Prince of Peace Martinez

Prince of Peace Martinez Offering relief from your burdens and rest from your efforts to do better. A place where God is FOR you.

09/05/2026

Saturday Daily Devotion

September 5, 2026

One Man for Everyman

"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" (Matthew 16:26 NIV)

In fictional literature or film, an everyman is a character with whom the audience can readily identify. You can easily put your own feet into this person's shoes.

Jesus wraps up his teaching about our collision course with the cross by asking a question about such an everyman. The person Jesus wants us to identify with is someone who spends his life trying to gain the whole world. In other words, this person pursues his own will and avoids the pain of the cross. What happens to such a person? He forfeits his soul.

It's not difficult for us to identify with this everyman. If we were to watch a video replay of our lives, we would see ourselves frequently pursuing our self-centered will instead of God's will. Our journey is marked by tracks that attempt to sidestep the cross of bearing the world's hatred because of our love for Christ.

As a result, we may wonder if it's already too late. Have we already forfeited our soul because of our record of failure? Thankfully, Jesus doesn't leave us without an answer to this haunting question. He describes himself with a rather ordinary title that has extraordinary significance. It's found in the surrounding context of this week's reading where Jesus, conversing with his disciples, refers to himself as the Son of Man (Matthew 16:13,28).

This term is a reminder that the Son of God took on our human nature to carry the cross as an everyman. He didn't journey to the cross merely to inspire us or to set an example for us. He journeyed there as our substitute. He died as one everyman for every man and every woman.

When Christ compares what we suffer for him to a cross, it reminds us of the cross he carried for us. None of us has walked a perfectly straight path on our journey with Jesus, but the Son of Man completed his journey perfectly for every one of us. Let us gladly follow as he leads us on this collision course with the cross!

Dear Jesus, thank you for taking our place as the perfect Son of Man. Help us take up our own cross as we follow you. Amen.

Bible reading:
2 Chronicles 6-8

09/04/2026

Friday Daily Devotion

September 4, 2026

No Alternate Routes

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem. . . . Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:21,24 NIV)

At one point in history, it was said, "All roads lead to Rome." Even though there is no comparable place on Earth today, multiple roads often lead to the same destination. When you search for directions on your smartphone, you typically get various routes to pick from. These different routes can get you to your destination in approximately the same amount of time.

Is the same true of our journey of faith? This week, we're talking about our journey with Jesus that puts us on a collision course with the cross. We've seen why this path is so painful: It involves self-denial and dying to ourselves for the sake of the Word of God and the needs of our neighbor. It's understandable why people would think, "Maybe there's an alternate route that is easier, or faster, or less painful."

There isn't. Jesus made that clear from the time he began teaching his disciples about carrying a cross. Notice that little but important word: must. What Jesus says about the cross doesn't apply only to special Christians who are willing to go above and beyond for Jesus. It's true of whoever wants to be a follower of Christ. No exceptions. No alternate routes.

Perhaps that sounds like bad news. But when Jesus spoke of his own journey to the cross, he used that same word: must. That's a remarkable word when we're talking about God. No one can obligate the Almighty to anything. He owes nothing to anyone. He does only what he decides to do. In his infinite love for us, however, Jesus willingly obligated himself to the journey that led him to the cross. He bound himself to the route that led to his death so that we could have life.

This is why we can trust him when he uses that little word must with us. No, we can't avoid this journey or opt for an alternate route. We can, however, be certain we are accompanied by the Savior who bound himself to the route to the cross for us.

Dear Jesus, your love for us led you to your cross. Help us trust you as we willingly take up our own cross of suffering for the sake of your name. Amen.

Bible reading:
2 Chronicles 1-5

09/03/2026

Thursday Daily Devotion

September 3, 2026

More Than a Detour

"Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:25 NIV)

When you're on a journey, you never want to see a sign that says Detour Ahead. When you know where you're going, it's aggravating to find out it's going to take longer to get there.

This week we're talking about the journey Jesus leads us on, one that puts us on a collision course with the cross. The journey is difficult because it involves self-denial: saying no to our will when it conflicts with the will of God or the needs of our neighbor. We noted how it's important to see the end of this journey already at the beginning. To keep us from drifting down a different path, we need to see where Jesus is headed: to denial of self. Jesus tells us that if we stubbornly hold on to our life by pursuing our own will, we will end up losing it. If we are willing to let go of our life by denying our own will, we will end up finding it.

The last sentence may lead us to think in terms of heavenly rewards. Pain in this life is tolerable because Jesus prepared for us a paradise in the life to come. Bearing a cross for Christ now will be surpassed by wearing a crown from Christ later.

But already in this life, we lose when we spend our lives pursuing our sinful will. Already in this life, we gain when we spend our lives denying our selfish will. When we ferociously cling to our own wants, we forfeit God's better design for who he wants us to be. When we willingly forfeit our wants, we find that God's plan for us is far better.

In other words, the path that collides with the cross is more than a detour. It doesn't simply delay satisfaction until we get to heaven. It brings us already now to a destination far better than the one we imagined. God diverts us from the truck stop where we thought we wanted to eat and leads us to the five-star restaurant he has reserved for us.

Our Savior deliberately chose the path that led him to his own cross. The willing surrender of his life resulted in winning everlasting life for us. We can confidently follow Jesus on a collision course with the cross because we know where he is leading us: to real life.

Dear Jesus, help us see with eyes of faith that the path through the cross leads to a far better destination. Amen.

Bible reading:
1 Chronicles 27:16-29:30
Psalm 40

09/02/2026

Wednesday Daily Devotion

September 2, 2026

Colliding With the Needs of Our Neighbor

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24 NIV)

Whether it's your morning commute or a cross-country road trip, it's frustrating when you have to slow down or stop. Sometimes you might encounter a Road Closed sign. More often, the road is open but too many cars are traveling it at the same time. It's never fun when you can't get where you want to go as fast as you want.

This week we're talking about our journey with Jesus that puts us on a collision course with the cross. Cross-bearing, or enduring suffering because of our confession of Christ, requires us to say no to our will and yes to God's.

God's Word sometimes acts like a Road Closed sign. We may desire something sinful, but traveling that path would be wrong and spiritually dangerous. So our loving God blocks that road. In other cases, the road is wide open; not everything we desire is sinful. Nevertheless, many other drivers are on the road and they can't always get where they want as fast as they want. In other words, sometimes our will does not collide with the Word of God but with the needs of our neighbors. How we use our time, spend our money, and set our priorities affects the people around us, starting with our families and extending to friends, coworkers, and neighbors.

This too provides an opportunity to practice self-denial. We say no to ourselves for the sake of our neighbor. We consider their needs ahead of ours. We let them go first, even if we have to slow down. We yield . . . except when we don't. Because putting others first can be painful, we find excuses not to do so. For our Savior, however, putting others first was natural. His perfect, joyful yielding to his neighbor--all the way to the cross--compiled the righteous record he now credits to us.

Saying no to our selfish desires, whether in the interest of our neighbor or in obedience to God, are related. God created us to live in a web of relationships instead of isolation. He designed us to be other-focused instead of self-obsessed. Even when loving our neighbor is inconvenient and requires self-denial, we can be certain it is good because our love for others reflects God's love for us.

Heavenly Father, open our eyes to the needs of those traveling through life with us and around us. Help us see the blessing in denying ourselves for them. Amen.

Bible reading:
1 Chronicles 25:1-27:15
Psalm 122

09/01/2026

Tuesday Daily Devotion

September 1, 2026

Colliding With the Word of God

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24 NIV)

Children might say there are few words they dislike hearing more than "no." Parents might say there are few words they dislike saying more than "no." How much would someone dislike both saying and hearing that word? That's what happens when you say no to yourself.

This week we've been talking about the journey Jesus leads us on that puts us on a collision course with the cross. Carrying our cross--being willing to suffer because we are Christ's--requires readiness to deny ourselves. That can be painful. It may even feel like death because it is: death to our old self.

Self-denial is called for when our sinful wishes conflict with God's will. We want to make selfish decisions, pursue ungodly goals, or satisfy demonic desires. We may be convinced that pursuing our will is the only way to be who we really are.

God's Word describes how he made us and wants us to live. There is no room for negotiation or compromise. When our self-centered will collides with the Lord's holy will, saying no to ourselves and yes to our Maker is the only way to thank our God for his grace.

If our will is at odds with God's, we cannot live the life our Creator wants for us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what is good and what is evil and, therefore, what will be beneficial or harmful to us. Sin often blinds us to such dangers, so when our will collides with God's, it is in our best interest to say no to ourselves and yes to God. Yet our sinful nature argues otherwise.

The will of the Son never collided with his Father's. They always coincided, even when it meant our selfless Savior enduring the pain of the cross as the only way to erase our sorry and selfish record of sin. The Father now counts his Son's obedience in place of our disobedience.

Saying no to self is painful. Nevertheless, we can trust that self-denial and bearing the cross of suffering as a disciple are for our good. The cross that Jesus carried for us proves that crosses can be very good indeed.

Heavenly Father, thank you for revealing your wise plan for our lives. Work such love for you in our hearts that we are willing to carry the crosses you ask us to bear for your sake. Amen.

Bible reading:
1 Chronicles 22:6-24:31
Psalm 149

08/31/2026

Monday Daily Devotion

August 31, 2026

The Collision

Peter took [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" . . . Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:22-24 NIV)

Why would Jesus address one of his followers as Satan? Peter found out. Jesus had started to teach his disciples about the journey ahead of him that would include his death on the cross. In response, Peter rebuked Jesus and expressed his desire that this would never happen. He was misguided, to be sure. But to address Peter as Satan?

Our journey with Jesus puts us on a collision course with the cross. A cross itself is a collision, formed by two perpendicular lines. The lines aren't slightly at odds with each other; they run in opposite directions that will collide and form a cross.

When God's will collides with our self-centered will, we can either avoid the cross by pursuing our will or take up the cross by pursuing God's will. The self-denial mindset to which Christ calls us is essential to carrying the cross of suffering that comes because we are his faithful followers.

In the wilderness, Satan lied to Jesus: Get what you want now rather than obey your Father, who directs you to the cross (Matthew 4:1-11). Satan lies each time he lures us to pursue self-discovery, self-expression, and self-fulfillment rather than self-denial. The path that seeks to avoid the cross of suffering for the sake of Christ was, is, and always will be satanic.

We are eternally grateful that the Messiah did not listen to Satan or Peter. Instead, he turned his call to self-sacrifice into action when he denied his natural human desire to preserve his life, choosing instead to ransom us by sacrificing his life. He carried his cross so we would not have to carry our sins.

Jesus speaks bluntly because he wants you to see the truth about Satan's lies. He wants you to see the danger of pursuing the "safe" path that avoids the cross. He wants to keep you on a collision course with self-denial. Your Savior took up his cross for you. Are you willing to take up your cross and suffer for him?

Dear Jesus, thank you for exposing the truth about the paths that lead us away from you. Help us see them for what they are and keep us on your path, no matter how painful it might be. Amen.

Bible reading:
1 Chronicles 19:1-22:5
Psalm 55

08/29/2026

Saturday Daily Devotion

August 29, 2026

To Confess Jesus Means to Use What You've Been Given

"I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:18-19 EHV)

We've spent this week talking about how to confess Jesus and why we often hesitate to do so. We haven't discussed what confessing Jesus actually looks like other than Peter's example of "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). Perhaps we confess Jesus much more often than we think because we've given ourselves a narrow definition of what a confession of faith is.

The church confesses Jesus. Because the church is all those who believe in Jesus, confessing him just happens naturally. It's a wonderful fruit of faith. A confession can be the Nicene Creed. It can be you telling your coworker that you are a Christian. It can also be something that Christians do quite often. Jesus described it as using the keys of the kingdom of heaven. The church, including individual Christians, has been given the very keys to heaven. You can lock the door of heaven to someone. You can also unlock it.

"How can I be trusted with such a power?" you might ask. "I've never done such a thing." Using these keys is not some mystical power that's been hidden from you. It's really another way of talking about using the law and the gospel. When you have confronted someone with his sin and emphasized the need to repent, you have used the locking key. When your child confessed a sin with tears and shame, you have used the unlocking key as you assured her of forgiveness.

Using the keys is something you might do without even realizing you are doing it. It's also another way of confessing Jesus. To proclaim law and gospel is to proclaim Jesus. Like every form of confessing Jesus, it's done to glorify him, and it's also done for the spiritual and eternal welfare of others.

Jesus, you have given me an awesome privilege and responsibility to use the keys of heaven. Help me correctly discern when someone needs to hear the law and when someone needs to hear the gospel so that your name and work are confessed. Amen.

Bible reading:
1 Chronicles 12:23-16:6

08/28/2026

Friday Daily Devotion

August 28, 2026

To Confess Jesus Means to Be Confident

"I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overpower it." (Matthew 16:18 EHV)

Many Christians have heard about what could be called "the demographics of doom." Christianity seems to be declining in America, at least statistically. The number of people who attend worship regularly and the number of people who call themselves Christian have been declining for decades. When those trends are forecasted into the future, the numbers are quite concerning.

In addition, many of us have felt a significant change in our culture over the last few generations. More Christians are feeling like minorities in our communities. Of course, that has been the norm for many Christians of the past or in other parts of the world, but for American Christians, it feels new and scary. It may also be a reason that many of us are intimidated by the thought of boldly confessing Jesus.

Peter and the other apostles would spend the rest of their lives confessing Jesus in nations and cultures that were hostile to Christianity. Jesus' words in Matthew 16:18 would give them courage and confidence. They should do the same for us. He promised that the gates of hell will not overcome the church.

Jesus did not promise that the church will be a dominant cultural force or that it will never cease growing. He did promise that it won't disappear. It won't be defeated. What comfort! What confidence we should take from that promise.

This means that it doesn't all depend on you. Confessing Jesus is an opportunity, but when you fail to do so, the future of the church doesn't hang in the balance. Not only are we forgiven in our confessional failures, but we also are comforted that Jesus is in control. It's his church. He has promised to build it and that it will endure.

Confessing Jesus is not an act of desperation to save a dying church. It's an act of confidence in Christ and his promises.

Dear Father, I thank you for sending your Son to earn forgiveness for my failures to confess him as the Christ. Use his promises about the church to fill me with confidence so I may confess him boldly. Amen.

Bible reading:
1 Chronicles 10:1-12:22

08/27/2026

Thursday Daily Devotion

August 27, 2026

To Confess Jesus Means to Be Part of the Church

"I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overpower it." (Matthew 16:18 EHV)

Your palms are sweaty, and you can feel your face flushing. Your guts are churning, and it takes all your courage not to run away. Why do you feel this way? Because you know you should speak up and confess Christ, but you are scared to do so. Imagine as many details as you can. No two people reading this are picturing the exact same thing. You might imagine confessing Christ to an argumentative family member or an atheist coworker. Whatever you see in your mind's eye right now, there's a good chance you see yourself alone. You, like the captain of a sinking ship or a POW facing a firing squad, are completely alone in this worthy task of confessing Christ.

Isn't that part of the reason we find confessing Christ to be so daunting? We see it as a solitary pursuit. Of course, we are not alone. God is always with us. But there is another profound way in which you are not alone when you confess Christ.

Immediately after Peter's wonderful confession, Jesus connected it to the church. He said, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." The rock Jesus referred to was the kind of confession Peter made and the faith behind it. The church is nothing more or less than all those who believe in and confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God.

You are not alone in confessing Jesus, even if it feels that way. Millions of people around the world share your faith. Many more who are now in heaven stood up and confessed as well. Don't miss the support system that God has created through his gospel. Surround yourself with other Christians as often as you can. Support and be supported. Learn about the history of the church. There are so many inspiring stories of saints confessing Jesus. Look at ancient confessions like the creeds and the Lutheran Confessions with a fresh perspective. Be moved by the beauty and precision with which Christians of the past confessed who Jesus is.

When you find yourself nervous about confessing Jesus, remember that you are not alone. The entire church stands and confesses with you.

Lord of the church, thank you for blessing me with fellow Christians. Inspire me with their confessions so I may confess you boldly. Amen.

Bible reading:
1 Chronicles 9
Psalms 82,86,97

08/25/2026

Tuesday Daily Devotion

August 25, 2026

To Confess Jesus Means to Know Him as the Christ

[Jesus] said to [the disciples], "But you, who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:15-16 EHV)

I have a family member who seems to have no filter when he speaks. Whatever pops into his head flies out of his mouth. Sometimes what he says is profound and interesting. Sometimes what he says is offensive and unhinged. If you know someone like that, then you are familiar with the anxiety that surges when this type of person opens his or her mouth.

Perhaps the other disciples felt that way about Peter. He famously put his foot in his mouth a few times. He asked to walk on water and then quickly gave in to fear. He rebuked Jesus for talking about his coming suffering and death. He denied even knowing Jesus. And yet Peter also spoke what may be history's most famous confession of faith in Jesus.

What made it so great? It wasn't that Peter was so courageous in his confession. He confessed before Jesus and his followers, not before the Sanhedrin or Caesar. We don't remember Peter's confession for its eloquence. It was quite short--just ten words in English. But what meaning Peter packed into those words! Peter confessed who Jesus is.

All the time Peter spent with Jesus, all the things he had seen his teacher do and heard him say, led the disciple to believe and then confess that this man who grew up in Nazareth was the Christ. This was not Jesus' last name! Christ is a title, a Greek word that means the same thing as the Hebrew word Messiah: "Anointed One." It was the most common title used to refer to the one who God promised would save all of humanity. There is no more important truth to confess about Jesus, except for maybe what Peter said next. He called him the Son of the living God. The one appointed to save us was no mere man. This was a man who is also God!

We know that we should confess Jesus. The question is how. How to confess like Peter? It really is as simple as knowing Jesus. Meditate on the person and work of Jesus. Know him as the Christ and the Son of God. Then the filter that stops you from confessing him will weaken. Like Peter, you will blurt out the truth about Jesus.

Dear Jesus, move me to confess you as the Christ and the true God so that others may come to truly know you. Amen.

Bible reading:
1 Chronicles 6:49-7:40
Psalms 15,52

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