St. Paul Lutheran Church, Matteson, Illinois & Pastor Troester

God's Word spoken through the prophet Zephaniah to people who ignore God and worship other god's, but God is going to punish them and call them back.

Habakkuk, the "embracer", consoles and encourages us with the fear of the Lord, who is mighty to save and most powerful, and encourages us to wait upon the Lord in everything.

The faithful prophet watches and waits for God to answer their complaint, and reminds us to come as those who are right with God by faith, not by their works.  Listen to God's "woes" and repent.  Be still before God and be at peace.

God's prophet, Habakkuk, whose name meanings "embracer," hugs the people to comfort them with God oracle, or burden, which He put on Habakkuk's heart, to console them.

The last chaper of the last book of the Old Testament, and God promises that there will be a Day when time comes, and judgment will be made against those who do evil, and those who, by faith, do good.

God promises to send a Messenger, who is John the Baptizer, who will go before God's Servant, Jesus, who will save people from their sins.

God warns especially the worship leaders against leading the people away from God and promises to punish them.

God speaks through "my messenger" (Malachi) and gives him a "burden" (oracle) to speak warning those who are doing their own thing and not what God wants, reminding them how God loves them.

Read this last chapter of Nahum, about the power of God to reign over all our enemies.

God warns Assyria as He comforts His people that He will conquer their enemies and restore His people, if they will but turn from their ways and come back to God.

Read the message God gave to the prophet Nahum to speak to God's People.  A message of hope for those who turn back to God, and great warning and consequences for those who are enemies.

Micah closes with the bleak condition in the souls of men of His time, but knowing that God reigns and the times are in His hands.

Read how Micah comes back to the present, deplorable state of the world, where we stand guilty as charged in God's court, and God reminds us that He has saved us, and calls us back to not rejecting that salvation, but repenting and returning to God.

Read how God promises to bring Peace by means of His own Son, Jesus, being born of a woman and born in the town of Bethlehem.

God speaks a word of Hope that He reigns and invites everyone to come to Him and He will teach them the way of life.

God warns those who are doing evil things to stop and return to His Ways.

God speaks out through His prophet MIcah, the practices which He hates because they hurt others, and warns them to stop and come back to Him.

Read about how God warns and pleads with His people who have strayed away from Him, and tells them what will happen if they don't turn back.

Read about God's graciousness and patience, towards both the people of Nineveh and towards stubborn, rebellious, callous Jonah.  

In the yo yo account of Jonah's life, as in our lives with our own ups and downs, the grace of God shines through.

God can be reached even from the belly of a fish, and God hears the prayers of repentant sinners, even those who run from Him at times.  God is true to His Word, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you, and you will glorify Me."

Read about Jonah, this prophet of God who is reluctant and runs, but just as the "wicked" people are not too far from the grace of God, so Jonah is not too far, but a servant whom God puts through a storm and yet rescues with a great fish, to carry out God's will that "none should perish."

Read this last chapter of the book of Acts in the Bible, which closes open ended as the 'actions' of God's Church continues through our days, and we proclaim the same Jesus Christ to our world.

Paul trusts God's word of promise, that all on board their ship to Rome, would make it safely, though their boat would not.  Even when all gave up hope, Paul and his companions, including Luke, faithfully believed, and God came through (as always!).

Read how God is working through the Apostle Paul to bring the message of salvation through Jesus Christ to many people.