Missionary Renegade: The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "A Fearless Intermediary" for Friday, June 3, 2016

Thursday, June 2, 2016

The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "A Fearless Intermediary" for Friday, June 3, 2016

The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "A Fearless Intermediary" for Friday, June 3, 2016-------
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.[1 Thessalonians 5:16-18]
Haus, the adopted German Shepherd, cannot read a calendar.
He had no way of knowing that Friday the 13th is supposed to be an unlucky day.
Nor did Haus know that the DeLucas, the family who had adopted him, owned a house near a Florida state park. Haus could not have understood such state parks can be a fine habitat for rattlesnakes, cottonmouths and other dangerous critters.
All Haus knew is that an unfriendly beastie had managed to slither under the DeLuca's backyard fence and was advancing toward the family's seven-year-old daughter. Watching from the home's backyard porch, the girl's grandmother saw Haus jump in front of the little girl and fight an unseen something in the grass.
When the battle was over, Haus was bleeding.
A quick trip to the vet showed that Haus had been bitten three times by an eastern diamondback rattler. Immediately, pain killers and anti-venom were administered. The vets explained that treating the dog would be expensive. Each day Haus stayed in the intensive care unit of the hospital could cost over $1,000 and each shot of the anti-venom would be over $600.
Haus was having four or five of those anti-venom shots each day.
Friends of the family set up a GoFundMe account so kind people could help the DeLucas pay for their dog's treatment. They set a goal of $15,000.
Asking people to give $15,000 to save someone else's dog is asking a lot -- even if that dog is a hero.
Would it surprise you if I said that people have given $35,000 to saving Haus, the German Shepherd? That magnificent outpouring of love is twice as much as had been hoped for.
Two-thousand years ago God's Son was born into this world. Although nobody could have demanded it of Him, His job was to put Himself between sinful humankind and save them from its just punishment. To accomplish that purpose, Jesus was rejected and despised. He was ignored, denied and betrayed. He was beaten, whipped, spit upon, crowned with thorns, and crucified.
There was no amount of anti-venom that could save Him. It was necessary for Jesus to die so that all who believe on Him might be forgiven and be saved.
Now the question is how should the world respond to what Jesus has done?
Should it thank Him or hate Him? Will it praise Him or will it curse Him? The answers to those questions are ongoing. Still, I think it must be right and proper if we show our appreciation for the Savior with as much enthusiasm as we would for Haus, the adopted German Shepherd.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, may I be thankful for the Savior whose sacrifice has won forgiveness and eternal life for me. In Jesus' Name may I always give thanks. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year readings: Psalm 61-62, 65; John 13:21-38
Psalm 61:1 (0) For the leader. With stringed instruments. By David:

2 (1) Hear my cry, God;

listen to my prayer.

3 (2) From the end of the earth, with fainting heart,

I call out to you.

Set me down on a rock

far above where I am now.

4 (3) For you have been a refuge for me,

a tower of strength in the face of the foe.

5 (4) I will live in your tent forever

and find refuge in the shelter of your wings. (Selah)

6 (5) For you, God, have heard my vows;

you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

7 (6) Prolong the life of the king!

May his years go on for many generations.

8 (7) May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever!

Appoint grace and truth to preserve him!

9 (8) Then I will sing praise to your name forever,

as day after day I fulfill my vows.

62:1 (0) For the leader. Set in the style of Y’dutun. A psalm of David:

2 (1) My soul waits in silence for God alone;

my salvation comes from him.

3 (2) He alone is my rock and salvation,

my stronghold; I won’t be greatly moved.

4 (3) How long will you assail a person

in order to murder him, all of you,

as if he were a sagging wall

or a shaky fence?

5 (4) They only want to shake him from his height,

they take delight in lying —

with their mouths they bless,

but inwardly they curse. (Selah)

6 (5) My soul, wait in silence for God alone,

because my hope comes from him.

7 (6) He alone is my rock and salvation,

my stronghold; I won’t be moved.

8 (7) My safety and honor rest on God.

My strong rock and refuge are in God.

9 (8) Trust in him, people, at all times;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us. (Selah)

10 (9) Ordinary folks are merely a breath

and important people a sham;

if you lay them on a balance-scale, they go up —

both together are lighter than nothing.

11 (10) Don’t put your trust in extortion,

don’t put false hopes in robbery;

even if wealth increases,

don’t set your heart on it.

12 (11) God has spoken once, I have heard it twice:

strength belongs to God.

13 (12) Also to you, Adonai, belongs grace;

for you reward all as their deeds deserve.

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

65:1 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David. A song:

2 (1) To you, God, in Tziyon, silence is praise;

and vows to you are to be fulfilled.

3 (2) You who listen to prayer,

to you all living creatures come.

4 (3) When deeds of wickedness overwhelm me,

you will atone for our crimes.

5 (4) How blessed are those you choose and bring near,

so that they can remain in your courtyards!

We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house,

the Holy Place of your temple.

6 (5) It is just that you answer us with awesome deeds,

God of our salvation,

you in whom all put their trust,

to the ends of the earth and on distant seas.

7 (6) By your strength you set up the mountains.

You are clothed with power.

8 (7) You still the roaring of the seas,

their crashing waves, and the peoples’ turmoil.

9 (8) This is why those living at the ends of the earth

stand in awe of your signs.

The places where the sun rises and sets

you cause to sing for joy.

10 (9) You care for the earth and water it,

you enrich it greatly;

with the river of God, full of water,

you provide them grain and prepare the ground.

11 (10) Soaking its furrows and settling its soil,

you soften it with showers and bless its growth.

12 (11) You crown the year with your goodness,

your tracks overflow with richness.

13 (12) The desert pastures drip water,

the hills are wrapped with joy,

14 (13) the meadows are clothed with flocks

and the valleys blanketed with grain,

so they shout for joy and break into song.

John 13:21 After saying this, Yeshua, in deep anguish of spirit, declared, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that one of you will betray me.” 22 The talmidim stared at one another, totally mystified — whom could he mean? 23 One of his talmidim, the one Yeshua particularly loved, was reclining close beside him. 24 So Shim‘on Kefa motioned to him and said, “Ask which one he’s talking about.” 25 Leaning against Yeshua’s chest, he asked Yeshua, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Yeshua answered, “It’s the one to whom I give this piece of matzah after I dip it in the dish.” So he dipped the piece of matzah and gave it to Y’hudah Ben-Shim‘on from K’riot. 27 As soon as Y’hudah took the piece of matzah, the Adversary went into him. “What you are doing, do quickly!” Yeshua said to him. 28 But no one at the table understood why he had said this to him. 29 Some thought that since Y’hudah was in charge of the common purse, Yeshua was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or telling him to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as he had taken the piece of matzah, Y’hudah went out, and it was night.

31 After Y’hudah had left, Yeshua said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If the Son has glorified God, God will himself glorify the Son, and will do so without delay. 33 Little children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and, as I said to the Judeans, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ now I say it to you as well.

34 “I am giving you a new command: that you keep on loving each other. In the same way that I have loved you, you are also to keep on loving each other. 35 Everyone will know that you are my talmidim by the fact that you have love for each other.”

36 Shim‘on Kefa said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Yeshua answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow later.” 37 “Lord,” Kefa said to him, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!” 38 Yeshua answered, “You will lay down your life for me? Yes, indeed! I tell you, before the rooster crows you will disown me three times.

-------CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.