Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"What Time Is It? "

For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them. Ecclesiastes 9:12
   

During my days at Concordia, Milwaukee, our German professors made the class interesting by having us translate German books. One of the writings we had to decipher was the touching and very personal, “Diary of Anne Frank.”

Many of you remember the story of the young Jewish girl who, with her family, was forced to hide from the Nazis. You may also recall how Anne’s story ended with her 1945 death in a concentration camp.

Having known Anne’s story for so long, I was surprised when I heard that the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York City recently added another chapter to Anne’s saga. Papers found in 2005 showed that Anne’s father had asked a friend to loan him money and help his family obtain the visas that would allow him to move to the United States or Cuba.

According to the papers, the man tried to help the Frank family from April to December of 1941. Unfortunately, the efforts of Anne’s father and his friend were too little too late. Mr. Frank didn’t start trying to escape Amsterdam until a year after the Nazis had invaded his country. By then, the Nazis were shutting the borders to immigration, and the United States was showing a reluctance to accept refugees. In 1942, the Franks had to go into hiding where they stayed until they were discovered two years later.

I immediately thought of the words of Ecclesiastes 9:12 when I read that story. The Franks were like fish caught in an evil net and birds in a snare. Anne was a child who was snared by an evil that suddenly fell upon her. The writer of Ecclesiastes concludes, “Man does not know his time.” Don’t those words describe somebody you know? How about the young mother who has been diagnosed with cancer, the man who has lost his seemingly secure position, or the retirees who are dealing with Alzheimer’s? We don’t know our time, and we can’t anticipate all the things that can go wrong. We can’t plan for all the evil that is out there waiting to trap us.

This is precisely why the ongoing presence of the forgiving, gracious Lord is so very important. When we are weak, He is strong. When we fail and fall, He remains standing. When we are afraid, He will provide comfort. I could go on and on, but it is easier to join the Hebrews writer who discovered unknown possibilities when he said, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13: 6.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Little Sins "

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. Romans 5:12
   

Being the son of a blacksmith, I always liked the poem that began, “For want of a nail, the shoe was lost…” That poem continued on resulting with the loss of a rider, a battle and a kingdom. The point of the poem was simple: take care of the little things.

At least two of the pilots on American Airlines understand the principle behind the children’s nursery rhyme. Last week, they were flying from Tokyo to Dallas, when they heard a sound of an animal running around in the space above their heads in a space filled with wires leading to compartment of vital plane functions.

Not knowing exactly what was going on, the pilots landed in Honolulu and put their passengers in a hotel for the night. The federal wildlife and agriculture officers seized the plane and managed to trap a eastern gray squirrel. Now, you may not think of a cute little gray squirrel as being all that harmful, but the pilots knew squirrels chew through wiring. The pilots knew how to take care of the little things.

Little things. Jesus took care of little things. When Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, Jesus didn’t say, “It won’t hurt anything if I turn just a few stones into bread”, or “Who’s going to be harmed if I throw Myself off the temple and float down to the ground?” Jesus took care of the little things. He knew that if He violated any of God’s commandments, even once, the Father’s rescue mission to save humanity would have been over. Jesus took care of the little things and we should too. The author of Hebrews could say, “Jesus was tempted in every way just as we are-yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15

Describing humanity’s first sin, the poet might have rightly said, “For want of obedience, eternal life was lost.” When Adam and Eve decided to take a nibble from the forbidden fruit, they probably didn’t think it would make much difference. Adam and Eve were so wrong; it took the life, death and resurrection of God’s own Son to make things right again.

Little things make a difference in nails, airplanes, sins, and the lives of the Lord’s forgiven people. God can use your seemingly insignificant acts of thanksgiving to Jesus and make them a witness that can point sinners to their Savior. It’s a little thing, but it’s worth remembering.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Now You See It, Now You Don’t"

What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. …For this world in its present form is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:29,31
   

A good many years ago, Edith Rockefeller McCormick, the daughter of John D. Rockefeller, ruled the ranks of society. Just one small expression of her wealth was the great number of servants in her employ. Their duties were manifold and varied, but there was one common, unbreakable rule: They were never, I mean NEVER, allowed to speak to her.

To the best of anyone’s recollection, only once was that rule broken. The exception came when Edith’s young son died of scarlet fever. Word of the young master’s death reached the McCormick’s summer retreat just as they were hosting a party. The servants decided this news could not be put off. One unlucky soul was selected to tell the great lady. The news was whispered into her ear. After a pause, Edith nodded her head, signifying she had understood the message. Then, with the news of her child’s death echoing in her head and heart, Mrs. McCormick did something most unusual: She continued the party just as if nothing had happened.

Unusual? I guess! Of course Mrs. McCormick’s reaction was no more unusual than that of millions who think (and live like) they are going to live forever. Such an idea might work for a battery bunny, but it doesn’t fit the human condition. In spite of proper diet, exercise, and regular checkups, statistics say that we are going to die. Even more than that, Scripture says not only we, but the entire world, will someday pass away.

For some folks, a final end is a frightening proposition. They want to keep things the way they are. They don’t want to say any final farewells. They try to ignore the end, fight against finality, and do all they can to postpone that which is inevitable. Argue as they will, the end is coming. Their end. My end. The world’s end. So that we shouldn’t be afraid of leaving this life, Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came into this world. He spent all His days taking our place. Now, those who believe on Him as their Savior know that when their days are ended, they will have nothing to fear. The Lord Jesus, who died, was buried, and came back to life, has promised that He will be with all of His followers when they die. On that day, He will lead them from this temporary world to eternity in the next.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Adopted!"

"You were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:20
   

What are you worth? Really. Not so long ago in New York, a homeless man, a train maintenance worker, and a dog were killed on the subway tracks. Ninety people telephoned the Transit Authority about the dog. Ninety people! Three called about the worker. Nobody called about the homeless man. It might seem that the people were worth less than the dog.

What are you worth? In the late 1800s, a circuit rider spent the night with a family composed of a father, mother, and a 12-year-old boy. In the evening, the father told of how their son had been adopted: “The child was just a poor orphan when we first saw him. He was dirty and in rags. And his shoes—they were the worst of all. The uppers were ripped and the soles had holes. We gave him new clothes, but kept those shoes to remind him how bad off he was before us. Whenever the boy complains or misbehaves, I get those shoes out to help him remember how good we’ve been.” I don’t need to tell you the boy was hurt. His father had told both the minister and him just how much he was worth.

For most of us, at least as the world sees such things, we are probably not worth very much. When we breathe our last, our passing won’t be marked by half-masted flags, elaborate funeral corteges, and a multitude of speakers to sing our praises. It’s not likely that Time Magazine will run a cover story or that CNN will break in with a special news bulletin. Yes, there is quite a contrast between the way others perceive our value and the way God loves us. So that we might be saved, our Heavenly Father sent His holy Son on a mission of mercy. Born in Bethlehem, Jesus became one of us. Ignored by those He had come to save and rejected by many, He spent every day of His life for us.

But Jesus did more than live for us. He also suffered and died for us. Carrying all the sins we had committed, He was arrested, abused, condemned, and crucified. Jesus made this great sacrifice all because the Father wished to call us His children and adopt us into the family of faith. Impressed by how much the Lord loves us, the apostle John wrote: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). So what are you worth? Jesus shows you. The Father tells you. You are worth the life of God’s own Son.

[Soldier4Christ]

"True Greatness"

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35
   

Most of us live like the fellow who thought himself indispensable to his family, his work, his church, community, country, and even his universe. As he thought everything depended on him, he felt very, very important. That’s why, when he caught the flu and the doctor told him to stay in bed, he objected most strenuously. He simply had too much to accomplish; too many places to be; too many people to see.

Eventually he was convinced to stay home, at least for a morning. During that time, he fell into a fevered sleep, the kind that is filled with all sorts of strange mental movies. In his case, he dreamed that he had entered the pearly gates of heaven.

The angels were scurrying around; papers were flying. The prayer phone rang on, unanswered, and nobody seemed to be in charge. Our man eventually spotted an angel with a mission. The angel slowly worked his way through the heavenly host, all the way to the Lord. Standing before the throne, He handed God a piece of paper. God’s brow furrowed as He read. He was obviously distraught. Then God arose from His throne, wrung His hands, and said, “Impossible. Unbelievable.” The angels wanted to know: “Lord, what is unbelievable?” God explained, “I don’t know what we’ll do. Our best worker has the flu!”

Most of us live like that fellow who thought himself indispensable to his family, his work, and all those around him. The truth is, Jesus is the only person who can never be replaced. Jesus is the one individual this world has seen who is absolutely unique. How so? He is the only-begotten Son of God. He is irreplaceable because He, out of love for disobedient humankind, stepped down from heaven so that He might be born into this world to save us from our sin.

Jesus is the only person who could live a perfect life and thereby fulfill the laws we had broken. He was the only one who could carry our sins. He was the only one who could die the death we deserved. He was the only one who could rise victorious on the third day. If we are to be saved, and God wishes that to happen, it will be because, by the truth contained in the Holy Word and by the calling of the Holy Spirit, we believe on God’s only Son, our unique Savior.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Either/Or"

"I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:5
   

One evening, a woman driving home noticed an 18-wheeler behind her that was driving uncomfortably close. She stepped on the gas; the truck did, too. The faster she went, the faster went the truck. Afraid, she got off the freeway. So did the truck. She turned up a main street hoping to lose her pursuer in traffic, but the truck ran a red light and continued the chase. In panic, the woman whipped into a service station and bolted out of her auto screaming for help. The truck driver sprang from his truck and ran toward her car. Yanking the back door open he pulled out a man hidden in the back seat.

The woman had been running from the wrong person. From his high vantage point, the truck driver had spotted the would-be attacker. The chase was not his effort to harm her but to save her, even at the cost of his own safety.

That story is a pretty clear comparison to humanity’s history, at least in regard to the heavenly Father. When Adam and Eve fell into sin, their very first reaction was to run and hide. When God came looking for them, they did their best to avoid Him. When He confronted them, they tried to hide their guilt and shift their blame to someone else. Even then, after all their avoidance, God continued to love them.

If you have, up to this moment in your life, been running from a God who seems to be angry and erratic, you need to see Him for who He really is: a loving Lord who gave everything so that you might be safe. See His gracious gift, His Son, in the Bethlehem manger, upon Calvary’s cross, and in front of Joseph’s empty tomb. To save a world that was steeped in sin—that wallowed in darkness—Jesus came. To a world that didn’t want Him; who rejected and hated Him, condemned and crucified Him, Jesus came. The Son of God, at the cost of His own life, became one of us, so that with Him as our substitute, we might be safe and secure, having salvation.

It is impossible for me to see what wounds, fresh or scarred-over by time, you carry on your soul. I cannot see, and if I could I would be helpless to do anything. But the Savior sees, and He will save. He, who loves with a sacrificial heart, can help. All you need do is stop running from Him and have the Holy Spirit move you into His open arms.

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Poor Miserable Sinner "

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9
   

I graduated from seminary thirty years ago and was installed in my first parish. Saturday mornings were designated for private confessions. I waited two months, and no one came. When I asked my elders why I had not received any people in confession, they replied, “Pastor, people are watching to see whose car is parked in front of the church. Most people believe the owner of the car is in church confessing a big sin and nobody wants everybody to know they’ve got a big sin.” I arranged scheduled confessions from that point on.

Recently, at the beginning of Lent, the Archdiocese in Washington purchased advertisement time on the radio and posted signs on buses and subways. They also sent out 100,000 brochures to promote a program called, “The Light is On for You.” The program is designed to attract people to return to the confessional concept. Every church member was given a step-by-step instructions card, and the church was open every Wednesday night for those who couldn’t make regular confession times. I hope they have better luck than I did.

For a number of reasons, getting people to make private confession is a difficult proposition. Ours is an age where some churches do their best to avoid any mention of sin, guilt, confession, or absolution. With our free-wheeling immorality, there are some folks who think absolution from a pastor or priest is totally ineffectual and unnecessary. Others believe confession is an antiquated relic from the middle ages. Of course, there are always many who feel God has no right to convict their consciences of anything.

Even so, our Savior came into this world to save us from our sins and the condemnation of transgressions. To minimize those sins by pretending they are inconsequential is lessening the sacrifice the Savior made for us. If we say we have no sin, then we deceive ourselves. We need to remember what the Psalmist said, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

Maybe Luther said it as well as any when he wrote in the Small Catechism, “What sins should we confess? Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.” Then, having made our confession, we should rejoice and believe the Savior who tells us, "I have come to save you from your sins. You are forgiven."

[Soldier4Christ]

"For Another "

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8
   

Recently, news reports about a construction worker and articles about a new movie caught my eye.

Wesley Autrey was the hero construction worker who jumped into the path of a subway train to save a man who was suffering a seizure. When Autrey realized he would be unable to get the man off the tracks before the train rolled over them, he threw the man down and covered him with his own body. The train stopped, but not before two cars passed the men who were lying in a pool of muddy water. Autrey, a Navy veteran, summed it up best when he said, “I saw someone in distress and went to his aid.”

Last week’s most popular movie was 300. Yes, 300 is the name of the film. 300 is a fictionalized story of an ancient battle fought during the Greek pass of Thermopylae. You don’t have to remember or be able to pronounce the name. You only need to know that in this ancient battle, 300 Spartan soldiers managed to stand off a massive Persian army which was trying to invade Greece. In the movie, 300 sing the praises of the Greek heroes who were willing to sacrifice themselves to save their country.

Though they are from different centuries and continents, one modern day construction worker and one ancient Greek army are united by their sacrifices to die so someone else might live.

Now, you might think that I am going to compare these people with the Savior. I’m not. I can applaud a man who was willing to sacrifice himself for a stranger. I can understand why soldiers give their life for the freedom of their country.

However, it is impossible for me to understand why Jesus would die for those who hated Him. Jesus died for those who rejected Him, lied about Him, beat Him, spit upon Him, whipped Him, and nailed Him to Calvary’s cross. God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Even more, Jesus died for you and me. His is a sacrifice that will be found nowhere else in all of the history books. It is simply not normal or natural for anyone to love an enemy like that. Still, that is what Jesus did. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, and he was crushed for our iniquities, upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Reason The Son Has Come"

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3: 8
   

Recently in the news, the British Ministry of Defense announced Prince Harry was going to Iraq.

The notice didn’t get much coverage in the U.S., however; the announcement caused quite a stir overseas in the Commonwealth. There were some who were pleased that the monarchy decided to have one of its own sons stand with other soldiers who had fought so bravely. There were others who thought Harry would be the designated target of terrorists and insurgent soldiers. Still, others weren’t as concerned for Harry as much as they were for the safety of their own boys. Although officials said they would try to keep Harry out of especially dangerous situations, many people felt that Harry’s comrades were still running a greater than normal risk.

The Evening Standard quoted Robert Jobson, a monarch-watcher, as saying, "This is like President Bush sending a son to the frontline. The decision is both dangerous and courageous at the same time. It is a success for Harry, but he has become the number one target for insurgents."

When I first read that story, I thought, “Amazing! The son of a monarch is risking his life to win freedom for a population which doesn’t like him, he is going to go to try and bring peace to a place where some people will try and kill him.” The similarities between Harry and the Savior are obvious.

Although Prince Harry is doing a noble sort of thing, there remains a very good possibility he will return from his tour of duty. This was not the situation for Our Savior when He entered this world. Jesus was destined to die on Calvary’s cross before He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, placed into an animal’s feeding trough, visited by shepherds who came to see God’s good news of great joy. Jesus always knew He had to be about His Father’s business of saving humanity from Satan and sin. Jesus always knew He would have to die so the prophecies would be fulfilled and sinful souls were to be saved.

Unlike Harry, where there was a possibility of returning alive, Jesus paid for our freedom by sacrificing His life in exchange for ours to be saved from eternal sin. There’s one other thing you should know. By law, Harry’s older brother, William, isn’t allowed to enter combat. His life is considered too precious to risk on the battlefield.

I think it is amazing that we have a King whom Scripture says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Think about the uniqueness of our Lord. God sent His ONLY Son to die, so we might live. Please, think about it and join with me in prayer.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Confusing"

In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. Psalm 71:1
   

There’s an old expression says you shouldn’t judge a person until you have walked a mile in his shoes. The idea is not to be harsh when judging others.

I’d like to say some folks have shoes that I don’t want to try on. I can do without wearing the shoes of the men and women who sell Peter Pan Peanut Butter.

Imagine, you go to bed knowing you are selling a quality product that is as wholesome and harmless as hotdogs, the flag, and apple pie. How would you feel waking up to hear representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warning people not to eat certain jars of your peanut butter? How would you feel finding out that salmonella from your peanut butter is presumed to have caused people to be hospitalized in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, and Missouri?

Your stomach would sink. You know what’s going to happen. People aren’t going to check the numbers on their peanut butter jars. Most likely, they are going to throw them away. Even worse, you assume that when they go buy peanut butter, they’re not going to buy your brand; they just might pick another brand. What you don’t know is, will they come back and if they do come back, when will that be?

Of course, you and I have our own problems, don’t we? I mean, if we can’t trust peanut butter, what can we trust? I used to trust my breakfast eggs, and then I was told eggs were bad for my cholesterol. Later, I was told that eggs have “good” cholesterol. It’s confusing. Dinah Shore used to blow me a kiss and tell me to see the USA in my Chevrolet; but now I find out that driving any car will erode the ozone layer, cause skin cancer, and contribute to global warming. Again I say, it’s confusing!

Although, I’m fairly sure that the Psalmist wasn’t thinking about such problems when he wrote the 71st Psalm, I’m more than sure that he had his very own problems. That’s why he confesses his trust in the Lord to keep him from confusion. We all need to do the same. After all, the Lord has kept all of His promises? Is there anyone who has made a greater commitment to us and kept it other than the Lord? By the Holy Spirit’s power we live our lives to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

[Soldier4Christ]

"Skin Deep?"

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30
   

Nose jobs, face-lifts, augmentations, reductions, tucks, liposuction, and many more of these procedures are shown in graphic detail on the television “makeover” shows. A casual spectator might soon come to the conclusion that nobody likes the way they look. That’s probably because most of us don’t consider ourselves to be as handsome as Mark Anthony or beautiful as Cleopatra.

Writing a century after Anthony and Cleopatra lived, the Greek historian Plutarch said, “For her beauty, as we are told, was in itself not altogether incomparable, nor such as to strike those who saw her; but converse with her had an irresistible charm, and her presence, combined with the persuasiveness of her discourse and the character which was somehow diffused about her behavior towards others, had something stimulating about it …” (Plutarch, The Parallel Lives – The Life of Anthony, paragraph 197) So, if beauty wasn’t the big gun in Cleopatra’s arsenal, what was? In short, Cleopatra was charming but not charming enough to save herself or those around her.

This is why I would like the readers of this devotion to take a look at the Scripture taken from Proverbs 31. It says, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain…” The Lord knew what He was talking about when He inspired those words to be written. The truth of God’s thinking is verified when we think upon beautiful movie stars and popular politicians. Nobody can be more charming than an elected public servant when he is wooing the voters, but when a politician’s day is past; those who had once shouted his praises quickly forget him. Similarly, movie stars, whose beauty was once proclaimed as being timeless, find themselves cast aside and forgotten when their appearance declines.

Sad, isn’t it? Without Jesus, and the “makeover” He gives to those who believe in Him as Savior, life can be pretty disheartening. Christians rejoice because they have been given a permanent makeover from the Savior defeating the devil, His suffering, and sacrifice. Our souls that were once befouled and blackened by sin have been washed clean, and we will live each day forgiven and saved. They have been given a wonderful makeover that will not vanish.

[Soldier4Christ]

"What Must I Do?"

As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Mark 10:17
   

A number of years ago three military recruiters showed up at a high school for Career Day to share with the students all the advantages to making the military part of their future. The time allotted to the three men, one from the Army, one from the Navy, and one from the Marines, was 45 minutes. Each was supposed to have 15 minutes to make their case. I say “supposed to have” because the Army and Navy men got carried away. Both used more than their 15 minutes, thereby cutting considerably into the time allotted for the Marine recruiter’s presentation. As he approached the microphone, the principal leaned forward and told him, “You only have two minutes.”

The Marine nodded and began his presentation. This is what he said: “It is my opinion, having looked over the students in this school, that there are maybe two or three of you who could make it in the Marine Corps. If you think you are one of them, I want to see you in the hallway after this meeting.” With that, he did a sharp turn and sat down in his chair, ramrod straight. Need I tell you that the Marine was mobbed in the hallway by a mass of students who thought they were among the elite who could cut it in the Marines.

There was a time in His life when Jesus was surrounded by people who wanted to follow Him; most of them for the wrong reasons. Some wished to follow Him because they thought He could cure their illnesses. He could, but that was not the reason to follow Him. Others followed Him because they believed He could continuously feed them with a few loaves and fishes. He could do that, too, but that was not why He had come.

Jesus was born to save sinners. To make our salvation reality, the Savior took our place under the Law, carried our sins and without complaint died the death that was ours. Now through Word and Sacrament He sends His Holy Spirit to call people to follow Him. When the apostles were asked, “What should we do to be saved?” they gave the Lord’s recruitment speech: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38-39).

[Soldier4Christ]

"Asking for Help"

As Jesus and His disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:46-48
   

I recently heard a story about a supermarket clerk. Part of his job was to collect the carts left in the parking lot. He was on such a “cart run” when he saw a lady struggling with her groceries. Her cart was overflowing, so were her arms. He watched as the lady put one package on the roof of the car while she popped the trunk and car doors. He watched as she loaded her packages and as she got into her car, started it up, and began to drive away.

Seeing she had left a package on the top of her car, the clerk left his carts and started running toward her. He reached her, just as she stopped and made the turn that would take her onto the street. He reached her just as the package slid off the roof; he reached her in time to catch the package—her baby—before it hit the pavement.

No doubt both mother and clerk were glad he had not been detoured or deterred from his action. That was certainly the case for blind Bartimaeus when Jesus came to Jericho. Hearing that Jesus, with a large crowd of disciples, was passing by, Bartimaeus began to call for Jesus’ attention. Although many around him told him to “hush up,” Bartimaeus was not going to be put off. He believed that this was his moment. Jesus had healed many others; maybe the Lord would heal him as well. Thinking Jesus might never come this way again (He didn’t), Bartimaeus, the text tells us, yelled even louder. He would not be detoured or deterred from meeting the Savior.

In this world, sin and Satan do their very best to put detours and roadblocks between Jesus and those He came to save. When they are successful, the results are always tragic, and never what Jesus wants. The Lord of Life came to be the Divine Physician for body and soul. As He said to John the Baptist: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me” (Luke 7:22-23).

[Soldier4Christ]

"How About You?"

“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” Mark 8:29
   

One afternoon a little boy decided he would help his father. He had heard his dad say that the car was “low on gas.” Well, this little boy knew how to fill the tank. He knew it wasn’t all that complicated. After all, he had watched his father do it a hundred times. With confidence, the boy removed the gas cap, got the garden hose—it was just like the hose at the pump—and squeezed the hose nozzle. (It, too, looked like the nozzle at the gasoline station.) Then he proceeded to fill the gas tank with water.

With a smile, he waited for his dad to start the car—to see the gauge that now read “Full,” to thank him for his kindly efforts. You know what happened. Dad tried to start the car. It sputtered and died. And Dad didn’t say “thank you.”

As I look at the world, I see a great many people making the same mistake the boy made. The greatest difference is that these people are making a spiritual mistake rather than a physical one. Like the little boy, they start out trying to do the right thing. For these spiritual searchers, the right thing is trying to find a god. Also like our little boy, these folks attempt to do something that looks good and feels right. In their search to be at peace with their god, they are ready to make any sacrifice they think will get his attention. They are ready to try as hard as they can to please him.

Finally, like that boy, these folks have made a major miscalculation. They will eventually discover that the best of intentions and the greatest sincerity can never turn water into gasoline. No matter how much you believe, water is never going to power your car and loyalty to a false god will never save you. On Judgment Day, those folks who have worked so hard to please their false god and who expect to hear a “thank you” will be disappointed.

For 2,000 years the word has gone out: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name [other than that of Jesus] … by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). For almost 75 years, The Lutheran Hour has been Bringing Christ to the nations—and the nations to the church. In this book of stories we have tried to share the Savior with you. It is our prayer that the Holy Spirit will touch the story of your life with the sharing.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Who is this Jesus?"

“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” Mark 8:29
   

The Sunday school children were making their annual presentation of the Christmas story. Parents were proud. Grandparents were sentimental as they reminisced about Christmases past. All had gone well until … (there is always an “until” in a children’s Christmas presentation). All had gone well until they reached that time to show the holiness of the newborn Savior.

Mary and Joseph looked suitably significant. The shepherds had hit their marks and were on their knees in a position of worship. At the right moment, the student who controlled the lights was to throw all the switches but one—that single switch controlled a small light bulb placed in the manger. The light from that single source would be most impressive for the folks watching … at least, that’s what was supposed to happen.

Unfortunately, the boy who was to turn off all the lights but one got rattled. He hit all the switches. The congregation, thrown into pitch-blackness, sat in stunned silence. That’s when one of the shepherds, a third-grader, said in a whisper that carried through the entire church, “Hey! You switched off Jesus!”

For that boy, “switching off Jesus’’ was an accident. In Jesus’ day there were many people who “switched off the light” Jesus wished to give them. They couldn’t give a correct answer to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?” Today there are also those who willfully turn off the light the Savior brings. In their ignorance, they deliberately deny and disregard the Lord Jesus who has come so they might have joy and peace. They keep the light turned off. They cannot say, “You are my Savior and my Lord.”

It is the Lord’s wish and will that you walk in the light of the Savior. If Jesus had been born one thousand times in Bethlehem, yet has never been born in your heart, then you will, on Judgment Day, still be lost. That would be a terrible and unnecessary tragedy—unnecessary because Jesus came into this world to save you from such a sorry ending. Jesus was born so that you might live in the light and not grope in the darkness of sin and Satan. So you could be in the light, Jesus spent His entire life doing what you could not. So that you could say, “Jesus, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” is why He came, lived, and died. Walk in His light.