Author: Kerry

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9

A Heart That Remembers

Daily Devotion – September 6, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:9


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“Don’t forget!” A child needs to be reminded to do his chores because he easily forgets. But he doesn’t forget that his parents promised to buy him a treat next time the ice cream truck comes by. We’re more eager to remember the things we want and quicker to forget things that seem like chores.

God was telling his people not to forget what their eyes have seen and not let them fade from their hearts. What had they seen? They had seen God rescue them from Egypt, and he was about to bring them into the Promised Land. Don’t forget! And don’t just know it; take it to heart! Years later, God would deliver us and all people in a greater way. He sent his Son, Jesus, to save us and the world from sin. Though we did not see Jesus die in our place and though we did not see his empty tomb as a sign of a promise kept, God grants us faith to know and believe that he did! He makes those blessings of salvation personally ours in baptism—what Jesus did, he did for you!

Don’t forget! Don’t forget how much your Savior loves you. Don’t forget all that he’s done for you. Don’t forget his Word that guides you through life. Don’t forget. How could we? When we grow to love and depend on something so vital, how could we forget. The more we listen to our Savior’s words, the more we appreciate what he has done. It’s not a chore. It’s a relief! We remember and take to heart Jesus and his Word. The Spirit is at work in the Word to give us a heart that truly remembers and personally takes to heart all that our Savior has done. God grants us hearts to cling to his promises as we walk through this life on our way to heaven, the Promised Land.

Prayer:
Lord, strengthen my faith to remember and take to heart all that you have done and equip me to teach the next generation. Amen.

Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?
Deuteronomy 4:6,7

A Heart That Beams With Joy

Daily Devotion – September 5, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:6,7


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When you ask an engineer how his machine works, he lights up and is eager to share his knowledge and expertise. When a child learns something new, she can’t wait to share what she knows. We don’t want to hide what we are passionate about. We are eager to share knowledge of what we believe is important.

As God’s people, past and present, live their lives, their hearts beam with joy, eager to share what we know to be true and eternally important. Following Jesus and his commands is not about a rigorous religious life trying to appease a harsh god. We don’t serve out of fear. We live in the freedom of sins forgiven! Our joy comes from what God has done for us. Jesus drew near to humanity when he became truly human. He made known to us the true God and his salvation. He rescued us from sin by his life, death, and resurrection and made us his holy people. He is not distant. He is real, and he is near.

Our passion is to live for the one who lived and died and rose for us! As we walk in God’s ways and follow him with a joyful heart, we are letting the knowledge of Jesus and his salvation shine to the world around us. The lives we live are not so that people will praise us. We live so that we and others may praise our God and Savior. We don’t wish to blend into the world. We want to let our speech and lives reflect our faith that God has saved us and that he is with us. We want to eagerly answer those who wonder who God is and how he works. We want to share the joy of knowing Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord, fill my heart with the joy that comes from your salvation that I may serve and follow you. Amen.

Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
Deuteronomy 4:1,2

A Heart That Trusts

Daily Devotion – September 4, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:1,2


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I like to cook, but I don’t always like to follow recipes. Sometimes, I leave out a key ingredient or substitute a more common one. Other times, I add a twist. Sometimes it works. Sometimes, it’s a disaster.

Adding our own flavor and interpretation to God’s Word, substituting an idea that’s more common today, taking away things we find unappetizing, or adding our own twist to make it more palatable is a recipe for disaster. Taking away something can take away the comfort we have in Jesus! Adding something can add a burden of guilt and uncertainty.

That’s why God’s Word comes with a warning—do not add or subtract. That would be a recipe for disaster. He gives this warning because he wants what’s best for us. “Just trust me!” God says. Trust the words that God has spoken. Trust that he knows what is best for us because he designed and created us to live as his children. Trust that he knows how best to bless and meet our spiritual needs because he became human, walked in our shoes, and then died to save us. Trust his royal decree that declares us forgiven and made holy because of Jesus.

Rather than being cooks in the kitchen trying to concoct our own philosophies and teachings, God invites us to feast on his every word. He invites us to sit at his table and feeds us all that our souls need. He feeds us free of charge because Jesus has picked up the tab. We savor every morsel of God’s Word because it nourishes our souls and satisfies us like nothing else. We follow him with a heart that trusts every word that he speaks.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the price you paid and giving me an endless serving of your grace. Amen.

Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Romans 10:4

A Heart Transformed

Daily Devotion – September 3, 2024

Devotion based on Romans 10:4


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We all set goals in life. We might set goals in stages to make them more realistic. We want to transform our health and habits. We want to grow in our abilities. Yet, we struggle to meet the goals that we set for ourselves. How much more have we struggled to meet the goals God has set?

The goal of God’s law is summed up in this way: Love the Lord and love your neighbor. God’s law set the bar as high as it can go—perfection! Be perfect and follow God’s law of love perfectly. God sets the goal he wants us to aim for, but we’ve missed the mark. God’s goal is for us to live righteous and perfect lives, free from sin, but we haven’t. That’s the law.

Here’s the gospel, the good news: Jesus Christ has met God’s righteous goal as our Savior and substitute! Jesus met the goal that we never could. Jesus hit the mark that we’ve so often missed. Jesus loved the Lord with all his heart. As true God and also true man, he placed himself under his own law and did what his Father asked him to do—to keep the law perfectly and then to die for us who haven’t perfectly kept it. In this, Jesus met the goal of the law and loved God and us. Perfectly.

This good news transforms our hearts. In Jesus, we are finally declared righteous (right with God). It’s as though we’d never sinned because Jesus kept the law and died in our place. Our hearts are transformed, so we no longer have to hide from God in fear. Instead, we can run to him in confidence, knowing that he loves and accepts us through faith in his Son.

We follow Jesus not because he’s like some life coach who helps us set more realistic goals and achieve them. He doesn’t simply show us the way. We follow him because he is the way, the truth, and the life. We follow him with a heart transformed by his love.

Prayer:
Lord, continue to transform my heart with your gospel so that I may follow you eagerly from the heart. Amen.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.
Romans 9:30-32

A Restless Heart

Daily Devotion – September 2, 2024

Devotion based on Romans 9:30-32


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Two children carry out the same chores around the house. They abide by the same rules and curfews. For one child, it’s grueling. From his perspective, it sucks the joy out of life. He can’t wait to move out, but meanwhile, he grins and bears it and does what is expected. The other child enjoys the blessings of a safe home, three square meals, and loving parents. He keeps the same rules, but it doesn’t seem to be a burden. He sees it as a reasonable expectation and a blessing to have parents that care that much.

They keep the same rules, but they have very different attitudes. This illustration really describes Christians just before and after becoming Christians. Before they became a child of God, they knew to some extent the basic rules—don’t murder, don’t steal, be kind, speak positively. However, apart from Jesus, these seem more of a burden than a blessing. Even now, at times, their hearts trend back to a natural way of thinking. If they think it depends on their work of keeping the rules to be right with God (that’s what righteousness means), then it becomes a burden too heavy to carry. Their hearts become restless and ragged. How can they ever know if they’ve done enough? How can they ever do enough? They can’t, but Jesus, our Savior, has!

God, our Father, has forgiven their sins and made them his children not because of their works but because of his great love. This changes everything. God lifted the burden too heavy for any of us to carry. He declared us righteous (right with him) by grace, through faith, and not by works. It’s this love that gives people a new perspective. They follow their Savior from the heart because they see that they are loved and provided for by a gracious God. Their hearts find rest in him!

Prayer:
Lord, my heart was restless until I found my rest in your loving forgiveness. Amen.

Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you. . . Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
Deuteronomy 4:1,2,6

Too Strict?

Daily Devotion – September 1, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:1,2,6


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“Your parents sure are strict.” I remember hearing this often as a child. My parents had simple rules: If they told me to do something, I should do it. If they told me not to do something, then I shouldn’t. Looking back, I don’t know if I’d classify them as strict. I think my parents simply had expectations.

Yet, I was resentful of those expectations sometimes. My parents’ expectations seemed to limit my fun. It was hard for me as a child to see that my parents always had my best interests in mind. It was hard to see the wisdom in their expectations.

We’re tempted to look at God’s laws that way sometimes, aren’t we? We are tempted to subtract those parts that are unpopular or counter cultural. Satan whispers in our ears, “God is restricting your freedom with all these laws!” Except, just the opposite is true.

In our Bible reading for today, we read, “Follow them so that you may live.” Except we can’t follow them perfectly! That’s why God sent his Son, Jesus, to keep all his commands perfectly for us. He came so we can have life, life to the full. Just sit back and think for a minute: When has God ever done anything that wasn’t ultimately for your good? Every command God gives us, even the ones that are unpopular for many, are for our good. Following those commands doesn’t restrict our freedom, it shows our wisdom. Following all of God’s commands is a way to say “thank you” to God for all his blessings.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me life by offering the life of your Son, Jesus, in my place. Help me live according to all of your commands which I know are for my good. Amen.

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
John 6:66-68

The Words of Eternal Life

Daily Devotion – Augusts 31, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:66-68


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During the Revolutionary War, Ethan Allen made a name for himself as a capable colonel and the leader of the Green Mountain Boys. He was also widely known as a religious skeptic who had no use for the Christian faith. Allen’s wife, on the other hand, was a devout believer and taught their daughter about Jesus as the one who loves and saves sinners. It happened that the daughter fell seriously ill, and her father was summoned to her bedside. As the girl was nearing death, she took his hand and asked, “Father, should I believe what you have taught me or what I have learned from my mother?” The long moment of silence after her question must have felt like an eternity. Her father finally found his voice to say, “My child, believe what your mother has taught you.”

In the twists and turns of life, we can fool ourselves into thinking that there are any number of paths we can take and that any road will do. But when we are finally forced to face our end, with the prospect of where we will spend eternity, our viable options begin to dwindle very quickly. How will we stand before the Almighty on the great day of judgment? How can we hope to enter paradise when we have angered our Maker with our selfish deeds and self-centered lifestyles?

When we are faced with the reality that we, too, will one day die, we cannot ignore the question: “Where will you go? Whom will you follow?” May we, like Peter, answer, “I believe that Jesus has the words of eternal life. I believe that Jesus is eternal life.” His death for sinners has paid our debt. His rising from the grave assures us of God’s love. His word promises us forgiveness. Who else can give us these blessings but the eternal Son of God?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, keep my eyes and heart fixed on you through your Word. I have nowhere else to turn for blessings today and for salvation in eternity. Amen.

Jesus declared “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry.”
John 6:35

Real Food

Daily Devotion – August 30, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:35


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Over the past twenty years, a man named Michael Pollan has written books and given talks about finding good food to eat and avoiding bad food. He has a wonderful knack for avoiding all the nutritionist jargon. Instead, he works to keep his advice clear, simple, and practical. Over time, his words of wisdom have included: “Don’t eat anything with ingredients you cannot pronounce.” “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother would not recognize.” “Stay out of the middle of the supermarket. Shop on the perimeter of the store.” And finally, “Do not eat anything that won’t eventually rot.”

His pithy statements make the point. In our modern world of artificial ingredients and ultra-processed foods, be careful not to fill up your body with food that is not real. To do so is to invite malnutrition and a whole host of chronic health problems. Instead, stick to food that is real.

In this sinful, fallen world of lies and deceptions, spiritual junk food is all around me. There are all kinds of things I can consume to fill up the emptiness in my soul. I can fill it with pleasure. I can fill it with popularity. I can fill it with worldly success. I can fill it with alcohol and drugs. I can fill it with recreation and entertainment. I can fill it with a hobby. I can fill it with politics and current events. I can even try to fill the emptiness of my soul with food.

But it will not satisfy. It will not fill the void. Instead, it will only starve my soul. It will only push me further away from where I need to be. Such is the nature of sin—your sin and mine.

Enter Jesus. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry.” Only the one who has come to confront the ultimate problem of sin. Only the one who has our sin taken away at the cross. Only the one who has risen from death. Only he can fill your empty soul.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, apart from you my soul is empty. Fill me with your gospel. Wash me clean. Make me whole. Amen.

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:28,29

Presupposition

Daily Devotion – August 29, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:28,29


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Harry Houdini is, perhaps, the most famous magician of all time. As a magician, he knew the power of using people’s presuppositions to pull off magic tricks and great escapes. Even he, however, came to realize that his own presuppositions could mislead him. Houdini was on a European tour, and he came to Scotland. To promote his upcoming show, he asked local law enforcement shackle him and place him in a jail cell. The jailer did so, then left Houdini alone. Promptly, Houdini removed the shackles without a bit of trouble. Then he went to work on the jail cell door. This lock, however, did not respond. He tried all his usual methods. But no matter what he did, the workings of this lock refused to tumble.

Finally, feeling frustrated, Houdini leaned back against the door—and the door swung wide open. Only then did he realize his presupposition. Laboring to pick the lock, he had presumed that there was a lock to pick. The reality was that the jailer had never locked the door.

You and I, by nature, hold a presupposition, too. However, ours has far greater consequences than keeping us inside a jail cell. You and I presume that we can saunter into God’s presence just as we are. Oh, sure, we want to do what we can to live decent lives, but as long as we do that, everything between us and God should be just fine.

That is a deadly presupposition. It presumes that my sin is not serious. It presumes I can do what God requires to make up for any wrong I have done.

But such a presupposition does nothing about my sin. It will lead me to eternal separation from God, for the answer is not in me. The answer is Jesus. It is the perfect life he’s lived in my place. It is the death he died to wash me clean. He alone opens my jail cell. In him alone am I free.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive my sinful presuppositions. Cleanse me in your blood. Move me to rest in you alone. Amen.

[Jesus said] Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.
John 6:27

Food That Endures

Daily Devotion – August 28, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:27


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Food spoilage is not a pleasant subject. As we push our carts through the grocery aisles or sit in the booth of our favorite diner, the reality of food spoilage is not something we like to think about. Nevertheless, experts remind us that the moment food is harvested, that food begins to decompose. True, we can slow the process through chemicals, drying, refrigeration, and freezing, but the process continues. In the United States alone, people throw out about 150 tons of food per day. And very likely, each of us has experienced—or knows someone who has experienced—food poisoning from eating food that has broken down too much.

It’s a sobering thing when you think about it. The very substance we need to sustain our bodies is, as we eat it, in the process of spoiling, decomposing, and breaking down. It’s a vivid reminder of the broken world in which we live; a world broken by sin—your sin and mine.

Jesus knows all about this too. That’s why he tells us, “Do not work for food that spoils.” The answer to life is not consuming something that will break down and spoil. Rather, the answer must come from outside, beyond this dying world.

Jesus says, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” The food that endures to eternal life is Jesus himself. The food that endures to eternal life is the one who has lived a sinless life on our behalf, died on the cross for our every sin, risen from death, and now reigns in the glories of heaven.

In Jesus alone, we find what lasts, and there is life eternal. In Jesus alone, we possess an inheritance that will never perish, spoil, or fade.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in this sinful, fallen world, everything breaks, wears out, and spoils. In you alone, I possess what lasts forever. Move me to fix my eyes on you. Amen.