Joshua Kennedy's Weekly Devotion

Every person is formed by something. Before we came to know Christ, we were shaped by our surroundings — the homes we grew up in, the voices we listened to, the culture that pressed itself against us year after year. We were, quite literally, a product of our environment. The world left its fingerprints on us. But something changes in the one who is born again. The Spirit of God takes up residence within us, and a new formation begins. Where the world once shaped us from the outside in, the Word of God now works from the inside out. We are no longer formed by surroundings — we are formed by Scripture. We are no longer a product of our environment — we are a product of the Holy Spirit. Jesus illustrates this reality with striking clarity in Matthew 7: "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against t...

Introduction  John 15:5 - "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing." A branch doesn't strain to produce fruit. It doesn't press itself harder against the vine or work longer hours in the soil. Fruit comes because the branch stays connected. That image — simple, agricultural, unambiguous — is exactly what Jesus offers His disciples in John 15. And it may be one of the most countercultural things He ever said. We are conditioned to believe that more effort produces more results. But Jesus reframes the whole equation. The Christian life is not about trying harder in your own strength — it's about staying close to Him. Spiritual fruit is the result of abiding in Christ, not merely working for Christ. Jesus is the true vine John 15 opens with a clear structure: God the Father is the gardener, Jesus is the true vine, and we are the branch...

Come and Learn Matthew 11:28–30 (KJV) “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Formation begins with an invitation from Jesus: come close and learn from Me. Before spiritual growth becomes visible in our habits, choices, and character, it must first begin in relationship with Him. We come to Jesus tired, burdened, and often aware of our own failure. We have tried in our own strength and discovered that it is not enough. Now we come to trust Him. Jesus does not simply remove us from the process of growth; He teaches us how to walk with Him in it. He does not do the work instead of us, but He does transform us as we yield to Him. As we walk with Him, the Holy Spirit brings our souls into rest, bringing our mind, will, and emotions under His influence and control. His yoke is easy and H...

Introduction: Luke 9:23–25 23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? Jesus leaves no room for casual Christianity. His call is clear, weighty, and deeply personal. To follow Him is not to admire Him from a distance or fit Him conveniently into our lives. It is to surrender completely.  Casual Christianity is a dangerous illusion. It wants the comfort of salvation without the cost of discipleship. But Jesus makes it plain: following Him means denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and walking in obedience. This is not a half-hearted commitment. It is an all-in surrender. Scripture warns us about lukewarm faith. God is not honored by divided hearts or empty professions. The ...

Opening / Introduction Jesus’ calling of the disciples happens at the very beginning of His public ministry. That matters. Even in His earthly ministry, Jesus did not choose to minister alone; He called men to walk with Him, learn from Him, and labor beside Him. That shows us something important: Kingdom ministry was never meant to be carried by a single person. The body of Christ works through many members, each joined together for His purpose. Both Mark 1:16–20 and John 1:35–42 portray this call powerfully. In John’s Gospel, Andrew first encounters Jesus and brings Simon to Him. Then in Mark’s account, Jesus gives the direct summons: “Come, follow me.” What began as an encounter became a life of discipleship. Somewhere along the way, many people have reduced Christianity to church attendance, religious language, or simply believing certain truths about Jesus. But to be a Christian is to be a follower of Christ. Faith in Jesus is the beginning, but real discipleship means we no longer...

Introduction What does it really mean to be spiritually grounded? For many, Christianity begins and ends with salvation: accepting Jesus, attending church, and striving to be a good person. But the call of Christ goes much deeper than that. It’s not just about believing in Him; it’s about following Him. Somewhere along the way, we’ve unintentionally separated being a believer from being a disciple, as if they are two different paths. But Jesus never made that distinction. In His mind, to believe in Him is to follow Him. From the very beginning, growth has always been a part of life. A child is born completely dependent, but that dependency is not meant to remain. Before long, that child is reaching, pulling up, and eventually taking those first steps. Why? Because they see others walking and something inside them compels them to do the same. The same is true spiritually. When we are born again, we begin dependent on Christ, and that is right. But over time, we are meant to grow, mature...

As we conclude our series, Crucified with Christ, we move from the gravity of the cross to the glory of the empty tomb. We often treat the crucifixion and the resurrection as two separate historical dates on a calendar, but for the believer, they are a singular, simultaneous reality. To live the Christian life is to understand that the "old man" didn't just go into retirement—he was executed so that a "new man" could take his place. The Great Exchange: Galatians 2:20 The foundation of our walk is found in the merging of death and life. Paul writes: "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me..." This is the "Great Exchange."  When we die to self, we don't become empty vessels; we become conduits for His resurrection power. We still inhabit these earthly bodies, but the engine driving us is no longer self-will—it is a relationship built on absolute trust in the Son of God. Baptism as a Li...