Author: Pastor Doug

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 46:10-11 (NLT).

Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.

In this praise psalm the Lord Himself calls us to stop, still our voices and minds, and know that He is God. It is the essence of Sabbath, to pause what we are usually doing and join in worship and connection with our Creator. He is a place of refuge for all His children. When He says “I will be honored throughout the world” it is a statement of fact, not a boast.

Martin Luther paraphrased this psalm for his hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God. It reminds us that He is in control, and “He must win the battle”, regardless of what we see here. Our temporary existence on earth will give way to living in our eternal home.

In this passage we hear “the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us.” Since the very beginning God has promised to be with us and guide us through the work of His Son and His Holy Spirit. We are never alone, and we can trust that He will do as He has said.

Gracious God, we offer You our thanks and praise. Bless us to be eager disciples, anxious to share Your love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT).

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

Saul the Pharisee came from a place of power. He was given authority to arrest Christians and bring them to Jerusalem to face trial for their faith in Jesus. On the way to Damascus he encountered the risen Christ (Acts 9:1-19) and was forever changed. Now as the apostle Paul, he shares the Good News over a huge territory.

Relying on our own power comes from pride, in ourselves or our organization. Paul came face to face with real power – the love of Jesus poured out for us. In this passage God tells him “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” Being outside our comfort zone can make us uneasy, but it allows us to rely on God and not ourselves.  

Christian author John Ortberg wrote a book entitled If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat. It teaches about our need to let go of what we think makes us strong and trust what God has for us. Like Paul, we need a reminder of our human weakness that will keep us humble and focused on the power and love God has for every one of us.

Gracious God, You blessed us with Your Son who came in love to save us from ourselves. Help us to know that Your power is all we need to share that love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 3 John 1:11 (NLT).

Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.

In addition to Revelation and a Gospel, the apostle John wrote three letters emphasizing the need for accepting Christ and living out His love in the world. While the letters are written for different people and situations of that time, they contain timeless lessons regarding our relationship with God and each other.

In this passage he warns about not allowing “this bad example to influence you.” While the letter is addressed to his fellow worker Gaius, he repeats teaching to all of us from his first letter: “And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin” (1 John 3:5-6).

We may face opposition in bringing Christ’s message of love to the world, but we are not to use worldly methods to fight the good fight. Only by following the example Jesus gave us can we accomplish the work He has set for us – to make disciples of all the world.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we let worldly ways interfere with our call to share Your love. Bless us to go in Your name to proclaim the good news everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Mark 16:15 (NLT).

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”

The Gospel of Mark begins with the declaration “This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” Later we hear Jesus begin His public ministry, saying “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15). This is the call to return to God and believe in the One sent to save us.

After His Resurrection Jesus appears to His disciples and tells them “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” The instruction is repeated in Matthew 28:19, Luke 24:47, and Acts 1:8. It is our Great Commission to carry on the ministry Jesus began.

Many people have a hard time understanding the Gospel message but it really comes down to the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission: Love God, love neighbor, make disciples. Jesus calls us to be part of the Kingdom work, giving glory and thanks to our Creator and sharing His love with everyone.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to save us from our sin. Bless us to be the disciples of today, and send us to proclaim the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT).

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

The prophet Zephaniah ministered to Judah in the days before the Babylonian invasion that destroyed Jerusalem. The first two chapters speak of God’s sadness at His people falling away and the cleansing He plans. However, the third and final chapter of this prophecy tells them there is hope for those who repent and return to God.

In this verse we read “the Lord your God is living among you.” His presence with us has always been assured, as Jesus promised in John 14:17. No matter how far we may have wandered away from Him, God is always near to us.

When we recognize our wrongdoing and ask to be forgiven, God stands ready to restore us in His love. Zephaniah writes “He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” We can’t save ourselves, but when we admit the failure of our own strength and wisdom, and allow His ways to become ours, we can be His redeemed children.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times our selfishness and anger have grieved You. Forgive us and bless us to go in Your name to all people. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Proverbs 17:17 (NLT).

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

Proverbs are short but wise sayings that point us to a better understanding of our relationship with God and each other. Many of these sound like plain common sense, offering practical advice, but we often miss the deeper spiritual meaning. 

In this verse we hear about who we can count on when things are tough. Friends and family are our support system and we must be ready to give help. We must also remember Jesus’ instruction on who is our neighbor (Luke 10:25-37). We must be aware of the needs of those around us and offer our care.

We must also get past the selfish pride we sometimes have toward accepting help. It is a good thing to be self-sufficient, but everyone needs assistance at some point. We have all been given gifts that are useful and opportunities to share that blessing. God’s love is shown in the way we look after one another.

Loving Lord, help us to see all people as our brothers and sisters, worthy of our love and care. Bless us to go in Your name to share the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 4:9-11 (NLT).

So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

The author of this letter is not identified in it, leading many to believe it was not written by Paul, who always greeted his readers personally. It is also addressed to the Hebrews and while Paul spoke often with fellow Jews, his ministry was directed to the Gentiles. Regardless of its origin, it tells of God’s love for all His children, regardless of their heritage.

This passage speaks of a celebration of the Sabbath, the joy we feel through our connection to God. This special rest is the ultimate Sabbath, being with Him forever. God set the pattern of work and rest for us here, and promises eternal rest for those who repent and accept His love.

God loves us immeasurably but sin cannot exist in His presence. In Psalm 95 we read about His sorrow when His chosen people disobeyed and He was angry with them. However, God always offers us the opportunity to repent and return to Him. By admitting our sin and asking His forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice for us, we can enter His promised rest.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we disobey Your word and refuse Your love. Bless us to be obedient disciples, going in Your name to all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 6:28-31 (NLT).

“Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”

This passage from the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20-49) contains many of the same teachings as the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. The instruction to “bless those who curse you” and “pray for those who hurt you” are especially difficult for us. It is perhaps the hardest example for us to follow, but it is essential for Christians.

Personal dignity  and possessions are not as important as our relationship with God and each other. Jesus shows us this with the directive to “turn the other cheek” and “give to anyone who asks.” While this doesn’t mean we must remain in abusive situations, it does mean we are not to hate because of it or consider things more important than our brothers and sisters.

Verse 31, sometimes called The Golden Rule, is a restatement of “love your neighbor as yourself”, calling us to consider the needs and feelings of others. “Us and them” must become just “us” in God’s kingdom. We are all the same in His eyes, and we need to see each other as He does.

Loving Lord, help us to be true brothers and sisters to all Your children, loving one another as You first loved us. Bless us to go in Your name to bring the joy of Your love to the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 5:24-25 (NLT).

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.”

Jesus doesn’t mince words here, He tells us plainly that God sent Him to save us. Those who accept His message of love are forgiven and “have already passed from death into life.” It is a much different lesson than the rules-based works salvation taught by the religious leaders of that time.

Jesus told us we can’t save ourselves by anything we do, but by asking forgiveness and believing in His Word, we can receive eternal life – “those who listen will live.” This is difficult for many to understand. We are used to relying on our own strength and wisdom, but everything we accomplish is temporary.

Our faith is what can actually save us, coming to Jesus in repentance and wanting to do better than we have. This is all we need to do. It is a daily choice to follow His teaching, sharing the love He taught everywhere.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we fail to love as You commanded. May our witness share Your blessing of grace and forgiveness with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT).

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

The prophet Isaiah wrote during a difficult time in Israel’s history. He had a hard message of needed repentance for them to hear, but also the promise of God’s love and forgiveness for those who admitted their failure and returned to Him. They had fallen into the worldly practice of counting on their own strength rather than the power of God.

In Psalm 31:3 we read “Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe.” In the old hymn, we sing “a mighty fortress is our God.” Isaiah tells us “the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”  We can count on God to show up for us when we put our faith in Him.

14th century theologian Thomas a Kempis writes “don’t get caught up in who is for or against us, because God is with us in everything we do.” God promised us His presence through the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we keep our focus on Him and the love He has for us, we are able to live for Him no matter what we face here. 

Gracious God, we are thankful for Your love and forgiveness. Help us to tune out earthly distractions and go in Your name to share the joy of salvation with all the world. Amen.