GOD'S DESIGN FOR MARRIAGE

"God's design for marriage is for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church & for wives to respect their husbands. Christ loved the church enough to die for it, & that kind of love is worthy of respect." Mike Singletary, Men's Devotional Bible

ENGAGING THE PSALMS

"May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! . . . Some trust in chariots & some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." Psalm 20:1, 7

THE PROMISED COMFORT OF HEAVEN *

* The Lutheran Witness, Nov. 2022

Matthew 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes & Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. "Good works will not get anyone to heaven."

Matthew 18:1, 4 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" . . . [Jesus answered], "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." "Heaven exists where Jesus is, & the lowliest receivers of God's grace are the greatest in heaven. Jesus earned it for all of us."

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Heaven is God's own gift for those humbled by the law & who trust in Christ. Grace flows down to the humble who are sorry for their sins, not up to the proud & unrepentant."

GOD'S RULE IN OUR MIDST

"It is as we seek God's kingdom on earth, & not our own purposes, that we gain the same mind as our heavenly Father. We become co-laborers with God by praying faithfully in agreement with His desires.

"As you seek the Lord's will, He will guide your praying. He will invite you not only to pray, but also to become involved in His activity as He answers your prayer. If He places a burden upon you to pray for an individual's salvation, that burden is also His invitation to join His activity in that person's life. Prayer will prepare you to be a servant through whom God can bring about His will on earth. Pray that the Lord's absolute rule on earth will begin in your life. Then watch to see how God uses you to extend His lordship to others." Henry & Richard Blakaby, "Experiencing God Day-By-Day

LIFE THOUGHTS IN THE CHURCH YEAR

"He who made & still sustains nature & all creatures has no anxieties about over-population. The Lord our God delights in adding another human life (Is. 56:8) & wrapping the next neighbor in magnificent mercy (Rom. 15:32). Let the peoples praise You, O God, in ever increasing number (Ps. 67:5-6) - the unborn one, the impaired one, & even our Gospel-motivated voices for Life!" Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

JESUS IS OUR TREASURE

"In our culture, money has taken on major importance. In the eyes of the world, our value or importance in life is determined by the amount of money & material things we've been able to accumulate. In contrast, God's people view money & things through the eyes of eternity. When Mary in John 12:3 anointed Jesus, she wasn't concerned about what people were thinking. Her purpose for pouring expensive perform on Jesus was to honor & glorify Him. Her treasure was not in things of this world. Jesus said, 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also' (Matt. 6:21). Jesus was her treasure." Steward Builders

TODAY'S PRAYER

"We give thanks & praise to You, O God, for making Your house a place of prayer for all peoples. You have blessed us with Your grace & salvation! Through the Gospel, make us voices of invitation to all people that with us they may serve You with joy & gladness all of our days. We pray this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

ON EAGLES' WINGS

On Eagles' Wings, LSB #727, St. 1

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, Who abide in His shadow for life, Say to the Lord:  "My refuge, My rock in whom I trust!" And He will raise you up on eagles' wings, Bear you on the breath of dawn, Make you to shine like the sun, And hold you in the palm of His hand.

I served as head administrator & teacher at Lutheran High Northeast in Norfolk, NE, from our founding in 1997 until I left in 2014. This hymn took on a special meaning for me as we were considering our school mascot. Among all the mascots we considered, we chose "eagles." One reason we chose it was our intention to provide a Christian education for our students, helping them to grow in their understanding of how the Lord raises us up on eagles' wings.