September 2024 Newsletter
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plan for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope…” Jeremiah 29:11
Times were bad for God’s people. The year is around 597 B.C. when the prophet Jeremiah is writing this verse listed above. The tribe of Judah, now called the Kingdom of Judah, are all that remains of God’s people living in the Promised Land, the other tribes were destroyed and carried away into exile back in 721 B.C. And now the time has come for Judah. Exile is coming in just 10 years. For some, exile has already happened.
The line of David is faltering, their current and last King, Zedekiah, is merely a puppet of the Babylonian Empire who doesn’t know his place. And in 605 B.C. the Babylonians have carried hundreds of people living in Judah into exile, some being Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These exiles live in a foreign and strange land where people do not speak their language, their religious life is mocked, and where it would just be easier to adopt Babylonian way of life.
Yet, Jeremiah 29 tells us that there were some exiles, especially a few prophets and leading people who didn’t want the people in exile to give up hope. They told them that rescue was around the corner, that Egypt would beat the Babylonians, and before the year was out they would be back home in Judah safe and sound.
In response, God has Jeremiah write a letter to these exiles. God wants to set the record straight with them and to tell them the plan.
The plan is that they will not be coming back home. Their life in Judah is over, and they won’t be seeing it this side of the grave. God’s plan for them is to settle into life in Babylon, for the next 70 years. So he tells them not to listen to these prophets who get their hopes up with false promises. Coming home will only bring them under the judgment that God has decreed for it. Best now to hunker down in Babylon.
Rather, God tells them to get busy with life in Babylon, not believing lies and building lives on vain hopes. God tells them to build homes, plant gardens, get married, have children, and give your sons and daughters into marriage. God even tells them to pray for Babylon, and seek its welfare because if Babylon succeeds, so will they. They need not be concerned with the timetable on when God will act, they are called to just be faithful and trust that God will handle it when God is ready to handle it.
We could say that Jeremiah’s letter is played out in the book of Daniel. For there, Daniel is employed by Babylon and works for the King, but at times shows his true loyalty to God when that is tested. Exiles are called to a hard life of living in this world but having moments where they will not bow down to idols of gold, even if they must go into the fiery furnace as a result.
It is after telling the exiles that their life as exiles is their new life that God then says this, “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord…
This is a good reminder for us. Often this verse is used as a crutch for thinking, “God will cause me to succeed in whatever I want and set my mind to!” But that is not right. God is not a genie who gives success as we dream it.
This verse says something more profound. Mainly, your life is not going to go the way you want it nor where you want it to go. Exile from your homeland may be one way but not the only way. Hard things will be thrown your way. And often, well meaning people will try and make things better by telling lies.
But we should be honest. This is where God wants you for the time being. He has you right where he wants you. That is a relief, because we know that God knows the way out when he wills it. Even if you are suffering horribly, even if it appears that God is the enemy. God would have us keep plugging away at being faithful and trusting in God’s promises that he will work it out in his good time. And God will.
With all that said. We have an election coming up, the world more tense than I can recall in my lifetime, the economy has been rough, and your life may be upside down and not where you want it. Yet still, come what may, keep being faithful in what God has given, even if it is a cross. God has you where he wants you and God knows best how to resolve things in his own time. We see this in Christ who knows the bitterness of death itself, but trusts his Father and is raised.
You can count on that too because you are in Christ. God has made promises to you in Jesus. He will gather you in at the end of all things. He knows his plans for you, even if you do not. And that is for the best, it frees us up to do the things we need to do and to let God worry about where we end up in the end. As we confess, “I believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.” That is hope. That is the future. God grant it for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Election Service: Tuesday, November 5th at 6:30pm: With this year being an election year and, as usual, an emotionally charged one, it is good for us to gather together as Christians to pray. St. Paul tells Timothy that in worship, prayers are to be offered for all people, especially for kings and those in authority. Since this is good and right as Christians, we will gather on election night at 6:30pm to pray to our King, to hear God’s word and rejoice in the hope that is ours in Christ the Lord. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, November 5th at 6:30pm.
Bible Classes: It is that time of the year again, Bible studies are starting back up or are underway! As I write this, Wednesday morning Bible class just finished its first session and I am getting ready for confirmation. Speaking for all our fall ministries, it is good to be back at it, digging into the Word of God and sharing thoughts and insights together with you all.
Sunday after worship service, we are digging in deep into what makes us Lutherans, topics such as why we give both body and blood during Communion, why our pastors marry, Worship, and the power of the church and state are all coming up just to name a few. Wednesday mornings at 9:30am, we are digging into the Prophet Amos as he depicts God roaring like a Lion to his people to wake them up. Tuesday at 3:00pm is harvesting the Fruit of the Spirit, and the Monday morning Men’s breakfast and Bible study is looking at Law and Gospel. Join us at one or all of these to dig in further into the love of Christ!
October Voters Meeting: Sunday, October 27th at 11:15am: The congregation’s next voters meeting will be on Sunday, October 27th at 11:15am. I am seeing if the elders will have a pancake breakfast again this year, but if not it will be a potluck.
On the docket will be elections, The 2025 Budget, and the presentation of the Land Committees’ Report to be voted on in January meeting. If you have any questions, let me or leadership know.
Advent: It is hard to believe, but with the arrival of the Autumn schedule brings about thoughts of Advent. We will be plumbing the depths of an ancient tradition among Christians, going back to the 500’s. This Christmas tradition took place each day the week before Christmas in various prayers and songs called the “O Great Antiphons.” These inspired the hymn, “O Come O Come Emmanuel.” We will use those prayers each week to build our own anticipation for Christ to come to us and save us. These prayers are rich, if you ever wanted to take a look at them, you can find them on the page opposite of above stated hymn, Hymn #357, in our Church Hymnal.
Advent begins on Wednesday November 6th at 9:00am and then the same service again on Thursday November 7th at 6:30pm when our Wednesday morning chapel and Thursday night services transform into Advent Midweeks.
Thank You! A big thank you to our elders and leadership of the congregation. When I left on vacation in August, it was nice that so many people rose to take care of things while I was gone. It is a relief for me and a great support, I know not many of my brothers in the ministry have that, so I am thankful to God for our congregational leadership. Thank you also, for attending to the Word of God while I was gone. As we gathered to worship the Sunday we were gone, it was a joy to realize that though separated by space and time, we still gathered before the throne of our God as one body.
Also, thank you to so many of you for your gifts, prayers, well wishes and support as you reached out to me and my wife to wish us a happy 10th wedding anniversary. It is a joy to be here with all of you and to be able to call this place our home. Thank you for that blessing.
The Lord be with you all! Jesus loves you.
Pastor Andrew Belt
Times were bad for God’s people. The year is around 597 B.C. when the prophet Jeremiah is writing this verse listed above. The tribe of Judah, now called the Kingdom of Judah, are all that remains of God’s people living in the Promised Land, the other tribes were destroyed and carried away into exile back in 721 B.C. And now the time has come for Judah. Exile is coming in just 10 years. For some, exile has already happened.
The line of David is faltering, their current and last King, Zedekiah, is merely a puppet of the Babylonian Empire who doesn’t know his place. And in 605 B.C. the Babylonians have carried hundreds of people living in Judah into exile, some being Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These exiles live in a foreign and strange land where people do not speak their language, their religious life is mocked, and where it would just be easier to adopt Babylonian way of life.
Yet, Jeremiah 29 tells us that there were some exiles, especially a few prophets and leading people who didn’t want the people in exile to give up hope. They told them that rescue was around the corner, that Egypt would beat the Babylonians, and before the year was out they would be back home in Judah safe and sound.
In response, God has Jeremiah write a letter to these exiles. God wants to set the record straight with them and to tell them the plan.
The plan is that they will not be coming back home. Their life in Judah is over, and they won’t be seeing it this side of the grave. God’s plan for them is to settle into life in Babylon, for the next 70 years. So he tells them not to listen to these prophets who get their hopes up with false promises. Coming home will only bring them under the judgment that God has decreed for it. Best now to hunker down in Babylon.
Rather, God tells them to get busy with life in Babylon, not believing lies and building lives on vain hopes. God tells them to build homes, plant gardens, get married, have children, and give your sons and daughters into marriage. God even tells them to pray for Babylon, and seek its welfare because if Babylon succeeds, so will they. They need not be concerned with the timetable on when God will act, they are called to just be faithful and trust that God will handle it when God is ready to handle it.
We could say that Jeremiah’s letter is played out in the book of Daniel. For there, Daniel is employed by Babylon and works for the King, but at times shows his true loyalty to God when that is tested. Exiles are called to a hard life of living in this world but having moments where they will not bow down to idols of gold, even if they must go into the fiery furnace as a result.
It is after telling the exiles that their life as exiles is their new life that God then says this, “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord…
This is a good reminder for us. Often this verse is used as a crutch for thinking, “God will cause me to succeed in whatever I want and set my mind to!” But that is not right. God is not a genie who gives success as we dream it.
This verse says something more profound. Mainly, your life is not going to go the way you want it nor where you want it to go. Exile from your homeland may be one way but not the only way. Hard things will be thrown your way. And often, well meaning people will try and make things better by telling lies.
But we should be honest. This is where God wants you for the time being. He has you right where he wants you. That is a relief, because we know that God knows the way out when he wills it. Even if you are suffering horribly, even if it appears that God is the enemy. God would have us keep plugging away at being faithful and trusting in God’s promises that he will work it out in his good time. And God will.
With all that said. We have an election coming up, the world more tense than I can recall in my lifetime, the economy has been rough, and your life may be upside down and not where you want it. Yet still, come what may, keep being faithful in what God has given, even if it is a cross. God has you where he wants you and God knows best how to resolve things in his own time. We see this in Christ who knows the bitterness of death itself, but trusts his Father and is raised.
You can count on that too because you are in Christ. God has made promises to you in Jesus. He will gather you in at the end of all things. He knows his plans for you, even if you do not. And that is for the best, it frees us up to do the things we need to do and to let God worry about where we end up in the end. As we confess, “I believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.” That is hope. That is the future. God grant it for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Election Service: Tuesday, November 5th at 6:30pm: With this year being an election year and, as usual, an emotionally charged one, it is good for us to gather together as Christians to pray. St. Paul tells Timothy that in worship, prayers are to be offered for all people, especially for kings and those in authority. Since this is good and right as Christians, we will gather on election night at 6:30pm to pray to our King, to hear God’s word and rejoice in the hope that is ours in Christ the Lord. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, November 5th at 6:30pm.
Bible Classes: It is that time of the year again, Bible studies are starting back up or are underway! As I write this, Wednesday morning Bible class just finished its first session and I am getting ready for confirmation. Speaking for all our fall ministries, it is good to be back at it, digging into the Word of God and sharing thoughts and insights together with you all.
Sunday after worship service, we are digging in deep into what makes us Lutherans, topics such as why we give both body and blood during Communion, why our pastors marry, Worship, and the power of the church and state are all coming up just to name a few. Wednesday mornings at 9:30am, we are digging into the Prophet Amos as he depicts God roaring like a Lion to his people to wake them up. Tuesday at 3:00pm is harvesting the Fruit of the Spirit, and the Monday morning Men’s breakfast and Bible study is looking at Law and Gospel. Join us at one or all of these to dig in further into the love of Christ!
October Voters Meeting: Sunday, October 27th at 11:15am: The congregation’s next voters meeting will be on Sunday, October 27th at 11:15am. I am seeing if the elders will have a pancake breakfast again this year, but if not it will be a potluck.
On the docket will be elections, The 2025 Budget, and the presentation of the Land Committees’ Report to be voted on in January meeting. If you have any questions, let me or leadership know.
Advent: It is hard to believe, but with the arrival of the Autumn schedule brings about thoughts of Advent. We will be plumbing the depths of an ancient tradition among Christians, going back to the 500’s. This Christmas tradition took place each day the week before Christmas in various prayers and songs called the “O Great Antiphons.” These inspired the hymn, “O Come O Come Emmanuel.” We will use those prayers each week to build our own anticipation for Christ to come to us and save us. These prayers are rich, if you ever wanted to take a look at them, you can find them on the page opposite of above stated hymn, Hymn #357, in our Church Hymnal.
Advent begins on Wednesday November 6th at 9:00am and then the same service again on Thursday November 7th at 6:30pm when our Wednesday morning chapel and Thursday night services transform into Advent Midweeks.
Thank You! A big thank you to our elders and leadership of the congregation. When I left on vacation in August, it was nice that so many people rose to take care of things while I was gone. It is a relief for me and a great support, I know not many of my brothers in the ministry have that, so I am thankful to God for our congregational leadership. Thank you also, for attending to the Word of God while I was gone. As we gathered to worship the Sunday we were gone, it was a joy to realize that though separated by space and time, we still gathered before the throne of our God as one body.
Also, thank you to so many of you for your gifts, prayers, well wishes and support as you reached out to me and my wife to wish us a happy 10th wedding anniversary. It is a joy to be here with all of you and to be able to call this place our home. Thank you for that blessing.
The Lord be with you all! Jesus loves you.
Pastor Andrew Belt
Recent
Archive
2024
February
August
September
2023
February
March
Lent Devotional - March 1, 2023Lent Devotional - March 2, 2023Lent Devotional - March 3, 2023Lent Devotional - March 4, 2023Lent Devotional - March 7, 2023Lent Devotional - March 6, 2023Lent Devotional - March 8, 2023Lent Devotional - March 9, 2023Lent Devotional - March 10, 2023Lent Devotional - March 11, 2023March 2023 NewsletterLent Devotional - March 13, 2023Lent Devotional - March 14, 2023Lent Devotional - March 15, 2023Lent Devotional - March 16, 2023Lent Devotional - March 17, 2023Lent Devotional - March 18, 2023Lent Devotional - March 20, 2023Lent Devotional - March 21, 2023Lent Devotional - March 22, 2023Lent Devotional - March 23, 2023Lent Devotional - March 24, 2023Lent Devotional - March 25, 2023Lent Devotional - March 27, 2023Lent Devotional - March 28, 2023Lent Devotional - March 29, 2023Lent Devotional - March 30, 2023Lent Devotional - March 31, 2023
April
July
August
September
October
November
Advent 2023 Devotional: “Immanuel, Jesus with us.” Advent 2023: November 6Advent 2023: November 7 - PromiseAdvent 2023: November 8 - PeopleAdvent 2023: November 9 - PsalmAdvent 2023: November 10 - HymnAdvent 2023: November 13 - PresenceAdvent 2023: November 14 - PromiseAdvent 2023: November 15 - PeopleAdvent 2023: November 16 - PsalmAdvent 2023: November 17 - HymnAdvent 2023: November 20 - PresenceAdvent 2023: November 21 - PromiseAdvent 2023: November 23 - PsalmAdvent 2023: November 24 - HymnAdvent 2023: November 27 - PresenceAdvent 2023: November 28 - PromiseAdvent 2023: November 29 - PeopleAdvent 2023: November 30 - Psalm
December
Advent 2023: December 1 - HymnAdvent 2023: December 4 - PresenceAdvent 2023: December 5 - PromiseAdvent 2023: December 6 - PeopleAdvent 2023: December 7 - PsalmAdvent 2023: December 8 - HymnAdvent 2023: December 11 - PresenceAdvent 2023: December 12 - PromiseAdvent 2023: December 13 - PeopleAdvent 2023: December 14 - PsalmAdvent 2023: December 15 - HymnAdvent 2023: December 18 - PresenceAdvent 2023: December 19 - PromiseDecember 2023 NewsletterAdvent 2023: December 20 - PeopleAdvent 2023: December 21 - PsalmAdvent 2023: December 22 - HymnAdvent 2023 Devotional: Conclusion