I've had an Epiphany!

Breath + Water = Life John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where i...

Dear fellow worshipers, Every year in the summer we see some wonderful changes taking place. We enjoy beautiful weather. School is not is session so we have more time for fun family outings and get-togethers. Often we are able to plan a vacation, even if it is local, enjoying our amazing beach, zoo and bike paths. Those are all great changes and great blessings! God does not take time off from blessing you during the summer months. It only makes sense that you would not take time off from blessing God with your worship during those same summer months. Our worship times remain the same in June, July and August. Bible Classes and Sunday School meet as they do in the fall, winter and spring. Use these summer months of beautiful weather and family time to gather together with your family on a nice summer Sunday in God’s House for worship. (We even have air conditioning at Epiphany!) Then go outside to play. May all of us do everything in our power to stay in touc...

How do we worship the Lord best?   Do we worship God best when we sing that favorite hymn with gusto?   Do we worship God best when we write out that larger than usual offering check and put it in Sunday’s offering?   Do we worship God best when we help our neighbor through a difficult time?   Do we worship God best when we share the good news of salvation with others?   All those are truly excellent ways to worship God.   We must always do them more and more. However, when it comes to worshiping God, we worship God best when we do nothing and let God serve us.   That sounds strange to us.   We want to do things.   We live in a world that says, “No pain, no gain.   You only get out of something what you put into it.”   But that’s not how God works.   Psalm 51:16-17 says, “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.   The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;...

May 19 was Call Day at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN. May 24 was Call Day at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon , WI . Like children waiting with eager expectation and then running to the tree on Christmas morning to see what presents they have received, so our future teachers, staff ministers and pastors have been waiting and praying and probably even running to the auditorium to see where they will serve the Lord in His Lutheran Church. It’s our form of the Draft. To be honest, I had this really nice devotion written about Call Day where I left blanks to fill in the information about our new First Grade teacher who would be assigned to us from MLC. But, the Lord of the Church had other plans. We did not receive a graduate from MLC. However, President Rutschow, the District President for the Southeastern Wisconsin District, has names of possible teachers in our area. She may be a teacher who is without a call at this time or possibly the wife of a ...

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews ...

A very interesting explanation of the Roman Catholic Church.