Need a chuckle or two?

Years ago when my family and I became members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL., we very quickly became acquainted with George Kottwitz.  We learned that George was the resident humorist of the church.  He always had a story to tell and the punch line never failed to deliver a good laugh.  George regularly submits and is published in the Lutheran Witness magazine.  Here's a couple of samples of his humor.

Two elders drove to a nearby restaurant and bar after an early evening meeting at church.  While waiting for a table, they sat in the bar drinking a beer.  When their pastor walked by, one quickly said, "Oh, I hope Pastor didn't see us."  Asked the other, "What difference does it make? God knows we're having a beer."  "Sure," replied the first, "but God won't tell my wife!"

Or there's this one...

The new vicar popped into the church office with a printed copy of his yet-to-be-delivered first sermon.  Standing in front of the office's new paper shredder, he stared at the machine, a bit perplexed.  The church secretary, sensing he needed help, walked over and asked if she could do something for him.  "Yes," said the vicar, "can you show me how this thing works?"  She said, "Gladly!" She took the pages from the vicar's hand and began feeding them into the shredder.  "Thanks," said the vicar politely.  "But where do the copies come out?"

The Greatest Distance in the World

Read this great devotion this morning and wanted to share it with you.

What's the greatest distance in the world? Not the miles across the Atlantic or down to Antarctica, but the distance between the human head and heart.  Those 18 inches are the most difficult in the world.  Why? Because only God the Holy Spirit can travel them.  Millions hear about Jesus Christ as their only Savior, but only some believe.  The rest shake their heads in rejection or nod in seeming approval, only to go their own ways.  Their ears have heard but not their hearts.

What about me? Can I say with my heart, "Jesus is my Savior whom God raised from the dead?" Can I say with conviction: "His death counted for me.  His resurrection assures my resurrection.  Because He lives, I also will live, body and soul, in heaven some day?" Then thank God the Holy Spirit.  Through the gospel he carried the message from my head to my heart.  My faith is His gift.  Through that gospel He still works when my faith wavers to bridge the distance between head and heart.

The Spirit helps me travel another distance, the one between my heart and mouth.  When Jesus has moved from my head to my heart, then he'll also move from my heart to my mouth.  I'll proclaim gladly what I believe and thank Him for it.  I'll tell others what I believe and ask them to join me.  By God's grace it'll be head to heart to mouth, with the name of Jesus my precious Savior.

Richard E. Lauersdorf
"Together with Jesus - Daily Devotions for a Year"
Northwestern Publishing House 

A Word to Parents and Grandparents

As parents and grandparents we should never underestimate the influence we have upon our children and grandchildren.  They watch us carefully.  Our words soak deeply into their heads and hearts.  Studies indicate that even our teens watch and listen to us, yes, even when it seems that they have tuned us out.  Our example matters!

I don't know who penned the poetry below but the message is one worth pondering:

To hear my child at prayer, what a thrill it is to me!
There's a sweetness in the moment, as he speaks on bended knee.
And yet my heart is smitten, at this touching moment I see,
Has his faith and trust in prayer, depended much on me?

As I see him fold his hands, and bow his head to pray,
I trust he'll always love the Lord, the way he does today.
Then I hear a voice within me, speak in solemn words and true, 
How he lives a life of prayer, depends a lot on you.

So I kneel next to my bed, and lay my hand upon him,
After he has voiced his prayer, I add my own petition
May my son recall one day, that his father daily raised,
His voice to thank the Lord, and make the sacrifice of praise!

Dads and Moms, do you think much about the example you are setting for your kids? Do they see you in prayer? Do they find you reading your Bible? The next time you are tempted to "veg out" in from of the TV, try something different.  Gather the kids together and tell stories.  Talk about a favorite family vacation.  Share the funny story you heard.  Read Bible stories to your kids.  Tell them what Jesus means to you.  Share your faith in God and encourage your kids in their walk of faith.  Most of all, ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit and His love so that you might always be that Godly example that your kids and grandkids need to see.

Almighty God is still in control

 Almighty God is still in control.

Almighty God is wiser and more powerful than death, war, suffering, inflation (fill in the blank)

We are still children of God.

We are still loved by the Father.

We are redeemed by the blood of the resurrected Son.

We are being made holy by the Spirit.

We will love one another.

We will stand on the truth of Holy Word alone.

We will confidently trust that the Lord will hold us up and lead us through any persecution the church might face in the future (just as He always has).

We will continue to pray, "Come, Lord Jesus."

"Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."  Proverbs 3:5

God's peace and blessings be yours in abundance this week!

He is Risen Indeed!

The grave could not hold Jesus.  And it will not hold the ones who have faith in Jesus either.  He promises, "Because I live, you also will live."  (John 14:19)  The grave is where we were supposed to get what our sins deserve.  But instead, the grave is where the believer gets what our sins deserve - heaven, forever.  Instead of closing our eyes in death and opening them again to see even greater death, we close our eyes in death and open them to see Jesus.  Leave it to our Greatest Friend to take the devil's greatest weapon and use it as the believer's greatest blessing.

From "WELS.Net" devotional, April 5.

A Tradition Like No Other

If I have my facts straight, the legendary golfer, Bobby Jones, once said years ago of the new phenom, Jack Nicholas, "He plays a game of which I am not acquainted."

Bobby Jones might have said the same thing about my golf game.

However, unlike Nicholas, it wouldn't have been a compliment.

Anyway, the next two weeks of professional golf are the most enjoyable ones for me.  Later this week The Masters gets underway in Augusta, Georgia.  Next week, The Heritage tourney will be played at the Harbor Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, SC.

My wife and I lived in Hilton Head for almost four years.  I quickly learned that The Heritage was a very big deal.

I lost track of the number of folks from the church I served who came up to me and proudly said, "Pastor, I won't be in church this Sunday.  I'm (fill in the blank) at The Heritage."

It took lots of volunteers to make a golf tournament successful.  People from our church carried scoring signs, picked up pro golfers at the airport, worked concession stands, and helped run the parking lots.

My wife and I lived on a golf course so I had plenty of opportunities to get out and hit the ball around.  I remember a short time where I actually had improved my game to the point where I felt like I knew what I was doing every time I stood over the ball.

Then I went on vacation and didn't take my clubs.  When I finally got back to the course, the magic was gone.  It has never returned.

I've been pretty frustrated with my game I haven't gone out very much to play.  But I know how hard the game of golf really is.  So I like watching it (even if my wife says that watching a bag of popcorn cook in the microwave is more exciting).

Whatever...at my house on Sunday, it will be as quiet as it is when a golfer is lining up a putt.  Hey, it's The Masters!

To Whom Can You Offer Some Fruit Today?

In the late 1980's when our family moved from the Valley of the Sun to the Midwest, we didn't realize just how much we would miss fresh citrus.  However, my wife's Aunt Jean remedied the problem, at least a little bit, each Christmas.

Arriving at our doorstep would be a full box of fresh Arizona oranges.  For days afterward the only sound you would hear around our house was "Mmmmmm goooooood!"  The oranges were a delicious treasure.  Aunt Jean's gift was a blessing beyond compare.

When you arrive at the doorstep of a sick friend to provide a meal and a prayer...when you stand at the doorstep of a troubled friend to offer compassion and help...when you wait on the doorstep of a mourning friend to give comfort and love, you are demonstrating the fruit of Christian faith that the Holy Spirit produces in us and through us.  God uses you to be a blessing beyond compare to others.  And your faith in the Lord is nurtured as you trust more and more in your Savior God for forgiveness of sins, peace of heart and the gift of salvation.

Remember Galatians 5:22-23? But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  To whom can you offer some fruit today?