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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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