Daily Prayer – November 27, 2020

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All Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

 

Daily Prayer – November 26, 2020

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All Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

 

Daily Prayer – November 25, 2020

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All Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

 

Daily Prayer – November 24, 2020

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All Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

 

Daily Prayer – November 23, 2020

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All Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! What is it that will make this a good Thanksgiving Day for you? What is your “ideal” Thanksgiving Day so that at the end of the day you can sit back and say, “Now that was a good Thanksgiving Day.” What is it? Is it having all the family together? Is it if the turkey is cooked just right- moist and delicious? Is it if you get your fill of all the Thanksgiving feast trimmings? Is it if you get to do all your Thanksgiving Day traditions? Is it if the Packers come away with a win? What is it? What is it that will make this a good Thanksgiving Day for you? Perhaps another question: What is it that makes any day a good one? What makes one day good and another day bad for you? There could be all kinds of answers, right? But for most, good days are days when things happen like you plan or want and bad days are when things happen that you don’t want or don’t plan.

And knowing that there are such things as good days and bad days might make the words of our text this morning sound quite impossible: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is Go’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Really? Joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances? Always? Continually? In all circumstances?

No way! Right? There’s way too many bad things that happen in life to make this possible, right? There’s way to much garbage and trouble and problems that we have to deal with on a regular basis to make this even possible, right?  But don’t we know God’s promises? God’s given us some pretty spectacular promises in His Word that extend for our entire lives- not just on good days. Surely I will be with you always to the very end of the age, I will never leave you or forsake you, God works all things out for the good of those who love Him, God will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways, cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  All kinds of promises and hundreds more. But isn’t there a little voice in the back of our heads that says, “Come on, show me the money God.” I need to see it to believe it. If things don’t happen the way I want or the way that I plan, then this can’t be a good day. And what happens? We make ourselves miserable. Jesus has given us more blessings than we could possibly use and is ready to load us down with even more, and we make ourselves sick wondering if God really means it and worrying that he might not! And hence our joy disappears, our prayers cease, and we find more things about which to complain than give thanks.

Historians have concluded that in Martin Luther’s day 6 out of 10 children died in infancy, life expectancy was about 40 years old, not long before Luther was born the black death wiped out a third of Germany’s population, in 1515 a law was passed that stipulated that German farmers could not be forced to work more than 15 hours a day. In the midst of all that, what did Luther write in his explanation of the First Article?  “I believe that God still preserves me by richly and daily providing clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, cattle, and all I own, and all that I need to keep my body and life.” Where was the evidence, where was the proof?  In his day, Luther didn’t have much of either.  But he had a faith that believed he would receive because Jesus promised it.

And isn’t that the answer? How can we be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances? Is it not simply trusting that we will receive all we need no matter what simply because Jesus says we will?  So we can rejoice always. The joy that every Christian has is a joy that underlies their whole life. It is the joy of the gospel. The joy of knowing their sins are forgiven, the joy of knowing Jesus as their Savior. The devil knows he can’t take away your salvation so he will try again and again to take the joy of your salvation away. He will use adversities and troubles and problems to get you to think that God doesn’t care about you or make your life miserable, or convince you that you have no reason to rejoice. But remember, Jesus’ promise to you: He works all things out of the good of those who love him –even “bad” things God is able to turn for our good to draw us closer to him, to purify our faith, and give us opportunities to share the hope we have to others.  At Christmas time we let our children pick out presents for each other at the dollar store. Sometimes I am just shocked at what they pick out and think I’d never pick that out. Well, sometimes we think we understand life but really don’t. We think we know what would be best for us, but really don’t. God has a much greater idea of what we need when we need it than we do. A Christian rejoices always because he or she knows that God is graciously guiding all things to bring them to their eternal home in heaven.

How can a Christian pray continually? A Christian prays continually when he or she commits all things at all times to the one who cares for us. It’s an inward spirit of trust in God – a constant leaning of the heart upon God in all things. How is that possible? Because Jesus says that he hears all our prayers, listens to them all, and has made his home inside of us, His people. He hears the trust we place in him, he hears the thoughts in our heart as we think about him, he hears the prayers we speak from the heart that don’t even make it on our lips.

And give thanks in all circumstances? What happens when you receive gifts or blessings? Does it not lead you to give thanks? How can we be thankful in all circumstances? Isn’t it by recounting the great blessings God has given us: physically He’s given us air to breathe, food, water, clothes, house, cars, family, and an abundance of things we don’t even need, but even more importantly what has he given us spiritually? Faith, peace, joy, God’s presence, protection, guidance, care, love, His Word that nourishes our faith, His own body and blood in the Sacrament, Jesus’ perfect life credited to us, eternal life with him in heaven forever. You see, it’s when we see our blessings that we’re led to give thanks in all circumstances. And it really changes our entire outlook on life in general. People who are thankful see so many more things in life; they can see the blessing and mercy of God in every situation in life. I recently ran across a neat illustration: If you had a bowl of sand and in it mixed some iron shavings, it would be nearly impossible to dig through them with your hands to find them. But if you had a magnet you could find them all by mere attraction. Having an unthankful heart is like digging clumsily through sand and it’s almost impossible to find the blessings of God, a thankful heart is like a magnet that attracts and finds –even in the worst of circumstances- the blessings of God in every situation.

So, what will it take at the end of the day today to say this was a “Happy Thanksgiving”? The family, together or apart, wealth, much or little, health, good or bad, everything comes from God who wants his blessings to bring us closer to him.  “What then shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things.”

I have no idea what blessings you’re thanking God for today.  But pray God that he would give you a faith that receives those blessings and then sees those blessings in the light of God’s greatest blessings, that he has forgiven your sins in Christ, that he has joined you to himself by the blood his Son, and that he will take you to heaven to be with Jesus in Paradise.  Then you will have a faith that leads you to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances today and tomorrow too.  Amen.

You will be with the Lord forever!

Saints Triumphant

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, dear friends in Christ, Poor Irene.  Poor Irene.  It’s impossible to console someone when you have no consolation to offer.  Archaeologists have found an ancient letter written in the 2nd Century AD.  It was from a lady named Irene who sent it to a couple who were grieving the loss of a loved one.  This is what she wrote: “Irene to _________ good comfort.  I am sorry and weep over the departed one as I wept for Didymas.  And all things, whatsoever were fitting, I have done, and all mine, ….  But, nevertheless, against such things one can do nothing. Therefore comfort one another. Fare well. October 28” In essence she said: “Sorry for your loss, I lost someone too, we did the customary things to do when someone dies, there’s nothing you can do, comfort each other, farewell, bye.”  Poor Irene.  There are still people like Irene today, aren’t there?    What’s a death or a funeral like apart from Jesus?  The number one hit on an internet search on “funeral sympathy” gave this as a sample sympathy note:

Dear _____, I was very saddened to hear about ______’s death. She was someone that really lived every day to the fullest. While I know that words are only a small gesture of support, I want you to know that her spirit has touched many people’s lives as it has mine. You and your family are in our thoughts.  I would like to extend an open invitation to run errands and watch the kids. I will call shortly to find out what I can do. My deepest sympathy, ______

Over 1800 years a death apart from Jesus hasn’t changed a bit, has it?  If you eliminate Jesus all you can offer someone is empty consolations and hopeless condolences.  It’s impossible to console someone when you have no consolation to offer, isn’t it?  Today we thank the Lord that we are not ignorant about death and we do not grieve like people who have no hope.  When we consider our death or the death of a Christian loved one we are not in the dark.  We have the sure hope and the certain comfort in both life and death: knowing that we will be with the Lord forever!  There’s a third letter that I haven’t read yet.

The apostle Paul was in Thessalonica for only several weeks on his mission trip there.  By God’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s work a number of people were brought to faith in Jesus as their Savior.  But Paul had to leave Thessalonica fast because some people began to persecute him.  This little fledgling group of Christians knew they were living in the Last Days and Christ could come at any moment.  But there was a problem.  One or more of their fellow Christians recently died.  So they were wondering, “If so-and-so died, are they going to miss out on or be at some disadvantage when Christ returns?”  So Paul wrote, “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.  According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.”  Did you hear it?  Jesus died and rose, believers… fall asleep.  Since Jesus died he paid the penalty of sin which is death, he suffered death in our place, His death was a punishment for all sins of all time.  But believers in Jesus?  Their death is simply called a sleep.  When Christians die, their death is not a punishment.  What’s the difference?  Well, when a Christian dies their death is a consequence of sin in the world, but because of what Jesus has done God has turned their death around into something actually wonderful.  What a beautiful way to describe death for a Christian: sleep.  Most people look forward to sleep, it’s restful, and you know that when you fall asleep you’re going to wake up again.  We fall asleep here and wake up in heaven.  There’s an old hymn (which we’ll have to sing sometime) that has a refrain that says, “We’ll say good-night here, but good-morning up there!”  That really captures what a Christian’s death is.

When a believer in Jesus dies his/her soul goes to be with the Lord in heaven and his/her body is either buried in the ground or becomes dust or ashes and awaits the Last Day, the Last Judgment.  And what exactly is going to happen on the Last Day when Jesus returns?  Paul goes on, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be snatched up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

Some people are led to believe that they might miss the Last Day when it comes.  Some think it’s going to happen secretly and they’re going to miss out.  Some think it’s going to come and go without them ever knowing it happened!  Well, what does God say?  The Lord himself will come down from heaven in a visible way for everyone to see, there’s going to be a loud command, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet call of God!  There’s no one in this room who doesn’t realize it when Kyle beautifully accompanies one of our hymns, well when God plays His trumpet you aren’t going to miss it! J

And notice what else is going to happen.  The dead in Christ will rise.  Believers in Jesus will rise from the dead and every believer in Jesus who is still living will in a public and open way meet the Lord in the air.  This is going to be a glorious and awesome event and Jesus will take every believer with Him to heaven forever.

And what’s the purpose for God telling us these things?  “Therefore encourage each other with these words.”  To build each other up.  Literally the verb “encourage” in the Greek is word for putting your arm over someone’s shoulder and say, “Let’s talk.”  And why is it that we need to be encouraged?

We face death all the time in our lives.  There’s nothing that shows our sinfulness more clearly than standing in front of a coffin and realizing that because of sin in the world we are dust and to dust we will return.  And it’s even more jarring when the person lying in that coffin is a friend, a relative, a parent, a spouse.  All the things you wish you could say, all the questions you wish you could ask, all the things you wish you could do… not happening anymore.  It really struck my wife and I hard when this past summer her dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.  Now we pray that he will recover, but news like that makes a person stop and think.  As far as we know, if Jesus doesn’t return soon, one day we will have to bury our parents, perhaps a brother, a sister, a friend, a spouse, a child.  We don’t like to think about that.  We’d much rather live our lives as if death were not a constant reality.  We’d much rather do our own thing or live the way we want to live.  Then all of a sudden a Christian loved one dies.  And it hits us.  Why God?  Why now?  Why them? Why God?  Why?  It’s those times that make one of the hardest prayers to pray: “O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good and His love endures forever?”  And then we think about our own death.  One day our hearts are going to stop beating and it doesn’t sound like fun.  Perhaps at times we even raise our eyebrows to heaven and wonder, “Could a loving God really allow this horrid thing like death happen in the world?  What’s going on?  Does anyone really deserve death?”  Well, the sad fact is because of sin in this world dust we are and to dust we will return.

So where is hope in death?  Where is joy in death?  Where is encouragement in death?  Where do you look when a Christian loved one passes away?  Where do you look when you’re facing your own death?  An empty letter of sympathy with empty consolations and hopeless condolences?

Far from it!  Rather we look to the love letter of God’s Word.  We know and believe that Jesus died and Jesus rose and Jesus will come again.  Jesus went to the cross for a reason.  He did so to rescue us from our sins to fling wide open the gates of heaven for us.  We know that since Jesus rose from the dead death no longer holds any power over us.  When we die we fall asleep and wake up in heaven.  Death is the door to heaven!  We know with certainty that our friends, relatives, children, parents, spouses who have died in the Lord are right now enjoying the wedding feast of the Lamb, joys that have no end and bliss beyond compare.  What greater encouragement could we have other than knowing that those whom we love who have died believing in Jesus as their Savior are in heaven!

And WE have certain hope!  Often people will say, “Well, I hope I’ll be in heaven when I die.”  But that is not certainty.  The gospel, God’s Word, gives you certainty!  Because Jesus died and rose for you, you know with absolute certainty that you will be with the Lord forever!  It’s NOT arrogant to say, “Because Jesus lived died and rose for me I’m absolutely confident that I’m going to spend eternity in heaven.”  That’s confidence!  That’s encouragement!

And what does God want us to do?  Encourage each other with these words.  To our loved ones who don’t believe Jesus is their Savior, tell them!  So that they might also be a saint triumphant!  One of the best things you can do as a Christian friend, spouse, parent, relative, etc is to express your faith to your loved ones.  To tell them that you believe in Jesus.  To live as a believer in Jesus.  To make sure they know without a doubt that you trust in Jesus as your Savior.  The one thing, the only thing that is going to comfort your loved ones after you die, the one thing, is that you had faith in Jesus as your Savior.  And so they know without a doubt that you are in heaven and that they will see you again in heaven.

What could possibly give greater comfort, greater joy, greater encouragement than knowing that YOU will be a saint triumphant and will be with the Lord forever! Just picture it:  Multitudes of people from every nation, tribe, people, and language wearing white robes who “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb …never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”  (Rev. 7:14-17)  Yes, YOU, saint triumphant, will be there, forever with the Lord! Amen.