Peter’s story reminds us that failure does not disqualify us from Jesus’ love. This devotional from John 21 invites you to receive Christ’s restoring grace, return to love, and follow Him with renewed purpose.

Our modern culture is obsessed with being happy. We see the roots of this in the Declaration of Independence, that we have unalienable rights to life and the pursuit of happiness, among others. Therefore, happiness becomes the reason we do many things. People get married and divorced based on their happiness. We take jobs or quit based on a happiness quotient. We choose places to live and other purchases based on what we think will make us happy. Most advertising uses this principle to get people to buy or commit to things. 

When talking about following God, a friend once told me, “I think God just wants us to be happy.” In context, she meant he’s cool with whatever we think will make us happy, no matter what anyone or the Bible might say. 

This brings up important questions regarding whether God wants us to be happy, or unhappy, and the definition of happiness itself.

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When we pray, most Christians close with, “in Jesus’ name, amen.” 

But what does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name? God doesn’t want our prayers to become overly religious or mindless, repeating words without any meaning for us. The Lord disciples us, teaches us his ways as sons and daughters who will one day rule with him in the Kingdom. Prayer becomes a primary way he teaches us about himself and the ways of Heaven. 

Therefore, we should better understand why we pray in Jesus’ name. This brings us into deeper relationship with the Father, and gives us power in our prayers.

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People often get the idea that God is mad at them. We hear how God hates sin, and Jesus died for our sins to satisfy God’s wrath. Despite how much leaders and teachers emphasize God’s love, we are human, and we interpret biblical ideas like sin and judgment to mean God doesn’t like us, or he’s simply waiting for us to fail. 

Beyond the human aspect, our “flesh,” Satan gets involved. When we encounter truth, the Devil lies to twist it and accuse God and us, as he’s done from the beginning. The enemy will interpret God’s Word, or attempt to, if we allow it. Further, the world systems and philosophies take corrupt interpretations and deceptions and communicate them, too. 

The truth is, God deals with sin and corruption expressly because he loves us and likes us. He values us greatly. It does well for us to remember how he feels about us, truly, which encourages us all, leads us to life, and combats the lies of the enemy who seeks to destroy us. 

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“Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).

This is good news. We have all sinned and deserve judgment, objects of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Fortunately for us, God is great in mercy. “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Psalm 103:8). “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). 

How we need God’s mercy. Where we would show hate and punishment or vengeance, God acts mercifully. And he provides ways to repent and find even more grace and mercy. Because our own nature seeks retribution and justice, the Father’s divine mercy makes us uncomfortable. Maybe even skeptical. But God’s goal isn’t punishment, it is reconciliation. The Lord’s mercy becomes necessary for his redemptive justice, restoring us in right relationship. As Jesus followers, we should learn how to act mercifully to others as he has to us. 

Here are six powerful stories of mercy in the Bible.

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My mentor gave me this definition of faith: the perception and pursuit of the unseen heavenly realm. Faith is a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9); without it, we couldn’t engage with God and have the revelation to hear and see him who is Spirit. While surrounded by things we see, the unseen made them (Hebrews 11:3) and is, therefore, more powerful.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). With faith, we engage actively with God, and our prayers and actions have real power. Hebrews 11 lists various men and women who did mighty and amazing things through faith, from Abraham to Rahab. We call that chapter the Hall of Faith.

How can we develop this kind of faith?

Here are seven prayer and Scripture habits to boost your faith this summer.

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Only God is worthy of worship, and Scripture points us to him alone as the object of our lives. When we worship him, however, who is it for? We use terms like “bless the Lord” and “exalt him,” like our worship does something for him. Is worship for God or us?

In Matthew 24:11, Jesus warns about the rise of false prophets during his discourse about the birth pangs leading to his return. However, this warning applies to more than the end times. Jesus also addresses fake prophets in his day:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)

False prophets will seem trustworthy but are harmful.

After Jesus and the Gospels, Paul, in his letters, also cautions against false leaders. In Acts 20:29-30, he tells the Ephesian elders wolves will come among them to eat the flock. Peter addresses false prophets who teach harmful things, leading people astray, twisting the truth for personal gain (2 Peter 2:1).

Scripture tells us to watch out for men and women who claim to be God’s prophets but have ulterior motives. What are the sorts of things we should look for?

There are eight ways to spot fake prophets in today’s churches.

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The whole Bible is inspired and God-breathed. So even the least read books of the Bible have value to teach and point us back to Jesus.

Despite his status, wealth, and morality, the Rich Young Ruler lacked one thing: complete surrender to God. His possessions had become a barrier to wholehearted discipleship.

Holidays can be amazing times to remember and celebrate what’s important. God gave Israel days and weeks of festivals for these reasons, whether to recount his deliverance or give thanks for his provision during times of harvest. Americans love our holidays, too. During these times, we gather with family and friends, and certain stores make big money through gifts and more. The popular ones are Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. 

Here are 10 heartfelt ways to make Father’s Day unforgettable.

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Life can feel overwhelming, noisy, and nonstop. Between work, family, responsibilities, church commitments, volunteering, giving, serving, and trying to be there for everyone else, it’s easy to feel spiritually exhausted. We want to keep pouring into others, but eventually, we realize the truth: we can’t pour from an empty cup.

Battle Burnout with the Bible: A Faith-Filled Resource for Spiritual Fatigue is designed to help you slow down, breathe, and reconnect with God when your soul feels tired. This resource reminds you that burnout is not a sign of weak faith. Even faithful people in Scripture experienced exhaustion and moments where they felt like giving up.

Inside this PDF, you’ll discover biblical encouragement for embracing God’s call when burnout hits, lessons from Bible characters who struggled with weariness, and practical ways to stay spiritually fed when you feel emotionally empty. You’ll also find a Bible reading plan for seasons of spiritual tiredness, reflection questions to help you process what’s really going on in your heart, and a simple 5-day prayer journal for the days when you feel too worn out to even know what to say to God.

This resource is here to help you rest without guilt, pray without pressure, and remember that God meets you with grace in your exhaustion. Whether you’re burned out from serving, overwhelmed by life, or simply feeling spiritually dry, these pages will guide you back to the One who restores your soul.

⬇️ Download this PDF today and bookmark it for the days when burnout hits because at some point, it happens to all of us, and we all need a faithful reminder that God’s strength is still available when ours runs out.