The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour Ministries "An Everlasting Love" for Sunday, October 2, 2016

The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour Ministries "An Everlasting Love" for Sunday, October 2, 2016

"An Everlasting Love"
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.[Deuteronomy 31:6]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our international ministry centers to write our Sunday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
My name is Karligash.
I am Kazakh and I was born and grew up in a small town near the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. I was only eight years old when my father died, and I started having heart pains. When I was 12 I attended a Mongolian church's children's program, where I learned about Jesus for the first time. Every time I left the house to attend church, my mother would worry about me because of my heart problem. However, when I went to church my heart felt better. It was starting to heal.
I continued to go to church, where I was involved in children's programs, youth programs, and Bible studies. My character began to change. My health was better too and my heart did not hurt anymore.
My family is Muslim.
They always say, "Since we are Kazakhs, we are therefore Muslim." They were not happy with my decision to attend a Christian church. However, when my mom saw how I was changing for the better, she continued to let me attend church secretly because she felt it was good for me. Though she tried to keep it a secret, her friends and relatives all knew, and they made it hard for her. But I was on fire for the Lord and I continued to go, even though I knew it was difficult for my mom.
I wanted to know more about Jesus, so my pastor suggested I study at a Bible school.
I left my town to go to the city of Ulaanbaatar, where I studied for four years at the Union Bible Theological College. During this time, my mother passed away. Life was difficult because I had to look after my three younger siblings while working and studying. One day, one of my younger brothers got into a fight and had to go to jail. I prayed daily for my family's salvation and for my brother's release from prison.
Before receiving my diploma from the Bible College, I had to write an essay about a topic close to my heart. I wrote about God's sacrifice and how it is for all people, even for my Kazakh Muslim relatives.
I prayed for God to send someone to tell my people about Jesus.
Soon after that, my college professor introduced me to an American pastor working among the Kazakh people. My professor had told him all about me: "You have to meet this young lady! She is Kazakh -- and a Christian -- and she has a heart for her people!" After meeting that American pastor, I prayed for God to show me what to do. I did have a heart for my people, but I knew it would be very difficult work.
For three years, I ran away from God's calling to work with them. "Send someone else," I prayed.
Then, I was offered a job with The Lutheran Hour. I knew God was providing me with a way to share the Gospel with Kazakhs, and I agreed.
Since then, two of my older sisters have believed in Jesus, as well as one of my brothers-in-law! My brother was released from prison on my birthday, after only three years! I praise God for these joys.
I still live among Muslims. I don't have many friends and many of my relatives have rejected me. Still, I will not forget what the Lord said to me long ago: "Karligash, your friends and relatives cannot love you with an everlasting love. Only I can love you that way." These words strengthen and encourage me through persecution and difficulties.
THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, we pray for Karligash today. Increase her faith, Lord, and continue to use her to further Your kingdom among the Kazakh people of Mongolia. Strengthen her and give her Your courage to share the Gospel so more Kazakhs will be given faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
Biography of Author: Today's international devotion was written by Karligash Daadai. Karligash has been the director of Lutheran Hour Ministries in Mongolia for two years. She continues to live in her hometown, and daily commutes to the capital city of Ulaanbaatar where the LHM office is located. She also travels to Western Mongolia to visit the LHM station there as well as making exploratory trips to other areas of Mongolia.
The Lutheran Hour in Mongolia started just over two years ago. A radio and television ministry reaching out to Kazakhs in their own language was begun in Western Mongolia, and now there is a second station opened near Mongolia's capital city of Ulaanbaatar. This year, LHM also began to support a local prison ministry in Western Mongolia. Soon, LHM hopes to start Lutheran seminars and the distribution of MP3 players to the nomadic Kazakh people of Mongolia.
Known in-country as "Voice of the Nation," LHM-Mongolia works in partnership with Lutheran pastors and missionaries, using Kazakh-language radio programming to proclaim the Gospel and give basic Christian teaching. Listeners who respond to broadcasts will be invited to study the Bible with us. This ministry center publishes other Kazakh-language resources to supplement its radio programming and Bible courses.
Situated between Russia and China, this country of less than three million people has as many as 100,000 Christians today, up from next to none in the late 1980s. Listeners responding to radio broadcasts are invited to study and learn more about Jesus and the Christian faith by participating in Bible listening groups that use the Who Is Jesus? Bible study.
You can check out the LHM-Mongolia blog by clicking here.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhm.org/international.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour MinistriesToday's Bible in a Year Readings: Isaiah 53-55; Romans 10
Isaiah 53:1 Who believes our report?

To whom is the arm of Adonai revealed?

2 For before him he grew up like a young plant,

like a root out of dry ground.

He was not well-formed or especially handsome;

we saw him, but his appearance did not attract us.

3 People despised and avoided him,

a man of pains, well acquainted with illness.

Like someone from whom people turn their faces,

he was despised; we did not value him.

4 In fact, it was our diseases he bore,

our pains from which he suffered;

yet we regarded him as punished,

stricken and afflicted by God.

5 But he was wounded because of our crimes,

crushed because of our sins;

the disciplining that makes us whole fell on him,

and by his bruises* we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, went astray;

we turned, each one, to his own way;

yet Adonai laid on him

the guilt of all of us.

7 Though mistreated, he was submissive —

he did not open his mouth.

Like a lamb led to be slaughtered,

like a sheep silent before its shearers,

he did not open his mouth.

8 After forcible arrest and sentencing,

he was taken away;

and none of his generation protested

his being cut off from the land of the living

for the crimes of my people,

who deserved the punishment themselves.

9 He was given a grave among the wicked;

in his death he was with a rich man.

Although he had done no violence

and had said nothing deceptive,

10 yet it pleased Adonai to crush him with illness,

to see if he would present himself as a guilt offering.

If he does, he will see his offspring;

and he will prolong his days;

and at his hand Adonai’s desire

will be accomplished.

11 After this ordeal, he will see satisfaction.

“By his knowing [pain and sacrifice],

my righteous servant makes many righteous;

it is for their sins that he suffers.

12 Therefore I will assign him a share with the great,

he will divide the spoil with the mighty,

for having exposed himself to death

and being counted among the sinners,

while actually bearing the sin of many

and interceding for the offenders.”

54:1 “Sing, barren woman who has never had a child!

Burst into song, shout for joy,

you who have never been in labor!

For the deserted wife will have more children

than the woman who is living with her husband,” says Adonai.

2 Enlarge the space for your tent,

extend the curtains of your dwelling;

do not hold back, lengthen your cords,

make your tent pegs firm.

3 For you will spread out to the right and the left,

your descendants will possess the nations

and inhabit the desolated cities.

4 Don’t be afraid, for you won’t be ashamed;

don’t be discouraged, for you won’t be disgraced.

You will forget the shame of your youth,

no longer remember the dishonor of being widowed.

5 For your husband is your Maker,

Adonai-Tzva’ot is his name.

The Holy One of Isra’el is your Redeemer.

He will be called the God of all the earth.

6 For Adonai has called you back

like a wife abandoned and grief-stricken;

“A wife married in her youth

cannot be rejected,” says your God.

7 “Briefly I abandoned you,

but with great compassion I am taking you back.

8 I was angry for a moment

and hid my face from you;

but with everlasting grace

I will have compassion on you,”

says Adonai your Redeemer.

9 “For me this is like Noach’s flood.

Just as I swore that no flood like Noach’s

would ever again cover the earth,

so now I swear that never again

will I be angry with you or rebuke you.

10 For the mountains may leave and the hills be removed,

but my grace will never leave you,

and my covenant of peace will not be removed,”

says Adonai, who has compassion on you.

11 “Storm-ravaged [city], unconsoled,

I will set your stones in the finest way,

lay your foundations with sapphires,

12 make your windows shine with rubies,

your gates with garnet, your walls with gemstones.

13 All your children will be taught by Adonai;

your children will have great peace.

14 In righteousness you will be established,

far from oppression, with nothing to fear;

far from ruin, for it will not come near you.

15 Any alliance that forms against you

will not be my doing;

whoever tries to form such an alliance

will fall because of you.

16 It is I who created the craftsman

who blows on the coals and forges weapons

suited to their purpose;

I also created the destroyer to work havoc.

17 No weapon made will prevail against you.

In court you will refute every accusation.

The servants of Adonai inherit all this;

the reward for their righteousness is from me,”

says Adonai.

55:1 “All you who are thirsty, come to the water!

You without money, come, buy, and eat!

Yes, come! Buy wine and milk

without money — it’s free!

2 Why spend money for what isn’t food,

your wages for what doesn’t satisfy?

Listen carefully to me, and you will eat well,

you will enjoy the fat of the land.

3 Open your ears, and come to me;

listen well, and you will live —

I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

the grace I assured David.

4 I have given him as a witness to the peoples,

a leader and lawgiver for the peoples.

5 You will summon a nation you do not know,

and a nation that doesn’t know you will run to you,

for the sake of Adonai your God,

the Holy One of Isra’el, who will glorify you.”

6 Seek Adonai while he is available,

call on him while he is still nearby.

7 Let the wicked person abandon his way

and the evil person his thoughts;

let him return to Adonai,

and he will have mercy on him;

let him return to our God,

for he will freely forgive.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

and your ways are not my ways,” says Adonai.

9 “As high as the sky is above the earth

are my ways higher than your ways,

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For just as rain and snow fall from the sky

and do not return there, but water the earth,

causing it to bud and produce,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth —

it will not return to me unfulfilled;

but it will accomplish what I intend,

and cause to succeed what I sent it to do.”

12 Yes, you will go out with joy,

you will be led forth in peace.

As you come, the mountains and hills

will burst out into song,

and all the trees in the countryside

will clap their hands.

13 Cypresses will grow in place of thorns,

myrtles will grow instead of briars.

This will bring fame to Adonai

as an eternal, imperishable sign.

Romans 10:1 Brothers, my heart’s deepest desire and my prayer to God for Isra’el is for their salvation; 2 for I can testify to their zeal for God. But it is not based on correct understanding; 3 for, since they are unaware of God’s way of making people righteous and instead seek to set up their own, they have not submitted themselves to God’s way of making people righteous. 4 For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts. 5 For Moshe writes about the righteousness grounded in the Torah that the person who does these things will attain life through them.[Romans 10:5 Leviticus 18:5] 6 Moreover, the righteousness grounded in trusting says:

“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend to heaven?’” —

that is, to bring the Messiah down — 7 or,

“‘Who will descend into Sh’ol?’” —

that is, to bring the Messiah up from the dead. 8 What, then, does it say?

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”[Romans 10:8 Deuteronomy 30:11–14] —

that is, the word about trust which we proclaim, namely, 9 that if you acknowledge publicly with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and trust in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be delivered. 10 For with the heart one goes on trusting and thus continues toward righteousness, while with the mouth one keeps on making public acknowledgement and thus continues toward deliverance. 11 For the passage quoted says that everyone who rests his trust on him will not be humiliated.[Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16] 12 That means that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — Adonai is the same for everyone, rich toward everyone who calls on him, 13 since everyone who calls on the name of Adonai will be delivered.[Romans 10:13 Joel 3:5(2:32)]

14 But how can they call on someone if they haven’t trusted in him? And how can they trust in someone if they haven’t heard about him? And how can they hear about someone if no one is proclaiming him? 15 And how can people proclaim him unless God sends them? — as the Tanakh puts it, “How beautiful are the feet of those announcing good news about good things!”[Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7]

16 The problem is that they haven’t all paid attention to the Good News and obeyed it. For Yesha‘yahu says,

“Adonai, who has trusted what he has heard from us?”[Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1]

17 So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah.

18 “But, I say, isn’t it rather that they didn’t hear?” No, they did hear —

“Their voice has gone out throughout the whole world

and their words to the ends of the earth.”[Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:5(4)]

19 “But, I say, isn’t it rather that Isra’el didn’t understand?”

“I will provoke you to jealousy over a non-nation,

over a nation void of understanding I will make you angry.”[Romans 10:19 Deuteronomy 32:21]

20 Moreover, Yesha‘yahu boldly says,

“I was found by those who were not looking for me,

I became known to those who did not ask for me”;[Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1]

21 but to Isra’el he says,

“All day long I held out my hands

to a people who kept disobeying and contradicting.”[Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2]

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