1-23-2020

Good Morning All, 

            Psalm 37:7; “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!”

      Everyone who has ever played sports in some form of organized fashion, whether high school or college or city league or even church league remembers that one player.  That one player who was always on the “cheaper” or “dirty” side of the game.  He would cheat at the game and get away with it.  He was always pulling something that was shady or outside of the rules.  He would push you in the back in a basketball game or punch you in a football game.  He made the game a lot less fun than normal.  He made the game a task or a chore rather than a challenge.

    The one universal truth about this type of player is that he rarely, if ever, gets caught.  He will push the other player and then that second adage about sports comes into play, “the second guy gets caught.”  It is as frustrating thing to experience when the bad guy seems to win, and the good guy seems to come up short. 

    There are times when we think this is true in our faith life as well.  Why does it seem that some of the unbelievers have all the success while believers seem to struggle to have anything at all?  It seems somewhat unfair; it should be the other way; at least we think.

    First and foremost, we need to remember that as Christians we measure success differently than the world does.  The world measures by “stuff”, possessions and other tangible things.  We see success as faith, loving relationships, reconciled families, people coming to faith, suffering healed; in other words, we see success in terms of human condition.  We see success in terms of relationships that get healed, both between man and God and man to man.  These are successes.

    So, we look at the world and we wait, we wait for God.  We wait for God to do the wonderful thing that he has promised.  We wait for God to put an end to pain, to suffering, to injustice, to death.  This will occur when Christ returns, and creation is restored, and we are made perfect at his arrival.  We wait, in joyful anticipation of God intervening and ending death.  We wait with the total assurance that God will do as he has promised to do.  God has promised us salvation, hope for life eternal with him in everlasting glory.  We look forward to this coming but until it does, we wait for God.

    So, as we wait, we take the opportunity to serve God and give him praise and thanks by serving others, by bringing God’s grace to them.  We measure our success, not by gold or silver, but by the love of God shared throughout our midst.

Gracious and loving Father, through you we have salvation and we have hope.  So, we wait for you to finish our redemption and bring it to completion.  We wait for your glorious return.  Be with those who are tempted by the world’s measure of success and are missing out on your great love and peace.  Guard and protect them from the devil’s arrows.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

1-22-2020

 Good Morning All, 

       Ephesians 6:16; “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one”

     As we look at Ephesians 6 and the armor of God; it can be an image that some of us cannot quite grasp but Paul and the first readers of this letter would have understood it right away.  Paul describes a Roman soldier like one that the citizens would have seen every day.  They would have been in full uniform with the breastplate, the helmet, the sword and shield.  Paul took this visual and applied it to the life of faith that he wanted the readers of this letter to be aware of. 

     We sometimes struggle with these images because we don’t see that we are in a war.  Yet the truth is that we, as believers, are on the front line.  If we think about it, the unbeliever is already caught by the devil, those who have died are no longer in the battle so the only ones whom the devil will attack are believers, you and me.  It is only the believer who has attacks of guilt and conscience.  We are the ones whom the devil targets to shoot those flaming arrows of temptation.  So, we need to be ready for the attack that comes at us every day.

    Paul uses faith as our shield.  Faith is the desire to trust in God’s promise.  Faith clings to the hope that God gives to us.  By having faith, we can resist the devil and his temptations.  Faith helps us to resist the devil’s whispers which cause us to have doubts.  The shield is a very apt description.  In Paul’s time, the shield would have been covered in leather.  Just before the battle the shield would have been soaked in water in order to extinguish the flaming arrows shot at them.  That is how Paul wants us to see our faith, as a shield that takes the hits of the arrows fired at us.

    But there is one major thing we need to remember; we need to hold the shield up and in place to protect us from the arrows.  Having the shield at our side or, even worse, having it in the closet by the door.  A soldier that doesn’t have his shield up and in the ready position is very vulnerable to attacks from the enemy.  So too we must always have our faith ready to absorb the attacks of the devil.  It is faith that allows us to stand up to the arrows that the devil fires at us so we must keep our faith up and in the ready position. 

    In order to do this, we need to keep our faith strong.  We do this through prayer, devotional time, proper use of the sacraments and in praise and worship of God.  These are the tools that God gives to us to keep us strong and ready to do battle.  The devil will attack; he will fire at us every chance he gets but God’s grace will defend us and through the faith that God gives us we will prevail.

Father as we do battle with the devil, we need you to guard and defend us.  Give us the strength to trust in you.  Give us the faith to extinguish the arrows of the devil.  Be with those who are being fired upon at this time.  Protect them with your Holy Spirit.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret    

1-21-2020

        Good Morning All, 

Joel 2:13; “and rend your hearts and not your garments.”  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

     I was reading an article the other day about the cost of forgiveness.  The author was telling how people would go about buying their forgiveness, from husbands that brought home flowers to wives that baked pies or favorite meals; the author made a claim that forgiveness was earned or at least paid for.

    We often hear that.  A person wrongs another and then must pay, sometimes for a long time, for their forgiveness.  We often call this the price of forgiveness.  It is a common thought, totally wrong, but common.  Buying forgiveness is not possible because forgiveness is given and not bought.  If you buy something, you have earned it because you have enough to pay for it. 

    There are many people who believe that they can buy forgiveness, so they have no need to change their ways.  As long as they can pay someone enough to continue what they are doing, they feel no need to change.  Sort of like the little boy who told his mother he was going to hit his sister.  His mother told him he would lose his allowance if he did.  The little boy looked his mother and said, “It’s worth it!”

    In many ways, the Israelites thought along this path.  A few more offerings, a few more sacrifices, a few more hollow prayers offered, and they were “forgiven”.  It seemed simple enough except that it is not accurate.  Forgiveness from God is given to us, freely but with the desire by God that we change our ways.  God wants us to change from the sinful actions because sinful actions still cause pain, suffering and harm.  Think of a person who pollutes the environment, pays a fine for doing so and then continues to pollute.  The damage remains and continues to grow.

    The person who attacks another, whether physical or emotional, inflicts pain both on the victim and upon himself.  God has repeatedly told this to us.  The pain is shared by both, so the healing requires both to work.  So, the offending party needs to repent to “rend his heart” as our verse says.  We need to tear our heart, remove the desire to sin and to repent of our sins; that is to turn away from sin and turn to God.

    God calls to us with his words of forgiveness and his words of love.  He calls to us to come to him and to live in his kingdom.  He calls to us to reconcile with our brothers and sisters as one family unto him.  God is calling, are you listening?

Father of grace, you forgive us so that we may be empowered to forgive others.  We see and experience your mercy and you lead us to show mercy to those around us.  Give us the strength to rend our hearts and turn to you in true faith.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

1-20-2020

        Good Morning All, 

      Philippians 4:13; “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

    Do you remember the story of the little train that could?  This was the little train that made it over the mountain by saying, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”  Then when it made it over the mountain it said, “I thought I could, I thought I could.”  This is one of the first stories that children read, and it is designed to encourage children to try new things and to have confidence in their ability to succeed.

    I used to use the contrarian version of this when I coached baseball.  I would tell my players that if they thought that they would fail then they would fail.  If a batter thought, he would strike out then he would more than likely strike out.  It is similar in the idea that you must have confidence in your ability to succeed.  If you lack confidence, then you can almost guarantee that you will fail.

    Paul is telling us something similar.  When we read “I can do all things” it might be better to read it as “I can endure all things”.  Paul isn’t telling us that we are the little engine that could.  There are things we cannot do.  I cannot swim or run a mile in 5 minutes.  This is not what Paul is telling us.  He doesn’t mean that with enough determination we will be successful; he means that by clinging to our faith, we can endure everything that the devil and this world can throw at us.  We will endure until the end when we receive our crown of righteousness.

    God gives us the power to endure.  It might not be the power to avoid.  We may experience some of the worst things that the world will throw at us.  It might be health problems or relationship problems or any one of a myriad of other events and tragedies.  The world is still a broken place and still suffers from the ravages of sin.  Pain still occurs but we know that through it all, we will endure.  Our eternal hope is secure because of Jesus and his sacrifice.  Because of that we can endure everything for it is through Christ’s atoning work that we have salvation. 

    No matter what the devil throws at us, no matter how much he may try and torment you with his whispers of doubt and lies of despair. We can endure it through the strength of Christ.  We can do all things through him who strengthens us.  We can endure, persevere and then prevail.  God has promised us the eternal success of our salvation.  We will be restored, body and soul, when Christ returns.  But until we meet him in glory, we will wait, and we will endure for God’s grace goes with us.

Father of all grace and mercy, because of your undying love we will endure.  You have promised to restore us to perfection with you.  We wait in your loving arms.  Be with those who feel that they are at the end of their strength.  Be with those who are wavering under the weight of the devil’s attacks.  Give them the certainty of your eternal love and grace.  Strengthen and preserve them Father.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

1-19-2020

Good Morning All, 

           Mark 1:15; “and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

       The kingdom of God; what do we mean by that?  Some will tell you that it refers to heaven; it refers to the place where God will perfectly rule.  Some see it as a future place and a future event.  Some read this and think that this phrase refers to Jesus himself.  Hence the reference to being “at hand” as in “I’m standing right here!”  These are a couple of ways to look at it but there is another way to view it.

    The kingdom of God really can be viewed as God, through Jesus, actively restoring all of creation to its perfect state.  Think of it as a wave moving through a pond or a lake.  It begins and moves through the whole pond.  The kingdom of God begins with Jesus entering into the world and going about village to village, person to person, bringing healing to those with whom he has contact with.  We see it in each event of Jesus’ life here on earth.  He brings healing, he brings compassion, he brings about the cares for the physical as well as spiritual needs of the person.  In short, we see God in Christ has come to reestablish his rule over creation, and his desire to restore everything that is broken or twisted or amiss or dying.  All of the different manifestations of creation’s brokenness give rise to the Savior’s compassion.

    This occurs now, not just at some future event.  Jesus comes to give us healing now.  He comes to free you from the past.  He comes to heal your brokenness.  So whether you are a young person that society has declared unworthy and unfit because of past events and choices; Jesus will pull you from this brokenness and give you hope for a better today.  If you are a not so young person who has a lifetime of struggles and failures; Jesus wants to heal you and for you to change for today.  We are not defined by the past; God defines us with a future and there is no amount of the past that cannot be overcome.

    Never underestimate how much God wants to begin your healing right now.  You are his beloved child.  Just as an earthly father would want his child to be healed today from any illness or affliction so our heavenly Father seeks the same truth.  God, through Jesus, comes to you seeking to bring you healing.  He seeks to help you address all of your needs.  He does this through the use of created things around you to bring you hope.  He has given this task to his church.  This is the task of the church; to bring about healing and hope to the world that is lost and broken and it does it one person at a time; attempting to heal one wound at a time.  The kingdom of God is at hand; grab hold and let it begin the healing.

Father, your love moves you to give us healing.  Be with those who are suffering at the hands of the world and are left to feel rejected and reviled.  Use us to be your hands and voice to bring about the wonderful message of hope that is your holy Gospel.  Direct us by your Spirit to those in need and help us to draw them to you.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

1-18-2020

Good Morning All, 

             Galatians 6:2; “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

    “Can I help you?”  That is a question that gets asked in many different settings.  We hear it when we walk into a retail store and we start to look at a piece of merchandise.  We might hear it if we walk into a room or an area of a building where we are not supposed to be.  Usually, the person asking will direct you to the appropriate area.  I hear it a lot when I am in a hospital or in a nursing home and trying to find a specific room number for a patient.  The nurses and the nurses’ aides are really very helpful.  Eventually, I find everyone I am looking for.  “Can I help you?” is also the question which Paul tells us as Christians to ask, especially of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We are to make ourselves available and useful to one another.

    As we look at this, the “law of Christ” is that we love one another (John 13:34).  Paul is telling us that when we bear each other’s burdens, when we come to the aid and comfort of a brother or sister in Christ, we are showing that we love one another.  Yet we often struggle with this task.  We find it difficult, “I don’t know what to do!” is the phrase that is most often muttered; sometimes as an excuse but often times as an honest plea for direction because at some point in time, our theology has to be our biography.  We must live the faith we profess.  One way to think of this is in the poem entitled “Sharing” by an author unknown.



    There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my bread with you, and sometimes share a sorrow, too—as on our way we go.

    There isn’t much that I can do, but I can sit an hour with you, and I can share a joke with you and sometimes share reverses, too—as on our way we go.

    There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my flowers with you, and I can share my books with you and sometimes share your burdens, too—as on our way we go.

    There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my songs with you, and I can share my mirth with you, and sometimes come and laugh with you—as on our way we go.

    There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my hopes with you, and I can share my fears with you, and sometimes shed a tear with you—as on our way we go.

    There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my friends with you, and I can share my life with you, and oftentimes share a prayer with you—as on our way we go.



Father in heaven, help me to see that sharing burdens with my brothers and sisters brings about healing and hope.  Guide me when I feel weak or afraid to offer a simple glass of water or a simple piece of bread.  Help me to see that the greatest gift I give is my time and my heart.  Lead me to bear my brother and my sister up that they may know your holy peace.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

1-17-2020

Good Morning All, 

         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