Month: June 2021

We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Fix Your Eyes

Daily Devotion – June 13, 2021

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

See series: Devotions

When the apostle Paul wrote that his troubles were light and temporary, it sounds like he had a common cold or maybe a headache. But listen to some of the things he was talking about. He wrote, “three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked,” etc. Nothing light or temporary there. Eventually, he would end up being imprisoned and martyred for his faith. Light and temporary? No. But Paul was comparing the troubles he had on earth with the glory that would be his in heaven.

The joys of heaven, won for us by Jesus, are so amazing that the things we suffer here are light and temporary by comparison. Most of us have not been through all the things that Paul went through. Still, there are times when we could sit down and make quite a list. They may not look as bad as Paul’s problems, but they are OUR problems and concern us greatly.

Paul’s advice to us on those days is pretty amazing, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen.” How can you fix your eyes on something you can’t see? He is impressing on us the truth that no matter how bad things may be in our lives now, they will come to an end someday. Like Paul, we don’t lose heart because no matter how complicated and difficult life may become, we can fix our eyes on the joy and peace that we know are waiting for us in heaven through Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of eternal life with you in heaven. When life here gets difficult, help me fix my eyes on that goal and never lose heart. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:8,9

Strength to Endure

Daily Devotion – June 12, 2021

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 4:8,9

See series: Devotions

It was not easy being the apostle Paul. Wherever he went to tell other people about Jesus, he inevitably faced violent opposition. Repeatedly he was thrown in prison and people tried to kill him. From the Jewish authorities, he received thirty-nine lashes on five separate occasions. From the Romans, he received three beatings with rods. Forty men once vowed that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. And on top of all this, he was shipwrecked three times, was constantly on the move, and often went without sleep or food. All this Paul suffered because he was a follower of Jesus. He most certainly was “hard pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted, struck down.”

Yet, even in all this suffering, Paul did not lose hope. It’s not that he expected God to relieve him of his suffering. No, he knew that as long as he remained on this earth, he would continue to be hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and even struck down. Yet, he knew that none of those sufferings would ever be able to completely defeat him. There was one who was crushed and abandoned for him and for all people. That one was Jesus, and in him, Paul held both ultimate victory over all his enemies and the strength to endure all his sufferings.

Jesus was his strength. Even when he became discouraged, Paul did not slide into despair. Jesus was his sure hope. In the midst of the most savage persecution, Paul knew that he would never be alone. Jesus had promised to be with him always. Even if his enemies succeeded in striking him down, Paul knew that he would not be destroyed. Jesus was his life, and in him, Paul would live forever.

When the pressure seems too much for you and you’re struggling to stand up under it, remember where your strength lies. It lies, not in you, but in Jesus who was crushed and abandoned for you. In him, you hold both ultimate victory over all your enemies and the strength to endure until he takes you to heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, uphold me with your strength so that in you I may always stand. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

“I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable.”
Acts 26:25

Stand Strong

Daily Devotion – June 11, 2021

Devotion based on Acts 26:25

See series: Devotions

Some of the central teachings of Christianity are these: God became a human being in Jesus. He lived, died, and rose from the dead. And he promises to come back to resurrect our bodies and renew all of creation.

Such teachings seem illogical, unreasonable, even insane. The Almighty God shouldn’t be able to become human. Dead humans stay dead. And this world seems like it is headed towards decomposition, not renewal. These teachings make no sense to our human reason.

That’s what the Roman governor, Festus, thought as he listened to the apostle Paul explain Christianity. Paul testified that Jesus is the Messiah who suffered death and rose again to save all people, even the governor. The governor responded, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane” (Acts 26:24).

But Paul didn’t back down. He had met the resurrected Jesus on his way to Damascus. He had been changed by God’s grace and convinced that it was his life’s mission to preach this message to all people no matter who they were or how they responded.

Perhaps some of the things Christianity teaches seem strange or even insane to you. If so, you’re not alone. But what we think about those teachings does not make them any less true.

Jesus is true God. He really did rise from the dead, and he is coming back again. In his wisdom, Jesus made the unreasonable reasonable and the impossible possible. He did it so that he could make all things new, including you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, give me faith to trust what your Word tells me. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:31

Faith or Facts

Daily Devotion – June 10, 2021

Devotion based on John 20:31

See series: Devotions

Is the Christian faith blind faith? What I mean is, do Christians believe without looking at the evidence? Or, to say it another way, is faith in opposition to knowing facts?

At first glance, that’s the kind of Christianity that Jesus seems to have been advocating when he spoke to his disciple, Thomas. After Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas demanded to see Jesus’ scarred hands and side before he would believe. When Jesus showed up and let him touch his hands and feet, he scolded Thomas, saying, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). So was Jesus saying that we are more blessed if we just thoughtlessly follow whatever Christianity says?

Not exactly. The writer John says in the next verse, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30,31). Did you catch that? John recorded a number of Jesus’ miracles so that we would believe that Jesus is the Christ. John was saying that Jesus gave all of us, including Thomas, plenty of “signs” that revealed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.

Faith is not against facts. The reality is we have more than enough facts about Jesus to believe. We have the facts of hundreds of Old Testament prophecies that were all fulfilled in Jesus. We have the facts of Jesus’ miracles and signs that convinced his early followers. And we have the facts of Jesus’ resurrection that emboldened almost all his apostles to give up their lives for him.

We have enough facts about Jesus. Trust that these facts are true.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me all I need to trust you in this life and the life to come. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20

Fear of Death

Daily Devotion – June 9, 2021

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 15:20

See series: Devotions

Death is the one experience that all humans share, and yet it is the one topic that we seem to avoid. Why is that? I believe it is because it is the one problem that we haven’t been able to solve. We might be able to stop cancer from spreading. We might be able to stop a virus from multiplying. But we can’t stop death, and that can be terrifying. So instead of facing the hopeless situation, we ignore it.

But I have good news. Jesus really did pass through death ahead of us and came out on the other side. He not only conquered death for himself but now gives his victory to us as a gift. The apostle Paul says it this way, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). In other words, just like the first human, Adam died because of sin. We all die because we have all sinned. But in Jesus, we will all be made alive. We will all come out the other side of death by being resurrected on the Last Day.

How can we be so sure of our resurrection? Paul calls Jesus the “firstfruits” of the resurrection. The first fruits on the vine are a promise that there is more crop to come. Jesus’ resurrection is a promise that what happened to Jesus is what will happen to all of us to follow him. That’s why Paul goes on to say, “Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him” (1 Corinthians 15:23).

Our biggest problem, the one we couldn’t solve, has been destroyed by Jesus. God has given us victory over death through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That means we don’t need to be afraid of death. We can still grieve when we lose a loved one. We can still have our concerns. But let us not avoid death because of fear or hopelessness. “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you won the victory over sin and death. Lead me to trust in your resurrection and look forward to the day you return to resurrect my body. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:22

The Resurrection

Daily Devotion – June 8, 2021

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 15:22

See series: Devotions

Did you know that the goal of Christianity is not just for a person’s soul to go to heaven when they die? Yes, when Christians die, their souls are with Christ. But that is not the final goal. The Bible promises that one day, their bodies will be raised back to life to be reunited with their souls.

Maybe that is new information for you. Maybe you have never heard about the resurrection of your body. And maybe you struggle to see the importance of the resurrection of our bodies. If you feel that way, you are not alone. There were some Christians in the first century who didn’t believe in the resurrection of the body or at least didn’t see its importance.

So the apostle Paul wrote to these Christians explaining the connection between Jesus’ resurrection on Easter and our final resurrection when Jesus returns. He said, “But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? . . . For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:12,16-17).

Paul is stringing together a few powerful ideas. If dead bodies cannot be raised back to life, then Jesus didn’t rise from the dead. And if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then we are still stuck in our sins because it is Jesus’ resurrection that proves he paid for our sins.

If this is new information for you, I want to encourage you to expand your understanding and belief in God’s great rescue plan. Jesus died and rose again. And what happened to Jesus will happen to all of his followers. One day they will be raised from the dead. They will have transformed bodies and will dwell in a transformed world. That means death is not the end. For followers of Jesus, their best days are yet to come!

Prayer:
Open my eyes to believe in your great rescue mission. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

“Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
John 20:25

Stop Doubting and Believe

Daily Devotion – June 7, 2021

Devotion based on John 20:25

See series: Devotions

One of the most remarkable characteristics of the Bible is that it tells even the embarrassing stories of its heroes. For example, one of Jesus’ closest followers, named Thomas, doubted that Jesus rose from the dead. Thomas told the other disciples, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).

I appreciate that John recorded Thomas’s moment of doubt because I have been there myself. I have doubted that Christianity was true, that Jesus rose from the dead, and that God cares about me now and in the life to come.

How about you? Have you ever found yourself demanding more evidence? Have you ever thought, Unless God does something special to prove that he really exists and cares for me, I will not believe?

Surprisingly, Jesus responded to Thomas’s doubt by visiting him in person. Jesus told him, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27).

And he did. Thomas stopped doubting and believed that Jesus was his living Lord. Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

Now maybe you are thinking, Well, that’s great for Thomas. He overcame his doubts because he got to see Jesus. But how am I supposed to overcome my doubts?

The writer John tells us. He said that “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). In other words, we overcome our doubts as we read the words of the Bible. Through the Word of God, Jesus shows up in our lives in a similar way that he showed up for Thomas. The words in the Bible are not just simple letters on a page, they are living words coming from our living Savior.

Put your finger in your Bible. See it. Reach out your hand, turn its pages and meditate on God’s story for you. Stop doubting and believe.

Prayer:
Lord, I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
Matthew 13:45,46

Our Precious Pearl

Daily Devotion – June 6, 2021

Devotion based on Matthew 13:45,46

See series: Devotions

At the time in which Jesus lived, pearls were considered extremely precious. Incredible amounts of wealth were offered for rare, perfectly shaped, and colored naturally produced pearls. The merchant in Jesus’ parable was an expert on pearl quality. He searched long and hard to find the perfect pearl. How many he discarded in his search, we are not told, but finally, he came upon one of pure excellence. That one precious pearl, he recognized, was worth more to him than the sum of all of his possessions.

That’s the point of Jesus’ story. The kingdom of God is worth more than anything and everything we have and hold in our life. Our earthly possessions are temporal; heavenly possessions are eternal. Our earthly wealth is fleeting; heavenly wealth is enduring. Temporal belongings deteriorate; God’s spiritual blessings continue to benefit. Life can be burdensome; in Christ, the burden of sin is lifted. Now things can get confusing and unsettling; Jesus gives us the peace that the world cannot give.

Remember this the next time you are tempted to allow the things of this world to become more important to you than your relationship with Jesus. Remember what is truly valuable!

Prayer:
Jesus, precious Savior, Teach me to value most highly the eternal blessings that you won for me by your life and death. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

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

Confrontation

Daily Devotion – June 5, 2021

Devotion based on Romans 8:15

See series: Devotions

For the past two years, Rebekah Gregory has had nightmares. She has had good reasons to have them.

In 2013, Rebekah was standing near the finish line at the Boston Marathon. A man with a heavy backpack was standing close to her. At one point the backpack even brushed up against her. It was the backpack that contained a homemade bomb.

Minutes later, the bomb went off. The blast threw Rebekah backwards. Her body was in tatters. She remembers an emergency responder telling her she was going to be okay and then yelling, “We have an amputee.”

Rebekah went to the sentencing phase for the surviving Boston bomber. She entered the courtroom. As she took the stand to tell her account, she was also, for the first time, looking into the eyes of the man who had brought so much horror into her life.

After she gave her testimony, a powerful thing happened. As she later wrote, she realized she “wasn’t afraid anymore.” For Rebekah, her confrontation with the bomber was just what she needed for her fear to go away.

Because of our sin, we live in a world soaked in fear. In such an environment, fear can easily become our master. Painful episodes from our past can haunt us in the present. Anxiety over what others think of us can dominate our thoughts. Uncertainties about everything from finances and family to our job and health can poison our minds with dread.

And that’s why Jesus came. When our Champion arrived on this earth, however, he did not just look at the source of our fear in the face. He crushed it by taking the entire toxic mess upon himself and paying for it in full at the cross.

It comes as no surprise that the phrase, “Don’t be afraid,” is a repeated directive from our God throughout the Bible. He’s trying to tell us that because Jesus has already confronted and crushed the source of our fears, you and I don’t have to be afraid anymore.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, the ultimate source of my fear is sin. Through your death and resurrection, the source of my fear is now gone. By your Spirit, move me to remember this. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (CSB)
John 3:16

Evidence of Love

Daily Devotion – June 4, 2021

Devotion based on John 3:16

See series: Devotions

How can you tell if someone truly loves you? Is it enough if that person simply says, “I love you?” Or would you like to see more evidence of their love than just those words? No one can deny the importance of hearing someone say, “I love you.” But far more powerful and meaningful are actions that demonstrate the love that the person says they have for you.

Part of the reason that actions demonstrate love much better than words is that it’s harder to fake sincerity through actions. People often say things they do not mean. How many politicians’ promises do you really trust they will keep? And a person’s actions can easily contradict the words that they say. But if someone willingly sacrifices themself to serve you, you have more powerful evidence of their love than mere words could ever give.

The triune God tells us repeatedly in the Bible that he loves you. And, since God cannot lie, those words truly would have been enough to convince us of his love, even if he had done nothing else. But God wasn’t content just to tell us that he loves us. He also demonstrated his love for us in the most powerful way possible.

Here is how God demonstrated his love for us: He gave his one and only Son. He sent his Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life in our place. On the cross, he punished his Son, Jesus, instead of punishing you, me, and every other sinner who has ever lived. He willingly sacrificed his Son as the perfect payment for the sins of the world. And he did all this so that everyone who believes in his Son will live with him forever.

God’s giving of his Son provides us with clear and incontrovertible evidence of his incredible love for us. The triune God truly does love you. Both his words and his actions prove it.

Prayer:
O triune God, thank you for demonstrating your love for me through the giving of your Son. Amen.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.