Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour of Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "The Least for the Christ" for Sunday, January 22, 2017
-------And (Jesus) said to them, "Whoever receives this child in My Name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great."[Luke 9:48]
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 Sunday 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 Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Some time ago a young woman shared her story with me.
Maya and her husband Paul had been married for 10 years and they had a beautiful son. Their social situation wasn't always easy, but still, Maya was happy.
Suddenly, Maya's husband lost his job and he started to drink. They had no money.
Maya had to take care of her son all by herself. That was because her husband Paul no longer came home every night. His nights were spent with his "friends." Then there came the day when Paul simply didn't come home anymore.
He just left. There was no explanation; there was no goodbye note.
I met Maya at an event we presented in cooperation with a local social service. At the beginning of the evening Maya didn't want to participate in any activities. This was in contrast to her son who wanted to try everything. He wanted to play all the games and he begged his mother: "Please, mummy, come on, come on!"
After some time I noticed Maya was smiling and playing ball with her very happy son.
He acted as if he had just received the biggest gift of his life. He was incredibly happy to see his mother wasn't worrying -- at least not for the moment.
After the event, Maya's son told me he had never seen his mother laugh and smile for such a long time! He shared that it was the first time in their lives that his mother had seemed to be enjoying something. And Maya? Maya said the last time she had played with a ball was many years ago -- when she was in secondary school.
Then she added, "How can I enjoy my life? It's impossible, now that I am alone in taking care of all which has gone wrong."
Usually after a Lutheran Hour Ministries' event all the participants receive some gifts, which are provided by Christians who live in the USA. When Maya received her gift, she started to sob. She couldn't believe that a total stranger wanted to share with her and her son.
Again and again, we have seen how the Holy Spirit shows our people the greatness of God's love because Christians have reflected the love they have received from Jesus into the lives of others.
Truly, Jesus loves each and every one. Still we are blessed to see the greatness of His love when it forgives the greatest of our sins and calls us to a new life in Him.
My friends, you should know that sometimes it doesn't take a lot to lead someone to the Savior. We don't always have to make great plans, do a lot of projects, or force-feed our religious beliefs to bring someone closer to Jesus. Sometimes the best testimony of our faith is to directly help someone who is in need. And for your help in doing this, the Lutheran Hour Ministries office in Latvia thanks you!
THE PRAYER: Dear God, we rejoice that You can enter the hearts, lives and souls of sinners in small ways and great. Grant that our foreign offices and missionaries will be blessed to use the Gospel message in ways that can be used by the Holy Spirit to call sinners to repentance and salvation. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Biography of Author: Today's international devotion was written by Eric Laime Babris. He is a project leader for the Lutheran Hour Ministries office in Latvia. His main responsibility is to organize ministry events all around the country. Lutheran Hour Ministries-Latvia is our mission center which makes its witness through ministry events, Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC), and radio broadcasts.
In this European country of more than two million people, LHM-Latvia, known in-country as Lutheran Hour Mission, supports the efforts of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. Established in 1991 in the city of Riga, this ministry center uses Equipping the Saints (ETS) workshops to train Christians to be outreach-minded in respect to their faith. It also uses four different BCC courses, which are tailored to both adults and children, and which are adapted to the concerns of Latvians. Beyond these efforts, LHM-Latvia connects with communities through radio programming, movie night/discussion events, vacation Bible schools, and even features a seminar series on Christian living: the "School of Spiritual Survival."
Visit LHM-Latvia's blog and see how a Lutheran congregation in Bolderaja took a Christmas service to the people at a social care center in Daugavgriva. You can do this by clicking here to visit its blog.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click visit www.lhm.org/international.
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: Job 34-35; Matthew 14:22-36
Job 34:1 Elihu continued speaking:
2 “Hear my words, you sages!
Listen to me, you who know so much!
3 For the ear tests words,
just as the palate tastes food.
4 Let’s choose for ourselves what is just;
let’s decide among ourselves what is good.
5 For Iyov says, ‘I am in the right,
but God is denying me justice.
6 Against justice, I am considered a liar;
my wound is mortal, though I committed no crime.’
7 “Is there a man like Iyov,
who drinks in scoffing like water,
8 who keeps company with evildoers
and goes with wicked men,
9 since he thinks, ‘It profits a person nothing
to be in accord with God’?
10 “So listen to me, you men with sense!
Far be it from God to do anything wicked!
11 For he pays people back for what they do
and sees that each gets what his conduct deserves.
12 It is certain that God does nothing wicked;
Shaddai will not pervert justice.
13 Did someone else put him in charge of the earth?
Who else established the entire world?
14 If he were to take back man’s heart to himself,
if he gathered to himself his spirit and breath;
15 all flesh would instantly perish,
everyone would return to dust.
16 “If you have any sense, [Iyov,] hear this;
listen to what I am saying.
17-18 Should a hater of justice be in control?
If you wouldn’t tell a king, ‘You’re a scoundrel!’
or nobles, ‘You are wicked men!’
then you shouldn’t condemn the Just and Mighty One,
19 who is neither partial toward princes
nor favors the rich over the poor,
since they all are the work of his hands.
20 They may die in a moment, in the middle of the night —
the people are shaken and pass away,
the mighty are removed without human hands.
21 For he keeps watch on a person’s ways;
he sees his every step.
22 There is no darkness, no death-like gloom,
where wrongdoers can hide;
23 for he doesn’t give warning to people
when they must appear before God in judgment.
24 He shatters the mighty without needing to investigate
and sets up others in their place.
25 Therefore, aware of what they are doing,
he overturns them by night, and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them as if they were common criminals
in the open sight of others,
27 because they turned away from following him
and gave no thought to any of his ways,
28 thereby bringing before him the cries of the poor;
and he hears the cries of the oppressed.
29 “But if God is silent, who can accuse him;
if he hides his face, who can see him?
He may do this to nations and persons alike,
30 so that godless men will not become kings,
and the people will not be lured into traps.
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have been chastised without having offended;
32 teach me what I have failed to see;
and if I have done wrong, I will do it no more’?
33 Must his rewards meet your approval?
Well, you are the one who doesn’t like them,
so you, not I, should pick the alternative;
come on, say what you think!
34 Intelligent people will tell me,
every wise man who hears me will say,
35 ‘Iyov is speaking without thinking;
his words lack discernment.’
36 “I wish Iyov would be kept on trial forever,
because he answers like wicked men.
37 For now to his sin he adds rebellion;
he [mockingly] claps his hands among us
and keeps adding to his words against God.”
35:1 Elihu went on to say:
2 “Are you so convinced you are right,
that you say, ‘I am more just than God’?
3 For you ask what advantage it is to you,
‘How do I gain from not sinning?’
4 “Here is my answer to you,
to you and to your friends:
5 Look at the heavens and see;
observe the skies, high above you.
6 If you sin, how do you hurt him?
If your crimes are many, how do you affect him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give him?
What benefit does he get from you?
8 Your wickedness can affect only others like you,
and your righteousness only other human beings.
9 People cry out from under many oppressions;
they cry for help from under the fist of the mighty.
10 But no one asks, ‘Where is God my maker,
who causes glad songs to ring out at night,
11 who teaches us more than he teaches wild animals
and makes us wiser than the birds in the air?’
12 They may cry out, but no one answers,
because of evil men’s pride.
13 For God will not listen to empty cries;
Shaddai pays no attention to them.
14 All the more when you say that you don’t see him!
Just be patient; he’s considering the matter.
15 But now, just because he doesn’t get angry and punish,
does it mean he doesn’t know what arrogance is?
16 So Iyov is being futile when he opens his mouth;
he is piling up words without knowledge.”
Matthew 14:22 Immediately he had the talmidim get in the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the crowds away. 23 After he had sent the crowds away, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night came on, and he was there alone. 24 But by this time, the boat was several miles from shore, battling a rough sea and a headwind. 25 Around four o’clock in the morning, he came toward them, walking on the lake! 26 When the talmidim saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said and screamed with fear. 27 But at once Yeshua spoke to them. “Courage,” he said, “it is I. Stop being afraid.” 28 Then Kefa called to him, “Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come!” he said. So Kefa got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Yeshua. 30 But when he saw the wind, he became afraid; and as he began to sink, he yelled, “Lord! Save me!” 31 Yeshua immediately stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “Such little trust! Why did you doubt?” 32 As they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 The men in the boat fell down before him and exclaimed, “You really are God’s son!”
34 Having made the crossing, they landed at Ginosar. 35 When the people of the place recognized him, they sent word throughout the neighborhood and brought him everyone who was ill. 36 They begged him that the sick people might only touch the tzitzit on his robe, and all who touched it were completely healed.
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Listen to me, you who know so much!
3 For the ear tests words,
just as the palate tastes food.
4 Let’s choose for ourselves what is just;
let’s decide among ourselves what is good.
5 For Iyov says, ‘I am in the right,
but God is denying me justice.
6 Against justice, I am considered a liar;
my wound is mortal, though I committed no crime.’
7 “Is there a man like Iyov,
who drinks in scoffing like water,
8 who keeps company with evildoers
and goes with wicked men,
9 since he thinks, ‘It profits a person nothing
to be in accord with God’?
10 “So listen to me, you men with sense!
Far be it from God to do anything wicked!
11 For he pays people back for what they do
and sees that each gets what his conduct deserves.
12 It is certain that God does nothing wicked;
Shaddai will not pervert justice.
13 Did someone else put him in charge of the earth?
Who else established the entire world?
14 If he were to take back man’s heart to himself,
if he gathered to himself his spirit and breath;
15 all flesh would instantly perish,
everyone would return to dust.
16 “If you have any sense, [Iyov,] hear this;
listen to what I am saying.
17-18 Should a hater of justice be in control?
If you wouldn’t tell a king, ‘You’re a scoundrel!’
or nobles, ‘You are wicked men!’
then you shouldn’t condemn the Just and Mighty One,
19 who is neither partial toward princes
nor favors the rich over the poor,
since they all are the work of his hands.
20 They may die in a moment, in the middle of the night —
the people are shaken and pass away,
the mighty are removed without human hands.
21 For he keeps watch on a person’s ways;
he sees his every step.
22 There is no darkness, no death-like gloom,
where wrongdoers can hide;
23 for he doesn’t give warning to people
when they must appear before God in judgment.
24 He shatters the mighty without needing to investigate
and sets up others in their place.
25 Therefore, aware of what they are doing,
he overturns them by night, and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them as if they were common criminals
in the open sight of others,
27 because they turned away from following him
and gave no thought to any of his ways,
28 thereby bringing before him the cries of the poor;
and he hears the cries of the oppressed.
29 “But if God is silent, who can accuse him;
if he hides his face, who can see him?
He may do this to nations and persons alike,
30 so that godless men will not become kings,
and the people will not be lured into traps.
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have been chastised without having offended;
32 teach me what I have failed to see;
and if I have done wrong, I will do it no more’?
33 Must his rewards meet your approval?
Well, you are the one who doesn’t like them,
so you, not I, should pick the alternative;
come on, say what you think!
34 Intelligent people will tell me,
every wise man who hears me will say,
35 ‘Iyov is speaking without thinking;
his words lack discernment.’
36 “I wish Iyov would be kept on trial forever,
because he answers like wicked men.
37 For now to his sin he adds rebellion;
he [mockingly] claps his hands among us
and keeps adding to his words against God.”
35:1 Elihu went on to say:
2 “Are you so convinced you are right,
that you say, ‘I am more just than God’?
3 For you ask what advantage it is to you,
‘How do I gain from not sinning?’
4 “Here is my answer to you,
to you and to your friends:
5 Look at the heavens and see;
observe the skies, high above you.
6 If you sin, how do you hurt him?
If your crimes are many, how do you affect him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give him?
What benefit does he get from you?
8 Your wickedness can affect only others like you,
and your righteousness only other human beings.
9 People cry out from under many oppressions;
they cry for help from under the fist of the mighty.
10 But no one asks, ‘Where is God my maker,
who causes glad songs to ring out at night,
11 who teaches us more than he teaches wild animals
and makes us wiser than the birds in the air?’
12 They may cry out, but no one answers,
because of evil men’s pride.
13 For God will not listen to empty cries;
Shaddai pays no attention to them.
14 All the more when you say that you don’t see him!
Just be patient; he’s considering the matter.
15 But now, just because he doesn’t get angry and punish,
does it mean he doesn’t know what arrogance is?
16 So Iyov is being futile when he opens his mouth;
he is piling up words without knowledge.”
Matthew 14:22 Immediately he had the talmidim get in the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the crowds away. 23 After he had sent the crowds away, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night came on, and he was there alone. 24 But by this time, the boat was several miles from shore, battling a rough sea and a headwind. 25 Around four o’clock in the morning, he came toward them, walking on the lake! 26 When the talmidim saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said and screamed with fear. 27 But at once Yeshua spoke to them. “Courage,” he said, “it is I. Stop being afraid.” 28 Then Kefa called to him, “Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come!” he said. So Kefa got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Yeshua. 30 But when he saw the wind, he became afraid; and as he began to sink, he yelled, “Lord! Save me!” 31 Yeshua immediately stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “Such little trust! Why did you doubt?” 32 As they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 The men in the boat fell down before him and exclaimed, “You really are God’s son!”
34 Having made the crossing, they landed at Ginosar. 35 When the people of the place recognized him, they sent word throughout the neighborhood and brought him everyone who was ill. 36 They begged him that the sick people might only touch the tzitzit on his robe, and all who touched it were completely healed.
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CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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The Lutheran Hour Ministries
660 Mason Ridge Center
Saint Louis, Missouri 63141, United States
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BE AN AMBASSADOR OR DONATE
The Lutheran Hour Ministries
660 Mason Ridge Center
Saint Louis, Missouri 63141, United States
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