I resolve...

I resolve...

To focus my reading on Jesus.  I have a wonderful daily devotional called "Together With Jesus," written by pastor and author, Richard Lauersdorf.  The devotional is singular in purpose - to help the reader see with greater clarity how Jesus is the center of our life and worthy of our undivided attention.  Lauersdorf is a fine writer.  I'm amazed at how he, in a few paragraphs, can show Jesus as our Savior, Redeemer, Brother, Intercessor, and the only way to heaven.  I look forward to spending another year with this book.

Read through the Bible this year.  I have done this daily exercise before but in the past few years I've found it hard to stay focused and do the reading appointed for the day.  Fortunately, tomorrow offers a fresh start and I intend to begin each day with my devotional and the daily Bible reading.  Truthfully, I can't wait to get started.

I've thought about adding to this list but frankly, if I can do the two things listed above my new year will be full of blessings.  Growing closer to Jesus impacts every other aspect of our lives.  No matter what you plan to accomplish this year, put Jesus at the top of your list.  May 2020 be full of blessings for you as you cling to the promises of God.  

God has mercy on failures

Have you started taking inventory of 2019 yet? How did the year go for you? Can you remember any successes you might have had? Something you wished you had done better? Is 2019 a year you'll never forget or one that you never want to revisit.

Every Sunday during Confession and Absolution I'm reminded of the fact that I'm a failure.  God demands that I keep His commandments.  But there isn't a day that goes by that I don't shatter all 10.  I don't always love God or my neighbors as much as I love myself. To be righteous before God, I need help, lots of help.

During this Christmas season, we celebrate the coming of God into the world in the form of the baby Jesus.  We marvel that God would leave the glories of heaven to join us in a world that does not work right, that is filled with sin.

As sweet as the Christmas story is, never lose sight of the fact that the coming of Jesus was our only hope of ever becoming righteous and acceptable before God.

I like how Jane Fryer put it: "He (Jesus) had to come to us; we could not go to Him.  The old covenant was flawed; we were.  We could not keep God's commandments.  We could not even want to do that."

So, the Christmas story is not only sweet but necessary.  We needed someone to come and lift up us failures.  We needed mercy.  God granted exactly what we needed in the babe of Bethlehem.

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:22-24: There is no difference, for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  

"All have sinned..." All have failed.

But God has mercy on failures like you and me:  When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

I know a few people who have sold things to pawn shops because of financial needs.  A couple of them, when money was more available, went back to the pawn shop to retrieve what they had given up.

Isn't is good to know that despite our failure to keep the Law, God did not give up on us.

Jesus "redeemed" us from the guilt we feel because of our failures.  He acted so that we did not have to be afraid of death and the punishment for sin that we would receive.  Jesus paid for our failures and sins at the cross.  Through His resurrection we, who put our faith in His, have been declared "not guilty." of all that would separate us from God forever.  That's Good News!

So, I confess my sins.  I am reminded that I have failed God and my neighbors.

But then comes the absolution, God's sweet words: "I forgive you!" My burden is lifted.  My sins have been covered by what I needed - Christ's righteousness.  A failure no more! Now, I'm free to live out my new life in Christ.  To place God first, my neighbors second and myself third.

2019 had its share of blessings and disappointments, just like every year.  But one thing hasn't changed.  Christmas is our reminder that God has mercy on failures. All the more reason to celebrate the birth of our newborn King, our Jesus.

Amen!

Church! Stand United! Stand with Jesus!

Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed.  And a house divided against itself falls. (Luke 11:17)

How true are these words of Jesus.  One spouse has an affair with another person.  The other spouse finds out the truth.  The marriage is destroyed by unfaithfulness.  One business partner disagrees with the other.  They each try to enact their own business plan.  Neither works  The business falls apart.  The coach draws up a play to win the game.  The star player has his own idea about how to score.  The player forces the action and tries to win the game by himself.  He fails.  The  team loses.  Coach and player are divided.  Team harmony is destroyed.

Take a look at Luke 11:14-26.  Jesus drove a mute demon out of a man.  The crowd marvels at the miracle.  Who has the power to do such a thing but God.?  You would think that such compassion would move the people to unite behind Jesus.  Such is not the case.  Some of those looking on claim that Jesus could only do such a thing with the help of "the ruler of the demons."  Really? Would the devil want Jesus driving out the demons that oppose His message that the Kingdom of God has come?  Nevertheless, the devil's goal is to drive a wedge between Jesus and those who need to hear the Lord's message of forgiveness and salvation.

It's not just unbelievers the devil has his sights set on, so to speak.  The devil must dance around the fire every time he can create discord in the church.  One church has two pastors.  The devil tries to create division, causing people to line up in support for one or the other.  What church can be effective when the church has drawn up sides?  Two ministries vie for a certain place in the facility.  Does the devil leave such a situation to work it out for itself? He stokes the pride of the leaders of each ministry so that neither give an inch.  And the work which each ministry plans to do falls apart.

Church! Stand united! Church! Come together! Martin Luther had it right when he wrote, "The old evil foe now means deadly woe."  A church that fails to stand as one, a church where ministries function as special interest groups, only concerned with their own work, will lose all effectiveness.  And then, people who need to hear the Gospel only receive other messages, none with the saving power that points to Jesus alone who can forgive sins and give eternal life.

"United we stand.  Divided we fall."  Stand together, church! Stand with Jesus!

When you find yourself in times of trouble...

All of us have people in our lives that have influenced us or made a lasting impression on us in some way.  Because of their faith in us or love they've shown to us, we consider such people our heroes.  We look up to them.  We admire the example they set for us.  We want to be like them.

One of my heroes is Father Tim.  I've never met him in person.  In fact, he doesn't exist - except in the pages of the Mitford series of books written by Jan Karon (which if you are one of the few people in the world who haven’t read series yet, make it a New Year’s resolution!).

Father Tim is the pastor of the Lord's Chapel in the fictional town of Mitford, North Carolina.  Each of the Mitford books follows the life of the humble and devoted pastor as he cares for the people of his little community.  I appreciate the fact that Father Tim knows what people need the most - the Word of God.  And he uses the Psalms very effectively in his ministry.

For example, as Father Tim sought to minister to a young man who had been abandoned by his mother, he prayed Psalm 32:8b - "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

When searching for encouragement, Father Tim remembered Psalm 69:19 - "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens."

To the individual near death, the first verse of Psalm 27 was Father Tim's prayer: "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?"

You can't spend enough time in the Psalms.  Luther loved sitting down with his psalter.  The comfort and hope he drew from the Psalms was good medicine for those stressful and dangerous days of the Reformation.  I pray that you find verses and chapters from the Psalms that give you comfort in troubled times and peace when your heart is troubled

This Christmas make like a shepherd

(The Shepherds) feared God above all and from Him came the Good News, His Good News. The shepherds followed and found and carried on the telling of the message they had received.  They took it from God.  What He said had happened, and they believed, most incredible of all, that this birth was for them, the birth of a Savior who is Christ the Lord.  For them and for you, yes, for you.  That is how much God loves you.  It happened, and you have been told.

"Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel," page 31

O Come, All Ye Unfaithful

The hymn, "O Come, All Ye Faithful," is often placed at the beginning of Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services.  To me, it's a song of invitation - "Come", join us as we add our voices to 'choirs of angels' in songs of praise to Jesus, who left His heavenly throne to be our Immanuel - God with us.

But my experience is that many of those who will come tonight are what we call "C & E Christians," those who attend church at Christmas and Easter.  That's it - twice a year.

Maybe I should be grateful that such folks make that much of an effort.  But to cut yourself off from the gifts that God brings to worship: a Word of forgiveness, His presence at the Table, His name placed on the faithful through the Benediction that brings each service to an end.  Worship is filled with God's gifts of grace, mercy, peace, comfort and hope.  Why would anyone turn their backs on such blessings?

So, the unfaithful will show up tonight.  And, again, I'll be praying that the Holy Spirit will work through the Word to change indifferent hearts in strong, beating hearts of faith, joyfully singing, "Jesus, to Thee be glory given."  I'll be praying that I'll see such folks next Sunday and the Sunday after and the Sunday after.

But as I sit here typing this blog entry, I realize that I should not be so hard on the "unfaithful."  How many times have I been unfaithful.  Times when I failed to draw on the strength of God's Word when being tempted...when I counted on something or someone else to give me pleasure or happiness...when I had my prayer list right in front of me but got distracted by something and didn't pray.

Without the grace of God working in my life (and yours too) I would be lost in my unfaithfulness, destined only for God's judgment.  But God didn't leave me that way.

He sent His Son Jesus to make us faithful.  Jesus took our place under the Law, kept that Law perfectly but then took upon Himself our unfaithfulness and was punished for it at the cross.  In return, the Holy Spirit granted us faith through the Gospel to see Jesus as our Savior, the Son who made us right with the Father.

We are made faithful by Jesus alone without any help of our own.

We all need to be in worship tonight, whether we come twice a year or 52 times a year.  We can't hear enough the Christmas Story and be reminded how the humble Jesus came into this world with just one thing in mind - to carry out His Father's will to save us from our sins.  On this night nothing else matters - not the gifts not the family gatherings, not even Grandma's special recipe for gravy!

So, join us tonight at either 7 or 9 pm and again tomorrow morning at 10 am at Life in Christ.  We'll celebrate the birth of the child who through His life, death and resurrection gives us eternal life.  We'll sing "O Come, All Ye Faithful," joining our voices together on that glad refrain: O Come, let us adore Him, O Come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

Snapshots Around Bethlehem

In April 2018, Sherri and I and a group of 30 people took a trip to the Holy Land.  We visited most of the sites I was interested in the Dead Sea, Jordan River, Sea of Galilee, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, and so many more.

            One place I looked forward to experiencing was Bethlehem.  I wanted to stand in front of the Church of the Nativity and try to image what that evening was like when Joseph and pregnant Mary pulled into the little town.

            Unfortunately, the square was buzzing with people, the Church was absolutely jammed, and we waited two- and one-half hours for a 60 second look at the place where the blessed birth of the Christ child was to have taken place.  I was glad to be there, but it wasn’t exactly the experience I had hoped for.

            After the trip, Sherri and I had amassed a very large collection of pictures.  As we went through each picture, I tried to image what kind of pictures I would have taken if I had been there in Nazareth (another place we visited) and in Bethlehem that night.

            SNAPSHOT: We see a man named Joseph lying on his mat.  He appears to be sleeping peacefully.  But actually, he is dreaming.  An angel of the Lord appears to him with an important message: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.

            SNAPSHOT: We see a hollowed-out cave in a hill behind the village of Bethlehem.  It appears to be a stable, a place where animals are kept.  What we don’t see is what is happening inside the stable.  Joseph is there, caring for Mary as she gives birth to a son.  She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

            SNAPSHOT: We see a rag-tag group of shepherds, gathered around Mary and Joseph and the baby.  They have wonder in their eyes and joy in their hearts.  They rushed to the stable because of the message of the angel: I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.

            This Christmas holiday I pray that you get plenty of great snapshots of family and friends celebrating the joy of the season.  And I hope you’ll be able to set aside some time to review and meditate upon all the SNAPSHOTS of the Babe of Bethlehem who did exactly as the angel said He would.  Picture Jesus and picture forgiveness of sins, peace with God the Father and the promise of eternal life.  That’s a SNAPSHOT worth keeping around the whole year long.

How to bless Jesus

From a sermon by Martin Luther on the Nativity of the Christ:

Many in this congregation think to themselves, "If only I had been there! How quick I would have been to help the Baby! I would have washed His linen.  How happy I would have been to go with the shepherds to see the Lord lying in the manger!

Yes, you would! You say that because you know how great Christ is, but if you had been there at that time you would have done no better than the people of Bethlehem.  Childish and silly thoughts are these!

Why don't you do it now? You have Christ in your neighbor.  You ought to serve him, for what you do to your neighbor in need you do to the Lord Christ Himself.

Taken from "Hear I Stand," page 354

The Greatest Gift Of All

A few years ago a friend shared with me the story about the young boy who wanted a bicycle for Christmas.  All the other kids in the neighborhood had bikes.  He wanted a bike.  The boy's mother, trying to be helpful, encouraged her son to pray to God about this request.  So that's what he did.  "Dear Jesus, could You see to it that I get a bicycle? All my friends have one.  Amen."

Each night the boy prayed the same prayer.  But the praying didn't seem to help.  How could he be sure God would give him the gift that he wanted the most? Then the youngster got an idea.

When his mother wasn't looking, the boy snuck into the living room, found the little manger scene which was set up under the Christmas tree, and put the statue of Mary in his pocket.  He rushed to his room, closed the door and knelt by the bed.  He prayed: "Jesus, if you want to see Your mother again, I'd better get that bike!"

This kid brings new meaning to the phrase, "Desperate times call for desperate measures!"

The good news for us is that God is without peer when it comes to gift-giving.  His gift of the Christ-child is a prime example of how God gives to you and me.

*In love - "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son...(John 3:16)

*Freely - "It is by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not of yourselves, it it the gift of God..." (Ephesians 2:8)

*Perfectly - "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:5)

It seems like every Christmas there is always one gift that has to be returned - wrong size, wrong shape or wrong color.  Praise God for His "one size fits all" gift of "eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!"  (Romans 6:23)

God is with us!

The lights were dimmed and the candles gave off a warn and welcoming glow.  My fellow students and I were positioned on the steps leading up to the chancel area of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Tucson, telling in Scripture and song the story of the birth of the Christ child.  We sang with all the faith and joy our hearts could muster:

O Holy Child of Bethlehem

  Descend to us we pray

Cast out our sin and enter in

  Be born in us today.

I didn't appreciate then what I do now - we kids were given the opportunity to proclaim a message that provides hope in the best and worse of times.  God is with us! 

We need not be afraid - God is with us!

We can live each day with courage - God is with us! 

We can trust even in the face of adversity - God is with us!

Let this truth plant its roots deep in your heart this Advent - God is with us!

We hear the Christmas angels

  The great glad tidings tell

O come to us, abide with us

  Our Lord Immanuel!    

Stories Behind the Songs and Hymns About Heaven

The Advent season brings with it the reminder that as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we look forward to His second coming when the righteous will be gathered together and taken into the Kingdom of heaven.

The church loves to sing these great gospel songs about heaven.  But have you ever wondered about the people who wrote the songs and what happened in their lives to inspire them to pen such timeless songs?

Ace Collins' new book provides the answers.

For example, John Newton, the author of the classic, "Amazing Grace," was a slave trader.  It was a lucrative business, a business in which only the truly immoral practiced.  On one trip, Newton happened up a copy of the book, "The Imitation of Christ."   The book revealed what a poor, miserable sinner he had become.  Later, Newton found his ship heading straight for a hurricane.  He fell to his knees and asked God to spare him and the passengers.  He promised to amend his life.

Suddenly, the hurricane dissipated,  and Newton and the people were saved.  Newton kept his commitment and eventually pastored a church.  His song touched many hearts but then one addition was made to "Amazing Grace" and Newton had nothing to do with it.  I'd tell you more but you really should get your copy of "Stories Behind the Songs and Hymns About Heaven."  It's a fascinating book and would make a wonderful gift.

Book supplied for review by Baker Books

Viva Vox Jesu!

"Viva Vox Jesu" - the living voice of God - is what we hear when His Word is read and preached.  The Word of Jesus is both a written and an oral Word.  This Word, though written in words inspired and canonically received, is also spoken and heard within a community called the body of Christ.  This voice is a living voice, for by it Jesus Christ is present for us bodily...we acknowledge that God's Word is God's food for hungry pilgrims who have journeyed in Christ through a baptism of His death and resurrection toward the final destination of full communion with Him in heaven.

Arthur Just, "Heaven on Earth," page 199

For You!

And the angel said unto them, "Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people."  This joy is not just for Peter and Paul but for all people.  Not just to apostles, prophets, and martyrs does God say, but to you, "Come, see the baby Jesus."  "Fear not," said the angel.  I fear death, the judgment of God, the world hunger and the like.  The angel announces a Savior who will free us from fear.  Not a word is said about our merits and works, but only of the gift we are to receive.

Martin Luther, from "Martin Luther's Christmas Book," Fortress Press

The Greatest Gift Giver

Did you hear the story about the kid who wanted a bicycle for Christmas? All the other kids in the neighborhood had bikes so he wanted one too.  The boy's mother, trying to be helpful, encouraged her son to pray to God about this request.  So that's what he did.  "Dear Jesus, could you see that I get a bicycle? That's all I want for Christmas.  Amen."

Each night the boy prayed the same prayer.  But the praying didn't seem to help.  How could he be sure that God would give him the gift that he wanted most? Then the youngster got an idea.

When his mother wasn't looking, the boy snuck into the living room, found the little manger scene which was set up under the Christmas tree and put the statue of Mary in his pocket.  He rushed to his room, closed the door, and knelt by his bed.  He prayed, "Jesus, if you want to see your mother again, I'd better get that bike!"

This kid brings new meaning to the phrase, "Desperate times call for desperate measures!"

The good news for us is that God is without peer when it comes to gift-giving.  His gift of the Christ-child is a prime example of how God gives to you and me.

He gives in love - For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son...John 3:16
He gives freely - It is by grace that you have been saved and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God...Ephesians 2:8
He gives perfectly - Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

It seems like every Christmas there is always one gift that has to be returned - wrong size, wrong shape or wrong color.  Praise God for His "one size fits all" gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 6:23).

Discouragement is...

Discouragement is a heaviness of heart that comes from feeling the weight of those problems piling up on us.

Jason Meyer, "Don't Lose Heart," page 15

What's in a name?

Amelia & Oliver - what's so special about these names? They were the most popular names for infant boys and girls born in 2019.

How were you named? After a parent or grandparent? In honor of a family friend or close acquaintance? Were your parents looking for a unique or one-of-kind name? Was it because of the special meaning behind your name?

When it came to their first born, Mary and Joseph did not have any input into the choice of the name.  God the Father already had a name chosen.  An angel informed Joseph that the baby conceived in Mary would be named Jesus, "because He will save His people from their sins."

The name, "Jesus," means "the Lord saves."  Our Savior God lives up to His name!  The apostle Peter said as much when he proclaimed, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." 

Salvation was the mission of the tiny baby whose birth we soon celebrate.  Like the Samaritans we, too, exclaim, "We know that this Man is really is the Savior of the world."  That's what makes the name "Jesus" special to us.  The Lord saves you!

A Prayer for the Young Baptized

For the last couple of months I've been studying the basics of Christian faith with a young lady and her grandparents.  It has been a joy to have watched the Holy Spirit work through the Word to bring and nurture her faith so that she is unashamed to confess Jesus as her Savior and Lord.

Tomorrow, she will be baptized.  Water and the Word will bring about a cleansing of sins and grant to her forgiveness of sins, new life in Christ and the promise of eternal life.  It will be a day of celebration for our church.

I found a prayer in "Teenagers Pray," published by Concordia Publishing House.  I pray that it will be a prayer that this young lady will use often.  It also can be prayed by anyone who has been baptized.

Dear Heavenly Father, I speak joyfully because I know You love me, because through Baptism You have made me a member of Your family.  I thank You for all the rich blessings that are mine because I am baptized - for the forgiveness of sins, for saving faith in my Savior, Jesus, and for the ability to live a God-pleasing life.  Like the man of Ethiopia after his baptism, I go on my way rejoicing.  I have not earned these blessings, but You have given all as a free gift of Your great love for me.  For this accept my sincere thanks.

I am sorry that I sin against the promises I made at my Baptism.  Forgive me these sins for Jesus' sake.  Send Your Holy Spirit to strengthen me in my faith and in the power to fight all sins and temptations.  Give me a joyful hope in Your promise of eternal life.  Help me lead others to You that they also may receive the everlasting blessings of Baptism; in Jesus' name.  Amen.

It's not Do...But Done!

It was the question of the rich, young ruler of Matthew, chapter 19.  It was the question I was asked by a visitor to our worship last Sunday.  "What good thing must I do to be saved?"

The apostle Paul's answer is not what most people expect to read or hear.  Paul writes to the Ephesians that our salvation is not a matter of do but done.

Take another look at Ephesians 2:8-9.  Note that we are saved by:

Grace alone through

Faith alone in

Jesus Christ alone without any

Works of my own

Even the good works we might do in order to try and impress God are not our own.  Paul writes that God prepared those good works in advance for us to do.  Such works flow from a heart filled with gratitude for God's free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus.

This is good news! Eternity is not dependent on heeding the advice from Oprah's latest self-help guru or doing an extreme makeover upon yourself so that you meet the expectations of our post-Christian world.  Trust Christ Jesus for forgiveness and salvation.  He offers His gift without strings attached.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.  Good news indeed!

What you can learn from a tuning fork

If you take two C tuning forks, tap one and simply hold it next to the other, the one that wasn't tapped will begin to resonate.  It's like that with our hearts as well.  Sometimes when we hear God's Word, something inside our hearts starts to resonate.  That's because we were created to hear His Word.

Dr. William Lane, as quoted in "The Walk," page 22

Don't Lose Heart review

This is a gem of a book.

In six chapters Meyer touches on those circumstances and feelings that can bring about discouragement - feeling overwhelmed, defeated, worthless.  He also addresses how a person can approach their past, live in the present and look toward the future without fear.

I appreciated how Meyer used personal stories and illustrations to complement the Scriptures and demonstrate to the reader that God is still at work in us and for us no matter how discouraged or depressed we might be.  Meyer understands how it is impossible for people to live without hope.  But he also knows where hope can be found - in the Lord Jesus Christ.  The hope of Jesus is powerful enough to see anyone through times of discouragement.

This book would be an excellent gift.  Do you know someone who is struggling with discouragement? Share with them a copy of "Don't Lose Hope."  It might be the best gift that person will receive this Christmas season.

Find your peace in the Prince of Peace

Peace is not the absence of difficult circumstances; it is the presence of the Prince of Peace.  He often deals with difficult circumstances not by taking them away but by giving us more of Himself.

Jason Meyer, from "Don't Lose Heart," page 141

God's Hostage by Andrew Brunson

This is easily the best book I have read this year.

Andrew Brunson was a missionary who served in Turkey for 20 years.  He planted churches, discipled new believers and shared the good news about Jesus with those who wanted and needed to hear it.

Then, without warning, he was labeled a terrorist, taken into custody and throw into a variety of Turkish prisons.  He was basically cut off from his wife, his family, his church, everyone.

But not from God.

Brunson tells his story with transparency and candor.  He tells how through his two years of captivity, he often railed at God, questioned God's love, doubted God's grace.  But after each crisis of faith, the Holy Spirit, working through God's Holy Word, lifted Brunson's spirits, offered reassurance of God's faithfulness and impressed upon Brunson that God would see him through this awful trial.

I was impressed at the lengths the US Government went to secure Brunson's release.  Say what you will about President Trump.  But the fact that he put enormous pressure on the Turkish economy just for the release of one man could have only been a "God thing."

Brunson's story is only one example of how Christians all around the world are being persecuted for their confession of faith in Jesus.  If Andrew Brunson's book encourages us to be faithful in prayer for those have risked it all to be identified with Christ, "God's Hostage" has done its job.

It's White Friday!

No Black Friday around here.  Staying away from all the shopping establishments, the mad crowds, the crazy drivers, the picked over merchandise, the disgruntled cashiers, all of it!

It's White Friday at our house.  My dear, sweet wife has "White Christmas" and other classics playing on the stereo and four 500 pound boxes of Christmas decorations sit in the middle of the living room floor (OK, the boxes didn't weigh 500 pound each - but when you accumulate Christmas "stuff" for 46 years, those boxes are heavy!).  By the time I get home from work today, it will look a lot like Christmas.

Yesterday, we had a great family gathering and our friend, Michele Colla joined us too.  Sherri made arrangements to have her Mom celebrate with us, accompanied by her caregiver, Deb.  Sherri calls days like these, “Happy Chaos.”  The noise level reaches the sound of a jet taking off from the runway! But to see the grand kids having so much fun and playing so well together, well, you just don’t mind the noise.  We had a feast with lots of good food and we finished up the day with the best pie this side of Camelback Mountain.  It seems that Thanksgiving Day ends much too quickly.

Thursday is the day that I get most of my Sunday stuff done - write my sermon, prepare prayers, and so forth.  So, I'll do that today on White Friday.

But it's not such a happy, White Friday for some folks.  In the past two weeks we held Memorial Services for two men that God used to richly bless our church.  We took time to pray for their hurting families.  Our prayer is that, even in their grief, they are comforted by the words they confess in the Creed: "...the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting." 

If there is anything that can turn a dark day into a White Friday, it surely is God's Holy Word.  I am the resurrection and the life.  He that believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.  (John 11:25-26)  Because I live, you also will live.  (John 14:19)  Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Holding onto God's promises helps us through all our dark days.  If your White Friday is not so white or happy, turn to God's Word for the comfort and help you can use when your days are filled with darkness.  Let the "Light of the World" shine His light of love on you. 

Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Lord, Thou hast indeed been bountiful.  As we look back over the years, how gracious Thou has been, how tender Thy mercy, how warm and constant Thy love.

Create within us, our Father, that true gratitude that shall make this day of Thanksgiving one of rededication, when we shall think not of how much we can eat but of how thankful we ought to be.

So may we - all across this land today - act as recipients of God's richest mercy and bountiful blessings, as we share with others.  May we, in gratitude, get on with the job of creating not only a nation but a world in which all men shall have the right to seek happiness.

Help us to make that dream come true in our homes day by day, in street and office and school, and so to live that Thou shalt be able to bless us and bless the nation for which we pray.  In His name, who created us as a nation, we pray.  Amen.

"The Prayers of Peter Marshall," page 83

What heartfelt thanks is all about

Heartfelt thanks centers more on the giver than on the gift.  As Paul, referring to the offering for the needy he was gathering, once told the Christians in Corinth, "What I want is not your possessions but you" (2 Cor. 12;14), so a thankful believer tells his Father, "What I want is not Your gifts but You."  A faith that ties us to the heavenly Father for what He is and not merely for what He does is truly a divine gift and will be the most joyous.  Such a faith thanks God in plenty and in want, in green pastures or in the valley of the shadows - when it feels God's goodness and when it doesn't.  The sheer joy of knowing Him as our Father prompts thanksgiving.

Richard Lauersdorf, "As Luther Taught the Word of Truth - Devotions on the Small Catechism," page 31

Thankful for the promises

Not in any particular order...

Forgiveness - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

Deliverance - For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.  Psalm 30:5

God's Presence - When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze.  Isaiah 43:2

Eternal Home - 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

Grace - My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

The Gospel - I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  Romans 1:16

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

My dear, sweet wife and I went to the movie theatre to see the new film that is based on the life of Fred Rogers, the beloved creator of "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood."  The film is getting five star reviews all over the country (expect by our local newspaper which I just don't understand) and I wouldn't be surprised to see Tom Hanks picking up a Best Actor nomination for his superb portrayal of Mr. Rogers.

When we were raising our kids, we skipped Mr. Rogers for "Sesame Street" and "The Electric Company."  The two programs mentioned above were fine shows.  But, looking back now, they lacked the charm of "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood," and probably shortened the attention span of millions of kids, what with the quick cuts and short segments the programs were built around.

While the film is not overtly Christian, "Won't You Be My Neighbor" doesn't shy away from showing how faith in Jesus was important in Fred Rogers life and how that faith provided motivation for treating people with kindness, especially children.

As we drove home, a couple of verses from St. Matthew 22 kept rolling around in my mind: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind...Love your neighbor as yourself.

We see Mr. Rogers living out "The Greatest Commandment" as it is often called.  Obviously, it is no accident that Mr. Rogers began each program with the question, "Won't you be my neighbor?" And when you find someone so welcoming, so loving with a gentle voice and heart to match, well, wouldn't you want to be that person's neighbor?

I'm not going to get into the details of the film because I'd like you to see it for yourself.  But today I will ask the Lord to enkindle in me the kindness and neighborliness of Fred Rogers.  Better yet, I'll ask the Lord to enkindle in me the kindness, mercy and love of Jesus, the best "neighbor," friend and Savior any of us will ever need have.

Devotion. Pure and Simple.

You may have heard the story about Alvin Straight.  He was a 73 year old man who lived in Laurens, Iowa.  He became very concerned when he heard that his brother, 80 years old, had suffered a stroke. Alvin wanted to see his brother but faced a slight problem - his brother lived in Blue River, Wisconsin, a long way from Laurens.

This was a problem for Alvin because he had lost his drivers license due to poor eyesight.  And for some reason, Alvin wasn't keen to travel by plane, train or bus.

But Alvin came up with a plan.  He pulled out his 1996 John Deere tractor lawn mower from the gargage and started heading for Blue River.  He was going to see his brother - and he did!

Alvin's devotion for his brother reminds me of the devotion Jesus had for His heavenly Father.

It was the Father's will that Jesus come into the world to save sinners.  The Father's plan for our salvation called on Jesus to redeem us sinful people.  He would pay for us with His own shed blood on the cross, the only payment that would satisfy the Father for our disobedience, lack of faith and lack of love.

Nothing was going to stop Alvin from seeing his brother.  Nothing would stop Jesus from saving us.

He allowed Himself to be arrested while praying in the Garden. He did not defend Himself while being tried by the Sanhedrin.  He made no effort to convince Pontius Pilate of His innocence.

Blue River, Wisconsin sounds likes a nice place to visit.  Traveling to the cross was not.

Jesus was forced to take a route that took Him through the streets of Jerusalem, suffering the abuse of a bloodthirsty people.  He strained to carry His cross up the hill where He would be crucified.  Jesus was abused by the soldiers, mocked by the crowd, abandoned by His disciples.  And while all this was taking place, Jesus was fulfilling His Father's will.

Jesus' devotion to His Father - His suffering, death and resurrection - resulted in the blessings we needed the most - forgiveness of our sins, peace for our troubled hearts, the sure and certain promise of an eternity in heaven.  Blessings not earned but given by our beautiful Savior.

Isn't that enough reason to be devoted to Jesus? He won forgiveness of our sins.  Forgive others.  His heart went out to those in need of compassion.  Help others.  His sacrifice is the purest example of love we will ever know.  Love others.

Be devoted! Be devoted to Jesus!

Temporary!

The Bible never belittles disappointment...but it does add one key word: temporary.  What we feel now, we will not always feel.  Our disappointment is itself a sign, an aching, a hunger for something better.  And faith is, in the end, a kind of homesickness - a home we have never visited but have never once stopped longing for.

Phillip Yancey, as quoted in "A Place Called Heaven," page 13

Engraved On His Hands

One of my first confirmation students used to write a lot of notes to herself.  She would make note of assignments for school, telephone numbers of people to call, jobs her mother wanted her to do and so on.  But my young student didn't use a notepad or a notebook.  She'd take her ballpoint pen and make these notes on her hands and arms.  One day she came into class looking like she had visited a deranged tattoo artist! Her hands and arms were covered in black, blue and red ink.  I asked her, "Tell me, why do you write all over yourself like that?"  She smiled and replied, "All of these notes are important and I don't want to forget a single one of them.  This is the way I remember what I'm supposed to do."

In the same way, the Bible tells us over and over again of an important truth - you are important to God.  Your salvation was so important to the Father that He did not leave that up to you.  That would have been a no-win proposition.  Instead, the Father sent His Son to make payment for your sin and to deliver you up to the Father, robed in His righteousness and holiness.  Because you are so important to the Lord, He says to you: See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands.  (Isaiah 49:16)

Think of it - you are remembered by God! Actually, the Lord has done much better than writing your name on His hand - you and all who belong to Him are engraved on His palms.  This engraving is permanent.  It matches the steadfast love that God has for each of His children.  So trust in God's promise.  Believe that He is with you and watches over you.  With eyes of faith, look at His hands!

The power of the story

This photo reminds me of the enjoyable evening Sherri and I had yesterday.  We were invited by Ron and Kathy Taylor for a hot dog roast around the fire.  Also there were Ron and Kathy's daughter and son-in-law, Annie and Tyler, and choir member, Marge Weigand and drummer extraordinaire, Dan Seabreeze.

The evening was cool so the fire felt just right.  I hadn't cooked a hot dog over an open fire in years.  It was fun getting the dog cooked just right.  Along with the meal we had hot chocolate, apple cider and made smores.  We couldn't have asked for a better or fun time.

As we sat around the fire Ron said, "Anyone have a campfire story - not a ghost story but a campfire story."  Mostly we talked about life experiences and I really enjoyed it because it gave me a chance to know everyone a little better.  I drove home feeling like God had given me a blessing - the blessing of time and friendship.

Our time with the Taylors reminded me of something I'd read a long time ago.  I didn't note where I found the quote but I think it's a proverb worth pondering:

Tell me a fact and I'll learn
 Tell me a truth and I'll believe
  But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.

Think about the stories in the Bible and how they have impacted and changed our lives.  We learn about the forgiving and unconditional love of God the Father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  We see how relentless Jesus is in searching for the lost in the Parable of the Lost Sheep.  We are reminded to be constantly watching for the return of Jesus in glory in the Parable of the Fig Tree.

You want Jesus stories? Spend some time in Matthew, chapter 13 or Luke, chapter 15.  These stories teach us how to live out our new life in Christ now while giving us glimpses of what the coming Kingdom of God will be like.

Jesus stories - they teach, they thrill, they comfort - told by the Master Storyteller Himself, our Lord Jesus.

Stories well suited for sharing around a campfire.

He drinks the cup

His perfect keeping of the Law for us is starkly demonstrated in Gethsemane: "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from me,  Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours, be done."  (Jesus) both kept the First Commandment and suffered the punishment we deserve for not keeping it.

Matthew Harrison, "Why I Am Joy:Fully Lutheran," page 14

Love your neighbor

The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there might be are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."  Love does no harm to its neighbor.  Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:9-10

Who You Gonna Rely On?

                Imagine you’ve been sent to the Valley of Elah.  You find yourself confronted by the Philistine, Goliath.  He stands nearly seven feet tall.  He has muscles the likes you’ve only dreamed of.  He speaks and it seems that the ground shakes.  He is such an intimidating sight!  Your think to yourself, “There’s no way I could defeat him should he strike at me!”

            No, you couldn’t defeat Goliath.  Neither could the shepherd boy, David.  Surely not in his own strength. 

            David offered to go up against this giant who had filled Saul and his fighting men full of fear.  David told the King how he had protected his flock from very dangerous and ferocious beasts, like lions and bears.  The shepherd boy goes on to say, The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.  (1 Sam. 17:37)

            David was not afraid; he relied on a greater power, a power that even the powerful Goliath could not stand against.

            The showdown between the hulking giant and the ruddy shepherd boy takes place.  Goliath makes threats.  David makes a promise: You (Goliath) come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled.  This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand…  (1 Sam. 17:45-46a).

            And you know the rest of the story!

            Do you have a Goliath in your life? What trouble do you face that seems too big to solve or too great to overcome? Out-of-control debt? Out-of-control teenagers? Out-of-control addiction? You’ve tried everything – cut up the credit cards, taken away cell phones and tablets, been to rehab more than once.  Nothing worked.

Maybe the problem is that you are trying to face your trouble in your own power or strength.  David could not have stood up to Goliath on his own.  You can’t stand on your own as you face your personal Goliath.

Remember David's words: The Lord who delivered me…  The word, “deliver,” in the Hebrew often means to “rescue” or “save.”  David was confident that the God who had rescued him from the threats of lions and bears, would also rescue him from the giant, Goliath.

If God was able to rescue David from Goliath, doesn’t it make sense that he will rescue you from the Goliath you face?

God has delivered you from the greatest Goliath you’ve ever faced – sin.  If it were left unchecked, sin would have its way until there was nothing left of you.

But you were delivered from sin through the rescuing effort of Jesus.  He came to your aid.  He removed you from harm’s way.  He took on the giant burden of your sin and carried it all the way to the cross.  It seemed that sin had crushed Him to death, a death that should have been yours.

Now think about Jesus' resurrection from the dead, the grand and glorious result of Jesus facing down your Goliath.  Sin – forgiven.  Death – overcome.  Devil – defeated.  New life today.  Eternal life in heaven.  This is yours through the delivering power of Jesus.

Don’t rely on your own power or strength or wisdom.  Rely on the Lord – His power, His strength, His wisdom.  As David took down the threatening Goliath, so Jesus will deliver you from the Goliaths you face in your life.  The battle is the Lord’s and He will not fail!

Mr. Irrelevant

Each spring the National Football League holds a draft of all college players eligible to play in the NFL.  255 players are chosen but the last player, number 255, receives a special designation.  He is called "Mr. Irrelevant."  Being chosen as the last player in the draft is only slightly better than not being picked at all.  Football experts figure that as the last player in the draft, you have only two chances of making an NFL team - slim and none.  Hence, the tag, "Mr. Irrelevant."

Maybe you've had the same experience as "Mr. Irrelevant."  Perhaps you were chosen last for the team, the last one asked to the dance, the last one picked for the assignment.  Maybe you've felt like your name was "Mr. Irrelevant" or "Ms. Afterthought."

The apostle John reminds believers that you also carry a special description - "Child of God."  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!  (1 John 3:1)  And this is no honorary title - God has adopted you into His family through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.  In fact, you might say that your baptismal certificate also serves as your adoption papers! You are neither irrelevant nor an afterthought to God.  You are important to the Father - important enough that He sent His only Son to be your Savior.  Rest securely in the knowledge that you are a child of God!