The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. Matthew 22:8b-10
Scanning the news for these Daily Devotions, I've become impressed at how timeless are the words of Scripture.
That is certainly true in regard to today's message.
Recently, Reuters News Service carried an article about how, in tough times, the people of Japan are continuing to throw big weddings. Indeed, in Japan, it's customary to have as many family members, friends, and co-workers attend a wedding as is possible.
When those guests come to the wedding, they don't sit down and observe -- not at all. Bosses give speeches; friends put on plays; family members socialize. It's quite an occasion.
But what happens if Uncle Bob drinks too much or your cousins can't come? What's to be done if your boss is a jerk?
No problem, according to Hiroshi Mizutani of Office Agents in Tokyo. For $200, Office Agents will rent you a guest for your wedding. For another $50, that rented guest can perform a song or dance. If you really need your hired guest to step up, for an additional $100 he can deliver a speech that will bring tears to the eyes of the legitimate partiers.
Does this sound familiar at all?
Jesus' story about the wedding feast has some remarkable parallels to what is happening in Japan. For example, in both situations the people who were invited -- who were supposed to come to the wedding -- didn't. Then, left without guests, the wedding hosts got creative.
So the Japanese wedding hall may be full, they rent their guests. In Jesus' story, the servants go out and recruit them. Either way, the goal is a full house.
On the other hand, there is a difference. If you miss a Japanese wedding, it won't be the end of the world, but if you skip the heavenly feast, it's an omission you will regret forever.
So you may be at the unending wedding party of heaven, Jesus paid a great price. No, not $200 or even $300, Jesus gave His life as the price to get you there. His was a great sacrifice and a gracious one-of-a-kind invitation for which we should be thankful.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, for making sure I am invited to Your wedding feast in heaven, I am overjoyed. Now may I do all I can to make sure Your invitation is given to others. In Your Name. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
I cannot help about thinking about my sister on this. She kept saying someday she was going to sit at the dining room table with Jesus. I can just see her smiling from ear to ear and laughing so hard you would think she was laying a egg! What a laugh she had i sure miss it.
And he said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:19-20
The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Along with being a Clint Eastwood movie, those words also describe fishing. They do if you listen to Captain Rodney Solomon.
Captain Solomon plies his fishing trade off the coast of Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico. As a fisherman, Rodney knows there are days when you can take your limit in a few minutes.
That's the good.
There are times when Captain Solomon, like the disciples, has fished for hours and never brought in anything.
That's the bad.
And the ugly? Recently, Captain Solomon went fishing and landed a guided missile. Yup, that's right -- an Air Force guided missile. Seeing a hole in the device, Rodney assumed the missile had gone off. He felt pretty safe keeping it on the deck of his ship as a piece of conversation.
Captain Solomon's assumption was wrong -- almost dead wrong.
To shorten a long story, the Air Force confirmed the missile, a Sidewinder, was fit as a fiddle and in fine working order. Before they disarmed it, the Air Force assured Captain Solomon that his missile was perfectly capable of exploding and distributing him, along with his ship, across a large expanse of the Gulf.
In truth, a person hardly ever knows what he's going to catch, does he?
That had to be the feeling of the disciples when they went out fishing for men. The Holy Spirit brought in big sinners, little sinners, experienced sinners, and novice sinners. There were times when the fishing was good, when it was bad, and when the fish got ugly.
There were two things the disciples knew: first, the Savior wanted them to fish. Second, they knew that if you don't go fishing, you won't catch anything.
That may sound obvious, but it is true.
A person, a church, Christ's disciples -- all have to go fishing if they want to catch fish. If they stay home, the odds are God's nets are going to be empty.
This is why today we pray the Lord will send us out and He will make the catch bountiful.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You have told Your disciples to fish for souls. Grant us the willingness to follow Your instruction and send the Holy Spirit so the catch may be blessed. In Your Name, I ask it. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Gary,
I would like to thank you for posting these daily devotions, they are wonderful and they help to keep to close to God and to know what is important.
A person, a church, Christ's disciples -- all have to go fishing if they want to catch fish. If they stay home, the odds are God's nets are going to be empty.
So true! That I learned is what is so special about the computer ,you may stay in one place but you can go everywhere and reach out to people and share the Love of Jesus!
"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him." Lamentations 3:24
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
Once there was a boy whose father promised him the chance to travel to a beautiful place in Guatemala for his birthday. This promise kept him excited for many days. Finally, the boy's birthday arrived. Everything was ready, and he was anxious to get going. No sooner had they stepped off their front porch and it started to rain. It did not stop for several days, making conditions dangerous for travel. The boy's father couldn't keep his promise, and this frustrated the little boy.
Fortunately, as Christians we have a Father who never fails us. We have a God who keeps His promises. From beginning to end, the Bible shows us how God gives us promises and keeps them. In Scripture, we see He is the one who takes the initiative and keeps His covenant with us. In Genesis, God promised Abraham land, descendants, and blessings -- and He fulfilled His promise. Through the prophets, God promised to send the Messiah to redeem His people, and it came to pass. He fulfilled His promise through Jesus Christ.
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ continues to give us promises. He promised His disciples a Counselor who would guide them -- and us -- into all truth. The book of Acts registers that fulfillment. Jesus also promises He would be with us until the end of time, and He is keeping His Word.
We live in an age where promises are cheap and, more often than not, broken. The prattle of television commercials promises us a slim figure or beauty in an instant. Horoscopes promise fame, love, and fortune. Politicians promise labor improvement and better social conditions. The common denominator among all these is they fail to accomplish what they promise.
Isn't it wonderful to know that God the Father always keeps His promises? Therefore, we must seek Him with confidence knowing He is faithful to His Word. Let us go to His Word daily with a humble heart and obedient mind to discover His promises for our lives, seeking His truth in all things.
THE PRAYER: Faithful Father, thank You for keeping Your promises. You are my portion and I will hope in You. Amen.
Biography of Author:
This devotion was written by Carlos Raúl Sosa Siliézar, who serves as a musician, youth leader, and Sunday school teacher at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Guatemala City. In that city of more than two million people, the Lutheran Hour Ministries' office has been working since 1993. Its ministry includes Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC), Equipping The Saints (ETS) and Project JOEL, a program reaching out to young people throughout the country.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.
Thank You Gary, often I have had people promise things but they never said what month or what year ??? It is good to know that Jesus follows through his promises.
And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. God called the dry land earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called seas. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:9-10
On the occasion of the anniversary of the United State's birth, it's right that we stop and show our appreciation for what God has done.
That's the way it was over 100 years ago when the great preacher, Dwight Moody, was reading the 103rd Psalm. He came to the verse, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."
Having read that Scripture to his audience, Moody stopped short, and with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face said, "You can't remember all o' God's benefits, of course. But that doesn't mean you should forget 'em all, either. Remember some of them."
Well, today, I can't list all of the benefits you and I have received through this wonderful land God has entrusted to us.
On the other hand, we dare not forget all those benefits either. That's why I'd like to encourage you to thank the Lord for the barbecue grill you might use today, as well as the abundance of food you'll cook on it.
Thank You, Lord, for the freedom we enjoy and the responsibility to use it properly.
Most of all, thank the Lord for always being there for us and offering us salvation through His Son's sacrifice.
Moody had it right. "We can't remember all of God's benefits. But that doesn't mean we should forget 'em, either." Take a little time out from the fireworks of today and give the Lord a little thanks.
From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"
THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, You have given us so much. As we come together today to celebrate the birth of the United States, we thank You for the gift of the freedom we have in this land and the spiritual gift of freedom we have through Your Son. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:8-9
It's summer time and, depending on what part of the country you live in, a cool thought might help relieve the heat.
To help you out, I'd like you to think back to the times you've watched icicles being formed, one drop at a time. Yes, it's possible you live in a place where icicles never form. If so, think of the ice palace from Dr. Zhivago.
Now this exploration into a wintertime memory is not without purpose. Think for a moment and you will agree -- if the water, which forms the icicle, is pure, then the icicle is also clean and clear. It will sparkle brightly as the sun bursts through it.
On the other hand, if the water, which is the icicle's water source, is tainted, the icicle itself will be cloudy, murky, and its beauty will be marred.
I think there's a lesson for us to learn from that.
While it is true, we are, upon occasion, shaped by large decisions and trials, most of the time we are formed like an icicle: drop by drop and small event by small event. If the things that surround us and to which we expose ourselves are foul and contaminated, then our lives and our witness to the Savior will never be as clear and beautiful as the Lord had planned for us.
That is why St. Paul urged the believers in Philippi -- and us -- to think upon that which is honest, just, lovely, and pure. He knew if we surrounded ourselves with the virtues of the Lord, if we constantly think about the goodness and grace of God, we would have a peace -- a joy in Jesus that the world can never know.
Indeed, if we avoid the evil and think upon that which is good, our lives will make a better, a purer witness for Jesus who gave His life for our salvation.
From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"
THE PRAYER: Dear God, create in me a new heart, a clean heart, a saved heart. Help me avoid that which is evil and be composed of all that is good and comes from You. Turn me into a clear reflection of the love and grace I have received from the Savior's sacrifice. In His Name. Amen.
O LORD, You have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:1-3
Hats off to the engineers of Toyota.
No, I don't mean that sarcastically. These guys have come up with an invention that is absolutely fantastic. I hope I never have to use it, but for those who need it -- well, it's wonderful.
And what have those engineers come up with? It's nothing less than a wheelchair run by a person's brainwaves. Petty high tech, don't you think? What happens is this: a person's thoughts are read by transmitters and fed into a computer. The computer analyzes and passes on the appropriate command to the wheelchair.
A person who is otherwise unable to move can think the chair forward, backward, left, or right. A command for an emergency stop is given when the navigator puffs his cheeks.
According to the inventors, the computer learns how to read the brain waves of the operator. Within a week the accuracy rate of controlling the wheelchair is about 95 percent.
That's not perfect, but it sure is pretty good.
It is pretty good, and it is also just the beginning. Nobody can guess how far this kind of robotic assistance will go in helping those who have physical challenges.
Yes, Toyota engineers have done a good thing here. Still, as good as it is, it's small potatoes compared to what God has done. Look carefully at the words of the Psalm. God knows us. He is aware when we rise up, and He doesn't need a computer to discern our thoughts. The Lord knows where we're going before we do, and He is fully aware of the path we will travel. God's knowledge of us is complete.
And this also needs to be said. In spite of knowing us as He does, and that knowing includes an awareness of our sinful shortcomings, the Lord still loves us. He has loved us enough to send His Son to redeem us.
Now, for all who believe, the pathway to heaven is open.
THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, You have created us, known us, and loved us. For doing all which was necessary to save us and move us from **** to heaven, we give thanks. In the Name of Jesus we offer our praise. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1
St Paul has been found. At least part of him has been found.
On June 20th, the world heard that a white marble sarcophagus had been uncovered from beneath the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls in Rome. More importantly, that casket still contained some bones.
That, for many folks, was an important bit of information. Why? For a great many centuries tradition has claimed that St. Paul, who was beheaded in the 1st century, had been buried at this location -- at least most of him.
His head is supposed to be at another Roman basilica, St. John Lateran.
This takes us to the point in this devotion when you're probably wondering, "Pastor, are these really the bones of the apostle to the gentiles?"
Let me tell you that I do not know.
Scientific tests have been run on the bones and those tests say the remains date from the 1st or 2nd century. And there is that matter of a long tradition regarding this. But when all is said and done, the answer will still have to be that we do not know.
I do know, if St. Paul were given the opportunity to come back and talk to us for a few minutes, he'd probably tell us it doesn't matter if those bones are his or not. But wait, St. Paul has already told us exactly that. Our text for today tells us that when our earthly bodies go, it's all right.
Because of faith in Jesus Christ, because we believe He has ransomed us from sin, death, and the devil, we know the grave is not our final resting place. Because of the Christ's victorious third-day resurrection, we know that we, too, shall rise and be given a glorified body.
On that day when Jesus returns in judgment, those who have been given faith in the Redeemer will receive a building -- a body from God that will last forever.
That news was a comfort for those early Christians who buried Peter, Paul, and so many of the Lord's martyrs. It is a comfort to us as well. Christians in every age are blessed to know the Savior has won the victory and the sting of death is spent.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, because Jesus lives, we know we shall live also. May I look forward to a reunion with Paul and all others who are asleep in the Lord. May I await that moment when Jesus will allow our eternity of joy to begin. In His Name. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
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En Español
"Yesterday's Truth . . . Today's Fiction "
July 8, 2009
For the Word of the LORD is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love. Psalm 33:4-5
Dr. Aaron Carroll and Dr. Rachel Vreeman are myth busters.
That's right; these two doctors from the Indiana University School of Medicine have taken it upon themselves to expose some of those medical fictions, which everybody knows to be factual.
In short, they're writing about things which are supposed to be true, but aren't.
Do I hear you asking, "What kind of things?" I hope so, because if you aren't asking that question, this devotion is going to be a short one. So, in answer to your query, here are a few of those myths:
1. In the wintertime a person loses body heat through his head. "Nope," the good doctors say. You will lose heat through any body part that is exposed to the elements.
2. Milk produces phlegm. Every choir director I've ever met believed that one. But the good doctors say that isn't the case.
3. Cracking your knuckles will give you arthritis. The doctors admit the practice may give you fewer friends, but it does not increase the possibility of you getting arthritis.
4. Sugar makes kids hyper. The doctors say "no" to that one, too.
Other myths exposed by the doctors include the following: it's okay to double dip in the chip dip and food quickly picked up from the floor is safe to eat.
Ain't science wonderful?
The truth is what we know changes from year to year; sometimes it changes from day to day.
This is just one reason I am thankful for Holy Scripture.
The Psalmist accurately says, "The word of the Lord is right and true." About how many other things can you say that? And just as important, that Word points unerringly and unceasingly to the Savior who gave Himself as our ransom.
Because of what Jesus has done, the earth is full of God's unfailing love.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for giving us truth which can always be trusted, we offer our thanks. Without the Savior and the true salvation He gives, our lives would be most uncertain. In Jesus' Name, I praise You. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34
Do you remember that Buck Owens-Roy Clark song: "Gloom, despair, and agony on me. Deep, dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. Gloom, despair, and agony on me."
According to Dr. Iris Borowsky from the University of Minnesota, those words have found acceptance among a fairly high percentage of young people.
Based on a survey of 20,000 kids, almost 15 percent thought they had a good chance of dying young.
The big problem is this: those dark thoughts are being transformed into a self-fulfilling prophecy. The logic goes this way: these teens think they're not going to live very long. Since they're not going to live long, they've got nothing to lose. Since they've got nothing to lose, they might as well do what they want.
All of this leads to taking chances and doing some risky stuff. How risky? Well, other statistics say that when compared to someone with a brighter outlook, a pessimistic teen has a higher chance of getting AIDS, of attempting suicide, and getting in a fight that will cause a serious injury.
How much higher a chance? Seven times higher. And that's a lot.
So, what do we do about these young folks who are sure every day is filled to overflowing with trouble?
First, we can pray for them. When Jesus talked about being the light of the world, He meant He can bring the brightness of God's grace into hearts, which are darkened by discouragement and depression.
Second, we can watch what we say around these future adults. While we can't sugar coat the dark side of life, we don't have to continuously dwell on sin's repercussions. There is another side to the story: Jesus is good news of great joy. He has changed everything for the better.
Our young people need to hear that from us, and they need to know if we really believe it, and why we believe it.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, every day has plenty of evil without us borrowing from tomorrow. May our witness to the young reflect the joy we have in Jesus, who has given His life so we might have an abundant life (see John 10:10). In His Name. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour
Daily Devotion ~ July
