Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "No Fights" for Monday, January 22, 2018
Colossians 3:12-13 -Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
There are right ways to bring in the New Year, and there are wrong ways.
One of the wrong ways to enter 2018 was experienced by the 324 passengers who were on the January 1st Jet Airways flight from London to Mumbai. Now the trip began without incident, but that didn't last too long.
Soon after leaving, the pilot and the co-pilot had an argument about an undisclosed subject. The argument escalated to the male co-pilot slapping the female pilot. She ended up leaving the cockpit in tears and going to the galley where the rest of the crew urged her to return to her duties.
It was then that the co-pilot went on the intercom and asked the pilot to return. The pilot refused. That's when the co-pilot came out of the cockpit and personally tried to persuade his fellow officer to return.
Now I don't know the first thing about flying a commercial jet. I do know when I get on the plane I peek in the cockpit and see all kinds of gauges and switches and pedals and stuff which probably do something. Maybe that stuff can really fly the plane without human help, but I don't know.
I do know when we're airborne and I see both the pilot and co-pilot standing in the front of the plane and arguing, a feeling of discomfort arises. In short, I and most passengers want somebody at the helm. And that day on the Jet Airways flight from London to Mumbai there wasn't anybody at the wheel.
Eventually, both pilot and co-pilot returned to their duties, and everybody breathed a sigh of relief.
It was relief which lasted just a short while. Pretty soon the captain once again came out of the cabin in a huff. That was when the rest of the crew, fearing for people's safety begged her to go back, take over the controls, and keep doing so until they landed. This she did and everybody is safe.
Now in this world I can think of a number of places you want to see peace and harmony and no conflict or dissension. For example,
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, may we follow the gentle, giving example of the Savior. Let our lives lead people to the Redeemer, rather than driving them away. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written by. Saurabh Sinha for the Time of India on January 4, 2018. Those who wish to reference that article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written: click here.
There are right ways to bring in the New Year, and there are wrong ways.
One of the wrong ways to enter 2018 was experienced by the 324 passengers who were on the January 1st Jet Airways flight from London to Mumbai. Now the trip began without incident, but that didn't last too long.
Soon after leaving, the pilot and the co-pilot had an argument about an undisclosed subject. The argument escalated to the male co-pilot slapping the female pilot. She ended up leaving the cockpit in tears and going to the galley where the rest of the crew urged her to return to her duties.
It was then that the co-pilot went on the intercom and asked the pilot to return. The pilot refused. That's when the co-pilot came out of the cockpit and personally tried to persuade his fellow officer to return.
Now I don't know the first thing about flying a commercial jet. I do know when I get on the plane I peek in the cockpit and see all kinds of gauges and switches and pedals and stuff which probably do something. Maybe that stuff can really fly the plane without human help, but I don't know.
I do know when we're airborne and I see both the pilot and co-pilot standing in the front of the plane and arguing, a feeling of discomfort arises. In short, I and most passengers want somebody at the helm. And that day on the Jet Airways flight from London to Mumbai there wasn't anybody at the wheel.
Eventually, both pilot and co-pilot returned to their duties, and everybody breathed a sigh of relief.
It was relief which lasted just a short while. Pretty soon the captain once again came out of the cabin in a huff. That was when the rest of the crew, fearing for people's safety begged her to go back, take over the controls, and keep doing so until they landed. This she did and everybody is safe.
Now in this world I can think of a number of places you want to see peace and harmony and no conflict or dissension. For example,
- You don't want to see surgeons fighting before they operate on you.
- You don't want to see personnel fighting while they pack your parachute before a jump.
- You don't want to see pilots fighting while the plane is in the air.
- You don't want to see God's people fighting. Period.
- You don't want to see such fights because it makes people lose confidence in a hospital, a sky-diving school, an airline, and a church. Most of the time they don't say anything, they just go somewhere else.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, may we follow the gentle, giving example of the Savior. Let our lives lead people to the Redeemer, rather than driving them away. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written by. Saurabh Sinha for the Time of India on January 4, 2018. Those who wish to reference that article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written: click here.
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 14:22-36Job 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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CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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