First15

As we end our week on transcendent peace, today we’ll explore what it means to be a person of peace. Jesus refers to his people as “peacemakers.” Would you say that title accurately describes you? What kind of emotion does that word stir up? In a world full of principles like “an eye for an eye,” how can Christians be set apart and different? Today we’ll dive into that and more. Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 5:9. Today's worship is Sparrows and Lillies by Pat Barrett. – Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast, the last in our weeklong focus on peace.    If this week was meaningful for you, where you have a greater sense of peace after creating this space than you had before, would you take a moment to write a review? Rating and reviewing this podcast is a critical step in our ability to empower more believers, just like you, to create space for God’s presence.    And make sure to come back tomorrow, where we’ll launch a new series focused on God’s desire to be encountered by his p

As we begin to wrap up our week on transcendent peace, today we’ll explore growing in relationship with the Holy Spirit, and how he can help us walk in peace. As we’ve learned this week, connectedness with God is crucial to peace in all circumstances, and today we’ll dive deeper into those thoughts. May you grow in your desire for and closeness with the Holy Spirit today. Our Scripture for today comes from Ephesians 4:30, and today's worship is Where The War Ends by Amanda Cook   -- Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 to find real rest is for YOU.    First15’s brand-new devotional book called Rhythms was written with you in mind.    Each day of this 28-day devotional invites you to break away from your normal rhythm of waking, eating, working, and sleeping to discover a spiritual rhythm that, when practiced, will lead you into a more vibrant, abundant life in every way that matters.   Jesus wasn’t kidding when he said you can find rest in the midst of the craziness of life. He can give it to you, and Rhyt

What would it look like to have peace in all circumstances? I honestly can’t imagine anything better. We see promises in Scripture of this peace at all times, but so few of us experience that. Why is that the case? Today we’ll explore why that might be and how to walk in transcendent peace untouched by the circumstances of this world. Our Scripture for today comes from 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7, and today's worship is  Blackout by Steffany Gretzinger. -- Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast.    If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to the podcast and rate and review! Your engagement really helps our ability to empower more people to experience God in a fresh way every day.    And make sure to come back tomorrow where we’ll look at what it means to have Peace in our Spirits.    Have a great rest of your day, and may God bless you as you seek him.  

For many, relationships can often the greatest source of joy, or be the quickest thing to rob us of peace. As we seek to walk in transcendent peace, it’s vital we seek peace in life’s relationships. It is vital we take the path of humility and considering others more significant than ourselves. Today we’ll dive into how live in harmony with others and experience the peace of heaven in our friendships, families and work lives.   Our Scripture for today comes from Colossians 3:15, and today's worship is Tell Me The Truth by Steffany Gretzinger. -- Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 to find real rest is for YOU.  First15’s brand-new devotional book called Rhythms was written with you in mind.  Each day of this 28-day devotional invites you to break away from your normal rhythm of waking, eating, working, and sleeping to discover a spiritual rhythm that, when practiced, will lead you into a more vibrant, abundant life in every way that matters.   Jesus wasn’t kidding when he said you can find rest in the midst o

Today we will explore how to have a peaceful thought-life, as we continue our week on transcendent peace. The Bible speaks very specifically about our minds, and how important it is to have control over our thoughts. Today we’ll dive a little deeper into those biblical concepts, and I hope we each walk away better equipped to face life’s trials with the transcendent peace of God. Our Scripture for today comes from Romans 8:6, and today's worship is Agnus Dei / King of Kings by Hillsong Worship.   -   Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast, a peaceful thought-life.    I hope that God was illuminating some of your thoughts today as you prayed. The Holy Spirit has this incredible ability to reveal so lovingly things that are holding us back from the fullness of life in him.    If there was a specific thought that came to mind today, I want to encourage you to share it with someone close to you. Shedding light on a harmful thought through a conversation with someone you trust is a powerful way to

As we continue our week on transcendent peace, we’ll look today at where peace comes from. Peace isn’t something we can muster up in and of ourselves. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit of God. And thankfully, we have God’s Spirit living inside of us. May we learn today how to tap into the peace of God that’s so ever-readily available to us as Christians. Our Scripture for today comes from Galatians 5:22-23, and today's worship is Peace Be Still by The Belonging Co. feat Lauren Daigle

One of the most powerful marks of a believer is transcendent peace. This world offers us no reason to be peaceful. It offers us no reason to be without stress, burdens, cares, and total frustration. But we serve a God who offers us peace in the midst of any circumstance. We serve a God in whom all true peace finds its source. May you discover the heart of your heavenly Father to bring you peace this week. Our Scripture for today comes from Isaiah 9:6, and today's worship is Miracle in the Works by Bryan & Katie Torwalt. – Thank you so much for listening to today’s podcast, the first in our weeklong series on peace.    If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you won’t miss a day in our pursuit of peace this week.   As the world gets more and more stressed, God is drawing you in me down the pathway to peace this week. May we accept his invitation every day, and find the rest we’re so desperately in need of.    Have a wonderful rest of your day, and may God bless you as you se

Today, in the last day of our week long focus on joy, we’re going to explore how we can be carriers for the joy of our God. Joy is contagious. It’s powerful. And it’s meant to be at the heart of our communication of who God is, and what relationship with him is like.   May God fill us all with a greater measure of his joy today, and a greater understanding of how to carry that joy into a world in desperate need of it. Our Scripture for today comes from Isaiah 55:12. Today's worship is What I See by Elevation Worship. – Thank you so much for listening to this last podcast in our week on joy. I’m Craig Denison, author of First15.    Who around you especially needs the joy of the Lord today? Who needs to know about the joy God has available to them, if they would open their hearts to receive it.    As you’re around that person today, or as the Lord prompts you to reach out them, ask him to lead you into an opportunity to talk about his joy in a real, fresh way with them. Sharing the joy we have in God is n

As we near the end of our week on joy, today we look at another aspect of the joy available to us in God, specifically how our joy could be so great that the Bible would call it inexpressible.   May our hearts be opened to a greater measure of joy than we’ve yet experienced, and the wisdom and faith to hold on to that joy as our portion in God. Our Scripture for today comes from 1 Peter 1:8-9, and today's worship is You Are My Joy by United Pursuit feat Will Reagan.   --   Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 to find real rest is for YOU.    First15’s brand-new devotional book called Rhythms was written with you in mind.    Each day of this 28-day devotional invites you to break away from your normal rhythm of waking, eating, working, and sleeping to discover a spiritual rhythm that, when practiced, will lead you into a more vibrant, abundant life in every way that matters.   Jesus wasn’t kidding when he said you can find rest in the midst of the craziness of life. He can give it to you, and Rhythms will guide

Today we’re going to explore the role of the Holy Spirit in living with the joy available to us in God. Know that as a believer, the Holy Spirit is with you, ready to search the heart of God for you, and to give you this free gift of joy, if you’ll simply trust him and receive it.   May your relationship with the Spirit deepen today, and yield a joy so real and strong that no trial or tribulation could come against it. Our Scripture for today comes from 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7, and today's worship is  Joy of the Lord by Dante Bowe and Katie Torwalt. -- I’m Craig Denison, author of First15. Thank you so much for listening to today’s devotional on joy from the Spirit.    Take a moment, before you go, to just reflect on what the Lord has done in your life today. Reflect on what God’s doing as you’re creating space to meet with him. And think about how that’s impacting not only your life, but also how you engage with others around you. Reflecting on the fruit of meeting with God is a powerful tool in developi

I think one of the hardest things to do in life is to live with joy in the midst of trials and challenges. It’s so easy to let life dictate to us our emotions and state of being. But in God, there is a joy available to us right where we are, no matter how good or bad the situation may be.   Today we’re going to make space together to simply open our hearts and minds to receive the joy of the Father. I hope and pray that you find real, life-changing joy in God’s presence today.   Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 126:5-6, and today's worship is No Longer Slaves / We WIll Not Be Shaken by Jonathan and Melissa Helser --   Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 to find real rest is for YOU.    First15’s brand-new devotional book called Rhythms was written with you in mind.    Each day of this 28-day devotional invites you to break away from your normal rhythm of waking, eating, working, and sleeping to discover a spiritual rhythm that, when practiced, will lead you into a more vibrant, abundant life in every

In our third day of looking at Joy, we’re going to take time today to look at David’s statement in Psalm 16:11, where he describes a “fullness of joy.”   There is a greater fullness of life available to you and in me in God that most of us will ever experience. To experience more of God almost always requires laying down more of the things of the world. But if we, today, will give a greater measure of our hearts over to God, we’ll find greater joy than we could have imagined experiencing this side of heaven.   May your heart be filled to the fullness today as we experience God together. Our Scripture for today comes from Psalm 16:11, and today's worship is Fullness by Elevation Worship.   -   Thanks for listening to today’s podcast on the fullness of joy. I’m Craig Denison, author of First15.    If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s joy today, I want to encourage you to take some time and worship today, whenever you get a few minutes. Every day on our website, First15.org, you’ll find a song to go

As we continue our week of looking at Joy, we’re going to take time today to receive a fresh revelation of how God rejoices over us.   God not only loves you, but he likes you. He rejoices over you, just as you are. I hope and pray that you get a real, tangible sense of God’s joy over you today as we create space in his presence together. Our Scripture for today comes from Zephaniah 3:17, and today's worship is This Is The Sound by Steffany Gretzinger. -- Thanks for listening to today’s First15 Podcast. My name is Ryn, and I’m a part of the First15 Team. 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!

In a world that knocks us down, joy can feel so elusive. But Scripture is filled with encouragement, that there is a joy available to us in God that transcends the pain and suffering of the world.   This week on the First15 podcast, we’re going to take time every day to open our hearts and receive the joy of the Father, that we could be children marked by the joy of heaven.   May you discover the greater portion of joy available to you through the Spirit as you encounter the heart of your Father this week. Our Scripture for today comes from Nehemiah 8:10, and today's worship is Refreshing by First15 Worship feat. Nikki Moltz. – Thank you so much for listening to today’s podcast.    I hope you sensed a bit of the joy available to you when you set your heart and mind on the goodness of God. We are the children of a good and happy Father. So great is his joy over us, that when we lay everything down and trust him with our hearts, his joy can be our own.    If joy begins to feel elusive to you today, take a

In today’s devotional we wrap up our week on seeking God by looking at the act of seeking God through community. You may be a people person, or a total introvert, but either way, God wants to use his church to encourage you and draw you closer to him. The Lord loves unity in his body, and he longs for his church, his Bride to worship and seek him as one. May God open your heart and mind today to the community in which he’s placed you in this season.   Our Scripture for today comes from Hebrews 10:24-25. Today's worship is Holy Water by We The Kingdom. – Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast, the last in our week-long look at living an abundant life.    And make sure to come back tomorrow, where we’ll start our series on exploring seven different avenues down which we can venture to seek God and experience his presence every day. I know that tomorrow will take us all deeper in our experience and relationship with our good, and loving Father.    Have a wonderful rest of your day, and may God bless

As we near the end of our week on seeking God, today we will focus on seeking God in solitude. Our world is a busy place. Our home lives are busy. Our church lives are full. When are you ever alone to simply fix your eyes on the Father, and be uninterrupted by the things going on around you? If we will take up the discipline of solitude, our lives will look very different. Imagine for a second the inner peace and sanity you could gain if you set aside consistent time to seek God in solitude. May you be encouraged to do just that as you experience the nearness of Jesus today. Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 14:23, and today's worship is Come Follow Me by Brother Isaiah.   --   Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 to find real rest is for YOU.    First15’s brand-new devotional book called Rhythms was written with you in mind.    Each day of this 28-day devotional invites you to break away from your normal rhythm of waking, eating, working, and sleeping to discover a spiritual rhythm that, when pract

In today’s devotional, we’re going to explore the act of seeking God through his creation. God wants to use the world around us to declare his glory, goodness and love for us. May we take the time to open our eyes and hearts, to slow down for a minute and behold the beauty of our God in all that he has made.   Our Scripture for today comes from Nehemiah 9:6, and today's worship is  Mountain to Valley by Jason Upton. -- Thank you so much for listening to today’s podcast.    I hope and pray that your heart has been stirred to experience God in his creation today. Take ten minutes today to just sit and focus on some element of God’s creation today. And as you do, ask him to reveal something about himself through his creation. Just 10 minutes spent listening to God has the power to infuse your day with an amazing abundance of God’s peace and love.    Thanks for listening, and may God bless you as you seek him today.  

As we continue our week on seeking God, today we’re exploring what it means to seek God through fasting. This may be a new or even unpleasant topic for some, but my hope is that you would be energized and encouraged toward the act of fasting today. There is power in surrender and self-sacrifice for the sake of more of God, and I pray you experience that power as you learn more about this important tool God’s given us to seek him. I’d encourage you to open your heart today in full surrender to anything the Spirit might speak. Our Scripture for today comes from Ezra 8:23, and today's worship is Blessed Are Those Who Follow You by Chris Renzema --   Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 to find real rest is for YOU.    First15’s brand-new devotional book called Rhythms was written with you in mind.    Each day of this 28-day devotional invites you to break away from your normal rhythm of waking, eating, working, and sleeping to discover a spiritual rhythm that, when practiced, will lead you into a more vibrant, ab

As we continue our series on seeking God, today we’ll explore the intimate closeness of seeking God through prayer. How amazing is our Father that he wants to commune with us? With you? With me? Take a second to fathom how beautiful that truly is. Today, may your heart be stirred to take advantage of the unbelievable gift of prayer as you experience God. Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 6:6, and today's worship is Spirit of God by Canyon Hills Worship.   -   Thanks for listening to today’s podcast.    Also, if you ever struggle with your mind wandering in prayer, we have a blog entry that might help you learn how to better center yourself in prayer.    Thanks so much for engaging with God through First15, I’m so grateful for this space we’re creating together.    Have a wonderful rest of your day, and may God bless you as you seek him.   

Did you know you have the ability to stir and satisfy the heart of God, here and now? God has given us the ability to choose him here on earth, and nothing blesses the heart of God like his beloved people intentionally turning their hearts toward him. As we examine how to live an abundant life here on earth, today we’ll search out what it means to choose to worship God in our daily lives.   Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 4:4, and today's worship is Heal Our Land. by Kari Jobe. -- Thanks for listening to today’s First15 Podcast. My name is Ryn, and I’m a part of the First15 Team. 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! In today’s First15 Podcast we wanted to give you a preview of a new Guided Praye