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I saw a sign that read, “You were created to make a difference.” What is your opinion of that message? What does making a difference mean? God did create us…
When all the social and relationship issues of our nation came to a head in the summer of 2020, citizens in our nation and members of our synod had mixed…
Science as a servant Early one morning, the team gathered on the open plain. Staring at the tower in the distance, they waited. All of their intense, combined efforts over…
Man’s best friend leads to a new friend, a new church, and a renewed faith in Christ. On a routine visit to the dog park with her German shepherd, Cheryle…
The Bible is God’s revelation. It’s not speculation. God’s revelation focuses on one person—Jesus Christ. Many have asked why an itinerant preacher two thousand years ago is important to us…
1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” God has given each of us “vocations” (literally, “callings”).…
For a prisoner walking out into the light after a long jail sentence, freedom can be overwhelming. He can go anywhere he wants, but he has nowhere to go: no…
I have seen many calls for 2020 to end so that we can start fresh in 2021. Yet let’s be honest. By the time January 1, 2021, ends, we’ll already…
Recently, with much joy, Elizabeth Huida, the daughter of Oleksandr and Khrystyna Huida, was baptized at St. John and James Lutheran Church in Ternopil, Ukraine. But the story of Elizabeth…
Forward in Christ’s newest Bible study author is James Borgwardt. Borgwardt serves at Redeemer, Fond du Lac, Wis., where he’s been for nine years. Prior to Fond du Lac, he…
I have a friend who is caught in a sin. I care about her, so I try to talk to her about it, but she just says, “The Bible says…
Lives battling anger and addiction are met by God’s grace. “She’s always taking on another project,” Jim says with a smile. Brandee and Jim Cranfield had spent the morning moving…
Judge seems to be a dirty word in our culture. However, the word judge simply means to “form an opinion or conclusion about” something. The Bible says, “Speaking the truth…
A startling medical diagnosis brings a family closer to God. Chronic pain. Constant exhaustion. Medications. Physical therapy. Surgery after surgery. This is the reality for 16-year-old Bailey Seal, member at…
The words of the young woman in confirmation class kind of hit me by surprise: “Heaven just seems like it is going to be so boring!” I have to admit: I…
What different descriptions we have for God’s Word! It is “a lamp for my feet” (Psalm 119:105), the only sure light in a sin-darkened world. It is “fire” and “hammer”…
Birthday parties for family members are most often special events—the candles, the cake, the presents, and then the pictures. Years later we trot out the pictures to remember the young…
For better or worse, Christmas is filled with traditions. Some of these traditions help celebrate Jesus’ birth—the Christmas Eve candlelight service or the children’s Christmas service, for example. Others may…
We all have favorite hymns to sing. They become our familiar friends as we worship and our companions when we experience joy, sorrow, doubts, or trouble. Their familiar melodies and…
While weighing the responsibilities that children bring, a father looks to the church for direction. During his growing years, Brad Harris had some ties to different religions but never attended…
I always hear that I should be reading my Bible. I pray every night. Do I really need to read the Bible to have a relationship with God? The natural…
We listen to God’s voice through his Word, that is, the Bible. Imagine you live in a world exactly like our own but with one exception: The Bible does not…
YOU WORKED DILIGENTLY to make the arrangements. It wasn’t easy, but the dignitary you booked is someone famous. Now it is time to begin the celebration banquet. But the guest…
All of us are going to face not just the evaluation of society in the world today but also the judgment of God on the Last Day. “If you were…
We spent a couple of days in the northern part of Wisconsin. The leaves were green at home when we left. When we arrived, the trees were mostly green except…
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). It’s a familiar passage, and it’s also my…
As divisions and hatred rage in our world, Christians overcome evil with good. A yard of someone you consider a friend is covered with campaign signs for the wrong candidates.…
People need a day of thanksgiving. Like children, clutching new presents, they need the reminder, “Say thank you.” Christians can forget their words of thanks too. Their backs can become…
In my opinion, this is the toughest part of being a Christian parent—letting the gospel shine in how I deal with my kids. It just seems to come naturally to…
After a long week of work and worry, the weekend always feels good. From the time I was little, I loved Saturdays. You get to sleep in. You get to…
“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…
A WELS nurse explains how her vocation allows her to share her faith and show love to those in need. Jesus calls us to follow his example by living lives…
Luther made God’s Word speak to people in their own language. The Lutheran Reformation is important! Through it the Lord of the church restored many eternal spiritual truths to us…
A family discovers a focus on Scripture, consistent messages, and a warm and welcoming atmosphere at their local WELS church. Consistency. Structure. A focus on Scripture. These are just some…
Jesus controls everything. Ephesians 1:22 says, “God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church.” What a comfort to know that…
Aesop’s fables, a good sermon illustration, an analogy—these are all ways to communicate complex concepts in a way that is easier to understand. Similarly, Jesus used parables (Matthew 13, Mark…
Paul is described as “the apostle of faith,” John as “the apostle of love,” Peter as “the apostle of hope,” and James as “the apostle of works.” For James, as…
Helping friends see that God’s way is best may be challenging. One of the hardest things that we can deal with as Christians is seeing our friends and loved ones…
As divisions threaten our Christian churches, God’s Spirit unites us in Christ. “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). Doesn’t that sound…
Citizens of two kingdoms Christians are citizens of two kingdoms: the church (i.e. the kingdom of God) and the state (i.e. civil government). The kingdom of God is the ruling…
Last time, James spoke about trials; this time, he speaks about temptation. Though he uses the same Greek word for both, their meanings are far different, as the context shows.…
A teacher retires full of memories—including monarch butterflies, baby chicks, and Jesus—after 43 years Do you have a favorite teacher? One who really understood or motivated you? One who made…
My kids and I have spent almost no time apart since mid-March. With school starting soon, I’m a little nervous about how my youngest, who is six, is going to…
A girl from Guatemala discovers the light of the gospel in Alaska. As the morning mist mixed with the bright beams of the sun’s first rays over Baja Verapaz, Guatemala,…
It had been another busy stretch for Jesus. With his disciples in tow, he had been traveling all around Galilee preaching, teaching, healing, and amazing large crowds of people. He…
Does God really care? Look at the trouble we see. Why does he seem so distant and disinterested? God has a higher goal for us Deism is the belief that…
Does God really care? Not only does God care for this world, but he is also genuinely interested in each one of us. The Bible is full of beautiful passages…
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.…
Joel Russow has written a new four-part Bible study for teens based on Colossians 3:12-15. Here he introduces the four parts, with several WELS teens sharing experiences that relate to…
We are to forgive others the way God forgives us—freely and often. Every Sunday, we and thousands of other believers gather for worship in various congregations. We are greeted by…