What About Jesus? Devotions https://wels.net/serving-you/devotions/ Discover God’s great truths for your life and your future! Tue, 13 Oct 2026 06:00:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 yes WELS no © 2019 Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. All Rights Reserved. www.wels.net WELS 2021 Copyright. All rights reserved. podcast WELS Daily Devotions https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1400x1400-Daily-Devotions-Podcast-Art.jpg https://wels.net/serving-you/devotions/ TV-G 8ac6681a-a916-5ff3-b52c-a1a6afe1a55b devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joyDiscover God’s great truths for your life and your future! WhatAboutJesus.comwhataboutjesus@wels.netWELS The Shroud – October 13, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261013/ Tue, 13 Oct 2026 05:30:49 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61815 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261013/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261013/feed/ 0

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On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations.
Isaiah 25:7

The Shroud

For thousands of years, people have used a shroud to bury their dead. A shroud is a type of cloth that covers the body. There are practical reasons for using a shroud. Wrapping a body in one helps stabilize it, making it easier to carry. A shrouded body is more sanitary to handle. Most important, however, is that the shroud is a way by which family members could give the body of their loved one a level of dignity and respect.

From time immemorial, therefore, the shroud has been a symbol for death. In paintings, literature, poetry, and song, artists have used the word “shroud” to describe things that are dark, foreboding, tragic, inevitable.

But then along comes the Lord Almighty, through the prophet Isaiah. He sees our world—the world our sin has ruined. He sees our world of decay, our world of disease, our world of injury and broken bones and violence and accidents and natural disasters and old age and decline and death. He sees it all. Then he makes a stunning promise. He promises to destroy the shroud. He promises to ensure that the shroud of death does not have the final word.

Seven centuries after Isaiah’s words, God himself came to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ. He came to destroy the power of death. To do so, he lived a sinless life on our behalf. Then he took the cause of death—our sin—and paid for it on the cross. Then he died.

After his death, loving hands covered his body in a shroud and placed it in a tomb. But the cross, the tomb, and the shroud did not have the final word. Three days later, the tomb was empty, and so was the shroud.

And so let the world around us continue to speak of the finality of the shroud, the casket, and the cremation urn. You and I know better. Jesus lives. And in him, we will too.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you are the death of death. Praise be to your holy name. 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:21 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261013dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations. Isaiah 25:7 The Shroud For thousands of years, people have used a shroud to bury their dead. A shroud is a type of cloth that covers the body. There are practical reasons for using a shroud. Wrapping a body in one helps stabilize it, making it easier to carry. A shrouded body is more sanitary to handle. Most important, however, is that the shroud is a way by which family members could give the body of their loved one a level of dignity and respect. From time immemorial, therefore, the shroud has been a symbol for death. In paintings, literature, poetry, and song, artists have used the word “shroud” to describe things that are dark, foreboding, tragic, inevitable. But then along comes the Lord Almighty, through the prophet Isaiah. He sees our world—the world our sin has ruined. He sees our world of decay, our world of disease, our world of injury and broken bones and violence and accidents and natural disasters and old age and decline and death. He sees it all. Then he makes a stunning promise. He promises to destroy the shroud. He promises to ensure that the shroud of death does not have the final word. Seven centuries after Isaiah’s words, God himself came to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ. He came to destroy the power of death. To do so, he lived a sinless life on our behalf. Then he took the cause of death—our sin—and paid for it on the cross. Then he died. After his death, loving hands covered his body in a shroud and placed it in a tomb. But the cross, the tomb, and the shroud did not have the final word. Three days later, the tomb was empty, and so was the shroud. And so let the world around us continue to speak of the finality of the shroud, the casket, and the cremation urn. You and I know better. Jesus lives. And in him, we will too. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the death of death. Praise be to your holy name. 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261013dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations. Isaiah 25:7 The Shroud For thousands of years, people have used a shroud to bury their dead. A shroud is a type of cloth that covers the body. There are practical reasons for using a shroud. Wrapping a body in one helps stabilize it, making it easier to carry. A shrouded body is more sanitary to handle. Most important, however, is that the shroud is a way by which family members could give the body of their loved one a level of dignity and respect. From time immemorial, therefore, the shroud has been a symbol for death. In paintings, literature, poetry, and song, artists have used the word “shroud” to describe things that are dark, foreboding, tragic, inevitable. But then along comes the Lord Almighty, through the prophet Isaiah. He sees our world—the world our sin has ruined. He sees our world of decay, our world of disease, our world of injury and broken bones and violence and accidents and natural disasters and old age and decline and death. He sees it all. Then he makes a stunning promise. He promises to destroy the shroud. He promises to ensure that the shroud of death does not have the final word. Seven centuries after Isaiah’s words, God himself came to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ. He came to destroy the power of death. To do so, he lived a sinless life on our behalf. Then he took the cause of death—our sin—and paid for it on the cross. Then he died. After his death, loving hands covered his body in a shroud and placed it in a tomb. But the cross, the tomb, and the shroud did not have the final word. Three days later, the tomb was empty, and so was the shroud. And so let the world around us continue to speak of the finality of the shroud, the casket, and the cremation urn. You and I know better. Jesus lives. And in him, we will too. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the death of death. Praise be to your holy name. 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy For All – October 12, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261012/ Mon, 12 Oct 2026 05:30:09 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61808 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261012/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261012/feed/ 0

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On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples…the best of meats and the finest of wines.
Isaiah 25:6

For All

In the world of fine dining, few writers have been more influential than restaurant reviewer Ruth Reichl. She is so respected that a single restaurant review from her can make or break a restaurant.

Her most famous review was written in 1993 for a high-end dining establishment in New York. Because the restaurant community knew her well, however, Ruth decided to go in disguise. Instead of a sophisticated New Yorker, she dressed in a modest coat and went by the name “Molly.”

“Molly” quickly found out what the restaurant thought of her. The staff ignored her. Then they made her wait for an hour. Finally, they seated her at a table right next to the coat rack. And her meal? It was cold and bland. A few nights later, Ruth went to the same restaurant, only this time she went as herself. And, of course, this time she received the royal treatment—truffles, champagne, the best of culinary mastery; and no coat rack.

Armed with these two radically different experiences, Ruth Reichl wrote her review, and she did not hold back. She made clear the painful fact that the staff did not wish to serve everyone with the same level of excellence; that if you were not the right kind of person, this restaurant was not going to give you its best.

In Isaiah chapter 25, God the Holy Spirit communicates that our delivery from sin is not just a doctrinal bullet point; it is an event for us to savor. He describes it as an exquisite meal: “A feast of rich food,” he says— “the best of meats and the finest of wines.” In addition, the Lord makes clear that this joyful reunion with him is “for all peoples”—for all who trust in the promised Savior.

In this world, there will be times when we will feel ignored, dismissed, or out of place. But not in the great meal to come. There, in Christ, you belong.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for securing a place for me at your banquet. 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:13 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261012dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples…the best of meats and the finest of wines. Isaiah 25:6 For All In the world of fine dining, few writers have been more influential than restaurant reviewer Ruth Reichl. She is so respected that a single restaurant review from her can make or break a restaurant. Her most famous review was written in 1993 for a high-end dining establishment in New York. Because the restaurant community knew her well, however, Ruth decided to go in disguise. Instead of a sophisticated New Yorker, she dressed in a modest coat and went by the name “Molly.” “Molly” quickly found out what the restaurant thought of her. The staff ignored her. Then they made her wait for an hour. Finally, they seated her at a table right next to the coat rack. And her meal? It was cold and bland. A few nights later, Ruth went to the same restaurant, only this time she went as herself. And, of course, this time she received the royal treatment—truffles, champagne, the best of culinary mastery; and no coat rack. Armed with these two radically different experiences, Ruth Reichl wrote her review, and she did not hold back. She made clear the painful fact that the staff did not wish to serve everyone with the same level of excellence; that if you were not the right kind of person, this restaurant was not going to give you its best. In Isaiah chapter 25, God the Holy Spirit communicates that our delivery from sin is not just a doctrinal bullet point; it is an event for us to savor. He describes it as an exquisite meal: “A feast of rich food,” he says— “the best of meats and the finest of wines.” In addition, the Lord makes clear that this joyful reunion with him is “for all peoples”—for all who trust in the promised Savior. In this world, there will be times when we will feel ignored, dismissed, or out of place. But not in the great meal to come. There, in Christ, you belong. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for securing a place for me at your banquet. 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261012dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples…the best of meats and the finest of wines. Isaiah 25:6 For All In the world of fine dining, few writers have been more influential than restaurant reviewer Ruth Reichl. She is so respected that a single restaurant review from her can make or break a restaurant. Her most famous review was written in 1993 for a high-end dining establishment in New York. Because the restaurant community knew her well, however, Ruth decided to go in disguise. Instead of a sophisticated New Yorker, she dressed in a modest coat and went by the name “Molly.” “Molly” quickly found out what the restaurant thought of her. The staff ignored her. Then they made her wait for an hour. Finally, they seated her at a table right next to the coat rack. And her meal? It was cold and bland. A few nights later, Ruth went to the same restaurant, only this time she went as herself. And, of course, this time she received the royal treatment—truffles, champagne, the best of culinary mastery; and no coat rack. Armed with these two radically different experiences, Ruth Reichl wrote her review, and she did not hold back. She made clear the painful fact that the staff did not wish to serve everyone with the same level of excellence; that if you were not the right kind of person, this restaurant was not going to give you its best. In Isaiah chapter 25, God the Holy Spirit communicates that our delivery from sin is not just a doctrinal bullet point; it is an event for us to savor. He describes it as an exquisite meal: “A feast of rich food,” he says— “the best of meats and the finest of wines.” In addition, the Lord makes clear that this joyful reunion with him is “for all peoples”—for all who trust in the promised Savior. In this world, there will be times when we will feel ignored, dismissed, or out of place. But not in the great meal to come. There, in Christ, you belong. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for securing a place for me at your banquet. 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy Righteousness Revealed and Believed – October 11, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261011/ Sun, 11 Oct 2026 05:30:52 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61803 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261011/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261011/feed/ 0

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In the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:17

Righteousness Revealed and Believed

People often talk about “the big reveal.” Whether it is a home remodel, a full-body makeover, or a recently purchased car, people get excited to share news of their new things with family and friends. They enjoy sharing with others what has brought them joy.

In our Bible verse today, the apostle Paul talks about “a big reveal.” Far greater than anything in this world we can buy or refurbish, he talks about a truly amazing otherworldly thing God has revealed. It is his righteousness.

It is important to note that he’s not talking about the righteousness that God has because he is the all-holy, sin-free deity. In fact, talk of that kind of righteousness can only make unholy, sinful humans afraid if we take time to think about what that means for us. We stand convicted, condemned, and cursed because God is righteous and demands righteousness. We are not that, and we can’t produce it. The desires of our hearts, the thoughts of our minds, and the lives that we lead reveal that all too clearly.

Paul is talking about something else here. He tells us that a righteousness from God is revealed or made known in the gospel—the good news of Jesus Christ. It is a real righteousness God gives sinners through faith in Jesus, who lived and died for them. It is as though he says to you: “Because Jesus paid the price, you are no longer counted guilty! You are righteous in my sight.”

Such a truth and the life it promises come to us through faith. Be confident that the Lord has declared you righteous in and through Jesus. Live with peace, hope, and joy, knowing that in Jesus, God has revealed his own real righteousness for you.

Take a good look at and grab hold of this “big reveal,” and live with your hope for this life and the next one in Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord, I thank you for the gospel message through which you work faith in my heart. I thank you for declaring me righteous in your sight and for giving me true and lasting life 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:21 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261011dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:17 Righteousness Revealed and Believed People often talk about “the big reveal.” Whether it is a home remodel, a full-body makeover, or a recently purchased car, people get excited to share news of their new things with family and friends. They enjoy sharing with others what has brought them joy. In our Bible verse today, the apostle Paul talks about “a big reveal.” Far greater than anything in this world we can buy or refurbish, he talks about a truly amazing otherworldly thing God has revealed. It is his righteousness. It is important to note that he’s not talking about the righteousness that God has because he is the all-holy, sin-free deity. In fact, talk of that kind of righteousness can only make unholy, sinful humans afraid if we take time to think about what that means for us. We stand convicted, condemned, and cursed because God is righteous and demands righteousness. We are not that, and we can’t produce it. The desires of our hearts, the thoughts of our minds, and the lives that we lead reveal that all too clearly. Paul is talking about something else here. He tells us that a righteousness from God is revealed or made known in the gospel—the good news of Jesus Christ. It is a real righteousness God gives sinners through faith in Jesus, who lived and died for them. It is as though he says to you: “Because Jesus paid the price, you are no longer counted guilty! You are righteous in my sight.” Such a truth and the life it promises come to us through faith. Be confident that the Lord has declared you righteous in and through Jesus. Live with peace, hope, and joy, knowing that in Jesus, God has revealed his own real righteousness for you. Take a good look at and grab hold of this “big reveal,” and live with your hope for this life and the next one in Jesus. Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the gospel message through which you work faith in my heart. I thank you for declaring me righteous in your sight and for giving me true and lasting life 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261011dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:17 Righteousness Revealed and Believed People often talk about “the big reveal.” Whether it is a home remodel, a full-body makeover, or a recently purchased car, people get excited to share news of their new things with family and friends. They enjoy sharing with others what has brought them joy. In our Bible verse today, the apostle Paul talks about “a big reveal.” Far greater than anything in this world we can buy or refurbish, he talks about a truly amazing otherworldly thing God has revealed. It is his righteousness. It is important to note that he’s not talking about the righteousness that God has because he is the all-holy, sin-free deity. In fact, talk of that kind of righteousness can only make unholy, sinful humans afraid if we take time to think about what that means for us. We stand convicted, condemned, and cursed because God is righteous and demands righteousness. We are not that, and we can’t produce it. The desires of our hearts, the thoughts of our minds, and the lives that we lead reveal that all too clearly. Paul is talking about something else here. He tells us that a righteousness from God is revealed or made known in the gospel—the good news of Jesus Christ. It is a real righteousness God gives sinners through faith in Jesus, who lived and died for them. It is as though he says to you: “Because Jesus paid the price, you are no longer counted guilty! You are righteous in my sight.” Such a truth and the life it promises come to us through faith. Be confident that the Lord has declared you righteous in and through Jesus. Live with peace, hope, and joy, knowing that in Jesus, God has revealed his own real righteousness for you. Take a good look at and grab hold of this “big reveal,” and live with your hope for this life and the next one in Jesus. Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the gospel message through which you work faith in my heart. I thank you for declaring me righteous in your sight and for giving me true and lasting life 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy A Citizenship to Treasure – October 10, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261010/ Sat, 10 Oct 2026 05:30:59 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61630 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261010/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261010/feed/ 0

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Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:17-20

A Citizenship to Treasure

Roman army vets had retired to the Greek colony of Philippi. The Roman government gave these vets in Philippi special privileges because of their army service. The Roman government could not tax them directly. Their city government was run by Roman law. As Roman citizens they could not be punished without a fair trial. They were citizens of Rome, even though they lived in Philippi.

Paul reminded the Christians in Philippi of their even greater citizenship. Because of Jesus’ service, Christians are citizens of heaven. Jesus won our citizenship by completing his 33-year tour of duty as our Savior. He followed every rule and obeyed every command God gave him. He also “threw himself on” the cross to redeem us as a people belonging to him.

By faith we have citizenship with more privileges than Roman citizenship. We belong to a King who hears and answers our prayers, who works in all things for the good of those who love him, who will deliver us from this evil world and take us to himself in heaven. It’s a citizenship to treasure.

Prayer:

Jesus, Thank you for making me a citizen of heaven despite my sin. Thank you for forgiving me daily. Keep my eyes and my heart focused on the home you won for 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 2:47 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261010dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:17-20 A Citizenship to Treasure Roman army vets had retired to the Greek colony of Philippi. The Roman government gave these vets in Philippi special privileges because of their army service. The Roman government could not tax them directly. Their city government was run by Roman law. As Roman citizens they could not be punished without a fair trial. They were citizens of Rome, even though they lived in Philippi. Paul reminded the Christians in Philippi of their even greater citizenship. Because of Jesus’ service, Christians are citizens of heaven. Jesus won our citizenship by completing his 33-year tour of duty as our Savior. He followed every rule and obeyed every command God gave him. He also “threw himself on” the cross to redeem us as a people belonging to him. By faith we have citizenship with more privileges than Roman citizenship. We belong to a King who hears and answers our prayers, who works in all things for the good of those who love him, who will deliver us from this evil world and take us to himself in heaven. It’s a citizenship to treasure. Prayer: Jesus, Thank you for making me a citizen of heaven despite my sin. Thank you for forgiving me daily. Keep my eyes and my heart focused on the home you won for 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261010dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:17-20 A Citizenship to Treasure Roman army vets had retired to the Greek colony of Philippi. The Roman government gave these vets in Philippi special privileges because of their army service. The Roman government could not tax them directly. Their city government was run by Roman law. As Roman citizens they could not be punished without a fair trial. They were citizens of Rome, even though they lived in Philippi. Paul reminded the Christians in Philippi of their even greater citizenship. Because of Jesus’ service, Christians are citizens of heaven. Jesus won our citizenship by completing his 33-year tour of duty as our Savior. He followed every rule and obeyed every command God gave him. He also “threw himself on” the cross to redeem us as a people belonging to him. By faith we have citizenship with more privileges than Roman citizenship. We belong to a King who hears and answers our prayers, who works in all things for the good of those who love him, who will deliver us from this evil world and take us to himself in heaven. It’s a citizenship to treasure. Prayer: Jesus, Thank you for making me a citizen of heaven despite my sin. Thank you for forgiving me daily. Keep my eyes and my heart focused on the home you won for 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy From Rejection to Foundation – October 9, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261009/ Fri, 09 Oct 2026 05:30:17 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61629 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261009/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261009/feed/ 0

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Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’”?
Matthew 21:42

From Rejection to Foundation

Have you ever rejected something, only to discover later how important it really was?

Jesus used the picture of a building to teach us something about himself. He spoke of a stone that the builders rejected. They looked at it, decided it wasn’t useful, and cast it aside. But then something unexpected happened. The rejected stone became the cornerstone, the stone upon which the whole building would rest.

Jesus was talking about himself. The religious leaders were rejecting Jesus. They did not believe he was the Messiah God had promised. It looked like failure. Jesus appeared defeated. His enemies seemed to have won. The Son of God was hanging dead while his followers mourned.

But God had something else in mind. The rejected stone became the cornerstone. Jesus rose from the dead. The cross that looked like defeat became the place where Jesus paid for the sins of the world. The grave that appeared to be his end became the starting point of his victory over death.

And now Jesus is the foundation of everything that matters.

What are you building your life on? Success? It won’t last. Money? It can disappear. Health? It will eventually fail. Your own goodness? It will never be enough. If you build your hope on any of these things, your foundation will eventually crumble.

But Jesus is different. He has already done everything necessary for your salvation. He lived the perfect life you could not live. He died the death you deserved. He rose again so that you could have forgiveness, life, and salvation.

The world may still reject Jesus. People may still dismiss him as irrelevant or unnecessary. But God has made him the cornerstone. The One who was rejected has become the foundation of our faith. The One who was crucified is our risen Savior. The One whom the world cast aside has become our hope.

So, build your life on Christ. When everything else shakes, he remains. From rejection to foundation, that is what the Lord has done. And it is marvelous in our eyes.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, keep me solidly resting on 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:37 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261009dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’”? Matthew 21:42 From Rejection to Foundation Have you ever rejected something, only to discover later how important it really was? Jesus used the picture of a building to teach us something about himself. He spoke of a stone that the builders rejected. They looked at it, decided it wasn’t useful, and cast it aside. But then something unexpected happened. The rejected stone became the cornerstone, the stone upon which the whole building would rest. Jesus was talking about himself. The religious leaders were rejecting Jesus. They did not believe he was the Messiah God had promised. It looked like failure. Jesus appeared defeated. His enemies seemed to have won. The Son of God was hanging dead while his followers mourned. But God had something else in mind. The rejected stone became the cornerstone. Jesus rose from the dead. The cross that looked like defeat became the place where Jesus paid for the sins of the world. The grave that appeared to be his end became the starting point of his victory over death. And now Jesus is the foundation of everything that matters. What are you building your life on? Success? It won’t last. Money? It can disappear. Health? It will eventually fail. Your own goodness? It will never be enough. If you build your hope on any of these things, your foundation will eventually crumble. But Jesus is different. He has already done everything necessary for your salvation. He lived the perfect life you could not live. He died the death you deserved. He rose again so that you could have forgiveness, life, and salvation. The world may still reject Jesus. People may still dismiss him as irrelevant or unnecessary. But God has made him the cornerstone. The One who was rejected has become the foundation of our faith. The One who was crucified is our risen Savior. The One whom the world cast aside has become our hope. So, build your life on Christ. When everything else shakes, he remains. From rejection to foundation, that is what the Lord has done. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me solidly resting on 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261009dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’”? Matthew 21:42 From Rejection to Foundation Have you ever rejected something, only to discover later how important it really was? Jesus used the picture of a building to teach us something about himself. He spoke of a stone that the builders rejected. They looked at it, decided it wasn’t useful, and cast it aside. But then something unexpected happened. The rejected stone became the cornerstone, the stone upon which the whole building would rest. Jesus was talking about himself. The religious leaders were rejecting Jesus. They did not believe he was the Messiah God had promised. It looked like failure. Jesus appeared defeated. His enemies seemed to have won. The Son of God was hanging dead while his followers mourned. But God had something else in mind. The rejected stone became the cornerstone. Jesus rose from the dead. The cross that looked like defeat became the place where Jesus paid for the sins of the world. The grave that appeared to be his end became the starting point of his victory over death. And now Jesus is the foundation of everything that matters. What are you building your life on? Success? It won’t last. Money? It can disappear. Health? It will eventually fail. Your own goodness? It will never be enough. If you build your hope on any of these things, your foundation will eventually crumble. But Jesus is different. He has already done everything necessary for your salvation. He lived the perfect life you could not live. He died the death you deserved. He rose again so that you could have forgiveness, life, and salvation. The world may still reject Jesus. People may still dismiss him as irrelevant or unnecessary. But God has made him the cornerstone. The One who was rejected has become the foundation of our faith. The One who was crucified is our risen Savior. The One whom the world cast aside has become our hope. So, build your life on Christ. When everything else shakes, he remains. From rejection to foundation, that is what the Lord has done. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep me solidly resting on 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy When the son is the Son – October 8, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261008/ Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:30:40 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61617 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261008/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261008/feed/ 0

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Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
Matthew 21:37-39

When the son is the Son

Have you ever heard a story and then realized that the story was really about you?

Jesus tells a story about a vineyard owner who sends his servants to collect what belongs to him. The tenants beat one servant, kill another, and stone another. Finally, the owner sends his son. Surely they will respect him. But they don’t. The tenants recognize that he is the heir, and they decide to kill him. “Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.”

Jesus’ listeners would have understood the wickedness of such a plan. But there is something even more remarkable about this story. The son of the vineyard owner turns out to be more than a character in a parable. He is the Son of God.

Jesus is telling the story about himself. The vineyard is God’s people. The servants are the prophets whom God sent to call his people to repentance and faith. Again and again, God’s messengers were rejected. Finally, God sent his Son. And what did they do? They rejected him too.

The wicked tenants wanted the inheritance for themselves. We can recognize something of ourselves in them. We want to be in control. We want what belongs to God. We resist his Word when it calls us to repent and trust him.

But Jesus does not turn away. The Son of God goes to the cross willingly. He bears our rebellion, our rejection, and our sin. He is killed, but death cannot hold him. The rejected Son rises again. And now the story has a glorious ending. The Son who was rejected has become the Savior. The inheritance the tenants tried to steal is given freely to those who trust in him.

Jesus is not merely the son in a story. He is the Son of God, sent by the Father to save you. Trust him. And rejoice that the Son who was rejected has made you an heir of eternal life.

Prayer:

Show your face in mercy, Lord. May your people be restored. 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:26 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261008dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Matthew 21:37-39 When the son is the Son Have you ever heard a story and then realized that the story was really about you? Jesus tells a story about a vineyard owner who sends his servants to collect what belongs to him. The tenants beat one servant, kill another, and stone another. Finally, the owner sends his son. Surely they will respect him. But they don’t. The tenants recognize that he is the heir, and they decide to kill him. “Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.” Jesus’ listeners would have understood the wickedness of such a plan. But there is something even more remarkable about this story. The son of the vineyard owner turns out to be more than a character in a parable. He is the Son of God. Jesus is telling the story about himself. The vineyard is God’s people. The servants are the prophets whom God sent to call his people to repentance and faith. Again and again, God’s messengers were rejected. Finally, God sent his Son. And what did they do? They rejected him too. The wicked tenants wanted the inheritance for themselves. We can recognize something of ourselves in them. We want to be in control. We want what belongs to God. We resist his Word when it calls us to repent and trust him. But Jesus does not turn away. The Son of God goes to the cross willingly. He bears our rebellion, our rejection, and our sin. He is killed, but death cannot hold him. The rejected Son rises again. And now the story has a glorious ending. The Son who was rejected has become the Savior. The inheritance the tenants tried to steal is given freely to those who trust in him. Jesus is not merely the son in a story. He is the Son of God, sent by the Father to save you. Trust him. And rejoice that the Son who was rejected has made you an heir of eternal life. Prayer: Show your face in mercy, Lord. May your people be restored. 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261008dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Matthew 21:37-39 When the son is the Son Have you ever heard a story and then realized that the story was really about you? Jesus tells a story about a vineyard owner who sends his servants to collect what belongs to him. The tenants beat one servant, kill another, and stone another. Finally, the owner sends his son. Surely they will respect him. But they don’t. The tenants recognize that he is the heir, and they decide to kill him. “Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.” Jesus’ listeners would have understood the wickedness of such a plan. But there is something even more remarkable about this story. The son of the vineyard owner turns out to be more than a character in a parable. He is the Son of God. Jesus is telling the story about himself. The vineyard is God’s people. The servants are the prophets whom God sent to call his people to repentance and faith. Again and again, God’s messengers were rejected. Finally, God sent his Son. And what did they do? They rejected him too. The wicked tenants wanted the inheritance for themselves. We can recognize something of ourselves in them. We want to be in control. We want what belongs to God. We resist his Word when it calls us to repent and trust him. But Jesus does not turn away. The Son of God goes to the cross willingly. He bears our rebellion, our rejection, and our sin. He is killed, but death cannot hold him. The rejected Son rises again. And now the story has a glorious ending. The Son who was rejected has become the Savior. The inheritance the tenants tried to steal is given freely to those who trust in him. Jesus is not merely the son in a story. He is the Son of God, sent by the Father to save you. Trust him. And rejoice that the Son who was rejected has made you an heir of eternal life. Prayer: Show your face in mercy, Lord. May your people be restored. 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy A Glorified Body – October 7, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261007/ Wed, 07 Oct 2026 05:30:54 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61616 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261007/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261007/feed/ 0

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And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 3:20-21

A Glorified Body

What do you think about your body? Maybe you appreciate some things about it. Maybe there are things you wish you could change. Perhaps your body reminds you that you are getting older. Your strength isn’t what it used to be. Your eyesight isn’t as sharp. Your joints hurt. Your body gets tired. And eventually, our bodies grow old, become weak, suffer, and return to the dust from which God made us.

But death is not the end of the story. At the end of time, Jesus will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Think about that. The body you may sometimes wish you could change is the body God promises to raise. The body that becomes weak will be made strong. The body that suffers will be freed from pain. The body that grows old will be made new. The body that dies will live again.

And that glorified body will be like the glorious body of Jesus.

Look at Jesus after his resurrection. His disciples could see him. They could touch him. He ate with them. He was truly alive. His resurrection body was real, but it was no longer subject to death. Jesus rose never to die again.

That is the promise for you. Your hope is not that your soul will escape your body and live somewhere forever. Your hope is the resurrection. Jesus will raise your body from the grave and transform it by his almighty power.

Why can you trust that promise? Because Jesus has already done it. He died for your sins and rose from the dead. His empty tomb is God’s guarantee that death does not have the final word. The Savior who conquered death will return, and when he does, he will make all things new, including you. So don’t despair when your body grows weak. Don’t fear the grave. On judgment day, your body will be glorified, perfectly suited for eternal life with Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord, keep my body and soul safe for eternal life with you. Amen.

 

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:22 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261007dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21 A Glorified Body What do you think about your body? Maybe you appreciate some things about it. Maybe there are things you wish you could change. Perhaps your body reminds you that you are getting older. Your strength isn’t what it used to be. Your eyesight isn’t as sharp. Your joints hurt. Your body gets tired. And eventually, our bodies grow old, become weak, suffer, and return to the dust from which God made us. But death is not the end of the story. At the end of time, Jesus will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Think about that. The body you may sometimes wish you could change is the body God promises to raise. The body that becomes weak will be made strong. The body that suffers will be freed from pain. The body that grows old will be made new. The body that dies will live again. And that glorified body will be like the glorious body of Jesus. Look at Jesus after his resurrection. His disciples could see him. They could touch him. He ate with them. He was truly alive. His resurrection body was real, but it was no longer subject to death. Jesus rose never to die again. That is the promise for you. Your hope is not that your soul will escape your body and live somewhere forever. Your hope is the resurrection. Jesus will raise your body from the grave and transform it by his almighty power. Why can you trust that promise? Because Jesus has already done it. He died for your sins and rose from the dead. His empty tomb is God’s guarantee that death does not have the final word. The Savior who conquered death will return, and when he does, he will make all things new, including you. So don’t despair when your body grows weak. Don’t fear the grave. On judgment day, your body will be glorified, perfectly suited for eternal life with Jesus. Prayer: Lord, keep my body and soul safe for eternal life with you. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261007dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21 A Glorified Body What do you think about your body? Maybe you appreciate some things about it. Maybe there are things you wish you could change. Perhaps your body reminds you that you are getting older. Your strength isn’t what it used to be. Your eyesight isn’t as sharp. Your joints hurt. Your body gets tired. And eventually, our bodies grow old, become weak, suffer, and return to the dust from which God made us. But death is not the end of the story. At the end of time, Jesus will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Think about that. The body you may sometimes wish you could change is the body God promises to raise. The body that becomes weak will be made strong. The body that suffers will be freed from pain. The body that grows old will be made new. The body that dies will live again. And that glorified body will be like the glorious body of Jesus. Look at Jesus after his resurrection. His disciples could see him. They could touch him. He ate with them. He was truly alive. His resurrection body was real, but it was no longer subject to death. Jesus rose never to die again. That is the promise for you. Your hope is not that your soul will escape your body and live somewhere forever. Your hope is the resurrection. Jesus will raise your body from the grave and transform it by his almighty power. Why can you trust that promise? Because Jesus has already done it. He died for your sins and rose from the dead. His empty tomb is God’s guarantee that death does not have the final word. The Savior who conquered death will return, and when he does, he will make all things new, including you. So don’t despair when your body grows weak. Don’t fear the grave. On judgment day, your body will be glorified, perfectly suited for eternal life with Jesus. Prayer: Lord, keep my body and soul safe for eternal life with you. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy A Friend of the Cross of Christ – October 6, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261006/ Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:30:25 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61615 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261006/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261006/feed/ 0

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For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.
Philippians 3:18-20

A Friend of the Cross of Christ

Are you a friend of the cross of Christ? That might seem like an unusual question. After all, who would want to be friends with a cross? The cross was an instrument of suffering and death. Yet for Christians, the cross is the place where we see God’s greatest love.

The apostle Paul warns us about those who are “enemies of the cross of Christ.” They may not look like enemies. They may be religious. They may be successful. Others may admire them. But their lives are centered on themselves. Their god is their appetite. Their glory is found in things of which they should be ashamed. Their minds are fixed on earthly things.

Does that sound familiar? It can be easy for us to become enemies of the cross without realizing it. Whenever we make our own desires more important than God’s Word, we are turning away from the cross. Whenever we measure our worth by possessions, achievements, popularity, or pleasure, our hearts are looking in the wrong direction. Whenever we imagine that we can make ourselves acceptable to God, we have forgotten why Jesus went to the cross.

The cross tells us the truth about our sin. Our sin is serious. We could never make things right with God by ourselves. But the cross also tells us something far greater: Jesus has made things right for us.

At the cross, Jesus took our sin upon himself. He suffered the punishment we deserved. He gave his life in our place. He did not save us because we were good enough. He saved us because he is merciful. That is why Christians are friends of the cross.

We do not love the cross because suffering is good in itself. We love the cross because Jesus was there for us. The cross is where God’s justice and mercy meet. It is where our Savior paid the price for our salvation.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, teach me to look at the cross and see the heaven you won for 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:19 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261006dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. Philippians 3:18-20 A Friend of the Cross of Christ Are you a friend of the cross of Christ? That might seem like an unusual question. After all, who would want to be friends with a cross? The cross was an instrument of suffering and death. Yet for Christians, the cross is the place where we see God’s greatest love. The apostle Paul warns us about those who are “enemies of the cross of Christ.” They may not look like enemies. They may be religious. They may be successful. Others may admire them. But their lives are centered on themselves. Their god is their appetite. Their glory is found in things of which they should be ashamed. Their minds are fixed on earthly things. Does that sound familiar? It can be easy for us to become enemies of the cross without realizing it. Whenever we make our own desires more important than God’s Word, we are turning away from the cross. Whenever we measure our worth by possessions, achievements, popularity, or pleasure, our hearts are looking in the wrong direction. Whenever we imagine that we can make ourselves acceptable to God, we have forgotten why Jesus went to the cross. The cross tells us the truth about our sin. Our sin is serious. We could never make things right with God by ourselves. But the cross also tells us something far greater: Jesus has made things right for us. At the cross, Jesus took our sin upon himself. He suffered the punishment we deserved. He gave his life in our place. He did not save us because we were good enough. He saved us because he is merciful. That is why Christians are friends of the cross. We do not love the cross because suffering is good in itself. We love the cross because Jesus was there for us. The cross is where God’s justice and mercy meet. It is where our Savior paid the price for our salvation. Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me to look at the cross and see the heaven you won for 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261006dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. Philippians 3:18-20 A Friend of the Cross of Christ Are you a friend of the cross of Christ? That might seem like an unusual question. After all, who would want to be friends with a cross? The cross was an instrument of suffering and death. Yet for Christians, the cross is the place where we see God’s greatest love. The apostle Paul warns us about those who are “enemies of the cross of Christ.” They may not look like enemies. They may be religious. They may be successful. Others may admire them. But their lives are centered on themselves. Their god is their appetite. Their glory is found in things of which they should be ashamed. Their minds are fixed on earthly things. Does that sound familiar? It can be easy for us to become enemies of the cross without realizing it. Whenever we make our own desires more important than God’s Word, we are turning away from the cross. Whenever we measure our worth by possessions, achievements, popularity, or pleasure, our hearts are looking in the wrong direction. Whenever we imagine that we can make ourselves acceptable to God, we have forgotten why Jesus went to the cross. The cross tells us the truth about our sin. Our sin is serious. We could never make things right with God by ourselves. But the cross also tells us something far greater: Jesus has made things right for us. At the cross, Jesus took our sin upon himself. He suffered the punishment we deserved. He gave his life in our place. He did not save us because we were good enough. He saved us because he is merciful. That is why Christians are friends of the cross. We do not love the cross because suffering is good in itself. We love the cross because Jesus was there for us. The cross is where God’s justice and mercy meet. It is where our Savior paid the price for our salvation. Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me to look at the cross and see the heaven you won for 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy Heading Toward the Goal – October 5, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261005/ Mon, 05 Oct 2026 05:30:54 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61613 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261005/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261005/feed/ 0

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Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Philippians 3:12

Heading Toward the Goal

Where are you headed? That may be a simple question, but it is an important one. Every day, we are headed somewhere. We have appointments to keep, work to finish, errands to run, and places to go.

The same is true of our life with Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote, “I press on.” He knew where he was headed. Yet Paul was also honest enough to admit that he had not arrived. He had not already obtained everything God had promised. That is good news for us because we have not arrived either.

Sometimes we may look at our Christian life and become discouraged. We still struggle with the same sins. We still lose our patience. We still worry. We still put ourselves first. We still fail to love God and our neighbor as we should. If our goal were perfection by our own effort, we would have no hope.

But notice Paul’s reason for pressing on: “because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

Jesus is the reason we keep going. The Christian life is not a race in which we run fast enough to earn God’s love. Jesus has already accomplished what we could never accomplish. He lived the perfect life we have failed to live. He died on the cross to forgive our sins. He rose from the grave to give us the certain hope of eternal life. Through faith, we belong to him.

That changes how we travel toward the goal. We do not press on to become Christ’s own. We press on because we already are Christ’s own.

So today, keep heading toward the goal. When you stumble, hear God’s promise of forgiveness. When you become discouraged, look again to the cross. When you are tempted to turn aside, listen to Jesus’ Word and follow him. When the road seems long, remember where you are going.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, keep my eyes on the finish line as I follow you through 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:05 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261005dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12 Heading Toward the Goal Where are you headed? That may be a simple question, but it is an important one. Every day, we are headed somewhere. We have appointments to keep, work to finish, errands to run, and places to go. The same is true of our life with Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote, “I press on.” He knew where he was headed. Yet Paul was also honest enough to admit that he had not arrived. He had not already obtained everything God had promised. That is good news for us because we have not arrived either. Sometimes we may look at our Christian life and become discouraged. We still struggle with the same sins. We still lose our patience. We still worry. We still put ourselves first. We still fail to love God and our neighbor as we should. If our goal were perfection by our own effort, we would have no hope. But notice Paul’s reason for pressing on: “because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Jesus is the reason we keep going. The Christian life is not a race in which we run fast enough to earn God’s love. Jesus has already accomplished what we could never accomplish. He lived the perfect life we have failed to live. He died on the cross to forgive our sins. He rose from the grave to give us the certain hope of eternal life. Through faith, we belong to him. That changes how we travel toward the goal. We do not press on to become Christ’s own. We press on because we already are Christ’s own. So today, keep heading toward the goal. When you stumble, hear God’s promise of forgiveness. When you become discouraged, look again to the cross. When you are tempted to turn aside, listen to Jesus’ Word and follow him. When the road seems long, remember where you are going. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep my eyes on the finish line as I follow you through 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261005dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12 Heading Toward the Goal Where are you headed? That may be a simple question, but it is an important one. Every day, we are headed somewhere. We have appointments to keep, work to finish, errands to run, and places to go. The same is true of our life with Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote, “I press on.” He knew where he was headed. Yet Paul was also honest enough to admit that he had not arrived. He had not already obtained everything God had promised. That is good news for us because we have not arrived either. Sometimes we may look at our Christian life and become discouraged. We still struggle with the same sins. We still lose our patience. We still worry. We still put ourselves first. We still fail to love God and our neighbor as we should. If our goal were perfection by our own effort, we would have no hope. But notice Paul’s reason for pressing on: “because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Jesus is the reason we keep going. The Christian life is not a race in which we run fast enough to earn God’s love. Jesus has already accomplished what we could never accomplish. He lived the perfect life we have failed to live. He died on the cross to forgive our sins. He rose from the grave to give us the certain hope of eternal life. Through faith, we belong to him. That changes how we travel toward the goal. We do not press on to become Christ’s own. We press on because we already are Christ’s own. So today, keep heading toward the goal. When you stumble, hear God’s promise of forgiveness. When you become discouraged, look again to the cross. When you are tempted to turn aside, listen to Jesus’ Word and follow him. When the road seems long, remember where you are going. Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep my eyes on the finish line as I follow you through 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy Repent and Live! – October 4, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261004/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 05:30:24 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61510 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261004/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261004/feed/ 0

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[Jesus said] “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”
Matthew 21:28-32

Repent and Live!

By sharing this dramatic parable, Jesus was being quite gracious. He was calling his hearers to repentance. These were people who claimed to be willing to obey God but weren’t doing so. They put on a good show. Jesus wanted them to understand that what God is looking for is not lip service. He is looking for repentance. He is looking for people to admit their failure to follow God’s will, trust that he will be merciful, and then truly follow his will rather than merely make empty promises.

As we listen to this parable, remember God is giving us the opportunity to consider which of the two sons we are. Through the Holy Spirit, we are led to see our sin, to repent, to confess our sin, and to trust Jesus as our Savior. Such is the only path that leads to eternal life. May we realize this each day and rejoice in our gracious Savior.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for leading me to repent of my sins. Help me to turn from sinful thoughts, words, and deeds so that I reflect my love for you in all I think, say, and do. 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 2:51 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261004dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.” Matthew 21:28-32 Repent and Live! By sharing this dramatic parable, Jesus was being quite gracious. He was calling his hearers to repentance. These were people who claimed to be willing to obey God but weren’t doing so. They put on a good show. Jesus wanted them to understand that what God is looking for is not lip service. He is looking for repentance. He is looking for people to admit their failure to follow God’s will, trust that he will be merciful, and then truly follow his will rather than merely make empty promises. As we listen to this parable, remember God is giving us the opportunity to consider which of the two sons we are. Through the Holy Spirit, we are led to see our sin, to repent, to confess our sin, and to trust Jesus as our Savior. Such is the only path that leads to eternal life. May we realize this each day and rejoice in our gracious Savior. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for leading me to repent of my sins. Help me to turn from sinful thoughts, words, and deeds so that I reflect my love for you in all I think, say, and do. 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261004dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.” Matthew 21:28-32 Repent and Live! By sharing this dramatic parable, Jesus was being quite gracious. He was calling his hearers to repentance. These were people who claimed to be willing to obey God but weren’t doing so. They put on a good show. Jesus wanted them to understand that what God is looking for is not lip service. He is looking for repentance. He is looking for people to admit their failure to follow God’s will, trust that he will be merciful, and then truly follow his will rather than merely make empty promises. As we listen to this parable, remember God is giving us the opportunity to consider which of the two sons we are. Through the Holy Spirit, we are led to see our sin, to repent, to confess our sin, and to trust Jesus as our Savior. Such is the only path that leads to eternal life. May we realize this each day and rejoice in our gracious Savior. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for leading me to repent of my sins. Help me to turn from sinful thoughts, words, and deeds so that I reflect my love for you in all I think, say, and do. 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy Unimaginable Humility – October 3, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261003/ Sat, 03 Oct 2026 05:30:22 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61518 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261003/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261003/feed/ 0

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[Jesus Christ] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:8-11

Unimaginable Humility

A homeless man sits next to the exhaust vent at the local dry cleaners. It’s a good spot, one of the best in town for staying warm through a brisk fall night. As a local lawyer arrives to pick up his suits from the previous week, he reaches into his pocket and hands the homeless man a $20 bill. A couple of hours later, an investment banker comes by and invites the man to lunch. He spends a good hour talking to the man, and of course, picks up the tab. Later in the day a woman pulls up in her Mercedes and sees the man taking a nap. She gently nudges him on the shoulder and asks him his name. She then gives him the keys to her Mercedes and tells him that the garage door opener is on the visor and that her purse with all her cash, credit cards, and account numbers is on the passenger seat. He can have it all, if only she can have his cardboard seat cushion and spot next to the exhaust fan.

The first two scenarios are believable. The last one is unimaginable. Yet, Jesus Christ did something even more inconceivable. He left God’s side in the heavenly realms to be born into our world as a human being. He made himself nothing so that we could be something. He took on our nature, carried our sins, and suffered on the cross, so that we could be with him forever. Jesus did this not only to be the greatest example of humility, but to offer his life for sinners—to give his righteousness for our unrighteousness.

Jesus has done it all. Now those who live in his kingdom of grace and mercy are called to imitate his humility in their lives. How might you do that today?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, send your Holy Spirit into my heart and comfort me with your love, so that I can imitate your humility in my everyday 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:14 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261003dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus Christ] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11 Unimaginable Humility A homeless man sits next to the exhaust vent at the local dry cleaners. It’s a good spot, one of the best in town for staying warm through a brisk fall night. As a local lawyer arrives to pick up his suits from the previous week, he reaches into his pocket and hands the homeless man a $20 bill. A couple of hours later, an investment banker comes by and invites the man to lunch. He spends a good hour talking to the man, and of course, picks up the tab. Later in the day a woman pulls up in her Mercedes and sees the man taking a nap. She gently nudges him on the shoulder and asks him his name. She then gives him the keys to her Mercedes and tells him that the garage door opener is on the visor and that her purse with all her cash, credit cards, and account numbers is on the passenger seat. He can have it all, if only she can have his cardboard seat cushion and spot next to the exhaust fan. The first two scenarios are believable. The last one is unimaginable. Yet, Jesus Christ did something even more inconceivable. He left God’s side in the heavenly realms to be born into our world as a human being. He made himself nothing so that we could be something. He took on our nature, carried our sins, and suffered on the cross, so that we could be with him forever. Jesus did this not only to be the greatest example of humility, but to offer his life for sinners—to give his righteousness for our unrighteousness. Jesus has done it all. Now those who live in his kingdom of grace and mercy are called to imitate his humility in their lives. How might you do that today? Prayer: Dear Jesus, send your Holy Spirit into my heart and comfort me with your love, so that I can imitate your humility in my everyday 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261003dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus Christ] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11 Unimaginable Humility A homeless man sits next to the exhaust vent at the local dry cleaners. It’s a good spot, one of the best in town for staying warm through a brisk fall night. As a local lawyer arrives to pick up his suits from the previous week, he reaches into his pocket and hands the homeless man a $20 bill. A couple of hours later, an investment banker comes by and invites the man to lunch. He spends a good hour talking to the man, and of course, picks up the tab. Later in the day a woman pulls up in her Mercedes and sees the man taking a nap. She gently nudges him on the shoulder and asks him his name. She then gives him the keys to her Mercedes and tells him that the garage door opener is on the visor and that her purse with all her cash, credit cards, and account numbers is on the passenger seat. He can have it all, if only she can have his cardboard seat cushion and spot next to the exhaust fan. The first two scenarios are believable. The last one is unimaginable. Yet, Jesus Christ did something even more inconceivable. He left God’s side in the heavenly realms to be born into our world as a human being. He made himself nothing so that we could be something. He took on our nature, carried our sins, and suffered on the cross, so that we could be with him forever. Jesus did this not only to be the greatest example of humility, but to offer his life for sinners—to give his righteousness for our unrighteousness. Jesus has done it all. Now those who live in his kingdom of grace and mercy are called to imitate his humility in their lives. How might you do that today? Prayer: Dear Jesus, send your Holy Spirit into my heart and comfort me with your love, so that I can imitate your humility in my everyday 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy There’s No Denying It! – October 2, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261002/ Fri, 02 Oct 2026 05:30:07 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61517 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261002/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261002/feed/ 0

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That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:10-11

There’s No Denying It!

“There’s no denying it. He’s the best there ever is, the best there ever was, the best there ever will be.” Do you ever find yourself making statements like this? It happens all the time with sports fans. For example, who is the greatest basketball player of all time? Jordan? Kobe? LeBron? Fans will argue whatever data fits their side. “He had more championships” or “The league was tougher during that era” or whatever else they can think of. But whether we’re talking about sports, military generals, brainiacs, or business tycoons, there isn’t anyone that EVERYONE agrees is, was, and always will be the greatest of all time.

To be honest, the same is true even when it comes to religion. Every religion promotes its teaching or its figurehead as the best. As a Christian, it’s not a secret that I say that about Jesus. Hands down, without a doubt in my mind and heart, Jesus is the best. But let me plead my case. Jesus did what no one else could possibly do. Jesus lived a flawless life, a life of complete perfection, a life that he gave up so that his perfection could be gifted to you and me. However, Jesus didn’t stay dead. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave and walked out of his tomb, alive. He defeated death, an enemy that no man could but he, the God-Man, did.

Until Jesus returns, religious people will continue to make their claims about their side being right and others being wrong. But there will come a day when there will be no denying it—Jesus is the best.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, keep me faithful in confessing your name until the day when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that you are Lord. 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 2:54 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261002dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11 There’s No Denying It! “There’s no denying it. He’s the best there ever is, the best there ever was, the best there ever will be.” Do you ever find yourself making statements like this? It happens all the time with sports fans. For example, who is the greatest basketball player of all time? Jordan? Kobe? LeBron? Fans will argue whatever data fits their side. “He had more championships” or “The league was tougher during that era” or whatever else they can think of. But whether we’re talking about sports, military generals, brainiacs, or business tycoons, there isn’t anyone that EVERYONE agrees is, was, and always will be the greatest of all time. To be honest, the same is true even when it comes to religion. Every religion promotes its teaching or its figurehead as the best. As a Christian, it’s not a secret that I say that about Jesus. Hands down, without a doubt in my mind and heart, Jesus is the best. But let me plead my case. Jesus did what no one else could possibly do. Jesus lived a flawless life, a life of complete perfection, a life that he gave up so that his perfection could be gifted to you and me. However, Jesus didn’t stay dead. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave and walked out of his tomb, alive. He defeated death, an enemy that no man could but he, the God-Man, did. Until Jesus returns, religious people will continue to make their claims about their side being right and others being wrong. But there will come a day when there will be no denying it—Jesus is the best. Prayer: Dear Jesus, keep me faithful in confessing your name until the day when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that you are Lord. 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261002dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11 There’s No Denying It! “There’s no denying it. He’s the best there ever is, the best there ever was, the best there ever will be.” Do you ever find yourself making statements like this? It happens all the time with sports fans. For example, who is the greatest basketball player of all time? Jordan? Kobe? LeBron? Fans will argue whatever data fits their side. “He had more championships” or “The league was tougher during that era” or whatever else they can think of. But whether we’re talking about sports, military generals, brainiacs, or business tycoons, there isn’t anyone that EVERYONE agrees is, was, and always will be the greatest of all time. To be honest, the same is true even when it comes to religion. Every religion promotes its teaching or its figurehead as the best. As a Christian, it’s not a secret that I say that about Jesus. Hands down, without a doubt in my mind and heart, Jesus is the best. But let me plead my case. Jesus did what no one else could possibly do. Jesus lived a flawless life, a life of complete perfection, a life that he gave up so that his perfection could be gifted to you and me. However, Jesus didn’t stay dead. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave and walked out of his tomb, alive. He defeated death, an enemy that no man could but he, the God-Man, did. Until Jesus returns, religious people will continue to make their claims about their side being right and others being wrong. But there will come a day when there will be no denying it—Jesus is the best. Prayer: Dear Jesus, keep me faithful in confessing your name until the day when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that you are Lord. 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy A Name Above All Others – October 1, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261001/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:30:52 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61516 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261001/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20261001/feed/ 0

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Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.
Philippians 2:9

A Name Above All Others

A podcast I listen to regularly takes the time every week to read a Medal of Honor citation. The Medal of Honor is given for acts of valor, acts so heroic that the recipient often lost his life for his actions on the battlefield to save his fellow soldiers. I appreciate taking the time to hear those names and what they did. It allows me to reflect and give thanks to God for the many who have sacrificed so much for my peace and prosperity.

In our Bible verse today, we are reminded of a name that cannot and will not be forgotten, a “name that is above every name,” the name Jesus. This name literally means, “God saves.”

Jesus saved you and me not just with one act of valor. No, it was a lifetime! He did what we couldn’t even imagine. He lived his life perfectly. He never allowed his heart to lust. He never took something that didn’t belong to him. He never threw a punch in a burst of anger or even uttered a word out of hate. He never told a lie to hide imperfection. He didn’t have any. He never whispered gossip about another to make himself feel more important. Not once. He was and is perfect.

But then he did something even more amazing: he let himself be killed on a cross so that his perfect life would be gifted to you and to me. He died so that when God looked at us, God wouldn’t see our guilt and shame. No, he would only see the perfection of Jesus.

Talk about an act of valor! What a name! What a Savior! What a gift we have been given! May we cherish Jesus every single day! May we never forget that because of his sacrifice we have been saved from an eternity of pain. And with each day God gives us, may we honor him in the way we live.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, you humbled yourself for me and are now exalted above all. Keep me humble in service and confident in your 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.

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]]> 1 1 full 3:11 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261001dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:9 A Name Above All Others A podcast I listen to regularly takes the time every week to read a Medal of Honor citation. The Medal of Honor is given for acts of valor, acts so heroic that the recipient often lost his life for his actions on the battlefield to save his fellow soldiers. I appreciate taking the time to hear those names and what they did. It allows me to reflect and give thanks to God for the many who have sacrificed so much for my peace and prosperity. In our Bible verse today, we are reminded of a name that cannot and will not be forgotten, a “name that is above every name,” the name Jesus. This name literally means, “God saves.” Jesus saved you and me not just with one act of valor. No, it was a lifetime! He did what we couldn’t even imagine. He lived his life perfectly. He never allowed his heart to lust. He never took something that didn’t belong to him. He never threw a punch in a burst of anger or even uttered a word out of hate. He never told a lie to hide imperfection. He didn’t have any. He never whispered gossip about another to make himself feel more important. Not once. He was and is perfect. But then he did something even more amazing: he let himself be killed on a cross so that his perfect life would be gifted to you and to me. He died so that when God looked at us, God wouldn’t see our guilt and shame. No, he would only see the perfection of Jesus. Talk about an act of valor! What a name! What a Savior! What a gift we have been given! May we cherish Jesus every single day! May we never forget that because of his sacrifice we have been saved from an eternity of pain. And with each day God gives us, may we honor him in the way we live. Prayer: Dear Jesus, you humbled yourself for me and are now exalted above all. Keep me humble in service and confident in your 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20261001dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:9 A Name Above All Others A podcast I listen to regularly takes the time every week to read a Medal of Honor citation. The Medal of Honor is given for acts of valor, acts so heroic that the recipient often lost his life for his actions on the battlefield to save his fellow soldiers. I appreciate taking the time to hear those names and what they did. It allows me to reflect and give thanks to God for the many who have sacrificed so much for my peace and prosperity. In our Bible verse today, we are reminded of a name that cannot and will not be forgotten, a “name that is above every name,” the name Jesus. This name literally means, “God saves.” Jesus saved you and me not just with one act of valor. No, it was a lifetime! He did what we couldn’t even imagine. He lived his life perfectly. He never allowed his heart to lust. He never took something that didn’t belong to him. He never threw a punch in a burst of anger or even uttered a word out of hate. He never told a lie to hide imperfection. He didn’t have any. He never whispered gossip about another to make himself feel more important. Not once. He was and is perfect. But then he did something even more amazing: he let himself be killed on a cross so that his perfect life would be gifted to you and to me. He died so that when God looked at us, God wouldn’t see our guilt and shame. No, he would only see the perfection of Jesus. Talk about an act of valor! What a name! What a Savior! What a gift we have been given! May we cherish Jesus every single day! May we never forget that because of his sacrifice we have been saved from an eternity of pain. And with each day God gives us, may we honor him in the way we live. Prayer: Dear Jesus, you humbled yourself for me and are now exalted above all. Keep me humble in service and confident in your 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy I Yield – September 30, 2026 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20260930/ Wed, 30 Sep 2026 05:30:25 +0000 https://wels.net/?post_type=dev-daily&p=61515 https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20260930/#respond https://wels.net/dev-daily/dd20260930/feed/ 0

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In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8

I Yield

When my kids were little, I loved roughhousing. ‘Daddy! Daddy! Let’s wrestle!’ they would squeal and giggle. I would body slam, clothesline, piledrive, you name it, and they would tackle and tug with all the might and strength a toddler could muster. Usually, once I tuckered them out, they would pin me down and declare themselves the kings and queens of the ring. I miss those days.

Just for the record, and you’ll have to take my word for it, I could’ve beaten them any time, every time. I outweighed them by two hundred pounds. If it were a real fight, they wouldn’t have had a chance. But I yielded. I let them win. I let myself be overpowered.

When I read our Bible passage today, I think back to those times when I would roughhouse and wrestle with my kids. Jesus didn’t need to submit himself to torture and execution. Jesus didn’t need to let himself be swallowed up by death. But Jesus allowed himself to die so that you and I would be saved from eternal death. He allowed himself to “lose” so that you and I could shout with joy that victory over the grave is ours! He yielded. That’s the best news you’ll hear all day!

In your relationships, reflect the attitude of Jesus. Because Jesus has served you by saving you, serve others. And when they ask why, you can tell them what Jesus has done for you and for them.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you are true God, yet you made yourself nothing and went to the cross for me. Forgive me for my stubborn pride. Fill my heart so that I may have the same mindset you displayed—willing to serve, willing to put others first, willing to follow you in humble 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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
]]> 1 1 full 3:11 whataboutjesus@wels.net (WELS)nohttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260930dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8 I Yield When my kids were little, I loved roughhousing. ‘Daddy! Daddy! Let’s wrestle!’ they would squeal and giggle. I would body slam, clothesline, piledrive, you name it, and they would tackle and tug with all the might and strength a toddler could muster. Usually, once I tuckered them out, they would pin me down and declare themselves the kings and queens of the ring. I miss those days. Just for the record, and you’ll have to take my word for it, I could’ve beaten them any time, every time. I outweighed them by two hundred pounds. If it were a real fight, they wouldn’t have had a chance. But I yielded. I let them win. I let myself be overpowered. When I read our Bible passage today, I think back to those times when I would roughhouse and wrestle with my kids. Jesus didn’t need to submit himself to torture and execution. Jesus didn’t need to let himself be swallowed up by death. But Jesus allowed himself to die so that you and I would be saved from eternal death. He allowed himself to “lose” so that you and I could shout with joy that victory over the grave is ours! He yielded. That’s the best news you’ll hear all day! In your relationships, reflect the attitude of Jesus. Because Jesus has served you by saving you, serve others. And when they ask why, you can tell them what Jesus has done for you and for them. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are true God, yet you made yourself nothing and went to the cross for me. Forgive me for my stubborn pride. Fill my heart so that I may have the same mindset you displayed—willing to serve, willing to put others first, willing to follow you in humble 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.WELShttps://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260930dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8 I Yield When my kids were little, I loved roughhousing. ‘Daddy! Daddy! Let’s wrestle!’ they would squeal and giggle. I would body slam, clothesline, piledrive, you name it, and they would tackle and tug with all the might and strength a toddler could muster. Usually, once I tuckered them out, they would pin me down and declare themselves the kings and queens of the ring. I miss those days. Just for the record, and you’ll have to take my word for it, I could’ve beaten them any time, every time. I outweighed them by two hundred pounds. If it were a real fight, they wouldn’t have had a chance. But I yielded. I let them win. I let myself be overpowered. When I read our Bible passage today, I think back to those times when I would roughhouse and wrestle with my kids. Jesus didn’t need to submit himself to torture and execution. Jesus didn’t need to let himself be swallowed up by death. But Jesus allowed himself to die so that you and I would be saved from eternal death. He allowed himself to “lose” so that you and I could shout with joy that victory over the grave is ours! He yielded. That’s the best news you’ll hear all day! In your relationships, reflect the attitude of Jesus. Because Jesus has served you by saving you, serve others. And when they ask why, you can tell them what Jesus has done for you and for them. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are true God, yet you made yourself nothing and went to the cross for me. Forgive me for my stubborn pride. Fill my heart so that I may have the same mindset you displayed—willing to serve, willing to put others first, willing to follow you in humble 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.devotion,message,scripture,podcast,meditation,god,jesus,christ,savior,inspiration,encouragment,forgiveness,communion,baptism,sin,grace,blessing,loneliness,grief,pain,easter,christmas,lent,hope,strength,life,eternal,peace,kingdom,glory,praise,pray,joy