Day 255 - (Today’s Bible readings: Deuteronomy 25; Psalm 72; Luke 3:1-14)
“13 “You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small. 14 You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, a large and a small. 15 A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 16 For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 25:13-16 ESV)
People can be very devious in coming up with ways to cheat others out of their money. Scams of all sorts are ever present. We have all received e-mails informing us that we have several million dollars just waiting for us to respond with our personal information.
God demands that His people be honest. He declares that the dishonest are an abomination to Him. Even though we may not be dishonest, still we are all sinners. And all sin is an abomination to God. How blessed by the Lord we are declared to be forgiven sinners through faith in Christ Jesus!
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for redeeming me from sin, death and the devil by means of Your death on the cross. Help me to live for You by treating others honestly and fairly. In Your saving name I pray. Amen.
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!
Day 254 - (Today’s Bible readings: Deuteronomy 24; Psalm 71; Luke 2:22-52)
“O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!” (Psalm 71:12 ESV)
The Lord answers this prayer for us when He comes to us in His Word and Sacraments.
“O God, be not far from me.” Jesus cannot be closer to us than when He comes to us in His true body and blood in with and under the bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper.
“Make haste to help me!” You hear His answer as your pastor pronounces the absolution upon you: “Your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Lord Jesus Christ, be present now;
Our hearts in true devotion bow,
Your Spirit send with light divine,
And let Your truth within us shine. Amen.
(“Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now,” Lutheran Service Book, 2006, #902, stanza 1)
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!
Day 253 - (Today’s Bible readings: Deuteronomy 23; Psalm 70; Luke 2:1-21)
“May all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
say evermore, “God is great!”
But I am poor and needy;
hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay!” (Psalm 70:4-5 ESV)
“God is great!” Why? Because He mercifully answers your cry for help and deliverance.
He delivers spiritually poor and needy sinners by...
● sending His only Son, Jesus, to pay for all of your sins on the cross...
● taking them all away as the pastor, standing in Jesus’ place, declares you forgiven...
● coming to you with His body and blood in Holy Communion...
● promising to hear Your prayers and answering in ways that He knows are best...
● in short, God delivers you from sin, death and the devil.
Thank You, merciful heavenly Father, for being my great Deliverer. Please us me to share You deliverance with others this week. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.
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!
Day 252 - (Today’s Bible readings: Deuteronomy 22; Psalm 69; Luke 1:67-80)
“Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.” (1 Timothy 5:1-2 ESV)
Encouragement, what a positive word. Encouragement is what an older person needs as they see their bodies showing signs of age. Encouragement is what younger people need as they try to find their way in this life. Encouragement to follow Christ is what all people need.
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV)
Lord Jesus, help me to encourage others by reminding them of Your great love for them. May we never forget the eternally encouraging message of Your forgiveness and grace for all who repent and believe. Amen.
“See” you in church this morning! (Outdoor service 9 am / Church Picnic 10:30 at St. Paul’s - Brown Deer)
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!
Day 251 - (Today’s Bible readings: Deuteronomy 21:1-23; Psalm 68; Luke 1:57-66)
“So you shall purge the evil from your midst.” (Deuteronomy 21:21; 22:21-22 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 delivering me from evil and thereby 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.
“See” you in church tomorrow (9 am outdoor service with picnic at 10:30 at St. Paul’s - Brown Deer)
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!
Day 250 - (Today’s Bible readings: Deuteronomy 20; Psalm 67; Luke 1:39-56)
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb....“For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” (Luke 1:41&44 ESV)
Our verse for today states, “The baby leaped.” These words give us several precious insights.
● The baby in Mary’s womb is very special (He is Jesus, the long-promised Messiah).
● Little John, in Elizabeth’s womb, was moved to leap in the presence of his cousin and Savior.
● There is life in the womb (we believe from the moment of conception).
We hear nothing of Elizabeth anywhere other than Luke 1. We do hear much more about Mary, the mother of our Lord. While she is filled with joy both here and at the birth of Jesus, there will be a time when she will experience the opposite, as foretold by Simeon.
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed and a sword will pierce through your own soul also.” (Luke 2:34&35 ESV) Mary’s soul would be pierced as she witnessed the crucifixion of her son.
John leaped in utero at the in utero presence of the One who would die for him. The womb is a powerful place, a blessed place, an honored place.
May we spiritually leap with joy as we remember that Jesus accomplished the complete removal of our sins when He died that first Good Friday. And may we leap with joy for every life protected in utero, born physically, and then born spiritually through Baptism.
Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to this earth as a baby so that You could die on the cross for me and for all sinners. Help me to do all that I can to protect and promote Your gifts of physical and spiritual life. Amen.
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!
Day 249 - (Today’s Bible readings: Deuteronomy 19; Psalm 66; Luke 1:26-38)
Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.” (Psalm 66:1-3 ESV)
The Psalmist encourages his readers to “shout for joy to God.” The reason for this joy are the awesome deeds of God.
Many people are looking for joy, peace and happiness without Jesus. But Jesus is the only One whose awesome deeds involve the forgiveness of your sins and the promise of eternal life. And this gives you real, true, deep down joy.
Do not confuse Christian joy with mere happiness. Joy is far deeper and can be present even in the darkest of hours. Paul reflects this truth with these words first given to the Christians in Philippi:
“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 8:3 ESV)
No Jesus, no joy.
Know Jesus, know joy
Lord God, thank You for the joy of knowing Your mercy, forgiveness and promise of heaven Please use me today to share the joy of Jesus with others today. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.
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
