Grace for New Life

When we forget the spiritual blessings we have through Jesus, it is easy for us to forget our true purpose and make our lives all about glorifying ourselves. But when we anchor ourselves in the truth that God chose us before creation for purity, redemption & abundant life with him and has revealed to us his plan for redeeming & renewing all things through Jesus, we want to reset with our t...

Trying to save our before-Jesus life is a lost cause because that life is the source of all problems between us and God and that life needs to die so that the new life that Jesus wants to give to us can be planted in our soul, take root and grow. Thankfully, Jesus is our perfect representative who died and rose again for us. In response to what Jesus has done for us, we embrace the new identity he...

Christmas is a tough time of year for many (loneliness, grief, family conflicts) that the earthly joys of the season cannot overcome. But God the Son became human to give us new life with him that will last forever. Therefore, we move forward and face the challenges of life in this world with the hope, courage and strength that we have in Jesus. (Based on 1 John 4:7-17.)

Suffering is part of life in this world and it is easy for us to become discouraged when we suffer. But Jesus has used suffering to make us beloved children of God and give us the future hope of future glory with God. In the meantime, God works to make all things work out for our good. So we persevere knowing that nothing, not even death, will separate us from Jesus and his great love for us. (Bas...

In times of struggle, loss or suffering, it is hard for us to have joy. However, that changes when our joy is based on Jesus and his promise to return to this world, banish all evil, overturn all injustice, and heal and restore all creation, including us. As we walk toward our ultimate home on the highway of holiness that Jesus built for us, we sing songs of joyful praise in thanksgiving for him....

Though there are many things which work to make our hearts and minds anxious, Jesus came to give us new life as citizens of heaven and the sure and certain promise of resurrection life. Therefore we imitate those who have gone before us in faith, focus on whatever is good, beautiful and true, and give all our anxieties to God in prayer. And the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Chris...

As followers of Jesus, we often feel like we don’t belong in this world for we are strangers in a strange land. But God has good plans for us, plans to give us hope and a future. Those plans are fulfilled in Jesus, who will sustain us throughout this life and, one day, bring us to our proper home. (Based on Jeremiah 29:4-14.)

Like a water-soaked cell phone, on our own, we human beings are broken and unable to function and glorify God as we were originally designed to do. Thankfully, we are saved from eternal brokenness and given eternal life by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Resting in his love and forgiveness, we are able to live for the glory of God alone. (Based on John 17:1-12.)

It would be the easiest thing in the world for us to let ourselves be guided by our selfish desires and the ways of the world. But God is calling us into a life that is far, far greater than that. The Bible, God’s Word has the power to save, transform and preserve us, and when it becomes our blueprint for life, we have God’s purpose and direction guiding us. (Based on 2 Timothy 3:14-4:8.)

We all want to be at the top of our game, but how do we do that in our relationship with God? As we dig into the Bible, we see that being right is not something we feel or do, it is a gift from God given to us through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Jesus is God’s righteousness for us because he has fully fulfilled all the ways that we fall short. (Based on Romans 3:21-28.)

The thought of living life on our own naturally appeals to the human soul. But having a healthy soul requires strong medicine. It means facing up to two truths the Bible tells us. First, that we are as good as dead and lost forever without Jesus. Second, with Jesus, we are given new life and raised to live in the heavenly realms with him. It is only by grace alone that we are able to receive this...

We all want to live an abundant life, but who are we following to get it? There are plenty of options for us to consider. All those options over promise and under deliver, except for the God of the Bible. He gives first, and then invites us into a relationship with him, where we continually receive. We see this most clearly in Jesus who invites us to commit to an exclusive relationship with him. O...

Memories from the past often direct us in the future, but that future can go awry because we tend to remember our pain and past failures. While we cannot choose what memories we have, we can choose which memories we emphasize. God is inviting us to make and mark new memories based on his faithfulness. Those God-given memory markers can be signs of hope and encouragement for the future for us and f...

It is not uncommon for us to become anxious when faced with an overwhelming, no-turning-back decision. But as we let God speak into our lives and hear the knowledge and vision he has for us, we are able to make challenging decisions and act on them, confident in God because he partners with us as we move forward in faith. (Based on Joshua 3:7-17.)

Sometimes life can beat us down so hard that it is hard for us to believe that any good of lasting significance could come from our life. The story of Rahab shows us that God works through anyone to accomplish great things. With Jesus’ loving kindness as the foundation of our life, we are able to move forward with faith over fear. (Based on Joshua 2:1-14.)

It is one thing to realize that we need to change and to want to make that change. But how do we make the changes in our lives that we have never done before? God will help us. By remembering that what he has done in the past applies to us in the present, we are able, with his help, to make the changes we need to make now to better reflect his love into the world. (Based on Exodus 13:1-16.)

Memories can be a great comfort to us in challenging times. But some challenges are greater than the memories of our past experiences. That’s why it is important for us relive the memories of what Jesus has done for us. By making the past present, we can be people of hope for the world.

Jesus’ own family were sometimes puzzled by what he said and did. Some of the scribes even accused him of being aligned with Satan rather than God. The best way to make sense of all this is to see that Jesus’ mission is to rescue and renew our often confused and corrupt world, so that we can participate in the kingdom of God. (Based on Mark 3:20-35).

Are you up against more than you can handle? How can you win when the battle is much more difficult and even more dangerous than you imagined? Let’s explore what the Bible says about us wearing and using the whole armor of God at all times, 24-7.

On July 17, 2021, Lisa Olding interviewed Pastor Karl Keller at his farm. Listen in as Pastor Karl shares about starting Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, sharing the Gospel and encountering demon possession on the mission field. (Part 2 of 2.)

On July 17, 2021, Lisa Olding interviewed Pastor Karl Keller at his farm. Listen in as Pastor Karl shares about starting Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, sharing the Gospel and encountering demon possession on the mission field. (Part 1 of 2.)

Many of us would like a fairy tale ending to life where good things happen to us, even though we don’t deserve them. Why should we dare to hope for such an ending? Because God’s faithful lovingkindness is with us. (Based on Psalm 23.)

Our fears can prevent us from preparing a thoughtful response to the challenges we face in life. But Jesus helps us to set a course in this life that leads to eternity with him in glory. As we release into his care the fears that hold us back, we realize that we are forever safe with our Savior. (Based on Ps. 91:1-16.)

Time travel may not be possible yet in a practical sense, but we can travel back in time to gain knowledge to help us today. Our beliefs about the future help us to accurately interpret the present. Will our knowledge about the past and our beliefs about the future serve us well when we experience tough times? From the past and for the future, Jesus gives us hope. With that hope, we have peace. (B...

We all have times when it feels like we don’t fit it, but when this feeling of rejection endures, we can end up thinking something is wrong with us. Thankfully, Jesus came to love and save those on the margins of society. With the love, acceptance and hope he gives us, we are able to confront those lies of rejection and unworthiness with the truth of full forgiveness and acceptance in Jesus. (Base...