Author: Kerry

The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:1-6

Faith Credited as Righteousness

Daily Devotion – October 10, 2020

Devotion based on Genesis 15:1-6

See series: Devotions

The name Abram means “exalted father.” The irony was probably not lost on him when he was over eighty years old and still childless. Especially since many years earlier, God himself had promised to make his offspring into a great nation. And what’s more, Abram was assured that one of those future descendants would be the long-awaited Savior of mankind. Still, here he was an old man without a single child to his name.

But Abram was a man of action. (Just read in Genesis 14 how he mounted a rescue of his nephew Lot who had been captured by a coalition of four kings!) So Abram had already hatched a plan to deal with his childlessness: his servant Eliezer would be his heir.

You and I can hardly point an accusing finger at Abram. After all, our hearts have harbored many of our own doubts regarding God’s promises. We have falsely believed that our lives were in our own hands, that we controlled our own future.

What a patient God we have! Instead of abandoning us to our doubts and an uncertain destiny, he graciously repeats his promises. God assured the childless old man that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars visible in the night sky. And God assures sinners like us that all his promises of forgiveness have been kept in his Son Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus truly is our shield and very great reward. Although we are sinful, Jesus credits his own righteousness to us through faith in him. Although we have little in this world, Jesus is our eternal treasure that waits for us in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord God, I have no righteousness of my own to stand before you. But I believe you when you promised to forgive my sins for the sake of Jesus. Let his holiness be credited to me, as you have said. 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.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:9

Stay Above the Fray

Daily Devotion – October 9, 2020

Devotion based on Isaiah 55:9

See series: Devotions

Wise people stay above the fray. For instance, when there’s a heated argument, wise people hold their tongues. Rather than engaging in a Facebook folly or a Twitter tirade, they step away from their laptop. What inspired counsel the apostle Paul once gave when he wrote, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). In other words, stay above the fray.

When we’re tempted to wallow in the mud, the apostle reminds us that God created us to be like him, in his image, in his likeness (Genesis 1:26). He created us to think higher thoughts, to act nobly, and to ennoble others through our thoughts, words, and actions.

But we fail. Too often we find ourselves in the middle of the melee. Sometimes we’re even guilty of lighting the fire ourselves and creating the fray.

Not Jesus. He always stayed above the fray. Yes, there were instances in his ministry when he spoke the truth candidly yet lovingly. But his reason for doing so always reflected the very highest principles. He was never nasty, never unkind. Even when people were nasty to him, he never responded unkindly. The Apostle Peter wrote this about Jesus: “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats” (1 Peter 2:23). Through the prophet Isaiah, our Lord and Savior makes it clear to sinful people like us that “my ways [are] higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” He stays above the fray.

But then he invites us—yes, he calls us—to do the same. To be like him. “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).

Be wise like Jesus. Stay above the fray.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me marvel at your higher thoughts and ways, and through your Spirit guide me in the paths of mercy, kindness, peace, and 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.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
Isaiah 55:8

Thinking Outside the Box

Daily Devotion – October 8, 2020

Devotion based on Isaiah 55:8

See series: Devotions

“You break it, you buy it.” It’s a pretty simple concept. If you’re foolish enough to pick up a valuable and fragile item in an antique store, you had better be ready to purchase it in case something happens. If you drop it on the floor and it shatters into a million pieces, “It was an accident,” probably isn’t going to satisfy the store owner. If you’re the one who broke it, then you’re the one who will pay for it.

If imperfect human beings like us abide by that simple motto of retail justice, then certainly we should expect our perfectly just God to expect the same, right?

It would make sense. When, for instance, our Creator-God handed his perfect and priceless world over to human beings, it would stand to reason that it came with a warning: if you break it, you’ll have to fix it or buy it. That’s just simple logic.

But that’s not the way our Savior-God operates. The prophet Isaiah tells us that he freely pardons sin, and then God tells us why: “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” In other words, God doesn’t operate with a human standard of justice. No, our Savior thinks outside the box.

The psalmist wrote, “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him” (Psalm 115:3). And what pleases him? It pleases him to be merciful to sinners like you and me. He “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). What’s that truth? He desires mercy, not sacrifice (Matthew 9:13).

So when our creator God saw that we sinfully broke everything—his perfect creation and our perfect relationships with him and one another—he didn’t ask us to pony up ourselves. He paid the awful price himself. He sacrificed his greatest treasure, his Son, to make restitution for what we destroyed. By his death on the cross, Jesus paid for our shattering sins “once for all” (Hebrews 7:27). He declares sinners perfect!

That’s called thinking outside the box.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me marvel in the fact that by your death and resurrection, you declare me what I am not: perfect. Amen.

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

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

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

Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Isaiah 55:7

An Everlasting Warranty

Daily Devotion – October 7, 2020

Devotion based on Isaiah 55:7

See series: Devotions

It would be nice to know that once something is fixed, it’s fixed forever. But it doesn’t usually work that way. Things break. We fix them. Then they break again. Eventually, we buy a new one. Even when companies provide a lifetime warranty on their products, there’s normally a catch. The fine print neatly hides the limits involved.

Do God’s promises come with fine print, with strings attached? Sadly, many people believe that because there are many who teach that. Their shtick normally goes a little bit like this: “God is a loving God who wants to forgive you. All you have to do is … (fill in the blank).” In other words, they suggest that God’s forgiveness involves some fine print. There are strings attached.

But that’s simply not true. God doesn’t base his forgiveness on what we do or don’t do. His forgiveness is not remotely tied to us being a certain way or achieving a certain standard. If that were true, how could we ever know whether God really forgives us, whether we’ve cleared the bar?

The Bible assures us that, in Jesus, God has forgiven the sins of the world. John the Baptist once pointed to Christ and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and the apostle John of him, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). That means you. In Christ Jesus, God forgives you of every sin. Believe it. It’s true.

And that’s why, through his prophet Isaiah, the Lord urges us to forsake our evil ways and turn to him. Not because he will then forgive us. He already has! He wants us to know with certainty that “he will have mercy on (us) . . . for he will freely pardon.” That’s no limited, lifetime guarantee. That’s an everlasting warranty, purchased “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). God’s forgiveness is waiting for you!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, give me confidence that, though I am sinful, you freely forgive me for Jesus’ sake. 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.

Call on him while he is near.
Isaiah 55:6

Give Me a Call

Daily Devotion – October 6, 2020

Devotion based on Isaiah 55:6

See series: Devotions

“If you need anything, just give me a call.”

It’s nice to know—isn’t it?—that help is just a call away. When you need someone to let the dog out because you’re in the middle of a project, you can call the kids to do it. Or when you need someone to get that jar of pickles off the top shelf, you can call your long-armed husband. And while you hope you never have to do it, even as kids we’re taught to dial 9-1-1 in case of a fire or other serious emergency. It’s reassuring to know that help is just a call away.

Telephones have made it easier to call other people for help, but they haven’t improved the communication lines we have with our Savior-God. In our time of need, we do not need to raise our voice so that he can hear our cry for help. The psalmist reminds us that God is everywhere. “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:8-10). Jesus has made us a most certain promise, “Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (Psalm 50:15). It’s those kinds of assurances that prompted the prophet Isaiah to urge God’s people, “Call on him while he is near.”

Does Isaiah mean to suggest there are times when God is not nearby? Hardly. But what the prophet is implying is that too often we are ready to cut the lines of communication with the One who helps us best. Not only do we fail to call on him in our times of need; more tragically, we fail to listen confidently to his eternal promises and be assured of his saving presence and power, now and forever. “Never will I leave you,” Jesus says. “Never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

Salvation is that near, that certain, that perfect! Jesus says, “Give me a call.”

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, through your Holy Spirit, give me strength to call on you and trust your promises now and forever. 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.

Seek the LORD while he may be found.
Isaiah 55:6

Looking for Jesus In All the Right Places

Daily Devotion – October 5, 2020

Devotion based on Isaiah 55:6

See series: Devotions

We don’t know much about Jesus’ childhood from the Bible. Only the books of Luke and Matthew tell us anything about baby Jesus, and when it comes to Jesus’ childhood, we know even less.

What’s interesting about the accounts we have, however, is that almost every one includes people searching for Jesus. The shepherds were told by the Christmas angel to seek out a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. They said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about” (Luke 2:15). When the wise men, or magi, mistakenly arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2), they were redirected to Bethlehem because of what the prophet Micah predicted (Micah 5:2). When the magi later duped a jealous King Herod, he became enraged. An angel warned Joseph that “Herod is going to search for the child to kill him” (Matthew 2:13), and he urged Jesus’ stepfather to escape to Egypt. And when the twelve-year-old Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem unbeknownst to his parents, Mary and Joseph spent three days searching for Jesus before finally finding him at the temple. “Why were you searching for me?” Jesus asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).

What do all those accounts demonstrate? That it’s natural for us to look for Jesus in all the wrong places. When searching for the Lord, we imagine that we should be looking out for something visually spectacular. After all, it’s God, right? And God must be easy to spot because he’s big, grand, and glorious.

Well, yes, he is. But when God calls on us, as he does through the prophet Isaiah, to “seek the LORD while he may be found,” he wants us to go looking for Jesus in all the right places. And where will we find him? In his Word, the Bible, where we learn of his unconditional love for sinners like us, his perfect forgiveness of the sins of the world, and his promise of everlasting life to those who place their trust in Jesus alone.

Prayer:
Jesus, guide me to look for you in all the right places. Send me to your Word, where I know you’ll be found. 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.

One thing I ask of the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4

You Can Trust Me

Daily Devotion – October 4, 2020

Devotion based on Psalm 27:4

See series: Devotions

What if you could only ask for one thing from God when you prayed? What would it be? Would you ask for health for yourself or your loved ones? Would you ask for wealth? Power? Prestige? Perhaps you would ask for world peace or personal success.

There are so many things for which we might pray. And we honor God when we ask him for his help. We demonstrate that we trust he is able to answer our prayers. But, if you could ask for just one thing, what would it be?

Long ago, a man named King David gave an interesting answer to this question when he wrote Psalm 27. Listen again to what he wrote, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.”

Isn’t that something? The main thing David wanted was to be in God’s house—a member of God’s family. He knew that as a member of God’s family, he had everything he needed—God’s love, forgiveness, and care. As long as he was a member of God’s family, he would be fine.

May this be our prayer as well—that what matters to us most, what we ask from him more than anything else, is that he keep us close to him so that we can continue to marvel at his beauty—the beauty of his love, his forgiveness, his care and concern for us. What could be better?

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, this one thing I ask: that I may dwell in your house all the days of my life. Amen.

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

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

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

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. . . . He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
Psalm 103:8,10

Forgiveness

Daily Devotion – October 3, 2020

Devotion based on Psalm 103:8,10

See series: Devotions

As the story goes, a king was in the process of taking over the throne. As part of taking over, he made a list of all his friends and his enemies. He placed a mark in front of the name of everyone who had tried to keep him from becoming king. When those whose names were marked heard about the list, they were terrified. They were convinced that their days on this earth were numbered because the king would certainly take revenge and do so soon.

Then they learned that the mark before each of their names was a cross. It was put there by the king to remind him of the love that Christ had shown to him and the love he needed to show to others—especially his enemies.

The king had taken to heart the truth expressed in Psalm 103:10. “The LORD does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”

God does not seek revenge. His goal is not to get even with us for breaking his commandments. He doesn’t treat us as we deserve. Instead of getting even and making us pay for our sins, God punished Jesus, his Son. In effect, God placed a cross by each of our names. The cross assures us that he loves us! Through the cross, God proclaims, “You don’t have to be afraid! I’ve forgiven you!”

Prayer:
Dear Lord, I join the psalmist in praising you for not treating me as I deserve. In your love and compassion, you have forgiven my sins. Thank you for taking my sins to the cross! Thank you, Jesus, for dying for them! In your name, dear Lord, I pray. Amen.

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

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

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

“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.”
Matthew 18:28-30

Empowered to Forgive

Daily Devotion – October 2, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 18:28-30

See series: Devotions

In Matthew 18 Jesus told a story about a servant who owed his master billions of dollars. Remarkably, his master forgave his debt—all of it.

And so, it’s with surprise—and maybe even anger—that we hear Jesus tell us that this servant who had been forgiven so much refused to forgive a fellow servant who owed him a debt. He demanded repayment, then imprisoned him when the man could not pay. How could he be so thankless? He’d been forgiven so much. How could he fail to forgive?

Jesus wants us to see ourselves in this servant. God has forgiven you and me for so much. Over and over again, he has forgiven our sins. Yet we often struggle to forgive those who sin against us.

Jesus was not suggesting that the sins people have committed against us are insignificant. Those sins are serious. Those sins hurt. This is why it is so difficult for us to forgive.

What will empower us to forgive, even those sins which caused such deep hurt? It will be the reminder that God has forgiven us over and over and over and over again. God has never stopped forgiving us. He never will! He has forgiven us for our entire mountain of sin-debt!

And when we’re reminded of the greatness of God’s forgiveness for us, we will be empowered to forgive those who have sinned against us.

Prayer:
Remind me, O Savior, that you have forgiven me richly; lead me to richly forgive others. 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 servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.”
Matthew 18:27

A Cancelled Debt

Daily Devotion – October 1, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 18:27

See series: Devotions

The servant in Jesus’ story owed his master a debt he could never possibly repay. In today’s dollars, it was billions of dollars. Those listening to Jesus’ story must have been on the edge of their seats, wondering what happened to the man. Surely, he was thrown in debtors’ prison or sold with his family into slavery so that his master might at least recover a portion of his debt.

But, as he so often did, Jesus concluded his story with a shocking ending. The master took pity on his servant, canceled his debt, and let him go.

Jesus used this story to illustrate what our God has done for us. We have racked up a debt with him that we could never possibly pay. That’s how the Bible describes our sins against God—as spiritual debt. Jesus wants us to understand that we could never possibly make up for what we have done wrong.

But he could. And he did. Jesus paid our debt in full when he went to the cross. He suffered what we should have suffered for our sins. And, because he did, God forgives what we owe him. Every single time you and I have lied, cheated, stolen, been selfish or uncaring—that debt is canceled. Every single time you and I have failed to fear God, to love God, to trust in God—that debt is canceled. Every single time you and I have failed to love our neighbors as ourselves, failed to love our spouse or parents or children—that debt is canceled.

And how do you know? You know because Jesus has told you. When he died, he didn’t say, “It is started.” Rather, he said, “It is finished.” And by saying that, he was telling you that your debt has been paid for. Every single bit.

Prayer:
Dear Savior, thank you for your saving love and your willingness to pay my debt in full. 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.