THE BEST WAY TO DIE Take a look at the cross. It was the best way for Jesus to die. The method was gruesome, horrible, painful, criminal, torturous, full of anguish. You could easily make a list of over thirty extreme ways that history has shown by which people were executed. Crucifixion ranks up there… Read More »The first of three devotions on . . . Read More

Luke 13:6-9 The Barren Fig Tree St. Paul uses words like “grace” and “love” to personify Jesus, as in Titus 2 and 3. There is another word which hasn’t been overly used or abused yet–the word “kindness.” Paul’s use of it in Titus and Ephesians 2 reminds one of Nehemiah 9 and Isaiah 54–where this… Read More »Parables Of The Master Read More

Everyone ought to know some facts about Patrick — not just the Irish. For example, you would be surprised to learn that the Celtic Church in which Patrick served was more Lutheran than Roman Catholic. And this too, that “saint” simply meant “missionary”–the Celts did not canonize their members or clergy. There’s more. Earlier in… Read More »Saint Patrick — Could He Be One Of Us? Read More

Matthew 18:21-35 On Extravagance — And Its Lack You will never be sinned against by anyone the way in which you have sinned against God. No one will ever commit the number of sins against you that you have committed against God. And on the other hand, you will never have to forgive as much… Read More »Parables Of The Master Read More

When people visit England, there are a number of things they want to see. There are the many sights in London: Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Piccadilly Circus, the Houses of Parliament, and many others. Outside of London are also thousands of things to see and places to visit. Out in… Read More »You Can Run And You Can Hide! Read More

There’s a story about Christians in a cell awaiting their doom — to be fed to hungry lions. With only minutes left to live, they sing joyful hymns! A Roman guard pokes his head into the cell and asks: “What’s the matter–don’t you have a sense of the situation?” These Christians were convinced of Jesus’… Read More »Lent Is The Signal For Victory Read More

Most people are already doing their Christmas shopping. Funny how even Christians get caught up in this. Spending many hundreds on their children and others in a frenzy of . . . giving? Lots of people don’t like it if you talk about it negatively. And they get upset if you talk about Christmas too… Read More »AN – EK – DEE – AY – GAY – TOS Read More

It’s All Daddy’s Fault Scripture teaches us to say: “Our Father, who art in heaven,” and to confess that there is “one God and Father of all.” Some people blame Him for all the world’s troubles. They got the wrong daddy. There is another one. He has children, and is called the father of lies.… Read More »Father’s Day Thoughts — Read More

“You’re not like the other boys,” she said. “They’re only after one thing! You don’t act like that. Your language is decent. You’ve got good manners. You’re really different.” This is often the stated reaction to Christian behavior in many other areas of life as well. It has to do with that “different” Book and… Read More »ON BEING DIFFERENT — Part II Read More

Advent Devotion Two opposing concepts in Scripture, oddly enough, have something in common. One concept is “sinfulness.” The other is “holiness.” That they are opposites is obvious. What they have in common is that both denote “separateness” or “differentiation.” Stay with me. For example, in Isaiah 59:2 God says: “Your iniquities have separated you from… Read More »ON BEING DIFFERENT Read More

Here is something Strom Thurmond would say. Go into his office and ask the 93-year-old Senator from South Carolina where he expects to be at this time next year. He will probably say “Ratcheer!” This is an old saying. Gregory Peck used it in the 1946 film “The Yearling.” Clint Eastwood sneered at its use… Read More »“RATCHEER!” Read More

Do you remember hearing anyone asking, back around the middle of February, if you had “gotten shriven yet?” The 3-day pre-Lent season of “Shrovetide” and the custom of “getting shriven” then, are forgotten customs most everywhere. Once in a while you might hear of “Shrove Tuesday.” “Shrive” and “shrove” go back to the Latin work… Read More »YOU ARE SHRIVEN Read More

Your newspaper carried articles about it — on Saturday, August 26th — about Women’s Equality Day and the 75th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment (Women’s Suffrage). The next day, Sunday the 27th, we did something special in West Columbia, South Carolina. We inserted a “Mother’s Thanksgiving Service” into our morning worship. God’s Loving Care A… Read More »Women’s Equality And Mothers Superior: A Thanksgiving Read More

Business and Industry are out to make a profit. But the Church is called a “nonprofit organization”. In a way that’s too bad. NonProfit Organization Think of the Church as a “profit” institution — for herself and others. The profit is spiritual and eternal — the best kind, a Bible notion. In Mark 8:36 Jesus… Read More »Prophets And Profits Read More

It’s a clear day up here in the Northwest. Within a few hours’ drive are dozens of beautiful mountains in the Cascade Range, which stretches from British Columbia right out through Washington State. They are beautiful in the spring sunshine! One wonders if they were here prior to the Flood. Possibly not. There is something… Read More »ONE HILL HOLDS LIFE Read More

(First of three: Philemon 1-7) THE EPISTLE OF PHILEMON 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and… Read More »TENT MAKER/HOME BUILDER Read More

THE BEST WAY TO DIE Take another look at the cross. It was the best way for Jesus to die. Crucifixion turns out to be, by far, the best way for other people to die! Seriously. Let’s go to the cross on Calvary and find out. In Luke chapter 23 you hear Jesus make two… Read More »The second of three devotions on . . . Read More

THE BEST WAY TO DIE Take yet another look at the cross–the best way for Jesus to die, and the best way for you to die–and to go on dying, as Galatians 5:24 shows: “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” The Holy Spirit creates a willing obligation in… Read More »The last of three devotions on . . . Read More

Studies in Second Timothy (Please read 2 Timothy 1:1-7) Since Christ’s Ascension, millions of people have died for His sake, and thousands of people throughout the world become martyrs in His Name every year. But it sure is easy to be a Christian in our land–even in our Lutheran congregations. Is there something wrong with… Read More »The Big Test Read More

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 The passage (right) is a favorite of millions the world over. It is only for sinners. Self-righteous people don’t get the point of the invitation. It’s from Jesus who also said: “I am not come to… Read More »Guess Who’s Coming! Read More