So, when you woke up this morning, did you arise as royalty? Whether you felt like you were or not, Scripture says you are. “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9). You are royalty. You will reign with God in eternity after Christ returns on […]
Our Take on Purgatory, Pt. 2
June 17, 2016 by
This is the concluding article on the Lutheran view of the Roman-Catholic doctrine of purgatory. Continuing our look into the Roman-Catholic doctrine of purgatory, Rome teaches: All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death, they undergo purification, so as to achieve […]
Our Life with God, Lesson 11: Christian Prayer, Pt. 4: Prayers for the Sainted Dead
June 13, 2016 by
After taking a look a one-lesson excursion on what it means to praise God, we again approach the topic of prayer. Today, we examine the topic of praying for those who have died in the faith, whose souls are now in heaven. Before we get to the “why,” we see if such praying is in […]
Luke 7:36-8:3: Generous Giving is not Accidental
June 13, 2016 by
Today, Scripture came to us and told us of a woman, a generous one. She expressed a deep devotion and affection toward Jesus in her generosity, by anointing His feet with expensive perfume. Her story is relational. Jesus loves her, and she responds with a deep love for Him. Her story is inclusive, for Jesus […]
Psalm 30: Weeping may lodge for the night, but joy comes in the morning
June 5, 2016 by
How well did you sleep well last night? Were you interrupted by some unexpected “visitor”? Someone or something came to you in the early hours of the morning. You tossed and turned, and sleep become a distant memory, even a stranger to you. This nighttime intruder is sinister. He wakes you up and worms his […]
Our Life with God, Lesson 10: A Theology of Praise
June 5, 2016 by
We take a one-lesson excursion from our look into prayer into praising God (which also involves prayer). Last week, a question was asked about what it means to praise God. I answered, but I do not think I answered the question fully. So, here we go! Praising God Begins with God Being Present for […]
Galatians 1:1-10: Don’t turn what God does for you into what you do for Him
May 29, 2016 by
Paul begins Galatians by burning down the barn. “What in the world is wrong with you? You’re deserting God, who called you to be His people! You turned away from the Gospel, allowing others to confuse you and lead you away from the truth!” Words of fire explode off the page. A righteous anger burns […]
Our Life with God, Lesson 9: Christian Prayer, Pt. 3
May 29, 2016 by
We now look further into prayer, looking at specific verses that help shape our life of prayer. Fervent Prayer The traditional wording of James 5:16 is this: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” This has fostered in some that if your prayer isn’t fervent enough (with intensity, with genuine heart-felt passion), […]
The Lutheran Church and Purgatory, Pt. 1
May 24, 2016 by
This is our pastor’s newsletter article for the June 2016 issue of our congregational newsletter. Last month, we looked the body’s resurrection and the intermediate state of our souls being in heaven until Jesus calls forth our bodies on the Last Day. The Roman-Catholic Church also believes in an intermediate state of existence for heaven-bound […]
Our Life with God, Lesson 8: Christian Prayer, Pt. 2
May 22, 2016 by
Last week, we looked at the Lord’s Prayer as a model prayer and a prayer to say verbatim. Today, we continue looking into why we pray when our Father knows what we need ever before we pray—and other topics. Why Pray? “Grace Alone” Jesus doesn’t command prayer (just like He doesn’t command helping the […]
