Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Our naturally sinful hearts can only be healed by a miraculous intervention by God, and we should be careful to maintain our spiritual health with a good spiritual diet

God’s people have always struggled to trust His Word when popular opinion and/or human wisdom says something else. God’s plan for husbands and wives is a modern example of that.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Even though we live in a complex, people are regularly referred to as either "this or that." The more people are subjectively classified, the harder it becomes to distinguish between legitimate differences. When speaking about faith in Christ, there are only believers and unbelievers.

It’s the work of the Holy Spirit to create and bestow faith on all who believe. Our mandate is to proclaim the Good News about Jesus and encourage people to repent of their sins and to believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. Inviting people to church to come and hear of Jesus is being a faithful witness to Christ.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

In our text, Paul reveals how our Heavenly Father teaches His children to get along. As Christian parents, we can draw some very good advice from this word of God, but only if we understand that God isn’t speaking to us as parents. He’s speaking to all of us as His children.

Just like our children, adult children of God sometimes get along well, sometimes not so well. Not getting along with God's other children is no more acceptable among adult Christians than it is among our children.

Our Heavenly Father teaches what "getting along" looks like and then demonstrates it by sending His Son to restore our relationship with Him and with each other.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

The day after Jesus' miraculous feeding of the 5000, a crowd who were obviously appreciative of Jesus' kindness in feeding them arrived, eager to show their gratitude in some tangible way. They asked Jesus, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus responded, "This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

For all His favors toward us God, believe it or not, would regard it as a favor toward Him if we would simply be the recipients of His eternal favor. The first and foremost response that God wants in return for His goodness toward us is an opportunity to be even better toward us.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church