"You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." 2 Cor. 8:9
Thank you, Jesus.
RICH
"Do you feel rich? An economist by the name
of Robert Heilbroner once challenged people to imagine doing the
following. Move your family into a building the size of an old tool
shed. Have no electricity, no running water, no bathroom. Get rid of all
your clothes except for one set. Keep one pair of shoes. Destroy all
written material. Toss out all food except for some flour, sugar and
salt, a few potatoes, some onions and dried beans. Throw away all your
investments, pensions and insurance policies. Reduce your savings to ten
dollars. Live about a three-hour walk away from the nearest clinic. And
support your entire family raising crops on a few acres of land. Give a
third of your crops to your landlord and a tenth of your crops to your
money lender.
If you do that, says
Robert Heilbroner, then you’ll know how over a billion people are living
in the world right now. And then, perhaps, you’ll realize how rich you
really are.
Now imagine something else.
The world you live in is dark, cynical, senseless. If there is a God,
you haven’t met him. If there is some grand reason for living, you don’t
know it. And so you go to work, come home, cash your check on payday,
get groceries, watch TV, catch up with the laundry on weekends, take in a
ballgame with friends, discuss current events, pursue a hobby, vacation
during the summer, go to the dentist, go to the doctor, feel your body
getting old, put in for retirement, mow your lawn and weed your garden,
watch your life get slower and smaller. And then you wait to die—empty,
puzzled and frightened.
If you can
imagine that, then you can imagine life without Jesus, life without the
forgiveness, peace, joy, security, purpose and certainty of heaven that
are yours in your Savior. And then, you, too, can realize how rich you
really are."
Prayer (poor):
Forgive me, Lord Jesus,
for all the times I have forgotten how rich I am in you. Empower me by
your Spirit. Help me to see what I have with fresh insight. Amen.
WELS
http://www.wels.net/spiritual-help/daily-devotion/2012-07/devotion-july-11-2012
Word of God:
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’" Matt. 25:35-36 (ESV)
- Kyrie eleison!
Law and gospel:
Word of God:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others." Matt. 23:23
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 (ESV)
"Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep" Joel 2:17a (ESV)
"how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?" Matt. 23:33b (ESV)
"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." Ecc. 12:13-14 (ESV)
Photo: from Nepal by Joanna Lindén
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EkjkjRPBjk
The Lord is my Shepherd (Keith Green). Ps. 23:5-6
Amos 5:24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9SIHGTys74&feature=related
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