The Reformation Blessing Above All Others
“Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe… Read More »The Reformation Blessing Above All Others
Devotions
Convention Rain Showers
Pastor Gullerud was asked to share with our readers some “Convention musings.” In this article he nicely captures the thrust of the 31st Convention of the CLC (June 2014). This issue also contains one of the Chaplain’s devotions as well as an abbreviated version of the second Convention essay.
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-8Read More »Convention Rain Showers
The Resurrection Difference
“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Read More »The Resurrection Difference
31st Convention of the CLC
Report on the
31st Convention of the CLC
THEME:
God Our Savior Desires
All Men to be Saved!
1 Timothy 2:3-7
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God
our Savior, who desires all men to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth.Read More »31st Convention of the CLC
“Turning the World “Upside Down”
CLC President’s Report to the 31st Convention
Dear saints in Christ and fellow workers in His kingdom:
Does it matter? Does what we do here make any real, significant, positive, lasting difference? If it does, we have reason and incentive to get to work; if not, what’s the point? From a human perspective we have little chance of accomplishing anything lasting. We are a small group with no political capital to spend and few material resources. What could we possibly do?
However, that could also have been said of the Apostle Paul and Silas when they arrived in Thessalonica in the course of Paul’s second missionary journey. There was nothing impressive about these two itinerant missionaries of Jesus. Yet before long, the Jews were accusing Paul and the other Christians of “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Sent out from the living Lord of the Church, they upset the status quo. Hearts and attitudes were completely changed. Without question, they made a difference.Read More »“Turning the World “Upside Down”
“God Our Savior Desires All Men to be Saved!”
Jesus is the One Meditator of that Truth!
The year was 1976, and I was ten years old, growing up just outside of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
The company where my Dad worked was a union shop, and a strike was called because of a disagreement between management and the union. The strike lasted for at least a year. No doubt the union workers were not 100% satisfied with the fact that non-union workers were allowed in the shop. But the mediators, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), had spoken, and that was it.Read More »“God Our Savior Desires All Men to be Saved!”
Happy Pentecost Harvest!
(Please read Acts chapter 2)
Pentecost – This word is derived from the Greek word Pentecoste, fiftieth, because the feast of Pentecost was celebrated the fiftieth day after the sixteenth of Nisan, which was the second day of the feast of the passover. The Hebrews call it the Feast of Weeks, Exodus 34:22, because it was kept seven weeks after the passover. It was the Jewish harvest-home. (From Cruden’s Complete Concordance)
God’s timing can make an interesting case study. We know from the Holy Scriptures that Christ was sent into Read More »Happy Pentecost Harvest!
Blessed Reception of the Lord’s Supper
In preparation for the Lord’s Supper we do well to engage in self-examination. Martin Luther’s “Christian Questions” help in this regard:
“Do you believe that you are a sinner?”
(Ans.): “Yes, I believe it; I am a sinner….”
“Are you also sorry for your sins?”
(Ans.): “Yes, I am sorry that I have sinned against God….”
“Do you also hope to be saved?”
(Ans.): “Yes, such is my hope….” Read More »Blessed Reception of the Lord’s Supper
“HONOR YOUR MOTHER”
In the early 20th century a woman from West Virginia named Anna Jarvis began petitioning prominent leaders, including President Woodrow Wilson, to establish a national… Read More »“HONOR YOUR MOTHER”
Christ, the Firstfruits, Is Risen!
“Now Christ has risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
Three important festivals came together at the time of the Passover, therefore also at the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection. All three have great significance for our salvation—significance that we do not want to miss.
Together they make up the season of liberation and salvation, showing how carefully God had planned and prepared every detail of our salvation. He pictured it for us 1500 years beforehand so that nothing would be left to chance.
The Passover
The first and most recognizable festival was the Passover itself. Just as the blood of the Passover lamb saved Israel from the plague of death which brought about their freedom from slavery in Egypt, so the blood of Christ, our Passover Lamb, saves us from death and frees us from slavery to sin and Satan.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
The very next day the Feast of Unleavened Bread began. Israelites were required to remove all leaven from their homes for eight days. This feast was symbolic of how Christ has cleansed us from the leaven of sin.Read More »Christ, the Firstfruits, Is Risen!