I've had an Epiphany!

1   When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll— Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,    It is well, it is well with my soul. Refrain It is well (It is well) with my soul (with my soul).    It is well, it is well with my soul. 2   My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought—        My sin, not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more: Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! Refrain 3   And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend; Even so, it is well with my soul. Refrain This hymn was written by Horatio Spafford after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. Spafford was a wealthy Chicago lawyer with a thriving legal practice, a beautiful home, a wife, four daughters and a son. He was also a devout Christian. His circle of fr...

Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Fath...

The WELS 2012 International Youth Rally will be held June 27-30 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The theme for the rally is “Fill Up!” based on John 10:10 , “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Registration is open from Feb. 15 to May 15. Watch the WELS Connection video here: Rally Video

John 18:4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" 5 "Jesus of Nazareth ," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 "I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me." 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" If you haven’t heard, Jeremy Lin is taking ...

Christian Worship #200/201 -- “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” is probably one of the greatest hymns written by one of God’s greatest champions in one of the greatest periods of church history. It has been called “The Battle Hymn of the Reformation.” It is not known for certain when Martin Luther wrote this hymn, but he did base it on Psalm 46. This hymn was of great comfort to Luther and his followers because when he was discouraged he would often invite his friends to sing it for courage and strength (“Kommt, lasst uns den 46. Psalm singen” and he apparently sang it regularly while being sheltered at the Coburg castle in Germany during the Diet of Augsburg. (He remained under the ban of the Empire and was not welcome at the official meeting, four days’ journey away. It was during this time that he was also translating the Old Testament into German.) This hymn was then sung at the Diet of Augsburg. Gustavus Adolphus caused it to be sung by his army before the battle of Leipzig i...

2 Kings 2:1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel ." But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel . 3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" "Yes, I know," Elisha replied, "but do not speak of it." 4 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho ." And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went to Jericho . 5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" "Yes, I know," he replied, "but do ...

Christian Worship #97 -- “Down from the Mount of Glory” is a fairly new hymn. It was written by Werner Franzmann in 1968, while he was the managing editor of the WELS Northwestern Lutheran – now Forward in Christ . Read Mark 9:2-9 for the biblical account on which Franzmann bases his hymn. 1. In his hymn, Franzmann connects two different mountains. What are the mountains and the purpose for each? He is comparing and contrasting the Mount of Transfiguration with Mount Calvary . He shows the stark contrasts between the two mountains and in the same way shows the exact purpose of each. The first mountain is for glory and strength. The second mountain is for glory and death. 2. Twice, in stanzas 1 and 5, Franzmann mentions “double glory.” To what does this “double glory” refer? The glory Jesus received on the Mount of Transfiguration showed Him to be God’s beloved Son. Jesus loses none of His divine majesty in His incarnation, but He humbly hid that majesty with His human natur...