Dear Friends:

 

Have you ever noticed that among the first words of the angels to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds were the words “Do not be afraid”?

 

In Luke 1 the angel said to Mary, “Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God.”

In Matthew 1 the angel said to Joseph, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.”

In Luke 2 the angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid; I bring you good news of great joy for all people.”

We today have many reasons to be afraid.  In fact, many people are deathly afraid.  Between the pandemic, the economy, political unrest, and racial tension we have many reasons for fear.  Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds also were living at a time when there were many reasons for fear.  But in the midst of those times, God said to them, and God is saying to us, “Do not be afraid.”

“Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God.”  Romans 8: 31 says, “If God is for us (which He is), who is against us?”

“Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.”  God is saying the same thing to us.  “Do not be afraid to continue on with your life.”  It will not be the same.  It will not go back to exactly what it was.  It may never develop into a new normal.  But it will develop into a new reality, and God will be with us in that new reality.

“Do not be afraid; I am bringing you good news.”  Into the midst of such a bad news world, we as the Church need to bring good news – good news of great joy for all people.  A Savior, who is Christ the Lord, has been born.

Thank you for standing with us as we work to be a VOICE for Biblical Truth and a NETWORK for Confessing Lutherans.  We are glad that we can count on you as we work to help people to not be afraid even in the midst of all the forces that challenge the historic Christian faith and seek to undermine traditional, Biblical moral values.

Recently I was talking with an ELCA seminarian who was saying how much he wished that there was a list of Biblically and confessionally faithful books and other resources.  I was very pleased to be able to tell him about the List of Confessional Resources, which can be found on the Seminarians page on our website, www.lutherancore.org.  You can find the Seminarians page by clicking on the hamburger symbol in the upper righthand corner of our website.  Seeing that list of books, commentaries, videos, ministries, and movements that have been recommended by friends of Lutheran CORE, he said, “That is exactly what I have been looking for.”

That resource is now being taken to the next level.  We have begun the process of providing video reviews of some of the books on YouTube.  Here is a link to our YouTube page:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtoknmLRxWxGeLkpBeRjRVA

Here is a link to the first video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeX_hZTTBnM

A link can also be found on the homepage of our website, www.lutherancore.org.  Our plan is to publish a new video review during the first week of every month.

Another new ministry that we are working on is a new medium of communication by and for younger people.  The idea here is to develop a platform which will give younger people an opportunity to express their faith and which will present the historic Christian faith in a way that is clear, relevant, and compelling for younger people.  We of Lutheran CORE want to make sure that we do our part to pass on the faith to younger generations.  Please pray for the team of younger people – including younger pastors, seminarians, and lay young adults – who have responded and/or will respond to the invitation to work on this project.  It will be fun to see how this idea unfolds and how God blesses.

Both of these new ventures are in addition to our already existing ministries of confronting the forces that are undermining the historic Christian faith, offering guidance and assistance to congregations that are or soon will be between pastors, working with congregations that are reviewing their church body affiliation, providing a system of support for orthodox ELCA pastors and seminarians, hosting our annual Spanish language and bi-lingual ministries festival, challenging the ELCA to honor its commitment to also provide a place for traditional views and those who hold them, and supporting the work of Grand View University to help raise up future leaders for the church.

Thank you for all your words of encouragement and your faithful prayer and financial support.  Please click here for a form that you can use to let us know how we can be praying for you.  Your timely gift to Lutheran CORE will help enable us to continue to be a VOICE for Biblical Truth and a NETWORK for Confessing Lutherans.

Thanking God for His presence, protection, and promises, which enable us to not be afraid,

 

Dennis D. Nelson

Executive Director of Lutheran CORE

 

Visit our website www.lutherancore.org

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Lutheran CORE

P.O. Box 1741

Wausau, WI 54402-1741

“And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.  But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.  But what does the Scripture say?  “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman” (Galatians 4:28-29)

There are only two ways for man.  There is the way of continued rebellion and there is the way of the Lord.  Only through salvation is there a way of the Lord.  There are many who come and pretend, but only by giving yourself freely to the Lord can you freely love and serve.  This is the invitation and this is the reality of what is consistently shown in Scripture.  You have been invited.  Will you come and accept the gift of faith?

Lord, You call all to whom You speak to come and see, to follow, to learn and grow into Your likeness.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that along with all of the others who have followed the way of true freedom, I may learn what it means to not be in bondage.  Through the cross, You have freed all who believe that we may no longer walk in bondage and death, but in freedom and love.

Lord Jesus, You have accomplished these things that we may walk humbly with You and learn as You lead us.  Guide me this day that I may learn more and more what it means to not be under bondage to sin and death, but free to live, love, and serve.  Lead me in this life, Lord, that I may humbly become what You intend and prepare for the eternal life which You promise.  Amen.