Author: Kerry

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Mark 1:14,15

A Different Kind of Kingdom

Daily Devotion – January 22, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 1:14,15


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Today’s Bible passage has an ominous start. John was the man sent by God to prepare people for the coming Savior. Why was he put in prison?

Because preparing people to meet Jesus meant confronting them with their sins, and not everyone appreciated that. When John called a king named Herod to repentance for his unlawful marriage, Herod put John in prison. The message was clear: in Herod’s kingdom, confronting sin could make you an enemy of the state.

Unknown to Herod, however, was the fact that the Savior had arrived. No sooner was John in prison than Jesus began preaching his own clear message: “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

His message is about a different kind of kingdom from Herod’s. It doesn’t have a set location because it is not a place; it is God’s saving activity among people. It is not characterized by ignoring sin or imprisoning its enemies. Instead, it is all about forgiving sin and turning its enemies into citizens.

Because of sin, all people enter this world hostile to God. Repentance changes that. When you repent, God changes how you think about sin. He makes you sorry for it and turns you away from it and toward himself. He is your King, who wore a crown of thorns and shed his blood on a cross to obliterate all your sins.

That good news characterizes this kingdom and is the reason why we need to be confronted with our sin so we will repent of it and believe the good news that we are forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Repentance is not a turning you do to yourself; it’s a turning Jesus’ Word does to you. Belief is not something you conjure up in yourself; it’s a gift that Jesus’ Word gives to you.

This King establishes his kingdom not by fighting, but by speaking. Remember, this is a different kind of kingdom. You are its citizen by the grace of God, by repentance and faith in the good news.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for bringing me into your kingdom. Amen.

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Mark 1:14-20

Come, Follow Me

Daily Devotion – January 21, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 1:14-20


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Jesus is a king who has a kingdom, and he calls us to follow him as our leader. We are usually suspicious of people who claim to be great leaders, especially political leaders like kings. We wonder if they are gathering a following so they might use their power over us. So, we are cautious about following those who claim to be great leaders.

But that is not what happened in Galilee 2,000 years ago. Jesus came proclaiming that he was a king who had a kingdom and that all people should follow him. Remarkably, men like Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John did. They left everything to follow Jesus.

They were willing to follow Jesus because he was a different kind of king with a different kind of kingdom. Instead of taking from people, he gave great blessings to people. Instead of gathering a following to control, he gathered a following to set them free. He didn’t rule to take the lives of others. He came to give up his life to rescue people from sin and death. That is why the first disciples were willing to give up everything and follow Jesus.

Now what about you? Are you willing to follow this King? Jesus’ kingdom is one of freedom and forgiveness. It is a kingdom of good news—the good news of eternal salvation.

Repent and follow Jesus your King!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are my King. I repent of all my sins before you. I ask you to wash them all away. And now teach me to follow you in all my ways that I might bring glory to your name! Amen.

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:13,14

Hold Tight to God’s Promises

Daily Devotion – January 20, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14


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Photos often capture that special moment in the hospital when parents hold their newborn child for the first time. Embodied in that first embrace is the selfless love parents strive to give their tiny, helpless child in the months and years that follow.

Photos could not capture the moment God first embraced us with his love. Long before God gave birth to the earth and all living things, through Jesus, he chose us to be his own. He knew us and loved us before time began.

How can we be sure that he chose us? We turn to the good news of the Bible. The Word comforts us with the message of the perfect life of Christ and the cross he willingly bore for us. His death and resurrection assure us that our sins are paid in full and that God’s eternal love for us endures!

God’s love is so great he even promises that we will share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. No photo can capture the splendor and joy that await us in our eternal home at our Savior’s side. Since God embraces us with endless love through Jesus, we are moved to give him endless thanks with our lips and our lives.

Prayer: (Christian Worship – A Lutheran Hymnal – 610)
Now thank we all our God with hearts and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, in whom his world rejoices, who from our mother’s arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love and still is ours today. Amen.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16,17

Eternal and Everyday Encouragement

Daily Devotion – January 19, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:16,17


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There are two kinds of encouragement the Lord gives us in our Bible verses today. One kind of encouragement is “eternal encouragement.” This is something God has already given us. Because we know Jesus is our Savior, we already have eternal encouragement. We are encouraged to know that God has a chair in heaven reserved for us with our name on it. This kind of encouragement is a done deal because Jesus has already died and risen from the dead for us. Our eternity is rock-solid and certain.

The other kind of encouragement God gives us is what we could call “everyday encouragement.” The apostle Paul prayed that the Lord would encourage the hearts of the Thessalonian believers. They had the eternal encouragement of heaven always in their hearts, but they also needed encouragement to face the trials of each and every day. They needed strength to carry out God’s will among their friends, neighbors, and even their enemies.

God gives you both eternal and everyday encouragement. You’ve got the big-picture hope of a life forever with Jesus. That kind of hopeful encouragement is always there. It is your safety net ready to catch you when big, bad things happen. But you’ve also got encouragement from God to live your everyday life according to his will. The Lord gives you his Word to be a lamp for your feet and a light for your path to make correct decisions. In his Word, God gives you countless stories of real people facing real situations so you can find something in common with one of them. You’ll also find favorite Bible passages that encourage you before a big test in life.

Whether you need big-time encouragement in the face of hardship or everyday encouragement for following God’s will for your life, God will have the kind of encouragement you need.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, you are the ultimate encourager for my soul. Keep me hopeful and encouraged for eternal life and everyday life. Amen.

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
2 Thessalonians 2:15

Hold on Tight

Daily Devotion – January 18, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:15


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If you’re treading water in the ocean during a storm, what would you do if someone threw you a life preserver right in front of you? You’d wrap your arms around it and cling to it with all your strength, wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t just hang onto it with your little pinky finger and hope you can be reeled in. You’d hold on as tight as you could to your lifeline.

The Christians in the city of Thessalonica were facing a great deal of persecution and hardship. The apostle Paul encouraged them to keep holding on tight to everything they had been taught. He told them to stand firm in the identity Christ had given them as forgiven children of God. He told them to hold fast to the Savior, who promised never to let them go.

We also want to hold tight to God’s Word. There, we find the good news of how we’ve been rescued by Christ. As we find ourselves adrift in the sea of sin and hardship, we know that only God can pull us to safety. He’s extended the lifeline of his Word. We wrap our minds and hearts tightly around his Word and cling to it like our eternal life depends on it, and it does.

God’s Word and promises won’t let us down or let us sink. And if we ever find ourselves in a similar situation to the Thessalonians, facing hardship and persecution, we learn, all the more, to cling tight to God and his Word.

Hold tight to God’s promises and trust that he will bring you to safety with him.

Prayer:
Dear rescuing Lord, I know that you have done everything necessary to save me. Help me hold tight to your Word and work. Amen.

He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:14

The Gospel Calls

Daily Devotion – January 17, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:14


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There are some calls you get that make your day. The doctor calls with the test results of your biopsy. “I’ve got good news! The test came back negative!” The supervisor calls after the interview. “You got the job!” The wife calls her husband while he’s at work because she can’t contain her excitement. “I’m pregnant! We’re having a baby!”

But when things in your life are going well, do you sometimes start bracing yourself for something bad to happen? We’ve learned that no good thing lasts forever in this world. We might convince ourselves that if things are going too well, that a fall is imminent. That’s not a very fun way to go through life. Yet, it’s true to a degree. In this world, we will have trouble and, eventually, bad news will come knocking on our door. The doctor calls with the biopsy results. “It’s positive….” The supervisor calls and says, “I’m sorry. Your position got eliminated.” The pregnancy test is negative again. So, the wife doesn’t bother calling her husband. We crave good news but are all too familiar with bad news.

But God’s good news, his gospel, is different. God’s good news isn’t something that lifts our spirits temporarily as we wait for more bad news to hit. God’s good news calls us into something permanent. We are called into a verdict of forgiveness because Jesus died to take away our sins. God’s good news calls us into the peace of knowing that we are at peace with God, our Creator. God’s good news has effects that stretch into eternity. We are called to salvation through the gospel so that we get to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus. In other words, we get to have eternal life in the glories of heaven.

God’s good news of our salvation in Christ calls us into a life that can face whatever bad news comes our way.

Prayer:
Merciful Father, you have shared the best news with me that Jesus is my Savior from sin and bad news. Help me to share this good news with others so they, too, can share in your glory. Amen.

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:13

God Put You in His Cart

Daily Devotion – January 16, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:13


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When you go shopping online, do you ever look at the reviews for products before buying them? If you came across an item that only got one-star reviews, would you choose to put it in your cart? No, you’d find something better.

God knows you. He knows everything about you. Yes, everything. He knows how many times you’ve sinned against him. He knows all the one-star reviews other people might have given you about the way you treated them. It would seem God knows too much about you to ever choose to put you in his “salvation” cart.

However, God put you in his cart anyway! He chose you to be his own. Jesus made the payment on the cross for you to be his own. God chose you, warts and all, to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and belief in the truth.

God putting you in his salvation cart had nothing to do with who you were and everything to do with who he is. He is a merciful and gracious God. He sent the Holy Spirit to you through his Word to plant the truth of the good news of Jesus in your heart. And, by grace, you believe in what God has done for you!

Prayer:
Gracious Lord, thank you for choosing me and saving me by your Holy Spirit’s work. Amen.

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord.
2 Thessalonians 2:13

Thankful for Brothers and Sisters

Daily Devotion – January 15, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:13


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Siblings sometimes have rocky relationships throughout life. Even siblings who get along well and frequently stay in touch likely had plenty of fights and disagreements through the years. A first child has a hard time adjusting to a new baby and having mom and dad split their attention. The youngest child has to watch his older siblings get all the new clothes and toys and gets stuck with the hand-me-downs. The middle child might feel lost in the shuffle and take out her frustrations on her siblings.

Within the family of believers, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. And we might feel the same way as siblings with blood ties. We get frustrated with one another. We don’t see eye to eye on many topics. We get into petty arguments and don’t feel like sharing. We give one another a cold shoulder.

But as Christians, we can always thank God for one another. We can always be thankful for our Christian brothers and sisters because they are loved by the Lord. Our Father in heaven would have every reason to be frustrated or disappointed with us, his children. We fail to listen to his Word and constantly get into pointless arguments with one another. But our Father loves each of his children all the same. If our Lord loves that Christian brother or sister we don’t get along with, we can love them, too. We can thank God that he has brought us all into his family despite our differences. Even if we don’t see eye-to-eye with a Christian brother or sister, we can still love them just as the Lord does. We can show kindness to each of our brothers and sisters because our Father first showed kindness to us in Christ.

Prayer:
Lord, we thank you for our Christian brothers and sisters. Help me to love them as much as you love me. Amen.

“The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
1 Samuel 3:10

I’m Listening!

Daily Devotion – January 14, 2024

Devotion based on 1 Samuel 3:10


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The ability to listen is fast becoming a “lost art.” In our culture of hyper-communication—cell phones, email, text messages—everyone is so busy talking that we don’t have time to listen. It is an attention deficit disorder of the ears. Few are unaffected by it.

But turn on a popular children’s movie, and the kids will sit for two hours without stirring. Sunday afternoons find many sitting in front of the television for three hours or more watching football. Apparently, the “listening disorder” is a rather selective thing.

Young Samuel—a boy who lived 3,000 years ago—had the right attitude when it came to God’s Word. Rather than argue with God or say, “Listen, Lord, your servant is speaking!” he humbly responded, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”

Whenever the Lord spoke, Samuel listened, even if it was only for a short time. It is in our best interest to do the same thing. God has so much to tell us in the Bible: how he loves us, how he can help us, how he has a gracious plan for our lives. Take some time today and listen!

Prayer:
Lord, give me willing ears to listen carefully to what you tell me in your Word. Amen.

And now the LORD says—he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength—he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah 49:5,6

Small Things

Daily Devotion – January 13, 2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 49:5,6


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A leading expert on stress, cardiologist Robert Eliot, gives the following prescription for dealing with stress: Rule number one is—don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule number two is—it’s all small stuff.

Looking back at your celebrations of Christmas and New Year’s, do you feel like much of what you did was hurried and stress-filled, yet ultimately all small stuff? Perhaps you are even feeling remorseful regret over not having made more of a season filled with opportunities for witness and worship. If you have sinned through selfish indulgence or wasted worship time, then behold, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10).

Entering our lives is the God of our salvation—Jesus, servant of the Lord. Jesus is the one who brings salvation to the ends of the earth. He came to rescue the world from sin.

That means he brings salvation to the homes of those who gathered and gifted until they had their fill but let Christmas and Christ pass by with little notice. It is a new year, and it is not too late to shake things up and change–to reflect upon the smallness of life here and the greatness of life hereafter.

The game-changer is Jesus. His plan and purpose is to bring salvation to the ends of the earth and gather us to himself. Don’t settle for small when you can marvel at great!

Prayer:
Gracious God, I marvel at the task you laid upon your Son to rescue and save me. By the Spirit, cause me to embrace and receive that salvation as my own. Amen.