Author: Kerry

[Jesus said] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
Matthew 13:44

Heaven is Like a Treasure

Daily Devotion – July 12, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 13:44

See series: Devotions

Imagine the gas station down the street had a winning lottery ticket worth millions and millions of dollars, and you were the only person who knew about this. You would buy the whole gas station if that is what it took for you to get your hands on that lottery ticket!

In Bible times, before banks existed like they do today, wealthy people would often bury a portion of their wealth in the ground where no one else would know about this hidden treasure. If the person died, the buried treasure would remain underground and unclaimed. Can you imagine accidentally stumbling across it? You would immediately buy that field so you could get your hands on that treasure of wealth.

By his perfect life, innocent death, and triumphant resurrection, Jesus has bought for you the priceless treasure of forgiveness for all sins and a perfect, joy-filled life in heaven that will have no end. It is a treasure unlike any other. It is a treasure worth more than all the wealth in this world.

And that was the point Jesus was making with his story of the man and the field. The man sold his possessions to buy the field because the treasure in that field was worth far more than everything he owned, combined. Jesus wants us to understand that what he gives us is worth more than everything else in our lives, combined. So, it only makes sense for us to be willing to lose everything, if that is what it takes, to stay close to Jesus.

If there are times you find yourself giving something up to follow Jesus—your time, a relationship, a job—know that what you are getting in return is worth far, far more.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, how truly blessed I am to have you as my priceless treasure. Help me always to recognize that you are worth more than all the gold and glitter the world can offer. 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.

[Elijah] replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
1 Kings 19:14

The Only One

Daily Devotion – July 11, 2020

Devotion based on 1 Kings 19:14

See series: Devotions

Sometimes the characters of the Bible—people like Noah, Abraham, Moses—might seem larger than life: fearless, faithful, and forceful fortifications of faith, relentless and unruffled no matter what tried to rouse them. But that’s just not accurate.

In fact, one of God’s representatives in the Old Testament, a man named Elijah, was so depressed and discouraged with the direction of his ministry and life that he ran away to a cave and exclaimed, “I am the only one left” (1 Kings 19:14).

Do you ever have an “Elijah moment”? Do you ever feel that you are “the only one left”? The only one among your friends or neighbors who tries to reflect God’s value system? The only one who has pressures and problems that you do? The only one who feels overwhelmed at what needs to get done and under-equipped to get it done?

When you have those moments, there is a better alternative than running away to a cave and indulging in self-pity. In those tough times, you can look to Jesus—the only One who could (and did!) forgive all of your sins. The only One who knows your every need and promises to help and never leave you. The only One who loved you enough to die on a cross so that you might live forever with him. The only One worthy to be called your Savior—the only Jesus.

Come out of your cave. Look at the cross. Bask in the peace of your Savior and live in the light of his larger than life love.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for sending your one and only Son, Jesus. He is the only One able to stand up underneath the pressures I cannot. He is the only One in whom I find salvation. Lead me to always live in the light and joy of his glory. 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] “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32

Jesus Acknowledges You Before God

Daily Devotion – July 10, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 10:32

See series: Devotions

It feels good to be recognized, doesn’t it? When you’ve put a lot of work in on something, it is nice when others notice. It hurts to be overlooked.

I have a confession to make. There is someone so important in my life, someone who has accomplished so many important things that I could never have done on my own, but someone whom I often fail to acknowledge.

That someone is my Savior, Jesus. When I do good things and things go well in my life, I want to take the credit. And I often want to take the credit when it comes to my relationship with God. I imagine that God loves me and accepts me for who I am. I act as if God should have my name on his wall of honor because I’ve done so much for him.

But the reality is, it is not about me. The Bible says that, unless I’m perfect, I don’t deserve praise or blessings from God. And I’m not perfect. I’ve stolen honor from Jesus by taking the credit for the good that I’ve done and the good things that have happened in my life. I’ve failed Jesus by keeping quiet when I had the opportunity to share the hope and peace I have because of him.

Why would Jesus want anything to do with me, when so often I’ve acted as if I didn’t know him or need him?

But, instead of disowning me, Jesus died for me. Instead of forsaking me, Jesus forgives me. Instead of acting as if he doesn’t know me, Jesus calls me his own and prays for me before God’s throne in heaven. And he does the same for you.

He is not ashamed of you. He gave his life to forgive everything you’ve done wrong. Now he stands before God and says, “I died for him. I died for her. I have given them faith to know and trust me as their Savior. These are your forgiven children.”

Remembering that he speaks my name in heaven gives me the courage and confidence to speak his name to others.

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for calling me by name before God in heaven. Help me tell others about 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] “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Matthew 10:29-31

Safe in His Care

Daily Devotion – July 9, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 10:29-31

See series: Devotions

My wife and I love a good deal. Those big signs above the clearance racks or those special tags on marked down food on the shelf draw us in. Resale shops and websites give us the chance to save money but still have what we need or want. Those things may not be worth much to those selling them, but they are to us.

Do you ever feel like you are on the clearance rack of this world? Cast aside as unwanted. Thrown in a box with clothes that are out of style and toys that the kids don’t play with anymore. Marked down in price or piled on the curb for the garbage truck to haul away.

If we trust in Jesus, other people might view us and treat us that way—like worthless trash. But it shouldn’t really surprise us. That’s how they treated Jesus. To many, he was worthless. They wanted to get rid of him as quickly as they could. And so they killed him.

But God hadn’t forgotten Jesus, his Son. And he won’t forget you. What could be more precious to God than his own perfect Son? And yet, he loved you so much that he willingly gave up his own Son for you. He let his Son bleed and die to forgive every imperfection in your life that makes you unworthy of his love. God put a price on your soul that only he could afford to pay, and then he paid that price willingly.

The truth is, God cares about everything he made, even the smallest sparrows. But you have even more proof of his love. For you, God gave up his own Son. For you, God paid with his own life. And so, you know that he will always love you. He will always care for you. The world may toss you aside as worthless, but your God never will. You are safe in your Father’s care.

Prayer:
Father, when I feel worthless and unwanted, comfort me with your priceless love and perfect care. 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] “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.”
Matthew 10:27

Shout It From the Rooftops

Daily Devotion – July 8, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 10:27

See series: Devotions

Can you keep a secret?

Often, when people trust us with important information, they don’t want us to tell anyone else. Sharing their secrets would violate their trust. Sharing their secrets might cause harm to them or others.

But what if you knew a secret that could help a lot of people? If you knew the cure for cancer—or this year, the cure for the coronavirus, COVID-19—wouldn’t you want everyone to know about it?

The Bible tells us a secret that can do more than stop a pandemic. It tells us the secret to eternal life. Eternal life comes because of a man named Jesus who was not just a man, but the Son of God. It tells us how Jesus did nothing wrong. He only showed perfect love. He only spoke perfect truth. And yet he was opposed, ridiculed, arrested, put on trial, and killed. But he rose again.

Jesus promises that, when he died an innocent death, he accepted the death penalty that we deserve for our disobedience. Jesus promises that, because he came back from the dead, death will not hold us either. After we die, Jesus will raise us from the dead. And all who know him as their Savior will live with him forever.

It’s no secret. But there are many who want us to act like it is. They tell us to keep it to ourselves. They tell us Jesus isn’t for everyone. But Jesus tells us otherwise. He loved us enough to die for us. He rose from the dead and lives again. He did it for you, for me, for everyone. And he wants everyone to know about it.

That’s why we share these devotions with you. We want you to know what we know. And we want you to share with others the good news you’ve heard. Speak it. Share it. Shout it from the rooftops!

Prayer:
Jesus, living Savior, you let me in on the secret that you came to die and rise again for me. Give me faith to believe it and the courage to share the good news! 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.

If the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
Romans 5:15

From One to All

Daily Devotion – July 7, 2020

Devotion based on Romans 5:15

See series: Devotions

“Now you’ve ruined it for everyone.” One student breaks the rules, and the whole class has to stay in from recess. One sibling is careless, and now no one can play with the broken toy.

One trespass. One act of disobedience. That’s all it took. There were only two people in the world at the time—Adam and his wife Eve. God gave them one command: “Don’t eat the fruit from that one tree. If you do, you will surely die.”

They didn’t listen. They thought they knew better. They disobeyed. From that moment on, they were no longer able to obey God’s commands. They deserved God’s wrath. Eventually, they would face physical death. And unless something was done about it, eternal punishment in hell would follow. And every one of their descendants inherited their disobedient spirit and the deadly consequences that come with it. And that includes you and me.

But something was done about it. We can’t make up for the wrong we do—not before God. But God gave us something we didn’t deserve. He gave us a gift—the gift of his own Son. Jesus, God’s Son, undid the devastating effects of Adam’s disobedience and our disobedience that followed.

Jesus took the blame for Adam’s disobedience and ours. Jesus accepted the consequences for every act, word, and thought that fails to meet God’s demands. And he made right what was oh so wrong.

Because Jesus was the perfect Son of God, the price he paid with his life was enough to count for everyone—for Adam and all of his descendants, for you and for me.

Adam ruined it, but so do we whenever we disobey God’s commands. But Jesus fixed it. He removes every wrong we’ve done and replaces it with the right things he did. He accepts our death and gives us his life.

Now, something far better than recess time or a favorite toy is ours. Now, we get to live forever as forgiven children of God surrounded by God’s love.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in overflowing love, you sent your Son to undo what my sins have done. For this I praise and 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.

I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.
Acts 23:6

Hope on Trial

Daily Devotion – July 6, 2020

Devotion based on Acts 23:6

See series: Devotions

The criminal justice system is meant to punish those who do wrong and protect those who do right. When it works properly, it provides peace and order in society. It preserves rights and freedoms.

But it doesn’t always work properly. Personal and political agendas interfere. Corruption conceals evidence and clouds judgment.

That is what was happening in the first century. The apostle Paul, a pastor and missionary, had been arrested. A mob of Jewish patriots wanted him dead. They accused him of opposing traditions and inciting riots.

But what they were really against was not Paul himself but the one he believed in. The one in whom he put his hope. The one whose life and death and resurrection was the heart of the message he proclaimed.

If you are a Christian, you may sometimes feel like you are being put on trial for your faith. The Bible claims truths that the world denies. Christians are ridiculed for believing things that the world calls outdated and out of touch.

But at the heart of it all is Jesus. Jesus was not just a moral teacher. He was the one who perfectly fulfilled God’s perfect moral code. Jesus was not just an innocent victim of a corrupt society. He was the one who willingly suffered death for crimes he didn’t commit. But the most surprising and unbelievable thing that happened to Jesus was that he didn’t stay dead. He came back to life.

As soon as it happened, people denied it. They tried to cover it up. But they couldn’t change the truth. Jesus was alive. His mission was complete. His death accomplished the impossible. It put an end to death once and for all. Those who trust that Jesus died in their place have eternal life, no strings attached. When Jesus comes again, they will rise from the dead to live with him.

It sounds crazy. It sounds foolish. Many in the world will mock those who believe it. But it’s true. Jesus lives! And so will we. And because of that, we have hope. Eternal hope that no trial can take away.

Prayer:
Risen Jesus, when my faith and the truth are on trial before the world, help me to cling to the hope your resurrection gives 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.

For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
Romans 5:15

More Certain than Death

Daily Devotion – July 5, 2020

Devotion based on Romans 5:15

See series: Devotions

In a 1789 letter to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, Benjamin Franklin wrote, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

A famous and often-quoted statement, but not entirely true.

Taxes cannot be said to be certain. Ruling authorities may or may not require the payment of taxes. And when taxes are required, they can be avoided—sometimes legally, sometimes illegally. There may be consequences, but they can be avoided.

Death, on the other hand, is certain; it’s unavoidable. The Bible tells us that death came to all people. That happened when the first man, Adam, sinned. The result for Adam was death, “for the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The result for us is also death, for we are all born in Adam’s image—we are born sinful, and the wages of sin is still death.

Death reigns. People die. Benjamin Franklin got that right. Yet there is something else that is certain. What’s that? God’s grace and the gift that comes by his grace through Jesus. “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

God’s grace to you is absolutely certain. It is embodied in the person of his Son. It is enacted through Jesus’ life. It is sealed in Jesus’ blood. It is guaranteed by his resurrection from the dead. And it is yours! By faith in Jesus, the gift of eternal life is yours!

Prayer:
O Lord, thank you for your undeserved love and the gift that comes by your grace—the gift of life through Jesus. May I live today in confidence, knowing that death has been overcome and life reigns. Through 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.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

Real Freedom

Daily Devotion – July 4, 2020

Devotion based on Galatians 5:1

See series: Devotions

Today, citizens of the United States of America celebrate freedom. The Fourth of July is Independence Day—the day which marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Freedom is a blessing we hold dear and defend boldly. Our nation’s armed forces are of one mind, that protecting our freedom is worth dying for. We are what our national anthem proudly proclaims: “the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

But are we really free? Whoever we are and wherever we live, are we free from what really matters? On our own we are not free; all people are very much slaves. We find ourselves to be slaves to sin, and on our own, we cannot break its shackles. We are slaves to our sinful nature and cannot live a day, an hour, even a minute without our sinful nature rearing its ugly head. Thoughts that pass through our heads, words that come flowing from our mouths, self-serving deeds that we scheme to carry out—they all show our true nature. They all show just how much we are slaves to sin.

Thankfully, Jesus broke the shackles of sin and Satan. Jesus has forgiven those sinful thoughts of our minds, the devious actions from our hearts, the careless and hate-filled words that we speak. He forgives us because he lived up to God’s sinless standard for us. Then Jesus willingly and lovingly allowed the punishment we deserved to be placed on him. On the cross, Jesus endured our death and hell. When he burst forth from Easter’s tomb, he shattered the chains of sin and death.

In Jesus, we have eternal life with God. That’s something that no power on earth or scheme of man can ever take away. That’s real freedom!

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for the real and true freedom that you give me in Jesus. Thank you for the blessings that I enjoy and the freedom to worship you. Keep safe those who celebrate this weekend and help me to never forget that real, lasting, eternal freedom is mine 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.

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Matthew 10:1

Messengers

Daily Devotion – July 3, 2020

Devotion based on Matthew 10:1

See series: Devotions

Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson—ever heard any of those names before? Most likely. Not only are they some of the NBA’s best, but they also played together on the 1992 Men’s Olympic basketball team. When NBA players were given the green light to play in the Olympics, the players selected were professional basketball’s best scorer, best passer, best defender, best shooter, and best rebounder. They were known as the Dream Team.

You would think, with so much hanging in the balance, that Jesus would have assembled a “dream team” of disciples. This was a one of a kind moment in history. God had come to save the world. And his gospel would need to go out from there across hundreds of nations, over thousands of years, to billions of people.

But Jesus didn’t put together the dream team. How surprising, how unexpected! Instead, he called people to be his disciples who didn’t always “get it” and didn’t always have all the answers. Jesus called people with emotional baggage, character flaws, checkered pasts, confidence issues, and family drama. He had come not to call the healthy but the sick. And he started by calling these disciples.

Perhaps it’s obvious how much the disciples he called to follow him have in common with the people he calls to follow him today. A dream team of disciples we are not. That’s not denying that God’s people indeed have a variety of gifts and talents. What it is saying is that we don’t have to be supermen or superwomen to be useful in God’s kingdom.

Our names won’t find their way into any history books, most likely. They probably won’t mean much to people who live 100 years from now. But we can make a big difference in the lives of the people around us right now as Jesus works through us in their lives. So we follow him as the disciples did—learning from him, caring like him, serving for him. Superstars? Not at all. We’re just happy to be on the team.

Prayer:
What a privilege it is to be called your disciples, Lord Jesus. Bless me in my service! 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.