Devotions

Military Devotion – Loving as Christ Loved the Church – October 4, 2024

2024/10/04/in Devotions, Military Devotions

Based on Ephesians 5:21–6:4

Duty. Honor. Loyalty. Sacrifice. Discipline.

For those of you who serve or have served in our nation’s armed forces, you know the importance of these values because they encapsulate who you are and why you serve, and they give purpose and motivation to carry out your vocation.

These same values align closely with what God calls us to in our relationships. Husbands are called to love their wives just as Christ loved the church, with the same selflessness and sacrifice Christ showed when he laid down his life for his bride, the church.

Wives are called to submit to their husbands and to respect him—not in a way that is demeaning to them or that diminishes their value as women—but in a selfless, willing attitude where she recognizes her God-given role as helper and companion to her husband. And her model for this self-sacrifice or submission is the way that the church willingly submits to Christ.

For those who are single, they are called to willingly remain faithful to God’s will for sex and marriage and to faithfully serve others as Christ served us. Now for you who serve in our nation, there’s a challenge to remain faithful to these callings. The culture of our military just does not often offer a safe and supportive place for people who are single to remain faithful to God’s will.

Then there’s that challenge to balance duty to country with duty to family and spouse. Then add to that the unique strain and stress of deployments and training that put that strain and stress on your vocations.

The good news, my friends, is that Christ still stands as the head of the church, his bride, which is you. He laid down his life for you. He washed you with water and Word to present you to himself without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. And yes, you heard that correctly. For all the times that you have stained the wedding dress of your vocation with faithlessness to those vocations, Christ has taken you and he has washed you in the waters of your baptism. He is duty bound to you; he is loyal to you; he sacrificed himself for you.

So whether you are deployed or at home, on shore duty or sea duty, Christ calls us to duty, to honor, to loyalty, to discipline, to sacrifice, to love in our vocations. To lead in our families so that they might see Christ, to lead in our marriages so that our spouse may see Christ, to lead our friends so that they might see Christ. To sacrifice for the good of our neighbors, to reflect the love of Christ in our words, in our actions, and in our attitudes.

And that, my friends, is loving as Christ loved the church.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as we contemplate the vocations you have called us to, I ask that you keep all single people in our armed forces strong to resist temptation, to bless them with an attitude of contentment in their calling as single people, and to bless them with faithful friends and family when they are lonely. I ask that you keep all husbands and wives faithful to each other and to you, especially during deployment cycles and training, when spouses are apart from each other. I ask that you bless all parents with patience and love as they raise their children in the training and instruction of the Lord. May your Word flourish in our homes.

Lord Jesus, for many of our veterans, October 6 is a pivotal date in their history because this is the day Operation Enduring Freedom began in Afghanistan in 2001. This event changed the lives of so many people in our military communities. For those who still struggle with grief and guilt, with trauma and heartache, I pray that you offer them hope and comfort that can only come from your promise. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Lord Jesus, be their Good Shepherd. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

You’re on the List – October 4, 2024

2024/10/04/in Devotions, Family Devotions

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Luke 10:17-20

You’re on the List

LISTEN HERE

Family Devotion – October 4, 2024

Devotion based on Luke 10:17-20

See series: Devotions

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The White House is one of the most famous houses in America because it’s home to one of the most powerful leaders in the world. It is not easy to get into it. You can’t just walk in off the street. Your name must be on a list, sometimes months in advance.

How easy is it to get into heaven? Can anyone get in? Does everybody get in? Does nobody get in?

The answer is that your name must be on the list. Well, how do you get on the list?

One word: Jesus. Because of what he has done and through faith in him, your name is written in heaven. This message is what Jesus had sent the disciples to share. God empowered them to do miraculous things to support the truth of their message, even driving out demons. The disciples returned from this trip with joyful hearts. When they shared their experience with Jesus, he explained that the message worked, and he “saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” The evil angel, Satan, was defeated when names were written on the list of heaven.

After Jesus sent out his disciples to share his powerful name, the disciples returned and reported they drove out demons because of it. However, Jesus reminded them and us that the most important thing is that our “names are written in heaven.” The only way that happens is through faith in him!

Notice what Jesus said to the disciples personally. As exciting as it was to drive out demons, and as special as it was that they could share Jesus, he reminded them, “Rejoice that YOUR names are written in heaven.” They were on the list. Heaven was their home.

One day, we’ll see the good angels in heaven. The devil and his rebel angels will never be in heaven. Their names will never be on the list. But what a joy that we will have the privilege some of the angels won’t. By God’s grace, our names will be on the list.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Father in heaven, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to earth to carry out your plan of salvation. Through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, our home in heaven is secured. We are on the list! Please help us to be eager to share this good news with others that they, too, may say, “Heaven is my home!” Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

What was something special that the disciples were able to do?
Who are some people who tell you about Jesus?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Who is on the list of heaven?
Tell of a time when you talked to someone about Jesus.

Questions for Middle School and Above

Name some people you know whose names are on the list of heaven. Explain why you think they are on the list.
How would you explain to someone why Jesus is so important to you?

Download and print devotion

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.

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 Irony of Judging Others – October 4, 2024

2024/10/04/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
James 4:11,12

The Irony of Judging Others

Daily Devotion – October 4, 2024

Devotion based on James 4:11,12

See series: Devotions

Jesus could not have been clearer. He said, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned” (Luke 6:37). Those instructions were undoubtedly a regular part of our Savior’s preaching and teaching. And why? Because human beings are so naturally and sinfully quick to judge others. It’s easy for us to spot a sinner… until we’re standing in front of a mirror. We tend to overlook our own spiritual flaws because we’re so laser-focused on the sins of others.

And what’s worse, after we notice our neighbor’s sins, what’s the next thing we’re likely to do? Talk about it to someone else. God calls that slander, even if what we are saying about someone is 100 percent true, and through the pen of Saint James, he forbids it. “Brother and sisters, do not slander one another.”

Judging others is truly ironic because by gleefully pointing out the sins of others, you’re sinning yourself. James explained, “Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.” What are you doing when you stand in judgment over your neighbor? You’re suggesting that you’re in a better position to be your neighbor’s judge than God is. You’re attempting to push God off his judgment seat in order to take his place. It’s a classic symptom of arrogant, sinful, and deadly pride.

But as James reminds us, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy.” So, let’s leave the judging to Jesus. After all, “Who are you to judge your neighbor?” Jesus has the job of judging all people under control, and his judgments are perfect.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, save me from the sin of arrogantly and lovelessly judging others. 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.

Don’t Hold in Your Sin – October 3, 2024

2024/10/03/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:9,10

Don’t Hold in Your Sin

Daily Devotion – October 3, 2024

Devotion based on James 4:9,10

See series: Devotions

Some of the best advice a person can receive when going through the grieving process is this: “You need to cry.” Some people will claim that they’re not “criers,” but it’s pretty clear that while living in this fallen world, there are times when crying is appropriate. Even Jesus cried when he went to the tomb of his friend Lazarus and when he wrestled in prayer with his heavenly Father over the painful mission he had been sent to accomplish by his death on the cross. So, if Jesus didn’t hold it in, we shouldn’t either. Crying is very much a part of the grieving process, so don’t cover it up. Let it rip. It’s healthy!

That’s also good advice when it comes to our sin. We tend to hide it, to cover it up. But that’s not healthy. In fact, it’s deadly. In Psalm 32, King David described the acute suffering he brought on himself by attempting to cover up his transgressions. It wasn’t a pretty picture. He confessed to the Lord, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” But what was David finally prompted to do? To let it go. “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” His heartfelt confession and grief over his sin resulted in forgiveness, peace, and restoration.

Saint James urges us to take this same approach toward our own sin. “Grieve, mourn and wail,” he wrote. “Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord.” And why? Because when we do, the Lord “will lift (us) up” with his powerful and forgiving arms.

You can’t fix your sin by holding it in and covering it up. But Jesus can, and he does. So it’s always best to let it go.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to unburden my heart of sin’s baggage, and lift me up with your forgiving love. 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.

God Wins, Dragon Loses – October 2, 2024

2024/10/02/in Devotions, Family Devotions

Read: Revelation 12:7-12

Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Revelation 12:7-9

God Wins, Dragon Loses

LISTEN HERE

Family Devotion – October 2, 2024

Devotion based on Revelation 12:7-9

See series: Devotions

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What flies, breathes fire, and goes by names such as Toothless, Smaug, and Puff? Dragons, of course! When we think of dragons, we think of fierce, powerful, and strong creatures. In John’s vision, he sees a dragon battle. “A war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.” This wasn’t make-believe—this battle was real! Satan once led a rebellion against God. God fought back with his angels.

The battle is still real. We are the prize. The war between God and Satan is for our souls. Satan “leads the world astray.” He uses the weapon of accusation, hoping to lay our sins before God. Satan is the reason for our doubts, frustration, and sin. The devil lies to us, trying to convince us that we don’t need a Savior or that our sinful condition is hopeless.

It’s not a battle that we can win on our own. God knows that, so he fights the battle for us. The heavenly rebels were cast out. Michael and his angels won, and Satan and his angels were hurled to earth. Even though the war is won, Satan continues to fight battles. He hopes to gain little victories in our lives: an accusation here, a temptation there, a little pride, a little despair.

Listen again to what the voice from heaven announces: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God, day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb.”

Imagine that! A dragon was defeated by a lamb! But it’s no surprise. This lamb is the Lamb of God, our Savior, Christ Jesus. When Jesus died and rose, he forgave our sins, and Satan lost his power to accuse.

Most of the dragons you know are imaginary, but Satan is real. So is God. In the battle between God and Satan, God wins! As it was in heaven, so it is now and will be eternally: God wins! Dragon loses!

Closing Prayer:

A mighty fortress is our God,
a trusty shield and weapon;
he helps us free from every need
that has us now o’ertaken.
The old evil foe
now means deadly woe;
deep guile and great might
are his dread arms in fight;
on earth is not his equal.

Though devils all the world should fill,
all eager to devour us,
we tremble not,
we fear no ill;
they shall not overpower us.
This world’s prince may still
scowl fierce as he will,
he can harm us none.
He’s judged; the deed is done;
one little word can fell him.
(Christian Worship: Hymnal – 863)

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Who is the dragon in the devotion?
Who wins the battle?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

What does “Satan” mean?
What does “devil” mean?

Questions for Middle School and Above

What are some ways that Satan tries to deceive us?
How did the lamb defeat the dragon?

Download and print devotion

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.

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.

Run to Jesus – October 2, 2024

2024/10/02/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8

Run to Jesus

Daily Devotion – October 2, 2024

Devotion based on James 4:8

See series: Devotions

If your clothes caught on fire, it might be your first instinct to run. But as a child, you probably received the same instruction I received if faced with this scenario. I was told to stop, drop, and roll. If your clothes are on fire, running away won’t do any good; it will simply fan the flames. But stopping, dropping, and rolling are meant to snuff the fire out by eliminating the fire’s air supply. It might seem counterintuitive not to run, but it’s the right thing to do.

When Adam and Eve fell into sin, their first instinct was to run. Moses tells us that when the Lord God came to pay a visit to the Garden of Eden, the two occupants of that former Paradise didn’t come running to greet God; they hid from him. Their reason for doing so was simple and straightforward: they had done the very thing that God had told them not to do, and now they were dreading the eternal consequences: death itself!

But rather than leaving them in the misery of their guilt and sin, what did our gracious heavenly Father do? He called those scared sinners to his side. And when they came near to him, what did he do? He came near to them with the promise of a Savior. Yes, they would have to endure some earthly consequences for their sin, but God would send a unique offspring of the woman—his own Son, Jesus—to crush the devil’s head and defeat the eternal consequences of sin once and for all.

What does that important biblical account teach us? That when we find ourselves engulfed in sin, as tempted as we might be to run from God, we should run toward him. No, don’t stop, drop, and roll. Run to the open and forgiving arms of Jesus, who alone can heal the wounds of our sin with the cooling balm that flows from the wounds he willingly endured for us on the cross. And it’s in his wounds where we can wash our hands and purify our hearts forever.

Prayer:
Jesus, teach me to flee to you with my every sin to find forgiveness, peace, and life everlasting. 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.

Resisting the Devil – October 1, 2024

2024/10/01/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7

Resisting the Devil

Daily Devotion – October 1, 2024

Devotion based on James 4:7

See series: Devotions

Martin Luther loved to mock the devil. That especially became the case after he fully realized just how certain and sure Jesus’ love and salvation were for him. He knew that with Jesus and his Word on his side, he could be as bold as the brave boy David was when he faced the giant Goliath. “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin,” David told that Philistine warrior, “but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head” (1 Samuel 17:45,46). With Jesus on his side, Luther knew that his victory over the devil was just as certain as David’s victory over Goliath. It would result in a blowout.

But what would have happened to David or Luther if they hadn’t entered their battles with Jesus and his powerful promises at their side? They would have been swiftly defeated and stripped of their brashness. Simply put, if they had believed they could defeat the dark forces of this world based on their own power or wisdom, they would have quickly learned otherwise. Without Jesus, none of us are a match for the devil—he will win every time.

But as Saint James reminds us today, when we resist the devil in Jesus’ name, armed with the sword of the Spirit, his holy Word (Ephesians 6:17), we can’t lose. That doesn’t mean the devil won’t attack us daily with temptation; he most certainly will. But when we resist the devil in Jesus’ name, James assures us, “he will flee from you.”

And so, we sing with Luther:

Though devils all the world should fill, all eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill; they shall not overpow’r us.
This world’s prince may still scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none. He judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him (Christian Worship 863:3).

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me daily cling to you and resist the devil’s temptations. 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.

We Have an Army All Around Us – Week of September 30, 2024

2024/09/30/in Devotions, ECME Devotions

We Have an Army All Around Us – Week of September 30, 2024

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

2 Kings 6:16

ECME Devotion September 30, 2024

See series: ECME Devotions

We were standing in an airport in Oregon gathering our things as we headed to Sun River for our younger son’s wedding. Four adults. Two-and-a-half-year-old twin girls and their 2-month-old little sister. The numbers say we had them four-to-three. Nope. The baby was crying and the twins just wanted to be anywhere but waiting for a rental car. We were losing big time.

Not just in airports with little ones at the end of their ropes, but on any given day you and I can feel like we did that day. We look around and the struggles of this life sometimes seem to multiply faster than our ability to get them off our plate. We tell ourselves, “I can do this. I’ve got this.” But in our hearts, we feel our confidence slipping. What else can I do?” we ask ourselves. In the middle of the night we may think, “If only I could…, then all would be ok.”

Satan loves this scenario. He loves to see us in a state of doubt and uncertainty. He smiles as we keep telling ourselves that we can handle things and fight our fears on our own.

That’s quite similar to the prophet Elisha’s servant’s thoughts as they were at war with the Arameans. The King of Aram sent horses, chariots and soldiers to surround the city. Things were not looking good for God’s people. “Don’t be afraid,” Elisha answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” God provided a miracle by striking those who surrounded the city with blindness. Elisha went out, spoke to them and led the Arameans unknowingly into Samaria before the king of Israel. After feeding them, he allowed them to return to their master. What an unlikely resolution to a terrifying scenario.

Life can be hard. No one escapes the struggles of life in the world. Sin and evidence of sin are all around us. But so is God’s army of angels. In love, God sends his angels to surround us, to protect us. Does that mean that we will walk through life unaffected by hardship? No. However, we can face those hardships knowing that we’re not alone. God has promised to be with us in all things. He has also promised that “He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” (Psalm 91:11) Our battle with Satan is brutal but our God is more powerful than Satan and his lies and deceit.

Do you feel like you can’t do it alone? You’re right. None of us can beat Satan but Jesus did. Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven were all for us to assure us that we are at peace with God and Satan is defeated. So, as you face each day, you can be at peace knowing you’re not alone, the battle against sin is done, and God’s angels are there all around you. We are at peace with God as his dear child, loved and protected by our heavenly Father.

Prayer:
Abide, O dearest Jesus, among us with your grace
That Satan may not harm us nor we to sin give place.
Abide with your protection among us, Lord, our strength,
Lest world and Satan fell us and overcome at length.

Abide, O faithful Savior, among us with your love;
Grant steadfastness and help us to reach our home above. Amen

Christian Worship 21 924 Stanzas 1, 5, 6.

Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.

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.

How Many Angels Fit on the Head of a Pin? – September 30, 2024

2024/09/30/in Devotions, Family Devotions

Read: 2 Kings 6:8-17

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
2 Kings 6:15-17

How Many Angels Fit on the Head of a Pin?

LISTEN HERE

Family Devotion – September 30, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Kings 6:15-17

See series: Devotions

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Centuries ago, students of the Bible argued over the question: how many angels fit on the head of a pin? How would you answer? One? A hundred? A thousand? We will never know because angels are spirits and rarely appear in a form we can see. But in today’s Bible reading, Elisha and his servant saw the sight of a lifetime. God let them see real angels. We don’t know how many they saw, but Elisha was correct, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Wouldn’t it be fascinating if we could see angels? Even though we can’t see them, Elisha’s words encourage us: There are many angels watching over us.

Like Elisha’s servant, we face times that make us feel nervous, anxious, or stressed: Starting a new school or job, meeting new neighbors, or making new friends. In our Bible reading today, there was concern over being surrounded by an army. We may also feel uneasy about possible danger. In those moments, God promises, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). The promise of God’s presence is enough. But by his grace, he gives us more—he gives the protection of the angels, “For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11).

You might wonder if there are enough angels to go around. Does God have angels available to watch over me? Elisha’s answer, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” comforts us. God even gave an apostle named John a vision of the angels, which was more than he could count. He said, “I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand” (Revelation 5:11). That’s a lot of angels! We may not know how many God created, but we do know that there are always enough to fulfill our needs.
Although Elisha and his servant were blessed to see the angels God sent to their aid, we can be just as confident in God’s promise to protect us. More important than knowing how many angels fit on the head of a pin is trusting that God has angels ready to serve you.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for angels who watch over us. May the thought of them watching over me tonight let me sleep even better! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

What did the angels that Elisha and his servant saw look like?
Who sends angels to help us?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

How did Elisha comfort his worried servant?
How are we comforted when we are worried?

Questions for Middle School and Above

Your friend says, “Prove to me that angels exist.” How do you answer?
True or False: Everyone has a guardian angel.

Download and print devotion

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.

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.

A Battle of Wills – September 30, 2024

2024/09/30/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Submit yourselves, then, to God.
James 4:7

A Battle of Wills

Daily Devotion – September 30, 2024

Devotion based on James 4:7

See series: Devotions

The parent-child relationship in this broken world is a fairly easy one to summarize—it’s a battle of wills. A parent wants one thing; the child wants something else. And so it is that from a very early age, toddlers begin to utilize and perfect one of their favorite words: “No!” Mommy or Daddy has directed them to do this or that, but their little ones have a completely different idea, a different will, and they resist. And the battle ensues.

Good parenting involves training a child to submit to your will willingly. It’s a valuable lesson to learn. But for children to be willing to do that, they must learn from experience that their parents’ will is good for them. They need to appreciate that Mom and Dad love them and have their children’s best interests in mind. As children begin to recognize this, they’ll be more willing to surrender their will because they see how it results in their blessing.

It’s no different for the children of God. By nature, we don’t trust our heavenly Father. We’re convinced that our way of doing things is better than his. We’re forever tempted to engage him in a battle of wills.

But how could that ever turn out well for us? Consider the many advantages our heavenly Father has over us, not the least of which is his ability to know the future and control it for our good. More than that, when we consider what he wants for us and all people—that he “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4)—why would we ever think that his will for us could somehow turn out badly? And when we consider his overwhelming love for us—that he “did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all” (Romans 8:32)—how could we ever imagine that our will is superior to his? God’s will is always accomplished, and his will for us is good.

Simply put, this is one battle of the will we should want to lose because it results in our eternal blessing.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me daily to submit to your good and gracious will for 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.

Transformed – teen devotion – September 29, 2024

2024/09/29/in Teen Devotions

No matter how great the danger you face, you have a squad that is more powerful.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6:16-17

Meet the Squad

Having a good squad makes a difference between having dread and confidence when facing an enemy. In the pregame lobby of a game of COD or Fortnite, if your squad is stacked, you are confident about what is about to happen. Sometimes, however, you are in that pregame lobby with a squad that is mediocre at best. You definitely don’t have the same confidence going into that game. Maybe you even have a little dread knowing that you are probably going to be destroyed by a squad of squeaky 9-year-olds.

The real danger, real enemies, and real pain that you will face in life is far worse than being defeated in virtual warfare. The devil will tempt you to sin and pull you down into the pit of guilt. His demons are chomping at the bit to stir up hardship and pain in your life. The world will hate you and will love to see you fall. These are the enemies that surround you. Knowing what imminent danger you face fills you with dread of what the future holds.

When the servant of Elisha was feeling dread seeing the enemies that surrounded him, Elisha asked God to open his eyes so that he could see the squad. He saw the powerful armies of God between him and the enemy. We too have God’s fiery angels on our side. Do you see them? We see by faith and not by sight but that doesn’t mean we can only hope the angels are there. We know. The promises of God that we read in his word take our faith from hoping to knowing. And when you know who is on your side, you no longer have any fear facing the enemies.

So believe the promises of God and know you have God’s squad on your side. He will never leave you or forsake you. He works out all for your good. You are forgiven. No one can snatch you out of the hand of God. Heaven is your home.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, Open my eyes of faith. Give me confidence knowing that you are on my side. Stop the attacks of the devil, the world, and my sinful nature. Keep my eyes focused on the cross and the empty grave to know that the victory is mine. Amen

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.

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.

Equipped by the Spirit – September 29, 2024

2024/09/29/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.
Numbers 11:24,25

Equipped by the Spirit

Daily Devotion – September 29, 2024

Devotion based on Numbers 11:24,25

See series: Devotions

Moses was a humble, faithful leader of God’s people. As an 80-year-old man, he served with courage and patience, leading the Children of Israel out of Egypt to the promised land of Canaan. The Israelites numbered about two million people. God was gracious and provided for their needs on the journey. On a daily basis, he miraculously provided a special food they called “manna.” But the people God fed with this food got fed up with it and ungratefully complained that it wasn’t enough. It was almost too much for Moses. He got very frustrated and prayed to the Lord, “I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.”

The Lord provided help. Seventy elders were chosen to assist Moses. The Lord equipped these elders for service by putting his Holy Spirit on them. The Spirit gave them the gifts they needed to accomplish the service for which they were appointed.

The Lord gives us his Spirit, too. The Holy Spirit comes to us through the gospel. He uses the good news of Jesus to give us life and salvation. God the Holy Spirit also equips us for the Lord’s service of leading people from the slavery of sin to the promised home of heaven. With gratefulness for all the blessings in Jesus, we gladly serve the Lord in this most important work.

Watch for opportunities that you have in your family, at work, or through your church to serve the Lord and accomplish his work. Equipped by the Holy Spirit, be confident that the Lord can use you to fulfill his will.

Prayer:
Lord, give me the ability to recognize and utilize the special gifts I have received from the Holy Spirit so that I may humbly and faithfully serve you and do all I can to lead more people to Jesus for their salvation. 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.

Wisdom From Above – September 28, 2024

2024/09/28/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
James 3:13-15

Wisdom From Above

Daily Devotion – September 28, 2024

Devotion based on James 3:13-15

See series: Devotions

What does it mean to be wise? What does it mean to possess wisdom and understanding? The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates is attributed with saying, “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” King Solomon, the wisest man ever, came to a similar, sober conclusion when he pursued human wisdom. In the book of Ecclesiastes, he wrote: “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.” Just as having more money doesn’t mean more happiness, having more earthly wisdom doesn’t mean a more satisfying life.

Thankfully, God has shown us another kind of wisdom. This wisdom is much more than the accumulation of information or the acquisition of insight; it is a way of life. True wisdom that comes from heaven “is first of all pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

This wisdom can be seen perfectly in the life of Jesus Christ. It’s demonstrated in his mercy towards sinners, in his submission to his enemies, in his patience with his disciples, and finally in his selfless sacrifice on the cross. Jesus not only shows us the best possible way to live, but in his wisdom, he saved us from the control of sin and the penalty that it deserves.

When the Holy Spirit leads us to understand who Jesus is and what he has done for us, true wisdom is born in our hearts. This wisdom leads us to put away all bitter envy and selfish ambition. It helps us see through the false wisdom of this world that is earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil, and follow Jesus by sowing peace so that we, too, might raise a harvest of righteousness.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, send your Holy Spirit into my heart that I may always know true wisdom in my Savior, Jesus. Help me to live a life that is more and more like his. 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.

Who is the GOAT? – September 27, 2024

2024/09/27/in Devotions, Family Devotions

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Mark 9:30-37

Who is the GOAT?

LISTEN HERE

Family Devotion – September 27, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 9:30-37

See series: Devotions

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The argument still goes on today. Who is the GOAT (greatest of all time)? Who is the greatest president of all time? Is it George Washington? Abraham Lincoln? Franklin Delano Roosevelt? Who is the greatest quarterback of all time? Joe Montana or Aaron Rodgers? Peyton Manning or Tom Brady? Who is the greatest preschool programming personality of all time? Is it Bluey, Blippi, or Ms. Rachel? Maybe you’ve participated in one of these debates at home, school, or around the preschool water cooler. These debates are argued using various standards depending on the category. Someone might judge presidents on foreign policy or economic prosperity, quarterbacks on statistics or Super Bowls, and preschool personalities on entertainment or educational value.

The desire to be the greatest and the arguments that go along with it are nothing new and do not only apply to discussions about famous political, athletic, or entertainment personalities. In today’s Bible reading, we hear Jesus’ disciples arguing about who was the greatest disciple among them. A few of the disciples had recently witnessed Jesus’ glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. Maybe that earned them some greatness points in their debate. Others recently could not drive out a demon from a boy. Maybe that lost them some greatness points in their debate. No matter what standards the disciples were using, their entire debate was completely wrong. Jesus makes clear in his response what truly makes someone great.

As he often does, Jesus turns everything people think about greatness upside down and inside out. Jesus says the one who is greatest is the servant of all. The greatest is the one who welcomes little children and takes time for the smallest among us—the ones who could never repay you. But Jesus says even more than that. While the disciples were arguing about which one of them was the greatest, Jesus was talking about suffering, dying, and rising again. That’s what made Jesus the greatest of all time. Think about it. He is the one who came to welcome the little children. Even more than that, Jesus came to give himself completely for a world full of us sinners who could never, ever pay him back.

Do you want to be great? True greatness comes when Jesus’ humble service to you fills you up and overflows in your humble service to others.

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, your humble service to a world full of sinners reveals you as the greatest of all time. We are the objects of your humble, saving service. Fill us with thankfulness and humility that we might find true greatness in service to you and our neighbor. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

How does it make you feel to know that Jesus came to serve even little children?
Who can you love and serve like Jesus loved and served you?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Recount the time you and your friends at school debated who was the greatest at something. What kind of things make someone great?
What does Jesus say makes someone great? Is that the same or different from what the world says?

Questions for Middle School and Above

Explain in your own words the relationship between greatness and humility.
Describe how the great humility and service that Jesus talks about in these verses can be demonstrated in the relationships between Christian husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and employees. (a teaching tool: Take a look at the Table of Duties from Luther’s Small Catechism for help.)

Download and print devotion

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.

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.

Military Devotion – Unseen Forces in the Fight – September 27, 2024

2024/09/27/in Devotions, Military Devotions

Based on Revelation 12:7-12

I had a college classmate who dropped out of college to join the Navy SEALs. He served as a Tier 1 operator on the teams. One day I got the news that he had died, and it wasn’t in combat—he died stateside.

A pastor friend of mine happened to be serving his spiritual needs and providing spiritual care for him, and he was asked to conduct the funeral service. That pastor friend shared with me that he had never felt more safe than at that funeral service because this dead man’s brothers-in-arms, other Navy SEAL operators, lined the inside perimeter of that church. As I watched the livestream of the service I couldn’t see them, but you knew that they were there.

This is a picture of our special operations teams. They work in the shadows. They go behind enemy lines. We don’t always know where they are or what they’re doing, but we know that they are there, protecting us and our allies from real threats and dangers.

As Christians, we face an enemy who operates in the shadows. In Revelation 12:7-12 we witness this celestial battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The apostle John describes this cosmic battle where Michael, the archangel, the general of the armies of angels—the special forces of heaven—battle with Satan, the dragon, and his army of demons.

This picture that John paints for us in Revelation 12, this spiritual warfare, is not just a picture of what happened in the past. It’s also a picture of what is happening every single day.

The devil works in the shadows to afflict pain in your body so that you despair and no longer trust in God.

The devil works in the shadows to afflict pain in your mind so that you despair and no longer trust in your God.

The devil works in the shadows to afflict pain in your soul by accusing you of all the things that you have failed to do as a single person, as a husband or a wife, as a parent, as a service member in our nation’s military. And the devil does a really good job working in these shadows because he knows exactly how to target our weaknesses and point out our failures and attack our doubts and our fears, but we are not alone in this fight.

The special forces of heaven—even though we cannot see them—are operating on our behalf, and their job is to protect us and fight for us so we know we are not alone in the fight.

Not only do you have the special forces operating in the shadows, but you know the victory has already been won. In Revelation the apostle John saw the victory: “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb” (12:11). The blood of your commander-in-chief, Jesus Christ, was shed on the cross, and that’s what caused Satan’s defeat. He may try to accuse you just like a prosecutor in court, but his accusations against you fall to the floor of that courtroom. They are stricken from the court record because the blood of Christ covers over all your faults, all your failures, all your weaknesses. You have already triumphed over Satan through the blood of Christ Jesus.

And as this battle between good and evil continues to rage on, go into combat confident knowing that the victory is already yours in Christ Jesus. You are more than conquerors in Christ. And know that you are not alone in this fight. The special forces team of Michael and his angels continues to fight in the shadows to protect you. And in the end, they will act as spiritual pallbearers and escort our souls home to heaven to be with Jesus, where there will be no more battle, no more war—only peace.

So go in confidence and conviction today. For God’s mighty angel armies go with you. They fight for you, and they fight with you.

Prayer:
Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of both angels and mortals. Mercifully grant that as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your direction they may help and defend us here on earth. We pray this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

Welcome the Children! – September 27, 2024

2024/09/27/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Mark 9:36,37

Welcome the Children!

Daily Devotion – September 27, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 9:36,37

See series: Devotions

Nowadays, it seems like the kids control the family schedule: baseball practices, dance recitals, band rehearsals, science fairs, etc. I know that my wife and I are not alone in this. It seems that whenever I talk to my friends with children, they’re just as gassed and tired as we are from all the chasing and driving. How about you?

Why do we do all of this? Why are we willing to cart them around and sacrifice all that time and money? There is probably a whole slew of reasons that you could spout off, but I think it boils down to this: we love them! We want the best for our kids. We want them to be successful and have an enjoyable childhood.

Jesus loves children, too. There are a number of times in the Bible where he took time for them, held them, and blessed them. Why? Because children are important to him. Our children are important to him.

If God has blessed you with kids, you have an amazing responsibility. God has put you in charge of that child’s spiritual welfare. As important and pressing as practices and rehearsals might seem, there is something deeper and longer-lasting that God wants for your child—a life and an eternity with Jesus. God wants your child to know that he has a Savior from sin. God wants your child to know that nothing will separate him from the love of Jesus. God wants your child to know he is forgiven.

Our society spends so much time on children. Let’s make sure that the children are being cared for with something that will last into eternity—their Savior.

Prayer:
Dear God, bless the young people in my life with assurance of your love and forgiveness. Bless our efforts to raise the next generation with the message of the cross of 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.

The Servant of All – September 26, 2024

2024/09/26/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Mark 9:35

The Servant of All

Daily Devotion – September 26, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 9:35

See series: Devotions

Occasionally, as I’m standing in line at the gas station or grocery store, the lottery lights catch my eye. And when I see the potential payout climb to hundreds of millions of dollars, it makes me think: what would I do if I had all of that? I picture eating steak and lobster in my mansion, cruising around the Mediterranean Sea, or relaxing on the beaches of Hawaii. If I’m honest, I see a life of luxury.

If you had money, power, and connections, wouldn’t you want “the good life” too? Wouldn’t you just want to relax and take life easy? Isn’t that what so many are striving and struggling for—a life a little bit easier and more bearable?

When the disciples saw the power and fame of Jesus, they, too, thought that because of their connections to Jesus, their lives were about to get a lot easier. No longer would they be nobodies! People would know who they were! Perhaps they could quit their jobs, put their feet up, and enjoy a life of ease and luxury.

But Jesus shatters those delusions because that’s not what the life of being his follower looks like, and that’s not what Jesus came to do.

Jesus had a life of luxury, which so many dream of. He sat on heaven’s throne, ruling and reigning over all creation. But his love for mankind compelled him to take on flesh and endure the suffering and punishment for humanity’s sins. He came to serve us with himself so that life in the perfect paradise of heaven wouldn’t be just some daydream but a soon-to-be reality.

So, what are we to do as his children? We serve. We serve our neighbor. We serve with our talents, time, and treasures so that we can have the opportunity to witness to others about the sacrificial love of the Savior. May God bless us as we serve our neighbor and, in so doing, serve him!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for serving as my Savior. Move my heart to serve my neighbor and bless my efforts to serve you in your kingdom. 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.

Humility Takes Wisdom and Leads to Peace – September 25, 2024

2024/09/25/in Devotions, Family Devotions

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
James 3:13-18

Humility Takes Wisdom and Leads to Peace

LISTEN HERE

Family Devotion – September 25, 2024

Devotion based on James 3:13-18

See series: Devotions

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Why would anybody want to be humble?

Even though it seems many people today do not prize it as a virtue, humility is very practical. There are few things more annoying than a know-it-all. And people who think they are better than everybody else might find it hard to have any real friends. But that’s not the only thing. Humility is one of the most highly praised virtues in the Bible. God’s Word says, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11,12). Humility has incredible practical and spiritual benefits. How do we get this highly praised and highly practical virtue? Today, James tells us that to be humble, you must be smart. Humility takes wisdom.

But not just any kind of wisdom. There is a kind of wisdom that comes from this world James calls unspiritual and even of the devil. This earthly wisdom is marked by bitter envy and selfish ambition. Those are big words. What do they mean? Bitter envy is jealousy or anger over the good that someone else has. It is the attitude that is behind selfish ambition, which means always trying to get whatever you want without thinking about anyone else. Bitter envy and selfish ambition always lead to a life that is full of evil, disorder, and fighting.

Humility takes a different kind of wisdom—not worldly but heavenly. It takes that kind of wisdom to not put yourself first, but others first instead. It takes that kind of wisdom to have a life that is full of peace. Humility takes wisdom and leads to peace.

Who came down from heaven to give us peace? Jesus did. God’s Son came down from heaven without any bitter envy or selfish ambition. He did not think about himself. Jesus only thought about others. He thought about us. That’s why he humbled himself to come into this world, make himself nothing, go to the cross, and bring us sinners peace with God. That is what Jesus has accomplished for us. Through him, may God accomplish that in us.

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we thank you that you humbled yourself to come down from heaven and give us heavenly peace forever. Help us to be wise and humble in all our dealings with others so that we might spread your peace in this world. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

What does it mean to be selfish?
Give an example of how being selfish leads to fighting.

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Why do you think people look out for themselves more than others?
How does what Jesus has done for you change that attitude?

Questions for Middle School and Above

A Christian thinker named C.S. Lewis once said: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Explain what he meant.
How does humility help you to be a peacemaker at home, at school, and in the world?

Download and print devotion

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.

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.

Who Is the Greatest? – September 25, 2024

2024/09/25/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Mark 9:33-35

Who Is the Greatest?

Daily Devotion – September 25, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 9:33-35

See series: Devotions

It has been a little over a month since the Summer Olympics took place. The greatest athletes from around the globe strived and competed for gold. But I am sure that if you asked, some of them—if they were honest—weren’t competing just for the medal, but rather what the medal represented: greatness.

Those athletes put in countless gut-wrenching workouts and sacrificed days, if not months, away from their families while eating nothing but chicken and brown rice for a shot to make that podium. Many of them chased a dream that they would be standing on the world’s stage, crowned above the rest. To be honest, I never seriously considered chasing an Olympic medal (nor would I have ever had a remote chance even if I tried). But I can see the appeal. Can’t you? But what if you didn’t have to put in all the hard work and effort? What if you could ride someone else’s coattails all the way to the podium?

Jesus’ disciples couldn’t help but get caught up with all the hype. The world’s spotlight was on him. Thousands upon thousands of people rushed to see Jesus, everyone hoping to catch a glimpse of his glory. And amazingly, the disciples were right there beside him. Who wouldn’t want a share of the limelight?

But Jesus explained to them, and to us as well, that being a part of his kingdom isn’t about titles or authority. What brings glory and honor to God is service. Jesus, of course, served mankind by laying down his life as a payment for sin. Our Savior served us.

Because of that demonstration of Jesus’ love, we look to serve others as well—first and foremost, by telling them the amazing news of our Savior’s sacrifice on the cross!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, bless me as I serve my neighbors with the good news of your sacrifice and service. 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.

I Don’t Understand and That’s Okay – September 24, 2024

2024/09/24/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
Mark 9:30-32

I Don’t Understand and That’s Okay

Daily Devotion – September 24, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 9:30-32

See series: Devotions

“Well, that’s not how it was supposed to turn out.” Have you ever found yourself thinking that? Maybe you didn’t get into the school you dreamed of attending or the job you wanted. Maybe some storm spoiled your family vacation that you spent months planning. Maybe the politician you thought would do the best job in office didn’t win. Sometimes, things don’t work out like we think they should. And we don’t understand.

For three years, Jesus’ disciples had been following him as he preached and healed people. Everywhere they went, Jesus drew a crowd. Thousands came out to see him. People would walk miles and wait hours for just a glimpse and a moment with Jesus. And his disciples had a front-row seat for the entire show.

But lately, Jesus’ words had grown darker. Lately, Jesus had been talking more and more about things like “betrayal” and “death.” They didn’t quite understand it. How could anyone want him gone? He was a healer of both broken bodies and broken hearts! They didn’t understand.

But eventually, they did. In death, Jesus brought about the greatest healing of all for the world. Jesus’ death paid for the sin of mankind and brought to the world the victory of eternal life. From a rational view, that doesn’t make good sense. But that’s okay. That’s how God chose to save us from death.

There will be times when we don’t understand why things happen the way that they do. But even if we can’t understand why things are happening the way they are, God has given us the greatest reason to trust him. He’s given us Jesus!

Prayer:
Dear God, help me to trust in your plans today and every day. 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.

Pride Comes Before the Fall – September 23, 2024

2024/09/23/in Devotions, Family Devotions

Read: Numbers 12:1-15

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, he said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.
Numbers 12:1-9

Pride Comes Before the Fall

LISTEN HERE

Family Devotion – September 23, 2024

Devotion based on Numbers 12:1-9

See series: Devotions

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“It’s not fair that he gets to play with it! I want to!”
“Why does she get to stay up later? I should be able to stay up that late, too!”

Maybe those words, or something like them, have been spoken in your house. Sometimes, we want something or think we deserve something that someone else has—maybe even a brother or sister. When we feel that way, we can treat them poorly. We can even treat our parents poorly because they are the ones who get to decide in our house who gets to do what and when.

Something like that happened when God’s Old Testament people were wandering in the wilderness. During that time, three grown-up siblings—Moses, Aaron, and Miriam—had important roles among the Israelites, but Moses was the leader. That’s because the Lord chose Moses to be the leader. The Lord, who had rescued them from slavery in Egypt, always knew what was best for his people. But Miriam and Aaron began to question what God thought was best. They talked badly about Moses. They thought they should be the leaders because they spoke God’s words too, and because Moses had married a woman who wasn’t from where they were from, which is not only very silly but also very sinful. Miriam and Aaron thought they were better than Moses. They thought they were smarter than God. That sin is called pride, and it leads to all kinds of other sins. That’s why there is a wise saying that says, “Pride comes before the fall.”

That saying points back to the Garden of Eden. Pride was the reason that the once good angel, Satan, rebelled against his God. He wanted what God had—his power and position. Pride was the reason Adam and Eve fell into Satan’s temptation to eat the forbidden fruit. They thought they should get to be like God. But pride always leads to more sin, and it always leads to a fall. There were painful consequences for Miriam’s and Aaron’s sinful pride. There are painful consequences for ours, too.

Thank God for the forgiveness he gives through Jesus. The glorious Son of God had every reason to be prideful, but in humility, he gave up everything to come and be the Savior of sinful people like you and me.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, forgive us for our selfish sins of pride for humble, selfless Jesus’ sake. Help us remember pride comes before the fall so that we guard our hearts against it. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Remember the last time you didn’t treat someone nicely (brother or sister or parent) because you wanted something you could not have?
What do we need to say when we’ve acted that way? What is the very nice thing Jesus has done for us, even when we haven’t been nice to others?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

In your own words, what is pride?
How does pride lead to all kinds of other sins?

Questions for Middle School and Above

A famous Christian teacher named St. Augustine once said: “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” What is he trying to say?
Contrast pride and humility. How are they complete opposites?

Download and print devotion

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.

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.

Who Will Be First? – Week of September 23, 2024

2024/09/23/in Devotions, ECME Devotions

Who Will Be First? – Week of September 23, 2024

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Mark 9:35-37

ECME Devotion September 23, 2024

See series: ECME Devotions

Almost every child you’ve ever had loves to be line leader. On their day, they walk a little taller and for some, it’s an opportunity for pride. Because their turn is determined simply by a rotation of all in the class, they did nothing to earn that position. And yet they are so proud to be that class leader.

Just before the reading we focus on today, three of Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who was the greatest. How could they, who walked with Jesus every day, even begin to care about status? And yet they did. They wanted to determine who had what it took to be greater than those around them.

In his response, Jesus, the Master Teacher confronts their pride and flips the script on status. “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” The servant? Jesus would say yes, and he was the perfect example. The creator and ruler of all things became an infant and grew up in the world with the challenges of life all around him. For what? For us. Jesus set aside his glory, his presence in heaven, to become one of us, to serve us, to save us. When we consider all Christ has done, our hearts melt with gratitude and humility.

Jesus also picks up a young child and looking directly at his disciples (and us), he emphasizes how precious young children are to him. He tells them that if they welcome a small child, they are welcoming him. If they welcome him, they are welcoming God the Father. His point? It’s not earthly status or pride in accomplishments, but our status with God that matters. Like the line leader, our status is unearned by us, but paid for by our Savior, Jesus.

So, what does that mean for you and for me? First, we too, can be guilty of pride or a self-serving attitude when we compare ourselves to others. We can be critical of others in hopes that the worse others look, perhaps the better we look. As you know, it only makes us look worse. We look to God for forgiveness.

Second, the work you do is precious in the Savior’s eyes. Serving young children is not for the faint of heart but it is the work of the heart. It’s a work that reflects the Savior’s love as you patiently nurture a struggling child, comfort a weary little one, and celebrate their victories. It’s the work of the Savior as you tell them about Jesus and his love for them. Your work is not the work of presidents, corporate leaders, or athletic celebrities. It’s a humble service, a ministry, that nurtures the heart, the mind, the faith of a young one to grow as a child of God.

Who’s first? The servant, the small child, those around us as we welcome them to hear about Jesus, their Savior. May the Lord bless your mighty work to guide and nurture young souls. May he also bless you with a humble heart that knows that your true status is beyond any earthly expectation. You are God’s dear child, always in his eyes and in the heart of your Savior.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, when I think of what you did in coming to live among us with a heart set on saving us, I can be overwhelmed with gratitude and awe. Help me to never take this for granted. Help me to respond with a humble, servant’s heart that continues to look for ways to serve you and all those around me. It’s in your name I pray. Amen

Christian Worship 21 735, Before You I Kneel provides further thoughts on gratitude for all that Christ has done for us.

Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.

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.

It Is All Under Control – September 23, 2024

2024/09/23/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”
Mark 9:30,31

It Is All Under Control

Daily Devotion – September 23, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 9:30,31

See series: Devotions

When my children were little, I loved cuddling up with them on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn for movie nights. Oh, those were the good ol’ days! I loved watching them as they held their breath with uncertainty as one of their heroes dangled in a perilous situation, wondering if he would make it through unscathed—which he always did! After all, these were kids’ movies we were watching! But now and then, when things got a little too scary, I would hold them tight and assure them that everything would be okay.

At this time, it was easy for the disciples to follow Jesus. Jesus was popular—crowds flocked to see him! Jesus was powerful—he healed the sick, walked on water, and even raised the dead!

But his followers didn’t know that times were about to get rather scary. The disciples were about to see one of their own betray Jesus. They were going to see Jesus subdued by soldiers and put to death.

That’s why Jesus wanted to assure them that everything would be okay. Jesus wanted to assure them that everything was under his control. So, he told them what would happen—not only that he would die, but also that he would rise!

Life might feel out of control for you right now. And it might be difficult to make any kind of semblance of a plan. But remember, Jesus had a plan to rescue you and me from death and was in control of it all. That’s the kind of hero, the kind of Savior you have—one with a plan! And he’ll lead you through this week every step of the way! It’s all under control.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, give me courage and strength to trust in you. Bring peace to my troubled heart when I worry about tomorrow. 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.

Transformed – teen devotion – September 22, 2024

2024/09/22/in Teen Devotions

What you gain on earth is temporal but what you gain in heaven is eternal.

“Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Mark 9:35-37

For Nothing

There were two men. The first man was a worldly man. He worked hard because he had goals he wanted to achieve. He got a good paying job. He bought a big house. He always had a nice car. He bought a boat. He ate in fine restaurants. He wanted to be seen as a generous person so every Christmas he gave to a charity. He was very political. Every year, he and his college buddies would travel to Las Vegas for their annual fantasy football draft. He won the fantasy football championship four times. He never married but had a few girlfriends. He invested well into the stock market. He retired early. He traveled the world. He died. He was not a follower of Jesus.

The second man was a follower of Jesus. He worked hard but his goals were different. He got a good paying job. He got married and committed his life to putting his wife first. They had four kids. He never could afford a fancy car but he had the car that he needed. He couldn’t afford to eat in fancy restaurants or go on fun trips instead paid for diapers and Christian education. He turned down the promotion so he could spend more time with his family. He was in charge of the Sunday school at his church. He gave generous offerings to the Lord. He would invite anyone and everyone he met to church. Once he retired, he mowed the grass at church and the yard of his neighbor who was an older widow. He too died.

The first man gained everything he ever wanted but took nothing with him when he died. It was all for nothing. The second man was a servant putting others before himself. He did it all for nothing, not looking to get anything in return. He did it out of love for his Savior whom he followed and out of love for others. In the end, he gained everything in heaven.

Which man are you?

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, through your saving work on earth and the cross, you have made me your follower. Give me a heart that loves, not looking to get anything in return. Keep my eyes focused on heaven where you will give me everything. Amen

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.

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.

Wisdom – September 22, 2024

2024/09/22/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
James 3:13

Wisdom

Daily Devotion – September 22, 2024

Devotion based on James 3:13

See series: Devotions

In 2007, a man named Dan Dewey was sitting next to his elderly father in a hospital in Pontiac, Michigan. His father had leukemia, and every week Dan took him to the hospital to receive chemotherapy. As he sat there, he offered to get his dad a treat—a flavored coffee from a local Starbucks. Before he left, Dan looked around the room at all the other people enduring the same ordeal his father was. He decided to bring each of them a flavored coffee, too.

Dan has been doing it ever since. Every single week. He accepts no money from the patients. He sees his coffee run as a chance to show kindness to someone else.

That true story goes a long way to illustrate what the Bible means when it talks about wisdom. I might think of wisdom as a series of profound sayings coming from a mysterious mystic on top of a mountain. The Lord is much more real. The Lord describes wisdom in terms of how I live my life, by the deeds I do to touch the lives of others.

The Lord’s view of wisdom involves deeds done in…humility. And that’s where Jesus comes in. When I stand at the foot of the cross and understand that it was my sin for which Jesus died. When I realize that my life is full and fresh and forgiven because of what my Savior has done on my behalf—that’s when real wisdom begins. That’s when I see my life as a beautiful chance to thank the Lord for what he has done. That’s when I see my life as a precious string of opportunities to thank my Savior by touching the lives of others.

Maybe someone in your life needs a cup of coffee today. Or perhaps a listening ear or just a kind word. Take a moment to fill that need. That’s what wisdom is.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, so often I have led a busy life instead of a wise one. Forgive me. Renew my heart. Fill my life with deeds done in the humility that comes from the wisdom of knowing you as my 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, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Be Strong – September 21, 2024

2024/09/21/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Ephesians 6:10

Be Strong

Daily Devotion – September 21, 2024

Devotion based on Ephesians 6:10

See series: Devotions

“Be strong.” Do you ever get tired of hearing that? Maybe mom and dad were dropping you off for your first day of school or football practice and the advice was: “Be strong.” Perhaps it was time to go to the doctor for some serious tests or to the funeral home for some funeral planning and the encouragement you heard was: “Be strong.”

The directive, “Be strong,” can be quite dangerous for two reasons. On the one hand, we might believe we have sufficient strength to do whatever we need to do. This self-reliance can work at times but ultimately leads us to crash and burn. That’s because we rely on ourselves rather than God. On the other hand, constantly being told to “be strong” can have a demoralizing effect. Maybe we know that we don’t have the strength required for the task and the encouragement to “be strong” leads us to despair and to give up. This is the problem with relying on human strength. It fails and lets us down.

Thankfully, God’s Word tells us: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” On our own, sinful human beings can only fall short of whatever goal we are trying to achieve. But trusting in the Lord and relying on his power, there is nothing that God can’t accomplish for us.

When we focus on Jesus, we see a Savior who has everything we need. We see One with the power and might to calm storms, drive out demons, and heal diseases. We see One with the wisdom to know exactly what we need and when we need it. We see One with the love to do everything necessary to make sure we are forgiven and saved, even when that means going to the cross to die in our place. We see One with the power to rise from the dead and promise to do the same for us some day.

Each day we can begin with the encouragement—not to “Be strong” in ourselves but to “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times when I rely on myself. Teach me each day to trust in your power and love. 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.

Help Me Overcome My Unbelief! – September 20, 2024

2024/09/20/in Devotions, Family Devotions

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
Mark 9:14-27

Help Me Overcome My Unbelief!

LISTEN HERE

Family Devotion – September 20, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 9:14-27

See series: Devotions

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In 1918, Robert Ripley premiered his newspaper panel that shared strange events and artifacts so unusual that readers might find the claims unbelievable. The newspaper panel, which he called Believe It or Not, was eventually adapted for use in books, radio, television, and even a chain of museums. You may have toured one when you were on vacation with your family and discussed whether what you saw there was real. Do you believe it or not?

Some things are hard to believe—even things about God. We see that in our reading from the Word of God for today. There was a man who had a son who was possessed by an evil spirit. This evil spirit made it so the man’s son could not talk and often threw him onto the ground with a seizure. Jesus’ disciples had been trying to drive out the spirit, but they couldn’t. It seemed like most people did not believe healing the man’s son was possible—maybe even the man himself.

You can understand why. The man told Jesus this had been happening his son’s whole life, and his son had often been in danger. The devil had used these attacks to hurt this family more than physically. He wanted them to stop trusting their God. You can see that in the man’s pleading conversation with Jesus. “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 6:22-24)!

Jesus did a great miracle that day. He set that man’s son free from the evil spirit. Jesus’ miracle showed that he had God’s power. It also gave a glimpse of what Jesus had come into this world as Savior to do: overcome the devil. Jesus would do that once and for all by his cross and empty tomb. The devil is defeated. The war is won. The victory is ours.

As we continue to fight our spiritual battles on this side of heaven, Jesus assures us that “everything is possible for the one who believes.” So, we exclaim, with the father, “Help me overcome my unbelief!” And Jesus does. Through his Word and sacraments, he increases our faith in him and gives us eternal victory. Believe it!

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, sometimes what is happening in our lives makes us doubt that you are there, that you care about us, and that you have won the victory for us. In those moments overcome our unbelief and increase our faith with your tremendous promises. Remind us that everything is possible with you. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Imagine you were the boy in this Bible story. How would you feel if you could not talk?
How would your family feel if you were being hurt like that boy was?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

How did the devil really want to hurt the family in God’s Word today?
Why would that be even worse than the boy not being able to speak and having seizures?

Questions for Middle School and Above

Talk about a time that you doubted God’s love or care.
How do we overcome our doubts? Where do we go?

Download and print devotion

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.

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.

Military Devotion – Great Leaders Are Humble Servants – September 20, 2024

2024/09/20/in Devotions, Military Devotions

Based on Mark 9:30-37

If you’re in a position of leadership, one of the required readings for you may be Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek.

I’ll just share a couple of things from the book. The author says that great leaders create a circle of safety in the workplace. They inspire trust. They inspire cooperation and peak performance among their team. Great leaders who put the team first or the needs of the team first can create a culture of success. And I’m sure that you’ve experienced that in your vocation as a warfighter.

And on the other hand, Simon Sinek says that bad leadership dehumanizes other people. Bad leadership sees others as a tool to fulfill some kind of specific purpose. Bad leadership promotes selfishness, and when bad leadership puts self first, others get hurt and the team suffers. And I’m sure that you’ve also experienced bad leadership in your vocation as a warfighter.

Today in our reading, Jesus’ disciples give him a great opportunity to teach them and us a lesson about pride and humility. In Mark chapter 9, Jesus had just finished telling his disciples that he was on his way to Jerusalem, where he would be betrayed, arrested, and crucified, and there he would die and be buried.

And as they’re walking along the road, what are the disciples talking about? Which among them was the greatest. This is what pride does: It exalts itself above even God. Pride doesn’t think of others first; it thinks only of self. Pride tries to conform others to my will.

Have you fallen to the sin of pride, as a leader of your squad or team or company or platoon? as a leader in your church or your community or even your home? You’re not alone. I have too.

And that’s why Jesus gathers us in a huddle with his friends, and he brings a little child in among us and says to us, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

Humility means that I see others as those whom I can serve rather than use. Humility means that I see others as people—that when I serve them, I do not expect anything in return, even to the point of serving a little child and their needs without expecting anything in return, because I know that that little child can’t repay me for the things that I am doing to help meet their needs.

And the motivation to serve with humility, to put our pride to death, to be leaders who eat last—is Christ. Christ who was willing to go to Jerusalem to be arrested, to be crucified, and to die, and to die a death to our pride, to become our pride, actually, and to become our arrogance, to become our sin, so that we might become his humility and his service.

Humility, then, seeks forgiveness for the sin of pride. Humility looks to Christ for that forgiveness. And then, having been forgiven, humility seeks to put others first. Humility seeks to exalt God above self, actually, exalt God at the expense of self.

And that, Jesus says, is the mark of a great leader: one who serves. My friends, he will bless your servant leadership. He promises it.

Prayer:
Mercifully grant, O God, that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts. For without your help, we are unable to please you. Help us to be Christ in the way we view others as those whom God has called us to serve. Today I ask for your blessing on those in leadership positions, especially those at the top, our admirals and generals. Grant them wisdom and knowledge, a heart for the troops under their command, so that they may carry out their duties as servant leaders, and so inspire many others to be faithful servants. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

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. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

Stand Firm With the Helmet of Salvation – September 20, 2024

2024/09/20/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17

Stand Firm With the Helmet of Salvation

Daily Devotion – September 20, 2024

Devotion based on Ephesians 6:17

See series: Devotions

When I grew up, my parents would give the children in my family an Easter basket filled with candy. Except, my brother and I didn’t receive woven baskets. Our candy-holder was a souvenir baseball helmet. Every year, a new team was represented. We loved those helmets. When we’d play baseball in the backyard, the batter wouldn’t go without one. I don’t think those souvenir helmets would have saved us from a 90-mph fastball to the head, but it impressed upon us the necessity of keeping your head safe. Lose a limb, and you can live. Lose your head, and you’re dead.

One of the targets for the devil’s schemes is our head. Not only does he fill it with doubts, but he also twists some of God’s cerebral blessings against us. Think of how much the gift of reason often combats the truths of the Bible. For example, it doesn’t make sense that God is three distinct persons and yet only one God. It doesn’t make sense that God is eternal. My mind can’t conceive of someone who is timeless. It doesn’t make sense that a virgin could become pregnant. And the list continues.

When reason and Scripture are at odds, the devil tries to let reason win. But if everything that God is and everything that God does makes sense to our human reason, is he much of a God at all? I don’t want a God who makes sense. I want a God who’s greater than my mind. And that’s the God we have. We have a God who took on flesh so that he could die. We have a God who turned his back on his Son on the cross so that he could welcome us into heaven. We have a God who plants faith in our hearts when he attaches his Word to a little water poured over our heads. We have a God who didn’t wipe this earth clean when we rebelled, rather, we have a God who carried out a plan of salvation on our behalf. And it’s that salvation, that helmet of salvation, that allows us to stand firm against the devil’s schemes.

Prayer:
Lord, when I am tempted to lean on my reason, increase my trust in you and your Word. 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.

Stand Firm With the Shield of Faith – September 19, 2024

2024/09/19/in Daily Devotions, Devotions

Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16

Stand Firm With the Shield of Faith

Daily Devotion – September 19, 2024

Devotion based on Ephesians 6:16

See series: Devotions

“Snow day!” Nothing sends more excitement into a neighborhood than those two words. While snow days off school are intended to keep the children safe, for many children, those two words mean war as a neighborhood snowball fight can commence later in the day. After each side has built their fortresses and stockpiled their perfectly rounded snowballs for ammunition, the fighting begins. Armed with garbage can lids as shields, one troop advances on the other, trying to capture the flag in the other team’s fortress.

If only all wars were as harmless as a neighborhood snowball fight. When the devil advances into our fortress, he’s shooting something at us more dangerous than snowballs. The flaming arrows of the evil one may come in the form of doubts, guilt, fear, laziness, and much more. How do we fend off his attacks? What’s going to keep us safe?

Our first temptation may be to retreat. But he’s going to keep coming. Then, we may tend to look to ourselves. I’m faster. I’m bigger. I’m stronger. This may be true if you’re comparing yourself to the other neighborhood kids, but not when it comes to the devil. When I look to myself as I battle the devil, I see the cracks in my armor. I see the plodding feet. If I look to myself, I will fall. I will not stand firm.

But all is not lost. No matter how intense the enemy’s attack is, our Lord equips us with a shield of faith that is bigger and sturdier than any garbage can cover. We can completely hide behind the shield of faith. Why? Because faith is only as strong as the object in which it rests. And our faith rests on the One who defeated the devil. Our faith rests on the One who invaded the devil’s kingdom of the world and crushed his head. Our faith rests in Jesus. So, stand firm. Stand firm behind a shield of faith that relies on him.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, protect me from the evil one as I find comfort in your promises and protection. 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.

WELS CENTER FOR MISSION AND MINISTRY

Share this entry

You’re on the List

Closing Prayer:

The Irony of Judging Others

Don’t Hold in Your Sin

Read: Revelation 12:7-12

God Wins, Dragon Loses

Closing Prayer:

Run to Jesus

Resisting the Devil

We Have an Army All Around Us – Week of September 30, 2024

ECME Devotion September 30, 2024

Share this entry

Read: 2 Kings 6:8-17

How Many Angels Fit on the Head of a Pin?

Closing Prayer:

A Battle of Wills

Equipped by the Spirit

Wisdom From Above

Who is the GOAT?

Closing Prayer:

Share this entry

Welcome the Children!

The Servant of All

Humility Takes Wisdom and Leads to Peace

Closing Prayer:

Who Is the Greatest?

I Don’t Understand and That’s Okay

Read: Numbers 12:1-15

Pride Comes Before the Fall

Closing Prayer:

Who Will Be First? – Week of September 23, 2024

ECME Devotion September 23, 2024

Share this entry

It Is All Under Control

Wisdom

Be Strong

Help Me Overcome My Unbelief!

Closing Prayer:

Share this entry

Stand Firm With the Helmet of Salvation

Stand Firm With the Shield of Faith

MENU

ABOUT

HELP

SOCIAL

WELS Center for Mission and Ministry

Contact Us