CREDIT: www.goodfon.com

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I resolve … This time of year many make resolutions to improve – improve health, mind, and relationships. It’s a good practice because God has given us these temporal – time-bound, earthly – gifts to be used effectively during the time He’s given us to live. If we do nothing to improve, we get flabby, lazy, and isolated – not God’s intention. So, let’s resolve to improve these aspects of our lives to prepare to better use God’s gifts to us.

These “time-bound” gifts are great blessings, sustaining us in the time God allots to us to live it. Eventually though, we’ll move from this life to the next. When? God only knows. 

That said, God has given us a gift which sustains us through this life into the next. The gift of faith. And He helps us sustain this gift through the additional gifts of His “means of grace” – His Word and Sacraments. Which brings me back to resolutions … 

Our spiritual health sustains us through this life into the next life. It also, like our physical health, must be maintained or it will grow tired, weak, and unable to support us. However, God, knowing this, gives us His “means of grace.” Let us resolve then to improve our spiritual health by strengthening our faith in God and His promises through the exercise of these eternal, spiritual gifts.

Let us resolve to spend a few minutes – maybe 5-10 minutes – each day reading from God’s Word. Pick up an Our Daily Bread in the church lobby to guide you. Or check out our daily devotions posted to First Lutheran’s Facebook page. Then, guided by His Word lift a short prayer asking God’s help to follow His Word. And finally, resolve to join with the Body of Christ in worship, Sundays or Wednesdays, to receive His Word and Sacraments. These simple resolutions will help improve your spiritual health. And, along the way, they’ll also improve the health of your temporal gifts as your life starts aligning more closely with God’s will for you.

A Blessed New Year to All,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim

Dear Friends and Family of First Lutheran,

For many, Christmas – or any of the numerous holidays that surround it – is about “presents.”  Ever since early November we’ve been bombarded with commercials showing cars with big red ribbons, jewelry with little ribbons, houses wrapped in lights. The list goes on. The idea behind wrapping is for the gift to be a surprise when you open it. However, I know some people who already know what their gifts are because they buy their own gifts, wrap them, and then act like they’re surprised when they open them, “Oh you shouldn’t have!” Know anyone like that? I’ll admit it, I did this once. It wasn’t as much fun as I thought it would be.

I understand the gift giving tradition. It’s a great way to show our love and appreciation for those we love. In a small way, these gifts can be thought of as symbols of another gift we all received that was wrapped up for us 2000 years ago. Luke tells us, “Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger.” (Luke 2:7) God’s gift to us, Jesus, whose name means “God Saves” was wrapped up for us by His mother. But, unlike most gifts we unwrap each Christmas, this gift is continually given to and unwrapped for us as we worship Him by singing His praises, hearing His Word proclaimed, and receiving His grace and peace in our Baptism, Confession and Absolution, and Holy Communion. 

These gifts nourish our faith continually helping us live our lives in the here and now as God’s children. God desires we continually unwrap His gifts of mercy and grace because He has even better gifts waiting for us one day. He will send His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ again. When that day comes, He’ll bring us into His presence in His new creation. This gift will keep on giving … we’ll receive the love of God and the peace of Christ over and over for all eternity.

                                                                                        Merry Christmas to All,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim

Dear Saints,

Ever heard of a Locust Tree? I first encountered them damaging my house, blocking my satellite signal, and making a mess of things when they shed their leaves and pods. So, I got out my chain saw. That was that! Until a couple years later, when I noticed new locust trees where the old ones stood – growing from the old stumps. This tree, though it looked dead, sprouted leaves, flowers, and fruit! 

God’s Word tells of a man named Jesse and his son David, whom God anointed as king of His people. (1 Samuel 16:1-13) For a while, Israel, under King David was obedient to God and His Word and thrived. However, after David died, this mighty kingdom fell into depravity. The stump looked, to all who saw it, dead. But God, remembering His promise to David centuries before that David’s kingdom and throne would be established forever, (2 Samuel 7:12-17) reminded His people of His promise through Isaiah, saying “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1) 

Then one night, in a small, unimportant village a shoot emerged from Jesse’s family tree. This baby, born in a manger wasn’t much to look at, but He was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s centuries old prophecy. Jesus, the Son of God, was the shoot from the stump of Jesse (Matthew 1:1-16) … a shoot that became a branch which bore much fruit for His Father in heaven. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection all who believe in Him – though dead in sin, receive new life in Christ Jesus. 

Mankind, because of sin, is nothing more than a forest of lifeless stumps. However, Jesus, the Stump of Jesse, gives new life to lifeless stumps! Through the waters of baptism, we’re brought to new life and begin bearing fruit of the Spirit in God’s creation; fruit God uses to raise more dead stumps to new life. So, let’s give thanks to God for granting us this new life and bear fruit for God!

                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                        Pastor Jim

CREDIT: freesvg.org

Dear Servants of God,

It takes a certain kind of person to answer the call to serve in the military. I thank all who’ve answered this call, especially on Veteran’s Day. As a veteran, I understand the call to serve. When we hear the call, we answer without knowing what to expect. I know when I joined the military, the U.S. hadn’t fired a shot, or been fired on, in anger in some time. Yet, inherent to military duty is the danger associated with defending and protecting us all from “all enemies, foreign and domestic” as the military’s oaths state. Thank you for your service.

As Christians, God calls us, His children, to serve Him. Moses’ call is a good example. In Exodus 3:1-15, while tending his sheep, Moses saw an unusual sight. It was a bush which was on fire. However, unlike a normal fire, it wasn’t consuming the bush. Then the bush called out to Moses. And this is where God calls Moses into His service to be the means by which He would free His people from slavery in Egypt. Moses recognized the possibility of danger that lay ahead. Here he was, now a lowly shepherd, who years before had escaped Egypt with his life following his killing of an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew (Exodus 2:11-15). But God promised His protection to Moses saying, “But I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:12) So, Moses, trusting God, went as God asked and stood firm, under His protection, before Pharaoh until … Pharaoh released God’s people from slavery. 

However, Moses wasn’t too sure about his ability to serve God (Exodus 3:11-15). And we, like Moses – doubting our own abilities – might also try to come up with excuses to avoid serving as God calls us. But know that, also like Moses, God never sends us alone. He knows we’d fail on our own, so He sends us with the Holy Spirit to help us stand firm (Mark 13:10-11). God’s strength becomes our strength (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Fear not His call to serve Him!

                                                                        Your Fellow Servant,

                                                                        Pastor Jim

Dear Saints,

This past week, we remembered all of the saints who’ve gone before us and those still with us – which, if you didn’t know, includes all who put their trust in the one, true God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and His promises. As St. John reminds us, (1 John 3:2a) “We are God’s children now,” – not will be, might be, but ARE. And despite how things might look for any of us this side of the grave, Jesus tells His disciples, those who follow Him, (Matthew 5:3-11) “Blessed are …” Again, not will or might be – but ARE. Let us remember that, especially when things don’t seem quite right or horribly wrong – We ARE God’s blessed children, His saints. And one day, it’ll all make sense when Jesus returns (1 John 3:2b) “we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.”

But now, God calls on His blessed children to help our neighbors see Jesus and His love amid their troubles. And many of our neighbors are struggling as they lose critical assistance to feed themselves and their families.

In Matthew 25:31-46, The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus teaches that when we love our neighbors, especially those who are hungry and thirsty, we love Him answering the question, “ Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?” saying, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” 

Sometimes it’s hard to figure out how to live as a Child of God and follow Jesus. Sometimes it’s easy. This time is one of those times. The First Lutheran Food Pantry is in dire need of non-perishable food to help our neighbors in need. Please prayerfully consider supporting our food pantry with a donation of food or money through the FLC Giving Page. It’s a great way to show your trust in God and His continued provision to you and your family.

                                                                        Your Fellow Saint,

                                                                        Pastor Jim

CREDIT: Ferdinand Pauwels

Dear Reformed People of God,

The last day of October is a familiar day in the life of most Lutherans – Reformation Day! It’s important to know that this event which took place in the 1500s was not intended to create a new denomination. Nor was it about getting rid of the old church. By the 1500s the church as a whole had adopted many non-biblical practices which, instead of bringing people closer to God, were driving them further away from God. The Reformation was about reforming God’s church and His people around God’s Word. 

Though some didn’t reform, fortunately many did. As a result, the Word of God alone, given by God’s grace alone, received through faith in God alone (Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide) became the norm of Christian faith. Over the centuries since, God has used His church, made up of reformed believers in Christ to bring His saving Word to people throughout His creation.

One of the underpinnings of the “three Solas” found in God’s Word is Romans 3:28, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”  To be “justified” is to be “aligned” with something. For example, this article is “fully justified” because both margins are “fully aligned”. This is the case of our life of faith, we are “fully aligned” with God, not by doing works to earn God’s favor … but by faith, believing in Him and His promise of mercy and salvation through His work – Jesus’ death on the cross to pay the price of our sin and His resurrection to new life to grant us new life. 

God works through His Word – the law which shows our need for a savior from the hopeless, helplessness of our sin … and the gospel which shows us His love for us as a free gift. This is how God reforms us into His image, bringing us together, as His church. Let us let Him shine His love through us onto others, reforming them … that many would come closer to Him.

                                                                                In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                Pastor Jim

CREDIT: openclipart.com

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Ready! Set! Go! And the race is on! Who will win? It’s most often the most prepared who is properly equipped and has trained. I learned this the hard way last week. Just because the beach weather was nice, didn’t mean I was ready for a 4-mile walk on the boardwalk. I hadn’t walked that far in a while. And having only dress shoes to walk in, I was not well equipped. It led to a mild case, thankfully, of shin splints … a painful reminder to be prepared with equipment and training for physical activity.

Okay, what’s that got to do with God’s Word? “Plenty,” says Paul in his 2nd letter to Timothy. God calls us to serve Him and His creation through our words and actions … and to “be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching … do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 3:2,5) 

But to be ready at all times requires proper equipment and preparation. Paul tells us where the equipping and preparation (or training) comes from, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) God’s Word equips and trains us for the good work of serving Him and His creation as His means to bring His mercy and grace to those in need of healing through faith in Jesus.

So let us remain diligent in our preparations, allowing God to equip us for this great work He’s called us into. Let us spend time throughout the week in His Word. To get equipped and trained, click these links to FLC’s Bible Studies and devotional resources or visit www.firstlutheranchurch.org. Then, so we might finish the work He’s given us to do with our lives, let us ask God to help us find the words to speak and things to do in His creation.

                                                                                In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                Pastor Jim