Category: Daily Devotions

This week’s devotions are based on “Rooted: Finding My Identity in Christ: I am confident! (WATCH HERE)

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Ephesians 1:18–20 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know … his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,

Paul wants the Ephesians to know “his incomparably great power for us who believe.” He then points them to the greatest demonstration of that power in all of history. God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.

That is resurrection power.

Sometimes we think of God’s power as something dramatic. We imagine miracles, mighty acts, or moments when God changes everything in an instant. But Paul wants us to understand that the power of the resurrection is also at work in ordinary Christian lives.

The same God who raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you.

That does not mean every problem will disappear. It does not mean every prayer will be answered in the way we want. It means that sin, failure, weakness, and even death do not have the final word for those who belong to Christ.

Romans 6:4 says, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Think about a seed planted in the ground. For a while, nothing seems to be happening. The seed is buried beneath the soil, and from the surface it looks lifeless. But underneath the surface, something is happening. Life is beginning to grow.

God’s work in us can sometimes feel that way.

We may not see dramatic changes. We may still struggle with the same temptations. We may still wrestle with impatience, fear, anger, selfishness, or discouragement. We may look at ourselves and wonder, “Am I really changing?”

But God’s Word tells us to look somewhere other than our feelings.

Look to Christ.

In Baptism, God united us with Christ’s death and resurrection. The old sinful self was crucified with Him, and we have been raised to live a new life. The Christian life is not about becoming strong enough to save ourselves. It is about living each day in the strength of the Savior who has already conquered sin and death for us.

Philippians 1:6 gives us another promise: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

That means your weaknesses do not surprise God.

Your struggles do not make Him give up on you.

Your failures do not undo His promises.

The God who began His work in you will continue His work.

Perhaps today you are discouraged because you keep falling into the same sin. Perhaps you feel like you should be further along in your faith. Perhaps you have tried to change something in your life and have become frustrated by how slowly progress seems to come.

Don’t give up.

You may feel weak today, but you are not without power.

Christ is alive.

His Spirit is at work.

Your old life no longer has the final word.

And the Savior who conquered death is not finished with you yet.

So take the next faithful step today. Confess your sin. Receive God’s forgiveness. Open His Word. Pray. Serve someone. Resist temptation. Encourage another believer.

You don’t do these things to earn God’s love.

You do them because in Christ, you already have it.

The power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power of the Savior who is at work in you.

Reflect: Where do you most need God’s resurrection power in your life today? What is one faithful step you can take today because you are alive in Christ?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for conquering sin and death through Your resurrection. When I feel weak, discouraged, or trapped by my past, remind me that I am united with You and that You have given me new life. Through Your Word, strengthen my faith and give me the power to resist sin, trust Your promises, and follow You faithfully. Help me remember that You are not finished with me. Continue the good work You have begun in me until the day You bring me home. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on “Rooted: Finding My Identity in Christ: I am confident! (WATCH HERE)

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Ephesians 1:18 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know …, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,…

Paul prays that the eyes of the Ephesians’ hearts would be enlightened so they could know “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” Paul wants them to understand something they already possess. They are rich in Christ.

That may sound strange to us. We tend to measure riches by what we can see and hold. We look at our bank accounts, our homes, our possessions, our accomplishments, or the opportunities we have been given. We compare ourselves with others and sometimes conclude that we have too little. Even when we have plenty, we can still feel poor because there is always someone who seems to have more.

Paul points us to a different kind of wealth.

In Christ, you have an inheritance that cannot be measured by a bank account. You have forgiveness. You have peace with God. You have been adopted as His child. You have the promise of eternal life. You have the presence of the Holy Spirit. You have the assurance that nothing can separate you from God’s love.

Peter describes this inheritance as “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

Think about a child who has been adopted into a loving family. The child may not understand everything about the family yet. They may not know what the future holds or what the family owns. But one thing is already true. They belong.

They don’t have to earn their place at the table.

They don’t have to perform well enough to become a son or daughter.

They are already part of the family because they have been received and loved.

That is the security we have in Christ.

The world tells us that our worth comes from what we accomplish. We can begin to believe that if we work harder, earn more, look better, or receive more recognition, we will finally feel valuable. But those things can never give us the security God gives us through Christ.

Ephesians 1:3 says that God “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Notice the tense. God has blessed us. These blessings are not merely something we hope to receive someday. They are already ours because of what Christ has done.

That changes how we see ourselves today.

You may feel like you don’t have much to offer. You may be disappointed in yourself. You may look at someone else’s life and wish yours looked more like theirs. You may wonder whether you are important to God.

Open your eyes.

You belong to Christ.

You are forgiven.

You are God’s child.

You have an inheritance that cannot perish.

You are richer than you realize.

The confidence Paul wants for us doesn’t come from believing that we are impressive. It comes from knowing that we belong to an impressive Savior. Our security isn’t found in what we can hold onto. It is found in the One who holds us.

So when the world tells you that you aren’t enough, remember what God has already given you. When comparison makes you feel poor, remember your inheritance. When failure makes you question your worth, remember whose child you are.

You don’t have to spend today trying to prove that you matter.

In Christ, you already do.

Reflect: What do you tend to use to measure your worth and value? What spiritual blessing in Christ do you need to remember today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for making me Your child through Jesus. Forgive me for measuring my worth by what I have, what I accomplish, or how I compare with others. Open the eyes of my heart to see the riches You have already given me in Christ. Help me remember that I am forgiven, loved, adopted, and secure in Your promises. Teach me to live today with gratitude for the inheritance You have given me through Your Son. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on “Rooted: Finding My Identity in Christ: I am confident! (WATCH HERE)

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Ephesians 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, …

Paul prayed that the eyes of the Ephesians’ hearts would be opened so they could know “the hope to which he has called you.” Notice that Paul did not pray that God would give them a better set of circumstances. He prayed that they would see more clearly what God had already given them in Christ.

That matters because our confidence often depends on what we can see.

When life is going well, hope comes easily. When the future looks uncertain, hope can feel much harder to hold onto. A difficult diagnosis, a financial concern, a strained relationship, or an unanswered prayer can make tomorrow feel uncertain. We may begin to wonder what will happen and whether we will be able to handle it.

Christian hope is different from wishing.

We might say, “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” We don’t know whether it will or not. Biblical hope is not a guess about the future. It is confidence in what God has promised because God is faithful.

Peter describes this hope as a living hope. He writes, “He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). Our hope is alive because Jesus is alive.

Think about a ship in a storm. The waves may be strong enough to make the boat rise and fall, but an anchor keeps the ship from drifting away. The anchor does not make the storm disappear. It gives the ship something solid to hold onto while the storm passes.

That is what Christian hope does.

Hope does not promise that every storm will end the way we want. It promises something better. God will never abandon His children. Christ has forgiven our sins. Jesus has conquered death. Our future with Him is secure.

Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”

Notice where our hope is anchored. It is not anchored in our ability to control the future. It is not anchored in our health, our finances, our plans, or our own strength. It is anchored in Christ.

That means you can face today without knowing everything about tomorrow.

You may not know what the next phone call will bring. You may not know how a difficult situation will resolve. You may not know what changes are coming in the months ahead. But you can know this: Jesus lives. Your sins are forgiven. You belong to Him. Nothing can separate you from His love, and He has promised you an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade.

So when fear begins to whisper, “You don’t know what is going to happen,” answer with the promise of God.

“I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.”

That is Christian confidence. Our hope is not wishful thinking. It is a living hope anchored in the risen Christ.

Whatever today brings, hold fast to Him. Your circumstances may change. God’s promises do not.

Reflect: What uncertainty about the future is weighing on you today? Which promise of Christ can you hold onto instead?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me a living hope through Your death and resurrection. When I am anxious about the future, open my eyes to see Your promises more clearly. Keep my heart anchored in You when circumstances change and remind me that my future is secure because You are alive. Help me face today with confidence, trusting that nothing can separate me from Your love. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on “Rooted: Finding My Identity in Christ: I am chosen! (WATCH HERE)

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Ephesians 1:15–17: 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better 

Paul begins his prayer for the Christians in Ephesus with something we might overlook. He does not first ask God to change their circumstances. He does not ask God to make their lives easier. He asks God to help them know Christ better.

Paul writes, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”

That is a beautiful prayer for every Christian.

We often think confidence comes from knowing what is going to happen. If we could see the future, understand every circumstance, and know how every problem will turn out, we think we could finally relax. But God offers something better. He does not promise that we will understand everything. He promises that we can know Him.

Think about a child walking through a crowded place while holding the hand of a parent. The child does not know where everyone is going. The child does not understand everything happening around him. He simply knows who is holding his hand. That knowledge gives him confidence.

The same is true for us. We may not understand why God allows certain things to happen. We may not know what tomorrow will bring. We may have questions about our family, our health, our work, or our future. But we know the One who holds us.

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John 10:14). What a comforting thought. Jesus knows you completely, and He still loves you completely. He knows your weaknesses, your fears, your failures, and your doubts. Yet He gave His life for you.

The Holy Spirit works through God’s Word to open our eyes to this reality. Scripture continually turns our attention away from ourselves and toward Christ. As we hear His promises, our faith grows. As we see His grace, our fears begin to lose their grip. As we know Christ more deeply, we become more confident in the One who knows us perfectly.

Proverbs 3:5 reminds us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Notice that God does not tell us that understanding is unnecessary. He tells us not to make our understanding the foundation of our confidence.

You do not have to understand everything today.

You do not have to know what tomorrow holds.

You do not have to have all the answers.

You have Christ.

And you can be confident because you know Christ.

Reflect: What situation am I trying to understand instead of trusting Christ with it? How does knowing that Jesus knows and loves me change the way I face today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart to know You more deeply. When I am afraid because I do not understand what is happening, remind me that You know me, love me, and hold me in Your hands. Give me the wisdom to trust Your promises rather than my own understanding. Through Your Word, strengthen my faith and help me live with confidence in You. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on “Rooted: Finding My Identity in Christ: I am chosen! (WATCH HERE)

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Scripture: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12

There is an old saying that reminds us to “dress for the job you want.” The idea is simple. The way we see ourselves often influences the way we live. A police officer puts on a uniform and remembers the responsibility that comes with it. A doctor puts on a white coat and prepares to care for patients. A bride or groom puts on wedding clothes because a new chapter of life has begun.

The apostle Paul invites Christians to think about life in a similar way, but instead of putting on a uniform, he tells us to “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Notice, however, that Paul does not begin with the clothing. He begins with identity.

“You are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.”

The order matters.

The world says, “Live this way so you can become someone.” The Gospel says, “God has already made you someone in Christ, so now live like the person He has declared you to be.”

That is how the Christian life always works. We do not forgive others so that God will forgive us. We forgive because we have already been forgiven. We do not love our neighbor so that God will love us. We love because God first loved us. We do not strive to become God’s children. We live as His children because, through faith in Christ, that is exactly who we are.

Imagine a young prince who has spent his childhood away from the palace. One day he learns the truth about his identity. He does not become a prince by acting like one. He acts like a prince because he already is one. His actions begin to reflect the identity that has always been his.

So it is with every believer in Christ.

You have been chosen by the Father before the foundation of the world. You have been redeemed by the Son through His precious blood. You have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption. That identity is not something you achieve. It is God’s gracious gift.

Now you are free to live differently.

When someone is impatient with you, remember that you are God’s chosen child and respond with gentleness. When you have an opportunity to serve someone in need, do so with joy because your worth is not diminished by giving yourself away. When you are tempted to compare yourself to others or seek their approval, remember that you already possess the approval that matters most. Your heavenly Father has declared you to be His own.

As this week comes to an end, return one more time to the mirror. Before you notice your appearance or think about everything that needs to be done, remember what God says about you.

“I am chosen.”

That is not wishful thinking. It is not positive self-talk. It is the unchanging truth of God’s Word. Live today as the person God has declared you to be in Christ.

Reflect: Which Christ-like quality from Colossians 3:12 do you most want God to grow in your life? How can remembering “I am chosen” change the way you treat others today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me, forgiving me, and making me Your own through Jesus Christ. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that my life reflects the compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience You have shown to me. Help me to live each day, not trying to earn my identity, but joyfully reflecting the identity You have already given me in Christ. In His name I pray. Amen.