Good Enough – November 8, 2024

[Jesus said] “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30,31

Good Enough

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – November 8, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 12:30,31


See series: Devotions

It can be easy to believe that we are good enough for heaven all on our own. One might think: ‘I haven’t killed anyone or stolen anything, and I haven’t cheated on my spouse. I’m doing just fine. God will take me to heaven because I have kept most of his commandments and have not broken the big ones.’

God has certainly commanded us not to kill, steal, or commit adultery, but Jesus says the commandment to love others is even greater than these. And there certainly have been plenty of times we have failed to keep this commandment. We maybe didn’t kill anyone, but perhaps we also failed to help a person in need. It might be that we never stole from anyone, but it could likely be that we were resentful toward them and their prosperity. And even though we may never have physically cheated on our spouse, how often did we fail to be there for them when they needed us? God’s command to love goes further than simply to avoid harming someone else. It means to always seek the good of the other person.

The commandment to love our neighbor involves more than we realize. But Jesus doesn’t refer to it as a greater commandment because of all the ways it can be broken. Rather, he has in mind how loving each other is a reflection of the love God showed us in sending Jesus. God has loved us like no other ever could. He willingly sacrificed his own Son for the well-being of others. He gave up what was most precious to him so we could be saved from our sin. For all the times we have failed to love others, Jesus bled and died to remove those sins from us. In love, he has set us free forever.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me enough to die in my place that I might be forgiven. Move me today to honor you by loving others. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico

Love Your Neighbor – November 7, 2024

Love your neighbor as yourself.
Romans 13:9

Love Your Neighbor

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – November 7, 2024

Devotion based on Romans 13:9


See series: Devotions

Do you like your neighbors? Are they easy to live with, or is it easy to find something to complain about? Maybe one neighbor is just too loud. He plays his music louder than necessary when outside, and he always seems to use power tools early in the morning. Perhaps a different neighbor doesn’t keep their lawn very nice. The lot stands out from the rest because it is too unkempt. Frankly, most neighbors think the house is a bit of an eyesore. Maybe another neighbor is too nosey. They are always sticking their nose in everyone else’s business and making you feel like you have little privacy.

What about the people you meet throughout your day? There was the gas station clerk who was rude to you in the checkout line. There was the other driver who cut you off in traffic and just happened to have a political bumper sticker you don’t agree with. And then there was the co-worker who did less work than you but took more of the credit when the project was done.

It isn’t easy to be kind in situations like these. But kindness isn’t enough. God commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” That is not our natural reaction to our neighbors. We are more inclined to love ourselves first and do what makes us happy at the expense of others. We figure that if someone isn’t nice to us, we shouldn’t waste our time with them.

Thankfully, Jesus did not take that approach. He saw us in desperate need and decided to help. He didn’t look to his own needs first. He didn’t let our unkindness to him or others stop him from loving us. Even though he knew we would not have done the same for him, Jesus offered his life on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Because Jesus loved his neighbors as himself, we are saved. Our sins have been forgiven and heaven is ours. The next time you meet with a neighbor, remember the love of Jesus and share it with them.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me even though I would not have done the same for you. Keep me focused on your love and lead me to love my neighbors. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico

All Our Strength – November 6, 2024

Love the Lord your God with . . . all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:5

All Our Strength

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – November 6, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 6:5


See series: Devotions

Who gets our best effort? Who in our lives gets our all? It isn’t always our boss, as we spend valuable minutes of our workday checking Facebook or managing our fantasy football teams. It also isn’t always our kids as we half-heartedly play catch in the backyard while talking on the phone with a client. And it certainly isn’t always our spouse when we can’t even look up from our screen while they tell us about their day.

In our Bible reading today, we find God demanding one thing from us: “Love the Lord your God with all your strength.” But there are some days that we barely have the strength to get out of bed, let alone serve or worship God. Many days, we hardly have enough time to enjoy our hobbies, let alone study the Bible. We all have limited strength, and often, God does not get all of it—even when we try to give our best effort. So often, we lack the strength required to love and serve our God.

When we fall short, we look to the One who did not. Jesus gave every ounce of strength he had in his service to God. It took strength that you and I can only imagine as he endured the flogging and ridicule that came his way. He dug deep and found the strength to carry that cross up the hill, knowing his enemies would nail him to it. Jesus found the strength to stay on the cross and suffer and die even though he had not done anything wrong. Jesus’ love for God and for you and me was so strong that he gave his life in our place.

Then, his strength was on full display as he rose from the dead, forever defeating death for us.

So, the next time you are lacking strength in your life of faith, look to Jesus. The One who lived and died for you will give you renewed strength to love the Lord and serve him in your life.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you are my strength when I am weak. Lift me up today and give me strength to serve God. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico

Spiritual But Not Religious – November 5, 2024

Love the Lord your God with . . . all your soul.
Deuteronomy 6:5

Spiritual But Not Religious

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – November 5, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 6:5


See series: Devotions

It is a common thing today for people to make the statement that they are spiritual but not religious. It is not difficult to understand some of the circumstances that can lead to this way of thinking. Perhaps the individual has been burned by churches in the past, and the bad experience has soured the individual on organized religion. Such an individual may be seeking to hold religion at arm’s length to feel safe.

On the other hand, claiming to be spiritual but not religious can be nothing more than a claim to practice religion the way I want to practice religion so as not to have to answer to God or anyone else. It can perhaps be an issue of control, not even acknowledging that God is the captain of the ship. In any case, we are often reluctant to love God with all our souls.

To truly love God means to admit that spirituality it is not all about my feelings. Nor is it about what I want. To love God with all my soul is to give up control. It means to trust in someone else rather than myself. It means acknowledging that I don’t have it all figured out and trusting someone else to figure it out for me. This means putting ourselves out there and being vulnerable. To put it another way, loving God with all my soul means believing he is the only one who can safely guide my soul to heaven.

And let me assure you, God is worthy of that trust. He has demonstrated concern for our souls and a willingness to do whatever it takes to save them. He did this by keeping his promise to send his only Son to come into this world and to defeat sin, death, and the devil. A Son who would live, die, and rise again, all to ensure that our souls would be safe now and forever. Our souls are in good hands with God. Love him with all your soul.

Prayer:
Dear Father in heaven, help me to trust you to guide my soul to heaven. Help me to give up control and give me confidence to follow you today. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico

All Your Heart – November 4, 2024

Love the Lord your God with all your heart.
Deuteronomy 6:5

All Your Heart

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – November 4, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 6:5


See series: Devotions

By now, everyone is likely familiar with the show, The Bachelor. The show has several other versions at this point, but the premise is always the same. The contestant dates a few dozen individuals simultaneously and gradually whittles that number down to the one person they hope to spend the rest of their lives with. It often happens that the individual will find themselves in love with multiple people. To many of us, that seems unrealistic. How can you fall in love with numerous people at the same time?

The truth is, while we are not likely to be candidates for that TV show, we all have hearts that are hopelessly divided. So many things in life demand our love and attention. In fact, our hearts have trouble settling on one thing to love. We throw our hearts at one thing one day, only to find a new target for our love the next.

It begs the question: how much room in our hearts is left for God? Does he get all of our hearts? Truthfully, we love far too many other things more than we love God. It seems that when God asks us to love him with all our hearts, he is asking the impossible.

Impossible for us, yes. But not impossible for Jesus. Jesus loved God with all his heart all the time. He proved it once and for all by obeying his Father’s will and dying on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. He didn’t even love his own life more than he loved God. He lived and died so that we could have forgiveness for the times when we failed to love God. Jesus did this all out of love for us, too.

None of the other things we give our hearts to in this world can do what Jesus has done for us. He has forgiven our sins and earned a place in heaven for us. In view of these wonderful things, give your whole heart to God.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, you loved God with all your heart and now I am saved. Help me to love God with all my heart today. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico

The Debt – November 3, 2024

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another.
Romans 13:8

The Debt

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – November 3, 2024

Devotion based on Romans 13:8


See series: Devotions

Credit cards and car payments. Mortgages and medical bills. Leases and braces. Collectors and filing for bankruptcy. Then there is always the question of whether there will be enough retirement benefits and enough for tuition payments. We all know the burden of financial commitments to one degree or another. It’s like a treadmill that we can’t get off. It can feel like a mountain that keeps us buried. Debt leaves us imprisoned and burdened. No wonder wise Solomon wrote, “The borrower is slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).

But these debts are just a hint of an even greater debt, the debt we owe to God. And we do “owe him big-time.” We have not loved him and others as we should. And that’s a debt we can’t repay. No amount of silver or gold in the world would ever be enough. That’s why God himself came up with a payment plan, a plan that included the blood of his very own Son. Jesus’ precious blood shed on the cross covers our sin and cancels our debt. That is the very meaning of the word “forgiven.”

God doesn’t promise to pay off all our financial debt, but the forgiveness he gives enables us to face the future with peace and hope. It also creates a new life of indebtedness—the welcomed debt of love and thanksgiving that we can give to him and each other.

Prayer:
Lord, fill my heart today with the peace and forgiveness that only can come from you. Then enrich me with your love that I may share it with others. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico

The Eternal Gospel – November 2, 2024

Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.
Revelation 14:6

The Eternal Gospel

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – November 2, 2024

Devotion based on Revelation 14:6


See series: Devotions

If you drive to your nearest major airport and fly to Tel Aviv in Israel, and from there, take a bus to the city of Hebron, you can see a massive, ancient building erected over the tomb of Abraham. Abraham has been dead for about 4,000 years.

From Israel, if you fly to Leonardo da Vinci Airport near Rome, and take a cab into the city, you can see the sarcophagus believed to contain the bones of the apostle Paul. Paul has been dead for about 2,000 years.

From Italy, if you fly to Frankfurt in Germany, then drive 4½ hours to Wittenberg, you can enter the Castle Church and walk right up to the grave of Martin Luther. Luther has been dead for about 450 years.

Three different men, separated by centuries, separated by culture, separated by life experience. Each man lived and died in his own time, never personally knowing the other two.

However, there is one thing they held in common. They all proclaimed the eternal gospel. They all proclaimed the message of full forgiveness through faith in the promised Savior from sin.

If you’re living in the United States, you know that soon it will be Election Day. In addition, no doubt you are asking the Lord to bless this day’s results for the good of the country and its people.

As you do, however, don’t forget to rejoice in knowing that above the ebb and flow of history, above the twists and turns of nations, above the actions of cultures and governments and individuals—above it all is the eternal gospel. Above it all is the voice of God in his Word. It is the voice that says, “To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life” (Rev 21:6).

And that, dear Christian, is a wonderful thing to know.

Prayer:
Lord of the nations, bless the flow of history for the good of your people. Above all, Lord Jesus, thank you for your eternal gospel. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico

Prepared to Witness – November 1, 2024

[Jesus said] “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”
Mark 13:9-11

Prepared to Witness

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – November 1, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 13:9-11


See series: Devotions

Are you ready? Christ calls us to live a life of courageous witness in the face of hostility from others. Are you ready to be that witness? While we might know how to prepare for a job, school year, or vacation, how will we prepare to live a life of courageous witness?

While Jesus was teaching his disciples during his final week, he described what was coming after his resurrection. False teachers would deceive many. Conflicts and natural disasters would rage all over the world. Yet for Christians, the hardest part would come from those who oppose Christ and his Word. Hostile opposition from local communities to the highest levels of government would become a reality for God’s people. Since then, Christians of every century have had to make faithful witness in the face of persecution. They proclaimed Christ even when faced with death.

What about us? Are we ready? If not, how can we be ready? We can prepare to be Christ’s witnesses by returning to his Word. There in the Bible, we find God’s law that cuts sinners to the heart. Yet, we also find Jesus—our living and enduring Savior, who forgives our guilt and gives us confident hope, who strengthens us to be his courageous witnesses. Jesus even tells us not to worry in those situations because he will send his Holy Spirit to help us give the reason for the hope that we have no matter the situation or what we face. So then, like the disciples of old, prepared with God’s Word, as we courageously witness Christ as our Savior, the Spirit speaks through us.

Prayer:
O Lord, when confronted with opposition to you or your Word, help me to find courage in you. Send your Spirit to speak the truth of your Word through me that others may know you. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico

Courageous Witness – October 31, 2024

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1

Courageous Witness

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – October 31, 2024

Devotion based on Psalm 46:1


See series: Devotions

The story is told that when times were dark, when persecution was intense, when the enemies of truth appeared to triumph, Martin Luther would gather his fellow reformers. He would urge them, “Come, let us sing the 46th Psalm.” Eventually, Luther took the words of that psalm and composed one of the greatest hymns of the Lutheran church— “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”

As we seek to be courageous witnesses for Christ, where can we go when things get bad, when times get dark, when the opposition to Christ and his Word gets so bad that the enemies of truth seem to triumph? As Luther explains in his hymn, “With might of ours can naught be done, soon were our loss effected…” (Christian Worship 863:2) If it were up to us and our ability, the battle would be over before it even started. Satan and the sinful world would be able to claim victory without a fight.

“But for us fights the valiant one whom God himself elected. You ask, ‘Who is this?’ Jesus Christ it is, the almighty Lord, and there’s no other God; he holds the field forever.” (Christian Worship 863:2) The courageous witness need not be afraid, because it’s not up to us to fight for Christ. It is not up to us to preserve the gospel or the Christian church. We have One who already preserves the Word, the Church, and us—the almighty Lord who “holds the field forever.”

When times get dark, when the opposition of loved ones, coworkers, or classmates gets bad, the enemies of the truth seem to triumph. Where will we find a mighty fortress that not even Satan can destroy? We look to our God who is “an ever-present help in trouble.” We look to Christ, who has already won by his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. Then we will see every one of Satan’s terrible attacks crash against that mighty fortress and disappear like so many waves. “The God of Jacob is our fortress!” (Psalm 46:11)

Prayer:
O Lord, be my rock and refuge, my mighty fortress against the old evil foe. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico

Even to the Point of Death – October 30, 2024

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”
Daniel 3:28

Even to the Point of Death

Press to listen to the audio file in a new tab or window.
Daily Devotion – October 30, 2024

Devotion based on Daniel 3:28


See series: Devotions

Is Christ worth dying for?

Three men found themselves staring at the reality of a fiery death. They had been loyal to King Nebuchadnezzar, but that loyalty could go no further when he demanded that they bow to a tall, golden idol of himself. To refuse would mean death by fiery furnace. Many others had bowed out of fear, but not these three. They were faithful to the Lord, who had always watched over them. They would remain faithful to him, even if they lost their lives.

When they refused to worship the idol, the king got so enraged that he had the furnace heated to an extreme temperature. The flames consumed even the strong soldiers who threw the men into the furnace. Yet we hear no begging, no cries for mercy from the three faithful men. They knew that their God could save them in life or by death.

Will we find ourselves in such a situation? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Either way, the God who saved those three men is the same God who saves us. Even Nebuchadnezzar had to acknowledge that. But how can you be sure? You have a Savior who endured to the end for you, who suffered the punishment of death we all deserve for our sins. You have a Savior who abandoned the tomb for you on Easter morning.

You have a God who promises to deliver you when you must stand firm, whether in this life or by bringing you into eternal life. No one else can do that. Can we live a life of courageous witness even to the point of death? With Christ as our Savior-God, we can!

Prayer:
O Lord, it is far too easy for me to cave into the pressures and opposition of this world. Forgive my sins and help me to see that you will deliver me in this life or the life to come. Amen.

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

Powered by WPeMatico