Category: <span>Devotions</span>

Monday 1 John 2:28-3:2; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 Have you ever heard this from another who self-describes as “spiritual” or “good”: “I don’t like organized religion—I have my own relationship with God.” A generally effective way of responding, unexpected while also meeting others where they are, is the sincere reply, “Neither do I. In fact, I’m...

Monday 1 John 2:18-27 “From that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David.” (1 Samuel 16:13) Samuel anointed the boy David to be king. In an instant, God changed the trajectory of David’s life. The anointing—the Holy Spirit—would affect his life forever. The anointing would get him into scrapes (Saul trying...

Monday 1 John 2:12-14 We went to Alaska a few summers ago and experienced the super growth of local gardens due to the nearly endless hours of sunshine in July. Life was evident everywhere. Where there is life, there will be growth. And where there is growth, there is life. And that is true in...

Monday 1 John 2:6 “Those of us who aspire to live in Jesus are to live as He lived.” —1 John 2:6 How did Jesus live? And how can we live like that? Reading and studying the gospels helps us to understand how Jesus lived. First, Jesus lived in fellowship with and in union with...

Monday 1 John 1:6-2:2; Romans 6:15; Luke 18:9-14 This week we explore John’s 7-verse mini-essay on sin, 1 John 1:6-2:2. Herein the Apostle powerfully addresses the three major sin frameworks (those of the carnal “Christian,” the atheist, and the legalist), God’s process to make us more Christ-like, and His solution for humankind’s fallen separation from...

Monday 1 John 1:1-5; John 20:19-31 In this week’s devotionals, imagine the Apostle John speaking to you directly You know me as the Apostle John, though I prefer to be known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23). Glenkirk’s next twelve weeks of devotionals explore what you call 1 John, which I penned under...

Monday Genesis 32:22-32 – Jacob Wrestling with God “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” —2 Corinthians 12:10 The strange story of Jacob wrestling with “a Man” in Genesis 32 has long been a personal...

Monday Mark 1 “The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, ‘What is this?’” —Mark 1:27 Scripture is a funny thing. We can try to master the Bible by studying it or reading through it. But we cannot control it; the Bible must control us. This comes about through meditating on it...

Monday Hebrews 12:14-15 – Root of Bitterness “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of...

Monday John 13:35 – Opportunities “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” —John 13:35 We’ll be given many opportunities to love God and love our neighbors. How well we follow God’s commandments will be part of our legacy of faith. Our actions will also stand as proof...