John 12 1-3

Dear Readers around the world! God’s Peace!

During this Holy Week, I am so thankful that we have the Holy Word of Almighty God that we can read and hear preached from so we can learn ever more about our His great unending love for us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died of us! May the life of Jesus, His suffering, His death on the cross, His victory over the grave, death, hell and the power of the devil, and His Glorious resurrection be revealed by His Holy Spirit to each of our hearts to an even fuller extent during this week!

This week our article is by Pastor Andrew Kandoll from Michigan USA

May God Grant you a Blessed Week! John R.
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Dear friends,
God’s Peace!

The Bible tells us a brief story about a family that Jesus helped in John 12:1-3: “Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. The Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the whole house was filled with the odour of the ointment.”

What a miracle occurred in the house of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Lazarus who had been dead sat at the table with Jesus to eat with Him. This is a marvelous picture of those who have been born again from the death of trespasses and sins to sit with Jesus in heavenly places.

Ephesians 2:4-10 says: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, hath quickened us (made us alive) together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

When Lazarus was raised from the dead, his heart was filled with love, thanksgiving, and praise for the Lord Jesus Christ. He sat with Jesus. Martha and Mary also showed their love by serving and worshipping Him. This love for Jesus and desire to be with Him is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22, 23: “ The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”We are filled with love for Him who has loved us first that we might love Him. We have joy in fellowship with God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3,4). Jesus forgives us and gives us peace that the world cannot give. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” John 14:27a.

Dear friend, have you been raised from the dead like Lazarus, been born again from God, and received the forgiveness of your sins? Jesus is powerful to save, forgive and wash you clean through the blood that He shed on Calvary’s cross. Believe in Him today, praise, worship and thank Him always, and sit in fellowship with Him and His people.

In God’s precious love,
Pastor Andrew Kandoll

Saved By Grace!

Dear Readers around the world!

This week our article is written for us by Pastor Rod Johnson. As we get closer to the time of year when we gaze upon our Saviours’ suffering, death, and resurrection, we can really get a clear view of His great love, mercy and grace for us! The message of this season of Lent is who we are in Christ Jesus! Our Salvation is all completed, and it is by grace we are saved through faith! Therefore, I feel that even though this article is not for this time specifically, yet it is very fitting for this season.

May God Bless your week! John R.

FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED!
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11-14

I love the message of this text, for it puts all things in the perspective of God’s gift, will and desire for all of mankind! God’s amazing gift of grace provides all things necessary for our salvation. As it is written:
• Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. • Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

The primary points of this passage:
1. Grace bringing salvation by: His work alone in Christ Jesus!
2. Grace teaching us denial: Of ungodliness and lust in this world!
3. Grace teaching us how to live!: Self-controlled, upright, (soberly, righteously) and godly lives in the present age
4. Grace teaching us what to look for!: “The blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”5. Grace teaching us, how it was accomplished!: “He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people …..”6. Grace teaching us, what kind of people we are!: “A peculiar people, zealous of good works”We may then ask, “What else is there that we are to do?” The Lord tells us in the next verse the fulfillment of all things, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 It is His work (For we are his workmanship) by which we are transformed into His image (created in Christ Jesus) that His will would be accomplished to His honor and glory and the exaltation of His Son Jesus Christ, as Lord! To be transformed into His Image cannot be done by our works. Not by the keeping of the law, or to minister His Word, or loving our neighbor, or anything else, but only by His work of grace alone.

Yet in love for Him, because He first loved us, as a fruit of the faith He has given to us by grace, we desire to submit ourselves unto His will to do what He sets before us! Praising the Lord for His Grace!

THIS IS WHAT IS SO AMAZING ABOUT GRACE! Therefore, let us praise the Lord!

Saved By Grace!
In His Love serving Him!
In Service to His People,
Pr. Rod

Christianity Begins at Home!

Dear Weekly Readers! God’s Peace!

Well, our mission group has safely returned from a wonderful mission trip to India! God truly blessed the trip. During this trip about 10,000 people came to the services. We also had pastors training for about 300 pastors. What a blessed and wonderful time the Lord allowed us to have by His great grace! Please pray the God would add His blessings to the words spoken even now after we have returned home.

To the others in India and neighboring countries that I would have loved to visit on this same trip, please be forgiving and understand! This trip was for 3 weeks and every day was booked solid. The Foreign Mission did not have extra funds or time to visit more than we did on this trip. I pray that someday we could visit your area also. We must trust that the Lord will allow for that in His time! His timing is always correct, and we must be still and know that He is God!

This week I am very busy trying to get caught up on my administrative work. Therefore, I asked for articles from some of our pastors and God provided a willing servant to send me an article for this weeks blog. His name is Pastor Wayne Juntenen. Please enjoy! John R.

Christianity Begins at Home

Many times in the Bible we can read how important is the home in the eyes of God. God begins with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:26 - 3:24) from whom have come all nations, kindred, peoples, and tongues. But as they yielded to Satan’s lie, the effects of that “Fall” infected all of creation and home life became a battle ground. And from there the infection of sin has spread to all peoples.

God, the All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and Everywhere Present Lord of all, provides the blood sacrifice Himself in and through Jesus Christ to reclaim and restore all that was lost in the Garden of Eden. Jesus, God in the flesh, is born of a woman. A new home begins through Mary and a substitute father, Joseph; God, the Father, being the true Father. Even though Joseph was not the true father of Jesus, it was necessary that he be a godly man. The beginning of the Gospel according to Matthew records a long history of Joseph’s godly heritage (Matthew 1:1-16). Mary, too, came from a godly heritage being a relative of Elizabeth (Luke 1:36), the wife of Zacharias, a priest, whose genealogy would go all the way back to Levi from whom the entire Old Testament priesthood started.

While it was important that the home was a godly one into which Jesus was to be born and in which he would be raised to manhood, the timing of Mary’s conception was, also, important. Engagement in Bible times was as binding as the marriage, itself. So it was important that Joseph and Mary were engaged before the angel brought the message from God that she was to conceive a son through the power of the Holy Spirit. Had it occurred before Joseph and Mary were engaged, Joseph could simply separate from her and have no further connections. He would be breaking no law but Mary, quite likely, would have been stoned to death -- the punishment for adultery (Deut. 22:23). Or at best she would have been left to raise Jesus outside of marriage. God waited until they were engaged to guarantee the marriage, although an angelic message to Joseph was necessary in order for him to understand the reason for Mary’s pregnancy. Mary was not to raise Jesus as a single parent. Beginning with Adam and Eve, the blueprint for marriage is one man with one woman for life. Children need both a mother and a father for proper nurturing.

As Jesus began the work of saving creation and mankind from sin, death, hell, and the devil, the first miracle he performed was at a wedding. (John 2:1-11) Why? Because only a home where Jesus Christ is present can mankind’s history and civilization, itself, survive and flourish. In every home where Christ is not enthroned as Lord, there the fruit of our fallen nature will reign. Since the original home from which God was to build humankind had departed from the word of the Lord, Jesus, the Word made flesh, began in a home at a wedding to reveal both his human and his divine nature that was needful not only for life after death, but life before death. For, as the Apostle Paul said in his sermon to the gathered crowd on Mars Hill in Athens “in Christ we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

While Christ, through his life, suffering, death, and resurrection, has finished the work necessary to save mankind from his destructive course, each of us is still responsible to be the “doers of that Word” (James 1:22). And the Bible is full of instructions as to how marriage and family life is to be carried out in the home. Each of us has a responsibility to live in harmony with God’s Word as parents, children, brothers and sisters within a household. It has been said, “The light that shines the farthest shines the brightest at home.” May the light of God’s Word, the two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), penetrate into our hearts. And as it reveals our thoughts and intentions, may each of us yield to its truth. The only way Christianity can spread is from heart to heart, from house to house because the church, as a body of believers, is only as strong as each household within it. Then out of each heart and out of each home, Christianity can then spread to the neighborhood, the community, the nation, and the world.
May God Bless your week!

The Evidence of a True Christian

Dear Readers around the world! God’s Peace and Blessing to you. We are living in the days of the King! The King is the Lord Jesus Christ! Glory be to God!

This week, I come to you with a prayer request. Myself and a group of 5 other Christians will be leaving on Sunday for a three week mission trip. Please pray for this journey, for health and safety for all. Please pray that the Word of God would be preached in truth and purity and that God would be glorified during this time that is made possible through His Grace.

If some issues of this weekly blog get missed, it is because I am out in the Mission field and may not be able to write or post issues. Today our article is written by Pastor Wayne Juntinen. Please enjoy!

May God Bless your week! John



The Evidence of a True Christian

Many call themselves “Christians.” Being called a Christian began at Antioch. Paul had been preaching and teaching there for a whole year. And people who were not believers in Christ began to call these disciples, or learners, “Christians” (Acts 11:26) because the Holy Spirit, through the preaching and teaching of Paul, gave these hearers who responded to the Word of God the grace to believe in the crucified and resurrected, Man-God, Jesus Christ, as their Savior and Lord.

This change in the spirit of these disciples is the evidence of being true Christians. We all, if we call ourselves “Christians”, have this inner testimony. This is what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote in his epistle to the Romans saying: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God” (Ro. 8:16).

This witness of the Holy Spirit within us works in our mind, will and emotions. We have the mind of Christ (2 Cor. 2:16). But because we are still real humans who still have a fallen nature, we do not always live in obedience to the will of God. This is why the Apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans that by the mercies of God we would be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Ro. 12:2).

The Holy Spirit, also, works in our will. But in order that we would do what God wants us to do and not do what he does not want us to do, even if it might be something good, we are to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Read Galatians 5:16-26. Thanks to God there is forgiveness for us when we sin, but we don’t have to sin. God, the Holy Spirit, works within us both to will and to do his good pleasure (Phil. 2:13).

And as we live in obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, our emotions are also affected. We have an inner joy. In fact, the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10). Furthermore, we have an inner peace; a peace that passes understanding. It is the peace that Jesus, Himself, gives (Jn. 14:27). It is a peace that cannot be taken from us (Jn. 16:22), even though we go through suffering, sorrow, and want.

All of this points to the greatest truth in all world--that God loves us! And it is this love that is to flow out of us as the external, or outward, evidence of being a true Christian. Jesus, Himself, said: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (Jn. 13:35).

The Apostle John, in his first epistle confirms this by saying: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God” (1 Jn. 4:7). This love towards one another is not merely in words, as John also writes: “My little children, let us not love in word neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 Jn. 3:18).

Our heavenly Father desires that our love would be a true expression of His love. Paul describes this as being “without dissimulation.” or “without hypocrisy” (Ro. 12:9). That means that it is an expression of love that is genuine. It has no selfish, self-centered motives, impure, or wrong reasons. It is a love of another because God loves him or her. We don’t love so we can get some benefit for ourselves because true love never loves to “get” but only to “give.”

Also, true love speaks “the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15); especially when sin needs to be brought into the light so it can be confessed and forgiven in the name and through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 1:9; Jn. 20:23).

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, may the inward testimony of Christ living within you fill your hearts with righteousness, peace, and joy. And may the love of God flow out from you as a fountain of water to refresh and bless one another. Amen!

Rightful Ownership

Dear Readers around the world. God’s Peace and Blessings to this day of our Lord!

Have you ever had something that you owned and treasured? Today let’s explore this issue of rightful ownership.

In the beginning God created the world, the entire universe, and all that was or ever will be. He looked and said it is good. Then God created Adam and Eve. We read how God said, let us create man in our image. God molded and created us to be like Him. Then God looked and said it is very good.

God has created each person on earth in His image. We must agree that this is good and that God is the rightful owner of His creation. God created us in His purpose. However, God also put choices before man.
We can see in the Garden of Eden the choice had to be made as to whether or not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. To eat meant to reject the will of God and to decide for themselves what is good and what is evil.

Mankind still today still struggles with this battle of good and evil.

The Bible tells us in Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
There is none good, no not one. However, this is why the Great Shepherd of the sheep has come!

There are certain fundamentals of human life even today, before God and Satan. 1) the one you believe is, is the one you obey. 2) The one you obey is the one you become like, and the one who becomes your owner 3) The one you become like, is the one with whom you will spend eternity.

Who is your King? There are only two choices. There is one that is the Truth and then there is the Liar. The True King, the Lord God has these characteristics; Light, truth, goodness, love, creativity and life. The false king, Satan is darkness, a liar, full of evil, full of hate, loves to destroy and murder.

When we think of the Kingdom of God, we believe that the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. The Kingdom of God is His Kingship, His rule, His authority. We are in awe of God’s power, His might, His Glory!

This is the rightful King and ruler! It is under His rule that true believers belong! He is the Creator, the Savior, and the Redeemer! The devil thought he had won the battle when Jesus died on the cross. He falsely assumed that man will be lost forever. He could not have been further from the truth.

By His death, Jesus destroy’s Satan right of ownership over humans. The document that was against us is Satan’s certificate of ownership. (our sins). Jesus Christ melts and dissolves this false ownership in His own blood! The victory is won! Jesus is victorious and He lives!

This offer stands for unbelievers today!
Mark 1:15
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Under whose authority and Kingdom do you belong today? Is it God’s? Remember, sometimes we feel weak and poor, but be encouraged because it says in Luke 6:20
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Believe and share the following! Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Our God, our Creator, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, has rightful ownership of you!

Come to Him humbly and just as you are. We know that it does not take great learning or head knowledge to be in the kingdom of the KING! Luke 18:16
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Dear reader, the time is short. All of the prophecies of Jesus have been fulfilled except the last one, which is that He is coming again! His coming must be first preceded by Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Matthew 25:31 (KJV)
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

What a day that will be when our Saviour we see in that beautiful city of gold!

May God Bless your week!

JR

To God be the Glory!

Dear Readers around the world! God’s Peace be with you!

Glorify God. That is our topic today, and I pray that it would be your focus, topic, and your hearts desire not only today, but every day. To God Be the Glory!

Let our prayer be as such;

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6

Even the very death on the cross of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, gloried God!

This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. John 21:19

The earth and the heavens declare His handiwork! The Old Testament is full of this word Glory, all of which is the Lord’s!

Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 2Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 3The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. Psalm 29:1-3

In the New Testament, often when Jesus healed someone, He said that it is for the reason that it would glorify God. John 11:4

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

John 11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

Let us learn from our Master!

Even is our prayers, let us gaze upon our Father. Look to His Glory, His strength, Glorify Him, understand that He can provide, that He is in charge of our lives, and is in control of the whole earth.

Let us try to remember not to approach God only with our needs, our desires, our problems and situations, but let us remember that we can approach Him in Praise of His Glory! His Power, His Majesty, and His Might! Our God is all powerful, He has promised and will provide! Let us trust in Him!

When we share about Jesus with our congregations, our towns, villages, family, co-workers, schoolmates, or anyone else, let is be all about Him! Romans 15:9

And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

1 Cor. 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

What is that price? Jesus Christ! Our Redemption cost Jesus Christ His life. We repeat! 1 Cor. 6:20

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Yet, Salvation for us is free! Isaiah 55:1

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Are there any thirsty today? Come just as you are. No money, no price is required. Repent and Believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Jesus is in the saving mood still today! I trust that you believe this! If so, share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world for the Glory of God!

All Glory and Honor be to God today and always!

Hallelujah, Amen!
JR

Behold Your God

Dear Readers around the world!

The text of our article this week will be Isaiah. Ch. 40:1-11.

The book of Isaiah is such a wonderful book. Many of my favorite verses are recorded in this book. I desire to list a few of these here:

1: 18 Come let us reason saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool,………

Ch. 6 Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His Glory

Ch. 12 Read all 6 verses and notice the Wells of Salvation

Ch. 53 Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? V5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, each one to our own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all!

Ch. 55 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat, yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price

Ch. 61 The Sprit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath appointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, To proclaim the acceptable year of our Lord…….

Ch. 66: Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.

Before we go into the 40th chapter I would like to point out some interesting facts about this chapter and the book of Isaiah.

The Book of Isaiah has 66 chapters just as does the entire bible has 66 books. Also, there are 39 chapters before chapter 40, just like the Old Testament. Those first 39 chapters are written in prophecy style similar to the OT in general.

Then starting with chapter 40, Isaiah becomes the book of comfort, like the New Testament. Starting with chapter 40 there are 27 books, just like the New Testament Our God is surely a God of order!

Now when we look into chapter 40 Please READ V 1-11 and preferably the entire chapter, in Jesus name!

We will not look at this portion in an historical perspective, but rather how these verses apply to the hearts of men today.

1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Our God is a God that wants to comfort us when we need comforting. When we are in times of mourning, times of hardship, times of financial distress, times of hunger, or in some other season, God wants to comfort us! Notice the words my people, and your God. Such a God we have that He personally wants to care for us! He is our Father.

2Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. Jerusalem was the center of the church and God’s people in those days. Where is the center of Christianity today? It is the church, which is in the hearts of his people that are believing by faith in the complete redemptive work of the Lord Jesus. God wants to speak to our hearts; He wants to speak to our families, communities, and villages through His Word and through His believers.
What is this most comforting message that we should CRY out? The message is that ones sins are forgiven, sins are pardoned; forgiveness is received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins! Not only is our sin forgiven, it is forgotten! Not only is our guilt removed, the power of sin over can be removed! Sin is not only forgiven, it is forgotten and removed. There is not a more comforting message that that our sins are forgiven by and through the Name and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ!

3The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. You remember John the Baptist in each of the four gospels! He was a messenger, a crier to point the way to Jesus. We too can be messengers! We can point to Jesus! Proclaim Him loudly to all! Let them know that there is a better way, which is life in Christ Jesus. He is the Way the Truth and the Life!

4Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: God is the God of the mountains, which can be those good times in our life, and He is the God of the valleys, which are those bad times in our life. He is in control in all situations, and He can lift up and bring us down, (humble us) if that is what is needed.

5And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
6The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: 7The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. 8The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
Our God is so mighty and powerful. He created all things. He is over all and above all. We are but grass, we pass away quickly. The Word of God shall stand forever! His Word is the Eternal Truth. His Word is true, yesterday, today, and forever.

9O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
Behold your God! He is all powerful, and He is able and willing to save! Lift up your voice and proclaim him! Cry out, be a witness!

10Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 11He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
As mighty and strong as our Lord is, He is also so tender and loving. Jesus paid it all, He is the Great Shepherd. He will reach down, pick us up, and carry us when we need to be carried! Do you hear His voice? Follow the Good Shepherd. At the end of life He will carry all who believe in Him by faith all the way to our final resting place in Heaven above.

Please read verse 12, and the rest of the chapter. It shows God’s mighty power so clearly.

Dear Readers! Behold your God, and wait on HIM!

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

May God Bless your week! John

God is in Control

Dear Readers around the world! This morning my heart is heavy for the people of Haiti whom are suffering badly due to the massive earthquake. I have been in contact with people in the hardest hit city in the last year or two, so my prayers are for them, their families, and all the other suffering people. May God grant that country help from others, and a peace and strength to go through the very difficult days ahead.

Since I had these thoughts, when I found this article written by one of our Pastors, Joel Kandoll from the state of Washington, I thought it was fitting for today!

May God Bless your week. John


I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven
and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that
keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the
Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite
thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve
thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall
preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth,
and even for evermore. Psalm 121:1-8

The Psalmist here describes the preserving hand of the
Lord as we travel through this life. Often as we experience
trials and afflictions we need to be comforted; we need to be
once again assured with the many promises found in His Holy
Word. Our natural tendency may be to struggle alone against
those things which may come our way, but how good it is if we
recognize that we have a great true Friend in the Lord Jesus
Christ! And that as Jesus lives in our hearts by faith we also
may be true friends to one another by assuring one another of
the Lord’s deliverance unto salvation.

Here in this psalm we are taught to look unto the Lord, the Creator,
the One who has made all things, even as it is recorded in Hebrews 11:3: Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

God has created all things by the power of His Word, and He continues to hold all things in His hand. We need not fear that He has lost control, that He is no longer able to rule all things; and we need not fear that He is not able to help us or sustain us. God is an eternal being and, as stated in this psalm, He does not slumber or sleep; He does not become tired or weary as we do in our natural bodies.

As age advances upon us, we find that the activities that were so easy when we were younger now seem to take so much effort, and some activities we find we are even unable to do anymore. This is not so with the Lord our God; He is unchanging, the same yesterday, today and forever.

Let us look unto the Lord always for the preservation of our souls, as He shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.


Pastor Joel Kandoll
Castle Rock, Washington

Armour of God

Dear Readers around the world! May God Bless you and yours with a wonderful and blessed New Year in the Lord! This week our article is written by Pastor Orval Wirkkala. Please enjoy! John


Dear Brothers, here are some thoughts for us to consider as we look to the future.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesian 6:10-11

As we enter a new year in the Lord, we face it in confidence and hope because the Lord is strong and powerful. As we go into the new year, our expectations are built upon the promises of the Lord for the future, rather than upon that which has happened in the past. Yes, our circumstances may remain the same as we begin this new year, but as we have seen in the lives of people throughout history, circumstances are always changing. Sometimes for the worse, but mostly for the better. The experiences of Christmas equip us for the year ahead, for we are called to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might!!

As we celebrated Christmas this year, did we not receive much encouragement from the mutual sending and receiving of Christmas greetings through cards and gifts? Yes, we did. These times of fellowship one with another are helpful for us in that they point toward the reason for our hope and away from the cause of our pessimism toward the future. There are many modern forms of communication today which the people living in the time of the early church did not have for their use. But even if they did not have all of that which we have, they had that which our Father has ordained for the purpose of communicating with us: Language..They communicated in the same way that people have for all of time: With words. And they wrote and received letters, in whatever form they had at that time.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Christians at Ephesus in the early church years. In his conclusion to the letter, he counseled them with these words: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.Ephesians 6:10 After writing these words, he went on to say that they should "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." And why we must put it on: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:11-12)

He then goes on to list the 7 parts of the armor which he had called for them to put on, emphasizing that they are to put on the "whole" armor. Here are the seven which he listed:

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, (1) having your loins girt about with truth, (2) and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 (3) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, (4) taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 (5) And take the helmet of salvation, (6) and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 (7) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

As we consider this letter which was written to the Ephesians (and to us)by Paul while he was in prison, we can appreciate his giving heart which we see reflected from the words he wrote while imprisoned:
"Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. "Ephesians 3:13

The driving force of his life was that those to whom he had been called to serve would be pointed to the source of Hope and Joy, Jesus Christ. He outlines this in this letter to the Ephesians in a systematic manner, first establishing their position in Jesus Christ through faith, pointing out to them of how the body of Jesus Christ (the church) works together in common love and purpose. Then in the conclusion, calls them to stand in that which God has done for them, is for them in Christ and is doing through them as the body of Jesus Christ. As reflected in the verse above, he did not consider his life important, for he spoke to the elders of the Ephesian church in the book of Acts in this manner as he said farewell to them as he journeyed toward an unknown future in Jerusalem: "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24

May we read and meditate on these verses which have been given for our teaching and edification. May the Spirit of Christ dwell richly in us today and may it be reflected by our understanding of who we are within the body of Jesus Christ. Yes, the armor must be put on individually, but it is through the corporate body that we gain and have more strength as an army as opposed to acting on an individual basis. May this letter be read and reread by us so that we will understand clearly as to what it means to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Let us read, meditate upon and pray through Paul's prayers for us in 1:15-23 and 3:14-21 and his call to prayer in 6:18-24. His prayers focus on our increased awareness of the power of Christ which we possess being in Him and that this power is brought forth among us and through us through the serving of one another within His body.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.

Love,

Orval Wirkkala

Blessed New Year!

Dear Readers around the world! The entire Foreign Mission board prays that each of you would have a most Blessed New Year and that the light of the world, Jesus Christ, would be shining brightly in and through each of you!

This week our article is written by the late Reverend Andrew Mickelsen. He was truly a beloved Pastor from my childhood and he was a most faithful servant of the Lord for many years! Please Enjoy, John


Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people
Israel. (Luke 2:29-32) The first thought revealed to us in this text is this: Simeon was ready to depart in peace for he had seen the salvation that God had prepared before all the people. What greater blessing could befall man than to be ready to depart in peace from this world of sorrow and sin and to dwell in the land of the righteous forever? This was the goal that Simeon had sought, and it is the goal toward which all true Christians
are striving. Is this the goal toward which you are
also striving, dear friend? If it is, let us examine how Simeon reached this goal.

The Holy Ghost had revealed to him that he would not see death until he had
seen the Lord’s Christ. When he saw the Savior, on whom all the promises of the Word
of God hinged, he was ready to depart in peace because he had believed those promises.
This is what happens to all who see the Lord as He is: full of grace and truth. They find
the peace of God that drives away the fear of death. Have you seen the Lord in this
manner? You may think this is impossible because He is not in the flesh as He was in the days of Simeon. But does not the Bible say, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people?

Therefore all may see Him. But do all know Him as their Savior? Great multitudes saw Him when He was here on earth, but did they know Him as their Savior? He performed
miracles and wonders that never had been seen before and He spoke as no one had ever spoken before. But Simeon knew Him though he only saw a babe in the arms of His mother. This teaches us that some requirements are needed in order to come to know the Savior when He appears to us. The Bible tells us that Simeon was just and devout, and the Holy Ghost was upon him. The definition for just and devout is one who is upright and impartial, devoted to studying and obeying the Word of God. Those requirements are necessary; namely, that we honestly and impartially study and obey God’s Word in the light and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Then we shall know the Savior whenever and wherever He appears to us. The natural eyes may see only a babe, or a Christian mother or father, sister or brother, but to the humble, sincere soul the Spirit reveals the Savior in and through them. The rationalist says that is foolishness. The atheist says that is superstition. The intellectualist brushes it aside as ignorance.

Apostle Paul says, The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (I Corinthians 1:25) Let us take St. Paul as an example. The Bible introduces him to us as Saul of Tarsus in the eighth and ninth chapters of the book of Acts. He had seen the Lord with His disciples, but did not know Him as his Savior because at that time he was not upright and impartial, although he may have entertained such thoughts about himself. He no doubt was sincere in his belief that he was serving God when he persecuted the Christians, but the Holy Ghost was not upon him, enlightening and guiding him.

Not until the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus in such brightness that his natural eyes were blinded did he know the Lord, and that not by sight for he was blind. He knew Him through the words of introduction revealed in His response to Saul’s question, Who art thou? when the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. (Acts 9:5)
Now, though Saul was blind, he received spiritual light and guidance to become upright, impartial and submissive, asking, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? (Acts 9:6) Jesus commanded him to go into the city and that he will be told what he should do.

Why did Jesus Himself not tell Saul what to do? Because He wanted Saul to know Him through His followers and His Word. Had He justified Saul on the way, he would never have come to know Jesus in His followers and would have taught men to seek and find the Lord in secret, as many teach today. This experience taught Saul to seek the Lord in His followers and to find Him in His Word. When he received the blessing of the Lord, he received his sight and the Holy Ghost by believing that the words which Ananias spoke to him were just as authentic as if they had been spoken by the Lord.

Therefore, Paul teaches, Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God, (IICorinthians 5:20) and To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave
any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ. (II
Corinthians 2:10) Note that Paul says, forgave I it in the person of Christ. Thus from
experience he says, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
(Romans 10:17)

The light that shines from Jesus first enlightens the heart and conscience of man to take note of his utterly lost and condemned condition. Then it shows man what he must do to be saved. Therefore, Paul says, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God, (Romans 3:23-25)

and also these words, In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. (Ephesians 1:7) Now the sinner becomes aware of the grace of God in the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.

Dear friend, has the light of Jesus enlightened you in this manner? If so, you are indeed blessed and you have the peace of God, which is the peace of a good conscience. My new year’s wish for you is that you keep faith and a good, peaceful conscience to the end of your journey. On the other hand, if you have not been enlightened, pray to God that the light of Jesus may shine into your heart and that He would give you strength to repent of your sins and to believe them all forgiven in the name and blood of Jesus. Then you also
will have peace in the new year that has just begun, and the Sun of Righteousness, which rose to its glory on the cross of Calvary, will warm your heart to sing His praise for the salvation of your soul throughout the new year.

May the peace of God be
in and with you all! Amen.
The late Andrew Mickelsen

Blessed Christmas Greetings!

Dear Readers around the world! The Foreign Mission desires and prays that each and every one of our friends would have a most Blessed Christmas season. Jesus our Friend Most Precious, is the entire reason for this season! Jesus is also the entire reason that we get together for this weekly reading, and is why we desire to even worship together one day.

What a force for unity Jesus has been even this year, has He not? We are separated by many miles, languages, cultures, traditions, and so many other things. However, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we can be one in Him.

What a difference the birth of Jesus has made in the world. Even people that do not yet believe in Jesus unto the Salvation of their souls, know about Christmas. There is no other figure in all of history that so many people know about. Even though many do not know him personally, He is so present that He is hard to miss. The fact that Christmas is celebrated so far and wide, must make many people at least wonder about Him at this time of year.

Even the calendar that we all use has the days of the week. Our maker, the one who created Heaven, earth, and all things, did all His work in six days and rested on the seventh. Calendars in all parts of the world have seven days per week. There is no escaping God’s greatness.

Also, we are now in the year 2009 AD. This date is related to the birth of Jesus Christ. Also, if you study the languages of the world, many words and sayings come directly from the Bible.

Have you ever wondered how a dog is a dog in all countries? What about a lion, tiger, elephant, cat, cow, or any other animal you want to name. They have the same name throughout the entire world. How is this possible? It is because of our Almighty God the Creator and Adam who named all the animals.

Now it seems like I have strayed away from the Christmas story. Not really, I do not believe. Can you agree with me that our Lord Jesus has always been and always will be? You can see in Genesis 1:26 that Jesus was with God even during creation, (note the underlined)
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

As time went on, it was not long when man fell into sin. Remember Adam and Eve partaking of the forbidden fruit. Our wonderful Creator cared so much about us His created, that we know and believe as it says in John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This is how much God loves us! In order to make this become a reality, God in His infinite wisdom saw fit that He would send Jesus into the earth. Yes, He sent His Son Jesus as a baby so no man can say he is not worthy to come to him. This event we know very well and study especially during Christmas time when we celebrate his birth.

I will not go into the whole Christmas story now, but I just want to point out a couple things.

Remember John the Baptist. He was a forerunner, or a messenger of Jesus Christ. I believe each one of us can also be a messenger through the Gospel of Jesus that now lives within us in the form of the Holy Ghost. Spread the Gospel of Jesus in your neighborhood, in your villages, in your country!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is still as valid and worthy of praise today as on that first Christmas night when the angels proclaimed to the shepherd, Fear Not! The Lord is born! Oh that we could be the sounders of the trumpet to the lost and unsaved. Heavenly Father, use us as your mouthpiece to let them know of the Saving Power of the Lord Jesus!

The star showed the way to Jesus. The star lit the way for the wise men! Wise men today still seek the Lord. Are we willing to be used even as the star, to point the way to Jesus? The light that we have is not our own, and we know that scripture says in John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Jesus is our light. Dear Lord, even this Christmas season, let the Light of Jesus shine in us so brightly that He will draw all men unto him! John 12:32
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Praise and thank God for the gift of Light, His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

Together in His love, let us raise our voices of praise and thanksgiving in two words that we all share in common, no matter what our language is!

Hallelujah, AMEN!

On behalf of the entire Foreign Mission Board,
May God grant you a most Joyous and Blessed Christmas!

John Ruotsala, Administrator

THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

Dear Readers around the world! This week our article is written by one of our Pastors here in the USA, Pastor Phil Wilson. Please enjoy, and may the Lord Bless you and yours during this season and always!

The Joy of Christmas

It is difficult to look at the Babe, Jesus, lying in the manger, who possessed all
that is so endearing in a precious little one, while remembering the whole
message of the angel: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

What message did the angel bring? The message of the angel bore our need for a
Savior, the promise fulfilled of a Savior, and what this Babe of humble Bethlehem must endure in being our Savior. What was given unto us that first Christmas day? A
reason to get together as a family, an excuse to lavish gifts on each other, a guide for our temporal lives, another helper in our life of goodness?

No, for unto us was born a Savior. It was not the poet’s intent, nor is it mine, to turn Christmas into Good Friday, but let us marvel in this: The plan of salvation, which was from the beginning, was set into motion with the first human breath of Immanuel.

After 400 years of no prophecy, the tender plant appeared out of a dry ground. The longawaited Messiah had come!

Oh, heavenly tidings of great joy could now be applied to the hearts of men!
But for this great joy to be realized, must this precious little Babe first be despised and rejected of men, must He appear before the chief priests, elders, and scribes,must He suffer in bearing our grief and sorrow, and must He die on the cross?

How much easier it would be if we could continue to think of that precious little
Babe of Bethlehem than to look at the suffering servant, but, by God’s grace, we can
look and still find joy. We have joy in this, that our sin debt has been paid, and death has been vanquished by the heavenly gift, enshrouded in mortal flesh but for a season.

It is not a grievous thing which God has revealed to us, for we know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (I John 3:5)

Enjoy the Christmas season as you gather with family and friends, sharing in
the natural gifts that we have been given. My prayer for your time spent, as well as
mine, is that we would use that time wisely; that we would read and reread the
old, old story of Jesus and His love, sing the carols of old, and teach our children what it cost for God to give us of Himself, and what it means to us as recipients of that gift.

The Christmas season gives us an opportune time to share the story of Jesus with
many: the clerk at the store, the bell ringer, the mailman, and our neighbor. As we may be caught in the hustle and bustle of busy malls and shopping, placed under the
burden and stress that the world has to offer at this time, and bombarded with “Happy
Holidays,” let us reply with infinite joy in our hearts.

We have already received the greatest gift offered to mankind. We have a Savior, who now reigns in the heavens and in the hearts of the believers.

He can be your Savior,too. What greater gift could be received or given?

In God’s peace,

Pastor Phil Wilson
Ridgefield, Washington

Prayer

Dear Readers around the world! This week I feel led to ask all of us around the world to be united in prayer. We know that the world of God says in James 5:16… The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Since Christians know the power of prayer, it is a wonderful thing when we can pray one for another. The first most important desire and prayer that Christians have should always be as it is stated in Romans 10:1
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

The people of Israel are God’s children. All people are God’s children, however not everyone has repented and believed yet. God created all people, and He desires that they would be saved! We truly desire that all would be saved. Jesus died for all! Please pray that more and more people would be become believers in the complete redemptive work of our Lord Jesus during the time of grace.

There are so many things that we can prayer jointly for! Imagine; Christians from all corners of the world praying to God in Heaven in Jesus name for the same things. I will list a few common items here.

Please pray for:
• The Apostolic Lutheran Church of America and it’s leadership and boards, and congregants.
• The Foreign Mission of the ALCA and its board and administrator.
• The United States so that it would turn toward God for strength and directions
• All the churches, pastors, and congregants that the Foreign Mission of the ALCA is in fellowship with in the following countries: Guatemala, South Africa, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, India, Russia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Sri Lanka,
• Pray that the word would be preached in truth and purity in all these countries.
• Pray for Foreign Mission of the ALCA’s work being done in China, Kenya, Pakistan, Haiti, Napal, Malawi, Vietnam, Congo, Mexico. Pray that the missions can expand further into these countries.
• Pray that the Foreign Mission in the future would be able to work in a greater way in even more countries as God leads. It surely is our desire to be obedient to the Word of our Lord Jesus when He said, “ go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.
• Pray for mission work in your own neighborhoods and outback areas. Not all mission work has to be foreign, close to home is just as important.
• Pray for all Christian missionaries everywhere.
• Pray for the health and safety of all of God’s people in all of the countries listed above, as well as others not listed here that I may have forgotten to list.
• Pray for the children, young people, elderly, and infirm.
• Pray for the financial condition in the USA, that it would improve so more people can afford to support Foreign Mission work in the Lord’s Vineyard.
• Pray that the people in the USA as well as in all the countries that the Foreign Mission works in; would be lead to give financially to the church from their first fruits of God’s blessings. Remember the widow’s mite!
• Pray for all the other servants in the Church worldwide! The ladies in the kitchen, the cleaning people, and all those other so very important jobs that are so appreciated in God’s eyes.
• Pray for humbleness.
• Pray that we would not have envy.
• Pray that we would not be covetous.
• Pray for unity. Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
• Pray without ceasing. 1 Thes. 5:17
• Remember God word says: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 5:20 Pray for the unbelievers and backsliding.

• Pray for contentment

• Pray for Peace and Joy! (not only in this season but all year)

I need to stop due to length. We each have our own items that we can add to this list!

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: 2 Thes. 3:1

May God Bless your week!

Password

Dear Readers around the world! We are now entering into the Advent Season! We are so thankful for Jesus, that this time of year is quite exciting. However all who are Christians have the right to be joyous and at rest in Jesus all year long, not just in this season.

Yesterday I experienced computer problems in my office. The internet stopped working. For no real reason that I could tell, it just stopped working. The thing was, the computers still worked, the cables were all hooked up and everything seemed in order. I surely could not tell by looking or inspecting why the internet stopped working. Since my job demands that I always have internet access for communications around the world, this was quite a problem.

I earnestly set about to try to correct this problem. I spent a total of probably 6 hours on the phone during the course of the day and evening. I talked to people as far away as India and the Philippines that work for the customer service departments of these major companies.

Finally at the end of the day, a nice lady in the Philippines was able to enter the correct code numbers in the proper places in the multiple levels of internet security and set up, to make the internet work again. During this lengthy call I was able to share about Jesus, and she promised to come to our services in the Philippines in March. God is Good!

I tell you this story to make a point about Jesus, who is our passage to heaven. You see, even though a person may look good on the outside, and even though they seem to be doing all the correct things, this does not mean that they are saved. The good appearance and the works that they are doing will not amount to eternal salvation. Man can never work his way to Heaven. Ephes. 2:8-10
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

No, dear reader, without the Lord Jesus, no flesh shall be saved. In the picture about my computer, codes were needed to be put into my computer in order for it to work. Likewise, Faith of and in our Lord Jesus is the only way to heaven. Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Dear Reader, share with all whom you know about this passage to heaven. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
If there is someone reading this today that does not know the way to heaven yet, the Holy unerring Word of God has the answers. Please turn to the Holy Bible and read it, and listen to the preaching from truly believing Christian preachers in accordance with Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Dear Pastor and readers, remember that God’s Word teaches us in 2 Cor. 4:5
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
Also Jesus said in Luke 24:47
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

We have been given the password and codes to get to Heaven. Jesus Christ is the Way! Let us pray together than many would yet come to faith before it is too late! Let the calling voice of our Lord be heard in our day and in this Advent season!

May God Bless your week! John

Jesus and the Woman at the Well

Dear readers around the world. Thank you for your prayers for our travel to Guatemala. God granted us safe passage, and a wonderful time while we ministered to both Christians and those that are not yet Christians there in Guatemala.

This week’s article is way too long, more than double the normal length, so please forgive me for the length. I could not figure out how to shorten it and still complete the story. (Of coarse, it is still not completely said, that would take so much more writing!!)

This Thursday is Thanksgiving in the USA. This is when we as a nation pause to thank the Lord for the Blessings the He provides us. I am thankful for each of you that are in contact with The Foreign Mission through this method! May God Bless you and yours!

Jesus and the Women at the Well
This story found in John chapter 4 is another one of those wonderful portions of God's Word. So much is revealed here about the heart of our Lord Jesus. Let’s take a short look at this story, as the Lord permits!

We notice that Jesus was going from Judaea to Galilee. Verse 4 says the He must needs go through Samaria. Going through Samaria was the most direct route, but the Jews took the long way around because they despised the Samaritans. Since these people were only part Jewish, the Jews felt these people were a lower class people and wanted to have no part of them.

Our Jesus however, did not partake in these feuds; rather, he had a “divine appointment.” It was not by accident, or just to take the shortest way, that Jesus went by way of Samaria.

When Jesus got to Sychar, he came to Jacob’s well. Scripture tells us that Jesus sat on the well. Jesus is weary, He sat on the well. This show’s Jesus was true man. He was tired from the journey. This shows his humanity. He walked the dusty roads; he got thirsty, tired, and weary. Jesus has experienced all the discomforts, aches, pains, trials, and temptations that we experience today.

We notice in many places in the Bible that God, perfect in power, is also perfect in Love, and deals with us in our weakness, not His strength. Augustine wrote, “The strength of Christ created you, the weakness of Christ created you anew.” Jesus died on the cross for me (us/all)! He could have called 10,000 angels to destroy the world and save His life, but He died upon the cross for you and for me!

Notice Jesus was at the well alone. He was there before the woman came. He was there at the sixth hour, which was high noon. In Palestine no one goes out to the well at noon; it’s too hot. No one, that is, except a social outcast like this Samaritan woman. In this we may take heart: if Christ is willing speak to a Samaritan, a woman which is an outcast from society, just who is He unwilling to touch? No one!

Jesus was already there when the woman came. He was waiting for this sinful woman. It is no accident that Jesus was there. It was also no accident Jesus was there in the other stories in the Bible when He showed up to heal, to care, to save. Even today, Jesus waits for sinners in need, and is willing and able to forgive.

Jesus came by a way that a Jew would not come. He ministered in ways that the church in those days would not do. Can we agree, that we should also be ready to minister, and that we should minister in ways and places other than the customary, usual ways of the church. Jesus is always willing and able to listen and to forgive. He will never leave or forsake us.

Can we understand that Jesus loves all mankind? Here he says to the woman, Give me to drink. Jesus started the conversation. The Jews were not even supposed to talk to Samaritans, much less ask them for help. The woman recognized this right way as we see in verse 9. Then Jesus answered in: John 4:10
If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Living and eternal water is what Jesus offers. This living water is spoken about very often in the scriptures. Man often does not understand this even today. This woman surely did not understand whom she was talking to.

The women told Jesus that he had nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Jesus answered in John 4:13-15
Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Then the woman said unto him in verse 15, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Now she wanted some of this special water. She envisioned never having to drink again, or come to the well in public, where her shame would be shown. She did not yet see her sin; she was not yet penitent or repentant. She was not yet ready to die, so that she could live. Notice how Jesus dealt with her at this point. He wanted the process in her heart to proceed, but watch the gentleness with which he handled her. Love is a mark of Jesus. Jesus not only loves all of us, He loves each of us!

Now Jesus told the woman, go call your husband. She said I have no husband. Jesus already knew this, and He said you have had five husbands, but you said correctly that the one you are with now is not your husband. Jesus did not come down fiercely on her, but rather dealt with her with so much patience. He even found something that she was correct in saying, and gave her credit for that. Jesus put the best construction on her. Do we do this? Jesus goal was to get her to see her who he was, and that He could save her.

Let this be a lesson to all believers today. Let us deal with the sinner as Jesus did. Let us have patience, and above all point them to Jesus. The most important thing is that they would come to see Jesus, come to know Jesus by faith.

Let this portion of Jesus being able to see this woman's sin also be a lesson to people in our day. We cannot hid from God. Man sometimes think that they can have "secret" sins. Well, maybe they can be hid for a short while from people, but God sees all.

Now the woman understands that Jesus is a prophet. But she goes on to say again about the proper worship of the elders. She said they worshiped on this mountain, but you say to worship in Jerusalem. She wanted to hang on still to the old ways and traditions, but Jesus tells her what is important. In, John 4:21-24
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Jesus gets to the point lovingly with this woman. He said you don’t know what you worship. Going through the motions and methods of worship is not enough. But the time will surely come that true worshippers will worship in Spirit and in Truth. God is a Spirit; we must truly worship in spirit and in truth. It has to come from the heart; it must be true and not false. It must be the One True God, no other God’s. Jesus is God. It is him that we worship! It must be real and fresh. It is not good enough to be just going through the motions because our family has done it for years. Our worship must be because we desire and appreciate the Living water, and that we know and see Jesus.

The woman now says that the Messiah is coming, which is called Christ, and He will teach us all things. She still could not SEE Jesus. Our loving Lord is so long suffering, He said, “I speak unto thee am he.” He wants all of us to see Him. What unending love and patience. He revealed Himself to this woman. Do we understand this? Do we see Jesus? Do we have this living water? Dear sinner, Jesus is calling for you, He is waiting for you! Do you hear him?

Now the disciples finally came back and started asking; why are you talking to this woman? The woman left her water pot, and went to proclaim about Jesus.
No longer was the woman concerned about the natural water. She had been in the presence of the one that could provide the living water, the water that will last forever. She no longer needed the water pot, since she had the Living water.

She was a sinful woman who came to the well in shame when she thought no one else would be there. Now she is leaving a new woman, and goes straight into the city in front of all the people and told about Jesus. She wanted to share. She could not be held back. She shared of Jesus. Do we do this? Are we so excited that we leave the church and want to share about Jesus? Let all bring their sins to Jesus, and leave them there at the cross. Let us leave all our cares and our burdens with Jesus, repent of our sins, and begin or continue to walk by the Power of the Holy Spirit going forth into all the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus to every creature.

If there are any reading this message, or that hear this message from you’re telling of it, who cannot believe, encourage them to go to a Christian or to a Christian pastor and confess their faults and sins. Dear Christian, encourage them with the blessed message of the Gospel that Jesus has forgiven all there sins through His death on the cross, the shedding of His blood, and through the limitless power of His Holy Name. Encourage the unbelieving sinner to believe this complete message of the Gospel for their soul’s salvation! The woman in our story was a great sinner. Jesus waited for her and spoke so lovingly to her. She saw Jesus! Oh that this story could repeat itself so many more times, that the sinner would see Jesus.

This woman became quite an evangelist. She went forth and presented Christ. Each one must come to experience new birth and Christ for themselves. She had now experienced so she went into the city to share, to witness! This woman proclaimed the Jesus knew all that she had done. She admitted she was sinful. She did not care who knew know, she had been visited and she had seen Jesus. She was no longer shackled by her sin.

Let us also be witnesses for our Lord. Let share with whoever will listen about the Jesus that knows all things, and see all things. Let us share about the Living Waters supplied by Christ Jesus. This is the water that when one has partaken, they will never thirst again!

In the beginning of this story, Jesus was thirsty and asked for drink. He did this so He could share of the Living Water. Do you know of someone thirsty that you can share with them of this water? Believe the Bible as it states in John 7:37-39
If any man thirsts, let him come unto me, and drink. 38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Praise and Thank the Lord for the Living Water! JR

The Ticket

Dear Readers around the world! It sure is wonderful when we can communicate each and every week through and with God’s Word. God’s Word is so complete, that no matter what our station is life is, or where we live in the world, there is God’s word to encourage us, uplift us, and give us strength to go on.

On Saturday my wife, my son, and I boarded a plane and headed to Florida. On Sunday AM I shared with a congregation about the work that the Lord is doing through the Foreign Mission of the ALC throughout this world. I am always encouraged when Christians here in America have an interest in being obedient to the words of our Lord when He said “go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Many of you that believe by faith are spreading the Gospel in your countries as well. To God be the Glory now and forever. No glory goes to man for the work done in God’s Kingdom. We only desire to be willing tools in the Lord’s workshop.

From Florida we travel this week to Guatemala. This little country has very much poverty, and has so many people that are in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray that the Word would be spoken in truth and purity on this trip. Because of this, I most likely will miss one or two weeks of this weekly email blog, since both time and internet service will be very short.

As we travel by plane, bus, or train, one thing we notice is that before we can ride on the train to our destination, we need a ticket. Without a ticket we cannot travel. If we forget our luggage, our toothbrush, or any other thing, we can still travel. However, without a ticket we are left at the station.

If we liken this to our life here on earth, we can quickly come to understand that if we want to go to heaven, we need to be prepared in advance with the only ticket that will get us there. We need the complete redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ! We need to believe by the faith which is given to us by our Lord. Without this faith, we cannot enter into heaven! We may live a good life; we can remember to have all the other items in life in the proper order. We can plan and prepare all we want, but without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

How does this faith come? The Word tells us in Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Then God tells us: Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Now dear reader, do you believe by faith? If you do believe by faith, then are you willing to be the preacher? I am not talking only to pulpit preachers here, but to all Christians. We have been called on and given a task to share God’s word in the verse above, so that other’s can hear God’s Word during this time of Grace! This could mean speaking to them at work, school, Sunday school, bus stop, or wherever we are. This could sometimes mean not using words at all, but just being an example of Christ to them!

Let your light shine before men! This is the Light of Jesus! The One that lights up the world! Do not hide this light under a basket, but let your life be like a city on a hill, which cannot be hid!

May God Bless your week!

Again, please pray for this trip to Guatemala!

Faith and Hope

Dear Readers around the world. Please enjoy our weekly blog which is written this week by Pastor Orval Wirkkala. May God Bless your week! John


Faith and Hope

KJV Hebrews 11:1-3 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Faith means to trust God, believing God for our future. We are trusting our life in the hands of God, for the future that He has in store for us. Hope we think of as our desire, something we would like to see happen, but in biblical language hope refers to the future promises of God, which have not yet taken place, but will most certainly happen. Our hope is like the anchor of the soul, for we believe God for our future.

Hope is the certainty of the future promises of God. Hope is faith looking forward. Do we believe that Abraham Lincoln was our President during the civil war? Yes, we do, for we believe in those things that have already taken place, and we trust that those events happened. In this sense, we tend to think about faith in the sense of looking backward and hope as trusting in the future. Even though faith and hope may be distinguished from each other, yet they are very closely related. Faith is what gives substance to our hope.

How do we know that the future promises of God will come to pass? Because we trust God, for people of faith are those who trust God. It is because of the faithfulness of God that we have assurance for the future. Because we have faith, there is hope. Without faith, there is no hope. People have hope today, but not all are putting their hope in God, which means they have a hope that is not biblical and it is a hope that will leave them disappointed.

When we succumb to unbelief, it causes us to fear the future, by making assumptions about the future. Here are two examples of our forefathers who looked to the future, one lacked faith and the other possessed faith. David thought he knew the future, but did he? He knew that Samuel had anointed him to be king of Israel, but fear caused him to lose sight of God's promise.


KJV 1 Samuel 27:1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

And Apostle Paul's faith
KJV 2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Is tomorrow seen by us? No, we are finite humans and cannot see tomorrow. We don't know about tomorrow, but we know who holds tomorrow. Many things about tomorrow, we don't understand, but we know who holds our hand as we look to the future.
Recently when I asked a brother as to how I could pray for him, this is what he said: "Pray that I would trust in God who is unseen and that I would not fear the seen circumstances!"

May that be our prayer for one another today.

Bound together by faith with hope for the future,

Pastor Orval Wirkkala

Behold, I Stand at the Door

Dear Readers around the world! Today our article is written by an elder pastor from our church here in the USA. He
is no longer able to preach due to his health. Some of my most special early childhood memories include listening to this Pastor preach God's word
when he visited our area. May God Bless each of you through the coming week! John
Now, Pastor Holmgren

These words of Jesus are often applied to the
unchurched—specifically, those living outwardly in sin and
in defiance of the will of God as it is revealed in the Word of
God. Taken in context, they present a startling revelation! Jesus
was speaking to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans. He
was the minister (messenger) of that church and was held as a
star in the right hand of Jesus (Revelation 1:20).

It is apparent he was not in fellowship with the Lord. The
words paint a graphic picture of the Savior standing at the door
seeking entrance. It’s alarming to think that this angel’s spiritual
life had deteriorated to the extent that he was no longer in
communion with his Lord and Savior. The Master, in whose
ministry he served, appeared outside of the door of his heart.
He was in a lukewarm condition, in a state of spiritual
indifference. He had lost consciousness of his sinfulness and
his need of grace and developed such spiritual independence
that he felt rich and increased with goods and in need of
nothing. This self-sufficient, lukewarm condition resulted not
only in complacency, but also in spiritual blindness of the
magnitude that Jesus said that he did not know that he was
wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.

The better way was found by the Lord in the hearts and
spiritual lives of two angels of the other churches addressed in
these divinely inspired letters. The Lord knew the works,
tribulations and poverty of the angel at Smyrna but comforted
him with the statement that he was rich nevertheless
(Revelation 2:9).

The Lord also approved the condition of the
angel at Philadelphia, whom, He said, had a little strength, had
kept His Word and had not denied His name (Revelation 3:8).
It is evident that the condition of the angel at Laodicea was
deplorable in the Lord’s sight because He said …I will spue thee
out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:16) Yet Jesus showed him the
way back to spiritual health by counseling him to buy of Him
gold tried in the fire so that he might be rich, white raiment so
that he would be clothed and his nakedness would not show,
and eye salve so that he would be able to see (verse 18).

What prompted this straightforward message to this angel?
The love of the Lord shines in every word He spoke, even in this
seemingly stern admonition. As many as I love, I rebuke and
chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear
my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will
sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:19-20) Jesus’
words teach us the essence of Christianity is communion with
Him. There is no substitute for this relationship. Communion
with Jesus is the only means for restoring and preserving a
living relationship with God. Through His Spirit, He imparts to
us the gifts of grace which enable us to feast upon His truth.

Then we can say with the Psalmist, My heart is inditing a good
matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the
king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer
than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore
God hath blessed thee for ever. (Psalm 45:1-2)
Pastor Alvin Holmgren
July 1988 CM

Declare His Glory!

Dear Readers around the world!

Psalm 96:1-3
O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 2Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. 3Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

Our text for today is a wonderful and beautiful portion of God’s Holy Word! It is a song of rejoicing, praise, and instruction! The rejoicing and singing can begin NOW for each believer. Let the cup of our hearts run over with praise! Our God is so mighty, powerful, loving, and eternal! He has done so many mighty works!

Declare his glory among the heathen. Do you have heathen in your countries? We surely have them here in the USA. What does the scripture here tell us? Declare His Glory!! Tell of His wonders!

Today I would like to share some of those wonders as they come to mind here in the early morning dawn on this colorful fall day.
Our God created all things. The sun, moon and stars, He created them all! The heathen worship these, yet they were created by God whom we worship!
God created the dry land, the sea, the flowers, the trees, the fish, the animals, the birds, and all else!
The God of the Bible is the one that caused the huge flood when it never rained before. He opened the gates of heaven and the rain came down. Our God caused that 8 souls were saved in Noah’s arc, which He gave the plans and instructions for!
God parted the Red Sea in the time of Moses. Imagine the power!
God stopped the river so the children of Israel could pass over on dry ground.
All the miracles of the Old Testament are we accomplished by the One True God.

God did not stop with Old Testament miracles. He knew that when Adam and Eve fell into sin, a Saviour was required. The blood of the innocent animals that died for sin in the Old Testament, were a picture of the innocent blood of His own Son that would be shed for the Redemption of Mankind.

Jesus was True God, and also True Man. Jesus was born of a virgin. This was truly a miracle. The Lord Jesus, turned water into wine. He healed the sick, He made the blind to see. He feed the 5000; He made the lame to walk! He cleansed the leper, He stilled the sea! Are you getting the picture! Who but the Lord could ever do such! I could go on and on... He brought the dead back to life, He restored the withered hand, He walked on the Sea! Yes, He walked on water! The very thing that was the problem in the sea, the rough waves, He walked on! The waves were under His feet. Our problems can also be under His feet. He has control and authority, if we but let Him!

Jesus filled the nets with fish, He put the ear that was cut off back on, and He made the mute man talk!

Today, I pray that He would make me talk when I am mute. I pray that He would cause me to declare His name among the heathen. I pray that He would fill the nets with fish (souls of men) that many could be saved through this declaration! I pray the ears would hear so that faith can come by hearing!

Those that have sin sickness, I pray that they would repent, believe, and thereby be healed! Those that are burdened and can’t walk uprightly as a Christian let them be renewed and begin walking and leaping and praising God!

What a wonderful and Mighty God and Saviour we have, He is truly worthy of all Praise, Honor, and Glory!

Declare His Name dear Pastor!! Declare His Name dear Reader! Declare it to the heathen! Declare His Name to the entire world!

May the Worker of Miracles, do another miracle yet today, causing you and me to Declare His Glory!

May God Bless Your Week!

To read more about our Church and our Mission please visit www.themissionsite.com
Here you can follow links to read other websites. Please read the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ as taught by the Apostolic Lutheran Church of America, among whatever else you have time to read! I know most of you have to read on a computer in an internet cafe.

Prayer

Dear Readers around the world! May God’s Peace be with each of you!

This week I am busy getting ready for a meeting of the Foreign Mission board which is going to be held here in my office in NH USA during the later parts of this week.
In preparation for this meeting, I am again reminded of the importance of prayer. I would respectfully request that each of you pray for this meeting. Many important decisions will be made that will affect our mission work in the coming months. We surely desire that this meeting would go according to God’s will, and that we as the Foreign Mission board, would be willing tools in His Kingdom, desiring to do His will.

Let’s look into scripture about prayer since we are on that topic today. First of all, we have that most perfect prayer that Jesus taught us. This is the Lord’s Prayer, with which we are all familiar I am sure. It is a most wonderful prayer which is found in Luke 11:2-4
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil………….

At the very beginning of this prayer we see that Jesus said, OUR FATHER. This is wonderful. Jesus had the same Father as you and I. Also, you and I have the same Father. There is only one true Father of All. Together we worship this one true God, our Father. By praying Our Father, Jesus showed that He was true man as well true God.

Jesus truly knew the power of prayer. Very often in the Bible He exhorts us to pray. Jesus did not only exhort us to pray, He led by example. Do you remember that when after being with the multitudes He went apart and prayed? He prayed on the mountains, He prayed in the garden, He prayed for His friends, He prayed for those that were against Him. He prayed on the cross when He said, Father forgive them!

This is the kind of Jesus that we have! Jesus cares for us. Jesus led by example. Jesus knew when He was on earth that our (His and ours) Father was in heaven. He knew that when we pray the Lord’s prayer in our day, that OUR Father would still be in heaven all these many years later. Our Father is not leaving the throne of Heaven. He is always there waiting all of those that are covered by the blood of His Son Jesus to come home! He is always there watching over His children.

Let us never leave Our Father and the precious atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus goes on in our text to say Hallowed by thy Name! God’s name is Holy! God is Holy! Let us never forget that He is our Holy God. Many places in the bible testify of His Holiness! For instance: Leviticus 11:44-45
For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy:
Isaiah 48:17
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Our Holy God is also our Father. Even a natural father loves his children. This love is very small compared to how much our Heavenly Father loves us. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to live here on earth so he could become acquainted with our grief, our fears, pain, temptations, and everything else that we experience in this life. He came here to earth to make atonement for our sins. Jesus came to fulfill all that we cannot fulfill. God sent Jesus to suffer, bleed, and die for our sins. The Good Shepherd gave up His life for His sheep. God’s son Jesus died on the cross of us! Payment for our sin was made in full!

What a Wonderful Father we have. What a wonderful Christ Jesus our Lord we have. Just in the first few words of the prayer that Jesus taught us, we cannot even come close to explaining all the could be said in this short letter. I suppose the reason for this is explained in John 21:25
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

And Amen! May God be with you through another week!

The Great Shepherd!

Dear Readers around the world!

I am praying and trusting that you have had a safe week, as well as one that you were able to read His Word, to be in prayer, and were able to be in fellowship with other believers!

Last week I shared with you briefly from Hebrews 13. One of those two verses spoke about our Great Shepherd.

Today, I would like to expand on the Great Shepherd portion of that scripture. I suggested that you read the entire 23rd Psalm. That Psalm is so precious to many of us Christians.

There is part of one verse from this Psalm that I would like to share with you, as well as comments upon it that I recently heard spoken. Our dear brother in Christ, Pastor Steve Wauri, from Canada, formerly of the USA, and whom had been for many years on our church federations Central Board, was speaking only about 2 weeks ago at his son’s funeral.

Yes, sadly, Steve and his wife Jackie, lost there 24 year old son, as he was killed in an accident by a train. As you can imagine, this was a very tragic event in their lives.

As Pastor Steve spoke at his sons funeral, he commented on Psalm 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…. Steve said, that on the day his son died, they felt like they were entering into the valley of the shadow of death. It was so precious for me to hear Steve go on to say, that by the end of the week, after feeling the prayers, and seeing the love of the Christians, it truly became real to him that this verse actually says, that though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..

He said to notice that the word says through the valley, not into the valley…. He said that they could feel the Lord carrying them through the valley. God was and is fulfilling His promise taking care of them in their time of grief.

God will all take care of us in all our times of grief, troubles, and problems. His word and promises are so wonderful and true! He will lead us through. Remember, the God of the mountains, (those good times in life) is the same God as the God of the valleys! (the bad times)

Our Lord is trust worthy. He will lead us through all events that come up. Remember to be like sheep and hear his voice. The animals that are called sheep that we see in our countryside, hear the voice of their shepherd. They know the voice of their shepherd. If there is another shepherd in the same area, they will not be fooled into going with the wrong shepherd because they know the voice of the one they belong to.

Let us as Christians be like sheep even in this way. Let us listen to the voice of the preacher. Let us listen to the small still voice of the Holy Ghost within us. Let us make sure we follow the voice of no other shepherd, other than the Great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Let this voice be heard among us always, and let us hear no other!
May God Bless your week! John