9-21-2026

Good Morning!

      Ephesians 4:32; “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

     It is the call throughout the Bible; we are to forgive.  We are to forgive one another even as God has forgiven us.  This is our goal; we aim for it, we desire it, we seek it and yet we struggle with it more than almost anything else.  It is the sinful nature in us that we battle every day.  It is that sinful nature that we need to drown every day through repentance and absolution.

    Forgiveness must take place every day.  First, we need to come before God asking for the forgiveness of the sins we commit.  We need to do this in order to see our need for this forgiveness and for the fact that we are freely forgiven by God.  We are then to see that there are others who seek and need our forgiveness and this includes forgiving ourselves.  This forgiveness needs to occur each time the thought to “un-forgive” in our life.  Every time we recall the hurt and we think that forgiveness may not be what we want to give.  We may want to hold onto the anger and the pain.  Yet we need to struggle with this and ask God to continue to turn our heart so that we can forgive and release the pain and sin.

    In order to do this, we may have to leave a toxic or poisonous relationship.  If we find ourselves being dragged back down by the attitudes or actions of others, we may have to walk away, at least until we have healed some.  We may have to avoid those who want to keep us living in the pain and the sorrow.  We need to forgive but we may need to walk away, at least until we can leave the toxic portion behind us.

    We also need to remember that forgiveness can be more of a process than an event.  We may have to revisit it more than once.  We may even find that it occurs in increments.  For us, forgiveness may be a long and slow process but it is a process that we must choose if we are to be healed and healing is the goal.

    The thing we need to always remember is that forgiveness is about healing.  It is about healing the pain that we either experience or cause.  Forgiveness is not about giving or taking but it is about being healed.  It is about healing the brokenness in the relationships that we have.  Forgiveness from God heals our relationship with God.  Forgiveness heals the rupture inside of us.  Forgiveness heals the rupture in our relationships with others.  Forgiveness brings about the healing that can restore us to the life which God created us to live.  Forgiveness provides the balm for our wounded souls.

Father of mercy, lead us to forgive.  Lead us to follow the path of healing and restoration.  Lead us by your Spirit to seek out the love that you give to us.  Lead us to live in peace.  Lead us to live in the joy of your mercy.  Heal us that we may be yours.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret          

9-20-2026

Good Morning!

      Galatians 4:5; “to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

     There was a young man who was troubled about his past.  He had been adopted at a very young age and had no recollection about his “real” parents.  He loved his adoptive family but felt there was a hole in his life as part of it was missing.  All he knew was that his mother had given him up at a very young age because she was unable to care for the young man and his brother.  He knew he was loved but always wondered about his past.

    Yet one day while in a weekly Bible Study, they looked at Galatians and about receiving “adoptions as sons.”  Suddenly he saw his life and faith in a new light.  “I was adopted by my parents and given a new family.  In the same way, I have become a member of God’s family and given a new identity, God’s identity.”

    Adoption is a fascinating event.  It is, at one level, very personal and emotional.  Yet it is also very much a legal event.  Adoptions have to be formalized in a courtroom with a judge present.  So, while adoption is a very subjective event with all the warmth and emotional actions, it is also very objective in the way it works.  Adoption is bridge between the personal and the legal.  It takes a legal action and morphs into a very personal, new relationship between the parent and the child.

    All believers receive the adoption of sons.  We receive this in a very personal way; we receive it at Baptism.  Here we are received, one at a time by name, into God’s family and we receive this adoption because the only natural son, Jesus, gave up his life for us.  As a result, God makes us his sons, by adoption.  We are his beloved children in a very legal sense.  We have the full rights of sonship; we are co-heirs with Jesus in God’s kingdom.  We are co-heirs to eternal life and to the holy kingdom which will last forever.  We are the beloved sons and daughters in God’s family.

    Yet it is also very personal.  God chose you.  God chose you from before the foundations of creation were set.  God chose you to love and to declare a child of his own.  We not only have all the legal rights of a family member; we also have the familial rights.  We can come to our Father with our fears and our worries, our cries and our sorrows and God has promised to listen to us as a loving father listens to his dear children.  He has promised to comfort us and to hold us close in his loving arms.  We are safe in his protective care.  We are loved by our Father.

Gracious Father, you claim us as your children through the waters of Baptism.  We are marked as your dear children.  Our names are written in the palms of your hands.  Guard us by your Spirit as we are made part of your holy family.  Give us the certainty of your grace.  Lead us to live full and peaceful lives in your kingdom. In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

9-18-2026

 

Good Morning!

      Luke 11:3; “Give us each day our daily bread.”

     Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987) is most known for his painting of “pop art” in the 1960s. He is known for paintings of Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali, dollar bills, and many other iconic images. The Campbell’s Soup Can is one of those iconic images. For a movement of art that appeared to be anything but art, Warhol and pop art have remained influential.  It caused quite a stir in the art world.  Many questioned how something so mundane and “pedestrian” could be considered art.

     Yet this picture went on to be very famous.  This unassuming painting of a Campbell’s Soup Can blurs the line of art and the world. Warhol painted many soup cans from Tomato to Onion to a scene of 100 Campbell’s cans.  Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Can is one of the greatest and most famous pieces of art in the history of modern pop art.

     “Lord, teach us to pray,” the disciples ask. It is such a simple request and Jesus offers simplicity in his answer. The prayer he gives to his disciples is unassuming and straightforward. There is no question that this is a prayer indeed. But how did the disciples not know how to pray? Before we hear Jesus’ answer to the disciples, we might listen and hear overtones of other prayers.  We could overhear disciples praying like the Pharisees, we could consider the temple rituals of the Sadducees, or even the total ignorance of the pagan world may come to mind. In contrast to these people and these prayers, Jesus offers a simple act of prayer; we call it The Lord’s Prayer.

    This prayer is near and dear to the Christian community. Yet at times it seems too simple to be a real act of prayer. Praying for daily bread might seem trite to some.  Particularly in a world where our basic needs are typically met. Praying short petitions seems rote and disingenuous in contrast to long prayers and meditations of the heart. This prayer, however, calls us into a world where the simple has beauty, and where the mundane has divine significance. Jesus leaves little to wonder, but much to appreciate when he teaches his disciples about prayer.

    A simple soup can.  It reminds us not just to pray for our own daily food from the gracious hand of our heavenly Father but to recognize the fullness of the kingdom of God. We pray these words because God promises to hear our prayers. But we also live these words.  Our lives become this prayer in action as Jesus calls us into a sacrificial love for neighbor that is simple and unassuming.  Drive around the city.  Watch as this prayer reminds you that giving to the poor and needy is part of the kingdom.  Dismissing the simple things, or even not asking for them in prayer, is like dismissing Warhol’s simple artwork. There is more to the kingdom of God. For this reason, Jesus teaches us to pray, and by praying to seek his kingdom, this simple and unassuming kingdom present in our world.

Gracious God, lead us to always pray for our needs and for the needs of others.  Lead us to see your love in all of our life.  Guide us to see that nothing is too small for your care and love.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

9-17-2026

Good Morning!

      John 3:17; “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

    Most Christians are familiar with the 10 Commandments and how they speak of how we are to act or interact with each other, with our own body, even with respect to how we view and act toward God.  Many see these as a list of duties to perform and that, somehow, if and when we are able, God will see the way we keep these commands and reward us greatly.  We often hear these folks speak of their struggles and how God “convicts” them of their sin.  Others see the commandments and then amend the statements so that keeping them is easier.  If we re-interpret them so that they are in tune with modern ways, well then, I can keep them better.  Some think the commands are just suggestions or guidelines and not much more.

    Scriptures reveals why we have the 10 Commandments.  God gave us the law so we would know that we were sinners (Romans 3:20).  We can look at the law and clearly see one very stark and bold truth; I have failed to keep them and I continue to fail to keep them.  There is no way that I can possibly keep them well enough so that God is impressed; I can’t even keep them so my neighbor is impressed.  I definitely need someone to keep them for me or else I am sunk.

    God could have come into this world to condemn the world, but He didn’t.  He came to free this world from a law that we could never keep.  We are free, not because of anything we have done or attempted to do and certainly not because we’ve changed the law to make it easier.  We are released only because of what God has decided to do for us through the Word that became flesh, Jesus Christ.  Through the sacrifice of Jesus, God speaks a new Word to you.  He speaks forgiveness to you.  He speaks mercy to you.  He tells you that you are free, that He loves you, that He really does forgive what you have done in your life.  He forgives and releases you even if you have trouble releasing and forgiving yourself.

    God chose to love you.  God chose to forgive you.  We can hold onto this great truth.  I cannot keep the law; the 10 Commandments glare with my failures.  Yet the empty cross and the empty tomb show me God’s love has triumphed over my failures.  Because of his love, I cling to him for my salvation and go out and try to live the loving, serving life that God has laid out for me.  My goal is to love others just as I am loved by God.  I will never achieve this level but every step helps bring healing into this world.

Father, your love for me is overwhelming.  Your love overcomes all my failures and you lift me up to be your child.  Strengthen my desire to serve you.  Guide me on the path so that I may share the love that you give to me with others.  Lead me in joyful celebration of your incredible mercy.  In the precious name of Jesus, our Risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

 

9-16-2026

Good Morning!

      Luke 18:13; “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

     When you preach a sermon, you include and incorporate two parts of church doctrine: the Law and the Gospel.  We use the law to show the fact that we are sinners and in need of a Savior.  We use the Gospel to offer the comfort that God gives to us because of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension.  The goal is to afflict the comfortable and give comfort to the afflicted.  The goal is to make the person who feels he has no sin; thus, no need for a Savior to realize that he definitely needs to be redeemed and saved from sin.  The person who feels totally weighed down and despondent because of their sin; they need the Gospel.  They need to know that God has forgiven them.

    The interesting thing is that when one thinks he has no sin; it can be tough to get them to see they truly are sinners.  Many will simply think, “I am not that bad” or “I am not as bad as the other guy” or “It isn’t a sin anymore; it is different now.”  It can take a lot to convince someone of their sin; the world and the devil will tell them that everything is fine and dandy.  We preach and preach; we witness and witness but sometimes they just don’t listen.

    The ones that you really aim for are those who are afflicted.  Like our verse, this person feels the entire weight of the law on their shoulders.  These are the people who will tell you that the reason they don’t go to church is because they are beyond help.  They may speak in a joking manner but you can see it in their eyes and you can hear it in their voice; you can even hear it in their breathing, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”  The sad thing is that the devil is telling them the exact opposite of what he tells the proud sinner.  To the one who feels the weight on his back the devil tells them how bad they are; how hopeless life is; how no one will ever want them around when the full story comes out.  The devil adds guilt and misery with a dose of pain and sorrow.

    There are many parts of the job of being a pastor that are really amazing to experience but for me the absolute best part is when you can look into the eye and tell them these simple words, “In the stead and by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ; I forgive you all of your sins.”  There are no better words to speak; there is no greater truth to share.  God is merciful; God is loving; God has heard your cry of pain even before you sighed that first sigh or cried that first tear.  God forgives your sins and in doing so has given you the power to tell the devil to go away and leave me alone.  The devil cannot harm you; he cannot control you.  You are God’s beloved and redeemed child and you are safe.

    There is no sin too bad, too horrible, too heinous that God does not forgive.  God frees you from the past so that you will have a glorious future.  God is merciful to me, a sinner.

Father, your mercies are new every day.  Renew in me the knowledge of your grace and favor.  Keep safe from the devil’s lies ad free me from the guilt of sin.  Help those who are especially burdened at this time.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

9-15-2026

Good Morning!

      Ephesians 2:14; “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”

     For many people, working with or spending time with someone who is different than you are, can be difficult.  We see it when immigrants try to settle into a neighborhood.  Our first reaction is often “there goes the neighborhood.”  In the sporting news this past week, there has been a lot of talk about a professional basketball player who was fined for criticizing a referee.  The referee is one of the very few women to referee professional basketball.  They are trying to decide if it is a sexist comment, a racist comment or if it is just a ballplayer complaining about a foul that was called. 

    We look for lots of ways to place people into categories.  We use age, sex, skin color, wealth, height, weight, level of education, national origin, and religion, just to name a few.  We can pigeonhole and divide a whole roomful of people into a whole lot of groups, sub- groups, and sub-sub-groups.  We can have balding, overweight, myopic, left handers in this corner.  We can have poor, skinny, old men who worship trees in that corner.  We tend to look for the differences that we can use to divide and separate us.  Even if we have nothing in our history that causes us to think we are right.

    But God has intervened in Christ.  He has reconciled us to Himself, breaking down “the dividing wall of hostility.”  He has opened the path to rapprochement.  He has taught us and shows us the beauty of atonement of being “at-one-ment” with God.  God is at one with us because of Christ.  Our alienation is removed.  We are at one with our heavenly Father; we are united with God.  This is what Jesus brought about by his death and resurrection; we have unity with God.  We are one with God through faith in Christ.  We are no longer separated; the division is healed.  We are reconciled.  Our God, Immanuel, comes to be with us, to dwell with us, to make his home with us and in us.

    Now that we are reconciled with God, the path is clear for us to be reconciled with one another.  Paul points this out in the next verse after ours, in verse 15 Paul writes, “His purpose was to create in Himself one man out of the two (Jew and Gentile), thus making peace.  There is no distinction in God’s eye, we are all the same.  Through faith in Christ, we are one.

   So those differences should be celebrated as part of the joy of diversity.  They are ways to bring new thoughts and ideas to old problems.  We are reconciled to God so we can be reconciled to one another.  We are free to see our diversity not as a source of division but rather as a source of delight.

Heavenly Father, you reconciled us to you so that we would have the path to reconcile with one another.  Give us the strength to heal the wounds between our brothers.  Help us to provide the balm to the wounds that exist.  Guide us by your Spirit to bring about hope in this broken world.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret              

9-14-2026

Good Morning!

      Luke 24: 5-6a; “And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen.”

    While the battle of Waterloo was fought between Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington in 1815, the people of England waited for news of the outcome. Messages were sent by means of flag signals. One of the stations was the tower of the Winchester Cathedral. Late in the day, a signal was flashed from the tower that spelled out “Wellington defeated . . .” and then a thick fog covered the tower so that nothing else was seen. The message spread throughout the city that Wellington had lost the battle. There was gloom and despair. Suddenly the cloud of fog lifted and the remainder of the message could be read— “Wellington defeated the enemy!” Sorrow immediately turned to joy, defeat to victory, despair to rejoicing.

     What a difference the whole message gives.  When you stop halfway through it, we see only sorrow and pain.  The same is true of our faith life.  Too often, we stop at half of the message.  Too often we focus on “Jesus died.”  We see it all over, “Jesus died for you.”  That is our message.  We use it to comfort those who are hurting.  We tell them that Jesus died for you and then we wonder why they don’t get a lot of comfort from that fact; Jesus died for you.  Perhaps it is a sense of guilt.  We spend a lot of time looking at the suffering, the pain, and the death of Jesus.  It is hard to be a joyful Christian when you focus on “Jesus died.”

    But just like the story of Wellington, don’t stop in the middle.  Use the whole message.  “Jesus died and rose for you.”   Yes, it is true that Jesus died but that was only the beginning of the event in which death, the devil and sin was defeated.  Jesus died; his body ceased to function but it knew no decay or corruption; it was waiting for the final step.  It was waiting for Christ to rise up victorious.  In his victory over death, he gives us victory as well.  Our enemies of sin, death and the devil are defeated as well.  We have the victory; we have begun the healing.  We have God’s incredible love giving us all that we need.

    The devil and sin will continue to snarl and attack.  They will continue to cause us guilt and pain but they will not be victorious.  We know that we are more than conquerors!  We have God’s promise of life eternal.  We have his promise of comfort.  We have his promise for reconciliation and we can use this to reach out to our brothers and sisters.  God gives us the chance to heal the splits and chasms that exist between our neighbors and us.  It is his total message of good news; “Jesus died and rose again” that gives us the victory.

Father, we give you thanks for the victory that we have through Jesus.  We give you thanks that we can live a life full of joy because of your great love and mercy.  Guide us to share this message with those around us especially those who are in most need of your freeing message of grace.  Lead us to be shining lights in this world.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

9-13-2026

Good Morning!

      Job 19:2; “How long will you torment me and break me in pieces with words?”

    There is not much in this world that is more painful than to be tormented by someone.  We may call it bullying or we may call it harassment but it all hurts.  It hurts on the playground; it hurts in the classroom and the workplace.  It hurts in the home where families attack and shred each other.  It hurts our heart and our soul just as much, perhaps even more, than physical slaps and punches.  External wounds are seen by others and some compassion may arise.  Yet words of torment cause hidden wounds which are not easily seen by any so linger unhealed for a long time.

      The devil loves to torment us.  It is his favorite pastime.  He hides nearby and with whispers so soft but stinging in tone he whispers to us, “GUILTY!!! GUILTY!!!” “UNWORTHY!!”  “YOU HAVE NO VALUE!!”  He loves to come late at night when sleep eludes us but exhaustion is at hand.  He hits us with words and accusations which torment us without mercy.  We feel alone, helpless and lost.  We are right where the devil wants us; we are tormented and tormented and the pain continues to grow.

     So, when God saw how the devil tormented us; he launched a plan that would bring about our healing.  He began a plan that would take all of the bite out of the devil’s attacks and assaults.  God sent his son to take all of the power in the devil’s assaults and carry them on his back to his grave and then leave them there.  He left all of the devil’s power in the tomb and when Jesus walked out of that tomb; the power of the devil stayed.  It stayed buried in that tomb.  Now Jesus comes to us speaking to us in a loving voice telling us that we are, “FORGIVEN! FORGIVEN!  FORGIVEN!”  He speaks to us with words of love that we may be healed.  Our painful past can be left there as we look forward to a new start each day; comforted by his love and consoled by his mercy.

    The devil still scowls and hurls his insults but they do not have to stick.  When he calls us “guilty” we can answer “forgiven.”  When he calls us “unworthy” we can answer, “redeemed by the Son.”  When he calls us “unloved” we can answer, “we are children of God”.  We cling to God’s mercy like a child clings to his loving parent.  The devil’s torments can only hurt when we let them.  They can only hurt when we let loose from God and stop listening to Jesus as he tells us “forgiven” and we listen to the devil call us “guilty”.  Trust in God’s most wonderful mercy.  Trust in his words of hope and receive his healing. 

Father of all mercies, too many nights I cannot find peace.  The devil torments me and I listen.  Give me the strength of faith to turn away from his lies and hear your sweet words of forgiveness.  Guide me by your Spirit to cling only to you.  Father, as many are attacked by the devil, help them with his torment.  Help them, comfort them and relieve their suffering.  Bring them your peace and holy rest.  Through Jesus our risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret        

9-12-2026

Good Morning!

          Psalm 34:18; “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

    Have you ever shopped at a discounted discount store? They have all the “seconds” or the damaged goods. You can buy some of them real cheap if you want to. It is amazing how cheap these can be. They are so cheap that people often pass right by them, afraid that there must be something wrong with them. 

    These goods, especially canned goods, are often dented. Sometimes the label is missing. Some of the boxed goods are broken open and taped up to be somewhat presentable. The store knows that the only way to sell these items is to offer a huge discount on them. Even then most just bet tossed out; they are just not shelf worthy anymore.

    All of us at one point in time have felt the pain of being damaged goods. Maybe you made some bad decisions when you were younger and have been viewed as “damaged goods” ever since. Maybe the pink slip from your last employer left a dent in you, especially since you are on the top side of 45 now. Perhaps looking at your spouse has left and now you are all dinged up. Perhaps a loved one died way too early in life. All these things can take a toll on a body and a spirit.

    The truly good news is that God has great compassion on us. All you have to do is read the Gospels and see time and time again where Jesus had compassion on the lame, the blind, the sick and dying. Jesus looks past the dings and the dents and sees the heart that is broken and the spirit that is crushed. He reaches to you and to me with all the love that we need, and he gently lifts us up in his arms and brings us to his loving bosom and holds us close, safe in his arms.

    The world and the devil focus on our “dings.” The devil will know your name but call you by your sin, your “dings.” He will point to your jealousy, anger, greed, selfishness, or lack of compassion, no matter how fleeting; the devil will not let you forget. The world will ding us pretty good and then throw us away as damaged goods.

    But God continually retrieves us from the damaged goods shelf and restores us to his family keeping us safe from the true pain that devil will try to cause. God knows your sin, your “dings” but instead of focusing on them, God calls you by name with love and compassion, with hope and salvation. God reaches out to the brokenhearted and the crushed spirits and gives them hope; and gives them life. He removes your “dings” and gives you life in His name.

Dear Father, we are all dented and dinged by the sin of the world and our own failings. Give us your precious grace to cover us and your mercy to save us. Protect us from the sorrows of this world. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

9-11-2026

Good Morning!

      Psalm 10:17 “O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear.”

       I am at the age and stage of life where I don’t always hear as well as I would like. When the precious preschoolers come out of church and give me a hug and then tell me a story, I have to lean in and listen intently to get the story. If I am in a gym where the acoustics are so-so and the PA is crackly; I just nod my head, clap when everyone else does, and try to be quiet and fit in. Hearing is important but acting upon what you hear matters even more.

    We often think God does not hear us. We want miracles, spectacular, earth-shaking miracles. We want to see the sea open up and let us walk on through or the storms quieted and when we do not get them, we question and doubt. “Does God even know I am alive, does He even care?” Sometimes it seems like the bad guys win and we only experience injustice.

    Our verse comes from a classic example of a lament prayer in the Book of Psalms. The first portion of the psalm lists a series of trouble or pain that is occurring. Then it turns in prayer to God, calling upon Him to bring about justice. The psalm ends with a statement of faith proclaiming, “God will do what He has promised.” The whole psalm is a prayer to God to deliver us from evil and then the psalm ends with “God will do this!” This is what faith looks like. It is placing our confidence in God’s great love to deliver us, as He has promised. This type of faith requires us to see with more than just our physical eyes; we need to see with our eyes of faith and know that God is in control and victory is ultimately going to be ours.

    So, God tells us to pray, to call upon Him, knowing He will incline His ear, that is bend down low and listen really close to hear us and then to act. God speaks to us in a way that is more ordinary and we often overlook it. God usually uses the ordinary to deliver on his promises to us. Rather than thunder and lightning, it is the just word and hug from a fellow believer, the shared prayer lifted up, the blessings of the sacrament that gives us God’s very presence in our hands. It may all sound ordinary but anything ordinary, when connected to God’s Word, becomes extraordinary and will give us hope.

    So, if you are in the midst of things that you cannot understand. If the pain of loss or hopelessness is too much; pray, pray without ceasing and don’t be afraid to tell the truth. We do not need to sugar coat our experiences and feelings. God already knows where your heart is and He calls us to speak, so He will hear, so that He will heal. Look to God and trust His promise to comfort, restore, heal, and give you rest.

Father of all mercies, hear us for we are a wounded and broken people. Send us your Spirit to comfort and console us. Use us when our brothers and sisters are hurting and in need of your mercy. Let us be your hands and your voice to bring healing and comfort to the world. Defend us we pray, in the precious Name of Jesus, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

9-10-2026

Good Morning!

     Genesis 1:2; “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

    One thing that I would encourage you to try is to look at the Scriptures in their original language. The Old Testament is in Hebrew and the New Testament is in Greek. Where our English offers the message, the original languages can offer in little insight and even a little more emotion and sense of depth of the phrase. I use a website called biblehub.com and it is very functional.

    The phrase “formless and empty” in the original Hebrew is “tohu” and “wabohu.” While we may read the phrase formless and void as saying a blob like existence, kind of like a lump of clay. It is there but it has no distinguishing features or beauty. However, the Hebrew “tohu wabohu” has a deeper meaning. It means in chaos. Not only is there no form, but there is also no organization. It is a beehive that has been knocked over and the bees are not happy. It is a group of candied up 6-year-olds. It means utter mayhem.

    So, God speaks and brings order, peace, and calm, by his Word, He speaks, and order arrives. In Hebrew it is called “towb.” We say “good,” but the Hebrew is more along the line of beautiful, pleasant to the senses, of giving pleasure. It is not just “good” as in good shape or good condition but rather this messy chaos was now beautiful and pleasant.

    Yet sin enters the world and “tohu and wabohu” re-enter creation. One day life is going pretty well, and them wham, out of nowhere, “tohu wabohu.” Your world falls apart, it may be your health or the health of a loved one, it might be a financial setback, a loss of a job, a loss of a spouse or other family member and boom, you are in one chaotic mess. You are spinning and can’t seem to get your bearings. The bottom has dropped out and you are left with “tohu wabohu.”

    But just like creation, God enters our world and makes it “towb,” He gives us Jesus and life settles down. We look to our Savior, the one who came to end the chaos and to make all things new and right. We look to Jesus to give us hope. In the midst of all the “tohu wabohu” Jesus brings hope and peace. We know that in all that we experience, Jesus has overcome sin, death, and the devil; all the forces of chaos to bring us the good things, eternal life in His name.

    So, when your “tohu wabohu” hits; remember your hope, remember your salvation, remember Jesus and his love for you and his salvation given to you to bring you good, that is eternity in His presence and under his protection.

Gracious Father, our lives are filled with chaos, terror, and fear. Send your Spirit to calm our hearts and lead us to look to Jesus as our rock and fortress. Guide us to find peace in his name. Be with those who are especially tormented at this time. Give them your peace, surround them with your love. Give them your peace to comfort them today. In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret   

9-9-2026

 Good Morning!

     Genesis 15:16; “And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

    Every so often, we come across a verse that makes us stop and wonder what we are reading.  To me, this is one of those verses.  This verse comes from the covenant that God made with Abraham.  God was actually explaining the future to Abraham.  God told him that he would have many descendants but that for a period of 400 years they would be slaves but that God would free them and return them to this land where Abraham lived and that God had promised to Abraham and his descendants.  But they would not return until the iniquity of the Amorites is complete.

    This is one of those verses that can cause us to really scratch our head.  We fully understand this verse to mean that God is patient and he is waiting until the end before he will pronounce judgment.  He is giving the sinner, in this example the Amorite people, every opportunity to repent but there is a limit.  We can see that God is patient and long suffering.  He is willing to give the sinner every opportunity to repent.  We may know it but knowing it doesn’t always make it easier.

    During the time of the Amorites, they practiced all sorts of horrible stuff including human sacrifice.  They practiced sexual depravity as well.  There was a lot of pain and suffering by a lot of people but God allowed it to go to its completion.  The reason I think of this verse every so often is that I watch the news and wonder.  I watch the news about how we slaughter millions of unborn children every year just because they are inconvenient.  I watch the news and see how we seem to be looking for ways to be increasing in our level of cruelty to one another.  Whether it is halfway around the world or just down the street, callousness toward human life seems to be on the rise and I wonder if the iniquity is almost complete.

    This is another example of why it is so useless for us to question God.  Isaiah describes God as looking down on the inhabitants of earth like grasshoppers.  God’s way is so far beyond us that we really need to live in trust of hid benevolence and mercy.  God has promised to love and redeem those whom he loves.  We may not always see the sense or the logic in the events in our life but we must trust God’s good grace and favor.  We will never understand everything in this world.  Our vision is clouded by sin and the limitations of being human.  So, we look to the only true source we have; we look to God for his mercy, trusting in his promise to pour it out upon us.

Gracious Father, there are so many times when I wonder about things I cannot change.  Help me to see the things that I can change and give me the courage to change them.  Help me to see that I may not fix the problems of the world but that I can change one person’s life.  Use me in your service.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret        

9-8-2026

Good Morning!

       Isaiah 9:2; “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” 

    Have you ever experienced total darkness?  Not many of us have.  Even in the dark that we experience, there is usually some light.  Maybe you have a night light in the hall or in the bathroom or in a child’s room.  Maybe you always have a flashlight handy.  The darkest place I’ve ever been was a cave.  It was an old prospecting cave in the Black Hills.  It was so narrow and small in places we weren’t sure that we would fit.  After we got in about 50 feet, we turned our flashlights off.  That lasted about 20 seconds before we couldn’t take it.  It felt like the mountain was going to swallow us.  Even though nothing had changed in that 20 second period; it was hard to breathe and you felt like you were spinning.  I was with three others and they felt the same thing.  We had another 150 feet of cave to explore but we agreed that we had seen enough.

     The worst part was all those “things” which come out in the dark.  There are things; things that run across your shoes, things that crawl up your arm, things that hang in your face or buzz in your ear, things that we cannot see but we feel and experience them anyway.  Then there are the sounds, sounds that seem to amplify in the dark, things that sound like moans and groans or hideous laughter.  

    That is sort of how the people in the text would have felt.  When sin entered the world, man no longer “saw” God.  Adam and Eve walked with God but sin veiled their eyes and plugged their ears.  Soon man’s relationship with God just kept deteriorating.  In our blindness, we just kept spinning out of control.  We wandered in the dark and were getting more lost all the time.  We walked away from God and His light and kept going further and further into the darkness, suffering the whole way.

   “But God beheld our wretched state.”  Out of His unfathomable love God sent Jesus into the world to be that “Light.”  This verse is actually part of a longer section that is a Messianic prophecy.  In this verse, God is promising to send the Light but we live in that Light.

    Jesus came to live and die and rise again so that we could return to the Light.  God used Jesus’ sacrifice to serve as ours so now we get to have His Light, the Spirit, live within us.  The devil will try to block the light or even use the light to blind us but God, in his grace and mercy, is always there to correct the problem and keep us moving.  Sometimes we wish that the light we have would light up more of our path ahead but we can trust God to lead us on that path that will lead us to our eternal home.  Then along the way, we are to “let our light shine” for others to see the wondrous blessing of the light and then listen to the call of the Spirit into their hearts as well.

   Father of all Light, thank you for the gift of the Light which illumines our way.  Keep our light, our faith, burning bright in this dark world that knows only pain.  Cause our light to shine brightly so that others may come to know You.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

9-7-2026

Good Morning!

              1 John 3:1: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

    Many people take vacations in the summer.  They usually go to “see” something.  Perhaps they go see a professional baseball game or go to a national park or perhaps we just go to an area of the country where they have not been to; just to see what it is like.  While what we are planning on seeing is important, for most of the way; what we see is out the window of our car.  That is why when I travel, I prefer to take the lesser roads and not the interstate.  Part of this was watching Charles Kuralt and his “On the Road” series as a kid and the desire to see what else is going on in the world.  We see the world go by and we see it as it is, warts and all.  We see the broken houses next to the new “Mcmansions” or the abandoned farm site with the leaning barn next to the multi-bin multi-shop immaculately kept farmsteads across the road.  It is how we see things, mostly through a window, usually driving down the road somewhere.

    Our passage for this morning speaks of seeing.  We see what kind of love God has for us.  It is a love that the world does not understand nor can it reproduce it.  The world’s love is conditional.  It will love you as long as you behave and reciprocate.  It will love you as long as you have something to share or allow a gain for the other.  We see God’s love through a window; it is the window of the cross.  When we look into the window of the cross, we see what kind of love the Father has given us.  We see God incarnate, Jesus, suffering and bearing the weight and the cost of our sins even as we were enemies with God.  Yet in His unfathomable grace, God made you his child.  He looked at you and claimed you just the way you were.  He washed you and fed you and clothed you with new clothes.  That is our God.  We see that by looking through the cross of Christ to see it. 

    As we travel through life we will pass by and through many events which we may or may not comprehend.  Those events may never add up.  Death, at times, makes no sense.  Life, at other times, makes no sense.  Suffering never makes sense.  We need to see the love of God, through the window of the cross, and then move to share that window seat with others who need it as well.  You and I cannot touch the whole world but we can touch one person and we need to do so.  Share the Gospel of Jesus with one person.  We are part of God’s solution; we are partners in the ministry of reconciliation.  Look through the window and see how much the Father loves us and then go and share that love with someone else.

Gracious Lord, your grace rolls over us like a river and carries us into your loving arms and presence.  Use us to bring others into your river of life and mercy that they too will be able to look through the window of the cross and see how much the Father loves us.  In our Savior’s precious name we pray, Amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

9-6-2026

Good Morning!

        Luke 22:41; “And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed.”

    How far is that?  How far is “a stone’s throw”?  Now we would think that there are many things to consider, like how much does the stone weigh?  A baseball weighs not less than 5 ounces and not more than 5.25 ounces.  Many years ago, I could throw a baseball about 250 feet but that was a baseball not a rock.  Most rocks weigh more than that so the distance would be less.  In fact, if I went out today and picked up a stone and threw it; I would probably be lucky to throw it 20 feet; more than likely it would be less than that.  How far is a stone’s throw?  Not very far.

    Even he was approaching the lowest point in his life; Jesus was still staying close to his disciples.  Even as his agony was increasing; his compassion for his disciples was first and foremost in his mind.  Even in his time of despair and suffering, he tended to the needs of the disciples.  He may have been saddened that they were unable to remain awake with him through this tough night but he never abandoned them.  Even when later on they all ran away; he was with them, protecting them from the arrows of the devil.

    At no time in your life is Jesus ever more than a stone’s throw away from you.  No matter how painful or sorrowful we may feel; Jesus is always close by.  He is always near us.  He is the ever-present presence of God’s love for us.  It is by his love for us that we are saved; it is by his love for us that we are kept safe.  He has claimed us as his own and has promised to never abandon us.

    So, if you are facing a difficult time in your life, know that you do not have to face it alone.  You do not have to fear the future because the future rests in the loving hands of God.  Your future is secure because of God’s great love for you.  As we go through this Lenten season, instead of focusing on the suffering of Jesus; see it as an example of God’s love for you.  God was willing to have his only Son become human; to live the life of a man who was under the Law so that his sacrifice would be all sufficient for all the sins to be paid.  By doing so, we are no longer outcasts, we are his beloved children.  He will never forsake us or leave us.  We will never be separated from his love.  He is never more than a stone’s throw away.

    So, we can face today knowing that our loving God is always right next to us.  We can know that we never need to stand alone and face the fury of the devil.  Jesus has defeated the devil and has given to us the power to tell the devil to leave us alone.  The devil’s attacks are empty; the only way he wins is if you or I turn away from Jesus and fail to see and to seek God’s incredible grace.  It is less than a stone’s throw away.

Father of all mercy, you are near me at all times.  Your Spirit renews me and secures my future.  I no longer have to fear that which I do not see or understand because you are always with me.  Be with those who do not know this comforting truth or do not trust it.  Give them your peace.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

9-5-2026

Good Morning!

              1 Kings 8:56; “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant.”

     “Being of no power to make his wishes good: his promises fly so beyond his state that what he speaks is all in debt; he owes for every word.” ~William Shakespeare or perhaps this is more to your understanding.  “When a man takes an oath... he's holding his own self in his own hands. Like water. And if he opens his fingers then — he needn't hope to find himself again.” ~Robert Bolt.  There has been much written about promises; about how easily we make them; how quickly we offer them and how easily we walk away from them.  Our lives are filled with promises and many times they go unkept.

    Broken promises have become such a common event in our lives that it is almost expected.  We laugh among ourselves when we think of political speeches and campaign promises which seem to be given for the express purpose of breaking them.  We deal with promises that businesses make regarding their products yet it takes reams of paper to read the fine print about what exactly is promised and how that promise will be delivered.  Sadly, this view of promises also enters into our personal life and the relationships that we have with one another.

    One of the most important tasks in marriage counseling is getting the couple to see that the vows that they take during the ceremony are real.  The vows are clear and are meant to be a lifetime commitment.  Unfortunately, you just have to read the court news in the paper to see that sacred promises made to and before God have the same value as political promises; very little.  We are surrounded by broken promises made in a sinful broken world.

     This is why we can find so much comfort in God’s promises.  He has kept them all so far and will continue to keep them in the future.  The writer of the Book of Hebrews explains that God has taken a holy oath against his own name and that by God’s very nature as holy; he cannot break a promise; it would go against his nature.  Every promise God makes; he keeps.

    So, when God promises to never abandon you; he never will.  When God promises you eternal life; you have it.  When God promises to provide for you; he will provide.  When God promises that your sins are forgiven, forgotten, and left in the past; you can trust that they are.  The past is over and our future is secure; we can live in the present knowing that God’s love is abounding and protecting us from harm and danger.  God always keeps his promises; he never fails.

God of all mercy, we give you thanks for your great promises of salvation.  We give you thanks that you sent Jesus to walk in our stead and that you forgive our sins and free us from the power of the devil.  Guide us to live in bold confidence of your mercy.  Be with those who are in doubt or are in struggles in their life.  Guard them by your Holy Spirit.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret