6-30-2026

Good Morning!

     Ephesians 2: 10; “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

     So, what do you want to be when you grow up?  It is a question that we ask our children as they grow up.  It often starts as an interesting way to play with children and to help them grow in their imagination.  As they are young, they want to be cowboys, superheroes, princesses, and the like.  As they get older, we encourage them to start looking at things that they enjoy, have a passion for or an affinity to do.  As they get older, we encourage them to look at what it takes to pursue the job or occupation that they desire.   How much schooling does it take?  Where are the jobs located?  Do you like the other parts of the job and not just the “glory” parts?  Do you have the skills needed for this job or do you need to begin dream number 2?  All these go into the ultimate answer, what do you want to be when you grow up?

    As a Christian, what do you want to be when you grow up?  How you view Scriptures helps determine how you answer this.  Do you read the Bible and think “I am a trumpet” or do you read it, “I am a singer”?  There is a difference.  Some think that the Bible says that God has planned your entire life out; he has decided this is what you will do, so there is nothing for us to do.  When God decides you will do something; you will do it.  These people think they are trumpets.  They are simply instruments that God uses to accomplish his plan or goal.

   Or do you read the Scriptures as telling us that God gives us gifts and talents.  God gives to us the skills and he gives us the wisdom to choose and he gives us the freedom to respond.  These people think they are singers.  God gives to them and they respond to God.  God makes us partners in the spreading of his kingdom.  God has given to you the task of spreading the message of reconciliation throughout the world.  God has made you a light to the world and he wants you to shine in this world. 

   I would encourage you to be a singer.  God has given to us as his children so much that we should desire to give to others.  He gives us all sorts of talents which can be used in many different ways; much like a singer can sing a song in different ways.  He can sing it to different melodies, different octaves, solo or part of a group; these are just a few ways to sing a song.  God gives us the gifts so don’t be afraid to try.  Many people refuse to move because they are afraid that they can’t do it or will do it wrong.  This is the devil at his best work, keeping God’s children from acting on behalf of God in this world.

    So go out and be a singer, joyfully sharing God’s mercy and grace.  It might be as grand as going to some foreign land as a missionary or it might be telling your grandchild about Jesus.  All are God’s work and all are part of God’s plan, the spreading of the kingdom of heaven.  Trust God to give you the skill, the desire, and the strength to go forth in the works he has laid out for you.

Gracious Father, move me by your Spirit to go boldly out into the world and to share your mercy.  Give me the courage to respond to your call and to use the gifts that you give to me to bring your salvation to those in need.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-29-2026

Good Morning!

     Philippians 4:7; “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

      Why does “stuff” happen?  I get that a lot.  From confirmation kids to our oldest members, why does “stuff” happen?  Why do small babies have to be born sick or weak?  Why do some people, who only seem to suffer, keep on living?  Why does it seem that the bad people succeed while the good people seem to struggle?  Why do some people seem to only hate?  Why do so many seem to not care about anybody or anything?  Why does it seem that the world is falling apart?

     We have lots of questions and we seldom have any answers.  Why did this person die so young?  I really do not know.  Why does that person continue to live when it seems that they are only suffering?  I really do not know.  There is much that I do not know.  Sometimes that can be troubling but in reality, I can find a lot of comfort in this fact; I really do not know.  Many people, especially non-believers, cannot understand why or how a Christian can take comfort in not knowing everything.  It is really pretty simple.  We only need to remember one thing and always keep that in our mind.  We need to remember one of the most fundamental facts of the Bible.

    God is God and I am not.  Throughout the Bible we are reminded of this; God is God and I am not.  God is the creator; we are the created.  In the Book of Job, God asks Job, “where were you when I laid out the foundation of the world?”  In Isaiah we are told that God’s ways are not our ways and that he is higher than us than we are over grasshoppers.  God is God and I am not.  I can take comfort in that fact.

    Since God is God and I am not, I can turn all the responsibility of keeping everything straight over to God; I don’t need to do it; even if I could, I don’t have to worry about that.  God is God and I am not.  I trust that God, who has been merciful to me and to all mankind, will continue to shower us with that mercy even if it does not make sense at the time because God is God and I am not.  I take hold of the faith that God gives to me and cling tightly to him because he has promised to love me and to care for me and to let nothing tear me from his hand.  I trust this because God is God and I am not.

    God gives us the peace that the world cannot give us because when we cling to him in faith, we cling to the God who is God overall and who has all things in his hands.  He has promised me mercy and salvation so no matter what is now; no matter what now looks like; I can rest assured that God has everything under control because God is God and I am not.  That is His promise, that is his truth and that is our comfort.

Father of love, in you we have peace.  We have peace because you give us that peace that the world does not know because you give us the faith to hold onto you.  Guard us by your mercy and keep us mindful that you are the God of love who delivers us and protects us.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-28-2026

Good Morning!

       Proverbs 29:25; “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”

        As my sons were growing up, I used to follow sports a little more closely.  I would watch the games and listen to the other parents as the fortunes and successes of the team were discussed.  You would hear conversations like, “We’ll do fine until we play team “x;” as soon as we play them, we will lose.”  The parents were sure of this and often told the players this as well.  So, the players would begin the game with the assumption that they would lose.

    I have always wondered how much that impacted the game.  If one team is convinced that it cannot defeat the other team; will the first team play without giving the best effort they can?  If the first team expects to lose, does it do all the pregame mental and physical preparation as intensely as it does when it expects to win or at least to compete?  Or does the team that expects to lose simply go through the motions of playing?  I really do wonder about the psychology of this.  When we think our opponent is unbeatable, how do we react?

    This is what the proverb in our verse is about.  Fear can paralyze us.  It can cause us to stop trying.  It can cause us to turn away.  It can cause us to shun the things that we desire.  It can cause us to avoid the things that we want to do.  It is usually fear, either of rejection or of ridicule, which causes us to shy away from expressing our faith in the public part of our life.  It may be at our job or at the places where we do business or the times and places when we interact with friends.  We may hear the comments of others and then shy away from what we truly believe and confess.

   God encourages us to stand strong.  We are always safe in his loving arms.  He has defeated all of our enemies.  We have no need to fear man; we only need to trust in God’s wonderful grace.  We know his truth and we know of his love for us.  We have his promise of salvation.  We have his promise of eternal life.  This can and should give us the confidence to face all the snares and fears that the world throws at us.  We are to walk by faith; faith in the risen Savior that we are redeemed and guaranteed our salvation.  We have nothing to fear; God has given us the victory that cannot be taken away.  In Him alone we have this great truth and promise.

Gracious Father, too often I walk in fear of what others think or say.  There are too many times when I hide and shirk about what I am to do or say.  Forgive me when I fail and give me the strength to go forward in the confidence of your truth.  Lead me to be the voice of grace and hope in this dark and lost world.  Grant me the spirit to walk by faith in your eternal love.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret   

6-27-2026

Good Morning!

    Proverbs 16:18; “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

          There is an old story about a frog who was friends with two ducks.  They lived together in a pond behind a farmer’s house.  They were friends for many years.  Yet a very bad drought struck the land.  Soon the pond dried up except for a little mud in the middle.  The ducks were going to fly away but didn’t want to leave their friend the frog.  Soon the frog came up with the idea of holding onto a stick as the ducks held it in their mouths.  As they flew away the frog would hold on with his mouth and they would all fly to a new pond.  So, the two ducks took hold of the stick at each end and the frog took hold in the middle.  Soon they were flying high over the farmer’s house heading for the next pond.  The farmer looked up and saw the trio flying through the air.  The farmer scratched his head and said, “I wonder who thought of that?”  The frog opened his mouth and said, “I did!”

    Pride is one of our most egregious sins.  It is so slippery that we can be seduced into sin so craftily that we fall into the trap.  It begins so subtly; it begins with a whisper.  It begins with a little success.  It might be a pay raise; it might be an unexpected yield increase; it might be someone complementing you on your skills or talents.  At first, they are just that compliments.  Yet somehow the devil and our sinful nature start the whisper.  They tell us that we are that good, or special, or wonderful, or talented or whatever.  Soon we can hear the refrain that “they can’t do it without you.”  Then soon we believe it.  Our pride puffs us up and like an overfilled balloon; we will pop. 

    Pride causes us to look at ourselves and think we are great.  It is the sin of placing “me over God” and the devil enjoys slipping that one over on us.  So, it becomes the sin we always commit, placing me on the throne of God.  Yet God offers us hope.

    First, we are forgiven; God has graciously and mercifully removed our sins because of Jesus’ atonement.  He also offers us a better way.  We know that pride puffs up but that love builds up.  Love is when we look to others and to their needs and not to our own selfish wants.  Love is the exact opposite of pride.  That is why love is the answer.  When we love others, we look to them and to their needs and concerns first.  We look to provide comfort and hope to others first.  When we do this, we can see how God is working in our life as well.  We can see his grace giving to us the blessings of this life.  We see that it is truly his gifts and not our talents that are responsible for our successes and for our happiness.  God grace alone should erase all pride that we feel.  It is his mercy that blesses us.

Father, too often I look at your blessings and think that it is my doing.  Forgive me for my greed and my selfish pride.  Guide me by your Spirit to lead a life of love that puts others ahead of my wants and sees your great goodness in all of my doings.  Help me to destroy my foolish pride so that I may better serve you in your kingdom.  In the precious name of Jesus, our Risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-26-2026

Good Morning!

    Matthew 28: 20b; “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

     Even Elvis asked, “Are you lonesome tonight?”  It is one of the more interesting elements of being a human.  We are social creatures; we tend to seek out companionship.  Yet for many, it is the most elusive part of their life.  Much of the time people feel alone.  There are many “self-help” books and articles that tell you to prepare to be alone, even in a marriage. 

     We see it in pre-teen and in teenagers.  Many times, a young person will join a group, even a group they know is a bad influence and decision to be with, rather than be alone.  They seek acceptance by society, or the group; if they don’t get it from one group, they will seek it from whoever will receive them.  This can include groups that tend to misuse them and abuse them just as long as they are accepted into the groups.  They just don’t want to be alone.

     Sin brought about our sense of loneliness.  The first sin broke the relationship between man and God.  Sin separated us God’s grace and it turned us from being compassionate being into self-centered beings.  The next recorded sin proves this; it is the murder of Abel by Cain.  Jealousy, envy, greed among other emotions and desires drove Cain to kill his brother and soon this anger became loneliness.  This is what sin does; it separates us from God and from each other.  We are left lonely.

    This is part of what Jesus came to change.  He came to reconcile us back to God and back to each other.  This is why he teaches his disciples to love one another.  This is the answer to loneliness; God giving us his love and then this love flowing through us to others.  This is one of our greatest gifts; the gift of loving and of being loved.  It is the end of loneliness.

    Yet the devil does all he can to convince us that we are alone.  It is one of his greatest lies.  He wants you to feel that you are isolated and all alone.  Once he has convinced you of this, he can torment you.  This is why we so often feel all alone.  It is the devil trying to entice you to leave God’s gracious and loving arms in order that you might be his target.

    Yet Jesus knows his plans and his ways.  Jesus knows our fear and pain in loneliness.  He has promised that we will never be alone.  He has promised to be with us to do protect us from the devil.  We can live in the certainty of his unending mercy.  We live with his eternal presence in our lives giving us the peace and confidence to face the struggles of this life with courage and certainty that we do not face them alone.  We face them with the certainty of God’s mercy always being present.

Gracious Lord, you are always with me.  You guard and protect me from all that the devil throws at me.  Keep me in your loving arms.  Be with those who are especially feeling alone at this time.  Bring them to the certainty of your grace.  Give them the wondrous knowledge of your loving protection and peace.  In your name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-25-2026

Good Morning!

    John 18:38; “Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.” 

      “What is truth?” That was the question that Pilate asked Jesus.  There are many ways to interpret that question.  It would seem that this one is somewhat rhetorical and cynical.  It reminds me of “Reality TV.”  Just where is the reality on these TV shows?  I have only watched a couple of episodes of a couple of Reality TV shows and have never met anyone who spoke or acted like these people do and yet we call it “reality TV.”

    Why do we call it that?  Do we think that there are people who believe that life is like this?  Do the makers of these shows have strange dreams and then come up with these stories?  Or do they think this is reality?  I suspect the answer is that the makers of the show see reality as whatever makes a profit.  If they can make money, they put it on and smile all the way to the bank.  It is funny how we can distort reality so that it is what they want it to be.  The makers of the show have their motives and then call it reality.

    Pilate does the same thing.  First, he asks Jesus what is truth, and then he announces that he finds no guilt in him.  Pilate knows the truth; he knows that Jesus is innocent of all the charges made against him.  Yet he has Jesus beaten and whipped; apparently being innocent had a different meaning to him.  He then allows himself to be bullied into letting Jesus be crucified.  What is truth? Apparently to Pilate it was whatever was convenient at the time.

    How often do we do the same thing?  We take the easy or convenient way out.  Everyone else is gossiping about someone else, so we join in.  Everyone around us is advocating some form of sinful action and we acquiesce.  Everyone around us espouses some form of greedy or selfish stance and we agree, even when we know it goes against our faith and our understanding of Scriptures.  What is truth? The world tells us that truth is whatever works at the time we need it.  “Truth” depends on the situation; it is relative to what is around us.  The world wants you to believe that “reality TV” is truth even when we know it is not.

    This is what Jesus is talking about when he told his followers that “the truth will set you free.”  When you have no truth, only imagination, you are always tied up in the lies.  You have to figure out why the current “false truth” exists.  Who has the power, who has the influence, who thinks they decide what truth is.  Believers in Christ know the truth.  Jesus came as the truth.  In him, and in him alone, do we have salvation; that is the truth.  God and God alone is truth.  He alone determines the truth.

    In Christ we have the truth of God’s love.  In Christ we have the certainty of God’s mercy in our life.  In Christ we have the truth of our salvation.  In Christ we know truth. 

Father, you sent Jesus to be our truth.  Give us the courage to cling to you and to your truth.  Be with those who are being led astray by the world’s twisting of truth.  Bring them home to your eternal truth and love.  In the precious name of Jesus, our Risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret   

6-24-2026

Good Morning!

    Hebrews 13:6; “So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"

       There used to be a sports clothing line called “No Fear.”  It made and sold t-shirts, sweatpants and tops, hats, and other sports clothing.  It even had a deal with Pepsi to sell an energy drink.  Its clothing was popular among the high school age group and with those who were into extreme sports.  It became a motto for those who were willing to do just about anything for a thrill or in order to win a competition. 

     Many coaches would use this phrase in order to motivate their young charges.  It worked some of the time but when you challenge a young man to knock over a guy that is 6 inches taller and 100 pounds heavier; well even having “no fear” is usually “no success”.  The problem is that next time, the young man has fear.  Part of that is plain old common sense.  If at first you don’t succeed, you probably won’t the next time either.   This can often cause a certain amount of trepidation and fear.  So, what does that smaller young man do?  He gets some bigger help.

    That is the real reason a 90-pound freshman can have no fear on a football team.  He has a bunch of 250-pound teammates.  Then he has nothing to fear.  Yet his strength does not come from his own size but rather from the size and strength of his teammates.  The same is true for us; we just have a stronger teammate.

     We can never face up to God’s wrath on our own.  We would wither and die in no time.  We might think we are tough but when faced with the awful truth, we would crumble into wretched fear.  We also cannot face the onslaught of the devil on our own either.  The devil has ways to taunt us, to haunt us, to cause us pain and misery all day long.  He would have us quivering in fear in no time.  We would be huddled in the corner of our life, empty and alone.

    Yet we have the greatest champion of all time on our side as our teammate.  It is Jesus who overcomes the fear of punishment and the fear of the devil’s torment.  We only stand beside as our punishment is taken and the devil’s attacks are deflected.  We can stand tall and strong; we have no fear because we have Christ as our defender and protector.  The greatness of this is that it is never our strength that we stand on and as I get older, I know my strength is waning away.  But I stand on the strength of Christ which never fails.  I stand on his righteousness alone.

    This is how I can avoid God’s wrath.  This is why the barbs that the devil throws, although they might sting, can do no harm.  We stand with Christ and we stand in Christ and in him alone.  It is by his wonderful grace that we have nothing to fear for we are always in his loving arms.

Father, too often I am tempted to fear the devil and his ways.  Give me the courage to stand always at the side of Jesus.  Lead me to have no fear.  Be with those who struggle with all that the devil throws.  Be with those who still live in the shadow of fear of you.  Be with all those who only know fear.  Free them from this bondage and give them the certainty of your grace and peace of living in no fear.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-23-2026

Good Morning!

    Romans 6:1; “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?”

         It always makes for an interesting, and lively, discussion.  This is especially true when you are talking to sixth, seventh and eighth graders.  They always answer so enthusiastically.  It starts with the discussion about the completeness of God’s grace and the completeness of Jesus’ sacrifice.  It goes something like this. 

   Student: “So I don’t have to do anything to get into heaven?”  Me: “No, in fact, there is nothing you can do.”  Student: “So now I am free, to do what I want?”  Me: “Yes you are free to do what you want; your salvation has been given to you because of God’s love and not because of your hard work or value.”  Student: “So I can sin if I want to?”  Me: “Yes.”  This is when bedlam breaks out.  I usually take a drink of water, or tea, or coffee, or something until it settles down a little.  A few of the kids are thinking of all the things they want to do but most are trying to figure out what is coming next.  So, then I turn it around and ask them questions.

   Me: “Yes, you are free to sin but why do you want to?”  Students: “It’s fun.”  Me: “Sin is what separates us from God’s love; why do you want to do something to hurt your relationship with God?”  “God has just forgiven you all of your sins; he has freed you from the bondage of sin and the slavery to the law; why do you want to sin, why do you want to go back to that?”  Now it is a little quieter.  Me: “Since God has shown how he loves you by sending Jesus to die for you; what should be your response?”  Student: “Love him and give thanks.”  Me: “How can you do this by sinning?”  Now it gets really quiet.

    This is the jist of Paul’s rhetorical question at the start of Romans chapter 6.  We have God’s grace poured out upon us; so, if we keep sinning, we get more grace so we might as well keep on sinning.  This is the argument put forward.  Paul responds with the dramatic and forceful response that we are dead to sin.  Our desire should be toward God not toward sin.  When our sinful nature has been changed from desiring to sin to desiring to love and serve God, this is the result of forgiveness alive in our life.  Our faith is moving forward.  Why would we want to sin?  The truth is that we do not want to sin.  We may slip into sin again (and again) but we do not desire it and often feel guilty after we have committed it.  This type of sin is not what Paul means.  It is the desire of the heart that reflects what is in our heart.  Is faith in God’s forgiveness and the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice in our heart or do we deny and reject it?  If we have the Spirit living in us, we desire to do God’s will; it is about this simple.  The hard part is that we still have the sinful nature which battles against the new creation we are because of Christ.  We battle against sin, we hate sin and we do not desire to sin.  We desire God’s love and grace.

Father, lead me away from sin.  Guide me by your Spirit to desire your will.  Be with those who are especially tested and challenged at this time.  Protect them with your loving arm and keep them from falling.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret     

6-22-2026

Good Morning!

     Psalm 25: 14-15; “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.  My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.”

    Just someone to talk to; just someone who you can share your thoughts with; just someone who you can be yourself with.  Most people want and need a friend.  They seek that special companionship that only true friendship can bring.  The main thing about true friendship is the complete honesty that you generally have.

   It is your best friend that tells you the person you are dating is not the right one.  Your best friend is the one to tell you that the clothing you have on isn’t you.  It is your best friend who you share your dreams with and who helps you keep your life grounded.  It is usually your best friend that you call first, whether it is wonderful news or the worst news.

    In many ways, we can view Jesus as our best friend.  He is the one who truly knows you better than anyone else.  He knows your fears; those things in your life that cause you to stay awake at night.  He knows those events that cause us to worry.  It might be struggles with your spouse, or other family members.  It might be struggles with your boss or a co-worker.  It might just be the struggles that can come with getting older; but the fears can make us feel very lonely.

    It is through that loneliness that Jesus leads us to hope.  It is through his love and grace that we are kept safe.  He protects us from the snares and the traps that the devil sets for us.  He protects us from the fears that can paralyze us.  He gives us the confidence of our salvation and to us the peace that only he can give.  It is through his loving kindness and patience that we receive form him the blessings of this life and the ability to face the trials and struggles with hope.  It is that hope that secure us.

    Jesus is your best friend especially in that he will never abandon you or forsake you.  Even when others do, he will always be there to comfort you and to guide you through the trials and fears.  He speaks to us those words of comfort through his Word and hears our cries.  He listens better than any best friend because he offers true healing and true hope. We can live in the certainty of his wondrous grace.  In him and in him alone we know that our salvation is secure.  It is only by his grace that we win those battles and can face those fears with the certainty of the victory promised to us by God.  Given to us at our baptism, we can hold onto that promise that absolutely nothing can separate us from God’s love.  He is our friend; he is our salvation.  He protects us from all the devil throws at us.  In him alone we have peace.

Gracious Lord, you are our hope and salvation.  In you we have the peace and comfort to face this world.  Guide us by your light of truth.  Be with those who feel lonely and without anyone to be with them.  Guard and protect them from the traps that the devil lays before them.  Keep them safe in your loving arms.  Bring them safely home.  In your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-21-2026

Good Morning!

     1Timothy 2:1; “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.”

      I am always fascinated by looking at Facebook at what people write or think.  One thing that is interesting is that so many people place requests for prayers on the site.  People ask for prayers for themselves, for their children or other family members.  It might be prayers for health or success in a new venture or just for the Holy Spirit to give them some comfort and peace.

    Of course, the standard reply is something like “I’ll pray” or “prayers are being offered” or something like that.  I often wonder if it is meant or if it is just a comment that is made along the line of when we say, “How are you?”  We usually don’t want the person to give us a real answer.  Is the saying “I’ll pray for you” the same thing, just and answer.  I hope not.

    Prayer is one of the most beautiful gifts that God gives his people.  First, it helps to connect us to God in a family fashion.  We are told to approach God as our loving Father.  This allows us to speak honestly and frankly from our heart.  We speak, even when God already fully knows what is in our heart.  God knows what weighs heavy on our heart, what our fears are and where our struggles lie.  Yet he invites us to speak to him, in what is best thought of as the holy conversation, the reading of Scriptures (listening to God speak) and the response of prayer (speaking to God as he listens).  It is in this that we find comfort and consolation.

    Yet there are other benefits which all Christians should rejoice in.  Prayer, when offered with others and for others, tends to bring a closer relationship with those people involved.  Married couples often report a closer relationship with their spouses when they pray together and for each other.  Family members claim a closer relationship with their siblings when they grew up actively praying for each other.   Church members tend to be closer when they join in prayer for each other and with each other.  This is part of the “bearing one another’s burden” that we are encouraged to engage in with one another.  Prayer strengthens our personal relationship with God and it strengthens our personal relationships with our fellow believers.

    It can also strengthen our compassion and empathy for those for whom we pray.  We tend to connect with their experience more intensely when we pray for them.  There also tends to be more grace offered for their lives and less judging of their actions.  Prayer, true prayer, brings us peace.

    So, if you are a FaceBooker, and you say that you will pray for someone; mean it and do it.  Often, it is easiest to pray for someone immediately when the need is brought to your attention.  Write it down to remember it if you can but pray right away and you will keep your promises and you will hear God’s call to make supplications and intercessions for everyone.

Father, teach me to pray for others, especially those who are in great need.  Father, you teach us that the greatest in the kingdom of heaven are those brothers and sisters who are in the greatest need.  Lead me to make intercessions for them.  In the precious name of Jesus, our Risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret          

6-20-2026

Good Morning!

     Matthew 16:6; “Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

        It is often called “herd mentality” or “mob mentality.”  It is a social and psychological phenomenon which describes when a group of people begins to act in a fashion that may be different than how they would act individually.  We see it most often on the school yard.  All of a sudden, a group of kids decide to pick on one child.  The group just gangs up and is merciless to one child.  Many have experienced this at one time or another.  It may have been on either side of the interaction.  You may have been the victim or you may have been one of the perpetrators.  This event seems to grow beyond any sense of logic or reason.

    Some scientists think that when a group begins to act in this fashion, that one of the first things to go away is personal responsibility.  People tend to see their personal beliefs and actions to be overruled and controlled by the mob.  We simply go along with the crowd and as someone begins to escalate the problem, many seem to just go along even escalating the event as it occurs.  Many scientists feel that each person can deny personal culpability; it frees the individual from personal guilt.

    When Jesus was speaking of the “leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees,” he was speaking specifically of their false teachings.  It also can speak to the way that sin, once it begins to grow, can easily consume those who are either not paying attention or are easily swayed.  So, if we are in a group and gossip begins; it becomes easy for us to join in, add to the lies and falsehoods, and perpetuate the pain.  Be sure to always remember that sin causes pain to all those involved.  Sin is something that can and does grow easily if we let it.  It can grow until it crowds out all of our faithful actions. 

    Jesus warns us against this.  He warns us that sin, left unchecked, grows and grows until it destroys all around it.   Sin, when viewed as harmless or “not that big of a deal” grows until it reaches the point where many are harmed.  This is why Jesus continually encourages us to be watchful; to be alert to what is going on around us, what is being said, on what is happening.  Sin can start so small and mushroom so large before we even have time to think.  Sin is stronger and faster than we are; our only hope is to avoid it.  The only way to avoid it is to cling to Christ through the faith that he gives us.

    We are never stronger than sin.  We should never think we can play with it or toy with it.  Sin is only destructive and painful.  Our only chance of avoiding the leaven of sin is to cling to the cross of Christ.

Father, lead me to cling to your wondrous grace.  Lead me to hold onto the cross of Christ.  Keep me from the enticement of sin.  Be with those who are being tempted and are weakening.  Give them the strength to stand up to the struggles of sin.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret        

6-19-2026

Good Morning!

     Luke 10: 2; “And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

    Are you one of those people who look in awe as someone does something that you just don’t see yourself doing?  Are you amazed when someone becomes a missionary, moves halfway around the world, lives in some remote part of the world in order to witness about Jesus?  Do you marvel when someone quits their job and suddenly becomes a mission person like a nurse or teacher or carpenter?  They leave a good paying job, the security they know and go to where their skills are desperately needed but definitely in a poor paying, somewhat unsafe place.

   It doesn’t even have to be this grand.  Maybe you see someone serving on a district or regional board for the church.  They have to get up and speak before large crowds and place their faith and their ideas out there where they can be attacked.  It might just be to serve as an elder in your church and you think “there is no way I could do that!” 

    We often hear that we need to “get out of our comfort zone.”  We need to “expand our horizons.”  In some ways this is true but in some ways; not so much.  It is true in that we need to live our life as a witness for Christ.  If we always shrink away, we need to strive to let our light shine.  Yet if you are one of those people who struggle doing that, then start small.  You don’t have to give up your job and move to a place you can’t pronounce.  You can start at home and at your place of work.  You can start with your children and grandchildren or your brothers and sisters or your spouse.  Then you can move to your co-workers and friends.

   The great thing is that you don’t have to be an elegant speaker; you simply need to let the love of Christ shine through.  It can be with a kind word first thing in the morning; it can be an extra dose of patience.  It can be stopping to help open a door or a simple smile.  Showing God’s love by simple acts of kindness can go a long way.  It can lead to someone asking you why you are so kind and happy.  Here is a chance to witness.  It doesn’t have to be a long theological statement.  It can simply be that with Jesus in my heart I am content with my life.  If they want a deeper answer, send them to your pastor.

   There is a lot of harvesting to do.  There are many souls who need to hear of God’s grace.  Any way that they can hear the message is important and those souls that are next door to you need it as much as someone half a world away.  God calls us to witness to everyone.  It doesn’t have to be fancy; just honest.  After that, let the Holy Spirit take over.

Father, give me the courage to be your voice.  Give me the courage to be your hands and your arms.  Let your love flow through me to those who need it the most.  Keep me alert to the times and places when I can do the most good.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-18-2026

Good Morning!

     Matthew 9:6; “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic— “Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

     The man was a paralytic.  We don’t know exactly what this meant but he was apparently bedridden.  His life would have been extremely difficult.  There were no drugs to help with spasms.  There was no health care system for looking after him.  He was left to rely on the kindness of his family and friends.  We don’t know if he was paralyzed from birth or if his condition was the result of an accident or an assault. 

    His life would have been one of meager existence.  It would have been difficult to call it living.  He may have gone for days without eating or being bathed.  He was probably covered with sores.  He would have been very easy to overlook.  He would have been someone who would have been considered a drag on society, less than just about anyone.  What could he do?  What did he have to offer?  Yet Jesus stopped what he was doing, took a decided effort to heal this man both physically and spiritually.

    There are many lessons for us in this story but the one we want to look at is the value of the man.  What was the value of this man?  He wasn’t producing anything for society.  He couldn’t even take care of himself let alone his family.  He simply existed and was a drain on society.  Yet Jesus stopped and healed him.  Jesus also healed a woman who bled; he raised the only son of a widow.  He healed the lepers; he healed the people who were demon possessed.  He healed people who had value.  They had value because of who they were; they were God’s creation.  They had value because of the value of the one who created them, who redeemed them and who keeps them in faith.  Their value came from God.

   Our value comes from God.  It is not what you produce.  It is not because of what you have or say.  Our value comes from God and exists because of God.  All people, all humans have value because of the creator, redeemer, and sanctifier; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Triune God gives us value and He gives value to all human life.  Because God gives human life value, he chose to save it and not destroy it and we should do the same.

   We have value because of God’s grace.  He chose to redeem you.  He chose to love you and to redeem you from the scourge of the law and from his holy, righteous wrath.  Our value is not dependent upon what we do.  Our actions also do not devalue us either.  God’s love is pure and true and for us.  Our love for all of our brothers and sisters should also be pure and true based upon God’s value of them and not ours.  We love, not because of what others can do for us but because God first loved us and them.

Father, in you do we have all value.  Your love fulfills all the worth that we have.  Teach us to treasure all those around us.  Lead us to be the agents of your love, especially to those that the world sees as worthless.  All your children have value for all are loved by you.  In the precious name of Jesus, our Risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret     

6-17-2026

Good Morning!

     Hebrews 11:8; “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”

    One of my favorite movies is “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”  In it there is a part where Indiana Jones has to cross this huge chasm.  He is told that he must take a leap of faith to make it across.  During the scene, we can see the fear and the angst on Indiana’s face as he takes the step.  He ends up stepping onto a walkway that is unseen.  Yet I think that his expression reveals much to us about a leap of faith.

    In our verse, we read how Abraham left his home, his father and his family, his friends and the familiar surroundings of his home and left.  He took his wife, a nephew, and his possessions.  He went in the direction that God led him but Abraham wasn’t sure where he was going.  He only knew that God knew where Abraham was going and that was enough for Abraham because Abraham had faith.

    I am not sure what kind of reaction most husbands would get if they told their wives that they were packing up and moving but He didn’t know where.  I am not sure how most men would react to the call that Abraham received.  Events that truly require faith can be difficult.  When our life is going the way, we want it to go, healthy, wealthy, and wise, it can be easy to say that “I have faith.”  But what happens when life goes the other way? 

    It is at those tough times, those terrible times, those horrific times, which cause us to feel the angst of faith.  When things go the way, they are supposed to go, happy and healthy children, successful job, loving spouse, and everything else we want; we can say “I’ve been blessed and I have faith.”  Yet when God peels away the veneers of stuff that we use to measure happiness or contentment and we are left with only Him to cling to; faith can be both fearful and angst filled.  We look and don’t see the path; we may not even be sure of the direction that we are travelling.

    Yet God tells us to trust in Him.  We can look at all the promises that he has already kept, we can look at the total faithfulness of his actions, we can look to his incredible grace already poured out on us and we can see that we can and should do just that; we should trust in His promises.  Faith can be described as hugging back.  God picks you up and holds you close to his chest so you can hear his heart and feel the warmth of his love.  Faith is hugging back and thus clinging tightly to God and his incredible mercy.  So, we may waver, we may have twinges of fear and angst but we still take that step of faith fully confident that God has placed the walkway beneath our feet to keep us safe I his loving arms.

Gracious Father, strengthen my faith.  Lead me down the path of your righteousness that I may grow in my faith that I may cling even tighter to you.  Be with all those who struggle with life’s challenges at this time.  Give them the courage to take the step of faith that we all need to take.  Guide them gently in their ways.  In the precious name of Jesus our Risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret    

6-16-2026

Good Morning!

            Romans 8:1; “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

      One of the saddest conversations that I have ever been part of was with a young lady who was bemoaning her future.  She was a good student who studied intensely and worked hard in class.  She was a musician and a decent athlete.  She also was a very nice young lady.  She had a scholastic scholarship waiting for her at the college she was attending.  Yet she was looking for and waiting for something catastrophic to occur.  She kept telling me that she didn’t deserve the good things that were happening; something bad was bound to happen.

    She had this sense that somehow, she was unworthy of what she had.  She had a lot of explanations as to why she didn’t deserve what she was getting.  “The school was small so it distorted her class ranking;” “her teacher helped her fill out her scholarship papers;” “she just guessed the right answers.”  She lived a life where she felt incredible self-condemnation.  She felt that she was completely unworthy and worried what would happen when the rest of the world “figured that out.”

    Many of us live with this deep seeded fear.  We do not believe that we should have what we have.  We hear a voice that tells us that we are not good as parents, as a spouse, as a child, or worker or co-worker.  We hear the voice tell us what a disappointment we truly are and when everyone else figures this out and the truth comes out; then we know that we are the loser.

   This is why this message from Paul is so wonderful.  There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  God does not condemn.  If you are hearing the voice that condemns you, that attacks you it is from the devil and the old sinful nature in us.  It is not God telling you that you are worthless or unworthy.

    God sent Jesus to die for you.  He sent his only Son to suffer for you.  He did this so that you would be made worthy.  He did this to give you the peace that comes with the knowledge that you are his redeemed child.  He seeks not to condemn but to give you salvation and to give you hope.  God does not condemn you rather he frees you from sin and from the condemnation of sin.

    This is a great blessing but one that we must remember and we must focus on God’s voice of forgiveness rather than the devil’s voice of attack.  We are free from the slavery of sin and the bondage of the law.  We can live a life that is not filled with condemnation, self or otherwise.  We are free because of his grace.  We are free to live a life of joy and peace which he gives to us.

Father of grace, in you we have hope and in you we have no condemnation.  Give us the courage to stand up to the devil’s lies.  Be with those who are especially tormented by the devil’s attacks.  Give them peace so that they may rest secure in your loving arms.  In the precious name of Jesus, our Risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret