Monday, September 10, 2012

FROM OUR PRESIDENT


HOPE
                                                         
What does the word “hope” say to you?  I’ve come to love that word, “hope”.  To me, one who has hope has confidence.  A person who is hopeful cannot help but be positive in their outlook. 

I have a goal of doing a Scripture word study on the word “hope”.  Do you know how many times the word hope is used in the Word of God? On the BibleGateway.com website, I put in a search for the number of times the word hope occurs in the New International Version of the Bible, and it gave me 174 times.  18 of those occurrences were in the book of Job and 31 of those were in the book of Psalms.  The “weeping prophet” Jeremiah used the word hope 14 times in Jeremiah and Lamentations (certainly some, but surely not all, of those were references to when he had lost hope or the Israelites had lost hope).   

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”  

Lamentations 3:21-22 says, “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”

Psalms 42: 5, 42:11, and 43:5 all say the same thing:  “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

I have struggled on and off with feelings of “hopelessness” in my life.  Sometimes these feelings come because of physical difficulties.  Sometimes they come because of being emotionally drained.  But when I go to the Word of God and find Scriptures like the ones quoted above, I cannot help but find comfort and peace in the Lord because He is my Hope and my Comfort.  He is my Peace and my Salvation.  He is faithful to His word and He is the One I can praise. As I praise Him I find Hope! 

Some time ago I was listening to a radio broadcast on my way to work.  The program was about a man who had been a minister of the Word for many years.  When he was age 47 he went through a very difficult time of depression in his life.  He had such a hard time continuing on with his ministry.  But he did because he knew God had called him.  He stated the times before going to church on Sunday morning were probably the darkest times for him.  It was most difficult for him to get the courage to go.  But he did and he found that as he gathered with other believers and worshipped the Lord, and shared the Word of God with them, he was most encouraged and found great hope!  It took time for him to come out of these difficult days, but eventually he realized that when he focused his thoughts on God and the Hope that he had in Him, he was able to get through each day stronger and more hopeful than the day before. 

HOPE – what does that word mean to you?  To me it is a confidence that I can have, even when days are hard, that God is with me and He will get me through even the most difficult times.  We don’t know what the future holds for any of us.  But we do have HOPE because we know our future is in His hands!

HOPE – I know Heaven is in my future!  When my work on this earth is done, however long or short that time may be, I have HOPE (confidence)  of going to Heaven, being reunited with loved ones who have gone on before, and seeing Jesus face to face.  This has nothing to do with me – it is all to do with what Jesus has done for me.  What a glorious time that will be! 

DEVOTIONAL

WAITING FOR GOD’S WILL


“This is the confidence we have in approaching God:  that if we ask anything according to His will,
 he hears us.”  1 John 5:14


By now, we are into the busy fall schedule at our churches.  We love summer and a time away, but it is good to get back into a routine.  What new or perhaps old responsibilities have you taken on for this coming year in your church? Are you enjoying the work you are doing for the Lord or do you already feel like you are overwhelmed or in a rut?  How many times do we decide to do something, try something new, or even do the same thing we have been doing for years without consulting God and His will for this ministry?  We might wonder why a ministry is not effective. Could it be because we do not pray in advance asking the Lord to mold us into the ministry, to equip us by the Holy Spirit and to submit to His leading?  Maybe we did pray but on such short notice that we did not give God the time to work answers in our heart.  Perhaps what is lacking is a freshness & joy in our ministry from the very beginning because we started what seemed good to us rather that this is of God’s will.   Sound like something you are experiencing?   Jesus says in John 15:5  “I am the vine, you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in Him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”  Here is our hope, our existence for life and our provision for ministry; it is Jesus Christ and Him alone.  Is it not Jesus and His will upon which our ministries and we must rely?  May we return Jesus to His rightful focus in our desire to serve and be the Master of our ministries.




Thursday, September 6, 2012

WMF RESOURCE MANUAL

WMF Resource Manual


        WMF Resource Manual

It is here!  The WMF Resource Manual is ready.  Some of the WMF groups who attended WMF Day and Conference 2012 received their copies while there.  These Manuals contain all the information that you need as a WMF that is functioning or as a women’s group interested in getting a WMF started.  It explains the set up and function of the WMF on all three levels (local, district and national) with other information on Bible study helps, women’s ministry and leadership development.  It has project descriptions, missionary information and program ideas for you to draw from and also includes some history of how the WMF began and who has served as officers throughout the years.  We hope to get the rest of the manuals distributed by the end of the year to those who didn't receive their copies yet.  The grant that we received did not cover all of the expense of the manual, if your WMF group or ladies would like to give towards this project please send a donation to our treasurer Lois Grothe.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

WMF DISTRICT RALLIES INFORMATION


Eastern North Dakota

September 22, 2012
Registration and Coffee:  9:30 a.m.
Morning Session Begins at 10 a.m.
St. Paul’s Free Lutheran Church
2802  12th Street South, Fargo, ND

Theme:  “The Lord is Our Helper”
Theme Verse: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6
Theme Hymn: “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
Morning Speaker:  Pastor Connely Dyrud
Afternoon Speaker:  Amy Skogerboe




South Dakota

September 22, 2012
Registration: 8:30 a.m.*
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Abiding Savior Lutheran Church
Sioux Falls, SD

Theme:  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you…
Ezekial 36:26
SpeakersPastor Del & Karen Palmer
*There is still time to send in registrations.  There is no cost to attend but the number of those who are attending the rally are needed
for the catered lunch by September 17.
 A love offering will be taken.
Contact 605-371-3800 to register or if you have questions.


Pacific Northwest
September 29
8:30 a.m. Registration
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Atonement Free Lutheran Church
Arlington WA


Southwest Central Minnesota

October 13, 2012
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Registration: 9 – 10 a.m.
Calvary Free Lutheran Church
1416  County Highway 111, Fergus Falls, MN

Theme:  “Seasons of Thanksgiving”
Theme Verse: Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!  2 Corinthians 9:15
Speaker: Pastor Connely Dyrud, Missionary-At-Large



Western North Dakota/Eastern Montana

October 13, 2012
10 a.m. Central Time
Zion Lutheran Church
Tioga, ND

Theme:  Walk Worthy
Theme Verse: I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  Ephesians 4:1 – 3
Morning Speaker:  Del Palmer
Afternoon Speaker: Karen Palmer
Workshops:  Nancy Rice—Diabetic Education
             Paula Nyman—Photography & WMF Website


Northwestern Minnesota

October 13, 2012

Our Savior’s Free Lutheran
Argyle, MN

Theme:  “In The Potter’s Hands”
Theme Verse: “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter.  We are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8
Speakers:  Pastor Nate and Rhoda Jore
AFLC Missionaries to Uganda 







Minneapolis

 October 27, 2012
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Minnesota Valley
 Lakeville, MN

Theme: Bringing Good News
Theme Verse:  "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
As it is written, 'How Beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'"
Romans 10:14-15
Speakers: Loren and Sharon Tungseth
   Home Missions/Alaska.