ASLC Devotions - Thursday

Philippians 4:10 I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it.

Quick background: the apostle Paul is writing back to his friends in Philippi that he taught about God and the gospel. He's now in prison in Rome, and his friends in Philippi had sent some money or food or something to help support him. And he's thanking them. His mommy taught him well. 

I guess as I read these words it is a reminder that it does feel good to know that you're not alone. It feels good to know that you don't bear your burdens alone, that others care, that others are willing to enter into your life and it's troubles with you. There are people who are concerned for you, and who look for an opportunity to show it. And when someone takes that opportunity, it truly lifts some of your burden. Who has showed that concern for you recently?

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us in worship Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9. This Sunday, to celebrate Vacation Bible School, there will be an ice cream social and raffle after Sunday worship.

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

Mark 4:30-32  Jesus also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’

This is one of Jesus' most simple and straightforward parables. Which makes it awesome - because it's easy to remember and think about in life. A little thing can lead to something bigger and more wonderful than you can ever imagine. A mustard seed grows into a very large bush. That's what the kingdom of God is like.

The kingdom of God doesn't come into our world generally in light-flashing, fireworks kinds of ways. It comes in like a mustard seed. It comes in like a little child singing along at Vacation Bible School. It comes in like a patient teenage crew leader tending to a little flock of young ones so they too can learn that Jesus loves them. Mustard seeds are being planted all around. I can hardly wait to see how they blossom!

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us in worship Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9. This Sunday, to celebrate Vacation Bible School, there will be an ice cream social and raffle after Sunday worship.

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

As a congregation called All Saints Lutheran Church we have some unique spiritual opportunities. That is, whenever we think about our congregation and its name, or whenever we see the sign or the letterhead or what-have-you, we are called to remember All Saints. Paul told the people of Ephesus to keep praying for all the saints. I say the same thing to you today.

Pray in thanksgiving for the saints of the past who have shared this gospel message with us. When you think of All Saints, think of and thank God for St. Paul, St. Francis, St. Barnabas, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Jr. and all those in your own life who now rest in God. But also pray for all the saints - all the saints who still seek to walk in God's path on this earth. Pray for Saint Jennifer, Saint Troy, Saint Rosemary, and all the rest. It really matters.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us in worship Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9. This Sunday, to celebrate Vacation Bible School, there will be an ice cream social and raffle after Sunday worship.

ASLC Devotions - Monday

James 3:18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

From Gaza and Israel to Ukraine and Russia to Kenya to the streets of our cities to countless other places around the world, violence seems all around. I don't know if there's really more violence than there was, say, 30 years ago, or if we just know about it more. But it's there. And it raises in all of us a desire for peace. And a cry for peace. And a prayer for peace.

The biblical writer James knew this same desire and cry and prayer. And he also knew God's promise. In the Beatitudes as recorded in Matthew, Jesus said "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall inherit the earth." James provides another promise - a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. When you make peace - when you pursue paths of peace in your own life and with those around you, there's a harvest of joy and righteousness and peace. How can you make peace today?

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us in worship Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9. This Sunday, to celebrate Vacation Bible School, there will be an ice cream social and raffle after Sunday worship.

ASLC Devotions - Friday

Psalm 86:11-17

On a summer Friday, I think it's time simply to read a Psalm and let the praise of God given voice here become your praise.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O Lord,
   that I may walk in your truth;
   give me an undivided heart to revere your name. 
¹² I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
   and I will glorify your name for ever. 
¹³ For great is your steadfast love towards me;
   you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. 

¹⁴ O God, the insolent rise up against me;
   a band of ruffians seeks my life,
   and they do not set you before them. 
¹⁵ But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 
¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me;
   give your strength to your servant;
   save the child of your serving-maid. 
¹⁷ Show me a sign of your favour,
   so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame,
   because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. To be removed (or added) to our mailing list, please reply via this email address. Worship with us this weekend: Holy Communion Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9.

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

Hebrews 2:9 but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Jesus didn't have to die. Jesus didn't even have to be born in a stinking cave and walk around dusty roads for 30-some years. He was sitting at the right hand of God through all eternity, in all comfort. He didn't have to do any of it. For a little while he was made lower than angels. Why?

So that he might taste death for everyone. So that we could be baptized into his death and resurrection. So that we could live. So that we could have eternal life, the life of the ages, the life that God intended for us but we mess up over and over with sin. The how of it all gets very confusing at times. But don't let the how confuse the facts: Jesus lowered himself and humbled himself so you could live. That's it. Enjoy the gift of life.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. To be removed (or added) to our mailing list, please reply via this email address. Worship with us this weekend: Holy Communion Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9.

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

Matthew 13:17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

Time for some real talk, some hard truths: not everybody in the world believes in the truths we share as members of the church. I know. Now pick up your jaw and read on.

You have a privilege: you have heard and seen the truth. Life has meaning and purpose. That meaning and purpose is the unfolding of God's love for the whole world through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. And you get to participate in the unfolding of God's love. It's a privilege. Claim it and love it.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. To be removed (or added) to our mailing list, please reply via this email address. Worship with us this weekend: Holy Communion Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9.

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

Ephesians 4:25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another.

We are to speak the truth to one another, even when it's hard. Even when we'd rather just keep our mouths shut and get along. But there's a VERY important secondary phrase in this sentence. "For we are members of one another." That's the crucial issue. And that's the test of how the truth is spoken.

The truth isn't spoken (or shouldn't be as we live out our faith) in order to prove we know the truth. The truth isn't spoken to win. The truth isn't spoken to shut up the other person. The truth is spoken because I'm a member of you and you're a member of me. When you hurt, I hurt. I don't want to add to that hurt. I want to try to help. That's what the real truth is for.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. To be removed (or added) to our mailing list, please reply via this email address. Worship with us this weekend: Holy Communion Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9.

ASLC Devotions - Monday

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more.

More and more I'm convinced of the truth that mostly, people know what they are supposed to do. Treat other people the way you'd want to be treated. Don't kill. Don't steal. Don't lie. There's a reason that Christianity (or Judaism) doesn't have the corner on the market of these life lessons. They're universal truths. The more we can all follow them, the better we'll get along and the better life will be for all of us.

So we don't need to worship or go to a Bible Study class to learn the rules. I think we need to go and be together to be encouraged as we try to live the right way. We're all trying. We make mistakes. We fall back. We don't understand the implications of our actions. We need to be encouraged to keep doing these things "more and more" as Paul said. So I know you're working at it. Keep it up. And I'll try to do the same.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. To be removed (or added) to our mailing list, please reply via this email address. Worship with us this weekend: Holy Communion Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9.

ASLC Devotions - Friday

A prayer for today:

Lord of all the worlds, guide this nation by your Spirit to go forward in justice and freedom. Give to all our people the blessings of well-being and harmony, but above all things give us faith in you, that our nation may bring glory to your name and blessings to all peoples, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. To be removed (or added) to our mailing list, please reply via this email address. Worship with us this weekend: Holy Communion Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9.

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

Romans 7:6 But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.

All that the law can do is hold us captive. All that the law can do is hold us back and condemn us. It can tell us what we've done wrong. It can keep us from doing other things. This might actually be useful. In fact, it is quite useful in life and in our communal life together. But it's limited.

The freedom and new life we have in the Spirit is so much broader than that. It doesn't provide us the clear "do nots" and so sometimes it's more frustrating. Freedom in the Spirit is harder because it's not quite as clear. "Love your neighbor" is freedom in the Spirit. But how do you do that exactly? "Don't kill your neighbor." That's law and it's pretty clear. The challenge of the Christian life is to live in the Spirit, to embrace it's freedom and it's joy in service to God and others.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. To be removed (or added) to our mailing list, please reply via this email address. Worship with us this weekend: Holy Communion Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9.

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

Psalm 119:161 Princes persecute me without cause,
   but my heart stands in awe of your words. 

First, a bit of trivia our third graders learned in their Bible class this spring: Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, clocking in at 176 verses. OK

For those who dwell in God's word and God's presence there is a deep peace that even the worst things of this world cannot puncture. The psalmist writes about princes persecuting him without cause. Lots of terrible things are going on in the world. And yet the psalmist rests in God's words. How do you rest in God's words? How do you stand in awe of God's words?

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. To be removed (or added) to our mailing list, please reply via this email address. Worship with us this weekend: Holy Communion Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9.

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

We all know this and understand it - that not everything or everyone who claims to speak for God really does. So how do you tell the difference? How do you "test the spirits" as John wrote?

Lutherans have a handy rule - I call it the Jesus principle. When you hear someone say something about God or what God would want in the world, ask yourself a simple question: If what you're hearing consistent with the love of God shown for the whole world in Jesus? That's how you test the spirits? If it's about love and unity, then it's from God. If it's about division and condemning others, it's probably not.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. To be removed (or added) to our mailing list, please reply via this email address. Worship with us this weekend: Holy Communion Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9.