For the Lord himself will come down from heaven . . . we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

A Never Ending Joy

Daily Devotion – December 1, 2023

Devotion based on 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

See series: Devotions

Trumpets. Angels. Flying. Reunion with loved ones. You’ve contemplated some or all of those things. God willing, you have been encouraged by all of them. And yet, they fail in comparison to the encouragement of the words before us today. We won’t just meet our loved ones in the air, “we’ll meet the Lord in the air. We will be with the Lord forever.”

When we’re with the Lord, nothing else matters. Think of some of the commercials you see this time of year. Some of the tear-jerking commercials are military members coming home for the holidays and being reunited with their loved ones. When a daughter runs into her G.I. dad’s arms at the airport, you don’t hear her complain, “Daddy, it’s really warm in this airport.” Her joy of being with her once-deployed dad supersedes any discomfort. Likewise, when a deployed daughter surprises her mom with coffee in the kitchen on Christmas morning, you don’t hear the mom complain, “Folgers? Why not Starbucks?” She’s just glad to be with her daughter.

On the day Jesus returns, so many exciting things will happen. But nothing will compare with our supreme joy of being with the Lord—a joy that will never end. Therefore, be encouraged with these words and that your King is coming to be with you.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I can’t wait to be with you. Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly! Amen.

God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. . . The Lord himself will come . . . and the dead in Christ will rise first . . . Therefore, encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:14,16,18

The Coming King

Daily Devotion – November 29, 2023

Devotion based on 1 Thessalonians 4:14,16,18

See series: Devotions

“They’re going to miss it.” That’s maybe what you thought as you sat by the grave of a loved one. “They’re going to miss their daughter’s wedding. They’re going to miss their first grandchild. They’re going to miss traveling in retirement.” They’re going to miss ‘it,’ whatever ‘it’ is.

And there’s a sadness that comes with this, at least for the survivor. Many of you know what it’s like to experience a wedding, a birth, or some other occasion without sharing the joy of that event with certain loved ones. But there is one event our loved ones who have died in the Lord will not miss. Not only will they not miss Jesus’ return, “the dead in Christ will rise first.” There’s a certain amount of joy that comes with this, isn’t there? As a spectator, I love watching my child get a blue ribbon at the track meet or the spelling bee. I rejoice in seeing my spouse receive an award at her place of employment. We love seeing our favorite players win a championship or our preferred candidates win an election. We find joy when our loved ones win.

While you may miss your loved ones at an upcoming wedding, be assured, they’ll be the first ones to the wedding banquet of heaven. You may miss a Christian friend at an upcoming reunion but be assured they’ll be the first ones in the air, waiting to be reunited with you. Be encouraged by these words. Be encouraged that your King is coming, and he’s bringing those who have fallen asleep with him.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, may the joy of my loved one’s victory overshadow the sadness of me missing them here. Amen.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven . . . Therefore, encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:16,18

Know Where Your Path Leads

Daily Devotion – November 27, 2023

Devotion based on 1 Thessalonians 4:16,18

See series: Devotions

Not too long ago, my wife and I went on a long walk. It was a beautiful day, so we decided to walk beyond our planned path. As we meandered through a subdivision on this unmarked path, we weren’t quite sure where it would lead. Nor did we have our phones on us to provide a map.

When we came across two women sitting on the park bench, we didn’t simply ask, “Do you know where this path leads?” Rather, my wife started by asking, “Do you live around here?” When the women said, “Yes,” our confidence level went up. We were encouraged. They would know where the path led because they were from here.

As we go through life, we don’t always know where our paths lead. But considering that our goal is heaven, how encouraging it is to know that’s where our Lord lives. And the reason he’s there is because he finished his work here. Jesus lived a perfect life for you and died to take away your sins. He rose again, sealing his victory over death so he could open heaven to us. Today, in heaven, he is sitting at the right hand of God, ruling over all things for your benefit. Don’t miss the significance of those two little words, “The Lord himself will come down from heaven.” Be encouraged by these words and know that your King is coming from heaven.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, as I go through life, I often get discouraged by the difficulties of life. Today, encourage me with the assurance that you are already in heaven and you are coming back so that I can be with you there. Amen.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7

Peace

Daily Devotion – November 25, 2023

Devotion based on Philippians 4:7

See series: Devotions

Our minds and hearts strain for peace by trying to remove the things that cause stress and hurt. If we get sick, our distress is removed when we are well again. If we find ourselves in serious financial trouble, the stress weighs heavy on our minds, and we are not relieved until the red ink turns black. We tend to equate peace in our lives with an absence of adversity.

How different is the peace of God that we have in Christ! God’s peace far surpasses our understanding of peace. The peace that God gives exists in the midst of difficulties. It settles and flourishes in the minds and hearts of believers. Though we experience all kinds of troubles and struggle to overcome many challenges, we have peace in the midst of everything. The peace of God is founded on what he has already accomplished through Jesus. He charged his Son with the guilt of our sin and inflicted Jesus with the suffering and death we deserved.

True, lasting peace is knowing with our minds and believing with our hearts that our sins have been forgiven by our heavenly Father and that we will spend eternity surrounded by his glory and filled with his blessings. Instead of condemning us to hell, God has promised us heaven. Instead of separation from God, he promises to hold us near and dear to him. God has made us his own through Jesus and will not forsake us. He guards us by his power so nothing can separate us from his love for us in Christ. As God’s own people, we can confidently face every situation—no matter what it is. We have the peace of God through Jesus.

Prayer:
Fill me, O God, with the peace of knowing that in Jesus you love me and are guiding me on the course that keeps me close to you. Amen.

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” . . . “How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”
2 Samuel 7:18,22

More Than Thanksgiving

Daily Devotion – November 23, 2023

Devotion based on 2 Samuel 7:18,22

See series: Devotions

Happy Thanksgiving! That phrase will be said millions of times today in America. But stop and think: if you say, “Happy Thanksgiving!’ today, what are you actually saying?

“Have a good time giving thanks today!” That’s perhaps the most literal meaning.
Or perhaps you mean, “Have a happy day of being off work, a happy holiday!”
Or, “Enjoy all the food today—and don’t let that turkey put you right to sleep!”
Or perhaps, “Have a great time with your loved ones today!”

What’s the common denominator there? The person’s action: enjoy, have a good time, a great day.

And let’s be clear: there’s nothing wrong with that. But there’s an even better part of Thanksgiving for the Christian. It’s more than ThanksGIVING—it’s about the giver himself. And I don’t merely mean, “If you’re a Christian, you get to direct your thanks to someone.”

No—Christians get to sit in the love and blessing of the Sovereign (in control of all things) Lord. They get to say like David, “Wow, Lord—who am I, that you’ve blessed me so much?” (By the way, David was the king—he was definitely someone).

The Christian gets to say, “There is no God like you, no God but you—the God who’s taken me, a nobody, and made me a somebody you’ve adopted me into your royal family.”

What a great day this is—maybe you’ll enjoy food, maybe friends and family, maybe a day off of work. But there’s no maybe about this: God has brought you this far and promises to bring you all the way to eternal life.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, Thank you for being one-of-a-kind great. Thank you for wanting me to be in your family and choosing to adopt me and paying for me with the blood of Jesus. Who am I? Your royal child. Amen.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Romans 12:1

Is That Logical?

Daily Devotion – November 21, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 12:1

See series: Devotions

Which is harder? Loving your spouse one day or one hundred days in a row?
Obeying your parents one day or one hundred days in a row?
Forgiving someone once or forgiving that same person one hundred times?
Putting the needs of others before yourself once or one hundred times?

I think you know the answer. But why do I ask? Because doing those types of things is what Paul, the writer of the book of Romans, says is the way you worship God. More than that, he says it is your true and proper worship. A more literal way to say it would be your logical worship. “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,” he says. Not a one-time sacrifice that is burned up and gone and done, but a living one, one that goes on day after day after day. Paul says that is the only logical thing to do with your life!

How? How could that be logical? That doesn’t make any sense at all!

Au contraire! For two reasons:
Paul addresses you as brothers and sisters. And he didn’t learn this from a DNA testing service. The blood of Jesus needs no test. Jesus’ blood is the ink that signs and seals all the adoption documents. It’s done. You are God’s child, just like Paul.

And he says, “in view of God’s mercy.” As you ponder what God was willing to do for you, his willingness to sacrifice his own son to save you from your sins against him, you are moved to be sacrificial as well. You can give your whole self into his service. This is how you worship your merciful God.

Prayer:
Jesus, because of your sacrificial living, death, and resurrection, enable me to offer my whole self as a living sacrifice to the people around me, day in and day out. Amen.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6

Worry

Daily Devotion – November 19, 2023

Devotion based on Philippians 4:6

See series: Devotions

Don’t worry! That’s what God says in his Word for us today. But we wonder how we can put aside all our worries and every instant of our anxiety. There are so many dangers that surround us, so many things that stress us out, so many people who are hurting and some of them are very dear to us. Not to worry seems impossible.

It is impossible to stop worrying if our attention is riveted on the problems and predicaments of life. But a wonder of God’s love for us is that he teaches how much greater he is than the worrisome circumstances we face daily. He assures us that he is in control of all things. He is the almighty, all-knowing God who knows our every need and is capable of fulfilling all of them.

He took away our greatest worry; he freed us from the damnation we deserved as sinners. And he lavished his love on us by giving us life with him that will last forever. So our heavenly Father, who loved us so much to send Jesus to be our Savior, promises to provide for our life and protect us from danger.

Thankful for his saving love, we can turn from our inclination to worry and turn to him with our concerns and burdens. We can confidently address him in prayer, knowing that he listens and will answer according to our best interests. Since God has secured our eternity through Jesus, we know that according to his love, he will care for us now and always.

So, there is no reason to worry and every reason to pray.

Prayer:
Teach me, Lord, not to worry. Remind me of your great love and power that I can trust in times of need. Accept my prayers through Jesus, my Savior, and help me according to your wisdom. Amen.

Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor . . . Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive. For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”
Isaiah 52:1,2,3

Sleepwalking

Daily Devotion – November 17, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 52:1,2,3

See series: Devotions

Are you or is someone you know a sleepwalker? Sometimes, sleepwalking can result in some funny things happening. One time, my grandmother found my father sleepwalking, and he was trying to water the plants in the house! Sometimes, sleepwalking can be dangerous, like walking out into the middle of the street.

Spiritual sleepwalking is always dangerous. The people of Israel were spiritually sleepwalking through life. It was what brought them into captivity in Babylon. And for many, the lesson wasn’t yet learned. Many looked at their situation as strangers in a foreign land, unable to return home, as a reason to continue to sleepwalk through their spiritual life. Many thought God would not keep his promise of deliverance (even though he told them exactly how long it would be).

Friends, captive Israel is a picture of you and me as we wait for God to deliver us from the “captivity” of this sinful world and, at last, bring us home to heaven.

As you wait, watch out for spiritual sleepwalking! Be on your guard against sleepily stumbling through life because of the sorrow of living in this sinful world. Awake, and keep watch against the devil’s empty promises, which lure us into wandering into the path of destruction.

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord calls out to his sleepwalking people, “Awake, awake! Rescue is coming! In fact, it is already yours, even though you do not see it. I have given you garments of splendor because I have washed away all your sins. I have redeemed you, buying you back to myself without money. Not because you have no worth but because the price of your immortal soul is priceless. So I have sent my Son to purchase you with his precious blood. Only I can and will rescue you from your captivity. Only I can and will bring you home. Awake!”

Prayer:
Lord, in your mercy, wake me from my spiritual sleepwalking that I may be ever watchful for the day of your Son’s return. Give me the assurance that I already wear forgiveness as garments of splendor. Amen.

“The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ . . . “The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. . . Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour.”
Matthew 25:5,6,10,13

Waiting for the Wedding

Daily Devotion – November 15, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 25:5,6,10,13

See series: Devotions

Waiting for the wedding day can be difficult for the bride and groom, the parents, friends, and other family because everyone can’t wait for the joy of that day.

The same is true for us as we wait for the day of Jesus return. We know what Jesus will provide for us on that day will be better than anything this world has to offer. We also know not waiting for Christ in faith will leave us locked out of the wedding banquet of heaven. Knowing this, it can be difficult to live in a world that is not perfect, a world in which there is so much suffering and sin.

But our Bridegroom, Christ, has seen to it that as we wait for his arrival, we will have all we need so that we’re ready when the cry rings out, “Here’s the Bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” He invites you to remember your baptism, which made you his bride. And your Bridegroom invites you to come to a wedding rehearsal meal called the Lord’s Supper, where you get to taste and see just how wonderful that final, eternal wedding supper of the Lamb will be!

Friends, it may still be a long night before the cry rings out that our Bridegroom has arrived or that he has come for you personally in your death. You may still have to struggle through many hardships and dark moments. But you can keep watch. By God’s grace, you have the oil of the gospel. Your faith’s lamp is lit and keeps burning through that gospel. Ours now is but to wait for the wedding. What a glorious day it will be!

Prayer:
Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you’. . . “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’”
Matthew 25:7-12

Lit Lamps

Daily Devotion – November 13, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 25:7-12

See series: Devotions

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he promised he would one day return. It can sometimes seem like Jesus is taking a terribly long time to return. But just because we are impatient or tempted to think we have all kinds of time doesn’t mean that we don’t need to be ready at any moment for his return.

Jesus warned us about becoming complacent about his return in the parable of the ten virgins. Five of them were ready when the bridegroom arrived, and five were not.

No one is in more danger of finding out that they’re a foolish virgin too late than the Christian who assumes, “Well, of course I’m a wise virgin! I don’t have to worry about anything.” This is to live life as though the gift of faith is some lucky rabbit’s foot rather than a lamp that’s been lit within you that constantly needs to be fueled with the oil of the gospel.

Sadly, Jesus’ parable warns that if we are found with unlit lamps on the Last Day, we can pound on the doors to heaven all we want begging, “Lord, Lord! Open the door for us!” But he will say, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!”

The good news is that Jesus has already done everything necessary to save us from our sins and earn our place in the wedding banquet of heaven. Be sure to keep your lamp of faith lit by regularly fueling it by hearing and reading God’s Word. Just as you are doing right now!

Prayer:
Lord, help me to treasure the gift of the gospel, the oil that keeps my faith lamp lit that I would be ready for the joyful announcement, “The Bridegroom has come!” Amen.

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.
1 Thessalonians 2:1,2

Boldness

Daily Devotion – November 11, 2023

Devotion based on 1 Thessalonians 2:1,2

See series: Devotions

In the first part of this chapter of the Bible, Paul described his ministry to the Christians at Thessalonica. He was not bragging and just attempting to bring attention on himself. As he spoke about the difficulties and opposition he faced in doing the Lord’s work, he hoped to encourage those persecuted Christians to also be persistent and bold in living and practicing their faith.

He reminded them how he suffered and was insulted in Philippi just prior to coming to Thessalonica. Together with his companion Silas, Paul was unjustly accused, stripped, and beaten, severely flogged and thrown into prison. After that humiliating and painful experience, who would have blamed Paul for giving up and just going home?

But Paul kept on, and he did it “with the help of our God.” God helped him to be bold even though he faced strong opposition. God strengthened and sustained him so that he could bring the message of Jesus Christ to the people in that city.

Boldness is also a virtue we pray that God increases within us. Boldness to speak up for Jesus when people put us down. Boldness to defend God’s truth when others trash it with their lies. Boldness to live by God’s Word when so many others ignore it. Even in the face of opposition, boldness to never deny Christ.

Prayer:
My God, help me to be bold in my life of faith. Keep me faithful to Jesus and give me the courage to follow him even when I face opposition. Amen.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
1 John 3:1

Adopted

Daily Devotion – November 9, 2023

Devotion based on 1 John 3:1

See series: Devotions

Twenty-four-year-old Jaime Cone had long known that she was an adopted child. Because the adoption had taken place so early in her life, she had no recollection of the world she’d left behind. She took her present life for granted. Her adoptive parents had given her a stable home. She did well in school. She had lots of friends. Hers was a secure, middle-class lifestyle with the usual little dramas of growing up. This world was normal to her because this was the only world she had ever known.

Her presumptions began to change when her adoptive parents decided it was time to give Jaime access to the files pertaining to her adoption. Much of what she read was sobering, chilling. The conditions in which she lived as a baby were dangerous and dark. The one steady light through all the files was her adoptive parents’ relentless determination to pursue her adoption, soldier through the many legal setbacks and disappointments, and to do whatever had to be done to make Jaime their own.

After digesting the files, Jaime came to realize how drastically different her life might have been. She also began to understand how much her adoptive parents loved her.

The apostle John wrote, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”

The conditions of your former life and mine were deadly and dark. We were toxic, you and I—toxic through and through. We were addicted to sin, lost, adrift, angry, afraid, and determined not to have anything to do with God.

But he came for us anyway. God the Son came here in the person of Jesus. He did what had to be done to wash us clean at the cross, blanket us in his perfection, bring us to faith, and take us home.

All this makes us realize how drastically different our lives might have been. We also begin to understand how much our adoptive Father loves us.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, through faith in Jesus I am your child. Your love for me is beyond words. Thank you. Amen.

“These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (EHV)
Revelation 7:14

Tribulation

Daily Devotion – November 7, 2023

Devotion based on Revelation 7:14

See series: Devotions

From time to time, archaeologists unearth an item that tells a story. Some years ago, archaeologists were hard at work within the ruins of ancient Rome. They happened to be digging in the remains of a school for imperial pages. As they did, they found a picture dating back to the Third Century A.D. It shows a boy standing, his hand raised, worshiping a figure on a cross. The figure on the cross is a man with the head of a donkey. Scrawled in the handwriting of a child are the words: “Alex worships his God.”

In one old picture, the story emerges. Alex is a Christian. The God he worships is the one who came to this earth to die on a cross to wash his sins away. Others in his class find his Christian faith ridiculous. Someone decides to draw a picture of Alex to make fun of him and his Savior.

History tells us that the persecution of Christians went beyond the passing of pictures in class. Christians experienced contempt from the surrounding culture. Christians lost their jobs. They were arrested, tortured, and put to death. On top of all that, the devil used every hardship in their lives as an opportunity to discourage them from trusting in Jesus Christ.

Today, the tribulation continues, as the Lord said it would. Christians around the world face mockery and hostility, torture and death. In addition, Satan does all he can to use the griefs and disappointments of this life to convince Jesus’ followers to give up, to quit.

But in the book of Revelation, the Lord gives us a look ahead. On the Last Day, there are Jesus’ followers, coming out of the great tribulation. There they are, washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. There they are, basking in their Savior’s presence forever.

One more thing. The picture mocking Alex has an additional piece of writing. It says, “Alex is faithful.” The Lord sustained Alex. He remained faithful. He will sustain his followers today, too.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in this broken world, tribulations are part of my calling as a Christian. Sustain me and be my strength. Amen.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
1 John 3:16

What Is Love

Daily Devotion – November 5, 2023

Devotion based on 1 John 3:16

See series: Devotions

If you ask ten different people what love is, you may very well receive ten different answers. Ask a three-year-old, and the answer may be a simple “mom.” Ask a psychologist and you may have to settle in for a long and complicated response. The answer given by a fifteen-year-old girl will likely be very different than the one given by a sixty-year-old man who has been married to the same woman for 42 years.

Even though these answers may all be different, they likely all revolve around the same thing—emotion. Describing what love is usually involves how a person makes you feel or the committed feelings you have about a certain person.

God doesn’t talk about emotion when he describes love in the Bible. He talks about action. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”

Love is defined by the greatest act of self-sacrifice ever made. God’s own Son, Jesus, gave up his life for you because he knew it was the only way for you to live with him forever. He shed his blood not because he saw some great potential within you. He shed his blood because the sin within you needed to be washed away.

Jesus laid down his life for you because his desire to save you eternally was far greater than any desire to preserve his own life. That selfless, self-sacrificing action is the very definition of love.

Now that you know what love is, go and love others.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, my Savior, thank you for loving me by dying in my place. Forgive me for the many times love has been all about me and how I feel. Help me to love others the way that you have loved me—through actions that put their needs first. In your holy name I ask it. Amen.

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:21-24

The Price Is Paid

Daily Devotion – November 3, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 3:21-24

See series: Devotions

You owe God. God demands perfection. That’s what God’s law clearly states. Jesus said it himself when he summarized the law’s demands, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

God’s law isn’t a manual on how to live a moral life. It’s a demand for perfection. And if you have not been perfect, then you owe God.

Every human comes up short of that perfection because all have sinned. We all have accrued an enormous amount of debt to God. There is no debt consolidation service able to help us. There is no payment plan. We’ve dug a hole of debt so deep there is no way for us to climb out of it. Our sins bury us.

But before your last sin can cover you up for eternity, you see someone walking toward you. He carries something in his hand. It’s a check for the debt you owe to God. With that check, Jesus buys you back and sets you free from your sin. He lifts that enormous burden off you.

Jesus earned the capital to pay your debt by perfectly obeying God’s law and taking the punishment for sin in your place. How do you get this life-changing check that pays your debt to God? You believe in Jesus as your Savior. Jesus gives it to you as an act of pure grace—unearned and undeserved. Jesus declares that you are debt-free; you are sin-free. To God be the glory!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you have paid all that I owe. Thank you for making me yours. Help me to live as your child. Amen.