Lutheran Spokesman

 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23) In general, it is not a good practice to assume that something is true or acceptable! But when the writer to the Hebrews urges us to “hold fast the confession of our hope,”it is assumed that we […] Read More

(First of two) In Ireland in June of 2013 the American president said, “If towns remain divided—if Catholics have their schools and buildings and Protestants have theirs, if we can’t see ourselves in one another and fear or resentment are allowed to harden—that too encourages division and discourages cooperation” (emphasis added). Read More

PART FOUR OF THE SERIES “This is most certainly true!” The Five Installments:  1) God is my Father Almighty; 2) God is Maker of Heaven and Earth; 3) God is my Preserver and Provider; 4) God is my Protector; 5) God does all this for me by His grace. Absolutes–weren’t we taught to never use […] Read More

(First in a Series) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, […] Read More

There are milestones, course-changing events, and other momentous days that define our personal histories. These pivotal points may be filled with great joy or great sorrow, significant success or monumental failure, or anything in between. In all cases, these events are how we mark time and blessing. Viewing these events with Scripture’s light shining upon […] Read More

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather […] Read More

In the process of laying out the August issue of the Lutheran Spokesman, including the article which mentions the selfish behavior of ravens, we came upon a quote in which the Reformer Dr. Martin Luther uses the ravens’ cousins, the crows, to make a spiritual point. Recall the times of Luther (b.1483-d.1546). In preparation for […] Read More

GOD’S PROVIDENTIAL CARE It is not unusual for our Tulip and me to enjoy the backyard together. I sip my morning cuppa while gazing at the flowers; our pet cat watches the birds. Even when it’s raining, an assortment of winged neighbors are prone to gather there–some for insects and worms, pigeons for seeds, and an […] Read More

We are all familiar with St. Luke’s account of Jesus’ visit to the home of sisters Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). We recall that while Martha used her God-given gifts in the kitchen, Mary sat next to Jesus, listening to His words. With so much to do, Martha saw this as her service to the […] Read More

(Third of a Series) Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you […] Read More