From Red as Blood to White as Snow
GEMS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT “‘Come, now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They…
From Red as Blood to White as Snow
Count It All Joy!
STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of…
The 1955 Conventions of the WELS and ELS
THE ORIGIN OF THE CLC One aspect of the discussion surrounding the “Joint Statement,” which will again be before us at our 2020 convention, is how much importance to give to the events that took…
Gift of God Lutheran Church Fairfax, Virginia
A SLICE OF LIFE IN THE CLC Snapshots of congregations from around the Church of the Lutheran Confession “…the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b) Located just outside…
Called by God—Not Recruited
BEST. JOB. EVER! Are you a young person pondering a career? Have you considered becoming a pastor or a Christian day school teacher? This twelve-part series is meant to coincide with the work of the…
Myanmar Children’s Assistance
MISSION NEWSLETTER Every other month our CLC Board of Missions updates us with recent news from various mission fields. Formerly the capital of Myanmar, Yangon is the most populous city in the country. In a…
Newborn Hope!
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT Who likes going to the hospital? It’s a place for the seriously ill or injured. It’s a place where invasive surgeries are performed and patients are closely monitored in…
“BREAD OF LIFE” READINGS NOvember 2019
TLH = The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941; WS = Worship Supplement 2000; LSB = Lutheran Service Book, 2006
Date / Hymns / Reading Comments
Nov 1 TLH 490 Deuteronomy 18:1-8 The Levites were to devote themselves to the work of the Lord and that was a full time job supported through the people’s offerings.
Nov 2 TLH 32 (LSB 689) 2 Peter 1:1-11 Remembering how you have been cleansed of your sins, follow your Savior diligently in a life of self-control and brotherly love.
Nov 4 TLH 290 2 Peter 1:16-21 The Bible is the sure and certain Word of God—every word just as He intended it to be written for our learning.
Nov 5 TLH 287 (LSB 581) Deuteronomy 27:1-10 The Lord’s Word was to stand in a place of prominence over the people when they entered the promised land.
Nov 6 TLH 263 (LSB 666) 2 Peter 2:4-11 Do not be afraid, the Lord knows how to deliver you from temptation and from the ungodly.
Nov 7 TLH 265 2 Peter 2:12-22 Be on your guard because false teachers are very deceptive and tempting to follow.
Saints Alive!
COVER STORY – ALL SAINTS
““Saints alive!” Maybe you’ve heard the expression; it’s an interjection sometimes used by folks to express astonishment over something extraordinary they have just witnessed. When, for example, they see a beautiful sunset shimmering on a lake, they may be moved to exclaim, “Saints alive! How awesome is the handiwork of our Creator!”
Similarly, there are Bible teachings which are breathtaking for their beauty and may evoke a sense of wonderment in our hearts. I have in mind the teaching that when the Holy Spirit leads a person to anchor his hopes for this life and the next in his Savior Jesus, He transforms him from being a sinner into a saint.
There’s a day coming up on the calendar on which this astonishing truth of the Bible is highlighted in the Christian Church. It is called “All Saints’ Day.” It falls each year on November first. The origin of this festival can be traced back to the third century. Early on it was observed as a day on which Christians who were martyred for their faith were especiallly remembered, with thanksgiving to God. Later All Saints’ Day came to be celebrated as a festival on which all who died believing in Jesus were thankfully remembered.
God’s “Two-Minute Warning”
DEVOTION – END TIMES
“Dad, it’s time for supper!”
said a little girl who was sent to the basement by her mom. “Tell her I’ll be right there,” he said, “there are only two minutes left in this football game.” But with one team making every effort to stop the clock, the coaches using every available time out, and frequent commercial breaks, it’s amazing how two minutes can stretch into twenty. More amazing still is the level of intensity, effort, and focus on the part of the players when they know that the game is on the line, with the clock running out. Every coach must wonder, from time to time, how to get that level of play from his team during every minute of the game!
Both Scripture and our own observations make it plain that we are, right now, in the final minutes of an epic contest. It isn’t a sporting event, but rather the consummation of all history, just prior to the return of the Lord Jesus on the Last Day. The tell-tale signs of the last times are upon us—wars, rumors of wars, love growing cold, increasing wickedness, disregard for God’s Word, and false teachers abounding (see, for example, Matthew 24 and 2 Timothy 4).