Devotionals

My father had many cute and rather humorous sayings—things he would say with just a bit of fun sarcasm. For example, whenever he was waiting to make a turn and the cars were endlessly streaming by without giving him a break, he struggled to remain patient.

So, while he waited for an opening, he would tap the steering wheel and say, “Well… ya’ll come!” Typically, that Southern phrase is used with a welcoming and hospitable tone. But when my dad said it, it was ironic humor—words spoken in contrast to what he actually meant.

In Scripture, Jesus uses a similar phrase—but when He says, “Come…all you,” He truly means it. “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus extends an open invitation for salvation to all humanity. In other words, heaven’s porch light is on. The door is open. “Ya’ll come!” Everyone.

The Garden of Eden was a perfect paradise—designed for a growing, unhindered relationship with God. Yet our first spiritual parents chose disobedience and were expelled from that perfect place. Since then, humanity has been trying to rediscover the rhythm of grace and return to the heart of God.

In the Garden, God sacrificed an animal to cover the sin of Adam and Eve. That first covering pointed forward to the greater sacrifice to come. For us, it is the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. He covers our sin with His righteousness. What we could never cleanse, He cleansed. What we could never cover, He covered.

The Book of Genesis tells the story of paradise lost. The Book of Revelation promises paradise regained. And the invitation still stands:
Not some.
Not the nearly perfect.
Not the ones who finally “get it together.”

John 6:37 VOICE 37 All that My Father gives to Me comes to Me. I will receive everyone; I will not send away anyone who comes to Me.

Everyone who comes. That’s not sarcasm. That’s grace.

Prayer: Lord, we have been learning about the power and necessity of repentance. Turning toward You and Your will is essential. We cannot spiritually cleanse ourselves or cover our own sin—only You can do that for us, Jesus. Thank You for shedding Your blood so that one day we may join You in the new paradise You have prepared. Thank You that when You say, “Come,” You truly mean it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I am always inspired by the song, “How Great is our God!” Take time to listen to it. The lyrics minister to me. Reflect on God’s greatness for a moment—the Father, Spirit, Son—the Godhead Three in One who brings humanity salvation and personally leads each believer back home to our loving Creator.

The Eternal Father wanted to rescue his lost human family. The Spirit of Truth became the powerful Voice to reveal the testimony of God’s existence. The Son—Logos/Word—humbled himself and came to save us from sin and death by sacrificing his life for us. Jesus is our conquering King [powerful Lion] and living Example [humble Lamb]. Jesus had to come to us, because we tend to pridefully live by our thoughts and wills—which cannot encompass God or comprehend His pure self-emptying love. Oh, that we would obediently follow our King.

Our heavenly Father fulfilled His Word by sending his Son—he humbled himself to meet us, because we had no way to connect to God. The Lord came for us, gave believers his great name, and now calls us sons and daughters. Grace guides us toward the Truth and genuine freedom.

So, if you need pure love and a sense of belonging that is eternal, just know how much God cares. He came for you!

John 14:18 NLT  No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for humbling yourself to find us, and positioning yourself so we could know you and be loved by you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In my quiet reflection today, I started by thinking about my time with our granddaughter, Amana, yesterday. The two of us were leaving the church; we paused to ensure the door locked behind us. Before we began our walk to the parking area, Amana paused and reached up to grab my hand. Once she had my hand, she started walking with me toward the car.
Honestly, I always ask her to take my hand when we need to cross a parking area or road—anything that could pose danger—but I did not even have time to ask her, yesterday. She was already reaching to take my hand. Taking my hand had become a habit.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if, as adults, we paused each day before heading into the world of spiritual dangers, to [by the weight of our surrendered will] take the Hand of our Lord? Of course, that would require us to humbly understand our need for God’s goodness to lead us along the safe paths of righteousness (1 Peter 5:6). Truly, if we are seeking, we will find God’s goodness leading us along a grace-lined path. So, today, let’s reach for the Hand of Jesus and let him guide us away from sin and into his grace, because no one can snatch us from the Father’s Hand (John 10:29).

Romans 2:4 NLT  Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being so patient and kind to us. Truly, your goodness chases after us all the time. Today, Lord, we reach for your righteous Hand and ask for you to guide us away from every spiritual danger and onto the narrow path that leads to abundant life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The will of unbelieving humanity is constrained by this fallen world and enslaved by sin. Scripture teaches Adam and Eve chose disobedience to God’s will and Word (Gen 2:16-17, 3:1-19). Human beings became bound by that one disobedient choice—sin. Yet, in God’s mercy and goodness, he used the disobedience of Adam and Eve to teach us the way to salvation and the righteous life. The truth of God’s will is found in Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Jesus modeled the will of the Father for human life. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jo 14:6).

Our lives will always reflect what is in our hearts, because every action originates from the heart (Pro 4:23). If we are a positive or negative person, it is reflective of what is in our hearts—good or evil. The will of the heart really drives our lives; therefore, it must be transformed by the Lord.

We have beautiful freedom in this country; we are free to make choices for our lives. However, because of our spiritual condition of sin, we cannot make pure or righteous choices apart from the redeeming work of the Holy Spirit. When we live our lives in [following] Christ, God’s peace guards our hearts and minds (Phil 4:7).

In our verse for today, David prays, yields, and asks God to invade the will of his heart and take captive anything hidden—thoughts, motives, evil—that needs purification. Today, let’s remember we cannot just blindly ‘follow our hearts.’ We must ask God to sit on the throne of our hearts, direct, and lead us in the will of the Father. Every choice must go through our Lord Jesus, because our goal is transformation.

Psalm 139:23-24 NLT 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this further understanding of my heart. I am born again, but I can still be tempted by a fallen and wayward will. I want to do the will of the Father and become more like Jesus. Please help me through the work of the Word and Spirit to discern what is righteous and wisely choose to follow. Point out, in me, what is corrupt to your heart and help me surrender to your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

We shared a sweet time in the Spirit last night during our Ash Wednesday service. Jen and I talked and shared about the work of the Spirit to convict our hearts of sin. This conviction is a gift, because it allows us to repent and draw closer to God. Sin separates us, so we need to humbly repent and seek God’s strength and power to lead us beyond the things that try to rob us of our intimate fellowship with God.

So, today, our word is repentance. People seem to struggle with the need for repentance, but every Old Testament prophet, as well as Jesus and the apostles called for it. The Kingdom of God awaits our repentance. So, we will begin our Lenten journey with the need to repent from sin—unbelief.

Regret or remorse is not repentance. Of course, we should regret leaving God’s presence to demand our own way. However, repentance is really about transformation—a change in thinking that will lead to a change in our will for living. We are to have the attitude of Christ regarding sin (Phil 2:5). Christ went to the cross for our sins, so sin can seriously destroy our lives. Turning toward Jesus is the only way to salvation.

In our verse today, Peter is in Jerusalem and he is talking to a crowd of people about the power of God by pointing to the miraculous healing of a lame man. He then invites those listening to embrace a change in attitude and action—to respond to Christ and his power—because it leads to freedom from sin and restoration with God.

Today, let us think clearly about the gift of repentance, because the proof that we have truly repented is revealed when we see a change in our allegiance, direction, and actions.
Acts 3:19 NLT
19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped [erased] away.

Prayer: Lord, please help me think seriously about sin and how it has the power to affect my relationship with you. Every sin flows from unbelief and a turning away from Christ as my standard. Please convict me of hidden sin and help me repent. I want to devote myself to the work of your grace, so I call for mercy and freedom in Jesus’ name.

Today, begins the “Lenten” Season—starting on Ash Wednesday and ending with a celebration on Easter Sunday. Now, the word ‘Lent’ is never used in Scripture; however, Jesus demonstrated and taught the need for the principles of Lent all the time. In fact, Jesus’ time in the wilderness is helpful for our understanding.

Scripture tells us Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit (Mat 4:1). What did he do for forty days in the wilderness? He prayed, fasted, and allow the Spirit to consecrate him for the mission of God. Jesus knew the enemy would come to stop him—an intense spiritual battle for Christ’s allegiance to God. The fight is real. Satan uses temptation, torment, and tiredness to stop our progress in God’s mission, too.

As I sit here this morning with a cup of coffee writing the devotional I am well acquainted with tiredness. I cling to the Apostle Paul’s exhortation, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Gal 6:9). In fact, I was too tired to get up early and get this lesson sent out at the usual time, but here it is in Jesus’ name! lol!

We are moving into our house after 1.5 years of being evacuated from our flood-damaged home. Last night, was our first time to stay in our restored house; but now it is time to make it a home once again. There is a difference.

A house is a physical dwelling place that serves as a residence. A home is filled with experiences, lessons, memories that draw us to know we belong and fill us with a sense of well-being. It will take discipline, work, and a willingness to create order in our house. Worth it all to make it a home. Nonetheless, it will be intense for a period of time and no one can make the journey for us.

As believers, physically we are the temple [house] of God and Jesus lives in us. He wants to clear, cleanse, and consecrate our house, to make it a holy home filled with his nature and character. We bear the name of Jesus; he is the name above the doorpost of our lives. We have been sealed by the Spirit and because of it, Satan will seek to rob, steal, and destroy our hope-driven vision, our energy for transformation, and our resolve to serve God’s purpose. We must pray, be willing to fast the things of this world, and live for eternity.

For the next forty days, we will be on a journey with Jesus. We must invite him to take us to a new level of making our hearts HIS home. We will be led into the deep places of our hearts through reflection, repentance, and renewal. He is the shalom—the complete wholeness and well-being—our lives required if we are going to rise in our discipleship and commission in God’s plan.

You are precious to God. He is not asking you to change yourself. He is asking for you to allow him to make your spiritual house alive with HIS supernatural Spirit of love and goodness. Oneness with God is the goal. Jesus was victorious in the wilderness and he can make us victorious, too. Therefore, he will sweep stuff away, but only the things that hinder our lives. New beginnings can be exciting even though a bit draining, right? He is getting us ready for Easter…resurrection living. Let’s take the journey with him.

Matthew 4:1-11 NTL Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted [tested] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the many ways you love us. We are blessed that you would make our hearts your home. Over these next forty days, we invite you to bring the transformation you know we need in order to experience more oneness with you. Take us on the journey, but please hold us close. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 78 is commonly known as one of thirteen teaching psalms, which are often identified by the Hebrew title, Maskil, which means instruction, contemplation, or wisdom song. In Psalm 78 we see that Asaph, who was a worship leader from the Tribe of Levi, retells of Israel’s history as a way to teach future generations. We are keeping with the theme of yesterday’s devotion, as we saw Stephen used Israel’s history, in Acts 7, as a way to teach the Council, and future generations, of God’s glory. Today, in verses 17-20, Asaph reminds us of Israel’s rebellion and their worries, fears, and frustrations that all led to their doubt of God in the wilderness. He goes on in verses 52-55 to contrast as he reminds us of God’s faithfulness as the Good Shepherd to His people.

Friends, if I am being completely transparent, I have been like Israel and have wrestled with worries, even after witnessing God’s tremendous faithfulness as the Good Shepherd within my life. I can tell you that I love Jesus with my whole heart, yet recently I have wrestled with my human worries rather than trusting faithfully, at all times, in the One Who wants to take those worries from me. So, what do I do? Well, Lent is the perfect season for me and Jesus to firmly hold hands, as it is for you and Jesus, too. I know Jesus invites me to release my worries to Him all of the time, but in this particular season it all began with Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness, and so I know that Jesus understands my wilderness of worries right now, just as He understands exactly where you find yourself. So, I’m going to surrender to the Shepherd as I walk in daily reflection, repentance, and renewal, and I invite you to do the same. Remember, Lent is a time for us to allow Jesus to work within our hearts, so He can take what we need Him to take, and He can bring healing to each one of us.

Please join Pastor Mary as she beginning her 40-Day Lenten Devotional series tomorrow and I encourage you to not miss a day. Also, come tomorrow night to the Ash Wednesday Service, February 18, 2026, at 7 p.m. – 9398 Oakhurst Road, Seminole, FL 33776. Together, let’s remember the freedom that we have in Christ which is not the absence of our times in the wilderness, rather a time for us to reflection, repent, and seek renewal as we invite the faithful Shepherd in so He can lead us through our wilderness. Be sure to come to worship on Sundays at 9:45 a.m. during this Lenten season. It has been such a privilege to spend time with you through these devotions over the last few weeks. With much love and many blessings, Jen Auer.

Psalm 78:17-20, 52-55 (NLT)

17 Yet they kept on sinning against him,
rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
18 They stubbornly tested God in their hearts,
demanding the foods they craved.
19 They even spoke against God himself, saying,
“God can’t give us food in the wilderness.
20 Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out,
but he can’t give his people bread and meat.”

52 But he led his own people like a flock of sheep,
guiding them safely through the wilderness.
53 He kept them safe so they were not afraid;
but the sea covered their enemies.
54 He brought them to the border of his holy land,
to this land of hills he had won for them.
55 He drove out the nations before them;
he gave them their inheritance by lot.
He settled the tribes of Israel into their homes.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being our faithful Shepherd. Please forgive us when our wilderness moments cloud our trust in You. Holy Spirit, we need Your daily guidance, wisdom, and discernment. We especially need You as our Holy Guide through our places of uncertainty. Jesus, we want to be closer to You this Lenten season. Help us to surrender to You, to lay down our burdens, to and to embrace repentance as we welcome a revived spirit in You, Jesus. Please continue to allow us to rest in the freedom that we have in You, Jesus, as we take each step in obedience, trust, and faithfulness. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

In Acts 6 we learn that Stephen was one of the first seven deacons of the early Church. He was faithful and wise. In Acts 7, we witness Stephen boldly addressing the Council, which was made up of religious leaders. During his address, Stephen retold Israel’s history in an effort to make a point that God’s presence is not limited to a temple. Stephen wanted the religious leaders to experience God’s glory. But he also knew that much like Israel’s repeated rejection of God, His messengers, and of Jesus the Messiah, these religious leaders would miss their moment for a transformative encounter with God. As the religious leaders were filled with rage from Stephen’s address, Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit, and God’s glory was revealed. Stephen told the religious leaders, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” (v. 56). The religious leaders did not look up, rather they put their hands over their ears, and they began shouting; and this took places moments before they stoned Stephen to death. (v. 57-58)

Today’s passage is the part of Stephen’s address to the Council where he recalls Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush. The religious leaders might have missed God’s message through Stephen, but we need to grab ahold of it. Just as the glory of God called Moses to humbly accept his position within God’s Family and for His Kingdom, our freedom in Christ calls us to the same place of humble acceptance within God’s Family and working for the glory of His Name and His Kingdom. God told Moses to take off his sandals, because He needed Moses to embrace the holy position that he was going to walk out for God. God was going to use Moses to free His people from oppression. Friends, God invites us to “holy ground” moments every day. We need to embrace the holy position that God has for us to walk out.

Acts 7:30-34 (NLT)

30 “Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he went to take a closer look, the voice of the Lord called out to him, 32 ‘I am the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses shook with terror and did not dare to look.

33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. Now go, for I am sending you back to Egypt.’

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the freedom we have in You. Holy Spirit help us to have courage like Stephen and Moses. We want to grow in our faith walk with You, Jesus, and to be guided by Your wisdom. We bow our hearts to You as we walk out this day with humility and on holy ground. We ask for more hearts to encounter You, and if You need to use us today, we are willing vessels for You, Jesus. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Alicia Britt Chole, in her book, anonymous, reminds her readers that while only 10% of an iceberg is visible, as much as 90% of the iceberg remains under water, unseen, and is the portion of the iceberg that makes it virtually indestructible. Chole goes on to compare the most influential Life in all of history to that of an iceberg, Jesus. As she states, ninety percent of Jesus’ earthly life was spent in obscurity, while ten percent was spent in the public eye. Yet, all of His life was, and still is, absolutely indestructible. Jesus’ “invisible or hidden” years were equally as important to His “visible or unhidden” years. It is often within the invisible and hidden places of lives where God is able to birth spiritual greatness.

In Hebrews 11 we see much of Moses’ early life. Many of the decisions that were made for Moses’ life, by his parents, and by himself in early adulthood, were done out of obedient faithfulness of Moses’ parents and Moses, himself, to God. These decisions were made in obscurity and were the building blocks that ultimately led to Moses’ public ministry and great leadership of God’s people. Moses’ parent and Moses knew that every decision they made had to be for God and ultimately about God.

The freedom we have in Christ has nothing to do with our earthly status, the comforts of this world, or really about ourselves. Rather, much like Moses and his parents, our freedom in Christ should be about our obedient choice to walk by faith with Jesus and not to align with this world and all of the world’s securities. We need to fixate our hearts and lives on what is eternal, and that is Jesus, not on what is fleeting and temporal, and that is this world. Our freedom in Christ is sustained by our faith in Christ. We need to value Jesus above all else and thus our obedience, much like Moses, allows God to reveal His power in and through us, as He sees fit, and as He need it to work for His glory.

Hebrews 11:23-28 (NLT)

23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the hidden seasons of our lives. Please forgive us for being impatient during these times. Holy Spirit, please strengthen our obedience during the hidden seasons so that our faith can be sharpened and we can grow closer to You. We want to grow in Your wisdom so that we value eternity over this temporal realm called earth. May our hidden and unhidden places bring You eternal glory, Jesus. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

It’s important for us to recognize that God states “I am the LORD” four times and “I will” seven times in today’s passage. Here’s a breakdown of what God said, of where He said it, and we will dig deeper into why He said it:

“I am the LORD” – Verse 2
“I am the LORD” – Verse 6
“I am the LORD” – Verse 7
“I am the LORD” – Verse 8

“I will free you” – Verse 6
“I will rescue you” – Verse 6
“I will redeem you” – Verse 6
“I will claim you as my own people” – Verse 7
“I will be your God” – Verse 7
“I will bring you into the land” – Verse 8
“I will give it to you” – Verse 8

When God said “I am the LORD” four times, He was claiming His eternal authority over all of heaven and earth, and especially in comparison to Pharaoh’s momentary earthly power over the Israelites as they were still being held in captivity as slaves when God spoke this message to Moses.

God goes on to say “I will” seven times, and these were not mere statements, they were covenant calls to action. God was telling Israel, through Moses, that He was going to fulfill His divine plan by upholding His covenant promise that He made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and to their descendants (Israel). God was telling the Israelites that He will free them from the Egyptians, He will rescue them from slavery, He will redeem them, He will claim them as His people, He will be their God, He will bring them to the land of Canaan, and He will give the land to them.

In verse 9, we see that the Israelites were too discouraged and focused on their immediate circumstances in bondage to receive from Moses God’s message of faithful hope through redemption.

Friends, we need to grab a hold of the freedom we have in Christ at all times. By our faith, this freedom must be active. When we are wholeheartedly and actively trusting God, we can see His promises. We cannot allow this world or our circumstances to turn off our active trust in God. No matter what is happening, God’s message of faithful hope through the redemption we have in Christ Jesus is never changing and ETERNAL. We ARE freed, rescued, redeemed, claimed as God’s people, and He is our God. We CANNOT fall into verse 9, because we do not want to miss all of the freedom that God has for us.

Exodus 6:2-9 (NLT)

2 And God said to Moses, “I am Yahweh— ‘the Lord.’ 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai— ‘God Almighty’—but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them. 4 And I reaffirmed my covenant with them. Under its terms, I promised to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as foreigners. 5 You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them.

6 “Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. 7 I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. 8 I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession. I am the Lord!’”

9 So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the great I AM, and we bow our hearts to Your authority. Holy Spirit, please continue to lift our spirits when our circumstances are heavy and we feel discouraged. Please bring to our remembrance, Your unchanging promises, hope, and eternal love. As we stand in our freedom that can only be found in You, Jesus, we want to grow in our faith and oneness with You. Thank You for being our God and for guiding us today to share Your love with someone else. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.