Blessings to you in Jesus Christ. Have you ever noticed when you are doing your devotions and then go to Bible study, or hear the sermon that Sunday, how so much of God's Word seems to be saying the same thing. I mean obviously all of God's Word is saying the same thing because it all points to Christ as our Lord and Savior. But what I mean is like one specific theme out of all the countless metaphors, themes, or ideas the Bible uses to talk about Jesus. This has happened to me lately, everything is pointing very specifically to the selfless love of Christ.
I was writing and preparing the sermon for this morning and the theme was Christ's selfless love. I used Ephesians 5 as the text and focused on Christ's selfless love rather than our selfish sinful nature pushing away the ideas of submitting and loving selflessly. But then as I went to the PALS meeting we had a Bible Study on love. We looked at ten passages and all of them kept coming back to the theme of Christ's selfless love. Then in my morning devotions, I notice the same theme of Christ's selfless love for us. I guess I am rambling because I appreciate when you start to notice a specific theme and then you see it come out of the wood work. Once you notice it, it's like you can't miss it. I truly appreciate that about the richness of God's Word and how it all works together to show us Christ and yet can reveal new things to us all the time. I hope as you spend time in the Word you may begin to notice Christ's selfless love and be reminded of the perfect, selfless loving Lord He is. In the name of Christ, Amen.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Lutheran Island Camp
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well I went to the doctor the other day and my fractured bones in my wrist are healing well. I go back in four weeks to change out the cast and have it X-Ray'd again to see how much longer I will have to have it on. I also passed my driver's license test and got my car titled and registered in Minnesota so I am officially a Minnesota resident. It was weird to put Minnesota plates on Sady (my car), but yet I've been told cops don't watch you near as closely for speeding when you have in-state plates.
I spent Friday night at Lutheran Island Camp in Henning, MN. We had our first PALS meeting. PALS is Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support. It is for all pastors hat are 1 to 3 years out of the seminary. So all the new guys form our district got together to meet each other and spend an evening and morning together in Bible Study, fellowship, and casuistry. It was fun to see some of the guys I knew at the seminary second and fourth years. The island is awesome and will be such a fun place to have district and PALS meetings in the future when I am not wearing a cast.
Well I just wanted to touch base and pray for blessings for all of you as I continue to be blessed and enjoy the start of my ministry. Lord's blessings on your Sunday morning worship!
I spent Friday night at Lutheran Island Camp in Henning, MN. We had our first PALS meeting. PALS is Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support. It is for all pastors hat are 1 to 3 years out of the seminary. So all the new guys form our district got together to meet each other and spend an evening and morning together in Bible Study, fellowship, and casuistry. It was fun to see some of the guys I knew at the seminary second and fourth years. The island is awesome and will be such a fun place to have district and PALS meetings in the future when I am not wearing a cast.
Well I just wanted to touch base and pray for blessings for all of you as I continue to be blessed and enjoy the start of my ministry. Lord's blessings on your Sunday morning worship!
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Coffee, Classic Music, and Chilly Weather
Greetings to you in he name of Lord Jesus Christ. This morning it is a perfect 57 degrees outside. I love waking up to the chilly breeze blowing through my window and across my bed. It makes the warmth of my comforter that much better. The only hard part is getting out of bed. And now as I sit in my office with a delicious cup of dark coffee, windows open letting the cool fresh air in, and the classical music of Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart and others playing in the background, it is the perfect atmosphere to sit and ponder on this weeks sermon. I feel so old and mature having my own office and actually enjoying classical music that once found boring. My sermon for this week is on Ephesians 5 -Wives submit and Husbands die- text. I am excited to see how it turns out. All of my sermons should be posted on our church website one of these days so you can listen to them on there. I have kind of gone away from writing full manuscripts, so I am glad we record my sermons so you can still enjoy them.
This morning's devotion continued with the story of David and Bathsheba. It was the portion of the story where Nathan confronts David with the parable of the rich man stealing the poor man's sheep. What a genius way to call someone out on their sin. However, the devotion also paired it with Psalm 51 which is perfect since David wrote Psalm 51 as he was reflecting on his sin with Bathsheba. So we have the text of 2 Samuel showing us David being confronted and called out for his sin. We see him mourn the child until it died. And then we get David's thoughts, feelings, and conflicting emotions from the Psalm. What a perfect way to read the story and see the struggle of sin we all go through. None of us like to be confronted with our sins and truth be told we really don't even like to confess them. However, along with the self-loathing and despairing emotions of David's confession, we also get the beautiful words of forgiveness and how wonderful our Lord is to have mercy on us. That is the precious beauty of our Lord's mercy and forgiveness. When we feel our worst, when we realize we have sinned against God Himself and feel as worthless as the worst person alive, He picks us up, He gives us our comfort and hope. He creates a clean heart in us and restores a right soul within us. He doesn't casts us from His presence, but draws us ever closer. He doesn't take His Holy Spirit from us, but instead revives us through His Spirit. He restores the joy of His salvation to us and lifts us up with His free Spirit. Thanks be to God He has had mercy on us and through His SOn Jesus Christ does forgive us. Amen.
This morning's devotion continued with the story of David and Bathsheba. It was the portion of the story where Nathan confronts David with the parable of the rich man stealing the poor man's sheep. What a genius way to call someone out on their sin. However, the devotion also paired it with Psalm 51 which is perfect since David wrote Psalm 51 as he was reflecting on his sin with Bathsheba. So we have the text of 2 Samuel showing us David being confronted and called out for his sin. We see him mourn the child until it died. And then we get David's thoughts, feelings, and conflicting emotions from the Psalm. What a perfect way to read the story and see the struggle of sin we all go through. None of us like to be confronted with our sins and truth be told we really don't even like to confess them. However, along with the self-loathing and despairing emotions of David's confession, we also get the beautiful words of forgiveness and how wonderful our Lord is to have mercy on us. That is the precious beauty of our Lord's mercy and forgiveness. When we feel our worst, when we realize we have sinned against God Himself and feel as worthless as the worst person alive, He picks us up, He gives us our comfort and hope. He creates a clean heart in us and restores a right soul within us. He doesn't casts us from His presence, but draws us ever closer. He doesn't take His Holy Spirit from us, but instead revives us through His Spirit. He restores the joy of His salvation to us and lifts us up with His free Spirit. Thanks be to God He has had mercy on us and through His SOn Jesus Christ does forgive us. Amen.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Uriah, a better man than the King.
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. This morning's devotion was the classic tale of David and Bathsheba. Every time I re-read this story, my mind goes back to Hebrew class at Seward with Dr. Meehl. We know how the story goes. King David sleeps with Bathsheba because she is beautiful and simply because he wants to. Then when she comes up pregnant, King David scrambles to try to cover his own mistake. He has Uriah brought home from the battlefield and David's hope is that he will sleep with his wife and then nobody will ever be the wiser that the kid really belongs to David not Uriah. However, as Dr. Meehl pointed out to us, Uriah is a better man than David. Uriah will not go sleep with his wife because his fellow men are not allowed to come home and sleep with their wives. Uriah, even though he is given the opportunity, will not treat himself to any special treatment while the rest of his brothers in arms sleep in the mud on the battle field. So of course then we know King David has him killed and brings Bathsheba into his home as his own wife.
Uriah, who did the right thing and would not consider himself as better or more important than the least of his army, gets killed for doing the right thing. King David, who not only stayed behind as the armies went out to do battle, but slept with another man's wife because as King he regarded himself as more important than his soldiers. In retrospect, if King David would have considered himself the same as his soldiers, he would have been out in the tents on the battlefield with his men and none of this would have ever happened. If he would have considered Uriah, one of his own soldiers, as more important than himself, he would not have slept with his wife. But King David let his authority go to his head and led him into sin and an innocent man who was actually a more moral man than David is killed because of it.
When we look at Jesus as the one who would establish King David's throne forever, we can be sure He never let the authority go to His head. Jesus never once regarded Himself as more important than anyone, and in fact came to serve and wash the feet of those who by the world's standards were much lower than Him. He never let His pride or authority lead Him astray like David did. And yet, an innocent man is still killed. However, unlike David who had an innocent man killed to cover his sin, Jesus allows Himself, an innocent man, to be killed to cover the sins of all mankind. Jesus was willing to go to the cross to pay for the sins of David, the sins of all human kings, and actually the sins of all humans. Uriah may have been a better man than David and paid the price for it, but Jesus was an even better man than Uriah and He paid the ultimate price for us all. Thanks be to God that in the name of His Son, the innocent King, we all find forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life. Amen.
Uriah, who did the right thing and would not consider himself as better or more important than the least of his army, gets killed for doing the right thing. King David, who not only stayed behind as the armies went out to do battle, but slept with another man's wife because as King he regarded himself as more important than his soldiers. In retrospect, if King David would have considered himself the same as his soldiers, he would have been out in the tents on the battlefield with his men and none of this would have ever happened. If he would have considered Uriah, one of his own soldiers, as more important than himself, he would not have slept with his wife. But King David let his authority go to his head and led him into sin and an innocent man who was actually a more moral man than David is killed because of it.
When we look at Jesus as the one who would establish King David's throne forever, we can be sure He never let the authority go to His head. Jesus never once regarded Himself as more important than anyone, and in fact came to serve and wash the feet of those who by the world's standards were much lower than Him. He never let His pride or authority lead Him astray like David did. And yet, an innocent man is still killed. However, unlike David who had an innocent man killed to cover his sin, Jesus allows Himself, an innocent man, to be killed to cover the sins of all mankind. Jesus was willing to go to the cross to pay for the sins of David, the sins of all human kings, and actually the sins of all humans. Uriah may have been a better man than David and paid the price for it, but Jesus was an even better man than Uriah and He paid the ultimate price for us all. Thanks be to God that in the name of His Son, the innocent King, we all find forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life. Amen.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Appreciating your own handy work!
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. This devotion goes out to all those who like to do handy kind of stuff. The people who like to be creative or have creative hobbies. It can be anything from wood-working or carpentry to painting or sculpting to gardening to sowing or knitting. No matter what type of handy work it is, I want to talk about those items you have made, created, decorated, assembled, or grown with you own two hands. So as you read this think about that type of hobby or activity you enjoy doing or have done in your past. Got it in mind? Great!
For me I love to do wood-working and carpentry type of work. Over the years I have helped several friends or families fix up or remodel a home. It is fun, challenging work to first deconstruct what was already there, make a huge mess, and then begin the hard work of putting all the new materials up just perfect so it looks perfect when you are done. With each step of dry wall, mud and tape, primer, paint, trim, etc. it begins to look more and more like a house again and when you are finished and have cleaned up for the last time and you stand back and look at the finished product, it seems impossible that such a nicely finished looking wall or room were dusty 2x4 studded walls just a short while ago. However, it goes even further than that. Now ever time I walk into peoples homes and look around, I don't simply look at what color the walls are or what decorations they have up, I observe the different lay-outs, the different styles of walls, trim, etc. I notice the little things that only someone who has done that type of work before truly understands. I notice corners that would be extremely difficult to try to mud and have them come out just right. I notice the detailed work of cutting angled corners of trim and having them line up perfectly tight. (No please don't be scared to invite me to your house because you think I am looking for every little flaw and imperfection. Trust me - I am still fine tuning my own skills and hate looking at jobs I did because I see all my own mistakes,) I am not judging the work, I just have a different appreciate for the labor and effort it took to make your house look the way it does because I have done that type of work myself.
So now think about that project or hobby you have in your mind, if it's gardening, don't you pay special attention to other people's gardens? If it is quilting, don't you appreciate an extremely delicately hand-stitched quilt? If it is painting, don't you examine a painting up close looking for brushstrokes, color mixture, shading, etc.? I am willing to bet you do because you know the process, the labor, and the pain staking care it takes to do that type of work or craft. It means more to you and you have a better understanding of it than someone who has never even attempted that type of effort before. The same as anyone who has never actually done dry-wall work probably never even thinks to look for seams or corners to see how well the mudding and taping job was done. It doesn't mean anything to them, because they don't understand the process or have the memory of doing it themselves.
You take pride in that project, craft, or hobby you have done. because you did it. You made it. You created it. You put the time and effort into making it what it is /and you better than anyone else understands why it works or looks the way it does. This morning's devotion was from Psalm 94 verse 9: "He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?" God is also a creator, an artist, and an inventor. He invented us and created us from scratch. He formed us and made us exactly the way we are. So wouldn't he better than anyone understand us and know exactly how we work? Yes! However, even more than that - God is not an artist who paints a picture and puts it in some back room only to be looked at once in awhile. He is not an inventor who puts his creation on some shelf to get dusty. He is a creator who appreciates his work each and every day. He who gave us ears so that we could hear - listens to us every time we pray. He who gave us eyes so that we can see- stares at us constantly. God is so proud of his handiwork and loves it so much he never lets it out of His sight. He who formed us, knows how we work and is constantly there for us listening to us, watching over us, and loving us every second of every day. Talk about a full time hobby! But thanks be to Him who does love us enough to always hear us, always watch over us and continually love us all the more! In Jesus name, Amen.
For me I love to do wood-working and carpentry type of work. Over the years I have helped several friends or families fix up or remodel a home. It is fun, challenging work to first deconstruct what was already there, make a huge mess, and then begin the hard work of putting all the new materials up just perfect so it looks perfect when you are done. With each step of dry wall, mud and tape, primer, paint, trim, etc. it begins to look more and more like a house again and when you are finished and have cleaned up for the last time and you stand back and look at the finished product, it seems impossible that such a nicely finished looking wall or room were dusty 2x4 studded walls just a short while ago. However, it goes even further than that. Now ever time I walk into peoples homes and look around, I don't simply look at what color the walls are or what decorations they have up, I observe the different lay-outs, the different styles of walls, trim, etc. I notice the little things that only someone who has done that type of work before truly understands. I notice corners that would be extremely difficult to try to mud and have them come out just right. I notice the detailed work of cutting angled corners of trim and having them line up perfectly tight. (No please don't be scared to invite me to your house because you think I am looking for every little flaw and imperfection. Trust me - I am still fine tuning my own skills and hate looking at jobs I did because I see all my own mistakes,) I am not judging the work, I just have a different appreciate for the labor and effort it took to make your house look the way it does because I have done that type of work myself.
So now think about that project or hobby you have in your mind, if it's gardening, don't you pay special attention to other people's gardens? If it is quilting, don't you appreciate an extremely delicately hand-stitched quilt? If it is painting, don't you examine a painting up close looking for brushstrokes, color mixture, shading, etc.? I am willing to bet you do because you know the process, the labor, and the pain staking care it takes to do that type of work or craft. It means more to you and you have a better understanding of it than someone who has never even attempted that type of effort before. The same as anyone who has never actually done dry-wall work probably never even thinks to look for seams or corners to see how well the mudding and taping job was done. It doesn't mean anything to them, because they don't understand the process or have the memory of doing it themselves.
You take pride in that project, craft, or hobby you have done. because you did it. You made it. You created it. You put the time and effort into making it what it is /and you better than anyone else understands why it works or looks the way it does. This morning's devotion was from Psalm 94 verse 9: "He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?" God is also a creator, an artist, and an inventor. He invented us and created us from scratch. He formed us and made us exactly the way we are. So wouldn't he better than anyone understand us and know exactly how we work? Yes! However, even more than that - God is not an artist who paints a picture and puts it in some back room only to be looked at once in awhile. He is not an inventor who puts his creation on some shelf to get dusty. He is a creator who appreciates his work each and every day. He who gave us ears so that we could hear - listens to us every time we pray. He who gave us eyes so that we can see- stares at us constantly. God is so proud of his handiwork and loves it so much he never lets it out of His sight. He who formed us, knows how we work and is constantly there for us listening to us, watching over us, and loving us every second of every day. Talk about a full time hobby! But thanks be to Him who does love us enough to always hear us, always watch over us and continually love us all the more! In Jesus name, Amen.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Don't be a fool!
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. I love how you can have read something in the Bible three or four other times, but then you read it again and you realize you never knew that verse or passage even existed. I obviously love the Psalms and have read the whole Psalter several times, but Psalm 92 struck me as brand new today as I read it. This is why Luther said he could read the Bible all day every day for the rest of his life and still never know everything that is in it.
Psalm 92 verses 6-7 are a concept I have tried to explain to people before and it would have been nice to be able to pull this quote out of Scripture as I did so. I have tried to explain how when you look around our world and see non-Christians, they seem to be the ones who are excelling, the ones with nice mansions, boats, cars, and cars galore. This is because the Devil wants them to have everything they have ever wanted so that they never have to feel dependent on God. He doesn't want them to struggle so that they see no advantage in faith, religion, the church, or God. So when these verses from Psalm 92 state, "The stupid man cannot know, the fool cannot understand this; that though the wicked sprout like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever." Basically the psalmist is saying you are an idiot if you would rather have the pleasures of this world over the eternal paradise the faithful will receive. So while it may be tempting to cheat on your taxes, lie about the price of something in a store, or to steal a few things every now and then, don't be the fool. While faith seems like a struggle at times and all the people who don't go to church seem so much happier at times, don't be the stupid man. Being an heir in the kingdom of God with His name placed on you, His faith in your heart, and His good order in place in your life is worth so much more than any amount of toys or vehicles, or any size of house. Eternal life in the name of our Risen Lord Jesus is worth more than all the money and material goods this world can ever offer. Remain faithful, give thanks for all of the blessings, salvation, and eternal life you have because of Jesus' love, grace, and mercy, and don't let the devil's evil tricks make you the fool. Amen.
Psalm 92 verses 6-7 are a concept I have tried to explain to people before and it would have been nice to be able to pull this quote out of Scripture as I did so. I have tried to explain how when you look around our world and see non-Christians, they seem to be the ones who are excelling, the ones with nice mansions, boats, cars, and cars galore. This is because the Devil wants them to have everything they have ever wanted so that they never have to feel dependent on God. He doesn't want them to struggle so that they see no advantage in faith, religion, the church, or God. So when these verses from Psalm 92 state, "The stupid man cannot know, the fool cannot understand this; that though the wicked sprout like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever." Basically the psalmist is saying you are an idiot if you would rather have the pleasures of this world over the eternal paradise the faithful will receive. So while it may be tempting to cheat on your taxes, lie about the price of something in a store, or to steal a few things every now and then, don't be the fool. While faith seems like a struggle at times and all the people who don't go to church seem so much happier at times, don't be the stupid man. Being an heir in the kingdom of God with His name placed on you, His faith in your heart, and His good order in place in your life is worth so much more than any amount of toys or vehicles, or any size of house. Eternal life in the name of our Risen Lord Jesus is worth more than all the money and material goods this world can ever offer. Remain faithful, give thanks for all of the blessings, salvation, and eternal life you have because of Jesus' love, grace, and mercy, and don't let the devil's evil tricks make you the fool. Amen.
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Joy of presence?
Greetings in Christ. I may slow down in my blog posts as soon as I got started again. Last night, playing softball I fell on my right wrist and fractured two bones. Now it is extremely difficult and time consuming to type one handed and left handed at that. So I ask kindly for your prayers for rapid healing and your patience with my posts over the next few weeks. This is not how I envisioned my first several weeks of ministry but life happens.
This morning's devotion was on Psalm 21 and there was a line that caught my attention. Verse 6 includes "you make him glad with the joy of your presence" as it is listing all the gifts and blessings God has given to the king. It made me wonder, are we glad with the joy of God's presence? I mean it is probably just instinct to answer yes, of course we are glad God's is with us. But really stop and think about it. Do you really want God present in your life 100% of the time. It truly is a great thing God is there when we need Him and it is a joyous thing that we can go to Him any time in prayer. But the fact that God is always right there, always watching us, and constantly aware of what we are doing or not doing... does that make us glad with joy?
There are definitely times where we fail temptations or even worse actually enjoy our acts of sins where we probably wish God wasn't there. There are times we wish God wasn't watching us. knowing our every thought and action. But at the same time it is a joyful thing that God loves us enough to always be with us. Even when He knows all of our secrets, our failings, and our sins, He still loves us enough to forgive us and continue to be with us. God never gives up on us and that is a good thing, no it is a great thing. So let God's presence in your life not scare you or worry you, but rather let it make you glad. Praise him for the joy of His presence in your life. Be glad in the name of Jesus. Amen.
This morning's devotion was on Psalm 21 and there was a line that caught my attention. Verse 6 includes "you make him glad with the joy of your presence" as it is listing all the gifts and blessings God has given to the king. It made me wonder, are we glad with the joy of God's presence? I mean it is probably just instinct to answer yes, of course we are glad God's is with us. But really stop and think about it. Do you really want God present in your life 100% of the time. It truly is a great thing God is there when we need Him and it is a joyous thing that we can go to Him any time in prayer. But the fact that God is always right there, always watching us, and constantly aware of what we are doing or not doing... does that make us glad with joy?
There are definitely times where we fail temptations or even worse actually enjoy our acts of sins where we probably wish God wasn't there. There are times we wish God wasn't watching us. knowing our every thought and action. But at the same time it is a joyful thing that God loves us enough to always be with us. Even when He knows all of our secrets, our failings, and our sins, He still loves us enough to forgive us and continue to be with us. God never gives up on us and that is a good thing, no it is a great thing. So let God's presence in your life not scare you or worry you, but rather let it make you glad. Praise him for the joy of His presence in your life. Be glad in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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