Category: Daily Devotions

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Luke 23:40,41

A Perfect King

Daily Devotion – November 27, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 23:40,41

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In the account of Jesus’ suffering and death, we hear beautiful sermons uttered—sometimes unwittingly—by the most unlikely “preachers.” Think of the Romans soldiers mockingly proclaiming “Hail, King of the Jews!” as they crowned with thorns the One who was, in reality, the King of All Creation.

Furthermore, sometimes the unlikely preacher speaks from an unlikely pulpit—say…two chunks of wood fastened together to make a cross. The unlikely preacher and pulpit, however, don’t make the sermon any less profound in Luke 23, when one of the men crucified with Jesus utters, “This man has done nothing wrong.” A man whose life might very well have been filled with a chain of poor moral judgments definitely got this one right.

He was, of course, referring to their present situation. Jesus was an innocent man being executed for a crime he didn’t commit. But we know that the criminal’s words rang true on a much higher level. It wasn’t just that Jesus had done nothing wrong that day. The criminal’s statement was, in fact, an accurate description of every single day of Jesus’ life! This man had, literally, done nothing wrong.

If he didn’t have that, his willingness to die for us would be noble, but ultimately useless. We needed a perfect substitute to meet the demands of a perfect God. One little mistake, one errant thought, one careless word would have derailed the whole plan.

We stand in awestruck wonder, not just at the life that was offered up on the day Jesus died, but also of the 33 years of life that led up to the day. A perfect life was something we could never do for ourselves. So our King offered his perfect life as atonement for our sin. In response, we join our voices with another unlikely preacher—the Roman centurion—and we say, “Surely, this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)—knowing that he still is today.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are the King who graciously supplies the perfection God demands. Lead me to trust in you for that holiness and for everything else that I need. 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.

There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Luke 23:38

Paid in Full

Daily Devotion – November 26, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 23:38

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Some years ago, two women in Pennsylvania were convicted of stealing $80 in Walmart gift cards….from a sweet little nine-year-old girl….on her birthday. It seems the little girl was being helped by a clerk at Walmart when she set her birthday gift cards down on a shelf in the store. She took her eyes off of them just long enough for the cards to be pilfered. When the perpetrators were caught and convicted, their punishment was to stand outside the local courthouse for four and a half hours, holding huge signs so that every passer-by would know their crime. The signs read: “I stole from a nine-year-old on her birthday.”

Did Pontius Pilate have a public shaming in mind when he inscribed the sign on Jesus’ cross in the manner that he did? Probably so. It’s just that the sign may have been more of a jab at the Jewish leaders than an actual proclamation of the “crime” that Jesus had committed. Perhaps Pilate was trying to humiliate the Jews by pointing them to this broken man, hanging on a cross and proclaiming, “Hey, check out your king!” We don’t know the Roman governor’s motivations because the Bible doesn’t tell us.

But what we do know is this. The sign on the cross wasn’t big enough to cover all the crimes that Jesus was being punished for that day. Is there a sign big enough to proclaim all the sins of all people of time? 1 John 2:2 says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

The blood price to pay for the sins of the world was unimaginable. Only One person had the proper capital in his account to pay it—and that One was the very Son of God himself. He paid it not with gold or silver but with his holy precious blood and with innocent sufferings and death. It was truly a king’s ransom, but so great is his love, so unrelenting his desire to save sinners, that Jesus was willing to pay the price in full.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, a lifetime isn’t enough time for me to give you the thanks you deserve. Every day in every way, help me strive to treat you most royally. 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 people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
Luke 23:35

Fit for a King

Daily Devotion – November 25, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 23:35

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What an unexpected place to find a king! Lying not in a king-sized bed, but in a manger. Wrapped not in royal robes, but in cloths. Surrounded not by scholars, paparazzi, or dignitaries but by shepherds. Jesus’ first hours were not exactly fit for a king.

Fast forward 33 years. Again, what an unexpected place to find a king! Hanging on a cross. Stripped of clothing, as well as dignity. Surrounded by criminals. Jesus’ last hours weren’t exactly fit for a king either.

The unroyal treatment continued as people who gathered around to take in this spectacle literally added insult to his injury. But when they sarcastically sneered that he should save himself, Jesus didn’t take the rulers up on their invitation. It wasn’t because he couldn’t save himself. It was because he wouldn’t save himself. It wasn’t a lack of power that kept the King on the cross. It was an overflowing abundance of love.

That’s what makes this King so notable, so extraordinary, so different from every other king! Jesus was willing to receive so much less than he deserved in order that we might receive so much more than we deserve.

Through faith in him, sinful human beings who deserve hell now also find themselves in the most unexpected of places: Welcomed into the family of a Heavenly Father. Loved by the Divine Heart with a love inexhaustible and unconditional. Bowing in prayer before the throne of the King of kings, whom we also call “Brother.” Confident of life eternal in heaven even in the face of death itself. What unexpected places to find sinners! All because of Jesus, who is indeed God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.

In joyful, grateful response, let us give our Savior the royal treatment in our lives. Let us make our hearts fit for the King.

Prayer:
King of kings, I praise you not only for your incredible power but even more for your incredible love—love that led you to offer your life for me. Fill my heart with fervent love for you, that I may through my words and actions honor you as my King and my God. 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 Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 1:15

King of Kings

Daily Devotion – November 24, 2019

Devotion based on Colossians 1:15

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What does power look like? Some might immediately think of the professional athlete with a frame sculpted through countless hours in the weight room, sitting down at the bench press, and pushing up 300 pounds. Others might think of a workhorse pickup truck with a V-10 engine, storming up a rocky incline, and towing a trailer down an open stretch of highway. Still, others might think of power as being able to make decisions that control the actions of other people. The CEO of a business, for example, has the authority to establish company-wide protocol, to redirect resources, to promote and terminate employees. That is power.

All of these examples, however, pale in comparison with the power of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul was referring to Jesus when he wrote, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Jesus sits atop the organizational chart of all things as “the firstborn of all creation.”

All the powerful examples we mentioned earlier are limited in scope. For example, the workhorse pickup truck can’t bench press 300 pounds, and the high powered CEO would not, on his own, be able to tow a trailer down the highway. Christ the King, on the other hand, is all-powerful—that is to say, “not limited to one area” powerful.

In other words, there is no area of your life where Jesus finds his hands tied. There is no situation in your life where Jesus has to tell you “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do for you.” When you and I wake up in the morning, we can never be exactly sure what’s going to happen in the day ahead. And that can be intimidating because there’s just so much that is out of our control. But Christians can face each day boldly, even with all its uncertainties—because this much is certain: Jesus is in control—as the firstborn over all creation.

Prayer:
Beautiful Savior, Lord of Creation, I entrust myself and those I love to your powerful hands. Draw us near to you and direct us in your paths. 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 those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.”
Luke 20:35,36

Worthy of Eternal Life

Daily Devotion – November 23, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 20:35,36

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Somewhere in rural Indiana, there is an old cemetery with many tombstones that are more than 100 years old. One of these tombstones has this epitaph: “Pause, Stranger, when you pass me by. As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you will be. So prepare for death and follow me.” Boy, that’s chilling! Someone later scratched these words beneath it: “To follow you I’m not content, until I know which way you went.”

The Bible tells us that death is not the end of a person’s existence. The moment a person dies, eternity begins. But where will you and I spend eternity? In heaven with our Creator? Or in hell, separated from him and all of his blessings?

Honestly, we are not worthy of eternal life in heaven. We haven’t even come close to living the perfect, sin-free lives that a holy God demands. What we deserve is to spend our eternity apart from God.

But God wants you to spend eternity with him in heaven. That’s why he sent his Son to this earth. Because of Jesus’ perfect life and death on the cross in your place, you are forgiven. Through faith in him, you are worthy and deserving of eternal life.

Imagine how wonderful it will be when we are home in heaven. There will be no more pain or sorrow or guilt or frustration. And, Jesus tells us, that there will be no death. There will be no sense that the end is one day going to come. We will have no need for a bucket list of things we want to do before we die because our time there will never end.

And so, we do not need to fear our death. It is merely the gateway to a much better existence—one that will never end.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for making me worthy of eternal life. Keep my faith strong until I enter heaven and enjoy your love and presence 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.

There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Revelation 22:5

From Dark to Light

Daily Devotion – November 22, 2019

Devotion based on Revelation 22:5

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Mom and dad wake up suddenly to loud crying coming from their child’s room. They quickly run down the hall and flip on their son’s light to investigate. Seeing their six-year-old son sobbing on the bed they ask what’s wrong. Through the tears, he manages to cry out, “It’s dark in here and I can’t see!” Sure enough, dad looks over and sees the nightlight isn’t on. A quick investigation reveals the bulb is burned out and so a trip to the garage for a replacement bulb is in order. With the light on again all is right and the child’s tears stop, he lays his head down on the pillow and sleep soon returns.

One of the most beautiful promises about heaven is that the light won’t go out. We are used to periods of night this side of heaven. Not just physical night but we all experience moments of darkness and fear in this life. Even though it is unpleasant we accept it as just part of life. We will have good days at work and bad days at work. We will have days when we will win and days when we will lose. There will be seasons of life where everything goes our way and everything makes sense. There will be seasons of life where nothing goes our way and few things make sense.

However, God promises that once his people get to heaven, there will be no more night for he will be their light. They will not have to fear anything because God has chased all the darkness away. Tears will be dried and worries will be taken away. Everything will be made clear. Finally, God’s people will go from dark to living in the light forever.

Prayer:
Gracious God, when the darkness of this world overwhelms me, help me to remember your promise of the life of light to come. 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 throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
Revelation 22:4

Comfort to Christians

Daily Devotion – November 21, 2019

Devotion based on Revelation 22:4

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When you hear the word “church” what do you think of?

Maybe you think of the people who gather on a Sunday morning to worship. Maybe you think a little bigger than that and you think of everyone who worships Jesus around the world. However, it’s easy to forget that the church is even bigger and includes not just people from different places but different times as well.

The book of Revelation reminds us that the Christian church consists of all believers in Jesus as their Savior from sin and hope for eternal life. It includes all believers—those who still live in this world as well as those whose souls are now in heaven. It tells us that after this world ends, all of God’s people will be together and will see God’s face. It paints a picture, not of the struggling church we so often see today but of the glorious church, we will be one day.

This image is a wonderful comfort to Christians when they are facing difficult times. When they feel small and alone, they can remember that they are part of a larger body that goes beyond where they live and even when they live. When they feel defeated, they can remember that, in the end, Jesus’ Church will be victorious. When their faith flounders and they wonder whether God is really with them, they can look forward to the day when they will see him face to face.

This is the reason the church talks so much about heaven. They know how wonderful it will be when they are all gathered there together. Then, finally, they will see the church as it really is.

Prayer:
Lord God, comfort me with the truth about your church as I look forward to seeing it gathered one day in your presence. 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 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

Chosen

Daily Devotion – November 20, 2019

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:13

See series: Devotions

Weddings are beautiful events. Hours go into planning even the simplest wedding. So many choices need to be made. Which dress will the bride wear? What music will be played? What food will be served? Who will be in the wedding party and who will be invited to attend?

Probably the biggest decision gets made before any of the other planning happens—the bride and groom choose each other. Big wedding or small, it is this choice that makes weddings such a beautiful event. Two people choose each other and from that choice, a beautiful life is built together.

Every believer in Jesus can know that they have been chosen by God to be his own. But, unlike a bride and groom, it wasn’t that both God and the Christian chose each other. No, this was God’s choice and his alone. Even before the creation of the world, he wrote every Christian’s name in the book of life. God looked through all eternity and decided he wanted to be with that person forever. He sent his Son to be born into this world to live perfectly in their place and to pay with his life for the wages of their sin. He has caused them to be born into a place and time and arranged a way for his Word to be heard and believed by them. God did all of this because he chose them to be saved.

It is no wonder Saint Paul gave God thanks for choosing the early Christians to be saved. And, it is no wonder Christians thank God for choosing them. Because he has, they know that they will have a beautiful, eternal life with him.

Prayer:
Lord, I marvel that you would choose sinners to become saints through faith in your Son. Thank you for choosing to do such a thing. 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] “But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
Luke 20:37,38

God of the Living

Daily Devotion – November 19, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 20:37,38

See series: Devotions

It was an exceptionally cold day in the late Fall as we drove to the cemetery. Even though it was midafternoon the sun made long shadows. The hearse led our procession of cars slowly out of town, and even though our vehicle was full the conversations were muted.

I couldn’t help think about how everything would change now. The house would always be a little quieter. Holidays would seem a little emptier. Pictures that used to bring only happy memories would always have a twinge of sadness.

It was then that my brother spoke up and said with more hope than sadness, “I am so thankful for the resurrection.” With this thought, suddenly there was hope even in my crying eyes.

As sad as we are when we are separated from our loved ones by death, as much as it might change our lives here and now, as Christians we know that our God is the God of the living, not the dead. The moment a Christian closes his eyes in death he opens them to see Jesus. The final step a believer takes here on earth is simply the step before they walk with Christ forever. For the one who trusts Jesus the last day here is just the beginning of an eternity with our Lord.

While saying good-bye to a loved one is always difficult, we find certain hope in a God who promises that we will live forever with him. Nothing can change that.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, give me the sure hope and comfort that you are the God of the living and that all who believe will live, even though they die. 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.

No longer will there be any curse.
Revelation 22:3

Cursed No Longer

Daily Devotion – November 18, 2019

Devotion based on Revelation 22:3

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It happened to my neighbors while they were on vacation. It started as just a small drip in some old plumbing. Pretty soon, the water had made a large hole for itself and soon there was a steady stream of water flowing under an upstairs sink. When my neighbors finally returned home, they found six inches of water in their basement. Floors, walls, and furniture on the upstairs level, main level, and basement would all need to be thrown out and replaced.

Like the leak in my neighbors’ plumbing, sin started out small. In a moment, Adam and Eve thought they knew better than God. So, they disobeyed him. They did their own thing. Pretty soon the effects of sin had spread. Adam and Eve felt shame and wanted to run from God. Things that were once enjoyable were now filled with pain. And, eventually, their lives ended in death. The curse of sin caused so much damage.

It took a little longer than expected, but eventually, my neighbor got his house repaired better than new. All the big problems caused by the small leak were finally fixed and things were as they should be.

God promises that he will put things back the way they should be. We are not told how long it will be but we are promised that God will do it. He will do it because he has already taken care of sin when his Son was sacrificed on a cross two thousand years ago. He will do it by creating a new heaven and a new earth where the effects of sin will be entirely taken away and everything will be as God designed it to be. No longer will we be chased by guilt and shame. Temptation and sin will be a thing of the past. There will be no more pain and suffering. Even death will be a forgotten memory.

At long last, the curse will be gone for all of those who relied on Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins and trusted his promise to remove the curse sin caused. No longer will there be any curse!

Prayer:
Gracious God, here and now I struggle under the curse of sin. When those struggles seem to overwhelm me, turn my eyes toward the sacrifice of your Son and toward the day when you will remove sin’s curse 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.