Author: Kerry

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Micah 5:2

God Works In Mysterious Ways

Daily Devotion – January 9, 2021

Devotion based on Micah 5:2

See series: Devotions

“God works in mysterious ways.” That’s quite a statement, and for many of us, at least at one time or another, we have wondered “why” God did what he did or allowed something to happen. From a human perspective, it appears to be a mystery.

For centuries, the Old Testament believers were waiting for God to send the Messiah, the one who would restore the relationship between sinful people and a holy God. When he was coming was a mystery. The picture was getting darker and darker. The nation of Israel was dwindling. They were taken into captivity in Babylon. Only a remnant returned to Jerusalem. Then the Greeks conquered, and later the Romans ruled. It wasn’t looking good, and then…

In the little town of Bethlehem, small among the clans of Judah, a virgin gave birth to a baby boy. This child, who was visited by shepherds and Magi, would one day grow up to be ruler over all nations of the earth and he would bring peace.

You might think this is a mystery. Jesus didn’t extend the physical boundaries of Israel. There certainly isn’t peace in the Middle-East, let alone through the world. What kind of mystery was Micah prophesying?

Here’s the solution: Jesus’ kingdom is his rule in people’s hearts by faith—people all over the earth. While there is still physical strife and struggle, believers in Jesus have peace. They know and trust that Jesus is shepherding and watching over their lives at all times. He, as a ruling king, is guiding, and directing all things for their good. Ah, the mystery is revealed!

Is Jesus ruling in your heart, or has God just been a mystery for years? Could Jesus bring you peace in this New Year? Absolutely! Trust the words written on the pages of the Bible, for God sent his Son—born in little Bethlehem to be your very own Savior and Shepherd and King!

Prayer:
Lord, help me to see that you are my Savior, my Shepherd, and my King 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.

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Matthew 2:11

Can You Relate

Daily Devotion – January 8, 2021

Devotion based on Matthew 2:11

See series: Devotions

The Bible story about the Wise Men’s visit to see Jesus introduces us to quite a cast of characters. The Magi—were highly educated men from the East. The teachers of the law—were supposed to be experts on all things related to the Bible. Herod—was an ambitious and renowned ruler.

Can you relate to any of these Epiphany people? Certainly not Herod! Isn’t he the one who, with evil intent, tried to locate the newborn King, and when his crafty plans failed, didn’t he order the killing of innocent babies? How could I possibly relate to such a monster? Maybe in this way: Herod used all his abilities to serve himself. That tendency isn’t foreign to us. We are guilty of using our God-given skills and smarts to advance and protect our self-interests, oftentimes stepping over others. Sadly, there’s a little “Herod” in all of us.

How about those teachers of the law? They had the words of everlasting life right there before them, but they failed to see how those words pointed to Jesus. We have God’s Word, the Bible, but how often it sits unopened on the shelf. The Magi traveled hundreds of miles to worship Jesus; sometimes, we struggle to drive the few blocks to church. God keep us from such indifference.

That leaves the Magi. Did they know the child who was born in a manger would one day hang on a cross? Did they know the child at whose feet they lay their gifts would one day take humanity’s sins upon his own shoulders?

We can’t be sure what the Magi knew or didn’t know, but they traveled many miles to see Jesus and to learn more about that child. While we can relate to all of these Epiphany people, the ones we’ll strive to emulate the most are the Magi. We want to see Jesus, worship him, and learn more about him.

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve treated your words in the Bible with indifference. Keep my heart on fire for Jesus and move me to never tire of hearing and reading your Word. 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 saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.
Matthew 2:2

You Are Invited

Daily Devotion – January 7, 2021

Devotion based on Matthew 2:2

See series: Devotions

Some events in life are so important we send out invitations to the special people in our lives. The Lord did that for the Magi in a very nonconventional way. He provided a star that led them to Jesus.

How does the Lord lead us to the Christ Child? How do we know if there’s room for us or that he even wants us there? Certainly, he wants ALL of us there. Over and over again, in the Bible, God asks his followers to express love and kindness to ALL people—family members, friends, people marginalized by society, even enemies. He urges us to share the good news about Jesus with ALL people. He emphatically announces that his son, Jesus, was sent for ALL people. But he probably won’t fling a special star into the sky to lead us to Jesus, the Savior of the world. Instead, he may use parents. Or maybe he’ll use a friend, a co-worker, a total stranger, or even an online devotion to invite us to come and worship Jesus.

And to what are we invited?

We are invited to bring our past mistakes and failures and lay them at Jesus’ feet. We are invited to hear Jesus say, “Go in peace; I forgive you.” We are invited to lean on Jesus for strength, to seek comfort in our sadness, and to find rest for our weary souls. We are invited to pray to a Savior who will hear us in our time of need.

So here it is: No matter what you’ve done in the past, no matter how many times you may have been too busy for previous invitations, God still calls to you. No matter how many doors have been slammed in your face, God’s door stands open. Consider yourself cordially invited to worship and serve the God who never tires of loving and serving you. And while you’re at it, spread the word. Pass it on. Share the invitation.

Prayer:
Gracious Lord, thank you for wanting me and making room for me in your family. If today I have an opportunity to share your gracious invitation with someone else in my life, allow me to do so with courage and sincerity. In Jesus’ 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.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the people, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
Isaiah 60:1,2

Life In the Light

Daily Devotion – January 6, 2021

Devotion based on Isaiah 60:1,2

See series: Devotions

When the sun sets in Utqiagvik, Alaska, in late November, it doesn’t rise again for about 65 days. Can you imagine not seeing the sunlight for over two months? Or let’s go a step further, can you imagine life with no light whatsoever? No sunlight. No light fixtures in your home. No headlights on your car. No glow from your cell phone. No lanterns, candles, or matches. Total darkness would present some serious challenges for travel, work, and overall productivity.

When the prophet Isaiah speaks about the “thick darkness” covering the people, he’s not referring to an annual geographic anomaly or a hypothetical blackout; he’s talking about life without a God who loves, forgives, and saves.

Can you imagine that kind of darkness? Can you imagine life without a heavenly Father watching over you and sending his angels to protect you? Can you imagine a life without a baby being born in Bethlehem, without a crucifixion on Mount Calvary, without a resurrection on Easter morning? Can you imagine your ears never hearing these words, “Jesus loves you. Jesus forgives you. Jesus has opened heaven for you.”

You’ll never have to imagine such dark, depressing things because “your light has come.” The darkness described by Isaiah is very real. Our sins aren’t trivial. Our sins needed to be addressed. And that’s exactly what God did. He sent his Son, Jesus—the Light of the world—to rescue us from darkness. (John 8:12)

We may have some darkness in our past—words and deeds of which we are ashamed. Jesus wants us to know that he replaced those dark sins with his bright holy deeds. He wants us to know that with his death on the cross, he has scrubbed clean our record of the past and given us a fresh start.

So open your ears and hear it well: “Jesus loves you! Jesus forgives you! Jesus has opened heaven for you!”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you have forgiven all my sins and saved me from darkness. Now help me to live and speak like a child of your light. 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.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity…
Hebrews 2:14

He Shared Our Humanity

Daily Devotion – January 5, 2021

Devotion based on Hebrews 2:14

See series: Devotions

Does the name Ingvar Kamprad sound familiar? He died some years ago, but while he was alive he lived a very modest, normal life. He bought all of his clothes at secondhand stores. His home was very minimalist and unpretentious. When traveling, he always took public transit. If you think that sounds rather plain and unnoteworthy, I agree with you.

But the thing is, Ingvar was a multi-millionaire. In fact, he was the founder of the furniture giant IKEA. And yet, for a variety of reasons, he chose to live a very humble, modest life.

What would prompt the Son of God to share in our humanity and live a very humble, modest life? Why did he willingly trade his throne of glory for a lowly manger bed? Well, at first glance, things seem pretty peaceful. Mary gazes down at the child she bore. Jesus is wrapped in cloths. All is calm and serene. However, beneath the peaceful nativity scene, there’s an ugly backstory—our story. Sharing in our humanity meant Jesus would live under the demanding laws of God—the laws we have broken time and time again! Sharing our humanity meant Jesus would be blamed for every one of our sins and shortcomings—they are so numerous!

Sharing our humanity was not peaceful and serene for Jesus. Jesus traded the angel chorus of heaven for the initial sounds of cattle lowing and sheep baaing. And those sounds would change as he grew up, to dismissive comments, shouts of rejection, cruel mockery, and even death chants. He set aside his glory and wore the secondhand clothes of our humanity. And then he was covered in the tattered blanket of our sin. And then he suffered and died to pay for those sins.

Sharing our humanity was not peaceful and serene for Jesus. But his perfect life and his sin-canceling death did bring peace to you and me. That’s why the Lord, who is rich beyond measure, shared our humanity and lived like he was poor.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, for sharing my humanity—thank you! For keeping the law in my place—thank you! For carrying my sins—thank you! For being my Savior, my Friend, my Brother—thank 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.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.
Micah 5:2

Why Bethlehem

Daily Devotion – January 4, 2021

Devotion based on Micah 5:2

See series: Devotions

West Baden, Indiana. Do you know much about it? Probably not. Unless you’re one of the 500 people who live there. The only notable thing about this little town might be the fact that NBA All-Star Larry Bird was born there. Otherwise, it’s not well known beyond the borders of Indiana. In fact, it’s hardly known by the people who live in the Hoosier state.

That was first-century Bethlehem. It had been a thousand years since anyone famous had come from this little town—and that was King David. So why was the Christ Child born in the lowly, tiny town of Bethlehem? One big reason: to fulfill the prophecy written by the prophet Micah 700 years earlier. God promised that his Son, the Messiah, would be born in Bethlehem. As God always does, he made good on his promise.

But why Bethlehem? Perhaps it fits God’s pattern of using the seemingly powerless and puny to showcase his gracious power. He chose David, the youngest son of Jesse and the least impressive of all his other sons, to become the greatest king of Israel. He chose an unknown girl from Galilee to be the mother of his eternal Son. He chose a feeding trough to cradle the mightiest, most glorious King of kings. He chose nails and a wooden cross to be the means by which he redeems the world. He chose an empty tomb to be a symbol of life and hope.

And so he chose not a booming trade town, but lowly, tiny Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus. Let that serve as a reminder to you of how meaningful you are to God. No matter how little you may feel or how far you’ve fallen—you are not insignificant. Outside of your own circle of friends and family, others may not know your name and, they probably don’t care. God knows your name. God cares. He cares about you!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, remind me today of how precious I am in your sight. I don’t deserve your love and favor, yet you sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world—my Savior. Thank 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.

Because [Jesus] himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Hebrews 2:18

Jesus Knows What It Is Like

Daily Devotion – January 3, 2021

Devotion based on Hebrews 2:18

See series: Devotions

Of all the temptations that hit you on a regular basis, which one is the most powerful? Give yourself a moment to come up with a specific answer. After all, in your heart of hearts, you probably know what the answer is. Here’s another question: When that specific temptation shows up wanting to claim you for the day (or for the night), what kind of battle do you give it? Do you consistently give it stiff opposition? Or are there times when you simply throw up your hands and not even try to combat it?

Let’s be honest and candid about this. You and I have to admit that there are all kinds of times when we don’t even put up a decent fight in the face of a strong temptation. Satan knows that. In fact, he loves to remind us of it to wear us down and make us feel defeated and hollow even before the battle starts. On our own, of course, that’s how this movie of our life would end—we’d be cowering and crushed, while Satan and his temptations cackled in conquest.

But with Jesus, everything is different. Everything! On our behalf, he resisted every temptation that Satan could invent. On our behalf, he shed his blood to make all our defeats disappear.

And that’s not all. For now, when Satan tries to send a temptation our way, you and I can run immediately to the One who knows exactly what battling temptations is like. In him, we don’t just have a sympathetic ear. In him, we have someone who understands. And because he does, he will help us in our battle against the temptation to sin. Satan hopes you will forget this. Therefore, don’t.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, you know exactly what it’s like to battle temptations in this fallen world. You promise to answer my calls for help. Empower me by your Spirit never to forget that. 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.

When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son.
Galatians 4:4

Timing

Daily Devotion – January 2, 2021

Devotion based on Galatians 4:4

See series: Devotions

Picture a choir singing, “Silent Night.” Each choir member knows the words and melody. They even know when to sing loudly and softly. But imagine if each choir member sang the song at a different speed. And now further imagine if each choir member held each note for a different length of time. Instead of a thing of beauty, you’d have dissonant sounds of chaos. The entire song would fall apart.

In a Christmas carol like “Silent Night,” timing is everything.

It’s the same when it comes to God’s timing for Jesus’ birth.

“When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son,” the Bible tells us. Immediately after our first parents had fallen into sin, God promised to send a Savior. But he fulfilled that promise according to his own pace. Over thousands of years, he carefully guided history until the timing was just right. Then he sent his Son.

Once in a great while, you and I can recognize God’s timing in our own lives. More often than not, however, our human perspective is so small that we just don’t see it.

Make no mistake, however, God is guiding your life just as carefully. Time and again he has made it clear that the answer to life is not within you. Time and again he has brought you into contact with the only Savior from sin you’ve got. Or think about this: it is no accident that this devotion from God’s Word is entering your mind and heart at this very moment.

God’s timing for Jesus’ birth was perfect. Trust his timing in your life, too.

Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for sending your Son into this world at just the right time. Move me to trust your timing in my life as well. 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 the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
Luke 2:40

Our Brother

Daily Devotion – January 1, 2021

Devotion based on Luke 2:40

See series: Devotions

Can God grow? If you were to measure God today and then measure him a month from now, would there be any difference in his size? Can God become stronger? Can he struggle to open a pickle jar today but a few years from now be able to open it with ease? Can God become smarter? Are there things he doesn’t know right now that he will learn later?

Those questions probably seem nonsensical. Of course, God doesn’t grow. He fills the universe now, just as he always has and just as he always will. He can’t become more almighty or more all-knowing. He can do all things and knows all things, and that never changes.

Yet, in Jesus, God did grow. He did become stronger. He did learn and grow in wisdom. This is true because Jesus was not only true God but also was truly a human being. He was conceived in his mother’s womb even as you and I were conceived in our mother’s wombs. He went through all the stages of fetal development that you and I went through. He was born as an infant just as we were. As a true human infant, Jesus was incapable of feeding himself or caring for himself. He relied on his mother, just as you and I did when we were infants. And day by day he grew. He got bigger and taller. He became stronger. He even learned things and became smarter.

That the infinite, almighty, and all-knowing Son of God grew and became stronger and learned is a fact that is beyond our understanding. Yet it is at the same time wonderfully comforting. If Jesus had come only as God, he could not have been our Savior. In order to save us, Jesus needed to become a human being so he could take our place. And the fact that he grew and became strong and was filled with wisdom shows us that he truly is one of us. He truly is human. He truly is our Brother. He truly is our Savior.

Prayer:
Thank you for becoming my Brother so that you might take my place and save 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.

“My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
Luke 2:30-32

A Savior for All People

Daily Devotion – December 31, 2020

Devotion based on Luke 2:30-32

See series: Devotions

We human beings have a bad habit of focusing on what makes us different from others. Instead of rejoicing in all the things that unite us as fellow human beings, we separate ourselves into rival groups based on various characteristics that we consider important. We separate ourselves based on nationality. We separate ourselves based on the color of our skin. We separate ourselves based on whether we support this political candidate or that one. With all this separation, is it any wonder that we are experiencing so much turmoil in our world right now?

Thankfully, when God looks at us, he does not focus on what separates us from one another. It’s not that our unique and individual characteristics are unimportant. God has purposely made each of us unique so that with our uniqueness, we might be a beautiful part of his people. But when it comes to what’s most important, our relationship with him, God focuses on what unites us as human beings.

God first focused on the fact that we are all sinners. All of us. Regardless of where we were born or what color our skin is, we are all sinners in need of a Savior. God saw all of us in equal need of his help, and he was determined to provide that help to all of us. He didn’t decide to send one Savior for this group of people and another Savior for that group of people. He sent one Savior for all people. He sent his Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of everyone.

Simeon recognized this as he held Jesus in his arms. As he praised God for sending Jesus, he recognized that Jesus came both for the Gentiles (non-Jewish people) and for the people of Israel (Jewish people). That covers every human being. That covers you. Regardless of who you are, where you are from, or whatever unique characteristics you may have, Jesus came to be your Savior. And for that, we join Simeon in praising God.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I praise you that you came to be the Savior of all people, including 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.