Category: Daily Devotions

“But what about you?” [Jesus] asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (NIV 2011)

Mark 8:29-33

More than a Man

Daily Devotion – September 17, 2018

Devotion based on Mark 8:29-33

See series: Devotions

“Who is Jesus?” and “What was his purpose?” are two key questions a reader of the Bible must be able to answer. Opinions on these questions vary widely. There are some who might say that Jesus did not exist but was merely the subject of historical fiction by some Jewish authors. Others might say he was a wise teacher of morality. Others might say he was one prophet among others like Muhammed or Buddha.

Jesus had asked his disciples who people thought he was. They reported that some thought he was just a man. Others thought he was an important prophet. But the disciples recognized there was something different about Jesus in what he was doing and how he taught. They confessed, “You are the one sent by God. You are the Lord’s anointed.”

They recognized who Jesus was, but it was that second question of what he came to do that was difficult for them to answer, and one we can struggle with too. If we just think that Jesus came to give us a set of morals to live by, to help us lead our best life now, to teach us how to raise our children, balance our bank account, or fix our marriage, then we miss the true purpose for his coming.

It is best to let Jesus describe why he came. Jesus says that he came to be rejected by the religious leaders of his day, that he be killed, and after three days rise again from the dead.

Jesus’ death and resurrection sets him apart from any individual or religious leader who came before him or who comes after him. His death and his return from death show us that he is more than a man. His death and his return from death show us that his death counted for something. Of course, when Jesus’ purpose doesn’t match up with our purpose for him, much like Peter, conflict in our hearts can arise.

Yet again, Jesus gives us an answer, “These are the concerns of God, not merely human concerns.” These are the concerns of God because he was concerned with the salvation of your soul, not just your physical life now. These are the concerns of God because he was concerned with your physical death and eternal life. These are the concerns of God because he sent his Son to die and rise again for you so that you too may rise from death and live with him forever.

Jesus is just who his Father intended him to be—more than a man. He is the Savior of our souls.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for showing us you are more than a man. Thank you for having in mind the concerns of God as you carried out your purpose. Keep us focused on you as our Savior from sin. 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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Matthew 18:21-22

Lord, Make Me Forgiving

Daily Devotion – September 16, 2018

Devotion based on Matthew 18:21-22

See series: Devotions

Peter didn’t understand forgiveness. He thought he should follow the prescribed tradition and forgive someone only seven times. Jesus corrected him by explaining forgiveness had to be more than that.

Forgiveness is not something which is counted or numbered. Neither do conditions apply which must be met before it can be offered. Nor should someone have to manifest a sufficient degree of sorrow before they can be forgiven. Forgiveness can only be understood by looking at the way Jesus has forgiven me.

Every time I come to Jesus’ cross it is with a heavy heart and the burden of guilt weighing me down. I know I have sinned and I know the sentence with which God punishes the sinner. My only hope is to plead for mercy. In an amazing display of love Jesus never turns me away. Nor does he ever tell me I have exceeded my limit of forgiveness. Neither does he demand to see some positive improvements before he can assure me my sins are removed. I come with filthy hands, a blackened heart and a desperate plea for mercy, and Jesus purifies me from all my sins. It sets my heart soaring to know I can stand before him deserving only judgment but receiving only mercy.

It is the way Jesus deals with me which motivates me to deal with others in the same way. Certainly, my sin-weakened flesh will make me reluctant to forgive someone. The world will try to convince me I need proof of genuine sincerity. Even the devil will prompt me to withhold forgiveness unless the person is completely humiliated. But this is not how Jesus dealt with me.

His undeserved love, his never-failing compassion, his dearest desire for my rescue invites me to come just as I am. It is this grace, secured by his precious work, which assures me I am forgiven. What a blessing this is for me, and what a comfort for those around me. I can respond with the same compassion, mercy, and love toward others with which Jesus dealt with me. This is why I need to pray daily and sincerely, “Lord make me forgiving as you have forgiven me.”

Prayer:
O precious Savior, not only do I need your forgiveness to comfort my aching heart, I need your forgiveness to forgive those who sin against me. Fill me with your love. Strengthen me through your death and resurrection. Make me forgiving, just as I have been forgiven. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Genesis 50:15-21

Forgiveness

Daily Devotion – September 15, 2018

Devotion based on Genesis 50:15-21

See series: Devotions

“I will never forgive him!” “What do you think, am I just going to forgive you?”

If anyone had reason not to forgive, it was Joseph. Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery and years of difficulty and personal pain followed. (Read: Genesis chapters 37–50.)

However, by the time he is reunited with his brothers, he has become the “Prime Minister” of Egypt. He is in charge of the great warehouses of grain which he saved in advance of a terrible drought and famine. He has the motive, the means and the opportunity to let his brothers have it.

It is stunning to see what happens next. There is no grudge and no payback. Instead, there is gracious welcome and generous hospitality. How can this be? Joseph tells us: “Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…”

The desire for revenge and failure to forgive are common human responses to sin, but they are not responses according to God’s love and in keeping with God’s will. God is a God of forgiveness. Through the death of Christ, he sends our sins away never to be found on our record again. He holds no grudges; he seeks to save and not to harm.

Filled with great appreciation for the forgiveness that God has freely given to me through Jesus, I am moved to forgive others. The forgiveness that I give to others frees me from anger and pain and frees those I forgive from guilt and shame. God intends forgiveness for good, and the ultimate good is heaven.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your forgiveness of my sins. Lead me daily to forgive others even as I have been forgiven. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The time will come when men 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. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
2 Timothy 4:3-4

What We Need

Daily Devotion – September 14, 2018

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 4:3-4

See series: Devotions

I know I should exercise, but it makes me sore and tired. I know I should eat a balanced diet, but donuts and cake taste better to me. I know that surgery will help me get back to full strength, but I’m scared to go under the knife and face painful rehab.

In daily life, our needs—things that are necessary and beneficial for a healthy and happy life—are often at odds with our wants—things that are optional and, sometimes, only superficially satisfying. But in the end, the truly wise and healthy person learns to seek, do, and even appreciate and long for the needed things.

The same holds true for our spiritual life. Our hearts are naturally tuned in to messages that are unhealthy and ultimately only superficially satisfying. So, our ears will naturally seek out messages that agree with our distorted heart’s desire. I want to hear that I am worthwhile and good. I want to hear that I can do things by my own determination and grit. I want to hear that I’m okay with God because I am a good (or at least pretty good) person. I want to hear that God is satisfied with good intentions, blessing me now and granting me a place in heaven as a result of my best efforts.

But that is not what I need to hear. I need to hear that I was born in sin and show it with thoughts that are impure, words that are unloving, and actions that are incomplete at best. I need to hear that my sinfulness separates me from a holy God. I need to hear that sinners like me deserve nothing from God but his punishment. I need to hear that, but I don’t want to…at first.

Human beings can only begin to hear and accept that difficult message when we come to know that it is not the end, or even the most important part, of what God knows our ears and hearts need to hear. I need to hear of God’s undeserved love—his amazing grace—towards sinners. I need to hear of a Savior who was sent to pay for and do away with human sin, even mine. I need to hear of a God who loves me and values me because of what his Son has done for me and the price he’s paid for me. I need to hear of a heavenly Father who promises to be with me in this life and take me to heaven when I die, because he has adopted me as his own dear child in Jesus Christ.

Tune your ears to that message. Find a church that faithfully teaches it. And you will be truly healthy and happy in your spiritual life!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, there are so many attractive and appealing messages in my world. Help me to tune my ears to your Word of Truth. In Jesus’ name. 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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.”
John 8:31

Stick to the Playbook

Daily Devotion – September 13, 2018

Devotion based on John 8:31

See series: Devotions

Training camps are complete. Pre-season action is over. In the United States, a sport returns that captivates millions each weekend. College student athletes and professionals alike will step out onto the gridiron—the football field.

Are you a fan of American football? Even if you aren’t, you can understand that in football, as in any team sport, the coach has a playbook. The playbook guides players to take the right number of steps, make the right cuts, throw the right passes, attack the right angles, all to defeat their opponent and win the game. Training camps and practice after practice drill those plays into the athletes, so they become second nature during the game. Imagine the disappointment of the coach when his players don’t follow the playbook!

Imagine the disappointment of God when his people don’t follow his Word! Indeed, the Bible is so much more than a playbook. God hasn’t given his Word just to drill into you exactly the right steps to take and tell you the decisions you need to make, but the Bible does present a message of victory for you.

Jesus teaches you of the victory you have in him. Even though you have taken the wrong steps, attacked the wrong angles in your life, and disappointed God, Jesus teaches you that you are forgiven. Jesus teaches you that he is your Savior. He stepped onto the gridiron of this world and faced the fiercest opponent. Jesus faced death itself for you, and he won. He gave up his life on the cross for your forgiveness, but then rose again in victory over the grave.

That’s why his teaching is so important. It’s why he tells you, and all who follow him, to hold on to it with such a grip that no opponent can ever force a fumble out of your hands. As you look around you, there are so many “teams” of Christians. Each seems to wear a different uniform. Which will you choose?

Find a church that’s running the right routes, saying the right things, taking the right angles—that is, they hold dearly to Jesus’ teaching. Then you know they will always point you to him as your Savior.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, teach and strengthen me to hold firmly to your Word of Truth. Help me to boldly live my life as your disciple. 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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
Isaiah 35:4-7

Your God will Come

Daily Devotion – September 12, 2018

Devotion based on Isaiah 35:4-7

See series: Devotions

Jennifer had a fearful heart. She was afraid of failing. Afraid of not being the person, mother, wife, sister, daughter she wanted to be, should be. Afraid of her own weaknesses and sins. Afraid of what God would think of her.

So how does this help? “Be strong, Jennifer. Do not fear; your God will come, with vengeance, with divine retribution.” God is coming? With vengeance and divine retribution? God is coming to pay me back for all my sins and failings? That is enough to make an already fearful heart completely fall apart. Terrifying!

But that’s not what God’s Word is saying in these verses. “Your God will come…to save you!” His vengeance and divine retribution are not against us, not against the repentant sinner with a fearful heart. The vengeance and retribution are reserved for Jennifer’s enemies. “He will come to save you, Jennifer.” God is coming to dish out divine payback to all of Jennifer’s enemies and save her from them.

God did come. Jesus arrived on the scene as a human being, God himself in the flesh. He defeated sin and all its consequences. He healed illnesses. He restored sight, hearing, speech, and movement. He drove away sin and death by his death on the cross. When he died and rose again from death, Jesus paid out retribution to sin, death, and the devil, and set his people free. He set Jennifer free. She is completely forgiven of every sin and failing. She is perfectly accepted and approved by God, through the work of Jesus. Instead of fear stalking her through the desert, Jennifer now walks in faith and joy through a vibrant paradise where grace grows.

She still has a fearful heart now and then. But she knows God came for her and died to save her. And he will come for her again to take her to be with him forever.

Prayer:
Dear Father, calm my fearful heart with your salvation. Restore all that sin has ruined in my life. Bring me to the paradise of heaven, through Jesus 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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
Romans 11:33

Astounding

Daily Devotion – September 11, 2018

Devotion based on Romans 11:33

See series: Devotions

Perhaps you enjoy viewing nature programs on public television. Perhaps you don’t. Regardless of your general interest in such programming, however, there is a nature series that towers above the rest. It’s a series of televised nature programs produced by Sir David Attenborough. Attenborough has combined his superb production values with the outstanding camera work of the BBC. Together, they capture moments in nature that are astounding.

If you watch, you will never forget the newborn lizard racing across a beach for its life while being chased by scores of fast-moving snakes (by the way, the lizard wins). If you watch, you will never forget what a father penguin is willing to endure to keep his young safe and warm. If you watch, you will never forget how the Australian lyrebird is able to imitate almost anything—even the intricate sounds of a camera. And if you watch, you will never forget the migration of a single monarch butterfly from Canada to a specific, pre-ordained cluster of trees in Mexico.

The series is not at all religious. Nevertheless, when one views these episodes in light of the reality that God is the Creator of all, the words of the apostle Paul seem to rise up and shout when he declares in pure astonishment: Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

As awe-inspiring as God’s creation is, however, Paul is not just speaking about the miraculous creatures that fill this planet. More than all that, Paul is speaking about the gospel.

God became a human being. God became one of us. In the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God lived among us. He ate and slept among us. He worked, got tired, and made friends. He wept when a loved one died. He suffered ridicule and rejection. He gave up his life on a cross.

He did all that to wash us clean and to set everything right between God and us. He did all that to ensure that all of our sins, all of our failures, all of our wrongs would never come back to haunt us ever again. And to assure us of this, he raised himself from the dead.

That’s what you and I have through faith in Jesus Christ. Through faith in him we have more than an awesome Creator. We have a Savior, Brother, and Friend.

And that is astounding.

Prayer:
Holy God, the wonders of your creation are astounding. Even more so, Lord, is your love for me in Jesus Christ. By your Spirit, keep me close to 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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”
Mark 7:37

Simply Amazing

Daily Devotion – September 10, 2018

Devotion based on Mark 7:37

See series: Devotions

There are some things in life which are simply amazing: the glow of a sunrise, the iridescence of a sunset, the reflection of mountains in a calm turquoise lake. These are all amazing. To these, specific events from life can also be added: the birth of a child, the longevity and health of a relative, the unexpected recovery from a life-threatening illness. These too are all amazing.

There is one more area of my life where I never cease to be amazed, and that is with the love of my Savior.

In connection with today’s verse of God’s Word, when I consider his care and compassion for the man who could barely speak and was without the sense of hearing, it is simply amazing. Jesus healed him completely. No recovery needed. No therapy required. No further treatment prescribed. It is the same care and compassion Jesus promises for my life.

While I may not see a miracle such as this man experienced, I do know he promises goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6). This is simply amazing that Jesus is so focused on my daily and personal care.

What is even more amazing is the care and compassion Jesus provides for eternal life. I was dead in my transgressions and sin. I was blind to his love and forgiveness. I was an enemy opposed to him at every turn. Yet, Jesus loved me. In that love he did everything to rescue me from my self-inflicted condemnation. He secured new life through his death and resurrection. He opened my eyes through the powerful working of faith. He reconciled me and brought me into his family. I deserved nothing but punishment, but he gave me everything. This is simply amazing.

There is only one response to Jesus’ undeserved love. I love him who loved me first. I also live every day in awe, thanking and praising my Savior for what he did—which is simply amazing.

Prayer:
O precious Savior, truly your love is amazing because it is undeserved. Keep me in your love and your compassionate care until I receive the greater blessing you have prepared for me in heaven. 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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or tax collector. I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 18:15-18

Repentance

Daily Devotion – September 9, 2018

Devotion based on Matthew 18:15-18

See series: Devotions

“It’s none of my business.” “I’m afraid it will damage our friendship.” “Who am I to point out the sin of another since I am a sinner myself?”

When a fellow Christian is caught in a sin, these are the excuses that so often find their way into our vocabulary. On the surface, they all seem legitimate. Why would we ever want to be considered meddlers, or controversy starters, or self-righteous hypocrites?

But when we trace such excuses to their roots, they get exposed for what they are: tricks and schemes of the devil. After all, Satan will do everything in his power to make sure we do not view sin for what it truly is—a poison that doesn’t just wound or hurt, but a poison that kills. And Satan desires nothing more than for people caught in deliberate sin to continue down that road of sin unrepentant—refusing to recognize their sin and refusing to recognize their desperate need for the forgiveness of our Savior. This is always Satan’s desire, because the road of unrepentance leads to hell.

That’s also why Jesus commands what he does in these words from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18. Jesus desires the salvation of souls. And so, Jesus commands Christians to call those caught in sin to repentance, that they may recognize their sin and then turn to him for forgiveness.

The steps Jesus calls Christians to follow are clear concerning a brother or sister in Christ. First, approach the fallen sinner privately, that your careful warning may lead him to the repentance God desires. If the person does not repent, involve two or three others, that the seriousness of the matter may be underscored while its privacy maintained. If the sinner still does not repent, take the matter to the church, that the entire body of believers may demonstrate just how seriously the Lord desires repentance and just how greatly the Lord desires to forgive. Finally, if the unrepentant sinner refuses to listen even to the church, exclude him from the church, that he may be continually reminded that impenitence kills saving faith.

Because our Savior has issued us this command solely out of love for sinners, we carry it out with that same spirit of love. We approach it with a single-minded desire to lead sinners to repentance, that they may experience the joy of his forgiveness once again. And we approach it with a humble heart, recognizing that it is only by God’s grace that our own sins have been forgiven. May God grant all of us such love and humility as we carry out this important work!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in your unlimited love for souls, you have commanded your believers to call sinners to repentance. Move us to carry out this command with that same spirit of love. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself. “Son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?”‘ Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’
Ezekiel 33:7-11

Life for You

Daily Devotion – September 8, 2018

Devotion based on Ezekiel 33:7-11

See series: Devotions

The cancer support group gathers in a circle in the church basement. They tell their dreary stories of unending fatigue, nausea, and pain. Finally, a young man who has been listening quietly announces, “I have a brain tumor. The doctors want to do surgery and remove it, but I’m not going to do it.” Support gives way to exasperation. “What?” “How can you do this?” “Don’t you want to live?”

When faced with a cancer diagnosis, our loved ones will most likely make every effort to see to it that we seek out every treatment available. The goal is staying alive.

“Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?” The inner, spiritual death caused by sin is cause for deep concern. Too many of us know the agony of watching our loved ones separate themselves from God through careless and persistent sin. God insists that we stand guard and speak out to dissuade our loved ones from their sin.

There is no reason to die because of sin. God “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” He wants us to live so much that his own Son took all of the careless and persistent sins we have committed and removed them by his sacrificial death on the cross. Troubled sinners cry out, “How then can we live?” Our loving God answers, “Turn from sin and trust that my Son’s death is life for you.”

Prayer:
Gracious God, lead us all away from sin and to your loving forgiveness in Jesus. Overcome everything harmful to body and soul with your promises of heavenly glory. Amen.

This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.

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 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.