Month: October 2021

[Jesus said] “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.”
Matthew 18:15

Do Not Be a Turtle

Daily Devotion – October 3, 2021

Devotion based on Matthew 18:15

See series: Devotions

The other morning I was walking my dog. We came across a large snapping turtle. Even though it could have inflicted much pain on my dog, this snapping turtle wanted nothing to do with my pet. It withdrew its limbs and head into its shell. When we had continued our walk down the road a ways, the turtle finally came out from its shell.

When we see someone struggling with a sin, our first reaction might be to play turtle and withdraw into a shell. It is so much easier to look the other way. After all, we are to live and let live, right? Wrong! Sin affects a person’s relationship with God. It separates the sinner from God. If never repented of, sin can lead to hell forever.

When people are caught in a sin, we are to go to them in humility and love. We are to gently show them their sin and lead them to confess it. But then we are to share the good news! “Jesus died for you. His death has paid for all of your sins. You are forgiven.” As people believe our message, we will have won them over. The angels in heaven will sing for joy!

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for taking all my sins away by your Son’s death on the cross. When others are caught in sin’s sticky web, give me the courage and love so I can be your tool to lead them back to you. 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.

Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Isaiah 35:4,5

A Bad Week

Daily Devotion – October 2, 2021

Devotion based on Isaiah 35:4,5

See series: Devotions

Have you ever had one of those weeks when everything in life just seems to go wrong? Monday morning starts with a flat tire, and you are late for work. On Wednesday, you find out that the company you work for is preparing to downsize. Then your 7-year-old wakes you up in the middle of the night with the flu. The week is just the pits.

God’s people were having a very bad week. Their lives were imperiled by a powerful army that threatened their city. The situation seemed hopeless. But God sent a message to his people through the prophet Isaiah, “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.’” God fulfilled his promised to come to the aid of his people. The angel of the Lord went out and put to death 185,000 of the enemy soldiers. The army was so decimated that the commander had no choice but to withdraw and return home. God saved his people.

Satan is a powerful enemy who threatened us with cruel captivity and dreadful death. We were powerless to help ourselves. But our almighty God came to be our Savior. He demonstrated his divine power by giving sight to the blind, healing the paralyzed, opening the ears of the deaf and freeing a stammering tongue. But the most important way that he used his power was to face our enemy for us. Oh, it was a bad week for him that ended in his death. But victory was declared when he rose from the dead! He saved us from our enemy!

As we go through life, we know that there are going to be bad weeks. But in Jesus, we have the good news of life and salvation. That helps us cope and gives us hope.

Prayer:
Jesus, I praise you for rescuing me from threat of Satan. Assure me every day that you are with me and that your power will help me overcome all the difficulties that I face. 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.

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Mark 9:36,37

Important Work

Daily Devotion – October 1, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 9:36,37

See series: Devotions

Can you think of other times when Jesus used visual aids to make a lasting impression on his disciples? He had Thomas take a long look at the nail-marked hands and side, throwing in an invitation to touch those wounds as well. A shriveled-up fig tree attested to the power of faith in an unforgettable way. He used a coin with the emperor’s image, a coin plucked from a fish’s mouth, and a coin plunked into the temple’s money box as visual support for the words he was speaking.

Jesus wasn’t afraid to use a visual aid when he thought it would drive home his point. So what was his point in bringing the little child into the disciples’ line of vision? It was more than “be nice to kids.” (Important as that is!)

Jesus was trying to teach the disciples about the works that God considers great and honorable. And how those works are often quite the opposite of what we’d expect. The world around us makes sure to put its best foot forward when interacting with those viewed as most important, powerful, or influential.

But Jesus reminds us that our hearts are most like his heart when we’re interacting with those the rest of the world might overlook. The most important work is serving those who need us. That might be the little ones who look to us to put food on their table. It might be the lonely person at church who needs someone to talk to. It might be the aging parent who can’t do some things on their own anymore. That work may not win you any headlines or earn you any promotions. It might be inconvenient and messy. But it’s how God takes care of people in this world. And it’s humble service, first modeled for us by Jesus in his humble service to us. And that makes it really, really important.

Prayer:
Gracious God, help me to see the opportunities for your important work all around me. Give me the humility to embrace them and the strength to carry them to completion. 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.