Author: Kerry

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Acts 7:54-56

Showing Us Reality

Daily Devotion – May 19, 2021

Devotion based on Acts 7:54-56

See series: Devotions

The world can sometimes be a pretty harsh place for people who love Jesus. Christian beliefs are being challenged seemingly every day in courtrooms, classrooms, and communities. You may have members of your own family who would prefer never to talk about religion. Maybe some have even stopped going to larger family gatherings because they’re afraid they will be asked to answer questions about their faith, or lack thereof. In some places in the world today, Christians lose their lives when they openly confess their faith. It’s not always easy to follow Jesus.

Maybe that’s why God recorded what happened to Stephen. In Acts chapter 7, Stephen had just confessed his Christian faith in front of a large group of people. But rather than applaud his confession, they reacted in a very hostile way, even eventually throwing stones at Stephen and killing him. But before he died, the Bible tells us that Stephen looked up to heaven and saw something that gave Stephen sufficient strength to endure the horrible things that were happening to him.

Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God, ready to welcome him home to the heaven Jesus won for Stephen through his perfect life and innocent death. There are any number of words you might use to describe what Stephen saw that day: Amazing. Glorious. Comforting. But one word we can certainly use to describe what he saw is this: Reality. Stephen saw reality. He was allowed to see, in a special way, what is happening every moment of every day.

The risen Jesus, who is more powerful than death, the devil, and sin, sees all the challenges his people face on account of their faith; and he is right now ruling over all of it, making sure that none of it will take them away from the place in heaven he has already prepared for them.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, may the reality that you are ruling all things give me confidence to follow you no matter what I face. 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] I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
John 17:13

Giving Us His Joy

Daily Devotion – May 18, 2021

Devotion based on John 17:13

See series: Devotions

If someone were to ask you for a list of things that drain you of joy, you might say any number of things: My job is hard. No one appreciates the work I do. The government seems to treat its citizens unfairly. Those in power don’t seem to care about the little people. My family ignores my needs. My pain is hard to endure, and on and on and on. Several things can drain a person of joy, which is why it’s good that Jesus prayed about your joy.

In John chapter 17, he prayed that you would “have the full measure of my joy.” But notice that he didn’t pray you would receive “the full measure of joy.” Instead, he prayed that you would receive “the full measure of my joy.”

Jesus’ joy didn’t come from what others did or did not do to him or by how pleasant a life he experienced. It came entirely from what he could do to love others. We see that as Jesus continued to love the world even when his job as Savior of the world was hard—when he was never appreciated to the extent that he should have been, when his government unfairly condemned his innocent life to death by crucifixion, and when his people often still ignore his commands.

“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,” Jesus once said to his disciples. He found joy in using his life to do whatever was necessary to forgive our sins, prepare a place for us in heaven, and assure us that no person, experience, or sin will ever be able to take it away from us.

May the Lord answer Jesus’ prayer in your life today. May you find joy in serving those around you.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, help me to live with the joy of Jesus each day. 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] Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
John 17:11

Keeping Us Close to God

Daily Devotion – May 17, 2021

Devotion based on John 17:11

See series: Devotions

There’s an old Looney Tunes cartoon involving two dogs—Chester and Spike. Chester was a small, jumpy, scrawny puppy. He would easily lose in an alley fight with almost any other animal. Yet Chester was always confident as he walked through life. Why? Because he was never far from his friend Spike. Spike was a big, strong bulldog. As long as Spike was close, Chester felt safe, knowing his big friend would always be there for him in his time of need.

There are times when we might feel like Spike—strong enough to face any challenge life throws at us. But I think we more often know how it feels to be Chester—vulnerable and weak to the many challenges we meet each day in our families, on our job, and maybe especially in our hearts.

Jesus knows this about us. It’s why he offered the prayer he did in John chapter 17. Jesus prayed that your Father in heaven would keep you safe by being for you what Spike was to Chester.

And he will. Your Father in heaven accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for sins on the cross. So there is nothing standing between you and your God. He is right beside you so that you can walk through life as the fictional Chester did—confident that you will always be cared for in your times of need.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, watch over and protect me by your almighty power. 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] I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
John 17:14,15

The Heavenly Father Protects You

Daily Devotion – May 16 2021

Devotion based on John 17:14,15

See series: Devotions

“Enemy-occupied territory—that is what this world is.” So wrote C.S. Lewis in his famous book, Mere Christianity. He was correct. This world is not our home. Heaven is our home. Jesus knew this better than anyone. Jesus knew from personal experience how difficult it is for God’s people to live in a world ravaged by sin and under constant attack by Satan. That is why Jesus prayed for his disciples the night before he went to his death. He knew his disciples would face temptation and persecution and poverty and imprisonment.

Knowing this, we might expect Jesus to pray for his disciples to be delivered from this world. Why not just ask the Father to whisk them right to heaven so they could avoid all the evil and opposition that the devil throws against Jesus’ followers? The reason Jesus prayed as he did was that he had work for his disciples to do. They would take the good news of forgiveness and eternal life to the ends of the earth. So, rather than ask the Father to take them out of this world, Jesus prayed that his Father protect them.

Jesus asks his Father to do the same for all of his followers, including you. He knows about every temptation you are facing. He knows about every trial you are undergoing. He knows about every trouble you are enduring. He knows that temptations, trials, and troubles are part of living in this sin-filled world. But he does not ask his Father to take you out of this world. There is work for you to do. You have people to love and serve. You have God’s good news to share. Your heavenly Father will answer Jesus’ prayer. He will give you strength to do this work and protect you from the devil until your Father DOES, in his time, take you home to heaven.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I humbly ask you to protect me from the evil one that I may carry out the important work you have given me to 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.

Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:13-15

A Friend In Jesus

Daily Devotion – May 15, 2021

Devotion based on John 15:13-15

See series: Devotions

It is always interesting to watch teenagers try to find their place among their peers. There is that constant struggle of determining whether they are part of the ‘in’ group, or if they are on the outside. If they are a part of the group, they have the inside scoop on everything important that is happening. If they are not, the important news and happenings of their world pass right around them.

As Jesus spoke to his disciples, he called them friends. He didn’t leave them wondering whether they were in the know or not. As friends, they had the inside scoop. Everything Jesus learned from his Father he made known to his friends. He revealed that he is the Son of God. He explained that he came to seek and save the lost. He even foretold how he would save them. He said, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise” (Mark 9:31).

Just as Jesus made it clear where his disciples stood, so Jesus doesn’t leave his followers today wondering if they are part of the group. He also calls them his friends. He gives them the inside scoop. As they sit down to read his Word, the Bible, they hear everything that Jesus learned from his Father and made known to his disciples. They also can hear Jesus explain who he is, the reason he came, and how he saved the world from eternal death by dying for it.

Friend, listen to Jesus. Learn from him. Trust that what he says is true. And discover all the comfort of being called a friend of Jesus.

Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, thank you for revealing all of the truths about you and for being willing to call even a sinner like me your friend. 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.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Ephesians 1:22,23

For the Church

Daily Devotion – May 14, 2021

Devotion based on Ephesians 1:22,23

See series: Devotions

When bosses go away for a while, you assume that they are relaxing somewhere on a sandy beach, or at least doing whatever it is you think bosses do when they go on vacation. Are they thinking about you, the workers? You doubt it.

What is Jesus doing right now? He’s not appearing to people the way he did for those forty days after he rose from the dead. Instead, he ascended into heaven, and the Bible says that he is getting a place ready for his followers there. What a nice thing for the boss to be doing!

But that’s not all he’s doing. In case you ever doubted that someone who sacrificed himself on a cross could actually be the boss, the Bible says that God the Father declared him still to be in charge of everything for the sake of the church.

This shouldn’t surprise us. The church has important work to do, speaking the Word of God, and Jesus is interested in that work. But you might not realize who the church is. When you believe in Jesus, you are the church. And Jesus is interested in everything you do.

In fact, he is arranging things just for you. He is in charge of everything so he can make sure you are okay. He is using what you do to make sure that other people are okay. Because of Jesus’ great mercy, he is forgiving and loving you, inspiring you to forgive and love other people.

The boss will be back soon. In the meantime, he is helping you keep up the good work.

Prayer:
Now to him who is able, according to the power that is at work within us, to do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! 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.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:10,11

In the Same Way

Daily Devotion – May 13, 2021

Devotion based on Acts 1:10,11

See series: Devotions

Today the Christian Church remembers how Jesus ascended into heaven forty days after he rose from the dead. He had appeared to over 500 people during those forty days, and it was clear that he was alive. Would he keep appearing to them? It was a legitimate question on the minds of the people who saw Jesus ascend into the sky until a cloud hid him from their sight.

Two angels addressed what was on their minds. They said that Jesus had gone to heaven. And there would be no doubt about how he would return. It would not be in secret. It would not be to redo what he had already done.

When Jesus returns, it will be judgment day. He will appear in the sky quite visibly. Angels will accompany him. Souls from heaven will accompany him. Their bodies will rise from the dead, glorified, and the souls will reoccupy those glorified bodies. Those who are still alive will be gathered by the angels from around the world and brought to the place where Jesus is visibly returning.

You will be there. You will know it is judgment day. Jesus will return in the same way that those people saw him go into heaven. You can trust that at that moment, God will keep the promise the angel made, the one that says, “whoever believes in him will have eternal life.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when you return for judgment day, let me see you with joy 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.

Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:47

Repentance and Forgiveness

Daily Devotion – May 12, 2021

Devotion based on Luke 24:47

See series: Devotions

How do the speakers at a high school and college graduation boil down everything that happened during those years of education into something that captures all of it and holds the attention of the crowd? Many of them do not even try. They tell a few jokes, maybe a story, and then go for a memorable sentence general enough that most graduates can apply it to their lives.

When Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, he had his turn to boil down three years of education for his disciples into something that could apply to every one of their lives from that time forward. Here’s what he told them: repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name to all nations.

Repentance was necessary for every one of them, and it was necessary for every person to whom they would speak. Repentance is sorrow for sin and trust in God’s promises, and it is just as necessary for the nations today as it was back then.

Forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus is the key message of Christians. Nothing is more important. When the name of Jesus is put on something, it belongs to him, and he has put it on people from nations all around the world. They belong to him, and they have forgiveness of sins from him.

This has been a crazy school year. All around the world, graduation speakers are trying to summarize it. But you don’t have to be graduating this year to appreciate something that can be applied to every life as most important: repentance and forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, as I continue on the path of life, give me repentance and forgiveness of sins through faith in your name. 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.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:11

Love One Another

Daily Devotion – May 11, 2021

Devotion based on 1 John 4:11

See series: Devotions

Dig down deep enough, and we can find something unlovable about anyone. Sometimes we don’t have to dig too far. It’s obvious. How can we ever find the strength to love people who are difficult to love?

Dear friends, God loves us. He knows unlovable things about each of us, and he still loves us so much that he sent his one and only Son to be our Savior. When we are feeling unlovable or unloved, we can return to that comfort. God still loves us, and his opinion counts more than any other in the universe.

Dear friends, God also loves those other people. He sent his Son for them as well. Taking his opinion into account, we realize that it’s pretty bad if we withhold our love from people God loves. So we take the confidence we have from being loved by God and make ourselves vulnerable to love the people he has put into our lives.

Because we are frail humans, we may struggle with the proper way to express our love in any given situation. But it’s worth the struggle to figure out the best ways to demonstrate our love for one another. When we fail, it’s an appropriate act of love to apologize and ask for forgiveness. When others fail and apologize, it is an act of love to forgive them.

We love them because he first loved us. Whenever we are not feeling it, return to that truth, and pray for strength.

Prayer:
Lord God, strengthen my love for you and for others, in the name of Jesus. 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.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:10

This Is Love

Daily Devotion – May 10, 2021

Devotion based on 1 John 4:10

See series: Devotions

People want to know what love is. Teenagers want to know if their strong feelings for another person are puppy love, infatuation, or the real thing. People who have been burned in relationships wonder whether they were ever actually in love. On one day, the memes about love resonate, and the next day they ring hollow.

Do you want to know what real love is? Take a look at the attitudes and actions of God.

God loves you. He wants you to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. He is committed to the best for you. He knows the real you, the times you have disappointed him. He knows your weaknesses and failings. That doesn’t stop him from loving you.

While you were still a sinner, Jesus died for you. His death was a sacrifice because he didn’t have to do it. The Son of God could have continued living in glory for eternity. Instead, he took on a human body and a human soul, then suffered hell so that you wouldn’t have to. He let that body and soul separate in death, paying the complete price for your sins.

Some people want the best for you and are committed to you, but no one else has done what God has done for you. Even your gratitude and love for God are not the best example of love.

This is love: God loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Now you know what love is. But people don’t just want to know love. They want to experience it. In Jesus, you have experienced it, and you can heal from every harmful human relationship that has fallen short of perfect love.

Prayer:
Jesus, you are all compassion, pure love without boundaries. Enter my trembling heart and make me confident in your continuous perfect 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.