Immanuel Lutheran Blog

People of Christmas: Zechariah

We can learn a lot from Zechariah.  He was the father of John the Baptizer, and was told that his family, who was righteous in the eyes of the Lord (the observed the will and ways of God), would give birth to the one who would prepare the way for the Lord.  Their son John would be filled with the spirit of Elijah and would prepare God's people for the coming of the Messiah.  We can learn alot from Zechariah.

First, Zechariah waited patiently on the promises of God (the Messiah would come)

Second, Zechariah had proper respect for God and His ways (gripped with fear at the appearance of Gabriel)

Third, Zechariah saw, experienced and shared the favor of the Lord upon him and his family.

As you and I wait for the second coming of Jesus Christ our Lord, I would pray that we would wait patiently on His promise that He will come.  He is coming soon as He promised, I also pray that we would have proper respect for God and His ways, acknowledging that we are undeserving of being in His presence as sinful people, and third, that we would see, experience and share the favor of the Lord as He directs our 'personal' experiences to do His good and favor.

God Bless your preparation for the coming of our Savior as we look in the past to His coming into the world for us, and as we look forward to the promise of His coming again.

Who is the one true church? Those who worship

God calls His people to worship.  We worship Him when we are called and respond to His great call to Worship Him.  We worship our God everyday through our devotion to our God.  God alone deserves all our worhsip and He alone is who we worship! 

The temptation of the humanity is that we sometimes fall into the trap of worshiping ourselves or worshiping others or things.  The temptation comes when we fail to worship in community.  God calls us to worship Him and Him alone.  When we remember and recognize the work of God we can't do anything but to worship Him.  When we look at all the gifts which He gives to us, we recognize the call to come and worship in community.

I always say, if you don't like worship, you won't like heaven.  God brings us to worship to show us a small picture of the activities of heaven.  It is just a small taste, no disappointment, no boredom, no distraction, just eternal spiritual and body lifting worship.

Worship God! (Rev. 22:9)

Who is the one true church? Those strengthened by the Lord

Do you like Christmas music? I love it, and right now WNIC plays all Christmas music all the time. In truth when else will secular radio play songs about Immanuel, or about the Lord coming to ransom all those in the dark. It is a great time to witness, and it is a very smooth transition for us as believers to be able to talk to someone about Jesus. Doesn't everyone have an opinion on when Christmas music should be played? What a reason to resoundingly say "Yes it should be played".
Be strengthened through prayer to witness through the Word of God to someone this year! God's Word must be proclaimed, and He gave it to us to do just that!
God Bless your witness and singing.

Who is the one true church? Those who are blessed

What does it mean to be blessed? Often times we think blessings are things in this life. God those reminds us that in this life the things of this world are not a blessing, He reminds us that His attention and rewards are true blessings. The life we live here is temporary, but the true blessing will be the eternal life that is given to those who walk with God.
Real blessings is walking as and being a child of God. This is true blessings. God then calls those who are blessed to view His love in real blessings! To view His presence as real blessings, and to view everything that comes in this life as being a blessings because we go through all things with God at our side, and sometimes carrying us through that which we could not bear. This is blessings...today you are blessed!
Matthew 5:1-12...blessed beyond belief.