Category: Church

So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.  

2 Samuel 15:6b

The Bible story of King David and his son, Absalom, is a story of family betrayal. Absalom was plotting to overthrow his father and seize his kingship. His conspiracy left a trail of deceit, betrayal, lies, and even plans to murder his father. In the end, it was Absalom who would die, and only his father’s pain remained. 

O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you…

2 Samuel 18:33b

Betrayal in a family exchanges doing for one another with “How could you do this to me?” Trust is destroyed when trust should abound. Forgiveness is withheld when grace is required. Betrayal is devastating but can be overcome when God’s love abounds and hearts are softened. David never stopped loving his son, as Scripture teaches us all, “…keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8b). Forgiveness and reconciliation are found in Christ.

Congregational Counseling – Lord Jesus, you gave yourself for the Church and continue to bless us with many gifts, including those who serve our synod through WELS Congregational Counseling. Bless these men and their support staff as they listen carefully to challenges congregations are facing. Give them the wisdom to provide helpful guidance to churches so that more souls can be reached with your saving Word. Amen.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken

Ecclesiastes 4:12b

At the 50th anniversary celebration the husband was asked, “What is the secret of your long marriage?” “Well,” drawled the gentleman, “I never tried to hold things together with a thread when I needed a rope.” After the puzzled laughter subsided, he added, “Handling life’s problems alone would have been tough. My wife gave me added strength. But the Lord held us together.”

After God created Adam, He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). God formed Eve to be Adam’s earthly partner, a strand of two woven into one flesh. However, the heart of any marriage is truly defined as A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12b).

Christ, the Third Strand, gives strength to husband and wife. A shared faith in Him sustains us in the challenges of life and multiplies the joys of our blessings. The Creator desires to be the center of every marriage.

Ukraine – Lord, in America, we sometimes take our religious freedom for granted. In Ukraine, they can’t do so because these freedoms barely exit. If those challenges weren’t enough, local superstitions and false teachers lead many astray. Politics and economic pressures add to the temptation to give up their faith. Heavenly Father, we pray that you would give the Ukrainian believers the same courage and fortitude as the early Christians, so that they never abandon the true faith. Freedom from sin in Christ is far too important to lose. Through your Holy Spirit, give them the hope and strength to carry on. Amen.

“Why are you troubled …?”

Luke 24:38b 

…the fruit of the Spirit is…peace… 

Galatians 5:22

MY TROUBLE IS MY PAST. Try as we might, it is difficult to forget the past as well as forgive ourselves. We carry around a load of guilt. We yearn for peace and the Holy Spirit whispers…

He [Jesus] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 2:2

MY TROUBLE IS THE PRESENT. Bills are due and money is short. We are alone and lonely. Our parents are aging. Unemployment is just around the corner. Our teenager is troubled. We cry aloud and the Spirit answers…

Good people suffer many troubles, but the Lord saves them from them all…

Psalm 34:19 GNT

MY TROUBLE IS THE FUTURE. We don’t even have peace at night because we’re worrying about what may happen. The Holy Spirit gently echoes the words of Jesus…

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”

John 14:27

Mission for the Visually Impaired – Loving Father, thank you for WELS Mission to the Visually impaired, which reaches out to and assists those whose visual limitations could otherwise inhibit their access to the gospel. Give us the desire and resources to help those suffering with this disability in our own congregation and throughout our synod. Amen.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:3-4

Imagine being buried in the sand at the beach. It sounds like fun until the weight of the sand becomes oppressive. When your friends pull you out, your first inclination is to jump into the water to be washed clean of all that sand. But getting clean on a sandy beach is nearly impossible. No matter how many times you dunk under water, the sand still clings somewhere on your body.

Without the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, our lives would be buried in sin. No matter how hard we tried, no amount of washing would make us clean. Sin would cling to us like that beach sand. But through His sacrifice on the cross we have been given a new life. What a gift we have in Baptism!

Through the water and God’s almighty Word we have been washed clean. Christ died to remove the filth of sin forever. We remember our Baptism daily as we enjoy the new life we have been given. We will never be hopelessly buried in sin again!

CrossWalk, Phoenix, Ariz. – Dear Jesus, the last words you gave before your ascension instructed and entrusted us, your children, to share the good news of salvation with others. We pray for your followers from CrossWalk in Phoenix, Ariz., who have left the comfort of a large church to start a new church. These modern disciples ask your blessings as they go door-to-door, hang flyers, and invite friends to join them. Bless their efforts as only you can, Lord. Amen.

I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

Psalm 77:11

A miraculous birth…God becomes Man…a star in the East…a chorus of angels from heaven. What wondrous things happened in Bethlehem so many centuries ago! Yet not everyone saw those amazing things, and not everyone believed. Some saw but went about their business as usual. Others never saw because they had no interest in looking.

Miracles today may not seem like the ones the shepherds or the Magi witnessed, but miracles still surround us. We celebrate the love of Almighty God for powerless men, women, and children every Christmas. We rely on His forgiveness, mercy, and compassion every day. Despite the troubles and terrors of the world, God’s church continues to grow. The Holy Spirit still inspires people to selflessly and generously serve others.

At Christmas, we believe. We believe because He has given us the priceless gift of being willing to look. Remember the miracles of long ago, and rejoice in the miracles God continues to work in our lives and in the world around us. Rejoice as we celebrate His love.

WELS ministry in 2018 – Lord God, your presence in guiding the Church is clear as we look back at our blessings in 2018. Our first world mission field on the Apache Reservation celebrated its 125^th anniversary. At the same time, you’ve opened new doors with the Vietnamese government inviting WELS to build a theological training center for Hmong church leaders. We thank you for the successful youth rally, media productions, relief efforts for areas of natural disaster, and the large upcoming graduating classes at Martin Lutheran College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. We know you’ll continue to direct our ministry work in 2019. To you be the glory! Amen.