Letter from Jesus about Christmas

I received the following letter in an e-mail from a member. I thought it said some good things that will make us think about how we respond to all the politically correct folks. I hope you enjoy it.
Blessings & Peace,
Pastor John
Hebrews 13:20-21

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1-8.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.
4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.
7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families
8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.
9.. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.
10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember:

I LOVE YOU,

The Lutheran Study Bible

I just finished reading page 12 in the new "The Lutheran Study Bible" from Concordia Publishing House. I am impressed. In just one page the gems which I have learned or reviewed and the insights recorded in these few word of Genesis just astound me. Such things as the power of God’s Word; The note says, “God’s Word is “performative — it does not merely state something, but it accomplishes, or brings about, that which it declares.” The clarity of this note is saying that when God speaks it happens. When God calls me just, because of Christ, I can have faith that I am then just.

Another gem is, "The persistence of goodness (in our world) reminds us about what we've lost." The fact that there is goodness in the world speaks about God's goodness to humankind. He does not just leave us in hostile environment caused by sin, but gives us hope.

If the rest of this Study Bible is as good as this first page, it is a study Bible worth having to use as you study God's Word. I would encourage our members to buy and use this Bible.

A Real Life Example

With the untimely death of singer/actor Michael Jackson, his children became the inheritors of a vast fortune. Even if they know they are rich, they are not yet old enough to understand the value of such wealth, let alone manage it. Therefore the court will be appointing a suitable guardian to manage that fortune in their behalf. If the chosen managers do well, the children will be blessed. They will learn the value of what their father gave them and the inheritance will provide them a great future at least in the materialistic sense. If the guardians and managers fail to teach the Jackson children the value and blessing this gift could be, then the outcome will be far different. Instead of being a great blessing the gift could end up destroying them and they would lose a great future.

God gave us an even greater inheritance when He used our parents to bring us to the waters of Holy Baptism. It was in Baptism God promised all Christians the gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life. But in order for them to completely and fully benefit from the inheritance God gave us as small children (or even adults) we needed (and maybe still do) guardians and teachers to guide them in understanding the value and proper use of this gift of faith in Jesus. If we take seriously the value of the gift we've received and we do well, then we will grow to receive all the blessings and advantages God has given in this inheritance and we will benefit for eternity. However, if we fail to grasp and understand the value of our inheritance in Jesus, either we will neglect and minimize this treasure or through the deception of the enemy this treasure will be stolen and lost to us. Without it our eternity will be lost.

Consider how many people have lost or given up great wealth because they did realize what it was worth. Great inventors have died poor because someone else stole their idea and reaped the benefits. God set up the church to provide us a resource to keep the value of our faith ever before our eyes, so that we won't lose it.

Blessings & Peace,
Pastor John
Hebrews 13:20-21

Things about an Inheritance

Who gives an inheritance? Usually it is a parent leaving real estate, material items or cash to their children or extended family. Does the person who receives the inheritance earn what is received? Oh, I suppose you must treat your parents or aunts and uncles with respect other wise they will "write you out" of their will. But for the most part those who receive this gift of an inheritance do not earn or work for these benefits. Baptism is God's way of giving us the blessings He earned for us.

An Idea Worth Reading About

The challenge of participation is like a cancer weakening the health of many good organizations. But the one dearest to my heart is the local congregation. When I was baptized, though I was just nine years old, it seemed that many people participated in the life of the church. Today, I believe the landscape is much different. It seems as if it is harder and harder to find church members who are willing to give the time and energy it requires to be a healthy church. Will there be a faithful Christian congregation where my grandchildren will be able to learn about Jesus?

I recently read this article http://faithink.blogs.com/gift/2009/03/cause-and-effect-in-christian-education.html on the Faith Incubator Blog about cause and effect that I believe would be helpful for every Christian to read and think about. But we need to do more. We need to apply our selves to making the changes in our lifestyle and choices that will lead to the effect we want. Of course, that assumes we all understand the place where we'd like to end up.

One of the challenges we have is the overload of information. As your pastor I don't want to overload you with more things to read, but I'd like to help focus the time that you do have.

Blessing & Peace,

Pastor John

Hebrews 13:20-21

A New Web Site WOW!

If you are here you most likely have seen our new and updated web site. I hope you enjoy it. And I hope it serves our congregation well. This web site has several new features. One is the calendar which gives information about what is scheduled to happen at church. With so many things happening here at Zion, it is a challenge to keep this up today. We would also like to include events at the school on this calendar, but we need people to help us do this. It is easy to do, but one person or even two cannot keep it current. So if you have an item you believe should be on the calendar, email me at pastorj@zionlth.org or volunteer to help us. I will show you how easy it is.

Another feature is the easy at which articles and news items can be posted. While there is some information which will remain the same, the news items and announcements will change from season to season. This too is where you can help us keep our web site fresh and current.

Let me know what you think.. Thank you Marty Bebow and Adam Wernecke for the work you have put into making our site what it is.

Blessings & Peace,

Pastor John

Hebrews 13:20-21

Listening

Are there voices, sounds and words that never make it to the heart? In the spring of the year millions of little helicopter seeds fall from the thousands of maple tree that dot our yards and line the sides of our streets. Add these to the countless other seeds that are naturally sown by the other plants and weeds of God's creation. One begins to see the abundance God creates as all these seeds pile up along the curb. But why, why so many? Why does God create so many seeds? He does it in order to insure that some will eventually, germinate, grow, mature and bear fruit for future generations. Some of these seeds will feeds birds and other creatures. And others will die and provide bits of organic matter to replenish the soil. But what about the words of the Bible? What about the words spoken in Bible Class or the millions of words written in "blogs" and news papers that are never read, never heard and never reach a listening ear. Have they been written in vain? Has the word of encouragement, the word of instruction, or the word of guidance failed in its purpose because there was no ear, no heart that was engaged to hear it, see it or understand it?
I hope your eyes and ears are open to hear the voice of God as He teaches through His Word, as He calls to us in worship and as He feeds us through His Sacrament.
May you have joy in the journey.
Blessings & Peace,
Pastor John

Marriage

One of the most important units of a community is the family. The heart and core of the family is the marriage. The way parents relate to one another teaches the children many lessons about relationships. They learn to be safe communicating their hurts, their joys and their questions. Trust is an important ingredient in building and growing quality relationships. Often because of our insecurities, our fears, we fail to hear a what was truly communicated by the other person. When husbands and wives learn how these fears and insecurities affect their communication with one another they can more easily show their children how to avoid the same pitfalls as they deal with their peers. May God bless you marriage and your communication.
Blessings & Peace,
Pastor John

Memorial Day

As celebrate our freedom this weekend, it would be wise to remember who paid the greatest price so that we could enjoy them.  The early settlers who came to this country, the indians who suffered so much because they were seen as less than human, the patriots whose wisdom and love for those who came after them, and the people whose ideals moved them to create a system of government that would endure.  We are blessed by those who have gone before us.  What are we going to leave for our children and grandchildren?

Blessings & Peace,

Pastor John

Precise Blood

Dear Fellow Redeemed,

When I read the following Creation Moments devotion about our blood and how perfect it is I just had to share it.  The web site offers great information about God's creation of our universe.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Blessings & Peace,

Pastor John

Hebrews 13:20-21

Precise Blood

Genesis 9:4

But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

While most would agree that our circulatory system is vital to life, many of us don't fully appreciate the almost miraculous workings of that system.

Your heart pumps about one-hundred thousand times every day. That means that your heart pumps the equivalent of 10 tons of blood every day or 80 million gallons in a lifetime. Your circulatory system brings that blood to every cell in your body through a capillary network that is so large that the combined capillaries of only four people, stretched end to end, would reach from the Earth to the moon!

But your circulatory system involves quality as well as quantity. The chemistry of your blood is monitored and adjusted to within incredibly fine limits to keep it in precise balance second by second, day by day, year in, year out. For example, the acidity of your blood is adjusted constantly to within one part in a hundred million.

Our circulation system cannot be simply "good enough"; it has to work perfectly. So if mindless evolution created us, it had to make the whole system perfect the first time. There is no room for millions of years or for a poorer circulation system to be improved by mutations. Here, the facts clearly support Scripture, strongly indicating that we were created in finished form – not developed slowly by trial and error.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, You Who created blood and everything else took our human form and nature and shed Your blood on the cross for my salvation. Take my life and let it be one of continuous thanks to You. Amen.

A Healthy Faith

Followed Redeemed,
We all know that a healthy body is one that can work and play with ease. It is a body that does not have any illness, handicap or malady which would prevent a continuation of life. We know that too much salt in the diet leads to heart disease, or too much fat and cholesterol can cause the arteries to become clogged and breathing dust and other particles on a continual basis is not good for one's lungs.
However, do we consider what it takes it takes to keep our "faith in Jesus" healthy? As we get ready to hear the Confirmation promises of 14 young people this weekend, I wonder how many of these young people will be regular in attending worship? I wonder how many of them will join the older folks in Bible study? I wonder how many will continue to read their Bibles and grow in their understanding of God's Holy Word? What will they do after they move out of their parent's home and move out on their own? My hope and prayer is that they would place the same value on their relationship to Jesus as they would to their best friend.
If you have read these blog postings, please let me know what you'd like to hear about. Ask me questions you'd like to learn more about.
Blessings & Peace,
John
Hebrews 13:20-21

My work or God's?

Fellow Redeemed,
One of the most important questions Christians need to ask has to do
with who did what. If I am a Christian, in other words if I confess,
and profess and believe that Jesus died and rose again in order that
my sins might be paid for and forgiven, who caused that to happen?
Did I do it, or did God do it, or did I cooperate with God? The
answer is that God did it all, and the reason I know about faith in
Christ, and can confess or verbalize that faith, is because of His
work alone in my heart or spirit. It was God who birthed me the
second time. We call this rebirth or spiritual birth. Jesus Himself
said, "You must be born again." And just like my first birth, which I
in no way agreed to or participated in (other than to be a passive
recipient of it) my second birth was also outside my control.
So if my salvation is all God's work, what am I supposed to do? I
think back to my first birth. When I was born I didn't realize the
heritage (everything I was given to make me who I am, tangible and
intangible) I was given, just by virtue of my birth in a particular
family. Now my heritage was not millions, like some Hollywood
children, but the integrity of my parents, their faithfulness to each
other and so many other very intangible gifts were mine, not because I
earned them but completely because of my birth. The more years that
pass and the more I experience in my life and view in the lives of
others, the more clear that heritage becomes. And as I realize what
that is, my hope is not only to use these gifts, but to honor those
who gave them. Is that not the life of a Christian? It is no longer
a question of obtaining righteousness, but how am I going to use it to
honor God and bring blessings to others?

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth." Colossians 3:2
--
Blessings & Peace
John
Hebrews 13:20-21

Why Are You A Christian?

Fellow Redeemed,
I have spent some time considering this question. As I watch the
worship habits of so many people and families, I wonder why some
people seem to take their faith relationship to Jesus so nonchalantly?
After all there was a time in my life where my faith,worship
attendance, Bible study habits were very unimportant matters in my
life. What made the difference? What did the Spirit of God use to
change my thinking about matters of faith in Jesus? Also people talk
about spirituality and religion, especially with celebrities in the
news, such as the death of John Travolta's son and Oprah's guidance
with her loyal "fans". For the Christian it is CHRIST first. I talk
about faith in Jesus, for true, genuine faith is faith in what Jesus
did for us as the Son of God. It isn't some vague faith in a "religion" or
religious ritual, but who and what Jesus did for us as our substitute
is the root from which all other matters of relationship with our
Savior flow.
But what was it that helped me turn the corner? I think it was
regular people taking God seriously. For them it was taking the
Gospel to their neighbors. It meant learning what the Gospel really
is and how to share it with others in terms those others could relate to could relate to. It was "satisfied customers" telling me about their Savior from their heart, but the "paid salesman" using the glitz and glamor of professionally created arguments (even thought they were true and factual) to sway to "make the purchase", but then leave me in the lurch with no "customer service" after the sale. They were strangers in both senses of the word; First, they came to
someone they had never met before to share the Gospel and second, they
were "strange" in the sense of out of the ordinary as far as
Christians sharing their faith. They used the power of God's Word to move me along a path of maturity that God is still moving me along. During this time I also hear Rev. Richard Wurmbrandt speak and had read his book "Tortured for Christ". I can't begin to understand what drives a man to endure so much to defend something they are not totally committed to. Yes, as easy as I have it, going to church once a week, spending one or two hours with Jesus in His Word is really nothing compared to what some have endured. I pray that in the New Year, in the midst of the "economic downturn", or is it really a moral downturn, applying ourselves to
wisdom only makes good "believers" sense.
Remember God has shown you His love. Are we showing Him ours in return?
--
Blessings & Peace
Pastor John
Hebrews 13:20-21

What do you do when you are wrong?

Brothers and Sisters,

 I received the following in an e-mail from Gary Smalley.  One of the most important things we go as Christians living under God's grace and mercy is to receive correction in love and also to recognize how easily we admit to being wrong.  This is really the work of reconcilation.  Gary Smalley has a lot of experience with these matters and he is very sensitive to protecting the feelings of others as well, especially spouses and family members.

    May this be a blessing to you,

Pastor John

 

 

 

Admitting Wrong

Do you ever admit when you're wrong?

I hate to admit when I am wrong. Don't you? We all like to be seen as having it all together and wise. The older I get the more I realize how much I don't know. Something more important is to admit my own sin and deal with it. Paul encourages Christians to be humble and mature in their thinking: "Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature" (I Corinthians 14:20). Mature thinking involves realizing that we can never be 100% accurate in how we interpret another's thoughts, words, or behavior. Even if we are 99% sure, there is always a 1% chance we are wrong. Thus, we should adopt a more humble, tentative attitude about how we treat others and what we say.

One of the best ways to care for your most important relationships is to guard them from becoming infected by negative thinking and comments by others. We should focus on what Jesus taught and His attitude. Read over Philippians 2 today and then read it again and again. That will help you admit wrong when needed and be humble about how you treat others.

If you are wrong, admit it and seek forgiveness and see your attitude change!

Blessings,


Gary Smalley
Editor, Smalley Relationship Center