Category: Daily Devotions

If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
1 Timothy 6:8

Contentment

Daily Devotion – October 26, 2019

Devotion based on 1 Timothy 6:8

See series: Devotions

There’s an old story from India about a man by the name of Ali. Ali had a huge acreage full of orchards and crops. He was deeply satisfied and content with his farm. That all changed, however, when the possibility of owning a diamond mine overpowered him. Ali sold his farm and used the money to explore areas considered to have great potential for diamonds. Eventually, he spent himself into poverty, and in despair, he took his own life.

Years later, the new owner of Ali’s former farm was leading an animal to the farm’s brook for a drink. As he stood there, he saw something shimmering in the water. Diamonds. The man had just discovered what came to be known as the diamond mine of Golcanda, one of the most famous diamond mines in history.

The tentacles of our sinful nature can often get us to think and act like Ali. We don’t know the treasure we already possess. We search elsewhere. But our searching only leads us away from the one place we never should have left.

Thank God that our treasure is not some shiny rock in a stream. Thank God that our treasure is our living and active Savior from sin—someone who pursues us when we stray, brings us to repentance, washes us clean, and takes us home.

Some food, some clothing, and the treasure of Jesus Christ. What else do we need?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are my treasure. You are my life. Forgive my sins of dissatisfaction. Fill me to the brim with contentment. 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.

“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets.’”
Luke 16:29

An Amazing Message

Daily Devotion – October 25, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 16:29

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Richard was homeless. He would stand on the side of the street holding a sign that said: “Laid off 2 long, anything helps.” One day, a woman named Kenyada stopped to talk with Richard. He told her that he lost his job and would just like enough money to get his phone turned back on so places he had applied for a job would have a way of reaching him. Kenyada drove him to the store and paid his cell phone bill for the next two months. When Richard’s phone was charged and turned on, he saw that he had a message. It was a job offer. It was a wonderful day for Richard. And the message that made it so wonderful was there the whole time, just waiting for him to discover it.

In the story Jesus told about a rich man who went to hell and a poor man who went to heaven, Abraham told the rich man where his still-living brothers could find an amazing message—the message of God’s love for them and his will for their lives. It was a message that would tell them how they could avoid ending up in the terrible eternity their brother was experiencing. The message could be found in the words of the Bible.

The poor man in Jesus’ story knew all about that message. Although his life had been filled with suffering and pain, the Bible told him that his Lord promised him an eternal life without any suffering or pain. And that is precisely what the Lord gave him when his life ended.

The Bible has the same message for you. Through faith in Jesus—the one who delivered you from your sins and promises you heaven—you can look forward to an eternity of peace and joy. If you ever find yourself doubting it, go back to the Bible and read his promises once again. The message of his love and forgiveness is always ready and waiting for you there.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank you for all that you have graciously given me through Jesus. Give me a faith that trusts all that you tell me about him in your word. 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.

“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “No, Father Abraham, he said, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.”
Luke 16:29,30

Repent

Daily Devotion – October 24, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 16:29,30

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There is a place in Mexico called the Crystal Cave. It’s an underground cave that has crystals that are up to thirty-six feet long and worth up to twenty-one thousand dollars per pound. This means that this cave is worth more than most countries in the world today. It’s a pretty valuable place. But there’s something you should know about the crystal cave before you decide to walk in. It’s one hundred thirty-six degrees Fahrenheit inside, which means you can die from the heat in as little as fifteen minutes. Once you see the cave, you can’t get too attached to it. You need to turn around and walk away before it’s too late.

In a sense, that cave illustrates what it means to repent. To repent means to turn around and walk away from our sins. Just as it is vital to turn around and walk out of the Crystal Cave before it’s too late, it is vital that we turn and walk away from our sins before it’s too late.

But repentance means more than turning away from our sins. It also means to turn toward our Savior. It means trusting that Jesus has done everything necessary to earn forgiveness for our sins. And it means relying on him for eternal life.

Sadly, the rich man in Jesus’ story failed to repent before his life ended. May the same not be true for us. As we hear and read God’s Word in the Bible, may it help us to see our sins, turn from them, and trust in our Savior so that we might arrive one day in a paradise even more marvelous than a cave full of crystals.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am sorry my heart so often craves earthly treasures that I know I will lose one day. Have mercy on me and help me to treasure the forgiveness you have already given 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.

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus.”
Luke 16:19,20

God Is Paying Attention

Daily Devotion – October 23, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 16:19,20

See series: Devotions

A teacher once gave her students the assignment of drawing a picture. “If you could be anything in the world,” she said, “what would you be?” As she was going through the pictures, she came across one that surprised her. One little boy had drawn a picture of a cell phone. She thought that was strange, so she called him to her desk and asked why he wanted to be a cell phone. “Because if I were a cell phone,” he said, “then my mommy and daddy would pay attention to me. They would hold me and talk to me, and they would even be excited if I accidentally interrupted them.” This little boy was feeling overlooked in his own home.

The account of the rich man and Lazarus reminds us that God does not want his redeemed children to feel the same way. We find that reminder when we consider something we know about the beggar and something we don’t know about the rich man.

We know the name of the beggar. His name was Lazarus.

We are never told the name of the rich man. He is simply called the “rich man.” Jesus identified him by how the man chose to identify himself—by his earthly wealth.

But Lazarus found his identity and comfort in something else. While his body was hurting on earth, his soul found rest in his loving God and in the promise that God would not overlook him when it came time to welcome his children home.

Your loving God will not overlook you either. He knows you by name. He proved his love by the sacrifice of his Son for your sins. Because of this, you can trust that when your time in this world comes to an end, he will call you home to heaven.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank you for seeing my need for a Savior and for meeting that need. May my soul forever find rest in the assurance that you know me by 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 told his disciples), “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered in sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table . . . The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.”
Luke 16:19-22

God Cares

Daily Devotion – October 22, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 16:19-22

See series: Devotions

Lazarus went to heaven after he died. But his life here was anything but heaven on earth. And everyone could see how much he was suffering. He was poor, hungry, and covered in sores. He was not a pretty sight.

Are you suffering as you travel through this life? If you are, do the people around you know? Or, are your sufferings far less visible than those of Lazarus? When someone asks how you’re doing, do you say “fine” even when you’re not? Do you hope that’s enough to compel them to move on to their next conversation so that they never get the chance to hear how lonely you often feel; how guilty you feel about something you’ve done wrong; how busy you keep yourself so you don’t have time to think about parts of your life that are broken; or how strongly you believe that, if your life was as fully exposed in front of everyone, you wouldn’t blame anyone for running away in the other direction?

Whatever you might be suffering, and no matter how hidden your suffering might be, know that Jesus knows all about it. And he does not run away from you. Instead, he points you to a cross where his sacrifice guaranteed that one day, like Lazarus, your soul will be carried to paradise.

May the promise of paradise in the next life provide peace in the midst of suffering in this life.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you gave up so much, even your own life, to build paradise for me in heaven. Help me to be patient as I wait for the day my own eyes will see it. 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 rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.’”
Luke 16:19-25

Live the Good Life

Daily Devotion – October 21, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 16:19-25

See series: Devotions

A few years ago, a dog in China made headlines. His owner, the son of a Chinese billionaire, bought him eight brand-new, recently released cell phones. This means Coco’s owner spent about $9,500 to buy his dog cell phones she will never use.

Coco is the kind of dog the rich man we read about in Luke 16 may have had. He wasn’t missing a whole lot of anything. He spared no expense and could get anything.

Lazarus, on the other hand, had a constantly empty stomach, was dirt poor, was covered in sores and his best friends were the dogs who came to lick his wounds.

Whose life would you rather have? You can only answer that question properly when you consider how each of their lives ended.

Despite his great wealth on earth, the rich man ended up in “Hades, where he was in torment” and “agony.”

But Lazarus was “comforted” after he died because perfect comfort in heaven is exactly what Jesus promises all who believe in him.

During their lives on earth, it looked as though the rich man had everything and Lazarus had nothing. But, in reality, it was the other way around. Because Lazarus had a relationship with the true God, he had everything—including eternal life in heaven—while the rich man had nothing and spent his eternity separated from God and all of his blessings.

Whether you are rich or poor in this life, knowing and trusting in Jesus your Savior means you have everything, including eternal life in heaven. May this encourage you to stay close to him here until you are with him in the hereafter.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, may my whole life always focus entirely on you and your love for 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.

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever.
Psalm 146:5,6

A Sure Anchor

Daily Devotion – October 20, 2019

Devotion based on Psalm 146:5,6

See series: Devotions

How would you like to take a trip down Niagara Falls?

The mighty Niagara River plummets some 180 feet at the Falls. Yet farther upstream the river’s current flows gently and boats are able to navigate. Anyone who floats lazily from the gentle upstream waters toward the falls will notice a sign that says, “Do you have an anchor?”

It’s a rather interesting illustration of life. You can be floating along gently, everything going swimmingly when you are suddenly plunged into the choppy rapids of problems or pain. Perhaps you even shoot over the falls of a major life crisis. You find yourself broken and alone.

This is when it is so important to have an anchor—someone or something to hold on to. In your loving God, you have just that. The writer of Psalm 146 says, “Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God.” You are blessed because he is the maker of heaven and earth. He has the power to deliver you from whatever has caused you to crash. Hold on to him for dear life!

Prayer:
Lord God, you are my anchor, my hope in every adversity. Thank you for your promise to remain faithful to all your promises. Use those promises to comfort me when I crash. 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 urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
1 Timothy 2:1-6

A Better Place

Daily Devotion – October 19, 2019

Devotion based on 1 Timothy 2:1-6

See series: Devotions

“What can I do to make this world a better place?” A look at the sad, scary state of current events, both local and worldwide, can lead one to wonder, “Is there really anything I can do that will make a difference?”

Yes, there is. The apostle Paul says to us, “Pray.” Paul urges us to pray for everyone. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, citizens of our country, and for people around the world. Pray.

Especially pray for all those in authority. Pray for local authorities and national authorities. And pray for kings and authorities around the world. Whether it is the authorities at home or abroad, Paul doesn’t say, “Ridicule them.” He doesn’t say, “Put them down.” He doesn’t say, “Make sure everyone knows their faults.” He says, “Pray for them.” Pray for them so we can live peaceful and quiet lives.

When we live peaceful and quiet lives, we can live in all godliness and holiness. And then we can proclaim the real difference-maker, Jesus. God wants all people to be saved. That happens when people come to a knowledge of the truth. Not just any truth, but the truth that Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and people. The truth that Jesus Christ is the one who has established peace between God and all people. The truth that Jesus Christ is the one who has opened heaven for us. He did that by giving himself as a ransom, by taking our sins upon himself, by offering his body and blood for us on the cross.

Life with Jesus—that’s what truly makes this world a better place.

Prayer:
Lord God, guide and bless all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. Then guide and bless us as we proclaim Jesus, the difference-maker for this life and for eternity. 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 one can serve two masters.”
Luke 16:13

My God

Daily Devotion – October 18, 2019

Devotion based on Luke 16:13

See series: Devotions

Fifteen years ago, an author by the name of David Foster Wallace agreed to speak at a college graduation. Wallace was a secular man, wary of any kind of organized religion. And yet in this speech he surprised a lot of people. He said that in the trenches of everyday life, there really is no such thing as atheism because everyone worships something. It’s just a question of what. Then he gave some warnings. He said that if you worship money, you will never have enough. If you worship beauty and good looks, you will always feel ugly. Furthermore, as you grow older and beauty fades, you will die a million deaths before you actually die. If you worship power, he said, you will always feel weak. And if you worship intellect, then you will always feel stupid, and you will always feel afraid you’re going to be found out.

In addition, Wallace included this chilling caution. Be careful what you worship. Because nearly everything that one can worship will, in the end, eat you alive.

And so let’s put the question out on the table. Who—or what—do you worship?

More often than we care to admit, you and I have slipped into putting our best time, our best energy, our best passion into something or someone other than our relationship with God and his will for our lives. As a result, we have often skewed our priorities and hurt other people. For this, we deserve God’s abandonment.

But God has not abandoned us. Instead, Jesus came. In our place, he always put his heavenly Father first. At the cross, he washed away the sin of our every misguided priority. Through faith in Jesus, all is now forgiven. All is well between us and our God. This reality empowers us to follow the One who matters most.

David Foster Wallace warned that nearly everything one can worship will eat you alive in the end. But not the one, true God who is worthy of your worship. He will not eat you alive. Through Jesus He will keep you alive…eternally.

Prayer:
Lord, I love you with all my heart. May all that I say and do this day demonstrate my love for 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.

Godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:6

Contentment

Daily Devotion – October 17, 2019

Devotion based on 1 Timothy 6:6

See series: Devotions

Ruth Whippman is an accomplished writer, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. She is also someone who has devoted time and thought to the concept of contentment in our twenty-first century. What she’s written makes for a good read. For instance, did you know that in the United States alone, people spend $10 billion per year on books, programs, and techniques that promise to deliver contentment?

This financial pursuit has become so pronounced that marketers have designated a new category for it. They call it Spiritual Spending. “The idea,” writes Whippman, “is that if you just put in enough emotional elbow grease, slog out enough hours of positive thinking, mindful coloring, gratitude-journal keeping, and self-help book reading, you will ultimately be rewarded.”

But then she delivered the bad news. Spiritual Spending has not delivered as promised. Studies reveal that, if anything, people are more anxious and disappointed than ever. And while she does not claim to have all the answers, Whippman does suggest where the problem lies. Increasingly, she says, people are “looking inward into their own souls, rather than outward…” In addition, she notes that “many recent happiness trends, from self-help books to meditation, are designed to be carried out completely alone.”

All of this echoes a foundational Christian truth: I will not find the answer by looking inward because the answer is not in me.

The answer is in a relationship with the one who created us. An early Christian by the name of Augustine once prayed, “Lord, you made me for yourself. Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in you.” God could see how restless and lost our own sinfulness had made us. And so he sent his Son. On our behalf, Jesus sought and found perfect contentment in his relationship with his heavenly Father. Then, in love, he carried our failures to the cross. There he endured the abandonment we deserved. Through faith in him, we not only have full forgiveness, we have him. He is with us each and every day, no matter where our lives take us. Knowing that he has taken care of our greatest need, we can be sure that he will take care of our every need. And we can be content.

Prayer:
Lord, I know that you are with me this day. No matter what it brings, may this make me content. 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.