DEVOTIONALS

A 5 Day Devotional from Pastor Kyle

This five-day devotional invites you to walk deeper into the life-changing realities highlighted in the sermon: God finds, frees, focuses, and forgives. Each day builds on the last, helping you recognize how Jesus meets you personally and reshapes your everyday life. Come expecting God to show up—often differently than you imagined, but always faithfully.

Day 1

Luke 19:10

God doesn’t always show up like we expect, but He always shows up—and one of the most personal ways He does is by pursuing us. Jesus didn’t describe His mission as waiting for the lost to wander back; He said He came to seek and to save. That means your story is not defined by how well you searched for God, but by how faithfully God has been searching for you.

In the sermon, the image of Jesus sending disciples to a specific place for a specific colt reminds us that God’s pursuit is intentional. He knows where you are, what has you stuck, and what He intends to do with your life. Let today reshape your view of God: He is not passive toward you; He is active, close, and committed to finding you right where you are.

• Where have you assumed God is distant or disinterested, and how does Luke 19:10 challenge that belief?
• Describe a moment when you can see now that God was pursuing you, even if you didn’t recognize it then.
• What “village ahead” might God be directing you toward—one next step of obedience or trust?
• Pray honestly: what part of your life do you most need to believe God can find and redeem?
• Take one action today that responds to God’s pursuit (reach out for prayer, open Scripture, or return to church community).

Day 2

John 8:36

Being found by Jesus is not the end of the story; it is the beginning of freedom. In the sermon, the colt was tied up “by the door,” close to an exit but still bound. Many of us live like that—near enough to change to feel its possibility, yet still tangled in habits, fears, shame, or patterns we can’t seem to break.

Jesus doesn’t merely point at freedom; He sets people free. His freedom is deeper than willpower because it changes what owns you. When you let Christ name what binds you and you trust His authority over it, you discover a real release—freedom to walk, to choose differently, and to live with a new kind of peace.

• What is one specific area where you feel “tied up” (thoughts, habits, relationships, or fears)? Name it plainly.
• How have you tried to free yourself in that area, and what has the result been?
• What would “free indeed” look like in your daily life this week—practically and spiritually?
• Who is a trusted believer you can invite into your freedom journey for prayer and accountability?
• Take one concrete step toward freedom today (remove access to temptation, set a boundary, or schedule support).

Day 3

John 10:9

Freedom and direction often come through the same place: Jesus Himself. The sermon highlighted the colt being tied near the door, and Jesus later declares, “I am the door.” We don’t just need an exit from what traps us; we need an entrance into a new way of living. Jesus is the passage from confinement into pasture—space to breathe, grow, and flourish under His care.

When you choose Jesus as your doorway, you stop treating Him as a helpful add-on and begin trusting Him as your true access point to life. That shift changes decisions, priorities, and identity. Today is about moving from being near the door to actually entering—receiving His leadership and letting Him define what “safe” and “good” looks like for you.

• In what ways have you been “near” Jesus without fully entering into His leadership?
• What is one decision you’re facing where you need to choose Jesus as the door rather than another solution?
• Where do you sense God inviting you into “pasture” (rest, healing, community, or purpose)?
• What practice could help you regularly “enter by Him” (daily prayer, Scripture reading, confession, Sabbath)?
• Write a short prayer of surrender, naming one area where you will follow Jesus’ way this week.

Day 4

Hebrews 12:1-2

When Jesus finds you and frees you, He also focuses you. Life can feel scattered—pulled by distractions, burdens, comparisons, and lingering sin. Hebrews calls us to throw off what hinders and to run with perseverance, not by gritting our teeth, but by fixing our eyes on Jesus. Focus is not merely concentration; it’s devotion—choosing one center for your life.

The sermon’s message reminds us that God does not just remove chains; He gives direction. Jesus becomes your reference point when emotions rise, when the path feels long, and when old patterns try to return. As you look to Him, you gain clarity about what to drop, what to keep, and how to take the next faithful step.

• What is currently most distracting or draining your spiritual attention? Be specific.
• What “hinderance” (not necessarily a sin) do you need to lay aside to run your race well?
• What “entangling sin” tends to pull you off course, and what boundary could help you resist it?
• How can you fix your eyes on Jesus today in a practical way (worship, Scripture, silence, gratitude)?
• Choose one next step in your race this week and write it down with a time and plan to follow through.

Day 5

1 John 1:9

Focus doesn’t mean perfection, and growth doesn’t mean you never stumble. God changes your life not only by finding, freeing, and focusing you, but also by forgiving you. The promise of 1 John is straightforward: when we confess, God is faithful and just to forgive and to purify. Forgiveness is not God ignoring sin; it is God dealing with it fully through Jesus so your future isn’t held hostage by your past.

Confession is where lasting change stays tender and real. It keeps you from hiding, pretending, or trying to earn your way back to God. Today, let forgiveness become personal: bring what’s true into the light, receive God’s cleansing, and step forward lighter. The same Savior who rides in humbly as King also reigns with mercy—restoring you to relationship and strengthening you to live differently.

• What do you need to confess to God today without excuses or self-protection?
• Do you more often minimize sin or magnify shame? How does 1 John 1:9 correct both extremes?
• What would it look like to receive forgiveness as cleansing, not just relief from guilt?
• Is there a person you need to seek reconciliation with after confessing to God? Identify one next step.
• End today by thanking God specifically for His faithfulness and writing one sentence about who you are in Christ now.

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