Devotions From Steadfast Lutherans

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)

Don’t only look at the water. Listen. Listen to God’s command. God’s command might seem silly, it might seem stupid, but remember this. If God commanded something great, you’d do it. And now, Christ commands something very simple for all the nations. Thanks be to God for this simple command, that we might be washed and be clean!

Thanks be to God, for the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s Word!

When God's Word is combined with water, God gets to the heart of the matter: He gets to our hearts and makes them new.

The Holy Spirit gives life. In the beginning, He gave form to the water. Now, the Holy Spirit uses water as His way of killing a sinner and creating a saint.

Baptism cannot just be plain water. God commanded it and attached His Word to it!

Christians in the book of Acts were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, just as we were!

God made us alive together with Christ!

Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word. Amen.

You are baptized (if you aren’t go talk to a Lutheran pastor). That is more valuable than anything else in your life. There is no amount of wealth, pleasure, influence, bodily health, governmental favor, or any other thing of this life that can compare to it. God grant that you treasure it, that your hearts may be found in such a treasure, trusting in God’s promises in baptism this Lent

This year, gather the household around the Word and these short devotions. Learn to treasure the gift of God that we have in Baptism. 

O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, You graciously have kept me Each night and day ‘gainst ev’ry host And heard this sinner’s earnest plea. Forgive my sins where I’ve done wrong, Angelic guards send, hear my song! Let Satan have no power o’er me! (Original PJC 2020, modeled after Luther’s Evening Prayer and TLH 260). Amen.

Thy truth defend, O God, and stay This evil generation; And from the error of their way Keep Thine own congregation. The wicked everywhere abound And would Thy little flock con-found; But Thou art our Salvation (TLH260:6). Amen.

O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, shield and protects us from harm in the midst of trials that purify us as silver from all adulteration. Grant us endurance through Your Word for each temptation. Grant that we be salt and light that every nation may trust and praise the Crucified (Based on TLH260:5). Amen.

LSB 876:1 O blessèd, holy Trinity, Divine, eternal Unity, O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, This day Your name be uppermost.

O Holy Spirit, continue to call, gather, enlighten, and sanctify the whole Christian Church on earth, keep us with Jesus Christ in the one true faith, root out all heresy and rid us of all false teachers who own no lord or master (Based on LSC, Creed, Third Article and TLH260:3). Amen.

LSB 954: 2 We all believe in Jesus Christ,  His own Son, our Lord, possessing An equal Godhead, throne, and might,  Source of ev’ry grace and blessing; Born of Mary, virgin mother,  By the power of the Spirit, Word made flesh, our elder brother;  That the lost might life inherit, Was crucified for all our sin And raised by God to life again.

O Lord, [Heavenly Father,] look down from heaven, behold And let Thy pity waken: How few are we within Thy Fold, Thy saints by men forsaken! True faith seems quenched on ev’ry hand, Men suffer not Thy Word to stand; Dark times have us o'ertaken (TLH 260:1). Amen.

Immortal honor, endless fame attend the almighty Father’s name; the Savior-Son be glorified, who for all humankind has died; to You, O Paraclete, we raise unending songs of thanks and praise. Amen. (LSB 500:4)

Teach us to know the Father, Son, And You, from both, as Three in One That we Your name may ever bless And in our lives the truth confess. (LSB 498:6)