“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” (Isaiah 54:10, NIV)Read More »Draw Comfort from Your Lord’s Unbreakable Promises!
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 truth that we sinful human beings have an ABUNDANT NEED for the pardoning grace of our God…and how our heavenly Father has supplied us, through Jesus His Son, with His ABUNDANT GRACE to meet our need.Read More »Our Abundant Need… God’s Abundant Grace
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 were seen standing near a lifeboat. The officer in charge urged them to climb on board, but Isidor refused to do so as long as there were women and children still remaining on the ship. Isidor urged his wife to get into the lifeboat, but she declined. “We have lived together for many years,” she said. “Where you go, I go.” They were among the drowning victims of the Titanic disaster.
“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 part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” Matthew 5:27-30 (NIV)Read More »It’s the Heart that Matters
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 fashioned the first man, Adam, from the dust of the ground and the first woman, Eve, Read More »Human Life… A Precious Gift of God!
“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 light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”Matthew 5:13-16
In the course of His public ministry Jesus often used word pictures to present the teachings of God’s Word.Read More »Jesus’ Disciples Are Salt and Light
“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 ascension, appeared to His disciples on various occasions and confirmed for them His great Easter victory. At this time He also informed them that He would soon bless them with power from on high that would enable them to serve as His gospel witnesses. After His departure to heaven He would use them as His instruments to broadcast far and wide in the world the news of His death-destroying, life-restoring work as mankind’s Savior.Read More »Called To Be Witnesses
“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 CHRISTMAS we remember how God sent His Son Jesus to our world as a tiny child at Bethlehem that He might serve as our Redeemer from death, hell, and sin. With hearts brimming with joy we commemorate the birth of Christ. Read More »The Festival of The Holy Spirit… A Celebration of Joy
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 tells something special about our Savior—who He is, what He has done for us, what wonderful reasons we have to love and serve Him.Yet there is a name we might be encouraged to rejoice in especially at this season of the year (Lent). I’m thinking of the name given to Jesus by John the Baptist: Lamb of God.
Consider the gospel comfort contained in this gorgeous name!
In Old Testament times lambs played an important role in the worship lives of God’s people. Each morning and evening, at God’s direction, the priest took a lamb, slaughtered it, and offered it as a sacrifice.Through this worship ritual God was picturing for them what the promised Messiah would do. He would offer His sinless life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.
And do you remember the account of the Passover recorded in Exodus chapter 12? God instructed the Israelites to choose a lamb from their flock (a one-year old male and a perfect specimen), bring it home and take care of it for two weeks.Read More »What’s in a Name?
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… Read More »God’s Little Christmas Gift Just What We Needed!
