Month: November 2021

Nor did [Christ] enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 9:25,26

Once for Always

Daily Devotion – November 11, 2021

Devotion based on Hebrews 9:25,26

See series: Devotions

God is just. He has an absolutely perfect standard of right and wrong, and he judges according to that standard. God’s justice means that sin must be punished, and everything must be made right.

In the centuries before Jesus came, God had his people celebrate the Day of Atonement to balance the scales. On that day, the High Priest walked into the innermost room of the temple and stood before God with blood from animal sacrifices. That blood atoned for (that is, covered up) the sins of him and his people.

And the scales were balanced for a time. But every year, there was another Day of Atonement, and the high priest did the exact same thing that he had done the year before, over and over again for over a thousand years.

Why the repetition? Because God’s justice was not satisfied by killing animals. So why did God tell them to do it? Because the Day of Atonement was a picture of the one sacrifice that would balance the scales.

It pointed ahead to what Jesus would do. Jesus is our High Priest. He appeared for us in God’s presence, not with an animal sacrifice, but with the sacrifice of himself. And Jesus did not offer that sacrifice over and over again. He only offered it once.

And after Christ offered himself on the cross, God gave his verdict on Jesus’ sacrifice by raising him from the dead three days later. That was a clear indication of God’s verdict: sin has been taken away, forever! We do not need the yearly sacrifices of the Day of Atonement. We have been saved, once for always!

Prayer:
Lord, it is impossible for the blood of animals to take away sins. But the blood of Jesus, your Son, purifies me from all sin. Thank 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.

[Jesus said] “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.”
John 5:28,29

Good Works on the Last Day

Daily Devotion – November 10, 2021

Devotion based on John 5:28,29

See series: Devotions

When the Lord Jesus returns on the Last Day, he will judge every single human being who has ever lived. Even the people who died before that day will come out of their graves and stand before him for judgment.

The Bible teaches that Jesus will judge people based on whether or not they have faith in him. The apostle Paul, for example, wrote, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).

This teaching is so clear that you have to wonder what Jesus meant in today’s Bible passage. Jesus made it sound like people’s good works will be the basis for judgment, with those who have done good receiving eternal life and those who have done evil being condemned to hell.

But before you assume that the Bible teaches two contradictory ways to heaven, remember what Jesus was talking about here: judgment. When someone is being judged in a courtroom, the best evidence is visible evidence.

Faith in Christ is a matter of the heart and therefore invisible. But faith in Christ produces good works that can be seen. Good works do not save people, but Jesus will point them out at the last judgment because they are visible proofs of invisible faith.

That is why “those who have done evil” have a lot to fear on the Last Day. There is no greater evil than rejecting the Savior in unbelief. But “those who have done good” have nothing to fear. Only believers in Jesus can do works that God considers good. And on the Last Day, Jesus will use their good works to show the whole world that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, empower me to live a life filled with good works while I wait for the Last Day. 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.

[Jesus said] “Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”
John 5:25

A Matter of Life and Death

Daily Devotion – November 9, 2021

Devotion based on John 5:25

See series: Devotions

This is a strange Bible verse. Jesus said that the dead would hear his voice, but how could the dead hear? And how could the dead come to life from hearing? Was Jesus telling a joke?

No, Jesus was dead serious. He even said, “Very truly I tell you.” He was telling the truth. Jesus wanted to be heard by the dead. He still does because listening to Jesus is a matter of life and death.

To understand Jesus’ Words, you need to understand what the Bible teaches about death. According to the Bible, there are three kinds of death: spiritual death, physical death, and eternal death. Jesus was talking about spiritual death.

By nature, every human being enters this world alive physically but dead spiritually. You were, by nature, dead in sin. You were born a physically living, breathing baby. But spiritually, you were a corpse that had no faith in God.

Fixing this condition is not just a matter of making better choices or trying harder. A corpse cannot make a choice or do anything to improve itself.

A corpse must be raised to life by a power outside of itself. This is what the words of Jesus are able to do. His words are able to create faith in his listeners. This is what Jesus meant when he said that the dead would hear the voice of the Son of God and live.

How important it is, then, for us to hear Jesus’ words! They are powerful enough to give spiritual and eternal life. Thank you, Jesus, for your powerful voice!

Prayer:
Son of God, give me life through your Word. 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.

[Jesus said] “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.”
John 5:22,23

The Best Judge

Daily Devotion – November 8, 2021

Devotion based on John 5:22,23

See series: Devotions

Many people think that Christians make too big a deal out of Jesus. However, when it comes to Jesus, his importance cannot be emphasized enough. Why? Because Jesus is your judge.

Judges have the authority to decide if you are guilty or innocent, and they can punish the guilty. Jesus has the authority to do that for all people. His judgment determines where you spend eternity. There are only two possible outcomes—heaven or hell.

This is the judgment that God the Father has entrusted to his Son. So, do you understand why Christians make such a big deal out of Jesus? Everything hinges on him. He is the judge. The eternal destiny of all people who have lived, are living, or will live is bound up in their relationship to Jesus. Everyone will be judged by him.

That can be a scary thought. After all, like all people, you are guilty of breaking God’s law and deserve an eternity apart from God and his blessings.

But remember who your judge is! He is the judge who arranged for another trial, one where he stood in your place. One where he accepted the consequences of your actions—the nails, the cross, and a lot of shed blood. He endured the full wrath of God.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that the one who will judge you one day is the same one who already paid the price for all your sins? Because he did, you can be sure that on that day, he will look at you and say, “Not guilty.”

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for making your Son my judge. 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.

The soldiers also came up and mocked [Jesus]. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
Luke 23:36,37

They Had It All Wrong

Daily Devotion – November 7, 2021

Devotion based on Luke 23:36,37

See series: Devotions

No one likes to admit they are wrong. It is embarrassing. It wounds our pride. Even worse is admitting that we have said or done something wrong. The truth is that we say and do what is wrong more than we want to admit. Our wrong words and actions violate the will of God, who demands that we never be wrong.

That is why the Bible says that we are not the perfect people that can join God in heaven eternally. By all our wrongs, we have separated ourselves from God and are unable to live up to his standard of perfection.

But oh, the wonderful love of God! He did for us what we could not do. He sent his Son, Jesus, to earth to live among us, to live the perfect life we could not. Jesus suffered and died, becoming our substitute, paying for the sins we committed against God’s perfect will. Because of Jesus’ perfection, God now sees us as perfect. Our eternal future is now with God because of Jesus.

So, when the Roman soldiers viewed the suffering Jesus on the cross and mockingly said, “save yourself,” they had it all wrong. Jesus wasn’t going to save himself from earthly death. He was saving us from eternal death!

Prayer:
Dear Lord, may your love in sending your Son to die for my sins be reflected in my love for 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.

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

Our Most Precious Possession.

Daily Devotion – November 6, 2021

Devotion based on Luke 12:15

See series: Devotions

Have you ever cleaned out your basement or garage and discovered many things that you forgot you had? While you may be amused at rediscovering something you forgot about, perhaps you ask yourself, “Why do I have all this stuff?”

God truly blesses us with many physical blessings. Everything we have comes from him. He provides all the necessary things for life and is generous to give us many more things than we need. His blessings abundantly fill our lives, and for these, we thank our God.

Yet we must be careful not to begin to love the gifts more than God who gives them. It is easy for our hearts to become greedy and not be happy with what we have. It is so easy to want MORE … money… toys… houses… boats… cars… without end.

Yet none of these things can ever satisfy us completely or fill the place in our life and heart that can only belong to Jesus Christ. Jesus warns us, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15). Jesus teaches us that there is more to life and more to us than earthly possessions. He is the source of all that we need spiritually and eternally.

Jesus is our most precious possession. He lived a perfect life for us. He suffered the death penalty for our sins that we deserved. Jesus rose from the dead and promises that we will live forever through faith in him alone. Wow! Nothing is more important than the gifts of forgiveness of sins and eternal life that Jesus gives us by faith in him.

If you want a possession that really satisfies, look to Jesus!

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, you bless me with many good things in my life, but most importantly, I am blessed through your Son, Jesus. Help me treasure the spiritual life that I have by faith in him and not let anything else matter more. 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.

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire . . . They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
Daniel 3:26,27

Perfect Salvation

Daily Devotion – November 5, 2021

Devotion based on Daniel 3:26,27

See series: Devotions

“I think it can be salvaged.” In other words, it wasn’t a total loss. Maybe the damage came as the result of a fire or flood. Maybe there was an accident that was a bit more serious than your average fender bender. Maybe some bodily extremity found itself up against something sharp and lost the battle. Damage was most definitely done, but a person with the skills to repair the damage—at least somewhat—says, “I think it can be salvaged.” Whew!

Is that the situation in which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego found themselves after they were fished out of the fiery furnace? Did they survive the hellish blast, but just barely? Did they need to be rushed to the hospital with first, second, or third-degree burns? Did the doctors look at them after their ordeal and say with some hesitation, “I think their bodies can be salvaged”?

Nope.

The Old Testament prophet Daniel tells us what King Nebuchadnezzar, who had sentenced these men to the flames, and his officials witnessed. “They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.” It wasn’t that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had just barely managed to survive their fiery ordeal. They hadn’t even been touched by it.

What does it prove? It proves that Jesus isn’t only the world’s perfect Savior; he also provides perfect salvation. His saving work is more than a reclamation or restoration job. It goes way beyond a new paint job to spruce up appearances for the time being. He doesn’t simply perform reconstructive surgery.

No, Jesus heals us perfectly. He forgives us perfectly. He saves us perfectly, once and for all and forever. Indeed, as the apostle Paul once wrote, “we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:10).

Trust him. You won’t be disappointed. He guarantees it.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to understand that perfect salvation is found in you alone. 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.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
Daniel 3:24,25

A Committee of One

Daily Devotion – November 4, 2021

Devotion based on Daniel 3:24,25

See series: Devotions

Generally speaking, there is strength in numbers. The more people you have working together on a task, the more likely you are to be successful at completing that task, especially if it’s a big one. On the other hand, there are some tasks where the best way to accomplish them is by having a committee of one. No distractions. No wrong turns. No carrying someone else’s water. A single mind with a single-minded purpose. There are times when a committee of one is the perfect solution to a problem.

The Old Testament believers—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—were facing a truly life-threatening problem. They had just been tossed into the fiery furnace prepared for them by the great Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. Death was beyond certain. Even the soldiers who had thrown them into the fire were immediately incinerated by the hellish blast. If they were to be saved, how many people would it take?

As it turns out, just one.

Three men had been cast into the fire, but when the king went to witness the demise of his doomed triplets, he “leaped to his feet in amazement. . . He said, ‘Look! I see four men walking around the first, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.’” Whether it was an angel of the Lord or the Lord Jesus himself, we cannot know for certain. What we can know is that those men were saved that day by a committee of One. The Lord saves his people now and forever, and he does it all by himself.

We wouldn’t want it any other way. Only Jesus is perfect. Only Jesus is all-powerful. Only Jesus is the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). So, when it comes to our salvation now and forever, Jesus is a committee of One. He must do it, and he does it. Perfectly.

Prayer:
Jesus, help me to trust you alone for my salvation, now and always. 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.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.
Daniel 3:19-21

Turning Up the Heat

Daily Devotion – November 3, 2021

Devotion based on Daniel 3:19-21

See series: Devotions

My wife and I love to engage in thermostat wars. She likes it warm. I like it cool. I won’t tell you who normally wins.

But there are times when it’s too hot for both of us—summertime in the kitchen, when the oven and all four stove burners are on. You can’t open the window; it’s 100 degrees outside. And the air conditioner can’t keep up. It’s gotten too hot in the kitchen. We agree!

The world loves to turn the heat up on God’s people, especially those who strive to remain faithful to his holy, saving Word. But that shouldn’t come as any particular surprise. Jesus promised it, and his promises are always perfectly fulfilled. The night before he died, he promised his disciples, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:20).

In Matthew 24, he also promised that in the last days, the heat would become too much for some. “At that time,” he said, “many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” Why? Because the heat will get too hot in the kitchen.

Why does Jesus make such promises? So that when the world starts turning up the heat on his people, they’re not surprised. They’ll rejoice (Matthew 5:11,12; 1 Peter 4:12,13).

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to obey King Nebuchadnezzar’s ungodly order, the king turned up the heat and ordered them into the furnace. They didn’t kick and scream. They didn’t deny their faith. They didn’t complain about unfairness. They put their trust in God, knowing that in Jesus, the victory was already theirs.

God’s people will feel the heat. But when they do, they rejoice. Because Jesus always keeps his promises. It’s true.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for graciously giving us confidence in you by always keeping your promises. 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.

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel 3:17,18

The Bigger Picture

Daily Devotion – November 2, 2021

Devotion based on Daniel 3:17,18

See series: Devotions

Sometimes we get too caught up in life’s day-to-day hassles. We don’t keep an eye on the bigger picture.

The Bible teaches us, “Set your minds on things above, not only earthly things.” What we see in this world is transitory. It’s passing way. But what God promises to us in Jesus endures forever. In many ways, real life doesn’t begin until we finally see Jesus with our eyes.

Until then, the Christian life is lived under the cross. In other words, Christians expect to endure hatred and persecution when they remain faithful to Jesus and his Word. It’s no surprise. The Bible says, “Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things” (Philippians 3:18,19).

But Christians keep an eye on the bigger picture.

That’s what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did when they were facing the burning anger of King Nebuchadnezzar. While they were convinced that God would save them from the fiery furnace of the king’s fury, they were also prepared if God chose not to spare them in that moment. Indeed, they believed wholeheartedly, “the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Even when it may seem like the world defeats God’s people, God’s people keep an eye on the bigger picture. In the end, God wins forever, and he shares the spoils of his eternal victory with those who trust him, no matter what.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help me to understand and trust that I will be victorious in you forever. 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.