Happy Mothers Day - Pastor Michael Landrum

May 10, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Unseen Yet Loved

Peter writes to believers who’d never walked with Jesus in the flesh. They loved Him without seeing His face, touched His grace without feeling His hands. Their hope burned brighter than those who’d witnessed miracles firsthand. Like a child trusting a parent’s voice in the dark, they leaned into love as their compass. [56:08]

This love wasn’t sentimental—it was rebellion against doubt. Jesus told Thomas, “Blessed are those who haven’t seen and still believe.” Peter’s flock chose devotion over evidence, anchoring their hearts to the unseen Savior. Their love became the proof.

You face crossroads where feelings fade and circumstances shout. Will you choose love as your north star? When disappointment whispers, “He’s absent,” will you whisper back, “He’s mine”? What situation today demands you love Jesus despite, not because?

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.”
(1 Peter 1:8, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to kindle fresh affection for Him in one area where you’ve felt distant.
Challenge: Write down three concrete ways you’ll express love for Jesus today (e.g., sing aloud, serve someone harsh, donate quietly).

Day 2: Trust Beyond Sight

The woman with the hemorrhage pushed through a crowd, thinking, “If I touch His robe…” She trusted Jesus’ power before He spoke a word. No contract, no visible guarantee—just raw faith in His character. Her trembling hand found healing because she believed He was enough. [01:02:20]

Trust isn’t passive agreement—it’s leaning your weight fully onto Someone. Jesus told Peter, “You doubted when you saw the waves.” Trust flourishes not in certainty, but surrender. The early church faced lions, yet sang in prisons because they’d transferred their “how” to His “I AM.”

What storm have you been staring at instead of His face? Where are you demanding roadmaps instead of taking His hand? Will you shift your grip from the life raft of control to the solid Rock today?

“Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”
(John 20:29, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one specific worry you’ve clutched tightly, then release it aloud.
Challenge: Text a trusted friend: “I’m choosing to trust Jesus with [situation]. Remind me of this tomorrow.”

Day 3: Joy That Defies Words

Paul and Silas sang at midnight, chains clinking to the rhythm. Their joy wasn’t a denial of pain—it was a declaration of victory. Peter calls this joy “inexpressible,” like a fire too wild for words. It erupts when love and trust collide, defying logic like spring flowers through concrete. [01:10:54]

This joy confuses the world. Not happiness, but deep-rooted assurance that the Story ends well. Jesus endured the cross “for the joy set before Him”—the joy of reclaiming you. Your laughter in the storm echoes His triumph over death.

What false narrative of despair have you rehearsed? What if you dared to hum a hymn in your prison? When will you let joy be your rebellion today?

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
(Philippians 4:4, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for three past victories as if they just happened.
Challenge: Play one worship song at full volume and dance like no one’s watching—because He is.

Day 4: The Spirit’s Whispered Assurance

The disciples trembled in a locked room until Pentecost’s flames arrived. The Holy Spirit turned fishermen into bold witnesses—not with new information, but by making Jesus’ presence real. Peter reminds us this same Spirit whispers, “You’re His,” making the unseen Christ tangible. [46:44]

The Spirit doesn’t dazzle with spectacles but steadies with whispers. He’s the down payment of our hope, the ink writing eternity on our hearts. When grief shouts, He murmurs, “Resurrection’s coming.”

Where have you sought burning bushes instead of His still, small voice? What decision today requires you to rely on the Spirit’s nudge over visible guarantees?

“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
(Romans 15:13, ESV)

Prayer: Ask the Spirit to highlight one area where you’ve relied on self-effort over His power.
Challenge: Spend five minutes in silence before reacting to a problem, listening for the Spirit’s prompt.

Day 5: Echoes of Unseen Faith

Rahab hung a scarlet cord, Abraham left Ur, Noah built on dry land—all staking everything on a God they couldn’t see. Peter’s readers joined this lineage, their faith echoing through generations. Their hope became a relay race, passing the baton to us. [45:07]

Every “Amen” in hardship, every defiant act of love, writes your name in this cloud of witnesses. You’re not clinging to ideas, but to the I AM who called Lazarus from the grave. Your faith today fuels someone’s hope tomorrow.

What legacy of hope are you building with your daily choices? Who’s watching your life for proof that Jesus is real?

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
(Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

Prayer: Name one person you’ll intentionally model hope for this week.
Challenge: Share a story of God’s faithfulness with a younger believer or child today.

Sermon Summary

We gather around a single truth from 1 Peter 1:8: though we have not seen Jesus with our eyes, we can love and trust him and live with a hope that changes everything. We name love as an intentional choice, not a mood to wait for. We decide each morning to turn our hearts toward Jesus, to place affection and devotion into action, and to let those choices shape our thinking, our worship, and our daily priorities. We refuse to let sight control our faith; instead we let affection for Jesus reframe how we see suffering, provision, and calling.

We also practice belief as a trust that acts. Belief moves from mental assent to practical reliance: we trust Jesus with bad reports, with bills, with broken cars, with anxiety, and with decisions we cannot control. Trust does not promise the immediate removal of trouble, but it guarantees that every trial falls under his care and wisdom. We remember that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures so that lack of physical sight never leaves us hopeless. The Spirit comforts, guides, and empowers, while Scripture shapes our minds to know how to walk forward.

When we love and when we trust, life produces an inexpressible joy that we will never fully exhaust. That joy looks like persistent praise, deep peace, and courageous hope even amid trials. It costs us the habit of living for ourselves and asks us to surrender control, yet it rewards us with a resurrection-shaped hope that no power can take away. We call everyone to a simple, decisive response: choose to love Jesus, choose to trust him, and watch a living hope arise that equips us for suffering, ministry, and steady worship. If we need this hope today, we will turn our hearts and act on that decision now, allowing the Spirit and the Word to form the faith that brings inexpressible joy.

Key Takeaways

1. Love Jesus as a deliberate choice Loving Jesus begins with a resolute act of the will more than with feelings. That choice reorders our thoughts and creates patterns of devotion that endure when emotions fade. When we make loving Jesus a discipline, daily life reveals deeper hope and resilience. [48:49]
2. Trust Jesus amid daily trials Trust translates belief into practical reliance across ordinary hardships and sudden crises. To trust means to hand over anxiety, finances, relationships, and unknowns to his care even when outcomes remain unclear. Trust matures by repeating small acts of dependence until faith becomes our reflex. [62:08]
3. Holy Spirit and Scripture empower We do not stand alone; the Spirit and the written Word accompany our unseen Savior. The Spirit comforts, guides, and convinces, while Scripture gives concrete direction and courage to obey. Together they supply the presence and evidence that sustain hope beyond sight. [46:44]
4. Inexpressible joy springs from faith When love and trust take root, joy emerges that we cannot fully articulate or exhaust. This joy fuels praise, steadies us in suffering, and overflows as testimony to others. Though we cannot capture it completely, we must keep expressing it so it grows. [70:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:50] - Mother's Day and comfort
[21:31] - Announcements and ministries
[25:10] - Giving and stewardship
[39:04] - Questions about how to live
[40:21] - Living hope from 1 Peter
[46:44] - Holy Spirit and Scripture present
[48:49] - Love as a deliberate decision
[60:15] - Trusting Jesus in practice
[70:26] - Joy that cannot be expressed
[77:14] - Invitation to decide and respond
[84:08] - Women's tea and sign-ups
[86:06] - Dismissal and blessings

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Peter 1:8 (ESV): "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory."

Observation Questions

According to 1 Peter 1:8, what two actions are possible even though we cannot physically see Jesus?
The sermon emphasized that love for Jesus is a "deliberate choice" rather than a feeling. What examples were given to illustrate this kind of intentional love? [48:49]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between trusting Jesus and facing trials like financial stress or anxiety? [01:02:08]
What two resources did the sermon highlight as God’s provision to sustain our faith when we cannot see Jesus? [46:44]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Peter connects loving Jesus without seeing Him to "inexpressible joy"? How might this joy differ from temporary happiness?
The sermon stated, "Trusting Jesus may not always feel good, but it will always keep you safe." How does this redefine what it means to trust God in difficult circumstances? [01:04:13]
How do the Holy Spirit and Scripture work together to help believers maintain hope when physical evidence or answers are lacking? [46:44]
Why might choosing to love Jesus daily reorder our priorities and thoughts, even when emotions fluctuate? [48:49]

Application Questions

What is one practical way you can intentionally choose to love Jesus this week, even if you don’t "feel" it? (Example: Starting the day with prayer, serving someone in His name, or worshiping through song.)
Identify a current situation where you’re tempted to rely on your own understanding rather than trusting Jesus. What small step of surrender can you take today? [01:02:20]
How could you lean more intentionally on the Holy Spirit and Scripture in a specific area where you feel spiritually "stuck" or hopeless?
The sermon mentioned "inexpressible joy" as a result of love and trust. When have you experienced this kind of joy, even in hardship? How could you cultivate it more intentionally?
What daily habit could you adopt to reframe your thoughts toward Jesus’ care and sovereignty, especially when anxiety or doubt arises? [01:06:33]
If someone observed your life this week, what evidence would they see that you’re choosing to love and trust Jesus in practical ways?

Sermon Clips

56s

#ChooseJesusOverSelf

“``It doesn't cost you money. It doesn't cost you a lot actually. But at the same time, it will cost you everything. Because it will cost you your way. It will cost you simply you loving yourself. It's really hard for you to love yourself and for you to love Jesus. You gotta choose to love him more than you love yourself. It's gonna be really hard for you to trust Jesus if you trust yourself more. So anytime we're talking about these things, here's what we begin to sacrifice, the ideas of self and the idea that we got it all under control on our own. Peter was with the group of people. Man, they were going through sufferings. They were going through persecutions. They were going through trials. They were going through hardships, and they were a joyful people. Are you that this morning?”

54s

#JesusCaresForYou

“It's not just believing that he loves you. It's believing that he actually cares about you. Can you even possibly imagine this morning that Jesus, the king of kings, the lord of lords, that at his name, every knee bows and every tongue confesses, that at this very word, things come into existence, that that very Jesus cares for you. Not cares for the world, not cares for everybody, not cares for the church, not cares for everybody else, but you've gotta believe that he cares for you. If you wanna have this living hope, that's part of what that belief structure is, that Jesus loves me, but he also he cares for me. Like, nothing's gonna happen inside of my life that he's not gonna be lord over.”

47s

#StepOutInFaith

“It's incredible how a simple statement can have a profound impact on our state of life. Trust him. Everything seems to be falling apart. Trust him. That is what belief is. Belief is a trust that he's got this. Most of us say that we believe in Jesus. Most of us say that, yeah, we know he's real, but this isn't about just knowing that he's real. This isn't just about understanding the information and going, yeah, I agree with the information. There's a very different conversation whenever Jesus says, come on out of the boat. Let's walk. That gets real then.”

45s

#LoveWithoutSeeing

“So the very first element that I want you to understand this morning as you walk into this room, if you're needing living hope inside of your life, if you're needing something to change inside of your world, this is how you come to Jesus. I love you. It's a decision. It's not necessarily a feeling. It's not necessarily a sense. Every single one of you do not need the feeling of going, I feel like I'm going to love Jesus in order to understand what we're saying. The very first step inside of this according to Peter is this. Even though you have not seen him, you love him. Do you love Jesus this morning?”

48s

#TrustHimInEverything

“What situation do you have in your life right now that in order for you to have a living hope, in order for you to walk out of here and go, man, this is gonna be a great day for me. What do I have to do to make that happen? Here's what Peter tells you. You've gotta love him, and you've gotta trust him. Trust Jesus. You go to the doctor, you get a bad report. Trust Jesus. You get a bill that you can't afford. Trust Jesus. You get a car that breaks down. Trust Jesus. You have anxiety and stress inside of your life that feels overwhelming, and it is just collapsing on you. What do I do? Trust Jesus.”

63s

#LoveSeesLight

“And, man, that type of love is putting a hope inside of you that sees in the situations. It's like, I'm good. It sees in the darkness and says there's light. It sees into the storm and says, I know who can come it. It sees into all of these things. And this type of love, Peter says, even though you haven't seen him, you have this type of love. I pray that our church and every one of you love him more than the people who just saw him. It's a powerful type of living hope. If you are here today and you are struggling, you're sick, you are tired, you are lonely, you are in need, And you ask me, what do I need to do this morning? Here's my simple yet life changing answer for you. Turn your heart towards Jesus.”

42s

#SpiritAndWordGuide

“We now have the holy spirit inside of us, and it says the holy spirit, it'll be a comfort. It'll be a guide. It'll be a guard. It will lead you. It will help you. But not only that, we now also have scripture with us. We have the gospel with us. We have the living word with us. So Jesus says, even though I'm leaving, I'm gonna give you something that is equally, if not more powerful inside of your life, because I need you to have this inside of your life. So he gives them the holy spirit. We now have the gospels. And so with the holy spirit and the gospels, we're gonna get a little clear understanding of the but how.”

52s

#TrustIsTheHow

“But how do we have this living hope? Like, what is it that needs to happen inside of us which helps us to be a hopeful people? Because many of us, even though we've gotten saved, even though we've gone to church, even though we've gone to Sunday school, even though we've gone to discipleship classes, we still have a struggle with looking forward and going, I have a living hope inside of me. We struggle with this. Situations can tackle us. Conversations can deflate us. We move into moments of employment. We move into moments of life. And even though as believers, we've been told we have living hope, we struggle with it and go, I hear it, but how?”

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