WELS Family Devotions
WELS Family Devotion
Claim This Podcastby WELS
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107 episodes
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June 22, 2026
When God’s Word Burns Inside You – June 22, 2026
<img loading="lazy" width="711" height="400" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2.jpg" class="wp-image-25332 avia-img-lazy-loading-25332 webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 16px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" srcset="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2.jpg 711w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2-600x338.jpg 600w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2-705x397.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px" /><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-59297-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260622fam.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260622fam.mp3">https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260622fam.mp3</a></audio> <p align="center"><a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260622fam.mp3">Listen to Devotion</a></p> <h4>Read: Jeremiah 20:7-13</h4> <blockquote><p>If I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked. <strong>Jeremiah 20:7-13 (selected verses)</strong></p></blockquote> <h3>When God’s Word Burns Inside You</h3> <p>In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.</p> <p>Have you ever had good news that you wanted to tell, but you weren’t allowed to yet? Maybe you knew about a surprise party or that your mom was going to have another baby, but you were told, “Don’t tell anyone yet!” When you have news that’s so exciting like that, it’s hard to keep it in. You just want to burst out!</p> <p>That’s a little like what happened to the prophet Jeremiah. God gave him a message to share with God’s people. Part of the message warned them about their sins. But it also included the promise of God’s love and forgiveness. Jeremiah said that he tried not to speak God’s Word, it felt like a burning fire inside him. It was hard to keep it in!</p> <p>But there was a problem. People didn’t always like hearing God’s message. When Jeremiah warned people about their sins, they became angry with him. They even hated him and tried to hurt him. Can you imagine how hard that must have been? It hurt Jeremiah when he didn’t speak God’s Word, but it also hurt him when he did.</p> <p>You probably can! Because God shared his Word with you. You know that sins separate us from God, and when you see people you love who don’t believe in God or are living in sinful ways, you care about them and want them to know Jesus. And more than that, you love to tell people about God’s grace and forgiveness. Sometimes it feels hard to keep that good news inside!</p> <p>But maybe you’ve experienced something else too. Maybe you told someone what God says about sin or told them about Jesus—and they didn’t believe you. Maybe they laughed, rolled their eyes, or didn’t want to listen. That hurts too.</p> <p>Jeremiah didn’t find a way to make it stop hurting. Instead, he remembered that his Savior was with him. That gave him courage to speak—and it gave him comfort when speaking God’s Word brought him pain.</p> <p>Jesus is with you, too, and has placed his promises in your heart. He promises to help you speak with courage, kindness, and love. So, don’t hold his promises in!</p> <blockquote> <h4>Prayer:</h4> <p>Lord, thank you for putting your Word in my heart. Help me also keep your Word on my mouth, so that others can hear what you’ve done. Give me courage to speak your Word truthfully, and grant that other people believe. Amen.</p></blockquote> <p>The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.</p> <p><strong>Questions for Younger Children</strong></p> <ul> <li>What’s a time you had exciting news that was really hard to keep secret?</li> <li>People were mad at Jeremiah for sharing God’s Word. Has someone ever been mad at you for telling them about what God says?</li> </ul> <p><strong>Questions for Elementary Age Children</strong></p> <ul> <li>Jeremiah said God’s Word felt like a fire burning inside him. Why do you think he described it that way?</li> <li>Pick a pastor, teacher, or other church leader who shares God’s Word—even when it’s hard. Pray for them.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Questions for Middle School and Above</strong></p> <ul> <li>Jeremiah felt hurt whether he stayed quiet or spoke up. Why do you think he still kept sharing God’s message?</li> <li>What comfort gave Jeremiah courage at the end of the reading? And how does it help you when the truth of God’s Word is hard to hear or to share?</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://cad.welsrc.net/download-cad/wels-family-devotions-6-1/">Download Family Devotions</a></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://welscongregationalservices.net/ministry-resources/marriagemoments/"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26374 size-full" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="150" vspace="100" srcset="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments.jpg 700w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments-300x64.jpg 300w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments-600x129.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.</div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><a title="Creative Commons" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.</a></div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">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.</div> <div class="printfriendly pf-button pf-alignright"> <a href="https://wels.net/family-devotion/fd20260622/?pfstyle=wp" rel="nofollow" onclick="" title="Printer Friendly, PDF & Email"> <img decoding="async" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png" alt="Print Friendly, PDF & Email" class="pf-button-img" style="width: 400px;height: 60px;" /><span id="printfriendly-text2" class="pf-button-text"> </span> </a> </div>
June 19, 2026
You Matter More Than You Think – June 19, 2026
<img loading="lazy" width="711" height="400" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2.jpg" class="wp-image-25332 avia-img-lazy-loading-25332 webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 16px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" srcset="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2.jpg 711w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2-600x338.jpg 600w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2-705x397.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px" /><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-59214-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260619fam.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260619fam.mp3">https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260619fam.mp3</a></audio> <p align="center"><a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260619fam.mp3">Listen to Devotion</a></p> <h4>Read: Matthew 9:35–10:8</h4> <blockquote><p>[Jesus] said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ <strong>Matthew 9:35–10:8 (selected verses)</strong></p></blockquote> <h3>You Matter More Than You Think</h3> <p>In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.</p> <p>Quick: How many of the twelve apostles can you name?</p> <p>Maybe you remembered Peter, John, or Matthew. But what about Thaddaeus? Or Simon the Zealot? Did you know there were actually two disciples named James and two named Simon? Don’t worry if you can’t remember all their names. Most people can’t! That might seem surprising because the disciples were Jesus’ closest followers. The Bible doesn’t actually tell us much about them. There’s a reason for that. The Bible isn’t about them; it’s about Jesus and the salvation that he was bringing into the world.</p> <p>But that does NOT mean those disciples were unimportant. Jesus taught them, traveled with them, and gave them two incredible jobs to do.</p> <p>First, Jesus told them to PRAY for more workers to share God’s Word. Jesus said there were many people ready to hear about him—like a huge field ready for harvest. So, Jesus told his disciples to “beg” God to send more workers into the field.</p> <p>Then right after Jesus told them to pray for workers, Jesus sent THEM out to be the workers! Those disciples traveled all over the world telling people about Jesus. Some went to faraway countries (Italy, Africa, India). Some faced danger. Some were laughed at or hurt because they believed in Jesus. But they kept sharing the good news anyway.</p> <p>And even though most people today don’t know much about those disciples, billions of people know about Jesus because of them. That teaches us something important: You do not have to be famous to matter.</p> <p>Maybe someday people won’t remember your name hundreds of years from now. That’s okay. God can still use you in wonderful ways right now. Here are your two incredible jobs:</p> <ul> <li>First, you can pray for missionaries, pastors, teachers, and Christians who share Jesus with others. And you can also be part of the answer to your own prayer when you tell someone about Jesus yourself.</li> <li>Second, every time you show kindness, invite someone to church, tell a friend about Jesus, or remind someone that God loves them, God is using YOU too.</li> </ul> <blockquote> <h4>Prayer:</h4> <p>Heavenly Father, I believe that you love the world and want all people to believe in Jesus. Please send more people out to share that message. And Father, give me a chance to be the answer to that prayer as you give me opportunities to share my faith, too. Amen.</p></blockquote> <p>The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.</p> <p><strong>Questions for Younger Children</strong></p> <ul> <li>Which disciples of Jesus can you remember?</li> <li>What important job did Jesus give his disciples?</li> </ul> <p><strong>Questions for Elementary Age Children</strong></p> <ul> <li>Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful.” What do you think he meant by that?</li> <li>Who is someone God has used to teach you about Jesus?</li> </ul> <p><strong>Questions for Middle School and Above</strong></p> <ul> <li>Why is it encouraging to know that you don’t have to be famous to matter to God?</li> <li>Jesus told the disciples to pray for workers and then sent them out to work. What lesson does that teach us?</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://cad.welsrc.net/download-cad/wels-family-devotions-6-1/">Download Family Devotions</a></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://welscongregationalservices.net/ministry-resources/marriagemoments/"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26374 size-full" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="150" vspace="100" srcset="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments.jpg 700w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments-300x64.jpg 300w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments-600x129.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.</div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><a title="Creative Commons" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.</a></div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">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.</div> <div class="printfriendly pf-button pf-alignright"> <a href="https://wels.net/family-devotion/fd20260619/?pfstyle=wp" rel="nofollow" onclick="" title="Printer Friendly, PDF & Email"> <img decoding="async" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png" alt="Print Friendly, PDF & Email" class="pf-button-img" style="width: 400px;height: 60px;" /><span id="printfriendly-text2" class="pf-button-text"> </span> </a> </div>
June 17, 2026
What Makes a Good Pastor? – June 17, 2026
<img width="711" height="400" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2.jpg" class="wp-image-25332 avia-img-lazy-loading-25332 webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 16px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2.jpg 711w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2-600x338.jpg 600w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2-705x397.jpg 705w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px" /><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-59213-2" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260617fam.mp3?_=2" /><a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260617fam.mp3">https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260617fam.mp3</a></audio> <p align="center"><a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260617fam.mp3">Listen to Devotion</a></p> <h4>Read: 1 Corinthians 4:1-7</h4> <blockquote><p>This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. <strong>1 Corinthians 4:1-2</strong></p></blockquote> <h3>What Makes a Good Pastor?</h3> <p>In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.</p> <p>John the Baptist ate bugs. Real bugs! The Bible says he ate locusts—kind of like giant grasshoppers—and wild honey.</p> <p>Elijah wore strange clothes. Instead of nice soft clothes, he wore a rough coat made from camel’s hair and a big leather belt.</p> <p>Moses stuttered. When God told Moses to speak to Pharaoh, Moses said, “I’m slow of speech and tongue.”</p> <p>That makes us wonder: What kind of person does God use to preach and teach his Word?</p> <p>People in the city of Corinth were wondering the same thing. Some people were starting to pick their “favorite pastors.” Maybe some liked the smartest preacher. Maybe others liked the funniest one. Maybe some liked the preacher who told great stories or spoke really loudly and confidently. People still do that today, don’t they?</p> <p>But Paul said the most important thing to look for in a pastor or teacher is this: Are they faithful to God’s Word?</p> <p>Of course, it’s wonderful when pastors and teachers are kind, interesting, funny, or good speakers. But the most important thing is that they teach what God says faithfully and truthfully.</p> <p>Why? Because God describes his message as a mystery. A mystery is something we could never figure out on our own. We need someone to reveal it to us. So God sends us pastors, preachers, teachers, elders and other leaders to share this message that we could never figure out unless God had told us. No one would ever guess on their own that God loves sinners so much that he sent Jesus to save them. We might think we have to earn God’s love by being good enough. But God reveals the wonderful truth: Jesus already did everything needed to save us. Forgiveness and heaven are gifts from God.</p> <p>And who does God use to share that message? Sometimes surprising people! People who eat bugs. People who aren’t fancy speakers. People who have weaknesses and sins. But when they faithfully teach God’s Word, they are exactly the kind of preachers and teachers God wants his people to have.</p> <blockquote> <h4>Prayer:</h4> <p>Dear Jesus, thank you for revealing the mystery of your love to me. Bless us with pastors and teachers and help them be faithful in their work. Amen.</p></blockquote> <p>The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.</p> <p><strong>Questions for Younger Children</strong></p> <ul> <li>What strange things did John the Baptist, Elijah, and Moses each have?</li> <li>Why do you think God sometimes uses surprising people to serve him?</li> </ul> <p><strong>Questions for Elementary Age Children</strong></p> <ul> <li>What are some things people sometimes care about too much when picking favorite leaders or pastors?</li> <li>According to Paul, what matters most about a preacher or teacher?</li> </ul> <p><strong>Questions for Middle School and Above</strong></p> <ul> <li>Why is the message of Jesus called a “mystery”?</li> <li>When people criticize us or we are upset at our leaders, why is it important to remember that God works through imperfect people?</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://cad.welsrc.net/download-cad/wels-family-devotions-6-1/">Download Family Devotions</a></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://welscongregationalservices.net/ministry-resources/marriagemoments/"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26374 size-full" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="150" vspace="100" srcset="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments.jpg 700w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments-300x64.jpg 300w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/700x150-Ad-MarriageMoments-600x129.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.</div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><a title="Creative Commons" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.</a></div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">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.</div> <div class="printfriendly pf-button pf-alignright"> <a href="https://wels.net/family-devotion/fd20260617/?pfstyle=wp" rel="nofollow" onclick="" title="Printer Friendly, PDF & Email"> <img decoding="async" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png" alt="Print Friendly, PDF & Email" class="pf-button-img" style="width: 400px;height: 60px;" /><span id="printfriendly-text2" class="pf-button-text"> </span> </a> </div>
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