Podcasts about Zondervan

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.

Most people open the Old Testament and see 39 disconnected books. Dr. Carol Kaminski sees one story. A Cambridge-trained Old Testament scholar and the creator of the CASKET EMPTY framework, she has spent three decades helping the church read Scripture the way it was meant to be read, as one connected account of God's plan of redemption running from creation all the way to Chronicles.In this conversation she takes apart the assumption that Noah was chosen because he was good, traces grace as the engine driving the entire Old Testament, and lands on a discovery hiding in the Hebrew of 2 Samuel 7 that points straight to the resurrection. From the call of Abraham to the rise and fall of the kings to the exile and the return, she shows how every period of Israel's history is moving toward a single center.In this episode you will learn:Why the books of the Old Testament are not in chronological order, and how that one fact changes the way you read your BibleWhat the CASKET acronym means and the six periods that hold the whole Old Testament togetherWhy Noah was not chosen for his righteousness, and what that says about graceHow the golden calf story exposes the true character of the God of the Old TestamentWhy the singular word "seed" in God's promise to Abraham points directly to ChristThe Hebrew word in the Davidic covenant that the Greek translates as resurrectionWhy Chronicles closes the Old Testament by retelling the entire story from the beginningHow to finally read the Old Testament as one unified narrative instead of scattered versesDr. Carol Kaminski is Senior Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) and the founder of Casket Empty. Her work includes the CASKET EMPTY Old Testament Timeline, Study Guide, Bible Study, and Maps, along with From Noah to Israel, Was Noah Good?, and her commentary on 1-2 Chronicles in Zondervan's Story of God Commentary series.Explore the CASKET EMPTY series and resources: https://www.casketempty.comStay Connected:Johnnyova.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyovaThe Revelation Reset: https://a.co/d/hiUkW8H

Are You Ready for Your Earthly Death? Is Your Salvation Sure? If Not, Make Yourself Ready Now Through God's Grace and the Gospel MESSAGE SUMMARY: Be ready for the end of your earthly life and the return of the Lord. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2, Paul writes to the Christians at the church in Thessalonica: “Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So, then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”. Are you ready? Are you sure in your Salvation? If not, make yourself ready and keep ready! God's Grace and the Gospel of Jesus prepare you for your earthly death while providing the means for your Eternal Life!   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, you know how difficult it is for me to be in silence before you. At times it feels almost impossible, given the demands, distractions, and noise all around me. I invite you to lead me to a quiet, silent place before you — to a place where I can hear you as Elijah did. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 123). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Hatred Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Love. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 10:37-39; 1 Corinthians 9:12-23; James 3:13-18; Hebrews 4:15-16; Psalms 65:1-13. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Following Jesus – Jesus Calls Us to Follow Him Without Reservations”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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/family-devotions/20260720fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Isaiah 44:6-11 “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. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Isaiah 44:6,8-9 God Isn't Monopoly Money! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Every Monopoly game comes with $20,580. That's a lot of money! But imagine walking into a toy store with a handful of Monopoly money and trying to buy your favorite LEGO set or stuffed animal. It won't work. It's fake money. Sometimes people make a similar mistake with something much more important. They put their hopes for happiness and even heaven in created things instead of the Creator. In Isaiah’s time—and, in some places still today—those created things were statues—idols—made of wood or stone. But idols don’t have to be made of wood or stone. An idol can be anything or anyone that we fear, love, or trust more than the true God. Today idols may look like sports, video games, being the best at something, friends, money, or being popular. Wood and stone are real. Toys, money, friends, and popularity are real too. But none of these are God. They are false gods that cannot bring us real joy, peace, forgiveness, or eternal life. Isaiah says, “All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless” (Isaiah 44:9). What are the idols that tempt you? Money? Are you more in love with the stuff of this world than with the One who created it? Popularity? Is your life focused on being the most popular person in the room with the most “likes” and “followers”? This is what makes believers in Jesus different. Christians may or may not be famous or wealthy, and they may or may not have lots of nice things, but they have Christ. They believe God’s words, “Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one” (Isaiah 44:8). By grace, the one and only God found them and called them into his family of faith. They also know that Jesus has forgiven all their sins, even the sin of so often wanting their own selfish desires above what God wants. Living as God's people in this world is not always easy. Advertisements whisper that happiness is found in what we own. Social media suggests our value depends on how many people notice us. Yet none of those can save us. Christians are different because they listen to the voice of their Savior, who alone forgives sinners. To have the true God is to have everything. God forgives sins, promises the resurrection from death, and reserves for us a room in his heavenly mansion. Those are gifts that never wear out, never break, and can never be taken away. When we have him, we possess treasures that never fade and a future that never ends. Prayer: Dear Jesus, forgive us when we love other things more than you. Help us trust you above all else and find our joy in your forgiveness and promises. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Why wouldn’t Monopoly money work at a real store? How many true Gods are there? Questions for Elementary Age Children Name three idols that people today might be tempted to love more than God. What are some things that the true God gives that idols cannot give? Questions for Middle School and Above Luther says that a “god” is whatever we trust most or run to first for help. When kids are scared, sad, or worried, what are some things they might be tempted to trust instead of God? How can a Christian enjoy God’s gifts—such as family, success, possessions, or popularity—without turning them into idols? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/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.

Jesus Followers Have Much for which to Thank God - His Grace for Our Salvation and Our Freedom to Serve Him MESSAGE SUMMARY:  Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His Name. Our government has set aside an annual national holiday of Thanksgiving for all Americans to offer prayers for our country; our many blessings; and our special blessings for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, thanksgiving to God, for Christians, should be a lifestyle; and Jesus Followers should not need a special day to give thanks to the Lord. As Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.”. Do you, as a Christian, need a special day to give thanks God because you get so immersed in your life outside of your relationship with God? Do you stop to give God thanks for His grace for you and His blessings to you in your prayer life's personal relationship with God? Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His Name.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, after his loss, you gave Job prosperity, blessing him with twice as much as he had before, but that has not always felt like my experience. Grant me patience. Help me to trust and wait on you, especially in those areas of my life where I have no idea what you are doing, when my hardship will end, or where you are taking me. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 115). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Chronicles 16:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4; Psalms 50a:1-12. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Following Jesus – Jesus Calls Us to Follow Him Without Reservations” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

Following Jesus – Jesus Calls Us to Follow Him Without Reservations MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (9:51-60): Following Jesus Jesus asks us to follow Him, but it's not like He is physically here on earth with us to show us the way. We must discern His intended way for us by listening to His voice and reading His Word and by aligning ourselves with the Holy Spirit who is leading us. Part of what Jesus is teaching us in Luke 9:51-60 is to stop making excuses and reasons for not following Him. Jesus calls us to follow Him now and without reservations. Christians are not just believers in Jesus; Christians are followers of Jesus. In Matthew 10:37-39, Jesus significantly refines the context and implications of His call to us as His followers: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.". Our calls from Jesus to follow Him may, often, be moment by moment. As Jesus said to the First Century Christians: follow me today! Is Jesus the Lord, or is Jesus your Lord? You must consciously make the decision to follow Jesus because He will call you. Jesus said: “Follow me.”. Who and what are you following?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 9:51-60; Matthew 10:34-42; Psalms 4:1-8. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Have Much for which to Thank God - His Grace for Our Salvation and Our Freedom to Serve Him”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

Jesus Followers Are the Enemy's {devil's} Target to Mess You Up and To Destroy Your Relationship with God MESSAGE SUMMARY:  The enemy {the evil one, the devil} is always at work seeking to destroy the fruit of the Lord's field and your life. In John10:10, Jesus tells us: “The thief {enemy} comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter tells you more about your enemy who is always with you: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil {enemy} prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”. Continue to remember that the enemy is always attempting to mess you up and to destroy your witness. Also, the enemy is always attempting to destroy your relationship with God and to get you to reject God. The enemy does his evil in subtle ways, but his purpose is clear -- the enemy wants you off the right path. The enemy is always at work, and he never sleeps.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be ashamed of the Gospel. I will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (including me). From Romans 1:16 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John10:10-18;1 Peter 5:8-11; Ephesians 4:26-32; Psalms 50b:13-23. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

Jonathan is a second-generation Messianic Jew and works for Chosen People Ministries.  He holds a B.A. in History and earned his Master of Theological Studies degree in 2021 with a focus on the New Testament. His research examines the connection between Yeshua's (Jesus's) miracles, especially the resurrection, and his messianic identity. His article, “The Resurrection of Jesus: Another Jewish Perspective” is published in Kesher: A Journal of Messianic Judaism. He is a contributor to the forthcoming Messianic Study Bible published by Zondervan. His heart is to help people understand who Yeshua is, to build up the Messianic Jewish community, and to guide people into the freedom found in Yeshua. He enjoys cooking for others, cultivating his plants, and martial arts.

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.

Jesus Followers Are “Commissioned" to “Make Disciples” and Not to Become Members of an Exclusive Holy Club MESSAGE SUMMARY:  We need to welcome new excited Followers of Jesus as members of our Non-Exclusive global fellowship as Followers of Jesus. Those of us who have been brought up in the church or have been in the church for a while can get caught up in our perceived personal righteousness. We get used to the presence of God and His peace in our lives. However, we then encounter a new Followers of Jesus. These new Christians, before their conversion, were living in the ways of the world without God's peace. Now, these new believers are so excited with their new life; however, their outward manifestation of their conversion may not “fit” with our personal Christian behavioral norms. Sadly, too many modern Christians judge and condemn these new, excited believers for their enthusiasm rather than loving, encouraging, and embracing these new Followers of Jesus. We can learn from Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees, who exhibited similar non-supportive behavior of Christians in Matthew 5:20: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, when I read even part of the story of Job, I too am overwhelmed by your “wildness.” Your ways and timing are beyond me. Job moved from hearing about you to having “seen you.” Lead me, Lord, on a pathway so that I too can pray as Job prayed: “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 89). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Inconsistencies. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Faithfulness. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 7:45-47; Matthew 5:20; Luke 11:38-39; Psalms 49b:11-20. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities ” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

Watch the Devotion Based on 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Fight the Good Fight   What are you willing to fight for? When you signed the dotted line, you said to the country, “I am willing to fight for you, for justice, for freedom; I am willing to fight against all enemies foreign and domestic.” And I thank you for that.   Take that same willingness and apply it to your spiritual life. What are you willing to fight for? In a letter to another pastor the apostle Paul commands Timothy, “Fight the good fight of the faith.” The faith, the trust, and belief in the truth that Jesus Christ is God and man, the faith in the truth that he lived a righteous life, that he truly died, that he rose from the dead—the faith that he did this for you, so that you, by believing, by having faith in this truth, might “take hold of the eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:12).    How is your faith fight? Whether you perceive it or not, you are engaged in a fight, a wrestling match, combat if you will, every single day of your life. This fracas is against the lie from Satan that it is just not worth your time or effort, the lie that you can get after it later, the lie that it is not as important as all the other things you have going on in your life, as relationships, your wealth and finances, your physical health, what you do on leave or liberty. The truth is that all those things suffer when we don't fight the good fight of the faith.   The apostle Paul reassures Pastor Timothy and you, where you and I have become apathetic or disinterested in our fight, Jesus fought the good fight for us. Paul points us to a skirmish that shows Jesus' persistence. “While testifying before Pontius Pilate [Jesus] made the good confession” (1 Timothy 6:13).   My fellow fighters, when the battle is long, when you are weary, when you have lapsed, flee to Christ and see your failures pardoned in Christ's persistent faith.   Then stand on your feet and get ready to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Fight the good fight of the faith until Jesus appears and you may rest from your struggle.   Prayer: Lord Jesus, the fight for my faith in you is fierce and I am often weary. Sometimes I am lazy. Forgive me. Restore me by the strength of your forgiveness. Renew in me the desire to daily put on the armor of God so that I might fight against the lies of the devil with the truths you have taught me. Cause me to stand firm so that I might help others fight the good fight of the faith in you. Amen.   Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. 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. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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.

Today, Many in America Live and Act as “enemies of the Cross of Christ” Thereby, Traveling the Road to Eternal Death MESSAGE SUMMARY: God has told us that we are His children and citizens of Heaven. To this end, God has given us the Holy Spirit as a pledge of our inheritance as His child. Also, God gave you the Holy Spirit to provide you with the power to live a Spiritual life. However, far too many continue to live and to act as “enemies of the Cross of Christ” by having their minds focused on earthly things as the lords of life. If this picture of your life-actions and life-focus describes you, then you very well may be on the road to eternal death and destruction. Therefore, you must return to Jesus and His way of doing things – Jesus' pattern of discipleship, servanthood, and submission is a path to your Salvation. Paul, in Philippians 3:18-20, defines an “enemy of the Cross of Christ: “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.". Jesus Followers have their life-focus driven by the realization that they are His child and a citizen of Heaven; therefore, you and your life-focus, as a Jesus Follower, are all precious to God since He sacrificed so much to adopt you as His child.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I praise you because your love seeks my good in any and every situation. Forgive me for the seeds that I have squandered. Soften my heart to surrender to your will in and through me. In Jesus' name, amen.        Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 120). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Inadequacy. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Abundance. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 7:19-23; Romans 8:13-17; Revelation 8:9-24; Psalms 49a:1-10. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities ” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

The Rev. Everett Henes, Moderator of this year's General Assembly, reflects on moderating the Assembly and the place and importance of ruling elders participating in the higher assemblies.GA Reports on various subjects can be found here.This year's GA had 87 ministers and 52 ruling elders, for a total of 139 voting members.Everett's Recommended BooksCarl Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, Crossway, 2020.J C Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, Banner of Truth.Bryan Chapell, The Hardest Sermons You'll Ever Have to Preach: Help from Trusted Preachers for Tragic Times, Zondervan, 2011.

In Today's Secular Uncertainties, God is Sovereign; and God “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he {God} will” MESSAGE SUMMARY: Political discord and health care uncertainties surround us in all directions today. Without Jesus in our lives, we have reasons to be anxious and fearful. However, Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:31: “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”. The future years may hurt our pride, wallets, and/or our freedom. On the other hand, we should not let the current secular political environment and culture hinder our resolve to continue in our fearless faith in the truth; our constant hope in the future; and our radical love for our neighbors. God has a plan; and, regardless of how things look from our eyes, we must remain faithful to His purpose. Now is the time to draw near to Jesus and to advance His Kingdom. Our gaze must remain on Jesus if we want to walk on the water during the storm. God is the King of Kings and the Sovereign God of the Universe. As Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 4:17 when God told Nebuchadnezzar: “to the end that the living may know that the Most High {God} rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he {God} will and sets over it the lowliest of men.”. God is always involved in our lives, and He gives the government offices “to whom he will”, even if the political processes produce “the lowliest of men {or women}”. Sometimes, we receive the elected officials we need, and sometimes we receive the elected officials that we deserve; but God is always Sovereign and faithful.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be a complainer (Philippians 2:14). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 6:31; Philippians 4:5-7; Daniel 4:17; Psalms 106c:25-36. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

Today's Political and Religious Climates Harden Hearts of Many “Believers” Who Turn Away from God - Jesus Followers Are to and Can Help Those with Hardening Hearts MESSAGE SUMMARY: No matter the hardness of a person's heart, who has walked away from God, they will respond to your initiatives that are based on your love and trust. However, so many of us Christians are so focused on doing their religious or spiritual things and keeping to their “busy” schedules that they do not have time to love and care for the needs of other – physical and/or spiritual. Is there anything you can do for someone with a calloused heart or who has walked away from God because they were not discipled? Yes, you must start by praying for them – asking God to move in their lives; asking God to intervene in their life situations; asking God to break up the hardness of their heart. Also, you must build a better personal relationship, with this person, through your trust and caring love. In Mathew 18:12-13, Jesus presents God's perspective regarding the pursuit of even one person that has walked away: “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, to you I acknowledge that I don't want to go the way of powerlessness and humility. Like Peter, I want to know what you are doing with those around me. I love you. Help me to trust you with this day, with tomorrow, and with my whole life. In Jesus' name, amen.        Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 92). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Anxiety. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Peace. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Acts 1:8; Romans 2:15-16; Psalms 47:1-9. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

Jesus Followers Must Carve Out Quiet Times to Listen for the Holy Spirit Who Speaks to Us in His “still small voice” MESSAGE SUMMARY: God will speak to you, but you must learn to listen for Him. Learning to listen for and to God requires focused and "in-tune" listening in combination with a filter for all the in-life clutter that your lifestyles and culture create. As Paul tells us in Romans 10:17, followers of Jesus must listen and hear the Word from the Lord: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.". You are going all the time with stimuli from many different sources – how can God speak or be heard, in a still small voice, through all your noise? To hear and listen for God, "lengthy times in silence and solitude" with the Lord are needed. Times of quiet prayer with God permits the noise and clutter get taken away. Again, in Psalm 141:1, the Psalmist admonishes us to call upon the Lord and to listen for God's Word: “LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you!".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Abba Father, I admit that I am often afraid and embarrassed to openly tell you all that is going on inside me — even though I know you know it all anyway. Teach me what boldness in prayer looks like as I draw near your throne of grace. In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 112). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Loneliness. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Presence. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Exodus 19:5; Daniel 9:9-14; John 10:2-16; Psalms 106a:1-12 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

Letting God Be Lord Over Your Finances, which Are His but He Entrusted to You, Will Liberate Your Life! MESSAGE SUMMARY:  We are so focused on earning money and other financially driven life activities so that it is easy for money and finances to become our god. Making finances “our god” violates the Second Commandment. If Jesus is Lord over all Creation, as we are told in Psalms 24:1, then: “The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.”; therefore, everything that has been entrusted to you is God's. In James 5:1-3, the author of the Book of James provides insight into someone who does NOT make God the Lord of their finances: “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.”. Therefore, let God Be Lord over your finances, which really are His finances.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I now take a deep breath and stop. So often I miss your hand and gifts in my life because I am preoccupied and anxious. Grant me the power to pause each day and each week to simply rest in your arms of love. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 132). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Psalms 24:1-10; James 5:1-6; Psalms 25:1-22; Psalms 45:1-17. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (12:32f): Our Realities Speak to Our Real Priorities In Luke 12:32f, Jesus speaks to His priorities for us by declaring that He has given His followers His kingdom. Living in His Kingdom sets Jesus' priorities for us. The goal for us is to live to kingdom priorities and not our own priorities. In Rick Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life, Rev. Warren presents five kingdom priorities: 1) worship; 2) fellowship; 3) discipleship; 4) ministry; and 5) evangelism. By being in fellowship with God, we can discern His priorities for our lives. Luke 12 speaks to two priorities for God's kingdom: 1) being ready followers, and 2) and being a responsible steward. To be a ready follower of Jesus, we must: 1) be ready to give; 2) is ready to go and serve the Lord; and 3) be ready to greet the Master. For the kingdom priority of being a ready steward, we must answer the question: “After being entrusted with God by much, are we being responsible for His gifts?”. With our trust in God, God, the Creator of the Universe trusts us – is your life worthy of God's trust? It is a deep privilege to know God's will for us and His trust for us. God will give us the tools and power to be good stewards of the trust that He has provided us if we are in fellowship with Him – God wants to bless us if we seek and follow His will for us. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17).   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:32-48; Romans 14:17; 1 John 3:1; Psalms 147:1-20. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Letting God Be Lord Over Your Finances, which Are His but He Entrusted to You, Will Liberate Your Life!”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

What if the Bible isn't difficult... we've just never been taught how to study it?In this episode of the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I'm joined by Bible teacher, author, and content creator Faith Womack, author of No More Boring Bible Study. Together, we dive into what it truly means to study God's Word—not out of obligation, but from a desire to know Him more deeply.Faith shares her powerful testimony of growing up in a home where Scripture was often misused and how God used that experience to ignite a passion for rightly handling His Word. Her journey reminds us that every believer is called to know the truth of Scripture for themselves.We also discuss:-Why so many Christians feel intimidated by Bible study-How to overcome the fear of "not knowing enough"-What hermeneutics really means (and why it isn't as scary as it sounds)-Understanding Bible translations and how to use multiple versions wisely-Helpful Bible study tools that anyone can use-Why this generation has more access to biblical resources than ever before-How studying Scripture deepens our relationship with Christ-The importance of rightly dividing God's Word in a world full of misinformation-Why every believer—not just pastors or Bible scholars—is called to study ScriptureOne of my favorite reminders from this conversation is that God has equipped us to know His Word. We don't have to have a seminary degree to open our Bible with confidence. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, and when we approach Scripture with humility and a willingness to learn, God is faithful to reveal Himself.Faith also shares the Scripture that keeps her anchored—Hebrews 12:1-2—and encourages us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as we faithfully run the race He has set before us.If you've ever felt overwhelmed by Bible study or wondered where to begin, this conversation will encourage you to take the next step. Don't settle for simply reading God's Word—learn to treasure it, understand it, and allow it to transform your life.Bio:Faith Womack is the founder of Bible Nerd Ministries and a content creator who aims to inspire Christians to get back into the Word of God. Her courses, including “Bible Study Bootcamp” and “Theology Bootcamp,” have reached thousands, and her Bible study content has reached over 10 million people on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.Faith aims to empower Christians not only to understand the Bible but also to enjoy it. Her debut book, No More Boring Bible Study: Why Taking Scripture Seriously Is Easier and More Exciting Than You Think released from Zondervan in November 2025.Faith has a B.A. in biblical and theological studies from Covenant College and a M.A.T.S. from Erskine Seminary. When she's not filming or teaching, Faith spends her time with her family going on hikes, crafting and drinking way too much coffee.Anchor Verses:Hebrews 12:1-2Connect with Faith:Website: https://biblenerdministries.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biblenerdministries/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/howtofaithalifeTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@biblenerdministries***Thank you for listening to the Anchored by the Sword Podcast! If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who wants to grow deeper in their faith. Stay Anchored in His Word, Anchored in His promises, and Anchored in Christ.***

Agnostics, Atheists, Seekers, and Christians Watch Jesus Followers; Do They See Jesus or a Christian Hypocrite in You? MESSAGE SUMMARY:  In 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Paul writes a complex statement that tells you, as a Jesus Follower, about the most important tool that God gives you for communicating the Gospel to others-- God lets others see Jesus in you through your life in Christ! Therefore, by living in Christ, your life becomes the most compelling argument for the Gospel – an argument that far surpasses the power for God's Kingdom from written or spoken words. Paul's 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 text reads: “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”. Do others, from your life, see Jesus in you?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, in order to be with you, I need you to show me how to “create a desert” in the midst of my full, active life. Cleanse me from the pressures, illusions, and pretenses that confront me today so that my life may serve as a gift to those around me. Amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 26). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be ashamed of the Gospel. I will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (including me). From Romans 1:16 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Isiah 35:1-9; John 1:14; Isaiah 11:1-2; Psalms 44b:14-26. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “And They Asked Jesus to Leave” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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.

Jesus Followers' Personal Relationship with Jesus Comes from Humility as Sinners Through Seeking God's Mercy in Prayer MESSAGE SUMMARY:  We do not deserve it; but we able to come to God, in a Personal Relationship with Him, because of His Mercy. We are all sinners. As Paul tells us in Romans 9:18: “So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.". With God's Justice without His Mercy and His resulting Grace, you would face only eternal death as Justice for your sins. We can never enter God's presence for prayer when we are in our pride with our focus on ourselves. Also, Paul reminds us, in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, that, in your Salvation through God's Grace, Jesus makes us “boast” only in the Grace provided us by God: “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'”. We can only enter God's presence when we humble ourselves in Jesus. Humility and penitence before God invite His presence – here I am, Lord; just as I am; have mercy on me a sinner.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Evil Ways. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Goodness. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 18:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:29-31; Isaiah 19:22; Psalms 44a:1-13. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “And They Asked Jesus to Leave” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

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/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.