Why Devotion Is the Lifeline Your Faith Needs
Over the years, I’ve talked to so many people who used to be on fire for God. No doubt. Sold out. in. But now? Nowhere. Their faith cooled. Their love faded. Their hearts drifted.
And I get it. I’m not judging. I want to learn from them. Because I don’t want that to happen to me—or to you.
When someone says, “I don’t feel close to God anymore,” I ask three questions. Doctor-style. Diagnosing the root, not just the symptoms:
- Are you reading your Bible?
- Are you praying?
- Are you connecting with a church?
Almost every time, the answer is “no” to at least one—often all three.
But baked into that diagnosis is the cure: at Ivy we talk about how the Acts 2 church devoted themselves to The Word. Worship. One Another.
‘Take all three—and call me in the morning!’
The Warning You Need to Hear: Don’t Fall Away
This isn’t just a blog. It’s a plea. I felt a growing urgency to share this, because while many people are getting excited that we have more people checking out church in this season, I believe it’s a prophetic word for right now to not check out of church.
Jesus warned the disciples and Peter: “You will all fall away.” That was Matthew 26. Jesus wasn’t vague. He knew. He saw what was coming. And I’ve seen it too. The greatest attack on the church does not come from outside—it’s the slow fade from the inside. It’s Christians growing cold. Silent. Distant. Disconnected.
And here’s the thing: falling away doesn’t usually feel like falling (that would jolt). It feels like drifting.
The Devotion That Changed the Early Church (And Will Change You)
Acts 2:46 says, “They continued to meet together.”
That word “continued” is actually the same as earlier in the passage: devoted.
They devoted themselves to meeting together. In temples. In homes. Anywhere and any way they could. Because that’s what devoted people do.
They didn’t let circumstances dictate their connection. They didn’t make excuses. They made time.
A Faith That Endures—Even in Latrines
I once met a woman named Hae Woo, a believer from North Korea. Her husband died for his faith. She was sent to a prison camp, where —she started a secret church. In the latrines.
Why? Because that was the only place the guards wouldn’t go. It stank. But they sang softly. Shared memorized Scripture. Risked their lives. Loved the Lord and his Word and one another.
Because they were devoted.
The Slow Fade of Peter—and Us
Peter was always “all in.” Until he wasn’t.
At first, he declared, “Even if everyone else falls away, I won’t.” Then the drift began.
By the end of the night, he’s following Jesus at a distance (Matt. 26:58), then in the early hours we find him warming himself by another fire, surrounded by another crowd. Then denying he ever knew Him. In triplicate.
Same Peter. Same day. He stood by the fire, warming himself, but the fire inside went out.
Don’t think it can’t happen to you. It could happen to me, too. 1 Corinthians 10:12 warns us: “If you think you are standing firm, be careful you don’t fall!”
Cold Faith Happens Alone
Ecclesiastes 4:11 says, “How can one keep warm alone?”
Answer: You can’t. Not for long.
Spurgeon once showed a man who claimed he didn’t need church a simple truth: He removed a coal from the fire. Left alone, it went cold.
You can’t stay on fire when you pull yourself out of the fire.
(By the way – this would be a great reason to sign up to LAUNCH right now and join us in June!)
Your Turn: Rekindle What’s Gone Cold
If you’ve been following Jesus at a distance, come back right now.
If your fire has faded, get near the flame again.
If you’ve fallen away, it’s not too late. But don’t wait.
Say today:
“Lord, forgive me for falling away. For trying to go it alone. I return to You. I devote myself again to Your Word, to Worship, and to Your people.”