Month: September 2024

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.”
Isaiah 35:4

Be Strong, Do Not Fear

Daily Devotion – September 12, 2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 35:4


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Around the year A.D. 156, a man named Polycarp was arrested during a time of Christian persecution. He was the leader of the church in Smyrna. His arrestors urged him to renounce Christ and to make a small offering to the Roman Caesar. They didn’t want to see this old man put to death. In their minds, they were asking a small thing.

“Curse Christ, and you will live!” said the Roman ruler. But Polycarp remained steadfast. “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” Polycarp replied.

Astonished and incensed, the Roman ruler threatened to burn Polycarp to death. Polycarp replied that his fire would last an hour, but the fires of hell would last an eternity. And with that, Polycarp was burned at the stake.

Through it all, Polycarp’s faith did not waver. He was not afraid of what men would do to him. Why? Because he knew God had come. Polycarp knew Jesus had already saved him from something far worse. Without fear or trembling, Polycarp stood firm to the end.

Over and over again, God tells his people not to be afraid. The reminder is necessary because people are sinners who deserve the wrath of God. And yet, God shows that he is not eager to punish or to threaten and terrify. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Instead, he wants to bring peace and hope, forgiveness and life.

That’s why God sent Jesus to save you. He sent Jesus to take away your guilt and shame that causes you to fear God’s wrath. Jesus tells you to be strong and not fear because he has made things right between you and God.

No matter what trials and temptations you face, you can be strong and not fear. Your God is on your side. Jesus has come, and he has saved you.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you are with me in every situation. Give me courage to stand firm in my faith no matter what. Amen.

Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Mark 7:36,37

More Than a Miracle Worker

Daily Devotion – September 11, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 7:36,37


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It sounds odd that Jesus instructed people not to spread news of the miracle he had just performed. It seems like the type of thing he would want people to know about. He had made a deaf and mute man hear and speak! Bring your sick, blind, deaf, and lame. Jesus can heal them. Like a doctor with a miracle cure, didn’t Jesus want to help all those people?

The people would have been perfectly happy with Jesus as their miracle worker, the one who could make their lives better right now. Jesus performed many miracles. They transformed the lives of the people he helped. But everyone Jesus healed had a much bigger problem, a sin problem. Those sins separated them from God.

The people wanted a miracle worker, but Jesus came to give them something much better. His work as the Messiah, the anointed and chosen one of God, was not to make life on earth paradise. Rather, he was preparing people for paradise by pardoning their sins.

His goal wasn’t to be popular; his goal was the cross. He planned to lay aside his power and submit to death, separation from God, the punishment all sinners deserve. Jesus did this so that all who believe in him as their Savior would be rescued from death and experience ultimate healing and restoration in eternity.

Maybe you’ve prayed to Jesus, asking for a miracle. And perhaps you haven’t gotten the answer you wanted. You wonder why he lets you suffer. But you don’t ever have to wonder about his love for you. Jesus’ willingness to suffer and die for your sins shows his love for you. And his suffering demonstrates that God brings incredible good from suffering.

Jesus healed many, but he didn’t heal all. However, Jesus did suffer for all, dying for the sins of the world so that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. Earthly suffering is temporary, but the peace, joy, and restoration Jesus promises is for eternity.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for taking care of my biggest problem, my sins. Help me always put my faith in you as my Savior. Amen.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
Mark 7:33-35

Jesus’ Personal Touch

Daily Devotion – September 10, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 7:33-35


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We don’t know if the deaf man brought before Jesus knew who Jesus was, but Jesus knew him. And Jesus knew exactly what that man needed. The first miracle Jesus performed was getting the deaf man away from the crowd. Then, very lovingly and gently, Jesus showed the man what he would do for him. He touched the man’s deaf ears and mute tongue. And then he looked up and sighed. How many times had that deaf and mute man done the same thing out of frustration from not being able to communicate? Jesus showed his love, compassion, and understanding.

With one word, “Ephphatha!” Jesus opened the man’s ears to hear and loosened his tongue to speak. Jesus gave the man not just hearing and speaking but vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. His opened ears meant he could hear the call to repentance and the voice of Jesus teaching about the kingdom of God and the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ miracle didn’t just change this man’s life, but his eternity. Jesus took the time to meet his individual needs.

Jesus knows exactly what you are feeling and going through, too. He knows your needs and desires. He knows your pain and weaknesses. He sighs with you. And Jesus comes to you the same way he came to that deaf man, through his Word.

The powerful word Jesus used to heal this man is the same powerful Word in the Bible. Through this Word, Jesus opens spiritually deaf ears to hear life-giving forgiveness of sins. Through this Word, Jesus resurrects spiritually dead hearts to a new life of faith and brings comfort and peace.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for coming to me in your Word. Amen.

Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.
Mark 7:31,32

The Impact of One Witness

Daily Devotion – September 9, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 7:31,32


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In 1929, Dr. William Leslie returned home. He had spent 17 years working as a medical missionary in the jungles of Africa. He built medical clinics and ministered to people’s diseases. He taught the Bible and shared the love of Jesus. But he felt like a failure. He did not see any immediate results from his missionary efforts.

In 2010, a team of missionaries made an astonishing discovery. They went to the same remote area of the Congo where Dr. Leslie had worked. They didn’t expect to find evidence of Christianity, but when they arrived, they found a network of thriving Christian churches.

The missionaries were bewildered. The local people explained what had happened. Christianity was taught to them by a man they called William generations ago. The missionary team discovered that the William they referred to was Dr. William Leslie. His work was no failure.

When Jesus went to Decapolis, it was not his first time. The first visit ended in what may have looked like a failure. The people asked Jesus to leave after he healed a demon-possessed man, and then the demons killed a herd of pigs. Jesus told the man that he healed to stay in the area. That man spread the wonderful news of what Jesus had done for him.

When Jesus returned, they did not drive him away. Instead, crowds came to him, bringing their sick, begging for his help. The witness of one man changed the attitudes of the people.

You might never see the impact your Christian witness makes. But when you share the gospel, the good news of sins forgiven in Jesus, you give the Holy Spirit a chance to work in someone’s heart. Your witness is powerful, not because of your strength, but because God is working through it.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, give me courage to share the wonderful news that you have forgiven my sins and the sins of the whole world. Give me opportunities to share the gospel. Amen.

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. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Isaiah 35:4-6

Welcome Changes

Daily Devotion – September 8, 2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 35:4-6


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Have you ever met one of those people who can brighten up every room they enter? If the conversation is dull, they liven it up. If everyone is gloomy, they bring cheer. If the mood is tense, they replace it with calm. Such welcome changes! Their arrival makes you want to shout for joy!

The scene Isaiah describes in his prophecy is not that much different. Only Isaiah is not describing a friend who will come to brighten up a room, he is describing our God who “will come to save you.” And what welcome changes this Savior brings! Isaiah prophesied that at our Savior’s arrival, he would open the eyes of the blind; he would unstop the ears of the deaf; he would make the lame leap like a deer; he would cause the mute tongue to shout for joy. When Jesus, our Savior, appeared in this world, he did just that. His miracles made so many shouts for joy.

But in reality, such miracles only served as a taste of a greater joy. Our Savior did not just come to save a few select individuals from their physical problems. He came to save the entire world from our spiritual problem—our spiritual problem of sin. We were spiritually crippled by our wickedness, but Jesus has healed us through the perfect life and innocent death that he accomplished in our place. Because of what he did, we will one day see our God face to face and walk in his holy presence forever.

What welcome changes the Savior brings. Your God has come to save you. Shout for joy!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, fill my heart with shouts of joy as I ponder the depth of your love for me and all people. Amen.

[Jesus replied] “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the human traditions.”
Mark 7:8

Don’t Let Go!

Daily Devotion – September 7, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 7:8


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“Don’t let go of the ‘Matchless Mine.” These were Horace Tabor’s dying words to his wife. Unfortunately, she took those words to heart and died a penniless recluse.

“Don’t let go of the traditions of the past.” These were the teachings of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law in Jesus’ day. For those who put their trust in those traditions, they lost the comfort of God’s Word and the promise of the Savior.

“Don’t let go of the commands of God.” These are the words of a loving Savior. Jesus wants me to know and understand the blessing of following those commands, as well as the danger of letting go of them.

“Don’t let go.” It is an exhortation we need to hear regularly. There are many competing messages in the world which vie for our attention. “Follow your heart.” “Trust your instincts.” “Rely on your understanding.” All are appealing. All sound reasonable. All are deceptions of the devil and lead to death.

“Don’t let go.” In the commands of God we have the true guide for life. And Jesus reminds us, “his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). We are led by Jesus and his great love for us to follow God’s commands. For in his faithfulness as our Savior, Jesus fulfilled every requirement God set before us. And in his great love, Jesus went to the cross to suffer the punishment that we deserved for failing to live up to God’s holy will expressed in his commands. The salvation that Jesus accomplished is our comforting assurance that, nothing will ever separate us from the love of God.

“Don’t let go.” This is Jesus’ desire for our lives. Even though there are many appealing paths and philosophies we could follow, nothing will ever offer the certainty or the peace of following by faith in Jesus what God commands. So, don’t let go!

Prayer:
O gracious Lord, your Word gives life, and it is my life. Keep me faithful to studying your Word and following your commands. In the end, keep me from letting go of those truths you have brought into my life. Amen.

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9

A Heart That Remembers

Daily Devotion – September 6, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:9


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“Don’t forget!” A child needs to be reminded to do his chores because he easily forgets. But he doesn’t forget that his parents promised to buy him a treat next time the ice cream truck comes by. We’re more eager to remember the things we want and quicker to forget things that seem like chores.

God was telling his people not to forget what their eyes have seen and not let them fade from their hearts. What had they seen? They had seen God rescue them from Egypt, and he was about to bring them into the Promised Land. Don’t forget! And don’t just know it; take it to heart! Years later, God would deliver us and all people in a greater way. He sent his Son, Jesus, to save us and the world from sin. Though we did not see Jesus die in our place and though we did not see his empty tomb as a sign of a promise kept, God grants us faith to know and believe that he did! He makes those blessings of salvation personally ours in baptism—what Jesus did, he did for you!

Don’t forget! Don’t forget how much your Savior loves you. Don’t forget all that he’s done for you. Don’t forget his Word that guides you through life. Don’t forget. How could we? When we grow to love and depend on something so vital, how could we forget. The more we listen to our Savior’s words, the more we appreciate what he has done. It’s not a chore. It’s a relief! We remember and take to heart Jesus and his Word. The Spirit is at work in the Word to give us a heart that truly remembers and personally takes to heart all that our Savior has done. God grants us hearts to cling to his promises as we walk through this life on our way to heaven, the Promised Land.

Prayer:
Lord, strengthen my faith to remember and take to heart all that you have done and equip me to teach the next generation. Amen.

Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?
Deuteronomy 4:6,7

A Heart That Beams With Joy

Daily Devotion – September 5, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:6,7


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When you ask an engineer how his machine works, he lights up and is eager to share his knowledge and expertise. When a child learns something new, she can’t wait to share what she knows. We don’t want to hide what we are passionate about. We are eager to share knowledge of what we believe is important.

As God’s people, past and present, live their lives, their hearts beam with joy, eager to share what we know to be true and eternally important. Following Jesus and his commands is not about a rigorous religious life trying to appease a harsh god. We don’t serve out of fear. We live in the freedom of sins forgiven! Our joy comes from what God has done for us. Jesus drew near to humanity when he became truly human. He made known to us the true God and his salvation. He rescued us from sin by his life, death, and resurrection and made us his holy people. He is not distant. He is real, and he is near.

Our passion is to live for the one who lived and died and rose for us! As we walk in God’s ways and follow him with a joyful heart, we are letting the knowledge of Jesus and his salvation shine to the world around us. The lives we live are not so that people will praise us. We live so that we and others may praise our God and Savior. We don’t wish to blend into the world. We want to let our speech and lives reflect our faith that God has saved us and that he is with us. We want to eagerly answer those who wonder who God is and how he works. We want to share the joy of knowing Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord, fill my heart with the joy that comes from your salvation that I may serve and follow you. Amen.

Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
Deuteronomy 4:1,2

A Heart That Trusts

Daily Devotion – September 4, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 4:1,2


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I like to cook, but I don’t always like to follow recipes. Sometimes, I leave out a key ingredient or substitute a more common one. Other times, I add a twist. Sometimes it works. Sometimes, it’s a disaster.

Adding our own flavor and interpretation to God’s Word, substituting an idea that’s more common today, taking away things we find unappetizing, or adding our own twist to make it more palatable is a recipe for disaster. Taking away something can take away the comfort we have in Jesus! Adding something can add a burden of guilt and uncertainty.

That’s why God’s Word comes with a warning—do not add or subtract. That would be a recipe for disaster. He gives this warning because he wants what’s best for us. “Just trust me!” God says. Trust the words that God has spoken. Trust that he knows what is best for us because he designed and created us to live as his children. Trust that he knows how best to bless and meet our spiritual needs because he became human, walked in our shoes, and then died to save us. Trust his royal decree that declares us forgiven and made holy because of Jesus.

Rather than being cooks in the kitchen trying to concoct our own philosophies and teachings, God invites us to feast on his every word. He invites us to sit at his table and feeds us all that our souls need. He feeds us free of charge because Jesus has picked up the tab. We savor every morsel of God’s Word because it nourishes our souls and satisfies us like nothing else. We follow him with a heart that trusts every word that he speaks.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the price you paid and giving me an endless serving of your grace. Amen.