Jesus Is All We Need: 10 Devotions to Experience the Rescuing Love of God

Scripture: John 3:17

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” JOHN 3:17 ESV

My career as a firefighter taught me that when something is on fire, the most important person is the one on the nozzle.

Sure, there are quite a few people involved in the operation, and the one on the nozzle can’t do it alone. A fire crew is like a well-oiled machine. There needs to be someone who unrolls the hose, someone who pumps water from the engine, and even someone ready to bust open the door with an ax.

But despite all that teamwork, I still say the one on the nozzle is the MVF (Most Valuable Firefighter). For the fire to die, there needs to be one person smashing it down with an incredibly powerful jet of water. The one holding the nozzle and directing the water has the power to completely transform a tragedy.

In my experience, it’s the same with Jesus.

There are so many “fires” in our lives. Losing a job. Dealing with chronic pain. A child who seems to be on the wrong path. Divorce. Cancer.

We can’t fight fires like that on our own. And we can’t always count on fighting those fires in community. Community is essential, but we humans are never perfect. Sometimes we let each other down. Sometimes we even betray each other.

Which is why we need Jesus. He’s the only One who will never let us down. I have countless stories of the times I’ve seen Jesus battle fires in my life and the lives of others. I’ve seen Him rescue people that no one else could have rescued. 

God’s rescue plan is right there in today’s verse! Our world is on fire. Our lives are on fire. And Jesus is the One on the nozzle, ready to smash down the flames. He’s the only One who can do it.

Takeaways: Jesus wants to rescue you from all your troubles.

Prayer: Jesus, help me believe, or at least want to believe, that You really are all I need.

Scripture: Colossians 1:15

Jesus is the One Who Determines Outcomes 

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation. COLOSSIANS 1:15 NLT 

People used to tell me I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. If I believed in myself and worked hard, everything would work out. 

That sounded great until the failures began to pile up. As a kid, I worked as hard as I possibly could to keep my parents from getting divorced, but they split up anyway. As a paramedic firefighter, I tried my best to save the life of every single person I was called to help. I had all the training, all the skills, and all the desire, but people still died. I wasn’t the maker of my own destiny like I’d been promised. 

It wasn’t until I understood Jesus is supreme over everything that life began to make more sense. 

We try to fix ourselves. We try to fix our kids. We try to fix our friends and family members. Heck, some of us even try to fix strangers. But our job isn’t to be in charge of every outcome. In fact, we can’t truly control any outcome. Sometimes even our best efforts just aren’t enough. 

Outcomes are God’s job. As Christians, our only job is to obediently follow Jesus wherever He leads us. Whether Jesus asks us to pray for someone, move across the globe, or anything in between, we can feel His peace. Jesus is supreme over everything, and that includes our problems and our pain. It includes our questions and doubts. And when we lean into His eternal perfection and ask Him to handle the outcomes, He will. 

Takeaway: God knew you would need Jesus to guide you through this fallen world. 

Prayer: God, thank You that outcomes aren’t up to me. Help me to trust You to be in control of every outcome, and help me to follow where You lead.

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5

All We Need is Jesus

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” HEBREWS 13:5 ESV

I was still young when I was hired as a full-time firefighter paramedic by the Oakland Fire Department. Even though I’d dropped out of high school and never read a book from cover to cover in real life, I had full health benefits, full retirement benefits, and was earning six figures a year.

From a financial point of view, I had it made. The stuff everyone else seemed to be striving for was already mine: nice vehicle, sweet house, and plenty of cash for food and vacations and anything else I wanted.

But I was miserable. My happiness was completely untethered from my bank account. I was “set for life,” as the saying goes, and yet I wanted to end my life. The world kept telling me I just didn’t have enough. So I’d work more, earn more, spend more, and save more… and then work even more.

What I didn’t understand at the time was that I was making money an idol. I wasn’t using money – I was worshipping it.

In contrast, today’s verse frees us from worshipping money. The good news is that even if we’re currently worshipping money, we no longer need to. The reason we chase and even worship money is simple: we think it will bring us security. But the only real security in life is found in Jesus, who will never leave us nor turn His back on us.

And let’s notice what this verse doesn’t say. It doesn’t say our lives need to be free from money! What God is encouraging us to do is to always keep Jesus in first place and keep everything else – including money – behind Him.

Being content with what we have, rather than worshipping money, is linked to what comes next in this verse. Because Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us, we can always be content. That’s because any material blessing can vanish from our lives, but Jesus never will. Loving money can never bring us contentment or happiness – that’s Jesus’s job! And as we grow in our relationship with Jesus, He will show us how to use the money we do have in ways that honor God.

Takeaway: Loving money is a fool’s errand because money never loves you back.

Prayer: God, please keep me focused on my true wealth, which can only be found in my faith in Christ Jesus, who will never leave my side. Help me love the One who always loves me perfectly.

Scripture: John 3:16

We Are Saved Through Jesus

“For God so loved the world.” JOHN 3:16 NIV

Several years ago, before Kristie’s mom was diagnosed with cancer, our family was planning on moving to Hawaii, so we spent a lot of time there, preparing for the move. One Saturday, as I was walking toward my favorite palm tree to read my Bible, I decided to grab a tropical ice tea from the local Kwik-E-Mart.

When it was my turn to pay, the clerk pointed toward my Bible. “Does that work for you?” she asked.

“Yeah, it works for me,” I said with a smile, “and for anyone who gets to know its Author. I actually used to think this whole book was fake, along with people who believed it. But over time, it became real to me.”

She looked like she was considering what I’d said, so I smiled again, told her to keep the change, and flip-flopped my way toward my palm tree.

Now, I don’t know if that woman ever began to read God’s Word, but I do know that the Author of the Bible has a plan for her life better than anything she could imagine. The crux of that plan is found in today’s verse, which is probably the world’s most recognized Scripture. God loves the world so much – including you, me, and the clerk at the convenience store – that Jesus came to earth to live a perfect life and sacrifice Himself on our behalf. Everyone who puts their trust in Him no longer needs to live in fear, whether in this life or in eternity.

And it gets even better! If you don’t mind, I’m going to sneak in two verses in one day. Right after today’s verse, John 3:16, we encounter John 3:17. The context for both verses is a secret, nighttime meeting between Jesus and a highly trained religious leader. Jesus, summing up His mission in verse 17, says that He did not come here to condemn our world, but to save our world through His own life and death and resurrection!

That is the greatest news ever, and its message of ultimate hope is for everyone.

Takeaway: You are loved in a way so perfect that you will never fully understand it on earth.

Prayer: God, thank You for loving me so much, even with all my faults, that You sent Your Son to save me… and the world.

Scripture: Psalms 119:105

We Need His Guiding Light 

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. PSALM 119:105 ESV 

As someone who spends a ton of time out in nature, I pride myself on being equipped with everything I need for the current situation. I’ve had the privilege of spending day after day alone in the backcountry of the Sierra Nevada, marveling at God’s creation and listening to His voice in my heart. 

That’s why I couldn’t believe it when a short day hike got me into a bunch of trouble. I was planning to do a simple, five-mile loop. The trail was well marked, and the weather was perfect, so I decided to leave my backpack in the truck. Halfway up the hill, I noticed the formerly wispy clouds were transforming into thunderheads. At the same time, I also noticed a sweet rock outcropping a quarter mile or so off the trail, so I decided to bushwhack toward it, hoping to get a view of the incoming storm. 

I was almost to the outcrop when a hailstorm hit me. These were big-boy hailstones, and I started zigzag running for the nearest cover. Except I couldn’t find any cover, so I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off until – you guessed it – I was completely lost. Lost and getting pelted by marble-sized hail! 

After a solid hour of my cold, aimless wandering, the storm passed as the sun came out. And when I finally found my way back to the trail – through no skill of my own – I felt an amazing sense of relief and said a prayer of thanks. 

Being lost stinks, doesn’t it? 

When we lose our sense of direction, we feel out of control. We can become disoriented so many ways in life: at work, in our family, in relationships, in our faith… and the list goes on. Sometimes, like me on my hike, we wander away from the trail on purpose. We may even have a good motivation. Other times we stray by accident. If we aren’t too far off the path, we might be able to make our way back on our own. But when it’s dark and stormy, or there are barriers in our way, getting back on track is impossible if we rely on our own strength. 

Jesus will never abandon us in the unknown. John 1:1 declares that God’s Word is Jesus: Jesus is the Word! Each time we call out to Him, His light will shine in our lives and guide us back to the path. Chances are, we’ll find ourselves lost again in this life. Let’s follow Jesus back to the path of righteousness. 

Takeaway: When you find yourself lost, call out to Jesus, and let His light guide you. 

Prayer: Jesus, let Your light guide me today, and when I wander or become lost, let it guide me back to You.

Scripture: Acts 7:54-55

Experience True Boldness with Jesus

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ACTS 7:54-55 NIV

I don’t know about you, but when I read the Bible, the scenes being described become movies in my head. 

When I picture today’s verse in my mind, I get chills. If you have the time, read all of Acts 7, because it’s incredibly dramatic.

Stephen is preaching a sermon for the ages in front of the most hostile audience imaginable. In fact, he knows that the religious leaders are going to kill him when he’s done speaking, no matter what he says!

I think that knowledge inspired Stephen to lay everything on the line. He preached the whole truth of the Gospel, holding nothing back. He could feel the Holy Spirit filling him and helping him know what to say. But the religious leaders became so angry that they gnashed their teeth at him! Then, moments later, they covered their ears, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him to death.

If we are following Jesus, Stephen’s story can inspire us. Just like Stephen, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we can see God, no matter the circumstance. As Romans 8:31 promises, “If God is for us, no one can defeat us” (NCV). That’s why the upside-down truth in today’s verse is so important. From the world’s perspective, Stephen was definitely defeated. You can’t be any more defeated, in fact. They didn’t just dislike his opinions online or shun him. They literally battered and crushed him to death for what he was saying.

But Stephen, as he experienced God’s presence, remained undefeated. He saw God, and he knew that he would soon be united with God.

Our world is rough. It has been ever since sin entered it, way back in the Garden of Eden. We don’t have a guarantee of physical safety on this side of heaven. So like Stephen, let’s be bold about the truth we believe.

Takeaway: You can be bold when you experience God’s presence and guidance.

Prayer: God, help me to have a faith like Stephen’s. Help me stand boldly in my faith without being arrogant. Let Your truth pour out of me the same way You let it pour out of Stephen.

Scripture: John 10:11

Jesus’s Rescue Leads Us to Safety 

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” JOHN 10:11 ESV 

I hope this doesn’t sound sacrilegious, but Jesus had a pretty good life in heaven before He chose to come to earth! Think about it. He had already created the universe and everything in it, and He was holding everything together by His power. At the same time, He was enjoying eternal, perfect fellowship with God the Father and God the Spirit. 

Instead, Jesus willingly left all that behind and came to earth for us humans, the very people who were going to persecute and reject Him! 

Ever since sin entered the world, we have been like lost sheep in need of a shepherd. Today’s verse shows us that Jesus wasn’t plugging His ears in heaven while humanity suffered. He knew we were wandering toward our own destruction, and only a perfect Shepherd could save us. 

On earth, Jesus felt every emotion we feel. Joy, hope, and laughter, yes, but also fear, anxiety, and doubt. Through all of that, He stayed the course. As our good Shepherd, He knew He would need to make the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf if we were ever to be rescued. 

A cold, selfish god would have pulled the plug on the rescue along the way, letting us suffer so that he could return to divine safety. But Jesus went all the way for us. When He chose to carry the exact cross on which He would be tortured and killed, it was the ultimate act of selflessness. 

This leaves me in awe every time I contemplate it. Jesus, our good Shepherd, and our Rescuer, put His life on the line without asking anything in return from us, His flock. In doing so, He showed us what real love looks like, and gave us hope and a future. 

Takeaway: You are a sheep, and Jesus is the only Shepherd who will rescue you. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for volunteering to do what I am not capable of doing. Thank You for obediently doing what Your Father asked of You, and shepherding me the way only You could. I love You.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love Rights All Wrongs 

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. I CORINTHIANS 13:4-7 ESV 

When our boys were four and six years old, we took a road trip to Zion National Park. Since it was a fourteen-hour drive, Kristie suggested we take our time and grab a hotel halfway. She said it would be easier on the boys. I told her the boys needed to man up and deal with it. They had air-conditioning and iPads, for crying out loud! 

Kristie gave me an “I told you so” look, which was odd because nothing bad had happened. Yet. 

Fast-forward seven hours, and the boys in the backseat had been replaced by two broken records. I’m tired! I’m bored! My butt is sore! I’m hungry! 

Finally, I lost it and became that dad. I yelled “Quiet!” at a volume that was definitely inappropriate. The car then became uncomfortably quiet, except for the soft sobbing from the backseat and the glare—I swear it was audible— from my bride in the passenger seat. 

I felt horrible, and so did everyone else. I repented, with the help of some McDonald’s soft-serve cones and a motel with a pool. 

Now, I’m not claiming to be a biblical scholar, but I think the church in Corinth, to whom Paul was writing, was messed up. I can identify! In I Corinthians 13, Paul is specifically showing them that they aren’t relating to each other the right way. They’re being selfish and insisting on their own way. 

As Christians, we are already full of God’s love, but as broken people learning to live like Jesus, we can experience the same struggles Paul was writing about. 

Can we be arrogant? Sure, but love is not regularly rude. Can we puff up with pride sometimes and boast? Unfortunately, yes, but pride doesn’t define the life of someone following Christ. 

We are all messy, and at times our messiness spills out onto others, and vice versa. But let’s strive to let God’s way of loving inform the patterns of our lives. 

Takeaway: God’s perfect love can fix anything. 

Prayer: God, thank You for giving me what I need to settle the quarrels within me and among others. Without love, it would just get worse, but with love, all things can be endured!

Scripture: John 10:10

God is Joy 

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” JOHN 10:10 NLT 

When we put our faith in Jesus, our ultimate, eternal home awaits us in heaven. That’s a fact we can count on. 

At the same time, Jesus promises us a rich life – rich in grace, love, and godly experiences, not in cash – here and now. 

Following Jesus does not mean committing ourselves to a boring life while we wait for the awesomeness of heaven. Jesus didn’t save us in order to crush our human spark and potential. The exact opposite is true. Jesus expects us to live a full, attractive life under the favor and blessing of God the Father and with the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit. (And when I say “attractive”, I don’t mean we need to be attractive. We’re supposed to live lives that make others want what we’ve got… which is Jesus!) 

Think of it like this. You finally go on that vacation you’ve been looking forward to forever. It’s an entire week on a tropical beach, with nothing to do but read a romance novel and soak in the sun. Or maybe you’re more adventurous and prefer zip-lining or cave-tubing. Whatever your vacation looks like, on the last full day in paradise, you’re still having a good time, right? The food is still all-you-can-eat, the poolside chair is still comfy, and you’re still snapping photos of the scenery. 

If you’re anything like me, though, there’s a thought in the back of your mind. All this is ending tomorrow. I’ll be going back to real life. I guess it’s human nature to remind ourselves to enjoy something when we know it’s coming to an end. With eternal life in Jesus, though, there is no ending to the paradise – every day is the first day! And on this side of heaven, we can face every day with joy and expectation in our hearts. That can be hard or even seem impossible, especially when we’re experiencing pain. But while our days on earth can be difficult, Jesus’s purpose is to give us a life here worth really living. 

And that’s the kind of life that will introduce others to Jesus as well. 

Takeaway: Jesus gives you an abundant life that can’t be stolen from you. 

Prayer: God, thank You for adding the flavor and richness to my life that can only come from my faith in Jesus. Please don’t let anything or anybody get in my way of experiencing Your joy. My hope is in You.

Scripture: Psalms 23:4

God is With Us 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. PSALM 23:4 

Did you know that the actual “valley of the shadow of death” is located on the western edge of modern-day Israel, quite close to the confluence of the river…

Okay, wait, I can’t finish that sentence. I mean, I could, but I was making it up, so there isn’t much of a reason to finish it!

It’s very possible that the exact locations mentioned in Psalm 23 are real. The green pastures. The still waters. Even the valley of the shadow of death. After all, King David was a shepherd before he was a king. He must have used his life experiences when he wrote his songs (psalms) to God.

The imagery in Psalm 23 teaches us that since Jesus is our good Shepherd, and we are His flock, we are His priority.

That means when we enter the darkness of the valley of the shadow of death, Jesus is already going before us. He has both His rod (for attacking foes) and His staff (for rescuing) at the ready to ensure our safe passage.

That darkness can take so many shapes in our fallen world. Your company announces a round of layoffs. Your doctor calls with a scary diagnosis. You suffer from depression. In all of that – and in every possible darkness – we fear no evil, because our Shepherd is leading us.

I have to remind myself that when the Bible talks about the “valley of the shadow of death,” it isn’t just referencing ancient words of wisdom from King David’s world… it’s a promise for today! Jesus is always with us. Jesus will not forsake us, no matter how dark the valley gets. In fact, He will guide us through it, fighting battles on our behalf that we can’t win without Him!

And the best news for us sheep is that our Shepherd has already defeated the ultimate predator: death. Scripture tells us that when Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected, He defeated death eternally. So we can live fearlessly, knowing that our Savior has already won.

Takeaway: Jesus will protect you at all costs.

Prayer: Jesus, I want You to know how much I love You and appreciate You for keeping me safe. Thank You for going ahead of me and fighting the evil that lurks in the darkness.