All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
In the nineteenth century, Dr. James Simpson championed the use of chloroform anesthesia so people could be spared the pain of surgery. Can you imagine being under a surgeon's knife while you are still conscious? Some years after the discovery, a student asked Simpson, "What do you consider to be the most valuable discovery of your life?" His students were surprised when he replied, "My most valuable discovery was when I discovered that I was a sinner and that Jesus Christ was my Savior!"
Sometimes the greatest discoveries aren't what you would expect.
Do you realize you are a sinner? The Bible is clear about sin and tells us there is no one who is blameless -- either before God or men. "None is righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10b). Our daily life also aptly demonstrates we are sinners, and any newscast shows our complete corruption: wars, violence, murders, dishonesty, sleaze, lies, and on and on.
That is the bad news, but there is good news.
Jesus, the Son of God, came with a message: " . . . The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel" (Mark 1:15b). This is the good news for each of us today. "Repent and believe," the Lord commands us. The fruit of your faith will be a meaningful life here on earth and eternal life with Jesus Christ after death.
THE PRAYER: God almighty, I understand from Your Word I am a sinner. Through faith in the atoning work of Your Son, You accept me as Your beloved child. In You I can truly find love. Thank You for that boundless grace that seeks and saves the lost -- even a sinner like me. In the Name of Jesus, my Savior, I pray this. Amen.
Biography of Author:
Pastor Fernando Henrique Huf volunteers with LHM-Brazil. Known within Brazil as Cristo Para Todas Las Nações (CPTN), it has been headquartered in San Paolo since 1947. Through congregational and individual donations, The Lutheran Hour and "Five Minutes With Jesus," are broadcast to listeners countrywide on nearly 200 radio stations.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.
Click here to take a quick survey on the Daily Devotions!
Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 133-135 1 Corinthians 2
To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select "Save Link As" or "Save Target As" or "Download Linked File As"