St. Paul Lutheran Church: Recent Episodes
Nathan Wendorf
If only Jonah would have ended happily ever after in chapter 3, but instead realistically ends (sort of) in chapter 4 were Jonah reveals his real reason for not wanting to go to Nineveh. The way that Jonah ends helps all of us to take a hard look in mirror of our sin but even more so assures us of our Lord God who will never give up on his prophets or his people always inviting them to repent and receive what nobody deserves grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
When Jonah is called a second time to go to Nineveh by God he chooses to go. After delivering a very short 5 word sermon it would seem Nineveh destruction in 40 days is eminent. Yet in those 40 days God through His Word spoken by Jonah accomplishes the biggest miracle in the story of Jonah. God does not given up on his prophet, the Ninevites, or YOU! He is a God of second chances purchased and won through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who specializes in transforming lives through the mercy, grace and steadfast love of God.
Jonah may have wanted to end his life and thereby bringing condemnation upon the people of Nineveh but God has other supernatural plans that will unfold in the belly of a great fish. In this belly Jonah will say a prayer that is pretty solid theologically but lacking in believability on the part of Jonah's true faith as he unmasks himself as the object of his worship. But God will not give up on Jonah as he continues to pursue him with his relentless steadfast mercy and love.
Jonah is not interested in God's plan for his life and will do anything he can to reassert his control over his life even if it means ending it. In the midst of a storm Jonah professes the right theology but the application of that theology is far from where God would have him be. Yet through it all God continues to pursue his prophet using even creation to call him to repentance and reception of the mercy of God.
When God calls his prophet Jonah to leave the comfort of his home and go to the city of Nineveh with words of judgement, the prophet of God without saying a word to God rebels and runs in the opposite direction. The book of Jonah begins with the audience wondering why this prophet of God is so reluctant to deliver God's word and when we finally find out the reason is quite shocking and sad, but yet if we are honest with ourselves not entirely shocking because we can so often have the same attitude toward the mercy of God.
At the baptism of Jesus as described by the Gospel of Mark we see the incredible good news that Jesus is willing to stand in the place of sinners and in doing so shows the kind of ministry and work he has come to do. In our own baptism we get the incredible good news that Jesus has chosen us personally!
No matter who you are, where you are from, what you look like, or even what you smell like, King Jesus born in Bethlehem is the Savior of the world for all people. The lowest in the land were given the highest honor that first Christmas to be the first to share. They didn’t have all the answers but they knew enough that Jesus wasn’t just for them but for the world. Let’s join them and continue to share that hope this Christmas.
There is a huge difference in life between knowledge and wisdom perhaps no better illustrated in Daniel 5 where one king who had the knowledge of the past yet did not have wisdom in learning from it. When the "writing is on the wall" in our lives do we learn from the past and especially from God's Word by both gaining knowledge of that Word and applying it in our life as the wisdom to which to live life by? After all what is at stake is not just our future but the future of those around us who God has perfectly positioned in our lives to make an eternal difference in.
There is an infection that is running rampant in our nation for which masks and social distancing can't seem to slow down. It is an election infection whose primary symptom is fear! Yet through out the pages of scripture the Lord God extends the invitation to Fear Not! It doesn't mean that there aren't fearful things in this world but instead that there is a way of living by faith that can still allow us to fear not. We cast our votes for candidates on a ballot but we do not cast our hope because our hope is put in the Lord God.
There is an infection that is running rampant in our nation for which masks and social distancing can't seem to slow down. It is an election infection whose primary symptom is fear! Yet through out the pages of scripture the Lord God extends the invitation to Fear Not! It doesn't mean that there aren't fearful things in this world but instead that there is a way of living by faith that can still allow us to fear not. We cast our votes for candidates on a ballot but we do not cast our hope because our hope is put in the Lord God.
In the final keystone habit in the Being Challenge we learn the importance of Choosing Church! When we Choose Church we are committing to be part of the body of Christ here on earth. Church can get pretty messy at times which is why forgiveness is a key to living out our faith in community with one another.
In a crazy, busy and loud world it is hard to find true solitude. Yet we find Jesus the busiest person to ever live chose to seek solitude time and time again to be alone with the Father. We too in our daily and weekly rhythms of grace need this same solitude for when we do God gives us a better focus in this crazy world and sends us out with his strength and power.
Jesus spends a lot of time praying and teaching about prayer and as he does so we get insight to the valuable gift in which we have the privilege to talk to our Heavenly Father.
Studying Scriptures allows us to see our true identity as it explains who God is and who we are in light of that truth! As your creator and redeemer God has naming rights over you and invites you to find your true identity in and through Him!
We are made for Community! Join us for week 2 of the Being Challenge where we will spend time seeing how even Jesus himself seeks out and creates community around himself to do life together!
We all have Habits, some good and some not so good. This week we will look at the 5 Keystone Habits of Jesus and begin to dive in to see what we need to do to make those habits our own!
We all have Habits, some good and some not so good. This week we will look at the 5 Keystone Habits of Jesus and begin to dive in to see what we need to do to make those habits our own!
Roman Christians at the time of Nero faced this dilemma that might sound familiar: How do you relate to the civil authorities when publicly they say one thing and privately do another? How do you obey, as a Christian, when it seems like the rulers you are asked to obey are obscured by propaganda, so you never know the truth? The answer that Paul gives in Romans 13 helps us better understand what God is doing in the world around as we live in the tension of being citizens of Two Kingdoms.
You are an essential worker in the Kingdom of God! The glory of God is hidden in the lives of his people and is revealed in self sacrificial service on earth. That is how Paul in Romans 11 & 12 would have Christians see themselves. Your life joined to the ministry of Christ carried out in every day ordinary ways in the various callings that God has given to us and in doing so you can make an eternal difference in the lives of those around you.
As Paul steps back from the details in Romans 11, he is ableto see the big picture and it is a vision of mercy on the part of God. As God comes into this world, he finds disobedience among all nations, but God remains faithful to his promises andworks mercy, mercy for all peoples, Jews and Gentiles, in Christ. Though the world be disobedient, God will remain merciful. Merciful to all people who believe in Jesus Christ.
We are people saved by grace! A grace that transforms and empowers us to be a part of the continual mission of Jesus in this world.
Christianity was never intended to be a private and personal belief, never intended to be lived when we cut ourselves off from everything, but daily and constantly. It was not just a relationship for you and Jesus, but a community that by God's grace is brought together in God's promises to live in them. The apostle Paul brings us to the greatest story.
What can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord? St Paul's answer is nothing! What is your's? What if there was a way we could navigate successfully through the troubles this world throws at us like COVID19, Hurricane Hanna, Cancer, Brokenness and more? Watch as we celebrate Christmas in July and rest in the assurance that Jesus is for you and with you!
Stuck in the Middle! That is what it feels like for Christians! Stuck in the middle of what were and what we are becoming as a new creation in Christ Jesus. In this world that means there is going to be a lot of groaning in the brokeness and pain but we do not do it alone, Holy Spirit groans along with us. He does not leave us in our groans but leads us toward the glory that is yet to come in the presence of Jesus. So we hold out hope with eyes focused on Him knowing the best is yet to come!
Our identity is so important to us and both Jesus and the apostle Paul want to make sure we know that when it comes to God, we can relate to him as Our Father. A Father who welcomes us into his family via adoption as daughters and sons not because of anything we did or can do but purely because of Jesus Christ alone. No matter where you've been or what you have done, there is always a place in the Father's house for you His child.
Jesus is the Lord of Life and has power over the grave! His resurrecting power impacts us not just in our resurrection some day but even today in our every day life!
In the first 30 years of the church described in the book of Acts we see that the generosity of the early church despite its poverty was incredible and was used to bless many. The persecution the church faced also began to grow but even that could not stop the work of the Holy Spirt!
On this Mother's Day weekend when many of us are still staying home for the good of others we hear from a story in the book of Acts about Philip. Philip was called by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the message of hope in Jesus to a man from Ethiopia. By the power of the Spirit the man is converted and baptised and while it was just one person the impact of his conversion impacted an entire nation.
Prayer. we do it all the time. especially now. but sometimes we need to shake up our prayer life to wake up to who it is we are praying to and what it is we are really asking for as well as what we are really wanting out of our prayer life.
There is a lot to be afraid about in the world around us. Yet Jesus invites us to fear less by reminding us of our worth and value in comparison to the birds we see all around us every day. We are known by God and assured by him that He is still in control. We are loved. We are chosen. We have hope because we are following the One who has overcome the world.
Covid-19 has taken over the collective thoughts of the world. In the midst of the fear and uncertainty that is over taking over our lives Jesus has words of hope, comfort and encouragement with the assurance that He is with us even now and the confidence that He has already overcome the world.
When Jesus is tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread in the midst of his 40 days of fasting, the temptation is real for His hunger is real. Yet Jesus knew more was at stake in the moment than his ability to turn stones into bread but rather His trust in the plans of the Father. He withstood this temptation so that when we given into temptation His death and resurrection could make us whole while at the same time by His power we can stand in the midst of temptation.
When Jesus is tempted in the wilderness He is able to withstand the temptation by trusting in the promises and word of God the Father. We don't always realize what's at stake every time we are tempted but if we can pause and take a step back and know that we aren't facing it alone we can begin to face temptation in a better way. Even when we fail and give into temptation we are reminded that Jesus didn't just resist temptation to show us how to do it, but to do it in our place so that we might receive forgiveness for those times we do fail.
When Jesus tells a story one day about two sons and their father he describes for us what our Heavenly Father feels towards us. Our performance for bad or good does not determine our place in the family, the father does. And his gracious and loving invitation is for all!
The believer in Jesus Christ is rich for his identity is not in external things but is in Christ Jesus! Ephesians 1:7 in Him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
The gospel transformed Lydia and her skill set into gifts used for expanding Christ’s kingdom from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.
Tears. We hide them. We avoid things and people that cause them. And in general we just wish they would be gone. When John is given a vision of the return of Jesus one of the most beautiful scenes that unfolds is that of God himself wiping every tear from the eyes of those who have been welcomed into his presence through the work of Jesus Christ. The same Jesus who unites himself to us through baptism and making us his beautiful bride. When we cry tears in this world may those tears remind us of the promises that God has made to us in our baptism and the promise that a day is coming when those tears will be no more.
As we celebrate Confirmation we recognize that the stories of our faith happen in community with one another, your story of faith matters and can have an incredible impact on another person. Sometimes we see that impact right away and sometimes the Holy Spirit works through our testimony and witness over many years. Even Saul turned Paul was impacted by a man who is only mentioned in one chapter of the Bible, but the impact of Ananias witness was world changing by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is sent, the disciples are sent, the church is sent, and the church sends! The message of Jesus and the Resurrection continues to be one that sends people out to share and to tell of the forgiveness and life that Jesus gives!
If you have the opportunity to meet someone who was dead and came back to life and the person who made that happen you would want to meet them! That's exactly what happened on Palm Sunday with Jesus and Lazarus. So many people were believing in Jesus because of Lazarus that he was deemed a threat to those who were against Jesus. Like Lazarus we continue to point people to Jesus with the stories of our lives wherever we are and wherever we go and when we share Jesus we are being used by Jesus to bring dead people back to life!
It is day 36 of the Red Letter Challenge and this week is all about Going! His Story is Our Story too!
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also said Jesus. While we may trust Jesus with our salvation we have a harder time trusting him with our wallet and stuff and if we are not careful our stuff can rob us of our faith. Instead of holding tightly to our stuff we can be people of generosity because of the overwhelming generosity of Jesus towards us that we can help but to share knowing that living generously is not about what God wants from you but for you.
Jesus invites his followers to be people who serve freely because they have been freely served by him. As a bonus in doing so we will find greater joy and purpose than in anything we can do for ourselves.
We serve not expecting anything in return because Christ serves us knowing there will never be anything in return. God doesnt need our Good works but our neighbor does!
Forgiveness. We don't do it naturally. We seek revenge, repayment, and retribution when we are hurt. Yet Jesus teaches us and shows us that he is in the forgiveness business and he doesn't just teach it he lives out in his life and in his death. What might change in your life if you really believe Jesus words of forgiveness to you and to those who have hurt you? Maybe his prayer on the cross, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do?" is exactly the place you need to go to hear his pardoning and transforming words and acts of forgiveness.
Before we can talk about doing as followers of Jesus we start with our being. Who we are because of what Christ Jesus has done for us. With our eyes fixed on Jesus we follow where he leads knowing that he will lead us to the finish line in victory.
We all worship something or someone whether we realize it or not. Watch the midweek message based on Day 8 of the Red Letter Challenge as Vicar Chad unpacks Jesus own worship temptation by Satan and in it a picture of our own worship temptations we face every day.
When Jesus finishes the most famous sermon ever preached, He ends it with a call to not just hear his words but to do them. We want to be wise and have a firm foundation to build our lives upon not just for our sake but for the sake of the people around us. Let's take the Red Letter Challenge and examine our foundation today to make sure what we are building doesn't just look good on the surface but will endure into eternity! #redletterchallenge
We are surrounded by voices every day shouting for our attention and wanting things from us. Yet in the midst of all the shouts another voice is calling, a voice who has your best interest at heart and will never let you down. Take up the offer extended by God the Father to Listen to Jesus. But don't be surprised if it completely changes your life for the better! It is time for the Red Letter Challenge!
The table is a simple piece of furniture in our homes and yet at the table incredibly powerful things happen. Even more so the Table that the Lord Jesus invites us too as the church provides a place where true transformation happens and lives are changed in time and for eternity. Watch as Vicar Chad shares more about the Table and the way that Table is going to be multiplied to reach more people in 2019 here in the RGV.
The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is a powerful story of forgiveness. A type of forgiveness that we all long to receive and struggle to give. Watch as Pastor Franco unpacks this great and powerful gift of forgiveness!
When we realize our identity as part of the Body of Christ and live in that identity with love that Jesus has for us that he invites us to have for one another, a powerful force is unleashed that has the power to change eternity! Love as Jesus defines it and as Paul explains it has the power to transform our world!
One of the greatest forces in the world is the Church of Jesus Christ! Yet one of the biggest obstacles to the church accomplishing her mission is division and discord in the body of Christ. If we can learn to see one another the way that God through Christ Jesus sees us which is reflected then in the way we love one another and celebrate each other's gifts the possibilities are incredible!
If Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder, how does God see you? We don't have to wonder or doubt but instead can know that because of Christ we are forgiven, loved and precious in the eyes of God. So precious that our names are engraved on His hands and He desires to be the ever faithful groom to us!
Our identity is important to us! But sometimes we confused as to where our identity comes from with the temptation to find that identity in the creation instead of the creator. Fortunately for us our Creator does not abandon or forsake us despite our sinfulness and pursuit after things that can never really satisfy and only cause us to fear. We can find that hope and assurance that He is for us in the incredible gift of our baptism!
A very special message from the Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick a grandson of the congregation of St. Paul who joined us to share a word of encouragement when it comes to the Gifts that God has entrusted to us and how we steward those gifts both now while we are alive and when we die. For more information on the work of Legacy Deo visit LegacyDeo.org
Rejoice in the Lord Always? Sounds hard to do. But that is only if you see it as a command of the Law and not as a joyful invitation of the Gospel thru Jesus Christ!
This season of Advent and Christmas is filled with high expectations for our family and friends and for ourselves. What happens when those expectations are not meet? If we shake the family tree of Jesus we find a number of people who don't live up to the expectations of being related to Jesus. But then again that is the point of the story! Jesus comes to save His people from their sins! Even when we let him down his promised presence continues to assure us we are a part of the family not based on our performance but on his perfect performance.
Where God Guides, God Provides! That is what Abraham learns when God makes a seemingly strange request regarding his son Isaac. In all the tests of life and in the the sometimes chaotic and surprising circumstances of life we too can rest on the never changing promises of God and the assurance of what he has already done for us! God is Faithful!
It may seem strange to us to start the story of the most important person ever to walk this planet by first telling you about His family tree, yet that is exactly what Matthew does in his account about Jesus. When we meet some of the characters that Matthew highlights we are reminded of the reason that Jesus came, "to seek and to save the lost" After all sinners aren't just a part of the story of Jesus, they are the point of the story.
As we approach the end of the church year the Apostle Jude in his short letter reminds us of the Hope that we have in God who is able to keep us from stumbling and present us blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.
On All Saints Day the church remembers that great multitude that have died in Christ Jesus who will one day be in the presence of Jesus as described by John in the book of Revelation. Yet we don't get lost in the crowd and find comfort too in the assurance of the promise of that God himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes. So while we wait we continue to do the work of the church on earth in the places and positions that Jesus has perfectly positioned us for.
Here we still stand on the truth of the good news of Jesus Christ proclaimed by scripture alone and saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ Alone. 501 years into the reformation we can not forget the treasure of the truth of Holy Scripture!
What are your spiritual gifts? You may not think about them very often but the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given to you are purpose filled gifts! It is through these gifts that others get to see the generosity of God as we carry out the things that God has already prepared for us to do! Let's discover our gifts, encourage others in their gifts and be available to put those gifts into action for God's Glory!
The Story of the Good Samaritan is well know by many. But sometimes we miss the whole point of the story if we see it simply as a message to do good and not as Jesus taught it. To really understand the story we need to start with the reality that we are the person who is halfdead in need of rescue and there is only ONE who can truly rescue and heal us. When we have received what Jesus alone can give then we are freed to live loved to the people around us!
Our enemy is constantly trying to deceive us in many ways, our flesh is also guilty of sin, together our accuser and our guilty conscience will set us up for failure and fall. When we are tempted in our selves we are guilty, powerless, and without hope. Only through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we can be victorious and secure.
When we deal with pain and suffering in our world so often we find ourselves asking a lot of questions that start with the word "why" Yet our best answer to that question may no be a list of reasons but in fact, I don't know. We may not know why about a lot of things but there is one thing we can be sure of and that is the goodness of God and the incredible way that He loves us.
"The LORD is near to all who call to him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them." These words from Psalm 145 are beautiful prayer and one that God answers through the person and work of Jesus who continues to intercede on our behalf!
Happily ever after? Is that really possible to have the story of our life end that way? After all, our lives are connected to the tragic story of Genesis chapter 3 and the fall of mankind. Left on our own the story of our lives don't have a very good ending yet what if there was a better option than happily ever after? Jesus extends and invitation for not just a better story someday in heaven but a better story even right now and he has given us gifts so that we don't have to go it alone.
Every tree needs a healthy and vibrant root system in order to survive and thrive in this world. Followers of Jesus have a root system too given to them by God in the gift of faith. We want to strengthen that root system with the gifts that God gives us so that no matter what happens in the world around our roots stay firmly planted and growing in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.
Where does our strength come from? our plans and preparation or the one who is with us always and already knows what is coming!
Traditions were do they come from and what are there purpose? Jesus addresses this topic one day and reorientates it towards himself.
We can be pretty choosey in life and the more wealth we have the more choices we are faced with which can be dangerous for us especially when it is so easy to forget. Fortunately the Bible is filled with words of not just warning but encouragement as we are told just how choosey God is too.
We prepare for lots of things in life. Things that are important! Let's never forget to be prepared not just for things that impact today but eternity when it comes to matters of faith in Jesus Christ who is not just our hope but the hope of the world!
It is one of the most beloved chapters in the Bible and found in almost every funeral service. The words of Psalm 23 paints a beautiful picture of the Lord God as the Good Shepherd who personally cares for his sheep.
Psalms 42 gives us a beautiful description of a soul that thirst after God. Listen in as Pastor Mauricio shares his first message from this Psalm with our St. Paul family.
Fear may be a liar but it is a powerful force in our lives. While there are things to fear in this world God in His Word invites us to choose faith over fear not because we are strong but because HE is strong and He is for us!
Michael Newman the newly elected President of the Texas District LCMS shares God's Word on the occasion of the ordination and installation of Rev. Mauricio Franco as Associate Pastor at St. Paul.
When we show our thanksgiving to God and to others for what they have done for us it can really change us. Especially when we choose to be thankful even when the circumstances are difficult.
Giving thanks can be hard for us to do. Fortunately we have in the Psalms some beautiful encouragement and reminders of what giving thanks to God is really all about.
In Psalm 3 we hear David cry out as a desperate father over the brokenness that exists between himself and his son. Fortunately he knows who to cry to, a Heavenly Father who hears and answer the cries of his people with shouts of deliverance and rescue!
Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The LORD rescues them when they are in trouble.
The Psalms are filled with some of the highest highs and lowest lows of life in which we hear many of our own emotions and feelings be brought to light. In Psalm 30 King David responds to a tragedy of his leadership with words of sorrow and reliance on the faithfulness of God who can transform even the saddest part of our lives into a dance.
Thinking about the nature of God especially the Trinity can be quite confusing! Yet the way God feels about us and what he has done for us is clear thanks to the person and work of Jesus Christ!
The buildings, programs, and people may change but the church of Jesus Christ mission does not change! The same Holy Spirit that was poured out on the apostles is that same Spirit that continues to be given to the church today to carry out the same mission! The church are those who have been joyfully sent by Jesus to continue his work with confidence that the best is yet to come!
On Mother's Day we remember there are no perfect moms and only one perfect child. The key ingredient of love is found in forgiveness. And no one shows forgiveness quite like Jesus does as he teaches and as he shows that love especially at the cross.
What incredibly great news it is to know that Jesus has chosen us! As the Confirmation Class of 2018 shares their faith as the beloved, chosen children of God we are reminded that as we live in the love of Jesus we have the awesome opportunity to share that love with others.
God is Love! What an incredible reality that when it comes to love God at his essence is love! This love is deeper than any feeling or emotion but is an event of history shown in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ! When by faith we live in that kind of love it naturally overflows to the people around us therefore if we want to improve the way we love it is all about abiding in Christ Jesus!
When by faith we realize the depth of the love that God has for us in Christ Jesus, we realize the change our identity has gone through to become a child of God which then changes the way that we love other people. You are a beloved child of God in spite of everything you have done and not because of anything you have done!
Love is complicated. Or it at least seems that way. But yet love is a necessity for all of us! To really know love and to know the Love that God the Father says he has for us, we look to Jesus. Jesus who takes broken people and through a cross makes them beautiful because of his love. You are a beloved child of God!
When your faith feels weak rest in the assurance that the object of your faith is always strong! After all with Jesus as the object of your faith even death doesn't stand a chance!
Something about death just feels wrong so when you find out someone has the power over death you want to know more about them. You want to see what they do. You want to hear what they say. When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead it sets in motion His own death and not just that his Resurrection! which is great news for all of us who fear death!
We are created to do life together. Yet we sometimes find ourselves isolated and alone even in an ever connected world. The church is to be that place were life is done together as the body of Christ and gathered around the Table giving us a foretaste of what is yet to come in the presence of Jesus.
it has been called the gospel in a nutshell. A powerful and beautiful description given by Jesus in proclaiming how God really feels about humanity and what he is willing to do for us!
We have all been touched by death in some way. Jesus speaks into death's sting with words and actions of resurrection and life.
We are all inadequate. Sometimes we try to hide our inadequacies by ignoring them and hiding them or trying to cover over with our strengths. But what if those place of inadequacy are the places where God can let his glory shine through to accomplish way more than we can on our own. Just ask Moses.
Captivity and Freedom a theme that is repeated over and over again in the Bible to describe life without Christ and life lived in the work that Christ has accomplished for you. How would you share the hope that you have in Christ Jesus.
A good confession of faith has some key components to it. Listen in fro part two of the Gospel in Seven Words
We all want to know the will of God for our lives. Yet sometimes that will seems a little confusing and we can't understand it. While the situations around us may be confusing the promises of God are never changing and never failing. Abraham shows what a faith in God looks like even when God is confusing and doesn't make sense.
Imagine that a friend or family member who is unfamiliar with your Christian faith asks you to summarize the gospel. She isn’t looking for a laundry list of doctrines. She has no interest in hearing you recite the Apostles’ Creed. She wants to get to the heart of the matter. “In seven words or less,” she says, “tell me what you believe as a Christian.” To be a Christian is to “believe with your heart” and “confess with your mouth” the good news of God’s love for us in Christ (Romans 10:9–10). Peter calls us to be prepared always to give a reason for the hope we have as Christians (1 Peter 3:15). Christians have the best news in the world to share. But are we prepared to share it? In our midweek worship we will we work together to formulate faithful Christian confessions. Come prepared to contribute to the conversation!
We don't like to admit our weakness in life. Yet sometimes those weakness are exactly the places where we see clearly the glory and strength of God shining through doing what we cannot. How beautiful it is that Jesus joins us to the greatest victory of all through his cross so that we can confidently say, " I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20
Time Heals All Wounds...might sound nice but it just isn't true. Time does not have healing powers especially when it comes to dealing with regrets. David and his children give us a glimpse of how unresolved sin and pain can fester and grow instead of receiving the healing power of forgiveness through Jesus. Time may not be able to heal but the creator of time has more than enough power to heal and forgive all of the stuff we have done and that has been done to us so that we don't have to carry it around anymore.
We all have stuff that we have done that we wish we could just hide or explain away. Yet that doesn't seem to really help us and instead many times compounds the problem and it snowballs into bigger problems with more people getting hurt. Instead of covering up or excusing our sin God provide a better way, a way that eliminates the burden of our sin and allows us to no longer be a slave to guilt through the gift of forgiveness something that King David a "man after God's own heart" experienced on one of the darkest chapters of his story.
No one deserves mercy or forgiveness which is why it can make it feel so hard to give and if we are honest even to receive. But the facts of forgiveness remind us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Jonah the reluctant prophet who refuses to pray or repent and who repeatedly asks to die because of the mercy of God shown to everyone is a good account to learn about the power of God to show mercy even when people don't deserve it.
Ever tried to, "Get Your Life in Order" whatever that may mean to you? Usually that involves dealing with a lot of stuff about ourselves and our lives that we would rather hide and cover up. Sometimes we spend so much time running and carrying stuff that we forget that there is One who is willing and able to take all of our stuff. No matter what we have done, no matter how good we think we are (at least compared to others), Jesus is ready and willing and able to take your stuff. Your stuff may always be a part of your story but it doesn't have to be your identity after all you have a Heavenly Father who loves you and is always willing to welcome you home.
He may never speak a word that was recorded in the Bible but Joseph's action as the adoptive Father of Jesus in many ways give us an image of what Jesus came to do. For it is through Jesus by faith that we too can be adopted forever into the family of God and receive all the benefits that come with it!
Mary holds a unique role among any person to ever walk this planet, to be the mother of the Son of God. In her humility to be used by the Father to be a part of something so important that would change not just her world but all of eternity. Yet her Son showed the greatest humility of all with his birth, perfect life, sacrificial death and glorious resurrection.
What Child Is This? Journey with the Shepherds to the manger as they explore the question and meet the Good Shepherd.
Thanksgiving can be a difficult holiday because of the ups and downs of life. Yet in the midst of all circumstances we can find joy and contentment not by what we have, but by who has us.
Perhaps the greatest promise and image of being in heaven in the presence of Jesus is the assurance of what will not be there. No more tears, pain, hurt, death...things we wish we could avoid in this life but can't seem to escape. Yet through Jesus there is hope and assurance that our tears do not get the final word!
On the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation we still stand on the Truth of God's Word Alone and the Work of Christ Jesus to accomplish everything for our salvation! A truth that so transforms our lives that we cannot keep it to ourselves but go to do the works that Christ Jesus has already prepared for us to do!
When it comes to understanding God, it can be all too tempting to trust ourselves rather than God’s Word. We try to trust our consciences, our culture, or our comprehension. But going beyond God’s Word either allows us to create a God in our own image or saddles us with burdens we cannot bear. But the Good News is their is only one Perfect and True Hero in the Bible who is in the business of changing stories with His love, mercy, and grace.
They way in which we receive God’s grace is through faith. We trust that God wants to forgive and save us. If we seek to work for what God has given, we are saying that God’s work is not enough. Do we trust God’s work so completely that we do not try to add to it
How fantastic it is that we have been saved by grace alone. Yet so often the church has struggled to receive this free gift wanting to add additional things on top of the grace of God and thereby diminishing and forgetting where salvation comes from. Usually we do this because we forget just how bad we are apart from the Grace of God and just how great and amazing that Grace is for all of us wretches!
Are we saved by Christ alone or is salvation a team sport requiring something from us? It is tempting to exalt ourselves over Christ. John the Baptist, however, knew that things work the way they should only when we decrease and Christ increases. In what ways are you trying to add your boasting to Christ’s work? How does that lessen your hope?
When Jesus is asked what must a person do to inherit the kingdom of heaven? He responds first with a dialogue and then with a story, a parable to teach His hearers then and now just how gracious and generous God the Father is in inviting people into his kingdom and giving to them a reward that was impossible for them to earn or get on their own.
When doubts and questions rise in our hearts and minds when God doesn't do what we would do it can cause us to ask some iffy questions. We may find ourselves in good company with the man in Mark 9 who says to Jesus, "if you can do anything have compassion on us and help us." But maybe too we can be brought to the same place he was when in the midst of pain cries out to Jesus, "I believe, help my unbelief!" and that is a cry that Jesus is always ready to respond to.
Ever wish that God was more like your media consumption devices, that is On-Demand delivering what you want, when you want it? Some of our biggest struggles comes when things happen that shake us up either personally or collectively like the recent hurricanes. We may wonder where God is in the midst of the storms, yet the good news is that we don't need to wonder in the silence but instead be assured of the God who has Revealed himself to us in the person and work of Jesus and in the pages of scripture where we find a God who is way better than an On-Demand God who always grants us our wishes.
Doubt we all have it and nobody likes to talk about it especially when it comes to matters of faith. Perhaps it is because we have been thinking about doubt in the wrong way all along thinking perhaps it kicks us out or that it is the opposite of faith. Yet maybe even doubt has a purpose in our lives not to drive us away from faith but to call us to faith in the presence of Jesus after all the first response to the most important event in the history of the world was doubt yet Jesus used those very people to go and to share the message of what they had seen. Perhaps your doubts and questions instead of sending you away will bring you and maybe even someone else closer to Jesus today.
"The characters work together to save their town or store or farm..." is the reason people have be tuning into a particular cable network searching for hope. Yet there is another place that can also meet that description and even better than what you can tune into on TV it is a group of people, a body, being built together by Jesus himself that we call the church.
Sometimes we may be helpless in the situation we are facing in life but that does not mean we have to be hopeless because there is always One we can go to and plead for mercy!
One of the most incredible miracles of Jesus recorded by all 4 Gospel writers is the Feeding of the 5,000. In it We see Jesus takes something small and use to provide for hungry tummies and along the way he teaches us just how much he cares about us and our brokenness and pain no matter how little or big if may seem.
Apart from regular reading of God's Word, this Christian life is incomplete. Jesus teaches us the value of connecting with Him in scripture. We also find, that all scriptures points to, and finds it's fulfillment in, Jesus Christ!
In this life of following Jesus, He invites into the home, hearts, and lives of people who may be nothing like Him, or nothing like us, so that we can invite them to follow Jesus. The message of life and salvation for the whole world, through faith in Jesus Christ, is for all people!
Jesus has a view of life, that not only looks to the temporary things of this world, but the eternal things of God's Heavenly Kingdom. In this sermon we learn how to better see this world, and the people around us, like Jesus sees them.
Jesus teaches us a prayer, in The Lord's Prayer, that connects us to the everyday truths of what it means to Follow Jesus. God is greater than all things. He gives us all things. We ask Him to Forgive us all things, and take care of us in all things!
Through water and the Word of God in baptism we are connected with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Daily as we die to sin we rise with Christ and His forgiveness!
The mystery of the Trinity as God reveals himself as one God yet three distinct persons is beyond our comprehension. Fortunately though through Jesus we are given the facts about how God feels towards us and what he desires for us.
Pentecost is not just an important day for the Christian Church, it's an important for the everyday life of every Christian. Pentecost has means that we have the ability to speak God's Word to everyone, everywhere, everyday because we have been filled with the power of the Holy Spirit!
When Jesus chose to pray for the church, He asked God the Father something very specific and somewhat surprising about what he wanted for the church. But in Jesus request we hear about the power of unity in the Body of Christ in carrying out Jesus great mission for the church.
Mother's Day can be filled with mixture of emotions. But one thing is for sure all mothers and all people for that matter need what the perfect Son can provide, mercy and forgiveness. As we follow Jesus our desire is to continue to crave, long for, and desire the pure spiritual milk of the Gospel and the inclusive message of Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life.
When Jesus appears to some of his followers on the road to Emmaus following his resurrection, it is almost like a cosmic edition of the show undercover boss as they don't recognize Jesus after all he had died and been buried in a tomb. Yet in this incredible appearance Jesus reveals not just himself but the Word and in doing so shows how incredible the love he has for us as more of his followers would later write.
The eyewitness testimony about the Resurrected Jesus was and is the foundation of the Christian message! And the good news is because Jesus has risen from the dead, we too, through faith in him have hope of our own resurrection!
The Resurrection of Jesus is the greatest event in the history of the world. His victory over death itself, is your victory. You have the victory over sin and death through the restoration that Christ brings, through faith in Him. Jesus lives! The victory has been won for you!
Waving palm branches was a part of the beginning of the most important week in the history of the world and because of those events an even greater celebration with palm branches is coming for those who follow Jesus.
Everybody trusts something or someone for the future. Where that trust is placed makes a difference between whether we limp through life or live life to the full and it starts with remembering the identity that God has given to us through His Son Jesus. Listen in as Elijah learns that while the present may be difficult and the future may be uncertain, God remains faithful to his people and faithful to his promises.
When Moses has his encounters with God on the Mountain it changes him and it changes the people that he is called to lead. Yet as great as those encounters were it reminded the people how far they remained from the presence of God. To tear down the diving wall God would have to act and the curtain would have to be torn in two by the person and work of Jesus on Calvary. With that accomplished by Jesus his followers continue to shine and share Jesus today!
When God tests Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac, we see Abraham learn just how strong his faith in God confident that the Lord would Provide. In the end Abraham does not sacrifice his son because only one Son needed to be sacrificed, the son of God, Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In the midst of trials and struggles we find our faith strengthened by the faithfulness of God even when we do know how it will all work out we can be confident that God keeps his promises.
Throughout the pages of scripture, God encounters His people delivering messages of hope in seasons of doubt and despair. The location of many of those encounters are on the top of mountains where God gives his people a bigger view of what is really going. In the first week of the series we start with the first mountain scene in the Garden of Eden as we take a look at what happens when perfection is lost and brokenness enters the world. Join in us in the 5 minutes daily closer encounter during the season of Lent: Daily Encounter (5 Minutes) 1. Pray: Holy Spirit, Your Word declares, “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). May that word now dwell in my heart and mind as I encounter it today! Amen 2. Read: Romans 5:1-11 (try different versions of Bible on the Bible App each day) 3. Reflect: What word, phrase, idea, is the Spirit putting before you today. Journal your thoughts or draw a picture. Have a conversation with another person(s) 4. Pray based off your reading and reflection.
At the transfiguration of Jesus we are given a glimpse of the glory of Jesus as He reveals who He truly is! Amazingly as he reveals himself as God He prepares to head on a path on which he will offer his perfect life as the sacrifice for sin showing his plans are always far greater than ours!
Jesus continues in the Sermon on the Mount to challenge us to rethink those who are against us and what it looks like to get even and along the way we will see that while we may want things to be fair in life, at the end of the day we are glad that fairness is not what God in Christ Jesus wants for you. He wants something way better than fair!
When Jesus explains the 5th Commandment in the Sermon on the Mount, He invites us to not only look at our outward actions but also the words we say and the thoughts of our hearts. In doing so we realize just how far we fall short of the standard God has set and our great need of forgiveness. Only when we realize just how much we have been forgiven because of Jesus can that forgiveness flow through us to those we have hurt and those who have hurt us.
As we walk through this blessed life in Christ, God calls us many things. He calls us forgiven. He calls us righteous. He calls us eternal. He calls us His very own children. Jesus also calls us Salt…and Light. Salt & Light? This weekend in worship, we will explore what it means to be “the salt of the earth,” and the “light of the world.” What happens when salt loses it saltiness, and the light begins to die out? Jesus has encouraging words for any of us, who have ever felt like we have fallen short of His desire for our life. Living the Blessed Life means more than just living up to a standard, or trying really hard to attain the attainable. The Blessed Life means we have a God who walks with us as we flavor the world with His love first shown to us, and light the path to lead all people to the truth of His saving Grace for the whole world! Check out the series website at http://www.stpaultexas.com/news/the-blessed-life/
What is it mean to be blessed? How do you know you are blessed? Jesus gives some incredible insight as to what the true blessed life looks like as He begins the famous Sermon on the Mount reminding us that being blessed is less about what we have and more about who has us!
During this week that we celebrate Lutheran Schools we find comfort in the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ! Psalm 18:1-3 I love you, O LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.,
As men and women living in a fallen world, we are all tempted to sin. The Father of Lies, Satan, seeks to make us question God’s truth for our life. We may even be tempted to question our forgiven identity in Christ – Can God really love, even me? So what happens when we are tempted; and what do we do when we are in the midst of temptation? This week in worship, Jesus reminds us of some incredibly important things: Our true identity is in Him, and because He was true to His mission of forgiveness for us, we can be assured of our life in Him!
In the baptism of Jesus we begin to see all that Jesus is willing to bear for us as he stands in the place of sinners.
What’s in a name? Well, not much, unless it’s the name above all names! Too often in this world we find that the names and labels attached to us, either by ourselves, or others, remind us of our flaws and failings. We can never be the perfect, Husband or Father, Wife or Mother, Worker, or Friend etc. Sometimes we might even feel wholly inadequate. Names help explain who we are, but they do not determine our identity! The name that determines our identity, is in the name above all names–Jesus Christ! Through faith and baptism we have put on Christ; our identity, and eternal future is in Him!
There are no perfect Christmas celebrations just a perfect gift that takes care of all the things that make our Christmas imperfect. It is the gift we don't deserve but need so greatly! The gift of the son of God, Jesus, our Immanuel. Whoever gets the Son gets it all!!!
Joseph needed God to intervene to make that first Christmas turn out the way God intended. We too need the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts and lives to instill faith and to work through us to extend forgiveness into the brokenness of our lives.
Herod the Great & Zechariah lead two families that are a part of the story behind the story of Christmas. As these two families deal with their struggles in good and not so good ways we see an insight to the hope Jesus brings in the midst of our own struggles in relationships.
When Jesus calls people to follow Him, He knows the difficult road ahead. Whether it's His first disciples, or followers today, the truth is, many times we follow Jesus through the hard times, and not around them. Yet, in the midst of the difficulties and fears of everyday life, Jesus teaches us to focus, not on the circumstances around us, but on something greater - the Kingdom of God that is for you! Jesus is the Lord of the Harvest, and the abundance of His Grace and Life is something to be truly thankful for!
God keeps every promise that He makes! The Bible tells us both in the Old and New Testament about a day that is coming when Jesus will return and fulfill those final promises! While we may face suffering, pain, and struggle today our faith clings to the work of Jesus knowing that the best is year to come.
God's Word provides a sure and certain foundation for this life and the next yet at times we can forget to be in that Word and to use that Word as the lens in which we view the world. In a world with uncertainty God's Word continues to speak truth to us and gives us hope!
The Book of Daniel reminds us that in the midst of political, social, moral, and economic upheaval God is still in control! For “Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will" even when the leader doesn't immediately acknowledge it and has to learn it the hard way. Through it all God let's His people know his primary characteristic in terms of his mercy and steadfast love towards His people
When things unexpected things happen to us in life we may ask the question, "Why?" As much as we may want to know why it does not provide as much comfort or assurance as the question of "How?" Join us as we look at the story of the Babylonian captivity in the book of Daniel as well as the Reformation to see how confidence in God's Word as the rule and guide for all things in life can give us peace in the midst of uncertainty and assurance that God is still in control and sovereign over all things!
We are in a season where so much focus is being placed in the upcoming elections. That focus is surfacing many fears about the present and the future. Where is God in the midst of all of this? Where are the followers of Jesus? Does God still have the whole world in His hands?
We cannot prepare for everything in life. God's Word tell us there are things we can prepare for.
The call of every Christian is to live beyond themselves. We are to share the hope that we have with the world. When some lepers stumble into an Syrian camp that has been emptied by God, and when they find all sorts of treasure there, they cannot help but share the good news of the treasure with their neighbors. How can we do anything less than share the good news of the gospel with our neighbors?
When Jesus celebrates the Passover with His disciples the night before He dies, it becomes more than a Passover. It becomes a promise of His presence. For in, with, and under simple forms of bread and wine is the body and blood of Christ. In this message, we look at the Passover and how Jesus’ death on a cross leads God to not merely pass-over our sins, but to forgive them
In the last chapter of Matthew, Jesus calls us to make disciples in two ways: by teaching His Word and by baptizing in His name (cf. Matthew 28:19-20). The Ethiopian eunuch becomes a disciple by baptism. Jesus still makes disciples in baptism today
Worship is not only the natural and inevitable response of people who have been called and forgiven by the Savior of the world Jesus, it is also the place that God meets us with His gifts, that strengthen us for everyday living! In this message, we look at the nature of worship, the location of worship, and the focus of worship in the Christian life.
One of the foundations of being a follower of Jesus is to understand His words and teachings. Jesus Himself is the Word of God made flesh. It is important that we hear and practice His words. In worship this weekend we talk about the nature and character of Jesus’ words – how they are perfect – and how they call us both to faith and to action.
What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ? Going back to the basics of the Faith reminds us that we are part of a bigger a better plan of God than we could have ever have imagined. Jesus has brought us into the story of God! The story of the Bible moves from God’s Creation to Our Fall to Christ’s Redemption to the Final Restoration. In the introduction to this series, we look at how Christ undoes the curse of our Fall into sin by becoming cursed on a cross
"Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever." That fact can be one that guides us and encourages us in a world that is constantly changing. Jesus remains the firm foundation of life as we live out our daily callings and the opportunities that Jesus gives us to make impact today and for eternity.
As we look around to the world we live in, we find many things that shake us up. Headlines from social media, and around the clock news coverage alert us to what’s wrong in the world. We move from tragedy to tragedy, feeling all the while more unsteady than perhaps ever before. Many times we recognize that our lives aren’t that much steadier. We often don’t know what’s waiting for us around life’s corner. Too often we find ourselves bombarded by an unforeseen struggle. However, God’s Word offers us solid ground to stand on–an anchor in the midst of the storm–so that we might look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who provides for us an Unshakable Kingdom. This weekend we find our bearings in Jesus; and through the life and forgiveness He provides, we are better prepared to engage this unsteady world with the good news of Christ!
In the race of life there are many things that we intentionally and unintentionally hold on to that slow us down and make us weary. Yet there is one who ran a perfect race not to show us how to do it but to do it in our place so that through Jesus we may have victory! Our eyes are on him so that we too can run and not grow weary because the race we are running can have an eternal impact on others!
Worry, Fear, Anxiety. There are so many things to be concerned about! Fortunately Jesus knows this too and speaks words of PEACE into our lives as He invites us to find in him a peace that passes all understanding.
One day Jesus was teaching a very large crowd about how they could have boldness and peace to confess Him as the Savior of mankind. In the midst of this important teaching, a man made a request that was focused not on Jesus and His Kingdom, but rather on the gains of this temporary world. Jesus used the opportunity to teach an important lesson about the focus of our life’s work. As we continue to focus on the words of Just Jesus, we find a model that encourages us to labor joyfully each day for the life and the Kingdom without end!
One of Jesus’ Disciples once asked Him how His followers should pray. Jesus not only only gave His followers what we have come to call the Lord’s Prayer, but he also told a story that invites us to call upon Our Father in all times of trouble, joy, thanksgiving, and praise! What we find in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, is that not only are we able to pray boldly about everything, but the giver of all good gifts hears our prayer, and is faithful to answer is ways that exceed our expectations. Jesus has given us a Prayer Without Boundaries!
Does Jesus care? That's the question Martha raises when things aren't going the way she wants and in order to show that Jesus cares she has a pretty specific demand. We too can fall into the same temptation by trying to determine if God cares by simply looking at our circumstances. It is only when we stop and rest and rest at the feet of Jesus do we realize sure and certain answer to the question found at the cross.
"What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" and "Who is my neighbor?" In response to both of those questions Jesus tells a story in which he illustrates the incredible mercy and love that is available to all, no matter how undeserving a person may be
When Jesus sends out the 72, the first thing he asks them to do is to pray earnestly for more laborers in the harvest field to carry out the critical and important task of being agents of peace and bringing the Kingdom of God near to those far from him. That is the mission of the church today as well and the fields are ripe for harvest as we have privledge to continue to carry out his work and mission today and impact eternity!
Through faith in Jesus Christ we are Children of God. As sons and daughters of Our Father in heaven, we have received the freedom and eternal life that comes from forgiveness of sins, and life in Jesus. This week in worship we are encouraged by God’s Word to use our freedom to positively affect the lives of others, and to direct them to the same Lord and Jesus Christ who has made us forgiven and free!
We are thankful for our earthly fathers. Through good times and bad, fathers care for us through their love and guidance. But our fathers need something that they themselves cannot provide; and it’s the same thing each and every one of us need: A Savior! Our Father in Heaven has provided all we need for eternal life in His name by giving the gift of His only son. Through Jesus Christ, we are no longer slaves to our sin, but we are called a new name: We are Children. We are Children of the Father!
We are thankful for our earthly fathers. Through good times and bad, fathers care for us through their love and guidance. But our fathers need something that they themselves cannot provide; and it’s the same thing each and every one of us need: A Savior! Our Father in Heaven has provided all we need for eternal life in His name by giving the gift of His only son. Through Jesus Christ, we are no longer slaves to our sin, but we are called a new name: We are Children. We are Children of the Father!
God's beautiful words in Psalm 23 gives us a picture of just how great God love for us is shown ultimately in the Good Shepherd Jesus!
“How good it is to be a child of God! Our Lord not only knows, and reigns over all things, but we have a God who gets into the muck and messiness of life with us! Jesus was willing to roll up His sleeves and get His hands dirty to meet people in the midst of the struggle and dirtiness of their lives; and He did so with this purpose in mind–so that in walking with us in this life, we might be with Him always! We celebrate Our God, Immanuel–God who is with us!"
We gather together as the church to hear God’s Word, receive His gifts given to us in the sacraments, praise Him, and for the very important avenue of communication: Prayer. In the midst of the hectic lives that many of us live, added to the hard times we all at some times in life experience, prayer is an enormously important gift from God. This week in worship we gather to hear the prayer of the wealthiest and wisest man to ever walk the earth; King Solomon. In this King’s prayer, we find hope and courage in knowing that we have a God who listens to us in the struggles and joys of this life!
On Trinity Sunday we celebrate and remember that we worship one God who reveals himself to us in the three persons of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As hard for us to understand the vastness of God, there is comfort in the fact that he revealed himself to us and exactly how he feels about us in the person and work of Jesus. God loves us and shows that by giving us Jesus so that through the gift of faith in him that all the whosevers might have ever lasting life.
Pentecost, the Birthday of Church, is a time to remember the power of the Holy Spirit who accomplishes the great miracle of faith through the Word of God. The same Spirit poured out on that Pentecost day some 2,000 years ago continues to guide and lead the church, the Body of Christ, to be witnesses of Jesus in the places that God has placed us to make an eternal difference.
In the last words he speaks before ascending into heaven, Jesus entrusts and commissions his followers to be witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth! A mission that is still being carried out by the body of Christ, the church, today in the places that God has placed us to make an eternal difference in the lives around us!
When Philip meets an Ethopian one day on the road, he seizes the opportunity to teach and share about Jesus. The impact of that one conversation and the resulting work of the Holy Spirit not only impacted the Ethopian who was baptised but brought the message of Jesus to another place. This weeekend to we continue to celebrate the message of Jesus is one we continue to pass on and share as youth are confirmed in their faith and as they to continue to look for opportunities to share Jesus.
Two of the marks of the early church were generosity and suffering. Hearing about how they carried out being the body of Christ as they carried out the continual work of Jesus we find ourselves encouraged and asking the question about where Jesus would have us be people of encouragement and generosity today knowing too that for the sake of the Gospel part of our story may involve suffering too.
One of the greatest prayers in the Bible happens when the early church visits with Peter and John after their release from prison. One of the conditions of their parole is that they no longer talk about Jesus. How will the early church respond to this threat? What will they ask God for in prayer with such a great threat looming over them? And how will God respond to the requests they make? What will pray for this week and how will Jesus position us to make an eternal difference in the lives of those around us?
The first followers of Jesus were on fire to share His life, and the truth of what He has won for: eternal life! They couldn't help speaking about Jesus, because they witnessed His Resurrection from the dead! We are on fire with good news of Jesus Christ the same way; through what we have seen and heard!
If you were an eyewitness to the most important events in the history of world, that changed everything for everyone, you would not keep what you heard and what you saw to yourself. You would not remain silent. You would not remain still. You would be en fuego, on fire, to tell, to share, to risk, to go!
On the night that Jesus is betrayed he shares one last passover meal with his disciples and shares some very important commands with them. On top of it all he gives them something to assure them for the times they fall short with the certain forgiveness of their sins.
Jesus rides into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, causing a stir in the crowd. When Jesus stirs our hearts and minds, important things happen: We seek Him, and ask the most important question in our lives...Who is He?
Love brings great fulfillment and comfort. But it can also bring deep regret if we do not love well. When Peter does not love Jesus well, Jesus gives him the opportunity to be restored. He gives up the same opportunity.
What do you do when you you’ve experienced a terrible tragedy or loss and you feel like you will never be able to smile again? Paul, himself in the middle of a very difficult time as he languishes in prison, is able to write, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). We can learn from Paul’s source of joy which is not in the circumstances of life but in a person named Jesus.
We probably all have things we did in our younger years that we regret now that we’re older. King David wrote Psalm 25. Even though he committed grave sins God remembered him according to His love not David’s sins. David speaks of the descendants of the man who fears the Lord; they will inherit the land. David’s descendants lead ultimately to Jesus. Through Jesus we inherit the land, despite the sins of our youth.
Even people who seem to have strong faith sometimes doubt. This was the case even with John the Baptist. John the Baptist wondered out loud if Jesus was the Messiah. Perhaps you struggle with doubt and you wonder if you can ever be forgiven for your doubt. Jesus spoke to John’s doubts lovingly. He speaks to our doubts in the same way.
With all the things clamoring for our time and attention, it is easy for our priorities to become misplaced. We worry about temporal things more than eternal things. Jesus reminds us that the things of heaven always out to outweigh the worries of this world.
In and of themselves, desires are good things. They are given to us by God. But when we desire something God has given in a way that goes against what God has commanded, disaster results. Just ask Adam and Eve. How do we desire well? And how do we recover from mismanaged desires?
Many people have financial regrets that have left them in over their heads. This is why faithful stewardship is so important! No matter how much or little you have, you can steward your resources well, even if you have stewarded them poorly in the past.
One of the saddest parenting stories in the Bible is that of David and Absalom. Years of neglectful parenting finally resulted in Absalom’s rebellion and death. By the time David sees what has happened, it is too late. What can we do as parents today to escape regrets tomorrow? And how do we deal with regrets for past mistakes we have made as parents?
Our lives can get out of control! Jesus knew this too. When He tried to get some rest, needy crowds interrupted His plans. When the pace of life becomes to fast, how do we find rest? The short answer is not always by changing our pace, but by turning toward Christ.
Marriage is meant to be a beautiful picture of how Christ loves His Church. Because of sin, however, this picture can be distorted and, tragically, sometimes even destroyed. How do we recover the picture of love God desires and has designed for our marriages? Paul answers, “Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
God leads Moses up a mountain to see the fulfillment of the His promises to His people. Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a mountain to see the fulfillment of His promises to His people. This week in worship, we will be hearing a tale of 2 mountains and the goodness of Our Creator made real through the fulfillment of promised lands!
You've been afraid of the wrong thing all along! Turns out Jesus does say there is someone to fear! When we begin to see the one we are to fear and especially how valuable and precious we are to him, we start to realize how we can fear not in a world filled with so many things to be afraid of. Sometimes it just take a little bird to remind us!
Your faith on its own will never be big enough to handle your fear. That is the truth. But the great news is Jesus is plenty big to handle your fear. Your faith will never be big enough to handle your worry, to handle your pain, to handle those things that seem out of control, The good news is Jesus is more than big enough to handle them as the disciple Peter found out one day when Jesus invited him to walk on the water with him.
There are a lot of scary things in this world to be afraid of. Yet in the midst of the fearful things Jesus invites his disciples to, "Fear Not" More than a command, it is a beautiful invitation in faith to know that we don't go it alone and that the one who speaks and creation obeys is with us. We can take heart in the assurance and confidence that Jesus has overcome the world!
How can we fear not when there is so much to be afraid of? Fear over school, work, health, loved ones, politics, violence, uncertain futures, money, conflict with friends? With so much to be afraid of in this world over and over again one of the most often spoken commands in the Bible whether it be by Angels, Prophets, Apostles, or of the Triune God himself is “Fear Not.” How can we fear not when there is so much to be afraid of?
The birth of Jesus is truly a celebration and gift that's a treasure to celebrate year after year. As we know, Jesus did not stay a baby forever. He grew into a perfect, righteous, man, who would eventually die for the sins of you and me; and He was raised from the dead to give us eternal life. Between the miraculous events of the birth of Jesus and the beginning of His public ministry, we only have one account of his young life. The 12 year old boy Jesus in the temple. Discover, and marvel at the nature of Jesus; He is perfect man and perfect God. He is faithful to the will of His Heavenly Father. And He is the one and only perfect sacrifice for you!
God makes and keeps some incredible huge promises to David even though he is unworthy and undeserving of those promised because of his failure as a leader, husband, father, and friend. Yet those failures don't change God keeping his word to David or to you. God remains faithful always and makes those promises to us today in powerful, personal ways through the gift of baptism. A gift that no one deserves but everyone needs.
The birth of Jesus changes everything! If it doesn't feel like Christmas to you this year because of the brokenness that surrounds you, the truth is that you are exactly who Christmas is for. Christmas is for tears. And tears are only temporary because of Jesus.
Tags and labels from our past are hard to get over. Just ask Jesus' Great Grandmother Rahab the Prostitute who despite all that she did for God's people and being a relative of Jesus still is known by her struggle with sin. Some of the tags we carry are known to people around us and that tag defines us to them. Other tags we keep hidden, wishing no one ever finds out about them. No matter how hard we try to get past or make up for it, we still find that it haunts us. Yet Jesus has a new tag for us that can cover over any tag or label that is associated with our names. . A tag he has earned and paid for with his perfect fulfillment on the law for us. A tag that marks us as a child of God, washed in the water, fed at his table, and sent out to be the light in the world with a new identity.
Forgiveness is only for those who don't deserve it. In the genealogy of Jesus there are a number of people with a lot of past and a lot of secrets to hide. But because of Jesus they don't just play a role in the story of Jesus but are preciously the reason He came. It is Jesus suffering for sin that makes a difference in his family and in your family today.
Rip the wrapping paper off the Christmas story and you might just be surprised who and what you find. The unlikely, the unexpected, the unworthy, the undeserving, and the unknown who together make this story unforgettable. This week we spend time with Matthew as he begins to tell the story of Jesus but first we have to understand Mattthew's own story.
We all make plans but our plans don't always play out in our life the way we want. When God makes a promise or a plan you can be sure he will keep it and carry it out especially when it comes to the greatest plan of all, the salvation of the world!
As followers of Jesus we want to be generous people. We definetly don't want to be fools. Yet the alluring temptation of money and wealth can distract us from where true treasure is found in the person and words of Jesus. With the right generosity plan based on God's Word we can find that our wealth can be something that can be a blessing to us and others at the same time as we begin to see that we can never out give God the greatest giver of all.
What are you building your life upon? Jesus invites us to have a firm foundation for our life and eternity on him and his word. Yet one of the greatest competitors to that is our money and stuff which tempt us to rely and depend on it instead of Him. Paul too talks about this issue when he tells Timothy to instruct Rich people in a certain way. We might not think of ourselves as very rich because there is always someone who has more but when we stop and really see what we have we just might be suprised how rich we are.
It is really important to know where your treasure is becuase according to Jesus that is where your heart is. Yet despite that warning from Jesus many time we are tempted to make money our treasure. Perhpas the best way we can be sure to not put our treasure in the wrong place to is to learn to be generous. Join us in week one as we start to learn that when it comes to being generous it is all about what God wants FOR you than FROM you as we spend time with Jesus as he spends time watching people giving their offerings at the temple one day.
On the 498th year of the Reformation, we remember the heritage and blessing of God's Word as that solid foundation on which to build our faith and life as we live in the assurance of our salvation for we are saved by grace through the gift of faith in Jesus alone.
Jesus Christ is the greatest servant ever! One of the marks of the followers of Jesus is the way that they serve for in serving they are not only blessing other people but their service can help strengthen their faith too.
Proclaiming the things of God begin not with talking, but with listening. Silence can be a little bit uncomfortable in our lives especially when it seems that God is one the one being silent. Yet in the midst of silence we are being trained to proclaim Jesus!
The 3rd Commandment is a beautiful invitation and gift that God gives to us in the Sabbath. The Sabbath is more than just about rest but it is about remembering all that God has given to us and continues to give to us. As we learn to use the Sabbath in the way got created it our reliance on Him grows which builds our faith and gives us the opportunity to experience life today to the full and anticipate the perfect rest coming one day in the presence of Jesus.
The spiritual discipline of fasting can be very helpful in doing a checkup on our spiritual health. Join us as we look at the benefits of fasting, what fasting is about, and when we might want to fast. Gameday is everyday in the life of the Christian. We must be prepared everyday to bear a witness to Christ and His salvation.
We kick off a new series that is all about getting us ready for Game Day! Game Day for Jesus followers is not just on Sunday morning but is every day as we are called to follow Jesus and invite others to follow Jesus. This week in Game Day we focus on the spiritual discipline/training of prayer. Prayer is an awesome gift that we desperately need and something that God desires to hear. We can all step our game when it comes to prayer by following our coach and the creator of prayer, Jesus, as He teaches us what prayer is all about.
Failure. We have all failed ourselves, the people we love, and even God! Failure brings with it feelings of guilt, shame and sorrow. Failure many times feels like the end of our relationships and story. Yet it doesn't have to be that way thanks to Jesus. Jesus gets the final word about what our failure deserves and instead of counting us out he gives us forgiveness. Our failures in the hands of Jesus don't mean the end of our story but an opportunity for God to use even our failure to the good of ourselves and especially other people through whom we hold out the hope and forgiveness found in the presence of Jesus.
Condemnation is a horrible feeling and place to be. Sometimes that condemnation comes from people around us and is even deserved because of what we have done or haven't done. Other times that voice of condemnation comes from with in speaking harsh words that make us think that our identity is found in our battle against sin. Jesus the perfect one could condemn everyone because of their sin but instead of giving you what you deserve He treats you better than that and gives your mercy.
Rejection is something that we all have to deal with at some time in our lives. Some rejections are little but others leave wounds for life. When it comes to our relationship with God we may feel like we deserve rejection too especially in our struggle against sin and Satan. But Jesus treats us better than we deserve and instead of rejection offers us acceptance. Listen to the story of a fellow reject named Zacchaeus and the way that an encounter with Jesus changed his today and eternity in a matter of moments. Something that Jesus still does today assuring us that we are accepted too through the gift of baptism.
While we may try to excuse, cover up, explain and hide our sin, the fact remains the wages of our sin is death. Instead of covering up, Jesus invites us to confess our sins promising to take the punishment our sins deserve and giving to us life!
Wisdom is built upon wisdom. True wisdom finds it’s foundation in a very specific place. The foundation of wisdom is not in the heart, the head, or even the collective reasoning of mankind. The wise writer of Proverbs reminds us that the foundation of wisdom, the beginning of wisdom, is found not other place than the understanding of who God is, and our relationship to Him. Upon this firm foundation of faith, we build ourselves up in true worldly, spiritual, and everlasting wisdom. It’s wisdom upon wisdom. It’s Wisdom [Squared]; and it’s for you
As we celebrate the commissioning and installation of our new Director of Christian Education we are reminded that together we are all a part of the body of Christ. As a part of the body of Christ we each have different roles and functions that all matter and make a difference in carrying out Jesus mission through His Church of calling others to faith in him with the great reward of life eternal in His perfect presence.
Daily bread. It’s what God gives us to sustain us each and every day of our lives. Daily bread is food, health, home, friends and family, resources…the list goes on. Daily bread is good. But as God’s Word teaches us, and Jesus reminds us, “man does not live on bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” We put our hope, and faith, and trust in God alone, and not the security of what the world can measure. In our message text this week God teaches the Children of Israel that daily bread focuses us on the giver, not the gift. It’s a message that strengthens our faith and dependence on the good gifts of God through Jesus Christ for our journey and life of faith.
Fear can be a very powerful force in our lives. Sometimes fear moves us to panic and we just can't move. Other times fear moves us to action, even if that action isn't very rational. Through out the Bible the call is to "Do Not Be Afraid" and it is repeated over and over again. Why is it that fear can seemingly over take our lives? What is at stake when fear comes knocking at the door? What option do we have when fear seems to be so very present in our lives? Join us this weekend as we spend time with Jesus and find out why the command to "Fear Not" is not just a command but a beautiful invitation.
What moves you? What when you see it happening in the world around you causes you to be filled with compassion? Or in other words, "What Gets Your Gut?" That feeling and emotion that wells up within you that causes you to wish someone would do something about it!!! Well in the only miracle of Jesus that all four gospel writers record we see what causes Jesus to be filled with compassion and moved to action. An action not just involving Jesus but his disciples in spite of their feelings of inadequacy and doubts! Yet through Jesus' power these disciples got to be a part of one of the most well known, famous miracles. Join us this weekend to find out more and for your own "gut check"
When’s the last time you stumbled in life? For many of us it is much more often then we would care to admit. As we wrap up our journey through the letter of Jude, our author reminds us that stumbling is part of life. Walking in Christ means continual repentance and forgiveness. Thanks be to God that we have a Savior in Jesus Christ who is able to stand firm in our place!
Mercy. It’s one of the sweetest Gospel words. God’s Mercy is so great that it covers, heals, and makes us new. As we continue our way through Jude’s letter to the Christian Church this weekend in worship, we stop on our journey to consider this beautiful word. God’s Grace is big enough to provide mercy not only for us, but also provides mercy to others through us. What a merciful God!
You might have missed it, but did you know there is a book of Jude? This very short letter is full of wisdom and encouragement written for the preservation and nurturing of the faith. This week in worship we will begin our journey Through Jude as we learn that we are a people “Kept” by and for Jesus! What glorious news, that Jesus has kept and set apart all who believe in Him as a people of God!
It’s a game of hide and seek that has been going on for thousands of years. Although, the first human beings Adam and Eve lived and walked next to God side by side, and face to face, something drastic changed when they disobeyed their God and fell into sin. Adam and Eve knew they were no longer worthy to stand in the presence of God. From then on the game of hide and seek was afoot. We as a fallen people continue to hide from God. We hide our sin, our failure, sometimes even our faces from Him. But God loves us and seeks us out continually where we are–where we need Him most
On Pentecost we remember the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives who gave us the great gift and miracle of faith in our lives. The same Spirit that was poured out on the Apostles some 2000 years ago continues to work through the Word today to change lives and eternities.
Mother's Day can be filled with a myriad of emotions from joy to sorrow. Yet in the midst of it all we remember that our success as a mother or as a human being doesn't come simply with a measurement of the externals of our life but more importantly how God sees us because of Jesus.
Far too often we get so caught up in the things of today that we forget about the eternal things of God. This world is more than what we see and the possessions that we have. This is why Paul warns against loving material things like money and instead striving toward eternal things such as righteousness, godliness, faith and love. These are things that will last not only in this world, but in the next.
Love is important. But many people have reduced love into little more than feelings and desires. Paul, however, speaks of love in challenging terms! Love is patient. Love is kind. Love forgives. Love never fails. The truth is that no human can have this kind of love. That is why, even more than love, we need our Lord. For He is the one who pours His perfect love into our broken hearts
Is there really only one way? Is there more than one path to heaven? What does it mean to "get to heaven," anyway? The world says many roads leading to God but what does Jesus have to say about this. Jesus understands the fear and confusion that this can lead to as opposed to the truth and the comfort that comes from what Jesus says and promises to do
You've probably heard it before: "YOLO." "You only live once." This is what the religious leaders desperately wanted to be true about Jesus. But no matter how much they tried to cover His resurrection with their lies, their efforts proved futile. On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the truth that Jesus' resurrection means our resurrections. We will live more than once. YOLO is a LIE! We will live forever. YAMA You are Made Alive!
We wrap up our series on temptation today with a look at the final temptation that Jesus faces in Matthew 4 and the very important reminder that Jesus isn't just an example for us how to endure temptation, He is way better than that. Please note the audio is only in stereo for part of the time and you may need to increase the volume level. We are sorry for the recording issue.
Jesus wants you to follow Him wherever He might go. His first Disciples learned that Jesus would lead them in ways they didn’t expect, to places they didn't know they could go. As modern day Jesus followers we too follow Christ where He leads. We learn right beside Jesus’ early followers that He not only changes the destination of our journey, He wants also wants change how we get there.
On the job training. That’s what Jesus offers those who follow Him. Just after calling His first Disciples, Jesus gave them on the job training. Serving as an example, Jesus showed His Disciples that following Him was more than just belonging to a group. Following Jesus is more than just a religious affiliation. Following Jesus is about more than sticking to what you know. Following Jesus is about following the one who leads in front of us. This week we will discover together that Jesus’ followers talk the talk.
Through out the Gospels people are amazed by Jesus. Amazed by what he does and what he says. We can sometimes lose how amazing Jesus is because we know the stories and accounts of Jesus life so well that we forget just how incredible and true they are. As we search for a greater life we need to be reminded how great and amazing Jesus is and that he invites us to be a part of the amazing and great miracle of sharing Jesus with those that we do life with. What greater miracle is there than saving faith in Jesus and we by the power of the Holy Spirit can be those through whom Jesus is shared. What greater legacy can we leave in the lives around us than transforming time and eternity and it starts by being with Jesus!
We are all searching for a greater love. Just look at all the different ways in our culture we try to fill that need for greater love. Yet beyond the emotional love which can be great is a love that is based in real historical events. A love that Jesus has and shows us with his sacrifice for us and his choosing to love us first! If you want a truly greater love it starts first by realizing how greatly you are already loved by Jesus.
When you are in the presence of greatness you don't just want it for yourself but for those you love as well. Even when they may seem uninterested, unwilling, and filled with doubt, you invite them to come and see because you want for them something greater! That one invitation extended and received allowed a fisherman and a doubter to be eyewitnesses to the greatest events in all of history. And it all started with an invitation to "Come and see." Come and See Jesus for in his presence there is a greater life filled with greater hope, greater peace, greater belonging, greater love, and a greater legacy.
We all want to be a part of something great. Yet many times we give up on greatness because it seems so out of reach and we settle for something less. Perhaps our failure at greatness is because we have been pursuing greatness in the wrong way. What if greatness was less about you and more about the Greater One with in you? What if the Greatest One of all invited you to be a part of something greater than you could ever think or imagine? Listen in as we begin this series and a search for greater purpose, greater peace, greater love, greater joy, greater assurance, greater belonging, and a greater legacy
It can be kind of depressing to think that all of those gifts that we will get and give this Christmas will break, wear out, and decay. But even more discouraging can be the withering and decay that surrounds our lives. Yet God knows exactly what we are going through and gives to us something that lasts, endures, and never fades! His Word! His promises can always be counted on to endure and last forever!
Gift exchanges can be a big part of our Christmas celebrations. Yet our exchange of gifts usually involves some rules like price limits. When it comes to the great gift that Jesus has for you this Christmas what He wants from you are the things you don't really want to keep anyways and instead desires to give you gifts you could never earn for yourself.
When it comes to Christmas, giving gifts is great but receiving is even better especially when it comes to what God has to offer you. So what does God want to give you this Christmas season? Listen in to the first week of this series as we begin to explore Isaiah 40 and the double measure of comfort that God has to give to his people!
When Jesus told the story we call, "The Parable of the Talents" he wasn't simply giving investment advice but was showing us how things work in the Kingdom of God. As followers of Jesus we are not owners but managers of that which belongs to God therefore we want to be found faithful with what he has entrusted to us. What we do with not simply our money but His money matters!
God reminds us through His Word in Psalm 46 that he still remains a Mighty Fortress for us in the midst of a broken and hurting world and the great comfort we have knowing that He has won the battle! Listen in this week as we remember the Reformation and the blessing of the truth of scripture that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone!
"I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Close to 2,000 years ago in prison, a few years before the end of his life, the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church of Philippi that contains some reflections as he thought about the things that were most important in his life...well actually when you get down to it was just one thing...really one person...Jesus. In complexity of this world, in the midst of pain, in struggles of life, in the confusion and chaos, there is one person to turn to...Jesus.
Some of our struggles with doubt come when our family and especially the children in our lives are experiencing pain. We try all that we can to fix it but sometimes there is nothing we can do. So we turn to Jesus hoping that he can and will do something about it as we honestly come before him in need wanting to believe but struggling with unbelief. Be sure to listen to the 5 steps to dealing with doubt and questions as we wrap up this series of messages.
It is the question we ask after personal tragedy and when life doesn't turn out the way we want. That question starts with the word, "Why?" Yet why do we ask why? What do we hope the answer to our why question will be? Listen in for the third week of Doubt Factor as we explore the Why question and learn how to move past the why question to something deeper and more satisfying than the reason why.
In week 2 of the Doubt Factor, we look at the account of Jesus and Peter walking on the water. Along the way we will see that it really is all about Jesus who rescues even people who have doubts and questions.
Doubts and Questions. We all have them, but it is what we do with them that really impacts our faith. Do we hide them and keep them to ourselves or do we take them to the place we can find answers? As we begin this series we look at one of the most surprising doubters in the Bible who is also called by Jesus, "one of the greatest persons ever born." He knows what to do with his doubts do you?
We have learned a lot concerning how God's Story comes to and through us at St. Paul the past couple of weeks. The fullness of God and His Story comes to us in Our Savior Jesus Christ. Join usas we walk through part 3 of our series, God's Story
Part 2 of our sermon series: God's Story. Learn how all things come together in and through Jesus Christ!
Pastor Dustin Kear deliver's his first message as our Associate Pastor as he shares with us the first part of a three part series from the book of Colossians.
It's not supposed to be this way, those are the words we may say when death strikes our loved ones. Yet when the Lord of Life, Jesus Christ, crosses paths with death, life comes bursting on to the scene. Jesus has answer to our the great enemy of death!
On Palm Sunday and the days before it Jesus has gained a huge fan base because of the miracles he has performed. Yet Jesus doesn't go to Jerusalem to get more fans, He goes to die, to give his life for sinners and as he does most of the fans will leave. Yet Jesus invites us to be his followers and being a follower is a lot different than a fan.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive that's how Jesus teaches us to pray. Yet most of us struggle both with forgive others and even forgiving ourselves and yet Jesus says we compromise our forgiven standing before God when we refuse to forgive. To grow in this area of our prayer it is not a matter of trying harder but spending more time at the cross of Jesus being reminded that of all that we have been forgiven and that Christ has died not only for our sins but the sins of those who have sinned against us. And that they only thing necessary to forgive them is for them to have sinned against us.
In the fourth week of our prayer series we focus on the petition of Lord's Prayer that asks from the Father for our Daily Bread. When it comes to our daily bread and the needs of our body we are tempted to focus on the things we are lacking instead of many and abundant ways we have been blessed by our Father. When we pray for our daily bread it is an opportunity to remember what we have been given and not just what we are lacking.
No. It is a tough answer to hear to our prayer requests but it is one that the Father gives to us. When the answer is, "No" and we are praying for the will of the Father to be done, we can still have peace. And from the place of peace as we learn from the Apostle Paul we can begin to ask how the Father might use even the worst circumstances in our life for something good.
What do you do when God says, "No" to a prayer request? This week in Why Do You Pray we listen to how Jesus models for us a way to pray that regardless of the answer to the prayer we can have peace when we pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done." For resources on this series of message visit 31prayer.com
In this first week of Why Do You Pray? We are challenged to make the request of Jesus, "Lord, Teach Us to pray." And in doing so we learn that as we start our prayers we need to remember just who it is we are talking to. Our Father. For the next 31 days we are going to spend it in prayer and you can find these resources on stpaultexas.com this month.
In final week of Doubters Anonymus we talk about the doubt that we have that God can use us for His Kingdom and to accomplish his work. Too often we think that our past failures, our insecurities or our lack of training and skill disqualifies us from serving. Yet when we look at the scriptures and some of the greatest heros of faith we begin to realize they too had a checkered past. Maybe then it's not our strengths that qualify us but our weaknesses that make us perfect candidates for God to use.
In the third week of Doubters Anonymus we hear Jesus address the topic of iffy faith found in a father whose son was facing some great struggles. Yet he was honest with Jesus about his struggles of faith when he says, "I believe, help my unbelief."
In the second week of our series of messages on doubt we look at the big question of, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Along the way we will examine the fairness of God and see above all that God is good, all the time.
We all wrestle with doubts in life even doubts about our faith. In the first week of this sermon series we wrestle with the issue of can I have faith but still have doubts and questions. Jesus gives us an answer to that in the middle of the night on a lake with his disciples.