Tag Archive for: daily-devotions

A Greater Type of King – April 3, 2023

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Matthew 21:10,11

A Greater Type of King

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Daily Devotion – April 3, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 21:10,11

See series: Devotions

It’s uncomfortable. The person that called you wasn’t in your contacts. No name appeared when the phone rang, just a number. After you answer with a hesitant, “Hello?” the other party begins talking to you rather comfortably as if you should know them, but you don’t. You finally interrupt and ask, “Who is this?”

That was the question of the day in Jerusalem. The people that lined the streets to welcome Jesus on Palm Sunday knew him. He was already in their “Contacts” list. But not everyone in the city knew him. And for those who didn’t know him, it was uncomfortable. They were “stirred.” And so they asked, “Who is this?”

The crowds who knew him answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet…” That is no small thing to say about Jesus, and it is one of many ways that shows Jesus to be a greater type of king. When we see someone march into town with a lot of fanfare as a king, we may expect them to make a lot of demands. “Fetch me this. Get me that.” Or if the person is a stereotypical king, we may expect them to issue a decree or give some kind of edict.

But who is this Jesus? He’s not someone who comes making demands for himself. He’s not one who comes with a list of edicts. No, he’s a prophet, someone whose concern is to proclaim God’s Word. Not an opinion or a tweet but the very Word of God.

As you read this devotion, appreciate that Jesus is still acting as “the prophet.” Right now, as you meditate on God’s Word, Jesus’ concern is for you to know what God says. He wants you to hear about the seriousness of your sin. But he also wants you to hear about God’s solution to your sin, and that solution is Jesus, a greater type of king who meets all of your greater needs.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for being the prophet and showing me God’s Word today. 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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Jesus Gives You What You Need – April 2, 2023

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Zechariah 9:9,10

Jesus Gives You What You Need

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Daily Devotion – April 2, 2023

Devotion based on Zechariah 9:9,10

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Quick, get a picture in your head. Someone rules the entire world: What does he look like? Like Napoleon riding on his trusty steed with his army surrounding him? Like a business tycoon who dominated his field and now the world? Powerful? Self-confident and self-reliant? What does a world ruler look like?

Like a humble man riding on a lowly donkey. That’s what the Old Testament prophet Zechariah said. Zechariah spoke of the Savior who was to come. The Savior, your King, would come “gentle and riding on a donkey.”

On the Sunday before he died on the cross, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah. He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. What was most impressive about Jesus wasn’t his ride; it was what he brought. Your King is holy and righteous. He brought the salvation you so desperately need. Jesus didn’t fight with a sword and army to overcome the curse of sin, but with his perfect life and innocent death on the cross for you. By his holiness and his death, your sins are forgiven. And with the salvation he brings you, he gives the accompanying gift of peace. Peace that your sins are forgiven; you have peace with God.

You might not choose a donkey as your favorite mode of transportation, and that’s alright. But don’t let that lead you to overlook the King who rode a donkey and fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy. You don’t need his ride, but thank God that he gives you what you do need—his salvation and peace.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, don’t let this world deceive me into placing my hope in the wrong kind of kings. Only my King, Jesus, gives me true and lasting spiritual salvation and peace. Keep my faith in him strong and growing. Lead me to follow my King in all I do and say today. 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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Limitless – April 1, 2023

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
John 11:38-44

Limitless

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Daily Devotion – April 1, 2023

Devotion based on John 11:38-44

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We all deal with limits. There are limitations to our abilities. As much as we try, we cannot go beyond our finite natures. We can make better and bigger machines to improve ways things get done, but one day they will prove inadequate and have to be replaced. We can push ourselves physically to go faster and harder and farther, but finally there is a limit to what we can do. We strive in many ways to live longer, but the truth is that there is a set limit to our life on this earth. All the graves in cemeteries are signs of that serious limitation.

We are limited, but Jesus is not. He is God, who is limitless in his power and abilities. Even death is not a limit for him. His commanding voice demanded that death release its grip on Lazarus—and it did!

There is no limit to Jesus’ love. He loved us in such a limitless way that he surrendered himself to death and the grave for us. But death could not hold him. He came out of the grave; he rose from the dead to prove that he is almighty God. By his resurrection, he assures us he is limitless in his love for us as our living Savior.

One day, he will shout again, “Come out!” and graves will lose their limited grip. Jesus promised, “Because I live, you also with live.” Only the Son of God has the limitless ability to accomplish what he said. Count on it, and you will see the glory of God!

Prayer:
Jesus, strengthen my faith in you as my living Lord and loving Savior. Fill me with the confidence that you are limitless in your power and love, and assure me with your promise that you will raise me from death to live with you forever. 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 Voice – March 31, 2023

Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out.
John 11:43,44

The Voice

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Daily Devotion – March 31, 2023

Devotion based on John 11:43,44

See series: Devotions

It is only a matter of time before you will find yourself standing next to the grave of a Christian you love dearly. As you do, you may feel many things. Many reflections may enter your mind. Besides memories and emotions, however, consider the moment when Jesus also stood next to a grave.

In John chapter 11, Jesus is standing next to the grave of his dear friend, Lazarus. Lazarus has recently died from an illness. His family has buried his body. John describes the tomb as a cave with a stone laid across the entrance (John 11:38). The sheer grief of his friend’s death has moved Jesus to tears. Take away the stone, Jesus says. After some hesitation, obedient hands take the stone away. Following a fervent prayer to his heavenly Father, Jesus calls out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The apostle John then records what happens next: The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

All of which brings us to the next time you find yourself standing next to the grave of a Christian who is near and dear to you. In John chapter 5, God’s Word tells us that a moment is coming when the mortal remains of your loved one will hear the voice of Jesus Christ, the Lord of Life. Those mortal remains will arise, reunited with the soul. And from that point onward, that child of God, body and soul, freed from the presence and effects of sin, will bask forever in the glories of eternal life.

Think of it. The voice of the one who said, I am the resurrection and the life; the voice of the one who proclaimed our sins paid in full when he cried out, It is finished, from the cross; the voice of the one who promised, Because I live, you also will live—that same voice will one day call for you and me. And all will be well.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, move me to hear your voice through your Word and sacrament. And move me to rejoice in the day your voice calls me home. 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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Confrontation – March 30, 2023

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25,26

Confrontation

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Daily Devotion – March 30, 2023

Devotion based on John 11:25,26

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Ever hear something like this? “Jesus was a great teacher and a great example. The world would be a better place if more people tried to live as he lived. I don’t subscribe to the idea that he was more than a human being, but that takes nothing away from my high regard for what a good person he was.”

Opinions like that have been around for quite some time. But as writer CS Lewis once pointed out, Jesus does not let people get away with opinions like this. Instead, Jesus confronts them with very pointed claims that he makes about himself. The Word of God before us in John chapter 11 is a perfect example. No mere teacher about God talks like this. No mere teacher about God makes such an outrageous claim. No mere teacher about God has the chutzpa to say, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live.

Confronted in this way, what are people to conclude? CS Lewis offered some possibilities. Perhaps Jesus was a liar. If that’s the case, however, no one has any business calling him good, especially since his followers willingly faced torture and death rather than renounce what Jesus claimed. Perhaps, then, Jesus was a lunatic, a madman with delusions of grandeur. Insanity, however, does not fit with the written record of how he consistently conducted his ministry.

And so if Jesus is not a liar, and if he is not a lunatic, what is he? The Holy Spirit brings us to another conclusion—that Jesus is exactly who he claims to be. He is God the Son, who became fully human. He came here to live a life of perfect goodness on our behalf. He came to suffer and die for our every sin. Then, to demonstrate who he is and what he’s accomplished, he raised himself to life three days later.

Do you believe this? Jesus asks. His gospel empowers you and me to say, “Yes.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are the resurrection and the life. Empower me to live and believe 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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Expectation – March 29, 2023

The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
Romans 8:19

Expectation

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Daily Devotion – March 29, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 8:19

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For years, the last word in telescopes was the Hubble Space Telescope, orbiting the earth at about 340 miles. But no more. The James Webb telescope launched on Christmas Day, 2021. It now orbits the earth at a distance of about 900,000 miles. It is the largest optical telescope in space, with an “eye” about six times larger than that of the Hubble. It is also the most sophisticated. The pictures it has been able to take of God’s creation have been spectacular. You and I can now go online and see stars and galaxies formerly invisible to all previous telescopes. In Psalm 19, God’s Word says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” The pictures coming back from the James Webb telescope only put an exclamation point on that ageless truth.

As you have opportunity, take a moment to pull up those pictures. Scroll through the images. Be amazed by the breathtaking beauty of the stars, the nebulas, the galaxies, or the riveting, close-up detail of our own planets. As you do, however, keep in mind something else that is also astounding. God’s Word tells us that all of this—all that we can see and beyond what we can see—all of this is waiting in eager expectation for something. It is waiting in eager expectation for the Lord of all creation to bring the presence and effects of sin to an end. It is waiting for him to create a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13). It is waiting for the Last Day. It is waiting for Jesus.

Indeed, it always comes back to Jesus. Whether it’s viewing the vastness of the universe through the latest telescope or considering the twists and turns of our own personal lives—it always comes back to Jesus. It comes back to the one who came to rescue us from the curse of our sin. It comes back to the one who lived and suffered and died on our behalf. It comes back to the one who rose. It comes back to the one who reigns.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, all creation awaits your return in eager expectation. Help me remember this. 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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Comparison – March 28, 2023

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18

Comparison

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Daily Devotion – March 28, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 8:18

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This devotion is for those among us who, in this moment, are suffering. Your suffering may be from a toxic environment at work. It may be from a collapse in your finances. It may be from a rift in your marriage. It may be from a family member who has broken your heart. Your suffering may be from having to experience great humiliation or shame. It may be from some reminder that has triggered awful memories of a past failure. It may be from profound loneliness. It may be from the death of someone you’ve known and loved your whole life. Or your suffering may be from constant physical pain or misery.

What to do? One approach is to say, “Others have it worse than I do,” which often helps. One can usually find examples of individuals we know whose suffering seems worse. Such a point of comparison, however, has drawbacks. What do I do in that moment, for instance, when I look around and discover that, from my perspective, no one in my circle of acquaintances is suffering quite the way I am?

There’s a better point of comparison. And that better point of comparison involves Jesus. All the suffering you and I endure is the result of sin—your sin and mine. God the Son saw our plight. Out of a love we will never fully grasp, he chose to become one of us. On our behalf, he lived a life of pure goodness—the life you and I have failed to live. And then, in our place, he suffered. He suffered a kind of suffering none of us will ever comprehend. He did this to cleanse us of our wrongs. He did this so that you and I will never suffer for our sins. Never.

And it means that our time of suffering in this world is temporary. Through faith in our living Christ, an eternity of joy awaits—a glorious joy to which our present suffering cannot compare.

Prayer:
Lord, I am in a moment of extreme suffering. But you’ve seen to it that it will be brief. And eternal joy with you awaits. 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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All Right – March 27, 2023

“Everything is all right,” she said.
2 Kings 4:26

All Right

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Daily Devotion – March 27, 2023

Devotion based on 2 Kings 4:26

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The painting depicts a scene of utter disaster. A family’s home has burned to the ground. All that remains is the chimney. Near the front of the picture are two figures. One is a small boy. The boy is sobbing, overwhelmed by the shock of what just happened. The other figure is an old man. The old man is speaking to the grief-stricken boy. At the bottom of the painting are the old man’s words. They are simple words, but they are profound. To the small boy the old man says, “Hush, child. God ain’t dead.”

In our Bible passage today, a mother is facing a nightmare. Her child has just died. Grief has overwhelmed her. And yet, even in her sorrow, she refuses to give in to hopelessness. She refuses to give in to despair. Instead, she looks to the Lord. She looks to the master of life and death. And when asked how her family is doing, she replies, “Everything is all right.”

True, her reply may simply be a way to hold her emotions together until she has the opportunity to unburden her heart before the Lord. Nevertheless, her reply reminds us of the security you and I possess—a security that surrounds us regardless of circumstances.

Into this world of disaster, tragedy, and death, God the Son came. God the Son became one of us in the person of Jesus Christ. On our behalf he lived the spotless life that we, in our sinful brokenness, have failed to live. And in our place, he carried the crimes, atrocities, betrayals, failures—including yours and mine—he carried them all to the cross and paid for them in full through his suffering and death. And then, to assure us that he really is who he claims to be, and has done what he’s promised to do, he raised himself from the dead.

This means not only that we stand forgiven through faith in him. It also means we possess his sure promise that he will never leave or forsake us. Never. Therefore, on the darkest of days, you and I can still boldly say, “Everything is all right.”

Prayer:
Lord, remind me today that, in you, everything is all right. No matter what. 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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No More Slavery to Fear – March 26, 2023

You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.
Romans 8:15

No More Slavery to Fear

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Daily Devotion – March 26, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 8:15

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An Oscar-winning film, “The King’s Speech” is based on the true story of Albert Windsor, a shy, stammering member of the British Royal Family. Albert had a severe stammering problem all his life, and the very idea of giving a speech in public filled him with terror. Then, the unthinkable happened. His older brother, the King, abdicated his throne in the 1930s. Albert was the next in line. Duty demanded that he accept the crown. Not long after, World War II broke out. Suddenly, the stammering man who feared public speaking more than anything had to give a radio speech broadcast to millions of people.

By a seeming miracle, he did it. In fact, he did it with hardly a stammer. The secret was his speech therapist. Over time, his speech therapist had removed much of Albert’s fear of public speaking. When the paralyzing fear went away, Albert was able to do what needed to be done.

The day the Holy Spirit brought you to faith in Jesus was the day you didn’t have to be afraid anymore. But the devil hopes you won’t remember that. Satan hopes you’ll stay paralyzed in your old fears, guilt, regrets, and dark memories of past failures. After all, if he can get you to forget what you have in Christ, he’s won the battle for the day.

Today give the devil a bad day. Remember the full forgiveness you possess in the Son of God. Stop and recall that you are a child in God’s family by faith. Take your old fear and have it washed away in the blood of the Lamb.

When you do, then you can live your life free of the old slavery to fear. And you can fluently do the wonderful things God desires for you to do.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, apart from you I am afraid. In you, however, I have nothing to fear. Empower me by your Spirit to remember that. Use me to do your good work. 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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Not Having It Your Way – March 25, 2023

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
Romans 15:1-3

Not Having It Your Way

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Daily Devotion – March 25, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 15:1-3

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“Have it your way.” For over 40 years, Burger King encouraged us to order food the way we want it. It was perhaps a catchy slogan, but Burger King was by no means the only voice in our culture telling us to make ourselves happy. Our society is all about instant, self-gratification. On a daily basis, we are bombarded with messages, commercials, and slogans, all encouraging us to take care of ourselves first and to make ourselves happy.

Sadly, our quest to please ourselves often involves hurting or neglecting others. When we are in the me-first mode, we are generally oblivious to the needs, concerns, and feelings of others. We jump in line first and make others wait. We fail to help those who need it. We vent about our problems but give little attention to the problems of others. Having it our way often means we fail to show Christian love and service to the people God has placed in our lives specifically so we can serve them. The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans chapter 15 that this is not right. Selfish living is not God-pleasing living.

There is a better way. Paul writes, “Even Christ did not please himself.” It’s remarkable to look at Jesus’ life and see the way he was so selfless. Jesus did not live his life to please himself. Instead, he willingly put us first and died on the cross to take our sins away. Because he was so selfless, you and I are forgiven and saved and on the way to heaven through faith in him.

Let the selfless love of Jesus motivate you to be different. Out of love for Jesus, don’t try so hard to have it your way. Rather, as Paul says, “Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for living such a selfless life for me and for willingly giving that life on the cross in my place. Motivate me with your love today to put others first and to serve them as you have served me. 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 What and Why – March 24, 2023

“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he [Jesus] spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
John 9:4-7

The What and Why

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Daily Devotion – March 24, 2023

Devotion based on John 9:4-7

See series: Devotions

Unfortunately, the “what” easily overshadows the “why” in this story.

What Jesus did seems striking: Spiting on the ground to make a little bit of mud. Taking that mud and putting it on a blind’s man eyes. Certainly, Jesus didn’t need these props to do a miracle, as he had performed many miracles by just speaking. There are a couple of possible explanations for the “what.” Two thousand years ago, saliva was believed to have some medicinal function as a type of first aid. So, perhaps, Jesus was using what would have been the popular symbol of his day to indicate that he would provide healing to this man. It also may have been a way for Jesus to reference what God had said to Adam and Eve after they had disobeyed him, “For dust you are and to dust you will return,” and to show a larger connection between this individual miracle and the larger work of God.

While the “what” may grab our attention the “why” is what is really important.

Jesus said he must do the works of him who sent me while it was still day, for night was coming soon. Jesus was there to do the work his Father had for him to do in the time God had given him. Jesus’ mission was to undo the effects of sin, and God had arranged all of time for this purpose. His work could not wait but had to be accomplished.

It is the same “why” in your own story and the same determination with which God works in your life. He is still the light of the world, and he is still working at just the right time and in just the right way. We may have lots of questions about the “what” of our story, but never forget about the “why.”

Prayer:
Lord of all, enable me to do the work you have given me in the time you have given me to do 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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Turning Darkness Into Light – March 23, 2023

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
Isaiah 42:16

Turning Darkness Into Light

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Daily Devotion – March 23, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 42:16

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The dark isn’t so bad if you are familiar with your surroundings. In your own home, not much light is needed to navigate as you know where the steps are and how to avoid running into any furniture.

However, if you are in a strange place, the dark can be paralyzing. If you are not sure what hazards may be in front of you, it’s important to grab a flashlight or flip on a light so you can see where you are going.

God says that he will do a double miracle by leading the blind “by ways they have not known along unfamiliar paths.” He also says that “he will turn the darkness into light” and “make the rough places smooth.”

God did this in the days of Isaiah the prophet as he led those who had been blinded by disobedience and idolatry into captivity and then seventy years later, leading a new generation back to their homes they had never seen. He then did a double miracle by using this captivity and return to “turn their darkness into light” and called the people back from disobedience and idolatry.

God does the same double miracle today. He leads you even when you find yourself in strange and unfamiliar places. Though you may be anxious and uncertain, God is there to guide you with his Word, the Bible, though the path may be unfamiliar. As if that were not enough, God gives light to this dark world by showing us that all our sins are forgiven and that heaven is ours. The good news of his salvation shines a beacon of hope in an otherwise dark world and creates peace and purpose in our lives.

Like being in an unfamiliar place in the dark, this world can be frightening. However, God promises a double miracle to guide us in the dark and give light to our path.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of guidance and the gift of light. 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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Becoming a Light – March 22, 2023

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
Ephesians 5:13

Becoming a Light

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Daily Devotion – March 22, 2023

Devotion based on Ephesians 5:13

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There is a race that governments, universities, and large corporations have invested millions of dollars to win. The challenge is getting rid of stray light to have the most accurate measuring and recording devices in the arts, medicine, and space exploration. The race is on to see who can come up with the “blackest” black. The current leader of this race is a color called Vantablack, and it was created at MIT using carbon nanotubes. Yet, despite the millions of dollars and advanced technologies, Vantablack isn’t perfect as it still reflects 0.005% of all light. And so the race continues for someone to find a way to stop light from being reflected.

The great challenge, of course, is that light naturally wants to reflect. The light from the hallway sneaks through the doorframe to put light in a dark room. The light going around your bedroom window shades is enough to wake you and let you know morning has arrived.

God has called his followers out of darkness into his light by revealing Jesus, who is the light of the world. Jesus shows us how great God’s love is by pointing us to the cross where he paid the price for every one of our sins. Jesus shows us that we have the hope of eternal life by pointing us to his empty tomb where he defeated death. Jesus shows us how we can thank him by illuminated what things are God-pleasing and what are not.

Having brought us into the light, he calls us to do what light naturally does—shine on others. God’s light in our life cannot help but spill out. It is reflected in our words of forgiveness, kindness, and hope. It is bounced back in our actions as we consider the needs of others over the needs of self. It is mirrored as we avoid the deeds of darkness and sin.

Light naturally wants to reflect and turn what it shines on into a light. As we have been brought into the light, may we reflect that light in our lives.

Prayer:
Light of my life, thank you for shining on me that I may shine for others. 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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Not The Only One Who Couldn’t See – March 21, 2023

As [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
John 9:1-3

Not The Only One Who Couldn’t See

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Daily Devotion – March 21, 2023

Devotion based on John 9:1-3

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“What did I do to deserve this?” is a phrase I find myself saying a lot. The car breaks down, the rent goes up, I get passed over for the position I deserve, and I find myself wondering why God is punishing me. I find myself saying something similar when it comes to the misfortune of others. When I see someone else struggling, I find it easy to believe that they have done something to deserve their struggles and I am being spared because I am not as bad as they are.

Jesus’ disciples had similar thoughts when they came upon a man blind from birth. They were certain someone had done something to deserve this punishment of blindness. The only question was whether it was this man or his parents who had committed a sin.

Jesus’ response to his disciples reveals a greater truth about suffering for the Christian: It is not about punishment for sin but about the work of God being revealed in us.

God’s promise is that the sufferings in this life are neither chaos nor punishment for those who believe in him. Instead, God is using all of these things to accomplish his good purposes for us. Sometimes God’s work is subtle, and sometimes it is obvious. Sometimes it is easy to understand, and sometimes it is difficult to understand. All the time though it is God’s good work being displayed.

Jesus would do more than just restore the blind’s man sight; he would use this miracle to draw the man closer to himself. This wasn’t some punishment for sin but God’s work being on full display in his life. As we suffer in this life, the same is true for us. It is not God’s punishment to us, but he is working it all for our good and his glory.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, assure me that as a believer the events of this life are not your punishment upon me, but rather your mercy working personally for me. 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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Two Kinds of Blindness – March 20, 2023

As he [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. . . “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. . . Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
John 9:1,7,35-38

Two Kinds of Blindness

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Daily Devotion – March 20, 2023

Devotion based on John 9:1,7,35-38

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The blind man had never seen a sunset or a flower bloom in the Spring. He had never seen the faces of the people who loved him or looked out at the vastness of the sea. He had heard these things described with words, but having been blind from birth, he had never seen them with his own eyes until the day he met Jesus. Jesus took away his blindness, and for the first time in his life, he saw.

The blind man had never seen the Son of Man. He had never watched him preach from a boat in the Sea of Galilea or looked with amazement as he performed miracles. He had heard of the “Son of Man” through prophets Ezekiel and Daniel. They had written about how he would be someone sent from God to bring restoration to his people. However, he didn’t know who this “Son of Man” would be until he met Jesus, and his eyes were opened to see the fulfillment of all of God’s prophecies.

Jesus was there that day to cure two kinds of blindness. He was there to cure the man’s physical blindness so that he might see and to cure his spiritual blindness so that he might see Jesus as his Savior.

Jesus is still curing blindness today. Through his words, he continues to show himself to be the Son of Man who brings restoration to his people and salvation for the world. Jesus still causes men and women around the world to see that he is Savior so that they might worship him.

Prayer:
Gracious God, thank you for saving me from the blindness of unbelief. 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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Inconceivable Love – March 19, 2023

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8,9

Inconceivable Love

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Daily Devotion – March 19, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 55:8,9

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When my family first moved overseas, much of the new culture didn’t make sense to me. Their way of thinking was so foreign to me that I couldn’t always understand why they acted the way they did. With time, however, living among our new neighbors, I realized that they weren’t so different after all—they were human beings like me who grew up in a different setting, a different environment, and they behaved accordingly.

In the end, we really should be able to empathize with just about any other person we meet. Studies indicate that we share 99.9% of our DNA in common with all other human beings. The main reason that we can’t get along or see things from the other person’s perspective is that we don’t want to. We want to believe that somehow, we’re better, that our thinking is superior. And that goes for clashes between cultures, countries, and couples.

But what if the person we’re trying to understand is God? Why does he allow suffering? Why does he seem to bless those who do evil? Why does he sometimes take the people we love long before we think it’s time? Because sin and selfishness blind us, much of what God does is incomprehensible to us.

How fortunate for us that his ways are not our ways! Instead of punishing us, on the cross of Jesus, God did “what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived” (1 Corinthians 2:9). God the mighty Creator died for his sinful creatures. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, the debt of everyone’s sin has been paid in full. All who turn to Jesus and trust in him as their Savior are blessed with the peace of forgiveness.

It is not the way of sinful people to freely pardon. It is not the thinking of selfish people to graciously show mercy to enemies. But oh, what a blessed truth: God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and his ways are not our ways!

Prayer:
Father in heaven, I never could imagine that you would love me as much as you do. Teach me to understand your ways so that I might share them with others. In Jesus, I pray. 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 Only Peace That Matters – March 18, 2023

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1

The Only Peace That Matters

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Daily Devotion – March 18, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 5:1

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A wealthy man wanted to have a painting that captured the ultimate picture of peace. Many artists entered their paintings. They all made noble attempts at putting down on canvass what peace really was. Some featured a mirror-smooth lake. Others featured quiet trees under a soft evening sky. Still others featured a grassy meadow where a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed.

The winning picture, however, had none of that. On the contrary, it contained elements that were not peaceful at all. An angry waterfall hurled itself down a rocky cliff. Overhead, dark clouds were beginning to explode with lightning, wind, and rain. Everywhere in this picture, there were signs of danger, menace, and trouble.

But there was something else. Near the middle of the picture, a small, frail tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the falls itself. And there, in the elbow of that single branch, a bird had built a nest. Her little ones were asleep, content, and undisturbed under the shelter of her wings.

In this life, peace is not the absence of trouble or turmoil. After all, we live in a fallen, broken world, and by nature, you and I are fallen, broken people. Unexpected storms, sudden grief, and jarring disappointment will be with us until the day we die.

But there is something else. There is Jesus. There is God’s forgiveness of our sins for the sake of his Son. And along with that forgiveness comes the Lord’s promise to shelter us in every storm, every trouble, every moment of turmoil.

That’s real peace. That’s the only peace that matters. That is the peace under which you and I can rest, content and undisturbed.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, through faith in your Son, you have given me full forgiveness. You have also sheltered me in every storm. Remind me that, in you, we have nothing to fear. 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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Where can I get this water? – March 17, 2023

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” . . . The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
John 4:15,25,26

Where can I get this water?

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Daily Devotion – March 17, 2023

Devotion based on John 4:15,25,26

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Her interest was piqued as Jesus revealed her deepest secrets and talked about living water for her thirsting soul. So the Samaritan woman Jesus had met at the town well asked, “Where can I get this water?”

Jesus answered, “I am he.” He is the source of eternal life. He gives relief from sin and shame. It’s relief that lasts.

Where can you and I get this living water? Jesus takes us to concrete places to find this steady stream of living water. The Bible, the Word of God, is pictured as water. Through it, we find life because it’s more than just a book. It is the power of God from which his love and forgiveness flow freely.

You can also find this living water through the water of baptism. There water is applied in connection with Jesus’ Word, and God floods you with his full and free love and connects you to Jesus, the eternal life source. If you haven’t been baptized, it’s not too late. Find this living water in the waters of baptism. If you have been baptized, know that what God did and promised through your baptism has not dried up. No matter how messy life has been, there’s no stain Jesus can’t wash away. In Jesus, through his Word and baptism, we find living water in abundance.

Prayer:
Jesus, every day lead me to you to find comfort and relief that lasts. 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 gushing spring of living water! – March 16, 2023

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water . . . Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:10,13,14

A gushing spring of living water!

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Daily Devotion – March 16, 2023

Devotion based on John 4:10,13,14

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A person who has felt the guilt of a specific sin or ongoing struggle with temptation may say or at least think, “If people really knew me, how could they love me?” Maybe something like that ran through the Samaritan woman’s mind as she first encountered Jesus, but then she discovered that Jesus really did know her. The truth was out in the open!

But then Jesus flips that thought and says, “If you really knew me… If you knew who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” A guilt-ridden soul thinks, “If people really knew me, they’d run in the other direction.” Jesus, true God, really does know us to the core, but he doesn’t run away! He offers living water—the kind that quenches the deepest spiritual thirst caused by guilt and shame. This water doesn’t dry up or just keep you going for the day. This water gives eternal life.

Picture a desert where water is scarce. You have to dig down deep to find water that is essential for physical life. Now picture a gushing spring of water. It bubbles up and spills over; there’s an endless supply. That’s the picture Jesus paints for a spiritually thirsty soul beside a well. This living water that Jesus gives is not a shallow pool or babbling brook. It’s gushing over in an endless supply.

Jesus gives us more than just a sip of this living water, more than a drop on a thirsty tongue. It’s an endless fountain of God’s love and forgiveness, gushing over. That fountain never runs dry because the living water that Jesus gives is eternal life.

Prayer:
Jesus, meet me beside the waters of your Word where I find relief from the guilt of sin and the refreshing flood of your forgiveness. 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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Thirsting for acceptance. – March 15, 2023

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
John 4:9,10

Thirsting for acceptance.

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Daily Devotion – March 15, 2023

Devotion based on John 4:9,10

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He simply asked her for a drink of water, and suddenly the true thirst spilled out. “How can you ask me for a drink?” She was shocked that Jesus would talk to her before she even knew who Jesus really was. She recognized that Jesus was a Jewish man. Jews looked down on Samaritans because they were not full-blooded Jews. On top of that, Jesus revealed that this woman had been married five times, and the man she was currently with was not her husband.

Jesus exposed her real spiritual thirst by simply asking for a drink of water. She thirsted for love and acceptance, but she was looking in all the wrong places to quench that thirst. We might seek approval from peers or acceptance through a relationship that becomes more important than a relationship with God. Our world has a twisted view of love and acceptance and looks for it in all the wrong places.

But Jesus cared about this woman enough to have a deep and tough conversation. And his end goal wasn’t to crush and reject her; it was to reveal himself as the solution to her sin, the living water to wash away her sin and quench her thirsty soul. She knew rejection and what it was like to be looked down on. But she had never been loved like that, like only God can love, until she met her Savior, Jesus.

Jesus cares about you enough to come to you in his Word and to meet a deeper thirst that nothing in all the world could ever quench. Jesus quenches our thirst for love and acceptance, not by downplaying sin, but by forgiving it completely. By washing it away in an unending flood of his love and acceptance.

Prayer:
Jesus, meet me beside the waters of your Word so that I may find the kind of love and acceptance that only comes from 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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He knows our thirst. – March 14, 2023

Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”
John 4:6,7

He knows our thirst.

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Daily Devotion – March 14, 2023

Devotion based on John 4:6,7

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Can God truly know what I’m feeling? Is God in tune with what is going on in our world? Maybe at times, we’ve misunderstood God as a distant deity disconnected from the average human’s experience. But Jesus steps into human history, and he shatters that false assumption.

Maybe it seems like a minute detail in the true story told in John chapter 4—Jesus was tired. He asked for a drink of water. Jesus understood being physically tired, worn out, and thirsty because he experienced it all. Even more, he understood being worn out and thirsty on a deeper, spiritual level.

As true God, Jesus knows us intimately. But to prove he’s not a distant God, he became a real man with flesh and blood to experience pain and thirst and even temptation—yet he never sinned. But he still thirsted.

Jesus sat down by a well, thirsty and tired from his journey, and there he encountered a woman thirsty and tired in more ways than one. And God himself asked her for a drink of water. How ordinary and disarming is God’s approach! And in this way, he shows his extraordinary love for every human being.

By the well, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” On the cross, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” He was literally thirsty, but on the cross, he suffered the agony of God’s crushing punishment, and it parched his very being. He thirsted for relief from his Father in heaven. He knows what we’re going through, and he did something about it! Jesus’ rest beside the well and visit with that woman was a pitstop along the way to his cross, where he would experience something that he wanted no other human to experience—punishment for sin. From his wounds flowed forgiveness and peace for every thirsting soul.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for approaching me in gentleness and love and with your almighty power to rescue me from sin’s curse. 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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We need water! – March 13, 2023

So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”
Exodus 17:2

We need water!

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Daily Devotion – March 13, 2023

Devotion based on Exodus 17:2

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Have you ever been dying of thirst? We might use that phrase when we are really parched on a hot summer day, but it’s no joke. A hiker ventures out into the desert, not even that far, and if he hasn’t carried enough water, he could literally be dying of thirst.

God’s people, the Israelites, were led out into the desert by God and through Moses, God’s appointed leader. God had just rescued them from brutal slavery in Egypt and was leading them to the Promised Land. But now they had run out of water. Sadly, rather than trusting in God to meet their need, they complained to Moses and God.

God demonstrated his patient love for them. He had Moses strike a rock with his staff, and water flowed! God provided water in the middle of the desert. God quenched their thirst.

God, in his love, quenches thirst. When our physical needs are met, when we have cozy homes, and nourished bodies, when our physical thirst is quenched, it can be easy to stop there and think, “What more could I need.” So many in our world are lost in a desert of sin and unbelief and dying of spiritual thirst—thirst for answers, for acceptance, for purpose. The problem is when we look in the wrong places to have that spiritual thirst quenched—the well runs dry. The danger of spiritual dehydration is eternal death.

God provided literal water for thirsty travelers in a miraculous way. In a miraculous way, God quenches our spiritual thirst through his Word. God may not scratch our every curiosity in life, but he does quench our thirsty souls. Our thirst for answers to life’s big questions, like “What will happen after this life?” He answers this with an empty cross and empty tomb—Jesus died for you and rose for you; heaven is yours! Our thirst for acceptance is quenched by God’s forgiveness and assurance that we are his children. This thirst-quenching, life-giving water doesn’t flow from some rock. It flows from God himself, from Jesus Christ, who is true God.

Prayer:
Lord, when all my physical needs are met by your blessing, even then, lead me beside the life-giving waters of your Word and quench my thirsty soul with your love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. 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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Thankful for Permanent Peace – March 12, 2023

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1

Thankful for Permanent Peace

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Daily Devotion – March 12, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 5:1

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Earthly peace is elusive. Leaders of nations sign treaties to establish foundations on which peaceful relations can be built. Too often, however, treaties are broken, and the peace they sought to establish is lost.

As wonderful as earthly peace is, it is not the kind of peace we need most. We need peace with God, which is something sin took away. Sin brought strife between God and people. This strife is most evident in troubled consciences. It’s also reflected in the conflicts that exist between people everywhere.

To establish earthly peace, the involved parties must often give up something or contribute something. By contrast, there is nothing that we could give up or contribute to establish a peace treaty with God. Our sins alienated us so far from God that such a treaty could never be ratified.

God, however, did what we could not do. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans: “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Through the redemption that came by his own Son, God brought to the peace treaty table everything he needed to sign the treaty with us. Jesus’ blood blotted out our guilt. He arose from the grave to announce God’s peace. Through Jesus, true peace is ours forever! Oh, give thanks to the Lord!

Prayer:
O Jesus, by shedding your precious blood, you bought me back from the eternal destruction I deserved for my sin. Praise and thanks to you, my Savior, for establishing peace between me and God and giving me the gift of everlasting life! 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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Only One Way – March 11, 2023

It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
Romans 4:13-16

Only One Way

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Daily Devotion – March 11, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 4:13-16

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“There is more than one way to skin a cat.” The origins of this English saying are uncertain, but the meaning is clear. There is more than one way to achieve an aim. There is more than one approach to solving a problem. There is more than one way to get from A to B. Whatever you are trying to do, there are alternate ways of doing it; if plan A fails, one goes to plan B, and so on.

While this may be true in many earthly endeavors, the apostle Paul makes it clear that it is not true when it comes to heaven and eternal life.

For example, if you could get to heaven following God’s laws, the “more than one way” axiom would be true. One person could choose plan A, another plan B, and so on. However, the law does not bring life; the law brings wrath. That’s because where there is law, there is sin, and where there is sin, there is condemnation. The way of the law as a means of righteousness and eternal life does not and cannot work. That leaves us with only one way.

And what a beautiful way it is! The promise comes by faith. Righteousness comes by faith. These are beautiful words: by grace… guaranteed… to all!

The righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus is the way for all. It is the only way for all.

That is not a limiting truth; it’s a liberating truth. You are free from doubt, worry, and uncertainty concerning your eternal future. You are free to rejoice, worship, serve, and live. Free, through Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Help me cut off every thought and philosophy that suggests there is another way from me to you, from earth to heaven. May I rejoice in you always! 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 Need for Understanding -March 10, 2023

“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:10-17

The Need for Understanding

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Daily Devotion – March 10, 2023

Devotion based on John 3:10-17

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Nicodemus was a religious leader in Israel and a teacher of the people. He should have understood what was going on when Jesus came, but he did not understand because he did not realize that Jesus came from heaven.

When we realize the basic fact that Jesus is the Son of God from all eternity who came from heaven to earth and became a human being, we begin to understand.

When Jesus was lifted up on a cross, it did not look good. It was hard to understand how anything helpful might be happening. But there was a time when Moses lifted up a statue of a serpent on a pole, and the people who looked at it were saved from death.

Now a similar thing happens. Jesus was lifted up on a cross. His suffering there paid the punishment for our sins. Everyone who looks to him in faith will receive eternal life. It’s tough to understand, but Jesus came from heaven to accomplish and explain it.

We need to understand. God arranged everything because he loved us. Jesus did not come to condemn us because of our lack of understanding. Instead, he came from heaven to save us.

Prayer:
Lord, give me the understanding of your great love and keep me safe all the way to eternal life. 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 Need for Baptism – March 9, 2023

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
John 3:5,6

The Need for Baptism

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Daily Devotion – March 9, 2023

Devotion based on John 3:5,6

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The man talking to Jesus was confused. How do you enter the kingdom of God?

Jesus explained that people enter the kingdom of God when they are baptized. Baptism is not just plain water but water used by God’s command and connected with God’s Word, which is how the Holy Spirit does his work. Because baptism is like starting over in life, Jesus compares it to being born. Jesus was telling the man that he needed to be baptized.

You need to be baptized too. Baptism gives you forgiveness for your sins, and you need forgiveness.

You need to be baptized. Baptism makes you holy, cleansing you by the washing with water through the word. Without holiness you cannot enter heaven, where everything is holy.

You need to be baptized. Baptism clothes you with Christ. When you are wearing the spiritual clothes of Christ, the only man who has ever lived a holy life, you appear holy in the eyes of God the Father, and he welcomes you into his kingdom.

You need to be baptized. Baptism makes you a child of God, a member of his family. With baptism you can call God your Father, and you can depend on his Son, Jesus Christ, your brother.

You need to be baptized. Baptism connects you to the death of Jesus, and that payment for your sins on the cross is exactly what you need to go through death and enter eternal life in heaven.

You need to be baptized. Baptism saves you, not because it removes dirt from your body, but because it connects you to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and gives you a clear conscience.

You need to be baptized!

Prayer:
Let me always, Lord, remember that the water and the Word bear your never-failing promise: my salvation is assured. 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 Need for Righteousness – March 8, 2023

It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
Romans 4:13

The Need for Righteousness

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Daily Devotion – March 8, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 4:13

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A Mormon woman who had become Lutheran took me to the apartment where the two young Mormon men on their mission were staying. We had a nice discussion. The young men mentioned the “gospel” a few times. I asked them what they thought the “gospel” was. They replied, “The gospel is the set of laws the heavenly Father gave us to show us how to get to heaven.”

Mormons aren’t the only people who think the gospel is a set of laws. Abraham and his offspring were given special laws by the Lord, and it would have been easy for them to think that following those laws would get them to heaven. But even the promise that the Savior would come from the line of Abraham was not given because Abraham and his offspring would keep those special laws.

Religions around the world have each devised their own set of laws for pleasing God or getting to heaven. None of them work. Getting to heaven does not happen through obeying God’s law. Getting to heaven happens through the righteousness that comes by faith.

What does “the righteousness that comes by faith” mean? “The righteousness” is the perfect life of Jesus, the only person who has ever lived a perfect life good enough to get to heaven. “Comes by faith” means that whoever believes in Jesus has his perfect life credited to them as a gift.

The gospel is not a set of laws. It is not through the law that you receive the promise of salvation. The gospel is a promise. You are going to heaven through the righteousness that comes by faith.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 405)
On my heart imprint your image, blessed Jesus, King of grace,
that life’s riches, cares, and pleasures have no power to hide your face.
Let the clear inscription be: Jesus, crucified for me,
Is my life, my hope’s foundation, and my glory and salvation. 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 Need for Faith – March 7, 2023

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
Romans 4:1-5

The Need for Faith

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Daily Devotion – March 7, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 4:1-5

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You might think that God likes people who do good things. God is definitely in favor of good things. He is the one who tells us what is good and what is bad, and he also clearly tells us that he wants us to do the good things and refrain from doing the bad things.

But you are missing something very important if you think that your reward is heaven because you do good things. Good things do deserve a reward, but for the reward to be heaven, you have to do the good things perfectly every moment of your life.

Only Jesus has done that. He did all the good things and refrained from doing all the bad things every moment of his life. But rather than taking the reward of heaven, he suffered the punishment of hell and then declared that the righteous life he lived would be the ticket to heaven for everyone who believes in him.

In the Bible reference for today, we hear that Abraham did good things. He went to heaven, but not because of those good things. Abraham believed in the promised Savior, and even before that Savior arrived, God said that Abraham was righteous and could go to heaven, not because of what he did, but through faith in Jesus.

It works the same way for you. God doesn’t try to figure out whether you have done enough good things to be called godly or ungodly. He knows that his Son, Jesus, has done enough, and when you believe in Jesus, that faith is credited to you as righteousness.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me your righteousness. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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A Gift to the World – March 6, 2023

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:1-3

A Gift to the World

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Daily Devotion – March 6, 2023

Devotion based on Genesis 12:1-3

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The Lord asked Abram to move away from his extended family to a brand-new country, a place where he had never been, a place that God did not even identify at first.

Abram could probably have made quite a long list of things he needed. There were so many uncertainties. He had to have a way to survive, to support his immediate family, and make a new home.

God was undoubtedly aware of those needs. But he was looking out longer than the next couple of years. Abram would be blessed, and his reputation would be good. If people were against him, they would be cursed. Abram’s descendants would become a great nation.

Those are amazing promises! Then God made a promise even more amazing. He said that all peoples on earth would be blessed through Abram.

God saw beyond Abram’s immediate needs to the future needs of the entire world. He knew that everyone in the world would need a Savior from sin and death. So he planned that the Savior, Jesus, would be a descendant of Abram, a blessing to the entire world.

God knows that you have immediate needs. He promises to bless you and take care of you. Then he looks to your more far-reaching needs, like forgiveness of sins and salvation, and he provides you a gift in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. That gift is for all people on earth. That gift is for you.

Prayer:
Lord, help me when I am consumed by my immediate needs, and lift my eyes to the cross of Jesus, where you took care of my needs 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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Faith Trusts God – March 5, 2023

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram left, as the Lord had told him.
Genesis 12:1-4

Faith Trusts God

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Daily Devotion – March 5, 2023

Devotion based on Genesis 12:1-4

See series: Devotions

How many times have you moved in your life? Often there are many worries, anxieties, and fears that accompany moving to a new place. Abram likely experienced many of these feelings when the Lord called him to leave home.

Yet “Abram left.” Driven by God’s great promises, he did what the Lord told him. God in his undeserved love had chosen Abram. Of all people, the Lord came to Abram and promised to make him into a great nation, to bless him, and to make his name great. Those who showed kindness to Abram would be rewarded with blessing, and those who showed hostility would be cursed. Ultimately, God promised to bless all people through him. Moved by God, Abram obeyed.

When we look at Jesus, we see how God fulfilled this promise to Abram and to us. Through his Son, God has blessed all the peoples on earth. The curse of sin that came to all people through Adam has been replaced by the righteousness won for us by Jesus. Faith trusts what God says is true.

Faith also leads us to obey God’s commands. What crossroads lie ahead in your life? What challenges do you face in your walk with Jesus? How does God ask you to follow him on a daily basis? As you answer these questions in your own life, consider the example of Abram. By grace, he trusted in God’s undeserved love for him and willingly did what God told him.

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, you have blessed all people through the life and death of your Son, Jesus Christ. Moved by the forgiveness of sins and your promise of life eternal, help me to trust in you as I face the challenges and temptations of my everyday life. 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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