Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour of Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "Within His Rights" for Thursday, November 19, 2015
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person -- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die -- but 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, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.[Romans 5:6-9]
During the course of her life, my wife has done many jobs and worn many hats.
That being said, even though she was an excellent teacher, and remains a superior wife and mother, she is at her best as a grandma. In the right time, and in the right way, she encourages, applauds and appreciates her grandchildren. On those rare occasions that she disciplines, she does so with a tone so gentle, the offender is more than glad to mend his ways.
Not all grandmothers are cut from Pam's bolt of cloth.
As evidence, I share with you the story of the Austrian grandmother who recently passed away in a retirement home. Before she did, she collected her life's savings, a little over $1 million, and cut up the cash -- cut it up into very small pieces.
This she did because she wanted to make sure her descendants didn't inherit the cash.
Now the articles I read gave no reason why grandma would have felt that way.
I don't know if the family had stopped visiting with her, or if they had been in an argument with her, or she resented living in a retirement home. It may be that grandma had been losing parts of her mind and personality to an illness. I don't know.
I do know she got rid of her money, and she was within her rights to do so.
That line, "within her rights," is pretty frightening. You know, the Lord was within His rights to punish the world's sinners. When He made Adam and Eve, the Lord had said, "Don't sin ... if you do, it is going to cost you" (see Genesis 2:15-17). Well, our ancestors sinned and, as a result, the Lord had to keep His promise and punish them. He was within His rights to do so.
But along with being just, the Lord is also gracious and He decided to give us that which we didn't deserve. He sent His Son into the world to seek and save the lost. Jesus gave His life so we might be brought to faith, forgiven and saved.
We had no right to expect God to do that, but He did -- and for this we ought to be thankful.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks You have loved us who are unlovable and have been a faithful Friend to us who have been faithless. Most of all I give thanks for the Savior who gave His life for my salvation. In Jesus Name I give thanks. Amen.
During the course of her life, my wife has done many jobs and worn many hats.
That being said, even though she was an excellent teacher, and remains a superior wife and mother, she is at her best as a grandma. In the right time, and in the right way, she encourages, applauds and appreciates her grandchildren. On those rare occasions that she disciplines, she does so with a tone so gentle, the offender is more than glad to mend his ways.
Not all grandmothers are cut from Pam's bolt of cloth.
As evidence, I share with you the story of the Austrian grandmother who recently passed away in a retirement home. Before she did, she collected her life's savings, a little over $1 million, and cut up the cash -- cut it up into very small pieces.
This she did because she wanted to make sure her descendants didn't inherit the cash.
Now the articles I read gave no reason why grandma would have felt that way.
I don't know if the family had stopped visiting with her, or if they had been in an argument with her, or she resented living in a retirement home. It may be that grandma had been losing parts of her mind and personality to an illness. I don't know.
I do know she got rid of her money, and she was within her rights to do so.
That line, "within her rights," is pretty frightening. You know, the Lord was within His rights to punish the world's sinners. When He made Adam and Eve, the Lord had said, "Don't sin ... if you do, it is going to cost you" (see Genesis 2:15-17). Well, our ancestors sinned and, as a result, the Lord had to keep His promise and punish them. He was within His rights to do so.
But along with being just, the Lord is also gracious and He decided to give us that which we didn't deserve. He sent His Son into the world to seek and save the lost. Jesus gave His life so we might be brought to faith, forgiven and saved.
We had no right to expect God to do that, but He did -- and for this we ought to be thankful.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks You have loved us who are unlovable and have been a faithful Friend to us who have been faithless. Most of all I give thanks for the Savior who gave His life for my salvation. In Jesus Name I give thanks. 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:
Ezekiel 11:1 Then a spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of Adonai’s house, the gate that faces eastward. At the entrance of the gate I saw twenty-five men; among them were Ya’azanyah the son of ‘Azur and P’latyahu the son of B’nayahu, leaders of the people. 2 He said to me, “Human being, these are the men who make evil plans and give wicked advice in this city. 3 They say, ‘The time hasn’t come to build houses. This city is the cooking pot, and we’re the meat!’ 4 Therefore prophesy against them, human being, prophesy!” 5 The Spirit of Adonai fell on me, and he said to me, “Say, ‘Here is what Adonai says: “What you are saying is correct, house of Isra’el; because I know how your minds work. 6 You have killed many in this city, you have filled its streets with the dead.” 7 Therefore Adonai Elohim says this: “Those you have killed and strewn all over it, they are the meat; and this city is indeed the cooking pot; but you will be removed from it. 8 You are afraid of the sword, but I will bring the sword upon you,” says Adonai Elohim. 9 “I will bring you out of it, hand you over to foreigners and execute judgments among you. 10 You will die by the sword; I will judge you at the border of Isra’el; and you will know that I am Adonai. 11 This city will not be your cooking pot, but you will be the meat in it — I will judge you at Isra’el’s frontier; 12 and you will know that I am Adonai. For you have not lived by my laws or obeyed my rulings but have acted according to the rules of the nations surrounding you.”’”
The Lutheran Hour
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Ezekiel 11:1 Then a spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of Adonai’s house, the gate that faces eastward. At the entrance of the gate I saw twenty-five men; among them were Ya’azanyah the son of ‘Azur and P’latyahu the son of B’nayahu, leaders of the people. 2 He said to me, “Human being, these are the men who make evil plans and give wicked advice in this city. 3 They say, ‘The time hasn’t come to build houses. This city is the cooking pot, and we’re the meat!’ 4 Therefore prophesy against them, human being, prophesy!” 5 The Spirit of Adonai fell on me, and he said to me, “Say, ‘Here is what Adonai says: “What you are saying is correct, house of Isra’el; because I know how your minds work. 6 You have killed many in this city, you have filled its streets with the dead.” 7 Therefore Adonai Elohim says this: “Those you have killed and strewn all over it, they are the meat; and this city is indeed the cooking pot; but you will be removed from it. 8 You are afraid of the sword, but I will bring the sword upon you,” says Adonai Elohim. 9 “I will bring you out of it, hand you over to foreigners and execute judgments among you. 10 You will die by the sword; I will judge you at the border of Isra’el; and you will know that I am Adonai. 11 This city will not be your cooking pot, but you will be the meat in it — I will judge you at Isra’el’s frontier; 12 and you will know that I am Adonai. For you have not lived by my laws or obeyed my rulings but have acted according to the rules of the nations surrounding you.”’”
13 As I was prophesying, P’latyahu the son of B’nayah died. I fell down on my face and cried out, “Oh, Adonai Elohim! Are you going to destroy completely those of Isra’el who are left?” 14 Then the word of Adonai came to me: 15 “Human being, it is to your kinsmen — your brothers, your relatives and the whole house of Isra’el — that the people living in Yerushalayim have said, ‘Get away from Adonai! This land has been given to us to possess!’ 16 Therefore, say that Adonai Elohim says this: ‘True, I removed them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries; nevertheless, I have been a little sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.’ 17 Therefore, say that Adonai Elohim says this: ‘“I will gather you from the peoples and collect you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give the land of Isra’el to you.” 18 Then they will go there and remove all its loathsome things and disgusting practices, 19 and I will give them unity of heart. “I will put a new spirit among you.” I will remove from their bodies the hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh; 20 so that they will live by my regulations, obey my rulings and act by them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts go after the heart of their loathsome things and disgusting practices, I will bring [the consequences of] their ways on their own heads,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
22 The k’ruvim lifted their wings, and the wheels were next to them, with the glory of the God of Isra’el over them, above. 23 Next, the glory of Adonai rose from within the city and stood over the mountain which is on the east side of the city. 24 Then a spirit lifted me up and brought me, in the vision, by the Spirit of God, to the exiles in the land of the Kasdim; after which the vision I had seen left me. 25 So I told the exiles everything Adonai had shown me.
12:1 The word of Adonai came to me: 2 “Human being, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes that can see, but they don’t take notice; and they have ears that can hear, but they don’t pay attention; because they are a rebellious people. 3 So you, human being, prepare supplies for exile; and during the daytime, as they watch, go away as if you were going into exile — leave your place, and go somewhere else as they watch. Perhaps they will take notice, even though they are a rebellious house. 4 Bring out your belongings during the day while they watch, as supplies for exile; and you yourself, while they watch, are to leave as people do who are going into exile. 5 Dig a hole through the wall while they watch, and carry [your belongings] out through it. 6 While they watch, you are to shoulder your pack and carry it out into the dark, with your face covered, so that you can’t see the ground; for I am making you a sign for the house of Isra’el.”
7 So I did as I had been ordered — I brought out my belongings during the day as supplies for exile, and in the evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand; then I carried my pack out on my shoulder in the dark as they watched.
8 In the morning the word of Adonai came to me: 9 “Human being, the house of Isra’el, that rebellious house, has asked you what you are doing. 10 Tell them that Adonai Elohim says this prophecy concerns the prince in Yerushalayim and all the house of Isra’el there. 11 Say: ‘I am a sign for you. As I have done, so will it be done to them — they will go into exile, into captivity. 12 The prince who is with them will shoulder his pack and leave in the dark. They will dig holes through the wall to carry out their supplies. He will cover his face, so that he won’t be able to see the ground with his eyes. 13 I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. Then I will bring him to Bavel, to the land of the Kasdim. But he will not see it, even though he is going to die there. 14 I will scatter to every wind all who are in attendance on him to help him, along with all his troops; and I will pursue them with the sword. 15 They will know that I am Adonai when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the countries. 16 But I will spare a few of them from sword, famine and plague; so that they can tell about all their disgusting practices among the nations where they go; thus they too will know that I am Adonai.’”
17 The word of Adonai came to me: 18 “Human being, shake as you eat your food; tremble anxiously as you drink your water; 19 and say to the people of the land, ‘Here is what Adonai Elohim says concerning those living in Yerushalayim in the land of Isra’el: “They will eat their bread in anxiety and drink their water in horror; because the land will be desolated from everything that fills it, due to the violence of those living there. 20 The inhabited cities will be laid waste, the land will be desolate, and you will know that I am Adonai.”’”
21 The word of Adonai came to me: 22 “Human being, don’t you have this proverb in the land of Isra’el, ‘Time keeps passing, and none of the visions are fulfilled’? 23 Therefore tell them that Adonai Elohim says, ‘I will put an end to that proverb; never again will they use it as a proverb in Isra’el.’ Tell them, ‘The time has come for the fulfillment of every vision. 24 There will no longer be empty visions or falsely optimistic divinations in the house of Isra’el, 25 because I am Adonai. I will speak; and whatever statement I make, it will be accomplished. It will no longer be delayed; for in your days, you rebellious house, I will speak the word and accomplish it,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
26 Again, the word of Adonai came to me: 27 “Human being, look! People from the house of Isra’el are saying, ‘The vision he sees concerns the distant future; he is prophesying about a time far off.’ 28 Therefore, say to them that Adonai Elohim says, ‘None of my words will be delayed any more, but the word that I speak will be accomplished,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
13:1 The word of Adonai came to me: 2 “Human being, prophesy against the prophets of Isra’el who prophesy. Tell those prophesying out of their own thoughts, ‘Listen to what Adonai says! 3 Adonai Elohim says: “Woe to the vile prophets who follow their own spirits and things which they have not seen! 4 Isra’el, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins. 5 You [prophets] have not gone up to the breaks in the barricade or repaired it for the house of Isra’el, so that they can stand fast in battle on the day of Adonai. 6 Their visions are futile and their divination is false; they say, ‘Adonai says,’ when Adonai has not sent them; yet they hope that the word will be confirmed. 7 Haven’t you had a futile vision and spoken a false divination when you say, ‘Adonai says,’ and I have not spoken? 8 Therefore here is what Adonai Elohim does say: ‘Because you have spoken futilities and seen falsehoods, therefore I am against you,’ says Adonai Elohim.
9 “‘“My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and produce false divinations; they will not be allowed into the council of my people, or be written in the register of the house of Isra’el, or enter the land of Isra’el. Then you will know that I am Adonai Elohim. 10 They deserve this, because they have led my people astray by saying there is peace when there is no peace. If someone builds a wall without mortar, they ‘plaster’ it with whitewash [to make it appear strong]. 11 Tell these ‘plasterers’ that a cloudburst is coming, with huge hailstones and gale-force winds; 12 and the wall will fall down. Then people will ask you, ‘Where is the whitewash you used to “plaster” it?’” 13 Therefore Adonai Elohim says: “In my rage I will cause gale-force winds to break out, and in my anger there will come a cloudburst, with huge hailstones to consume it in fury. 14 This is how I will break down the wall you covered with whitewash — I will smash it to the ground, so that its foundation will be revealed. The wall will fall down, and you will be consumed with it. Then you will know that I am Adonai. 15 In this way I will spend my fury on the wall and on those who covered it with whitewash; and I will say to you, ‘The wall is gone, and so are those who “plastered” it,’ 16 that is, the prophets of Isra’el who prophesy about Yerushalayim and see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,” says Adonai Elohim.’
17 “You, human being, turn your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own thoughts. Prophesy against them; 18 tell them that Adonai Elohim says, ‘Woe to the women who sew magic pads for all arm joints and put veils over people of all sizes, in order to hunt human lives! Will you hunt down the lives of my people while you keep your own lives safe? 19 You dishonor me before my people for a few handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread, killing people who should not die and sparing those who should not live, by your lying to my people, who love hearing lies.’ 20 Therefore here is what Adonai Elohim says: ‘I am against your pads, with which you hunt human lives like birds; I will tear them from your arms and let the lives go, yes, the human lives that you hunt like birds. 21 I will also tear your veils and rescue my people from your clutches, so that they will no longer be in your power for you to hunt. Then you will know that I am Adonai. 22 Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies when I was not trying to cause them pain and have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their wicked ways and thus be saved, 23 therefore you will have no more futile visions, and you will produce no more divinations. I will rescue my people from your clutches, and you will know that I am Adonai.’”
1 Timothy 6:1 Those who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as worthy of full respect, so that the name of God and the teaching will not be brought into disrepute. 2 And those who have believing masters are not to show them less respect on the ground that they are brothers; on the contrary, they should serve all the more diligently, since those benefiting from their service are believers whom they love.
Teach and exhort people about these things. 3 If anyone teaches differently and does not agree to the sound precepts of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and to the doctrine that is in keeping with godliness, 4 he is swollen with conceit and understands nothing. Instead, he has a morbid desire for controversies and word-battles, out of which come jealousy, dissension, insults, evil suspicions, 5 and constant wrangling among people whose minds no longer function properly and who have been deprived of the truth, so that they imagine that religion is a road to riches. 6 Now true religion does bring great riches, but only to those who are content with what they have. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world; and we can take nothing out of it; 8 so if we have food and clothing, we will be satisfied with these. 9 Furthermore, those whose goal is to be rich fall into temptation; they get trapped in many foolish and hurtful ambitions which plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all the evils; because of this craving, some people have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves to the heart with many pains.
11 But you, as a man of God, flee from these things; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you testified so well to your faith before many witnesses. 13 I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before the Messiah Yeshua, who in his witness to Pontius Pilate gave the same good testimony, 14 to obey your commission spotlessly and irreproachably until our Lord Yeshua the Messiah appears. 15 His appearing will be brought about in its own time by the blessed and sole Sovereign, who is King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal, who dwells in unapproachable light that no human being has ever seen or can see — to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
17 As for those who do have riches in this present world, charge them not to be proud and not to let their hopes rest on the uncertainties of riches but to rest their hopes on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. 18 Charge them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and ready to share. 19 In this way they will treasure up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may lay hold of the real life.
20 Oh, Timothy! Keep safe what has been entrusted to you. Turn away from the ungodly babblings and the argumentative opposition of what is falsely called “knowledge.” 21 For many who promise this “knowledge” have missed the mark, as far as the faith is concerned. Grace be with you.
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St. Louis, Missouri 63141 United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
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