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Welcome to The Daily, where we go through the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day. We are taking a short break from Ecclesiastes to celebrate Easter with some unique devotionals to prepare our hearts for this week in history. Our text today is John 21:15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” — John 21:15 More Than Just Belief The resurrection wasn't the end of the story—it was the beginning of a movement. After Jesus rose, He didn't just celebrate His victory over death—He commissioned His followers to carry His mission forward. He didn't just say, “I'm alive!” He said, “Now go.” He appeared to His disciples, not just to prove He was real, but to call them to action. In John 21, Jesus has an intimate moment with Peter, the man who had denied Him three times. And instead of condemning Peter, Jesus restores him. But notice what He asks: “Do you love me?” Not, “Will you try harder?” Not, “Will you be better next time?” Jesus ties love to action. If Peter truly loves Him, he must feed His sheep—live out his faith, lead others, and spread the message of Christ. The resurrection calls for more than just belief—it calls for discipleship. Following Jesus Comes With a Cost Too many people want a Savior but not a Lord. They want the blessings of Jesus without the burden of obedience. But Jesus never said, “Believe in me and live comfortably.” He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Following Jesus means: Surrendering our will to His. Living with boldness in a world that rejects Him. Loving others radically even when it's inconvenient. Carrying the cross of sacrifice and obedience. If the resurrection is real, then our lives should reflect it. We cannot claim to follow a risen King and live like He's still in the grave. Are You Truly Following? The call to follow Christ isn't just for pastors or missionaries—it's for every believer. You don't need a pulpit to preach; your life is the sermon. So ask yourself: Is my faith just a belief, or does it shape how I live? Am I willing to surrender comfort, reputation, or even relationships for Jesus? Am I making disciples, helping others follow Him too? Because faith without action isn't real faith (James 2:17). If Jesus is truly Lord, then following Him isn't optional—it's essential. Jesus didn't restore Peter just to make him feel better—He called him to something greater. And He does the same with us. The resurrection isn't just an event to celebrate; it's a reality that should transform how we live. If Jesus conquered death, then He is worthy of our complete surrender. If He is truly Lord, then obedience isn't a burden—it's our joy. So today, don't just believe—follow. Feed His sheep. Live boldly. Love sacrificially. And carry your cross, knowing that the One who rose from the grave walks with you every step of the way. #RisenKing #FaithInAction #FollowJesus ASK THIS: How does Jesus' question to Peter challenge your understanding of love and obedience? What areas of your life show that you are truly following Jesus, not just believing in Him? What sacrifices are you willing to make to follow Christ daily? How can you "feed His sheep" in your own sphere of influence? DO THIS: Live out your faith daily by serving, discipling, and boldly proclaiming Christ. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to love You not just in words, but in action. Give me the courage to follow You boldly, surrender completely, and serve faithfully. Amen. PLAY THIS: The Jesus Way.
Welcome to The Daily, where we go through the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day. We are taking a short break from Ecclesiastes to celebrate Easter with some unique devotionals to prepare our hearts for this week in history. Our text today is Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. — Isaiah 53:5 More Than Wood and Nails The cross is everywhere. We wear it on necklaces, see it in churches, and even use it as home décor. But in Jesus' time, the cross was nothing to be admired. It was a brutal instrument of execution—reserved for the worst criminals. When Jesus carried His cross to Golgotha, it wasn't just wood that weighed Him down. It was the weight of sin—yours and mine. Every betrayal, every lie, every lustful thought, every act of pride, selfishness, and hatred—all of it pressed upon His shoulders. We often speak of Jesus dying for us, but do we really grasp what that means? He was mocked so we could be accepted. He was beaten so we could be healed. He was forsaken so we would never be abandoned. He was pierced so we could be set free. This was not a symbolic act. It was real. It was gruesome. And it was necessary. The Cross Was Our Judgment Sin demands justice. A holy God cannot simply ignore it. If God were to shrug at sin, He would cease to be just. But instead of pouring out judgment on us, He placed it on His Son. This was the great exchange—the innocent for the guilty. Jesus took our punishment so we could receive His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). When He cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He wasn't just talking about His suffering. He was declaring that the debt of sin had been paid in full. Nothing left to add. Nothing left to prove. Carrying Our Own Cross Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). The cross wasn't just His burden—it's ours too. Not to pay for sin (only He could do that), but to die to ourselves. To die to our selfish desires. To die to our love for the world. To die to anything that competes with Jesus as our greatest love. Salvation is free, but following Jesus will cost you everything. The question is, are you willing to carry your cross? This Easter, don't just observe the cross—embrace it. Jesus didn't suffer and die so we could remain the same. He calls us to follow Him, to surrender, and to live in the freedom He purchased with His blood. So, will you lay down your sin, your pride, your plans—and take up your cross? Will you step into the life He died to give you? If today is the day you choose to follow Jesus, or if you're ready to renew your commitment, don't keep it to yourself. Let us know in the comments, or reach out—we'd love to walk this journey with you. #TakeUpYourCross #ItIsFinished #EasterHope ASK THIS: What does Isaiah 53:5 reveal about the weight of Jesus' sacrifice? How does Jesus' suffering change the way you view your own sin? What does it mean for you personally to "take up your cross daily"? How is God calling you to surrender more of your life to Him today? DO THIS: Embrace the cross—not just as a symbol, but as a call to surrender your life fully to Jesus. PRAY THIS: Jesus, thank You for bearing the punishment I deserved and for offering me freedom through Your sacrifice. Help me to daily take up my cross, surrendering my will to Yours. Amen. PLAY THIS: The Power of the Cross.
Are you really getting everything out of life that God intends you to? The first episode in this series about “limits” asserted many Christians have a self-imposed mindset of settling for less. But is that the abundance that we should expect from God? Far from simplistic assertions about the prosperity gospel or the like, Kevin explores the reality of the amazing journey of “settling for Christ!” // Download this episode's Application & Action questions and PDF transcript at whitestone.org.
What is a very core aspect of every Whitestone episode? Do you suspect it's all about leadership? The truth is, every one of the Whitestone episodes is designed and intended for the best of equipping, exhortation, and excellence in stewardship, not leadership! And the Bible is an extended yet compactly-told story about God's perfect stewardship of His relationship with humanity. The fact is, a Christian life well-lived is all about joyful stewardship single-mindedness. Join Kevin as we unpeel that banana as we maximize our lives for God! // Download this episode's Application & Action questions and PDF transcript at whitestone.org.
Mission Church of the Nazarene
Welcome to the audio podcast for Dogwood Church in Athens, TX.
Mission Church of the Nazarene
Today is a simple message that when we look at it seems very complicated. Luke 9:23-25 is where Jesus speaks very plainly with a big call, "If you want to follow me, take up your cross..." We want to find a way out of the entire call but we need to consider Jesus words. The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church. Support the show
Bridge Community Church Bringing Hope. Changing Lives. Worship Services Streaming Live on YouTube Sundays @ 10:00a
Gifted Part 2 | Sermon by Kene Izuchukwu | Gifted: The Gift of Love
Gifted Part 2 | Sermon by Kene Izuchukwu | Gifted: The Gift of Love
Listen to weekly sermons from Summit Ridge Community Church in Tucson, Arizona. We exist to make disciples who serve Christ by serving people.
The Lord is always at work around you, your field of evangelism. By nature, no one seeks after God, they run from Him. God pursues us. Salvation is God's work. God has give us His work! That should be a motive. He's entrusted that work to us. God's dealing with His children is always in love, even when he chasten us. He loves us with a perfect love. It's unconditional, it's unnatural, it's sacrificial, it's a perfect love. The same love that He had for His son and His son for Him. It's the essence of Christianity. He saved us so that we could express His love. Join us live Sundays and Wednesdays at cbclewiscounty.com This video and more are available for download, and you can subscribe to our podcast.
The Lord is always at work around you, your field of evangelism. By nature, no one seeks after God, they run from Him. God pursues us. Salvation is God's work. God has give us His work! That should be a motive. He's entrusted that work to us. God's dealing with His children is always in love, even when he chasten us. He loves us with a perfect love. It's unconditional, it's unnatural, it's sacrificial, it's a perfect love. The same love that He had for His son and His son for Him. It's the essence of Christianity. He saved us so that we could express His love. Join us live Sundays and Wednesdays at cbclewiscounty.com This video and more are available for download, and you can subscribe to our podcast.
Are there things currently in your life that are idols that you've never recognized before? As we jump back into our series walking through the Ten Commandments, special guest, Jeff McDaniel shares a message of conviction and faith to help us recognize the idols that divide our commitment from God.
What does it mean to truly die to yourself in pursuit of Christ? How can you save your life by losing it? These may seem like complicated contradictions or paradoxes to our minds, but in the Kingdom of God, they fit right into the way that Christ-followers are supposed to live each and every day. Listen as guest speaker Phillip Snodgrass takes us into this amazing study!
Cornerstone Church of Christ
Is it possible to change the world? Where do we begin? We can change the world, but not by our power...but by surrendering it all to Jesus. Stan leads us into a new series on how we can be the change we'd like to see in our world by surrendering our lives to Jesus.
Is it possible to change the world? Where do we begin? We can change the world, but not by our power...but by surrendering it all to Jesus. Stan leads us into a new series on how we can be the change we'd like to see in our world by surrendering our lives to Jesus.
Making small sacrifices is not just for Lent, because sacrifices and penance are necessary. As Christ said: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). And this is true all year long. But when Jesus said to deny yourself, he didn’t mean to always go against what you want. Really. He meant there are things I want that will not make me more like him—a lot of things, actually. So following him often means dying to self by denying myself those things. Mortifications—little deaths to self—make us more like Jesus and can be offered up for the sanctification of the world and others. Mortification can come in many different forms. It’s not always denying yourself something you want. Sometimes it means doing something you don’t want. Sloth or greed can cause us to not do things we should do. Choosing not to be slothful or greedy often means doing something for someone else—and this is a little death to self. Love is the not-so-secret ingredient that helps us die to self. The entire gospel and Jesus’ life are about love. He is constantly telling us and showing us how to love one another and God. That’s because when we learn to love, dying to self becomes so much easier since we start living for God and others. Life is hard when we’re selfish, but when we live for love we see what Christ means when he says “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). You may also like No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk Though Christ’s Passion (https://bit.ly/2BjgNu5)
The Branch Christian Church
The Branch Christian Church
How can you make something that seems radical or unobtainable something everday or normal? Brett kicks off a new series on stories of Elisha, and how we can make radical things, normal everyday things.
How can you make something that seems radical or unobtainable something everday or normal? Brett kicks off a new series on stories of Elisha, and how we can make radical things, normal everyday things.
Welcome to the individual sermon page. On this page you can view a video of the sermon or you can ...
Called to Change One Life at a Time!
Called to Change One Life at a Time!
Pastor Sonny Mull of the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Fairdale, KY preaches from Luke 9:23 during the September 14, 2012 meeting of the Tri-State Independent Baptist Preacher's Fellowship, held at the Galilee Independent Baptist Church of Elisabethtown, KY. Please note, due to technical issues, two recordings of this message were spliced together for this message to be brought to you today. That being said, you will find some quality variations, for which we apologize.