tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60673399732728064922024-03-14T05:23:11.126-05:00Keeping and Treasuring The WordAn attempt to not live by bread alone, but by every Word which comes down from above - especially the portions assigned for the day from Treasury of Daily Prayer.Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.comBlogger439125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-31743230474780718352021-12-24T10:43:00.002-06:002021-12-24T10:43:57.805-06:00December 24 - Isaiah 45<p><span style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: small;">The
prophecy from Isaiah 45:1-7 has a lot more to do with Christmas Eve than you might imagine. The Lord gets very specific as He names Cyrus to be the one to restore His
people after they have lived in exile in Babylon (and remember that Isaiah announced this prophecy over a century before the Persian King was born.) More than that, He speaks of Cyrus in Christ-like terms as being God's anointed – despite the fact that the
man was a foreign pagan, and in no way a descendant of Abraham. Remember, God commanded His priests to
anoint prophets, priests, and kings. And there are also the
prophesies of the Anointed One (which in Greek is </span><span style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Christos</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: small;">,
or Christ.)</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2 Chronicles 36:22 reports to us God's fulfillment of this promise in Isaiah 45, "</span></span><i style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: small;">That
the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the
LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia.</i><span style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: small;">" He gave this military success and political power to King Cyrus
for the sake of God's chosen people Israel – and for your sake! As
God says prophetically to Cyrus in Isaiah 45:5-6, “<i>I equip you,
though you do not know Me, that people may know, from the rising of
the sun and from the west, that there is none besides Me; I am the
LORD, and there is no other.</i>” </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: small;">Among those whom Cyrus helped leave Babylon and return to the Promised Land were ancestors of Jesus, our newborn King whose birth in the city of David we celebrate this night. God would also use the decrees of Caesar and Quirinius to get Mary and Joseph into Bethlehem for that birth. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: small;">Over the last two years especially we have spent what seems like more time than usual thinking about (questioning and complaining about even) those who govern us. These Christmas Scriptures remind us that no matter if they believe in Him or not, God will use their decisions to serve the purposes of His salvation for us. Our rulers will come and go. The ones we obsess over today may become less than a footnote tomorrow. But the newborn King, to whom all
authority in Heaven and on earth has been given, has guided all of it and will bring good from it. The Holy Trinity who sent the angels so that the shepherds would recognize Christ now has directed the servants of His Church to go out into
all the world and find you, teaching you to know Him as the only God,
so that you could have more than just a merry little Christmas - but also that as you have the forgiveness of your sins, you could live in His
kingdom in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.</span></p>Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-55767416157066285142021-09-03T12:27:00.003-05:002021-09-03T12:27:59.500-05:00September 3 - 1 Kings 19<p> <i style="font-family: Arial, serif;">[Elijah]
said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For
the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your
altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only,
am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Kings 19:10)</i></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;">One Sunday
during college I went with my friend to her church. I never imagined
that I would both hear a sermon that has stuck with me and meet a
pastor who would become a dear friend about 20 years later.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"> “There are
no soloists in the symphony of God, Elijah” preached Rev. William
Cwirla. The great prophet was at the end of his rope, convinced that
the whole world was going to Hell. He had tried fighting the
idolatry of King Ahab and the prophets of Baal. He showed decisively
that the LORD is the only God and Baal was a fake. But that only
made the King and Queen mad. Elijah gives up on even taking one more
step forward. He complains to God, “I'm the only one left” who
believes in You.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"> Pastor
Cwirla's sermon put God's response into different words as he taught
us that we are in this Christianity thing together, comparing us to
musicians in a great symphony lifting songs of praise to our God,
rather than isolated individual soloists trying to go it alone. My
own life has proven that sermon true. When I have tried to live out
my faith without help, like Elijah thought he was doing, it has gone
badly. I've even thought of quitting like Elijah did. But I am not
alone. God has blessed me with brother pastors and countless other
Christians – both Lutherans and not – who encourage me in my
faith and work.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"> You are not
alone either. Now, your family might be the only Lutherans in your
town. You might be the only Lutheran at your workplace or school – and that
gets really lonely and awkward. However, Christ is with you – the
One who went alone to His Cross so that You could be with Him in
Paradise. Never will He leave you, never will He forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5). </span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"> More than
that, you will never imagine the children of our Heavenly Father that
He is preparing you to meet and befriend in the future – brothers
and sisters in Christ for you to encourage and to be encouraged by on
your journey through this world.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i style="font-family: Arial, serif;"><br /></i></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i style="font-family: Arial, serif;">Merciful
Father, by Word and Sacrament You have created Your Church in our
world to be a caring family. Grant Your comfort to those who live in
loneliness. Help them to find a place of healing and pleasant
fellowship among people faithful to You. Amen.</i></p>Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-53018518105453460232021-08-13T09:56:00.004-05:002021-08-13T09:57:10.124-05:00August 13 - Psalm 68<p> </p><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">"Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation." (Psalm 68:5)</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; text-align: center; transition-property: none !important;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbkwoQEOjawAjsM3FJGIFTlBdx3dgPmfLVK9BLd646kAwSBEU95VPUk5vwmiEjuJ9AUAIxXwHZlbwQ51-jnD0XAza762SRHkpOrmOyVBYxpWhv40wrh76ugGD15Y6buRUN7B_AW2PxoTP/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="526" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbkwoQEOjawAjsM3FJGIFTlBdx3dgPmfLVK9BLd646kAwSBEU95VPUk5vwmiEjuJ9AUAIxXwHZlbwQ51-jnD0XAza762SRHkpOrmOyVBYxpWhv40wrh76ugGD15Y6buRUN7B_AW2PxoTP/w152-h200/image.png" width="152" /></a>This verse from this morning's devotions is so very appropriate today as my sweet friend <span style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="nc684nl6" style="animation-name: none !important; display: inline; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Maria</span> </span>and her faithful sons bury her husband and their father Robert in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection.</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">On that Day when the Lord drives away the last enemy of death, they shall be glad and exult in Christ (Psalm 68:1-3)</span></div><br /><p></p>Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-35662982975976913982021-07-03T12:50:00.002-05:002021-07-03T12:50:49.554-05:00July 3 - Psalm 84:5-8<p> Blessed are you as you find your strength not in this world and its nations, but in the Lord God who has all authority over Heaven and Earth and is head over all things for the sake of His Church. The world says you are a citizen of country that is only temporary. There was a time when a different kingdom ruled over this country's land. And in the future this piece of ground will be ruled by yet another kingdom - at the time of the New Heavens and the New Earth, if not sooner. However, you have the inheritance of the saints in light because God the Father has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">And so, even if you now live in your home and native land (which I do not), you are like me - a stranger in a foreign land. In your heart is the pilgrimage you are now on as you head to your true and eternal home, from which you await our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oOxd059JW368pB4oQPfOmmZMQdy53K06fi9-6YTL2mKqOy2EOBshK0vSZlC4VlV1lqQ-mzjdXPSuA_YkhPaVZ8jEBmOJAA5hXV-9F-QpT-Bc1vShFTfcmpgqe7PIv9tVJhIybellMN7b/s1080/They+go+from+strength+to+strength.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oOxd059JW368pB4oQPfOmmZMQdy53K06fi9-6YTL2mKqOy2EOBshK0vSZlC4VlV1lqQ-mzjdXPSuA_YkhPaVZ8jEBmOJAA5hXV-9F-QpT-Bc1vShFTfcmpgqe7PIv9tVJhIybellMN7b/w200-h200/They+go+from+strength+to+strength.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p>Until you appear before God in Zion, you pause your travels at rest stops the Lord has placed for you, going from the strength of one Divine Service to the strength of the next. And along your way in the days of the week between, out of your heart flows streams of living water (that is, the Holy Spirit). He cascades from your daily life to make this dead world to be a place of Life in the Christ who died for us, covering the land with pools of salvation.<br /><br /></p>Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-33938526503343933602020-05-06T08:10:00.001-05:002020-05-06T08:10:22.070-05:001 Peter Bible Study - IntroductionYou can watch the video <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1049350758434882/videos/226345105321620/" target="_blank">here</a>Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-53572150183167799622020-04-05T09:11:00.000-05:002020-04-05T09:11:04.171-05:00Peace Lutheran Church Worship Resources - April 5, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.peacewindsor.com/bulletin.pdf" target="_blank">You can find the Bulletin for this service here. </a><br />
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God grant you a blessed Holy Week.Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-60005766321053203172020-03-29T07:51:00.000-05:002020-03-29T07:51:06.541-05:00Peace Lutheran Church Worship Resources - March 29, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Part 1<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pw7b77Bz8Jk/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pw7b77Bz8Jk?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<br />
Part 2<br />
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<a href="http://www.peacewindsor.com/bulletin.pdf" target="_blank">You can find the bulletin here.</a></div>
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God bless your day.</div>
<br />Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-21931294367476205522020-03-24T13:27:00.003-05:002020-03-24T13:30:06.645-05:00March 24 - something helpful for me<br />
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<img alt="Image result for prayer clip art" height="320" src="https://www.pinclipart.com/picdir/middle/15-152019_shaow-clipart-prayer-man-praying-silhouette-png-transparent.png" width="209" /></div>
<br />
Perhaps it will be helpful for you also.<br />
<br />
Do not worry about doing it all at one time. <br />
Maybe use part of it one day, and another part another day.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://porterctaylordotcom.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/a-liturgy-during-a-pandemic-pct.pdf">https://porterctaylordotcom.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/a-liturgy-during-a-pandemic-pct.pdf</a>Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-5036856172079921952020-03-23T11:53:00.000-05:002020-03-23T11:53:06.096-05:00March 23 - John 16:33<img alt="Image may contain: possible text that says '"I HAVE SAID THESE THINGS το YOU, THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. IN THE WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION. BUT TAKE HEART; HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD. JOHN 16:33 ESV Concordia'" height="400" src="https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p960x960/90433321_10159610071797222_106918963111264256_o.png?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=2d5d41&_nc_ohc=_lg-1gQbbQ4AX-w35Ek&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.xx&oh=ad98b323239f68ddb730afea4c31bb64&oe=5E9F4B0B" width="400" /><br />
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O Christ, grant us the peace that the world cannot give.Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-63181801127347642532020-03-22T00:30:00.000-05:002020-03-22T00:30:00.289-05:00Peace Lutheran Church Worship Resources - March 22, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.cph.org/images/topics/images/topicpages/bestill-2020/Daily%20Prayer%20and%20Hymns.pdf" target="_blank">Click here for the worship service liturgy</a>. We use the one for Morning, listed as page 295 in the pdf document. We also use "Christ the Life of All the Living" and "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" which are towards the end of the pdf document.<br />
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Psalm 95 can be <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+95%3A1-9&version=ESV" target="_blank">found here</a>.<br />
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The Scripture readings are <a href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/exodus/17/1-7" target="_blank">Exodus 17:1-7</a>, <a href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/ephesians/5/8-14" target="_blank">Ephesians 5:8-14</a>, and <a href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/john/9/1-41" target="_blank">John 9:1-41</a>. I read from the English Standard Version.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.concordia-lutheran.com/Creed.aspx" target="_blank">Apostles' Creed can be found here</a>.<br />
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God bless your day.Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-70846197403712778372020-03-21T11:17:00.002-05:002020-03-21T11:17:17.440-05:00March 21 - Psalm 56:8<br />
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<img alt="Image may contain: text" src="https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/90338605_10221845401430078_8354684175042740224_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=WzZq8eYmF6oAX9McDO-&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.xx&oh=f0e14695f5c8f2b02fd95cb8dc1b3fc6&oe=5E9C2A98" /><br />
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I broke down and cried for the first time today. It felt good to release everything that was pent up inside. You see, it is not just the stress of being your pastor and having to make decisions right away about how best to care for you. That would be enough as it is. But it was also my trip to Charleston, SC and the memories of my dad who has now been dead for almost 8 years. And it was also grief over the deaths of other men in my life, like Derrick DeWilde, and my childhood best friend's father at the end of February - a man who very much was a bonus dad to me (and happened also to be a Baptist pastor.) But what opened the floodgates of tears was seeing a post on Facebook by Faith Mueller of her and her husband at his hospice bed. <br /><br />You might remember that in 2018, we had Rev. Herbert Mueller, LCMS 1st VP (at the time) as our guest preacher for our church Anniversary Sunday. He was my first District President. But more than that, he is my friend. Seeing his death approaching was finally too much for me. I started crying - and it was the ugly crying too. Loud. Uncontrollable. Lots of tears. Ones that would go away, and then erupt again.<br /><br /><img alt="Image result for image jesus wept" src="https://wozwhatif.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/jesuswept.png?w=1100" /><br /><br />And I remembered John 11, a verse that I have spoken MANY times to your fellow Christians. And it brought comfort to me. Because if Jesus, who is the most Man of any of us, was no less of a man, no less faithful to our Father, as He cried... well then, neither am I any sort of a failure as a Christian when I cry out of deep pain and heartache. And neither are you.<br />
<br />
When my friend's father died, he wrote something about how his dad could pass gas and talk at exactly the same time - which made people confused, thinking there was no way it could have been his dad who farted. But my friend wasn't just trying to make his readers laugh, he was trying to make a point. You see, my friend had for years bottled up some pain and sorrow that he had gone through in his young adult life. He was too embarrassed to let other people see him cry, so he just didn't. Until a few years ago when he bought a farm in Iowa and went way out in the countryside where no one else was anywhere near, and he just let all the tears and screams out.<br />
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<a href="https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/90406891_10221845400230048_4917779966722048000_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=3PtEHLWL8nQAX8R_J6q&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.xx&oh=eb67ea9ca6df7b254726d62d45505576&oe=5E99E558" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image may contain: one or more people, possible text that says 'TEARS ARE PRAYERS TOO. THEY TRAVEL TO GOD WHEN WE CAN'T SPEAK. ww.hwwok.com/NsStotepapp wanr'" border="0" src="https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/90406891_10221845400230048_4917779966722048000_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=3PtEHLWL8nQAX8R_J6q&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.xx&oh=eb67ea9ca6df7b254726d62d45505576&oe=5E99E558" /></a></div>
When he was at his father's bedside, a family friend was visiting, obviously trying hard not to cry. My friend said to him, "Better out than in." His dad chuckled that deep bass chuckle of his, with that mischievous twinkle in his eye that I remember so well. "Just like gas, tears are better out than in." Any tension in the room was immediately gone as everyone joined in laughter. My friend goes on to write -<br />
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Apparently I have to wait until the other side of the grave for more chats with Rev. Mueller, as his time on hospice is rapidly coming to a close. But I know that there will be more. I have God's word on that. The Lord does all things well. Trust Him to be your Resurrection, and your Life.<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: museo-slab-w01-100, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Keeping our tears and gasses bottled up screws up our insides. I’m not saying we need to release them anywhere and anytime, but the consistent release allows us to move on. The bottling process creates a storage problem. If I don’t gas out those brussel sprouts I had for lunch or cry out that heartbreak from not getting that dream job I was so sure I was gonna get, I have to find a place to store it. Let it out. You may find your forward movement eased by the lightness and space you create from gassing and crying.</i></span></blockquote>
<br /><br />This picture was taken at Doxology 2 in January. <i>(Members of Peace, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this moment possible as you allowed me time away to "go on retreat with Jesus" and learn how better to be your pastor.)</i> Apparently Herb and I will have to wait until the other side of the grave for more chats as his time on hospice is coming rapidly to a close.<br />
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<a href="https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p720x720/90518766_10221845368309250_2142387368655585280_o.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=R5l7TNleQuoAX9IH7Ae&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.xx&_nc_tp=6&oh=008d3401eee3dcd951c0a867c088ba8a&oe=5E9B3B99" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image may contain: 2 people, people sitting, table and indoor" border="0" height="300" src="https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p720x720/90518766_10221845368309250_2142387368655585280_o.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=R5l7TNleQuoAX9IH7Ae&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.xx&_nc_tp=6&oh=008d3401eee3dcd951c0a867c088ba8a&oe=5E9B3B99" width="400" /></a></div>
But there will be more chats. I have God's word on that. The Lord does all things well.Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-53117319868081100632020-03-20T11:57:00.001-05:002020-03-20T11:57:22.694-05:00March 20, 2020 - Ephesians 2:10 "Prepared Beforehand"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="Image may contain: possible text that says 'FOR WE wotkmanship ARE HIS CREATED IN CHRIST JESUSFOR GOOD WORKS WHICH GOD prepared beforehand. THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM. Ephesians 2:10'" height="400" src="https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p960x960/90348539_10221832669431786_1949005521260380160_o.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=skla-wHC9BkAX8S-bd2&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.xx&_nc_tp=6&oh=a02a6565e53fe2bd7bdaaf30c32b4ab7&oe=5E9995FD" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">I've been thinking a lot about how this week compares to 9/11. Both were times of great uncertainty where we just hoped things would get back to normal. Some things never did. My beloved adopted hometown of Windsor remembers well how easy it was to cross the border on September 10, 2001. It never was that easy again.</span></div>
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<br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">On that day, I was some 10 hours away in southern Illinois. I still remember t</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">hinking, "They (the seminary) never prepared me for this!!!" Not that I was angry at them - no one was expecting that attack. (The fighter jets that were scrambled to intercept any terrorist controlled planes - they had ZERO armaments on their fighters because they didn't have time to wait for the weapons to be loaded because the military did not expect an airstrike to come from inside USA borders. If the pilots had to bring an airliner down, it would have to be kamikaze.)<br /><br />Thankfully, God granted me comfort for my anxious thoughts. In fact, while He had never used my professors to address the SPECIFICS of the unimaginable event of terror as 9/11, He had prepared me for being pastor on that day - and for this day.<br /><br />You might be feeling very overwhelmed right now, both over those things you are responsible for and for those things you have no control over. </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">God has prepared you for this time. </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">He is with you now. </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">He will never leave you, nor forsake you.<br /><br />And never forget this - that how you handle these days will not earn your salvation. Just two verses before Ephesians 2:10, verse 8 promises, </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i><b>"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i><b>and this is not from yourselves, </b></i></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i><b>it is the gift of God."</b></i></span></div>
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Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-73888761384185824642020-03-20T11:46:00.001-05:002020-03-20T11:46:22.169-05:00time to dust this place offIf you are reading this, then welcome, or welcome back. Glad to have you. Hopefully you'll find something helpful. And if so, then God be praised.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Image result for dust off broom" src="https://www.popsci.com/resizer/9vQQ_lgu8nNCMo3YcTVqqStDU-g=/760x506/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-bonnier.s3.amazonaws.com/public/XERMUO33HTCVLD7TBTNOMVBA3Y.jpg" />Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-10975438762001569832017-09-12T11:44:00.002-05:002017-09-12T11:46:10.451-05:00September 12 - Philippians 4<div class="tr_bq">
My dear friend (and previous chiropractor) Jennifer's husband<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BelieveinDerrick/posts/287270615013194" target="_blank"> Derrick was in a terrible accident after the top of a tree fell on him</a>, and is now in critical condition in a hospital in New Mexico. So the well known and cherished <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A4-7&version=ESV" target="_blank">Philippians 4:4-7</a> really hit home for me today.</div>
<br />
This is what I wrote in a comment on the Facebook page - and it applies nicely to the survivors in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and Irma, and any personal disaster you (or someone you know) might be facing -<br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f9;">Verse 5 is so key to it all.</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f9;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f9;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Lord is at hand.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f9;"></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f9;">Why can we rejoice in the Lord always (v. 4), even at a dark time like this? How can we not be anxious (v 6)? How can we keep our disappointments from discouraging our praying with thanksgiving concerning our requests? Only because the Lord is present with us, uniting Himself to us with His peace that passes all our understanding. </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f9;"></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f9;">He WILL guard our hearts and minds. And in such an uncertain time as this, it's great to have that piece of absolute, rock solid certainty.</span></span></blockquote>
Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-68880841974321643282017-07-16T11:53:00.001-05:002017-07-16T11:53:15.207-05:00Isaiah 55:10-13 - Farewell Sermon At St. Peter's and St. John's<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;">“For as the rain and
the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the
eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to
me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in
the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;">It was like
unexpectedly seeing an old friend when I discovered this would be our Old
Testament text for my last Sunday here.
It is one of my most favorite OT passages of all, and extremely
appropriate for today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;">I first remember
noticing this passage in the summer of 1996.
As I told you this story a few years ago, I was on the Summer Youth
Ministry Team for my college. Mostly
that meant helping out with the VBS for a congregation and working with their
youth group. Our team each chose one of
our professors who promised to pray for us throughout the summer. I will never forget the day when a letter
came from my partner, Dr. Brighton. He
specifically quoted this text from Isaiah to encourage me. But that made me a bit confused. I remember questioning God, “Why this verse
now, Lord? I mean, I feel like my
ministry work is going great. I am
seeing the kids learn as I teach. Your
Word is having success. I mean, maybe if
I was discouraged I could understand why You had Dr. Brighton quote this
passage. But I am actually getting great
joy from my work.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> In less than
half an hour, I had an answer. During our
Team meeting, one of my friends poured out her heart saying she felt like a
failure. She was trying to reach the
kids with God’s Word, but they just did not seem to be getting it. Then I realized how foolish and self-centered
I was to think that God had sent His Isaiah 55 promise just for my sake. No, it was for my friend. At that moment He had given it to me to give
away. He sent Isaiah 55 out so He could
promise His daughter that His Word she was speaking would get done what He
wanted it to do. Even if she could not
see it happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> The second milepost
where I came across this passage was two years later in the Fall of 1998. I was in my second year of seminary, and as I
moved into my new dorm room, I noticed that the previous seminarian in that
room had taped this verse to the window.
Whenever I saw rain or snow come down outside that window, those words
of God got planted that much deeper into my heart. The early months of that school year were
emotionally tough – so I needed the reminder.
All sorts of questions swirled through my head and threatened to drown
me. Would I be any good as a
pastor? My classmates seemed to know so
many more answers than I did, and explain things better. What if I could not find the right words to
convince a member at church of the truth of God’s Scriptures? What if nobody listened to me? But then God used this verse to snap me out
of those fears and bring me back to reality.
His Word would do the work He sent it to do. His Word would get ‘r done. Encouraged by God’s promised I completed my
studies, and was ordained here to be your pastor for these 16 years under God’s
blessing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> And now this
passage comes along at this third milepost, and it is an encouragement for both
you and me. I would be worried sick
about what might happen to your faith without me – except that this passage gives
us confidence. Hear God’s promise remind
us that the success and livelihood of this congregation never depended upon me
being your pastor. It was always the
Word of God that I spoke – and it will always be into the future. Whatever successes we had in these last years,
it was always because God was sending out His Word from Heaven down to us, to
succeed in the purposes for which He sent it.
That same word of God that had the power to create when He said, “Let
there be light,” and that same word of God that had the power to give life to
dead Lazarus when Christ called him to rise from his grave – that same Word
gave power to baptisms, so that I did not pour just plain water, but a life
giving water, rich in grace – a washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy
Spirit. And even when I was having a bad
Sunday morning, that could not change what I gave to you at this Altar. God’s Word told us that it is Christ’s Body
and Blood, and whatever might have been going on in my heart at that moment in
time could not change it. Because it all
depends upon God’s Word, not upon me as your pastor. We face the unknown future with confidence in
His Word, because this very day God is sending His Word from Heaven to another
man unknown to us – and His Word is working to prepare him to be your pastor
for years to come and speak that Word of God to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> Isaiah
delivered this promise of God to Israel at a pretty significant milepost in
their lives. They lived in dark times, about
500 years after King David had made their nation great and King Solomon had
built the Temple, and about 500 more years until Jesus was born. The Babylonians had defeated them at war,
destroyed the Temple of the Lord, and brought the survivors back as slaves to
Babylon. God has promised to bring His
faithful people back to the Promised Land where they can wait for the coming
Savior. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;">But… as days turn into
weeks, and months into years, the exiles are still in Babylon. Nothing seems to change, hope is running
dry. The insults and mockery of the
Babylonians made a lot of sense. Israel
lost, so that must mean their gods were stronger than the God of Israel. So all that talk about the exiles returning
to the Promised Land was just empty talk.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;">However, the Lord does
not give up on them as easily as they give up on Him. He is patient with His impatient people. He gives them the picture of rain and snow to
help them trust in Him. They knew rain
to be a matter of life and death. They
knew just as much as we do how destructive droughts can get. God’s Word is like the rain and snow. His Word is not powerless, but comes down
from Heaven to give growth, providing everything we need for a lively
spirituality. The God who provided Bread
for their bodies is also providing the Bread of His Word to be food for their
souls. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> God’s Word will accomplish the purposes for
which He sent it. In particular the Lord
describes in verses 12 and 13 of today’s text that the people shall in fact go
out from Babylon in joy and be led to Jerusalem in peace. Thorns and briers are replaced by the cypress
and myrtle. Trees in the Bible are a
sign of Paradise, while thorns are a sign of man’s sin that has messed things
up. Remember how God had revealed to
Adam and Eve that the ground was cursed because they had failed in listening to
God. Thorns and thistles painfully get
in our way as we work the ground until we return to the ground in death. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> Martin Luther
once wrote, “The sin underneath all our sin is to trust the lie of the serpent
that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into
our own hands.” We might proudly think
that you or I would not have been so dumb as Adam and Even to take that forbidden
fruit. And yet we take matters into our
own hands and ignore God’s commands whenever we live according to our own
standards of what works for us instead of trusting what God has said. Here on a Sunday morning, we acknowledge this
as the Word of the Lord. Yet in so many
moments in life, the Word of God loses out to our impulses and our devotion to
things that do not last forever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> In today’s
parable of the Sower, Jesus identifies things that get in the way of us taking
His Word to heart. If you do not really
listen in the first place, the Devil will come along and snatch that Word from
you like the seed that bounced on the hard path. Or we can be like the rocky ground when trials
and persecution dry out our faith. Jesus
also warns us to watch out for the thorns of life that can choke our faith when
we get wrapped up in the cares of this world that shut out God’s light and
finally teach us to stop believing in Christ.
When we ask ourselves what gets in my way of paying attention to God’s
Word, the answers will show us where the weeds and thorns are in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> As I said,
thorns are a sign in the Bible of our sins.
But do you remember where else thorns appear in the Scriptures? On the head of our King as the soldiers
pressed that awful crown down upon Him.
And the amazing thing is that Jesus chose to wear it. He had every chance to sin and go against the
Word of God. He could have saved Himself
and come down from the Cross. Instead,
Jesus accomplished the purposes of God and succeeded in the reason God sent Him
from Heaven – to save us. And so Christ suffered
that crown of sin at His Cross, even as He shouldered the sharp thorns of our guilt
and felt the deadly curse of our disobedience.
So that He could take it away from us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 150%;"> God’s Word
teaches us who we are – human beings created by God, perfect in the beginning
in a perfect world now corrupted by sin.
Yet loved by God’s grace and saved by His mercy. To hearts that are filled with brokenness God
sends His Word of good news, that sins are forgiven in Jesus and death is
overcome with Christ’s resurrection. His
Word teaches us to look forward to the new Heavens and the new Earth, the home
of righteousness, where there will be no more goodbyes, where thorns and
thistles are replaced by the beautiful trees of Paradise. He promises to gather us there in that land
as people who will trust God completely with all our heart and will love each
other – even as He has already begun that work in us now by the power of His
Word. Amen.<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-274546777118120412017-06-06T10:49:00.003-05:002017-06-06T10:50:11.881-05:00Pentecost Tuesday - Psalm 94 - What Others SaidLuther's Prayer based on Psalm 94, from <u>Reading the Psalms With Luther</u> (CPH) - also extremely appropriate prayer following the OT reading from Numbers about the Balaam saga:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Lord, You are a merciful and a jealous God. Convert Your enemies, and draw to You those that are going astray; but restrain the malicious persecutors of Your Church and the willful corrupters of Your truth. Bring their counsels to naught, and show that You are the Lord. Build Your Church, and make it a city upon a hill for the salvation of many, through Jesus Christ. Amen.</i></blockquote>
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<br />Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-35028996241684828942017-05-15T11:05:00.000-05:002017-05-15T11:05:05.416-05:00Farewell Letter to St. Peter's and St. John's Lutheran Churches<div align="right" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;">
The Fifth Sunday of Easter</div>
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May 14, 2017</div>
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To the members of St. John’s and
St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches,</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
It is with both joy and sadness that
I announce that the Lord has led me to accept the call to serve as Pastor of
Peace Lutheran Church in Windsor, Ontario.</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
We have so many wonderful memories
from living here. Our family was just two people when we
arrived, with no clue God had His plans to increase us to seven - plus my mother-in-law moved to town to be with us, so eight really. All our children were born, baptized and
taught the Word of the Lord here with you.
I have gone through depression here and I suffered the grief of my father’s death and the
death of so many dear members here. Yet
through it all, both the good and the bad, you have put up with my mistakes,
forgiven my sins, prayed for me and loved my family. In many ways I have learned from you not only
what it means to be a pastor, but also a man of God, a husband, and a
father. I would not have grown to be the
person I have become without the last 16
years of having you as dear friends, the flock of God He had entrusted to
me. Which also fills me with sadness as
I think about how much I will miss you and the love you expressed regularly for
my family and me. </div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
I am able to accept this new call
because I believe God will bless my family’s life and work in Canada just as He
has blessed us in Randolph County. They
have ministries such as a food pantry and more Bible classes, and other different
opportunities for ministry that fit many of my strengths, as well as
challenging me to grow in some of my weaker areas. </div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
Quite honestly, another one of my
reasons that led me to accept the call to go to Peace Lutheran is because I
trust God has another man chosen to lead you and care for you, and to be cared
for by you. He faithfully promises, “Never
will I leave you. Never will I forsake
you.” He makes that promise just as much
to us as we move to a different country as He makes it to you here. St. Peter’s and St. John’s are two
congregations blessed by God. He is even
now at work preparing you to grow spiritually with a new pastor, and preparing
that new pastor for you. The Lord only
knows how much longer He will use before that work is ready. He also knows </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->the unforeseen troubles that approach the
individual lives of our members, </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->the challenges in the years ahead that face St.
Peter’s and St. John’s locally, </div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->as well as the threats against Christian
churches in America in the future. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Our Good Shepherd who has died
and risen again to provide us with eternal life shall also provide the new
pastor who will help lead these two churches to face those changes, differently
than I would – but God grant that it is always according to His Word. </div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
The leadership of our dual parish
is faithful. Yesterday I spoke with
Pastor Mark Nebel, our circuit’s visitor, and he is ready to work with
them. I have every confidence that through
this work, a pastor will accept your call, and he will deeply bless you and be
blessed by you.</div>
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Our plans for the timing of our move
are very unclear. As most of you know,
my mother-in-law is currently receiving breast cancer treatments. Our hope would be that I might continue
serving as your pastor until after her surgery, which is looking like it will
happen in July. Because the school year
in Windsor starts the first week of September, we would like to move into our
new home before then. We will also need
to visit Windsor ahead of time to choose a new home as the congregation does
not have a parsonage. As our plans come
into focus, I will keep the congregation informed.</div>
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I will be arranging with Chairmen
Dennis Phegley and Nathan Koester to schedule a dual parish council meeting so
we can discuss these things and agree upon my final Sunday here. It is also my understanding that the voters’
assembly of each congregation will need to vote on granting me a peaceful
release as your pastor. </div>
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I have many more things to say, but
this is more than enough for now. Please
keep the congregations of St. Peter’s, St. John’s, and Peace in your prayers. I
have included two in this letter that you might wish to add to your own. The people at Peace Lutheran will have you in
their prayers. Please also ask God to
grant safety and strength to my family as we make this transition. I
remain</div>
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Yours in Christ,</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
James A. Leistico</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
Pastor</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lord God,<br />
You
have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending,<br />
by
paths as yet untrodden,<br />
through
perils unknown.<br />
Give
us faith to go out with good courage,<br />
not
knowing where we go,<br />
but
only that Your hand is leading us<br />
and
Your love supporting us;<br />
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">O Gracious Father, You led Your holy
apostles to ordain ministers for the proclamation of Your Word and the faithful
administration of the Sacraments of Christ.
Grant to our congregations the guidance of the Holy Spirit to choose a
suitable pastor according to Your will for the blessing of Your Church in this
place, and give us patience to wait for Your time; through Jesus Christ, our
Lord. Amen.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-70058751562599939272017-05-01T10:34:00.003-05:002017-05-01T10:34:34.828-05:00O Foolish Ones - Homily on Luke 24:13-35 for Easter 3 A<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
(Many of the thoughts and words came from sermons on this text by Rev. Christopher Esget and Rev. William Cwirla.)<br /><br /> Pastors are not the
only ones who experience a let-down in the days following Easter. After all those special services, the crowds,
the food, the excitement both sacred and secular, it is very easy to say, “Now
what?” Is everything back to the way it
was before Easter? Did it change
anything?</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
In today’s Gospel, Cleopas
and his sad friend walking to Emmaus have been changed forever by Good Friday –
changed for the better, but they do not yet realize it. At the start of the text, they are feeling
deeply let-down. The joy from Palm
Sunday seven days ago had turned into a nightmare as they went through the
painful goodbyes at the death of their Pastor and Teacher. But more than that, He had been their friend,
the One they counted on for everything, the One they had hoped would redeem
Israel – but He was executed. </div>
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Before they left
Jerusalem for Emmaus, the women who had gone to the tomb were making no sense,
ridiculously claiming the grave was empty and they babbled on about seeing
angels and Jesus being alive. Cleopas
and his friend must have figured the stress of the last few days finally pushed
the women over the edge into hysteria. </div>
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They probably were
even more confused what happened next, as they walked the road and re-told this
bit of the story to the stranger who had joined them along the way. They expected the stranger to laugh at what
the women had said. Instead, The Man
smiles slightly and shakes His head. “O
foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken! Do you not realize how necessary
it was for this past week to go this way?
All over the place the Scriptures tell us the Christ had to suffer these
things and then enter His glory!”</div>
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Their heads began to
spin over what the Stranger said. In
their childhood, they had had to memorize what Moses and the prophets had
written. And before He died, Jesus had
worked to teach them even more about those writings – so what was this Stranger
talking about?</div>
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He begins with
Genesis and goes all the way through Malachi.
He brought out the promise of salvation from sin to Adam and Eve, that
the woman’s child would feel pain as He crushed the devil’s head. He probably mentioned the Passover Lamb and
all the other sacrifices at the Temple.
He highlighted passages like Isaiah 53 and the Servant of the Lord who
suffers: </div>
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Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;</div>
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yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.</div>
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<sup>5 </sup>
But he was pierced for our transgressions;</div>
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he was crushed for our iniquities;</div>
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upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,</div>
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and with his wounds we are healed.</div>
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<sup>6 </sup>
All we like sheep have gone astray;</div>
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we have turned—every one—to his own way;</div>
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and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Cleopas and his
friend were having one big “A-HA!” moment of discovery after another as the
Stranger wove all these passages together into one message. It all began to make sense as He tied
together the loose ends of the Old Testament.
Their hearts were racing with excitement as they began to see it all in
such a new and beautiful way. He
pretends like He is going further to a different town, but they strongly urge
Him to accept their hospitality. “Abide
with us, fast falls the even-tide!”
Right? This request is where
Henry Lyte got his inspiration for the beloved hymn, “Abide with Me.”</div>
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And then more strangeness
from this Stranger. Instead of behaving
as a guest, He behaves as the Master of the house. He sits at the head of the table, and taking
the bread as though He owns the place.
He lifts up His eyes to heaven, gives thanks to the Lord, breaks the bread
and hands it to them.</div>
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And just as quickly
as they finally recognize this Stranger is the risen Jesus, that He truly is
alive after death, He instantly disappears.
As weird as all that was, somehow it does not disturb them in the least
because it makes sense that Jesus would be working this way. It was Jesus on the road, hiddenly teaching
the Scriptures. It was Jesus at the
table breaking the bread. Their hearts
could not contain all the joy and excitement!
They had to tell the others! Despite
how late it was in the evening, they run all the seven miles back to Jerusalem
to let the other disciples know what they saw and heard.</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
“O foolish ones, and
slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” That is the Lord’s judgment of the two Emmaus
disciples on the road. And how often
that is the Lord Jesus’ judgment about your conversations and mine with our
friends. Foolish and slow of heart,
failing to believe God’s Word. Yes, we
will be happy to tell you the Bible is the God-honest truth. We love the Scriptures, and God does not lie
to us. But then we go and live like the
truth of what the Lord has said and done does not really matter in the ordinary
hours of our lives. We can hear the good
news of the resurrection and then go on as though nothing important
happened. Oh, how foolish ones we are,
worrying and not believing the Scriptures.</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
All of our bad
emotions and actions – all the anger, laziness, bitterness that ties up your
guts and keeps you thinking in the darkness – it all comes from this unbelief. Martin Luther’s wife Katie once scolded him,
“To look at you, you would never know that Jesus rose from the dead!” Maybe you have gone through one of those “As
if Jesus had not risen from the dead” weeks recently, getting caught on a
treadmill of frustrations and failures and putting the general dumbness of
existing in a world of sin. It is so
easy to forget that <br />
Alleluia! Christ is risen!<br />
<b>He is risen indeed! Alleluia!</b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
The sad disciples on
the road to Emmaus expressing their disappointed hopes and dreams before they
recognize Jesus are just one example of this.
We have so many disappointments that we dwell over. Beauty fades.
Tummies bulge. People die in the
wrong way at the wrong times – although back in the beginning, there was no
such thing as a right way or right time for death, because there was no death
when there was no sin. </div>
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Now the shadow of
death touches us uninvited. Its dark
cloud follows us and affect us so that we make bad choices. We walk with grief, in sad and unbelieving
ways that are not pleasing to God.</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
What are we foolish
and slow of heart ones to do? Trust in
the Lord who says, “Repent and believe the good news, for the kingdom of Heaven
is at hand!” God’s repentance turns
hearts that are slow to believe into burning hearts. Notice that what caused the hearts of the
Emmaus’ disciples to burn was not when they recognized Jesus – but they tell us
it was already long before that, when their eyes were prevented from
recognizing Him. They could not see
Jesus even when He was talking to them. Likewise,
our eyes are prevented from seeing Jesus.
Yet He is every bit as much here speaking to us His Scriptures as He was
there in Emmaus. The Bible testifies to
this fact. He is with us in most
profound and amazing ways, much more amazing than a seven mile road away from
Jerusalem. He is with us by His Word and
Spirit, in the preaching of the Scriptures, in the breaking of the bread that
is His Body. He is with us. These things open the eyes of faith, and there
Jesus is recognized to be our Lord and Savior.
There in His Word He walks with us and talks with us, as hearts that are
slow to believe have the flame of faith kindled in them again by the fire of
the Holy Spirit. </div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
Every Sunday becomes an Emmaus walk with Jesus not
seen but heard. This is the place to
know Him, the place where He gives us Himself, the place where He forgives our
slowness to believe Him, the place where He nourishes and supports us for our
long journey of walking with Him until we find rest in Heaven and see Him with
our own eyes in the Resurrection. </div>
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When we find
ourselves with those two disappointed disciples, confused, hurting, grieving,
not sure what to do next, the Church has given us something worthwhile and holy
to do – or rather to say. Somewhere in
history, a brother in Christ based a beautiful prayer for us on the two
disciples’ invitation to Jesus. I would
like you to pray it with me now – it is in your hymnal on page 257. “Abide with us, Lord, for it is toward
evening,<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span>and the day is far spent.
Abide with us and with your whole Church. Abide with us at the end of the day,
at the end of our life, at the end of the world. Abide with us with your grace
and goodness, with your holy Word and Sacrament, with Your strength and blessing.
Abide with us when the night of affliction and temptation comes upon us, the
night of fear and despair, the night when death draws near. Abide with us and
with all the faithful, now and forever. Amen.” This
prayer helps us put our cares and anxieties to rest in the nail-marked hands of
Jesus. It reminds us that no matter what
disturbing things have happened in our day, our week, our life, Jesus Christ is
risen, and none of these things will get in the way of Him raising us to life
with Him at the end of time. </div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
The world wants to
persuade us to be just like them in their sad, sometimes angry, but always
deadly walk. They talk like fools, as
though Jesus was not with us. However,
here in the Church, we have bread, and we have life, and we invite the world to
leave their sad paths and walk with us instead as we witness to them all the
way to the glorious appearing of Jesus that - <br />
Alleluia! Christ is risen!<br />
<b>He is risen indeed! Alleluia!</b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
Amen.</div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-68447240977775908882016-12-08T12:38:00.000-06:002016-12-08T12:38:15.307-06:00Installation of Rev. Aaron Kangas at Trinity Lutheran Church, Iuka, Illinois December 4, 2016<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13528942_10209958409142700_7599907199047188131_n.jpg?oh=90e999ec459ffba6ec3de42ae93ce89f&oe=58C25798" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13528942_10209958409142700_7599907199047188131_n.jpg?oh=90e999ec459ffba6ec3de42ae93ce89f&oe=58C25798" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The winding road that God brings us
along can be strange and unexpected. Last
week I found the Christmas card that Aaron and Heidi sent to us last year. “It was so great to see all of you this
summer! God’s richest blessings to you
all in this coming year!” Little did any
of us know that we would see each other again down at their place in Tennessee last
June, and now again, here, on this day of great joy for him, and for you – the dear
saints of Trinity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I do not remember when I met Aaron,
maybe he does. But I know we became
friends very quickly as we started at seminary together 19 years ago, with just
a few stairs between our rooms. Great
enough friends that within four months, I was getting up early to travel from
Ft. Wayne to Wisconsin for his wedding to Heidi. I vividly remember Josiah’s baptism at the
seminary’s chapel during our second year.
And the night in our fourth year when Aaron and Heidi showed great
hospitality to my wife and me, inviting us over to their place for supper. So it was quite an honor when your new pastor
asked me to preach this afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> But then after I got off the phone, reality
hit me like a ton of bricks as I realized that writing </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSchgF0tqfPzwc6Ol9ZsBujIlEtZrv4yN_dUAuF6FRT6OzYGgLSdqv-nbxRt6n7ToyzDXRJgGEJuGlvhaZazSDLrjuHa-jryubfEYdBQpIAmt_Ni5lMVvmhzPitdOlNGQEeTCTb2Qvrv8/s1600/july+23+post+ton-of-bricks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSchgF0tqfPzwc6Ol9ZsBujIlEtZrv4yN_dUAuF6FRT6OzYGgLSdqv-nbxRt6n7ToyzDXRJgGEJuGlvhaZazSDLrjuHa-jryubfEYdBQpIAmt_Ni5lMVvmhzPitdOlNGQEeTCTb2Qvrv8/s1600/july+23+post+ton-of-bricks.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
this sermon would be hard
work! So many things I could say – too many
even! (And neither you nor I want to
be here for a sermon THAT long!) Recently
one of my confirmation kids told that her problem with church is that she has to
sit and be so quiet. She loves to talk,
and figured that I loved church services because I get to talk all the time! Little did she know that when my pastor first
asked me to consider being a pastor, I wanted to say, “ARE YOU NUTS?” – except that
you don’t ask your pastor if he is nuts!
The idea of it scared me silly since I was terrified of having to say
things in front of a crowd of people.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> If it were as simple as just saying whatever I
want to say off the top of my head, I would feel a lot less pressure. However, God did not make me to be a pastor
so I could do that. He gave me the task
of just saying whatever He wants, of teaching His ways, of rebuking sin and
forgiving it in the name of Jesus Christ.
That same Lord of the Church has created faith in the hearts of people
at St. Peter’s and St. John’s in Evansville and Ruma (ironically, the
congregation where Pastor Schrader comes from.) In their faith, these people called me out of the seminary because they
want to be taught God’s Word – even as you, dear brothers and sisters, by this
church service vow to God that you want my friend to teach the same Word to you
and for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I feel the pressure of preaching to
you today, preparing you as congregation and pastor to walk together in this
new relationship with Christ. Yet I
recognize that just like we had no idea the blessings that God had in store for
us behind last year’s Christmas card, likewise we have no ideas the blessings
and crosses the Lord has in store for the future of your congregation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I was ordained in June of 2001 and
within a few months our nation suffered the unimaginable</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HssFfs2Xa3k/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HssFfs2Xa3k/maxresdefault.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> horror of September 11<sup>th</sup>. Among other thoughts that went through my
head that morning was that the seminary never prepared me for a day like
that. Except that they did! Our professors taught us to preach Christ and
Him crucified, in good times and bad - even in the dark valleys of the shadow
of death. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Did the Disciples feel like Jesus
never prepared them for a day like the weekend of Good Friday? Except that Christ did prepare them, telling
them multiple times that He would lay down His life as He was lifted up on the
Cross for our salvation, and then rise again on the third day. As we heard in this afternoon’s Gospel text, He
changed their hearts and their futures in an instant by declaring “Peace to
you.” Even though they were still
sinners, still weak and afraid, still would make mistakes in the future, God
loved them. Their fears and doubts were
not so great as God’s grace, their sin not so deep as His love. There was no condemnation left against them
in Christ Jesus who stood before them alive after death. Could anything have prepared them for that
moment?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkPyxwlLZUekp_9j3fUH6jqnQgWVtlZyr98BcmVFs1aQAH5-3wiG3ls4FZiQSTF7nJqWj55weSP8KwzoQSduBPmS7UIoV-PbSz5Yfkwyf_lutETLLsAoxwgseJ7y1UcHc3OLiwG_Ls-s/s1600/Jesus+shows+his+wounds+to+Thomas+-+by+William+Hol.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkPyxwlLZUekp_9j3fUH6jqnQgWVtlZyr98BcmVFs1aQAH5-3wiG3ls4FZiQSTF7nJqWj55weSP8KwzoQSduBPmS7UIoV-PbSz5Yfkwyf_lutETLLsAoxwgseJ7y1UcHc3OLiwG_Ls-s/s1600/Jesus+shows+his+wounds+to+Thomas+-+by+William+Hol.png" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> As I finally sat down to write this
sermon, I realized that it was not all that different from what we pastors do
when we perform weddings, where the Lord joins husband and wife together. We do our best to prepare the man and the
woman for the unknown and unexpected blessings and crosses the Lord will give
to the new family, even as I am trying to do this afternoon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
I meet with a couple where the man or woman has been married previously, I tell
them that this new marriage will be different from the previous one. It seems obvious, but it is important to
intentionally keep in mind that the new spouse is not the same person as the former
spouse. They speak differently, think
differently, act differently – even if there are some things in common. Aaron, when you have those conversations you
have had 100s of times with members of previous churches, remember that the
person you are talking with has not had that conversation yet, and be patient
with them. Members of Trinity likewise,
when you discuss things with Pastor Kangas, you may have had those chats with
previous pastors, but not with him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I also go over some difficult
questions with the pre-marital couple about their prior relationships. As they look back on their previous marriage,
I ask them about the good stuff and the bad stuff, where things went right and
wrong. Specifically I ask where they
recognize they were not the husband or wife that God intended them to be –
where they were to be a blessing, but behaved with a selfish love for
themselves. Rev. Kangas and members of
Trinity, you both have years of experience to look back upon, to see where that
relationship between Pastor and Congregation was great, where it went wrong, and
where you want to do better. Be open and
honest with one another about this. Ask
one another to pray to God to strengthen the weaknesses so that your
relationship will bring Him glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Christ will be the center of your
relationship. I intentionally am
avoiding telling you to put </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christ in the center – because you do not put
Christ anywhere. He puts Himself where
He belongs. As we are approaching
Christmas, remember what happened when Christ was put inside of Mary – it nearly
broke up her relationship to Joseph! Joseph
was no dummy. He knew the birds and the
bees. So he assumed Mary had not been
faithful and decided to divorce her quietly.
Praise God that He sent an angel to tell Joseph that Mary had in fact
been most faithful; and it was better than that, for the Holy Spirit had
conceived inside of her Joseph’s Savior and our own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Like Joseph, my dear friend Aaron,
you may jump to some conclusions that are wrong; and dear members of Trinity,
you might make bad assumptions too, whether about your pastor, or about each
other. What are you going to do
then? Well, if you want to be Christian
about it, then I can tell you what you are going to do – you will ask for
forgiveness and you will give forgiveness, just as God in Christ forgives
you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Rev. Kangas told me that it will
take some getting used to your altar being against the wall because at his
previous congregation it was away from the wall, so during the prayers and
during the Lord’s Supper liturgy he stood behind the altar, facing the
congregation. My dear friend Aaron, it
took me some years to get used to looking away from the congregation also since
I serve at an altar against the wall.
However, on Sundays, when you pray and celebrate the Supper, do not
think of it as turning your back on the people.
Instead, recognize that you are facing the same direction as your people
are facing, turned toward the same Savior Jesus as they are turned toward. As pastor and people stand together and join
in prayer, Jesus is with you; Jesus is hearing you, Jesus is forgiving you –
congregation and pastor both. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Here at this altar, as you regularly
receive forgiveness and peace from Jesus, especially in His Body and Blood –
here is where you will find healing and reconciliation. Rev. Kangas, when you are tired and impatient
and frustrated, when you feel the weight of the world on you, or when you are
proud and think you have accomplished something, come to this altar and be
humbled and comforted as the Lord provides what you need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> People of Trinity, when you are
tired and impatient and frustrated, when you feel the weight of the world on
you, or when you are proud and think you have accomplished something, come to
this altar and be humbled and comforted as the Lord provides what you need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Here at this altar, during the
Communion liturgy, your pastor will face you and speak the words which Jesus
first spoke to His disciples that Easter evening which has made Christians glad
for nearly 2000 years now – “Peace to you.”
Jesus is still speaking those words to you through your Pastor’s
voice. In those words are your
forgiveness, your life, and your salvation.
In those words are how you live together as pastor and people. “Peace to you.” And did you notice that Jesus says “Peace to
you” to the Disciples in the upper room twice?
He gives peace to spare so that you have peace to share!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> As Pastor and people, listen to His
Word speak to you together. Pray to Him
at His table here and pray at your table in your homes. Worship Christ in good times and bad, during
church meals and at the hospital bed and at gravesides.
And whatever you are doing, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts
and minds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> People of Trinity and Pastor Kangas,
I speak for my brother pastors here this afternoon saying that we are thrilled
to celebrate with you this wonderful day of a new relationship. We pray for you and bless you. God grant that your life together be a
preview of the relationship of peace that all God’s children will have in His
Kingdom which has no end. Amen.</span><br />
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<a href="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15284078_10211324572859555_8366598834338936338_n.jpg?oh=3bb0405bca3e3f42eac35656946e698a&oe=58B340A9" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15284078_10211324572859555_8366598834338936338_n.jpg?oh=3bb0405bca3e3f42eac35656946e698a&oe=58B340A9" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-11479789955262324712016-09-07T07:00:00.000-05:002016-09-07T07:00:06.456-05:00September 7 - Old Testament 2 King 5<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Naaman, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">the commander of Syria's army, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">grudgingly stripped himself of his uniform, the symbol of his greater glory than everyone else, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">and washed like all the common people </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">in a river that was not even close to as nice as the rivers back home </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">so that he could be saved from death.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">The Son of God, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">the Lord of Heaven's army, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">freely and willingly stripped Himself of His divine glory, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">and washed with all the common people </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">in that same river that was not even close to as nice as the rivers of Heaven </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">so that we could be saved from death.</span>Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-87655145649607744652016-08-18T11:58:00.000-05:002016-08-18T11:58:02.530-05:00August 18 - OT<a href="http://www.bl.uk/britishlibrary/~/media/bl/global/the%20middle%20ages/collection%20items/miniature-king-david-prayer-harley2917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://www.bl.uk/britishlibrary/~/media/bl/global/the%20middle%20ages/collection%20items/miniature-king-david-prayer-harley2917.jpg" width="231" /></a>O Lord God, who am I that you have brought me thus far? For I have been unfaithful and lazy. What more can I say to You, for You know your servant, O Lord God. Yet because of Your promise to David, and according to Your own heart, You have brought about our salvation by the forgiveness of sin that comes to us by the Son of David, Jesus Christ, and You have made Your servant to know this. Therefore You are great, O Lord God, for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. <br />
<br />
<br />
Grant that we might follow in the footsteps of grateful David and bless Your Holy Name. Give to us courage to pray with confidence, asking for what You have promised to give and trusting You will grant us daily bread, pour out upon us Your Holy Spirit, and at the last deliver us from all evil. <br />
<br />
<br />
Now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant, and do as You have spoken. And with Your blessing of the Son of David, your servant shall be blessed forever.Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-16225576723270855652016-03-25T14:57:00.000-05:002016-03-25T14:57:21.310-05:00Good Friday 2016 and the Annunciation<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">How
do you consider this day? How do you find the words to describe
today? It is March 25. In nine months it will be Christmas, the
celebration of the birth of Jesus. Nine months. The amount of time
God ordinarily takes to form a child in the womb. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">How
many parents were uncertain about their child’s future and
questioned, “Do I really want to bring a child into this cruel
world, filled with such heartache and suffering?” How many
husbands and wives see a world on the brink of collapse and decide not to have kids? Whatever anxiety, uncertainty, and doubt that your
parents had before your birth, God overcame them. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It
is March 25. Nine months before Christmas. And it is Good Friday.
God was not uncertain about what would happen to His Son. The Lord
knew exactly the torment His beloved Child would face when He came
into the world. He knew the mockery and the rejection. Yet He still
sent the Angel Gabriel to announce to the Virgin Mary that the Holy
Spirit would conceive in her the child who “will be called holy –
the Son of God.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">We
do not think much of talking about the nine months before the birth
of Jesus in the same breath as we talk about His death. Not often,
but it does happen when the Church confesses the Apostles' Creed,
which moves us straight from the Lord’s conception, to His birth
and then to His suffering and death. He “was conceived by the
Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead and buried.” </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Some
people wish the Creed would talk a little about Christ’s life of
merciful works and His word of truth. Yet in moving directly from
Jesus’ birth to His Crucifixion, the Creed makes an important point
– The Son of God became man to die for us. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
eyes of the man without faith see a tragic ending. They see a man
born to a poor mother and father hung on a tree of death for no good
reason. They see a sorrow-filled conclusion to an otherwise
well-lived life. The Suffering Servant Jesus Christ makes no sense
for those who think that the goal of life is to pursue happiness and
avoid pain.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">O
believer, that is not the way it is with you. For you know this is
at the very heart of how Jesus reconciles the world to God. He comes
to save us from our sins – our actual sins of thought, word, and
deed that reject God and mock His Holiness; and also our original sin
that we inherited from Adam through our parents, for we were all
sinful at birth, sinful from the time our mother’s conceived. We
are natural born sinners, with hearts that are naturally inclined to
doubt God. Yet here is the good news that makes this Friday Good –
Jesus Christ saves us from our uncertainty, our doubts, and anxieties
that imagine God has forsaken us and removed His protection from us.
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
Son of God pays for your life with a pain that is real and raw, a
death that is dark and cold. Yes, His soul is troubled, but He
refuses to ask His Father to save Him from this hour. It is for this
purpose that He has come to this dark hour – so that the Father
would save you from eternal darkness. Jesus endures it all for your
sake. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">His
sacrificial death melts our cold hearts as we see that it was no
small matter for God in the flesh to come into our world, knowing
what agony His suffering and death held for Him. And it is no small
matter that that same God in the flesh who went the way of the Cross
still comes to you today.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">However, saying “Christ died for you”
does not magically make all your problems disappear in a puff of
smoke. This is not Hocus Pocus – but rather this is the body of
Christ given into death for you. There will be
tears of pain for you to shed as you take up your cross and follow Jesus – because we are not yet at the
Resurrection. Jesus does not show us how get around suffering in
this life or how to avoid it. Rather, He leads us through suffering,
cross and death to Resurrection. Jesus says to His followers, “You
will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (John 16).
Soon every tear from faithful eyes will be dried. Soon you will
behold that He who died on Good Friday is now alive forevermore.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">But
until then, as you see a world torn up by war, our country torn by
politics and immorality, and even your own body and the health of
loved ones being torn up by sickness and death – nonetheless hold
fast to your confession of faith in Christ. With confidence draw
near to the throne of grace, that you may receive mercy and find
grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4). Walk by faith, not by
sight. When unbelievers and your old sinful nature tell you to cry
out, “Where in the world is God?”, you can honestly reply that
God is hidden. Yes, darkness does veil His lovely face. But
even though God is hidden in lowly flesh, His Word lights the way for
you to find Him. The Lord is in the womb of the Virgin Mary for nine
months, in the manger at Bethlehem, in the darkness of the Cross of
Calvary on Good Friday, in the water and the blood that streamed from
His pierced side. God in Christ was reconciling the world to
Himself, not counting our trespasses against us (2 Corinthians 5). </span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Today
“your life is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ who is
your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
He will overcome all your worries and uncertainties. For Almighty
God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us and has given His
only Son to die for us and for His sake, forgives us all our sins.
Amen.</span></div>
Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-77773063112433669022016-03-19T08:34:00.001-05:002016-03-25T14:49:32.490-05:00Keeping and Treasuring The Word: St. JosephI'm busy getting ready for Palm Sunday and Holy Week, plus attending a wedding today, so here are some things you can read in the meantime if you aren't quite as busy:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://leisticotdp.blogspot.com/2010/03/st-joseph.html">Keeping and Treasuring The Word: St. Joseph</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sword-in-hat.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-strong-silent-type.html" target="_blank">Rev. Stuckwisch on Joseph - the strong, silent type</a>Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-52714672170651402122016-02-25T17:35:00.003-06:002016-02-25T17:35:54.477-06:00Wednesday in Lent 2 OT - What others saidMy dear friend, Reverend Steve Schave, posted this on Facebook on Wednesday about the Genesis reading:<br /><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Knowing what it is to suffer the death of a son... Then to be blessed for the next several years with the births of my three beautiful daughters... Then at the end of childbearing to have our only son, who now lives and is a young man. I know of no more powerful Gospel than that of the Old Testament reading from today's Treasury of Daily Prayer:</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<i>Genesis 22:7-8 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the w<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">ood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”</span></i></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Mt Calvary, is the fulfillment of this place where "the Lord provides," because it is here that the Father did not withhold His son, His only son, from me... to save me. I cannot even begin to comprehend this sacrifice of the perfect Lamb, that was made for me, a sinner.</span></blockquote>
Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067339973272806492.post-35408791952675898362016-02-25T17:30:00.000-06:002016-02-25T17:30:38.482-06:00Thursday in Lent 2 - OT and Gospel<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sometimes it feels like God is giving us the silent treatment. Other times He practically interrupts us in the middle of our prayers by answering them. "<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.8571px;">Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24). These are the experiences of Abraham's servant and of the Canaanite women. And they are our experiences as well. But no matter how long He takes, we have this promise - "the LORD hears when I call to Him" (Psalm 4:3, which happened to be brought into my day by the 5th and 6th Grade class' religion workbook.)<br /><br />For more on today's readings, here is what I wrote about it back on 2010:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.8571px;"><br /></span></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">In his podcast on depression, Rev. Todd Pepperkorn has an excellent devotion on </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Mark 7.24-30" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%207.24-30" style="background-color: white; color: #6db0ce; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mark 7:24-30</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"> (actually Matthew 15's parallel passage) titled, "</span><a href="http://darkmyroad.org/2010/02/28/episode-5-when-god-doesnt-seem-to-care/" style="background-color: white; color: #6db0ce; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;">When God doesn't seem to care</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">I'd like to connect this same text to what he posted today ("</span><a href="http://darkmyroad.org/2010/03/04/episode-9-abandonment-and-the-pastor/" style="background-color: white; color: #6db0ce; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;">Abandonment and the Pastor</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">"). Our church's 3 year lectionary last Sunday (</span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Luke 13.34" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Luke%2013.34" style="background-color: white; color: #6db0ce; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Luke 13:34</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">) brought us Jesus weeping over Jerusalem's unbelief. Like the woman in </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Mark 7.24f" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%207.24f" style="background-color: white; color: #6db0ce; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mark 7:24f</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">, the church weeps as she sees the devil have his way with her children. We pray and pray, and it can feel like we are getting the silent treatment from the Lord. Yet </span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Mark 7.24-30" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%207.24-30" style="background-color: white; color: #6db0ce; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mark 7:24-30</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"> assures us that the Lord does hear. And so we confidently pray such words as the Prayer on Thursday in the</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">Treasury of Daily Prayer</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"> (p. 1308), knowing that the gates of Hell will not overcome the Lord's Church, for the same God who answered Abraham's servant (</span><a class="lbsBibleRef" data-reference="Genesis 24.12-14" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Genesis%2024.12-14" style="background-color: white; color: #6db0ce; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Genesis 24:12-14</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">) will answer our prayer as well.</span></blockquote>
Rev. James Leisticohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165665229596048783noreply@blogger.com0