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).] "100 Percent" for Tuesday, August 9, 2016
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.[Romans6:23]
Video games are big business because they are loved and played by millions.
Most folks who are not dyed-in-the-wool gamers consider any time spent playing a video game to be a waste of time. That position might have been true in the past, but now an exception may have been found.
A 10-year study called "Active," which is an acronym for Advanced Cognitive Training in Vital Elderly, says that "speed training" can help ward off dementia. In fact, the study which was shared with the Alzheimer's conference in Toronto says a total of 11 to 14 hours of speed training can reduce the risk of dementia by as much as 48 percent.
That's 48 percent!
Now if you, like me, are ignorant about speed training, I can tell you the idea is to get a person to see not only things at the center of their vision but, also, at the same time, see things on the periphery.
Now, nobody knows just how it works and why it works, and more studies will have to be made to make sure that it does work, but right now, the folks who labor with dementia are elated. And who can blame them? If playing a computer game like Double Decision can help drop the occurrence of dementia by nearly 50 percent, it would be a grand thing.
If all the reports are verified, I believe folks will soon be lining up for this preventative process.
Of course, I could be wrong. This wouldn't be the first time people have ignored something that is good for them.
For example, consider the salvation Jesus has won for sinful humanity. According to the Father's promise, Jesus entered this world and lived the perfect life, which had eluded us. More than that, He resisted every temptation to sin, and then He carried our sins to the cross. There, as He gave up His life, salvation was purchased for all of sinful humanity. At the empty tomb, His victory was shown to a doubting world, and now all who are brought to faith are forgiven and saved.
By God's grace we are moved from darkness to light, from damnation to salvation, from hell to heaven. And, amazingly, Jesus' blood-bought cure is 100-percent effective, 100 percent of the time.
Tragically, there are hundreds of millions of souls who ignore the wonderful thing Jesus has done. It doesn't make sense, but that's the reality of it.
It's a reality the Lord wants to change. That is why He has told us to share the good news which says that the wages of sin is death, but God's gift of eternal life is ours through faith in God's good gift of forgiveness, which Jesus wishes to share.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that Jesus has saved me. Now may the world be awakened to the blessed gift of eternal life, which You wish to give them. This I ask in the Savior's Name. Amen.
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Psalms 147-148; 1 Corinthians 4
Psalms 147:1 Halleluyah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!
How sweet, how fitting to praise him!
2 Adonai is rebuilding Yerushalayim,
gathering the dispersed of Isra’el.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines how many stars there are
and calls them all by name.
5 Our Lord is great, his power is vast,
his wisdom beyond all telling.
6 Adonai sustains the humble
but brings the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to Adonai with thanks,
sing praises on the lyre to our God.
8 He veils the sky with clouds;
he provides the earth with rain;
he makes grass grow on the hills;
9 he gives food to the animals,
even to the young ravens when they cry.
10 He takes no delight in the strength of a horse,
no pleasure in a runner’s speed.
11 Adonai takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who wait for his grace.
12 Glorify Adonai, Yerushalayim!
Praise your God, Tziyon!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates,
he blesses your children within you,
14 he brings peace within your borders,
he gives you your fill of the finest wheat.
15 He sends his word out over the earth,
his command runs swiftly.
16 Thus he gives snow like wool,
scatters hoarfrost like ashes,
17 sends crystals of ice like crumbs of bread —
who can withstand such cold?
18 Then he sends his word out and melts them;
he makes the winds blow, and the water flows.
19 He reveals his words to Ya‘akov,
his laws and rulings to Isra’el.
20 He has not done this for other nations;
they do not know his rulings.
Halleluyah!
148:1 Halleluyah!
Praise Adonai from the heavens!
Praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all his armies!
3 Praise him, sun and moon!
Praise him, all shining stars!
4 Praise him, highest heaven,
and waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of Adonai;
for he commanded, and they were created.
6 He established them forever and ever;
he has given a law to which they must conform.
7 Praise Adonai from the earth,
sea monsters and watery depths,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
storm-winds that obey his word,
9 mountains and every hill,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all livestock,
creeping reptiles, flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women alike,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of Adonai,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above both earth and heaven.
14 He has increased the power of his people,
granted praise to all his faithful,
to the descendants of Isra’el,
a people close to him.
Halleluyah!
1 Corinthians 4:1 So, you should regard us as the Messiah’s servants, as trustees of God’s secret truths. 2 Now the one thing that is asked of a trustee is that he be found trustworthy. 3 And it matters very little to me how I am evaluated by you or by any human court; in fact, I don’t even evaluate myself. 4 I am not aware of anything against me, but this does not make me innocent. The one who is evaluating me is the Lord. 5 So don’t pronounce judgment prematurely, before the Lord comes; for he will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness; he will expose the motives of people’s hearts; and then each will receive from God whatever praise he deserves.
6 Now in what I have said here, brothers, I have used myself and Apollos as examples to teach you not to go beyond what the Tanakh says, proudly taking the side of one leader against another. 7 After all, what makes you so special? What do you have that you didn’t receive as a gift? And if in fact it was a gift, why do you boast as if it weren’t? 8 You are glutted already? You are rich already? You have become kings, even though we are not? Well, I wish you really were kings, so that we might share the kingship with you! 9 For I think God has been placing us emissaries on display at the tail of the parade, like men condemned to die in the public arena: we have become a spectacle before the whole universe, angels as well as men. 10 For the Messiah’s sake we are fools, but united with the Messiah you are wise! We are weak, but you are strong; you are honored, but we are dishonored. 11 Till this very moment we go hungry and thirsty, we are dressed in rags, we are treated roughly, we wander from place to place, 12 we exhaust ourselves working with our own hands for our living. When we are cursed, we keep on blessing; when we are persecuted, we go on putting up with it; 13 when we are slandered, we continue making our appeal. We are the world’s garbage, the scum of the earth — yes, to this moment!
14 I am not writing you this to make you feel ashamed, but, as my dear children, to confront you and get you to change. 15 For even if you have ten thousand trainers in connection with the Messiah, you do not have many fathers; for in connection with the Messiah Yeshua it was I who became your father by means of the Good News. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 This is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord. He will remind you of the way of life I follow in union with the Messiah Yeshua and teach everywhere in every congregation.
18 When I didn’t come to visit you, some of you became arrogant. 19 But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills; and I will take cognizance not of the talk of these arrogant people but of their power. 20 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of words but of power. 21 Which do you prefer — should I come to you with a stick? or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
-------CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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