Devotion
The Value of Faith in Life and in Death
When things pile up in our lives, we may often compare ourselves or others to Job. Most of the time we identify with Job’s suffering. Yet there is another similarity that is even more important to share with Job. This connection can exist without suffering to the degree of Job or without even suffering at all. That connection is faith in Jesus as your Savior God. Job knew suffering, but he also knew the value of faith. Know the value of faith in life and in death. We go to the book of Job to learn from our Lord.
Faith stands up to the challenge
The beginning of the book of Job is quite interesting. We are told of a conversation between the Lord and Satan. The Lord said to Satan: “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? ” (Job 1:8).
The Devil countered with his own thoughts. The devil was of the opinion that if the Lord took away Job’s great riches—and he was rich, we’re told that he was the greatest man in the east—then Job would lose his faith. The Devil was wrong. He shortchanged the value of faith.
The Lord knew what Job’s faith was based on and what it could withstand, and so He allowed Satan a long leash. God allowed Satan to take away Job’s wealth. God allowed Satan to take away Job’s health. But He did not allow Job’s faith to be taken away. This was off-limits to Satan. The Lord would not allow Job to be tempted beyond what he was able (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13).
We might think it would be easy to be a follower of Jesus when everything goes well. It is not. Good times have their own challenges. True faith does not depend on how much we have or do not have. Remember that the Lord’s ultimate goal is to take you to Heaven, and He is most certainly not working to destroy your faith or drive you away from Him.
Faith reacts with praise in adversity
When you have faith you can react to tragedy in a very different way than someone without faith. We find this in the book of Job as well. When all of these things were occurring, answers based on something
other than faith were proffered. Job’s wife said, “Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9). Blame God for your troubles! Be bitter, be angry and give up.
Job’s friends gathered together with him and offered him non-faith-based advice. They thought that Job had all of this coming, that he had sinned in some great fashion, and God was punishing him. They thought that he was a fool, and they had other suggestions that were based on logic rather than on faith.
You are offered some choices today as well. You can get angry at God. You can become bitter. You can give up. But those are not reactions based on faith. Let’s see how faith responds: Job said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21) An unusual response? You bet! But faith is unusual. With it you are able to see the goodness and mercy of God.
Faith’s basis is Christ and His work
Job was able to have such a response because he knew his faith was based on a living God. He said “I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27).
Job confessed his faith in the resurrection of the body unto life everlasting. That is where you may stand today, confident that your Redeemer lives. You can be certain that death did not contain Jesus in the grave. He defeated death. Job believed that this was going to happen. We believe that it has happened—the only difference is the time in which we live. It is the same faith and the same foundation.
God saves by grace through this faith. Faith serves you well in life as you are able to stay firm and confident even when life is going poorly, but faith also serves you in death. Trusting in Jesus, you are connected to His death and resurrection. When you die in faith you die with the certainty that you will be raised again.
We may praise God today while being certain that, though the body can be destroyed through time and that it will return to dust, this will not stop our Redeemer from raising it to everlasting life.
— CLC President’s Letter, July 2008
Adapted from a funeral sermon by Pastor Michael Schierenbeck
Long Range Planning
—Land Acquisition—
Voter Approved
In a voters’ meeting on August 25th, the Immanuel Voters approved a purchase agreement to acquire a 40.68 acre parcel of land. This land is located on the south side of County Road 82, across from United Building Center (UBC) in Mankato. The purchase agreement offers to pay $1.3 million for the land. When assessments are added to the cost, the total land acquisition cost would be approximately $1.6 million.
This purchase agreement will now be presented to the owners of the land and they have until September 15th to reply to the offer. If the family partnership accepts the purchase agreement, we of Immanuel have until February 26, 2009 to move forward with the purchase or to cancel the agreement.
It has been several years since we started long range planning for our facility, beginning with a feasibility study. It has been several months that the long range planning has focused on finding a piece of property that could be suitable for possible relocation of our church and school.
No decision on relocation has been made at this time. At some point in the future, after land is acquired, a definite decision regarding relocation would need to be made.
This stepping stone in our long range plans holds a great deal of potential. Only a prayerful approach to this and each new decision will reveal where and how the Lord wants us to proceed. There is much for which and about which we can pray. Please keep all of this in your prayers so that in the end we will follow the Lord’s lead and glorify Him in all that we do.
If you have questions about this land or any part of our long range planning, please speak to one of the Expansion-Relocation Committee members: Jim Buckley, Matthew Busch, David Busse, John Heinze, Scott Kruse, Diane Lentz, Karen Purrington, Mark Redlin, or Michael Wheaton. You may also speak to one of the pastors, a Council member, or voter.
Fall Schedule
School, Sunday School, Bible Studies…it must be Fall!
Immanuel Lutheran School
Start Date: Tuesday, September 2nd
Opening Service: 8:15 a.m. in the church sanctuary
Sunday School
Nursery level through 8th grade Sunday School classes begin on September 14th. Sunday School begins each week with an opening devotion in the church basement at 8:15 a.m. Following the devotion, classes go to their individual rooms (approximately 8:30 a.m.). Sunday School Classes conclude at 9:15 a.m. in time for the 9:30 a.m. start of the worship service.
Immanuel Ambassadors—Sunday
The Sunday morning “Ambassador Hour” begins at 8:15 a.m. and wraps up at 9:15 a.m. each Sunday. The Ambassadors also meet at other times throughout the year for activities and studies as announced. The Sunday “Ambassador Hour” kicks off the fall schedule on September 7th with breakfast in the school lunch room. The Ambassadors include all Immanuel members who are freshmen in high school through age 20 as well as friends whom Ambassadors invite.
Sunday Bible Study
“Return to Rome!”
Our Sunday morning Bible Study will resume it’s study in the epistle to the Romans on September 14th. The study will pick up with Romans chapter 4.
Wednesday Bible Study
The Wednesday Evening Bible Study will begin on September 3 at 6:00 p.m. in the church parlors. Our study will be a small group apologetics study—Answers for Life. The material we will be using has been prepared by Answers in Genesis. It will focus on providing answers to the following important questions:
- Is the Bible relevant for life today?
- Who does God say that He is?
- Is there credibility in what the Bible says, especially about origins?
- How can there be a God of love when there is death and suffering in the world?
- Who is Jesus and why is He so important to Christians and non-Christians alike?
- Does a person have to go to church to be a Christian?
Who should participate in this Bible Study? Everyone is invited! Our students—especially those attending public schools or colleges— parents seeking to provide solid answers for their children, any individual seeking to become a more informed Christian, and anyone who desires to share his or her faith more effectively would all be blessed through their participation! We hope to see many of you there!
Valleyfair Volunteer Days
Two volunteer days remain at Valleyfair this year. These are both ride operation days which require volunteers to be 18 years old or older. The dates are September 6 and October 26 (times and details are in the narthex, or contact Pastor Eichstadt).
The wages earned by volunteers on these days helps to offset the cost of the Youth Conference as well as provide scholarships to participants. On these days volunteers also earn $30 of credit for Youth Conference 2009 which can be used by the volunteer or transferred to a Youth Conference participant.
Women’s Retreat West
Theme: “I will choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who holds its pillars firm.” Psalm 75:2-3
Friday-Sunday
September 12-14, 2008
Chadron State Park
Chadron, NE
Fee:
- $95.00 (3 cabin mates)
- $85.00 (5 cabin mates)
- Includes 2 nights lodging, 2 continental breakfasts, Saturday lunch and banquet, and retreat registration.
Questions? contact Laila Fleischer
Information and registration brochures also available in the church narthex.
It Takes Cow Chips…
The Immanuel Women’s Study Guild offers a new book titled, It Takes Cow Chips to Make Dinner, by retired pastor L.D. Redlin and illustrated by Immanuel member, Abby Matzke. It is a fun read about life growing up in rural South Dakota in the 1930s and 40s. Cost is $8.00/book. The books are available in the church Conference Room. Please make checks out to Women’s Study Guild.
