Sunday, May 12, 2024

Exaudi - The Sunday after Ascension - Mothers Day


Have a blessed Mothers Day.

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The Hymn #221           Hark! Ten Thousand Harps and Voices              
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit
Hear (Exaudi), O Lord, when I cry with my voice: Hallelujah!
When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face, 
my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek: 
Hide not Thy face from me. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Psalm. The Lord is my Light and my Salvation: 
whom shall I fear?

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect
Almighty, everlasting God, make us to have always a devout will toward Thee and 
to serve Thy Majesty with a pure heart; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, 
who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual       

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
V. God reigneth over the heathen: 
God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness. Hallelujah!
V. I will not leave you comfortless: 
I go, and I will come again to you, and your heart shall rejoice. 
Hallelujah!

The Gospel              
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #657            Beautiful Savior


            
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #370           My Hope Is Built

In Our Prayers
  • Randy Anderson is at home; Sarah Buck; Dr. Lito Cruz, his wife and son; Pastor Jim Shrader and his wife Chris; Lori Howell; Kermit; those with stress and metabolic disorders.
  • We have ordered 15 Bibles for Bible John, 5 Super Giant Print, 10 Giant Print for prison ministries. All KJV.
  • The Letha cul-de-sac was festooned with roses for Mothers Day.

 Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler


1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:  27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.  2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.  3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.  4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Proverbs 31
10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Let Her Own Works Praise Her in the Gates


This is an easy passage to discuss, especially since I have so many years and experiences. But first, I have to confess that I should have praised my mother as much as my fellow students still do. She is praised for being a favorite teacher at Garfield and Coolidge. Looking back in time, I can remember the time I was interviewed for entering kindergarten with her taking part. Apparently I passed. We were in the same building, Garfield Elementary in Moline, which is now broken up into condo units. When I went on, to John Deere Junior High and then Coolidge, I realized she was connected to all the teachers, also true of Moline High. 

I liked the idea of going to Augustana College, within walking distance. Those instructors also knew my mother, who took 10 years to finish college at Augie, teaching one room country schools during that time. She knew the college faculty and they knew me. The first day of English class I met my future wife, Christina, and decided to ask her out and maybe marry me.

My mother had four of us, managed the household, cooked, taught my sister domestic skills, and watched over all our activities. I was also drafted to do household chores, cut the grass, and rake leaves. We went to church every Sunday and went to Sunday School, where my mother also taught. She participated in many school, church, and community activities.

There was nothing else to do on Sunday, because all stores were closed, except the drugstore, which closed at noon on Sunday. Theaters were not open. The only restaurant was closed. Sports were for Friday and Saturday. We watched TV on Sunday and went to bed. 

My mother and father grew up on the family farm, but FDR took care of that. They entered adulthood in their 20s and only knew work, no longer on the farm. They did what they needed to support themselves. 

My mother's family farm waited to get electricity, which was a big deal. I urged her to get a computer, but she said, "I am waiting for the prices to go down." And she did, using an old DOS computer and typing to all her friends and former students. She loved editing with the keyboard instead of erasers. She posted letters all the time, when she lived at our house in Phoenix.

The post-WWII Baby Boomers had the advantage of parents who were trained at home and at church, respecting our Constitutional Republic and the Christian Church. That is no longer true, and I blame the long march of radicalism in the school system and in the denominations. If anyone thinks ELCA is bad, the Waltherian Four are close behind ELCA and working with them using their agenda. That agenda relishes the same categories. Corporations are going along with DEI, pushing other radical trends.

Since the basics of the family have been under attack for the last 50 years or more, it is essential for Christian believers to provide a shelter from the propaganda. The True Vine parable is a good example of that quiet but aggressive media storm. Jesus is the True Vine and the Father is the Gardener, John 15. This is a parable we should know quite well. I spent most of the time yesterday and today, gardening by pruning roses and watering them with rainwater. The spent blooms and deadwood are pruned away - that is primary because flowering energizes the plant. Rainwater has a perfect fertilizer (imagine that!), and pruning wakes up root and stem growth, as well as the buds that grow the flower and the hips (Vitamin C, good for tea). 

KJV John 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

This by itself is a perfect description of the Christian life. As long as we stay with Christ, believe in Him, we have access to God's grace (Romans 5:1-2 for synodicals).


The Gospel does not eliminate tribulations, but glorifies in them through faith in the Savior. Faith = righteousness, so the cross must always appear. It is through Justification by Faith that we are purged of our sins and bear fruit. Lacking faith, removing ourselves from the True Vine, means we cannot be fruitful and eventually become deadwood.

The gardener spends a lot of time cutting away the deadwood, because a vine or rosebush will eventually be choked by laziness. As I said more than once, my sister-in-law wanted me to fix her non-blooming roses. I sent the shoppers away and used pruning shears to cut away a large part of the bushes. She burst into tears when she saw the pruned bushes. I reminded her that roses are not a desert plant - they need water too. "Give them water every so often and wait two weeks." The phone rang two weeks later and she cried, "The bushes are packed with blooms!" Much later she trimmed away all the blooms, two weeks ahead of graduation. My brother (the grandson of a gardener, just as I am) said, "What are you doing? Graduation is near!") Two weeks later, the bushes were packed with blooms.

There is not much difference between basic truth and the Scriptures. The essential point is that Jesus teaches us so we can understand it in the simplest way. Mothers suffer in many ways in raising their children. Often it is unknown or treated lightly. Thanking mothers is fruitful, because they bear many burdens. Trials can be from illness or from emotional burdens. Women are often the ones who care the most about others, so they should also be thanked often with many pleasant surprises.


Luther’s Two Sermons for Exaudi 




Thursday, May 9, 2024

The Ascension of Our Lord

 



Ascension 2024. Holy Communion

7 PM Central Time, May 9th, 2024

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson



The melody is linked to the name of the hymn.
The lyrics are linked to the Bethany Lutheran Hymnal page.

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
Introit
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 
Hallelujah!
This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven: 
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Psalm. Oh, clap your hands, all ye people: shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to have ascended into the heavens, 
so may we may also in heart and mind thither ascend and 
with Him continually dwell; who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual    Acts 1:1-11
Gradual
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. God is gone up with a shout: 

the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Hallelujah!

V. Thou hast ascended on high: 

Thou hast led captivity captive. Hallelujah!


The Gospel                        Mark 16:14-20
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #413      I Walk in Danger

The Seven Little Whiles Fulfilled


The Hymn #341       Crown Him with Many Crowns       
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #409            Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus


In Our Prayers
Randy Anderson has been in Emergency; Lori Howell is improving; Sarah Buck; Kermit Way; Pastor Jim Shrader and Christine.
Letha Drive will get their Mother's Day flowers on Sunday - David Austin roses and other selections.

The Seven Little Whiles Fulfilled

Mark 16: 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

People remember the seven little whiles, "A little while and you will not see Me." The scene from Mark's Gospel also reminded His disciples that events will happen that they do not understand, until they understood. They heard the predictions and yet they did not comprehend them. That is easy to understand, and it applies to us today. We cannot see into the future, although we try, and we know that God sees the future in advance. 

Jesus addressed two problems. One was their unbelief. As much as they saw and experienced the miracles of Christ and His future, they did not comprehend the power and extent of His work and Word, even when witnesses told them. They suffered from hardness of heart. Surrounded by so much falsehood in their era, it was difficult to understand how great these miracles were in the future of the Gospel. They appear to have looked through pinholes instead of seeing the complete picture, so we are quite similar.

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

This little group of men were supposed to go into all the world and preach the Good News to every creature. This must have been a shock to be parting from their Savior and sent on a much greater journey than they ever had with Him. But the resurrection of Christ and the time following gave many more people faith in Jesus, so a solid foundation was established, based on the Empty Tomb, the raising of Lazarus, and the appearances of Jesus. Persecutions also spread the Gospel, so the acts of eliminating the believers only made Christianity greater, stronger, and multi-lingual. The key factor is believing in Jesus Christ the Son of God.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Signs are miracles from God. Like Jesus, the apostles preached the Gospel and displayed divine miracles. That confirmed their message and spread the message as well. The apostles got rid of the demonic spirits that plagued people, and they protected people from danger and from illness.

19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Many unbelieving books and authors can be found in a seminary library. I looked up homiletic books and found things like this, paraphrased - 
The minister left the impression that Jesus actually ascended into a cloud and disappeared. He should not have given that impression. 
The faithless author wanted to eliminate the divine and mysterious and make fun of such notions. That is where social activism sets in. Everything is redefined (by opposing the Scriptures) and substituting works of some type. The Savior was departing the disciples so He could be the manager and they the senior leaders on earth. Before, walking around with them and taking them through the experiences meant the Christian Faith could be expanded through them and the work of the Holy Spirit, preaching and writing down according to God's will.


P.S. - The Gospels of Mark and Luke

Mark 16: 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

The Ending of Luke's Gospel

KJV Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

[The ending of Luke fits with the opening of Acts, which Luke also wrote. Luke's two contributions comprise 25% of the New Testament.]

KJV Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Rogate Sunday 2024,

 


 Bethany Lutheran Church

Springdale, Arkansas

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson


The Hymn #457     What a Friend We Have in Jesus
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

With the voice of singing declare ye and tell this: 

utter it even to the end of the earth. Hallelujah!

The Lord hath redeemed His servant Jacob: Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: 

sing forth the honor of His name; make His praise glorious.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

O God, from whom all good things do come, grant to us, Thy humble servants, that by Thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be right and by Thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.


The Epistle and Gradual 

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Christ, who hath redeemed us with His blood: 

is risen and hath appeared unto us. Hallelujah!

V. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world: 

again, I leave the world and go to the Father. Hallelujah!

The Gospel 
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #458                Our Father Thou

Confidence - With Faith


The Communion Hymn #653   Now the Light Has Gone Away
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #660             Heaven Is My Home 


 

Prayers and Announcements

  • The Ascension Holy Communion Service is Thursday, May 9th, 7 PM Central Daylight.
  • Randy Anderson, Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Sarah Buck, Lorie Howell, Kermit Way, Callie and her mother Peggy, those suffering from emotional distress and those with metabolic disorders.
  • Thursday is Ascension Day, 7 PM Holy Communion.
  • Next Sunday is Mother's Day.



KJV James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

KJV John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

Individual Prayer

KJV John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 

There is one religious institution or practice which is often ignored, even though there is nothing that can get in its way - individual prayer. Apart from faith in Jesus Christ, there can be no prayer at all. Nothing can take away prayer, and it is encouraged for all who believe in the Savior.

We are living in an era where anything goes, so prayer is stifled because of unbelief. The last few chapters of the Gospel of John are directed toward the disciples and us. As if nothing more could be said, Jesus has individually encouraged each disciple and each believer to ask for God's help, no matter how small the matter may seem to be.

Because faith in Christ is opposed and hated, prayer can be stifled by the general attitude of the population. But because faith is rejected and mocked, prayer is that much more appreciated and always bearing spiritual fruit.

A good time to pray is at night before sleep. The reason is - no distractions and plenty of things to consider. During the day is always good but our days are crowded with work and all the distractions of life. There are many things we can count, problems we can face, thanksgiving to God for blessings.

This section of the Fourth Gospel shows us how the disciples became fully informed about their future, because they were trained to be followers of Jesus but also encouraged by what would happen in the future. Their new life was with the Son of God, who called them into service. Jesus' resurrection and ascension meant He would govern His kingdom from heaven, His holy angels carrying the work directory - always the Word with faith.

The Holy Spirit teaches us the work of the Father and the Son. 

24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

This is one of the many Promises of God. When we ask in faith, we receive. That relationship continues, so we become more trusting in God and also receive more from Him, according to His will. The more we receive from God, the more joy we experience. That builds our trust in God, as the word - confidence - literally means - with faith.

Not asking means not receiving, and so humanity goes deeper and deeper into falsehoods, false religion, false hopes, and false words. 

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

We have the advantage of all the Gospels, more than enough letters from  Paul, more writings from Peter and from Hebrews (either Paul or Apollos). But that is just the beginning. The Scriptures in the New Testament sense mean 39 books of the Old Testament. They are the Promises of God about the complete picture of the Messiah - the anointed King. Read Psalm 22 and 23 together. They are songs about the atoning death of Christ in Psalm 22 and His gentle leadership in Psalm 23. 

Many statements of Jesus to the disciples were difficult to follow and understand during His earthly ministry. However, they were the basis for realizing those Promises when He rose from death and ascended to Heaven. We are all careless with the Promises until we realize what they mean in times of stress and turmoil. 

26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

Whether we pray in the Name of the Father or of the Son, we are praying to the Trinity, the Spirit helping and guiding us. Many people have questioned the basics and asked me if I actually believe those things. I say, "Of course I do." I get my training from small children, who say it so plainly, so clearly, "Jesus is God - He can do anything."

Jesus has explained that to us. "Unless you believe as a child, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God." Because God the Father loves us, we also believe that Jesus comes directly from God the Father. That seems so simple, and it is. Nothing is more frequently and defiantly attacked than the divinity of Jesus Christ and His miracles. Just when we thought no more false teaching could have been throne at the Son of God's power and mercy, even more attacks rise up. 

Here is 

  1. the great wisdom of Hollywood, 
  2. the unbelieving seminaries, 
  3. the snip and clip Bibles sold at outrageous prices.

Bound up together, they have an explanation for all their doubts, and they are great missionaries of doubt, explaining away everything. The truth of God's Word makes them rage. Instead of pursuing the truth, they condemn and destroy.

The modern Bibles erase words, phrases, verses, and larger sections like Mark 16:9-20. The Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament starts out Mark 1:1 - The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ...erasing the Son of God.

The love of God gives us faith in Him, and great spiritual benefits come from this. Whether people snicker or rage about the Word of God, they are only confirming their hardness of heart and perhaps their fear that it may actually be true.

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

We live in a terrible time of violence, distrust and fear. Satan is that much more angry and anxious as his time draws near. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ defeats the forces of evil, which build up in the last days, not because the demonic is so strong but because the Kingdom of Satan is so weak before the Savior. 

2 Cor 12:7And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Paul felt the terrible burden of his thorn in the flesh, and his opponents mocked him for it. 

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.


29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

Jesus knew His disciples would face more than they could imagine, but He strengthened them with faith, and it all came together in the locked room, the time after the Resurrection, and His ascent, which we will celebrate on Thursday.

Confidence - With Faith

An Outline for Prayer - By Martin Luther - Rogate, Second Sermon, Lenker Edition

  1. "The first is, that we have from God his promise or his permission to speak to him, and that we remember the same before we pray and remind God of it, thereby encouraging ourselves to pray in a calm and confident frame of mind.
  2. In the second place, it is necessary that we never doubt the pledge and promise of the true and faithful God. 
  3. In the third place, if one prays doubting that God will hear him, and only offers his prayers as a venture, whether it be granted or not granted, he is guilty of two wicked deeds. The first is, that he, himself, makes his prayer unavailing and he labors in vain. The other wicked deed is, that he regards his most true and faithful God as a liar and an unstable and doubtful being; as one who can not or will not keep his promise; and thus through his doubt he robs God of his honor and of his name of truth and faithfulness.
  4. In the fourth place, some say: Yes, I would gladly trust that my prayer would be heard, if I were only worthy and prayed aright. My answer is: If you do not pray until you know and experience that you are fit, then you will never need to pray.
  5. In the fifth place, one should so act in this confidence of prayer as not to limit God and specify the day or place, nor designate the way or measure of the prayer’s fulfillment; but leave all to his own will, wisdom and almighty power. Then confidently and cheerfully await the answer, not even wishing to know how and where, how soon, how long, and through whom."

Some quotations including Satan


2 Cor 12:7And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
1 Th 2:18Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
2 Th 2:9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
1 Tim 1:20Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
1 Tim 5:15For some are already turned aside after Satan.