When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
November 2, 2025 Bulletin Read Post »
If one’s hope is found only in humans and/or human institutions (including the visible church), one’s life will always be filled with the bitterness of disappointment and death. This is a simple, yet difficult fact. It is the result of fallen people living in a fallen world.
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
October 26, 2025 Bulletin Read Post »
It seems like the weeks that I have things to write about I find it difficult to find the time to write. And the weeks that I have time to write, nothing worthwhile comes to my mind. This is one of those weeks. However, since I missed sending out Monday’s Memory this week, I decided to do a little rewrite of the 2013 encouragement that was supposed to be sent earlier this week.
Do You Believe This? Read Post »
With all of the dangerous hero worship – and hero denigration – going on these days, I thought it might be worthwhile to use a Thursday’s Thirst to meditate upon the One Christians are called to follow and emulate. His name is Jesus. Neither a politician nor a denominational spokesperson, “Christ be my leader by night and by day; safe through the darkness, for He is the way. Gladly I follow, my future His care, darkness is daylight when Jesus is there.” (LSB 861)
Christ be My Leader Read Post »
And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
October 19, 2025 Bulletin Read Post »
When I was growing up, my parents wanted me to be an engineer or an accountant. I wanted to be a teacher. They even had me meet with the superintendent of our school district for him to discourage me, however his line that I remember is, “Yes, there are more teachers today (this was the early 1970’s) than jobs for them, but there will always be jobs for good teachers.” I went to college to become a teacher. Somewhere there is failure in that story. When I graduated from college, the church could not find a teaching position for me … so I worked in a church that had no school. Failure.
Failure after Failure Read Post »
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him! All that has life and breath, come now with praises before Him! Let the Amen Sound from His people again; ladly forever adore Him!
October 12, 2025 Bulletin Read Post »
Almighty and everlasting God, deliver us from temptation and the powers of evil, that we may be faithful unto death and receive from Your hand the crown of everlasting life. Whether we live or die, we belong to You. Comfort us with this promise, that we may join the company of the saints on Your appointed day and enter into the heavenly places to worship at Your throne on high; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forevermore.
October 5, 2025 Bulletin Read Post »
The time was 8:15 a.m. and my cell screen said the call was from our granddaughters’ school. As I answered the call, the voice on the other end said, “Pastor, we just wanted to be sure that you are all right.” “Yes,” I said, “and I will be there for 9:15 chapel.” “Chapel,” they said, “is at 8:15.” That’s when it hit me – SMACK Between the Eyes – that I had placed the wrong time in my calendar, and thus let down the entire school! Ouch.
SMACK Between the Eyes Read Post »
