First15 Devotional

Have you ever believed the lie that your sin makes you unlovable to God? I think we all have at one time or another. We will look today at the story of the woman caught in adultery. For some reason, every time I read this story it surprises me again. God is oftentimes different than we expect, much kinder in fact. May today be no different. I pray you’re met by a generous, kind, merciful Savior as you open your heart to him.

Our Scripture for today comes from John 8:7, and today's worship is 

Never Be The Same by First15 Worship feat. Ashley & Bryan McCleery.

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When you give to our Summer Initiative, you’re helping with upcoming projects like: 

• Writing and editing of our brand new product line, First15 devotionals for kids,

• Translation of more resources into Spanish through Primeros15,

• Continued development and expansion of our website and app, and

• Production of the First15 podcast.

And your gift can be DOUBLED up to $20,000 when you give today!

And your gift will help us reach our goal of $216,584.

So please give to help us meet the Summer Iniative goal!.

As we continue our week on God’s heart to meet with man, today we’ll look at the best example I can think of. Many of us doubt the love of God due to all kinds of circumstances, but I pray today you become even a little bit more convinced and sure of his pursuit and unconditional love for you specifically. Open your heart today and allow God to give you a renewed sense of how much you mean to him.

Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 1:23, and today's worship is This Is The Hour by Christy Nockles. 

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Thanks for listening to today’s podcast. 

As challenging as it may be, look for an opportunity to bless someone who seems to be against you today. Give them a gift, ask them a meaningful question, look for a way to add value and meet needs in their life. And watch as an act of love carries the power to change the very nature of a perspective, and even a relationship. 

Make sure to rate and review the podcast today and subscribe if you haven’t already. 

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

Oftentimes we look at Old Testament stories of man’s encounters with God and grow jealous. We question why God doesn’t show up in the way he did with Moses for us now. There is a portion of relationship, encounter and intimacy available to us with God today that men of the Old Testament could have never dreamed of. It is my hope and prayer that you leave today having experienced the richness, unity and oneness with the Spirit of God you were made for.

Our Scripture for today comes from Exodus 33:11, and today's worship is Face to Face by Kendrian & Lauren. 

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God is the only One who can bring lasting transformation to our world as he transforms people’s hearts into the likeness of Christ.

It’s for this reason that we pray you’ll help reach the $216,584 Summer Initiative goal — knowing a $20,000 matching grant will DOUBLE your best gift to usher more people into God’s presence so they can be transformed by his grace and truth.

So please give today and please pray for our Summer Initiative!

Have you ever felt incompetent for the work God sets before you? The mission and call of God on our lives can seem daunting and impossible. Know that Gideon felt that way, and it’s okay if you do too. But God wants to speak courage and empowerment to our hearts today that he will be with us, moving through us every step of our journey. Open your heart today that God may fill it with fresh fire and excitement for the call on your life.

Our Scripture for today comes from Judges 6:16, and today's worship is Valor by Christy Nockles. 

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Thanks for listening to today’s First15 Podcast. 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!

Today’s episode contains a guided prayer that aims to help remind us to slow down with Jesus when our bodies and our minds are racing. When it feels like things are going so fast that you’re having a hard time keeping up, our prayer is that this Guided Prayer helps center your heart and mind on the one who holds it all together.  

Laura Woodworth is a writer-producer-director, a script consultant for Stage 32 and a development executive for Cooke Media Group in Los Angeles. More than anything, she is a wife, mom and friend who loves to inspire God’s people to arise as a light for a hurting world. Connect with her further at LauraWoodworth.com.

Throughout Scripture we see countless examples of God meeting with man and countless lives being transformed as the result. These examples are in Scripture to stir our faith and fill us with a desire to meet with our Creator. When we read about the life of David, we should be filled with a longing to live as he did, centered around meeting with our heavenly Father. When we read about Gideon or Moses, we should long to know our God as they did. When we read about Jesus coming down to us or his heart for the woman caught in adultery, we should respond by pursuing encounters with our Savior. And when we read of Pentecost and Jesus’ second coming, we should seek out the fullness of God’s presence available to us on this earth in preparation for the age that is to come. May your heart be filled with a wholehearted desire to pursue meeting with God this week.

Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 84:1-2, and today's worship is No Other God by Steph Macleod.

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Changed Lives =  A Changed Culture. This is what our First15 Summer Initiative is all about!

First15 has just launched a $216,584 Summer Initiative with the goal of connecting more people to God. And today your gift can be DOUBLED up to a total of $20,000!

People are messy. We are difficult and challenging. And it’s because of that no church is perfect. But there must be some reason Jesus desires for us to be unified and be one. Today we’ll explore how and why it’s important to encounter God through other people. May your wounds be healed, and your heart be opened to how God wants to use others to lead you to him.

Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 18:19-20. Today's worship is Valor by Christy Nockles.

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Thanks so much for listening today’s podcast, the last in our week long focus on encountering God. 

I hope and pray that this week on encountering God has opened up new paths to experiencing God, or maybe just made existing paths a little bit clearer for you. 

Next week we begin a new series looking at God’s desire to meet with man. Where this week focused on paths from us to God, next week we’ll open our hearts to see how God comes to us. I think it’ll be a really motivational and deepening experience for you. 

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

Many of us know God’s presence is always available to us, but rarely do we take a second to become aware of how near he truly is. Today we’ll explore what it means to encounter God through receiving his presence. This simple concept has radically changed my life, and it is my prayer it changes yours too. May we learn to practice God’s presence on a regular basis and see his goodness flood our lives. Welcome to the First15 podcast.

Our Scripture for today comes from Romans 12:16, and today's worship is Song for His Presence by Hillsong Worship. 

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Thank you for listening to today’s podcast. 

Tomorrow we’re wrapping up our series on the marks of a true Christian by exploring how we can overcome evil with good. Make sure to subscribe so you won’t miss this wrap up of our series. 

And if this series has been especially meaningful for you in some way, consider taking a moment to write about your experience in a review. Ratings and reviews are how people find this free space for God’s presence, and your story could be just what someone needs to start spending meaningful time alone with their Creator. 

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

In this world, it’s not difficult to become disheartened, visionless and confused about the direction of our lives or our circumstances. But God has given us a priceless gift to ground and root us in truth and vision for life—his word. If you’re feeling purposeless or lost today, look no further than the wisdom God has graciously provided through the Bible. Today we’ll dive into how we can encounter God through Scripture. Welcome to the First15 podcast.

Our Scripture for today comes from Romans 12:15, and today's worship is 

Heal Our Land by Kari Jobe.

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When you give to our Summer Initiative, you’re helping with upcoming projects like: 

• Writing and editing of our brand new product line, First15 devotionals for kids,

• Translation of more resources into Spanish through Primeros15,

• Continued development and expansion of our website and app, and

• Production of the First15 podcast.

And your gift will help us reach our goal of $216,584.

So please give to help us meet the Summer Iniative goal!.

Worship is essential to a vibrant, thriving Christian life. In worship, much like thanksgiving, we are reminded of who our God is, and who we are. Worshipping Jesus grounds us in our identity because it reminds us whose we are and all that he has done on our behalf. Jesus is worthy of all our worship, and it’s my prayer today that you have a fresh encounter with him through this transformative avenue. Welcome to the First15 podcast.

Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 29:2, and today's worship is New Wine by Hillsong Worship. 

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Thanks for listening to today’s podcast. 

As challenging as it may be, look for an opportunity to bless someone who seems to be against you today. Give them a gift, ask them a meaningful question, look for a way to add value and meet needs in their life. And watch as an act of love carries the power to change the very nature of a perspective, and even a relationship. 

Make sure to rate and review the podcast today and subscribe if you haven’t already. 

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

Expressing gratitude and thanks to God has a miraculous way of opening and changing our hearts. Today we’ll explore the discipline of thanksgiving, and encounter God in response. May you take away from our time today, timeless principles that quickly get your heart in the right place despite your season or circumstances.

Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 100:4, and today's worship is Thank You (feat. Steffany Gretzinger & Chandler Moore) by Maverick City. 

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God is the only One who can bring lasting transformation to our world as he transforms people’s hearts into the likeness of Christ.

It’s for this reason that we pray you’ll help reach the $216,584 Summer Initiative goal!

So please give today and please pray for our Summer Initiative!