December 1, 2016 - FOOLS FAIL

Day 336 - Ecclesiastes Thursday (chapters 10-12) 

“Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
A wise man's heart inclines him to the right,
    but a fool's heart to the left.
Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
    and he says to everyone that he is a fool.” (Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 ESV) 

Foolishness abounds in this world. There are so many examples. Solomon warns us against being foolish because fools lack sense. David warned against being the worst of fools: 

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.” (Psalm 53:1 ESV) 

Trust in the Lord. Look for opportunities to share His wisdom, mercy and grace, all found in Jesus!

Heavenly Father, please help me to speak and act wisely on Your behalf. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 30, 2016 - GOD KNEW YOUR NAME

Day 335 - Psalms Wednesday (chapters 137 -139)

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.” (Psalm 139:13-15 ESV) 

When does life begin? The answer was pretty obvious to David. Life begins in the womb, where God fearfully and wonderfully knits us together.

How does God want His people to respond? We get to remember that God has a plan for every life. That makes you very special. In fact, God even knows your name. Please take time to watch this video clip all the way through. The moving song begins about 2 minutes into the clip. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWtU95yBIx8

 

Yes, life is a precious gift from God. 

Heavenly Father, the Creator of all, thank You for the gift of life. Please help all of us to value life. In the name of Jesus, the Lord of Life. Amen. 

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 29, 2016 - EQUIPPED BY THE LORD

Nehemiah Tuesday (Chapters 1-4)

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. (Nehemiah 2:17-19 ESV)

“The Word moves Nehemiah’s heart to begin plans for rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. As you read God’s Word, recognized that He will move you as well to serve Him and His people. Studying the Word is never an end in itself, because the purpose of the Word is to console you in Christ and equip you by the Holy Spirit. 

Console and equip me this day, dear Savior, to overcome all obstacles to Your good and gracious will.  Amen.” (Lutheran Study Bible, CPH 2009, page 742)

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 28, 2016 - PURGING EVIL

Deuteronomy Monday (CHAPTER 20-22) 

“So you shall purge the evil from your midst.” (Deuteronomy 22:21 ESV)

In these chapters God is giving His people directions on how to live in the promised land. We find the stoning of a rebellious son and adulterers to be harsh. Yet God had a very good reason. He wanted to protect them from evil and keep them close to Him. 

Today many people are content to put up with, and even indulge in evil activity. In fact, our sins put all of us in that category. Since no one is able to live a perfect and evil-free life, God sent us a helper named Jesus. It is Jesus who purged evil from all believers when He died on the cross.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for purging my sins and making me holy in the sight of God the Father. Help me to walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 27, 2016 - PERFECT LOVE

Day 332 - 1 John Sunday (chapters 3-4)

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18 ESV)

John’s first letter is jam-packed with spiritual gems that are extremely practical and applicable to the Christian’s daily life. Of course this is true of the rest of the Bible as well. Here are a couple of examples from 1 John.

v 4 “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 

v 10 “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 

v 12 “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”

v 15 “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”

v 19 “We love because he first loved us.”

When it comes to the daily pressures we all face, it is certainly assuring to know that “perfect love casts out fear.” 

So, don’t worry...

● The perfect love of Christ sent Him to the cross for sinners like you and me,  
● The perfect love of Christ will see you through your daily struggles,
● The perfect love of Christ will show itself in us as we live for Him,
● The perfect love of Christ will lead others to Him as we model His love.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your perfect love lavished upon this sinful world. As You comfort me with the eternal promises Your love imparts, please use me to share Your love with others. Amen.

“See” you at the Communion rail this morning.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 26, 2016 - FAITHFUL BIBLE STUDY

Day 331 - Acts Saturday (chapters 17-18)

“The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.  Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”  (Acts 17:10-11 ESV)

Paul and Silas find their words being cross-checked with Scripture, giving us an example of how we are to read the Bible. The message of Christ’s cross is central to God’s Word. In fact, the death of Jesus on the cross for all sinners of all time is THE MAIN REASON God gave us the Bible in the first place!

May we, like the Bereans, cross-check what we read in God’s Word and receive this 
Word of grace “with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so.” 

The one year Bible reading outline we have been following, (the link is provided below), is a great way to cross-check the Bible. One of the many reasons that I “love”  The Lutheran Study Bible is because each chapter contains at least one Law and Gospel synopsis, tying each chapter to the cross. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and for the constant reminder of Your Son’s cross. Help me to be like the Bereans, eager and hungry for the great blessings You have me in Your precious Word. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

“See” you in church tomorrow.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 25, 2016 - YOUR KING IS COMING

Day 330 - Zechariah Friday (Chapters 8-14)

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”  (Zechariah 9:9 ESV)

This magnificent prophecy of the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem at the beginning of Holy Week is one of the clearest prophecies in the Old Testament. Christ’s fulfillment of these words is found in Matthew 21:1-5; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-38 and John 12:12-19.  
As we prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we proclaim His kingship with these words:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of Sabaoth;
Heav'n and earth are full of Thy glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He, blessed is He,
Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending the King of Kings to the cruel cross for me. May the Holy Spirit keep my faith strong so that I am prepared for His Second Coming as my King and Judge. In Christ’s royal name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 24, 2016 - WHY THANK GOD?

Day 329 - THANKSGIVING DAY

The answer to this question in found in all that God has done for you.

“I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them.  Also clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and home, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life; That He defends me against all danger, and guards and protects me from all evil; And all this purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him.  This is most certainly true”   (Luther’s explanation to the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed) 

And how do we get to respond to all of these blessings?

Thank the Lord and sing His praise; 
tell ev'ryone what He has done.
Let all who seek the Lord rejoice 
and proudly bear His name.  
He recalls His promises 
and leads His people forth in joy 
with shouts of thanksgiving.  
Alleluia, alleluia. 
(Lutheran Service Book, Concordia Publishing House 2006)

Heavenly Father, thank You showering me with so many earthly blessings. Above all, I thank You for forgiving my sins and saving my soul. In Jesus’ saving name.  Amen. 

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 23, 2016 - CHRISTIAN UNITY

Day 328 - Psalm Wednesday (chapters 133-136)

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”   (Psalm 133 ESV) 

“Living in unity is as soothing as being anointed with oil, as refreshing as dew from the mountains on a parched desert... But we often experience discord, strife, and disunity instead. This is true of our families, our communities, and our churches. Yet Christ’s prayer (John 17:11) is “that they may be one, even as we are one.” (Lutheran Study Bible, CPH 2009, page 929)

While the plethora of Christian denominations doesn’t make it appear that we are one, our faith in Christ as Savior and Lord reveals our unity. In fact, it is our faith in Christ, and Christ alone, that makes us Christians in the first place!

Elect from ev’ry nation, Yet one o’er all the earth, 
Her charter of salvation: One Lord, one faith, one birth.  
One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, 
And to one hope she presses With every grace endued.

Through toil and tribulation, And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation Of peace for evermore
Till, with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.

Yet she on earth has union With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won.
O blessed heav’nly chorus!  Lord, save us by Your grace,
That we, like saints before us, May see You face to face.
(“The Church’s One Foundation” Lutheran Service Book, CPH 2006, #644, stanzas 2,3,4)

Heavenly Father, thank You for making us one in Christ. Please keep me and all believers strong in the saving faith. I ask this especially for my Christian brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering persecution. Lord have mercy! Amen. 

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 22, 2016 - GOD CHANGES THE UNCHANGEABLE

Day 327 - Ezra Tuesday (chapters 6-10)

“Let the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site... They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia.”    (Ezra 6:7 & 14 ESV)

“The emperor Darius approves the building of the temple, sponsors its sacrifices, and curses those who would interfere. The God of heaven has so radically changed the circumstances that the government that opposed the project became its sponsor. Today, do not fail to offer prayers for your officials. Who knows what changes God may bring? Above all, offer thanks to Him for your salvation by Jesus’ sacrifice.”   (The Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 729)

When I was a boy growing up in Milwaukee, our nation’s greatest fear was the threat of being attacked by the godless Soviet Union. Never did we think that the Berlin Wall would come down on November 9,1989. But what I found far more amazing was the Russian Army Choir singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic at the 1992 Billy Graham crusade in Moscow. Talk about government policy being radically changed! Soldiers in a formerly atheistic country actually sang these words about our Savior:

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His being that transfigures you and me;
As He died to make men holy let us live to make men free!
While God is marching on.
Glory!  Glory!  Hallelujah!  Glory!  Glory!  Hallelujah! 
Glory!  Glory!  Hallelujah!  His truth is marching on! 
(Lyrics by Julia Ward Howe, 1861; Tune: John Brown’s Body, by William Steffer, 1856)

Almighty God, You answered Your people’s prayers and radically changed government policy, and the Jews were blessed. You answered Your people’s prayers and radically changed government policy in Russia ushering in freedom that allowed the Gospel to be proclaimed. Please hear our prayers for our country and our world that the Gospel may have free course. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 21, 2016 - OUR BEST FOR GOD?

Day 326 - Deuteronomy Monday (CHAPTER 16-19)

“You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 17:1 ESV)

Reporters have discovered food items in grocery stores that were well past their printed expiration dates. It seems that the stores are attempting to sell food that definitely is no longer first-rate.

We tend to do something similar with God. He has truly blessed us with His first-rate blessings of forgiveness and reconciliation. And how we sinners desperately need these treasures! Yet we respond to what He has done for us NOT with first-rate gifts of our time, talent and treasure, but rather with leftovers, if anything at all.

When we do this, we are not honoring God, and showing our profound appreciation for all that He has done for us. And He calls this an abomination.

Today you have another chance to do your best for God because He has done His best for you by giving you saving faith in His Son, Jesus. 
Today you get to help others in Jesus’ name. 
Today you get to put Jesus first in your life. 
Today you get to give God your very best.
        
Thank You, heavenly Father, for sending Your very best by sending Jesus to the cross for me. Thank You for forgiving me and promising me heaven.  Help me to respond to Your great love for me by putting You first in my life today and always. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 20, 2016 - EYE WITNESSES

Day 325 - 2 Peter

“For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16 ESV)

Peter is referring to the fact that what he and the disciples recorded about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus were facts. This means that Christianity is not the product of man’s imagination, not merely a series of myths. They were reporting what they saw with their own eyes.

While we are not eye witnesses of Jesus’ 33 years on this earth, we are “faith witnesses” of the truths of Christianity. We see Jesus clearly through eyes of faith. 

There is time when we are in the physical presence of Jesus. This morning, when you kneel at the Communion table, you will be receiving the true body and blood of our Savior given and shed for you. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for opening my eyes to see Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Remind me of His presence in my daily life, especially when I am faced with challenges and difficulties. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

“See” you at the Communion table this morning!

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 19, 2016 - FAITHFUL WITNESSES

Day 324 - Acts Saturday (chapters 15-16)

“25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them... 33 And he [the jailer] took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.”  (Acts 16:25-34 ESV)

Paul and Silas where in prison praying and singing shortly after they had been beaten for preaching the Gospel. Would you feel like singing if you had been treated so poorly? But God was using Paul and Silas to reach the jailer and his family. Because of their faithfulness, that entire household was given saving faith in Jesus.

God willing, you and I will not find ourselves in the kind of circumstances that faced Paul and Silas. But we can still know the joy of others coming to know Christ because of our witness.

Heavenly Father, make us faithful witnesses like Paul and Silas. Yes, Lord, lay some soul upon my heart, and love that soul through me. And may I humbly do my part to win that soul for Thee. Amen.

“See” you in church tomorrow.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 18, 2016 - SHOW KINDNESS AND MERCY

Day 323 - Zechariah Friday (Chapters 1-7)

“And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”  But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard ... Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.”  (Zechariah 7:8-12a)

Zechariah faithfully encouraged the people of God to act like it. We have the same encouragement today. The kindness and mercy that we have received from Jesus our Savior is what God expects us to share with others. He wants our hearts to be filled with His love for others and not with evil. 

The Israelites “turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears” to God’s call for mercy. And God responded in righteous anger.

Fellow Christians, we ought to know God’s mercy and sternness and show that knowledge in how we live. 

Heavenly Father, help me to be merciful to others as You have been merciful to me in sending Jesus to be my Savior. In His precious name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 17, 2016 - FOOLS LET ANGER FESTER

Day 322 - Ecclesiastes Thursday (chapters 7-8) 

“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9 ESV)

We have all known people that have a difficult time controlling their anger. You learn to treat them in a cautious manner. How are you doing with anger? 

This is an important question. Uncontrolled anger can have some terrible consequences, such as broken relationships.

Paul urges us to apologize for angry outbursts and seek reconciliation.  

‘Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” (Ephesians 4:26) 

The best motivation for controlling our anger comes from remembering that Jesus’ death has assuaged God the Father’s anger over our sins. All who repent and believe in Christ are reconciled to God and are free to share that reconciliation with others.

Heavenly Father, thank You for not being angry with me over my sins. Help me to share Your forgiveness with that person(s) I have been angry with. Just as I celebrate my reconciliation with You, may that person and I soon celebrate our reconciliation. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 16, 2016 - DWELL IN UNITY

Day 321 - Psalms Wednesday (chapters 131 -133)

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1 ESV) 

“Living in unity is as soothing as being anointed with oil, as refreshing as dew from the mountain on a parched desert. Descriptions of goodness and pleasure of unity and brotherhood remind us that we often experience discord, strife and disunity instead. This is true of our families, our communities and our churches. Yet Christ’s prayer is “that they may be one, even as We are one.” (John 17:11) He bestows that unity through the Holy Spirit in the refreshing waters of Baptism.” (The Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 979)

● Are you experiencing the heartache of disunity? 
● Are there broken relationships in your family, at work, or in your church? 
● The ultimate source of unity is found at the cross where Jesus died for all sinners, including you and those with whom you are at odds.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the unity that is ours in Christ. Help me reach out to that person I am at odds with. May the fact that Jesus died for both of us help me to see that person differently and to share Your forgiveness with him/her. In Jesus’ saving and uniting name. Amen. 

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 15, 2016 - GOD WORKS THROUGH ALL CIRCUMSTANCES

Day 320 - Ezra Tuesday (chapters 1-5)

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:”    (Ezra 1:1 ESV)

“The Lord stirs Cyrus the Persian to send home a remnant of the Judean exiles, as prophesied by Isaiah and Jeremiah. Today, the Lord of heaven and earth continues to govern the nations for the good of His people. Though the news we hear each day is often bad, we can rejoice that the Lord of heaven is at work amid tumultuous events. Consider how He wrought our salvation through the decisions of Roman and Judean rulers who crucified our Savior.”   (The Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 722)

In His perfect time, God allowed His people to leave their bondage and return home. God’s timing is perfect in your life too. Ultimately, He will grant you the gift of heaven.

Almighty God, thank You for working in all of the circumstances of my life. Above all, thank You for sending Jesus to the cross and then into my heart, both at just the right time. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 14, 2016 - WHERE ARE YOUR MANNERS?

Day 319 - Deuteronomy Monday (chapters 13-15)

“You shall not eat any abomination. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.”  (Deuteronomy 14:3-5 ESV)

“God calls His people, as members of His household, to avoid mimicking the self-destructive behaviors of their pagan neighbors. The Israelites were to develop new and distinct table manners, eating only clean food. As members of God’s household (Eph 2:19), we, too, must leave behind all those behaviors and habits that damage ourselves and the Christian community (Eph 5:1-7). Since God has adopted us in Christ Jesus, our Father in heaven will always give us His Holy Spirit so that we may be cleansed from all of our sin.” (The Lutheran Study Bible, CPH, 2009, page 1035) 

Good Manners... Remembering who you are
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”  (Ephesians 2:19 ESV)

Good Manners...Imitating Jesus
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV)

Heavenly Father, please grant good Christian manners so that the manner in which I live my life glorifies You and is a blessing to Your household, the Church. Please use me today to share Your love with others. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen. 

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 13, 2016 - IN CHRIST, WHAT LION?

Day 318 - 1 Peter Sunday (chapters 4-5)

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a  roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith.”  (1 Peter 5:8-9a ESV)

Ever since he tricked mankind into falling into sin in the garden of Eden, the devil has been stalking us. Peter describes him as a roaring lion ready to devour us. This is an accurate picture. His goal has not changed in over 6,000 years. He wants to deceive people into rebelling against God and becoming condemned to eternal damnation.

But there is hope . . . in Christ! 
In Christ we can resist the devil. 
In Christ can be firm in the faith. 
In Christ we can endure the predicted persecution of the end times.

More specifically...
In Christ there is forgiveness of sins, freedom from the guilt of sin, and freedom from the power of sin. 
In Christ the devil has become a toothless and powerless foe who can only roar in an attempt to make us fearfully run from God. 
In Christ our response to the roaring is, “What lion?”

Heavenly Father, thank You that, in Christ, You have given me all I need to fend off the devil, the world and my flesh. Please keep me firm in my faith in Christ so that I may remain Your child today, tomorrow and forever. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen. 

“See” you at the Communion table this morning.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 12, 2016 - DARKNESS GIVES WAY TO THE LIGHT

Day 317 - Acts Saturday (chapters 13-14)

6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus (Elymas). 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But ... the magician ... opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. (Acts 13:6-12 ESV)

Elymas was lost in a spiritual darkness of his own making prior to the Holy Spirit blinding him physically. He was a son of the devil, an enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, who would not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord, that is, not until God confronted him through the apostle Paul.

I wonder how many people from that time and place were afraid of Elymas, the sorcerer (King James Version)? Many today are also afraid of those whom they think have special power, special knowledge or special influence. The politically correct, the intellectual elite, vocal fringe groups, anti-Christian forces, and cross-less “Christians” are all lost in their own particular forms of spiritual darkness. We, however, need not fear these powers of darkness. John encourages us with these enlightening words:

In him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4 ESV)

Heavenly Father, thank You for the assurance that the Light of the world, my Lord Jesus, is far brighter than the darkness of this world. Please let His light shine through me so that others may also be led to saving faith in Jesus. Amen.

“See” you in church tomorrow.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 11, 2016 - Veterans Day

GOD BLESS OUR MILITARY 

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!” (Psalm 33:12 ESV)

On Veterans Day 2016 we pause to thank God for all who serve or have ever served in our nation’s military. However, what do you do the rest of the year?

Whenever I notice someone wearing a hat or something else that identifies them as a veteran, I shake their hands and thank them for serving our country. This includes wishing them God’s blessings. So, thank a vet today and pray for all who wear the uniform of our country.
        
Thank You, heavenly Father, for all who have served and are now serving in the armed forces of the United States. Grant Your comfort and peace to all who have lost loved ones who have served our nation. Watch over those who are in the military today. May they serve with distinction and safely return home soon. Thank You above all else for Jesus, the One who served all of mankind by doing battle with Satan and winning our salvation. In His saving name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 10, 2016 - LET YOUR WORDS BE FEW

Day 315 - Ecclesiastes Thursday (chapters 5-6)

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.  Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.” (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 ESV)

What were we taught as children? “Think before you speak.” That is what Solomon is getting at here, and much more. In addition to the warning to not speak foolishly, he counsels us to listen to God, and I might add, to others too. 

Solomon’s conclusion is that we are to listen to God more and speak less.  That is some pretty sound advice for getting along with others and for honoring God.

Heavenly Father, may my words be few, and may what I say bring honor to you and benefit others. Above all, may I listen well to all that You would teach me in Your precious Word. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 9, 2016 - BLESSED?

Day 314 - Psalms Wednesday (Chapters 128-130)

“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.”  (Psalm 128:1-2 ESV)

What is the key to blessings in this life? Is it individual effort? Is it victory in the battles of life? 

According to David, blessings come to those who fear and trust in God, to those who walk the walk directed by the Lord. 

Luther put it this way in his explanation to the First Commandment: “We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.”

This applies to all of us, including the winner of our presidential election.

Our first President, George Washington, did fear and trust in the Lord. That is why he spoke words that serve as excellent advice for our next President, as well as all of our other leaders.

“It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible”

Heavenly Father, please bless whomever is elected our next President with the wisdom to fear and trust You so that our nation will be blessed. Above all, I pray that You will keep me close to You through saving faith in Jesus, my Savior. Amen. 

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

November 8, 2016 - HE KNEW GOD'S MERCY

Day 313 - 2 Chronicle Tuesday (Chapters 33-36)

“The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention. Therefore the Lord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh... And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.” 
 (2 Chronicles 33:10-12 ESV)

“Through distress and admonition of the prophets, the Lord leads Manasseh to repentance. Like a patient father, the Lord disciplines us and even allows us to learn our lessons the hard way, through error and pain. Yet is He is always ready to hear us, just as He heard and had compassion on wicked Manasseh.”  (The Lutheran Study Bible, CPH, 2009, page 2138)

Manasseh refused to pay attention to the Lord, so the Lord woke him up. 

May the Lord wake you up to your need for his mercy and forgiveness. And then, like Manasseh, may you know that the Lord is your God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for waking me up to my desperate need for Your forgiveness and mercy. May my life reflect the fact that You are my God and that Jesus is my Savior. Amen. 

Pastor David Paape

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf