Category: Daily Devotions

Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.
2 Peter 3:15a

Patience

Daily Devotion – January 9, 2018

Devotion based on 2 Peter 3:15a

See series: Devotions

There’s an old Jewish story about Abraham. Abraham was sitting outside his tent when an old, weary man came by. Abraham invited him in and fixed him a meal. As they sat down to eat, however, the old man dived right into his food without even a prayer.

“Don’t you believe in God?” asked Abraham. “No,” the man replied. Indignant, Abraham sent the man away without another word.

Later, the Lord came to Abraham. “Where’s the stranger?” the Lord asked. “Lord, he did not believe in you, and so I sent him away.” And the Lord replied, “Abraham, I’ve been patient with that man for eighty years. Couldn’t you be patient with him for one night?”

It’s just a non-biblical story, of course. Nevertheless, it does illustrate a very biblical truth. Before we get too far into the new year, take a moment to look back into the old. How many times did you and I come up with noble-sounding reasons for giving in to raw impatience towards others? How I treated that new co-worker who was just learning the ropes? How I treated the nurses at the hospital when they were clearly short-staffed? How I treated my elderly parent who tends to repeat things?

How many times, under the guise of righteous indignation, did you and I write off the souls around us—the souls of those who do not yet know Jesus as their Savior from sin?

Thank God that he has been patient with us. Thank God that he brings us to repentance again and again. Thank God that he comes to us with his forgiveness in Jesus again and again. As Peter says to us, it’s the Lord’s patience that means salvation.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for your patience in my life. Thank you for your forgiveness of my sins in Jesus. Strengthen my resolve to demonstrate patience towards others. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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A voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Mark 1:11

Proud or Pleased

Daily Devotion – January 8, 2018

Devotion based on Mark 1:11

See series: Devotions

Ken was always proud of his son. His academic and athletic achievements spoke for themselves. At the same time, Ken was not always pleased with his son. There were numerous indiscretions which made Ken question his son’s judgment.

What Ken experienced with his son, God the Father also experiences with me. He can be proud of me as part of his wonderful creation. He can be proud of the way I strive to follow his law written in my heart. At the same time, he is not always pleased with me. My willful disobedience, my poor judgment, and my selfish choices regularly become a source of displeasure. As a result, God has every right to abandon me and let me deal with disastrous outcomes of my life.

When God could have subjected me to his divine displeasure, he showed his love instead. This moved him to send his Son into my world. Jesus became my substitute to do what I could never do. He secured God the Father’s good pleasure by living a sinless life and perfectly accomplishing everything his Father commanded. God signaled his acceptance of his perfectly obedient Son when he said, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

God was more than proud. He proclaimed Jesus had come to accomplish the impossible on my behalf. Through faith in Jesus and in his perfect, pleasing life, God now credits me with what Jesus did. God the Father now says to me through Jesus, “I am well pleased with you.”

This precious work on the part of my Savior releases me from the burden of trying to please God on my own. It also frees me from the horror of not measuring up to his divine standards. It finally moves me to live my life in loving service to the praise of my God and Savior. What a comfort it is to know God is more than proud of me; he is pleased with me through faith in Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
Gracious Lord, Heavenly Father, I can only disappoint you with my rebellious and selfish ways. How blessed I am to know the comfort of forgiveness and the joy of perfect obedience through faith in Jesus my Savior. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” This is what God the Lord says—he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”
Isaiah 42:1-7

Justice

Daily Devotion – January 7, 2018

Devotion based on Isaiah 42:1-7

See series: Devotions

React to this statement: “The Lord will bring justice to the nations; he will establish justice on earth.”

If you are focused on all the evil and atrocities in the world and society, you are probably cheering, “Finally, the wicked will receive their ‘just deserts.’ Finally, some fairness.”

I get your applause. I can’t stand the evil either. But be careful of sounding and acting like a Pharisee. Because, if you are focused on the real evil and atrocities in life, you’d search your own heart. With an honest search, I don’t imagine you are as excited about justice coming. Justice strikes grave fear because we know the evil of our heart deserves the grave. Justice coming to others is one thing. But justice coming to us is the scariest thing.

But when you read about “justice” in Isaiah 42:1-7, do you read anything about destruction? Do you read anything about fire and brimstone? Do you read anything about hell? No. Rather you read about a Servant, chosen by God, to bring a different justice than you would expect.

This servant doesn’t bully you into a corner, start yelling at you, and beat you up, like you might expect. He doesn’t make you feel worse than you already feel. If you are broken because of your sin, he doesn’t break you more. If you feel like your faith is dying out, he doesn’t extinguish it for you. Instead he treats you with gentleness and care.

• He opens your eyes to his sacrificing love on a cross where he received your “just deserts.”
• He frees you from your prison sentence of hell by having been sentenced himself.
• He brightens your life with the promise of paradise.

This servant has a name. His name is Jesus. His name is his message to you: “The Lord saves.” That’s his promise.

Prayer:
Dear Lord God, thank you for choosing Jesus to be my Savior. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2

Follow the Signs

Daily Devotion – January 6, 2018

Devotion based on Matthew 2:1-2

See series: Devotions

“Lord, give me a sign!” Often this request accompanies my prayers. Give me a sign that you’re listening. Give me a sign that you care about me. Give me a sign which inspires my trust in you. There is only one minor complication. Even if the Lord does provide a sign, I may not always understand it or pay attention to it.

Take the Magi who came from the east. They saw the star. They investigated what it meant. Still, when they arrived in Jerusalem, they had to ask the question, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” Their experience led them to realize a sign can only take one so far.

This is why the Lord has provided his Word of Truth. Not only does it offer much needed signs, it also provides the direction which says, “Look here!” This is what eventually brought the Magi to Bethlehem to see the Savior God had provided for all people. It also led them to worship him as their Lord and Savior.

I need to learn from their experience. While it would be nice to request and receive a sign, the Lord gives me something even more reliable. In his Word I have his unbroken promise of a Savior. In his Word I have the faithful fulfillment of that promise in the birth of the Savior. In the same Word I have the comfort and peace of sins forgiven through the death and resurrection of that Savior.

Still the Lord doesn’t leave me without signs which reveal Jesus is that Savior. He leads me to the stable and the manger to see the birth of Jesus. He leads me through the hills and valleys of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria to witness the miraculous ministry of Jesus. He even leads me to the cross on Calvary and the empty tomb to view the undeserved love secured by Jesus.

How blessed I am to have God’s precious Word which tells me about Jesus. How blessed I am to have the clear signs which direct me to Jesus. This is why I pray: Lord, focus my eyes to see the great things you have done; open my ears to hear the truth you have recorded; fill my heart with faith to follow every sign you have provided.

Prayer:
O gracious Lord, give me the faith I need to trust your holy Word. There not only do I see my Savior and the great things he has done for me, I also see the great signs and wonders which lead me to put my trust in him. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:13

Stay Focused

Daily Devotion – January 5, 2018

Devotion based on 1 Peter 1:13

See series: Devotions

It is getting more difficult to be focused. Have you noticed this? Our modern world is filled with distractions. For example: You are in the middle of an important conversation with a friend when you hear a familiar bing from your phone. You know someone has sent you a text. Who sent it? What does it say? The curiosity is killing you. Suddenly, you are no longer listening to a thing your friend is saying. You have lost your focus.

When you lose your focus during a conversation with your friend, it can be embarrassing and frustrating for your friend. When you lose your focus spiritually, it is more than embarrassing. It is dangerous.

The devil knows this. It is why he works so doggedly to distract us. He wants us to take our eyes off the prize. He wants us to forget what is most important. And it doesn’t matter to him what he uses to distract us. If he can get us to lose our focus, he may eventually be able to get us to lose our faith. And then he will have us forever.

Do not let this happen! Do not lose your focus! That is what the apostle Peter seems to shout when he writes, “Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” In other words, stay focused! Remember what is important! In the end, only your relationship with Jesus matters. Do not let yourself be distracted!

Take Peter’s encouragement into this new year. Make Jesus your priority. And no matter what the devil uses to distract you…stay focused!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I know that nothing is more important than my relationship with you. But I also know how easily I am distracted. Grant me the strength and focus to keep this from happening this year, and every year, until you take me home to heaven. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

A Prayer to Begin a New Year

Daily Devotion – January 4, 2018

Devotion based on Psalm 90:12

See series: Devotions

I remember my grandpa telling me, “The older you get, the faster the years pass by.” As a ten-year-old this was just one of those puzzling things that older people said that really didn’t make much sense. How could time go faster or slower? How could years speed up and slow down?

We’ve just entered a new year. Whether this is the 98th time you’ve changed calendars or just the 27th, you are one day closer to the end of your life here on earth. A couple of verses earlier, the writer of this psalm wrote, “The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away (Psalm 90:10). Whether they knew it or not, the 70’s progressive rock band, Kansas, was simply summarizing a truth taught throughout Scripture when they sang, “All we are is dust in the wind.” We are here one moment and blown away with the breeze the next.

So, what does this mean for us? Is the point to simply make the most of every moment recognizing that our time is short? Should we just eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die? Or should we just despair over the ever-shortening length of time we have left? No, none of these are real solutions. Instead we can pray, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Numbering our days means acknowledging that our time is short. It means not pretending that we are immortal, and will somehow escape death. But God doesn’t encourage us to number our days, just so we are aware of how little time we have. He wants us to do this so that “we may gain a heart of wisdom.” He wants us to look away from ourselves to his compassion and mercy, because it is there we will find true wisdom. It is there we will find wisdom born in a manger in Bethlehem. In Jesus we find forgiveness, salvation, and new life. In him our lives are charged with meaning and purpose, no matter how short they may seem right now. This is a prayer to begin the New Year:

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”—Psalm 90:12

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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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“Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. Declare what is to be, present it—let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”
Isaiah 45:20-22

Beware Easy Idols

Daily Devotion – January 3, 2018

Devotion based on Isaiah 45:20-22

See series: Devotions

Writing a devotion, the week before Christmas, on the topic of idols seems almost too easy. For weeks, ads of all kinds pushed our “idol buttons.” I succumbed early on to a larger TV, reasoning there was no need to wait to get what I wanted to use now. That is the danger of the materialism idol. You can pick up that idol right now. You don’t even have to leave your home to get it. “One-click shopping” and it is on its way.

In many ways, all idolatry is easy. Easy on the part of the idol, that is. The idol answers no prayers and saves no lives. The idol being nothing does nothing but head toward inevitable decay. It is “wood” as God’s Word declares.

By contrast, the true God does all the hard work for us. In idolatry, you give to your idol and your idol gives back nothing of lasting value. In Christianity, God gives to you and what he gives is hard, but lasts forever.

He gives righteousness and salvation. That is hard work. For example, try to be righteous for a day. Magnify that. Take on the task Jesus did. Thirty-three years of daily righteousness, lived out in a real world of temptation and sin, yet he was without sin, so that his righteousness could be credited to our account.

He also gives salvation, which is rescue from sin. Salvation required a sacrifice for sin, and this, too, Jesus did on our behalf. The depictions of Jesus’ death on the cross are devastating from the physical perspective. What we cannot fully comprehend is the spiritual anguish of separation from his Father.

There is no idol who will live and die for you as Jesus did. There are too many who live and die for their idols. Do not be among the ignorant. Instead heed the words of God: “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in this New Year turn me repeatedly to you, to the righteousness and salvation of Jesus my Lord. Keep me from false idols and wasted worship. In Jesus’ name, I pray. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.
1 Peter 1:17

Impartial

Daily Devotion – January 2, 2018

Devotion based on 1 Peter 1:17

See series: Devotions

Are you a “Christian-By-Association”? In other words, do you consider yourself a Christian because you can point to your familiarity with the trappings of Christianity? Perhaps you can rattle off happy memories of going to Sunday School or a Christian Day School. Perhaps you can recall what it was like to be in a children’s Christmas program on Christmas Eve. Perhaps your parents and grandparents were active in church life and you’ve inherited some family connections with various pastors and teachers.

If that’s all you’ve gotten out of your exposure to Christianity, however, you’ve got nothing.

God is impartial. It does not matter to God how active your parents or grandparents were at church. It does not matter to God how many songs you sang in Christmas Eve services of your childhood. It does not matter to God how many Christian pastors and teachers you know by name. If you or I think God will accept us because we’re familiar with some trappings of Christianity, then we are not hearing him. And a moment is coming when we’ll be in for a real shock.

What matters to God is our relationship with Jesus. What matters to God is our trust in Christ as our Savior from sin. What matters to God is the forgiveness we possess through faith in Jesus’ perfect life and death in our place. What matters to God is that my personal eyes of faith are fixed upon his Son.

No more pretending. Only Jesus. He alone makes all the difference in the world. Your world too.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, forgive me for all the times I have not focused on your Son. Wash me in his blood. Renew my zeal for the good news of salvation through Jesus. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Luke 2:25

A Miracle in the Making

Daily Devotion – January 1, 2018

Devotion based on Luke 2:25

See series: Devotions

It’s easy to assume a miracle must be something big. It has to be dramatic and out of the ordinary. So, it’s not surprising that Jesus’ circumcision could be easily overlooked. However, when I take a closer look at what Luke was recording, I see a miracle in the making.

In order to understand the miraculous nature of this simple account, I need to see how it fits in with the whole context of the Scriptures. Here I learn, “When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

When Jesus was circumcised, God set in motion the miracle which would result in my rescue. I was trapped under the curse of God’s law. No matter what I would do, I could not change the just condemnation I deserved. Yet, in his undeserved love God sent his Son into the world to undertake the dramatic work needed to change my status before God.

It was a miracle that Jesus, who is true God, was conceived and born of Mary. It was a miracle that Jesus was circumcised and placed under the obligation of God’s law. It was a miracle that Jesus received the name which declared, “he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). This miracle assures me I am innocent of all charges against me. This miracle declares I am child of God. This miracle proclaims I am an heir of eternal life and heaven.

While many may look for miracles to be something out of the ordinary, by faith I see God doesn’t always work that way. Often, he uses the simple, and even the ordinary, to accomplish his will. This is the wonder of Jesus’ circumcision. Certainly, it could be easily overlooked. Nonetheless, through faith, I see a miracle in the making—a miracle which results in my rescue.

Prayer:
O gracious God and Lord, open my eyes to see your all-surpassing power and your undeserved love, especially in the simple testimony you offer regarding your Son, my Savior Jesus Christ. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us—yes the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me”; and so he became their Savior. In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Isaiah 63:7-9

God will come to Our Rescue

Daily Devotion – December 31, 2017

Devotion based on Isaiah 63:7-9

See series: Devotions

There is a story you can tell of the New Year before it even unfolds. You can tell it because it will be the same story as last year. It is a story that is old and never gets old at the same time. Out of the overflow of the heart, you must tell it.

There will be sin in your New Year. And even if it is the same old story, it is anything but “ho-hum.” Just like the children of Israel when they were in slavery in Egypt or wandering in the desert of Sinai or doing their own thing during the period of the Judges, you will cry, kick, scream and complain in the New Year. You will doubt God, blame him, maybe even shake your fist at him, or worse. You will challenge God, “Why the bondage in my life? Why the aimless wandering? Why the chaos?” You know you will. You did it last year. So one day into the New Year, and you are already hanging your head in shame. Same pathetic story.

But then there is the other part of your story that never gets old. Again, you can tell it even before it unfolds in the New Year. God will see your distress, your pain, your fear, your frustration, and he will come to your rescue. Even in spite of your sin, he will do this. He will because you are his people, and he is your Savior. He will free you from your bondage with his forgiveness. He will give your life meaning with his promise of paradise. He will carry you through the chaos with his enduring love. You know he will. He did it last year. It’s the only reason you survived.

Is there a kindness or goodness or compassion that compares to your God and Lord? Not when you realize that what God continues to do for you each and every year, he did in the flesh, born in a manger, crucified on a cross, for sins the world. Yes, you have to say, “It never gets old.”

Prayer:
Dear Lord, I praise you for your compassion and kindnesses to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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