We have love
“Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Love is the greatest of our many blessings. But how?...
We have hope
“Now these three remain: faith, hope and love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Hope builds dreams on faith in a future. When our eyes opened to catch the first light...
Sharing the same faith
Four leaders comment on faith and fellowship as we celebrate the unity that has endured for 150 years between the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the Wisconsin Evangelical...
We have faith
“Now these three remain: faith, hope and love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). He hugged his son and said, “I have faith in you.” And he did. With an important game...
I come
The church door is open. My wife and I walk inside, take our bulletins, and find a seat. We usually sit in the same general spot. We haven’t varied the pattern...
Children in need of teachers
Many congregations have been busy finding workers to teach the Savior’s lambs. “We have 45 children who need teachers when school starts.” St. John Lutheran...
Love one another
It should be easy to write about love. But perhaps it’s easier these days to write about personal rights and spew outrage and anger at all who disagree. We understand...
Palmetto palms and wrens
Last spring when the trees showed only a hint of green, we drove south to warm weather. When we arrived, the palmetto palms were green and gave cool shade from the...
Fathers
“Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). I think all Christians do that in their own way. My prayers are sometimes done in church with others. At other times...
Mother’s Day
May. Mom. Mother’s Day. Who would argue that mothers are part of every culture, language, and place where humans live? So we celebrate God’s gift. When God created...
Believe the Word
For centuries before Jesus came to Earth, thousands from many generations waited for his coming. They watched for his coming, but they saw nothing except the words...
The Judas priority
It was just 30 pieces of silver. But that was enough. He betrayed Jesus, a friend who chose him and loved him. The others Jesus also chose elected Judas to take...
In Christ
All will be well. As Christians we sometimes think that we are surrounded by the protective bubble of God’s care and nothing bad ever happens. How often we experience...
Looking back and forward
January owes its name to the Roman god Janus—a god with two faces, one facing forward and the other backward. As one year ends and another begins, looking back...
A thought: Mary
Mary was a special woman, chosen for an exceptional part in God’s plan. But Matthew does not characterize her as anyone special. He just says that the mother of...
Confessions of faith: Anthony and Tyler
Troubled teens find the gospel in an unexpected place. “Talk Time.” That’s what Anthony and Tyler call it. Tim Mueller, pastor at St. John, Watertown, Wis.,...
Come, Lord Jesus!
The last few words of the Bible include the words, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Perhaps the woes and distress we note in our world today encourage us to pray for the...
A thought: Here we stand!
Special? You? Me? We hope that we might be special to someone: our spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, friends, even those we work with. Perhaps we dread the...
A thought: Obedience
As children we were conditioned to obey. When we were told to do something, our parents expected us to do it. Make your bed. Behave. Do your homework. But we did...
A thought: Hope
When we think of Christian hope, we quickly turn to the passages from God’s last revelation to us. We long for the time when God will “wipe every tear from ...
Granny’s cross
An unexpected discovery from the past has a message for today. I remember my Granny. That’s what we respectfully called her. She was a small, determined woman...
A thought: Almighty God
The words may be a bit different at times. But whether it’s the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed, we join in confessing our faith in an almighty God. On a...
Sunshine and rain
I love the sunrise and often watch the sunset at the end of the day. Sometimes seeing sunrises takes a special effort to start my day early, but sunsets only require...
The Bible still matters: Part 4
The Bible’s message of God’s love for sinners frees us to love God and others. A quick internet search for the word love will bring up a lot of information:...