The Battle Belongs to the Lord
By Steve Kruschel
08/17/26
17mins

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

As Jesus hung on the cross there would be no last second escape. No Greek goddess would swoop in to rescue him. He suffered alone. And yet even in that suffering he declared his victory on the spiritual battlefield to be your victory.
God, kill my enemy!
Russ Lackey
Russ Lackey
08/14/26

God, kill my enemy!

God can handle grief, rage, and cries for justice. God can handle the victim who cannot yet forgive. God can handle the prayer that comes out jagged and wounded. The good news is that God is holy and merciful enough to handle all our prayers.
The Legacy of Martin Luther's Father, Hans Luther
Amy Mantravadi
Amy Mantravadi
08/12/26

The Legacy of Martin Luther's Father, Hans Luther

But while scholars are right to focus on the bond between Martin and Hans, the evidence of Martin’s own words suggests their relationship may not have been as troubled as some suppose. For Hans Luther was not a cartoon villain but a normal human being attempting to make his way in the world and raise his children to the best of his ability.

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John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom
05/06/20

John Chrysostom on John 3:16

They who are but dust and ashes, full of ten thousand sins, ungrateful, and have at all times offended Him. These are the ones God loved.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
05/05/20

When the Spirit Goes Marching In

When we try to create meaning for our lives or transform Jesus into a mere example, the Holy Spirit comes to us, with a preacher in hand, ready to unleash a sermon like Louis Armstrong blasting out "When The Saints Go Marching In" on his trumpet.
Kyle G. Jones
Kyle G. Jones
04/30/20

Out of Fatherly, Divine, Goodness and Mercy

When a manager faces imminent termination by his wealthy master for mishandling his wealth, what will he do? Where can he turn? In this challenging parable, Jesus teaches us that our salvation lies outside of ourselves and our works.
Ken Sundet Jones
Ken Sundet Jones
04/24/20

Elisabeth Cruciger: Hymn Writer of the Reformation

Elisabeth Cruciger is the first female Lutheran hymn writer. In fact, her hymn was included in the very first evangelical hymnal, published in 1524. With her life and her hymn, she becomes a witness, an example, and a proclaimer of the gospel to us almost 500 years later.
John T. Pless
John T. Pless
04/13/20

Proclaiming First Peter (Part 1)

In this season of a global pandemic, Peter’s little letter is especially potent as he writes to sustain the hope born of Christ’s resurrection in scattered believers whose lives were marked by suffering.
Kyle G. Jones
Kyle G. Jones
04/09/20

Let’s Go to Dark Gethsemane

So let’s go to dark Gethsemane. For there we see that even in his greatest moment of weakness, Jesus is our only source of strength. He drinks the cup of wrath so we can drink the cup of grace.
Ken Sundet Jones
Ken Sundet Jones
03/26/20

Temptation’s Green Pastures: The Sixth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer

The gospel promise is that God in Christ knows exactly what your temptations are and still bids you find protection from them in him.
Kyle G. Jones
Kyle G. Jones
03/23/20

Cutting Hair and Saying Prayers: Luther on When, How, and What to Prayer

When Luther's barber, Peter Beskendorf, asked him how to pray, Luther wrote him an open letter that has become a classic expression of the "when, how, and what" of prayer. It is as instructive today as when it was first penned it in 1535.
Philip Bartelt
Philip Bartelt
03/17/20

Apostle of Ireland: St. Patrick's Life and Ministry

Despite the grave threat of martyrdom during his roughly thirty years of ministry, St. Patrick persevered and experienced enormous success.
Joshua Miller
Joshua Miller
03/06/20

Martin Niemöller: Controversial Confessor

On this day in 1984, Lutheran pastor, Martin Niemöller, a leader in the anti-Nazi Confessing Church, died. He left behind a controversial legacy. How should we regard him today, thirty-six years after his death? Was he a hero? Was he a villain?
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
03/05/20

The Worst Prayer to Pray: The Third Petition of the Lord's Prayer

When we pray, “Thy will be done,” we are praying a cosmic, grand and mighty prayer.
RJ Grunewald
RJ Grunewald
02/26/20

No Approaching God Without Christ

For what end does the Law exist? The Law exposes us so that we might find the remedy in the person and work of Jesus.
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