Would you pass the test?

 In John 6:1-15, we find the disciples tasked with feeding the 5,000.  Philip said, in effect, "We don't have enough money to buy food to feed everyone."  Andrew told Jesus in so many words, "There are just too many people."

 William Weedon, in his book, "Thanks, Praise, Serve, & Obey," explains what is going on: Do you see that both of them (Philip and Andrew) had their eyes trained on the wrong spot? Both flunk the test that the Lord is giving.  Both are trying to juggle the hot potato of the problem with getting burned; but they never seem to realize that the Lord tossed it to them, to train them to toss it back to Him, the One who could handle it.

see page 98

The Top 10 Signs You're Reading a Bad Bible Translation

 There are lots of different translations of the Bible available at your local bookstore.  But which one to read? This Top 10 will help you identify a bad Bible translation.

10) In Luke 10, Martha is referred to as the "Barefoot Contessa"

9) Using popular Bible numerology, Isaiah 9:2 actually reads: "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light and they were blinded by staring at it too long."

8) Images of Jesus replaced with photos of Jim Caviezel 

7) Many Bible verses end with multiple choices for the reader.  For example: "The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our..." a) faith or b) rations or c) Peter's opportunities to stick his foot in his mouth."

6) Offers a Large Print edition for those with poor eyesight and a Fine Print edition for Christian salespeople and attorneys

5) Advertising boasts, "This is the perfect Bible to gather dust on your bookshelf!"

4) Bible edited by scholars from  Cambridge University, Fuller Seminary and the California College of Chiropractic

3) Bible publication date was missed due to a recount in the book of Numbers

2) Describes the devil as "the father of lies," "a roaring lion," and "the one who raises your cable bill every month"

And the number one sign that you're reading a bad Bible translation:

1) The Book of Palms

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord!

 Today, let's break down a familiar verse from Revelation 4:8 - Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, who is to come.

 This is a verse of pure praise.  These words glorify God for who He is - the eternal, holy, Triune God.  Look at the triplets in these words:

 Holy, Holy, Holy - Three holies

 Is the Lord God Almighty - Three names of God

 Who was, who is, who is to come - Three fold description of God's eternal nature

 Then in verse 11 comes the acknowledgment of the One who gave the 24 Elders their crowns: You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.

 How will you respond in heaven to the God who is the Creator of everything? With praise and thanksgiving! As God's Holy people, made so by belief in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we will come with praise in the presence of the holy God.

 Some day we who believe will be included in this heavenly praise service.  Now, as we worship each Sunday, our Divine Service is a warm-up for what is to come.  Our God is present now - in His Word of forgiveness, in the bread and wine of the Supper, in the water of Baptism.  Forgiven for the sake of the Son of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we can come into the presence of the Father and cry out: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, who is to come.  To that there is nothing left to say but AMEN!

Freedom through Christ

 That's how Christian freedom was established, and it's very clear what it entails: liberation from the Law as a condition for salvation, liberated to be God's child through faith in Jesus.

"To Live with Christ," page 555

Check out "Words of Encouragement" this Monday!

 
 

Hey! Every Monday morning at 8 am I offer a short devotional entitled, "Words of Encouragement."  I started this weekly devotional when the pandemic began and I've kept on with it.  You might want to check it out this Monday.

The devotional focuses on jobs of high stress.  Apparently, air line pilot is at the top of the list.  To the list I added, "Old  Testament Prophet."  The assignment God gave Moses was high stress indeed! Moses shows us what to do when we've stressed out.  Learn more on Monday.

You can find the devotional by going to Life in Christ Lutheran Church on Facebook.  New posts are added each Monday.  There is also an archive of previously recorded devotions.  If you could use a word of encouragement as you begin your week then check this Monday's devotion at 8 am.

Only With Jesus

For without faith and without Christ, human nature and human strength are much too weak to do good works, call upon God, have patience in suffering, love one's neighbor, diligently engage in callings, which are commanded, hinder obedience, avoid evil lusts, etc.  Such great and genuine works cannot be done without the help of Christ, as He Himself says in John 15:5 - "Apart from me you can do nothing."

The Book of Concord, The Augsburg Confession- Articles of Faith and Doctrine, from "For All The Saints," Vol. 3, page 341

 

Who does God save?

 God saves no one but sinners.  He instructs no one but the foolish and stupid.  He enriches non but paupers, and He makes alive only the dead; not those also who merely imagine themselves to be such but those who are really this kind of people and admit it.

Martin Luther, from "Reading Romans with Luther," page 45

Hearts Filled With Joy

 Though you have not seen Him (the Lord), you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.  1 Peter 1:8-9

How is it that the apostle Paul can write with such confidence? How is it that he can be so sure that his readers are filled with a trusting faith in Christ Jesus?

The explanation to the Third Article of Luther's Catechism reminds us that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened my with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith.

The Holy Spirit works faith in our hearts and gives us the saving knowledge of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  With this gift of faith, we can trust Jesus for forgiveness and salvation, rejoice in our new life of faith and find comfort in our Lord through all the seasons of our lives.  With the help of the Spirit, we believe in our Lord and Savior even though we don't see Him!

The psalmist, Asaph speaks to this same kind of faith.  In Psalm 77 Asaph complains about the difficulties of life.  He has suffered so much and without any relief he is beginning to wonder if God has forgotten about him.

But then Asaph begins to meditate on God's Word.  He remembers God's mighty deeds.  He recalls God's gracious help and deliverance when the people were freed from bondage.  He writes in 77:19 - Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, though Your footprints were not seen.

Faith enables us to know that God is with us even when our eyes can't see Him.  His Word assures us that God will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 12:5).  This week offer thanks to the Holy Spirit who empowers you to know and trust that Almighty God is with you even when you can't see Him!

"Every chapter is better than the one before"

 "This life is only a prelude to eternity." CS Lewis wrote about this in the final book of his Narnia series, "The Last Battle."  The children are involved in a terrible train wreck and are immediately transported to Narnia.  They fear they'll be sent back to earth, but Aslan assures them that they've finally come home.

"There was a real railway accident," said Aslan softly.  "Your father and mother and all of you are - as you used to call it in the Shadowlands - dead.  The term is over: the holidays have begun.  The dream is ended: this is the morning."

And as He spoke, He no longer looked to them like a lion, but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them.  And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after.  But for them it was only the beginning of the real story.  All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has ever read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.

From "A Place Called Home," page 24

The Hard Workers Survey

 In 2 Thessalonians, chapter, three, Paul writes about the importance of staying busy and not being overtaken by laziness and idleness.  Printed below is an unscientific survey designed to help you determine what kind of a worker you might be.  Read carefully to identify the phrase that best describes you:

Initiative:

Stronger than a locomotive...Stronger than a bull elephant...Strong as a bull...Shoots the bull...Smells like a bull.

Timeliness:

Faster than a speeding bullet...Fast as a speeding bullet...Not quite as fast as a speeding bullet...Would you believe a slow bullet?...Wounds self with bullet when attempting to fire

Communication:

Talks with God directly...Talks with angels...Talk with yourself...Argues with yourself...Loses those arguments

How did you do?

A prayer for election day

 Lord of nations, You use elections as a way of guiding events in our world and providing for Your people.  Grant that our election day may be calm and upright.  May elected officials be filled with a sense of awe and responsibility as they strive to help and protect the citizens in their care.  May citizens live in respect for one another and honor those who are elected so that we might live together in peace.  Amen.

From "Meditations" vol. 63, number four

On the reading of a few good books

 A student who does not want his labor wasted must so read and reread some good writer that the author is changed, as it were, into his flesh and blood.  For a great variety of reading confuses and does not teach.

Martin Luther