Podcasts about Zondervan

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251219dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. James 5:10-11 A Lesson in Perseverance Advent is a season of waiting. We wait for Christmas, we wait for family to arrive, we wait in checkout lines, and sometimes we wait for God to do something that makes sense of what we're going through. Waiting can be hard, especially when it's mixed with pain or uncertainty. James points us to people who knew that kind of waiting well: the prophets who spoke for God, and especially Job. Job’s life was shattered in a single season. It’s hard for us to imagine all that he lost. All ten of his children were killed in a windstorm, his wealth was stolen, and his health broken. His friends accused him of bringing it on himself, and even his wife told him to give up. But Job didn’t give up on God, even when God felt silent. He cried out, questioned, and lamented, but he kept talking to God. And in time, God restored Job’s life in ways Job never expected. Not because Job earned it, but because “the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” God teaches us to wait with trust, even when the light seems far away. God is still writing your story even when it feels like the pages have run out. The baby in Bethlehem, Jesus our Savior, is proof that God's compassion comes through waiting. Joy can follow pain, and life can rise from loss. If you find yourself in a season that feels more like Job’s than Christmas morning, remember the Lord is still full of compassion and mercy. He has not forgotten you, and he never will. Prayer: Lord, teach me to wait with faith in you. When my heart grows weary or questions rise, remind me that you are full of compassion and mercy. Help me trust that your story for my life isn't over yet. 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/20251218dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Isaiah 35:1-2 God Makes the Desert Bloom In northern Chile, along the Pacific coast, lies one of the driest places on earth. Known as the Atacama, it sometimes goes decades without measurable rainfall. It’s so barren that NASA uses it to simulate conditions on Mars. But in rare years, the Atacama Desert receives a few inches of rain, like it did a few months ago. Within days, something astonishing happens. Dormant seeds that have been buried in the dust for years suddenly burst into life. The desert floor becomes carpeted with a palette of pink, purple, yellow, and white. The transformation is so dramatic that satellites can detect the color change from space. That’s the picture Isaiah gives us. Maybe your life feels a little like that dry ground right now. Life feels empty, brittle, and you’re waiting for something to change. Isaiah reminds us that God hasn’t forgotten how to make things bloom. His Word and his Spirit still bring renewal, transformation, and life. God rains down his grace, forgiveness, and peace on dry and weary hearts. God is able to transform the dry and the forsaken into vibrant life. God turns death into life. Jesus Christ went from barren death and three days later to life and immortality. He broke through the grave as the firstfruits from the dead. He endured the scathing punishment for your sin. He bore the withering wrath you deserved. He did all this so that God’s glory might be brought to full flower. He did it so that you, too, can go from death to life. Prayer: Dear God, send your rain on the dry places in my life. Let your grace soak into the cracks of my heart. Remind me that your Son, Jesus, was parched so that I can spend an eternity in paradise with 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/20251218dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Isaiah 35:1-2 God Makes the Desert Bloom In northern Chile, along the Pacific coast, lies one of the driest places on earth. Known as the Atacama, it sometimes goes decades without measurable rainfall. It’s so barren that NASA uses it to simulate conditions on Mars. But in rare years, the Atacama Desert receives a few inches of rain, like it did a few months ago. Within days, something astonishing happens. Dormant seeds that have been buried in the dust for years suddenly burst into life. The desert floor becomes carpeted with a palette of pink, purple, yellow, and white. The transformation is so dramatic that satellites can detect the color change from space. That’s the picture Isaiah gives us. Maybe your life feels a little like that dry ground right now. Life feels empty, brittle, and you’re waiting for something to change. Isaiah reminds us that God hasn’t forgotten how to make things bloom. His Word and his Spirit still bring renewal, transformation, and life. God rains down his grace, forgiveness, and peace on dry and weary hearts. God is able to transform the dry and the forsaken into vibrant life. God turns death into life. Jesus Christ went from barren death and three days later to life and immortality. He broke through the grave as the firstfruits from the dead. He endured the scathing punishment for your sin. He bore the withering wrath you deserved. He did all this so that God’s glory might be brought to full flower. He did it so that you, too, can go from death to life. Prayer: Dear God, send your rain on the dry places in my life. Let your grace soak into the cracks of my heart. Remind me that your Son, Jesus, was parched so that I can spend an eternity in paradise with 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/20251217dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:11 Made Great by Jesus John the Baptist was no ordinary man. He was courageous, faithful, and unwavering in his mission. He spoke God’s truth without fear, even when it landed him in prison. He received a beautiful compliment from Jesus: “among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” That’s an incredible commendation! And yet, Jesus adds something surprising: “whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” How can that be? John was a prophet chosen by God. He baptized Jesus. He prepared the way for the Messiah. How could anyone be greater than that? The answer is that John looked forward to what we now live in. John pointed ahead to the Savior who was to come. We get to see what John only glimpsed from a distance. We know the full story. We see how Jesus carried our sins to the cross, rose from the dead, and opened heaven's door to all who believe. Greatness in God's kingdom isn’t about status, reputation, or how much you do for God. It's about what Jesus has done for you. The least person who trusts in Christ, clinging to his forgiveness and grace, will live in eternal glory in heaven. That person stands on the finished work of Jesus. So, if you ever feel small or unimportant, remember who you are in God's eyes. You are part of something infinitely greater. You belong to the kingdom John was waiting for, the kingdom Jesus won for you. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for bringing me into your kingdom. When I feel small or unworthy, remind me that my worth comes from you. Help me live with the confidence that I am yours, now 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.

God Exhorts Us: “1) Do not fear; 2) Continue to tithe; 3) Get out of debt; 4) Help our brothers and sisters in need; and 5) Pray” MESSAGE SUMMARY: In the Bible, you can find five exhortations, from the God, that are right on point for our tough times in America: 1) Do not fear; 2) Continue to tithe; 3) Get out of debt; 4) Help our brothers and sisters in need; and 5) Pray. The people in Malachi's day were withholding what was God's, and they were paying a price. But even in those conditions of sin, God said to the nation, in Malachi 3:7, “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?'.”. God does not change – God today is the same faithful Creator of the Universe as He was in the time of Malachi. Return to God, both as an individual and as a nation; and see how God will bless us!   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, help me to be still and to wait patiently for you in silence. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 125). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, God isn't finished with me yet (Philippians 1:6). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Malachi 2:1-17; Malachi 3:7; Malachi 3:16-18; Psalms 41:1-13. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Why We Do Christmas”, 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/20251217dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:11 Made Great by Jesus John the Baptist was no ordinary man. He was courageous, faithful, and unwavering in his mission. He spoke God’s truth without fear, even when it landed him in prison. He received a beautiful compliment from Jesus: “among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” That’s an incredible commendation! And yet, Jesus adds something surprising: “whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” How can that be? John was a prophet chosen by God. He baptized Jesus. He prepared the way for the Messiah. How could anyone be greater than that? The answer is that John looked forward to what we now live in. John pointed ahead to the Savior who was to come. We get to see what John only glimpsed from a distance. We know the full story. We see how Jesus carried our sins to the cross, rose from the dead, and opened heaven's door to all who believe. Greatness in God's kingdom isn’t about status, reputation, or how much you do for God. It's about what Jesus has done for you. The least person who trusts in Christ, clinging to his forgiveness and grace, will live in eternal glory in heaven. That person stands on the finished work of Jesus. So, if you ever feel small or unimportant, remember who you are in God's eyes. You are part of something infinitely greater. You belong to the kingdom John was waiting for, the kingdom Jesus won for you. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for bringing me into your kingdom. When I feel small or unworthy, remind me that my worth comes from you. Help me live with the confidence that I am yours, now 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/20251216dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Matthew 11:4-6 Good News Proclaimed to You The disciples of John the Baptist brought a question of doubt to Jesus. Was Jesus really the Messiah, or should they expect someone else? John the Baptist sat in prison, and it didn't look like God's kingdom was advancing. Jesus’ answer was both gentle and firm. He pointed to the Bible and quoted prophecies about the coming Savior from the book of Isaiah. Jesus told them to report what they saw and heard. The blind see, the lame walk. People are cleansed; the deaf hear. God’s promises about the Savior were being fulfilled even if it wasn’t the way or the timeline John or his disciples expected. We can relate to John. We see others receiving their miracles and their answers to prayers. We wonder, “When will God act for me? When will he answer my prayer?” It's easy to stumble when God seems silent or slow to respond. But notice what Jesus includes last: “the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” That’s us. We are poor in spirit, weary, doubting at times, and unable to fix ourselves or earn our way to heaven. The good news is that Jesus came for us. Jesus brings us forgiveness for our sins. Jesus doesn't turn us away because of our doubts. God has accomplished everything for our salvation. We are blessed, not because life always goes as planned, but because Jesus did not stumble in his mission. He lived perfectly where we have failed, and through his cross and resurrection, he gives us faith that can withstand the brokenness of this world. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for meeting me in my doubt and disappointment. Help me to trust your Word and your work, even when I can't see what you're doing. Remind me that your good news is for me too. 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/20251216dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Matthew 11:4-6 Good News Proclaimed to You The disciples of John the Baptist brought a question of doubt to Jesus. Was Jesus really the Messiah, or should they expect someone else? John the Baptist sat in prison, and it didn't look like God's kingdom was advancing. Jesus’ answer was both gentle and firm. He pointed to the Bible and quoted prophecies about the coming Savior from the book of Isaiah. Jesus told them to report what they saw and heard. The blind see, the lame walk. People are cleansed; the deaf hear. God’s promises about the Savior were being fulfilled even if it wasn’t the way or the timeline John or his disciples expected. We can relate to John. We see others receiving their miracles and their answers to prayers. We wonder, “When will God act for me? When will he answer my prayer?” It's easy to stumble when God seems silent or slow to respond. But notice what Jesus includes last: “the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” That’s us. We are poor in spirit, weary, doubting at times, and unable to fix ourselves or earn our way to heaven. The good news is that Jesus came for us. Jesus brings us forgiveness for our sins. Jesus doesn't turn us away because of our doubts. God has accomplished everything for our salvation. We are blessed, not because life always goes as planned, but because Jesus did not stumble in his mission. He lived perfectly where we have failed, and through his cross and resurrection, he gives us faith that can withstand the brokenness of this world. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for meeting me in my doubt and disappointment. Help me to trust your Word and your work, even when I can't see what you're doing. Remind me that your good news is for me too. 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.

Richard McGirr interviews Maria Zondervan, a fund-of-funds operator who pivoted from a career as an endangered-species wildlife biologist into multifamily investing after realizing she needed to build legacy wealth for her special-needs son. Maria explains why she disliked directly operating multifamily and instead built a model where she partners with other fund managers to write larger checks, negotiate better tiers/terms, and put more “eyes on the deal” during due diligence. She also breaks down how her group manages risk and investor expectations—doing fewer, higher-quality equity deals and leaning on an income fund for liquidity—plus how she qualifies investors to avoid placing “all their savings” into illiquid syndications. Finally, Maria shares her investor lead-gen approach: primarily in-person education and speaking, with social media used mostly to stay top-of-mind rather than as a primary acquisition channel. Maria ZondervanCurrent role: CEO, Blue Vikings CapitalBased in: Orlando, FloridaSay hi to them at: https://www.bluevikingscapital.com/ | https://linktr.ee/bluevikingscapital Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com with code BESTEVER Visit bestevercrypto.com today to get started and earn up to $2,500 in bonus crypto. Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It's free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251215dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Matthew 11:2-3 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Matthew 11:2-3 Carry Your Doubt to Jesus Christmas is almost here! That means expectations are sky high. Children expect every toy on their wish list to be under the tree. Parents expect children to be happy and thankful for the gifts they’ve received, even if not every gift is crossed off their list. Employees expect a fat bonus from their employers. Employers expect their workers to meet every end-of-the-year deadline and quota. This time of year, we expect celebrations, cookies, and core family memories. Yet rarely does the season called “the most wonderful time of the year” live up to the name. The calendar is packed, the to-do list never ends, and it feels like you’re barely getting by. “The most stressful time of the year” might be a more accurate name. Beneath the glittery decorations and bright lights is the realization that most of these expectations will not be met. John the Baptist knew that feeling. Once a fiery preacher in the wilderness, John now sat in a dark dungeon prison. It was the last place his disciples expected him to be. John preached about repentance and judgment. He spoke about axes being at the root of trees and wheat being separated from chaff. In other words, he foretold the coming judgment of God on the wicked. Yet now John was in the prison cell of one of the most wicked rulers of that time. It seemed like things had gotten twisted. So, John told his followers to carry the question to Jesus, “Are you the one… or should we expect someone else?” Even from prison, John was teaching his disciples and us what to do with our questions of doubt when expectations are not met. Take them to Jesus. Bring your unmet expectations to Jesus. Bring your doubt to Jesus. He won’t shoo you away or dismiss you or utter some pious platitudes. Jesus will not condemn you; he will answer your doubts. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are gracious and forgiving. Forgive me for my doubts and give me a faith that trusts in you through all things and above all things. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

As we close out 2025, this final episode invites you into honest reflection, sustainable growth, and hopeful vision for 2026. We slow down, breathe, and explore what worked, what didn't, and how to enter the new year with intention and peace.You'll hear:- End-of-year trends shaping how people are thinking- Why sustainable shifts beat massive resolutions- Cultural highlights from 2025 and lessons learned- How to resist holiday busyness and create space for presence- A guided biblical mindfulness reflection to enter 2026 groundedKey Topics:- End-of-year reflection habits- Realistic goal-setting- Processing a year that didn't go as planned- Sustainable life rhythms- Biblical principles for renewal- Mindfulness for Christians and spiritually-curious listenersScripture in This Episode:- Isaiah 43:18–19- Lamentations 3:22–23Share this episode with someone who could use a moment of reflection before the year ends. Subscribe so you don't miss the first episode of 2026.1. American Psychological Association. (2025). Stress in America: The state of stress during the holiday season. APA. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2025/holiday-stress2. Forbes. (2025). Quiet quitting evolves into quiet cracking: Employee engagement trends. Forbes Magazine. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2025/10/15/quiet-cracking-trends3. BBC News. (2025, July 10). Global climate updates: Record wildfires and heatwaves in multiple regions. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-heatwave-20254. CNN. (2025, March 23). Unexpected celebrity activism makes headlines in 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/23/entertainment/celebrity-activism-20255. ESPN. (2025, November 12). 2025 major sports upsets and memorable victories. https://www.espn.com/sports-updates-20256. Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Zondervan. - Isaiah 43:18–19 - Lamentations 3:22–237. Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Avery.8. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Hyperion.Subscribe. Share. Rate.A thousand thanks!drmatmonharrell.bio.link Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus Followers Practice a Weekly Time of Worship and Rest through Their Sabbath and a Daily Time Alone with God in Prayer MESSAGE SUMMARY: Jesus said, in Mark 2:27-28, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”. Therefore, we are to practice a weekly Sabbath – worship and rest. Also, we are to build into our lives a time alone with God each day. In Mark 1:35, Mark tells us about Jesus: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.". If Jesus needed to spend time in prayer, doesn't it make sense that we need to spend time in daily prayer as well?   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, 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): Mark 2:27-28; Mark 1:35; John 16:33; John 10:10. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Why We Do Christmas”, 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/20251215dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Matthew 11:2-3 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Matthew 11:2-3 Carry Your Doubt to Jesus Christmas is almost here! That means expectations are sky high. Children expect every toy on their wish list to be under the tree. Parents expect children to be happy and thankful for the gifts they’ve received, even if not every gift is crossed off their list. Employees expect a fat bonus from their employers. Employers expect their workers to meet every end-of-the-year deadline and quota. This time of year, we expect celebrations, cookies, and core family memories. Yet rarely does the season called “the most wonderful time of the year” live up to the name. The calendar is packed, the to-do list never ends, and it feels like you’re barely getting by. “The most stressful time of the year” might be a more accurate name. Beneath the glittery decorations and bright lights is the realization that most of these expectations will not be met. John the Baptist knew that feeling. Once a fiery preacher in the wilderness, John now sat in a dark dungeon prison. It was the last place his disciples expected him to be. John preached about repentance and judgment. He spoke about axes being at the root of trees and wheat being separated from chaff. In other words, he foretold the coming judgment of God on the wicked. Yet now John was in the prison cell of one of the most wicked rulers of that time. It seemed like things had gotten twisted. So, John told his followers to carry the question to Jesus, “Are you the one… or should we expect someone else?” Even from prison, John was teaching his disciples and us what to do with our questions of doubt when expectations are not met. Take them to Jesus. Bring your unmet expectations to Jesus. Bring your doubt to Jesus. He won’t shoo you away or dismiss you or utter some pious platitudes. Jesus will not condemn you; he will answer your doubts. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are gracious and forgiving. Forgive me for my doubts and give me a faith that trusts in you through all things and above all things. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251215dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Matthew 11:2-3 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Matthew 11:2-3 Carry Your Doubt to Jesus Christmas is almost here! That means expectations are sky high. Children expect every toy on their wish list to be under the tree. Parents expect children to be happy and thankful for the gifts they’ve received, even if not every gift is crossed off their list. Employees expect a fat bonus from their employers. Employers expect their workers to meet every end-of-the-year deadline and quota. This time of year, we expect celebrations, cookies, and core family memories. Yet rarely does the season called “the most wonderful time of the year” live up to the name. The calendar is packed, the to-do list never ends, and it feels like you’re barely getting by. “The most stressful time of the year” might be a more accurate name. Beneath the glittery decorations and bright lights is the realization that most of these expectations will not be met. John the Baptist knew that feeling. Once a fiery preacher in the wilderness, John now sat in a dark dungeon prison. It was the last place his disciples expected him to be. John preached about repentance and judgment. He spoke about axes being at the root of trees and wheat being separated from chaff. In other words, he foretold the coming judgment of God on the wicked. Yet now John was in the prison cell of one of the most wicked rulers of that time. It seemed like things had gotten twisted. So, John told his followers to carry the question to Jesus, “Are you the one… or should we expect someone else?” Even from prison, John was teaching his disciples and us what to do with our questions of doubt when expectations are not met. Take them to Jesus. Bring your unmet expectations to Jesus. Bring your doubt to Jesus. He won’t shoo you away or dismiss you or utter some pious platitudes. Jesus will not condemn you; he will answer your doubts. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are gracious and forgiving. Forgive me for my doubts and give me a faith that trusts in you through all things and above all things. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

We attempt to make sense of the silly season, to explain why there really is “more to life”, and why the traditional Christmas story still holds the answers.(00:00) - - Unwanted Christmas cards (04:41) - - Diagnosing our festive illness (08:49) - - Happiness or peace? (10:35) - - Jesus the umpire (13:10) - - The Prince of Peace (18:55) - - Christmas and the Gulag Archipelago (22:56) - - Christmas is good enough without Jesus, right? (30:39) - - Jesus turns his face towards us CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Editing by Richard Hamwi.Our voice actors today were the Undeceptions Team - wishing you a happy Christmas!Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251214dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. Isaiah 35:3-7 God’s Coming with a Vengeance One group of people tries to annihilate another. Terrorists kill the innocent. A child is molested. Some question: Why doesn’t God step in … if there is a God? I can add to that. There are plenty of people who sin against God without fear of punishment. There are people who laugh at the idea of facing God’s judgment for their sins. Why doesn’t God step in? The prophet Isaiah talks about God coming “with vengeance” and “divine retribution.” And the prophet says that the result of God's coming with “divine retribution” is that “the lame leap like a deer,” “the eyes of the blind are open.” All kinds of good things happen. It sounds like a happy vengeance. The coming of God is the happiest of all events because he comes to save you. God comes to tackle a sinful world—not by destroying it, but by saving it. The words of Isaiah were fulfilled when Jesus came and died for the sins of the world. Jesus did the only thing that really helps for sin. He paid the penalty for it. He washed it away in his blood shed on the cross. The whole world can rejoice because the promised Savior has come with vengeance to free us from the guilt of our sin. With eyes and ears open to the good news of Jesus, we jump and shout for joy because his salvation flows into our hearts with life-giving power and hope. Prayer: Oh, Lord, our God, I thank you for coming to save this sinful world by offering yourself for me and the sins of the whole world. Help me to see your salvation and rejoice in it every day. 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.

Is Your Faith Yours, or Is Your Faith a Faith Derivative of the Faith of Others? MESSAGE SUMMARY: We first believed because of what our parents taught us; but then we heard for ourselves, and we believed. You and cannot live on another's faith in Jesus – With regards to faith, “God has no grandchildren”, only His Children; therefore, your Salvation comes only from your faith and not the faith of others. Each of us must hear for ourselves and come to the Lord in our own faith. As Paul tells us in Romans 10:16-17: “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?'. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." You and I each will stand before the Lord alone in judgment -- we will speak for ourselves with only Jesus to speak for us. Others to whom we minister, such as our children, can her about the Lord and the Gospel from us – for the first time or in reinforcement – but they must hear for themselves and believe for themselves to be saved.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). 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): 2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Matthew 7:24-27; Psalms 53:1-6. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Why We Do Christmas” 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/20251214dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. Isaiah 35:3-7 God’s Coming with a Vengeance One group of people tries to annihilate another. Terrorists kill the innocent. A child is molested. Some question: Why doesn’t God step in … if there is a God? I can add to that. There are plenty of people who sin against God without fear of punishment. There are people who laugh at the idea of facing God’s judgment for their sins. Why doesn’t God step in? The prophet Isaiah talks about God coming “with vengeance” and “divine retribution.” And the prophet says that the result of God's coming with “divine retribution” is that “the lame leap like a deer,” “the eyes of the blind are open.” All kinds of good things happen. It sounds like a happy vengeance. The coming of God is the happiest of all events because he comes to save you. God comes to tackle a sinful world—not by destroying it, but by saving it. The words of Isaiah were fulfilled when Jesus came and died for the sins of the world. Jesus did the only thing that really helps for sin. He paid the penalty for it. He washed it away in his blood shed on the cross. The whole world can rejoice because the promised Savior has come with vengeance to free us from the guilt of our sin. With eyes and ears open to the good news of Jesus, we jump and shout for joy because his salvation flows into our hearts with life-giving power and hope. Prayer: Oh, Lord, our God, I thank you for coming to save this sinful world by offering yourself for me and the sins of the whole world. Help me to see your salvation and rejoice in it every day. 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.

Why We Do Christmas MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction: We are still in the season of Advent, which means “coming” or “arrival”. The Church begins this season of “arrival” or Advent as the time we recognize and celebrate the “arrival” of Jesus – both Jesus' “first coming” and His “second coming”. We celebrate Jesus' “first coming” on Christmas Eve. The season of Advent is, also, a season of hope; and Advent is the beginning of our Church's “New Year”. Message:  What does Christmas mean to you? “Could we be missing the point of what Christmas is all about”? Irrespective of all the personal, social and cultural noise we encounter around the Christmas season, we must not lose sight of the fact that Christmas is all and only about Jesus. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of the most important person that ever lived – the God and man Jesus. Is this birth and life of the Incarnate and unique Son of God, as both the Creator of the Universe and the Savior of humankind, true? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” because Jesus birth and life are based upon historical evidence. Also, the birth of Jesus is God coming among us in a desire to have a personal relationship with us and with all people. If God is so desirous of a personal relationship with us, why did God go to so much trouble to bring Jesus to us? Because, every time we sin, we are building a barrier between us and God – God is Holy, and He cannot relate to sin. Therefore, God's Grace provided Jesus as both the means of our Salvation and as an intermediary (i.e. Jesus is both God and a human without sin) from which we can have God's desired personal relationship with us. However, when Jesus died on the cross, He took on all sin and became the required and once offered sacrificial payment for all sin. Jesus birth, life, death and Resurrection became the doorway for our personal relationship with God. As Jesus tells us in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man {Jesus}came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”. “God loves us because of who God is.” Why do so few of us accept God's offered gift of Salvation through His Grace? When those not yet believing look at the lives of those of us that believe, they, often, they see us living by the fruit of the flesh rather than by the fruit of the Spirit – our hypocrisy. Also, God's offer is rejected because He may require us to give up some sin that we enjoy. Additionally, some believe that the cost of becoming a Christian is too great; however, the cost of not becoming a Christian is far greater than the cost of becoming a Christian and accepting God's offer. Many refuse God's gift because they believe that they are not worthy or good enough for God and His gift. They are correct; none of us are worthy of God's gift, but that is the point – Jesus' birth, life, death and Resurrection provide us with the means a path to be worthy of God's gift. Is Jesus your Savior? God has given you the greatest Christmas gift that you will ever receive. Have you accepted His Gift and opened His gift into your life? If not, then why not? With your hands open, you can accept God's Christmas gift by saying: “I am sorry; thank you; and please”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: 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): Mark 10:45; John 15:13; John 3:16-17; Galatians 5:18-25. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Is Your Faith Yours, or Is Your Faith a Faith Derivative of the Faith of Others?”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251214dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. Isaiah 35:3-7 God’s Coming with a Vengeance One group of people tries to annihilate another. Terrorists kill the innocent. A child is molested. Some question: Why doesn’t God step in … if there is a God? I can add to that. There are plenty of people who sin against God without fear of punishment. There are people who laugh at the idea of facing God’s judgment for their sins. Why doesn’t God step in? The prophet Isaiah talks about God coming “with vengeance” and “divine retribution.” And the prophet says that the result of God's coming with “divine retribution” is that “the lame leap like a deer,” “the eyes of the blind are open.” All kinds of good things happen. It sounds like a happy vengeance. The coming of God is the happiest of all events because he comes to save you. God comes to tackle a sinful world—not by destroying it, but by saving it. The words of Isaiah were fulfilled when Jesus came and died for the sins of the world. Jesus did the only thing that really helps for sin. He paid the penalty for it. He washed it away in his blood shed on the cross. The whole world can rejoice because the promised Savior has come with vengeance to free us from the guilt of our sin. With eyes and ears open to the good news of Jesus, we jump and shout for joy because his salvation flows into our hearts with life-giving power and hope. Prayer: Oh, Lord, our God, I thank you for coming to save this sinful world by offering yourself for me and the sins of the whole world. Help me to see your salvation and rejoice in it every day. 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/20251213dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. . . In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. Isaiah 11:1-3,10 Put Your Hope in Jesus Have you ever heard of nurse logs? They are dead tree trunks, like stumps. Yet, those dead trees are still thriving. The decaying surface of the dead tree creates a perfect growing medium for a tiny seed, for a shoot. The decaying tree becomes a nursemaid, a nurse-tree, to the new tree generation. Out of the stump of Jesse, a shoot, a Branch came up; it was the baby Jesus. Like a tiny shoot, his beginnings were humble. A little twig from a small town. Born in a stable with only shepherds and livestock to greet him. Born helpless and dependent on others. But despite the humble beginnings, this Branch was special. Jesus, the living shoot, comes up out of the dead stump, bringing life out of death. By his perfect life and his death on the cross, Jesus saves us from eternal death! By taking our sins on himself, he freed us from guilt and gave us his perfection! Jesus’ death is our death. His life is our life. His righteousness is our righteousness. Does your life feel like a stump? Have you been cut down by the axe of adversity? Have the problems of this life chopped you down at the knees? All is not lost. There is hope in the Root of Jesse. There is hope in Jesus. He offers you his life and his perfection. He offers you everything! He offers you peace and rest, which you’ll find nowhere else. Put your hope in Jesus. Trust in him for everything! It will be glorious. You have God’s Word on that! Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, Righteous Branch, send your Holy Spirit into my heart through the power of your Word so I can enjoy your perfect rest. 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 Says “Self-Denial” Is Required of Jesus Followers: “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" MESSAGE SUMMARY: In a time in which we hear so much about self-help, self-image, and self-actualization, Jesus is saying self-denial is the way to life. Jesus tells us, in Matthew 16:24, that self-denial is a key element in following Him: “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'". “Taking up one's cross” means to die to self-ambitions. When we die to our self-ambitious and put them on the cross, Jesus' life moves through us: “Not my will but Thy will.”. By denying self, we become alive in Jesus; and His Spirit flows through us – we experience eternal life and abundant life.   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, 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): Matthew 16:24; Mathew 10:38-39; Galatians 6:14-17; Psalms 141:1-10. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Day Is Coming – Part 2” 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/20251213dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. . . In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. Isaiah 11:1-3,10 Put Your Hope in Jesus Have you ever heard of nurse logs? They are dead tree trunks, like stumps. Yet, those dead trees are still thriving. The decaying surface of the dead tree creates a perfect growing medium for a tiny seed, for a shoot. The decaying tree becomes a nursemaid, a nurse-tree, to the new tree generation. Out of the stump of Jesse, a shoot, a Branch came up; it was the baby Jesus. Like a tiny shoot, his beginnings were humble. A little twig from a small town. Born in a stable with only shepherds and livestock to greet him. Born helpless and dependent on others. But despite the humble beginnings, this Branch was special. Jesus, the living shoot, comes up out of the dead stump, bringing life out of death. By his perfect life and his death on the cross, Jesus saves us from eternal death! By taking our sins on himself, he freed us from guilt and gave us his perfection! Jesus’ death is our death. His life is our life. His righteousness is our righteousness. Does your life feel like a stump? Have you been cut down by the axe of adversity? Have the problems of this life chopped you down at the knees? All is not lost. There is hope in the Root of Jesse. There is hope in Jesus. He offers you his life and his perfection. He offers you everything! He offers you peace and rest, which you’ll find nowhere else. Put your hope in Jesus. Trust in him for everything! It will be glorious. You have God’s Word on that! Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, Righteous Branch, send your Holy Spirit into my heart through the power of your Word so I can enjoy your perfect rest. 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/20251213dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. . . In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. Isaiah 11:1-3,10 Put Your Hope in Jesus Have you ever heard of nurse logs? They are dead tree trunks, like stumps. Yet, those dead trees are still thriving. The decaying surface of the dead tree creates a perfect growing medium for a tiny seed, for a shoot. The decaying tree becomes a nursemaid, a nurse-tree, to the new tree generation. Out of the stump of Jesse, a shoot, a Branch came up; it was the baby Jesus. Like a tiny shoot, his beginnings were humble. A little twig from a small town. Born in a stable with only shepherds and livestock to greet him. Born helpless and dependent on others. But despite the humble beginnings, this Branch was special. Jesus, the living shoot, comes up out of the dead stump, bringing life out of death. By his perfect life and his death on the cross, Jesus saves us from eternal death! By taking our sins on himself, he freed us from guilt and gave us his perfection! Jesus’ death is our death. His life is our life. His righteousness is our righteousness. Does your life feel like a stump? Have you been cut down by the axe of adversity? Have the problems of this life chopped you down at the knees? All is not lost. There is hope in the Root of Jesse. There is hope in Jesus. He offers you his life and his perfection. He offers you everything! He offers you peace and rest, which you’ll find nowhere else. Put your hope in Jesus. Trust in him for everything! It will be glorious. You have God’s Word on that! Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, Righteous Branch, send your Holy Spirit into my heart through the power of your Word so I can enjoy your perfect rest. 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/20251212dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:11-12 Jesus Is the Judge We have all read stories in the news where it seems like someone got away with it. Whether it is the politician who has his cronies in his corner who help him evade prosecution or a murder which goes unsolved, whatever the case might be, we could give countless examples of people who don’t get caught and never face justice. Like you probably do, I get angry. But something that has always brought me peace when I see those things happening is the knowledge that Jesus sees what is happening. And, ultimately, Jesus will judge everyone for their lives and punish those who have done wrong. However, if I could give you some encouragement, don’t be so worried about those people who seemingly got away with it. I want YOU to be prepared! You might think to yourself, ‘I’m a good person. I’ve never even gotten a parking ticket!’ But the truth is, we all will be judged not by what we think is fair or just, but rather by God’s standards. And those standards are impossibly high. God tells us in the Bible that he demands us to be perfect. God doesn’t say to be better than the next guy. He doesn’t say try your hardest. He says we have to be perfect. Now I’m not perfect, and neither are you. But that’s why God sent Jesus to pay for all our faults. Jesus promises that when we trust in him, we won’t be punished, but rather be gifted forgiveness and an eternity in paradise! So, we thank God that he doesn’t treat us as we deserve but rather, he is full of mercy. Prayer: Dear Jesus, when I see injustice, help me to trust that you are the ultimate judge. Help me to turn my heart to you every day. And please help others who do wrong to turn their hearts to you and find forgiveness and mercy. 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/20251212dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:11-12 Jesus Is the Judge We have all read stories in the news where it seems like someone got away with it. Whether it is the politician who has his cronies in his corner who help him evade prosecution or a murder which goes unsolved, whatever the case might be, we could give countless examples of people who don’t get caught and never face justice. Like you probably do, I get angry. But something that has always brought me peace when I see those things happening is the knowledge that Jesus sees what is happening. And, ultimately, Jesus will judge everyone for their lives and punish those who have done wrong. However, if I could give you some encouragement, don’t be so worried about those people who seemingly got away with it. I want YOU to be prepared! You might think to yourself, ‘I’m a good person. I’ve never even gotten a parking ticket!’ But the truth is, we all will be judged not by what we think is fair or just, but rather by God’s standards. And those standards are impossibly high. God tells us in the Bible that he demands us to be perfect. God doesn’t say to be better than the next guy. He doesn’t say try your hardest. He says we have to be perfect. Now I’m not perfect, and neither are you. But that’s why God sent Jesus to pay for all our faults. Jesus promises that when we trust in him, we won’t be punished, but rather be gifted forgiveness and an eternity in paradise! So, we thank God that he doesn’t treat us as we deserve but rather, he is full of mercy. Prayer: Dear Jesus, when I see injustice, help me to trust that you are the ultimate judge. Help me to turn my heart to you every day. And please help others who do wrong to turn their hearts to you and find forgiveness and mercy. 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 Isaiah 35:3-4 Do Not Be Afraid I'm certain you've heard it at least once the past couple of weeks and will continue to hear it until December 25th if not until January 1st—that old-time classic, “It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” But I know that's not always true. The holiday season can lend itself to more tension in the family. Tighter budgets as families plan for Christmas gifting and Christmas travel create financial strain. There can be stress from family gatherings. Increased alcohol consumption can create a volatile environment. That's when military families see a rise in domestic abuse. Unfortunately for some, or maybe for you or someone you know, there could be emotional manipulation, physical or sexual violence, financial deprivation, intimidation, or deliberate isolation preventing you from gathering with family, cutting off emotional support. If this is you, I want you to know a few things. First, you do not deserve to be subjected to abuse. It is not okay. Second, this world is a broken place, filled with people who are so broken by sin they do awful things to each other. I am sorry that this is happening to you. You may feel powerless and alone, but you are not. You do not have to be afraid. If you are a victim of abuse, your knees may be weak and wobbly, afraid to walk into a pastor's or chaplain's office. Your hands may tremble, afraid to pick up the phone and call, with a heart that is so afraid you don't know what to do or what to think. Listen to the words of your Savior God through the prophet Isaiah: “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you' ” (Isaiah 35:3-4). Please do not misunderstand God when he says to you, “Be strong, do not fear.” He is not saying, “Chin up! Just be stronger, pray harder, believe more, and you'll get through this!” When God makes this statement, “Be strong, do not fear,” he gives you the power to do just that. Your God gives power by bringing a message of hope and life for you. Your God is the God who saves the broken, and that salvation is yours today, tomorrow, and forever. Through Jesus you are right with God. You have an identity in him. You are his child. You are loved by him. And I don't know why this is happening to you right now, but he knows and he has done something about it. He redeemed all things, including you and your situation, when he became the victim of abuse on the cross. He also wants you to know that he is the God of justice. His justice will come. God will hold abusers accountable. This promise from God is meant to strengthen your feeble hands and weak knees, to give confidence to your fearful heart to take the next steps. He will be your power when you feel you have no power to move forward. He will be your presence when you feel alone. While you wait for his justice, it does not mean staying in an unsafe situation. God provides earthly help and shelter through the people he places around you—pastors, chaplains, commanders, police officers, family advocates, judges, lawyers, family members, and friends. Be strong. Do not be afraid. Your God comes to save you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you know brokenness. You know abuse. You were once broken and abused. You endured it all by your death on the cross and were raised again to give us the hope of life in that place of perfect peace. Empower victims of abuse to get help. Help us to become faithful advocates and safe spaces for victims of abuse. Open our ears to listen, our arms to hold, our mouths to speak your words of comfort and love. In your name we ask it. 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/20251212dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:11-12 Jesus Is the Judge We have all read stories in the news where it seems like someone got away with it. Whether it is the politician who has his cronies in his corner who help him evade prosecution or a murder which goes unsolved, whatever the case might be, we could give countless examples of people who don’t get caught and never face justice. Like you probably do, I get angry. But something that has always brought me peace when I see those things happening is the knowledge that Jesus sees what is happening. And, ultimately, Jesus will judge everyone for their lives and punish those who have done wrong. However, if I could give you some encouragement, don’t be so worried about those people who seemingly got away with it. I want YOU to be prepared! You might think to yourself, ‘I’m a good person. I’ve never even gotten a parking ticket!’ But the truth is, we all will be judged not by what we think is fair or just, but rather by God’s standards. And those standards are impossibly high. God tells us in the Bible that he demands us to be perfect. God doesn’t say to be better than the next guy. He doesn’t say try your hardest. He says we have to be perfect. Now I’m not perfect, and neither are you. But that’s why God sent Jesus to pay for all our faults. Jesus promises that when we trust in him, we won’t be punished, but rather be gifted forgiveness and an eternity in paradise! So, we thank God that he doesn’t treat us as we deserve but rather, he is full of mercy. Prayer: Dear Jesus, when I see injustice, help me to trust that you are the ultimate judge. Help me to turn my heart to you every day. And please help others who do wrong to turn their hearts to you and find forgiveness and mercy. 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/20251211dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 3:7-10 Are You Ready? When we bought our house, it came with an orange tree. I was pretty excited. However, it didn’t take long before my dream of freshly squeezed orange juice at breakfast was shattered. The tree wasn’t producing fruit, so I cut it down. The Pharisees and Sadducees, who had come to John, thought that because of their heritage, they were all good with God. Sometimes people today think that because their parents went to church, or they themselves used to attend church, or they stepped foot into a church at some point in their lives, they’re all good with God, too. But John’s words of warning should give all our hearts a gut-check moment. Are you ready? If you had to meet your Maker, do you think you’d be all good with him? Your readiness doesn’t depend on what your parents believe or whether you went to church at some point. Your readiness depends on your heart. Please understand that I’m only saying this to you because I care about you and don’t want you to be unprepared. So, if you were to die tonight and God asked you why he should let you into heaven, what your parents believed won’t matter for you. But this is what will: God has given an incredible gift. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, who was cut down on his cross and paid for your sins and mine. So, when that time of death comes, and God asks you why he should let you into heaven, you can say with confidence, “Jesus has paid for me.” Prayer: Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus, who has paid for all my sins. Turn my heart to you today and every day. 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.

God Loves You No Matter What You Have Done or Said About God – You Cannot Separate Yourself from God's Love MESSAGE SUMMARY: No one, including you, can separate you from the love of God. While we were and are still sinners, Jesus the Christ died for us. God loves you exactly where you are; God loves you no matter what you said about Him; and He loves you no matter what you have done. In Romans 5:8-11, Paul confirms God's unconditional love for us: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.".     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, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Lust. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Perfect Provision. “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):  Romans 6:23; John 17:1-26; John 5:24; Psalms 139b:13-24. WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Day Is Coming – Part 2” 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/20251211dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 3:7-10 Are You Ready? When we bought our house, it came with an orange tree. I was pretty excited. However, it didn’t take long before my dream of freshly squeezed orange juice at breakfast was shattered. The tree wasn’t producing fruit, so I cut it down. The Pharisees and Sadducees, who had come to John, thought that because of their heritage, they were all good with God. Sometimes people today think that because their parents went to church, or they themselves used to attend church, or they stepped foot into a church at some point in their lives, they’re all good with God, too. But John’s words of warning should give all our hearts a gut-check moment. Are you ready? If you had to meet your Maker, do you think you’d be all good with him? Your readiness doesn’t depend on what your parents believe or whether you went to church at some point. Your readiness depends on your heart. Please understand that I’m only saying this to you because I care about you and don’t want you to be unprepared. So, if you were to die tonight and God asked you why he should let you into heaven, what your parents believed won’t matter for you. But this is what will: God has given an incredible gift. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, who was cut down on his cross and paid for your sins and mine. So, when that time of death comes, and God asks you why he should let you into heaven, you can say with confidence, “Jesus has paid for me.” Prayer: Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus, who has paid for all my sins. Turn my heart to you today and every day. 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/20251211dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 3:7-10 Are You Ready? When we bought our house, it came with an orange tree. I was pretty excited. However, it didn’t take long before my dream of freshly squeezed orange juice at breakfast was shattered. The tree wasn’t producing fruit, so I cut it down. The Pharisees and Sadducees, who had come to John, thought that because of their heritage, they were all good with God. Sometimes people today think that because their parents went to church, or they themselves used to attend church, or they stepped foot into a church at some point in their lives, they’re all good with God, too. But John’s words of warning should give all our hearts a gut-check moment. Are you ready? If you had to meet your Maker, do you think you’d be all good with him? Your readiness doesn’t depend on what your parents believe or whether you went to church at some point. Your readiness depends on your heart. Please understand that I’m only saying this to you because I care about you and don’t want you to be unprepared. So, if you were to die tonight and God asked you why he should let you into heaven, what your parents believed won’t matter for you. But this is what will: God has given an incredible gift. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, who was cut down on his cross and paid for your sins and mine. So, when that time of death comes, and God asks you why he should let you into heaven, you can say with confidence, “Jesus has paid for me.” Prayer: Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus, who has paid for all my sins. Turn my heart to you today and every day. 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/20251210dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Matthew 3:4-6 Confess Do you ever wrestle with regret? I’m not talking about how you may regret not buying that stock when it was at $20 per share or eating at that sketchy restaurant and getting food poisoning. I’m talking about the regret of the decisions that have left you with shame. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? There was that time when you took things too far. There was that time when, so enraged, you said or did something you can’t take back. Or maybe there is that constant guilt that you carry around because you know your life choices aren’t the right ones, and you’ve been acting on that urge or behavior, even though you know it is wrong. You know that it is toxic for you and/or your relationships with others, and you’ve gone back to it more times than you can count. The people who came to see John preaching at the Jordan River were just like you and me. They wrestled with guilt. They knew shame. And, tragically, when they went to their religious leaders, they were told, ‘Stop doing that! Be better!’ However, John said something else. When they talked with John, they unburdened themselves of that weight of regret and shame. They confessed to their sins that had weighed them down and left them feeling lost. And do you know what John told them? He assured them of their forgiveness! Whatever guilt or shame has brought regret into your life, confess it. Open your heart to God and confess that sin. Because when we do that, God promises that he has forgiven us because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus has paid for all the things you regret, and he promises that you and I are loved and wanted by him. Prayer: Dear Jesus, forgive me for my past missteps and failures. I am sorry for them. Help me to trust in my Savior Jesus for his forgiveness today and every day. 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.

God Is Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and You Pray to One Triune Being – God, the Creator of the Universe MESSAGE SUMMARY: In Mark 8:29, Jesus asked His Disciples the question He asks you: “And he asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?' Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ {Messiah}.'". As Paul writes in Ephesians 4:1-6: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.”.  God IS Father, IS Son, and He IS Holy Spirit. Jesus told the crowd in the Temple; and He tells us, as it is recorded for us now by the Apostle John, in John 10:25,30: “Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me . . . I and the Father are one.'”. Also, Jesus provides more insights to your Trinitarian relationship with God in John 14:18-20: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.". God is one God, but He is in three natures: God is Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when you pray, you are praying to one triune being – God, the Creator of the Universe.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, help me to be still and to wait patiently for you in silence. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 125). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, He will supply all my needs (Philippians 4:19). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ephesians 4:1-8; John 10:24-30; Mark 1:9-11; Psalms 139a: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: “A Day Is Coming – Part 2”, 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/20251210dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Matthew 3:4-6 Confess Do you ever wrestle with regret? I’m not talking about how you may regret not buying that stock when it was at $20 per share or eating at that sketchy restaurant and getting food poisoning. I’m talking about the regret of the decisions that have left you with shame. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? There was that time when you took things too far. There was that time when, so enraged, you said or did something you can’t take back. Or maybe there is that constant guilt that you carry around because you know your life choices aren’t the right ones, and you’ve been acting on that urge or behavior, even though you know it is wrong. You know that it is toxic for you and/or your relationships with others, and you’ve gone back to it more times than you can count. The people who came to see John preaching at the Jordan River were just like you and me. They wrestled with guilt. They knew shame. And, tragically, when they went to their religious leaders, they were told, ‘Stop doing that! Be better!’ However, John said something else. When they talked with John, they unburdened themselves of that weight of regret and shame. They confessed to their sins that had weighed them down and left them feeling lost. And do you know what John told them? He assured them of their forgiveness! Whatever guilt or shame has brought regret into your life, confess it. Open your heart to God and confess that sin. Because when we do that, God promises that he has forgiven us because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus has paid for all the things you regret, and he promises that you and I are loved and wanted by him. Prayer: Dear Jesus, forgive me for my past missteps and failures. I am sorry for them. Help me to trust in my Savior Jesus for his forgiveness today and every day. 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 good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation - a god that can't even talk! What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, ‘Wake up and save us!' To speechless stone images you say, ‘Rise up and teach us!' Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside. But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.” - Habakkuk 2:18-20The book of Habakkuk is quite unlike any others in the canon of the prophets. Instead of the book being a message that God has given a prophet to share with a nation, Habakkuk is a conversation between Habakkuk and God. The book is structured: “Habakkuk's first complaint”, “The Lord's Reply.” “Habakkuk's second complaint”, “The Lord's Second Reply”, “Habakkuk's Prayer.” The themes in this book are not unlike the themes from other prophet books, but the way in which they are explored is very different and what this book teaches us about how we can approach God and the vantage point God has provides a deep and rich look into the character of God. To help us navigate the book of Habakkuk is Dr. Ken Turner, Professor of Biblical Studies at Toccoa Falls College and author of an in-progress commentary on Habakkuk for Zondervan. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 450 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: Navigating the Bible: Nahum - https://youtu.be/USg64a6Kk8wNavigating the Bible: Micah - https://youtu.be/Tcm3HykhkS8Navigating the Bible: Jonah - https://youtu.be/PxhIyhLSgJQNavigating the Bible: Obadiah - https://youtu.be/jB6W-TM5Y-oNavigating the Bible: Amos - https://youtu.be/8DqVHu7leDUNavigating the Bible: Joel - https://youtu.be/Ilg6r300q4UNavigating the Bible: Hosea - https://youtu.be/nWZ4TuAUSRQNavigating the Bible: Daniel - https://youtu.be/bnQ-PioWxfgNavigating the Bible: Ezekiel - https://youtu.be/hlg6gBYxqsgNavigating the Bible: Lamentations - https://youtu.be/6rrizlXeYXENavigating the Bible: Jeremiah - https://youtu.be/lXPjWl8PdRkNavigating the Bible: Isaiah - https://youtu.be/NZJLaPkgEgsNavigating the Bible: Song of Songs - https://youtu.be/Sg0CYlNBVMgNavigating the Bible: Ecclesiastes - https://youtu.be/-Wr7LCh8F9ENavigating the Bible: Proverbs - https://youtu.be/DytRT5AsZg8Navigating the Bible: Psalms - https://youtu.be/oZeesooAYUINavigating the Bible: Job - https://youtu.be/14jaf2T1eCQNavigating the Bible: Esther - https://youtu.be/7RZ7ATWQZucNavigating the Bible: Nehemiah - https://youtu.be/Gok4WDgwn5INavigating the Bible: Ezra - https://youtu.be/aBC0nEjYeyoNavigating the Bible: 2 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/OG3rHTgMgEINavigating the Bible: 1 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/lQ_Qc4zbfgANavigating the Bible: 2 Kings - https://youtu.be/04q9gDhBKTkNavigating the Bible: 1 Kings - https://youtu.be/aS-KoeQXl2kNavigating the Bible: 2 Samuel - https://youtu.be/ZbpafGgOW7cNavigating the Bible: 1 Samuel - https://youtu.be/lY8wPElSFMYNavigating the Bible: Rute - https://youtu.be/YaH-t-ZzTaMNavigating the Bible: Judges - https://youtu.be/qNGcOf2o0NUNavigating the Bible: Joshua - https://youtu.be/hF28aThBtFsNavigating the Bible: Deuteronomy - https://youtu.be/HzmNgPOM4zUNavigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxsNavigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3MNavigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasAInspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251209dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'” Matthew 3:1-3 Ready Your Heart for Jesus! When I was a kid, I remember that we got the word that the President of the United States was coming to town. And, somehow or another, we even heard that his motorcade was going to be driving down the street right by my house. We were so excited! Our family waited by the sidewalk, looking down the road with anticipation, and then, sure enough, a procession of vehicles came whizzing by, with the president’s hand (or some unlucky staffer’s) waving to us! When a president or, in ancient times, a king, comes to town, you need to make preparations. You must get the road ready for his arrival. That is the picture we see in the message of God’s Word we’re looking at for our devotion. A great king is coming to town, and the road needs to be cleared. “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” John’s whole purpose in life was to prepare the world for Jesus. He was the opening act who came onto the scene just before the headliner. And the way he got everyone ready was by preaching to them. He preached God’s Word to them. With that Word of God, he shook them with his call to prepare their hearts. That call is still applicable to you and me. Our hearts are often filled with things that don’t please God. We prioritize things that don’t really matter. We go our own way rather than listening to God’s Word. But John calls us to repent, to prepare our hearts! Turn away from that sin which so often entices your heart and turn to Jesus who has paid for it with death. Turn your heart to God with joy and see the forgiveness so freely given in our Savior. Ready your heart for Jesus! Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for taking away my sins. Help me to turn away from my sin each day and turn to you to find forgiveness and peace. 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 Explained that His Followers Would Both Pray and Fast, and Prayer and Fasting Are Matters of Heart Between His Followers and God MESSAGE SUMMARY: There are times when you need clarity, understanding, knowledge and insights from God about the specific issues that you are facing. In your personal relationship with God, the Lord will speak to you; but sometimes it takes both your listening and fasting to hear Him. Jesus, in Matthew 6:18, was speaking to the Apostles as well as those gathered for His “Sermon on the Mount” where he explained that praying and fasting are matters of the heart between Jesus Followers and God. Jesus assumes that his followers will fast: "that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Lay Up Treasures in Heaven.”. Also, when Joel received a Word when the land was to be destroyed, he called a fast (i.e. Joel 1:14): “Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.”. Some things you are facing in your life must be dealt with by both prayer and fasting. Fasting releases a spiritual power – in your weakness, God is made strong in your life. Daniel's prayer, from Daniel 9:3-5, provides a context for asking direction from God: “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.'".   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 I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Despair. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Joy. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Joel 1:13-16; Matthew 6:16-18; Daniel 9:3-7; Psalms138:1-8. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Day Is Coming – Part 2”, 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/20251209dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'” Matthew 3:1-3 Ready Your Heart for Jesus! When I was a kid, I remember that we got the word that the President of the United States was coming to town. And, somehow or another, we even heard that his motorcade was going to be driving down the street right by my house. We were so excited! Our family waited by the sidewalk, looking down the road with anticipation, and then, sure enough, a procession of vehicles came whizzing by, with the president’s hand (or some unlucky staffer’s) waving to us! When a president or, in ancient times, a king, comes to town, you need to make preparations. You must get the road ready for his arrival. That is the picture we see in the message of God’s Word we’re looking at for our devotion. A great king is coming to town, and the road needs to be cleared. “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” John’s whole purpose in life was to prepare the world for Jesus. He was the opening act who came onto the scene just before the headliner. And the way he got everyone ready was by preaching to them. He preached God’s Word to them. With that Word of God, he shook them with his call to prepare their hearts. That call is still applicable to you and me. Our hearts are often filled with things that don’t please God. We prioritize things that don’t really matter. We go our own way rather than listening to God’s Word. But John calls us to repent, to prepare our hearts! Turn away from that sin which so often entices your heart and turn to Jesus who has paid for it with death. Turn your heart to God with joy and see the forgiveness so freely given in our Savior. Ready your heart for Jesus! Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for taking away my sins. Help me to turn away from my sin each day and turn to you to find forgiveness and peace. 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/20251208dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 3:1-2 Something Has Got to Change Something has got to change. Have you ever thought that? You might have thought that about your marriage or your relationship with your kids. You probably have thought that about your job or a working relationship with a coworker. At some point in your life, you have probably said that about something going on in government. Something has got to change. I would suspect, however, that when we’ve had this thought, often, we think this change should happen in someone else. Someone else needs to be fixed. Someone else needs to turn things around. After all, wouldn't the world just be better if everyone thought like I do and did things my way? But before we try to change everyone else, it might be helpful if we first look in the mirror and see if there are things about ourselves that need to be changed. That's really the message that God teaches us through the voice of John the Baptizer. If you had to summarize, John’s whole message, it would be this: repent. Repentance has two parts: 1) to acknowledge shortcomings, failures, and guilt, and then 2) to turn to Jesus and find forgiveness. You and I can’t change the hearts of other people. But God can and does change our hearts! Through the voice of John, God is calling for you and for me to look at our own lives and be honest about where we fall short, where we have done wrong, not just against others but against God. But in that call to repentance, God beckons us to lift our eyes to see the Savior who has forgiven us of our faults! That’s what Jesus has done for you! You don’t have to live in shame or fear for your faults. No, Jesus has paid for them with his sacrifice! Recognize your guilt but turn to Jesus and find that peace of forgiveness! Prayer: Dear God, I am broken and am truly sorry for my sin. Thank you for sending me my Savior who loves me and forgives me. Continue to help me daily repent and see the peace which Jesus brings. 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.

God Gives a Jesus Follower's Life Meaning and Purpose, Satisfies their Hunger to Know Their Life's Purpose, and Forgives Their Sins MESSAGE SUMMARY: As Jesus tells us in John 15:12-14, that you, as His follower, are His “friend: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends.". God became flesh, and He dwelt among us. God became human to draw you into a personal relationship with Him. In John 1:14, the Apostle John identifies Jesus as the “Son of the Father”: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.". God alone can satisfy the meaning and purpose of your life. God alone can satisfy your hunger to know your life's meaning. Most importantly, God alone can give you forgiveness of your sins as Paul tells us in Colossians 2:13-14: “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.". Jesus' life, miracles, death, and His Resurrection are invitations to a life-long personal relationship with God, the Creator of the Universe. Our personal relationship with God is through His gift, to Jesus Followers, of the Holy Spirit.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, help me to grab hold of you today. I need you. Set me free to begin reorienting my life around you, and you alone. Help me to pay attention to and honor how you have uniquely made me. Thank you for the gift of rest. In Jesus' name, amen.       Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 122). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Fear Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Faithfulness. “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): Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 1:10-13; Colossians 2:10-15; Psalms137:1-9. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Day Is Coming – Part 2”, 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/20251208dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 3:1-2 Something Has Got to Change Something has got to change. Have you ever thought that? You might have thought that about your marriage or your relationship with your kids. You probably have thought that about your job or a working relationship with a coworker. At some point in your life, you have probably said that about something going on in government. Something has got to change. I would suspect, however, that when we’ve had this thought, often, we think this change should happen in someone else. Someone else needs to be fixed. Someone else needs to turn things around. After all, wouldn't the world just be better if everyone thought like I do and did things my way? But before we try to change everyone else, it might be helpful if we first look in the mirror and see if there are things about ourselves that need to be changed. That's really the message that God teaches us through the voice of John the Baptizer. If you had to summarize, John’s whole message, it would be this: repent. Repentance has two parts: 1) to acknowledge shortcomings, failures, and guilt, and then 2) to turn to Jesus and find forgiveness. You and I can’t change the hearts of other people. But God can and does change our hearts! Through the voice of John, God is calling for you and for me to look at our own lives and be honest about where we fall short, where we have done wrong, not just against others but against God. But in that call to repentance, God beckons us to lift our eyes to see the Savior who has forgiven us of our faults! That’s what Jesus has done for you! You don’t have to live in shame or fear for your faults. No, Jesus has paid for them with his sacrifice! Recognize your guilt but turn to Jesus and find that peace of forgiveness! Prayer: Dear God, I am broken and am truly sorry for my sin. Thank you for sending me my Savior who loves me and forgives me. Continue to help me daily repent and see the peace which Jesus brings. 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/20251207dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus told the people] many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:3-9 Planting Seed Songwriters have used it. Thinkers have used it. Investors have used it. Even Jesus Christ used it. Used what? They used the picture of planting seed to make a point. Jesus told a story about planting seed to teach us when we hear and learn the Word of God, seed is planted in our hearts. Seeds need time to grow. In springtime, when gardens are first planted, there's not much to see. Yet, as every gardener knows, when it comes to seeds, it takes time. As sunlight warms the moist earth where seeds are embedded, seeds take time to sprout and grow. Sometimes people rarely attend a church and give little attention to the Word. God’s seed has little opportunity to take root. Sometimes people go to worship regularly so that the seed of God’s Word starts to grow, but then they let the cares of life crowd out time and attention for the Word, and so the plant of faith in their hearts gets the life choked out of it. Sometimes a wonderful thing happens. A person gladly hears and learns the Word of God and puts it into practice. And the seed of God’s Word grows. And keeps growing. The plant of faith which the seed of the Word produces is made strong by God’s complete forgiveness won by Jesus. It flourishes under God’s unconditional love, given in Jesus, and is made resilient by heaven’s guarantee paid for by Jesus. Are you that person? Prayer: Dear Lord, plant the seed of your Word in my heart and make it grow into a fruitful plant of faith to give you glory. 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.

God, the Father, Is Spirit; Jesus Followers Must Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth with Reality and Honesty and Not a Façade MESSAGE SUMMARY: As Jesus, in John 4:23-26, tells the woman of Samaria by the well: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.' Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am he.'”. Not just God but the Father will be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth. The father desires the kind of worshipers that worship in the Holy Spirit and worshipers that worship in Truth – not a façade but a reality and an honesty before God. God is Spirit, and His worshippers must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth because Jesus told us, in John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'". We serve a God who is Spirit, in His essence, as well as The Truth.     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 FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 4:23-26; Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 7:6-8; Psalms 14:1-7. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Day Is Coming – Part 2” 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/20251207dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus told the people] many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:3-9 Planting Seed Songwriters have used it. Thinkers have used it. Investors have used it. Even Jesus Christ used it. Used what? They used the picture of planting seed to make a point. Jesus told a story about planting seed to teach us when we hear and learn the Word of God, seed is planted in our hearts. Seeds need time to grow. In springtime, when gardens are first planted, there's not much to see. Yet, as every gardener knows, when it comes to seeds, it takes time. As sunlight warms the moist earth where seeds are embedded, seeds take time to sprout and grow. Sometimes people rarely attend a church and give little attention to the Word. God’s seed has little opportunity to take root. Sometimes people go to worship regularly so that the seed of God’s Word starts to grow, but then they let the cares of life crowd out time and attention for the Word, and so the plant of faith in their hearts gets the life choked out of it. Sometimes a wonderful thing happens. A person gladly hears and learns the Word of God and puts it into practice. And the seed of God’s Word grows. And keeps growing. The plant of faith which the seed of the Word produces is made strong by God’s complete forgiveness won by Jesus. It flourishes under God’s unconditional love, given in Jesus, and is made resilient by heaven’s guarantee paid for by Jesus. Are you that person? Prayer: Dear Lord, plant the seed of your Word in my heart and make it grow into a fruitful plant of faith to give you glory. 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.

A Day Is Coming – Part 2 MESSAGE SUMMARY: We are in the season of Advent, which means “coming” or “arrival”. The Church begins this season of “arrival” or Advent as the time we recognize and celebrate the “arrival” of Jesus – both Jesus' “first coming” and His “second coming”. We celebrate Jesus' “first coming” on Christmas Eve. The season of Advent is, also, a season of hope; and Advent is the beginning of our Church's “New Year”. In the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 24 through Isaiah 26 presents prophesies regarding the future about 600 years before the birth of Jesus. More specifically, Isaiah 24:1-13 describes the destruction of the world resulting from the sinful acts of God's people. However, Isaiah 24:14-16 describes a period of joy and hope in the world. As in the time of Isaiah, we should not give credence to the prophesies, by fellow humans today, of the world's destruction and/or a specific date for Jesus' ”second coming” {arrival}. Jesus told us both not to be “anxious” about those things that we cannot control and that “no one knows the day and the hour” of His return (i. e. Jesus “second coming”). Rather, in this season of Advent, we recognize the hope brought to the world by God's grace and His gift of Jesus. Our hope is built upon Jesus' birth, death on the cross, and His Resurrection all providing us with the means for our Redemption, Salvation, and our Eternal Life. However, there will be a day when Jesus returns again to earth (i. e. Jesus' “second coming”) on a day that cannot be predicted by humans. Jesus' “second coming” will establish His Kingdom and a new Heaven. Therefore, even though we do not know the when of Jesus' “second coming” we haves God's promise of the what Jesus' “second coming” will mean. We need not fear the “second coming”. The “second coming” is a promise by God and should lead us, in this season of Advent, to renew our preparation in hope and not fear and anxiety. We have God's promise that nothing can separate us from His love, as the Apostle John tells us in 1 John 4:16-19: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us." We do not want to get so wrapped up in the details of Jesus' “second coming” so that, like the First Century Jews, we miss Jesus. One certainty, in Jesus' “second coming”, is our “Judgement”. Jesus' “second coming” will “arrive”, but we have nothing to fear if we are ready. We are “ready” by living lives of Faithfulness to the Gospel and through Repentance. Is there something in your life with which you have not dealt with in Repentance? If so, you are not “ready”. We must be willing to follow Jesus and to respond to those things He asks of us. The Apostle John tell us in Revelation 22:20-21: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The Grace of Lord Jesus be with all. Amen”. Do you want to be ready for Jesus' “second coming”? If so, are you ready?   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: 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):  Isaiah 24:1-16; Romans 8:38-39; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19; 1 John 4:16-19; Revelation 20:4; Matthew 25:31-32; Johnb5:24; 1 Corinthians 11:28-32; Romans 11:25-27; Luke 1:31-33; Hebrews 1:8; Hebrews 10:37-39; Revelation 22:20-21. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.). A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “God, the Father, Is Spirit; Jesus Followers Must Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth with Reality and Honesty and Not a Façade”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251206dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the LORD'S temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” Isaiah 2:1-3 Come to the House of God Does everyone in your community know where your church is and what it believes and stands for? Do the members of your congregation pour out from Sunday worship and Bible study just looking for people to tell about God? Do you? Do your neighbors know that you are a follower of Jesus? When Jesus, the Son of God, died on that cross to pay for the sins of every person in the whole world, and rose again to prove he was the victorious King of kings, the prophecy of Isaiah in our Bible reading for today was fulfilled. The “mountain of the Lord’s temple was established as chief among the mountains.” Now Jesus rules over all things, and the kingdom of God will prevail for all eternity. The One who rules the universe has claimed you as his very own. You are part of the greatest, strongest, tallest, mountainous, most powerful organization in history. And it will last forever! Jesus is the greatest, most powerful, most victorious ruler of the world. There is nothing more important or valuable than being a member of his kingdom. That’s good news for you and something you will want to share. Testify to the greatness of Jesus by the way you live. Invite the people you know to “come to the house of God,” where God will teach them the way of salvation! Prayer: Dear Lord, remind me of the amazing blessings I have through forgiveness in Jesus. Lead me to walk in the light of your path and draw others to your Word so that they may also believe and share these blessings with me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

As a Jesus Follower, Do You Forgive Others Before They Forgive You, Just as Jesus Did for You on the Cross? MESSAGE SUMMARY: We modern-day Christians are bad about living in our bitterness towards others whom we believe have “wronged us”. However, in Luke 23:33-34, Jesus set the example and His expectations for the “forgiveness of others” when He sacrificed Himself on cross for us: “And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' And they cast lots to divide his garments.". We are great at putting on our Christian face for the public. On the other hand, we have someone in our lives, when even their name is mentioned, we become hateful and bitter towards this person in our actions and words. Jesus modeled what we are to do from the cross -- we are to forgive the person that elicits this kind of bitter response in our lives. We need to release this person and then get on with our lives. As Jesus said: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, help me to grab hold of you today. I need you. Set me free to begin reorienting my life around you, and you alone. Help me to pay attention to and honor how you have uniquely made me. Thank you for the gift of rest. In Jesus' name, amen.       Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 122). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will trust in the Lord with all my heart. I will trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not on my own understanding.  In all my ways I will seek to know Him, and He will make my pathways straight.   From Proverbs 3:5f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 6:14-15; Matthew 6:9-13; Ephesians 5:1-2; Psalms 13:1-6. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Day Is Coming – Part 1” 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/20251205dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” John 1:39 Come and See Whenever something wonderful happens to us, what do we do? We tell someone. We call out to friends and family, inviting them to experience it with us. Whether it’s a sunset, a newborn baby, or the last-second shot that wins the game, we grab their attention and say, “You’ve got to come see this!” We want to share our excitement and joy with others. This is what Andrew did. Andrew had just met Jesus and spent time with him. Once Andrew understood and believed who Jesus truly was—the Lamb of God and the promised Savior—he couldn’t keep the news to himself. He immediately ran to find his brother, Simon Peter, with the excited announcement, “We’ve found the Messiah!” and urged him, “Come and see.” Do you feel that sharing Jesus is complicated? Do you feel unready? Unprepared? Andrew’s invitation was simple and full of heart. There was no pressure, no argument. He radiated the pure joy of encountering someone who transforms lives. This is still how faith is shared today. It does not start with a heated debate or a clever argument—it begins through genuine relationships. When people notice the peace, the hope, and quiet joy that shape your life, they become curious about what makes the difference. Their curiosity opens a door for a simple, heartfelt invitation. You don’t need all the answers or perfect words. You just need to know Jesus. Sharing Jesus does not have to be complicated. It can start with the most natural impulse in the world—an invitation: “Come and see.” This is an open invitation—not just at Advent but year-round. Come and see the One who took your place. Come and see the One who forgives your guilt. Come and see the One who gives your life meaning, direction, and hope. And then—go and tell. When you’ve met the Savior, you’ve got something truly worth sharing. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for inviting me to come and see your grace. Fill me with joy and courage to share you 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/20251204dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. Psalm 80:3 Restore Us, O God “Do you see me?” This silent question lingers behind many cries for help. In a world filled with overwhelming noise, loneliness, and struggle, people long to know that someone notices them. They want the comfort of knowing that someone genuinely cares. Psalm 80 gives voice to those who feel left behind and overlooked. They’ve wandered away from God. Surrounded by adversity, they are broken and lost. Still, they don’t give up. Instead of surrendering to despair and defeat, they cry out to God in prayer: “Restore us, O God! Make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.” This prayer paints a beautiful picture—God’s face shining upon his people. Rather than shining with anger or disappointment, God's face radiates love, joy, and grace. When God’s face shines on you, it means that he does see you. And seeing you, he smiles upon you, sings over you, and rejoices to rescue and restore you. Yet, how can sinful people like us stand in the brilliance of God’s presence and live? On our own, we cannot. We have failed to imitate his love and have turned away from him. Like Israel, we experience the consequences—broken relationships, heavy hearts, and lingering guilt. Despite our sinfulness, Advent brings hope. The face of God has already shone on this world—in the face of Jesus Christ. He came into our darkness to bring light. He came, not to condemn but to restore. He carried our sin and shame and rose again to give us peace. Even when we feel lost or forgotten, God hears our prayers for restoration. Through Jesus, God truly sees you—and in seeing you, he forgives you, welcomes you, and rejoices over you. As you wait for Jesus to come again, you do not wait alone or in the dark. You wait enveloped in the warmth of God’s grace. Prayer: Lord, when I feel far from you, turn my heart back. Restore me by your mercy. Let your face shine on me through Jesus, my Savior. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.