I have not yet received today's devotion so I am sending out a previous one I received in December that you have not yet seen.

God's Peace to All!

Entirely Correct or Totally Wrong



Morning: Isaiah 46:3-4, 9-10; Evening: I John 4:11-16a





And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. (I John 4:14-15)

(Deuteronomy 24:18)

When it comes to the Apostle John, one must always listen to him precisely. How was that again? The statements are very simple, but yet they contain a lot of meaning. Either one is entirely correct, or one is totally wrong.



Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. That is such a simple statement. No ifs, ands or buts. In another place we hear: Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (5:12) And to think that some would complain that Christianity is too complicated! It is anything but complicated! It is so simple that one doesn’t even have to put off making a decision about it. But yet that is a reason in itself for people to criticize it – Christianity is too simple. They would rather have it more complicated.



Whoever wants to abide in God and have God abide in him, should confess that Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified under Pontius Pilate, on the third day risen from the dead – is the Son of God. He is True God of True God, not made like we are, rather He is begotten of the Father from eternity; He is His beloved and only born Son, Who for the sake of our salvation, appeared on earth, so that we may touch Him, receive Him, see and believe in Him.



This confessing means: This is most certainly true – it is necessary and vital for my life. Everything that is told to me concerning Jesus is, for me, vitally necessary. Especially at Christmastime we need the Apostle John, who points to the manger in Bethlehem and says, “This is God. Here is God coming to you.” Here, only here – is how God wants you to grasp the meaning of His coming.



You have set the limits of the sea, yet You are wrapped in swaddling clothes. You are God, yet you lie upon hay and straw. You are True God and Man, the Alpha and the Omega. (Paul Gerhardt). Amen.



Pastor Johann Hillermann (Baden-Baden)

Feste Burg / A Mighty Fortress, Freimund 2007 December 29, 2007, Saturday

"No Confession"

January 24, 2008



If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9



Some people know how to throw a party where everybody has fun. Some people don’t.

According to the Associated Press article that ran last week there is a sixteen-year-old in Melbourne, Australia, who fits into the second category.

The young man took advantage of his parent’s absence and decided to invite some of his friends to his house for a bit of frivolity.

He invited a few people, more than five hundred showed up. After the neighbors complained about the noise, the police arrived and asked the mini-mob to tone things down or knock it off. The suggestion of the officers wasn’t appreciated.

Some of the partygoers responded by throwing glass bottles at the police cars and others vandalized the neighbors’ homes. It took thirty police officers, a dog squad, and a helicopter to restore control. The bill for putting a lid on the party was right around eighteen thousand dollars. It’s a price the boy may have to pay.

And what do you think was the boy’s reaction to all of this? Was he embarrassed? Did he think about running away from home before his parents returned? Was he sorrowful and repentant? If you thought he was any of those things, you’d be wrong.

When the lad was asked if he would ever throw such a party again, he replied, “I would do it again this weekend… if my parents were not due home from vacation this week.”

This comment reminds me of the way some sinners act. Since they think God isn’t watching they believe the Lord doesn’t see what they’re doing, and they feel free to sin as much as they like.

And they do so without any kind of repentance.

Well, the boy is going to find out mom and dad are coming home, and sinners are someday going to see the Savior return in judgment. This is why a repentant heart is in order. A repentant heart, that’s what John wanted God’s people to have. We who have been redeemed by the Savior still sin; that’s a given. What should also be a given is we should be contrite for our past wrongs and committed to doing better in the future.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, for my daily sins, I ask forgiveness. For the knowledge that You forgive me, I am truly grateful. In Your Name. Amen.

Everyone Will Acknowledge Him



Epistle: Acts 9:1-19a; Gospel: Matthew 19:27-30; Text: Isaiah 45:22-25



Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other...To Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance. Only in the LORD, it shall be said of Me, are righteousness and strength... (Isaiah 45:22, 23a, 24a)



The call of God goes throughout the world. Blessings begin if we listen to Him. If we turn to Him, then we have really hit the jackpot. Our lives then take an entirely different turn. That's how it went with Paul. He wants to know nothing about Jesus the Messiah. He passionately chases after His followers. However, on the way to Damascus, he reached his turning point. Jesus entered into His life. What follows is years of earnest studying of the Scriptures. Then, however, Paul joins the disciples and congregations. In addition, God shows His justice and strength in him by making him into a “people's apostle.” Today's anniversary of the conversion of the Apostle Paul should remind us of this.



An unprincipled Moslem fighter chased down Christians in the bloodiest of manners. However, he then reads of the hope and salvation of a life with Christ. He turns to Him. God has intervened in His life and has changed it from evil to good, from restlessness to blessedness. In spite of all of his earlier “Christian hunting” and persecuting, He became a faithful witness of the Lord.



In addition, the one who knows and loves God and His Word from early on, God can lead in marvelous ways. This is clearly shown in the life of Timothy. Already as a young man, he proved himself to be a faithful coworker of the Apostle Paul. But God has planned a surprise ending for the whole world. All, even those who deny God and are His enemies, will have to acknowledge the justice and power of God, even if they do not want to do such a thing. But the redeemed can gladly praise and thank God. Throughout time, they can join the Church and pray to Him. They thank God for His extraordinary righteousness. He pardons us for the sake of Jesus Christ, strengthens our faith by the Holy Spirit, and faithfully and lovingly keeps us in His hands.



Almighty God, heavenly Father, fill our lives with Your happiness and Your grace – through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.



Pastor Johannes Rueger (Leipzig, Germany)

Feste Burg / Mighty Fortress, Freimund 2008 January 25, Friday Day of the Conversion of the Apostle Paul

Believe and You Will Know



Morning: I Corinthians 1:26-31; Evening: John 7:14-24



So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on My own authority.” (John 7:16-17)

(Deuteronomy 24:18)

They're talking about Jesus. The Jews cannot figure Him out. That's understandable. Who gives Him the right to speak like He's doing? Can He understand the Bible better than they can, even though He hasn't studied it at all? He is certainly no scribe! This is a typical misunderstanding. They do not understand Jesus; they cannot understand that in Him, it is God's Son speaking to them. That just does not fit in their line of thinking. Things are no different today.



But Jesus' Word is God's Word, the Word of the One who has sent Him. In this Word, God is made known. God shows us therefore that He is responsible for, He is in charge of this Word. And so just as Jesus Himself is God's Word in person, then the spoken Word of Jesus is also God's Word.



But how can man understand that? Only through faith! Indeed, the word “faith” is not in our Scripture reading, but the only person who recognizes that Jesus' teachings come from God is the one who believes. The one who believes His Word and obeys it, is living according to God's Will.



Today we often experience that Jesus' Word is no longer understood as being God's Word. We even see that in our families God's Word is not so well understood. It's all become so arbitrary, so non-binding. However, God's Word [is alive and] applies to us today also. Tomorrow morning, [we will] hear God's Word in the worship service, and [we will] repeat it to others. [God will] use it to shape our lives [through the one who is the center of the Word, Jesus himself. Jesus became a man, lived, died and rose for us so that he could speak to us daily the absolution that we need so much.]



Lord, our God, You speak to us in Your Word. Your Son has taught us. Help us to take Your Word seriously and pattern our lives according to it. Amen.



Dr. Prof. Karl-Hermann Kandler (Freiberg, Germany)

Feste Burg / A Mighty Fortress, Freimund 2008 January 26, Saturday

THE LORD OPENS THE HEART



Epistle: Hebrews 4:12-13; Gospel: Luke 8:4-15; Text: Acts 16:9-15





The Lord opened [Lydia's] heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. (Acts 16:14b)





God's Word must be preached to the people, [for in the Word there is forgiveness, life and salvation in Jesus, the crucified and risen one]. Paul had gotten instructions to cross over to Europe. In our Scripture text, we get a glimpse of Paul's mission method. First he announces the Gospel to the Jews. But in Philippi he finds only a few “god-fearing” women. The city, of course, was a Roman colony. Apparently it did not have a synagogue; they only had a place to pray – under the open sky. Only a few women gathered there. Nevertheless, Paul still gave sermons to such a small group. We only get a report of one woman to whom God's Word fell on fertile ground.



It is God's work alone – He opens the heart. Nowadays we preachers often stand before very small groups of people, sometimes for us it's also “just” women who gather to listen. But this leads us to stop and think – with this one woman, the history of Christian Europe began! And if today in the worship service, the Lord opens only one heart, then the sermon was not in vain. What's important is that we keep in mind the Great Commission. We are God's tools of this Great Commission – no more, no less. It was reported that the 19th Century African missionary, Carl Hugo Hahn, did not perform a baptism until 18 years of mission work had gone by. Again and again it's a miracle when God's Holy Spirit blesses mission work in that it begins with the Lord opening the heart of a single person. It is His nature to win people from the inside and lead them to faith. Nobody can with his “own reason or strength, believe in Jesus Christ his Lord or come to Him.” It is God's work alone and He does it through us.



Lord Jesus Christ! You begin Your work quite humbly. Help us not to get weary of proclaiming Your Word to others. Open our mouths and open their hearts. Amen.



Prof. Dr. Karl-Hermann Kandler (Freiberg, Germany)

Feste Burg / A Mighty Fortress Freimund, 2008 January 27, Sunday Sexagesima Sunday

The Scriptures Bear Witness About Jesus



Morning: Deuteronomy 32:44-47; Evening: John 5:39-47



“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me.” (John 5:39)



The Bible is not merely a book; much more so it is an entire library with many volumes, depicting various times and about a wide variety of people. However, all of the writings were that of one spirit, the Holy Spirit who inspired the authors. These many sentences of the Bible were recorded for what purpose? The answer is clear from the One who certainly must know – Jesus, the Son of God. “The Scriptures testify about Me!” That means – no matter if the Bible is poetry rejoicing in the great deeds of God, or if it is solemnly speaking of serious things like judgment or grace, or if it's a list of laws – in all of its parts, the Bible has actually only one purpose – to point us to Christ. This applies to the Word of the Promise, the Old Testament, which Jesus is referring to here – but it also in no less way applies to the New Testament – the Word of the Fulfillment. Her greatest theme is the proclamation of “Jesus.” It is through Him that we become acquainted and familiar with the Bible. The more that you allow yourself to be engrossed in this unique reading, the better you will know Him and learn to love Him – Jesus who has sacrificed Himself out of love for you, and who gives meaning, purpose and eternal value to your life.



Indeed, not everywhere in Scripture does the Light of this Witness shine bright and clear. Some places still remain dark for our viewing. If, however, the Holy Spirit purifies the cloudy lenses of our internal eyes, then it dawns on us – It is correct! The Bible testifies of Jesus. Then we can take as fact, its testimony of truth. The longer and more time we spend reading and hearing the Bible the more we will be convinced – You, Jesus, are HE, the true God in Man, of whom the Scripture speaks.



You are the true Adam and the true God! You are the true Scapegoat, of which Moses wrote in the Law, Who has carried away the burden of all my guilt forever. You are the righteous Servant of God, who makes us sinful people righteous and blessed before God. And – You are the true Moses and Joshua together – the ONE, who keeps us by His Spirit and the Word, in the faith and brings us through the wildernesses of our time into the Land of Promise – for eternal life. Yes, all that and much more are You! In You, alone, Lord Jesus Christ, lies our salvation – just exactly as the Scriptures describe it of You.



Lord, give us the joy in Your Word. Amen.



Pastor Heyko Jacobs (Sottrum, Germany)

Feste Burg / Mighty Fortress, Freimund, 2008 January 28, Monday

Blessed is the Sun that shines on me and gives me warmth.

Blessed is the SON that shines on me and gives me warmth. Now with that I can agree.

they will know that a prophet has been present among them



Morning: Exodus 7:1-13; Evening: Ezekiel 33:30-33



“When this comes—and come it will!--then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:33)



After all those years of wasted time and effort, suddenly there arose an interest in what he was proclaiming. The name Ezekiel, the preacher of repentance, was on everybody's tongue. The people flocked to wherever he spoke. Did he tell them what they wanted to hear? Absolutely not. Ezekiel “told it like it is” - as the Lord ordered him. It was the same urgent call to repentance as before – again, God was to be taken seriously and they should turn away from all godless ways. Maybe then God would refrain from His otherwise inevitable judgment.



[What did Ezequiel think when he noticed that the people were interested in his message. Maybe he said to himself:] “The people were given that news again! Who could not be optimistic for his fellow Jew, who could not rejoice over this?! God, of all things, pours vermouth into the wine of gladness, [adding blessing upon blessing] – Man alive, don't fool yourself! This is no religious awakening! It's just the latest trend – listening to sermons about repentance. Sure, they are eager to hear this, but it's no different than them being be eager to hear the pop singer from next door singing love songs. Now and then people even enjoy a little scary themes of judgment. But they do not take me very seriously, nor do they show any signs of improvement. [Who understands?]”



However, there will come a day, so says God, when one will understand – that there really was one among us through whom God spoke to us. [He spoke through Ezequiel and a new situation arose. But all of this looked ahead to another] new situation! It has indeed arrived, just like the prophet had proclaimed – judgment and grace, all in one! One indeed was judged and condemned – Jesus Christ. One for all! Jesus put Himself on the sacrificial altar for all of us – and God gives all who trust in Him, His grace. That is the wonderful news. If that is proclaimed in your congregation, I will be happy. And listen closely! Because the message of God's abundant grace for Christ's sake, will prompt you to turn away from everything that you have recognized from the mirror of the Commandments, in your life to be sin. [And through the Gospel, the Holy Spirit will also move you to] turn anew to Jesus Christ, your Savior and Lord.



Lord, let the sermon move me – right to You! Amen.



Pastor Heyko Jacobs (Sottrum, Germany)

Feste Burg / Mighty Fortress, Freimund, 2008, January 29, Tuesday

Blessed are the depths of the ocean and lakes that feed my soul and my body.

Blessed is the endless universe from which all things are possible.

Blessed is nature from which all things come to be.

Blessed are those who are open minded enough to realize there is more than one possibility for our existence.

Blessed are those that acknowledge that the Bible was written by man and edited by the church and therefore is not absolute.

Obviously Texan42 you have at one time or another heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through your posts you have shown that you still don't believe and I will not make any attempts for your conversion on this forum. I will be respectful of your wishes and I would hope that you also would be respectful of the people that wish to have this daily devotion and learn and hear God's Word on a daily basis and not interfere with what they hold to be true. If a Moslem, Jew, Buddhist or atheist wishes to start a thread about their religion they are more than welcome. But I don't think you need to be disrespectful of what some people believe to be the one and only way to salvation. That being faith in Jesus Christ. This thread was not meant to be argumentative but I guess I can not stop you if you wish to continue your post. I can only ask that you be respectful of them. May God Bless you with the true light of Salvation.

PCL

quote:

Originally posted by PCL1988:
Obviously Texan42 you have at one time or another heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through your posts you have shown that you still don't believe and I will not make any attempts for your conversion on this forum. I will be respectful of your wishes and I would hope that you also would be respectful of the people that wish to have this daily devotion and learn and hear God's Word on a daily basis and not interfere with what they hold to be true. If a Moslem, Jew, Buddhist or atheist wishes to start a thread about their religion they are more than welcome. But I don't think you need to be disrespectful of what some people believe to be the one and only way to salvation. That being faith in Jesus Christ. This thread was not meant to be argumentative but I guess I can not stop you if you wish to continue your post. I can only ask that you be respectful of them. May God Bless you with the true light of Salvation.

PCL

My apologies, I will leave you to your short daily devotion, I did not go to the start of the thread, I did not no it was a god only club, I thought it was a place for any devotion.
May the sun bless you with the true light of reason.

Thank you Tex.

I received this one for tomorrow and had time to post it tonight, ready for the morning.

The Counsel and Wisdom That We Need



Morning: Mark 6:1-6; Evening: Isaiah 28:23-29





“....He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.” (Isaiah 28:29b)





The signs of our time are serious! Terrorism, trouble spots in many locations in our world, as well as worldwide social problems that seem to have no solution in sight! The one who is at their mercy is the [egocentric] person who has made himself the measure of all things because, to a large extent, he has removed God from both his public and his private life. [He can only see the solutions that human beings offer, solutions that do not work]. It's a grave situation, but is it hopeless? The word of the prophet Isaiah applied to the people of Israel. They are blinded, standing under God's judgment – like a desolate, unfruitful field – clueless, having failed from their own self-chosen ways which misled them! However, for these people and even for us still today, we know that God's counsel is wonderful and He gloriously delivers His people.



That's because all of God's dealings with us point to the one goal – Jesus Christ and His cross. “You are the plank, which saved me in this sinking world,” is how He is described in an old church hymnal. There still is time in His Church for one to receive the gifts of grace offered in the crucified and risen Christ. Only here will we Christians receive guidance and strength in the threatening storms of our time and our world. If we seriously take note of the signs of the times, then a verse of the author Reinhold Schneider from the terrible days of W.W. II can be a call and offer us guidance - “Only those who pray can succeed now in keeping the sword from our heads and through a sanctified life can wring this world from ungodly forces.” For us this should mean, “Don't give up, rather be comforted and joyful in prayer and [persist in the deeds of our vocation, no matter how insignificant they seem], always looking to Christ for the strength of faith,” which we may ask for each day because of our calling as members of His Church to follow Him. May our Lord daily give us the strength to be effective witnesses for Him in our surroundings.



[Lord] awaken, proclaim and unite the entire Church and may Your salvation be revealed to everyone. (George Friedrich Fickert, hymn writer) Amen.



Pastor Peter Heitmann (Dossenheim, Germany)

Feste Burg / A Mighty Fortress, Freimund 2008 January 30, Wednesday

Some One Will Give Thanks



Morning: Luke 6:43-49; Evening: I Thessalonians 1:2-10



We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers. (I Thessalonians 1:2)



Recognition is good. Recognition is important. It shows that something was perceived – Here is somebody who performed a task well with their heart and soul. The missionaries of the first Christian churches, with their message of the risen Christ, did not have it easy. Many opponents made their lives difficult; they were ridiculed, mocked or even arrested.



How nice it is then when something else takes place!



The congregation in Thessalonica took to the message of Jesus quickly and joyfully. They spread it like wildfire and their enthusiasm was contagious. In spite of all the dangers and threats, the Thessalonians did not let that stop them. This emancipating message changed their lives, their viewpoints and how they got along with each other. [By the power of the Holy Spirit] they discovered for themselves a crucial new outlook on life and lived accordingly. And that's why the missionary Paul is full of praise.



Have we today also earned such praise for our faith? Are we so unshakable, so faithful, so confident? Do we thirst for recognition and acknowledgment? Even in churches and congregations, to experience such recognition would be good and important.



Paul's praise for the congregation in Thessalonica should prompt us to think about our faith, to not belittle the power of God's Word, rather to confess it loudly – in spite of all opposition – and to show that we also belong to Him, are part of His Church and that it is our duty and obligation to boldly confess Him in to give witness of Him in our deeds and actions. We do not need to hide, but rather should clearly say even that which is uncomfortable for us to say. Our Lord has impressed this upon us. He will give us the strength we need, if we are finally willing to do so. Today is an opportunity. [Let’s take advantage of it] and perhaps some day some one will give thanks to us [in prayer] for having been and instrument that God used to make the Savior Jesus known to him.]



Dear Father, we ask You daily for Your strength and Your Spirit. Be and remain with Your Church. Bless it. Amen.



Pastor Ingmar Hamann (Berne, Germany)

Feste Burg / A Mighty Fortress, Freimund 2008 January 31, Thursday