St. Paul Lutheran Church
Phone 701-794-3166
Welcome!
I welcome your comments regarding our shared ministry at St. Paul.
If you would rather comment privately please, email me at Prshepherd@westriv.com
"Two are better than one," says Ecclesiastes,
"because if one falls down, his friend can help him up."
I deeply desire to bring Christian comfort and the power of prayer to those who are challenged with sickness or circumstances in life. However, in this time of restricted visitation call me and I will attempt to contact them.
Please, assume that if you don’t tell us, we do not know.
Call me at 301-4956 if surgery or hospital stay is imminent or if a visit could be helpful.
Pastor Dennis
From my perspective,
Bad things happen to all people, young and old. In the beginning, it wasn’t that way. (For some it will not be that way in heaven.) We may not like the facts of life, but that’s the way life works in a corrupt and Godless world.
Bad things happen to all people. The earth is filled with disease and violence - where is the mercy and grace of God? It turns out God chooses Abram to bless “all the families of the earth” through his descendants. Evidently it is up to the generations of Abraham to work against disease and violence. This includes Christ followers. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”” (Romans 8:14–15, NLT)
In Genesis, we realized the Spirit of God breathed life into humankind. Therefore we, all of us, good and bad, are created in the LORD God’s image. This revelation not only tells us who we are and where we come from but who the stranger we meet is as well.
Moses spoke to the children of Israel before they crossed over into the promised land, “Your pattern of worship will change. Today all of you are doing as you please, because you have not yet arrived at the place of rest, the land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession.” (Deuteronomy 12:8–9, NLT)
Every generation is like this. Waiting for the blessings of God to shower down around them while they ‘do as they please.’ This is an unrealistic expectation. But as we confess, “we are in bondage to sin” that is rebellion “and cannot free ourselves.” What is the answer? How can we serve the LORD and fight evil and violence in the world? We need a savior who walks in (God’s) Spirit and Truth.
As Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23–24, NLT)
Since the choosing of Abram, we see how slowly but faithfully some of the children of Abraham become children of the LORD God. This week take time to refresh your memory of Joseph’s father, Jacob who was named ‘deceitful’ but who became named Israel, “one who struggles with God.” (Genesis 25:19 – chapter 36)
In November we will hit the high points of God’s Walk with Joseph, the Bible’s first savior.
I pray you are reading with open eyes, that the LORD may open your hearts to His ways and that by knowing the LORD more clearly, you may also realize who you are and the person you have been created to be.
Your pastor, Dennis.
