Daily Devotions

Our devotions this Lenten season have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church.  Today’s devotion is by Elaine Gabriel. Also, if you would like to join our staff in praying the liturgy for Responsive Prayer/Suffrages just click here.

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:6-11

When will Jesus return and end our mortal existence on earth?

Why do we concern ourselves about the impending date of the second coming?  Why do we stand around looking up in the sky for it?

I have actively ignored anyone who claimed to know when the world was going to end out of fear and anxiety. What a waste of energy and effort the world has spent on this.  The Bible tells us that no one but God knows the exact time or date.  It does not say that a prophet or chosen one will be sent to prepare us by letting us in on when it will happen.  Since no one knows, we are called to live each day as if it were our last.  The best way to live is to follow Jesus with every step we take.

As we study the life of Jesus, we see the way he lived.  This is not always the easiest or most pleasant way to live but it is what God wants for us. Some of us even get into trouble for it.  It is the way to real freedom and happiness.  It is our way of having Heaven on Earth.

Remember, WWJD?!!!

Let us pray:  Dear God, please show me the way to follow Jesus.  May I step in his footprints and bring everybody I can with me. He is our truth and Life. Amen.

Our devotions this Lenten season have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church.  Today’s devotion is by Doug Elsen. Also, if you would like to join our staff in praying the liturgy for Responsive Prayer/Suffrages just click here.

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

I become so busy during the year that I feel I lose contact with God at intervals during the year.  I discipline myself to exercise daily, yet I put my relationship with God as a Sunday morning worship exercise.

The Lenten season forces me to structure my relationship with God. Once a week at the end of the day I am able to sit in the sanctuary participating in the evening service.  The Lenten service is full of symbolism:  penance, a reminder of what God has done for us.

When Easter has passed, it is incumbent upon us to understand that God’s Son has died for us.  We know that in the verse from Romans God has assured us of his love, no matter where we are in our lives. Each day we must take a few minutes to renew the Easter season.

Let us pray:  Lord, let us continue the Easter season throughout the year.  Each day help us confirm our love for you.  Amen

Our devotions this Lenten season have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church.  Today’s devotion is by Hal Talbott. Also, if you would like to join our staff in praying the liturgy for Responsive Prayer/Suffrages just click here.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going. Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.  John 14:1-7

I just got word that a friend passed away very unexpectedly. He was only 52 years old.

However, as I read the Bible verse above, I see that age doesn’t make any difference. When God has our house ready he comes for us, regardless of age or anything else. So as we have been told many times, we need to lead our lives in such a manner that we are ready at any time he calls.

We may think we don’t know the way for us to get to know the Father. So as I interpret the above Bible verse, we can all get to Heaven to be with the Lord by living the truth from our hearts, not just “being a good person,” which can be very superficial. Even though we may feel that we don’t know the way, God will find us when he is ready for us. Not our time but his.

Let us pray:  Gracious God, please walk with each of us throughout this day and every day. Show us the way you would have us travel and do the things that you would have us do, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Our devotions this Lenten season have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s devotion is by Barbara Balius. Also, if you would like to join our staff in praying the liturgy for Responsive Prayer/Suffrages just click here.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. Psalm 51:1-12

For those who think grace was a concept born of the New Testament ministry of Jesus, THINK AGAIN. If ever there was an example of God’s grace in the Old Testament it was the story of David and his shenanigans with Bathsheba. David messed up, and big time!

The short story: David saw a beautiful woman bathing, Bathsheba. Her husband was away at war. David ‘lay down’ with her. She became pregnant. David couldn’t convince Uriah to claim the baby as his own, so David sent him back to war where he was killed. When the baby was born, it only lived for a week. This psalm is David’s cry of “I messed up, and I’m really, really sorry.”

It is a prayer for mercy and grace. God’s grace is not so simple.

David is not just given a “free pass” without any consequences. There are always consequences for one’s sins—guilt, shame, and all of the other ‘natural’ consequences that come with messing up. Through all of what he went through, David knew where to go. It took him a while but it was God, and only God, who could deliver him from his horrible situation. David was faithful.

Let us pray: Dear God, help me! I mess up daily, and I keep messing up. Grant me mercy and forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Our devotions this Lenten season have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church.  Today’s devotion is Carl Watson. Also, if you would like to join our staff in praying the liturgy for Responsive Prayer/Suffrages just click here.

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Matthew 6:16-21

In these verses from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has already spoken of giving and praying. He now speaks of fasting and, just as he did when he spoke of giving and praying, he uses the words “when you fast,” meaning he expects us to fast as a normal part of our Christian life. The purpose of denying ourselves food (denying the flesh) is to focus the time we are not eating on getting closer to God by communing and praying and filling ourselves with the Holy Spirit.  Fasting for today’s Christians is rarely preached about or practiced; it is more like an ignored spiritual discipline.  It has been said fasting is opening a door to a deeper, more intimate, and stronger relationship with God.

Jesus also says, “do not look somber as the hypocrites do.” The hypocrites would go to the extremes and make a big deal of their fasting to the public to show man how holy they were. They went so far as to fast on the second and fifth day of the week to commemorate Moses getting the law from God on the Mount on those days. It turns out those days were market days when the produce would come to town, so they would have a larger crowd to play to. They would mess up their hair, wear ragged clothes and make up to look pale and weak. They have their reward says Jesus, the praise of men and not the good graces of God. He does not like their false worship.

When Solomon wrote the books of wisdom for Israel, he made the point of a cord or rope braided with three strands is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). So it is also true, when giving, praying, and fasting are practiced together in the life of a Christian believer,  it creates a threefold cord that is not easily broken.

As our Christian duty we must learn to give and pray and fast. Jesus is teaching us. We must listen.

Let us pray:  Gracious heavenly Father, teach us to be stronger Christians by using the words Jesus has given to us. Help us to be closer to you by following the ways presented in them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Our devotions this Lenten season have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church.  Today’s devotion is by Peggy Porter. Also, if you would like to join our staff in praying the liturgy for Responsive Prayer/Suffrages just click here.

Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  Matthew 6:1-6

Beware of showing off. If we hope to be praised or to receive honor by our prayers or church attendance, our hearts and attitudes are warped, and our worship praises only ourselves. If our charitable giving is done to see our names on the donor list, then we are only blowing our own horn. This pretense is not pleasing to God.  The only acceptable motive for our prayers and offerings is love for Christ, who has given himself for us as payment for our sin.

True prayers and offerings flow not from pride or self-promotion, but from the grace God pours out upon penitent sinners. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17). God does not despise a repentant heart, but rather blesses it with his compassion, love, and tender mercy.

Jesus warns against showing off our righteousness for a simple reason; we’re not righteous apart from him.  Perhaps we accept that we’re not perfect. Spending quiet time in a quiet place praying to our heavenly Father offers great refreshment.  Just as we can’t really comprehend how glorious Jesus is, neither can we truly understand how sinful we really are.  We don’t know how deep our sinfulness is; by faith, we believe it!

Let us pray:  Lord Jesus, thank you for being our righteousness. Create in us clean hearts and right spirits.  Amen.

PLEASE NOTE:  This Advent season at Faith Lutheran we are using Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “God is in the Manger” devotional booklet for daily devotions and weekly sermon themes.  What follows has been taken from that booklet.

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”  John 1:14

“Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) is the name of this child.  The child in the manger is none other than God himself.  Nothing greater can be said:  God became a child.  In the Jesus child of Mary lives the almighty God.

Wait a minute!  Don’t speak; stop thinking!  Stand still before this statement!  God became a child!

Here he is, poor like us, miserable and helpless like us, a person of flesh and blood like us, our brother.  And yet he is God; he is might.

Where is the divinity, where is the might of the child?  In the divine love in which he became like us.  His poverty in the manger is his might.  In the might of love he overcomes the chasm between God and humankind, he overcomes sin and death, he forgives sin and awakens from the dead.

Kneel down before this miserable manger, before this child of poor people, and repeat in faith the stammering words of the prophet:  “Mighty God!”  And he will be your God and your might.

Let us pray:  Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.  With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that binds us, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

PLEASE NOTE:  This Advent season at Faith Lutheran we are using Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “God is in the Manger” devotional booklet for daily devotions and weekly sermon themes.  What follows has been taken from that booklet.

“What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.” Romans 8:31-34

What kings and leaders of nations, philosophers and artists, founders of religions and teachers of morals have tried in vain to do – that now happens through a newborn child.

Putting to shame the most powerful human efforts and accomplishments, a child is placed here at the midpoint of world history – a child born of human beings, a son given by God (Isaiah 9:6).  That is the mystery of the redemption of the world; everything past and everything future is encompassed here.

The infinite mercy of the almighty God comes to us, descends to us in the form of a child, his Son.  That this child is born for us, this son is given to us, that this human child and Son of God belongs to me, that I know him, have him, love him, that I am his and his is mine – on this alone my life now depends.  A child has our life in his hands….

Let us pray:  Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.  With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that binds us, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

PLEASE NOTE:  This Advent season at Faith Lutheran we are using Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “God is in the Manger” devotional booklet for daily devotions and weekly sermon themes.  What follows has been taken from that booklet.

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”  Luke 1:26-33

Moses died on the mountain from which he was permitted to view from a distance the promised land (Deuteronomy 32:48-52).  When the Bible speaks of God’s promises, it’s a matter of life and death…

The language that reports this ancient history if clear.   Anyone who has seen God must die; the sinner dies before the promise of God.  Let’s understand what that means for us so close to Christmas.

The great promise of God – a promise that is infinitely more important than the promise of the promised land – is supposed to be fulfilled at Christmas…

The Bible is full of the proclamation that the great miracle has happened as an act of God, without any human doing…

What happened?  God had seen the misery of the world and had come himself in order to help.  Now he was there, not as a mighty one, but in the obscurity of humanity, where there is sinfulness, weakness, wretchedness, and misery in the world.

That is where God goes, and there he lets himself be found by everyone.  And this proclamation moves through the world anew, year after year, and again this year also comes to us.

Let us pray:  Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.  With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that binds us, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

PLEASE NOTE:  This Advent season at Faith Lutheran we are using Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “God is in the Manger” devotional booklet for daily devotions and weekly sermon themes.  What follows has been taken from that booklet.

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:11-12

The figure of Jesus Christ takes shape in human beings.  Human beings do not take on an independent form of their own.  Rather, what gives them form and maintains them in their new form is always and only the figure of Jesus Christ himself.  It is therefore not an imitation, not a repetition of his form, but their own form that takes shape in human beings.

Human beings are not transformed into a form that is foreign to them, not into the form of God, but into their own form, a form that belongs to them and is essential to them.

Human beings become human because God became human, but human beings do not become God.  They could not and cannot bring about that change in their form, but God himself changes his form into human form, so that human beings – though not becoming God – can become human.

In Christ the form of human beings before God was created anew.  It was not a matter of place, of time, of climate, of race, of the individual, of society, of religion, or of taste, but rather a question of the life of humanity itself that recognized in Christ its image and its hope.

What happened to Christ happened to humanity.

Let us pray:  Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.  With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that binds us, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.