The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States [Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).] "An Unstoppable Message" for Tuesday, June 14, 2016
(Jesus said) "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."[Acts 1:8]
Most of us are not acquainted with the organization that has the ominous title of the "Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice."
Yes, there is such an official, state-sanctioned organization, which is composed of some several thousand members. You probably have not heard of it because the organization is located in Saudi Arabia where they enforce strict, religious laws. And if you're asking what kind of religious laws, I can tell you they enforce laws like the banning of red.
It's true. A few days before February 14th, representatives of the commission visit florists and other shops and order then to remove red roses, red wrapping paper, red gift boxes, and the like. Those stores which do not comply will be visited on February 13th and all things red will be confiscated. The reason? Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country that is hostile to Christianity, and that hostility extends to St. Valentine.
Amazing. The West has forgotten Valentine was a Christian saint while Islamic countries remember how that ancient Christian martyr reflected the love of the God that was shown in the Savior's life, suffering, death and resurrection.
Of course, the commission has other duties: they make sure Christians don't worship in any kind of public church service, and they enforce dress codes like the forbidding of cross wearing.
Now if you thought Christianity was non-existent in Saudi Arabia, you would be right ... if you lived 100 years ago. A century ago there were no followers of the Savior in Saudi Arabia. Today we number 4.4 percent of the population. And if you're wondering how this has happened, I can tell you.
The Holy Spirit doesn't respect national borders or religious censorship. As Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit will take the salvation story to the ends of the earth, and so He has.
This is why those who keep track of statistics say there are 16 million people who have converted from Islam to Christianity. The reasons for the conversions are simple:
1. the lifestyle witness of Christians -- in life, death and martyrdom;
2. the spiritual truths of Scripture which speak of God's love;
3. dissatisfaction with Islam's doctrines and some of their leader's message of hatred.
Knowing these things, you may well understand why Lutheran Hour Ministries is committed to bringing the Savior's story to the Islamic world. Our microphone message of the air can go where missionaries and ministers are forbidden. We can bring Christ crucified and risen to the homes and hearts of those who are forbidden to worship in public.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, we pray for those people who are living in countries where the government is trying to muzzle the Gospel message. May the Holy Spirit ignore those borders and touch hearts with the saving faith that comes only in knowing the Redeemer and His works. This I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Today's Bible in a Year Readings: Proverbs 10-12; Acts 1
Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Shlomo:
A wise son is a joy to his father,
but a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
2 No good comes from ill-gotten wealth,
but righteousness rescues from death.
3 Adonai does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4 Idle hands bring poverty;
diligent hands bring wealth.
5 A sensible person gathers in summer,
but he who sleeps during harvest is an embarrassment.
6 Blessings are for the head of the righteous,
but the speech of the wicked is a cover for violence.
7 The memory of the righteous will be for a blessing,
but the reputation of the wicked will rot.
8 Wise-hearted people take orders,
but a babbling fool will have trouble.
9 He who walks purely walks securely,
but he who walks in crooked ways will be found out.
10 He who winks his eye [instead of rebuking] causes pain,
yet a babbling fool will have trouble.
11 The speech of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the speech of the wicked is a cover for violence.
12 Hate stirs up disputes,
but love covers all kinds of transgressions.
13 On the lips of the intelligent is found wisdom,
but a stick is in store for the back of a fool.
14 Wise people hide their knowledge,
but when a fool speaks, ruin is imminent.
15 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;
the ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The activity of the righteous is for life;
the income of the wicked is for sin.
17 He who observes discipline is on the way to life;
but he who ignores correction is making a mistake.
18 He who covers up hate has lips that lie,
and anyone who slanders is a fool.
19 When words are many, sin is not lacking;
so he who controls his speech is wise.
20 The tongue of the righteous is like pure silver,
but the mind of the wicked is worth little.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
22 The blessing of Adonai is what makes people rich,
and he doesn’t mix sorrow with it.
23 To a fool, vileness is like a game,
as is wisdom to a person of discernment.
24 What a fool dreads will overtake him,
but the righteous will be given his desire.
25 When the storm has passed, the wicked are gone;
but the righteous are firmly established forever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes
is a lazy person to his employer.
27 The fear of Adonai adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.
28 What the righteous hope for will end in joy;
what the wicked expect will come to nothing.
29 The way of Adonai is a stronghold to the upright
but ruin to those who do evil.
30 The righteous will never be moved,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is wanted,
but the mouth of the wicked [knows] deceit.
11:1 False scales are an abomination to Adonai,
but accurate weights please him.
2 First comes pride, then disgrace;
but with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the duplicity of the treacherous destroys them.
4 On the day of wrath, wealth doesn’t help;
but righteousness rescues from death.
5 The righteousness of the innocent levels their way,
but wickedness of the wicked makes them fall.
6 The righteousness of the upright rescues them,
but the treacherous are trapped by their own intrigues.
7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes;
what he hopes for from evil comes to nothing.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble,
and the wicked comes to take his place.
9 With his mouth the hypocrite can ruin his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
and when the wicked perish, there is joy.
11 By the blessing of the upright, a city is raised up;
but the words of the wicked tear it down.
12 He who belittles another lacks good sense,
whereas a person of discernment stays silent.
13 A gossip goes around revealing secrets,
but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
14 Without clever tactics an army is defeated,
and victory comes from much planning.
15 He who guarantees a loan for a stranger will suffer,
but refusing to underwrite is safe.
16 A gracious woman obtains honor;
aggressive men obtain wealth.
17 A man who is kind does himself good,
but the cruel does harm to himself.
18 The profits of the wicked are illusory;
but those who sow righteousness gain a true reward.
19 Genuine righteousness leads to life,
but the pursuer of evil goes to his own death.
20 The crooked-hearted are an abomination to Adonai,
but those sincere in their ways are his delight.
21 Depend on it: the evil will not go unpunished;
but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
22 Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig
is a beautiful woman who lacks good sense.
23 The righteous desire only good,
but what the wicked hope for brings wrath.
24 Some give freely and still get richer,
while others are stingy but grow still poorer.
25 The person who blesses others will prosper;
he who satisfies others will be satisfied himself.
26 The people will curse him who withholds grain;
but if he sells it, blessings will be on his head.
27 He who strives for good obtains favor,
but he who searches for evil — it comes to him!
28 He who trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves.
29 Those who trouble their families inherit the wind,
and the fool becomes slave to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and he who is wise wins souls.
31 If the righteous are paid what they deserve here on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12:1 He who loves knowledge loves discipline,
but he who hates correction is a boor.
2 A good man obtains Adonai’s favor,
but the schemer his condemnation.
3 No one is made secure by wickedness,
but the roots of the righteous will never be moved.
4 A capable wife is a crown for her husband,
but a shameful one is like rot in his bones.
5 The plans of the righteous are just,
but the schemes of the wicked are deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.
7 Once the wicked are down, it’s the end of them;
but the house of the upright endures.
8 A person wins praise in keeping with his common sense,
but a person with a warped mind is treated with contempt.
9 Better to be despised and have a servant
than to boast of one’s status but have nothing to eat.
10 A righteous man takes care of his animal,
but the wicked? Even his compassion is cruel.
11 He who farms his land will have plenty of food,
but he who follows futilities has no sense.
12 The wicked covet the loot of evil men,
but the root of the righteous gives forth of itself.
13 The wicked is trapped by his own sinful speech,
but the righteous finds a way out of trouble.
14 One can be filled with good as the result of one’s words,
and one gets the reward one’s deeds deserve.
15 Fools suppose their way is straight,
but the wise pay attention to advice.
16 A fool’s anger is known at once,
but a cautious person slighted conceals his feelings.
17 He who tells the truth furthers justice,
but a false witness furthers deceit.
18 Idle talk can pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise can heal.
19 Truthful words will stand forever,
lying speech but a moment.
20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but for those advising peace there is joy.
21 No harm can come to the righteous,
but the wicked are overwhelmed with disaster.
22 Lying lips are an abomination to Adonai,
but those who deal faithfully are his delight.
23 A cautious person conceals knowledge,
but the heart of a fool blurts out folly.
24 The diligent will rule,
while the lazy will be put to forced labor.
25 Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down,
but a kind word cheers him up.
26 The righteous guides his friend’s way rightly,
but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.
27 A lazy man doesn’t roast what he hunted;
but when a man is diligent, his wealth is precious.
28 In the road of righteousness is life;
no death is in its pathway.
Acts 1:1 Dear Theophilos:
In the first book, I wrote about everything Yeshua set out to do and teach, 2 until the day when, after giving instructions through the Ruach HaKodesh to the emissaries whom he had chosen, he was taken up into heaven.
3 After his death he showed himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. During a period of forty days they saw him, and he spoke with them about the Kingdom of God.
4 At one of these gatherings, he instructed them not to leave Yerushalayim but to wait for “what the Father promised, which you heard about from me. 5 For Yochanan used to immerse people in water; but in a few days, you will be immersed in the Ruach HaKodesh!”
6 When they were together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore self-rule to Isra’el?” 7 He answered, “You don’t need to know the dates or the times; the Father has kept these under his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you; you will be my witnesses both in Yerushalayim and in all Y’hudah and Shomron, indeed to the ends of the earth!”
9 After saying this, he was taken up before their eyes; and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 As they were staring into the sky after him, suddenly they saw two men dressed in white standing next to them. 11 The men said, “You Galileans! Why are you standing, staring into space? This Yeshua, who has been taken away from you into heaven, will come back to you in just the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
12 Then they returned the Shabbat-walk distance from the Mount of Olives to Yerushalayim. 13 After entering the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. The names of the emissaries were Kefa, Ya‘akov, Yochanan, Andrew, Philip, T’oma, Bar-Talmai, Mattityahu, Ya‘akov Ben-Halfai, Shim‘on “the Zealot,” and Y’hudah Ben-Ya‘akov. 14 These all devoted themselves single-mindedly to prayer, along with some women, including Miryam (Yeshua’s mother), and his brothers.
15 During this period, when the group of believers numbered about 120, Kefa stood up and addressed his fellow-believers: 16 “Brothers, the Ruach HaKodesh spoke in advance through David about Y’hudah, and these words of the Tanakh had to be fulfilled. He was guide for those who arrested Yeshua — 17 he was one of us and had been assigned a part in our work.” 18 (With the money Y’hudah received for his evil deed, he bought a field; and there he fell to his death. His body swelled up and burst open, and all his insides spilled out. 19 This became known to everyone in Yerushalayim, so they called that field Hakal-D’ma — which in their language means “Field of Blood”). 20 “Now,” said Kefa, “it is written in the book of Psalms,
‘Let his estate become desolate,
let there be no one to live in it’;[Acts 1:20 Psalm 69:26(25)]
and
‘Let someone else take his place as a supervisor.’[Acts 1:20 Psalm 109:8]
21 Therefore, one of the men who have been with us continuously throughout the time the Lord Yeshua traveled around among us, 22 from the time Yochanan was immersing people until the day Yeshua was taken up from us — one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.”
23 They nominated two men — Yosef Bar-Sabba, surnamed Justus, and Mattityahu. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over the work and the office of emissary that Y’hudah abandoned to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they drew lots to decide between the two, and the lot fell to Mattityahu. So he was added to the eleven emissaries.
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CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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