Dear Friends in Christ,
Our Lutheran heritage celebrates Luther’s emphasis on “By Scripture Alone”. For too long the common person had had too little opportunity for individual exposure to the Word. Luther was dedicated to put the Word into the hands of the people and to instruct them in the truths of Scripture. Couple that with Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press and the availability of the Word began to be more common. Today the explosion of Scripture availability is proof of God’s intent to have all men to be saved and to bring the saving gospel into all the world.
Last year your Spiritual Growth Committee encouraged you to read The Daily Bible, a unique chronological arrangement of the Scriptures. For those of you that followed the readings we pray that you have been blessed by reading. If anyone might be interested in doing the reading this year read more online or contact the church office and get the short introduction booklets that provide focus on each day’s readings.
Today we have multiple ways in which we can be in the Word. Using your own Bible and doing some research you can find multiple reading plans. Online resources and a variety of Bible translations are readily available.
The encouragement to be in the Word cannot be overstated. We know that our adversary, the devil, is prowling around looking for whom he can devour. (I Peter 5:8) The world with all its sinful pleasures is a huge distraction for our faith. Our sinful flesh wants us to believe that we can stand on our own but take heed that you do not fall. (I Cor. 10:12)
In 2019 fight the devil, the world, and your sinful flesh by being in the Word. Find comfort, strength, joy and peace by being in the Word. One easy way to do that is to use an online tool available on the WELS website that takes you through the Bible in 3 years. You can choose to read online, listen to an audio reading or read in your own Bible. For those that commute, listening to the audio reading could be a great way to spend regular time in the Word.
It’s simple to subscribe and receive the daily Bible reading by email via wels.net. You can also find these readings listed on the “Feedback Page” of our synod’s monthly magazine, Forward in Christ.
Familiarity with Scripture is great. Where would we be without the Christmas story found in Luke 2 or the events of holy week and Easter found at the end of each of the gospels. Accounts of many of the Old Testament heroes of are well known – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel, etc. and provide models for our lives. There are additional treasures to be found in less known portions of Scripture. Our Sunday readings do not cover all of scripture. Read through your Bible and find more treasures that build up your faith and that strengthen you in the truth that heaven is your home because Jesus is your Savior.
Be in the Word on a daily basis. Your faith will be rewarded. Your witness can become stronger. God promises that you will be blessed.
In Christ,
Your Spiritual Growth Committee – Len Collyard, Stu Stein, Andy Vatter