And The Family Altar “How’s your car running?” That’s a question we often hear. We recognize the importance of keeping our vehicles in good operating order. But let me ask you another question: “How’s your Family Altar running?” “My family what?” you ask. “Your Family Altar! What kind of shape is it in? Is it… Read More »THE VOICE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD Read More

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.” (Isaiah 9:6) Have you heard of “the theory of everything”? The theory of everything is a hypothesis that tries to explain and link together all physical aspects of the universe. Einstein was the first one who… Read More »THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING Read More

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Martin Luther knew how to get right at the heart of the matter. When the common folks purchased indulgences, he understood that they believed they were actually buying the forgiveness of sins.… Read More »THE HEART OF THE MATTER Read More

Updates from congregations around the Church of the Lutheran Confession In the Garden of Gethsemane, on the night before He died, our Savior resolved to go forward and suffer the hell we all deserved because of our sins. This truth is stunningly pictured for all who come to Gethsemane Lutheran Church for worship. When worshipers… Read More »GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH–SAGINAW, MICHIGAN Read More

A mother checks her phone for the tenth time. Previously she had received news that her soldier son had been wounded in battle, but she knows nothing more than that. After many long, agonizing hours, she finally gets a text that reads, “Just a scratch, Mom. Don’t worry. It’s okay!” “It’s okay” can be two of the most… Read More »IT’S OKAY! HE IS RISEN! Read More

“Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3 ESV) Life is a road. We can be confident that we are on the right road when our faith is in Jesus. With Him as our Savior we have no doubt of one day reaching that better country. Yet… Read More »THE CHRISTMAS ROAD Read More

“And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.”  (1 John 3:19-21) It has often been noted that God began the 16th Century… Read More »REFORMATION CONFIDENCE Read More

DATE HYMNS READINGS COMMENTS Sep 01 TLH 434 Genesis 28 Heaven is opened wide to sinners through faith in Christ Jesus our Savior. Knowing Christ by faith, also means we have the Lord’s promise that He will be with us and will bless us throughout our earthly pilgrimage, even during our loneliest of times. Sep… Read More »Bread of Life Readings, September 2022 Read More

TLH = The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941; WS = Worship Supplement 2000; LSB = Lutheran Service Book, 2006 Date Hymns Reading Comments August 1 TLH 39 Genesis 1 The record of creation is very precise: every day of creation has a morning and an evening, making each of the six days a 24-hour day. Notice also… Read More »Bread of Life Readings, August 2022 Read More

A report on the radio told of odds makers taking bets on what might happen in the year 2000. One can place a wager, for example, on whether the stock market will crash, a world war will flare up, or scientists will finally make contact with space aliens. But the most interesting wager is the… Read More »IS THE END NEAR? Read More

PUDDLES OF TROUBLE Troubles, troubles, troubles. While walking down the sidewalk of life, we’re constantly stepping into puddles of trouble. Life can seem to be an on-going series of problems, and sorrows, and tragedies. Yes, even for the Christian, the troubles of life can at times appear to be overwhelming. After forty days and forty… Read More »“And God remembered Noah . . . and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters abated” — Genesis 8:1 Read More

A GOOD START Ever notice if you don’t get the first button right, all the other ones end up wrong as well? Ever notice that if a child doesn’t have a good start in life, the rest of his life often goes bad? Without a good beginning to life, a child will often grow into… Read More »Father’s Day Thoughts — Read More

We all have someone in our lives whom we would like to change. There are times when my wife would like to change me, and for good reason. But how to do that? In particular, how to get the Christian to do what God wants? How to get the church member to be more fully… Read More »MOTIVATING CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR Read More

It’s become a tradition in our family to go out hunting in the woods for our Christmas tree. In specified areas of the Black Hills the Forest Service will let you cut down an evergreen for a modest fee. Of course, the trees out in the wild don’t grow like they do on the farms… Read More »A CHRISTMAS TREE FOR BABY JESUS Read More

“Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8). In what is one of the most fascinating accounts in all of Scripture, Noah and his family were the sole survivors of the great deluge. But even more amazing than their physical survival through the flood, is their spiritual survival before the flood. In… Read More »The Soul Survivors! Read More

A SLICE OF LIFE IN THE CLC Snapshots of congregations from around the Church of the Lutheran Confession. For many, Gethsemane is a name difficult both to spell and to pronounce. For those unfamiliar with its Biblical significance, it seems a strange and foreign name. But what a wonderful name for a Christian congregation! For… Read More »Gethsemane Lutheran Church Saginaw, Michigan Read More

There it was, what used to be my good shovel! Left outdoors underneath a snowbank all winter, the spring thaw revealed a now badly rusted spade. With a packet of heavy duty sandpaper and lots of elbow grease I knew I could remove the rust and save it for useful work. The shovel would never… Read More »A Rust-Proof Confirmation Faith Read More

I have an old shepherd in my congregation. He and his wife spent their younger years tending sheep out on the rolling prairies of eastern Montana. When I stop in for visits they often speak of those days. I’m all ears. For not only are their insights and stories interesting in themselves. They often provide… Read More »THE RIGHT SCENT Read More

Thanksgiving is the day when we wonder if we’ll have enough. We bought a 20 pound turkey. Will it be enough to feed everyone? We plan on mashing a dozen potatoes, but what if that’s not enough? We baked three pies. But that might not be enough if Uncle John shows up. — Yet how… Read More »MORE THAN ENOUGH! Read More

Does anyone remember Gale Sayers? Chicago Bears fans know the name well. Sayers was a speedy running back who played for their team during the 1960’s. For many, however, Gale Sayers is most remembered for the statement: “The Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third!” I can’t remember off hand what… Read More »The Marriage Mindset: “I Am Third!” Read More