Tag: antichrist

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Women’s Devotional — Day 219

Rooted & Raised

When God’s Answer Is Not the One I Wanted

📖 “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.“
—John 16:23b (NKJV)

Jesus was preparing His apostles for life after His death, resurrection, and return to the Father. They had brought their questions directly to Him throughout His earthly ministry. Soon, however, they would pray to the Father in His name.

This promise established their access, but it did not give them unlimited authority to obtain whatever they desired.

To pray in Jesus’ name means far more than adding His name to the end of a request. In Scripture, a person’s name is inseparable from his identity, character, and authority. Prayer in Jesus’ name approaches the Father through Christ, rests upon Christ’s merit, submits to Christ’s authority, and seeks what agrees with Christ’s will.

I do not come before God because I have lived well enough to deserve an audience.

I come because Jesus has brought me near.

That truth is especially precious when I become painfully aware of my weakness. Sometimes my prayers feel uncertain or poorly expressed. I may struggle to concentrate. Grief may leave me with few words. Exhaustion may reduce an hour of intended prayer to a sentence whispered before I fall asleep.

The Father does not hear me because my prayer was eloquent.

He receives me because I belong to His Son.

But praying through Christ does not mean that God is obligated to approve every request I place before Him. I can sincerely want something that is not His will. I can ask for something good at the wrong time. I can interpret what would make life easier as though it must therefore be what God considers best.

Sometimes I do not recognize how deeply my prayers are shaped by fear.

I ask God to resolve a situation quickly because uncertainty makes me uncomfortable. I ask Him to change another person because I do not want to endure the difficulty of that relationship. I ask Him to restore something because I cannot imagine a faithful future without it. I ask Him to open a particular door because I have already decided what my life should look like beyond it.

None of these desires must be hidden from Him.

But they must be submitted to Him.

Jesus Himself demonstrated this submission in Gethsemane: “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39, NKJV).

Those words were not an expression of weak faith.

They were perfect obedience.

Submission does not mean I stop asking. It means I recognize that the Father’s wisdom is greater than my understanding. I present my request honestly while refusing to make my obedience dependent upon receiving the answer I prefer.

John later wrote, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14, NKJV).

Confidence in prayer is not confidence in my ability to persuade God.

It is confidence in His character.

He hears.

He knows.

He cares.

He answers according to His perfect will.

That answer may be yes.

It may be no.

It may be wait.

And sometimes the answer may be so different from what I requested that I do not initially recognize it as an answer at all.

Paul asked the Lord three times to remove his “thorn in the flesh.” The thorn was not removed. Instead, Christ told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:8–9, NKJV).

Paul’s prayer was not ignored.

God answered by providing sustaining grace rather than escape.

That distinction can be difficult when I have prayed for a long time.

Perhaps I have asked God to heal an illness, restore a relationship, save a loved one, provide employment, bring a husband, give a child, protect someone I love, or release me from a burden that has followed me for years.

Persistent prayer is biblical. Jesus taught His disciples “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1, NKJV). I should not confuse submission with passivity or assume that continued asking demonstrates unbelief.

Yet persistence must remain joined to surrender.

I may continue bringing the same request to God while saying, “Father, I desire this deeply, but I trust You with what I cannot see. Do not allow my desire for this answer to become greater than my desire to obey You.”

Sometimes unanswered prayer exposes where a request has quietly become a demand.

I know this has happened when disappointment begins turning into accusation. I assume that if God loved me, He would have answered differently. I compare my life with someone who received what I requested. I begin measuring His goodness by whether my circumstances match my expectations.

But the cross has already settled the question of His love.

Paul wrote, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, NKJV). In context, those “all things” serve God’s saving purpose of conforming believers to Christ and bringing them to final glory. The verse is not a guarantee of every earthly desire. It assures me that the God who gave His Son will withhold nothing necessary to complete His redemptive work in me.

The earliest Christian women learned to pray within lives they could not completely control. Some lived with unbelieving husbands. Some faced economic hardship, widowhood, illness, or hostility because of their faith. They prayed for deliverance and provision, but they also prayed for courage to remain faithful if their circumstances did not immediately change.

Imagine a woman gathering with the church after praying for something that had not happened.

She hears believers thank God for answered prayer, yet her own burden remains. She could assume she has been forgotten. Instead, other women sit beside her, continue praying with her, and help carry the practical weight of her need.

God’s care may reach her through the body of Christ even while the larger answer remains unseen.

Prayer was never meant to isolate us in private disappointment. Scripture teaches believers to pray for one another and bear one another’s burdens. There are seasons when I need trusted women who will pray with me without promising an outcome God has not promised.

They do not need to explain why the answer has not come.

They need to help me continue trusting the One to whom I pray.

Knowing Christ means I can pray boldly without demanding, persistently without trying to control, and expectantly without deciding beforehand what God must do.

I come through Jesus.

I ask according to His will.

I trust the Father’s wisdom.

And when His answer is not the one I wanted, I remain before Him—because He Himself is still my greatest good.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You that I may come before You through Jesus Christ rather than through any worthiness of my own. You know the requests I have carried for days, months, or even years. Teach me to pray boldly and persistently while submitting every desire to Your perfect will. When Your answer differs from what I wanted, guard me from bitterness, comparison, and the belief that You have forgotten me. Search my heart and show me where a request has become a demand. Give me grace to continue obeying while I wait and strength to remain faithful if my circumstances do not change. Shape my desires until they increasingly agree with Yours, and let my confidence rest not in a particular outcome but in Your unchanging character. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Children's Devotionals, Devotions

🧒 Children’s Devotional — Day 219

Rooted & Raised

We Pray to the Father in Jesus’ Name

📖 “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.“
—John 16:23b (NKJV)

Jesus was preparing His disciples for the time after His death, resurrection, and return to the Father. Their relationship with Him was about to change. They would no longer walk beside Him as they had during His earthly ministry, but they would not be separated from God or left without help.

Jesus taught them that they could pray directly to the Father in His name.

What does that mean?

Praying in Jesus’ name is more than adding the words “in Jesus’ name” to the end of a prayer. Those words are good and remind us how we come to God, but they are not a magic phrase that guarantees we will receive anything we request.

To pray in Jesus’ name means that we come to the Father because we belong to Jesus and trust in what He has done for us.

Sin separates people from God. We cannot make ourselves righteous by performing enough good deeds. But Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead. Everyone who repents and believes in Him is forgiven and brought near to God.

Jesus is the reason believers can approach the Father.

Praying in His name also means asking for things that agree with who Jesus is and what He desires. We should not ask God to help us sin, hurt someone, deceive our parents, or satisfy selfish desires. Jesus will never place His name upon something that contradicts His character or His Word.

That is why learning Scripture helps us learn how to pray.

The Bible teaches us to ask for wisdom, forgiveness, daily provision, strength against temptation, opportunities to help others, and courage to obey. We may also bring our fears, needs, disappointments, and ordinary concerns to God because He cares for us.

You can pray when you are worried about school.

You can pray when someone you love is sick.

You can pray when you need help making a wise decision.

You can pray after you have sinned, confessing what you did and asking for forgiveness.

You can pray simply to thank God for who He is and what He has done.

God may not always answer in the way you expect. Sometimes He says yes. Sometimes His answer is no because what you requested would not be best or would not agree with His will. Sometimes He requires you to wait.

A loving father does not give his child everything the child asks for simply because the child asks. He gives what is good. Our heavenly Father possesses perfect wisdom. He understands what we cannot see and knows what we truly need.

Later, John wrote, “If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14, NKJV).

That means faithful prayer does not try to make God obey us.

Prayer teaches us to trust and depend upon Him.

The earliest Christian children could learn this at home. They may have heard their parents pray when food was scarce, when someone was ill, or when following Jesus became difficult. They also heard believers thank God, confess sin, and ask for courage to remain faithful.

Those children could discover that prayer was not only something adults did during a church gathering.

They could speak to the Father too.

So can you.

You do not need impressive words. You do not need to sound like someone else. You can speak truthfully and respectfully to God. He already knows what you need before you ask, but He invites you to come to Him.

Knowing Christ means I do not approach God because I have been good enough to earn His attention.

I come because Jesus has brought me near.

I pray in His name, trust the Father’s wisdom, and know that He hears His children.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to come to You through Jesus. Teach me what it truly means to pray in His name. Help me ask for things that agree with Your Word and trust Your wisdom when Your answer is different from what I hoped. Remind me that prayer is not a way to control You but a gift through which I can speak with You, depend upon You, and bring You every concern. Thank You for hearing me because I belong to Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Faith Worthy of the Kingdom, Kingdom Discipleship

The Midnight Cry: Responding to the Cry of the Bridegroom

Rooted & Raised

From the Series: Ordinary Saints: Lessons from the Ante-Nicene Church

Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Announcements can change everything in an instant. A room may be quiet. People may be resting. The hours may have passed uneventfully. Then a voice breaks the silence, and suddenly everyone is moving. Jesus placed such a moment at the center of His parable of the ten virgins. Ten young women had gone out with their lamps to await the bridegroom. Five had prepared wisely, bringing additional oil. Five had not. But the bridegroom did not arrive when they expected. He was delayed. Eventually, Jesus tells us, “they all slumbered and slept” (Matthew 25:5). Then, in the darkness, everything changed. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’” (Matthew 25:6). The cry awakened everyone. All ten virgins arose. All ten trimmed their lamps. All ten had been waiting for the same bridegroom. But only five were ready. That distinction takes us to the heart of Jesus’ warning. The problem with the foolish virgins was not that they had fallen asleep. The wise virgins slept too. Nor were the wise virgins saved by somehow predicting the precise moment of the bridegroom’s arrival. They could not. What distinguished them was that they had prepared for his coming before the cry was heard. When the decisive moment arrived, preparation could no longer be postponed. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out” (Matthew 25:8). But the wise could not supply what the others had failed to bring. While the foolish went to obtain oil, the bridegroom arrived. Jesus continues: “And those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10). The words are sobering precisely because the opportunity to prepare had existed for so long. Until suddenly, it didn’t.

Jesus then gives His own interpretation: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (Matthew 25:13). This is where the parable speaks directly into every generation of the Church. Jesus did not tell His disciples to determine the hour. He told them they would not know it. The appropriate response to uncertainty about the timing of His return is therefore not speculation but readiness. That distinction is particularly important whenever Christians become intensely interested in prophecy. Wars, political upheaval, technological developments, natural disasters, cultural changes, and events involving Israel can easily lead believers to examine every headline for evidence that the final countdown has begun. Jesus calls His people to something both simpler and more demanding. Be ready before the cry comes. That does not mean Christ’s return should feel distant or unimportant—quite the opposite. The New Testament repeatedly teaches believers to live in expectation of Him. Paul told Christians in Rome: “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11). Paul was not announcing that Matthew’s midnight cry had begun. He was calling Christians to recognize the significance of the age they already lived in. Christ had come. Christ had died. Christ had risen. Christ had ascended. And Christ would come again. Therefore, believers were to live differently. Paul immediately explains what awakening looks like: casting off “the works of darkness,” putting on “the armor of light,” walking properly, refusing sinful indulgence, and “put[ting] on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:12–14).

Biblical wakefulness is profoundly practical. It reaches into the way we speak to people. The things we allow into our minds. The grudges we refuse to release. The compromises we excuse. The way we handle money. The way we behave when nobody is watching. The way we use the time God has given us. The way we love one another. The way we remain faithful when following Christ becomes costly. For the Christians living during the Ante-Nicene centuries, the waiting could feel very long indeed. Imagine being part of a Christian household in the late second century. Perhaps your grandparents had also followed Christ. You had heard the promise of His return since childhood. Believers before you had expected Him. Some had died in faith. Others had suffered persecution. Still the Roman Empire continued around you. Christ had not forgotten His promise. But He had not yet returned. What should Christians do while they waited?

The surviving writings of those centuries show believers repeatedly wrestling with perseverance, holiness, false teaching, suffering, repentance, and the danger of spiritual carelessness. They did not always answer every question correctly, nor did they agree about everything. Their writings must be tested by Scripture just as ours must. But their circumstances make the problem of waiting remarkably relatable. They too had to learn how to follow Christ when His return did not occur according to human expectation. Some lived faithfully. Some compromised. Some became afraid—some needed correction and restoration. Generation after generation eventually faced the same responsibility: Remain faithful to Christ and pass the faith to those who come after you. That may be one of the most important lessons of the midnight cry. You prepare for the unexpected moment by being faithful during the ordinary ones.

A Christian who has walked with Christ faithfully for decades has not wasted those years because Jesus did not return. The parent teaching Scripture to a child is preparing. The believer turning away from secret sin is preparing. The Christian forgiving someone who caused genuine hurt is preparing. The exhausted saint who continues praying is preparing. The employee choosing integrity when dishonesty would be easier is preparing. The believer sharing the gospel with a neighbor is preparing. The congregation encouraging one another to persevere is preparing. Not because these works purchase entrance into the wedding feast. Salvation is God’s gift through Christ. Rather, faithful living belongs to the life of those who are His. There is another sobering truth in Jesus’ parable. Readiness cannot simply be borrowed at the final moment.

The foolish virgins recognized that the wise possessed something they lacked and asked them for oil. But whatever significance we might be tempted to assign specifically to the oil, Jesus does not define it for us. We should therefore resist building doctrines upon an interpretation He did not provide. His larger point, however, is unmistakable. When the bridegroom arrived, each person’s preparedness was revealed. No one else’s faithfulness could substitute for another’s unreadiness. Being surrounded by Christians is not the same as belonging to Christ. Knowing Christians who pray does not replace prayer. Hearing Scripture does not replace responding to Scripture. Having faithful parents does not substitute for personal faith in Christ. Attending a faithful congregation does not make someone faithful merely by proximity. Jesus’ warning ultimately brings the question home to each hearer: Am I ready for Him? That question should produce neither panic nor obsession.

For those who belong to Christ, His return is our hope. Paul called it “the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Jesus told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them and promised, “I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3). The Bridegroom’s coming is not bad news for the Bride. It is what she has been waiting for. That changes the emotional character of Christian readiness. We do not watch like frightened servants wondering whether an angry master might catch us unprepared. We wait for Someone we love. We repent because we belong to Him. We pursue holiness because we want to please Him. We serve because He has entrusted work to us. We proclaim the gospel because the invitation remains open. We encourage one another because waiting can become difficult. And when another year passes, and He has not yet come, we do not abandon our hope. We remain faithful. One generation of Christians has done this after another. The apostles waited. The Ante-Nicene believers waited. Christians through centuries of upheaval, persecution, prosperity, reformation, war, revival, disappointment, and ordinary life have waited. Now the responsibility belongs to us. One day, however, waiting will give way to arrival.

There will be no need to wonder whether this event or that headline means the Bridegroom is finally near. The Bridegroom Himself will come. Until then, the midnight cry of Matthew 25 is not ours to manufacture. Our responsibility is to heed the warning Jesus has already given. Watch. Not because we know the hour. Because we don’t. Live faithfully when nothing dramatic seems to be happening. Follow Christ when the waiting feels long. Keep doing what He has commanded. And be ready before the cry comes. For one day the words from Jesus’ parable will point beyond the story to the reality for which His people have waited: The Bridegroom has come.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, teach me to wait for You faithfully. Guard me from both spiritual carelessness and fruitless speculation. Help me live according to what You have revealed rather than becoming consumed with what You have not. Search my heart, strengthen my faith, and teach me to obey You in the ordinary moments of life. When the waiting feels long, remind me that Your promise has not changed. May I be found belonging to You, trusting You, and faithfully serving You when You come. Amen.

Devotions, Family Devotionals

🏡 Family Devotional — Day 218

Rooted & Raised

A Family Can Grieve and Still Have Hope

📖 “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”
—John 16:22 (NKJV)

Jesus knew that His disciples were about to enter a time of deep sorrow. He would be arrested, falsely accused, crucified, and buried. They would see events unfold that they did not understand, and everything they expected to happen would appear to have failed.

Jesus did not pretend the coming days would be easy.

He told them, “You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful” (John 16:20, NKJV).

Their sorrow would be real. But it would not be the end of the story.

Jesus continued, “But your sorrow will be turned into joy” (John 16:20, NKJV). He was speaking about His resurrection. After His disciples watched Him die, they would see Him alive again. What initially appeared to be a terrible defeat would prove to be the accomplishment of God’s saving purpose.

Christ would die for our sins and rise victoriously from the grave.

Because Jesus lives, a Christian family can face sorrow without losing hope.

Every family eventually encounters painful seasons. A loved one may die. Someone may become seriously ill. A friendship may end. A job may be lost. Financial pressure may enter the home. Plans may change unexpectedly. Parents may worry about their children, and children may face difficulties they do not yet know how to explain.

Following Jesus does not prevent a family from experiencing grief.

It teaches the family where to carry it.

Sometimes adults try to protect children by hiding every expression of sadness. There are certainly details that children may not be ready to carry, and parents should speak in ways appropriate to their ages. But children do not need to believe that Christians never cry.

Jesus wept at Lazarus’s tomb (John 11:35).

Children can learn that tears do not necessarily mean faith has disappeared. A parent can say, “I am sad because I loved this person very much, but I still trust Jesus.” That teaches children that grief and faith can exist in the same heart.

Families also need to make room for different expressions of sorrow.

One person may cry openly. Another may become quiet. Someone may want to talk repeatedly about what happened, while someone else may need time before finding the words. Children may ask the same question many times because they are still trying to understand the answer. Teenagers may appear distant when they are actually processing more than they know how to express.

Love does not demand that everyone grieve in exactly the same way.

It listens patiently.

It remains present.

It gives each person permission to speak truthfully while continuing to point the family toward Christ.

This is especially important because well-meaning Christians sometimes use biblical truths too quickly. When someone is hurting, we may immediately offer an explanation, quote a verse, or try to make the person feel better before we have truly listened.

God’s Word is always true, but truth should never be used to silence honest grief.

Romans 12:15 tells us to “weep with those who weep” (NKJV). Sometimes the most faithful response is to sit beside someone, listen, pray, and allow tears to come without rushing them away.

Jesus compared His disciples’ experience to a woman in labor. The anguish was real, but the birth of a child brought joy that transformed how the suffering was understood. In context, Jesus was explaining how the disciples’ sorrow over His death would be transformed when they saw Him risen.

This does not mean every family tragedy will quickly produce an earthly blessing that makes the pain understandable.

Some relationships will not be restored. Some illnesses will not be healed in this life. Some questions will remain unanswered. Some losses will continue to be felt around dinner tables, during holidays, and at important family milestones.

Our hope is not the promise that every painful circumstance will soon become pleasant.

Our hope is Jesus Christ.

Because He rose from the dead, suffering does not have the final word. Because He lives, believers who die are not lost forever. Because He lives, every promise He has made remains secure. Because He lives, Christ will return and make all things right.

The earliest Christian families needed this hope. They faced illness, death, persecution, rejection, and economic uncertainty. Gathering with the church did not erase those difficulties, but it reminded them that their present circumstances were not the whole story.

Imagine a household gathering after experiencing a painful loss.

Some are crying. Others are quiet. Perhaps the youngest children do not fully understand what has happened. Yet together, they remember the death and resurrection of Jesus. They pray for one another. They repeat the promises Christ has given. They share food and care for the people who are struggling most.

Their sorrow remains real.

But it is no longer hopeless.

That is what a Christian home can become—a place where nobody must pretend that pain does not hurt, but nobody must carry it alone.

A family’s joy cannot safely rest upon everything remaining comfortable. Circumstances change. Health changes. Finances change. Relationships change. Carefully formed plans may collapse in a single day.

But Jesus Christ does not change.

If our family’s joy rests entirely upon everything going according to plan, unexpected events can destroy it. If our joy rests in the risen Christ, grief may shake us, but it cannot remove our foundation.

Paul described believers as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10, NKJV). A family can weep and still worship. We can mourn what has been lost while thanking God for what can never be taken. We can admit that we do not understand while holding firmly to what He has revealed.

Jesus died for our sins.

Jesus rose from the dead.

Jesus is with His people.

Jesus is coming again.

One day, God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes,” and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4, NKJV). Until then, our home can be a place where sorrow is received with compassion and answered with the hope of Christ.

Knowing Christ as a family does not mean we will never grieve.

It means we grieve together, we grieve honestly, and we grieve with hope.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that our family does not have to hide its sorrow from You. Teach us to listen patiently, comfort gently, and make room for one another’s tears. Keep us from using true words carelessly or rushing someone through grief. Help parents speak with wisdom and help children know they may ask honest questions. When illness, disappointment, uncertainty, or loss enters our home, remind us that our hope does not depend upon everything going according to plan. Fix our hearts upon Your death, resurrection, and promised return. Make our home a place where sorrow is carried together and where joy remains firmly rooted in You. Amen.

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Women’s Devotional — Day 218

Rooted & Raised

When Joy and Sorrow Share the Same Heart

📖 “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”
—John 16:22 (NKJV)

Jesus did not minimize the sorrow His disciples were about to experience.

Within hours, He would be arrested. They would watch events unfold that seemed to contradict everything they had believed about Him. Their Lord would be falsely accused, crucified, and buried. While those who opposed Jesus rejoiced, His followers would weep.

Jesus told them plainly, “You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful” (John 16:20, NKJV).

He did not tell them that if their faith were strong enough, they would not grieve. He did not command them to silence their pain with religious language. He acknowledged that what was coming would hurt.

But He also told them that sorrow would not have the final word.

“Your sorrow will be turned into joy” (John 16:20, NKJV).

Jesus was speaking directly about His death and resurrection. The disciples’ grief would be transformed when they saw Him alive. What appeared to be the destruction of their hope would prove to be the accomplishment of their redemption. Christ would bear sin, conquer death, and rise from the grave.

They would discover that God had been working even during the hours when everything appeared lost.

As women, we sometimes carry sorrow quietly.

We continue working, caring for others, answering questions, meeting responsibilities, and attending to whatever must be done. People may see us functioning and assume we are fine. Sometimes we even mistake our ability to keep moving for evidence that we have fully healed.

But the heart can continue aching while the hands remain busy.

There are sorrows that arrive suddenly and others that accumulate slowly. A relationship changes. A prayer remains unanswered. A child struggles. A loved one dies. A door closes after years of preparation. Our health changes. Financial pressure grows. A future we imagined disappears, leaving us to live in circumstances we never would have chosen.

In those seasons, Christian joy can be misunderstood.

We may think joy requires us to appear cheerful. We may feel guilty for crying, questioning, or admitting that we are tired. We may fear that honest grief will sound like unbelief.

Yet Jesus said, “You now have sorrow.”

He recognized their sorrow without condemning them for it.

Scripture never teaches us to call evil good or loss pleasant. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus even though He knew resurrection was moments away (John 11:35). Grief is not necessarily evidence that faith has failed. It can be the truthful response of a heart that has loved deeply and suffered genuine loss.

Faith does not require me to deny sorrow.

Faith teaches me where to carry it.

I bring it to Christ.

I do not need to protect Him from the truth about my heart. I can tell Him that I am disappointed, confused, exhausted, or afraid. I can admit that I do not understand what He is doing. The Psalms repeatedly demonstrate that lament and trust can rise from the same heart.

Jesus compared the disciples’ coming experience to a woman in labor. He said, *“A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world”

  • (John 16:21, NKJV).

Jesus was not suggesting that every painful circumstance will produce an earthly outcome that makes the suffering seem worthwhile. His illustration explained how the disciples’ sorrow concerning His death would be transformed by the joy of His resurrection.

That context protects us from making promises Scripture does not make.

Not every broken relationship will be restored. Not every illness will be healed in this life. Not every opportunity will return. Not every unanswered question will receive an explanation before we stand with Christ.

Our hope is greater than the promise of a favorable earthly outcome.

Our hope is the risen Lord.

Because Jesus lives, my suffering is temporary even when it lasts throughout my earthly life. Because He lives, death cannot permanently hold those who belong to Him. Because He lives, no loss can separate me from His love. Because He lives, the future He has promised is more certain than the circumstances I can presently see.

This is why sorrow and joy can occupy the same heart.

Paul described believers as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10, NKJV). These are not contradictory emotions. I may grieve what has happened while rejoicing in who Christ remains. I may carry questions while trusting what He has revealed. I may weep over loss while knowing that death has already been defeated.

My joy does not erase sorrow.

It gives sorrow a boundary.

Sorrow cannot follow me forever.

The women of the earliest churches needed this hope as much as we do. Some came to Christ from households that did not understand their faith. Some experienced rejection, instability, grief, or persecution. Following Jesus did not make them untouched by suffering.

Imagine one of those women gathering with other believers after a difficult week.

She may have entered carrying questions she could not resolve and pain she could not explain. Yet when the believers remembered Christ’s death and proclaimed His resurrection, she was reminded that her present suffering was not the whole story.

Rome could threaten her security, but it could not return Jesus to the grave.

Loss could alter her earthly life, but it could not cancel her eternal inheritance.

Those who opposed her could take many things, but they could not take the joy established by the risen Christ.

The same truth holds me today.

If my joy rests upon another person’s approval, rejection can take it.

If it rests upon financial security, hardship can take it.

If it rests upon my health, illness can take it.

If it rests upon my plans, an unexpected change can take it.

If it rests upon the promise that life will unfold as I hoped, disappointment can take it.

But if my joy rests in Christ, no earthly circumstance can remove its foundation.

This does not mean I will always feel joyful. Emotions can become overwhelmed by grief, exhaustion, hormonal changes, trauma, illness, and prolonged pressure. I should not measure the faithfulness of Christ by the emotional strength I possess on a particular day.

When I cannot feel the joy clearly, its foundation remains unchanged.

Jesus is alive.

His promises remain true.

He has not abandoned me.

He is coming again.

One day, faith will become sight. God “will wipe away every tear” from the eyes of His people, and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4, NKJV). The Christian hope is not that we will learn to live with sorrow forever. Christ has promised that sorrow itself has an appointed end.

Until then, I do not have to choose between grieving honestly and trusting Him fully.

I can do both.

I can weep and worship.

I can lament and hope.

I can acknowledge what has been lost while holding firmly to what can never be taken.

Knowing Christ means my joy is not secured by a painless life. It is secured by a risen Savior. Sorrow may enter my heart, but it cannot possess my future.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You know every sorrow I carry, including those I have hidden while continuing to care for everyone around me. Teach me not to confuse faith with pretending that I am not hurting. Help me bring my grief, disappointment, unanswered questions, and weariness honestly before You. Guard me from building my joy upon circumstances, relationships, health, security, or plans that can change. Fix my heart upon Your finished work, Your resurrection, and Your promised return. When I cannot feel joyful, remind me that the foundation of my joy remains secure because You are alive. Help me grieve with hope, wait with faith, and rest in the promise that sorrow will not have the final word. Amen.

Devotions, Teen Devotions

👧👦 Teen Devotional — Day 218

Rooted & Raised

A Joy That Does Not Depend on Everything Going Right

📖 “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”
—John 16:22 (NKJV)

Jesus did not pretend that His disciples were about to have an easy night.

Within hours, He would be arrested. They would scatter. Peter would deny knowing Him. Their Lord would be falsely accused, beaten, crucified, and buried. Everything they thought was about to happen would seem to collapse before their eyes.

Jesus knew the sorrow they were about to experience.

He told them plainly, “You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful” (John 16:20, NKJV).

The people who wanted Jesus dead would celebrate. His disciples would grieve. For a brief time, it would appear that evil had won and all their hope had been misplaced.

But Jesus knew something they did not yet understand.

The cross would not be the end.

He continued, “But your sorrow will be turned into joy” (John 16:20, NKJV).

Jesus was speaking specifically about what His disciples would experience surrounding His death and resurrection. Their sorrow would be transformed when they saw Him alive again. They would discover that the event they had regarded as a terrible defeat was part of God’s redemptive purpose. Christ had borne the sins of the world, conquered death, and risen from the grave.

Their circumstances had looked hopeless because they could not yet see the completed work of God.

You may experience moments when your own life feels as though it has come apart.

A friendship ends unexpectedly. Your family enters a difficult season. You work hard and still fail. Someone you trusted disappoints you. Your plans for the future change without your permission. You pray, but the situation does not improve as quickly as you hoped.

In those moments, people may tell you to “stay positive,” as though Christian joy means refusing to acknowledge that something hurts.

But Jesus did not deny the disciples’ sorrow.

He named it.

“You will weep.”

“You will be sorrowful.”

Biblical joy is not pretending pain is painless. It is not forcing a smile so other people will think your faith is strong. It is not convincing yourself that every difficult circumstance is secretly pleasant.

Sorrow is real.

Jesus Himself wept at Lazarus’s tomb, even though He knew He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead (John 11:35). He was “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3, NKJV). Feeling sorrow does not necessarily mean you lack faith.

Faith determines where you take that sorrow.

You can bring it honestly to Christ.

Jesus compared the disciples’ experience to a woman in labor. Her pain is real, but after the child is born, joy places that pain within a larger story. In the same way, the disciples’ sorrow at the cross would be transformed when they saw the risen Christ.

This does not mean every painful event in your life will quickly become something you understand. Scripture does not promise that every unanswered question will be resolved before Christ returns. Some losses remain losses. Some prayers are answered differently from what we desired. Some wounds take time to heal.

The foundation of Christian joy is not the promise that everything will soon happen the way you want.

It is the certainty that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

That changes everything.

Because He lives, sin has been defeated. Because He lives, death cannot permanently hold those who belong to Him. Because He lives, suffering has an appointed end. Because He lives, God’s promises remain secure even when your circumstances seem confusing.

The earliest Christian teenagers and young adults needed this assurance. Following Christ did not protect them from every hardship. Some faced rejection from friends or relatives. Others lived amid hostility toward believers. Their plans, relationships, and opportunities could be affected because they belonged to Jesus.

Yet their joy was anchored beyond the reach of the people who opposed them.

Others could exclude them, misunderstand them, take possessions from them, or even threaten their lives. But they could not return Christ to the grave.

The resurrection had already happened.

That remains true for you.

If your joy depends entirely upon popularity, another person can take it by rejecting you.

If it depends upon success, failure can take it.

If it depends upon comfort, hardship can take it.

If it depends upon your plans unfolding perfectly, an unexpected change can take it.

But when your joy rests in the risen Christ, no circumstance can reverse what He has accomplished.

That does not mean you will always feel cheerful. Joy and sorrow can exist together. Paul described believers as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10, NKJV). You can grieve what has happened while still knowing that Christ is alive, God remains faithful, and your future with Him is secure.

One day, sorrow itself will end. Christ will dwell with His people, and God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4, NKJV).

Until then, you do not need to hide your sorrow from Jesus.

Tell Him where it hurts.

Tell Him what you do not understand.

Ask Him for strength to remain faithful while you wait.

Then remember what suffering cannot change.

Jesus died for your sins.

Jesus rose from the dead.

Jesus is coming again.

Knowing Christ means my joy does not depend upon everything going right today. My joy rests in the One who has already conquered death and promised that sorrow will not have the final word.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that You do not ask me to pretend when I am hurting. Teach me to bring my sorrow honestly to You without surrendering my hope. When circumstances confuse or disappoint me, keep me from building my joy upon popularity, success, comfort, or plans that can change. Fix my heart upon Your death, resurrection, and promised return. Help me remember that no suffering can undo what You have accomplished. Give me a joy rooted in knowing You—a joy that can remain even through tears and that no one can take away. Amen.

Children's Devotionals, Devotions

🧒 Children’s Devotional — Day 218

Rooted & Raised

Jesus Gives Joy That Sorrow Cannot Take Away

📖 “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”
—John 16:22 (NKJV)

The disciples were troubled. Jesus had told them that He was going away, but they did not yet understand what He meant. They did not know that He would soon be arrested, crucified, buried, and then raised from the dead.

Jesus knew that the coming days would be very difficult for them.

He told them, “You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful” (John 16:20, NKJV).

When Jesus was crucified, His disciples would grieve. Their Lord and Teacher would be taken from them. Some of the people who opposed Jesus would celebrate because they believed they had defeated Him.

But their celebration would not last.

Jesus promised His disciples, “Your sorrow will be turned into joy” (John 16:20, NKJV).

Notice that Jesus did not say the disciples would never experience sorrow. He did not tell them that faith would prevent every painful moment. Instead, He promised that their sorrow would not have the final word.

Jesus would rise from the dead.

The disciples would see Him again, and their hearts would rejoice. The cross would no longer appear to be the end of their hope. They would understand that Jesus had willingly given His life for sinners and had conquered death through His resurrection.

Their sorrow would be transformed by what God had done.

Jesus compared this change to a mother giving birth. There is pain during labor, but when her child is born, sorrow gives way to joy. The pain was real, but it was not the end of the story.

You will also experience sadness in this life.

You may lose something you value. Someone you love may move away. A friend may disappoint you. You may pray about something and not receive the answer you hoped for. Following Jesus does not mean pretending that painful things do not hurt.

The Bible never tells you to call sorrow joy.

Jesus Himself wept when Lazarus died (John 11:35). He understands grief and does not shame you for feeling sad.

But sorrow is not hopeless for someone who belongs to Christ.

Jesus rose from the dead, and everyone who believes in Him has eternal life. He has promised to return for His people. One day, God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4).

Until then, you can bring every sadness to Jesus.

You may still cry. You may not immediately understand why something happened. The difficult situation may not quickly change. But beneath your sorrow rests a joy the world cannot give and cannot take away.

Jesus is alive.

He is with His people.

He keeps His promises.

And because He rose from the dead, sorrow will never have the final word.

Knowing Christ does not mean I will never be sad. It means that even when I am sad, I have hope.

My joy rests in the risen Savior.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for my sins and rising from the dead. When I am sad, help me bring my sorrow honestly to You. Remind me that feeling sad does not mean I have stopped trusting You. Help me remember that You are alive, You are with Your people, and You always keep Your promises. Give me joy rooted in who You are—a joy that suffering, disappointment, and loss cannot take away. Amen.

Children's Devotionals, Devotions

🧒 Children’s Devotional — Day 217

Rooted & Raised

The Holy Spirit Guides Me in Truth

📖 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…“
—John 16:13a (NKJV)

Jesus knew He would soon return to the Father. His disciples were sad and confused because they did not understand everything that was about to happen. But Jesus promised that they would not be left alone. The Holy Spirit would come.

Jesus called Him “the Spirit of truth.“

The Holy Spirit would guide Jesus’ apostles into the truth they needed as they carried His message into the world. Later, they would teach the church, and God would preserve His truth for us in Scripture.

That means we do not have to guess what God wants us to believe.

We can open the Bible and read what He has given us.

Sometimes you may hear people say different things about God. One person may say one thing, while someone else says something completely different. How can you know what is true?

God has given you His Word.

The Holy Spirit will never lead you to believe something that disagrees with Scripture because He is the Spirit of truth. He does not contradict the words He inspired.

So if someone says, “God told me this,” but what they say goes against the Bible, you do not have to follow it. God’s Word is the standard.

The Holy Spirit also helps believers understand and remember God’s truth. As you read Scripture, you can pray, “Lord, help me understand what You have said.”

But we must read carefully.

We should not make a Bible verse say whatever we want it to say. We ask what God actually said, who He was speaking to, and what the words mean in their context. Then we obey the truth we have learned.

Jesus also said something very important about the Holy Spirit: “He will glorify Me” (John 16:14, NKJV).

The Holy Spirit does not draw attention away from Jesus. He points to Christ.

That gives us another helpful question when we hear someone teaching about God: Does this agree with Scripture, and does it faithfully point us toward Jesus?

You will not understand everything in the Bible immediately. Adults do not either! Some passages require careful study, and there will always be more to learn.

That is okay.

Keep reading.

Keep asking questions.

Keep comparing what you hear with God’s Word.

And keep following Jesus.

Knowing Christ means learning to love the truth because He Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, NKJV).

You never need to fear God’s truth.

It will always lead you toward Him.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your people the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. Help me understand Your Word and recognize what is true. When I hear different ideas about You, teach me to compare them carefully with Scripture. Keep me from believing something simply because someone says it confidently. Help me read Your Word carefully, obey what You have said, and continue learning more about You. Amen.

Devotions, Family Devotionals

🏡 Family Devotional — Day 217

Rooted & Raised

How Does Our Family Know What Is True?

📖 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…“
—John 16:13a (NKJV)

Families hear many different voices every day. Children hear things from friends, teachers, videos, games, and social media. Adults hear opinions from coworkers, relatives, news programs, podcasts, books, pastors, and other Christians. Sometimes those voices agree. Sometimes they say completely different things.

So how does a family know what is true?

Jesus gives us a foundation. He called the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of truth.“

In John 16, Jesus was speaking directly to His apostles. He told them that there were still things they were not prepared to understand. After His departure, the Holy Spirit would guide these chosen witnesses into the truth necessary for their testimony concerning Christ.

We now receive that Spirit-inspired apostolic testimony through Scripture.

That means a Christian family does not have to build its beliefs upon whoever sounds the most convincing.

We have God’s Word.

This becomes especially important when someone says, “God told me.“

Children may hear adults use those words and assume that whatever follows must therefore be true. Adults can do the same thing. We may hesitate to question someone’s claim because questioning it feels almost like questioning God.

But those are not the same thing.

If someone says God told them something, the claim itself does not make the message God’s Word. Scripture tells believers to test what they hear.

The Bereans did exactly that. After hearing Paul preach, they “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11, NKJV).

Parents can teach children a simple habit that may protect them throughout their lives:

“Let’s see what the Bible says.“

Someone says something about Jesus?

Let’s see what the Bible says.

A teacher makes a spiritual claim?

Let’s see what the Bible says.

A video uses a Bible verse to support an idea?

Let’s read the passage around that verse.

Even when Mom or Dad explains something about God, children should eventually learn that the final question is not, “Did my parents say it?” but, “Is this what God’s Word teaches?“

That does not undermine parental authority. It teaches children where parental authority itself must remain submitted.

Under Christ.

This also allows parents to model humility. Imagine sitting together with Scripture and realizing that something you previously told your children was incorrect.

A parent might be tempted to avoid admitting it.

But what a powerful lesson it can become to say, “I was wrong about this. I studied the passage again, and God’s Word says something different.”

Children then learn something important: truth matters more than protecting our pride.

Families should also learn how to read Scripture carefully.

A Bible verse is not a fortune cookie.

We should not pull one sentence from the Bible and make it mean whatever fits our situation. We ask who was speaking, who was being addressed, what was happening, what comes before and after the verse, and how the passage fits with the rest of Scripture.

Then we apply what God actually said.

Jesus also told His disciples something important about the Holy Spirit: “He will glorify Me” (John 16:14, NKJV).

That provides another helpful question for the family:

Does this teaching faithfully point us toward Christ?

The earliest Christian families needed this kind of discernment too. False teachers traveled from place to place, competing ideas circulated among communities, and believers could not simply assume that everyone speaking about Jesus represented Him accurately.

John warned Christians, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1, NKJV).

Imagine an early Christian household hearing that warning read aloud.

Parents look at their children.

Children listen beside their parents.

Everyone in the room is being taught the same lesson:

Do not believe something merely because it sounds spiritual.

Test it.

Our families need that lesson just as much today.

And there is one more place where testing must occur—inside ourselves.

Sometimes we strongly want something to be true. That desire can affect how we interpret circumstances and even how we read Scripture.

So family discernment also requires humility.

Instead of asking God to confirm whatever we have already decided, we open His Word, willing to be corrected.

Knowing Christ as a family means building a home where truth matters more than personalities, feelings, traditions, trends, or winning arguments.

Parents are not the standard.

Pastors are not the standard.

Popular teachers are not the standard.

Our feelings are not the standard.

God has spoken.

So when voices disagree, our family knows where to return.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, make our home a place that loves truth. Thank You for giving Your people the Holy Spirit and preserving Your truth in Scripture. Teach parents and children alike to test what we hear by Your Word. Keep us from believing something merely because it sounds spiritual or because someone speaks confidently. Give us humility to admit when we are wrong and patience to study Scripture carefully in its context. Guard us from making Your Word say what we want it to say. Through the Spirit of truth, keep our family centered upon Christ and faithful to everything You have revealed. Amen.

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Women’s Devotional — Day 217

Rooted & Raised

When “God Told Me“ Must Be Tested

📖 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…“
—John 16:13a (NKJV)

There can be something deeply persuasive about hearing another Christian say, “God told me.” The words carry weight because none of us wants to resist something God has truly said. Yet precisely because His name carries such authority, Scripture teaches us not to accept every spiritual claim merely because someone attaches God’s name to it.

Jesus called the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of truth.“

In John 16, Jesus was speaking directly to His apostles on the night before the cross. He had already told them, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12, NKJV). The Holy Spirit would guide these chosen witnesses into the truth necessary for their apostolic ministry and testimony concerning Christ.

We are beneficiaries of that promise because their Spirit-inspired testimony has been preserved for us in Scripture.

We therefore possess an objective standard by which spiritual claims can be tested.

God’s Word.

This protects us from something that can become spiritually dangerous: allowing another person’s claimed experience with God to exercise authority over our conscience.

Someone may say, “God told me you should do this.”

“God showed me that you are supposed to marry this person.”

“The Lord told me you need to leave that job.”

“God told me what His plan is for your life.”

Such statements may be sincere. The person speaking may genuinely believe what she is saying.

Sincerity, however, does not make a claim of revelation from God.

Scripture never requires me to surrender discernment simply because another person speaks confidently about what God supposedly told her.

The Bereans give us a beautiful example. When Paul taught them, they “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11, NKJV).

They were listening to an apostle.

Yet examining his message by Scripture was called noble.

How much more carefully should we examine ordinary human teachers, social-media personalities, friends, family members—and even our own impressions?

Sometimes the person saying “God told me” is me.

That requires humility.

I may strongly feel that God is leading me in a particular direction. Circumstances may appear to line up. A thought may repeatedly return to my mind. I may experience unusual peace about a decision.

None of those things has the authority of Scripture.

Feelings can be sincere and still mistaken.

Circumstances can be interpreted incorrectly.

Peace can sometimes come simply because I prefer one outcome over another.

So instead of automatically declaring, “God told me,” wisdom may require more careful language: “I believe this may be the direction the Lord is leading, but I am continuing to pray and test it according to His Word.”

That posture leaves room for humility.

Scripture also protects us from another mistake: taking a biblical verse and using it to confirm something the verse never meant.

It is possible to open the Bible looking for support rather than truth. We already know what we want to do, so we search until we find words that appear to validate it.

But faithful interpretation asks a different question.

Not, “How can I make this verse speak to my situation?“

But, “What did God actually say here?“

Who was being addressed?

What was happening?

What comes before and after the verse?

What did the author intend?

How does this passage fit with the rest of Scripture?

Application must grow from meaning. We do not create the meaning through our application.

Jesus gives us another safeguard in the next verse: “He will glorify Me” (John 16:14, NKJV).

The Holy Spirit does not compete with Christ for attention.

That means spiritual teaching that continually directs attention toward someone’s special revelations, unusual experiences, spiritual status, or supposed access to information unavailable to ordinary believers should make us careful.

The Spirit glorifies Christ.

The women of the earliest churches needed this discernment just as much as we do. False teaching did not begin with television or social media. The apostles repeatedly warned churches about deceptive teachers, distorted doctrine, and spiritual claims that departed from the truth they had received.

John told believers plainly, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1, NKJV).

Testing is not unbelief.

Testing is obedience.

And that includes allowing my own understanding to be tested.

Knowing Christ means I do not need secret knowledge to walk faithfully with Him. I do not need another person to receive private instructions from God for my life.

He has given me His Word.

I can pray for wisdom. I can seek godly counsel. I can examine circumstances. I can make decisions carefully.

But when I want to know what God has actually said, I return to Scripture.

The Spirit of truth will never lead me contrary to the Word of truth, and He will always glorify Christ.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your people the Spirit of truth and preserving Your truth in Scripture. Give me discernment when others claim to speak for You, and give me equal humility when I interpret my own thoughts, feelings, and circumstances. Keep me from attaching Your name to something You have not said. Teach me to read Scripture in its context, receive correction when my understanding is wrong, and test every teaching by Your Word. Through Your Spirit, keep drawing my attention toward Christ and establish me firmly in truth. Amen.