A MATTER OF TRUST

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” Psalm 37: 3

The phrase “dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture”, is a reference to the Israelites living the land given them by God that we often refer to as the Promised Land. God made a promise to the Israelites that as long as they would live by God’s laws and commands and keep Him first in their lives, that He would protect them in this new land. To do that, they would have to “trust in the Lord.”

I believe that the same general tenant exists today. If we will live with God’s precepts and truths as our guide for living, He will bless us in our “land”. This doesn’t mean, of course, that nothing bad will happen to us, for Jesus clearly said that many bad things would happen to His followers. However, even in the midst of the world seeking to harm and persecute Christians, we Christians can still be blessed by our Heavenly Father.

Seek to live this... more

WELL, DUH!

“He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.” Proverbs 21: 23

Oh, don’t you wish we could all learn this one …AND…live by it?! How slow we are to learn at times.

I really don’t have much I can add to this - - it’s just so obviously true. OK – I have one story to tell…

I went back home to Grand Island, NY for a reunion a couple of years ago. It was over the 4th of July. I went to the place where most people were gathering at the VFW. There was plenty of ‘brew’ flowing. So I walk up behind one of my old friends whom I hadn’t seen in a few decades. With beer in hand he’s telling a story to some other old friends. Most of them know that I’m a Pastor. As the story-teller continues, the friends begin to look a bit sheepish. That’s because my story-telling friend is using some – well – some very ‘colorful’ language in the telling of his tale. So he finishes his story, the others laugh; he turns around and sees... more

THE BLESSING OF HOLDING OUR TONGUE!

“If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betray another man’s confidence.” Proverbs 25: 9

I can’t tell you exactly how the world would be if everyone lived by this proverb, but I can tell you this: it would look considerably different. Or, perhaps more accurately, it would function much differently.

Just think of how many things have been done in the history of this world based upon gossip, half-truths, and information that was supposed to be confidential. I can’t tell you how many times, as a Pastor, I’ve had people in my office who have been deeply wounded because people spread information that was intended for them only.

Perhaps each of us could pray to God this morning and ask Him to help us guard our tongues, guide our thoughts, and definitely think twice before we open our mouths. It might seem odd, but we might actually improve the way the world functions…by saying nothing.

Pastor Mar... more

BEING SHOWERED BY LOVE!

“And we pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that love that surpasses all knowledge – that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Eph. 3: 17b-19

Yesterday I preached on how to stay under the constant stream of God’s love. Jesus said that we “remain” in His love by “keeping His commands.” Then He said: “This is my command: love one another.” In the verse above we discover yet another wondrous thing about love: when people are “rooted and established in love”, they have “power…to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”

If you stop and think about it, you discover that love sets up an incredible continuous cycle. God’s loves us, and this love moves Him to send Jesus here to die for us. We, in turn, love Him back for this great love and what it ha... more

NEEDLESSLY WET!

“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love.” John 15: 9, 10


You have to admit: being covered by the love of God is a tremendous thing. To be loved by anyone is a good thing; but to be love by God - - well that’s just awesome.
Now I believe that my mom and dad always loved me – even when I was a knucklehead and did some stupid things. But when I did those stupid things, was I under the blanket of their blessings at those moments, or was I – well – maybe more under their “corrective” eye. Yes, I, even I, the Reverend Mark E. Schulz, incurred the wrath of my parents more times than I wish to remember.

It’s not that they didn’t love me when I was being punished; it’s more that I didn’t ‘feel’ like I was being loved. Further, I sure wasn’t going to get any special permissions or ‘extras’... more

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME…

“He chose to give us birth through the Word of truth…” James 1: 18a

“He chose us - - I find that absolutely amazing, don’t you? God, who is so high, so mighty, so awesome, so seemingly unapproachable - - has actually chosen us! He didn’t have to. Because of our many sins, He could have just wiped us out and started over with some new and improved version of humans. But He didn’t do that. He stuck with us. He came to rescue us.

And His rescue comes to us through faith in Jesus. So how did this faith come about? The verse above tells us. This new birth (our being ‘born-again’) came through the Word of truth.

Many Christians don’t fully realize or understand that this faith we hold in Jesus came to us through the power of God’s Word. Some how, at some time, the message about Jesus taking our punishment on the cross, was shared with us and the Spirit of God used the sharing of God’s Word to place faith within. Our faith an... more

GOOD STUFF!

“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1: 16, 17

I see two very wonderful and helpful truths here:
1. At the end of the day every good gift comes to us – one way or another – from the gracious hand of God. “Thank you, Father God!”
2. Because God is unchanging, He is utterly dependable. That means He will continue to dispense love, forgive us, and come to our aid in time of need.

Yes, God is so very, very good!!! Nuff said.

Pastor Mark

Epiphany Lutheran Church
8300 Deerlake Rd. W.
Tallahassee, FL 32312

epiphanystar.org
850-385-7373 - phone
850-422-0984 - fax

'Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.'

Ephesians 1:3

G... more

HELP THAT’S EVER READY!!

“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil nor does, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, give birth to death.” James 1: 13-15

We like to blame-shift. Unfortunately, it just seems to come to us naturally. When God confronted Adam with his sin of eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam blamed Eve. Then, in perhaps the most audacious blame-shift of all time, actually blamed God! “The woman YOU gave me, gave me some fruit, and I did eat.” (emphasis added)

I have to admit; I have, on at least a few occasions either blamed God for what was happening, or, thought He was tempting me. Though I still may occasionally blame God for this or that, I have long ago learned that God doesn’t tempt anyone.

If... more

THE ALL-IMPORTANT MARATHON!

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” James 1: 12 (pmu for 5.1.12)

I know several marathoners. I know several “Ironman” tri-athletes. Personally - - I think they’re nuts. It’s not that I don’t admire their ability and commitment to training and physical fitness, for I not only admire them – I’m envious. However, running long distances has never appealed to me. I have made various attempts at jogging, etc., but unless there’s a ball involved to either chase or catch, I just don’t see the point.

However, there is one distance marathon in which I readily engage: the marathon of faith. That’s really what Christianity – this side of heaven – could be described as – a marathon of faith in Jesus. In today’s verse we read of James’ encouragement to persevere under trial. You see, James and the brothers and ... more