WELS - Daily Devotions

What About Jesus
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WELS delivers a daily podcast devotional message Monday through Friday each week.

  1. A Sure Cure – March 1, 2026

    22H AGO

    A Sure Cure – March 1, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260301dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3:14 A Sure Cure Bronze has been known to cure snake bites. At least it did in 1500 B.C. God’s people figured their God was taking longer than he should to get them from Egypt to the Promised Land. So, they complained about his leadership, just like they had been complaining for the last forty years. This time, God allowed them to experience a little bit of life without him. Immediately poisonous snakes in the wilderness started to bite people, and many died. The people were sorry for their sinful disobedience against God and pleaded for the snakes to be taken away. God directed Moses to make a snake out of bronze and hang it on a pole. God promised, “Anyone who is bitten can look at it and live” (Numbers 21:8). It seemed ridiculous, but it worked. Snake-bitten people who looked at the bronze snake did not die. How could bronze be an antidote for venom? God’s promise made that piece of bronze cure a snake bite. We have our own “snake bites.” We lose our temper and hurt the people we love. We trade news about people we know—news that wounds reputations. Make no mistake—these “snake bites” are more deadly than those snakes in the wilderness. Our sinful disobedience leads to eternal death in hell. Our heavenly Father gives us a stronger cure than bronze. He put his Son on a pole—a cross. God promises that his death takes away the poison of sin. By looking at Jesus and believing in him, we will not die but live forever in heaven. Jesus, the Son of Man, was lifted up on a cross. Because of him, your sins are forgiven. Because of him, you have life with God—now and forever! Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being the sure cure for my sins. 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.

    3 min
  2. In Harm’s Way – February 28, 2026

    1D AGO

    In Harm’s Way – February 28, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260228dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1 In Harm’s Way There are people who are willing to put themselves in harm’s way. These people recognize the serious nature of their commitment and understand the potential consequences. They are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and security of others. There is a special debt of gratitude these people deserve—military personnel, firefighters, members of law enforcement, and emergency medical technicians. Without their willingness to serve and readiness to sacrifice everything, our lives would be much more difficult. The same can be said about Jesus, and the debt of gratitude we owe him. When we read Matthew’s account of Jesus’ temptation, we might wonder, “Why would the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil? Why would he put Jesus into harm’s way?” The answer has everything to do with our rescue from sin and freedom from the controlling power of the devil. Because we are sinners from birth, it is impossible for us to defeat the devil. So great is his power over us that we would always succumb to his attacks. It is because of our weakness that God the Father had his Son come to this earth, take on flesh and blood, and become our substitute. This meant Jesus had to live under all of God’s righteousness requirements. It also meant Jesus had to put himself into harm’s way. To free us from the devil’s control, Jesus had to subject himself to temptation. Every cunning act, every lie and deception, every powerful ploy, Jesus undertook on our behalf. What was impossible, Jesus accomplished perfectly and without sin. He overcame the devil’s attacks and secured complete victory. He now offers us the ability to live a self-controlled, upright, and godly life. We can be at peace with God through our Savior’s perfect obedience. We are safe and secure because Jesus put himself into harm’s way to rescue us. Prayer: O blessed Jesus, you are my refuge, my strength, and my never-failing help. Daily be with me to protect and bless me through your victory over the devil. 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.

    3 min
  3. Who Will Win? – February 27, 2026

    2D AGO

    Who Will Win? – February 27, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260227dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 Who Will Win? Right in the middle of the wreckage, God speaks a promise. Adam and Eve have disobeyed. Trust is broken. Shame has entered the world. Everything good now feels fragile. And before the humans say a word—before they apologize, explain, or promise to do better—God talks to the serpent, “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” It’s a strange moment. God isn’t giving instructions. He’s declaring an outcome. This isn’t advice. It’s a verdict. Evil will not win. That promise matters because, if we’re honest, it often feels like evil is winning. Sin feels strong. Guilt lingers. Death feels permanent. We see brokenness in the world and in ourselves, and we wonder if it’s too deep to fix. We wonder if what’s broken can really be made right. God’s promise answers that question. Yes. And not because people improve, but because God intervenes. From the very beginning, God makes it clear that rescue will come from outside us. An offspring. A deliverer. Someone who will step into the fight we’re losing and win it for us. That promise runs like a thread through the entire Bible and leads directly to Jesus. When Jesus is nailed to the cross, it looks like the serpent has won. Jesus suffers. Jesus bleeds. Jesus dies. It looks final. But the cross is not defeat—it’s the decisive blow. Sin is paid for. God’s justice is satisfied. Satan’s accusation is silenced. And Jesus’ resurrection confirms it. The serpent struck Jesus’ heel, but Jesus crushed the serpent’s head. Death did its worst and still lost. That victory changes everything. It means your sin, real as it is, is not stronger than God’s grace. Your past, heavy as it may feel, does not define your future. Fear and guilt do not get the last word. Jesus does. Paradise was lost in a garden, but it was promised on a cross and procured at an empty tomb. God keeps his promises—even when everything seems broken. God’s answer is always bigger than our questions. Prayer: Lord God, thank you for keeping your promise to defeat sin, death, and the devil. When I feel overwhelmed by guilt or fear, remind me of Christ’s victory. Give me faith to trust in what Jesus has done for me and peace to live in the hope he has won. 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.

    4 min
  4. What Is This You Have Done? – February 26, 2026

    3D AGO

    What Is This You Have Done? – February 26, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260226dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 3:13 What Is This You Have Done? This question forces us to slow down and face reality. Sin isn’t just a mistake. It has consequences. It breaks trust. It damages relationships. It ripples outward in ways we don’t expect. Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the serpent. We’re not very different. We blame circumstances, upbringing, stress, or other people—anything to avoid the weight of responsibility. But excuses don’t heal what’s broken. God’s question isn’t meant to crush. It’s meant to confront. Because healing can’t happen without honesty. The Bible doesn’t minimize sin. But it also doesn’t leave us stuck in it. God names the problem so he can address it. And before humans ever ask for forgiveness, God promises a solution. That’s the heart of the Christian message: God takes sin seriously—and he takes sinners seriously too. Instead of demanding that we fix ourselves, God steps in to do what we can’t. Jesus takes the consequences of sin on himself. The cross is where God’s justice and love meet. We don’t answer this question by pointing fingers. We answer it by looking to Jesus and saying, “Lord, have mercy.” And God does. Prayer: Lord, I admit that my sin has caused real damage. I confess that I often try to excuse myself instead of turning to you. Thank you for loving me enough to confront me—and for forgiving me through Jesus. Help me live in the freedom of your grace. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    3 min
  5. Who Told You That? – February 25, 2026

    4D AGO

    Who Told You That? – February 25, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260225dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Genesis 3:11 Who Told You That? Before sin, Adam and Eve had nothing to hide. After sin, they were suddenly aware of their flaws. Shame entered the picture, and with it came a new voice telling them, you are not enough. God’s question exposes something important: shame doesn’t come from God. God didn’t tell them they were worthless, broken, or beyond hope. Sin did that. The lies did that. Those same voices are still loud today. You’re not good enough. You’ve failed too badly. If people really knew you, they wouldn’t accept you. God couldn’t love someone like you. God asks, “Who told you that?” The world defines us by success, appearance, and performance. Our own hearts replay regrets and failures. But God defines us differently. He sees sinners worth saving. He sees broken people worth dying for. The truth is, we are more flawed than we want to admit—but more loved than we ever imagined. Jesus didn’t come for people who had it all together. He came for people weighed down by shame. On the cross, Jesus took not just our sins, but our disgrace. He was mocked, rejected, and exposed so that we could be covered with forgiveness. When God looks at those who trust in Jesus, he doesn’t see shame. He sees his beloved children. So when the voices rise—when shame tries to tell you who you are—listen instead to the God who asks, “Who told you that?” Then hear what he tells you instead: You are forgiven. You are loved. You are mine. Prayer: Father, I confess that I listen to voices of shame instead of your truth. Forgive me for believing lies about myself and about you. Thank you for Jesus, who removes my guilt and gives me a new identity. Help me believe what you say about 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.

    3 min
  6. Where Are You? – February 24, 2026

    5D AGO

    Where Are You? – February 24, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260224dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8-9 Where Are You? God knew exactly where Adam and Eve were. He knew they were hiding. He knew why they were afraid. So why ask the question? Because this wasn’t a question of location. It was a question of relationship. After sin entered the world, the first human instinct wasn’t confession—it was hiding. Shame does that. Guilt convinces us that if God really knew us, he wouldn’t want us. So, we hide behind excuses, distractions, or even religion. We stay busy. We avoid quiet moments. We tell ourselves we’ll deal with God later. But God doesn’t wait for sinners to come looking for him. He comes looking for them. “Where are you?” isn’t an angry shout. It’s a grieving invitation. God is saying, “Why are you hiding from the one who loves you?” Sin separates us from God, not because God stops loving us, but because fear replaces trust. That separation is something we can’t fix on our own. We can’t hide well enough, behave well enough, or promise to do better enough to restore what’s broken. That’s why God steps into our hiding place himself. In Jesus, God enters a world full of shame, fear, and brokenness. Jesus takes our guilt onto himself at the cross. He dies exposed, so we don’t have to hide anymore. He rises so that fear doesn’t get the final word. Christianity isn’t about working your way back to God. It’s about realizing God already came to you. If you’ve ever felt distant from God—because of regret, doubt, or failure—this question is for you: “Where are you?” Not to condemn you. But to bring you home. Prayer: God, I admit that I often hide from you when I’m afraid or ashamed. Thank you for seeking me instead of abandoning me. Thank you for Jesus, who removes my guilt and invites me back into your presence. Help me trust your grace and stop hiding. 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.

    3 min
  7. Did God Really Say? – February 23, 2026

    6D AGO

    Did God Really Say? – February 23, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260223dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 Did God Really Say? The question sounds innocent enough. Almost helpful. “Did God really say…?” It doesn’t sound like rebellion. It sounds like curiosity. Like someone double-checking the fine print. That’s how temptation often works. Rather than kicking the door down. It knocks politely. The serpent doesn’t start by denying God. He starts by reframing God. He takes something God said clearly and bends it just enough to make God seem unreasonable. Restrictive. Suspicious. Suddenly, the problem isn’t disobedience—it’s whether God can be trusted at all. That question still works today. “Did God really say that… about sex? About money? About forgiveness?” “Would a loving God really care?” “Isn’t that a little outdated?” The doubt sounds modern and thoughtful. But underneath it is the same old lie: God might not be as good as he says he is. And if we’re honest, we’ve listened. We’ve assumed we know better. We’ve trusted our instincts more than God’s Word. And the result hasn’t been freedom. It’s been guilt, broken relationships, and a quiet sense that something isn’t right. That’s what sin does. It promises more and delivers less. What’s striking is what God does next. He doesn’t disappear. He doesn’t give up on humanity because they doubted him. Instead, he keeps speaking. He keeps acting. He keeps moving toward the people who just moved away from him. The entire Bible is God answering the serpent’s question. And the clearest answer is Jesus. Jesus shows us what God is really like. He doesn’t withhold good—he gives himself. He doesn’t manipulate—he sacrifices. At the cross, God proves once and for all that he is not holding out on us. He’s giving everything to rescue us. So, when you hear that question—Did God really say? —listen closely to God’s answer. The answer is, ‘Yes.’ He really does say, “You can trust me.” Prayer: Lord God, I confess how easily I doubt your Word and goodness. Forgive me for trusting myself more than you. Thank you for showing me your heart through Jesus. Help me trust what you say and rest in what you have done 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.

    4 min
  8. Temptations – February 22, 2026

    FEB 22

    Temptations – February 22, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260222dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The tempter came to [Jesus] and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Matthew 4:2-4 Temptations We don’t know how many temptations the devil flung at Jesus in the wilderness. But both Matthew and Luke record three. First, we see the devil picking up exactly where he left off with Adam. Even the three temptations that are mentioned are echoes of the way the devil had once tempted Eve: “The woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food” (Genesis 3:6). Now the devil pricks at Jesus’ need for food by tempting him to command “stones to become bread.” Perhaps Jesus’ hunger was the most obvious weak spot to begin with. But rather than listen to his stomach, Jesus listened to God’s Word. And although Jesus is truly God, he didn’t speak a new Word. He simply used what had already been written through Moses, “Man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Food isn’t the only important thing we need, nor should it be at top of the list. A person who starves but who has faith in Jesus will live forever. But a person with a full stomach and no faith will die in eternal torment. When we focus on God through his Word, God promises to bless us. Few of us know someone who is genuinely starving for food. Do you know people who are starving for the Word? Feed them! Prayer: Lord God, increase my spiritual appetite for your Word and satisfy my hunger with its promises and blessings. Help me see opportunities to share the bounty of your Word with others that many more may be fed and filled with the abundance of its truth. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    3 min
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About

WELS delivers a daily podcast devotional message Monday through Friday each week.

Information

  • Creator
    What About Jesus
  • Years Active
    2009 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2019 Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. All Rights Reserved. www.wels.net
  • Show Website
    WELS - Daily Devotions

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