Category: Daily Devotions

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?
Ecclesiastes 2:24,25

A Satisfied Life

Daily Devotion – August 27, 2019

Devotion based on Ecclesiastes 2:24,25

See series: Devotions

Satisfaction. It seems harder and harder to achieve. What makes matters worse is that the definition continues to evolve. How often haven’t we been tempted to think, “If I only had a better phone, a newer car, a better job, then I would really be satisfied?” While it sounds achievable, it rarely happens. And, if it does, it doesn’t last long. The latest and greatest soon grabs our attention, and suddenly we are dissatisfied once again. Satisfaction is elusive.

But rather than being swept up in the never-ending pursuit of the things of this world, King Solomon encourages us in the book of Ecclesiastes to remember that everything we have is from God. And, because we know God loves us and wants what is best for us, we can be satisfied with whatever our lot in life might be.

So, while this life is not all there is, this life is a gift from God. And, he encourages us to enjoy the blessings he showers on us. Whether we are working in an office or a field, whether we are eating the finest of foods at a fancy restaurant or a hot dog in our backyard, whether we are drinking champagne or Kool-Aid, we can know that what we have is a gift from our gracious God—and we can be satisfied.

Prayer:
O loving heavenly Father, you fill my life with everything I need. Fill my heart with thanksgiving, joy, and contentment allowing me to live a truly satisfied life. 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.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Ecclesiastes 1:2

A Meaningful Life

Daily Devotion – August 26, 2019

Devotion based on Ecclesiastes 1:2

See series: Devotions

Life has a way of appearing meaningless. There is the routine, the mundane, and the monotonous. Worse, nothing seems to change and only the drudgery of sameness remains. So, life seems absolutely meaningless.

Is this true? Is life meaningless? From one perspective, it is. If this life is all there is, in the end, nothing we do will matter.

But what if this life is not all there is? What if there is a spiritual reality beyond this world? What if there is an eternal reality, we will one day experience? Then, our lives here truly do matter, truly are meaningful.

Nearing the end of his life, a man named Solomon came to this realization. He wrote about it in a book we call Ecclesiastes. After a life filled with wealth and fame, Solomon realized that the only thing that really matters, in the end, is a person’s relationship with the eternal God.

Although Solomon lived nearly three thousand years ago, the lesson he learned is an important reminder for us today. We are constantly assaulted by the world’s mantra of more, bigger, newer, and better. Once we have acquired it, then what? In the end, the things of this world won’t matter.

What matters is our relationship with Jesus. Through Jesus, we have the peace of forgiveness. Through Jesus, we have an unsurpassed joy. Through Jesus, we are set apart for a blessed life now and in heaven. Through Jesus, our lives change from meaningless to eternally meaningful.

Prayer:
Lord, open my eyes to see the emptiness of what the world offers, and seek only those things which you have prepared for me, and given me in love. 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.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5

Like A Charging Bear

Daily Devotion – August 25, 2019

Devotion based on Colossians 3:5

See series: Devotions

Greg Brush is a veteran fishing guide who lives in Alaska. Last summer he heard a twig snap behind him. He turned around just in time to see a massive brown bear charging straight at him.

“When I spotted him, he was within 15 yards,” Brush later said. “He was coming like a freight train.”

Brush had but one option. He raised his gun and started firing. The bear kept coming. Brush stumbled and fell on his back. Then his gun jammed. The last shot, however, had finally stopped the bear. It was just five feet away.

In your life, there is at least one temptation that regularly comes at you like a charging bear. Give yourself a few moments of candor and no doubt you’ll identify what it is. God’s Word tells us when that temptation comes, you and I have but one option. We need to raise the gun and pull the trigger. We need to put that temptation to death.

Too often, of course, you and I do the opposite. We think that we can befriend the temptation. We think we can domesticate it. We tell ourselves we can keep it under control. But the bear keeps charging. And in our heart of hearts, we know what that bear wants to do.

Confront the bear. Pull the trigger by coming to repentance and being washed in the blood of your Savior. Be renewed by his forgiveness. And be ready to confront another charging bear tomorrow.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when temptation charges at me, empower me by your Spirit to put that temptation to death. For this, I look to you alone. 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.

O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long? Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. . . . Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.
Psalm 6:1-4,8,9

A Prayer for Healing

Daily Devotion – August 24, 2019

Devotion based on Psalm 6:1-4,8,9

See series: Devotions

King David wrote this psalm probably at the time in his life when things were going badly. He was hurting physically and was greatly disturbed over the turmoil that was besetting him. He prayed fervently for the Lord to deliver him from the agony of pain and the anguish of his soul.

Can you relate to David’s condition today? Are you struggling with a physical ailment that drains your strength? When you woke up this morning, was your outlook for the day clouded by yesterday’s adversity? Are you slogging through the day silently sighing, “How long, O LORD, how long?”

In his great needs for his body and soul, David petitioned the Lord for help. He counted on the Lord’s unfailing love to look on him in mercy and lift him up from the pit of his problems. And his prayer was answered. David exclaimed, “The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.”

Trusting in the love and power of the Lord, you too can take your cares to him. He promises to hear your prayer. And his answer will always be according to his unfailing love for you—a love he demonstrated by sending Jesus to rescue you from the pain of sin’s punishment and the agony of eternal death.

So, you can be sure that he hears your prayer. And, sooner or later, he will deliver you!

Prayer:
O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long? O Lord, turn and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. 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 prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
James 5:16

Ask Big

Daily Devotion – August 23, 2019

Devotion based on James 5:16

See series: Devotions

Among the many stories about Alexander the Great, there is one about a philosopher who served in Alexander’s court. The philosopher possessed outstanding ability but he had very little money. He turned to Alexander for help. He soon received word to draw whatever he needed from the imperial treasury. And so off to the imperial treasurer he went.

However, when the philosopher submitted his request, the treasurer hesitated. He hesitated because the size of the philosopher’s request was about $100,000. Such a large request, the treasurer felt, had to go directly to Alexander for his approval. When it did, Alexander the Great delivered a memorable reply. “Pay the money at once,” he said. And then he gave the reason why. “The philosopher has done me a singular honor. By the largeness of his request, he shows that he has understood both my wealth and generosity.”

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective,” the Bible says. In other words, that person whom God has declared forgiven through faith in Christ—that person’s prayer to the Lord is powerful and effective. The power and effectiveness, however, do not come from the person doing the praying. Rather, the power and effectiveness come from the One who hears the prayer.

In Jesus, you and I stand forgiven of our every sin—including all the times we have dishonored our God with prayers that are milquetoast, perfunctory, timid. In Jesus, God covers us in the righteous life our Savior has lived on our behalf. And now, in this new and vibrant relationship we have with God, the Lord urges us to call on him in our day-to-day lives. He urges us to ask. He urges us to ask boldly. He urges us to ask big.

For when we do, we do him a singular honor. We demonstrate that we understand both his wealth and his generosity.

Prayer:
Lord God, you possess all things. Your generosity overflows. Move me to ask much from 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.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.
Colossians 2:9

More

Daily Devotion – August 22, 2019

Devotion based on Colossians 2:9

See series: Devotions

In 1955, a boy by the name of Richie Sestili was helping his father. His father was a landscaper, and he and little Richie were in the yard of a Pittsburgh neighborhood. As they worked, Richie heard the screeching of tires. He looked up to see a car tear into the driveway next door. A man in a white lab coat jumped out and raced into the house. Immediately there was loud cheering and laughter. Then the man in the white lab coat raced back out of the house, jumped back into his car, and screeched his way out of his driveway and down the street. Richie concluded that the man must have gotten a big promotion at work.

That night, Richie was watching television. And there he was again—the man in the white lab coat. This time, however, Richie got to see who this man was. The man was Dr. Jonas Salk. The reason Dr. Salk had run into his house that day was that he had just received approval to announce to the world his discovery of a vaccine for polio. Dr. Salk’s polio vaccine was one of the greatest discoveries in medical history, sparing countless lives from paralysis and death. To Richie, Dr. Salk had simply been a happy man in a white lab coat. Now, however, Dr. Jonas Salk was much more.

Any casual look at Jesus will tell you that he is an impressive man. His compassion for the hurting, his words of wisdom, his courage to stand up against the self-righteous of his day—these things alone mark him as an extraordinary individual.

A closer look, however, reveals more. Jesus is no mere man. He is God himself. He proved this with his many miracles and the massive number of ancient prophecies he fulfilled.

He came here to live a perfect life on our behalf. He came to suffer and die for our every sin. He came to rise from death. All this he did so that now, through faith in him, you and I may have life—life to the full.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you that, although you are the almighty and eternal God, you were willing to become a man in order to save 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.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy.
Colossians 2:8

Giant Thing

Daily Devotion – August 21, 2019

Devotion based on Colossians 2:8

See series: Devotions

For many years, Cynthia Heimel was a columnist for The Village Voice. Her columns were tough-minded and snarky. She was also a playwright, an author, and a writer for TV. As such, Cynthia Heimel was in a superb position to observe individuals who dreamed of becoming famous. She was in a position to observe them both before and after they had achieved the status of “celebrity.”

One day she decided to write about what she had seen. “I pity celebrities,” she wrote. “No, I do. Celebrities were once perfectly pleasant human beings. But now their wrath is awful. You see, they wanted fame. They worked. They pushed. And the morning after they became famous, they all wanted to take an overdose. Because that giant thing they were striving for, that thing that was going to make everything ok…it actually happened. And the day after, they woke up, and they were still them. The disillusionment turned them howling and insufferable.”

It may be easy for us to smirk and roll our eyes at people who believe that being famous is the “giant thing” that will make everything ok. But what about us? What’s the “giant thing” in your life that you have presumed will do the same for you? Maybe it’s money. Maybe it’s pleasure. Maybe it’s status and success. Maybe it’s finding the perfect soulmate. Maybe it’s living for your children. Maybe it’s your Dream House. Maybe it’s retirement.

The Apostle Paul, in the Bible verse above, had a description for these “giant things.” He called them “hollow and deceptive.” In other words, if we expect the “giant thing” in our life to fulfill us, then we are setting ourselves up for disillusionment. Or even worse, the “giant thing” will actually deceive us into thinking that this is what life is.

But the “giant thing” is not the answer. Jesus is. Only Jesus can heal us by cleansing us of our every wrong. Only Jesus can fill that empty place in our lives with his Spirit. Only Jesus can give us “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have wasted much time on the hollow and deceptive things of this world. Wash me clean. Draw me closer to 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.

Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him.
Colossians 2:6

The Source

Daily Devotion – August 20, 2019

Devotion based on Colossians 2:6

See series: Devotions

During the dark days of Nazi-occupied France in WWII, Hitler’s forces made it a matter of routine to round up families of Jewish descent and ship them off to concentration camps. One area where this did not happen, however, was in the small village of Le Chambon. At great risk to themselves, the residents there took it upon themselves to hide Jewish families, protecting them from deportation by the Nazis. Their courage saved hundreds of lives, perhaps many more.

After the war, a writer by the name of Philip Hallie traveled to Le Chambon. He had to see for himself what sort of brave souls were willing to endanger themselves for the sake of others. One-by-one he interviewed them. To his great surprise, there seemed to be nothing extraordinary about them.

There was, however, one factor that Hallie pursued. They all happened to attend the same village church. Every Sunday, in that tiny church, they heard what Christ had done for them. And every Sunday, in that tiny church, they learned about living their lives in him. As one elderly woman explained, “Pastor always taught us that there comes a time in every life when a person is asked to do something for Jesus.”

You see, their courage had not come out of the blue. Their deliberate bravery had not been some random impulse. Instead, through the good news of Jesus, the Holy Spirit had empowered them to possess the habit of gathering together as a congregational family. In those gatherings, they heard the message of what Christ had done at the cross to wash them clean. They learned that they were here on this earth to proclaim their Savior. They learned there are moments in every Christian’s life when you are asked to do something to the glory of Jesus.

The moments that come to you and me may not be as dramatic. But the moments will come. In fact, they come every day. As they do, remember what the source of our courage is. The source of our courage is in our regular gatherings with Jesus. The source of our courage is God’s forgiving love for us in Christ.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, move me to gather with your people. Give me the courage to live 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.

“. . . I am nothing but dust and ashes.”
Genesis 18:27

The Cave

Daily Devotion – August 19, 2019

Devotion based on Genesis 18:27

See series: Devotions

A man by the name of Noam Arnon says that, in the early 1980s, he and a small team seized an opportunity to explore a cave in the Palestinian city of Hebron. When they did, they saw a stairway. They descended. At the bottom of the stairway was a corridor. At the end of the corridor, they found an opening where they descended even further. And it was here, Arnon says, that he found himself crawling through a two-chambered cave. In that cave, there was broken pottery. There were bone fragments and there was dust. As far as anyone knows, no one has entered the site since.

The cave that Noam Arnon describes is the traditional site for what the Bible calls, “The Cave of Machpelah.” The Cave of Machpelah was the burial place of Abraham and his family.

Picture yourself crawling through the cave. You move your flashlight back and forth. There’s nothing much to see; a few shards of broken pottery, a few fragments of bone, and dust.

Long before he died, Abraham himself understood what he was. “I am nothing but dust and ashes,” he said. Even though he was wealthy, Abraham knew that, in and of himself, he was nothing more than the tiny remnants that the Cave of Machpelah would one day contain.

That’s why the center of Abraham’s life was not Abraham. Rather, the center of Abraham’s life was the Lord. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Abraham trusted that the Lord would one day send someone who would wash him clean of his every sin; who would cover him in a blanket of holiness; who would take his soul home to heaven; and who would even, at the appointed time, raise up his bones from the Cave of Machpelah to live in glory forever.

God has made the same promise to us. Although our bodies will one day be nothing but dust and ashes, when Jesus returns, he will raise our bodies back to life to live in glory forever.

May this promise comfort you when life seems meaningless and when death seems final. May this promise inspire you to make the Lord the center of your life just as Abraham did.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in those times when I crawl through the cave of my own frailties, fix my eyes on 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.

Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6

Planted In Christ

Daily Devotion – August 18, 2019

Devotion based on Colossians 2:6

See series: Devotions

If you’re a gardener in the Northern Tier of states in the United States, it is getting close to harvest time. The tomatoes are starting to turn as the proper number of days has passed since planting. The zucchini and squash are probably surpassing your ability to use them. As the days get a little cooler your flowers are in full bloom. A non-gardening neighbor stops by and says, “My, you have a beautiful garden!” But most non-gardening neighbors don’t have a clue what it takes to create such a garden.

A garden is a year-round process. Composting, mulching, hoeing, watering, fall cleanup, plowing or tilling, fertilizing lightly, compost spreading, fertilizing again, spring tilling, waiting until the soil warms for planting, summer care, and harvest make for much more work than meets the eye of a casual observer. The results can be seen, but the process is hidden.

Do we take for granted the spiritual gardening God has done in our souls? If we have had true confidence in Christ for some time, we may take that relationship for granted. The Apostle Paul reminds us to continue to live in Christ, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as we were taught.

Like garden plants that are rooted in the soil, we must ground ourselves in the Word of God. As plants draw from the soil vital nutrients and moisture, God’s Word gives all that we need for life with God now and forever. When we continue to learn more about God’s love in Jesus, especially from those whom God sends to teach us, we grow in our faith and knowledge of our salvation. God works in us the ability to live in thankfulness for all the blessings that we have in Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord, help me never forget your love for me, Christ. Help me to grow in him. 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.