WELS Family Devotion

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20251229fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior. In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63:7-9 I Can't Wait to Tell! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Think about when you come back to school after Christmas break. What's the first thing everybody does? They tell stories! Stories about presents, fun trips . . . stories about cousins who stayed WAY too long. We like telling the good parts of our break. We don't usually say things like, “I fought with my brother,” or “I spilled hot chocolate everywhere.” We like to talk about the happy things! The prophet Isaiah reminds us that we can do the same thing when we talk about Jesus—we can tell the good news about him! Tell about his mercies. Even when you and I mess up and sin, Jesus says, “I forgive you.” Every time. And that forgiveness is for your friends too! Tell of the reasons to praise the Lord. Life isn't always easy. Some days are hard. But look around—God gives you so many good things: food, family, clothes, a bed, friends, a school, a Savior. That's a LOT to thank him for! Tell about what Jesus has done. Jesus cared for you so much that he became: your Savior in the manger, your Savior on the cross, your Savior who rose from the empty tomb, and your Savior ruling in heaven right now! Here's the best part: God says to you, “Surely you are my people.” That means, “You belong to me. I love you. I won't leave you.” So whether the rest of your break is super fun, kind of boring, or a little tough, Jesus is with you. He carries you. He will not let you go. You can trust that because he has also told you that the baby in the manger is your Savior. And THAT is something worth telling others! Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for telling us in your Word all the wonderful things you have done for us. May we always remember these truths, that we would tell your praises and mercies to those who need to hear them. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What are some good things the Lord has done for you this week? Which one makes you smile the biggest?! Who can you tell about those good things? What would say to that person? Questions for Elementary Age Children In verse 8, the Lord tells us that he became your Savior. How does Jesus born a tiny baby show he came to be your Savior? What's one simple way you can talk about Jesus this vacation week—at home or with a friend? Questions for Middle School and Above God says, “Surely you are my people.” How can those words help you when you are feeling down? Think of a friend who's having a tough time. What could you tell them about the Lord's mercies to help them feel better? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251226fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. John 1:1-2 (EHV) The Best Gift Ever: Jesus! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. A long time ago, at the very beginning of everything, God used his Word to create the whole world—everything we see and even things we cannot see. Over 2,000 years ago, this same Word became a baby and lived among us in Bethlehem. That is what we celebrate at Christmas—Jesus—“the Word”—comes to be with us! But it wasn't just about Jesus being born. He came on a special mission—to save us. Everything he did, and even some things he didn't do, were all part of this mission. His goal? To make us children of God and to bring us close to him. When we look at nativity scenes, manger sets, or Christmas pictures, we remember baby Jesus—“the Word”—and think about all he has done for us. Because of him, we can be friends with God, have our sins forgiven, and live holy lives. We become part of God's family through faith—that means believing Jesus is our Savior. Because we are God's children, we can pray, “Our Father in heaven”, and know that God loves us, cares for us, and is with us every single day. He gives us what we need and keeps us close to him through his Word. One day, because of Jesus, we will be with him forever in heaven! All around the world, people are celebrating this amazing Christmas truth: God's love for us in Jesus. And we get to celebrate it too! Merry Christmas to you and your family! Christ—“the Word”—is born! And that's the best news ever! Amen. Prayer: Jesus, you are the Word made flesh who came down to heaven to become one of us. You became our salvation so that we could become children of God. May we rejoice in the Christmas message now and forever. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What is another name for Jesus in today's devotion? True or False: God made the world using “the Word.” Questions for Elementary Age Children Why can we pray in the Lord's Prayer, “Our Father, who is in heaven”? Why did Jesus come to live with us? Questions for Middle School and Above When you see a nativity scene or a Christmas picture, what does it remind you about Jesus? Look at all the Christmas gifts you got this year. Can you think of reasons why the gift of Jesus is even better than all of them? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251224fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. It trains us to reject ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, that is, the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are his own chosen people, eager to do good works. Titus 2:11-14 (EHV) Jesus Cleans Us Up—Just Like Dawn Soap! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. During the school year, we get some breaks—like Christmas break, Easter break, and summer break. Breaks are a time to take a rest from the usual schedule and enjoy something different. Learning is important, but so is rest, fun, and spending time with family and friends. When a break starts, what will you do with that free time? Sometimes, there are plans already. Other times, we have to decide how to use our free time. If we don't think about it, we might end up doing nothing and feel like we wasted our break. Jesus gives us a different kind of freedom. It isn't freedom from school—it's freedom from a life controlled by sin. Sin is all the ways we make bad choices, act selfishly, or ignore God. The freedom Jesus gives us isn't just a “break” before we have to deal with sin again—it's freedom to live a new life following him. Jesus has saved us from sin. We are free! But what will we do with this freedom? God calls us to live for him and do good things. Here's a way to understand it: an old soap commercial—Dawn soap. The power of Dawn soap isn't just for dishes. There was an oil spill in the ocean, and many birds got covered in oil and couldn't move. People came and washed the birds with—you guessed it—Dawn soap and hot water. The commercial shows the birds flying away and free. In the same way, Jesus cleaned us from sin and guilt. His cross and blood free us to do the things God made us to do! We can: Care for others with Christian love Praise God with happy hearts Respect and honor those God puts in charge Speak kindly to others Be thankful for what God gives us All of this is possible because Jesus made us clean and pure. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for cleaning us from sin and guilt and giving us freedom to live for you. Holy Spirit, help us use our freedom to do good things, love others, and praise you with happy hearts. Thank you for saving us and being with us every day. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Who saved us from all sin and guilt? How can we learn more about God? Questions for Elementary Age Children How did Jesus make us clean from sin and guilt? Name three “good things” (works) you want to do this week to help others. Questions for Middle School and Above How can we live self-controlled, upright, and God-pleasing lives right now? We are not saved by doing good works. Then why do we do them? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251222fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion The LORD spoke to Ahaz again. He said, “Ask for a sign from the LORD your God. Ask for it either in the depths below or in the heights above.” But Ahaz responded, “I will not ask. I will not test the LORD.” So Isaiah said: Listen now, you house of David. Is it not enough for you to test the patience of men? Will you test the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord himself will give a sign for all of you. Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and name him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:10-14 (EHV) God With Us: The Greatest Mission In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Have you ever seen a Mission Impossible movie with Tom Cruise? There are eight of them! They have crazy stunts—people hanging from planes, jumping between buildings, and doing things that seem totally impossible. But by the end, all the good guys make it through safely, and the day is saved. A long time ago, over 700 years before Jesus was born, there was a king named Ahaz. Life looked really hard for the people of Judah. They were sad and worried because it seemed like everything was going wrong. But God promised to help them—even when it seemed impossible. God wanted Ahaz to ask for a sign to show that he would keep his promise, but Ahaz didn't want to. So God gave a special sign anyway—the promise of the Savior, Jesus! Jesus would be born from a virgin, and his name would be Immanuel, which means “God with us.” That's amazing, isn't it? God promised to be with his people, and he kept that promise by sending Jesus. Jesus did the most impossible mission ever. He was born as a baby in Bethlehem. He lived a perfect life, died on the cross for us, and promised that everyone who believes in him will be with God forever in heaven. That's the true miracle of Christmas—God with us, Jesus for us, forever! Prayer: Dear Jesus, you are Immanuel, “God with us.” What a beautiful name! Thank you for coming to us, even when it seemed impossible. Help us remember that you are always with us and that “with you,” all things are possible. Lift up our spirits in joy this week as we welcome your deliverance. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Do you know anyone named Immanuel? How long before Jesus was born did God give King Ahaz the promise of a Savior? Questions for Elementary Age Children What does the name “Immanuel” mean? Can you think of a time when it was comforting to know that God was with you? Questions for Middle School and Above Why did Jesus get the name, “Immanuel”? What humanly impossible mission did Jesus do for us? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251219fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion While John was in prison, he heard about the things Christ was doing. He sent two of his disciples to ask him, “Are you the Coming One or should we wait for someone else?” Jesus answered them, “Go, report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor. Blessed is the one who does not take offense at me.” As these two were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the crowds about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? No, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you! And he is much more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' Amen I tell you: Among those born of women there has not appeared anyone greater than John the Baptist. Yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:2-11 (EHV) Are You the Coming One? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. There's a famous children's book called Are You My Mother? Maybe you've read it! It's about a baby bird who hatches while his mom is gone. So, he climbs out of the nest and starts asking all kinds of animals and even machines, “Are you my mother?” But they all say, “No!” Finally, the baby bird gets lifted back into his nest, and his real mother comes home. They are happy together again! We aren't baby birds, and John the Baptist wasn't either. But John was looking for someone—the Coming One, the Savior God promised. But here's the strange part: John the Baptist already knew Jesus! He even baptized Jesus. He heard God's voice say, “This is my Son, whom I love.” He saw the Holy Spirit come down like a dove. So why would John ask Jesus, “Are you the Coming One?” Maybe John wasn't doubting, maybe he was just tired of waiting. He was stuck in prison and probably wished Jesus would save him right away. Or maybe John wanted his followers to learn the truth themselves by going to Jesus and asking. Whatever the reason, we know what happened: John sent two of his helpers to Jesus to ask, “Are you the Coming One?” And Jesus didn't just say, “Yes.” Instead, he told them to look at what he was doing—making blind people see, deaf people hear, lame people walk and telling the good news to the poor. All those miracles matched the promises in the Bible. So the answer was clear: Jesus IS the Coming One! John's job was always to point people to Jesus. He wanted everyone to know the Savior. We can do that too. Many people still wonder, “Who is Jesus?” With our lives, words, and church family, we can point to Jesus—the One who came to save us, forgive us, and lead us to eternal life. Prayer: Jesus, you are the Coming One whom God promised. You help us see the truth, walk in faith, and one day you will raise us to live with you forever. Make our faith stronger and help us share the good news with others—at Christmas and all year long. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Who did John the Baptist send to Jesus to talk to him? (His disciples.) What question did they ask Jesus? (“Are you the Coming One?”) Questions for Elementary Age Children How can our church do the same kind of work John the Baptist did? (By pointing people to Jesus, teaching about him, sharing God's Word.) Name a few miracles Jesus did that showed he is the Savior—the Coming One. (Helping blind people see, lame people walk, sick people get better, calming storms, feeding crowds.) Questions for Middle School and Above Why didn't Jesus just say, “Yes, I am the Coming One”? Why did he answer the way he did? (He wanted them to see the proof—his miracles matched God's promises.) How did John the Baptist prepare the hearts of people for Jesus' arrival? (He told them to repent, be baptized, and look for the Savior.) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251217fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: James 5:7-11 Therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the valuable harvest from the ground, patiently waiting for it, until it receives the early and late rain. You be patient too. Strengthen your hearts because the coming of the Lord is near. Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look! The Judge is standing at the doors! Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering with patient endurance. James 5:7-10 (EHV) The Hardest Thing to Do is . . . Waaait! The Hardest Thing to Do is . . . Waaaait! The Hardest Thing to Do is Waaaaait! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you have a dog, you know one of the hardest things to teach it is patience. But it can be done! You might've seen a video of a dog with a treat on its nose while its owner says, “Wait . . . waaaait . . . waaaaait . . . OKAY!” Then the dog flips the treat into the air and gobbles it up. The dog gets rewarded for waiting! But patience isn't just hard for dogs, it's hard for us too. This time of year, we feel it even more. Christmas presents are wrapped already . . . but you can't open them yet. You might be super excited for grandparents to visit . . . but you have to wait for them to arrive. You might love Christmas Eve church or Christmas Day worship . . . but you have to wait for the day to get here. Our Bible reading for today talks about patience. Being patient is a good thing—but it's only really worth it when the person making the promise is someone you can trust. Sometimes people make promises they can't keep, and that makes us sad. But God says, “Be patient until the coming of the Lord.” God promises that one day Jesus will come back in glory, with his angels. He will make a new heaven and a new earth. He promises that everyone who believes in him will live with him forever. But . . . we have to wait. And it's not time yet. So what do we do while we wait? We keep listening to God's Word. We keep living as God's children. We keep fighting against sin. We forgive others—and they forgive us. We keep going, day after day, with Jesus helping us. The prophets in the Bible had to wait too—they waited hundreds of years for Jesus' first coming! And just like a farmer waits for his crops to grow, we wait for Jesus to return. The world is getting ready, and so are we. Being patient isn't easy, but we know something important: God ALWAYS keeps his promises. Not one of his promises has ever failed—and they never will. So we wait . . . but we wait with excitement, because we know Jesus really is coming again! Prayer: Lord Jesus, please help us be patient. You promised to come back and make a brand-new heaven and earth where there is no sin or sadness. Help us believe and trust your promises every day and find strength in daily living. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Why does a farmer have to wait for the harvest? (Because plants need time to grow—harvest only happens when the crop is ready!) Are you excited for Christmas? Why do we have to wait for it? (Because Christmas comes at a set time—waiting builds excitement!) Questions for Elementary Age Children What will Jesus do on judgment day? (He will come back in glory, take believers to heaven, and make everything new.) Why shouldn't we complain about each other? (God wants us to love, forgive, and be patient—just like he is patient with us.) Questions for Middle School and Above Name three things you're looking forward to when Jesus comes back. (Ideas: No sadness, seeing Jesus, heaven, new earth, no sin, joy forever.) What should we do while we wait for Jesus to return? (Keep believing, keep learning God's Word, love others, forgive, and trust Jesus.) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251215fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Isaiah 35:1-10 The wilderness and the desert will be glad. The wasteland of the Arabah will rejoice and blossom like a crocus. It will bloom lavishly, and there will be great joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it. It will be excellent like Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make the shaky knees steady. Do not be afraid. Look! Your God will come with vengeance. With God's own retribution, he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unplugged. The crippled will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy. Waters will flow in the wilderness, and streams in the wasteland. The burning sand will become a pool, and in the thirsty ground there will be springs of water. There will be grass, reeds, and rushes where the haunts of jackals once lay. A highway will be there, a road that will be called the holy way. The impure will not walk there. It will be reserved for those who walk in that holy way. Isaiah 35:1-8 (EHV) The Great Heart Superbloom In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Have you ever seen a place that looks super green, like a giant forest? The Smoky Mountains are like that—so many greens it looks like someone used every crayon in the box! If you go to a place like Zion National Park, you'll see tons of browns and tans—still beautiful, just different. But then there's Death Valley. Most of the time, it looks dry, empty, and kind of plain. It's like the world's biggest “nothing-to-see-here” desert. But something amazing happens once in a while. When it finally gets enough rain, everything changes. Suddenly, colorful flowers pop up everywhere—yellow, orange, purple, pink—like the desert got a giant surprise party! This is called a “superbloom.” Sometimes our lives feel a little like that dry desert. We might feel sad, lonely, or worried—like our hearts don't have much color in them. But Jesus changes everything. The Bible says he's our “living water,” which means he refreshes our hearts just like rain refreshes a desert. In the book of Isaiah, it talks about things Jesus did. He made blind people see, deaf people hear, and people who couldn't walk get up and move again! But Jesus didn't just fix bodies. He made a way for us to get to heaven—a special road for God's people called the “holy way.” We weren't always on that road. We were stuck in our “sin desert,” with no way out. But God didn't leave us there. The Holy Spirit used God's Word and baptism to plant faith inside us—like tiny seeds that bloom into beautiful flowers. Because of Jesus, we can walk with God now—and someday we'll go to heaven, a place where sadness runs away and joy and happiness chase us down! May God help our faith grow and bloom forever. Amen. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being our living water. You make our hearts come alive—like a big, beautiful superbloom. Help us remember that all our joy and faith come from you. Thank you for saving us and redeeming us. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Who gets to go to heaven? (Help kids focus on: “Everyone who believes in Jesus as their Savior.”) Who helps us believe in Jesus by working through God's Word and baptism? (The Holy Spirit!) Questions for Elementary Age Children The Bible says there will be no more crying or sadness in heaven. What happy things will “overtake us”? (Talk about joy, laughter, peace, excitement.) As believers in Jesus, why don't we need to be scared about the future? (Jesus is with us, loves us, and already knows the way.) Questions for Middle School and Above How is having faith in Jesus like a “superbloom”? (Faith makes our hearts full of color, life, and joy—just like rain brings flowers to the desert.) What does it mean to be “ransomed” by the Lord? (Jesus paid the price for our sins so we could belong to him forever.) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251212fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Matthew 3:1-12 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 3:1-2 Ready, Set . . . Jesus! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. He wore really strange clothes made out of camel's hair. It must have been scratchy and uncomfortable! He ate strange food too—locusts (kind of like grasshoppers) and wild honey. He probably didn't smell very good either. But even so, people came from all over to hear him speak. Who are we talking about? John the Baptist! Matthew 3:1-2 tells us: “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'” John wore strange clothes and ate strange food because he had an important message: he wanted people to get their hearts ready to meet Jesus. Just like you get ready for Christmas—decorating the house, baking cookies, and cleaning up for guests—we also need to get our hearts ready to meet Jesus. Jesus is our judge, and one day he will come to judge all people. We want to be ready to meet him. That's why Jesus wants us to repent of our sins. Repent means to change our minds about sin. It means seeing our sins the way Jesus sees them. Our sins aren't just little mistakes—they separate us from God and from each other. Jesus wants us to confess our sins—say, “I'm sorry, Jesus, for the times I disobeyed you.” He wants us to trust that he was punished in our place and then turn away from sin. Sometimes this is hard, isn't it? Sometimes it feels good to be angry at someone who hurts us. Sometimes it feels fun to do what we want instead of what God wants. But in the end, those choices move us away from Jesus instead of closer to him. He loves us too much to ignore our sin. That's why he sent John the Baptist: to tell us to repent. Jesus is coming. The kingdom of heaven is near. Let's get our hearts ready by turning away from sin every day. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding us to repent and confess our sins to you. We are sorry for the times we have sinned against you and others. Help us to turn away from our sin and follow you. Help us to be ready to meet you. We love you, Jesus, and we know you love us. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children How are you getting ready for Christmas this year? How did John the Baptist help people get ready to meet Jesus? Questions for Elementary Age Children What's your favorite part about getting ready for Christmas? How can you get your heart ready to meet Jesus? Questions for Middle School and Above What are your favorite clothes to wear? Why do you think John wore scratchy camel hair clothing? John's message was about repentance. Why do you think turning away from sin is important for us? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251210fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Romans 15:4-13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 The Best Is Coming In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What gifts are you hoping for this Christmas? Did you make a list? Do you know for sure you will get them? Maybe. Maybe not. That's called uncertain hope. You hope for it, but you're not 100% sure. God gives us a different kind of hope. In Romans 15:13, the apostle Paul wrote: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” God's hope isn't like hoping for a gift you might get—it's confident and certain. You can count on it! Hope is expecting good things to come because God keeps his promises. How do we know the best is coming? We look at the stories in the Bible. Abraham waited a long time for God's promise of a son—and God kept it. God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. All these stories tell us one thing: God keeps his promises. At Christmas, we celebrate the greatest promise kept: Jesus came to be our Savior. And because Jesus kept his promise to die for our sins, we don't need to be afraid when he comes back as our judge. Advent isn't just about waiting for Christmas—it's about looking forward to Jesus' return with confident hope. No fear, only peace. No worry, only joy. Fill your heart with the good news of Jesus and remember: the best is yet to come! Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for always keeping your promises. Send your Holy Spirit to fill us with joy and peace in Jesus. Forgive us for the times we forget to trust you. Help us to look forward with hope to Jesus' return. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What gifts are you hoping to get for Christmas? Why is Jesus the best gift of all? Questions for Elementary Age Children How does reading the Bible give you hope? What promises does Jesus give you for the future? Questions for Middle School and Above Are there times or things that make you feel sad or discouraged? What are they? How does hoping in Jesus help you feel better when you're discouraged? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251208fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Isaiah 11:1-10 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Isaiah 11:1-4 The Best Judge Ever In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What choices did you make today? Did you choose what to wear, what to eat, and what to do first this morning? Did you decide to brush your teeth or make your bed? We make tons of choices every single day! Some choices are easy, like brushing your teeth (please do!). Others, like picking out clothes, can feel like a big deal. Just like you make choices, there are people whose whole job is to make really important choices. They're called judges. In a courtroom, a judge listens to both sides of a story and chooses if someone is guilty or innocent. During Advent, we remember something important: one day, Jesus will come back, and it will be judgment day. Everyone—every person who ever lived—will stand before him. Jesus will decide where we spend forever. That can sound a little scary, right? Jesus knows everything. He knows every thought, every word, every action, even the ones we hope no one ever finds out about. If Jesus were a mean or unfair judge, that would be terrifying. But guess what? He isn't mean. He isn't unfair. He is the BEST judge. In the Bible, Isaiah tells us something amazing about Jesus: “He will not judge by what he sees or hears . . . but with righteousness he will judge” (Isaiah 11:3-4). That word righteousness sounds big, but it simply means: Jesus always does what is right. Every. Single. Time. And here's the best news: On judgment day, you don't have to be scared—because the judge is also your defender! Jesus took your punishment on the cross. He gave you his perfect life as a gift. So, when Jesus looks at you, he says: “Not guilty! Forgiven! Mine forever!” That's why judgment day isn't scary at all. For believers, it's the day Jesus welcomes us home. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for being a judge who always does what is right. When I start to feel nervous about judgment day, remind me that you already took my punishment and forgave all my sins. Help me trust you and look forward to the day you bring me home to heaven. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What’s one choice you make every single day without even thinking about it? How do you know that Jesus chose to save you? Questions for Elementary Age Children Does thinking about Jesus judging everything you do make you nervous or comfort you? Why? Why can you be sure—100% sure—that Jesus forgives you? Questions for Middle School and Above Why is Jesus considered a “righteous” judge? What do you think “righteous” means? Why is it awesome to know that Jesus is a righteous (perfect and fair) judge? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251205fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'” The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Matthew 21:1-11 The Greatest Victory Parade In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What do a July 4th parade, a Thanksgiving parade, a Christmas parade, and even a Super Bowl victory parade all have in common? They celebrate something! A long time ago, on a Sunday, there was a very different kind of parade for Jesus. It didn't have marching bands or big floats, but people were shouting praises and making a special procession for him. They laid palm branches and coats on the road in front of Jesus to honor him. But why? The Bible tells us in Matthew 21:4-5, “This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ‘Say to Daughter Zion, see, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey.'” The people shouted praises because they recognized Jesus as their King! But what kind of king was he? Jesus rode into Jerusalem as a gentle king. He didn't come to take power or force people to follow him. Later that week, he wore a crown of thorns, not gold. He came to pay for the sins of the world, not to demand anything from us. Jesus is a very different kind of king. He loves you even when you don't always listen. He rules all things for your good, even when you think you know better. Sometimes we try to make up our own rules—that's called sin, and sin must be punished. Here's why we can praise Jesus just like the people in that parade: Jesus is a king who came to serve, not to be served. As your King, he serves you through his Word and sacraments. As your King, he watches over you and protects you. As your King, he rules over everything for your good. And most importantly, he paid the price so you can be with him forever in heaven. Next time you see a parade, think of Jesus. Think of the greatest victory parade when he rode into Jerusalem as your King—and then went to the cross to win the victory over sin, death, and the devil. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for being our humble King. Forgive us for the times we don't want to follow you. Help us listen to you and trust that you are always caring for us and protecting us. Thank you for winning the victory over sin and death! Help us praise you with our words and actions every day. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What did Jesus ride into Jerusalem? Why did he ride that way? Jesus is your King. What does he do for you as your King? (Protects, cares, serves, guides, forgives—anything you can think of!) Questions for Elementary Age Children Make a list of all the things Jesus does for you as your King. How can you show your gratitude to Jesus? (Pray, obey, tell others, love people, share God's Word.) Questions for Middle School and Above Why is it comforting to know that Jesus is your King? Why does Jesus want you to follow him? (Because he loves you and wants what's best for you!) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251203fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Philippians 4:4-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 Peace in the Midst of Stress In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. He was so nervous! Daniel and his family had just moved to a new town. He didn't know what his new classmates or teacher would be like. As he walked from the car where his mom dropped him off, he felt like everyone was staring at him. His heart was beating fast as he walked up to his new teacher. But when she turned around and saw him, she smiled and gave him a high five. Daniel's nervousness started to disappear. His classmates were nice too! By the end of the school day, he even made a few new friends. He couldn't wait to go back the next day! Change can be hard. Maybe you've had a big change like Daniel. How did it make you feel? Were you scared or nervous? That's normal! During this season before Christmas, called Advent, God wants to give us a really good change. He wants to turn our stress and fear into joy and happiness! How does he do that? The apostle Paul wrote to his Christian friends in a town called Philippi: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God.” That means when we feel scared, worried, or stressed—about school, friends, tests, or anything else—we can pray! And God is always listening. Paul also says, “the Lord is near.” He is watching over us and caring for us. We know this is true because about 2,000 years ago, Jesus was born. He became human to be near us. He came to save us! Whenever we mess up, make mistakes, or hurt others with our words or actions, Jesus died and rose again to bring us close to God. That's how Jesus gives us peace. So, the next time you feel scared or nervous, remember Jesus. Talk to him in prayer, and rejoice that he loves you, listens to you, and will help you. Prayer: Dear Jesus, sometimes we feel scared or nervous about what's happening in our lives. Thank you for being with us every day. Help us remember that you love us and listen to our prayers. Turn our worry into confidence and give us your peace. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What are some things that make you feel scared? How does Jesus help you feel better when you are scared or nervous? Questions for Elementary Age Children Make a list of a few things that make you nervous or worried. How can taking those things to Jesus in prayer help you? Questions for Middle School and Above What is stressing you out right now? In what ways does Jesus give you peace? (Hint: praying, trusting him, feeling loved, remembering he's always near.) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251201fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Isaiah 2:1-5 “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isaiah 2:3,5 The Light of CHRISTmas In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Are you excited to celebrate Christmas? Why? Maybe you love opening presents, giving gifts, or spending time with family. But before Christmas even gets here, do you like decorating your house or your bedroom with lights, trees, or ornaments? Now imagine someone really important is coming to your house for Christmas—like Grandma or Grandpa. Would you want your room to be clean? (Probably!) Would you want the house to look nice and decorated? Of course! For Christians, the time before Christmas is called Advent. Advent means “coming.” It's the season when we get our hearts ready to celebrate Jesus' birth. It also reminds us that Jesus is coming again someday as our King. Just like we get ready for Christmas by decorating our homes, we want to get ready to meet Jesus when he comes again. Some people feel afraid when they think about Jesus coming back—because they don't believe he's their Savior. But you don't have to be afraid! Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah told God's people to “walk in the light of the Lord.” That's how they could be ready to meet Jesus—and not be scared. And when you walk in Jesus' light, you don't have to be scared either. So, what does it mean to “walk in the light”? It means believing in Jesus, trusting his Word, and letting his truth guide us. The Bible says sin is like darkness—it messes things up, hurts relationships, and makes life harder. Think about it: Has sin ever brought darkness into your life? Have your words or actions ever hurt someone else? This week, when you see all the Christmas lights, remember that Jesus is the Light of the world. His Word shines into our hearts. As our King, he protects and takes care of us until we see him in heaven. As our Savior, he shines forgiveness into our lives, helping us love, forgive, and bring peace to others—just like Isaiah wrote about. Prayer: Thank you for being the Light of the world. Please forgive us when we sin and bring darkness into someone else's life. Shine your truth into our hearts so we can love and forgive others, just like you love us. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Do you like decorating your house for Christmas? Why or why not? How can we be ready to meet Jesus someday? (Faith, trust, staying close to his Word, living as his children.) Questions for Elementary Age Children How did Jesus bring God's light into the world? (By teaching, healing, forgiving, dying for us, rising again.) How can you shine God's light to others? (Kindness, helping, forgiving, sharing Jesus, encouraging someone.) Questions for Middle School and Above How do you feel about meeting Jesus face to face someday? (Excited? Curious? Comforted?) What does it mean to “walk in the light,” and why is it important? (Following Jesus, trusting him, living in his forgiveness.) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251128fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”Luke 12:35-40 Getting Ready for God In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What do you have to do to get ready for school in the morning? When your alarm goes off, maybe you eat breakfast, get dressed, brush your teeth, pack your homework, and grab your lunch. There are usually quite a few things you need to do to be ready for a day at school! Just like we get ready for school, Jesus wants us to be ready for the day he returns. In our reading today, Jesus says, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning.” But what does that even mean? Do we need special clothes? Do we need real lamps with fire in them? No! Jesus is using picture language to help us understand something important: He is coming back someday, and we don't know when—so we should be ready. Here's the problem: we can't get ready by ourselves because we mess up and sin. But God already knew that. That's why he “clothes” us in Jesus' perfection—Jesus covers us with his perfect life so we're ready to meet God. So instead of wearing special clothes for the Last Day, we can “wear” Jesus' goodness every day. When we show kindness, forgiveness, and love, people can actually see Jesus' love shining through us! And when we tell others the great things God has done, that's like keeping the light of our faith burning bright. We get ready for lots of important things—school, visitors coming over, church, birthdays. Let's also make sure we're ready for the most amazing thing of all—the day Jesus takes all believers to heaven. Prayer: Dear Lord, we want to be ready for the day when you come. Help us to remember that we can't get ready on our own. We need your help! Be with us as we prepare for the day that you will return. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What is something you do to get ready for the day? (Wake up routine, morning habits, chores, etc.) What did God do for us to help us be ready for Jesus' return? (Hint: Jesus' perfect life, forgiveness, faith!) Questions for Elementary Age Children What is one thing you could do today to get ready for Jesus to come again? (Be kind, pray, help someone, say sorry, tell someone about Jesus.) Why might some people be scared about Jesus coming back? Do we need to be scared? (Hint: believers don't need to be afraid—Jesus loves us!) Questions for Middle School and Above Do you ever talk about heaven during your week? Why might it be good to start? (To remind ourselves of God's promises, to encourage others, to give hope.) Read Revelation 4:2-6. What words or pictures are used to describe heaven? (Examples: throne, rainbow, shining like jewels, peace, beauty, power.) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251126fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Revelation 22:6-13 The angel said to me . . . the time is near. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.” “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” Revelation 22:6-13 (selected verses) Save the Best for . . . Now! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Two kids are at home while their mom goes grocery shopping. She leaves them a list of chores—empty the dishwasher, clean their rooms, and feed the dog. They know she'll be home in an hour, but they wait until five minutes before she gets back to start everything. Then they have to race around like crazy to finish! In our Bible reading today, Jesus talks about the day he will return to take all believers home to heaven. But here's the difference: we don't know exactly when Jesus will come back. It could be in an hour . . . or a week . . . or twenty years! Jesus doesn't tell us the time. But he does tell us how to live while we wait. In the reading he says, “Let the one who does right keep doing right, and let the holy person keep being holy.” In other words, Jesus doesn't want us to suddenly start doing the right thing only when we think he's almost here—like waiting until the last minute to do chores. He wants us to live our faith every day—right now! Sometimes we think things like: “I'll be nicer to my brother when I'm older.” “I'll tell someone about Jesus when I'm better at it.” Our sinful nature tries to convince us that we can wait later to do what God wants. But let's think differently: Let's start doing the right thing now—and keep doing it all the way until the day we see Jesus in heaven. Because Jesus died for us and the Holy Spirit works in our hearts, we can live holy lives today. We can live with thankful hearts and show our love for God every day—not just at the last minute! We can love our neighbors, listen to parents and teachers, and share the good news about Jesus—right now! Prayer: Dear God, we do not know when you will return, but we know we want to live for you every day until then. Through your Holy Spirit, help us to show love to everyone around us. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What chores do you have at home? Do you ever try to do them at the last minute? What is one way you can live for Jesus today? (Big or small—kindness counts!) Questions for Elementary Age Children If doing good things doesn't save us, why do we still want to do good things until Jesus returns? (Hint: thankfulness, love, and faith!) What is a reason someone might say they “can't” share God's Word right now? (Too nervous? Don't know what to say? Afraid of what friends think?) Questions for Middle School and Above The reading calls believers “holy,” but we know we're sinful. How can both be true? (Hint: Jesus makes us holy!) What makes it hard for you to “do what's right” sometimes? (Feelings, temptations, friends, habits—anything!) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251124fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Habakkuk 1:1-3; 2:1-4 The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received. How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Then the LORD replied: the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness. Habakkuk 1:1-3; 2:1-4 (selected verses) Worth the Wait In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Christmas is such a fun time of year! Christmas Day is especially exciting—opening presents, celebrating Jesus' birth, and being together with family. For many kids, the day after Christmas starts the countdown: “Only 364 days until Christmas again!” A year feels like forever, but we wait because Christmas is just that awesome. In our Bible reading today, the Lord says, “Wait for it . . . it will certainly come and not delay.” But he's not talking about Christmas. He's talking about something even better! God is telling us to wait for Jesus' final coming—the day when Jesus comes back to take everyone who believes in him to heaven. That day will come. Jesus promises it “will not delay”—he won't forget! But when will it happen? When do we get to be in heaven with Jesus forever, with no sin, no sadness, no sickness? Living in our sinful world can be really hard sometimes. We get sick. We feel sad, mad, or lonely. We mess up and feel guilty. Friends can be unkind. Sometimes people even make fun of us because we believe in God. But what we're waiting for is totally worth it! Heaven will be better than anything we've ever waited for—better than birthdays, vacations, or even Christmas morning. Because Jesus died and rose for us, we know for sure we're going there. Every day—at school, at home, everywhere—we can remember God has something coming for us. And he keeps his promises. It will come. It will not delay. So whenever life feels tough or unfair, believers can take a deep breath and remember: Heaven is real. Jesus is coming back. And it will be worth the wait. Prayer: Heavenly Father, living in a sinful world can be hard for us. Whenever we feel sad or tired, remind us that what you have for us in heaven is worth the wait. Help us to live for you until you come. Do not delay! Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What is something you want to ask God for help with this week? (Feelings, school, friendships, habits—anything!) What do you think will be the BEST part of being in heaven with God one day? (No wrong answers—imagination welcome!) Questions for Elementary Age Children What are some ways we can stay faithful and close to Jesus until the Last Day? (Examples: praying, reading the Bible, worship, kindness, saying sorry, trusting God.) We don't know exactly when Jesus is coming back. Why isn't that scary for us? (Hint: Because Jesus loves us, stays with us, and keeps his promises.) Questions for Middle School and Above Why do you think God doesn't tell us the exact day he will come again? (To help us trust him, stay ready, and live every day for him.) The Bible says Jesus' coming “will not delay,” but it has been almost 2,000 years! How can that still be true? (Because God's timing is perfect. He doesn't forget. And he always does what he says—right on time.) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251121fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Luke 21:5-19 [Jesus] replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,' and, ‘The time is near.' Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life. Luke 21:8-11,18-19 The Ultimate Promise Maker In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Many, many years ago, long before Jesus was born, God made a promise to his people: He would send a Savior to rescue the world from sin. He made many very specific promises about where Jesus would be born, who his mother would be, and what would happen when Jesus died. He even made a promise about Jesus' clothes. And every single one of those promises came true. God kept them all. Did you know that God's promises are still coming true today? In Luke chapter 21, Jesus told his disciples that there would be wars, earthquakes, sicknesses, and times when people run out of food. If you watch the news, you can see that these things are happening, just like Jesus said. Jesus also told his disciples that people would be mean and hurtful to people who believe in God. You might have seen that happen in your own life. As sad and scary as these things can be, they remind us that what Jesus promises will always happen. Jesus said that bad things would happen, and they do—they happen every day. But Jesus made an even more important promise: anyone who believes in him will go to heaven when they die. And if Jesus' promises about wars and earthquakes have come true, then his promises of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life will certainly come true too. Jesus told his disciples not to be afraid when these scary things happen. Instead, he told them to trust God and stand firm. When bad things happen during this life—like when others make fun of us for believing in Jesus or when someone we love gets sick—we can remember that we have a greater home waiting for us in heaven. In heaven, there will be nothing sad, scary, or sinful ever again. We will live with Jesus forever. You can stand firm on that fact, because you know that what Jesus promises has always come true, and that's not going to change. Prayer: Dear Jesus, help us not to be surprised by scary things that happen in our world. Give us confidence in the incredible promise: you have won for us eternity with you in heaven. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What are some things that scare you? Do we have to be afraid when scary things happen? Why not? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why is it important that God has never broken a promise? How are the bad things we see happening in our world a good reminder? Questions for Middle School and Above What is your favorite promise from God? God promises to use believers as tools to share the news of salvation. How can you do that in your life? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251119fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 Don't Follow Your Heart! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Have you ever heard someone say, “Just follow your heart”? It sounds nice, right? Like your heart always knows what's best. But guess what? The Bible says that's not such good advice! Sometimes the Bible tells us things that are hard to hear. We like it when everything feels happy—lots of smiles and no problems. But pretending that everything is fine when it isn't? That's not really loving. Real love tells the truth—even when it's hard. Our world loves to say things like, “You do you,” or “Everyone can find their own way to heaven.” But God says something very different. He tells us there's only one way to heaven—through Jesus! The Bible says in 2 Thessalonians 1:8–9, “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord.” Whoa—that sounds scary! But here's the thing: every single one of us deserves that because we all sin. Our hearts are selfish and want to do things our own way. That's why “following your heart” isn't safe—it can lead you in the wrong direction every time. But God loves us too much to leave us lost. So he sent Jesus to take our punishment for us. Because of what Jesus did—his perfect life, his death on the cross, and his resurrection—God forgives you and gives you faith to believe. The Bible also says in 2 Thessalonians 1:5, “You will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God.” That means you belong in God's family and will live with him forever—not because you followed your heart, but because you follow Jesus. And God doesn't just want you there. He wants everyone there! That's why he asks you to share his love and truth with others, even when it's hard. You don't have to “follow your heart”—you get to follow Jesus! Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you did the hard thing and died for me. Help me to love others the same way and tell them about you so they too can believe and be counted worthy in your kingdom. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Who should you follow: your heart or Jesus? Why? What is the only way to heaven? (Hint: John 14:6—“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”) Questions for Elementary Age Children What can happen if you just follow your own heart? Why do you think some people get upset when they hear that Jesus is the only way to heaven? Questions for Middle School and Above What does it mean when God says you are “counted worthy” (2 Thessalonians 1:5)? What's one way you can live as someone who is “counted worthy”? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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/family-devotions/20251117fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Malachi 4:1-6 “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. Malachi 4:1-2 Heaven Is Better Than Ice Cream In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Tears ran down Jeremy's red, messy face as he slammed the back door and ran across the yard. There was a little hiding spot between the shed and the fence, and he squeezed inside, curling up tight and hugging his knees. Jeremy was scared. His dad had asked him to clean up the living room before Grandma and Grandpa came over, but Jeremy didn't want to. When his dad asked again, Jeremy exploded. He shouted that he was sick of doing chores and even called his dad mean names he knew he shouldn't have said. Now, sitting behind the shed, Jeremy felt awful. His stomach hurt—not from food, but from guilt. He knew he had done wrong. He knew he should have listened and obeyed. And he knew he deserved to be punished. While Jeremy was thinking about how long he'd probably be grounded—no video games, no dessert—he heard footsteps crunching on the grass. His dad peeked into the small space and sat down next to him. Jeremy turned his tear-streaked face toward his dad. “I'm sorry, Dad,” he whispered. He braced himself, waiting to hear the punishment. But instead, his dad wrapped him in a big, strong hug. “I forgive you,” his dad said softly. “I already cleaned the living room for you. Now come inside—your grandparents are here, and we have ice cream.” Wow. Jeremy deserved punishment, but he got love instead. That's just like what God does for us! We do bad things too—we disobey, we say mean words, and we don't always love others the way God wants us to. We deserve punishment for our sins—yes, even to be separated from God forever. Malachi described it as a day that sets us on fire. How awful! But, instead of punishing us, God forgives us. “The sun of righteousness will shine with healing in its rays.” Jesus took our punishment when he died on the cross. Because of him, God hugs us instead of punishing us. He gives us forgiveness, love, and forever life in heaven—which is way better than ice cream! Prayer: Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for me so I don't have to fear punishment. Thank you for forgiving me and promising heaven—something better than anything I can imagine! Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What do we get from God instead of punishment? (Hint: Romans 6:23) What are some of your favorite things—ice cream flavors, games, or places? Why is heaven even better than all of those? Questions for Elementary Age Children Have you ever committed a sin too big for God to forgive? (Hint: 1 John 1:9) How does knowing God forgives you make you feel? Questions for Middle School and Above If God forgives our sins and promises us heaven, why do we still sometimes get punished here on Earth? Since God forgives us, how does he want us to treat people who hurt or upset us? (Hint: Ephesians 4:32) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. 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.

Have you ever really thought about space . . . like, really thought about it?...

John couldn't stop talking about how amazing Jesus was!...

Things were not looking good for the Israelites...

Have you ever lost something that made you really sad? ...

Have you ever tried to see stars in the daytime? ...

Have you ever looked forward to something super exciting, but it didn't turn out like you hoped? ...

As he passed a small farm, he noticed something strange...

God's rules are good. ...

Have you ever played a video game that glitched?...

“Can we have ice cream?” ...

Does your family ever play pranks or tricks on each other. ...

Have you ever heard of sportsmanship? ...

Have you ever heard someone say “Go!” in different ways?...

Quick question: What's one food you ate today?...

Have you ever ridden a roller coaster or a really crazy ride at the fair?...

It's your night to do the dishes. But just before dinner, a friend calls to invite you over....

Paige wanted to be good. She really did....

Grandma and her grandson Jared spent the afternoon baking cookies together....

Imagine getting your math test back and it's covered in red marks...

What good is a flashlight with no batteries?...

Have you ever put on headphones or earbuds, cranked up your favorite song ...

What would you do if someone gave you $100 ...

Here's a wild thought: God wants you to be rich. ...