"Loneliness"

February 13, 2010



(God said) ". . . I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5b



Have you ever felt forgotten?

It's not a pleasant experience, is it? Not so long ago one of our Lutheran parochial school teachers told me of a little boy who, on the opening day of school, felt so alone he actually started to make himself sick.

The lad was so upset he asked for permission to call home. As the boy was a new student, the teacher asked her aide to help the boy make the connection. The call was made, but when his mother answered, the fellow was too distraught to talk. Without hearing anything or anyone on the other end of the line, the mother understandably asked, "Who is this? Hello, who is this?"

The little boy burst into tears as he sobbed, "Mom, this is Jerome. Have you . . . forgotten me . . . already?"

Thankfully, most of us have never been so alone that we have felt our own mothers had forgotten us. Even so, the feeling of loneliness can be a terrible burden.

Thankfully, as Christians we are comforted and encouraged by the realization we have a God who never forgets us.

Our Lord remembered us when He first promised Adam and Eve He was going to send His Son to be the Savior of sinners. When Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, He remembered us and our transgressions. When He hung on the cross dying to save sinners, His sacrifice was for those who were there that day -- and for us who would be born centuries later.

And now, even though everyone else may forget us, or ignore us, or even despise us, God still remembers.

In the crucified and risen Savior we have been given a Redeemer, a constant Companion, a Friend whose love is shown for us in a thousand ways every day.

The words of our text for this Daily Devotion are important. God has made the promise to never leave us or forsake us. Relying on that promise our loneliness is checked.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, in those dark times when I feel so alone, please help me remember You are walking beside me and holding me close. Send Your Holy Spirit to constantly remind me You will never forget me. This prayer of thanks I offer in the Name of my Redeemer and Friend. In Your Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Love"

February 14, 2010



God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8



For our Daily Devotion readership, here's a story of true love for Valentine's Day.

Consider this: 78-year-old Aleida Huissen of Rotterdam has been smoking for 50 years. For almost 50 years Huissen has been trying to give up the habit.

Like so many, Huissen had failed time and again. She kept failing, that is, until recently.

Today I'm pleased to report that Huissen has given up her cigarettes, her cigars, and her pipes.

Would you like to know the secret of her success? I'll share it, although it probably won't be of help to anyone else. Her secret weapon against smoking is Leo Jansen.

That's right, Leo Jansen, age 79.

Jansen asked Huissen to marry him, but he refused to tie the knot until his true love stopped smoking.

Huissen says, "Willpower never was enough to get me off the tobacco habit. Love did it."

Chalk up another victory for love. Love has seen many other such victories over the centuries. Love has ended wars. Love has made life bearable for millions. Love can transform our days from something bearable to something wonderful.

And -- lest we forget -- the power of love is active every day and not just on the day named after the Christian martyr, Valentine.

Of course, when we talk of love, we'd be terribly remiss if we didn't point to the greatest love this sinful, sorry old world has ever seen. Readers of our Daily Devotion will immediately know we are, of course, referring to the love humanity has received from the Triune God.

The Lord's love is incredibly unique.

God's love gives when people don't want it. God's love gives when people feel they don't need it. God's love is self-starting, self-maintaining, and self-sufficient. God's love reaches out to those who are unwanted, uncared for, and physically unattractive. God's love is not stopped by political boundaries, by the clock's ticking, or even by the grave.

God's love is personified in Jesus, and it comes to us by the Holy Spirit's power.

And when God's love finds a place in sinful hearts, it forgives, transforms, and restores.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, there is no love that is even close to Yours. Thank You for a love which is eternal, a love which is personal, and a love which has proven itself victorious over death. Now I ask this: Lord, grant me the grace to love others as You have loved me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.



In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Too Late A Prophecy"

February 15, 2010



(The LORD) . . . will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation. Exodus 34:7b



The world took notice when the small island of Haiti was rocked by an earthquake.

Then, as the reports came in, as we heard that tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands had been killed, and many more injured and made homeless, people decided to act. They responded with gifts, with prayers, with cash, with time, and with much needed supplies.

Then, from the Christian community came a voice (I will not mention the name of the person behind the voice) who said the earthquake was a divine punishment upon the people of Haiti. It was a divine visitation which had come because, generations ago, some people on that island had made a pact with the devil.

I have a problem with that.

In the Bible, when God was going to visit a punishment upon His people, He sent a prophet, sometimes a whole group of prophets to warn people of what was going to happen if they didn't repent.

God gave them a chance to mend their ways. If they mended, wonderful! If they didn't, the punishment took care of things.

This is the first time I've heard of God sending a prophet after a punishment has taken place. It is the first time I've heard of a prophet who didn't tell what was going to happen, but explained what had just happened.

Now I have no doubt that God punishes sin. And Scripture says if the grandchildren copy the sins of the grandparents, they will get punished, too. But this kind of interpretation of natural events paints a picture of the Triune God that makes me very uncomfortable.

I have a Lord who sent His Son to seek and save the lost, to bring those in darkness into the light, to be a physician for those who were ill in spirit. I have a Savior who cried over Jerusalem because the people wouldn't repent and be gathered.

This, I believe, is a far better and far more accurate picture of our God of grace and love.

THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, for the sins I have committed, You have my heartfelt repentance. May I rejoice in the forgiveness that comes to me through the Savior's sacrifice -- the forgiveness which is complete and total. In the Savior's Name, I pray it. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Fairest Of Them All"

February 16, 2010



Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30



I didn't get to see the Miss America contest this year.

Now that I think about it, I haven't seen the Miss America contest for quite a few years. That's probably because these contests frustrate me. You see, every time I pick a winner -- a young lady who is absolutely guaranteed to win -- they lose.

So, even though my interest in the Miss America contest is somewhat underwhelming, the papers have shared that Miss Virginia, Caressa Cameron, is the nation's Miss of the hour. Looking at her pictures; it does seem she has the facial symmetry, the youthfulness, the figure, and the smarts which make for a first-class winner.

The article in the newspaper got me to thinking. In a few short words I had been told what it takes to make a woman a "winner" in the eyes of men. What I wanted to know was this: what would it take for a lady to be a winner in the eyes of God?

Since the Lord sees things differently than we do, I'm pretty sure He would zero in on qualities which we, all too often, ignore.

It didn't take too much searching before I came upon the passage from Proverbs which serves as the text for today's devotion. It reads: "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

Evaluating that passage we can quickly see that while humankind looks at the temporal and the external, the Lord looks at a woman's internal qualities. It says the Lord values and appreciates the woman who honors, respects, and trusts Him.

To find a lady who respects the Lord . . . it's not the kind of show networks would televise, and it's not the kind of contest that inspires big-time sponsors. Even so, I've seen some of these ladies who honor the Lord and, in my opinion . . .

. . . they need to be honored for they are most beautiful indeed.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, it is easy for us to look upon the externals of a person, to evaluate their worth on temporal and passing things. Help us see others as You do. Let us, as much as we are able, seek to recognize and honor those lasting spiritual qualities which the Holy Spirit bestows. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.



In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"A Nice Pet"

February 17, 2010



Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7



It was one of those man-bites-dog stories.

Only this time it was the story of a teenage girl in New Zealand who was bitten by a shark. The girl was Lydia Ward, aged 14, and the shark was probably a broad-nosed seven-gill shark.

And no, Lydia didn't bite the shark when it bit her on the hip, but she didn't panic either.

What she did do was clobber that shark over the head with her surfing body board. She clobbered it again and again and again. Finally, the shark decided it was in his best interest to let her go. Just for the record, Lydia is doing fine. I've received no reports on the condition of the shark.

Now Lydia's story is being told for a purpose. It would seem to most of us that a young lady doesn't have much chance against a shark. Thankfully, the young lady didn't know that, and because she didn't know that she is alive and well today.

Similarly, it would appear that as Christians we don't have a prayer when Satan comes at us with his bag of temptations. He is old, and wise, and has considerable resources. To most observers it would seem we would come out on the short end.

Not necessarily. When Luther was confronted by the devil, so the legend goes, he pegged an inkwell at Old Nick. Your pastor can tell you some of the other more colorful suggestions Luther had in regard to handling the devil.

The bottom line is this: Lydia had her surfing body board and Christians have the power of the Holy Spirit. That's what James was telling God's people. Submit yourself to God and at the same time do some serious devil-resisting.

Having said those words of encouragement, James makes a rather unusual prediction of what will happen: resist the devil and he will flee from you.

That's right. The devil will flee from those who, armed with faith in Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, are persistent in their resistance. Understand, the battle might not always be easy, but the idea is to follow Lydia's example and resist and resist and resist yet again.

THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, help us understand that in the battle against Satan we are not on our own. The risen Redeemer has always promised to be with us. The Holy Spirit has shown that He wishes to keep us safe and strong. With their power, may I resist Satan and have the joy of watching him flee. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Christian Witness"

February 18, 2010



And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" Genesis 3:8-9



A rose is a rose is a rose. That's what the poem says.

If that's so, I suppose a fact is a fact is a fact. At least it ought to be. Unfortunately, in recent years, facts seem to have become very flexible beasties.

When I was young, Christopher Columbus was a great explorer; now he has been demoted to a great exploiter. Once we celebrated a day in his honor; now, at least in many circles, the mention of his name causes sneers.

There was a time when students were told America was founded on Christian values, by Christian men and women. Now, according to many textbooks, those reports were greatly exaggerated. Indeed, now we're informed those special folks were far too sophisticated and intelligent to have a serious faith in the Triune God.

Pontius Pilate spoke for many of us when he asked, "What is truth?"

Right now the Texas State Board of Education is trying to answer that question for the children, the students of that state, and others.

Coming under debate have been school textbooks. Concerning them, these questions have been raised:

• Should Christmas be mentioned?
• Should religious references to America's founders be deleted?
• Should civil rights leaders receive some prominence?

It's impossible for me to tell how it will all work out. I do pray our ancestors who came to this land searching for religious freedom -- and our forefathers who tried to follow the tenets of God's Word throughout their lives -- may not have their memories erased.

Many of them weren't perfect, and the textbooks should never say they were. On the other hand, many of them did serve the Lord to the best of their ability.

And we have enjoyed the results of their work.

THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, when Jesus was on trial, they brought in people to lie about Him. Now the witness made by many Christians is also under attack. Today we ask our generation and those who come after us may be inspired by the Christian witness that has been made by our ancestors, and that we avoid the sins they committed. In Jesus' Name. Amen.



In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Unbelief"

February 19, 2010



Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. . . . " John 10:32a



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 Jesus' ministry on earth, He performed many jaw-dropping miracles, which declared His power over nature and manifested His divinity. One would think seeing people healed of debilitating diseases, or moving freely on limbs once crippled, or suddenly blemish free of leprosy would be sufficient evidence to accept the fact that Jesus was extraordinary -- that He was, quite simply, the Son of God.

One would think these signs would be convincing. But the depravity of man's sin-soaked heart is an unbelieving place indeed.

Verses prior to today's text refer to the miracles Jesus did and how they plainly spoke of Him being the Christ. The Jews who witnessed them, however, wanted something more. They wanted to hear it in no uncertain terms. "Jesus answered, 'I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in My Father's Name speak for Me, but you do not believe because you are not My sheep'" (John 10:25-26).

And why did they not believe? They were blinded by sin. In this age, of course, it's no different. People are as dense and deluded today to the knowledge of Christ as the Savior of the world as they were 2,000 years ago.

As Christians we recognize the wretched state mankind finds itself in apart from God. Without His Holy Spirit working faith in a person's heart, the inner darkness will continue, the non-stop excuses will only get more ridiculous, and the broad, well-traveled road that leads to ultimate tragedy will claim yet another life.

As Christians, however, we also realize that God works through us to share Jesus as the Savior, mankind's only true hope. It is through His life-changing Word -- spoken by our voices and expressed through our lives -- that God works in the hearts of those who don't know Him.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help us to see Your love for us and share that love with others. Enable us through the power of Your Holy Spirit to address people's unbelief and freely share the Good News Your Son has so richly provided for us. We ask all this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Biography of Author: This devotion was written by a member of the Lutheran Hour Ministries-Paraguay ministry team. Established in Asuncion in 2000, LHM-Paraguay operates as Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones and is active in door-to-door ministry, radio programming, Project JOEL, Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC), and Equipping the Saints (ETS) training.


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




Pastor Klaus returns
again tomorrow.

"The Power Of Our Tongue"

February 20, 2010



Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14



Not so long ago, as part of my duties, I had to attend a banquet.

The food was good, but the speakers, for the most part, left something to be desired. I say, "for the most part" because there was an exception. There was an excellent speaker in attendance at that banquet.

The master of ceremonies with great enthusiasm and many superlative words, introduced the lady. He eulogized her many wonderful qualities and activities. He told us she was faithful, charming, and a person who accomplished great things.

Finally, the MC sat down and turned the podium over to the somewhat embarrassed guest of honor. Appearing to be somewhat overwhelmed, the speaker got up, faced the audience, cleared her throat and began, "After such an introduction, I'm afraid to hear what I'm going to say."

Allow me to share that she did a wonderful job.

Have you ever been afraid of what you were going to say or embarrassed at what slipped out of your mouth?

I have.

It's true. There are many times I've put my foot in my mouth; there are many times when, in spite of my best of intentions, I haven't said the right thing. I try, but it just doesn't come out right.

All too often my tongue has caused offense, brought about pain, and been cutting.
Maybe you can say the same.

If so, I invite you to join me and the Psalmist in the prayer which serves as the text for today's Daily Devotion. We who have been touched by the Lord's love, who have heard Jesus' words of forgiveness spoken from the cross, need to do our best to use our tongues to thank the Lord and bestow blessings upon our brothers and sisters in Jesus.

By God's grace, the Holy Spirit can minimize the negative impact of our tongues and maximize the blessings they bestow.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I want to be bold in sharing the story of Your saving grace. May the words I speak reflect my risen Savior who lived and died to take away my sins. May my words sing His praises and be a blessing to those around me. In Your Name. Amen.



In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Almost Right"

February 21, 2010



And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9



Some people I know do the right thing . . . almost.

That was brought home to me this past week when a friend in the insurance industry told me of a lady who received $1,200 to compensate her for the loss of her diamond ring. Not unsurprisingly, four weeks later she found the missing ring stashed away in the back of a cupboard.

Glad for the ring, she wrote to the insurance company and confessed, "I didn't think it would be right for me to keep the ring and the money, so I thought you would be pleased to know I have sent the $1,200 to the Red Cross."

The lady had done the right thing . . . almost.

She hadn't kept the money. That was right, and she did tell the insurance company about finding the ring. That was right, too. But sending the money to the Red Cross . . . even as fine an organization as it might be, well, that was not quite right.

A lot of people try to do the right thing . . . almost. Over Christmas I watched my twin grandchildren who were squabbling and arguing. Finally, their mother stopped things and told them to apologize.

They did.

They shook hands. They said they were sorry. They did the right thing almost. You see, in spite of the hand shaking and the words, they weren't sorry. They were still angry.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Our selfishness and our natural propensity to sin guarantees we almost always miss the mark of doing the right thing.

This is why we need Jesus.

Why? Because He is the Son of God, Jesus did that which we could never do. He did the right thing always. If Jesus dealt with pompous Pharisees, He did the right thing. If He was speaking with a serious sinner, He did the right thing. If Satan placed before Him a tremendous set of temptations, Jesus still did the right thing.

Because Jesus did the right thing -- always -- at the end of His life, as He hung dying upon the cross, He could honestly say, "It is finished" (John 19:30b).

And it was. Jesus' perfect life, His total avoidance of sin had opened the door to heaven for all who believe on Him as their Father-sent Substitute and Savior.

Now you and I are still sinners, and our plans almost always fall short of the mark when we try to do the right thing. In spite of that failure, our lives should still be lived in thankfulness for what Jesus has given. It would be the right thing to do -- absolutely.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to do and be the perfect person we could never be. Now may we, redeemed by His complete fulfillment of the Law, thank and praise, serve and obey the risen Redeemer. In Jesus' Name. Amen.



In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Pluto Platter"

February 22, 2010



. . . And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. Acts 11:26b



Most people don't know the name of Fred Morrison.

Now I could begin by telling you that Morrison was a World War II pilot and a prisoner of war. Or I could share that he died a week or two ago at the age of 90. I could tell you that, but that wouldn't help you know Mr. Morrison much better.

And I doubt if it would help much if I informed you that Fred Morrison was the inventor of the battery-operated toy tomahawk and a water-filled bowling set.

That didn't help, did it? How about if I tell you that Morrison also created the Whirl-O-Way and Pluto Platter? Does that help you figure it out?

In truth, Morrison's inventions never went too far, that is, until he licensed his greatest idea to the Wham-O Manufacturing Company in 1957. The company took his invention, borrowed a name from an East-coast pie company, and christened Morrison's invention by a new name: Frisbee.

Although Morrison thought the name change was stupid, the change made a big difference. The flying bit of plastic known as the Frisbee caught on. It sold hundreds of millions and became one of the most popular toys of the 20th century.

Amazing!

Truly, there are times when what you call something can make a difference. That, however, is not always the case. For example, our text for today's devotion says, "in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians." Before that time the followers of the Savior had been known as members of "The Way." That's really not a bad name since Jesus said He was the Way, and we know there is only one Way to heaven.

But those who have been to Bethlehem's manager, who have stood in sorrow and repentance at Calvary's cross, who have looked in awe and wonder into Jesus' empty tomb, know it is not the name we carry which is important. It is not our name that has made Christianity the biggest human organization the world has ever seen.

Every believer must acknowledge it is the Savior's work which is all important. His life, His sacrifice, His death and His resurrection offer forgiveness to all who believe. Because of what the Christ has done we know that heaven -- not **** -- will be our ultimate home.

No, it's not our name which is significant. It is the Savior who is the beginning and end of our salvation. Jesus is the Name which saves.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, for Your sacrifice and the salvation which comes through Your resurrection victory, we offer our thanks and praise. Now, as much as it lies within us, please make us worthy of Your Name. In Your service we pray it. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"A Broken Heart"

February 23, 2010



Then He (Jesus) said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with Me." And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Matthew 26:38-39



Dorothy Lee's husband of 40 years died while they were driving home from a Bible study.

He nodded a few times and then his head fell upon his chest. Ms. Lee was able to avoid a crash, call 911, and watch as the ambulance arrived and the paramedics worked to save her husband.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Then, a few minutes later, Ms. Lee's heart seemed to start causing her difficulty. She complained of sharp pains in her chest; she said she felt faint and then passed out.

The doctors studied her. They sent her through a battery of tests and found nothing amiss. Her arteries were clear; there was no trace of a blood clot. She hadn't had a heart attack.

So what happened? Dorothy Lee almost died of a broken heart.

Yes, really. There is such a thing. A broken heart isn't just some poetic turn of phrase.

Those who study such things know that real, sometimes fatal, changes, can happen to a heart after a traumatic breakup or after the death of a loved one. If that's the case, it would explain why ministers see seemingly healthy spouses die soon after the passing of a loved one.

When I first read that article in the Wall Street Journal, it got me wondering, "Did Jesus die of a broken heart?" If anyone had a right to die of sadness it was Jesus. The people He had come to save had rejected Him, renounced Him, and rebelled against His words. One of His closest friends betrayed Him; one denied Him; the others deserted Him.

Did Jesus die of a broken heart? Of course not.

Scripture tells us the Savior willingly "gave up His Spirit" (John 19:30b). In John 10, Jesus said that nobody would take His life. On the contrary, He predicted that when death came calling on Calvary's cross it would succeed because He was willingly laying down His life to save the sheep.

Did Jesus die of a broken heart? No, He died because His heart was so full of love He gladly gave His life for ours.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, nobody shows a greater love than when he lays down his life for another. If that is so -- and it is -- what kind of love did Jesus have? He gave up His life for those who hated Him, rejected Him, murdered Him. Because of what Jesus has done, may my heart be made new and clean and appreciative. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.



In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"History Repeats"

February 24, 2010



Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah's eyes were weak but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Genesis 29:16-17



Often people tell me the Bible was written for people who lived long ago. Too often they tell me that Scriptures have no connection to modern life.

Well, it's just not so.

As proof, I refer to one of the stories of the Old Testament, which most people probably think could never have anything to say to our age. I'm speaking of the story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. You remember the story -- how Jacob worked to marry pretty Rachel and how Rachel's father, Laban, substituted plain Leah for Rachel. Jacob got really angry at that trick.

Well, an Arab ambassador in Dubai has just had his marriage annulled.

Why? It seems every time he had met his betrothed she had kept her head down and warn a niqab, a veil which covers the face right up to the eyes. Of course, the ambassador knew what his intended looked like: he had seen her picture. As far as her not looking at him, well, he thought he had a humble, old-fashioned, modest girl.

So what happened? The ambassador, after the marriage contract had been signed, wanted to kiss his spouse. She took off the veil, and he found she was cross-eyed and had a beard.

And how did this happen? The girl's parents had shown the ambassador photographs of his bride's sister. In short, Laban's fool-the-groom-by-switching-the-sisters-trick is still alive and well.

You know there is another thing you read about in the Bible that is also applicable to our age: Jesus Christ's work to seek and to save sinners.

Satan tempts us with all manner of old sins dressed up in new packages; our flesh is still victim to all kinds of worldly temptations, and death is still the ultimate ending for unsaved sinners.

This is why we still need Jesus. We still need a Savior who has the love to save sinful humanity. We still must believe on this Savior if we are to be rescued from sin, death, and devil.

I know it may sound old-fashioned. It is.

But Jesus is still the only Savior who can redeem us from our old-time enemies.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord and Savior, You know better than anyone else there is nothing new under the sun. Our enemies are old; our sins are old; our need of salvation is just as old. For being willing to offer Yourself as our Substitute I offer my thanks. May that thanks be new and fresh every day. In Your Name. Amen.



In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

Zebras And Wildebeest"

February 25, 2010



There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (KJV) Galatians 3:28



There are times when decisions can be difficult, times when no matter what you do it seems to be the wrong thing, or the less wrong thing to do.

Here's a case in point.

Southern Kenya has undergone a drought. That drought has taken a severe toll on the zebra and wildebeest population.

Without wildebeest and zebra, the lion population has become hungry and started looking for food -- elsewhere. To a lion's palate the next best thing to a zebra is the domesticated cattle of the Maasai.

The Maasai are understandably upset with having their livelihood become lunch for the lions. Nobody can blame them for protecting their cattle and, when necessary, killing the lions. Of course, without any wildlife, the ecosystem gets a little strange, tourism drops, and the plains look pretty desolate.

So, what to do?

The government has decided the best thing to do is import 4,000 zebras and 3,000 wildebeest. The zebras and wildebeest are designated as food for the starving lions.

Pretty tough decision, isn't it? You can feel sorry for the starving lions, or the Maasai natives, or the wildebeest and zebras. You can try to save one or two of these groups, but it will be hard to save them all.

So what's the point? There have been times in my wanderings and my readings when I've heard of Jesus being talked about as being the Savior of the Europeans.
Nothing could be further from the truth.

St. Paul is clear. Jesus didn't come to save one race, one culture, or one select group of people. Jesus came to be the Savior of all. He was born to rescue and redeem everyone. He lived taking the place of everyone; He shouldered the sins of everyone; He died for everyone, and He rose so that all who believe on Him will not perish but have life everlasting.

Was the decision to come and save sinful humanity a difficult one? Difficult or not, the decision was made and because Jesus willingly took our place, we have salvation.

THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, for the sending of Your Son to save this lost world, I have been given salvation. Now, I pray that others may know the wonders of Your love which extends to all humanity, and dear Lord, if it is Your will, may the drought in Kenya be lifted. In Jesus' Name. Amen.


In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Headlines"

February 26, 2010



Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4



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 worst of times, headlines may scare us. Issues like global economic crises, stock market crashes, and people running out of money all generate fear about our future. These are hard and uncertain times for all of us.

This unsettling news may come from newspaper or Web headlines, what we hear on the radio or TV, or even in the words of an ordinary conversation: "The market's tanking again today. Did you hear?" "We'll be getting a memo today about a salary freeze." In all cases, these messages paint a not-so-pleasant picture.

It's easy to become overly concerned-even overwhelmed-in the face of such crises. After all, we know nothing about the future; we can't reach back into the past, and we can barely control what's in the present. The result is that fear of the unknown and preoccupation with things beyond one's control can easily dog a person throughout the day. In fact, for some, these unwelcome pests can persist all day.

But as Christians we know that headlines come and go and are very soon forgotten.

Now is the time to stop dwelling on that which changes minute by minute and turn to an everlasting God whose love is constant and dependable from beginning to end.

• "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow" (Hebrews13:8).


• "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11).

• (Jesus said) "... And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20b).

Now these are headlines you can trust, written on the pages of Scripture and in our hearts. When we place faith in God's promises, we find a safe haven from any storm. Don't pay attention to what changes with each passing wind. Instead, listen to God and read about His work in this world. His news report is always what our hearts need to break through the bad news of this world.

Headlines fade; our God doesn't.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, sometimes the world's headlines may drive us to go the wrong direction, making us fearful and scared. Strengthen us, through Jesus Christ, to keep our eyes always on your Good News. In Jesus' Name, I ask this. Amen.

Biography of Author: This devotion is based on a text written by Pastor Lucas André Albrecht from Brazil. In that South American country, Lutheran Hour Ministries operates as Cristo Para Todas as Naįões (CPTN)-Brazil. Outreach programs include "Five Minutes with Jesus," a radio program; "Messages of Hope," a voicemail response service that delivers more than 10,000 Gospel replies each month; and Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC).


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



Pastor Klaus returns
again tomorrow.

"Patience"

February 27, 2010



But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant Your strength to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant. Psalm 86:15-16



There are few things in life more frustrating than sitting behind a stalled car.

That's what happened to me yesterday. A lady's car stopped and stalled at a traffic light. I was behind her and another vehicle. She tried to get her car going, but, although the battery did its thing, the starter never fired up.

With my window rolled down, I could hear the starter. In frustration the woman turned the key again and again. At least I thought that was what I was hearing. It was difficult to pick up much of anything as the motorist between us kept leaning on his horn.

Finally, the red-faced lady got out of her car and walked back to the honker. Without the sound of her engine trying to turn over and his horn blaring, I could hear her very plainly say, "I'm awfully sorry, but I don't seem to be able to start my car. If you'll go up there and start it for me, I'll stay here and honk your horn."

I was really glad that for once I hadn't joined in on the horn honking.

Still, as I look back, there are far too many times in my life when I have been impatient with others -- times when I didn't stop to think of how someone else might feel.

It doesn't make any difference whether I showed my impatience with a car horn or a disgusted look, or taunting words -- I was impatient -- unnecessarily impatient.

This takes me to the point of this devotion. Each of us ought to be incredibly grateful the Lord isn't so impatient with us. With all our flaws and failings, our sins and shortcomings, our terrible transgressions, an impatient Lord would be justified if He turned this planet into a roasted marshmallow.

But that's not what He does. The Lord answers the Psalmist's prayer and has mercy on us. By the sending of His Son, through the forgiving of our sins, by the calling and ongoing protection of the Holy Spirit, the Lord shows us He is longsuffering.

That's the word for Him. I have a Lord who is longsuffering. And I thank Him that He is.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, how easy it is for me to get frustrated at the small and insignificant. Forgive me. Grant me the wisdom and insight to praise You for Your patience, for my redemption, for the fact You are . . . longsuffering. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,



Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran HourŪ
Lutheran Hour Ministries