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Americans are almost allergic to the idea of somone being a king or lord over them because we think it reduces our independence. But the reverse is true when it comes to Jesus. He is our Lord and he gives us the truest independence.
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When God's prophet says some embarrassing things, how does God respond? God responded not so much with a great show of power but with a gentle whisper and his gracious promises.
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Pastor Wayne Shevey served as our guest preacher. Pastor Shevey is a campus pastor serving at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee.
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When God's people, the Israelites, were in exile in a foreign empire called Babylon, these words from Isaiah's prophecy encouraged them to look for the new thing God would do in order to rescue them.
We, too, are God's people through faith, and he encourages us to look for the new things he does for us now and will do for us in the future.
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In this sinful world with sinful humans, there are so many things that can keep us far away from God and divide us from each other. But in Christ Jesus, we who were once far away have been brought near both to God and to each other!
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Our emphasis this Sunday was on the important task of Christian education. As we look at our Savior's command, we see room to grow in our discipleship. But we also see Jesus' promise to bless us as we learn his Word more thoroughly.
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A memorial set up on the first day Israel entered the Promised Land serves as an encouragement to you to memorialize the meaning of God's love and faithfulness in your life.
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Jesus' resurrection from the dead gives us the same peace and poise that the Apostle Paul displayed when he was on trial before Roman government officials.
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Last Sunday we celebrated Jesus' ascension back into heaven forty days after he rose from the dead. This Sunday, we celebrated the Festival of Pentecost. Ten days after Jesus ascended (and fifty days after he rose), he sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. That was a miraculous day filled with fire, wind, and speaking in foreign languages. Is that Holy Spirit with us? Does he work among us now? Absolutely! And in John 14:25-27, we meet the Holy Spirit through our risen and ascended Savior's words.
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Even the best sibling relationships have their problems. From time to time, siblings hold grudges, gang up against each other, and speak against one another. Moses handled such a confrotation with humility that only God can supply to his believers. From Moses' model of humility, we can draw applications for our various callings and confrontations.
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Abraham's repeated prayer to God is an example of how to pray. But in the way that God listens to and answers Abraham, we have confidence to know that he will listen to and answer our prayers as well.
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On Trinity Sunday we meditate on who our God is; he is three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--in just one, undivided divine being. We also marvel at his what he is--holy, eternal, majestic, immortal. All of that can leave us feeling small and sinful. But our triune God comes to us to bless us and take away our shame.
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October 14 was our Mission & Ministry Sunday, praising God for the work he's allowed us to do as Christians and as members of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). This year, we especially thank God for the gospel work that has been going on among the Apache, started by two WELS missionaries over 125 years ago. Guest preacher Pastor Time Dolan reminds that from the mountains on an Arizonan reservation to Wind Lake and in between, wherever the gospel is proclaimed, the mountain of the Lord rises high above this sinful world. Then he encourages each of us to individually take part in gospel proclamation, in whatever way we can.
Pastor Tim Dolan is the Dean of Students at Luther Preparatory School (a WELS ministertial training prep school in Watertown) but also serves as the chairman of the Native American Mission Administrative Committee. To learn more about the gospel minsitry God in the Apache Mission, click here.
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Ash Wednesday, the start of the season of Lent, is a time of repentance. It helps sets the stage as we follow Jesus to his suffering and death. The Old Testament prophet Joel sums up all of Lent with this one verse: "Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate."
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God gives blessings which do not last and blessings which do. Saint Paul helps us use these blessings so that we can withstand temptation and testing.
(Note: There is an audio issue with the Scripture reading. We apologize.)
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Throughout his ministry, the Apostle Paul had seen it all. Now, at the end of his ministry and his life, Paul predicted what the Christian Church would have to deal with long after he was gone. Was his outlook pessimistic or optimistic? Realistic or idealistic? Discover Paul's first century predictions which are coming true in your life during this twenty-first century.
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When Jesus rose from the dead, he made sure to give his words and message to his apostles to convey to others. Peter stayed true to that command and writes down a message for all those who doubt Jesus and his resurrection. It's a message pay attention to because we know the source and we know the light it brings to this dark world.
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We continue our Advent Sunday worship series entitled, "He Comes, Bearing Gifts." Malachi, whose name means "my messenger," serves as God's prophet with this promise: the Lord will come with peace. But first, preparations need to be made.
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Easter is all about celebrating the peace we have with God through Jesus' death and resurrection. Fifty days later, Pentecost is all about celebrating how God himself makes sure that peace is perpetuated throughout his Church for all time.
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Who doesn't like it when someone gives you personalized attention and care? That's what you get from your Good Shepherd all the time, even in the worst situations.
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St. Peter assures those who believe in the risen Lord Jesus that even though they go through suffering, an inheritance awaits them--one that is better than the perishable items left behind in your grandmother's attic.
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Pastor Wayne Shevey served as our guest preacher. Pastor Shevey is a campus pastor at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
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Growing up, did your home, or your grandparents' home, have a picture of Jesus in it? If so, it was probably very inaccurate. Many paintings and pictures of Jesus found in America picture him as a Caucasian individual despite Jesus being a descendant of the Jewish nation. To get an accurate picture of our Savior who ascended into heaven forty days after his resurrection, we can turn to the picturesque language of Revelation chapter 19.
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This Sunday we celebrated our Lord's ascension. This recording begins with the Prayer of the Day, the first prayer of every service that helps set the theme for the day's worship.
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What makes for powerful public speaking doesn't necessarily make for powerful preaching. Paul tells us what does make for powerful preaching, whether for first century Corinth or twenty-first century Wind Lake.
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Prayer should not be some last ditch effort when we feel our weakest. Rather, it should be rooted in the strength we know we always have in our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Pastor Wayne Shevey serves as a campus pastor at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee.
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Part two of our midweek Advent series is the natural followup to last week's. After we've meditated on God's word and heard him speak to us, we talk to him in prayer. The psalmist shows us how it's done so that we can use prayer to help prepare the way for the Lord this Advent and Christmas.
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Our midweek Advent series is entitled "Prepare the Way for the Lord." We do so by looking at Psalm 119 -- the longest chapter in the Bible. The author shows us how we can prepare for Jesus only once God has prepared us... in meditation, in prayer, and in suffering. This devotion focuses on meditating on God's word.
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The third and final part of our midweek Advent series. Sometimes people will talk about something hurting "so good" or say "no pain, no gain." Often, this is just talk, and people don't want to go through suffering. Christians have a different perspective. The psalmist helps show us that when God lets suffering into our lives, he uses it to prepare our hearts for his coming to us.
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When his disciples were scared and vulnerable, the glorious Son of God dealt with them tenderly. In doing so, we see how he wants to deal with us, despite our sins.
