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https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260721dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.” Matthew 13:24-26 Weeds If you have ever planted a garden, you know that there is one kind of plant that will always grow. The green beans may not germinate, the corn might get scorched and produce little, and the bugs might eat up your cucumbers. But weeds are guaranteed. I have never once planted them in my garden. And yet every year they are my most “successful” crop. In today’s Bible reading, Jesus puts on his farmer’s hat for us and teaches us some lessons from the fields. The farmer will work the soil, remove the stones, add fertilizer as needed, and carefully plant his crops. But the weeds will always grow. So, it is in our lives. Our gracious God has carefully planted the seed of the good news of Jesus in our hearts. He seeks to grow us by raining down his Word onto the field of our hearts. He watches in eager anticipation for the seed to sprout and grow, and our lives to show the fruits of that planted faith. And yet, there are weeds. They can sprout up in a moment and overwhelm the good seed that has been planted. Sin will always be a struggle for the child of God as long as the Lord allows us to keep growing in his field. So, what should you do? Ignore them? Allow them? Give up? Of course not! To do so could choke out your faith entirely. Instead, kill the weeds of sin by exposing them to the light of God’s Son. Trust the forgiveness that Jesus has won for you. Live as a forgiven child of God. And never tolerate the weeds. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for planting your Word in my heart. When weeds start to grow, bring me back to the light of Jesus. 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/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you 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/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you 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/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you 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/20260719dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 No Excuse Why are apples red? What does electricity look like? Anyone who has been a parent or teacher has heard questions like these. Sometimes we can give an answer that makes sense to the child, and sometimes not. How do you know that God exists? If he does, what is he like? These are not new questions. How they are answered is just as important now as ever. Sometimes we know who has been in a room by the smell of the perfume she has left behind. Sometimes we can tell who designed a building by its architectural style. In the same way, God has provided evidence that he exists. God’s eternal power is always on display. The world cries out that it was created by someone. And what power its creator must have—to be able to put atoms together into molecules and then exert the power to keep them all together. What power the creator of the stars must have. How far above us he must be! All around us, there is ample evidence of God’s power, wisdom, and divine nature. There is no excuse for anyone to doubt God’s existence or his involvement in the world. Does God exist? That’s not the right question. How should we serve God? What more might God have for us?” These are the questions we should ask. And the answers are given to us in the Bible. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself in the world you created. Today I praise you for its wonders. 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/20260719dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 No Excuse Why are apples red? What does electricity look like? Anyone who has been a parent or teacher has heard questions like these. Sometimes we can give an answer that makes sense to the child, and sometimes not. How do you know that God exists? If he does, what is he like? These are not new questions. How they are answered is just as important now as ever. Sometimes we know who has been in a room by the smell of the perfume she has left behind. Sometimes we can tell who designed a building by its architectural style. In the same way, God has provided evidence that he exists. God’s eternal power is always on display. The world cries out that it was created by someone. And what power its creator must have—to be able to put atoms together into molecules and then exert the power to keep them all together. What power the creator of the stars must have. How far above us he must be! All around us, there is ample evidence of God’s power, wisdom, and divine nature. There is no excuse for anyone to doubt God’s existence or his involvement in the world. Does God exist? That’s not the right question. How should we serve God? What more might God have for us?” These are the questions we should ask. And the answers are given to us in the Bible. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself in the world you created. Today I praise you for its wonders. 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/20260719dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 No Excuse Why are apples red? What does electricity look like? Anyone who has been a parent or teacher has heard questions like these. Sometimes we can give an answer that makes sense to the child, and sometimes not. How do you know that God exists? If he does, what is he like? These are not new questions. How they are answered is just as important now as ever. Sometimes we know who has been in a room by the smell of the perfume she has left behind. Sometimes we can tell who designed a building by its architectural style. In the same way, God has provided evidence that he exists. God’s eternal power is always on display. The world cries out that it was created by someone. And what power its creator must have—to be able to put atoms together into molecules and then exert the power to keep them all together. What power the creator of the stars must have. How far above us he must be! All around us, there is ample evidence of God’s power, wisdom, and divine nature. There is no excuse for anyone to doubt God’s existence or his involvement in the world. Does God exist? That’s not the right question. How should we serve God? What more might God have for us?” These are the questions we should ask. And the answers are given to us in the Bible. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself in the world you created. Today I praise you for its wonders. 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/20260718dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 Build Your Spiritual House “And he huffed, and he puffed…and he blew the house down!” Remember that story? The first two little pigs hastily built houses with cheap, weak materials. The Big Bad Wolf easily blew them down. The third little pig was different. He used the better, more costly materials. He invested the right amount of time and effort to build a strong house. “And he huffed, and he puffed, but he could not blow that house down!” “Be careful how you build!” That’s advice from a messenger of Jesus named Paul. It was first written some 2,000 years ago. But that advice is meant for us today, too. Careful construction and high-quality materials will provide comfort, peace of mind, and a good return on investment for our physical dwellings. But Paul had something different in mind when he wrote these words. Be careful how you build…your spiritual house! Where does one even start when trying to follow Paul’s advice? So many convenient and compelling options. So many building materials and blueprints. Let’s start where he did. Paul, the expert builder, laid a solid foundation—the good news message of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life as payment for the sins of the whole world and rose from the dead in victory. Paul and others continued to build on that firm foundation by speaking and teaching the words and promises of Jesus. Those words don’t always make sense to us and don't promise a life of ease and success. But they do give great comfort when we struggle with the guilt of sin— “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” They do give us peace of mind when confronting the reality of death— “You will be with me in paradise.” Carefully build your spiritual house on Jesus, and yours is a house that will last. Prayer: Jesus, help me to build my spiritual house on the firm foundation of your Word and works. 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/20260718dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 Build Your Spiritual House “And he huffed, and he puffed…and he blew the house down!” Remember that story? The first two little pigs hastily built houses with cheap, weak materials. The Big Bad Wolf easily blew them down. The third little pig was different. He used the better, more costly materials. He invested the right amount of time and effort to build a strong house. “And he huffed, and he puffed, but he could not blow that house down!” “Be careful how you build!” That’s advice from a messenger of Jesus named Paul. It was first written some 2,000 years ago. But that advice is meant for us today, too. Careful construction and high-quality materials will provide comfort, peace of mind, and a good return on investment for our physical dwellings. But Paul had something different in mind when he wrote these words. Be careful how you build…your spiritual house! Where does one even start when trying to follow Paul’s advice? So many convenient and compelling options. So many building materials and blueprints. Let’s start where he did. Paul, the expert builder, laid a solid foundation—the good news message of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life as payment for the sins of the whole world and rose from the dead in victory. Paul and others continued to build on that firm foundation by speaking and teaching the words and promises of Jesus. Those words don’t always make sense to us and don't promise a life of ease and success. But they do give great comfort when we struggle with the guilt of sin— “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” They do give us peace of mind when confronting the reality of death— “You will be with me in paradise.” Carefully build your spiritual house on Jesus, and yours is a house that will last. Prayer: Jesus, help me to build my spiritual house on the firm foundation of your Word and works. 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/20260718dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 Build Your Spiritual House “And he huffed, and he puffed…and he blew the house down!” Remember that story? The first two little pigs hastily built houses with cheap, weak materials. The Big Bad Wolf easily blew them down. The third little pig was different. He used the better, more costly materials. He invested the right amount of time and effort to build a strong house. “And he huffed, and he puffed, but he could not blow that house down!” “Be careful how you build!” That’s advice from a messenger of Jesus named Paul. It was first written some 2,000 years ago. But that advice is meant for us today, too. Careful construction and high-quality materials will provide comfort, peace of mind, and a good return on investment for our physical dwellings. But Paul had something different in mind when he wrote these words. Be careful how you build…your spiritual house! Where does one even start when trying to follow Paul’s advice? So many convenient and compelling options. So many building materials and blueprints. Let’s start where he did. Paul, the expert builder, laid a solid foundation—the good news message of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life as payment for the sins of the whole world and rose from the dead in victory. Paul and others continued to build on that firm foundation by speaking and teaching the words and promises of Jesus. Those words don’t always make sense to us and don't promise a life of ease and success. But they do give great comfort when we struggle with the guilt of sin— “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” They do give us peace of mind when confronting the reality of death— “You will be with me in paradise.” Carefully build your spiritual house on Jesus, and yours is a house that will last. Prayer: Jesus, help me to build my spiritual house on the firm foundation of your Word and works. 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/20260717dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. . . But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:3,8,23 One Seed Multiplies The farmers where I live recently planted their corn crops for the year. At the time of writing this devotion, those corn kernels have sprouted and are about six inches tall. They don’t look like much. But by late summer, those little plants will stand taller than the farmer who planted them. From one kernel of corn, one stalk grows. On that stalk, an ear of corn forms. And on that ear, there may be hundreds of kernels. One seed can produce far more than itself. That is the picture Jesus gives us when he describes the seed that falls on good soil. It produces a crop that is one hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. The seed is God’s Word. When God plants his Word in the heart, he produces what we could never grow on our own. First, God produces faith in Jesus. Through the gospel, the good news of what Jesus has done, God teaches us to trust that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and gives us forgiveness and life. But the Word doesn’t stop there. Where God gives faith, he also grows fruit. Love where there was selfishness. Joy where there was despair. Peace where there was anxiety. Patience where there was frustration. Kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control where sin had made the heart hard and tangled. And then the fruit multiplies. A person comforted by the Word speaks comfort to someone else. A forgiven sinner tells another sinner about forgiveness. A parent teaches a child. A friend shares a promise. A congregation supports a mission. The same seed that took root in one heart is scattered into another. One seed produces much fruit. That's what God's Word does. Prayer: Lord Jesus, plant your Word deeply in my heart. Grow faith and good fruit in me and use me to share your Word with 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/20260717dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. . . But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:3,8,23 One Seed Multiplies The farmers where I live recently planted their corn crops for the year. At the time of writing this devotion, those corn kernels have sprouted and are about six inches tall. They don’t look like much. But by late summer, those little plants will stand taller than the farmer who planted them. From one kernel of corn, one stalk grows. On that stalk, an ear of corn forms. And on that ear, there may be hundreds of kernels. One seed can produce far more than itself. That is the picture Jesus gives us when he describes the seed that falls on good soil. It produces a crop that is one hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. The seed is God’s Word. When God plants his Word in the heart, he produces what we could never grow on our own. First, God produces faith in Jesus. Through the gospel, the good news of what Jesus has done, God teaches us to trust that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and gives us forgiveness and life. But the Word doesn’t stop there. Where God gives faith, he also grows fruit. Love where there was selfishness. Joy where there was despair. Peace where there was anxiety. Patience where there was frustration. Kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control where sin had made the heart hard and tangled. And then the fruit multiplies. A person comforted by the Word speaks comfort to someone else. A forgiven sinner tells another sinner about forgiveness. A parent teaches a child. A friend shares a promise. A congregation supports a mission. The same seed that took root in one heart is scattered into another. One seed produces much fruit. That's what God's Word does. Prayer: Lord Jesus, plant your Word deeply in my heart. Grow faith and good fruit in me and use me to share your Word with 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/20260717dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. . . But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:3,8,23 One Seed Multiplies The farmers where I live recently planted their corn crops for the year. At the time of writing this devotion, those corn kernels have sprouted and are about six inches tall. They don’t look like much. But by late summer, those little plants will stand taller than the farmer who planted them. From one kernel of corn, one stalk grows. On that stalk, an ear of corn forms. And on that ear, there may be hundreds of kernels. One seed can produce far more than itself. That is the picture Jesus gives us when he describes the seed that falls on good soil. It produces a crop that is one hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. The seed is God’s Word. When God plants his Word in the heart, he produces what we could never grow on our own. First, God produces faith in Jesus. Through the gospel, the good news of what Jesus has done, God teaches us to trust that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and gives us forgiveness and life. But the Word doesn’t stop there. Where God gives faith, he also grows fruit. Love where there was selfishness. Joy where there was despair. Peace where there was anxiety. Patience where there was frustration. Kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control where sin had made the heart hard and tangled. And then the fruit multiplies. A person comforted by the Word speaks comfort to someone else. A forgiven sinner tells another sinner about forgiveness. A parent teaches a child. A friend shares a promise. A congregation supports a mission. The same seed that took root in one heart is scattered into another. One seed produces much fruit. That's what God's Word does. Prayer: Lord Jesus, plant your Word deeply in my heart. Grow faith and good fruit in me and use me to share your Word with 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/20260716dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 The Solid Foundation Every building needs a foundation. You can touch up paint. You can change the carpet. You can move furniture. But if the foundation crumbles, the whole building is in trouble. The apostle Paul knew that the church in Corinth had plenty of problems. They argued. They compared leaders. They acted immaturely. They misused the sacraments. They were tempted to build their faith on personalities, wisdom, talent, and human success. Paul pointed them back to the only foundation strong enough to hold them: Jesus Christ. That is still the only safe foundation. Your life cannot fully rest on your intelligence. It will eventually fail you. Your reputation can change in a moment. Your health can weaken. Your money can disappear. Your family, as precious as they are, cannot carry the weight of your soul. Your own faithfulness is not a strong enough foundation either. You know how often you stumble. But Jesus does not crumble. There is no storm in life stronger than him. There is no earth-shaking event that can make him waver. He is strong and secure through it all. That means when guilt accuses you, you have a foundation: Jesus died for you and your sin. When your faith feels weak, you have a foundation: Jesus holds onto you. When you are scared, you have a foundation: Jesus is with you. Build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Find your rest in it. Be at peace in it. That foundation is the one you need in this life. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me from building my hope on anything that cannot last. You are my foundation in life, in death, and 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/20260716dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 The Solid Foundation Every building needs a foundation. You can touch up paint. You can change the carpet. You can move furniture. But if the foundation crumbles, the whole building is in trouble. The apostle Paul knew that the church in Corinth had plenty of problems. They argued. They compared leaders. They acted immaturely. They misused the sacraments. They were tempted to build their faith on personalities, wisdom, talent, and human success. Paul pointed them back to the only foundation strong enough to hold them: Jesus Christ. That is still the only safe foundation. Your life cannot fully rest on your intelligence. It will eventually fail you. Your reputation can change in a moment. Your health can weaken. Your money can disappear. Your family, as precious as they are, cannot carry the weight of your soul. Your own faithfulness is not a strong enough foundation either. You know how often you stumble. But Jesus does not crumble. There is no storm in life stronger than him. There is no earth-shaking event that can make him waver. He is strong and secure through it all. That means when guilt accuses you, you have a foundation: Jesus died for you and your sin. When your faith feels weak, you have a foundation: Jesus holds onto you. When you are scared, you have a foundation: Jesus is with you. Build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Find your rest in it. Be at peace in it. That foundation is the one you need in this life. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me from building my hope on anything that cannot last. You are my foundation in life, in death, and 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/20260716dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 The Solid Foundation Every building needs a foundation. You can touch up paint. You can change the carpet. You can move furniture. But if the foundation crumbles, the whole building is in trouble. The apostle Paul knew that the church in Corinth had plenty of problems. They argued. They compared leaders. They acted immaturely. They misused the sacraments. They were tempted to build their faith on personalities, wisdom, talent, and human success. Paul pointed them back to the only foundation strong enough to hold them: Jesus Christ. That is still the only safe foundation. Your life cannot fully rest on your intelligence. It will eventually fail you. Your reputation can change in a moment. Your health can weaken. Your money can disappear. Your family, as precious as they are, cannot carry the weight of your soul. Your own faithfulness is not a strong enough foundation either. You know how often you stumble. But Jesus does not crumble. There is no storm in life stronger than him. There is no earth-shaking event that can make him waver. He is strong and secure through it all. That means when guilt accuses you, you have a foundation: Jesus died for you and your sin. When your faith feels weak, you have a foundation: Jesus holds onto you. When you are scared, you have a foundation: Jesus is with you. Build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Find your rest in it. Be at peace in it. That foundation is the one you need in this life. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me from building my hope on anything that cannot last. You are my foundation in life, in death, and 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/20260715dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 Only Servants Paul worked as a missionary bringing the good news about Jesus to the people of Corinth for the first time. He spent a lot of time there teaching the basics of the Christian faith. He faithfully and diligently shared how Jesus forgives sins by his death and resurrection from the grave. After Paul left, another gospel worker came to Corinth: a man named Apollos who was a gifted and passionate preacher. He watered the seed that Paul planted. Both Paul and Apollos were talented in their own ways, but the people in Corinth had picked their favorites. One said, “I like Paul.” Another, “I like Apollos better.” Still another, “I like this other teacher best.” The Corinthians were doing what people still do today. They made too much of the messenger and too little of the God who sent the message. Paul brings them back to reality. He and Apollos are only servants. They did not make the seed grow; only God could do that. It is natural to have preferences for preachers. Some are fiery, some are thoughtful. Some make you laugh; some make you think. Some are great storytellers, and some preach verse by verse. But the best preacher is the one who faithfully shares God's Word with you. A preacher’s style cannot save you. A preacher’s personality cannot forgive your sins. A clever illustration cannot raise the dead. Only God can make faith grow, and God does that through the Word of Christ. When the Word is preached faithfully, Jesus gives you what you need most. He gives you the law that exposes your sin. He gives you the gospel that forgives your sin. He gives you himself. One servant plants, another waters, but God makes it grow. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for faithful servants who bring me your Word. Help me listen past human style and hear the saving voice of Jesus. 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/20260715dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 Only Servants Paul worked as a missionary bringing the good news about Jesus to the people of Corinth for the first time. He spent a lot of time there teaching the basics of the Christian faith. He faithfully and diligently shared how Jesus forgives sins by his death and resurrection from the grave. After Paul left, another gospel worker came to Corinth: a man named Apollos who was a gifted and passionate preacher. He watered the seed that Paul planted. Both Paul and Apollos were talented in their own ways, but the people in Corinth had picked their favorites. One said, “I like Paul.” Another, “I like Apollos better.” Still another, “I like this other teacher best.” The Corinthians were doing what people still do today. They made too much of the messenger and too little of the God who sent the message. Paul brings them back to reality. He and Apollos are only servants. They did not make the seed grow; only God could do that. It is natural to have preferences for preachers. Some are fiery, some are thoughtful. Some make you laugh; some make you think. Some are great storytellers, and some preach verse by verse. But the best preacher is the one who faithfully shares God's Word with you. A preacher’s style cannot save you. A preacher’s personality cannot forgive your sins. A clever illustration cannot raise the dead. Only God can make faith grow, and God does that through the Word of Christ. When the Word is preached faithfully, Jesus gives you what you need most. He gives you the law that exposes your sin. He gives you the gospel that forgives your sin. He gives you himself. One servant plants, another waters, but God makes it grow. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for faithful servants who bring me your Word. Help me listen past human style and hear the saving voice of Jesus. 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/20260715dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 Only Servants Paul worked as a missionary bringing the good news about Jesus to the people of Corinth for the first time. He spent a lot of time there teaching the basics of the Christian faith. He faithfully and diligently shared how Jesus forgives sins by his death and resurrection from the grave. After Paul left, another gospel worker came to Corinth: a man named Apollos who was a gifted and passionate preacher. He watered the seed that Paul planted. Both Paul and Apollos were talented in their own ways, but the people in Corinth had picked their favorites. One said, “I like Paul.” Another, “I like Apollos better.” Still another, “I like this other teacher best.” The Corinthians were doing what people still do today. They made too much of the messenger and too little of the God who sent the message. Paul brings them back to reality. He and Apollos are only servants. They did not make the seed grow; only God could do that. It is natural to have preferences for preachers. Some are fiery, some are thoughtful. Some make you laugh; some make you think. Some are great storytellers, and some preach verse by verse. But the best preacher is the one who faithfully shares God's Word with you. A preacher’s style cannot save you. A preacher’s personality cannot forgive your sins. A clever illustration cannot raise the dead. Only God can make faith grow, and God does that through the Word of Christ. When the Word is preached faithfully, Jesus gives you what you need most. He gives you the law that exposes your sin. He gives you the gospel that forgives your sin. He gives you himself. One servant plants, another waters, but God makes it grow. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for faithful servants who bring me your Word. Help me listen past human style and hear the saving voice of Jesus. 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/20260714dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 Watered with the Word It doesn’t look like much from a distance, just a white line on the horizon. But as you get closer, the line has contours and dips and domes. It turns into a white ridge of snow-covered mountains. That snowpack may look quiet and still, but in the spring and summer months, it’s doing an important job. Melting. In places like the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the snowmelt is crucial for area agriculture. As snow melts, water runs down into rivers and reservoirs. It waters farms and orchards and carries communities through the dry months of summer. God says his Word works like that. Rain and snow do not fall from the sky and return without watering the earth. They accomplish God's purpose. So does his Word. It may not look powerful. Bible passages read around the family dinner table. A devotion next to a hospital bed. A Sunday sermon. But God says his Word does not return empty. That promise is great comfort, especially when we feel spiritually dry. Maybe your faith feels weak. Maybe guilt has hardened your heart. Maybe grief has left you cracked and tired. God’s Word is not powerful because of how strongly you feel it. It is powerful because God is working through it. The same Lord who sends rain to make the earth bud and flourish sends his Word to give faith, forgiveness, peace, and life. The good news of Jesus is not empty. Jesus’ death for your sins was not empty. His promise to forgive you is not empty. He left the tomb empty so that every promise he made is fulfilled. So, use God’s Word. Read it. Speak it. Share it. Rest in it. God will use it for his purpose. Prayer: Lord, water my dry heart with your Word. Make faith grow in me and use your Word through me to comfort others with Jesus. 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/20260714dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 Watered with the Word It doesn’t look like much from a distance, just a white line on the horizon. But as you get closer, the line has contours and dips and domes. It turns into a white ridge of snow-covered mountains. That snowpack may look quiet and still, but in the spring and summer months, it’s doing an important job. Melting. In places like the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the snowmelt is crucial for area agriculture. As snow melts, water runs down into rivers and reservoirs. It waters farms and orchards and carries communities through the dry months of summer. God says his Word works like that. Rain and snow do not fall from the sky and return without watering the earth. They accomplish God's purpose. So does his Word. It may not look powerful. Bible passages read around the family dinner table. A devotion next to a hospital bed. A Sunday sermon. But God says his Word does not return empty. That promise is great comfort, especially when we feel spiritually dry. Maybe your faith feels weak. Maybe guilt has hardened your heart. Maybe grief has left you cracked and tired. God’s Word is not powerful because of how strongly you feel it. It is powerful because God is working through it. The same Lord who sends rain to make the earth bud and flourish sends his Word to give faith, forgiveness, peace, and life. The good news of Jesus is not empty. Jesus’ death for your sins was not empty. His promise to forgive you is not empty. He left the tomb empty so that every promise he made is fulfilled. So, use God’s Word. Read it. Speak it. Share it. Rest in it. God will use it for his purpose. Prayer: Lord, water my dry heart with your Word. Make faith grow in me and use your Word through me to comfort others with Jesus. 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/20260714dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 Watered with the Word It doesn’t look like much from a distance, just a white line on the horizon. But as you get closer, the line has contours and dips and domes. It turns into a white ridge of snow-covered mountains. That snowpack may look quiet and still, but in the spring and summer months, it’s doing an important job. Melting. In places like the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the snowmelt is crucial for area agriculture. As snow melts, water runs down into rivers and reservoirs. It waters farms and orchards and carries communities through the dry months of summer. God says his Word works like that. Rain and snow do not fall from the sky and return without watering the earth. They accomplish God's purpose. So does his Word. It may not look powerful. Bible passages read around the family dinner table. A devotion next to a hospital bed. A Sunday sermon. But God says his Word does not return empty. That promise is great comfort, especially when we feel spiritually dry. Maybe your faith feels weak. Maybe guilt has hardened your heart. Maybe grief has left you cracked and tired. God’s Word is not powerful because of how strongly you feel it. It is powerful because God is working through it. The same Lord who sends rain to make the earth bud and flourish sends his Word to give faith, forgiveness, peace, and life. The good news of Jesus is not empty. Jesus’ death for your sins was not empty. His promise to forgive you is not empty. He left the tomb empty so that every promise he made is fulfilled. So, use God’s Word. Read it. Speak it. Share it. Rest in it. God will use it for his purpose. Prayer: Lord, water my dry heart with your Word. Make faith grow in me and use your Word through me to comfort others with Jesus. 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/20260713dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 Easy to Find My children love to play hide-and-seek. They can get creative with their hiding spots. But when I play with my three-year-old, and it is my turn to hide, I keep it simple. I might leave a foot sticking out from behind the chair or make a little noise from the next room. At age three, she does not have a long enough attention span to seek more than a few minutes. So, I make sure that I am not too hard to find. When Isaiah says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found,” we might picture God as someone who is hidden far away, waiting to see whether we can find him. But God is not playing that kind of game. He is not trying to make himself hard to find. He is calling out to us. He is near. The problem is not that God has hidden himself too well. The problem is that sin leads us to look in the wrong places. We search for peace in our own plans. We search for comfort in distractions. We search for validation by making excuses or comparing ourselves to others. We go our own way and trust our own thoughts. But God calls us back. “Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them.” We find him in his Word, in his promises, in the good news of Jesus. Jesus did not come to stay hidden from sinners. He came near. He came into our world. He went to the cross to pay for our wandering ways and sinful thoughts. He rose so that mercy and pardon would not be hard to find but freely given. So, seek the Lord where he promises to be found. Call on him. Open his Word. Hear his promise. He is not hard to find. He is near with mercy in Jesus. Prayer: Lord God, when I seek peace and forgiveness in the wrong places, call me back through your Word. Thank you for coming near with mercy and free pardon in Jesus. 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.

Ask Us A Question!For more than four decades, Jeff Currier has built one of the most extraordinary careers in flyfishing. From tiny mountain streams to some of the most remote rivers, flats, and coastlines on Earth, he has traveled to more than 60 countries, pursued fish on six continents, and inspired generations of anglers with an unmatched passion for exploration. Along the way, one remarkable goal has quietly driven nearly every journey: the pursuit of 500 different and unique species caught and documented on a fly rod. If successful, Jeff will likely become the first angler in history to reach that unprecedented milestone.Recorded on location in the Burgundy region of eastern France, this special episode of Waypoints follows Jeff as he stands on the doorstep of history in pursuit of one final species to reach his goal of 500 — a giant Wels catfish unlike anything most fly anglers will ever encounter. But this conversation is about far more than a number on a list. Waypoints host Jim Klug and Jeff discuss the decades of travel, relentless curiosity, meticulous planning, friendships, setbacks, and unforgettable adventures that transformed a simple idea into a lifelong pursuit. Whether you've followed Jeff's career for years or are hearing his story for the first time, this is a fascinating look at what happens when passion becomes purpose — and why the greatest accomplishments in flyfishing are often measured not by the fish themselves, but by the places they take us and the lives they shape along the way.Waypoints is brought to you by PatagoniaTo bring their gear to life, Patagonia is motivated by relentless curiosity and a passion for the wild. They evaluate hundreds of materials, build dozens of prototypes and spend seasons punishing them in the world's most extreme conditions. The work is the guide, and Patagonia never tires of exploring, learning and improving. For the past two years, the Yellow Dog Flyfishing travel team has worked closely with Patagonia to test and refine the all-new Patagonia River Salt Wading Boots II in destinations ranging from New Zealand to the Seychelles. Featured throughout the Yellow Dog Field Reports series, these boots have become the go to choice for our team thanks to their Vibram® Megagrip soles, durable quick drying construction, speed to get on and off, and support built for both freshwater and saltwater environments.- Follow us on Instagram- Follow us on Facebook- Check out our YouTube Page- View the official Yellow Dog w...

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260713dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 Easy to Find My children love to play hide-and-seek. They can get creative with their hiding spots. But when I play with my three-year-old, and it is my turn to hide, I keep it simple. I might leave a foot sticking out from behind the chair or make a little noise from the next room. At age three, she does not have a long enough attention span to seek more than a few minutes. So, I make sure that I am not too hard to find. When Isaiah says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found,” we might picture God as someone who is hidden far away, waiting to see whether we can find him. But God is not playing that kind of game. He is not trying to make himself hard to find. He is calling out to us. He is near. The problem is not that God has hidden himself too well. The problem is that sin leads us to look in the wrong places. We search for peace in our own plans. We search for comfort in distractions. We search for validation by making excuses or comparing ourselves to others. We go our own way and trust our own thoughts. But God calls us back. “Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them.” We find him in his Word, in his promises, in the good news of Jesus. Jesus did not come to stay hidden from sinners. He came near. He came into our world. He went to the cross to pay for our wandering ways and sinful thoughts. He rose so that mercy and pardon would not be hard to find but freely given. So, seek the Lord where he promises to be found. Call on him. Open his Word. Hear his promise. He is not hard to find. He is near with mercy in Jesus. Prayer: Lord God, when I seek peace and forgiveness in the wrong places, call me back through your Word. Thank you for coming near with mercy and free pardon in Jesus. 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/20260713dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 Easy to Find My children love to play hide-and-seek. They can get creative with their hiding spots. But when I play with my three-year-old, and it is my turn to hide, I keep it simple. I might leave a foot sticking out from behind the chair or make a little noise from the next room. At age three, she does not have a long enough attention span to seek more than a few minutes. So, I make sure that I am not too hard to find. When Isaiah says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found,” we might picture God as someone who is hidden far away, waiting to see whether we can find him. But God is not playing that kind of game. He is not trying to make himself hard to find. He is calling out to us. He is near. The problem is not that God has hidden himself too well. The problem is that sin leads us to look in the wrong places. We search for peace in our own plans. We search for comfort in distractions. We search for validation by making excuses or comparing ourselves to others. We go our own way and trust our own thoughts. But God calls us back. “Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them.” We find him in his Word, in his promises, in the good news of Jesus. Jesus did not come to stay hidden from sinners. He came near. He came into our world. He went to the cross to pay for our wandering ways and sinful thoughts. He rose so that mercy and pardon would not be hard to find but freely given. So, seek the Lord where he promises to be found. Call on him. Open his Word. Hear his promise. He is not hard to find. He is near with mercy in Jesus. Prayer: Lord God, when I seek peace and forgiveness in the wrong places, call me back through your Word. Thank you for coming near with mercy and free pardon in Jesus. 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/20260712dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6 God is Near Does something strike you as amazing in today’s Bible verse? What jumps out at me is the idea that the Lord is near us, that he allows himself to be found by us. After all, why should he? Why should he be near us? Why should he allow himself to be found by us? Just look at us! We’re angry, bitter, selfish. We’re lustful, greedy, rebellious. We fail to love God; we fail to love each other. Instead of loathing sin as we should, we find ourselves listening to the devil’s temptations, perhaps even desiring to give in to those temptations. We fail to see the value and importance of eternal matters and get far to focused on temporal matters. Shouldn’t God turn his back on us? Shouldn’t God banish us from his presence forever? Yes, he should! Instead, he stays near! In amazing grace, he even allows us to “find him” in his Word and in the sacraments. And when we find him, what do we discover? We discover that he loves us dearly and treats us with amazing compassion and boundless love. And so, call on him! Seek him! Rejoice in the fact that your God is near, near to you! Prayer: O Savior, continue to draw near to me, and no matter how I might struggle, continue to draw me near 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/20260712dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6 God is Near Does something strike you as amazing in today’s Bible verse? What jumps out at me is the idea that the Lord is near us, that he allows himself to be found by us. After all, why should he? Why should he be near us? Why should he allow himself to be found by us? Just look at us! We’re angry, bitter, selfish. We’re lustful, greedy, rebellious. We fail to love God; we fail to love each other. Instead of loathing sin as we should, we find ourselves listening to the devil’s temptations, perhaps even desiring to give in to those temptations. We fail to see the value and importance of eternal matters and get far to focused on temporal matters. Shouldn’t God turn his back on us? Shouldn’t God banish us from his presence forever? Yes, he should! Instead, he stays near! In amazing grace, he even allows us to “find him” in his Word and in the sacraments. And when we find him, what do we discover? We discover that he loves us dearly and treats us with amazing compassion and boundless love. And so, call on him! Seek him! Rejoice in the fact that your God is near, near to you! Prayer: O Savior, continue to draw near to me, and no matter how I might struggle, continue to draw me near 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/20260712dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6 God is Near Does something strike you as amazing in today’s Bible verse? What jumps out at me is the idea that the Lord is near us, that he allows himself to be found by us. After all, why should he? Why should he be near us? Why should he allow himself to be found by us? Just look at us! We’re angry, bitter, selfish. We’re lustful, greedy, rebellious. We fail to love God; we fail to love each other. Instead of loathing sin as we should, we find ourselves listening to the devil’s temptations, perhaps even desiring to give in to those temptations. We fail to see the value and importance of eternal matters and get far to focused on temporal matters. Shouldn’t God turn his back on us? Shouldn’t God banish us from his presence forever? Yes, he should! Instead, he stays near! In amazing grace, he even allows us to “find him” in his Word and in the sacraments. And when we find him, what do we discover? We discover that he loves us dearly and treats us with amazing compassion and boundless love. And so, call on him! Seek him! Rejoice in the fact that your God is near, near to you! Prayer: O Savior, continue to draw near to me, and no matter how I might struggle, continue to draw me near 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/20260711dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 A Heavy Burden We know what it is like to carry a heavy burden. Our arms begin to ache as we strain to hold up the weight. Our back muscles tighten, and our legs tire under the strain. We can only carry the load so long, and we are forced to put it down and rest. Sometimes the burden we carry is not with our arms, back, and legs, but on our hearts. Burdens of sadness, loneliness, discouragement, and dismay are very real and cause us to long for rest from their weight. Our spirits can be crushed if these burdens get too heavy and we carry them too long. While Jesus understands these kinds of burdens and is present to help us carry them, these burdens aren’t the most oppressive. When our Savior invites us to come to him for rest, he means a different kind of burden that makes people weary and tired. That is the burden of sin and how sin disrupts our relationship with God. The Bible tells us, “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). The demand that the Law of God makes is impossible for us to keep. We cannot perfectly fulfill its requirements. We can’t get out from under the burden of sin by our own power. There is only one way for us to have relief. Jesus came to lift sin’s burden off our hearts. He carried that heavy burden of sin’s guilt for us and gives us rest. He gives us the assurance that our sins are forgiven and that God doesn’t count us guilty. We have the peace of knowing that our relationship with God is restored. Through Jesus, there is now no fear of God’s strict judgment of condemnation against us. We are free from sin’s burden. In Jesus, we have rest! Prayer: Dear Jesus, I know that I have sinned in many ways and the guilt on my heart is a burden that is too heavy to bear. I praise you for taking the burden of my guilt and carrying it for me—suffering and dying to free me of its load and giving me the rest of 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/20260711dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 A Heavy Burden We know what it is like to carry a heavy burden. Our arms begin to ache as we strain to hold up the weight. Our back muscles tighten, and our legs tire under the strain. We can only carry the load so long, and we are forced to put it down and rest. Sometimes the burden we carry is not with our arms, back, and legs, but on our hearts. Burdens of sadness, loneliness, discouragement, and dismay are very real and cause us to long for rest from their weight. Our spirits can be crushed if these burdens get too heavy and we carry them too long. While Jesus understands these kinds of burdens and is present to help us carry them, these burdens aren’t the most oppressive. When our Savior invites us to come to him for rest, he means a different kind of burden that makes people weary and tired. That is the burden of sin and how sin disrupts our relationship with God. The Bible tells us, “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). The demand that the Law of God makes is impossible for us to keep. We cannot perfectly fulfill its requirements. We can’t get out from under the burden of sin by our own power. There is only one way for us to have relief. Jesus came to lift sin’s burden off our hearts. He carried that heavy burden of sin’s guilt for us and gives us rest. He gives us the assurance that our sins are forgiven and that God doesn’t count us guilty. We have the peace of knowing that our relationship with God is restored. Through Jesus, there is now no fear of God’s strict judgment of condemnation against us. We are free from sin’s burden. In Jesus, we have rest! Prayer: Dear Jesus, I know that I have sinned in many ways and the guilt on my heart is a burden that is too heavy to bear. I praise you for taking the burden of my guilt and carrying it for me—suffering and dying to free me of its load and giving me the rest of 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/20260711dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 A Heavy Burden We know what it is like to carry a heavy burden. Our arms begin to ache as we strain to hold up the weight. Our back muscles tighten, and our legs tire under the strain. We can only carry the load so long, and we are forced to put it down and rest. Sometimes the burden we carry is not with our arms, back, and legs, but on our hearts. Burdens of sadness, loneliness, discouragement, and dismay are very real and cause us to long for rest from their weight. Our spirits can be crushed if these burdens get too heavy and we carry them too long. While Jesus understands these kinds of burdens and is present to help us carry them, these burdens aren’t the most oppressive. When our Savior invites us to come to him for rest, he means a different kind of burden that makes people weary and tired. That is the burden of sin and how sin disrupts our relationship with God. The Bible tells us, “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). The demand that the Law of God makes is impossible for us to keep. We cannot perfectly fulfill its requirements. We can’t get out from under the burden of sin by our own power. There is only one way for us to have relief. Jesus came to lift sin’s burden off our hearts. He carried that heavy burden of sin’s guilt for us and gives us rest. He gives us the assurance that our sins are forgiven and that God doesn’t count us guilty. We have the peace of knowing that our relationship with God is restored. Through Jesus, there is now no fear of God’s strict judgment of condemnation against us. We are free from sin’s burden. In Jesus, we have rest! Prayer: Dear Jesus, I know that I have sinned in many ways and the guilt on my heart is a burden that is too heavy to bear. I praise you for taking the burden of my guilt and carrying it for me—suffering and dying to free me of its load and giving me the rest of 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/20260710dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29 Carrying the Cross The Bible teaches that the burden of sin and selfishness is great because God’s judgment always follows. Simply put, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Adam’s first sin is a perfect illustration. He followed the path of self-indulgence. “When you eat of [the tree],” Satan promised, “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). But when Adam pursued that path, he discovered that God's promises always stand. God had promised, “When you eat from it, you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). In our arrogance, we think we can get away with our self-centered sinfulness. But God’s all-seeing holiness hones in on us, noting every godless thought, word, and deed. His perfect law closes every loophole, rejects every excuse, and refuses every rationale. Which makes the saving work of Jesus and his glorious cross all the more stunning! Jesus took the shackles of God’s law on himself and carried the burden for us without stumbling. Then he picked up the heavy cross of God's judgment and laid aside his Father’s righteous verdict against us by taking up our sin and penalty. He truly became “sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness [perfection] of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took our great burden from us, and now he invites us to take up an entirely different cross, the cross of discipleship. “Take my yoke upon you,” Jesus says, “and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.” Our Savior God offers free lessons in carrying crosses. He models for us the self-sacrificing love we are created to have for others. And this new glorious cross doesn’t end in judgment. It ends with his promise: “You will find rest for your souls.” Prayer: Dear Jesus, give me the strength to carry every cross that comes my way as a result of following 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/20260710dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29 Carrying the Cross The Bible teaches that the burden of sin and selfishness is great because God’s judgment always follows. Simply put, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Adam’s first sin is a perfect illustration. He followed the path of self-indulgence. “When you eat of [the tree],” Satan promised, “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). But when Adam pursued that path, he discovered that God's promises always stand. God had promised, “When you eat from it, you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). In our arrogance, we think we can get away with our self-centered sinfulness. But God’s all-seeing holiness hones in on us, noting every godless thought, word, and deed. His perfect law closes every loophole, rejects every excuse, and refuses every rationale. Which makes the saving work of Jesus and his glorious cross all the more stunning! Jesus took the shackles of God’s law on himself and carried the burden for us without stumbling. Then he picked up the heavy cross of God's judgment and laid aside his Father’s righteous verdict against us by taking up our sin and penalty. He truly became “sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness [perfection] of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took our great burden from us, and now he invites us to take up an entirely different cross, the cross of discipleship. “Take my yoke upon you,” Jesus says, “and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.” Our Savior God offers free lessons in carrying crosses. He models for us the self-sacrificing love we are created to have for others. And this new glorious cross doesn’t end in judgment. It ends with his promise: “You will find rest for your souls.” Prayer: Dear Jesus, give me the strength to carry every cross that comes my way as a result of following 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/20260710dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29 Carrying the Cross The Bible teaches that the burden of sin and selfishness is great because God’s judgment always follows. Simply put, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Adam’s first sin is a perfect illustration. He followed the path of self-indulgence. “When you eat of [the tree],” Satan promised, “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). But when Adam pursued that path, he discovered that God's promises always stand. God had promised, “When you eat from it, you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). In our arrogance, we think we can get away with our self-centered sinfulness. But God’s all-seeing holiness hones in on us, noting every godless thought, word, and deed. His perfect law closes every loophole, rejects every excuse, and refuses every rationale. Which makes the saving work of Jesus and his glorious cross all the more stunning! Jesus took the shackles of God’s law on himself and carried the burden for us without stumbling. Then he picked up the heavy cross of God's judgment and laid aside his Father’s righteous verdict against us by taking up our sin and penalty. He truly became “sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness [perfection] of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took our great burden from us, and now he invites us to take up an entirely different cross, the cross of discipleship. “Take my yoke upon you,” Jesus says, “and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.” Our Savior God offers free lessons in carrying crosses. He models for us the self-sacrificing love we are created to have for others. And this new glorious cross doesn’t end in judgment. It ends with his promise: “You will find rest for your souls.” Prayer: Dear Jesus, give me the strength to carry every cross that comes my way as a result of following 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/20260709dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 First Weariness, Then Rest Jesus spoke in no uncertain terms about the details of Christian discipleship. He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). At first blush, self-denial seems like a relatively easy standard to meet. But Christian self-denial requires us to keep God’s great commandments perfectly: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It requires us to abandon self-love completely and to concentrate all our time, energy, and effort on others. Jesus is the perfect model of self-denial and love for others. He came into this world “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Now he calls us to expend our lives completely on others. “As I have loved you,” Jesus commanded, “so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34,35). This kind of perfect love is difficult and wearisome, and not just because we are selfish and sinful. It was also a challenge for the perfect Son of God who “offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death” (Hebrews 5:7). He was truly tempted to abandon his love for others (Hebrews 4:15). So, when he commands us to take up our cross and sacrifice ourselves for others, he knows the burden intimately. He carried that burden himself! Yet to us who now carry the cross of Christian discipleship, Jesus makes an astounding offer: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The one who carried the burden of the cross, loaded down by our sin, now offers his strength, help, and guidance as we pick up our cross of discipleship. At first glance, our cross looks heavy, covered with sharp splinters. But Jesus’ love and saving power replace our weariness with true rest and power for godly living, and we see our cross in all its glory. Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me carry the cross of discipleship with confidence and 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/20260709dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 First Weariness, Then Rest Jesus spoke in no uncertain terms about the details of Christian discipleship. He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). At first blush, self-denial seems like a relatively easy standard to meet. But Christian self-denial requires us to keep God’s great commandments perfectly: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It requires us to abandon self-love completely and to concentrate all our time, energy, and effort on others. Jesus is the perfect model of self-denial and love for others. He came into this world “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Now he calls us to expend our lives completely on others. “As I have loved you,” Jesus commanded, “so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34,35). This kind of perfect love is difficult and wearisome, and not just because we are selfish and sinful. It was also a challenge for the perfect Son of God who “offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death” (Hebrews 5:7). He was truly tempted to abandon his love for others (Hebrews 4:15). So, when he commands us to take up our cross and sacrifice ourselves for others, he knows the burden intimately. He carried that burden himself! Yet to us who now carry the cross of Christian discipleship, Jesus makes an astounding offer: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The one who carried the burden of the cross, loaded down by our sin, now offers his strength, help, and guidance as we pick up our cross of discipleship. At first glance, our cross looks heavy, covered with sharp splinters. But Jesus’ love and saving power replace our weariness with true rest and power for godly living, and we see our cross in all its glory. Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me carry the cross of discipleship with confidence and 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/20260709dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 First Weariness, Then Rest Jesus spoke in no uncertain terms about the details of Christian discipleship. He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). At first blush, self-denial seems like a relatively easy standard to meet. But Christian self-denial requires us to keep God’s great commandments perfectly: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It requires us to abandon self-love completely and to concentrate all our time, energy, and effort on others. Jesus is the perfect model of self-denial and love for others. He came into this world “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Now he calls us to expend our lives completely on others. “As I have loved you,” Jesus commanded, “so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34,35). This kind of perfect love is difficult and wearisome, and not just because we are selfish and sinful. It was also a challenge for the perfect Son of God who “offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death” (Hebrews 5:7). He was truly tempted to abandon his love for others (Hebrews 4:15). So, when he commands us to take up our cross and sacrifice ourselves for others, he knows the burden intimately. He carried that burden himself! Yet to us who now carry the cross of Christian discipleship, Jesus makes an astounding offer: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The one who carried the burden of the cross, loaded down by our sin, now offers his strength, help, and guidance as we pick up our cross of discipleship. At first glance, our cross looks heavy, covered with sharp splinters. But Jesus’ love and saving power replace our weariness with true rest and power for godly living, and we see our cross in all its glory. Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me carry the cross of discipleship with confidence and 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.

Immer dassElbe? Nope! Also ja, Frieder ist wieder an der wunderschönen Elbe unterwegs, diesmal in der Nähe von Lauenburg, der südlichsten Stadt Schleswig-Holsteins, ABER: Diesmal gibt es eine Challenge für Euch, die sich sehen lassen kann. Zusammen mit Johannes Radtke vom Landesangelverband Schleswig-Holstein will Frieder so viele Fischarten wie möglich innerhalb von 24 Stunden fangen. Zander, Aal, Wels, Rapfen und Co. - wer lässt sich bei Johannes und Frieder blicken? Vom aktiven Raubfischangeln bis zum nächtlichen Ansitz ist alles mit dabei. Oder anders: Ein kleines Angelabenteuer am großen Fluss. Werden Johannes und Frieder zweistellig verschiedene Fischarten fangen? Gebt mal einen Tipp ab und vor allem gewinnt wieder eine original Angebissen-Scale. (Gewinnspielschluss 24.07.26) Hechtig elbische Grüße!

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260708dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. . . No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:26-27 A Purposeful Choice Jesus and his cross are natural stumbling blocks to sinners like us. Why, then, do we believe something that seems so silly? Jesus explained when he prayed, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. . . No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” To be sure, God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). That's why he sacrificed his beloved Son to be “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). God is so patient and long-suffering with the people of this world that he even plays the part of the fool, holding out his hands “all day long…to a disobedient and obstinate people” (Roman 10:21), only to have those hands remain mostly empty because so many reject his free gift of forgiveness. Is that God's fault? Hardly! Jesus has won mankind’s salvation completely, yet God forces no one to be saved. Instead, he works mysteriously and powerfully through his Word and Spirit. Through his Word, he shatters our pride and self-reliance, then calls us to trust in him and to see the glory of Christ's cross. So, our Christian faith is no accident. It’s God's purposeful choice. “The LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for graciously leading me to trust in you through the gospel. 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/20260708dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. . . No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:26-27 A Purposeful Choice Jesus and his cross are natural stumbling blocks to sinners like us. Why, then, do we believe something that seems so silly? Jesus explained when he prayed, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. . . No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” To be sure, God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). That's why he sacrificed his beloved Son to be “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). God is so patient and long-suffering with the people of this world that he even plays the part of the fool, holding out his hands “all day long…to a disobedient and obstinate people” (Roman 10:21), only to have those hands remain mostly empty because so many reject his free gift of forgiveness. Is that God's fault? Hardly! Jesus has won mankind’s salvation completely, yet God forces no one to be saved. Instead, he works mysteriously and powerfully through his Word and Spirit. Through his Word, he shatters our pride and self-reliance, then calls us to trust in him and to see the glory of Christ's cross. So, our Christian faith is no accident. It’s God's purposeful choice. “The LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for graciously leading me to trust in you through the gospel. 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/20260708dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. . . No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:26-27 A Purposeful Choice Jesus and his cross are natural stumbling blocks to sinners like us. Why, then, do we believe something that seems so silly? Jesus explained when he prayed, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. . . No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” To be sure, God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). That's why he sacrificed his beloved Son to be “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). God is so patient and long-suffering with the people of this world that he even plays the part of the fool, holding out his hands “all day long…to a disobedient and obstinate people” (Roman 10:21), only to have those hands remain mostly empty because so many reject his free gift of forgiveness. Is that God's fault? Hardly! Jesus has won mankind’s salvation completely, yet God forces no one to be saved. Instead, he works mysteriously and powerfully through his Word and Spirit. Through his Word, he shatters our pride and self-reliance, then calls us to trust in him and to see the glory of Christ's cross. So, our Christian faith is no accident. It’s God's purposeful choice. “The LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for graciously leading me to trust in you through the gospel. 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/20260707dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” Matthew 11:25 A Revealed Glory The Bible teaches us that the glory of Christ’s cross is naturally hidden from us. It is hidden behind the horrific dreadfulness of God’s shameful suffering and death there. Martin Luther explained this important truth in his Small Catechism with these words: “I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him.” With that explanation, Luther was echoing the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote: “‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no mind has conceived' [these are] the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Simply put, left to ourselves, sinful humans would never be able to see or fathom the hidden realities of God’s glorious, behind-the-scenes workings at Christ's cross. The Lord himself explains why this is true through his prophet Isaiah, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (55:9). In other words, the divine plan and purpose are far beyond our puny human senses. By nature, we see and sense the opposite of God's reality. God often does the opposite of what we expect. If that’s true, then how can anyone comprehend the divine truth? By ourselves we can’t, but the Bible tells us that, “these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:10). As Luther explained: “The Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” Through his Word—law and gospel—the Holy Spirit brings us to humble repentance, a change of mind. First, he shows us our need for a Savior, and then at the cross, he proclaims that we have one, a perfect One. Suddenly, the cross’s hidden glory is revealed! Prayer: Dear Jesus, lead me daily to repentance through your holy Word so that I see the glory of your cross through the eyes of faith. 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/20260707dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” Matthew 11:25 A Revealed Glory The Bible teaches us that the glory of Christ’s cross is naturally hidden from us. It is hidden behind the horrific dreadfulness of God’s shameful suffering and death there. Martin Luther explained this important truth in his Small Catechism with these words: “I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him.” With that explanation, Luther was echoing the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote: “‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no mind has conceived' [these are] the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Simply put, left to ourselves, sinful humans would never be able to see or fathom the hidden realities of God’s glorious, behind-the-scenes workings at Christ's cross. The Lord himself explains why this is true through his prophet Isaiah, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (55:9). In other words, the divine plan and purpose are far beyond our puny human senses. By nature, we see and sense the opposite of God's reality. God often does the opposite of what we expect. If that’s true, then how can anyone comprehend the divine truth? By ourselves we can’t, but the Bible tells us that, “these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:10). As Luther explained: “The Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” Through his Word—law and gospel—the Holy Spirit brings us to humble repentance, a change of mind. First, he shows us our need for a Savior, and then at the cross, he proclaims that we have one, a perfect One. Suddenly, the cross’s hidden glory is revealed! Prayer: Dear Jesus, lead me daily to repentance through your holy Word so that I see the glory of your cross through the eyes of faith. 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/20260625dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved . . . Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:21-22,32 When Confessing Christ Costs You On June 25, 1530, Lutheran princes and representatives stood before Emperor Charles V in the city of Augsburg in Germany and presented a confession of their faith. The emperor was among the most powerful rulers in the world. The pressure to stay quiet, compromise, or soften the truth was enormous. But they confessed Christ. One of the signers was John Frederick of Saxony. A few years later, Emperor Charles V went to war against the Lutheran princes in an effort to force them back into submission. John Frederick’s own cousin Maurice of Saxony sided with the emperor and invaded John Frederick’s territory. John Frederick was eventually defeated, captured, sentenced to death, and stripped of his royal title. The details of history are complicated. The pain was not. Confessing Christ had cost him dearly, even within his own family. Jesus had warned his disciples that this could happen. “Brother will betray brother to death,” he said. “You will be hated by everyone because of me.” Following Jesus would not always bring peace with the people closest to them. Sometimes it would bring division, rejection, and loss. But Jesus also gave a promise: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” That promise gives courage. You may never stand before an emperor. You may never lose lands or titles for confessing Christ. But you will have moments when faithfulness costs you something. It may cost approval. It may strain a relationship. It may make you feel alone. In those moments, remember who stands with you. Jesus confessed you first. He claimed you as his own. He carried your sins to the cross. He rose from the dead. He speaks for you before the Father. So, confess him. Speak the truth humbly. Speak it lovingly. Speak it with confidence. The Savior you confess is the Savior who confesses you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for confessing me before your Father. Give me courage to confess you before others, even when it costs 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/20260624dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31 You Are Worth More Than Sparrows Sparrows are easy to overlook. They are small, common, and inexpensive. In Jesus’ time, two sparrows could be bought for just one penny. No one built monuments for sparrows. No one wrote headlines about them. Most people barely noticed them at all. Yet, God noticed. Jesus tells us that not one sparrow falls to the ground outside the Father’s care. Then he turns to you and says, “So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” That does not mean your life will be painless. Jesus spoke these words while warning his disciples that following him would bring hardship. Some people would reject them. Some would hate them. Some would even persecute them. Still, they did not need to be afraid. Why? Because their Father saw them, knew them, and treasured them. That is true for you, too. There may be days when you feel small and forgotten. You may wonder if anyone sees what you are carrying on your heart. You may feel like your prayers are too ordinary, your problems too common, your fears too small for God to notice. But Jesus says your Father knows even the hairs of your head. He knows your name. He knows your needs. He knows your weaknesses. Most of all, he knows the price paid for you, not pennies, not silver or gold, but the holy, precious blood of his Son. You are not forgotten, and you are not cheap. You are not outside your Father’s care. So do not be afraid. The God who watches over sparrows is certainly watching over you. Prayer: Father, when I feel small or afraid, remind me that I am precious to you through Jesus. Help me trust your care today. 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/20260623dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the Word The apostle Paul wrote these words to his good friend and coworker, Timothy, near the end of his life. He knew his death was coming. He had fought the good fight. He had finished the race. He had kept the faith. So, what final instruction did he give to Timothy? “Preach the word.” Paul did not tell him to preach what people wanted to hear. He did not tell him to follow the mood of the crowd. In fact, Paul warned that the time would come when people would not put up with sound doctrine. They would gather teachers who told them what their itching ears wanted to hear. That warning still matters. God’s Word is not always popular. Sometimes it corrects us. Sometimes it rebukes us. Sometimes it exposes sins we would rather excuse. But the same Word that wounds our pride also heals our souls. It shows us our sin, and then it shows us our Savior. That is why Paul says to preach it “with great patience and careful instruction.” God’s Word is not a weapon for winning arguments. It is the voice of Christ calling sinners to repentance, forgiveness, faith, and life. You may not be a pastor like Timothy. But you still need this Word. You need it when your heart wants comfortable lies instead of saving truth. You need it when the world calls evil good and good evil. You need it when you are tired, tempted, afraid, or ashamed. And through that Word, Christ comes to you. He corrects you because he loves you. He rebukes your sin because he died to remove it. He encourages you because he rose again and promises you the crown of righteousness. So, listen to the Word. Trust the Word. Treasure the Word. It is Christ's Word for you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me faithful to your Word. Correct me, forgive me, encourage me, and strengthen me to hold firmly to your truth. 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/20260622dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.” Jeremiah 20:9 When They Won’t Listen Imagine seeing a friend driving toward a bridge that is out. You wave your arms. You shout. You call. You do everything you can to stop him. But instead of listening, he laughs at you. Then he tells others you are crazy. You would not keep warning him because you like being ignored. You would continue to warn him because you love him. The prophet Jeremiah knew what it was like to have people ignore his warning. God had given him a message for his people. Danger was coming. Their sin was not harmless. Their idolatry, unbelief, and refusal to listen to the Lord were leading them toward destruction. God sent Jeremiah to turn them from sin and turn them back to him. But they would not listen. They mocked Jeremiah. They hated his message. They beat him and put him in stocks. Jeremiah was exhausted and heartbroken. His grief was not just because people mistreated him. His grief came from love. He could see the danger clearly, but the people he loved were blind to it. At one point, Jeremiah wanted to stop speaking. But he could not. God's Word was like a fire in his bones. In Jeremiah’s suffering, we hear an echo of someone greater. Jesus came as the perfect Prophet, the very Word of God in human flesh. He warned sinners. He exposed hypocrisy. He called people to repentance. He wept over Jerusalem because they did not recognize the time of God’s coming. And they rejected him, too. They mocked him. They beat him. They nailed him to a cross. But Jesus did more than warn us about judgment. He stepped under the judgment our sins deserved. He died for our stubbornness, blindness, unbelief, and sin. Then he rose to give us forgiveness, life, and certain deliverance. God does not give up on sinners. Through his Word calls us to turn from sin and turn to him. He drives us to Christ, where mercy is full and free. He held on to Jeremiah. He holds on to you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for warning me in love and saving me by grace. Keep your Word burning in my heart. Give me repentant faith, patient love for others, and confidence in your resurrection 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/20260621dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:2-5 A Cure for That Itch Mosquito bites. Athlete’s Foot. Poison Ivy. If you’ve ever had to deal with these itchy ailments, you know they are no fun and very hard to get rid of. You try this lotion and that spray, but the itch doesn't seem to go away. Time and patience are about the only answers that make the itch go away. As the apostle Paul wrote these last words to his dear friend Timothy, Paul was preparing Timothy to deal with a situation far worse than bug bites and skin rashes. False teachings, lies about the faith and salvation, and personal religious opinions were infesting and infecting the hearts of people. Such things go beyond irritation; they hurt and kill saving faith. Paul knew that a time was coming when people would no longer desire to hear what God has to say in the Bible. Paul’s words are quite prophetic for us since we are still living in similar times. Some books promote Jesus as a mere teacher of moral living. Others claim that Jesus was not and never claimed to be God. Why all the promotion of these and many other false teachings? Because people who don’t want to believe the Bible have an itch—an itch against God. They don’t want to feel accountable to God or live their lives according to his Word. So, the only way to calm that itch is to reduce God to nothing more than a lucky rabbit’s foot or a curse word. What is the salve for this itch? “Preach the Word!” the apostle Paul encourages. Preach and proclaim the Bible—the whole Bible. Let God work through the Word to do the rebuking and correcting. Let God set the record straight. And even if people will not listen, God still calls us to be faithful to the Word and proclaim it “in season and out of season.” May God strengthen us to do this always! Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to always faithfully proclaim your word for your Word is truth and 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/20260620dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 Compassion Jesus was a man in motion. He healed a paralytic, a sick woman, and two blind men. He raised another man's daughter from the dead. He called men to be his disciples. The Gospel of Matthew tells us that, “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.” Why this activity, this urgency? Because the people were harassed by false prophets and the forces of evil. Because they were harassed by the guilt of their own sin and the fear of eternal death. And by themselves, they were helpless to do anything about it. Sound familiar? Aren’t we tempted by false prophets who promise a way to heaven other than through Christ? Aren’t we besieged by forces of evil that want to drag us away into the deadly sins of laziness, selfishness, greed, pornography, adultery, idolatry, and the like? Don’t we get depressed by our own sinfulness and guilt and wonder whether heaven can really be our home? And by ourselves, we are helpless to do anything about it. Thankfully, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who has come to guide, strengthen, and protect us. He lived the perfect life we couldn’t. He gave his life, taking the curse for all our sins. He moved beyond death and the grave, rising on Easter Sunday morning, and then returned to his throne in heaven. He assures us that his victory is ours. Because of all he has done, we are fully forgiven and headed for heaven. He did all this because of his compassion. Compassion has been defined as love in motion. That’s why Jesus was a man on the move. His love did not allow him to see us in our need and leave us there. He took action. Aren’t you glad he did? Prayer: Dear Jesus, I am amazed by your love and compassion. Thank you for taking action when I needed you to. 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.