Author: Kerry

[Jesus said] “I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
John 17:23

Complete Unity

Daily Devotion – May 30, 2022

Devotion based on John 17:23

See series: Devotions

Complete unity. That sounds nice, doesn’t it? Can you even imagine it? Our world struggles to attain even partial unity. Russia invades Ukraine. Democrats and Republicans constantly argue and accuse each other. Different church bodies and religions teach different things about how we get to heaven. Even the voices calling for unity these days only want unity if that means everyone agrees with their view of the world.

Clearly, the world does not enjoy complete unity, but we are no better at achieving it in our own lives. We can’t even find it in our own families, as we disagree about everything from sports teams to medical decisions. Complete unity? Again, it sounds nice, but it is not reality.

Did you know that Jesus prayed for his people to have unity? Jesus wanted his followers to have complete unity—a perfect unity. A unity of faith, purpose, and love that would last. Such a unity would bring great blessing, but it would prove costly. Jesus was willing to pay the cost for us all. He gave his life on the cross to pay for our sins of disunity. He gave his life in our place so that we could all have God’s forgiveness and salvation. Through his death, Jesus has united us as God’s children. He has brought us into God’s family. Now, through faith in Jesus, we are one. We are on the same team. We are united in the love of Jesus and his call to live as his children.

Can you imagine a place where there is no disagreement? No war or factions or opposing political parties? A place with no shouting, arguing, or violent opposition? There is such a place, and we have been invited there through faith in our Savior, Jesus. Through faith in him, we will enjoy complete unity in heaven forever. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, through the life and death of your son Jesus, you have brought us unity. Keep us in faith and bring us to our heavenly home. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
Acts 16:9

Help Others

Daily Devotion – May 29, 2022

Devotion based on Acts 16:9

See series: Devotions

How long will eternity last? Seriously stop and think about that question.

When you think about it, it’s mind-boggling. The hymn Amazing Grace reads, “When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we’d first begun.” And that’s true! Eternity will go on and on and on and on and, well, you get the picture.

Of course, for those who are believers in Jesus, that’s an awesome thing! They will enjoy God’s love and praise him forever.

But for those who do not know Jesus as their Savior, it will be awful. They will be separated, forever, from God and his love.

So, can we understand the plea from the Macedonian man? What did the people in that area need? More than anything else, they needed to know about Jesus and his forgiving love. More than anything else, they needed to know that God loved them. More than anything else, they needed to know that heaven was open for them because Jesus had died and risen.

These are the things we need more than anything else as well. Thankfully, we have them because they are all promised by God in his Word.

Thank God today that you have heard about what Jesus has done for you and what he promises you–an eternity of joy with him in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for doing everything necessary for me to spend my eternity with you. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
Acts 14:15

Turn From Worthless Things

Daily Devotion – May 28, 2022

Devotion based on Acts 14:15

See series: Devotions

Whenever a person moves from one home to another, questions abound. What will the next place be like? What will the new neighbors be like? Then there is the most pressing question: What do I take with me? How does one sift through years of memories and memorabilia? How does one determine what is worthless and disposable? It is not an easy question to answer. But it is an important question to answer when a person is moving.

It is even more important for every person to ask this question regarding their spiritual life. When the apostle Paul visited the ancient city of Lystra, he explained to the people there that the false gods they worshiped were worthless. “Turn from worthless things to the living God,” he told them.

Nearly two thousand years later, Paul’s message still applies. If he would look at us, he would say the same thing: Turn from worthless things. Although difficult to accept and, even more difficult to undertake, it is exactly what we must do.

Because, like the people in Lystra, we often worship what is worthless. We spend far too much of our time and effort chasing things that are not worthy, things that will not last. Nothing this world offers can match the lasting value of knowing Jesus and what he has done for us. His precious life was lived to offer us perfect obedience. His priceless death was given to release us from judgment. His incomparable resurrection now provides eternal blessing in heaven.

Recognizing what Jesus gives us makes us realize it is time to clean house, to turn from worthless things to the priceless blessings of the living God and our precious Savior.

Prayer:
O gracious Lord and Savior, how can I thank you for your gifts of priceless worth! Turn my heart to that which has lasting value, and strengthen me to turn away from things that have no worth. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

[Paul and Barnabas] preached the gospel in [the city of Derbe] and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
Acts 14:21,22

Joy Victorious Over Hardship

Daily Devotion – May 27, 2022

Devotion based on Acts 14:21,22

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Paul and Barnabas wanted to strengthen and encourage the faith of the young disciples they had previously met. So they told them that “we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

At first glance, those words don’t seem to be that encouraging. They seem to be predicting that life will be harder for them than they would like. In fact, they seem to be promising that this will be the case—that there is no other way to live as a follower of Jesus. “We must go through many hardships,” they said. Certainly, the thought of hardships is not at all encouraging.

But thinking of the kingdom of God is.

The kingdom of God is perfect beyond what we can imagine. It is perfect harmony with God and with one another. It is an existence entirely without sin and its ability to corrupt every part of our lives—one without any guilt, sadness, or pain.

And it is already yours by all that Jesus already accomplished on your behalf as your Savior.

No hardship on earth can take it away from you. “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,” Paul would write in the book of Romans, “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38,39).

Expect hardship on earth. Also, expect one day to be entirely free from it in the kingdom of God.

Prayer:
Gracious Savior, may your victory on my behalf over sin, death, and Satan always be my heart’s greatest treasure. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

[Jesus said] “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”
John 16:20

Joy Victorious Over Grief

Daily Devotion – May 26, 2022

Devotion based on John 16:20

See series: Devotions

“You will grieve,” Jesus promised, “but your grief will turn to joy.”

Notice what he didn’t say. He didn’t say, “Your grief will be replaced by joy,” or “Your grief will be destroyed by joy,” or “Your grief will be swallowed up by joy.” He said, “Your grief will turn to joy.” In other words, the same thing that causes your grief will produce your joy. That might sound a bit strange. But this is what Easter is.

Easter turns a sad, seemingly hopeless situation into joy. It turns the ugly cross from which the disciples ran away into the focal point of the beautiful gospel they went into the world to proclaim. It turns the grave we spend so much effort to avoid into the red carpet leading us into the perfection of heaven. It turns Satan’s greatest win into ours. It turns the sad tears we cry when someone we love dies into tears of joy over their new and eternal paradise. It even turns those who are undeniably weak in so many ways into a source of seemingly impossible strength.

Nothing is impossible for our God. Nothing gets the best of him. Not one of his enemies will ever be able to boast that they were more powerful than him. Indeed, as the Bible says, “all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).

Even those things that cause our grief.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, keep me firmly rooted in my eternal victory won by you so that I live with an ongoing expectation of the joy you have promised. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

[Jesus said] “Now is the time of your grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
John 16:22

Joy Victorious Over Feelings

Daily Devotion – May 25, 2022

Devotion based on John 16:22

See series: Devotions

Consider how many people in the Bible lost their joy between the Thursday when Jesus spoke these words and the following Sunday morning, the day of Jesus’ resurrection.

Think of Peter after the rooster crowed, running outside, and weeping bitterly over his sin. Think of Mary Magdalene on Easter morning, soaking Jesus’ tomb with her tears, blinded by so much sorrow that she didn’t even recognize Jesus when he was standing right next to her in the garden. Think of the other disciples, too scared or ashamed to stay with Jesus; too afraid of Jesus’ enemies to do anything but lock themselves away in a room and hope that no one would find them.

As you read through these moments of personal grief and pain, do you ever wonder why the Bible includes all of them? Do you ever wonder why God wanted us to know about these different people in their lowest moments?

There is one likely explanation.

God includes all these stories of personal pain because he wants you to be able to find yourself in his Word. He knew there would be times when you would feel like Peter, very guilty about something. Or like Mary when your heart is breaking because you lost someone you loved. He knew there would be times you would be paralyzed by fear or overwhelmed by guilt. God knew.

And he wanted you to know that, despite those powerful and painful feelings, “no one will take away your joy.” The joy of Jesus’ disciples did not at all depend on how well they reacted to Jesus’ suffering and death. It depended entirely on the fact that Jesus earned complete forgiveness for them by his death and on the certainty of his resurrection—just as it does for you.

No one will take away your joy: for Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, guide my emotions by the certainty of your completed work as my Savior. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
John 16:16

Joy Victorious Over Waiting

Daily Devotion – May 24, 2022

Devotion based on John 16:16

See series: Devotions

Jesus wanted his disciples to know that he would soon be gone from their sight, and he knew this wouldn’t be easy for them. Jesus knew that most of them wouldn’t see him after they abandoned him in the garden. He knew that most of them would be too scared or sad to even show up at his crucifixion. He knew their hearts would be crushed with grief and guilt when they would see his dead body taken down from the cross and buried.

But he also knew that just three days after this conversation, he was going to be standing in front of them, fully alive after he had died as their Savior, and fully victorious over sin, death, and Satan. He knew exactly how long their “little while” would be—just as he knows yours.

He knows how long you’ll be sick. He knows how long you’ll suffer. He knows how long you’ll grieve. He knows how long your heart will ache. He knows how long before you finally get to heaven to see your loved ones again. He knows that it will be just “a little while.”

It’s hard to suffer, grieve, and carry guilt for even “a little while.” But, as it happened for Jesus’ first disciples, all our “little whiles” have an expiration date. After “a little while,” our eyes will also see the Jesus, whose innocent death and resurrection prepared our place in God’s family. And then, as Scripture says, “we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17), and there will no longer be any “little whiles.”

Prayer:
Gracious Savior, keep my faith firmly focused on your work as my Savior until the day you return to take me home. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

[Jesus said] “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
John 16:20-22

Joy Victorious Over Circumstance

Daily Devotion – May 23, 2022

Devotion based on John 16:20-22

See series: Devotions

Jesus statement that “a woman giving birth to a child has pain” needs no explanation for those who have given birth to a child. Childbirth is painful. His statement that “when her baby is born, she forgets the anguish” also needs no explanation for any new mother who has cradled her newborn in her arms for the very first time. It’s not that the labor pain didn’t happen. It’s not that the new mother’s body has healed in any way by the time the new child is delivered. Rather, the joy of holding her new child is so great it overwhelms all the immense pain.

Jesus promised the same type of experience for his disciples. “You will grieve,” he said, as he alluded to the grief that would consume them as they would soon witness Jesus’ arrest, suffering, crucifixion, and death. They would grieve in other ways as well, just as we do, living with sinful hearts in a sinful world that regularly rebels against God’s Word.

But though the circumstances of our lives in this world cause real grief, the victory of Jesus on our behalf is great enough to overwhelm it. One day, that will happen in eternity as God “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes” (Revelation 21:4). And, just as the woman in labor finds strength to endure her labor pains in the knowledge that her joy is coming, so also Christians find daily strength to endure our grief knowing our victory is coming; for Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins is completed and his victory over death is already won.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, by your death and resurrection, give me daily strength to endure the hard circumstances of earthly life in anticipation of my final victory that is already won. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Revelation 21:22

Enduring Temple

Daily Devotion – May 22, 2022

Devotion based on Revelation 21:22

See series: Devotions

Perhaps the most famous church building in all of England is St Paul’s Cathedral in London. It’s famous for many reasons. For one, it has dominated the London skyline since before the birth of the United States. For another, it’s been the site for numerous historic events, from royal weddings to state funerals.

Its greatest fame, however, may have come from World War II. If you go online and search the words “photo—St Paul’s—WWII,” you’ll see why. You’ll see a picture of London just after a severe German bombing raid. Every building in the picture is a smoking ruin of rubble—every building except St Paul’s. That picture rallied the spirits of the British people throughout the rest of the war.

In our society of the twenty-first century, it often feels as if we Christians are simply enduring one long bombing raid. Everything we believe seems to be under attack. Everything we hold dear seems to be a target.

But take a closer look at the picture. Yes, Christianity is under attack, as it has always been. And yes, the forces of Satan and sin have turned much of our society into a smoking ruin of rubble. But above the dust and debris of a fallen world, there still stands the enduring temple of our God. It endures because that temple is the Lamb of God himself.

In that temple you will find shelter and forgiveness. In that temple you will find refreshment and life and light. For that enduring temple is your Savior, who died and rose and lives for you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, in the smoking rubble of this fallen world, you remain. You endure. Your promises never fail. Move me by your Spirit to find my refuge in you. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

“As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
John 13:34

Limitless Love

Daily Devotion – May 21, 2022

Devotion based on John 13:34

See series: Devotions

The thing about love is that it almost always has limits.

You might love someone or something, but there is probably a limit to that love. You may love a certain food, but you will only pay so much for it. Perhaps you love a certain sports team, but after so many losing seasons, you may just give up. Even in a marriage, a lifelong love, we say our vows with, “Till death do us part.”

Even though almost every love we know has its bounds, we still crave truly limitless and unconditional love—a love without any end.

God filled our desire for limitless love by sending Jesus to win eternal life for us. God didn’t set a limit or an end to his love. With his limitless love, Jesus came to live and die for us to take away our sins and to win for us a place before God forever. This love will never end.

When God commands us to love one another as he has loved us, he gives us no small task. He says to love with the love that he has shown to us.

How can we do that? We can do the kinds of things that will make sure even death will not limit our love. If you want to love your spouse, pray for and encourage their faith. If you want to love your child, make sure that they grow up in a place where their faith can be nurtured. If you want to love your neighbor, do the kinds of things that allow you to share with them the hope you have in Jesus. Helping those you love to be in the Word of Christ and to follow his commands is one of the greatest expressions of love because it is the only thing that is truly limitless.

God loves you in an ultimate way by winning eternity for you. Go and love people by sharing that message with them.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus. Help us to love with the limitless love you have shown to us. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.