built on a rock
- By Pastor Sarah Zender, Grace Lutheran Church, LuverneJuly 09, 2025“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh, rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Galatians 5:13 NIV) In a treatise titled The Freedom of a Christian written over 500 years ago, Martin Luther argues, based on this biblical text and others, that Christians are simultaneously free and bound. Christians are free from the law and…
- By Pastor Praveen Muthsuamy, Hills United Reformed ChurchJuly 02, 2025The last time we considered Hebrews 12:1-2, we noted that this passage calls us to run the race well by doing four specific things: 1. Running by considering the cloud of witnesses. 2. Running by laying aside every weight. 3. Running by laying aside every sin. 4. Running with endurance by looking to Jesus. We also noted two important things regarding the passage. First, if you are not a…
- By Rev. Dr. Steven Voris, First Presbyterian Church, LuverneJune 25, 2025“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16) This is No. 9 on the list of things God hates most; that list being the Ten Commandments. Most often, this commandment is framed in a legal context of testifying falsely in court, but there are many additional ways people can bear false witness against a neighbor. All of those ways involve lying. Lying is the core sin in…
- By Pastor Mark Eliason, Palisade Lutheran Church, Rock CountyJune 18, 2025It's mid-June, and we are well into summer. School is done for the year, and all the school activities like football, basketball, track, volleyball and all the rest are on a break, at least for most. With summer break also come trips to the lake, family vacations, and with all those things to distract us, Sunday morning worship tends to be put lower on the priority list than other things. I…
- By Pastor Walt Moser, First Baptist Church, LuverneJune 11, 2025Mine? I bought memory foam insoles so I could remember why I walked into the kitchen! First Baptist Church is doing some remembering right now. On July 4, 1875, a small group gathered with Rev. A.W. Hilton to discuss forming a Baptist church in Luverne. The church began meeting in the local school every other week, alternating with Methodist services. In 1876 the newly formed church adopted a…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneJune 04, 2025We find ourselves at the beginning of the summer season, with Buffalo Days just underway and the promise of a full summer stretching ahead. The days are gaining more sunlight, and temperatures are rising. My family has exciting plans that include camping trips, swimming lessons, VBS, basketball, and volleyball camps. We look forward to sunny days at the lake along with more opportunities to cast…
- By Pastor Jeremy Wiersema, Reformed Church of SteenMay 28, 2025This past Monday was Memorial Day. Flags lined streets in many small towns and flew above cemeteries. Memorial Day, as we all know, is a day to remember those who have died while serving our nation in the military. There were gatherings across our nation and speeches were given that were heartfelt and carefully crafted. Those who died serving in our armed forces died so that people like you…
- By Pastor Ed Borchardt, Zion Lutheran Church, HardwickMay 21, 2025The Gospel of John gives an account of a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. He is helpless in regard to helping himself to a pool (known to have healing remedies) which may help his condition. For 38 years friends, family, neighbors, strangers, no one helps him. Here we find him sitting on a mat. This mat is a tool. A mat is used for sitting, keeping the heat off his bottom side. A…
- By Pastor Bob Junak, Rock River Community Church, LuverneMay 07, 2025Let’s look at a subject that so many of us have prayed about at some point in our lives – God’s timing. Specifically, how it is almost never our timing. And how incredibly frustrating that can be. Let’s be honest, we’ve all prayed those “Lord, please do this by Friday at 7:00 p.m.” prayers. Oh, I know you have! Do we think God is in heaven taking appointments like some sort of divine doctor’s…
- By Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, St. John Lutheran Church, LuverneApril 23, 2025Traditionally, pastors could count on seeing a few faces on Christmas and Easter that didn’t show up much the rest of the year. These are the so-called “Christmas and Easter Christians.” Like many pastors, I was of two minds about it. On the one hand, I would rejoice that they came to hear God’s Word and receive His gifts. On the other hand, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that I wouldn’t…
- By Pastor Praveen Muthsuamy, Hills United Reformed ChurchApril 09, 2025tifaceted and therefore the Bible describes it in vivid ways. Sometimes the Bible paints our Christian life as walking according to God’s word [Isaiah 2:5]. Sometimes the Bible paints our Christian life as soldiers in the battle ground [2 Timothy 2:3-4]. Other times the Bible paints our Christian life as an athlete competing to win the prize [2 Timothy 4:7]. Our Christian life includes walking…
- By Rev. Dr. Steven Voris, First Presbyterian Church, LuverneApril 02, 2025I’ve been thinking a lot about parables these days. Parables have mostly been neglected as a genre of literature through the centuries, even though Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity have used parables to promote spiritual transformation in the hard of heart. Parables function most effectively when they “shock” people into the realization that what they have previously thought and done…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneMarch 12, 2025What kind of decisions keep you up at night? Topics like proposing to your girlfriend, choosing a job, selecting a school, or deciding whether your family should foster or adopt? These are all life-changing questions and require careful consideration. In these moments, we often turn to wise friends and internet searches for guidance. However, I’d like to focus on a question that is even more…
- By Pastor Andrew Palmquist, Bethany Lutheran Church, LuverneFebruary 05, 2025“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God. The Lord is one! Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words that I am commanding you today are to be on your heart. Teach them diligently to your children.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7 These powerful words are part of the “Shema,” a prayer that is spoken daily in Jewish tradition. Those verses were some of…
- By Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, St. John Lutheran Church, LuverneJanuary 29, 2025Imagine a book that is at once beautifully bound and yet deadly to hold? Such a book would be quite the epitome and symbol of deadly knowledge, wouldn’t it? Like a cursed object one might encounter in a fantasy novel. But this isn’t fiction, it’s real and there isn’t only one. Thousands of such books, bound with vibrant green covers, were produced in the 19th century. Their unique and tantalizing…
- By Pastor Sarah Zender, Grace Lutheran Church, LuverneJanuary 22, 2025This week I’ve been thinking a lot about words that, when used as a noun, should probably be used as a verb. The first definition of love, for example, is “an intense feeling of deep affection.” That is a noun. It is also used as a verb, but it reflects the moment of feeling that sense of deep affection. This is a great word to have in our vocabulary tool kit. A Wheel of Emotion is a tool used…
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