SHIRTS

"If we have really died to self & aren't just kidding ourselves, & if the compassion of Christ is discernible in our lives, then the number of shirts we give & keep is no longer so important, & the barriers created by our wealth largely disappear." Thomas Hale, Men's Devotional Bible

REDEMPTION

"And in raising Christ, God declared before heaven & earth & hell that Christ has in reality & truly redeemed us from all sins, from death, & from the power of the devil, with His holy, precious blood & with His innocent suffering & death." C.M. Zorn, Crumbs

THE SIMPLEST TEST

"The world is filled with spiritual teachers who peddle their latest insights. Some of them are interesting. They tickle our ears, telling us the things we want to hear. Scripture, however, exhorts us to 'test the spirits to see whether they are from God for many false prophets have gone out into the world.' We must test them. The simplest test is this:  'Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, & every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist.' (1 John 4:1-3)" Adam Francisco, The Lutheran Witness, March 2021

TODAY'S HYMN *

"Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain," LSB #487, Sts. 2 & 5

'Tis the spring of souls today; Christ has burst His prison And from three days' sleep in death As a sun has risen; All the winter of our sins, Long & dark, is flying From His light, to whom is giv'n Laud & praise undying.

Alleluia! Now we cry To our King immortal, Who, triumphant, burst the bars Of the tomb's dark portal. Come, you faithful, raise the strain Of triumphant gladness! God has brought His Israel Into joy from sadness!