Today Daily Devotional

By ReFrame Ministries

Today is a daily devotional that helps God's people refresh, refocus and renew their faith through Bible reading, reflection, and prayer.... more

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How many episodes does Today Daily Devotional have?

The podcast currently has 2,850 episodes available.

Today Daily Devotional episodes:

July 06, 2018 Authority
Being
a pastor can mean that people think of you as different from most
others—as if you are more spiritual and know everything about faith
and God. I’ve never really gotten used to walking into a room and
being seen as different or having authority because I am a pastor. It
makes me nervous—as if every word I say has to count and everything
I do is watched carefully.
I
need to be constantly reminded that Jesus is the true authority and
power. I’m nothing special, and I haven’t accomplished anything
by my own power. On my own, I’d just be a couch potato, watching TV
reruns and eating Cheetos all day. But with God’s power and
authority, I can help lead a church and present his Word to others.
God’s power is so much greater than mine, and that’s a really
good thing!
I
think we all need this reminder in our lives. Any time we begin to
think we have all the answers, we need to be reminded that ultimately
it all comes from God.
At
the end of Jesus’ ministry, he told his disciples that all
authority had been given to him. Then he sent them into the world as
his representatives (Matthew 28:18-20.) By his authority we are sent
to bring his good news of grace and love to the world as well.
Our
faith isn’t built on our own abilities and strength. It is built on
Jesus’ power and authority.
...more
2min
July 05, 2018 Story
When
I was in high school, some friends and I skipped school one day to go
to a Chicago Cubs game. I can’t say that was the worst thing I’ve
ever done in my life—in fact, given the opportunity, I’d do it
again. But we did all we could to hide our “playing hooky” from
our parents and school. We were sure we would be in trouble if we got
caught.
Our
reading today shows that Jesus had an incredible conversation with a
Samaritan woman. During that talk he revealed that she couldn’t
hide anything from him; he knew all about her. We might think the
conversation would have stopped right there. But Jesus didn’t
dismiss her, as many others would have, and she didn’t run away in
shame.
That’s
not even the most incredible part, though. When their conversation
was over, the woman went back to her town and told everyone to come
and meet Jesus. In fact, she used her own story to introduce everyone
to Jesus.
We
all have things in our lives that we aren’t proud of. But there is
nothing in our lives that Jesus can’t forgive, and there is nothing
in our lives that Jesus can’t use to build our faith in him.
What’s
more, there is nothing in our life story that Jesus can’t use to
introduce others to him. All he asks is that we be open to his grace
and tell other about his transforming work in our lives.
...more
2min
July 04, 2018 Night
When
I worked in full-time youth ministry, I was available to students
24/7. I would play board games with them until very late at night,
meet them for coffee any time of day or night, and get up early to
have breakfast with them. I loved those times with students, but they
were exhausting! I was younger then and maybe didn’t need as much
sleep as I do now. Just thinking back to those days makes me feel
like I need a nap!
How
fortunate for us that Jesus doesn’t get exhausted! During his
teaching ministry on earth, he needed sleep and times of refreshment
away from people, but today, at the right hand of God, he is
praying for us always. Even when he was living here, he didn’t tell
Nicodemus not to bother him at night. Jesus was available to people
who wanted to spend time with him.
The
same is true today. When I wake up in the middle of the night worried
about things at work, or my family, or whatever else is going on in
my life, Jesus is there to listen to me. When our kids can’t sleep,
we remind them to tell God what is bothering them.
Our
faith can be formed at any time and in any circumstance. Faith
formation doesn’t take time off at night or on the weekends. It
happens all the time. And Jesus is waiting for us and listening to us
all the time. Don’t be afraid to go to him at any time.
...more
2min
July 03, 2018 Passion
My
wife has been a school bus driver for more than ten years. She loves
what she does, and she is great at it. Her passion for bus driving,
taking care of students, and transporting kids is amazing. If
anything gets in the way of her doing what she is trained for and
loves to do, she will fight it. What makes her a great bus driver is
her passion for what she does.
Jesus
was passionate about doing his Father’s work. He longed to
cultivate the faith of the people around him. If anything stood
in the way of forming faith, he was passionate about getting rid of
those obstacles. That’s what is behind today’s verses. Money
changers and merchants had set up their booths and tables in the
temple courts, where people from the nations were supposed to be able
to come and worship God. Those vendors didn’t belong there, and it
was time for them to go.
Jesus
is just as passionate about forming faith in us. In all of our lives
there are things that stand in the way of our spiritual growth. Maybe
we hold a grudge. Maybe there’s a deep-seated sin we need to
confess. Maybe the busyness of daily life or an addiction keeps
distracting us. Whatever it is, Jesus is passionate about helping us
get rid of it so that our faith can grow. He wants to clear out
whatever holds us back from him.
Will
you let Jesus clear out the things that hold you back?
...more
2min
July 02, 2018 Stuff
When
our family goes on vacations, we love to visit national parks and
historic sites. Between parks, seashores, memorials, and other
venues, we have visited nearly fifty sites in the United States
National Park system. The highlights of our trips for the kids? Not
so much the natural beauty, scenic hikes, or history exhibits. No,
the highlights are usually the gift shops. The kids find stuffed
animals, puzzles, magnets, or other souvenirs, and I try to justify
buying them as a “donation” to the park system.
In
other parts of life, don’t we also get sidetracked by gimmicks or
gadgets or something else? We are often surrounded by magnificent
events or people or tasks, and all we do is “take in the gift
shops.” We miss what is really there because we are distracted by
the trivial.
Peter
and the others had good reason to be fishing. It was their
livelihood. They probably thought they would be fishing every day for
the rest of their lives. And there wouldn’t have been anything
wrong with that. But God had something else in mind for them. Imagine
what they would have missed out on if they had declined Jesus’
invitation and remained in their boats!
Don’t
get distracted by the trivial things in life and miss what God
might be calling you to do. The gift shop isn’t all there is. He
has so much more in store for us all.
...more
2min
July 01, 2018 Alone
I’m
kind of an introvert by nature, so my friends know that I like to
spend time alone. Don’t get me wrong—I like spending time with
people too. But there is something about being alone that energizes
me. My drive to church is about 25 minutes, and that’s an important
part of my day. Along the way I can spend time alone preparing for my
workday ahead, and on the way home I can spend time preparing to be a
dad and husband.
Jesus
often spent time alone. At the very start of his ministry, he spent
40 days alone in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan. What did he
do in all that time? He no doubt spent a lot of it praying, fasting,
and being energized for his mission by his Father in heaven. This was
a vitally important time for Jesus’ preparation to do the work he
had come to do.
Likewise,
we need time alone with God. When we are alone with God, spending
time talking to him and listening for direction through his Word, we
are being prepared for our mission here on earth. Our faith is formed
as we seek God’s guidance and wisdom. But in the busyness of life
often the first thing we skip is time with God. Schedules get in the
way, and time passes. We’d like to spend more time with God, but we
can’t seem to fit it in.
Here
is your challenge for today: find some time to be alone with God as
he prepares you for his mission in your life.
...more
2min
June 30, 2018 Benediction: Blessing
When
I was a student worship leader at Calvin College, I noticed that near
the end of our worship services a number of students in the balcony
would duck out just before the benediction. The reason for that was
obvious: they wanted to get in the lunch line before most of the
other students filed out of the 1,000-seat auditorium.
But
this used to bother the college chaplain. He once said to me, “You
know, if the benediction were the only part of the whole service they
managed to catch, it would still have been worth their being here.”
He could not understand why they would want to miss out on the
blessing.
Paul
closed many of his letters with a note of doxology—as we saw the
other day (Philippians 4:20)—and then also with a lyric blessing
pronounced over the people to whom he was writing. To live under the
blessing of almighty God—to have such words spoken over us—is
among the finest things we will ever experience in life. “Grace to
you and peace. . . .” “The Lord bless you and keep
you. . . .” The benediction, or blessing, is a sign
of God’s abiding love for us, a reminder of all that gives us
peace. We should never want to miss it!
Let’s
take time to savor these words of grace and love from God the Father,
the gracious Son, and the comforting Holy Spirit. Grace to you, and
peace. Amen.
...more
2min
June 29, 2018 Surprise Ending
Paul
wrote the letter of Romans to people living in the shadow of the
Roman leader, Caesar, without once mentioning his name. Caesar, of
course, fancied himself as the “God and Lord” of the Roman
Empire. It said so on most Roman coins. Yet throughout Romans, Paul
undercut those idolatrous claims by pointing to the real Lord of
lords and King of kings, Jesus Christ!
As
we noted earlier this month, Paul was in prison in Rome when he wrote
this letter to the Philippians. He was in prison because he had been
accused falsely of wrongdoing as a missionary. And because he was a
Roman citizen, he had appealed that his case be judged by Caesar, so
off to Rome he went. (See Acts 21-28.)
Now,
at the end of this letter, how delightful it is to hear that among
the people who had become Christians in Rome and were sending their
greetings to Philippi, some were part of “Caesar’s household.”
What?
Jesus had some of his own people living right under Caesar’s nose?!
Yes he did.
“The
one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world,” the
apostle John once wrote (1 John 4:4). Few verses bring that point
home more vividly than this tiny detail near the end of Philippians. Though he claimed to be all-powerful, Caesar had no power over the
advance of our Lord Jesus, not even in his own house! Praise God!
...more
2min
June 28, 2018 Doxology
The
writer Anne Lamott claims that a great deal of her prayer life can be
summarized by the alternating prayers “Help me, help me, help me”
and “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Probably this is true of
most of us. And, of course, we also need to say “Sorry, sorry,
sorry” in confessing our sins. But we all recognize that we are
forever bringing God our needs and then—in appropriate
response—closing the loop with a prayer of gratitude.
Thanksgiving
is wonderful and necessary. But so is doxology—and it’s not
always clear that we do much of this. Doxology is praising God for
who he is. It is giving God the glory that is due him for his radiant
holiness. In thanksgiving we offer up gratitude for something we have
received. But in doxology we honor the very being of God. We exalt
and praise the Lord simply because he is God.
The
word doxology
comes from Greek and literally means “glory word.” We see God’s
glory, and we speak a word of amazement as we send that glory to God.
Doxologies
erupted from Paul quite often in his New Testament letters—and
usually near the end, as we find here in Philippians 4. Doxologies of
many kinds should regularly flow from our hearts and lips too!
Our
glorious God is worthy of all the glory we can beam back to him!
...more
2min
June 27, 2018 Fragrant Offerings
As
a pastor, I admit that I did not often view my weekly paycheck, or
the home that the church provided me, or the apple pie someone
brought over now and then as a fragrant offering to God. Obviously I
should have! Paul did. In the past few days we have seen Paul talking
both about contentment in times of want and about gratitude in times
of plenty.
Clearly
the Philippians had provided nicely for their founding pastor. Paul
deeply appreciated the gifts that Epaphroditus had brought from
Philippi. He not only enjoyed the gifts but also saw them as proof
that the Philippians were really living for Christ’s glory above
all. He knew God smiled on their generous sacrifices and would more
than amply bless his people in Philippi.
Today
the topic of sacrificial giving can be a touchy subject in the
church. Ministers are sometimes accused of being greedy. And
preaching on Stewardship Sunday can be a nerve-wracking challenge for
many pastors. There may not be easy ways to deal with this more
positively, but certainly a step in the right direction would be to
recognize that all generous giving is a fragrant offering to God.
It
is a privilege to give! Just as we have freely received salvation and
new life through the Savior, shall we not freely give?
...more
2min

FAQs about Today Daily Devotional:

How many episodes does Today Daily Devotional have?

The podcast currently has 2,850 episodes available.

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