Daily Devotion for June 30, 2006

Day 5

 

Jericho

 

He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Luke 18:38

         (click on the photo below for a LARGER view)

Jericho has a fascinating location and history. Jericho stood by a mountain pass near the northern end of the Dead Sea. As one of the few gateways into the Judean Mountains, Jericho was a natural place for the Israelites to enter the Promised Land. After crossing the Jordan, it was the first city they defeated.

 

In NT times, Jericho stood on one of the few roads connecting the Via Maris, a major trade route to the west, and the King’s Highway, which ran through the east.

 

It is the lowest city in the world (more than 1,000 feet below sea level), and also appears to be the oldest. This old city could not exist without the generous waters of its spring, and those life-giving waters have never failed Jericho.  For many centuries, they have made this the world’s most famous oasis and probably its oldest inhabited city.  Archaeologists have discovered remains dating back to 8,000 BC, about 6,000 years before Abraham lived!

 

The ancient settlement has been sliced into by archaeologists like a giant layer cake.  Successive layers of buildings and cultures have been revealed.  Even for the pilgrim who is strictly a non-expert, this is an impressive and educational “dig.”  The gushing waters close by (Elisha’s spring) continue to irrigate the famous Jericho oranges, grapefruit, bananas and dates which are sold along the streets.  In summer, the fresh cool orange juice, which comes from Jericho, becomes an absolute necessity!

 

The pyramids of Egypt are four thousand years younger than the great tower of Jericho.  This means that the town was already old when it was captured by Joshua (Joshua 2-6).  Even Elijah and Elisha stopped by here (2 Kings 2).  Herod turned the place into his winter residence, a kind of Palm Springs or Sun City in ancient Palestine.  For Jesus, it was a convenient stopping place when he came down from Galilee along the valley of the Jordan.  By following the valley road from the Lake of Galilee, the inhospitable land of Samaria could be avoided completely.

 

Here too Jesus was hailed as “the son of David” and here he healed the blind man (Luke 18:35-43).  This was also the home of Zacchaeus, the short tax collector, in whose house Jesus dined (Luke 19:1-10).

 

Near this city, close to the Dead Sea, the famous caves and settlement of Qumran were found by a Bedouin shepherd boy in 1947.  These caves yielded the oldest manuscripts of the Bible.  The oasis of En Gedi (“Goats Spring”) with its memories of David and Saul (1 Samuel 24:2-23) is also not far from old Jericho. 

 

Prayer
“Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”  We make the prayer of the Jericho blind man our own.  It is simple and to the point.  We too need your mercy, your healing and your caring love.  “Lord, that I may see.”  For though we may see physically, our spiritual blindness can be cured only by your power.  May we too look up from the dust and recognize your holy face.  May the darkness give way to your light.  And may we praise and thank you every day of our lives.   Amen

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While in the Middle East for a Biblical Study Journey with fellow Word Among Us Students, a 5-person crew is filming and taking pictures of the various sites. This vibrant photographic material will be incorporated into next year's Word Among Us classes.

Want to learn more about the Bible Jesus used – The Old Testament – and the Bible Jesus taught?  Enroll today in Word Among Us – Cover to Cover study of the Bible starting in Genesis and going through Revelation including the inter - testamental period, using history and archeology and Biblical culture to make the text alive - taught by Tim Hetzner.
Class sites are across the USA. Click here for more information.

Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 29, 2006

Please note:
Over the Next three weeks, Tim will be over in the Middle East.  He is leading a Biblical Study Journey and is taking a film crew to capture some of the sites in the Land of the Bible to be used with his Word Among Us Bible Study program.  The devotions while he is gone will focus on the Land of the Bible.  We hope in some small way you can share in the Journey and be enriched with your walk with Jesus.

 

Day 4

 

Capernaum

 

Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"  "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.  John 1:38-39

         (click on the photo below for a LARGER view)

Capernaum served as a military post for the Romans; it stood along the busy international trade route called the Via Maris (Way of the Sea).

 

The prophet Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would live by “the way to the sea,” (Isa. 9:1) and Jesus fulfilled this prophecy by living in Capernaum (Matt. 4:13—16). People from around the world could hear Jesus’ message as they traveled on the Via Maris.

 

Many people living in Capernaum were tektons, people who worked with stones. Once a volcanic lake, the Sea of Galilee left large deposits of volcanic rock, or basalt, in the surrounding area. Jesus was probably a tekton by trade, and his hometown of Capernaum was known for their production of basalt food processing implements.

 

If Jesus can be said to have had a home after he left Nazareth at the beginning of his “public life,” it would have to be Capernaum, a fishing town at the northern edge of the lake. The area was home to a variety of people, from religious zealots to pagans, and from devout to secular Jews. Jesus brought his life-changing message to them all.

 

Here the brawny fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James and John heard the call to follow him (Matthew 4:18-22).  The miracles Jesus worked here seem to have been numerous.  We remember especially the curing of the Roman centurion’s servant (Luke 7:5-10) and that heartrending scene when He raised the daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the local synagogue, from the dead (Luke 8:40-56).

 

Boats still launch from Tiberias and put in at the pier at Capernaum.  How many times did Jesus and his fishermen come ashore from their boats here and receive the hospitality of Peter’s family?

 

In ancient times, an octagonal shrine was built over the place and many early pious inscriptions were found here.  As a result, we have a good idea that this is where Peter lived and where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law. (Peter never thanked Jesus for that one!)  In fact, 131 first-century inscriptions were found here.  On these reconstructed plaster fragments, the names of Jesus and Peter were frequently mentioned.  They indicate that this house was already revered as the “House of Peter the Apostle” (Luke 4:38-41; Matthew 8:14-17 and Mark 1:29-31).

 

The beautiful Capernaum synagogue that we can see just beyond the “Octagon of St. Peter” was built only at the end of the fourth century.  But in all probability, it was constructed over the earlier synagogue where Jesus “taught them with authority” (Mark 1:21-22).

 

The ruins of Capernaum have been in the control of the Franciscans for over ninety years.  The Franciscans have promoted scholarly study of the remains and have themselves conducted important excavations.  But much of the original town still lies buried beneath the dirt and grass.

 

Even today, beautiful stone fragments of carvings, old olive presses, the great trees and flowers cascading over the walls help make this a place for tranquil reflection.  When a breeze comes off the lake, it is not difficult to picture the ancient fishermen’s boats.  Along the shoreline, one can almost hear them ask Jesus: “Where do you live?”  “Come and see,” he answered (John 1:39).

 

Prayer
Jesus, you found your apostles in the humble fishermen of this town.  They had little education, no sophistication, and few pretensions.  But you chose them.  You called them from their boats and nets, giving them the strength they would need to live and die for you. We have also heard you call us, Lord.  Like the fishermen of Capernaum, we are also attached to our “boats and nets,” our familiar lifestyles.  We do not leave them easily.  We need courage, Master.  We need faith to believe that you can use the likes of us in your holy work.  Amen

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While in the Middle East for a Biblical Study Journey with fellow Word Among Us Students, a 5-person crew is filming and taking pictures of the various sites. This vibrant photographic material will be incorporated into next year's Word Among Us classes.

Want to learn more about the Bible Jesus used – The Old Testament – and the Bible Jesus taught?  Enroll today in Word Among Us – Cover to Cover study of the Bible starting in Genesis and going through Revelation including the inter - testamental period, using history and archeology and Biblical culture to make the text alive - taught by Tim Hetzner.
Class sites are across the USA. Click here for more information.

Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 28, 2006

Please note:
Over the Next three weeks, Tim will be over in the Middle East.  He is leading a Biblical Study Journey and is taking a film crew to capture some of the sites in the Land of the Bible to be used with his Word Among Us Bible Study program.  The devotions while he is gone will focus on the Land of the Bible.  We hope in some small way you can share in the Journey and be enriched with your walk with Jesus.

 

Day 3

 

Cana and Nathanael

 

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,    and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.    When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."     "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.    Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.    Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside    and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."    This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.    John 2:1-11

 

Cana in Galilee is a homespun town not far from Nazareth.  At a village wedding feast here, Jesus worked his first miracle at the request of his mother.  Perhaps more commercialism and bigger shrines could therefore be expected here – but there’s not!  It is true that a few shops offer bottles of “wine from Cana” as pleasant souvenirs.  One shopkeeper says his wine comes in two flavors, “Sweet and sweet-sweet.”  But Cana people are friendly country people, and both Christians and Moslems welcome the small number of pilgrims who find their way here.

 

On Sundays, the “children’s Mass” in the Franciscan church, the Cana wedding site, is full of lively boys and girls.  An elderly friar shuffles down the aisle to the altar.  Old ladies in black finger their rosaries but exchange bits of village gossip at the same time.  Pilgrims can feel very at home here in Cana.

 

What many do not know about Cana is that Nathanael is from there. 

 

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.  John 21:1-2

 

We are most familiar with Nathanael from the first Chapter of John:
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."    Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.    Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."    "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip.    When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."    "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."    Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."    Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that."    He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."  John 1:43-51

 

Can anything good come from Nazareth?  Oh Nathanael – you were soon to find out that YES something good could come out of Nazareth. 

 

How has God taken our skepticism and turned it into belief?

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, you each day can take the ordinary things in life – and people – and turn them into something special, whether it be water into wine, or Nathanael into a disciple.  Change me!  Amen

 

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While in the Middle East for a Biblical Study Journey with fellow Word Among Us Students, a 5-person crew is filming and taking pictures of the various sites. This vibrant photographic material will be incorporated into next year's Word Among Us classes.

Want to learn more about the Bible Jesus used – The Old Testament – and the Bible Jesus taught?  Enroll today in Word Among Us – Cover to Cover study of the Bible starting in Genesis and going through Revelation including the inter - testamental period, using history and archeology and Biblical culture to make the text alive - taught by Tim Hetzner.
Class sites are across the USA. Click here for more information.

Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 27, 2006

Please note:
Over the Next three weeks, Tim will be over in the Middle East.  He is leading a Biblical Study Journey and is taking a film crew to capture some of the sites in the Land of the Bible to be used with his Word Among Us Bible Study program.  The devotions while he is gone will focus on the Land of the Bible.  We hope in some small way you can share in the Journey and be enriched with your walk with Jesus.

 

Day 2

 

A Special Journey – A Pilgrimage!

 

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.  Psalm 84:5

 

Throughout the history of Christianity the most popular place of pilgrimage has been the Holy Land and the sites made sacred by their association with Jesus and his first disciples.  Indeed, the Holy Land has been close to the heart of our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters as well.  There has always been a persistent desire to visit Jerusalem and the other holy places of pilgrimage.

 

Pilgrims to the Holy Land today, by their encounter with other visitors from around the world, have an opportunity to experience a much larger community of faith than they may have experienced before.  Knowing that millions of Christians have visited these places during the past two millennia helps us to experience a strong bond with the Church of the past and its diverse traditions – and they are diverse.

 

We will visit “holy places” not primarily to capture them for memory with camera shots from various angles, or to gawk with the curiosity of someone seeing an exotic place for the first time, or to go on an expensive shopping spree in a foreign land.  A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey.  We go on this journey to draw closer to the Lord, to become more deeply aware of what it means to be his disciples.  Pilgrimages, in other words, are special times of prayer and reflection. 

 

Story is piled upon story and century upon century in the Holy Land.  For it is an ancient land, this bit of semi-tropical coastal plain which would compare, in size, with New Hampshire.  Its ten thousand square miles include barren hills and desert, mountains and fertile valleys.  The land was a convenient bridge between Asia and Africa.  If not exactly a “land flowing with milk and honey” it was, as the followers of Moses found, certainly more attractive than the wilderness of Sinai and the grim mountains of Moab.

 

However, we do not come to Israel to see the citrus groves or visit a kibbutz.  Colorado has better mountains and Egypt and Greece have more impressive ruins.  France and Italy have more glorious churches and Mexico and China offer more varied and artistic handicrafts.  We come to visit the land where Jesus lived.  By following in his earthly footsteps, we hope to follow him more closely in faith and love.

 

The Gospel message takes on a new immediacy and stronger color when one walks in the places where Jesus spoke and sees the landscapes that Jesus saw.  In fact, the geography and local customs so influence some pages of the Bible that it is difficult to understand them without having seen this land.

 

Of course much has changed and much is changing in the Holy Land.  Cars and buses are replacing donkeys and camels.  Plush hotels take the place of pilgrim hostels and ancient caravansaries, inns where caravans stayed.  Floodlights play on the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem today.  Airlines bring in many more Christian pilgrims than could ever have arrived on 19th century ships.

 

But some things do not change.  The harsh hills of Judea.  Sunrise over the Mount of Olives.  The serene beauty of the Lake of Galilee.  We are influenced by the climate, the topography, the trees and flowers, the customs and monuments.  And Jesus was surely influenced by this.  It is good for us to walk under the same sort of cloud formations and see olive and fig trees like he saw.  We can look out over the same wonderful lake he knew.  It is possible to follow the same path he took from Bethany, over the Mount of Olives, down into the valley of Kidron and up to the gate of the Holy City.

 

We have come with humility and hope to draw closer to our dear Brother and Savior.  We seek to hear his words with a new freshness and be confronted more directly with the challenge of his life, death and resurrection.

 

We are happy and honored to spend some days here in the very land where Jesus lived.  We are here to learn, to pray and to experience the presence of one who is both Son of Man and Son of God.

 

And then, God willing, we will be ready to return to our homes with a new zeal and burning faith.  For now, Our Lord’s mission is surely our own.

 

Prayer
Jesus, give me eyes to see and ears to hear you in this land you walked.  Take me beyond the land to see more fully your eternal Kingdom.  In your precious name, Amen

 

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While in the Middle East for a Biblical Study Journey with fellow Word Among Us Students, a 5-person crew is filming and taking pictures of the various sites. This vibrant photographic material will be incorporated into next year's Word Among Us classes.

Want to learn more about the Bible Jesus used – The Old Testament – and the Bible Jesus taught?  Enroll today in Word Among Us – Cover to Cover study of the Bible starting in Genesis and going through Revelation including the inter - testamental period, using history and archeology and Biblical culture to make the text alive - taught by Tim Hetzner.
Class sites are across the USA. Click here for more information.

Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 26, 2006

Please note:
Over the Next three weeks, Tim will be over in the Middle East.  He is leading a Biblical Study Journey and is taking a film crew to capture some of the sites in the Land of the Bible to be used with his Word Among Us Bible Study program.  The devotions while he is gone will focus on the Land of the Bible.  We hope in some small way you can share in the Journey and be enriched by this in your walk with Jesus.

 

Day 1
Packing Light

 

He told them: "Take nothing for the journey - no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic."  Luke 9:3 

 

Today we leave on our Journey to the Land of the Bible.  This is always the hardest part of the Journey – getting there!  But I guess that is true with many things in life.  What do you pack?  Did I take everything I need?  In many ways, I wish it could be as simple as what Jesus says in the verse above – now that is packing light!  I believe what Jesus was getting at is that we should not be concerned about what it is that we “need” and be focused on the journey that he is asking us to take.  After all, worrying about what we need can cause us to miss the sights and opportunities that He places in front of us. Jesus tells us in Luke…

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!
And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Luke 12:24-31

So – we’re off on our Journey and need not be concerned with what we forgot to pack.

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, guide and lead us down the path you show us.  Help us to see, learn, feel and touch those things or people that you place before us.  Let us stay focused on you.  Guide and protect us on our Journey today.  Amen

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While in the Middle East for a Biblical Study Journey with fellow Word Among Us Students, a 5-person crew is filming and taking pictures of the various sites. This vibrant photographic material will be incorporated into next year's Word Among Us classes.

Want to learn more about the Bible Jesus used – The Old Testament – and the Bible Jesus taught?  Enroll today in Word Among Us – Cover to Cover study of the Bible starting in Genesis and going through Revelation including the inter - testamental period, using history and archeology and Biblical culture to make the text alive - taught by Tim Hetzner.
Class sites are across the USA. Click here for more information.

Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 23, 2006

 Positive Life Pictures

 

“And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.” 1 Samuel 2:26

 

If you look at today’s scripture reading, you will see Samuel’s name coming up from time to time as a young man who is growing up well, though all is not well around him. Samuel’s name is the only one mentioned here, but I would wager that he didn’t grow “in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men” all by himself. He had to have help.

 

Isolation alone does not breed integrity. God uses people and I’m sure that people were involved in Samuel’s upbringing. I’m sure of that. It could have been parents, family members, or other positive life pictures. Those people who surrounded Samuel reflected the face of God. They encouraged Samuel in his walk with God.
 
 Are you actively involved in shaping the future of the kingdom? Are you a positive life picture to the young? If not, then why not? There’s no greater investment that one can make in the kingdom of God than in the development of the young.

 

Prayer
Lord, I want to be influential. Not for my sake, but for Your sake. I want to see the kingdom of heaven grow. I want to see a better world. Empower me to be a positive life picture for the young and old alike. Amen.

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 22, 2006

Surrogate

 

“When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.” Esther 2:15

 

Surrogate basically means substitute.

 

In today’s scripture reading we see God provided for Esther at least twice after her parents died. There was a substitute parent in young Esther’s life, Mordecai, her older cousin. Then there was a wise mentor who looked out for her and taught her, Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the King’s harem. She was blessed and used of God as a willing servant because of the influence they had upon her life.
 
My children have had many “surrogate” parents.  The Christian teachers God has placed in their lives, their grandparents, and even close family friends.  All have helped us raise our children – actually I should say God’s Children.  They are invaluable! 
 
Are you aware of your circle of influence for Christ in the lives of others? Who might need you to step up and love and serve as a substitute in their life?

 

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for the many people you placed in my life path to teach and encourage me to be my best for you. May we each take care to be aware of those you now place in our own lives to be a surrogate or substitute teacher so that we all may have the opportunity to see you. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 21, 2006

Given Our Children Back

 

And she made a vow: “O Lord Almighty, if you will look down upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.” 1 Samuel 1:11

 

Samuel was promised to God before his mother Hannah conceived him. Hannah said: “Give me a son, then I will give him back to you.” Children are a gift from God. What greater gift can we give our children than to raise them from birth in a Christian home? It is crucial that they are taught about God while their hearts are young. There is nothing more important than to teach a child to love the Lord. Children who are taught to know God early in life have purpose and direction. If we are parents and fail to do this, we fail at life. We miss the plan of God. Thank God that He intervenes when we fail at being a parent.  Remember that – an important lesson to show our children is how we operate under the grace and mercy of an Eternal Father who is perfect. 

 

Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it (Proverbs 22:6).  Some versions say train up a child in the way he should go. Training means effort and a lot of repetition. You can’t train for a marathon if you only jog once a week.

 

 If raising our children as believers was more important than our job, the size of our home, or how much money we make, it wouldn’t be that hard to raise godly kids.

 

 “There is just one way to bring up a child in the way he should go and that is to travel that way yourself.” (Abraham Lincoln)

 

Prayer
Lord, help us to realize that children are our most priceless possessions. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 20, 2006

Passion Parenting

 

“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8

 

I am a parent. I try to be as much a part of my four children’s lives as I can.  This is whether or not they want me to be. Sometimes we as parents must bear the unpleasant burden of putting ourselves in the lives of our children for their own good. We as parents know what is best for them. It is our responsibility to them and to God to give our children all of the tools that they will need to be a success in the world. I am not talking about giving them huge allowances and new cars. I am talking about giving them love, a safe place to live, and a strong foundation in Christ. We need to be passionate about being parents.

 

 God is a passionate parent, too. He has great plans for us if only we will listen to him and obey him. But we as children always have different ideas about how to live our lives; and we always know what is best for us whether we are thirteen or thirty. Sound familiar?
 
Moses had an incredible life. From a baby born to a Hebrew slave family, he rose to be the liberator and leader of the Israeli people. Not too shabby! But he was not willing to charge off and do this without some ‘parental coaching’; he needed the support of the ultimate passionate parent, God. But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain (Exodus 3:11-12).” Without God, Moses would never have accomplished what he did.

 

I have a daughter who is a sophomore at a Christian college, a son who is a senior, a daughter who is a sophomore, and a son in sixth grade.  They are all different and unique.  I am proud of all of them because I know that their journeys have not been easy. Their mother and I have laughed, cried, rejoiced, and worried as they have grown from babies to young adults. Hopefully, being a passionate parent will have taught them to make their lives a sanctuary for God, so that He may dwell among them.

 

Prayer
Father, I pray that you instill in me a passion to be a parent; that you will give me the guidance and leadership to teach my children as you have taught me. God, help me to love them no matter what they might do, just as you love me. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 19, 2006

Walk By Faith

 

”I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

 

When you believe in Jesus Christ you can never go back to who or what you were before. The difference is that Christ lives inside you thru the Holy Spirit. Your sins are forgiven and you become a new person. You are still you but the difference is you have the Holy Spirit living inside you now. You are a child of God. 

 

 You have to stop and think about this. The Holy Spirit, part of the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son & Holy Ghost (Spirit) is always with me. The Spirit is called comforter and is an intercessor to God on my behalf. I don't even have to know what to say in my prayers, the Spirit will intercede with moans and groans on my behalf.

 

 Do you feel lost? Do you feel something is missing? Are you feeling empty? Besides work and family, do you feel you need something more?

 

Are you trusting in Jesus as your Savior?

 

 You can pray this simple prayer:
 Dear Lord, I don't have all the answers. I do know that I need something which I do not have now. I am lacking and don't know what it is or what to do about it. Please come into my life. I want your SPIRIT in my life. I want forgiveness for my sins. I put my trust in you as my Savior. I know I am not complete without you. You will accept me just as I am. I surrender myself to you. Thank you God for hearing my prayer and making me a new person. In the name of your son, Jesus, who is now my SAVIOR I pray, Amen.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 If you said this prayer just now, please phone, visit, or contact someone you know right now who is a believer and tell them what you did. Or contact any Christian church and ask to speak to someone there. If you don’t know of a church, contact Lutheran Church Charities (866-455-6466) and we can help you find a church.  It is important to tell someone. Jesus said to confess in public. He then will confess you to his Father in Heaven. You don't need to stand on the corner and shout it. Just tell one person. That's where you need to start.

 

Prayer
Lord, thank you for being who you are. If there is someone reading this devotion today who hasn't yet taken the step of asking you for forgiveness of their sins may this be the day they receive you. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 15, 2006

Looking For The Right Things

 

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” Luke 24:36-39

 

I’ve adopted a mental game in the past few years. Whenever I catch myself focusing on the negative or getting critical, I look for God’s blessing in the situation or person. For example, I recently attended a gathering where the people running it were very disorganized and appeared to be dysfunctional.  Instead of being critical of the group (as I was beginning to be in my mind) I thought instead of how much time they invest in relationships with those they serve. That’s so much more important in the long run. I had to keep reminding myself of this so that I was not critical or negative.  I am not always successful at shifting my thinking with this game, but it has become less of a habit for me to think negatively.

 

 The disciples were fearful and thinking the worst when Jesus appeared to them. They thought He was a ghost. They were so immersed in their misery that they would have missed the miracle of His appearance if He had not spelled it out for them.

 

How often am I so focused on trudging along a difficult path that I miss out on the miracles Jesus places all around me? How can I better focus on the things God has for me to do, taking my eyes off of my selfish complaints and burdens?

 

Try it today. Can you make a conscious decision to replace your grievances and problems with the blessings God has given you?

 

Prayer
Lord Jesus, we have so much for which to be thankful. Thank You for another day with those I love. Thank You for the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of blossoming trees in spring. Thank You for dying for us all, and for revealing Yourself to us in miracles, small and large, everyday. Help me to focus on You instead of the obstacles in the road. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 14, 2006

Confession from an Agnostic

 

“But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.” 1 Corinthians 15:20

 

About 25% of my students in the Word Among Us Bible Studies are unchurched.  Included in that group are some who see themselves as agnostic.  Below is a letter I received from one of them – I would like to use it as today’s devotion.

 

When I was an agnostic – I was one of those many people who viewed Jesus as a great teacher, possibly the best who ever lived. Did I study his teachings closely or make a serious attempt to live by them? Not really. He was a role model, buried somewhere in my collection of semi-conscious images and ideas, but I didn’t think of him that often. I believed that if I really began picking apart the Gospels, I’d probably be deeply disappointed at what I’d find there, losing one more hero.

 

 This view of Jesus prevailed for me into my earliest days of listening to your Bible Study: Word Among Us. It takes a long, long time to uproot lifelong doubt, which is really just another form of belief. I was ignorant enough then to even doubt that Jesus ever existed at all. I think that I became an agnostic in active mode only when I started listening to WAU, and began truly entertaining the possibility that the Good News was all true. An active agnostic would surely be driven to seek the answer: was it true or not?

 

 My learning curve began. No two people experience this process in exactly the same way. First there’s the issue of God. Does the learner believe in God? If so – does he or she believe in a God that is in some significant way human-like? To really embrace the story told in the Gospels seems to rely on this concept of a human-like God. I had a terrible time with that for a long time and still feel pulled away from that at times. Then begins the Jesus curve. Did he exist? Well, I soon found out that, yes, there apparently is secular reference to his existence – “secular” meaning, to the agnostic, reliable. (Isn’t that a laugh?)

 

 The slow process that followed for me was to absorb the stories, parables, events recorded in the Gospels and also encased in the rest of the Bible, to find sense and sensibility in them, to relax inner tensions that I’d developed in other contexts and “let it be.” What came remarkably forward (and this is my version of a personal relationship with Jesus) was the clear uniqueness of this Person, the ultimate Person – the person who thought more clearly, centered more effectively, judged more fairly, felt more purely, knew with more certainty, than anyone I’d ever known, encountered or imagined. Jesus. The Jesus I’d found for myself. (With enormous help of course).

 

 At this point I’m reaching, I think, the height, the peak, of the Learning Curve. Resurrection. Its easy now for me to just submit to that idea. Why not? In this most astounding biography of a Man, why not believe the most beautiful part?

 

 I continue to be a Christian who cares little about my own future in Heaven – I don’t know why that is but it’s true for now – but I do believe now, at last, that Jesus was resurrected and that somewhere, at every moment, He lives! And that is Heaven!

 

Prayer
Dear God, I thank you for my Learning Curve, for your patience in seeking me out and presenting me with the opportunities to find my way. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 13, 2006

An Unbelievable Sight

 

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” A week later his disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20:25-27

 

Believe it! It sounds so easy, but I, like doubting Thomas, often ask the Lord for proof. It all seems too unbelievable. Rising from the dead? How can someone rise from the dead?
 
There was a time when I was dead-spiritually-and through Christ I am alive in spirit now. But how quickly I forget His power in my life, especially when faced with believing in someone else’s resurrection. Isn’t this the same God who rescued me from the jaws of death? Can He not do the same for someone else? Why do I demand proof?

 

I know that God calls us to be redeemers- in which we claim His victory in the life of other’s - we are to forgive and forget their sins just as God has ours - as far as the east is from the west. Not for our glory - but for God’s. We release them from the chains of their past mistakes just as Christ has released us. Doesn’t the Bible tell us “to forgive as we have been forgiven”, and “that if we do not forgive the sins of others, our Father in heaven will not forgive us”?

 

 Whew! That is powerful stuff. We struggle with the belief that they have resurrected from their spiritual death and we fail to believe in their new life. We want to “see” the holes in their hands- we want proof that their death was real.

 

 So if Faith believes in what we do not see but what we hope for, do we not hope for a resurrection in the lives of those who proclaim to know Christ? Why then do we demand immediate proof of their new life?

 

 Jesus went on in verse 29 and tells us, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” That my friends, is a walk of faith! Believing without seeing first!

 

Prayer
Father God, I praise you for the resurrection of my life. I praise you because you are in the business of redeeming lost and broken lives. Help my unbelief - not in other people - but my unbelief in your presence in their lives. Help me Lord, to trust you to complete the work you have begun in all of us, regardless of what I see. Help me Lord to be a vessel of your redemption for others, that I would always see them through your eyes and not my own. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 12, 2006

Life is not Fair

 

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.     Isaiah 53: 5

 

Having spent several years working with Junior High youth, I used to hear them frequently complain about things not being fair. It could be about a test, a boyfriend or girlfriend, sports, ect. I quickly learned “JH Speak”—the secret language of this age group. For example, “nobody” means “my friends”. (Nobody wears his or her hair like that!) However, “everybody” also means “my friends”. (Everybody does it!) In this language, “fair” means, “I’m getting my way!” And if something is “not fair” it always means that the speaker is being cheated of something they feel they deserve.

 

 This verse reminds me of “fair”. It’s not fair that Jesus suffered so I would not have to suffer. It’s not fair that his beatings produce my peace. It isn’t fair that his injury yields my healing. It’s not fair. But that’s the kind of God I serve. He’s the God of grace, mercy, and love. A God who demands justice then pays the debt that I so much deserve. And I take it for granted. Now that’s not fair!

 

Prayer
Jesus, many times I have no clue what you have done for me and continue to do for me. Forgive my casual attitude toward your love, your sacrifice and your holiness. Holy Spirit, prod me to prayers of thanks and praise. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 9, 2006

I have a Sword and I am Ready to Use it! Shall I, Please?

 

When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?"    Luke 22:49

 

We hear a lot about extremism nowadays. We hear about people who go to extremes because they believe they should strike others with the “sword” for various (and most times downright stupid) reasons. It is called extremism of ideas--people’s ideas, not God’s.

 

 Extreme cases aside, there are other types of swords that we carry around in everyday life. They are small swords, and maybe sometimes considered a talent, or a virtue. If pain is inflicted upon a person there is a “sword” somewhere. According to the text, “But he/she started it first” is not a valid excuse in the eyes of Jesus. It is also not a modern success recipe.

 

 There are several things that fascinate me about what happened before Jesus was arrested. He was fully aware that these armed men had come with bad intentions. They were not there to drink to his health. Yet, it was His will that he be arrested, condemned and crucified.  The disciples knew the agenda but they couldn’t accept it because it did not fit their agenda.  However their first reaction to the soldiers is the sword! The disciples have heard that whoever lives by the sword will parish by the sword. However they still ask Jesus, "Lord shall we strike with the sword?”

 

 I would like to ponder a bit on this moment and invite you to take a personal inventory of all the reactions that you have had to certain people, ideas, and betrayals that made your blood go to your brain. Do you still ask, "Lord I got a sword, a good theological knowledge, and a quick witty tongue. I can slam doors on people’s faces like nobody’s business! May I, please, shall I use it? Can I lift the sword Lord, because I feel it is time?" The question in itself shows that we know the act is not fully acceptable, or we wouldn’t ask it. If we see a person that just fell on the street in front of us, we don’t start praying and meditating if God wants us to help this person up. We just do it, because it is the right thing to do. If we are about to completely put somebody down without even questioning the fairness of our actions towards God’s love for this person, we need to seriously reevaluate our relationship to the Lord. Is He Lord of our lives (and reactions) or are we “lords” of our own life.
 
Ok, so we did ask the question, “Can I use my sword?”. That’s a good step. But now what? The disciples were present when Jesus invited people to turn the other cheek, so there was no doubt in their mind that they were NOT to lift the sword. But they didn’t wait for Jesus’ answer. They acted instead. Patiently listing to God is not strength for many of us – myself included.  We know what God’s answer will be, so we act before He answers our question.  Impatience and self-will I believe we could call it.

 

When it comes to attacking people with our Bibles left and right and not even looking back to clean up the mess we make there is something that isn't right. As a rule of thumb: If you are in doubt about the righteousness of an action, you are better off not doing it.

 

I don’t want this to be some “lecture”—some lesson about how not to be judgmental and aggressive. It is never about morals; it is always about God’s grace. In the text Jesus looked at the mess that his disciples made—the way they treated the soldier—and he cleaned it up. He renewed and restored. I believe that His act of healing spoke to the heart of the disciple who raised the sword, even more than this story speaks to us today.

 

Fellow believers in Christ, I urge you to be good, keen observers, even of your own messes. God’s grace to others teaches us about being graceful. It is the voice that commands, "Permit even this? Put all swords down at my cross!"

 

Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach us to lay down our swords, our hate, our hurt and turn it into something pleasing to you. Teach us boundaries and grace. Lord give us the strength to forgive and to remember to see through the foe to the need.  In your name, Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 8, 2006

How Deep Is Your Faith?

 

Abba, Father, he said “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14:36

 

Some time back I remember discussing the book The Diary of Anne Frank with a group of High School students.  It reminded me of my weaknesses and limitations as a human being. Young Anne and her friend Peter were arguing about being forced to wear the Star of David. Peter was angry that he was being singled out as a Jew. He began destroying the stars attached to the piles of clothes that he and others piled on as they escaped to the hideout. Anne’s opinion differed from Peter’s. She was adamant about wearing her Star of David and was upset by Peter’s destructive behavior.

 

 Class discussion began by focusing on the star’s symbolism for both Peter and Anne. One student suggested that the Star of David was symbolic of Anne’s faith and to destroy it like Peter is the ultimate sign of rejection. The students in the classroom began to silently question their own faith. Is it strong enough to withstand the excruciating pain and torture that others can inflicted on the human race? I asked the students if they would lie about their faith in order to save their lives from eminent danger/death. A few hands immediately flew up in the air. Those students expressed their fear of death and dying stating that they would do anything to prevent it. Afterwards, one student remarked that the real fear should be from God’s response to their lies and disobedience. Things got extremely deep when a young man pointed out that no one really knows what s/he would do until s/he is in that actual situation. A number of heads, including my own, began nodding in agreement. Would I lie about my faith in God to save my own life? This is where the Holy Spirit must take over; as our human nature is self-centered and often ignores God’s will for our own.

 

 As I began to conclude the discussion God reminded me of the Holy Spirit’s enormous powers through not only Anne Frank’s story, but also that of Rachel Scott. Rachel Scott was a 17-year-old student who died professing her faith in God during the Columbine High School shootings in 1999. Rachel’s faith and complete trust in the Lord gave her the strength and courage to submit herself to the Holy Spirit and firmly answer “YES,” as she stared down the barrel of a .38 caliber handgun.
 
While our nation mourned the horrific loss of human life, God is clearly sending us a message through Anne and Rachel’s stories. Everything is possible if we submit ourselves to God’s will and not our own. Even the greatest tragedies like the Holocaust and the Columbine Highs School shooting, or even 9/11, will help further God’s kingdom. The key is submitting ourselves to God’s will and allowing the Holy Spirit to perform His miracles in and through our lives no matter what the cost.

 

Prayer
Lord, thank you for your unconditional love and the gift of eternal life through our savior Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray for the strength and courage to stand up for my faith and convictions in You. I pray that every day I will lose a part of me and replace it with a part of You as I strive to submit myself to your will and not my own. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 7, 2006

Owing Debt

 

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, he said to them.” Mark 14:24

 

I got to thinking this morning about the price that Jesus paid for my salvation. A week or so ago I watched the DaVinci Code movie.  I decided after watching Browns movie that I needed to watch the real story so I watched again The Passion of the Christ and walked away in awe of what Jesus went through. What was most shocking for me is knowing that He didn’t have to go through with it! Yet if He didn’t, I wouldn’t be free. I wouldn’t have direct access to God if Jesus didn’t serve as my sacrificial advocate. I fall from the grace of God each day and I wouldn’t be able to get back up if it weren’t for Jesus’ blood poured out for me.
 
 We owe Jesus everything, but we can never repay Him. All that we can do, the least that we should do, is to give Him, our lives—to serve Him wholeheartedly. This means listening to God and obeying Him. That is exactly what Jesus did, and because of that, we are no longer alone – we have an advocate in Jesus the Christ.

 

Prayer
Jesus, Thank You. I simply can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me and for the world. All that I can do is show my appreciation with my life. May I serve You always by serving others in your name! Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 6, 2006

Who Said You Could?

 

"Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they said. "Who gave you this authority?"  Luke 20:2

 

Authority in Webster’s Practical Dictionary has four listings: 1- the right to command or to act, the power to force obedience. 2- The person(s) who have the powers of government. 3-A person who is consulted about a subject because he knows more about it than most persons do. 4- a source of trustworthy information.

 

 Isn’t it human nature to believe that we are the king or queen of our domain? We like to be in charge or in control. We have our own plans for our lives. We like to think we have final authority or say so about things. The leaders of Jesus time were not any different than the generations before or after them.

 

 These people planned and worked for the illusion of power and control whether they were religious leaders or governmental leaders of their time. Jesus shook the very foundations of their thoughts, plans and actions when he came. He threatened both their perceived ideas of who they were and the perceived power they had accomplished in their lifetime.

 

 The things Jesus said and did were only possible with the authority of heaven—God the Father. And yet, they didn’t want to accept this. To accept this meant that everything they had (their perceived power and self-authority) was nothing and had to go. Their ego, their sin and their pride stood in the way.

 

 Many of us have Christ as our personal Savior. We let Him play the Redeemer role in our lives, but then we choose to reject his rightful authority as Lord. We often act as if we are asking Jesus, “Who said you could”?  When we do that we are no longer submitting to Jesus as Lord of our life. 

 

Will you submit your personal authority to the passionate Lord who has given up all for you? Can you give Him any less than all of you?

 

Prayer
Precious Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice of love. May we learn to submit our ALL to your authority as Savior and as Lord of our lives. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 5, 2006

King of Kings

 

They said, “God bless the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven where God is praised.” Luke 19:38

 

Jesus was riding a colt into Jerusalem this day. This fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9. This is the prophecy of the Lord’s Triumphal Entry. The King of Kings riding a lowly donkey colt. He was not leading a conquering army on a white stallion. He was being praised by a bunch of peasants. The symbolism is unique. He is riding down to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. He has to come down. He must lower himself in order to save us. A humble king who is accessible to everyone. A conquering king who uses love not force. He comes down to where we have fallen. He comes to give us meaning and purpose so that our lives are not an experience in futility.

 

 “There is nothing else that will dethrone self but the enthroning of Jesus Christ.” (Alexander Maclaren)

 

Prayer
Lord, thank you for Your example that we must reach lower for You to lift us higher. Help me always to remember that there is no higher place then to be then at Your feet.  Amen.

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
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At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom

Daily Devotion for June 2, 2006

Stop, Look and Listen

 

“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Luke 1:45

 

As a child, I can remember the signs that were erected to protect the places where highways crossed over railroad tracks. However, crossing gates or flashing lights typically did not protect these rural areas. As a child of God, we must stop, look and listen to what God is saying to us.

 

 When the angle Gabriel appeared to Mary, Mary was troubled. But despite her fear, her closing comments to the angle were, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said". (Luke 1:38) Here is a child that did not hesitate to follow God’s call. How many of us today have the faith of a child and the immediate obedience to do as Mary did?

 

 As adults, we are living in interesting times. Our lives are so filled with  matters going on presently that we are sometimes too busy to heed the call of God. Thinking back to my childhood, I was never busy like I am today. As a child I believed and obeyed unconditionally. Oh, to be a child again….

 

 As children, our parents taught us how to obey them. As children of God, He wants to teach us obedience; we should be as children and listen to Him as closely as we listened to our parents. “Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.” (Psalm 119:33) It is only with the faith and obedience of a child that we can truly be effective servants of God.

 

Prayer
Father God, I long to be a child again! I want to believe in You and obey Your commands with child-like faith. Make me like a servant who will stop his busy life, look to You for guidance, and listen for Your instructions. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
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