The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.
Judges 7:7,8

God Loves Underdogs

Daily Devotion – September 5, 2021

Devotion based on Judges 7:7,8

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Most people like to cheer for the underdog. We like to see someone prevail against overwhelming odds and adversity. However, it’s usually a lot more fun to cheer for the underdog than to be the underdog. This is especially true when it comes to life and death matters, like fighting cancer or going into war.

The Israelite army was the underdog. To begin with, it was outnumbered 135,000 to 32,000. Then after the Lord told Gideon to send home those who trembled with fear and to keep only those who lapped water with their hands, it was 135,000 to 300. That’s 450 Midianite soldiers to each Israelite! Impossible odds in an era of hand-to-hand combat. But the Lord gave his people the victory!

So why did God make it seem so impossible? He was making sure that the Israelites would not boast in their own strength or think that the victory came by their own planning or power. When it comes to our salvation, God wants us to recognize the same thing. He has done it all. We can do nothing!

Spiritually, each one of us was the most unlikely underdog imaginable. Not only were we separated from God by our sins, but we were also blinded by unbelief. On our own, we could not even make the first move toward God, nor did we want to. But God did the impossible by sending his Spirit through his Word to lead us to love and trust in his Son as our Savior from sin.

The victory is the Lord’s! Therefore, instead of boasting of our own strength or righteousness, we rely on God our Savior and praise him for his gift of righteousness.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, you have done everything for my salvation. I have done nothing. Give me such a faith that humbly approaches you and praises you continually for your great goodness. Amen.

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
John 6:66-68

To Whom Shall You Go

Daily Devotion – September 3, 2021

Devotion based on John 6:66-68

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Jesus provided a massive crowd of over five thousand hungry people with a miraculous meal, and they wanted to make him their king. Then Jesus told them that he was there to provide them with eternal life, and they walked away from him.

The same thing happens today. People enjoy the blessings that Jesus gives them, but once he starts speaking, they turn their back on him. Even his followers can be offended at his teaching and stop following him.

What about you? Maybe you have your own struggles with what Jesus teaches about creation, marriage, or sin. How do you feel when Jesus says that salvation is found in no one else and that no one comes to the Father except through him? Even if you don’t struggle with those particular teachings, there is plenty more in the Bible that can bother you. And just like he did with his twelve disciples, Jesus asks you: “You do not want to leave too, do you?”

With the apostle Peter, let your answer be, “Lord, to whom shall I go? You have the words of eternal life.” All of Jesus’ words are true. And those truths lead to eternal life. So, if you want help with Jesus’ difficult teachings, spend more time with them and grow in your knowledge and understanding. These words are stronger than your doubts and more powerful than your misgivings. And, after all, these are the only words that can lead you to eternal life.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for eternal life. Help me to accept and understand your teachings. Amen.

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
Hebrews 11:24-26

Suffering for the Sake of Christ

Daily Devotion – September 1, 2021

Devotion based on Hebrews 11:24-26

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In the Old Testament hall of fame, Moses is second to none. He led God’s people out of Egypt, shepherded them through the wilderness, and brought them to the border of the Promised Land. It was a tremendous amount of work that involved an astronomical amount of hardship.

Of course, his life could have been much easier. He had been adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter as a baby and educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Moses possessed the knowledge, resources, and connections to do anything he wanted.

But instead, he made a conscious decision to live with the Israelites and spent the last forty years of his life leading stubborn people through a barren wasteland. Why did Moses do it? Because he trusted God’s promises about the coming Savior and knew that suffering along with the people of God had a better outcome than living in Egyptian luxury.

That’s how valuable it is to follow Jesus. Because only Jesus can provide us with forgiveness for our sins and eternal life. Every pleasure this world offers will come to an end. The eternal pleasures of heaven will not.

Like Moses, remember how valuable Jesus is and ask God for the strength to suffer anything rather than lose him.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, strengthen me for when I must suffer for your sake. Amen.

“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:15

Serve the Lord

Daily Devotion – August 30, 2021

Devotion based on Joshua 24:15

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The words of this passage are some of the most famous in the entire Bible. Perhaps you’ve seen them artfully displayed in someone’s home—maybe even your own. They are a beautiful expression of faith in the Lord and commitment to him.

When separated from their context, however, their beauty can be blurred by a potential misunderstanding. They can give the impression that human beings are capable of choosing to believe in God all on their own.

But, in context, these words were spoken to people who already believed in the true God. Joshua, a great leader of God’s people, spoke these words shortly before his death. The Promised Land had been conquered, and Israel had a new home. Joshua knew that the Israelites would be tempted to serve the false gods of their new homeland.

But the Lord was not one god among many. He was the only true God who had given the land to them. The people already had the gift of faith from the Lord. So Joshua did not present them with a choice to come to faith, but a choice to serve God in thanks for the faith they already had.

The Bible makes it clear that by nature all human beings are spiritually dead because of sin. Dead people cannot choose to bring themselves to life. Instead, God brings the spiritually dead to life through the good news about his Son, Jesus, who paid for the sins of all people on the cross. God uses this good news to create faith in the hearts of people who would never have believed this on their own. This means that Christians can be certain of their salvation because God has done it all for them!

When God gives people faith, they become Christians, but they remain sinners. Because of sin, they cannot serve God perfectly. They need God to help them renew that purpose. That is why they can confess with Joshua, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Prayer:
Lord, give me a strong faith to serve you all my life. Amen.

Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?”
Genesis 18:23

Swept Away

Daily Devotion – August 28, 2021

Devotion based on Genesis 18:23

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When you were a kid, were you ever in a group where one person did something wrong, and everyone was punished for it? The cry of “Not fair!” echoes through the group when that happens. No one likes to be punished for something they didn’t do.

Before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of the mass wickedness in these cities, he talked to Abraham. In their conversation, Abraham pleaded with the Lord that the righteous not be destroyed with the wicked. The difference between the two groups was that the righteous were those who believed that the Lord would save them from their sin; the wicked didn’t. Abraham pleaded that those who had faith not be mixed in with the wicked. The Lord had mercy and saved the righteous from destruction.

We also have to ask the same question of the Lord. Will the righteous be destroyed with the wicked? How glad we are to know that the Lord is merciful! Jesus came to remove the guilt of our sin and give us his righteousness. On the last day when the Lord will judge all people, those who believe in Jesus have the assurance that they will be separated from the wicked who denied him in unbelief. Saved by faith, the righteous ones will not be swept away with unbelievers to everlasting destruction. Instead, they will be gathered up to live with God forever.

Prayer:
Merciful Lord, cover me with the righteous of Jesus so that I am never separated from you and your love for me in Jesus. Amen.

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:20

Always Thankful

Daily Devotion – August 26, 2021

Devotion based on Ephesians 5:20

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The Stevens family had a custom. Every night they went around the dinner table, and everyone shared something from their day for which they were thankful. One day, Josh was not feeling very thankful. It had rained for the third day that week. They couldn’t go out for recess, and in PE class, they had a lesson about health instead of playing soccer. No thanks!

His little brother Nathan spoke up: “I’m thankful it rained again. The plants need the rain to grow, and we need the plants to eat!” In fact, it seemed like Nathan could always find something to be thankful for.

Being thankful can be hard. So many people seem to have so much more than we have. Sometimes, it seems like we are the only ones who are having problems. And those problems just keep coming. How can we be thankful when it seems like nothing is going right. Death, disease, loneliness, loss, pain, violence, health problems, financial setbacks… the list could go on and on.

Today’s bible verse tells us to “always give thanks to God the Father for everything.” Always? For everything? That seems a little extreme, doesn’t it? But notice the words that come after that: “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Talk about extreme! Jesus showed extreme love for us by his willingness to be punished for our ingratitude and discontentment. The punishment he suffered in our place was pretty extreme, too. He was whipped, beaten, and nailed to a cross. Worst of all, he was cut off from God’s love. And he faced it all willingly for us!

If it weren’t for Jesus, even the best things we have would only be temporary, empty, and worthless. Because of Jesus, all of the trials and troubles we face are only temporary. We have God’s love now and the promise of eternal peace in his presence. And the sorrows of this life can’t compare to the joys of the life to come. Meanwhile, God will use even our troubles and trials, our suffering and sadness, for our eternal good.

Because of Jesus, we can always be thankful in everything!

Prayer:
God, thank you for blessing me always. Fill my heart with gratitude for all of your blessings in Jesus. Amen.

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.
Ephesians 5:15

Watch Where You Are Going

Daily Devotion – August 24, 2021

Devotion based on Ephesians 5:15

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Have you seen the videos on YouTube? Someone is looking down at their phone. They aren’t paying attention to where they are walking. And they run right into something or someone. It’s an important lesson, even if it takes some embarrassment or pain to learn: You need to watch where you are going.

This is not only true when we are walking down the street. It is also true as we walk through life. The truth is the path through life is difficult and dangerous. The Bible says, “The days are evil.” It says that “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” The devil’s fingerprints are all over the world. He wants to destroy all people and drag us off to hell with him. Through his evil influence, wickedness is all around us. If we don’t recognize the deadly, destructive power of the devil in our world, we leave ourselves in serious danger.

And so the Bible says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” The problem is, we’ve already been influenced by the devil’s schemes. Our selfish approach to life, our tendency to trip and fall when temptation comes our way show that we can’t escape the devil’s influence on our own. The answer to the foolishness of my sinful heart doesn’t come from in my heart but from the Bible.

With the encouragement to live wisely, the Bible writer adds, “Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). God’s Spirit works through the Bible to give us the wisdom that we so desperately need to navigate the dangers of this world. In God’s Word, he makes us wise to the path to blessings with him.

That path is through Jesus alone. Jesus came into this world to destroy every enemy that wanted to destroy us—including the devil and death itself. He opened up the path to God by earning forgiveness for every foolish sin that stood in the way. He opened the gate to eternal life by dying and rising from the dead. Be careful how you live! Follow Jesus! He is the way!

Prayer:
Jesus, open my eyes to the dangers that surround me and lead me on your way that leads to eternal life. Amen.

“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 11:35,36

The One Who Has Everything

Daily Devotion – August 22, 2021

Devotion based on Romans 11:35,36

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What gift do you give the person who has everything? This question has often been used as an advertisement for various products. This slogan has been used because sometimes we feel obligated to give a gift to someone who seems to have everything already, and no matter what we would give him or her, it couldn’t be better than what they already have.

This is especially true when it comes to God. What could we ever give to the Creator and master of the universe? He already owns everything, even what we call our own and even our own existence. So what could we give him that he should be grateful to us? Nothing! The Bible says, “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” (Romans 11:35).

Does this seem like a depressing thought? Not at all. The fact that we can’t give to God to repay him makes the forgiveness we have in Jesus even more amazing. Since we could never move God to love us because of what we do for him, his free blessing of eternal life through Jesus is all the more remarkable. How much our great God loves us! We are led to give God glory forever.

Prayer:
Thank you, God, for giving me all that I have, especially my Savior Jesus. May the way I live today express how grateful I am. Amen.

[Jesus said] “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”
John 6:44

Spend Time With Jesus

Daily Devotion – August 20, 2021

Devotion based on John 6:44

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In his younger years, renowned Christian writer C. S. Lewis was an avowed atheist. When he was a young boy, his mother died. Her death so wounded him that it took him down the path of renouncing God. Left to himself, he would have continued in that path throughout his life.

But he was not left to himself. Little by little, the Lord rattled his presumptions and exposed him to the reality of his existence. Little by little, the Lord gave him passing encounters with the message of the good news of what Jesus Christ came to do. One key encounter involved a long walk he took after an evening meal. He took this walk with an old friend, J. R. R. Tolkien (yes, that J. R. R. Tolkien—the man who wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings). As a result of these various encounters with the message of Jesus, C. S. Lewis came to faith in Christ as his Savior from sin.

Later in life, Lewis wrote about his conversion. When he did, his candor about it was disarming. According to his autobiography, Surprised by Joy, Lewis describes himself in his conversion as “the most…reluctant convert in all of England…dragged into the kingdom kicking, struggling, …darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape.”

In his own C. S. Lewis-like way, he made it clear that he could not take the credit for coming to faith in Jesus. On the contrary, he trusted in Jesus as Savior because the Lord had drawn him in through the power of the gospel.

Jesus himself acknowledged the same thing. He said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).

Perhaps you are in a period in your life where you don’t know what to make of Christianity. If so, keep spending time learning all that Jesus has done on your behalf. And know this, too. The Lord is at work in your life.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in those moments when I struggle, fill me with your Spirit. Draw me closer to your Son. Amen.

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 5:14

Grownups

Daily Devotion – August 18, 2021

Devotion based on Hebrews 5:14

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Here’s some context for this Bible passage from Hebrews chapter 5. As the Hebrew Christians are reading this inspired letter, they are learning many wonderful truths. In this particular section of the letter, however, there is a loving—but sobering—reality check. God’s Word has just made a candid observation about their lives as Christians. While the readers of this letter continue to trust in Jesus as their Savior, many of them have neglected to keep growing and maturing in the teachings of Scripture. As a result, many of them, God’s Word frankly says, are like infants, still feeding on milk. The implication is clear. It’s time for them to grow up. It’s time for them to sink their spiritual teeth into solid food. It’s time for them to get back to the business of growing in their knowledge of the Word of God.

Allow that same candor from God’s Word to speak to you. Someone once said that, when it comes to growing in the knowledge of Scripture, there can be a tendency among Christians “to treat children like adults and to treat adults like children.” Meaning this—there can often be a serious effort to make sure that children thoroughly learn the basic teachings of the Christian faith. When those children reach adulthood, the drive to keep growing and maturing in God’s truth often comes to a halt.

Let’s confess to our Lord that it has often been easy to look upon our personal knowledge of God’s Word in much the same way we might look upon the history class or the literature class we took in high school. We remember some big things, but other things have gotten fuzzy, and in some ways, we have not moved forward at all. If Satan knows this (and he does), then he knows how vulnerable we are.

But this is where the Lord steps in. He calls us to repentance, washes us clean in his blood, and draws us closer to himself. And as he does, he empowers us to mature in his Word—to become grownups.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, send me your Spirit. Move me to grow and mature in your Word. Amen.

The angel of the LORD . . . touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
1 Kings 19:7

Journey

Daily Devotion – August 16, 2021

Devotion based on 1 Kings 19:7

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His name is Elijah. In this moment, Elijah is depressed. He’s overwhelmed. He’s exhausted. He is discouraged beyond words.

Here’s the backstory. It’s about 800 years or so before the birth of Jesus. Elijah is a believer in the true God and a proclaimer of his Word. He works to share God’s Word among God’s Old Testament people. But these are dark times, toxic times. The worship of a fertility god called Baal is all the rage. And while many around Elijah may not come right out and renounce the true God, the practices of Baal worship have saturated the culture. As a result, to Elijah, it looks as though no one—no one—cares about the LORD anymore.

And so Elijah leaves. He leaves out of fear, disgust, and disappointment. Once he’s far into the desert, he sits down under a tree, prays a prayer of grief and defeat, and falls asleep.

And then this happens. As Elijah sleeps, the angel of the Lord gently touches him. Elijah wakes up to find food and water prepared for him. The angel says, “Arise and eat. The journey is too great for you.” Elijah does.

How’s your journey? At this moment in time, perhaps your journey is smooth. Perhaps it’s rough. Perhaps it’s exhausting and awful. Whatever it is, remember that the same Lord who tenderly refreshed Elijah is the same Savior who tenderly seeks to refresh you and me with his promise of his forgiveness and presence. The One who journeyed to the cross on our behalf to wash us clean is the same One who says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

The journey is too great for us. The Lord knows this. He gives us what we need. Thank God.

Prayer:
Lord, my journey is long. Move me to find refreshment in you. Amen.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
John 6:35

Never Go Hungry

Daily Devotion – August 14, 2021

Devotion based on John 6:35

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In the movie The Lion King, the lion named Scar wants to usurp the throne, and he’s recruiting the hyenas to be his henchmen. His sales pitch? “Stick with me, and you’ll never go hungry again!” That sounds pretty human, doesn’t it?

We are so easily focused on the things of this world, thinking that if we could satisfy earthly longings, that we could thereby be content: “If only I had more money in my retirement account, then I could be happy.” “If only I had a different job, then I could be happy.” “If only I could get that new car, house, clothes, shoes, furniture, television, then I would be satisfied.” It never works.

What we need most is food for our souls. We need to know that our sins are forgiven and that we are at peace with God. We need to know where we are going when we leave this world. We need to have an answer to guilt and a purpose in life.

And in Jesus, we get all of those things. Jesus paid for our sins and washed our guilt away. Jesus opened the gates of heaven for us. And in loving and serving Jesus, we are given purpose in life.

So do you never want to be hungry again? Then feast! Feast on God’s Word, feast on the good-news message of Jesus, your Savior. And you will never go hungry again.

Prayer:
O Savior, feed me! Lead me into your Word, that I might feast on the truths that my sins are forgiven, that I’m at peace with you, that I’m your eternal child. Use the Bible to bring eternal satisfaction to my eternal soul, that it might rest in confidence. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4

Christ is Our Only Rock

Daily Devotion – August 12, 2021

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 10:1-4

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In his first letter to his Christian friends in the city of Corinth, the apostle Paul mentioned some of the most famous moments in Israel’s 40 years in the desert. He talked about the pillar of cloud God placed over them, the time God parted the Red Sea for them, and the miraculous ways God provided food and water in the desert every day of their 40-year desert wandering. But he mentioned one other important thing. Four times in these four verses, he used the word “all.” All of Israel saw the same things. They all saw God going with them. They all saw God working for them. They all saw God providing for them all, even in impossible situations.

If you compare the people of Israel with the people of Corinth, they were incredibly different—different genetics, histories, skin color, economic situations, music preferences, entertainment, and styles of clothing. But there was one important thing they had in common that Paul wanted them to value above everything. They had the same God. The same rock. And “That rock was Christ,” he said.

The apostle Paul would say the same to you and me two thousand years after he wrote his letter to the Corinthian Christians: Jesus Christ is our rock. This means that: wherever you live in the world; whether your skin is pale white, dark as night, or anything in between; whether the people around you treat you like a celebrity or a nobody, whether you are dirt poor or phenomenally wealthy, whether your sins are well-known to everyone or only to you, you can rely on Jesus. He is your rock.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, establish my feet firmly on the work of Jesus Christ, my rock, and my Redeemer. Amen.

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:28,29

Bread That Will Always Satisfy

Daily Devotion – August 10, 2021

Devotion based on John 6:28,29

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When Jesus promised the crowd a bread that would always satisfy and never spoil—they asked him a very natural question. “What must we do to get it?” We all ask what must I do in many categories of our lives.

What must I do to live a long and healthy life?
What must I do to have a good marriage?
What must I do to make sure my children turn out well?
What must I do to find the results for which I’m looking?

Those are important questions, and we are wise when we apply the best-known answers to our lives. But when the crowd asked Jesus what they must do in order to never feel hungry again, Jesus didn’t tell them to do anything. Instead, Jesus told them, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Jesus knows we cannot do the works that would make us worthy of eternal life. This is precisely why Jesus came into this world–to do the works for us that we could not do for ourselves.

That’s why Jesus didn’t tell the crowd to do anything but “believe in the one God has sent.” In other words, he wanted them to stop working so hard to find the acceptance, love, forgiveness, and approval from God that had already been given them in himself. Jesus tells us the same–trust that Jesus has done everything necessary for you to enjoy eternal life with him.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank you for sending Jesus, my Savior who never fails to satisfy my soul. Amen.

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. For this is what Amos is saying: “‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’” Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.” Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”
Amos 7:10-15

Listen Carefully

Daily Devotion – August 8, 2021

Devotion based on Amos 7:10-15

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Remember when your mother sent you to tell your sibling that it was time to come in from playing outside, and your sibling said, “No, it’s not!” That’s a pretty good illustration of what was happening in the days of Amos the prophet. God sent Amos to warn the Israelites to turn from their sins. Amos assured them that “This is what the LORD says!” But, most of the people didn’t want to listen. Amaziah was a false priest who told Amos, “Get out of here! You’re a liar!” Amaziah didn’t like what God was saying.

Sometimes we don’t like what God says to us, either. We especially don’t like it when he warns us about our pet sins—our drunkenness, our materialism, our lust, our gossip. It hurts when God’s Word condemns our sins.

It may hurt to face the truth of our sins, but it will hurt much more and much longer if we ignore the reality of our sins. Instead, may God help us to confess those sins and then look to the cross of Christ where there is forgiveness. Because as serious as God is about telling us about our sins, he is just as serious about telling us about how he saved us from those sins. Let us listen carefully whenever God speaks to us through his Word!

Prayer:
Loving Father, thank you for your Word and for those who faithfully share that Word with me. Help me to listen carefully so that I might repent of my sins and find comfort in my Savior. Amen.