Category: Daily Devotions

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

Stand Firm in Your Freedom

In June of 1865, Major General Gordon Granger landed with his soldiers at Galveston, Texas to announce that the American Civil War had ended and that all slaves were now free. Note that this happened more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. By the declaration of the President, all slaves were free in 1863. However, it took more than two years for all the slaves throughout the United States to hear about it. For more than two years, countless people were living in a slavery from which they had already been set free.

Sadly, the same type of thing still happens. The United States no longer condones slavery. But people feel enslaved every day. Enslaved to alcohol or pornography. Enslaved to the high that comes from drugs or prescription medication. Enslaved to feelings of bitterness, anger, or jealousy. To be enslaved means that you no longer feel in control. You do not do what you want to. Someone or something else has control of you. When what controls you is sin, and you feel chained to the same sinful choices again and again; the discouragement and deep guilt that result can make you feel like you are living in slavery.

But sin’s slavery is one from which you have already been set free. Not by your ability to finally overcome the addiction or to stay away from the temptation. Not by your newfound faithfulness to God’s laws. But by the declaration of Jesus, who died on the cross to take the punishment for your sin, so that you could live every day knowing that you are forgiven. Your sin does not determine your status in God’s family. Jesus does. He declares that you are free from the power and punishment of sin.

“Stand firm, then,” the Bible says, “and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Remember that you have been set free–the next time temptation comes creeping in, when you are overwhelmed with guilt, or you feel weak. Remember “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for the precious gift of freedom from sin. Help me to stand firm against Satan and his wicked temptations by remembering your declaration that I am free. Amen.

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
Luke 9:51

Follow a Leader Worth Following

Would you want a surgeon to operate on you if he was only half-hearted about medicine? Would you want an attorney to represent you if she was half-hearted about practicing law? Would you want teachers in your children’s classrooms if they were only half-hearted about teaching children?

Neither would it be worth following a Savior who is only half-hearted about saving you.

Thankfully, Jesus wasn’t.

When this verse says that “Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem,” it could literally be translated, “he fixed his face for Jerusalem.” In other words, he was absolutely determined to get there. And why? What was going to happen in Jerusalem?

He was going to die, and your sins were going to be paid for.

He was going to suffer, and you were going to be given a place in heaven.

He was going to be punished for your sins, and you were going to be given the right to walk through life knowing each day your Father in heaven is smiling in your direction.

Jesus wasn’t half-hearted about being your Savior. He was all in.

That is a leader worth following.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, let me never fail to see your wholehearted devotion to me so that I find abundant strength to follow you. Amen.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
2 Corinthians 11:30

Follow Jesus in Weakness

A pastor received a phone call from one of his parishioners early in the week. “Pastor,” the woman said, “I need you to stop by the house as soon as possible. It’s very urgent.”

“What’s wrong?” the pastor asked, sensing the urgency in the woman’s voice.

“I need you to stop by so I can give you my church offering for this coming weekend,” the woman replied.

“Why don’t you simply bring your offering with you to worship on Sunday?” the pastor asked.

“Because if I don’t give it to you now,” she said, “I’m going to spend it on alcohol tonight.”

This woman had struggled mightily with alcoholism for many years. This temptation exposed her spiritual weakness over and over, again and again. Yet that day, she found the strength to keep fighting against it; a strength that came from knowing that Jesus didn’t die to save the people who prove they’re strong enough to follow him. He died to save a world full of sinners who regularly prove that they are not.

Maybe you feel weak against this same temptation. Maybe the temptation that makes you feel weak is entirely different. But whatever the temptation is that exposes your weakness most often, Jesus already died to forgive that weakness. God loves you. He’s still here for you. He has already prepared a place in heaven just for you.

That’s a special gift that will always provide the strength you need to keep fighting against your weakness.

This is why the Apostle Paul wrote, “I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” His weaknesses and the truth that they are forgiven in Jesus provide powerful encouragement and strength to anyone who has ever felt weak against temptation.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am sorry for my spiritual weakness, and for how often it shows itself in my battles with temptation. I am so grateful for the gift of forgiveness. May it always give me sufficient strength to keep fighting. Amen.

[Jesus] said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:59-62

Follow Jesus With All Your Heart

John Hart is one of the 56 men who signed the United States’ Declaration of Independence. There were many who tried to stop him from signing this historic document. At one point, John had to make a choice between supporting his patriotic beliefs or being by the side of his dying wife and their 13 children. He forsook his family and put his signature on the document.

While his love for his nation is an admirable thing, it’s doubtful that everyone would forsake their family the way he did.

Yet, if we ever have to make a choice between following our family or following Jesus, Jesus clearly expects that we will follow him. In Jesus’ eyes, not even saying goodbye to a father was sufficient cause to delay in following Jesus.

Why? Because he knows that our families cannot save us from hell. Our families cannot pay our debt to God. Our parents cannot earn forgiveness for our sins.

But Jesus did. Jesus, in fact, is the one who keeps our families together even beyond death. His sacrificial death assures us that, though death on earth might temporarily separate us, we will be reunited with our fellow believers in heaven where we will be together forever.

Use your time with family and friends to celebrate this great gift given to us by Jesus. Gather around his Word and encourage one another with his promises so that heartfelt devotion to the Jesus who saves might be the one thing your entire family has in common.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you loved me with your whole heart. Help me to each day offer my entire life in heartfelt devotion to you. Amen.

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Luke 9:57,58

Follow Jesus No Matter the Cost

One of the latest trends in some places of the world is to live in what are called “tiny homes.” These homes are exactly what the name suggests—tiny. Some are only slightly larger than a backyard shed. Though the living space is small, these homes are skillfully constructed to include most anything its residents might find in a larger house: a bed, kitchen, electricity, plumbing, and even room to store a few things. They have become the home of choice for many people who are glad to live with less compared to their neighbors.

But anyone living in a tiny home owns more property than Jesus did as he was looking for disciples. “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head,” he said to one man who promised to follow him. With that phrase, Jesus was really asking him a question—Would you be willing to follow Jesus even if it would mean losing all your earthly possessions, including your home?

There are many Christians in the world today who are forced to answer that question. And there are many who choose to lose their homes rather than forsake Jesus. Why?

Because in the Word of God, they’ve found a cross on which Jesus clearly shows his determination to love and forgive us, no matter the cost.

Because Jesus’ empty tomb on Easter morning gives us a better home to look forward to in heaven than even the largest and most extravagant home on earth.

Maybe you will never have to give up your earthly home to follow Jesus. But it would be worth it to follow the one who gave up his life for you.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you gave up so much, even your own life, to build a home of perfection for me in heaven. May I be willing to suffer any loss for the sake of following you. Amen.

[Jesus] said to another man, “Follow me.”
Luke 9:59

Follow Jesus as Your Priority

When I was in high school, a friend of mine was driving a number of his classmates along a country road to a school-sponsored event. At one point, he reached over to the radio to change the station. As he reached over, he accidentally turned the steering wheel so quickly and sharply that the car swerved off the road, rolled over three times, and landed upside down in the bottom of a ditch. Remarkably, everyone was okay. My friend didn’t break any laws by trying to change the radio station. It’s a good thing to listen to the radio—except when it gets in the way of safe driving.

There are plenty of good things on which we might focus our attention—our families and friends, our jobs, our hobbies. God brings abundant joy into our lives through a wide variety of means, and it’s good to focus on them—except when we give more attention to them than we do to Jesus.

When Jesus calls individuals to “Follow me,” he isn’t suggesting that he is one of many good things in this world to which we might pay attention. He is expecting to be our highest priority. Why?

Because only Jesus keeps us safe for eternity.

Because our family, friends, jobs, and hobbies are all gifts from him.

Because, when we realize how inattentive we have been to his Word and will, Jesus always treats us with grace.

Because, when we look at the cross of Jesus, we see that his greatest priority will always be to love us.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for making my eternal salvation your greatest priority. Out of gratitude for all you’ve done for me, help me to keep you as the highest priority in my life. Amen.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

No More Slavery

Robert Downey, Jr. is one of the most successful actors in Hollywood. He’s the star of the blockbuster Iron Man movies. He received an Academy Award nomination for his film portrayal of Charlie Chaplin. He has a reputation for a strong work ethic and for being a loyal friend.

He also knows something about slavery and freedom.

For years, Downey was a slave to drug abuse. There was a cycle to his slavery. When things got out of control, he would check himself into rehab. For a time he would be clean and sober. But then he would return to the chains of his addiction. He started getting fired by directors and producers. But the cycle of slavery remained. He started getting into trouble with the law. But the cycle of slavery remained. Then he spent 12 months in a state prison. But the cycle of slavery remained.

Then it happened. He says he was at a restaurant and it finally dawned on him that, this time, he didn’t want to go back to all the awful things that his addiction had brought him. He went out to his car and threw all his drugs into the ocean. From that time forward, Robert Downey, Jr. has remained free.

Is there a cycle of slavery in your life? Is there an old pet sin that just keeps pulling you back? Perhaps it’s weekend benders. Perhaps it’s a gossiping tongue. Perhaps it’s your viewing habits on cable or online. Perhaps it’s your tendency to drift away from God’s house.

Whatever it is, don’t look for the answer inside yourself. Instead, look to the One who died and rose to set you free. Taste the sweetness of freedom and forgiveness you have in Jesus Christ. Remember the peace and security you possess in him. Turn your back on the old chains of sin. Your Savior has come. He has thrown them into the sea.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, by your forgiveness, fill me with your Spirit. Move me to see the freedom I have in you. Empower me to turn my back on my ancient chains. Amen.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:26-29

Unity in Diversity

Most schools have a certain dress code, and some even require children to wear school uniforms. The purpose of this is to create an atmosphere of equality and to keep children from competing with one another to see who can dress the most stylishly and expensively. While dress codes and school uniforms might be a good thing, it is impossible to remove everything that makes us different. Some people are tall; others are short. Some are better in school, and others are better in sports. Some are wealthy; others are poor. Some are powerful and influential, and many are everyday working-class citizens. These differences can create tension and even animosity in our lives. The poor envy the rich. The powerful often take advantage of those with less power, and those with less power sometimes complain and grumble against their leaders.

Thankfully, when it comes to our status before God, all of these differences are dissolved in Christ. In fact, our baptisms are kind of like our spiritual uniform. Just think about that for a moment. Since all of us were born into this world with a sinful nature and hostile to God, we were all the same before baptism. We all desperately needed baptism to wash us clean of our sins. Through the water of baptism connected with the Word of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we were clothed with Christ.

Because of baptism we all wear the same clothes, the clothes of our righteous Savior, Jesus Christ. This is our uniform, but even more than that, this guarantees our relationship with God. We are his children. While there might be many things that make us different, we are all the same through faith in Christ. We are all God’s dear children. All diversity is removed in this perfect unity.

Prayer:
Dear God, help me to remember my baptism every day of my life and to rejoice in the fact that because of your dear promises to me, I am your own dear child. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Whoever wants to be my disciple must . . . take up their cross daily and follow me.”
Luke 9:23,24

Cross Carrying Christians

Is it all worth it? Is the triumph to come worth all of the trouble we face now? Is the crown of life in store for us worth the crosses that we will have to bear for confessing Christ?

Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciples must . . . take up their cross daily and follow me.”
The cross Christ calls us to bear includes everything we endure because of our faithfulness to Christ and his Word.

It is the opportunities we miss out on in this world because we put God first in our lives.

It is the way our conscience won’t leave us alone until we find peace in our Savior’s blood shed on the cross.

It is the rejection and the ridicule we face for believing and confessing that God’s Word is changeless truth in a world that is constantly reshaping truth to fit its own desires.

It is the broken relationships and the divided families that result when those we love deny some or all of the truth of God’s Word.

It is heartache for a world and, no doubt, for people we know, who increasingly deny God’s truth.

Carrying such crosses is not an option. It is not avoidable. And we can’t do it alone. The strength to bear our crosses comes only from Christ, who carried his cross up Calvary to die for us and for every sinner.

The weight of his cross was more than we could ever imagine. It was the weight of the guilt of the whole world’s sins. But he bore that weight willingly. He lifted its burden off of you and me and was crushed under its heavy load. Because he carried that cross, we are free from guilt and free to live forever with him who rose from the dead after he atoned for each and every one of our sins.

Whenever we confess Christ as Savior, the cross comes along with it. The cross of Christ, through which he overcame sin and death for us. And the cross we bear with the strength he provides, as we follow him through this life to eternal life.

Prayer:
Savior, who bore the cross for me, help me bear my crosses as I follow you. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves . . . For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”
Luke 9:23,24

Self Denial

Are you someone who has tried self-denial?

Maybe it was for the sake of losing weight or athletic endeavors—you denied yourself certain foods or extra sleep, or leisure time to exercise or train.

Maybe it was for the sake of loved ones—you didn’t do or eat certain things because you knew it would leave out someone else who couldn’t do those things.

Maybe it was for spiritual or discipline reasons. Fasting has long been used as an act of repentance or to sharpen mental and spiritual focus.

But the kind of self-denial Jesus expects of his disciples is a little different. To deny myself is to do the exact opposite of what my sinful nature wants to do. My sinful nature wants me to put myself first and serve myself and do only what’s best for me. Denying myself means never putting myself first.

But, my sinful nature objects, if you don’t put yourself first, who will watch out for you? If you deny yourself, who will take care of you? You have to put yourself first, at least some of the time.

But Jesus invites us to trust him. He says, “I denied myself to come and be your Savior. I put my Father’s will first as I served you in my life and my death so that the greatest thing you need is already yours. You are a child of God and an heir of eternal life!”

“And if I’ve given you that, you can be sure I will care for you in every other need you have. Because I love you perfectly, you can trust me enough to put God first in your life and to love others more than yourself.”

Self-denial is never easy. It is a constant struggle. It is a daily battle. Praise God that his Son was willing to deny himself for us. And turn to him daily for forgiveness and strength to deny ourselves as we serve him every day.

Prayer:
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, my self-sacrificing Savior, forgive my selfishness and give me strength to deny myself for you every day. Amen.