Daily Devotion

January 23

Deb Houston

1 John 1:1-5 NIV

1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen.  We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen hm. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life.  He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you that we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy. Living in the Light. 5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.  

Our theme for this 21 Days of Prayer is New Beginnings

Genesis 1:1a in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

In his Gospel, John shares clear evidence that Jesus is the Son of God, sent from heaven. He says numerous times; we’ve seen Him, we’ve heard him, we’ve touched Him. As I ponder on this message, I sense his plea for ‘us to hear and feel’ his message, to experience his experience. He says, we proclaim to you!

Think of a time, you shared with someone an exceptional experience of something miraculous happening or an urgent need to know. We wanted undivided attention.  We might say – listen; I saw this with my own eyes, I touched it, I heard what was said! We might touch their arm, maybe turn them to face us to be sure they listen, hear, and understand.  

Why is that? 

We want to engage in a discussion so that they can see, feel, and relate to our experience through us. We want to share the reality of the details so that they experience the same joy as we do.  

Why the sense of urgency in John’s message?  

He says, ’so that we may fully share their joy, that we have fellowship with them, fellowship with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ’. John wants to bring our hearts back to the moment so that we too fully experience the presence of Jesus Christ, just as he has.  

Recall times of joy in our lives as we have New Beginnings and how eager we are to share our joy, the birth of a child, a baptism, an engagement.  

John’s joy is supreme joy.  Joy to the world.

Prayer: Father, thank You for glorious joy we have with Your Son. A joy that surpasses understanding. A joy that overwhelms our hearts. Causes us to live out this joy in a way that others may see You through us. Teach us and Lead Us Father, to be Your light to others and share Your joy in a way that others want to hear. I pray this in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

January 22

Birgitta Kruzan

Isaiah 65:17 NIV

 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”

Do you enjoy the outdoors? I love being in nature, be in or near water, on top of a mountain or in a dessert. It is one of the ways that leaves me in awe of the Creator who created the vastness of the landscape, to the very intricate details of each created being in it. Someone who can create new heavens and a new earth, deserves our worship and adoration. 

Isaiah 65:17 doesn’t stop at just creating this, but former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. How difficult it is to let go of things, to forgive but even more so, to not think about it. With God it is possible. In cross reference, 2 Peter 3:13 talks about this promise of God and ‘a world filled with God’s righteousness’. 

The entire state of things is to pass away. All the muck and mire. The new heavens and a new earth will be so all encompassing that it pushes out any remembrance of the old. In eternity, past sins will not plague us or God, nor interfere with God’s acceptance of us. And we will be capable of choosing not to recall our past troubles, sorrows and sins. We will be focusing instead on God and the wonders of Heaven.

What a wonderful promise to share with the people around us. Who isn’t longing for a better world, a new way of living without the brokenness of our current situation dragging us down? Does this Scripture verse fill you with hope?

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank You for being our Creator God, You are awesome and mighty. Fill us with Your hope and courage and help us to focus on You, Your Word and Your works. Thank You for Your promises and help us cling to them and share them with the people we encounter. May we be Your ambassadors and pass on Your Light as a Beacon of Hope. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

January 21

Madison King

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Have you ever sat down with your hands held out in front of you, wondering what slipped

through the cracks in the plans you had? You had it all mapped out, but something was missing.

Many of us have had some sort of moment like this! Oftentimes, we find ourselves leaning on

what we think we know is best (our own understanding), and do not realize the effect it can have on our lives.

In a world that is constantly moving so quickly, it can be easy to create a picture in our head of

what we want something to look like and start to work towards it. This could be in your career,

your home, or even a passion. Are goals bad? Not at all! We mean well when we make goals like these, but we must learn to take a moment to pause each day and think about what it means to set aside our own ambitions — our own sense of control — and allow the Lord to work in and through our lives.

There is something so special about putting your trust in the Lord. When you put your trust in the plans He has for you, and lean into the knowledge of who He is, things start to fall into place. That “thing” may not look exactly how you imagined, but there is something greater ahead. May you find comfort today in knowing that the Lord has beautiful things planned for your life in this season, and the ones to come. Trust and see that the Lord will make your paths straight when you submit to His ways. For all things begin with the Father. Life, experiences, relationships — it all begins with Him. And because you know who your Father is, you can walk in faith knowing that every new beginning is for a greater purpose.

Prayer: Father God, we lift our lives up to You today. We thank You that we do not have to worry about where we are going next because You are our guide. Our prayer for this season is that You would open our eyes to what it means to truly surrender it all to You, and be confident that the plans You have for us are greater than we could ever think or imagine. In Your precious name we pray. Amen.

January 20

Pastor Craig Bollinger

1 Peter 1:3-4a NIV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

Peter gives us a beautiful reminder of how Christians can not only start each day but live each day in a unique calling as vessels of hope to the world. When Jesus teaches us how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, He begins with “Father in heaven, holy is your name”. To begin a prayer with praise reminds us of the beauty and power of the one to whom we are praying. To begin a day giving praise to God simply for who He is, what He has done and His ongoing kindness to us, has us more fully live into the day with all its joys and struggles under the awareness of God’s goodness in it all.  

Peter reminds us that we have a living hope that comes because God has been so merciful to us. God has forgiven our sins and given us a fresh start, a new beginning to live with Him and for Him in the world and eternally with Him in heaven. Everyday, Peter reminds us, we can arise giving praise and thanks once again. Everyday we can arise freshly forgiven and hopeful for what God has planned. Everyday we can encounter person after person with a living hope – a hope that others see alive and well in our own lives. We display a living hope that meets each situation, struggle, unknown, or impossibility with our possible, powerful God. Each day we can walk with joy and expectation because the hope within us through Christ is real and our eternal future is secure.  

Are you starting your day with this kind of praise and hope? Are you seen in your family, community, and with friends as one filled with joy and possibility that comes from the living hope of Christ? You can! Jesus wants you to be born again into His presence and grace. He is knocking on the door of your heart to make His home in you. He wants to save you with His mercy and fill your heart with His joy and hope. Today is a good day for a new beginning. If you are already in this place with Jesus, share Him with others so they can experience His mercy and hope as well.

Prayer: Gracious and loving Father, thank you for saving us through your son Jesus.  Thank you for giving us a new birth through the cross and the forgiveness of our sin. We praise you for your kindness. We welcome your living hope within us. Help us through your Holy Spirit to awaken each day in the joy of your presence. Amen! 

January 19

Kat Bierma

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

January is often a time we try to reinvent or improve ourselves, but oftentimes, before the month has even closed, we have given up on those resolutions and promises we made to ourselves on January 1st. Many of us find ourselves discouraged, wishing to change the deepest parts of ourselves and unable to do so. We think if we try hard enough or find the right program, the changes will finally stick.

But the road of self-effort and behavior modification is not the way of Christ! Praise the Lord! His way is better and will bring the fulfillment we are all longing for.

Paul is telling the Corinthians that following Christ isn’t about following the rules, and a new life isn’t about trying hard enough. Only Jesus can change our hearts and lives in the way we want. Following Jesus is about staying grafted into the Vine, seeking to know who our Savior is, and letting the Holy Spirit work in us.

The more we know Jesus the more beautiful he will become in our eyes, the more we will long to be like him. In Him and through the work of the Holy Spirit, we are made new. Not through our own efforts, but through the life-giving blood of Jesus. 

This way is hard because we have to let go of ourselves and our agenda and our will. This way feels scary because we don’t know where following Jesus like that will take us. But there is no safer place to be in life than within the will of God. Where He leads us there will be rest, and storms and trials of life will not overwhelm us. We are never alone as we follow Jesus and in Him we will find the change we all so deeply long for.

Prayer: Gracious Lord, you are good, you are holy, and you are the source of new beginning and new life. We worship you and thank you that you see us and know us. Holy Spirit, make us like Jesus today. May we say with joy, “behold the new has come”! Amen.

January 18

Mark Taft

Phillipians 3:13-14 NIV

13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I am hoping, at 59, that I am not the “know-it-all” I was at 29. Don’t we all think we are so wise and knowledgeable at one point? Yet, here Paul, who knew more about Christ than most of us do in a lifetime, was not foolish to think he had attained what God designed. It is a lifelong journey to gain what he talks about in Philippians 3 – to fully know Christ and the power of His resurrection. I find this passage so encouraging. No matter when we start, or where we are in the journey, we all get to spend a lifetime understanding Him and His power. There are new things to learn and begin every day of every year.

As a new Christian, 47 years ago, I was told to put aside childish things. I thought this meant I was to ignore what I was taught and forget about the past. It was a poor understanding of what Paul meant here and elsewhere. Hebrews 6:1 describes this forgetting as leaving elementary doctrine and moving to maturity.

In our ministry with couples, Pam and I often find people weighed down trying to avoid their past instead of embracing it. If I do not take time to learn from my family of origin and upbringing, I miss a humongous part of who God made me. He gave us amazing brains that can create meaning from our past, while looking forward. It is not, “I move ahead, but avoid the past.”  It is “I move ahead AND I appreciate my past.”  As I hold onto the “good stuff,” I can let go of the things that are not helpful for me today.

In the past, when I considered what it was like to press on in ancient Greek times, I did not have an accurate picture. I assumed athletics were leisurely and athletes moderately engaged. But this was not so. Imagine, as a runner, going full speed ahead for half a mile in full armor weighing at least sixty pounds. And then running in loose sand for a few more miles. In other sports, there were no time limits, no rounds, no rest periods, and no respite from the midsummer sun. Obviously, the hearers of this passage knew something about pressing on. 

The task of beginning again and again and again to walk with the Lord and follow His ways is not for the faint of heart. Paul knew that it was work. So, let us not pretend we have arrived or even that we know what to do today to get there. As you and I begin today’s job of pressing on toward the prize – let us encourage each other, and all the more as we see the day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25). It is okay if it seems like more prep work than we can manage. It is okay if the past is a lot to hurdle over.

We can get bogged down in the sand with all the weight upon us. AND, yet, what a privilege to be in this race that is such a high calling. We run each step in the power of the Holy Spirit and when we read to the end of scripture, we know that we actually do win! So, come on, you can do this with me.

Prayer: Lord, help us. We have a lot of baggage, and plenty of wasted time. We have not always taken this race seriously. We have tried to run it all alone. And yet, You call us to begin again. Right now, today. You would not have challenged us to it if You did not also know that we could do it. In Christ, we have what we need before we even lace up the strings! We are so excited that we get to know You and obtain Your resurrection. Wow, what a race this is going to be! Amen.

January 17

Sarah Yost

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Oftentimes we as humans feel the need to control our lives. What we eat, how we dress, who we associate with, worldly things in our surroundings. Many get lost in the idea, the more they control…the more they are in control. However…it’s the exact opposite.

Our verse today encourages us to relinquish our powerless control of our lives and rely on the wisdom of God. God knows every step and misstep of our lives. Our triumphs and struggles are laid out in God’s perfect plan. He is the master conductor.

God has made us perfectly imperfect here on Earth. Yet, has set eternity in our heavenly home. God knows the struggles presented to his earthly children every day. He is always by our side…always knowing exactly what we need. The righteous will never be forsaken. God will never abandon us. He will always guide the way.

Placing your trust in the Lord comes with comfort and relief. God has the reigns, not us. God’s timeline does not always fall into place the way we’d like. Many of us pray for quick resolution. What if instead we prayed for guidance and comfort in the good times and the bad? Trust that God has us from beginning to end.

With this New Year place your trust in God for new beginnings needed. Ask for comfort and guidance every day. Knowing our Heavenly Father holds the map of our lives and gives us eternity in heaven.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for guiding us in every step of our lives. Forgive us of our imperfect sinful nature. Guide us through the obstacles of life, comforting and encouraging us along the way. Thank You for where we stand today. Please help guide your sons and daughters to the understanding that Your perfect plan will unfold in Your time and not ours. Encourage us daily to take comfort in You and not worldly items. Help us find comfort in Your control and the perfect path You have laid out before us. Thank You for your never ending love. Amen.

January 16

Allen O’Neal 

Nehemiah 9:5-6 NIV

5 The Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, “Arise, bless the Lord, your God, from eternity to eternity!” The Israelites answered with the blessing, “Blessed is your glorious name and exalted above all blessing and praise.”  6 Then Ezra said: “It is you, O Lord, you are the only one; you made the heavens, the highest heavens and all their host, the earth and all that is upon it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them you gave life, and the heavenly hosts bow down before you.”

I can’t tell you how many times I have needed a “new beginning.” At least for me, my desire for a new beginning did not always arise when I was facing difficult times. On the contrary, more often than not, it was because I realized that something is “off” or missing. That something was God. I had stopped focusing on God and His will for my life. I let secular concerns and interest distract me from my daily devotions. I sought loopholes for why missing church was okay. You know the story.

That is exactly what Ezra and Nehemiah faced in 587 BC – the Jewish community had fallen away from the teachings of Moses to the extent that they routinely ignored the Sabbath and looked for “loopholes” in the law to justify their actions. Sound familiar? And just like today, it was easy to find like-minded followers to say these actions were justified.

Ezra and Nehemiah blessed us with the roadmap for how to create our new beginnings and Jesus is always there to welcome us. The roadmap begins with acknowledging our thirst for God and taking action to quench that thirst by reading the bible and praying. In Nehemiah 9:1-3 the faithful fasted and wore sackcloth and spent hours reading the scriptures and confessing their sins. In verses 5-6 the leaders praise God.  

Jesus told us to love God above all things. What I find incredible, humbling, and exciting is how God is so patient and each day is a “new beginning” – one where we can rededicate our lives to following Jesus and His teachings. A new day, where you let your love for God shine like a beacon for others.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for sending Your Son to redeem us. Please give us strength to overcome the temptations that await us each day and to focus our eyes on You. Help us to embrace each new day as a “new beginning” to faithfully bring the Gospel to our community. Amen. 

January 15

Kaitlyn Whisnant

Isaiah 40:31 NIV

31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. 

Today’s scripture is out of the book of Isaiah. The book of Isaiah unveils the full dimensions of God’s judgment and salvation. This is revealed to us in the scripture leading up to today’s verse. The nation of Israel was preparing for its coming judgment and knew that it was not going to end well. This is because the nation as a whole had been unfaithful and failed to keep God’s promises, which later led to the Israelite’s exile to Babylon, an event that shook the nation of Israel to the core. This could have easily been the end for the Israelites, but instead we step into a new world of hope for Israel and the coming Messiah in today’s scripture. 

The scripture says that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength”. Even though Israel did not keep God’s promises and were unfaithful, the Lord showed grace. He offered them a new beginning, forgiving them of all their previous sins and granting them peace in a season of many unknowns. He does the same for us and through this passage, we are reminded of how He washes our sins clean. 

Christ reveals to us a number of different truths and provides us comfort in our new beginning. First, no matter what you have done in your past or been through, you can still find a new beginning. The Israelites had done a number of unfaithful and unworthy things, but still were given comfort. We are not hopeless, unworthy or too far gone for God to still give us a new beginning. We are reminded here that no matter what happens, our new beginning is represented by the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for each one of our sins. If we believe in the resurrection of life and the coming of the Messiah, we will be granted a new beginning. We can follow Christ and return to connection with Him through the laying down of our own sin, regret and guilt at the cross. 

The next truth that is revealed to me through this passage is through the word “hope”. The word hope means a feeling of expectation or desire for something to happen. Through the first truth we were able to find comfort in knowing that God forgives us for our sins and that we are never too far gone for a new beginning in Him. The Lord is a God of comfort and grace. Now we are able to find hope in our new beginning and hope in what lies ahead. Keeping this in mind, today we need to reflect on areas in our lives that we need both comfort and grace. While turning to Jesus through prayer and scripture, we are able to rest assured in our new found beginning. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for paying the ultimate price on the cross for us and making us new each morning. Help us to continue to follow in your footsteps and renew our strength each day so we can bring glory to your Kingdom. With your help, no matter how big or small we mess up, you will still love us and give us boundless grace. Give us the strength to be able to admit when we mess up and start fresh in a new beginning. And give us your generous heart to be able to offer a new beginning to others, just like you do for us. Amen. 

January 14

Jane Ann Simon

Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer, and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Have you ever been to a large sporting event or a music concert? The crowd cheers like crazy when the players come onto the field or stage. I imagine that must be what it is like in heaven when we come to a place of accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  …And the crowd (of the heavenly host) goes wild!

This heavenly crowd is on our side and rooting us on, from the moment we surrender our old lives for the new one that Christ offers. These witnesses know that beginning the new life, Jesus offers, has a learning curve!  

For someone new to a relationship with Jesus, that might mean stopping old habits, perhaps changing the company we keep, or discovering a new way to “be” in the world. For maturing believers, God never stops searching our hearts and bringing us new understanding. Often, He digs deeper into our hearts than He did in our early days, purging deeply layered thoughts and patterns.  

We can’t live in the world without it hindering our walk with Christ, from time to time. Sin is ever present, and temptations never go away. The good news is that we have a Savior who did the impossible! He lived a life free of sin!  

Hebrews 12:2 says that “for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross”. Our Savior loves us enough to have had joy in going to the cross– just so that He could have a relationship with us. Amazing! 

Did you know that we get a new beginning every day? Every single morning, we have the opportunity to sit at the feet of our Lord and receive renewal. In fact, if we do stumble in sin, we can offer a prayer of confession and He offers an instant new start. We can do this whenever we have need, and God welcomes us. He does this because of the righteousness that we now have due to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. What a mighty God we serve!  

I hear the heavenly cloud of witnesses cheering for us… do you?

Prayer: Father, thank You for my new life in Christ! Thank You for offering me daily renewal as I seek to walk with You. Thank You that You offer me forgiveness when I slip, and after confession, my relationship with You is restored immediately!  Thank You, Jesus for enduring the cross so that I could have access to Heaven one day. Until then, I am comforted and guided by Your Holy Spirit. I praise You and Thank You for that. In Jesus’ name. Amen.