Daily Devotion for 10 September 2026 (15th Thursday after Pentecost)

0:00Welcome to the Daily Devotions Podcast from Confident Faith. I am Corey J. Moller, a contributor here at Confident Faith and I will be your reader today. This 16th Thursday after Pentecost, the 10th of September. In the year of our Lord, 2026, in the time of the Church, there are no feasts, festivals or commemorations on the calendar today. Our readings for today are Psalm 58. Psalm 53. One King starting with chapter 9, verse 1, and reading through chapter 10, verse 29, Philippians

1:00chapter 2, verses 12 through 30, and paragraph 16 through 24, of Article 7 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 58th Psalm. Is it in truth, then, righteousness that you speak? Do you judge the straight, O sons of men, for in a heart of lawlessness you work upon the earth, and in justice your hands are weaving together? The sinners have been made alien from the womb. They have been led astray from the belly. They have spoken falsehoods, rages theirs after the likeness of the snake. As of a deaf asp that plugs her ears, which will not harken to the voice of those who sing over her, nor to a drug being worked from a wise man. God has smashed their teeth in their mouth.

2:01The mill teeth of the lions the Lord is crushed. They shall be brought to nothing as water that goes past. He will stretch his bow until they are weak. As melted wax they shall be done away with. Fire has fallen, and they have not seen the sun. For your thorns perceived the buckthorn, as living men as in wrath he will swallow you down. The just man shall be gladdened when he sees vengeance taken upon the impious. He will wash his hands in the blood of the sinner, and a man will say, is there then fruit for the just? Is God then judging them in the earth? 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 53rd Psalm.

3:03A fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They have corrupted and been made loathsome in lawless deeds. There is none that does good. God has stooped from heaven to look down upon the sons of men to see whether there is any that understands, or that seeks out God. All have turned aside. Together they have been rendered worthless. There is none that does good. There is not so much as one. Will they not come to know all who work the lawlessness, who eat my people as with an eating of bread? They have not called upon God. There they will fear a fear where there was no fear, because God has scattered the bones of men-pleasers. They were put to shame because God has made them nothing, who will give from Zion the salvation of Israel when the Lord turns away the captivity of his people. Jacob will exult, and Israel will be gladdened. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

4:09As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forevermore. Amen. Today's Old Testament reading comes from the book of Second Kings, and we will be reading from verse 1 of the ninth chapter through verse 29 of the tenth chapter. And the prophet Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, �Gird up your loins and take the judge of this oil in your hand, and go to Remoth Galad, and you shall enter there and see their Yehu son of Joseph at son of Namass Elisha. And you shall enter and stand him up from among his brothers, and lead him into the chamber in the chamber. And you shall take the judge of oil and pour it on his head and say, �This is what the Lord says. I have anointed you as king of Israel, and you shall open the door and flee and not linger. And the lad, the prophet went to Remoth Galad, and he entered and behold the commanders of

5:10the force were sitting, and he said, �I have a message for you, Commander, and Yehu said, for which one of all of us, and he said, for you, Commander. And he got up and entered into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, �This is what the Lord God of Israel says. I have anointed you as king over the people of the Lord over Israel. And you shall utterly destroy the house of a cob your master, from before me and avenge the blood of my slaves, the prophets, and the blood of all the slaves of the Lord from the hand of Jezebel, and from the hand of the whole house of a cob. And you shall utterly destroy from the house of a cob, one urinating against a wall, both bond and left behind in Israel. And I will make the house of a cob like the house of Jeroboam, son of Nabat, and like the house of Bassa, son of Akiha, and the dog shall devour Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there is no one to bury her.

6:11And he opened the door and fled. And Yehu came out to the servants of his master, and they said to him, �Is it peace? Why is it that the epileptic entered to you? And he said to them, �You know the man in his babble, and they said, �Rong, do tell us.� And Yehu said to them, �Thus and so he spoke to me, saying, �This is what the Lord says. I have anointed you as King of Israel. And when they heard this, they hurried, and they took each man his garment, and put it under him on garrim of the steps, and they trumpeted with a horn and said, �Yehu has become King.� And Yehu son of Joseph at son of Namassi conspired against Joram, and Joram he was guarding at Ramath-Galad. He and all Israel, from before Hazael, King of Syria. And King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds with which the Syrian struck him, when he fought with Hazael, King of Syria. And Yehu said, �If your soul is with me, let no one go out of the city escaping to go

7:16and tell in Jezreel.� And Yehu rode and proceeded and went down to Jezreel, because Joram King of Israel was being healed in Jezreel, from the arrows with which Eramine shot him down in Ramath, in the battle with Hazael, King of Syria, for he was powerful and a man of power. And Okozaius, King of Judah, went down to see Joram. And the lookout went up on the tower in Jezreel, and saw the cloud of dust of Yehu as he drew near and said, �I see a cloud of dust.� And Joram said, �Take a writer and send him before them, and let him say, �Is it peace.� And a horse writer went to meet them, and he said, �This is what the king says, is it peace.� And Yehu said, �What have you to do with peace fall in behind me.� And the lookout reported saying, �The messenger came to them, but he did not come back.� And he sent a second horse writer, and he came to him and said, �This is what the king says, is it peace.� And Yehu said, �What have you to do with peace

8:21fall in behind me.� And the lookout reported saying, �He came to them, but he did not come back.� And he that was bringing was bringing Yehu's son of Namah Sayas, for it happened in perturbation. And Joram said, �Get ready.� And he got a chariot ready. And Joram King of Israel went out, and Okhazayas King of Judah, a man in his chariot, and they went out to meet Yehu. And they found him in the portion of Nabah, the Jezreelite. And it happened when Joram saw Yehu that he said, �Is it peace, Yehu?� And Yehu said, �What peace?� The hordoms of Jezebel, your mother, and her sorceries are still many. And Joram turned his hands to flee and said to Okhazayas, �Treature Okhazayas.� And Yehu filled his hand with his bow, and struck Joram between his arms. And the arrow came out through his heart. And he bent on his knees. And Yehu said about a car, his number three man, throw him in the portion of field of Nabah, the Jezreelite.

9:23Before I remember when you and I were mounted on teams behind a cob his father, that the Lord took this issue against him, saying, �Surely with the blood of Nabah and the blood of his sons that I saw yesterday, says the Lord, I will also repay him in this portion, says the Lord. And now do lift him up, and throw him in the portion, in accordance with the word of the Lord.� And Okhazayas King of Judah saw and fled on by Thagon Road. And Yehu pursued after him and said, �And indeed him, and he struck him in the chariot at the ascent of Guy, which is in Jabalim. And he fled to Magadan and died there. And his servants put him on the chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb in the city of David. And in the eleventh year of Joram King of Israel, Okhazayas became King of Judah. And Yehu came to Jezreel, and Jezebel heard, and she painted her eyes black, and adorned her head and peaked through the window. And Yehu

10:26entered into the city, and she said, �Is it peace, zombie, the murderer of his master?� And he lifted up his face toward the window and saw her and said, �Who are you, come down with me?� And two unix pierred down towards him, and he said, �Roll her. And they rolled her, and some of her blood was spattered to the wall, and to the horses, and they trampled on her. And Yehu went in and ate in drank, and he said, �Do see to this cursed woman, and bury her, for she is a king's daughter. And they went to bury her, and they found nothing in connection with her, other than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. And they went back and told him, and he said, �The word the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of his slave, Elijah the Tishbite sang, in the portion of Jezreel, the dog shall devour the flesh of Jezebel. And the carcass of Jezebel shall be like dung on the surface of the field, in the portion of Jezereel, so that they shall not say, �It is Jezebel��.

11:29And a cob had seventy sons in Samaria, and Yehu wrote a letter and sent it into Samaria to the rulers of Samaria, and to the elders and to the guardians of the sons of a cob saying. And now, whenever this letter comes to you, with you are the sons of your master, and with you are the chariot and the horses and strong cities in the weapons, and you shall notice the good in the upright one among the sons of your master, and you shall set him on the throne of his father, and fight for the house of your master. And they were extremely afraid and said, �Look, the two kings did not stand before him, and how shall we stand? And those over the house and those over the city, and the elders in the guardians sent to Yehu saying, �We are your servants, and whatever you say to us we will do. We will not make a man king. We will do what is good in your sight. And he wrote them a second letter saying, �If you are for me, and you listen to my voice, take the heads of the men of the sons of your master, and bring them to me around this time

12:31tomorrow in Jezereel. And the sons of the king were seventy men. These as prominent men of the city were bringing them up. And it happened when the letter came to them that they took the sons of the king and slaughtered them, seventy men, and they put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezereel. And the messenger came and reported saying, �They brought the heads of the sons of the king. And he said, �Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning. And it happened in the morning that he went out and stood in the gateway of the city, and said to all the people, �You are righteous. Behold, I am. I conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck all these? No certainly that there shall fall to the earth nothing from the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of a cob, and the Lord did what he said by the hand of his slave Elijah. And Ye who struck all who were left in the house of a cob in Jezereel, and all his prominent men and his acquaintances and his priests, so as not to leave a remnant

13:36of him. And he set out and went to Samaria. He was in Bifhekhaad the shepherds on the way, and Ye who found the brothers of Okozias king of Judah and said, �Who are you? And they said, �We are the brothers of Okozias, and we came down for the peace of the sons of the king, and the sons of the woman who holds power. And he said, �Take them alive. And they took them alive and slaughtered them at Bifhekhaad, 42 men. He left not a man of them. And he went from there and found Jonahdab's son of a cob on the way to meet him, and he blessed him. And Ye who said to him, �Is your heart right with my heart as my heart is with your heart? And Jonahdab said, �It is, and Ye who said, �And if it is, give me your hand, and he gave him his hand, and he brought him up to him on the chariot, and he said to him, �Come with me, and see while I am zealous for the Lord sub-I oath. And he sat him down in his chariot, and he entered into Samaria and struck all who were

14:40left to a cob in Samaria until he wiped them out, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke to Elijah. And Ye who assembled all the people and said to them, �A cob was subject to Baal a little, and indeed Ye who would be subject to him much. And now all you prophets of Baal summoned to me all his slaves and his priests, let a man not be inspected, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal, every one who is not inspected shall not live. And Ye who acted with trickery in order to destroy the slaves of Baal, and Ye who said, �Sank to fire solemn festival for Baal. And they proclaimed it, and Ye who sent in all Israel sang, and now all the slaves of Baal and all his priests and all his prophets, let not one remain, for I am making a great sacrifice, whoever remains shall not live. And all the slaves of Baal and all his priests and all his prophets came. Not a man was left behind who did not come, and they entered into the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled

15:46mouth to mouth. And Ye who said to the man over the house of Baal, �Bring out garments for all the slaves of Baal. And the keeper of the sacred robes brought them out for them. And Ye who in Jonah dabb son of a cob entered into the house of Baal, and he said to the slaves of Baal, search and see if there is among you any of the slaves of the Lord, but only the slaves of Baal all alone. And he entered to make the sacrifices and the whole burnt offerings. And Ye who arranged for himself eighty men outside and said, �A man, whoever is rescued from the men whom I bring into your hands, his life in place of his life. And it happened as he finished making the whole burnt offering that Ye who said to the runners and to the number three men, as you enter strike them, let not a man come out from them. And they struck them with an edge of a sword. And the runners and the number three men threw them out. And they proceeded to a city of a house of Baal. And they

16:48brought out the steely of Baal and burned it. And they pulled down the steelys of Baal and tore down the house of Baal and arranged it into latrines to this day. And Ye who wiped out Baal from Israel, yet from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nabat who made Israel sin, Ye who did not depart from behind them, the golden heifers and bithel and in Dan. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Today's New Testament reading comes from the book of Philippians, and we will be reading the second chapter, verses 12 through 30. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing that you may be blameless and innocent children of God

17:51without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me. I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you, for I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare, for they all seek their own interests not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth. How is a son with a father? He is served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. I have thought it necessary to send to you a path redite

18:52as my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death, but God had mercy on him and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him therefore that you may rejoice at seeing him again and that I may be less anxious, so receive him in the Lord with all joy and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. 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 7, paragraph 16 through 24.

19:54Only those people who receive this promise of the Spirit receive it according to the gospel. Besides, the church's Christ kingdom distinguished from the devil's kingdom. It is certain, however, that the wicked are in the devil's power and members of his kingdom. Paul teaches this when he says that the devil is now at work in the sons of disobedience, Ephesians 2.2. Christ says to the Pharisees who certainly had outward fellowship with the church, that is, with the saints among the people of the law, as officeholders, sacrifices, and teachers. You are of your Father the devil, John 8.44. Therefore the church which is truly Christ's kingdom is properly the congregation of saints. For the wicked are ruled by the devil and are captives of the devil. They are not ruled by the Spirit of Christ. Why say more when the matter is clear? If the church which is truly Christ's kingdom is distinguished from the devil's kingdom, it follows necessarily that the wicked are not

20:55the church, since they are in the devil's kingdom. It is true that because Christ's kingdom has not yet been revealed, the wicked are mixed in with the church and hold offices, but the wicked are not Christ's kingdom, even though that revelation has not yet been made. For Christ and liveans is true kingdom by His Spirit, whether it is revealed or is covered by the cross, just as the glorified Christ is the same Christ who was afflicted. Christ's parables clearly agree with this, he says, the good seed is the children of the kingdom, the weeds are the sons of the evil one, Matthew 1338. The field he says is the world, not the church. John the Baptist speaks about the entire Jewish people and says that eventually the true church will be separated from that people. Therefore, this passage is more against the adversaries than in favor of them, because it shows that the true and spiritual people are to be separated from the earthly people. Christ also speaks of the outward

21:55appearance of the church when he says, the kingdom of heaven is like a net, Matthew 1347, likewise 10 virgins, Matthew 251. He teaches that the church has been covered by a lot of evils, so that this stumbling block may not offend the pious, and so that we may know that the word and sacraments are powerful, even when administered by the wicked. Meanwhile, he teaches that these godless people, although they have fellowship in outward signs, are not Christ's true kingdom in members, they are members of the devil's kingdom. We are not dreaming of a platonic state, as some wickedly charge, but we do say that this church exists, truly believing and righteous people, scattered throughout the whole world. We add the marks, the pure teaching of the gospel, and the sacraments. This church is properly the pillar of the truth, 1 Timothy 315, for it keeps the pure gospel, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 311, the foundation is the true

22:56knowledge of Christ in faith. There are also many weak persons who build upon the foundations stupele that will perish, verse 12, holding certain harmful opinions. Nevertheless, because the weak do not overthrow the foundation, they are both forgiven and corrected. The writings of the Holy Father's declared that sometimes even they built stumble upon the foundation, but that this did not overthrow their faith. But most of those errors do overthrow faith. Our adversaries defend these errors. Among them is their condemnation of the article about the forgiveness of sins. In which we say that the forgiveness of sins is received through faith. Likewise, it is a clear and deadly error when the adversaries teach that people merit the forgiveness of sins by loving God before grace. This is an example of removing the foundation, Christ. Likewise, why do we need faith that the sacraments justify by the outward act, without a good motive on the part of the one using

23:57them? Just as the church has the promise that it will always have the Holy Spirit, so it also has warnings that there will be wicked teachers and wolves. Yet the church in the proper sense has the Holy Spirit. Although wolves and wicked teachers run rampant in the church, they are not properly Christ's kingdom, just as Lyra also testifies when he says, the church does not consist of people in power or ecclesiastical or secular dignity, because many princes in archbishops and others of lower rank have been found to have apostatized from the faith, therefore the church consists of those persons in whom there is a true knowledge and confession of faith and truth. We have said nothing more in our confession than what Lyra says here. The adversaries perhaps require that the church be defined in the following way. To them, the church is the supreme outward monarchy of the whole world. In this church, the Roman Pontiff's power is unquestioned. No one is allowed to argue against it or criticize it.

24:57He sets up articles of faith or abolishes them and abolishes the scriptures according to his pleasure. He approves worship ceremonies and sacrifices to frame whatever laws he may wish. He dispenses and exempts from whatever laws, divine, canonical or civil, he may wish. From him, the emperor and all kings receive the power and write to hold their kingdoms according to Christ's command. It must be understood that this right was transferred from Christ, since the Father subjected all things to him, to the Pope. Therefore, the Pope must necessarily be Lord of the whole world, of all the kingdoms of the world, of all things private and public. He must have absolute power in earthly and spiritual things and both sores the spiritual and temporal. Besides, this definition, not of Christ's church, but of the papal kingdom, has, as its authors, not only the canon lawyers, but also Daniel 11, 36 through 39. This concludes our reading from the Book of Concord.

26:04I 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 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 trespass against us. Adlet 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

27:07given you or tasks that before you. Until tomorrow, God be with you.