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Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Fatal Fall" for Thursday, April 27, 2017
Jude 1:24-25 - Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
George Mallory was a British hiker, a mountain climber.
In 1923 a writer for the New York Times asked Mallory why he spent so much time and energy trying to conquer Mount Everest. Mallory's reply was simple, "Because it's there." The following year, 1924, Mallory was last seen making a third attempt on the mountain. His body was discovered more than 75 years later.
Because it's there.
That explains why two Vancouver hiking groups were recently climbing the town mountain, mile-high Mount Harvey. The report said, "Five hikers managed to reach the summit and stepped out on a cornice." (For those of you who, like me, are not mountain climbers, let me save you the time of looking up the word. A cornice is "an overhanging mass of hardened snow at the edge of a mountain precipice.")
Our Vancouver climbers stepped out on this cornice and it gave way. They fell 1,600 feet.
The only member of the group who survived was one who had fallen behind. When he reached the summit, he expected to be met by his friends. Instead, he encountered another climber who had followed the tracks of the group. He sadly told the survivor: "I'm sorry, I think your friends have fallen."
You don't have to be a mountain climber to hear those words, "I think your friends have fallen." Indeed, many of us have special friends who are treading on dangerous ground.
These are friends and family who do not know Jesus as their Savior and Lord. They rely on themselves and their own skills to get through their days. Amazingly, many of them do well, managing to accomplish great things. But ... there always is a "but," isn't there?
In spite of their skill, in spite of their past successes, if things remain as they are, the day will come when they will take a step and find out there is nothing to support them, and they will fall.
I know you have tried to warn these special people, in the past. You have told them they need the Savior if they are going to avoid eternal death. You have told them to watch their step, but they have not listened. Well, today we are going to pray for them. We will entrust them, once again to Him who "is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy."
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, today our Daily Devotioners come before You with a very special person in our minds. We pray for (include name(s) here ________________) and all those who are living their lives without the Savior. Send Your Holy Spirit upon them so they may know and believe in the Lord who gave His life so they might have an abundant life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
The story upon which this Daily Devotion is based was written on April 10, 2017 for Newser by Jenn Gidman The website where the parent article can be found is: www.newser.com/story/241087/tragedy-on-canadian-mountain-i-think-your-friends-have-fallen.html.
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: 1 Samuel 13-14; Luke 19:28-481 Samuel 13:1 Sha’ul was — years old[1 Samuel 13:1 The Hebrew text lacks the number.] when he began his reign, and he had ruled Isra’el for two years, 2 when he chose three thousand of Isra’el’s men. Two thousand of them were with Sha’ul in Mikhmas and in the hills of Beit-El, and a thousand were with Y’honatan in Giv‘at-Binyamin. The rest of the people he sent back to their respective tents.
3 Y’honatan assassinated the governor of the P’lishtim in Geva. The P’lishtim heard of it; so Sha’ul had the shofar sounded throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 All Isra’el heard that Sha’ul had assassinated the governor of the P’lishtim and thus made Isra’el a stench in the nostrils of the P’lishtim. So the people rallied behind Sha’ul in Gilgal; 5 while the P’lishtim assembled themselves together to make war on Isra’el — 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen and an army as large as the number of sand grains on the seashore. They came up and pitched camp at Mikhmas, east of Beit-Aven. 6 The men of Isra’el saw that their options were limited and that the people felt so hard pressed that they were hiding themselves in caves, thickets, crevices, watchtowers and cisterns; 7 while some of the Hebrews crossed the Yarden to the territory of Gad and Gil‘ad. But Sha’ul was still in Gilgal, where all the people were eager to follow him. 8 He waited seven days, as Sh’mu’el had instructed; but Sh’mu’el didn’t come to Gilgal; so the army began to drift away from him. 9 Sha’ul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings,” and he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he had finished sacrificing the burnt offering, there was Sh’mu’el — he had come, and Sha’ul went out to meet and greet him.
11 Sh’mu’el said, “What have you done?” Sha’ul answered, “I saw that the army was drifting away from me, that you hadn’t come during the time appointed and that the P’lishtim had assembled at Mikhmas. 12 I said, ‘Now the P’lishtim will fall on me at Gilgal, and I haven’t asked the favor of Adonai,’ so I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.” 13 Sh’mu’el said to Sha’ul, “You did a foolish thing. You didn’t observe the mitzvah of Adonai, which he gave you. If you had, Adonai would have set up your kingship over Isra’el forever. 14 But as it is, your kingship will not be established. Adonai has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Adonai has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you did not observe what Adonai ordered you to do.” 15 Then Sh’mu’el left Gilgal and went up to Giv‘at-Binyamin.
Sha’ul counted how many were still there with him, about 600 men. 16 Sha’ul, Y’honatan his son and the men with him took up quarters at Giv‘at-Binyamin, while the P’lishtim remained in camp at Mikhmas. 17 Then raiding parties began coming out from the camp of the P’lishtim, three of them: one group turned toward the road leading to ‘Ofrah in the territory of Shu‘al; 18 another group took the road toward Beit-Horon; and another company took the road toward the desert through the territory overlooking Vadi Tzvo‘im.
19 Now there was no metalsmith to be found anywhere in all the land of Isra’el, because the P’lishtim had said, “We don’t want the Hebrews making themselves swords or spears.” 20 So whenever any of the people of Isra’el wanted to sharpen his hoe, plowshare, axe or pick, he had to go down to the P’lishtim, 21 where the exorbitant prices were two-thirds of a shekel for filing a pick or plowshare and one-third of a shekel for filing an axe or setting an oxgoad in its handle. 22 Thus when the time came to fight, no one in the army of Sha’ul and Y’honatan was equipped with either sword or spear; although Sha’ul and Y’honatan his son did have them.
23 A garrison of the P’lishtim had gone out to the pass of Mikhmas.
14:1 One day Y’honatan the son of Sha’ul said to the young man carrying his armor, “Come, let’s go across to the garrison of the P’lishtim on the other side. But he didn’t tell his father. 2 Sha’ul was waiting at the far edge of Giv‘ah under the pomegranate tree in Migron; the force with him numbered about 600 men. 3 Achiyah the son of Achituv, I-Khavod’s brother, the son of Pinchas the son of ‘Eli, the cohen of Adonai in Shiloh, was carrying a ritual vest. No one knew that Y’honatan had gone.
4 Between the passes by which Y’honatan was trying to cross to the garrison of the P’lishtim, there was a rocky spur on one side and another rocky spur on the other side; the name of the one was Botzetz, and of the other, Seneh. 5 The one spur rose up on the north, in front of Mikhmas, and the other on the south, in front of Geva. 6 Y’honatan said to his armor-bearer, “Come on, let’s go across to the garrison of these uncircumcised people. Maybe Adonai will do something for us, since Adonai can rescue with a few people as easily as with many.” 7 His armor-bearer replied, “Do everything you think you should; I’m with you, whatever you decide.” 8 Y’honatan said, “Here, we’ll cross over to those men and let them know we’re there. 9 If they say, ‘Wait till we come to you,’ we’ll stand still where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we’ll go on up; and that will be the sign that Adonai has given us victory over them.”
11 So both of them let their presence be known to the garrison of the P’lishtim; and the P’lishtim said, “Look, some Hebrews coming out of the holes they’ve been hiding in!” 12 Then the men of the garrison said to Y’honatan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us; we want to show you something.” Y’honatan told his armor-bearer, “Come on up after me, for Adonai has handed them over to Isra’el.” 13 Y’honatan climbed up, using his hands as well as his feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. The P’lishtim fell before Y’honatan, and his armor-bearer following him finished them off. 14 That first slaughter, of about twenty men, was accomplished by Y’honatan and his armor bearer in a space only half as long as one side of the area a pair of oxen could plow in a day [about 200 yards].
15 There was panic in the field camp among all the P’lishtim; likewise, the garrison and the raiding party panicked. Besides all this, there was an earthquake; thus it grew into panic caused by God. 16 Sha’ul’s men on watch in Giv‘at-Binyamin could see the enemy camp scattering and running in all directions. 17 Sha’ul ordered the forces with him to call the roll and see who was missing. So they called the roll, and found Y’honatan and his armor-bearer not present. 18 Sha’ul told Achiyah, “Bring the ark of God here”; for at that time the ark of God was with the people of Isra’el. 19 But while Sha’ul was talking to the cohen, the uproar in the camp of the P’lishtim continued and kept getting louder. Sha’ul said to the cohen, “Put your hand down.” 20 Sha’ul and the entire force with him assembled and went to battle, but they found the P’lishtim all fighting each other in utter confusion. 21 The Hebrews from the surrounding countryside who had previously been with the P’lishtim and had gone up with them into the camp deserted and went over to Isra’el with Sha’ul and Y’honatan. 22 Likewise, on hearing that the P’lishtim were fleeing, all the men of Isra’el who had hidden themselves in the hills of Efrayim pursued them in battle. 23 So Adonai saved Isra’el that day, and the battle spread as far as Beit-Aven.
24 Isra’el’s soldiers had been driven to exhaustion that day; but Sha’ul issued this warning to the people: “A curse on any man who eats any food until evening, when I will have finished taking vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people even tasted food. 25 Now the people came to a forest where there was a honeycomb on the ground. 26 When the people had entered the forest, they saw there the honeycomb with honey dripping out; but no one put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath. 27 But Y’honatan hadn’t heard his father charging the people with the oath, so he put out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it in the honeycomb and raised it to his mouth; whereupon his eyes lit up. 28 But one of the people said in response, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, ‘A curse on any man who eats any food today’; even though the people are fainting with hunger.” 29 Y’honatan answered, “My father has brought trouble to the land. Just look how my eyes have lit up because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much greater would the slaughter of the P’lishtim have been today, then, if the people had eaten freely of the spoil they found with their enemies!”
31 That day they had attacked the P’lishtim from Mikhmas to Ayalon; but the people were very exhausted. 32 So the people rushed at the spoil, seizing sheep, cows and calves, slaughtering them on the ground, and eating the flesh with the blood. 33 Sha’ul was told, “Look how the people are sinning against Adonai, eating with the blood.” He said, “You have not kept faith! Roll a big stone to me immediately! 34 Now,” Sha’ul said, “go around among the people and tell them, ‘Each of you is to bring his cow and his sheep and slaughter them here. Then eat. Don’t sin against Adonai by eating with the blood.” So each person brought his animal with him that evening and killed it there. 35 Sha’ul erected an altar to Adonai; it was the first altar that he erected to Adonai.
36 Sha’ul said, “Let’s go after the P’lishtim by night. We’ll plunder them until dawn; we won’t leave one of them alive.” They answered, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But the cohen said, “Let’s approach God here.” 37 Sha’ul consulted God: “Should I go down in pursuit of the P’lishtim? Will you hand them over to Isra’el?” But he didn’t answer him that day. 38 Sha’ul said, “Come here, all you heads of the people. Think carefully: who has committed this sin today? 39 For, as Adonai Isra’el’s deliverer lives, even if it proves to be Y’honatan my son, he must be put to death.” But no one among all the people answered him. 40 Then he said to all Isra’el, “You be on one side, and I and Y’honatan my son will be on the other side.” The people replied to Sha’ul, “Do what seems good to you.” 41 Sha’ul said to Adonai the God of Isra’el, “Who is right?” Y’honatan and Sha’ul were chosen by lot, and the people went free. 42 Sha’ul said, “Cast lots between me and Y’honatan my son.” Y’honatan was chosen. 43 Then Sha’ul said to Y’honatan, “Tell me what you did.” Y’honatan told him, “Yes, I tasted a little honey with the end of the staff in my hand. Here I am; I’m ready to die.” 44 Sha’ul said, “May God do the same to me and more also if you are not put to death, Y’honatan!” 45 But the people said to Sha’ul, “Must Y’honatan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Isra’el? Heaven forbid! As Adonai lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground; because he worked with God today!” In this way the people rescued Y’honatan, so that he didn’t die. 46 Then Sha’ul stopped pursuing the P’lishtim, and the P’lishtim returned to their own territory.
47 So Sha’ul took over the rulership of Isra’el. He fought against all his enemies on every side — against Mo’av, the people of ‘Amon, Edom, the kings of Tzovah and the P’lishtim. No matter which way he turned, he defeated them. 48 He demonstrated his strength by attacking ‘Amalek, and he saved Isra’el from the power of those who were plundering them.
49 The sons of Sha’ul were Y’honatan, Yishvi and Malkishua, while the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the older, Merav, and of the younger, Mikhal. 50 Sha’ul’s wife was named Achino‘am the daughter of Achima‘atz; the commander of his army was named Avner the son of Ner, Sha’ul’s uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Sha’ul, and Ner the father of Avner was the son of Avi’el.
52 As long as Sha’ul lived there was bitter war against the P’lishtim. Whenever Sha’ul saw any strong or courageous man, he recruited him into his service.Luke 19:28 After saying this, Yeshua went on and began the ascent to Yerushalayim. 29 As he approached Beit-Pagei and Beit-Anyah, by the Mount of Olives, he sent two talmidim, 30 instructing them, “Go into the village ahead; on entering it, you will find a colt tied up that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks why you are untying it, tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 Those who were sent went off and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 and they said, “Because the Lord needs it.” 35 They brought it to Yeshua; and, throwing their robes on the colt, they put Yeshua on it. 36 As he went along, people carpeted the road with their clothing; 37 and as he came near Yerushalayim, where the road descends from the Mount of Olives, the entire band of talmidim began to sing and praise God at the top of their voices for all the powerful works they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the King who is coming in the name ofAdonai!”[Luke 19:38 Psalm 118:26]
“Shalom in heaven!”
and
“Glory in the highest places!”
39 Some of the P’rushim in the crowd said to him, “Rabbi! Reprimand your talmidim!” 40 But he answered them, “I tell you that if they keep quiet, the stones will shout!”
41 When Yeshua had come closer and could see the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you only knew today what is needed for shalom! But for now it is hidden from your sight. 43 For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will set up a barricade around you, encircle you, hem you in on every side, 44 and dash you to the ground, you and your children within your walls, leaving not one stone standing on another — and all because you did not recognize your opportunity when God offered it!”
45 Then Yeshua entered the Temple grounds and began driving out those doing business there, 46 saying to them, “The Tanakh says, ‘My House is to be a house of prayer,’[Luke 19:46 Isaiah 56:7] but you have made it into a den of robbers!”[Luke 19:46 Jeremiah 7:11]
47 Every day he taught at the Temple. The head cohanim, the Torah-teachers and the leaders of the people tried to find a way of putting an end to him; 48 but they couldn’t find any way of doing it, because all the people were hanging onto his every word.-------
The Lutheran Hour Ministry Daily Devotion by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour - Wednesday, April 26, 2017 "Done It All"
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Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Done It All" for Wednesday, April 26, 2017
1 John 2:2 - He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
By now, all of us have seen the videos of a passenger being dragged off of a United Airlines' flight. We have heard the comedians joke about it, and we have listened to the excuses, the explanations, and the apologies coming from various official and unofficial sources. We have heard promises of an in-depth investigation and commitments that such a thing will never happen again.
By now, that story from a few weeks ago is old news.
Even so, forgive me for bringing the matter to your attention one more time. More specifically, I would like to reference a note United Airlines' President Oscar Munoz wrote to his employees. Part of that message said his agents "were left with no choice but to call Chicago Aviation Security Officers to assist in removing the customer from the flight."
At the risk of seeming to be picky, that statement's not quite right.
Not every avenue of getting people off the flight voluntarily had been fully explored. Yes, the airline's agents had offered everyone $400 if they would travel later. When that didn't work, the agents raised the incentive to $800. Again, there were no takers.
And that's where the offers stopped. You know how the rest of the nasty story goes.
But here's the thing: the agents had another choice. They could have raised the offer to $1,000! If that offer had fallen on deaf ears, United's representatives could have gone all the way up to $1,350. Now I might turn down $400 to give up my seat; I might even turn down $800, but $1,350 is a different matter entirely.
Now, nobody can ever prove that someone might have accepted the larger sum. Nobody can say what would have happened, but it would have been worth a try.
It would have been good to do all that could have been done.
Now I don't want to be overly judgmental here. I've looked at my life and I have to confess I haven't always done all that could have been done. I could have given to others more; I could have prayed harder; I could have volunteered more; I could have shown greater patience.
When it comes to doing all that can be done, I'm a failure -- and you probably are, too.
In fact, the only Person I can think of who did all that could be done was our Savior.
More than that, Jesus did all that could be done, all of the time. Think about it: when Jesus went to the cross, He was carrying every sin committed by every person who has ever lived. There were no exceptions. Not one. That is why, when He said, "It is finished!" It really was.
His third-day resurrection from the dead says Jesus had been successful in doing all that could be done. And because that is so, all who believe on Him are forgiven and given life eternal.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks for a Savor who has done absolutely everything necessary for my salvation. May I do all I can to live a life that always honors Him. In His Name, I pray. Amen.
The story upon which this Daily Devotion is based was written by Joel Gunter on April 10, 2017 for the BBC. The website where the parent article can be found is: www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-3955691
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: 1 Samuel 10-12; Luke 19:1-271 Samuel 10-:1 Then Sh’mu’el took a flask of oil he had prepared and poured it on Sha’ul’s head. He kissed him and said, “Adonai has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance. 2 After you leave me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s Tomb, in the territory of Binyamin at Tzeltzah. They will tell you that the donkeys you were searching for have been found, and that your father has stopped thinking about the donkeys and is anxious over you and asking, ‘What am I to do about my son?’” 3 Go on from there, and you will come to the Oak of Tavor. Three men will meet you there on their way up to God at Beit-El. One of them will be carrying three kids, another three loaves of bread and the third a skin of wine. 4 They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you are to accept from them. 5 After that, you will come to Giv‘ah of God, where the P’lishtim are garrisoned. On arrival at the city there, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by lutes, tambourines, flutes and lyres; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of Adonai will fall on you; you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man! 7 When these signs come over you, just do whatever you feel like doing, because God is with you. 8 Then you are to go down ahead of me to Gilgal, and there I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and present sacrifices as peace offerings. Wait there seven days, until I come to you and tell you what to do.”
9 As it happened, as soon as he had turned his back to leave Sh’mu’el, God gave him another heart; and all those signs took place that day. 10 When they arrived at the hill, and there in front of him was a group of prophets, the Spirit of God fell on him and he prophesied along with them. 11 When those who knew him from before saw him there, prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What’s happened to Kish’s son? Is Sha’ul a prophet, too?” 12 Someone in the crowd answered, “Must prophets’ fathers be special?” So it became an expression — “Is Sha’ul a prophet, too?”
13 When he had finished prophesying, he arrived at the high place. 14 Sha’ul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” He answered, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they hadn’t been found, we went to Sh’mu’el.” 15 “Tell me, please,” said Sha’ul’s uncle, “what Sh’mu’el said to you.” 16 Sha’ul answered his uncle, “He told us that the donkeys had been found,” but said nothing to him about the matter of his being made king.
17 Sh’mu’el summoned the people to Adonai in Mitzpah. 18 He said to the people of Isra’el, “Here is what Adonai the God of Isra’el says: ‘I brought Isra’el up from Egypt. I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ 19 But today you have rejected your God, who himself saves you from all your disasters and distress. You have said to him, ‘No! Put a king over us!’ So now, present yourselves before Adonai by your tribes and families.” 20 So Sh’mu’el had all the tribes come forward, and the tribe of Binyamin was chosen. 21 He had the tribe of Binyamin come forward by families, and the family of the Matri was chosen, and Sha’ul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he couldn’t be found. 22 They asked Adonai, “Has the man come here?” Adonai answered, “There he is, hiding, in among the equipment.” 23 They ran and brought him from there, and when he stood among the people he was head and shoulders taller than anyone around. 24 Sh’mu’el said to all the people, “Do you see the man Adonai has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” Then all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
25 Sh’mu’el told the people what kinds of rulings should be made in the kingdom, then wrote it on a scroll and set it down before Adonai. After that, he sent all the people away, everyone to his own home. 26 Sha’ul too went home to Giv‘ah, accompanied by warriors whose hearts God had touched. 27 True, there were some scoundrels who said, “How can this man save us?” They showed him no respect and brought him no gift, but he held his peace.
11:1 Then Nachash the ‘Amoni came up and set up camp to fight Yavesh-Gil‘ad. All the men of Yavesh said to Nachash, “If you will make a treaty with us, we will be your subjects.” 2 Nachash the ‘Amoni replied, “I’ll do it on this condition: that all your right eyes be gouged out and thus bring disgrace on all of Isra’el.” 3 The leaders of Yavesh answered him, “Give us seven days’ grace to send messengers throughout Isra’el’s territory; then, if no one will rescue us, we will surrender to you.”
4 The messengers came to Giv‘ah, where Sha’ul lived, and said these words in the hearing of the people; and all the people cried out and wept. 5 As this was going on, Sha’ul came, following the oxen out of the field. Sha’ul asked, “What’s wrong with the people to make them cry like that?” They told him what the men from Yavesh had said. 6 The Spirit of God fell on Sha’ul when he heard this; blazing furiously with anger, 7 he seized a pair of oxen and cut them in pieces; then he sent them throughout the territory of Isra’el with messengers saying, “Anyone who doesn’t come and follow Sha’ul and Sh’mu’el, this is what will be done to his oxen!” The fear of Adonai fell on the people, and they came out with united hearts. 8 He reviewed them in Bezek; there were 300,000 from the people of Isra’el; the men of Y’hudah numbered 30,000. 9 To the messengers that had come they said, “Tell the men of Yavesh-Gil‘ad, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have been rescued.’” The messengers returned and told the men of Yavesh; they were overjoyed. 10 Then the men of Yavesh said [to Nachash], “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do with us whatever you like.”
11 The next day Sha’ul divided the people into three companies. Then they entered the camp of the ‘Amoni during the morning watch and kept attacking until the heat of the day, until those who remained were so scattered that no two of them were left together. 12 The people said to Sh’mu’el, “Who are the men who said, ‘Is Sha’ul to rule over us?’ Hand them over to us, so we can put them to death.” 13 But Sha’ul said, “No one will be put to death today, because today Adonai has rescued Isra’el.”
14 Then Sh’mu’el said to the people, “Come, let’s go to Gilgal and inaugurate the kingship there. 15 So all the people went to Gilgal; and there in Gilgal, before Adonai, they made Sha’ul king. They presented sacrifices as peace offerings before Adonai there, and there Sha’ul and all the people of Isra’el celebrated with great joy.
12:1 Sh’mu’el said to all Isra’el, “Here, I have done everything you asked me to do — I have made a king over you. 2 There is the king, walking ahead of you; but I am old and gray-headed. There are my sons with you, and I have walked at your head from when I was a boy until today. 3 So here I am; now is the time to witness against me before Adonai and before his anointed king. Does any of you think I have taken your ox or donkey, defrauded or oppressed you, or accepted a bribe to deprive you of justice? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.” 4 They answered, “You haven’t defrauded or oppressed us, and you have accepted nothing from anyone.” 5 He said, “Adonai is witness against you, and his anointed king is witness against you today, that you have found nothing in my hands?” They replied, “He is witness.”
6 Sh’mu’el said to the people, “It was Adonai who appointed Moshe and Aharon and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now, hold still; because I am going to enter into judgment with you before Adonai regarding all the righteous acts of Adonai that he did for you and your ancestors.
8 “After Ya‘akov had entered Egypt, your ancestors cried to Adonai; and Adonai sent Moshe and Aharon, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and had them live here in this place. 9 But they forgot Adonai their God; so he handed them over to Sisra, commander of the army of Hatzor, and to the P’lishtim, and to the king of Mo’av; and they fought against them. 10 But they cried to Adonai and said, ‘We sinned by abandoning Adonai and serving the ba‘alim and ‘ashtarot. But now, if you rescue us from the power of our enemies, we will serve you.’ 11 So Adonai sent Yeruba‘al, B’dan, Yiftach and Sh’mu’el and rescued you from the power of our enemies on every side, and you lived securely. 12 When you saw that Nachash the king of the people of ‘Amon was attacking you, you said to me, “No, we want a king to rule over us” — when Adonai your God was your king. 13 Now, here’s the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. See, Adonai has put a king over you. 14 If you will fear Adonai, serve him, obey what he says and not rebel against Adonai’s orders — if both you and the king ruling you remain followers of Adonai your God — [then things will go well for you.] 15 But if you refuse to obey what Adonai says and rebel against Adonai’s orders, then Adonai will oppress both you and your leaders.
16 “Now therefore, hold still; and see the great deed which Adonai will perform before your very eyes. 17 Now is wheat harvest time, isn’t it? I am going to call on Adonai to send thunder and rain. Then you will understand and see how wicked from Adonai’s viewpoint is the thing you have done in asking for a king.” 18 Sh’mu’el called to Adonai, and Adonai sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people became very much afraid of Adonai and Sh’mu’el. 19 All the people said to Sh’mu’el, “Pray to Adonai your God for your servants, so that we won’t die; because to all our other sins now we’ve added this evil as well, asking for a king over us.” 20 Sh’mu’el answered the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet now, just don’t turn away from following Adonai; but serve Adonai with all your heart. 21 Don’t turn to the side; because then you would go after useless things that can neither help nor rescue, they are so futile. 22 For the sake of his great reputation, Adonai will not abandon his people; because it has pleased Adonai to make you a people for himself. 23 As for me, far be it from me to sin against Adonai by ceasing to pray for you! Rather, I will continue instructing you in the good and right way. 24 Only fear Adonai, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for think what great things he has done for you! 25 However, if you insist on doing wicked things, you will be swept away — both you and your king!”
Luke 19:1 Yeshua entered Yericho and was passing through, 2 when a man named Zakkai appeared who was a chief tax-collector and a wealthy man. 3 He was trying to see who Yeshua was; but, being short, he couldn’t, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed a fig tree in order to see him, for Yeshua was about to pass that way. 5 When he came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zakkai! Hurry! Come down, because I have to stay at your house today!” 6 He climbed down as fast as he could and welcomed Yeshua joyfully. 7 Everyone who saw it began muttering, “He has gone to be the house-guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zakkai stood there and said to the Lord, “Here, Lord, I am giving half of all I own to the poor; and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.” 9 Yeshua said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, inasmuch as this man too is a son of Avraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.”
11 While they were listening to this, Yeshua went on to tell a parable, because he was near Yerushalayim, and the people supposed that the Kingdom of God was about to appear at any moment. 12 Therefore he said, “A nobleman went to a country far away to have himself crowned king and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten manim [a maneh is about three months’ wages] and said to them, ‘Do business with this while I’m away.’ 14 But his countrymen hated him, and they sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to rule over us.’
15 “However, he returned, having been made king, and sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what each one had earned in his business dealings. 16 The first one came in and said, ‘Sir, your maneh has earned ten more manim.’ 17 ‘Excellent!’ he said to him. ‘You are a good servant. Because you have been trustworthy in a small matter, I am putting you in charge of ten towns.’ 18 The second one came and said, ‘Sir, your maneh has earned five more manim; 19 and to this one he said, ‘You be in charge of five towns.’
20 “Then another one came and said, ‘Sir, here is your maneh. I kept it hidden in a piece of cloth, 21 because I was afraid of you — you take out what you didn’t put in, and you harvest what you didn’t plant.’ 22 To him the master said, ‘You wicked servant! I will judge you by your own words! So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, taking out what I didn’t put in and harvesting what I didn’t plant? 23 Then why didn’t you put my money in the bank? Then, when I returned, I would have gotten it back with interest!’ 24 To those standing by, he said, ‘Take the maneh from him and give it to the one with ten manim.’ 25 They said to him, ‘Sir, he already has ten manim!’ 26 But the master answered, ‘I tell you, everyone who has something will be given more; but from anyone who has nothing, even what he does have will be taken away. 27 However, as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and execute them in my presence!’”
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The Lutheran Hour Ministry Daily Devotion by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour - Tuesday, April 25, 2017 "Indispensable"
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Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Indispensable" for Tuesday, April 25, 2017
1 Corinthians 15:12-14 - Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
Indispensable. Some things are indispensable. For example,
• you can't drive most cars very far without gasoline; petrol is indispensable.
• you can't bake a good loaf of bread without flour; flour is indispensable.
• you can't have a fun day at the lake without water; H20 is indispensable.
Now I have a pretty good idea of what you're thinking.
You're saying something like this: "What a waste of paper and time. Those statements are incredibly obvious. Nobody has to make a big thing about matters so obvious."
I hope you're not too surprised when I confess that I agree with you.
Just as I agree the third-day resurrection of the Redeemer ought to be considered indispensable to any individual who professes to believe on the Lord Jesus -- anyone who trusts that God has forgiven and saved them.
Yes, the essential quality of the resurrection ought to be indispensable to the faith, but it's not.
As proof I would point you to a study that was commissioned by the BBC. Immediately before Holy Week, the news organization decided to do a survey of the faith of people living in Great Britain. The results of that survey were disturbing. For example, it was found that:
• only 17 percent of all people believed the Bible version of the resurrection word for word;
• only 31 percent of Christians fully believed the Bible account of the resurrection.
That's a sad set of statistics. It gets worse, much worse. The poll also found out that 25 percent of people who said they were Christians did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus.
Having seen the poll, Rev. Dr. Lorraine Cavanagh, a spokesperson for liberal Christianity, said, "... to ask an adult to believe in the resurrection the way they did when they were at Sunday school simply won't do, and that's true of much of the key elements of the Christian faith."
Well, Dr. Cavanagh has her opinion and the apostle Paul shares the Lord's view of the resurrection. Is the resurrection of the Christ an option -- something we can take or leave? Paul is clear: if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
In other words, Dr. Cavanagh is totally wrong and Paul is right. Truth is, if Jesus isn't raised, we can close down the churches, give up our faith, and go into perpetual mourning. But, thankfully, Christ is risen and those who know and believe what He has done for them have been rescued from sin, condemnation, death, and damnation.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that Jesus has risen, the Holy Spirit has given me faith, and You have forgiven me. Now I ask You will protect all believers from thinking there is any other Gospel than the one which says, "Christ is risen!" In Jesus' Name, I pray Amen.
The story upon which this Daily Devotion is based was carried by the BBC on April 9, 2017. The website where the parent article can be found is: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-39153121
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: 1 Samuel 7-9 ; Luke 18:24-43
1 Samuel 7:1 So the men of Kiryat-Ye‘arim came and brought back the ark of Adonai. They took it to the home of Avinadav on the hill and appointed his son El‘azar to guard the ark of Adonai. 2 From the day that the ark arrived in Kiryat-Ye‘arim a long time elapsed, twenty years; and all the people of Isra’el yearned for Adonai.
3 Sh’mu’el addressed all the people of Isra’el; he said: “If you are returning to Adonai with all your heart, then be done with the foreign gods and ‘ashtarot that you have with you, and direct your hearts to Adonai. If you will serve only him, he will rescue you from the power of the P’lishtim.” 4 So the people of Isra’el banished the ba‘alim and the ‘ashtarot and served only Adonai.
5 Sh’mu’el said, “Gather all Isra’el to Mitzpah, and I will pray for you to Adonai.” 6 So they gathered together at Mitzpah, drew water and poured it out before Adonai, fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against Adonai.” Sh’mu’el began serving as judge over the people of Isra’el at Mitzpah.
7 When the P’lishtim heard that the people of Isra’el had gathered together at Mitzpah, the leaders of the P’lishtim marched up against Isra’el; and when the people of Isra’el heard about this, they were afraid of the P’lishtim. 8 The people of Isra’el said to Sh’mu’el, “Don’t stop crying out to Adonai our God for us, to save us from the power of the P’lishtim.” 9 Sh’mu’el took a baby lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to Adonai. Then Sh’mu’el cried to Adonai for Isra’el, and Adonai answered him. 10 As Sh’mu’el was presenting the burnt offering, the P’lishtim advanced to attack Isra’el. But this time, Adonai thundered violently over the P’lishtim, throwing them into such confusion that they were struck down before Isra’el. 11 The men of Isra’el went out from Mitzpah, pursuing the P’lishtim and attacking them all the way to Beit-Kar.
12 Sh’mu’el took a stone, placed it between Mitzpah and Shen, and gave it the name Even-‘Ezer [stone of help], explaining, “Adonai has helped us until now.” 13 Thus the P’lishtim were humbled, so that they no longer entered Isra’el’s territory; and the hand of Adonai was against the P’lishtim as long as Sh’mu’el lived. 14 The cities between ‘Ekron and Gat which the P’lishtim had captured from Isra’el were restored to Isra’el, and Isra’el rescued all this territory from the power of the P’lishtim. There was also peace between Isra’el and the Emori.
15 Sh’mu’el continued in office as judge of Isra’el as long as he lived. 16 Year by year he would travel in a circuit that included Beit-El, Gilgal and Mitzpah; and in all these places he served as judge over Isra’el. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, because that’s where his home was, and he would judge Isra’el there too. He also built an altar there to Adonai.
8:1 When Sh’mu’el grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Isra’el. 2 His firstborn was named Yo’el, while his second son was named Aviyah; they were judges in Be’er-Sheva. 3 However, his sons did not follow his way of life; they turned off it to pursue riches, so that they would take bribes to distort justice. 4 All the leaders of Isra’el gathered themselves together, approached Sh’mu’el in Ramah 5 and said to him, “Look, you have grown old, and your sons are not following your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 Sh’mu’el was not pleased to hear them say, “Give us a king to judge us”; so he prayed to Adonai. 7 Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “Listen to the people, to everything they say to you; for it is not you they are rejecting; they are rejecting me; they don’t want me to be king over them. 8 They are doing to you exactly what they have been doing to me, from the day I brought them out of Egypt until today, by abandoning me and serving other gods. 9 So do what they say, but give them a sober warning, telling them what kinds of rulings their king will make.”
10 Sh’mu’el reported everything Adonai had said to the people asking him for a king. 11 He said, “Here is the kind of rulings your king will make: he will draft your sons and assign them to take care of his chariots, be his horsemen and be bodyguards running ahead of his chariots. 12 He will appoint them to serve him as officers in charge of a thousand or of fifty, plowing his fields, gathering his harvest, and making his weapons and the equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters and have them be perfume-makers, cooks and bakers. 14 He will expropriate your fields, vineyards and olive groves — the very best of them! — and hand them over to his servants. 15 He will take the ten-percent tax of your crops and vineyards and give it to his officers and servants. 16 He will take your male and female servants, your best young men and your donkeys, and make them work for him. 17 He will take the ten-percent tax of your flocks, and you will become his servants. 18 When that happens, you will cry out on account of your king, whom you yourselves chose. But when that happens, Adonai will not answer you!”
19 However, the people refused to listen to what Sh’mu’el told them, and they said, “No! We want a king over us, 20 so that we can be like all the nations, with our king to judge us, lead us and fight our battles.” 21 Sh’mu’el heard everything the people said and repeated them for Adonai to hear. 22 Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “Do what they ask, and set up a king for them.” So Sh’mu’el told the men of Isra’el, “Each of you, return to his city.”
9:1 There was a man from Binyamin named Kish the son of Avi’el, the son of Tz’ror, the son of B’khorat, the son of Afiach, the son of a man from Binyamin. He was a man of substance and brave as well. 2 He had a son named Sha’ul who was young and good-looking; among the people of Isra’el there was no one better-looking than he; he stood head and shoulders taller than anyone else in Isra’el.
3 Once the donkeys belonging to Kish Sha’ul’s father got lost. Kish said to his son Sha’ul, “Please take one of the servants with you, go out, and look for the donkeys.” 4 He went through the hills of Efrayim and the territory of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them. Then they went through the territory of Sha‘alim, but they weren’t there. They went through the territory of Binyamin but didn’t find them there either. 5 On reaching the territory of Tzuf, Sha’ul said to his servant with him, “Come, let’s go back; otherwise my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” 6 His servant replied, “Here now, there’s a man of God in this city, a man who is highly respected, and everything he says proves true. Let’s go to him; maybe he can tell us something about where we should go.” 7 “But look,” Sha’ul said to his servant, “if we go to the man, what can we bring him? We’ve used up all the bread in our packs, and there’s nothing for us to give the man of God — what do we have left?” 8 The servant replied again to Sha’ul: “See, I have here in my hand a silver quarter-shekel [one-tenth of an ounce]. I will give it to the man of God to tell us which way to go.” 9 (In Isra’el, back in the old days, when someone went to consult God, he would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer”; because a person now called a prophet used to be called a seer.) 10 “Well said,” Sha’ul answered his servant. “Come on, let’s go.”
So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11 Ascending the slope to the town they found girls going out to draw water and asked them, “Is the seer here?” 12 The girls answered them, “He’s here, he’s right ahead of you. Hurry now, he just came into the city today, because the people are sacrificing today at the high place. 13 Find him as soon as you enter the city, before he goes up to the high place to eat; because the people won’t eat until he comes and blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards, the ones invited will eat. So go on up, because this is when you will find him.”
14 They went up to the city; and as they entered the city, there was Sh’mu’el coming out toward them to go up to the high place. 15 The day before Sha’ul arrived, Adonai had given Sh’mu’el a revelation: 16 “Tomorrow at about this time I will send you a man from the territory of Binyamin. You are to anoint him prince over my people Isra’el. He will save my people from the power of the P’lishtim, because I have seen my people’s situation, and their cry of distress has come to me.” 17 When Sh’mu’el saw Sha’ul, Adonai said to him, “Here is the man I told you about, the one who is going to govern my people.”
18 Sha’ul approached Sh’mu’el in the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” 19 Sh’mu’el answered Sha’ul, “I’m the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, because you are going to dine with me today. In the morning, I will let you leave; and I will tell you everything that is on your heart. 20 As for your donkeys that got lost three days ago, don’t worry about them; they’ve been found. Now, who is it that all Isra’el wants? Isn’t it you, and all your father’s household?” 21 Sha’ul replied, “I’m only a man from Binyamin, the smallest tribe in Isra’el; and my family is the least important of all the families in the tribe of Binyamin! Why are you saying such a thing to me?”
22 Sh’mu’el took Sha’ul and his servant, brought them into the room and had them sit in the place reserved for the most important of the invited guests, who numbered about thirty persons. 23 Sh’mu’el instructed the cook, “Serve the portion I gave you and told you to set aside.” 24 The cook took the thigh and the adjoining meat and served it to Sha’ul. Sh’mu’el said, “Here, this is what remains! Put it in front of you and eat — it was kept especially for you until the right time; because I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Sha’ul dined with Sh’mu’el that day. 25 On coming down from the high place to the city, he spoke with Sha’ul on the roof.
26 They got up early. About daybreak, Sh’mu’el called out to Sha’ul on the roof, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” Sha’ul got up, and both of them — he and Sh’mu’el — went out. 27 As they were going down, at the edge of the city, Sh’mu’el said to Sha’ul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead”; so the servant went on. “But you, stand still now, because I want you to hear what God has said.”
Luke 18:24 Yeshua looked at him and said, “How hard it is for people with wealth to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 It’s easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God!” 26 Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?” 27 He said, “What is impossible humanly is possible with God.”
28 Kefa said, “Look, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 Yeshua answered them, “Yes! I tell you that everyone who has left house, wife, brothers, parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 will receive many times as much in the ‘olam hazeh, and in the ‘olam haba eternal life.”
31 Then, taking the Twelve, Yeshua said to them, “We are now going up to Yerushalayim, where everything written through the prophets about the Son of Man will come true. 32 For he will be handed over to the Goyim and be ridiculed, insulted and spat upon. 33 Then, after they have beaten him, they will kill him. But on the third day he will rise.” 34 However, they understood none of this; its meaning had been hidden from them, and they had no idea what he was talking about.
35 As Yeshua approached Yericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going past, he asked what it was all about; 37 and they told him, “Yeshua from Natzeret is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Yeshua! Son of David! Have pity on me!” 39 Those in front scolded him in order to get him to shut up, but he shouted all the louder, “Son of David! Have pity on me!” 40 Yeshua stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he had come, Yeshua asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said, “Lord, let me be able to see.” 42 Yeshua said to him, “See again! your trust has healed you!” 43 Instantly he received his sight and began following him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they too praised God.
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5 Sh’mu’el said, “Gather all Isra’el to Mitzpah, and I will pray for you to Adonai.” 6 So they gathered together at Mitzpah, drew water and poured it out before Adonai, fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against Adonai.” Sh’mu’el began serving as judge over the people of Isra’el at Mitzpah.
7 When the P’lishtim heard that the people of Isra’el had gathered together at Mitzpah, the leaders of the P’lishtim marched up against Isra’el; and when the people of Isra’el heard about this, they were afraid of the P’lishtim. 8 The people of Isra’el said to Sh’mu’el, “Don’t stop crying out to Adonai our God for us, to save us from the power of the P’lishtim.” 9 Sh’mu’el took a baby lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to Adonai. Then Sh’mu’el cried to Adonai for Isra’el, and Adonai answered him. 10 As Sh’mu’el was presenting the burnt offering, the P’lishtim advanced to attack Isra’el. But this time, Adonai thundered violently over the P’lishtim, throwing them into such confusion that they were struck down before Isra’el. 11 The men of Isra’el went out from Mitzpah, pursuing the P’lishtim and attacking them all the way to Beit-Kar.
12 Sh’mu’el took a stone, placed it between Mitzpah and Shen, and gave it the name Even-‘Ezer [stone of help], explaining, “Adonai has helped us until now.” 13 Thus the P’lishtim were humbled, so that they no longer entered Isra’el’s territory; and the hand of Adonai was against the P’lishtim as long as Sh’mu’el lived. 14 The cities between ‘Ekron and Gat which the P’lishtim had captured from Isra’el were restored to Isra’el, and Isra’el rescued all this territory from the power of the P’lishtim. There was also peace between Isra’el and the Emori.
15 Sh’mu’el continued in office as judge of Isra’el as long as he lived. 16 Year by year he would travel in a circuit that included Beit-El, Gilgal and Mitzpah; and in all these places he served as judge over Isra’el. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, because that’s where his home was, and he would judge Isra’el there too. He also built an altar there to Adonai.
8:1 When Sh’mu’el grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Isra’el. 2 His firstborn was named Yo’el, while his second son was named Aviyah; they were judges in Be’er-Sheva. 3 However, his sons did not follow his way of life; they turned off it to pursue riches, so that they would take bribes to distort justice. 4 All the leaders of Isra’el gathered themselves together, approached Sh’mu’el in Ramah 5 and said to him, “Look, you have grown old, and your sons are not following your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 Sh’mu’el was not pleased to hear them say, “Give us a king to judge us”; so he prayed to Adonai. 7 Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “Listen to the people, to everything they say to you; for it is not you they are rejecting; they are rejecting me; they don’t want me to be king over them. 8 They are doing to you exactly what they have been doing to me, from the day I brought them out of Egypt until today, by abandoning me and serving other gods. 9 So do what they say, but give them a sober warning, telling them what kinds of rulings their king will make.”
10 Sh’mu’el reported everything Adonai had said to the people asking him for a king. 11 He said, “Here is the kind of rulings your king will make: he will draft your sons and assign them to take care of his chariots, be his horsemen and be bodyguards running ahead of his chariots. 12 He will appoint them to serve him as officers in charge of a thousand or of fifty, plowing his fields, gathering his harvest, and making his weapons and the equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters and have them be perfume-makers, cooks and bakers. 14 He will expropriate your fields, vineyards and olive groves — the very best of them! — and hand them over to his servants. 15 He will take the ten-percent tax of your crops and vineyards and give it to his officers and servants. 16 He will take your male and female servants, your best young men and your donkeys, and make them work for him. 17 He will take the ten-percent tax of your flocks, and you will become his servants. 18 When that happens, you will cry out on account of your king, whom you yourselves chose. But when that happens, Adonai will not answer you!”
19 However, the people refused to listen to what Sh’mu’el told them, and they said, “No! We want a king over us, 20 so that we can be like all the nations, with our king to judge us, lead us and fight our battles.” 21 Sh’mu’el heard everything the people said and repeated them for Adonai to hear. 22 Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “Do what they ask, and set up a king for them.” So Sh’mu’el told the men of Isra’el, “Each of you, return to his city.”
9:1 There was a man from Binyamin named Kish the son of Avi’el, the son of Tz’ror, the son of B’khorat, the son of Afiach, the son of a man from Binyamin. He was a man of substance and brave as well. 2 He had a son named Sha’ul who was young and good-looking; among the people of Isra’el there was no one better-looking than he; he stood head and shoulders taller than anyone else in Isra’el.
3 Once the donkeys belonging to Kish Sha’ul’s father got lost. Kish said to his son Sha’ul, “Please take one of the servants with you, go out, and look for the donkeys.” 4 He went through the hills of Efrayim and the territory of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them. Then they went through the territory of Sha‘alim, but they weren’t there. They went through the territory of Binyamin but didn’t find them there either. 5 On reaching the territory of Tzuf, Sha’ul said to his servant with him, “Come, let’s go back; otherwise my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” 6 His servant replied, “Here now, there’s a man of God in this city, a man who is highly respected, and everything he says proves true. Let’s go to him; maybe he can tell us something about where we should go.” 7 “But look,” Sha’ul said to his servant, “if we go to the man, what can we bring him? We’ve used up all the bread in our packs, and there’s nothing for us to give the man of God — what do we have left?” 8 The servant replied again to Sha’ul: “See, I have here in my hand a silver quarter-shekel [one-tenth of an ounce]. I will give it to the man of God to tell us which way to go.” 9 (In Isra’el, back in the old days, when someone went to consult God, he would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer”; because a person now called a prophet used to be called a seer.) 10 “Well said,” Sha’ul answered his servant. “Come on, let’s go.”
So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11 Ascending the slope to the town they found girls going out to draw water and asked them, “Is the seer here?” 12 The girls answered them, “He’s here, he’s right ahead of you. Hurry now, he just came into the city today, because the people are sacrificing today at the high place. 13 Find him as soon as you enter the city, before he goes up to the high place to eat; because the people won’t eat until he comes and blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards, the ones invited will eat. So go on up, because this is when you will find him.”
14 They went up to the city; and as they entered the city, there was Sh’mu’el coming out toward them to go up to the high place. 15 The day before Sha’ul arrived, Adonai had given Sh’mu’el a revelation: 16 “Tomorrow at about this time I will send you a man from the territory of Binyamin. You are to anoint him prince over my people Isra’el. He will save my people from the power of the P’lishtim, because I have seen my people’s situation, and their cry of distress has come to me.” 17 When Sh’mu’el saw Sha’ul, Adonai said to him, “Here is the man I told you about, the one who is going to govern my people.”
18 Sha’ul approached Sh’mu’el in the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” 19 Sh’mu’el answered Sha’ul, “I’m the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, because you are going to dine with me today. In the morning, I will let you leave; and I will tell you everything that is on your heart. 20 As for your donkeys that got lost three days ago, don’t worry about them; they’ve been found. Now, who is it that all Isra’el wants? Isn’t it you, and all your father’s household?” 21 Sha’ul replied, “I’m only a man from Binyamin, the smallest tribe in Isra’el; and my family is the least important of all the families in the tribe of Binyamin! Why are you saying such a thing to me?”
22 Sh’mu’el took Sha’ul and his servant, brought them into the room and had them sit in the place reserved for the most important of the invited guests, who numbered about thirty persons. 23 Sh’mu’el instructed the cook, “Serve the portion I gave you and told you to set aside.” 24 The cook took the thigh and the adjoining meat and served it to Sha’ul. Sh’mu’el said, “Here, this is what remains! Put it in front of you and eat — it was kept especially for you until the right time; because I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Sha’ul dined with Sh’mu’el that day. 25 On coming down from the high place to the city, he spoke with Sha’ul on the roof.
26 They got up early. About daybreak, Sh’mu’el called out to Sha’ul on the roof, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” Sha’ul got up, and both of them — he and Sh’mu’el — went out. 27 As they were going down, at the edge of the city, Sh’mu’el said to Sha’ul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead”; so the servant went on. “But you, stand still now, because I want you to hear what God has said.”
Luke 18:24 Yeshua looked at him and said, “How hard it is for people with wealth to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 It’s easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God!” 26 Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?” 27 He said, “What is impossible humanly is possible with God.”
28 Kefa said, “Look, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 Yeshua answered them, “Yes! I tell you that everyone who has left house, wife, brothers, parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 will receive many times as much in the ‘olam hazeh, and in the ‘olam haba eternal life.”
31 Then, taking the Twelve, Yeshua said to them, “We are now going up to Yerushalayim, where everything written through the prophets about the Son of Man will come true. 32 For he will be handed over to the Goyim and be ridiculed, insulted and spat upon. 33 Then, after they have beaten him, they will kill him. But on the third day he will rise.” 34 However, they understood none of this; its meaning had been hidden from them, and they had no idea what he was talking about.
35 As Yeshua approached Yericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going past, he asked what it was all about; 37 and they told him, “Yeshua from Natzeret is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Yeshua! Son of David! Have pity on me!” 39 Those in front scolded him in order to get him to shut up, but he shouted all the louder, “Son of David! Have pity on me!” 40 Yeshua stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he had come, Yeshua asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said, “Lord, let me be able to see.” 42 Yeshua said to him, “See again! your trust has healed you!” 43 Instantly he received his sight and began following him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they too praised God.
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Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
Share this email:
660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
Saint Louis, Missouri 63141, United States
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