Advent

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.”Isaiah 7:10-16

Friends,

At Peace Lutheran, I hand out “Advent “Calendars”. They are colorful Christmas decorated cardboard boxes about ¼ of an inch thick with days marked counting to Christmas. Each day can…

Thanksgiving

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. - Philippians 4:4-9

Friends,

My favorite Holiday is Thanksgiving. This year my wife, Nancy, and I will travel to visit our daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law in North Carolina.

According to CNN, AAA is predicting 55 million people will be traveling…

Scandal

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Friends,

I saw somewhere a few weeks ago a statement which began with the words, “We are not all equal”.

I don’t agree with the statement. I believe we are equal. This is a hard statement to accept. Some would find it even scandalous.

The second paragraph of the Declaration…

Don’t Be Evil

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

Friends,

I started reading a book entitled, “Don’t Be Evil: How Big Tech Betrayed Its Founding Principles and All of Us” by Rana Foroohar. She is a business columnist for the Financial Times.

The first part of the title, “Don’t Be Evil” is taken from…