Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour"Eating the Forbidden" Wednesday, 30 July 2014

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour"Eating the Forbidden" Wednesday, 30 July 2014  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened .... Genesis 3:6-7a There is a restaurant in Britain named Burger Off. Recently, two reporters, Arron Hendy and Ruari Barratt, were sent to Burger Off to review the XXX Hot Chilli Burger. Like Eve, the reporters saw the burger was good for food, a delight to the eye, and something which could make them wise. Well, actually that last part, about "being wise" is a bit of a stretch. Truly, the reporters should have been wise before they ate of the forbidden "fruit." You see the XXX Chilli Burger measures in at approximately eight million units on the heat food scale. The reporters may not have known anything about the heat food scale, but they should have known eight million is not a small number, and it also means the XXX Chilli Burger is HOT. The second clue to avoid the XXX should have been more obvious: before they could eat the XXX the reporters had to sign a release form which said the restaurant was not responsible for anything that might happen to them. Well, to make a long story short, like Adam and Eve, the reporters did eat. And, as the Bible says, "Their eyes were opened." Both reporters were done in by one bite of the XXX. It didn't take too long before they complained about severe stomach pains, shaky hands, and the feeling they might pass out. When Barratt's eyes rolled back in his head, the duo were taken to the hospital. Now there is a lesson here: whether you are seriously considering the Garden of Eden's forbidden fruit or a red-hot burger, you need to think twice. Well, actually, forget about nibbling at temptations at all. Released from the hospital, the reporters gave a bit of sage advice to all who wish to try the XXX. They said, "Don't." I doubt if people will listen. When it comes to temptation, we humans think we will succeed where others have failed. That's what we think -- just before we fail. That's why the Bible says, "There is not a just man on the earth who always does good and never sins" (see Ecclesiastes 7:20). It is also why the Bible tells us God sent His Son into this world to save everyone who has failed to resist temptation. For us and our eternal salvation Jesus was born. His life was spent accomplishing everything that was necessary so we could be saved from sin, death, devil and the desire to eat of the forbidden burger. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, forgive my disobedience and the attitude which says I can handle temptation. I can't. Grant me a thankful heart for Jesus having rescued and restored me from my own foolishness. In His Name I ask it. Amen. In Christ I remain His servant and yours, Pastor Ken Klaus Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour® Lutheran Hour Ministries Through the Bible in a Year Today Read: Psalms 113:1-3 Hallelujah! You who serve God, praise God!     Just to speak his name is praise! Just to remember God is a blessing—     now and tomorrow and always. From east to west, from dawn to dusk,     keep lifting all your praises to God! 4-9 God is higher than anything and anyone,     outshining everything you can see in the skies. Who can compare with God, our God,     so majestically enthroned, Surveying his magnificent     heavens and earth? He picks up the poor from out of the dirt,     rescues the wretched who’ve been thrown out with the trash, Seats them among the honored guests,     a place of honor among the brightest and best. He gives childless couples a family,     gives them joy as the parents of children. Hallelujah! 114:1-8 After Israel left Egypt,     the clan of Jacob left those barbarians behind; Judah became holy land for him,     Israel the place of holy rule. Sea took one look and ran the other way;     River Jordan turned around and ran off. The mountains turned playful and skipped like rams,     the hills frolicked like spring lambs. What’s wrong with you, Sea, that you ran away?     and you, River Jordan, that you turned and ran off? And mountains, why did you skip like rams?     and you, hills, frolic like spring lambs? Tremble, Earth! You’re in the Lord’s presence!     in the presence of Jacob’s God. He turned the rock into a pool of cool water,     turned flint into fresh spring water. 115 1-2 Not for our sake, God, no, not for our sake,     but for your name’s sake, show your glory. Do it on account of your merciful love,     do it on account of your faithful ways. Do it so none of the nations can say,     “Where now, oh where is their God?” 3-8 Our God is in heaven     doing whatever he wants to do. Their gods are metal and wood,     handmade in a basement shop: Carved mouths that can’t talk,     painted eyes that can’t see, Tin ears that can’t hear,     molded noses that can’t smell, Hands that can’t grasp, feet that can’t walk or run,     throats that never utter a sound. Those who make them have become just like them,     have become just like the gods they trust. 9-11 But you, Israel: put your trust in God!     —trust your Helper! trust your Ruler! Clan of Aaron, trust in God!     —trust your Helper! trust your Ruler! You who fear God, trust in God!     —trust your Helper! trust your Ruler! 12-16 O God, remember us and bless us,     bless the families of Israel and Aaron. And let God bless all who fear God—     bless the small, bless the great. Oh, let God enlarge your families—     giving growth to you, growth to your children. May you be blessed by God,     by God, who made heaven and earth. The heaven of heavens is for God,     but he put us in charge of the earth. 17-18 Dead people can’t praise God—     not a word to be heard from those buried in the ground. But we bless God, oh yes—     we bless him now, we bless him always! Hallelujah! 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2 So when we couldn’t stand being separated from you any longer and could find no way to visit you ourselves, we stayed in Athens and sent Timothy to get you up and about, cheering you on so you wouldn’t be discouraged by these hard times. He’s a brother and companion in the faith, God’s man in spreading the Message, preaching Christ. 3-5 Not that the troubles should come as any surprise to you. You’ve always known that we’re in for this kind of thing. It’s part of our calling. When we were with you, we made it quite clear that there was trouble ahead. And now that it’s happened, you know what it’s like. That’s why I couldn’t quit worrying; I had to know for myself how you were doing in the faith. I didn’t want the Tempter getting to you and tearing down everything we had built up together. 6-8 But now that Timothy is back, bringing this terrific report on your faith and love, we feel a lot better. It’s especially gratifying to know that you continue to think well of us, and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you! In the middle of our trouble and hard times here, just knowing how you’re doing keeps us going. Knowing that your faith is alive keeps us alive. 9-10 What would be an adequate thanksgiving to offer God for all the joy we experience before him because of you? We do what we can, praying away, night and day, asking for the bonus of seeing your faces again and doing what we can to help when your faith falters. 11-13 May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.
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