- Feb 18, 2018Cure for a Snakebite
- Feb 11, 2018Celebrate Good TimesCelebrate Good Times
What do you celebrate in life? In the day-to-day grind of life’s hectic schedule, celebration can easily get lost. Even in the final week of His life, Jesus participates – and indeed, hosts – a celebration. Though the crowds do understand Jesus, they celebrate Him. Even when we do not fully understand God’s ways in our lives, do we still celebrate Him? - Feb 4, 2018AbundanceAbundance
We must admit - God has richly provided for our well-being. He’s given us everything we need and everything we enjoy. He is the One with power to bless and to take away. And He has richly blessed us. He’s the owner and provider; we are but the recipients and managers of His blessings. Since God’s heart is generous, He calls us to live lives of generosity. Oh how good it is to be able to be generous with God’s wealth. His promise to us is that when we give, He will bless us with more so that we will be able to give even more. Are we willing to trust Him in this? - Jan 28, 2018GenerosityGenerosityGod’s people truly experience joy as we draw close to God through His Word and Sacraments. Through these the Holy Spirit helps us begin to understand how much God loves us and what He has done for us. We experience true delight, when we do God’s will and bear fruit for His Kingdom. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, God transforms us into truly generous, loving and giving people. With new hearts of faith, we experience joy as we generously serve God and others in His Name.
- Jan 21, 2018A Time to FishA Time to Fish
Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen by trade. Jesus invited them to follow Him, promising He would make them fishers of men. What could this possibly mean? The prophet Jonah may provide a clue. Swallowed, and then regurgitated by a great fish after running from God, Jonah was given another chance to cast a Gospel net for the people of Nineveh. With only the lure of Jonah’s brief, Law-heavy sermon, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”, God reeled in a bountiful Kingdom-catch, saving more than 120,000 people and animals in that city. Jesus’ own preaching announces the fullness of time, the presence of God’s reign, and invites repentance and faith in the Good News from God, which He embodies and enacts. This message-proclaimed and sacramentally enacted-is the net by which Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies people under God’s gracious reign - Jan 14, 2018ListenListen
The importance of listening cannot be overstated. Listening leads to big things: the call of a prophet; moral guidance to a young church at Corinth; the call to discipleship. - Jan 7, 2018Hope for LifeHope for Life
As Christians we offer the love, hope and healing power of Jesus Christ to all who find or have found themselves in hopeless situations. In Jesus, there’s “HOPE”: HUMANITY even in suffering. OPPORTUNITY even in uncertainty. PROMISE even in weakness. And ENJOYMENT even in the unexpected. May we find our HOPE in Him. - Dec 31, 2017Seeing With the Eyes of FaithSeeing With the Eyes of Faith
The Apostle Luke reveals the true mission of Jesus the Messiah - to be Savior of the nations. Through the eyes of Simeon and Anna we see the transformative power of Christ on the lives of God’s people. His mission changes us and redefines joy in our lives. Though we have the freedom to use our time and energy pursuing the empty things of the world, we choose instead to find joy by dedicating our hands and heart to the things of God. Like Simeon we trust God to fulfill His promises. That frees us to accomplish much - both now and in eternity - as we see life with the eyes of faith. - Dec 25, 2017A Journey of LOVEA Journey of LOVE
Over two thousand years ago, a star burst through the darkness and signaled the long awaited but still unexpected birth of a savior. Today another star shines, piercing the darkness of our lives with hope, love, joy, and peace. His name is Jesus, and His light shines, drawing us into the journey of following Him. It's a journey of Love. God's Love sent Christ to us. Christ's Love sends us into the world. - Dec 24, 2017A Journey To ChristmasA Journey To ChristmasOver two thousand years ago, a star burst through the darkness and signaled the long-awaited but still unexpected birth of a Savior. Today another star shines, piercing the darkness of our lives with hope, love, joy and peace. His name is Jesus, and His light shines, drawing us into the journey of following him.
- Dec 17, 2017A Journey of PEACEA Journey of PEACEThe star has been our guide as we’ve journeyed toward Christmas. That Star of Bethlehem briefly mentioned in Matthew’s account of the Christmas story drew those wise seekers from afar to the Savior thousands of years ago. It must have led them over rough routes and smooth ones, through easy passages and ones that appeared difficult with no way to cross. It remained before them through all the circumstances and surprises of their journey. The star never faltered or failed. It faithfully pointed the way to Jesus. So together we continue to look for the light today as we follow the star on a journey of peace.
- Dec 10, 2017Preparing Her Way – Have a Mary ChristmasPreparing Her Way – Have a Mary Christmas
The clear message of Advent is that this is a time for us to clear out the things that clutter up our lives and hinder our walk with God. From the prophets of the Old Testament to John the Baptist the cry is “Prepare the way of the Lord!” May we use these Advent days for honest self examination and repentance that will open our hearts to receive the good news of God’s gift in Christ Jesus our Lord. Today we can learn so much from Mary the mother of our Lord about how to prepare our hearts to be ready to receive the precious gifts that God offers. - Dec 3, 2017A Journey of JOYA Journey of JOYDuring the next weeks we are going to take a journey together through the season of Advent. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are called Advent, which is a version of a Latin term that means “coming.” We use this time of waiting as an opportunity to look forward to our celebration of the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, the light of the world, our Savior. Advent is a season of great expectation and of preparing our hearts, we’re glad you’re here with us as we join in an epic journey that began more than two thousand years ago. Just as the wise men in the Bible followed the star to find Jesus, we will follow the star and explore the gifts of Christmas that Jesus brings: hope, love, joy, and peace.
- Nov 29, 2017A Journey of HOPEA Journey of HOPE
During the next weeks we are going to take a journey together through the season of Advent. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are called Advent, which is a version of a Latin term that means “coming.” We use this time of waiting as a chance to look forward to our celebration of the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, the light of the world, our Savior. Advent is a season of great expectation and of preparing our hearts, we’re glad you’re here with us as we embark on this journey—actually we are joining in an epic journey that began more than two thousand years ago. Just as the wise men in the Bible followed the star to find Jesus, we will follow the star and explore the gifts of Christmas that Jesus brings: hope, love, joy, and peace. - Nov 26, 2017LoveLove
Love brings great fulfillment and comfort. But it can also bring deep regret if we do not love well. When Peter does not love Jesus well, Jesus gives him the opportunity to be restored. He gives up the same opportunity.
