Category: Daily Devotions

[The LORD] has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives.
Isaiah 61:1

Captive

Daily Devotion – January 27, 2025

Devotion based on Isaiah 61:1


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Jose Pereira [pronounced Pah-RAY-rah] was ready to retire. He had worked in the oil business for 35 years. He was a chief executive. He lived with his wife in a beautiful home in Texas. Shortly before his retirement, he had to attend a corporate meeting in another part of the world. Jose thought nothing of it.

Immediately after the meeting, however, guards appeared. They accused him of all kinds of wrongdoing against their government and placed him under arrest. For the next five years, Jose Pereira was a captive. The conditions were often horrific. He sometimes did not eat for days. There were long stretches of solitary confinement. His physical and emotional health began to break down.

You and I were captives, too. We may not have had Jose’s experience. However, in a very real sense, our captivity was just as serious—even more so. Instead of an underground cell with iron doors and concrete walls, ours was a dungeon of our own making: a spiritual one. So toxic was our rebellion against God that we chose to pile up our sins, brick by brick, to isolate ourselves from the only One who can give us goodness, love, life, and light. And there we sat, captives in our own darkness.

But then came the promised Savior. In our place, Jesus lived a life of perfect good—the life you and I have failed to live. On our behalf, Jesus went to the cross and endured the punishment for our every sin—the punishment you and I have deserved. And now, through faith in what our rescuer has done, we are captive no more. We are free.

Jose Pereira is free, too. Yes, his physical captivity came to an end after five years. But he is free in an even greater way. Through those terrible years, the Holy Spirit refreshed him wth a message he had grown up hearing a long time ago. In his cell, the good news of Jesus set him free from the walls of his own sin. “Now,” he says, “Everything I do is for God.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you have set me free. Move me, now, to live for you. Amen.

All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove [Jesus] out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
Luke 4:28-30

The Power to Walk Away

Daily Devotion – January 26, 2025

Devotion based on Luke 4:28-30


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Jesus had gone to Nazareth, his hometown, and went into the synagogue to worship. The people invited Jesus to preach, so Jesus opened to a part of the book of Isaiah which reads, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” This is a beautiful segment of the Bible which reminds us that God is full of forgiving love! It also teaches that God doesn’t like to deal with us in judgment (Though he will do that if we stubbornly rebel against him.) Rather, he loves to deal with us in mercy and love. Jesus identified himself as the fulfillment of this prophecy, as the promised Messiah.

Unfortunately, the people reacted with unbelief, and Jesus confronted them about it. This made them furious, and they tried to kill him.

How did Jesus deal with that? He walked away. He simply left, and there was nothing the people could do to stop him.

That’s very valuable for us to see. Why? Because later another group of people tried to put Jesus to death. It happened in Jerusalem, and Jesus didn’t walk away. He could have, but he didn’t.

This shows us that when Jesus died, he did so willingly. When Jesus died, he did so because he loved you. He wasn’t forced into it. He had the power to walk away from the cross just as he had walked away from the hill in Nazareth. But he didn’t.

So, we rejoice! We rejoice that Jesus had the power to walk away from the crowd in Nazareth. And we rejoice even more that Jesus didn’t walk away from the cross in Jerusalem.

Prayer:
O Savior, remind me that your love for me is a willing love so that I might know for sure that you love me forever. Amen.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23

A Daily Number One Goal

Daily Devotion – January 25, 2024

Devotion based on Proverbs 4:23


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What is your number one goal on the schedule today? Is it visiting or calling someone in need? Is it completing a task at work? Is it paying off a bill online? Is it simply making it through the day with your head attached to your neck?

We have to-do lists that seem to get longer and longer by the hour. It can be our number one goal to accomplish everything on the list. But try a different number one goal for today. “Above all else, guard your heart” was Solomon’s encouragement in Proverbs chapter 4. Why? Because your heart is where it all begins.

The heart that says, “I have too many things to do and no time for God today,” is already allowing impatience and sin to seep inside. Frustration, lost tempers, and angry words are just around the corner. But the heart that takes the time to admit every day, “I need my Savior desperately as I complete as much on my to-do list as I can” will be at rest. The peace of Christ will guard that humble heart, keeping the wellspring of life, joy, and love on the inside and banning frustration and bitterness to the outside.

Want to have peace and joy as you complete your to-do lists? Make it your number one goal to guard your heart with Christ today. You will be amazed at the difference it makes!

Prayer:
O Holy Spirit, fill my heart with a love for you that keeps you as my number one priority every day. Amen.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20,21

More Than All We Ask or Imagine

Daily Devotion – January 24, 2025

Devotion based on Ephesians 3:20,21


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In an iconic scene from the classic movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, George and Mary playfully walk, talk, and sing together under the romantic light of a full moon. They stop and face each other as George asks, “What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word, and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey, that’s a pretty good idea. I’ll give you the moon, Mary.” She replies, “I’ll take it. Then what?”

In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul had dared to pray boldly on their behalf. He asked that God would powerfully strengthen these believers through the Holy Spirit so that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith. What’s more, the apostle asked that they would be given the power to know the unknowable—how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ—to the point that these Christians would come to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. He might as well have asked for the moon!

But Paul knew the God to whom he was praying. He is the God who does the impossible, the unimaginable. Jesus assured his disciples, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” They never could have imagined that Christ would die for them, the holy and righteous Son of God, punished in the place of sinners. But he did and saved them and us from hell before we could even think to ask.

What is it you want? Be bold in your prayers in Jesus’ name. Your Father loves you more than you can ever know. He has filled you with everything you could ever need. Your God is able to do immeasurably more than all you ask or imagine.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for taking care of all my needs—and so much more. Increase my faith in you so that my prayers might become bolder and more confident. Amen.

That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:19

Filled to the Fullness of God

Daily Devotion – January 23, 2025

Devotion based on Ephesians 3:19


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Is there a more comforting passage of Scripture than Psalm 23? Through the centuries, people have turned to this beautiful poem written by King David and found peace that otherwise was beyond their grasp. Even in the most painful and heartbreaking situations, such as mourning the loss of a loved one or facing the end of their own life’s journey, people have discovered there what they were lacking. They learn that the Lord, their shepherd, fills their every need so that they will want for nothing.

Are you spiritually or emotionally burned out, exhausted from everything that this sin-fallen world throws at you? Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He strengthens you with his gospel in Word and sacrament, nourishing and restoring your soul with forgiveness and eternal rest.

Are you lost and confused about which way to turn, unsure of what God expects of you? Our Lord Jesus goes ahead of you on the path of righteousness. Follow his lead, because he has taken care of everything along the way. In Baptism, he cloaks you in Christ’s righteousness, and his Spirit guides you in the way that pleases him.

Maybe fear and apprehension have crippled your heart and made you stop in your tracks. The specter of death and other earthly dangers can loom so large that they obscure your vision. But don’t be afraid. You are not alone. God is with you even in this dark place. The worst of your enemies—death, sin, and the devil himself—have been defeated by Christ’s redeeming work. They can only powerlessly look on as the Lord showers you with grace upon grace, blessing upon blessing. God has filled you with every good thing. He himself has come to dwell within you. You lack nothing because you have been filled to the fullness of God. Filled to overflowing. Wherever you go, whatever you face, your loving Shepherd will be there with his goodness and mercy. Until that day, that blessed day, when he takes you to live with him forever.

Prayer:
Lord God, I am empty without you. Be with me in Christ, and I will want for nothing. Amen.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.
Ephesians 3:17-19

More Love Than You Can Know

Daily Devotion – January 22, 2025

Devotion based on Ephesians 3:17-19


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Ten-year-old Aiden loved everything about the ocean, as anyone who met him would know.

“Did you know that the earth’s oceans are just one huge body of water covering seventy-one percent of our planet?” Aiden would ask out of nowhere. “That’s one hundred thirty-nine million square miles!”

“My favorite is the Pacific Ocean. It’s massively huge! The biggest thing on the planet—bigger than all the continents put together! And it’s incredibly deep. The average is maybe twelve thousand feet, but there’s this place called the Mariana Trench, and the guy who made the Titanic movie went down there in a submersible and made videos, and it was seven miles down! It’s so cool!”

If you let him, Aiden could talk for hours about his passion. But here’s the thing: Aiden’s family lived far from the coast, and he had never visited the ocean in person. He never experienced its vastness or heard its waves. Instead, he soaked up every book and video from the library that would reveal more details about his favorite subject.

The apostle Paul was just as passionate in the way he talked about Jesus Christ. He wanted others to share his love and to discover what a wonderful Savior we have in Jesus. Unlike Aiden and the ocean, though, Paul did personally encounter Jesus. He knew his love firsthand. Previously, Paul had been violently persecuting Christians, dragging them to prison. But Jesus had mercy on him, forgave him, and called him to proclaim his saving grace to the world.

The love that Christ has for you is more than you can ever fully know. You can spend a lifetime exploring its heights and depths and never reach its limits. But it is worth the investment of your time. Join with the rest of God’s people who share this passion in learning what it means to be loved by him.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I have only scratched the surface of learning about your love. Lead me deeper into your word and promises so that I may know you better. Amen.

I pray that out of his glorious riches [God] may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Ephesians 3:16,17

More Than by Your Side

Daily Devotion – January 21, 2025

Devotion based on Ephesians 3:16,17


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In Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Luke Skywalker finds a mentor in Obi-Wan Kenobi. The old Jedi master patiently teaches young Luke the ways of the Force, encouraging him to embrace his potential and the responsibility that comes with it. Before they complete his training, however, Obi-Wan allows himself to be cut down by the villainous Darth Vader, so that Luke and others might escape with their lives. Later in the film, when all depends on Luke making a one-in-a-million shot to destroy the Death Star, he hears the voice of his departed mentor guiding him to victory through the Force.

Since 1977, the year the first Star Wars movie came out, people have pointed out parallels between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jesus Christ. Both sacrificed themselves to save others and still provided guidance to their disciples even after death. But what a pale reflection that is! For as big of a dreamer as Star Wars creator George Lucas was, his epic tale of galactic proportions doesn’t come close to the awesome reality we find in Christ. Luke, Han Solo, and Princess Leia escaped the clutches of Darth Vader that day, but death would take them all by the end of the last movie.

Jesus, however, redeemed all mankind by his death, and his physical resurrection back to life guarantees our own on the Last Day. The movie ghost of the fallen Jedi master came alongside Luke Skywalker, urging him to find the strength within himself to do what needed to be done. Meanwhile, the risen Lord Jesus is more than by your side; he lives in your heart through faith. Through the proclamation of his love and forgiveness in his Son, Jesus Christ, God the Father sends his Holy Spirit to powerfully transform your inner being. The God of eternal love, who created the galaxies both near and far, far away, and who died that you might live forever, takes up residence in your heart; he alone is your strength and salvation.

Prayer:
Lord God, continue to work in my heart through the gospel to strengthen my faith in Jesus and my love for you. Amen.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
Ephesians 3:14,15

A Father Who Loves Us

Daily Devotion – January 20, 2025

Devotion based on Ephesians 3:14,15


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The Parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the most well-loved stories told by Jesus. In it, a young man takes his share of the family inheritance generously given by his father and in short order, wastes it all on reckless living. The young man, now penniless and at rock bottom, finally comes to his senses. He realizes that he brought shame on his family’s name and squandered his father’s wealth. He couldn’t imagine that he could ever be reconciled to his father. Resolved to return and beg for an entry-level job in his family’s business, the young man barely begins his rehearsed apology before his father runs up and interrupts. With a flurry of affection, the father welcomes him home and loudly calls for a celebration of his lost son’s return.

Some may hear that story and think, “Does a father like that even exist, one who is so loving and forgiving?” The point of Jesus’ parable is that you certainly have such a father—the Almighty God who created all things is Father of us all. He has given you a share in his beautiful creation along with every other person on this planet. Sadly, we have proven to be prodigals ourselves—recklessly and selfishly wasting what God has given to us on things with no true lasting value. How dare we ask him for anything more? But before we could even ask, our heavenly Father came to reconcile us to himself through his one true Son, Jesus Christ. Our older brother Jesus is everything that we were not—faithful, loyal, and loving to his Father and to us, his brothers and sisters. Jesus intercedes for us, reminding his Father—and ours—that our debt has been fully paid by him through his holy blood shed on the cross.

Whoever you are, whatever you’ve done or left undone, you have a Father who loves you more than you can imagine and more than you could have asked for. A heavenly Father who hears and answers your prayers.

Prayer:
Dear Father, I kneel before you in prayer, knowing you will hear me for Jesus’ sake. Forgive my sins and welcome me home. Amen.

For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all your paths.
Proverbs 5:21

The Continuous Video Camera

Daily Devotion – January 19, 2025

Devotion based on Proverbs 5:21


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What if you had someone following you around all day with a continuous video camera? The camera would record everything you said and did. Not one second of the day would be unrecorded. Would that make you uncomfortable?

God is like a continuous video camera. He sees all our ways and examines all of our paths. Not only does he see every word and action, but he also sees every thought that enters our minds. He sees even the deepest and darkest. That makes us uncomfortable! We don’t want to watch a home movie of our hurtful words and actions. We don’t want God or anyone else to watch that, either.

Thankfully, our Savior washed away every sin from our hearts, mouths, and bodies. He has cleansed us from ALL our sins. With Jesus in the picture, God’s continuous video camera is a blessing. You can be sure that everything you have done has been in full view of God, and you can be sure he still loves you very much. He has examined all your paths and declares in certainty, “You are forgiven for everything.”

What a blessing to have a Savior who knows all and forgives all!

Prayer:
Father thank you for sending Jesus to wash away my sins so that I may rejoice forever in heaven. Amen.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
Titus 3:4,5

The Love of God

Daily Devotion – January 18, 2025

Devotion based on Titus 3:4,5


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“Nobody loves me!” Very few phrases are more heart-wrenching than to hear someone say that no one loves them. Many of us have felt this way at one time or another—the teenager whose friends all seem to have abandoned her, the single person who cannot find that special someone, the divorcee whose world has collapsed, the widow who is suddenly all alone. But God has comfort for everyone who has ever felt unloved. He loves us.

God does not love us because we are lovable. In fact, Paul says, “when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done.” If God’s love for us depended on our being lovable, none of us would stand a chance. The things we have done are not lovable. They are unloving and cruel and hurtful. They are sins.

But God saved us from those sins, not because of what we’ve done, but despite what we’ve done. “He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” God looked at us and said, “What poor, miserable creatures! Over and over again, they deny me and disobey me. They certainly don’t deserve anything from me. But I love them. And I am going to save them from the eternal punishment they deserve.” The fact that God saved us when we didn’t deserve it proves his love for us.

Do you think no one loves you? Look at that man on the cross. Jesus loves you. He loves you as much today as the day on which he was nailed to the cross for you. What wondrous love!

Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for loving me and saving me because of your mercy. Amen.