United With Christ – October 4, 2023

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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

United With Christ

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Daily Devotion – October 4, 2023

Devotion based on Philippians 2:1-4

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Wouldn’t it be great to live a life filled with the virtues in today’s Bible passage? Then you could effortlessly display patience with your coworkers, selflessness in your marriage, and compassion in your parenting. It would make all those sorts of interpersonal relationships better if you had this kind of mindset.

This attitude, however, is hard to come by. The temptation toward selfish ambition and vain conceit is constant. Human nature is selfish by default. We are all born with the sinful tendency to serve ourselves rather than others and to view our way as the only right way. That, coupled with a culture that encourages you to focus exclusively on yourself, makes the virtues in this passage seem unattainable.

So the question of the day is this: Can you really live a life filled with those virtues, or is that wishful thinking? The answer is yes when you are united to Christ. When you become a Christian, Jesus changes you from dead in sin to alive in faith. Because Jesus lived for you, died for you, and rose from the dead for you, God sees you as a child he loves—a child with the amazing ability to love like Jesus loves you.

God does not see you as some hopeless, lost cause of a sinner. You are forgiven, and that totally changes the way you look at others. You don’t have to be selfish, angry, or lose control anymore. Be united with Christ.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, unite me to Christ and give me humility so that I value others above myself. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
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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Repent and Believe – October 3, 2023

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Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”
Matthew 21:31,32

Repent and Believe

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Daily Devotion – October 3, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 21:31,32

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It was a shocking thing to say. Jesus was talking to some religious leaders and told them that tax collectors and prostitutes were entering the kingdom of heaven ahead of them. At that time, prostitutes and tax collectors were considered the worst of sinners.

So, how could Jesus say this? Because those sinners believed what John the Baptist preached. He had told them to repent and trust in Jesus. That was the best thing they ever heard. So, the tax collectors and the prostitutes repented, but the religious leaders to whom Jesus was speaking did not. They didn’t understand that they needed to repent just as much as everyone else.

And this is where we need to watch ourselves. It is easy to think we are better than other people–that they need to repent more than we do. But repentance is recognizing that no matter how good you may look outwardly, you’re no better than anyone else, and your only hope is in Christ alone. That’s why tax collectors and prostitutes were getting in ahead of the religious leaders. Not because they were better than them but because they turned from their sin and trusted their Savior.

It was a shocking thing for Jesus to say. But he said it out of love. He wanted to warn the religious leaders so that they would recognize their sin, repent, and trust in their Savior.

And do you know what? He is doing the same thing for you now in this devotion. Repent and believe the good news!

Prayer:
Lord, show me my sins and forgive me for them. Help me to trust in your perfect life and innocent death and give me your righteousness. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
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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Which Son Are You? – October 2, 2023

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[Jesus said] “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?”
Matthew 21:28-31

Which Son Are You?

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Daily Devotion – October 2, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 21:28-31

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Jesus told this story to confront his listeners with the ugly truth that they were not as obedient to God as they thought they were. A father asked his sons to work in the vineyard. The first son said no but later changed his mind and went to work. The second son said yes but then never went to work.

Which of them did what his father wanted? The obvious answer is the first son because he eventually did what his father asked. The other son gave the right answer but did not do what he promised.

So, which son are you? Jesus’ story forces you to examine yourself. Do you ever say no to what God tells you to do? Have you ever been quick to say yes to God’s commands, only to continue in your sins as usual?

Jesus wants you to admit that you are like both sons. Neither of them really did what their father wanted them to do. Ideally, both sons would say and do the right thing right away.

That kind of son isn’t in the story. He is telling the story. Jesus is the eternal Son of God who became one of us. This Son always said yes to his Father and always did his will. He lived perfectly as the substitute for all the other sons and daughters. He gave his perfect life on the cross for them as a gift. He did all the work in his Father’s vineyard, and you received all the credit.

Whenever you are confronted with the ugly truth that you are not as obedient to God as you think you are and see the disobedience of both sons in your life, thank God for his perfect Son, Jesus, who takes away all your sin.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for being obedient in my place and punished for my sins. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
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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It’s Not Fair – October 1, 2023

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The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?” As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.”
Ezekiel 18:1-4

It’s Not Fair

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Daily Devotion – October 1, 2023

Devotion based on Ezekiel 18:1-4

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My children used to complain, “Dad, it’s not fair!” My response was, “You’re right. But then, God never promised that life would be fair.”

In our Bible reading for today, God’s children were complaining things weren’t fair. The gist of their complaint was that their ancestors had done sinful things, and now they were having to bear the consequences. It wasn’t fair. Rather than take responsibility for their own sinful actions and spiritual failures; they blamed their parents, grandparents, and ancestors.

How easy it is in life to slip into similar thinking. “My parents were terrible.” “My spouse totally mistreated me.” “I don’t deserve the treatment I’m getting; I’m better than that.” Then we are tempted to finish those sentences with, “It’s not fair, and it’s not my fault.”

God’s answer is succinct: “Every living soul belongs to me.” Our responsibility isn’t to make excuses about our circumstances in life. Rather, we are to serve God to the best of our ability in the situation into which we have been placed.

God made you exactly who he wanted you to be for your eternal good and the eternal good of others. God guides you through life’s good times and its unfairness so that you learn to rely on him more and more. Sometimes life is not easy or much fun. But through it all, God has claimed you as his own, bought at the price of Jesus’ own blood.

God never promised that life would be fair. Instead, he promised that he would keep on loving us and forgiving us through Jesus. That’s fair enough for me!

Prayer:
God, strengthen me to deal with life’s unfairness. Focus my attention on your love, always reminding me that you have graciously made me to be your own. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
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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