Month: March 2022

Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!” Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard. Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right.”
Jeremiah 26:11-14

Ready Recipients

Daily Devotion – March 14, 2022

Devotion based on Jeremiah 26:11-14

See series: Devotions

Every year I hear people complain about the beginning of Daylight Saving Time because, on that first night, everyone has to set their clock ahead one hour and lose an hour of sleep. Have you ever been the one to remind someone that “Daylight Saving Time begins tonight?” They usually aren’t very happy to hear it. It’s never fun to be the one who shares unwelcome news.

Jeremiah was a prophet who had to share some unwelcome news—news that was far more important and serious than the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. God had commanded him to warn the people of his day that if they did not repent of their sins against God, he would destroy them. When leaders of the people heard it, their response was, “This man should be sentenced to death.”

You may never have wanted to put one of God’s messengers to death, but all of us have at times treated God’s calls to repentance with something less than ready acceptance. What is remarkable is that, even for this ungodly attitude, we have God’s forgiveness through Jesus. We can be certain that when we turn from our sin to him for forgiveness, he will always be there to restore us. May this reality make us ready recipients of God’s messengers when they call us to repentance.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, make me a ready recipient of your messengers. 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.

Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard. Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.”
Jeremiah 26:12,13

Call to Repentance

Daily Devotion – March 13, 2022

Devotion based on Jeremiah 26:12,13

See series: Devotions

What do you do when your child runs out into a busy street? Do you ignore it? Of course not! When you see your child run into that busy street, you call him back because you love him.

Our heavenly Father loves us perfectly. When we sin against him, he calls us back because he knows that sin is always harmful to us. At first, sin may seem fun, just like playing in a busy street might seem fun at first. But as long as we play in the street of sin, we are in danger of losing our life—our eternal life. So, loving Father that he is, God calls us to repentance.

What will you do when God sends his messenger to warn you about your sin? He may use a friend, a family member, or a pastor. We pray for God to help us turn from our sin when he calls us to repentance. And we pray that God grant us the confidence to know that when we turn back to him, he is waiting with open arms and a forgiving heart.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, your death on the cross has paid for my sin. May this truth give me confidence to turn from my sin, knowing that you are there to welcome me with open arms. 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 we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:15,16

Come to God with Confidence

Daily Devotion – March 12, 2022

Devotion based on Hebrews 4:15,16

See series: Devotions

Airport security has become quite a process. Want access to the gates? You go through security. It’s serious scrutiny: boarding pass in hand, shoes off, pockets emptied, laptops and liquids out, you slowly walk through a metal detector or stand with hands over your head in a body scanner. It can be unsettling. But if you have nothing to hide, you pass through the security checkpoint with confidence.

What about access to God? The thought can be unsettling. But you can approach God with confidence!

How? Doesn’t God’s living, active, penetrating word scrutinize us more than an airport scanner? Don’t we have plenty we don’t want God to see?

Sure. And our sin is nothing new to Jesus; our high priest isn’t surprised to see our sin. He knows about sin. He was tempted to sin. Yet he successfully avoided sin in his own life. And he sacrificed his perfect, sinless life for our sin. He takes away our sin and gives us access to God.

So, cling tightly to Jesus, our high priest. He’s better than a boarding pass—he’s our personal escort to God. He died and rose again and went up through the heavens for us.

So, approach God with confidence. Heavenly rest is yours through Jesus.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, my high priest, you have taken away all my sin. With you at my side, I come to God with confidence. Bring me to my heavenly rest. 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 devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God…”
Luke 4:3

Stand Strong

Daily Devotion – March 11, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 4:3

See series: Devotions

Do you think the devil’s question got under Jesus’ skin? It is a question he would hear throughout his ministry on earth. One can imagine how he might get sick and tired of being doubted, questioned, and threatened by the very people he came to save. So many were skeptical that he was, in fact, the true Son of God. Along comes Satan, who essentially whispers into his ear three times: ‘prove it.’ “If you are the Son of God.” It is not too difficult to imagine that question pushing Jesus over the edge.

Similar phrases from the devil push us over the edge and right into sin. The devil whispers them into our ears as well: “Just this one time, no one will ever know…,” “Come on, you know it will make you happy…,” “Go ahead, you deserve it.” So often, we allow the devil to plant a suggestion in our ear and push us right into sin.

Thankfully Jesus stood strong. Every time Satan tried to bait him or goad him into sin, Jesus stood his ground. He used God’s Word to shut the temptation down. And Jesus did not just say ‘no’ once or twice. Throughout his entire life, Jesus said no to sin and shut down the devil’s temptations. Then, at the end of that perfect life, Jesus willingly gave his life for you and me as he died on the cross to pay for all the times when you and I have failed to say no to temptation. His sacrifice has paid the price our sins deserve and earned us a free ticket to eternal life in heaven.

And as we wait for the day when Jesus takes us home to heaven, he has given us a powerful tool to defeat temptation—the Word of God. Get to know that tool and ask God to bless you as you fight temptation in your life. The devil is no match for the Word of God. Jesus will be with you and will bless your trust in his Word.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for defeating sin and for being my perfect substitute. Teach me to use God’s Word to fight temptation in my life. 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, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
Luke 4:1,2

Victory and Strength

Daily Devotion – March 10, 2022

Devotion based on Luke 4:1,2

See series: Devotions

“You’re not you when you’re hungry.” That was the tagline of a successful series of commercials run by Snickers. The commercials featured people who were not at their best when they were hungry. Their hunger had transformed them into crabby versions of themselves. They would yell at people and behave in ways that were rude and selfish until someone would give them a Snickers candy bar. Then they would suddenly become themselves again.

As funny as those commercials were, they illustrate something we all experience: we are not at our best when we are hungry, or our needs are not met. Think of what you are like on a bad day or when things don’t go as planned: we lash out at people at work or school; we complain about minor things; we get short-tempered with the kids and sarcastic with the spouse, we may even threaten worse behavior. The devil has a way of kicking us when we are down. He knows when we are not at our best, and he moves in for the kill. All too often he succeeds in leading us into temptation when we are not at our best.

But he did not succeed with Jesus. Even after not eating for 40 days, Jesus was not led astray. He fought temptation. He resisted the devil’s attacks. He did not take out his frustrations on others or behave in a way that was less than godly. And he did this all for us. We are saved by the perfect obedience of Jesus. His life and death has saved us from our sins. Even when he was physically weak, he was still strong enough to defeat temptation for us and to win our salvation.

So, when you are not at your best, look to Jesus. Look to the One who has saved you. Find victory and strength in Christ.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, when I am weak, you are strong. Help me to look to you and find strength in your victory for 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.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
Hebrews 4:15

Temptations

Daily Devotion – March 9, 2022

Devotion based on Hebrews 4:15

See series: Devotions

How many temptations do you suppose you will face today? Temptations will come every day in different ways: at work, on the internet, in our thoughts, with the words we choose, when interacting with friends and spouses and siblings, etc. For our purposes, let’s imagine that you will face 100 temptations today. That is likely a low number, but let’s go with it—100 temptations a day. That’s 36,500 temptations a year. If you live to be 80, you will have faced 2,920,000 temptations in your lifetime.

That’s a large number! How many times do you suppose you have failed to fight off those temptations? The Bible says one sin is enough to condemn us for all eternity, but we have all failed far more often than that. Even if we said we avoided temptation half the time, that still means we will have failed to defeat temptation roughly one million times. That means we fall woefully short of the perfection God requires.

Isn’t it remarkable, then, that Jesus faced at least that many temptations and never once sinned? “Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” Amazing! And he did that for you. Jesus knew that you would fail, so he came to make it right. He came into this world to live a perfect life on your behalf. Jesus’ perfect obedience crushes your temptation and sin. As your perfect substitute, Jesus earned forgiveness and salvation for you. His perfect life in your place and his death on the cross for you assure you that you have a place with him in heaven forever.

And this same Jesus, who has already died for you, also knows what it is like to face temptation. He has been there and done that. So go to him! When you are tempted, turn to Jesus. He has the power to help you defeat temptation.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, forgive me for my sin. When I am tempted, help me to turn to you. Give me the strength to say no to temptation and to trust in 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.

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.”
1 Samuel 17:45,46

Confidence

Daily Devotion – March 8, 2022

Devotion based on 1 Samuel 17:45,46

See series: Devotions

We live in an age of confident boasts. Politicians make bold promises about what they will do in office. Athletes post on social media about how they will dominate on the court or the field. So many people in this world are ready to tell us what they are going to do. All that confidence is impressive, except sometimes things do not turn out as planned. Very often, the politician fails to accomplish what was so boldly promised. Frequently the confident athlete walks off the court, failing to deliver on the predicted championship.

In 1 Samuel 17, David makes some confident statements of his own. Notice that he does not boast in himself. Rather, he boasts in the Lord. David stares up at the 9-foot giant and boldly confesses his faith in the Lord and predicts that he will win the battle in the Lord’s name.

Are you looking for similar confidence? You will find it in Jesus. He has redeemed you. He has died on the cross to take your sins away. He rose from the dead so that, through faith in him, you could have eternal life. He has defeated your enemies. He has obtained forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven and given them to you free of charge. He promises to be with you always and encourages you to put your faith in him.

This mighty Lord, who has already done so much for you, will also be with you, bless you, and fight for you. And unlike so many others in this world, his bold statements have never gone unfulfilled. His promises have never fallen to the ground. Trust in him. Have confidence that Jesus’ victory is your victory. In Jesus’ name, you can defeat temptation.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, grant me the boldness to trust in you no matter what. Lead me to place my confidence in the victory you have won for 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.

A champion named Goliath . . . came out of the Philistine camp. His height was [over nine feet tall]. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.
1 Samuel 17:4-7

Our Warrior

Daily Devotion – March 7, 2022

Devotion based on 1 Samuel 17:4-7

See series: Devotions

Could you imagine taking the field of battle that day? You would only have to face one enemy, but he was like no enemy you had ever seen. He was almost as tall as a regulation basketball hoop. He was stronger than anyone you had ever seen and could throw that weighted spear right through a brick wall, let alone a human being. All of Israel’s army looked at this giant enemy and was convinced there was no hope.

Do you have enemies like that in your life? A giant against whom you have no chance to defeat on your own? Maybe the enemy is a bottle filled with alcohol or pills. Perhaps the enemy is a website where your fingers are itching to take you on your phone. It could be that the enemy is doubt, fear, greed, or any other temptation that comes your way.

On our own, we are lost. We cannot defeat these powerful enemies by ourselves. Thankfully, we are never alone. Our Savior, Jesus, is with us, and he has already defeated an enemy even greater than Goliath. Jesus has faced off against sin, death, and the devil and has crushed them all. By his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave, Jesus has forever defeated our enemies. And he has shared his victory with us! Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are the rewards he has earned for us all through faith in him.

Goliath was a foe like no other. Jesus is a warrior like no other! He has forever crushed the enemies we could not defeat on our own. When those strong temptations come back around, look to Jesus. Trust in him and ask him to fight for you.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for defeating sin and temptation for me. Help me when I am tempted and lead me to trust in you to bring me the victory. 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 we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we might receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:15,16

Jesus Knows How You Feel

Daily Devotion – March 6, 2022

Devotion based on Hebrews 4:15,16

See series: Devotions

Remember when you were so tired that all you wanted to do was sleep, and instead, your baby with an ear infection woke up every time you tried to lay her down? When you wanted to get some extra tasks done at the office and fell farther behind? When you looked forward to the leisurely Saturday filled with college football and ended up fixing the garage door?

Know this about God whom you worship, Jesus came down to our world, and he knows how you feel. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.” Jesus was willing to deal with the poison, the sin of this world so that he could win you for an eternity of heaven. He willingly lifted up and carried your sins to the cross. Suspended between heaven and earth, he felt the white-hot anger of his Father for your sins. Filled with life—because he had no sin and paid for yours—he rose from the dead, bringing with him your unconditional forgiveness.

Rejection? He knew it. Temptation? He felt it. Loneliness? He experienced it. Death? He tasted it. Stress? He could write the book on it. There is something extraordinarily comforting in knowing that Jesus is like you in every way, just that he had no sin.

So, use this Bible truth. When you hurt, go to Jesus with confidence. He will help you in your time of need. Jesus knows how you feel.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, it is comforting to remember that you are like me and know how I feel. On those most difficult days, move me to come to you and have you heal 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.