“You cleared the ground for it. It took deep root, and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shadow. Its boughs were like God’s cedars.” (Psalm 80:9- 10)

The Lord prepares the way for all people. There are those who question, “Why did God allow this?” But that does not mean that all things are not in His hands. His ways are not our ways and He has given the promise that all things work together for good for those who love Him. Come under the covering of the Lord and be in His presence and know that He watches over you.

Lord, I see the times and seasons and when things are good, I am pleased. When they are not, I become upset. Help me move to the place where in season and out of season I see Your hand of mercy upon all things. Guide my eyes to see and my ears to hear the truth of Your Word and to know that I have always been in Your hands. Lead me into faith where I trust You above all things.

Lord Jesus, Your very life demonstrated twists and turns not unlike the lives we all live on this earth. At the end You were crucified and that was Your plan all along. In the great mystery of this unfolding age, guide me away from wanting all the answers to trust in the answers You have given. Lead me to see more clearly the truth that You are there and will always be there for those who come to You. Amen.

“Turn us again, God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved. You brought a vine out of Egypt. You drove out the nations, and planted it.” (Psalm 80:7-8)

The Lord is Lord of all. Those who turn away from Him do not see His might nor power. It is there; they just do not see it. He will rescue all who turn to Him from sin, death and the devil. In whom then will you believe? Will it be the nations, or the One who is over all the nations? He who created the universe knows all things and knows His by name. Come to Him and live.

Lord God, I do become distracted in life and live it the way I want rather than living it with You. I need rescuing and You have come to rescue. Guide me, Lord, away from faulty thinking and into the light of Your countenance. Help me to see that in You alone is hope, for You are the One who is above all. Cause Your face to shine upon me now and always in the grace You give.

Lord Jesus, You are the grace, for in You alone and by Your work alone can we hope. You have come into the world to shatter the power of the nations and uplift as many as would receive You into the eternal presence of the Father. Guide me now and always in the way I should go. Lift me up when I see darkness that I may once again stand in the light of Your presence. Amen.

“You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in large measure. You make us a source of contention to our neighbors. Our enemies laugh among themselves.” (Psalm 80:5-6)

The world laughs at those who listen to the Word of the Lord, thinking those who follow Him are following after wives’ tales. Not subject to debate, for such things feed into the derision, but believers simply say that the ways of the Lord are evident to those to whom He has given faith. Let them laugh and weep, for their foolishness is evident just as the truth of the Lord is evident. God is good and looks after us all.

Lord, help me see through the foolishness of every generation which denies you. Guide me in the way of truth that You have revealed for all people. Lead me in Your ways that I may forever hold fast to Your goodness and mercy. You alone are the One who holds all things together and in You alone is life. Lift me up from amidst the contentious ones that I may remain faithful.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being an example. You also met the derision of those who hated You. You went to the cross on behalf of us all in the midst of our unbelief that we might have the opportunity to live in the truth of Your eternal love. Lead me this day to hold fast and stand true in the goodness You have given that I may now and always simply stand fast and hold true. Amen.

“Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved. Yahweh God of Armies, how long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?” (Psalm 80:3-4)

The Lord is merciful. Has He not said over and over again to turn to Him? Come to the Lord and live in His blessing and know His goodness. He who created all things, created us to be in union with Him. When we wander it is not He who is far off, but we who are wandering. His anger is against those who will not come to the One who created them and knows them better than they know themselves.

Lord, turn my heart to see humbly and truly that I was created to be in relationship with You. Guide me according to Your goodness to know that only in You will I find peace and rest. Lead me always through this simple way of understanding that I am Yours, for You created me. Guide me into the purpose for which You created me that I may rest always in You in peace and harmony with Your ways.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead the way for all who come by Your grace in forgiveness into the peace that surpasses all understanding. Now and always, may I rest in You as You abide in me knowing that You alone are able to lead me where I need to go. Guide me this day in the way of truth that I would be one who does what is pleasing to the Father and fulfills His will in my life. Amen.

“Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock, you who sit above the cherubim, shine out. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might! Come to save us!” (Psalm 80:1-2)

It is said there are no atheists in the fox hole. When things are beyond our ability to control, out of hand and we fear, then we finally begin to comprehend that we are in another’s hands. See through this and at all times, turn to the One in whose hands you are. Know that only the One who created you is able to save not only you but all people from the adversity of death.

Lord, You know the times when I have gone on in life as if I were in control. I have learned and know that all things are not in my control. Let Your might be ever before me that I would trust You above all things knowing that in You is hope and an eternal future. Lead me away from the ways of doing as I please into the way of everlasting life that You have put before me.

Lord Jesus, You have all authority and power and You came to us humbly with the purpose of joining us with You to prepare us for being with You in Trinity forever. Guide me, O Lord, to walk in the way You have established knowing that no matter what comes I am always in Your hands. Guide me in the way of truth knowing that nothing will come my way that does not serve the Father’s purpose. Amen. 

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.”  (Isaiah 6:3)

Holy, and not Goody or Happy or Nicey, and not even Mighty or Smarty—God is holy.  He is different from all other things, and in that way, He is incomprehensible to us.  The medieval theologian, Thomas Aquinas, described God as truly simple, singular in a way that we cannot imagine.

Yet as the angels also declared to Isaiah, this Holy God is happily available to the earth that He has made—“the whole earth is full of His glory.”  God spoke out of His perfect, undisturbed satisfaction and created a whole world to be loved by Him.  Again, He is holy and therefore different from us.  We, finding ourselves perfectly satisfied, might be inclined not to seek anything more, but God, in His satisfaction, sought the creation of many more, that they too might be satisfied.

Here is the God who would set aside His personal joy to seek the lost.  Here is the Father who would give up His Son to death, that the dead might be saved; here is the Son, who would suffer the absence of His Father to comfort the orphaned; here is the Comforter, who would gladly give all glory to the Son and His Father that a whole world of sinners might believe.

He is holy, not nicey and not goody.  He is different from us, and thank God He is.

LET US PRAY: Holy Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: send Your Holy Spirit of love upon all the earth, and enrapture every creature with the glory of Your Son; in His name, the holy name of Jesus.  Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

“And He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which He has founded forever. He also chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds; from the care of the ewes with suckling lambs He brought him to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands.” (Psalm 78:69-72)

The Lord chose to reveal His plan for the ages in the way He did. Others have mocked the Lord and sought to pervert the truth of His revelation, but His Word will stand forever. You may go where you will, but where is truth to be found? Is it not the One who created all things and in whom all things hold their being? Come then to the One who is more than able to do all He has promised.

Lord, I do listen to those who mock You and hear all kinds of things. They rattle in my brain and I become confused. Guide my mind and heart to see clearly that You, who are the maker of all things, hold in Your hands all that is true. Lead me away from the rebellion of the heart to simply and humbly come to You and know that I, along with all of creation, am in Your eternal hands.

Lord Jesus, You have come both to demonstrate the godly life, but also to lead the way for as many as would follow You. Lead me, O Lord, today in the truth You have revealed once for all. Help me now and always to see in You the hope of glory and the truth of the great love You have for all people. May I willingly follow wherever You lead, knowing that all things are in Your hands. Amen.

AFFLICTED, BUT NOT CRUSHED
Devotional for June 3, 2018 based upon 2 Corinthians 4: 5-12

“We do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus. We are afflicted, but not crushed. Struck down, but not destroyed. Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.”

This coming Sunday, June 3, I will be preaching at a Lutheran church in southern California. Whenever I hear or read the above words from the apostle Paul, I think of the pastor of that congregation.

This pastor is very solid in his theology, very bold in his witness, and very strong in his holding to the authority of Scripture, the historic Christian faith, and traditional Biblical views on human sexuality and marriage. The congregation had been a very liberal Anglo congregation for many years, but then called this pastor after their community became increasingly Asian. Through the hard work of this pastor and the blessings of God, this congregation has experienced a major turnaround from liberal Anglo to increasingly orthodox Chinese.

After this pastor took a very strong stand for traditional views of marriage and human sexuality, a few members of the congregation complained to the bishop of their ELCA synod. The bishop used their complaint as an opportunity to intervene in the life of the congregation. That intervention resulted in that pastor being told that he would need to serve under the supervision of another pastor in order to learn how to be less divisive in his ministry.

The congregation council responded by informing the synod that the group of members who filed the complaint were acting on their own and did not represent the council or the congregation. The synod backed off and told the pastor that he would receive a letter stating that there were no charges against him. That letter has never been received.

In the meantime a couple seminarians from that congregation were told that they would need to leave that congregation or their ordination candidacy process would be cancelled. They refused to leave the congregation. Their ordination candidacy process was cancelled, so they are now pursuing ordination through another Lutheran church body.

The pastor continued to be very strong in his ministry, but through the process suffered a debilitating stroke. He is doing much better now, after more than two years of therapy, but he is still carrying in his body the marks of death because of his bold witness for Jesus Christ.

He is only one example of people who have paid a great price because of their bold witness. Not all have suffered major health setbacks, but many have endured major financial setbacks. Others have experienced severely broken relationships, major conflict and divisions in their congregations, bullying from their synod, and horrible accusations.

These words of the apostle Paul are an encouragement to all who have been faithful during this time of major upheaval within the Lutheran community. If that includes you, may you experience the blessings and love of God as you proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ. You may have been afflicted, but you do not need to be crushed. You may have been struck down, but you do not need to be destroyed. As we carry in our bodies and in our spirits the death of Jesus, may the life of Jesus be made visible in our bodies and through our ministries.

Dennis D. Nelson
President of the Board and Director of Lutheran CORE

“He drove His adversaries backward; he put on them an everlasting reproach. He also rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.” (Psalm 78:66-68)

The Lord chooses whom He chooses. It is the Lord who calls us, for without His call, we wander in the desert of life. He knows those who are His and what needs to happen in order for His will to be accomplished. We think we know all we need to know and go about our business, but only the Lord knows where it will all lead. Heed His call that you may be chosen, for He wants none to perish.

Lord, I arrogantly walk the way I walk and do as I do without thinking that I do not know as You know. You do what You do and this world cries unfair. Unfair is that You died for us. Unfair is that Christ was murdered. It is not about fairness, but what You will accomplish in this creation of Yours. Help me to humbly submit to You knowing that You alone are the One who gives life.

Lord Jesus, I need what You alone are able to give. Guide me, O Lord, in the way You would have me go and then help me to walk humbly alongside You now and always. Lead me along Your paths of righteousness, for there are no others that avail, knowing that You have called me to walk with You and learn from You. Thank You for doing what You have for all who believe. Amen.

“His priests fell by the sword, and His widows could not weep. Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, like a warrior overcome by wine.” (Psalm 78:64-65)

What does it take to rouse the Lord? He sees all, so He knows. There is a time when the people look to Him and then they realize He is there. Why do we test and try the Lord? Why do we not humbly come to Him that we may know that it is He who made the heavens and the earth? The Lord is Sovereign and He seeks those who will humbly come and know that He is the One who saves.

Lord, awaken me to see clearly that You have always been there and all things are in Your view. Awaken my heart to seek those things which are pleasing to You that I may abide in Your presence forever. Lead me away from the deadness of this world that I may know the goodness of Your Sovereignty. Lead me, O Lord, into Your ways forever that I may abide in You now and always.

Lord Jesus, You have taught us that You are the way of everlasting life. You have called for us to follow You and go where You lead. Grant me a new heart that would follow in the life You give, going the way You lead in the truth You have revealed. Lead me, O Lord, into the life for which You died that I may abide in You as You abide in me. Guide me now and always, Lord Jesus. Amen.