Reflections

October 24, 2023 Today's Reading: Isaiah 45:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 5:22-6:9 , Matthew 9:1-17 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of…”. (Isaiah 45:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever seen God work in someone that you totally never expected?  Maybe the person was a nominal Christian or maybe they were the furthest thing from a Chr...

October 23, 2023 Today's Reading: Acts 15:12-22 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 5:1-21 , Matthew 8:18-34 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. (Acts 15:13) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. You all probably know someone who does not believe in Jesus.  I'd be surprised if anyone reading this doesn't have a dear loved one, who does not trust in Christ. It's the saddest thin...

October 22, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 22:15-22 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 4:21-40 , Matthew 8:1-17 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”  (Matthew 22:20) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Pharisees today try to trap Jesus. They want to see if He would be for or against paying taxes to the Romans.  Jesus famously uses the image of Caesar on the coin to show that H...

October 21, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 21: Psalm 121:1-4, 7-8 ; antiphon Psalm 121:5 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 4:1-20 , Matthew 7:13-29 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Psalm 121 is a “song of ascent”. It was sung by the pilgrims who were making their journey to Jerusalem and the temple.  Th...

October 20, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 3:1-29 , Matthew 7:1-12 “Do not judge others..”. (Matthew 7:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. If you ever watch a courtroom trial on TV, you will always notice the trial takes time. Sometimes the trial is a few hours, sometimes it takes months. You will always notice that the judge doesn’t immediately make a judgment at the start of...

October 19, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism, Baptism Part 2 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 2:16-37 , Matthew 6:16-34 It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.   Baptism today is practiced by so many Christians throughout the world today. ...

October 18, 2023 Today's Reading: Luke 10:1-9 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:37-2:15 , Matthew 6:1-15 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you. (Luke 10:9) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. Today’s verses have certainly been used by so many to give a pep rally for us to go out and proclaim the Kingdom of God in all that we do.  Th...

October 17, 2023 Today's Reading: Philippians 4:4-13 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:19-36 , Matthew 5:21-48 “The Lord is at hand…” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lord is at hand..Rejoice in the Lord always…do not be anxious about anything”. Yeah that seems like it's not gonna happen.  When you look at everything around us today it seems like there is very little to rejoice over.  If the strugg...

October 16, 2023 Today's Reading: Isaiah 25:6-9 Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:1-18 , Matthew 5:1-20 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever.  (Isaiah 25:7) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Many of us can probably remember a very special meal that we were a part of.  It may have bee...

October 15, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 22:1-14 Daily Lectionary: Malachi 3:6-4:6 , Matthew 4:12-25 The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.  (Matthew 22:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When you sit down to eat with your family either at home or at a restaurant, you generally eat with the people you know and love.  It would be rather odd to have some stra...

October 14, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 20: Isaiah 61:10 ; antiphon Psalm 146:2 Daily Lectionary: Malachi 2:1-3:5 , Matthew 4:1-11 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.  (Psalm 146:2) In the Name of Jesus, Amen. Hallelujah is Hebrew for “praise the Lord.” The Greek word is alleluia. Alleluia is an invitation to praise God. Th...

October 13, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Malachi 1:1-14 ,  Matthew 3:1-17 John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”   “…The voice of one crying in the wilderness…” (Matthew 3:1,2,3b) In the Name of Jesus, Amen. God wants you to be a happy hearer. Satan, on the other hand, wants you to despise preaching and to reluctantl...

October 12, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:22-38 , 1 Timothy 6:3-21 But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (1 Timothy 6:6-8) In the Name of Jesus, Amen. Your life should reflect who you are in Christ, all of your life. Yo...

October 11, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism, Baptism: Part 1 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:1-21 , 1 Timothy 5:17-6:2 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  In the beginning was water. The Spirit of God hovered over the water, and the Word of God was...

October 10, 2023 Today's Reading: Philippians 3:4b-14 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 7:1-4, 8:1-18 , 1 Timothy 5:1-16 I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3:8) It is personal. Faith is first about you and Jesus, just the two...

October 9, 2023 Today's Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 5:1-16; 6:1-9, 15-16 , 1 Timothy 4:1-16 What more was there to do for my vineyard…? (Isaiah 5:4a) In the Name of Jesus, Amen. God is a gardener. He planted the first garden in Eden out of love. It was perfect; a garden that was destined to be forever green with blooming flowers and fruitful trees. God Himself watered the gard...

October 8, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 21:33-46 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 4:7-23 , 1 Timothy 3:1-16 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’  And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. (Matthew 21:38, 39) In the Name of Jesus, Amen. The master of the house who planted the vineyard is G...

October 7, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 19: Psalm 118:22-24 , antiphon Psalm 118:1 Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 2:11-20, 4:1-6 , 1 Timothy 2:1-15 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24) In the Name of Jesus, Amen. You are a child of the day. Day is for light; for seeing clearly. You are not a child of any ordinary day but of an extraordi...

October 6, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 1:1-2:10 , 1 Timothy 1:1-20 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners… (1 Timothy 1:15) In the Name of Jesus, Amen. In Jesus, God saves sinners. Jesus is God. All things were created through Him. Jesus is fully man. He became enfleshed in the womb of the Virgin Mary...

October 5, 2023 Today's Reading:   Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 36:1-23 , Colossians 4:1-18 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:5-6) In the Name of Jesus. Amen. Are you a preacher or a hearer? If you are a preacher, as you well know, you mu...

October 4, 2023 Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism, The Lord's Prayer: Conclusion Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 35:1-7, 16-25 , Colossians 3:1-25 For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. In the name of Jesus, Amen. Thine means yours. Let’s be clear. Thine doesn’t mean “mine.” Thine is a form of Thy before a word beginning with a vowel. Daring to be Luthe...

October 3, 2023 Today's Reading: Philippians 2:1-18 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 34:1-4, 8-11, 14-33 , Colossians 2:8-23 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus... (Philippians 2:4,5) In the Name of Jesus, Amen. There is only one God, the Holy Spirit. This Spirit is one with the Father...

October 2, 2023 Today's Reading: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 33:1-25 , Colossians 1:24-2:7 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live. (Ezekiel 18:32) In the name of Jesus, Amen. It’s not my fault! I didn’t do anything wrong! Why do I have to pay the price for what someone else did? This is what the people of Israel meant when t...

October 1, 2023 Today's Reading: Matthew 21:23-32 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 32:1-22 , Colossians 1:1-23 For John came to you in the way of righteousness…the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. (Matthew 21:32a) In the name of Jesus, Amen. Authority is the right to do or say something within your vocations. Humans have no true authority unless it is given to them. All authority in...

September 30, 2023 Today's Reading: Introit to Pentecost 18: Psalm 147:1-5 ; antiphon Psalm 147:6 Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 31:1-21 , Philippians 4:1-23 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When we lived in Corpus Christi, one of our unique experiences was learning what happens when a category 5 hurricane blows through the area. Cor...