11 May 26 Devotional - Love to Obey - Love that listens

 Day 1 — Love That Listens

Scripture: John 14:15

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Growing up, many of us played games that required listening carefully. One of the classics was Simon Says. The whole game depended on paying attention and responding correctly. If you acted without listening, you were out.

Jesus speaks to His disciples in a similar way—but with eternal significance. He is not playing games with us; He is shaping us. He is forming hearts that listen and respond.

Obedience begins with attentive love.

Too often, we approach Christianity as information gathering. We listen to sermons, read books, attend Bible studies, and collect knowledge. But Jesus does not merely say, “If you love me, you will know my commandments.” He says, “If you love me, you will keep them.”

Love listens carefully because love values the voice of the one speaking.

Think about someone you deeply care about. You remember what matters to them. You pay attention to their words because the relationship matters. In the same way, obedience to Jesus is not a cold religious duty—it is a relational response.

The Christian life is not about checking boxes to earn God’s approval. We already have His love through Christ. Obedience is our grateful response to that love.

When we truly love Jesus, we begin to desire what He desires. His commands become invitations into deeper life rather than burdens to avoid.

Reflection:

Am I merely hearing God’s Word, or am I responding to it with obedience?

Application:

Ask God to show you one specific area where He has already spoken clearly—and take one step of obedience today.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help me not just to hear Your voice but to respond to it. Teach me to love You in a way that produces joyful obedience. Give me ears to listen and a willing heart to follow. Amen.

8 May 26 Devotional - What's in a name? - Confidence in His name

 Day 5 – Confidence in His Name

Scripture: Epistle to the Philippians 2:9–11

There is power in the name of Jesus—but not because His name is a magic phrase or spiritual formula. The power comes from who He is.

After Jesus humbled Himself, suffered, and died on the cross, God highly exalted Him and gave Him “the name above every name.” His authority is unmatched. Kings rise and fall. Nations come and go. Human strength fades. But the name of Jesus remains forever.

When we pray in His name, we are not trying to convince God to listen to us. We are approaching the Father through the Son—the One who opened the way for us through His sacrifice and resurrection. Prayer becomes an act of trust, surrender, and confidence in His authority.

That means we do not have to pray timidly or fearfully. We can come honestly. Boldly. Confidently.

Not because we deserve it, but because Jesus does.

Confidence in prayer is not arrogance. It is faith rooted in the character of Christ.

Sometimes we hesitate in prayer because we focus on our weaknesses:

“I’m not spiritual enough.”

“I’ve failed too many times.”

“What if God says no?”

Yet Scripture reminds us that our confidence is not in ourselves—it is in Jesus. He is our mediator, our advocate, and our Savior. Because of Him, we can approach God with confidence even when we feel weak.

At the same time, confidence does not mean demanding our own way. Jesus is Lord, not a servant to our desires. Mature prayer trusts not only His power, but also His wisdom and timing. Sometimes He answers immediately. Sometimes He says wait. Sometimes He leads us in a different direction altogether. But He always responds with perfect love and purpose.

One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Some will bow in joyful worship; others in reluctant recognition. But all creation will ultimately acknowledge His authority and glory.

So today, pray with confidence. Bring your burdens. Bring your fears. Bring your hopes and needs. Speak honestly with the Father, trusting that Jesus hears, Jesus reigns, and Jesus is able.

Reflection

Do I approach prayer with hesitation… or confidence in who Jesus is?

Application

Pray boldly today—not demanding your will, but trusting His. Take one area of fear, uncertainty, or waiting and place it before Jesus with confidence.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for giving me access to the Father. I trust Your authority, Your timing, and Your will. Teach me to pray with confidence rooted in who You are, not in my own strength. Be glorified in my life, my words, and my prayers. Amen.

7 May 26 - Devotional- What's in a name? Aligning with His will

 Day 4 – Aligning with His Will

Scripture: The Gospel of John 14:13

We often approach prayer with one question in mind:

“What can God do for me?”

Yet when we look at the life of Jesus, we see a different focus entirely. His life was centered on the glory of the Father. Every miracle, every conversation, every act of compassion, and ultimately every step toward the cross was shaped by this desire: that the Father would be known, honored, and revealed.

Jesus said:

“Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

Praying in Jesus’ name is not simply attaching words to the end of a prayer. It means praying in alignment with His character, His priorities, and His purposes. It means our hearts slowly begin to desire what He desires.

That changes the way we pray.

Instead of:

“Lord, remove every difficulty,”

we begin to pray:

“Lord, use this season to shape me and glorify Yourself.”

Instead of:

“Lord, give me what I want,”

we pray:

“Lord, teach me to want what You want.”

Sometimes we think God’s primary goal is to make life easier, smoother, or more comfortable. But God’s greatest work is often deeper than our circumstances. He is forming Christ in us. He is teaching trust, humility, patience, courage, surrender, and love.

Often the greatest transformation in prayer is not what happens around us—but what happens within us.

Prayer becomes less about convincing God to follow our plans and more about surrendering ourselves to His.

Jesus modeled this perfectly in the garden before the cross. Facing unimaginable suffering, He prayed honestly about His desire, yet fully surrendered Himself to the Father’s will.

“Not My will, but Yours be done.”

That is the heart of aligned prayer.

And here is the beautiful truth: God’s will is not cold or cruel. His will flows from perfect wisdom, perfect love, and perfect goodness. Even when we do not understand His ways, we can trust His heart.

The more we walk with Him, the more our prayers shift from self-centered requests to kingdom-centered trust.

We begin asking:

• How can Christ be honored in my workplace?
• How can my family reflect His love?
• How can this hardship deepen my faith?
• How can my life point others toward Him?

This kind of prayer changes us.

Because when our hearts align with His will, we discover that His purposes are far greater than our temporary desires.

Reflection

Are my prayers shaped more by my preferences or by God’s purposes?

What would change if my greatest desire became the glory of God rather than my own comfort?

Application

Take one prayer you’ve been praying recently and reframe it.

Instead of only asking God to solve the situation, ask:

“Lord, how would You be glorified in this?”

Write down what changes in your perspective when you pray that way.

Prayer

Lord, align my heart with Yours.

Shape my desires so that what I want reflects what You want.

Teach me to pray beyond comfort, convenience, and self-interest.

Help me trust that Your will is good, even when I cannot fully understand it.

May my life, my words, and my prayers bring glory to You.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

6 May 26 Devotional - What's in a name? - Removing Barriers

 

Day 3 – Removing the Barriers

Scripture: Psalm 66:18; Luke 6:46

There are moments when prayer feels difficult—not because God has moved, but because something within us has shifted. Scripture is honest about this: when we cherish sin, ignore conviction, or walk in quiet disobedience, it creates friction in our relationship with God.

This isn’t about God withholding Himself from us. It’s about divided allegiance.

Psalm 66:18 reminds us that holding onto sin dulls our spiritual sensitivity. Jesus echoes this in Luke 6:46—“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” The issue is not what we say in prayer, but whether our lives align with the One we’re praying to.

Obedience is not a prerequisite for God’s love—but it is the pathway to intimacy with Him.

When we resist His voice, prayer can become hollow—words without surrender, requests without relationship. But when we yield, even imperfectly, prayer becomes alive again. It flows not from performance, but from alignment.

A surrendered heart doesn’t mean a perfect life—it means a responsive one. Quick to listen. Quick to confess. Quick to return.

God is not looking for flawless people. He’s looking for honest ones.

Reflection:

Is there anything in my life I’m holding onto—an attitude, habit, or decision—that I need to confess or surrender?

Application:

Don’t generalize—be specific. Ask the Lord to search your heart and bring clarity. When He reveals something, respond immediately. Confess it plainly. Turn from it intentionally. Then receive His grace fully—without hesitation or self-condemnation.

Consider writing it down, naming it before God, and consciously releasing it. Replace it with obedience in action today.

Prayer:

Father, search me and know me. See if there is anything in me that is out of step with Your will. Reveal what I have ignored, justified, or hidden. I confess it to You now. I surrender it to You fully. Cleanse my heart and renew my spirit. I choose to walk in obedience today—not to earn Your love, but because I already have it. In Jesus’ name, amen.

5 May 26 Devotional - What's in a name? - Belonging before asking

 Day 2 – Belonging Before Asking

Scripture: Acts 19:13–16

“You don’t get to use the name without belonging to the person.”

In this passage, a group of men tries to invoke the name of Jesus as if it were a formula—something powerful they could wield without relationship. They had heard that His name carried authority, but they lacked the one thing that gives that authority meaning: knowing Him.

Their words sounded right. Their method seemed close. But heaven—and hell—recognized the difference.

The response from the evil spirit is chilling: “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize—but who are you?”

It exposes a sobering truth: proximity to spiritual language is not the same as belonging to Christ.

These men treated Jesus’ name like a tool. But the name of Jesus is not a tool to be used—it is a reality to be lived in. Authority flows from relationship, not repetition. Power flows from surrender, not strategy.

It’s easy, even in sincere faith, to drift into a mindset where prayer becomes transactional. We ask, we seek, we knock—and those things matter. But before Jesus ever taught us how to ask, He invited us to abide.

God is not a resource to access. He is a Father to know.

Prayer is not primarily about getting answers—it is about being known and knowing Him. When we belong to Him, our prayers change. Our desires begin to align. Our dependence deepens. And even when answers don’t come the way we expect, our relationship remains steady.

The question isn’t just, “Am I praying?”

It’s, “Am I walking with Him?”

⸻

Reflection:

Am I approaching God mainly for what He can give… or because I truly want to be with Him?

If my requests were removed, would my relationship remain?

⸻

Application:

Set aside intentional time today to simply be with Jesus.

No requests. No agenda. No pressure to “perform.”

Open Scripture slowly. Sit in silence. Speak honestly. Listen quietly.

Practice presence over productivity.

⸻

Prayer:

Jesus, I don’t want to use Your name—I want to know You.

Forgive me for the times I’ve treated prayer like a transaction.

Draw me into a deeper relationship with You—not just in what I ask, but in how I walk with You.

Teach me to abide, to listen, and to love Your presence more than Your provision. In Jesus name, amen.

Amen.