Faith Based Support Groups - DAILY DEVOTIONS ~ August

"Giving"

August 1, 2009



There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Acts 4:34-35



Some of the happiest years of my life were spent in small towns.

Pam and I truly enjoyed many of the pleasant differences, which come from living in a place where like the television sitcom, Cheers, "everybody knows your name."

Of course, some things stay the same no matter where you live.

I remember once, it was early on a Monday morning, the community's only bank called us. They said they were making a request of all the local churches.

And what was the request? Simple, they said, "Could you bring in Sunday's collection as soon as possible? We're out of one-dollar bills."

Now I want you to think about that a bit. Why did they come to the churches for one dollar bills? They made that request because they knew that quite a few people begin -- and end -- their charitable activities with a single dollar bill placed into the collection plate.

Now, at times that $1 represents a great deal of money to some church contributors. On the other hand, it's tough to see a person give a regular series of one dollar bills when they go out every Saturday night and drop a bundle on partying.

I give thanks to the Lord He isn't so miserly in giving to us.

Understand these thoughts aren't confined to the area of church contributions. I'm referring to how poorly we sometimes respond to the needs of others -- others who may be having physical, mental, and spiritual difficulties.

If God's people are always trying to do the least they can do, they are hardly paying proper respect to the Savior who did everything necessary to win their salvation.

On the other hand, when the Holy Spirit challenges us to do great things in honor of our gracious God, everyone benefits. We are filled with a peace in knowing we did what we could; others are blessed by our work and, more importantly, the Name of Jesus is recognized as being a blessed motivation for good.

This is why I'd like to say that in the Name of Jesus, do all you can, whenever you can, and for whomever you can. You won't regret it!


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for all the good things You have done for us. Most of all I acknowledge my salvation which is undeserved and unearned. In the Name of my Redeemer help me remember those whose needs are greater than my own. This I ask in the Name of Jesus, who gave His all for my redemption. Amen.



In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

That was awesome!!!!

Ags

Yes it was Aggie!

"True Happiness"

August 2, 2009



For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. Psalm 84:10



Years ago, a retired member of the ministry told me about how things were during the Great Depression.

In spite of terribly tough times, he shared a special and precious memory. The pastor spoke of how he had met a fellow who had, through no fault of his own, become a hobo. This hobo had come to him offering to trade a day's work for a hot meal.

It was a good arrangement and the man perfectly performed everything he was asked to do. He even did his work with a smile and some happy humming.

As they sat down to dinner, the pastor asked him, "Don't you think you would be happier if you were rich?" The man said, "No, sir, the rich men I've worked for never seem to do any laughing."

Now, the point of this story is not to encourage people to yearn for poverty. Having too little money can be just as bad as having too much.

No, I would rather have you consider the idea that money doesn't always bring happiness. The truth is money is simply a commodity -- a commodity that can either be used or abused.

True happiness, the happiness that remains no matter what our outward situation, only comes from the Savior. I'm pleased to share that a great many, a great majority, of Christians are firmly convinced the presence of the loving Lord Jesus has totally changed their outlook and their perspective on life.

How could it be otherwise? Before Jesus they were lost, doomed, and damned. With Jesus as their Savior, they are forgiven, they have been blessed with ongoing peace, and are promised an eternity free of pain or problems.

Indeed, some of those Christians would go so far as to say this: Jesus has given their lives true riches. Those true riches that come from the Savior, lead to true joy and, yes, true smiles.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the reminder that Your love and presence in my life are far more valuable than money or things material. Draw me closer to You, dear Lord, and let me rejoice in that closeness. In Your Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Long Term Love"

August 3, 2009



The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3 -



In some places, divorces are far more common than marriages.

With the love of many spouses turning cold, it's little wonder many young people seem to be unimpressed with the idea of getting married.

It's not surprising they prefer to enter into short-term, non-legal relationships. Their reasoning for doing this is simple. They maintain that nothing lasts forever, especially love.

Try telling that to Roland McKitrick of Arlington Heights, Ill. A little over a week ago Roland asked Lorraine Beatty to marry him. Depending on how you look at it, their courtship was incredibly long, or incredibly short.

Let me explain. Roland is 93 years old and Lorraine is 92. They have re-known each other for only three weeks.

Re-known?

That's the only way I can describe it. You see, some 80-plus years ago, Lorraine and Roland were in third grade and they were sweethearts. That was way back in 1921. In 1921 they knew each other and hit it off.

They hit it off so well that for decades Roland carried Lorraine's picture in his wallet -- the picture that had been taken when they were very, very young. As Roland said, "The snapshot stayed in my wallet and her face stayed in my memory."

Apparently so. When family members managed to reunite Roland and Lorraine, they picked up their relationship right where they had left off.

Of course the love story of Roland and Lorraine, as wonderful as it is, can hardly hold a candle to the love of the Lord. As He said in the book of Jeremiah, He has loved us "with an everlasting love."

Get that -- not just a love that lasts eight and a half decades -- His love is everlasting.

It was the Father's faithful love that sent His Son into the world to take our place. It was the Savior's committed love that saw Him sacrificed upon Calvary's cross. It was the Lord's all-powerful love that conquered the grave and now promises a similar victory for all who believe.

So to all those who wonder if human love can last, I would say, "Look at Lorraine and Roland." And if you wonder if God's love is true: stay close to the ever-living Savior.

THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, I thank You for Your love, which continues on faithful and strong. May I show You, and the world, how much that love means. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Unbelievable!"

August 4, 2009



And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15



On July 21st, the story, which was carried by the Associated Press, might as well have read, "When pigs fly."

It was simply that unbelievable.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced a pilot program in his country.

Are you ready for this? The president said pre-teen students in 12,000 schools will be given courses in religion or secular ethics. After seeing the catastrophe of the atheistic Soviet Union, the country has learned to appreciate religion and morality.

Students will be given a choice. They can study the official religion of Russia -- the Russian Orthodox faith, or they can take a class on Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, or secular ethics.

I never thought I would live to see the day when the Russians would officially be teaching religion.

Of course, I never thought I would see the day when so many Americans would work equally hard at keeping religion and ethics out of our classrooms.

It's all simply unbelievable. About the only thing that seems trustworthy and consistent is the grace of God, which comes to us through the merit and sacrifice of Jesus.

If a country is walking or running away from Him, the Lord waits with imploring arms, longing for them to return.

If a country is running toward Him, He reaches out to scoop them up so He might hold them close to His heart.

This is why I would invite you to join with me in praying for these two great countries.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, it would appear the age of miracles is not yet past. The Holy Spirit still travels the globe and accomplishes His purposes. Today I ask that You will bless Russia's Christian teachers, students, and educational materials. May these people be brought closer to the Savior. I also pray for our country where so many remain dedicated to silencing the Savior's story of salvation. Lord, enable Your Word to be proclaimed so the young may know the wonders of Your grace. In Jesus' Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Something's Missing!"

August 5, 2009



And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:31-32



BOGO.

If you are a dedicated shopper, you know the acronym BOGO.

For those of you who are, at best, reluctant shoppers, let me explain. It's BOGO, or Buy One Get One. You buy one product, and the store will throw in another product of equal or lesser value.

It appears the Church of England is offering a BOGO, that is a two-for-one service.

If couples wish, they can get married and have their children baptized at the same service.

Yes, I know it's strange, but I have run into a couple of situations where that might serve a real purpose. For example, suppose a heathen couple were brought to faith. It would only be right for them to want to get married in a church, and have their children become baptized members, too.

Of course, there are those who might ask, "How often does that sort of thing happen in England?" I don't know, but I imagine it does. Still, the Church of England admits the service is primarily for their present members who just haven't been paying much attention to the sanctity of marriage.

It is for such folks that the service has been designed.

Now understand, it's not a bad thing for a couple to want to get married. On the contrary, it's a good thing. And it's not a bad thing to want to have your children meet their Savior who gave His life for their salvation.

But . . . you knew there had to be one of those, didn't you? But, whatever happened to repentance? You can't paint over a car's rusted fender and expect the paint to hold. You can't cover up a wall covered with black mold and expect things to be okay. Similarly, sin just doesn't go away. It calls for repentance.

And what is repentance? It's being given a contrite heart so the Lord can turn you from your old ways and bring you into harmony with His ways.

Repentance is a good thing, a godly thing, a Holy Ghost-motivated thing. And it's something, which is in short supply. This is why we pray for the folks getting married in Great Britain, and we pray for ourselves as well.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, "Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You . . . O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise" (Psalm 51:10-13;15). In Jesus' Name. Amen.








In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"We Have An Answer"

August 6, 2009



What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" Luke 11:11-13 -



The questions asked above by the Savior really shouldn't call for an answer.

After all, everyone knows no father would give his son a snake instead of a fish for his supper. Obviously, no dad would substitute a scorpion for a hard-boiled egg.

Obviously?

After reading a story carried by the Associated Press on July 22nd, I'm not sure the answers to Jesus' questions are all that evident.

In case you didn't hear about the event, let me share the high points. Last week, some Goodwill workers in Denver went to a strip mall to collect the gifts that kind-hearted supporters had placed in a large donation box.

That's not unusual. What makes that day stand out was the rectangular, olive-green box which they came across. It was a small box imprinted with the words, "FRONT TOWARD ENEMY."

With their suspicions aroused, the workers called the police, and the police correctly identified the box as being an old Claymore land mine. That's the kind of weapon that can murder and maim a lot of innocent people. The mall was quickly evacuated and the bomb was diffused.

So, we have an answer to Jesus' question. What kind of man would give his son a scorpion? It's probably the same kind of person who would give a land mine to Goodwill.

Truly, there is a great deal of evil in the world.

This is why we need a great deal of love and grace. Thankfully, we are given both by our Savior who sacrificed His entire life so that all who believe on Him might be forgiven, granted eternity, and blessed with an abundant life right now.

When we look upon the manger, the cross, the empty tomb, we know that evil -- no matter how many weapons it has -- will never have the final victory.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, in a world where no act of terrorism seems unthinkable, I give thanks for Your goodness and grace. Through You I have been given the final victory over sin, death, and Satan. May I, wherever possible, reflect that love into the world's darkness. In Your Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Bad News, Then Good News"

August 7, 2009



All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6



Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.

In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour



In the nineteenth century, Dr. James Simpson championed the use of chloroform anesthesia so people could be spared the pain of surgery. Can you imagine being under a surgeon's knife while you are still conscious? Some years after the discovery, a student asked Simpson, "What do you consider to be the most valuable discovery of your life?" His students were surprised when he replied, "My most valuable discovery was when I discovered that I was a sinner and that Jesus Christ was my Savior!"

Sometimes the greatest discoveries aren't what you would expect.

Do you realize you are a sinner? The Bible is clear about sin and tells us there is no one who is blameless -- either before God or men. "None is righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10b). Our daily life also aptly demonstrates we are sinners, and any newscast shows our complete corruption: wars, violence, murders, dishonesty, sleaze, lies, and on and on.

That is the bad news, but there is good news.

Jesus, the Son of God, came with a message: " . . . The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel" (Mark 1:15b). This is the good news for each of us today. "Repent and believe," the Lord commands us. The fruit of your faith will be a meaningful life here on earth and eternal life with Jesus Christ after death.

THE PRAYER: God almighty, I understand from Your Word I am a sinner. Through faith in the atoning work of Your Son, You accept me as Your beloved child. In You I can truly find love. Thank You for that boundless grace that seeks and saves the lost -- even a sinner like me. In the Name of Jesus, my Savior, I pray this. Amen.

Biography of Author:
Pastor Fernando Henrique Huf volunteers with LHM-Brazil. Known within Brazil as Cristo Para Todas Las Nações (CPTN), it has been headquartered in San Paolo since 1947. Through congregational and individual donations, The Lutheran Hour and "Five Minutes With Jesus," are broadcast to listeners countrywide on nearly 200 radio stations.


To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.

"True Happiness"
As they sat down to dinner, the pastor asked him, "Don't you think you would be happier if you were rich?" The man said, "No, sir, the rich men I've worked for never seem to do any laughing."

This devotional reminded me of the life verses of a close friend:

Proverbs 30:7-9
7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

Thanks for posting it.

I am having computer issues this week-end. I am on Angie's now but I will not have access to it in the morning...it will wake her up!

Anyway if anyone wants to post some devotions during my downtime feel free to do so...not only now but ALWAYS!!!

My Lutheran ones are not the only ones out there TEAM!!

"The Lord Knows"

August 10, 2009



If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with You. Psalm 139:9-12



For younger readers of the Daily Devotions, the name of Amelia Earhart may not have much meaning. For that reason, a word of explanation might be in order.

Amelia Earhart was a beautiful, young woman, who, in the 1930s, set a great many records in aviation. During an attempt to be the first woman to fly around the world, she, along with her navigator, vanished somewhere in the Pacific.

While stories about distress signals from Earhart have circulated since her disappearance, no positive trace of her has ever been found.

Now, researchers at The International Group For Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) say they think this year they will have DNA proof Earhart died on Nikumaroro Island in the Pacific.

A spokesman for the organization said, we have found "what's best described as personal effects of the castaway that died there." Personal effects of a woman . . . personal effects which have been dated to about the time Amelia disappeared."

If they do manage to come up with such evidence, it will end one of the great mysteries of the last century.

Of course, even though we don't know what happened to Amelia Earhart, the Lord most certainly does. There was never a time when He lost track of her or when she disappeared off His radar.

For Christians that should be a reassuring thought. Times may be difficult. We may feel alone, lost, stranded, marooned, forgotten. In such times we have the reassurance the Lord's right hand shall hold us. In those darkest of times, He is there.

He is there with the light of our Savior. Truly, the Redeemer, who gave His life so we might have life, can bring brightness to our darkest moments and days.

In Him there is always life and hope and light.

THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, in a world where loneliness and darkness seem to surround us, we need Your reassurance we are not alone. Let me see clearly Your sacrifice. Let me be given reassurance of Your presence. To that end, I pray an extra measure of the Holy Spirit be given to me and all who feel forgotten. In Your Name. Amen.

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In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Into The Light Of The Lord"

August 11, 2009



Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105



Anna Williams is carrying a burden.

Her son is in jail. More specifically, the man is in the Rappahannock County Regional Jail in Virginia.

Understandably, Anna, who loves her son, is doing all she can to encourage him to mend his ways, to ask for the forgiveness that comes through the Savior, and be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The best way Anna knows of doing this is to send her son pertinent passages taken from the Bible.

It's a practice the authorities have been discouraging. They have derailed Anna's attempts by opening the man's letters and cutting out all her written references to Scripture. Anna's attorney says, "Some of the letters are full of Bible passages, so what her son is getting is absolutely at the end of the letter where she says goodbye, I love you. . . ."

The attorney adds that this is not an isolated situation. Other organizations trying to distribute Bibles to prisoners have also been encountering resistance. Authorities say such materials can be "dangerous."

This got me to wondering: Dangerous? How so?

Maybe if you gave a prisoner one of those great, centuries-old Bibles, the kind with the wooden covers that weigh about 30 pounds, it might be dangerous. A criminal might drop that Bible and if it landed right, break his toe.

Beyond that, I'm at a loss as to how Scripture is dangerous.

The transformation which comes to sinful hearts when they encounter the Savior's sacrifice, when the Holy Spirit gives them faith and forgiveness, is nothing short of a minor miracle.

Indeed, history books are full of sinful souls who have, through God's Holy Word, been moved from darkness to light.

This is just another way of saying the thief on the cross was not the last person to be saved by an encounter with the Savior.

THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, how sad it is when authorities try to keep those who have lived in the darkness -- in that darkness. May the power of Your transforming Word, the sacrifice of the Christ, touch hearts everywhere, and especially in those places where the world's darkness is the deepest. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Don't Get Confused"

August 12, 2009



(Jesus said) "What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:8-10



The 82-year-old lady from Hildesheim, Germany, hadn't lost one of her coins.

Two years ago she lost her car, an Audi. Well, "lost" is really not the right word. Her Audi was stolen.

Two years ago she took her car in to be repaired. After doing the work, the mechanics took it back to her house and parked it in her garage.

The next day, after she had recovered her keys and papers from her mailbox, she went to the garage to collect her car and do some errands.

To her shock, the car was gone. She reported it stolen and that was that.

That was that until last week. That's when a neighbor went to clean up his garage -- the garage that he never uses. Sure enough, there, under about "a centimeter-deep coating of dust" was the lady's Audi.

According to the Associated Press story, "It didn't take police long to piece together that the mechanics had parked it in the wrong garage."

The lady was very happy.

It doesn't make any difference if the story is from 2,000 years ago or now; it doesn't make any difference if we're talking about a lost coin or a lost car; there is always rejoicing when something lost is found. Rejoicing -- that's what Jesus indicates happens in heaven when a sinner repents.

And so it should. Anytime the Savior's forgiveness becomes a reality to a sinful, human heart, is a time of gladness. Anytime a soul is moved from **** to heaven, from damnation to salvation, it is a blessed thing -- a blessed thing made possible by the blood of the Redeemer and by His glorious resurrection.

This is why I encourage you: "Today, make some angels happy; be a sinner who repents."

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, for the forgiveness You won for humanity through Your life, suffering, death, and resurrection, I give thanks. Now, I pray the Holy Spirit will let me reflect my gratitude by keeping me from sin, and granting me a repentant heart when I do sin. This I ask in Your Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

Thank You Gary, i been doing a-lot to make things right since I read James 4:17 .I have been so busy trying to get my life together and asking for forgiveness from Jesus for not doing what I know I need to do!

"Don't Wanna"

August 13, 2009



I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!" Psalm 122:1



When King David wrote that text, I'm sure he meant what he said. He really was glad to go to the Lord's house.

Statistics say that many Christians don't always share his opinion.

Of course, most of us don't feel as strongly about not going to church, as did the young man from Plain City, Utah.

Two deputies from that community found him in his house where he had run after he had parked his father's Dodge Intrepid in the driveway, after he had run a stop sign, and after he had been driving recklessly.

When the young man's father asked him why he had done these things, he simply replied, "He didn't want to go to church."

Oh, did I mention the young man is seven years old?

Too young to prosecute, but old enough to know better.

In truth, most of us have those days when we don't want to join our fellow believers in worship. When those times come for me, I remember a man from one of my congregations who was quite deaf. He was so deaf even our amplified hearing aids didn't help him.
Still, he was one of our most faithful attendees.

One day, I wrote on a piece of paper, "You can't hear the sermon or the music, why do you walk to church so regularly?"

He replied, "I want my neighbors to know whose side I am on."

That man recognized we don't come to church just for what we get out of it, we sometimes go to church to support others who are there, or to make our witness, or to show our thankfulness to the Lord for what He has done for us in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

It's something to think about next Sunday -- and the Sunday after that.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, create in us clean hearts and renew a right spirit within us. When the devil whispers in our ears, "You don't have to go to church!", let us reply, "We want the world to know we are on the side of the Savior who gave His life to give us forgiveness and eternal life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

I been thinking about this a-lot ever since you had that thread on it Gary and Jesus keeps working on me to find a church and I really been thinking about it hard but for some reason I can't seem to take that first step. I don't know if its fear or just being plum stuburn or even just satisfied learning from y'all here.

"Forgiveness Beyond Measure"

August 14, 2009



". . . but this man has done nothing wrong." Luke 23:41b



Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.

In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour



Have you ever been lumped together with an unsavory character or two you felt to be your unequal? There was a certain injustice in that, wasn't there? You were maligned by association. And though you knew you were bad, you knew you weren't that bad. Doesn't feel too good, does it?

Now how might Jesus have felt when -- led up to the place where He would be brutally crucified -- He was accompanied by two common thugs who were going -- and justly going -- to die? First, He didn't deserve death -- not in this way, not in any way. Second, as true God and true man, He was going to die alongside two sinners who did deserve to die. Can we even begin to sense the injustice of this spectacle for Jesus -- "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15b)?

By God's grace, one criminal got it; he understood what was happening before his very eyes. The other, taunting Jesus to the bitter end, didn't. " . . . We are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong," said the one man to the other (Luke 23:41b). He has done nothing wrong, the Scripture says, but yet "upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5b).

We are healed!

We are the criminals hanging there. We are the ones deserving to die. But instead, through His shed blood, we are healed!

THE PRAYER: Dear Father, in Your Son's blood is life for those who believe. Your power alone can change people's lives through faith and grant them eternal life through the saving work of Jesus Christ. Our sins are great, but Your grace is greater still. Through Your Holy Spirit keep us close to You, believing, trusting, and relying on Your every healing Word. In Christ's Name, we pray. Amen.

Biography of Author:
This devotion is based on a text submitted by Ilze Abrama. She is a staff member with Lutheran Hour Ministries-Latvia, which reaches people in this northern European country via Equipping The Saints (ETS), Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC), national radio programming, and by dubbing This Is The Life in Latvian, and then distributing these broadcasts to churches around the country.


To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.

That man recognized we don't come to church just for what we get out of it, we sometimes go to church to support others who are there, or to make our witness, or to show our thankfulness to the Lord for what He has done for us in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.


Thank you Gary, for reminding me church is not about me!

Thank you Gary, for reminding me church is not about me!

WHAT? Church is about you! It is about your personal relationship with Him ;)

As with any relationship, that works, we give and take!

Now, we take what He gives us and we give back of our time, talents and money back to Him.

Just as you are giving back of your talents in your diet Bible study...you took (His wisdom and Word) and gave back...

Church is about you!!!

but only because of Him....but you already know that ;)

"Handwriting"

August 15, 2009



All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17



Yesterday, in the course of my readings, I came across some really good news.

The good news comes from a large university that discovered the smarter a person is, the worse is his handwriting.

When I shared that piece of information with some of my staff, -- somebody, whose name won't be mentioned here -- commented that I must be a genius. I believe the remark wasn't as much directed to my mental ability as it was a commentary on my handwriting.

Indeed, my penmanship is only readable by people who have made a lifelong study of it. And even the best of them sometimes have to make a guess at what I've scribbled.

The truth is, in spite of having had a teacher who tried to impress upon his students the idea of cultivating a beautiful -- and readable -- handwriting, I probably just don't care that much.

That's sad.

It's always sad when God's people don't make use of the gifts God has given them. It's sad because the Savior is often judged by the quality of our workmanship.

I wonder, what does it say about the Savior when His people do an inconsistent job on an assembly line? What does it tell the curious when they see Christian students doing their work in a slipshod manner? What does it say when we respond to God's love in a shoddy way?

Truly, I give thanks the Lord doesn't ever work that way. I rejoice we don't have a cut-rate, bargain-basement God who is always looking to get off as cheaply as possible. I am encouraged we don't have a God who gets economical when it comes to our salvation.

God always gives His best.

When He created the universe and all it contains, everything was "very good" (Genesis 1:31a). When He wished to redeem doomed and damned sinners, He sent us the best -- His very own Son. When He wishes to tell us the gracious story of salvation, He put it in a book, which clearly says we are saved by grace, through faith in Christ.

And God couldn't do any better than that.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for being a God who always gives the best to His people. Now may I be saved by Jesus, directed by Your Word, and do my best as a witness to Your grace. I pray it in the Name of my crucified and risen Lord Jesus. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Caring"

August 16, 2009



For God so loved the world. . . . John 3:16a



Most of the small post offices in our country have been automated or closed.

Still, I can remember decades ago when a lady expressed disappointment at the government deciding to put a vending machine for postage stamps in her post office.

Now, if you've never been to such a small town, I need to tell you the post office is one of the central places for visiting and socializing.

Only when the lady had finished sharing her displeasure, did she start asking questions. The workman doing the installation told her she was looking at the state of the art in postage vending machines.

After spending ten minutes praising the machine, the worker gave the lady his ultimate argument in favor of the machine. He said she would never again have to wait in line to buy postage. Anything a postal worker could do this machine could do, and it could do it faster and with greater accuracy.

The argument left the lady completely unimpressed. In a huff she pulled herself up to her full 4'10" and snorted, "This machine may be a wonder, but I won't use it. I won't ever use it -- not until you teach it to ask about my arthritis."

Machines have come a long way since that stamp story took place. Now we really do have machines that can ask, "How's your arthritis."

But nobody has ever yet invented a machine that will really care about you or your problems.
On the other hand, we never had to invent a God who really cares. He cares about arthritis, and He cares about how that arthritis is affecting us. Yes, God cares, but He does more than care.

He loves us enough to care about where we will spend eternity. He loves us enough to send His Son into this world to offer His life as our ransom. He loves us enough.

Now, by Jesus' suffering, death, and wonderful resurrection all who believe are forgiven; all who acknowledge their Savior know they will be spending forever in paradise with Him.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You really do care about me. I thank You for the gift of Your Son. Because of Your love and compassion, I am saved. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®

We used to have one of them there stamp machines in our Post Office, never worked right! Ha! Like ya say we like to go in and talk a spell.

"It Is Well"

August 17, 2009



and say to her, "Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?" And she answered, "All is well." "It Is Well" 2 Kings 4:26b



The death of a child is always a sad occasion.

That was certainly the feeling of some Paraguayan parents when their son was born 16 weeks prematurely.

Without response, hardly any respiratory reflexes, or a heartbeat, the doctors declared the infant "dead."

The parents received their son in a small box with his name scribbled on the outside. They took their child home in that box. It was the box that was to serve as his coffin.

Then, as one of the family members took the child out of his "casket" to prepare his body, the corpse did a most unusual thing: he cried.

Apparently, he cried very loudly and, along with crying, he began to move his arms and his legs.

And what was the reaction of the family? One said, "I got scared, we (all) got scared."
As I think about it, fear was probably the reaction of the religious leaders when they first heard the crucified Savior was alive.

Just as, probably, on Judgment Day, there will be a lot of unbelieving souls who will be surprised -- and scared -- to find out that Jesus, just as He promised, has raised them and would now judge them.

To minimize that fear and to make sure everyone's reaction to Judgment Day will be a happy one, Christians are committed to sharing the Savior's story of salvation. We want people to know Jesus' sacrifice and glorious resurrection over death changes everything.

It most certainly can take their cries of fear and transform them into shouts of everlasting gladness and joy for the Christ who has given His life so we might have life eternal.

And before we pray, you might want to know the baby is in a pre-natal unit and his condition was listed as "stable." As the woman with the dead child said to Elijah, "All is well." And, because of Jesus, it always will be.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, for Your victory that surprised the world and defeated humanity's archenemies, we give thanks. May we share Your story with a lost world so they may not be shocked or lost when You return again. In Your Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Loving Witnessing"

August 18, 2009



God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. Romans 5:8-9



The writer of Hebrews spoke about a "cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1a).

That usually is interpreted as the Lord having provided special people whose lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are spiritual examples on how we should live the Christian life.

Apparently, some men and women in Nicosia, Cyprus, have a different idea about sainthood -- at least with one saint: Agapitikos.

Now we all know Saint Agapitikos is not up there with Nick and Valentine. Even so, Agapitikos is pretty popular with the unhappy lovers of Cyprus. For centuries these disappointed people have believed that Saint Agapitikos can help them get a response from someone who hasn't been willing to give them the time of day.

The recipe for love is simple: take some dust, dirt, or stone from the saint's grave, mix it with wine and get the object of your affection to drink deeply. If you do that, according to the story, true love will be born.

Silly? Of course, it is, but not silly enough to kill the tale. This is why crowds of Agapitikos believers are hammering off chunks of the old saint's grave. So grave (sorry about the pun) is the damage to the tomb, the island's Department of Antiquities has been asked to provide assistance and advice.

Personally, I'm pretty sure Agapitikos' tomb can't help anybody with anything.

I'm even more sure we really don't need real or imaginary saints to get God to love us. We have a Savior. We have a Savior who has, in every way, shown how much the Lord loves us.

Unlike Saint Agapitikos who is supposed to help people with love, Jesus is love.

He is the love of God made flesh. Through the Savior's suffering, death, and resurrection, we know the grave will not have the final say in our lives.

Through Jesus we are convinced Satan has been defeated and our own tomb will never be our final resting place.

In short, through Jesus' resurrection we have salvation.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, for being the love of God we most desperately need, I give thanks. May I always praise You who turned us from being enemies of God into being Your redeemed children. In Your Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"A True Word"

August 19, 2009



Thy Word is truth. John 17:17b



Quite frankly, I don't always believe there are two viable sides to every story.

That is certainly not the case in regard to Louis Haros and the worn-out American flag he is flying.

In September of 2008, Haros, a Vietnam vet, told his son he would keep flying his flag until his son came back from Iraq. It's a promise Haros intends to keep. Most certainly, it is the honorable thing to do.

On the other hand, neighbors, drivers-by, even a national veterans' group say the torn and tattered flag is disgraceful and ought to be replaced by a new one as soon as possible. Most of the people I know would agree that having respect for the flag is a good thing.

Yes, two excellent and opposite points of view. Thankfully, the story will soon find its resolution. Haros' son, Paul, is already back in the United States, having completed his second tour of duty overseas. When he, by God's grace, walks through the door, the flag will come down, be respectfully disposed of, and replaced.

Although there are two viable sides to this story, I have to confess, when the story was first brought to my attention, I was impressed by the integrity of a father who believed in keeping his word. No matter what others might think, no matter the forces opposed to him, no matter the whispers of his neighbors, he remained dedicated to keeping his word.

Does that sound like anyone else you know?

Truly, we do have a God whose Word is truth. When He makes a promise, you can believe it is a promise that will be kept. When He gives His Word that something will be done, it is.

In spite of the world's apathy, loathing, disgust, and laughter, God keeps His Word.

· If He says, "the soul who sins will die" (Ezekiel 18:20a), you can be sure it will.
· If He says, "whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16a), it will happen -- even if making it happen cost the life of His own Son.

In a changing world, with changing values, morals, and standards, it's good to know we have a Lord about whom we can honestly say, "His Word is truth."

THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, people, commercials, everybody -- make promises that may or may not be kept. We give thanks Your Word can be counted on. We give thanks Your Word is truth. Please, make my word as honorable. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

Visit here to be refreshed through a meditation on God's Word. The devotions are updated daily, and you can also receive these devotions daily via e-mail. If you would like to read a devotion from a previous date, please visit our devotion archives.


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"In Authority"

August 20, 2009



First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4



This devotion is being written while I am in Texas.

Recently, the words of Texas' Governor Rick Perry have made the news. There are a lot of people who do not understand where Governor Perry is coming from or why he has said some of the things he has.

What kind of things? Here are a few things, for example:

· There is a spiritual battle under way for the future of Texas and the U.S.
· Freedom of religion is not the same as freedom from religion.
· The question becomes, whose morality will inspire the laws that leave a lasting imprint on
our society?

While I don't know what kind of Governor Rick Perry is, I did like most of what he is supposed to have said. I especially appreciated a Republican saying he daily prays for a Democratic president.

It is my hope each of our Daily Devotion readers keep in their prayers those who are in authority.

By that I mean all those who are in authority.

It occurs to me if someone disagrees with you, or is leading the land differently than you might hope, that person is really in need of your intercessions, supplications, and prayers.

And if you ask, "Why should I bother?" St. Paul supplies the answer: we pray for those in authority because God has asked it, so we can lead peaceful lives, and so we might share the Savior with those who are lost.

Why? God wants all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of Jesus, who isthe truth.

THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, the world seems to be caught in a downward spiral. I give thanks Jesus has, with His nail-pierced hands, reached down and saved me. Now I ask Your Holy Spirit be given to those who are in authority. I also ask You will bring to power those who will not write You out of life's equation. Grant that they and those under them may have room for the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. In Jesus' Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Power And Peace"

August 21, 2009



For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18



Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.

In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour



During our recent trip to Thailand we would often find ourselves walking through the little souvenir shops that lined the streets or the open area around a popular Thai attraction. As we admired the workmanship of the beautiful Thai silks, carved wooden objects, colorful gem pendants, and polished stone figurines, we soon concluded many of the items in these shops were either in the shape of elephants or were decorated with pictures of elephants. Later, we learned from our tour guide that elephants were very important to Thai culture. Elephants in Thailand have long been a symbol of both power and peace. Several centuries ago, they were used by kings to lead armies to win wars and therefore restore peace among the people.

While looking through these same souvenir shops, we discovered most of these shops did not display anything with the shape of a cross. With only 1.6 percent of the population claiming to be Christian, this is not a surprising discovery. The cross, a symbol of power and peace for Christians around the world, reminds believers of God's sacrificial love. It was on a cross that God allowed His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the world. The powerful death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives victory, hope, and the promise of eternal peace to all believers.

A large cross is fastened to the front of the Lutheran Hour Ministries Thailand building in Bangkok. During our first few days in the city, that cross became the image we sought. As we made our way through the unfamiliar streets of Bangkok congested with people, scented with unfamiliar smells, and displayed with unfamiliar words, the cross on this building brought us a powerful sense of security and peace. The cross identifies this building as a place where Christ is present -- both in the work being done and within the people who daily carry out His tasks. As Lutheran Hour Ministries reaches out to others through their countless ministries, we pray that 1.6 percent of the population (Christians) will be blessed and strengthened and 98.4 percent of the population (non-Christians) will hear the message of Christ, and no longer consider it foolishness, but as a means of hope.

Though our trip to Thailand quickly came to an end, it will long impact our hearts and lives. Like most tourists, we brought home a collection of souvenirs to remember our visit. This collection includes some beautiful silk scarves, tasty cashews, and even a few items with elephants on them. One item, though, will always be treasured as a rare find in Thailand: it is a hand-painted ceramic cross -- given to us by Lutheran Hour Ministries Thailand.

THE PRAYER: O God, we thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to suffer and die on the cross so that we might know the power of the forgiveness of sins and the peace of eternal life. Open the doors of faith to non-believers so they might also enjoy the power and peace that can only come from You. In Christ's Name we pray. Amen.

Biography of Authors: Pastor Doug Chinberg is senior pastor of King of Kings Lutheran Church in Chesterfield, Mo. He and his wife, Kathy, went to Thailand with the Pastoral Leadership Institute where they led men and women's seminars and shared messages in various Lutheran churches in Thailand. Since 1991, the LHM-Thailand office in Bangkok, known locally as Journey Into Light (JIL), has used community radio programs, Equipping the Saints (ETS), Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC), print, Internet, and Gospel text messaging to share the good news of Jesus Christ in this country of 65 million people.


To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.

"Farewell"

August 22, 2009



For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. Romans 14:8



Recently, I went to the funeral of a dear old lady who was special to me.

She had been a Christian not just in name, but also in the way she lived her life. Apparently, she was special to many others. The funeral home was positively lined with potted plants and bouquets of fresh-cut flowers.

There was a steady procession of people lined up to say their earthly farewells and words of comfort to the family left behind.

None of what I've described so far makes the funeral memorable. Even so, there was one line that came from her service I shall recall. During the course of a fine funeral message, the pastor said, "This lady came into the world crying while those around her were smiling; she went out of the world smiling while those around her were crying."

I know it wasn't an original idea with that pastor, but in this case he used the expression in a most appropriate manner.

All of which set me to wondering, what will they say about me after I'm gone?

Will those who are left behind spend some time crying in sadness, or will they be pleased to see I've finally left?

I suppose the answer to those questions depends on the mourner we're talking about.

Still, when all is said and done, the only opinion that is going to count, the only important words that will be said will come from the mouth of the Lord.

· After all, He has loved me longer than anyone else.
· Through His Son, the Savior, He has invested more in me than anyone else.
· He certainly has shown He cares where I am going to spend eternity.

So, what will be said about each of us on the day we meet the Savior face to face? I pray all of us may hear Him say, "Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34b).


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, the day is coming when I will leave behind those who are close to me, those who are loved by me. For many people that is a frightening thought. For me -- because of Jesus -- my dying will be a cause for rejoicing. I will at that moment be standing before my Savior, my Redeemer, my Brother, my best Friend. In His Name. Amen.








In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®

"Forgiveness"

August 23, 2009



(Jesus said) "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37



I have a lot of sins.

Listening to the groans of those around me, my joke telling is the worst of those sins.

Maybe so, but I'm going to sin boldly and tell a story recently given to me by a 90-year-old lady.

The story she shared begins in a time when it was customary for a husband and wife to visit with the pastor on Saturday if they wished to go to Communion on Sunday. It was during such a visit that the wife said, "Pastor, we are living in a wicked land where sin is on every hand. I have had a terrible fight with the old devil all week long."

Hearing what his wife had just said, her previously silent husband stirred himself and replied, "She can call me the 'old devil' if she wants, but not everything wrong is my fault. She can be tough to live with, too."

Get it? You see, the wife was talking about the devil and the husband thought . . . well, now you know why they call my stories "sinful."

All of this is my way of getting to this question: "Have you been having a tough time with the old devil in your life?"

No, I don't mean the devil, but other people in your life who give you a devilish time. Most of us know somebody who has habits that drive us crazy, who send us up a wall, who make us act . . . well, make us act less than Christian. Now, it's possible they really are as devilish as you think.

But it's also possible we might be hard to get along with, too. To the best of my knowledge, every one of the tens of thousands who are reading this devotion is a transgressor.

If our wrongs don't upset other people, they certainly are not pleasing to the Lord.

This is why all of us still need to come to the Lord and say, "Because of the forgiveness Jesus has won for me, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner" and, at the same time, it would be proper to ask for His help in forgiving others.

It's a help He will give. After all, because of His Son's sacrifice, the perfect God has forgiven us.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, forgive me and help me forgive others. Help me to reflect the love I have received from Jesus to those who may not seem to be especially lovable. In His Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"The Lord Watches"

August 24, 2009



He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121:3-8



The recent mid-air collision between a helicopter and an airplane over the Hudson River was recorded by an Italian tourist, who was learning how to operate his new camera.

That's how the news programs were able to repeatedly show us the tragic accident that took nine lives.

What they weren't able to show is the area's air-traffic controller talking on the phone about a dead cat. Nor could they show the supervisor who wasn't in the building as is required by law.

Now the Federal Aviation Administration has said they "have no reason to believe . . . that these actions contributed to the accident. . . ." But they also said, "this kind of conduct is unacceptable."

I'm sure that's true. Even so, we'd all very much like to believe that when we're in the air, or on the road, or on a train, or going anywhere, that the people responsible for getting us to our destination are continuously operating at 100 percent efficiency.

That's what we'd like to believe; but we can't.

We don't know anyone -- not even the most dedicated of individuals -- who can stay perfectly on task 24/7. We're all human. We get distracted; we get tired; we forget, and our minds wander.

Truly, our weaknesses bring into sharp definition the complete commitment of our Savior.

Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus gave His undivided attention to doing the Father's business. And what was the Father's business? It was nothing less than the saving of our souls.

24/7. That was the time schedule Jesus put in throughout His life. During that time He was misunderstood, rejected, hated, mocked, lied about, spit upon, whipped, and murdered. Satan threw temptations at Him that would make an ordinary man or woman buckle.

Still, Jesus continued on and because He did, because He was never distracted, all who believe on Him are saved and given the knowledge they shall live forever in heaven.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, for doing that which we would find impossible, we will always be in Your debt. May we -- faithfully and well -- show our gratitude as we live this day, and as we go through every day. In Your Name. Amen.


This Daily Devotion from Lutheran Hour Ministries has been sent to you by someone who thinks you will find them as helpful as they have. There is no cost involved. Please read, or listen to what follows. If you would like the Daily Devotion delivered to your mailbox, you can sign up at this link: http://www.lhm.org/email/register.asp.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Weak Versus Strong"

August 25, 2009



But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. 1 Corinthians 1:27



There are some stories which simply need to be told, and the mental picture of this Daily Devotion story is simply too precious to let go by.

The story begins in Independence, Missouri, with a nun looking out her convent window at 7 a.m.

Seeing a suspicious man walking through the cornfields, she enlisted the help of another sister and went to investigate. They didn't know if the man was lost or whether he was hunting illegally.

Both ideas were wrong.

The man was a burglar -- a burglar armed with a shotgun. But this burglar armed with a shotgun ran away when the nuns began to question him. Did the nuns breathe a sigh of relief? They did not. One of those nuns, dressed in ankle-length habit and flip-flops, chased the man through the cornfield.

Savor that picture for a moment, won't you? There's a man with a shotgun running from a nun in flip-flops. He did get away. But she was able to give a good enough description for the police to make an arrest.

I wonder if that's what St. Paul had in mind when he wrote, "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise." Probably not.

On the other hand, the story does speak to the Scripture. I have seen a loud restaurant suddenly go silent when children bowed their heads in prayer. I've seen a 90-year-old lady give a first class chewing-out to her college-football-playing great-grandson. And now I have seen a nun chasing a man who had a shotgun.

Truly, the Lord does use the weak. He used exiled Moses to free His people; He used young David to bring down a giant; He used a few fishermen and a tax collector to share the Savior's story with the world.

This leads me to believe, if that is so -- and it is -- then the Lord can also use you and me. He can use us to tell others of God's great love as seen in the manger, on the cross, or at the empty tomb.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You do work in mysterious ways, even using the weak to show up the strong. As one of those weak people, I ask that You will let me make a witness to the forgiveness, salvation, and joy I have been given in Jesus. In His Name. Amen.


This Daily Devotion from Lutheran Hour Ministries has been sent to you by someone who thinks you will find them as helpful as they have. There is no cost involved. Please read, or listen to what follows. If you would like the Daily Devotion delivered to your mailbox, you can sign up at this link: http://www.lhm.org/email/register.asp.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

Oh Gary that Nun reminded me how crazy I was when I seen a bunch like around 30 dogs attacking my cows one time. I grabbed a broom and ran out the door like a mad crazy woman , which I was , and screaming at those dogs, slinging that broom, like I was gonna eat them for supper! They all ran for the bushes , but they could of easily turned on me and killed me instead of trying to kill my cows.

I called my husband and He wanted to know what I had been drinking. He called some guys up even his boss and they all came over and they seen them running in the back of the pasture and they counted 26, they all got away and two of those dogs was my sisters and her neighbors ,by road two miles away!! They ran in front of our pickup and we chased them home, course they took a short cut across some pastures and we stayed on the road . We got to Suells house and of course her dog had been there all that time in the back yard. Poor thing must of had a breathing problem then, because it sure was breathing hard! Like maybe it had ran two miles!

I have seen the Lord work through a-lot of people, like each one of you. My friends, those old men who sit around and drink coffee in the morning at my husbands business. Not just people though I have seen God work through an animal to a human, he is so amazing, he can do anything, and at any moment. I have seen children, that are un able to walk or some other difficulty and riding a horse and that horse is so careful with that child. A cat or dog and an older person what a difference they make in their lives.

My Dear friend Bootsie, I love you to death. I wish you were my neighbor!

Thanks Gary for the wonderful picture, it made me laugh.

Love, Kelli

"God Is Faithful"

August 26, 2009



But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3



This Daily Devotion from Lutheran Hour Ministries has been sent to you by someone who thinks you will find them as helpful as they have. There is no cost involved. Please read, or listen to what follows. If you would like the Daily Devotion delivered to your mailbox, you can sign up at this link: http://www.lhm.org/email/register.asp.



The up-and-down economy has caused considerable pain for a lot of folks.

On the other hand, for those who are prepared, these monetary tough times have offered some great buys -- buys which seem almost too good to be true.

Such was the case a few days ago when Best Buy® put a 52-inch TV up for sale on its Web site. The price was $9.99.

Now you may not have done much shopping recently for a new television. Even so, almost everyone should know $9.99 is an unbelievable price. People put in their orders and when they were done, they called their friends who put in their orders.

That's when Best Buy said, "Oops!"

Well, they didn't actually say, "Oops!" They did say something like "We made a mistake. The TV should sell for $1,179.99, and that's still a very good price." I'm sure it is, but the people who thought they had a real bargain were disappointed. Some joked about the quick switch; others said Best Buy should honor its price.

This all goes to show it's pretty hard to find anybody who will keep his word all the time and without exception.

This is just one reason why the Triune God is so wonderfully unique. When God makes a promise, it's a promise that will be kept.

· If He says He is going to send His Son to be our Savior, He does it.
· If He says all who believe on Jesus as their Redeemer will not perish, that's something you
can take to the bank.
· And, if He says He will guard you against the evil one, that's an absolutely reliable
commitment.

You don't have to worry. God isn't going to say, "Oops!" He isn't going to say, "I made a mistake." As St. Paul said, "The Lord is faithful."

I like having a Lord who can be trusted no matter what the circumstance or situation.

THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being the one person who is absolutely reliable. When everything else is shifting and everyone is scrambling, You remain steady. Because You are faithful, I am given forgiveness, peace, and the sure knowledge of salvation. In Jesus' Name, I give thanks. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"They Knew What Was Coming"

August 27, 2009



(Jesus said) "If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:18-19



WARNING - THIS DEVOTION DEALS WITH TOPICS THAT ARE DISTURBING AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR THOSE WHO ARE YOUNG. PLEASE REVIEW BEFORE SHARING WITH A MINOR. RESPECTFULLY, PASTOR KLAUS



Last month the International Christian Concern (ICC) reported Somali Islamic extremists had kidnapped four Christians who worked at an orphanage.

This month the report comes those four Christians were beheaded by a fellow who calls himself, "seiful Islam," the "sword of Islam."

Having beheaded the Christians, the radical group informed the martyrs' families the bodies will not be returned "as Somalia does not have cemeteries for infidels."

A terrible story? Absolutely!

A wonderful story? Most certainly!

Wonderful? Yes, once you hear what happened. According to an eyewitness, all four of these Christians -- people who had once been Muslims -- were given the opportunity to return to Islam.

They were told their lives would be spared, and they would be released if they returned to their old faith.

The eyewitness says, "they all declined the generous offer."

It's impossible for anyone to guess what those four were thinking during their last moments. Did they remember the words of Jesus, which serve as the Scripture for today's Daily Devotion? Did they remember the passage of Romans that says our present sufferings are small when compared to the glory of heaven? Did they think on Revelation 2:10b, which encourages Christians to be faithful unto death so they may be given Jesus' blood-bought crown of life?

I don't know what they were thinking, but I am proud to follow the same wonderful Savior they did. I wish I could follow Him half as well.

By God's grace, let us try -- both in thanks to the Savior and in gratitude for the four who, in spite of knowing what was coming, remained faithful to the end.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, the world hated You, but Your faithfulness has won my salvation. Now may I be faithful to You. May my life be an ongoing song of praise to You who have told us to love -- not behead our enemies. In Your Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

Now that is faith!

"Christ, My Companion"

August 28, 2009



(Jesus said) ". . . Yet I am not alone, for My Father is with Me." John 16:32



Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.

In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour



Most people do not like being alone. Some people want to keep away from other people, groups, functions, or programs, but most people want to identify themselves with other people or groups.

The real situation that prevails among people is loneliness. Even though loneliness can become unbearable, it can also provide an experience of calmness and contentment for many.

Our Lord Jesus Christ often took time to be by Himself in silence and loneliness. According to John 7:53 and 8:1, everyone was leaving to go home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. He spent His alone times with God.

New ideas and useful thoughts about life and the future come when we spend time with God. For example, many of our great leaders were raised in God-fearing families. We can also stress the fact that, without the companionship of God, we can do nothing and we are nothing.

In the beginning, God created man and woman. God felt it was not good for Adam to be alone so He created Eve to be a companion, partner, and helper. How many of us feel this way? Many young people shout, "Leave me alone!" as they struggle with tension and confusion about finding a true companion.

Many of us fail to realize we are not alone. God, our heavenly Father, gave His son Jesus Christ as our companion. He is with us always. Jesus is also named "Immanuel, which means God with us" (Matthew 1:23b). God sent His Son in the flesh, however, not merely to be our companion but to be our Savior. Without Christ's sacrifice, without His all-atoning work on the cross on our behalf, we would be lost forever -- friendless and doomed by our sins.

But God through His Son has made a better way -- an eternal way that begins in faith in Jesus' work and trusts He will never fail or forsake us. Our Lord also says, "I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20b). Since Christ is with me, how can I say I am alone?

Dear friends, let us determine who should be our best companion today. The companion we decide upon must be sufficient for us in every aspect of life. Christ is the only one who can dispel our loneliness.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for being our constant companion and for sending Your one and only Son to conquer our loneliness. Teach us to trust in You. Amen.

Biography of Author:
Rev. E. Eben Titus has pastored three Lutheran churches during a 25-year ministry in India. He assists Lutheran Hour Ministries-India at the Christian Media Centre in Chennai. Using radio and television broadcasts, Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC), Equipping The Saints (ETS), and rallies, the Gospel goes forth in this country of more than one billion people.


To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.

"Be Content"

August 29, 2009



Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5



My wife asked me to pick up some necessities at the grocery store yesterday.

As I waited in line, I observed the lady in front of me. She was doing her best to referee a battle royal between two children who appeared to be about three and four years old.

Seeing my amused smile -- amused because I was remembering those times when our children had such public disagreements -- she looked at me, rolled her eyes toward heaven, and gave out a most frustrated sigh.

Her opening made me bold enough to ask, "What seems to be the problem?"

She answered: "The same thing that's wrong with the rest of the world. I've got three pieces of candy in my purse, and each of my children wants two."

The truth of her words didn't give me a whole lot of comfort. She was right.

Nations, communities, individuals -- all want what's coming to them -- and they want a little bit extra, too.

How hard it is to learn to be content.

I confess that's a lesson I haven't quite mastered yet. How about you? You know, if we're ever going to get better as individuals, or as a race, we're going to have to get some outside assistance.

Obviously, we can't get it from another individual. Everybody else is in the same boat we are.

This is why we need to be turned to God. That's what the author of Hebrews did. Knowing he was living in the presence and care of a gracious God and victorious Savior, he was inspired to encourage God's people to "keep your life free from love of money and be content with what you have."

It's impossible without the Lord, but it's the right direction to go when you love and are loved by the Savior who endured so much that we might be forgiven and be at peace.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, sometimes it's tempting to find contentment through things or other people. Please help me remember the only way to be given true contentment comes from trusting Your love and guidance. This I ask in the Name of my Savior who died so I might live -- who rose that I might never die. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

Thanks Gary needed to hear that tonight.

"Reflection"

August 30, 2009



Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16



When you look back on your life, is there anything you'd like to change?

That was a question asked a number of years ago. The only thing special about the survey was that the question was only given to people who were over the age of 95 years.

It was an open-ended question. Those who responded could reply with any answer they wanted.

There were no religious overtones, no anticipated or encouraged responses. All they had to do was give their reply to the question: "Is there anything you'd like to change about your life?"

There were many answers given, but most of them fell into three categories:

1. I would reflect more. (This was one of the most popular answers.)
2. I would risk more.
3. I would do more things that would live on after I'm dead.

Now, I'm not 95 years old -- not yet. Odds are you aren't either.

Even so, I've found myself trying to answer that question. What would I change in my life up until this point? What would I do differently if I could do things over?

After some mulling of the question, I've concluded those golden-agers have come up with a good idea.

I would indeed spend more time reflecting about the grace of God and how blessed I am to have a Savior. I would risk more things on those battles where the Savior is being maligned or put down.

Lastly, I would do more things that will have a positive impact for the Lord's Kingdom. I would try to leave a heritage for the generations who are coming after me -- for those who will be persecuted and put upon for holding fast to Jesus, the Savior.

Yup, those older folks have given me some good ideas. I don't think I'll wait until I'm 95 to try them out. Maybe you shouldn't wait, either.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, as I grow older, I pray my times of reflection may be focused on You and how I can give thanks for a Savior who has rescued me. Grant me the grace to live a life, which, long or short, may please You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministr