‘It seems as if one had lifted up His axe in a forest of trees. And now all its carved work they smash with hatchet and hammers. They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground; They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name.” (Psalm 74:5-7)

The way of the world sadly repeats itself. Build up, create beautiful things, carve up what God created and then destroy everything. And the people go along. Come into the Lord’s courts and see both the madness of the world and the calm and unchanging beauty of what the Lord has made. Contrast them for yourself and then wonder at the insanity of sin and the destruction it brings.

Lord, free me from the insane cycle of this world to be free to be in You now and always. Help me by lifting me out of the pit to first see truth and then to walk in Your ways. Change my heart and place in it respect for all that You have made and a willingness to hold fast to that which never changes. Guide me, Lord, in Your ways to see things through Your eyes and to love what You have made.

Lord Jesus, You know the crazy ways in which people respond to things. You have seen it over and over again throughout the ages. You saw it amongst those whom You served while in Your earthly ministry. Guide me, O Lord, to hold fast to what You teach, to walk humbly with You amidst all the turmoil of this world and to know that Your ways are everlasting and true. Amen.

“Turn Your footsteps toward the perpetual ruins; the enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary. Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place; they have set up their own standards for signs.” (Psalm 74:3-4)

The world hates God and the battle is constant. The wicked one wants God’s people scattered and the things of the Lord forever banished. It has been this way since the Fall. The wicked set up competing and mocking signs in contradiction to the ways of the Lord, which lead people away from Him and the truth. Do not be deceived; the Lord is not mocked. He is God.

Lord, I think the times I experience are unique, but they are not. This has been going on from the beginning. Clear my eyes to see the simple truth of Your promises and the hope that You give that I may walk in Your ways. Lead me, O Lord, to become faithful to the call of grace You have given me. Grant boldness that I may stand firm in opposition to the lies, instead living in the truth You have proclaimed from the beginning.

Lord Jesus, You came and fulfilled the law and the word of the prophets. You teach us to walk humbly with You in every time and in all places. Guide me O Lord in the way You would have me go and grant me the encouragement to hold fast amidst the turmoil of this world. Help me now and always to be one of Your lights shining in the darkness of this world for all to see that I may reflect Your glory to them . Amen.

“O God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?  Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance; and this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.” (Psalm 74:1-2)

It seems to us at times that God is far off when things go bad in the world. Is it God who is afar or us in the midst of a flare up of rebellion against His ways? Everything is sustained by the Lord and He is not far off; but we feel what we feel and we distance ourselves when our lives are oppressed and in difficulty. Walk with the Lord and know that He is always present and His promises are sure.

Lord, the world sometime seems crazier than it normally is. Sometimes my life goes through deep valleys and I feel abandoned. Guide my heart to know that You are always present and that You are there to lead Your people into Zion. Lift up my heart and guide me to live in the hope You give.

Lord Jesus, You came in the midst of turmoil to share the truth of life and liberty granted through grace. It is not an immediate lifting up from the troubles of this world, but Your promise of redemption and the truth of the Holy Spirit that You are there to guide and lead all who trust in You. Lead me, Lord Jesus, in the way You have established that I may learn to walk faithfully with You.  Amen.

How shall you meditate on the sufferings of Christ so that they have their way with you?

This Wednesday we stand on the cusp of the “Triduum,” or “Three Days,” in which we celebrate the sufferings that our Lord undertook for the redemption of the world.  To guide you in that celebration, I offer you three questions: who, what, and why?

Who suffered?  The Supper tells the story: “given and shed for you.”  The One who suffers is the One who is for you in all that He does and all that He is.

What did He suffer?  Sit with this word: betrayal.  Unwanted at His conception, contradicted in His teachings, blasphemed for His miracles, and abandoned by disciples and nation alike, Jesus suffered great betrayal.  He was truly “given up.”

Why did He do it?  Given and shed for you, He must have done it for you.  His universal betrayal leaves Him standing as the only Trustworthy One.  He breaks us from trusting in ourselves to trust in Him alone.

For these next three days, then, see nothing of your own faithfulness.  See, instead, this Jesus being faithful for you.

LET US PRAY: You, Jesus, are the faithful one; You are the worthy one; You are the Faith of the church and the Grace of God.  Let all creatures in heaven and on earth adore You, even in Your miserable sufferings, for so You have redeemed the universe.  Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

DO YOU BELIEVE IN EASTER?
Devotional for Easter Sunday 2018 based upon John 20-21

Do you believe in Easter? I would like to talk about three people in the Bible who believed in Easter and who found out what believing in Easter and in the Jesus of Easter could do for them.

First, MARY MAGDALENE, who learned that believing in Easter and in the Jesus of Easter BRINGS HOPE TO THOSE LIVING IN DESPAIR.

Jesus had cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene. Imagine what life must have been like for her before she met Jesus. It must have been a living hell. But then she met Jesus. Not only were the demons gone, she was cleansed. Her sins were forgiven. With a grateful heart, she became a follower of Jesus. Which brought great hope into her life.

How thrilled and proud she must have felt when she saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem, accompanied by the shouts of pilgrims. But how devastated she must have felt when she heard crowds cry, “Crucify him!” After Jesus was buried, she sat opposite the tomb – numb with grief. The person she loved more than anyone else had died a horrible death before her very eyes. It was the darkest day of her life.

And maybe today you relate to Mary Magdalene. Your hopes and dreams have been shattered, just as her hopes and dreams were shattered. If that is you, then I say to you that the resurrection of Jesus means that there is hope in life and hope beyond this life. If you turn to Jesus, who rose from the dead, He will forgive your sins, just as He did for Mary Magdalene. He will deliver you from whatever it is that is holding you in bondage and despair. Yes, believing in Easter and in the Jesus of Easter brings HOPE TO THOSE LIVING IN DESPAIR.

And then, second, I want to talk about THOMAS, who learned that believing in Easter and in the Jesus of Easter brings FAITH TO THOSE LIVING IN DOUBT.

On that first Easter Sunday evening, ten of the eleven remaining disciples were in hiding. They did not know what to do, and they were afraid that they might be arrested and executed, when suddenly Jesus came and stood among them. One moment they were hovering in fear. The next moment Jesus was there. He calmed them by saying, “Peace be with you.”

But one of them, Thomas, was not with them, so he missed seeing Jesus. Imagine his surprise when he returned to their hiding place only to hear the others say, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas could not believe their story. It was just too good to be true. And so he said, “Unless you can prove it, I cannot believe it.”

A week later they were together again. This time Thomas was with them. Suddenly Jesus appeared and, looking straight at Thomas, said, “Reach out your finger and look at my hands; reach out your hand and put it in my side.” Thomas fell to his knees and exclaimed though his tears, “My Lord and my God!”

And maybe today you relate to Thomas. You would like to believe in Easter, but you are not able to. It is just too good to be true. If that is you, then do not be like another Thomas. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote his own version of the Bible, from which he excluded all miracles. Thomas Jefferson’s version of the Easter story ends with, “And so they buried Jesus, rolled a great stone in front of the tomb, and then they departed.”

Do not let the story of your life end with, “And so they buried you, filled the hole with dirt, and then they departed.” Believe in Easter and in the Jesus of Easter who brings FAITH TO THOSE LIVING IN DOUBT.

And then third, I want to talk about PETER, who learned that believing in Easter and in the Jesus of Easter brings GRACE TO THOSE LIVING WITH DEFEAT.

After seeing Jesus in that room in Jerusalem, the disciples went back up north to Galilee. Peter said, “I am going fishing.” Not knowing what else to do, he went back to doing what he had been doing before he met Jesus. He went back to fishing. He and his companions fished all night but caught nothing. Like the results of so many of our best efforts. We fish all night but catch nothing.

When the sun rose, they could see someone on the shore. They did not realize it was Jesus. He told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. When they did, they caught a whole boat load full of fish. Another disciple, John, looked at Peter and said, “It is the Lord!” Peter could not wait. He plunged into the sea and swam as quickly as he could to the shore. By the time the other disciples had brought in the boat full of fish, Jesus had breakfast prepared for them.

Peter had denied that he knew Jesus three times. So it is not coincidental that Jesus asks Peter three times if he loved Jesus as Lord. Peter found grace, forgiveness, and restoration in Jesus.

And perhaps today you relate to Peter. You have stumbled and fallen. Your sins and failures are overwhelming. Do not ignore them, hide them, excuse them, or try to minimize them. Rather admit them. The resurrection of Jesus means that Jesus is offering you grace, forgiveness, and eternal life.

The Bible tells us how we can receive that grace. We must confess and believe. Confess means that we agree with God about our sins. We repent of them and want to turn away from them. We must confess. And then we must also believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. We cannot be right with God without accepting the resurrection by faith. Which means committing ourselves to living the rest of our lives in view of the resurrection.

And so, this coming Sunday, on the day we celebrate Easter, you can believe in Easter and in the Jesus of Easter, who brings HOPE to those living in DESPAIR, FAITH to those living in DOUBT, and GRACE to those living with DEFEAT. Do you believe in Easter? Today could be the first day of your life that you believe in Easter.

Dennis D. Nelson
President of the Board and Director of Lutheran CORE

“For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.” (Psalm 73:27-28)

The Lord is as close to you as anything you might imagine. No, more, for He is the core of your being. Apart from Him nothing exists. In Him is life and light, for He is the One who causes all things to be. The Lord is the refuge for all, in all and through all. Apart from Him, wherein the wicked dwell, there is nothingness. Of the Lord is everything. Come to the Lord and know life.

Lord, I struggle in this world to find meaning. Yet here You are amidst the difficulties I face and in You is all meaning. Guide my heart away from empty pursuits and lead me into Your never-failing love that You have granted me through Christ my Savior. Guide me to see in You the hope of all ages and to live into the life to which You have called me by grace through faith.

Lord Jesus, You said clearly that You are the way, truth and life and that the way to the Father is through You. It is so simple, but I often make it so difficult. Guide me, O Lord, to live into the life to which You have called me that I may faithfully become whom You are creating me to be. You are my strength and my refuge. Let me not rely on anything but what You give, to the Father’s glory. Amen.

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:25-26)

When all is said and done, what is there besides the Lord? Man struggles to gain what He cannot have in order to lift himself to where He cannot go. It is vanity. The Lord created each one of us for His own purpose and it is to that to which we are called. Come then into the Lord’s presence and walk with Him all the days of Your life that You may find joy in all He gives you to do.

Lord, I wrestle as the world wrestles and do things the way the world does them and it ends up a vain thing. Help me, O Lord, to walk in Your ways, that Your strength would be my portion. I will die, but in You alone is eternal life. Guide me, O Lord, to walk in Your ways and to love Your statutes, for You have lifted me up by faith through grace to be with and in You always.

Lord Jesus, apart from You this life is vanity. In You is the hope of every age. Guide me, O Lord, to walk in the way You have taught me to walk and grow in me Your likeness. Lead me according to Your will that I would forever live in the truth of Your presence, the Holy Spirit’s guidance and all to the Father’s glory. You have given me through Your shed blood the blessing of  becoming a child of the Father. Amen.

“Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.” (Psalm 73:23-24)

Lord, though I have wandered, You have never left nor forsaken me. In You is the hope of all ages. You are the rock of salvation which is the hope of all people. Only by taking Your hand are we safe. Only in You is Your glory made known. You are the One who gives good counsel and the only One who can and does save us from ourselves. You lift up those who turn to You.

Lord, all have gone astray and not obeyed Your Word of truth. You have spoken and the wicked of this world do not hear the truth of Your word. Open my ears to hear and my eyes to see that I may be altered by Your grace. Nay, not altered, but the old Adam slain that I may be united with Christ on the cross in order to be resurrected with Him to be Your child now and forever.

Lord Jesus, You invite all who will to join You through your death where sin and evil is forever banished and in Your resurrection where all who join You are eternally united. Guide me in the narrow path to see my life transformed as only You can do. Lead me today and every day that I may learn to hear as the Holy Spirit speaks and learn to act as You have shown me. Amen.

“When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.” (Psalm 73:21-22)

Lord, you know how easily we are enticed by the wickedness of our day. In a moment, my faith goes out the window and my words are replaced with those no different than the wicked. I become angry at the evil that is around me and desire vengeance. Things do not go my way and I become senseless and act like a beast in the field. My heart is not trustworthy, nor true.

Lord, Your Word tells me to call upon You that You would create in me a clean heart. Through You, Christ, You promise that I will be made new. Create in me a new and clean heart that I would leave behind the senseless animal behavior and live as a new creation in the grace and mercy You offer. Guide me, Lord, from where I am in this wicked world to where I desire to be in You.

Lord Jesus, only through You can the desire of my heart be enriched in Your grace. Guide me today both to see the truth of that which is in me and also a willingness to have You go to work this day to move me in faith to where You know I need to be. Lead me, O Lord, in Your ways and let them be from the innermost parts of me outward that I may become more like You. Amen.

“How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form.” (Psalm 19-20)

The time of the wicked on this earth is short. They live a few years and then succumb to death, as we all must. Their plans die with them. Why do sinful men plot against the Lord? What do they seek but their own destruction? Come to the Lord and you will not meet His anger, but His mercy and grace. Live in the hope He gives to those who turn to Him. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Lord, I am limited by my life’s span, and in my lifetime, it seems as though the wicked are prospering. They have wealth and fame, yet if I look closely, so many seem empty and without hope or reason for their continuous plotting. Guide me away from such things, Lord, for You have placed me where I need to be and You provide for all my needs. Bring me to where I am content to remain in You always.

Lord Christ, You have come to save the lowly and humble from the destruction assured the wicked who walk in the ways of evil. You have come in mercy to give grace to those who cry out to You. The wicked will go down to the pit, but You lift up to join with You in a resurrection like Yours those who turn to You. Lift me up Lord and hold me close to You forever. Amen.