WELS Daily Devotions

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261003dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus Christ] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11 Unimaginable Humility A homeless man sits next to the exhaust vent at the local dry cleaners. It's a good spot, one of the best in town for staying warm through a brisk fall night. As a local lawyer arrives to pick up his suits from the previous week, he reaches into his pocket and hands the homeless man a $20 bill. A couple of hours later, an investment banker comes by and invites the man to lunch. He spends a good hour talking to the man, and of course, picks up the tab. Later in the day a woman pulls up in her Mercedes and sees the man taking a nap. She gently nudges him on the shoulder and asks him his name. She then gives him the keys to her Mercedes and tells him that the garage door opener is on the visor and that her purse with all her cash, credit cards, and account numbers is on the passenger seat. He can have it all, if only she can have his cardboard seat cushion and spot next to the exhaust fan. The first two scenarios are believable. The last one is unimaginable. Yet, Jesus Christ did something even more inconceivable. He left God's side in the heavenly realms to be born into our world as a human being. He made himself nothing so that we could be something. He took on our nature, carried our sins, and suffered on the cross, so that we could be with him forever. Jesus did this not only to be the greatest example of humility, but to offer his life for sinners—to give his righteousness for our unrighteousness. Jesus has done it all. Now those who live in his kingdom of grace and mercy are called to imitate his humility in their lives. How might you do that today? Prayer: Dear Jesus, send your Holy Spirit into my heart and comfort me with your love, so that I can imitate your humility in my everyday life. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261002dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11 There’s No Denying It! “There’s no denying it. He’s the best there ever is, the best there ever was, the best there ever will be.” Do you ever find yourself making statements like this? It happens all the time with sports fans. For example, who is the greatest basketball player of all time? Jordan? Kobe? LeBron? Fans will argue whatever data fits their side. “He had more championships” or “The league was tougher during that era” or whatever else they can think of. But whether we're talking about sports, military generals, brainiacs, or business tycoons, there isn’t anyone that EVERYONE agrees is, was, and always will be the greatest of all time. To be honest, the same is true even when it comes to religion. Every religion promotes its teaching or its figurehead as the best. As a Christian, it’s not a secret that I say that about Jesus. Hands down, without a doubt in my mind and heart, Jesus is the best. But let me plead my case. Jesus did what no one else could possibly do. Jesus lived a flawless life, a life of complete perfection, a life that he gave up so that his perfection could be gifted to you and me. However, Jesus didn’t stay dead. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave and walked out of his tomb, alive. He defeated death, an enemy that no man could but he, the God-Man, did. Until Jesus returns, religious people will continue to make their claims about their side being right and others being wrong. But there will come a day when there will be no denying it—Jesus is the best. Prayer: Dear Jesus, keep me faithful in confessing your name until the day when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that you are Lord. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261001dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:9 A Name Above All Others A podcast I listen to regularly takes the time every week to read a Medal of Honor citation. The Medal of Honor is given for acts of valor, acts so heroic that the recipient often lost his life for his actions on the battlefield to save his fellow soldiers. I appreciate taking the time to hear those names and what they did. It allows me to reflect and give thanks to God for the many who have sacrificed so much for my peace and prosperity. In our Bible verse today, we are reminded of a name that cannot and will not be forgotten, a “name that is above every name,” the name Jesus. This name literally means, “God saves.” Jesus saved you and me not just with one act of valor. No, it was a lifetime! He did what we couldn’t even imagine. He lived his life perfectly. He never allowed his heart to lust. He never took something that didn’t belong to him. He never threw a punch in a burst of anger or even uttered a word out of hate. He never told a lie to hide imperfection. He didn't have any. He never whispered gossip about another to make himself feel more important. Not once. He was and is perfect. But then he did something even more amazing: he let himself be killed on a cross so that his perfect life would be gifted to you and to me. He died so that when God looked at us, God wouldn't see our guilt and shame. No, he would only see the perfection of Jesus. Talk about an act of valor! What a name! What a Savior! What a gift we have been given! May we cherish Jesus every single day! May we never forget that because of his sacrifice we have been saved from an eternity of pain. And with each day God gives us, may we honor him in the way we live. Prayer: Dear Jesus, you humbled yourself for me and are now exalted above all. Keep me humble in service and confident in your victory. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260930dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8 I Yield When my kids were little, I loved roughhousing. ‘Daddy! Daddy! Let’s wrestle!’ they would squeal and giggle. I would body slam, clothesline, piledrive, you name it, and they would tackle and tug with all the might and strength a toddler could muster. Usually, once I tuckered them out, they would pin me down and declare themselves the kings and queens of the ring. I miss those days. Just for the record, and you’ll have to take my word for it, I could’ve beaten them any time, every time. I outweighed them by two hundred pounds. If it were a real fight, they wouldn't have had a chance. But I yielded. I let them win. I let myself be overpowered. When I read our Bible passage today, I think back to those times when I would roughhouse and wrestle with my kids. Jesus didn’t need to submit himself to torture and execution. Jesus didn’t need to let himself be swallowed up by death. But Jesus allowed himself to die so that you and I would be saved from eternal death. He allowed himself to “lose” so that you and I could shout with joy that victory over the grave is ours! He yielded. That’s the best news you’ll hear all day! In your relationships, reflect the attitude of Jesus. Because Jesus has served you by saving you, serve others. And when they ask why, you can tell them what Jesus has done for you and for them. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are true God, yet you made yourself nothing and went to the cross for me. Forgive me for my stubborn pride. Fill my heart so that I may have the same mindset you displayed—willing to serve, willing to put others first, willing to follow you in humble 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260929dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4 How Can I Help? ‘What do I get out of it?’ ‘What’s in it for me?’ ‘When do I get mine?’ Do you ever find yourself thinking that way? Of course you do! Everyone does. Since we were little, we have been wired to look out for me, myself, and I. I think one of the first words my children ever spoke was ‘mine.’ People are selfish. It is in our nature. But is that how God would have us live? No. The author of today’s Bible reading tells us that God has a different way, a better way for us to interact with others. He tells us to humbly put others above ourselves. Put others first? Yes! Imagine what your relationships would look like if you did that every day. Imagine what that would look like if husbands and wives put each other’s needs and desires before their own. Imagine what that would look like if parents and children always looked to serve one another. What a happy home that would be! But think if everyone did that outside of the home as well. How blessed our communities and country would be! What would make someone want to do that? The author explains that the answer is simple: Jesus. Jesus’ life was about putting you and me above himself. His mission in life was to save us, and he did that by always putting us first in his heart, to the extent that he shed blood and gave up his life for you and me. Follow Jesus’ lead, rather than asking, “What’s in it for me?” ask, “How can I help?” Remembering how Jesus served you, is there someone you could serve today? Is there someone you could put before yourself? Give it a try! Be that blessing to them! Prayer: Dear Jesus, you humbled yourself to save me. Forgive my selfish ambition and vain conceit. Create in me the same humble mind that is in you, so that I value others above myself and look to their interests in 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260928dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Philippians 2:1-2 A Unity Only Jesus Can Bring There is a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin, “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” This quip is traditionally linked to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The United States had banded together under the common cause of liberty and if we were going to be an independent nation, we were going to have to stick together. If the people couldn’t unite, the newly formed nation would crumble, and all her leaders would be tried for treason and hanged. Unity. Don’t you crave it? Don’t you want unity in your country, with your neighbor, with your family? Isn’t it great when there is unity in our relationships? Of course! Unity brings harmony and peace. But unity doesn't always come easy. Politics divide a nation. Petty squabbles irritate the neighbor next door. Families hold onto grudges over unkind things done and said at Thanksgiving ten years ago. Even amongst Christians there are fights and feuds. But the author of today’s Bible reading makes an appeal to you. He says that, as a Christian, you know the sacrifice that Jesus has made for you. You know that selfless act of your Savior, Jesus, who gave up his life and died so that all your wrongdoings and faults would be forgiven. Friend, remember that sacrifice of Jesus! It is his sacrifice that puts everything in perspective. When I remember the lengths to which Jesus went to save me, that causes me to look at everyone else in my life on my side. We all deserve death because of our failures. But we all have been forgiven because of Christ. And that forgiveness causes me to love and forgive and be united with everyone. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have united us to yourself and to one another. Fill us with your Spirit so that our lives reflect the oneness you have already given us. Make our joy complete as we live in the same love and mind that is ours 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260927dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8 Nothing More Needs To Be Said Imagine it’s about thirty years after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Imagine you are a career military man, recently retired from the Roman army. Like many other retired soldiers, you decide to live in a town called Philippi. You like it there because so many of your neighbors are just like you—people who know what military life is all about. Then it happens: The apostle Paul comes to your town with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. You become a follower of Jesus. You help form a Christian congregation. You begin sharing the message of Christ with others. But then life gets difficult. Because of your Christian faith, some of your old friends want nothing to do with you. Some in your church family are even facing open hostility because of what they believe. You have moments when you wonder how much the Lord Jesus really loves you. Then, a Godsend—a letter from Paul! As you read it, there is one sentence that hits you hard. Paul is describing what Jesus was willing to do for you. He says, “He humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.” Nothing more needs to be said. You see, as a soldier, you know what death on a cross is. The sight of gasping, writhing victims, the sound of their sobs, the smell, the flies—all have seared themselves into your memory long ago. And the Son of God willingly did that for you. Does Jesus love you? There he was on the cross. There he bore your sins in your place. Nothing more needs to be said. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you went to the cross in my place to take my every sin away. You love me. For that I love you. And I thank 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260926dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jonah wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.” But God said to Jonah, “Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?” “I do,” he said. “I am angry enough to die.” But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” Jonah 4:8-11 The Creator and Preserver Jonah was very angry because God turned from his threat to punish the people of Nineveh. God worked to bring Jonah to repentance. He caused a vine to spring up overnight, and the next day its large leaves gave Jonah relief from the intense heat of the sun. But the cold heart of Jonah was not melted by the mercy that God showed him. The next night, God provided a worm that killed the vine. When the sun blazed the next day, Jonah was left without shade. He was so distressed about the loss of the vine that he told God, “I am angry enough to die.” God used that vine to teach Jonah an important lesson. Jonah merely had self-interest in the vine. His only concern for the vine was the protection and comfort it brought him. God wanted Jonah to think about the vine from the viewpoint of the one who caused it to grow and cared for it—a perspective quite different than Jonah’s attitude. The grower and the gardener demonstrate a deep concern for the well-being of the vine. Then the Lord applied the lesson. He is the creator and preserver of all people, including those people in Nineveh. And there were many of them, many people whom God loved and wanted to save from destruction. God is deeply interested in every person—no one is excluded from his love. His greatest desire is for people to live with him. That's why he came into this world and was born a true human being. His complete focus was on our welfare, not on his own. He came to save us from death and give us eternal life. Prayer: Lord, teach me the extent of your great love. Give me courage to open my mouth to tell others about your salvation. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260925dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Romans 9:16 The Standard of Mercy When you have a job to perform or an assignment to complete, you want to know what is expected. What does it take to get a good grade? How can you earn your paycheck? Judged competitions, whether in athletics, the arts, or entries at the county fair, have standards that judges use to determine the final score for each competitor. We want to know God’s standards for our lives, too. God’s laws and commandments make demands and set expectations. Because we want God’s acceptance, we naturally look to those standards. We may assume that the better we follow God’s commandments, the more he will love and bless us, and the more confidence we can have that we will go to heaven. But God’s law demands perfection, and none of us can achieve that. If the outcome depends on our performance, we will never get to heaven. But our status before God does not depend on who we are or what we do. It depends on his mercy. Mercy is when God doesn’t treat us the way our sins and failures deserve. God’s mercy, flowing from his incomprehensible and unconditional love for all people, led him to fulfill the requirements of his law for us when he sent Jesus. Our standing before God, our eligibility for heaven’s rewards, isn’t based on our performance. It is based entirely on the compassionate heart of God, the unconditional love of God, the astounding mercy of God. In love and mercy, he met standards for us and gives us his rewards as a gift. What a relief! My failures don’t disqualify me. I don't have to worry whether my performance is better than enough other people to make the cut. God forgives my failures and credits me with Jesus’ performance in my place. My position and prize are secure. Now I can obey him in joyful thanksgiving, confident in his love. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for loving me not based on what I do, but on your mercy alone. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260924dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh?” Jonah 4:11 An Unanswered Question A good plot reveals a problem that needs a solution. Then, the rest of the story resolves that problem. Maybe you’ve watched a movie that doesn’t work that way. The final credits roll, and the plot seems unresolved. The problem remains, or the answer doesn’t seem complete. The question in todays’ Bible reading is from the last verse in the book of Jonah. God is speaking to his messenger Jonah. Jonah has complained that God is unfair for not destroying the wicked city of Nineveh. And he’s complained that God is unfair for letting a worm kill a vine that shaded Jonah’s head. For selfish reasons, Jonah cares about the vine, but he doesn’t care about a whole city of people in danger of being destroyed by God. God asks him this searching question, “Shouldn’t I be concerned about this great city filled with people who need my love?” We don’t hear Jonah’s answer. How would we answer? We might say, “Of course, God should be concerned about these people.” But are we? Do our lives ever reveal that we are more concerned about our own comfort than about telling people about Jesus? Do we let the differences that separate us from others keep us from sharing with them the news of the Savior who is for all? Do we let our lives get so filled up with our own busyness that we don’t have time to make sure our children are hearing God’s Word? God’s question for Jonah confronts us too. Let’s rejoice that God was concerned not only for the great city of Nineveh but for a world of sinners in every century and millennium in need of his mercy. His concern wouldn’t let him sit idly by. It caused him to send his Son, Jesus, to seek and save the lost, suffering and dying for sinners—for you, for me, for all. Because he did, we don’t have to fear death and hell. What amazing grace! May God’s love move us to act in loving concern for a world of people like us who need his amazing grace, too. Prayer: Lord, forgive me for my selfishness with your amazing grace. Give me a heart like yours that wants all to be saved. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260923dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” Jonah 4:11 Amazing Grace for All Every day we get to choose how we will spend our time, our money, and our energy. Good time and money management often means deciding what matters most and putting those things first. When God asks, “Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people…?” it may seem like he is saying that, because Nineveh is a big city, it is worthy of my time and attention. But what if you don’t live in a big city? Or even if you do, how do you know if God is concerned about you? How do you know if God loves you? Listen to the rest of God’s question: “Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” You see, God is concerned for the lowest of the low, with no qualities that make them worth saving and no ability to help themselves. And that’s exactly whom God loves. God is concerned about the young and old, rich and poor, the strong and the disabled, people of every culture and language. That’s good news, because it means he is concerned about you, no matter how small or insignificant you may feel. His concern for you led him to make you his top priority. He gave everything for you, including his only Son, so that, no matter who you are, you can know that you are loved, forgiven, and cherished. You can live confidently in that love and be sure that nothing will take his amazing grace away from you. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for loving me, no matter how small I feel. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260922dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jonah] prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Jonah 4:2-3 Too Much Grace Jonah was a messenger God sent to Nineveh, a city known for its wickedness, cruelty, and immorality. Jonah’s message was, “God is going to destroy Nineveh because of your wickedness.” Jonah was from Israel, a nation that witnessed that wickedness firsthand. You would think he would be eager to go and tell them that God was going to destroy them. But instead, he ran the other way. After Jonah fled, was swallowed by a fish, and was spit out on the shore, he finally went where God told him to. And when he preached, something amazing happened. The people were sorry for what they did and prayed for God’s mercy. When he saw this, God decided not to destroy them. Instead, he had mercy on them. And Jonah’s reaction? “It’s not fair. I knew you weren’t going to punish them. That’s just the kind of gracious, compassionate God you are. You show too much grace.” Do we ever think like that? Wickedness spreads like an unstoppable virus. It infects our schools, our communities, even our families. We experience hatred and hurt from other people. And hatred grows in our hearts against them. We don’t want to forgive, and we don’t think God should either. But if God’s grace had limits, if there are things God won't or can’t forgive, will he forgive me for holding a grudge or harboring hatred in my heart? Will his grace reach the selfish corners of my heart that only God can see? Praise God that his grace is for all! It is never too much. It is just what we need. Because of God's grace, we are forgiven. That’s great news to hear and to share! Prayer: God, thank you for loving and forgiving me in your amazing grace. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260921dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. Psalm 115:2-4 He Does Whatever Pleases Him “Where is your God?” Those who deny God’s existence may taunt Christians with that question. “If what you call sin is bad, why doesn’t God do something about it? If your God is real, why doesn’t he help you when you are hurting or in trouble?” Maybe we struggle with the same questions. The writer of our Bible reading today asks an important question: “Why do the nations say, ‘Where is your God?'” Isn’t it because we think too highly of ourselves? We think we know better than God about how things should be. And so, we criticize God for failing to act or for acting in ways that don’t seem right. How foolish and arrogant! Our God is not absent or powerless. He is not unjust or uncaring. He’s in heaven, far above everything else we might put our trust in. He wasn’t made by human hands or invented by human imagination. And he does whatever pleases him. He doesn’t need to answer to us. The good news is that what pleases God is to have a relationship with the people he created. When that relationship is broken by our selfish disobedience, what pleases him is to restore that relationship by sending his Son to suffer in our place. What pleases him is to demonstrate amazing grace by showing mercy to every sinner for the sake of his Son. If God were limited in any way, if God operated according to what we think is right, we could only fear him. But instead, he is pleased to love, forgive, and restore. And nothing can stand in his way. Prayer: Gracious God, in all of life’s circumstances, I know that you will do what pleases you and bless me by your amazing grace. Help me to trust your loving 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260920dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:16 God’s Unique Way I thought for sure I would be first. But I ended up being last. It happened some years ago at a wedding reception. I made a special effort to sit at a table very near the buffet line. I thought for sure my table would get to eat first after the bride and groom. In a cruel twist, our table ended up eating last. I wasn’t very happy. Some people think that they will certainly be the first to enjoy heaven. They smugly say to themselves, “I’m a pretty good person. Sure, I’m not perfect. But at least I haven't killed anyone or robbed a bank.” Oh, what a big surprise awaits them. Those who boast in themselves or who refuse in stubborn arrogance to repent of their sins and cling to Jesus’ cross as their only real way will be last. They will be completely shut out of God’s heaven. They won’t be happy, but that’s God’s unique way. Mindful of our utter sinfulness and the many sins that we have committed against a holy God, may we ever remain sorry for our wrongs and kneel humbly before him. May we daily confess, “Lord, I don’t ever deserve to enjoy the buffet line of your blessings and grace in heaven because I am the chief of sinners!” Let us remember and believe that through faith in Jesus, who lived perfectly, died innocently, and rose triumphantly, our sins are fully paid, and our guilt is forever removed. As sinners we are “last” in God’s eyes. But by the grace of God through Jesus Christ, we get to be “first” one day in heaven. Then we’ll be eternally happy, all because of God’s unique way! Prayer: Lord, thank you for your unique way! I admit that I am a terrible sinner which makes me “last” before you. But I believe that Jesus has died for all of my sins. I am forgiven, because you have told me so. By your great love for me in Jesus, I rejoice to know that I will be “first” one day in heaven. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260919dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20 God Guides All Things for Good A man named Joseph spoke the words in our Bible reading today. Many years earlier, his own brothers had plotted first to kill him, then instead had decided to sell him into slavery. Can you imagine how much that must have hurt? Have other people hurt you? I know I have been hurt by other people. The truth is, every one of us has been hurt by someone. Hurt as badly as Joseph? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Regardless, what was true for Joseph is also true for you and me. God has promised to rule all things for the good of his people. If you believe that Jesus is your Savior, then you’re one of God's people, and therefore, God is ruling all things with your best interests in mind. And so even when another person intends to harm you, even when they sin against you horribly, God’s promise is that he will use it, somehow, someway, to bring blessing to you. He did it with Joseph. After being sold into slavery in Egypt, God guided things so that Joseph ended up becoming the second most powerful person in the kingdom, and through Joseph, many lives were saved from starvation. He could see clearly how God had guided things for his good and for the good of other people. Perhaps we will not be able to see it so clearly. That is okay. It’s not that we can SEE that God is guiding things that matter. What matters is that God has promised to do it. And God NEVER fails to keep a promise! Prayer: Almighty God, you have promised to guide all things for my good. Fulfill that promise! Assure me that, even when others sin against me that you will use it for my good and for the good of your people. Use that truth to heal me when I hurt and to enable me to forgive those who have sinned against me, even as you have forgiven 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260918dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'” Matthew 18:32-33 Canceled Debt Jesus once told a story about a servant who owed a king an enormous amount of money. The debt was so large that the servant could never repay it. When the king demanded payment, the servant fell to his knees and begged for more time. Then the king did something surprising. He did not give the servant more time. He canceled the debt completely. The servant walked away owing nothing. Soon afterward, that same servant found another man who owed him a much smaller amount. Instead of showing mercy, he grabbed the man and demanded his money. When the man could not pay, the servant had him thrown into prison. When the king heard what happened, he was furious. The servant had received incredible mercy, but he refused to show mercy to someone else. Jesus told this story to teach us about forgiveness. When someone hurts us, it can be difficult to forgive. The pain may be real. The offense may be serious. Forgiveness does not mean pretending that what happened was okay. But Jesus wants us to remember how much God has forgiven us. Every time we disobey God, we add to a debt we could never repay. We fail to love God as we should. We fail to love other people as we should. We think, say, and do things that go against what God wants. But God does not tell us to work harder until we have paid him back. Jesus paid our debt for us. On the cross, Jesus took the punishment our sins deserved. Because of what Jesus did, God forgives us completely. Our debt is canceled. That changes the way we look at people who sin against us. We do not forgive because their sin was small. We forgive because God’s mercy toward us is so great. The more we remember how much we have been forgiven, the more ready we will be to forgive others. Prayer: Merciful Father, thank you for canceling my debt through Jesus. Help me remember your mercy and show that same mercy to others. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260917dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22 No Keeping Score Three strikes and you’re out. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. We all have limits for how often we will allow someone to offend us. We can understand and forgive one offense. Maybe even two. But if someone offends or hurts us three times? That’s it. So when Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive a brother who sins against him, he thought he was being generous by offering to forgive seven times. Jesus had just been teaching his disciples about forgiveness. Peter thought his question showed the lesson was sinking in. Jesus’ response showed Peter, and us, just how much we need to grow in our understanding of forgiveness. He turned Peter’s generous offer of seven into a fraction. “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus wasn’t giving Peter a bigger number to keep track of. Imagine getting to offense number seventy-eight and saying, “Finally! Now I don't have to forgive you.” Jesus’ point was the opposite: stop keeping score. That is hard. When someone hurts us repeatedly, we remember. We keep a mental record. We can recall what they said, what they did, and how many times they have done it. Eventually, we decide they have used up their supply of forgiveness. Thankfully, that isn’t how Jesus treats us. How many times have you committed the same sin? How many times have you lost your temper, spoken selfishly, entertained the same sinful thought, or failed to love someone? Yet you have never reached the limit of Jesus' mercy. He carried every one of those sins to the cross and paid for them completely. Jesus doesn’t stand over you with a tally sheet. He stands before you with nail-scarred hands and says, “You are forgiven.” Because his forgiveness has no limits, we don’t need to put limits on ours. We can put down the scorecard and forgive again. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for forgiving me again and again. Help me stop keeping score and freely forgive others as you have forgiven 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260916dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20 God Meant It for Good Joseph didn’t call evil good. His brothers had betrayed him and sold him into slavery. Joseph described their actions honestly: “You intended to harm me.” But their evil intentions were not the only intentions at work. Joseph continued, “God intended it for good.” Through Joseph’s suffering, God placed him in Egypt. Through Joseph’s position in Egypt, God provided food during a severe famine. Through that food, God preserved Joseph’s family, including the family line through which the Savior would eventually come. The brothers intended harm. God accomplished salvation. That does not excuse what the brothers did. God did not approve of their sin. But their sin could not defeat his gracious plan. The same is true at the cross. Jesus’ enemies intended to silence him. Judas intended to betray him. Religious leaders intended to destroy him. Roman soldiers intended to execute him. Yet through their evil actions, God carried out his saving purpose. Jesus’ suffering became the means by which God rescued sinners. We cannot always see what God is accomplishing through the wrongs committed against us. We should not minimize evil or pretend that suffering is painless. But we can trust that evil never gets the final word. The God who turned Joseph's suffering into the saving of many lives turned Jesus’ death into the salvation of the world. He is still able to bend what others intend for harm toward his good and gracious purposes. Prayer: Lord God, when I cannot understand the evil and suffering around me, help me trust your saving wisdom and your gracious purposes in Christ. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260814dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 I Am Convinced Has your mind ever been changed? You saw a commercial for a new invention, and you doubted it’d really work as advertised. But then, you learned firsthand, and now you are convinced. It really does work as advertised. The man who wrote in today’s Bible verse, “I am convinced…” was once more than a doubter and a skeptic. His name was Paul, and he was convinced that Jesus wasn't really the Savior of the world. Paul was convinced that he was right with God because of his own works. He was so convinced that he worked diligently to persecute Christians. But something happened. Not only was his mind changed, but also his heart. Jesus rose from the dead and later appeared to Paul convincing him that Jesus was truly Lord. Paul was confident that he was forgiven through Christ alone. This same good news of forgiveness through Jesus is powerful enough to change our hearts too. A Christian doesn’t have to go through life a skeptic or without certainty, but can say, “I am convinced!” When the doubts multiply and all the worst-case scenarios run through your mind, remember God’s promises. God is for us; Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead for us. This is clear evidence that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Not even death can separate us from the love of God that is ours through Jesus. His love is greater than the sum of all our sins, problems, and doubts. Since God spared no expenses to save us from sin and death even when we were separated from him, he’s not going to let us go now. He’s not going to let anything in all creation separate us from him again. Prayer: Lord, strengthen me by your promises and let me grow in the conviction that your love will keep me close to 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260813dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Romans 8:31-33 Without a Doubt! There are very few things you can say without a doubt. When making plans, you can’t say they will happen without a doubt. When someone asks you a difficult question, can you always answer confidently, without a doubt? Thankfully, we can answer life’s most crucial question without a doubt, and not because we’re so smart, but because God is so great! Life’s most crucial question is, “Am I right with God?” or “Will God let me into heaven?” Some people struggle to answer those questions without a doubt. Those doubts come from the reality of sin. God is holy and perfect; we are not. Just one sin is enough to bar us from heaven, and we've committed more than one. More than we can count. It would be presumptuous to believe we can simply walk through heaven’s gates, except that God assures us of this without doubt or hesitation. God is for us! He’s on our side. He says that our sins are forgiven. This removes any and every shred of doubt. Who can bring any charges against us that will stick? Our own doubts and guilty conscience might try to tell us we aren’t forgiven or worthy, but they don’t call the shots! God does. He has justified us. That means he declares, with absolute authority, that we are not guilty because he’s forgiven all our sins. And if any doubt should remain, here’s proof: God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. This is how the guilty are declared innocent and the accused become acquitted, without a doubt. God spared no expense to make things right between you and him. God left heaven and carried a cross to make heaven your home. It’s yours through Christ, without a doubt. Prayer: Lord, spare me from doubt and temptations to justify myself and let my confidence rest on Christ alone who has already justified 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260812dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 It’s All Good! “It’s all good!” someone might say. We might tell ourselves, “It’s all good,” even when it’s not. Even when it doesn’t seem good, we try to remain optimistic, look at the brighter side, and have faith that it will all work out. The Christian faith is not merely faith that all things will work out. It’s faith in the God and Savior who works out all things for eternal good. This Bible verse is not a promise that only good and pleasant things will happen to you if you just love God enough. It’s a reminder that those who love God and are loved by God will experience all sorts of things that don’t seem good and pleasant. When something challenging or tragic comes into your life, you might be tempted to wonder, “Does God have something against me? Is that why bad things are happening?” You may doubt that God is really on your side. But here is his assurance: He's not working against you; he’s working for you and for your good! Jesus shows us how true this promise is. No one in the world would naturally see someone nailed to a cross and think, “That’s good.” Yet, in that way, God was at work to accomplish the greatest good—the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life with him. That’s good! When things happen in life that the world does not see as good, we have God’s promise that even this he will work out for good. It could be good personally for you because the thing that initially causes pain or sorrow could be God’s way of shaping you, strengthening you, or sparing you from greater physical or spiritual danger. It could bring good into the lives of others around you. If you’ve been through something, you are better equipped to encourage someone else who’s going through it too. It really is all good when we find ourselves in the loving arms of the God who works in all things for our eternal good! Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me faith that knows that in all things you are at work for your good and eternal purposes. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260811dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:29-33 Why Do You Doubt? Have you ever been worried about something and doubted that it would be ok? But then you get through it, and you wonder “why did I doubt?” The answer is simple: because you didn’t know the outcome. You didn’t have hindsight to know it would all work out. Jesus asked Peter that simple question after he rescued him from the stormy waters. Why do you doubt? The answer was simple: because Peter took his eyes off Jesus. When you take your eyes of faith off Jesus and you look to your own abilities or only see the storms of life instead of the power and promise of Jesus, doubts surge. It can seem like we can’t keep our heads above water. It can seem like we are drowning. If we stop looking to Jesus as the answer to life’s biggest problem, which is sin, we truly are in over our heads with no way to bail out. But Jesus came to the rescue. He saved us from drowning in our sins and doubts, and he preserves our lives so that neither doubt nor death overtakes us. After Jesus rescued Peter, he got in the boat with Peter. Jesus doesn’t leave us alone to be tossed around by chance. He remains with us to bring a steady calm to a turbulent life. He keeps us afloat with his love and promise. There’s no need to doubt. Even when you can’t see him physically, Jesus strolls across the storms of life. Jesus gives us the foresight to know that in all things, he is with us, keeping us afloat by his grace. He gives us the faith that triumphs over doubt and the foresight to know that one day we will be with him in heaven. Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive my doubts, calm my fears, and uplift me by your grace. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260810dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:11-13 He Hushes Our Doubt A mother hushes her troubled child with a gentle whisper, “Hush, it’s alright.” She holds her child close in a quiet and calm embrace. No matter what your age, sometimes that’s all you need: a gentle whisper to hush your racing mind. Amid the rushing noise of this world, you need a gentle voice to tell you, “It’s alright.” That’s what Elijah needed. He was on the run from an evil king and queen who wanted to kill him. He was all alone. He doubted that everything would be okay. He thought he was the last faithful prophet in Israel and that he’d soon be dead. In that moment, the Lord speaks. Not in an earth-shattering tone, a quaking voice, or a fiery sermon, but with a gentle whisper, he hushes Elijah’s doubt. We haven’t been in the exact same place as Elijah, but we’ve been at low points where doubts were racing through our minds. Maybe you’ve felt all alone, and you doubted that anyone knew or cared. Maybe you’ve been crying out loud or screaming on the inside. In moments like that, a loving and living God hushes your doubts with a gentle whisper and says, “It’s alright.” Those are never empty words, because God has made all things right through his Son, Jesus Christ. He has rescued us from sin and death so that not even death can separate us from God. When you are gripped with doubt or fear, hear the gentle words of Jesus and know it’s alright. Prayer: Lord, with the gentle whisper of your words, quiet my doubts and fear. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260809dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.” Matthew 14:24-27 Don’t Doubt God’s Word The Sea of Galilee is seven hundred feet below sea level. It’s the lowest freshwater lake on the planet. When winds whip through the surrounding mountains and into that watery Galilean crater, storms come quickly and out of nowhere. That is where the disciples are—on a boat, in a windstorm, at night. Jesus is not with them. In fact, Jesus was the one who told them to cross the sea. It shows that being a disciple is not easy. You can’t assume that life will be exactly how you want it. Life is full of unexpected storms. What do you do when they arise? The temptation is to doubt God’s Word. We hear God’s promises, but we are tempted to wonder if he is reliable. If he were, why would life be so difficult right now? But don’t doubt God’s Word. Think about the disciples in that boat on the wind-whipped sea. What are they looking at? They’re looking at Jesus. It’s a surreal scene. Jesus goes out to them, walking on the rough water. No wonder they think they’re seeing a ghost. Then he speaks a word of promise: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” There is strength for faith. It’s not a ghost. It is the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Son of God! When we fear or worry, Jesus promises, “It is I who forgives. It is I who saves. Look at me. Focus not on the illness, not on the pain, not on the economy, not on yourself. Find strength for your faith in my promises.” God has laid a firm foundation for your faith in his excellent Word. Believe it. God’s promises are always powerful. They brought peace to the disciples, and they bring faith to your heart and hope for your future. Prayer: Lord, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260808dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Ephesians 1:4-6 It’s All Under Control Did you know that your soul’s salvation is not a “chancy” thing? Being born when and where you were is not “lucky” or “unlucky.” Our parents may have said that we were an “accident” or a “surprise,” but to God, we were neither. God so determined your birth. God is in control. His will WILL be done. From eternity, God our Father chose us to be his children through faith in Jesus Christ, his Son. This has real comfort for us. Perhaps our money doesn’t go as far as it once did. Around us, we see society drowning in its own immorality. There are troubles everywhere. All this sorrow tells us that this world will never be heaven, but we can rejoice in spite of it all. God still has total control, and we know that nothing can separate us from his love in Christ Jesus. We are forgiven. There’s nothing “chancy” about our salvation. It’s all under the control of our loving, gracious, forgiving, and patient Father in heaven. Prayer: I rejoice, heavenly Father, that you chose me to be a member of your eternal family through faith in Jesus my Savior. Preserve my faith through the power of your Word and accomplish for me everything that your loving will has determined. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260807dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us. Ephesians 1:7-8 Grace by the Basketful Perhaps you have known someone like my grandmother. No guest ever left her table hungry. She did not measure food by the serving; she filled the table until it groaned, and when the meal was over, she loaded you down with leftovers to take home. For her, feeding people was not a duty to calculate. It was a joy to share. The apostle Paul says that is how God deals with us. He writes that God “lavished” the riches of his grace on us. God does not ration his undeserved love for sinners or count it out in careful portions. He is no miser. He gives by the basketful. Consider what he has given. Paul calls it “redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” To redeem something means to buy it back, to set it free by paying a price. That is what we needed. Our sins had made us prisoners, guilty before God and unable to purchase our own release. No amount of good behavior could cover what we owed. So, God paid the price himself. The cost was not silver or gold, but the holy, precious blood of his own Son. On the cross, Jesus gave everything to set you free, and now every sin you have ever committed stands forgiven. God did not forgive you reluctantly, the way we sometimes pardon others while quietly keeping score. He forgave you gladly, fully, lavishly, because that is who he is. This is what Christians trust in most of all. God’s greatest provision is not found on our tables or in our bank accounts, but at the cross. And if God has already lavished such riches on you there, you can be certain his grace will never run short. Prayer: Gracious Father, you lavished the riches of your grace on me through the blood of your Son. Let me live each day in the joy and freedom of your full forgiveness. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260806dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 Blessings That Never Run Out The Bible tells us that Jesus once fed a crowd of more than five thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. He multiplied that little lunch until everyone ate and was satisfied. It was a marvelous gift. But consider this: the next morning, every one of those people woke up hungry again. That is the nature of earthly blessings. Food fills us for a few hours. Paychecks are spent. Health, as we all eventually learn, fades. Even the happiest earthly gifts—family, friendships, home—are ours for a lifetime at most. We thank God for all of them, but none of them lasts forever. That is what makes the apostle Paul’s words so remarkable. He praises God for blessing us “in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Notice what he says. Not some blessings, but every blessing. Not stored far away, but already given to us. And these gifts are not kept in a pantry or a bank account, where moths destroy and markets crash. They are kept in the heavenly realms, beyond the reach of anything that could take them away. What blessings are these? Through faith in Jesus, you have the forgiveness of all your sins. You have peace with God. You are adopted as his dear child. The Holy Spirit lives in you and there is an inheritance in heaven with your name on it. Nothing on earth—not inflation, not illness, not even death itself—can drain that account. Christ earned every bit of it for you, and God has signed it all over to you in your baptism. So enjoy your daily bread with thanksgiving; it is a gift from your Father’s hand, new every morning. But your greatest treasures are not on the table or in the bank. They are in Christ—forgiveness, peace, and life that never ends. The child of God is rich beyond counting, today and eternally. Prayer: Praise to you, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for blessing me with every spiritual blessing in your Son. Keep my heart treasuring what can never be taken away. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260805dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:19-21 Grace Before an Empty Table Imagine a family of five gathered around the table for dinner. The problem is, there is hardly anything on it—one slice of bread, a bit of fish, nowhere near enough for everyone. Now imagine the father folding his hands and praying, “Thank you, Lord, for this abundant feast.” Wouldn’t that strike you as strange? We give thanks for what we have received, not for what is missing. Yet that is very nearly what Jesus did. Before more than five thousand hungry people, he took five small loaves and two fish—a meal for maybe a couple of people—looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He gave thanks before anyone had eaten. He gave thanks before there was enough to go around. Then he began to break the bread, and it did not run out. Everyone ate until they were satisfied, and twelve baskets of leftovers remained. How could Jesus give thanks over such a small supply? Because he was not measuring the food. He was trusting his heavenly Father, whose love and generosity have no limit. Our prayers often run in the opposite direction. We wait to see the provision before offering thanksgiving. When the account balance is low, or the diagnosis is uncertain, gratitude may be the last thing on our minds—as if God’s goodness depended on what we can see on the table in front of us. Look instead at what God has already graciously given. He did not spare his own Son but gave him up to die for your sins and rise again. If God has already given you his greatest treasure, will he fail to give you your daily bread? Jesus’ thanksgiving was not wishful thinking but confidence in his Father’s promises. Through Jesus, that same confidence belongs to you. Prayer: Heavenly Father, teach me to thank you before I see your answer, trusting that you will provide all that I need. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260804dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. Matthew 14:15-17 Bring Him Your “Not Enough” Have you ever sat down with your monthly budget and found that the numbers refuse to cooperate? No matter how many times you add them up, there is more month than money. It’s a helpless feeling to be staring at a problem too large for the available resources. Jesus’ disciples knew that feeling. Thousands of hungry people had followed Jesus to a remote place, and evening was coming. The disciples did the math and proposed the only sensible solution: send everyone away to fend for themselves. Instead, Jesus gave them an impossible assignment: “You give them something to eat.” All they could find among the crowd were five small loaves of bread and two fish. The numbers didn’t add up. But Jesus never intended for his disciples to solve this problem out of their own pockets. He was inviting them to bring their “not enough” to him. When they did, he took that little lunch, gave thanks, and multiplied it until everyone ate their fill—with twelve baskets left over. You and I often do the same math the disciples did. We look at our resources—our money, our time, our strength, our goodness—and conclude they will never be enough. They won’t be. That is especially true of our standing before God. We owe him a debt of perfect obedience that we could never begin to pay. That is why Jesus came. He did not send us away to fend for ourselves. In his compassion, he supplied what we could not—his perfect life and his innocent death—to pay for our sins completely. The Savior who satisfied a hungry crowd with bread has satisfied God’s justice for you. So, bring him your little. Bring him your “not enough.” His supply never runs out. Prayer: Lord Jesus, when my resources run out, teach me to trust your compassion and power to provide everything I need for my body and soul. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260803dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1 His Love Endures Forever Many, if not most, psalms in the Bible were designed to be sung or spoken antiphonally—that is, the first half of each verse is sung by a leader or choir followed by the congregation responding with the second half. If you open your Bible to Psalm 136, you’ll notice that the second half of each of the 26 verses is exactly the same: “His love endures forever.” The entire psalm encourages us to give thanks to the Lord, the one true God, who powerfully created all things and who mercifully provides for his people. And with every mention of the Lord’s many mighty acts, the people interject the refrain: “His love endures forever.” And it’s not just in this psalm. The first time this phrase is found in the Bible is in 1 Chronicles 16, when King David is bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. The people sang and praised God with a psalm that included these same words. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” A generation later, in 2 Chronicles 5, when King Solomon completed construction of the temple, a great number of musicians played while the choir sang praise to the Lord: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Someone might ask, “Why the repetition?” But consider why it is that we repeat anything. Usually, because it’s important or because we keep forgetting it—or in this case, both. The Hebrew word translated as love here calls to mind God’s loyalty and grace in dealing with us. Despite our frequent ingratitude and lack of love for God, he is unwaveringly devoted to his love for us, simply because of who he is. In everything he does—starting with the creation of the world, all the way through human history, right down to the way he watches over and provides for us today—God does it out of his commitment to love us. His promise of grace finds its fulfillment in his own Son, Jesus Christ, who came to save us from certain death by taking our punishment upon himself. It is truly a love that endures forever! Prayer: Lord God, you have been good to me in so many ways. Let me never forget your grace but always give you thanks, for your love endures forever. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260802dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, [Jesus] gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:19-21 With Jesus There is Always More With Jesus, there is always more. More than five thousand people were fed with just five loaves and two fish. And there was more food left over than they had at the beginning. This miracle is a big deal. Other than Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, it’s the only miracle recorded in all four gospels. The repetition means Jesus really wants us to know about it. Why? Jesus teaches us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). In other words, Christians are to trust God to provide. And what Jesus teaches, he demonstrates by feeding the five thousand. He takes care of us and provides everything we need. This is a simple lesson to learn, but it is difficult to believe. Your sinful nature wants you to think that you take care of yourself. The devil does not want you to trust God. He wants you to trust yourself and say, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me” (Deuteronomy 8:17). But is that true? Who gives you time to work? Who gives you the strength to work? Who gives you the skills to work? “Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). Jesus doesn’t work miracles to flaunt his power. He works miracles to show that he is God Almighty in human flesh. Jesus gives health and wealth because that is what Jesus does—he gives. He provides his life, death, and resurrection for your salvation. If he can do that, he can do something as simple as provide daily bread. Because with Jesus, there is always more. Jesus’ compassion for you knows no bounds. No need is too impossible for Christ to meet. No sin is too big for Jesus to forgive. You can trust him with anything and everything! Prayer: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures forever. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260801dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46 Treasure Discovering a hidden treasure is a common dream. Wouldn’t it be great to instantly be wealthy beyond anything you could have imagined? In the first story of today’s Bible reading, Jesus tells us about someone who, finds buried treasure. In ancient times, rich people were known to divide their wealth into three parts: one for doing business, another converted to precious stones with which to flee, and, if necessary, a third part to be buried in a safe place. So, it could happen that when a rich man died, his buried wealth would remain to be found by some fortunate individual. In the second brief story, Jesus speaks of a pearl merchant whose life’s mission was to seek out exceptional pearls and obtain them. Some tirelessly seek treasure, and others just fortunately find it. But the most valuable treasure is that which Jesus has for us. This treasure Jesus tells us is the “kingdom of heaven.” The kingdom is Jesus’ rule in our hearts by faith. When Jesus rules our hearts, when our faith is in him, then we have the treasure of the forgiveness of sins, spiritual life, and eternal salvation—we will enjoy the glories of heaven forever. Still, we don’t have to wait to enjoy this precious treasure. With faith in Jesus comes the peace of knowing we are God’s dear children right now, the hope of present certainty for a blessed future, and the joy of knowing God loves us today, tomorrow, and always. So, whether you stumble upon earthly treasure or spend your life seeking after it, what really matters is that you have the treasure of Jesus. It’s worth giving up everything to make it your own. Prayer: Lord, lead us to the treasure that is Jesus and help us to treasure that treasure above all things. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260731dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Matthew 13:44 The Treasure A man by the name of Edward Doheny [pronounced Doh-HEE-nee] has just arrived in California. The year is 1892. Doheny is a drifter. He’s worked as a mule driver, a fruit packer, and even a singing waiter. But nothing has panned out. His financial future looks grim. One day, you’re walking through town and see a strange thing. You see Doheny digging a hole with a pick and a shovel. Turns out he’s put down all the money he can on some vacant lot just so he can dig there. You roll your eyes. You think to yourself, “I guess desperate drifters do desperate things.” You keep walking. But desperate drifter Edward Doheny knows something you do not know. He spotted a black, thick goo seeping up into this vacant lot. He also has a hunch that people will soon pay money for this thick goo. He’s right. Here, on this lot, he strikes oil. He sets up his first oil well—the first of many. As a result, Edward Doheny becomes one of the wealthiest men in the world. Jesus tells a similar story: A man finds a hidden treasure in a field. When he does, he sells all he has to buy that field. Think about that for a moment. Imagine what his friends and neighbors are thinking. Imagine how silly and foolish they presume he is—how skewed and confused his priorities appear. But he knows something they do not know. He knows about the treasure. Which brings us to your life and mine. The culture around us may often smirk at us in polite contempt. In a society where pleasure, money, recognition, entertainment, and power are the stuff of life, the priorities of a Christian often seem quaint, clueless, even stupid. But we know something others do not yet know. We know about the treasure. We know about Jesus. We know about the priceless riches of forgiveness, peace, purpose, security, and meaning we possess in him. In addition, we know this treasure lasts not only for this life; it is eternal. Prayer: Jesus, priceless treasure, keep me close to 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260730dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion …so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:19 Truly Life For decades, Peggy Lee was a fixture in American pop culture. Called “The Queen of American Pop Music,” she performed on stage, on television, and in the movies. For example, you can hear her voice and her songs all through the Disney classic, “Lady and the Tramp.” For all the joy she brought, however, perhaps her most memorable song is one that is not joyful at all. In 1969, she recorded a song entitled “Is That All There Is?” In it, a woman reflects on past events in her life, from the loss of her childhood home to going to the circus with her father, and her first romantic love. After each event, she asks herself, “Is that all there is?” She knows that something is missing, but she doesn't know what. And as she looks to the end of her life, she’s convinced that, in her final moments, she'll ask the same question: “Is that all there is?” The song earned Peggy Lee a Grammy Award. It also reached the top of the charts. Clearly, the song had struck a nerve. It still does today. In the closing sentences of the apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he reminds us not to look to the things of this world. Don’t look to the things of this world for security, for fulfillment, for meaning, for identity. Not only are the things of this world uncertain; even if they surround us until the day we die, they offer nothing that lasts. In the end, all we will have is the question, “Is that all there is?” Enter our Creator. Enter God the Son. Enter Jesus. On our behalf, our Savior did what he had to do to rescue us from an empty, pointless existence. His perfect life and death in our place pulled us out of our darkness and back into his light. For now, in him, not only do we bask in his forgiveness; in him, we are once again what he created us to be. We are in the family of God. And because we are, we now have the life that is truly life. Prayer: Lord, in you alone I possess the life that is truly life. Thank 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260729dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant. 1 Timothy 6:17 Arrogance Max Roser does research. He researches the wide variety of living conditions that people experience around the world. He also offers some perspective. For instance, Roser has this to say about living conditions that many of us accept as ordinary. He writes: “What many people in wealthy countries regard as ordinary—electricity at the flip of a switch, clean water from a tap, refrigeration, antibiotics, hot showers, flush toilets, and abundant food—would have been luxuries unavailable not only to most people alive today, but to kings and queens for most of human history.” Let that quote sink in for just a moment. The luxuries and conveniences many of us take for granted are not only inconceivable to millions of people around the world; these luxuries and conveniences were not available even to the richest kings and queens of the past. It also means that when the apostle Paul was speaking about “those who are rich,” he was speaking about people who could not even imagine the kind of ordinary wealth many of us enjoy in the 21st Century. In other words, many of us are far, far, far richer than “the rich” of Paul’s day. When God’s Word, therefore, says, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant,” you and I cannot immediately presume that this does not apply to us. In fact, in all likelihood, it does. If I am, indeed, rich by historical standards of living, how might I slip into arrogance? I may not display arrogance like some stereotypical rich man from an old movie—smoking a big cigar while I count my money, barking out orders, looking down my nose at others. In my ordinary comforts, conveniences, and luxuries, however, I can begin to insulate myself from the desperate, constant need for Jesus in my life. Such arrogance can be lethal. Regardless of my wealth, or lack of it, my need for Jesus is urgent and is real. I need him now and always. He came to take away the sins of the world. Even the sins of the rich. Even mine. Prayer: Lord, remove my arrogance. Empower me to grasp my constant need for 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260728dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion So God said to [Solomon]. . . “I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart.” 1 Kings 3:11-12 Priority Solomon had just become the next king of Israel. He was about twenty years old. In lavish generosity, the Lord said a breathtaking thing. He said to Solomon, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” In your prayers right now, what is your most common request? Although we have the high privilege of talking to the Lord about anything, my sinful weakness can show up in my prayer life, too. There are periods in my life when I could fit most of my prayer requests under one big umbrella, and on that umbrella is one big word: “Easier.” I want God to make my life easier. I want him to remove difficulties. I want him to make my life more convenient. I want him to make my world more comfortable. I want him to clear my path of those things that create hardship, pain, loneliness, uncertainty, or grief. And while it’s not wrong to pray for any of these things, if the priority in my prayer life is simply for God to make my life easy, then I have forgotten why I am here. And for such forgetfulness, the Lord calls upon me to repent. Solomon had the chance to ask for anything—anything at all. He could ask for wealth. He could ask for a long life. He could ask for an easy reign through the removal of his enemies. But he didn’t. Instead, he asked for wisdom. He asked the Lord to give him what he needed to serve in this difficult, broken world. On our behalf, God the Son came here. In our place, he lived a life of perfect faithfulness. As our substitute, he suffered and died for our every sin. Then he arose. In him we stand forgiven, cleansed, at peace. As you and I now live to shine his light in this dark place, our privilege and priority is to ask the Lord to provide us with what we need to serve him. Prayer: Lord, thank you for the privilege of asking you for anything. Give me wisdom. Make my priorities your priorities. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260727dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.” 1 Kings 3:7 Candor Here’s the setting for today’s Bible passage. The great King David is now an old man. The Lord has just anointed David’s son, Solomon, to be the next king of Israel. At this time, Solomon is about twenty years old. To be twenty years old is to be in a fantastic moment in your life. You’re an independent adult. Your physical and mental powers are at their peak. Countless possibilities lie before you. But this can also be a dangerous moment. For a variety of reasons, it can be easy to presume that you know much more than you really know. And ignorance, coupled with arrogance, can quickly open doors to all kinds of disaster. And so here is twenty-something Solomon. He has just experienced the indescribable thrill of becoming king. What to do first? One of the first things Solomon does is to speak to the Lord in profound candor. “I am only a little child, he prays. I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.” Candor in prayer. To talk to my God without candor is to run the ultimate fool’s errand. He is, after all, the One who has searched me and who knows me. To talk to my God without openly acknowledging my frailties, my weaknesses, my sinful flaws—to talk to him in such a way is not only an insult to him; it robs me of the assurance of forgiveness, comfort, and strength that my Savior purchased for me at Calvary’s cross. Which brings us to the beautiful truth we possess through the power of the good news of Jesus Christ. Because God the Son has lived a perfect life on my behalf; washed my every sin away through his suffering and death, and risen from the tomb, I now have the priceless privilege to speaking to God without fear. I can speak to him in the greatest of openness. I can talk to him in candor about anything. For through faith in the Messiah, I am secure. I am his. Prayer: Lord, through faith in your blood I am secure in you. Move me to speak in candor. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260726dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Solomon said], “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:9-10 Wisdom Thanks to Walt Disney and others, we’ve all heard of the magic genie who grants you three wishes for anything you want. I doubt most folks have ever asked themselves what they would ask for if given that opportunity. Why? Because it isn’t realistic. Yet in today’s Bible passage, we have an example of the powerful Lord God himself—not some mere cartoon genie—offering Solomon anything he wanted. And for what did Solomon ask? He asked for a discerning heart that he would have wisdom to govern God’s people. What a request! It might be more impressive what he did not ask for. He didn’t ask for more wealth than he already had. He didn’t ask for continued health, that he might enjoy a long life on this earth. He didn’t ask for the death of his enemies so that his throne would be secured even more than it already was. He didn’t even ask for a trouble-free life. Instead, he asked for wisdom. We can learn from Solomon. We can place a high value on wisdom in the Lord, which starts with knowing, “There is a God, and I am not him.” We can set our hearts on carrying out the work the Lord has given us in a way that honors him. We can set our hearts on things above—the eternal promises of Jesus—and not on things below. Prayer: Lord, earthly blessings are important, and you have given me too many of those to count. But today I ask you not for more money, better health, or a trouble-free life; instead, I ask you to give me wisdom that I might have deep contentment with all you've given me and make choices that honor you as my Savior. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260725dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:43 Light at the End of the Tunnel It is said that people can endure almost anything if there’s some goal to shoot for, some “light at the end of the tunnel.” Prisoners of war have talked about undergoing horrible treatment of all sorts but making it out alive because they thought about the day they would be released, or when the war would end, or reuniting with a loved one. This world can be tough, with all its stresses and challenges. We struggle to focus on eternal things. We get caught up in the rat race of life. We fail to love God and our fellow humans, and we feel guilty because of it. We experience sinful actions from others, even from close loved ones. We deal with the temptations of the devil, the temptations of our sinful flesh, like lust, greed, and laziness. Our minds become cloudy, etc., etc. It’s tough! But there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Someday you’re leaving this world, and you’re going to a world that is so far better that it can’t even compare. Because Jesus paid for your sins on the cross and rose from the dead, the doors of heaven are wide open for you. And, it’s going to be awesome! Looking at that “light” at the end of the tunnel, you and I can endure anything. Prayer: Lord Jesus, may the thought of the glorious eternal life you won for me give me the strength I need to endure the trials and tribulations of this life. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260724dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:40-43 Shine Like the Sun Many people like to be scared. They enjoy watching horror movies and reading scary books. The reason? Some believe it’s all about the amygdala, the small threat detection center of our brain. The frightening images fire up the amygdala, which releases adrenaline and leads to feelings of exhilaration in some people. God’s Book, the Bible, also talks about some scary things. On the day Jesus visibly returns to this earth, angels will weed out of God’s kingdom all who do evil. The evildoer and all sin will be burned up in the blazing furnace. It will be a time of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Whether you like to be frightened or not, that just sounds scary. And it will certainly not lead to feelings of exhilaration. It’s scary to think about standing before God. Why shouldn’t I end up in the blazing furnace? Why won’t I need to gnash my teeth and weep over God’s rightful punishment being inflicted on me? Because today’s Bible reading says that the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Please understand, this has nothing to do with me. If I stood before God and had to answer for my sin, off I would go to the fire. My sins would rightfully condemn me. But the Son of Man came into this world to rescue us from the fire. The hell I deserve, he took for me. And the righteousness and goodness that I fundamentally cannot provide, he gave to me. His death and resurrection are the guarantee that this is true. He offers the same for you. So, when Jesus does come back in the flesh, there will be exhilaration. Not borne of fear, but of delight. Because of Jesus, we will shine! Prayer: Thank you Jesus, for rescuing me. Help me to let my light shine to others in my life. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260723dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “‘Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'” Matthew 13:30 Until the Harvest Some people believe that the weed Jesus talks about in this parable is the darnel plant. It looks like wheat, grows like wheat, and produces seeds that are similar to wheat. Not surprisingly, then, it has earned the name “false wheat.” But there is one way to distinguish the darnel plant from wheat. When it ripens, its seed pod turns black. The wheat pod is a golden brown. True and fake become apparent at the harvest. Jesus promises that everything will work out at the harvest, in other words, on the Last Day of this world’s existence. That’s good for us to remember. Because it's easy to forget about the harvest. We can get so wrapped up in this life that we assume it will always be the growing season. Jesus reminds us that there will be a Last Day. On that day, the phone we own, the car we drive, and the house we live in will not matter. Keep an eye on the harvest. That means repenting of our sinful choices. For the times when all we wanted to do was blend in with the weeds rather than stand tall like wheat, we repent. We ask God to forgive us. But we also take comfort. The one who told this story is also the one who bled on a cross to take away our sins. The one who told this story wants you to rejoice in the fact that you are not a weed but wheat growing strong in the field of his kingdom. He also wants you to understand your role in the world. Share and live your faith. Rejoice in the love of your Savior. God has a plan for you. It all ends with you standing before him at the harvest, shining like the sun in the kingdom of your Father. Prayer: Lord God, always keep me in your hands and help me keep an eye to the harvest. Nourish my faith through your powerful Word and help me live my life of faith in joy. 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.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260722dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?' “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.'” Matthew 13:27-29 Weeds and Wheat As a young boy, I once thought I would help my dad by taking care of some of the weeds in the garden. So, I went to work pulling out all the weeds that I found. Apparently, it never dawned on my young mind that weeds don’t grow four inches apart and in straight rows. Rather than weeding, I pulled up all the sweet corn that my dad had planted. God has great care for the plants that he is growing. He will not arbitrarily pull them up like an ignorant young boy. Instead, with a Father’s love, he cares for the plants in his garden. Purely by his grace, God has planted his Word into the hearts of his children. But what about the weeds? This is God’s field, and God’s field should be perfect. Neat row after row of wheat should be growing in rich soil without a single weed. Why does he allow the weeds to grow among the wheat? Why doesn’t he tear out the weeds and toss them from his garden? Jesus gives the answer. Because tearing out the weeds could hurt the wheat. So, wheat and weeds grow together in this world. We may look very much the same. God’s people and God’s enemies drive the same cars, shop at the same stores, and go to work in the same jobs. But at the harvest, on the Last Day of this world’s existence, all will be made clear. On that Day, wheat and weeds will be eternally separated. Until that day, what does the wheat do? Grow, rooted deeply in the Word of God. Stand up tall, living the faith that God has grown in your heart. And bear fruit, that the seed of the gospel reaches out to others. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for caring for me in the garden of this world. Help me to stand tall among the weeds of this world. 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.