Martin Luther's Evening Prayer

Always tell the truth! But do you know the truth? Often, we mistake a small part of the truth, often our own perception/perspective for the whole truth. Telling the truth requires humility and wilingness to listen as well as to tell. Send us Fan Mail

Enemies tried to intimidate Christ, but He knew He would die at God's choosing, and so made choices making good use of the time. Send us Fan Mail

The Bidding Prayer is one of the oldest portions of the Roman mass, preserved in the Good Friday liturgy. Send us Fan Mail

Returning good for evil is often the means to overcome evil and change the heart of an enemy. If not, that enemy is shamed and embarrassed by your generosity. Christ has done so for the world, died and forgiven us. Will it change our hearts? Or merely make us who reject it feel burning coals? Send us Fan Mail

We implore God's mercy on Ash Wednesday as we recall our sin, our need for repentance, and our need for Christ's saving work. Send us Fan Mail

Traditional blessing and procession of Palms on Passion Sunday Send us Fan Mail

Abraham is admired by 3 great religions. St. Paul points out that he is the exemplar of faith because his sin was forgiven because God counted his faith as righteousness. This applies to us today- we are saved by faith in God's promise, centered on the Seed promised to Abraham, Jesus Christ. Send us Fan Mail

When someone asked Jesus about folks who died in tragic circumstances, He did not reassure them; rather He said, "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish!" This makes understanding repentance of crucial importance. Send us Fan Mail

Do I make myself believe? Luther points out, "I cannot by my own reason of strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, even as He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. Send us Fan Mail

In a building there are some things which are incidental, and some which are essential. None is more important than the foundation upon which all else rests. Is Christ your foundation? or is He merely a bit of decoration like a lawn ornament in your life? Send us Fan Mail

Change equals uncertainty. In times of change our expectations are confounded and that feels unfair. We need a relationship with the One who never changes, who can give us perspective on our lives. Send us Fan Mail

A little understood part of the Apostles' Creed is the clause, "He descended into hell." He did this not to suffer, but to proclaim victory over the devil in his own territory! It is the beginning of His Easter triumph, thrown into the teeth of the enemy before revealing this good news to His friends! Send us Fan Mail

By nature, our hearts are narrowly focused on that which gratifies us; but the heart of Christ embraces even enemies. By Christ's example, teaching, and Holy Spirit, we are empowered for love. Send us Fan Mail

Because we don't trust God, we want to live by the law; but the law always accuses, condemns. How much better to live by grace, freely giving and receiving! Send us Fan Mail

David's sin with Bathsheba was forgiven by God. But the son he had by her was to die. when we understand the true consequences of our sins, remember the innocent son of David who died. Send us Fan Mail

Sometimes we don't understand the way things are. We try to change them but find unanticipated loss therefrom. St. Paul urges Timothy and the whole Church to strictly guard what God has given in the Gospel of Christ lest we lose some or all of the blessing intended for His people. Send us Fan Mail

In this message for Trinity Sunday, God's character is outlined from His works, specifically Creation, Redemption, and Sanctification. Send us Fan Mail

God wishes us to understand our lives in the light of His gift of Jesus. This gives eternal life and a meaningful, fulfilling life now. Send us Fan Mail

The early church seems to have had many signs and wonders to confirm the message of Christ. Why don't we have them anymore? Send us Fan Mail

St. Paul explains to the Ephesians what the mystery was for ages that was unlocked by the coming of the Messiah. Send us Fan Mail

God made us brothers and sisters when His Son became flesh in Christ Jesus. Christ took on our sin so that we could receive His blessedness. That is a Christmas gift! Send us Fan Mail

The Psalmist foresaw that God would keep His promise to David that David's son should rule forever, and this is declared in the heavens. When the promise was fulfilled at Christmas, angels sang "Glory to God in the highest, and peace, good will toward men!" Send us Fan Mail

Christ was the Son of David and the promised Messiah who would reign forever. Certain qualities in His ancestors, the kings of Judah, are worth noting and meditating upon during the Advent season. Zerubbabel, Governor during the restoration of the Jewish state, led God's people to rebuild the temple, foreshadowing the work of Jesus Christ. Send us Fan Mail

Christians can miss the point of their faith, and have repeatedly throughout history. Luther's Reformation should be remembered as a time when God used Luther and other reformers to call the Church back to the theme Solomon speaks of in Proverbs 22, "that our trust may be in the Lord." Solomon emphasizes the importance of handing on these hard-won teachings because our witness is no...

After disaster which Joe saw as God's act, came relief and recovery which Joel saw as God's doing. God deals with us both through pain and pleasure, blessing and sorrow, but His true will is shown in blessing, and the punishments are given for the sake of ultimate blessing. Therefore, we should give thanks in all circumstances. Send us Fan Mail