A word of encouragement from a friend is powerful, isn’t it? “Well done,” sounds nice. Imagine hearing words of praise from God!

In 1 Corinthians 4:5 we read, “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” The day is coming when you will receive praise from God! It won’t be because you were so good; but for your faith! Through faith in Jesus, your sins are removed. As God’s child you are eager to do good.

Martin Luther once commented that there is “nothing more beautiful in the eyes of God than a soul that loves to hear His Word.” Hearing means that we are eager to believe, to learn and to live according to God’s Word. Make it a priority to hear God’s Word — for comfort and for strength. In the place where God has placed you, serve the people around you. Be the child of God that he has made you to be. And wait. The day will come when you’ll hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” as your faith in Christ sets you free from sin to be God’s servant.

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling

The on-going work of faithfully serving our Lord — at home, church, school, job, or anywhere — is a heavy burden. The devil never allows us rest, but constantly attacks. He brings frustration, sorrow, failure, and apathy to our efforts.

Where will we find new strength? Isaiah says that those who trust in the Lord are renewed in faith that leads to zealous service. The devil keeps attacking, but Jesus’ victory cannot be undone. Sin and death are no longer our masters; we have been raised to new life. Our hope of heaven cannot be destroyed. Our confidence is God's love is well-placed because he will never abandon his people!

This Lenten season, let the story of Jesus’ victory inspire you. Jesus’ passion isn’t just another story. What he accomplished changes everything about you. Live in the peace of forgiveness and the power of knowing that you can serve God as you faithfully serve the people around you.

"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:30–31 (NIV)

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling

Little things matter. One broken bolt can have a major impact on a huge machine. Forget one small ingredient and a cake may not taste very good. One mistake in a math problem and the final answer will not be correct.

We have a tendency to overlook little things.

Zechariah 4:10 “Who despises the day of small things?”

God doesn’t! To him, little things matter. In Zechariah, God was speaking about the work that Zerubbabel, the leader of the Israelites, would accomplish. A remnant had returned from exile in Babylon and were working to rebuild Jerusalem. At this point, Zerubbabel has only done a “small thing.” But to God, this was the beginning of something great.

Your life is filled with small things. Taken as individual events, you may not see the importance of a kind word or a simple act of service (perhaps one that you’ve repeated in your home countless times). These acts of service are not small; they reveal that you are God’s child. Jesus has worked in your heart to renew you by his forgiveness. He has set before you these opportunities to serve others. There is nothing small about that!

Joyfully seize the moments that you can service – even the ones that are not your favorite or may not seem that important. Through faith in Jesus, see your life for what it is. This is your time to serve Jesus by serving others. That is something that is huge!

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling