Joshua Kennedy's Weekly Devotion

  When Obedience Confronts Tradition Galatians 2:1–3  Then, fourteen years later, I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there, I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we agreed, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. 3 And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile.[a] Fourteen years is a long time to carry a burden in your spirit. Paul didn’t rush back to Jerusalem to settle the tension between grace and tradition. He waited until the Lord made it unmistakably clear that silence was no longer obedience. When the time came, Paul went up to Jerusalem not on a personal mission, but under divine direction. He brought Barnabas, a truste...

  Transformation through Christ’s Call The cross does more than forgive sin—it exposes the source of true transformation. In Galatians 1:11–24, Paul pulls back the curtain on how the Gospel came to him and what it produced in him. This is not a polished testimony meant to impress; it is a declaration that the Gospel is supernatural in origin and unstoppable in effect. When Christ calls a life, nothing remains the same. The Gospel Comes from God, Not Man (vv. 11–12) Paul begins by defending the source of the Gospel he preached. He did not receive it from human teachers or religious systems. He was taught directly by Jesus Christ. At that time, the written Gospels did not yet exist, so divine revelation was necessary. That truth matters, but so does humility. God does speak directly, yet He also speaks through people. Spiritual pride whispers, “I only hear from God myself.” That attitude cuts us off from the very instruments God often uses to shape us. Today, we are blessed to have t...

Introduction:   Galatians 1:1–10 – The Cross as the Only True Foundation Paul writes to the Galatian believers with urgency because something sacred is being distorted. Judaizers had infiltrated the churches, insisting that Gentile Christians must submit to the Old Testament law—particularly circumcision—to be entirely accepted by God. But this teaching strikes at the very heart of the gospel Paul preached:
We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone—nothing added. Rather than proving the inferiority of Christ’s gospel compared to the law, Paul does the opposite:
He exposes the insufficiency of the law and the absolute supremacy of Christ’s finished work. The central theme that emerges is this:
Righteousness is not achieved by human effort but received through union with Christ—being crucified with Him and raised into new life by the Spirit. It is only through Christ, and only by the Spirit, that we are made righteous. Our old life was nailed to the cross, and...

  Malachi 1:1-5   “Love” is a word we toss around to signal care and affection. But anyone who’s walked through covenant—especially in marriage—knows the truth: spoken love means nothing without demonstrated love—words without action ring hollow. If you say you love me, then show me. That’s precisely where the book of Malachi begins. The Lord speaks through His prophet, saying, “I have always loved you.” Israel snaps back, “How have you loved us?” And God answers not with sentimental language, but with evidence—His faithfulness, His protection, His covenant work across generations. He points to Jacob and Esau: Jacob, the one who responded with obedience; Esau, the one who brought an offering, but not the one God asked for. Jacob honored the Lord. Esau treated the Lord casually, bringing whatever pleased him instead of what God required. The Lord makes it plain: what He tears down won’t stand, no matter how hard Esau’s descendants try to rebuild. Dishonor cannot produce a ...

 A Word for a World on Edge Hope doesn’t shine the brightest when life is peaceful.
Hope shines when judgment shakes the nations, when wickedness runs its course, and when people reap consequences they never expected. That’s the burning backdrop of Zechariah 9. But right in the middle of the chaos, God lifts a trumpet to His lips and announces Radical Hope—the kind that breaks in from another realm and stands defiant in the face of darkness. This prophetic word isn’t just ancient poetry. It’s a red thread woven straight into the Christmas story and tied securely to the return of Christ. It calls us to lift our eyes, straighten our shoulders, and remember who our King really is. The King Comes Low, Yet Carries Ultimate Victory “Behold, your King is coming to you… humble and riding on a donkey” (Zech. 9:9). Matthew draws on this very prophecy when he tells the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:4–5). The same King whose birth shook Herod, drew shepherds, and summoned wise...

When the Assignment Feels Too Big There are seasons when the work in front of you feels far bigger than the strength within you. Zerubbabel knew that feeling well. He was called to rebuild the temple with weary people and scarce resources. The task looked overwhelming—and his strength looked small. We’ve all stood in that same space.
Where the calling is real, but the capacity feels thin.
Where the vision is clear, but the energy is gone. Heaven’s Reminder: You Are Not Alone Before God addressed the work, He addressed the source. In Zechariah 4, the prophet is shown a golden lampstand continually supplied with oil from two olive trees—a picture of the Holy Spirit’s unending empowerment. Then comes the verse that breaks through discouragement: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. This is God’s gentle rebuke and holy reassurance.
We were never meant to rely solely on human strength.
Every kingdom assignment requires kingdom power. Why We Run D...

Introduction to Zechariah:     The Prophet of Renewal and Return  (Scripture Reference: Zechariah 1-2) Zechariah’s name means “The Lord remembers.” And indeed, his prophetic voice came at a time when Israel needed to remember who they were, whose they were, and what they were called to do. After seventy years of Babylonian exile, God’s people had returned to a land that looked more like a ruin than a promise. The temple lay unfinished, morale was low, and hope was flickering. Alongside Haggai, Zechariah arose as a prophetic voice calling the people not only to rebuild the house of God but to renew their hearts for God. Without the inward being right, everything will deteriorate inward and then outward.  The first few chapters of Zechariah are filled with night visions — divine messages wrapped in vivid imagery. Horses patrolling the earth, horns and craftsmen, a man measuring Jerusalem — all painting a picture of God’s protection, restoration, and expansion. Zec...