Coming Soon to Life in Christ!

 Learn of a nice, simple way of witnessing the birth of Jesus to family and friends and community.

There's more to come so stay tuned!

A possible mission statement?

 The following was on a plaque given to me on my birthday:

I love Jesus and coffee and naps.

I might have listed "naps" before "coffee" but why quibble, right?

The Essence of Faith

For that is the essence of faith - that we take Christ at His Word.  We really have been redeemed from sin, death and hell.  We really are called to deny self in response to that good news.  We really are called to follow Christ, carrying willingly, even joyfully, the cross He sends out of love for us.

Daniel Dertschlander, "The Theology of the Cross," page 89

 

The Joyous Exchange

 From the pen of the sainted Martin Luther:

Jesus is the greatest of sinners.  There is no greater sinner in the entire human race than the Son of God.  This is so true that He is called sin itself (God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Cor. 5:21).  

His sin is ours.  It was foreign to Him.  He had none.  He committed none.  It was made His own because of the love wherewith He loved us.  He bore it, and because He suffered as though He had committed it Himself, although He was entirely innocent and spotless.  He was the Lamb foreseen from the beginning of the world, the woman's Seed promised to our first parents, Adam and Eve, immediately after their fall.  (From "What Luther Says" page 1421).

Luther often described 2 Corinthians 5:21 with these words, "The Joyous Exchange."  While we can imagine the pain and suffering Christ endured on the cross to be joyful in any way at all, still, the writer to the Hebrews put it like this: Jesus...who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning it's shame.  (chapter 12:2).

And becoming "sin for us" we received in exchange the righteousness of Jesus.  This "glorious dress" (see verse one of the hymn, "Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness") makes us acceptable before our Heavenly Father.  In  many ways, it is a one-sided exchange.  Jesus receives our punishment for the sins we commit;  we receive the perfect holiness and righteousness of Jesus which we need but do not deserve.  God's grace is truly amazing!  Now you know what Luther called it "The Joyous Exchange."

What to do on your birthday

 Tomorrow is my birthday.  All thanks to God for His blessings, His patience and His promises.  I can say like George Bailey, "It's a wonderful life!"

One birthday card I've received offered some wise advise that I might just follow.  It read:

Celebrate like a cat today.  Eat.  Sleep.  Ignore everyone who annoys you.

No matter what day it is for you, have a blessed one!

A heartfelt prayer of confession

In my opinion, Peter Marshall, the Scottish-born Presbyterian pastor, who in 1947 became chaplain of the US Senate, was one of the finest preachers of the 20th century.  See the book, "A Man Called Peter," for examples of his inspiring and thought-provoking style.  He also wrote many wonderful and heartfelt prayers.  The following is a prayer of confession, which you might want to use in your devotions sometime.

O Lord, I come to You out of my great need.  You have pledged in Your Word that whoever comes to You shall not be cast away.  Lord, I confess before You that:

I have had longings and nudgings from You which I did not translate into action.  I have made decisions without consulting You, then blamed You when things went wrong.  I have said that I trust You, yet have not turned over my affairs to You.  I have often sought the easy way, have consistently drawn back from the road that is hard.

Forgive me for all my intentions that we born and somehow never lived.

These, Lord Jesus, are sins, grievous in Your sight, grievous even in mine.  And now I claim Your promise to change me.  Do for me what I cannot do for myself.  Lead me into a new tomorrow with a new spirit.  Cleanse my heart, (*forgive me) create within me new attitudes and new ideas, as only as You can create them.

For these good gifts, I thank You, Lord.  Amen.

* my words added

Sharing God's Love

 Down through the ages, many people have tried to define "love."

"Love conquers all"     Virgil

"Love is the only gold"     Alfred, Lord Tennyson

"Who loves believes the impossible"     Elizabeth Barrett Browning

"The first duty of love is to listen"     Paul Tillich

"Faults are thick where love is thin"     An English proverb

"Love is a great beautifier"     Louisa May Alcott

"What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork"     Pearl Bailey

For my money the best source from which to learn about love is 1 Corinthians, chapter 13.  Since love itself is indefinable, the apostle Paul describes how love manifests itself.  When directed toward others - spouse, children, family, friends and strangers - love is forgiving and self-giving.  No doubt, as Paul was describing the fruits of love, he surely had Jesus in mind.  Through faith, you have been "caught up" in the love of Christ.  With whom can you share His love this week?

The greatest source of help against temptation

 Finally, in prayer, you have the greatest source of help against your temptations.  As the little vessel of your soul is being overwhelmed with the waves of temptation, arose Christ with your prayers.  Our visible foes we subdue by striking and slaying them; but this invisible enemy of our souls we conquer by pouring out our prayers to God.

Gerhard's Sacred Meditations, pages 154-155