Devotionals

Living Water Vineyard — Monday Devotion “Two Gates, Two Roads, Two Crowds, Two Destinations” Matthew 7:13–14 ⸻  Where We’ve Been Since...

Living Water Vineyard — Monday Devotion “Daughter: From Condemned to Covered” Family 🤍, Yesterday was a lot of fun. There was faith in the room. There was hunger. There was a sense that something was happening. We started in Matthew 11:12, where Jesus says: “The kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful people lay hold of it.” (Matthew 11:12, NIV – abbreviated) Not angry people. Not reckless people. But faith-filled, desperate, determined people—the kind

Living Water Vineyard – New Year Devotion Something From Heaven Stepping Into 2026 ⸻ As we get ready to step into a brand-new year, I want to slow us down for just a moment. A new year always brings fresh resolve. Studies tell us that around 40–45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, yet only about 8% actually keep them. Most of us begin January with good intentions. We want to eat better, get healthier, slow down, pray more, read Scripture more faithfully, love our fam

Living Water Vineyard – Wednesday Devotion Who Was in the House… and Who Is Jesus? (Matthew 9:1–8 · Mark 2:1–12 · Luke 5:17–26) ⸻ Before the roof is torn open… Before the man is healed… Before anyone walks out amazed… Scripture wants us to notice who was already in the room. Jesus has returned home to Capernaum (Matthew 9:1; Mark 2:1), and word spreads quickly. The house fills up completely—people packed inside, others spilling out the doorway (Mark 2:2). Luke adds a detail w

Living Water Vineyard – Devotion Forgiveness First… Then Blessing Yesterday at Living Water Vineyard, we were teaching from Matthew 9, along with the parallel accounts in Mark 2 and Luke 5—the story of the paralyzed man brought to Jesus. And as we were walking through that passage, something beautiful happened. Several people experienced healing, especially in their knees and backs. Nothing dramatic. Nothing forced. Just quiet moments where people realized, “Something changed

💧 Living Water Vineyard Devotion Wednesday — Two Days from Christmas 🎄 Joy Pursues — The Wise Men Joy doesn’t stop with the announcement. It moves. It pursues. It follows light through dark places. The Christmas story doesn’t just include shepherds nearby— it also includes Magi from the East who travel a great distance because something in the heavens caught their attention. “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” (Matthew 2:10) Promise has becom

💧 Living Water Vineyard Devotion Tuesday — Three Days from Christmas 🎄 Joy That Leaps Yesterday, we talked about Zechariah— a faithful priest who had a visitation from an angel in the Holy Place. The angel told him something impossible: Your wife Elizabeth will conceive a son. You will name him John. And he will be a great joy. Today, the story continues. Because joy doesn’t stop with Zechariah. Joy moves. Joy grows. Joy spreads. ⸻ 🤍 Elizabeth: When the Miracle Becomes Per

💧 Living Water Vineyard Devotion Monday — Four Days from Christmas 🎄 Good News of Great Joy We use the word joy a lot. We sing it 🎶 We write it on Christmas cards ✉️ We say things like, “I hope you feel joyful.” But if we’re honest… joy can feel complicated—especially this close to Christmas. Because biblical joy isn’t a mood. It’s not tied to personality. And it’s definitely not the same thing as happiness. Joy in Scripture is something God gives— because He is near 🤍 An

💧 Living Water Vineyard Devotion Monday — Four Days from Christmas 🎄 Good News of Great Joy We use the word joy a lot. We sing it 🎶 We write it on Christmas cards ✉️ We say things like, “I hope you feel joyful.” But if we’re honest… joy can feel complicated—especially this close to Christmas. Because biblical joy isn’t a mood. It’s not tied to personality. And it’s definitely not the same thing as happiness. Joy in Scripture is something God gives— because He is near 🤍 An

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION — THURSDAY “Guided Through Obedience” 🧭✨ Scriptures: Matthew 1:18–25; Matthew 2:13–23; Psalm 32:7–8; Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV) ⸻ Obedience sounds good— until it costs you something. Most of us like the idea of obedience, especially when it leads to blessing, clarity, or favor. But obedience gets much harder when it disrupts our plans, challenges our comfort, or puts our reputation at risk. If I’m honest, growing up I didn’t really believe rules were

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION Wednesday, December 17 “Interrupted on Purpose” ✨ Joseph didn’t live a flashy life. He wasn’t a priest. He wasn’t a scholar. He wasn’t a man with influence or a platform. Joseph was a carpenter—a tekton—a skilled tradesman who worked with wood and stone 🪵🛠️. He lived in Nazareth, a small, overlooked town in Galilee. Nothing about Nazareth was impressive. Later in the Gospels someone will ask, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Joseph’s da

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION — TUESDAY The God Who Keeps His Promises 🕯️ Scriptures: Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 55:8–9; Luke 1:26–38; Hebrews 6:18 (NIV) ⸻ I still remember my first real job. I was working retail as a store manager at a Western wear store. It was the Saturday before Christmas—the busiest day of the year. The line was backed up, people were buying Wranglers, boots, belt buckles… everything. The store was loud and rushed, full of holiday energy. At the counter was a

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION — MONDAY “When Hope Crosses the Storm” 🌊✨ Scriptures: Mark 4:35–41; Mark 5:1–6; Romans 15:13; 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV) ⸻ WHAT HOPELESSNESS FEELS LIKE Hopelessness doesn’t usually arrive all at once. It settles in slowly—when help runs out, when answers stop coming, when people stop trying. By the time we meet the man in Mark chapter 5, hopelessness has completely taken over his life. “A man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet Him

🌿 LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION 🎄 Christmas Traditions — Saturday ✨ “The Light That Never Goes Out” If Friday was about life, Saturday is about light 💡 A long time ago—centuries after Saint Boniface—another man was walking through a dark winter forest 🌲❄️ He wasn’t preaching. He wasn’t confronting idols. He was just a dad… and a pastor… heading home. His name was Martin Luther. One cold December night, Luther stopped beneath a wide, quiet sky 🌌 Tall fir trees surrounded

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION Thursday — “When the Fire Doesn’t Go Out the First Time” There are moments in life when it feels like the very ground beneath us is shaking. Storms rise without warning. Fires burn where we least expect them. And sometimes, even after we believe a trial has passed, the flames return hotter than before. Peter knew that feeling well. And he wrote these words to believers who felt like life was burning down around them: 1 Peter 4:12–13 “Dear friend

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION Wednesday — “Another Yes… Another Boat… Another Storm” Luke 2 • Matthew 8 • Mark 4 ⸻ THE STORY — THE CENSUS AND THE JOURNEY NOBODY WANTED Mary has already said her yes. Joseph has already said his yes. And then Luke 2 opens with a reminder of something we don’t always like to hear: When you say yes to God, there will always be another yes. Another step. Another boat. Another storm. The next “yes” for Mary and Joseph came in the form of a decree

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION Tuesday — “When Obedience Costs You Everything” Matthew 1 • Matthew 8 • Mark 4 ⸻ THE STORY — JOSEPH: A RIGHTEOUS MAN WITH A BROKEN HEART Before Joseph ever holds Jesus… before the manger… before Bethlehem… Joseph faces a storm of his own. Scripture tells us he was a “righteous man” (Matthew 1:19). That means something specific in Jewish culture:    •   He loved God.    •   He honored the Law.    •   He valued integrity.    •   He cared deeply ab

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION Monday — “The First Step Into the Boat” Matthew 8 • Mark 4 • Luke 1 ⸻ INTRO — WHEN THE DUST TURNS TO MUD Yesterday was an amazing and sacred service. Tears everywhere. Hearts soft. Jesus close. We talked about the difference between being a fan and a follower — how fans cheer from the shore, but followers actually get in the boat when Jesus says: “Let us go over to the other side.” (Mark 4 / Mark 5) Scripture points out something easy to miss: “

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION Friday, December 5, 2025 “WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE JUST SAID YES?” Imagine you’re walking down a dusty road with Jesus. You hear His sandals brushing the dirt. You feel the warmth of His presence. You sense His nearness — and for a moment you think: “I’m following Him.” But then Jesus slows His pace. He stops. The crowds keep walking… but He turns toward you. He looks right into your eyes — and in that gentle voice that shakes the soul, He asks:

LIVING WATER VINEYARD DEVOTION Thursday, December 4, 2025 “WHEN ‘WHATEVER’ HOLDS US BACK” Luke 9 gives us a powerful picture of Jesus walking along the road, speaking with three different people who say they want to follow Him. We’ve already looked at: • The enthusiastic man — “Wherever!” • The delayed man — “Whenever!” Today we come to the third man — the “Whatever” follower. ⸻ THE THIRD MAN — ‘LET ME SAY GOODBYE’ (Luke 9:61–62) As Jesus walks, another man steps forward and