Daily Devotional For Monday, July 27, 2026
Good morning Southside. I hope your weekend was one where you could rest and relax. Our daily devotional for today comes from Isaiah 61. No matter what anyone says about the Christian faith, one word describes it: joy! At the birth of Jesus, the angel has a message for the shepherds on the hill that night in Bethlehem. Look at Luke 2:10, “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people” (NLT).
This is huge because life can be horrible at times. When you were younger, maybe it was music or sports or your friends or family that got you through those teen years. But the truth is, these are not enough to keep the joy alive. And if your childhood or teen years were where you lived in fear at home, you only had a couple of choices: either endure it with help, preferably God’s help, or indulge in sin that would enslave you to something worse!
I believe that one of the greatest witnesses for the Gospel are joyful Christians, who remain joyful regardless of their circumstances. Pastor and Christian author Martin Lloyd-Jones writes these words:
“As we face the modern world with all its trouble and turmoil and with all its difficulties and sadness, nothing is more important than that we who call ourselves Christian, and who claim the Name of Christ, should be representing our faith in such a way before others as to give them the impression that here is the solution, and here is the answer. In a world where everything has gone so sadly astray, we should be standing out as men and women apart, people characterized by a fundamental joy and certainty in spite of conditions, in spite of adversity” (Source: D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure, p. 23).
We know from reading the Book of Acts that one of the marks of the early Christians was their joy in spite of persecution. Christian author and archaeologist Jerome Carcopino, describes it this way:
“The apartment buildings of ancient Rome were so shoddily built that the city was constantly filled with the noise of buildings collapsing or being torn down to prevent it; and the tenants of an [apartment] lived in constant expectation of its coming down on their heads” (Source: Jerome Carcopino, Daily Life in Ancient Rome, pp. 31-32).
That was their lives and their living conditions. The streets of Rome at night were demonically dark and evil. There was no medical care as we have today. No inoculations for childhood diseases, no sewage system, no AC, no retirement benefits and no refrigeration. Life was hard and under Rome, there was also the possibility for persecution and death by Rome.
Yet, the early Christians lived lives of joy as a witness and testimony in our communities. God had given them a gift from the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), which included joy that could not be manufactured on their own. Telling people to be joyful and happy is not enough. The Gospel through the Holy Spirit doesn’t do that. Instead, these produce joy in us. The Apostle Peter called it “joy . . . inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Pet. 3:8).
Jesus came to produce joy in us and God had the prophet Isaiah hint at this in Isaiah 61. Look at Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me, To bring good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim liberty to captives, And freedom to prisoners” (NASB).
What is the “good news"? – the Gospel. According to the Old Testament, every 50 years Israel was required by God in the Mosaic Law to do something (see Lev. 25:8-55). This was called “The Year of Jubilee.” In this year Israel was to take the whole year off, cancel all debts, return to its original owners all family property that had been sold, and generally be kind and generous to everyone. “Proclaim liberty throughout the land” (Lev. 25:10)—that was everyone’s job for a whole year. It foreshadowed the liberation of Christ (Gal. 5:1).
Isaiah’s prophecy from God was saying that when the Messiah comes, He will liberate people spiritually. He will cancel all debts owed to God through faith in Him by His grace to those who receive Him. Jesus came to heal and restore what sin, we and others have broken. Everything in this life is broken. Even non-Christians like Bob Dylan recognize this through their songs:
“Broken bottles, broken plates, broken switches, broken gates, broken dishes, broken parts, streets are filled with broken hearts. Broken words never meant to be spoken, everything is broken” (Source: Bob Dylan, “Everything is Broken,” 1989).
Though everything in this world is broken we can still live with joy, inexpressible joy that impacts lost people for Jesus Christ. There has only been One who could fix this brokenness – Jesus Christ. Others have tried, Politicians have tried and repeatedly failed. Educational systems have tried and repeatedly failed. Medical systems have tried and repeatedly failed. Benevolent corporations have tried and repeatedly failed. Governments have tried and repeatedly failed. Only Jesus Christ has succeeded at this. Isaiah’s point is that liberated people become a force that God can use to help liberate others with the Gospel of the Messiah Jesus Christ.
Reflection Assignment: Is your life characteristic of consistent and infectious joy to others? Why or why not? Are people more likely to come to Christ because of your joy or reject Him due to your attitude of apathy? When people, especially lost people are around you, do they feel liberated or labored? Why or why not? Are you so different for the Lord Jesus Christ that people are curious and ask you why you are? Why or why not?
Scripture To Meditate On: Romans 15:13, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope and joy through the power of the Holy Spirit” (PAR).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, help me to live out the joy of my salvation consistently so that it attracts people to You so that You and liberate them from sin. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly