Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Believe Just About Anything"

Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth. John 17:17

The truth can be a pretty hard thing to get hold of.

If you doubt that, an article that made the rounds last week may make you a believer.

Here is Mr. Esposito's version of the truth: Mr. Esposito went to his restaurant in Campania, Italy, to find two nuns and a priest smashing his furniture and crockery. When he tried to stop them, the priest hit him with a chair, and while he was down, the nuns kicked him. Mr. Esposito said he was beaten up because he wouldn't run the business "under the table."

Here is the priest and nun's version of the truth: the priest and nuns went to visit property owned by the convent. They found Mr. Esposito had taken over, had knocked down a wall, and had brought in chairs. They were moving the chairs when Mr. Esposito walked in. They don't know how Mr. Esposito got hurt, but the 83-year-old nuns were pretty sure they didn't do it.

So, who's telling the truth?

I don't know. I doubt if I'll ever know -- and after this devotion is done -- I probably won't give it a second thought. It's really not my business.

On the other hand, there are times when it is incredibly important to know if someone is telling the truth.

When the Savior says, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6), it is important He is telling the truth. When the Bible says, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12), it is important it is telling the truth.

So, are they... telling the truth, that is?

You can be confident they are. Scripture records more than 100 prophecies that were fulfilled by Jesus in His lifetime. Scripture tells us how Jesus did things only God can do. Most importantly, the empty grave of resurrection Sunday says that Jesus is unique. He is everything He claimed to be. He is our Savior.

And He can be trusted.

Completely. Absolutely.

That is very good news, because I don't know where else I could go for forgiveness, salvation, hope, and eternal life.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Given More"

And He (Jesus) saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." Luke 21:2-4

I've met that woman Jesus saw in the temple. Or at least I've met her descendants.

Although I never looked at what my members gave (something I do not claim as a virtue), I can remember the child who brought in about 57 cents -- her entire fortune -- to help with the multi-million dollar addition our church was building.

That was probably the most precious 57 cents I have ever seen.

Even so, in a new book, Passing the Plate: Why American Christians Don't Give Away More Money, the claim is made Christians aren't always generous to their church.

Indeed, 22 percent don't give a penny.

The book gives all kinds of reasons why this is so:
# There is enormous pressure to spend money on oneself.
# There is poor information sharing as to where and how contributions will be used.
# People don't feel a commitment to their church the way they used to.
# There is an overall decline in trust of institutions.

Now, the study does say there are exceptions to the rule. Mormons give fairly generously.

Maybe that's because every year they have to meet with a local bishop who asks if they have tithed. If they haven't, there are consequences.

Well, God loves cheerful givers and that's something we all ought to be. After all, the Savior's life, death, and resurrection have freed us from our eternal enemies, as well as the making of mandatory sacrifices.

Perhaps this is why I believe the Lord's people have a desire to say, "thank You" to Him. I am convinced they will -- having seen the cross and empty tomb -- respond out of their bounty as well as out of their love for Him. It's our way of loving Him who first loved us.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "All Trick No Treat!"

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6

Some things that look good to eat aren't.

Eve and Adam found that out when they took a chunk out of the forbidden fruit. It looked good, but it wasn't.

That also could have been the case for two children who went trick or treating in Ramsey, Minnesota.

They came back with some assorted Halloween treats, $85 in cash, and something that looked like rock candy.

It wasn't candy. The police said it was crystal meth -- enough of the drug to kill the children had they eaten it.

As I said, there are some things that look good to eat, but aren't.

You know, the devil likes to put some pretty nice wrappings around his temptations, doesn't he? He polishes his enticements, spiffs up his persuasions, drapes them in fancy paper, pretty bows, and says, "Here, I made this just for you."

That's right -- custom temptations -- exclusively for you.

Now, I don't know what particular temptation Satan has picked out for you, but I do know you have a Savior who lived, died, and rose to free you from your sins. Because of Jesus, those temptations -- once taken - can't hold you forever. You can be forgiven.

I also know that our Lord sends His Holy Spirit to help each of us see those temptations for the garbage they really are. And then, once we've seen them, He helps us avoid them.

In short, like the title of this message says, Satan's all trick and no treat.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "In Whom Can You Trust?"

Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. Proverbs 16:20

Have you ever asked yourself these questions: "Who am I? Why was I born? What am I doing here? Where am I going?"

Life can be full of such questions. We look around and see a world that is vast and changing constantly. "Where do I fit in?" you might ask yourself. "What's my purpose for being alive at this particular time?"

These are not easily answerable questions. In fact, they can be overwhelming. There are times when you might feel helpless, useless, even ignorant of your circumstances and the reason for your life. To such questions, the world has dozens of answers - and no answers at the same time.

Conventional wisdom might say it's all about making big money, and achieving great fame, and owning lots of stuff and, well, you get the picture.

But in the end, these things won't do. Will they?

In the end, only love matters. And God has more of that than we could possibly imagine.

His love for you began when He created the world. And it continues until He holds you in His heavenly arms. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Put your life into Jesus' hands. He alone is the answer to your heart's desire.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Small Things"

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:1-3

It was a number of years ago a 100-car freight train on the New Haven Railroad was stalled. I mean that train was stopped, you could excuse the expression, in its tracks.

Now, you can guess as long as you want, but you will never figure out what could stop a train of that size and weight.

Go ahead... try... make a guess.

Done? The culprit which stopped a giant train was... here it comes... wet leaves. The leaves caused the wheels of the diesel engines to spin. Without any traction, the locomotives couldn't move, and the train stopped.

A landslide of huge boulders couldn't have stopped the train more efficiently than did those wet leaves.

I think the same thing can be said about us.

Big things like financial disaster, sickness, or death are not always the culprits in messing up peoples' lives. Small things can also stop us.

If you look at your own life, you might be able to identify some "wet leaves on your track" which are making you spin your wheels and stopping any forward progress.

It may be interruptions at the office or the ringing of your cell phone. It could be a boss who seems harsh or a spouse who forgot your anniversary.

Whatever the reason, it's time to get the tracks cleared and make some progress. Thankfully, we don't have to do the job alone. We do have Somebody who can help. We have a God who has shown Himself to be the best Cleaner Upper this sinful, old world has ever seen.

In the Person of Jesus, our sins have been discarded, our eternal future has been affirmed and we will never have to deal with the big and small difficulties of today by ourselves.

With the help of our loving Lord we can be put back on the track and the engine can get going again.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "What God Looks Like"

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

It was one of those moments when a mother thought her daughter was SO quiet that she had to check and see what was going on.

Mom was delighted to see her little girl busily at work at her desk, drawing a picture. "Who's that?" the mother asked, looking at the picture. "It's God", was the reply. The mother said, "But darling, nobody knows what God looks like." The little girl matter-of-factly stated, "They will when I'm finished."

That's an old story, but it conveys a very real truth: everybody, even unbelievers, have an idea of what God looks like.

Some people paint the Lord mean and angry; others give Him a long, white beard. Still, others think of Him as a ghost or a vast expanse of nothingness.

None of those ideas adequately describes the God I see in my soul's center.

I think God looks like love.

Now that I'm 60, I can think back on the man people from whom I have received love: my parents, spouse, children, friends, teachers, friends in my parishes, occasionally the total stranger. Love has come to me in many ways, but none has been more pure or strong than that which I have received in the Person of Jesus.

When I see God's Son leave heaven to be born in a stable, I see love in an Infant. When I see Him praying in the Garden, I see love in His commitment. On the cross, the Father's love is shown in His Son's sacrifice, and the resurrection day proudly proclaims His loving victory.
It is a victory, which Jesus has shared with you and me.

So, let the artists paint Jesus as they wish. Me, no matter how I see Him, I always see Him colored with love.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "For Goodness Sake"


For the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Genesis 8:21b

"... a seed of rational thought and critical thinking and questioning in people's minds."

According to Fred Edwords, spokesman for a Washington-based humanist group, the above comment what we Christians need. To help us along, they are conducting an advertising campaign where signs on the sides of buses ask, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness sake."

Of course, the American humanists need to be thanked. Their slogan is much more mild than the British Humanist Association which has begun a campaign saying, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

Both campaigns leave me somewhat concerned - questioning, if you prefer.

To the American humanists who are encouraging us to be "good for goodness sake," I wonder if they have met many people who are consistently good because it's the right thing to do?

From what I see in preparing our daily devotions, the Bible is correct when it says the intention of our hearts are evil from our youth.

We can try to be good, but we don't do so good - at being good, that is.

To the British humanists who maintain, "There's probably no God...." I'd like someone to answer this question: "But what if there is a God?" He's probably not going to be overly pleased with a bunch of folks running around questioning His being.

And for both groups, I'd like to have them respond to the statement found in the book of Psalms (53:1a). You don't have to look it up. It says, "The fool says in his heart, 'there is no God.'"

You see, looking around at the evil in this world and inside me, I find it far easier and better to believe there is a God, and that this God cares enough about my eternity to send His Son to save me.

Understand this, I'm not trying to be nasty or judgmental. I'm just trying to plant a seed of rational thought, critical thinking, and questioning in the minds of humanists.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Remembering Those"


Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Hebrews 13:3

This Thanksgiving, I am going to hear my son preach. Or maybe we will be at our home congregation in St. Louis.

Whichever place Pam and I go, we're pretty sure there won't be anybody outside the door trying to kill us. We're pretty certain a group of fanatics is not going to try and burn those churches down.

Now, if you think that is a pretty strange way to begin a devotion, think again.

Increasingly, more of our brothers and sisters in Christ regularly face that prospect.

The most recent surge of anti-Christian violence comes out of India. Now, I know when people think of the Hindu faith, they usually conjure up visions of long-bearded, gentle maharishis telling us all "to love one another."

If that's what you're thinking, you should be aware that there are places in that country where the Savior's people are almost seeing a "religious cleansing" by extremists. And, if you're thinking that is an exaggeration, you should be aware that the violence which began in August has cost the lives of 38 people, made 30,000 homeless, and destroyed dozens of churches.

"A religious cleansing." That's what a letter, addressed to the President and signed by 24 Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant leaders, called what is happening in the subcontinent.

It's a "religious cleansing" in which Christian villagers are told they must convert to Hinduism.

This Thanksgiving, I shall be praising the Triune God that I have experienced no such hatred and violence in my life. And, as the writer of Hebrews suggests, I shall also remember those who are in prison and who are being mistreated; I shall remember them as if I were one of them.

May God grant them grace to withstand the day of persecution, and may we keep them always before the Lord in our prayers.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Made Us Kings"

Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5b-6 (KJV)

Prince Charles of Great Britain has turned 60.

According to the Associated Press, the good prince has spent 56 years waiting to become King. It's a position he can only receive when his mother steps down -- or dies.

From all recent reports, Elizabeth the II is not ready to do either.

This means the prince will have to keep on waiting, and he will keep growing older.

Some royal-watchers have suggested Charles might not make team captain until he is somewhere around the age of 80. Others have intimated he will never be the head honcho. Indeed, these spectators believe the prince might decide to step aside and turn the crown over to his kids.

In short, Prince Charles might always stay just where he is.

Thankfully, you and I don't have to wait that long to become kings. The book of Revelation is quite clear: we have already been made monarchs. If you doubt me, take a look at what it says.

While you can read the quote above, a paraphrase might say this: give glory to Jesus for having loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. By Him, we have been made, quite unexpectedly, quite undeservedly, kings and priests unto God and His Father.

Understand, like the prince, for us to be made kings someone had to die. That "someone" was none other than God's only Son, Jesus. So we might be forgiven, saved, made kings, the Christ willingly offered Himself.

Now, because of His death and resurrection, no longer is Satan our master; no longer is death our fearful enemy.

Because of the conquering and ever-living Christ, we are kings.

Now that's kind of a pleasant thought, isn't it?

[Soldier4Christ]

 "The Biggest Bailout"

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7

Fifty billion dollars is a lot of money.

It's not that I've ever had $50 billion, nor have I ever seen $50 billion in one place, at one time. Even so, I'm pretty sure $50 billion is a lot of cash.

According to an article carried last week by Bloomberg news, President-elect Barack Obama is asking Congress to approve somewhere around that amount to help pull America's big three automakers, GM, Ford, and Chrysler, out of their difficult financial situation.

Now, this devotion doesn't speak to the pros or the cons of that idea. I'm sure there are many arguments that can be made on both sides of the issue.

Nor is this devotion going to criticize the president elect. I am sure he has surrounded himself with a great many financially brilliant people whose advice he is hearing. Besides, my fiscal acumen hardly qualifies me to be a critic of anybody.

But you don't have to be a human calculator to know that $50 billion is a lot of money to bail someone out of their problems.

But it's not near as much as our Father was willing to pay so each us might be bailed out of our sinful situation.

Realizing we were lost and could not fix ourselves, the Lord said He would bring about the biggest bailout in history. This bailout wouldn't touch just one industry, or one period of time. It was designed to reach every person, in every generation.

Nor did God's bailout call for cash. It called for the suffering and sacrifice of His Son. Paul said it best: "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace."

Now, I don't know how people will react if and when Obama's bailout takes effect. I do know how we should respond to the Lord's bailout of sinners. And so do you.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "The Return Of The Prodigal Son"

(The prodigal son said) I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men. Luke 15:18-19

One of the parables Jesus told dealt with a prodigal son. We might think everyone knows the story but, actually, many people of other religious traditions are unaware of the fatherly image of God.

Recently, I had a chance to see the power of this story in action. As part of my work for Lutheran Hour Ministries in Lebanon, I visited Mahmoud. He had contacted the Middle East Lutheran Ministry (MELM) after listening to The Lutheran Hour Arabic radio program, "God's Mercy." He heard the episode titled "The Return Of The Prodigal Son."

Mahmoud is a young person from Lebanon. He is of Muslim background. But God intervened in Mahmoud's life when he found our program while surfing through radio channels. He wanted to know how God could accept a person who had sinned against Him. Mahmoud realized that works of fasting and prayer could not compensate for his sins.

I explained to him that, although the prodigal son felt he was no longer worthy to be called "son," his father ran to him and kissed him. The father loved him in spite of his uncleanness and bad smell. I explained that God's love is unconditional and that He always seeks to welcome the sinner back into His arms.

That night, by faith Mahmoud received God's forgiveness through Jesus' sacrifice for his sins. He was freed from the bondage of guilt and brought into the liberty of sonship. He understood that God is a good father. He forgives; He looks after us, and He accepts the sinner on account of Christ.

Mahmoud said, "My whole life changed and peace overwhelmed my heart, my thoughts, and my mind. I'm God's son now."

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Human Nature"

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

The newspapers are filled with the stories of people who do some not-so-very-smart things.

Having said that, it's a joy to tell of someone who has done something so smart, so very, very smart, that it might almost be called, "a stroke of genius."

Not so long ago, I was calling on a friend who lived in an apartment. The landlord was doing some improvements, and one of those renovations was in the hallways... hallways which had just been painted.

According to custom, the landlord had, at regular intervals, hung large signs, which said, you guessed it, "WET PAINT." Knowing most of us have a desire, a curiosity to check things out for ourselves, on the corner of each sign the landlord had placed a large dab of paint with the words: "PLEASE - TEST HERE."

Truly, most of us like to check things out. Wet paint is just one way we feel compelled to do our own verification.

When somebody tells us the food is too spicy, we need to taste it. When somebody says a TV show isn't worth watching, we feel compelled to tune in. People want to check things out for themselves.

That's fine most of the time, but there are some things that we really ought to take on faith. When the Lord says we should 'flee sin', we ought to listen rather than experiment with that which displeases Him.

When the Lord tells us we should trust His Son and the redemption He has won for us on Calvary's cross, it is right for us to believe the truth of what He says.

Why?

Unlike testing wet paint that will eventually wear or wash off, not trusting God has some very long, even eternal consequences.

Why trust God?

Because His Word is truth, and He simply won't lead us astray.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Persistence"

November 23, 2008

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. James 4:7-8

It has been my privilege in life to occasionally meet someone who should qualify for a very special apartment in heaven.

One such lady of memory was an individual who never could bring herself to say anything wrong about anybody -- no matter how bad someone happened to be.

Just to test how far she would go, one day I challenged her by saying, "I believe you would find something good to say even about the devil." The lady thought for a second, grinned, and said, "Well, you certainly do have to admire his persistence."

She's right. You have to admire his centuries of stick-to-itiveness. The devil has been persistent enough to mess up the world and every generation that has ever lived. He is persistent enough to tempt you and me to do things that are not pleasing our God. He is persistent enough to cause ongoing anger, hatred, and jealousy. If Satan has an admirable quality, persistence has to be it.

It's a shame we Christians don't always possess the same attribute.

All too often, we like to kick back and take things easy. We prefer to let somebody else do the job of sharing the message of God's love. I think it's time to be persistent and try a little harder to share the Savior Who gave His life so we might live forever. It's time for us to be persistent in supporting the sharing of the Savior's salvation story.

"He certainly is persistent." That's what I'd like that special lady to say about all God's children.

So, this Daily Devotion's encouragement to you is: Today, be persistent in sharing the Savior who loves you so very much.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow"

Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:13-14

I lose things.

I lose my car keys; I lose my glasses; I lose things. Maybe you do, too.

Of course, most of our losses aren't on the scale of the Russian Orthodox Church. Last week it was reported that they had, in the village of Komarov, lost an entire church building.

That's right; an Orthodox priest by the name of Vitaly told how the two-story Church of the Resurrection, last seen in July, was no longer there.

In truth, the church wasn't exactly "lost." Church leaders knew exactly where the facility had gone.

Sound mysterious? Not really. The church, which had been abandoned under communism, was scheduled for restoration and reactivation. Before that could happen, the people of Komarov dismantled their structure. They took the church apart and sold the bricks to a local businessman for about four cents each.

Sadly, on a spiritual level, that kind of thing happens all the time. Entire countries whose citizenry once followed the Savior have seen their Church, its doctrines, and the salvation message it proclaimed - get taken apart.

Some countries have been lost because of a military takeover; some have disappeared because the Savior's story was compromised and denied. Either way, the church and the souls who should have known the Savior have been lost.

This is why this devotion encourages our listeners to pay heed to St. Paul's words, which were written to Timothy. Encouraging his young friend, Paul said: "Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you."

If we do as Paul encourages, our Church, our Lord, and our faith can never be lost. Even if our church facility was to be torn down or burned up, we would still have faith, fellowship, and, most importantly, we would have our crucified and ever-living Savior.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "I Believe... In Nothing"

But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Corinthians 1: 23-25

Do you remember the Daily Devotion that talked about how humanists on the East Coast were putting anti-god advertising on buses?

Now, there is a similar campaign taking place in the West. According to a Denver TV station, Colorado atheists have paid for billboards reading, "Don't believe in God? You're not alone."

Ten billboards will go up in metro Denver. One will be put up in Colorado Springs.

Joel Guttormson, spokesman for Metro State Atheists, said, he imagined the billboards would "likely offend many Christians." Then he added, "...I've read the First Amendment up and down and nowhere does it say that I have to care about your (Christian's) feelings."

I have to admit, when I first heard of these public campaigns of the agnostics who say, "they're not sure there is a god," and the atheists who maintain, "there is no God," I was disturbed.

That feeling is still there, but now it has been joined by a few others.
# First, I am thankful. It's much easier to fight against the devil when he, and his spokespeople, go public.
# Second, I rejoice that there is still such an obvious need to share the Savior's story of salvation. The Lutheran Hour, our congregations, and each of us must remain dedicated to sharing a changeless Christ with a changing, and unbelieving, world.
# Lastly, I am grateful. This holy-day season pastors and parishes will be able to offer up special prayers for these individuals and groups who have never been touched by Bethlehem's manger, or Calvary's cross, or the Savior's empty tomb.


Let us bring these lost souls to the Holy Spirit for special consideration. Let us also ask Him to use us - through word and witness - to share the redemption Christ has won, with unbelievers who are close to us.