The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour of The Lutheran Hour of The Lutheran Hour "How Are You Doing? I'm Blessed!" for Monday, November 7, 2016
... Jesus' disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."[Matthew 5:1b-6]
In my ministry, I've heard many shortcut ways that God's people try to share the Good News of Jesus. One way they say it is to simply say, "God's peace to you" or "God bless you." That's more than "Gesundheit." It really is a mini-prayer, a dedicated disposition that God's people want others to know so that they know God really cares about them. Other times people will say things like "God is good, all the time" or "All the time, God is good." The implied blessing there is you can trust God no matter what is going on in your life. Of course, more information might be needed as to why, but the simple fact is that God in the Person and work of Jesus can be trusted even to the point of death. Why? Because His resurrection -- and yours -- are sure. God didn't just say it, He accomplished it. But there's another way that God's people try to express God's favor -- not just for them -- but for all. Have you ever heard someone respond to the question "How are you doing?" and they say, "I'm blessed. Thank you"?
Now that seems like an odd way of talking, doesn't it? When you are asked that question, you are probably saying things like "I'm doing all right" or "I'm having a tough day" or "We'll see. I'll let you know later." The statement "I'm blessed" seems a bit arrogant, maybe even somewhat overconfident. Right?
Well, that's true if we think of blessing as something that's externally demonstrable in our personal lives. It's easy to say, "I'm blessed" if you've got a wad of cash in your bank account, or you've got wonderful health, or you've got lots of family and friends. Oh, by the way, there's nothing wrong with that kind of blessing. The key here is what they are doing with it to give God glory and to serve others in His Name. But such blessing could even be a temptation too. It makes it seem that God is blessing certain people because of who they are and what they are doing. That's not how God blesses at all. In fact, Jesus says some pretty incredible things about blessing today, doesn't He?
"Blessed are the poor," "blessed are those who mourn," "blessed are the meek," "blessed are the merciful," "blessed are the pure in heart," "blessed are the peacemakers (see Matthew 5:3-12). That doesn't sound like much of a blessing, does it? I thought it was the powerful, the connected, and the wealthy that are blessed. I thought it was those who look like they have it all together -- fame and fortune -- those are the ones who are blessed, right?
Take a moment and hear Jesus very clearly today. Being blessed is being connected to Him by faith. And yes, then you are blessed in all things because the Creator and Redeemer of the universe is your Savior, your Friend, and no matter what you are facing that is a blessing indeed, as He Himself says,
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness ... Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and say false things against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven ...." (Matthew 5:6a, 11-12a).
May His promise then encourage you today. Be blessed!
THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, there are all kinds of things in life that tempt me to think I'm blessed when I'm not, or tempt me to think I'm not blessed, when I truly am. Give me strength to put my faith in You, to follow Your Word in obedience, and to trust You when You tell me I'm blessed because of who You are for me and for those I love. Amen!
In Christ,Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Readings: Jeremiah 43-44; Hebrews 11:20-40
Jeremiah 43:1 When Yirmeyahu had finished telling all the people everything Adonai their God had said, which Adonai their God had sent him to tell them, the entire speech cited above, 2 then ‘Azaryah the son of Hosha‘yah, Yochanan the son of Kareach and all the men with him had the effrontery to say to Yirmeyahu, “You are lying! Adonai our God did not send you to say, ‘Don’t go to Egypt and live there’! 3 Rather, Barukh the son of Neriyah is inciting you against us, so that we can be handed over to the Kasdim to be put to death or carried off as captives to Bavel.”
4 So Yochanan the son of Kareach, all the military commanders and all the people did not heed what Adonai said, to live in the land of Y’hudah. 5 Instead, Yochanan the son of Kareach and all the military commanders took all the remnant of Y’hudah who had returned from all the nations where they had been driven to live in the land of Y’hudah — 6 the men, the women, the children, the king’s daughters, everyone N’vuzar’adan the commander of the guard had committed to G’dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, and Yirmeyahu the prophet and Barukh the son of Neriyah — 7 and went to the land of Egypt; for they did not heed what Adonai had said; and they arrived in Tachpanches.
8 Then this word of Adonai came to Yirmeyahu in Tachpanches: 9 “With the men of Y’hudah watching, take some big stones, and set them with mortar in the pavement at the entry to Pharaoh’s palace in Tachpanches. 10 Tell them: ‘This is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: “I will summon N’vukhadretzar the king of Bavel, my servant, take him and set his throne on these stones I laid here; he will come and spread his royal canopy over them. 11 He will come and attack the land of Egypt.
Those destined for death — to death!
Those destined for captivity — to captivity!
Those destined for the sword — to the sword!
12 I will light a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he will burn [those gods] or take them captive. He will fold up the land of Egypt like a shepherd folding up his cloak, and leave there victorious. 13 He will also break the standing-stones of the temple of the sun in the land of Egypt and burn to the ground the temples of the gods of Egypt.”’”
44:1 This word came to Yirmeyahu concerning all the people from Y’hudah living in the land of Egypt — in Migdol, Tachpanches, Nof and the land of Patros: 2 “Here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘You have seen all the disaster I inflicted on Yerushalayim and all the cities of Y’hudah; there they are today, ruined, with no one living in them. 3 It came about because of the wicked things they did to make me angry — sacrificing to and serving other gods, whom they did not know, neither they, nor you nor your ancestors. 4 I had sent you all my servants the prophets, sent them frequently, with the message, “Don’t do this horrible thing which I hate!” 5 But they neither listened nor obeyed, so as to turn from their wickedness and stop offering to other gods. 6 Hence my fury and anger were poured out and ignited in the cities of Y’hudah and the streets of Yerushalayim; so that they became waste and desolate, as they are today.’
7 “Therefore now, Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says this: ‘Why are you committing this great sin against yourselves? The result can only be to cut you off from Y’hudah — men, women, children and babies — so that none of you remain. 8 For you continue provoking me with the products of your own hands, offering to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have gone to live as aliens. It will lead only to your destruction and becoming an object of curses and reproaches among all the nations of the earth. 9 Have you forgotten the wicked deeds of your ancestors, the wicked deeds of the kings of Y’hudah, the wicked deeds of their wives, your own wicked deeds, and the wicked deeds of your wives, which they committed in the land of Y’hudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim? 10 To this day they remain unhumbled; they have not been afraid, and they have not lived according to my Torah or my regulations that I presented to you and your ancestors.’
11 “Therefore here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘I will decree disaster for you and destroy all of Y’hudah. 12 I will take the remnant of Y’hudah, who determined to go to Egypt and live there as aliens, and they will all perish — in the land of Egypt they will fall and perish by sword and famine. They will die, from the least to the greatest, by sword and famine; and they will become an object of condemnation, astonishment, cursing and reproach. 13 Yes, I will punish those living in the land of Egypt, as I punished Yerushalayim, by sword, famine and plague; 14 so that none of the remnant of Y’hudah who went into the land of Egypt to live as aliens will escape or remain, to be able to return to the land of Y’hudah. They long to return and live there, but none will return except a few refugees.’”
15 Then all the men who knew that their wives were offering incense to other gods, along with all the women standing by, a huge crowd, all the people living in Patros in the land of Egypt, answered Yirmeyahu: 16 “As for the word you have just spoken to us in the name of Adonai, we will not listen to you. 17 Instead, we will certainly continue to fulfill every word our mouths have spoken: we will offer incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our ancestors, our kings and our leaders, in the cities of Y’hudah and the streets of Yerushalayim. For then we had plenty of food; everything was fine, we didn’t experience anything unpleasant. 18 But since we stopped offering to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything, and we have been destroyed by sword and famine.” 19 [Then the wives added,] “Are we the ones who offer incense to the queen of heaven? Do we pour out drink offerings to her? And did we make cakes marked with her image for her and pour out drink offerings to her without our husbands’ consent?”
20 Then Yirmeyahu said to all the people — to the men, the women, and all the people who had answered him back: 21 “The incense you offered in the cities of Y’hudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim — you, your ancestors, your kings, your leaders and the people of the land — Adonai kept remembering and taking note of this [insult], 22 until Adonai could no longer bear it, so evil and so detestable were your deeds. This is why your land has become a wasteland, an object for astonishment and cursing, uninhabited, as it is today. 23 It is because you offered incense, sinned against Adonai, didn’t listen to what Adonai said, and didn’t live by his Torah, regulations and instructions that this disaster has befallen you, as it is today.”
24 In addition, Yirmeyahu said to all the people, but especially the women: “Hear the word of Adonai, all Y’hudah who are in the land of Egypt; 25 this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘You and your wives stated your intentions with your mouths and performed them with your hands — you said, “We will certainly fulfill our vows that we made to offer incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.”’ Without doubt, you will indeed fulfill every point of your vows. 26 Therefore hear the word of Adonai, all Y’hudah living in the land of Egypt: ‘I swear by my own great name,’ says Adonai, ‘that no man of Y’hudah will speak my name again in the land of Egypt, swearing, “As Adonai, God, lives.” 27 I am watching over them for harm, not for good. All the men of Y’hudah in the land of Egypt will be destroyed by sword and famine, until none of them is left. 28 Those who escape the sword will return from the land of Egypt to the land of Y’hudah few in number; and all the remnant of Y’hudah who went into the land of Egypt to live will know whose word will stand — mine or theirs! 29 Moreover, here is a sign for you,’ says Adonai, ‘that I will punish you in this place, so that you can know that my threats of disaster against you will come true.’ 30 Adonai says, ‘I will hand over Pharaoh Hofra king of Egypt to his enemies, to those seeking his life — just as I handed Tzidkiyahu king of Y’hudah over to N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel, his enemy, who sought his life.’”
Hebrews 11:20 By trusting, Yitz’chak in his blessings over Ya‘akov and Esav made reference to events yet to come.
21 By trusting, Ya‘akov, when he was dying, blessed each of Yosef’s sons, leaning on his walking-stick as he bowed in prayer.[Hebrews 11:21 Genesis 47:31 (Septuagint)]
22 By trusting, Yosef, near the end of his life, remembered about the Exodus of the people of Isra’el and gave instructions about what to do with his bones.
23 By trusting, the parents of Moshe hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child,[Hebrews 11:23 Exodus 2:2] and they weren’t afraid of the king’s decree.
24 By trusting, Moshe, after he had grown up,[Hebrews 11:24 Exodus 2:11] refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose being mistreated along with God’s people rather than enjoying the passing pleasures of sin. 26 He had come to regard abuse suffered on behalf of the Messiah as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes fixed on the reward.
27 By trusting, he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered as one who sees the unseen.
28 By trusting, he obeyed the requirements for the Pesach, including the smearing of the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Isra’el.
29 By trusting, they walked through the Red Sea as through dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the sea swallowed them up.
30 By trusting, the walls of Yericho fell down — after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31 By trusting, Rachav the prostitute welcomed the spies and therefore did not die along with those who were disobedient.
32 What more should I say? There isn’t time to tell about Gid‘on, Barak, Shimshon, Yiftach, David, Sh’mu’el and the prophets; 33 who, through trusting, conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness, received what was promised, shut the mouths of lions,[Hebrews 11:33 Daniel 6:23(22)] 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, had their weakness turned to strength, grew mighty in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead resurrected; other people were stretched on the rack and beaten to death, refusing to be ransomed, so that they would gain a better resurrection. 36 Others underwent the trials of being mocked and whipped, then chained and imprisoned. 37 They were stoned, sawed in two, murdered by the sword; they went about clothed in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, mistreated, 38 wandering about in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground! The world was not worthy of them!
39 All of these had their merit attested because of their trusting. Nevertheless, they did not receive what had been promised, 40 because God had planned something better that would involve us, so that only with us would they be brought to the goal.
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4 So Yochanan the son of Kareach, all the military commanders and all the people did not heed what Adonai said, to live in the land of Y’hudah. 5 Instead, Yochanan the son of Kareach and all the military commanders took all the remnant of Y’hudah who had returned from all the nations where they had been driven to live in the land of Y’hudah — 6 the men, the women, the children, the king’s daughters, everyone N’vuzar’adan the commander of the guard had committed to G’dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, and Yirmeyahu the prophet and Barukh the son of Neriyah — 7 and went to the land of Egypt; for they did not heed what Adonai had said; and they arrived in Tachpanches.
8 Then this word of Adonai came to Yirmeyahu in Tachpanches: 9 “With the men of Y’hudah watching, take some big stones, and set them with mortar in the pavement at the entry to Pharaoh’s palace in Tachpanches. 10 Tell them: ‘This is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: “I will summon N’vukhadretzar the king of Bavel, my servant, take him and set his throne on these stones I laid here; he will come and spread his royal canopy over them. 11 He will come and attack the land of Egypt.
Those destined for death — to death!
Those destined for captivity — to captivity!
Those destined for the sword — to the sword!
12 I will light a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he will burn [those gods] or take them captive. He will fold up the land of Egypt like a shepherd folding up his cloak, and leave there victorious. 13 He will also break the standing-stones of the temple of the sun in the land of Egypt and burn to the ground the temples of the gods of Egypt.”’”
44:1 This word came to Yirmeyahu concerning all the people from Y’hudah living in the land of Egypt — in Migdol, Tachpanches, Nof and the land of Patros: 2 “Here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘You have seen all the disaster I inflicted on Yerushalayim and all the cities of Y’hudah; there they are today, ruined, with no one living in them. 3 It came about because of the wicked things they did to make me angry — sacrificing to and serving other gods, whom they did not know, neither they, nor you nor your ancestors. 4 I had sent you all my servants the prophets, sent them frequently, with the message, “Don’t do this horrible thing which I hate!” 5 But they neither listened nor obeyed, so as to turn from their wickedness and stop offering to other gods. 6 Hence my fury and anger were poured out and ignited in the cities of Y’hudah and the streets of Yerushalayim; so that they became waste and desolate, as they are today.’
7 “Therefore now, Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says this: ‘Why are you committing this great sin against yourselves? The result can only be to cut you off from Y’hudah — men, women, children and babies — so that none of you remain. 8 For you continue provoking me with the products of your own hands, offering to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have gone to live as aliens. It will lead only to your destruction and becoming an object of curses and reproaches among all the nations of the earth. 9 Have you forgotten the wicked deeds of your ancestors, the wicked deeds of the kings of Y’hudah, the wicked deeds of their wives, your own wicked deeds, and the wicked deeds of your wives, which they committed in the land of Y’hudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim? 10 To this day they remain unhumbled; they have not been afraid, and they have not lived according to my Torah or my regulations that I presented to you and your ancestors.’
11 “Therefore here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘I will decree disaster for you and destroy all of Y’hudah. 12 I will take the remnant of Y’hudah, who determined to go to Egypt and live there as aliens, and they will all perish — in the land of Egypt they will fall and perish by sword and famine. They will die, from the least to the greatest, by sword and famine; and they will become an object of condemnation, astonishment, cursing and reproach. 13 Yes, I will punish those living in the land of Egypt, as I punished Yerushalayim, by sword, famine and plague; 14 so that none of the remnant of Y’hudah who went into the land of Egypt to live as aliens will escape or remain, to be able to return to the land of Y’hudah. They long to return and live there, but none will return except a few refugees.’”
15 Then all the men who knew that their wives were offering incense to other gods, along with all the women standing by, a huge crowd, all the people living in Patros in the land of Egypt, answered Yirmeyahu: 16 “As for the word you have just spoken to us in the name of Adonai, we will not listen to you. 17 Instead, we will certainly continue to fulfill every word our mouths have spoken: we will offer incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our ancestors, our kings and our leaders, in the cities of Y’hudah and the streets of Yerushalayim. For then we had plenty of food; everything was fine, we didn’t experience anything unpleasant. 18 But since we stopped offering to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything, and we have been destroyed by sword and famine.” 19 [Then the wives added,] “Are we the ones who offer incense to the queen of heaven? Do we pour out drink offerings to her? And did we make cakes marked with her image for her and pour out drink offerings to her without our husbands’ consent?”
20 Then Yirmeyahu said to all the people — to the men, the women, and all the people who had answered him back: 21 “The incense you offered in the cities of Y’hudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim — you, your ancestors, your kings, your leaders and the people of the land — Adonai kept remembering and taking note of this [insult], 22 until Adonai could no longer bear it, so evil and so detestable were your deeds. This is why your land has become a wasteland, an object for astonishment and cursing, uninhabited, as it is today. 23 It is because you offered incense, sinned against Adonai, didn’t listen to what Adonai said, and didn’t live by his Torah, regulations and instructions that this disaster has befallen you, as it is today.”
24 In addition, Yirmeyahu said to all the people, but especially the women: “Hear the word of Adonai, all Y’hudah who are in the land of Egypt; 25 this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘You and your wives stated your intentions with your mouths and performed them with your hands — you said, “We will certainly fulfill our vows that we made to offer incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.”’ Without doubt, you will indeed fulfill every point of your vows. 26 Therefore hear the word of Adonai, all Y’hudah living in the land of Egypt: ‘I swear by my own great name,’ says Adonai, ‘that no man of Y’hudah will speak my name again in the land of Egypt, swearing, “As Adonai, God, lives.” 27 I am watching over them for harm, not for good. All the men of Y’hudah in the land of Egypt will be destroyed by sword and famine, until none of them is left. 28 Those who escape the sword will return from the land of Egypt to the land of Y’hudah few in number; and all the remnant of Y’hudah who went into the land of Egypt to live will know whose word will stand — mine or theirs! 29 Moreover, here is a sign for you,’ says Adonai, ‘that I will punish you in this place, so that you can know that my threats of disaster against you will come true.’ 30 Adonai says, ‘I will hand over Pharaoh Hofra king of Egypt to his enemies, to those seeking his life — just as I handed Tzidkiyahu king of Y’hudah over to N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel, his enemy, who sought his life.’”
Hebrews 11:20 By trusting, Yitz’chak in his blessings over Ya‘akov and Esav made reference to events yet to come.
21 By trusting, Ya‘akov, when he was dying, blessed each of Yosef’s sons, leaning on his walking-stick as he bowed in prayer.[Hebrews 11:21 Genesis 47:31 (Septuagint)]
22 By trusting, Yosef, near the end of his life, remembered about the Exodus of the people of Isra’el and gave instructions about what to do with his bones.
23 By trusting, the parents of Moshe hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child,[Hebrews 11:23 Exodus 2:2] and they weren’t afraid of the king’s decree.
24 By trusting, Moshe, after he had grown up,[Hebrews 11:24 Exodus 2:11] refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose being mistreated along with God’s people rather than enjoying the passing pleasures of sin. 26 He had come to regard abuse suffered on behalf of the Messiah as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes fixed on the reward.
27 By trusting, he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered as one who sees the unseen.
28 By trusting, he obeyed the requirements for the Pesach, including the smearing of the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Isra’el.
29 By trusting, they walked through the Red Sea as through dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the sea swallowed them up.
30 By trusting, the walls of Yericho fell down — after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31 By trusting, Rachav the prostitute welcomed the spies and therefore did not die along with those who were disobedient.
32 What more should I say? There isn’t time to tell about Gid‘on, Barak, Shimshon, Yiftach, David, Sh’mu’el and the prophets; 33 who, through trusting, conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness, received what was promised, shut the mouths of lions,[Hebrews 11:33 Daniel 6:23(22)] 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, had their weakness turned to strength, grew mighty in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead resurrected; other people were stretched on the rack and beaten to death, refusing to be ransomed, so that they would gain a better resurrection. 36 Others underwent the trials of being mocked and whipped, then chained and imprisoned. 37 They were stoned, sawed in two, murdered by the sword; they went about clothed in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, mistreated, 38 wandering about in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground! The world was not worthy of them!
39 All of these had their merit attested because of their trusting. Nevertheless, they did not receive what had been promised, 40 because God had planned something better that would involve us, so that only with us would they be brought to the goal.
------- CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
BE AN AMBASSADOR OR DONATE
The Lutheran Hour Ministries
660 Mason Ridge Center
Saint Louis, Missouri 63141, United States
-------
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