Our Convention theme is: “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Be steadfast and immovable … Always abounding in the Lord’s work.” So I decided to use the word “abounding” or “abundant” as a focal point for our devotions. In this first devotion we will consider the Scripture… Read More »Our Abundant Need… God’s Abundant Grace Read More

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” (John 14:16, NIV 1984) PARACLETE—It’s a name we probably don’t use too often in our prayers. It may ring strange in our ears when we sing it in hymns at church. What does that name mean and why… Read More »Praise Be to the Paraclete! Read More

MEDITATIONS ON JESUS’ SERMON ON THE MOUNT: MATTHEW CHAPTERS FIVE THROUGH SEVEN “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but… Read More »Our Good Shepherd Warns Against False Prophets Read More

The Holy Spirit’s Perfect Book It contains historical writings, selections of poetry, and words of prophecy. † It boasts a collection of twenty-one letters and four Gospels telling about the life of a certain Jewish rabbi. † It was written in two languages by numerous authors over a span of sixteen centuries. † Read More

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5, NIV). “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” So wrote Solomon in Ecclesiastes (3:1).… Read More »Christmas at “Just the Right Time” Read More

“…The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.”  (John 10:25) Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man… Read More »The Widow’s Son at Nain Read More

MEDITATIONS ON JESUS’ SERMON ON THE MOUNT: MATTHEW CHAPTERS FIVE THROUGH SEVEN “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your… Read More »The Right Kind of Judging Read More

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.”  (James 1:17, NIV) This passage from the New Testament epistle of James describes our heavenly Father as the source of all the good things we enjoy during the time of grace He grants us on Earth. If we were… Read More »Thank You, Heavenly Father, for… Father Read More

When was the last time you fasted? Have you ever fasted? In Old Testament times fasting—abstaining from food for a specified time—was a common religious practice. Even though there was no direct command from God to do so, voluntary fasting for religious purposes was regularly undertaken. A main reason why believers of old engaged in… Read More »WHAT ABOUT FASTING? Read More

Picture the scene. The date is approximately 1600 B.C. The Israelites are living in Egypt, suffering as slaves at the hands of brutal taskmasters. Pharaoh had refused to let the Israelites leave his country though God has commanded him to do so, and He had sent nine plagues to try to lead him to comply.… Read More »…Lord, may Thy body and Thy blood be for my soul the highest good! Read More

“Change and decay in all around I see.” So wrote Henry Lyte in his well-known hymn “Abide with Me” (TLH #552:2). “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you”… Read More »Draw Comfort from Your Lord’s Unbreakable Promises! Read More

Written by: Thomas Schuetze pastor of St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church in Lakewood, Colorado. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all… Read More »For My Soul the Highest Good Read More

It happened one hundred years ago on April 15, 1912. The newly commissioned steamer, the RMS Titanic, struck an iceberg and foundered in the north Atlantic Ocean. Among the passengers was an elderly couple, Isidor and Ida Straus, who had been married forty-one years. As the doomed ship sank slowly but surely into the sea, Isidor and Ida… Read More »God’s Sacred Institution Read More

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one… Read More »It’s the Heart that Matters Read More

I believe that God has created me and all creatures.He has given me my body and life… In these words from Luther’s Small Catechism we state our belief that God the Father used His almighty power to bring all things into existence. The crowning stage of His creative handiwork happened on day six when He… Read More »Human Life… A Precious Gift of God! Read More

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people… Read More »Jesus’ Disciples Are Salt and Light Read More

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) In the first chapter of Acts we read the account of how Jesus, in the weeks leading up to His… Read More »Called To Be Witnesses Read More

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13) According to our time-honored custom, we Christians celebrate three main festivals each year during the course of the Christian church year. At… Read More »The Festival of The Holy Spirit… A Celebration of Joy Read More

Of all the names ascribed to Jesus in the Bible, which is your favorite? That is a tough question, I suppose, because every name given to Jesus shines forth with special beauty: Good Shepherd, Redeemer, Light of the World,the Lord our Righteousness (and dozens more).How can one pick a favorite from such a list? Each… Read More »What’s in a Name? Read More

One of the time-honored Christmas traditions we love to observe is the custom of exchanging presents. We pay a visit to a local shopping mall (or perhaps surf online) that we might search out and purchase items for sharing with family members. We gift-wrap our presents and tuck them away in a secret location or… Read More »God’s Little Christmas Gift Just What We Needed! Read More