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Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour "Don't Let Anyone or Anything Steal Christ's Life from YOU!" for Monday, May 8, 2017
John 10:10 - (Jesus said) "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
I'm listening to a commercial today about a new alarm system. They say it works better than any other. They say it is easy to install, easy to use, easy to have monitored, so that your home can be safe when you are gone, safe when you are asleep -- safe all the way around. If that could only be true. It seems that thieves are always one step ahead of our best inventions and our best intentions.
That's what Jesus is getting at today. There are more ominous thieves than those who can break in and steal things that are precious to you. There are thieves that can steal what is more precious than gold, more precious than silver; they are the thieves that steal your heart and your soul away from the living God.
Jesus actually talks about that when he says, "Don't fear the ones who can kill the body but not the soul, fear the one who can destroy both your body and soul in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
Wow! I wonder if anyone thinks about that at all today. I wonder if anyone takes that Word of Jesus to heart today.
Said another way, don't let anyone steal the abundant life that Jesus wants you to have in Him.
So many are hell-bent on protecting their treasures of material wealth, but we are leaving the doors of our souls unlocked or, worse, wide open.
When you seek to live life merely for personal pleasures, personal gains, your soul is wide open to the tempter. And by the time you realize that, it may be too late to reclaim anything of value. When you work yourselves to death as if you can build a treasure trove of security for retirement, that soul is often wide open to neglecting your spirit life all along. The tragedy of that is that you don't have control today or in retirement. Life has too many ups and downs beyond our control. But even if you have control today -- at least in your mind -- that's merely a sedative that dulls you to the end of all human sinful life: death. Death is this sinful world's constant; it's the last enemy; it's the final bargain we all lose when it comes to living life on our own, the greatest temptation of all.
Jesus talks straight today. He says that in the face of death, there is a way, there is the truth, there is the life waiting for all who come to Him in repentance and faith. It's not a bargain; it's not sleight of hand. Jesus earned the right to say this to you and me when He died our death to give us His life. Don't let anyone tell you that there is anything in heaven and earth greater than this offer of life and salvation in Him. Thieves ... robbers ... or Jesus Christ? When it comes to your soul, He alone is not only abundant protection, He's abundant blessing.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, give me the eyes of faith to see the difference of the life that You have for me by faith so that I might never be tempted to relinquish it to the false promises of another. Amen.
In Christ,Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Readings: 2 Samuel 1-2; Luke 24:36-532 Samuel 1:1 Sha’ul had died, and David had been two days in Ziklag after returning from the slaughter of the ‘Amaleki. 2 On the third day, there came a man from Sha’ul’s camp with his clothes torn and earth on his head. He approached David, fell to the ground and prostrated himself. 3 David said to him, “Where are you coming from?” “I escaped from the camp of Isra’el,” he replied. 4 “Tell me, please, how did things go?” asked David. “The people have fled the battle,” he answered, “and many of them are wounded or dead. Sha’ul and Y’honatan his son are dead too.” 5 David asked the young man who had told him this, “How do you know that Sha’ul and Y’honatan his son are dead?” 6 The young man who had told him said, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa when I saw Sha’ul leaning on his spear. The chariots and cavalry were bearing down on him. 7 He looked behind him, saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ and I answered, ‘I’m an ‘Amaleki’ 9 He said to me, ‘I’m in agony, and I’m going to die, but I’m still alive. So please, stand next to me; and kill me.’ 10 So I stood next to him and killed him, because I was sure he was so badly wounded that he couldn’t live. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and likewise all the men who were with him. 12 They wailed and cried, and they fasted until evening for Sha’ul, for Y’honatan his son, for Adonai’s people and for the house of Isra’el; because they had fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who had told him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I’m the son of a [resident] foreigner, an ‘Amaleki.” 14 David asked him, “How is it that you weren’t afraid to raise your hand to destroy Adonai’s anointed?” 15 David called one of his young men and said, “Go over to him, and kill him.” The man struck him down, and he died. 16 David said to him, “Your blood is on your own head. Your own mouth convicted you when you said, ‘I killed Adonai’s anointed.’”
17 Then David pronounced this lament over Sha’ul and over Y’honatan his son, 18 in order to teach the people of Y’hudah [not to underestimate] archery (the lament has been written down in the book of Yashar):
19 “Your glory, Isra’el, lies dead on your high places!
How the heroes have fallen!
20 Don’t speak of it in Gat;
don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon;
then the daughters of the P’lishtim won’t rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised won’t gloat.
21 “Mountains of Gilboa — may there be on you
no dew, no rain, no fields with good crops;
because there the shields of the heroes were dishonored,
the shield of Sha’ul was no longer rubbed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the dead, from the flesh of heroes,
the bow of Y’honatan did not retreat
or the sword of Sha’ul return unsatisfied.
23 Sha’ul and Y’honatan, loved and gracious while alive,
were not separated even in death;
they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24 “Daughters of Isra’el, weep over Sha’ul!
He clothed you luxuriously in scarlet
and put gold jewelry on your clothing.
25 “How the heroes have fallen in the heat of battle,
Y’honatan killed on your high places!
26 I grieve for you, my brother Y’honatan,
you meant so much to me!
Your love for me was deeper
than the love of women.
27 How the heroes have fallen
and the weapons of war perished”
2:1 After this, David consulted Adonai; he asked, “Should I go up into any of the cities of Y’hudah?” Adonai said to him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go up?” He said, “To Hevron.” 2 So David went up there with his two wives Achino‘am from Yizre‘el and Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel. 3 David brought the men up with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hevron.
4 Then the men of Y’hudah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Y’hudah. They informed David that the men of Yavesh-Gil‘ad were the ones who had buried Sha’ul. 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Yavesh-Gil‘ad with this message: “May you be blessed by Adonai, because you showed this kindness to your lord, Sha’ul, and buried him. 6 Now may Adonai show kindness and truth to you; and I too will show you favor because you have done this. 7 Be strong, and be brave. Sha’ul your lord is dead, but the house of Y’hudah have anointed me king over them.”
8 Avner the son of Ner, commander of Sha’ul’s army, had taken Ish-Boshet the son of Sha’ul, brought him over to Machanayim, 9 and made him king over Gil‘ad, the Ashuri, Yizre‘el, Efrayim, Binyamin and all Isra’el. 10 Ish-Boshet the son of Sha’ul was forty years old when he began to rule over Isra’el, and he ruled for two years. But the house of Y’hudah followed David. 11 David was king in Hevron over the house of Y’hudah for seven years and six months.
12 Avner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Boshet the son of Sha’ul went out from Machanayim to Giv‘on; 13 while Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah and David’s servants also went out; and they met together by the pool at Giv‘on. One group sat down on one side of the pool and the other on the other side. 14 Avner said to Yo’av, “If it’s all right with you, let’s have the young men get up and fight it out between themselves, while we watch.” Yo’av said, “Yes, let them.” 15 So they got up and paired off, twelve for Binyamin and Ish-Boshet the son of Sha’ul, and twelve of David’s servants. 16 Each one grabbed his partner by the head and drove his sword into his side, so that they fell down together. For this reason that place was named Helkat-Hatzurim [field of blades]; it is in Giv‘on. 17 The battle that day was very fierce; Avner and the men of Isra’el were beaten by David’s servants.
18 The three sons of Tz’ruyah were there, Yo’av, Avishai and ‘Asah’el. ‘Asah’el was as fleet-footed as a gazelle in an open field. 19 ‘Asah’el chased Avner, going straight for him, veering neither right nor left. 20 Avner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, ‘Asah’el?” “Yes, it is,” he answered. 21 Avner said to him, “Turn off to your right or your left, catch one of the young men and take his armor.” But ‘Asah’el wouldn’t turn aside and kept following him. 22 Avner said again to ‘Asah’el, “Turn aside and stop following me! Why should I kill you? If I did, how could I look your brother Yo’av in the eye?” 23 But he still refused to turn aside; so Avner stabbed him in the groin with the back end of the spear, so that the shaft protruded behind him. He fell down and died on the spot. Everyone who came to the place where ‘Asah’el lay dead stopped there.
24 Yo’av and Avishai continued in pursuit of Avner; the sun went down when they arrived at Amah Hill, across from Giach along the Giv‘on Desert road. 25 The people of Binyamin gathered themselves together into a phalanx behind Avner and stood on top of a hill. 26 Then Avner called out to Yo’av, “Must the sword go on devouring forever? Don’t you know that in the end it can produce only bitterness? How long will it be, then, before you tell the people to quit pursuing their brothers?” 27 Yo’av said, “As God lives, if you hadn’t said something, there is no doubt that the people would have kept following their brothers all night long.” 28 Then Yo’av sounded the shofar, and with that the people halted. They stopped pursuing Isra’el, and they stopped fighting.
29 Avner and his men went through the ‘Aravah all that night; they crossed the Yarden, went through all of Bitron and arrived at Machanayim. 30 Yo’av returned from following Avner. When he brought the troops together for review, nineteen of David’s servants were missing, along with ‘Asah’el. 31 But David’s servants had killed 360 of Avner’s men of Binyamin. 32 They took ‘Asah’el and buried him in his father’s tomb in Beit-Lechem. Then Yo’av and his men marched all night, so that they reached Hevron at daybreak.
Luke 24:36 They were still talking about it when — there he was, standing among them! 37 Startled and terrified, they thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But he said to them, “Why are you so upset? Why are these doubts welling up inside you? 39 Look at my hands and my feet — it is I, myself! Touch me and see — a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you can see I do.” 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 While they were still unable to believe it for joy and stood there dumbfounded, he said to them, “Have you something here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 which he took and ate in their presence.
44 Yeshua said to them, “This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about me in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds, so that they could understand the Tanakh, 46 telling them, “Here is what it says: the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day; 47 and in his name repentance leading to forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to people from all nations, starting with Yerushalayim. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 Now I am sending forth upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been equipped with power from above.”
50 He led them out toward Beit-Anyah; then, raising his hands, he said a b’rakhah over them; 51 and as he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 They bowed in worship to him, then returned to Yerushalayim, overflowing with joy. 53 And they spent all their time in the Temple courts, praising God.-------
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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