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Week 38: Day 4: Where the Battle Gets Close

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Spiritual Warfare

Day 4: Where the Battle Gets Close

Today's Reading:

James 4

Key Verse:

“Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

Devotional

Good ole James, half of the Sons of Thunder Duo, has a way of bringing things sharply into focus and making it a bit uncomfortable.

Most of us would likely prefer to keep spiritual warfare at arm’s length, keep it in the invisible realms where we can talk about demons, powers, attacks, and cosmic conflict without looking too closely at our own hearts.

But apparently, that’s not James’s plan.

By the time we get to “resist the devil”, he’s already instructed us regarding arguments, jealousy, selfish desire, pride, and divided loyalty. This is starting to feel more like a self-diagnosis than being equipped for spiritual war.

He starts off asking about the wars, or we could say quarrels, among one another. He rightly identifies their source as not coming from the outside, but from internal desires at war within ourselves.

It’s obvious from the passage that James believes in the existence of the devil and that he uses our desires to lure us to temptation and cause strife, but notice what he places before resistance: “Submit to God.”

We learn here that Spiritual warfare isn’t rooted in strength, education, or fascination with the spiritual realm. It’s rooted in allegiance.

We might expect James to make much ado about the dark forces out there, but he doesn’t. He calls us to notice where our own loyalties are and where they’ve become divided. So often we want God, but we still want the world. We want peace, but are still willing to fight for what we think will satisfy us.This is where spiritual warfare gets practical.

Spiritual warfare simply comes down to resistance. Sometimes resistance means confessing instead of protecting our pride and reputation. Sometimes it means refusing jealousy, surrendering some desire, or drawing near to God when our own shame tells us to hide. It’s not flashy or dramatic, but it is powerful.

Jesus resisted temptation in exactly the same way. When Satan offered Hi power without obedience, glory without suffering, and provision without trust, He remained faithful to Father, resisting the devil and instructing him to leave.

James calls you and me into that same way of life. Submit to God and draw near to Him in humility.

That’s it.

Reflection

Where do you see competing desires in your life creating conflict in your own heart right now? What would submission to God look like in that specific area today?

Prayer

Father, bring to light every place in my heart where my loyalty has become divided. Teach me to submit to You before I try to resist anything else. Draw me near when pride, temptation, or shame would pull me away. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Submitting this part of my life to God means __________________.”

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Week 38: Day 3: A Warrior Who Knows His Weakness

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Spiritual Warfare

Day 3: A Warrior Who Knows His Weakness

Today's Reading:

Psalm 144

Key Verse:

“Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for warfare.” (Psalm 144:1)

Devotional

If you’re thinking you’ve seen Psalm 144 before, you’re right, but from a different perspective. As the passage opens, it’s filled with what you might expect during a week about Spiritual Warfare.

David opens with the language of war, of God training his hands for battle and his fingers for battle. He knows the Lord is His rock, fortress, stronghold, deliverer, shield, and refuge. He recognizes there are enemies to face and rescue to pursue.

It’s easy, and many do, to read these opening lines and see David standing tall, wind in his hair, and full of confidence in his own readiness for a fight.

But it only takes a few words for the tone to change. “LORD, what is a human that you care for him, a son of man that you think of him?” David moves quickly from talking about battle to rehearsing how small he feels.

We humans are like a breath, our days like a passing shadow. The great man who just said God trains him for warfare is under no illusion that somehow by his own merits he’s become powerful. There’s an incredible tension in that.

David is arguably one of the most formidable and feared warriors in the Bible, and he is keenly aware of the source of his strength. But knowing its source also keeps him humble. He never allows his confidence in God to morph into confidence in his own invincibility.

It’s a healthy posture for all of us, especially when talking about spiritual resistance and warfare.

There are two directions we can easily drift in the realm of spiritual warfare. One is fear, where we become so conscious of the opposition that we shrink away, hoping we’ll be left alone. The other road is pride, where we think of ourselves as someone spiritually impressive, someone who knows how to handle the impending battle.

Thankfully, David takes us on a different path.

David is strong because God is the source of his strength; he’s protected because God is his refuge. He’s trained because God is his teacher, and he’s delivered because God is his deliverer. Everything in the song draws us away from any form of self-sufficiency and briskly towards dependence.

It isn’t flashy or heroic, but total dependence on God is the strongest form of spiritual resistance we can practice.

When we pray instead of pretending we are in control, it’s a profession of understanding where our strength really comes from. When our thoughts start to drift toward fear or deception, and we turn to Scripture, we’re allowing God to retrain our heart and mind. Facing the battle with our spiritual family instead of standing alone reinforces our understanding that we aren’t our own fortress.

David held in tension these truths: he was both well-acquainted with battle and his deep need for help from God.

Maybe, just maybe, spiritual maturity looks less like becoming stronger in our own power and more like an increasing awareness of just how completely our strength depends on and comes from God Himself.

Reflection

When the pressures of spiritual battle come to you, do you tend to move naturally towards fear? Self-reliance? Dependence? (Search your heart with honesty here) Where might God be drawing you to depend on Him more instead of trying to be strong on your own?

Prayer

Father, you are my rock, my refuge, and my deliverer. I’m glad you don’t ask me to create and fight in strength I don’t have. I admit sometimes fear causes me to retreat, and pride convinces me I can manage on my own. Forgive me when they do. Train me not by reputation or the culture around me, but by your word, with prayer, obedience, and the people you have placed around me. Help me to live with courage that grows from dependence on you. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“I need to depend on God's strength today with __________________.”

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Week 38: Day 2: The Creator is Greater than the Creature

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Spiritual Warfare

Day 2: The Creator is Greater than the Creature

Today's Reading:

Job 40–41

Key Verse:

“No one is ferocious enough to rouse Leviathan; who then can stand against me?
” (Job 41:10)

Devotional

On Day 1, we introduce the story for the week. Day 2 helps us shape our worldview, the lens through which we see how things work and how we see true reality. Today helps us dial in some pretty fuzzy views.

If you’ve ever read through the whole book of Job, you probably read the final chapters like I did, with your eyebrows raised and muttering to yourself something like, “uh oh, that’s not good!”

Job has spent chapter after chapter wrestling with suffering, injustice, unanswered questions, and the apparent silence of God. His “friends” gave more explanation than he’d asked for, and most of what they said was just plain wrong anyway. Job has asked God repeatedly to answer him.

And then He does.

But, as one would expect, the answer isn’t quite what Job expected.

God doesn’t offer a play-by-play explanation of why things went down the way they did. He begins by taking Job on a tour of Creation. He points to the magnificent things He’d created, asking Job each time something like “where were you when I did that?” By the time we arrive in Chapter 40, we’re almost overwhelmed with the picture God has painted. These are things Job can’t tame, control, or overpower. He’s not bringing the Behemoth home as a family pet!
Job gets the message: The world is full of things that are far beyond him, and that might be scary at first, but God doesn’t show him all this to terrify him. He’s reminding Job these things may be beyond his control, but they aren’t beyond God.

In comparison to these creatures and the expanse of creation, Job seems terribly insignificant. But he’s reminded that in God’s eyes all these creatures are just like him, creatures, creations, and as such, under the authority of God.

That’s good for us to remember because fear has a way of making everything look ultimate and larger than life. Things too big to control or too mysterious to understand can have us shaking in our boots! But God won’t allow us to do that with the evil of this world.

I’m not saying the dark forces of this world aren’t real, dangerous, or imposing; these passages just remind us they’re not divine and they’re not ultimate. Those belong only to God.
Job reminds us the throne of heaven isn’t threatened by forces we can’t control, questions we can’t answer, spiritual realities we can’t see, or battles we are too weak to win. Sure, it would be awesome if God explained every detail, every hidden thing, and mapped out the spiritual world with utter clarity, but neither Job nor we receive that kind of explanation. What he does receive is a much larger vision of who God is.

The first thing we need to remember in spiritual warfare is that nothing in the seen or unseen realm has ever been and never will be God’s equal.

Reflection

What fear or circumstances tend to grow larger in your mind the longer you think about them? How can you use God’s response to Job to help you ground your thoughts between something being out of your control and out of His?

Prayer

Father, there’s so much in this world, seen and unseen, I don’t understand or see clearly at all. Sometimes I forget how small they are compared to You. Forgive me when fear gives created things authority they don’t really have. Teach me to take evil seriously without acting like You aren’t in control. Deepen my confidence in the One who sees completely and rules without fear. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“One thing I need to place back under God's rule in my imagination is _______________.”

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Week 38: Day 1: What It Means to Stand

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Spiritual Warfare

Day 1: What It Means to Stand

Today's Reading:

Ephesians 6

Key Verse:

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.” (Ephesians 6:10)

Devotional

In chapters 1-5 of Ephesians, Paul has much to say about Jesus. It’s not until then that he breaks into discussing the armor of God and spiritual forces in chapter 6.

For some reason, it’s easy for us to skip past what he says at the beginning in favor of “the cool stuff” about armor and whatnot. But the truth Paul has laid out is vitally important. He tells them they are chosen in Christ, redeemed through His blood, saved by His grace, and called to walk in a manner worthy of the new life they have now received.

Then, in typical Pauline fashion, in chapter 6, verse 10, he says, “finally.”

In other words, what he’s about to say about spiritual warfare grows out of what he’s already been teaching thus far. He’s not introducing some new, mystical dimension of Christianity they’ve never seen before; he’s showing them what it looks like to remain faithful to everything he has already said when opposition does come.

He knows this struggle is real enough. He names rulers, authorities, cosmic powers of darkness, and spiritual forces of evil. He’s not dealing in make-believe. He isn’t scared by the unseen world, nor does he attempt to explain it away. But he also keeps it in perspective. His concern here isn’t “taking the fight to the devil”, but to remain standing when he and his minions come against us.

As he goes through the list of spiritual armor, it’s interesting how normal and ordinary the items are. Truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, the Word, prayer, and the Gospel of Peace. He doesn’t decode a secret formula or hidden bible code; he calls them deeper into the life they are already living in Jesus.

Thanks to movies, bad doctrine, and sensational claims, we sometimes imagine spiritual warfare as something dramatic that happens beyond normal discipleship, but Paul does his best to pull it closer.

When we refuse a lie because we know the truth; we stand.
When we remember what Jesus has accomplished as the enemy brings accusation; we stand.
When fear would have us run away, but faith keeps us steady; we stand.
When temptation invites us to abandon the Way of Jesus but we choose obedience; we stand.

We aren’t able to stand because we’ve become experts in the darkness or figured out the secret code. We are able to stand because we belong to the One who has already brought us into the light. That’s where our spiritual warfare begins, not in the ways and techniques of the enemy, but with Jesus to whom we already belong.

Reflection

What sorts of things do you think of first when you hear the phrase “spiritual warfare”? How does the larger story of Ephesians inform and shape the way you understand Paul's command to stand?

Prayer

Father, I’m grateful that my strength comes from you and not from what I know about the enemy. Teach me to stand in truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and the peace only the Gospel can bring. Keep my heart rooted in Jesus when temptation and opposition come to visit. Give me courage and awareness without pride or fear, so my life remains faithfully anchored in You. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Because I belong to Christ, I can stand when __________________.”

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Week 37: Day 5: At Home in His Presence

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Body of Christ

Day 5: At Home in His Presence

Today's Reading:

Psalm 84

Key Verse:

“Better a day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than live in the tents of wicked people.” (Psalm 84:10)

Devotional

Oh my! Psalm 84 says a mouthful. It is filled with longing and with hope.
The author longs for the courts of the Lord; his whole being cries out for the Living God. Even the sparrow and the swallow seem blessed because they have found a place near His altar. He wants to be where God dwells.

What a fitting end to a week about the body of Christ. The deepest gift we’ve been given as God’s people is God Himself. The church isn’t ultimately held together by common interests, similar personalities, respected traditions, or well-put-together programs. We have been gathered around the presence and reign of the Living God Himself.

In Jesus, this reality is even more astounding. No longer is the presence of God found only in the Temple in Jerusalem. No, in Jesus, God has made His dwelling among us. He has reconciled us to Himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus. And now, the Spirit has come to dwell within His people, making us together a holy temple, the literal dwelling place of the Most High.

We belong to one another because we belong to Him! That means Christian community will never make sense if God is relegated to a secondary place. The body cannot, will not, flourish if its members simply gather around ourselves instead of around Him. Psalm 84 draws our attention back to where it belongs; back to Him.

“Better a day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else.” The great hope of Scripture isn’t that God will bring us better circumstances, fix our marriages, or even provide daily provision. Our great hope is that He has come to dwell with His people. This is why it amazes me to some degree that so many Christians today speak of being with Him only when we leave this world through death or His physical return. It’s a shallow theology that robs His people of the true joy of the hear and now, of the already not yet of the Kingdom of Heaven. The story of Emanual, of God with us. Truly, the Most High has come to dwell with us NOW!

There will surely come a day, the day of the not yet, when this will be fully known and fully experienced upon His return. Until then, we gather, worship, serve, forgive, and walk together in unity as a foretaste of that new creation. One body. One Lord. One people learning together that there is nowhere better than to be at home with God.

Reflection

What do you most desire from life with God’s people? How might your relationships within the body change if your deepest shared desire became simply to know, enjoy, and honor God together?

Prayer

Father, You yourself are the greatest treasure of all. Thank you for drawing us close and giving us each other, a people built to worship You. Center our lives together on Your presence, and make us a faithful glimpse for the world to see of what You are making new. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“What I most want to enjoy with God’s people is __________________.”

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Week 37: Day 4: One So the World May Believe

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Body of Christ

Day 4: One So the World May Believe

Today's Reading:

John 17

Key Verse:

“May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.” (John 17:21)

Devotional

Yep, you guessed it, John 17 is one of my favorite passages! No, but really … it is.
One thing I love about it is that the night before He was crucified, Jesus prayed … for US. Sure, He was praying for the disciples in His immediate area, but also for those who would believe through their message; He’s praying for you and for me. This prayer reaches across all the generations from then to now and penetrates the hearts of believers still today.

He didn’t pray we’d gather large crowds, have worldwide influence, or even support tons of missionaries. He prayed that we’d be one. He prayed for Godly unity.

Earlier in the same prayer, He asked the Father to sanctify HIs people with the Truth. This unity Jesus sought for us isn’t built on agreement over every little thing; it is built around Him, shaped by Truth, and firmly cemented in the Father and the Son.

Then, Jesus drops the real powerhouse of the prayer when He states why He wants us to be united around Him: “so that the world may believe"

Then Jesus connects that unity to mission: “so that the world may know.”
That the world may know He was sent by the Father and that He loves them the same way the Father has loved Him! That’s some serious love. The way we live with one another not only says a lot about us, but it also says a lot about Him, and about the Gospel we profess to believe and proclaim to a lost world.

It’s pretty hard to confess we belong to one body while casually speaking ill against one another, engaging in mockery and condemnation of other believers, even when, and especially when, they disagree with us. We can’t celebrate reconciliation with God while refusing movements towards reconciliation with His people. How can we insist on our own rights, preferences, recognition, and comfort while ignoring the needs of other members of HIs body?

This unity He prayed for should be visible.

This unity tells the truth in love, listens before deciding, refuses to gossip, detests mockery and contempt, bears each other’s burdens, and forgives because we’ve been forgiven. It means providing other believers with patient conversation rather than immediate suspicion. It means remaining committed to relationships when they are costly and difficult.

This doesn’t mean Truth is negotiable. Jesus’ prayer holds truth and unity together, and so must we. Unity at any price is not the goal. The goal is a people so deeply formed by the Truth of Jesus, His life and love that the world encounters evidence another Kingdom has arrived.
In Jesus we have already been made one. Here Jesus calls us to live like it.

Reflection

Where is the unity Christ has given His people asking something costly of you? What concrete act of truth, forgiveness, service, or reconciliation could make that unity more visible this week?

Prayer

Father, I pray the unity You have provided would be visible in my everyday life. Keep me anchored in truth and shaped by Your love. Give me the courage to pursue peace, humility to listen, and grace to love Your people well. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“This week I can make our unity more visible by __________________.”

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Week 37: Day 3: Unless the Lord Builds It

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Body of Christ

Day 3: Unless the Lord Builds It

Today's Reading:

Psalm 127

Key Verse:

“Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)

Devotional

In over 30 years of ministry, I know what it’s like to suffer from the self-perpetuated exhaustion of trying to carry something God never asked me to carry on my own. As a young pastor, I spent many Monday mornings doing internal post-mortem reviews of the services on Sunday. Who was present? Who was absent? Who wasn’t happy? Did anyone get fed? And on and on and on. Many pastors carry the weight of building an organization instead of making disciples. And it will wear you out fast.

Thankfully, Psalm 127 speaks directly into this weight.

People build. Watchmen watch. Workers get up early and stay up late. It’s what people do, and God doesn’t condemn it. It’s part of who we are. However, human labor becomes empty when we start acting like everything depends on us … and us alone.

It’s a temptation the church is easily sucked into all the time.

The weight of feeling as though we are saddled with keeping everything together, fixing everyone’s problems, being indispensable and always available, all while making sure things turn out according to expectations is crushing at times. In fact, underneath all that activity lies something we call fear: fear of “what happens if I stop carrying all of this?” It’s a real temptation, and a temptation to sin.

The Psalmist simply reminds us whose house it is that is being built. It’s God’s house, not ours, and He is the one doing the building.

That doesn’t mean our work is unnecessary or not valuable; it just puts our work in its proper place. We serve, we teach, encourage, organize, pray, and carry all sorts of responsibility, but we do it as people participating in God’s work rather than replacing Him in the place of being responsible for all its outcomes.

It’s actually pride that says, “They need me here.” It’s fear that tells us, “Everything will collapse without me.” And it’s comparison that says, “My contributions aren’t enough.” Thankfully, the gospel frees us from all of that.

Christ is the head of the body, and as members of His body, our calling isn’t to be every part of the body, but to faithfully inhabit the place God has given us, trusting Him to build and mature what we cannot.

Sometimes being faithful means working diligently; other times it means getting a good night’s sleep. Both can be acts of trust and dependence on God when we have a deep knowledge of the Builder.

Reflection

What responsibility are you carrying as though all its outcome depends entirely on you? (examples: parenting, maturity of adult children, success at work, health of your church) Where might God be inviting you to exchange anxious control for faithful participation and trust? Don’t blow past these; give them plenty of time and contemplation.

Prayer

Father, I know you are the Builder of Your people. Forgive me for the times I carry your work as though it were mine all by myself. Teach me to diligently serve the body, rest humbly when I need it. And trust you with what I can’t control.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“One thing I need to stop carrying as though it all depends on me is __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 37: Day 2: The Unity We Receive

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Body of Christ

Day 2: The Unity We Receive

Today's Reading:

Ephesians 4:1–6

Key Verse:

Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)

Devotional

In the church, we talk about unity as though it were something we have to create or build. If we get the right people in the room, eliminate disagreements, and have a common vision, then maybe, just maybe, we can be united.

But Paul has a different idea.

He tells the Ephesians to make every effort to KEEP the unity of the Spirit. Keep is an important word. The Greek word translated here means to “guard or preserve”. He isn’t telling them they need to manufacture something, but to maintain something that already exists. The Holy Spirit has already brought unity to them in Himself. God has joined them together in Christ and then joined them to one another in Him. Their calling here is to live faithfully in light of the reality God has already created.

Paul then lays it out fairly plainly why they are united. They have “One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father.” These are all the things they have in common regardless of what else is going on between them.

Humans have an odd propensity to divide ourselves by the things that make us different, like background, ethnicity, tradition, or worship styles. Churches will even do it among themselves, having an early “traditional” service, then a later “contemporary” one as if worship style is somehow worth dividing the body over. Paul isn’t pretending differences don’t exist, but instead he places something larger, more important, around them to bind them together.
The church (you and me) is one because her Lord is One.

Our unity as followers of Jesus isn’t built on our homogeneity; it grows from a shared life in Jesus, from the same Spirit that dwells among God’s people, from the same Lord who has called us into His family. Our hope is set upon the same Gospel, and the same Father has brought us near.

This should impact the way we understand the Church.

Yesterday we celebrated our differences in the Body of Christ. Today, Paul undergirds that idea with a worldview that ties all those differences together: Unity of the Spirit. We belong to one another because we first belong to Christ.

Maintaining unity isn’t effortless or always easy. Paul encourages us to live in humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing one another’s burdens to make it possible. Apparently, even Spirit-created unity still has a need to be protected and cultivated by Spirit-formed people.

Before we notice whether or not people are “like us”, we should first wonder, “Do they belong to the same Lord?” If so, then we are already united in Jesus. May we then behave as though that’s true.

Reflection

Which of Paul’s repeated “one” statements most helps you understand what actually holds the Church together? Where are you most tempted to define another believer by a difference or even an earthly similarity rather than by your shared belonging to Christ?

Prayer

Father, thank you for bringing Your people together as one in Jesus. Thank you for all the “ones” Paul spoke about that unite us. Forgive me when I treat my preferences, experiences, or opinions as though they matter more than the unity You have already provided. Teach me to see other believers first as people who belong to Jesus and, because of Him, belong with me. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“The truth I need to remember about Christ’s Church is __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 37: Day 1: You Are the Body of Christ

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

The Body of Christ

Day 1: You Are the Body of Christ

Today's Reading:

1 Corinthians 12
https://www.blueletterbible.org/csb/1co/12/1/s_1074001

Key Verse:

“Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Devotional

Paul’s message to the church at Corinth isn’t him trying to give them an inspirational illustration, his version of first-century “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” No, he’s describing for them the nature of the thing God has built and is building.

Corinth was hardly the poster child for natural unity. The church there struggled with competition, status, pride, and deep division. Believers there elevated some gifts above others, and still others sought to prove their own importance in the congregation. In the wake of that, others struggled with feeling like they didn’t matter at all. Honestly, it was a mess!
But Paul addresses the problems with a central truth: One Spirit has formed you into one body.

His logic is simple and sound. The eye can’t dismiss the hand or it won’t be able to pick up what it sees. The head can’t decide it has no need for feet, else it will never make it to the destination it has chosen to go. Difference isn’t a flaw in the body, it’s part of the design and what not only makes it beautiful, but what also makes it function.

So far, this story has been careening towards the creation of this group of people all along. Sin ultimately fractured fellowship and makes our natural inclination one that turns inward on ourselves. Yet, through Jesus, God has reconciled sinners (you and me and all of humanity) to Himself. He is gathering a people who belong not only to Him, but to one another. The risen Christ has given us His Spirit, and that Spirit joins people from different backgrounds, with different histories, abilities, and callings into one living, thriving body.

Christian unity is more than friendship or shared experience. Becoming truly one doesn’t happen naturally. It takes Divine intervention, and Jesus has provided that for us. It’s He who has knit us together into this empowered community called the church.

The church isn’t just a group of people who happen to attend the same services on the weekend; it is literally made up of people, members of the same body, working in unison to accomplish the work of the Kingdom.

Reflection

Where have you been tempted to compare your place in Christ’s body with someone else’s? How can seeing other believers as people you genuinely need reshape or influence the way you participate in the life of the church?

Prayer

Father, thank you for making me part of Your body. Root out any hint of pride, comparison, and self-sufficiency in my heart. Teach me to receive the people to whom You have joined me as gifts and to serve faithfully in the place You have provided. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Being part of Christ’s body means I need __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 36: Day 5: Declare His Glory Among the Nations

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Gospel to the Nations

Day 5: Declare His Glory Among the Nations

Today's Reading:

Psalm 96

Key Verse:

“Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples.” (Psalm 96:3)

Devotional

The redemption of humanity started with one man, then one family, then a nation. This week, that circle has enlarged to the entire world.

Psalm 96 beckons the whole world to sing a new song to the Lord. I can’t help but notice this is exactly where God has been heading all along: the worship of the King by all the nations of the earth.

The nations and peoples of the world aren’t pet projects to be completed; they are people God intends to call to Himself, to the joy of knowing Him, and His glory is declared among them as a result simply because He’s worthy.

Loving and embracing the nations doesn’t mean acceptance of every god, form of pagan worship, or that any of those stories find equal standing before God. It’s actually the opposite. Scripture’s global vision of the Gospel declares there is one Creator, one Lord, and He alone deserves the worship of every person and people group on the earth.

The risen King is gathering a people from every tribe, language, people, and nation to call Him Lord. Through the power of His Spirit, people who once stood far apart have become one family without reducing their uniqueness and identity before God.

Psalm 96 gives us an incredible picture of all creation rejoicing, being glad, and shouting before the Lord! The gathering of the nations is part of this renewal, of this proclamation of praise and mercy.

Redeeming the nations for the sake of His glory isn’t a side-quest for seriously mission-minded Christians. It’s the heart and core of the Gospel itself. Every time someone from across the globe declares faith in Jesus, we are privileged to witness a tiny glimpse of the completion of His great plan, a tiny window of where this thing is heading.

And so we sing, we rejoice, and we praise, because the very same God who welcomed us deserves to be known among all the peoples of the world.

Reflection

If you could bring to mind that when you worship you are joining a people God is gathering from across the earth, would it change anything for you? Where might God be inviting you to move from appreciating His global mission to participating in it, making His glory known?

Prayer

Father, You are mighty and worthy of praise. Let Your glory be declared and believed among all the nations of the world. Accept and receive my worship, my life, my resources, and my witness as part of Your mission until the whole earth rejoices before its King. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“Today I praise God that His glory is being made known among __________________.”

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Week 36: Day 4: The Shape of Gospel Welcome

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Gospel to the Nations

Day 4: The Shape of Gospel Welcome

Today's Reading:

Romans 15

Key Verse:

“Therefore accept one another, just as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)

Devotional

I realize it’s possible to celebrate the global nature of the gospel while still struggling to live with and around people who are different from us. As a parent to two Hispanic boys and one black son, we’ve heard it many times from people that they “don’t see color.” But I challenge that sentiment. To ignore the God-created beauty and differences He built into us is to ignore and devalue how and who He made us to be. We have chosen instead to speak of our differences often, to celebrate them, even. Differences are beautiful and shouldn’t be ignored.

But in this context, Romans 15 brings this global vision of Scripture down to earth to the context of the ordinary relationships in the church. In this passage Paul addresses believers from different backgrounds, convictions, histories, and even some different practices. He’s already addressed the tension between the strong and the weak, but now he calls them all to a life shaped by Jesus, not by pleasing their own desires.

He gives a clear command: accept one another. Why? Because Christ accepted us.

The basis of our acceptance of others can no more stand on the differences than can our exclusions. The basis of acceptance is because we all stand before God as recipients of mercy. His mercy.

I love how Paul then connects the local admonition of acceptance of one another with the ginormous story of Scripture. Jesus first came as a servant to the circumcised, to the Jews, in order to confirm God’s promises to His people. Then, Jesus sends the disciples to the Gentiles, the uncircumcised, to invite them to glorify God for His mercy as well.

This passage is chock-full of truly beautiful language as we see Gentiles rejoicing with God’s people, the nations praising the Lord, the root of Jessie ruling the nations, and the Gentiles placing their hope in Him instead of their pagan gods.

Romans 15 and Acts 10 have become normative in the life of the church. Peter crossed the Gentile boundary with Cornelius in obedience to the Spirit. Now Jews and Gentiles alike must figure out how to remain at the same table together.

It’s easy to say all are welcome; it’s quite another to surrender preferences, bear with weakness, patiently listen, refuse to hold contempt, and truly make space in our lives for brothers and sisters whose experiences differ from ours.

We can’t pretend truth doesn’t matter, either. Paul spent an entire letter defending the truth of the gospel. Christian unity is built around the Lord who saves both Jew and Gentile, those like us and those who differ, by His matchless grace.
God has welcomed the nations. Now we must learn to live as welcomed and welcoming people who bear His name.

Reflection

How could welcoming other believers require more from you than simply agreeing with the idea of inclusion? How could remembering how Jesus accepted you change the patience, generosity, and hospitality you extend to others?

Prayer

Father, You have received me with Your mercy and grace. Teach my heart to receive others in the same Spirit of mercy. Give Your church patience across differences, courage to surrender selfish preferences, and a unity around Jesus that displays Your glory to the world. Amen

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“One way I can make room for someone different from me is __________________.”

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Week 36: Day 3: Blessed Beyond Ourselves

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Gospel to the Nations

Day 3: Blessed Beyond Ourselves

Today's Reading:

Psalm 67

Key Verse:

“So that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” (Psalm 67:2)

Devotional

Most of us find it fairly easy to ask God for personal blessing. Don’t believe me? Read over your church’s prayer list (or your own, for that matter). We pray for provision, protection, healing, wisdom, peace, a stronger family, a healthy and growing church, and countless other gifts that really are good and wonderful blessings from God. And it’s a biblical thought: “May God be gracious to us. May He bless us. May His face shine upon us.”

However, if we are faithful to the text, we can’t stop there. The Psalmist gives this prayer of blessing a landing point, a destination: “So that your way may be known on earth.” Those first two words are crucial: “So that …”

If ignored, those two words can expose something in our own hearts. We often want blessing, even the legitimate ones as spoken in this passage, to end with us, to be turned in on our own consumption and enjoyment. We want grace to make our lives easier, provision so we feel more secure, and strength to protect what we’ve built. But Psalm 67 asks us to desire something else.

He says, “Bless us so that your name can be made known among the nations.
In that calling, you can hear echoes of Abraham, whom God blessed so he would then become a blessing to others. Divine blessing was NEVER meant to become a private possession, but a shareable beacon to the world of the goodness of God.

Here, the Psalmist turns that call into a prayer: “Let the peoples praise You … Let the nations rejoice … Let all the peoples praise You.” He longs for people he has never met, for nations who’ve not known the joy of God’s rule, to experience the love and acceptance he knew well. He’s doing more than tolerating outsiders; he desires their worship to be pointed to God and the Name to be praised.

Global mission begins here, in the human heart renewed by the Spirit of God. It begins with our own desire. Do we really want God’s salvation to be known throughout the earth, or just on our native soil? Do we really want His Kingdom to grow when that growth contributes nothing to the ease of our lives or makes our own ministries more impressive?

God has shown us incredible mercy in Jesus. His grace then teaches us to look beyond ourselves and pray, “Let all the peoples praise You.”

The truly redeemed heart that has received grace eventually wants that grace to travel to others.

Reflection

When you ask God to bless you and yours, where do you imagine that blessing ending? With you, or with others? How might your prayers, resources, relationships, or ministries become a part of making God’s salvation known beyond your immediate world and influence?

Prayer

Father, please be gracious to us and bless us so Your name and Your ways may be known in all the earth. Grow in me a desire that spreads beyond my own comfort and personal concern. Give me genuine Holy Spirit joy when Your name is honored among peoples and places far beyond my own backyard. Especially when You’ve brought those peoples to my backdoor. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“I want God’s blessing in my life to reach beyond me by __________________.”

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Further Study

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Week 36: Day 2: A House for All Peoples

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Gospel to the Nations

Day 2: A House for All Peoples

Today's Reading:

Isaiah 56

Key Verse:

“For my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56:7)

Devotional

Seeing Cornelius and his house receive the Spirit may have surprised Peter, but it didn’t surprise God. In fact, it was just the next step in His redemptive plan.

Long before we read this story in Acts 10, Isaiah spoke of a day when people who assumed they were far beyond the rescue of redemption would be welcomed with love and dignity as the covenant people of God.

In his writing, Isaiah specifically addresses the foreigner and the eunuch. The foreigner expressed a fear of exclusion because of where he was from, and the eunuch feared exclusion due to a profound sense of loss from a future without children. But God speaks directly to those fears and encourages us to never assume we have no place in the family of God.

There’s something remarkable about the Lord’s promise being to those who hold fast in his covenant. Their reward will not be exclusion, but a lasting name. Foreigners are brought to His holy mountain, and He receives their worship, making His house a house of prayer for all the nations.

God presents Himself here as the One who gathers, the One who collects the dispersed of Israel and promises to include people from around the world... and it’s not a new idea; it’s been part of the plan from the very beginning.

The promise God gave Abraham was that all the families of the world would be blessed through him and his lineage. The choosing of Israel wasn’t about Him having His fill of the nations, but reveals His intent to bless the nations of the world through this one people. Over and over again the prophets speak of their hope that the nations would come together with them to worship the Lord.

Sometimes its easy, especially for us today, to imagine the church primarily in terms of people who know our songs, share our customs, speak our language, and fit comfortably inside our expectations and sensibilities. Just the other day I saw a meme of the Statue of Liberty bemoaning being asked to accept and tolerate the cultures of others over and above our own. I understand having strong opinions about immigration and public policy, but if we find ourselves with a general aversion to other cultures, I fear eternity will be a very long and arduous process for those who cultivate an unhealthy dislike for people and cultures different than their own. There will be a vast array of cultures and personalities present in the New Heavens and the New Earth. In fact, there are many cultures and differences in God’s family right now.

Belonging to God’s family doesn’t mean everyone must belong to our version of Christian culture, and Isaiah helps us remember that.

“The house” belongs to God, and He intends to fill it with the nations and make it a house of prayer. The same God who calls people to covenant faithfulness is the same God who gathers those who have historically resided outside of His presence.

Acts 10 is not God changing His mind, it’s God writing another chapter in the story He began so long ago.

Reflection

Where might you be tempted to confuse your own Christian culture, be it national, regional, or denominational, with the hard and fast boundaries of belonging to God’s Kingdom? Be honest with this one. Allow the Spirit to probe your heart and root out any hint of these feelings.
How does seeing God as the One who gathers change, or at least influence, the way you view people who are culturally and/or socially different from you?

Prayer

Father, You are the God who gathers the nations. Guard my heart from making Your family smaller than You have made it. Teach me to love Your holiness and your covenant faithfulness to the nations. Make Your church a faithful and loving witness to welcome those who are found to be in You. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“God’s family is bigger than my assumptions because __________________.”

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Week 36: Day 1: When the Nations Hear Copy

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Gospel to the Nations

Day 1: The Door God Opened

Today's Reading:

Acts 10

Key Verse:

“All the prophets testify about him that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 10:43)

Devotional

I know I say this almost every week, but I really do love this story in Acts 10. There are so many nuggets and gems in one chapter; we could spend weeks on this story alone.

We have Cornelius, a Roman centurion who feared God, is a generous giver, prays continually, but is a Gentile. We also have Peter, a Jewish follower of Jesus who is proclaiming the Gospel, but also has some preconceived ideas and assumptions about who the Gospel does and does not belong. God is about to confront his assumptions in a huge and eternally impactful way.

As Peter is on the roof praying, he has a vision of unclean animals wrapped in a sheet and is told to get up and eat. Many people think the vision was about food, literally giving us permission to things like bacon and sausage, but Luke makes it plain that something larger is afoot. As Peter enters the home of Cornelius, he explains the lesson God taught him through the vision: it wasn’t about the food, it was about the people. No longer could he think of Gentiles as impure or unclean. God was preparing Peter’s heart to cross over into territory he would not have crossed into on his own.

Once in the house, Peter began to do what Peter does … preach the Good News of Jesus, His ministry, death, resurrection, and forgiveness. Before he even finishes, the Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentiles … not just Cornelius, but everyone in attendance. In case you didn’t already know, for the Jewish believers, this is a really big deal.

In one instant, God conveys that not only had the Gospel and the Spirit now come to those outside the Jewish family of faith, but also that they wouldn’t need to become fully Jewish in order to receive the same Spirit they had received at Pentecost. They weren’t required to abandon who they were and adopt someone else’s culture to belong to the family of God.
Right before their eyes, God proves the Gospel is for everyone. Peter learned a lesson we would do well to remember: We aren’t the gatekeepers of grace. No culture, whether national or otherwise, holds a corner on the Gospel market. We who have received mercy don’t get to decide who is worthy to receive it next.

Truly, God was opening a door to the heart of Cornelius, but He was also doing a mighty work in Peter as well. Sometimes the barriers to Gospel advancement aren’t an unwilling world or a stubborn audience of lost souls, but our own small imagination about who God may welcome and how He may do it.

Reflection

Are there people or groups you instinctively imagine as being farther from God’s invitation than you are, or at least farther away than others? What assumptions might the Spirit need to confront in you so that you can first see people as potential recipients of grace instead of whatever else defines them?

Prayer

Father, I’m so grateful Your mercy reaches farther than my own boundaries. Expose the parts of my heart that harbor prejudices, assumptions, and fears that keep me from seeing others as people You desire to rescue through the Gospel. Make me ready and willing to follow you in obedience whenever and wherever You send me to welcome those who belong to Jesus. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“One boundary God may be opening in me is __________________.”

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Week 35: Day 5: The Beauty of a Gathered People

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Pentecost

Day 5: The Beauty of a Gathered People

Today's Reading:

Psalm 133

Key Verse:

“How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony!” (Psalm 133:1)

Devotional

Three short verses. That’s all we get in Psalm 133, but three verses is all we need to see a beautiful picture to end this week’s thoughts: people living together in harmony.

The progression of our story finds humanity united around our own self-proclaimed magnificence at Babel, then scattered and unable to dwell together because of a God-imposed language barrier. Then, at Pentecost, the Spirit pierces through those barriers so the Gospel could be heard by everyone. Then, Jesus sends His disciples out amongst the nations to move His mission out beyond the safety of their locked rooms and protected lives.

Psalm 133 beckons us to stop for just a moment and delight in the goodness of a people who can now dwell together in unity and harmony around the majesty of God. The Psalmist describes this unity as rich and abundant, like the sweet anointing of oil commissioning someone into service of God; like dew on the mountains. Harmony is something that flows, a gift from God.

As we turn our hearts toward worship in light of God’s Spirit pouring out on us, we need to remember the unity of God’s people isn’t centered around our own greatness, but on His holiness, sacrifice, and eternal love.

I love the fact that Pentecost didn’t reverse the judgment of Babel by returning us to one singular language, but by empowering different voices to come together as one with one purpose, one goal, and one mission. It signaled a shared allegiance to Jesus which unites people who might otherwise have nothing else in common.

Spend some time today thanking Him for the brothers and sisters He’s brought near that don’t look, speak, think, or hail from the same places as you and me. Seek His face and ask Him to make your life a place where Spirit-centered harmony is celebrated and protected.

All around us today, the scattered and broken are being gathered under the umbrella of the Gospel and reign of Jesus, and according to the Psalmist, that is in fact … delightfully good.

Reflection

Who has God placed in your life who helps you see the beauty of His diverse family? Where could you actively protect or strengthen harmony among God’s people?

Prayer

Father, it’s so good when Your people dwell together in harmony instead of division and strife. Thank you for creating a family that transcends language, background, culture, ethnicity, and every difference we could list. Forgive me for my pride and for when selfishness damages the unity Your Spirit brings. Teach me to love people, all people, but especially the ones You’ve brought near to my life. May my life and love for my neighbor point people to the King who makes a space for delightfully good gathering. Amen.

Finish this sentence in the comments:

“I praise God for gathering __________________.”

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Week 35: Day 4: Peace for the Sent

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Pentecost

Day 4: Peace for the Sent

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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