"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 - Day 108 - (Today’s Bible readings: 2 Chronicles 27:1-28:4; Psalm 99; Luke 12:48-13:5)
JESUS IS THE ONE!
He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? (Luke 12:54-56 ESV)
Jesus condemns the unbelief of those beholding His miraculous signs who yet reject the obvious implications. The miracles of Jesus prove that He is Who He claimed to be, the Son of God, the long awaited Messiah, the Savior of the world. Jesus further explained this fact with these words:
For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” (Matthew 9:5-6)
Satan blinds the hearts of unbelievers with one of his favorite tools, doubt. But as Jesus said last Sunday to doubting Thomas:
“Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do doubt, but believe.” (John 20:27)
Only by God’s grace can we see clearly, as the Spirit opens our eyes through faith in Jesus Christ. Luther explained how this works in his explanation to the Second Article:
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. (Luther’s Small Catechism)
It because the Holy Spirit has been working in your life that you can believe that Jesus is the One, the One who died on the cross for you, making you a child of God!
Lord Jesus, please open my eyes to Your presence in my life. To this end, grant me a hunger for Your Word, the Bible. And then please use me to tell others that You are in fact the promised Savior of the world. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!
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