Author: Kerry

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land . . . I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.”
Ezekiel 34:11-13,23,24

Jesus is Your Shepherd

Daily Devotion – November 29, 2020

Devotion based on Ezekiel 34:11-13,23,24

See series: Devotions

We have seen some major storms this year. With frightening clouds, damaging winds, and darkness, hurricanes unleashed their destruction. Many people had to evacuate, and those that stayed had to seek cover.

In today’s Bible reading, the Lord speaks about sheep that were scattered and harmed by a violent storm.

Those sheep were God’s people. The storm clouds and darkness described the sin and destruction that scattered God’s Old Testament people among the heathen nations, where they were insecure, helpless, hurt, and facing a dismal end.

The Lord promised to send one shepherd to gather his sheep from every land, perfectly care for their needs, and grant them his salvation. That shepherd was called “David.” King David had been God’s chosen shepherd of his people centuries earlier, but this “David” would be his greater descendant, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

In the greatest storm ever, on a cross, Jesus would suffer the punishment for all of the rebellion and wrongs of his people and win forgiveness for their sins. That Savior would gather all of his chosen ones safely into the perfect pasture of his kingdom.

Do you have storms in your life? Do you have wrongs against God that have sent you running, hurt, and perishing? Jesus is your shepherd, who graciously gathers you safely into his flock, is caring for your every need, and will continue to do so perfectly forever!

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for shepherding me safely into your fold. Continue to tend me this day and always with your grace in Christ Jesus, 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.

“For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.”
Ezekiel 34:11,12

Searching

Daily Devotion – November 28, 2020

Devotion based on Ezekiel 34:11,12

See series: Devotions

I can’t find my cell phone holder. It clips on my belt and conveniently holds my cell phone. But I can’t find it. My 3-year-old daughter decided to play with it, and well, that’s explanation enough for its disappearance. I’ve looked for it. I’ve looked everywhere I can think it could be. But nothing.

There’s a very good reason I’ve looked so diligently for that cell phone holder. It’s very useful. It’s valuable to me.

That’s what makes God’s words in Ezekiel 34 so amazing. He says, “I myself will search for my sheep.” God is talking about us, his sheep. You hear a sense of urgency in God’s voice as he describes his search and rescue mission. He compares himself to a loving shepherd who frantically searches for his lost sheep until they’re found. But why would God search so diligently for us? Unlike my cell phone holder, we do not appear to be very useful or valuable to God. Quite the contrary. We have disobeyed him, disgraced him, deserted him. And not just once but over and over again. Why doesn’t he just let us go our own way? Why doesn’t he just give up on us?

Because he loves us. So much, that he sent his Son to suffer hell for us. That was the real rescue mission. Jesus said, “The Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost” (Luke 19:10).

And now God won’t give up on us. Even though we turn our backs on him and go our own way, he keeps searching for us. And when he finds us, he holds us close, calms our fears, and comforts us with the promise of eternal green pastures in heaven.

Prayer:
Father, in your great love, you searched for me and found me. You saved me from the eternal death my sins deserve. Keep me close to you. Feed me with your Word. And finally, deliver me safely to my eternal rest. 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 put a staff in [Jesus’] right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.
Matthew 27:29

Underestimation

Daily Devotion – November 27, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 27:29

See series: Devotions

You are in Windsor, Canada. It is 1902. You are in the stands of a racetrack, waiting for the next race. As you do, you see a horse coming out to the track that makes you wince. You check your program. His name is “Prince Direct.” The Chicago Tribune later describes him as “fat” and “gross.” Worse yet, as he plods his way past you, you notice that he has the most awkward kind of walk you have ever seen. At once, you dismiss him out of hand. So does everyone around you.

And then Prince Direct begins to run. Suddenly he is a horse transformed. The legs underneath him are fast and sure. He blows past every other horse in the race. His performance shocks everyone. In the end, all the crowd can do is cheer. It is a grand case of underestimation.

It is what the soldiers who crucified Jesus did. As they prepared him for the cross, they decided to have some fun. They had heard the claims that he was a king. Their immediate response was mockery. “This man, a king? Look at him. This man is a nothing. Whatever he claims to be is a nothing. And soon this nothing will be dead.”

And so Jesus went to the cross. On the cross, he suffered and died. And three days later, he rose from death. In so doing, he demonstrated that his death had paid for the sins of the world. And that through faith in him, we have forgiveness and life. He is the Son of God and, indeed, the King of kings. It had been a grand case of underestimation.

The next time you feel the temptation to underestimate Jesus, take a deep breath, and give yourself a moment. Remember who he is. Remember what he has done for you. Let it assure you he is able to do anything for you. Let it assure you he will do what is best for you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, King of kings, forgive me for all the times I have underestimated you. Help me remember who you are. 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 forget the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 8:11

Glasses of Gratitude

Daily Devotion – November 26, 2020

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 8:11

See series: Devotions

Imagine you have two pairs of special glasses. The first pair makes you see the people and things in your life in all the wrong ways. You see people who irritate you at work. You see people who don’t appreciate all that you do. You see people who slight you and disrespect you. You see all the faults in other members of your family. You see the disappointments in your family life or your lack of family life. With this pair of glasses, you see all the things that make you anxious, bitter—all the things that put you on edge. You see others who seem to have it far better than you. Worst of all, with this pair of glasses, you see no reason to think very much about your relationship with God.

Let’s be candid. You and I often wear these glasses with gusto. And when we do, we give God every reason to forget about us and walk away.

But he hasn’t, and he doesn’t. Instead, he sent his Son. When Jesus walked this earth, he never stopped thinking about us. He had you and me in mind when he lived a perfect life in our place and carried our sins of ingratitude to the cross. And because he has now risen from the dead, you and I not only get to bask in his forgiveness. You and I now get to live our lives wearing a different pair of glasses. These glasses empower us to see our lives as they truly are. They are the glasses of thankfulness.

When you put these on, you see something wondrous. You see the hand of God taking care of you. He makes sure that you have enough to eat, that you have something to wear, that you have a place to stay. He demonstrates his love for you through friends and family. He demonstrates his love for you through medical teams that see to your physical needs. Most of all, he demonstrates his love for you through his living Word, through his message of the cross and the empty tomb of Easter.

With the glasses of gratitude, that is what we see. Wearing them, we will not forget.

Prayer:
Thank you, Lord. And help me see all I have for which to give thanks. 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.

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
1 Corinthians 15:26

The Enemy

Daily Devotion – November 25, 2020

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 15:26

See series: Devotions

Death is big business. In the United States alone, the funeral industry generates 20 billion dollars per year. Funeral homes employ tens of thousands. Add to that the number of people who work for the makers of caskets, urns, hearses, vaults, floral arrangements, and gravestones. And add to that the number of people who maintain cemeteries, crematoriums, and mausoleums. In the US, there are 2.7 million annual funerals. And with ten thousand baby boomers hitting the age of 65 every single day, there should be an abundance of funerals for years to come. Without question, death provides employment and a good living for a lot of people.

The big dollars and the big employment numbers change nothing, however. Death is still the same devastating beast it has always been. It brings crippling grief and waves of pain. It brings a depth of loneliness and loss from which many never fully recover. Do a search for quotes about death, and you’ll find all the easy clichés: “Death is a part of life,” “People don’t really die as long as someone remembers them,”—you know the kind. But it takes classic punk rocker John Lydon to display some real candor about death. “I hate death,” he says. “It takes people away from you. You’re left feeling rudderless.”

When the Son of God entered our time and space in the person of Jesus Christ, he saw death for the monster that it is. He knew that the specter of death was a direct result of sin—your sin and mine. And so Jesus didn’t come to dress it up, to compromise with it, or make it more polite. He came to destroy it.

And destroy it he did. Jesus lived a perfect life as our substitute. He went to the cross to pay for our every wrong. In so doing, he pulled the cause of death out by its roots and threw it into the fire. That’s why he rose from death three days later. He did it to remove all doubt that he had crushed and defeated death once and for all time.

That leaves only life. Eternal life. With Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for destroying death. When grief comes calling, refresh me in what you have done. 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 Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20

Cemetery

Daily Devotion – November 24, 2020

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 15:20

See series: Devotions

Perhaps it’s been a long time since you’ve walked through a cemetery. Then again, perhaps not. When you did, what are the emotions you felt?

Your answer depends on the circumstances, of course. Maybe the circumstances were such that you felt crushing grief. Maybe you felt a numbness or felt relief mixed with exhaustion. Or it could be that the circumstances were such that you felt simple curiosity about the people buried there. Maybe you felt a fascination about the past. Maybe you felt quiet reflection.

In your imagination, put yourself inside a cemetery for a moment. Walk slowly and look up and down the rows of stones. The words of God before us in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 are from the apostle Paul. In that cemetery, imagine the apostle Paul walking with you. As you walk with him side-by-side, there is something else you would sense from Paul—something different. You would sense from him a great feeling of anticipation.

From 1 Corinthians 15, we know why. There, the apostle Paul points to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As he does, he makes it clear that Jesus’ resurrection is not some isolated, one-time event. Instead, he reminds us that Jesus is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. In other words, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is only the first of many.

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is God’s exclamation point to the reality that Jesus Christ, Son of God, has lived a perfect life on our behalf; that he has suffered and died on the cross for our every sin. Through faith in him, we possess forgiveness of sin, peace, joy, and life eternal. Jesus’ resurrection has set in motion a series of wondrous things that are to come.

Which brings us back to the cemetery through which you are walking. In such a place, at times will you feel grief, loss, reflection? Yes, you will feel all of these. Most of all, however, there is anticipation. On the Last Day, these graves will open. The bodies of those who have died in the Lord will reunite with their souls. And the roar of victory will last forever.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, fill me with anticipation for the wonders we will experience when you return. 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.

For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
Ezekiel 34:11

Search

Daily Devotion – November 23, 2020

Devotion based on Ezekiel 34:11

See series: Devotions

The year is 1988. The country is China. The woman’s name is Li. Her son’s name is Jia. Jia is about 18 months old. In October of that year, Li receives news that is every parent’s nightmare. Her child is missing.

At first, Li assumes that her son has simply wandered off and that someone will soon find him and bring him home. It soon becomes clear, however, that people have very likely kidnapped her son with the intent of selling him to a childless family, a crime that is prevalent in China at the time.

Li, however, is determined to find her son. She begins her search. Days turn into weeks. Weeks turn into months. Months turn into years. As they do, the story of Li and her search gathers more and more attention. She receives hundreds of leads. She pursues every single one. Each is a dead end.

Then, in May of this year, Li receives word about a man who seems to fit her son’s description. The man agrees to a DNA test. It’s a match. When they finally meet, there are tears and smiles and more tears. Li’s extraordinary search of 32 years has come to an end.

You and I are part of a search too. Our own sin snatched us from God’s family and carried us off to a place that is barren, lonely, empty, cold. God’s heart, however, could not forget us. As hour heavenly Father, he refused to give up on us. As part of his rescue mission, God sent his Son, Jesus, to live a holy life on our behalf and to carry our every sin to the cross.

And now he seeks to bring this good news to every lost soul, including yours. Perhaps you are at a point in your life when you feel lost, adrift, forgotten. If so, remember what your heavenly father has done to find you and rescue you. You are not forgotten. You are his.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your search. Thank you for seeking me out. Through faith in your Son, my home is in you. Amen.

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
1 Thessalonians 4:13,14

Do Not Grieve

Daily Devotion – November 22, 2020

Devotion based on 1 Thessalonians 4:13,14

See series: Devotions

We’re not always sure what hope looks like. No hope, however, is easy to spot.

Frustrated folks in corrupt countries see no way up or out, so they lash out in violence, torching cars and burning buildings. American families, who have maxed out their credit cards and can’t figure a way out from under the debt, often have a sense of hopelessness. In instances like these, having no hope of a future causes grief to set in.

It doesn’t have to be like that. Just when there seems to be no way out, Jesus says, “I am the way” (John 14:6). Just when death seems to have a victory, Christ shows us his empty tomb. Just when your world seems to get worse and worse, Jesus says, “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).

Even when we lose a loved one to death, we can have hope. The apostle Paul assured the Christians of his day that those who have died trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins are not lost. Their souls are in heaven with Jesus. And, on the day Jesus returns, he will bring those souls with him and reunite their souls with their bodies which will be raised from the grave.

So, if you have lost a Christian loved one, do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. Look forward to being reunited in the halls of heaven!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, give me hope that only you can give because you conquered death and guarantee a glorious resurrection to all who believe in you, life is not hopeless and death is not final. 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 [Jesus] saw [the ten men who had leprosy], he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Luke 17:14-16

Faith to Give Thanks

Daily Devotion – November 21, 2020

Devotion based on Luke 17:14-16

See series: Devotions

Ten men had been miraculously healed by Jesus. Nine never bothered to say, “Thank you.” But, before we point our fingers too quickly, we would do well to honestly assess our attitudes about all that God has done for us. It is easy to be like the lepers who went on their way—to be so busy enjoying God’s blessings that we fail to say, “Thank you.” What are some blessings for which you never, or have rarely given God thanks—legs that walk, eyes that see, lungs that breathe, a family that loves, friends that care? Or, how about the forgiveness God grants for Jesus’ sake, even for the sin of being less than thankful for his blessings?

When you take the time to consider the countless blessings the Lord has showered on you, it will move you to take the time to thank him for those blessings. That’s what the Samaritan leper did. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.

Why not do the same today? Throw yourself at Jesus’ feet and thank him. Thank him for as many blessings as you can think of. You may be surprised how long the list is. And, you will be all the more grateful for all of his gifts.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, 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.

[Jesus said] “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. . . . The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ . . . “The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
Matthew 25:1-6,10-13

Wedding Ready

Daily Devotion – November 20, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 25:1-6,10-13

See series: Devotions

What’s the big deal about missing a wedding banquet? People miss them all the time. Sometimes they miss them on purpose. This year, people might have a bigger issue with missing a wedding banquet. Because of the pandemic, countless couples have changed, rearranged, or canceled their plans.

But that’s nothing compared to missing the feast that Jesus invites us to receive. The Bible describes heaven as one, eternal, joyous feast. Jesus has invested so much to include us at this feast. He gave his life to get us in. Jesus clothes us in his righteous garments. He gives us faith that holds onto his invitation. And now he is busy getting the banquet ready. This is one feast we don’t want to miss!

But there is so much that distracts us, that seems more important, that gratifies us now. Why wait for those eternal pleasures? What’s the big deal? The big deal is, you are either in or out. This is one wedding banquet you won’t be able to crash. You either spend eternity in God’s presence, enjoying all his blessings, or you miss out entirely and regret it eternally.

Jesus is coming back. Since we can’t know when it’s wise to be ready. So, keep your faith well-oiled with God’s Word. Repent of your sins. Trust that Jesus has fully atoned for your guilt. And wait with wide-open and expectant eyes for Jesus to return. Then, no matter when he does, you won’t miss it!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for inviting me to your wedding feast. Keep my faith focused on you so that I am ready for your arrival. 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.