“For the Lord will not abandon His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance.  For judgment will again be righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.  Who will stand up for me against evildoers?  Who will take his stand for me against those who do wickedness?”  (Psalm 94:14-16)

Lord, time and again one can look at history and see that those who abide in Your Word survive whereas those who walk in the way of wickedness come to nothing.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way You would have me go that I would not fall prey to the way of the wicked.  Lead me to see in You the hope of glory and know that Your righteousness shall prevail forever.

Lord, grant me wisdom to see through the plots of the wicked.  Lift me up in Your goodness to see in You the hope of glory for all generations.  May I now and always come to You for wisdom and see clearly that the way of the wicked comes to destruction.  Guide me, O Lord, in Your ways, teaching me how to obey all that You have commanded not out of obligation, but in love.

Lord Jesus, You have come to set the captive free — free from the tyranny of wickedness to do what brings the Father glory.  Teach me this day those lessons You know I need that I would do what is right in Your sight always.  Help me through those temptations that come along that I would now and always choose the way You set before me.  May I abide in You and Your ways always.  Amen.

“The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are a mere breath.  Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Lord, and whom You teach out of Your law; that You may grant him relief from the days of adversity, until a pit is dug for the wicked.”  (Psalm 94:11-13)

Only the young think they have forever in this life to accomplish their dreams.  The old know that life is fleeting and no matter how much success as this world calls it is achieved, it comes to nothing.  Blessed is the one who comes to the Lord on His terms and walks according to His will and way.  They will live into a life that is everlasting, filled with hope and a sure promise.

Lord, no matter my age, help me to step back and see clearly that Your way is the way of everlasting life.  Help me to see that it is not just about there and then, but about the goodness that You have given throughout the ages to those who walk in the way You have established.  Guide me, O Lord, in Your goodness to walk as You would have me walk now and always.

Teach me, Lord Jesus, by the direction of the Holy Spirit to walk as You would have me walk.  Remove from me those desires that hinder my ability to live obediently in the way You have established.  May I now and always live according to Your Word and see clearly the direction You give.  May my life be spent preparing for the eternity You have promised by Your grace.  Amen.

“He who planted the ear, does He not hear?  He who formed the eye, does He not see?  He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke, even He who teaches man knowledge?”  (Psalm 94:9-10)

Will not God bring vengeance upon those who rail against Him?  Which nation has survived from times of old?  Which civilization has been able to continue when it does evil and promotes wickedness?  All you need do is look at history to see that the way of the wicked goes down to the dust.  Yet, many will fall for the lie and not see and not hear the truth.  Come to the Lord while you may and live in the truth.

Lord, I have fallen prey to the lies of the wicked in this age.  You who formed all things know and see clearly.  You have caused all good things to remain.  Help me to live in Your goodness and not give in to the wickedness of this age.  Help me to hear and see what is right and true.  Lead me in the way I should go and then help me walk in that way all the days of my life.

Savior and Spirit, open my eyes to see and my ears to hear that I would not walk in the darkness of this age.  Lift me up above the noise of this world to clearly hear the beauty of the truth You have revealed for all to hear.  May I now and always walk humbly in Your presence and live according to Your never-changing Word which was spoken long ago.  Lead me in the way of everlasting life.  Amen.

All,

This month David Charlton, an ELCA pastor, wrote to Bp. Eaton about his concerns concerning seminary education of traditional Lutherans seeking ordination in the ELCA. Click here to read his letter which asked some very important questions. Bp. Eaton responded and gave him permission to share; click here to read her response.

“Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty?” (Isaiah 50:9)

Look at the late summer flowers waving in the sun, like peasants desperate to catch a king’s attention.  Beneath them grow the stubborn roots of a thousand trees, a hardened defense to any wind that might topple them, and beyond the shores on which they grow, fish frenetically multiply by the thousands, as if they don’t quite trust themselves to live.  Listen to your friend as he tells, yet again, the long story of why he did what he did; witness the stones that won’t budge; ponder the insects that race to build their tiny civilizations—look at that whole sweep of creation, and learn the truth:

The whole world is arguing for its right to exist, as though it senses, deep down, that it doesn’t quite deserve it.

What God’s creative Spirit has written into nature’s cryptic hieroglyphs, He affirms through the prophets: the whole creation has been subjected to frustration, cast under the accusation, “You shall surely die!” But what nature cannot preach, and what the prophets longed to see, His beloved Son has now made known: “This is my blood for the forgiveness of sins.”  The Lord God has come into your flesh through Jesus and visited you in your sin and death.  By doing so, He has promised to you what you don’t deserve: life!  He has justified your existence by His own.

Who could ever declare you guilty?

LET US PRAY: Dear God!  What wonders are found in that blood of Your Son!  Was it really for me?  For me?  Dear God, You are dear, indeed!  Thank You!

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

“They have said, “The Lord does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed.”  Pay heed, you senseless among the people; and when will you understand, stupid ones?”  (Psalm 94:7-8)

There are many who rail against the Lord wondering where He is.  He does not do as people imagine a god would do things.  The Lord of Hosts has declared His purpose and you have heard of His law.  You and I are not in a position to rail against the Lord, but only to receive the reality He has declared.  When will we learn?  It is as it has always been.  The Lord is God and there is no other.

Lord, help me to ignore those who do not hear and will not listen.  They are speaking to me all the time and I am influenced by their poison.  Guide my heart to see the truth that You alone are God.  Let me not fall prey to those who rail against You.  Let the meditation of my heart be upon You who has made all things that I may walk humbly in Your sight and live according to Your Word.

Lord Jesus, You have come to rescue as many as would listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as we are called out of the rebellion of this world and into the light of Your presence.  Guide me this day to walk humbly in Your sight and see the truth of Your grace  as it shines forth in my life.  You are the Savior and I need to be saved.  The stupid ones will always be here in this age.  Help me to not be one of them.  Amen.

WHAT WERE YOU ARGUING ABOUT?
Devotional for September 23, 2018 based upon Mark 9: 30-37

It seems to me that there are two kinds of arguments. There are worthwhile arguments, and there are worthless arguments. Some things are worth arguing about, while other things are not worth arguing about. I am sure that Jesus – in our Bible story for this morning – was very disappointed with His disciples and what they were arguing about.

Jesus had just finished telling them that He would soon be handed over to evil people and be killed and on the third day would rise from the dead. But His disciples did not understand what He was saying. But rather than ask Him about it, they began arguing over which one of them was the greatest.

There will be times – even in the church – when we will disagree with one another. But Jesus is saying, Don’t go through life arguing about things that are not worth arguing about. If you are going to have an argument, make sure it is about something worth arguing about.

You can tell a lot about a person by the kinds of things he or she argues about. I think of some of the things that I have gotten into arguments about. As I remember and think about them, I am really embarrassed over them. And so Jesus, in our Bible story for this morning, asked His disciples, after they had arrived in Capernaum, “What were you arguing about on the way?” The Gospel writer Mark tells us, They would not tell Him. “They were silent,” because they had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest.

They had been caught red-handed, discussing a subject that only revealed how self-centered and petty they were. They had been carrying on an argument over who was the greatest in the presence of Him who is the greatest. In the presence of total self-lessness, they had blatantly revealed their self-ishness. In the presence of Jesus their arguments were pretty small and petty and worthless indeed.

“What were you arguing about on the way?” What do we argue about on the way? I think of some of the petty arguments at council meetings and congregational meetings that consumed time, wasted energy, divided people, and hindered the mission of the church during my years of ministry. Are the arguments that you get engaged (or entangled) in worthwhile arguments? Or are they worthless arguments?

Just think of how much it must have hurt Jesus to hear His disciples arguing about who is the greatest. For here is Jesus, trying to alert His closest friends to the gathering storm of suffering and death that He would soon be enduring. But while He was pouring His heart out to them, there they were, not really listening, but instead pursuing their own selfish discussion over who is the greatest. How much Jesus must have suffered over that. And how much He must suffer over the kinds of things that we argue about.

But notice something. Notice how Jesus deals with His arguing disciples. He does not become indignant with them and attack them, even though He certainly had reason and right to. He does not blast them with burning words, even though they certainly deserved it. He does not chastise them or correct them by Himself claiming to be the greatest, even though, with His supreme humility and sacrifice on the cross, He is the greatest. Rather He asked them a simple question, “What were you arguing about on the way?” And He turned that moment into a teaching moment, as He was and is so good at doing. He sat down with them and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”

The solution for worthless arguments does not come from stopping talking. For just as bad as a lot of arguing is the silence that can develop between people. The solution for worthless arguing comes from discussing things that are worth discussing, dealing with issues rather than attacking persons, and becoming a servant to other people.

There are some things in the church that are worth fighting for. I firmly believe that the kinds of issues that Lutheran CORE deals with – like the deity of Jesus, the authority of the Bible, salvation by grace alone, Biblical moral values, the priority of mission, and the imperative of evangelism – are worth fighting for. But some of the other things that we can have our biggest battles over – those things are simply not worth fighting over. Let’s make sure that what we argue about is worth arguing about.

I like the way that the New Testament letter writer James, the brother of our Lord and leader of the early church in Jerusalem, put it. “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.”

Why did God give us twice as many ears as mouths? It must be that He wants us to do twice as much listening as speaking. When it comes to talking, may God give us the courage to speak and the wisdom to say what is worth saying.

Dennis D. Nelson
Director of Lutheran CORE

“They crush Your people, O Lord, and afflict Your heritage.  They slay the widow and the stranger and murder the orphans.”  (Psalm 94:5-6)

The world has always been hostile to the ways of the Lord.  There are those who prey on whomever they can to get for themselves what they will.  Can not the Lord stop them?  Of course, but He has a plan that is far superior to our ability to even begin to comprehend.  Rather than trusting in your understanding, trust in the One through whom all things have their being.

Lord, this world is often difficult and I do not understand.  Why are the wicked able to prey upon the weak?  Why do things happen as they do?  Help me stop seeking answers that I may learn to trust You above my own reasoning.  Guide me to see that everything is in Your hands and that You will work all things together for good as You teach us to love as You love.

Love Incarnate,You have come that we may not be trapped in this body of sin, but freed to live into the life to which we have been called.  Guide me, my Savior, to walk humbly in Your sight.  Lead me according to Your purposes to be the child of the Heavenly Father that You died to enable me to become.  May I spend this and every day in praise of You who alone is able to save me from this wicked world.  Amen.

“How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked exult?  They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly; all who do wickedness vaunt themselves.”  (Psalm 94:3-4)

The wicked of this age seem to rule.  It will be so until the Lord returns and this age is brought to an end.  One falls and another rises to take their place.  You know this, for you have experienced it.  Be guided not by the wickedness of this age, but by the call to grace and mercy through our Lord who saves us from the wickedness of this age.  Look up to the Lord and live into His promises.

Lord, I am often distracted by the wickedness of this age.  It makes no sense to me.  Lead me by Your Word to see things more clearly.  Guide me according to Your goodness to be one who lives by faith and not by the things I see around me.  Help through all the difficulties of this age to be faithful.  You have given me the hope of eternity.  Help me to live into that hope.

Incarnate Hope, Who has come to rescue the downtrodden, lead me this day through the mess of this world to be faithful to the call You have given me.  Guide me by Your grace to live into the life of one who is faithful.  Help me now and always to see the truth that You are the Savior and that the Father is worthy of all honor and praise.  Lead me Lord Jesus.  Amen.

“O Lord, God of vengeance, God of vengeance, shine forth!  Rise up, O Judge of the earth, render recompense to the proud.”  (Psalm 94:1-2)

The proud stand before the Lord and boast of their greatness.  They seek their own ends and use the children of the Lord for their own purposes.  Generations come and call upon the Lord to stop the proud from their destruction.  They who seek the Lord only need to look to see that the proud go to the grave and are remembered no more.  Look to the Lord and live humbly in His sight and by His provision.

It is hard Lord to live in an age that is so filled with contention.  There are many who seek their own will and do not live according to Your Word.  Help me to see that this is but a short age that will come to nothing.  You have a purpose for everything; so help me to understand that if I walk in the way You have established for me, I will be uplifted and strengthened according to Your purpose.

Lord Jesus, You have come to save all who turn to You.  By grace, You lift all who believe out of the pit to walk upright before the Father.  Guide me this day to walk humbly with You knowing that no matter what comes in this life it is but for a short time.  Prepare me in the way You have established that I may walk by faith and do what You give me to do all the day long.  Amen.