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He [the serpent] said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1b).
Of the Word
“Sell now! Top prices for gold!” “Did your dad really say you had to be home by midnight?” “Lose 20 pounds in 20 days or your money back!” Who can you trust?
It began in the Garden of Eden when Satan talked to Eve — and she listened. Adam and Eve, the perfect human beings God created, chose Satan’s words over God’s words. When they listened to Satan, they lost sight of God.
Sin followed sin; and ever since that fateful day, sin has been part of our world. Temptations of all shapes and sizes surround us, but we can look to the Lord for truth and power. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7a). Only He gives us strength to defy Satan and refute his lies.
Walking with my Lord
Dear Father in heaven, temptations come at me from every direction. Give me strength and courage to reject Satan. Help me choose what is good and right in Your sight. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Commemorating C.F.W. Walther’s birthday, October 25
In the Word
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith (Hebrews 13:7).
Of the Word
This verse reminds us to be faithful followers of Christ. We are reminded to look at Christian leaders and learn from their life. Following their example will help us stay true to God’s Word.
C.F.W. Walther was one of those faithful leaders. Born in Saxony, Germany, in 1811, Walther came from a Lutheran family with generations of Lutheran pastors. He started learning of Martin Luther and his teachings at a young age.
Ferdinand (C.F.W.) Walther and his brother Otto, both Lutheran pastors, left Germany for America when they were in their twenties. Their goal was to be free to preach God’s Word. Just as Luther, they wanted everyone to know salvation was a gift of God to all who had faith. Because of man’s sinful nature, one’s works were never enough.
The brothers’ ship brought them to New Orleans. From there, they traveled north on the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri, and then Perry County, Missouri. It was there that the first seminary initially began before being moved back to St. Louis where Trinity Lutheran Church and Concordia Seminary were built, and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was established. C.F.W. Walther was named President of Concordia Seminary and the first President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. C.F.W. Walther maintained it was imperative that both Law and Gospel were necessary for understanding salvation.
Walking with my Lord
Dear God, thank You for faithful leaders like C.F.W. Walther. May we always remember we cannot be saved through our own works. Our salvation is only through Your grace. Give us opportunities to share this vital information with others. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matthew 21:22).
Of the Word
Any morning you wake up laughing is a good day. I had one of those mornings when, through the baby monitor, I heard my daughter say, “All done!” She was done sleeping, ready to get up, and confident I could hear her and would act to free her from the confines of the crib.
Much like the baby monitor that allows me to hear my daughter in her room, we have a direct line to God’s ear: prayer. Speaking to God is a privilege He gives believers. Prayer is powerful.
Joshua prayed and the sun stood still for a whole day. (Joshua 10:12–13) Jonah prayed and the very large fish that swallowed him spit Jonah out onto dry land. (Jonah 2) When Abraham prayed, a few people were saved from destruction in Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 18:22–33) Joshua, Jonah, and Abraham prayed with confidence, knowing God would act for them.
In the same way, we can be confident in our prayers. God hears and God acts when we come before Him with our requests. And as Joshua, Jonah, and Abraham proved, nothing is too big or too small to bring before God in prayer.
Walking with my Lord
Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of speaking to You in prayer. Help me be confident as I come before You with my requests. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice (James 3:16 NIV).
Of the Word
Sweet is to bitter as contentment is to envy. Most of us would choose a sweet flavor over a bitter one, and we would certainly choose feelings of contentment over feelings of envy or jealousy. Unfortunately, envy is often a part of human relationships because of sin.
What happens when envy rules? God's Word says, … where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice (James 3:16). God directs, So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander (1 Peter 2:1).
How can we rid ourselves of the evil of envy? First, we must recognize it; then we must confess it. If we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us our sins … (1 John 1:9).
God's Word gives us strength to live content with all that He provides for us. But godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).
Walking with my Lord
Dear Lord, envy can cause divisions and ruin relationships in homes, churches and workplaces. Help me to recognize it and fight against it in my life. Forgive me when I fail, and help me to be content with the blessings You have showered upon me. Help me to rejoice with others when they, too, are blessed. In Jesus' name. Amen.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1).
Of the Word
“Fear” is a four-letter word that can wreak havoc on a person’s life! The fear of the unknown, the fear of the unseen, the fear that comes from the “what ifs.” These fears can turn a person from a believer into a doubter, or an optimist into a pessimist. Fear turns people into victims.
What do we fear? Often, we fear failure, heights, disease, rejection, war, death, what others may think about us, and on goes the list. Fear in our minds, it seems, lurks around every corner.
The Lord is my light. How often have I repeated the first verse of David’s Psalm 27 when I have encountered fear! The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? He’s the light that shines in the darkness, the light that acts as my guide in times of trouble, my beacon as I go along life’s path.
The Lord is my salvation. Isaiah 12:2a says, Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid. There is no need to fear as our salvation has been secured through Christ shedding His blood on the cross for us. His resurrection assures me that someday I will rise and be with Him forever.
The Lord is my strength. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). He holds me in His strong hands whenever I feel weak and afraid. He strengthens me as I put my trust in Him.
Light. Salvation. Strength. The Lord is all of these and more — so why am I so afraid?
I began to ask the Lord to free me from my fears and to trust Him. God’s Word from Romans 8:38–39 became my powerful weapon against fear: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. God will do away with our fears and the “what ifs” in life. We need only to trust Him. Draw upon Scripture to help chase away fear!
Walking with my Lord
Dear Lord, help me chase fear away. I know You are my light when my world seems so dark, frightening, and depressing. You are my strength when I am weary and feel I cannot go on. Most importantly, You are my salvation and my hope for eternity. Help me to trust You at all times. In Your Son’s name I pray. Amen.
Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens (Psalm 119:89 NIV).
Of the Word
"Do I actually have to READ the Bible?" "I read the Bible once so I know it." "My Bible has old-fashioned words in it and I don't understand them." "I'm not a good reader." "I don't have time to read the Bible."
Would the persons who made the above comments say the same thing about food? "Do I actually have to eat?" "I ate once; I know what it's like." "I'm not a good eater." "I don't have time to eat." We would laugh at that kind of reasoning, but the same kinds of excuses are often used for neglecting the reading of God's Word. It is the Word that provides spiritual nourishment for daily life.
God wants us to READ the Bible so we can learn of His grace. Reading it just once is not enough. Contemporary English versions and Bible audio recordings make reading easier. Is time the issue? Ask God to slow you down so that you make time for Him in your busy schedule. Time with God may just become the best part of your day!
Walking with my Lord
Father God, Your Word tells me Jesus opened the minds of His followers so they could understand the Scriptures. Please fill me with Your Spirit of understanding and give me a burning desire to read Your Word. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51).
Of the Word
The little tremor begins deep down inside and then grows into a full crescendo of nervous twitches and profuse sweating. You know what I’m talking about, the moments before stepping up on the scale so that the doctor can measure your weight.
After the last weigh-in, the doctor put me on the “no-white” diet. He said not to eat anything white, including one of my favorite things, bread. In the morning when seven-grain bread is being toasted to enjoy with butter and coffee, or when the smell of homemade flour tortillas drifts through the air, it is tough to be on this “no-white” thing!
There are so many things that are not good for us, but seem so “tasty and enjoyable.” This can also be the case for our spiritual lives. We can become so addicted to the “food” of this world that when the Lord uses His scales to weigh our lives on the last day, nervous twitches and profuse sweating might come to our minds.
But wait! There is good news! Jesus came to be living bread. He came to suffer and die for all the times we have transgressed. He has given us bread to eat that is heavenly; bread that is good for us and strengthens us for life everlasting. This bread, given to us in the Lord’s Supper, is Jesus’ very own body. He commits this perfect food to energize the task of restoring us, especially when we fall off of our spiritual diets.
God has done all things necessary to restore a fallen world and a sinful humanity by giving His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross of Calvary to accomplish the task. But the story didn’t end there. On Easter morning, there was Christ’s resurrection. As John 6:51a says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” Feasting on the bread in the Lord’s Supper, that is Christ, we receive life.
Walking with my Lord
Dear Lord, thank You that You are the Bread of Life who feeds and nourishes my soul. Keep my mind and heart away from the junk food of life that will only make my soul sick. Help me to daily feed on the Bread of Life, Your dear Son, Jesus — through whom You have given new life to Your creation and to all of us. Amen.
