Pastor Otterstatter • January 28, 2024

A Time to Prioritize

In his "City of God", St. Augustine talks about rightly ordered love. Augustine calls God the "highest good." He makes the point that if we love anything or anyone more than God, even good gifts, those things become evil because we can not properly show love for others if we do not properly love God first. That is such a challenge! Especially when you consider the list of relationships, responsibilities, & blessings that God places into our lives, like spouse, children, friends, people in need, work, hobbies, recreation, etc.


We have another name for rightly ordering love. We call it prioritizing. Prioritizing is an important skill to have personally & as a congregation. Today we'll see that it's God's love for us in Christ-the love that led him to leave his heavenly home to come and save us sinners-that helps us rightly order our love. Remembering that we pray with St. Augustine. "Set love in order in me, Lord."

Exactly What I Need: Faith

By Pastor Quinn • March 11, 2026
I recognize that I need to be saved. When Jesus said, “No one can enter the kingdom of God,” that included me. I do not deserve God’s blessing. But long ago, God declared that I would be blessed by a descendant of Abraham who turned out to be Jesus. The blessing is salvation. I receive that salvation by faith in Jesus as my Savior. The good news is that faith is also God’s gift, imparted to me through the gospel.

Lord, Have Mercy

By Pastor Otterstatter • March 5, 2026
When we use God's name flippantly...when we take God's reputation lightly...when we are apathetic about his Word...when we have little interest in the spiritual rest he offers...we demolish the Commandments. That hurts us way more than it hurts God. Disobedience of the Commandments are attempted acts of spiritual suicide. If we continue in this rebellion, we are guaranteeing that hell is our eternal home. So, this week, we ask the Spirit to give us the ability to sincerely pray, "Lord, have mercy, for demonstrating irreverence for your name and despising your Sabbath rest."

Exactly What I Need: A Champion

By Pastor Quinn • March 1, 2026
I recognize my inability to defend myself against spiritual enemies. The world is against me, but I look for ways to imitate it. I try to master my own sinful flesh, but I recognize desires in myself that war against my soul. And when it comes to the devil, I fall into temptation again and again. My impending death proves that I have sinned.  I realize that what I really need is a champion. God the Father realized it too. He sent his Son to be my Savior. Through the obedience of the Son of God, I have victory over my enemies.
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