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).] "Waiting" for Saturday, August 27, 2016
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD![Psalm 27:14]How would you feel -- what would you do if you knew you had 48 hours to live?
As I was researching this devotion, I tried to find out how various church leaders said they would get ready if they knew they had only a week or a day, before they would stand before Jesus. The results were fascinating:
* In the 13th century, St. Francis said he would keep on watering his garden.
* In the 1500s, Martin Luther said, "If he knew Jesus was coming tomorrow, he would plant a tree today."
* In the 18th century, John Wesley, said "I would spend my last day exactly as I expect to spend it now."
Amazing, isn't it?
Three representatives from three different branches of Christianity, speaking from three different centuries, are in agreement. They all believe the best way to prepare for Jesus' coming back is to be in a constant state of preparedness.
More important than the advice of these three is that which comes from the Savior, Himself. Jesus says, "Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour" (Matthew 25:13).
About 20 years ago, a father who had taken his two children swimming in the Atlantic, realized the tide was pulling them out to sea.
Knowing his limitations, he told his daughter -- the stronger swimmer -- "Honey, I've got to get your brother to shore. When I do, I'll come back for you. I want you to float on your back till I return. You don't have to swim. Just float on your back."
With that the father swam away, brought his son to shore, and in a state of near exhaustion, went out with some lifeguards to find his daughter. She wasn't where they expected her to be. Further and further out to sea they searched. After two hours, they spotted a little body floating in the water.
No, don't worry. She was okay.
After they brought her aboard the boat, one of the lifeguards asked, "Were you frightened being out in the ocean all by yourself?"
She answered, "I wasn't afraid. My father told me to float on my back, and he told me that he would come back. I trusted him. He loves me and never lies."
That's the attitude the Lord expects from us as we wait for Jesus to come back. He expects us, for as long as it takes, to remember He loves us, hasn't forgotten us, and to be unafraid. Understand, I'm not going to tell you that your life will be untroubled. Christians have more than their share of tribulations. But I will tell you that until Jesus returns He will give you what you need to deal with those problems and pains.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, stay with me. In a troubled world with myriad sorrows, be by my side and keep me prepared for that unknown hour when Jesus will return to me or I will be brought to Jesus. In the Savior's Name I ask it. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours, 
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Chronicles 4-6 2 Corinthians 1
2 Chronicles 4:1 He made an altar of bronze thirty-five feet long, thirty-five feet wide and seventeen-and-a-half feet high.
2 He made the cast metal “Sea” circular, seventeen-and-a-half feet from rim to rim, eight-and-three quarters feet high and fifty-two-and-a-half feet in circumference. 3 Below the rim a ring of ox-like figures encircled it, ten for every twenty-one inches all the way around the Sea. The oxen were in two rows; they were cast when the Sea was cast. 4 It rested on twelve oxen, three looking north, three looking west, three looking south and three looking east, all with their hindquarters toward the center. The Sea was set on top of them. 5 It was a handbreadth thick, its rim was made like the rim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; and its capacity was 16,500 gallons. 6 He also made ten basins for washing and put five on the right and five on the left. Items needed for the burnt offerings would be cleansed in these, but the Sea was for the cohanim to wash in.
7 He made the ten menorahs of gold in accordance with their specifications and set them in the temple, five on the right and five on the left. 8 He also made ten tables and put them in the temple, five on the right and five on the left. And he made a hundred basins of gold.
9 He made the courtyard for the cohanim and the great courtyard, also the doors to the courtyard, which he overlaid with bronze.
10 The Sea he placed on the right side [of the house], toward the southeast.
11 Huram made the ash pots, shovels and sprinkling basins. With that, Huram completed the work he had been doing for King Shlomo in the house of God — 12 the two columns, the two moldings, the two capitals on top of the columns, the two nettings covering the two moldings of the capitals atop the columns, 13 and the 400 pomegranates for the two nettings, two rows of pomegranates for each netting, to cover the two moldings of the capitals atop the columns. 14 He also made the trolleys, the basins on the trolleys, 15 the one Sea, the twelve oxen under it, 16 the ash pots, the shovels, the forks and all the other equipment for it. All these articles that Huram the master craftsman made for King Shlomo in the house of Adonai were of brilliant bronze. 17 The king cast them in the plain of the Yarden, in the clay ground between Sukkot and Tz’redah. 18 Shlomo made so many of these objects that the total weight of the bronze could not be determined.
19 Shlomo made all the objects that were inside the house of God: the gold altar; the table on which the showbread was displayed; 20 the menorahs with their lamps to burn in front of the sanctuary as specified, of pure gold; 21 the flowers, lamps and tongs of gold, solid gold; 22 and the snuffers, bowls, cups and fire pans of pure gold. As for the entryway to the house, the inner doors for the Especially Holy Place and the doors of the house (that is, of the temple) were of gold.
5:1 Thus all the work that Shlomo did for the house of Adonai was finished. Then Shlomo brought in the gifts which David his father had consecrated — the silver, the gold and all the utensils — and put them in the treasuries of the house of God.
2 Shlomo assembled all the leaders of Isra’el and all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the paternal clans of the people of Isra’el, to Yerushalayim, to bring the ark for the covenant of Adonai out of the City of David, also known as Tziyon. 3 All the people of Isra’el assembled before the king at the festival in the seventh month. 4 All the leaders of Isra’el came. The L’vi’im took the ark 5 and brought up the ark, the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils that were in the tent; these are what the cohanim and L’vi’im brought up. 6 King Shlomo and the whole community of Isra’el who had assembled in his presence were in front of the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen in numbers beyond counting or recording. 7 The cohanim brought the ark for the covenant of Adonai in to its place inside the sanctuary of the house, to the Especially Holy Place, under the wings of the k’ruvim. 8 For the k’ruvim spread out their wings over the place for the ark, covering the ark and its poles from above. 9 The poles were so long that their ends could be seen [extending] from the ark into the sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside; they are there to this day. 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets Moshe put there at Horev, when Adonai made the covenant with the people of Isra’el at the time of their leaving Egypt.
11 When the cohanim came out of the Holy Place (for all the cohanim who were present had consecrated themselves; they didn’t keep to their divisions; 12 also the L’vi’im who were the singers, all of them — Asaf, Heman, Y’dutun and their sons and relatives — dressed in fine linen, with cymbals, lutes and lyres, stood on the east side of the altar; and with them 120 cohanim sounding trumpets), 13 then, when the trumpeters and singers were playing in concord, to be heard harmoniously praising and thanking Adonai, and they lifted their voices together with the trumpets, cymbals and other musical instruments to praise Adonai: “for he is good, for his grace continues forever” — then, the house, the house of Adonai, was filled with a cloud; 14 so that because of the cloud, the cohanim could not stand up to perform their service; for the glory of Adonai filled the house of God.
6:1 Shlomo said, “Adonai said he would live in thick darkness. 2 But I have built you a magnificent house, a place where you can live forever.”
3 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole community of Isra’el. The whole community of Isra’el stood 4 as he said, “Blessed be Adonai, the God of Isra’el, who spoke to my father David with his mouth and fulfilled his promise with his hand. He said, 5 ‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I chose no city from any of the tribes of Isra’el to build a house, so that my name might be there; nor did I choose anyone to be the leader of my people Isra’el. 6 But now I have chosen Yerushalayim, so that my name can be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Isra’el.’ 7 It was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Adonai the God of Isra’el; 8 but Adonai said to David my father, ‘Although it was in your heart to build a house for my name, and you did well that it was in your heart, 9 nevertheless you will not build the house. Rather, you will father a son, and it will be he who will build the house for my name.’ 10 Now Adonai has fulfilled this spoken word of his; for I have succeeded my father and sit on the throne of Isra’el, as Adonai promised; and I have built the house for the name of Adonai the God of Isra’el. 11 And there I have placed the ark containing the covenant of Adonai, which he made with the people of Isra’el.”
12 Then he stood before the altar of Adonai in the presence of the whole community of Isra’el, spread out his hands — 13 for Shlomo had made a bronze platform eight-and-three quarters feet long, eight-and-three-quarters feet wide and five-and-a-quarter feet high and had set it up in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it, then got down on his knees before the whole community, spread out his hands toward heaven, 14 and said, “Adonai, God of Isra’el, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth. You keep covenant with your servants and show them grace, provided they live in your presence with all their heart. 15 You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father; you spoke with your mouth and fulfilled it with your hand; so it is today. 16 Now therefore, Adonai, God of Isra’el, keep what you promised to your servant David, my father, when you said, ‘You will never lack a man in my presence to sit on the throne of Isra’el, if only your children are careful about what they do, so that they live by my Torah, just as you have lived in my presence.’ 17 Now therefore, Adonai, God of Isra’el, please let your word, which you spoke to your servant David, my father, be confirmed.
18 “But can God actually live with human beings on the earth? Why, heaven itself, even the heaven of heavens, cannot contain you; so how much less this house I have built? 19 Even so, Adonai my God, pay attention to your servant’s prayer and plea, listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying before you, 20 that your eyes will be open toward this house day and night — toward the place where you said you would put your name — to listen to the prayer your servant will pray toward this place. 21 Yes, listen to the pleas of your servant, and also those of your people Isra’el when they pray toward this place. Hear from where you live, from heaven; and when you hear, forgive!
22 “If a person sins against a fellow member of the community, and he is made to swear under oath, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house; 23 then hear from heaven, act and judge your servants, paying back the wicked, so that his way of life devolves on his own head, and vindicating the one who is right, giving him what his righteousness deserves.
24 “If your people Isra’el sin against you and in consequence are defeated by an enemy; then if they turn back to you, acknowledge your name, and pray and make their plea to you in this house, 25 hear from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Isra’el, and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26 “When they sin against you, and in consequence the sky is shut, so that there is no rain; then if they pray toward this place, acknowledge your name and turn from their sin when you have brought them low; 27 hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Isra’el — since you keep teaching them the good way by which they should live — and send down rain on your land, which you have given your people as their inheritance.
28 “If there is famine in the land, or blight, windstorm, mildew, locusts or shearer-worms; or if their enemies besiege them in any of their cities — no matter what kind of plague or sickness it is; 29 then, regardless of what prayer or plea anyone among all your people Isra’el makes — for each individual will know his own plague and his own pain — and the person spreads out his hands toward this house; 30 then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive; also, since you know what is in each one’s heart, give each person what his conduct deserves (because you, and only you, know human hearts), 31 so that they will fear you and therefore live according to your ways throughout the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.
32 “Also the foreigner who does not belong to your people Isra’el — when he comes from a distant country because of your great reputation, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house; 33 then hear from heaven, from where you live; and act in accordance with everything about which the foreigner is calling to you; so that all the peoples of the earth will know your name and fear you, as does your people Isra’el, and so that they will know that this house which I have built bears your name.
34 “If your people go out to fight their enemies, no matter by which way you send them, and they pray to you toward the city you chose and the house I built for your name; 35 then, from heaven, hear their prayer and plea, and uphold their cause.
36 “If they sin against you — for there is no one who doesn’t sin — and you are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, so that they carry them off captive to a land far away or nearby; 37 then, if they come to their senses in the land where they have been carried away captive, turn back and make their plea to you in the land where they are being held captive, saying, ‘We sinned, we acted wrongly, we behaved wickedly,’ 38 if, in the land where they were brought and are being held captive, they return to you with all their heart and being and pray to you toward their own land, which you gave to their ancestors, toward the city you chose and toward the house I have built for your name; 39 then, from heaven, from where you live, hear their prayer and pleas, uphold their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 “Now, my God, please, let your eyes be open, and let your ears pay attention to the prayer being made in this place.
41 “Now go up, Adonai, God, to your place of rest,
you and the ark through which you give strength.
“May your cohanim, Adonai, God, be clothed with salvation;
may those loyal to you take joy in good.
42 “Adonai, God, don’t turn away the face of your anointed one;
remember the mercies of your servant David.”
2 Corinthians 1:1 From: Sha’ul, by God’s will an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua, and brother Timothy
To: God’s Messianic community in Corinth, along with all God’s people throughout Achaia:
2 Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
3 Praised be God, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, compassionate Father, God of all encouragement and comfort; 4 who encourages us in all our trials, so that we can encourage others in whatever trials they may be undergoing with the encouragement we ourselves have received from God.
5 For just as the Messiah’s sufferings overflow into us, so through the Messiah our encouragement also overflows. 6 So if we undergo trials, it is for your encouragement and deliverance; and if we are encouraged, that should encourage you when you have to endure sufferings like those we are experiencing. 7 Moreover, our hope for you remains staunch, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, you will also share in the encouragement.
8 For, brothers, we want you to know about the trials we have undergone in the province of Asia. The burden laid on us was so far beyond what we could bear that we even despaired of living through it. 9 In our hearts we felt we were under sentence of death. However, this was to get us to rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead! 10 He rescued us from such deadly peril, and he will rescue us again! The one in whom we have placed our hope will indeed continue to rescue us. 11 And you must add your help by praying for us; for the more people there are praying, the more people there will be to give thanks when their prayer for us is answered.
12 For we take pride in this: that our conscience assures us that in our dealings with the world, and especially with you, we have conducted ourselves with frankness and godly pureness of motive — not by worldly wisdom but by God-given grace. 13 There are no hidden meanings in our letters other than what you can read and understand; and my hope is that you will understand fully, 14 as indeed you have already understood us in part; so that on the Day of our Lord Yeshua you can be as proud of us as we are of you.
15 So sure was I of this that I had planned to come and see you, so that you might have the benefit of a second visit. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, visit you again on my way back from Macedonia, and then have you send me on my way to Y’hudah.
17 Did I make these plans lightly? Or do I make plans the way a worldly man does, ready to say, “Yes, yes,” and “No, no,” in the same breath? 18 As surely as God is trustworthy, we don’t say “Yes” when we mean “No.” 19 For the Son of God, the Messiah Yeshua, who was proclaimed among you through us — that is, through me and Sila and Timothy — was not a yes-and-no man; on the contrary, with him it is always “Yes!” 20 For however many promises God has made, they all find their “Yes” in connection with him; that is why it is through him that we say the “Amen” when we give glory to God. 21 Moreover, it is God who sets both us and you in firm union with the Messiah; he has anointed us, 22 put his seal on us, and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee for the future.
23 I call God to witness — he knows what my life is like — that the reason I held back from coming to Corinth was out of consideration for you! 24 We are not trying to dictate how you must live out your trust in the Messiah, for in your trust you are standing firm. Rather, we are working with you for your own happiness.
-------
The Lutheran Hour Ministries
660 Mason Ridge Ctr Drive
Saint Louis, Missouri 63141 United States
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment