WELS Daily Devotions

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260826dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion (Jesus said) “I will build my church.” Matthew 16:18 A Church Built by Jesus Many people have mixed feelings about the Christian Church. Some have wonderful memories. Others have painful ones. Some think churches are full of hypocrites. Others wonder whether organized religion is even necessary. Jesus knew his followers would not be perfect. Peter himself would later deny knowing Jesus three times. Yet Jesus still said, “I will build my church.” Notice that he did not say, “People will build my church.” The Church belongs to Jesus. Christians are not gathered because they are better than everyone else. They are gathered because they know they need forgiveness. A hospital is filled with sick people, not because sickness is good, but because healing is needed. The Church is much the same. It is a place where people hear God’s promises, receive his forgiveness, and grow in faith together. Sometimes Christians and Christian churches become discouraged. We may wonder whether our efforts matter. Jesus reminds us that the Church’s foundation is not human wisdom, popularity, or impressive programs. The Church stands on the confession that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Wherever Jesus Christ is faithfully preached, there his church is found. Buildings may crumble. Congregations may struggle. Cultures change. Yet Jesus Christ continues to build his church through his gospel. The foundation of your own faith is equally secure. Your confidence is not in your consistency or strength, but in Jesus Christ’s unchanging promise. He remains faithful even when his people struggle. So, if you have stayed away because Christians have disappointed you, remember this: Christianity is not built upon perfect people. It is built upon a perfect Savior. Jesus gave his life for imperfect people. He welcomes doubters, failures, and sinners. When you visit a faithful Christian congregation, you should not expect to find flawless people. Instead, you should expect to hear about a flawless Savior who loves broken people enough to die for them. That is the Church Jesus Christ continues building today. Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me look beyond the imperfections of people and see you. Lead me to a church where your Word is faithfully taught and where I may grow in knowing 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/20260825dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus replied . . . “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” Matthew 16:17 Faith Is a Gift Many people think becoming a Christian is simply a matter of deciding to believe. Jesus tells a different story. After Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, Jesus said this understanding did not come from Peter’s own intelligence or effort. God had revealed it to him. That is encouraging news. Jesus does not tell you to manufacture faith by trying harder. Instead, Christianity teaches that God comes to us. He speaks to us through his Word. He reveals his Son. He creates faith in his Son, Jesus Christ, where there was none before. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17). Think about every important relationship in your life. You only know another person because they chose to reveal themselves to you. The same is true of God. We cannot climb our way up to him. He must come down to us. And in Jesus, he has done just that. That is why Christians gather around the Bible. We believe it is God’s own message, revealing his love through Jesus Christ. The wonderful news is that God is not hiding from you. He wants you to know him. He wants you to know that your sins are forgiven because of Jesus. He wants you to know that death is not the end. He wants you to know that you are invited into his family—not because you have earned it, but because he loves you. As you face today’s challenges, remember that your hope rests not in the strength of your faith, but in the object of your faith—Jesus Christ himself. He is the Rock of your salvation, the One who never changes, and the Savior who keeps all his promises (see Psalm 18:1-2). So, keep reading the Bible, asking your questions honestly, and being filled with the Word of God at a faithful Christian church. God has a history of meeting people through his Word. Prayer: Heavenly Father, reveal your Son to me. Help me understand the message of the Bible and lead me to trust in Jesus as my Savior. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260824dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “But what about you?” [Jesus] asked. “Who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15 The Most Important Question If someone asked you, “Who is Jesus?” how would you answer? Many people would say he was a great teacher. Others would call him a prophet, a revolutionary, or an inspiring example of love. Even those who do not consider themselves Christians often admire him. When Jesus walked the earth, people had many different opinions about him, just as they do today. But his question to his disciples was personal. He asked, “Who do you say I am?” The apostle Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). This confession is at the heart of Christianity. Christians believe Jesus is much more than a remarkable man. We believe he is God who became human to rescue us. Why? Because every one of us has something we cannot fix on our own. We all carry guilt. We all have regrets. We all fail to love others—even ourselves—the way we know we should. The Bible calls this sin. Rather than leaving us separated from God, Jesus entered our world. He lived the perfect life we have not lived. He died on the cross to pay for our sins. Three days later, he rose from the dead, proving that sin and death no longer have the final word. Jesus did not come merely to teach people how to live. He came to save them. Perhaps you’ve never considered Jesus in that way before. Or perhaps you’ve dismissed Christianity because of disappointing experiences with Christians or Christian churches. If so, don’t begin with Christians but with Christ himself. Read one of the Gospels. Ask honest questions. Consider his claims. The Christian faith ultimately rests on one person: Jesus Christ. And the question he asked Peter is still the question he lovingly asks every one of us today. Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to know you. Open my heart to understand who you are and what you have done for me. Lead me into your truth. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260823dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13-16 Who Is Jesus? More books have been written about Jesus Christ than any other individual in history. One website estimates the number in the tens of thousands. As one might imagine, these books contain just about every opinion imaginable. Some view Jesus as God in human flesh. Others view him as a great human teacher. And some even claim that Jesus never existed at all. What about you? What do you believe about Jesus? That was the question Jesus asked his closest followers one day. There were all kinds of rumors floating around about this amazing Rabbi named Jesus. Although there were differences of opinion, everyone agreed that there was nothing ordinary about him. In fact, Jesus’ words and miracles were so amazing that many people thought he must be one of the prophets of old who had come back to life. Peter, one of the men who knew Jesus best, understood why Jesus was so amazing. Jesus was none other than God himself, who came to earth in human flesh. Jesus was the One God had been promising since Adam and Eve had first rebelled against him. Jesus was the One who would repair the relationship between God and his rebellious children. Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He still is. Jesus is not simply a great human teacher. He is not just an interesting historical figure. He is not one religious leader among many. And he most certainly exists. He is your God. He is your Savior. He is your hope for a life beyond this one and your hope for a life of meaning and purpose here and now. Finally, it doesn’t really matter what a website says about Jesus. What matters is what you say about Jesus. Who do you say he is? Say he is your Lord and life and love—because he is. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for revealing yourself to me as my God and my Savior from sin. May this belief be reflected in everything I do and say. 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/20260822dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. Matthew 15:23-28 Persevere A Canaanite woman came to Jesus with her humble plea to help her daughter who was tormented by a demon. But Jesus did not answer a word. It wasn’t that she just asked Jesus once; she continued to beg and plead for mercy. Yet Jesus acted as though he didn’t hear her. When the Savior pretended not to hear the woman’s plea, Jesus was not rebuffing her or being rude to her. There was no unwillingness to help her, but through his silence he sought to test and strengthen her faith. Jesus wanted her to persevere in her plea by the strength supplied from God through the promise of his Word. Jesus will use life’s circumstances for the great benefit of humbling us and teaching us to steadfastly cling to the promises of God’s Word. A persevering faith is for our good so that when our Savior comes back, we will not have disowned him in unbelief. But, by the power of God, we will have remained faithful to Jesus so that through him, we will enter eternal life. We praise our Savior that though there are times we always don’t understand the way he treats us, we know that he has our best interests in mind. So, in all circumstances we thank Jesus for helping us persevere and grow in our saving faith. Prayer: Jesus, the most important thing for me is to have faith in you as my Savior. Through testing and trials leads me to cling to the precious promises of your Word so that my faith will be sustained until the end when you will take me to glory of heaven. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260821dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Matthew 15:21-22 Don’t Think You Are Not Welcome This woman had every reason to stay away from Jesus. She was a Canaanite. Jesus was a Jew. For centuries, there had been a separation between Jews and Gentiles. The Canaanites were not part of Israel. They were not heirs of the Old Testament covenant in the same way the Jewish people were. Yet she came anyway. Desperation certainly played a role. Her daughter was suffering terribly. But there was something more. This woman believed that Jesus could help. She even addressed him as “Lord, Son of David,” recognizing him as the promised Messiah. Somehow, she had come to trust that this Jewish teacher was more than a teacher. He was the Savior. What happened next might seem discouraging at first. Jesus initially remained silent. Then he spoke of being sent to the lost sheep of Israel. Yet the woman did not give up. She continued to plead for mercy. She trusted that Jesus’ compassion was greater than the barriers that seemed to stand between them. And she was right. By the end of the account, Jesus praised her faith and granted her request. Her daughter was healed, and the outsider was welcomed. What a beautiful picture of God’s grace toward us. By nature, we too were outsiders. Sin separated us from God. We had no claim upon his favor and no right to stand in his presence. Yet he came to save the world. Through his perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, he opened the door of salvation to all people. Like the Canaanite woman, we approach Jesus empty-handed. We come seeking mercy, not deserving rewards. We come confessing our need, not our worthiness. And like that woman, we discover that Jesus welcomes us. So come to him boldly. The mercy you seek is found in him, and his welcome is greater than you ever expected. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for welcoming me into your family through your saving grace. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260820dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:22 The Spirit Connects Us People are more connected than ever before. With a few taps on a screen, we can communicate with family members across the country or follow the lives of people around the world. Yet many people still feel isolated and alone. Technology can connect devices, but it cannot create the deep spiritual connection that human hearts need. God provides something far better. In Ephesians chapter 2, Paul describes believers as living stones in a great spiritual building. Christ is the cornerstone. The apostles and prophets provide the foundation through their inspired Scriptures. Then Paul says something remarkable: “You too are being built together.” Notice that Paul does not say believers are being built separately. He says they are being built together. Christians are not isolated pieces scattered across a field. We are joined into one structure, one holy temple, one dwelling place for God. Who makes that happen? The answer is found in the final words of the verse: “by his Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the divine connector. He connects us to Christ through the gospel. Through the Word and baptism, he creates faith in our hearts and unites us to our Savior. But he also connects us to one another. Every believer shares the same Lord, the same faith, the same forgiveness, and the same eternal hope because the same Holy Spirit has brought us all into God’s family. That truth is especially comforting when we feel alone. Sometimes we may feel disconnected from others. We may even feel forgotten or overlooked. Yet the Spirit reminds us that we belong. We are part of something much bigger than ourselves. We are living stones in God’s holy temple, joined together by his gracious work. The Spirit who called you to faith has connected you forever to Christ and to his people. That connection is stronger than any earthly bond because it is God’s own work. Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank you for bringing me to faith in Jesus and connecting me to your family of believers. Strengthen my unity with fellow Christians and bless our lives together. 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/20260819dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. Ephesians 2:20 A Solid Foundation When a building begins to crack or lean, the problem is often hidden below the surface. The foundation is weak. No matter how beautiful the structure may appear, it cannot stand if the foundation is unstable. Paul uses that picture to describe Christ’s Church. Believers are part of God’s spiritual building, and that building rests on a sure foundation: “the apostles and prophets.” At first glance, we might think Paul is saying that the Church is built on certain people. In one sense, that is true. God used the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament to proclaim his saving truth. But the Church is not built on the men themselves. It is built on the message they delivered. The prophets wrote the Scriptures that pointed ahead to the coming Savior. The apostles wrote the Scriptures that proclaimed the Savior who had come. Together, their inspired writings form the Bible. When Paul speaks of the foundation of the apostles and prophets, he is directing us to the Word of God that they were inspired to record. This is wonderfully comforting. The foundation of our faith is not human opinion. It is not popular culture, personal feelings, or the latest religious trend. It is the unchanging Word of God. Paul adds that “Christ Jesus himself” is the chief cornerstone. In ancient construction, the cornerstone determined the alignment of the entire building. Everything was measured from it. Likewise, the entire Bible points to Christ. The prophets foretold him. The apostles proclaimed him. The Scriptures find their center and fulfillment in him. That means whenever you open your Bible, you are standing on solid ground. There God speaks truth that does not shift with the times. There God reveals the Savior who lived, died, and rose again for you. There God strengthens the faith he himself has created. When doubts arise and the world feels uncertain, return to the foundation. Listen to the prophets and apostles in the pages of Scripture. There you will find Christ, the cornerstone who never fails. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me the sure foundation of your holy Word. Strengthen my faith through the gospel that points me always to you. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260818dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household. Ephesians 2:19 It’s Getting Personal Most people know what it feels like to be an outsider. Perhaps you have walked into a room where everyone else seemed to know each other. Perhaps you have moved to a new community, started a new job, or attended an unfamiliar gathering. Being a stranger can be lonely. Paul says that this was our spiritual condition apart from Christ. We were “foreigners and strangers.” Because of sin, we were separated from God. We did not belong in his kingdom. We could not claim a place in his family. The holy God seemed far away, and we had no right to draw near. But then Jesus changed everything. Through his perfect life and sacrificial death, Jesus removed the barrier that stood between God and us. He took away our guilt and reconciled us to the Father. Now Paul can announce the astonishing result: “You are no longer foreigners and strangers.” Notice that God does not merely grant us a visitor’s pass. He does not allow us to stand at a respectful distance from his holiness. He brings us near. Very near. Paul first says that we are “fellow citizens with God’s people.” We belong to God’s kingdom. We have a place, a name, and an inheritance. But Paul goes even further. We are “members of his household.” God could have saved us and kept us at arm’s length. Instead, he welcomes us into his home. Think about what a household means. Family members share daily life together. They enjoy the father’s protection, provision, and love. They have access to him. They know his voice. They belong. When life makes you feel alone or forgotten, remember where you belong. Through Jesus, you are not standing outside God’s house hoping to be noticed. The door has been opened, and you have been welcomed in. You are a member of God’s own household. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing me near through Jesus Christ. Help me live each day in the comfort of your personal love and presence. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260728dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion So God said to [Solomon]. . . “I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart.” 1 Kings 3:11-12 Priority Solomon had just become the next king of Israel. He was about twenty years old. In lavish generosity, the Lord said a breathtaking thing. He said to Solomon, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” In your prayers right now, what is your most common request? Although we have the high privilege of talking to the Lord about anything, my sinful weakness can show up in my prayer life, too. There are periods in my life when I could fit most of my prayer requests under one big umbrella, and on that umbrella is one big word: “Easier.” I want God to make my life easier. I want him to remove difficulties. I want him to make my life more convenient. I want him to make my world more comfortable. I want him to clear my path of those things that create hardship, pain, loneliness, uncertainty, or grief. And while it’s not wrong to pray for any of these things, if the priority in my prayer life is simply for God to make my life easy, then I have forgotten why I am here. And for such forgetfulness, the Lord calls upon me to repent. Solomon had the chance to ask for anything—anything at all. He could ask for wealth. He could ask for a long life. He could ask for an easy reign through the removal of his enemies. But he didn’t. Instead, he asked for wisdom. He asked the Lord to give him what he needed to serve in this difficult, broken world. On our behalf, God the Son came here. In our place, he lived a life of perfect faithfulness. As our substitute, he suffered and died for our every sin. Then he arose. In him we stand forgiven, cleansed, at peace. As you and I now live to shine his light in this dark place, our privilege and priority is to ask the Lord to provide us with what we need to serve him. Prayer: Lord, thank you for the privilege of asking you for anything. Give me wisdom. Make my priorities your priorities. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260726dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Solomon said], “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:9-10 Wisdom Thanks to Walt Disney and others, we’ve all heard of the magic genie who grants you three wishes for anything you want. I doubt most folks have ever asked themselves what they would ask for if given that opportunity. Why? Because it isn’t realistic. Yet in today’s Bible passage, we have an example of the powerful Lord God himself—not some mere cartoon genie—offering Solomon anything he wanted. And for what did Solomon ask? He asked for a discerning heart that he would have wisdom to govern God’s people. What a request! It might be more impressive what he did not ask for. He didn’t ask for more wealth than he already had. He didn’t ask for continued health, that he might enjoy a long life on this earth. He didn’t ask for the death of his enemies so that his throne would be secured even more than it already was. He didn’t even ask for a trouble-free life. Instead, he asked for wisdom. We can learn from Solomon. We can place a high value on wisdom in the Lord, which starts with knowing, “There is a God, and I am not him.” We can set our hearts on carrying out the work the Lord has given us in a way that honors him. We can set our hearts on things above—the eternal promises of Jesus—and not on things below. Prayer: Lord, earthly blessings are important, and you have given me too many of those to count. But today I ask you not for more money, better health, or a trouble-free life; instead, I ask you to give me wisdom that I might have deep contentment with all you’ve given me and make choices that honor you as my Savior. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260725dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:43 Light at the End of the Tunnel It is said that people can endure almost anything if there’s some goal to shoot for, some “light at the end of the tunnel.” Prisoners of war have talked about undergoing horrible treatment of all sorts but making it out alive because they thought about the day they would be released, or when the war would end, or reuniting with a loved one. This world can be tough, with all its stresses and challenges. We struggle to focus on eternal things. We get caught up in the rat race of life. We fail to love God and our fellow humans, and we feel guilty because of it. We experience sinful actions from others, even from close loved ones. We deal with the temptations of the devil, the temptations of our sinful flesh, like lust, greed, and laziness. Our minds become cloudy, etc., etc. It’s tough! But there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Someday you’re leaving this world, and you’re going to a world that is so far better that it can’t even compare. Because Jesus paid for your sins on the cross and rose from the dead, the doors of heaven are wide open for you. And, it’s going to be awesome! Looking at that “light” at the end of the tunnel, you and I can endure anything. Prayer: Lord Jesus, may the thought of the glorious eternal life you won for me give me the strength I need to endure the trials and tribulations of this life. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260724dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:40-43 Shine Like the Sun Many people like to be scared. They enjoy watching horror movies and reading scary books. The reason? Some believe it’s all about the amygdala, the small threat detection center of our brain. The frightening images fire up the amygdala, which releases adrenaline and leads to feelings of exhilaration in some people. God’s Book, the Bible, also talks about some scary things. On the day Jesus visibly returns to this earth, angels will weed out of God’s kingdom all who do evil. The evildoer and all sin will be burned up in the blazing furnace. It will be a time of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Whether you like to be frightened or not, that just sounds scary. And it will certainly not lead to feelings of exhilaration. It’s scary to think about standing before God. Why shouldn’t I end up in the blazing furnace? Why won’t I need to gnash my teeth and weep over God’s rightful punishment being inflicted on me? Because today’s Bible reading says that the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Please understand, this has nothing to do with me. If I stood before God and had to answer for my sin, off I would go to the fire. My sins would rightfully condemn me. But the Son of Man came into this world to rescue us from the fire. The hell I deserve, he took for me. And the righteousness and goodness that I fundamentally cannot provide, he gave to me. His death and resurrection are the guarantee that this is true. He offers the same for you. So, when Jesus does come back in the flesh, there will be exhilaration. Not borne of fear, but of delight. Because of Jesus, we will shine! Prayer: Thank you Jesus, for rescuing me. Help me to let my light shine to others in my life. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260723dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “‘Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” Matthew 13:30 Until the Harvest Some people believe that the weed Jesus talks about in this parable is the darnel plant. It looks like wheat, grows like wheat, and produces seeds that are similar to wheat. Not surprisingly, then, it has earned the name “false wheat.” But there is one way to distinguish the darnel plant from wheat. When it ripens, its seed pod turns black. The wheat pod is a golden brown. True and fake become apparent at the harvest. Jesus promises that everything will work out at the harvest, in other words, on the Last Day of this world’s existence. That’s good for us to remember. Because it’s easy to forget about the harvest. We can get so wrapped up in this life that we assume it will always be the growing season. Jesus reminds us that there will be a Last Day. On that day, the phone we own, the car we drive, and the house we live in will not matter. Keep an eye on the harvest. That means repenting of our sinful choices. For the times when all we wanted to do was blend in with the weeds rather than stand tall like wheat, we repent. We ask God to forgive us. But we also take comfort. The one who told this story is also the one who bled on a cross to take away our sins. The one who told this story wants you to rejoice in the fact that you are not a weed but wheat growing strong in the field of his kingdom. He also wants you to understand your role in the world. Share and live your faith. Rejoice in the love of your Savior. God has a plan for you. It all ends with you standing before him at the harvest, shining like the sun in the kingdom of your Father. Prayer: Lord God, always keep me in your hands and help me keep an eye to the harvest. Nourish my faith through your powerful Word and help me live my life of faith in joy. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260722dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.’” Matthew 13:27-29 Weeds and Wheat As a young boy, I once thought I would help my dad by taking care of some of the weeds in the garden. So, I went to work pulling out all the weeds that I found. Apparently, it never dawned on my young mind that weeds don’t grow four inches apart and in straight rows. Rather than weeding, I pulled up all the sweet corn that my dad had planted. God has great care for the plants that he is growing. He will not arbitrarily pull them up like an ignorant young boy. Instead, with a Father’s love, he cares for the plants in his garden. Purely by his grace, God has planted his Word into the hearts of his children. But what about the weeds? This is God’s field, and God’s field should be perfect. Neat row after row of wheat should be growing in rich soil without a single weed. Why does he allow the weeds to grow among the wheat? Why doesn’t he tear out the weeds and toss them from his garden? Jesus gives the answer. Because tearing out the weeds could hurt the wheat. So, wheat and weeds grow together in this world. We may look very much the same. God’s people and God’s enemies drive the same cars, shop at the same stores, and go to work in the same jobs. But at the harvest, on the Last Day of this world’s existence, all will be made clear. On that Day, wheat and weeds will be eternally separated. Until that day, what does the wheat do? Grow, rooted deeply in the Word of God. Stand up tall, living the faith that God has grown in your heart. And bear fruit, that the seed of the gospel reaches out to others. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for caring for me in the garden of this world. Help me to stand tall among the weeds of this world. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260721dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.” Matthew 13:24-26 Weeds If you have ever planted a garden, you know that there is one kind of plant that will always grow. The green beans may not germinate, the corn might get scorched and produce little, and the bugs might eat up your cucumbers. But weeds are guaranteed. I have never once planted them in my garden. And yet every year they are my most “successful” crop. In today’s Bible reading, Jesus puts on his farmer’s hat for us and teaches us some lessons from the fields. The farmer will work the soil, remove the stones, add fertilizer as needed, and carefully plant his crops. But the weeds will always grow. So, it is in our lives. Our gracious God has carefully planted the seed of the good news of Jesus in our hearts. He seeks to grow us by raining down his Word onto the field of our hearts. He watches in eager anticipation for the seed to sprout and grow, and our lives to show the fruits of that planted faith. And yet, there are weeds. They can sprout up in a moment and overwhelm the good seed that has been planted. Sin will always be a struggle for the child of God as long as the Lord allows us to keep growing in his field. So, what should you do? Ignore them? Allow them? Give up? Of course not! To do so could choke out your faith entirely. Instead, kill the weeds of sin by exposing them to the light of God’s Son. Trust the forgiveness that Jesus has won for you. Live as a forgiven child of God. And never tolerate the weeds. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for planting your Word in my heart. When weeds start to grow, bring me back to the light of Jesus. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260720dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me?” Isaiah 44: 6-7 The Bible Stands Alone In Old Testament times, God gave his people a visible reminder of his presence called the Ark of the Covenant. There was a time when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines who had defeated Israel in battle and claimed the ark as their prize. Since they already believed in many gods, why not add the God of Israel as well? So, they placed the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, when they went to worship Dagon, there he lay, facedown before the ark of the Lord! So, Dagon was put back in his place. The next morning, it was the same result—Dagon facedown before the ark of the Lord, but this time his head and hands had broken off. Message received! The ark needed to go back to Israel because Dagon could not handle being in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 5) God has placed in our hearts an awareness that there is a God and a desire to know that God. Throughout the course of human history, different gods and goddesses, spirits, and mystical powers have been proclaimed as gods. But “who then is like me?” asks the Lord. The best that the false worshippers could hope for is that their gods and goddesses would send rain and grow their fields and grow their families and flocks. If they gave the right sacrifices, perhaps those gods would listen. The Lord God stands alone. He does something that sinful minds couldn’t have even imagined. He came to us, wearing our flesh and blood. He redeemed us, taking our sinful failures upon himself. He loves us, promising his presence with us through life and preparing a place in eternity with him when this life comes to its close. Truly, the God of the Bible stands alone. Prayer: Lord God, help me to see you for you who are—eternal, powerful, and singular in your love for fallen humanity. Move my heart to serve you in my life. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260719dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 No Excuse Why are apples red? What does electricity look like? Anyone who has been a parent or teacher has heard questions like these. Sometimes we can give an answer that makes sense to the child, and sometimes not. How do you know that God exists? If he does, what is he like? These are not new questions. How they are answered is just as important now as ever. Sometimes we know who has been in a room by the smell of the perfume she has left behind. Sometimes we can tell who designed a building by its architectural style. In the same way, God has provided evidence that he exists. God’s eternal power is always on display. The world cries out that it was created by someone. And what power its creator must have—to be able to put atoms together into molecules and then exert the power to keep them all together. What power the creator of the stars must have. How far above us he must be! All around us, there is ample evidence of God’s power, wisdom, and divine nature. There is no excuse for anyone to doubt God’s existence or his involvement in the world. Does God exist? That’s not the right question. How should we serve God? What more might God have for us?” These are the questions we should ask. And the answers are given to us in the Bible. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself in the world you created. Today I praise you for its wonders. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260718dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 Build Your Spiritual House “And he huffed, and he puffed…and he blew the house down!” Remember that story? The first two little pigs hastily built houses with cheap, weak materials. The Big Bad Wolf easily blew them down. The third little pig was different. He used the better, more costly materials. He invested the right amount of time and effort to build a strong house. “And he huffed, and he puffed, but he could not blow that house down!” “Be careful how you build!” That’s advice from a messenger of Jesus named Paul. It was first written some 2,000 years ago. But that advice is meant for us today, too. Careful construction and high-quality materials will provide comfort, peace of mind, and a good return on investment for our physical dwellings. But Paul had something different in mind when he wrote these words. Be careful how you build…your spiritual house! Where does one even start when trying to follow Paul’s advice? So many convenient and compelling options. So many building materials and blueprints. Let’s start where he did. Paul, the expert builder, laid a solid foundation—the good news message of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life as payment for the sins of the whole world and rose from the dead in victory. Paul and others continued to build on that firm foundation by speaking and teaching the words and promises of Jesus. Those words don’t always make sense to us and don’t promise a life of ease and success. But they do give great comfort when we struggle with the guilt of sin— “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” They do give us peace of mind when confronting the reality of death— “You will be with me in paradise.” Carefully build your spiritual house on Jesus, and yours is a house that will last. Prayer: Jesus, help me to build my spiritual house on the firm foundation of your Word and works. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260717dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. . . But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:3,8,23 One Seed Multiplies The farmers where I live recently planted their corn crops for the year. At the time of writing this devotion, those corn kernels have sprouted and are about six inches tall. They don’t look like much. But by late summer, those little plants will stand taller than the farmer who planted them. From one kernel of corn, one stalk grows. On that stalk, an ear of corn forms. And on that ear, there may be hundreds of kernels. One seed can produce far more than itself. That is the picture Jesus gives us when he describes the seed that falls on good soil. It produces a crop that is one hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. The seed is God’s Word. When God plants his Word in the heart, he produces what we could never grow on our own. First, God produces faith in Jesus. Through the gospel, the good news of what Jesus has done, God teaches us to trust that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and gives us forgiveness and life. But the Word doesn’t stop there. Where God gives faith, he also grows fruit. Love where there was selfishness. Joy where there was despair. Peace where there was anxiety. Patience where there was frustration. Kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control where sin had made the heart hard and tangled. And then the fruit multiplies. A person comforted by the Word speaks comfort to someone else. A forgiven sinner tells another sinner about forgiveness. A parent teaches a child. A friend shares a promise. A congregation supports a mission. The same seed that took root in one heart is scattered into another. One seed produces much fruit. That’s what God’s Word does. Prayer: Lord Jesus, plant your Word deeply in my heart. Grow faith and good fruit in me and use me to share your Word with others. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260716dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 The Solid Foundation Every building needs a foundation. You can touch up paint. You can change the carpet. You can move furniture. But if the foundation crumbles, the whole building is in trouble. The apostle Paul knew that the church in Corinth had plenty of problems. They argued. They compared leaders. They acted immaturely. They misused the sacraments. They were tempted to build their faith on personalities, wisdom, talent, and human success. Paul pointed them back to the only foundation strong enough to hold them: Jesus Christ. That is still the only safe foundation. Your life cannot fully rest on your intelligence. It will eventually fail you. Your reputation can change in a moment. Your health can weaken. Your money can disappear. Your family, as precious as they are, cannot carry the weight of your soul. Your own faithfulness is not a strong enough foundation either. You know how often you stumble. But Jesus does not crumble. There is no storm in life stronger than him. There is no earth-shaking event that can make him waver. He is strong and secure through it all. That means when guilt accuses you, you have a foundation: Jesus died for you and your sin. When your faith feels weak, you have a foundation: Jesus holds onto you. When you are scared, you have a foundation: Jesus is with you. Build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Find your rest in it. Be at peace in it. That foundation is the one you need in this life. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me from building my hope on anything that cannot last. You are my foundation in life, in death, and forever. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260715dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 Only Servants Paul worked as a missionary bringing the good news about Jesus to the people of Corinth for the first time. He spent a lot of time there teaching the basics of the Christian faith. He faithfully and diligently shared how Jesus forgives sins by his death and resurrection from the grave. After Paul left, another gospel worker came to Corinth: a man named Apollos who was a gifted and passionate preacher. He watered the seed that Paul planted. Both Paul and Apollos were talented in their own ways, but the people in Corinth had picked their favorites. One said, “I like Paul.” Another, “I like Apollos better.” Still another, “I like this other teacher best.” The Corinthians were doing what people still do today. They made too much of the messenger and too little of the God who sent the message. Paul brings them back to reality. He and Apollos are only servants. They did not make the seed grow; only God could do that. It is natural to have preferences for preachers. Some are fiery, some are thoughtful. Some make you laugh; some make you think. Some are great storytellers, and some preach verse by verse. But the best preacher is the one who faithfully shares God’s Word with you. A preacher’s style cannot save you. A preacher’s personality cannot forgive your sins. A clever illustration cannot raise the dead. Only God can make faith grow, and God does that through the Word of Christ. When the Word is preached faithfully, Jesus gives you what you need most. He gives you the law that exposes your sin. He gives you the gospel that forgives your sin. He gives you himself. One servant plants, another waters, but God makes it grow. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for faithful servants who bring me your Word. Help me listen past human style and hear the saving voice of Jesus. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260714dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 Watered with the Word It doesn’t look like much from a distance, just a white line on the horizon. But as you get closer, the line has contours and dips and domes. It turns into a white ridge of snow-covered mountains. That snowpack may look quiet and still, but in the spring and summer months, it’s doing an important job. Melting. In places like the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the snowmelt is crucial for area agriculture. As snow melts, water runs down into rivers and reservoirs. It waters farms and orchards and carries communities through the dry months of summer. God says his Word works like that. Rain and snow do not fall from the sky and return without watering the earth. They accomplish God’s purpose. So does his Word. It may not look powerful. Bible passages read around the family dinner table. A devotion next to a hospital bed. A Sunday sermon. But God says his Word does not return empty. That promise is great comfort, especially when we feel spiritually dry. Maybe your faith feels weak. Maybe guilt has hardened your heart. Maybe grief has left you cracked and tired. God’s Word is not powerful because of how strongly you feel it. It is powerful because God is working through it. The same Lord who sends rain to make the earth bud and flourish sends his Word to give faith, forgiveness, peace, and life. The good news of Jesus is not empty. Jesus’ death for your sins was not empty. His promise to forgive you is not empty. He left the tomb empty so that every promise he made is fulfilled. So, use God’s Word. Read it. Speak it. Share it. Rest in it. God will use it for his purpose. Prayer: Lord, water my dry heart with your Word. Make faith grow in me and use your Word through me to comfort others with Jesus. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260713dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 Easy to Find My children love to play hide-and-seek. They can get creative with their hiding spots. But when I play with my three-year-old, and it is my turn to hide, I keep it simple. I might leave a foot sticking out from behind the chair or make a little noise from the next room. At age three, she does not have a long enough attention span to seek more than a few minutes. So, I make sure that I am not too hard to find. When Isaiah says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found,” we might picture God as someone who is hidden far away, waiting to see whether we can find him. But God is not playing that kind of game. He is not trying to make himself hard to find. He is calling out to us. He is near. The problem is not that God has hidden himself too well. The problem is that sin leads us to look in the wrong places. We search for peace in our own plans. We search for comfort in distractions. We search for validation by making excuses or comparing ourselves to others. We go our own way and trust our own thoughts. But God calls us back. “Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them.” We find him in his Word, in his promises, in the good news of Jesus. Jesus did not come to stay hidden from sinners. He came near. He came into our world. He went to the cross to pay for our wandering ways and sinful thoughts. He rose so that mercy and pardon would not be hard to find but freely given. So, seek the Lord where he promises to be found. Call on him. Open his Word. Hear his promise. He is not hard to find. He is near with mercy in Jesus. Prayer: Lord God, when I seek peace and forgiveness in the wrong places, call me back through your Word. Thank you for coming near with mercy and free pardon in Jesus. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260712dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6 God is Near Does something strike you as amazing in today’s Bible verse? What jumps out at me is the idea that the Lord is near us, that he allows himself to be found by us. After all, why should he? Why should he be near us? Why should he allow himself to be found by us? Just look at us! We’re angry, bitter, selfish. We’re lustful, greedy, rebellious. We fail to love God; we fail to love each other. Instead of loathing sin as we should, we find ourselves listening to the devil’s temptations, perhaps even desiring to give in to those temptations. We fail to see the value and importance of eternal matters and get far to focused on temporal matters. Shouldn’t God turn his back on us? Shouldn’t God banish us from his presence forever? Yes, he should! Instead, he stays near! In amazing grace, he even allows us to “find him” in his Word and in the sacraments. And when we find him, what do we discover? We discover that he loves us dearly and treats us with amazing compassion and boundless love. And so, call on him! Seek him! Rejoice in the fact that your God is near, near to you! Prayer: O Savior, continue to draw near to me, and no matter how I might struggle, continue to draw me near to you. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260711dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 A Heavy Burden We know what it is like to carry a heavy burden. Our arms begin to ache as we strain to hold up the weight. Our back muscles tighten, and our legs tire under the strain. We can only carry the load so long, and we are forced to put it down and rest. Sometimes the burden we carry is not with our arms, back, and legs, but on our hearts. Burdens of sadness, loneliness, discouragement, and dismay are very real and cause us to long for rest from their weight. Our spirits can be crushed if these burdens get too heavy and we carry them too long. While Jesus understands these kinds of burdens and is present to help us carry them, these burdens aren’t the most oppressive. When our Savior invites us to come to him for rest, he means a different kind of burden that makes people weary and tired. That is the burden of sin and how sin disrupts our relationship with God. The Bible tells us, “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). The demand that the Law of God makes is impossible for us to keep. We cannot perfectly fulfill its requirements. We can’t get out from under the burden of sin by our own power. There is only one way for us to have relief. Jesus came to lift sin’s burden off our hearts. He carried that heavy burden of sin’s guilt for us and gives us rest. He gives us the assurance that our sins are forgiven and that God doesn’t count us guilty. We have the peace of knowing that our relationship with God is restored. Through Jesus, there is now no fear of God’s strict judgment of condemnation against us. We are free from sin’s burden. In Jesus, we have rest! Prayer: Dear Jesus, I know that I have sinned in many ways and the guilt on my heart is a burden that is too heavy to bear. I praise you for taking the burden of my guilt and carrying it for me—suffering and dying to free me of its load and giving me the rest of full forgiveness. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260710dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29 Carrying the Cross The Bible teaches that the burden of sin and selfishness is great because God’s judgment always follows. Simply put, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Adam’s first sin is a perfect illustration. He followed the path of self-indulgence. “When you eat of [the tree],” Satan promised, “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). But when Adam pursued that path, he discovered that God’s promises always stand. God had promised, “When you eat from it, you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). In our arrogance, we think we can get away with our self-centered sinfulness. But God’s all-seeing holiness hones in on us, noting every godless thought, word, and deed. His perfect law closes every loophole, rejects every excuse, and refuses every rationale. Which makes the saving work of Jesus and his glorious cross all the more stunning! Jesus took the shackles of God’s law on himself and carried the burden for us without stumbling. Then he picked up the heavy cross of God’s judgment and laid aside his Father’s righteous verdict against us by taking up our sin and penalty. He truly became “sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness [perfection] of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took our great burden from us, and now he invites us to take up an entirely different cross, the cross of discipleship. “Take my yoke upon you,” Jesus says, “and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.” Our Savior God offers free lessons in carrying crosses. He models for us the self-sacrificing love we are created to have for others. And this new glorious cross doesn’t end in judgment. It ends with his promise: “You will find rest for your souls.” Prayer: Dear Jesus, give me the strength to carry every cross that comes my way as a result of following you. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260709dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 First Weariness, Then Rest Jesus spoke in no uncertain terms about the details of Christian discipleship. He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). At first blush, self-denial seems like a relatively easy standard to meet. But Christian self-denial requires us to keep God’s great commandments perfectly: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It requires us to abandon self-love completely and to concentrate all our time, energy, and effort on others. Jesus is the perfect model of self-denial and love for others. He came into this world “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Now he calls us to expend our lives completely on others. “As I have loved you,” Jesus commanded, “so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34,35). This kind of perfect love is difficult and wearisome, and not just because we are selfish and sinful. It was also a challenge for the perfect Son of God who “offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death” (Hebrews 5:7). He was truly tempted to abandon his love for others (Hebrews 4:15). So, when he commands us to take up our cross and sacrifice ourselves for others, he knows the burden intimately. He carried that burden himself! Yet to us who now carry the cross of Christian discipleship, Jesus makes an astounding offer: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The one who carried the burden of the cross, loaded down by our sin, now offers his strength, help, and guidance as we pick up our cross of discipleship. At first glance, our cross looks heavy, covered with sharp splinters. But Jesus’ love and saving power replace our weariness with true rest and power for godly living, and we see our cross in all its glory. Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me carry the cross of discipleship with confidence and joy. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260708dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. . . No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:26-27 A Purposeful Choice Jesus and his cross are natural stumbling blocks to sinners like us. Why, then, do we believe something that seems so silly? Jesus explained when he prayed, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. . . No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” To be sure, God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). That’s why he sacrificed his beloved Son to be “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). God is so patient and long-suffering with the people of this world that he even plays the part of the fool, holding out his hands “all day long…to a disobedient and obstinate people” (Roman 10:21), only to have those hands remain mostly empty because so many reject his free gift of forgiveness. Is that God’s fault? Hardly! Jesus has won mankind’s salvation completely, yet God forces no one to be saved. Instead, he works mysteriously and powerfully through his Word and Spirit. Through his Word, he shatters our pride and self-reliance, then calls us to trust in him and to see the glory of Christ’s cross. So, our Christian faith is no accident. It’s God’s purposeful choice. “The LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for graciously leading me to trust in you through the gospel. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260706dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” Matthew 11:25 A Hidden Glory In his first letter to the Christians in the city of Corinth, the apostle Paul uses an interesting word to describe the “message of the cross.” He calls it “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:18). The idea that a man killed on a cross could accomplish anything, much less the eternal salvation of the world, seems foolish to the people of this world. So, when we proclaim the message of the cross, as Paul once did, it sometimes means being met with blank stares and cold hearts. In their unbelief, this world does not recognize the glory of the cross. To them, it is hidden. But you might be surprised at who hides its glory. God does! Jesus said to his Father, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things …” And from whom has the Lord hidden the glory of the cross? “From the wise and learned.” Does that mean Jesus has something against people with high IQs and post-graduate degrees? No, that’s certainly not his point. God is the giver of all gifts, including wisdom and knowledge. There is nothing wrong with being “wise and learned” unless you abuse these gifts by denying the hidden realities of the glorious cross. Too often we do just that! We are tempted to take our eyes off Christ’s cross and to focus our attention on other things in this world that seem grander and more glorious, wiser and more learned. By nature, we claim to be wise, only to have God declare us the greatest of fools. Paul tells us the truth: even when God is being foolish, he “is wiser than human wisdom,” and even at his weakest, he “is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25). So, Jesus says, stop being so “wise.” Instead, be like a little child. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3). Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me set aside my worldly wisdom and give me the faith of a child so that I can see the hidden glory, wisdom, and power of your foolish cross. 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/20260705dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:24-25 Freedom The stories of prisoners of war who survived are fascinating. The accounts of the brutal and inhumane treatment by the enemy are horrific. The extreme emotions felt by the prisoners are breathtaking: the terror of being completely controlled by the enemy, the hopelessness of recognizing that escape is impossible, and the desperation of knowing that if not rescued or released, death is soon right around the corner. Fortunately, stories of survivors don’t end there. They include rescue or release, and the emotions that go along with it. The relief, joy, and gratitude that are described by these former prisoners make their stories enjoyable. The apostle Paul shared his prisoner-of-war story. It’s a story that is fascinating not just because it has a happy ending, but also because it is a story that each believer in Jesus shares. We are all prisoners held by our sinful flesh. We know that the sins we commit deserve eternal death, and yet we keep sinning. That’s all that our sinful flesh can do. If our story ended there, we would be filled with fear, hopelessness, and eternal despair. The story does not end there. We have a Savior who rescued us. Jesus freed us from the bonds of sin. Jesus took the condemnation to hell we deserved and set us free. “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Our prisoner of war story is certainly a heart-warming one. Our freedom has been guaranteed by Jesus. Praise to our Savior because of the freedom he has won for us! Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for freeing me from my slavery to sin. Help me use my freedom to serve you and the people you bring into my life today. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260704dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:37-39 Whom Do You Love? These words of Jesus may be a bit difficult to comprehend, especially if you’ve ever held your own child in your arms. The love that parents have for their child is something that can hardly be described. It’s overwhelming. It’s profound. Many people experience their greatest joy in these moments. As you consider the words of Jesus once again, ask yourself, “Is my love for my child, parent, sibling…greater than my love for Jesus?” If so, Jesus’ words cut deeply. In truth, we are breaking the very First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods,” if we are loving people more than we love Jesus. The results of this are eternally damning. Let’s consider this from heaven’s eternal viewpoint. Everything we have is a gift from God–a gift that is best viewed “on loan.” Our parents are his. Our children are his. The material things we have are his, on loan to us for a time. If we love the gifts and not the giver of the gifts, we are idol worshippers. Jesus had it all, and yet he gave it all up. He is the eternal Son of God who gave up the glory of heaven to come to this world, where he died destitute–all because he loved God above all else. He truly is the only one who has earned the title “worthy.” Yet, by grace alone, through faith alone, he forgives our sins and calls us worthy. He promises that whoever loves him and believes in him HAS eternal life. What astonishing love Jesus has for us! What an amazing gift he has given to us! In love, he gives us eternal life—a gift that far surpasses all material gifts. May his love lead us to love him above all else—always. Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to love you more and more each day. Thank you for all the gifts you have given me. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260703dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” Matthew 10:42 God Notices Large gifts or giant acts of kindness are often heralded, praised, and promoted. You have probably read stories about billionaires donating massive amounts of money to a children’s hospital, or a group fundraising campaign raising money to purchase a home for a homeless veteran, or a bunch of high school kids who all chip in to buy the school janitor a new car. Those are the kind of stories that get a lot of press and attention. I love hearing stories like that! But what about the “little” gifts or the “small” acts of kindness? Do they make a difference? Does anyone notice? Does anyone care? The answer is most certainly yes! Jesus says that when we serve others and do things for others because we’re thankful for what Jesus has done for us, God absolutely cares and God loves to see us do them. We don’t do those things to earn God’s favor or to pat ourselves on the back. We serve one another because we’re so thankful for what Jesus has done for us. Jesus gave himself up to death to save our lives. And now, we live our lives for his purpose: to serve God and to serve one another. And we can do this even in the “little” things we do each day. One example Jesus mentions is giving a thirsty child something to drink; however, the opportunities are endless—a kind word to a troubled heart, a prayer for a friend or stranger who is hurting, a sandwich or blanket for someone who is financially struggling, a cup of coffee and our attention to someone who needs someone to listen. We could come up with example after example. The opportunities are endless! Consider how you can serve Jesus and someone else. Those acts of service aren’t nothing. And God notices them. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for serving me with your sacrifice on the cross so that I would be made one of your own. Give me opportunities this week to serve those you put in my life. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260702dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.” Matthew 10:40-41 Welcoming Jesus Sometimes when we share the truths of God found in the Bible, we are met with hostility or indifference. But sometimes the opposite happens. Sometimes, when we share a passage from the Bible to comfort or correct bad behavior or offer to pray for a person who is struggling, that act of love and kindness is welcomed with open arms. And Jesus says something remarkable in our Bible reading for today. He says that when people welcome the words we share from the Bible, they are actually welcoming him. Let this encourage you as you share his truths with others. When we share the message of the Bible, we are directing hearts to Jesus, who is strong enough to shoulder all of their burdens; Jesus, who loved them so much that he gave up his life for them; Jesus, who had the power to defeat death on their behalf. Look for opportunities to share your favorite parts of the Bible. Ask your friends and family if there is anything you can pray for. Because when you do those things, you are bringing people closer to Jesus. May Jesus bless you as you look to share him with others, and may he be welcomed in their hearts! Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for the people in my life who introduced me to you. Bless me this week as I look for people who are hurting or struggling as I share with them your amazing power and love. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260630dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37 My First Love I have a great relationship with my family. My parents cared dearly for my siblings and me. We all still get along and love getting together. I have a wonderful wife whom I treasure, and she feels the same way about me. I cherish my children. They fill my heart with so much joy. I love my family! There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for them! If you have a family whom you love and they love you as well, reading Jesus’ words might be tough to hear. After all, many people would say that family comes first. However, that’s not what Jesus says. To be clear, Jesus isn’t dismissing or diminishing the love of parents, spouses, or children. Those are most certainly great gifts from God. But he does say that our love for him needs to come first. Why? Because he deserves it. He deserves to be our first love because Jesus has done more for us than anyone ever could. Yes, parents care for their children when they’re sick and make sure that their kids have a place to sleep and food to eat. But Jesus has defeated death for us. Jesus has built a home in heaven. Yes, spouses sacrifice for each other, but Jesus sacrificed himself by suffering the hell our sins deserve. Jesus has paid for all of your wrongs and failures. Jesus has done more for you than anyone else. I hope that God has blessed you with a family you love and who loves you. But even if that isn’t the case, Jesus loves you more than you could imagine. No matter what you have done, no matter how you have lived, no matter how awful and terrible you think you are, Jesus loves you, Jesus has forgiven you, and Jesus has made you a part of his family. Prayer: Dear Jesus, you are worthy of my highest love and loyalty. Forgive me for the times I have placed family and friends above you. Through your Word, deepen my love for you. Help me to love my family without making them idols. 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/20260629dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn, ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’” Matthew 10:34-36 Peace A few years ago, I was sitting in a doctor’s office. My wife was holding our toddler, pregnant with our second child. That’s when the doctor hit me with it: “You have cancer.” Ugh! What a blow! However, I am so thankful that my doctor told me. Wouldn’t you want that as well?! Who would want a doctor who thought, ‘I really don’t want to ruin anyone’s day, so I’m not going to tell my patients what’s wrong’? No one! Sometimes I think of that day when I’m telling people the truth of God’s Word. People are spiritually sick, and they do things that God doesn’t like. And sometimes when I’ve told them that, it feels like I’m punching them in the gut, and they respond as if I did. They get angry. They yell. In today’s Bible verse, Jesus is describing the reality of what sometimes happens when God’s Word is explained to people. Sometimes, they get upset because God is telling them that some of their behaviors, thoughts, or feelings are wrong. And sometimes this even happens with friends or family. But, my friend, it is so necessary for us to speak up and stand on God’s truth. Because only after someone comes to understand the sickness of their soul can they appreciate the amazing cure Jesus brings! Jesus was rejected and condemned to death on a cross so that all the wrongs of humanity would be forgiven and fixed. And that is the peace that only Jesus can bring. God bless you as you look to share that peace with others! Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me when I seek harmony with family and friends more than faithfulness to you. Strengthen me to confess you boldly, even when it divides. Soften the hearts of those with whom I share your Word that they might celebrate your forgiveness. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260627dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked. Jeremiah 20:13 It’s Time to Sing! Do you like to sing? Perhaps you enjoy singing because you are a gifted singer, and people around you enjoy hearing you sing. Or perhaps you enjoy singing but can’t carry a tune. So, you keep your singing to yourself and save it for the shower. Either way—whether you are a gifted singer or not, today’s Bible reading encourages you to sing. Sing to the Lord because you have been rescued. You’ve been rescued from all of your spiritual enemies—the devil, the sinful world, and your sinful nature. All three try to drag you from the God who loves you to the eternal separation from him that your sins deserve. Think for a moment what your eternity would be like if the Lord hadn’t stepped in and rescued you? You would spend this life guilt-ridden and sure of God’s anger at your sins against him. And you would spend eternity separated from the one true God and all of his love and blessings. It’s terrifying to contemplate. But, you have been rescued from this fate by the one called Savior—Jesus Christ. You are fully forgiven and adopted into God’s family. You have the promise of his love and care here and now, as well as his promise of eternal life with him when this life comes to its close. No wonder Jeremiah encourages us to sing to the Lord! We have every reason to celebrate. So, whether you can carry a tune or not, sing to the Lord! Prayer: Lord, may my life be a song of praise to you, for you alone are my Savior. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260626dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8 The Crown That Opens Heaven A crown can open doors. If you wear the right crown, guards step aside. Palace doors swing open. You are welcomed into rooms where ordinary people cannot go. A royal crown gives access, honor, and privilege. But every earthly crown fades. It can be stolen, tarnished, or passed to someone else. The apostle Paul looked forward to a better crown. Near the end of his life, he wrote about “the crown of righteousness” waiting for him. This was not a crown Paul had earned by being good enough. It was not the reward for a life without failure or sin. It was a crown given by “the Lord, the righteous Judge.” That Judge is Jesus. And before Jesus gave his people a crown of righteousness, he first wore a crown of thorns. He wore that painful crown as he suffered for our sins. He stood in our place. He carried our guilt. He gave his perfect life for our imperfect lives. Then he rose from the dead, proving that sin has been paid for and heaven has been opened. So, do not be afraid of the sins from your past. Jesus has forgiven them. You do not need to work harder or do more to earn a place in heaven. Jesus has already won it for you. The crown Jesus gives is better than any royal crown. It gives access not just to a palace, but to the throne room of heaven. It is the gift of righteousness, Jesus’ righteousness, placed on you by grace. So, we long for his appearing. We look forward to the day Jesus comes again, not with fear, but with confidence and joy. The righteous Judge is also your Savior. And he has a crown waiting for you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for wearing a crown of thorns to win for me the crown of righteousness. Take away my fear, forgive my sins, and help me long for the day when you bring me into the joy of heaven. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260625dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved . . . Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:21-22,32 When Confessing Christ Costs You On June 25, 1530, Lutheran princes and representatives stood before Emperor Charles V in the city of Augsburg in Germany and presented a confession of their faith. The emperor was among the most powerful rulers in the world. The pressure to stay quiet, compromise, or soften the truth was enormous. But they confessed Christ. One of the signers was John Frederick of Saxony. A few years later, Emperor Charles V went to war against the Lutheran princes in an effort to force them back into submission. John Frederick’s own cousin Maurice of Saxony sided with the emperor and invaded John Frederick’s territory. John Frederick was eventually defeated, captured, sentenced to death, and stripped of his royal title. The details of history are complicated. The pain was not. Confessing Christ had cost him dearly, even within his own family. Jesus had warned his disciples that this could happen. “Brother will betray brother to death,” he said. “You will be hated by everyone because of me.” Following Jesus would not always bring peace with the people closest to them. Sometimes it would bring division, rejection, and loss. But Jesus also gave a promise: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” That promise gives courage. You may never stand before an emperor. You may never lose lands or titles for confessing Christ. But you will have moments when faithfulness costs you something. It may cost approval. It may strain a relationship. It may make you feel alone. In those moments, remember who stands with you. Jesus confessed you first. He claimed you as his own. He carried your sins to the cross. He rose from the dead. He speaks for you before the Father. So, confess him. Speak the truth humbly. Speak it lovingly. Speak it with confidence. The Savior you confess is the Savior who confesses you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for confessing me before your Father. Give me courage to confess you before others, even when it costs me. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260624dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31 You Are Worth More Than Sparrows Sparrows are easy to overlook. They are small, common, and inexpensive. In Jesus’ time, two sparrows could be bought for just one penny. No one built monuments for sparrows. No one wrote headlines about them. Most people barely noticed them at all. Yet, God noticed. Jesus tells us that not one sparrow falls to the ground outside the Father’s care. Then he turns to you and says, “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” That does not mean your life will be painless. Jesus spoke these words while warning his disciples that following him would bring hardship. Some people would reject them. Some would hate them. Some would even persecute them. Still, they did not need to be afraid. Why? Because their Father saw them, knew them, and treasured them. That is true for you, too. There may be days when you feel small and forgotten. You may wonder if anyone sees what you are carrying on your heart. You may feel like your prayers are too ordinary, your problems too common, your fears too small for God to notice. But Jesus says your Father knows even the hairs of your head. He knows your name. He knows your needs. He knows your weaknesses. Most of all, he knows the price paid for you, not pennies, not silver or gold, but the holy, precious blood of his Son. You are not forgotten, and you are not cheap. You are not outside your Father’s care. So do not be afraid. The God who watches over sparrows is certainly watching over you. Prayer: Father, when I feel small or afraid, remind me that I am precious to you through Jesus. Help me trust your care today. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260623dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the Word The apostle Paul wrote these words to his good friend and coworker, Timothy, near the end of his life. He knew his death was coming. He had fought the good fight. He had finished the race. He had kept the faith. So, what final instruction did he give to Timothy? “Preach the word.” Paul did not tell him to preach what people wanted to hear. He did not tell him to follow the mood of the crowd. In fact, Paul warned that the time would come when people would not put up with sound doctrine. They would gather teachers who told them what their itching ears wanted to hear. That warning still matters. God’s Word is not always popular. Sometimes it corrects us. Sometimes it rebukes us. Sometimes it exposes sins we would rather excuse. But the same Word that wounds our pride also heals our souls. It shows us our sin, and then it shows us our Savior. That is why Paul says to preach it “with great patience and careful instruction.” God’s Word is not a weapon for winning arguments. It is the voice of Christ calling sinners to repentance, forgiveness, faith, and life. You may not be a pastor like Timothy. But you still need this Word. You need it when your heart wants comfortable lies instead of saving truth. You need it when the world calls evil good and good evil. You need it when you are tired, tempted, afraid, or ashamed. And through that Word, Christ comes to you. He corrects you because he loves you. He rebukes your sin because he died to remove it. He encourages you because he rose again and promises you the crown of righteousness. So, listen to the Word. Trust the Word. Treasure the Word. It is Christ’s Word for you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me faithful to your Word. Correct me, forgive me, encourage me, and strengthen me to hold firmly to your truth. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260622dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.” Jeremiah 20:9 When They Won’t Listen Imagine seeing a friend driving toward a bridge that is out. You wave your arms. You shout. You call. You do everything you can to stop him. But instead of listening, he laughs at you. Then he tells others you are crazy. You would not keep warning him because you like being ignored. You would continue to warn him because you love him. The prophet Jeremiah knew what it was like to have people ignore his warning. God had given him a message for his people. Danger was coming. Their sin was not harmless. Their idolatry, unbelief, and refusal to listen to the Lord were leading them toward destruction. God sent Jeremiah to turn them from sin and turn them back to him. But they would not listen. They mocked Jeremiah. They hated his message. They beat him and put him in stocks. Jeremiah was exhausted and heartbroken. His grief was not just because people mistreated him. His grief came from love. He could see the danger clearly, but the people he loved were blind to it. At one point, Jeremiah wanted to stop speaking. But he could not. God’s Word was like a fire in his bones. In Jeremiah’s suffering, we hear an echo of someone greater. Jesus came as the perfect Prophet, the very Word of God in human flesh. He warned sinners. He exposed hypocrisy. He called people to repentance. He wept over Jerusalem because they did not recognize the time of God’s coming. And they rejected him, too. They mocked him. They beat him. They nailed him to a cross. But Jesus did more than warn us about judgment. He stepped under the judgment our sins deserved. He died for our stubbornness, blindness, unbelief, and sin. Then he rose to give us forgiveness, life, and certain deliverance. God does not give up on sinners. Through his Word calls us to turn from sin and turn to him. He drives us to Christ, where mercy is full and free. He held on to Jeremiah. He holds on to you. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for warning me in love and saving me by grace. Keep your Word burning in my heart. Give me repentant faith, patient love for others, and confidence in your resurrection victory. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260620dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 Compassion Jesus was a man in motion. He healed a paralytic, a sick woman, and two blind men. He raised another man’s daughter from the dead. He called men to be his disciples. The Gospel of Matthew tells us that, “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.” Why this activity, this urgency? Because the people were harassed by false prophets and the forces of evil. Because they were harassed by the guilt of their own sin and the fear of eternal death. And by themselves, they were helpless to do anything about it. Sound familiar? Aren’t we tempted by false prophets who promise a way to heaven other than through Christ? Aren’t we besieged by forces of evil that want to drag us away into the deadly sins of laziness, selfishness, greed, pornography, adultery, idolatry, and the like? Don’t we get depressed by our own sinfulness and guilt and wonder whether heaven can really be our home? And by ourselves, we are helpless to do anything about it. Thankfully, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who has come to guide, strengthen, and protect us. He lived the perfect life we couldn’t. He gave his life, taking the curse for all our sins. He moved beyond death and the grave, rising on Easter Sunday morning, and then returned to his throne in heaven. He assures us that his victory is ours. Because of all he has done, we are fully forgiven and headed for heaven. He did all this because of his compassion. Compassion has been defined as love in motion. That’s why Jesus was a man on the move. His love did not allow him to see us in our need and leave us there. He took action. Aren’t you glad he did? Prayer: Dear Jesus, I am amazed by your love and compassion. Thank you for taking action when I needed you to. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260619dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. 2 Thessalonians 3:2-5 Perseverance For those who treasure their connection with Jesus, it is a bitter reality that there are many who want nothing to do with the Savior. There are accounts about Christians in some places in the world who are brutally treated and even ruthlessly murdered for their faith. As followers of Jesus, we may never suffer opposition to that extent, but we do experience people’s indifference, ridicule, and rejection as we live and share our faith. Keep in mind that God has an eternal plan for you. He chose you to be his own, even before he created all things. He sent Jesus to accomplish your salvation. The Holy Spirit used the power of the gospel to work saving faith in your heart. You know that Jesus lived and died to free you from the guilt of sin and thrill you with the certainty of heaven. Jesus redeemed you with his precious blood—he bought you back from the power of Satan and brought you into his family of believers. In the face of opposition, rest assured that “the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” The devil and all those who ally with him cannot separate you from the love of God in Jesus Christ. It is important to “direct your hearts into God’s love.” Keep your attention on the biblical truth that you are saved from death and hell completely by God’s love through faith in Jesus. Then you will not be led astray by false teaching or dissuaded from following Jesus by those who oppose him. Through his Word, the Lord strengthens you so that you can follow the example of Jesus’ perseverance. Prayer: Lord, teach me to depend upon your strength. Assure me with your promises that you are always with me. When I face opposition for following you, protect me from harm and preserve me in faith. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260618dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 The Power of the Gospel Paul appealed to the believers of Thessalonica to pray. His concern was “that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored.” The apostle knew the difficulties involved in proclaiming the good news about Jesus. Just before Paul went to Thessalonica, he was jailed at Philippi for preaching God’s word. Before that, he was stoned at Lystra. Just after leaving Thessalonica, he debated with some philosophers at Athens, and they scoffed at his message and rejected it. Nevertheless, Paul’s enthusiasm for sharing the saving message of the gospel never faded. He sought to spread the word of life wherever and whenever he could. He recognized the urgency of telling people about Jesus and how the Savior rescued them from sin and hell. He asked, “How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14). It is vitally important for people to hear about Jesus so that the Holy Spirit can work in their hearts. Therefore, include in your prayers the plea that God will cause the good news of salvation through Jesus to spread rapidly so that many people may hear the message of free forgiveness and eternal life. And pray that the word of God be honored by those who hear it—that through the power of the gospel, the Holy Spirit turn people from damning unbelief to saving faith in Jesus. Prayer: Holy Spirit, use the message of salvation to call many more people out of the darkness of unbelief to the marvelous light of faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260608dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 Mercy for the Worst Growing up with my siblings, I always wanted to be the best, to play sports better than they did, to ride my bike faster, to win at board games, and to get the best grades. It took some of the fun out of it when they weren’t interested in competing and didn’t care if I won. As much as I might have liked competition, I don’t remember ever competing to be the worst. Who would want to claim that title? Even when I was little, and my parents would say, “Last one in bed is the rotten egg!” no one wanted to be last! In today’s verses, Paul, the author, calls himself the worst of sinners. This is not a badge of honor any of us wants to wear. Our normal tendency is to minimize our own sins and magnify the sins of others. I did or said that, but I had a good reason for it. I’m not perfect, but at least I didn’t do that. Why did Paul call himself the worst of sinners? As he looked back on his life, he saw a life riddled with rebellion against God. Even though he thought he was doing the right thing at the time, he had persecuted Christians before God called him to faith in Jesus. Even after he became a Christian, he continued to sin against God every day. There was no excuse. No hiding. He deserved God’s punishment. But he didn’t need to hide because he knew that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. None of us can save ourselves. Paul saw the mercy that God showed him as evidence of God’s mercy for all. He saw his own salvation as proof that Jesus can and will forgive anyone. That includes you and me. So, we can honestly and without fear admit, “I’m the worst of sinners, but Jesus came to save me.” Prayer: Jesus, thank you for coming into the world to save sinners—even me. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260514dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. Acts 17:26 God Gives You Purpose Do you ever feel lost? Like you don’t have a purpose in life? Maybe at times you have found yourself wondering: ‘How did I get here?’ or ‘Where am I going?’ So many in this world, maybe us included, are adrift in this world and on a search to “find themselves.” It is to such wandering hearts that today’s verse speaks. Does it encourage you to know that God has determined the times and places in your life? The circumstances of your life are not coincidental or random. God has placed you where he wants you at a time of his choosing. That suggests that he has a purpose for you and a plan for your life. God has you right where he wants you. Perhaps you are wondering how you can trust that. Well, the same God who determined the details of your life is the God who saw fit to save you from sin, death, and hell. He is the same God who offered his own Son on the cross to take away our sins and give us eternal life in heaven. Having already shown you the depth of his love, you can be sure that same love will follow you in your life. And not just this life, but eternal life as well, You need never wonder where you are going when life in this world is over. Jesus will take you to heaven through faith in him. And while you wait for that day, God has given you a purpose: to love and serve him and the people he puts in your path. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for giving me new life in heaven. As I wait for that wonderful day when you take me home, help me to find purpose in my daily life as I serve 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/20260512dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits. 1 Peter 3:19 He is the Champ Winning is fun. And there are many different ways that winners express their joy. Olympic champions cry tears of joy as they stand at the top of the podium while their country’s anthem is played. Baseball players stomp on home plate and are mobbed by their teammates when they score the winning run. NASCAR drivers hang a checkered flag out of their window and do donuts on the infield after they cross the finish line first. Champions are not shy about expressing their joy in victory. Jesus was not shy about proclaiming his victory either. But his victory had nothing to do with the Olympics, baseball, or NASCAR. No, his victory was concerned with defeating sin and temptation. It was not a game, and the stakes were high. Our eternal life was at risk. If Jesus were to be defeated, we all would have had to suffer forever and be separated from God. Jesus did not want to lose us, and so he entered the arena that is this sinful world. He was born here. He lived here. He suffered and died here. And through it all, he defeated every temptation the devil could throw at him. He never once sinned. He was perfect for us. And after dying on the cross to take our sins away, he rose from the dead to forever guarantee our victory. And like any champion, Jesus proclaimed his victory. Except he did not do it from the top of a medal stand or the infield of a racetrack. No, after being made alive again, Jesus went right into the arena where the enemy was and proclaimed his victory. He announced to the devil and all his enemies that he, in fact, is the champion. Jesus has won the victory! And he freely gives us the award that he won. Through his victory for us, we are now forgiven and saved and on the way to heaven. His victory is our victory, and we can now live our lives in a way that proclaims that victory for all to see and hear. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for winning the victory over sin, death and hell, and sharing your victory with me. Help me to live in that victory. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260511dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Because I live, you also will live.” John 14:19 The Gift of Life The human body fights to survive. It has been given the precious gift of life, and it does not easily let go of that gift. And so, it fights infection. It develops immunities. It heals when bruised, cut, or broken. In dire situations, it will divert energy and nutrients to the more integral parts of the body. The human body is a remarkable creation of God. Add in medical advancements in technology and the knowledge that the Lord has blessed us with, and the human body can live longer than in generations past. While all of that is true, the body eventually reaches the point where life is almost over. There will come a point for all of us when the body cannot heal itself, and no medical technology or skill will be able to prolong our lives. What then? Is that it? Not at all! No matter how long or short our lives on earth are, no matter how full or empty we make them, there is more to come after life here on earth. And because of Jesus, we can have a much longer and fuller life in heaven. Because of sin, Jesus knew that we all were doomed to a short life on earth followed by an eternity of torment. He didn’t want that for us, and so he came here to be our substitute and Savior. Jesus lived a perfect life for us and died an innocent death on the cross so that our sins could be paid for and forgiven. He then rose from the dead to conquer death and open the gates to eternal life in heaven for us. And now he says to you, “Because I live, you also shall live.” Through faith in Jesus, when we leave this world, we will go to a place that is far better. We will live forever in heaven—a place where there will be no more death or pain or suffering. A place where we will never grow old or have our lives come to an end. Prayer: Dear Jesus, because you live, I also will live! Help me look forward to the day when I will be with you 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/20260509dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said to his disciples] “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” John 14:16-19 The Promise Do you like being alone? Sure, it can be nice to take a walk by yourself to clear your head or escape to the garage for some quiet tinkering. But when the bad news comes, or the holidays arrive, or the loneliness settles in, do you like being alone? As Jesus prepared his disciples for his departure—both his departure to death on the cross and his departure to heaven at his ascension—he comforted his disciples. He didn’t want them to feel abandoned by him and left on their own. So, he made a promise to them. God was going to give his Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to be with them forever. They were not going to be alone, in good times or in bad times. The promise Jesus made to his disciples is also for you. He knows there are times when you are going to feel alone. There will be times when temptation will seem ready to overwhelm you. There will be times that sorrow or trouble or the death of a loved one will leave you standing, not knowing what direction to turn. Yet God has not left you alone. When he made you his child, he sent the Holy Spirit to be with you. By your side, he reminds you of the comfort and promise of the Resurrection. Because Jesus lives, you too will live. No matter what the trial or the sorrow, nothing can take away the sure fulfillment of this promise. You will live because Jesus has rescued you from death. He has rescued you from sin. He has replaced it with eternal life. Prayer: Dearest Jesus, I give thanks that you have not abandoned me but have sent your Holy Spirit to keep your promise of eternal life before 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.