Mon. Mar. 3 , 2014

 
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM). 

 
"Trapped"
March 3, 2014
Joshua Tree, rocksI acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 32:5
Five-hundred-and-nine million dollars is a lot of dollars.

That's the amount of gold experts estimate is illegally being mined each year in South Africa. Lured by the opportunity of making it rich and keeping everything which is found has proven to be a mighty big temptation for many of the uneducated laborers of that country.

Of course, there are certain risks to illegal mining. For example, what happens if something goes wrong, and you find yourself trapped underground?

That is exactly what happened to a few hundred miners who were stealing from a mine near Johannesburg, South Africa. Realizing their situation, the miners called for help and a few of them were rescued. They were rescued, and then they were arrested.

When the remaining miners found out what had happened to their comrades in crime, they broke off communication with their rescuers. That means they have placed themselves in an untenable situation. Sooner or later these guys are going to have to give in and go topside. Sooner or later they must come out, be arrested, and face some sort of punishment.

The miners must be brought out, or they must be willing to let that mine become their cemetery.

There are no other options for those miners -- just like there are no other options for sinners.

You see, like those miners, humanity concluded we could do much better for ourselves by operating alone. Like those miners, we rejected the Lord's claims on us and, having decided we would be in complete control of our lives, we moved forward. It would have been a great plan if we had been able to pull it off.

May I tell you that in the history of humankind nobody has ever been able to pull it off? Sooner or later our sins will trap us. At that moment there are two directions we can go. We can either decide to stay where we are and die or we can let the Lord save us. Yes, there are many similarities between those miners and the sinners of the world.

Many similarities and one, big difference.

That difference is this: those saved South African miners will be arrested and punished for their sins, but we who repent and are saved by God's grace will find no such penalty awaits us. That's not because there is no penalty, but because that penalty has already been taken care of by our Savior.

Unbelievable! Can you imagine the son of a South African mine owner taking the punishment for these men who had been stealing from his father? Of course not! Still, that is what God's Son has done for us. He has carried our sins and died our death. Now, because of what Jesus has done, our rescue is made without any penalty to us.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I give thanks You have done the unthinkable: You have carried my punishment so I might be forgiven, free and saved. Now I pray for all those who are still captured by sin and living in the dark. Send Your Holy Spirit so they may be brought up and into Your Light. In Your Name. Amen.
Pastor KlausIn Christ I remain His servant and yours,


Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
 
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Today Read:
Leviticus 15-16; Mark 8:22-38
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WEDNESDAY'S QUIZ:  How did Delilah take Samson's strength away? She cut his hair
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MONDAY'S QUIZ: What nationality was Ruth?
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CALENDAR:
Mon- confirmation 5pm
Tues- Quilters 9-2; Bible Study 11:30-12:15
Wed- ASH WEDNESDAY!!  Jonesburg Nursing Home worship 10:30; Warrenton manor worship 1pm; Supper 5:30; Worship 6:30; Choir 7:15pm
Thurs- Alzheimer's Support Group 1pm
Sat- Bible class 4pm; worship 5pm; Set clocks ahead 1 hr for daylight savings time
Sun- worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school and Adult Bible Class (The Story Chapter 9); Elder's meeting noon; Widow's Group at Whispering Pines noon; H.S. Bible Study 5pm at China House Buffet
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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND
Acolytes- 8:30- George Pezold; 11- Jacob Nagel
Altar guild- Set up- Terry McKenzie; Clean up- Joanne Hachtel
Greeters- 8:30- Tim and Kathleen Sherman; 11- Steve and Sandy Robine
Communion Assistants- Sat- Randy Sweet; 8:30- Don Turnure; 11- Steve Robine
Lay Readers- Sat- Randy Sweet; 8:30- Lois Boeger;  11am- Jacob Nagel
Sat. Pianist- Barb Dreyer
8:30 Ushers- Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure
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NEWS:
ASH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5!!!!   Make plans to attend SUPPER at 5:30 and Worship at 6:30!!!
 
Our theme is "Forgiveness and Peace in the Psalms"
 
Come for supper!  Our jr and sr hi youth are hosting the dinners!!  All proceeds go to help the youth help others and be witnesses to the world! 
 
Menu:  Fried chicken and all the fixin's on Ash Wednesday!

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LITTLE LAMBS ENROLLMENT IS OPEN FOR ST. JOHN'S MEMBERS AND FAMILIES!!!
There is a $30 nonrefundable registration fee.  Students must be 3 or 4 years old by Aug 1.  Enrollment for the community will begin April 1.  For more info call Lisa Rausch or Karin Klaustermeier.
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CHRISTIAN FAMILY SKATE DAY AT SKATE QUEST IN MONTGOMERY CITY ON SUNDAY, APRIL 6!!
I would like to gather as many FAMILIES together to go roller skating on Sunday, April 6.  If we get 20 people or more we can get a group rate of just $5 per skater. 
 
We would all meet there around 1pm and skate as long as we want! 
 
Let me know if you want to participate!!!
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PASTOR NEEDS SPONSORS FOR HIS BIKE ACROSS KANSAS!!
I will be biking across part of Kansas, about 250 miles in all, on June 7-9 to raise money for Leadachild.org.  Lead a Child is a LCMS recognized service organization that provides funding for kids to attend schools, many of them Christian schools, in third world countries.  It has provided A LOT for ministries and missions to help kids who would otherwise have NO EDUCATION in places like Guatemala, Kenya, Uganda, Mexico, and many other places.  Please consider supporting me so that we can continue to support children throughout the world!  As of January 1, I am also on the board of directors for this organization.
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THIS WEEK:  THE STORY: CHAPTER 9  "The Faith of a Foreign Woman"
Come to Bible Study on Saturday night at 4pm or Sunday morning at 9:45 to get all your questions answered and to learn more about Ruth and why she is so important to us today.
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 10 ST. JOHN'S KIDS AND 5 OF THEIR FRIENDS PARTICIPATED IN THE 30 HOUR FAMINE IS THIS WEEKEND!!!
 
If you see the following kids around town or at church tell them you want to donate to the 30 Hour Famine Fundraiser:  Or you can call pastor at 636-359-1061 or stop by church to donate.   ALL MONEY RAISED GOES TO FEED STARVING CHILDREN AND HELP PEOPLE SUSTAIN THEIR OWN WAY OF LIVING THROUGH FARMING, EARNING A LIVING, OR FINDING CLEAN WATER SOURCES!!
Cara Klaustermeier
Isabella Linstruth
Ian Brunson
Emily Brunson
Shawn Jaeger
Siera Jaeger
Sam Johnson
Austin Heitgerd
Kailyn Blechle
Conner Figura
 
Make checks payable to "World Vision"

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HELP FOR PARENTS TO GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH THE STORY
A big part of The Story experience is that the whole family grows together in it as each person in the family reads it, you will all literally be on the same page.  yet, it may be hard to get discussion going or to help you get started together.   Are you looking for a way to connect with your kids as they and you read The Story together?  There's help!
 
If you click the link below you will find parent pages for all age groups that you can use to connect with your kids at least once a week.  Whenever your "together" time is, make it productive.  It is a .pdf file of parent pages that goes from lesson one all the way through 31.  Check it out and tell me what you think.  I think they are excellent!! 
https://assets1.mytrainsite.com/501196/the_story_parentpages_weeks1_31.pdf?r=1438

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PRAYER REQUESTS:  (If you have a prayer request please reply to this email or call me at 636-359-1061)
 
For PAUL a friend of Dianne Hance, who had a stroke and is undergoing serious surgery at 11am today (Monday).

WENDELL AND MARY ANN ROEHRS who lost their home in a fire this past Friday night.
 
THOSE WITH CANCER, the many among our family and friends who are struggling with cancer.

JAYME VESSEL, an "almost" member of St. John's who is due to have a baby girl on the 17th, but it may come sooner due to frequent contractions.

COUGAR CLIFFORD, 15 year old who had an accident playing in the snow on Jan 7 and broke his neck.  He has undergone extensive surgery and is recovering but is still unable to move his legs.  
 
JONAS BORCHERT, grandson of Don Nolte, as he continues to deal with cancer in his lungs.
 
DONNA HEITGERD recovering at Scott and Lani Heitgerd's from a broken hip.
 






           

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