Thursday Psalms: You Will!

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

The psalmist David asks two eternally important questions in verse one.  For Israel, the first hearers of these questions, these were salvation questions.  These questions are equally vital for you and me today.  We might phrase them something like "How can I be saved?" or "Who will be saved?".  

     Psalm 15     A Psalm of David.

¹ O Lord, who shall sojourn in Your tent?

      Who shall dwell on Your holy hill?

² He who walks blamelessly and does what is right

      and speaks truth in his heart;

³ who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor,

      nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

⁴ in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord;

      who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

⁵ who does not put out his money at interest

      and does not take a bribe against the innocent.

             He who does these things shall never be moved. 

Foolish readers [...which I sometimes am!] are convinced they can meet these qualifications, or work toward fitting within these moral guidelines.  Foolish readers will conclude they are approximately blameless and approximately righteous; they think they're good enough to be right with God.  It is human nature for all of us to think we're as good as most and much better than some.

On the other hand, wise readers will see the demands in these few verses as impossible for them to accomplish on their own.  In a wise reader, we would say that God's Law has done its work.  The answer to this salvation question, "How can I be saved? is made clear:  ...not by my own reason or strength!  These verses burden and humble the wise reader, making clear their need for grace and mercy and forgiveness.  

This, of course, is the good news in this short psalm.  Only one man, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, walked blamelessly and did what was right.  Only Jesus fully and perfectly kept His Father's Law, living His entire life without a single sin.  This man Jesus, then suffered and died on Calvary's cross, taking the punishment you and I and all people deserve for all our mistakes and sins.  Only Jesus gives grace and mercy and forgiveness of sins to all who believe in Him.  

So, Who will sojourn in God's tent?  Who will dwell on God's holy hill?  Who will be saved?   The answer is you!  You will be saved, because Jesus has given His gifts to you!  All people who believe in what Jesus Christ has done for them will receive His gifts of forgiveness of sins and eternal life! [Romans 10:9]  

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

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

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Pilgrim Worship Sunday January 25, 2026

 
The First Disciples   Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld    1794-1872

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

January 25, 2026

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!  We've returned to our regular Sunday schedule, starting with Adult Bible class at 9:15 am and then our 10:30 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 on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

SCRIPTURE READINGS

  Old Testament:  Isaiah 9:1–4

               Psalm:  Psalm 27

              Epistle:  1 Corinthians 1:10–18

              Gospel:  Matthew 4:12–25

THEME FOR WORSHIP

While not totally unconnected, there are two different sections in today’s Gospel reading.  In the second, Jesus formally calls Andrew, Peter, James and John to be follow Him and become fishers of men.  Both pair of men immediately drop everything (even their father!) and follow Jesus.  It seems certain they really had no idea how much their lives would change in the years ahead.  Does reflection on the disciples’ lives following Jesus tell us anything about ours?

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

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188   

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

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

Pilgrim Website           Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Thursday Psalms: Whom Shall I Fear?

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

Of what or whom are you afraid?  Perhaps nothing frightens you now, but certainly you have been fearful and will be again.  In this portion of Psalm 27, David gives a great example of what we should do when facing troubles, attacks or enemies of any kind.  In the first six verses we hear David's confidence in the Lord, to whom David then prays for help, forgiveness and guidance.

Psalm 27:1-9

¹ The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

   The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

² When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh,

      my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

³ Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;

      though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

⁴ One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:

      that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

         to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.

⁵ For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble;

      He will conceal me under the cover of His tent;

          He will lift me high upon a rock.

⁶ And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me,

     and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;

       I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

⁷ Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;

      be gracious to me and answer me!

⁸ You have said, “Seek my face.”

      My heart says to You, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

⁹ Hide not Your face from me.

      Turn not Your servant away in anger, O You who have been my help.

        Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! 

Notice in verse 2-3, David's response matters not whether he is attacked by one person, an army of enemies or if a war breaks out!  God is with you, in all situations!  Great lesson for you and me!  You and I fall under attack by many foes; people, sickness, worry, guilt, and so forth.  God's people are very blessed; God invites us to boldly take our needs and requests to Him.  This is not some mystical formula which automatically makes things all better.  No, God is no vending machine.  But God tells us in Psalm 46:1 that He is our refuge and strength, our very real & present help in times of trouble.  

Are we both afraid and unafraid at the same time?  Yes.  Are we both worried & confident?  Yes, for sure.  Do we hope and feel desperate?  Absolutely.  This is the tension of our daily lives, lived in faith while under attack.  Thanks be to God, He loves us so much that He has saved us and He will never forsake us!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

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

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Pilgrim Worship Sunday January 18, 2026

 

Witness of John the Baptist    Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld    1794-1872

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

January 18, 2026

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!  We've returned to our regular Sunday schedule, starting with Adult Bible class at 9:15 am and then our 10:30 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 on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

SCRIPTURE READINGS

  Old Testament:  Isaiah 49:1–7

               Psalm:  Psalm 40:1–11

              Epistle:  1 Corinthians 1:1–9

              Gospel:  John 1:29–42a

THEME FOR WORSHIP

In today’s Gospel text, John reveals who Jesus is:  “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  No matter how long or how deeply you’ve known Jesus, all of us are seeking many things.  Today, Jesus invites you, as He does every day, to come along with Him and see what He has for you.

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

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188   

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

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

Pilgrim Website           Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Thursday Psalms: God Rescues You!

 

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

Psalm 40 was written while David was being chased by Saul, who wanted to kill him. These first four verses below are personal; David describes the saving work of the Lord. David then calls others to be blessed, to also see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40:1-4 

¹ I waited patiently for the Lord;

    He inclined to me and heard my cry.

² He drew me up from the pit of destruction,

    out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

³ He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.

    Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

⁴ Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust,

    who does not turn to the proud,

       to those who go astray after a lie! 

Pause for a few moments and think of times when you have been in a pit of destruction or in a miry bog.  Have there been times in your life where you can see how the Lord saved you?  If so, give thanks for such a great blessing.  Perhaps you're in a struggle right now, and feel like these words describe your situation today.  Cry to the Lord and wait patiently for the Lord to hear your cry and secure your steps.

There are some key words here for us; "patiently" and "making the Lord our trust".  God is not a vending machine, promising to produce what we want if we ask with the right [fill in the blank].  So we ask and then we wait patiently, trusting Him for His answer.  This is what it means to "make God our trust"; He is the one thing in which we always have confidence.  God promises to do what is best for us, even if we don't understand His choosing.  

But here is one outcome this psalm describes, in which there is no doubt.  These few verses paint a beautiful picture of God's forgiveness for your confessed sins.  Everyday, God draws you and me up from the pit of sin's destruction!  Everyday God pulls you and me out of the miry bog of guilt and shame.  When you are forgiven and set free from your sins, you stand on the rock of your salvation, secure in Jesus, who took the sin punishment you deserve!

I pray for you today, that God will rescue you from your struggles and place your feet on secure footing.  Even more importantly, I pray you make the Lord your trust by daily confessing your sins to Him, fully confident and sure of His forgiveness!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

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

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Pilgrim Worship Sunday January 11, 2026

 

Baptism of Christ, Andrea Mantegna 1505

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Baptism of Our Lord

January 11, 2026

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!  We've returned to our regular Sunday schedule, starting with Adult Bible class at 9:15 am and then our 10:30 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 on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

SCRIPTURE READINGS

  Old Testament:  Isaiah 42:1–9

       Psalm:  Psalm 29

      Epistle:  Romans 6:1–11

             Gospel:  Matthew 3:13–17

THEME FOR WORSHIP 

Last Sunday we unpacked the truth, that in your baptism, Jesus gives you His identity, making you a child of God His Father by redeeming and saving you.  Today, we focus on the baptism of Jesus.  Why did Jesus insist on being baptized by John?  What does this mean for you?

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

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188   

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

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

Pilgrim Website           Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Thursday Psalms: God Gives You Strength!

 

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

It's hard to join with David in today's psalm, worshiping the Lord who shows His power over all things. We can imagine singing in a heavenly choir, joining with all of God's creation giving glory to God. The "big picture" can be easier than when our focus turns to our own tough times. Does the Lord give you anything about those days?

Psalm 29    A Psalm of David.

¹ Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,

      ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

² Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;

      worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

³ The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

      the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters.

⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful;

      the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

⁵ The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

      the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶ He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

      and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

⁸ The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

      the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare,

      and in His temple all cry, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

      the Lord sits enthroned as King forever.

¹¹ May the Lord give strength to His people!

      May the Lord bless His people with peace! 

Is it even possible that you and I can give glory the Lord as we suffer through a hard situation? Perhaps today you are living underwater; struggling financially or with one of your vocations. Perhaps the forces against you are strong like "the cedars of Lebanon", forces like sickness or your enemies, or temptations to sin. Perhaps today you're "in the wilderness" of loneliness or discouragement. Where is the good news in this Psalm for you?

In the final verse, David prays the Lord will give strength and peace to His people. David is praying for the people over whom he is king, but this is also David's prayer for you and all of God's people. Even better, because this is God's Word, this is God's promise to you! Check out 1Peter 5:10, where God promises to strengthen you. Read John 14:27, where Jesus promises to give you not just peace, but His peace.

This is the best news for you and me! As we struggle through hard situations, as we suffer through problems which don't go away, Jesus the Son of God promises to strengthen you, He promises to never leave or forsake you, and He promises to give you His peace! Thank you, Jesus!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

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

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9