"The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor." (Proverbs 22:9 NIV)Just what is this verse saying, really?If you take it at face value, it is easy enough to understand it as thus: If you want to be blessed, you must be...
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6 ESV) In my laissez-faire relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I sometimes find myself becoming passive, content with...
After this He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And He said to him, "Follow Me." And leaving everything, he rose and followed Him. And Levi made Him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and...
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3 ESV But when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Matthew 13:6 ESV...
"The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God...
"And Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.'" (Luke 6:5 ESV) This devotion pairs with this weekend's Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lutheranhour.org.One of the most compelling scenes in the story of the Fiddler on the Roof is the...
If you are anything like me, watching a fire dance about in a fireplace is tremendously soothing.Whether from a fire log, split timber or even natural gas—the yellowy-orange flames can supply more than heat and light. In my opinion, they provide a sense of calm,...
As children, we enjoyed playing with, and learning about, the properties of light through its rays. A small bright light in a dark room allowed us to make shadow puppets, using our hands, on the wall. The magnifying glass opened up new worlds as we explored nature...
"If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you." (John 15:7 ESV)"Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear." (Isaiah 65:24 ESV)I love this song. The way the Gaither Vocal Band does it is...
"Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises (footnote: dwell in the praises) of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them." (Psalms 22:33 ESV)When I collect my youngest daughter Sophia from school during Covid19 times she often rushes...