BOASTING

Jeremiah 9:20-24 The Lord says:  “Let not the wise man bask in his wisdom, nor the mighty one in his might, nor the rich man in his riches. Let them boast in this alone:  That they truly know Me, & understand that I am the Lord of justice & of righteousness whose love is steadfast; & that I love to be this way.” The Living Bible

SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

"How could we have expected to preserve symbiotic relationships between men & women when the rules governing our sexual behavior turned upside down? Family disintegration was inevitable." James Dobson, Men's Devotional Bible

LIFE THOUGHTS

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ reverses expectations. The Lamb once slain now reigns (Rev. 5). The persecutor gets converted (Acts 9). Empty nets bring abundance in (John 21). Dancing emerges from mourning (Ps. 30). Applied to life issues, this reveals what we call control--'my body, my choice'--as actually captivity, & God holds precious what we regard as paltry. Where we see only darkness & death, He has sown life & light." Grace Lutheran Church bulletin

LAW & GOSPEL

"Before the Gospel comes, everyone understands that the Law demands our works & that we must satisfy it with our works. That understanding produce either hardened, arrogant dissemblers & hypocrites, harder than any stone water jar, or anxious, troubled consciences . . . The Gospel explains the Law in this way:  It demands more than we can do & wants to have a different man than we are, one who can keep it. That is, it demands Christ & promotes Him, so that through His grace we become different people in faith, people like Christ, & then do truly good works. Thus the true understanding & meaning of the Law is to lead us to the knowledge of our inability & to drive us to seek grace & help not from ourselves, but from another--namely Jesus."  A Year in the Gospels with Martin Luther.

WHAT WE ARE MADE FOR

"Everything you do can & should be evidence of (Jesus) . . . So today make a fresh start & decide that everything in your life happens so that you can be a Bible to the people around you. How you react will be your witness. What you say & how you say it all will impact the kingdom. This isn't more than you can handle; it's what you were made for." Michael DiMarco, Devotions for the God Guy

JUDGING

"Don't judge others for their weaknesses. If the only thing you can control is yourself, then complaining about the sins or weaknesses of other people is a waste of your time. No matter how much you whine about them to how many people, you aren't going to change them . . . The sins of other people will get more & more obvious the closer you draw to God, but so will your own sins, so concentrate on those & leave the sins of others to them . . . And while we're to judge right from wrong (see 1 Cor. 2:15; 1 Thess. 5:21) & to avoid sin at all costs, we are not to spend our strength on judging others when there is plenty of sin within us that needs to be addressed." Michael DiMarco, Devotions for the God Guy I confess that I have a real problem with this. All too often I see the specks in the eyes of others, while ignoring the planks in my own eyes. I find it extremely hard not to judge those with whom I disagree, but that is wrongful. I also need to remember that responding judgmentally to others will not likely change them.

PREPARING FOR DEATH

"I have often heard people say that they are not ready to die. It is true that many of us still have long lists of what we would like to accomplish, but this will be as true at your last hour as it is while you read this article. Your work on earth is never done. Being ready to die is not about accomplishing everything on your bucket list. Being ready to die is having faith in Jesus. Being ready for the Judgment Day is trusting His death & resurrection for your salvation. If you believe in Jesus, you are ready to die--even if you do not think so." Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller, The Lutheran Witness, Sept. 2021

AN EASTER HYMN

Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia (LSB #466, Sts. 1, 2, 5)

Christ has arisen, alleluia. Rejoice & praise Him, alleluia. For our Redeemer burst from the tomb, Even from death, dispelling its gloom. (Refrain)

(Refrain) Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy; Death's fearful sting He has come to destroy. Our sin forgiving, alleluia! Jesus is living, alleluia!

For three long days the grave did its worst Until its strength by God was dispersed. For He who gives life did death undergo; And in its conquest His might did show. (Refrain)

Christ has arisen; He sets us free; Alleluia, to Him praises be. Jesus is living! Let us all sing; He reigns triumphant, heavenly King. (Refrain)