(Jesus said) "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Mark 14:38

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 Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour



The following poem offers some advice about resisting temptation: "There's a Hole in My Sidewalk" by Portia Nelson.

I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless. It is not my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place. But, it isn't my fault.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in ... it's a habit ... but, my eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

I walk down another street.

Jesus Christ gave the best advice about resisting temptation in Mark 14:38: "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

Jesus spoke these words the night before His death, as He faced down the temptation to avoid the suffering and escape the crucifixion. In deep distress and sorrow, agitated and anxious, Jesus told His disciples how to resist temptation. The Savior said, "Watch and pray."

It was advice that He Himself would follow in the time which lay before Him.

Watch and Pray. In other words, confront temptation with the power and presence of the Lord.

The Lord's power is there. His help is available only because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, completed the divine plan of saving us. Throughout His life He resisted temptation, fulfilled the Law, and did for us all we could not.

For us Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience, died a death of perfect sacrifice, and came back to life -- the perfect Savior.

So, how can you resist temptation?

Watch and pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, in His power you will have help to resist temptation. In His love you will find forgiveness when you fail and fall.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help us to watch and pray so we may resist temptation and glorify the Savior. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Biography of Author: Today's international devotion was written by our co-workers at the Lutheran Hour Ministries office in Thailand. In this country of nearly 70 million people, LHM operates locally as Journey Into Light (JIL), with its ministry center in Bangkok. It utilizes mass media technologies to proclaim the Gospel, while supporting local churches and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod missionaries. In addition to serving others through LHM's Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) and Equipping the Saints (ETS) program, five 30-minute radio programs are broadcast daily to the citizens in this Southeast Asian country.


To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: 1 Kings 21-22    Acts 14

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