Connect the sunday message to your week!
These short devotionals help bridge the gap between sunday services. We pray this resource will help you grow in your journey with Jesus! If you'd like to join the New Testament-in-a-year reading, additional scripture for that is provided at the bottom of each section.
Day 1
The Weight of Being Our Brother's Keeper
Reading: Genesis 4:1-16; Galatians 6:1-2
Devotional: Cain's haunting question—"Am I my brother's keeper?"—reveals a heart consumed by self-interest. The answer Scripture gives is an resounding yes. We are called to carry one another's burdens, fulfilling the law of Christ. This isn't merely a suggestion but a divine mandate woven throughout Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. When we focus solely on our own struggles, anxieties, and to-do lists, we miss the sacred opportunity to reflect Christ's love. Today, ask yourself: Who in my life needs someone to notice their burden? What would it look like to shift from self-absorption to sacrificial awareness? Being your brother's keeper isn't about adding more tasks—it's about allowing God's love to overflow through you into the lives of those around you.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 1
Reading: Genesis 4:1-16; Galatians 6:1-2
Devotional: Cain's haunting question—"Am I my brother's keeper?"—reveals a heart consumed by self-interest. The answer Scripture gives is an resounding yes. We are called to carry one another's burdens, fulfilling the law of Christ. This isn't merely a suggestion but a divine mandate woven throughout Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. When we focus solely on our own struggles, anxieties, and to-do lists, we miss the sacred opportunity to reflect Christ's love. Today, ask yourself: Who in my life needs someone to notice their burden? What would it look like to shift from self-absorption to sacrificial awareness? Being your brother's keeper isn't about adding more tasks—it's about allowing God's love to overflow through you into the lives of those around you.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 1
Day 2
Knowledge That Builds Up
Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:1-3; Proverbs 1:7; James 3:13-18
Devotional: Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. This distinction is critical for kingdom living. Worldly knowledge seeks to impress, to gain approval, to establish superiority. It's the teenager who memorizes Scripture to show off rather than to know God. It's the person who wins theological arguments but loses relationships. Biblical knowledge, however, begins with confession of ignorance and humility before God. Jesus himself, though fully God, grew in wisdom through learning and suffering. True knowledge leads us to worship, not pride. It makes us aware of how little we actually know compared to God's infinite wisdom. Today, examine your pursuit of knowledge: Is it making you more arrogant or more humble? More impressive or more loving? Seek understanding that draws you closer to God and compels you to love others more deeply.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 2
Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:1-3; Proverbs 1:7; James 3:13-18
Devotional: Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. This distinction is critical for kingdom living. Worldly knowledge seeks to impress, to gain approval, to establish superiority. It's the teenager who memorizes Scripture to show off rather than to know God. It's the person who wins theological arguments but loses relationships. Biblical knowledge, however, begins with confession of ignorance and humility before God. Jesus himself, though fully God, grew in wisdom through learning and suffering. True knowledge leads us to worship, not pride. It makes us aware of how little we actually know compared to God's infinite wisdom. Today, examine your pursuit of knowledge: Is it making you more arrogant or more humble? More impressive or more loving? Seek understanding that draws you closer to God and compels you to love others more deeply.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 2
Day 3
Worship Beyond Sunday Morning
Reading: John 4:19-24; Romans 12:1-2; Psalm 139:23-24
Devotional: Worship is not confined to singing songs on Sunday morning. True worship is God-centered living that flows from the heart in spirit and truth. It encompasses prayer, Scripture reading, communion, service, and the daily surrender of our desires to God's will. When we reduce worship to a weekly event, we miss the transformative power of continuous communion with our Creator. What consumes your thoughts throughout the day? Your anxieties? Your tasks? Your image? These become functional idols that steal worship from God. Jesus calls us to worship with our entire being—heart, soul, mind, and strength. Today, practice worship in the mundane: while working, parenting, driving, or cooking. Redirect your wandering thoughts back to Him. When worship becomes your lifestyle, everything changes—including how you love others.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 3
Reading: John 4:19-24; Romans 12:1-2; Psalm 139:23-24
Devotional: Worship is not confined to singing songs on Sunday morning. True worship is God-centered living that flows from the heart in spirit and truth. It encompasses prayer, Scripture reading, communion, service, and the daily surrender of our desires to God's will. When we reduce worship to a weekly event, we miss the transformative power of continuous communion with our Creator. What consumes your thoughts throughout the day? Your anxieties? Your tasks? Your image? These become functional idols that steal worship from God. Jesus calls us to worship with our entire being—heart, soul, mind, and strength. Today, practice worship in the mundane: while working, parenting, driving, or cooking. Redirect your wandering thoughts back to Him. When worship becomes your lifestyle, everything changes—including how you love others.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 3
Day 4
The Freedom of Sanctification
Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
Devotional: Following Jesus isn't about mastering a list of do's and don'ts. It's about daily transformation into His image through sanctification. As you spend time with God, He changes your desires, refines your character, and matures your faith. The things you once worried about—what to watch, what to listen to, how to speak—gradually shift as your heart aligns with His. This isn't legalism; it's freedom. When young believers focus on external rules, they miss the internal transformation that comes from abiding in Christ. Don't make following Jesus complicated. Simply show up daily, confess your sin, and spend time with Him. Trust that He is faithful to complete the work He began in you. Sanctification isn't instantaneous, but it is certain. Give yourself grace in the process while remaining committed to growth.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 4
Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
Devotional: Following Jesus isn't about mastering a list of do's and don'ts. It's about daily transformation into His image through sanctification. As you spend time with God, He changes your desires, refines your character, and matures your faith. The things you once worried about—what to watch, what to listen to, how to speak—gradually shift as your heart aligns with His. This isn't legalism; it's freedom. When young believers focus on external rules, they miss the internal transformation that comes from abiding in Christ. Don't make following Jesus complicated. Simply show up daily, confess your sin, and spend time with Him. Trust that He is faithful to complete the work He began in you. Sanctification isn't instantaneous, but it is certain. Give yourself grace in the process while remaining committed to growth.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 4
Day 5
Sacrificial Love That Builds the Kingdom
Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:9-13; John 15:12-13; Matthew 22:37-39
Devotional: The greatest love lays down its life for friends. Jesus demonstrated this ultimate sacrifice on the cross, and now He calls us to the same sacrificial love for one another. This means being aware of others' struggles and willingly laying aside our freedoms so we don't cause them to stumble. It requires knowing people deeply enough to understand their battles. It means choosing their spiritual health over our personal preferences. This is kingdom love—love that governs how we live, what we say, and what we do. You are your brother's keeper, responsible to edify, encourage, and point others toward Christ. Today, identify someone in your life who needs this sacrificial love. What freedom might you lay down for their sake? How can you communicate your own struggles so others can love you well? Building God's kingdom begins with love that costs us something.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 5
Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:9-13; John 15:12-13; Matthew 22:37-39
Devotional: The greatest love lays down its life for friends. Jesus demonstrated this ultimate sacrifice on the cross, and now He calls us to the same sacrificial love for one another. This means being aware of others' struggles and willingly laying aside our freedoms so we don't cause them to stumble. It requires knowing people deeply enough to understand their battles. It means choosing their spiritual health over our personal preferences. This is kingdom love—love that governs how we live, what we say, and what we do. You are your brother's keeper, responsible to edify, encourage, and point others toward Christ. Today, identify someone in your life who needs this sacrificial love. What freedom might you lay down for their sake? How can you communicate your own struggles so others can love you well? Building God's kingdom begins with love that costs us something.
New Testament-in-a-Year Reading: Matthew 5