Shade tree wisdom 12/31/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/31/2016 The best way to end the year is to remember this. “Lord, you have been Our dwelling place In all generations.” Psalm 90,1 Remember the bed room of parishioner where the wall showed this motto, “God is near”. I thought wonderful to see that just before going to sleep. GPD 12/31/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/30/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/30/2016 Always a sure help in any trouble, and our God is never too busy to take time to listen to our needs. “Behold, the Lord’s hand Is not shortened that It cannot save, or His ear dull That it cannot hear.” Isaiah 59,1 Isaiah has in mind such times when a mother or father is working at something they can’t put off right then, so they tend to say,” not now, can’t you see I’m busy”? GPD 12/30/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/28/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/28/2016 The Savior is born and Isaiah says. “For I am the Lord your God, The Holy one of Israel, your Savior. . . Because you are precious I n my eyes, and honored.” Isaiah 43,3.4. Yes, because Jesus m came to save us from all of our sins ,Isaiah can say God honors us as righteous. GPD 12/28/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/27/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/27/2016 The message of the angels still sounds clearly, and daily. “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth Peace among those With whom He is pleased.” Luke 2,14 Because Jesus came to earth, His work here won for us peace with God. How comforting this message. GPD 12/27/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/24/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/24/2016 It’s Christmas eve already. Centuries ago Isaiah prophesied. “Behold, the virgin shall Conceive and bear A Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7,14 The name means “God with us”. A Son is, born to pay for our sins on the cross. So we celebrate Christmas. GPD 12/24/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/22/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/22/2016 Jesus was walking along when a woman with a sick daughter came to Him. He ignored her, but she persisted. So Jesus said to her: “Woman great is your faith, Be done for you as You desire.” And he daughter was healed instantly. Matthew 15,27. Our Heavenly Father hears, and answers, our prayers, as is best for us, always. GPD 12/22/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/21/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/21/2016 Iin On our life’s journey, we always have this promise. “I am the Lord, that is My name; and my glory I give To no other, nor my Praise to graven images.” Isaiah 42,8 That is indeed comforting to know that our God, the Almighty God is always near to hear and to help. GPD 12/21/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/20/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/20/2016 St. Paul calls us “a new creation”, and that is just what we are by our Baptism. “Therefore, if anyone is In Christ, he is a new Creation, the old has Passed, behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5, 17 In baptism our sins are washed away, so the Apostle calls us a new creation. The washing of water combined with the Word is what does it. GPD 12/20/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/18/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/18/2016 Regrets. I wish I hadn’t said that, or I wish I hadn’t done that. We all live with regrets. So St. Paul assures us. “For freedom Christ has Set us free; stand firm Therefore, and do not Submit again to a yoke Of bondage.” Galatians 5,1. So let’s stand firm and don’t, give way when Satan prods us. We are forgiven all our sins. GPD 12/18/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/15/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/15/2016 We sing, “The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord”. “What then is this that Is written,?” “The stone That the builders rejected Has become the head Of the corner.” Luke 20,17 Rejected by His own people, Jesus nevertheless is the Truth on which His Church stands. GPD 12/15/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/14/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/14/2016 Humility is often hard to obtain, for most of think since we have things to offer, there is a good reason to be proud. Jesus puts it this way. “Whoever humbles like This child is the Greatest in the kingdom Of heaven. Matthew 18,4 No, we do not have salvation because we deserved it. Instead it is “By grace are ye saved. . .it is a gift of God, not of works.” Jesus won it by his death on the cross. GPD 12/14/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/13/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/13/2016 “Think before you speak.” That is a bit of wisdom most us have learned early on, either from our parents, or when we said something to someone on the playground that ended up in a fight, because we insulted someone. This is what the Psalmist says. “Set a guard, O Lord, over My mouth; keep watch over The door of my lips. Psalm 141, 3. I believe most of must of us know the truth of this, learned often from personal experience. So indeed “Keep watch over the door of my lips” is good advice. GPD 12/13/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/12/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/12/2016 Our God makes no mistakes. When God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because “Their sin is very grave.” Abraham pleaded for them in case there were even ten righteous. He said. “Shall not the judge of All the earth do what is just?” Genesis18,25. God listened to Abraham’s plea and told him even for 10 righteous He would not carry out His threatened punishment. God loves us, is tender in His loving. We can depend on this truth. GPD12/12/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/11/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/11/2016 Some folks just don’t believe there is a God. This is the person described in this Psalm. “The fool says I his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none\ who does good.” Psalm 14,1 And why should they otherwise? There is no one they feel responsible to. Sad indeed. GPD 12/11/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/9/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/9/2016 The Old Testament prophet Isaiah tells us this bit of wisdom. “You keep him in perfect Peace whose mid is stayed Because he trustShade Tree Wisdom 12/9/2016 The Old Testament prophet Isaiah tells us this bit of wisdom. “You keep him in perfect Peace whose mid is stayed Because he trust In You.” Isaiah 26,3. St. Paul tells, Romans 5,1, “Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God. “ And what better news is there than to have such peace? GPD 12/9/16 In You.” Isaiah 26,3. St. Paul tells, Romans 5,1, “Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God. “ And what better news is there than to have such peace? GPD 12/9/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/8/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/8/2016 So long as we live, we always need guiding and directing. We reach some cross road and we wonder, “Which way is the right one?” And it for that we read this. “ I am a sojourner on earth, Hide not Your commandments From me.” 119, 119. The reason we need this prayer is that the devil is always after us, trying to confuse and misdirect our going. GPD 12/8/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/7/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/7/2016 When he was an old John writes letters of advice and encouragement to his people. He said. “If we confess or sis, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1,9 That’s the kind of letter any pastor might write to his members, for it brings the comforting news that our sins are gone! Indeed, the Psalm assures us they are drowned in the depths of the sea. GPD 12/7/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/6/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/6/2016 Paul and Silas were in prison when there was an earthquake that sprung all the doors and opened them. The jailor, thinking prisoners had escaped, was about to commit suicide when Paul called and told him no one had left. So the jailor said to Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul’s reply, the simple Gospel. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, And you will be saved, You and your household. And they spoke the Word Of the Lord unto him and All that were in his house. Acts 16, 31.32 When the problems of life seem to have no end, remember you believe in Jesus, You have a savior. It is often surprising how this brightens your life. Try it, and be surprised when you call on your Savior, remembering when He was saying on the cross He had us in mind when He said, “It is finished”! GPD 12/6/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/4/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/4/2016 And that makes all the difference. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, The good shepherd, lays Down His life for The sheep.” John 10,11. He does this not to give us an example, but did it as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of all. GPD 12/4/6

Shade tree wisdom 12/2/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/2/2016 The Gospel alone can bring light to our sin-darkened hearts. Isaiah tells us. “The people who walked in Darkness have seen a great Light; and those who dwell In a land of deep darkness. On them has a light shined.” Isaiah 9,2 So we must be eternally grateful to have seen this Gospel light that brightens our sin-filled life. GPD 12/2/16

Shade tree wisdom 12/1/16

Shade Tree Wisdom 12/1/2016 In his conversation with his friend Job said. “Since his days are determined, And the number of his Months are with You, And You have determined his limits that he cannot pass.” Job 14, 5 King David said it this way, “My times are in Thy hands.” (Psalm 31,15). This is a truth we ought never lose sight of, for or lives really are in God’s loving hands. GPD 12/1/16