Daily Devotion for July 20, 2006

Children of God

 

"He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth . . . Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God." Luke 1:14; 16

 

When the birth of John the Baptist was foretold to his father Zechariah, the angel Gabriel told him what a joy the child would be to him - not because he was being blessed with a child after a lifetime of childlessness, but because the child would be a blessing in God's sight. Indeed, the child was to be "great in the sight of the Lord." Barrenness was considered a curse from God in the Jewish culture, and Elizabeth and Zechariah had probably prayed most of their lives for a child. Indeed, Gabriel acknowledges that their prayers had been heard - but the reason for joy, according to Gabriel, was not simply having a child, but having a child that was to be "filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth." It qualified John as a prophet in those days, before the Holy Spirit was made accessible to all believers.

 

 Our charge as parents isn't to simply enjoy the great blessing to us that our children are, but to responsibly mold them and raise them up as powerful workers for the Lord. There are several examples of such parenting cited in the scriptures. Samson, born of another previously barren woman, was dedicated to the Lord in the Nazirite tradition. He began the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines, and his death was used to demonstrate the one and true Lord Almighty. Hannah, also childless, had the desire of her heart answered and gave the child up to the Lord's service when he was three. She saw him only on a yearly basis after that, but that boy grew to be the first of a new era of prophets of the Lord, and presided over the transition of Israel from an affiliation of tribes to a centrally governed nation. The prophet Samuel also anointed and mentored Israel's king, King David, setting the stage for the Son of David, Jesus.

 

 When we raise up our children to be a light in this world and to be disciples of Christ, we are not equipping them for an easy life from the secular perspective. John the Baptist lived in the desert, and was imprisoned and eventually executed for his stand for God's truth. Jesus told his disciples that the world would hate them, and indeed advised them to "...not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul." Most of us will never be persecuted to this extent, but it is critical that we raise up our children with the one true love, so that they are prepared to love and lean on the Lord in difficult times, and in the end be found faithful.

 

Prayer
Lord, you have given us a divine task in raising up our children to be passionate believers. Help us to always remember that you have not ‘given us children,' but have blessed us with an opportunity and a responsibility. Give us your wisdom as we mold these children of God.  And Lord, if we have no children, there are others in our life that you have put in our path so that we can share you with them.  Help us to be faithful in this.  Amen

 

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		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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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 July 28, 2006

Finding Quiet in the Noise

 

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a Voice said to him, “What are you doing here Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:11-13

 

When I stop and listen, my life is rather noisy. Whether it is the sound of trucks and construction equipment outside my office window, the murmur of the television program that someone is watching, the gentle patter of the rain on the roof, the ringing of phones or the background noise of someone talking on them, the ticking of the clock, the hum of the refrigerator, there always seems to be noise!  —and this is a quiet moment!

 

 The pace and clatter of my world, both physically and mentally, leaves little room to hear the quiet voice of God. I have to choose to listen and be still despite the continual hubbub around me. I must choose consciously to be sensitive to God’s gentle nudges or miss His presence altogether. I do have some places I try and go to hear the “silence” – one of them is in a Wadi in Israel, although I am not sure how quiet it is there now.  However, God often speaks quietly. I don’t want to miss out because of the constant barrage of sounds around me.  Find a quiet place and listen to God!

 

Prayer
Lord, You gave me this busy, noisy season of life. Help me to savor each moment. Help me, too, to quiet myself in the midst of it to hear Your voice. Amen.

 

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		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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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 July 21, 2006

Straddle the Fence

 

Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How long are you going to waiver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent. 1 Kings 18:21

 

I grew up on a farm. It was the era when 200 acres could support a family. We raised both crops and livestock, and that combination required fences to keep the two separated. I vividly remember a time when I was climbing over a rail fence. I was straddling the top rail, supporting myself by standing on the middle rail. Suddenly my feet slipped off the middle rail and I was supporting myself in a very uncomfortable manner.

 

 The people in today’s reading were straddling a spiritual fence.
 
Their discomfort was evidenced by their silence. But I can’t be too judgmental of them. I am often silent when I should announce my allegiance to Jesus.

 

 I straddle the fence, in pain, but am unwilling to swing to one side or the other. I am paralyzed by fear, habit, pride, confusion … all of the above.

 

 Elijah’s bold act of faith allowed the Lord to convince the people who he was, God. Must the fire of the Lord get me off the fence? Can’t I just obey, now, from faith? I have history to teach me that, “The Lord, he is God. The Lord, he is God.”

 

Prayer:
Thank you for being the Lord. You are the one and only true God. Never let me be comfortable straddling the fence. I want to be committed to you!

 

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		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
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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 July 19, 2006

Faithful or Faithless?

 

"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."   The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. John 4:48-50

 

I could really relate to the scriptures we read today in John. Jesus is talking to a group of people, some who know him and some who are merely curious. He tells them that he knows that many of them will never believe in him and who he is unless they see signs and wonders. Then a man steps to the front and asks him to come with him to heal his child before death comes. Jesus doesn’t leave and go with him. Instead, he speaks and says, “You may go. Your son will live.” The man doesn’t doubt. He doesn’t ask him, “Are you sure, Lord?” He doesn’t put time limits, his own ideas or will upon Jesus. He merely accepts Jesus at his word and in obedience departs for home expecting the spoken miracle to happen as Jesus said.

 

 I, like most of you and the man in today’s scriptures, have many challenges to face in my life. I am a parent, a father, a son, a mentor, a brother, a friend, a co-worker, a supervisor, a servant and even though I am mentioning it last – it is not the least – a child of God. I have faith in the love, and power of my Lord. I’ve seen and experienced blessings of His faithfulness many times throughout my life. I have times of immediate faith when I know I’ve only to trust him at his word. But, I also have times when I’m so close to the circumstances that they appear to be larger than my God. There are some times I’m telling God how big my challenges, hurts, pains or troubles and relationships have become. These are the times my memory fades just like the Israelites. It is to my shame that I move from the closeness of my Savior and forget to tell my troubles how big my God is. When I move towards faithlessness, I am usually being disobedient to God and imposing my will upon my life.

 

 God has made promises. God made the promises but he didn’t ask or tell me what the timeline would be. He didn’t ask or tell me what circumstances would take place for His will to be accomplished. I know he has the power to resurrect the dead. I know he spoke the world into existence. I know he has a love so big he sent his own son to pay my sin debt. His ways are not my ways. His will isn’t subject to my will. I know he is faithful to keep his promises. I have heard him say you may go but I also take a step and look back for reassurance, then keep repeating the process as I try to have faith and act in belief.
 Do you, like me, walk a zigzag path at times? Won’t you join me in choosing to believe He is able, and asking for strength to take action and walk more in faith and obedience and less in faithlessness?

Quote by Fred Wolfe
 “Obedience does not begin with the outward act. Obedience begins in the heart with the will. There must be a deliberate act of your will if you are going to obey God. There are three choices you have to make with your will if you are going to obey God. First of all, you have to choose to obey God 100 percent. Second, you must choose to obey God whether anybody else does or not. Third, choose to obey Him no matter what it costs.

 

Prayer:
I’m guilty of asking You, Jesus, for help and then picking my burdens up and hauling them back with me as I leave your throne. Jesus, I have walked on both sides of the road of faith and I teeter in the middle of that road at times. Forgive me. I need your grace. I have been found faithful and I have been found faithless. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Lord, I have faith, help my faithlessness. I will be patient. Help my impatience as I await your timing in all things. Work your will in my life and in the lives of those I love. Help me to choose love and obedience at all times. 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
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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 July 18, 2006

Lessons of Loyalty from the Prodigal Son

 

“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Luke 15:31-32

 

Loyalty is hard to find in today’s world of self-promotion and free enterprise. Dreams of money and fame persuade people into abandoning the simple life for something bigger and better. The parable of the prodigal son demonstrates how disloyalty not only tears people apart, but it also has a way of bringing people closer together.

 

 Like many people, the youngest son was unsatisfied with his simple and boring way of life on the farm. He thought that fame and prestige would come once he left the farm and had some money. In his quest for self-discovery, the younger son asked his father for his share of the inheritance to explore new opportunities and adventures. This put his father in a terrible position. Should he allow his son to make a horrible mistake or should he force his son to stay on the farm against his will? I can relate to the turmoil this father had to have felt. I have watched friends, family members, and even my students make some extremely poor decisions that have caused each of them a great deal of heartache and pain. Sure, I tried my best to talk my loved ones into making the “wiser” decision based on my thoughts and opinions, but often true wisdom is only gained through personal experience.

 

 The father granted his younger son’s wish. He gave his son the money needed to leave the farm and embark on his own adventures. The son felt a rush of freedom hit him faster than he was capable of handling. Day after day the son squandered his inheritance money on fancy items that he thought would make him happy. When those items failed, the son bought more items. Soon a vicious cycle began and finally ended when the son ran out of money. To add insult to injury, famine was widespread in his new “home” and he began to starve. It was at this rock bottom moment that God humbly brought the younger son to his senses.

 

 Gone was the arrogant, self-centered pride and born was a humble man, who both experienced and understood God’s grace as he repents in verse 21, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” His older brother angrily agreed, but their father felt otherwise. The father called for his older son to celebrate and accept the rebirth of his younger brother. Like most of us, the older brother allowed his anger to turn into a bitter taste that is apparent on his self-righteous tongue in verse 29: “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet, you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.” It is okay to be upset with people who let us down, but we must not let our disappointment turn into self-righteousness. Telling people, “I told you so” or manipulating the situation is wrong to say the very least. We must remember that God’s grace and forgiveness is extended to everyone, including a disloyal scoundrel like the prodigal son. All we have to do is repent and ask for God’s forgiveness.

 

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your continued support and never-ending loyalty. I know that you’re always there by my side supporting me even when I don’t deserve it. I thank you for opening my blind, self-righteous eyes and helping me become more compassionate and loving towards others I used to judge blindly as wrong. I pray for continued strength, courage, and wisdom against the anger and self-righteousness that consumed my soul for many years. It is in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
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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 July 17, 2006

Getting Down to Business

 

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?  Luke 2:49

 

It used to be said that a pessimist is a man who wears bracers as well as a belt.

 

What is your basic outlook on life? Do you always expect the worst to happen or are you always hopefully confident?

 

There are some people for whom everything they do is a bit of a game. They manage a bounce when others are feeling a bit gloomy. They don’t face the serious matters of life in a heavy, stodgy manner. They always manage to focus on the positive, the possibilities. Instead of listing all the reasons why “it can’t be done”, they are already planning “how it can be done”.

 

It is every parent’s nightmare - the moment your back is turned, the child has disappeared. As they get older, it may not be so much the question of “where are they?” but, “what are they up to?”

 

Jesus was twelve. The whole family had gone up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. Setting off to return home to Nazareth, Joseph and Mary assumed him to be among their relatives and friends. But he wasn’t!

 

Anxiously, they returned to Jerusalem and searched for three days until they found him “in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46).

 

Joseph and Mary were “astonished”. Perhaps we could find a few other expressions for their emotions too - “put out”, annoyed, “hopping mad”... I suspect that’s how we would have felt about the situation.

 

“Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you” (v. 48).

 

They knew, of course, that Joseph wasn’t his natural father at all, that he had been conceived by the Holy Spirit and was uniquely the Son of God. Yet for all practical purposes - and as far as the Nazareth community was concerned - Joseph was the father.
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (v. 49).

 

The King James Bible has, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” The original misses out the final noun. Literally, it is, “about (or among) my Father’s things”.
Jesus was indicating to them that he knew his mission in life - they should have known it too!

 

The church has a mission, and we need to get down to business! Jesus’ final words put it this way, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

 

Twenty years later we see Jesus entering the Temple again and driving out the traders who were operating there under the aegis of corrupt religious leaders. “It is written”, he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers’.” (Luke 19:46)

 

Cleanse the Temple that it may again be a house of prayer and a witness to the living God.

 

God is calling us! Let’s get down to business!

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father – help me to keep the MAIN THING the MAIN THING and get down to doing your Business.  Nothing else matters.  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 July 14, 2006

Today ends my series of Devotions on our Spiritual Journey through the Land of the Bible.  I hope you have grown in your understanding of our Lord and were deepened in your faith that calls us to walk in His Steps and Serve Others in HIS NAME. 
Shalom
Tim Hetzner

 

Day 19

 

There Are Two Seas in Palestine
 

	There are two seas in Palestine.   One is fresh, and fish are in it.  Splashes of green adorn its banks.  Trees spread their branches over it, and stretch out their thirsty roots to sip of its healing water. Along the shores, the children play as children played when the Messiah-Jesus- was there.  He loved it.  He could look across its silver surface when He spoke His parables.  In addition, on a rolling plain not far away He fed five thousand people.
	The river Jordan feeds this sea with sparkling water from the hills.  So it laughs in the sunshine.  And men build their homes near to it, and birds their nests; and every kind of life is happier because it is there.   The river Jordan flows on south into another sea. Here is no splash of fish, no fluttering leaves, no song of birds, and no children’s laughter.  Travelers choose another route, unless on urgent business.  The air hangs heavy above its waters, and neither man, nor beast, nor fowl will drink.
	What makes this mighty difference in these neighbor seas?   Not the river Jordan.  It empties the same good water into both.  Not the soil in which they lie; nor the country round about.   This is the difference.  The Sea of Galilee receives but does not keep the Jordan.  For every drop that flows into it another drop flows out.  The giving and receiving go on in equal measure.   The other sea is shrewder, hoarding its income jealously.  It will not be tempted into any generous impulse.  Every drop it gets it keeps.

The Sea of Galilee gives and lives.  This other sea gives nothing.  It is named the Dead Sea.
 

There are two kinds of people in the world.

 

There are two seas in Palestine.

 

Which are you?

 

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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 July 13, 2006

Day 18

 

Synagogue of Nazareth

 

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.  Luke 2:39

 

Although the main attraction in town is the Basilica of the Annunciation, if one walks west of the Basilica into the old part of town one can see the Synagogue Church.  It is a simple stone building which tradition says is the synagogue in which Jesus and his family attended Sabbath services.

 

This is certainly a very old building.  And it is a suitable place to consider the influence which Mary, Joseph and the whole Jewish community had on the young Jesus.  Joseph would have taken Jesus with him to the synagogue just as Orthodox Jewish fathers take their sons today.

 

The whole synagogue experience would have had a very powerful effect on Jesus.  The reading of the Torah and the singing of the psalms would impress any sensitive boy, especially when reinforced by the prayers and pious rituals of the home.

 

Today as then, Judaism is much more than doctrine.  It is a way of life which involves the whole family.  At first glance, Judaism seems to be very much a “man’s religion” with fathers deeply involved in the religious education of sons.  But it also depends on the customs and atmosphere of orthodox practice and piety maintained by the mother in the home!

 

In subtle ways and in very public ways, the whole Jewish community of Nazareth molded the religious sensibilities of the town’s young people.  It seems likely that “the carpenter’s son” was no exception.

 

Prayer
Jesus, your human attitudes were deeply formed by Mary, Joseph and by the religious practice of Nazareth.  Help parents to realize the importance of their words and example.  Help us all to know that our faith and devotion, or lack of it, strongly influences the next generation.  For we are all responsible for one another.  Even the most independent young people secretly look for guidance and example from parents, older relatives and from friends.  Keep us from giving scandal.  Make us humble and honest models of Christian living.  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 July 12, 2006

Day 17

 

The Jericho Road

 

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. Luke 10:33

 

Near Jericho east of Jerusalem, it is still possible to walk along parts of an old Roman road which Jesus must have used on his frequent trips between Jerusalem and Jericho.  About 14 miles east of Jerusalem, the old Jericho road leads away from the modern highway with its buses and army trucks, and winds down the dry rocky valley called the “Wadi Qilt.”

 

(click on photo for broader vista)

Clinging to the rock wall on the north side of the gorge is the Monastery of St. George begun in the fifth century and still inhabited by a few Greek monks.  With the famous Monastery of St. Catherine at the foot of Mount Sinai, this is one of the oldest continuously active places of Christian monastic prayer in the world.

 

One is allowed to see some ancient icons in the church and to view the cave where monks killed by the Persians in 614 are buried.  Centuries seem as nothing in the heat and silence of a place like this.  Caves for hermits can be seen above and below the road as it continues down the gorge.  A few are once again inhabited by modern followers of the ancient desert ascetics!

 

But most of all along this original road down to Jericho, one must think of the parable of the Good Samaritan.  It is here in this setting we come to realize that the Good Samaritan had to cross the Wadi Qilt in order to come to where the man was lying.  Not an easy task – and certainly not a safe gesture because to come to help the man meant being at the mercy of anyone else coming along the road who could throw stones at the Samaritan coming into the territory of Judah.  Did Jesus have a particular inn in mind when he told this wonderful story and fixed this road as its setting?  For us, an old caravansary or inn along the modern highway may suggest the necessary stage to conjure up the story even if it dates only from the Turkish period.  It is easy to see how robbers could hide among these barren hills and rocks.  The black tents and the goats and sheep of nomad shepherds are still found just off the highway.  Only a few army posts are a contemporary intrusion.

 

Prayer
Jesus, you knew the impact your parable would have because you made the hero a Samaritan.  In your time, Samaritans were so despised by the Jews.  In our century, you might have told of an Ulster Protestant stopping to help a Catholic after a bishop and a nun passed by.  Or, the story might have told of a Palestinian Moslem stopping to help a Jew after a rabbi and a kibbutz member had ignored him.  Lord, you taught us vividly that we are to reach out in kindness even to our enemies.  May we have the strength to do so and be willing to pay the price.  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 July 11, 2006

Day 16
      Tomb of Abraham  (Click on pictures for larger view)                                 Cave of Machpelah

                cave access hole in Machpelah                                                cenotaph of Isaac and pulpit

 

Hebron

 

So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.  Genesis 13:18

 

Hebron, a historic Old Testament town a half-hour south of Bethlehem, is often overlooked by the Christian pilgrim.  And this is unfortunate.

 

It is true that there is no record of Jesus going there.  But even though it is off the usual path for pilgrim buses, it would be a shame to miss it.

 

It is here in this Arab city that we find the magnificently impressive tomb of the Patriarchs and their wives, the ancestors of both Jews and Arabs. It was here that Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 23:17-20) as a burial place for his aged wife Sarah.  Here too, Abraham himself was buried, followed by his son Isaac with Isaac’s wife Rebecca, and by Abraham’s grandson Jacob and his wife Leah.

 

The monumental building, almost a kind of fort, which rises over the burial cave was built by Herod the Great (37-4 BC) from enormous blocks of stone.  On top of this Justinian built a church in the sixth century and the Crusaders added Gothic vaulting in 1215.  From 1267, when this imposing “Haram el-Khalil” (“Shrine of the Friend”) was captured by the Sultan Baibars and made into a mosque, only Moslems were allowed to enter.

 

Only after 1967 were the Jews allocated a place of prayer here.  It must surely be the only place where Jews and Moslems pray almost side by side over the bones of their common ancestors.

 

The huge cenotaphs or tombs of Haram el-Khalil covered in brocade, are also protected with mausoleums.  Through their doors and windows, the pious speak their prayers.  But it is through an opening in the floor near the wall that the most pious Jews send down their vocal and written petitions directly into the deep cave of Machpelah.  It is a bit unnerving for the staid Western visitor to see a woman bending over this opening to the cave and wailing aloud of her grief and her desires far down into the tomb of her ancestors.

 

It was from Hebron that Joseph set forth to find his brothers (Genesis 37:14).  Here the thirty-year-old David was anointed King of Judah and here he lived until the capture of Jerusalem.  His general killed Abnor, Saul’s general, at Hebron (2 Samuel 3:27) and David had the two men executed here who had murdered the last son of Saul (2 Samuel 4:7-11).

 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Abraham left his country and his people at your call and came to Hebron.  He left the gods and the superstition behind and set forth in faith.  He became the ancestor of a mighty people.  May all Jews, Moslems and Christians who adore you, the one and true God, learn to live side by side in peace.  May Abraham, our common father in faith, be an example of the courage to risk and to believe in your son Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  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 July 10, 2006

Day 15

 

Bethlehem

 

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."    Micah 5:2

 

Manager Square at the center of Bethlehem is crowed with cars, buses and tourists.  Local guides are especially industrious in leading the never-ending stream of visitors into the numerous shops.  Here anyone can find great supplies of olive-wood carvings and some rather bizarre items made from mother-of-pearl.

 

But who can be surprised at the commercialism in Bethlehem?  Don’t we think that the Byzantine and Crusader visitors wanted mementos of this town to carry home to their friends and relatives?  This is, after all, the town where every day seems to be Christmas. 

 

We enter this great fortress of a church through a very low entrance with a fascinating background.  Centuries ago, the low doorway was built to keep out the Mamelukes on horseback.  Once through the door, we see the monumental beauty of one of the most ancient churches in the world.

 

The basilica was built in the sixth century by the Emperor Justinian at the request of the ninety-year-old Saint Sabas who journeyed to Constantinople in 530 with his petition.  It rests on an even earlier church built by Constantine in 325.  Parts of the Constantine mosaic pavement can still be seen under some trap doors in the nave.  That a well preserved sixth-century church still stands in the ever-embattled Holy Land must be considered as something of a miracle.

 

The main altar is hidden by a Greek Orthodox icon stand.  However, it is the grotto beneath this altar that really interests us.  At the side of the sanctuary steps lead down to a humble place honored as the birthplace of Jesus since AD 200.  Under a Greek Orthodox altar is a star with the inscription in Latin: “Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.”  Nearby and a bit lower is the Roman Catholic Altar of the Manger where the Mass of Christmas is offered each morning.

 

How many pilgrims have come to pray in this stable-cave and to wonder at God’s love for humankind!  St. Jerome especially loved this place and made Bethlehem his home in the fourth century.  Here, he translated the Bible into Latin in a cave reached through the Franciscan Church of St. Catherine.  Today, Bethlehem’s pilgrims view these places thinking of the ancient census of Emperor Augustus that brought Mary and Joseph to this city of David (Luke 2:1-10).

 

Prayer
Jesus, you were born here in poverty and cold – a tiny baby, weak and dependent.  In these few moments that we spend here, may we be deeply moved by your love and your example.  O Emmanuel, “God who is with us,” the babies of the poor and oppressed remind us of you.  Those who struggle to provide for their families make us think of Mary and Joseph.  May we leave this stable cave with greater sensitivity and compassion for the least of your brothers and sisters.  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 July 9, 2006

Day 14

 

The Decapolis

 

They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.  When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him.  This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain.  For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.  Mark 5:1-3

 

The area east of Galilee was known as the Decapolis during Jesus’ time. This region was once home to Israel’s half tribe of Manasseh but eventually came under the influence of pagan groups.

 

In Jewish tradition, the Decapolis was known as “the land of the seven,” representing the seven pagan nations driven from Israel in Joshua’s day. Jews believed the area was dominated by the devil. The pagans were known for worship of fertility gods, and many of their practices were detestable to God’s people.

 

But the Decapolis also boasted a sophisticated culture. Its cities had many attractions, including gymnasiums, baths, and theaters. Not wanting to be tempted by pagan culture, Jews rarely visited the area, despite its location within view of the Jewish communities near the Sea.

 

Jesus challenged these norms by taking his message to the dark corners of the Decapolis. He fed a group of 4,000 there. And he likely healed a demon-possessed man in the city of Kursi, one of ten pagan cities in the Decapolis.

 

As Jesus taught his disciples, he often traveled among the Jewish cities of northwestern Galilee. Most of his disciples came from that area and probably thought of the Decapolis as a place to avoid—an area dominated by evil gods.

 

Jesus challenged his disciples’ beliefs and fears about the Decapolis. And he gave them undeniable demonstrations of his power over evil.

 

One of these moments came during a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus told the disciples to head “to the other side,” an expression used to describe the Decapolis. The disciples started off, probably questioning the wisdom of traveling to pagan territory, and soon found themselves in a terrible storm.

 

As they struggled against the waves, the disciples were terrified. They thought of the sea as an abyss where evil spirits lived—and they were right in the middle of it, in the midst of a fierce storm.

 

Fearing for their lives, they woke Jesus, who had been sleeping, and asked him why he didn’t care that they might drown. Jesus challenged them, asking “Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).

 

Rebuking the wind and waves, Jesus calmed the storm—and showed his disciples that he had power over nature and over the supposed gods of the Abyss.

 

“The Other Side”

 

After their stormy night on the sea, Jesus and the disciples arrived in the Decapolis area, probably near the town of Kursi. The first person they encountered was a demon-possessed man, so wild that “no one could bind him anymore” (Mark 5:3).

 

Though his disciples probably felt like avoiding the demon-possessed man, Jesus confronted the demons with power. He cast them out of the man and sent the demons into a herd of pigs. The pigs—sacred animals to Decapolis pagans—plunged into the sea from a steep cliff.

 

Jesus’ miracle presented a clear message: He came to be the light of the world, and his light could penetrate even the darkest corners of the world.

 

When nearby townspeople saw the miracle, they asked Jesus to leave. No doubt they were shaken and scared to see a Jewish rabbi displaying such power over the spirits of their area. The healed man was eager to travel with the Messiah, but Jesus encouraged him to stay in the Decapolis and to share his story with others.

 

It is important to note that the disciples never got out of the boat in the story – this shows their deep hatred or prejudices of those in the Demopolis – something Jesus was out to change.

 

Later, when Jesus returned to the area, he was greeted by “great crowds” of people who wanted to learn about him. Apparently, the simple testimony of a formerly demon - possessed man had tremendously impacted his culture.

 

So, hundreds of years ago, a man in the Decapolis was willing to talk about his shady past—a past of craziness and demon-possession—so that people would understand what Jesus had done for him.

 

His simple story brought hope to one of the darkest regions of the world.

 

As we confront the darkness today, Christians must never forget the importance of a story. The Spirit can use our testimonies to impact the hardest of hearts.

 

And that’s exactly why the devil works so hard to keep Christians quiet. He tempts us to care about our own reputations more than the souls of those around us. He wants us to build walls around our personal lives, to avoid exposing our weaknesses.

 

But how will our non-Christian friends and neighbors find true hope if we refuse to share our stories with them? How will they understand God’s grace if we pretend that we do everything in our own strength?

 

Some will listen to our stories and criticize us. Some may call us liars and accuse us of ulterior motives. But others will be transformed. Just like the man in the Decapolis, we each have a story that can shine into the most impossible darkness.

 

What’s your story? Do you believe that it could transform the world?

 

Prayer
Lord – what “other sides” are you leading me to – what “other sides” do you want me to get out of the boat and serve?  Help me to be faithful in following you.  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 July 8, 2006

Day 13

 

Pool of Siloam and Hezekiah’s Tunnel

 

"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.  John 9:7

 

Even by modern standards this tunnel, due south of the Old City, must be considered a major feat of engineering.  King Hezekiah (727-698 BC) had it cut through the rock to prevent Sennacherib, King of Assyria, from gaining control of the water supply when he attacked Jerusalem.  “Why,” they said, “should the kings of Assyria find plenty of water when they arrive?” (2 Chronicles 32:4).

 

The spring of Gihon (“gushing”) had flowed out into the Kidron valley.  Its source was camouflaged and two of Hezekiah’s teams began cutting through the rock.  One cut from the spring, the other from the Pool of Siloam.  The Bible says that Hezekiah “constructed the pool and the conduit to bring water into the city” (2 Kings 20:20).  “It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the Citadel of David” (2 Chronicles 32:30).

 

An inscription in archaic Hebrew script was found inside the tunnel long afterwards.  It recorded the exciting day when Hezekiah’s men broke through.  “…the miners struck, one against the other, pick against pick, and the water flowed from the spring towards the pool, 1200 cubits.  The height of the rock above the head of the miners was 100 cubits.”  The inscription was cut out of the tunnel by the Turks and can now be seen in the Istanbul Museum.

 

It is possible to wade from the spring through this historic tunnel to the Pool of Siloam.  The water rises above the waist and your candle must be held high.  Bits of sharp stone can be a problem for bare feet.  Not a recommend adventure for the hesitant or claustrophobic!

 

But the Pool of Siloam is really famous because of Jesus’ cure there of the man born blind (John 9).  The pool can more easily be reached from the road and down a flight of steps.  Some friendly young Arabs will be there to watch your car, sell you olive-wood items and guide you down to the water level.  Fragments from the colonnade now lie in the water that was long considered to have curative powers.

 

The church built above the pool was destroyed by the Persians in 614.  A mosque was built here in the 1890’s. 

 

Prayer
Lord Jesus, you told the man born blind, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam.”  The man went and washed and came home seeing.  We have come here today with our blindness.  Cure us too Lord, for we also want to come home seeing.  Seeing what is really important and good in life.  Seeing more clearly the way we should follow you.  Seeing you.
The man you cured here said, “Lord, I believe.”  And he worshipped you.  May we do the same.  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 July 7, 2006

Day 12

 

Bethany (El-Azariye)

 

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. Luke 10:38

        (click on the photo below for a LARGER view)

We always like a town where we have friends, where we can take a warm welcome for granted.  Bethany, several miles from Jerusalem, was such a town for Jesus because of his friends, Lazarus, Martha, Mary, and Simon the Leper.  He knew he could feel “at home” at their house (Luke 10:38).

 

Here in Bethany, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:11-45) and here, on the last journey from Jericho up to Jerusalem, Jesus stopped for a visit only six days before Passover.  On this occasion, Mary anointed Christ’s feet although the disciples objected.  Jesus defended her extravagant action.  On the next day he went over the Mount of Olives and entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey amid the jubilant shouts of the people (Luke 19:28-38).

 

The church of St. Lazarus here was built by the Franciscans in 1953 on much older remains of Byzantine and Crusader buildings.  It stands in a pleasant garden back from the road and the shops.  It has the form of a large mausoleum although it is not especially dark or depressing.  A large inscription in the church is the Latin translation of what Jesus said here in Aramaic: “Ego sum resurrection et vita.”  “I am the resurrection and the life.”

 

A bit higher up the road is the reported sepulcher of Lazarus owned by some Moslems.  Twenty-four steps lead down to an ancient burial place.  We had to watch our step because it is easy to fall down the stairs.

 

Bethany has grown in its many years.  However, at the time of Jesus it was the poorest section of the surrounding towns of Jerusalem, it still is the same, very poor.  Interesting, the place that Jesus always stayed when he came to Jesus was in the poorest area.  A very loud statement by Jesus.

 

Here in Bethany is also Four Homes of Mercy, a home for emotionally, mentally, and physically disable children and adults – run by Christians.  It is always one of the last stops I make in any spiritual Journey to the Land.  We always bring in money to help them continue to care for the “lowly” as Jesus did!

 

Prayer
Loving God, Jesus performed one of his greatest miracles here when he called forth Lazarus from the grave.  Here he said “If anyone believes in me, even though he dies, he will live and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25).  Help us also to believe in Jesus, for we too want to live with him both now and always.  Here in Bethany, Mary poured out her precious perfume.  May we generously pour out our time and talents in honor of your Son who lives and reigns with you forever in the unity of the Holy Spirit.  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 July 6, 2006

Day 11

 

Dominus Flevit Chapel

 

"If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes.”  Luke 19:42

 

Without a doubt, following the Via Dolorosa is among every Christian pilgrim’s most treasured memories – although I only stop at the sites that have solid Biblical evidence.  But the Holy City holds many other blessings.  Guests at the Inter-Continental Hotel to the west of the Old City enjoy one of the great panoramas of the world.  All Jerusalem is spread out before them to the north and west.  At sunset, the domes, spires, roofs of the tightly clustered houses of the Old City and its great walls all take on a wondrous warmth and majesty.  Buses pull up below the hotel, and the tourists spill out and some have themselves photographed on a reluctant camel.  Too bad that more do not take the path down to the right to the small chapel with a Latin name and a distinctive silhouette.

 

This chapel was built only in 1955, but on fifth-century foundations.  There is an old mosaic inscription here, but the most beautiful feature is a large window above the altar with the outline of a chalice.  Here the wonder of the view from the “Dominus Flevit” (“The Lord Wept”) Chapel becomes more focused.  Here tradition says that Jesus himself looked across at the golden city and reproached it for its indifference and hardness of heart.  In fact, he was so moved by love and hurt by rejection that the Lord wept. (Matthew 23:37, Luke 19:41-44).  "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes.”  Luke 19:42   

 

A distinguishing feature of the chapel is the “tear cups” on the four corners of the roof.  An ancient tear cup was used to catch the tears of a person who was grieving.  In Luke 7:38 we see a woman who was moved by Jesus who “poured out her tears” on Jesus’ feet.

 

Prayer
Lord, how you loved your people and desired to gather them close to you “as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.”  But it was not to be.  May we never reject you and your Gospel message, O Lord.  Let us rather respond with joy and enthusiasm and remember that only you can bring Peace to the Land and to our aching hearts.  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 July 5, 2006

Day 10

 

Gethsemane

 

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."  Mark 14:32

 

The word gethsemane is derived from two Hebrew words: gat, which means “a place for pressing oil (or wine)” and shemanim, which means “oils.”

 

During Jesus’ time, heavy stone slabs were lowered onto olives that had already been crushed in an olive crusher. Gradually, the slabs’ weight squeezed the olive oil out of the pulp, and the oil ran into a pit. There the oil was collected in clay jars.

 

The image of the Gethsemane on the slope of the Mount of Olives where Jesus went the night before his crucifixion provides a vivid picture of Jesus’ suffering. The weight of the sins of the world pressed down upon him like a heavy slab of rock pressed down on olives in their baskets.

 

His sweat, “like drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44), flowed from him like olive oil as it was squeezed out and flowed into the pit of an olive press.

 

Olive Crusher
The olive crusher was the stone basin used to crush olives into pulp. A donkey pushed on a horizontal beam, which in turn rolled a millstone that crushed ripe olives (placed in a large, round basin) into a pulp.

 

An olive crusher was often placed in a cave, where the moderate temperature improved the efficiency of the oil production.

 

The olive press is long gone on Gethsemane, but olive trees of great age are still there to the east of the Old City walls beyond the Kidron valley.  Several of the olive trees are believed to date to the time of Jesus.  Near the olive trees, facing the Jericho road and the walls of Jerusalem is a large church of great dignity and solemn splendor.

 

A brightly colored mosaic of Christ during the agony in the garden adorns the church façade, but the dark purple alabaster windows keep the interior in constant darkness.  However, it seems fitting, since this church built in 1924 covers several earlier buildings erected over the rock on which Jesus is supposed to have prayed on that sorrowful night.  The church has been called the Basilica of the Agony.  However, many countries gave money to build it so it is called the Church of All Nations.

 

        (click on the photo below for a LARGER view)
And the “nations” come.  Japanese tourists with the inevitable cameras, earnest Germans with heavy guidebooks.  There are Texas Pentecostals who kneel, hold hands, weep and pray on the garden path outside the church.  And there are Italians with their village priests buying olive-wood rosaries.

 

Beneath the branches of the old olive trees here Jesus experienced great desolation and entered into a profound prayer of trust and obedience.  Here was the place of betrayal by a friend and disciple.  Here the hands of the Son of God were tied by rough soldiers and he was led away under arrest (Mark 14:26-52).

 

Prayer:
Here in the Garden of Gethsemane, the dread and loneliness were so great that the Gospel says you sweated blood.  Here you longed for human companionship but your disciples only fell asleep.  They did not realize how much you needed them.  You knew that you could have escaped from this place and from the torture and death of the next day.  A brisk walk up the path would have taken you around to Bethany and onto the open hills of Judea and to safety beyond the Jordan.  But then, we would not have been healed by your wounds.  Lord, be with us in our own anxieties.  Stay near us when our hearts are heavy.  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