St. Johns News

The third time [Jesus] said to [Peter], “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
John 21:17

God is All-Knowing

Daily Devotion – February 9, 2018

Devotion based on John 21:17

See series: Devotions

Jesus knew that Peter denied knowing him three times. Jesus knew this because he is God and therefore he is all-knowing. That means that nothing has ever happened or ever will happen without his knowledge—including Peter’s sin.

Do you know that? God knows your every thought, word, and action. He knows everything in your past, he knows all about your present, and he even knows your future. He knows everything there is to know about everything.

Knowledge like this is incomprehensible to us. We acquire knowledge through learning and experience, but God knows everything intuitively. He doesn’t have to work for it, he just knows it. Plus, no matter how much we learn, there will always be things we do not know. God’s knowledge, however, is so complete that no one can add anything to it. And while much of what we claim to know is flawed, God understands everything perfectly.

That kind of knowledge is terrifying. Imagine how uncomfortable you would be if you had to interact with someone who knew all your secrets. Now remember that on Judgment Day you will stand in front of the all-knowing God. You can’t hide anything from him—he knows all your secret sins.

But as Peter told Jesus, God also knows that you love him. This love is not something that you conjured up on your own, it is a result of the saving faith God has given you. Jesus lived, died, and rose for you. And by faith in Jesus, God promises you: “I will remember your sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). What comfort! God who knows everything chooses to forget your sins.

God’s total knowledge is not a threat, it’s a blessing. God knows all about you, so you will never be lost in the sea of humanity. God knows your weaknesses and troubles, and promises to help you with them. He knows all the little details of your life and more than that, he uses what he knows for your eternal good.

Prayer:
Lord, you know all things. Thank you for using that knowledge for my good. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.”
Genesis 17:1

Almighty God Keeps His Promises

Daily Devotion – February 8, 2018

Devotion based on Genesis 17:1

See series: Devotions

It had been 24 years since God had promised Abram that he would have a son with his wife, Sarai. He was now 99. She was 89. If the prospect of having a son at ages 75 and 65 was extraordinary, having a son when he was almost 100 was surely humanly impossible. Yet God came to Abram once again to remind him that whether something seems possible or not is of no consequence to the Almighty. He gave Abram this gentle reminder, “I am God Almighty.” He was saying, “I have not forgotten my promise, Abram. I will still give you and Sarai a son, even in your old age. Doing the impossible is what I do. I will keep my promise.” Abram had not always been faithful, and he had been far from blameless. He and his wife doubted God’s promise at various times. Yet the Almighty God could and still would keep his promise to Abram.

So often, like Abram, we forget that God is almighty, that nothing is impossible for him. Whether we face health problems, conflicts in personal relationships, or just the frustration and worry of daily life in a sinful world, we easily fail to trust in God’s promises to provide and to work in all things for the good of his people. Like Abram, we have not been faithful and certainly we are not blameless.

But our God is Almighty and keeps his promises. He kept his promise to Abram and gave him a son. From that son came a nation and through that nation God sent his Son to save unfaithful, blameful sinners like us. Jesus, the Son of God, gave his holy life on the cross to forgive us and rose again to make heaven our eternal home. God does what is impossible for us to do by ourselves. Through faith in Jesus, he makes sinners into saints. He brings us from death to life. He changes us from being his enemies to being his sons and daughters.

So walk before God Almighty knowing that he has all power. Walk before God Almighty knowing that he can do what we may think is impossible. Walk before God Almighty knowing that he keeps his promises. Walk before God Almighty because through faith in Jesus he makes you faithful and blameless.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, for the sake of my Savior, Jesus, forgive me when I waver in my faith. Remind me and reassure me that you are my Almighty God who keeps his promises. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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“Does not man have hard service on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired man? Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired man waiting eagerly for his wages, so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me. When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’ The night drags on, and I toss till dawn. My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering. “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope. Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again.
Job 7:1-7

Life Is Hard, Even for Christians

Daily Devotion – February 7, 2018

Devotion based on Job 7:1-7

See series: Devotions

Job’s life was not going well. Not that long ago, he had owned thousands of head of livestock. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was considered the greatest man among all the people of the east. But now, all that was gone. In one day, Job lost everything: his wealth, his children, everything. Then, to make a horrific situation even worse, Job was struck with an incredibly painful, disfiguring disease. His pain was so great that all he could do was sit in an ash heap and scrape the boils that covered his body from head to toe with a piece of broken pottery.

No matter how hard Job tried, he could not find a reason for the suffering he was experiencing. It all seemed so pointless, so unjust. He had faithfully followed God throughout his life and yet God had allowed all this to happen to him. Look at him! He’s worn out like a slave. Even though he’s exhausted, he can’t sleep. He is covered in scabs and his skin oozes. Why shouldn’t he just give up and recognize that there is nothing worth living for? So, why should he hold out any hope for anything good?

Have you ever felt like Job? Do his words sound familiar to you? We all have had times when we’ve suffered for reasons that we could not understand. Maybe we weren’t suffering because we did something wrong. No, the pain just came and would not go away. We worked hard to fix one problem only to have three more pop up. We lay down at night exhausted, only to toss and turn, and stare at the clock until dawn. Perhaps we even reached the point that Job reached and decided not to expect that anything good would ever come our way again.

If you ever suffered like that, know this. Ever since sin entered this world, life has been hard, even for Christians. Being a child of God does not guarantee that your life will always be easy. Until the Lord takes us home to heaven that is. We, like Job, will continue to labor and grow weary, and experience troubled nights and months of futility.

But that doesn’t mean that we have no hope. Job was speaking out of the depths of his suffering. Later, as he focused his attention not on his suffering but on God and his promises, he exclaimed, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (See Job 19:25-26.)

Jesus is your Redeemer who lives. He died and rose again for you. Because of him and what he has done, you always have hope. No matter what you may suffer, keep your eyes focused on him, knowing that your living Redeemer loves you and will never leave you. Nothing can separate you from him and soon you will see him yourself. How our hearts long within us!

Prayer:
Dear Redeemer, when life is hard and seems without hope, help me to find my hope and help in 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:23

Theft

Daily Devotion – February 6, 2018

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 9:23

See series: Devotions

Martin Luther loved to preach. He loved to climb into his pulpit and proclaim to souls the Good News of Jesus. He preached often. Someone estimated that throughout his ministry, Martin Luther preached about 7,000 sermons. This means that, on average, he was climbing into his pulpit about every two days. That is a lot of preaching!

On one particular day, however, Luther climbed into his pulpit with a heavy heart. There was a serious problem in his congregation. People who professed to be Christians were actually taking part in theft. The kind of theft that Luther meant was that people, who professed to be Christians, were allowing their time in the Gospel to be stolen by the priorities of this world.

In essence, Luther said this from his pulpit that day. He said that we would never think of letting our cash money sit around in some public place for fear of someone stealing it. And yet, so many of us do not give a second thought to letting the priorities of this world snatch up our time in the Gospel. To know that this was taking place brought Luther much grief. “We are really in a bad way,” he said [SL.XI.1615,6-7].

In our 21st Century Culture, Martin Luther’s concern still retains its bite. Perhaps you’ve felt the blood drain from your face when you realize you left your wallet at the food court in the mall; when you realize you left your car unlocked with the keys inside; or when you wake up and realize you forgot to close your garage door for the night.

And yet, think of all the precious jewels of time in the Gospel that you and I have left lying around—precious jewels left unguarded, discarded, forgotten—so much so that, sooner or later, the priorities of this world just picked them up and walked away.

As you and I would rush back to the mall to reclaim our wallet, may the Holy Spirit refresh us with an even greater zeal—a zeal to reclaim our time in the Gospel. For the Good News of Jesus is the greatest treasure we have.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you have washed me clean in your blood. Bring me to repentance for all the times I have allowed the priorities of this world to steal my time in the Gospel. Give me zeal to reclaim it. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
Mark 1:38

Jesus Came to Preach

Daily Devotion – February 5, 2018

Devotion based on Mark 1:38

See series: Devotions

This is what Jesus should be. This is what Jesus should do. Many people believe they know the answer. Even Peter thought he did. Jesus, however, revealed the reason why he came into this world. He came to preach.

There will always be times when I am tempted to believe Jesus should be or do something according to my understanding. This is when I need to remember the real reason why he came.

If there is one thing I need Jesus to be, it is the preacher of good news. His good news is life changing and it is desperately needed. The good news he came to preach is that there is help for me, as well as for every sinner.

When Jesus came into this world it was not to be a physician, a financial planner, or a life skills coach. He came to preach and his message is what I need to hear. He came to tell me my sins are forgiven and that heaven is mine.

This is truly good news. It is this message which relieves the burden of my guilt and sin. It is this message which rescues me from the hopelessness of death and the power of the devil. It is this message which gives me an unshakable hope and a never-failing peace.

Make no mistake, this is a life changing message, and no matter how much my life may change, Jesus’ good news never changes. Nor does it ever fail to bring me what he promised. This is why I can live in joy, hope, and peace. How blessed I am that Jesus came to preach his good news to me.

Prayer:
O gracious Lord, when I am plagued by the burdens of life and the guilt of my sin, you came to bring good news. Bless me every day through the message of hope you came to proclaim to me and all people. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
Isaiah 58:5

Repentance

Daily Devotion – February 4, 2018

Devotion based on Isaiah 58:5

See series: Devotions

“I told God I was sorry. I made myself feel real bad about that sin. I repented like he wanted me to. Why isn’t he treating me better?” How easily those thoughts creep into our minds! Do you see the grave danger hidden in them?

What’s the underlying mindset propping up those words? Isn’t it: “Well, I’ve done my part, God”—whatever that part might be. The original hearers thought their fasting proved their repentance, and so they deserved God’s favor. Is it your tears, your effort, your faithfulness, your religiousness that tempts you to imagine: “Well, God, I’ve done my part?”

How deadly! For that mindset exchanges the Lord of free and faithful grace for a god who requires his pound of flesh.

But our Lord freely gave his flesh and blood for sinners like you and me—and not only for us but for the world, for this wicked world. What grace! His unmerited kindness sacrificed himself for the undeserving. That’s you and me.

Such grace and love changes our mindset. We now hate our sin and cling to Jesus alone for forgiveness through God’s unconditional promise. That’s repentance. Because of God’s love for us, we love others without thinking what we’ll get out of it. And that love for others shows itself in our actions of kindness and helpfulness. That’s the fruit of repentance.

God’s grace continues to strengthen us to show kindness. When we call out to him for help, he answers: “Here am I. I am with you in my word and sacraments. My grace will never fail you.”

Prayer:(Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal—389)
Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfill thy law’s demands.
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save and thou alone.

Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to thee for dress,
Helpless, look to thee for grace
Foul, I to the fountain fly—
Wash me, Savior, or I die!
Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5

What Makes the Case

Daily Devotion – February 3, 2018

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

See series: Devotions

In 19th Century England there was a man by the name of Charles Bradlaugh. Charles Bradlaugh possessed a power-house intellect. He was a riveting speaker. And he was, perhaps, the most prominent atheist in the English-speaking world. He was the founder of the National Secular Society, an organization that opposed all things religious. He authored pamphlets and books, including one called A Plea for Atheism. And Charles Bradlaugh loved to debate. Often, he would challenge well-known Christians to set up heated arguments in a public forum. As a skilled debater, he reveled in finding just the right turn of phrase or aggressive maneuver that would portray Christianity in the worst possible light.

It’s said that, in his search to find another Christian to attack, Charles Bradlaugh challenged a London pastor to debate him. After some thought, the pastor accepted, but he did so on one condition. The condition was this. On the day of the debate, the pastor would bring with him 100 people who had come to faith in Jesus Christ. These people would simply talk about their Savior, what he meant to them, and how the message of the gospel had impacted their lives. Charles Bradlaugh, in turn, would be welcome to bring with him a group of people eager to speak about their atheism, what it meant to them, and how the power of its message had impacted their lives.

The date was set. The day arrived. The pastor entered the room with 100 people ready to describe what God’s forgiveness in Jesus had done for them. They waited. Then they waited some more. Charles Bradlaugh—and the group he was welcome to bring—never showed up.

What makes the case for the gospel is not your debating skills. What makes the case for the gospel is not finding just the right turn of phrase or clever line of attack. What makes the case for the gospel is the gospel itself.

God has cleansed us in the blood of his Son. He has lifted us from the pit into the warmth of his light. Because he has, you and I possess a peace and a quiet joy that the troubles of this world cannot touch.

And so live that quiet joy. Put on display what the gospel has done for you. Give the Charles Bradlaughs of the world a reason to pause, and think, and reconsider.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Answer. You are the Truth. You are the Way. Fill me with your Spirit. Move me to display what your gospel has done for me. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
Deuteronomy 33:27

God is Eternal

Daily Devotion – February 2, 2018

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 33:27

See series: Devotions

One of life’s frustrations is having too much to do and not enough time to do it. Likewise, one of life’s tragedies is when you have too few years of life and miss out on so much. And one of life’s mysteries is when you have too many years of life and live way longer than you want to.

So much of life is wrapped up in the passage of time and you are constantly reminded that time runs out. Plants wither, buildings collapse, and civilizations crumble. What can you depend on while time marches on and so much changes? The eternal God.

When God tells us that he is eternal, it means more than that he exists for an endless period of time. It means that with God there is no time. The eternal God has no beginning and no end. He is not bound by time, he simply is. Every moment since the beginning of time is always present for him.

Unlike God we are bound by time. We live from moment to moment with a past, present, and future. That is why God’s eternity is difficult for us to understand. But God does not reveal his eternal nature to confuse us; he reveals it to comfort us. Since God is eternal, he can be a refuge for all his people of all time.

Think about it! God will never leave things on his to-do list undone because he ran out of time. God always has the time to listen to your prayers and answer them. God never leaves you defenseless because he doesn’t have the time to protect you. Time never limits him.

But it does limit you. And when your time on this earth ends, God will catch you in his everlasting arms. The eternal Son of God wrapped himself in human flesh and entered time to be your Savior. He lived a perfect life for you, died on the cross for you, and rose from the dead to give you eternal life.

Whenever you are stressed by the press of time or reminded how short life can be, thank God that he is your eternal refuge!

Prayer:
Eternal God, give us the wisdom to trust you as our refuge and the faith to cling to Christ our Savior. 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 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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