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The New Year comes with lots of things to do -- both things we want to do and things we have to do. In Jesus, we find true satisfaction because he does all the things we need him to do, including the impossible ones.
Seminarian Joel Krieger is in his final year at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (Mequon, WI). This spring he will graduate and will await his first assignment to serve as an ordained pastor. We pray for God's blessings upon Joel and his family!
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The Festival of Epiphany takes its name from a Greek word which means "appearing." This church festival celebrates that Jesus appeared not just as the King of the Jews, but the Savior of all people, regardless of ancestry. As such, he gives to his people, and his people give to him -- even after our culture has moved on from their Christmas gifts.
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Christmas Eve is kind of straightforward. It says that the long awaited Messiah and Savior has been born. Christmas Day dives into the depths of what that all means, and Saint John explains those deep truths in simple language.
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Around Christmas, our culture creates an atmosphere unique to this time of year. It's called the "holiday spirit." There are nice things about our culture's holiday spirit, but Mary and Elizabeth show us something even better. They show us the inner joy and outer fellowship which the Holy Spirit works in us ahead of the holy day of Christmas.
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Repentance is a common Christian word and a theme of Advent, but do we know what repentance means? Through John the Baptist, God tells us loudly and clearly what repentance means for our lives.
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"The days are coming," God promises his people. But often the sinful skeptic inside us sarcastically says to God's promises, "Yeah, right... That'll be the day." Jeremiah's text encourages to forget the sarcasm and embrace the hope that Advent emphasizes.
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As Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, he knew that his kingdom would have no end, and so he willingly went to the cross. Jesus has made you a member of that kingdom and that impacts you now and forever.
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High profile cases in America fascinate many, mostly because it gives them a chance to talk about their conclusions. God also wants to tak about judgment -- his judgment on the Last Day.
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On Sunday, we celebrtated the Lutheran Reformation of the 1500s. It was a time when Martin Luther and others took their stand before others who were teaching false claims about God. We are called to take a stand on our faith, too. As scary as that sounds, Jesus' words in Mark chapter 13 help us take our stand with calm and confidence.
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This past Sunday we had our Mission and Minsitry Sunday, thanking God for the work he does through our synod's college of ministry, Martin Luther College (New Ulm, MN). Pastor Paul T. Prange, WELS Adiministrator for Miniseterial Education, connects Acts 1:8 not only to what the apostles did after Jesus' ascension, but to the task God has equipped his church and individual Christians to do.
To learn more about the "Equipping Christian Witnesses" campaign at MLC, click HERE.
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Saint Luke was a dear friend to Saint Paul as Paul faced his final days on death row. Through the words of the third Gospel, Saint Luke has become a friend to us, and his words can help us when we face our final days.
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On the church calendar, October 18 is the Festival of Saint Luke, Evangelist.
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The Pharisees came to Jesus with what they thought would be a tough question for him to answer. Of course, Jesus masterfully answered it. But in doing so, he speaks to a lot of tough questions we may have about marriage and children. As Jesus does, he reveals some hardness in human hearts and then softens them with his gentle, divine touch.
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"The gospel is the power of God," Paul wrote to the Romans (Romans 1:16). Years later, while under house arrest in Rome, Paul rejoiced that nothing was stopping God from advancing his powerful gospel.
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This side of heaven, we believers do not always see the dangers we face and the blessings God gives. So, Jesus, the Son of God, helps us see the bigger picture as he always sees it.
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This Sunday we celebrated the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels, a day on which we rejoice in God's gift of angelic protection over his believers.
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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 blind man displayed his faith in Jesus' mercy, and he wasn't disappointed. And you won't be either.
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Joel Krieger recently completed his vicar year at St. John's in Mukwonago. He is now in his final year of pastoral training at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon. We pray for God's blessings on his school year.
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Jesus' teachings can seem hard and harsh. Peer pressure from the crowds might make us second guess our discipleship. So, where do we go from here?
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We trace the footprints of a lonely and frightened prophet and by doing so, we discover how God wants to draw us closer to him in our lonely and fearful times.
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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.)
Generous on Every Occasion or Occasionally Generous?
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God's blessings are not limited to the forgiveness, life, and salvation which he gives us through Jesus. He also blesses us with physical means and spiritual gifst so that we can be generous to others.
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Whether you're feeling crowded by life or you're cluelessly going along with the crowd, Jesus has compassion on you and wants to shepherd you through it all.
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When it comes to publicly sharing the good news about Jesus, God has high standards. And even if you are not in fulltime public ministry, you still have a role in relation to it.
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Ezekiel is a shining example of a believer, especially when compared to his contemporary citizens. May God give us faith like his to live out our obedience, even in persecution!
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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.
