5-14-2019

Good Morning All,

       Psalm 33:11; “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations."

    When my oldest son was about 4 or 5, he got a chance to fly in an airplane.  It was a small two-seater that was flown by my mother’s cousin.  We took off from runway number one of the Northville International Airport and we flew for a few minutes.  He liked it but wasn’t overly sold on the whole deal.  As we came around for the landing approach, the pilot slowed the engine way down and the plane began to descend.  My son’s eyes got wide and a tiny look of terror was on his face.  He didn’t say anything but he didn’t have to.  After we landed; he was quieter than normal.

    By the time we got back to our farm he was talking a mile a minute again.  He liked how the plane did this and he liked looking out the window and seeing everyone’s house and the roads and so on.  Being the usual 4 or 5-year-old he looked up and finished with the standard, “That was fun dad, do you know what I want to be when I grow?”  Expecting the obvious, I answered, “No son, what do you want to be?”  He replied, “I want to be a fireman!”

    He had his plans.  I don’t know if the airplane ride didn’t sway those plans or just cemented them in place.  We all have plans.  It is amazing the percentage of students who change their major in the first year of college.  It is something like 80% change at least once.  We all have plans and they can change. 

    I remember a girl we went to college with.  She grew up on a small dairy farm and swore up and down when she graduated she would be as far away from a farm as possible.  That was until she married a west river rancher.  Plans can and do change.  Some like these are kind of humorous; unfortunately, some are not.  Many servicemen and women return home from active duty and are wounded and maimed.  Their plans with their families change.  Couples who plan on growing old together and then suddenly one dies and the other has a change of plans.

    We all make plans and we should but we should always make them with the understanding of “Deo Volente”; God willing.  All are plans are dependent on God’s will because God has plans for us.  These plans are to give us a future and to give us hope.  We don’t always see these plans and sometimes we don’t even like these plans but God’s plans are always to mold and to shape us into the disciples that he calls us to be and his plans are to draw us closer to him and to give us eternal salvation.  We can fight God’s plans but this only adds to the stress of our life and while we do not always see the plans as clearly as we like; we trust in God’s grace and mercy to carry us through.

Dear Father, too often we think our plans are the best when it is your plans which are in our best interest and for our future.  Strengthen our faith that we may have full confidence in our future and that we place our entire trust in you for you are our hope.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret           

5-13-2019

 Good Morning All,

 Song of Solomon 6:3; “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.  He is the one who grazes his flock among the lilies.”   

    Everyone loves a love story.  Even if we say we don’t; we really do.  We like to see or read where the two leads finally get together and true love prevails.  Most of the greatest stories told are love stories.  Think of Romeo and Juliet or Anna Karenina or any one of the newer stories.   The love of the man for the woman which compels and drives them to be together no matter what the odds or cost unites them as one. 

    This union is a true mystery; how do two become one?  We may not fully understand God’s ways or gifts but we receive them anyway.  Part of that gift is the incredible love which God has for us as his Church.  He expresses his love for us through the sacrifice of Jesus and then unites us with him in an eternal loving relationship.  The Scriptures often describes this as a marriage.      

    This is a portion of the great love ballad in the Bible.  It is the conversation between Solomon and his bride.  It serves as an allegory of Christ and the Church.  Christ is the bridegroom and the Church is the bride.  As we read this Book, we read about the incredible love of Christ for His Church.

    God expresses his love for us in many ways.  Here we read of total devotion to one another.  God shows us this through his sending of Jesus to die for us and through the resurrection which shows us the open door to heaven.  God also shows his love by defending his bride the Church.  God is a jealous God who will defend from all unwanted suitors, like the devil.  He defends us with his mighty arm and protects with his gracious love.  God is faithful to us even when we are unfaithful.  He calls us back to himself through his grace, extending to us a mercy which only one who loves us totally would offer.

    The love that God has for us is stronger than we can ever imagine.  He is there for us as the battles and turmoil of this life surround us.  He is there to comfort our pain, heal our sorrow and to provide us hope.  He is there to protect us from the devil with a jealous rage that flashes fire.  The passion of God’s love is deep for us.  It consumes him with the desire to save us from our sins and not to destroy us as we deserve.  It is this love that causes Him to see us as someone worth redeeming; someone who he chooses to love.

    He marks us with a seal, the seal of Baptism.  It is the sign which He marks us with to claim us as his own beloved ones.  Through Baptism we are marked and sealed with an everlasting love which will bring us to eternal life.

Gracious Father, you love us with a passion which is greater than anything that we can fathom.  Keep us close to you and deepen our love for you that we may be made worthy of you.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

5-12-2019

      Good Morning All,

      Psalm 56:13; “You have rescued me from death.  You have kept my feet from stumbling so that I could walk in your presence in the light of life."

    Do you ever watch “Funniest Home Videos” or on the internet when they show high fashion models and they slip and fall down?  Boy, sometimes they really wipe out completely.  You can watch them go head first into the orchestra pit or photographer’s pit and it is just boom.  I watched one where these girls were modeling swimsuits.  The promoter had them walk out of the shallow end of the pool and on this reviewing stand.  By the time the fifth or sixth one was on the stand, it was so wet no one could walk. So, the next ten or twelve were slipping and sliding and falling all over the place.  Some of them looked painful.

    Think of the times when we are walking along and we stumble.  Sometimes we catch ourselves and sometimes we don’t.  Sometimes when we catch our balance; it hurts worse than if we would have simply fell.

    In the Bible, we read where our life is compared to a journey or a race.  If you are in a race, just about the worst thing you can do is stumble.  Not only do you fall down but you usually wipe out a couple of other runners, get stepped on and then blamed for everything.  Or think in terms of someone who is trying to get in a building and the wind and the weather is such that it is almost impossible; sometimes we need someone who will help keep us up and not falling down.  Sometimes we need someone to pick us up when we fall.

    Our verse speaks of Jesus as the one who is able to keep us from stumbling.  This, of course, is the kind of language where we are struggling with temptation and sin and we try and deal with it on our own.  When we do, we always fail; we always stumble.  No matter how many times we try, no matter how many times we fight; we will always stumble and fall.  It is like the models trying to walk on the wet walkway; it is just not going to work.

    The truth is that when the devil sets out to trip us up, to make us stumble; we can never catch ourselves.  The devil has such sly and hidden methods that we are quickly falling before we even know what hit us.  Usually when we stumble and fall we tear our clothes, scrape our elbow or knee and generally end up a little worse for the wear.  After stumbling a number of times, we really are a mess.

    Yet Jesus picks us up and brushes us off when we do rely on our own abilities.  Yet if we keep our faith in him, he will keep us from stumbling so that we are presented blameless before him. 

Dear Lord Jesus, you keep us from stumbling into the devil’s traps and we give you thanks.  Keep us mindful that we cannot stand on our own but that we wholly lean on you in your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

5-11-2019

 Good Morning All,

              Romans 8:3; “It is impossible to do what God’s standards demand because of the weakness our human nature has. But God sent his Son to have a human nature as sinners have and to pay for sin. That way God condemned sin in our corrupt nature.”

     I have always had a theory about education and teachers.  I have always felt that teachers should teach the subject that they were the worst at in school instead of the class that they were the best at or liked the best.  My theory is based on the observation that if teachers teach the classes they enjoy the most, they have more difficulty having empathy with students who struggle in class.  The subject matter comes so easily when you enjoy the class it is difficult to understand how it can be hard for someone or how someone could not like the class.

     I remember observing this first hand when I was a freshman in college.  We were all in the intro to math class.  It was the most elementary math class there was.  The person they hired to teach this class had a doctorate in math and the summer before was teaching advanced calculus at the Naval Nuclear Propulsion School.  He would explain the material as simply as he could but there were still people who didn’t understand.  The look of frustration on his face was amazing.

     You see the same in sports.  The great coaches were rarely great players.  The great coaches are the ones who had to work at the skills to be good.  They learned the craft and in so doing so the learned how to empathize and to use different methods of trying to teach the game.  The ability of the coach or the teacher to empathize with those who struggle at the task at hand creates a stronger team or student.

    Jesus experienced all this; yet he did not sin.  He dealt with our struggles and managed.  He overcame what we cannot so that we might be viewed as righteous by God.  However, he doesn’t take the smug, superior attitude towards us.  He looks out to us and on us with the love and compassion of a loving parent or brother.  He knows our struggle and prays for us and sends his Spirit to us so that we can face those battles head on.

     This is part of why Jesus became man; in order that he might experience what it means to be human and overcome.  This shows the love which God has for us in that the Creator joined the created.  As we go through life, we do not go alone; we do not have a God who does not see what we live with.  He loves us and has compassion for us and sympathizes with us.  He gives us the strength to battle on.

Gracious Father, your tender mercy protects us all day and all night.  Give us comfort in the knowledge that we face no trial which you have not conquered.  Guide us with your gentle hand.  Gently bring us back to your ways.  Guard us with your truth.  In Jesus’’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

5-10-2019

Good Morning All,

        Psalm 103:12; “As far as the east is from the west—that is how far he has removed our rebellious acts from himself.”

    Do you remember the TV show “Maude”?  It starred Bea Arthur and Bill Macy.  Maude was supposed to be Edith Bunker’s cousin.  She was the knee-jerk liberal to Archie Bunker’s blind-sided conservatism.  Maude’s “catch phrase” was “God will get you for that”.  Anytime one of the other characters would get a leg up on her; that was her response.

    That is a phrase that many Christians like.  They may not say it out loud but they think it.  We like to think that God is keeping score of all the little slights that have occurred against us.  We like to think that, in the end, God will “get even” for us.  That is why many people really like this verse; the last will be first and the first will be last.  We might even call this verse “the great even-er” or maybe “the equalizer”.  We want it to be something that shows we win.  All those people who ever slighted me, “dissed” me, showed me too little respect, laughed at me, or in some other way put me down; well “God will get them for that”.  At least that is how I see it.

    The trouble with seeing it this way is that somewhere; there is a Christian who wants me brought down a peg or two and there is a Christian who thinks the same about you.  The real trouble is that we have God keeping score; that is keeping track of sin.  I don’t think we really want that to happen; we can only lose that deal.  Yet we really don’t want to read this verse this way.  I think if we really want to read it properly; we look not at what is said but at who is saying it.  How does God deal with the sins of those who believe in Jesus?

    The Psalmist uses this verse in describing the steadfast love of God for all his children.  This psalm offers some of the highest praise to God for the mercy that he shows to us.  It is a profession of confidence that we now have because of God’s love for us and this love for us should instill in us a desire to forgive others of their sins against us.

    Jesus is God’s Son who laid aside his majesty and glory and humbled himself to be a man even unto death on a cross.  Jesus, the firstborn of the kingdom, became last, the bearer of all sins.  Jesus, the first became last so that you and I, the last among all because of our sin and failings, might become first; forgiven of our sins.  We are among the first to get our heavenly rewards.  Not by time or by rank but by grace we are God’s holy people, a royal priesthood, and a chosen nation.  We are the apple of God’s eye.

Dear Father, we give you thanks for your grace and mercy.  We thank you that Jesus gave up his glory to humble himself to save us and exalt us.  Help us to share this wondrous message with all those around us.  Be with those who are being tested and keep them strong.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen            

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

5-9-2019

 Good Morning All,

             Psalm 86:11; “Teach me your way, O Lord, so that I may live in your truth.  Focus my heart on fearing you."

    I hear it often.  It comes from parents of young children, people who are engaged in their job or community, retired folks who like to fish and golf; I hear it often.  I am not sure if it is an expression of guilt, an appeasement of a member of the clergy, or an honest statement but I hear it often.  It has many variations but basically it is said with some sense of resignation and almost defeat.  “I need to put more God into my life.”  I hear it and often times I just smile and acknowledge the statement.  It usually is made at a time when it is impractical at best to address the comment.  Yet it is a comment we need to address for the simple truth is we do not need “more God in our life” rather we need to have “our life more into God.”

    I know what many mean but when we say it like this “I need to put more God into my life” we are really continuing down a sinful path.  We are saying that we are more important than God and that we, somehow through our own crafty planning, will open up a little of our precious time so God can sneak in and fill a need which we have.  We might try for a while but soon we will be back in the rut of thinking “I don’t have time for God; I am too busy.”  We may need to view this the way a dietician once told me about losing weight.  Like many, I battle the scale all the time and lose the vast majority of the time.  This dietician told me that going on diets never work.  They fail because we set a weight goal and a timeframe and when we reach our goal; we go back to the ways that got us in trouble in the first place!  The true way to lose weight is to change from the poor eating habits and replace them with healthy ones.  It is the same in our faith life, we need to change our habits and views of fitting God into our life and instead focus on how we fit into God’s story, plan, narrative or whatever way you refer to it.  How do I fit into God and His plan of salvation here, on earth today, and into eternity?

    First and foremost, we must see that God comes first.  That is what the First Commandment is all about.  Secondly, we need to teach them to our children, live them out in our life.  This is why our devotional time is so critical for our spiritual well-being.  It helps us to orientate ourselves to what is true in our life.  The devil and the world will scream loud and long with lies that tell you something else is true.  This is how God wants us to hear His voice by reading His Word and speaking to Him in prayer.  We all have the same amount of time.  We all have 168 hours in a week and we can accomplish what we prioritize at the top of the list.  For Christians, it should be worshipping God by hearing His Word and calling upon His Name, regularly and often.  This will help us see how we are God’s creatures, beloved and redeemed by Him, that we may live in His kingdom.

Father, forgive my failure to put You first.  Cleanse me so that I may return to your tent and give me the spirit to listen to your holy Word and to seek your comfort and truth.  Defend me this day from all sin.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

5-8-2019

Good Morning All,

         John 14:6; “Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.”

    I used to follow politics a whole lot closer than I do now.  Back then, the players were colorful, interesting and, at least in public, civil towards each other.  They showed respect for the institutions in which they served.  One of my favorite characters was a senator from New York named Daniel Patrick Moynihan.  He was a great mind who always had a way with his words.

    One of his quotes that has been coming back to me these past few months is this one, "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."  Every time I watch the news; this phrase comes back almost as a haunt.  As I watch the news, everyone has his own truth.  We used to say, “if you don’t like the weather on this station; change the channel and get a different forecast.”  Now we say that about the “facts” of the news.

    This is a problem in our world and our nation.  We have a world in which everyone feels that they are entitled to their own “truth”.  We hold to the “you believe what you want and I’ll believe what I want”.  We no longer acknowledge that there is a truth.  We are becoming a nation where everyone has his or her own truth.  This may sound good but; it represents possibly the greatest threat to us yet.

    Jesus tells his disciples that he is the way, the TRUTH, and the life.  Jesus is the truth, the only truth that exists in our world.  He is the only truth that ever has existed or ever will.  To view the world as a place that allows many truths is the same as having many gods.

    The truth for all to know is that Jesus is the flesh and blood truth that God truly loves us and desires that we are reconciled to him.  Jesus is living proof that God wants to restore us to the perfect existence that was in Eden.  The truth is that only Jesus is the source of salvation for man.  From that truth, we build our society.  God wants us to live reconciled lives together.  We are to live in harmony with God and each other.  Yet we hold to this truth that Jesus is our salvation.  This is the only truth that there is. 

     So, as we listen to the rabble that is on the news today remember; God calls us, as his children, to be the light of the world to the truth.  God’s grace shows through us.  He uses his church to show his truth to the world.  He uses his church to tell the world that God wants to reconcile the world back to him.  Know there is only one truth and be ready to speak that truth.  “Let your light so shine before men that they may see the glory of the Father.” The truth will set you free.

 Gracious Father in heaven, you have blessed us with your holy truth.  Give us your strength to guide us that we may see the truth, that we may live the truth and that we may proclaim the truth.  Guard your people and give courage to your Church.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret