Hope

@NEWSMAX Does it matter that every time you show a wreckage, it increases the trauma the family and friends are experiencing?? This is a question for ALL news platforms. NEWSMAX is my go to. I’ve seen this picture MULTIPLE times from many companies.

The Air Canada pilots who died Sunday when their plane collided with a fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport were early in their careers, according to a report. MORE: bit.ly/4c3svbg

The Essential Gospel - 1 Corinthians 15. Head to 1517.org/oneyear for the reading guide and to catch up on previous posts from the Bible in One Year series.⁠ Happy Studying! #BibleinOneYear #Biblestudy

There is a passage in 1 Corinthians 15 that puzzles many readers. Paul writes that Christ “was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:4). But which Scriptures did Paul have in mind? If you search the Old Testament, you will not find a single prophecy that explicitly says the Messiah would rise on the third day. So what does Paul mean? One helpful way to understand Paul’s words is to look for a pattern in the Old Testament. Again and again, God does something decisive on the third day or after three days. These moments often involve life, deliverance, restoration, or divine revelation. Consider these examples: 1. Creation: On the third day, life springs forth from the earth in the form of plants and trees (Gen. 1:11–13). 2. Abraham and Isaac: On the third day, Abraham arrives at the mountain where Isaac is spared, and Hebrews later says that Abraham received him back “figuratively” from the dead (Gen. 22:4; Heb. 11:19). 3. Mount Sinai: God descends upon Mount Sinai on the third day to reveal himself to Israel (Exod. 19:11, 16). 4. Jonah: Jonah spends three days and three nights in the belly of the fish before being delivered (Jonah 1:17). 5. Hosea’s prophecy: The prophet says, “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up” (Hos. 6:2). When we look at these passages together, a pattern begins to emerge. The third day becomes the day when God brings life from the ground, life out of death, rescue out of danger, and hope out of despair. This is likely what Paul has in mind in 1 Corinthians 15:4. He is not pointing to a single proof-text prediction but to this repeated scriptural pattern or typology. The resurrection of Jesus on the third day is the climactic fulfillment of that pattern. What God had been foreshadowing throughout the Scriptures reaches its fullest expression when Christ rises from the dead. ______ We read 1 Corinthians 15 today in Bible in One Year. To join us, visit 1517.org/oneyear

Job’s Friends Get Mercy - Job 42. Dive into the Bible in One year series at 1517.org/oneyear for the reading guide and to catch up on previous posts. #BibleInOneYear #BibleStudy

5 Evil world, I leave thee; Thou canst not deceive me, Thine appeal is vain. Sin that once did blind me, Get thee far behind me, Come not forth again. Past thy hour, O pride and pow'r; Sinful life, thy bonds I sever, Leave thee now forever. LSB 743

Throughout my life, I’ve experienced seasons when my relationship with the church was strong and joyful, and others when it was decidedly not. Bad experiences left a bitter taste in my mouth. I’m sure many of you have had a similar experience. When that happens, it's far too easy to drift away. Or walk away. Or stomp off in anger, swearing never to come back. I did that, too. For a few years. But about fifteen years ago, God began to open my eyes to see how much I need my brothers and sisters in Christ. I need a pastor. In fact, I desperately need the life of a local congregation. Christianity is not a privatized “me and Jesus” kind of faith, comprised of solitary believers who fly solo spiritually. How does Paul describe the church in 1 Corinthians 12? As a body. Just as my ear does not exist apart from the rest of my body, nor does my hand live independently from my chest or neck, so Christians are not meant to live apart from their connection to other Christians. Our life of faith is inextricably bound up with the life of the church, and the life of the church is inextricably bound up with Christ himself. That does not mean church life will always be easy and joyful. That should go without saying. The church is comprised of sinners; every pastor is a sinner, too. So, of course, there will be problems and challenges, disagreements and difficulties, some quite painful. Welcome to life in a fallen world. But we still need each other. In fact, for that very reason, we need each other. We need to confess to one another, forgive one another, and bear each other’s burdens. We need to be baptized, hear the Word of God, sing hymns of praise, celebrate the Lord’s Supper, and share in all the gifts God gives through the life of the church. So, “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24-25).

Remember your positive attitude can affect those around you. You never know how much you can change someone's attitude. Stay positive 😁

Christ's precious blood has ransomed our souls from the grip of death. Thanks be to God! Hear Christ for you at kfuo.org. Read the beautiful text for Lutheran Service Book 708 at hymnary.org/hymn/LSB2006/7….

3 Satan, I defy thee; Death, I now decry thee; Fear, I bid thee cease. World, thou shalt not harm me Nor thy threats alarm me While I sing of peace. God's great pow'r Guards ev'ry hour; Earth and all its depths adore Him, Silent bow before Him. LSB 743

Elihu, Failure #4 - Job 34. Dive into the Bible in One year series at 1517.org/oneyear for the reading guide and to catch up on previous posts. #BibleInOneYear #BibleStudy

My friends, it is here! I am excited to announce a NEW FREE COURSE that I am teaching for the @1517 Academy. It’s called “Reading and Interpreting the Bible.” Over seven sessions, we will cover topics such as: * How to read the Bible both big-picture and close-up * Why context and genre matter when interpreting Scripture * How to read narratives, law, poetry, wisdom, Gospels, epistles, and apocalyptic literature * How the Bible’s many voices tell one unified story * How Scripture consistently leads us to Christ * How to read the Bible not just as an ancient text, but as God’s living Word for today We will walk through the grand story of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, and equip you with tools to read it with clarity and confidence. Join us! Enroll for free at 1517.org/courses/readin…

Law and Gospel in Job - Job 32 & 33. Head to 1517.org/oneyear for the reading guide and to catch up on previous posts from the Bible in One Year series.⁠ Happy Studying! #BibleinOneYear #Biblestudy

St. Patrick: From Slave to Preacher When Patrick was a teenager, he was kidnapped during a raid on Britain and taken to Ireland to serve as a slave. After six years in captivity, he escaped, made his way back home, and eventually was ordained into the priesthood. Then God, in his ironic way, sent Patrick back into the land of his former captivity to proclaim the freedom of the Gospel. The boy who had been a slave was used by Christ to bring his word of salvation and life to a people who had been living in the darkness of pagan unbelief. In Patrick we see the Lord of life at work, as we see him at work in our own lives. The God who can take a slave who seemed destined for nothing but death, and use his life to bring wisdom and light and salvation to the lives of so many others—this same God can and does work in our own lives. We may seem destitute of hope, but the hope of Christ is stronger than our weakness. As he was for Patrick, so he will be for us: our companion in suffering, our life in death, our resurrection in the grave, and the Lord who uses us in his own way to bring blessings into the lives of others.

More Than You Can Handle - 1 Corinthians 10. Head to 1517.org/oneyear for the reading guide and to catch up on previous posts from the Bible in One Year series.⁠ Happy Studying! #BibleinOneYear #Biblestudy

Oklahoma is using the line “where the wind comes sweeping down the plain” a little too literally today.

Should Preachers Be Paid? - 1 Corinthians 9. Dive into the Bible in One year series at 1517.org/oneyear for the reading guide and to catch up on previous posts. #BibleInOneYear #BibleStudy