“Say to those who have an anxious heart,
‘Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you.’”
(Isaiah 35:4 ESV)
Dear Friends,
Greetings in Jesus’ name.
When the Bible talks the way we read above, a 21st Century Christian might wonder whether it speaks to us today at all. “Come with vengeance?” “Recompense?” He will “come and save?” We live in Canada. No one is blowing up our cars on the way to church. What enemy implied in this psalm applies to us today? It might seem we need deliverance from high taxes and gas prices or whatever annoys you, but it doesn’t cause us to cry out to God for divine rescue.
At such time, it is good if we recall our catechism instruction. When we pray to be delivered from evil, we are reminded our spiritual enemies are our inner sinful nature, the devil, and people in the world who do not believe God’s truth and therefore try to lead us away from that truth.
I don’t know about you, but my own sinful nature gets me down sometimes. I’ve been a Christian for some time and I should know better. But there is, as Luther would say, an old Adam within me. He doubts God and everything He has said and gets me striking out on my own – without God or His help.
And then there is that evil spirit, the devil or Satan, and his unholy host who try to deceive us and accuse us and annihilate our faith. He never tires and looks for the most opportune moment to attack – usually when we are tired and discouraged.
Finally, there is a secular society and unbiblical beliefs that are ever present – especially in our highly digitized world. Even as regularly worshipping Christians, the devil and the unbelieving world seem to have a lot more air-time that God’s Spirit.
“Say to those who have an anxious heart,
‘Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you.’”
God, in fact, did come! Jesus was born into the world to save sinners – from the oppression of their own sin and guilt, from the devil’s accusations, from the fear of death (which is the consequence of sin), and from the enticements of a self-absorbed world defiant of God’s will. Jesus has already come and done it – for you and me. He is our divine Hero and Deliverer!
And, He will come again. All that boasts of truth today that ridicules God’s ways will be shown to be false and condemned. And we will be delivered from its power and influence once and for all.
So every time you read something in the Old Testament talking about enemies or prayers for deliverance from enemies, just remember you have enemies, too. The Lord has come to save you and He will come again. In the end, we win – through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Believe it! “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16 ESV)
Coming Up at Prince of Peace …
15th Sunday after Pentecost, September 6
(last Sunday of service at 10:00)
10:00 Holy Communion
PoP News …
This Fall: This Sunday shall be the last Sunday of 10:00am service time. The following Sunday, September 13, will mark the beginning of our Fall programming here at Prince of Peace. There will be a number of changes that you will note from the September calendar. Here are some of the noteworthy changes:
- Both Confirmation Instruction and Choir Practice will be held on Wednesday evenings. Confirmation at 7:30 and Choir at 7:45.
- The Matins service with contemporary accompaniment and the Coffee Hour following will be moved to the 4th Sunday of the month.
- The monthly mid-week Prayer & Communion Service will be held on the Tuesday evening before Matins/Coffee Hour Sunday.
Keep that September Prince of Peace calendar on your frig at home!
The Fall Schedule begins next week, September 13
(We will be installing our Sunday School staff that day.)
9:00 a.m. Sunday School, Adult & Youth Bible Class
10:30 a.m. Worship
It’s time! Know someone ages preschool through Jr. High students for Sunday School and Confirmation instruction this fall? Let me know so we can arrange a way of inviting them.
Choir practices this year will be on Wednesdays with our first practice on September 9 at 7:45 p.m. If there is anyone who would like to join the choir please speak to Diane Bates. As always, new voices are welcome. However, in order to prepare for the September 9 practice, Diane would like to speak with newcomers before the first practice.
Coming This Fall …
“Stump the Pastor” Youth Bible Study: I will be leading this Sunday morning group (9:15-10:15). The class is for confirmation age students and older. Breakfast in class is an option being considered. More importantly for you, confirmands and youth, your suggestions are sought for questions and topics of interest to be covered. I’m calling it “Stump the Pastor” till you come up with a better name for the class. Talk to me or send me an email at pastor@poplc.ca .
“God Hidden in Our Work” That is the theme of this Adult Bible Class this fall, Sunday mornings at 9:15. Paul Lainen has developed and will lead this study on the calling of every Christian by the Lord in the place where they are during the week. We’ll have the coffee on for you. Paul will introduce the topic on September 13 and dive into it on October 4 (after the Pastor Krestick Sundays).
“12 Axioms for a happy marriage and other impossible stuff!!” Bible study with Pastor Robert Krestick on September 20th and 27th at 9:15am downstairs at Prince of Peace. “12 Axioms to a Happy Marriage” – check it out, talk it up, bring someone!
Seniors Lunch Pot Luck & Speaker: We’ll have Sally Lloyd from Appleby Retirement Residence to speak and answer questions on Monday, September 14th at Noon. Bring a dish and smile to share – maybe even a friend!
Ladies Appreciation Dinner: The Men’s Breakfast group of Pilgrim have decided to host a Ladies Appreciation Dinner (…. and you thought men don’t appreciation all that women do!). Because a couple of our men attend their monthly breakfasts, they have decided to invite women of Prince of Peace to attend as well. The Dinner is Saturday, October 17 at 5:30pm. RSVP if you like to attend on the sign-up sheet in the lobby here at PoP.
Banana Cram Confirmation Retreat: This district-wide retreat is geared specifically for confirmands and there are generally 30 confirmands plus their counsellors and other leaders. The weekend retreat is scheduled for October 23-25 (Friday evening through Sunday church) here at Prince of Peace. We are happy to be hosting them. Needed: Let’s form a small group to organize the meals for this Friday evening through Sunday noon youth retreat. If you can help please contact me.
Don’t just “Save-the-date” for EvangelFest , you can register now! EvangelFest 2015 will be held September 25-26 at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines. Rev. Jonathan Fisk will be the keynote speaker. Visit http://www.lcceast.ca/ (Calendar/September) to see the Agenda, Keynote Speaker Info & Registration Form
Do you know a young adult moving for post-secondary education? : Here is a list of churches ready to welcome post-secondary students: Click here. Also, if you send an email to campusministry@lcceast.ca with the student’s name, school, and email, they will send an email to your student. (Also, I would like to send a group email to our PoP members at university. Ask your university/college- age children if they would interested in such an email and then share their email with me.)
Other News …
“Anxiety and Depression” Seminar: Mike Glugosh was an ordained pastor for a few years before he started working with the Midwest Centre for Stress and Anxiety. He offers a free 2-hour seminar called “Anxiety and Depression.” There are so many among us and people close to us who suffer from depression. This free seminar will be held right here at Prince of Peace on Monday evening, November 16, from 7:00-9:00. Come and learn.
First graduating class of pastors for Mozambican Lutherans Mozambican Lutherans celebrated a major milestone on August 9, 2015, as Concordia Lutheran Church– Mozambique celebrated its first graduating class of pastors. To read more click here.
International Lutheran News: (Click the links below to read)
– Norwegian Lutheran Missions holds meetings with LCMS/ILC
– New Presiding Bishop for Tanzanian Lutherans
In your prayers, please remember:
- Those under doctors care
- Those battling cancer
The Lord be with you.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Kevin Walrath
