But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:14-15

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

The Bible is a most precious treasure.

That is because it has been given to us by our living God as a means of grace, whereby He communicates with humanity. By the Lord's will and the Holy Sprit's power, the Word has the power to transform people's lives and offer salvation to those who are in darkness.

In truth, the Word is one more proof that God loves everyone, and His plan of salvation is for every human being in this universe.

Yes, God's Word conveys the message on how we can be saved. But the Word needs to be heard or read before it can accomplish what the Lord wishes. In today's busy world people are tempted to forget the essentials, the basics. They have time to do many things with their lives, but they can never make time to read and meditate on God's Word.

Because this is so, when St. Paul wrote his second letter to young Timothy, he reminded him to keep returning to the basics of his faith.

Among those basics we would list the fact that salvation comes only through faith in the crucified and risen Redeemer, Jesus Christ. As the apostle Peter said in Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Another basic truth would be found in Ephesians 2:8 where we are told, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." From start to finish, our salvation is the product of the Lord's grace.

Our Lord's wish is that we convey this message to everyone who lives in this world. Like you, we at Lutheran Hour Ministries in Sri Lanka are grateful to our Lord for giving us such a wonderful opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. Following is a story about a young girl whose life has been changed by the Holy Spirit's use of the Word.

This story is about a young girl who came from a tea plantation, which was near to the city of Nuwara Eliya. She came from a strong Hindu religious background. Her family is poor, and they are facing many challenges in their day-to-day life.

By God's grace, this young girl first came to one of our Christmas programs and, afterward, enrolled in a Bible Correspondence Course (BCC). As she went through the Bible lessons, a transformation began to happen in her. Soon she became a believer and was baptized at one of the local Lutheran congregations in this area. Now she regularly attends Sunday worship and is very active in church activities.

This is a good example of how God's Word is making an impact in human lives.

We can't change anyone's life, but God's Word has that power. God created this world by the power of His Word. In the same way He uses His Word to bring forgiveness and salvation to sinful humanity. That was the reason why our Lord Jesus came into this world. Now with the Scriptures testifying about Him, the Holy Spirit uses us to share this message passionately.

THE PRAYER: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for bringing salvation to my life through Your living Word. Help me to convey this message to my friends and family members who are still living without You. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Biography of Author: Today's international devotion was written by S. Sathiyabalan. Mr. Sathiyabalan has been serving as the director for the LHM office in Sri Lanka since 2001. He has been using his talents and gifts to proclaim the Gospel message of Jesus Christ in Sri Lanka.

Lutheran Hour Ministries in Sri Lanka, locally recognized as Lanka Hope Media, has been proclaiming the Gospel to the Sri Lankan people since 2001. Hundreds of non-Christians have been reached by our programs. We use a Bible Correspondence Course in Sinhalese, Tamil, and English languages to share the Gospel with the un-churched. We also conduct Equipping the Saints (ETS) workshops, youth gatherings, and special events to coordinate with the local congregations.

In this island nation of more than 20 million people, off the southern tip of India, LHM-Sri Lanka's staff and volunteers distribute Gospel-related material on cassettes and CDs to thousands, frequently through literature displays and rallies. Additionally, puppet shows, youth-oriented concerts, and video screenings promote Bible courses, and devotional songs and short sermons are offered as well. Equipping the Saints workshops are used to strengthen local groups of believers and help foster outreach efforts. Use of the Internet and e-mail are helping LHM-Sri Lanka share the Good News as this technology is becoming more widely available throughout the country. To connect with people on cell phones, automated messaging is proving helpful in reaching the unchurched too.

You can read about LHM-Sri Lanka's use of ETS seminars to fortify believers' lives in the Word by clicking here to visit 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: Psalms 89, 92    Psalm 91    Philippians 3

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