometimes even when I hear your Word clearly, I want to argue and find another way. Forgive me when my heart follows its own path. Fix my attention on Jesus and teach me to trust in His identity, not my own. Let the reality and truth of His glory steady my faith when obedience is costly, or the road ahead is uncertain. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“When the road becomes difficult, the glory of Jesus reminds me that __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 30: Day 5: Worship With Integrity

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Sermon’s Vision

Day 5: Worship With Integrity