Category: Daily Devotions

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
John 6:66-68

The Words of Eternal Life

Daily Devotion – Augusts 31, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:66-68


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During the Revolutionary War, Ethan Allen made a name for himself as a capable colonel and the leader of the Green Mountain Boys. He was also widely known as a religious skeptic who had no use for the Christian faith. Allen’s wife, on the other hand, was a devout believer and taught their daughter about Jesus as the one who loves and saves sinners. It happened that the daughter fell seriously ill, and her father was summoned to her bedside. As the girl was nearing death, she took his hand and asked, “Father, should I believe what you have taught me or what I have learned from my mother?” The long moment of silence after her question must have felt like an eternity. Her father finally found his voice to say, “My child, believe what your mother has taught you.”

In the twists and turns of life, we can fool ourselves into thinking that there are any number of paths we can take and that any road will do. But when we are finally forced to face our end, with the prospect of where we will spend eternity, our viable options begin to dwindle very quickly. How will we stand before the Almighty on the great day of judgment? How can we hope to enter paradise when we have angered our Maker with our selfish deeds and self-centered lifestyles?

When we are faced with the reality that we, too, will one day die, we cannot ignore the question: “Where will you go? Whom will you follow?” May we, like Peter, answer, “I believe that Jesus has the words of eternal life. I believe that Jesus is eternal life.” His death for sinners has paid our debt. His rising from the grave assures us of God’s love. His word promises us forgiveness. Who else can give us these blessings but the eternal Son of God?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, keep my eyes and heart fixed on you through your Word. I have nowhere else to turn for blessings today and for salvation in eternity. Amen.

Jesus declared “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry.”
John 6:35

Real Food

Daily Devotion – August 30, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:35


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Over the past twenty years, a man named Michael Pollan has written books and given talks about finding good food to eat and avoiding bad food. He has a wonderful knack for avoiding all the nutritionist jargon. Instead, he works to keep his advice clear, simple, and practical. Over time, his words of wisdom have included: “Don’t eat anything with ingredients you cannot pronounce.” “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother would not recognize.” “Stay out of the middle of the supermarket. Shop on the perimeter of the store.” And finally, “Do not eat anything that won’t eventually rot.”

His pithy statements make the point. In our modern world of artificial ingredients and ultra-processed foods, be careful not to fill up your body with food that is not real. To do so is to invite malnutrition and a whole host of chronic health problems. Instead, stick to food that is real.

In this sinful, fallen world of lies and deceptions, spiritual junk food is all around me. There are all kinds of things I can consume to fill up the emptiness in my soul. I can fill it with pleasure. I can fill it with popularity. I can fill it with worldly success. I can fill it with alcohol and drugs. I can fill it with recreation and entertainment. I can fill it with a hobby. I can fill it with politics and current events. I can even try to fill the emptiness of my soul with food.

But it will not satisfy. It will not fill the void. Instead, it will only starve my soul. It will only push me further away from where I need to be. Such is the nature of sin—your sin and mine.

Enter Jesus. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry.” Only the one who has come to confront the ultimate problem of sin. Only the one who has our sin taken away at the cross. Only the one who has risen from death. Only he can fill your empty soul.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, apart from you my soul is empty. Fill me with your gospel. Wash me clean. Make me whole. Amen.

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:28,29

Presupposition

Daily Devotion – August 29, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:28,29


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Harry Houdini is, perhaps, the most famous magician of all time. As a magician, he knew the power of using people’s presuppositions to pull off magic tricks and great escapes. Even he, however, came to realize that his own presuppositions could mislead him. Houdini was on a European tour, and he came to Scotland. To promote his upcoming show, he asked local law enforcement shackle him and place him in a jail cell. The jailer did so, then left Houdini alone. Promptly, Houdini removed the shackles without a bit of trouble. Then he went to work on the jail cell door. This lock, however, did not respond. He tried all his usual methods. But no matter what he did, the workings of this lock refused to tumble.

Finally, feeling frustrated, Houdini leaned back against the door—and the door swung wide open. Only then did he realize his presupposition. Laboring to pick the lock, he had presumed that there was a lock to pick. The reality was that the jailer had never locked the door.

You and I, by nature, hold a presupposition, too. However, ours has far greater consequences than keeping us inside a jail cell. You and I presume that we can saunter into God’s presence just as we are. Oh, sure, we want to do what we can to live decent lives, but as long as we do that, everything between us and God should be just fine.

That is a deadly presupposition. It presumes that my sin is not serious. It presumes I can do what God requires to make up for any wrong I have done.

But such a presupposition does nothing about my sin. It will lead me to eternal separation from God, for the answer is not in me. The answer is Jesus. It is the perfect life he’s lived in my place. It is the death he died to wash me clean. He alone opens my jail cell. In him alone am I free.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive my sinful presuppositions. Cleanse me in your blood. Move me to rest in you alone. Amen.

[Jesus said] Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.
John 6:27

Food That Endures

Daily Devotion – August 28, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:27


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Food spoilage is not a pleasant subject. As we push our carts through the grocery aisles or sit in the booth of our favorite diner, the reality of food spoilage is not something we like to think about. Nevertheless, experts remind us that the moment food is harvested, that food begins to decompose. True, we can slow the process through chemicals, drying, refrigeration, and freezing, but the process continues. In the United States alone, people throw out about 150 tons of food per day. And very likely, each of us has experienced—or knows someone who has experienced—food poisoning from eating food that has broken down too much.

It’s a sobering thing when you think about it. The very substance we need to sustain our bodies is, as we eat it, in the process of spoiling, decomposing, and breaking down. It’s a vivid reminder of the broken world in which we live; a world broken by sin—your sin and mine.

Jesus knows all about this too. That’s why he tells us, “Do not work for food that spoils.” The answer to life is not consuming something that will break down and spoil. Rather, the answer must come from outside, beyond this dying world.

Jesus says, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” The food that endures to eternal life is Jesus himself. The food that endures to eternal life is the one who has lived a sinless life on our behalf, died on the cross for our every sin, risen from death, and now reigns in the glories of heaven.

In Jesus alone, we find what lasts, and there is life eternal. In Jesus alone, we possess an inheritance that will never perish, spoil, or fade.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in this sinful, fallen world, everything breaks, wears out, and spoils. In you alone, I possess what lasts forever. Move me to fix my eyes on you. Amen.

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us.
1 Corinthians 10:11

Entitlement

Daily Devotion – August 27, 2024

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 10:11


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A website called verywellmind.com has published an article that may help you determine whether someone you know has a toxic sense of entitlement. According to the article, symptoms may include the following: High demands (regardless of what they have, they presume they deserve more); Melodrama (a strong reaction when things don’t go their way); Lack of gratitude (expressing appreciation for what they have simply does not occur to them); Victim mentality (they feel that something bad is always happening to them).

But here’s the sobering side of this article. When I apply these symptoms to my attitude toward God, I wince. My old sinful self can often ooze with a sense of entitlement. It’s easy for me to presume that I deserve more. It’s easy for me to harbor strong resentment when things don’t go my way. It’s easy for me not to consider expressing appreciation for what I already have. And oh, it is so easy for me to play the victim—blaming people, circumstances, and even God when my life is not rolling along as I insist it should.

In the Old Testament, God records how he cared for his people as they traveled through a barren wilderness. He gave them enough to eat and drink. He faithfully fulfilled their needs. And yet, their sinful sense of entitlement led them to resentment and rebellion towards God—the very one who could give them life.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, the apostle Paul tells us that God recorded these events with us in mind. Through these tragic accounts of calloused entitlement, the Lord wishes to give a warning to you and me—a warning that radiates with love. In love, he calls upon me to consider all that I possess from a lavish, generous God. In love, he calls upon me to identify the sinful sense of entitlement when it sprouts in my own heart. In love, he calls me to repentance and invites me to be refreshed in the forgiveness Jesus has purchased for me.

Prayer:
Lord, I come to you in repentance for my sense of entitlement. Wash me clean. Fill me with thankfulness all over again. Amen.

Each morning everyone gathered as much [manna] as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.
Exodus 16:21

As Promised

Daily Devotion – August 26, 2024

Devotion based on Exodus 16:21


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In the early days of World War I, German forces captured a British officer by the name of Robert Campbell. Soon, Campbell entered a POW camp, deep in enemy territory. Two years later, Campbell received word that his mother was dying of cancer back home in England. Thinking he had nothing to lose, Campbell wrote a letter directly to the Kaiser, head of the German Empire. He requested permission to go home and see his dying mother. To Campbell’s great surprise, the Kaiser granted his request, on one condition—that Campbell would give his word to return to the POW camp after seeing his mother.

Campbell kept his word. He traveled to England. He spent a week with his mother. Then he went back to Germany. Throughout this time, he was not under guard; he was not under coercion. But he had given his word. And so he returned. As promised.

About 1,400 years before the birth of Jesus, God’s people found themselves wandering through a stark, barren wilderness; a place devoid of food. But the Lord gave them his word that, every morning, he would provide them with a special kind of food— “manna,” they called it. The manna they received was enough to sustain them for that day. Then, the next morning, the Lord provided for them again. And on it went; for 40 years. Every morning the Lord kept his word. As promised.

The same Lord has given his word to you and me. He has given his word never to leave or forsake us. He has given his word to carry us through every difficult moment and sustain us with what we need. He has given his word to guide all things for our good. And all this he has sealed in the blood of his Son—the same blood that has washed our every sin away.

And so he will keep his word. He will never leave or forsake us. He will carry us through every difficult moment and sustain us with what we need. He will guide all things for our good. As promised.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for keeping your promises. Refresh my trust in you. Amen.

“If serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:15

Choices

Daily Devotion – August 25, 2024

Devotion based on Joshua 24:15


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Life is full of choices. Isn’t it? What to eat? What to wear? Where to go? What to do? Everywhere we turn, we’re faced with choices. Sometimes, the choices are clear; other times, not so much. Sometimes, we’re choosing between two good things. Other times, it seems like we’re choosing between the lesser of two evils.

Today, we’re presented with another choice. It isn’t a choice of whether or not to believe in God. The choice is this: whom are we going to serve?

When we don’t like to make choices, we try to delay them until the last possible moment, or perhaps, try not to choose at all. It seems easier, instead of choosing, to try to stay right in the middle and be neutral. However, when it comes to choosing between serving God and serving things or people opposed to God, there’s no middle ground. We can’t be neutral. We’re either on God’s side or not.

So, whom are you going to serve: The world or the Lord? The world promises pleasure and happiness but often disappoints and never truly satisfies. The Lord never disappoints and always satisfies. The world doesn’t care if you get hurt along the way. The Lord cared so much that he sent his Son, Jesus, to die in your place. The world can only offer temporary gifts. The Lord’s gifts last into eternity.

Every day, God places this choice before us. So, whom are we going to serve? Lord willing, we will answer as Joshua did, “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Prayer:
Lord God, you give me the opportunity to serve you as a way to thank you for all you’ve done. Help me every day to choose to serve you with all of my heart and mind. Amen.

“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
John 6:43-44

Stop Grumbling and Trust

Daily Devotion – August 24, 2024

Devotion based on John 6:43-44


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Why were the people around Jesus grumbling? It was because they knew him! They knew Jesus, the son of Joseph of Nazareth. They knew his mom, Mary, too. In Nazareth, they knew his brothers and sisters. They had known Jesus from the beginning of his life. So, they refused to believe his claim about himself.

Then Jesus told the crowds that he had come down from heaven. The picture he used was brilliant. Nearly fifteen hundred years before Jesus spoke these words, God saved his people from death in the desert by miraculously providing bread from heaven. Jesus offers even more. He came down from heaven to save us from our sins. He promises that those who trust in him will live forever.

Rather than grumble that Jesus cannot be who he claimed to be, trust that he was, indeed, sent from the Father to restore our relationship to him. Trust his promise that all who trust in him will be raised back to life when this world comes to an end. Trust his promises and experience the peace only he can provide.

Prayer:
Gracious Holy Spirit, lead me to trust the words of Jesus because they are both the truth and my eternal life. Amen.

[Jesus] saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Mark 6:48-50

Take Courage

Daily Devotion – August 23, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 6:48-50


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Life is exhausting. We spend so many hours working to provide for our families or trying to pay off debt. We race around to all the various activities and commitments the family has during the week. We stress about everything from money to time and our health. We try so hard to do our best, but inevitably, we find ourselves overstretched and worn out. We feel alone and isolated. We feel like we are rowing against the storm and not making any headway.

What impact does this all have on our thinking? When life piles on and we are overwhelmed, we don’t think clearly. We make false assumptions. We believe wrong things about God: we believe he is distant, that he isn’t there at all, that he is someone or something different than he actually is. In their moment of stress and isolation, the disciples mistakenly assumed that Jesus was a ghost. Rather than looking to him as someone to trust and reach out to, in their exhaustion, they mistook him to be someone they should fear.

In moments like this, Jesus comes to us just as he did to them. He says: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Take heart, for the One who walks on water and controls the storms. is the same One who is in control of your life. This One is none other than our Savior, Jesus, who lived and died and rose again for us to conquer sin, death, and hell. In doing this important work, Jesus forgives our sins and gives us heaven. He makes us God’s children through faith. He has ascended into heaven and is ruling all things for our good. He is in control. The Lord is with us whether we think so or not.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, be with me always. Protect me and save me. Amen.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Psalm 46:1-3

Out of Control

Daily Devotion – August 22, 2024

Devotion based on Psalm 46:1-3


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Take a look around. Does it feel to you like the world has gone crazy? Does it seem like everything is crashing down around you, and you have no control and aren’t sure how much more of it you can take? The economy is a source of stress and hand-wringing. The political scene in our country, which perhaps could best be described as a circus, offers very little comfort or reassurance that everything will be okay. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East continue, causing unrest and uncertainty. Injustice, hardship, poverty, and so many other issues abound.

Taken all together, it can feel like things are spiraling out of control. The author of Psalm 46 describes a situation just like this. The Bible verses for today describe a world in upheaval. A place where even the forces of nature are seemingly out of control. The words describe the worst catastrophe imaginable.

Even so, the author states that we will not fear. We will not fear because God is with us each and every day. He is our refuge and strength. He keeps us safe in this turbulent world and gives us entry into the next world, which will have no chaos, difficulty, or uncertainty. In sending his Son, Jesus, to be our Savior from sin, God has provided us a way out of this chaotic world and into the heavenly home he has prepared for us. Through faith in Jesus, we will live forever in peace and joy.

And until the day comes when we reach our heavenly home, Jesus promises to be with us always. He is our ever-present help in trouble. The Lord is with us whether it feels like it or not. Cling to the Lord and put your trust in him.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, at times, it feels like things in this world are out of control. Lead me to trust in you and know that you are always present. Be near me, Lord Jesus. Amen.