In the City of David a Savior has been Born

Even though I am no longer in full-time ministry, I've found myself pretty busy this Advent season.  I have the privilege of preaching and leading worship every Sunday at Christ the Redeemer in Phoenix.  I also make calls as needed.  And each Thursday I teach a morning Bible class at Church of the Master in Phoenix.  So, I'm actually looking forward to a short break at Christmas.

Until then, you're invited to join us at Christ the Redeemer tomorrow for worship at 9 am for what we are calling the 4th Sunday in Advent.  Then at 6 pm we will hold our Christmas Eve Candlelight service at 6 pm,  There will be several Christmas videos, special music, a word from God's Word, communion and plenty of Christmas hymns and songs.  If you haven't a place to celebrate the birth of the Christ child consider joining us tomorrow evening at 6 pm.

Also, I'm going to take a break from the blog for a week or so.  I'll be back after the first of the year.  I noticed recently that since I started this blog I've have over 250,000 people visit.  That's amazing! So, thank for checking it out.

To you and yours, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
 

It Happened!

From a Christmas sermon from Norman Nagel (1975)

The angel's message is simply what happened - a birth - and the identification of the one born - "a Savior who is Christ the Lord."  Impossible? No, it has happened.  God did not have to wait for clearance from us whether it is possible or not.  It happened.  A Savior born, Christ the Lord. 

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

 Gloria in excelsis Deo

Et in terra pax
     hominbus bonae voluntaris

Laudamus te

Benedictimus te

Adoramus te

Glorificamus te

Which is...

Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth, good will to men.

We praise Thee; we bless Thee; we worship Thee; we glorify Thee!

You have Christ in your neighbor

I've posted the following before - it comes from the biography, "Here I Stand." (page 354)

Many in the congregation think to themselves, "I 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.

Martin Luther

God gives the world a baby

Christianity, rightly understood, is utterly unlike religion that man invents.  It is so completely contrary to the way man does things that it must have come from God.  Take Christmas, for example; only God could have thought of that.  When man invents a super being, he comes up with a Superman, or a Captain Marvel.  God gives the world a baby.

Richard Halverson, quoted in "The Light Has Shined" devotional by Dr. Tim Smith 

Almost A Charlie Brown Christmas

My wife and I took two of our grandkids the the Arizona Broadway Theatre last Saturday for their morning performance of A Charlie Brown Christmas.  We learned that they had never watched the television classic so this seemed the perfect time to introduce the grandkids to Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy and the rest of the lovable cast of characters.

The climax of the program is when Linus recites the Christmas story from Luke, chapter two.  And true to the original program, Linus once again took center stage.

The character began with verse eight: and they were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.

But then, disappointment.  Verse 10: Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy for all  people.  Then  the speaker jumped to verse 13:  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And so, what was left out? Only the most important part of the angel's announcement, verses 11 and 12:

For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And you will find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.

Was this another example of our "woke" society that that worships at the great gods of "Me, myself and I?"  Were the producers afraid of offending someone who only sees Christmas as a time for gifts and parties and not for giving God thanks for the greatest gift of all?

Why are people so afraid of Jesus? He is the Savior that people need.  He takes our sins and pays for them at the cross.  He rescues us from death and gives eternal life.  Only He can offer a lasting peace.

In the end this gave us a teaching moment for our grandkids.  Their parents love and worship Jesus and the children are being raised to do the same.  But the day was a bit of a disappointment for me.  I wasn't expecting an Almost Charlie Brown Christmas.

All Is Well

When times are tough, a little good news can lift the spirit and give hope.  Learn how the message God gave to the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah gave them the reassurance that "All Is Well."  Join us this Sunday at Christ the Redeemer in Phoenix.  And have a blessed weekend!

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

I Have A Black Dog, His Name is Depression

Do you suffer from depression? Do you know someone who does?

The World Health Organization is offering a video entitled, "I had a black dog, his name was depression."  My dear, sweet wife had me watch the video last night.  One of her students had shown the video earlier in class.

The writer/produced gets it.  His description of the "black dog" is spot on in my opinion.

He captures so well what it feels like to be depressed.  And he also offers some very helpful suggestion on how a person might deal with the "black dog."

The video offered much hope and encouragement.  Could you use a little of that today?

Check out the video by going to www.youtube.com/who.  The "black dog" video should be on the home page under popular videos.  If the black dog has moved into your home or is bugging you constantly at work or follows you wherever you go, take four minutes and watch the video.  We all can use a little encouragement and help, right? 

The Mighty God!

As we think upon Jesus as "Mighty God" (Isaiah 9:6) it is important to remember that most people have experienced power as power OVER them, through coercion and control.  But Jesus, as "Mighty God" wields His power FOR people, to seek and to save.  "Mighty God" comes not to "lord it over" but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

In a Nazi prison, awaiting his execution, Dietrich Bonhoeffer experienced the mighty power of Jesus self-less love:

"God lets Himself be pushed out of the world onto the cross.  He is weak and powerless in the world, and that is precisely the way, the only way, in which he is with us and helps us...Christ helps us, not by virtue of His omnipotence, but by virtue of His weakness and suffering." (From his book, "Letters and Papers from Prison.")

From infinite love "Mighty God" stoops to share our darkness and death so that we might forever share His life and glory.  Oh, great mystery, that the light has shined in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it (John 1:5).

From "The Light Has Shined," page 26

On the Freedom of the Common Man

I gleaned a couple of interesting quotes from reading Luther's book (referenced in today's blog entry).

Good works do not make a man good but a good man does good works.

I  will give myself as a part of Christ to my neighbor as Christ gave Himself for me.

Top Ten Signs You're At A Bad Wedding

10) When just before the service the groom asks to go to the bathroom...and never comes back.

9) When instead of saying, "You may kiss the bride," the pastor says, "Get 'er done!"

8) When the groom and the bride's father get into a fist fight as the bride is given away.

7) When the photographer is asking people, "Anybody got some Kodak film?"

6) When the bride is escorted down the aisle to the tune of "Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted."

5) When the invitation indicates that the reception is being held at the Golden Corral.

4) When the music at the reception is being provided by "Al Jones and his Happy Accordian."

3) When the pastor asks the groom for the license and the groom replies, "Hunting or fishing?"

2) When the service stops just before the vows are said because the bride goes into labor.

And the number one sign that you're at a bad wedding:

1) When the service begins late because the groom couldn't make bail!

Top Ten Signs You're Spending Too Much Time At Costco

10) Consider tasting all the food samples as a "meal"

9) Asking to take a run on the forklift

8) Filling up at the gas pumps every day whether you need to or not

7) Ladies dressing rooms would make for perfect clothes shopping experience

6) Spending $212 on books that you'll never read

5) Asking random employee why wine selection doesn't include "Three Buck Chuck"

4) Wondering why men's pants aren't offered in size 44

3) Searching for 30 minutes trying to find right box to pack purchases 

2) Proudly show Costco credit card at entrance to every store you enter

And the number one sign you're spending too much time at Costco...

1) Sunday family meals are held at the Food Court

What Christ Does For You

Christ opens our hearts to love, opens our hands to give, opens our mouths to witness.

Frank Starr

How do we keep God's Law?

How might we keep the Law and love one another without fail, without holding back? Setting our will to do it or making promises or resolutions has never worked before, and it won't work now.  How might we keep the Law which we've never yet kept before? But putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. That is it.  It is the only way.  It is in being loved, being forgiven, being fed the Holy Supper that not only is sin forgiven but faith is also strengthened.  In that  - those things that God has given for His church, for her faith and life - the Holy Spirit takes up residence and works do follow.  The only way for sinners like us to keep the Law is to have the Law kept for us.

From "God With Us, Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Sermons" by David H. Petersen.  Page 22. 

The Mystery of Holy Night

(Luke 2:1-20) speaks of the birth of a child, not the revolutionary deed of a strongman, or the breathtaking discovery of a sage, of the pious deed of a saint.  It truly goes beyond anything our minds can grasp.  The birth of a child is to bring about the great transformation of all things, is to bring salvation and redemption to all of humanity.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Taken from the devotional, "The Light Has Shined" by Timothy Smith 

God and Sinners reconciled

 

God and sinners reconciled!

Last night we checked off from our list one of the Christmas programs we must watch each season - A Charlie Brown Christmas.  One television critic called the program one that "never gets old."  Perhaps it's a timeless program because it features a timeless message.

Yes, the message.  Charlie Brown wants to know what is the meaning of Christmas.  He can't believe Christmas is all about glitz and glitter, about the fake and the artificial.  It can't be about aluminum Christmas trees and prizes for the best decorated house (or dog house!), Charlie reasons.

Linus has the answer Charlie Brown is seeking.  And in a day and time in which the world seems determined to bury the answer, Linus proclaims it with all confidence.  "For born to you this day in the city of David is a Savior; He is Christ the Lord."

Following that good news message the program ends with Charlie and his friends singing, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing."  Although I've sung the hymn more times than I can remember, this time around I was struck by the line, "God and sinners reconciled."

This is the reason for the birth of Bethlehem's child.  Sin separates people from God.  Since all people are sinners, all need to be reconciled to our Maker and Creator.  We needed to be reconciled to God. The problem - we can't do it ourselves.

Who is the person who works to help bring people back together? A counselor.  A counselor helps people work out their differences.

That's Jesus.  Remember Isaiah's prophecy in chapter nine?  "And He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Jesus reconciles a perfect God with perfectly imperfect sinners.  Our situation was hopeless.  Jesus brings hope.  Like Adam and Eve we were the cast-out ones.  Now we can approach God.  He calls us His own.  We belong to His kingdom.  All because of the forgiveness and new life that Jesus has worked for us.

I pray that this must-see classic never goes away.  In a world filled with bad news this is one program that delivers the good news that we can use.  We are reconciled to God! Amen!

The devil has been defeated ... but

How come we so often act as if the devil were still celebrating? How come we so often live as if it were still Good Friday and Easter had never come? We can't blame the devil for getting off the canvas after Easter's knockout blow.  We should expect the master chameleon, as he sweats to hold the world captive in chaos and uncertainty, to camouflage defeat as victory.

"As Luther Taught the Word of Truth" page 56

The mission is the thing

I recently heard of a church that is going through a difficult time.  Certain changes were proposed and people will support the changes so long that they are not impacted by these changes.  

People are like that sometime.  When we're comfortable, change is the last thing we want to deal with.

Making changes in the church can be difficult but not impossible.  It's how you propose the change that is important.

Pete Steinke gets it right when he wrote, "Resistance to change is far less intense and protracted when change is made for the sake of the mission."

People need to understand why the change, whatever it is, is being sought.  How does this change impact the mission of the church.  How will the mission of the church be strengthen by making the necessary change.  What is the benefit to those who are being effected by the change.  Why is it worth making the sacrifice so that the mission of the church moves forward.

There is an old joke that goes, "How many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb? CHANGE!" So, we don't like change.  But sometimes it is worth it if the change will lead to a stronger church with new opportunities to fulfill the mission the Lord has given to the church.

Are You Watching?

Every so often so so-called Bible scholar comes up with a prediction of when the Last Day will happen.  Is that possible? Doesn't the Bible say that only God knows the Last Day? That's what the Bible says and one thing is certain - you won't miss it!

Learn more this Sunday at Christ the Redeemer in Phoenix as we begin a new church year with the first Sunday of Advent.  It all begins at 9 am.

Have a blessed weekend!

Let God be God!

 You must let God be God, persuaded that He knows more about you than you do yourself.

Martin Luther, "Luther's World of Thought," page 300

Top Ten Signs You're At A Bad Voters Meeting

 

Top Ten Signs You’re At A Bad Voters Meeting

10) The Secretary reads the “hours” of the last meeting.

9) The pastor’s opening devotion: “The Worker Is Worth His Hire or Why I Am Entitled To a Raise”

8) The President announces, “All in favor of approving the budget say “I.” “All those not in favor have five minutes to change their minds.”

7) The Elders budget includes a suspicious entry regarding a “prayer and fasting retreat at the Princess Resort.”

6) The Budget is printed in disappearing ink.

5) Proposed that all future voters meeting be held at Gila River Casino

4) The pastor’s budget includes a $2000 addition marked “Chick-fil-a”

3) It is moved that all voting should be declared at “Yes,” “No,” or “Over My Dead Body”

2) Voters change mission statement, “We Seek People For Jesus,” to “We’re Pretty Comfortable Just the Way We Are.”

And the number one sign that you’re at a bad voters meeting:

#1 No one shows up.

Top 10 Signs You're Reading a Bad Bible Translation-part 2

 

Top 10 signs you’re reading a bad Bible translation – part two

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

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

Images of Jesus replaced with photos of Jim Caviezel

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.

Offers a Large Print edition for those with poor eyesight and a Fine Print edition for believing Christian attorneys

Advertising boasts, “This is the perfect Bible to gather dust on your bookshelf”

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

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

Describes the devil as “the father of lies,” “a roaring lion,” and “the one who raises your cable bill every month.”

The book of “Palms”

Top Ten Signs You're Reading a Bad Bible Translation

TOP TEN SIGNS YOU’RE READING A BAD BIBLE TRANSLATION

Renames the Epistle of James “the Book of Straw.”

Endorsed by the Jesus Seminar

The Gospels are listed as: Matt, Markie, Dr. Luke, and Jose

Pontius Pilot?

Replaces concordance with recipes from the kitchen of Martha of Bethany

In a startling switch, the words of Satan are printed in “hellish red.”

Retranslated Proverbs 13:14 – “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life but God helps those who help themselves.”

Bibles come in leather, cloth cover, and Naugahyde.

Recommended for use by Rick Warren, Joel Osteen and Larry the Cable Guy

One version published in a notebook binder so you can remove any Scriptures you don’t like

Eschewing bookstores, can be purchased wherever fine liquor and beer are sold

Offers a $1000 reward for anyone who can reveal the identity of the author of the Book of Hebrews

Book of Leviticus has an asterisk which reads – Boring! Skip to next book.

Book of Numbers has an asterisk which reads – Boring! Skip to next book.

Zig Zigler wisdom

Ever heard of Zig Zigler? Back in the day he was the premier motivational/sales trainer and teacher.  I owned several of his book and wherever he came to town I made sure to hear his presentations.

In my journal I wrote down some of the quotes I gleaned from books and speeches.  Here are a few that really spoke to me -

I'm so optimistic, I'd go after Moby Dick in a rowboat and take the tartar sauce with me.

There are no traffic jams on the extra mile.

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.

Outstanding people have one thing in common: an absolute sense or mission.

Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem.  We all have 24 hour days.

If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost.

Making the cut

The Bible leaves no doubt - there will be a day of judgement.  What side of judgement will you stand?  With the sheep or the goats? The answer really depends on where you stand with Jesus.  "Making the Cut" is the title of tomorrow's sermon.  Join us at Christ the Redeemer in Phoenix at 9 am.

Have a blessed weekend!

Gratitude gets us through the hard stuff

With the glow of Thanksgiving still in our hearts, here are some good words from Max Lucado:

Gratitude gets us through the hard stuff.  To reflect on your blessings is to rehearse God's accomplishments.  To rehearse God's accomplishments is to discover His heart.  To discover His heart is to discover not just good gifts but the Good giver.  Gratitude always leaves us looking at God and away from dread.

What are you most thankful for?

Thanksgiving Day is always special.  Worship in the morning...family arriving around noon...digging into Mr. Turkey...lamenting at the table, "I ate toooo much,"...falling asleep in front of the TV during the football game...making a turkey sandwich for dinner (a small sandwich)...going to bed thinking, "This was the best Thanksgiving Day ever."

However you spend Thanksgiving Day, I pray that it is a special one.  And maybe in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, you'll find a quiet moment to thank the One who makes this day so worthwhile, your loving and gracious God.

As I was paging through my journal I found this quote from Dr. Bruce Hartung: I walk through life together with others, and those others are people whom Christ has placed in my life.  They are His gifts.

Sometime tomorrow I'll give thanks to God for my many friends.  Having served in three congregations, my dear, sweet wife and I have made many friends.  As we grow older our appreciation for those friends grows and grows.  They have blessed and enriched our lives.  They have loved us in the best and worst of times.  Through their friendship they have shown us the heart of God, a heart full of compassion and care.

If I had to make a list of all the things for which I'm thankful to God, I'd need a ream of paper.  And that wouldn't be enough!  But somewhere at the top of the list, I would give thanks to God for friends, His precious gifts. 

Jeske wisdom

John Jeske was a long time parish pastor and seminary professor.  He wrote commentaries for the People's Bible, published by Northwestern Publishing House, a book of daily devotional readings focusing on the Hebrew and Greek Bibles, and an Old Testament Survey book entitled, "Connecting Sinai to Calvary.  This is a treasure of a book and its main purpose is to show readers that Jesus Christ is the heart and center of the Old Testament.  I just finished read "Connecting Sinai to Calvary" a second time; I had forgotten all of the highlighted sentences and paragraphs I'd made.  Next to many paragraphs I simply wrote, "YES!"

I could spend the next month sharing the many gems I discovered in its pages.  But here's one that stopped me in my tracks, so to speak.

"Jesus showed that He would rather go to hell for you than to go to heaven with you.

Let that thought spark you prayers as you retire to bed tonight.

Speaking to God about those you love

One person wisely said, "If you cannot speak to a person about God, speak to God about that person."

Is there someone on your heart for whom you are concerned, concerned about their status before God? Hesitant to speak to that person about Jesus.  Not sure how they will react? Afraid they'll put you on the spot by asking a question you can't answer.  Can't stand the idea of rejection?

Maybe your first step is to talk to God about that friend or acquaintance.  Share your concern about their soul.  Share your concern about your ability to speak to them about Jesus.  Pray one day and then pray the next day and the next.  Ask God for faith and courage.  Implore the Holy Spirit to direct you to Scripture that will help you better know how to approach that person.  Pray that God would remove any fear you might have.

Maybe, just maybe, you'll receive from God exactly what you need to tell your friend about Jesus, about your church, about all the reasons why worship is so important to you.  That person might still say "no" to your invitation.

But they might also say "yes!"

What would you say about God?

What would you say about God? Gracious? Kind? Forgiving? Almighty? There are so many things we can say about God.  This Sunday my message is simply entitled, "Our Giving God."  If you don't have a church home, join us at Christ the Redeemer in Phoenix this Sunday.  Come learn about our Giving God.

Have a blessed weekend! 

Can God lift that rock?

It seemed that every year I taught confirmation class to 7th and 8th graders I would get some variation of the question, "Can God make a rock so big He can't lift it?"

The answer is "yes" but I never felt like I gave a really good answer to the question.  Then I discovered this from letusreason.org:

Can God make a rock so big He can't lift it? If He can't lift it He is not all  powerful.  Then the rock has more power than God and whatever is more powerful than God is God.

If God can make it, He can lift it.  If He can create it, He can destroy it.  What He creates is under His jurisdiction, under His control.  It can never have equality.

Books on the nite stand

I love this quote from Erasmus: Whenever I get a little money, I buy books.  And if there is any left over, then I buy food and clothes.

My situation isn't quite like Erasmus.  God has blessed my dear, sweet wife and I with the resources to buy food, clothes and all the other necessities of life.  But there is always a little money to buy books.  And since I love to read, there is never a shortage of books on my nite stand.  Presently I'm reading:

"3 Words That Will Change Your Life" by Mike Novotny.  This book, written by the speaker of the televison program, "Time of Grace," provides the reader with ideas and encouragement for putting God front and center in daily life.  Novotny includes a number of personal stories, some that will cause you to laugh out loud.  Study questions are included at the end of each chapter.

"Martin Luther on Mental Health: by Stephen Saunders, PhD.  The author has complied Luther's thoughts on how the suffering can be comforted that God's love is sure and certain.  Some dealing with mental illness will often feel guilt.  They conclude that they must have a weak faith to suffering so.  Luther makes it clear that God's grace is sufficient for us all, no matter if depression or guilt seems to be getting the best of us.

"George Harrison - The Reluctant Beatle" by Phillip Norman.  The author has already written massive biographies about John Lennon and Paul McCartney.  Now, he tackles Harrison, who always thought of himself as a second-class Beatle.  Harrison was known for his spirituality.  Norman shows that the most spiritual of the group was also extremely materialistic and a serial adulterer.  

I also have become a fan of British murder-mysteries.  Authors like Hannah Dennison, Catherine Coles, Helena Dixon, and CJ Archer have become new favorites of mine.

Luckily for me, my nite stand is rather large.  There's always room for one more book! 

Today's word of wisdom

God gives His best to those who leave the choice to Him.

Anon.

So Megan Rapinoe says there is no God

Psalm 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Romans 1:19-20 - What may be known about God is plain to them  because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

John 4:24 - God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.

Psalm 90:1-2 - Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.  Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

Jeremiah 23:24 - "Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the Lord.  "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" declares the Lord.

Isaiah 6:3 - Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty.

1 John 4:8 - God is love.

And finally, 

Psalm 14:1 - The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."  They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

Such a narcissistic individual! To think, to even joke, that because she got injured on a soccer field, there is no God.  One can only pray that someday God will send someone who will save Megan Rapinoe from her foolish thinking so that she might know that there is a God and that she would repent and confess Jesus as her Savior and Lord.  One way or the other, Rapinoe will see that there is a God.

For a good wedding it helps to have a good wedding planner

It seems that the 10 Virgins from Matthew 25:1-13, could have used the help of a wedding planner.  Turned out the bridegroom was delayed, they fell asleep and woke up with a start.  As the bridegroom came only half of the virgins could get their lamps lit.  Five were ushered into the wedding feast and five were left out.

There are times when we get tired of waiting.  It frustrating to have to wait at a traffic light or wait for the line at the fastfood restaurant to get moving.  In verse 13 Jesus says, "Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour," of His return.

So we wait for the day of our Lord.  But what do we do while we wait.  That's the focus of the message I've be delivering at 9 am at Christ the Redeemer Lutheran in Phoenix.  If you don't have a church you regularly attend, come and join us.

God richly bless your weekend!

Tomorrow never comes...so don't look for it

Wise words from St. Francis

Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day.  Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it.  Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations and say confidently, "The Lord is my strength and my shield' my heart has trusted in Him and I am helped....

Faithful in prayer?

Someone once asked, "What's the best diet? The one you will stick to."

What's the best devotional and prayer tool? The one you will stick to.

That's my problem.  I lack stickiness.

This has always been a challenge for me.  I find a good prayer book or devotional booklet and find the first few weeks or even months to be so beneficial.  But then I have a busy morning and skip.  Or I'm down or depressed and can't pick up the book or my Bible.  Soon, the momentum is lost and I feel guilty for not keeping with it.

That's why I found comfort today in something I wrote down in my journal.  In "Grace Upon Grace" John Kleinig wrote:

God always wants us to start where we are, rather than where we would like to be, on our spiritual journey.  We can therefore face up to our reoccurring failure to live as His holy people and people of prayer.  In fact, our failure is meant to teach us to ask for what we lack and receive everything from Christ.  (page 38)

Promise yourself you won't worry

I got to know Dr. Kevin Leman years ago when I was working in radio.  I hosted a Saturday afternoon talk show and he was a favorite guest.  He was extremely humorous, generous with his time, and offered the kind of information and encouragement families needed.  He has sold thousands and thousands of books; a number of them sit on our shelves.

A book of his that I really found helpful was "Why Your Best Is Good Enough."  His words about worry stuck a chord with me and I recently discovered something from his book that I copies in my journal.

Promise yourself you won't worry about:

What might happen tomorrow

What happened years ago

What others think of you

Things you can't do anything about

Whether you're going to fail

What everybody else does

I can't say that I always practice what Leman wrote.  His list really drove home just how much energy is wasted on things that are way out of our control.  A good part of chapter six of Matthew could be called, "Why worry?" Instead, as Paul advises, "present your requests to God."  Or as Martin Luther used to say, "God will be up all night.  Give Him your worries and go to sleep."  Good advice indeed!

Losing is a habit

How many of you made it through the Arizona Cardinals game yesterday? I turned if off sometime in the 3rd quarter.  My wife was taking a nap.  Our dog, Jake, was sacked out on the couch.  I spied my recliner in my office and made a run for it.  The best I could hope for was a miracle victory that I could read about when I woke up.  But there was no miracle finish.

I don't think fans had high hopes for this season.  Our franchise quarterback has been out with injury.  A new coach has taken over, inheriting a lousy roster.  Our best bet is to get a high first round draft choice, make other draft choices wisely and rebuild the team.  I have no doubt that our guys have played hard, especially the defense.  Hopefully, we can't go any lower than we played yesterday.

Although I was not a Green Bay Packer fan back in the 60"s, I admired Vince Lombardi very much.  Once he explained the difference between winning and losing:

Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all-the-time thing.  You don't win once and a while, you don't do the right thing once an a while, you do them right all the time.  Winning is a habit.  Unfortunately, so is losing.

No More Tears

You might know the shortest verse in the New Testament, "Jesus Wept."  (John 11:35)

The verse serves as a reminder that when we weep at the death of a loved one, Jesus can say in all honesty, "I know exactly how you feel."

On Sunday, at Christ the Redeemer, in Phoenix, we'll explore what that means, that Jesus understands our tears.  If you don't have a church home, come and join us at 9 am.

Have a blessed weekend!

Find your purpose

A prayer written by Bo Giertz

I notice, Lord, that when I'm downhearted and tired of life, it's because I've tried to live without You. If life becomes meaningless, it's because I've tried to find a different meaning than the only right one, the one that comes from You.  When I make my own plans and decide what I want to have, when I want to profit and be happy and receive appreciation for my own gains, then it seems meaningless...

When I'm happy to do something for You at Your side, however, then there's always a purpose in every day and a purpose in every task that lies before me.

All Saints Day reflection from Normal Nagel

From a sermon preached at Valparaiso University (November 1, 1981)

The hands that hold us are the hands pierced on Calvary.  They hold us while the wired-up body lies in intensive care and the machinery keeps some heartbeat going and we wonder if the person is still there.  Whether the body is inert or wrenching, we stand in reverence before what may be passing between that person and the Lord.  He knows.  With our prayers we draw closer.  We hope that person is in the hands of the Lamb who was slain for him, for her, for you.  No separation there either.

Knowing that, we are free, free to mourn with a mourning that is free of pretenses, free fully and truthfully to mourn, free to weep the tears that Jesus shares with us as we hear His words; "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted."  (Matthew 5:4)  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He, the Lamb who was slain, has been through it all and made the way through for us.  He doesn't just talk comfort.  He has done it at Calvary for us.  

Blessed Reformation Day

There I am with the great man himself.  In the Wittenberg City Square there stands a statue of Martin Luther.  In 2011 I received a renewal grant from the Lilly Foundation.  It enabled us to spend six weeks in Europe including a stay of a few days in Wittenberg.

A couple of weeks ago I learned that I will be one of the pastors to serve the Wittenberg English Mission next year.  WEM offers three devotional services per week and a Divine service on Saturday.  Wittenberg is a tourist attractions and people from all over the world visit.  Since English is the universal language these services are held for those who want to hear the Gospel that freed Luther from the shackles of sin and death and to sing "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."  This is truly a dream come true for me.

It was two years ago today that I retired from full-time ministry.  For the first six months or so I did very little but rest.  I was really tired.  Ministry is hard work.  Then I was asked to preach a couple of times a months at Christ the Redeemer church in Phoenix.  In a short time I came to really appreciate the people and I think they felt the same way about me.  When I returned from Michigan we mutually agreed that I would serve them each Sunday through next April.  

Some told me that I failed at retirement.  That might be true.  But what could be better than be able to proclaim the love of Jesus to His people.  Plus I don't have to attend a single meeting!  Nothing could be better!  

His baptism...Our baptism

Over the years I have been greatly blessed by author and theologian, John Kleinig.  His book, "Grace Upon Grace" is a classic.  He very clearly writes about the blessing of baptism on page 169:

In His baptism Jesus takes on our sin and guilt, our death and damnation; in our baptism Jesus gives us His place with God the Father and His status as the only Son of the Father.  He gives us all that He is and has to us.  We get a new self and life from Him.

It's Reformation Sunday at Christ the Redeemer

This Sunday in the church year is Reformation Sunday.  We'll have a special media presentation plus the great hymns of the church and some more modern songs as well.  

My sermon is titled, "The Only Way to Salvation."  We live in a culture today that has cast aside the belief held for thousands of years that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone by Jesus Christ alone without any help of our own.  Still, today people ask, "How can I know how I'm right with God?" That was Martin Luther's question too.  We'll share the answer tomorrow (Sunday) at 9 am.  If you don't have a church home come and join us.

Have a blessed weekend! 

No place else to go

In reading Brett Baier's "Three Days in Moscow - Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Union," I read this about the 40th President:

"One of his favorite quotes about prayer and the presidency was purported to have been said by Abraham Lincoln: 'I'm driven to my knees today in the overwhelming conviction that I don't have any place else to go'."

How true, right? Sometimes are problems are so big, our challenges so great that they feel they will overwhelm us.  In stead of pacing the floor, why not go to your knees and pour out your heart to God.  The Bible assures us He is listening.

Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors

One day in a Bible class I was asked what Jesus had to say about forgiveness.  We did a quick search through the Gospels and discovered that without exception Jesus connected the forgiveness of our sins with God's command that we forgive those who sin against us.

This thought came back today as I did the Gospel reading in the Treasury of Daily Prayer.  Jesus tells the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt. 18:21-35).  The king called in his servants to settle their accounts.  One servant had run up a massive debt.  The master was going to collect the debt by selling him and his family and all he had.  The servant begged and pleaded for his master's patience.  The master extended mercy to the servant and forgave the debt.

You probably know the rest of the story.  The servant then encountered a fellow servant.  This servant owed a smaller amount of money.  But no mercy was given and the servant was thrown in prison.

Word got back to the master and his anger was off the charts, so to speak.  He told the unforgiving servant, "You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you?

The result? The master had the unforgiving servant jailed "until he should pay all his debt."  Get that? How will he pay off his debt if he is in prison? He can't! Punished forever because of an unforgiving heart.

Then Jesus concludes the parable with these words: "So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from the heart."

So that's that.  Forgive as you have been forgiven.  But you say the hurt is so deep, the sin against you so great that you can't forgive.  What do you do?

Ask the Lord to help you do the thing you can't do.  Ask the Lord to help you overcome the hurt.  Ask the Lord to help you see your sins and how God has had mercy on you. Ask the Lord to enable you to do what seems impossible.

If you have to, ask for God's help again and again and again.  You want nothing to stand in the way of the Lord's forgiveness and mercy toward you.

Forgive our sins, Lord, we implore, That they many trouble us no more;

We, too, will gladly those forgive, Who hurt us by the way they live.

Help us in our community. To serve each other willingly.

LSB - 766:6 

Faith is like...

Faith is merely a passive instrument, like a hand into which someone places a dollar.  The person receives the dollar provided he does not withdraw his hand, beyond that he does not have to do anything.  The donor is doing the essential part by putting the gift into the hand, not the other party, by holding out the hand.

CFW Walther

A prayer answered for Anita

My friend, Anita, has to be the biggest Arizona Diamondbacks fan ever.  She has been following the team from the beginning.  Has season tickets.  Has every bobble head the team has ever offered.  Her joy in the summer, either at the ballpark or in front of the television, is watching her beloved D-Backs.

Unfortunately, Anita is suffering from cancer.  Chemotherapy and radiation treatments are taking their toll.  She has not been able to get out to the ballpark this year.  Sometimes she doesn't feel like watching the games on television.  

If you ask her how's she's doing, she'll say the same thing every time: blessed and grateful.  In spite of her suffering, her faith in her Lord and Savior remains steadfast.  

Last night as we watched the D-Backs beat the Phillies my dear, sweet wife revealed that she had been praying that God would help the ballclub win...for Anita's sake.  I'm not sure that God answers prayers like those.  Choosing a side to root for doesn't sound like something God would do.

But, in any event, the D-Backs are headed to the World Series.  And in spite of her pain and suffering, Anita will have something worth waiting for.  How sweet it would be if Arizona could pull off a World Series Championship.  What joy that would bring to Anita.

Are you listening God?

Hopping on the bandwagon...to stay?

Prior to the playoffs I hadn't watched one baseball game all year.  Frankly, I had soured on baseball.  The games regularly took three hours or more.  In comparison to soccer, hockey and basketball, baseball seemed to move at a snails pace.  I was bored with watching a batter adjust his gloves, his hat and whatever, step into the batter's box, take a pitch and then step out and go through his routine all over again.  So I just stopped watching.

But friends had been telling me that baseball had made some adjustments which had really helped the speed of the game without harming the game.  The new pitch clock really helped.  The batter had better be ready to hit.  I liked what I saw.

And I liked what I saw from the Diamondbacks.  They were scrappy and played hard.  They're loaded with some exciting young players.  Corbin Carroll is likely to be the NL Rookie of the Year.  And you've got to respect manager Torry Lovello.  The guy has gone through some pretty tough, losing seasons and never quit managing his players.  It seems like a good mix of experience and young talent.

So, with the playoff series against the dreaded LA Dodgers I hopped on the bandwagon, so to speak.  Surely they couldn't handle the Dodgers, with their huge payroll and fearsome lineup.  No problem!  

Now, the D-Backs are one win away from landing a spot in the World Series.  How exciting would that be? Philadelphia seems to have superior hitting and pitching.  But that might not be enough.  The D-Backs play a style of baseball I like.  Win or lose the people of the Valley of the Sun can be might proud of their baseball team.  They've captured the imagine of baseball fans, not just here but around the country.  I've climbed on the bandwagon.  There's plenty of room for you.

Go D-Backs! 

This Sunday at Christ the Redeemer...

Last Sunday I began my seven month stint as interim pastor at Christ the Redeemer in Phoenix.  I really appreciate the people who worship there.  Even though their church has faced many challenges and difficulty, they are working hard to continue to be a place where people can receive hope and love through faith in Jesus Christ.

This Sunday's sermon title is "Do Not Pass Go Until You Give Thanks."  During Paul's second missionary journey, he brought the gospel of Jesus to many cities.  He was also harassed by his opponents and sometimes Paul wasn't able to see the fruit of faith in the people to which he proclaimed Jesus.

One such congregation was planted in Thessalonica.  Paul longed to know what had happened to the new believers there.  When he received news of what had happened, Paul responded with thanksgiving to God.

If you don't have a church to attend, join us this Sunday.  The service starts at 9 am.  I'd enjoy seeing you.

Thanks for reading the blog this week.  Have a great weekend!

Nate Bargatze to host Saturday Night Live!

My family and I have become huge fans of Nate Bargatze.  He's a rarity in show business - a comedian who is clean.  No filth, no bad language, just great humor about stuff that you and I have probably dealt with - sibling rivalry, crazy encounters with home repair people, (mis) communication between spouses.

I first read about Nate in World Magazine.  It told about his Amazon Prime special, "Hello World."  We laughed, we roared at some of this stories.  Now, when we have visitors we ask, "Have you guys heard of Nate Bargatze," and if they say, "No," we fire up the tv and watch "Hello World" again.  Have not grown tired of it yet.

My dear sweet wife and I figure we haven't watched Saturday Night Live in 10 years.  We hated the turn to political humor and some of the skits were pretty gross.  But Nate will be hosting SNL on October 28 - "must see" tv as far as we're concerned.  Before then, check out the Amazon Prime special or some of the stuff he's done for Netflix.  And then, be ready to laugh because Nate Bargatze is really funny! 

Thank you for being my friend

Few things can better enrich a person's life than a good friend.  Linda Grayson wrote, "There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate."

But I like best this definition of friendship from Elbert Hubbard: "A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you."

Gary Dennis is one person whose friendship I cherish.

Gary was the church custodian at Life in Christ.  I'd walk through the door on Monday morning and hear Gary's greeting: "Morning, Reverend.  The coffee's on and I've got a couple of chocolate long johns in the donut box for you.  While you're getting them let me sneak in and clean your office."

There was nothing that Gary wouldn't do for the church.  He was willing to do things that weren't part of his job description just because there was a need and he liked to help people.  He did his work thoroughly.  He wanted the church, fellowship hall, classrooms and offices looking perfect.  Never did I worry about the appearance of our facilities.  Gary made sure they looked their best.

As we got to know one another better, Gary began asking questions about the Christian faith.  He had been raised in the church as a child but had fallen away a little bit.  He had lots of questions about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the devil and prayer.  We spent lots of time discussing all of these things and one day he came and said he wanted to join our church.  And one Sunday morning Gary stood before our congregation and confessed Jesus as His only Savior. It was a happy day for our church. 

I learned earlier this week that a woman that Gary was very close to had passed away.  I've tried to reach him by phone but haven't had any success yet.  I want to see how he is dealing with this loss and try to bring some hope and encouragement from God's Word.  And I want to say to him what singer Andrew Gold wrote in one of his popular songs: Thank you for being my friend.

T-Shirt slogans

 For retirement my friend, Michele, gave me a t-shirt.  It said, "Jesus Took Naps - Be Like Jesus."  The thought is based on Mark 4:38.  It got me to thinking about some other slogans that might work.  Like these:

"Jesus Walked on Water - You'll need a boat" (Mark 6:39)

"Jesus Fed Thousands - Don't even try" (Mark 6:41)

"Jesus Healed the Deaf - What did you say?" (Mark 7:34)

"Jesus Loves Little Children - Even the brat who broke your putter" (Mark 10:16)

"Jesus Predicted His Death and Resurrection - What about your prediction about the Cardinals?" (Mark 8:31)  Note: the above will need to be on a XXXL t-shirt

"Jesus Served Supper - Eat & Drink it every time you can" (Matthew 26:26-30)

"Jesus Prayed to the Father - He'll listen to you too" (Mark 14:36)

"Jesus Died For Your Sins - He died for yours as well" (Luke 23:44-49)

"Jesus Rose From the Dead - Trust Him and you will too" (Matthew 28:1-10)

What do you think? Do I have a future as a t-shirt entrepreneur? 

Well, all this creative thinking has worn me out.  I think I'll take a nap.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Hello kind readers!

I arrived back in the Valley last Thursday.  I missed our home, family, friends and favorite shops and restaurants.  I also missed ALL THE HEAT THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE SUMMER! (Hate to rub it in).

So what did we do? Spent lots of time with our Michigan kids and grandkids.  Attended soccer, football and basketball games.  Had the opportunity to preach nine times in three different churches.  Discovered a great Bible class at the church where my kids attend.  Marveled at the corn fields, grape vineyards, and apple orchards near our home.  Brisk morning walks with our dog, Jake.  Sunsets on Lake Michigan.  Hearing one of our favorite singers, Lexi Adams.  Opening our house as a BnB for friends passing through.  I'm sure I'm forgetting some things but you get the drift, as they say.

I'll be busy while we're here.  I am serving as interim Pastor at Christ the Redeemer in Phoenix.  I hope to bring some continuity while provide pastoral care.  People have joked with me that I couldn't stay retired for long.  But I see it differently.  I'll preach once a week.  I may help out with the Sunday Bible class.  I'll make home and hospital visits as needed. No meetings! Truth is, if the above is all I had to do, I wouldn't have retired.

I'll be back to blogging regularly.  Hopefully, I'll have a word or two of encouragement to pass your way.  God always keep you in His grip!

Signing off...but I'll be back

Can you believe that 100 degree temperatures are here?  Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later.  Luckily it's a dry heat😅!

So, I'm going to take a summer break (I know it's not officially summer but 100 degrees is good enough for me).  I'll pick things back up in the fall.

Thanks for checking in on the blog.  I pray you kind readers have a blessed and safe summer.  May God keep you all in His constant care and love!

Marriage's Death Certificate

 I recently came across these words from Max Lucado:. 

When one or both people in a marriage stop trusting God to save it, they sign its death certificate.  They reject the very One who can help them.

As we Lutherans would say, "This is most certainly true."  When married couples ask to meet in my office to counsel and pray about their marriage, within the first few minutes I can usually tell whether there is hope or not.  It comes down to whether or not the couple are willing to let the Lord do His healing work and put His Word to work in their lives.  Sure, there are always problems, many of them serious, that cause a marriage to begin to come apart at the seams, so to speak.  Relationships generally do not fray over night but over time.  So, it only stands to reason, that mending the relationship will also take time.  But when a husband and wife are willing to trust God, listen to Him speak to them through His Word, put that Word to practice in their lives, practice repentance and reconciliation, and learn to love one another as the Lord has first loved them, the Lord can do a marvelous work.  Nothing is impossible for God.  Nothing.

How do we know God?

True knowledge of God's will does not start with the Law but with the Gospel, for the Gospel alone renews our minds, enables us to love, and gives the Holy Spirit free reign in our hearts to produce the fruit of faith.

"Gospel Motivation" by Robert J. Koester, Northwestern Publishing House, page 63 

Remembering Jim Peterson

I wrote this blog post back in 2013.  I happened to find a picture of Jim while going through some old boxes over the weekend.  You have people in your life that truly make an impact, who inspire you to be better.  Jim was one of those people in my life.

Watching the ASU-Missouri football game on TV last Saturday caused Sherri and I to remember a chance meeting with our good friend, Jim Peterson, at another ASU-Missouri game over 20 years ago.

Jim and I had become friends while working together in radio.  When he walked through the front door of the station, I immediately recognized him.  Jim had been a star pitcher for the ASU Sun Devils baseball team.  He left after his junior season and signed a contract with the Dodgers organization.  Arm problems forced Jim to retire so he returned to ASU to finish his degree in Mass Communications.  He came to our station looking for a job and our manager hired him.  Soon Jim and I were working together every day.

After a time I realized that Jim wasn't the person I thought he would be.  He was not an ex-jock full of himself.  Jim didn't brag about his accomplishments.  He was a humble person who was more interested in talking about Christ Jesus instead of himself.

I learned a lot about Jim during the time we worked together.  Jim knew the Scriptures.  He relied on them for direction for daily living.  He was passionate about telling others that faith in Jesus was the only way to heaven.  He was a good apologist for the faith and easily shared the story of Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection with anyone willing to listen.  Jim was a person I very much wanted to emulate.

Eventually, Jim got a job hosting a sports talk program on a Phoenix station and then moved into television.  We lost track of one another for awhile.  Then, out of the blue, Jim called me from New Jersey.  He had moved there with his wife and had become a member of an LCMS congregation.  We touched base every few months until he called one day with shocking news.  He had been diagnosed with throat cancer.

Jim went through several surgeries along with chemo and radiation therapy.  But the cancer was aggressive and I couldn't believe it when he wife called one morning to say that Jim had passed away.

I traveled to California for Jim's funeral service.  As I opened the church bulletin, I read a message that Jim had asked to be printed.  It read, "Don't talk about me...talk about Jesus Christ."  It was pure Jim Peterson.

Give thanks to the Lord today for the people who have made a difference in your life.  I'll do the same, beginning with my good friend and brother in the faith - Jim Peterson.

Why study the Bible?

Bible study in its purest form deals with our lives on the most basic level, our relationship with God and the life of service that must inevitably follow.  It deals with God's love for us in its richest, most beautiful and most edifying form.

Robert J. Koester
"Gospel Motivation"

page 162 

Defining Temptation

I think Pastor Richard Lauersdorf does a pretty good job of it in his book, "As Luther Taught the Word of Truth."

Playing around with temptation is like trying to run down a mountainside.  There comes a time when your legs get away from you and you ca

A Bonhoeffer Prayer

This is a prayer I often return to.  It often expresses my heart better than I can.

O Heavenly Father, I praise and thank You for the peace of the night.

I praise and thank You for this new day.

I praise and thank You for all Your goodness and faithfulness throughout my life.

You have granted me many blessings; Now let me accept what is hard from Your hand.

You will lay no more on me than I can bear.

You make all things work together for the good of Your children.

Amen.

What can your substitute do for you?

From John Jeske's wonderful book, "Connecting Sinai to Calvary:"

Because in our place our substitute lived a life of perfect obedience to the holy law of God, God considers us to be people who have given Him the perfect obedience He demands.  Because in our place our substitute died innocently under God's curse, God considers us to have been punished for our sins.

On the road to humility

Jane Fryer is a favorite author of mine.  Over the years I have found her notes in the "Today's Light Bible" from Concordia Publishing House to be invaluable.  I found this Fryer quote in my journal yesterday and wanted to share it with you. 

True, godly humility comes to us as God's gift of grace.  When His Word leads us to see our helplessness, our sinfulness, our need for Jesus, we're on the road toward humility.  When we - by grace - focus on Christ, when we cling to Him as our only hope, we are exactly where God wants us to be.  When we trust in Christ's pardon alone as the remedy for our sin, then God can lift us up.  He gives us - us! - the very righteousness of God.

Two things strike me as I read this.  First, humility is not something that we work up in ourselves but it is happens as we are changed by the forgiveness and grace of Christ.  Second, isn't the Gospel of Christ such sweet news? Nothing compares! 

It's the Lord who does the work in the church

While doing some reading in "Treasury of Daily Prayer," I read these words from Acts 19:11: And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul.

These words were an excellent reminder that...

When the words of absolution are spoken during worship, it is the Lord's who is doing the forgiving.

When the water is applied to a person, little or big, in baptism, it is the Lord's baptism.

When the bread and wine are being distributed, it is the Lord's Supper.

God uses people like pastors to proclaim His Word and administer His sacraments.  But these are not the pastor's things.

These are the Lord's things and it is He that is doing the miraculous in our lives - calling us to faith, giving us the new birth and new life, enabling us to embrace Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, keeping us in this one, true faith until we called to our heavenly rest. 

Praise the Lord that He still does the extraordinary in our lives!

It does matter how Christians live

Luther, writing in the Large Catechism on the First Petition of the Lord's Prayer...

In the second place, God's name is profaned by an openly wicked life and works, when those who are Christians and God's people are adulters, drunkards, misers, enviers and slanderers (1 Cor. 5:11).  Here again God's name must come to shame and be profaned because of us.  It is a shame and disgrace for a flesh and blood father to have a bad, perverse child that opposes him in words and deeds.  Because of that child the father suffers contempt and reproach.  In the same way also, it brings dishonor upon God if we are called by His name and have all kinds of goods from Him, yet we teach, speak and live in any other way than as godly and heavenly children.  People would say about us that we must not be God's children, but the devil's children.

From "Luther's Large Catechism with Study Questions," page 105, Concordia Publishing House

One of the great enemies of spiritual life

Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day.  You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.

Dallas Willard

Here's hoping you have a relaxing weekend!

Satan's Goal...

is to rob us of our thankfulness for God's good gifts.  If it were within Satan's power, he wouldn't let us have a single piece of bread, not a single penny of income, not even a single hour of life.  But since that's not in his power, he'll try to rob us of God's blessings by making us ungrateful and unappreciative of them.

John C. Jeske, Connecting Sinai to Calvary, Northwestern Publishing House, pg. 52

How important are you to Jesus?

How are important are you to your Lord? Let me ask you, has anyone believed that you were important enough to help you pay your bills...come to your rescue in your time of need...be with you during a serious illness? We all know folks who care for us in such a great way.

Has anyone believed you were important enough to pay for all of your sins...to rescue you from the clutches of the devil...to heal you from the sickness of sin and give you eternal life? We know of only One who could and would do for us what we can't do for ourselves - Christ Jesus.  That's how important you are to Jesus.

The Bible in 50 words

My dear, sweet wife, a few years ago, pulled this from the Grand Canyon University website.  Interesting.

God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread

God remained.