Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - I HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE LORD

"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - Day 114 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: 2 Samuel 10-12; Luke 19:29-48)

 

I HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE LORD

Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”

David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”   (2 Samuel 12:7&13  ESV)

David was the King of Israel, and he was a sinner. In today’s Old Testament reading, David is confronted with his sin. He confesses it to Nathan. And Nathan forgives him. There will still be consequences to his sin, yet he would continue to celebrate the gifts of reconciliation and forgiveness for the rest of his life. 

Even though none of us are kings of queens, yet we can have the same blessings David did. We can confess our sins knowing that God will graciously forgive us for Jesus’ sake.

Psalm 51 we read of David’s heartfelt sorrow for his sin and he call to God for mercy and forgiveness.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,

    according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

    blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

    and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,

    and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned

    and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you may be justified in your words

    and blameless in your judgment.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

    and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,

    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;

    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins,

    and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

    and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from your presence,

    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

May the gift of God’s forgiveness and reconciliation fill you joy this day as you live every minute for Him. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen. 

Pastor David Paape

Daily Bible Reading Chart covering the entire Bible in one year. 

http://www.wholesomewords.org/family/bibleread/truth.pdf

Monday, April 22, 2024 - LITTLE MAN, BIG FAITH

"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)

Monday, April 22, 2024 - Day 113 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: 2 Samuel 7-9; Luke 19:1-28)

 

LITTLE MAN, BIG FAITH 

Zacchaeus... was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”... Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”  (Luke 19:2-10 ESV)

The religious leaders thought little of Zacchaeus, and they weren’t just talking about his height. They saw him as a lost soul, someone to be shunned. Jesus also saw Zacchaeus as a sinner, but not as someone to be shunned.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” 

This is good news for us, for we also come up short when it comes to living the perfect life God requires of all. The good news for Zacchaeus was that Jesus invited him into His presence. And that is really big!

Lord Jesus, thank You for also inviting me into Your presence. Please grant me a hunger for Your Word and for Your Supper that drives me to Your house each Sunday. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

Daily Bible Reading Chart covering the entire Bible in one year. 

http://www.wholesomewords.org/family/bibleread/truth.pdf

Sunday, April 21, 2024 - WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)

Sunday, April 21, 2024 - Day 112 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: 2 Samuel 4-6; Luke 18:18-43)

WHAT ARE THE ODDS? 

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” (Luke 18:31-33 ESV) 

“Everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished...”

One of the biggest problems Bible doubters have is the incredible odds against all of the Old Testament being fulfilled by one person. Yet, that is just what the account of the life of Christ reveals.

Peter Stoner, in Science Speaks (Chicago: Moody Press, 1963), determined the probability of one man fulfilling eight of the prophecies of the Old Testament for the Messiah to be 1 in 10 to the 17th power. Imagine taking 100,000,000,000,000,000 silver dollars and covering the state of Texas. That many coins would be two feet deep. Now mark one, stir the whole mass thoroughly, blindfold a person, and ask that person to pick the marked one in one try. Those are the exact same odds of anyone fulfilling eight of the Messianic prophecies by chance alone.

Peter Stoner then goes on to consider the possibility of any one person fulfilling 48 of the prophecies by chance. Here the odds jump to 1 in 10 to the 157th power (1 billion X 12). That number would look like this: 

1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. 

What is even more amazing is the reason that Jesus endured this: “For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 

Jesus died and rose for sinners like you and me!

Thank You, my Lord Jesus, for fulfilling every single Old Testament prophecy so that I can be forgiven and look forward to eternity with You. Please use me to share Your amazing story with others. Amen. 

“See” you at the Communion rail this morning!

Pastor David Paape

Daily Bible Reading Chart covering the entire Bible in one year. 

http://www.wholesomewords.org/family/bibleread/truth.pdf

Saturday, April 20, 2024 - MERCY!

"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)

Saturday, April 20, 2024 - Day 111 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: 2 Samuel 1-3; Luke 18:1-17)

MERCY! 

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:  “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  (Luke 18:9-14 ESV)

The point of the parable is clear. God calls us to honestly admit our sinfulness and seek His mercy. While this is not the way we proud and self-centered “Pharisees” want to go through life, it is the only way to be saved. When we repent of our sins and seek God’s mercy, for the sake of Jesus, we are forgiven and restored.

There is no wiggle room here. Humble yourself, repent, and seek God’s mercy!

May God bestow on us His grace and favor

To please Him with our behavior

And live as brethren here in love and union

Nor repent this blest Communion!

O Lord, have mercy!

Let not Thy good Spirit forsake us;

Grant that heav'nly-minded He make us;

Give Thy Church, Lord, to see

Days of peace and unity:

O Lord, have mercy!

(“O Lord, We Praise Thee” LSB #617 - 3)

God, be merciful to me, a sinner. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen. 

“See” you in church tomorrow or tonight!

Pastor David Paape

Friday, April 19, 2024 - LOSERS KEEPERS

 

"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)

Friday, April 19, 2024 - Day 110 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: 1 Samuel 30,31; Luke 17:20-37)

LOSERS KEEPERS 

“Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.” (Luke 17:33 ESV)

“Finders keepers, losers weepers,” is the selfish response when someone finds something lost by someone else. For followers of Jesus, it is just the opposite. Those who try to find (preserve) their lives are losers, while those who lose their lives for Jesus, are winners.

The key is putting Jesus first by

   ● trusting Him,

   ● repenting of our sins, and

   ● serving Him as we help others.

When we live for ourselves, ignoring God, we risk losing everything. When we live for God, we win everything.

Those who die without Christ, are eternal losers. Those who die trusting in Christ for forgiveness are eternal winners

   1. I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, Trusting only Thee;

Trusting Thee for full salvation, Great and free.

   2. I am trusting Thee for pardon; At Thy feet I bow,

For Thy grace and tender mercy Trusting now.

   3. I am trusting Thee for cleansing In the crimson flood;

Trusting Thee to make me holy By Thy blood.

   4. I am trusting Thee to guide me; Thou alone shalt lead,

Ev'ry day and hour supplying All my need.

   5. I am trusting Thee for power; Thine can never fail.

Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me Must prevail.

   6. I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, Never let me fall.

I am trusting Thee forever And for all.

(“I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus” LSB #729)

Heavenly Father, thank You for making me a winner by giving me saving faith in Christ Jesus. Please use me today to share my victory with others. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen. 

Pastor David Paape

Daily Bible Reading Chart covering the entire Bible in one year. 

http://www.wholesomewords.org/family/bibleread/truth.pdf

Thursday, April 18, 2024 - GOD CHOSE YOU

"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)

Thursday, April 18, 2024 - Day 109 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: 1 Samuel 27-29; Luke 17:1-19)

GOD CHOSE YOU

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1 ESV)

God loves us so much that He has chosen to call us His children. Isn’t that wonderful? Really! It is wonderful. The wonder is that He chooses you and me to be His. We certainly do not deserve it, do we? 

Every day we blow it. We refuse to obey His command to be perfect. We choose to sin. We choose to disobey. And what does He do? He still chooses us!

God has done it all for us. We can’t contribute anything to our salvation. He sent His one and only Son to die in payment for our sin-filled lives. He adopted us into His family through our baptisms. He feeds our souls with His Word and with the body and blood of Jesus. He forgives our sins and promises us a room in His eternal house.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for choosing me. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for making me Your child. Please open my eyes for opportunities today to let someone else know that You want to do the same for them. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

Daily Bible Reading Chart covering the entire Bible in one year. 

http://www.wholesomewords.org/family/bibleread/truth.pdf

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 - THE BIG CHANGE

"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 - Day 108 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: 1 Samuel 25,26; Luke 16:19-31)

THE BIG CHANGE

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.  (Acts 9:20-22 ESV)

 After the blinding light and the voice of Jesus calling out to Saul, God worked a miraculous change in him. Those who knew him, were confused: “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?”

Saul was known as a fierce persecutor of Jesus’ followers. But God changed him. And now Saul is proclaiming the good news: “He (Jesus) is the Son of God.”

What God did for Saul, He wants to do for others. While He reached Saul directly, today He uses us, His followers, to share the good news of the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus.

Lord Jesus, You have changed me too. Now please use me to share Your good news with others so they can also become Your people! In Your saving name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

Daily Bible Reading Chart covering the entire Bible in one year. 

http://www.wholesomewords.org/family/bibleread/truth.pdf