Do Not Surrender to a Deception – August 6, 2022

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Colossians 2:8

Do Not Surrender to a Deception

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Daily Devotion – August 6, 2022

Devotion based on Colossians 2:8

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During the Civil War, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest encountered a fort under Union command. When the Union regiment refused to surrender, Forrest asked for a meeting with the Union commander. General Forrest took the Union commander on a tour of his Confederate troops. As they methodically made their way from one Confederate camp to the next, the Union commander counted the men he saw and finally concluded that his regiment could never hold out against such a large number of troops. He surrendered his fort without a fight.

But here’s what the Union commander didn’t know: Every time he and General Forrest had left a Confederate camp, the men in that camp had quickly packed up and raced to another position before he and Forrest arrived. The Union commander had been seeing the same men many times over. He had surrendered to a deception.

As you and I eat and sleep and work in this fallen world, the devil is constantly trying to get us to surrender. He wants us to give in to despair. He wants us to give in to temptations. He wants us to give in to our sinful pride. He wants us to conclude that Jesus and his promises are no match for the difficulties and dark pleasures of life.

What the devil hopes you won’t notice is that it’s all a deception. The reality is that nothing can match Jesus and his promises. Jesus’ blood has washed you clean and made you his own. He will carry you through this life and take you home. The best the devil can do is put up some fake scenery and hope you’ll fall for it.

Don’t surrender to a deception. Trust your Savior instead.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, the devil works very hard to discourage me. Remind me that he is the deceiver, and you are the truth. Move me never to surrender. 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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Above – August 5, 2022

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:1,2

Above

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Daily Devotion -August 5, 2022

Devotion based on Colossians 3:1,2

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You would never watch the previews before a movie and then walk out before the main feature. You would never receive a love letter from your significant other and fall in love with the mailperson who delivered it. You would never have a builder construct you a home only to stay living in an apartment or hotel.

In the same way, God has given us wonderful gifts this side of heaven, previews of the joys that will be ours in heaven. But don’t miss the main feature. There is no joy here that will not be greater with Jesus in heaven. No gift that won’t be greater in the presence of Christ.

I am thankful for my Christian relationships, families and friends who share Jesus with me. I am thankful for the time and support I receive from them, but I should never forget to whom they are pointing me. To think of these relationships as only for this life fails to see the larger joy these relationships bring.

I don’t want to spend all my time dressing up this earthly and temporary home and fail to attain my heavenly home. A home filled with things and a life full of great experiences doesn’t mean much when their time is short compared to my perfect home with God.

Don’t miss the main feature for the preview. Don’t fall in love with the messengers instead of the one whom the message is from. Don’t give so much to your temporary home that you miss your heavenly home.

Instead, “set your hearts on things above, not on earthly things.”

Prayer:
God above, change my focus from what is below to the things in heaven. Lead me to be where Christ now is. 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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Warning – August 4, 2022

Then [Jesus] said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Luke 12:15

Warning

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Daily Devotion – August 4, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 12:15

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There are all sorts of things that we get warned about in this life. When I get into my car, I am warned if I don’t put my seat belt on. My phone warns me if it thinks I have spent too much time on it. The medicine I take has warnings on it about the dangers of abusing it or taking it incorrectly.

Jesus has a big warning for us as he says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed…”

I can’t help but find myself doing some online shopping and thinking, “If I just had this new thing, my life would be so much better.” I spend my hard-earned money on a new possession only to realize it can’t fix my problems.

I buy tickets for trips and vacations and think that if I can accumulate enough experiences, I can give my life meaning. However, even after having all these experiences, my life still doesn’t seem any closer to finding real purpose.

I work hard to accumulate a home, cars, and a retirement account, hoping that these things will provide me some safety. In the end, I am just as worried about tomorrow as those who have little.

Jesus warns us that these things are all temporary and cannot satisfy. My life is not contained in any of these things. Greed may call out to me and tell me to accumulate more possessions and to find my joy and purpose in all that money can buy. Jesus calls to us and tells us to “watch out” as our life does not subsist in any earthly things but only in what Jesus can give. Only Jesus provides real hope to our problems, purpose in this life, and peace for tomorrow.

Prayer:
Merciful Lord, keep me from the trap of believing my life is valued by the things I have in this world and teach me to always find my value and purpose in you. 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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Next – August 3, 2022

And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:16-21

Next

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Daily Devotion – August 3, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 12:16-21

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We spend a lot of time thinking about what is next. What is the next thing I need in life? What is the next job or class? What will we do next year?

There is nothing wrong with planning for what’s next. Planning for what’s next is necessary, especially if you are someone God has blessed with an abundance of things or talents.

In our Bible reading for today, Jesus tells us this parable because he doesn’t want us to have too short of a view when it comes to what is next. In the parable, a man does lots of planning for what is next: Build. Store. Relax. None of his plans for what is next matter because he doesn’t live to see them. He spent a lot of time planning for a day that never arrived instead of planning for the day that did arrive.

There is nothing wrong with making plans for this life, but we should also not neglect plans for the life to come. The things that God has given us are tools and instruments not only for here but also for eternity. Our wealth and talents are not just to be used to serve ourselves but to serve God and our neighbors.

In this way, we are ready for what is next.

Prayer:
Almighty God, give me a heart of wisdom that I may number my days aright. 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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Kill It Dead – August 2, 2022

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Colossians 3:5-8

Kill It Dead

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Daily Devotion – August 2, 2022

Devotion based on Colossians 3:5-8

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Occasionally I will hear frightened screams coming from my little daughter’s room. Running in, I find the source of all the distress. My daughter implores me, “Daddy, it’s a bug! Kill it dead!” And there will be no rest nor sleep in my house until the offending spider, moth, or other creepy-crawly is squished and removed from her room.

When the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in the city of Colossi, he showed no mercy to our earthly natures. He had only one course of action for us: “Kill it dead.”

He knew how disgusting all the things of our sinful nature truly are. The anger and lies, sexual immorality and greed are nothing but revolting things. And it is because of these things that God’s wrath will return, and he will put an end to sin.

As we wait for his return, let us be disgusted by these sins in our lives. Let us kill these sins dead. May we strive to put them to death by confessing our sins and receiving the forgiveness God gives to us. May we strive to put them to death by fighting against temptation each day. May we continue to look to Jesus, who put to death all our sins by his death on the cross.

Our sinful nature will always be with us until God calls us home. But let’s kill those sins each day as we look to Jesus for forgiveness and strength to fight temptation.

Prayer:
Merciful Lord, thank you for the forgiveness you won for me. In that forgiveness, help me to struggle against my sinful natures and live only for you. 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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Pictures on My Phone – August 1, 2022

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go.
Ecclesiastes 1:2-4

Pictures on My Phone

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Daily Devotion – August 1, 2022

Devotion based on Ecclesiastes 1:2-4

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My phone is full of pictures of moments that I thought were so very important. I have picture after picture of meals with friends, a beautiful view, or even selfies in a place I have never been before. Yet I must admit, I don’t do much with these pictures. Many of them are great memories, but I rarely look at them. Few get printed out. Eventually, my phone tells me I am out of storage, so I end up deleting them in large groups.

The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that so much of our life is like the pictures on our phone. Significant in the moment, but not so significant long-term. Yes, there is joy found in time spent with family and friends. There is good work to be done at our jobs, in our homes, communities, and churches. God has given us a beautiful and bountiful world, and he wants us to find satisfaction from that world.

The book of Ecclesiastes also confronts us with the truth that there is nothing permanently gained in much of our lives. Much of our life consists of things that are good for the moment but are soon gone. Like pictures on my phone, they are important for a while, and then they are soon forgotten and eventually gone.

Ecclesiastes instead invites you to find your meaning in things that truly last. Find meaning for your life in God’s gracious Word to you in the love, forgiveness, and mercy he offers. Find meaning for your life in the work of Jesus that promises you a life to come that has no end.

So much of life is only for a short while. All of Jesus’ work for you will last forever.

Prayer:
Gracious Father, thank you for the joys of this life but remind me that real meaning is found only in you. 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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Your Life is Meaningful – July 31, 2022

Meaningless! Meaningless! . . . Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes 1:2

Your Life is Meaningful

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Daily Devotion – July 31, 2022

Devotion based on Ecclesiastes 1:2

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What is the meaning of life? It is one of those cosmic questions that everyone asks at some point but, since it seems too big for us to get our heads around, we tend to quickly dismiss it and go on to the next meeting or mall or movie.

A man named Solomon asked this question near the end of his life. Solomon was the king of Israel at the height of Israel’s power. He was healthy, wealthy, and wise. Yet, as he neared his life’s end Solomon realized that none of his power, success, or wealth would last. In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon wrote, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. … For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it.”

If this life is all there is, none of it means anything in the end.

But Jesus changes everything! Jesus promises that there is a life after this one—an eternal life in heaven. He guarantees we can have this life through faith in him because he paid for our sins on the cross and came back to life on Easter morning! This means that this world is NOT all there is. We are only going to live in this world for a few years compared to the eternity we are going to spend in the world to come.

So, we don’t need to get so uptight about how much money we don’t make. We don’t have to be constantly stressed over every little thing that doesn’t go our way. We don’t have to chase after every trend that comes down the media highway into our homes.

Live your life in the Lord, and you will learn how meaningful your life is both in the here and now as well as in the heaven to come.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for making my life meaningful. Thank you for showing me that my life does not just consist of the things of this world. Thank you for promising me an eternal life in the next world. Use this reality to help me realize today and every day just how meaningful my life is. 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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Pray With Bold Humility – July 30, 2022

“The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?”
Genesis 18:26-28

Pray With Bold Humility

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Daily Devotion – July 30, 2022

Devotion based on Genesis 18:26-28

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Prayer is an awesome privilege! You and I get to talk to the almighty God.

How do you pray? Hands folded and eyes closed, or arms extended with your palms toward heaven? Silently in your mind or out loud?

God is less interested in the physical aspect of prayer than he is about the attitude with which we pray. Abraham gives us an example to follow when it comes to the attitude we are to have when praying.

Abraham was humble. He knew he was nothing but “dust and ashes,” and he had no right to expect the Lord to hear his prayer. Yet he asked anyway because he knew that God is gracious and compassionate.

This is an example for us as we pray. We approach God with proper humility, fully understanding that as sinners, we have no right to be heard by a holy God. We certainly have no right to expect him to answer us and grant what we have asked.

But Abraham was also bold. After his initial request, he went back to the Lord five more times. Each time lowering the number of believers that needed to be found for the city to be spared.

We can also pray with boldness. We know the love of our God. He sent his Son to die for us. Because of that sacrifice, we have been washed clean of all sin and given the privilege of approaching God with any and every request.

Be like Abraham and pray with bold humility.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I know that I have no right to approach you in prayer. It is only because Jesus has washed me clean of all sin that I have the privilege of talking to you. Help me to be bold when I pray, trusting that you always hear and answer. In Jesus’ name I ask it. 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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Pray for the Holy Spirit – July 29, 2022

[Jesus said] “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:11-13

Pray for the Holy Spirit

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Daily Devotion – July 29, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 11:11-13

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Be careful what you pray for!

That’s a common expression. It gives the impression that God may somehow give you something bad just because you prayed for it, that he is waiting to punish you for praying foolishly.

But that’s not how prayer works. God is not like that. If you ask for something bad, he will not give you something bad. And if you ask for something good, he will not give you something bad. God is better than that.

God is your Father in heaven. He wants only the best for you. Since God knows everything, he knows what is best for you. And since he loves you, he has figured out how to give you the best.

What is the best thing you can possibly ask for? The reading for today implies that it is the Holy Spirit. Your Father in heaven uses the Holy Spirit to bring you to faith. He sends the Holy Spirit through his Word to keep you in the faith. The Holy Spirit is known as the Comforter, the one who makes sure you are okay when life is difficult.

So, pray for God to send his Spirit! Then spend time in his Word, the Bible, the tool he uses to send you his Spirit. You can be sure God will give you what you’ve asked for.

Prayer:
Father, send me your Holy Spirit through your word. 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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Pray With Audacity – July 28, 2022

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.”
Luke 11:5-8

Pray With Audacity

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Daily Devotion – July 28, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 11:5-8

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Do you know someone with audacity? I’m not talking about the audio editing software. I am talking about the character trait. What is audacity? The dictionary definition starts out with something positive: “a willingness to take bold risks.” But then the definition goes on to say: “rude or disrespectful behavior; impudence.”

If you would like to approach the creator and ruler of the universe with a personal request, I suppose that counts as a willingness to take a bold risk. Asking God for anything can seem like a stretch, especially if you do not know or understand him. Maybe you will appear rude and make him angry, especially if you keep repeating your request.

But if you know God, you know that he wants the best for you. If you understand God, you know that he sent his only Son to be your Savior, removing your shame, and that he invites you to ask him for anything on your heart.

If you pray and you don’t seem to get an answer right away, should you keep asking? Jesus encourages you to do that. He gives the example of someone who shows up at an inconvenient time and asks for something that doesn’t seem essential. Jesus commends the audacity of the person doing the asking.

The message for you is clear. Be audacious in your prayers.

Prayer:
Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. 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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Pray Humbly Confidently and Gratefully – July 27, 2022

[Jesus] said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
Luke 11:2-4

Pray Humbly Confidently and Gratefully

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Daily Devotion – July 27, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 11:2-4

See series: Devotions

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he gave them some very simple things to say.

He advised them to call God their Father so that they realized they were the genuine children of the only true God.

He mentioned that they should keep God’s name holy by leading holy lives and living according to God’s Word.

He encouraged them to ask God to preserve them as members of his kingdom by sending the Holy Spirit to lead them to believe what God says.

He tempered their tendency to ask for everything by summarizing their needs as daily bread and helping them to remember to receive everything with thanks.

He emphasized the importance of God’s forgiveness in their lives and forgiving other people.

He influenced every aspect of their daily lives by reminding them to ask that God guard and keep them so that the devil, the world, and their flesh would not deceive them or lead them into false belief or despair.

Jesus wants you to pray this way as well—humbly, confidently, gratefully. And for all those times you have failed to pray this way—or pray at all when you could have and should have—he wants you to know you have the forgiveness he won for you on the cross. That’s how much he loves you. Remember this when you are hesitant to pray. It’s why you can pray to your heavenly Father humbly, confidently, and gratefully.

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for teaching me to pray. Help me do so with all the confidence your cross provides. 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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Pray For What God Wants – July 26, 2022

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3,4

Pray For What God Wants

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Daily Devotion – July 26, 2022

Devotion based on 1 Timothy 2:3,4

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You may have heard Christians offering a prayer for something very specific, like the healing of a relative in medical distress or the success of a plan, and then adding at the end of the prayer, “. . . according to your will, O God.” That brings up an interesting question. How do you know what God’s will is?

The truth is that many times you can’t. He doesn’t tell us what our future holds or what will be best for our long-term spiritual well-being. The only thing we can know for sure about God’s will is what he tells us in his Word–the Bible. And that is where he tells us what he really wants is for all people–to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth about Jesus our Savior.

God invites us to pray that way too. Even as we are asking for him to do one thing or another, we are remembering that the ultimate good is for people to come to faith in Jesus. If more people will be saved through someone remaining in medical distress or relieved of medical distress, only God knows, and his will is that all people be saved. If more people come to know about Jesus because of the success or failure of a plan, only God knows, and his will is that all people come to a knowledge of the truth.

That’s why you can pray “according to your will, O God.” God knows what he is doing, he knows what he wants, he loves you and wants you and all people to be saved. He will answer your prayers according to his will; and that’s all you need.

Prayer:
Lead me to trust your will, O God, and answer my prayers according to it, in the name of Jesus. 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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Pray For Our Leaders – July 25, 2022

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
1 Timothy 2:1,2

Pray For Our Leaders

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Daily Devotion – July 25, 2022

Devotion based on 1 Timothy 2:1,2

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Most Christians think their prayer habits could use improvement. They notice that they forget to pray. Or when they do remember to pray, their minds quickly wander.

If you are someone who thinks that your prayer habits could use improvement, consider praying for a list of people one-by-one. It doesn’t matter who those people are. The famous missionary named Paul advised the person he was mentoring, a young pastor named Timothy, to pray for all people.

It doesn’t matter where you get the list of people for prayer. You might try praying for the people in your news feed. They are often in your news feed because they have some special need. Pray for the Lord to meet that need according to his will.

If you pray for the people in your news feed, you will soon run across people in authority. They need your prayers as well. What if you disagree with the decisions those people in authority are making? There is a famous bit of prayer advice for those occasions. Pray that the Lord would convert those people in authority, that they would come to know and believe in Jesus as their Savior. And if they will not be converted, pray that the Lord would restrain them.

Why would you ask the Lord to restrain anyone who does not believe in him? The answer is in our Bible verse for today. The more the Lord restrains evil, the more chance you have to live a peaceful and quiet life in godliness and holiness. As you live that life, you have the opportunity to speak words of forgiveness and love, not just in your prayers, but also to the people around you, and not just to them, but also to your leaders.

Prayer:
Lord God, bring everyone to know you better through Jesus Christ, the King of kings. 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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A Better Place – July 24, 2022

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.
1 Timothy 2:1-6

A Better Place

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Daily Devotion – July 24, 2022

Devotion based on 1 Timothy 2:1-6

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“What can I do to make this world a better place?” A look at the sad, scary state of current events, both local and worldwide, can lead one to wonder, “Is there really anything I can do that will make a difference?”

Yes, there is. The apostle Paul says to us, “Pray.” Paul urges us to pray for everyone. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, citizens of our country and for people around the world. Pray.

Especially pray for all those in authority. Pray for local authorities and national authorities. And pray for kings and authorities around the world. Whether it is the authorities at home or abroad, Paul doesn’t say, “Ridicule them.” He doesn’t say, “Put them down.” He doesn’t say, “Make sure everyone knows their faults.” He says, “Pray for them.” Pray for them so we can live peaceful and quiet lives.

When we live peaceful and quiet lives, we can live in all godliness and holiness. And then we can proclaim the real difference-maker, Jesus. God wants all people to be saved. That happens when people come to a knowledge of the truth. Not just any truth, but the truth that Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and people. The truth that Jesus Christ is the one who has established peace between God and all people. The truth that Jesus Christ is the one who has opened heaven for us. He did that by giving himself as a ransom, by taking our sins upon himself, by offering his body and blood for us on the cross.

Life with Jesus—that’s what truly makes this world a better place.

Prayer:
Lord God, guide and bless all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. Then guide and bless us as we proclaim Jesus, the difference-maker for this life and for eternity. 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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Laugh with Joy – July 23, 2022

Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Genesis 18:10-14

Laugh with Joy

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Daily Devotion – July 23, 2022

Devotion based on Genesis 18:10-14

See series: Devotions

Sometimes you just gotta laugh—the situation is so absurd that it’s laughable. When Sarah, who was past childbearing age, heard the prediction that she would have a child within a year, she laughed. It was not really laughter with joy. It was more like the laughter of disbelief.

What Sarah didn’t take into account is that it was God talking. He was carrying out his plan of salvation, and when God tells you what he is doing for your salvation, a laugh of disbelief is an inappropriate response. Instead, when God speaks, you are encouraged to laugh with joy.

Even when you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. You just gotta laugh because such mercy and grace are so unexpected. But, instead of laughing in disbelief, you can laugh with joy because it’s true.

Your sins are forgiven through faith in Christ. Even when you don’t feel forgiven, even when accusations are still there to try to make you feel guilty, God speaks the word of forgiveness, and you are genuinely and completely forgiven. You just gotta laugh with the joy that comes from a clean conscience.

No matter how bad it gets here on earth, God says that heaven is your home. No more sorrow or tears there—just rest and peace. Laugh with joy!

Prayer: (Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal – 79)
Oh, joy to know that you, my Friend, are Lord, beginning without end, the First and Last, eternal! And you at length—O glorious grace—will take me to that holy place, the home of joys supernal. 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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Better – July 22, 2022

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41,42

Better

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Daily Devotion – July 22, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 10:41,42

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Mary and Martha are sisters. They trust in Jesus as their Savior and know him personally. They are his friends. One day, Jesus arrives in their home. Mary settles down to listen to Jesus speak. Martha, however, has hospitality on her mind.

Let’s stop, for a moment, to appreciate the pressure Martha is feeling. In our casual culture, you and I may handle some company simply by ordering in a pizza. That is not what Martha faces. In the culture of the 1st Century, hospitality is a sober business. When you open your home to guests, you do all you can to treat them well. Failing to do so is an insult to them and a disgrace to you.

And so here is Martha, laboring to show Jesus the best hospitality she can. And what is her sister doing to help? Nothing. She just sits there, listening to Jesus. Perhaps more than a few of us, therefore, can sympathize with Martha when she finally lets off some steam and asks Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Then comes Jesus’ affectionate reply, but a reply packed with meaning.

Does Jesus ever say that Martha is doing a bad thing? Of course not. Showing hospitality is a beautiful fruit of faith. In fact, other parts of the Bible praise it. In this moment, however, Jesus is speaking to what is better.

In the current lifestyle of our society, busyness is a badge of honor. When that busyness, however, even in service to God—when that busyness robs me of the opportunity for the Lord to serve me in his Word, then I’ve lost my way. Then I need to repent of my busyness.

But that’s why Jesus came. He came to wash away my sins of busyness. He came to spend his time perfectly on my behalf. In him, all is well. In him, I can begin again.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when I lose my way, grant me a repentant heart. Forgive my busyness. Refresh me to choose what is better. 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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Eyes – July 21, 2022

Turn my eyes away from worthless things.
Psalm 119:37

Eyes

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Daily Devotion – July 21, 2022

Devotion based on Psalm 119:37

See series: Devotions

What do our eyes decide what to look at? A compelling article from the University of Melbourne gives this some thought. For quite some time, the dominant theory has been that people’s eyes automatically focus on whatever is bright and shiny in front of them. For example, if you show someone a picture of a drab city street with a bright yellow taxi, the person will first look at the taxi.

Recent work in this area, however, suggests there’s another factor in what our eyes choose to see. Rather than just looking at what is bright and shiny, our eyes also seek out those things that are meaningful to us.

And what is meaningful? There’s the big question. For the answer to that question can vary from person to person.

In Psalm 119, the Holy Spirit moved the psalmist to pray, Turn my eyes away from worthless things. Our ancient enemy, the devil, knows it rarely works for him to attack us directly and demand that we turn our eyes away from Jesus. Instead, he’s learned that the more he can get us to fix our eyes on things other than Jesus—things that seem more important and urgent at the moment—the more he can gently nudge us away from our Savior.

And here’s the tricky part. The thing that pulls our attention away from Jesus does not need to be an inherently bad thing. It might be a wonderful thing. Maybe it’s a relationship, family, hobby, career, retirement planning, or keeping up with the news.

All well and good in and of themselves, but when I slip into presuming that one of these good things is more worthy of my ongoing attention than my Savior, then Satan has set his hooks. Disaster awaits.

Thank God for Jesus. Not only has he washed us clean at the cross, he continues to pursue us with his Holy Spirit. He empowers us to come to repentance, to turn our eyes away from relatively worthless things, to fix our eyes upon him all over again.

Prayer:
Lord, when my eyes begin to fix on something other than you, bring me to repentance. Turn my eyes back to you. 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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Long Trip Alone – July 20, 2022

“My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14

Long Trip Alone

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Daily Devotion – July 20, 2022

Devotion based on Exodus 33:14

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In the world of country music, Dierks Bentley is a bona fide star. But his talent goes beyond his voice and his performance. Dierks Bentley is a gifted songwriter known for crafting his lyrics with care.

Of the songs he’s written, one has a twist in how it came to be. The song is distinctive in tone. It is slow, thoughtful, somber. The title of the song is “Long Trip Alone.” As he began to write, Bentley had his marriage in mind. Picturing the years of his life as a journey, he intended to describe what it meant to have his spouse by his side. As he wrote, however, his perspective changed. By the time it matured into a finished piece, “Long Trip Alone” was no longer about a husband and wife. Rather, “Long Trip Alone” was about the quiet, desperate need each of us has for the presence of the Lord.

Indeed, as Bentley describes it, your life and mine is “A long trip alone, over sand and stone.” You know the hardships. You know the difficulties. You know the crushing disappointments. Left to ourselves, you and I would wander. We’d walk in circles. We’d stumble and fall. And as we did, the suffocating isolation would just grow worse until our pointlessness came to an end in some dark, despairing place.

That’s what sin does—your sin and mine. Not only has it made the journey of life rugged and painful. It isolates us. It forces each of us to walk the long trip alone—a trip that ends in eternal death.

But that’s why Jesus came. God’s Son became one of us. He took the long trip through this broken world, living a perfect life on our behalf. Then he carried our sins to the cross, where he endured an aloneness that will forever defy description—an aloneness he endured in our place. And because he has, you and I, through faith in him, will never have to walk alone again.

In Exodus 33, the Lord promised Moses, “My Presence will go with you.” In Christ, he makes the same promise to you and me.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, my life would be a long trip alone. Thank you for being by my side. 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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Laughter – July 19, 2022

Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh . . .? Is anything too hard for the LORD?”
Genesis 18:13,14

Laughter

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Daily Devotion – July 19, 2022

Devotion based on Genesis 18:13,14

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He’s not exactly a household name today, but back in the 1980s and early 90s, Bill Hicks was a powerful presence in the world of comedy. The kind of comedy that other comedians were talking about.

His routines produced raucous laughter. His material, however, was often dark. He pushed boundaries. And he had some favorite targets. One of them was religion—Christianity in particular. At times he would select a particular teaching and then use his considerable skills to firebomb it with ridicule. Explosions of laughter typically followed.

The laughter of ridicule brings with it a curious thing. It brings with it a sense that the case is now closed, the winning argument has prevailed, and there’s nothing more to be said. Sometimes this is true. And sometimes it is not.

In Genesis chapter 18, the Lord announced to an elderly Abraham and Sarah that Sarah would be with child. Sarah’s reaction? Sarah laughed. Hers, however, was not the laughter of joy. It was the laughter of ridicule.

You and I often encounter the same thing. We don’t simply hear such laughter, however, from critics of Christianity. You and I can also hear such laughter snorting from our old sinful selves. In our heart of hearts, you and I know we have sometimes yielded to the temptation not to take our God seriously—whether it’s one of his promises or part of his will for our lives.

Thank God for Jesus. Thank God that, for all the times Satan has talked us into rolling our eyes over a truth of Scripture, Jesus, our Substitute, never did. And thank God that Jesus has taken all our sinful laughter and paid for it in full at Calvary’s cross.

Sarah’s laughter was not the closing argument. The Lord was. He fulfilled his promise to give Abraham and Sarah a child.

One more thing. Bill Hicks died of cancer in 1994. According to a close friend, there was a shock at his funeral when someone revealed that, before his death, Bill Hicks had confessed his faith in Jesus as his Savior. If that’s the case, Bill now enjoys another kind of laughter. The laughter of joy in Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord, fill my spirit with the laughter of joy in you. 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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The Opposite – July 18, 2022

The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre…
Genesis 18:1

The Opposite

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Daily Devotion – July 18, 2022

Devotion based on Genesis 18:1

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The year is 2011. You are part of a team working beneath an ancient temple in the Far East. You are about to break into several chambers that have not been open for centuries. When you do, you can hardly believe what you find. You see diamonds—bags upon bags of diamonds. You see jewelry—more than you can describe or count. And you see gold coins—ton after ton. It will take time to inventory all that is here, but an initial estimate puts what you’ve found at over twenty billion dollars.

In addition, research has identified the treasure’s origins. Hundreds of years earlier, the temple sat on a popular travel route. As people traveled, they would regularly bring generous offerings to curry favor with the temple’s deity. The mountain of treasure standing before you is a powerful picture of how many view their relationship with a higher power. They ask themselves, “What can I give to God to persuade God to do something good for me?”

We discover that the opposite is true when we read the Bible. The eighteenth chapter of the book of Genesis reports that The LORD appeared to Abraham. Although Abraham welcomes him warmly, it’s clear that the LORD is not there so that Abraham can purchase his favor. His very name, the LORD, emphasizes that he is the one who makes unconditional promises and then does what he must do to carry them out.

This falls right in line with how God reveals himself to us throughout the Bible. He knows we are fallen creatures. He knows that, since our first parents severed their relationship with him, sin has soiled everything—including you and me. For this reason, the very idea that my soiled, sinful hands could somehow curry favor from a God of perfect goodness—such an option was never possible.

And that’s why God sent his Son. On our behalf, Jesus Christ lived the sinless life you and I have failed to live. In our place, Jesus Christ paid for our sin at the cross. The Lord did this not because we had given him some nice jewelry. He did it—because we needed him.

Prayer:
Lord, my whole relationship with you rests upon what you have done for me. Thank you. 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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Rescued – July 17, 2022

[God the Father] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13,14

Rescued

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Daily Devotion – July 17, 2022

Devotion based on Colossians 1:13,14

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It is a time of intense drama as volunteers frantically dig through rubble to rescue helpless victims after an earthquake. Immense energy is expended to free those trapped in the darkness of demolished ruins. What a relief when a victim is recovered alive and brought to safety!

We were all in need of rescue. Darkness surrounded us as we were trapped under the curse of our own sin, unable to escape. Powerless to push away our guilt, we were destined to face the impenetrable darkness of eternal death.

The Lord came to our rescue. In his infinite mercy, God sent his son, Jesus, to rescue us from our helpless condition. Jesus is the perfect Son who lifted the immeasurable weight of our guilt from us. He willingly carried the heavy load of our sin to the cross, where he died to pay the penalty for our sin completely. What a relief it is to know that we have been brought out of darkness and into the light of forgiveness!

No matter how earth-shaking the events of life may become, we can be confident of the deliverance our Savior won for us. Jesus’ kingdom will endure forever, and we are overjoyed to know he has brought us into that kingdom by his grace.

One day we will dwell with our Savior-King in the heavenly kingdom that he has promised us through his word. In our eternal home we will dwell forever with the King of kings in the secure safety won for us by his love.

Prayer:
Almighty and merciful Father, I am forever grateful for you rescuing me from the darkness of despair and death through Jesus, your beloved Son. Thank you for the light of the Savior that continues to emanate through my life as I await his triumphant return when you will bring me into the heavenly kingdom of glory. 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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A Life of Conflict – July 16, 2022

The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Galatians 5:17

A Life of Conflict

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Daily Devotion – July 16, 2022

Devotion based on Galatians 5:17

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It’s a common thought that life for Christians ought to become easier, troubles should fade away, and there would be a great sense of peace that settles into everything they feel and think.

The apostle Paul would disagree.

The reality is that, in many ways, the exact opposite is true. The moment the Holy Spirit brings you to faith in Jesus, a conflict begins in your heart—a conflict between the Holy Spirit who has entered your heart and your sinful nature with which you were born.

This conflict is total. The Holy Spirit and your sinful nature agree on nothing. As Paul says, “The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other.”

And make no mistake. This conflict is not some polite, parlor-game debate about ethics and theology. It is a fierce, bitter, ferocious, violent cage-match for the ownership of your soul. In addition, this conflict does not merely last a few months or years. It is life-long. It ends only when you die.

Is such a life of conflict worth it? No doubt, there are times we get tired of the fight. And there are plenty of times when we lose battles. But when we stop and remember what we possess through faith in Jesus Christ—forgiveness of sin, peace with God, deliverance in every difficult moment, eternal life in heaven; when we stop and remember what we have, we know the answer.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, fill me with your Spirit for the lifelong conflict in my heart. Remind me of all the wonderful things I possess through faith in you. 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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The Perfect Neighbor – July 15, 2022

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:36,37

The Perfect Neighbor

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Daily Devotion – July 15, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 10:36,37

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A question started all of this. Someone had asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” To answer, Jesus told a story about a man attacked while traveling. He was stripped, beaten, and left for dead.

Two men discovered him on the road. And even though they both shared the same race, culture, and religion as the victim, they both passed him by without helping him. But then a third man encountered him—a Samaritan. In Jesus’ day, the Jews and Samaritans did not get along. In fact, no one would have considered this Samaritan to be the victim’s neighbor.

Yet he was the one who acted like a neighbor to the wounded man. He treated his injuries, put him on a donkey, and brought him to an inn. He spent all night taking care of him, then paid the innkeeper to continue to care for him.

It is easy to miss Jesus’ point here and to think that all Jesus is telling us is that we need to be more like the Good Samaritan. But when Jesus said, “Go and do likewise,” he set an impossibly high standard. It is not possible to love your neighbor the way that God commands.

Thank God, then, that Jesus is the perfect neighbor. He went out of his way to help you when you were dead in your sins. He obeyed God’s law perfectly as your Substitute, so his perfect obedience counts as yours. He also sacrificed his life for you so that all your sins are forgiven.

What a loving Lord! Knowing we could never live up to God’s perfect law, he lived up to it in our place. May this motivate us to serve every person he brings into our lives, showing them the same kind of mercy and love he has shown us.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, make me more like you, that I grow in love for my neighbor. 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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Your Neighbor – July 14, 2022

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Luke 10:29

Your Neighbor

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Daily Devotion – July 14, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 10:29

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The man who asked this question wanted to inherit eternal life by obeying God’s law. Jesus had just told him that he needed to love his God and his neighbor perfectly. The man knew he would not be able to do that no matter how hard he tried.

But because he wanted to claim he had obeyed all of God’s laws, he asked the question, “And who is my neighbor?” This was an attempt to lower God’s standard and make the law doable. In his mind earning his way into heaven depended on who his neighbor was. He wanted to divide people into neighbors and non-neighbors—those who deserved his love and those who did not.

All of us are born into this world thinking the same thing—that the way to inherit eternal life is through obedience. Yet the only way we could ever do that is by lowering God’s standard for perfection into something more attainable.

However, living like that does not help you earn heaven; it just helps you justify ignoring people God wants you to help. And while it’s logical to think that limiting how many neighbors you have will allow you to keep God’s command, it is not biblical.

According to the Bible, your neighbors are more than just the people who live next to you; they are everyone God puts across your path. There are no restrictions on who your neighbor is.

Christ came to destroy the sinful mindset that focuses on some neighbors to the exclusion of others. He perfectly loved his neighbor when he laid down his life for everyone who has ever lived, is living, or will live. Your eternal life is guaranteed by Jesus.

As a result, there is no need to lower God’s standard. Your neighbor is not an opportunity to earn heaven but an opportunity to love the people Christ already died for. When you focus on that, it transforms you into a neighbor to everyone else.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for earning eternal life for me. Help me to love you by loving my neighbor. 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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Doing Versus Believing – July 13, 2022

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
Luke 10:25-28

Doing Versus Believing

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Daily Devotion – July 13, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 10:25-28

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How Jesus responded to this question is interesting. When tested by an expert in God’s Old Testament law, Jesus was not offended. The man’s question was important because it was about eternal life with God.

But his question showed that he thought eternal life was something to be earned: “What needs to be done, Jesus? Give me the divine to-do list!” Jesus answered with a test of his own, “What did God say in his law?”

The expert replied: “Love God above everything and love your neighbor as yourself.” That was a correct answer that sounds very simple. The problem is that it is an impossible way to live.

It probably would not take much time to remember things you have loved more than God. Likewise, you probably don’t need to try very hard to remember times you have loved yourself more than the people around you.

So, if you want to inherit eternal life by your own effort, you are placing yourself under a standard you can never meet. That expert in the law could not do it, and neither can you. No one can. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Jesus was trying to get the man to understand that inheriting eternal life has nothing to do with following God’s laws but everything to do with believing in God’s Son.

Because Jesus was always focused on his mission as our Savior. He not only taught God’s law, he also obeyed it perfectly because we cannot. Every law is complete in Christ, and “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Prayer:
Lord God, forgive me for my lack of love and give me faith in your Son, my Savior. 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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Free to Serve – July 12, 2022

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

Free to Serve

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Daily Devotion – July 12, 2022

Devotion based on Galatians 5:1

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Freedom is easily misunderstood. Many people think that freedom is the ability to do whatever you want, but that is not true freedom. In fact, according to the Bible, true freedom is about freedom from the power and control of sin.

This is why Jesus once said, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). While we have the ability to choose one sin over the other, without Jesus we are not free. We are only able to sin. Whether it’s one sin or another doesn’t much matter. We are still slaves to sin.

And slaves cannot free themselves. They need someone else to free them. For us, that “someone” is Jesus. He willingly paid for our freedom with his life.

And because Jesus has freed you from slavery to sin, you are no longer bound to choose between one sin or the other. You are free to do what is pleasing in his sight. You are free to serve him and the people he brings into your life. And that…is true freedom.

Prayer:
Lord, free me from my sinful attitudes so that I may love and serve my neighbor. 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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Your God – July 11, 2022

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”
Ruth 1:16,17

Your God

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Daily Devotion – July 11, 2022

Devotion based on Ruth 1:16,17

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Years before the woman named Ruth made the promise we read in our Bible passage today, her mother-in-law, Naomi, and her husband had left Israel and moved to a foreign country called Moab. While they were there, their two sons married two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. First, Naomi’s husband died, then both her sons.

Now a childless widow, Naomi wanted to return to her home in Israel. She convinced Orpah to go back to her parents, but Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi. Why would Ruth leave her home to travel with her mother-in-law to where she had no acquaintances, no family, and no prospects?

Listen to her promise: “Your God will be my God.” When she joined Naomi’s family by marriage, Ruth came to believe in the one true God. Their common faith in the coming Savior motivated Ruth to make this promise, even though it must have hurt to leave her home. Ruth knew that nothing in this world–even the familiar surroundings of her home and family–was worth losing her faith in the one, true God.

The same God Ruth worshiped is our God. He is the one true God. He is the God who came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to rescue us from our sins and the eternal death they deserve. When you are tempted to turn from him to other things that are less important, remember what he was willing to do for you. Then you, like Ruth, will be thankful that he is your God.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, I thank you that you are my God. 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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Following God – July 10, 2022

Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
Ruth 1:16

Following God

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Daily Devotion – July 10, 2022

Devotion based on Ruth 1:16

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Following God is not always easy. He never said it would be. Jesus himself insisted that in order to follow him we must daily pick up our cross—whatever that cross might be. It has always been this way. Following God is not easy.

A woman named Ruth discovered this reality. She was not one of God’s people by birth. She was a foreigner from the land of Moab. But she had married an Israelite man and had learned about the Lord from her husband and his family. Then, tragedy struck. Her husband died along with her husband’s brother and father. When Ruth’s mother-in-law decided to go back to Israel, Ruth went with her. It was not easy. She left everyone and everything she knew. But she was determined. You see, Ruth had come to trust in the God of Israel. She could not stay in Moab and worship the false gods found there. It was not easy to leave, but if that was what it took to follow the true God, then that was what Ruth would do.

Thank God that he has forgiven us for the many times we have failed to follow him, times we have gone our own way. Thank him today by following him no matter how difficult the road might be.

Prayer:
Thank you, Jesus, for perfectly following your Father’s will in my place. Help me bear whatever crosses come my way that I may follow you this day. 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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The Harvest – July 9, 2022

He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out.”
Luke 10:2,3

The Harvest

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Daily Devotion – July 9, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 10:2,3

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When I was in grade school and high school, I worked for a couple different dairy farmers as a farmhand. I enjoyed being around the milking cows and their calves. I also enjoyed working out in the fields. In October, we would harvest the corn crop. The farmer would drive the harvester combine in the cornfield. My job was to drive a tractor from the field back to the farm pulling a wagon filled with corn to be unloaded into a corn crib. Eventually the cows would eat the harvested corn. I enjoyed doing my part in the corn harvest.

In today’s Bible reading, Jesus told his disciples that it was time for the harvest. Jesus wasn’t talking about harvesting corn. He meant harvesting the souls of the many people in his day that weren’t trusting in him as this world’s only Savior from sin, death, and hell. Jesus instructed his disciples to take this important matter to the Lord in prayer, asking God to provide the needed spiritual harvesters. Then Jesus said, “Go! I am sending you.” The disciples themselves were the answer to their prayers. They were to go and proclaim the good news of a living Savior to a dying world.

Look around in your family, neighborhood, place of work, or school. Do you see how plentiful the harvest is? All around are the souls of real people who are living and dying in unbelief and sin, tragically becoming part of Satan’s hell harvest even though their sins were paid for by the blood of Jesus. Pray to the Lord to provide the needed spiritual harvesters. And then recognize that Jesus is saying to you, “Go! I am sending you.” You are the answer to your prayer. Jesus harvested you so that you could now be his spiritual combine and harvest others for heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for harvesting my soul by bringing me to faith in you as my personal Savior from my sins. Send out workers, myself included, into your ripe harvest fields. Bless our harvesting efforts to your glory. 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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I Think I Can – July 8, 2022

“But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.”
Ezekiel 3:8,9

I Think I Can

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Daily Devotion – July 8, 2022

Devotion based on Ezekiel 3:8,9

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“I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!” For nearly one hundred years, parents have encouraged their children to never give up, using the classic children’s book, The Little Engine That Could. With a little optimism and hard work, no mountain is too high to climb.

Yet, what we learn as children doesn’t always translate into adulthood. Why? Perhaps we’ve learned that we have limitations. Optimism doesn’t always equate to realism. Hard work doesn’t always outperform others who work harder. The truth is “putting your mind to it” doesn’t always cut it.

But thankfully, when it comes to proclaiming God’s truths, we aren’t dependent on our own strength or stamina. The very Word we have the privilege to proclaim is the same Word that fuels us with a resiliency and determination. God promises to make us “unyielding” and our “foreheads like the hardest stone.” That doesn’t mean we won’t tire while doing the work of the Lord. But it does mean with God’s help: we will endure. With God’s strength, we can run our race with perseverance and not be afraid or terrified of any enemy because God’s Word endures forever. With God’s strength, know that your toil will never be in vain.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, use your Word to provide me with stamina to be your faithful witness. 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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