Below is the devotional from LHM:

Ezekiel 33:7 - (The LORD said) “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me.”

In the verses following the above passage, God explains to His prophet Ezekiel that not everyone is going to accept his message. At one point God says to Ezekiel, and I’m paraphrasing, “You know, Ezekiel, I want all people to be saved. I don’t take any pleasure in the death of evil people, but I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. Now, Ezekiel, some other folks are going to have a problem with this approach.”

I’ve been a watchman. One of the strangest jobs I did was watch cement dry. A company I worked for was putting up a large addition, and the owner was concerned about newly poured cement being tampered with by neighborhood teenagers, so he hired me to watch the wet cement overnight. About 2 a.m. a Chicago police car pulled into the parking lot next to my car; the officer looked at me suspiciously and asked what I was doing. Now I hadn’t given the potential of such a question much thought, so when I replied, “I’m watching wet cement,” in my mind I was already thinking he’s not going to buy this. And he didn’t. Especially after shining his spotlight on a place where cement hadn’t been poured. I ended up in the back of the police car until phone calls could be made and my story confirmed.

God warned his watchman, Ezekiel, that many people weren’t going to accept his story, especially the part of God wanting to save evil people. Everything in our nature wants to see the bad guy punished. Of course, we never perceive ourselves as the bad guy.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for the unlikely story that Jesus came to save sinners, including me. Amen.

Luke 13:31-32 - At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to Him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’”

Do you have a job that requires goals to be set and accomplished? Some of us do, and
some don’t. When I worked in the shop of an industrial pipe, valve, and fitting company in Chicago, nobody spoke to me of goals. They were satisfied if I packed orders correctly and didn’t injure myself (or others) in the process.
But for the salespeople who worked upstairs, it was a different story. They had definite goals to be met and their job security depended on meeting them. And, the owner of the company provided them with certain tools to assist them in accomplishing their work.

A company car, an expense account, support staff, etc. were among the things they
needed and I didn’t. As an educator and administrator, I’ve become more familiar with goals. A board chairman once declared we set a goal of increasing enrollment for the coming school year by 20 students. When I inquired about a plan and tools, specifically money in the budget to accomplish this task, he said we couldn’t afford any additional expenses. The goal ultimately failed because it lacked some key elements.

Achieving goals typically requires a plan as well as a commitment. In today’s verse, Jesus is warned to stop what He is doing and flee because Herod is out to kill Him. Jesus, however, doesn’t run but rather He speaks of reaching His goal. He understood that accomplishing this goal—rescuing us from our sin—required the ultimate commitment. It would come at a high price—His very life.

THE PRAYER: Jesus, thank You for paying the ultimate price for accomplishing the goal of our salvation. Amen.

Philippians 3:20-21 - But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.

The sign read, “Wait here. Do not proceed beyond this point.” Drab walls, institutional furniture, a place of rules and interrogation—this was not a welcoming place for anyone,let alone a young family and their two-year-old daughter.
Then a tall, strong man appeared, one in uniform and wearing a sidearm. He was someone you didn’t want to mess with. We were at a border crossing that particular Saturday afternoon. We rose very early that morning and had driven a long way to this most unwelcome place. And now, there was a man with a gun standing in front of us. But then he smiled and gently inquired, “Does someone here want to become a citizen?”

“Our daughter, sir.”

“Come on around here and follow me,” he said, motioning us past the “Do not proceed
beyond this point” sign.

This place, and this man, were not strangers to people trying to break the law. But on this day, he spoke gently and said, “Follow me.” Our Jenny was two years old and the time had come for us to declare her United States’ citizenship, a blessing and a gift bestowed on her through no merit of her own.

After we finished signing papers, the strong man in uniform took Jenny in his arms and posed for pictures with us. He smiled warmly, and I knew without a doubt that he loved this part of his job.

THE PRAYER: Father, thank You for the gift of Jesus, under whom You have placed all power and through whom we are called to enjoy all the blessings of citizenship in heaven. Amen.

Have a great day,
Pastor Aaron

Stay warm today.

Pastor Aaron

Below is the LHM devotional.

Jeremiah 26:8 - But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, “You must die!”

Ever been in that position? Perhaps you’ve even said these words, “Don’t shoot me; I’m only the messenger!” I can imagine that’s how Jeremiah must have felt. He’s just spoken words that the Lord commanded him to say, and now people, important people, want to
kill him.

Now imagine this: Jesus came to earth with a message of love and forgiveness and eternal life in heaven. And for that, they nailed Him to a cross, leaving Him to hang there until He died. Still feeling misunderstood or persecuted? Okay, maybe so, but at times like these in yourdaily walk, remember that Jesus died for you. For speaking the truth, calling people to repentance, and proclaiming that people’s sins were forgiven, Jesus paid the ultimate price.But He did that for you and me.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for my sins, for paying the debt I owe—thedebt I could never repay. Amen

Good morning. I hope you all had a great weekend. On Friday, I referred everyone to Ezekiel 9. Much mystery surrounds the man clothed in white linen, who goes around “marking the mark” (as the Hebrew text puts it) on the foreheads of the few faithful in the Jerusalem. Of course, the city is under siege and will soon be destroyed by the Babylonian army and the finale exile of the Jews will ensue. But Ezekiel is already in Babylon and he understands that what is taking place in God’s holy city is much more than human war fare.

However, what is most interesting is this mark that is placed upon the foreheads of the faithful. In the ancient world the last letter of the alphabet was often used as the mark for a signature or ownership—much like we use the “X” today. In Hebrew, this was the letter “taw.” In fact, our letter “T” originates from the Hebrew “taw.” Amazingly, this letter’s shape originally looked much more like our modern day “X”, except it was upright—in fact, it looked very much like “+.” It looked like a cross! The faithful in Jerusalem were saved by a cross! For this reason, many theologians have long associated the man in white linen as the pre-incarnate Son of God, similar to the “Angel of the Lord” found elsewhere in the Old Testament.

In light of the tradition of Ash Wednesday, I find this text from Ezekiel fascinating. On Ash Wednesday, we too are marked with the very same mark made from charcoal and ash, which would have been the very same material contained within the “writing kit” used by the man in white linen. By the cross of Jesus Christ, we are marked as those faithful—faithful only because we are under the cross.

I pray you find peace there.

Pastor Aaron

Below is the LHM devotion for today:

Deuteronomy 26:2 & 4 - Take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. … The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God.

Today’s verse speaks to the toughest part of my personal walk with God—my offerings to the Lord. It’s personal confession time: I am not what you would call a “cheerful” giver. I’m a nervous giver, a reluctant giver, a fearful giver. Why does God need anything from me? I barely get by now.

Putting an offering in the plate has always been very difficult for me, especially giving of what is called the “firstfruits” above. That means giving first to God as opposed to giving to Him from my leftovers—what remains after I satisfy my own wants.
A friend I greatly respected once told me his wife had a much closer “walk with God” than he did and that there were certain things she did more joyfully than him. It hit me that what he said applied to Diane and me, especially when it comes to our giving. Diane is the cheerful giver in our family.

During Lent, we hear the story of Jesus, which ultimately takes Him to an agonizing death on the cross for us. God gave not only His first, but also His only Son as payment for our sins—a firstfruits offering if there ever was one! How very differently I approach giving than God. But then, that’s why God in His mercy forgives me and, it is undoubtedly why God in His grace, blessed me with Diane as my wife.

Who are the people God has placed in your life to aid you in your walk with Him?

THE PRAYER: Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be my Savior, and thank You for the people around me that You provide to hold me up in my daily walk. Amen.

Hello everyone... If you get a chance today, study Ezekiel 9. What do you think of the man in linen who with the writing kit, places a mark on the faithful of Jerusalem? What do you think that mark is? If you wuold like, let me know your thoughts in the comment bar at the bottom of today's post. I'll make some comments about this on Monday. See you then.

Pastor Aaron

Below is the LHM devotional:

2 Corinthians 5:20b-21; 6:3a - We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the
righteousness of God. … We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path. …

Photography is one of my hobbies, and among my files of pictures is one labeled “Funny Signs.” These are signs that can be easily misinterpreted, contain misspellings, or seem out of place. Occasionally, they’re signs on churches. If it makes me smile or can be misunderstood or taken in a whimsical way, I snap a picture.

Last summer I came upon such a sign after miles of weaving and dodging orange barrels
and waiting at temporary traffic lights that allowed only one lane of traffic to flow at a time in either direction. As I finally left the construction zone there was a sign that read, “End Road Work.” My feelings exactly!

The words in today’s text give me a similar feeling. God wants everyone to know there is nothing blocking our path to Jesus’ love and forgiveness and that nobody should place such obstacles in the way of people coming to Him. Some people would place all kinds of requirements in front of you to gain access to God’s love, but God’s Son became like us so that through Him we may be holy and acceptable in God’s eyes. No stumbling blocks, no orange barrels or other mazes that we must navigate to gain God’s favor. The path is straight and access free to God our Heavenly Father through Jesus our brother.

If God doesn’t want others placing obstacles between you and Him, He doesn’t want you
erecting such barriers either. Is there something you are allowing to stand in the way of God’s free access to His love and grace?

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to remove all barriers to Your love. Help us to accept that love and forgiveness that is ours in His Name. Amen.

Good Morning! Perhaps this sounds a little strange, but Lent is one of my favorite Church seasons-even more than Christmas. However, it is more than just the sombre hymns, liturgy and ancient rits; I am always grateful for the chance to be reminded in vivid ways of the love of my God for me through the sacrifice of Jesus Chrsit. I pray that your Ash Wednesday perperations were filled with the Lord.

Below is devotional from Lutheran Hour Ministries. Thank you all for being so gracious and patient as I take a little Lenten break from our journey through Luke.

Joel 2:13b - … Return to the LORD your God for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.

Returning things can sometimes be difficult. Certain electronic items can’t be returned for a full refund once the box has been opened. Sometimes we lose the receipt for an item and can’t get reimbursed the full price we paid. Perhaps a store won’t even take an item back if the tagshave been removed. Maybe you’re like me and regularly lose the tags and the receipt. Good luck then!

There are other types of returns, also. Returning to a place that holds bad memories may be challenging. Returning something that doesn’t belong to us to its rightful owner can make us feel guilty. If we’ve been away from church for a time, there could be feelings we have that make it hard for us to return. How about a strained relationship? It could be tough to return and face that person.

Many circumstances and feelings may get in the way of returning, but God’s “return policy” is wide open, no strings or guilt attached. He always wants us to be with Him. Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a season of repentance, of turning around and coming back to God. During Lent we retrace Jesus’ walk to the cross, His suffering and death for us, and His resurrection that guarantees our own resurrection and life eternal with Him in heaven.

Is there something standing in the way of a return you’d like to make? I can’t guarantee it won’t be difficult, but I pray God will guide you in this process. Is a return to God what you desire? Here I can say with certainty that no matter what the circumstances, His love for you is immeasurable, and He is eager to have you close to Him again.

THE PRAYER: Father, thank You for the forgiveness that is ours in Jesus and for always welcoming us back into Your arms. Amen.

Good morning. Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. In a couple of hours, here at Epiphany, people will gather at the church before work and the day’s activities begin. There we will have a short service of confession. That is what this day is about—our need to confess and repent. Each person will be marked with a double sign of death—ashes and a cross. We will wear this sign today upon our foreheads and it will be upon our hearts until Easter. We will yearn for the day of resurrection even as we walk the path of death; for one day this body of dust and ashes will be redeemed. The mark you wear today—the cross of Christ—is proof of that.

For the next 46 days or so, I invite you to utilize the devotional series provided by LHM (below). I will enjoy the chance to journey with you to the cross of our Lord. Along that path, if you should have any comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to share. Because like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, I pray that the Lord be revealed to us in amazing ways this Lenten journey.

Remember, child of God, from dust you are and to dust you shall return.

Pastor Aaron

Luke 24:13-18 - Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus,about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everythingthat had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, JesusHimself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still,their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

He (Jesus) said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all thatthe prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enterHis glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them whatwas said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself (Luke 24:25-27).

Later in the day on Easter Sunday, two followers of Jesus are walking along the road to Emmaus when they are joined by a stranger—Jesus. They are still having a difficult timetrying to process what they know about the crucifixion as well as what they’ve heardabout the empty tomb, the women, angels, and resurrection.

Although He chides them a bit at first, on this walk to Emmaus, Jesus once more gently reveals to them what the Scriptures have to say about Him and His work. Later, theyinvite Jesus to stay the night with them and, over dinner, He takes bread and wine, andthe men’s eyes are opened and they recognize Him.

God’s blessings to you as you continue walking with Jesus, allowing Him to lead and
reveal His magnificent plan for your life.

THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for walking beside me daily. Enable me to follow
where You lead. Amen.

Today’s reading is Luke 11 (click here for link)

"Lord, teach us to pray." Luke 11:1

Many theologians have taught and do teach that prayer changes nothing except the one praying. For example, a favorite devotional write of mine, Oswald Chambers, wrote: “It is not so true that ‘prayer changes things’ as that prayer changes me and I change things. God has so constituted things that prayer on the basis of Redemption alters the way in which a man looks at things. Prayer is not a question of altering things externally, but of working wonders in a man's disposition." However, I completely disagree. After all, our Lord says “ask, and it shall be given unto you, seek and you will find.” In fact, Jesus even emphasizes the power and effectiveness of bold prayer; and please… let’s not make the silly assumption that our Lord is only talking about spiritual gifts and not physical gifts. I unfortunately hear that explanation too often. Instead, let’s take our Lord at his word and trust that prayer is powerful and effective, especially if it is prayed without reserve and with the boldness of childlike faith and trust.

Of course, there are those who will consider all the many times that their prayers have either gone unanswered or answered in the negative and have concluded that prayer simply does not change God’s mind but rather changes us and shows us the will of God. However, that is putting too much emphasis on that act of praying. Truth is, prayer doesn’t really change us at all—nothing really can, except the Word of God. His life giving Word turns sinners into saints. Therefore prayer is the response and natural desire of the saint. This means that the question we must be asking ourselves, concerning our prayers, is whether they are driving from our exposure to the Word or whether they are driving from our own petty thoughts on how we think the world should be?

Perhaps, in your life, it might seem as though you have been crying out, asking and asking, but still you have not received. Try a new approach. Turn to God’s word. Let your prayer come from there. Perhaps the burden you are asking God to remove from you is the very burden God has chosen to lay upon you for your own good, to draw you closer to Him. But how will you know this if you have not heard the Word of God? Try reading James 1 or Romans 8:28 and following. Pray from the scriptures. Let them motivate, instruct, form, and energize your prayers. God does listen and God does respond in amazing ways—just ask Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:1-8). But remember that prayer is more than blind, one-sided, petitions from you. It is a two way conversation. Don’t just ask… listen, too.

Someone once said that an avid writer must be an avid reader. I completely agree. Perhaps the same is true of prayer.

Blessings,

Pastor Aaron

Today’s reading is Luke 10 (click here for link)

Happy Monday everyone! I know I am late to the game again this morning. This past week was killer and I am sure the Lenten season will prove no less. However it is always nice to begin a new week with a sense of accomplishment—even if it was “killer.” But maybe that brings me to my point for today:

Luke records Jesus' word's: "… do not rejoice that… but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Jesus is saying here, in effect, “Don't rejoice in successful service, but rejoice because you are rightly related to Me.”

Sometimes, I believe that a real temptation in our Christian work can be to rejoice in successful service as if success is the mark of true accomplishment. But is that really a healthy attitude? Are you only content to serve your Lord when success is certain, or are you happy to rejoice in the fact that God has used you? Truth is, you never can measure what God will do through you if you are rightly related to Jesus Christ, because then your joy will not be bound only to success. The joy of knowing Jesus as Lord is that no matter the success or failure of our lives or our service for him, nothing can separate us from him and our status as a part of His mystical body.

I know I had to remind myself over and over again the past few days as I awoke at 3:00 or 4:00 each morning to begin my task; but whether failures or successes, I was comforted to know that through it all I was doing what I have been called to do, serve Him. That is… when I wasn’t grouchy and irritable from being so tired. :o)

We must be careful that whatever circumstances we are in, and whoever we meet day by day, we never object to His pouring rivers of living water through us. It is easy to do! Life can quickly get in the way. And I firmly believe that our obsession with the “act” of service—the details of the work—can overwhelm the joy of the service in a hurry. In fact, beware of the people who make their “usefulness” their ground of appeal. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was most certainly the greatest failure that ever lived, for the world has never deemed him very useful at all. Instead, let our standard be God Himself, not our estimated usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not the detailed plans we make in our service for Him.

In your life, let Jesus bring you to the Father. Never rely on your usefulness for that. Only He can write your name in the book of heaven.

Thank you for keeping with the journey,

Pastor Aaron

Today’s reading is Luke 9 (click here for link)

I will follow you, but… Luke 9:61

How often do you respond to God in this way? Sometimes we are just like the two men Jesus calls at the end of Luke 9--we find that at the time of "testing" our faith is a bit uncomfortable. “Yes God, I’d love to do that… but what about…?” If God were to tell you something that seemed to go against your common sense, what would your response be? Would you hesitate? Would you wait and see? Sadly, our experience teaches us that the human mind demands rationale and evidence in exchange for action. After all, no one likes taking a step in the dark. It’s uncomfortable! We prefer to know what we are getting into before we commit. But, I believe the real problem for us is not so much that we often avoid godly action in the physical realm—helping our neighbor, forgiving our spouse, proclaiming the Gospel. Rather our biggest danger is that inevitably our inaction in the physical realm translates over into the spiritual realm of faith. If we get into the habit of always playing it safe—never taking a risk—concerning our earthly work as Christians, how long will it be before we no longer take risks of faith in our spiritual lives as well? The truth is, faith is not dependent upon actions, but our actions certainly do affect our faith. Thus if we allow common sense to be our only guide, faith cannot last long.

The author to the Hebrews says that, “Faith is the certainty of what we hope for and the proof of what we do not see.” To follow Christ in faith means to recklessly throw ourselves upon him. Christ is the light shining in the darkness. Therefore, in the end, we have only two choices in the face of conflict: We either act like pagans or we act like Christians. The pagan mind is a mind of rationale. The Christian’s rationale is blinded by faith. So when the great venture of life brings you to a cross-roads, follow Jesus in faith—no exceptions or reservations. Doing this is guaranteed to make you uncomfortable!

I am reminded of the story of Rahab, the prostitute of Jericho. Rahab’s faith couldn’t have been more uncomfortable on that day the Hebrew spies showed up at her inn. Fear and anxiety surely rushed through her mind. She no doubt asked herself those familiar “yes…but…” type questions. “Yes, I know that the God of Israel is the true God, but what happens if…?” Despite the danger she faced for betraying her city, Rahab in faith recklessly through herself upon the mercy of God. The truth is that faith is only as good as its object. Simply having faith for the sake of having faith is foolish. Faith is more than mental gymnastics. It is a full mind and body experience. Faith stirs your emotions, motivates your body, and instructs the will. Like growing pains deep inside the bone, faith will certainly be uncomfortable at times. But through this wonderful gift we grow into children of God.

Stay warm today,

Pastor Aaron

Today’s reading is Luke 8 (click here for link)

This morning the alarm clock rang and I woke up the same as any other morning, tired. However, instead of going downstairs and reading some Luke and posting the day’s devotion, I did something different. I got dressed and attended a 6:00 morning meeting of “Men’s Fraternity.” (So my apologies to all you early risers out there who logged on to find nothing posted… yet!)

Today was only the second session, but already I am appreciating the chance to meet with other men in the community to learn and discuss what it means to be a godly man, husband, and father. It will be a 16 week journey. Today’s topic was “What Men Need To Know About Women.” It may seem simple enough, but anyone who has been married or has ever been in a serious relationship with a woman understands just how complicated things of this nature really are. This morning, we were reminded that “immature men assume women see life the way a man does, but real men know women don’t, and a real man works at recognizing and appreciating the differences.” This may sound simple enough, but it is complicated, nonetheless. And so, it felt good beginning my day with little bit of direction—“manly” direction. However, I never expected to find a correlation in our reading from Luke. Apparently, Luke doesn’t mind complicating our picture of Jesus with the subject of gender roles.

We read this morning that Jesus and his disciples were supported by women. What’s that? …supported by women? While that might not sound strange to 21st century readers who are accustomed to a world of career driven women and “Mr. Moms” (to use Lonestar’s lingo), it does seem strange to hear that 2000 years ago, Jesus and his “men” were supported by women. However, it shouldn’t surprise us, because, after all, Scripture is quite clear on what it looks like for men and women to live together in a godly way, and despite the many differences between the two sexes, that often that means that women will play the supportive role in our relationships together. In fact, the Dr. Phil of the 1st century’s—the Apostle Peter—had this to say about the subject:

You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. 1Peter 3:7

All you men out there (including me)… Did you hear that? Peter says that we should live with our wives in an “understanding” way. Why? Well… because they are not men, they are women. That means they are different from us and that difference is pleasing to God. The difference matters!

But do we always “understand?” Jesus did! The difference mattered to him. He included women in his ministry and honored them by making them the first witnesses of the most important event in history—his death and resurrection. In fact, Luke reports to us this morning, that women were a part of Jesus’ ministry from the very beginning. They facilitated the ministry by supporting the ministry. This support or “service” was no demeaning thing. It was a godly thing. In fact, all throughout the gospels, it is women who have this privilege of serving our Lord, especially in the Gospel of Luke: In chapter 4:39, Peter’s mother-in-law serves Jesus; in the reading this morning we hear about the service of Mary, Joanna, and Susanna; Martha serves our Lord and the disciples in 10:40; and finally, it is women who come to provide one last act of service for our Lord on the first Easter morning. But this isn’t surprising, Scripture begins in this very same way. Adam and Eve, the first man and woman to live in relationship do so as partners—Eve giving support and being a help to Adam. And God did not make woman to be “helper” for nothing, because in a very real way, it is the woman who makes the man! In fact, that is still the case today. Think about it...

Therefore, men likewise, honor the woman in your life. She makes many sacrifices for you. She, like our Lord, is willing to become last so that you can be first. Honor that! Make her the passion of your life—make her first. Be like Jesus in that way—sacrificing for her as he sacrificed for us. This may mean dying a little to yourself, which is hard to do, but then again, Jesus did that, too—not a little, but a lot!

Pastor Aaron

Read Luke 7 (click here for link)

Yesterday, I encountered a word that I haven’t heard used in a long while. The word was “wherewithal.” It’s a funny looking word that sounds a bit archaic. It means something like “the means by which” an act is accomplished. If you used it in a sentence, it would sound something like this: Though of a meager background, the family had the “wherewithal” to survive the recent economic downturn. Wherewithal… It is closely related to “wherewith” and “withal,” both of which seem even more archaic. But now I digress, so let me get back to my point…

I think of this word this morning as I read through Luke 7. In this chapter, we encounter the amazing wherewithal that produces faith in the most unlikely of people—people stuck between a rock and hard place in life. The major characters of this chapter come from the fringes of Palestinian society: A Gentile centurion, a widow, John the Baptist and his disciples, and a sinful woman. But it is John, this morning, who particularly remains on my mind. He is sitting in prison. Imagine if it was you instead of him. Imagine if you knew the Messiah was out there somewhere doing amazing and wonderful deeds—healing the sick, raising the dead. Wouldn’t you have some of the same doubts as John? Lord, why haven’t you come to rescue me? I am the one who prepared the way for you. I am your cousin, your own family.

But John was to remain in prison until his death by the orders of King Herod (Mark 6:14-29). It seems strange, especially since Jesus will say, “Of those born of a women there is none greater than John.” Besides, it is a not as though miraculous rescue from prison is without precedent in the Bible (Acts 12). If Jesus was really the Messiah, then I am sure John was expecting to be freed. After all, God always takes care of his servants, right? But John’s high hopes were never to be realized. Perhaps he was now feeling the full weight of his prophet prediction when he said, “He must become greater, and I must become less” (John 3:30). But wherewithal did John hold on in faith?

And you? By what means do you hold on in faith when your troubles in life, like John’s, seem forgotten by God? In fact, to say John was disappointed in Jesus might be an understatement. John was beyond disappointed; he was deeply troubled. Everything he had believed in, hoped for, worked day and night to accomplish all hinged on his cousin making good on Jesus claim that He was, indeed, God’s Anointed and Chosen One! But Jesus wasn’t making any sense. John just couldn’t understand what was going on. And it depressed him, discouraged him. Deep down I am certain he was furious. That’s consistent with what we see of John’s fiery nature. What was wrong with Jesus?! He wasn’t making any sense to John at all. So John sent Jesus this message: “Are you really the Messiah…or should we look for someone else?”

But even with his doubts, there remained in John a deep, unshakable trust in Jesus. Jesus would tell him the truth. He just needed to hear from him again. So he sent two of his closest disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

The affection that radiated from Jesus is obvious. Jesus was familiar with John’s sorrows and grief and the satanic storms that break on the saints when they are weak and alone. He loved John.

So he invited John’s faithful friends to sit near him as he healed many and delivered many from demonic prisons. Then he turned to them with kind tears glistening in his eyes and quoted these words from the Messianic prophecies of Isaiah, “Tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” John would recognize Isaiah’s prophecy in those words. This promise would bring the peace John needed to sustain him for the few difficult days he had remaining.

Out of love for his friend, perhaps Jesus didn’t include Isaiah’s phrase “proclaim liberty to the captives” which Jesus quoted earlier in chapter 4:18. John would understand.

Whatever it was, today, like yesterday's reading, I see here in this chapter the power of words—Jesus’ words. Only his words could supply the wherewithal for John to remain steadfast even in the midst of great doubts.

Wherewithal do you find hope in time of great doubt?

Pastor Aaron

Good morning everyone!

The Reading for today is Luke 6 (click here for link)

I guess an apology is in order. I knew it would happen eventually. Yesterday’s blog post never materialized. I was at various hospitals throughout the day making visitations and never found the time to sit down and write. In any case, today we will pick up with Luke 6 and carry on as though it never happened—and hopefully won’t happen again. But only the Lord knows.

Concerning our text today:

All I know about Jesus is what I heard him say. That’s all I know about almost anybody.

I was thinking about this fact as I roamed the hospitals at the Medical Center in Houston. That place is like a maze and I felt like a rat who obviously didn’t know his way through the maze. However, sometimes “getting yourself lost” can be a good thing. It brings you into contact with people. It forces you to interact with people, even if it is just looking for directions… which brings me back to my main point: It’s not true that "deeds speak louder than words." Only words speak!

Last Friday (and in the gospel lesson on Sunday) we read about Jesus calling the first disciples in Luke 5. He tells them that from that point on they would be “fishers of men.” However, the text doesn’t really say that—not exactly. Luke doesn’t just say the disciples will be fishers for people, instead, Luke uses the very rare Greek word Zogreo which means “capture alive.” Jesus literally is saying, “You will capture people alive for me.” Perhaps capturing people alive does take both words and deeds, but as I was making my rounds yesterday I realized that while words without deeds are empty, it is exactly the same the other way around.

The old "I’d rather see a sermon than hear one" is only partly true. Words give meaning to what we do. In fact, I did many kind deeds yesterday as I walked through the Medical Center and most of the strangers I encountered did kind deeds for me as well—holding the door, etc. But I wonder how many of those strangers thought I was a Christian?

In Luke’s account of Jesus great sermon on the plain (although, Matthew says the sermon took place on a mountain). Jesus talks a lot about deeds. He is describing holy living. But if his words in this text are the standard for Christian living, then we are all in a heap of trouble, that is, if deeds are what really matter. Thankfully, our Lord prefers words to deeds. He wants words that profess faith in Him. “I love you.” “I forgive you.” “Do not be afraid.” These are words that our Lord speaks to us and they are words which we speak to others. I know there are no better words to speak or words to hear when you have been angry with your spouse or your children. These words heal. They create faith.

Never forget the power of the Word of God. His word can bring life to your deeds, and your words about him can bring life to others. And there are plenty of people you know who need to hear “those” words today.

Pastor Aaron

Today’s reading is Luke 5 (click here for link)

I remember the first--and the last--time I ever took my wife deer hunting (actually, we were engaged at the time). I thought it would be fun watching her get out of her comfort zone and experience something new. You see, she is not really the out-of-doors type. So, I suppose, I shouldn’t have been surprised when I arrived at her house to pick her up and discovered that she had every intention of bringing the comforts of home with her on our hunting trip together. There I stood protesting as she began loading the truck with snacks, drinks, magazines, and dog treats—yes, DOG TREATS--for her little Yorkshire terrier named Schatzie. I couldn’t believe it, she was bringing her little yippy dog along, too! This was going to be the worst hunting trip ever. I could already hear the deer running for miles ahead of us. This was never going to work. And I knew there was no point arguing with her about proper hunting gear or procedure. So there we sat that evening, in a deer blind, me shushing Pam every 30 seconds and getting more and more frustrated with Schatzie as he excitedly rustled around in the leaves at the bottom of the blind; and it got even worse when Pam insisted on letting Schatzie out on the leash to go pee. I was just shaking my head, thinking about all the deer I could have seen. This was a disaster.

However, apparently deer are not as sensitive as we usually believe (or there were a bunch of very dumb deer in the woods that night), because despite all that noise and ruckus, I couldn’t believe it when the deer started emerging from the brush to nibble on the oats over which we were hunting. It wasn’t just one or two, but lots and lots of deer. They didn’t seem to mind Pam or Schatzie or my fussing at all!

This morning we encounter a similar incident. We read Luke’s description of the miraculous catch of fish. Jesus asks Peter and his friends to do something that was against their better nature. These men were expert fisherman. They know the in’s and outs, the do’s and don’ts of fishing. And one thing every 1st century fisherman knew was that you don’t go fishing in the middle of the day—besides, there didn’t seem to be any point because the fish weren’t out there, anyway. A night of fruitless fishing had proven that.

But Jesus insists. And those tired fishermen oblige this preacher. Out they go, into the deep water. It doesn’t make any sense to do so, but much like the woods on that day I took my wife hunting, I suppose the lake was filled with dumb fish that day; because by a complete miracle, the fisherman get the catch of their lives. But Jesus informs them that the fishing wasn’t over—not by a long shot. From now on, they will be fishers of men.

Perhaps it is this way for each of us, too. Jesus has called you to be a fisher for men. It is not always going to make sense to do so. It will be awkward and sometimes seem foolish. Things won’t always be “just right.” But if we wait until things are perfect, we will never get out into the woods where the deer are, or out into the deep where the fish are waiting.

Don’t wait. Don’t plan too much. Just go!

Here am I Lord… send me.

Pastor Aaron

Today’s Reading is Luke 4 (click here for link)

Do you renounce the Devil and all his works and all his ways? Well… do you? Jesus did. In fact. this question has some very serious implications: We are to live our lives resisting the devil in every aspect of our lives over which he tries to rule. Now I know that we’ve all been asked this question at least once in our lives—that is, if you were baptized. In fact, baptism is a type of exorcism. The Holy Spirit literally comes to dwell in us where before only the Devil dwelt. Martin Luther took this literally; so much so, that in his first catechism written in 1530, he included an actual exorcism in the baptismal rite. The pastor was actually instructed to address the evil spirit within the child and tell him to be removed by the power of Jesus name to make room for the Holy Spirit. How wide would our eyes be if a pastor did that today in the middle of the a baptism?

Yes, we know baptism makes us a child of God, but how many of us really take this seriously? How many of us actually renounce and resist… ALL THE TIME? Sadly, we too often justify our willingness to go along with Satan’s suggestions.

It could be just about anything… that attractive co-worker that takes lunch-hour with you; the one you find yourself flirting with more and more… it really doesn’t matter as long as you don’t get physically involved, right? Maybe it is the mundane and humdrum relationship between you and your spouse after 10 years of marriage that makes you more critical than you used to be… after all, after 10 years, some things just start to get on your nerves and you shouldn’t be expected to put up with it forever. Or perhaps it is the slow and steady weight of regret after a lifetime of hard work and you feel stuck at a dead-end job, with no fulfillment or excitement left in your work and you find yourself bitter to the core… in that case, why should you waste your time resisting Satan; just have fun with the time you have left.

Yes, Satan can use just about anything to make us forget who we really are. Of course, this battle is nothing new. It began with Adam and Eve who engaged in a similar battle, and tragically, we are all too aware of the result of that battle—humanity fell into sin. But, notice how Satan went about luring Adam and Eve. He never actually told them to eat from the tree. Rather, he merely proposed the idea and suggested a lie or two to get them thinking. “Did God really say…?” Of course he did! Satan then proceeds to lie some more, suggesting that the fruit really provides great wisdom and knowledge and it would therefore be a terrible waste not to eat from the tree—right? Satan suggests that God is keeping them from gaining wisdom and knowledge; he suggests such things are theirs by right. And suddenly our two hapless ancestors find themselves justifying their reasons for eating from the tree. It looks good and gives knowledge! Why not eat? The rest is history.

So what are we to learn from Luke’s account of Jesus temptation in the desert? Perhaps, like yesterday’s text about Jesus baptism, there are too many theological explanations for why Jesus endured the temptation of Satan. In fact, here again is another text that always gets the same questions… “Pastor, was Jesus “really” tempted? After all, He is God.” Well… yes he was, but he was also man. But answering such a question is not really my purpose for this morning. I want to get us back to that question—that question for YOU! Do you renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways? If Luke is asking us that question through this text today, then I think the answer is very obvious: We are to renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways because Jesus did so.

You see, it would seem (and I speak from experience, and I am sure you could, also) that Satan’s most devious scheme—and his most successful—is to make us doubt at times that we are children of God. Oh sure… we know we were baptized at some point in our lives, but I’m in control of my life. I am my own man… an independent woman… this seems right… it feels good… did God really mean… maybe in the “old days” this was considered taboo, but not anymore… they had it coming to them anyway… it doesn’t matter, it is the truth… and on and on the devil whispers in our ears.

But are we forgetting the question? Do you renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways? That is what a child of God does. Are you remembering that you are a child of God because of your baptism? Do you stand at the intersections in life with that in mind? Notice that the devil tried the same tricks on Jesus. Twice he asks our Lord, “If you are the Son of God…” But wasn’t that an absurd question? Of course Jesus was the Son of God—the devil knew it and so did Jesus. And yet, just as certainly as Jesus was the Son of God, so are we! We are sons and daughters of God through Jesus and our baptism into his body. But why then are we so easily tricked? Why do we so easily forget?

Perhaps such questions are a bit too harsh. It seems to be our lot in life—we struggle with the flesh and Satan knows just how much we struggle. So perhaps it behooves us to remember—intentionally—each and every day—exactly who we are and ask ourselves the question at those intersections in life, “Am I resisting the devil and all his works and all his ways.” It is a serious question and your answer will have serious consequences, one way or the other.

God bless you this morning, child of God,

Pastor Aaron

Today’s text is Luke 3 (Click here for link)

Our reading today describes for us one of most theologically perplexing events in Jesus life, his baptism. Jesus Baptized? I know I haven’t been a Pastor for long, but every time I teach this in Catechism or Sunday school, the question always comes up, “Why in the world did Jesus do that? Did he really have to? And, of course, I try to be the wise pastor; I try to give an eloquent answer that actually has some meaning, but I don’t know that that is what always happens. Somehow, all that I manage to stammer and stutter out seems more like random and varied theological speak than anything meaningful and relevant to everyday life. Of course that doesn’t mean that here is no answer. I have books and books upon my office shelves that speak to this matter. But sometimes I wonder how does all that “theological speaking” really matter? Yes theology is the very substance of our faith, and yet sometimes theological words just seem to get in the way.

Take our writer Luke this morning. There really isn’t any theology in his description of Jesus baptism. He really doesn’t explain any of it to us, just the bare minimum. In fact, he describes the baptism of our Lord as though Jesus was simply swept up with the crowd and herded through the river, but nonetheless, something significant happens in those shallow waters of the Jordan. Luke says Jesus was baptized, that he prayed. But then an amazing thing happened—God spoke from heaven and the Holy Spirit descended on him as a dove. But we must ask, “What does this mean?”

Of course, we could talk about the theology of anointing, or Christ’s perfect example to humanity, there is the theology of recapitulation, of identification, sanctification of baptismal waters, Scriptural fulfillment… In fact, there are as many as 8 distinct theological reasons for the necessity of Jesus baptism in the Jordan, all them good and right and salutary. But somehow, I couldn’t quite get them to jive in my head with this bare bones account from Luke. Somehow they don’t quite capture that particular day and that hour when the Son of God made flesh, took off his apron, headed out into the desert to gather with the crowds and hear that itinerate preacher proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand, “Repent.” “Be Baptized.” And there, with sinners on either side of him, Jesus walks out into those waters to be met by John, and he is baptized. There in that moment was God standing hip deep in water with sinners! Yes, there are many theological reasons why Jesus was baptized, but the picture Luke paints for us this morning is clear: whatever the reasons, here is the Son of God and he is standing among us.

But how does this help us now? Perhaps it is only people who truly are in need. Take the Haitian earthquake which unfolded before us on the evening news broadcasts a couple of weeks ago. It is hard to put words to such things. Countless people dead—mothers, children, husbands, daughters, and aunts and uncles; so many empty eyes, wandering souls, looking for water or food or shelter. Such a place could no doubt make one question the motives (or even the existence) of God, especially as you walk among the dead and the suffering. However, could it not also be that sometimes it is precisely in such places that God is found to be more with us than anyone ever imagined?

I think of the woman I saw on the TV being interviewed by an NBC reporter. She was clutching her two children. She described the horrors of that moment when all the earth trembled and buildings and brick and mortar came crashing down around her. But all she could think about in that moment was the fact that her two babies were at home, 3 blocks away, in the third story of their apartment building. She described how she scrambled, even as things still heaved beneath her, over the wreckage, down the street, searching for but unable to recognize the rubble that used to be her apartment. She described that desperate moment when she realized she had lost them—that she had lost everything—when she realized that she was standing on top of what used to be her apartment. Crying to the reporter, she recalled asking God, “Why have you forsaken me?” Her life truly felt destroyed in that moment like the city around her. That is, until she heard the most beautiful sound in the world. From deep down inside the rubble of the apartment building, she heard the weak cries of her precious babies calling out for their mommy. She described digging them out with her bare hands. She described that moment when she reached down with bleeding hands and pulled out her two little treasures. And then (I will never forget this), she stopped her story and looked the reporter right in the eyes and said, “In that moment, I knew, more than ever before, that God loves me.”

Yes, it is hard to nail down the assurance of God with us in any better words than those of that Haitian mother. No theological book could compare. In fact, perhaps sometimes it takes tragic circumstances for us to see this. However, we would be wrong to assume that it is only is such circumstances that we need God. Baptism is not just for Haitian earthquake survivors or the down and out. No… that is too often the mistake we make in the church, as individual Christians when it come to telling our friends and family about the wonderful assurance we have in Christ through a simple thing like baptism. We think we need a crisis to happen before we can act; and so we sometimes wait, thinking that circumstances will change things. Thinking that God only makes sense when the sinner feels a need for him. And so we wait. We think we can only minister to people when they are down and out, got a crises, family falling apart, got fired, on drugs, this and that. We are like vultures circling overhead thinking to ourselves, “One day you will go down, and then I can help you?” And then one day you find that person in a dirty room, 15-watt bulb swinging overhead, bare mattress on the floor, smell of stale beer and cigarette butts in the toilet, and then finally you come waltzing in saying, “You need the Lord.”

Tragically, that is what they needed before.

You see, it doesn’t matter who you are—an American idol or someone who is wheeled into service each week in a chair because they have muscular dystrophy. Your need is the same. It doesn’t matter if you are at the peak of your financial power, or you’re the person whose credit card won’t swipe at the grocery store because it is maxed out. It’s all the same for us. Your Baptism means God IS WITH YOU. YOU WILL NEVER BE ALONE. We stand where he stood and as the deep waters of baptism were sprinkled over us, the name of God was applied to us, heaven was opened to us, and the Holy Spirit is in us. You are God’s child now. You are forgiven.

So what is that like? The Bible speaks about it in so many ways. New creation… don’t let that theological term slip past you. New Creation? It means for you it is like morning has broken like that very first morning--a new beginning. Sort of like when you were a kid, trying to finish your math test with only a few minutes before the bell. You hurry, the teacher is fussing. You make a mistake; try to erase it, but the paper tears. You try to flatten it out, but now everything has become a big black smear. You’re not going to make it and the bell is going to ring. Another failed exam… But then the teacher comes by and sees your predicament and says, “My goodness,” and slides a clean white sheet on your desk and says, “Why don’t you just start all over.” Your baptism in to Jesus means that for you—not years ago, but right now, today.

The bible calls it new birth, like at the hospital… A new dad, standing over the little warmer studying each feature of his little girl. He looks at her squinting eyes and wrinkly skin and fuzzy hair. His eyes look at each little arm, tracing each little finger and there on the wrist that little band that bears a name—His name. This is his little girl! That is what Jesus means for you. His baptism and your baptism into his name means you bear forever the name of God. You are God’s new creation.

The Bible describes it like snowfall. You get up in the morning, early, and you look out: just a few inches has changed everything. You look down the street and what the day before had been an ugly dumpster has suddenly been transformed into a mound of brilliant glory. That is what the Bible says it is like. Jesus came for you. He has claimed you. Baptism saves you. You are forgiven. Right now! You have nothing to be afraid of anymore.

Remember your baptism today,

Pastor Aaron

Today’s reading is Luke 2 (click here for link)

“Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary… a sword will pierce your own soul too." Luke 2:34-35

Today Joseph and Mary take Jesus to the temple where they are greeted by the Old prophet and prophetess, Simeon and Anna. Both recognize him as the promised Savior and praise God because of him. However, while all the sudden attention might have surprised Joseph and Mary, there was some news that Mary was perhaps not ready to hear. Simeon uses the metaphor of a “sword” to describe the suffering that Mary too will face as the mother of God—she would witness her son’s suffering, even his suffering on her behalf because Mary too was a sinner.

But it is strange that Simeon would use a sword as his metaphor, because this comparison will become surprisingly literal as we read through the New Testament. Have you ever noticed how prominent a role the sword plays in the Scriptures? In Jesus preaching, he reminds his followers that comes “not to bring peace but the sword.” Later, the mob that had Jesus arrested in the garden of Gethsemane was armed “with swords and clubs.” Of course, Peter’s reaction was to strike with his own sword, cutting of the ear of one of the high priest’s guards. Finally, a soldier will use a variant of a sword—a spear—to pierce Jesus’ side as he hangs on the cross. It is no wonder that the disciples, while in the upper room, ask Jesus if two swords will be enough to face the dangers ahead (Luke 22:38).

In fact, Mary is not the only one who will experience a soul-piercing sword. We do too—thank God! Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that, “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” In Ephesians 6:17, Paul calls attention to “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Yes, we are all to be cut to the quick. Jesus means that for us.

The sword hurts to be sure, but it hurts that it might also heal. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict of sin, and when the Holy Spirit stirs up a person’s conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is then that we feel the sword most sharply. It is our relationship with God that bothers us more than anything else in this life-- "against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in Thy sight." Yet, even in this pain of realization of our sinfulness under the gaze of an almighty and righteous God, surprisingly, there also forgiveness and holiness are given through the blessed reality of what Jesus has done for us. That is what Repentance does; it always brings a man to this point: I have sinned. The surest sign that God’s sword is at work is when a man says that and means it. Only then can we understand Jesus as Lord.

Yes, the sword is God’s greatest Law, but it is Law so that it might be Gospel.

Pastor Aaron

Welcome back!

Today’s reading is Luke 1 (click here for link)

Luke chapter 1 is not only the longest chapter in this gospel, but the longest chapter in the entire New Testament! So, we receive a lot of information, and of course, much of it is very familiar. However, as I was reading this morning, something unusual happened… In the back of my mind I kept hearing the words, “Let my prayer rise before you as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

Beautiful words which I immediately recognized to be a part of our liturgy for the service of Vespers, and later, I tracked it to Psalm 141:2. But what does it mean for our prayers to rise like incense?

Perhaps a little explanation might help:

The use of incense was a part of the religious rites of ancient Israel and has a long history in Christianity. In a worship service, clouds of incense represent cleansing and purification, and the sweet smell suggests Christ’s robe of righteousness that covers our sin. Incense is sometimes used to give honor to holy things and holy people, the primary symbols of the liturgy. In very traditional services, the gospel book, the altar, the bread and wine, the ministers and the congregation are incensed as a way of showing their importance in worship. Incense is also used to add a festive accompaniment to processions, adding “holy clouds” and “holy smells” to the air. Incense deepens our experience of the liturgy because it incorporates the sense of smell.

Incense is mentioned frequently in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In fact, the gifts the Magi offered to the Christ Child included gold, frank”incense” and myrrh. In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, the knowledge of Christ is compared to a fragrant odor. And finally, the vision of heaven in Revelation includes the elders holding bowls of incense, described as the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:8)

However, what struck me as interesting in today’s reading was the picture of old Zachariah standing before the altar with incense drifting heavenward. This was more than just a duty for him that day—although a very honorable duty it really was as Luke explains that priests were chosen by lot for this service, which meant that some priests could go their entire lifetime without having this honor. But Zachariah apparently had other things on his mind. He was praying. His prayer was, no doubt, a familiar one, “Lord have mercy. Give us a child.” Like any parents who have longed for a child, I am sure that Zachariah’s prayer had “incensed” the presence of the Lord many times.

Yet, amazingly, on this particular day, God smells the fragrance of longing in old Zachariah’s prayers and God responds. Imagine looking up from your prayers in the dark temple and seeing Gabriel across the altar from you, as if he has just come out from the Holy of Holies, between the altar and the table of shewbread, “on the right side of the altar.”

But was God really answering Zachariah’s prayer? After all, it could be argued that Elizabeth was allowed to conceive because it was God’s plan all along to send John the Baptist (Zachariah’s son) to be the one who prepares the way for the ministry of Jesus. Yet, while this is true, don’t be too hasty. God could have chosen any set of parents for this noble duty—to raise the Baptist. But God chose Zachariah and his barren wife Elizabeth. He chose the desperateness of their terrible situation to show great mercy. The fragrance of this elderly couple’s prayer moved him to action. In fact, Gabriel says, “Zachariah, Do not be afraid. Your prayer has been heard.”

Has your prayer been such? Does it drift perpetually into the nostrils of our Lord like incense?

Never discount the power of prayer. We have a God who loves us for the sake of his own Son, Jesus Christ. For Jesus sake, the Father listens to our prayers—even gives his own Spirit, who dwells in us and prays for us (Romans 8). And yes, while it may be true that God sometimes denies us the things for which we pray, never stop offering up the incense of your prayers. Fill heaven with aroma of them. Who knows, perhaps for the sake of Jesus, God may reverse a sickness, heal an infertile womb, a fractured marriage. God has done such things before on behalf of prayer! But if not… we also pray, “Yet, not my will, but thy will be done.” (Luke 22:42)

Even when there seems no hope, the Christian prays, “Dear Father, for Jesus sake, please…”

“O Lord, I call to you: come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you. Let my prayer rise before you as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” (Psalm 141:1-2)

God’s blessings to you as you wait for his answer.

Pastor Aaron