“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Please note: it’s the word of the cross that strikes some people as folly, and not the cross itself.  The world has a weird ability to justify punishment, suffering, and death.  Such crosses are necessary, people say, to discipline society, or to strengthen our character, or to make us appreciate our blessings.  Something in the human soul wants to make the cross reasonable.

But the word of the cross, the preaching of Christ crucified—now here is something wholly unreasonable.  This word proclaims that rule and might, wisdom and power belong to the One whose cross did nothing good.  Who shall dare to justify the murder of God’s Son?  The word of the cross renders all explanations absurd and unmasks the foolishness of the human race.  What horror to hear that the salvation of our race comes from such absurdity!

Yet to you who are being saved, surely this word is the power of God.  By the proclamation of Christ’s absurd death, you are given a Savior who redeems you in your own foolishness.  For now, having risen from the death that did nothing good, He has the authority to bind or release those who do nothing good—and for you, His word is, “Release!”

LET US PRAY: Speak Your word into my flesh daily, O Lord, that my body and soul would revive in faith, endure in hope, and shine with love, to the glory of Your Name.  Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

“Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!” (Psalm 72:1-2)

Lord, the nations battle one against the other. Peoples vie for power. Bring justice that the nations may live in righteousness. Unless the Lord influences the kings and rulers, there will be war and destruction. The poor suffer and innocent children are murdered. The cry for justice has always been present in this age of wickedness. Bring righteousness to those who lead.

Lord, I hear Your Word which speaks of it getting worse before the end. I do not want to experience the suffering of wicked rulers. I do not want my children or grandchildren to suffer. Lord, everything is in Your hands, but do bring to power those who will not bring mass destruction and ruin among the nations. Lift up rulers that benefit the people, the poor, and the children.

Lord Jesus, You came at a time when the rulers were wicked and turned a blind eye to the thievery that was all around. You know corruption and have seen it over the ages. Help me trust that where we are today is in the Father’s will and that I am still able to do my part. Where it befits Your purpose, bring those who lead into Your will and not the will of this age, so that all may see glimpses of Your goodness. Amen.

“My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt.” (Psalm 71:23-24)

This world is filled with vanity and the patterns, though they appear different, are the same. People do unjustly and then scream at others, vying for power and do injustice themselves. Do not be caught up in the wickedness, but come to the One who is just and will make all things the way they have always been intended. Look to the Lord and your life will be one of praise and thanks amidst the turmoil.

Lord, the world is crazy and the people scramble around in hypocritical fashion chanting this, that, and the other thing. I have been caught up in the nonsense. Free me from the merry-go-round of insanity to live as You created life to be lived. Lead me in Your ways of living that I would know the joy of Your creation according to Your will. You will vindicate the persecuted.

Lord Jesus, You have come to make all things new. Guide me, O Lord, to see in You the hope of glory that You have revealed and the way of life that You alone have shown me. Guide me according to the Father’s will to see the hope that You have given by grace that I might live therein. Let me be at peace amidst the turmoil of this world, looking to You for all things. Amen.

“You will increase my greatness and comfort me again. I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.” (Psalm 71:21-22)

Greatness is not wealth or power, but humbleness, peace and walking faithfully with the Lord. He frees us to be joyous in His creation and calls us to walk with Him all of our days. Come to the Lord and walk humbly with your God. Sing your praises and let your life be an instrument that makes music to the Lord. Learn to walk in the way of faithfulness and know that God is Your comfort.

Lord, the world beats me down and I am constantly barraged with the nonsense of this age. Clear my mind and set before me a path that I can walk which will bring me close to You. Clear my eyes to see the beauty of the earth and help me overcome the wiles of the wicked one. Set me free from the bondage of this age to be Your faithful servant, walking in the light of Your glory.

Lord Jesus, You have forever set me free from the bondage of death that sin brings, yet unrepentant sinners remain all around me. Help me focus my eyes to see in You the hope of glory that You have brought for those who love the Father through You. Guide me in the way of peace and illumine my footsteps to walk in the direction Your Spirit leads me. Help me learn from You faithfulness. Amen

“Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.” (Psalm 71:19-20)

The world continues on its course of rebellion and the righteousness of the Lord shines in the minority position in this world. God, who made everything, holds all things together and allows the seasons to proceed. Nations rise and kingdoms fall, but the Lord is forever. In whom will you trust? Who is your hope and your rock? The Lord will raise up in Him those who will be righteous.

Lord, I get caught up in the insanity of this age and get carried away by the vanity that never changes. But here You are in the midst of it all showing Your goodness and mercy. Lead me, O Lord, to hold fast and stand firm in Your goodness that I would walk humbly with You and learn Your ways. You have already made me rise in the hope of that final day when I shall rise again as Christ arose.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead the way and You are the example of the promise fulfilled. Help me now and always to look to You first and above all things. Teach me Your ways day in and day out that I would see the great things You have done and know Your promises from my heart. Guide me, O Lord, so I may walk in Your ways and know the truth You reveal. Amen.

“O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” (Psalm 71:17-18)

Lord, as a child, I heard the stories of what You did for those whose names are familiar. As you provided for Your people of old, so You do today. There are others who can tell similar stories. Help me remember and always proclaim Your acts that have provided goodness and salvation to all who believe, that they too would thank and praise You for all You do.

Lord, I get older and get caught up in worldly and even wicked stories. I hear the world’s focus on all that is bad, seeking to keep me from seeing all that You do each day that is good to counter sin in the world. Help me have a change of heart that I would focus on Your goodness and proclaim Your goodness to the world to counter the wickedness of this age. You are Mighty to save.

Lord Jesus, Savior of the world, in humble ways You walked upon the earth and have led as many as believe to live humble lives too. Join me with them in following You in humble ways to do what is right in the Father’s sight. Guide me to simply do what You give me to do and to praise You for every opportunity to be obedient and fulfill Your Word of hope and praise. Amen.

“My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.” (Psalm 71:15-16)

How much does the Lord do each day that you or I are unaware of? How often does something not happen that would hurt us? How many good things fall into place that benefit us? The Lord is good all the time and His goodness comes to all. Be reminded of the Lord’s goodness and speak of it day and night. Devote yourself to the One who provides for all and sing His praises.

Lord, thank You for all the good things You do. You are the Sustainer of the universe and You provide for all people. Guide me, O Lord, not to look at the evil in the world and give up hope, but to see Your goodness and praise You for the multitude of ways in which billions are blessed each day. Change my point of view and help me understand and praise Your goodness always.

Lord Jesus, we read of your many miracles and are told there were many, many more. The greatest miracle is the salvation You paid for to provide for all that they may not perish, but have everlasting life. Guide me, O Lord, in Your ways that I would learn to praise You and all the works You accomplish through those who believe. Remind me in times of forgetfulness. Amen

“May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt. But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.” (Psalm 71:13-14)

All accusers will be put to shame. They thrive for a while and are a continuous pest for the faithful, but they do not endure. We live in a time of heightened accusation. From the greatest to the least, they accuse; but look beyond to the One who came not to judge (for we all have fallen short) but to save. Come to the Lord and leave behind the ways of the world.

Lord, I too have accused and been caught up in the garbage of hatred masked as caring, masked as compassion that exploits others. Free me from the sin cycle of this world to build in me the eternal hope of life freed from sin, accusation, and curses in order to be a life of praise and thankfulness. Put me on the road You choose to walk in the way that would grow in me Christ’s likeness.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for coming to lead the way and guide me in Your way of salvation. Help me now and always to seek Your ways in spite of those around me who are playing the judgement game. Help me know that in You I have hope and a future and that these things of the world which engulf me are temporary. Turn my eyes to You, O Lord, that I would always hope in Your salvation. Amen.   

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8:35)

Someone once wrote an article reflecting on his grandfather’s decision not to invest in Xerox back when that company first started; instead, he put his money into a company that did not last.  “What could have been?” the article mused.  Some investments go nowhere; others produce more than we could imagine.

Jesus and the gospel are going somewhere: there’s the promise behind our Lord’s words in Mark 8:35.  It’s not as though Jesus were setting up a moral test—“If you try to save your life, I’M GONNA TAKE IT!”  Rather, He sets forth the absolute truth: everything lost for His life is saved, because His life is the true Life that abides forever.

I promise that life of Jesus to you.  How can I not?  He’s not holding onto it!  He let His life go on the cross, planting it in the sinner’s grave.  Even in His resurrection, He hands over His body and blood to sinners—and if He hands over His very body and blood to sinners, what would He ever withhold from them?  Clearly, the life that inherits the kingdom, the only life that bears fruit—it’s for you!

LET US PRAY:  Dear Jesus Christ, true Life: teach me to suffer all losses for Your sake with patience and thanksgiving, so that I may gain all that You promise, to the singular end that Your word be proven in me as in Your flesh, and Your glory thus abound.  Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

“And say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.” O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!” (Psalm 71:11-12)

In the mystery of faith, in this world and in the age of sin, the Lord allows what He allows and we do not understand it. Yet we too sin, so who are we to cry out to the Lord about justice? There are times where we think we are alone, but we are not. The Lord is your constant companion and hope; he does not forsake you in spite of what you think or feel. God is always good.

Lord, there are those times when life is tough and I feel all alone. Guide me, O Lord, that I would now and always hold fast to the truth You have revealed. Lead me in Your ways to simply know deep in my spirit that this is true, so that I may hold fast to you in times of trouble. You are there quicker than I can acknowledge and always faithful even if I do not see. Your word tells me that You are not far off.

Thank You, Lord, for manifesting to us and for us. You know what it feels like to be forsaken. You know what it is like to feel abandoned; yet you remained faithful and did not abandon us. Help me, especially in times of trouble, to be guided by Your grace and mercy and to know that help is already present and that Your Spirit is in me. Lead me to live in truth and not by what I feel. Amen.