Thursday Psalms: Steadfast!

Repetition is an effective teacher; the main message of Psalm 136 is pretty clear.  "Steadfast love" is repeated in each of the 26 verses of this psalm and repeated 123 times in the book of Psalms.  The Lord certainly wants you to know that His steadfast love endures forever!

PSALM   136:1-9

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,

      for His steadfast love endures forever.

² Give thanks to the God of gods,

      for His steadfast love endures forever.

³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

      for His steadfast love endures forever;

⁴ to Him who alone does great wonders,

      for His steadfast love endures forever;

⁵ to Him who by understanding made the heavens,

      for His steadfast love endures forever;

⁶ to Him who spread out the earth above the waters,

      for His steadfast love endures forever;

⁷ to Him who made the great lights,

      for His steadfast love endures forever;

⁸ the sun to rule over the day,

      for His steadfast love endures forever;

⁹ the moon and stars to rule over the night,

      for His steadfast love endures forever; 

To be steadfast is to be firm, unwavering, immovable and completely trustworthy.  God Himself and His love for you are steadfast!  Pause for a few moments and reflect on examples of God's steadfast love in your life.  For you & me both, we receive the greatest expression of God's love as He forgives our sins [John 3:16].  What a blessed reminder, that God's love & forgiveness are STEADFAST; unwavering and completely trustworthy!  Confess, be forgiven and give thanks right now!

Related to being steadfast, the Lord's love is enduring, reliable, always ours, lasting forever!  What difficult situation are you enduring right now?  Are there areas or days in your life which seem hopeless?  God reminds you today with these words of His, that He loves you forever!  Joshua 1:9 and other verses remind you that God will never leave you nor forsake you.  That's how God delivers His steadfast & enduring love to you:  He is with you and cares for you every hour of every day!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!!!

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188     mobile:  248.881.7627

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

     Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website

Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law and observe it with my whole heart."  Psalm 119:34 

Pilgrim Worship Sunday July 21, 2024

  Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

July 21, 2024

We're thankful you've come here to watch our service and to worship the one true God!

This was another exciting Sunday at Pilgrim Lutheran Church!  Once again, we had lots of great activities going on, starting with our Adult Bible study at 9:00 am, then our 10:00 am Worship service.  Afterward, we gathered for food and conversations, while the children enjoyed Sunday School.  These classes are full of activities and teaching, so the children learn how much God loves them!

If you live in the Burton area, please consider joining us on Sunday mornings!  Anyone can watch our services live on Facebook or later on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

BIBLE READINGS

  Old Testament:  Jeremiah 23:1-6
               Psalm:  Psalm 23
              Epistle:  Ephesians 2:11-22
              Gospel:  Mark 6:30-44

OUR THEME FOR WORSHIP
Through His prophet Jerimiah, the Lord speaks words of condemnation and hope to His people.  Jeremiah pronounces judgement on wayward shepherds who have destroyed and scattered God’s sheep.  Then the Lord promises to shepherd His people Himself and then raise up trust-worthy under-shepherds who will rightly care for them.  In this promise we’re blessed to live in “one holy Christian Church”.  Under the care of the Good Shepherd living in His Church, we find hope, peace, security and blessings.  God is faithful through Jesus His Messiah, the righteous Branch who reigns as King over all things!

To watch the video of today's service, please click HERE.

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188     mobile:  248.881.7627

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

       Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website

Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"For You, O LORD, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth."  Psalm 71:5  

Thursday Psalms: My Shepherd!

The Psalm assigned for this coming Sunday is the 23rd Psalm, one of the best known and most loved texts in Scripture.  

PSALM 23

¹ The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

² He makes me lie down in green pastures.

        He leads me beside still waters.

³ He restores my soul.

        He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

        I will fear no evil, for You are with me;

               Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

        You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

        and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

Like an old friend, many of us have known it by heart since we were children.  When we are stricken by grief, when we have lost our way, when our bodies are failing or we are standing at the grave of a loved one, through this old friend, God restores our souls.  We depend on this psalm, because these words prop up our sagging faith, and give us strength to press on.  Even when we are lost, not knowing which way to turn, what will come next, or where we are going to end up, especially at these times, verse 3 reminds us that our path is certain.  It is certain because it is NOT our path, it is our Shepherd's path, and He is leading us.

Take some time today to slow down to read this Psalm.  Think on & pray over each verse, one at a time.  I pray the Holy Spirit will open your eyes and hearts to His care for you.

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188     mobile:  248.881.7627

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

     Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website

Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law and observe it with my whole heart."  Psalm 119:34

Pilgrim Worship Sunday July 14, 2024

  Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

July 14, 2024

We're thankful you've come here to watch our service and to worship the one true God!

This was another exciting Sunday at Pilgrim Lutheran Church!  Once again, we had lots of great activities going on, starting with our Adult Bible study at 9:00 am, then our 10:00 am Worship service.  Afterward, we gathered for food and conversations, while the children enjoyed Sunday School.  These classes are full of activities and teaching, so the children learn how much God loves them!

If you live in the Burton area, please consider joining us on Sunday mornings!  Anyone can watch our services live on Facebook or later on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

BIBLE READING

  Old Testament:  Amos 7:7-15

               Psalm:  Psalm 85:1-7
              Epistle:  Ephesians 1:3-14
              Gospel:  Mark 6:14-29

OUR THEME FOR WORSHIP

Being chosen means you’re special.  But our lives are in shambles, we sin and make mistakes all the time.  It’s clear; there’s no way we’re good enough to be chosen by God.  In today’s Epistle reading, God makes this perfectly clear:  you are God’s beloved child because Jesus died for you and chose you to be his forever!

To watch the video of today's service, please click HERE.

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188     mobile:  248.881.7627

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

       Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website

Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"For You, O LORD, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth."  Psalm 71:5 

 

Pilgrim Worship Sunday July 7, 2024

  Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

July 7, 2024

We're thankful you've come here to watch our service and to worship the one true God!

This was another exciting Sunday at Pilgrim Lutheran Church!  Once again, we had lots of great activities going on, starting with our Adult Bible study at 9:00 am, then our 10:00 am Worship service.  Afterward, we gathered for food and conversations, while the children enjoyed Sunday School.  These classes are full of activities and teaching, so the children learn how much God loves them!

If you live in the Burton area, please consider joining us on Sunday mornings!  Anyone can watch our services live on Facebook or later on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

BIBLE READINGS FOR SUNDAY

  Old Testament:  Ezekiel 2:1-5

               Psalm:  Psalm 123
              Epistle:  2 Corinthians 12:1-10
              Gospel:  Mark 6:1-13

OUR THEME FOR WORSHIP
Today the Apostle Paul points you to the grace of God in Jesus Christ.  Your suffering indicates, not that God has abandoned you, but that God is at work in you to strengthen your faith.  Paul calls us to rely on Jesus during our suffering.  The only true God, whose power is made perfect in your weakness, is the God who saved you from sin, death & the devil by His weakness.  Our resurrection & glory will come, heaven will descend to earth, but only after we’ve suffered here, made strong by the sufficient grace of Jesus.

To watch the video of today's service, please click HERE.

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188     mobile:  248.881.7627

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

       Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website

Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"For You, O LORD, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth."  Psalm 71:5 

Pilgrim Worship Sunday June 30, 2024

  Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

June 30, 2024

We're thankful you've come here to watch our service and to worship the one true God!

This was another exciting Sunday at Pilgrim Lutheran Church!  Once again, we had lots of great activities going on, starting with our Adult Bible study at 9:00 am, then our 10:00 am Worship service.  Afterward, we gathered for food and conversations, while the children enjoyed Sunday School.  These classes are full of activities and teaching, so the children learn how much God loves them!

If you live in the Burton area, please consider joining us on Sunday mornings!  Anyone can watch our services live on Facebook or later on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

BIBLE READINGS FOR SUNDAY

  Old Testament:  Lamentations 3:22-33

               Psalm:  Psalm 30
              Epistle:  2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-15
              Gospel:  Mark 5:21-43

OUR THEME FOR WORSHIP
Today we’re in a great crowd around Jesus, rushing to the home of Jarius and his dying daughter.  In the middle of one healing miracle, we suddenly witness an anonymous woman in the middle of the street, in the middle of a long stretch of suffering.  For twelve years she’s been cut off from community & worship life, isolated in shame and suffering.  In desperation, she turns to Jesus, who turns here weeping into joy & praise.  Both this woman and Jarius find mercy and hope in Jesus, and so do you.

To watch the video of today's service, please click HERE.

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188     mobile:  248.881.7627

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

       Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website

Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"For You, O LORD, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth."  Psalm 71:5