Tag Archive for: military-devotion

Save Us – December 1, 2023

Save Us – December 1, 2023




Based on Mark 11:1-10

To whom do you look for rescue when situations in life become difficult? Our King, Jesus, gives us every reason to blurt out a confident “Hosanna!” in any and every situation of life.



Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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On the Edge of Nevermore – November 24, 2023

On the Edge of Nevermore – November 24, 2023


Remember your Creator
before the silver cord is snapped,
and the golden bowl is broken,
before the jar is shattered by the spring,
and the waterwheel is broken by the well,
and the dust goes back into the ground—just as it was before,
and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:6,7




Military Devotion – November 24, 2023

Devotion based on Ecclesiastes 12:6,7

See series: Military Devotions

Life is lived on the edge of time. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not here. We cannot go back in time to relive even a moment. We cannot jump ahead for even a second. We live only from breath to breath—until we breathe no more.

An old song tells the story of a life being counted down. It begins, “My grandfather’s clock was too large for the shelf, so it sat ninety years on the floor.” It ends,

“Ninety years without slumbering
His life seconds numbering
It stopped short, never to go again
When the old man died.”

For him, time stopped, never to go again. Everything he had done, everything he had planned, everything he held in his grasp—nevermore!

He had lived his entire life from one tick of the clock to another. When he was young, he probably gave no thought to the possibility he might not live to the next tick of time. Hopefully, that changed. Hopefully, he heeded the words of King Solomon.

If only he remembered his Creator before he stepped across the threshold of nevermore!

Grandfather clocks were not part of life in Solomon’s day, so he used other illustrations. Each one pictured the sudden loss of something special. In each case, something is broken and cannot be repaired.

Nevermore can it be used.

A silver chord is snapped. A golden bowl is broken. A jar to hold water is shattered. And a wheel to bring up water from a well no longer works.

That which was treasured, that which was important, that which was needed in life is no more. They are gone from life.

And then, one day life is gone.

As important as we humans are, as much as we might accomplish in life, as much as we might claim as our own, in the end, we have nothing and are nothing but dust.

The Creator told the first human the blunt truth. “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).

The descendants of Adam need to remember that. We need to remember we are the creation of the holy, almighty God. We need to remember that our sin has condemned us to death. Our bodies will return to dirt.

But that is not the end of our life.

There is a life after this life. We need to remember that.

We need to remember that we will face our Creator. He is the one who decrees how long we will live on this earth. He is the one who issues the command “Nevermore!” to all that is part of this life.

But we also need to remember that he has announced death has been conquered for us. The psalmist shouts out, “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done” (Psalm 118:17). How can he say that?

He can say that, and so can we, because that is what the Creator and Savior God has said. Jesus has declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25).

This changes things!

We need not worry about the clock of our life coming to a stop. We need not be concerned that everything in this earthly life will pass away. We need not fear when our soul separates from our body.

Nevermore will we need the essentials and joys of this present existence. We can be glad to get rid of all the trappings of this life. We can say, “Good riddance!” We don’t need them.

The best that we have found in this life does not compare with that which awaits the heirs of glory.

Listen to this assurance of faith. “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11 KJV).

Forget nevermore.

We live on the edge of a glorious evermore!



Prayer:
Eternal Father, strong to save, remind us of the shortness of this earthly life. Remind us of your victory over death. Remind us again and again that fullness of joy awaits your people for evermore. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why do we live as if time will go on forever?
  • Why do we believe that the good life is one filled with things that will pass away?
  • Why do we so easily forget that for God’s people death has been changed into the door to life for evermore?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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The Help of the Hopeless – November 17, 2023

The Help of the Hopeless – November 17, 2023


“Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”
Isaiah 36:18-20




Military Devotion – November 17, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 36:18-20

See series: Military Devotions

Sometimes it seems there is no hope because it seems there is no help.

It might be a violent storm. It might be a vicious disease. Or, as it once was for Israel, it could be an overpowering enemy. Whatever form it may take, desperate situations call for desperate help.

It is then terrifying to realize the help may not be there.

The list of seemingly unstoppable armies that appear on the pages of history is a long one. Napoleon led one of those. So did a fellow by the name of Hannibal, with his elephants. Likewise, a Rommel, with his tanks. But the name that struck terror into the hearts of Israelites at the time of King Hezekiah was an Assyrian named, Sennacherib.

A later poet described his style of waging war with the words, “The Assyrian came down like a wolf on a fold.”

They came down from modern Syria and overran everything. Destruction, pain, and death followed. “Unstoppable” was the word that seemed to fit best.

When they came to the edge of Jerusalem, Sennacherib sent a field commander to demand the surrender of the city. He pointed out the situation was hopeless because the Israelites were helpless—just like many cities before them.

It was not an empty boast. City after city had already fallen before this superpower. Jerusalem knew this. The ten northern tribes of Israel had been overpowered, with many casualties. Survivors had been rounded up and marched into captivity. So thorough was the defeat of those ten tribes that they vanished without a trace. They became the famous lost tribes of Israel.

Only Judah and little Benjamin were left.

Sennacherib knew the Israelites well enough to realize they would not be counting on an ally to deliver them, nor would they boast of the strength of their army. Israel’s final answer would be, “Our help is in the name of the Lord!” It was a matter of faith in their God.

So, he attacked their God.

This was a sound military strategy. The chances for victory or defeat are not determined only by weaponry or leadership. Morale is a major factor. High morale has given victory to small numbers with limited resources. Low morale invites desertion and surrender.

Those who believe they have no help often have no hope. Crush morale and you do not have to risk defeat.

Sennacherib was not the only one to know this.

Karl Marx, the father of Communism, once famously remarked, “Religion is the opium of the people.” He meant it offered people a false sense of security and well-being.

We would object to that! Our religion does not do that. Our faith is built upon the Rock of ages. How could Karl Marx think that way? After all, he grew up in the land of the Reformation. Germany boasted it was Martin Luther’s homeland. Statues of him dotted the landscape. How could Karl Marx say religion offered a false sense of security?

Because it can be true. Sadly, this is true of all false religions.

The religions of the people of Arpad and Hamath offered empty promises. Idols have no power. Man-made religion is fake religion. Those who placed their hope in these so-called gods were left helpless.

Would it not be the same for those who placed their hope in the LORD? Sennacherib was sure of it.

Hezekiah did not believe that. History does not reveal that. Instead, we learn:
“Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew” (Isaiah 37:36).

The Assyrians could have come with a million troops. They could have brought armored tanks onto that ancient battlefield. It still would not have done them any good.

The angel of the Lord isn’t afraid of human weapons. Nuclear bombs cannot stop him. The protector of Israel was the Lord God Almighty. Almighty is a limitless word.

The gates of hell could not withstand him. The grip of death could not hold him.

The situation of Israel was not hopeless because she was not helpless. She sang out, “Our help is in the name of the Lord.” And it was.

So is ours.

We are not hopeless. We are not helpless.

The Lord of hosts is with us! The God of Jacob is our refuge.



Prayer:
Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray.” Amen.
(from Christian Worship 340:3)



Points to ponder:

  • Is not the God of our fathers the Lord of our far-flung battle line—lest we forget?
  • Must we not pray, “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet—lest we forget”?
  • Must we not pray, “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet. Lest we forget—lest we forget!”?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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The Last Jump – November 10, 2023

The Last Jump – November 10, 2023


In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
John 14:2,3




Military Devotion – November 10, 2023

Devotion based on John 14:2,3

See series: Military Devotions

“The Lord willing and Jesus tarries, I hope to see you all at the next reunion. If not, I’ll see you at the last jump. I know you will not freeze at the door.”

These are the words of Sgt. Skinny Sisk, a veteran of Easy Company, to his Band of Brothers. Years after WWII, the thoughts of these warriors sometimes went back to parachuting into danger. But as their numbers decreased, they thought more about what they called, the last jump.

We understand why they would use that phrase to describe dying. Like jumping out of an airplane into the dark night, those at the door of death cannot see what is out there. The leap from earthly life can be frightening. If it were an option, many would refuse.

It isn’t an option—unless Jesus returns with saints and angels before then. That’s what the sergeant was referring to with the words, “The Lord willing and Jesus tarries.” To tarry is to wait a while longer.

All of us have to expect that the end of the world will not take place before it is our time to leave this world.

The old rule of the paratroopers was, “Put your hands outside the doorframe before you jump!” A frightened soldier bracing himself against the inside of the doorframe was not easily removed. With hands outside, only a nudge would send him on his way.

A refusal to jump brought shame and often dismissal. The Band of Brothers shouted encouragement to one another before each jump. Sgt. Sisk was now doing it before their “last jump.”

We understand why. After the war, he went through a hard transition to civilian life. He told his former commanding officer that his new career became an attempt to drink away the truckload of the enemy that he killed in Holland.

The drinking did not succeed. But his little niece did. He said, “She told me Jesus loved me and she loved me. God would forgive me for all the men I kept trying to kill all over again.”

Four years after the war, the soldier became an ordained minister. His new career was to offer to others the forgiveness that Jesus paid for; and to remove the fear of that last jump.

By faith in Jesus as his Savior, this member of the Band of Brothers became our brother. His words—“I’ll see you at the last jump. I know you will not freeze at the door.”—mean something to us.

We expect to see him in heaven. We know, like him, we need not fear death.

There is a difference between leaving an aircraft and leaving the world we have been living in. Our departure from this life is not a jump into the dark unknown. Jesus has already described the landing zone. Peace, safety, and joy—all that is waiting for us.

Sorrow, pain, and fear—none of that will be there.

“I am going there to prepare a place for you,” Jesus announced before he left for heaven.

Who better to prepare an LZ?

We note that when Jesus left this earth he did not jump down and out but was lifted up and away. So will we. From earth, up to glory!

Yet, the thought of that jump may still frighten us at times. Much remains unknown. We might wonder how we will react.

Let the fear be gone! Jesus is not just going to command us to jump. He is not telling us, “I’ll see you on the other side.” He says, “I will come back to take you with me.”

When the door opens for us to leave this life, we will see the smiling face of Jesus—our brother.

And we will smile.

“I know that you will not freeze at the door.”

Thanks for your encouragement, Sgt. Sisk!



Prayer:
Jesus, the idea of dying tends to frighten us. We have been trained in your Word and disciplined in life. But we must admit that at times we wish we did not need to leave the universe we have always lived in. We know it is not perfect here, but it is familiar. Keep reminding us that heaven is our true home. Assure us again that there we will find peace and joy beyond our imagination. Keep inviting us to follow you. Keep assuring us that you will always be with us—especially when we stand at the door stepping into life eternal. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • When we travel to new places now, we might call the trips “adventures.” Is the trip to heaven not an adventure?
  • Like jumping out of an airplane, is the thought of death scary at times because we are not sure we will land safely?
  • Aren’t the arms of Jesus better than any parachute?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Terrible Terror – November 3, 2023

Terrible Terror – November 3, 2023


We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there was only terror.
Jeremiah 8:15




Military Devotion – November 3, 2023

Devotion based on Jeremiah 8:15

See series: Military Devotions

The Greatest Generation did not hear the word “terrorist” very often. They did, however, become acquainted with terror. Every generation has.

Even during the times when a nation was at peace, such as Israel during the reign of Solomon, individual people still faced terror.

Terror has many faces. It can show itself in many places. It may threaten us with a bomb or a cancer cell. However, when we use the word “terrorist” today, we are most likely thinking of a person who intends to do grave harm to others. Whatever form terror takes, living with it is terrible.

But no terror is as terrible as the terror that the omnipotent God brings upon a people.

Jeremiah is labeled, “The Weeping Prophet.” A book of the Bible is called, “The Lamentations of Jeremiah.” He had much to lament. The Lord revealed to him the terrible times he would bring to his people, Israel.

The Lord warned many would fall before an invading enemy: “They will not be gathered up or buried, but will be like refuse lying on the ground.” There would be survivors, but many would be taken as prisoners to a foreign land: “Wherever I banish them, all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life, declares the LORD Almighty” (Jeremiah 8:2).

When people wish they were dead, their lives are terrible.

Thus, the lament: “We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there was only terror.”

No hope for peace. No time to heal. Only terror. That’s a terrible time.

We need to understand why this happened. We need to ask if this could happen to our nation—to us.

It could.

Let’s take look at ancient Israel. The Lord had showered his blessings upon those people. With an abundance of crops and strong defense, other nations looked upon Israel with envy. The greatest blessing was the presence of the Word of God in its midst.

His Law mirrored his will. His promises brightened their future. The history of Israel was a record of his powerful faithfulness. They were living in the land “flowing with milk and honey.”

What went wrong?

The people. The people went wrong.

They turned away from his paths; discarded his Word; and came up with their own answers for the meaning of life, and their own sources of joy in life.

They rejected the Lord—and then, he rejected them.

Terrible!

But there was hope. Through the same prophet, Jeremiah, the Lord God told them, “I am with you and will save you, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 30:11).

Then he added: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

Almost unbelievable, isn’t it? Did he really do this for Israel of old? He did.

Would he make such forgiveness possible for us? Jesus did.

There are times in the lives of people and nations when it seems the sun is shining. Those are the days of hope and confidence.

Sometimes, overconfidence. Sometimes, false confidence.

It’s when the sky turns dark and thunder roars that we are more inclined to realize how vulnerable we are. How helpless we stand before powers that can destroy.

The holy God is one such power. He laughs at those who threaten him. He weeps for those who reject him.

We must stand in amazement to see how he used that awesome power, not to crush us, but to destroy the terrible death grip of sin.

We win! We live!

And prayers of thanksgiving fly up to our Savior.

The Lord God? He is the answer to all that is terrible.



Prayer:
Holy and merciful God, you are our guard and our friend. We know the times are perilous. We admit our failures, our sins. But with Israel of old, we look to you for forgiveness. Keep us from all things terrible. Deliver us from all evil. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Does it seem that the world has become more dangerous? Isn’t that what Jesus told us to expect?
  • Does it seem that our nation has taken a sharp turn away from God? What might lead us to that conclusion?
  • What convinces us that the Creator and Savior God is in control?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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The Good That I Would – October 27, 2023

The Good That I Would – October 27, 2023


For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Romans 7:19 (KJV)




Military Devotion – October 27, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 7:19 (KJV)

See series: Military Devotions

An old saying declares, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” That might infer that actually following through on those good intentions could lead a person to heaven. In 1517, it surely did mean that to most people.

The idea that someone could earn the way to heaven by doing good works was firmly entrenched in the minds of most people at that time. It is the natural religion of mankind.

The Reformation brought back the good news that salvation is a free gift from God, paid for with the blood of Christ. That’s what the apostle Paul had preached and believed. But that did not mean he was not bothered by good intentions gone astray.

Sin is obvious to the person who compares his life to what God expects. The child of God laments the black marks against his record. He knows the sin is paid for, but he is also aware that it is dangerous. It can lead him away from his Savior. And sin is shameful. To be a follower of the Savior is to reject the works of Satan.

Sin is something to fight against.

But the battle is not only against the powers of darkness and the pressure of a sinful world. The enemy is not just out there; it is in here—inside the perimeter of our personal lives.

The enemy is inside the wire!

No wonder the apostle Paul was concerned.

He was disgusted with himself. He knew what the right thing, the good thing, was. He wanted to do it. But time and again, he had to admit, “The good that I would [do], I don’t do.”

That’s only half of the sad story. Not only was good left undone, but evil was carried out: “The evil I don’t want to do is what I end up doing.”

In anguish, he called out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24).

Wretched, indeed!

How else does one describe the person who knows that his saving God, his loving God paid such a high price to free him from slavery to sin—and yet he keeps going back to sin?

Does he not know the danger? Does he not appreciate the rescue? Does he not want to remain a child of the heavenly Father?

He does know. He does appreciate it. He does love his Savior God. But the enemy inside the wire is smart and strong.

“Who can deliver me?” the apostle asked. Then went on to say: “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25).

There’s the answer! Jesus is the answer! Satan may tempt. Sin may control. But only for a while. And not in the end.

Looking at the final verdict, Saint Paul could say: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

We join him with those words. We, too, confess: “The good that I would, I do not…”

But there is more to say. We want to make that very clear.

“The good that I would but did not—that, Jesus did for me.”

The road to hell is closed to those following Jesus.

The road to heaven is paved with the perfection of the Savior God.

And that is the road upon which we are walking.



Prayer:
Jesus, you did it all for us. You continue to lead the way to heaven. We know we are weak. We admit that we stumble and fall at times. Pick us up when that happens. Give us the courage and strength we need to continue our spiritual fight. Lead us by your hand to our Fatherland. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why is it so hard to admit that we often fall short of our Father’s expectations?
  • Why is it so easy at times to believe Satan’s lie that our sins are too many to forgive?
  • Why is it so comforting to know that the road to hell is closed to those who claim the payment Jesus made for their sins?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Summer has Ended – October 20, 2023

Summer has Ended – October 20, 2023


The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.
Jeremiah 8:20




Military Devotion – October 20, 2023

Devotion based on Jeremiah 8:20

See series: Military Devotions

“Autumn leaves are now falling, red and yellow and brown.
Autumn leaves are now falling, see them tumbling down.”

With young schoolmates in Wisconsin, I used to sing this song about this time of year. The change of seasons cannot be missed in that part of the country. The falling leaves are a sure sign that summer has ended.

Those who cried out the words that Jeremiah here records had also seen the sure signs of the end of summer—and it frightened them.

They weren’t worrying about the coming of freezing temperatures and drifting snow. Their dread centered on the judgment of the Lord God.

They had thought they did not need him. They had grown confident in their own ability to face what life would throw at them. Besides, they had strong allies. But now destruction was galloping toward them on horseback. Vicious enemies had overrun their cities.

Now those people call out: “Why are we sitting here? Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there! For the LORD our God has doomed us to perish.” (Jeremiah 8:14).

More than one person and more than one nation have decided that the Holy One in heaven can be relegated to the sidelines. His warnings go unheeded. His invitations go unanswered. He is ignored.

It will not be left that way. Those people are facing dooming judgment.

Punishment inflicted by a fierce enemy has often been the response that the Lord chooses. Destruction, decimation, and death surge over those who reject him.

So it was with ancient Israel. It was painful to watch. We read the cry from the lips of Jeremiah, “Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people” (Jeremiah 9:1).

But what good does that do? Tears for the fallen come too late. Hope applies only to the living. Thank God, some did survive in Israel. It is they who lament, “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.” The cry of desperation begs for an answer. They have learned one lesson. They are helpless and hopeless without the Lord God.

Another lesson must be taught to them. The God of Israel is the hope of the hopeless. He will not reject those who call upon him for help.

All mankind needs to learn these lessons. The entire human race is facing the swift march of time. An entire lifetime may seem to pass as quickly as a child’s summer vacation. Tragic are those who look back at the end of the summer of their life and must lament, “and we are not saved.”

Jeremiah learned the lessons. He calls out: “Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise” (Jeremiah 17:14).

It is a lesson we all need to learn—before our summer ends.

It is a lesson to be learned—before the world’s summer ends.

It’s a lesson our Lord calls us to teach to others.

Those cries for help, those words of lament and fear as the reality of life and death and God sinks in—those words are called out even today. We have heard them. They come from corners of the world foreign to us, maybe even dangerous to us, but they are meant for us.

Sometimes we are surprised at where those cries for spiritual help come from. We have fought battles against some of the countries where these people live. We remember the attack on Pearl Harbor. We remember the fall of Saigon. We mark the graves of Americans who have died at the hands of those people. We remember the chants of “Death to America!”

But we also cannot forget the words of our Savior. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19,20).

We can’t do this? It’s too expensive? It’s too dangerous? “There is nothing I can do?”

He said, “Surely I am with you!” Isn’t that enough? Didn’t he die for those who are still living without him? Hasn’t he commanded us to spread that news of salvation?

Through the words of those asking for the gospel, we hear the Savior calling us to action. I hear the Savior calling! Today, we hear the Savior calling!

Don’t we?



Prayer:
Holy, Triune God, the swift passing of the seasons testifies that our days are numbered, and our time is short. We have no time to look for another Savior because there is only one. You have shown him to us. His name is Jesus. In his name, we call to you for the healing of spirit and rescue of life for us and everyone. Empower us to bring that message to others. We hear the Savior calling. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • The swift passing of time reminds us of the shortness of time allotted to us. Doesn’t it?
  • The search for answers to life and death opens the door for mission work. Doesn’t it?
  • In Jesus, we have the answers to the questions that plague others. Don’t we?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Still Waters – October 13, 2023

Still Waters – October 13, 2023


He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.
Psalm 23:2,3




Military Devotion – October 13, 2023

Devotion based on Psalm 23:2,3

See series: Military Devotions

My first congregation was at Norfolk, Virginia. That fall, a naval officer invited me to come aboard his ship for a meal with his captain and fellow officers. I felt honored.

But before the meal ended, someone came in to speak to the captain. When he left, the captain stood up and said, “Gentlemen.” Then left. Quickly, everyone else was gone (and I still hadn’t eaten my dessert).

When I asked my member, “What’s happening?” He answered with one word. “Hurricane.”

The fleet was heading out to sea. Why? To escape the path of the hurricane, he explained. Then he added, “Sometimes, the sea gets angry.”

Growing up near Green Bay, I knew the word, hurricane. But I had never felt the fury of such a storm. I had never seen raging waves. Now I have. Now I know why people lying in the path of such a storm become stressed.

Now, I have seen both angry seas and storm-tossed lives. The rhyme I learned as a second grader no longer fits well into my picture of life. We sang, “Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.”

Each of us probably has felt differently about that song at different times in our lives. Our reactions may have run from, “Yes!” to “Nonsense!”

Youth often crave excitement and adventure. If life can be pictured as floating on water, the young and inexperienced want waves tossing the boat and wind stinging the face. A raging river is preferred. Anything else seems boring. Life seems indestructible.

Maturity takes a different approach. Storms are to be avoided. Maturity has seen the destruction that the course of life can bring. It has felt the pain and counted the loss. Raging waters are not wanted. Better now to float gently down life’s stream. Life is fragile.

Each person’s life floats on its own riverbed. Some rivers are straight and smooth. Others have sharp bends and dangerous waterfalls. Those who have lived for quite a while seldom have floated only on the straight and smooth stretches of life. Many of them look back in amazement that they survived the rapids. They have seen the wrecks of other lives littering the shoreline. They have no desire to end up as flotsam.

They look for the still waters.

Going through rough times takes something out of a person. Stress and strain take their toll. The person who survives the whitewater of life often comes out on the other side winded and weak. He needs to catch his breath. He needs to clear his head.

He needs to restore his soul.

The Good Shepherd knows this. The Good Shepherd offers this. He repaints the picture.

Maturity may have a different view of life, but it does not control life. Plans and objectives will no longer be handed down through the chain of command once we return to civilian life. But whether we are on active duty or living as a civilian, there still is a Commander who does give orders and does have expectations.

He is there to lead, and we are here to follow.

There is a reason why Jesus calls himself a shepherd instead of a general. His eyes are focused not on completing a mission no matter what the cost, but upon his people, who have already cost him his life.

This famous psalm pictures the Christian, not floating on a river, but walking on solid ground, following the Savior to green pastures and still waters. It is a precious portrait.

The life of a warrior doesn’t seem to fit well into this picture. Even if war is already in the rearview mirror, the roar of battle may still echo in the mind. The blood-soaked bandages may still sit in the memory of the eyes. And the heart pierced by the loss of battle buddies may still show the holes.

Yet the Christian warrior, young or old, does belong in this pastoral setting. This is where the Lord has led him. This is now his home base.

The great war is over for those in service to Christ. The Prince of Peace reigns, leads, and protects as they walk the path toward glory. Angels guard the perimeter.

Only one major landing is left. The pounding of the surf onto the final shore may be frightening. But its threat is an illusion. The first step ashore will reveal, not another field of battle, but green pastures with still waters—and a soul at perfect peace.

We will know we are safe at home.



Prayer:
God of grace and glory, you have watched over us all life long. You saw dangers where we saw only fun. You steered us away from threats we never saw. You saw the goodness in that which seemed bad to us. You have led us to this day and this place. Keep us in your care. Feed us with heavenly food. Bring us home. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why might it not be wrong to seek adventure and excitement in life?
  • Why might it not be wrong to seriously seek peace and safety in life?
  • Why is the account of Jesus stilling the storm with the words to wind and waves, “Quiet! Be still!” so meaningful even if we are not near water?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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The Promise Keeper – October 6, 2023

The Promise Keeper – October 6, 2023


Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
Genesis 9:14,15




Military Devotion – October 6, 2023

Devotion based on Genesis 9:14,15

See series: Military Devotions

About the Lord God? He is as good as his word. And his word is truth. That is why whatever he says, be it about the past, present, or the future, is to be accepted as a certainty.

This is vitally important. Our very existence depends upon it. Our lives are in the hands of the Promise Keeper. We are at his mercy.

Good thing, mercy is what he promises us.

There is an old saying, “Promises are made to be broken.” We have learned there is some truth to that. Sometimes circumstances beyond human control prevent promises from being kept. But sometimes the promise-makers simply change their minds.

That’s why we can’t count on every promise. Unless! Unless it is made by the Lord God.

One of his greatest promises was to send someone to crush the rule of death and the devil and rescue humanity from the horrendous pit of deserved justice. The Holy One not only offered a chance of rescue, but he also guaranteed it would be for all people.

Adam and Eve heard that promise, but they did not see it fulfilled. Moses, Abraham, Joseph, and Daniel knew of the promise but did not see it fulfilled. For thousands of years, people waited for this rescue. More than one of them asked, “When is it coming? Why the delay?”

The questions are answered in the New Testament with the famous words “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.” That’s the beginning of the story of how the Lord God kept his promise to bring the light of life to a world living in spiritual darkness.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). This the Son of God announced to the world.

Those who first heard and believed this were then shocked to see that the one who said he would bring life ended up dying.

Surely, they may have felt, their hope of eternal life died with him.

He was placed into a tomb. Some of his followers witnessed that.

He, who had promised life, had died. What else can be said?

The answer is with the words: “He is not here. He is risen!”

That’s what angels said. And holy angels do not lie.

But you and I were not there. We didn’t hear the angels speak. We did not see the resurrected Jesus walking and talking—then ascending on high. We have to take the Bible’s word for it. But that’s all right. After all, it is God the Holy Spirit speaking through those words. His words are true. Indeed, they are truth, itself.

But would it not be nice if one time we could see with our own eyes that the Holy One truly keeps his promises?

We can. We have. We have seen rainbows.

We are told that’s a simple law of nature at work as light rays are refracted. But who created that light? Who made the laws that nature follows? Is it not the same one who created weather? Who brings clouds and rain? If he did not will it, there would be no rain, no light, no refraction—and no rainbow.

“Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”

That’s what he said. That’s what he promised. And that is what he has done—and keeps on doing.

We need build no arks. We need gather no animals into an ark. We need not fear that the waters will keep rising until the tops of mountains are covered.

Do we think such a flood would be impossible? So did a world of people in Noah’s day.

They may have laughed at him over the 120 years that he warned and he prepared. But he had heard the Lord promise disaster. “I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish” (Genesis 6:7). Then came that flood. Promise kept!

Noah had also heard the Lord say he was making a covenant with him and his family. The Lord promised them life.

They did live. Every living thing on that ark survived.

Promise kept.

He also promised to never again send a universal flood. What happened? Promise kept!

So, consider this promise. “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (1 Cor.15:51).

That’s not something to be doubted. The Lord has promised this. We must believe him.

He is the Promise Keeper.



Prayer:
Creator and Savior God, great is your power, fearful are your judgments, and certain are your promises. Cement our faith to your Word so nothing can separate us from you. Use us to bring the light of your faithful love to many others. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • What does Noah’s flood teach us about the Lord our God?
  • Is it possible that some of the people who drowned came to faith after the flood started?
  • Do events of nature, like rainfall, just follow natural laws, or are they carefully controlled by the Lord of the universe? Or is it both?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Cross Before Crown – September 29, 2023

Cross Before Crown – September 29, 2023


Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead rejoice whenever you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
1 Peter 4:12,13 (EHV)




Military Devotion – September 29, 2023

Devotion based on 1 Peter 4:12,13 (EHV)

See series: Military Devotions

A prison chaplain was heard to tell inmates, “When the praises go up, the blessings come down.” To many, “blessings” mean good things happening in life.

It only makes sense to expect that a child of a rich and powerful parent will receive privileged treatment. This is certainly true if the child is greatly loved by the parent.

So, it should not be surprising to learn that some children of the heavenly Father expect to live a privileged life. When it doesn’t look like that is happening, they quickly question if the love of their Father is real. Or maybe, they have done something wrong and are being punished.

This is a common misunderstanding about the love of God for his people and how he cares for them as they live their lives on earth.

The apostle Peter was writing to people who were not experiencing what most would consider a privileged life. Just the opposite! They were undergoing severe suffering simply because they were God’s people.

History tells us of these days under the Roman emperor Nero. He blamed Christians for starting a massive fire that raged for nine days and destroyed 71% of the city of Rome.

There is evidence that he sent his own men to start the fire so that the city could be rebuilt to reflect his glorious image.

This started the first great persecution of Christians and reached all regions of the Roman Empire. Christians were hunted down, imprisoned, and often tortured and executed.

Reports came out that Nero had Christians dipped in tar, tied to posts along the road, and then lit on fire so he could drive his chariot down a lighted road at night.

Talk about fiery trials!

Those people had to wonder why their saving God was allowing this to happen. If he was the almighty One, and if he truly loved them, he surely would not allow something like this. Would he?

By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Peter tells them, “Yes!”—and it should not surprise them.

Nor should the trials and troubles in life surprise us. We might say, that’s what we signed up for when we accepted his invitation to follow him. Didn’t he make that clear when he said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)?

He did not say, “Pick up your basket of good times and easy life and follow me.” Just the opposite. “Pick up your cross” should tell us what to expect.

Even the most eager military recruiter would not promise a life of ease if a person signed up. There is such a thing as boot camp or basic training. There will be challenges. Both muscles and resolve will be tested. The end result? A better you. A person better able to face and overcome the threats that war will bring.

So it is in the army of Christ.

In fact, it is more than that. When we suffer for being followers of Jesus, as the first readers of Peter’s words did, we are actually sharing in the suffering of Christ.

That puts our trials and troubles in a completely different light. This results in getting something much better than a purple heart. This leads to a level of glory that we cannot even imagine now.

This puts us in the company of the heavenly angels. This enables us to one day bask in the glory of God.

Three disciples had a close encounter with that glory when they saw Jesus change his appearance on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was an awesome sight. Peter said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here” (Matthew 17:4). He wanted to preserve the moment.

Later, John wrote, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Jesus has promised, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

First the cross. Then, the crown!



Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you suffered for our sake, and we praise you for that. You tell us to expect trouble in our life because we belong to you, and we thank you for that warning. Give us power from on high when we are faced with trials so that we might overcome and win the victory. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • What good can God be doing by having us endure trials in life?
  • Should we expect that our lives may actually be threatened because of our faith?
  • What would we tell the Christian who sees troubles as God’s punishment?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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God Under Attack – September 22, 2023

God Under Attack – September 22, 2023


How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
Psalm 74:10,11




Military Devotion – September 22, 2023

Devotion based on Psalm 74:10,11

See series: Military Devotions

In the end, the attacks against God’s church are not so much aimed at us as they are at him. We are not the greatest enemy against the powers of darkness. He is.

This has always been the case. The invasion of Israel by the Babylonians and the destruction of the temple reveal this.

It’s difficult for us to grasp the horror of that invasion. We would need to imagine America being overrun by an enemy that threw out all our laws, dragged vast numbers of citizens away as captives, and settled its own people into our war-torn communities.

Then it destroyed our places of worship to wipe out any trace of our religion!

The psalmist described what the invading Babylonians did to Solomon’s temple. “Your foes roared in the place where you met with us;” he told the LORD, “They set up their standards as signs. They behaved like men wielding axes to cut through a thicket of trees. They smashed all the carved paneling with their axes and hatchets” (vs.4-6).

In shock, he reported to the LORD in whose name the temple had been dedicated, “They burned your sanctuary to the ground, they defiled the dwelling place of your Name. They said in their hearts, ‘We will crush them completely!’ They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.”

It seemed like the LORD had abandoned his people. “We are given no miraculous signs,” the psalmist laments. “No prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be” (vs. 7-9).

What are the people of God to think when they see him under attack—and he does not fight back? Has he lost his power? Does he no longer care if his name is defiled, and his people destroyed?

Did he not declare “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isaiah 42:8).

So, the question arises in the psalm “How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever?” (v. 10)

It isn’t that the LORD is helpless. The psalmist knows better. So, his question now is, “Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?”

He begs the LORD, “Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!” (v.11).

To a certain degree, we may know how he felt. When we see his people victimized and his name ridiculed, we wonder why he lets that happen. It seems as if he is standing with his hands in his pockets while evil triumphs.

Like the psalmist, we acknowledge him as our King and the bringer of salvation. Like the psalmist, we must say to him, “The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.”

Since that is true, since he is almighty, why doesn’t he show it?

We know he is Lord of all. We know that to reject him, much less defy him, brings horrendous consequences. In Psalm 2, we are told of his reaction to human threats. “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath.”

But he picks the time to act. He decides what his action will be. For besieged Israel, the day would come when the excited messenger would report, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!” (Isaiah 21:9)

The day came when the LORD took his hand out of his pocket and overthrew the haughty Babylonian empire overnight.

Always, he is in control. Never does anything escape his notice. Never is his love to be doubted. Always is his faithfulness our shield.

Hasn’t he proven that with our rescue from death and damnation by the death of his Son?

And what happens to his people while they wait for him to deliver from evil? It is written: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Let us be among those who, in faith and hope, wait on the LORD to act in loving justice.

He surely will.

Just wait and see.



Prayer:
Eternal Father, strong to save, to you we commit ourselves and the world in which we live. Overlook our impatience when we question your decisions. Remind us that not only are your actions just, but you also strive to allow people time to turn to you in faith. You want none to perish. But neither will your kingdom perish. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why do we assume we are the focus of attacks when God is the primary target?
  • What good might God accomplish by delaying the judgment of his enemies?
  • What does the fall of empires teach us about human history?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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God is Greater – September 15, 2023

God is Greater – September 15, 2023


If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
1 John 3:20




Military Devotion – September 15, 2023

Devotion based on 1 John 3:20

See series: Military Devotions

Sometimes, the easiest person to lie to is ourselves.

Too often we convince ourselves to believe things that deep down we know are not true. Usually, this is to escape facing truths that are unpleasant. We may decide we really don’t need to keep that dentist’s appointment. Or, an extra helping of ice cream doesn’t matter. And it won’t hurt to forget about exercising.

It’s just as easy to overlook our faults and minimize the seriousness of our failures. “Everybody does it!” “No one will notice!” “So what?”

With these excuses, we can try to justify everything from littering to stealing. There is hardly a limit to the lies we will tell ourselves to avoid guilty feelings.

But deep inside of us, there is a voice that calls out, “Liar!” We call that our conscience. It’s the law of God written in our hearts. It can be ignored. It can become weakened. But it has been placed there as a blessing.

We might compare it to a nerve in our jaw. If we did not get a toothache, we might never realize there was a problem with our tooth before it was too late.

If our conscience was not there to bother us, we might not know we were defying the law of God before it became too late. We need that warning written in our hearts. It helps us keep from lying to ourselves.

But what if our heart is lying to us?

In this setting, we aren’t talking about the muscle that pumps blood through our physical body. Instead, we are referring to the center and source of our whole inner life with its thinking, feeling, and wanting. We might describe it by saying, “This is who I am!”

The Bible’s first mention of our hearts carries these tragic words. “The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5).

That’s in contrast to what we learn about our Creator’s heart. “The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain” (v.6).

The pain in his heart was coupled with love so great that he was willing to pay the price to cover the evil in our hearts. When the Holy Spirit worked saving faith within us, he gave us what he had promised. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you” (Ezekiel 36:26).

Yet, on this side of heaven, the evil side of our nature remains with us. We are reminded, “The sinful mind is hostile to God” (Romans 8:6).

What action can be more hostile to God than trying to convince a child of God that he is separated from the love of God?

The warning is clear. Our natural heart, our sinful heart, can lie to us. It can falsely condemn us. The accusation comes from deep inside. It can strip away our joy. It can lead us to despair.

In his epistle, John warns against a fake faith, an empty faith. He tells us, “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:10).

Those can be frightening words. Could we be a child of the devil instead of a child of God? Are we someone who “does not do what is right”? Of course! We know we sin.

Our heart can condemn us with these words if we let it. But that is not the final word.

Scripture declares, “Our God is greater than our hearts!”

He knows what’s in our souls. “He knows everything.”

That’s what the apostle Peter went back to. Yes, he had boasted that his faith was greater than that of any of the other disciples. Yes, he had claimed that he would die rather than deny Jesus was his Savior God.

And yes! Regarding Jesus, he did tell the servant girl, “I know not the man!” Then backed it up by cursing and swearing it was true.

But afterward, when face-to-face with the risen Jesus, he answered the question “Do you love me?” by saying, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you” (John 21:17).

God is greater than our fears. Greater than our weakness. Greater than an accusing heart. He sees the faith that is in our heart of hearts. His forgiveness is greater than our weakness.

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John 10:14).

Thus, we can say, “Be still, my soul! The Lord is on thy side!”



Prayer:
Hold me, O Lord, in the hollow of your hand. Cover my doubt always with your love. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why do we deny our need for forgiveness when it is offered as a gift?
  • Why are we sometimes more willing to believe a lie than a truth?
  • How has the loving God shown us his greater power?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Darkness is My Friend – September 8, 2023

Darkness is My Friend – September 8, 2023


You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.
Psalm 88:18




Military Devotion – September 8, 2023

Devotion based on Psalm 88:18

See series: Military Devotions

He sat in a chair not ten feet from his little son’s casket. But he would not look up.

People bent over to offer words of sympathy. But he would not look up.

Just days before, his eyes had sparkled as he held the child at a family gathering. Now, the light has gone away from his eyes. Only the darkness of grief was left. It would stay with him for a long time.

Shadows of that darkness were still there on the day he died.

It wasn’t that his faith had died. He still held fast to the promise of everlasting life for himself and the son he had brought to the baptismal font. But he spent the rest of his life as if never quite leaving the valley of the shadow of death.

He returned to work. He returned to the fellowship of friends and family. But he never returned to his old self. Darkness was now his closest friend.

The writer of Psalm 88 could have told him, “I know how you feel.”

Sorrow is often seen on the pages of Scripture. God does not deny that his people feel the depth of sorrow at times. Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus, even as he wept over the people of Jerusalem who had rejected the rescue he offered.

“O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:33) Those were the words of King David, grieving for his son.

Sometimes, we see grief mixed with confusion bordering upon anger—anger toward God as the question of “Why?” rings out. The psalmist points to the Lord as the cause of his dark grief. “You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths,” he complains.

He is in dire misery. Listen to his lament. “For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.” He felt the Lord had forgotten him—worse, that he was, “cut off from your care” (Psalm 88:3-5). His world had fallen apart.

If we have not experienced such pain of heart, we might question how it could exist in a person who knows death has been conquered, in a soul that clings to the Lord of life while awaiting the day of resurrection.

But Jesus understands. He warned his followers. “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices.” Then he said, “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20).

He never promised our lives would be carefree, never suggested that if only our faith was strong enough, we would live happily ever after—not until it is the ever after.

Psalm 88 is a dark psalm. But it begins with the bright beam of heavenly light, “O LORD, the God who saves me.” This message is repeated and stressed throughout Scripture. In another psalm, we hear from a grieving heart, “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Psalm 73:23,24).

In still another psalm, it is David who begins by calling out, “Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry”—and ends with this bold statement of confidence, “And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:14).

That’s the way it was for people who turned to the Savior God for endless joy in heaven and blessed assurance on earth. He never failed them. He never will.

He knows how it feels to lose a loved one to death. Scripture points us to the Father and the death of his Son. The hymn calls out, “Oh sorrow dread! God’s Son is dead!” Were there tears in heaven on that Friday? Is that the reason for the strange darkness that fell at midday? Is this not the answer to our pain and sorrow?

Grief need not be despair. Faith can sustain a heavy heart. Tears of sorrow can mix with tears of joy.

Something to remember when we see another one weighed down with grief. Something to recall when the dark clouds of sorrow move into our lives.

With the apostle Paul, we can yet boast, “Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?” With all the people of God, we can joyfully proclaim, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

There is a light that penetrates even the deepest darkness. That grieving father who refused to look up now lives in that light. He has joined his precious son in the glory of God’s Son. The small casket is forgotten. Darkness is no longer his companion or friend.

Now, he can look up at his son and his Savior. Now, he would reassure us by declaring “What a friend we have in Jesus!”



Prayer:
Holy and gracious Lord God, keep our eyes fixed upon the glory that was won for us, the treasure that awaits us. Keep us in the grasp of Jesus, Friend of sinners. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why does it pain us to lose loved ones to death even though we know they have entered the bliss of heaven?
  • How can darkness invade our lives even if we are a child of the heavenly Father?
  • Why might Jesus have wept over the grave of Lazarus even though he knew Lazarus would walk out of that tomb in just a few minutes?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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The Fog of War – September 1, 2023

The Fog of War – September 1, 2023


Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Mark 16:8




Military Devotion – September 1, 2023

Devotion based on Mark 16:8

See series: Military Devotions

We wonder how this could happen. What were they thinking? What was wrong with them?

Hadn’t they heard the angel say that Jesus had risen from the dead? Didn’t they realize that this was Easter—a day that would be greeted with joy by millions for thousands of years?

How could they? They had been knocked in the head by trauma. They were in a state of shock.

Just a week ago they had been part of a joyous parade celebrating the glory of Jesus. They had joined in the hosannas. They had watched their leader and teacher ride into the capital city as if he were a king. Many were expecting he would now set up his throne and rule on earth as the Messiah. The golden age was coming! They were sure of that. It was Sunday.

By Friday, the sense of triumph had turned to terror.

These women had followed him from Galilee. They had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with Jesus and his disciples. They were horrified to learn that he had been arrested on Thursday night and already sentenced to death by Friday morning.

They stood weeping near that cross as the darkness came at midday. They saw the blood. They heard his cries. They watched him die.

They stood there almost alone. Only John, of all the disciples, waited with them. Then, he left too. He had to take the mother of Jesus back to his own home. The rest of the former brave disciples were trembling behind locked doors.

It was these women who then walked with some strangers to the grave Jesus would be laid in. They touched his cold and bleeding body. They felt obligated to prepare him for burial. There was no one else to do it. It was their duty. It tore at their hearts.

Then the Sabbath sundown interrupted them. They had to wait for an entire day before they could complete their mission. Saturday was spent with heavy hearts, and the Sunday sunrise would bring them renewed pain. Once again, they had to handle the body of the one they had loved and believed in. Now he was the dead Jesus.

While heaven erupted in the hallelujahs of victory on that day, angels were deployed to let humans know what had happened. Death had been conquered. Life eternal for the citizens of earth had been won. We wonder if the angel hardly contained his excitement when he reported to the women, “He is not here. He is risen!”

Instead of breaking out in words of praise and joy, the women panicked. “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.”

Warriors who have been faced with confusing, conflicting scenes have a name for it. They call it the fog of war.

Commanders who thought their troops were winning a battle later learned it was a devastating loss. Soldiers who were certain they were in a losing fight, later learned of their victory. Those who live in the fog of war cannot see clearly.

The problem is they only see a small part of the big picture. They draw conclusions from fragments that prove misleading. They need someone else, someone who knows the full story, to tell them what really is happening.

Shocked emotions give us fragmented intel. They focus on the horrible pieces and fail to show us the complete picture.

They repeat and repeat the painful as if that is all there is. It leaves us in our own fog of war.

The followers of Jesus spent the entire first Easter day in bewilderment and fear. When night fell, and the travelers who had seen Jesus on the way to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem, they were still trembling behind locked doors.

It wasn’t until Jesus passed right through those closed doors; it wasn’t until Jesus came to see them that they came to see what had actually happened.

He lifted the fog. He cleared their heads. He proved he was still with them, and the battle against sin, Satan, and death had been won.

A mind-shocking, soul-shaking experience can bring any person into the proverbial fog of war. It may feel weird, but it is not uncommon. Maybe we should even expect it.

Maybe our minds will be stuck in that fog for a long time. But our souls need not be.

In Word and sacrament Jesus comes to our souls, drives out fear, banishes trembling, and brings us the same message that he delivered on that Easter night: “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19).

That’s all we need.

If we are at peace with God, we need not fear the fog of war.



Prayer:
Jesus, still lead on till our rest is won;
and although the way be cheerless,
we will follow, calm and fearless.
Guide us by your hand to our fatherland. Amen.
(Christian Worship 842:1)



Points to ponder:

  • Besides the unexpected death of a loved one, what else might send shock waves through us?
  • How does the devil try to use those times to separate us from trust in the Lord?
  • Why is the fog of war not proof of the loss of saving faith?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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The House of Bread – August 25, 2023

The House of Bread – August 25, 2023


Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.
Ruth 1:16,17




Military Devotion – August 25, 2023

Devotion based on Ruth 1:16,17

See series: Military Devotions

As we turn the pages of Holy Writ past the turbulent and bloody times covered in the book of Judges, our attention is directed to a small town that had been known as Ephratha. It became better known as Bethlehem—which translated, is, the House of Bread.

Ironically, the day came when the House of Bread ran out of bread. There was a famine in the land.

At that point, our attention is drawn to a woman named Naomi. With her husband and two sons, she moved to the land of Moab to escape the famine. The Moabites, we may recall, had been the ancient enemies of Israel. Naomi and her family would find food in Moab, but they would live there as strangers in a strange land.

Yet, her sons found wives among the Moabites. One of them was named Orpah and the other Ruth.

Sadness clouded Naomi’s life when her husband died in that foreign land. The grief multiplied when both of her sons also died. Not surprisingly, she decided to go back to Bethlehem, which no longer suffered from famine.

But what about her daughters-in-law? Their family and friends were in Moab. They knew no one in Bethlehem. Worse, they would have expected to be treated as unwelcome immigrants from a country hostile to Israel.

Moab was the land of the dreaded Philistines. Yet, it wasn’t just their nationality that would offend Naomi’s friends and family. The religion of Moab was the despised worship of the heathen idol, Dagon. The Israelites would have remembered when the Philistines defeated their army in a battle that killed the sons of their high priest—and then dragged the holy ark of the covenant into the temple of Dagon as an offering to him.

That’s why the words of Ruth to Naomi are so striking. She refused Naomi’s invitation to remain with her people in Moab. Instead, she told her mother-in-law, “Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.”

And it was so! But there is much more to the story. And her story flows into our story.

Naomi returned to Bethlehem as a widow with a widowed daughter-in-law—and no means of self-support. But by the law of God, help for such people was available. When crops were harvested, the owner was not allowed to go back to get what was missed in the field. That was to be left for the poor people to gather.

That’s why Ruth was found working in the field owned by a man named Boaz. He was a distant relative of Naomi. Again, by the law of God, a man who died childless could have his line continued if his widow married a relative of his who was willing to give up his own claim to descendants. His children would be considered the dead man’s legacy.

Ruth was a poor Moabitess. Boaz was a prosperous landowner from a prestigious Israeli line. Not only did they fall in love—they were definitely meant for each other! The book of Ruth is a true love story. But why is it included in the inspired text of the Word of God?

Because it is a love story showing the love of God for us!

Ruth and Boaz gave Naomi a grandchild. We hear, “Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. The women living there said, ‘Naomi has a son.’ And they named him Obed.” Then comes the shocker. “He was the father of Jesse, the father of David” (Ruth 4:16,17).

King David’s grandmother was a Moabitess. Bethlehem became known as the City of David a thousand years before Jesus was born. In the prophecy later quoted to the wise men, Micah had written,

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times” (Micah 5:2).

Bethlehem, the House of Bread, site of the grave of Rachel, Jacob’s wife; home to Boaz and his wife, Ruth; birthplace of Jesse and his son, David, is also the birthplace of Jesus, the Son of God and Savior—who told us, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48).

There’s a lesson to be learned from this. In a prophetic vision, Saint John saw those who were celebrating victory in heaven by singing,

“Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the ages” (Revelation 15:3).

Never should we doubt what he promised! Ever should we count on his marvelous ways!

Only from him comes the Bread of Life.



Prayer:
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak but thou art mighty, hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more. Amen.
(Christian Worship 93 331:1)



Points to ponder:

  • What does it mean for us that someone in the bloodline of Jesus was not a Jew?
  • How do we know that Naomi was not afraid to live her faith among non-believers?
  • What is the significance of Ruth’s words, “And there I shall be buried”?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Friends of Futility – August 18, 2023

Friends of Futility – August 18, 2023


Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
Haggai 1:5,6




Military Devotion – August 18, 2023

Devotion based on Haggai 1:5,6

See series: Military Devotions

The wisest and richest man looked back over his accomplishments and declared, “Meaningless! Meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

If King Solomon, who had achieved so much in life, came to that conclusion, what is the average person to think? What if we aren’t trying to accomplish anything big? What if we are only trying to stay one step ahead of disaster? What if we never seem to get ahead in life—no matter how long or how hard we try?

What if it seems we have become friends of futility?

The starting point is the answer to the question, “Where does success come from?” The common answers range from “Working hard!” to “Just plain luck!”

The real answer is: “From an unseen hand!”

For every lucky lotto winner, there are thousands of losers. For every hard-driving workaholic who succeeds, there are the many who declare bankruptcy. Further examination reveals that even the winners and the successful are not guaranteed happiness or contentment. The refrain, “Meaningless! Meaningless!” keeps ringing in one’s ears.

Then, there is the story Jesus told of a man who said to himself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”

Should he be called a success? God called him a fool, saying to him, “This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”

The lesson is: “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:18-21).

The Lord God is the unseen hand involved in every success and failure. He makes this very clear when he tells us, “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7).

The prophet Haggai was writing to the people of Israel who had returned from the Babylonian captivity. One of them wrote, “When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.”

They knew the unseen hand behind this deliverance. They announced, “The LORD has done great things for us and we are filled with joy” (Psalm 126:1-3).

But they were not filled with thanksgiving—at least, not for long. When they got back to their homeland, the Promised Land, they turned their attention to themselves and their needs. They tried to better themselves. They worked long and hard. They built their houses.

They forgot that the house of God was still lying in ruins. Solomon’s magnificent temple had been trashed and demolished by the invading Babylonians. The released and returning captives gave it little thought. It was forgotten amid the rush to rebuild and succeed.

But not forgotten by the one who had told Solomon at the dedication of the first temple, “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there” (1 Kings 9:3).

The Lord God had big plans for the new temple. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Haggai 2:6).

Jesus, the Son of God was going to preach and teach in this new house of God. Thus, its glory would be greater. “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Haggai 2:8,9).

Those returning captives placed their own wants higher than what God wanted. They ended up with empty pockets. The houses they built? The wealth they acquired?

Now dust. Now ashes. Now in someone else’s hands. Now it means nothing. Now, as they lie in their graves, it’s all meaningless. They were friends of futility.

The Lord God placed our salvation as the highest priority. He still does. We end up with glory and riches beyond what Solomon could have dreamed.

We will have that forever.

We have a friend better than futility.

What a friend we have in Jesus!



Prayer:
Holy and gracious Lord God, keep our eyes fixed upon the glory that was won for us, the treasure that awaits us. Keep us in the grasp of Jesus, Friend of sinners. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why might one assume that success or failure is dependent only upon the individual?
  • Why might God withhold success from the person who is trying to serve him?
  • Why might God, at times, grant great success to those who are rejecting him?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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With Overwhelming Force – August 11, 2023

With Overwhelming Force – August 11, 2023


The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
Judges 7:2-4




Military Devotion – August 11, 2023

Devotion based on Judges 7:2-4

See series: Military Devotions

“The Bible is a bloody book!” With these words, some parents have demanded Bibles be removed from school libraries.

With all the violence that shows up on the news and entertainment screens, we might be surprised to hear anyone point at the Bible as a bad influence. We know it carries the best message for everyone to hear. Yet, there is truth behind saying the Bible is a bloody book.

The crucifixion of Jesus certainly is a gory story. But we need to hear it.

The Old and New Testaments carry many vivid accounts of violence and bloodshed. We might cringe at the reports, but we need to know about them.

The sacred Scriptures tell us stark truths about humans and critical truths about the LORD. They frighten us with the reality of our depravity and inspire us with the evidence of his devotion to our welfare. They show, when it comes to protecting his people, the LORD acts with overwhelming force. The account of Gideon and the Midianites is an example.

Israel had settled into the Promised Land but was half-hearted in its efforts to clear out all the Canaanites. As the LORD had warned, these worshipers of heathen gods became a snare to trap Israel into godlessness. As he had warned, he withdrew his protecting hand from Israel when faced with enemies. The nation wilted under this judgment.

But mercy from the LORD was still available. It flowed forth at the time of Gideon.

The Midianites had become the scourge of Israel. Scripture tells us, “Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds.” More details are given, “Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.”

They were an overwhelming force. We are further told, “They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it.”

This led Israel back to its only protector. We hear, “Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help” (Judges 6:2-6).

The LORD responded with overwhelming force—but not in numbers and not with human strength. There were some 135,000 Midianites camped against Israel. At the LORD’s command, Gideon gathered his much smaller army.

“Too many!” the LORD said. “Tell any of them who are afraid that they can go home.” Twenty-two thousand left. Still too many! When the troops came to water, Gideon was told, “Separate those who lap the water from their hands with their tongues from those who kneel down to drink.”

The three hundred who lapped the water from their hands were chosen. They would attack the horde of Midianites at night—using the sudden flash of torches and the blast of trumpets.

And no weapons!

The result? The Midianites panicked. In the dark confusion, they began attacking one another. They defeated themselves. They had been attacked by an unseen, overwhelming force—the Lord of hosts, that is, the Lord of armies. He is also called Jehovah.

We call him our LORD. We call him “Our Father who art in heaven.” He always steps in to rescue with overwhelming force. That’s what happened when he sent his Son to confront the enemies of our souls. Jesus did not need Peter’s sword. He did not need Pontius Pilate to protect him. It was his righteousness that carried the day. He used his own death as a weapon.

He won the battle for our salvation by using overwhelming force—the redeeming power of his blood.

Then, he proceeded to win our hearts and minds. “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6).

The Bible is, indeed, a bloody book—and we thank God for it.



Prayer:
Jesus, your blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress,
Mid flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head. Amen.
(Christian Worship 573:1)



Points to ponder:

  • What is so appealing about life on the dark side?
  • Why are we more impressed with size and numbers than with the power of God?
  • What should we say to those who want to ban the Bible?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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My Namesake – August 4, 2023

My Namesake – August 4, 2023


For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
Psalm 25:11




Military Devotion – August 4, 2023

Devotion based on Psalm 25:11

See series: Military Devotions

My namesake is the apostle Paul. There are others with that name in my family line, but my mother made sure when I was very young that I would know exactly whom I was named after. No doubt, there are also many others named after this well-known Christian leader.

Some people are named after other heroes of faith. Peter, Deborah, and Esther are on the long list of such special names. But at the top of the list is a name that is often overlooked, yet it is the most important of all. If that name is not there, nothing else matters.

Those who have put their trust in the one who has bought them with the blood of Christ are named after the LORD of all. That may surprise us for his name is special. His name is holy. His name represents everything he is and everything he has done. It dare not be misused.

He has stated, “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isaiah 42:8).

How is it then that sinful mortals can carry the name of the eternal, almighty God?

Therein lies the greatest news of all time and the heart of the Bible’s message.

It starts with the matter of iniquity. That’s where David begins in this psalm. He announces, “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;” then he explains why, “in you I trust, O my God” (Psalm 25:1).

He quickly asks the Lord to remember something important. “Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old” (verse 6).

Just as quickly, he begs God to forget something. “Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.”

Then he returns to the basis of his plea for mercy: “According to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD” (verse 7).

That’s a familiar concept for God’s people. It reminds one of the often-used table prayer, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34 KJV).

The mercy of God is the answer to human iniquity. The Bible defines iniquity in many ways, such as, “do wrong,” “transgression” and “miss the mark.” But the most common term is “sin.” David hit the mark when he confessed to the LORD, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4).

David admitted to doing evil. That should have been a death sentence. It is written, “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:4).

Why didn’t he? Why wasn’t he delivered to the gates of hell? When David confessed to adultery and murder, he was told, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die” (2 Samuel 12:13).

How can that be? The answer is found in David’s namesake. He was called the Son of David. He carried the name Jesus. The apostle John wrote by divine inspiration, “I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name” (1 John 2:12).

The God of free and faithful grace assures us, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1).

At our baptism, we were named as his child and assured our sins had been washed away.

We still are so named. They still are washed away. We are blessed.

Already at the time of Moses, he gave his people the opportunity to have the name of the LORD placed upon them. It frequently happens in our time at the end of our worship services. The pastor raises his hands and declares,

“The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.”

The LORD explained the reason for this benediction. “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:27).

We walk out of worship with the very name of the Savior God placed upon us. We walk away with our sins forgiven. We walk forward in life, wherever our path may take us, as redeemed and richly blessed children of the heavenly Father.

When we pray, “Our Father who art in heaven,” he hears us. He knows us. He loves us. He blesses us.

We bear his name.

He is our namesake.



Prayer:
“How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear!
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds,
And drives away all fear.” Amen.
(Christian Worship 541:1)



Points to ponder:

  • Since we regularly call ourselves Christian, why do we easily forget Christ is our namesake?
  • How does bearing the name of God encourage us to avoid sin?
  • Why should the benediction at the end of a worship service lift our spirits?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Buying Power – July 28, 2023

Buying Power – July 28, 2023


When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
Acts 8:18-20




Military Devotion – July 28, 2023

Devotion based on Acts 8:18-20

See series: Military Devotions

It is said that money talks. If it truly did, it would have to say, “Don’t count on me!”

We know that. But we also know money can be valuable because money has buying power. We like that. It means if we have money, we have the power to buy things we need. If we have enough money, we can even buy things we don’t need. We like the feeling of that power.

Simon was a common name at the time of Jesus. His half-brother carried that name, as did Simon Peter. In our text, we find Peter talking to one called Simon the Sorcerer. It was not a pleasant conversation.

We hear Peter say, “May your money perish with you!” He had not lost his temper. He was showing the man the consequences of his wrong thinking. Simon the Sorcerer thought that he could use the buying power of money to buy power from God.

For some time, he had practiced sorcery and amazed the people in Samaria. He boasted he was someone great and the people believed him. They said, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” Saint Luke tells us, “They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic.”

That was before Philip came to Samaria to proclaim the message of Christ. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miracles he worked, they started to pay close attention to what he said. Luke caps the scene by writing, “With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:7,8).

That got the attention of Simon the Sorcerer! We learn Philip baptized many Samaritans. We are glad to hear that. We are perhaps surprised to hear, “Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw” (Acts 8:13).

One of those miracles was that this former fake miracle worker who had claimed divine power now turned in faith to the true source of power, Jesus, the Son of God.

Simon, the former sorcerer, was now a believer, but he was new to the faith and still had much to learn. He still tended to look at life through the glasses of his former life. He was still very impressed with displays of power and very much wanted to use such power in service to Jesus.

He thought he could buy that power. He still did not know that one cannot count on money. You can only count on Christ.

That became apparent when the miracle of Pentecost at Jerusalem was repeated in this city of Samaria. Hearing some Samaritans had come to faith in Jesus, Peter and John quickly traveled there and prayed that they might receive an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We are not told how the Holy Spirit made himself known. Were there tongues of fire on heads? Did they start speaking foreign languages? We don’t know. But it was obvious to everyone that the Holy Spirit had come upon these people.

When Simon, the former sorcerer, saw this, he offered the apostles money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

We have heard Peter’s answer. Buying power from God is not just impossible, trying to do so is a deadly sin.

But that doesn’t mean Satan will stop tempting humans to try that. The lust for power runs deep within us. The thrill of using power is appealing. Simon the Sorcerer isn’t the only one who wants to be known as the Great One. Thus, the danger of trying to bargain with God to exalt ourselves remains great.

Jesus points us in a different direction. He invites us, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29). There’s true greatness!

He paid for our salvation with his blood.

Now, that’s buying power!



Prayer:
It is vanity, Lord God, it is a sinful desire that makes us want to be recognized as great and powerful. Remind us that any power we have is from you and any good use of that power is always tied to carrying out your will. Teach us again the importance of the words, “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.” Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why is the thought, “If I only had enough money, I would have no problems” so appealing?
  • Why are humans so attracted to those who claim to do great things?
  • How can being humble be a sign of true greatness?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Laying Down Lives – July 21, 2023

Laying Down Lives – July 21, 2023


This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
1 John 3:16




Military Devotion – July 21, 2023

Devotion based on 1 John 3:16

See series: Military Devotions

It’s not suicide. It is not the taking of our life. It is the willingness to lay down our life to enable someone else to live. It is an act of love.

Most Americans give little thought to the possibility. Those who wear the uniform of the U.S. Armed Forces must.

Sometimes, the prestigious Medal of Honor has been won by someone who held off enemy firepower all alone so others could escape the killing zone. Some of them threw themselves on live grenades to save the lives of others. It was always a willingness to lay down one’s life for the sake of another that made the difference.

One does not need to be in the military to do this. It also happens in civilian lives. The apostle John reminds us, it especially can happen in Christian lives.

American Christians have been called pampered Christians because of the freedom of religion clause built into the founding documents of our nation. This has been a buffer against persecution. Not all Christians around the world enjoy that blessing. The very early Christians certainly did not.

Looking past the illegal execution of Jesus, we see Stephen stoned to death because of his testimony about Jesus. We hear of Christians being scattered by persecution shortly afterward (Acts 11:19). Next, we are shown Saul of Tarsus hunting down Christians and delivering them to authorities for imprisonment—and worse. Saint Luke continues by reporting that King Herod had James, the brother of John, “put to death with the sword.” It disturbs us to further hear, “When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also” (Acts 12:3). Angelic rescue squads were dispatched to save Peter’s life.

One might have thought the powerful Roman government would have intervened to protect Christians. Instead, Christianity was declared by Rome to be an illegal religion. This fueled the fires of persecution. The city of Rome became the record holder for the number of Christian martyrs.

Modern tour guides at the remains of the famous Roman Coliseum deny it was the staging ground for Christians to be executed by soldiers and wild animals in front of cheering crowds. But ancient records seem to tell a different story. A Roman historian, Tacitus, tells of the time that Emperor Nero blamed the outbreak of a deadly fire in Rome upon Christians. Blood flowed in the streets and in the coliseum as a result. There is a report of Christians being covered with tar, tied to posts, and set afire to serve as streetlights as Nero drove his chariot by them.

Historians may debate the authenticity of some records, but it is certain that to be a Christian for some 300 years after the death of Christ was to live under the threat of death. The words of John were remembered and repeated. “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” Some would die so others might live.

Should we remember and repeat those words today? Persecution against Christians is happening in many places of our world. Even American Christians have noticed the increase in resentment and opposition to the Bible and those who stand by it. The tide seems to be turning against those who follow Christ as Lord and Savior. Only God knows what this will lead to.

It is that same God who bids us look beyond this life to see where the path leads. It is the Good Shepherd who invites us to follow him even through the valley of the shadow of death. He has set the prime example for us. We are not only to be concerned about ourselves. We are here to serve and support others.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”

That mental picture should always be in our rearview mirror. We shudder to think what would happen to us if that had not happened. We smile at the thought of the sun rising over the empty Easter grave. We peer through the fog of this life to catch glimpses of the rays of glory showing through from the future life.

We weigh everything in life on the counterbalance of the gift Jesus gave us with his death. Our pain and hardship? Doesn’t move the scale at all with Gethsemane and Golgotha on the other side. Earthly wealth and honor? Not worth comparing to eternal glory. Loss of life? It will never happen for soldiers of the cross. When the earthly battle is over, those in service to Jesus are immediately transferred home. They never really die.

So, how will we use the short span of time before we are called home?

Serving God. Serving others.

Even if it costs our lives.



Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we want to be like you. We want to follow your example. We want to reflect your love as we live below. We wait to share your glory when we will live above. Give us the faith, the courage, the hope, and the joy to do that. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Should we feel guilty if we have not been persecuted as much as other Christians?
  • Why do earthly things seem to weigh more in importance than heavenly things?
  • What are the signs that point to increased animosity against Christ and Christians?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Not Impossible – July 14, 2023

Not Impossible – July 14, 2023


Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
Mark 6:4-6




Military Devotion – July 14, 2023

Devotion based on Mark 6:4-6

See series: Military Devotions

He was the hometown boy who did good. He left to make a name for himself and now he was back with his family and the people he had grown up with.

He was Jesus, son of Joesph and Mary, the boy who had learned carpentry from his dad, who now had returned as a rabbi to preach in the synagogue he had worshiped in as a youth. It started well. We hear, “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips” (Luke 4:22).

But then feelings changed when Jesus quoted from Isaiah 61, which prophesied the coming of the Messiah. Luke records the dramatic scene, “Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:20,21).

The worshipers were shocked. This, they felt, was blasphemy! “‘Where did this man get these things?’ they asked. ‘What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him.”

Jesus responded, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”

As our human brother, Jesus was not without feelings. This must have hurt him. But it was just one instance of the rejection he faced from those who thought they knew him best. A little earlier, after word had spread that he had appointed twelve disciples, those close to him were greatly concerned. They tried to take control of him. They said, “He is out of his mind” (Mark 3:21).

We aren’t told Mary’s reaction. We trust she remembered the words of the angel who announced his coming birth. Joseph had no doubt told her what the angel said to him. At the wedding in Cana, she showed she expected special things from her son. Maybe she continued to ponder all this in her heart as she did when he was the 12-year-old boy in the temple.

His brothers and sisters did not. They took offense at him. Later, some of his family did come to believe in him. But this was only after his resurrection.

And the rest of the hometown people? Their accusation of blasphemy would remain until his execution on Golgotha. But if it had been up to them, he would have been killed right then and right there at the edge of Nazareth.

The words of Mark that make us sit up and take notice are, “He could not do any miracles there, except…”

This meant his gracious works for these people were, then and there, impossible.

How can that be? This is the Son of God. With God all things are possible. Why was it impossible for Jesus to work miracles wherever he wished? Were his powers limited after all?

Absolutely not!

It’s Luke who tells us about the furious reaction to the claim of Jesus that he was the Messiah. Of the people of Nazareth he reports, “They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way” (Luke 4:28,29).

Jesus could not work miracles in his hometown because they drove him out.

That dreadful power remains with humans today. The Lord God will not force us to accept his forgiveness and salvation. We can drive the Savior out of our lives. We can keep him out.

But then we are left to live without him. We are left to die without him. Then, we will spend a timeless and torturous existence without him.

The time of hope and grace has already passed for those residents of Nazareth. They had their chance to lay hold of the golden crown of salvation and embrace Jesus in faith. We pray many did. We hope at least some did.

The sun has set on their day of opportunity. It yet shines for us. The voice of the Holy Spirit still comes to us with the words, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today,” and again, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:13,15).

We still have work to do. Jesus said, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4). So it is with us.

Unlike it was for Jesus on that day in Nazareth, our work is not yet impossible.



Prayer:
Lord Jesus, it hurts us to hear of the rejection that you faced from people who were close to you. We are glad to see that you did not immediately call down judgment upon Nazareth as you once did upon Sodom. That shows mercy for those who did not deserve it. It is this mercy that has called us to saving faith and keeps us in it. Enable us to share this faith while we still have the chance. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • The saying is, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Was that the problem in Nazareth?
  • Why would rejection by family and friends hurt more than rejection by strangers?
  • What are the signs that the sun is setting on the hope of salvation in our nation?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Even When It Hurts – July 7, 2023

Even When It Hurts – July 7, 2023


Who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath even when it hurts.
Psalm 15:4




Military Devotion – July 7, 2023

Devotion based on Psalm 15:4

See series: Military Devotions

It’s painless to do the right thing when it doesn’t cost us anything. It’s easy to keep our word when there are no negative consequences. It’s different when doing the right thing makes us pay a price. If it is going to hurt, we are tempted to look for an easy way out.

That’s not what our God expects of us. That does not gain his favor. But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy for us to do the right thing. An incident in the life of Joshua gives us an example.

Jericho had been breached and destroyed—except for Rahab and her family who had been promised safety. Nearby Ai had also been obliterated, by the command of the LORD. The same prospect was before all the people who inhabited the land of Canaan.

The LORD had told the Israelites, “When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess” (Numbers 33:51-53).

There was more. “You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.”

The inhabitants of Canaan knew about this. The reports had come to them of the powerful works of the LORD and the battles Israel had won in the wilderness. The siege of Jericho showed what other cities in Canaan could expect. The Bible reports, “They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys” (Joshua 6:21).

Leaders of many Canaanite tribes warned their people and prepared them for war. But one tribe took a different approach. The Gibeonites decided to trick Israel into thinking they were not from Canaan but from a faraway country. “Make a treaty with us,” they asked.

When Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” they told the story of how in a distant country they had heard all the Lord had done in Egypt and the wilderness. So, they decided to pack up their possessions to meet with the Israelites and join them.

As evidence of this, they showed their moldy bread, dried-out and cracked wineskins, and worn-out clothes and sandals. They said, “These were new when we started out.”

Significantly, we are told, “The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.” Using their own judgment, they took the next step. “Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath” (Joshua 9:14,15).

Three days later, they learned the truth. They had been deceived. The Gibeonites were Canaanites who were to be driven out or killed, just like the rest.

The Gibeonites explained, “So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

Now what? Israel could have said, “You lied! Our oath is not binding.” In fact, that is what most of the Israelites wanted to happen. But their leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now.”

The people of Israel were not just another tribe on the earth. They were the people of God. They bore his name. What they would do would be a reflection upon him. The decision was made. They would not go back on their word because the God of all never goes back on his word.

We are told the result. “So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.” They were made servants of Israel as “woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the LORD.” Therefore, “And that is what they are to this day” (Joshua 9:26,27).

That was the right thing to do! They had been reminded, as are we: “But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands” (Deuteronomy 7:8,9).

It hurt the LORD to keep his promise to rescue us. He had to watch his Son die.

Why should we hesitate to do what we know he expects of us? Why should the question of cost enter the decision? Why would we want to do anything that tarnishes his honor?

We bear his name before the world. Let us do so gladly and faithfully—even when it hurts.



Prayer:
Lord of glory, sometimes we are tempted to sidestep what should be done and excuse what is not right. We are inclined to go back on our word when we see it will cost us to keep it. Remind us of who we are, who you are, and what you have done. Then give us your Spirit. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • In what way does an unbelieving world pretend to be the friend of the Christian?
  • Should we go back on our word if we find keeping it would lead to new sin?
  • Why do we often forget that what we say and do is a reflection upon the Lord our God?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Free Indeed – June 30, 2023

Free Indeed – June 30, 2023


Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 8:34-36




Military Devotion – June 30, 2023

Devotion based on John 8:34-36

See series: Military Devotions

As the grip of the Axis powers tightened over much of Europe by 1941, President Roosevelt delivered his famous Four Freedoms speech. In it, he declared that people everywhere in the world ought to be able to enjoy freedom of speech and religion and freedom from want and fear.

It was well-received by our Allies. It was applauded by freedom-loving people everywhere—even among those who no longer enjoyed those freedoms.

Americans have labeled freedom with the term independence. They began celebrating Independence Day already in 1777. We still do that in our day. We view freedom and slavery as polar opposites. As much as we will fight for the first, so we will fight against the second. Indeed, we have taken to battlefields to set others free.

Thus, the words of God on the subject of freedom resonate well with the people of God. But the message of God would be truncated if we thought it only applied to the politics of governments. Jesus corrected that mistaken impression when it was expressed by some in a crowd that had gathered around him.

He told them, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They replied, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

That’s when he delivered the bombshell, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”

Sin is not a one-and-done action in our lives. We sin and sin, then sin some more. We cannot go one day without sinning. It’s worse than an addiction. It is, indeed, slavery.

Freedom is a large word with deep meaning. Americans may now be free from the control of their mother country, England, but that does not mean nothing controls them. Not just local and national laws stand in the way of doing whatever, but also the common restraints of life.

Ask the student who doesn’t want to go to class; ask the worker who would prefer to be at the beach on a summer day; or ask the patient who wishes to be free from chemotherapy. They will tell us freedom seems to be limited. It is not universal or timeless.

And as the bumper stickers around military installations remind us, freedom is not free. It was bought at a price.

If we are irritated by some lack of freedom in daily life, if we are fearful that America may one day no longer be “the land of the free”, the level of concern must rise when we hear Jesus describe our standing with the word “slave.”

He contrasts the position in a family of a slave to that of a son. The slave has no claim to any of the family’s wealth or privileges. The son is an heir to all of it. The slave’s position is temporary. He may lose it at any time. The standing of the son is fixed and permanent.

The message is clear. No matter how rich or poor we might be, no matter how sick or healthy, no matter how high or low our position is in society—it is all temporary if we remain under the control of sin.

Hate it as much as we might, and struggle against it with all our might, we cannot break free from the powerful grip that will keep us as captives to urges of evil and a destiny of destruction.

We need rescue. We need the mighty God to step in and break the chains of slavery. We need to be freed from the tyranny of sin, death, and the devil.

We need Jesus, the Son of God. When Jesus sets us free, we are far more than liberated slaves; we are ourselves turned into “sons” adopted into the household of God, children of the heavenly Father, and joint heirs with Christ.

Really!

It’s not just a dream. It’s more than hope. It is a promise from our Good Shepherd.

King David knew that. That’s why his famous psalm which begins, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want” ends with the words, “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6).

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”



Prayer:
Lord Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, you paid the price of our freedom with your holy blood. From slaves to sin, you have elevated us to heirs of glory in the household of God. You made us free. In your mercy, keep us free. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Is it true that freedom always comes at a price—even if we personally receive it as a gift?
  • How is being a member of the household of God evidence of not being a slave to sin?
  • What is special about a child of God calling a church building the house of God?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Guarding… – June 23, 2023

Guarding… – June 23, 2023


And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7




Military Devotion – June 23, 2023

Devotion based on Philippians 4:7

See series: Military Devotions

To defend that which is weak. To strengthen that which is strong. To guard that which is precious—that is our calling whether in uniform or not.

Those who have sworn to defend the United States “against all enemies foreign and domestic” have assumed a serious responsibility. Special training and weapons are used to equip them for this special task. We pray for their safety and success. But there is more to the picture labeled “Guarding.”

America has more than once undertaken efforts to win the hearts and minds of those who might join with our enemies. The hope is they will become emotionally connected to our cause when we win over their hearts. If we can win their minds, their thinking and goals will be aligned with our plans and programs.

If we can gain the hearts and minds of people, they will become our allies, not our enemies.

Sadly, our enemies also know this. If they would win over our hearts and minds, we would become their allies. But we do not want to become partners with such as the Taliban. We try to keep fellow citizens from being deceived by false claims and promises. We call that being brainwashed. We do not want them to give up their American freedom to become slaves to some oppressive ideology.

In 1775, Patrick Henry asked his fellow patriots, “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?” His answer has been echoed in speeches by generations of his countrymen: “Forbid it Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

At the time of the apostle Paul, the Israeli people lived under the oppressive thumb of the Roman Empire. He was an advocate of freedom. He risked his life to bring others into freedom. He lost his life in the battle against tyranny.

But among his many writings, we find no calls for war against Rome. Instead, to the Roman Christians he wrote, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1).

If Imperial Rome wasn’t the enemy he warned against, what was? We can call it the Evil Empire, for evil is at its heart. The fallen angel, Satan, is listed as its commander. Its fighting force was made up of only rebellious angels, at first. But soon humans joined those ranks.

The sinless Son of God rescued us from this superpower of wickedness. But we remain at risk of being recaptured. Evil fights to reclaim us. The bite of Satan, who appeared to our first parents as a snake, is still deadly. So is the poison of his allies. It can induce Christians to turn against one another, and finally rejoin those who reject the Savior God.

But evil cannot reclaim the heirs of salvation by force. Satanic legions do not have that kind of power. However, sadly, those in the kingdom of light can renounce their citizenship. They can desert Christ and rejoin the ranks of the doomed and damned.

Why would they do this? Because they want to. Why would they want to? Because, tragically, the powers of darkness have won their hearts and minds.

What can keep that from happening? What will give us the strength to overcome any inclination to embrace the enemy of all that is good and right?

We have the answer. It has been written down in Holy Script for everyone to see. The required power lies in the peace of God.

This is the peace the Bethlehem angels sang of. This is the peace Jesus bought with his holy blood. This is what he was speaking of when he told his followers, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Neither wishful thinking nor fierce determination is enough to survive the hellish attacks of doubt and fear. We cannot guard ourselves against such powers. We cannot guard others. Mortals are not strong enough to hold on to this peace. We need help.

We need to call in the one who is, “our trusty shield and weapon.” We need the one to whom belongs “the kingdom, the power, and the glory.” We need the Lord God.

The British poet, Kipling, rebuked his people for thinking they were strong enough to guard themselves by reminding them of their frailty. He wrote they were only, “All valiant dust that builds on dust.” To the Lord he confessed, “and guarding, calls not thee to guard.”

We will not make that mistake. We will not forget to pray to the Lord to guard us.

Will we?



Prayer:
Father in heaven, yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Guard our hearts and minds so that they hold onto the peace that surpasses all understanding. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • In what way does evil appeal to the tug of our emotions?
  • In what ways does evil appeal to the reasoning of our minds?
  • Why is the peace of God such a powerful force?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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With my God – June 16, 2023

With my God – June 16, 2023


For you save humble people, but you bring low the eyes of the arrogant. Yes, you light my lamp, O Lord. My God turns my darkness to light. For with you I can charge against a battalion, and with my God I can jump over a wall.
Psalm 18:27-29 (EHV)




Military Devotion – June 16, 2023

Devotion based on Psalm 18:27-29 (EHV)

See series: Military Devotions

“Need some help?” The question already indicates a willingness to be of assistance and the confidence the effort will be of value.

But that question begs two additional questions. “Do I actually need help?” and “Can this one actually provide the help I need?”

If the answer to either of the two questions is negative, the answer to the first question must also be negative: “No, thanks!”

The writer of this psalm is King David who is near the end of his life. The story of that life details the many acts of deliverance God had provided—from lions and bears, from Goliath and the Philistines, from other enemy nations, and from Saul and Absalom. In this psalm, he shows his confidence that God’s blessings will continue, even after his death.

The verses before us reveal his inner thoughts and convictions. They are strong words of help having been accepted.

Many are the enemies who threatened him with haughty self-confidence. Goliath mocked him by asking, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” Then he cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” (1 Samuel 1:43,44) Bold words. Empty threats.

That time, the Lord delivered David by means of a simple slingshot and one stone.

Afterward, he delivered this shepherd boy who became king from every other enemy that rose up against him.

But not all attacks came from without. An enemy lurked from within. His own sinful nature was deadly. This ally of Satan posed a constant danger. More than once it seemed it would overwhelm him. One time David found himself charged with both adultery and murder—and he had to plead guilty. His crimes were against God as much as against other humans.

That brought a dark and desperate time into his life. In Psalm 130, he wrote, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice.” In Psalm 32, he revealed the anguish he felt. “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.”

He needed help. It came in the form of a verdict. God’s representative pointed his finger at David and declared, “You are the man!” His sin was exposed.

Guilty David replied, “I have sinned against the Lord.” He was then told, “The Lord has taken away your sin” (2 Samuel 12:13). His sin was covered by the blood of his Redeemer.

This time he was delivered by the repentance the Holy Spirit worked in him. Saving faith shone once again in his heart. He wrote, “Yes, you light my lamp. O Lord. My God turns darkness to light.”

Time after time in the past, the Lord God had stepped in to deliver him from danger to both body and soul. What about the future? He was growing old. His strength was failing. His kingdom was being threatened. His life was being threatened. His faith was being threatened. What chance did he have?

His hope lay with the Lord God who had delivered him all through his life. “For with you,” he wrote, “I can charge against a battalion, and with my God I can jump over a wall.”

This is not haughty self-confidence. This is the very type of faith we ask for. Scripture assures us we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. David’s greatest enemy was not Goliath or Saul. The greatest threat in his life came from the same source as the greatest threat to us: the powers of darkness.

The apostle Paul assures his readers, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20). King David would tell us, “You better believe it!”

Since the Lord has delivered us from the death grip of sin, can we not be certain that he will deliver us from every other threat that might arise? We may stumble and fall, but he will pick us up and carry us across the goal line. Should we doubt that?

Don’t we agree, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) We must.

Since my God is with me, I have nothing to fear.

I am not alone. I am with my God.



Prayer:
“Satan, I defy thee;
death, I now decry thee;
fear, I bid thee cease.
World, thou shalt not harm me
nor thy threats alarm me
while I sing of peace.
God’s great power guards every hour;
earth and all its depths adore him,
Silent bow before him.”
This is my belief. Amen.
(Christian Worship 823:3)



Points to ponder:

  • How could David have the courage to stand up to the giant, Goliath?
  • What lessons might we learn from David’s life?
  • Why is absolute trust in God more than a matter of determination and willpower?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Jars of Clay – June 9, 2023

Jars of Clay – June 9, 2023


For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4:6,7




Military Devotion – June 9, 2023

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 4:6,7

See series: Military Devotions

“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all,” (1 John 1:5) the Bible proclaims. We are only beginning to glimpse the significance of this statement.

Light has played a crucial role in life since the beginning of time. The first command recorded in Scripture is, “Let there be light.” The response was immediate. “And there was light.” The Lord let light burst forth upon the waters covering the earth that was yet formless and empty.

It might take us a while before we say, “Wait a minute! The sun, moon, and stars were not in existence yet. That didn’t happen until the fourth day. Where did this light come from?”

The answer is, “It came from God, himself.” Later, he would place the light bearers into the sky. First, light must be created. It’s another thing to make instruments that will continue to send out the light. We can call them luminaries.

Shortly afterward, we are told, “And God saw that the light was good.” Indeed it is. Light is the fundamental condition for all organic earthly life. Without light and the warmth that flows from it, plant, animal, and human life could not continue to exist on this earth.

The great importance of light for all physical life is underscored in Holy Scriptures by the very fact that light is used in a figurative sense to designate him who is indispensable for all spiritual life. Christ says of himself, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).

So then, it might startle us to hear, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts.”

Can that be? Are we the bearers of God’s light just as the sun, moon, and stars are? Are we luminaries to planet Earth?

Yes.

The heavenly bodies show forth God’s physical light. The people of God shine forth his spiritual light by their words and actions glorifying their Creator and Redeemer. One light is essential for life here and now. The other light is essential for life here and forever.

Our light reveals the glory of God that was given to mankind by Christ, the Savior.

That means we are important! That shows we can offer a critical service to the rest of the human race. We must do so—just as the sun must deliver its life-saving light to Earth. The only way the sun could stop doing that is if it lost its light—if that star died.

What about us? When might we no longer shed light upon a dying world? Wouldn’t it be when our faith died? When the light of God no longer shone in us?

That’s true! It’s sad—but true!

The apostle Paul, who was one of the greatest missionaries, who brought the light of the gospel to so many people, reminds us that we are frail. We possess the greatest treasure in all the world, but that treasure is carried in fragile containers.

We are not the Great One. We are not the Rock of Ages. We are not the glorious God.

We are jars of clay.

“Dust you are,” the Creator said. That applies to us now as much as it did to our first parents.

We can easily be broken into pieces. We can lose the light. The precious treasure of forgiveness of sins and life everlasting can slip from our grasp.

But not from the hands of the Lord of life! He has placed this treasure into our frail frames to demonstrate that the power of the gospel is not from us. We are reminded, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

Not to us! Not to us!

To God be the glory!

We are honored to serve him as mere jars of clay.

We must join in the song of the children, “This little light of mine. I’m going to make it shine!”



Prayer:
God of mercy, God of might, we are amazed but honored to be the instruments that show forth your glory in this world. Remind us often of the treasure you have placed within us. Make these jars of clay strong to preserve your light and allow it to shine forth in our lives. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • What would this creation be like if God had not created light?
  • What would our life be like if God had not created his light of faith within us?
  • What might we do to ensure that this light burns brightly in this jar of clay?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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To God be the Glory – June 2, 2023

To God be the Glory – June 2, 2023


For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 11:36




Military Devotion – June 2, 2023

Devotion based on Romans 11:36

See series: Military Devotions

He is not a little God. He is not a part-time God.

He is the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier. He is the eternal Triune God.

He is our God. He is the only God.

Complaints have been leveled against him by some members of the human race. They say his actions confuse them. His judgments dismay them.

They want to hold him accountable for perceived crimes against humanity. If he controls tornadoes and lightning bolts, why does he allow storms to strike without warning and without regard for the victims?

Why should that baby burn to death in its crib? Why should that mother drown as she tries to rescue her child? How could he allow millions of everyday people to be systematically exterminated by others wanting to purify the human race by removing the unacceptables?

What is the Bible’s response? “How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33).

What was God thinking? If even humans could see the mistakes he was making, if they complained about what they saw as major mistakes, why didn’t he listen? Why did he not modify his plans?

The Bible shows these are actually silly questions by asking us, “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” (Romans 11:34).

The answers are obvious. “No one!” These are impossibilities.

But doesn’t he owe us answers? If he expects us to honor him, even worship him, isn’t he obligated to give us what we believe is due? Isn’t that the least he should do?

Again, those questions are answered by the answers we must give to his questions. “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” (Romans 11:35).

The Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier God owes us nothing.

He is not dependent upon us for anything. We did not make him into what he is. We did not vote him into office. He is not subject to our whims or preferences—even if we wish it were so.

Old Testament Job complained about that. “If only I knew where to find him;” he complained, “if only I could go to his dwelling! I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments” (Job 23:3,4).

It never happened. Instead, he reports, “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him” (Job 23:8). He concludes, “He does whatever he pleases. He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store. That is why I am terrified before him; when I think of all this, I fear him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me” (Job 23:13-16).

What does this mean for us frail and vulnerable humans? What chance do we have against him? None.

What chance do we have with him? Guaranteed and overflowing success.

How can we know? Because he tells us what he thinks and what he has done. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

It is as simple and wonderful as that.

He owes us nothing good. He gives us everything good. He is the source of everything good.

Is he beyond our comprehension? Of course! Is this a problem? It’s a blessing! Can we compare him to anything else that we know of? Of course, not! Can anything else serve as a substitute for him? Absolutely not!

Should we question him? Should we doubt him? Should we reject him?

No. No. And absolutely, no!

Then what? Then what else but this for today, for tomorrow, and forever?

To God be the glory!



Prayer:
To God be the glory; great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin
and opened the life-gate that all may go in.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth praise his voice!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice!”
Oh, come to the Father through Jesus the Son
And give him the glory—great things he has done! Amen.
(Christian Worship 627:1)



Points to ponder:

  • Why do humans think they can challenge the decisions of God?
  • Why would someone be frightened by the idea of God being in control?
  • Why does the mystery of God being triune offer us comfort?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Firepower with a Whisper – May 26, 2023

Firepower with a Whisper – May 26, 2023


The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
1 Kings 19:11-13




Military Devotion – May 26, 2023

Devotion based on 1 Kings 19:11-13

See series: Military Devotions

“Come Holy Spirit, renew our hearts, and kindle in us the power of your love.”

Thus, we invite God the Holy Spirit to come into our lives to revive and inspire us. We remember the time he came upon the crowd in Jerusalem. He appeared with the sound of a violent wind and tongues of fire. As a result, each person in a crowd with sixteen different languages heard the words of the others in his own native language.

This was firepower from heaven.

It might lead us to expect a dramatic display of power whenever the LORD goes into action. That’s what happens when humans unleash firepower. The exploding shells cause shock waves. Flames and smoke rise into the sky. The burst of power does not go unnoticed.

But now, along with Elijah, we are taught the arrival of heavenly firepower is not always dramatic or even visible. Sometimes, it comes as gently as a whisper.

The prophet had recently witnessed an amazing demonstration of divine firepower. He had challenged 450 prophets of the idol, Baal, to a test. Two altars with two sacrifices, each with dry wood, were set up. “You call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the LORD,” Elijah told them. “The god who answers by fire—he is God!”

All day long, the Baal worshipers begged their idol to light the fire. Nothing happened.

When it was his turn, Elijah ordered water to be poured onto his altar and firewood again and again and again. Then he prayed, “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God.”

We are told, “Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench” (1 Kings 18:38).

That’s the kind of response we like to see from the Holy One in heaven. That’s like the Pentecost miracle in Jerusalem. But that seldom happens. Probably none of us have ever seen something like that. And yet, Jesus has promised us that the Holy Spirit would be with us.

Why doesn’t the Holy Spirit show himself to us so we can be assured of his powerful presence?

Could the answer be that he does not want to? Is it that simple? Could it be that he does not need to? Might it be that he knows best how to carry out his soul-stirring, life-saving work?

Yes.

The dramatic demonstration did not assure Elijah for very long. Shortly afterward, he is in a cave very depressed. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life” (1 Kings 19:4).

Not what happened outside of himself, but what the Holy Spirit would do inside of him was the critical work. There is where faith lived. In his soul dwelt the hope and joy that could overflow into his daily life.

No explosions, no fireworks, no drama—the Holy Spirit comes to human hearts as softly and gently as a whisper.

Sometimes, we may see evidence of God at work in our lives. When we look back in time, we may detect that it was during some of our worst days that his power was poured out in the greatest way.

Jesus once said, “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough” (Matthew 13:33).

Not as exciting as a violent wind. Not as obvious as flames appearing from heaven. But just as real. Just as certain. The Holy Spirit brings to us firepower from heaven.

We sing to our Savior God, “Come not in terrors, as the King of kings, but kind and good, with healing in thy wings.”
May God the Holy Spirit visit us with his love!



Prayer:
Come Holy Spirit, renew our hearts,
and kindle in us the power of your love. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • Why are humans more apt to believe a lie than the truth?
  • Why is it easier for us to hate our enemies than to love them—despite what God says?
  • It has been said, “God’s greatest power is his love.” Would we agree?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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A Place Beyond – May 19, 2023

A Place Beyond – May 19, 2023


In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
John 14:2




Military Devotion – May 19, 2023

Devotion based on John 14:2

See series: Military Devotions

Christianity is an “other world” religion. It declares that there is life beyond planet Earth. Indeed, there is life beyond the universe. Furthermore, Christianity affirms, “We have been visited by beings from this place beyond.” The bottom line is that Christians expect to live in that place that is beyond all sight, measurement, or sense of direction; to live in peace and harmony with the beings that already dwell there.

So far, we have experienced nothing but life on Earth. Our forays into sky and space have been so insignificant that a major telescope on our neighboring planet would not have even noticed them. It seems safe to say: “In the main, earthbound we are, and earthbound we will remain.” But that is not a safe statement to make—because it is not true!

The people of God have information available to them that transcends what even an exploration of deep space could reveal. We have a record of extra-terrestrial beings, called angels, who have come to this planet and interacted with humans. We have a record of their conversations and their activities. The record has been authenticated.

And there is something greater. Much greater! A being who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and demanding of only right thinking, speaking, and acting, has made contact with Earth. In fact, he was here before humans or any other life appeared on the planet. He made all of this. He made us! He gave us perfection—and we ruined it. That brought his anger.

As a result, we might expect that all that would be left to this planet now is a mushroom cloud, with hot ashes of destruction. But Earth is still here. We can still see blue skies and blue waters. It is still called the Blue Planet. How can we account for this?

Only one word will do: love! The One from beyond, the one who made all and judges all, possesses an amazing love for the humans he placed onto this planet. He has delayed its destruction.

When the time was right, his Son came to live among us for some 33 years. During that time, he did what was necessary to enable humans to escape from the absolute destruction that is coming. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. Because of him, we can live forever. Those who put their faith in him will do just that.

But where will we live that forever life? The answer is: “In the place beyond, in the place where the eternal Lord of glory came from.” We call that place heaven.

It’s easy to forget that. Our lives are so busy with earthly things. After all, we need to make a living. That takes time and effort. We face challenges and deadlines. That requires us to be focused.

We might feel that thinking about heaven can wait until we have time for it—or until we have no choice but to give it some attention. When death walks into the room, everything else fades from view for a while. When walking out of the Mayo Clinic with the news, “If you want to do some traveling, do it within four months,” the stunned patient told his wife, “I just can’t wrap my head around that.”

Who could blame him? He had just lost weight. He was exercising regularly. He was relatively young. His shoulder had been bothering him. He was hoping to be told how to get rid of that nagging pain.

He was not hoping or expecting to learn he would soon die.

“I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven” (Psalm 123:1) the psalmist wrote.

That’s the response of those who can say, “My hope is in the name of the Lord.” Those who serve the Savior are not at the mercy of accident or disease. Advancing years do not mean the permanent loss of ability and vitality. They know there is more to life than that which can be seen or felt now.

They lift up their eyes to where the Good Shepherd is leading. They want to be with him.

The Rescuer of humankind no longer dwells here physically. Forty days after he conquered death he went back home. He went alone. But he left behind a promise: “In my Father’s house are many rooms.” He adds, “I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

So, we wait. We wait with eager anticipation. We wait for Jesus to return and take us to that place beyond.



Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Friend of sinners and Savior of souls, you sent angels to tell the disciples staring at the skies into which you had ascended, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Remind us of this. Teach us to live each day with that day in mind. Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • If heaven is our home, why do we often not feel like it is true?
  • What comfort comes from knowing that Jesus, himself, is preparing our place in heaven?
  • Why does waiting for heaven motivate us to action here and now rather than make us lazy?


Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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Bloodstains – May 12, 2023

Bloodstains – May 12, 2023


Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?
Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.”
Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?
“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath;
their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.”
Isaiah 63:1-3




Military Devotion – May 12, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 63:1-3

See series: Military Devotions

The warrior travels down a dirt road so typical of the Middle East. Just as typically, people come to watch. But it is not a convoy. No troops follow him. He comes alone from Bozrah, the enemy stronghold. It is a strange sight. Stranger yet is the stain on his clothing. Is that grape juice? No, it’s blood. Is he wounded? No, this is the blood of his enemies.

Who is this? Who is this a picture of? The question is not left in doubt. This is the Savior of Israel. We know him as Jesus. This is Jesus victorious. This is the Jesus who took on the enemies of God and his people—and stomped them!

When we think of the victory celebrated at Easter, we tend to forget what it meant to his defeated enemies. We forget that fallen angels and humans had taken their stand against God. They disrespected and rejected him. They waged war against the Lord of creation and those who serve him.

The Holy One is a just God and loving God. But he is also the LORD vicious in judgment.

The triumphant Jesus reminds us that no one was with him when he defeated sin, death, and the devil. None else was qualified to undertake this mission. He didn’t need help! Of his enemies he says, “I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath.”

Good thing we get to see this. We need to hear these words. The enemies of God give the impression that they rule; that they are strong; that they are winning the war of life and death.

It’s a lie! The war is over. They have been beaten. They have been stomped!

Then why doesn’t it seem like it? Because they are still allowed to dwell among God’s people. They still serve a purpose in God’s plan. Somehow, in some way, their existence is to the benefit of God’s people. We’ll leave all those mysterious details in God’s hands. We just dare not believe their lying propaganda.

Lies and propaganda have long been tools of warfare. History shows many times they have been effective. In 1945, about 100,000 civilians died when Americans attacked Okinawa. It is reported that most of these were deaths by suicide. There is a horrendous video of a woman throwing her baby over a cliff before jumping to join it in death. Then more adults follow. Recently, Reuters carried the words of a woman who survived those days. She said, “Four of us tried to commit suicide with one hand grenade, but it did not go off.”

Why this senseless carnage?

Japanese propaganda had convinced them that death was better than falling into the hands of the Americans who tortured, raped, and killed those who were captured.

The lies were believed.

No propaganda effort was ever as successful as the one churning out lies from the pit of hell. If it is not telling people there is no God and sin is not serious, it is trying to convince others that there is no hope for them because of their grievous sin.

These lies are not to be believed. Jesus warns us about Satan, “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

We need not fear his power. It is the triumphant Lord who proclaims,

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10)

We live now in the aftermath of God’s victory. There still is some sniper fire. The defeated enemy still tries to put on a brave face. Still makes threats. But it’s all over. The columns of the enemy are being marched in an endless line into the eternity of dark despair. Meanwhile, the line of the faithful sets its course for the bright shores of glory.

They follow the One with the bloodstained clothes.



Prayer:
Lord Jesus, praise and glory be to your name! Enable us to have a firm grip on the reality that sin, death, and the devil have been conquered. We rejoice to sing, “Be still, my soul! The Lord is on your side.” Amen.



Points to ponder:

  • How does the picture of the Prince of Peace fit with that of the bloodstained warrior?
  • Why is it sometimes easier to believe a lie than to accept the truth?
  • How do we overcome the idea that evil always conquers?

*A portion of this devotion was previously published.



Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.


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