Lutheran Daily Devotional 30th April 2022 || Saturday Message By Lutheran Hour Ministries.
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Topic: Exalted Confession
Today’s Scripture: Luke 18:9-14
Lutheran Daily Devotional 30th April 2022 MESSAGE
In the Old Testament book of Lamentations, we read this: “Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!” (Lamentations 3:40) Accordingly, by God’s grace and Holy Spirit, we are enabled to speak the words in Jesus’ parable, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” And God assures us of His forgiveness through the apostle John, when He writes, “If we confess our sins, God is indeed faithful and righteous to forgive us all our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
David knew well of the life-giving, soul-nourishing power of confession. “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:3-5).
With the psalmist’s confession is also a rejoicing in what God promises and gives to all who humbly acknowledge their sins before Him. Confession is the God-pleasing act of emptying ourselves of our self-righteousness so that our Heavenly Father can fill us up with the perfect righteousness of Jesus who was crucified and raised again for our justification.
In truth, the confession of our sins should always be near to our lips. As we recognize our guilt before God, we turn to His matchless grace and mercy for our redemption, knowing that He—and He alone—can bring restoration and peace to our lives. Today, just as in ancient times, He will do this for us. “If My people who are called by My Name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, lead us by Your Holy Spirit to confess our sins and so be healed by the salvation won for us by Jesus. In His Name we pray. Amen.
Lutheran Daily Devotional 30th April 2022 is taken from “A Wrong Comparison,” a sermon by Rev. Dr. Wallace Schulz, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Reflection Questions:
- Why is it so easy to compare ourselves—favorably—against others?
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How can we take a more realistic view of ourselves-like the tax collector in Jesus’ parable?
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Do you ever think of our country as humbling itself before God? How might this take place?
Today’s Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 19 Psalms 23 Psalms 59 Luke 21:1-19
Lutheran Daily Devotional 30th April 2022. Lutheran Hour Ministries is a trusted resource in global media that equips and engages a vibrant volunteer base to passionately proclaim the Gospel to more than 150 million people worldwide each week. Lutheran Daily Devotional 30th April 2022