Month: January 2023

When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
Isaiah 8:19,20

In Times of Darkness

Daily Devotion – January 23, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 8:19,20

See series: Devotions

I know of a woman who lost her son in a tragic accident. In her intense grief, she consulted a psychic, hoping to make some connection with the spirit of her son.

You may never have participated in a séance or tried a Ouija board, but we have all been tempted to look for answers to life’s questions in places other than the one place God promises to speak to us–the words of the Bible.

This is not a new temptation. Almost three thousand years ago, the nation of Israel felt utterly helpless, wondering if God had abandoned them. The pagan Assyrians attacked and destroyed their country. And they were beginning to wonder if the God of Israel was real, willing, and able to rescue them from their enemies. And so they started to consult mediums and spiritists, who promised power and access to the spiritual realm. The prophet Isaiah confronted them, calling them to abandon such deadly dark demons. Instead, he challenged them to consult the truth found in God’s Word.

When you face tough times and are looking for answers, look to the words of the Bible. There you will find the many promises God has made to love and care for you. Even if he doesn’t provide an answer to every question, he provides answers to the most important questions. Questions such as: does God love me? (He loves you so much he died to pay the price for your sins.) Will God take care of me? (He promises to take care of you in whatever way is best for you.) Is God listening to me? (He promises to hear and answer every prayer.)

There are many places you could go to try to find answers to life’s most important questions. Go to the one place you can be sure to hear the truth from God himself—the Bible.

Prayer:
Lord God, in my moments of darkness and despair, comfort me with the promises in 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.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9:2

Jesus Is Our Light

Daily Devotion – January 22, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 9:2

See series: Devotions

Light is certainly one of the most precious things in our world. Without it, the simplest tasks can be a challenge or—in some cases—altogether impossible.

A lack of light can also strike fear into our hearts and be quite dangerous. If you have ever tried navigating your way through complete darkness, you know this to be true. That is what life is like without Jesus. Without the light of Jesus we would not know where our lives are heading or how to live a life pleasing to the God who made us. Without the light of Jesus we would stumble through life, bumping into blessings without knowing where they come from and tripping over trials and temptations.

Thank God for sending Jesus to be the light that illuminates our lives. He gives us hope and purpose. He came to remove the darkness of sin by shedding his blood and scatter the shadow of death by rising from the grave. Since our sins have been paid for by his blood, we have the sure confidence that every one of our sins has been removed—even the ones that weigh us down with the most guilt. Since he rose from the grave, we have the rock-solid guarantee that death is not the end for us. We too will rise with him to live eternally.

With Jesus lighting up our lives, we can live with confidence and purpose. The confidence comes from knowing that nothing can change the fact that our sins have been washed away by his blood and our eternal life guaranteed by his resurrection. Our purpose now is to live every moment to his glory. We strive to make the best use of all the gifts he has given us and do everything we can to share Jesus with others so they too, may walk in his light.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, this sinful world is a dark place. Thank you for scattering the darkness of sin and death for me. Continue to light up our lives that I may live for you and share your light with others. 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.

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah 49:6

Not Satisfied

Daily Devotion – January 21, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 49:6

See series: Devotions

Head hung low; the young man approached his father. “Dad, I didn’t do very well on my last test.”
“Oh? What grade did you get, son?”
Shaking his head in disgust, “I messed up on a couple of questions and got a B.”
“And how has that impacted your final grade?”
“Oh, I still have a solid A.”
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” his father encouraged.

You might smile and completely agree with the father, “Wow, that kid is really hard on himself. He should just be happy about his overall grade. Clearly, he worked hard and should be satisfied with what he has done so far.”

There is, however, a certain amount of respect we have for someone who is constantly striving to do more and isn’t satisfied with “good enough.” Thankfully, that is the kind of God that we have.

The one and only God is not satisfied with bringing just a few people into his family. It is not enough for him to spend eternity with some. He wants all to be saved. That’s why he sent his Son, Jesus, to bear the sins of everyone who has ever lived and to pay the price for those sins with his life.

That means his desire is for you to be saved. It doesn’t matter where you live, what language you speak, or even what you have done. God loves you so much that he sent his Son to be punished for your sins so that you can live with him forever.

It is not good enough for just some to be saved. God wants you to be his forever.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for including me in your plan of salvation. Without your incredible love, I would have been stuck in my sins and lost forever. But because of your love, you sent your Son for me and all people. Thank you. Help me to live as the forgiven child you have made me so that others can see your love too. 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 have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”
Isaiah 49:4

The Hidden Reality

Daily Devotion – January 20, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 49:4

See series: Devotions

Can you identify with what Jesus says in today’s Bible passage? Have you ever felt like you believe in vain and all your faith is for nothing?

The bills pile up, and the stress of making ends meet weighs you down. Where’s God? The pain continues, and there’s no relief in sight. Where is the Lord? Your kids make bad choices, and you can’t understand why. Where has God gone? Why doesn’t he fix these problems and make things better?

But that is not how God operates in this world. That’s why Jesus also said, “Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

When Jesus did his work, it looked like labor with no purpose and strength spent in vain. By every standard the world uses, being nailed to a cross means that your life was a failure. But that visible reality could not blot out another reality, the hidden one. Jesus knew that the outcome of his work was in God’s hands, and even though he could not see it, he trusted God for victory.

This is a difficult lesson to learn: our God is a God who hides himself (Isaiah 45:15). This means our faith in God is not based on what we see or feel. It is based entirely on what God has said in his Word.

So never lose sight of the hidden reality that God makes known in his Word. He may hide himself by not giving you vast amounts of wealth so that you remember what a great treasure he is. He may hide himself by not eradicating sickness and pain so that you never forget to rely on him. He may hide himself by allowing you to suffer so that you never stop longing for your heavenly home. He may hide himself so that you look forward to the day when he will be hidden no more and you “shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

Prayer:
Lord, help me believe in what I cannot now see. 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.

Before I was born the LORD called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.
Isaiah 49:1,2

God’s Hidden Weapon

Daily Devotion – January 19, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 49:1,2

See series: Devotions

Some of the most effective weapons are hidden ones. Your enemies don’t know the danger, and you catch them with their guard down. No one expects a hidden weapon. So here is the question: What is God doing with one?

In today’s Bible passage, Jesus says that before he was born, he was called by the Lord for a specific job: to be God’s hidden weapon. He mysteriously compares himself to a sword hidden out of sight and an arrow concealed from view. What does that mean?

To understand his point, think about who Jesus is and what he possesses. Jesus Christ is true God, hidden in human flesh. “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). For millennia before he was born, God kept him ready—hidden in his hand, concealed in his quiver—waiting for just the right moment to shoot him into the world.

Before his birth, an angel spoke his name: “You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). His name revealed his targets. He was aimed at sin, death, and hell. And “when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son” (Galatians 4:4).

Like a sharpened sword, the Savior had speech that sliced and severed. Like a polished arrow, he did not fly off course. He hit the exact targets that God wanted him too. He hid himself in the form of a servant who was willing to sacrifice his life to pay for your sins. He was revealed as God’s hidden weapon at his cross and empty tomb, where he decisively defeated his enemies. And he is still a weapon so powerful that he can cut and pierce an unbelieving heart with God’s saving Word!

Prayer:
Praise to you, Lord Jesus, for defeating my enemies and saving 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.

When [John] saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
John 1:36-38

What do you want?

Daily Devotion – January 18, 2023

Devotion based on John 1:36-38

See series: Devotions

When someone asks, “What do you want?” how often do you say what you really want? When the waitress asks that, do you tell her the truth? You want the twenty-ounce porterhouse steak, but you order the club sandwich because it’s less expensive.

Sometimes “What do you want?” can be a simple question, but other times it can be difficult. Jesus asked that question of the two disciples that John the Baptist sent after him. How would you answer if Jesus asked it of you?

Do you say what you really want, or do you settle for the safe answer? You know the safe answer, “Jesus, I want you to take away my sin!” And that is, obviously, a good thing to want.

But what about later when you’re not reading this devotion? What will you want then? Admit it, there are a lot of other problems in your life that Jesus could take away. It would be nice if Jesus made life a little bit easier and took away the world’s crime, hunger, and poverty.

But don’t devalue the gift of forgiveness. Jesus taking away the sin of the world is nothing like settling for the sandwich when you want the steak.

Realize that you fight a daily struggle to remember that the reason life is hard is because you are a sinner who lives in a world broken by sin. Sin is the reason you’re unhappy. Sin is the reason life is a pain. Sin is a problem you cannot solve on your own.

So when the Lamb of God came, he took away the sin of the world. And by doing that, Jesus did not just give you what you need; he also gave you what you want! He stopped your problems at their source and guaranteed that, in the heaven he won for you, you will have the perfect life you want.

Prayer:
Lamb of God, help me to want the forgiveness that you earned 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.

Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
John 1:32-34

Jesus Is the One

Daily Devotion – January 17, 2023

Devotion based on John 1:32-34

See series: Devotions

When you search for something, how do you know when you’ve finally found it? For example if you’re shopping for shoes, how do you know when you’ve found the right pair? Do they have to be just the right size, just the right color, or the right price? Chances are the right pair are the best combination of all three of those criteria.

What about the search for a savior—someone who can rescue you from all of the sins you have committed against the holy God who made you? How do you know that Jesus already dealt with all of your sins, so you don’t have to? How do you know that Jesus saved you and not just those who followed him when he walked the earth two thousand years ago? How do you know that Jesus is the One?

Because God said so—yes, it is that simple. God gave John the Baptist specific criteria to identify the Savior, and when he baptized Jesus, they were met. He saw heaven torn open and the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus like a dove and remain on him. John saw it and gave us his eyewitness testimony. That’s how we know that Jesus is the one—the one chosen by God to take your place under his wrath, to die for your sins, and to rise from the dead to guarantee your eternal salvation!

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for making sure I know that Jesus is your Chosen One, my Savior. 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 next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
John 1:29

The Lamb of God Appears

Daily Devotion – January 16, 2023

Devotion based on John 1:29

See series: Devotions

About fourteen hundred years before Jesus was born, God told his people to use animal sacrifices when they worshiped him. Under this sacrificial system, the priests started and ended every day the same way: take a lamb, slit the lamb’s throat, drain the lamb’s blood, sprinkle the blood on the altar, then burn all of the lamb’s meat until it was nothing but ashes.

In addition to these daily offerings, there were other sacrifices mandated for different religious festivals and life occasions. Following God’s laws resulted in a minimum of 1,273 animal sacrifices every year, not counting the thousands of voluntary sacrifices that the people offered on top of all that.

Over the centuries, God’s people shed an ocean of sacrificial blood. It was supposed to deal with their sin, but it was never enough because “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). But that does not mean that the sacrifices were a waste of time. God was using them to teach his people something important.

Repeated sacrifices reminded them that they had sins that needed to be taken care of. The gallons of spilled blood taught them that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). The constant slaying clearly showed that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Most importantly, the countless lambs offered to God pointed to the Lamb of God, who would take away their sins.

So when that Lamb of God finally appeared, John the Baptist made sure that everyone knew who he was. Jesus was the sacrifice the people had been waiting for. He was the Lamb of God, not only because he was chosen by God, but also because he was God.

His sacrifice on the cross took away the world’s sin because it was God who shed his blood and gave his life. It is impossible for the blood of animals to take away sins, but “the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Prayer:
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant me your peace. 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.

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah 49:6

Go Big or Go Home

Daily Devotion – January 15, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 49:6

See series: Devotions

“Go big or go home.” That motto reflects a characteristic that we tend to admire in an individual. It says that doing just enough to get by isn’t good enough. These individuals are not satisfied unless they give everything they have and do something spectacular.

“Go big or go home,” could be a motto that God uses. It wasn’t enough for God to put together a plan through Jesus to save a chosen few people from the damning results of their sin. His plan was to bring salvation to everyone no matter where they live or what kind of ethnic blood flows through their veins.”

He certainly carried out this plan in a “go big or go home” kind of a way. He didn’t just carry some sins to the cross. He carried every sin of every person who has ever and will ever live in this world. To say that he gave his all would be an understatement. He gave himself. He gave up his perfect life because that was the only price big enough to pay the debt owed by sinners of the world.

The God against whom we sin every day was not content to make salvation available to just a few. His love for you refused to let him exclude you from that group. It doesn’t matter where you live, what language you speak, what color your skin is, or what nationality you claim as your own. Your sins were carried to the cross and their punishment was suffered by the Son of God. Your debt has been paid. Salvation is yours.

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for loving me enough to include me in your plan of salvation. Thank you for sending Jesus to do whatever was necessary, even dying on a cross, to remove my sins. Help me to treasure, above all else, the gift of salvation he has 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.