happy reformation day

the truth

"Your Word is Truth" (John 17)

Truth is more than just facts. It is a reality.What's true is true, for everyone, everywhere, all the time.We can't create the truth, but we can discover it.We can't change the truth, but it can change us.We all long for the truth, even when we try to reject it.
As C.S. Lewis put it, "The truth is what it is and what it was long before I was born, whether I like it or not."

God is the source of all truth. He has written His truth on our hearts.It is the natural law, which we often call our conscience. It is the basic knowledge of right and wrong, falsehood and truth.
Even though because of our sin we turned away from His truth, God still kept His promise to save the world through His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, for He alone is faithful and true. He came down from heaven to earth, into the world that He had created, in order that He might save it. This is the blessed truth of the Gospel.

Jesus said, " I am the way, the truth, and the life." He didn't say He would show the truth or live the truth or teach the truth - He said He is the truth. He is Truth Personified.
The Psalmist writes, "The God of truth is not a man, that he should lie or change his mind." God is truth and His Word is truth.

The truth about God's forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life through Jesus Christ can be found only in the Bible, the Book of Truth, God's Holy Word.

"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8)

a tree in our back yard

fall at the seminary

(photos by diane meyer at respublica)

lego luther

lego pastor

mercy

If grace is getting what you don't deserve, then mercy is NOT getting what you DO deserve. It's like 2 sides of the same coin -

God's amazing grace and His tender mercy.

When God looks down upon His fallen creation, He has mercy on those whom He has created. Though we deserve nothing but punishment and death because of our sin, He shows mercy to us because of the suffering and death of His Son Jesus Christ on our behalf. Instead of punishing us and condemning us for our sin, He offers us His love, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. When we believe in Him, when we put our faith and trust in Jesus and receive His forgiveness and salvation, we are not only freed from the chains of sin and death, we are also freed up to do good works, and to show mercy to the people around us who need it.

Because God has shown this tender mercy to us, we strive to do the same for our neighbor. As God's loved and adopted children, we are called to treat people with dignity, kindness, gentleness, and respect. It's who we are - It's what we do.

And as we go about our new missions of mercy as free and forgiven children of God, this short little seven-word prayer, spoken by the tax collector in one of Jesus' parables, is one of the best prayers we can ever say - "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner."

olympic golf

Now that it has been announced that golf will be an Olympic Sport, I kind of wish Chicago had gotten the 2016 Olympics!
My question is - Where are they going to play golf in Rio??

god words

This month, in honor of the Reformation, I will be blogging about some of the important words of the Christian faith. Words such as grace, mercy, faith, gospel, church, truth, and so on.

I am looking forward to this and I hope it is something which is edifying and beneficial to you.

now this is what i call an oktoberfest

on prayer

"If someone wants to adequately describe the usefulness of pious, earnest prayer, he will surely find a beginning more easily than a conclusion. Pious prayer offered in faith is a familiar conversation with God. It is a salutary remedy to all the difficulties of life. It is the key to heaven and the door to paradise. It shows us how much we depend on God, and it is a ladder of ascension to God. It is a shield for our defense and a faithful messenger of the ambassador. It is refreshment in the heat of misfortune, it is medicine during illness. It is a vessel that draws water from the font of divine kindness. It is a sword against the devil and a defense against misfortune. It is a wind that blows away evil and brings earthly benefits. It is a nurse that nurtures virtues and conquers faults. It is a great fortification for the soul and gives free access to God. It is a spiritual feast and a heavenly delicacy. It is a consolation for the dejected and a delight for the holy. It grants knowledge of the secret things of God and acquires His good gifts. It upholds the world and rescues people. It is ajoy for the heart and a jubilation for the mind. It follows God's gift of grace, and it leads us into glory. It is a garden of happiness and a tree full of delights. It calms the conscience and increases our thankfulness. It sends demons running and draws angels close. It is a soothing remedy for the misfortunes of life and the sweet smell of sacrifice of thanksgiving. It is a foretaste of the life to come and it sweetens the bitterness of death." (Johann Gerhard)