Today's Devotion
Monday, June 16, 2025
1 Chronicles 11
David is one of the key figures in Israel’s history. He set the standard for kings in Israel and Judah and attracted a massive number of mighty men to protect him and fight for him. These men accomplished incredible feats of valor and proved themselves the best warriors in David’s military. The king, however, held their utmost respect. He defeated Goliath as a teen and was known not only for his heroism but also for his wisdom in battle. These mighty men held their leader in high regard and were ready to sacrifice their lives for his. These men loved their king which meant that he must have loved them first. David was not just a warrior; God anointed him as king because of his heart for people. He knew that this man would build strong, healthy relationships that would benefit those he loved and the kingdom he led. The greatest leaders in this life are the greatest servants. A leader does not just stand in front of people and speak; no, a great leader loves people where they are and builds relationships that lead to something bigger than they could imagine. If you follow Jesus, then you have a sphere of influence that you are responsible for. That means you are a leader whether you want to be or not. If you want to help the people you lead, then you must learn to love and serve them without condition or expectation. People are not pawns that we use to get where we want to go; they are gifts from the Lord and opportunities for friendship and ministry. David got that. He understood the power of loving leadership and applied it to those who gladly chose to follow him.
Help me, Lord, to lovingly lead those within my sphere of influence. Help me to build strong, healthy relationships that are not based upon a condition or an expectation but upon friendship and ministry.
1 Chronicles 11
David is one of the key figures in Israel’s history. He set the standard for kings in Israel and Judah and attracted a massive number of mighty men to protect him and fight for him. These men accomplished incredible feats of valor and proved themselves the best warriors in David’s military. The king, however, held their utmost respect. He defeated Goliath as a teen and was known not only for his heroism but also for his wisdom in battle. These mighty men held their leader in high regard and were ready to sacrifice their lives for his. These men loved their king which meant that he must have loved them first. David was not just a warrior; God anointed him as king because of his heart for people. He knew that this man would build strong, healthy relationships that would benefit those he loved and the kingdom he led. The greatest leaders in this life are the greatest servants. A leader does not just stand in front of people and speak; no, a great leader loves people where they are and builds relationships that lead to something bigger than they could imagine. If you follow Jesus, then you have a sphere of influence that you are responsible for. That means you are a leader whether you want to be or not. If you want to help the people you lead, then you must learn to love and serve them without condition or expectation. People are not pawns that we use to get where we want to go; they are gifts from the Lord and opportunities for friendship and ministry. David got that. He understood the power of loving leadership and applied it to those who gladly chose to follow him.
Help me, Lord, to lovingly lead those within my sphere of influence. Help me to build strong, healthy relationships that are not based upon a condition or an expectation but upon friendship and ministry.
Weekly Archive
Sunday, June 15, 2025
1 Chronicles 10
Saul set his own destiny by making some foolish decisions during his reign as the first king in Israel. God’s wrath was poured out upon his disobedience and upon his decision to seek assistance from a medium. In his final battle with the Philistines, Saul and his sons were killed, and the news was spread in the cities throughout the region. Eventually, Saul’s armor was displayed in a temple and his head was hung in “the house of Dagon.” Some valiant men marched through the night to extract his corpse and bury it. Everything about this moment testifies to Saul’s foolish decisions. He had a chance to leave a legacy in Israel and the world, but he chose to do things his way and to follow His own plan. He lost everything because of those decisions. While our past does not have to define us, our decisions can derail our destiny. Our choices have consequences and some of them can be life-altering. As you grow in your faith, your excuses diminish, and you become more responsible for the decisions you make. God is so gracious to the young and the old, but He does hold us accountable for right and wrong specifically when it applies to what we are learning from our study of His Word. Saul’s foolish decisions followed specific teaching or commands from the Lord. He had no excuse and neither do we. When God reveals a new truth or principle, we are responsible for it and that is a good thing. Celebrate your maturity and stay excited about all that God is teaching you. It is all for your good and for His glory!
Help me, Lord, to take seriously every truth and principle You teach me. Help me to take full responsibility for that which I have learned and bring glory to Your Name as I obey You.
1 Chronicles 10
Saul set his own destiny by making some foolish decisions during his reign as the first king in Israel. God’s wrath was poured out upon his disobedience and upon his decision to seek assistance from a medium. In his final battle with the Philistines, Saul and his sons were killed, and the news was spread in the cities throughout the region. Eventually, Saul’s armor was displayed in a temple and his head was hung in “the house of Dagon.” Some valiant men marched through the night to extract his corpse and bury it. Everything about this moment testifies to Saul’s foolish decisions. He had a chance to leave a legacy in Israel and the world, but he chose to do things his way and to follow His own plan. He lost everything because of those decisions. While our past does not have to define us, our decisions can derail our destiny. Our choices have consequences and some of them can be life-altering. As you grow in your faith, your excuses diminish, and you become more responsible for the decisions you make. God is so gracious to the young and the old, but He does hold us accountable for right and wrong specifically when it applies to what we are learning from our study of His Word. Saul’s foolish decisions followed specific teaching or commands from the Lord. He had no excuse and neither do we. When God reveals a new truth or principle, we are responsible for it and that is a good thing. Celebrate your maturity and stay excited about all that God is teaching you. It is all for your good and for His glory!
Help me, Lord, to take seriously every truth and principle You teach me. Help me to take full responsibility for that which I have learned and bring glory to Your Name as I obey You.
Saturday, June 14, 2025
1 Chronicles 9
The Chronicler finishes the genealogies with a list of those who returned from the exile to eventually rebuild the walls, the temple, and their specific way of life. He is clear that Judah was sent into exile because of its rebellion against the Almighty. God has now given them a fresh start, a new opportunity to right their wrongs and enjoy HIs best in the land that He promised them. The older generations would mourn all that was lost while the younger generations would celebrate their new freedom and the opportunity to build a new and better life in the Promised Land. These people knew without question that God sent them into exile and that He set them free seventy years later. They knew that He keeps His promises and will do whatever is needed to produce holiness in the lives of the ones that He loves. They were exiled due to their idolatry and return with a singular focus on their one, true God. Will God go that far to make us holy? He will! He loves us so deeply that He only wants what is best for us. He will send us into exile if He knows that is the only way to victory. We may accuse God of being angry with us or even being mean, but He understands love far better than we ever could. He will do whatever is needed to get our attention and to make us holy. Israel learned that the hard way. Will you learn from their example and save yourself the heartache, and will you continue to worship those idols and face the consequences?
Help me, Lord, to learn from Israel’s example, lay aside my idols, and follow You. Help me to bask in Your great love and seek holiness as You commanded.
1 Chronicles 9
The Chronicler finishes the genealogies with a list of those who returned from the exile to eventually rebuild the walls, the temple, and their specific way of life. He is clear that Judah was sent into exile because of its rebellion against the Almighty. God has now given them a fresh start, a new opportunity to right their wrongs and enjoy HIs best in the land that He promised them. The older generations would mourn all that was lost while the younger generations would celebrate their new freedom and the opportunity to build a new and better life in the Promised Land. These people knew without question that God sent them into exile and that He set them free seventy years later. They knew that He keeps His promises and will do whatever is needed to produce holiness in the lives of the ones that He loves. They were exiled due to their idolatry and return with a singular focus on their one, true God. Will God go that far to make us holy? He will! He loves us so deeply that He only wants what is best for us. He will send us into exile if He knows that is the only way to victory. We may accuse God of being angry with us or even being mean, but He understands love far better than we ever could. He will do whatever is needed to get our attention and to make us holy. Israel learned that the hard way. Will you learn from their example and save yourself the heartache, and will you continue to worship those idols and face the consequences?
Help me, Lord, to learn from Israel’s example, lay aside my idols, and follow You. Help me to bask in Your great love and seek holiness as You commanded.
Friday, June 13, 2025
1 Chronicles 8
When you read about the genealogy of Benjamin, you will always find a subsection that focuses on King Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul checked every box in the Israelites’ concept of a monarch. He was tall and good-looking, yet when the people tried to anoint him, he was found hiding among the luggage. He was not the bravest of men, nor did he strive to be a man of strong faith. He caved under pressure and made some foolish decisions that cost him the throne. Saul battled mental illness later in his reign amid the pressures of his position and the reality that God already chose his replacement. His lineage was not allowed to continue on the throne though David, his replacement, showed great kindness to his family. Saul is the perfect reminder that our ways are not God’s ways and that our thoughts are nowhere close to His thoughts. The people were so consumed with how Saul looked that they never considered his integrity or character. They put more stock in the external and ignored the signs of an internal struggle that would derail his authority in Israel. Do you put more stock in your thoughts or your ways than in the Lord’s? Do you prioritize your plan over His? God has revealed His perfect plan in His Word and has given us the ability to know and understand that plan through His Spirit. Laziness and lack of knowledge are not acceptable in God’s kingdom work. We have a mandate to make disciples of every nation, and we cannot and will not accomplish His plan in our strength or according to our wisdom. The price Saul paid for his pride and lack of character negatively impacted his legacy and his heritage. Will you also pay that price?
Help me, Lord, to find Your plan and walk right in the center of it. Help me to stop leaning on my own strength and understanding and prioritize making disciples as You have commissioned me.
1 Chronicles 8
When you read about the genealogy of Benjamin, you will always find a subsection that focuses on King Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul checked every box in the Israelites’ concept of a monarch. He was tall and good-looking, yet when the people tried to anoint him, he was found hiding among the luggage. He was not the bravest of men, nor did he strive to be a man of strong faith. He caved under pressure and made some foolish decisions that cost him the throne. Saul battled mental illness later in his reign amid the pressures of his position and the reality that God already chose his replacement. His lineage was not allowed to continue on the throne though David, his replacement, showed great kindness to his family. Saul is the perfect reminder that our ways are not God’s ways and that our thoughts are nowhere close to His thoughts. The people were so consumed with how Saul looked that they never considered his integrity or character. They put more stock in the external and ignored the signs of an internal struggle that would derail his authority in Israel. Do you put more stock in your thoughts or your ways than in the Lord’s? Do you prioritize your plan over His? God has revealed His perfect plan in His Word and has given us the ability to know and understand that plan through His Spirit. Laziness and lack of knowledge are not acceptable in God’s kingdom work. We have a mandate to make disciples of every nation, and we cannot and will not accomplish His plan in our strength or according to our wisdom. The price Saul paid for his pride and lack of character negatively impacted his legacy and his heritage. Will you also pay that price?
Help me, Lord, to find Your plan and walk right in the center of it. Help me to stop leaning on my own strength and understanding and prioritize making disciples as You have commissioned me.
Thursday, June 12, 2025
1 Chronicles 7
Did you read that Ephraim produces one of the greatest leaders in Israel’s history? Ephraim is one of two tribes (Manasseh) who came through the lineage of Joseph and who grew to be one of the largest and most prestigious tribes in Israelite history. Who was this leader? Joshua, the son of Nun, who apprenticed under Moses and then led Israel into the Promised Land. Joshua was a wise leader who tried to faithfully follow the Lord in all that he did. He led the people to great victories and apportioned Canaan as God commanded. He was a valiant warrior and a loving leader who believed that God had given his people the land and all they had to do was take it. In the genealogy, however, Joshua is not singled out in any way; he is simply another part of the once great tribe. These genealogies remind us that we are only on this earth for a God-ordained season, and we can use that season wisely and do great things for God, or we can waste our season and lose the many wonderful opportunities God has prepared for us. When James calls our lives a “vapor” (James 4:14), these genealogies back it up because each man is simply mentioned by name and then the text moves forward. As you start a new day, will you strive to live it for the Lord? Will you set aside your priorities and seek that which God has prioritized in His Word? Will you seek Him first and trust that everything else will be added to you? Joshua got it. He had a season of training and then a season of needed leadership. He was not perfect and made some questionable decisions, but his heart was tuned to the Almighty and his commitment was solid to the core. God can and will use the person who has that same heart and commitment.
Help me, Lord, to understand my season and walk faithfully in it. Help my heart to stay tuned to You and Your will for my life and my commitment to stay solid even when life does not go as expected.
1 Chronicles 7
Did you read that Ephraim produces one of the greatest leaders in Israel’s history? Ephraim is one of two tribes (Manasseh) who came through the lineage of Joseph and who grew to be one of the largest and most prestigious tribes in Israelite history. Who was this leader? Joshua, the son of Nun, who apprenticed under Moses and then led Israel into the Promised Land. Joshua was a wise leader who tried to faithfully follow the Lord in all that he did. He led the people to great victories and apportioned Canaan as God commanded. He was a valiant warrior and a loving leader who believed that God had given his people the land and all they had to do was take it. In the genealogy, however, Joshua is not singled out in any way; he is simply another part of the once great tribe. These genealogies remind us that we are only on this earth for a God-ordained season, and we can use that season wisely and do great things for God, or we can waste our season and lose the many wonderful opportunities God has prepared for us. When James calls our lives a “vapor” (James 4:14), these genealogies back it up because each man is simply mentioned by name and then the text moves forward. As you start a new day, will you strive to live it for the Lord? Will you set aside your priorities and seek that which God has prioritized in His Word? Will you seek Him first and trust that everything else will be added to you? Joshua got it. He had a season of training and then a season of needed leadership. He was not perfect and made some questionable decisions, but his heart was tuned to the Almighty and his commitment was solid to the core. God can and will use the person who has that same heart and commitment.
Help me, Lord, to understand my season and walk faithfully in it. Help my heart to stay tuned to You and Your will for my life and my commitment to stay solid even when life does not go as expected.
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
1 Chronicles 6
The lineage of Levi is incredibly important because it reveals who the priests of Israel were and provides a lineage for those priests returning from exile. Most of the priestly records were destroyed when the temple was burned to the ground by Nebuchadnezzar; therefore, a reliable record was desperately needed for the sanctity of the priesthood. The Chronicler quickly turns to Aaron and his sons because they started the lineage of the priestly line after the exodus from Israel. These were the people God set aside to serve in His tabernacle/temple and minister to His people. They were not given a designated portion of the Promised Land but were given cities within the portions assigned to each tribe. God spread them throughout the land so that His people would have a constant spiritual presence close by. God understood the needs of His people and prepared to meet them before Israel ever entered Canaan. Our God has not changed through the centuries. He still knows our needs and prepares everything perfectly to meet those needs. We sometimes call that grace. Even when we do not deserve it, God is preparing the way for us to fully enjoy His best. If we choose not to follow His way, then we miss those blessings, but He is always prepared to provide them. Israel enjoyed so much of God’s grace, and we can enjoy even more through Christ. The Scriptures teach us that we can enjoy every spiritual blessing afforded us by God through the sacrifice of His Son. God has promised to hold nothing back. Will you enjoy those blessings or miss them because of your rebellion?
Help me, Lord, to stay focused on Your plan and enjoy those incredible moments that only You can provide. Help me to truly enjoy Your grace and walk in the blessings that it continually provides.
1 Chronicles 6
The lineage of Levi is incredibly important because it reveals who the priests of Israel were and provides a lineage for those priests returning from exile. Most of the priestly records were destroyed when the temple was burned to the ground by Nebuchadnezzar; therefore, a reliable record was desperately needed for the sanctity of the priesthood. The Chronicler quickly turns to Aaron and his sons because they started the lineage of the priestly line after the exodus from Israel. These were the people God set aside to serve in His tabernacle/temple and minister to His people. They were not given a designated portion of the Promised Land but were given cities within the portions assigned to each tribe. God spread them throughout the land so that His people would have a constant spiritual presence close by. God understood the needs of His people and prepared to meet them before Israel ever entered Canaan. Our God has not changed through the centuries. He still knows our needs and prepares everything perfectly to meet those needs. We sometimes call that grace. Even when we do not deserve it, God is preparing the way for us to fully enjoy His best. If we choose not to follow His way, then we miss those blessings, but He is always prepared to provide them. Israel enjoyed so much of God’s grace, and we can enjoy even more through Christ. The Scriptures teach us that we can enjoy every spiritual blessing afforded us by God through the sacrifice of His Son. God has promised to hold nothing back. Will you enjoy those blessings or miss them because of your rebellion?
Help me, Lord, to stay focused on Your plan and enjoy those incredible moments that only You can provide. Help me to truly enjoy Your grace and walk in the blessings that it continually provides.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
1 Chronicles 5
Why does the Chronicler focus so much attention on Jacob’s sons? He is putting into writing what has been passed down orally for centuries. He wants future Jews to know and understand the depth of their heritage and to see the importance of each lineage. The twelve tribes of Israel hold a special place in Jewish history and were an integral part of the acquisition of the Promised Land. It is interesting that the Chronicler provides a lineage all the way to the exile and beyond. He knows those returning to the land will need these records to reestablish their rights within Canaan and to remind them of the foibles of their ancestors that should never be repeated. History can be a great teacher, or it can provide a footprint for the future. If we do not learn from history, we are destined to repeat it, and Israel is the perfect example. How many opportunities did God give His people? How many times did He relent from destroying them? God loves His people. He loves Israel. He loves those who have been grafted into the family through Christ. He wants each of us to know His will and walk in it. He wants us to learn His commandments and then obey them. He does not want or need our religion; instead, He desires a deep relationship with His creation that leads us to holiness and to a heart for making disciples. He wanted so much good for Israel and gave them every opportunity to succeed. He does the same for us! Will you walk in that goodness and enjoy His best or squander it on that which is fleshly and finite?
Help me, Lord, to walk in Your goodness daily and enjoy Your best in all that I do. Help me to study Your commandments and obey them as I strive to be holy and learn to love making disciples.
1 Chronicles 5
Why does the Chronicler focus so much attention on Jacob’s sons? He is putting into writing what has been passed down orally for centuries. He wants future Jews to know and understand the depth of their heritage and to see the importance of each lineage. The twelve tribes of Israel hold a special place in Jewish history and were an integral part of the acquisition of the Promised Land. It is interesting that the Chronicler provides a lineage all the way to the exile and beyond. He knows those returning to the land will need these records to reestablish their rights within Canaan and to remind them of the foibles of their ancestors that should never be repeated. History can be a great teacher, or it can provide a footprint for the future. If we do not learn from history, we are destined to repeat it, and Israel is the perfect example. How many opportunities did God give His people? How many times did He relent from destroying them? God loves His people. He loves Israel. He loves those who have been grafted into the family through Christ. He wants each of us to know His will and walk in it. He wants us to learn His commandments and then obey them. He does not want or need our religion; instead, He desires a deep relationship with His creation that leads us to holiness and to a heart for making disciples. He wanted so much good for Israel and gave them every opportunity to succeed. He does the same for us! Will you walk in that goodness and enjoy His best or squander it on that which is fleshly and finite?
Help me, Lord, to walk in Your goodness daily and enjoy Your best in all that I do. Help me to study Your commandments and obey them as I strive to be holy and learn to love making disciples.