The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Lost and Found" for Wednesday, November 16, 2016

The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Lost and Found" for Wednesday, November 16, 2016

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.[James 5:19-20]
The Mark IV was a Lincoln Continental vehicle sold by Ford Motor Company during the years 1972 and 1976. Sleek, shiny and big, the Lincoln Mark IV could never be confused with the Mark IV made by the U.S. Government from 1949 to 1953.
The difference is obvious: the Ford Mark IV looks like an automobile and the Government Mark IV, being silver and shaped like a very, very large egg with fins, looks like, well, it looks for all the world like a nuclear bomb on steroids, which is what it is.
Of course, people don't see Mark IVs today. The cars have mostly been scrapped and the bombs have been dismantled and their plutonium core recycled ... except for that one Mark IV bomb that was dumped off the coast of British Columbia in 1950. The 11,000 pound bomb was jettisoned before the B-36 plane carrying it crashed into the sea.
And that was the last anyone saw of the Mark IV, at least, until recently.
Recently, while searching for sea cucumbers, Sean Smyrichinsky spotted a large, silver object.
"Could be a space ship" is what he told his pals.
When he told his story to some old fishermen, one commented, "Or you may have found that bomb."
Over the years I have lost many things.
I have repeatedly lost my glasses, my hearing-aid, and my car keys. At a Renaissance festival I lost our younger daughter and, in Michigan, Pam and I misplaced our son for half an hour. With an embarrassing lack of direction, I have to confess I have repeatedly misplaced myself.
But I have never lost a Mark IV.
Now maybe it has occurred to you, even as it has struck me: high on the list of things a person might not want to lose is a Mark IV nuclear weapon. The only thing I can think of that would be worse than losing a Mark IV nuclear weapon is losing my forgiveness, my faith, and my Savior.
In his epistle, James addressed exactly that problem. And then he gave the solution. He said, "If we spot a brother or sister wandering away, we should do our best to bring them back." That is one of the purposes for belonging to a congregation. There we have a spiritual family which is concerned about us. They care enough about where we are going to spend eternity that they actually go after us and remind us of the love and grace we have received from God's Son, our sinless Savior.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, the devil is wise and works patiently to rob us of our faith. Frustrate him and bless us so that we never lose the gift of forgiveness and salvation which comes to us in the Person of our Savior, Jesus. In His Name we pray. Amen.
P.S. - Our government is pretty sure that, even though the lost Mark IV is loaded with TNT, the nuclear core was taken out and replaced with lead. They're pretty sure. The Canadian Navy is investigating.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Ezekiel 3-4; 1 Timothy 2-3Ezekiel 3:1 He said to me, “Human being, eat what you see in front of you; eat this scroll. Then go and speak to the house of Isra’el.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat, 3 as he said, “Human being, eat this scroll I am giving you; fill your insides with it.” When I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey.
4 “Human being,” he said to me, “go to the house of Isra’el, and speak my words to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people with a difficult language and unintelligible speech, but to the house of Isra’el — 6 not to many peoples with difficult languages and unintelligible speech, whose words you can’t understand when you hear them. Without doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. 7 But the house of Isra’el will not be willing to listen to you, because they aren’t willing to listen to me; since all the house of Isra’el are obstinate and hardhearted. 8 However, I am making you as defiant and obstinate as they are. 9 Yes, I am making your resoluteness harder than flint, as hard as a diamond. So don’t be afraid of them or depressed by how they look at you, because they are a rebellious house.”
10 Then he said to me, “Human being, receive in your heart and hear with your ears all my words that I speak to you. 11 Then go to the exiles, to your countrymen; and speak to them. Tell them, ‘Here is what Adonai Elohim, says,’ whether they listen or not.”
12 A spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a very loud sound — blessed be the glory of Adonai from his place! 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they beat against each other, and the sound of the wheels next to them, a very loud sound. 14 So a spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and the heat of my spirit, with the hand of Adonai strong on me.
15 I went to the exiles who were living in Tel-Aviv, by the K’var River and stayed with them there in a stupefied state for seven days. 16 After seven days the word of Adonai came to me: 17 “Human being, I have appointed you to be a watchman for the house of Isra’el. When you hear a word from my mouth, you are to warn them for me. 18 If I say to a wicked person, ‘You will certainly die’; and you fail to warn him, to speak and warn the wicked person to leave his wicked way and save his life; then that wicked person will die guilty; and I will hold you responsible for his death. 19 On the other hand, if you warn the wicked person, and he doesn’t turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, then he will still die guilty; but you will have saved your own life. 20 Similarly, when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, I will place a stumblingblock before him — he will die; because you failed to warn him, he will die in his sin; his righteous acts which he did will not be remembered; and I will hold you responsible for his death. 21 But if you warn the righteous person that a righteous person should not sin, and he doesn’t sin; then he will certainly live, because he took the warning; and you too will have saved your life.”
22 The hand of Adonai came on me there, and he said to me, “Get up, go out to the valley, and I will speak with you there.” 23 So I got up and went out to the valley. The glory of Adonai was there, like the glory I had seen by the K’var River; and I fell on my face. 24 A spirit entered me and put me on my feet. Then he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 Human being, you are going to be bound with ropes, unable to go out among the people. 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, so that you will be mute, unable to reprove them; for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth; and you will say to them, ‘This is what Adonai Elohim says.’ Whoever is inclined to listen will listen, and whoever is inclined to refuse will refuse, because they are a rebellious house.
4:1 “As for you, human being, take a clay slab, lay it down in front of you, and draw on it the city of Yerushalayim. 2 Show it under siege — build towers against it, raise earthworks against it, set up camps against it, and surround it with battering rams. 3 Then take an iron griddle and put it in place as a wall of iron between yourself and the city, and fix your gaze on it — the city is under siege, and you are the one besieging it. This will be a sign for the house of Isra’el.
4 “Next, you are to lie on your left side, and have it bear the guilt of the house of Isra’el — for as many days as you lie on your side, you will bear their guilt. 5 For I am assigning you one day for each year of their guilt; thus you are to bear the guilt of the house of Isra’el for 390 days. 6 Then, when you have finished that, you are to lie on your right side and bear the guilt of the house of Y’hudah for forty days, each day corresponding to a year; this is what I am assigning you. 7 You are to fix your gaze on the siege of Yerushalayim, and, with your arm bared, prophesy against it. 8 I am tying you down with ropes, and you are not to turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege.
9 “Take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and buckwheat; put them together in one bowl; and make bread from it. For as long as you lie on your side, 390 days, this is what you are to eat. 10 Each day the food you eat must weigh only three-quarters of a pound; you may eat it from time to time [during the day]. 11 You are also to drink a limited amount of water, two-thirds of a quart; you may drink it from time to time [during the day]. 12 [The bread] you eat is to be baked like barley cakes; you are to bake it before their eyes, using human dung as fuel.” 13 Adonai said, “This is how the people of Isra’el will eat their food — unclean — in the nations where I am driving them.” 14 I objected: “No, Adonai Elohim! I have never defiled myself — from my youth until now I have never eaten anything that died by itself or was killed by wild animals; no such disgusting food has ever entered my mouth.” 15 He answered, “All right, I will give you cow dung to use instead of human dung, and you can prepare your bread on it.”
16 He then said to me, “Human being, I am going to cut off the supply of bread in Yerushalayim, so that they will anxiously weigh out bread to eat, and, horrified, ration water to drink. 17 Finally, due to lack of bread and water, they will stare at each other in shock, wasting away because of their guilt.”
1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I counsel that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all human beings, 2 including kings and all in positions of prominence; so that we may lead quiet and peaceful lives, being godly and upright in everything. 3 This is what God, our Deliverer, regards as good; this is what meets his approval.
4 He wants all humanity to be delivered and come to full knowledge of the truth. 5 For God is one;[1 Timothy 2:5 Deuteronomy 6:4] and there is but one Mediator between God and humanity, Yeshua the Messiah, himself human, 6 who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of all, thus providing testimony to God’s purpose at just the right time. 7 This is why I myself was appointed a proclaimer, even an emissary — I am telling the truth, not lying! — a trustworthy and truthful teacher of the Goyim.
8 Therefore, it is my wish that when the men pray, no matter where, they should lift up hands that are holy — they should not become angry or get into arguments.
9 Likewise, the women, when they pray, should be dressed modestly and sensibly in respectable attire, not with elaborate hairstyles and gold jewelry, or pearls, or expensive clothes. 10 Rather, they should adorn themselves with what is appropriate for women who claim to be worshipping God, namely, good deeds.
11 Let a woman learn in peace, fully submitted; 12 but I do not permit a woman to teach a man or exercise authority over him; rather, she is to remain at peace. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Havah. 14 Also it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who, on being deceived, became involved in the transgression. 15 Nevertheless, the woman will be delivered through childbearing, provided that she continues trusting, loving and living a holy life with modesty.
3:1 Here is a statement you can trust: anyone aspiring to be a congregation leader is seeking worthwhile work. 2 A congregation leader must be above reproach, he must be faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, orderly, hospitable and able to teach. 3 He must not drink excessively or get into fights; rather, he must be kind and gentle. He must not be a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, having children who obey him with all proper respect; 5 for if a man can’t manage his own household, how will he be able to care for God’s Messianic Community? 6 He must not be a new believer, because he might become puffed up with pride and thus fall under the same judgment as did the Adversary. 7 Furthermore, he must be well regarded by outsiders, so that he won’t fall into disgrace and into the Adversary’s trap.
8 Likewise, the shammashim must be of good character, people whose word can be trusted. They must not give themselves to excessive drinking or be greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must possess the formerly hidden truth of the faith with a clean conscience. 10 And first, let them be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them be appointed shammashim. 11 Similarly, the wives must be of good character, not gossips, but temperate, faithful in everything. 12 Let the shammashim each be faithful to his wife, managing his children and household well. 13 For those who serve well as shammashim gain good standing for themselves and much boldness in the trust that comes through Yeshua the Messiah.
14 I hope to visit you soon; but I am writing these things 15 so that if I am delayed, you may know how one should behave in the household of God, which is the Messianic Community of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. 16 Great beyond all question is the formerly hidden truth underlying our faith:
He was manifested physically
    and proved righteous spiritually,
seen by angels
    and proclaimed among the nations,
trusted throughout the world
    and raised up in glory to heaven.
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The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries with Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "Help or Hinder" for Tuesday, November 15, 2016

But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God."[Mark 10:14]
I know it's a bit late for Halloween stories, but these from our readers are worth hearing.
Store one is the story of Cailynn Richards, a four-year-old girl who lives in the Indiana community of New Castle. She was totally pumped for trick-or-treating. Sadly, it never happened. Before she could go through the community she was attacked by the neighbor's dog. Although okay, she was held overnight at the hospital.
When she awoke, she was upset to hear Halloween had passed her by.
Rather than letting disappointment stand, some New Castle folks fixed things. They got costumed up, stood on 12th St., and gave candy to the little girl. Good job, New Castle!
Story two is of another little girl who, on Halloween, had to fly with her father from Boston to San Francisco. Like Richards, this girl -- due to no fault of her own -- was also going to miss the candy collection.
Understanding her disappointment, dad took charge.
He brought his daughter's donut costume on the plane and gave candy along with a note, to his fellow flyers. The note asked they drop the candy into his daughter's bucket when she came trick-or-treating down the aisle.
The people on the plane were glad to help and his daughter beamed from ear-to-ear. Good job, dad!
Story three: Many of our congregation's children will soon begin rehearsing for the children's Christmas service. That service, one of the best attended, is a great way for the young ones to learn how God's Son came to save us from our sins. That's the good news.
Here's the bad news. Almost every congregation has children who are never brought to a practice. Even so, they show up the night of the presentation expecting to participate.
From experience I can tell you it doesn't take too long before they get embarrassed. They don't know what to do or when to do it. They don't know the songs or the Scriptures. It's the kind of embarrassment that can drive the children away from their Redeemer.
So what do these stories have in common? Easy, they all feature children who are loved. In the first two, the parents and community did everything they could to make sure their children didn't miss anything.
That is not the case for story three, but it ought to be. Daily Devotioners, if you know of some parents who don't get their children to practice, give them this devotion. Help them understand the importance of seeing the wonders of God's love and grace. Help these children go stand with the shepherds and see Jesus: God's Good News of great joy.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, like You, we all want the best for the children You have given to us. Grant that we may do all we can to introduce our young ones to the Savior, the only Person who loves them more than we. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Psalms 137; Ezekiel 3-4Psalms 137:1 By the rivers of Bavel we sat down and wept
as we remembered Tziyon.
2 We had hung up our lyres
on the willows that were there,
3 when those who had taken us captive
asked us to sing them a song;
our tormentors demanded joy from us —
“Sing us one of the songs from Tziyon!”
4 How can we sing a song about Adonai
here on foreign soil?
5 If I forget you, Yerushalayim,
may my right hand wither away!
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I fail to count Yerushalayim
the greatest of all my joys.
7 Remember, Adonai, against the people of Edom
the day of Yerushalayim’s fall,
how they cried, “Tear it down! Tear it down!
Raze it to the ground!”
8 Daughter of Bavel, you will be destroyed!
A blessing on anyone who pays you back
for the way you treated us!
9 A blessing on anyone who seizes your babies
and smashes them against a rock!
Ezekiel 3:1 He said to me, “Human being, eat what you see in front of you; eat this scroll. Then go and speak to the house of Isra’el.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat, 3 as he said, “Human being, eat this scroll I am giving you; fill your insides with it.” When I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey.
4 “Human being,” he said to me, “go to the house of Isra’el, and speak my words to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people with a difficult language and unintelligible speech, but to the house of Isra’el — 6 not to many peoples with difficult languages and unintelligible speech, whose words you can’t understand when you hear them. Without doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. 7 But the house of Isra’el will not be willing to listen to you, because they aren’t willing to listen to me; since all the house of Isra’el are obstinate and hardhearted. 8 However, I am making you as defiant and obstinate as they are. 9 Yes, I am making your resoluteness harder than flint, as hard as a diamond. So don’t be afraid of them or depressed by how they look at you, because they are a rebellious house.”
10 Then he said to me, “Human being, receive in your heart and hear with your ears all my words that I speak to you. 11 Then go to the exiles, to your countrymen; and speak to them. Tell them, ‘Here is what Adonai Elohim, says,’ whether they listen or not.”
12 A spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a very loud sound — blessed be the glory of Adonai from his place! 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they beat against each other, and the sound of the wheels next to them, a very loud sound. 14 So a spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and the heat of my spirit, with the hand of Adonai strong on me.
15 I went to the exiles who were living in Tel-Aviv, by the K’var River and stayed with them there in a stupefied state for seven days. 16 After seven days the word of Adonai came to me: 17 “Human being, I have appointed you to be a watchman for the house of Isra’el. When you hear a word from my mouth, you are to warn them for me. 18 If I say to a wicked person, ‘You will certainly die’; and you fail to warn him, to speak and warn the wicked person to leave his wicked way and save his life; then that wicked person will die guilty; and I will hold you responsible for his death. 19 On the other hand, if you warn the wicked person, and he doesn’t turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, then he will still die guilty; but you will have saved your own life. 20 Similarly, when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, I will place a stumblingblock before him — he will die; because you failed to warn him, he will die in his sin; his righteous acts which he did will not be remembered; and I will hold you responsible for his death. 21 But if you warn the righteous person that a righteous person should not sin, and he doesn’t sin; then he will certainly live, because he took the warning; and you too will have saved your life.”
22 The hand of Adonai came on me there, and he said to me, “Get up, go out to the valley, and I will speak with you there.” 23 So I got up and went out to the valley. The glory of Adonai was there, like the glory I had seen by the K’var River; and I fell on my face. 24 A spirit entered me and put me on my feet. Then he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 Human being, you are going to be bound with ropes, unable to go out among the people. 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, so that you will be mute, unable to reprove them; for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth; and you will say to them, ‘This is what Adonai Elohim says.’ Whoever is inclined to listen will listen, and whoever is inclined to refuse will refuse, because they are a rebellious house.
4:1 “As for you, human being, take a clay slab, lay it down in front of you, and draw on it the city of Yerushalayim. 2 Show it under siege — build towers against it, raise earthworks against it, set up camps against it, and surround it with battering rams. 3 Then take an iron griddle and put it in place as a wall of iron between yourself and the city, and fix your gaze on it — the city is under siege, and you are the one besieging it. This will be a sign for the house of Isra’el.
4 “Next, you are to lie on your left side, and have it bear the guilt of the house of Isra’el — for as many days as you lie on your side, you will bear their guilt. 5 For I am assigning you one day for each year of their guilt; thus you are to bear the guilt of the house of Isra’el for 390 days. 6 Then, when you have finished that, you are to lie on your right side and bear the guilt of the house of Y’hudah for forty days, each day corresponding to a year; this is what I am assigning you. 7 You are to fix your gaze on the siege of Yerushalayim, and, with your arm bared, prophesy against it. 8 I am tying you down with ropes, and you are not to turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege.
9 “Take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and buckwheat; put them together in one bowl; and make bread from it. For as long as you lie on your side, 390 days, this is what you are to eat. 10 Each day the food you eat must weigh only three-quarters of a pound; you may eat it from time to time [during the day]. 11 You are also to drink a limited amount of water, two-thirds of a quart; you may drink it from time to time [during the day]. 12 [The bread] you eat is to be baked like barley cakes; you are to bake it before their eyes, using human dung as fuel.” 13 Adonai said, “This is how the people of Isra’el will eat their food — unclean — in the nations where I am driving them.” 14 I objected: “No, Adonai Elohim! I have never defiled myself — from my youth until now I have never eaten anything that died by itself or was killed by wild animals; no such disgusting food has ever entered my mouth.” 15 He answered, “All right, I will give you cow dung to use instead of human dung, and you can prepare your bread on it.”
16 He then said to me, “Human being, I am going to cut off the supply of bread in Yerushalayim, so that they will anxiously weigh out bread to eat, and, horrified, ration water to drink. 17 Finally, due to lack of bread and water, they will stare at each other in shock, wasting away because of their guilt.”

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