Understanding Life to Value It!
The contrast was stark.
The underlying message was startling.
Two newspaper headlines, one on either side of the fold, told two very different stories. Read More »Understanding Life to Value It!
Miscellaneous
Christian Education
“Treasuring Our Heritage of Truth” – Second of Three…
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up….” Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Our theme for this worship service is Treasuring Our Heritage of Truth. In order to keep a heritage, there really needs to be someone to whom it is passed down. That is where the role of Christian education comes into play. Through His Word may God teach us how we might pass down this heritage of truth, even as it has been passed down to us!Read More »Christian Education
Wedding Address
Dear family and friends of the bride and groom, and especially today, dear Jackie and Mac:
The text you’ve chosen is a most appropriate one for your wedding day. The setting is Old Testament Israel, where the people had recently conquered the Canaanites under the leadership of Joshua. The Lord, going before them, had won the battles. He had kept all of His promises to His people, to the last word.
Then the aging Joshua, after all the military campaigns, was about to retire from his post as commander in chief. They had reached a milestone, and they faced a fork in the road for their future. Joshua presented them with a choice—one of two options. They could choose to blend in with unbelieving world around them, OR they could resolve to remain faithful to the true LORD, their Deliverer.
A Winning Team
Christian education is, first and foremost, an activity for the home. God has called parents to train their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4) and make them wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15).
A Christian fellowship is able to support the home by providing Sunday School, Christian Day school, Vacation Bible School, and other opportunities. Of these, a school is probably the most recognizable “face” of Christian education; if this is the case, then graduation becomes a visible “sign of success.”Read More »A Winning Team
Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic to the Glory of God
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
In the Beginning
On vacation in Washington D.C. last summer our family visited a number of the famed Smithsonian museums in that city. The one that struck me most was the National Museum of Natural History which was featuring an exhibit on human origins.
The director of the Museum, Cristián Samper, said this about the purpose of the 20.7 million dollar exhibit: “The hall offers the opportunity to explore the scientific finds that shed light on one of the really significant sparks to human curiosity—our own origins.”Read More »In the Beginning
Expect a lot but don’t claim too much
Where were you on Saturday, May 21, 2011, the day the world did NOT end?
Another scholar got it wrong, deceived by his own intellect. We expect more from a Bible student, but things haven’t changed much since the days of Moses (read Deuteronomy 18:22). While Mr. Camping claimed too much for himself (we claim only what the Bible allows us to claim), we lived May 21, 2011 as Commencement Day at Immanuel Lutheran College, Eau Claire, Wisconsin—another day of His grace.Read More »Expect a lot but don’t claim too much
Opening Devotion – CLC Coordinating Council
“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Corinthians 15:19
Whenever I read this Word of God, I can’t help but shake my head at the striking example of hypocrisy.
Throughout this dying world, millions of people believe that Jesus Christ is dead. They may think that He was a real, historical figure or they may think that He never existed. In either case, the hope that people attach to Him is viewed as empty and meaningless. It is seen only as a crutch to get weak people through life. As Karl Marx put it: “Religion…is the opium of the people.”Read More »Opening Devotion – CLC Coordinating Council
God-Pleasing Fatherhood
What is fatherhood? What does it mean to be a father? Those interested in learning the meaning of this important role in life would be well advised not to study the current examples of the unbelieving world.
By observing the practice of a growing number of men, we might be led to think that fatherhood involves no more than biologically fathering children. After fathering a child, heartless self-serving men cut and run, leaving mother and child to fend for themselves. Other proud and arrogant men think they are doing society a favor by donating to a sperm bank (believing that they are improving the gene pool).
Holy Scripture has long genealogical lists of so-and-so begetting so-and-so, but these lists are not recorded and preserved in order to teach that fatherhood involves only the begetting of children!Read More »God-Pleasing Fatherhood
Two Mothers Beneath the Cross
In this world we can expect tribulation. So Jesus informed all His followers.
As the world seeks to celebrate Mother’s Day with flowers and sweet candy, we remember that troubles and bitter sorrow also come with the job. Blessed are all godly mothers who bear their cross with faithful patience.
If we were to ask, ‘Who is the most notable example of this in Scripture?’, who would not think of Mary, the mother of Jesus?Read More »Two Mothers Beneath the Cross