3-7-2025

Good Morning All,

        Mark 8:37; “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” 

     I am a clunker kind of guy.  I will take a vehicle and run it until it dies.  It usually ends up in the trees somewhere.  There is always the plan to scrap it or sell it, but it usually just sits there.  Nobody wants them; not even my neighbor who is worse than I am, wants them.  It makes it tough to trade for a different vehicle.

    We go through things like that.  We have something that has no value, and we would like to trade for something of value but what do we have to offer?  We rarely ever get anything for it.  The only way is if someone feels sorry for us.  Maybe, somewhere in your past, you played Monopoly with a much younger child, and you traded with him a property of value for something that he had that wasn’t so good.  You may have even let him win.  Sometimes as parents we do that.

    Our verse asks the question, “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?”  This is a very loaded question.  What would you give?  Most of us think in terms of the clunker; I would trade anything for my soul but what I have is of no value.  What I have is worthless, so I guess I am just a duck out of luck.  What will I give for my soul?

    The answer is I will give my sins for my soul.  This is what we call the “happy exchange.”  Jesus gave his life to earn our redemption.  He then turns around and gives it to us.  He takes our sins, our pains, our shortcomings and shortfalls, the times when we failed God.  Jesus takes them from us and carries them on his back to the cross on Calvary.  He takes our sins and gives us his righteousness.  We get to clothe ourselves in his righteous cloak and he stands naked with our sins.  He takes the wrath, and we take the blessing.

     This really isn’t a fair deal; we come out way, way ahead.  Yet it is the deal that a loving, gracious Father gives to us.  We exchange our sins for Christ’s righteousness.  With that righteousness we have eternal life; we have a soul to live in everlasting joy and glory.  What would you give for your soul?  How about giving up on your sinful life, your sinful pride, and the belief that you can do it by yourself?  How about giving up your foolish, selfish arrogance and submitting, humbly, to God’s mercy?

     When we view it that way, we really have something to trade.  Fortunately for us, we have a loving God who takes all sorts of body types in trade.  They can be as worn out as you can imagine and yet God will gladly take them in and give you a perfect cloak of righteousness.  The only thing you have to lose is something that is worthless anyway, trade it to God.  Trust in his promise and receive his blessings; it is the best deal you can get.

Dear Father, you give to us freely the hard earned gift of redemption.  Give us the strength to cling to that promise and to hold fast to your grace.  Protect those who are in need of your comfort and consolation.  Use us to bring this to them in Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret        

3-6-2025

Good Morning All,

        Nahum 1:3; “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”

    There is an old saying among sailors about any port in a storm.  There was even a time when the great shipping nations would grant enemy ships the right to make harbor in case of a storm.  After the storm, the ship had a few hours to sail and then they were fair game.  It was often the suddenness of the storm that would cause the sailors to fear.

    A calm day could turn into a nightmare.  The seafarer soon became skilled at reading the signs of the weather.  Red sky at morning sailor takes warning, red sky at night sailor delight.  This saying is very old and believed by many sailors, even today.  It didn’t take long for sailors to begin to read all the signs that would give clues to the coming weather.  They would watch the animals, the birds, and the fish all provided behavioral patterns to which the sailors could try and determine problems ahead.

     Yet many a sailor would go out and many a sailor would find themselves in trouble.  They would seek any port in a storm to keep them safe.  Many people today have the same attitude.  They seek any and all ports of safety in a storm.

     We see this when a person faces a health scare.  As they wait for the results from the tests, they pray and then check their horoscope and then do some form of luck enhancement.  When the test comes back negative, they thank their lucky stars, dodged the bullet, and may even say a quick prayer of thanks.  Yet if the results are not negative; what comfort do your “lucky stars” give you?  We need to know where our stronghold truly is.

    David wrote that God is my refuge and strength.  He was a guy who knew about trouble.  Even though he was the greatest king that Israel had ever known; he spent a lot of time running and hiding from people trying to kill him.  Even when he was all alone and the enemy surrounded him, he found refuge in God.  We can as well.  God offers us the assurance of our salvation and the certain promise of our salvation.  Even when all the earthly pretenders fail; God provides.

    While many think that it is acceptable to “cover all the bases” and look for comfort from any who claim to offer it; our only true source of comfort and happiness is in God.  Our salvation is guaranteed because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.  This is our port, our only port, in any storm, in any trial or tribulation; God protects us and guards us from all danger.  We will face many trials; this is part of sinful man, but God promises to guard us and protect us from all harm and evil.  We don’t even have to read the signs; simply trust our port, our stronghold for our salvation; Jesus our risen Lord.      

Dear Father, you keep us safe from all that the devil and this sinful world throw at us.  We give you thanks for your comforting spirit and your safe and loving arms.  Be with those who are in need of your comfort and give us the wisdom to reach out to those who need it most.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

3-5-2025

Good Morning All,

     Matthew 9:10; “And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.”    

    Mealtime can be one of the most important times in our day.  Some meals can be some of the most important times of your lives.  Think of the first meal you ate you’re your future spouse.  Think of the first meal you ate with your future in-laws.  Think of the meals that you have spent with your family or friends.  When you are with those whom you love, the food seems to taste better.  It seems to be made with love.

    I remember as a child we would have many meals with uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, great aunts and uncles.  We would sit around the table, enjoy the meal, and then enjoy the time of talking and listening.  The younger ones would sit and listen to their past being told to them in very carefully crafted and honed stories.  The older members would listen to their future as the dreams of tomorrow were expressed.

    Sometimes, the best times are spent with friends around the meal table.  You share stories of children as they grow up and before too long; you are sharing stories of grandchildren.  Time spent with family and friends around the meal table makes even unbearable events tolerable.  It is often around a table with food on it that friends cry together over the death of a parent or spouse.  We use the meal table for some of our most important life events.

    Jesus spends a lot of time around the meal table with people.  Some, like our verse, were among the outcasts of Jewish society.  Other times, Jesus is eating with the Pharisees and debating the meaning of the Law.  Jesus spends much of his time eating meals with the people that he interacts with.  It appears that the common event was to have him over for a meal after the Sabbath was done.  The only question was whether it was with the Jewish leaders or with the Jewish outcasts.

    Jesus spends this time in much the same way that we do.  He used this time to listen to the people but mostly to try and to teach them with a more in depth understanding of what the kingdom of heaven meant and how God was a God who loved them as dear children.  Jesus used the mealtime table to deliver his message of salvation.  This gave him a personal, intimate time with those to whom he came.  He shared with them the meal as he told them his salvation.

    Jesus comes to us in the form of a meal today.  He comes to us in his body and blood with all of his spirit refreshing and soul reviving benefits.  Jesus comes to you with his personal and intimate message of salvation.  He comes to you and he comes to me with the message of the forgiveness of sins and the hope of life eternal.

Dear Father, Come to us we pray.  Come to share with us to comfort us to give us the hope of life eternal.  Guard us with your tender hand and keep us safe in you.  Be with those who are in need of your grace the most.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

3-4-2025

Good Morning All,

    Isaiah 40:31; “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

    Have you ever watched the movie “Forrest Gump”?  I really like it because it is a movie that you can watch over and over and find new nuances or story lines.  There are some really good lines to quote from this movie.  “Life is like a box of chocolates” “Mamma said stupid is as stupid does!” “Sometimes I guess there just aren’t enough rocks” “I am not a smart man, but I know what love is” These come in handy once in a while.

    One of the side stories of the movie that intrigues me is how Forrest waits the entire movie with his love for Jenny.  Jenny starts out as the young schoolgirl who befriends Forrest, and they grow up together.  She eventually grows away from him (she thinks), but he never does and writes her letters every day when he is in Vietnam.  Throughout her whole life, when Jenny has to make a choice, she usually takes the wrong one.  Her life is tough.  It is a struggle every step of the way, never answering Forrest’s letters but his love continues.  He waits for her until she comes home for a while.  She sleeps like she hasn’t slept for years.  They eventually get married, but she dies shortly afterwards from some new disease. (Unstated but AIDS is implied) So Forrest is waiting again, with their son.

    I don’t know if I could wait like that.  Waiting can be hard for us.  We wait for the job we want.  We wait for the spouse we need.  We wait years for a child to be born.  Sometimes we wait for a prayer to be answered and then it is not what we hoped for.  Sometimes we find ourselves waiting for a loved one who has left us and will not return.  Sometimes we wait and it feels like time stops.  Yet God tells us to wait.

    To wait on the Lord means to know that God is doing something for us that is wonderful.  He is doing something so wonderful that, even when we know it, we don’t really understand it.  God’s grace is alive restoring us to his family.  God is preparing us for heaven and is preparing a place in heaven for us.  When we “wait for the Lord” when we are expectant; anticipating God’s wondrous mercy and as we trust in that mercy.  As we trust in the Lord we are renewed; we can run like we are not weary.  Think of all the restored joy and energy which God gives to us which we pass by because we are waiting for something different and yet God has the precious gift waiting for us; life eternal with him.  We will live in what the Bible describes as a wedding feast.  This is a time of eternal gladness.  Wait for the Lord; it is going to be great!!

Dearest loving Father, your mercy is new to us every day.  Teach us to wait; teach us to wait as you do the wondrous events and actions in our life.  Be with us and guide us.  Protect us and give us the energy to run and never tire in our service to you.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret         

3-3-2025

Good Morning All,

    Genesis 1: 13; “And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.”

    Have you ever stopped and thought about the rhythm that exists in the Bible?  It starts at the very beginning of the Bible; the rhythm flows “the evening and the morning.”  There is an ebb and flow, a comfortable movement within Scriptures.  The seasons, planting and harvest, the years, the lunar movement, and the tidal movement all show a rhythm; a steady comfortable beat; a pulse.  Our heart, our breathing shows a rhythm, a flow at ease with our very existence, is essential to our core being.

    The thing about our rhythm that is really noticeable is when we are out of rhythm or out of sync.  We all feel that certain sense of discomfort, a sense of life amiss when the rhythm of our life is disrupted.  This is one thing that the devil and the world and our sinful nature really tries to cause: a disruption in our rhythm.  Think of how the Bible describes creation before sin.  It is very good, perfect, in total sync with perfect rhythm. 

    Yet when sin entered the world, the rhythm was attacked and completely disrupted.  The perfect ebb and flow were replaced by too high of highs and too low of lows.  Comfort and peace are replaced by seeking to balance two extremes.  The emptiness which the world creates around us twists our healthy rhythm for a very unhealthy one.

    We become ruled by tyrants; tyrants whose names are too busy, too urgent, too frantic, too anxious, too fearful, too selfish.  These create unhealthy, sinful rhythms which destroy.  They destroy our relationships because we have no balance instead of a rhythm, we are simply adrift.  All the time, the rhythm of our relationship with our friends and neighbors, the rhythm with our family and the rhythm of our relationship with God are all disrupted; maybe even destroyed.

    Yet God sent Jesus into the world to restore the rhythm.  Jesus restores us to God’s family where we can enjoy God’s rhythm.  Instead of sinful man’s frenetic pace which only destroys, we have God’s rhythmic action of “thank and praise” “serve and obey.”  We can return to the rhythm of speaking to God and listening to God of praying and reading God’s Word.  We can return to the rhythm of worship and service.  All our relationships strengthen and grow by the rhythmic breathing in God’s grace and mercy and breathing out the works which he has laid out for us to do.  The rhythm of God’s love returns and flows throughout our life bringing us the comfort of His Spirit and His peace.

Lord of Creation, create in us a new rhythm of life composed of hours that sustain rather than stress, of days that deliver rather than destroy, of time that heals rather than harms.  To our overcrowded calendars let us say “Peace;” to our over-caffeinated consciences let us say “Cease;” to our suffocating selves Lord, grant us release.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret      

3-2-2025

Good Morning All,

    Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 

    We are approaching the Lenten season.  Here we do we often focus on the passion or the suffering of Christ.  While we do that, it is important to look not just at the suffering and spending a lot of time discussing the efficiency of Roman torture; we really should focus on the humanity of Jesus.

     Jesus was tempted by the devil in many ways, some so subtle that we miss them.  Jesus is greatly tempted during the final hours of his earthly life.  One of those temptations is to come off the cross as a sign of his power over all creation.  Another temptation is in this prayer which Luke records as part of the Gethsemane prayer.  Jesus asks the Father to “remove this cup” as in don’t make me suffer like this.  (The cup here refers to God’s Cup of wrath from the OT.) It is a completely human reaction.  No sane person desires to be tortured and killed.

    Yet it is that last part which causes us to stumble the most, “not my will, but yours, be done.”  Jesus prayed it and meant it.  He knew the Father’s will, intimately.  He knew the plan was to show God’s love by dying for the creature to buy it back and not from a display of power or force.  We even say this in one form or another in our prayers.  The Lord’s Prayer has “Thy will be done” and most preachers teach that we should always add this in some form to our prayer.  I often think we do it to entice God to think that our will is His kind of like when someone says “it’s common knowledge or common sense to take this course of action” when it really isn’t that common.

    How often do we experience God’s will, and we not only ask that the cup be taken away, but we take it and throw it away?  We may not face death and torture but what about ridicule and shame?  Are we silent when we should speak up?  Do we turn and look the other way?  Jesus warned us that it wouldn’t be a piece of cake to be a Christian.  Sometimes it will be tough.  Yet we cling ever so tightly to the promise of salvation which He gives to us.  It is only by his strength that we can ever say this prayer.

     God’s mercy for us provides us a way to survive.  He gives us the comfort of his Spirit and the hope of his grace.  He keeps us in his loving arms and carries us on our way.  We may taste the bitter cup of man’s wrath, the discomfort, the rejection, the contempt.  But we will never taste the cup of wrath from God.  Jesus did that for us.  Many in this world can’t or won’t say this.  They reject God’s grace and will face his wrath.  We won’t have to.  So, as we pray, “Thy will be done” we can do it confidently knowing that God’s will for our salvation is complete and that his will for us is our salvation.  So, when you are given those times which seem to weigh mightily on us, we can take heart that God’s will for us is eternal life with him.  For this we can give thanks.

Gracious Lord, we often look at your will and question it and think that ours is better.  Forgive our arrogance and foolishness.  Keep us in your tender care and give us courage when our “cup” comes around.  Give us the strength to endure in Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret    

3-1-2025

Good Morning All,

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

    Many years ago, when I was still in high school, we had a youth gathering in Minneapolis.  One of the outings was to go to the IDS Tower.  It was very tall, and you could ride an elevator up to an observation deck and look out over the city and a good chunk of Minnesota and probably Wisconsin if you knew what you were looking for.

    Most of us who went up more than once, really just liked to ride the elevator.  On the observation deck, we would lean against the glass and try to look down.  As we were standing there looking out, we noticed one member of our group standing in the middle of the deck.  He was somewhat pale and was sweating up a storm.  We got in the elevator, and he stood as far back as he could up against the wall.  When we got to ground level, we went to a restaurant to eat.  As we sat there, we asked him if he was feeling alright.  He told us this story.

    When he was 8 or 9 years old, he fell off a grain bin.  It was only about 10 feet, but he landed with a thud.  His parents had told him not to play on the bin but you know how boys can be.  He said he hurt really bad but was afraid to tell his parents.  It took about a week before he felt better.  Ever since that event, he has been terrified of heights.  He didn’t even like the top row of bleachers at a ball game.  But when he saw that going up the IDS Tower was on the schedule, he decided he was going to go.

    We wondered aloud what he would have done if he had gotten halfway up and panicked.  The elevator was an express one, form the ground floor to the deck with no stops along the way.  He kind of laughed and said he never thought about that.  Maybe if he had, he wouldn’t have gone.  But he did go, and we all congratulated him.  For the rest of us, it was a chance to go high and look around; for him it was to stare at a personal demon and defeat it.

    We all have those personal demons in our life.  There are those thoughts or events which just send us into fear and uncontrolled panic.  For many it is the fear of death, especially a loved one.  For others it is being alone.  For some it is having no control in their life.  For some it is watching loved ones struggle with bad decisions.   We struggle with those demons.  At times we may even think that the demons might win.

    When you feel that way, remember what Paul tells us here.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  The key is to remember who has the strength; it is Jesus who has all the power.  It is Jesus who handles our fear.  We need to see that our personal strength gets us nowhere; we only have strength through Jesus.  We can’t beat the demons, but Jesus already has; we only need to receive this blessing on faith.  The fears that we have are all already conquered.  God’s mercy has dealt with them and now comforts us and shields us.  The devil can no longer use these to attack us.  We need to cling to God who will see us through the storms of life.

Dear Father, our own strength is nothing compared to yours.  We cannot stand up to the devil and his ways, we need someone to rescue us.  We thank you for sending Jesus to fight our battles and to win our wars. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.        

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret