How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News!" But they have not all obeyed the Gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ. - Romans 10:14-17 (ESV)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our international ministry centers to write our Sunday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Billions of people around the world are living in the dark.
They are seeking some kind of light, but where should they search and for what should they look? These things they do not know.
In contrast to what they do not know, we believers are fully aware that these people are in urgent spiritual need. We also know we have a responsibility to them that comes from God. He has told us the Holy Spirit will save lives when we preach the Word and bring the risen Christ to all nations.
In Vietnam we are not afraid of hard work, unforeseen inconveniences, and many difficulties. The Savior warned us these things would come. Still, no matter what may be ahead, we rejoice in the opportunity to share the Savior through our lives as well as through our words. In the office or not, we try not to sound like bosses who bark out orders to underlings. No, our words about the Savior ought to be underlined by our sanctified lives in which we offer help and care, love and sympathy.
Some examples taken from our holistic ministry may help you see this point more clearly. Over the years, we have given milk to children at nursery schools and eyeglasses to the impoverished elderly of our country. We do that because we want them to see and feel God's love through our sharing.
We do it because not only the children, but also their teachers, their parents, and their neighbors then see God's Word is being underlined by our actions. And the result? Hundreds of people from our holistic projects have been saved by the power of God's Spirit.
Truly, we have seen many, many people come to know Christ and trust in Him as their Lord and Savior because they have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which has been preached to them. We know Paul was right when He was inspired to write that faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.
THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please help us understand the real importance of evangelism so that we may want to share Your Word and love with the lost. Please help us make our witness in both word and works so the Holy Spirit may move them out of darkness and into the light of Jesus. In His Name I pray. Amen.
Biography of Author: Mr. Dinh Hai Au is the director of Lutheran Hour Ministries-Vietnam, which is located in Ho Chi Minh City. "I was born into a Christian family but did not really understand who God is," Hai Au relates. Some personal crises led him to the Lord who answered his prayers in powerful ways. "Since then I have experienced countless blessings in my life and work," he says.
Hai Au majored in English and worked as an English teacher for 12 years after his graduation. From 2003 to 2007 he worked for LHM organizing shows that shared the Gospel to non-Christian children and youth. Hai Au began work as the center's director at the end of 2011. Under his leadership, LHM-Vietnam has experienced overwhelming responses and new or revitalized evangelism strategies.
Known in-country as Globalinks, LHM-Vietnam makes use of holistic ministry, sporting events, Internet radio, and musical performances to create opportunities for Gospel presentations. In this country of more than 90 million people, staff and volunteers from LHM-Vietnam's ministry center conduct eyeglass clinics and children's nutritional programs to help foster community relationships. God's Words is shared through print media, puppet productions, films, drama and rallies too. Both Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) and lay Christian training provided through Equipping the Saints (ETS) workshops are effective in strengthening believers' faith and giving them instruction of witnessing and personal faith-sharing.
See how LHM-Vietnam is engaging in sports-related ministry and making a difference in the lives of players, their parents, and their friends. You can read this story by, clicking here.
To learn more about our International Ministries, visit www.lhm.org/international
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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