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Mark Bergemann |
9/1/2010 11:15:41 AM |
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Labor Day is upon us, signaling warm weather activities are nearly done. Goodbye swimming, boating, baseball, parades, picnics, gardening, and summer vacation trips. Even the weekly Milwaukee area summer festivals and fairs are now memories (yes Indian Summer Festival is Sep 10 -11).
There is so much to do in summer that we can be easily distracted from more important things. Has your spiritual life suffered this summer? Changing seasons are a good time to evaluate our spiritual lives and our Bible reading and worship habits.
Have you considered reading the entire Bible by following one of the many 1 or 3 year schedules? Many people find this easier than reading the Bible straight through. It only takes minutes each day. Go to www.wels.net and click "Spiritual Help" then "Through My Bible."
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Mark Bergemann |
8/25/2010 7:48:05 PM |
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Entertainment today (including TV, films, literature, and even video games) commonly advances the false religious belief that good cannot exist without evil, that good and evil are of equal strength, and that in the long term good and evil "balance" each other.
The reality is that good CAN exist without evil, good is immensely more powerful than evil, and there is no such thing as a "balance" between good and evil.
What is "good" and what is "evil"? God himself is the definition of good (Matthew 19:17; Psalm 119:68). God also sets the standard of what is "good" and what is "evil." Evil is rebellion against God. Satan, or the devil, and his angels rebelled against God, and God defeated them (1 John 3:8; Colossians 2:15; Revelation 12:7-9). God made hell for the final confinement of Satan (Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4).
Originally, God created a perfect world where all beings, both angels and people, were good and righteous (Genesis 1:31). Then Satan and some of the angels rebelled against God. The first people, Adam and Eve, also rebelled against God. We, as their descendants, have inherited this will of rebellion against God (Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1John 1:8; Romans 3:23; Romans 3:9-12). Just as it did with Adam and Eve, our sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2 Romans 8:7).
God answered our rebellion with love, by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to live a sinless life in our place, to die an innocent death on the cross to pay for our sins, and to rise from the dead. Jesus did all this for everyone. This is the Good News of the Gospel (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21).... More >>
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Where Is God – I'm unemployed
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Mark Bergemann |
8/18/2010 1:51:21 PM |
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Are you unemployed? Are your savings gone? Do you have serious medical problems? Are you a Christian who wonders why God let this happen to you? This is a time of hardship for many, including many Christians.
Some TV preachers falsely say God will give us wealth and health if we just do this or that. In the Bible we find the truth: God promises to take care of us both in this life and the next, but he does not promise an earthly life without hardships.
The Apostle Paul reveals in God's Word: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28)." I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Roman 8:18).
Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, and spent time in prison even though he was innocent, yet he confessed that God controlled the situation for the good of many people (Genesis 45:4-8).
God promises that He is in control and doing the right things. The ancient believer Job suffered greatly, yet God never told Job why. At first Job questioned why God allowed such hardship into his life, but then Job confessed his trust in God and acceptance of hardship. Job is an example for us to follow.
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Mark Bergemann |
8/10/2010 1:17:26 PM |
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Mosquitoes around here are the worst they have been in many years. At my home in the city, walking outside in the hot sun means having 3 or more mosquitoes biting every minute, the kind that leave itching welts which last for days. As for bacterial infections, have you ever had the kind that can kill you in a few day's time? My wife and I have each had such an infection.
What have we learned from observing mosquitoes and bacteria? It appears that only the females of certain mosquito species actually consume blood, and that for development of their ovaries. A few species use nectar instead of blood. As for bacteria, 90% of bacteria are beneficial. The trillions of good bacteria on and in your body are necessary for life. Among other things, they help you to digest the food you eat.
Did God create mosquitoes and bacteria? Yes, God created everything at the beginning, including all of the animal kinds. Until Adam and Eve rebelled against God, mosquitoes and bacteria did not cause pain and suffering. All of creation was affected when sin came into the world, reflecting our broken relationship with God. In addition, animals of every kind continue to change, even producing new species in some kinds, although no new kinds will ever be produced. Some of the changed animals can cause us all sorts of trouble.
Whatever we continue to discover about mosquitoes and bacteria, we know from the Bible that God's original design was perfect, without pain, suffering, or death. Jesus conquered sin and death when he died on the cross and rose to life on the third day. Jesus offers you and everyone eternal life in heaven as a free gift. Read about it in His Word, the Bible.
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Morgan Freeman's Through The Worm Hole
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Mark Bergemann |
8/4/2010 8:04:04 PM |
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Atheists by definition do not believe there is a god. Yet most people do believe in some god, so atheists conclude that the human mind creates the concept of god to avoid worry about certain issues like death. This age old claim was recently advanced on Science Channel's "Morgan Freeman's Through The Worm Hole."
Either God exists, or He does not. What we believe about God's existence does not change the situation. The claim that god is a creation of mankind only makes sense if there is no God as described in the Bible. If there is a God as described in the Bible, then it is foolishness to reject that truth. God says: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' " (Psalm 53:1).
In 1 Corinthians 1:18-21 the Bible talks about the philosophers who reject God: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, ...Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
Our sinful human nature fears the thought of being responsible to the God who created us. It is natural for us to reject the God of the Bible, and instead believe in some other god, or in no god at all. Why not read the Bible and investigate its claims about God? God loves you. You can read all about it in His Word, the Bible.
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Do You Like To Hike at National Parks?
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Mark Bergemann |
7/28/2010 7:43:44 PM |
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Do you like to hike at state and national parks? It's a great way to see the beauty and grandeur of creation. In the Bible we read that God created a perfect world. But today there are major problems throughout creation. Here in the US, Elm and Ash trees are being devastated by disease and insects. Throughout the world volcanoes, tornadoes, hurricanes, lightning, and floods kill and destroy. Disease and lack of food kill countless animals and countless people. Bad things happen all the time. What happened to God's perfect world?
Our messed up world reflects our messed up relationship with God. (Gen 3:17-18; Rom 8:19-22). Our first ancestors, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God. While they had been perfect, they now had evil thoughts and desires. Their rebellion and corrupt thinking (sin) separated them from God. We, as their decedents, have inherited this will of rebellion against God (sin). Just as it did with Adam and Eve, our sin also separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2).
God answers our rebellion (our sin) with love, by carrying out His plan to restore creation to its original state of perfection (with no pain, suffering, or death) through Jesus Christ (Revelation 21:4).
Jesus offers everyone an exchange. Jesus gives us his perfect life and innocent death (His righteousness) in exchange for our sins. In Christ Jesus you will be saved from eternal death. (1Corinthians 15:21-22; John 3:16).
Also see: www.GoodShepherds.net/questions
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Mark Bergemann |
7/21/2010 1:49:55 PM |
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What last words would you say to a dying friend or family member? That is a difficult time which many of us face more than once. We will certainly remind our dying friend how much we love them, and how much others love them too. There are so many things we would like to say if there was enough time.
But the most important thing, would be to remind them about how much God loves them. That the God who knows everything they ever did, and everything they ever thought, both good and bad, has forgiven their every sin. Jesus has done everything needed to make them right with God. Because of Jesus, God has prepared a place for them in heaven.
We could then summarize, "Jesus will take you to heaven."
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Mark Bergemann |
7/14/2010 7:54:26 PM |
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It's great to spend time with those we love. A close relationship with friends and family means so much. God created us as social beings (Gen 2:18). While our relationship with our friends, family, and spouse are important, there really is only one truly essential relationship in our lives. How is your relationship with God these days?
By our human nature, our relationship with God is totally broken. Our rebellion against God (our sin) separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2; 1John 1:8). The Good News (the Gospel) is that Jesus Christ has done everything necessary to bring us back to a loving relationship with God (1Peter 3:18). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Also see: www.GoodShepherds.net/questions
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Why Should I Trust The Bible?
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Mark Bergemann |
7/7/2010 2:47:22 PM |
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Have you ever heard someone say the Bible is outdated and full of mistakes and contradictions, then you find out they have never read the Bible? While the Bible was written thousands of years ago, it is God's Word for us today and is 100 percent accurate in everything it says. Many Bible statements can be confirmed through history, archeology, anthropology, astronomy, and other fields. These "proofs" will never convince a skeptic to believe in God, although some skeptics have been led by this overwhelming evidence to study the Bible and become believers in Christ Jesus.
Many people, books, and websites tell conflicting stories about God and what the Bible says. Why not go to the source and read the Bible yourself? The Bible tells us everything we need to know about God and His great love for everyone. The central theme of the Bible is Jesus Christ. The Bible is "self authenticating." God himself convinces us that the Bible is true as we hear the Bible message.
Start by reading the books of Luke and Acts, which are the 3rd and 5th books of the New Testament. They are located about 1/5 of the way from the end of the Bible. The important thing is to start reading the Bible and continue to do so. Set aside a time each day for Bible reading, such as during lunch, when you first get up in the morning, or just before bed.
more at: www.goodshepherds.net/bible
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What Does The Bible Mean Today?
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Mark Bergemann |
6/30/2010 9:18:48 PM |
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Recently I've been reading Bible studies posted on the websites of several large US church bodies. The national leader of one writes: "We factor in the element of experience as we look at Scripture." The official document of another (on how to read the Bible) says that "tradition and reason join the Bible" in forming our teachings. They say that Biblical truth changes from age to age, and from person to person. No wonder these churches teach things that are contrary to Scripture. They use human reason to change what the Bible teaches.
When you read a book, magazine, or newspaper, or when you listen to someone speaking, you must interpret what you read and hear. You do it every day. These same skills are used to understand what God is telling us in the Bible.
God did not write the Bible in code that requires an expert to decode the message. God wrote the Bible so that everyday people, and even children, can understand it (2 Timothy 3:15; Psalm 19:7; Psalm 119:130).
Read the Bible and hear God speak to you through its pages. It is through the Gospel message in the Bible that God brings us to faith, and strengthens our faith (Romans 10:17 Romans 16:25-26). This was true thousands of years ago, and it remains true today. We are saved only through faith in Jesus just like believers were in the past, and will be in the future.
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FB, iPhone, Texting, Podcasts
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Mark Bergemann |
6/23/2010 7:05:47 PM |
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Do you talk to friends or access media while driving, waiting in line, eating, or even while walking for exercise? What happened to quiet time? Today's technology can take up every free minute. We no longer have time to think.
We regularly need time to think about God and what He says in His Word. In the Bible, the Psalmist says, "My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, so that I may meditate on your promises" (Psalm 119:148).
We also need time to pray. God invites us to speak with him through prayer "on all occasions" (Ephesians 6:18) and to "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
God required the Old Testament believers to take one day each week both for rest and for time to reflect on God and His Word (Leviticus 23:3). God does not require that we take every seventh day off, but we still have the same need for rest and contemplation.
Consider setting aside time for prayer and Scripture, maybe the start or end of each day. Recapture some moments for contemplation.... More >>
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Mark Bergemann |
6/16/2010 9:28:39 PM |
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Paranormal movies have been enormously popular for years. Ghost stories and supernatural powers seem to be everywhere in entertainment.
These shows present a make-believe world with so much that is contrary to Scripture. One thing these movies get right is that we live in a spiritual world. The Bible is clear that there really are good and evil angels (Hebrews 1:14; Matthew 25:41) and that we have both a material body and also a non-material soul (Matthew 10:28; James 2:26; Job 32:8).
In the make-believe movie world, demons and the forces of evil are often unstoppable. In real life, angels and demons are very powerful, but they cannot stand up against the Almighty God. Jesus defeated Satan and all the evil angels by dying on the cross (Colossians 2:15). God gives that victory to us (1 Corinthians 15:57), so that we can spend eternity in heaven. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16).
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What is the Purpose of Life?
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Mark Bergemann |
6/9/2010 8:18:47 PM |
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To be all that you can be? Have a good time? Raise a family? Gain knowledge? Help others? God says he created us for his glory (Isaiah 43:7). We exist to have a personal relationship with the loving God who made us.
Our sinful human nature denies this truth, since that nature is in rebellion against God. We often look in all the wrong places to satisfy our desires. We strive for knowledge, for power, to have fun times, and to even sacrifice for others, but eventually we realize that these things do not really fill our needs as we think they should. Something is missing.
The Bible also says we should honor God, because we were "bought at a price" (1Corinthians 6:20). Jesus paid that price, the penalty for our sins, by suffering on the cross. Jesus was innocent of all wrongdoing, yet he died for us, the guilty. The Bible says, "Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God" (1Peter 3:18). Jesus paid for everyone's sins. "for the sins of the whole world" (1John 2:2).
God made us with the need to worship and honor him. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, rebelled against that purpose and against God. We have inherited that sinful human nature of rebellion against God. On the cross, Jesus completely paid for our sins. He did everything needed to make us right with God, to restore our relationship with God. That restored relationship with God is a free gift. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
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Mark Bergemann |
6/2/2010 10:03:27 PM |
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Our society constantly questions God. Some unfaithful Christian pastors tell us that the historical accounts in Scripture are really parables, or were later untrue additions to Scripture. They say God really did not mean to tell us that he created the universe in 6 days, or that Jesus gave the blind sight and raised people from the dead, or that Jesus is the only way to be right with God. This is nothing new. Over 6,000 years ago, Satan, the father of lies, asked Eve, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1 NIV).
Our sinful human nature is always tempting us to question God, to doubt his love for us. The truth is that there is no greater love than God's love for you and for everyone. Jesus humbled himself by being born as a little baby, and later being tortured and killed in our place, all so that we can spend eternity with him in heaven. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV). This is the message of the cross that is so vital to each of us and to our eternal destinies.... More >>
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Mark Bergemann |
5/26/2010 4:34:44 PM |
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Why do we ...wear clothes ....marry ...have a conscience? Why is there pain and suffering in the world? Why do we ...lie ...hurt others ..do things we know are wrong? Why do we die? Why do we need Jesus and the cross?
All of these questions are answered in the first few pages of the Bible, in Genesis chapters 1-3. There we can read the history of creation, how God created a perfect world, and how our first parents, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God. Their rebellion and corrupted thinking (sin) separated them from God. We, as their decedents, have inherited this will of rebellion against God (sin). Pain, suffering, and death are a consequence of our rebellion against God. Just as it did with Adam and Eve, our sin separates us from God too. (Isaiah 59:2)
Our rebellion breaks our relationship with God. God answers our rebellion (our sin) with love, by carrying out His plan to restore creation to its original state of perfection (with no pain, suffering, or death) through Jesus Christ and the cross. Jesus offers everyone an exchange. Jesus gives us his perfect life and innocent death (His righteousness) in exchange for our sins. Everyone who trusts in Jesus as their Savior receives that free gift of righteousness in exchange for their sins. (1Corinthians 15:21-22)
So why do we wear clothes? At first, Adam and Eve were sinless, they never had an evil thought. They had a perfect and close relationship with God. They did not wear any clothes. They wore no clothes yet "felt no shame." (Genesis 2:25) After they rebelled against God and became sinful, they immediately started wearing clothes. "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, ...so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." (Genesis 3:7) They even hid from God. (Genesis 3:10-11)
The Questions? section of this website has more on God's solution to pain, suffering, and death.
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Mark Bergemann |
5/19/2010 9:02:35 PM |
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On May 23rd a group of our young teens will confess their faith before God and their Christian congregation of believers in a rite we call "confirmation." Confirmation is a public declaration that they have completed a course of study in the Scriptures and are ready to receive Holy Communion.
May 23rd is also Pentecost, the day we remember how God poured His Holy Spirit on the first century disciples, empowering them to boldly proclaim God's Word in public (Acts chapter 2). What a fitting day for our young teens to witness about Jesus in public!
Confirmation is not an end to the study of God's Word. It marks the start of a lifelong study of what God has to tell us in Scripture. The central message of the Bible is Jesus and how he brings us to God through his death on the cross. Good Shepherd's offers many ways to hear God's Word including weekly worship services, seven weekly Bible studies, and special midweek worship during Advent, Lent, and other times. Personal study of the Bible is also encouraged.
Let us all recommit ourselves to listen to what God tells us in Scripture about the cross of Christ and to confess that word to others.... More >>
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The Faith of a Little Child
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Mark Bergemann |
5/12/2010 10:05:39 PM |
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Twenty-one children were baptized at Good Shepherd's in 2009, and nine have already been baptized in the first seventeen weeks of 2010. Most of these children were infants. Infant baptism reminds me of how we all come to faith through God's work, not through any effort on our part. When "we were dead in our sins" Jesus brought us to faith (Colossians 2:13-14; Ephesians 2:4-5).
A dead person cannot do anything. We were spiritually "dead," unable to do anything to save ourselves. But Jesus made us spiritually "alive" by living a perfect life in our place and dying on the cross for our wrongdoings (for our sins, for our rebellion against God). Jesus offers us his perfection as a free gift (1 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus died for you. Do you believe this? You are right with God, right now (John 3:16; John 5:24).
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Mark Bergemann |
5/6/2010 12:52:38 PM |
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Avatar, Star Wars: I really enjoy watching these movies, but they are not real. The real world is so much more than Hollywood can imagine. A real world relationship with Jesus is so much more. The peace and harmony that God provides is so much more than depicted on "Pandora." God is so much more powerful than the "force." Even so, many reject God and reality, then yearn for the imaginary wonders of Pandora. There are many ways to "exchange the truth of God for a lie." (Romans 1:25) The devil can use great movies like Avatar to distract us from the real world.
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Mark Bergemann |
4/30/2010 4:41:36 PM |
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Three of our Good Shepherd's teens will be helping with mission work in Florida, Chile, and China this spring/summer through the WISCO "Share The Mission" program. They will do things like teaching VBS and distributing literature. Teens are important in the ministry of the church. People of all ages, including teens, adults, the preborn, and the elderly are each of equal worth in God's eyes. By nature, we are all sinners who need the gift of salvation won for us By Jesus on the cross. The cross of Christ is vitally important to each of us.... More >>
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Mark Bergemann |
4/22/2010 1:54:14 AM |
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Do you ever worry whether you are good enough for God, or if God really loves you? Some people think that they must do something to earn God's favor, but the Bible says that "the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1John 1:7). Just before he died on the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). The Greek word used is "Teleo," which means "to pay in full." Jesus made the total and complete payment for our sins. Jesus has made us right with God. Jesus has done it all for us. Faith is simply trusting that Jesus has made us right with God. Faith is simply a desire for mercy from God. Take your worries and doubts to Jesus. Lay them at his feet. Do you believe in Jesus? If so, then you have eternal life (John 3:16; John 3:36; John 5:24).... More >>
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Mark Bergemann |
4/6/2010 8:01:00 PM |
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Our loving Savior Jesus is in control of events today, just as he was in the past. Even during difficult times, we can trust Jesus to bring us through. That is the overall theme of the Biblical book of Revelations, which was the topic in our Monday Bible study during the last 6 months. Some wonderful promises of God which apply to us today are in Revelations: ..."Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." Rev 2:10 (NIV) ..."To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son." Rev 21:6-7 (NIV)... More >>
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