Shepherd of the Hills — Las Vegas

Things are difficult — we want comfort. Our lives are frustrating — we want peace. Living in this world is tiring — we want rest. Throughout Scripture God offers comfort, peace, and rest. The need is obvious: our world is full of difficulty, frustration, sin, and death. And this is all our own doing. From the day Adam & Eve abandoned God's goodness for their own selfish desires, the world...

The church is often pictured as an army. A bold, courageous group equipped and empowered by God's Word and promises - a force ready to defend against the lies of the evil one and eager to use the sword of the Spirit to bring light and truth to a sin-darkened world. This is truly a beautiful picture! But when Paul encourages Timothy to fight the good fight, he's giving a personal and specif...

Hatred, betrayal, rebellion, persecution, death... "Do not be afraid," says the Teacher. God alone holds all power and authority. God alone is to be feared. Jesus uses strong language to instill comfort and confidence in his disciples as he sends them out to proclaim the Good News. Yes, the sinful world is hostile and opposed to the message of Christ. Yes, there will be division, persecu...

We know the names from history. We've heard the stories and learned from their lives of faith – all the faithful proclaimers of the Word who point us back to Christ. We wonder who will be carrying on this important task in the future... but we cannot forget the One who has guided, preserved, and worked powerfully through the Word. Repeating the stories can be encouraging and motivating. Studying t...

As he had done so often before with others, Paul gave a brief overview of his life to his dear friend Timothy. That is what I once was... and this is who I am today... all by the grace and patience of the eternal God worthy of all praise! Although Paul told his story several times, the focus was always the same: God's patience that took action in the lives of sinners. God's patience is not...

Who is God? How do we explain him? Is it possible to wrap our minds around the very Creator of the universe? The fascination with learning more about God has always been at the forefront of the human mind. We want to explore things we don't quite understand. But when it comes to God, we know that we are not like God and God is not like us. It's certainly true that God has revealed many thi...

The festival was at its culmination, the large crowd undoubtedly excited as they observed the day's events. Then, a voice cries out, drawing attention to his striking message, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!" The crowd was divided, some praising the prophetic voice of the Savior, others doubting the itinerant preacher from Galilee. Regardless of their reactions,...

Can you explain it? Are you able to wrap your mind around it? Do you understand it? When asked about what God has done for us, these questions might seem simple to answer. Well, yes, of course! God has given us His Word and promises that show us plainly how he won salvation for us! But if we dig even deeper and try to peer into the mind of God, we realize that His grace is beyond our understanding...

Crashing waves and swift currents are powerful and sometimes dangerous. Even when we think we have sure footing, the water beneath us can easily cause us to fall. How secure are we to face the waves and currents of this life? In today's readings, we learn about the danger and destruction of a world absent of God's saving Word, but how Jesus' promise brings life, comfort, and assurance....

We all suffer from heart trouble. The prophet Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" As sinners living in a world corrupted by sin, the heart troubles extend far beyond our own context. It is a worldwide epidemic. And we don't have the cure... but Jesus certainly does. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in G...

The image is woven through countless pages of Scripture. There are few verses as well-known as the first line of David's pastoral psalm, "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want." Good Shepherd Sunday is not simply an opportunity to sing familiar and beloved songs; it is a reminder of the beautiful, comforting picture of the relationship between God and His people. A relationship f...

Redeemed – do we often think about the realities of this word? When Peter wrote to the scattered Christians who were living out their lives of faith in a world opposed to the gospel, he reminded them of their status: redeemed. Peter offered both warning and comfort with this simple yet powerful word. He showed his fellow believers from what they had been redeemed and by what they had been redeemed...

"You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay." From the pen of King David came this astounding prophecy about the future Messiah. Death would not... could not... hold him. Victory and life emerged from the tomb on Easter Sunday, and the message was just as clear on the pages of the psalm written by David. The Savior of the world has conquered... for us....

The darkest hour ended in death. The word that often makes us uncomfortable. The word that should sound so foreign, but because of sin is all too familiar. The word that was spoken by angels on Easter Sunday to proclaim, "No more!" Although the women stood confused and astonished at the tomb where Jesus was laid, they had no reason to be surprised. This had happened exactly as Jesus had...

It was the darkest hour. The weight of the world's guilt upon his shoulders. The terrible and agonizing pain, scorn, mockery. The very Son of God hanging, suffering, dying. The blood flowing from head, hands, side. A loud cry as his head is bowed in death. Darkness. And yet, what amazing love – what incredible grace. The guilt of the world's sin taken willingly. The pain and mockery endure...

"I saw heaven standing open, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True..." The vision that John saw and recorded in Revelation was quite different than the scene that played out on Palm Sunday. Both, however, describe the exact same Savior and King whom we honor and praise. The humble and lowly King we see entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday is the same righteous a...

The hints are there. Jesus' words and actions paint a clear picture of what is to come. Mary and Martha stand confused, until..... "Lazarus, come out!" When Jesus called to his dear friend and restored life as only God can do, the crowd was rightfully amazed. The dead don't just rise and walk out of the tomb after several days - except by the power and command of the eternal God....

What could be more astounding than the abrupt change from absolute darkness to a flood of light, color, and the breathtaking beauty of God's creation? If you asked the man whom Jesus healed in John 9, the answer might be, "Well, nothing.... except the Savior revealing himself to me personally, lovingly, simply." The man born blind had quite the day. From societal obscurity to the tal...

Where is the foundation of our hope ? Human nature likes to build hope upon skills, abilities, and the work and effort that has been dedicated to achieve a particular goal. But no matter how hard we try, no matter how long we focus on the outcome of our efforts, there is always uncertainty. Doubt lingers in the corner of our minds. Why? We are imperfect; we are prone to failure; we are sinful. How...

Where do we often focus our attention? If we are honest, we like to think about ourselves — how can I improve my life? Why did this happen to me ? Why aren't others more aware of how I feel? Because of the selfish, sinful nature still present in our lives, we all too often focus our eyes and our thoughts inward. Psalm 121 is described as a song of ascents. As travelers from all over Israel wou...

"It is written..." replied the Savior to the futile efforts of the enemy. In perfect obedience to his Father's will, the Son of God stood firm, resisted temptation, and showed himself to be the fulfillment of the oldest prophecy ever written. The offspring of the woman had arrived, the head of the serpent was soon to be crushed. As generations of God's people read, studied, and m...

"It is good for us to be here," came the hasty words from Peter's lips. Although the words were not well thought out, Peter's first reaction to seeing his transfigured Savior speaking with legendary prophets of ages past was quite understandable. This is good! We'd like to stay! Let's make this mountain our new home! Peter was stunned, amazed, and frightened. Isn't th...

"You are the light of the world," spoke the very Light that entered this dark world. When Jesus delivered his great "Sermon on the Mount" as recorded in Matthew, he was shining brightly as the Light of the World who came to seek and save the lost. As Jesus explained that HE was the fulfillment of the law and prophets, the gospel rang out clearly: He is the Son, He is the Savior...

"You think you're something special..." Perhaps this is all too familiar a phrase for us who live in a world of social standing, importance, and influence. The world around us tells us that we should strive to be special — to be seen by others and recognized by many. The world wants us to look inward to find importance... and that self-reflection inevitably leads to disappointment. I...

Where do you turn to for answers? Where do you look for truth? In Isaiah's day, the people of Israel turned to anyone and anything except the one true God. As Isaiah laments the stubborn rebellion and faithlessness of God's chosen people, he reminds them that their current path leads to darkness... but that God has promised a light! "To the teaching and to the testimony!" rang ou...