https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260528dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus stood and said in a loud voice… John 7:37 Loud Voice How often do you picture Jesus speaking in a loud voice? Over the years, countless artists have depicted Jesus with his gentleness in mind. Over the years, composers of hymns have depicted Jesus with his quiet humility in mind. Over the years, illustrators of children’s Bible storybooks have depicted Jesus with tenderness in mind—and for good reason. After all, when our Savior walked on this earth, he possessed all of these qualities, and he possessed them perfectly. Nevertheless, a steady stream of these depictions in art, music, and children’s illustrations may lead us to a misleading presumption. A benign, harmless picture of Jesus from my childhood may give my adult self the idea that Jesus sits quietly in a distant corner of my world, hands folded, mild smile on his face, ready to offer a hand when asked, but determined not to be a bother. Such an idea about Jesus might be convenient, especially when my old, sinful self does not want him getting in my way. But such an idea is wrong. The apostle John records that, when needed, Jesus did not hesitate to speak in a loud voice. He was determined to command people’s attention. He was determined that people fix their eyes on him. He was determined that people hear him. This reminds us about something in connection with the Word of God. God’s Word is not simply information. In God’s Word, there is power. And the Holy Spirit uses that power to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, to melt hearts of spiritual stone—and to open ears that are spiritually deaf. Never forget that, through his Word, Jesus Christ is speaking to you. He is speaking to you with patience. He is speaking to you with persistence. But he is also speaking to you with urgency. And, when needed, he will not hesitate to speak to you in a loud voice. He is determined to command your attention. He is determined that you fix your eyes on him. He is determined that you hear him. After all, he died to wash you clean. And now he lives for you. He loves you that much. Prayer: Holy Spirit, use the power of my Savior’s Word to penetrate and renew my heart. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260527dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3 Life-Giver The camera pans over an old, abandoned farm truck that has been sitting in the woods for decades. Ivy covers it. Moss covers it. A small tree grows through a rusty hole. Mice have built a nest in the cab. And over the years, the wheels have settled into the dirt. But then along comes a cheerful backyard mechanic by the name of Derek Bieri. With basic tools and good-natured humor, Derek goes to work on the hulk sitting before him. Despite setbacks and disappointments, he patiently persists until the thrilling moment when the long-forgotten truck roars to life and comes out of the woods under its own power. This is the magic behind the wildly popular YouTube program entitled “Vice Grip Garage.” Each episode features a dead and forsaken car or truck that Derek manages to bring to life. One thing is for certain. These vehicles do not repair themselves. They start and run only because of Derek. By nature, I am far worse off than any rusted wreck left in the woods. Not only am I born spiritually dead, but my attitude towards the true God is downright hostile. On my own, I have no ability whatsoever to trust in Jesus as my Savior from sin. There’s a greater likelihood that a dead farm truck from “Vice Grip Garage” would bring itself to life and drive itself out of the woods. But that’s where the Lord comes in. Not only did he send his Son to become human and live a perfect life in my place. Not only did Jesus pay for my every sin through his death at Calvary’s cross, but he also raised himself from the grave. He has even sent God the Holy Spirit to bring my spiritually dead heart to life. Through the power of the Good News of Jesus, the Spirit has created within me the miracle of faith. And through this miraculous faith, I now receive full forgiveness, peace with God, and eternal life as my personal possessions. Giving life: There’s nothing the Holy Spirit enjoys more. Prayer: Holy Spirit, my heart was dead. But through your gospel you have brought me to life. Thank you. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260526dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd. Acts 2:14 Lesson Learned Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most successful comedians of his generation. Before his career blossomed, however, Jerry learned a hard lesson. He describes the first time he ever went up on stage. Until that moment, he says, you assume that the audience is in a mood to laugh, and as long as you’re reasonably funny and say a few funny things, you’ll be just fine. That assumption died the moment he began to speak. The audience fell into a dead silence. As you stand there, Jerry says, all you can hear is the sound of your own quivering voice. The shock was so great that he could not remember his material. He retreated from the stage, crushed. That experience, however, stripped away his false assumptions and replaced them with a true understanding of what it takes to make it in the world of entertainment. The night before Jesus was crucified, the apostle Peter had a brutal lesson to learn. His, however, was far more serious, far more profound. Until that night, Peter had assumed that, on his own, he was strong enough and brave enough to stand up for his master. After Jesus’ arrest, however, Peter’s assumption died the moment someone simply asked him if he was a follower of Jesus. The strength and bravery he thought he had were not there at all. Instead of saying, “Yes, I’m a follower of Jesus,” Peter lied. He said he didn’t even know this Jesus. And when two more people challenged him, he lied to them, too. That night ripped away Peter’s false assumptions. He realized what a broken sinner he really was. But Jesus replaced Peter’s false assumptions with a true understanding. He carried Peter’s sinful failures to the cross. He died for them. Then he raised himself from the dead. Ten days later, after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, Peter had another opportunity to stand up for Jesus. This time, Peter spoke boldly. The bravery and strength, however, did not come from Peter. They came from the good news of what Jesus had done. Our bravery and strength come from the same place. Prayer: Holy Spirit, teach me the same lesson you taught Peter. Make me a bold witness for Christ. Amen.   Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.