First15 Devotional - First15

Latest Episodes:

Repentance and God’s Promised Forgiveness Aug 31, 2023

Show notes

Not one of us is without sin. And each of us lives with a need for consistent repentance and an active receiving of God’s forgiveness. This is so crucial to living poor in spirit. The beauty of our God is that his forgiveness is promised at our repentance. There is no fear or shame in God’s perfect love and mercy. May we learn to embrace this aspect of walking with the Lord rather than shy away from it.

Our Scripture for today comes from Ephesians 1:7, and today's worship is Hide and Seek by First15 Worship feat. Nikki Moltz.

Thank you so much for listening to today’s podcast.

In God, repentance is a joyful thing, because in acknowledging our wrong we get to experience God’s incredible compassion and forgiveness. And in being forgiven, we’re freed from the weight sin brings on to our life.

I hope that your experience with God today gives you a true sense of that lightness in him throughout the rest of your day.

Have a great day, and may God bless you as you seek him.

We are so excited to announce our very first First15 Kid’s Devotional book, My Time With God.

Get your copy of First15’s first ever devotional book for kids today!

My Time with God is a 20 day devotional written for young readers, ages 6-12, to help encourage and equip them to establish a lifetime of learning and walking with God through daily scripture reading and reflection. Each day of this 20 day devotional includes scriptures, activities, and prayers to help growing believers learn how to connect more deeply with God and about how spending time with God helps us live the life he’s called us to.

This resource is foundational, answering questions such as,

What is a devotional?
What is prayer?
Why spend time with God?
What does it mean to enjoy God’s presence?

“When we choose to love God and let ourselves experience his love, he also teaches us how to love others. Living for love means living like Jesus did. He was always thinking of others.”

Request your copy of First15’s new kids devotional, My Time With God, today by clicking here, and help your kids explore spending time with God each and every day!

Seeking Wealth in Heaven Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

Today as we continue our week on being poor in spirit, we’ll assess our hearts regarding storing up treasures on earth verses in heaven. We see this theme repeatedly in the words of Jesus, and it is my prayer we’re able to heed his words and embrace what they mean for us. As we seek to have one devotion today, may our hearts be fully open to the One who’s worthy.

Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 6:33, and today's worship is The Narrow Way by Steffany Gretzinger.

–

Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast!

I hope you have a wonderful day, and may God bless you as you seek him.

We are so excited to announce our very first First15 Kid’s Devotional book, My Time With God.

Get your copy of First15’s first ever devotional book for kids today!

This resource is foundational, answering questions such as,

What is a devotional?
What is prayer?
Why spend time with God?
What does it mean to enjoy God’s presence?

“When we choose to love God and let ourselves experience his love, he also teaches us how to love others. Living for love means living like Jesus did. He was always thinking of others.”

Request your copy of First15’s new kids devotional, My Time With God, today by clicking here, and help your kids explore spending time with God each and every day!

Lifestyle of Grace Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

As we continue our week on becoming poor in spirit, today we’ll explore the concept of living a lifestyle of grace. Many of us struggle with pride and self-sufficiency. But those things are in stark opposition to what it means to live poor in spirit. When we choose the road of humility, we open ourselves up to a life dependent on God’s grace to sustain us, a life fueled by God’s power rather than our own. It is my hope today that we can learn to embrace our weakness, that God may be made strong in us.

Our Scripture for today comes from 2 Corinthians 12:9, and today's worship is Grace to Grace by Hillsong Worship.

Thanks for listening to today’s First15 Podcast. My name is Ryn, and I’m a part of the First15 Team. If you haven’t downloaded our brand new First15 app, make sure to click the link in today’s show notes to check it out! One of the new features that you can enjoy when you download the app is our Guided Prayers. We are adding new prayers to our library every month, so if you need a moment of peace with God, let these prayers be your guide!

Have you ever been in the midst of a challenging season that seems to taunt both your heart and mind as though it has more strength than the God who created you and promises to see you through everything? A world filled with distractions has a tendency to throw even our faith off center, making it difficult to believe that the God to whom nothing is impossible can and desires to give you strength to endure as He works in ways that only He can to work both for your good and His glory as He teaches you what it looks like to “sleep in the stern” as Jesus did in Mark 4:38, fully at peace in the midst of trial. We pray that this verse will serve to you as a reminder of what ensued in the following verses as the frightened (and somewhat perturbed) disciples called out to Jesus for help, and watched in amazement as the very storm that threatened their lives bowed to his command.

We are so excited to announce our very first First15 Kid’s Devotional book, My Time With God.

Get your copy of First15’s first ever devotional book for kids today!

This resource is foundational, answering questions such as,

What is a devotional?
What is prayer?
Why spend time with God?
What does it mean to enjoy God’s presence?

“When we choose to love God and let ourselves experience his love, he also teaches us how to love others. Living for love means living like Jesus did. He was always thinking of others.”

Request your copy of First15’s new kids devotional, My Time With God, today by clicking here, and help your kids explore spending time with God each and every day!

Poor in Spirit Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

The biblical concept of being poor in spirit is foundational to every aspect of the Christian life. Foundational to salvation is a heart-level acknowledgment of our need for a Savior. Foundational to experiencing God’s love is acknowledging our great need of love. Foundational to heavenly peace and joy is an acknowledgment that this world truly offers us neither. If we want all that God in his grace offers, we must pursue a lifestyle of being poor in spirit. May you experience more of the depth of God’s love this week as you discover God’s heart to minister to those desperate for him.

Our Scripture for today comes from James 4:6, and today's worship is Everything You Are by First15 Worship feat. John Mark Kohl.

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Thank you so much for listening to today’s podcast, the first in our week-long series on what it means to be poor in spirit. I’m Craig Denison, author of First15.

My hope for this week is that God would guide you and me into humility, following the example of Jesus. And that in learning what it is to be humble, we would see what it means to live wrapped up in the kingdom of heaven come to earth.

So if you’re just joining our podcast, make sure to subscribe so you won’t miss an episode. I am truly excited for God has in store for us this week.

Have a great rest of your day, and may God bless you as you seek him.

We are so excited to announce our very first First15 Kid’s Devotional book, My Time With God.

Get your copy of First15’s first ever devotional book for kids today!

This resource is foundational, answering questions such as,

What is a devotional?
What is prayer?
Why spend time with God?
What does it mean to enjoy God’s presence?

“When we choose to love God and let ourselves experience his love, he also teaches us how to love others. Living for love means living like Jesus did. He was always thinking of others.”

Request your copy of First15’s new kids devotional, My Time With God, today by clicking here, and help your kids explore spending time with God each and every day!

Having Grace for Others Aug 27, 2023

Show notes

In our last day of our week long focus on the parable of the prodigal son, we’re going to make space to set our eyes on the father in the story, and ask the Holy Spirit to make us more like him.

Our ultimate calling is to grow up into the clearest reflection of who God is, as his children made in his image. And we see an incredible picture of who we are to be in the character of the father in the parable of the prodigal son.

May we become more like our Father in heaven today as we look at his word, and spend time in his presence.

Our Scripture for today comes from John 13:34-35. Today's worship is Christ Be Magnified by Cody Carnes & Kari Jobe.

–

We are so excited to announce our very first First15 Kid’s Devotional book, My Time With God.

Get your copy of First15’s first ever devotional book for kids today!

This resource is foundational, answering questions such as,

What is a devotional?
What is prayer?
Why spend time with God?
What does it mean to enjoy God’s presence?

“When we choose to love God and let ourselves experience his love, he also teaches us how to love others. Living for love means living like Jesus did. He was always thinking of others.”

Request your copy of First15’s new kids devotional, My Time With God, today by clicking here, and help your kids explore spending time with God each and every day!

Restoration of Authority Aug 26, 2023

Show notes

As we near the end of our week looking at Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, we’re going to look today the restoration of authority the father gave to the son. And we’re going to create space today to look at what it means be granted the authority of the Father in our own lives.

May we be positioned to work with God in bringing his powerful love to earth all around us as the result of our time in his presence today.

Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 16:19, and today's worship is Oh Praise The Name by Bridgetown Music.

Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast on the restoration of authority.

Make sure you come back for tomorrow, where we’ll wrap up our week on the prodigal son by looking at how we can model our lives after the father in the story, and have grace for others around us.

Ultimately the parable of the prodigal son is actually about the father, and how he reveals the heart of God. And the ultimate calling of the story isn’t to be like the sons, but to become more like the father. I’m excited for the work the Lord will do in the heart of his people tomorrow, as we create more space to become like him.

Have a wonderful rest of your day, and may God bless you as you seek him.

We are so excited to announce our very first First15 Kid’s Devotional book, My Time With God.

Get your copy of First15’s first ever devotional book for kids today!

This resource is foundational, answering questions such as,

What is a devotional?
What is prayer?
Why spend time with God?
What does it mean to enjoy God’s presence?

“When we choose to love God and let ourselves experience his love, he also teaches us how to love others. Living for love means living like Jesus did. He was always thinking of others.”

Request your copy of First15’s new kids devotional, My Time With God, today by clicking here, and help your kids explore spending time with God each and every day!

Restoration of Identity Aug 25, 2023

Show notes

Today we continue our week on the parable of the prodigal son, by looking at the son’s restoration of identity. The way we see ourselves changes our lived experience of every day. And the world around us often sends us a totally different message about who we are than who our Father in heaven says we are.

May God align our perspective with his today, as we apply the restoration of identity from Jesus’ story to our own lives.

Our Scripture for today comes from 1 Peter 2:9, and today's worship is

Graves into Gardens by Elevation Worship feat. Brandon Lake.

Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast on restoration of identity.

If you’re looking to spend more time in reflection on who you are in Christ, I want to encourage you to listen to an original First15 worship song called “New.” There’s a link to the video in the description below. Engaging in worship centered around who we are in Christ is a great way to establish a firmer foundation of our new nature in God. So if that’s a need you have, I hope you’ll take some time today to go deeper with God in worship.

Have a wonderful rest of your day, and may God bless you as you seek him.

We are so excited to announce our very first First15 Kid’s Devotional book, My Time With God.

Get your copy of First15’s first ever devotional book for kids today!

This resource is foundational, answering questions such as,

What is a devotional?
What is prayer?
Why spend time with God?
What does it mean to enjoy God’s presence?

“When we choose to love God and let ourselves experience his love, he also teaches us how to love others. Living for love means living like Jesus did. He was always thinking of others.”

Request your copy of First15’s new kids devotional, My Time With God, today by clicking here, and help your kids explore spending time with God each and every day!

Restoration of Sonship Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

Today we’re going to look at the moment in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son, where the Father restores his sonship. May the incredible love of the Father displayed in this moment of Jesus’ story give us a glimpse into how our heavenly Father feels about us today.

Our Scripture for today comes from 2 Corinthians 6:18, and today's worship is The Place You Found Me by DCC Collective.

Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast on restoration of sonship.

If you feel at all distant from God, like something you’ve done disqualifies you from sitting next to him at the table of his kingdom, I hope and pray that this story equips you to draw close to the Father again.

If that’s you, I want to encourage you to take time, even if you’re unsure of your status, to sit at the feet of the Father. To ask him how he feels about you. To let him speak into whatever it is that makes you feel distant from him. And know that if you create space, he will fill that space with a revelation of his nearness and his love.

And stay tuned for tomorrow where we’ll look at how God restored the identity of the son. I think it’ll really speak to this issue of distance and self-judgement.

May God bless you as you seek him today.

God’s Instant Forgiveness Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

In our third day looking at Jesus’ story of the prodigal son, we’re going to take time today to look at how quickly, how instantly God forgives us.

May regret, and fear over God’s judgement be washed away as we see an incredible picture of how quickly and easily God forgives our sins.

Our Scripture for today comes from Luke 15:20, and today's worship is O Come to the Altar by Elevation Worship.

–

Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast on God’s instant forgiveness.

I hope that you got a sense of the lightness and peace that comes from laying the burden of sin at the feet of Jesus. I want to encourage you today, that if you confessed your sin to God, and received his forgiveness, then you can walk away right now without the burden of that sin. The Psalms say that God removed it as far as the east is from the west. Live today without the regret or weight of it, and let that freedom lead you into a lifestyle of greater righteousness.

Have a wonderful rest of your day, and may God bless you as you seek him.

We are so excited to announce our very first First15 Kid’s Devotional book, My Time With God.

Get your copy of First15’s first ever devotional book for kids today!

This resource is foundational, answering questions such as,

What is a devotional?
What is prayer?
Why spend time with God?
What does it mean to enjoy God’s presence?

“When we choose to love God and let ourselves experience his love, he also teaches us how to love others. Living for love means living like Jesus did. He was always thinking of others.”

Request your copy of First15’s new kids devotional, My Time With God, today by going to supportfirst15.org, and help your kids explore spending time with God each and every day! Again that is supportfirst15.org. The link is also in the podcast description.

God’s Patient Heart Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

Today we’re going to look at how incredibly patient God is with us, as we begin our second day in a week long focus on the story of the prodigal son.

So often we judge ourselves, we can be our own worst critic. But today, if we’ll open our hearts and minds to listen and receive, we’ll find a patient God whose never surprised by our mistakes, and who never casts us out in the midst of our failures and shortcomings.

May the patience and love of God transform your heart today, as we spend time in his presence, engaging with his word.

Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 86:15, and today's worship is Sound Mind by Bethel Worship.

In today’s world, life moves at such tremendous speed that sometimes it seems the only way one might gain any sort of grasp on all that is going on around them is to focus solely on what’s going on in their own life. The temptation, then, isn’t just to turn a blind eye to the suffering of others, but to actually be willfully blind to the struggles of others entirely. But the way of Jesus beckons us to follow him down a much more intentional path wherein even in his own suffering, he chose to care not only for those suffering in a similar way as he, but the very ones doing him harm. In today’s prayer, our friend Peyton Garland helps us explore the topic of empathy through the lens of scripture and by way of her own honesty. I pray it blesses you today and helps you to lift your eyes above and beyond all that stand in front of you today so that you might see the riches of the way of Christ.

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