Category: Daily Devotions

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD‘s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. … I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
Isaiah 61:1–3, 10–11

Great Things God Has Done

Early in Jesus’ ministry, he entered the synagogue in Nazareth. He stood up to read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah—he spoke words recorded in our lesson for today. When Jesus finished, he said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah was inspired by God the Holy Spirit to reveal what kind of Savior Jesus would be. The prophet saw the Savior’s great work in the future, and he anticipated the amazing blessings the Lord’s anointed one would bring to the world.

As Jesus applied the prophecy to himself, he knew that his Father in heaven had chosen him by anointing him with the Holy Spirit. The anointing was a permanent presence that guided and directed the entire ministry of Jesus. Jesus’ work was preaching and proclaiming; binding up wounds in healing; replacing sadness and despair with hope and joy. He came to comfort God’s people with the good news of salvation that his Father sent him to win for them.

Believers are the Lord’s “planting,” like a grove of oaks in a dry land. Strong and sturdy, they display for all the world to see that the Lord graciously bestows rich blessings on his people. He covers them completely with Jesus’ righteousness and grants them salvation from the captivity of sin and the darkness of death.

Now the acorns of the mighty oaks sprout and grow. God produces the fruits of faith, righteous actions and words of praise in his holy people. They spring up right in front of the whole world so that everyone can see what great things God has done, and lead people everywhere to praise him for his gifts of righteousness and salvation through Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord God, praise and glory to you for the great things you have done! Fill my heart with joy for the righteousness and salvation that are mine by faith in Jesus. Use me to display these great blessings to others around me. Amen.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Nuggets of Wisdom

Crack. You open the fortune cookie and pull out the little paper. You read aloud: “A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.” Thought-provoking, maybe. But profound? Useful? A truly helpful nugget of wisdom? Hardly.

The apostle Paul wrote short, concise sayings too. But he offered far better wisdom and help than anything found in a fortune cookie. “Rejoice always.” “Pray continually.” “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Short. But profound. And helpful!

“Rejoice always.” Joy is a fruit of faith in Jesus. When we belong to Christ Jesus, God wants us to reflect how blessed it is to have forgiveness and eternal life in heaven. It’s deeper than being in a happy mood all the time. Joy is a deep-down blessedness, a quiet, lifelong celebrating that we belong to Christ.

“Pray continually.” All day, every day, we get to talk to God. And even though we are sinners who should be shut out, God listens. Because of Jesus, he listens! He listens to our prayers, whether they are out loud or silent, thought out or spontaneous, from a prayer book or in our own words. He listens to our thanksgiving, as Paul says: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” So much to give thanks for. So many blessings from our gracious God. Though we too often complain or fall into self-pity or a sense of entitlement, our gracious God loves us and forgives us. He gave his own dear Son Jesus to earn full forgiveness for us by his death on the cross. And on top of that, God blesses us with every spiritual blessing in Christ, for time and for eternity.

Short. Concise. But nothing fluffy about these little sayings. They are God’s wisdom. They give his encouragement and daily help. They carry God’s own blessing: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

These little sayings don’t belong in fortune cookies. They belong in our hearts and lives.

Prayer:
Dear Father, feed me with your divine wisdom. Give me daily joy. Hear my constant prayers to you in Christ. Lead me in thankful living in all circumstances. Amen.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. … Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
John 1:6-8,19-27

What’s your secret?

John the Baptist was a different kind of guy. In his Gospel, Matthew reports that John lived in the wilderness. His “clothes were made of camel’s hair and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.” Yet his powerful message drew people out to him. He was different—and people were interested in why.

When the religious leaders of that day asked John who he was, John confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” John was different, but he was not the difference-maker. He was not the light, but testified about the Light. God used a different kind of man to announce the coming difference-maker, Jesus Christ. God used the voice of one crying in the wilderness, to straighten out the hearts of his hearers and introduce them to the Prince of peace. John implored people to repent of their sins and pointed them to Christ as their Redeemer.

We need this same Word to work in our hearts too. Do you have a secret sin that you think would destroy you if it were revealed? Do you carry around a load of guilt about something you have not done or been? Do you expend a lot of energy trying to suppress your shame? Buying the perfect presents or finding fantastic Christmas decorations can’t take care of deep spiritual problems like these. Only God’s Word can straighten us out.

John confessed that he was not worthy of the Christ. None of us are worthy of a holy, righteous God. But our God of grace and mercy still sent the Light, his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a perfect life in thoughts, words, and deeds. He offered tender comfort to those who were hurting and broken. He had tough conversations with those who thought they had it all figured out on their own. He was never self-centered, but always self-sacrificing.

Jesus lived perfectly to make you worthy. His sacrificial death is the eternal difference-maker. It is God’s love that makes you special. That was John’s message. God has made it known in his Word. It’s no secret. God made you someone different. Through Christ you are a redeemed and beloved child of God.

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, you so loved the world that you sent your only Son to save and redeem me from my sin. Strengthen me to live a life worthy of the grace you’ve given me. Use my voice to proclaim the good news of your Son, Jesus Christ. In his name, I pray. Amen.

Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
James 5:8

Wait with Patience

‘I can’t wait!’ That’s a common cry this time of year. Children have been adding items to their Christmas lists for weeks. Waiting another week to see what they actually get seems unbearable. It’s just as hard to wait inside the confines of a classroom, struggling through tests and holding back excitement for the Christmas break. It’s equally difficult to wait when you are holding a ticket to visit your grandchildren over the Christmas holiday. It doesn’t matter how long you stare at the calendar, there are no shortcuts for waiting until Christmas gets closer. Waiting requires patience.

The Bible acknowledges patience isn’t a natural virtue inside any of us. It’s especially true when life isn’t going right. When you are afflicted with sickness or when you are being mistreated, waiting for relief is just about the hardest thing to do. It would be much more natural to grumble and complain when your health is poor. When you aren’t being treated fairly, it’s much easier to lash out and hurt someone back or criticize someone else to make them feel as lousy as you feel.

So the Bible tells you to be patient. Wait until Jesus comes. Holding out during those difficult times is like a farmer waiting for his crops to grow. It won’t do him any good to complain about how slowly they’re growing. It would be a waste of time for him to yell and scream and scold those plants until they grow faster. All the farmer can do is make sure he has done his job and then wait for the results to appear.

That’s how God wants you to handle your frustrations and challenges in life. Sometimes you can’t overcome that sickness or get rid of that mistreatment. Yet you can still place your trust in God during those difficult times. Then you can wait for God to do his job. You already know that God did his biggest job when he sent Jesus to this earth on that first Christmas. Jesus took on himself all of the abuse and mistreatment he never deserved. Jesus suffered for all the world’s spiritual sickness. Jesus took away the punishment for all of our complaining and grumbling and stinging criticisms of others. The results of Jesus’ work mean peace and forgiveness for believing hearts.

‘I can’t wait!’ can be your motto for the return of Jesus. You don’t have to count down the days on the calendar. You can wait with patience since you know Jesus brings more than just presents or a brief visit or a break from school. You can stand firm and eagerly wait for the blessings Jesus has in store for you when he comes back to take you home to heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, visit my heart to give me your patience. Fill my life with your love and forgiveness so I can patiently endure earthly struggles while I wait for you to come back and bring me your eternal blessings. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. … Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
Isaiah 35:1,6-7

The Rivers of Life

Right about now, you may be wondering how you’ll get everything done for Christmas.

We all struggle with Christmas because we don’t always have the resources we need to do Christmas right.

We may have a dozen rolls of wrapping paper and enough Christmas lights for an inter-stellar beacon. But do we have the resources to deal with a mother who still corrects how we set the table? Do we have the resources to deal with a father who has been missing for so many years? Do we have the resources to handle children who run and scream and don’t give us a chance to shower before 2 pm, let alone give us peace on earth?

Probably not—because to handle these Christmas situations and to really celebrate Christmas right, we need spiritual resources. Spiritual resources we won’t find in our hearts.

Those resources aren’t in our hearts because, spiritually speaking, our hearts are deserts of burning sand. They are empty and lifeless.

We still have hope. Isaiah promised that the Lord would bring rivers of life winding between the spiritual sand dunes of our heart. These rivers of life flood us with God’s forgiveness, uncompromising compassion, loving patience, and healing peace.

Where do all these spiritual resources come from? From the baby we’re about to welcome in one week. That child in a wooden feed box is God’s Son. He came to earth on a mission to rain God’s love and peace down on us. Thirty-three years after he was born, he suffered for our sins on the cross. His sacrifice opened the floodgates of God’s love for us. He gives us all the peace, love, joy, and hope we can hold – and then some!

So if you want to be ready for the rush of Christmas, tap into baby Jesus. Drink up the rich promises God made through this child:
• Your Father in heaven loves you.
• Your Father in heaven accepts you.
• Your Father in heaven has taken away all your guilt.
• Your Father in heaven has prepared a home for you next to him.

You’ll be surprised how well you can deal with Christmas when rivers of life are drenching your heart.

Prayer:
Lord, fill my dusty heart with the river of your life. Remind me why Jesus came to earth. Then my Christmas can be full of joy. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.
Romans 12:14-16

Our Compassionate Savior

The Bible is not the only book to instruct us to “live in harmony with one another,” as the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans. Buddhism, Hinduism, and other world religions—even secular philosophies—give us much the same guidance for life. Our own consciences warn us that we would do well to treat others around us with love and compassion. But no matter who gives us this advice or how often we hear it, we still struggle to put ourselves in the shoes of others or to put their needs and feelings ahead of our own. Our natural inclination is so turned inward that we are blind to the ways that we could be a blessing to others. And when we do think of others, it is often with jealousy, envy, contempt and pride.

Fortunately, the Bible not only tells us what we should be doing, it tells us what God’s Son has done for us. Jesus Christ perfectly considered what others needed from him. He offered forgiveness to those who crucified him. He wept along with the mourners at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. He performed his first miracle at a wedding reception to help the joyful celebration continue even as he revealed his glory as the Son of God. At Christmas, we rejoice at the news that God loved us so much that he took on our own flesh and blood. He took our sorrows on himself. He took on the weight of our sin. And he carried the guilt of our selfishness to the cross where he paid for it in full.

Jesus has shared in our sorrows so that he can share his joy with us. In him we find God’s grace and the promise of forgiveness. In him we find compassion so deep that it spills over into our own hearts. In Christ Jesus we find joy in serving others and in bringing his message of peace to everyone.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, you loved me when I was unlovable. May your compassion for everyone be reflected in the way that I live. Teach me to see the ways that I can be a blessing to others as you are to me. Amen.

By the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Romans 12:3

Not Too Highly

You ought to think of yourself highly. After all, God did. He thought so highly of you that he sent his Son to restore what had been lost through sin and unbelief. Now, through Jesus, you are a redeemed child of God. You are the apple of God’s eye. As such, you are part of a glorious kingdom, a holy nation, the people of God. You are a part of the body of Christ, with unique gifts, talents, and opportunities. You are equipped for great works of service. You are empowered to be and do what God has called you to be and do. Indeed, you ought to think of yourself highly.

But not too highly.

The apostle Paul understood the human inclination to think more highly of yourself than you ought. He had lived it and he had seen it. Apparently, it was a special challenge for the Romans. You can read Romans chapter 12 and see how many ways Paul touches on honoring others above self—you can think about how this continues to be a challenge today. Because of what he had experienced and seen, but more importantly, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, Paul urged his readers and urges us, “Think of yourself with sober judgment.”

How does the inclination to think of yourself too highly manifest itself in your life? Here’s one way it can happen: by thinking of different as better. When you look at your gifts and the gifts of others, you see your gifts not as different, but better. When you look at your opportunities and the opportunities of others, you see your opportunities not as different but better. When you look at how you and others take on a challenge, you see your way not as different but better.

To be sure, in many cases there are ways of doing things that are better than others. There are tried and true approaches that are best practices. However, when your default is to automatically think that your way is better, that’s not the best practice; it is sinful conceit and arrogance. Such an outlook is not in accordance with the faith God has given you. Faith looks at things differently.

When the temptation to think too highly of yourself comes knocking, remember, like Paul, you are who you are by the grace of God given to you—and read Romans 12 for more thoughts on how that can manifest itself in your life as a redeemed, restored, forgiven child of God.

Prayer:
Lord God, forgive my sinful conceit and arrogance. Remind me that I am who I am by your grace. Help me always to honor others above myself, and you above all. Amen.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.
1 Peter 3:12

Honor

About 350 years before Jesus’ birth, a man walked onto the world stage by the name of Alexander. Alexander did not live to be very old; he was only 32 when he died. In addition, his reign as king of Macedonia was not unusually long; he ruled for only 12 years. However, in his short life and within 12 short years, Alexander established an empire the size of which the world had never seen. In an age when armies traveled everywhere by foot, Alexander amassed a kingdom that was over 3,000 miles long. For some perspective, keep in mind that the coast-to-coast length of the United States is only 2,000 miles. Alexander was called “the Great” for a reason.

During Alexander’s reign, a respected philosopher needed money to carry out his work. Alexander told his treasurer to give the philosopher whatever he needed. The philosopher’s request, however, turned out to be a massive one. The treasurer hesitated. He decided to check with Alexander before he turned the money over. When he did, Alexander gave a memorable reply. He told the treasurer to give the philosopher his money at once. Then Alexander said this, “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.”

You and I can do the same thing when we approach our Lord in prayer.

Too often, in our sinful weakness, we can doubt our Lord’s wealth and generosity. We can talk ourselves into thinking that our requests to him need to be small and vague. When we come into the Lord’s presence with such a mindset, however, we do not give him honor. Rather, we display our skepticism. We politely question how much our God can really do.

When God became one of us in the person of Jesus Christ, he washed away our displays of dishonor with the blood he shed on the cross. And because he was willing to serve as the One who rescued us from the curse of our sin, he has demonstrated not only that he possesses all things, but that his generosity is beyond description.

The next time you bring a request to your Lord, take that to heart.

Prayer:
Lord, you possess all things and your heart is a heart of undeserved love for me. Move me to honor you with requests that are bold. Amen.

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
Isaiah 40:1-2

Real Comfort

My world could use a dose of real comfort. My life is a mess. I do a good job at work. The Lord has given me a family far better than I deserve. Still, my life is a mess.

Most days I feel that I’m behind schedule. Typically, I rush my projects because there just is not enough time to do a good job. I also rush through my time with my family. I don’t give them the quality time they deserve. I even rush my relationship with God, not giving him the quality time he deserves.

The result of all this rushing and cutting corners is guilt. I know I’m not the person I should be, could be, or ought to be. I’m looking for comfort for my guilty conscience. Do you ever feel the same way?

I can find all kinds of comfort to cheer me up: “You’ll do better next time.” “You did the best you could.” “They’ll understand.” “God knows you’re only human.”

I can find some comfort munching on an extra Christmas cookie or buying an extra toy for my child to make me feel better about neglecting her. The comfort of a good tasting Christmas cookie doesn’t last long, though. These comforts don’t work well because none deal with the core problem. I am a sinner. I fall short of God’s expectations of me. For this I deserve to be punished. But instead of the punishment I deserve, God gives me a double measure of his grace.

Punishment for my sin—for the sin of the whole world—God brought about over 2,000 years ago. God’s Son was born in a stable as my stand-in. In my place he grew up and lived a normal human life. He just never sinned. After 33 years, Jesus took his perfect human life to the cross. At that cross he received all the punishment I deserved for my sins. By the time he was done suffering for me, my sin was completely paid for.

God holds nothing against me. There isn’t a crumb of sin I must pay for on my own. When I am rightly troubled for how I have messed up, my God tenderly speaks real words of comfort to me. He doesn’t offer me a Christmas cookie or suggest I can do better next time. He tells me he has forgiven my sin. He tells me not to be troubled. Christ has paid for all my sins. Every moment of every day, I live as a forgiven child of God.

Prayer:
Father, comfort me that through Jesus all my sins are paid for. Thank you that no punishment is left! Doubly blessed by your grace, I praise you for making me your forgiven child. Amen.

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Mark 1:1

The Work Begins

“I’m going to build a shed!” With great optimism and determination Tom announced his plan. Tom’s neighbor was a little more guarded. George was a contractor by profession, so he thought a few questions were in order. “Do you know what kind of shed you want?” “Do you know where you are going to build it?” “Do you know if you need a permit?” Tom, undeterred by the questions, responded confidently, “I haven’t a clue, but I’m going to start today.”

How blessed I am that God doesn’t work this way. When he first announced his plan to send a Savior, it was simple and direct—the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. As time went on, God added more details. Not only did he create a specific plan, he carefully measured it out and staked it off. He even laid a secure foundation on which to build. Then the time came for the work to begin.

This is what Mark announced when he wrote, “the beginning of the gospel.” This wasn’t the first mention of God’s good news to rescue sinners. It was the beginning of the actual work, and that work would be accomplished by Jesus Christ the Son of God.

It is a message which brings me great joy and peace. It is also a message which gives me a secure foundation and an unshakable hope.

God didn’t go about my rescue in a haphazard way. He planned it in eternity. He proclaimed it through the Scriptures. He accomplished it through his Son. This gospel offers me the good news of my forgiveness. It comforts me with the hope for heaven. It even provides me with confidence to face the challenges of life and strength to endure times of temptation.

When the time was right, God sent his Son into the world for the work of rescuing sinners. Now I celebrate that Jesus has come, and rejoice that my rescue is secure.

Prayer:
O gracious Lord, you have blessed me with the good news of my Savior. Give me the faith I need to rely on the testimony of your Word and the completed work of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.