Family Perks – November 8, 2023

Read: 1 John 3:1-3

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 reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
1 John 3:1-3

Family Perks

Family Devotion – November 8, 2023

Devotion based on 1 John 3:1-3

See series: Devotions

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

Being a child in your parents’ home comes with some special perks. It might not always feel like it, but it’s true. Three of the biggest perks are love, identity, and belonging. Think about it like this: if a random neighbor kid came up to your door, knocked, and asked your dad for a snack and a glass of water, he’d probably say, “I can see your house from here. Go get a snack there!” But if you asked him, he’d probably say something different.

Why? Because he loves you like a father loves his children! Because you are his child, that is what you are! And because you are his child, you belong to him and his family. That’s what makes what John says here so awesome and amazing. God the Father loves you so much that he calls you his children! Not just his children in name only, that is your identity, that is what you are! You don’t belong to the world anymore (it doesn’t even know or recognize you) you belong to him!

This sense of identity and belonging is only possible because of the love the Father poured out on us. Not because we were pure; not because we deserved it. No, it was because of love hopeless orphans could have hope. Jesus was pure when we aren’t, and in his love for us, Jesus gives us his own purity as a blessing of being adopted into this family. When we didn’t have an identity because of wrongdoing… now we have one. Our faith and hope are rooted in Jesus and that makes us children of God!

Do you know what special bonus comes with that? Some day, when Jesus returns, we will be like him. We will get to see him with our own eyes. Part of your identity and belonging in God’s family is the future hope of sharing in his glory and purity forever in heaven. That’s where the perks of love, identity, and belonging you have through faith in Jesus and being part of his family will never end.

Closing Prayer:

Father in heaven, we pray to you as your children… because that is what we are. We praise you for the love you have poured out on us through Jesus, whose life, death, and resurrection have brought us into your family. Hold onto us and keep us safe until that day when we will see him face-to-face and share in your glory. 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

  • Fill in the blank: John says we are ___________ of God two times!
  • Which special word can we call God because we are his children?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Discuss as a family what it means to be pure.
  • What kind of blessings will we enjoy because we are children of God?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • John says, “what we will be has not yet been made known. But… we shall be like [Christ].” Is that comforting or confusing to you? Share why it is, too.
  • In what ways is our hope in Jesus different from regular “hope”?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Life is Hard – November 6, 2023

Read: Revelation 7:9-17

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
Revelation 7:9-12

Life is Hard

Family Devotion – November 6, 2023

Devotion based on Revelation 7:9-12

See series: Devotions

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

“Mom… I’m hungry.” “Dad, I’m so thirsty!” “It’s so hot outside. Can we go to the pool?” Every kid listening to this has said something that sounds like that. The right response from Mom or Dad is a good dad joke (“Hi Thirsty, I’m Dad.”), but those questions are getting at something true and important to understand: life is hard. You eat a good breakfast, but then you’re hungry again before lunch time. Drink as much chocolate milk as you want; you’re going to be thirsty again before you know it. Summer means time off from school and fun, but then it’s 100 degrees outside and you can’t do the things you planned on doing.

That’s just scratching the surface though. Then you remember there’s pain, like when you scrape your knee on the sidewalk. There’s frustration that you can’t get the hang of riding your bike or your best friend is hanging out with her other “best friends.” We cry because things hurt; we are sad because we lose things and people we love. No wonder the angel in Revelation calls this time on earth “the great tribulation!” Life is hard sometimes!

But the picture in Revelation 7 is one of joy and praise. The angel tells John that this huge group of people in heaven, so big you could never count them, have come out of the great tribulation. Now they get to shout a song about God’s victory. They are wearing pure, white robes. Robes they washed in the blood of Jesus, our Lamb, who felt the pain, frustration, and tears we feel. He experienced those things so we could look forward to standing in that choir, singing this glorious song, washed clean of every sinful stain! He gave up his life for ours, like a shepherd for his sheep, so he could be our shepherd forever in heaven.

Yes, life is and will be hard sometimes. But eternal life isn’t hard. Because your Lamb, Jesus, is at the center of it all… and he will keep you fed, satisfied, and safe. The tears he wipes away from your eyes will be the last tears you ever cry… forever!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, sometimes this life is hard. It is filled with pain, loss, and hurt. But you promise that someday you will bring us out of this great tribulation and into the joy of heaven. Thank you for washing us clean in your own blood so we could join you in that joy. 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 is the name of this special place described in the story?
  • Everyone in heaven was wearing white robes. How did those robes become white?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • How could you use this part of the Bible to comfort someone who’s going through a tough time?
  • Explain what a “great tribulation” is in your own words.

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Why do you think now is called the “great tribulation”?
  • What kind of things does earth have that heaven won’t have?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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God Gives Us the Words – November 3, 2023

Read: Matthew 10:16-23

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Matthew 10:16,19,20

God Gives Us the Words

Family Devotion – November 3, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 10:16,19,20

See series: Devotions

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

Do you know that Jesus says a lot of comforting things in the Bible? Here’s one, “Wherever two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.” Here’s another, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Or how about this one, “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus loves to say beautiful things that give us hope and peaceful feelings. The list could go on and on!

Jesus’ words today probably wouldn’t make the list. “I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves.” Why would he say that? Well, Jesus says things he knows we need to hear. There’s a reason we need to hear that we are sheep who don’t stand a chance against a pack of hungry wolves licking their chops. He’s real with us. He doesn’t sugarcoat things.

Jesus is warning us that following him as our shepherd in life means his enemies become ours. Many Christians are blessed with safety and security in the place that they live, but many Christians live in lands where faith in Jesus is a crime. Even those of us who live in countries with religious freedom still fight an uphill battle against those who deny Jesus. God wants us to know this. He doesn’t say these things to scare us… he tells us these things so that we’re ready!

But after warning us about the wolves in the world, Jesus doesn’t simply pat us on the back and say, “All right, you’re on your own now, go get ‘em, kid.” He goes with us. He sends his Spirit to equip us with his Word. His Father’s protective hand is over us the whole way. Your job is to be bold and confess Jesus. God’s job is to give you a powerful defense.

Maybe these words of Jesus make the list of comforting passages after all! Even though we live in a world full of wolves, we are safe because Jesus is forever our Shepherd.

Closing Prayer:

Jesus, my Shepherd, thank you for telling me what I’m up against in the world. Give me the wisdom and understanding to live as your sheep in the world. Give me the words to say and the confidence to say them. 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

  • Think of a way a sheep surrounded by hungry wolves might survive.
  • How does that help you understand Jesus’ words, “I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves”?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Were today’s words of Jesus about sheep living among wolves frightening, or comforting?
  • How does the promise of God’s Spirit make you bold to confess Jesus?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Jesus once told us to be “shrewd as snakes.” What does that mean?
  • Right after telling us to be “shrewd as snakes,” Jesus says to be “innocent as doves.” How might a Christian be both of those things at the same time?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Two Things That Are True About You – November 1, 2023

Read: Romans 3:19-28

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. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
Romans 3:23,24,28

Two Things That Are True About You

Family Devotion – November 1, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 3:23,24,28

See series: Devotions

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

Just because someone says, “Only kids like hot dogs” doesn’t mean it’s true. There are lots of hot-dog loving kids, but lots of adults like hot dogs too. Or what if you said, “Everyone who likes hot dogs also likes hamburgers”? Is that true? What about that one person who likes hot dogs but doesn’t like hamburgers? Here’s the point: It’s hard to say something that is true about everyone. Someone likes the color blue. Others like green. Or red. Everyone is different.

In our lesson from Romans, Paul says there is one thing that is true of everyone in the entire world: all have sinned. The Bible says this truth in many different places. In Isaiah: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” In the Psalms: “There is no one who does good, not even one.” The Bible is clear. Every human being is a sinner. Say it with me, “I am a sinner.” And that sin makes us fall short of God’s glory.

But listen to something else that Paul says, and it is also true, even though it sounds like it shouldn’t be: “All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” It means even though you’ve been bad and done wrong, you are still right with God. How is that possible? Because Jesus made everything right on the cross.

Think hard about this: All have sinned, and all are saved. All have fallen short of God’s glory, and all are redeemed by Christ. How is it possible for both of these things to be true at the same time? This is the beauty of what Jesus has done for us: he takes our sin on the cross and replaces it with his holiness.

When it comes to being right with God, get what “we do” out of the picture. Get what Jesus has done for you in the picture! He’s made me right with God. You are right with God! It’s what everyone in our world needs: salvation, full, free, in Christ.

By faith alone, you are his! Lord keep us steadfast in this truth.

Closing Prayer:

Christ Jesus, you saw a sinner like me and saved me. Now I stand before my God forgiven and set free. May my entire life be lived to your glory! 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

  • Some people try to get to heaven by working really hard and being a really good person. They don’t think they need Jesus to get there. Why is that a big mistake?
  • Jesus didn’t use money to buy us back from sin, death, and the devil. What did he use instead?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • “Grace” means “undeserved love.” Based on what we just read together, why was Jesus’ love to us undeserved?
  • “Redemption” means “to buy something back.” The Bible says that Jesus “redeemed” us. What did he buy us back from?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • “Justify” is a way of saying, “Not guilty.” If “all are justified freely” by Jesus and found not guilty of our sins, why won’t everyone go to heaven?
  • Some people would say that we must make our decision for Christ in order to be saved. Why is that actually impossible to do?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Let the Lions Roar! – October 30, 2023

Read: Daniel 6:10-12,16-23

The king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”

Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Daniel 6:16,19-23

Let the Lions Roar!

Family Devotion – October 30, 2023

Devotion based on Daniel 6:16,19-23

See series: Devotions

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

While the sight of Halloween decorations and filled candy bowls for trick-or-treaters is everywhere, there’s another holiday we celebrate on October 31: the Festival of the Lutheran Reformation.

What exactly are we celebrating on that day? Well, we’ll talk a bit about a young priest named Martin Luther who boldly confessed that God’s people are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, as revealed in Scripture alone. Martin Luther wasn’t afraid to take a public stand even when others were afraid to. The impact of his actions is why our church includes Lutheran in its name.

But there’s something more important we are celebrating than a name on a church sign. What we are really celebrating is the same thing we see in today’s Scripture about Daniel being saved from the den of lions in Babylon. We don’t praise or worship Daniel for keeping the lions’ mouths shut. We don’t praise or worship Martin Luther for standing on God’s Word. But they are examples of human beings who looked only to Jesus, the Lord of the Church, to save them. Jesus is the true reason that God’s truth is still at work in the world today.

It is awesome to see how God works in history through people like Daniel and Martin Luther. Their stories are awe-inspiring. We learn what it means to be brave and stand on God’s Word when our reputations, or even our lives, are on the line. We learn a lot about what it means to trust in God when we don’t know what lies ahead in the future. But when it comes to human beings like Daniel or Martin Luther, what their lives and stories really do is remind us that God is in control, God will cause his Church to survive, and God will never let the truth of his Word pass away.

When it comes to you and the times you can’t go to sleep because you’re thinking and growing anxious about your life and world, when the lions begin to roar in your head… let them roar! They’ve been tamed and defeated by the Lamb of God!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, when I’m afraid because of what I’ve done or what’s happening around me, help me to stop staring at those lions and look at you, the Lamb of God who shapes and keeps safe my life. 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

  • Daniel was locked in a den of lions for an entire night. How would you feel if that was you?
  • You might not ever face the possibility of being thrown in a lions’ den… but how can you show trust in God like Daniel did?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Daniel knew there was a chance that the lions would kill him. Martin Luther faced the threat of death too. What did they know would happen to them if their lives would end?
  • Remembering examples of God’s people being brave is helpful to us. Can you think of another example, whether from your life, from history, or from the Bible, of someone who stood up for God and his truth even when it was hard? (Hint: The greatest example is Jesus on the cross for us.)

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Wouldn’t it have made more sense for Daniel to keep the windows shut and pray in secret? Why did he do you think he did it?
  • What does the name “Lutheran” on your church sign mean to you? What does it say to your community?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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You Live in Two Kingdoms – October 27, 2023

Read: Matthew 22:15-22

The Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him [Jesus] in his words. “Teacher,” they said, “Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Matthew 22:15,18-21

You Live in Two Kingdoms

Family Devotion – October 27, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 22:15,18-21

See series: Devotions

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

The Pharisees’ trap was set.

If Jesus had said it was right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar, the Jews would turn on him. The Jewish people hated Caesar and his Roman empire. If Jesus came out in support of this tax, he would have lost a lot of respect from his fellow people.

But if Jesus had said you didn’t have to pay taxes, he would have had a different group upset with him. The Romans would have heard him, thought Jesus was going against Caesar, and reacted with severe punishment.

Jesus sniffed out their trap and said, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And with those words, Jesus avoided the trap! The Jews couldn’t be mad at his answer because he glorified God. The Romans couldn’t be mad either because he promoted paying taxes to Caesar. It’s a win-win for Jesus… and one loss, for Jesus’ enemies.

What is Jesus teaching us? As long as we live on earth, we live in two kingdoms at the same time. We live in “Caesar’s kingdom,” the kingdom ruled by governments and officials. We also live in “God’s kingdom,” the kingdom ruled by the King of kings and Lord of lords. Both kingdoms are good, and both kingdoms are established by God.

Caesar’s kingdom is concerned with order, justice, and a smooth-running society. Being a good citizen of this kingdom means things like paying taxes (“giving back to Caesar,” as Jesus says), obeying laws, and being a useful part of society. This kingdom is all about being a good person.

God’s kingdom is concerned with the Word of God, giving glory to God, and saving souls. Being a good citizen of this kingdom means, first of all, realizing that we don’t deserve to be a part of it! Pause and reflect on how amazing it is that sinners like us are welcomed into the courts of heaven. It’s not because we’ve earned it. It has everything to do with Jesus, the King, bringing us in! This kingdom is all about Jesus who was the perfect person who perfectly obeyed for us.

We live in both kingdoms, Caesar’s and God’s. One kingdom has an earthly king. The other kingdom has the heavenly King. Both kingdoms are intended for your blessing—one for blessing now, and the other for blessing both now and forever. We want to be good citizens of both!

Closing Prayer:

King of heaven and earth, give me the wisdom to walk in both kingdoms. Help me be a good citizen in the world. Help me be a good citizen of heaven. Rule over my heart and all things in my life. 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

  • In what way can we be good citizens of Caesar’s kingdom?
  • In what way can we be good citizens of God’s kingdom?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Jesus’ main lesson today was “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Think of a coin or dollar bill you have. Check the pictures and words on it. In what ways would Jesus’ words be different if he spoke them today?
  • In what ways would Jesus’ words be the same if he spoke them today?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Caesar’s kingdom can only make use of the law, which says what is right and what is wrong. God’s kingdom has an additional tool: the gospel, which is the good news of Jesus and his love for us. How does that additional tool make God’s kingdom different from Caesar’s?
  • How can Caesar’s kingdom be established by God if it’s ruled by human beings?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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God Blesses Us Through…Taxes? – October 25, 2023

Read: Romans 13:1-7

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Romans 13:1,6,7

God Blesses Us Through…Taxes?

Family Devotion – October 25, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 13:1,6,7

See series: Devotions

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

Let’s start with a game. Everyone, hold out one of your hands and spread out your fingers. Listen to this list of five things. If you think one of the things listed isn’t useful to you, put a finger down. Ready?

  1. The library
  2. Clean tap water
  3. Your local park
  4. Police officers and firefighters
  5. Roads and sidewalks

Did you put any fingers down? After that list of things, most people would probably still have a hand with five fingers extended, because all five of those things are useful. All five of those things are also provided by local governments, which means all five of those things are only made possible through taxes. You and your family, by paying regular taxes, make all of those things happen not only for yourselves, but for your entire community! Now take that hand from before… and give yourself a pat on the back!

When God talks about the government in his Word, he doesn’t give those specific examples of things like libraries and firefighters. What he does do is remind us of where the government really gets its power: not just from elections or constitutions, but from God. Our God orders everything in this world, including the people that run our country and serve its citizens. That makes sense, doesn’t it? God is almighty, which means he has all the power in the universe. Anyone else who has power only has it because God gave it to them!

We do live in a sinful world, though. That means that even good things God has given us can be misused. Governments can go against God’s will. Our taxes can fund things that God forbids in his Word. And us? Well, we can sinfully disrespect the authorities God has given us, and we can complain about life’s inconveniences because of them far more than we thank God for his blessings.

That is why God provided chapters like Romans 13 in his Word. Let’s ask God for forgiveness for when our attitudes are selfish, and then let’s be reminded that God establishes governments for the benefit of his people; that things like taxes are used by God himself through his human servants to bless and provide for us. These little blessings of life help keep us free and safe to ponder God’s greatest blessing: he has forgiven our sins in Christ. And that one is tax-free!

Closing Prayer:

King Jesus, we pray that everyone you have entrusted with any power and authority only uses it according to your will. 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

  • Ask your parents to name three places where taxes show up and why.
  • One way to show God’s love to people is by serving the community. What is a way you can serve right now?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Through the governments he establishes and the taxes we pay, God provides us with plenty of other services we haven’t talked about yet. Name some of them.
  • You’ve probably already identified some jobs that interest you for your future career. Think about those occupations you’re considering. How do they serve your community, your church, and your God?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • When you are old enough to vote, you may not always vote for the person who wins. In what ways can you be a good citizen even when “your” candidate isn’t in power?
  • Some governments are just downright evil. Think about world history and the various dictators and tyrants that have risen to power in the past. How is Romans 13 still true even in those times and places?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Eat Your Vegetables! – October 23, 2023

Read: Daniel 1:3-21

Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
Daniel 1:8-16

Eat Your Vegetables!

Family Devotion – October 23, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 22:1-14

See series: Devotions

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

If parents let their kids choose dinner every night, how many families would eat nothing but boxed macaroni-and-cheese and ice cream? That might sound like a great menu, but even the most noodle-loving kids will tell you that you’ve got to have more in your diet than pasta and frozen foods. You’ve got to eat your vegetables.

Daniel chose to eat vegetables for a different reason than a healthy diet. He ate them because, when he was living in Babylon, the king told him to eat foods that God had told his people not to eat. The Israelites were supposed to avoid eating “unclean” foods, and they were definitely supposed to avoid eating foods used in the worship of false gods. In Babylon, Daniel and his friends were asked to eat food that would dishonor God. So they refused. They asked for vegetables instead.

What a risky move! When Daniel said no to the king’s diet, he could have lost his job, or even his life. But Daniel trusted in God to take care of him, because he knew that it was more important to honor God than it was to earn the approval of other human beings. For Daniel, honoring God meant eating his vegetables.

This wouldn’t be the last time that Daniel and his friends would be challenged to make a choice: follow God or follow human beings. God commands us to follow both when we can. We are called to honor our parents, our government, and anyone that God has placed in authority over us. But those in authority are people, and people are sinful, and sinful people can be wrong. When someone commands us to go against God’s will, we only have one choice: to eat our vegetables. That is, to honor God with our choices, even if it’s not the popular option.

Meanwhile, we learn from Daniel and his friends who faithfully served the government placed over them. We pray that our kings (or presidents, or members of congress, or teachers, or parents) on earth never go against what God says. He is King above all kings. What he says is the most important. Trust in him above everything else and remember… to eat your vegetables!

Closing Prayer:

King of kings and Lord of lords, you are the ruler of my life, and your kingdom is the entire world. Help me to always be loyal to you in what I think, say, and do, even when it is unpopular or difficult. 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

  • Why is it good to listen to our parents, our teachers, and our country’s leaders?
  • When is the only time that we are supposed to say “no” to our parents, our teachers, or our country’s leaders?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • The Babylonians sometimes used food as a sacrifice to their false gods, then ate it afterward. That’s the kind of food Daniel wanted to avoid eating. Why?
  • God blessed Daniel’s choice by giving him more health and strength than the people who were eating the royal food. Seeing how God worked in this story, what lesson do we learn for when we face a hard choice like Daniel did?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Maybe Daniel had another option: eat the unclean food when he was with the Babylonians, but don’t eat it when other Israelites were around. Good idea or bad idea?
  • Sometimes it can feel like we’re in Babylon again: God’s people living in a land where “rulers” don’t honor him. What’s an example of “eating our vegetables” today, where we must choose to obey God when those in authority are promoting sin?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Go to God’s Banquet – October 20, 2023

Read: Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 22:1-14

Go to God’s Banquet

Family Devotion – October 20, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 22:1-14

See series: Devotions

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

“Répondez s’il vous plaît” is a French phrase which means, “please respond.” People in France don’t use the phrase very much anymore, but they used to, and people in other countries still use the initials R.S.V.P. Maybe someone asked you to R.S.V.P. to the invitation to their birthday party. They are saying, “Please respond to this invitation, so I know how many cupcakes to buy.” When two people get married, they want all their friends and family to come so they send out invitations signed R.S.V.P. You may occasionally respond by saying, “Sorry, but I cannot come.” Perhaps you have something else scheduled for that day. Maybe it’s too far away. There are good reasons to excuse yourself from some parties, but some parties are just too good to pass up.

Jesus told a story about that. A man invited people to a banquet. The banquet Jesus described is just like the one from Isaiah chapter 25. There was tasty meat at the feast, and everyone’s favorite drinks, and great music for dancing because two people were getting married. In Isaiah 25 the banquet represented heaven, and that’s what Jesus is talking about too. You’d have to be crazy to pass up such a great party.

But some people did. When the banquet was ready messengers went out saying “R.S.V.P. respond please.” Some people ignored the messengers. Others hurt them. Jesus’ story makes those people sound crazy for skipping the wedding feast.

That’s exactly what people are doing when they ignore or don’t trust Jesus. God has done everything necessary for us to have peace in our hearts and eternal life in heaven. God even delivered the clothes we need to get into heaven—a robe of righteousness woven out of Jesus’ perfect life. We get to wear Jesus’ perfection as if it belonged to us, and it’s all a free gift.

Yet every person who has ever been born, in some part of their heart, resists God’s invitation. Maybe we don’t like to admit we need God. Maybe we prefer to do life our own way. People have lots of reasons for saying no to God, but none of them are good. It would be crazy to reject his invitation. So don’t! Go to the banquet he has prepared for you.

Closing Prayer:

God in heaven, thank you for preparing such a wonderful heaven for us. Thank for you for giving us all we need to come into your heaven. Help us always receive your messages with joy, excited to hear from you and be 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

  • Can you remember the reasons why people in Jesus’ story didn’t come to the wedding?
  • What was Jesus teaching us about his invitation to heaven?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • If you were the messenger in Jesus’ story, how would you convince people to come to the wedding feast?
  • When people ignore or reject Jesus, what does that tell you about them?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • How could you teach the same lesson as Jesus taught without using a story?
  • Can you explain why Jesus would need to tell a story with such a sad ending?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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The Gospel Is Dynamite – October 18, 2023

Read: Romans 1:16,17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:16,17

The Gospel Is Dynamite

Family Devotion – October 18, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 1:16,17

See series: Devotions

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

Boom! In 1867, an explosion rattled the windows of a house on a crisp autumn day in Stockholm, Sweden. Alfred ran to the window to find a smoking pile of wood where his shed used to stand. His brother and his friends used the shed to make a liquid explosive which was powerful but dangerous. Alfred decided he needed to make explosives safer. He poured the liquid into a stick and covered it with a cap so people could control when and where it blew up. 150 years later, people still use Alfred’s invention. When construction workers need to make a hole in a mountain so a road can go through—boom! They use Alfred’s explosive. When people need to take down a concrete building—boom! They use Alfred’s invention. Can you guess what Alfred called his invention? He named it after the Greek word for “power,” which is dynamis. In 1867, Alfred Nobel invented dynamite.

There’s a big wall between people and God, as thick as a mountain. It’s called sin and it’s impossible to get through. Some people try very hard to get to God by doing the right things. That’s like trying to dig through a mountain with a spoon. Other people compare their right actions to others, and they decide they are better than others. That’s like trying to get through a mountain because it’s only one mile thick instead of two miles thick. We cannot get to God by doing the right things. We need God to blow up sin. So he did!

That is the gospel. The good news is that when Jesus came, he blew open a path so that people can get to God, only through him. Jesus did everything right, and he gave us his right-ness, his righteousness, which is so much more powerful than anything we could do. When the Bible describes the power of what Jesus did to open a way for us to get to heaven, it uses a Greek word, the Greek word for power. It says the gospel of Jesus is dynamis.

Boom! The gospel is dynamite.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for creating a way for us to come to heaven. Help us always trust your righteousness, your gospel, and its power. 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

  • Whom did God send to create a way for us to get to heaven?
  • What are some ways to get to heaven that don’t work? Which way works?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • How would you summarize the gospel in your own words?
  • What are some things that make the gospel more powerful than our efforts to get to heaven on our own?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Can you elaborate on the reason why Romans 1:17 says God’s righteousness is “by faith from first to last”?
  • If you had some dynamite and a crew of construction workers at a church gathering, how would you design a demonstration to show how powerful the gospel is?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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What Is Heaven Like? – October 16, 2023

Read: Isaiah 25:6-9

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 25:6-8

What Is Heaven Like?

Family Devotion – October 16, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 25:6-8

See series: Devotions

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

Everybody wants to know what heaven is like, but no part of the Bible describes what exactly happens in heaven. Maybe heaven is too good for humans to understand. Maybe there aren’t happy enough words to describe heaven. Maybe God just wants to keep it a surprise. When God teaches about heaven, he describes incredible things on earth and tells us it’s even better than that.

One thing is for sure, heaven will not be boring. Some people worry that we will sit on clouds for a never-ending concert of lame music and sleepy speeches. Sometimes cartoons show heaven like that, but the Bible says something quite different.

In Isaiah, chapter 25, God describes heaven. It will be like a great earthly party. The food is awesome. A feast of the richest foods. Back in Isaiah’s day, most people ate bland stuff like oatmeal and unbuttered bread. Rich food would be steak, honey, or sugar—even spicy chips or peppers if you like that kind of food. When you smell your favorite food, the smile on your face and the happiness in your tummy, that’s what heaven is like, only better.

Then there are the drinks. Isaiah drank mostly water, but at the party he describes wine. Nowadays kids drink juice. The sweet flavor of tasty drinks, that’s what heaven is like, only better.

No death will be there. Parties on earth are fun, but eventually they end. We have other stuff to do, and some of it is not fun. In heaven, we’ll never need to stop having fun because nothing ever ends. There is no death.

That means there are no tears. Maybe tears from laughing too hard, but no sadness or crying. God wipes all that away.

God also removes our disgrace. Nobody is ever embarrassed because Jesus has taken away all our mistakes.

Best of all: God is there. God, who invented food and drinks, laughter and singing, the creator of all happiness, is in heaven, and he wants to spend time with you.

How do you get to this heavenly party? Not by obeying rules or working hard. You get there by trusting God. Everyone who trusts God goes to heaven. Who wouldn’t want that? You’d be crazy to say no to God’s epic heavenly party. So rejoice. You and I are headed to heaven. Isaiah was right, “Let us be glad in his salvation.”

Closing Prayer:

Jesus, calm our hearts in this crazy world and help us focus on the wonderful eternity waiting for us. Keep us excited about our heavenly home so that we constantly stay close to 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

  • Can you list three things Isaiah tells us about heaven?
  • What are some differences between heaven and earth?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • What questions would you ask if you were interviewing Jesus about heaven?
  • How could you convince someone that heaven is not boring?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Can you elaborate on the reason why God doesn’t tell us details about heaven?
  • Create a list of things that don’t get a person into heaven and another list of things that do get a person into heaven.

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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A Story about Working in God’s Vineyard – October 13, 2023

Read: Matthew 21:33-43

“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

“The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

“But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
Matthew 21:33-41

A Story about Working in God’s Vineyard

Family Devotion – October 13, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 21:33-41

See series: Devotions

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

Jesus once told a story to people who didn’t like him. The story sounds a lot like an ancient song from Isaiah, chapter five. Just like the song in Isaiah, a man plants a vineyard. In Isaiah and in Jesus’ story, the man does everything necessary for the vineyard for grapes to grow. He picks good soil, plants good branches, and builds a watchtower to protect it. The people who didn’t like Jesus knew all about the story in Isaiah, and they knew that the owner was extremely patient and generous as he waited and waited and waited. After all that waiting, the owner never got any grapes. Everyone could see that the right thing to do was destroy the vineyard.

In both stories, the owner represented God and the vineyard stood for God’s people. Then Jesus added a new idea. The owner got some farmers to take care of his vineyard while they lived on the land. They were called tenants. God did that too. He sent leaders to take care of his people and live among them. The people who didn’t like Jesus, those people were the leaders. They were the tenants. So what did the tenants do in Jesus’ story about God’s vineyard?

They didn’t do their job. They didn’t give the owner any fruit. Whenever the owner sent someone to ask for grapes, the wicked tenants killed the messenger. In the same way, whenever God sent prophets to his people, often the leaders ignored them, made fun of them, and killed them. How did God react? He sent more. How patient he is! And when those messengers were killed, what did God do? He sent to the world his one and only Son, Jesus. How generous he is! Of course, people killed Jesus too. God knew they would, but he sent him anyway because that was how he would save the world from their sins.

Our God is extremely patient and generous to us too. We all ignore and disrespect God and his messengers. So what does God do? He is patient with you. He sent Jesus to forgive you. He gives you everything!

So when the patient, generous God who gives you everything asks you to listen to him and work for him, will you ignore him? Will you fight? No! Work hard for the God you love, for the God who loves you.

Closing Prayer:

Lord, help us to see how generous you are toward us. Make us appreciate your patience. Move us to love and work for you all our days. 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 wicked farmers do wrong?
  • What are some ways that God is different from those wicked farmers?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • What parts of Jesus’ story would change if the tenants were good and faithful workers instead of wicked?
  • How does Jesus’ story apply to us?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • It’s easy to be disrespectful, ignore, or fight with family members. What warning does today’s Bible story give about disobedience?
  • Think of a way that God has been very generous and patient in your life. Then think of a way you can replicate it as you live out tomorrow.

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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We’re on Heaven’s Team – October 11, 2023

Read: Philippians 3:12-21

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13,14

We’re on Heaven’s Team

Family Devotion – October 11, 2023

Devotion based on Philippians 3:13,14

See series: Devotions

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

The soccer chant filled the air and Amir sang along, “Go old blue! Go old blue!” Amir and his dad hustled toward the soccer stadium wearing their blue jerseys with white stripes. Almost everyone was wearing blue. The sidewalk looked like a blue river rolling toward the stadium. But a few people wore red jerseys and sang a different song. “Red boys, red boys! Always ever red!”

Amir turned a corner and saw a huge party ahead of him where everyone was wearing red. Grownups stared at him as they chanted, “Red boys, red boys! Always ever red!” Amir stopped singing his blue song and grabbed his father’s hand. He pressed his cheek against Dad’s hip. Dad looked down and smiled. “Don’t be scared, buddy. They’re just cheering for their team.” Then he sped up and tugged Amir’s arm forward.

One block later, it was quiet. Amir’s dad knelt down and looked him in the eye. “You know, that’s a lot like being a Christian. When St. Paul wrote to the Philippians, he told them that our citizenship is in heaven, like we are on heaven’s team. Sometimes that feels lonely and scary. Not everybody does things the way we do. When you were surrounded by red jerseys, what did you do, Amir?”

“I got close to you!”

“Why did you choose to come by me?” Dad asked.

Amir laughed. “Dad! You were the only other person wearing blue!”

Dad smiled. “That’s what St. Paul told Christians to do. He said to join together and keep your eyes on people who live the way you do, people who follow Jesus. That’s why we go to church as often as we can, buddy. We get close to other Christians so they can encourage us and teach us. Plus, it helps us recharge our spiritual batteries so we have more energy to love and serve others like our neighbors and classmates who are different from us. When you grabbed my hand back there, what did I do?”

“You charged ahead,” said Amir.

“That’s what God encourages us to do. He said to press on toward the goal. We’re almost at the stadium now, and it will be a sea of blue jerseys!”

Amir was starting to get it. “So we press on through life until we get to heaven?”

“Amen, kiddo!” said Dad. “And God will get us there. Go old blue!”

Amir sang along, “Go old blue!”

Closing Prayer:

Monarch of all things, fit us for your mansions;
banish our weakness, heath and wholeness sending;
bring us to heaven, where your saints united joy without ending. Amen.
(Christian Worship 778:2)

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 made Amir scared?
  • What does God tell us we can do when we feel scared?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • What words would you use to comfort a friend who feels lonely as a Christian?
  • What is one thing that motivates you to attend church services?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Amir’s dad taught him about belonging to heaven by talking about his blue jersey. Think of an alternative way to understand our citizenship in heaven. What does it look like?
  • In what ways would your life improve if you always had in mind God’s encouragement to “press on” and “eagerly await heaven”?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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You Are God’s Garden – October 9, 2023

Read: Isaiah 5:1-7

I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My loved one had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside.
He dug it up and cleared it of stones
and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
but it yielded only bad fruit.
Isaiah 5:1,2

You Are God’s Garden

Family Devotion – October 9, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 5:1,2

See series: Devotions

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

Imagine you wanted to make the most wonderful garden of all time with delicious vegetables and gorgeous flowers. You would find good soil and carefully plant seeds. You would pull weeds and put a fence around it so nothing could nibble the plants. You’d water it and wait. Gardening takes a lot of work and a lot of patience, but at the end of the growing season, what do you expect to find? Tasty food and fragrant flowers.

In today’s Bible passage, God planted a vineyard, which is a garden for grapes. God did a lot of work. He found a hillside with really good soil. He pulled out all the stones. He planted the best grape vines and made a tower to keep the vineyard safe. After all that work, God expected tasty grapes. But when he went to look at his plants, he found stinky, nasty, rotten things. Ugh. He did everything to help the garden, but it all went bad. How frustrating! Would you blame God for wanting to destroy his vineyard? Of course not.

God didn’t actually plant a garden. It’s a story to help us understand how God feels about people. He chose us to be believers. He paid for our sins by sending his Son Jesus. When we were baptized, God planted faith in our hearts. He protects us by sending parents to love us and angels to guard us. He gives us Bible stories about his faithfulness and promises that he’ll always love us. God is the best gardener. He has done everything to help us grow. So God expects to find beautiful things in us, fruits of faith like respect for people in charge, kindness toward people around us, and gentle words coming out of our mouths. But we all know he doesn’t find those things. Sometimes our attitudes are stinky, our words are nasty, and our behavior is rotten. God would be right to destroy us.

But here we are, not destroyed, not trampled. By some miracle, God still loves us. How amazing! It turns out God doesn’t love us because we’re good. He loves us because he is loving. He will be patient with us when we stink, and he will celebrate with us as we produce more and more fruits of faith. That’s what people do when they love God. And how can you not love a gardener as generous as God?

Closing Prayer:

Lord thank you for all you’ve done to grow my body and soul. Help me to love you more and more so that my faith produces lots of fruit. 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 God do to help his vineyard grow?
  • What has God done to help you grow?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Explain why God was so frustrated with his vineyard.
  • Think of how you are like the vineyard in today’s story. What is the same? What is different?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • How would you change the story of the vineyard (not the meaning) to appeal to an audience of teens today?
  • How might you test to see if God’s work in your life is producing fruit?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Listen to the warning! – October 6, 2023

Read: Matthew 21:23-32

[Jesus said] “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

“ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.
Matthew 21:28-31

Listen to the warning!

Family Devotion – October 6, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 21:28-31

See series: Devotions

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

Have you ever heard a tornado siren? It is a really loud siren that is used to warn people that a tornado has been sighted. When you hear it, you are supposed to seek shelter immediately to protect yourself from the danger of the tornado.

What do you think would happen if someone heard the tornado siren, started to head to their safe place, but then changed their mind? Instead of heading to safety, they went and washed the dishes or read a book. That would be bad! They didn’t listen to the warning the siren gave them about the danger they were in. That would be like the first son in the story Jesus told today.

Or what if someone heard the siren and said, “I’m sure the tornado isn’t near me,” and was going to watch a movie on the TV, but then changed their mind and went to their shelter. That would be good—even though at first they didn’t listen to the warning they were given. That would be like the second son in the story Jesus told today.

What’s the point of Jesus’ story? He is warning us about the danger of sin. He tells us that sin is really dangerous, and that it can lead to being separated from God and his love. So, God calls us to repent, that is, to tell God about our sin, and then turn away from our sin.

But what if we heard that warning about sin and how dangerous it was, but instead of repenting and turning away, just ignored the warning? What if we thought that it wasn’t really that bad, or that God wouldn’t actually do what he said? It would be bad! It would be even worse than hearing a tornado siren and ignoring it. God says that we will be separated from him and his love forever! Not good!

God wants us to not only hear warning about sin, but to repent because he has some really good news for us! Jesus came and did everything God wanted him to do. He perfectly obeyed all of God’s commandments and rules. He died as the punishment for all the times we don’t listen to or don’t do what God tells us. God is eager to tell us that because of Jesus, all our sins are forgiven!

God’s Word moves us to action! We hear the warning about sin and repent. We rejoice in the Good News that Jesus, our Savior, forgives us. We listen and live a life as a child of God because of all our God has done for us!

Closing Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for warning me about the danger of sin, enabling me to repent of my sin, and telling me that my sin is forgiven. Help me now to listen to your Word in all that I say, think, and do. 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

  • When was the last time you heard a siren? What was it warning you to do?
  • When we hear God’s warning about sin, what should we do? What does God do?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Why does God warn us about sin?
  • What happens if we ignore the warning God gives us about our sin?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Do you think we will be more aware or less aware of our sin as we grow in our faith? Why?
  • What do we do when we become aware of sin in our lives? Why?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Copycat – October 4, 2023

Read: Philippians 2:1-11

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Philippians 2:1-4

Copycat

Family Devotion – October 4, 2023

Devotion based on Philippians 2:1-4

See series: Devotions

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

Ben was driving his older brother, Donn, crazy. Ben would copy everything Donn did. Donn stood up; Ben stood up. Donn waved at a neighbor; Ben waved at the same neighbor. Donn said, “Stop copying me.” Ben said, “Stop copying me.” Everything Donn did, Ben copied.

Donn didn’t like it so much when his younger brother copied him. It was a little annoying. Ben did it because he loved his older brother and wanted to be just like him when he got older.

Did you know that Jesus calls himself our brother? It’s true! At our baptism, God not only washed all our sins away, he adopted us into his family. And as part of God’s family, Jesus is our brother! That is why in the Bible reading today, Paul encourages you and me to copy Jesus, our brother, in our lives.

What does it mean to copy Jesus in our lives? Well, when we think of Jesus, we can think of how much he loved us. He loved you so much he did everything, even dying on a cross, so that you would know that he is your Savior and that your sins are forgiven. He really loves you a lot! Because Jesus loved us so much, now we can copy Jesus and show love to the people around us.

Or think of how Jesus always put you and me first in his life. His whole reason for coming to earth was that he could serve us and forgive all our sins. He put what we needed—forgiveness—before anything else. We can copy our brother Jesus by putting other people and what they need before our own needs because we love Jesus and them. We can seek to serve and help them in their needs.

And the best part is—Jesus doesn’t think it is annoying or silly when we copy him. In fact, he loves it. It is what he wants us to do—to copy him as we love and serve the people around us!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank you for putting me first in your life and forgiving all my sins. Help me to copy you in how I live my life and how I show love to others. 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 Ben doing that annoyed his older brother Donn so much?
  • Who did today’s devotion encourage us to copy?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Can you think of a time when you tried to copy what someone was doing because they were doing a good thing? When was it? What were they doing?
  • Normally, we might think of being a copycat as something annoying. How does being a copycat of Jesus show love?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Reread today’s Bible verses. What is the goal of “being united with Christ, being comforted by his love, and enjoying fellowship with the Spirit”?
  • True or false: When you copy Jesus in life, you’re being a little Christ to others.

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Out with the old, in with the new – October 2, 2023

Read: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32

Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.
Ezekiel 18:31

Out with the old, in with the new

Family Devotion – October 2, 2023

Devotion based on Ezekiel 18:31

See series: Devotions

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

Have you ever heard someone say, “Out with the old, in with the new”? Someone might say it when a child grows out of their old, small clothes and needs newer, bigger clothes. Or a person might use the phrase when they are replacing something that is old and broken with something new.

A guy name Ezekiel, who was one of God’s prophets a long time ago, encouraged God’s people with some words that sound a lot like “out with the old, in with the new.” He said, “Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.”

Ezekiel tells believers—out with the old. Get rid of the sin that is in your life. That is something believers like you and me still struggle with today! We regularly sin—there are times when we are unkind to a friend or family member, we are selfish, we get mad when things don’t go our way, we don’t listen to or obey our parents… and the list could go on and on. No matter how hard we try, we keep sinning, and the guilt and memories of sins that we have committed seem to stick with us.

God does what we can’t. He takes our sin and gets rid of it. It is why God’s Son, Jesus, came to earth—to deal with sin once and for all. He took all the sin in your life and took it away from you. His life, death, and resurrection from the dead was so that you could be certain that God has taken all your sins, all your failures away. They are completely gone!

Out with the old, in with the new. Ezekiel says that God now gives us “a new heart and a new spirit.” This “new heart and new spirit” doesn’t like to sin, but wants to avoid it in our lives. Because God gives us a new heart and new spirit, we will work hard to be kind to those around us, to be patient, to listen to and obey our parents… and the list could go on and on.

Out with the old, in with the new! When you see sin in your life, take it to God and know that he has taken all your sins away (out with the old). Now make every effort to let that new heart and new spirit God has put in you show itself in all you do (in with the new)!

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank you that you have taken all my sins away. Help me now to live a life free from sin. Strengthen me so that my “new heart and new spirit” will show itself in all I say and do. In Jesus’ name. 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

  • Can you think of something that you or your family got rid of because it was old and then replaced it with something new?
  • What does God do with our sin?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Why is it so hard to get rid of sin in our life?
  • How does God give us a new heart and a new spirit?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Agree or disagree: If we fight hard enough, it’s possible to get rid of sin completely in our lives. Explain your answer.
  • Think of one thing that seems to hold you back from wanting to live with this new heart and new spirit.

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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God Is More than Fair – September 29, 2023

Read: Matthew 20:1-16

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’”
Matthew 20:8-15

God Is More than Fair

Family Devotion – September 29, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 20:8-15

See series: Devotions

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

In Matthew 20, Jesus tells a story about someone who owned a lot of land and needed workers to work in his vineyard where he planted, grew, and harvested grapes. So he hired workers to work in his vineyard. He began by hiring some for a full day at 6 a.m. They agreed to work for a denarius, the usual pay for a day of work. He continued to hire workers. Some at 9 a.m., others at noon, and still others at 3 p.m. The man promised to pay each of these workers what was fair.

When the workday came to an end at 6 p.m., the man paid all the workers. The workers who worked only a part of the day came first and were paid a day’s wage. When the workers who worked the whole day came to be paid, what do you think they expected? They expected to be paid more than those who only worked a few hours. That is what’s fair, right? But they agreed to a day’s wage. And that is what they were given.

These workers grumbled. “We deserve more! We worked longer than they did! This isn’t fair!” They were angry and jealous that the owner gave everyone equal shares.

The landowner explains he is free to be as generous as he wants. He asks, “Are you envious because I am generous?”

It’s a story about the generosity of God, isn’t it? The owner was more than fair and generous when he paid his workers. Our God is more than fair. He is generous with his grace and gifts. We are all equal because we all have sinned and fallen short. God gives his free grace to those who were baptized as babies. He gives his salvation to the person in jail. He gives his forgiveness to an 80-year-old who first comes to faith as he is dying. They all receive the same eternal life. It’s not fair, it’s more than fair. It’s the generous grace that comes through faith in the saving work of Jesus our Savior.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we know that you are more than fair. You are overflowing in your generous love and grace. While we often compare ourselves to others, we know our sins make us no worse or better than anyone else. Help us to be thankful for the grace and forgiveness you give us and to others freely. 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

  • Why were the first workers hired at 6 a.m. upset with their pay?
  • If the owner got to decide what he wanted to pay his workers, what is the story telling us about God and how he treats us?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Recall the last time something happened that felt unfair to you. Did you have a right to feel that way?
  • When it comes to who goes to heaven, is God is fair? Is that a good or bad thing? Why?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Often people struggle with the fact that God forgives murders who come to faith in prison. Why is it important that he does?
  • If someone accuses God of being unfair, how would you answer them? Why?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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The Real Hero of the Story – September 27, 2023

Read: Romans 9:6-16

For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
Romans 9:15,16

The Real Hero of the Story

Family Devotion – September 27, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 9:15-16

See series: Devotions

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

Superhero movies have dominated the box offices for the last few decades. People love heroes and what they can do. They love to see an underdog win the victory. Kids love to put on the capes and masks of their favorite hero and pretend that they are the hero themselves.

What about the story of God’s salvation? Who is the hero? Or to put it another way, why are some saved and others not? Today’s Bible reading tackles that tough question.

The apostle Paul answers that question by going back in history and telling a story. God chose Jacob, the younger brother, instead of Esau to be a key person in the story. What is surprising is that Jacob was not the respectable one of the two brothers. He fooled his father and stole from his brother. Then he ran away.

Years later, Jacob returned home, but he was afraid that Esau would still hold a grudge against him. How shocked he must have been when “Esau ran to meet him and embraced him; threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.” (Genesis 33:4). Esau was the one wronged, but he acted right while Jacob so often was not. Yet Paul reminds us God says, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Wait, what? How could God love Jacob after all of the wrong things he’d done? Isn’t that unfair to Esau? When God says hate and love, he’s telling you something about himself. But why should God be merciful to Jacob? To you? To anyone? God had to choose which brother would play an important part in his story to save the world. God chose Jacob. Not because Jacob was better, but because God wanted it that way.

It’s the story of us. Jacob represents us. God did not choose to love you because somehow you are so much better than everyone else in your family. “It doesn’t depend on your effort, but on God’s mercy.” God despised Jesus on the cross because he wanted to show love to you. And God has had mercy on the whole world through Jesus! While people like to make themselves the hero of the story, Jesus is the hero. Yet the way God gives us salvation is by despising that hero to give us, the underserving, his mercy and forgiveness.

Closing Prayer:

“How great is the 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). Thank you for that love and mercy, Lord, that you have given us. I know it’s not because of me, but through the work of Jesus and faith in him. 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

  • Why do we like to be the hero?
  • Who is the hero of today’s story?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Who did God despise in order to give us mercy?
  • How do we know who God has mercy on?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • What does it mean when it says, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
  • Jacob was not the respectable brother. What does it mean for us that he is the child of the promise?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Is it right for you to be angry? – September 25, 2023

Read: Jonah 3:10-4:11

God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry?
Jonah 4:9

Is it right for you to be angry?

Family Devotion – September 25, 2023

Devotion based on Jonah 4:9

See series: Devotions

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

“And now you know… the rest of the story.” That’s how a famous radio show from long ago ended its broadcast. Paul Harvey would share fascinating facts or forgotten bits of history but keep out key names and parts in order to create a “surprise.” After a brief pause, Mr. Harvey would conclude, “Now you know… the rest of the story.”

Jonah was called by God to preach against the evil people in a city called Nineveh. But Jonah ran away on a boat. The boat began to sink in a big storm. Jonah was swallowed by a large fish, learned of God’s grace, and went to Nineveh. The evil people repented, and asked God not to destroy them.

The end? Not quite. Here’s the rest of the story.

God changed his mind and did not destroy them. And what is Jonah’s reaction? Joy and thanks? Amazement how God used him as part of his saving plan? Nope. Jonah became angry. What? Jonah is angry that God saved people and didn’t destroy them? Yes, that is correct.

Jonah was angry because he knew God was gracious and forgiving, and that he loved saving people who talked and acted terribly. In fact, Jonah set up a little viewing area to see if the people or God would change their minds and destruction would still come.

While Jonah is waiting in the red-hot heat, God provided a plant that grew so tall it provided shade over his head. But the next day, a worm attacked the plant and it died. Boy, was Jonah mad about that! God scolded him. “You cared about this plant, but not about the hundreds of thousands of people in Nineveh?”

And now you know the rest of the story. So what do we learn? While Jonah knew God and experienced for himself God’s grace and mercy, Jonah didn’t think the people in Nineveh deserved God’s grace and mercy. Jonah’s story shows us what a lack of love for others can do. But the rest of the story also shows how much God loves the world, even people we don’t like because they have been terrible. That’s why Jesus died for them like he did for us. He wants all of us to be saved. That’s the story of the gospel.

Now you can share the rest of the story!

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we often struggle to love people in this world. Yet you sent Jesus to be the Savior of the whole world. Let us see every person you created as someone you love and want to give your grace, mercy, and forgiveness, just like me. 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

  • Why was Jonah angry at the end of the story?
  • What did God tell Jonah about Nineveh?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Agree or disagree. When someone is not Christian or is mean to me, it is okay to not show them love.
  • Who does God want me to share forgiveness with? Why?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Think of a time when someone has hurt you or been mean to you. What do you want to happen to them and why?
  • It isn’t easy to love and forgive someone you don’t get along with. Yet God does and wants us to. What does this show other people about our God and his mercy?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Forgive them – September 22, 2023

Read: Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Matthew 18:21,22

Forgive them

Family Devotion – September 22, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 18:21,22

See series: Devotions

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

Josh didn’t know whether to be mad or embarrassed. He totally dropped the ball during a playground kickball game at recess time. He saw a group of guys start laughing. Josh wished the teacher wasn’t around so he could punch them in the face.

Meanwhile on the other side of the playground was Jenna, who didn’t know whether to be mad or embarrassed. Her best friend started hanging around all the girls on the cheerleading squad and was ignoring her. They got into an argument, and she made fun of what Jenna was wearing. “Go ahead and sprain your ankle for all I care,” Jenna thought, “then you can’t cheer anymore.”

But what if five minutes later Jenna’s friend came up and told her that she was sorry? And the group of boys saw how upset Josh was and said, “Our bad, Josh. You’ll catch it next time.”

What if that was you? You might say you forgive them, but you still are irritated, right? It isn’t easy to forgive and let go of your hurt and anger.

Yet that’s what God asks us to do.

When Jesus tells today’s story, he asks us to think about all the times we yelled when we were angry, when we ignored people, when we cheated on our homework, when we made fun of others. He tells us to remember that when we tell God we are sorry that he absolutely says, “I forgive you.” He doesn’t look at us and think we are still jerks. He looks at us and loves us. He doesn’t give us the silent treatment. He invites us to pray to him and he loves to listen.

Because every single one of our sins have been forgiven, he tells us that we get to take the grace we’ve been given and pass it along to others too. That we get to say we forgive them—and mean it.

God knows this is hard—whether the first time or the seventy-seventh time. That’s why he fills you with strength to forgive by reminding us that Jesus understands. When Jesus was spit on, made fun of, and then nailed to a cross, he said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing,” (Luke 23:34). Obviously the people knew they were hurting Jesus, that was the whole point of crucifixion. But they didn’t realize they were watching God’s innocent Son take the punishment for all sins.

But you do, don’t you?

Closing Prayer:

Dear Father, thank you for forgiving me over and over and over again. You are amazing! Help me to forgive others just like you forgive me. Give me the strength to love others the way you love me. 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

  • Is it easy for you to say you’re sorry?
  • If someone says to you, “I’m sorry,” what will you say back to them?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Recall the last time you had to ask for forgiveness?
  • Why does being forgiven feel so good?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Is apologizing to someone a sign of humiliation or a sign of courage? Give your reasons.
  • Contemplate someone whom you need to forgive. Ask God to help change your heart.

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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You Can Make a Difference – September 20, 2023

Read: Ephesians 4:29-5:2

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29

You Can Make a Difference

Family Devotion – September 20, 2023

Devotion based on Ephesians 4:29

See series: Devotions

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

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Have you heard that before? It’s been around a long time. In fact, this rhyme was first written in 1872. Since then, for over 150 years, kids have said it to let others know that their mean words don’t really bother them.

There’s another phrase that’s kind of like it: “I’m rubber, you’re glue, whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.”

What do both of those phrases have in common? Each one is a big fat lie. Words do hurt. The mean things people say don’t actually bounce right off, but too often stick like glue in our brains.

God knows that your heart will hurt because of what other people say and do. Because it hurts to hear “Nobody likes a know-it-all” or “We don’t want you to play with us at recess” or “Why are you so stupid?” or “You aren’t funny.”

For people who believe in Jesus, God wants you to be different and make a difference in other people’s lives. That’s why he tells you to only say things that are helpful. You can build people up by saying things like, “Thanks for being a great friend.” Or, “Do you need my help?” Or, “Hey, are you okay? Want to talk?” Or, “That was really nice. Thank you!”

God doesn’t want us to only encourage with our words, we get to let our actions speak as well. We choose to be kind, helping our friends when they need it. We have compassion, seeing when someone is hurting and helping them by listening and showing them we care. We forgive people who sin against us. We choose to love people the same way that Jesus loved us.

Words can hurt, but words can heal too. Choose your words wisely.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Holy Spirit, you live inside of me, so work in me so that my words are helpful. Get rid of my anger and fighting. Help me be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. Give me the strength to walk in the way of love, just like Jesus loves me. 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 are some nice things people have said to you?
  • What’s a nice thing you can say to one of your friends?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Identify a friend who needs cheering up. What ways can you do that?
  • Why does God want you to speak and act kindly to others? Read Ephesians 5:1-2.

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Think of your friend group. Which of them really listens to you and makes you feel good? Tomorrow, make it a point to thank them for being such a good friend.
  • Being kind and cheerful is important around your home. Discuss with your family how you can better support each other with a cheerful attitude and kind words.

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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God’s Plan for You – September 18, 2023

Read: Genesis 50:15-21

Joseph said to [his brothers], “Don’t be afraid. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Genesis 50:19,20

God’s Plan for You

Family Devotion – September 18, 2023

Devotion based on Genesis 50:19,20

See series: Devotions

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

Theodor Seuss Giesel, you know him as Dr. Seuss, was told by 27 different publishing companies that his first book was no good. Retired NBA basketball star, Michael Jordan, was cut from his high school varsity team and moved down to the junior varsity team. Walt Disney was fired from his first job because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” It would have been easy for any of those talented and famous people to get angry, yet somehow, they overcame hard times and became very successful.

Joseph’s life is like you and Dr. Seuss and Disney and Jordan and every person ever. He experienced hard times. His own brothers sold him into slavery to get rid of him. He was taken away from his home to far-off Egypt. Then he was thrown in prison for something he didn’t do. His prison friend who was about to be freed promised to help Joseph. But when he got out, he completely forgot all about Joseph. Yet God used all of those hard times for his purpose. In the end, Joseph became second-in-command of the whole country of Egypt. When he finally reunited with his remorseful brothers, he shared how God worked. “Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it” (Genesis 50:20).

Wow! If you were Joseph, would you have said that? If your family sold you, could you forgive them? Here’s something to remember: Because God forgave all of our sins through Jesus, we can forgive others as quickly as Joseph forgave his brothers. Because the Holy Spirit lives inside of us, we can learn how to see how God uses our hard times for our good. Through it, he helps us become more forgiving, more patient, and more compassionate with other people.

We can look at all the bad things in our lives and trust that he will make this Bible passage as true for us as he did for Joseph, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Closing Prayer:

Dear God, I don’t always see how you are going to work all things for good, especially when people hurt me. Work in me so I am so thankful for all the ways and times you forgive me that I am quick to forgive others, knowing that even if they mean it for harm, you will work it for good. 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

  • Name a sad thing that happened in your life when it felt like things didn’t go your way?
  • In today’s devotion, what does God promise to do with the sad things that happen in your life?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Joseph was treated unfairly. When was the last time you felt the same?
  • What are some things we can do to remind each other that God will work back things for good?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • If something bad happens: (pick one)
    a. It means God is punishing you.
    b. Wait and see how God works it out for your good.
    c. Hang in there and hope your luck changes.
  • What in your life was hard, but you now see how God worked it for good?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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How to Talk to People About Their Sin – September 15, 2023

Read: Matthew 18:15-20

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
Matthew 18:15-17

How to Talk to People About Their Sin

Family Devotion – September 15, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 18:15-17

See series: Devotions

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

Every single one of us at some point, when we were fighting with someone, went to get an adult.

Kids often go yelling for Mom or Dad when their brother hit them or their sister wouldn’t share her stuff. At school, if kids get called a name or someone tries to change the rules of the game at recess, they go get the teacher. They want an adult on their side.

The Bible is saying kind of the same thing here when it comes to us and people who are members of our church family. If someone sins against you, that means if someone hurts you or is sinning in a way that is really harmful, you should let them know that it hurt or how their actions could affect their faith. Don’t text them. Do it in person. Because if they listen and are sorry, you can happily hug them right away! But what if they don’t listen and refuse to ask for forgiveness? You need to get someone else to go with you. And if that doesn’t work, then you go to the leaders of the church.

Sometimes it works, which is awesome! We get to tell people that Jesus forgave all of their sins and God sees them as his perfect children. Sometimes, though, it doesn’t work. And that’s the hardest thing in the world. Some people are blind to how badly their sins are impacting themselves, the people around them, and their church family. They refuse to listen. They refuse to turn to Jesus. When that happens, the church family will still pray for them and be friendly when they see them, but then they set boundaries that send a clear message, “You are not close with Jesus and living apart from him could mean living apart from him in heaven.”

This isn’t about tattling on someone so that you look good or that the other church members feel like they are better than other people. We don’t enjoy it when other people are in trouble. Instead, Christians talk to each other this way about sin because sin is serious. It separates people from God, and we want to make sure that other people know that their sins are a way that Satan is using to tempt them away from following Jesus.

But here’s the good news: [Jesus said,] “Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Even when we have hard conversations and deal with sad things, God is still with us, guiding our discussions and helping us say and do hard things out of love for other people.

Closing Prayer:

Dear God, please help us to handle things calmly when people sin against us. Help our church to love people enough to tell them hard things. Help people show us our sins too, so we don’t get arrogant. 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

  • Why is it so easy to tattle on other people?
  • When you tattle on them, what are you hoping will happen?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • What has happened when you’ve tattled on somebody?
  • Why does it often feel good to tattle on someone? How can we love them instead?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Whose job is it to confront someone who is sinning against God?
  • When we talk to people about their sin, is it easier to want them to get in trouble or to love them? Why is that?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Too many rules! – September 13, 2023

Read: Galatians 2:11-16

We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Galatians 2:15,16

Too many rules!

Family Devotion – September 13, 2023

Devotion based on Galatians 2:15,16

See series: Devotions

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

If you were put in charge of how many rules there would be at home, what number would you choose?

Every home has rules from how to do chores to not hitting. Every school and classroom has rules that tell you when homework has to be done or what types of clothes you can wear. Every town or city and state has laws that tell us how fast we can go or what licenses we need for our pets.

Before we get to the topic of rules from our Bible reading for today, let’s remember five simple Bible truths about them:

  1. God made the rules.
  2. Adam and Eve broke them and now we all break them.
  3. God sent Jesus to keep the rules for us.
  4. God punished Jesus because we don’t keep the rules.
  5. Because of that, when God looks at us, it’s as if he sees us as perfect rule-keepers.

Okay, back to today’s Bible reading. Things got confusing a couple of thousand years ago when Peter, whose family members had been believers for years, was torn between wanting to keep the old rules (or traditions) and also wanting to live with the freedom from rules Jesus gives. He wanted the people who just learned about Jesus to keeping following the same traditions and rules that he grew up following. Paul confronted him—strongly!—“Come on, Peter!” Paul reminded him that “good” believers aren’t good because they wear the right thing or act a certain way. While it is absolutely true that when you open up the Bible, there are rules that tell you things to do (and not to do) that are meant to make your life better, sometimes we start adding to God’s rules about how people should look or act or sing in order for them to be part of church. It’s sometimes easy to forget that while those things might be good to do, that’s not what makes us good believers or a “good” church. Only Jesus makes us good.

So here’s the question: what if we see that someone is making rules for people that aren’t God’s rules? Do what Paul did. He talked to his church family about it. He talked to them about Jesus. As kids, it can be hard to talk to adults, so that’s why God made us a family. We talk about it … together. Talk about what? How about we start by remembering the five simple truths about God’s rules? Because it’s more than just keeping the rules but getting more people to know the good news of Jesus, who followed and finished God’s rules for me.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank you for keeping all the rules for us. That’s how we get to heaven. Help us not think that following rules makes us good, but that you already made us good. 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

  • Name two rules that you are told to do (or not do) in church.
  • Why do you think we have those “rules” in church? (Like not yelling during church?)

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Have you been to other churches? Describe some are traditions that are different from your church?
  • True or false: As long as you like how things are done at church, then those traditions are okay.

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Describe how your grandpa and grandma dress for church compared to how you do. What determines which tradition or custom is right?
  • When comes to rules or traditions, what must not change in your church? (Hint: anything connected to God’s Word and Christ’s teachings) What can change in your church? (Hints: technology, buildings, things that help connect people to Christ)

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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You’re accountable – September 11, 2023

Read: Ezekiel 33:7-11

“Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?”
Ezekiel 33:10a,11

You’re accountable

Family Devotion – September 11, 2023

Devotion based on Ezekiel 33:10a,11

See series: Devotions

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

Over the next few weeks, some churches will be talking about what kind of church God wants. Because “the church” sounds more like a building or the pastor or adults, it can be easy to think this doesn’t matter for you. No matter how old you are, you are part of the church, which means that the church God wants is all about the kind of people God wants and the way he wants believers to act.

Have you ever drawn a “Do Not Enter!” sign for your door? Or maybe, in a moment of frustration with a sibling, you drew a “No Girls (or Boys) Allowed!” notice? We all know those signs mean to keep out. This isn’t just in a house either. A “No Trespassing” sign on a fence tells you strangers aren’t welcome at that business. The yellow tape around a crime scene lets you know you aren’t allowed in. Bad things can happen when you ignore the signs.

God’s laws, the commandments he gives you, are like warning signs. When he says, “Do not murder, do not covet, do not steal,” he’s saying, “Don’t go there.” It could be dangerous if you don’t listen. People get hurt when you and the people in your life don’t pay attention to God’s signs.

Ezekiel was a prophet, someone who spoke God’s words to God’s people. God told Ezekiel to give the Israelites warning signs. They were headed for the disaster of not loving God, of not following his ways, of following complete evil—and it was Ezekiel’s job to warn them. And God said he would hold Ezekiel accountable if he didn’t do his job.

Whose job is it to give words of warning today? God tells us, our family, and friends to step up and say hard things like, “don’t” or “stop” when it comes to sin. The Bible tells us that a real friend tells the truth, even when it’s hard to hear. A friend cares too much to let friends act like idiots. Even though it can be scary and we can get sick to our stomach as we think about having to say hard things, we remember that it’s for our good.

You might not be a prophet exactly like Ezekiel, but God wants you to speak up too, even if you’re scared, because he loves the people he has put around you. It might be your friends. It might be your family. They are all people that God wants us to take care of, protect, and warn—because we love them and so does he.

Closing Prayer:

Dear God, there are people in our lives who might need us give them warning signs. Help us see them and work in our hearts to make us courageous to say hard things. Give us the right words so we lovingly warn them about the cost of not following 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

  • Remember what happened the last time you didn’t listen to your parents’ or teachers’ warning signs? Share it out loud.
  • Name two dangerous things or choices that we might need to warn someone about.

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Ask your parents how it feels when someone in the family doesn’t listen to their warnings. What emotion drives them to say something?
  • How does God feel if we don’t follow his signs? What emotion drives him to say something?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Recall a time you tried to warn a friend not to do something.
  • Recall a time someone warned you not to do something. How did you react?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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His Pain, Your Gain – September 8, 2023

Read: Matthew 16:21–26

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. . . . For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Matthew 16:21,25

His Pain, Your Gain

Family Devotion – September 8, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 16:21,25

See series: Devotions

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

No pain, no gain! It’s a slogan used by coaches. Maybe you’ve heard your mom or grandma say it. It’s a reminder that the only way forward in life is through hard work and pain. No pain, no gain.

Well guess what, Jesus pretty much says the same in Matthew 16. Listen: “Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Amazing, isn’t it? Jesus knew all the details of this plan because he is true God! It was a plan filled with pain. Jesus was willing to go through with it. He must go to Jerusalem and die and rise again! Why must he? For you. Because he couldn’t bear the thought of not having you. With you and your name in mind, he nodded his head and said, “I must go to Jerusalem, die, and rise—but you are so worth it.” There can be no other way for our sins to be paid for. His pain is our gain.

That truth changes how we live life. So it’s not about us or what we want to have or how we want things to go. If you want to hold on for dear life to this earthly life, if you want to do your own thing and think only of yourself and selfishly make things as good and comfortable for yourself as you possibly can, then the better, lasting life that Jesus died to win for you will tragically end up lost. Whoever wants to avoid any pain connected to living for Jesus’ suffering will miss out on eternal life. That would be so sad! But pay attention because this will make you happy: the person who is willing to lose even his life in order to stay as close to Jesus as possible, will find that pain will end in eternal gain.

Knowing what our real life is all about means knowing that in Jesus we belong to God and we will actually share God’s glory.

His pain is our gain!

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, remind us that everything we really need is found in you and your love for us through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 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

  • Are you good at handling pain? Did anything good come from the last time you felt pain? Talk about it.
  • Now talk about how Jesus’ pain on the cross is good news for us.

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Explain what Jesus means when he says we should “deny ourselves.” Can you give an example?
  • What are ways that we can work on becoming stronger to resist temptations and sins?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Which do you think is more difficult about following Jesus—facing persecution and enemies, or denying yourself and facing personal temptations and sins? Why?
  • In your own words, explain what Jesus meant when He said, “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it.”? How do Jesus’ words apply to your life?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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We Are “Eager Expecters” – September 6, 2023

Read: Romans 8:18-25

Creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God . . . as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
Romans 8:21,23b

We are “Eager Expecters”

Family Devotion – September 6, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 8:21,23b

See series: Devotions

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

Did you know that when your mom and dad found out they were going to have a baby they began telling others, “Good news everyone! We are expecting!” They shared the date when you were to be born, and everyone waited eagerly for the day of your birth. They were “eager expecters”! But would you call a woman in labor an “eager expecter”? Even as she’s experiencing the pain of giving birth, she’s eagerly expecting a child.

In today’s reading, our natural world is also pictured as waiting for the “sons of God to be revealed in us.” No one on earth really knows who the true believers are. That will be revealed on judgment day, and that’s what the entire world is waiting for. The world God created is described as a person filled with hope—hope “that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Someday, the creation will be set free from pain—no more floods, no more forest fires, no more droughts, no more pollution. On judgment day, nature will be freed. Finally, it will be able to glorify God the way it was supposed to before the fall into sin.

In a way, nature is an “eager expecter” of judgment day, and so are we! Just like the world, we also are groaning, because of all the problems we face. But it’s also a groan of hope, “as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” It means you as a Christian—have a lot to look forward to on judgment day. On that day, everyone will know that you are a child of God, a true believer. Your body will be redeemed—in other words, your body will be raised from the dead—all the problems you experience will be gone, and you will be restored to perfect condition. Then you will be able to perfectly glorify God without any sin, without any problems getting in the way. Guess what—it means we are “eager expecters” of judgment day!

Here’s what an “eager expecter” sounds like: “I know that I am a sinner, and that I deserve to be judged for it on judgment day. But I eagerly expect that God will forgive me. I know he will, because Jesus has taken my sins away at the cross, and he rose from the dead to prove it.” That is real hope!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for completing our salvation so we can eagerly expect your return on judgment day when we will live with you in glory forever. 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 is your favorite part about celebrating your birthday?
  • What celebration are we looking forward to when Jesus comes on the Last Day?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Discuss whether judgment day sounds: 1) Scary. 2) Happy. 3) Or both.
  • How does Jesus take away our fears on judgment day?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Discuss if you think Jesus’ final coming will happen during your lifetime or many years later.
  • In light of the above discussion, why is it so important for us to live every day as an “eager expecter”?

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Does anyone care? – September 4, 2023

Read: Jeremiah 15:15-21

Why is my pain unending
and my wound grievous and incurable?
You are to me like a deceptive brook,
like a spring that fails.

Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“If you repent, I will restore you
that you may serve me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
you will be my spokesman.
Let this people turn to you,
but you must not turn to them.
I will make you a wall to this people,
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
but will not overcome you,
for I am with you
to rescue and save you,”
declares the Lord.
“I will save you from the hands of the wicked
and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.”
Jeremiah 15:18-21

Does anyone care?

Family Devotion – September 4, 2023

Devotion based on Jeremiah 15:18-21

See series: Devotions

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

Sometimes it feels like nobody cares. This is an awful feeling isn’t it? It is tempting to believe that no one cares when your friends are being mean to you. It feels like no one cares when you get hurt and no one asks if you are okay or asks how you are feeling. It really hurts when you are sad and someone laughs at you like they don’t even care.

The prophet Jeremiah knows how that feels. He was called by God to preach his Word. What sounded like an exciting and enjoyable task turned out to be a life filled with trouble. There were mean people who treated him badly. There were people who didn’t like the message Jeremiah was preaching. They made his life miserable. He prayed and asked God for help. But nothing seemed to change. Jeremiah cried out to God, “Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails” (Jeremiah 15:18).

Jeremiah reached a breaking point. He was so frustrated, he took out some of his frustrations on God. “God, do you even care what’s happening to me?” The Lord heard Jeremiah’s cry. He answered like this:

“[Jeremiah,]

If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman… for I am with you to rescue and save you,” declares the Lord. “I will save you from the hands of the wicked and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel” (Jeremiah 15:19-21).

The Lord did care for Jeremiah all along! Even though it didn’t feel like it to Jeremiah, the Lord already had a plan to work through all the struggles in Jeremiah’s life. The Lord was leading him to turn back to the Lord and trust in his love and forgiveness.

The next time you are tempted to believe that no one cares, remember that God always cares. He cared so much to send Jesus to rescue you and pay for all your sins. He cared so much that he made sure you would hear and believe this good news of his love! Remember God’s promise—“‘For I am with you to rescue and save you,’ declares the Lord.”

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, forgive us for the times we doubt your loving care. When troubles come, strengthen us with your love and move us to trust in you more than ever. 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

  • Talk about the last time you felt like no one cared about you.
  • Name at least three names of “someone” who will always care for you.

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • How does Jesus show he cares for you?
  • Read through today’s verses again. Which one was most comforting for you?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Why do you think God allows us to experience troubles?
  • When have you felt most loved by God? Explain the circumstances and the people that contributed to that experience.

 

 

Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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What Is Your Answer? – September 1, 2023

Read: Matthew 16:13-20

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
Matthew 16:13-17

What Is Your Answer?

Family Devotion – September 1, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 16:13-17

See series: Devotions

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

Did the summer seem to go by quickly? Are you back in school already? Or getting ready to? Are you ready for more quizzes and tests? Do you ever get tired of answering so many questions?

There is one question that is the most important question of all. It’s a question every human being will need to answer. It’s the question Jesus asked his disciples. Are you ready for it? Here it is: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13).

Who is Jesus? “That’s easy!” you may think. Many people in Jesus’ day thought Jesus was someone special. “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Those were famous men whom God powerfully used to preach his Word. But their answer was wrong. Jesus was much greater than any of them.

When Jesus asked Peter, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” That was the best answer ever! Peter would have gotten an A+ if that question was on a quiz. Peter believed that Jesus was who he said he was—the promised Messiah who is God the Son. Peter knew who Jesus was because God gave him the faith to believe and trust in him. Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.”

So the answer to the most important question of all time is not something we could figure out on our own. The answer is given to us by God in his Word as a gift! Jesus tells us who he is when we read and listen to his Word in family devotions and in church and Sunday School. Jesus showed you who he was when you were baptized into his name. That’s when he washed away your sins and made you his own dear child. He even promises to be with you always so you can live a new life with him.

When someone asks you the most important question your life, “Who is Jesus?” you have the privilege of giving the right answer—“Jesus is God the Son, my Savior!

Closing Prayer:

Holy Spirit, thank you for giving me the faith to believe that Jesus is my Savior. Help me to share this good news as boldly as your disciples shared it with others. 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

  • Who is Jesus?
  • How did you learn about him?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

  • Why is it important to know who Jesus is?
  • How does your baptism play an important part in knowing who Jesus is?

Questions for Middle School and Above

  • Explain the difference between believing that Jesus is a good example versus Jesus is our Savior.
  • Why is it so comforting that your faith in Jesus is a gift?

 

 

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