Daily Devotions with Pastor Jim Cymbala

Understanding God’s Presence | Psalm 84 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

True fellowship with God can’t be learned or studied—it comes from intentionally seeking Him and having an open heart. Nothing can match the presence of God! We don’t need to do a deep dive into theology to feel the Lord. Jesus simply says, “Come unto Me.”

God Will Make It Right | Psalm 83 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

When someone is against us—bullying, slandering, judging—we, as Christians, can pray that God will make it right. But we have to be alright with however the Lord decides to do that! We can’t get in a huff when things don’t go the way we pray. God goes before us into paths unknown and walks beside us through the challenges. Let’s trust Him!

Let the Lord Preside | Psalm 82 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

God has a plan for our lives. How does that life-long plan play out? One day at a time. That means that, every single day, we have to trust the Lord and let Him lead us. There’s no sense in planning out our lives minute by minute when the God of the universe already knows how every moment will go! Let’s step back and let Jesus guide our steps—it’ll be better than anything else we could do.

Open Wide Your Mouth | Psalm 81 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

Many of us have "flown" a spoon through the air for a toddler and said something like, “Open up! Here comes the airplane!” What if we were to receive from God the same way a little child does? No, God doesn't pretend that a spoon is an airplane to sneak us some spiritual food. But He does tell us that if we open our mouths and ask God for His blessing, He’ll give it to us! Let’s do that today!

Revive Us! | Psalm 80 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

We can’t live in a fantasy world and call it faith. All God’s people go through hard times. It is unbiblical to teach that children of God already have everything they need! When we face oppression and hardships, we can and should ask God to revive us! He restores our strength, peace, and joy so that we may keep walking in His light.

Praises for the Shepherd | Psalm 79 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

Let’s cheer for our Good Shepherd! Or does that idea sound crazy? We get loud and excited for sports and politics—why not for the Lord? We have very good reasons for worshiping Him: He loves us and guides us! Jesus has good plans for us—that’s worthy of a loud amen!

Pass It On! | Psalm 78 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

Just because something is old doesn’t mean it’s wrong. As the saying goes, “Nothing new is true, and nothing true is new.” It’s important that we hold onto the truth of God’s Word and not be swayed by “new” church ideas. And when we learn something "old" from the Bible, we have to pass it on so the next generation can keep growing in the truth!

Take a Step Today | Psalm 77 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

Remember hearing about how God parted the Red Sea? Today He can split whatever we’re facing straight down the middle like that sea. We just have to take the first step of obedience. We can’t be overwhelmed by the unknown—when God leads, He knows exactly where He’s going, and He’ll always bring us through.

Stand Undivided | Psalm 76 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

Division can cause more damage to a church than addiction. Instead of celebrating the wins of other Christians, many of us demean brothers and sisters in Christ in the name of denominations or races. But Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Every day we can choose division or peace—let’s not fight and fuss.

Who’s in Charge? | Psalm 75 | Daily Devotions | Pastor Jim Cymbala

No one knows when Jesus will return—so let's not play the game of trying to predict the day. That hurts the name of Christianity! Rather, we should have peace in knowing that God is on the throne right now. While human rulers wobble and waver, God rules steadily over heaven and earth. Now that’s a comforting thought!