Who’s going to win?
This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Unlikely Heroes – A Monk (CLICK HERE)
Who’s going to win?
At the time of this writing, we do not know who the next president of the United States is. Returns are coming in and we will soon understand who will be in the White House and control the Senate and House and many other state and local positions.
Campaigns seek to capture the heart of an individual and persuade them to support a certain candidate. The question is which direction your mind and heart will go.
Bigger than any platform of a political candidate is the soul of every person. Two candidates vie for the primary spot in your heart: the Lord and Satan/self. Their platforms could not be more opposed and really there is no compromise between the two.
This past Sunday we looked the life of Martin Luther and his spiritual battle and what convinced him to abandon his past beliefs and align with the Lord.
The campaign that Satan ran in Luther’s heart is one that he runs in the heart of every human being. Satan loves to convince the human heart, that longs to have a true connection with the Lord, that an individual can work their way into God’s favor. This puts the onus on each individual to try to obtain perfection. The challenge is captured in this verse: There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, … (Romans 3:22-23) The lie that Satan loves to give is that you can be different. But what stands before us is the reality of Jesus’ words: Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Luther tried as hard as he could to be the best monk he could. He cleaned. He tended the garden. He went to confession. He went on pilgrimages to earn more indulgences that could spare him some temporary punishment on earth or in purgatory. He realized the truth of Psalm 130:3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? He felt Psalm 32:3-43 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
Luther realized that his heart was captivated by despair. He felt unworthy. He felt it impossible to win the righteousness that the Lord demands. Even though he was very spiritual and part of the church, Satan was winning the campaign in his heart.
Can you relate? While we are 500 plus years after Luther, we can have the same feelings and thoughts of despair when we consider the justice of God and his right to punish sinners. If the Lord kept a record of my sins, there is no way I could stand before a holy God. The same is true for you.
Satan’s campaign continues in our heart until the Spirit of God shows us a campaign of grace. This is what God showed to Luther as he read Romans 1:16-17.
Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
More tomorrow…
Apply: What is the campaign that is winning in your heart? Is it time to replace the lies of Satan with the truth of the Gospel?
Prayer: Lord, overcome the campaign of Satan’s lies in my heart with the power of your Gospel truth. AMEN.
Where to turn on Election Day!
(This morning’s devotion is reposted from November 2020 before the presidential election. For a message on other great reminders from Scripture, listen to “Election Earthquakes” from October 27, 2024. Here’s the LINK.)
Today is election day in the United States. At the end of today (or hopefully soon after) one candidate will be declared the winner and will serve the next four years as president. Perhaps the campaign cycle has not just wearied your media scroll, or your appetite for politics, but wearied your heart and soul as well. You may be banking a lot of emotional energy on the outcome of today’s election.
Let me redirect you again to some verses from Psalm 119, where the psalmist encourages us to find rest, strength and hope for tomorrow…regardless of what is going on in the political sphere.
Here’s some encouragements and reminders:
When our soul is weary…turn to the Word!
Psalm 119:28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.
What promise of God gives you strength if you feel weary? How about Psalm 46:10-11?
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
When I need to know what is true and right…turn to the Word!
Psalm 119:29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law.
What truth of God do you need today, in culmination of a political cycle? Perhaps the words of the prophet Samuel to King Saul:
1 Samuel 15:29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”
When I need to know what is upright and faithful…turn to the Word!
Psalm 119:30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.
What does the “way of faithfulness” look like? Perhaps Paul’s words to Titus (2:11-14)
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
When I need to hold fast to someone or something…turn to the Word!
31 I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame.
What “statute” can I hold fast to today that will never disappoint or put me to shame? Perhaps Psalm 118:8-9,14:
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
14 The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.
Let God’s Word and promises give you strength today and every day!
Apply: Choose 3-5 passages that always help you to give you strength when life makes you weary.
Prayer: Lord, in all things lead us to look to you and rely on you. Let us not put our strength, hope, and peace in a human being, but always in you. Amen.
Do divisions matter?
This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Unlikely Heroes – A Monk (CLICK HERE)
So, you’re Lutheran?
Yes. Do you know what that means?
Well, my uncle was a Lutheran pastor but we never went to church.
This brief dialogue occurs periodically as people visit our church. It is a launching point to a discussion not just about theology, but also about history. Christianity has been part of history for 2000 plus years. Different eras affected the focus of Christians and yes even the theology of Christians.
So does it matter?
One often hears that today about denominations and reflections that there is so much division in the church and wondering why churches can’t just all get along. Often in the discussion there is a quotation of Jesus’ words in John 17:20 “I pray that they all may be one.”
Does it matter?
Yes, it does. It would be wonderful to have all Christians united in all aspects of faith based on the teachings of the Bible. It would great if the second half of that verse was true, “I pray that they may be one, just as you are in me and I am in you.”
But this unity only happens when theology matters.
Jesus didn’t agree to the minimal standards of unity with his Father. He and the Father were one…in every aspect. His prayer is that our unity is rooted in a oneness that covers every aspect of his Word and teaching.
When it doesn’t, the opposite of unity happens: division.
Jesus warned us to be on the look out for those that would teach falsely and claim to be of Christ. Mark 13:5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many.
500 years ago one such division occurred.
It wasn’t arbitrary. It wasn’t a personality conflict or a division over the color of carpet in a new church or the type of music that was being played in worship.
It was over the truth of God’s Word and how someone was certain they were saved.
Martin Luther was the man God used to bring the truth of the Scripture back to the forefront after it was clouded over by erroneous teachings and practices promoted by the church and its leaders.
Like many in Europe in the early 1500s, Martin Luther grew up under the direction of the Catholic Church. His parents were devout Catholics and raised Luther the same. However as Luther grew up an agonizing pit grew in his soul. He knew God as an angry judge ready to pounce on every sin, but yet felt empty after he worked hard to do right to overcome the wrong. Surviving a thunderstorm at the age of 21 he vowed to become a monk…and he did. The monastery was his path to peace…so he thought. Yet the more he tried to obtain a righteousness by his own works, the more he feared the wrath of God.
Grace was covered by a system of earning forgiveness for the temporal punishment your sin deserved. He felt no peace.
Until God revealed his truth in Romans 1:16-17. Righteousness that God demanded was given by God as a gift of grace to all who believe.
The truth had been revealed and the deception became obvious and Luther could do nothing but ensure the message of grace, central to the Bible’s teaching, became at the forefront of the church’s teaching.
The church of Luther’s day would not change and that’s a key reason why I am a Lutheran today.
Apply: As you study the Word of God, what teachings do you notice seem true but are not biblical?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us your righteousness so we can stand before you as fully forgiven because of the perfect life of Jesus. AMEN.
No matter who wins…
This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of Stormproof – Election Earthquakes (CLICK HERE)
We are just a few days from the presidential election. We have heard much rhetoric, listened to debates, watched the news and followed the polls. At the end of the process, one of the candidates will be our next president and one will not.
So if your preferred candidate wins or loses, how do we as Christians want to respond?
It would be easy to have a strong despair if your candidate loses or a strong cockiness if your candidate wins. The thing to do is avoid either of these ditches – the ditch of gloating and the ditch of despair.
Every American owes the newly elected president his or her honor and respect as the Apostle Paul encouraged in Romans 13:1. You may not agree with the policies, or like the personality, but we honor God by honoring the authority he has allowed to be over us.
The promises of God are still real and bear keeping in mind as we realize while the president of the US has consequence in our earthly existence, the president has no bearing on our eternal status.
I saw this list on Facebook and found it sharing helpful reminders:
- God will still be on his throne.
- Jesus will still be King of kings and Lord of lords.
- The Bible will still have all the answers to every problem.
- The tomb will still be empty.
- Jesus will still be the only way to heaven.
- Prayer will still work – it will still make a difference and God will still answer prayer.
- The cross, not the government, will still be our salvation.
- There will still be room at the cross.
- Jesus will still save anyone who places their faith and trust in him.
- God will still be with us always – He will never leave us or forsake us.
Elections can bring out the best and the worst in us. They challenge us with a level of anxiety over the policies we hope will be implemented or ones we don’t want to find codified. They can lead to division in relationships over strong feelings one way or the other. Elections don’t often bring the best out in people.
So, as a Christian, remember the constant of the God who loves you and is the one who allows or doesn’t allow an individual to be president. He answers to no one, but ensures his children are blessed.
What does that mean for us? First, get involved and cast your vote. Second, direct any fear or anxiety to the Lord. Third, do as Jesus encouraged in Matthew 5:14ff:
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Apply: Prepare your heart and mind now, with the guidance of God’ Spirit to not be anxious about the election and know that the constant of the Lord will overcome the ever changing patterns of the world.
Prayer: Lord, as the election comes closer, remind us that you are King of kings and Lord of lords. We treasure that you guide all things for the blessing of your people, the Church. AMEN.
Should Church and State be separated?
This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of Stormproof – Election Earthquakes (CLICK HERE)
507 years ago today, a piece of paper with 95 statements on it was nailed to a wooden church door in Wittenberg, Germany. They content of these 95 Theses were challenging the sale of indulgences in the church to merit forgiveness for someone living or dead. The author was Martin Luther. The audience was the people in Wittenberg to the officials of the church.
The “95 Theses” as they are known captured the attention of not only the locals in Wittenberg, but the officials in the papacy of Rome and eventually in the throne room of the Emperor.
The result?
Eventually what started as an honest debate about the authority of the Scripture and how righteousness comes to an individual, did not reform the Catholic Church back to the Bible, but led to the formation of the Lutheran Church which founds its teaching on Scripture alone, secures it’s righteousness before God by grace alone, becomes mine by faith alone, and is centered fully in Christ alone.
A by-product of the return to Scripture was the role of the Church and the role of government. On this Reformation Day, I copy a post of an excerpt from Martin Luther’s writing on the topic (https://reporter.lcms.org/2016/luther-on-church-and-state).
The words below from Luther’s 1523 treatise, “Temporal Authority: To What Extent It Should Be Obeyed,” stand as the first ethical defense of the role of temporal government against then-prevailing Roman Catholic notions that the church was the source of all earthly authority.
Readers might find this selection particularly relevant and helpful today, as it describes the respective roles of church and government.
You must know that since the beginning of the world a wise prince is a mighty rare bird, and an upright prince even rarer. They are generally the biggest fools or the worst scoundrels on earth; therefore, one must constantly expect the worst from them and look for little good, especially in divine matters which concern the salvation of souls. They are God’s executioners and hangmen; his divine wrath uses them to punish the wicked and to maintain outward peace. Our God is a great lord and ruler; this is why he must also have such noble, highborn, and rich hangmen and constables. He desires that everyone shall copiously accord them riches, honor, and fear in abundance. It pleases his divine will that we call his hangmen gracious lords, fall at their feet, and be subject to them in all humility, so long as they do not ply their trade too far and try to become shepherds instead of hangmen. If a prince should happen to be wise, upright, or a Christian, that is one of the great miracles, the most precious token of divine grace upon that land. Ordinarily the course of events is in accordance with the passage from Isaiah 3[:4], “I will make boys their princes, and gaping fools shall rule over them”; and in Hosea 13[:11], “I will give you a king in my anger, and take him away in my wrath.” The world is too wicked, and does not deserve to have many wise and upright princes. Frogs must have their storks.
Again you say, “The temporal power is not forcing men to believe; it is simply seeing to it externally that no one deceives the people by false doctrine; how could heretics otherwise be restrained?” Answer: This the bishops should do; it is a function entrusted to them and not to the princes. Heresy can never be restrained by force. One will have to tackle the problem in some other way, for heresy must be opposed and dealt with otherwise than with the sword. Here God’s word must do the fighting. If it does not succeed, certainly the temporal power will not succeed either, even if it were to drench the world in blood. Heresy is a spiritual matter which you cannot hack to pieces with iron, consume with fire, or drown in water. God’s word alone avails here, as Paul says in II Corinthians 10[:4-5], “Our weapons are not carnal, but mighty in God to destroy every argument and proud obstacle that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and to take every thought captive in the service of Christ.”
Moreover, faith and heresy are never so strong as when men oppose them by sheer force, without God’s word. For men count it certain that such force is for a wrong cause and is directed against the right, since it proceeds without God’s word and knows not how to further its cause except by naked force, as brute beasts do. Even in temporal affairs force can be used only after the wrong has been legally condemned. How much less possible it is to act with force, without justice and God’s word, in these lofty spiritual matters! See, therefore, what fine, clever nobles they are! They would drive out heresy, but set about it in such a way that they only strengthen the opposition, rousing suspicion against themselves and justifying the heretics. My friend, if you wish to drive out heresy, you must find some way to tear it first of all from the heart and completely turn men’s wills away from it. With force you will not stop it, but only strengthen it. What do you gain by strengthening heresy in the heart, while weakening only its outward expression and forcing the tongue to lie? God’s word, however, enlightens the heart, and so all heresies and errors vanish from the heart of their own accord.
Excerpted from Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, Vol. 45: The Christian in Society II, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald and Helmut T. Lehmann, vol. 45 (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1999), 113-115. Reproduced by permission of Augsburg Fortress.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your kingdom in which we live by your grace and the earthly state which we live in by birth and gift from you. As we live in both kingdoms, lead us to let our light shine so your Gospel prevails and the governing officials honored. AMEN.