Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Wrong Direction"

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

The coming of death is almost always sad. It is especially tragic if it could have been avoided. That was the case for Arnold Dobson and Harold Most. They died in the summer heat of the Death Valley area. The authorities found their bodies a number of miles from their car. When their vehicle broke down, they had decided to walk back to a ranch house 30 miles distant. They went the wrong way. Just a mile in the other direction was a grove of willows and a spring.

That story made the news, but I know of many similar situations that go totally unreported. Each day there are thousands of people who are risking their lives by heading the wrong direction. They think they can find peace and happiness in drugs, financial security, work, alcohol, or human relationships. They are headed the wrong way.

As a Christian, I not only believe, but also have seen with my own eyes, that salvation and life can be found by following the Lord's path. Today, allow me to say, "If you know of somebody who's headed the wrong direction, won't you in love, gently point them to the water of eternal life: Jesus, the Savior."

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Lump Of Lead"

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11 (KJV)

It is September, and this is a devotion about Christmas.

Don’t blame me for the topic; I’m not responsible. Blame the great news-reporting giant: Time. Last week they featured a consumer story, which was entitled: – This Christmas A Lump of Lead.

Some years ago I remember, the vice-president of a large company who made the September prediction: “This year has the possibility of being the best Christmas ever.” I ended up preaching a sermon, which said the first Christmas, the birth-of-Jesus Christmas had been the best Christmas in history.

But this article wasn’t promising a good Christmas. On the contrary, it began by referring to the 19-million toys, which had been recalled by Mattel. It told of how the largest toy recall in history had sent shockwaves throughout the entire toy-making industry. Companies which had experienced no difficulties, which had no playthings which might be swallowed by small children, which had chalked up no examples of items unsafe lead paint were afraid of consumer fallout. As a result, they were thinking that this Christmas had the potential of being the ‘worst Christmas’ ever.

Predicting the possibility of decreased Christmas sales, the article suggested the traditional lump of coal, which Santa is supposed to give to bad children, might be replaced by a lump of lead, which fearful and wary parents might give to toy companies in the form of decreased sales.

So, what do you think? Will your children consider December 25th, 2007 to be the worst Christmas ever? Will it be the best, or will it fall somewhere in between?

You will be able to answer that question honestly if you know the basis of your family’s holy-day celebrations. If Christmas has been reduced to the accumulation of beautiful, albeit poisonous-paint covered stuff, this may be a lump-of-lead festival. On the other hand, if our families are centered on the coming of the Christ Child; if we are remembering the birth of the Savior Whose life was dedicated to saving us from our sins, this year’s celebration has the potential of being one of the best ever.

I know September is early, but as the stores are telling us, it’s never too early to prepare for Christmas.

[Soldier4Christ]

"God Knows Where"

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! Psalm 139:7-8a

It has been a while since aviator Steve Fossett took off without filing a flight plan. He has not been found.

For a fair number of days, forty-five airplanes have been involved in the search for the missing millionaire, but Fossett has still not been found. Teams have searched an area of 10,000 square miles, but Fossett has not shown up. True, they did discover one object, which seemed to have some similarities to Fossett’s plane, but it was a false alarm. Steve Fossett, living or dead has not been found.

On the other hand, six other planes, planes which had crashed years, even decades ago, have been located. News of the existence of these old wrecks has been bringing numerous inquiries from the families of pilots and passengers who disappeared into the desert air space.

Apparently, the loss of these people, average non-millionaire people, didn’t generate a week’s worth of front-page headlines, nor did they give birth to a massive, private search. These people simply disappeared and only a select few cared. Since they went off the radar only some of their closest friends and family remembered them and wondered about their passing.

Have you ever felt that way. . .that if you disappeared nobody would notice, nobody would care, nobody would come looking? Being forgotten is not a common feeling, but it’s not entirely unheard of either.

The omniscient Lord wants to reassure everyone who feels lost, lonely and invisible that even if the rest of the world forgets them, He still remembers. . .and He still cares. That’s what King David was trying to let us know when he wrote the words which are the text for our devotion today. David said, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there.”

David knew, the Lord cares for the lost. That’s why Jesus came into this world. Describing His mission to recover lost humanity and bring us into the family of faith the Savior said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10) So we might be found Jesus carried our sins; it is why He gave His life on the cross; it is why He rose from the dead.

If Steve Fossett is still alive (and I hope he is), and if He knows Jesus as his Savior (and I pray he does), those words should be of comfort to him. They most certainly should be an encouragement to the rest of us.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Easier Said Than Done"

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44

Some time ago I wrote a Daily Devotion on how impressed I was by the Amish of Pennsylvania. Maybe you remember that devotion which spoke highly of those Christians who were trying to recover from the murder of five of their children. Rather than speaking of anger and getting even, they talked about forgiveness and a commitment to pray for the family of the murderer.

Not so long afterwards, I received an e-mail from one of our Daily Devotion readers who lives in that part of Amish Country. From personal experience, she most reluctantly shared how, when it comes to the treatment of animals that will be sold as pets, some Amish don’t exactly walk on water. Before I proceed with this devotion, I want to acknowledge the fact that all of us, even the Amish, are sinners who stumble.

Having said that, allow me to comment on a recent action of the Amish who were deeply wounded by the deaths and ongoing injuries which resulted from that shooting. After the shooting, people from all over the world were moved by the pain of those girls and their families. Not knowing exactly what to do, these folks, in sympathy, sent money. They sent $4.3 million dollars to be used where it might do some good.

When I heard of the large amount, I asked myself, “How would I distribute that kind of cash?” Many worthy causes came into my mind. I could feed some who are hungry, get medicine to impoverished Africa, help my church with its building program, contribute to the education of some promising scholars, put The Lutheran Hour® on a few hundred more stations. I had a lot of thoughts on how that money could best be spent.

The Amish came up with one that never occurred to me.

The Amish decided to give an ‘unspecified contribution’ to mother-of-three, Marie Roberts. Marie Roberts may be needy, but she is also the wife of the man who tied up and shot the ten Amish girls.

When Jesus was with us He said, “Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.” Yes, I know Marie wasn’t guilty of any crime other than guilt by association. Even so, it pleases me to see the Amish leading the way and setting an example for the rest of us. They want to make sure this lady is not shunned for her husband’s sins. I think it must please the Savior to know some of His people have heard His words. Not wanting to become ‘hostages to hostility’, these Amish are going to love their enemies.

They’re doing exactly what I would do, if it had ever occurred to me. The fact is, it didn’t. This is precisely why I’m going to try harder in the future. Won’t you join me in doing a job that is easier said than done?

[Soldier4Christ]

"What’s Expected"

Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. John 15:20a

When I was last in Asia, I had the extraordinary opportunity of preaching to the members of the Lutheran Church in Hong Kong. During that same visit, I attended a conference of teachers, missionaries, and volunteers from throughout Asia. They are an extraordinary group of individuals: multi-talented, visionary, and absolutely committed to sharing the Savior’s story of salvation with the souls of the Far East.

As they visited, many of them talked about a dream they had for China. With the 2008 Summer Olympics taking place in Beijing, it was their hope and prayer that the eyes of the world would force the Communist government to become more open to a powerful Christian witness. My missionary friends knew the Holy Spirit could bring in a great harvest, if it were ever possible to share the Gospel freely.

According to a story that was carried last week by the BBC, that dream may be in jeopardy. Referring to the 800-page report on religious freedom put together by the U.S. State Department, it appears the leaders of China are not ready to let their people hear the Gospel message. Rather than opening up to the work of foreign missionaries, China has decided to go the other way and are expelling some non-native witnesses.

A few moments ago, I said Christ’s missionaries have an amazing faith. They do. Although I have not received any e-mail from Asia, I have a fair idea of what they might say under these circumstances. First, they would refer to the words of the Savior that serve as the text of today’s devotion: “If they persecute Me, they will also persecute you.”

Next they would gently remind, “No person has ever entered the missionary field thinking the job would be easy. Even as sin, Satan, and the world once tried to stop the Savior when He was on earth, so the forces of evil will continue to try and silence the Savior’s representatives today.”

Our missionaries might also add this: “Two thousand years ago, on Calvary’s cross and at Joseph’s empty tomb, the Savior won the ultimate victory over humankind’s enemies. Although Jesus had been persecuted, condemned, and murdered, the Father used the actions of unbelievers to accomplish His plan of salvation. Over the centuries the Lord has shown that He remains in control. This is why we ask that our brothers and sisters in the faith join together in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to open the doors of closed countries and hardened hearts to the Savior’s message of salvation. It is a request we are glad to honor.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Treasure Worth Seeking"

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

Treasure hunts are always exciting. Every treasure hunt begins with a map giving directions and clues, telling you where to look for the treasure. Then, you set out on the hunt following the path given to you.

Excitement builds as you journey toward the treasure, but you encounter some obstacles along the way: a tall wall that needs perseverance to climb over, a lake that demands strength and courage to swim across. You continue on in your quest, focused on the treasure at the end of journey where X marks the spot. Finally, you come to the place where the treasure is. You can almost see it. Your heart is pounding, and your body aching as you remember the struggles it took to make it this far. You continue on, knowing that you are so close to the end, and the treasure awaits you. As you uncover the treasure, your heart bursts with joy and fulfillment as your expedition finally comes to a close.

Treasure hunts happen in real life, too. God has given us a treasure map to find the greatest treasure of all. The treasure map is the Bible. It helps us navigate through the obstacles of life, conquer difficulties that arise in our journey to find joy and fulfillment, and ultimately leads us to the greatest treasure of all: eternal life with God through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Earthly treasures can be stolen, broken, or destroyed. However, our heavenly treasure cannot be affected by any of those things (Matthew 6:19-21).

The questions God asks of you today are these: Are you willing to take up His treasure hunt and, with His strength, endure the obstacles on the journey to reach the final treasure? If so, which treasure are you reaching for? Is it one that will deteriorate and fall apart over time, or one that will be stored in heaven, lasting for all of eternity, beyond any treasure or riches known to this world?

Begin your journey today.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Leaping And Diving"

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Psalm 119:34-36

Scientists tell me that polar bears, as they try to catch their favorite dinner of seal, sometimes resort to a cunning bit of trickery. If the seal's hole is near the edge of the ice, the polar bear will take a deep breath and swim under water to its exact location. Remaining below the surface, he will then make a sound that imitates a fish. When the charmed seal hears this, he dives in for a supper, only to find himself entrapped in the huge, hungry embrace of the bear.

I wonder how many of life's temptations are that way? They sneak up on us, promising to give us our heart's desire. It's only when we make a commitment and dive in, do we find out that we've been entrapped. Maybe we ought to change that old expression, "Look before you leap." to "Look before you dive in." A lot of people would be a lot better off if they did.

To guide us in our life's diving or leaping, the Lord has given us His commandments. Follow them, and you will find life's temptations will go unheeded, and you stay out of sin's grasp.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Imitating"

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

When I was a teenager, I thought parents were pretty worthless. They didn't have a clue as to how to raise children. Even at a very young age, I was positive I could do a better job than they did. Indeed, I made a resolution in which I promised myself that I would never make the mistakes they did. Well, the other day, when I was carrying on a discussion with my youngest child, I heard myself say the SAME, EXACT WORDS that my dad had used with me years ago. I was saying the very words I had promised to avoid. In short, I'm like my dad. (Which, I confess, isn't so bad.)

Having said that, I hope that everybody out there realizes they need to be careful of how they act. We never know what words we say and what things we do will be copied by others. We need to do our utmost to strive and lead our lives as decent people, walking in the path that God has laid out before us. Living our lives that way won't make us perfect. On the other hand, it won't make those who imitate us bad, either.

[intheBeloved]

"Leaping And Diving"

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Psalm 119:34-36

Scientists tell me that polar bears, as they try to catch their favorite dinner of seal, sometimes resort to a cunning bit of trickery. If the seal's hole is near the edge of the ice, the polar bear will take a deep breath and swim under water to its exact location. Remaining below the surface, he will then make a sound that imitates a fish. When the charmed seal hears this, he dives in for a supper, only to find himself entrapped in the huge, hungry embrace of the bear.

I wonder how many of life's temptations are that way? They sneak up on us, promising to give us our heart's desire. It's only when we make a commitment and dive in, do we find out that we've been entrapped. Maybe we ought to change that old expression, "Look before you leap." to "Look before you dive in." A lot of people would be a lot better off if they did.

To guide us in our life's diving or leaping, the Lord has given us His commandments. Follow them, and you will find life's temptations will go unheeded, and you stay out of sin's grasp.

I'm feeling this way...entrapped...when I try to watch a "simple" show on TV these days...or see a new movie...and I try to be very careful what I choose to watch...but entertainment has almost or maybe is allready "enemy territory". 

Sure got my mind and thoughts defiled last night; it just wasn't worth spending the time in front of the TV after all.   

[Soldier4Christ]

With the exception of a few channels even the commercials are such today.

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Body Snatchers"

Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ Matthew 27:64

U.S. News & WORLD REPORT usually carries articles about contemporary events. On July 2nd, it broke tradition and told of an incident from the past. The magazine related the story of how, way back in 1876, a petty criminal, Big Jim Kennally, wanted to steal the body of President Abraham Lincoln. It was Kennally’s intention to bargain with Lincoln’s body and get one of the members of his gang released from jail.

Stealing a dead body is not something that ever occurred to me, but apparently Big Jim thought the body, unguarded, and buried in an above-ground vault with a single padlock, might be easy pickings. The plan might have worked if Kennally’s men hadn’t made a series of serious mistakes. First, since none of them knew how to pick a lock, they had to saw their way in.

Second, they didn’t realize Lincoln’s coffin, being made of cedar and lead, weighed 500 pounds.

The worst mistake they made was inviting a fellow by the name of Lewis Swegles to help them. An experienced criminal, Swegles might have been just the man for the job, if he hadn’t already been on the police payroll as a paid informant.

Thanks to Swegles, the police were waiting for the body snatchers at the tomb and the plan fell apart. Since that day, Lincoln’s body has received a far greater level of protection. Today it is buried ten feet underground and is surrounded by tons of concrete.

Christians should be thankful that Jesus’ dead body was never considered to be unimportant. Knowing how Jesus had predicted His resurrection, the priests who had plotted the Savior’s murder asked the Roman procurator to “order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his (Jesus’) disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’”

The stone at the grave’s entrance was placed, sealed, and a guard was set in place.

Because those precautions had been taken, Christians know that Jesus’ body wasn’t stolen by His followers. Because those precautions were made, we know that when Jesus’ grave was found to be empty on the third day, it wasn’t because of grave robbers, or rearranging gardeners, or because Christ came out of a coma.

Because those precautions were taken, we know Jesus rose from the dead and all who believe on Him as their Savior from sin and their Deliverer from death are saved.

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Inevitable End"

“. . .But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:17

On September 12th, HealthDay News came out with some good information. According to statistics compiled from a new federal study, Americans are living longer. True, Americans don’t live as long as people in 40 other countries, but we are going in the right direction.

Life expectancy in the United States is at an all-time high. Back in 1955, the average American could expect to keep kicking until he was 69.6 years old. By the year 2005, that same average American could anticipate sending out invitations for his 77th birthday.

Now, if you happen to be Adam or Methuselah, you might not find those figures to be all that impressive. After all, when you’re 900 years old, an octogenarian is still a wet-behind-the-ears kid. But since we’re not Adam or Methuselah, we have to be pretty pleased. We’re living longer.

To hear some of the scholars and scientists react to this news about longevity, a person might think the sky is the limit. Donna Hoyert, from the National Center for Health Statistics, said she expects a “steady increase in life expectancy to continue.” That’s what she said. Who knows where this trend will stop. Maybe the average person can live to be 100, or 300, or 500. If humanity gets good enough, and smart enough, and creative enough, we might never have to die at all.

How’s that for a bunch of baloney? The truth is, since the day Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, the death rate for humanity is close to 100%. Somewhere, somehow, someway, something is going to get us.

Sure, medicine can do great things. But when one disease or infirmity is rolled back, another seems to surge forward and balances things out. Deaths from cancer, stroke, and heart attacks may be decreasing, but deaths from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are on the rise.

So, if death is gonna getcha, might I not suggest all of us need to be first “got” by the Savior. We need to be “got” by the Savior, who can take us through the valley of the shadow of death. We need to be “got” by the Savior, who assures us: “Because I live, you shall live also.” We need to be “got” by the Savior, who gave His life, so we might really, truly, live forever.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Who's In Charge?"

For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12

Airports aren’t all that great anymore.

Years ago, when I was but a lad, I would have said, “Airports are fun.” Those were the days when teachers planned field trips to a local airport and they were sure their students would get to see everything.

Then there came the time when “airports were a status thing.” Although it’s hard for younger generations to remember, there was a time when a person who flew was somebody special. Flying meant an individual was so successful, his time was so valuable, he didn’t have to take the bus, the train, or drive everywhere himself.

Of course, most of us remember the days when “airports became a hassle.” Shortly after 9/11, immediately after the new security regulations were set in place, fliers got frustrated with not knowing what to expect. A person’s children couldn’t come to the gate and welcome them home; the person dropping you off or picking you up had to keep moving.

Now, it appears the hassle of the airport is going to get worse. Scott Conde, a spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association says, “Delays are just around the corner.” Those delays may be caused by the lack of qualified Air Traffic Controllers. The controllers are the folks who make sure your plane doesn’t have a fender-bender with another plane. It seems the combination of unbelievable stress, long hours, and little pay is creating a situation where controllers are walking away from their jobs.

That’s sad. When I travel, I want someone who is in control, someone who knows what they’re doing, someone in whom I can confidently entrust my life.

That sounds like a job description for the Savior, doesn’t it. No matter what happens, the Savior is in control. No matter what goes wrong, He doesn’t get rattled. No matter how many prayers come in, He has time to listen. No matter what may happen, the Christ who gave His life for me on the cross; who rose so that I might know death has been conquered, remains in control.

He is the One in whom we can confidently entrust our lives. Because Jesus is our Savior, our Friend, our air-and-earth traffic Controller, we can relax and be at peace. We have a Savior who will give His angels charge over us to keep us.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Handling UPSET"

He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter. Isaiah 53:7a

Lars Vilks is a cartoonist in Sweden. On August 18th, Lars Vilks’ newspaper published one of his drawings: a caricature that showed the Prophet Muhammad with a dog’s body.

Most of us haven’t seen the cartoon. Most of us probably don’t need to see the cartoon to conclude it probably was in bad taste. After all, which of us would want the Apostles Paul, Peter, Andrew, or John to be held up for ridicule by a cartoonist? This is why I can understand why some of the people in the Islamic community are upset.

Of course, there’s upset and then there is out-of-proportion UPSET.

Out-of-proportion UPSET is an Al Qaeda leader in Iraq who says he’s willing to pay $100,000 to anyone who kills the cartoonist. The amount being awarded for Vilks murder will be upped to $150,000 if he is “slaughtered like a lamb.” The out-of-proportion UPSET continued with the promise of terrorist attacks upon the country if the “crusader state of Sweden” doesn’t apologize. Threats were also made against the big companies of Sweden like Ericsson, Scania, Volvo, Ikea, and Electrolux.

There was a line in those threats that stood out to me. Did you catch it? I’m referring to the part that said the price that will be paid for Vilks’ assassination would be increased if he were “slaughtered like a lamb.”

That statement touched me because I know Someone, Jesus the Savior, who was slaughtered in silence, like a lamb. Although people had made fun of Him, although He had been unfairly accused, although He had been beaten, spit upon, and whipped, He didn’t respond in kind. The Old Testament Prophet, Isaiah, said Jesus “was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.”

Jesus had every right in the world to be righteously UPSET for what happened to Him. That He preferred not to take revenge, but like a Lamb, silently, willingly gave His life for us on the cross for our salvation is unbelievable.

Christ’s sacrificial love stands in powerful and absolute contrast to what I would do, what you would do, and what other religions apparently believe is the right thing to do. Jesus’ silence shows to all who will see the greatness and uniqueness of our God of grace.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Acting Decision"

Let you light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NIV)


The young boy approached his father and said, “Dad, three frogs are on a twig, close to a lake. One of them decides to jump in. How many remain on the twig?”

“Hmm, well, let me see,” said the father. “Three frogs, one decided to jump. That leaves two.”

“No, Dad, all three of them remained in the same place.”

“But how? You said that one decided to jump. Then there are only two left!”

“Yes Dad, that’s what I said, one of them decided to jump. It doesn’t mean that it did jump.”

Sometimes we decide, plan, and visualize what we can and want to do. We even can see the joy of accomplishing the goal. Often, we are just like the frog. We decide to do something, but we don’t put our thoughts or words into action.

To God, things are different. He decided to love and save humankind, but His decision also became an action. He sent His Son to take our sins upon Himself and suffer our punishment. This is how His love was put into action-–through His sacrifice.

How many times have you decided to study harder? To help a friend? To put more value into your family time? To fight for your goals? To take care of yourself? Don’t let words be just words. Let your decisions be acting decisions, thoughts that come true, theory that becomes practice.