40 Days In The Word
Daily Devotionals
Week 2
Day 1: The Living Word Reading: Hebrews 4:12-13 Devotional: God's Word is described as "living and active" - a powerful force that can penetrate our hearts and minds. As you read today's passage, reflect on how Scripture has impacted your life. Has there been a time when a Bible verse seemed to leap off the page, speaking directly to your situation? Remember that God's Word isn't just ancient text, but a vibrant, relevant message for today. Ask God to make His Word come alive in your heart, transforming your thoughts and actions. Consider how you can approach your Bible reading time with fresh anticipation, expecting God to speak through His living Word.
Day 2: Freedom from Guilt Reading: John 8:31-36 Devotional: Jesus promises that the truth will set us free. Often, we carry burdens of guilt and regret that weigh us down. Today's passage reminds us that true freedom comes through knowing and abiding in God's truth. As you meditate on these verses, bring to mind any areas where you're struggling with guilt. Surrender these to God, asking Him to replace your guilt with His forgiveness and grace. Remember that God's desire is not for you to be chained to your past, but to walk in the freedom Christ offers. How might your life look different if you fully embraced this freedom? Take a moment to thank God for the liberating power of His truth.
Day 3: Growing in Faith Reading: Romans 10:17 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Devotional: These passages highlight how our faith grows through hearing and engaging with God's Word. Just as a plant needs consistent nurturing to thrive, our spiritual lives require regular nourishment from Scripture. Reflect on your current habits of Bible reading and study. Are you giving yourself opportunities to grow in faith? Remember that spiritual growth is a gradual process - God is patient with us as we develop. Consider setting a realistic goal for increasing your time in God's Word this week. Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate Scripture as you read, strengthening your faith and equipping you for good works.
Day 4: Hope in Suffering Reading: Romans 15:4-6 Devotional: Today's reading reminds us that Scripture provides endurance and encouragement, giving us hope even in difficult times. When we face challenges, it's tempting to despair. But God's Word offers us a different perspective, reminding us of His faithfulness and promises. Think about a current struggle in your life. How might God's Word speak hope into that situation? Take time to write down some Bible verses that encourage you, keeping them close for times when you need hope. Pray for God to use His Word to renew your spirit and fill you with hope, no matter what circumstances you face.
Day 5: Transformed by Truth Reading: John 17:14-19 Devotional: In Jesus' prayer, He asks the Father to sanctify believers through the truth of God's Word. This reminds us that engaging with Scripture isn't just about gaining knowledge - it's about being transformed. As you read today's passage, consider areas in your life where you need God's transforming touch. Are there attitudes, habits, or perspectives that don't align with God's truth? Ask the Holy Spirit to use God's Word to sanctify you, making you more like Christ. Commit to not just reading the Bible, but allowing it to read you, challenge you, and change you. How might your life look different if you fully submitted to the transforming power of God's truth?
Day 6: God’s Word Can Do the Impossible
Scripture: James 1:18, John 6:63
God wants to use his Word to give you a fresh start in life.
Without God’s Word, we could never be saved. We wouldn’t be headed for Heaven. We wouldn’t know about Jesus’ death on the cross. We wouldn’t know about God’s purposes for our lives. Without the Bible, we can’t know God. God wants to give you all of that — but it starts with his Word. Through the Bible, God recreates our life. When I feel like I’m at the end of my rope, God uses the Bible to give me a fresh start, a do-over. The Bible calls it being “born again.” In James 1:18, the Bible says, “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth” (NIV).
The Bible is often compared to a seed. Once the Bible takes root in your heart, it begins to sprout and grow and bear fruit. As God’s Word does that, God changes your life for the better. Jesus says this in John 6:63 about his Word: “The words I have spoken to you — they are full of the Spirit and life” (NIV). God’s Word isn’t just words on a page. It’s spirit and life. It’s spiritual power. His Word can transform society and transform history. It can do the impossible. It can change your life.
How do you need your life changed? What part of your life do you feel powerless to change? The Bible says the Word of God can change things that you cannot change on your own. Make God’s Word a regular part of your life, and get ready for the impossible!
This devotional © 2014 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Day 7: Have You Claimed Your Inheritance?
Scripture: Acts 20:32, 2 Timothy 3:16-17
You have an inheritance coming to you. If you read God’s Word, the Bible promises one for you. The Bible says in Acts 20:32, “I commit you to God and to the Word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (NIV). An inheritance is what you get for being part of a family that’s rightfully yours.
Pretend your father is Warren Buffet, and he dies. If you never took the time to read the will, you’d be foolish. You wouldn’t get what was rightfully due to you. You wouldn’t benefit from what belongs to you as a child of Warren Buffet. When you become a follower of Jesus, you’re not just a believer — you’re a belonger. You become a part of God’s family. Family privileges come along with that decision. You have a spiritual inheritance.
But if you walked through your entire life and you didn’t know what benefits were available to you as a child of God, that would be sad — and foolish. God wants you to grow and know what’s available to you from him. You need to read the Bible to do that. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
That’s how God’s Word helps you grow and get that great inheritance God has prepared for you.
This devotional © 2014 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Day 2: Freedom from Guilt Reading: John 8:31-36 Devotional: Jesus promises that the truth will set us free. Often, we carry burdens of guilt and regret that weigh us down. Today's passage reminds us that true freedom comes through knowing and abiding in God's truth. As you meditate on these verses, bring to mind any areas where you're struggling with guilt. Surrender these to God, asking Him to replace your guilt with His forgiveness and grace. Remember that God's desire is not for you to be chained to your past, but to walk in the freedom Christ offers. How might your life look different if you fully embraced this freedom? Take a moment to thank God for the liberating power of His truth.
Day 3: Growing in Faith Reading: Romans 10:17 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Devotional: These passages highlight how our faith grows through hearing and engaging with God's Word. Just as a plant needs consistent nurturing to thrive, our spiritual lives require regular nourishment from Scripture. Reflect on your current habits of Bible reading and study. Are you giving yourself opportunities to grow in faith? Remember that spiritual growth is a gradual process - God is patient with us as we develop. Consider setting a realistic goal for increasing your time in God's Word this week. Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate Scripture as you read, strengthening your faith and equipping you for good works.
Day 4: Hope in Suffering Reading: Romans 15:4-6 Devotional: Today's reading reminds us that Scripture provides endurance and encouragement, giving us hope even in difficult times. When we face challenges, it's tempting to despair. But God's Word offers us a different perspective, reminding us of His faithfulness and promises. Think about a current struggle in your life. How might God's Word speak hope into that situation? Take time to write down some Bible verses that encourage you, keeping them close for times when you need hope. Pray for God to use His Word to renew your spirit and fill you with hope, no matter what circumstances you face.
Day 5: Transformed by Truth Reading: John 17:14-19 Devotional: In Jesus' prayer, He asks the Father to sanctify believers through the truth of God's Word. This reminds us that engaging with Scripture isn't just about gaining knowledge - it's about being transformed. As you read today's passage, consider areas in your life where you need God's transforming touch. Are there attitudes, habits, or perspectives that don't align with God's truth? Ask the Holy Spirit to use God's Word to sanctify you, making you more like Christ. Commit to not just reading the Bible, but allowing it to read you, challenge you, and change you. How might your life look different if you fully submitted to the transforming power of God's truth?
Day 6: God’s Word Can Do the Impossible
Scripture: James 1:18, John 6:63
God wants to use his Word to give you a fresh start in life.
Without God’s Word, we could never be saved. We wouldn’t be headed for Heaven. We wouldn’t know about Jesus’ death on the cross. We wouldn’t know about God’s purposes for our lives. Without the Bible, we can’t know God. God wants to give you all of that — but it starts with his Word. Through the Bible, God recreates our life. When I feel like I’m at the end of my rope, God uses the Bible to give me a fresh start, a do-over. The Bible calls it being “born again.” In James 1:18, the Bible says, “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth” (NIV).
The Bible is often compared to a seed. Once the Bible takes root in your heart, it begins to sprout and grow and bear fruit. As God’s Word does that, God changes your life for the better. Jesus says this in John 6:63 about his Word: “The words I have spoken to you — they are full of the Spirit and life” (NIV). God’s Word isn’t just words on a page. It’s spirit and life. It’s spiritual power. His Word can transform society and transform history. It can do the impossible. It can change your life.
How do you need your life changed? What part of your life do you feel powerless to change? The Bible says the Word of God can change things that you cannot change on your own. Make God’s Word a regular part of your life, and get ready for the impossible!
This devotional © 2014 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Day 7: Have You Claimed Your Inheritance?
Scripture: Acts 20:32, 2 Timothy 3:16-17
You have an inheritance coming to you. If you read God’s Word, the Bible promises one for you. The Bible says in Acts 20:32, “I commit you to God and to the Word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (NIV). An inheritance is what you get for being part of a family that’s rightfully yours.
Pretend your father is Warren Buffet, and he dies. If you never took the time to read the will, you’d be foolish. You wouldn’t get what was rightfully due to you. You wouldn’t benefit from what belongs to you as a child of Warren Buffet. When you become a follower of Jesus, you’re not just a believer — you’re a belonger. You become a part of God’s family. Family privileges come along with that decision. You have a spiritual inheritance.
But if you walked through your entire life and you didn’t know what benefits were available to you as a child of God, that would be sad — and foolish. God wants you to grow and know what’s available to you from him. You need to read the Bible to do that. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
That’s how God’s Word helps you grow and get that great inheritance God has prepared for you.
This devotional © 2014 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.