Month: September 2021

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Mark 9:33-35

The Path to Greatness

Daily Devotion – September 30, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 9:33-35

See series: Devotions

See if you can guess who said the following: “It’s my job. It’s what I do. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.” Or this? “I’m so mean I make medicine sick.” Or how about? “I’m not the greatest; I’m the double greatest. Not only do I knock ’em out, I pick the round.”

Those quotes are all from former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. During his heyday, he was one of the most controversial and talented athletes on the face of the earth. He was as quick-witted as he was quick-fisted. He was a fantastic showman, and he wanted everyone to hear that he was the greatest.

In our Bible passage today, Jesus’ disciples are doing their best Muhammad Ali impersonations, arguing about which of them was the greatest as they traveled on the road.

Jesus took that opportunity to show his disciples the way to true greatness. “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last and the servant of all.” And he wasn’t just saying it. He was doing it! He was the master of the angel armies who willingly came here to serve us in our greatest need. On Good Friday, Jesus gave no thought to his own well-being. He laid down his life so that we might live. That’s the definition of a hero. That is the epitome of greatness.

Prayer:
You are the greatest Lord Jesus and most worthy of all my praise. Help me always to remember and treasure your becoming a servant for me. 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.

[God said] “Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them. When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. . . . So Moses cried out to the LORD, “Please, God, heal her!”
Numbers 12:8-10,13

The Lord Comes Down

Daily Devotion – September 29, 2021

Devotion based on Numbers 12:8-10,13

See series: Devotions

God was rightfully angry at Miriam. She had spoken against his chosen leader–Moses. He demonstrated his anger by allowing her to suffer a skin disease. He wanted her to realize how serious her sin was.

What’s remarkable is the way Moses reacted. He didn’t shake his head and say, “See, Miriam, see—this is what you get.” He couldn’t possibly have forgotten the verbal knives that were used to stab him in the back, the axes that were used to chop down his reputation and good name. His wounds were still as open and festering as Miriam’s. But when he saw his sister in pain and panicking, he wasted no time. “O God, please heal her.”

That is selfless ambition, Moses standing up for his sister, pleading for his sister, forgiving his sister not when he decided he was good and ready, but when she needed him.

And that reminds us of another time when the Lord came down—not in a pillar of cloud, but in barn rags in a manger in Bethlehem. There God came down once again, not in anger to reproach, but in love to save. God came down once again, not to accuse of sin and condemn of sin, but to take away the sin of the world. In his bitter dying, in his glorious rising, Jesus cried out, “O God, please heal them!” And so we hold this gem in our hands and hearts, and we marvel with wide-eyed wonder when the writer to the Hebrews says, “Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11).

Prayer:
I give you my endless praise, Lord Jesus, for coming to heal me. May my praise and thanksgiving be evident in all that I do. 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.

“Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”
Numbers 12:2

Better Than We Deserve

Daily Devotion – September 28, 2021

Devotion based on Numbers 12:2

See series: Devotions

It’s hard for us to see someone else have something that we want for ourselves, and we don’t always handle it very well. Maybe we try to convince ourselves and the people around us of how unworthy that person is to have what they’ve been given—like Aaron and Miriam undermining Moses’ position as leader because of his Cushite wife.

Have you ever heard things like, “She doesn’t deserve him.” “They don’t deserve that house.” “He doesn’t deserve that job.” Have you ever said them yourself? Of course, when we speak in those terms, what we’re trying to say is that “I do. I do deserve a spouse like that. A house like that. A job like that. God, just give me what I deserve!”

When we’re spending so much time dissecting and criticizing what others have received, we’re not giving our attention to what we’ve been given—to our vocations, responsibilities, callings. Young people, when we argue with our parents and dismiss their advice and complain about their rules, are we perhaps forgetting who made them the parent and who made us the children? Fellow employees, when we’re snarky and impudent about our bosses, are we perhaps forgetting how they got to be our bosses? When we stick it to our government leaders or our teachers or our pastors, are we forgetting that God has given them a job to do, and he’s given us a job to do as well?

The fact is none of us really deserves any of those callings in life. Our sinful self-centeredness means that all we really deserve is an angry God and a hellish future. Faced with that prospect, our prayer quickly changes to “God, please DON’T give me what I deserve.”

And in mercy, he doesn’t. Our gracious God gave to Jesus the punishment we deserve, and he gave us the love that Jesus deserves.

And he doesn’t stop there! In addition, he gives us all kinds of other things that we haven’t earned or deserved. Like the privilege of being called mommy or daddy, the opportunity to work so that our needs can be provided for, the honor of being a friend, citizen, church member, and volunteer.

Prayer:
Gracious Father, in love you do not give me what I deserve. Thank you. Continue to look in mercy upon me, give me contentment and joy in my calling as I seek to serve you and my neighbor. 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.

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”
Numbers 12:1,2

No Sibling Rivalry

Daily Devotion – September 27, 2021

Devotion based on Numbers 12:1,2

See series: Devotions

Alexander and James Campbell were two brothers who had a lot in common. Both emigrated from their native Scotland to the United States in the 1850s. Both enlisted and fought in the Civil War. In fact, both played prominent roles in the First Battle of James Island in 1862. But right now if you’re picturing two inseparable siblings locking arms and boldly marching side by side into battle to face a common enemy, there’s one more detail I should probably mention. Alexander Campbell wore a blue coat in the Civil War, and James Campbell wore grey. They were shooting at each other at the First Battle of James Island, fighting on opposite sides of a bitter and bloody war.

While it’s true that ammunition isn’t usually involved, sibling rivalry is nothing new. And we see yet another example of sibling misbehavior in our Bible story today with Moses, Aaron, and Miriam—the first family of ancient Israel.

You can tell by their words that there was more going on than just a little dislike for their sister-in-law on the part of Aaron and Miriam. They were using their brother’s wife as a pretext to tear Moses down. And as is so often the case, when we tear others down, we’re hoping to build ourselves up. The jealousy of Aaron and Miriam wasn’t just a sibling problem. It was a human problem—a reflection of the depravity that we all share in our sinful hearts.

Realizing that depravity, that persistent pull that we feel to pull others down, makes us marvel all the more at the selfless love of Jesus. He’s the One who came from heaven not to pull us down but to raise us up to life eternal. He became our sibling in flesh and blood so that we could become his siblings in the family of the Father. There is no sibling rivalry here. Jesus exalts us as his blood—bought baptism-washed family. And because he does, we exalt him with thankful hearts.

Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, Brother from heaven. How blessed and grateful I am that you call me your family. Help me to live my life worthy of the calling that I have received. 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.

But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Genesis 15:2-5

A Promise

Daily Devotion – September 26, 2021

Devotion based on Genesis 15:2-5

See series: Devotions

God told Abram that he had nothing to worry about in the foreign land in which he lived. God promised to be his shield from harm. God also reminded Abram that he would receive every good thing because the LORD was his “very great reward.”

There was one thing, though, that troubled Abram. He had no descendant and this is what he wanted very much. That’s because a son was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abram that the Savior of the world would come from his family. But as Abram and his wife Sarai grew past child-bearing years, it seemed that the link between Abram and the Savior was lost. No Savior?! This is what Abram was afraid of.

So Abram decided to follow the custom of that time and adopt his servant, Eliezer. Through him, Abram thought, he could have descendants, and then the promise of God for a coming Savior would be fulfilled.

God helped his troubled believer overcome his fearful doubts. He told Abram, “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.” Then God brought Abram outside on that clear night and showed him the starry hosts of the heavens. The multitude of stars—”So shall your offspring be,” God declared to Abram. As easily as God created all the stars, so he could give a son to an old man and his wife. The promise of the Savior would be fulfilled exactly as God determined.

Nothing was too hard for God to accomplish our salvation!

Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for fulfilling your promise of sending Jesus to be the world’s Savior. Fill my heart with the joyful assurance that in Jesus I have the blessing of eternal life. 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.

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among great men.
Proverbs 25:6

Humility

Daily Devotion – September 25, 2021

Devotion based on Proverbs 25:6

See series: Devotions

Humility is a virtue that is often overlooked and seldom appreciated in our world. It’s the gifted athletes, musicians, actors, and entrepreneurs of the world that are admired. Seldom will you find a rich or famous person described as being humble. Humility, however, is a virtue that God loves.

To understand what it means to be humble, we need only look to Jesus. His entire life and ministry were lived with humility. When the Lord God came into this world, he was not born in a palace but in a lowly stable in Bethlehem. Jesus’ entire life was spent in the humble service of others. His life and work weren’t about “ME” as so many live today. Jesus dedicated his life to the humble and loving service of others.

Why else would the Lord have allowed himself to be hung on the cross like a criminal? How else can we explain his willingness to endure his Father’s wrath and the torments of hell? What other reason could there be for Jesus to lay down his life for lost mankind?

God doesn’t ask us to endure death by crucifixion or face the wrath of God, nor do we need to. Jesus took care of that. He has saved us from our sins and gained for us eternal life. What God wants of us, the ones who have experienced his mercy and love by faith in Jesus, is that we live our lives with humility. Let us live, not to make a name for ourselves, but live in the loving service of others. Live not for our glory but to the glory of God.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, bless me with a humble spirit that I may live my life in loving service to others. Let them see your love in me that they may learn to know Jesus as their Savior and give glory to your holy name. In Jesus’ name, I pray. 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.

Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.
Isaiah 50:10

When You Walk in the Dark

Daily Devotion – September 24, 2021

Devotion based on Isaiah 50:10

See series: Devotions

My elementary school was right across the street from my state’s boarding school for the blind and visually impaired. Occasionally the students from that school were mainstreamed into my school. I liked making friends with them. One of my blind friends taught me how to read braille.

Our teachers encouraged us to think about what it was like to be blind. They encouraged us to walk around in our homes at night without turning lights on. I still like to do that. Of course, I have seen my house in the light, so it’s not that difficult. But I still run into things. My wife is amused by my bruises.

Many people in this world are walking around in the dark. They think they know their way around the world, but they have not been enlightened about the true God or about Jesus Christ, whom God has sent. They run into things and cannot figure out why they are bruised.

Our teachers also encouraged us to learn how to be a guide for the blind. There’s a certain way to walk or run with blind people and guide them with your hand or arm. My blind friends learned to trust me as a guide. They pointed out that some of the other students thought it was funny to lead them astray.

The only way out of spiritual blindness is to have a guide. That guide is what God says in the Bible. His name is everything he tells us about himself in the Bible, and you can trust that name. God will never lead you astray. With eyes wide open, even in the dark, you can walk with him all the way to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when life seems dark, open my eyes to the light of your love. 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.

Then [Jesus] called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
Mark 8:34,35

Losing Your Life

Daily Devotion – September 23, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 8:34,35

See series: Devotions

On July 17, 180 A.D., twelve inhabitants of Carthage, North Africa, were executed for being Christians. There were seven men and five women. Their names were Speratus, Nartzalus, Cintinus (Cittinus), Veturius, Felix, Aquilinus, Laetantius, Januaria, Generosa, Vestia, Donata, and Secunda. Speratus was their spokesman. He claimed for himself and his companions that they had lived quiet and moral lives—paying their taxes and doing no wrong to their neighbors. But when called upon to swear by the name of the emperor, he replied, “We do not recognize the empire of this world. We serve the God whom no one has seen.” The Christians were offered a delay of thirty days to reconsider their decision, which they all refused. They were put to death by the sword.

They were not the first Christian martyrs, nor the last. Even today, there are people around the world killed for following Jesus.

Many Christians are not killed for their faith. But you will find that there are always sacrifices to be made in following Jesus. You will encounter skepticism and ridicule for putting the needs of other people ahead of your own. You will have less money and time for yourself when you use them for other people. You may lose status or the opportunity for advancement when you live a quiet and moral life.

But trusting in Jesus for your eternal salvation and living a God-pleasing life for others to say thank you to him are worthwhile. When Jesus suffered hell on the cross for your salvation, he made your much smaller sufferings bearable. You can look forward to eternal life with him!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, give me strength to take up my cross daily and follow 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.

Jesus then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
Mark 8:31-33

The Concerns of God

Daily Devotion – September 22, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 8:31-33

See series: Devotions

Admit it. You want things to look good, and you want to feel good. You want everyone to be happy, and you want things to turn out well. Those are just normal human concerns.

God has greater concerns. He wants everyone to come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved. He wants you to believe in Jesus so that you will not perish but have eternal life instead. He wants you to depend on him, and not on yourself.

Jesus shared the concerns of God the Father. That is why he did not care how he looked or felt. He knew that some people were not going to be happy about what he said or did. He taught his disciples that he would have to suffer and be rejected by the prominent people of his day and that he would be killed. He even mentioned that after three days, he would rise again.

The disciple Peter wanted things to look good. He wanted to feel good, and he certainly did not want Jesus killed. He wanted Jesus to share his human concerns.

Jesus recognized that those human concerns were a temptation from Satan. If Jesus did not suffer, Peter would not be saved. So Jesus rebuked Peter, pointing out that the devil was behind his human concerns.

Even if you do not always understand why Jesus is not acting according to your human concerns, you can trust that he knows what he is doing. He has in mind the concerns of God, and those are always in your best interest.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, relieve my human concerns by giving me insight to the concerns of God for my good. 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 warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Mark 8:30

Tell People About Him Now

Daily Devotion – September 21, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 8:30

See series: Devotions

It might sound surprising, but Jesus often told his disciples not to tell anyone about him. Something dramatic would happen, proving that Jesus was the Son of God, and the disciples would be excited to talk about it. Jesus would advise them to be silent instead.

That’s because Jesus knew that the religious and political leaders of his day would hear about what he did, find him a threat, and conspire to put him to death. Jesus knew that had to happen at a certain time, and when it was too early, he did not want his disciples to precipitate those events.

At a certain point in his ministry, when he knew it was the right time, Jesus entered Jerusalem very publicly, encouraged people to talk about him, and ended up going to the cross. He gave his life—the innocent for the guilty—and won forgiveness for the whole world.

You can talk about that now. You can tell people about Jesus now. There may still be opposition, but Jesus’ work is complete, and there’s nothing the opposition can do about it.

So, at every opportunity, go ahead and tell people who Jesus really is. You don’t have to worry about Jesus’ warning not to tell anyone about him. That was then, and this is now.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for accomplishing your work in exactly the right way at exactly the right time. Give me opportunities to talk about what you have done for everyone. 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.