And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

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



Perhaps, since you were a child you have heard people talking about God.

Maybe "God" was one of the first words you ever heard. If so, that is a good thing. But it is a better thing if the Triune God is part of your life. Let me ask, when you make plans or work at coming to a decision, do you remember God?

Normally, people remember the Lord in times of danger, challenge and suffering. Unfortunately, those are often the only times the Lord is in their mind.

Is it possible you have one or a number of Bibles as part of your library? It is my hope your Bible just does not sit on a shelf, but actually is read. And if it is read, you didn't dismiss what you had seen with the thought, "Well, I don't understand this. It's too complicated."

If that is your reaction, in all probability, the Bible has gone back up on the shelf to wait for another day ... another day which may never come.

Truly, the Lord's people know the Bible is the Word of God. By God's grace we know when we search the Scriptures, we are given an insight into God's will and wishes for our lives. In the Scripture, God -- our Creator -- wants to speak directly to our hearts and show us how important our salvation is for Him.

It's in the Bible we read about the Lord's compassion, which was shown to us in the life, suffering, crucifixion and resurrection of His Son Jesus. Because the Savior died to take away our sins, we know the Lord will always care for us.

Indeed, we can trust Him when He promises, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me" (Psalm 50:15). That is just the one of many passages that tells us that God wants to help us.

My friend, when we feel pain, loss and suffering, our whole life is affected. Fear comes in those moments. Still, those who are lost can be found. Their condition has a solution, an answer, in the Person of Jesus.

Scripture reminds us: "You have not gone through any test other than which cannot be carried if you trust in the Lord. And you can trust God, who will not let you suffer more than you can. Further, when temptation comes, God will also give you a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

In summary, this devotion says, trust in God's Word and trust in Him as He does all which is necessary for you to be saved.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank You for being in my life. By faith I know You will be always with me in my peaceful times and also in those times when I am troubled. Especially when I feel alone and abandoned, help me remember the Savior's assurance that He, through the ongoing ministrations of the Holy Spirit, will be with me always. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

Biography of Author: Today's international devotion was written by Eliezer Canales. Mr. Canales is one of our volunteers who is offering his time in our local office in Nicaragua. Since 2010 he has shared the message of Christ through our radio programs in FM and online, as we have reached out to the people in the different places of Nicaragua and the world. In this Central American country of six million people, LHM-Nicaragua is known locally as Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones (Christ for All Nations). It works with Project JOEL, operates a radio ministry, utilizes Equipping the Saints (ETS) for outreach, and offers Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC). It also produces radio broadcasts, supplementing these with "Radio Cristo Nica," a daily, online program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and helping others. For more information on what's happening in Nicaragua, visit its blog at cptlnnicaragua.wordpress.com.


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: Judges 11-12    Luke 14:25-35

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