First Church of God

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

Romans 5:8, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

09/02/2026

Romans 3:19-26
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood - to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

08/31/2026

Weekly Devotions
written by pastor amy

"Through the law we become conscious of our sin," Romans 3:20,
Have you ever flown on a plane, and sitting at the gate, waiting for the plane to taxi out to the runway, you can’t always tell when the plane starts to move? But if you look outside and focus on a still object, you can see whether the plane is moving. In some ways the Ten Commandments are like that, acting as a landmark to show us how we are living in God’s world.
Unfortunately, the commandments do not reveal movement in a positive direction. They show us how easily we can stray away from God toward destruction. Though God has given us these instructions for living and thriving in his world, we fall short in loving and obeying him. Just as Romans 3 says in our passage this week, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Since none of us can live up to God’s holy standards, we are all sinners who have broken God’s law. We deserve God’s just punishment for our sins.
We can’t earn our salvation, and we can’t fix our rebellious relationship with God. That’s the bad news. But… the good news is this: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Only faith in Jesus Christ, who obeyed God’s law perfectly and gave his life as a sacrifice for us, can wash away our sins and make us right with God.
The Ten Commandments show us clearly that we are sinners. At the same time, they point us to the only way we can find salvation: through Jesus Christ.
Let’s Pray: Father God, your commandments show that we have sinned and cannot save ourselves. Move us to faith in your Son, Jesus, the only one who can ever save us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

08/26/2026

Matthew 22:37-40,
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

08/24/2026

Weekly Devotions
written by pastor amy

Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
A stop sign on a nearby street corner is visible from our front yard. I often notice how people observe this traffic regulation. Some drivers come to a full stop before crossing the intersection. Many others merely slow down before rolling on through it. Some drivers don’t slow down at all.
If we’re honest, most of us will admit that we don’t always agree with or even obey some laws. Some laws make perfect sense to us, and we readily obey them. But we might ignore other laws, like when we drive up to a stop sign that can seem unnecessary or inconvenient.
But what about God’s laws? The Old Testament is filled with laws, rules, and regulations. A lot of the dietary and ceremonial rules that applied to God’s people before Jesus came are obsolete today. Jesus fulfilled those when he died to pay for our sin once and for all, and then rose from the grave to give us new life. But the Ten Commandments are not optional. Jesus summarized those when he taught about loving God and loving our neighbors (Matthew 22:37-40). The Ten Commandments tell us how we are to live in response to God and with the people around us. Over the next several weeks we will look a little closer at the Ten Commandments, we will see how relevant they are for our everyday lives.

Let’s Pray: Father God, only in loving and obeying you, as we have learned through Jesus, can we find peace, joy, and new life. Help us to live for you and to share your love and good news with neighbors everywhere. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

08/19/2026

Luke 15:11-24

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

08/17/2026

Weekly Devotions
written by pastor amy

Luke 15:11–32 - A Story of Grace That Runs Toward Us

The parable of the Prodigal Son is more than a story about a wayward child - it’s a picture of God’s heart toward each of us.
A young man demands his inheritance early, leaves home, and wastes everything on reckless living. When famine strikes, he finds himself hungry, ashamed, and alone. In desperation, he decides to return home - not expecting restoration, only hoping for survival. But before he can even reach the door, his father sees him from afar, runs to him, embraces him, and restores him fully as a son.
Here we are:
- God sees us even when we’re far away. He’s not waiting with crossed arms but with open ones.
- Repentance is met with restoration. The son’s confession is met with celebration, not condemnation.
- Grace is extravagant. The father doesn’t just forgive - he throws a banquet.

No matter how far we’ve wandered, God’s love is greater than our failures. His grace doesn’t just wait, it runs to meet us.

Prayer: Father, thank You for loving me even when I’ve strayed. Help me to trust Your grace, to return quickly when I wander, and to extend that same mercy to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.