(Matthew 3:16-17)
The church season known as Epiphany is largely misunderstood and to a certain extent even ignored.
Unlike the seasons of Advent and Lent, Epiphany is not marked with special services in many churches. There are no special Epiphany sales at the department stores nor are there any special Epiphany family dinners which relatives drive great distances to attend.Read More »Behold, the Son of God
“But that’s not fair!!!” You can almost hear the whining voice of a four-year-old complaining about not receiving the treatment he thinks he deserves. To the child’s young mind, it doesn’t seem fair that older brothers and sisters get to stay up later than he does to watch TV because that’s unwarranted favoritism.
But how many young children voice objections about fairness when they receive something BETTER than they deserve? As a twelve-year-old, did you complain that your four-year-old sibling did not get to stay up as late as you?
Jacob had left Canaan on less than good terms. He had tricked his aged and blind father Isaac into giving him the blessing that belonged to his older twin brother, Esau—not fair!! For this, Esau hated Jacob to the point of wanting to kill him. Jacob had to flee Canaan with only the clothes on his back and a staff in his hand. He would spend the next twenty years working in a foreign country.Read More »Unfair Treament
There is a change that takes place somewhere between 4th grade and High School. When we were young, going back to school was an exciting time—new folders, new pencils, and we got to spend the day with our friends!
But as we grew older, we realized how fun the summers could be and how much hard work came with going back to school. What once was exciting soon became the dreaded return to school after a summer of fun.Read More »Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic to the Glory of God
A word that makes many eighth grade confirmation class students break out in a cold sweat and lose sleep at this time of year.
Those who grew up in the Lutheran Church no doubt remember well their “confirmation examination” when they were publicly questioned on Christian doctrine as summarized in the Catechism. Oh, the racing heart,
the pale face, and the sweaty palms!Read More »Let A Man Examine Himself…
“…Submitting to one another in the fear of God” Ephesians 5:21
Most of you have probably heard the stunning statistic that 50% of all marriages in America end in divorce. When we look at different statistical websites, the breakdown is even more alarming: 40% to 50% of all first marriages end in divorce, around 65% of all second marriages end in divorce, and about 75% of all third marriages end in divorce. (www.divorcerate.org)
So the odds are stronger than 50/50 that you or someone in your family has gone through a divorce.
But of the estimated one million divorces that took place in 2008, how many of those do you suppose ended because the spouses “submitted to one another in the fear of God”? (See Ephesians 5:21)Read More »Christian Marriage
“Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not… Read More »Harvest Festival Service in Hecla
Thanksgiving Devotion Please read Philippians 4:10-20 If ever there was a holiday when it was fitting to talk about being “full,” Thanksgiving would be that… Read More »I Am Full
