Category: Daily Devotions

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
1 John 5:13-15

Confidence

Daily Devotion – October 16, 2022

Devotion based on 1 John 5:13-15

See series: Devotions

“Are you sure?” Satan still asks, as he tries to rob you of your confidence.

John, disciple of Jesus, points out two things that will deepen your confidence.

First is the sure knowledge that eternal life is yours. You have this confidence because “you believe in the name of the Son of God.” His given name is Jesus, which means “savior, rescuer.” A worthwhile study would be to search out as many of the Bible’s titles and descriptive names for Jesus, you could find. His “name” includes all that he has done for you. It is a revealed fact, then, that God’s Son came into the world as true man and accomplished his mission perfectly. The payment of his life, death, and resurrection for the sins of the world was accepted by the Father as payment in full. Trusting in Jesus and everything his names tell you about him, you may know that you have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Next, the wise old apostle teaches you about a second key to confidence. It regards your prayers to God: “If we ask anything according to his will.” God’s will is what God wants. The Bible reveals what God wants us to believe and do as far as we need to know it. And for the things only God knows, Jesus teaches us to trust as he trusted, saying, “Not my will, but yours be done.” Since we are praying for God’s good will to be done, “We know that we have what we asked of him,” whether his answer be “yes,” “no,” or “wait patiently.”

That’s God-given confidence.

Prayer:
Lord, keep me sure. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

As [Jesus] was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
Luke 17:12,13

The Amazing Love of God

Daily Devotion – October 15, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 17:12,13

See series: Devotions

In Jesus’ day, leprosy was a horrible illness and was incurable. If you caught leprosy, you had to move away from society and live with other lepers. That’s why in our verses today, we meet a group of ten men who were together because they had leprosy. When they realized that Jesus was close by, they pleaded for him to have pity on them.

Unfortunately, this account has kind of a sour ending. To summarize, Jesus healed all ten of them, but only one of them returned to say thank you.

Did Jesus know that would happen? Sure, he did because he knows all things.

Most amazingly, he had pity on them anyway! Most graciously, he healed all of them!

In the same way, our gracious God continues to deal with you and me today. Yes, he knows we’ll fail to appreciate his mercy and often fail to thank him for his blessings.

Yet he continues to deal with us in mercy and with blessing. What a forgiving, loving God!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me for the countless times I’ve failed to thank you for your mercy, failed to appreciate your blessings. Remind me of your love, that I might be emboldened to live with joy and confidence and might return often to thank you for your mercy. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9:10,11

The Blessing of Giving

Daily Devotion – October 14, 2022

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 9:10,11

See series: Devotions

A seed is a small thing, the size of our fingernails at most but often much smaller. And yet from that tiny seed can come large plants and great fruits. The apostle Paul uses the picture of seed and harvest to instruct us on how to give generously. Paul tells us that God supplies the seeds to us and makes the harvest grow. When it comes time to sow again, God will provide the seeds again and again.

An amazing thing happens when Christians sow with the seeds God provides. When they give generously of their material wealth, it spreads and grows into thanksgiving to God. It’s part of a harvest of righteousness.

Maybe you’ve seen the videos of Christians receiving Bibles for the very first time. A remote tribe that never had the Bible translated into their own language before receives the gift of Bibles written in their own language. The whole village shows up dressed in their best. They rejoice, pray, sing, dance, and give thanks to God for the gifts of generous Christians who helped make it possible.

There is great power in the simplest acts of generosity. For the price of Grande latte, we can help put God’s Word in the hands of families who have never owned a bible before. That generosity produces gratitude in the recipients of the gifts. And the recipients of the gifts pray for the ones who have so generously given.

Paul reminds us that the motivation for this giving doesn’t come from compulsion but rather through the confession of the gospel—the good news that our sins are forgiven in Jesus. As God has given so generously to us, so we give so joyfully to others.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, give me a cheerful heart to be generous as you are generous to me. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:17-19

Giving Thanks to Jesus

Daily Devotion – October 13, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 17:17-19

See series: Devotions

It was his Friday night ritual. He went to an old pier on the eastern coast of Florida with a bucket of shrimp. One by one, he pulled out the shrimp and fed the seagulls as they flocked around him. Most onlookers thought he was just a crazy old guy. But his name is Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, and during World War 2, he was stranded at sea. When all seemed lost, a seagull landed on Eddie’s hat, and miraculously, without a struggle, the seagull allowed itself to be caught. Eddie and the other men ate what they could and used what remained of the bird as bait. Its sacrifice saved them. His way of saying thank you was to feed those birds every Friday night.

Jesus miraculously healed ten men from leprosy, but only one of them came back to give thanks to Jesus. Perhaps the others were thankful, but didn’t show their gratitude to the one who healed them. Only one came back to express his thanks to Jesus.

His gratitude was a sign of his faith in Jesus, a faith that consisted in total dependence on God. The man knew there was nothing he could do to heal himself of leprosy; only Jesus could do that. His faith didn’t disappoint him, and through his faith, Jesus assured him that he was saved.

Faith in Jesus saves. Faith saves because God gives undeserved, unqualified, unconditional love. The proper response is the same as the leper who came back: to fall at Jesus’ feet and give thanks.

Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was a Christian. He said that he was saved to serve God and to serve others. That’s an even better way to say thanks than feeding seagulls some shrimp. It’s a way that we can all say thank you to Jesus.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for giving me faith to trust in your saving work. Help me say thanks by serving you and the people in my life. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
Luke 17:12,13

Jesus Have Mercy

Daily Devotion – October 12, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 17:12,13

See series: Devotions

When did he know? When did he know that the red, irritated skin wasn’t going to get better on its own? Was it when the lesion started spreading? Was it when he noticed it on both of his arms or legs? Maybe it was when his hair started to fall out. Or perhaps when he pinched his hand in the door and realized there was no pain. Did he try to cover it up and hide it so no one would notice? When did he know that he had leprosy?

Leprosy was worse than a death sentence. It meant you had to live like you were already dead. You were traumatically ripped away from your family and friends. You were cut off and forced out of your city or village. You existed on the fringes. It was like you were invisible.

When did you know? When did you feel the pain in this life? That you were missing something? Your condition isn’t leprosy, but it is even more dangerous, even more isolating. It’s the infection of sin. Sin corrupts everything in this life. Your relationships. Your health, mental and physical. And it separates you from God.

“Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” That’s all the ten lepers could say to Jesus. It was their only hope. All you can say to Jesus is the same, “Jesus, have mercy!” And he does. Just like Jesus had mercy on those lepers, he has mercy on you. Jesus forgives you your sins, restores and redeems you.

Jesus told the lepers to show themselves to the priests. That’s it. No big show. No theatrics. But each one went, and each one was healed.

Forgiveness comes in the same way: No big show. No theatrics. Your believing heart trusts the words, “You are forgiven.” And God sees your sins no more. You’re clean and no longer separated from God because Jesus does have mercy.

Prayer:
Lord, give me faith to trust your words of mercy and forgiveness. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.”
Genesis 8:21

A Gracious Promise

Daily Devotion – October 11, 2022

Devotion based on Genesis 8:21

See series: Devotions

They got what they deserved. The people at the time of Noah’s flood were described as corrupt and violent. Their thoughts were evil all the time. A holy and just God demands perfection and obedience. Those people were far from it. When the flood waters came and destroyed them, they rightly received God’s judgment.

Sometimes we think, “I wish God would give me what I deserve. I’m a hard worker. I’m faithful to my spouse, at least outwardly. I am a good citizen, and I pay my taxes. I attend church regularly. And yet my life is still a struggle. I live paycheck to paycheck. Where are my blessings, God? When will you give me what I deserve?”

Entitlement kills gratitude. And if we think we are entitled to anything from God, that entitlement doesn’t just kill gratitude—it kills faith too. The hard truth is we aren’t much different from the people at the time of the flood. God uses a similar phrase to describe them and us, “every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood.”

If we deserve anything from God, it’s the same thing the people at the time of the flood received: death and destruction. That’s what our sins have earned us.

But God holds back his judgment. He made a promise never to destroy all living creatures again. It’s not because we did anything to earn or deserve that mercy; God just gives grace and mercy because he is a loving God.

Even the flood was an act of love. It preserved the line of the Savior, Jesus. God saved eight people from the flood. But when God sent Jesus, he saved the whole world. And all who put their faith in Jesus will be saved. That’s a lot to give thanks over!

Prayer:
Dear God, give me a thankful and grateful heart for not giving to me as my sins deserve but instead giving me life 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, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
Genesis 8:20

Noah Built an Altar

Daily Devotion – October 10, 2022

Devotion based on Genesis 8:20

See series: Devotions

Noah built an altar. People familiar with the story of Noah and the flood know Noah built an ark. But Noah also built an altar. For about a year, Noah and his family lived on the ark while it floated on top of the flood waters. Death and destruction swirled around them.

What thoughts went through the minds of the eight people on that ark as the rain waters fell and the flood waters went up? Every creature outside of the ark lost its life. Were Noah and his family horrified at the carnage?

When it was time to leave the ark, how did Noah feel? Thankful. Noah built an altar. And then he offered up a great sacrifice to God.

There were only seven of each clean animal saved on the ark, and Noah took one of them, fourteen percent of the living population, and offered it as a whole sacrifice. Every part of that sacrifice was offered to God. Noah didn’t save any of it to feed himself or his family, but with gratitude in his heart, he offered it all. It was Noah’s way of saying thank you and dedicating his whole self to God in gratitude.

Noah’s sacrifice was great, but it wasn’t the greatest sacrifice this world has seen. The flood waters purged a wicked generation, but sin remained. God knew the only solution to that sin was a sacrifice, the sacrifice of Jesus on a wooden cross. God gave all of himself as the sacrifice for sin; he didn’t hold anything back. The result? Your sins are forgiven. All of them. They are purged by the blood of Jesus.

God doesn’t ask his people to offer animal sacrifices as a show of thanks anymore. Instead, God asks them to show gratitude in the way they live their lives. God’s people show gratitude when they follow God’s commands and will; it’s their way of offering their whole lives in heartfelt thanks for the saving sacrifice of Jesus.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for your great sacrifice for my sin on the cross. Give me a grateful heart that lives for joyful service to you. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-9

The Joy of Giving

Daily Devotion – October 9, 2022

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

See series: Devotions

In the comparison that the apostle Paul uses of sowing seed, implied is the truth that the sower would not have seed to sow if there had been no previous harvest. So, we would have no offerings to give if God had not blessed us with the money we have. We are givers because God has given to us. And he gives us so much more than we can ever return to him! How can we ever give back to God a gift equal to salvation, an offering comparable to the peace of the forgiveness of sins, a donation that even comes close to the gift of his Son?

We don’t just practice giving. We practice Christian giving. Christian giving involves our faith in the promises of God. God urges us to trust in his limitless ability to cause his blessings to abound in our lives. We can give our offerings generously, trusting in the promise of God that he cares for us and will supply all that we need for life.

God’s grace is poured out on us abundantly. His grace works in our hearts a willingness, yes, a joy, to give offerings to God. The joy of giving is a result of God’s miracle worked in our hearts to thankfully give to God, who has given us the joy of salvation by faith in Jesus. When we focus on Christ, our giving is not a reluctant action or a compulsive habit but a joyful and thankful response to God’s great love for us. This is the kind of cheerful giving that God loves.

Prayer:
Lord God, increase my trust in your promise to supply all I need for life. Lead me to reflect my thankfulness for all your blessings in the joyful way I give my offerings. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
2 Thessalonians 1:7

Final

Daily Devotion – October 8, 2022

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 1:7

See series: Devotions

By the early 1990s, the popularity of Johnny Cash had faded. To be sure, the older generation still enjoyed hearing him in concert, but he hadn’t had a hit song since the 1970s. And the younger generation just looked at him as an interesting country singer from a bygone era.

Then there came into Johnny’s life a man by the name of Rick Rubin. Rick Rubin was a star producer for some of the biggest names in the music industry. Rick, however, was mostly known for his work with hard rock bands and rap artists. Nevertheless, he sought Johnny out. He wanted to work with him. He told him he was convinced that Johnny still had some things to say.

Rubin’s instincts were right. Together, he and Johnny Cash produced a series of albums entitled American Recordings. They sent shockwaves throughout the music industry. Critics wrote rave reviews about the unprecedented quality and substance of the songs. To a new generation the songs were edgy and fresh. And through those volumes, Johnny Cash took the opportunity to say some things that he wanted to say.

Shortly before he died, Johnny Cash released one more album with Rick Rubin. For the title track he chose a song he had written entirely on his own, a song that reflected his Christianity and his reverence for God’s Word. The title of the song is When the Man Comes Around.

When the Man Comes Around is about judgment day. It’s about the return of Jesus Christ. Filled with biblical references and pictures, the song radiates with the certainty that the final day is coming, that Jesus will return, that time is short, and that the moment for serious reflection is right now.

And so, it is. This simple reality—the reality of Jesus’ return—gives urgency to our work of proclaiming sins forgiven through faith in Christ. And it gives each of us good reason to set aside our everyday busyness to consider what you and I possess in the only Savior this world is ever going to have.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, the Last Day is coming. You will return soon. Fill me with urgency and eagerness. Fill me with anticipation and joy. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

“So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
Luke 17:10

We Have Only Done Our Duty

Daily Devotion – October 7, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 17:10

See series: Devotions

A firefighter runs out of a burning building carrying a little dog. He hands that dog to its owner. The owner cries with joy and says to the firefighter, “Thank you so much for going back in to save my dog. You’re a hero!” The firefighter simply says, “You’re welcome, ma’am. But no thanks is necessary. I have only done my duty.”

A story like that would have a strange twist if that firefighter had said, “Alright ma’am, I got your dog out, but if you want little Fluffy back, I’ll be expecting a reward!” No firefighter would say that. Their job is to protect people, their pets, and their property from fire. A firefighter doesn’t expect a reward for correctly doing their job.

When we perform a good work prompted by faith in Jesus, we don’t say to God, “All right God, did you see that nice thing I did for my spouse? I’ll be needing some kind of reward now for making that little sacrifice.”

A Christian’s loving actions aren’t prompted by getting things in return for their service. A Christian’s acts of love are simply part of being a follower of Jesus. A Christian does not look for any special praise or commendation in return for a loving action. When being thanked for an act of love, a Christian can say the same thing as that firefighter. “I have only done my duty.”

Faith delights in duty because faith grasps what Jesus has already done for me. So, when I do the things that God has commanded me to do, I can say, “I have only done what my Savior has already done for me one million times over. I delight to serve him. What an amazing duty I get to carry out, being like Christ to others.”

Prayer:
Dear loving Lord, you have saved and served me not because it was your duty but because you loved me. Let me love and serve others as you have loved and served me. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.