Author: Kerry

When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Luke 5:4,5

Because You Say So

Daily Devotion – February 11, 2025

Devotion based on Luke 5:4,5


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Imagine a plumber telling an airline pilot how to do his job. Or a stockbroker giving advice to a road worker. That advice is not likely to be received well. Maybe you’ve experienced something similar when someone completely unqualified tried to tell you how to do your job. “Who are you to tell me what to do?”

Jesus, the carpenter, told Simon Peter, the fisherman, how to do his job. It had been a long and frustrating night for Peter. Every time he cast his net into the water, he had come up empty. He let Jesus use his boat as he cleaned his nets and dreamed of a hot meal and a fresh bed.

But then Jesus told Peter to go back out (after just cleaning his nets) and cast in the deep water. Deep water? During the day? This sounds like the advice of a carpenter and not a fisherman. It must have seemed impractical, maybe even crazy, for Peter to listen to this command from Jesus.

Peter replied, “Because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Even when it didn’t make sense or went against everything he knew, Peter trusted Jesus enough to obey. And the result? A miraculous catch of fish that nearly sank his boat.

This story isn’t just about Peter’s obedience; it’s about Jesus’ authority and power. When Jesus speaks, he knows exactly what he’s doing, even if it seems impractical or impossible to us. His words are not limited by our knowledge, experience, or understanding.

Christians are often called to listen to Jesus in ways that may seem counterintuitive—like forgiving someone who has hurt us deeply, trusting God with an uncertain future, or sharing the gospel when we feel unqualified. These things can feel just as impractical as fishing in deep water during the day. But Jesus doesn’t call us to rely on our own understanding. He calls us to trust him.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to always trust in your commands, even when they seem impossible to me. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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 Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Luke 5:8-11

Pardoned and Purposed

Daily Devotion – February 10, 2025

Devotion based on Luke 5:8-11


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Jesus called Peter to tell people about the forgiveness and eternal life he had come to win for them. It was an unlikely choice at best. Peter was not a biblical scholar. He didn’t have a prestigious job or a position of honor and influence. He was a fisherman. More than that, he was a sinner, which should have disqualified him from service to a perfect God.

Like Peter, Christians know their sins and failures, yet Jesus speaks the same comforting words: “Don’t be afraid.” He assures his followers that his sacrifice covers their sins and restores their relationship with God. This personal experience of forgiveness is what makes Christians uniquely qualified to share the good news about Jesus.

Peter experienced Jesus’ forgiveness repeatedly. As he shared the good news of that forgiveness with others, he could draw on that experience.

Years ago, I was contemplating LASIK eye surgery. I was reassured when my ophthalmologist told me she had undergone the same procedure. Knowing that she understood my concerns and had trusted the process herself gave me confidence to move forward. In the same way, Christians can share the gospel because they have experienced Jesus’ forgiveness firsthand.

If you feel unqualified to share the gospel, remember that you don’t share the good news because of your credentials but because of Christ’s work in your life. You’ve received his mercy and grace, and that personal connection allows you to speak with authenticity and compassion.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, because of your perfect life and sacrifice, I no longer need to be afraid. Make me a bold witness of the forgiveness you have won for me. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Romans 10:14,15

The Story of Your Salvation

Daily Devotion – February 9, 2025

Devotion based on Romans 10:14,15


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Novel writers will tell you there is no secret recipe for producing a best-selling page-turner. However, many successful authors start with the ending and work backward. They have a goal in mind—it may be a happy ending or a shocking surprise, and the rest of the story builds toward that last chapter.

As a believer in Christ, you already know how your life’s story will end. You will joyfully spend eternity in the glorious presence of God, who loves you. But how do you come to such a happy ending? In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul “reverse engineers” your story. You will be saved from the punishment you deserve through your faith in the Son of God, Jesus, who died in your place. You were led to call out to God for mercy, and he answered you for the sake of Jesus. But how did you know to call on him? How did you learn that he was such a merciful God and offered full and free forgiveness? Someone—a family member, a friend, or a pastor perhaps, shared with you the good news of what Jesus accomplished by his death on the cross. But that person who told you had to have been told by someone else. And so on.

Your life’s story begins and ends with the love of God in Christ Jesus. He has arranged everything to happen in your life for the purpose of your salvation. The events that lead to your eternal life in heaven began long before you were born. Always remember, in prayer, those that God has used to bring you to know him and consider how God may be using you in someone else’s life story. As you share what you know about Jesus with others, you become a vital character in the story of how that person also arrives at their happy ending.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I thank you for sending gospel messengers into my life. Let me know the joy of revealing to others the not-so-secret ending of the story of your love. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16,17

An Instruction Manual

Daily Devotion – February 8, 2025

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 3:16,17


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There is a direct correlation between how complex a piece of equipment is and how important the instruction manual is. You probably don’t need to look at the instruction manual for a straightforward calculator, but a new smartphone’s instruction manual may be helpful for figuring out some of its more complicated functions.

Life is complex and complicated. So, where’s the instruction manual for life? We do have one. It’s called the Bible.

You can go to any bookstore and find all kinds of self-help books, but these are instructions that are written by imperfect humans who struggle with the same life issues you do. Why not go to the source of life for instructions on how to live?

God, who created you, has given you his own Word—the Bible—to guide you in life. In that Word, he tells you that he loved you so much that he sent his Son into the world to save you from your sins and give you eternal life.

You have all the guidance you need for life in the Bible. No, you won’t find specific instructions for every decision you need to make. The Bible won’t tell you which job you should apply for or whether you should lease or buy your car. What you will find is one reminder after another of God’s awesome love for you and encouragement to live every moment of your life to his glory as the beloved child of God you are.

Treasure this God-given instruction manual and turn to it often. The author will never let you down.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for giving me the Bible. Without it, I would not know of your love or my salvation. Through it, I know that I am loved and saved through Jesus. Help me to treasure and regard it as it truly is—your perfect Word. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:2,3

Stick With Sound Doctrine

Daily Devotion – February 7, 2025

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 4:2,3


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There are over 40,000 different Christian denominations around the world, each one with its own unique teachings. So, if there is only one God and only one Bible, why is there so much variety?

The apostle Paul answers this in today’s Bible passage. People won’t put up with the sound doctrine God speaks in his Bible. Instead, they follow teachers who tell them what their itching ears want to hear. Over the last two millennia, this has resulted in many churches.

In a way, it’s understandable. You know how hard it is to tell people something they do not want to hear, especially if you’re correcting their sinful lifestyle or erroneous beliefs.

Because the Word can offend sinners, there will always be a temptation to twist its meaning—not just for pastors and teachers, but for all Christians. If you do that, however, you set up yourself and others for eternal disaster.

Thankfully, Paul doesn’t just describe the problem; he also gives the solution. “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season” (v. 2). That is, stand by the Bible’s sound doctrine, not only when it’s popular but also when it isn’t.

Jesus knows what it’s like to be unpopular for speaking the truth—he was crucified for it! He gave his life as a sacrifice for sins, and you are forgiven when you avoid the truth, ignore the truth, and forget the truth.

And that’s the key: When God has spoken it, it is the truth. He promises to bless all his words that come from your mouth. When you speak the word with great patience, you won’t always tell people what they want to hear, but you will always tell them what they need to hear. Stick with the sound doctrine that prepares you for your eternal home.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, help me to apply my heart and mouth to do your will. Prepare me to correct, rebuke, and encourage. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:14,15

The One Thing That Works

Daily Devotion – February 6, 2025

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 3:14,15


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Are you a pragmatic person? Pragmatists want to find effective solutions to life’s problems. They deal with challenges based on what works, not on what they wish worked. And that sounds great because if there’s one thing we want, it’s things that work.

Does that attitude apply to religion? There are thousands of religions, and all claim to have an effective solution to one of life’s great problems: How do people get right with God?

On the surface, all these religions seem incomprehensibly diverse, but all of them—except one—boil down to essentially the same solution: You need to do enough good in life to stand before the holy God.

But does that work? Can you have confidence that you and God are good because you’ve done enough good? Not if you’re honest with yourself. Your conscience is a constant reminder that the solution of doing enough good doesn’t work because no one can ever be sure they have done enough.

But there is another plan, the one in today’s Bible reading. In fact, what works is the Bible. Those Holy Scriptures “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v. 15).

Other religions may be popular, but that doesn’t mean they’re successful. Unlike them, Christianity isn’t about trying to be good enough. It’s about God making you wise for salvation. His Word gives you wisdom that leads to salvation because it tells you all about Jesus.

Jesus is God’s plan to save you. You can’t do enough good for God, so Jesus came and did enough good for you. You can’t pay for your sins, so Jesus went to the cross to pay for them. You can’t conquer death, so Jesus rose from the dead to conquer it for you. That’s a different solution! Not trusting in yourself but trusting in Jesus. That works!

Prayer:
Christ Jesus, through your powerful Word continue to make me wise for salvation through faith in you. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. . . your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:3,7,8

One With the Holy One

Relationships are rewarding. No relationship is more meaningful and important than the one we have with the Lord. Our present and eternal life depends on that relationship.

Yet how can we be certain that such a relationship exists? And if it exists, how can we be sure it will endure? We can’t help but recognize the vast gulf between our nature and his. He is absolute perfection, while our life reveals countless imperfections.

Before him, the heavenly angels shield their faces and feet with their wings. They cry out in reverent awe, “Holy, holy, holy.” The holy Lord demands and deserves such holiness from us.

Yet the Lord of matchless majesty is also the Lord of matchless mercy. He bridges the divide between his holiness and our sinfulness. The bridge he provides is Jesus. He takes our sins and bears them all upon the cross. Our guilt is completely taken away, and in its place, he freely gives us his grace. Before the holy God, we are holy, for Jesus’ holiness is ours.

In the freedom of God’s forgiveness, Isaiah confidently received God’s invitation to be his prophet. He boldly answered God’s call, “Here am I. Send me!” The Lord still sends out messengers to fearlessly confess his saving name with faith-driven courage. Our holy and gracious God draws even more people into a relationship with him as his saving word is proclaimed.

Prayer:
O heavenly Father, you are truly loving and holy. Through your holy Son you have provided healing and forgiveness to an unholy world. Send the Holy Spirit to create faith in me through your Holy Word. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

“Alas, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.”
Jeremiah 1:6,7

Say Whatever I Command You

Daily Devotion – February 5, 2025

Devotion based on Jeremiah 1:6,7


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How do children respond when you ask them to do something unpleasant? They make excuses: “I can’t do that! Do I have to?” Sometimes adults do the same thing: “I don’t have the skills to do that! Can’t somebody else do it?”

When the Lord called Jeremiah to be his prophet, he gave him the unpleasant task of convicting the people of their sin. How did Jeremiah respond? “Alas, Sovereign LORD, I do not know how to speak; I am too young” (v. 6).

Jeremiah was a young man sent to people who valued experience more than youth and who wouldn’t want to hear what he had to say. It was a good excuse, but it was still an excuse, and a childlike one at that.

What excuses do you have? No, the Lord has not called you to be a prophet, but we all have people in our lives who need to hear about God and his promises.

What do you say to yourself to justify staying quiet? “I’m too young. I’m too old. The timing is wrong. I don’t know what to say.” Satan loves excuses because excuses silence the Word so souls headed for hell don’t hear it.

That’s why the Lord tells you the same thing he told Jeremiah: “Say whatever I command you” (v. 7). Jeremiah didn’t speak his own words. He repeated God’s Word. What comfort! The people wouldn’t always like what he had to say, but Jeremiah wasn’t called to be popular; he was called to fearlessly share God’s Word.

Remember this. The power of God’s Word does not depend on you. The power comes from God. That means you don’t need to be afraid to speak the Word of the Lord to people who need to hear it. The Lord does not promise to supernaturally give you words to speak, but he does give you the Bible. That is the Word you speak.

Prayer:
Sovereign Lord, silence my excuses and give me confidence in your Word and care. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
Luke 4:42-44

Sent for Success

Daily Devotion – February 4, 2025

Devotion based on Luke 4:42-44


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One of the quickest ways to become popular is to make life better for people, and Jesus had been doing just that. He had performed one miraculous healing after another. People suffering from all kinds of sicknesses flocked to him, and he cured them one by one.

It’s not surprising, then, that people went looking for him after he slipped out for some alone time. It’s even less surprising that they tried to prevent him from leaving. What is surprising, though, is that Jesus wanted to leave. Why would he go away from a place where he was so popular?

Isn’t that the point? Conventional wisdom states that popularity means success and if you’re popular, it will make your life better.

But while it’s natural for us to think that being popular is a worthy goal, Jesus demonstrated that popularity is not proof of success. Remember what he told the people: “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent” (v. 43).

It’s true that Jesus had the power to make life better for people and the potential to be extremely popular, but that was not the reason he was there. He was sent not to make life better, but to give us a different life entirely.

Jesus knew that our problems are bigger than the sicknesses that kill us. For Jesus, success meant proclaiming the good news of his imminent victory over sin, death, and the devil. That victory does more than make life better; it gives eternal life to all who believe in Jesus.

That’s why believers in Jesus keep preaching that same good news—to take as many people as possible safely into the kingdom of God.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son to proclaim good news and letting me hear it. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.

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At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.
Luke 4:40,41

Signs of the Ultimate Healing

Jesus had been busy. In the synagogue that morning, he freed a man from demon possession by commanding the demon to leave him. Later he cured a woman of her high fever simply by rebuking the fever. Jesus’ word had accomplished great things that day, and word about him had been spreading like wildfire. He was a popular man.

By sunset, all kinds of sick and demon-possessed people had been brought to Jesus. With a touch from his hands, the sick were healed, and by the word of his mouth, demons were exorcised. No illness resisted him, and demons couldn’t speak without his permission.

In one miracle-packed day, Jesus demonstrated his power over afflictions and his deep concern for every afflicted individual. But if affliction is no match for Jesus’ powerful word, why doesn’t he continue to miraculously heal people today? That is a question every follower of Jesus wrestles with, especially when they are suffering.

To answer that question, we need to remember that everyone Jesus healed could have gotten sick again, and even if they stayed healthy for the rest of their lives, they still died. Those miraculous healings made Jesus popular, but they were only temporary reprieves of a much greater problem. The Bible tells us, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

Jesus came to end that problem permanently. His miracles proved he was sent by God to do just that because they demonstrated that he was the Son of God in human flesh. Jesus’ bloody cross and empty tomb leave no doubt that he defeated our afflictions at their source. Jesus’ miracles of healing point to the ultimate healing: the forgiveness of your sins and the perfect restoration of all things on the Last Day.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are the Great Physician of body and soul. Remind me of your concern for me. Help me when I suffer and give me strength to endure until the day you restore your creation to perfection. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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.