Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "The Catch" for Saturday, July 21, 2018
1 Corinthians 2:14 - The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.It's difficult for us to imagine what was in the minds of the Melanesian natives when they saw American and British engineers descend upon their islands and clear the ground for airstrips.
It was World War II, and these people -- almost untouched by civilization -- must have been amazed. They were even more astonished to see giant silver birds begin to land: planes that came out of nowhere, planes whose bellies were bulging with every imaginable commodity.
With considerable faith and an eye for detail, the natives began to build their own airstrips.
They had every confidence that when they were done, the cargo planes would bestow heaven-sent goodies upon them as well. They cut down trees, moved rocks, ripped out vegetation for their runways. When the islanders were done, they waited, but no planes came.
Which is why the natives looked around for something they had missed. Finally, one bright individual figured out what they had done wrong. They had nobody in the control tower. So they put an individual in the control tower and gave him headphones made out of coconut shells. They had been sincere in their belief, but their sincerity wasn't enough.
You see, belief, when it is belief in a wrong thing, is never enough.
Most people, when they hear about the Melanesian cargo cult shake their heads in disbelief. "How," they ask, "can anyone fall for such foolishness?" Even the uncivilized eye ought to know complex bits of machinery like airplanes and guns have to be made by someone. They just don't fall magically from the heavens. Then, sort of smugly, they add, "I'm glad I'm not that naïve or gullible."
Unfortunately, many of them are that gullible, but in different areas.
For example, how many people do you know who believe that this universe, which is far more complicated than any cannon or aircraft, just happened, without any divine intervention? How many people think judgment for their sins will never happen and, if it does, they will be found guiltless?
The truth is this: we, and all around us, have a Creator. The Creator who made all things perfect is justly displeased that we have made a mess of things and deserve to be punished. Yes, we deserve punishment, but our Maker would prefer to offer us forgiveness and eternal life. To that end, He promised to send His Son to take our place and keep the Laws we had broken. God's plan said Jesus would take our sins and carry them to His death where He would pay the penalty we had deserved.
His Son's life, death, and resurrection are proof the Creator's promise has been fulfilled, and the plan is real, sufficient, and able to save all who are brought to faith in the Redeemer.
And that is the catch, isn't it? People still have to believe. They still have to believe in the right thing. This is why Lutheran Hour Ministries and your church try to reach out to those who -- like the natives in the story above -- are still believing the wrong thing.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks the Holy Spirit has called me to faith in the Redeemer. Now I pray for those who are still in darkness. While there is time, may they be allowed to see all You have done for them. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Psalms 1-2, 10; Acts 16:22-40
Psalms 1:1 How blessed are those
who reject the advice of the wicked,
don’t stand on the way of sinners
or sit where scoffers sit!
2 Their delight
is in Adonai’s Torah;
on his Torah they meditate
day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams —
they bear their fruit in season,
their leaves never wither,
everything they do succeeds.
4 Not so the wicked,
who are like chaff driven by the wind.
5 For this reason the wicked
won’t stand up to the judgment,
nor will sinners
at the gathering of the righteous.
6 For Adonai watches over
the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked
is doomed.
2:1 Why are the nations in an uproar,
the peoples grumbling in vain?
2 The earth’s kings are taking positions,
leaders conspiring together,
against Adonai
and his anointed.
3 They cry, “Let’s break their fetters!
Let’s throw off their chains!”
4 He who sits in heaven laughs;
Adonai looks at them in derision.
5 Then in his anger he rebukes them,
terrifies them in his fury.
6 “I myself have installed my king
on Tziyon, my holy mountain.”
7 “I will proclaim the decree:
Adonai said to me,
‘You are my son;
today I became your father.
8 Ask of me, and I will make
the nations your inheritance;
the whole wide world
will be your possession.
9 You will break them with an iron rod,
shatter them like a clay pot.’”
10 Therefore, kings, be wise;
be warned, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve Adonai with fear;
rejoice, but with trembling.
12 Kiss the son, lest he be angry,
and you perish along the way,
when suddenly his anger blazes.
How blessed are all who take refuge in him.
10:1 Why, Adonai, do you stand at a distance?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in their arrogance hunt down the poor,
who get caught in the schemes they think up.
3 For the wicked boasts about his lusts;
he blesses greed and despises Adonai.
4 Every scheme of the wicked in his arrogance [says],
“There is no God, [so] it won’t be held against me.”
5 His ways prosper at all times.
Your judgments are way up there,
so he takes no notice.
His adversaries? He scoffs at them all.
6 In his heart he thinks, “I will never be shaken;
I won’t meet trouble, not now or ever.”
7 His mouth is full of curses, deceit, oppression;
under his tongue, mischief and injustice.
8 He waits near settlements in ambush
and kills an innocent man in secret;
his eyes are on the hunt for the helpless.
9 Lurking unseen like a lion in his lair,
he lies in wait to pounce on the poor,
then seizes the poor and drags him off in his net.
10 Yes, he stoops, crouches down low;
and the helpless wretch falls into his clutches.
11 He says in his heart, “God forgets,
he hides his face, he will never see.”
12 Arise, Adonai! God, raise your hand!
Don’t forget the humble!
13 Why does the wicked despise God
and say in his heart, “It won’t be held against me”?
14 You have seen; for you look at mischief and grief,
so that you can take the matter in hand.
The helpless commits himself to you;
you help the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked!
As for the evil man,
search out his wickedness
until there is none left.
16 Adonai is king forever and ever!
The nations have vanished from his land.
17 Adonai, you have heard what the humble want;
you encourage them and listen to them,
18 to give justice to the fatherless and oppressed,
so that no one on earth will strike terror again.
Acts 16:22 The mob joined in the attack against them, and the judges tore their clothes off them and ordered that they be flogged. 23 After giving them a severe beating, they threw them in prison, charging the jailer to guard them securely. 24 Upon receiving such an order, he threw them into the inner cell and clamped their feet securely between heavy blocks of wood.
25 Around midnight, Sha’ul and Sila were praying and singing hymns to God, while the other prisoners listened attentively. 26 Suddenly there was a violent earthquake which shook the prison to its foundations. All the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer awoke, and when he saw the doors open he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, for he assumed that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Sha’ul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!”
29 Calling for lights, the jailer ran in, began to tremble and fell down in front of Sha’ul and Sila. 30 Then, leading them outside, he said, “Men, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Trust in the Lord Yeshua, and you will be saved — you and your household!” 32 Whereupon they told him and everyone in his household the message about the Lord.
33 Then, even at that late hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed off their wounds; and without delay, he and all his people were immersed. 34 After that, he brought them up to his house and set food in front of them; and he and his entire household celebrated their having come to trust in God.
35 The next morning, the judges sent police officers with the order, “Release those men.” 36 The jailer told Sha’ul, “The judges have sent word to release both of you. So come out, and go on your way in peace.” 37 But Sha’ul said to the officers, “After flogging us in public when we hadn’t been convicted of any crime and are Roman citizens, they threw us in prison. Now they want to get rid of us secretly? Oh, no! Let them come and escort us out themselves!”
38 The officers reported these words to the judges, who became frightened when they heard that Sha’ul and Sila were Roman citizens. 39 They came and apologized to them; then, after escorting them out, requested them to leave the city. 40 From the prison they went to Lydia’s house, and after seeing and encouraging the brothers they departed. (Complete Jewish Bible).
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.
Share this email:
No comments:
Post a Comment