Category: Daily Devotions

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Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”
Luke 12:24

You Are Valuable!

What do you know about Ravens? They are one of the most common birds in existence. There are an estimated sixteen million Ravens in the world, and they can be found almost everywhere. Ravens are not the most beautiful birds to look at. They are smart and dangerous predators and cause problems for humans and other birds alike. There are some who may not miss the Ravens if they were gone. Our world attaches very little value to such birds.

God wants us to know that we have much more value than Ravens. That may seem easy to say but difficult to believe. At this moment, you may not feel so valuable. You may feel like your contributions at work or home are not as valuable as others. You may feel like others don’t see any value in you. In fact, you may feel quite worthless at times. How can God say that we are much more valuable than even a common bird?

He can say that because he has attached tremendous value to you. If we all had price tags attached to us, the amount would be listed as: “priceless.” We have such value because God was willing to send his Son to die for us. Jesus came down to earth to suffer and be crucified. He came to take the punishment we deserved and to remove it from us by dying in our place. In doing this, he has saved us and made us God’s dear children through faith in him.

God says that since you have such value, you need not worry because he will take care of you. If a Raven feels no need to worry about his needs, so much less for you and me. God gave up the thing that he valued most to save us from an eternity of punishment. Now having saved us, he will most certainly continue to watch over us and care for us.

Prayer:

Dear Father in heaven, your love for me in Jesus attaches great value to me. Help me to trust you to provide for me as your dear child. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:18-21

Ready to Go

I knew a man who was looking forward to retirement. He had plans to travel with his wife and to spend time with his family. He had saved well and was looking forward to a comfortable lifestyle in his retirement years. Finally, the day arrived. On the very first morning of his retirement, while drinking his coffee and reading the newspaper, the man died of a massive heart attack.

That serves as a reminder for us not to take anything for granted. We never know when it is our time to go. Many respond to this fact with a fatalistic approach to life. They make life all about the here and now. They live it up and chase pleasure. They pile up money and spend it just as quickly. All in an effort to live the ‘good life’ while they have the chance.

Jesus says this is a foolish approach to life because it gives no regard for the soul and its eternal destination. The man I knew did not approach life this way. Yes, he was looking forward to his retirement years, but he was looking far more forward to an eternity in heaven. He understood that ten or twenty years of the ‘good life’ on earth are nothing compared to an eternal life with Jesus. This man believed that Jesus had come into this world to live in our place and to die for us on the cross. Jesus earned something far more valuable than a cushy retirement. He earned the salvation that we could not provide on our own. He has provided us with the only path to heaven.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, when my time comes to leave this world, help me to be ready to go through faith in you. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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Then [Jesus] said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Luke 12:15

Life Is More than Stuff

It is reported that the storage industry in America tallied just over $59 billion in revenue in 2024. Our country currently has over 52,000 self-storage facilities. Of all the storage units in the world, a staggering 90 percent are in the United States. These statistics seem to say several things about Americans: One, we are blessed! God has given many of us more than we need. It is important that we do not forget the one who gave us such a surplus of material possessions. Two, we like stuff. It seems we cannot get enough of the things of this world. Three, we have a problem letting go. We hang on tightly to our possessions.

What effect does this “abundance of possessions” have on us? While it is not inherently wrong to have so many things, today’s Bible verse reminds us that life is not about how much stuff we can pile up. In fact, having so much time, effort, and money invested in our possessions can be a dangerous thing. These statistics demonstrate that our culture is focused on answering the wrong question. Rather than thinking about how much we can get in this life, we ought to be pondering a much more serious question. That is, “What will happen to me when I leave this world?” There will come a day for each of us when it is time for us to face the almighty God. No amount of possessions will save us then.

Life is not about possessions. Rather, life is about knowing and believing in Jesus. His life was not about the things of this world. The only things he had was what he could carry on his back. He was not here to accumulate stuff but to live and die as Savior of the world. His sacrifice in life and death has set us free from sin and death and given us the gift of heaven—a gift far better than any stuff this world can offer. It is also a gift that will last forever.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, you are my greatest possession. Help me to keep you at the center of my life. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Colossians 3:1-4

A Mind Set on Things Above

Sin and forgiveness aren’t the only things hidden from our eyes. In today’s Bible reading, the apostle Paul states that a believer’s whole life is now hidden with Christ in God. Paul is saying to believers, “Everything you do looks holy to God. Everything that ever happens to you is to your benefit. God has blessed you with an entire life of uninterrupted spiritual success.” Paul is also saying, “This life is hidden.”

It sure is. When we reflect on our efforts to live the way God wants us to, we see consistent failure. When a pile of trouble hits us, it can feel very much like we’re being punished. Believers who see and feel such things may even begin to wonder, “Am I really a believer?”

In today’s reading, Paul pries our eyes away from what we can see and feel, away from earthly things, and speaks God’s Word to us: “You died…” he says. “You have been raised with Christ.” God works faith in people’s hearts and connects them to Jesus, who by his death and resurrection has taken away their sins. Their old way of life has died.

So, Paul says, “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” Looks can be deceiving, and feelings can’t always be trusted. God has given us something better; something that will never change because it comes from him. When believers struggle with guilt and pain, God invites us to look past what we can see and feel and simply trust what he has promised.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, set my mind on things above. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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[Jesus said] “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20

Great Love

Jesus’ love for us was so great that he came to earth, leaving his glorious heavenly home to live humbly among us. He came to take our place. He took upon himself the frightful burden of our sin and allowed it to crush him by a cruel death on the cross. Victoriously, he rose from the dead, proving he is the world’s Savior. He did all this for us so we might live forever with God. Though our Savior has ascended into heaven, he has not left us. He promises that he will always be with us.

His abiding presence is a great comfort. He knows the problems and hardships we face. He knows the difficulties we have as we strive to do his work on earth. That is why he assures us that he will never leave us alone. Jesus is the all-powerful God who is always present wherever we are, guiding and upholding us. He is with us in our homes, in hospitals, in schools, in churches, and in our workplaces. He is always present to continually strengthen, comfort, assure, and support us. Therefore, we can live confidently in the peace of the forgiveness of sins that we have through him, and we can work diligently to do his work of making disciples for him by sharing the gospel.

Jesus is with you; have no doubt about it. You can face today and the rest of all your days with the certainty that your Savior loves you and is leading you step by step closer to the last day when he will take you to be with him in heaven!

Prayer:

Lord God, I place myself into your care, confident in your promise to always be with me. Lead me through life, guarding me against all danger of soul and body, and sustaining my saving faith in Jesus. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.
1 Timothy 2:6,7

Witnessing About Our Savior’s Love

Who’ll Be a Witness for My Lord?” That’s the title of an old spiritual song that asks the same question the Lord himself once asked in Isaiah chapter 6. It’s there that the prophet tells us, “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8).

After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus didn’t ask for witnesses. He simply pointed out to those who could verify his escape from the grave after a three-day stay, “You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:48).

And when it comes to our Savior’s patience and unconditional love for all people, St. Paul could be the best of witnesses because, at one point in his life, he had been most unlovable. In a letter to his fellow pastor Timothy, Paul admitted, “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy . . . Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:13,15,16). To any person struggling with sin and guilt—to any person questioning whether Jesus could ever love a person like them—Paul could provide a completely satisfying answer. If Jesus could show him mercy and love, then you need not wonder if he can love and forgive you. He can, and he does!

And that’s why Paul “was appointed a herald and an apostle…and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.” He was a witness to the immense patience and love that our Savior has for all people, including you.

And now that you’ve been told that truth, guess what? You’ve become a witness!

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, help me to be a witness of your faithful love to all people. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
1 Timothy 2:5,6

Like Father, Like Son

In the apostle Paul’s first letter to young Pastor Timothy, he emphasizes the profound love and concern that our heavenly Father has for all people at all times. He urges his readers to have the same mindset. Christians are called to pray for all people because we are to love all people and be concerned for their every need.

But as much as we may try to model our thoughts and actions after our heavenly Father’s, we’re bound to fail because we’re bound by our selfishness and sin. We’re not alone. Paul openly confessed his personal struggle with living up to the perfect standard he was inspired to present to his readers. “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do,” he once lamented. “I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” Finally, he cried out in anguish, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” How thankful Paul was to know the answer to that critical question! “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Ro 7:25).

But Jesus wasn’t just the answer for Paul. He’s the answer—the only answer—for you, for me, and for all people. And the reason for that is simple, because as Paul points out, “there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” We need someone to stand between us and our heavenly Father to fix the problem of our sin and selfishness. We need someone who loves us so much and is so concerned for every need that he’s willing to sacrifice everything—even his very life—for us. And that’s what we have in Jesus, “who gave himself as a ransom for all people.”

Should we be surprised? Not at all. Like Father, like Son! Jesus’ love for us and all people perfectly reflects the love our heavenly Father has for the world. And it’s meant to inspire our love for all people.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, help me love others as you love me. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3,4

The Mindset of Our Heavenly Father

It’s natural for children to ask their parents “why,” especially when they’re being told to do something that they don’t want to do. Of course, the classic answer that parents often give to that question is both simple and direct: “Because I said so.” It really doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—’so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth’” (Eph 6:1-3). Children must obey their parents and others in authority without asking why unless they’re convinced that the order would involve disobeying God. Then, “we must obey God rather than human beings!” (Ac 5:29).

Of course, our heavenly Father also doesn’t need to give us the reason he commands us to do something. But how blessed we are that so often he does! And what fundamental reason does he most often give us for his commands? He wants us to be like him, just as he created us to be holy and perfect in his image.

So, when Christians are urged by the apostle Paul to pray for all people, including kings and those in authority over us, it’s simply meant to reflect the kind of the love and concern our heavenly Father has for all people. The apostle Peter once plainly stated that “God does not show favoritism’ (Ac 10:34). And Paul could not have been any clearer by writing that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Why? Because “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

That’s our heavenly Father’s mindset, and he wants his children to think and act the same way. So, love and pray for all people. Have the mindset of our heavenly Father.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, empower me to always think and act like you, demonstrating love and concern for all people. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
1 Timothy 2:1,2

Pray for the Powerful

When the apostle Paul urges Christians to pray for all people, it might be tempting to conclude that he only means those people who face trouble and challenges in this life. Certainly, he can’t mean that we should pray for those who live in royal palaces, people who seem to have everything in this world that their hearts desire. We should pray for those with wealth, power, and prestige? Why would they even need my prayers?

One could even argue that there are biblical reasons for drawing such a conclusion. After all, didn’t the psalmist pray for the downfall of mighty men who stood on top of the mountain and oppressed those under their feet? “Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out” (Ps 10:15). Should we not instead be praying fervently for “the fatherless and the oppressed so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.” (Ps 10:18)? Down with the powerful, right?

It should go without saying that Paul was not commanding Timothy or us to pray for the success of powerful people who are seeking to take advantage of others. That would run counter to God’s good and perfect will. But that does not mean we should exclude powerful people from our prayers altogether. Far from it! If anything, those who exercise power and authority in this world need our special prayers because their decisions often have a significant impact on the lives of others. God grant them hearts of wisdom, humility, justice, patience, and mercy.

To what end? Paul tells us: “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” Please note Paul doesn’t suggest we pray for powerful people so that we can realize earthly success, power, and wealth ourselves. No, a Christian’s ultimate goal in this world is to live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and holiness.

That’s a prayer worth praying!

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, help me to fix my heart on things above and to pray for those who exercise power in this world. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.
1 Timothy 2:1

Pray for Everyone

“Be nice to everyone.” Everyone? I couldn’t believe what my mother was telling me. How could I be nice to everyone when everyone isn’t nice to me?

But she was standing on solid ground by laying down that principle for life because no less a person than Jesus expressed it himself in the same way, only with slightly different words. “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Mt 7:12).

But by giving the instruction he did, Jesus wasn’t only directing his disciples to be nice to everyone with their outward actions. After all, anyone can pretend to be nice to someone to their face, only to stab them in the back with unkind thoughts and words in the very next moment when they’re not looking. Jesus instead calls his followers to change from the inside out and to “love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Pe 1:22).

And where can we begin, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to transform our hearts and minds to be more like Jesus? By taking to heart the apostolic encouragement that Paul once offered to his young pastor friend Timothy and the Christians he was shepherding. “I urge, then, first of all,” Paul wrote, “that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.”

What’s the difference between “petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving”? Not much in the long run. But Paul probably piled up the words to illustrate how a Christian’s love and concern for all people should pile up like God’s own. As Jesus once pointed out about his Father’s love, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Mt 5:45).

In the same way, we are called to be nice to everyone, not only when it comes to our outward actions but also in the very thoughts of our hearts. Let us pray for all people, even if we might suspect they’re not praying for us, asking the Lord Jesus to bless them with hearts of faith and joy and to grant them peace, now and forever.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, help me to be more like you and inspire me to pray for everyone. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.