Promise for Today - Practical Ways to Show Mercy

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 5:7 (NLT)

God extends his mercy to us, even though we don’t deserve it and can’t earn it. All we have to do is ask for it: “O Lord, you are so good and kind, so ready to forgive, so full of mercy for all who ask your aid” (Psalm 86:5 TLB).

How can you be merciful to others as God is merciful to you? Here are seven practical ways to demonstrate mercy in your life:

Be patient with people’s quirks. 

What person in your life has irritating quirks? How can you practice patience with them this week?

Help anyone around you who is hurting. 

Who around you is obviously hurting? What’s one specific way you can help that person? If you can’t think of anybody, then you’re not paying attention. Look closer!

Give people a second chance. 

Who do you need to give a second chance to? How can you put aside your own pain and give someone who’s hurt you a clean slate?

Do good to those who hurt you. 

Maybe you’re suffering from an old wound that you have not been able to let go of. You need to forgive and then turn it around for good. Who is that person in your life? How can you reach out to them in some way this week?

Be kind to those who offend you. 

Who offends you? Maybe it’s someone in the public eye. Maybe it’s a friend who has different views and says some pretty offensive things on social media. How can you be intentional about showing kindness to people who offend you?

Build bridges of love to the unpopular. 

When you think of an outcast, who is the first person that comes to mind? Who spends their lunch breaks eating alone or doesn’t seem to have any friends at soccer games? What specific thing can you do to bridge the gap between you and that person?

Value relationships over rules. 

Who is an unbeliever you could spend intentional time with over the next few weeks? Then consider inviting that person to church. This is your ministry of mercy.

Take some time to reflect on your answers today—that’s where you can begin showing mercy. God has already shown you mercy, and as you extend it to others, you’ll experience it in new ways.

Talk It Over

Which of these seven ways to show mercy comes most naturally to you?

Which of the seven ways to show mercy is most difficult for you? Why do you think that is?

How has someone shown mercy to you? What difference has it made in your life?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          You have shown us mercy beyond measure, forgiving our faults and embracing us with grace. 
Teach our hearts to mirror Your kindness, so that we may see others through eyes of compassion. When we are tempted to judge, remind us of the patience You have shown us. When we are hurt, help us to choose forgiveness over resentment. When we feel weary, renew our spirit to love without limits. Let our words bring healing; let our actions reflect understanding. Let Your love shine through us as a safe haven for the broken.  Shape us into a vessel of Your mercy, so that through us, others may encounter Your love.  In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Agents of Mercy

The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy.

James 3:17 (NLT)

Would you like to see your relationships transformed? Then become an agent of mercy.

Here are seven characteristics of mercy that God wants us to learn and apply in our lives:

1. Mercy means being patient with people’s quirks.
How do you become more patient with your kids, spouse, coworkers, or friends? You ask God for his wisdom. The Bible says in James 3:17, "But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere." (NLT).

2. Mercy means helping anyone around you who is hurting.
You cannot love your neighbor as yourself without being merciful. Proverbs 3:27 says, “Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it” (GNT)—and when showing mercy, “do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:8 NIV).

3. Mercy means giving people a second chance.
When somebody hurts us, it’s normal to want to get even or write that person off. But the Bible says, “Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others . . . Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ” (Ephesians 4:31-32 CEV).

4. Mercy means doing good to those who hurt you.
Mercy is giving people what they need, not what they deserve, because that’s what God does with us: “Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. . . . Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36 NIV).

5. Mercy means being kind to those who offend you.
You’ve got to be more interested in winning people to Christ than in winning the argument. Jude 1:22-23 says, “Show mercy to those who have doubts . . . even though you are afraid that you might be stained by their sinful lives” (GW).

6. Mercy means building bridges of love to the unpopular.
When the Pharisees questioned why Jesus ate with tax collectors and other unpopular people, Jesus said, “‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Matthew 9:13 NLT).

7. Mercy means valuing relationships over rules.
Romans 13:10 says, “Love fulfills the requirements of God’s law” (NLT). If you want to show mercy, put people before policies; put others’ needs before procedures; put relationships before regulations. Choose love over law.

Showing mercy doesn’t always come naturally. And so, in tomorrow’s devotional, we’ll discuss specific ways you can demonstrate mercy in your own life.

Talk It Over

Why do we so often try to win the argument instead of trying to win people to Christ?

If mercy means valuing relationships over rules, what do you need to change about the way you interact with your spouse, children, coworkers, or those with different political beliefs?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

         Fill our hearts with Your tenderness, that we may see others through eyes of understanding, not judgment. Teach us to listen with patience, to forgive without keeping count, and to offer kindness even when it is not returned. When we are tempted to turn away, remind us of the mercy You have shown to us.  Let our words bring comfort, our hands bring help, and Your presence bring peace. May our lives be a reflection of Your boundless love, so that mercy flows from us as naturally as breath. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Blessed are the Merciful

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 5:7 (NLT)

If you want to live the kind of life God blesses, then you’ve got to learn to be a minister of mercy. That’s how he wired life to work.

But why does God expect you to show mercy to others? Why should you be merciful? Because God has shown you mercy. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “God’s mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great, that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought us to life with Christ. It is by God’s grace that you have been saved” (GNT).

God wants you to pass on the mercy that you’ve received from him.

Because God commands you to be merciful. Do you want a summary of what life’s all about? Here it is: “The Lord has told you what is good. This is what the Lord requires from you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8 GW).

Because you’re going to need more mercy in the future. Between now and when you get to heaven, you’re going to make a lot of mistakes—and you’ll need God’s mercy when you do! So don’t withhold it from others. James 2:13 says, “You must show mercy to others, or God will not show mercy to you when he judges you. But the person who shows mercy can stand without fear at the judgment” (NCV).

Because showing mercy leads to happiness. Look again at Matthew 5:7. It says that God blesses those who are merciful. The word “blessed” also means “happy.” So the more you learn and demonstrate mercy, the more blessed and happier you’re going to be.

If you want to start giving and receiving more mercy, pray this prayer today:

“Heavenly Father, when I look at the sin and shortcomings in my own life, I’m so grateful for the mercy you have given me. I want to become a merciful person and to give others the same mercy you’ve given me. Give me courage to offer mercy, even in hurtful and painful situations. And let my acts of mercy point others to you. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen."

Talk It Over

What does it mean to “love mercy,” as Micah 6:8 says?

How has God blessed you when you’ve shown mercy to others, even when it’s been difficult?

Think of some ways that you could have shown mercy to others in the last week. How might that have changed the outcome of a specific situation?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father:

           We need Your grace to love others as You have loved us. If there is hurt, bring healing. Where there is misunderstanding, bring clarity. Fill our hearts with patience, kindness, and humility so that we reflect You and Your love in all our relationships. Strengthen the bonds that honor You and remove anything that hinders Your will in us. We want to walk according to Your Word to be kind and compassionate, forgiving each other, just as You forgive us. We ask for Your mercy and Your strength to let go of any bitterness and pain. Heal our hearts and teach us how to extend grace to all others. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Held Hostage

Love is . . . never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 TLB

One of the best things you can do for your family and friends is to show them mercy. Mercy is love in action. So when you overlook irritations and choose to be kind to those closest to you—even when they don’t deserve it—you’re being merciful. 

Another important way you can show mercy is to let go of past hurts. Do you keep a mental record every time someone in your family does something wrong? Are you quick to remind a friend of how they’ve hurt you? The Bible says that real love doesn’t store up hurts and offenses to be used later for revenge. When you hold on to a hurt like that, you are not being loving.

In today's text, notice how “rude” and “does not hold grudges” appear in the same passage. That’s why people are rude: they’re reacting to an old hurt and taking it out on others. And when they react to a past hurt, they can’t relate to the present.

Leviticus 19:18 says, “Do not take revenge on others or continue to hate them, but love your neighbors as you love yourself” (GNT).

Are past grudges holding you hostage today? Don’t hold grudges over your loved ones' heads. And don’t tell other people about your grudges, either. That’s gossip! Instead, just let them go. Sometimes it’s hardest to show mercy to the people who are closest to you. But when you can let it go and be merciful, you become more like Jesus.

Talk It Over

What grudge have you been nursing? Why? How can you be intentional about letting it go?

There are many steps you can take to find healing from past pain—including seeking biblical counseling and mentoring, praying through Scripture, and obeying the Holy Spirit. What is one step you can take today, however big or small, toward healing?

Why do you think it’s sometimes more difficult to show mercy to your family than to anyone else?
 - written by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

          You sent Your Son to pay for our sins so that we could live in freedom - freedom from the darkness and pain of sin. Freedom from holding onto past hurts and grudges. Your Word tells us that Your mercies are new every morning. Teach us to love and to be merciful like You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - The Most Powerful Witness-part 1of 2

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:36 (NIV)

Have you noticed how unmerciful and unforgiving our world is? It seems the highest form of humor is the put-down. Even comedians get paid for their sarcastic and cynical jabs at others. In an increasingly unkind world, your greatest Christian witness can be showing people mercy. For when people see you showing mercy, especially considering how rude and mean society has become, they’ll say, “That’s what I expect a Christian to be like—like Jesus.”

Jesus said it, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (NIV).

There are four things you can do to build a lifestyle of mercy. We’ll look at two today and two tomorrow.

Watch and listen for the needs of others. Whose needs? The needs of people in your neighborhood, at your work, and in your family. Mercy always begins with awareness. If you’re not aware, then you don’t care. 

The Bible says, “Look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own” (Philippians 2:4 GNT).

You don’t struggle to be merciful because you’re a bad person. It’s because you’re too busy. Busyness is the number one destroyer of mercy in your life. When you’re moving from event to event and task to task, it’s hard to pay attention to the people around you. And when you’re not looking and listening for people’s needs, it’s nearly impossible to be merciful.

Don’t be offended by the sins of others. You can’t say, “Go clean up your life, and then I will accept you.” No - mercy is unconditional! If you’re going to show mercy to people, you can’t be offended by them. You can’t minister to people if you’re looking down on them.

Jesus wasn’t offended by people’s sins. In fact, he hung out with the worst kinds of sinners. He was even accused of “guilt by association” because he spent time with people who were corrupt, unloving, and manipulative.

This doesn’t mean Jesus approved of everything they did. God doesn’t approve of everything you do, but he accepts you completely. Showing mercy doesn’t mean you say everything someone does is okay. Drug addiction and adultery, for example, are not okay.

But you can still show mercy. You can do for others what Christ has done for you.

1 Peter 4:8 ICB reads, “Most importantly, love each other deeply. Love has a way of not looking at others’ sins.”  - written by Pastor Rick

Talk It Over

Why is mercy so hard to find in the world today?

Who has shown you mercy, even when you didn’t deserve it? What were the circumstances?

Have you ever withheld mercy from someone because you didn’t agree with their lifestyle? If so, how might you react to them differently today?

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for Your Grace - it truly is amazing! Please help us to fully grasp the miracle of Your mercy and grace toward us. And teach us how to be merciful and full of grace toward others. Forgive us for all the times we missed it. Let us see with Your eyes of love - to recognize needs in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our jobs, and for those in our church. Provide us the wherewithal to be Your hands and feet to those You have placed within our sphere of influence. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Practical Applications to Forgiving Others

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!"

Matthew 18:21-22 NLT

As promised, the practical applications toward forgiving others. 

How to Start the Process of Forgiveness:

#1 Express and vocalize your forgiveness every day. Say it out loud.
     Example: Today I choose to forgive _______ for _______.
     I choose to let go of it in obedience to God's Word.

#2 Pray daily for the ability to forgive through the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart.

#3 CHOOSE not to meditate and relive the issue every day.
     Do not nurse, curse and rehearse the hurt and unforgiveness.
     Don't tell it over and over.

#4 Reinforce your decision by daily reading God's Word.
     Search out the Scriptures that instruct us about forgiving.

#5 Choose to show compassion, mercy and kindness instead of bitterness from your heart.
     Remember, forgiving others is NOT A FEELING.
     Forgiving others is a choice to be obedient to God's Word.

How to Know When You Have Forgiven Someone

#1 Forgiveness is accomplished when the issue is no longer your issue.

#2 Forgiveness is accomplished when you can pray a blessing and not a curse over the former offender.

#3 Forgiveness is accomplished when you no longer require payback.

#4 Forgiveness is accomplished when you can respond in kindness, and not resentment.

#5 Forgiveness is accomplished when you can give a fresh start.
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Forgiveness is not about feelings. 

Forgiveness is not presented as an option. 

Forgiveness is not just a choice - it's an act of obedience to the words of Christ. 

If we want to be forgiven, we must forgive.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for making provision so that we can be forgiven of our many trespasses against You. Let Your Word manifest in us so that we walk by faith and not by our feelings, and so that we can truly love and forgive others as You have forgiven us. We've asked it before and we ask again. Help us to realize that forgiveness is a choice to submit our will to Yours.. Help us to understand Matthew 18 and forgiving others seventy times seven... Remind us to choose to forgive and speak forgiveness every time it comes up. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Accepting the Terms of Forgiveness

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-15 NLT

Lately, the most popular topic of discussion has been about forgiveness. How do we forgive the unforgivable? I refer people back to the Word. The only Truth that doesn't change with time or man-made laws. Christ died so that we could be forgiven. Without His shed blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. Read Hebrews 9:22 in the NIV. It is SO important to note that even though Christ's blood has been shed, unless we avail ourselves of it and do as He commands, we cannot be forgiven.

Everyone knows this verse in Matthew 6:12, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," part of the Lord's Prayer. How Jesus Himself taught us to pray. Three short verses later, verse 15, Jesus tells us, "But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father WILL NOT forgive your sins." [emphasis mine]

This is not merely a suggestion or just good advice. It is the non-negotiable terms of the covenant of forgiveness. Do we accept His terms?

Tomorrow, I will post the very practical applications my Pastor taught today about how to know if you've forgiven someone and how to start the process of forgiveness.

Prayer:

Father in heaven,
           Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Promise for Today - It Ain't Easy

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:31-32

Forgiveness. It ain't easy. Whether real or perceived, offenses happen. What we do with them determines how we live from that moment on... unless we choose - yes, choose! - to forgive. Unforgiveness casts a shadow and colors everything we do. Matthew 6:14 NLT tells us, "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you." That sounds easy. However, verse 15 explains, "But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." We tend to want to hold on to the offenses so we can still be angry. The Word tells us that he who angers you controls you. We cannot walk in freedom unless we choose to forgive. It ain't easy. It takes a lot of practice.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to grouse, gripe and grumble? Carp, complain and criticize? Sometimes it's so stinking easy that you catch yourself in the middle of doing it before you even realize you started. I hate it when that happens. Wouldn't it be just as easy to look for the good in something rather than the bad? Wouldn't it be just as easy to smile as smirk? Wouldn't it be easier to love our neighbors as ourselves if we looked for their gifts rather than focusing on their guilt? If we made a practice of giving instead of goading? Oh, I know, I know... that's HARD! It doesn't happen easily unless we practice...

We practice a lot of things in an effort to improve how we look and how we are perceived by those around us. Many people are motivated by not wanting to be judged. These thoughts determine even what we wear. God's Word gives us great instruction for what to wear. Colossians 3:12-14 The Message, "So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it."

Wear love. There cannot be love without forgiveness. It ain't easy, but through Christ, all things are possible.

Prayer:

Father,
           According to Your Word, Since we have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, help us to throw off our old, sinful nature and our former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes. Help us to put on our new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. And to walk in forgiveness. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today Favorite - Help Me to Remember

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Luke 23:34 KJV

He was ostracized before He was born (born in a barn to a mother who was pregnant by Someone other than her husband). Those who knew Him best didn't respect Him (Mark 6:3-5). The high priest and leaders of the temple hated Him and conspired to kill Him.

What did Jesus do? He prayed. How many times do we read in Scripture that Jesus prayed? He sought God in all things. I would submit for your consideration that one of the things Jesus prayed about while living on earth was the constant rejection. How do you continue to love people who constantly reject you or hurt you? And if you can't love them, how can you forgive them? Matthew 6:12 tells us, If you can't forgive them, you can't be forgiven by your Father in heaven.

How many of us walk through life with the Marine attitude of "Kill 'em all - let God sort 'em out"? Now, I don't know about you, but for a long time in my journey, I wanted to forgive, but there just seemed to be something so wrong about the one who committed the offense being let off the hook. It was like letting them get away with it. How can you let someone get away with that kind of thing? That's just not right...is it? You can't let them think they got away with it scot-free, can you?

I'm reminded of the accessory line that was released quite a few years back. WWJD - Do you remember those teeshirts and bracelets and earrings and necklaces, Bible covers, etc. "What Would Jesus Do?" Reminding us to be like Jesus. Well, what did He do? Did one of His own disciples betray Him? Yes. Did Jesus know about it? Yes. Did the leaders of the temple conspire to kill Him? Yes. Did Jesus try to stop any of them?

Did they taunt Him with lies and shove it in His face? Read Luke 23:35-39 NLT, [The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. "He saved others," they said, "let him save himself if he is really God's Messiah, the Chosen One." The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" A sign was fastened to the cross above him with these words: "This is the King of the Jews." One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you're at it!"]

Was He - is He God's Messiah, the Chosen One? Yes! Could they have killed Him if He hadn't laid down His life in OBEDIENCE to the Father in sacrifice for our lives? No, they could not! Did they kill Him? Yes. Did they think they got away with it? Yes...

What did Jesus do? "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do..." When the circumstances demanded justice at such wrongdoing, He gave mercy. Aren't we to be like Jesus?

Prayer:

Father,
          Help us to realize that forgiveness is not a feeling. It's a choice of will. Help us to understand Matthew 18 and forgiving others seventy times seventy... Remind us to choose to forgive every time it comes up. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Lent - Day 39 - Evidence of God's Gift

Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2025

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When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus gives us a picture of what it will be like on the day of judgment. All people will be judged on the last day, and it will be like when a shepherd separates His sheep from the goats. There are two things we should notice about this day of judgment for the sheep. First, before any of the acts of kindness are viewed and compared Jesus already separates those who receive the inheritance from those who do not. Second, to those who receive the inheritance Jesus says, “Come, you who are blessed by God.” No matter how we live our lives entering into God’s inheritance is still a gift, still a blessing that God gives. And yet we see Jesus’ words that talk of lives of grace, mercy, and kindness. This section is not a checklist we make sure to complete in case Jesus is watching. Jesus is saying, as my child filled with the Holy Spirit you show mercy because you have been given mercy. You show love because you have been given love. You show grace and forgiveness because you have been given grace and forgiveness.

Prayer:

Jesus Christ, 

                You have made us Your sheep. We surrender our will to be directed by Your Spirit that we might show mercy and love to Your church, and to the world. Amen.

Lent - Day 35 - Blood On Our Hands

Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2025

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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’

Matthew 23:23-39

“If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.” These are easy words to say when the prophets are dead and can’t speak out against you. Ironically in just a few days, Jesus’ blood will be shed in response to their accusations; accusations fueled by their anger because Jesus speaks judgment against them. As His body is beaten their voices will shout out “blasphemy”. As He stands trial their voices will ring out, “Crucify Him”. As the stakes are driven through His flesh their voices will hurl insults. In many ways, Jesus’ teachings can be difficult to take in. His words of truth ultimately drove many to lead the charge for His death. Today we may find our way through some of His more difficult teachings only by softening the blow, applying them to others but not ourselves, changing their intent or meaning, or just ignoring certain sections altogether. All the while we wonder how anyone could have put the Savior of the world to death.

Rather than absolve ourselves of responsibility for Jesus’ death because we were not there, it is important that we recognize that ultimately His blood is on our hands. Why? Because our sins (your sins and mine) require payment that can only be made through the shedding of Christ’s blood. While this truth might lead us to great guilt and shame, Jesus invites us to something different. He invites us to see that angry shouts did not lead to his death but rather the plan of a gracious Father. Christ wants His blood to be on us, not as condemnation but as forgiveness freely given for our sake.

Prayer:

Lord, 

        Thank You for shedding Your blood for our forgiveness. You have caused Your Word to be written for our learning. Grant that we may hear and read it, that in our learning we may be strengthened in Your truth and remain steadfast in Your grace. Amen.

Lent - Day 32 - True Repentance

Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2025
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In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. 

"What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him. 

Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

Matthew 21:18-46

In Jesus’ parable about two sons it seems strange to give positive support to a son, who was initially obstinate and disobedient, just because he later “changed his mind.” I am sure we would like it better if there could be a third son, one who is asked, agrees, and does the will of the Father. However, there is only one who fits that character profile and He’s telling the story. Jesus uses this parable to highlight the contrast between two groups of people from his interactions. There are the “sinners” whose lives have been full of disobedience to God but heard Jesus’ call to repentance and turned to Him. 

Then there are the chief priests and elders whose lives seem to demonstrate obedience to God but who refuse to believe the testimony of John the Baptist and turn to Christ. The word used in “changing his mind” gives a sense of being filled with regret and can be connected with the ideas of repentance. From the time Jesus entered into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He has done nothing but concern Himself with people repenting. There are many ways we deceive ourselves or try to fool others with a charade of obedience. But this really is no different than the second son giving empty lip service. Instead, Christ would recall John’s testimony in order to persuade us to repent: Flee the final judgment, turn from sin, turn to Christ and bear fruit in keeping with repentance. (Matthew 3:1-12)

Prayer:

Father, 

         Please forgive us for all the ways we disobey You. Forgive our feigned obedience by looking instead at the perfect obedience of Jesus and His sacrificial death. Strengthen our faith by Your Holy Spirit and produce in us fruit in keeping with repentance. Amen.

Lent - Day 31 - Dead to Sin

Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2025

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Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 

And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

Matthew 21:1-17

Due to their lives of sin and deceit, thieves would flee to caves between raids for safety from the people they had robbed thus giving birth to the phrase “den of robbers.” When Jesus used this phrase He quoted the Old Testament from the prophet Jeremiah. God spoke through Jeremiah saying, Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? (Jeremiah 7:11) These words were spoken to people who would not change their lives of sin. The people wrongly believed that the temple protected them from the consequences of their evil and from punishment for their idolatrous actions against God. Refusing to repent or change they would emerge from the temple ready to engage in more defiance of God’s will. Unfortunately, this was still the case in Jesus’ day. Life in Christ calls for a very different confidence. We stand fully confident in the grace that Christ pours out for us freely. However, we should be careful not to turn this into “cheap grace,” assuming permission to sin all the more as a way to “give” God the “opportunity” to forgive us even more. Life in Christ means living each day fully repentant of our sinful lives. We are not to remain confident in our sins but rather grieve them. We are not to seek ways to continue in our sin, but rather desire that God would help us overcome temptation and sin. Reconciled to God through Christ we are confident because our sinful flesh is put to death and we daily rise as a new creation to live before God in righteousness and purity.

Prayer:

Lord, 

        Please forgive our sins. Change our lives. Amen.

What to Do?

“This king did the same as my heavenly Father will do to you. You must forgive your brother or sister with all your heart, or my heavenly Father will not forgive you.”

Matthew 18:35 ERV

Have you ever gotten into a situation where your response was less than loving and you needed to humble yourself and ask to be forgiven? Most of us have at one time or another, and usually, the person will forgive us. I believe that is the 'walk-it-out' Truth of Micah 6:8, "The Lord has shown you what is good. He has told you what He requires of you. You must act with justice. You must love to show mercy. And you must be humble as you live in the sight of your God."

But what if they won't forgive you? What do you do then? I think we should pray and seek God's face. Ask for His wisdom. Don't harden our hearts. Remember, "You will never be called upon to give anyone more grace than God has already given you (Max Lucado)."

Prayer:

Father,

          We want to walk according to Your Word. Strengthen us beyond our human frailty. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

It's Not Fair

"One of you might have to suffer even when you have done nothing wrong. If you think of God and bear the pain, this pleases God. But if you are punished for doing wrong, there is no reason to praise you for bearing that punishment. But if you suffer for doing good and you are patient, this pleases God. This is what you were chosen to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. He suffered for you. So you should do the same as he did:
'He never sinned, and he never told a lie.'
People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly."
1 Peter 2:19-23 ERV

Have you ever gotten in trouble for something you didn't do? Have you ever felt as though you were in an interminable season of life where everything or someone was against you and none of it was because of something you did? How did you handle it? Did you want revenge or were you able to forgive and turn it over to God?

The Bible tells us that whoever angers us controls us, which is a terrifying thought. Better to forgive so that we can be forgiven, too. We must learn to live and love like Jesus who cried out from the Cross, "Forgive them, Father..." Talk about 'not fair'.
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An excerpt from the Encouraging Word Bible reads,
"Vengeance fixes your attention at life’s ugliest moments. Score-settling freezes your stare at cruel events in your past. Is this where you want to look? Will rehearsing and reliving your hurts make you a better person? By no means. It will destroy you."

"Folks, if you’re expecting to be given a fair shake in your life, forget it! You won’t be. You’re going to face illness. And your body is going to wear out. You may be the victim of someone else’s mistake. But you can get through those tough times if you prepare your heart now, living to know and serve the Savior who loves you and died so that you might have an eternal home free of pain and sorrow.

"The struggles that you’re going through now—don’t discard them. Listen to God as He teaches you so that you can teach others. You see, a time of suffering teaches us something we never knew before and may prepare us for a time of counsel that we will give someone years from now...

"Trying to avoid suffering in this life is like trying to avoid breathing. It can’t be done. As a matter of fact, the Bible says that those who desire to live a godly lifestyle will suffer. Ask God how your suffering can bring you closer to Him. Then thank Him that He is a good God no matter what you’re going through."
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Prayer:

Father,
            We don't always understand trials and tribulations, but humbly we ask, as we forgive and turn them over to You, please help us to embrace what You would have us learn from it. We want to be a reflection of Your Light and love in this world. Let our only thoughts of fair be with regard to countenance. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Have You Ever

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-15 NLT

Have you ever made a mistake?

Have you ever said something you wish you hadn't?

Have you ever been mean on purpose?

Have you ever lied?

Have you ever hurt someone - intentionally or not?

Have you ever taken something that wasn't yours?

Have you ever cheated on a test or your taxes?

Have you ever not given your tithes?

Have you ever withheld something when you could have given it? 

Have you ever sinned?

At some point, we've all done at least one because the Bible tells us in Romans 3 that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Do we want to be forgiven? Yes, without a doubt, we do! 

Can we be forgiven? Well, forgiveness is available to us IF we have forgiven others. Are we holding a grudge? Are we still mad about __________? Our Promise for Today is very forthright - It's Jesus speaking - If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Prayer:

Our Father,
                 Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Grace

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:1 NLT

In our Promise for Today - Paul instructs Timothy to be strong in grace. Take a minute to think about that. We are saved by grace through faith... Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT reads, God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 

During job interviews, we are often asked what are our strengths. It can be the determining factor for whether or not we get the position we want. As humans, we tend to take great pride in what we see as the strengths in our lives. Do you know yours? Would you say grace is one of your strengths?

Here's a way to test ourselves to know. How about that one that gets on your last nerve every time you see him or her coming? How do we get rid of the anger? On paper, the answer to that is simple. We need to forgive for whatever caused the rift in the first place. Easier said than done, but so totally possible only by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. How do we forgive? Grace. How does God forgive us? Grace.

The Truth is we shouldn't take personal pride in any of our strengths. God gave them to us while we were being formed in our mother's womb. He gifted us with what we would need to accomplish His purpose for our lives. We must choose to grow in grace and to extend it toward others. In other words, do what we're supposed to be doing - to live like Jesus every day.

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for holding unforgiveness, for being critical and judgmental. Change our hearts and minds to reflect Your love. Help us to walk in Your Word that instructs us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Doing Good

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1st John 1:9 KJV

Sometimes, God has to use an illustration to get our attention and make us see His Word...well, at least that's how it works in my life. I'm a hands-on, visual learner. Thankfully, He loves us enough to reprimand us when we need it, and then provides grace and mercy, along with His forgiveness.

The other point He drove home for me today is that, if the prayer or the verse is just a decoration - a pretty plaque sitting on the shelf or hanging on the wall - just something sitting around and not actively in use in our hearts and evident in our lives, it doesn't do any good for us or those around us. And we are here to follow in Christ's footsteps, who according to Acts 10:38a-b, ...you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good...  

Yeah, what are we doing?

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for loving us more than we can comprehend and enough to repeat the lesson as many times as it is necessary for us to get it. We want to learn the first time. Make it so, Father.  In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Our Only Defense

I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. 

Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.

Isaiah 43:25-26 NKJV

Was it something we did? Something we said? Something we flaunted as though it was our own creation? Was that the reason God chose to not remember our sins? The Truth is that the something we said or did was most probably a case of sinning against God. Anything we may have created to flaunt was rooted in pride - also very offensive to God. So for His own sake, He chose to create a way to forgive us and not compromise His own holiness.

And lest we persist in thinking it might have been something we earned, let's review how we may state our case and be acquitted. Our ONLY defense is to confess our sins to God and repent - turn from our sins - receive His forgiveness and throw ourselves on His mercy which is new every morning and never-ending.

Prayer:

Father, 

          Forgive us for any time we thought we might be able to rid ourselves of our selfish, sinful ways. Thank You for Your unfailing love, for loving us first, and for Your faithfulness. Thank You for providing a way out of the debt we owed You by having Your Son pay the penalty for our sin. Guide us in loving others as You have loved us. Teach us Your ways, Father, so that they are our first response to those around us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - In the Bloodline

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father had done. 

2 Kings 24:9 KJV

Have you ever been told you look like your father? Or that you act "just like your father"? Is that a good thing... or maybe a not-so-good thing? Have you ever known families where the children all mimic the father's mannerisms and attitudes? That's exactly what we find in our text today and throughout the book of 2 Kings.

Is it a learned behavior or a generational curse? I don't intend to try to determine that here, nor will I address good fathering practice / bad fathering practice because those are rather apparent (no pun intended).

However, I will point out two very important Scriptures. Ephesians 6:4, Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. And the second is very similar - Colossians 3:21, Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.

As a born-again believer, your Bloodline flows from the Cross at Calvary...the one brought about because our Father God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...who in turn gave His life so that we can be forgiven.

Prayer:

Father,
           By Your Grace, so let us continue our lives to do just as You have done - Help us to give freely of our love and our time and our provision to others. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.