A thought: Our Father
“Our Father in heaven.” So Jesus taught us his prayer. It’s actually our prayer. It begins, “Our Father.” Yet we say it so often it might have become only words…
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A thought: Our Father
A thought: The difference
I’m looking out my study window this morning. The grass is green. The birds are flying from branch to branch. The robins are hopping on the grass to find lunch.…
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A thought: The difference
One ordinary life
Christians often live quiet, humble lives, but their lives matter. How do we measure the value and importance of a Christian life? We gravitate to those who have done great…
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One ordinary life
A thought: Imperfect world, imperfect life
This is my third or fourth try at this thought. The past months have brought all kinds of things to mind: first, COVID-19, then the protests, the violence, and the…
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A thought: Imperfect world, imperfect life
A thought: Joy and peace today and everyday
It’s been a test for us all. It included self-quarantine and social distancing. All the while businesses were closed, and contacts with friends and family became digital. Churches stood empty…
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A thought: Joy and peace today and everyday
A thought: Good job!
Good job and thank you! I thought this but couldn’t say it to everyone I thought should hear it. As I write this, we have been asked—mandated—to avoid unnecessary contact…
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A thought: Good job!
A thought: In God’s hands
As I write this thought, we are all concerned about the spread of a virus that has already killed thousands. Events and responses change day to day and sometimes even…
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A thought: In God’s hands
A thought: Outing death
“Don’t forget, you’re going to die,” the message on the screen read. It was from an app that sends five e-mails each day with the sober reminder that death is…
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A thought: Outing death
A thought: The Christ
Christianity is not just a label, a category, or a space to be filled in for some pollster. We are named after Christ. The shepherds heard the angels identify the…
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A thought: The Christ
A thought: Trusting what we cannot see
Seeing the little baby in the manger at Christmas fills us all with joy and wonder. It is a universal experience because we have all looked with joy and wonder…
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A thought: Trusting what we cannot see
A thought: Partners
I admit that sometimes when I read the epistles of the New Testament, I easily skip over the first couple of verses. In those verses, Paul, who wrote most of…
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A thought: Partners
Heirs of heaven
John A. Braun What does God see and know about us humans? We often think that he has forgotten us, but God sees all that we have done, all that…
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Heirs of heaven
Walk by the Spirit: Part 7
Christians have dual citizenship. We are children of God and part of his kingdom, yet we still call this world home. John A. Braun We got off the plane and…
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Walk by the Spirit: Part 7
Hope
John A. Braun The presence of Thanksgiving at the end of every November helps us to pause and count our blessings. That exercise will be repeated this year as we…
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Hope
Confessions of faith: Bush
The message of Jesus finally starts to grow after years of neglect. John A. Braun “My family was not religious. We rarely, if ever, attended church,” Richard Bush remembers. Sundays meant something other than going to church. Yet Richard’s…
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Confessions of faith: Bush
Walk by the Spirit: Part 6
God warns us about being drunk and encourages us to practice self-control. John A. Braun Some say the Bible is ancient, out of touch, and old-fashioned, but they have not read Paul’s two lists in Galatians. Read the section again (Galatians…
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Walk by the Spirit: Part 6
The Avengers and two lions
John A. Braun Captain America; Thor; Iron Man; and of course, Thanos. Along with a host of other comic book heroes, they have helped Marvel create one of the most successful and lucrative series of films. This…
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The Avengers and two lions
Faith in Jesus
John A. Braun I believe. I say those words regularly with others as we confess what we believe. I believe in a specific God who has stepped into history for all humanity. When…
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Faith in Jesus
Walk by the Spirit: Part 5
Dissentions and factions create roadblocks along the Christian Way. John A. Braun Paul’s acts of the flesh include some hazards we must avoid on our journey. He lists them as dissensions, factions, and envy. But he does…
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Walk by the Spirit: Part 5
God’s policy of love
John A. Braun The song “Jesus Loves Me” has come from the voices of little children for as long as I can remember. Their voices move us to smile and to appreciate the lesson they are…
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God’s policy of love
Pray for workers
Jesus reminds us to pray for more workers in his harvest of souls. John A. Braun Northwestern Publishing House hosts a luncheon every spring honoring graduates of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary,…
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Pray for workers
Walk by the Spirit: Part 4
Solomon wrote, “A gentle answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1). Yet sadly those on the Christian Way easily turn down the road to jealousy and anger. John A. Braun Road rage is a relatively…
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Walk by the Spirit: Part 4
Lord, have mercy!
John A. Braun On most Sundays, after we are reminded that we begin worship in the name of the almighty holy and majestic Triune God, we confess our sins. Together we begin, “Holy…
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Lord, have mercy!
Walk by the Spirit: Part 3
Quarrels and hatred come so naturally from our sinful nature. Yet our patience comes from Jesus. John A. Braun On our Christian journey to heaven, signs often point us to paths that lead away from our destination. Paul…
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Walk by the Spirit: Part 3
Light in the darkness
John A. Braun The longest day of this year will be June 21—the day of the summer solstice. In the United States, we will have about 15 hours of light. The sad realization is that…
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Light in the darkness
Christian roots
Old photos lead to a special golden wedding anniversary moment. John A. Braun The journey all started early in their marriage with a box of old family photos in the attic—a big box,…
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Christian roots
Walk by the Spirit: Part 2
In spite of the First Commandment, idolatry still persists in our world. John A. Braun Idolatry? Today? Yes! And in familiar and unfamiliar forms. Paul walked the streets of Athens and noted the statues of idols…
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Walk by the Spirit: Part 2
Why?
John A. Braun From the beginning of his life, Jesus was the focus of opposition. Herod wanted to rid his little part of the world of this child whose birth had been…
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Why?
Walk by the Spirit: Part 1
We are surrounded by immorality, but we are different. In the love of Jesus, we find strength to love. John A. Braun When the Holy Spirit brings us to faith, he sets us…
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Walk by the Spirit: Part 1
The shroud
John A. Braun On more than one occasion we have been delayed by a serious accident on the freeway. At some of those scenes, emergency personnel erected canvas tarps to…
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The shroud
A Lutheran Lent
John A. Braun On Ash Wednesday in some churches—some Lutheran churches too—ashes are placed on foreheads as a sign of repentance. For many, Lent is giving up some indulgence—like candy, greasy food, or even red meat—for 40…
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A Lutheran Lent
Where is God?
John A. Braun We were at a restaurant for breakfast with family after church. As we talked and waited for our food, I noticed two women in a booth nearby.…
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Where is God?
Turning pages
Our lives are a succession of pages filled with many events and people. At the beginning of each year we turn to a blank page and stare at it, wondering…
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Turning pages