Saint Louis, Missouri, United States - Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Simply the Truth" Monday, 16 June 2014Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.(Proverbs 2:2-5)
Quite recently, Albuquerque's 93-year-old Chester Nez passed away
in his home. If the name Chester Nez doesn't sound familiar, I can understand why. You see Nez's gift and his value were based on his ability to speak in a way which nobody could understand. Wait, scratch the word "nobody," and change it to read very, very few.
Perhaps a word of explanation is in order. Nez was one of the 29 original Navajo Code Talkers who were recruited in World War II. While the Japanese were able to crack almost every other code the U.S. Government used, they were unable to figure out Navajo. That language, unrelated to most others, was spoken by only a few people in the world. Chester Nez was one of them.
As a result, Code Talkers were able to speak openly to other Code Talkers. They could give warning about troop movements, battle conditions, and upcoming plans. By the end of the war, over 400 Code Talkers had been trained. Even so, the work of these men was so valuable their work remained classified until 1968.
To speak in a way which nobody understands can truly be a unique gift in times of war. On the other hand, it is downright detrimental if you are trying to save men's souls. Scripture says that God's ways are not ours, and His thoughts are not ours. Quite easily, the Lord could have made His plan of salvation so intensely complicated nobody would have been able to understand or believe.
But that is not what has happened.
In His infinite love and grace, the Lord spoke through Holy Spirit-inspired evangelists, prophets and apostles in a way humankind could comprehend.
As God wished, they pointed to the Messiah who had been promised to save sinners from the ravages of their disobedience. Then, in the fullness of time, God sent His Son into this world. During His lifetime, Jesus fulfilled the prophecies and kept the Laws of the Lord. Then, at the end of His life, He shouldered our sins, and after a series of unjust trials, He took those sins to the cross and, in His death, paid their price and wiped them away. Jesus' third-day resurrection from the dead gave a most visible confirmation that His sacrifice had been accepted. Now, because of that simple story, all who believe are forgiven and saved.
Because the Lord wished it, the salvation story is complete and can be shared in a way that is understandable, believable and effective in the saving of souls. Thanks be to God!
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for speaking to me in a way my simple mind can comprehend, I give thanks. Now may others approach the simple message of salvation with a simple, childlike faith. In my Savior's Name I ask it. Amen.
All too often the job of reaching others is left to others. That can be unfortunate. After all, there are times when YOU may be the best person to reach someone who is lost or wandering. If you have always wanted to know how to do such a sharing of the Savior, you may want to attend Lutheran Hour Ministries' SENT Outreach Conference, which is July 24-27 in Detroit. For more information, visit www.lhm.org/conference.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours, Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Proverbs 16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes;
but Yahweh weighs the motives.
3 Commit your deeds to Yahweh,
and your plans shall succeed.
4 Yahweh has made everything for its own end—
yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh:
they shall certainly not be unpunished.
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for.
By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please Yahweh,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness,
than great revenues with injustice.
9 A man’s heart plans his course,
but Yahweh directs his steps.
10 Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king.
He shall not betray his mouth.
11 Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination for kings to do wrong,
for the throne is established by righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings.
They value one who speaks the truth.
14 The king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
but a wise man will pacify it.
15 In the light of the king’s face is life.
His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.
16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!
Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil.
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor,
than to divide the plunder with the proud.
20 He who heeds the Word finds prosperity.
Whoever trusts in Yahweh is blessed.
21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent.
Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
but the punishment of fools is their folly.
23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
and adds learning to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
25 There is a way which seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.
26 The appetite of the laboring man labors for him;
for his mouth urges him on.
27 A worthless man devises mischief.
His speech is like a scorching fire.
28 A perverse man stirs up strife.
A whisperer separates close friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor,
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 One who winks his eyes to plot perversities,
one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory.
It is attained by a life of righteousness.
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty;
one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from Yahweh.
17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness,
than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame,
and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.
3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold,
but Yahweh tests the hearts.
4 An evildoer heeds wicked lips.
A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker.
He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
6 Children’s children are the crown of old men;
the glory of children are their parents.
7 Arrogant speech isn’t fitting for a fool,
much less do lying lips fit a prince.
8 A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it;
wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 He who covers an offense promotes love;
but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.
10 A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding
than a hundred lashes into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man,
rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoever rewards evil for good,
evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam,
therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.
15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous,
both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
16 Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
since he has no understanding?
17 A friend loves at all times;
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man void of understanding strikes hands,
and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
19 He who loves disobedience loves strife.
One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.
20 One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity,
and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
21 He who becomes the father of a fool grieves.
The father of a fool has no joy.
22 A cheerful heart makes good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 A wicked man receives a bribe in secret,
to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding,
but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father,
and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Also to punish the righteous is not good,
nor to flog officials for their integrity.
27 He who spares his words has knowledge.
He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise.
When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.
18:1 An unfriendly man pursues selfishness,
and defies all sound judgment.
2 A fool has no delight in understanding,
but only in revealing his own opinion.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes,
and with shame comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters.
The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good,
nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
6 A fool’s lips come into strife,
and his mouth invites beatings.
7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels:
they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
10 Yahweh’s name is a strong tower:
the righteous run to him, and are safe.
11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud,
but before honor is humility.
13 He who gives answer before he hears,
that is folly and shame to him.
14 A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness,
but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge.
The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s gift makes room for him,
and brings him before great men.
17 He who pleads his cause first seems right;
until another comes and questions him.
18 The lot settles disputes,
and keeps strong ones apart.
19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city;
and disputes are like the bars of a fortress.
20 A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth.
With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue;
those who love it will eat its fruit.
22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing,
and obtains favor of Yahweh.
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24 A man of many companions may be ruined,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know, 23 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; 24 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
‘I saw the Lord always before my face,
For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;
27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades,[a]
neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
28 You made known to me the ways of life.
You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’[b]
29 “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades,[c] nor did his flesh see decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. 34 For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself,
‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’[d]
36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 40 With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. 42 They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer. 43 Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 All who believed were together, and had all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. 46 Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.
Footnotes:
a. Acts 2:27 or, Hell
b. Acts 2:28 Psalm 16:8-11
c. Acts 2:31 or, Hell
d. Acts 2:35 Psalm 110:1
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