Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

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 Sunday 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

Before I joined Uganda's Lutheran Hour Ministries I was a nominal Christian and nothing more.

As a youth, I loved the world of pleasure. Unfortunately, I didn't know that world was taking me further away from God. Attending church was a routine: a ceremony I performed every Sunday. It was something I did to please my parents and avoid criticism.

I was always bored in church, especially by the music that was sung there. Given that I did not have a relationship with the Lord Jesus, I never tried to make sense of worship and never put anything into it. That partly explains why I never expected to get anything out of it.

After college I started working for a company that sold music systems and equipment.

I loved the money I made and would do just about anything to make a few extra shillings for myself. That means I would even, occasionally, extort money from the customers. In my opinion overstating the cost of a product was no sin. It was just a wise strategy to get rich. Having lots of money and being happy were all I cared for.

All this came to a turnaround when I started volunteering with LHM-Uganda.

At first my intention was to get a job and earn more but, of course, the Holy Spirit has turned the experience into being much, much more than that. I have gradually understood that true happiness is brought about in serving God. It most definitely is not found in the mad dash to accumulate wealth. As time has passed, God has continued to teach me lots of things that have already caused changes I could never have imagined.

It is not an exaggeration to say I fall on my knees and thank God for this wonderful change.

At LHM I have learned to appreciate religious music, interpreting every song as a psalm to God, which rises from my broken heart and offers true worship and praise to my Heavenly Father, who sent His Son to become the Sacrifice that would win my forgiveness and rescue my soul from hell.

Lutheran Hour Ministries has also given me a chance to grow in faith.

With the help of the free Bible course, my relationship with the Lord Jesus has improved. There I have stood in awe as He has continuously revealed His love for me. I have come to know, as so many have learned, that I can do nothing to win my salvation and am wholly dependent upon the Lord's great grace.

I must also share the treasured moments that take place when the staff gathers together to share God's love through devotions and Bible study. These have been a wonderful resource in teaching me how to interpret the Scriptures. For this I will forever be thankful. I am amazed to see -- even though I know very little -- I am able to share my faith with those who don't believe in Jesus.

My boredom is gone. In Jesus I have been made into a new creature.

I am a new creature who loves taking part in various ministry programs such as youth outreach, the Bible Correspondence Course (BCC), and films. True, I still have a long way to go to realize all that God has purposed me for, but I am also glad He has brought me this far. May this beginning point me to a brighter future where God will use me for His glory.

THE PRAYER: Thank you, Lord God for Your grace, which prepares lives for Your glory. May we all use our days to glorify Your Name in all You have called us to do. In Jesus' Name I ask it Amen!

Biography of Author: Today's international devotion was written by Daphne Nakazibwe. She is one of the volunteers at the Lutheran Hour Center in Uganda. In her time with us Nakazibwe's service involves marking and grading of the Bible course, showing films, and counseling sessions for the youth.

In this African nation of more than 37 million people, Lutheran Hour Ministries-Uganda, known locally as Lutheran Media Ministry, has connected with more than 250,000 individuals through print, broadcast, electronic and traditional media, including radio and television programming. This outreach has led to the formation of more than 100 Lutheran churches countrywide, working in partnership with area Lutheran churches. Further efforts include enrolling students in Bible Correspondence Courses (of which more than 130,000 have now participated), distributing Bibles and topical booklets, and launching a biblical values-based peer education program designed for secondary school students. The Equipping the Saints (ETS) program is utilized as well to help people with their biblical understanding and in reaching out to others. Beyond this, through puppet shows, and musical and dramatic performances, sizeable crowds of people -- both literate and illiterate -- have heard the Good News of Jesus as Lord and Savior.

You can check out LHM-Uganda's recent work using ETS by clicking here and accessing its blog.


To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhm.org/international.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Judges 9-10    Luke 14:1-24

To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select "Save Link As" or "Save Target As" or "Download Linked File As"