Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla – May 25, 2025

“Reverent Worship” – Ecclesiastes 5:1–3 (ESV)

In today’s devotion, Pastor Balla reflects on Solomon’s call to worship with reverence and humility. “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God”—a reminder that entering the Lord’s presence is not casual, but sacred. True worship begins not with offering, but with listening.

Solomon warns against the “sacrifice of fools”—religious words and actions done without faith. But through Christ, we are brought near not with fear, but with trust. We are welcomed, not because of our performance, but by grace.

Let your words before God be few and full of faith, shaped by His promises. Worship is God serving us in Word and Sacrament—and we respond with awe and gratitude.

Join Pastor Balla for this devotion on reverent worship, and rediscover the joy of listening to God’s voice.

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Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla – May 24, 2025

“The Temporary Nature of Popularity” – Ecclesiastes 4:13–16 (ESV)

In today’s devotion, Pastor Balla reflects on Solomon’s insight into the fleeting nature of worldly fame. A poor youth rises to power, replacing a foolish king—only to be forgotten by the next generation. Even admiration and applause, Solomon says, are “vanity and a striving after wind.”

But while popularity fades, Christ remains. Though He was praised one day and crucified the next, His mission was never about popularity—but redemption. His love is steadfast, His reign eternal, and His approval unchanging.

Are you chasing the favor of men or resting in the favor of God? Let your identity be rooted in Christ’s unshakable promises, not the passing trends of the world.

Join Pastor Balla for this devotion from Ecclesiastes, and be encouraged to live for what lasts.

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God created us not for isolation but for fellowship. In today’s devotion, Pastor Balla reflects on Solomon’s wisdom that “two are better than one.” Companionship provides support, warmth, and strength—especially in times of hardship.

Christian community is not optional; it is essential. Whether through family, friendships, or the Church, God uses others to lift us when we fall, to encourage our faith, and to bind us together in Christ. A “threefold cord” is not quickly broken—especially when Christ Himself is the One who binds us.

Drawing from Ecclesiastes, Genesis, and Matthew, Pastor Balla shows how God’s design for the Church is a blessing of mutual care and spiritual resilience.

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Solomon observes that much of our toil is driven not by purpose but by envy—striving to outdo others. This, he declares, is vanity and a chasing after the wind. Whether overworking from rivalry or folding one’s hands in idleness, neither extreme satisfies.

Pastor Balla unpacks a better way: the peace of “a handful of quietness”—work done in contentment, not comparison. In Christ, our worth is not found in achievements but in grace. Freed from envy, we labor not to prove ourselves but to serve in joyful vocation.

Drawing from Ecclesiastes and Philippians, this devotion calls us to faithful work rooted in identity, not rivalry. Let Christ’s cross silence comparison and awaken contentment.

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Solomon laments the pain of the oppressed and the silence of comforters. In a world marked by injustice and sorrow, he confesses that death may seem preferable to witnessing such evil. This bleak reality under the sun is not unfamiliar today.

Yet, the Christian clings to a greater truth. Jesus Christ, the Man of Sorrows, entered our suffering and took on our affliction. He is the true Comforter of the oppressed. His resurrection assures us that evil does not triumph, and His Spirit gives hope even amid grief.

Pastor Balla reflects on how Christ not only comforts but calls His people to comfort others. We are not left in despair—we are sent with compassion and hope.

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Today, Pastor Balla explores the sobering truth of our shared mortality with all living creatures. Solomon reminds us that man and beast alike return to dust. This is not a denial of human dignity, but a divine test—to teach us humility and dependence on our Creator.

Though death unites all living things physically, Scripture affirms the unique value of humanity made in God’s image. While animals perish, man’s spirit endures. The question “Who knows?” finds its answer in Christ, who conquered death and guarantees resurrection for those who trust in Him.

In a world that idolizes human achievement and denies death, the Christian rejoices in the work given today, while resting in the eternal promises of God. We are more than dust—we are His redeemed.

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Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla – May 19, 2025

“Injustice and God’s Judgment” – Ecclesiastes 3:16–17 (ESV)

Where justice should rule, wickedness often reigns. In today’s devotion, Pastor Balla reflects on Solomon’s sobering words: even the places of righteousness are not immune to corruption. Yet, in the face of such injustice, we are not left without hope.

God will judge the righteous and the wicked. The Judge of all the earth will act in perfect wisdom and justice. Christ, who once bore the world’s injustice on the cross, will return to make all things right. For the Christian, this is a call not to despair but to trust, to repent, and to live in confident hope.

In a world where justice often fails, we look to the One who never does. His judgment is perfect. His timing is sure. His grace is our refuge.

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Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla – May 18, 2025

“Eternity in Our Hearts” – Ecclesiastes 3:9–15 (ESV)

What does it all mean? Why do we labor and strive? In today’s devotion, Pastor Balla reflects on Solomon’s profound words: “He has put eternity into man’s heart.” We are made for more than fleeting accomplishments—God has placed within us a longing for what endures.

Though we cannot see the full picture of God’s eternal plan, we are invited to live each day in joy and reverence. Our work, our rest, and even our longing for more—all find meaning in Christ, the Eternal One who entered time for our salvation.

What God does endures forever. Our task is not to grasp everything, but to receive each moment as a gift and to trust the One who holds all things in His hands. In Jesus, your toil is not in vain.

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