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2 Timothy 2:22 - So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Looking back on our teenaged years, most of us must confess there were times that we did things which weren't too smart. We may have stayed up too late, partied too long, drove too fast, hung with the wrong kind of friends, and ingested things which should have remained untouched.
Most of us did those things because at the time they seemed harmless, or if they didn't seem harmless, they seemed like things we could do and survive.
Confessing all that, I have to admit I'm confused by the five teens in Michigan who occupied their time throwing rocks from a highway overpass on the traffic underneath them.
I'm confused. Was the purpose of the experience to hit the cars, miss the cars, or see how close they could come to the cars?
How long was the "game" to be played? How did they keep score? How did they know who won?
Yes, I have some questions.
Sadly, they are probably all questions that will go unanswered. You see, one of those young men threw a six-pound rock over the side of the overpass, and it went through the windshield of the car in which construction worker Kenneth White was driving.
White, the father of a five-year-old son, was killed by the stone.
The five teens that were playing the game have been arrested and are charged with second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and other violations. The young man who threw the rock is being tried as an adult, and if he is found guilty, could spend the rest of his life in jail.
What a terrible waste. How much better it would have been for everybody if that Scripture above would have been heard.
A long time ago, I heard of a company that was hiring a truck driver who would be traveling some narrow mountain roads. Three men applied and the first was asked, "How close to the edge can you drive?"
The driver thought and said, "A foot away."
The second driver was asked the same question. He also thought before he answered: "I can drive comfortably six inches from the edge of the road and the drop off."
The third driver fielded the same question by replying, "I don't drive close to the edge."
The answer of driver number three was the right one, and he got the job. It is also the right answer when it comes to temptation. In other words, those of us who have seen the sacrifice of the Savior, who know what Jesus suffered to win our forgiveness, do not honor Him by flirting with temptation.
Rather than seeing how close we can get to sin, we do our best to stay as far away as possible.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant that our young people may make wise decisions. Keep them from friends who would lead them away from You. May all of us realize the wisdom in avoiding temptation rather than flirting with it. This we ask in the Name of our crucified and ever-living Savior. Amen.
The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written by Arden Dier for Newser on October 25, 2017. Those who wish to reference that article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written: click here.
2 Timothy 2:22 - So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Looking back on our teenaged years, most of us must confess there were times that we did things which weren't too smart. We may have stayed up too late, partied too long, drove too fast, hung with the wrong kind of friends, and ingested things which should have remained untouched.
Most of us did those things because at the time they seemed harmless, or if they didn't seem harmless, they seemed like things we could do and survive.
Confessing all that, I have to admit I'm confused by the five teens in Michigan who occupied their time throwing rocks from a highway overpass on the traffic underneath them.
I'm confused. Was the purpose of the experience to hit the cars, miss the cars, or see how close they could come to the cars?
How long was the "game" to be played? How did they keep score? How did they know who won?
Yes, I have some questions.
Sadly, they are probably all questions that will go unanswered. You see, one of those young men threw a six-pound rock over the side of the overpass, and it went through the windshield of the car in which construction worker Kenneth White was driving.
White, the father of a five-year-old son, was killed by the stone.
The five teens that were playing the game have been arrested and are charged with second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and other violations. The young man who threw the rock is being tried as an adult, and if he is found guilty, could spend the rest of his life in jail.
What a terrible waste. How much better it would have been for everybody if that Scripture above would have been heard.
A long time ago, I heard of a company that was hiring a truck driver who would be traveling some narrow mountain roads. Three men applied and the first was asked, "How close to the edge can you drive?"
The driver thought and said, "A foot away."
The second driver was asked the same question. He also thought before he answered: "I can drive comfortably six inches from the edge of the road and the drop off."
The third driver fielded the same question by replying, "I don't drive close to the edge."
The answer of driver number three was the right one, and he got the job. It is also the right answer when it comes to temptation. In other words, those of us who have seen the sacrifice of the Savior, who know what Jesus suffered to win our forgiveness, do not honor Him by flirting with temptation.
Rather than seeing how close we can get to sin, we do our best to stay as far away as possible.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant that our young people may make wise decisions. Keep them from friends who would lead them away from You. May all of us realize the wisdom in avoiding temptation rather than flirting with it. This we ask in the Name of our crucified and ever-living Savior. Amen.
The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written by Arden Dier for Newser on October 25, 2017. Those who wish to reference that article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written: click here.
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 14-15; 2 Timothy 1Ezekiel 14:1 Then certain of Isra’el’s leaders came to me; and while they were sitting with me, 2 the word of Adonai came to me: 3 “Human being, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, thus setting in front of themselves the stumblingblock that leads to sin. Should I let them consult me at all? 4 Therefore speak to them, and tell them that Adonai Elohim says, ‘Everyone in the house of Isra’el who takes his idols into his heart, thus setting in front of himself the stumblingblock that leads to sin, and then comes to the prophet, I myself, Adonai, will answer him in a manner suited to his many idols, 5 in order to grab hold of the house of Isra’el in their hearts; since, through their idols, they have all fallen away from me.’
6 “Therefore say to the house of Isra’el that Adonai Elohim says, ‘Repent! Turn yourselves away from your idols, turn your faces away from all your disgusting practices! 7 For everyone, whether from the house of Isra’el or a foreigner living in Isra’el, who separates himself from me and takes his idols into his heart, thus setting in front of himself the stumblingblock that leads to sin, and then comes to the prophet, asking him to consult me for him, I myself, Adonai, will answer him. 8 I will set my face against that person, make him a warning sign and an example, and cut him off from my people. Then you will know that I am Adonai.
9 “‘Now, whenever a prophet is enticed into speaking a word, it will be I, Adonai, who will have enticed that prophet. I will stretch out my hand over him and destroy him from among my people Isra’el. 10 The prophets will bear the guilt for their sins — the sin of the prophet will be the same as the sin of the inquirer — 11 so that the house of Isra’el will no longer wander away from me or defile themselves with all their crimes; rather, they will be my people and I will be their God,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
12 The word of Adonai came to me: 13 “Human being, when a land sins against me by dealing treacherously with me, so that I stretch out my hand over it and break off its food supply, sending it famine and eliminating both its humans and its animals; 14 even if these three men were in it — Noach, Dani’el and Iyov — they would by their righteousness save only themselves,” says Adonai Elohim.
15 “If I unleash wild beasts on the land, and they kill its children and desolate it, so that no one can pass through because of the animals; 16 even if these three men were in it, as I live,” says Adonai Elohim, “they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved, and the land would remain barren.
17 “Or if I bring the sword down on that land, saying, ‘Let the sword pass through the land,’ so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals; 18 even if these three men were in it, as I live,” says Adonai Elohim, “they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved.
19 “Or if I bring a plague into that land and pour out my fury on it in bloodshed, so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals; 20 even if Noach, Dani’el and Iyov were in it, as I live,” says Adonai Elohim, “they would save neither a son nor a daughter; they would save only themselves by their righteousness.”
21 For here is what Adonai Elohim says: “Even if I inflict my four dreadful judgments on Yerushalayim — sword, famine, wild animals and plagues — to eliminate both its humans and its animals; 22 there will still be left a remnant in it to be brought out, including both sons and daughters. When they come out to you, and you see their way of life and how they act, then you will be consoled over the calamity I have brought upon Yerushalayim, over everything I have done to it. 23 Yes, they will console you when you see their way of life and how they act; and you will understand that it was not without good reason that I did what I did in [Yerushalayim],” says Adonai Elohim.
15:1 The word of Adonai came to me:
2 “Human being, why should wood from a grapevine be better
than some other kind of wood,
than some branch that one might find
among the trees of the forest?
3 Its wood can’t be used to make anything,
not even a pin on which to hang a pot.
4 So now it is thrown in the fire as fuel,
the fire consumes both ends of it,
and the middle of it is singed —
is it useful now for making something?
5 When it was whole, it was good for nothing;
so how much less, when the fire
has consumed it, and it is singed,
will it be useful for making something!
6 “So Adonai Elohim says this:
‘Like wood from the vine among the trees of the forest,
which I consign to the fire as fuel,
so I give those living in Yerushalayim.
7 I will set my face against them —
they may have escaped one fire,
but the fire will consume them yet.
When I set my face against them,
you will know that I am Adonai.
8 I will make the land desolate
because they have dealt so treacherously,’
says Adonai Elohim.”
2 Timothy 1:1 From: Sha’ul, an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua by God’s will, which holds forth a promise of life through being united with Messiah Yeshua
2 To: Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and shalom from God the Father and the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.
3 I give thanks to God, whom, like my forbears, I worship with a clean conscience, as I regularly remember you in my prayers night and day. 4 I am reminded of your tears, and I long to see you, so that I might be filled with joy. 5 I recall your sincere trust, the same trust that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice had first; and I am convinced that you too now have this trust.
6 For this reason, I am reminding you to fan the flame of God’s gift, which you received through s’mikhah from me. 7 For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline. 8 So don’t be ashamed of bearing testimony to our Lord or to me, his prisoner. On the contrary, accept your share in suffering disgrace for the sake of the Good News. God will give you the strength for it, 9 since he delivered us and called us to a life of holiness as his people. It was not because of our deeds, but because of his own purpose and the grace which he gave to us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He did this before the beginning of time, 10 but made it public only now through the appearing of our Deliverer, the Messiah Yeshua, who abolished death and, through the Good News, revealed life and immortality.
11 It was for this Good News that I was appointed a proclaimer, emissary and teacher of the Goyim; 12 and this is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know him in whom I have put my trust, and I am persuaded that he can keep safe until that Day what he has entrusted to me. 13 Follow the pattern of the sound teachings you have heard from me, with trust and the love which is yours in the Messiah Yeshua. 14 Keep safe the great treasure that has been entrusted to you, with the help of the Ruach HaKodesh, who lives in us.
15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia turned away from me, including Phygelus and Ermogenes. 16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he was often a comfort to me and was not ashamed of my being in prison. 17 On the contrary, when he came to Rome, he diligently searched for me and found me. 18 May the Lord grant it to him to find mercy from Adonai on that Day. And you know very well how much he helped me in Ephesus.
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9 “‘Now, whenever a prophet is enticed into speaking a word, it will be I, Adonai, who will have enticed that prophet. I will stretch out my hand over him and destroy him from among my people Isra’el. 10 The prophets will bear the guilt for their sins — the sin of the prophet will be the same as the sin of the inquirer — 11 so that the house of Isra’el will no longer wander away from me or defile themselves with all their crimes; rather, they will be my people and I will be their God,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
12 The word of Adonai came to me: 13 “Human being, when a land sins against me by dealing treacherously with me, so that I stretch out my hand over it and break off its food supply, sending it famine and eliminating both its humans and its animals; 14 even if these three men were in it — Noach, Dani’el and Iyov — they would by their righteousness save only themselves,” says Adonai Elohim.
15 “If I unleash wild beasts on the land, and they kill its children and desolate it, so that no one can pass through because of the animals; 16 even if these three men were in it, as I live,” says Adonai Elohim, “they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved, and the land would remain barren.
17 “Or if I bring the sword down on that land, saying, ‘Let the sword pass through the land,’ so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals; 18 even if these three men were in it, as I live,” says Adonai Elohim, “they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved.
19 “Or if I bring a plague into that land and pour out my fury on it in bloodshed, so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals; 20 even if Noach, Dani’el and Iyov were in it, as I live,” says Adonai Elohim, “they would save neither a son nor a daughter; they would save only themselves by their righteousness.”
21 For here is what Adonai Elohim says: “Even if I inflict my four dreadful judgments on Yerushalayim — sword, famine, wild animals and plagues — to eliminate both its humans and its animals; 22 there will still be left a remnant in it to be brought out, including both sons and daughters. When they come out to you, and you see their way of life and how they act, then you will be consoled over the calamity I have brought upon Yerushalayim, over everything I have done to it. 23 Yes, they will console you when you see their way of life and how they act; and you will understand that it was not without good reason that I did what I did in [Yerushalayim],” says Adonai Elohim.
15:1 The word of Adonai came to me:
2 “Human being, why should wood from a grapevine be better
than some other kind of wood,
than some branch that one might find
among the trees of the forest?
3 Its wood can’t be used to make anything,
not even a pin on which to hang a pot.
4 So now it is thrown in the fire as fuel,
the fire consumes both ends of it,
and the middle of it is singed —
is it useful now for making something?
5 When it was whole, it was good for nothing;
so how much less, when the fire
has consumed it, and it is singed,
will it be useful for making something!
6 “So Adonai Elohim says this:
‘Like wood from the vine among the trees of the forest,
which I consign to the fire as fuel,
so I give those living in Yerushalayim.
7 I will set my face against them —
they may have escaped one fire,
but the fire will consume them yet.
When I set my face against them,
you will know that I am Adonai.
8 I will make the land desolate
because they have dealt so treacherously,’
says Adonai Elohim.”
2 Timothy 1:1 From: Sha’ul, an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua by God’s will, which holds forth a promise of life through being united with Messiah Yeshua
2 To: Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and shalom from God the Father and the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.
3 I give thanks to God, whom, like my forbears, I worship with a clean conscience, as I regularly remember you in my prayers night and day. 4 I am reminded of your tears, and I long to see you, so that I might be filled with joy. 5 I recall your sincere trust, the same trust that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice had first; and I am convinced that you too now have this trust.
6 For this reason, I am reminding you to fan the flame of God’s gift, which you received through s’mikhah from me. 7 For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline. 8 So don’t be ashamed of bearing testimony to our Lord or to me, his prisoner. On the contrary, accept your share in suffering disgrace for the sake of the Good News. God will give you the strength for it, 9 since he delivered us and called us to a life of holiness as his people. It was not because of our deeds, but because of his own purpose and the grace which he gave to us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He did this before the beginning of time, 10 but made it public only now through the appearing of our Deliverer, the Messiah Yeshua, who abolished death and, through the Good News, revealed life and immortality.
11 It was for this Good News that I was appointed a proclaimer, emissary and teacher of the Goyim; 12 and this is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know him in whom I have put my trust, and I am persuaded that he can keep safe until that Day what he has entrusted to me. 13 Follow the pattern of the sound teachings you have heard from me, with trust and the love which is yours in the Messiah Yeshua. 14 Keep safe the great treasure that has been entrusted to you, with the help of the Ruach HaKodesh, who lives in us.
15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia turned away from me, including Phygelus and Ermogenes. 16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he was often a comfort to me and was not ashamed of my being in prison. 17 On the contrary, when he came to Rome, he diligently searched for me and found me. 18 May the Lord grant it to him to find mercy from Adonai on that Day. And you know very well how much he helped me in Ephesus.
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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.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
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