Daily Devotion for June 30, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Matthew 28:18-20.

Our Vacation Bible School was just a few weeks ago, and I led the Bible story sessions on that Friday. The theme for the day was “When we need help, we can trust Jesus.” As I called out the first four words, the children finished it very loudly with “We can trust Jesus!” Then I read the Scripture passage for the day, which is our passage today. Before starting to read, I told the children Jesus would give his apostles (and us) work to do in this passage; and then after reading it, I asked what our work is. One little girl immediately said the apostles were to “go.”  Another said “baptize,” another said “teach people,”and one little guy held up his hand and said, “spread the Good News of Jesus.” They had listened, and they nailed it!!

This passage is our commission as the church of Jesus Christ. There is a world of people all around us who are ready to hear about a God who loves them and whom we can trust. Jesus expects us, as his followers, to live in ways that reflect his teachings and to speak up and be a witness for him. He did not say consider or think about doing these things.  He said go and do them!     

Personal Worship Option:

Pray along with me: Forgive me, Lord, for acting as if others are fine just going along in life not knowing about you. Instill in me the courage to speak up for you, letting others know how very precious your love is in my life and can be in theirs. Amen.

Daily Devotion for June 29, 2025

Devotion:

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Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

This is a strong call for us to rejoice and give thanks to God in all circumstances.  Immediately, we think of difficult times when we are feeling stressed, threatened, or inadequate.  In those times, Paul is saying we should rejoice that God is with us and give thanks to God. During those kinds of times, most of us are apt to call out to God, asking for strength and courage to face our problems. Rejoicing in those times may be challenging, but Paul is encouraging us to rejoice that God is with us, even in the most difficult of times. We must give thanks for that abiding presence.

But this week, I also see this passage as calling us to remember in the good, happy, and carefree times of life that God blesses us, to give thanks to God, and to rejoice in God. People, including and maybe especially me, have a tendency to reach out to God in difficulty because we realize our limitations.  But in the good times, it is as if we don’t want to bother God. Or maybe we don’t want to bother with God. This is so very wrong!  When things are going well for us, it is the perfect time to give thanks to God, express our love, and pray for others.

Personal Worship Option:

Is now a difficult time for you? Give thanks to God for being with you and helping you through this. Is this a good time? Give thanks to God and rejoice in knowing and loving God, who loves us no matter what we face.

Daily Devotion for June 28, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Hebrews 10:19-25.

The writer of Hebrews reminded the first readers that Christ had died for their sins and now served as the perfect high priest. The readers are encouraged to stay firm in their faith, and to spur one another on to live out their faith, including doing good deeds. Then the writer gives us a glimpse of the loss of fervor that was becoming a problem…some were neglecting to come together in worship. Two thousand years later, we still face that problem. Some of us are much too prone to let the busyness of our lives compete with coming together with others in our worship services.

The week after 9/11 saw some of the best attended worship services in recent memory around our nation and in our community. We were jarred out of our sense of security and felt the need to come together to pray and to worship God. That is responding to a sense of fear in a difficult time, but attending worship together should also be a priority in the best of times.

Personal Worship Option:

We will have worship tomorrow at 9:30 and 11:15. Resolve now to be present in-person in one of those services, whether you are going through a rough patch or this is a great time in your life. God will welcome you.

Daily Devotion for June 27, 2025

Devotion:

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Read James 5:13-16.

Sometimes we find it easier to pray when we are in trouble or sick than to remember to praise God when we are happy and well. In whatever season you find yourself, God is ready to listen.  Did you catch that? God is ready to listen.  In our world, listening is one of the hardest things to do. One must be willing to set everything aside to listen; turn off the radio or tv, close the computer, put down the phone. When someone is willing to listen it is a rare privilege.  

You can talk to God because God listens. Your voice matters in heaven. He takes you very seriously. He listens to a plea from pain, or a confession, or an ask for guidance, and He especially enjoys those times of celebration and joy.  

Your prayers move God to change the world. You may not understand the mystery of prayer. You don’t need to. But this much is clear: actions in heaven begin when someone prays on earth. What an amazing thought!

Personal Worship Option:

What can you celebrate with God today? Thank Him for the beauty and goodness that surround you today!

Daily Devotion for June 26, 2025

Devotion:

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Read John 15:4-5.

We are the branches that are supposed to bear fruit. But, we are not able to produce any fruit unless we are connected to the true source, God. We need to stay connected to him at all times and in all seasons. We can bear our own fruit, but the only fruit that matters is spiritual fruit, which comes from Christ. It’s so easy as a Christian to brag and take credit after making things happen, however that isn’t what God intends for his children.  We aren’t able to produce fruit by our own strength or our own abilities, but instead God wants to use us to bear His fruit. When things are going well for us, we forget to give God the credit.  We get reliant on our own efforts and forget to thank God.

We need to strive to bear fruit for God. How can we remain in God? Stay connected to him in prayer, worship and study of his Word. Being a follower of Jesus is all about the relationship we have with him. The more time you spend with him, the more you will get to know him and the more you will produce spiritual fruit.  Let’s remember that we can do nothing without God. When we are in him, we will bear much fruit. 

Personal Worship Option:

Dear God, help us live to bear fruit for you. We want to be your hands and feet and to get others to follow you. You are the vine, and we are the branches. Amen

Daily Devotion for June 25, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Proverbs 16:18.

We don’t wake up one day and decide to fall. The descent often begins quietly—when we start believing our own press, when we stop listening, when we take credit without gratitude. Pride creeps in not with a shout, but with a whisper: “You’ve got this. You don’t need anyone else. You’re better than they are.”

Proverbs 16:18 gives us a warning, but it also offers a mirror. Pride isn’t always loud and obvious; sometimes it shows up as self-sufficiency masked as confidence, or certainty that no one else could understand what we know. But the end is the same: pride isolates, blinds, and ultimately leads to a fall.

The good news is that humility isn't weakness—it’s strength rooted in truth. It’s choosing to see ourselves clearly and others compassionately. When we walk humbly, we’re open to growth, correction, and grace.

Here’s a question for you to consider today: Where has pride subtly taken root in your life? What would it look like today to walk in humility—with God, and with others?

Personal Worship Option:

Pray: God, show me the places where pride has blinded me. Soften my heart and strengthen my spirit to walk humbly, to listen well, and to live in the truth of Your grace. Amen.

Daily Devotion for June 24, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Psalm 118:20-24.

Every sunrise is a gift from God. Every heartbeat is a reminder that we are still here, held by His grace. Psalm 118 calls us to pause and recognize something deeply powerful: God makes each and every day. He isn’t distant or uninterested. He is active, present, and intentional—shaping each moment with His wisdom and love.

The psalmist celebrates the marvelous things God has done, even calling attention to how something once rejected—the stone—has become the cornerstone. That’s a clear foreshadowing of Jesus, who was rejected by many but became the foundation of our faith. It’s also a reminder that God can bring beauty and purpose from things we might overlook or discard—even from the hardest days.

Then comes that joyful declaration in verse 24:

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Not just the easy days. Not just the days filled with success, laughter, or comfort. Every day—because every day is made by the Lord. That includes the ordinary, the difficult, and even the heartbreaking days. We don’t rejoice because of the trouble; we rejoice in spite of it—because God is with us in it.

To rejoice doesn’t mean we ignore our struggles. It means we choose gratitude over grumbling. It means we recognize God’s hand in the big picture and the small moments. Whether you’re sipping coffee in quiet stillness or facing a hard conversation, this day—right now—is a day God has made. So lift your eyes, soften your heart, and rejoice.

Personal Worship Option:

Father, thank You for this day. No matter what it holds, I trust that You made it with purpose. Help me to rejoice, even when it’s hard. Teach me to find joy in Your presence and to see Your goodness in every moment. This is Your day, Lord—I give it back to You with gratitude and faith. Amen.

Daily Devotion for June 23, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Psalm 100.

During this week, we will focus on loving God and being faithful in the good times, even when we may feel tempted to tell God to stand by and we will call on God if needed. That is a shameful attitude, but we are human; and it is easy to slip into that frame of mind sometimes without even thinking about it. If we do slip into this, we may neglect our prayers and devotional life, and we may begin to miss worship services and other marks of the Christian life. It can happen to the best of Christians when we are busy with life, and things are going well.  Beware!

This psalm is a call to worship, coming before God with praise and thanksgiving. Some of us memorized this passage when we were young, and it sounds really familiar. Others of us may read it even more carefully, not letting familiarity prevent them from seeing each word and phrase. A key point in this brief psalm is that God is good, and God’s love (for us) endures forever. How could we not stay close, even in the good times!

Personal Worship Option:

Pause a few minutes and do a quick assessment of your life. Are you engaged in the church and with God? Or have you been meaning to get plugged in more intimately, drawing closer to God? Now is the time!!

 

Daily Devotion for June 22, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Hebrews 12:1-2.

The race of life, the race of faith, is certainly not a sprint. It is a marathon. There are hills and valleys and everything in between. There are places and circumstances that tempt you to quit. This writer reminds us that we are not in this race alone. We have many faithful people of the past and present who are cheering us on.  

Then the writer gives us the best piece of advice for having the endurance we need to stay in the race: keep your eyes on Jesus Christ. He’s been through this race himself. He gave us the supreme example of how you run this race.  

So we are to stay connected to our Lord through the Holy Spirit that is always present with us. It is this Spirit who gives us “our daily bread” that nourishes us along the way. We also are to take advantage of every opportunity we have to learn the way of our Lord, to study his ministry and teaching among us and follow his example as best we can.  

“Look to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” There is no better advice than that!

Personal Worship Option:

One of my favorite hymns was written by Albert Bayly. Here are two verses of it.

Lord, whose love through humble service bore the weight of human need, who upon the cross, forsaken, offered mercy’s perfect deed: we, your servants, bring the worship not of voice alone, but heart, consecrating to your purpose every gift that you impart.

Called by worship to your service, forth in your dear name we go to the child, the youth, the aged, love in living deeds to show; hope and health, good will and comfort, counsel, aid, and peace we give, that your servants, Lord in freedom may your mercy know, and live. Amen.

Daily Devotion for June 21, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Matthew 28:16-20.

I guess you could make the argument that this assignment was given only to those apostles and not to anyone else. But all down through the history of the Church, Jesus’ commission here at the end of Matthew’s Gospel has been viewed as given to anyone and everyone who claims him as their Lord and seeks to represent him to the world.  

I see this mission as having two meanings or points of focus. First, it is about bringing new people to faith in Jesus Christ. It’s about “fishing for people” as Jesus put it when calling his first disciples. It’s about sharing his gospel message in both words and deeds so that people are drawn to Christ and want to follow him and learn to live his way.  

Second, it’s about growing followers of Jesus into committed disciples. As John Wesley put it to his preachers, this is about “going on to perfection” in the love of Christ. It’s the process of sanctification, constantly learning and growing in becoming more like Christ. It is a daily journey of going deeper in your love for God and love for other people, even enemies.  

Go make disciples. Bring new people to Jesus. Help his followers increase their commitment to him. Amen? Amen!   

Personal Worship Option:

Here are two verses of the hymn Leon Adkins wrote about this mission:

“Go, make of all disciples.” We hear the call, O Lord, that comes from thee, our Father, in thy eternal Word. Inspire our ways of learning through earnest, fervent prayer, and let our daily living reveal thee everywhere.

“Go, make of all disciples.” We at thy feet would stay until each life’s vocation accents thy holy way. We cultivate the nature God plants in every heart, revealing in our witness the master teacher’s art.

Daily Devotion for June 20, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Mark 1:16-17.

Jesus still calls anyone who will listen to follow him and learn to “fish for people.” Fishing was a major industry around the Sea of Galilee. Fishing with nets was the most common method. Jesus called the disciples to fish for people with the same energy they had used to fish for food. The gospel would be like a net, lifting people from dark waters into the light of day and transforming their lives.  

How can God use you to fish for people? The gospel makes missionaries of all God’s people. Where are you casting your net?

Personal Worship Option:

Take some time to listen for God’s direction. How can you make a difference today?

Daily Devotion for June 19, 2025

Devotion:

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Read John 2:1-11.

Jesus' first miracle has often baffled me because it seemed unnecessary from a purely human point of view. Yes, I can understand that Jesus saved the wedding host from embarrassment, but that seems so frivolous and unimportant compared to other things that could have used a miracle. But this miracle reveals that Jesus came not only to help us with our greatest problems, but also to spread the joy of full, abundant living with God.

Through his life and death, Jesus redeemed believers from the weight of sin in their lives and in the world. When this burden is removed from us, we can see the true character of God and all the blessings he wants for us in life. The gospel of John reports that as a result of this first miracle, Jesus revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. This miracle reminds us that Jesus meets us in our moments of need. He takes what is ordinary and makes it extraordinary.  He can transform our lives into something beautiful and full of purpose. 

Personal Worship Option:

Dear God, every life is a miracle from you. It shows your glory in all the creation and the work that you do through people. Thank you for the love that you sent us, using Jesus to show us the miracles you have for us. Amen.

Daily Devotion for June 18, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Acts 1:6-8.

Even after the resurrection, the disciples were still asking the wrong question: “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” They wanted clarity, closure, and control. But Jesus redirects them—not with a timeline, but with a mission.

He tells them they will receive power, not political power or certainty, but the power of the Holy Spirit—a power not for comfort, but for courage. And then He gives them their task: be my witnesses. Not just in the familiar streets of Jerusalem, but out into Judea, then Samaria (home of their cultural rivals), and finally “to the ends of the earth.”

This is still the mission: to bear witness—not just to doctrines, but to the living Christ who transforms lives, communities, and even enemies. The call to witness stretches us beyond our comfort zones. It starts at home, but it never ends there.

Personal Worship Option:

Ask yourself, Where is your “Jerusalem”—the place God has already planted you to be a witness? And where might God be nudging you next—across a boundary, a fear, or an assumption?

Then pray this prayer or one of your choosing: God of mission and movement, breathe Your Spirit into us again. Give us courage to speak truth, humility to listen well, and boldness to go wherever You send us. Let us be faithful witnesses—near and far. Amen.

Daily Devotion for June 17, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Matthew 8:5-13.

Even though he was an outsider, this Roman centurion knew that Jesus could help his servant. In a world defined by boundaries—political, religious, ethnic—this moment is a powerful reminder that faith transcends all barriers. The centurion wasn’t a Jew. He wasn’t part of God’s covenant people. He was a Roman officer, a symbol of the very empire that oppressed Israel. And yet, he approached Jesus with humility, compassion, and stunning faith.

This passage is remarkable for many reasons. First, the centurion’s concern wasn’t for himself, but for his servant—someone considered low in status. His heart revealed a love that was both sincere and sacrificial. Second, his faith wasn’t based on religious knowledge or tradition but on a simple, profound belief in Jesus’ authority. “Only say the word,” he said. He understood something many of Jesus’ own people didn’t grasp: that Christ’s power was not limited by proximity or ritual.

Jesus was astonished. He said, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.” Think about that. This Roman soldier—an outsider—had greater faith than the people who had grown up with the Scriptures. Jesus goes on to say that many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, revealing that God’s kingdom welcomes all who believe, regardless of background.  

Personal Worship Option:

Lord Jesus, give us faith like the centurion. Help us to trust in Your authority completely, even when we don’t see how things will work out. Teach us to love others deeply, especially those who are hurting. And remind us that Your grace is for all people—no matter who they are or where they come from. Amen.

Daily Devotion for June 16, 2025

Devotion:

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Read John 12:20-32.

This passage is packed with things for us to see, to understand, and to incorporate into our lives. Some Greeks were drawn to Jesus upon his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and asked to see him. Philip took them to Andrew, who went with him to tell Jesus; and we are reminded how we are not meant to turn people away but rather to bring them to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke about how a single kernel of wheat is just that, a single seed. But when it dies into the soil, it produces a harvest of many seeds. When we keep our lives to ourselves, serving our own interests, we are just one. But when we give our lives unselfishly to serving Christ, others will be drawn to him. 

Jesus refers in verse 32 to the time when he will be “lifted up,” referring to his coming death on the cross, but the Greek word for this also means “exalted.” Through his death and resurrection, Jesus would be exalted above every name on earth, and many people would be drawn to him. We are not so much called to die for Christ as we are called to live for him, lifting up his name by our everyday witness in word and deed.      

Personal Worship Option:

Give thanks today that someone or perhaps several people lived before you a life focused on Christ and spoke to you about his influence on their lives. Through their witness, you came to know Christ. Now it is our turn to lift up Christ to those around us. 

Daily Devotion for June 15, 2025

Devotion:

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Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

“This is my body (and blood), given for you.” Jesus Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice to show you and me and everybody else the depth of God’s love for all of us. His whole life was “a living sacrifice” that showed us what it means to live as his people. And in the end, he told us that he wanted to be remembered by this meal.  In Communion, we meet Jesus again and are reminded that his way is the way of sacrificial love. Every time we receive the bread and cup, we get to experience his presence again. We experience the Spirit of Christ with us and are reminded that this same Spirit goes with us back out into the world. We also get the tangible experience of taking the bread and juice into our body, a physical reminder that this is what sacrificial love looks like.  

So, anytime you receive this meal, let it be more than just remembering what Jesus did a long time ago on behalf of you and the whole world. Let it be a time to be with Jesus right then. Seek his presence in that moment and renew your commitment to seek his presence out there in the real world, where sacrificial love is still so desperately needed.  

Personal Worship Option:

Two verses from Isaac Watts hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” are most fitting for this focus today:

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God; all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

Daily Devotion for June 14, 2025

Devotion:

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Read John 3:16.

 “God so loved the world that he gave…” Think about all the people in your life who have given you something significant simply because they loved you. I think especially of my parents. They raised me in a loving home and provided for my needs throughout my childhood and teenage years. When my sister started school, Mom took on a job outside our home to help provide for us. I am sure there were many times that she and Dad both sacrificed having things or experiences they would have liked to have in order to see their children prosper. There is no doubt in my mind that I would not be where I am today if I did not have the foundation my parents provided for me in many ways in those early years.

Sacrifice is “part of the package” of love. When we truly love someone or some cause, we are willing to make sacrifices for them. We want the best for them and willingly give what we have to help them. This is not done out of a sense of duty, but desire.

God gave us Jesus because “God so loved the world.” God gave you Jesus because God so loved you.

Personal Worship Option:

Pray this prayer or one in your own words: God of life and love, I am amazed at the depth of your love for me and all the world. Help me live my life to show you the depth of my gratitude. In Jesus’ name, Amen.