First15 Devotional - First15

Latest Episodes:

The Lord Your God is in Your Midst Apr 03, 2020

Show notes

As we continue our focus on simply stirring up our affections for God this week, today we’re going to take time to focus on the fact that God is present in our lives. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, God is with you in and through it all. And his presence, his nearness is the foundation on which we are meant to live as his people. May we develop a greater sense of his nearness today and learn how we can live our life in light of the goodness of his presence.

Our Scripture for today comes from Zephaniah 3:17, and today's worship is This Close by Steffany Gretzinger.

First15 is a daily devotional written and recorded by Craig Denison. If you would like to learn more about the First15 app, books, blogs, videos and our other resources, please visit first15.org. You can always reach out to us on our contact page on the website.

Click here to help even more people encounter God through the ministry of First15.

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As the world seems to be spinning out of control, we often wonder where God is in the midst of it. The truth is that God isn’t far away, but he is inviting us into a closer and deeper relationship with him. Let’s not allow social distancing to turn into spiritual distancing. Instead, let us find peace and hope in the arms of our Creator.

We’re launching Vol. 4 of our First15 Devotional Series, Closer, to empower you every day to simply grow closer to God during these challenging times.

In the brand-new four-week devotional book Closer, you’ll discover:

How to draw closer to God in the midst of stress and anxiety
How to build an unshakable understanding of God’s character
How to receive the good gifts God is offering you every day
How to find hope and joy when life gets hard

Take four weeks to have an immersive, distraction-free experience with First15. Get your copy of Closer today.

CLICK HERE

The Sweetness of God's Love Apr 02, 2020

Show notes

This week on the First15 podcast we’ll spend time stirring up our affections for God through the renewing of our minds. Your mind is the gateway to your affections. What you think is worthy of your affections is what will receive them. So, as we grow in our understanding of God’s overwhelming goodness we will naturally give him our hearts. May you be stirred by the unconditional love of your heavenly Father this week as his perfect nature is revealed to you in greater, more transformative ways.

Our Scripture for today comes from Ephesians 5:2, and today's worship is Reckless Love by Cory Asbury.

Click here to help even more people encounter God through the ministry of First15.

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We’re launching Vol. 4 of our First15 Devotional Series, Closer, to empower you every day to simply grow closer to God during these challenging times.

In the brand-new four-week devotional book Closer, you’ll discover:

How to draw closer to God in the midst of stress and anxiety
How to build an unshakable understanding of God’s character
How to receive the good gifts God is offering you every day
How to find hope and joy when life gets hard

Take four weeks to have an immersive, distraction-free experience with First15. Get your copy of Closer today.

CLICK HERE

BONUS: Have we forgotten how to rest? Apr 01, 2020

Show notes

Families all over the world are dealing with the Coronavirus and its implications on their lives. Craig and Rachel sat down to discuss the restlessness so many of us are facing as we are forced into social distancing and how we can use this time to return to our truest self as God’s beloved child during this time.

They address questions like - Why do we resist being? Where does this deep need to perform, achieve, and strive come from? How can we return to and embrace rest?

We hope that this encourages you to embrace the stillness and turn inward to examine your own well-being on a daily basis.

Receiving God's Word through Action Apr 01, 2020

Show notes

As we finish this week of looking at different ways God speaks, today we’re going to look at the role of taking action in hearing God. One of the most powerful ways to discover what God thinks and how God feels is joining him where he is at work in the world around us. So my prayer today is that God opens our eyes and ears to discover fresh parts of how he declares his heart to us, and that we’re empowered to take action today in even more meaningful ways.

Our Scripture for today comes from James 1:23-25, and today's worship is For the One by Brian and Jenn Johnson.

Click here to help even more people encounter God through the ministry of First15.

_____________

We’re launching Vol. 4 of our First15 Devotional Series, Closer, to empower you every day to simply grow closer to God during these challenging times.

In the brand-new four-week devotional book Closer, you’ll discover:

How to draw closer to God in the midst of stress and anxiety
How to build an unshakable understanding of God’s character
How to receive the good gifts God is offering you every day
How to find hope and joy when life gets hard

Take four weeks to have an immersive, distraction-free experience with First15. Get your copy of Closer today.

CLICK HERE

God Speaks in Solitude Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

In today’s devotional, we’re going to look at the value of solitude in making space to hear from God. In all the noise of our world, solitude is more important now than ever. We need quiet to tune our ears to the still, small voice of God. We need the type of peace that only comes from quieting our hearts and minds. We need the type of relationship with God that can only be formed in solitude. May God empower us to quiet ourselves today in his presence.

Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 46:10, and today's worship is Be Still by Steffany Gretzinger.

Click here to help even more people encounter God through the ministry of First15.

_____________

We’re launching Vol. 4 of our First15 Devotional Series, Closer, to empower you every day to simply grow closer to God during these challenging times.

In the brand-new four-week devotional book Closer, you’ll discover:

How to draw closer to God in the midst of stress and anxiety
How to build an unshakable understanding of God’s character
How to receive the good gifts God is offering you every day
How to find hope and joy when life gets hard

Take four weeks to have an immersive, distraction-free experience with First15. Get your copy of Closer today.

CLICK HERE

God Speaks through Meditation Mar 30, 2020

Show notes

In today’s devotional, we’re going to look at the role of meditation in hearing from God. Meditation for many reasons, seems to have found its way out of our Christian context. But the reality is that meditation has been central to our faith throughout its history. And the Bible is chocked full of encouragement to meditate on who God is, on his word, allowing space for God to fill in our daily lives.

May God reveal his heart for us to meditate as a central discipline of our faith. And may he empower us to make room for his presence in a meaningful way today.

Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 119:15, and today's worship is God I Look To You by Francesca Battistelli.

Click here to help even more people encounter God through the ministry of First15.

_____________

We’re launching Vol. 4 of our First15 Devotional Series, Closer, to empower you every day to simply grow closer to God during these challenging times.

In the brand-new four-week devotional book Closer, you’ll discover:

How to draw closer to God in the midst of stress and anxiety
How to build an unshakable understanding of God’s character
How to receive the good gifts God is offering you every day
How to find hope and joy when life gets hard

Take four weeks to have an immersive, distraction-free experience with First15. Get your copy of Closer today.

CLICK HERE

God Speaks through his Creation Mar 29, 2020

Show notes

As we arrive in the middle of this week-long focus on hearing from God, today we’re going to look at the role of Creation in God speaking to us as his children. Throughout human history mankind has gone to nature to get a deeper sense of the divine. And I believe that when we open our ears to hear what God is declaring to us through that which he’s made, we’ll find a wonderful avenue to stay in communication with our heavenly Father.

May God reveal his heart today to speak through his Creation. And may our hearts be stirred to listen.

Our Scripture for today comes from Romans 1:20, and today's worship is So Will I (100 Billion X) by Hillsong United.

Click here to help even more people encounter God through the ministry of First15.

_____________

We’re launching Vol. 4 of our First15 Devotional Series, Closer, to empower you every day to simply grow closer to God during these challenging times.

In the brand-new four-week devotional book Closer, you’ll discover:

How to draw closer to God in the midst of stress and anxiety
How to build an unshakable understanding of God’s character
How to receive the good gifts God is offering you every day
How to find hope and joy when life gets hard

Take four weeks to have an immersive, distraction-free experience with First15. Get your copy of Closer today.

CLICK HERE

Special Series: Connection in Crisis - Part 1 Mar 28, 2020

Show notes

As human beings, we were created for connection first and foremost. Without meaningful connection to God, ourselves, and others, our quality of being and quality of life will diminish.

So in these times of social distancing, we must look to new ways (which might just be ancient ways) of fostering connection. And in the power of God’s constant redemption, new rhythms of connection will bring about deeper relationship that extends far beyond the pandemic of COVID-19.

So every now and then, I want to offer a simple moment of connection, a time where you might grow in self-awareness, grow in God-awareness, and even hold in loving prayer those around you both known and unknown.

Take the next few moments to set aside work, entertainment, cooking, cleaning, whatever it might be, to foster a time of meaningful connection in stillness and in prayer…

Father, Spirit, Son

Lead me down the path of stillness

That I might know that you are God,

And that you are good.

I still my soul before you,

I slow my breath, in and out,

I rest in your presence.

With courage I hold my fear before you

With love I hold my friends, my family before you

With a mustard seed of faith I hold this world before you.

Come with healing O God

Come with wisdom O God

Come with connection O God

In this time of crisis

This time of pandemic

Work in and through us your people

Through stillness

Through prayer

Through empathy

Through action

For your glory

And our good

We pray

Amen.

Hearing God's Voice Mar 28, 2020

Show notes

As we continue this series looking at different ways God speaks to us as his children, today we’re going to look at what it means to hear God’s voice. The idea of hearing the voice of God is something I get asked about all the time. And I think it’s because, honestly, it sounds kind of crazy! But Scripture and Christian History tell us clearly that God loves to communicate with his people.

So may he guide each of us into a fuller understanding of what it means to hear his voice, and may we grow in grace and confidence today to make space to simply listen to whatever it is God wants to say.

Our Scripture for today comes from John 16:13, and today's worship is Spirit of the Living God by Meredith Andrews.

Click here to help even more people encounter God through the ministry of First15.

_____________

We’re launching Vol. 4 of our First15 Devotional Series, Closer, to empower you every day to simply grow closer to God during these challenging times.

In the brand-new four-week devotional book Closer, you’ll discover:

How to draw closer to God in the midst of stress and anxiety
How to build an unshakable understanding of God’s character
How to receive the good gifts God is offering you every day
How to find hope and joy when life gets hard

Take four weeks to have an immersive, distraction-free experience with First15. Get your copy of Closer today.

CLICK HERE

God Speaks through His Word Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

As we continue our series looking at different ways God speaks to us as his children, today we’re going to look at the role of Scripture in hearing God. The pages of Scripture contain so many amazing stories of how God spoke to his people. Within these stories we see the power of a people focused on following God’s leadership, and the destruction that takes place when people go their own way.

May God stir up our hearts to hear his voice through the pages of Scripture today. And may we align our hearts with the principles found in its pages.

Our Scripture for today comes from Deuteronomy 8:3, and today's worship is New Every Morning by Audrey Assad.

Click here to help even more people encounter God through the ministry of First15.

_____________

We’re launching Vol. 4 of our First15 Devotional Series, Closer, to empower you every day to simply grow closer to God during these challenging times.

In the brand-new four-week devotional book Closer, you’ll discover:

How to draw closer to God in the midst of stress and anxiety
How to build an unshakable understanding of God’s character
How to receive the good gifts God is offering you every day
How to find hope and joy when life gets hard

Take four weeks to have an immersive, distraction-free experience with First15. Get your copy of Closer today.

CLICK HERE

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