Today Daily Devotional

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

— Romans 6:8

As we think about the Lord’s good news, the gospel, it is important to be aware of the radical change it brings to our lives.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of baptizing Ava, a recent immigrant from Iran. Her journey began when she found out that her neighbor, a woman from our church, was a Christian. Ava had lots of questions, and that led to many months of one-on-one Bible study, in which Ava felt safe to ask whatever was on her mind. Later she joined a women’s Bible study, and eventually Ava received Jesus as her Savior and committed her life to following him.

To mark this moment, Ava wanted to be baptized. She wanted to be immersed in the waters of baptism as described in Romans 6, and she requested that it be a small affair because of her fear of crowds. So on a beautiful Wednesday morning, with about 15 women gathered at a neighboring Baptist church, we celebrated Ava’s baptism—her participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus. What a day!

Whatever your faith journey, this is the heart of the gospel: by putting our faith and trust in Jesus, we die to our old self and we are raised to new life in him—starting now and going into all eternity. May you count yourself alive to Jesus Christ today!

Lord Jesus, thank you that because of your death and resurrection, we too can be raised to new life. Help me to put my trust in you today for every situation in my life. Amen.

God exalted him to the highest place . . . that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. . . .

— Philippians 2:9-11

When I was a pastor, one of the churches I served celebrated Ascension Day with a midweek worship service. That meant extra preparation work for me, and I admit that sometimes I resented having to do that extra work.

One year, in front of a small crowd on a Thursday evening, I delivered a hastily produced sermon. And after the worship service, a young man who had been visiting our church asked if he could meet with me. So we did. He told me that in that service, he had encountered God like never before. In an instant, the Christian story had made sense to him. He was now a believer in Christ!

Through that simple, unassuming worship service and my unimpressive words, the Holy Spirit brought him to a deep awareness of what it means to be in relationship with Jesus, the Servant-King. I was deeply humbled, knowing that my attitude had not been the best going into that service.

This experience gave me new insight into the message of Philippians 2. I am often humbled because of my failures and shortcomings. But Jesus, who intentionally humbled himself for the sake of the world, continues to work among us despite ourselves. He will keep changing lives until that day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord.

Jesus, thank you for always working through us, despite our failures and weaknesses. We worship you as our Savior and exalt you as our ascended Lord. Amen.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

— 1 John 4:10

My wife, Jacquie, is a teacher in a Christian elementary school. One day she asked her students to complete this sentence: “Jesus loves me because . . .” Almost every student answered with phrases like “Because I am sometimes kind to my sister” or “Because I try to do my best in school.”

It was interesting to hear that almost all of the students connected Jesus’ love with their efforts to earn it. Where did that idea come from? It is not the message of the Bible, and it is not the gospel. The true heart of the gospel is captured in the powerful words of 1 John 4:10: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

The gospel message is that there is nothing we can do to make Jesus love us. Our salvation is offered as a completely free, undeserved gift: we simply receive it. Our passage sums it all up in one word: love.

Receive the good news for you today: This is love: not that you loved God (or did anything else to earn God’s favor), but that he loves you and sent his Son as a saving sacrifice for your sins. You are loved—just because you are you and God is love.

Dear God, as I am reminded that your love is the starting point of everything, help me to embrace Jesus as your greatest gift of love to me. Help me to love you in return. Amen.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages . . . proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.

— Matthew 9:35

The first word we want to focus on as we think about God’s big mission is gospel. Here is a definition of the gospel that I think captures just how big and amazing this good news is: “The gospel is the good news of God’s reign, grace, and love in and through Christ for the redemption and renewal of all things.” This definition shapes everything we do in the mission agency that I serve. Take a moment and read it again if that helps.

We see this definition at work here in Matthew 9. Jesus announces and proclaims the good news that God’s kingdom has arrived—our God reigns! This good news is not just an announcement; it comes with a powerful demonstration of this life-changing message. Filled with compassion and love, Jesus heals people of “every disease and sickness.” What’s more, Jesus longs to see his team multiply and bring this good news to a world that is desperate for hope and love.

How is God inviting you to respond to this message of good news in a fresh way and to join in his mission? There is no better news than the good news of Jesus. There is no better calling than to share this good news with others. “The harvest is plentiful” (Matthew 9:37).

Lord, I pray that my life will ring out with your good news. Continue to raise up people around the world to bring your message of life to the ends of the earth. Amen.

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

— Psalm 96:3

Recently our young grandson was lying quietly in his bed. Suddenly he piped up with a question: “Mommy, if God made everything, then who made God?”

What a good question! And just how big is God?

Psalm 96 reminds us that we serve the God of the universe. As followers of Christ, we are brought into a life-giving relationship with our big and marvelous God who not only rules the heavens and the earth but also knows every detail of our lives. This makes us part of a story that is much bigger than we are.

We are part of a global church living out God’s mission in every corner of the world. That big mission is beautifully captured in Psalm 96:3: “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

This month we are going to explore what it means to be part of this bigger story. And we will use four key words to get at what it means to declare with our lives the greatness of God's marvelous deeds: gospel, witness, holistic, and intercultural. These words capture the biblically shaped passion that is at the heart of the global mission agency I am privileged to serve.

As we reflect on these key words together this month, may God form us into people who increasingly declare his glory through our lives.

God, we praise you as Lord over all, and we thank you for your amazing, worldwide mission. May our hearts be open as we learn what it means to reflect you in every part of our lives. Amen.

“When you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”

— John 21:18

When Peter questioned Jesus’ prediction about his death on the cross, the Lord strongly rebuked him (Matthew 16:21-23). Later, on the lakeshore where Jesus restored Peter, directing him to feed his sheep (John 21:15-17), Jesus predicted Peter’s death.

Though the details are unclear, Christian tradition has taught that the apostle Peter, while serving as a church leader in Rome, died in A.D. 64. That year a catastrophic fire had destroyed the imperial city. Scheming to shirk his own responsibility for the disaster, the emperor Nero blamed the fire on Christians. As the church’s leader, Peter would have been an obvious target for revenge.

When the Roman soldiers led him away to be hanged on a cross, the tradition goes, Peter pleaded to be crucified upside down, since he didn’t feel worthy to die in the same way as his Lord, who had saved him. So the soldiers crucified him upside down.

Though we can’t be sure about the details of Peter’s death, we can be certain that when Peter was reunited with Jesus in heaven, the Lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (see Matthew 25:23). Despite any of his glaring failures, Peter’s service revealed the virtues of faith, courage, patience, and perseverance. In our own service to Jesus, may we also look forward to the Savior’s words of praise.

Help us, Lord Jesus, to live each day as your faithful servants. Amen.

Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

— 2 Peter 3:8

A line in a popular song says, “The waiting is the hardest part.” Why is waiting so hard? Waiting can bring anxiety and a feeling of helplessness.

Today, nearly 2,000 years after the apostle Peter wrote about this, we’re still waiting for Jesus’ return, when the Lord will make all things new.

Peter’s readers, Christian exiles suffering hardship, are asking, “How long, Lord, until you come again to make the world right?” And Peter, echoing Jesus’ teachings about his coming judgment (Matthew 24:39, 43), adds an insight about Jesus’ return. Instead of seeing the Lord’s delay as “slowness,” we should see his patience—or, in other words, his grace—for Jesus wants everyone to repent and believe in him.

In the meantime, while we continue to wait for our Lord’s return, we don’t need to live with anxiety or helplessness. Peter encourages us from a posture of eternal security to live holy and godly lives as we look forward to Jesus making all things right.

In the last words we hear from Peter in the Bible, he sums up what it means to wait for Jesus: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).

Jesus, Lord and Savior, fill us with a deep longing to grow in your grace and in knowing you. To you be all glory now and forever. Amen.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

— 2 Peter 1:3

Have you ever received gifts that you opened but never used? Sometimes the gifts we receive don’t have any practical use.

God has given us the greatest gift of all that we can use every day. Are we using it?

In his second letter to Christians scattered across Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), the apostle Peter reminds his readers that the faith that God has given them in Jesus Christ is their most precious gift of all. Moreover, to all who have been called by God’s goodness for his glory, we have been given everything we need to live godly lives. The gift of faith has been given to us, and we are called to use it in living to please God.

How do we grow in pleasing God in our lives? Just as our bodies become fit through exercise, so our righteousness grows through practical use and exertion. In our reading for today, Peter outlines a practical approach to growing in godliness (2 Peter 1:5-7). Without a doubt, Peter’s spiritual-fitness program can look daunting. But the good news, once again, is that the gift of faith for spiritual growth has already been given to us. We just need to exercise it. Moreover, Peter notes, the reward for living godly lives includes the promise of abundantly fruitful service for Jesus Christ.

Our faith in you, Jesus, has come as a gift through the Holy Spirit. Help us to exercise our faith by growing in righteousness, for your sake. Amen.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

— 1 Peter 5:8

Appreciation for cats is not universal. Kittycats, like lions, evoke a mixed response.

In the Bible a lion can represent the sovereign strength of God—as in “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5). Or think of Aslan, who represents Jesus in the Chronicles of Narnia.

Peter mentions a different sort of lion, though, at the end of his first letter to early Christians in the New Testament. And he warns that this lion is hunting for believers in Christ. What’s going on?

Though many years had passed since the dramatic events of Jesus’ death and resurrection, Peter continued to reflect on those early days of the church, knowing that Christians in later years would face opposition because of their faith in Christ. The same is true for many Christians throughout the world today.

As he wrote from Rome to Christians who faced persecution in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), Peter warned his readers, “Be alert and of sober mind.” Peter knew that he had failed in the past, and now he better understood why. So he warned Christians to be wary of their great enemy, the evil one, who, like a roaring lion, wanted to devour them.

Knowing his own experience, Peter also offered a promise. God cares for us and will help us resist and stand firm. But when we fail, God will also restore us, as he did with Peter.

Jesus, thank you for standing firm for us. Please help us to stand firm for you. Amen.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

— 1 Peter 4:8

I’ve heard it said that grudges are like “ugly pets.” And if we let them, those ugly pets will sit on our shoulders while we feed and pamper them. Actually, grudges will weigh us down, and eventually they can consume us.

So how do we get rid of a grudge? The apostle Peter offers just the right formula for killing pet grudges.

Throughout his letter to Christians who are facing hardship and persecution in Asia Minor, Peter often refers back to ground zero, his main point of reference: Jesus Christ. As Jesus has forgiven us, we too must forgive people who have offended or hurt us. So instead of nursing grudges against others, we must nurture those people with love.

How do we do that? Reflecting on Jesus’ words to put no limits on forgiveness (Matthew 5:43-45; 18:21-22), Peter writes, “Above all love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Peter then lays out intentional steps for putting love into play: offering generous hospitality and using the gifts that God has given us to bless and serve others. As Peter learned from Jesus himself, when we forgive others, we demonstrate that we have been forgiven and are loved by God.

As you have forgiven us, Lord Jesus, help us to forgive and love others. Amen.