The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Understanding Rightly" for Friday, November 11, 2016

The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Understanding Rightly" for Friday, November 11, 2016

His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him.[John 12:16]
Years ago, a church member stopped at my office for "just a little talk." During his little chat he told me he was getting a divorce. After 22 years of marriage, two children, and 18 years of house payments, he was getting a divorce. When I asked why, he summed up his unbearable home situation by saying, "My wife doesn't understand me."
When pressed for examples, he didn't get much further than she cooked his eggs too long, and she kept telling him not to leave his dirty socks and underwear on the bedroom floor. Since he was not understood, he felt perfectly right in taking up with another lady who could cook an egg.
Of course, the feeling of being misunderstood cannot be confined to the marrieds among us.
A goodly number of teens are absolutely convinced their parents have no concept of what is on their minds, in their hearts, and in their lives. When teens do have a moment of weakness and confess a problem to their parents, all too often they hear something like this: "Kid, you call that a problem? You don't know what a problem is. Why, when I was your age ...."
"You don't understand me." That's the lament of the under-appreciated, underpaid, un-promoted employee. We all know if our boss had the sense to really look at us, we would have received the promotion and benefits that went to the overrated doofus in the next cubicle.
We all want to be understood. Every one of us has a craving, a longing, a yearning for somebody, anybody, to truly, fully, completely understand us: to give us the benefit of the doubt, to put the best construction on who we are and what we say and do.
I sometimes wonder if Jesus didn't feel the same way ... about being misunderstood.
Truly, if ever a man was misunderstood, it was Jesus. Jesus was misunderstood by the crowds that followed Him; He was misunderstood by the Pharisees who considered Him a blasphemer, a heretic, and the devil incarnate, who was trying to rewrite God's Scripture and disregard His Laws. The priests of Jesus' day thought of Jesus as competition, a false prophet, guiding the people down a path of doom and destruction. It took the coming of the Holy Spirit to remove the fog of misunderstanding from the minds of His disciples.
Read through the Gospels and you will be amazed at the intensity of the misunderstanding surrounding the Savior.
This is why I pray you understand. To be your Savior from sin is why Jesus was born into this world. To be your Savior from the Law's condemnation is why He lived a perfect life. To be your Savior from the devil's temptations is why He rejected every shortcut that Satan proposed. So you might be able to stand before God, washed clean of your sin, is why innocent Jesus allowed Himself to be condemned.
So you might live forever, Jesus died.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I will never understand the love and grace which brought the Savior into this world to save me. Even so, without complete understanding, may I rejoice in the forgiveness and salvation He has won. In the Savior's Name. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Daniel 3-4; Titus 1-2Daniel 3:1 N’vukhadnetzar the king had a gold statue made, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, which he set up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Bavel. 2 Then N’vukhadnetzar the king summoned the viceroys, prefects, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs and all the provincial officials to assemble and come to the dedication of the statue which N’vukhadnetzar the king had set up. 3 The viceroys, prefects, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs and all the provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue which N’vukhadnetzar the king had set up. They stood in front of the statue that N’vukhadnetzar had set up; 4 and a herald proclaimed, “Peoples! Nations! Languages! You are ordered 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments, you fall down and worship the gold statue that N’vukhadnetzar the king has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship is to be thrown immediately into a blazing hot furnace.” 7 Therefore, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute and the rest of the musical instruments, all the peoples, nations and languages fell down and worshipped the gold statue that N’vukhadnetzar the king had set up.
8 But then some Kasdim approached and began denouncing the Jews. 9 They said to N’vukhadnetzar the king, “May the king live forever! 10 Your majesty, you have ordered that everyone who hears sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments is to fall down and worship the gold statue; 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship is to be thrown into a blazing hot furnace. 12 There are some Jews whom you have put in charge of the affairs of the province of Bavel, Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go; and these men, your majesty, have paid no attention to you. They do not serve your gods, and they do not worship the gold statue you set up.”
13 In a raging fury N’vukhadnetzar ordered that Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go be brought. When the men had been brought before the king, 14 N’vukhadnetzar said to them, “Shadrakh! Meishakh! ‘Aved-N’go! Is it true that you neither serve my gods nor worship the gold statue I set up? 15 All right, then. If you are prepared, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments, to fall down and worship the gold statue, very well. But if you won’t worship, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing hot furnace — and what god will save you from my power then?” 16 Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go answered the king, “Your question doesn’t require an answer from us. 17 Your majesty, if our God, whom we serve, is able to save us, he will save us from the blazing hot furnace and from your power. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want you to know, your majesty, that we will neither serve your gods nor worship the gold statue which you have set up.”
19 N’vukhadnetzar became so utterly enraged that his face was distorted with anger against Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go. He ordered the furnace made seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men in his army to tie up Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go and throw them into the blazing hot furnace. 21 So these men were tied up in their cloaks, tunics, robes and other clothes, and thrown into the blazing hot furnace. 22 The king’s order was so urgent and the furnace so overheated that the men carrying Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go were burned to death by the flames. 23 These three men, Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go, fell, bound, into the blazing hot furnace.
24 Suddenly N’vukhadnetzar sprang to his feet. Alarmed, he asked his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the flames?” They answered the king, “Yes, of course, your majesty.” 25 But he exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied up, walking around there in the flames, unhurt; and the fourth looks like one of the gods!” 26 N’vukhadnetzar approached the opening of the blazing hot furnace and said, “Shadrakh! Meishakh! ‘Aved-N’go! You servants of El ‘Elyon! Come out, and come here!” Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go emerged from the flames. 27 The viceroys, prefects, governors and royal advisers who were there saw that the fire had had no power on the bodies of these men — not even their hair was singed, their clothes looked the same, and they didn’t smell of fire.
28 N’vukhadnetzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go! He sent his angel to deliver his servants who trusted in him. They defied the royal order to the point of being willing to give up their bodies, in order not to serve or worship any god but their own God. 29 Therefore I herewith decree that anyone, no matter from which people, nation or language, who says anything to insult the God of Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go is to be torn limb from limb, and his house is to be reduced to rubble; because there is no other god who can save like this.”
30 Then the king gave Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N’go higher rank in the province of Bavel.
31 (4:1) [The following letter was sent out:]
“From: N’vukhadnetzar the king
“To: All the peoples, nations and languages living throughout the earth:
“Shalom rav! [Abundant peace!]
32 (4:2) “I am pleased to recount the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.
33 (4:3) “How great are his signs!
    How powerful his wonders!
    His kingdom lasts forever,
    and he rules all generations.
4:1 (4) “I, N’vukhadnetzar, was contentedly living at home, enjoying the luxury of my palace; 2 (5) but as I lay on my bed, I had a dream which frightened me, followed by fantasies and visions in my head which frightened me even more. 3 (6) So I ordered all the sages of Bavel to present themselves to me, so that they could tell me the interpretation of the dream. 4 (7) When the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream; but they couldn’t interpret it for me. 5 (8) Finally, however, Dani’el (renamed Belt’shatzar, after the name of my god), in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, came before me; and I told him the dream: 6 (9) ‘Belt’shatzar, chief of the magicians! Because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the meaning of the visions I saw in my dream. 7 (10) Here are the visions I had in my head as I lay on my bed: I looked, and there before me was a tree at the center of the earth; it was very tall. 8 (11) The tree grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen from anywhere on earth. 9 (12) Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant; it produced enough food for everyone. The wild animals enjoyed its shade, the birds in the air lived in its branches, and it gave food to every living creature. 10 (13) I looked in the visions of my head as I lay on my bed, and there appeared a holy watcher coming down from heaven. 11 (14) He cried out:
    “‘“Cut down the tree, cut off its branches,
    strip off its leaves, scatter its fruit!
    Let the wild animals flee from its shelter!
    Let the birds abandon its branches!
12 (15) But leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
    with a band of iron and bronze,
    in the lush grass of the countryside;
    let him be drenched with dew from the sky
    and share the lot of animals in the pasture;
13 (16) let his heart and mind cease to be human
    and become those of an animal;
    and let seven seasons pass over him.
14 (17) “‘“This order is issued by the watchers,
    the sentence is announced by the holy ones,
    so that all who live may know
    that the Most High rules the human kingdom,
    that he gives it to whomever he wishes
    and can raise up over it the lowliest of mortals.”
15 (18) “‘This is the dream which I, King N’vukhadnetzar, saw. Now you, Belt’shatzar, tell me its interpretation. None of the sages of my kingdom can tell me the interpretation, but you can do it, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’
16 (19) “Dani’el, whose name was Belt’shatzar, was in shock awhile, frightened by his thoughts. The king said, ‘Belt’shatzar, don’t let the dream or the interpretation frighten you.’ Belt’shatzar answered, ‘My lord, if only the dream were about those who hate you, and the interpretation about your enemies! 17 (20) The tree you saw which grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen throughout the whole earth, 18 (21) that had beautiful foliage and abundant fruit, enough to feed everyone, under which the wild animals lived, and on whose branches the birds in the air built their nests — 19 (22) it’s you, your majesty! You have grown and become strong — your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your rule extends to the end of the earth.
20 (23) “‘Now the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven, who said,
    “‘“Cut down the tree, and destroy it,
    but leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
    with a band of iron and bronze,
    in the lush grass of the countryside;
    let him be drenched with dew from the sky
    and share the lot of the wild animals
    until seven seasons pass over him.”
21 (24) “‘This is the interpretation, your majesty; and it is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:
22 (25) “‘You will be driven from human society
    to live with the wild animals.
    You will be made to eat grass like an ox
    and be drenched with dew from the sky,
    as seven seasons pass over you;
    until you learn that the Most High
    rules in the human kingdom
    and gives it to whomever he pleases.
23 (26) “‘But since it was ordered to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be kept for you until you have learned that Heaven rules everything. 24 (27) Therefore, your majesty, please take my advice: break with your sins by replacing them with acts of charity, and break with your crimes by showing mercy to the poor; this may extend the time of your prosperity.’
25 (28) “All this happened to King N’vukhadnetzar. 26 (29) Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Bavel, 27 (30) the king said, ‘Bavel the great! I built it as a royal residence by my power and force to enhance the glory of my majesty!’ 28 (31) No sooner had the king spoken these words when a voice came down from heaven: ‘King N’vukhadnetzar! These words are for you:
    ‘“The kingdom has left you.
29 (32) You will be driven from human society
    to live with the wild animals.
    You will be made to eat grass like an ox
    and be drenched with dew from the sky,
    as seven seasons pass over you,
    until you learn that the Most High
    rules in the human kingdom
    and gives it to whomever he pleases.’
30 (33) “Within the hour the word was fulfilled. N’vukhadnetzar was driven from human society, he ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
31 (34) “When this period was over, I, N’vukhadnetzar, lifted my eyes toward heaven, and my understanding came back to me. I blessed the Most High, I praised and gave honor to him who lives forever.
    “‘For his rulership is everlasting,
    his kingdom endures through all generations.
32 (35) All who live on earth are counted as nothing.
    He does what he wishes with the army of heaven
    and with those living on earth.
    No one can hold back his hand
    or ask him, “What are you doing?”’
33 (36) “It was at that moment that my understanding came back to me; and for the sake of the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor also came back to me. My advisers and lords sought me out, I was re-established in my kingdom, and to my previous greatness even more was added. 34 (37) So now I, N’vukhadnetzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven:
    “‘For all his works are truth,
    and his ways are just;
    and he can humble those who walk in pride.’”
Titus 1:1 From: Sha’ul, God’s slave and an emissary of Yeshua the Messiah, sent to promote among God’s chosen people the trust and knowledge of truth which lead to godliness 2 and which are based on the certain hope of eternal life. God, who does not lie, promised that life before the beginning of time 3 but made public this word of his in its own season through a proclamation with which I have been entrusted by order of God, our Deliverer.
4 To: Titus, a true son in the faith we share:
Grace and shalom from God the Father and from the Messiah Yeshua, our Deliverer.
5 The reason I left you in Crete was so that you might attend to the matters still not in order and appoint congregation leaders in each city — those were my instructions. 6 A leader must be blameless, husband to one wife, with believing children who do not have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. 7 For an overseer, as someone entrusted with God’s affairs, must be blameless — he must not be self-willed or quick-tempered, he must not drink excessively, get into fights or be greedy for dishonest gain. 8 On the contrary, he must be hospitable, devoted to good, sober-mindedness, uprightness, holiness and self-control. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy Message that agrees with the doctrine; so that by his sound teaching he will be able to exhort and encourage, and also to refute those who speak against it.
10 For there are many, especially from the Circumcision faction, who are rebellious, who delude people’s minds with their worthless and misleading talk. 11 They must be silenced; because they are upsetting entire households by teaching what they have no business teaching, and doing it for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 Even one of the Cretans’ own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons” — 13 and it’s true! For this reason, you must be severe when you rebuke those who have followed this false teaching, so that they will come to be sound in their trust 14 and no longer pay attention to Judaistic myths or to the commands of people who reject the truth.
15 To all who are themselves pure, everything is pure. But to those who are defiled and without trust, nothing is pure — even their minds and consciences have been defiled. 16 They claim to know God, but with their actions they deny him. They are detestable and disobedient; they have proved themselves unfit to do anything good.
2:1 But you, explain what kind of behavior goes along with sound teaching. 2 Tell the older men to be serious, sensible, self-controlled and sound in their trust, love and perseverance.
3 Likewise, tell the older women to behave the way people leading a holy life should. They shouldn’t be slanderers or slaves to excessive drinking. They should teach what is good, 4 thus training the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to take good care of their homes and submit to their husbands. In this way, God’s message will not be brought into disgrace.
6 Similarly, urge the young men to be self-controlled, 7 and in everything set them an example yourself by doing what is good. When you are teaching, have integrity and be serious; 8 let everything you say be so wholesome that an opponent will be put to shame because he will have nothing bad to say about us.
9 Tell slaves to submit to their masters in everything, to give satisfaction without talking back 10 or pilfering. On the contrary, they should demonstrate complete faithfulness always, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Deliverer more attractive.
11 For God’s grace, which brings deliverance, has appeared to all people. 12 It teaches us to renounce godlessness and worldly pleasures, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives now, in this age; 13 while continuing to expect the blessed fulfillment of our certain hope, which is the appearing of the Sh’khinah of our great God and the appearing of our Deliverer, Yeshua the Messiah. 14 He gave himself up on our behalf in order to free us from all violation of Torah and purify for himself a people who would be his own, eager to do good.
15 These are the things you should say. Encourage and rebuke with full authority; don’t let anyone look down on you.

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