August 11, 2018 - THE PROMISED HELPER

Day 223 - (Today’s Bible readings: Numbers 35:16-34; Psalm 40; John 14:15-31)

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:16-17 ESV)

In this verse Jesus, God the Son, is asking God the Father to send God the Holy Spirit to His disciples then, and to His followers today.

The work of God the Holy Spirit is crucial for you and your soul. Through Word and Sacrament, the Holy Spirit gives you faith in your Savior, Jesus. He is the One who makes the truths of the Gospel real to you, and thereby guarantees you eternal life. 

The words of the Explanation to the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed remind us how crucial the Holy Spirit is to each believer, including you.

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. 

The prayer for this morning comes from the hymn “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest.”

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And make our hearts Your place of rest; 
Come with Your grace and heav'nly aid
And fill the hearts which You have made.  Amen.

“See” you in church tomorrow morning!

Pastor David Paape

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings  
Then scroll down to 2018 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!