Daily Devotion for 04 September 2026 (15th Friday after Pentecost)

0:00Welcome to the Daily Devotions Podcast from Comfort and Faith. I am Corey J. Moller, a contributor here at Confident Faith, and I will be your reader today. This 15th Friday after Pentecost, the 4th of September. In the year of our Lord, 2026, in the time of the Church, today we commemorate Moses. Greatest amongst the Old Testament prophets, Moses spoke with God face to face. Moses' life was divided into three parts of 40 years each. First, he lived in Egypt in the royal court, having been rescued by the daughter of Pharaoh

1:00and the intervention of God. Second, he lived as a shepherd in the land of Midian after fleeing Egypt. And third, he led Israel during the wandering in the desert. Prohibited from entering the Promised Land due to disobedience at Maribah, Moses was nevertheless allowed to view the land from Mount Nebo, where he then died. For readings for today are Psalm 90, Psalm 107, 2 Kings 2-18, Ephesians 4-1-24, and paragraphs 241-248 of Article 5 of the apology of the Augsburg confession. We will close, as always, with the Lord's Prayer. Today's first reading from the Psalter is the 90th Psalm. O Lord, You have become a refuge for us, in generation and generation, before the mountains

2:03came to be, and the earth and the inhabited world were formed, and from the age and to the age You are. Do not turn a man back into humiliation, and You have said, turn back sons of men. For a thousand years in Your eyes are as the day of yesterday which went through, and a watch in the night. Their things of no account will be years, in the morning as young green may it pass by, in the morning may it bloom and pass by, at evening may it fall away be hardened and be dried, for we have given out in Your wrath, and in Your fury we were thrown into turmoil. You have said our lawless deeds before You, our age into a lighting of Your face. For all our days have failed, and in Your wrath we have given out. They practiced our years as a spider. The days of our years are seventy years, but if in Lordship eighty years, and the great part of them is toil and labor, because mildness has come upon us, and we shall be disciplined.

3:07Who knows the might of Your wrath, and from the fear of Your fury to number it out? Make known Your right hand, and those disciplined in the heart in wisdom. Turn back O Lord, until when, and be comforted over Your servants. We were filled in the morning with Your mercy, and we exalted and were gladdened in all our days. In return for the days in which You brought us low, of years in which we saw evils. And look upon Your servants in Your works, and guide their sons, and let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us, and the works of our hands make straight upon us. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forevermore. Amen. Today's second reading from the Psalter is the 107th Psalm.

4:10Make open acknowledgement to the Lord because He is kind, because unto the age is His mercy. Let those ransom by the Lord say it, whom He ransomed from a hand of an enemy, from the countries He gathered them together, from east and west and north and sea. They wandered in the wilderness in a waterless place, away a city of a dwelling place they did not find. Hungering and thirsting, their soul failed in them, and they cried out to the Lord in their being afflicted, and from their necessities He drew them out, and He guided them into a straight way, to go into a city of a dwelling place. Let them make open acknowledgement to the Lord of His mercies, and His wonders to the sons of men, because He filled an empty soul, and a hungering soul He filled with good things. They were sitting in darkness and a shadow of death, fettered in bakery and in iron, because they embittered the oracles of God, and the counsel of the most high they provoked,

5:10and their heart was humbled in toils. They grew weak, and there was none who helps, and they cried out to the Lord in their being afflicted, and from their necessities He saved them, and He led them out from darkness and from a shadow of death, and He tore their bonds. Let them make open acknowledgement to the Lord of His mercies, and His wonders to the sons of men, because He shattered bronze gates and iron bars He broke. He took hold of them from away of their lawlessness, for because of their lawless deeds they were humbled. Every food their soul loathed, and they drew near unto the gates of death, and they cried out to the Lord in their being afflicted, and from their necessities He saved them. He sent His word and healed them, and He drew them out from their destructions. Let them make open acknowledgement to the Lord of His mercies, and His wonders to the sons of men, and let them sacrifice a sacrifice of praise, and let them declare His works in exultation.

6:11Those who go down into the sea in ships doing work in many waters, they themselves saw the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. He said, and a breath of a squal stood, and its waves were lifted high. They go up unto the heavens, and they go down unto the abysses. Their soul was melting in evils. They were thrown into turmoil. They were shaken as a drunken man, and all their wisdom was swallowed down. And they cried out to the Lord in their being afflicted, and from their necessities He led them out. And He made its squal stand, and its waves were silent, and they were gladdened because they were still, and He guided them in care of His will. Let them make open acknowledgement to the Lord of His mercies, and His wonders to the sons of men. Let them lift Him high in assemblies of the people, and in seats of elders let them praise Him. He said rivers into a wilderness, and goings out of waters into thirst, a fruit-bearing land into brine, from evil of those dwelling in it.

7:14He set a wilderness into harbors of waters, and He settled hungry ones there, and they established a city of dwelling, and they sowed fields and planted vineyards, and they made fruit of a produce, and He blessed them and they were multiplied exceedingly, and their cattle He did not make small. And they were made few and were treated ill, from crushing of evils and of pain. Setting it not was poured out upon rulers, and He made them wander in a trackless place and not away. And He helped a poor laborer from Beggary, and He said families is sheep. The straight will see and will be gladdened, and all lawlessness will stop up her mouth, who is wise and will guard these things, and they will understand the mercies of the Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forevermore.

8:14Amen. Today's Old Testament reading comes from the book of 2 Kings, and we will be reading the 2nd chapter, verses 2 through 18. And Elijah said to Elijah, do stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as by Thel, and Elijah said, the Lord lives and your soul lives if I will leave you. And they came to by Thel, and the sons of the prophets who were in by Thel came to Elijah and said to him, did you know that today the Lord is taking your master from above your head? And He said, yes I know, keep silent. And Elijah said to Elijah, do stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho. And Elijah said, the Lord lives and your soul lives if I will abandon you. And they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho drew near to Elijah and said to him, did you know that today the Lord is taking your master from above your head?

9:15And He said, and indeed I know, be silent. And Elijah said to him, do stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as the Jordan. And Elijah said, the Lord lives and your soul lives if I will abandon you. And they both went on. And 50 men sons of the prophets also stood opposite at a distance. And they both stood by the Jordan. And Elijah took his sheepskin and rolled it up and struck the water. And the water was divided here and there, and they both crossed in a wilderness. And it happened when they had crossed that Elijah said to Elijah, ask what I may do for you before I am taken from you. And Elijah said, do let twofold in your spirit be on me. And Elijah said, you made hard to ask this for yourself. If you see me as I am being taken up from you, then it will be so for you. And if not, it will not be. And it happened as they walked, that they were walking and talking, and behold a chariot of fire and horses of fire.

10:17And they separated between both. And Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind as into heaven. And Elijah kept watching and crying out, father, father, chariot of Israel and its horsemen. And he saw him no longer, and he grasped his clothes and tore them into two tears. And he picked up the sheepskin of Elijah that fell from upon Elijah. And Elijah went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. And he took the sheepskin of Elijah that fell from upon him and struck the water. And it did not part. And he said, where is the God of Elijah? A foe. And he struck the waters. And they burst here and there. And Elijah went over. And the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho saw him opposite and said, the spirit of Elijah rests on Elijah. And they came to meet him and did obeisance to him on the ground. And they said to him, see now with your servants there are fifty men sons of power. As they go, do let them seek your master. It may be that a spirit of the Lord picked him up and threw him in the Jordan or on one

11:20of the mountains or on one of the hills. And Elijah said, you shall not send. And they urged him until he was ashamed. And he said, send. And they sent fifty men. And they searched for three days but did not find him. And they came back to him and he had remained in Jericho. And Elijah said, did I not say to you, do not go? This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Today's New Testament reading comes from the book of Ephesians and we will be reading the fourth chapter verses 1 through 24. I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience bearing with one another in love. Eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs

12:21to your call. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is overall and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, when he ascended on high, he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men. In saying he ascended, what does it mean, but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended, far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave the apostles the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes.

13:24Rather speaking the truth and love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the heathen do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous, and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learn Christ, assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self which belongs to your former manner of life, and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God,

14:26in true righteousness and holiness. This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Today's reading from the book of Concord comes from the apology of the Augsburg confession, and we will be reading Article 5, paragraph 241 through 248. We are not trying to start a needless word battle about the term reward, but this is a great, exalted and very important matter, about where Christian hearts can find true in certain comfort. It is about whether our works can give conscience as rest and peace, whether we are to believe that our works are worthy of eternal life, or whether that is given to us for Christ's sake. These are the real questions regarding these matters. If conscience is not rightly taught about these, they can have no certain comfort. However, we have stated clearly enough that good works do not fulfill the law, that

15:31we need God's mercy, that through faith we are accepted by God, that good works be they ever so precious, even if they were the works of Saint Paul himself, cannot bring rest to the conscience. It makes sense that we are to believe that we receive eternal life through Christ by faith. Not because of our works or of the law, but what do we say of the reward that the Scripture mentions? If the adversaries will admit that we are regarded righteous through faith because of Christ, and that good works please God because of faith, we will not afterward argue much about the term reward. We confess that eternal life is a reward. It is something due because of the promise, not because of our merits, for the justification has been promised, which we have previously shown to be properly God's gift. To this gift the promise of eternal life has been added, according to Romans 8.30, those whom he justified he also glorified. Here belongs what Paul says, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the

16:33Lord the righteous judge will award to me, 2 Timothy 4.8. The justified are due the crown because of the promise. Saints should know this promise, not that they may labor for their own profit, for they ought to labor for God's glory, but saints should know it so they may not despair in troubles. They should know God's will, he desires to aid to deliver and to protect them. Although the perfect hear the mention of penalties and rewards in one way, the weak hear it in another way, the weak labor for the sake of their own advantage. Yet the preaching of rewards and punishments is necessary. God's wrath is set forth in the preaching of punishments. This applies to the preaching of repentance. This is set forth in the preaching of rewards. Just as Scripture in the mention of good works often embraces faith, for it wishes righteousness of the heart to be included with the fruit. So sometimes it offers grace together with other rewards. We find this in Isaiah 58-8 through 14, and frequently in other places in the prophets.

17:37We also affirm what we have often said that although justification and eternal life go along with faith, nevertheless good works merit other bodily and spiritual rewards and degrees of reward. According to 1 Corinthians 3-8, each will receive his wages according to his labor. The righteousness of the gospel, which has to do with the promise of grace, freely received justification and new life. But the fulfilling of the law which follows faith, has to do with the law. In it a reward is offered and is due not freely, but according to our works. Those who earn this are justified before they do the law. As Paul says, he is transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son, and we are fellow heirs with Christ, Colossians 1-13, Romans 8-17. But whenever merit is mentioned, the adversaries immediately transfer the matter from other rewards to justification. Yet the gospel freely offers justification because of Christ's merits and not of our own.

18:38His merits are delivered to us through faith. Rates and troubles do not merit justification, but other payments as the reward is offered for the works in these passages. Whoever so sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever soes bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9-6. Here clearly the measure of the reward is connected with the measure of the work. Honor your Father and your Mother that your days may be long in the land, Exodus 2012. So here the law offers a reward to a certain work. The fulfilling of the law earns a reward, for a reward properly relates to the law. Yet we should be mindful of the gospel, which freely offers justification for Christ's sake. We neither obey the law nor can obey it, before we have been reconciled to God justified and reborn. Nor would fulfilling the law please God, unless we were accepted because of faith. The law are accepted because of faith, for this very reason the initial fulfilling of the

19:39law pleases and has a reward in this life and in the next. Regarding the term reward, many other remarks derived from the nature of the law might be made here, since they are too long, they must be explained in another connection. This concludes our reading from the Book of Concord. I now invite all of you to join me in reciting the Lord's Prayer, one of the most ancient prayers of the Church. I do encourage you to say it aloud if you are somewhere it would be reasonable to do so, but praying it silently is, of course, also fine. The Lord knows what is in your heart. Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who

20:40trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. Go in peace and grace to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in whatever calling has been given you or tasks that before you. Until tomorrow, God be with you.