7-7-2023

Good Morning All,

     Galatians 6:2; “Help carry each other’s burdens. In this way you will follow Christ’s teachings.”  (GWT)

    One of the saddest things I hear from people is when they ask, “Why would God ever want me; why would he love me?”  The real simple answer is that God loves you dearly; that is his nature.  But why does he want you?  I think the reason may amaze some of you.

    When I went to college, we had to take 3 math or science classes.  One of the classes was Introduction to Math.  Most on campus called it “Bonehead Math.”  It was the most basic math available.  One of the chapters was on using a calculator and what the symbols mean.  This was as elemental as it got. 

     The only thing more ironic than the people who took this class was the man who taught the class.  He was a scraggly looking guy that was teaching his first class at Northern; the year before he taught at the Naval Nuclear Propulsion School.  To say that he was brilliant at math would be a grievous understatement.  Yet there was the rub.  He would explain everything as simply and concisely as he possibly could.  Yet it was completely over the heads of many of the students.  He simply could not relate to the people sitting in the desks.  There was no way he could connect with the students.  He did try; he tried as hard as a man could, but it just didn’t happen.  Most of the teaching came from student to student not teacher to student.

    This is part of the reason that God wants you.  He loves you deeply; that is why he chose to redeem you.  But then He gives to his Church, you and me, the task of continuing to bring lost people to Christ and to help carry the burdens.  Yet who does this the best?  It is Christians who have experienced the pain of life.  We have discussed this at a couple of Bible Studies that we have at church.  I do my best; I listen, I study, and I do my utmost diligence but unless a person experiences life; it is hard to really be completely compassionate. 

    For example, I have never had a spouse or a child die.  I have never experienced that loss.  I can offer God’s comfort and the comfort of the Church but the person who can best help that grieving person is someone who has felt that loss.  I don’t know the struggles of addiction, but I pray with and for those who do.  Yet that burden is shared best by someone who can look into that person’s eye and say, “I know what you are going through.”    This is why God wants you.  You have lived it; you know the burden it causes, and you know the comfort that God gave you.  This makes you the best candidate to bear one another’s burdens.  It is not the high and mighty but the lowly and the wounded who can best carry out Christ’s work of bearing with one another.

Dearest Father, you give us life and bring us out of the pit of sinful despair.  Use us, Father, to pull others out of the pit as well.  Give us the courage to reach out and the willingness to share your love with those in need of it most.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret        

7-6-2023

Good Morning All,

   Galatians 3:11; “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

    The righteous shall live by faith.  We have heard or said or even memorized this verse many times.  We often say this verse, but I think most of us are usually a little afraid to think that we are righteous.  We often feel this is a little pretentious.  We feel that others will look at us and see us as “too good” or “above them.”

    Here is where we need to see the definition of and the difference between being “righteous” and being “self-righteous.”  The difference is like night and day.  The Pharisees were self-righteous.  They looked at themselves and saw their own piety and greatness.  This is why Jesus spoke of the “log in your eye” when judging others.  Their log was huge.  Yet God calls us to be righteous so what does this mean?

     First, and above all, the relationship that the righteous have with God is not based on the actions of the man but on the grace of God.  Our righteousness is not our own; rather it is given to us by God through Jesus.  We know this, we trust this, we place our life on this.  It is not what we do it is what God has done/ is doing/ and will do for us that gives us our righteousness.

     Since the righteous know that their righteousness comes only from God and not from their own actions; they are humble and meek.  They know who is God and who isn’t.  They know that the LORD is the only source of their sustenance.  So, the righteous are also needy.  They need God’s mercy and grace to survive.

    The righteous know that all is from God, so they praise God for his gifts and his blessings.  They live their life in constant praise to God.  They live their life in the constant communion with God.  They hear God speak to them through His Word and then speak to God through their prayers.  This constant conversation refreshes them and gives them hope.

    Yet all this righteousness from God, this passive righteousness, does not mean a passive life.  The righteous are active in living out their faith.  They are active in living as the disciples that God has called them to be.  For some this is preaching, for some it is teaching.  Yet for most of us, it is sharing God’s love with your family, your neighbors, and your friends.  It is listening to a friend’s worries about a doctor’s appointment.  It is consoling a crying friend when they mourn the loss of a loved one.  For most of us, it is offering a sympathetic shoulder when the time is needed. 

   This is how you are righteous.  You are righteous because God declares you to be righteous.  This is the righteousness which God redeems us and then calls us to use in his name to bring about the reconciliation of man back to God.  You are righteous if you live by faith, trusting in God’s promise of eternal life.

Dear Father, you give us your holy righteousness.  Through the blood of Jesus, you declare us holy and righteous in your sight.  Keep us safe and keep us holy.  Lead us in your paths that we may touch those whom you place in our lives with your tender mercy.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

7-5-2023

Good Morning All,

   Ephesians 2:22; “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” 

    One of the mysteries of literature is that some of the greatest stories ever written were written by men while they were in prison.  Dostoevsky and Solzhenitsyn did the bulk of their writing while in prison.  Even John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim’s Progress.  Then there is Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.  Some of the most powerful messages ever given, some of the most important classics were written while in prison.

    Some of the greatest works of literature, with all the passion and intensity, with all the hope and desire expressed so poignantly.  The strength of these works makes them among the finest literature ever written.

    Some of the greatest books of the Bible were written while the writer was in jail.  The apostle Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, Philemon, Titus and 1 and 2 Timothy while imprisoned in Rome.  John was basically in prison on the island of Patmos when he wrote The Book of Revelation.  The thing about that that is truly amazing is that some of Paul’s most powerful words of hope are written while he was imprisoned.  This adds a wondrous effect when we read some of Paul’s writing of the joy that he feels as he suffers for Christ.  Remember, he did really suffer; prison wasn’t some country club, it was dark, dank, and filthy with poor food, poor water and poorer sanitation.  Yet he rejoiced, not at the situation he was currently in, but in the certainty that he was redeemed. 

    All that hope and joy written while you are in prison; the later ones as he knew his execution was approaching.  Yet all he had was joy and peace knowing that God was taking care of him.  We should experience that same comfort and joy.  For just as Paul was sure of God’s love; sure of his salvation and sure of God’s comfort and companionship as he faced his struggle and ordeal.

    We too face ordeals and struggles.  Yet we can be confident that God is truly with us and that he will never abandon us.  God has built you into his body, into his Church.  You are not only part of it; you are an integral part of it.  God uses you to build his church and you are built together, with the Spirit, and with other Christians.  This is a point that we sometimes miss.  A building is strong because all the parts are integrally connected to each other.  Each part of the building gets strength from the support of the rest of the building. 

   This is one way that God uses his Church here on earth.  It is a haven and a refuge for his children.  He built that church with the blood of his Son and builds up to give us a place where we can gather together to battle the trials and tribulations that exist.  It was belonging to this Church that gave Paul his strength and courage.  He was built into the Church, together with all believers.  While he struggled, the believers prayed for him, comforted him as best they could with the Word of God which they shared with him.  It is the same for us.  We may never be in a literal prison, but the devil will try to convince you that you are and should be in one.  It is only by clinging to the promise that God has made to you and makes to you every day that we can withstand what the devil throws.  Trust in God’s Word to you for you are built into his dwelling by the Spirit.

Dearest Father, you encompass us with your mercy, and you do not forget us.  We are always in your arms under your tender care.  Give us the courage to be built together so that we may all stand firm against the devil and his arrows.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret             

7-4-2023

Good Morning All,

   Romans 5:6; “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” 

   The man’s name was Tom Johnson.  He was a young man of 30.  His eyes showed a hardness that a life of bad choices could give.  It was serious this time.  He had tried to rob a 7-11.  He kept blaming the clerk.  “All he had to do was give me the money; nobody likes a hero.”  The young clerk had pushed the alarm button and Tom, startled, shot him.  The young man had died on the operating table; he left a wife and two small children. 

   Tom had turned to run and right then two police cruisers pulled up and blocked his escape.  He tried to run but he didn’t get far.  He was taken downtown and placed in a cell.  He knew the routine; he had done it since he was 15.  Most people who knew Tom knew he was only trouble.  He already had a history of being in the jail.  He had other convictions, and all this added up to a long stretch ahead of him.  He would talk to his “lawyer” tomorrow.  Some poor, schmuck public defender whose law degree still had wet ink on it would be his attorney.  It didn’t matter to Tom.  The whole thing was rigged against him.  It wasn’t his fault; it never was.

    As he walked into the courtroom, he saw the judge and kind of recognized him.  “Must have had him before”, thought Tom.  His “lawyer” moaned under his breath, “Oh, no”.  Tom looked at him.  “That is Judge Johansen”, said the lawyer.  He looked at Tom and said, “You’re screwed; he’ll throw the book at you…then the gavel, the table and the court reporter!”  Tom was worried.  He should have been.  The trial was short.  The verdict was swift.  He was found guilty of murder, murder while committing a felony, attempted robbery, resisting arrest and jaywalking. 

    The judge looked at him and sentenced him to death and never batted an eye.  Tom hung his head and as the bailiff went to take him out of the courtroom; the judge stopped them.  Everyone turned to look at the judge.  He had removed his robe and was coming down from the bench.  He came up to the young man and the bailiff.  He told the bailiff to release the young man.  The judge then told the bailiff, “take me instead and let him go.”  No one said a word.  The judge looked at the young man and told him, “you are free, I’ll pay the debt, I’ll take the punishment.”  With that the judge was escorted to the cell and was executed 2 months later. 

     That is a story you will never hear on the news.  CNN will never have that for the lead story.  Yet that is exactly what Jesus did for us.  We are far worse than Tom.  Our sins rise before God with a stench that cannot be described.  Yet God stepped down from his holy bench and through Jesus took our punishment and set us free.  Notice Tom didn’t say thank you or even promise to change.  He did absolutely nothing to earn this act of mercy.  Neither have we; yet God forgives us anyway because He loves us.  This is a love that we cannot even fathom.  Someone dying for me and not demanding anything out of me first is beyond our understanding.

     We don’t know about Tom and how his story ends but what about you?  God promises us salvation and gives us freedom.  Do you believe this?  Has this changed your life?  God reaches down and grabs you up into a huge hug.  You can fight or you can, by faith, hug back.  Go ahead and hug back.  Your Father has embraced you with all of his love; embrace it back and savor its goodness and blessing.

Dear Father, you sent Jesus to die for us even when we were completely unworthy and undeserving.  Give me the power to hug you back and to be your child, safe in your arms today and always.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret   

7-3-2023

Good Morning All,

   Isaiah 43:4a; “Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you,”

     Are you a better shopper than I am?  It never fails as soon as I finally decide it is time to buy something the next week it is on sale for less.  It doesn’t matter whether it is a computer or a piece of furniture or an article of clothing; if I buy it today you might as well just wait a week and then you can buy it cheaper.  That is why I never look at prices after I buy something, it only causes me anguish.

     Yet there is a difference between cost and value.  Something that you use every day can cost a lot more than something that you use once or twice a year but still be of great value to you.  A livestock producer who feeds his cattle everyday can pay a large price for the tractor that he uses every day.  The clothes that you wear every day can be of better quality and higher prices because of the way that we use them.  The value of an object is dependent upon the one who owns the object.

     There are some objects that I own that I could never put a price on.  I have a pocket watch which was given to my grandfather as a confirmation gift.  It is almost 100 years old.  I don’t think you could pay me enough for it, but I look forward to giving it to one of my grandchildren someday.  Its value is not in the watch itself, rather it is in what the watch means.  It is a connection to my grandfather and the value of it is immeasurable. 

     I have the Bible that I was given when I was a child.  It is a King James Thompson Chain Reference.  I don’t use it much anymore; I tend to use newer translations which are more accurate and some of the pages are falling out.  Yet it contains all the markings from when I was confirmed.  All the verses that we learned and studied are marked as a silent message of words spoken a long time ago.  It also contains some precious mementos, handmade bookmarks, a love letter from my wife, some things which are so valuable you can never place a price on them.

    This is how God looks upon us.  We are precious in his eyes.  We have value to God.  We have such value that God was willing to pay an awful price, the death of his only son, to possess us.  We are precious in God’s eyes even if we do not feel that we are precious in anyone else’s eyes.  In your darkest moments, never forget the value that God places on you.  We know that anything of value we always protect; God does the same for us.  God loves us with all that he has so that we may be his.  We are precious in his sight; Jesus loves all the children of the world. 

     So, we can take comfort in this.  We can find solace in this.  We can find wonders untold in this.  We are precious in God’s eyes.  He has redeemed us and called us his own.  We truly have nothing to fear or really worry about.  God is our refuge and strength.  He will defend against all that will assail us.  You are precious in the eyes of God.

Dear Father in heaven, your mercies are new to us each day and they roll over us like a river.  Grant us the comfort of your hand.  Guard us with your benevolent heart and give us the peace to trust in you fully.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.  

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

7-2-2023

Good Morning All,

       Jonah 1:3; “But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish.”

    I have always liked to read the book of Jonah.  It is only four chapters, but we get introduced to some intriguing characters and events.  The book ends with one of the most interesting endings.  It asks a question and gives no answer.  It is as if God wants you to answer it.  But here we have something different.  The prophet, the author of the book, is given a command by God.  Everywhere else in the Old Testament; the prophets answer the call of God.  Some are less than excited but they do as God instructs.  But not Jonah; he hightails it and runs as far as he can.

    We know the rest of the story.  Jonah ran.  God stopped him with a big fish.  After that it was history.  Jonah did go to Nineveh.  He preached; they repented; he hated it and was mad at God for it.

    This is an interesting verse because I think most people at one moment or another try to run from God.  It may not be a full fledge run to Tarshish, but it might be hiding in the closet.  It might be that we are just trying to avoid God which is really sad.  God is the One that we should never run from.

    We run because we are afraid.  Think when you tried to run or hide from your parents, or a teacher or maybe even the police.  We run because we fear punishment.  We run because we fear the consequences.  We run because the devil and our sinful nature tell us to.  We run, for all the wrong reasons, away from God.  We run because the devil tells us that God will not and cannot love us.  We are deceived by those lies and we run.  We run to Tarshish or Timbuktu or to a closet.  We listen to the lies.

    Yet God comes after us.  He never stops finding us.  Sometimes this is very scary, but it should be comforting.  The devil is the one who brings us pain; God brings us comfort.  But we run because of our fear when it is God who calms our fear.  We need to stand and have faith.  God gives us the forgiveness of sins.  It is already done, done on the cross on Calvary.  We don’t need to run; God wants us to be his children and to give us the comfort and consolation of his incredible grace. 

     Don’t be like Jonah, who sought to run from God.  Rather we need to cling to his promise, cling to his guarantee of forgiveness.  Instead of running to Tarshish, we should run to God.  It is in his loving arms where we find our hope, our comfort, and our peace. It is in those loving arms where our salvation is true. Do not flee from God but trust his promise to answer, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

Dearest Father, too often we run from you instead of to you.  Forgive us when we try and run.  Keep us in your saving arms and defend us from the evil of the devil and his ways.  Give your comfort to those who need it the most.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

7-1-2023

Good Morning All,

           Galatians 5:6b; “but only faith working through love.” 

    Only faith working through love.  That would be a good mission verse for some organization.  It would be a good mission verse for you and me.  Many in the church have lost sight of this.  Many in the church are wringing their hands because numbers and attendance are dropping.  So, they hire consultants and advisors.  They do everything except have faith working through love.

    When the ancient church was first starting out in the 200’s and the 300’s, it didn’t have some slick ad campaign; it just preached and lived the Gospel.  Many were impressed and some were even converted to this “Christianity.”  Why? because these Christians took the time to go out into the street and pick up those who were sick and dying.  They brought them into their homes, nursed their bodies, ministered to their spirits, and then buried them as they died.  They had compassion for their fellow man; most of whom could give nothing back.

     Do we do that today?  Do we “walk the walk” or do we just sound good?  Most of us donate money to worthy causes; we may even donate our time, but we often do it in methodical fashion.  We almost go with, “I’ll be a Christian today for a while; then back to normal.”  While doing good things for others, being kind to others once in a while I better than never being good; is that what Jesus really meant when he said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

    So, what do we do?  Some will think we have to work harder.  We have to work at our faith harder to accomplish this.  The truth is the opposite.  Working only serves our foolishness; when we think we can impress God with how good we are.  What really works is when we truly place our faith in Jesus and walk in the path that he has laid out for us.  When God places those opportunities to do those things which he wants us to do, we need to do them.  How do we know to do them?  Have you ever been in a situation where you said to yourself, “someone should do something”?  Someone should go hug the friend who is hurting and crying.  Someone should take those two children off that poor mother’s hands for a couple hours.  Someone should visit that older couple down the street.  When you hear yourself saying,” Someone should do something;” do something!

    The first few times it can be a little weird, but God’s grace really pulls you through and you be surprised at it impact on you.  I know when I started to visit our shut-ins; I was hesitant.  Now it is one of the most enjoyable parts of my service.  Sometimes I feel guilty because I come away more uplifted by them than I think they are by me.  The strength of their faith is incredible and humbling at the same time.  You might get the same reaction from the events that God places in your life.  Who knows what awaits you when you fully trust God for his guidance.  “Only faith working through love” might change your life entirely.

Dearest Father, we often speak of love but fail to live it.  Lead us in your paths; show us your will for us that we may be your hands and shoulders to bring mercy to this saddened world.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen!

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret