"Surely, you're joking, Pastor Golter!" Whenever have you known me to enjoy humor!:)

I'm not, however, joking here.

Over the years of preaching and caring for God's flock, it happens.

Reasons vary, of course; laziness, tiredness, grumpiness, letting problems seem bigger than they are, or forgetting my desperate need for meeting Jesus in "real time," where He surprises and forgives me of my sin, giving me of His Body and Blood.

Not going to church is similar to saying: I don't need to receive oxygen to live!

But, then, once there with Jesus, singing hymns with the saints to and along with Jesus to the Father, hearing the Scriptures read, hearing the preaching - even when I'm preaching - He changes my heart. Have you been there? Of course. Why does this happen?

The Word of God is powerful; it cuts to the heart (Hebrews 4:12-13). Why such power? Three fundamental reasons:

• The Word of God - written and spoken - receives its authority and power from the One who wrote it, God! Even though He had men craft His thoughts into written form, they are very words of God Himself. They are God's verbal expressions, the very utterances of Him (see Matt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:16). The reason for the effective working of His Word circles back to its Author!
• The Word of God - written and spoken - draws its power from the centering focus of its content, Jesus Christ. Its power - drawing the heart and mind to Himself - is the message of the Crucified One. "But, we preach Christ crucified," (1 Cor. 1:23). As the manger held the Christ, so the Holy Scriptures hold the same God. (Of course, this has much to say as to the necessary content of every sermon! Please, please critique your pastors' sermons in this manner!)
• The Word of God - written and spoken - is powerful because God the Holy Spirit works through the Word to bring to you Christ (see 1 Cor. 2:4). He is the undercover Person of the Holy Trinity, Who preaches the Law to accuse and condemn you, and the Gospel to console and comfort you with Christ!
  

Therefore, when Trinity pastors and lay callers visit you in the hospital, they don't read to you from the Quad City Times!

The QCT does not own the three criteria above. And, God's Word is not an opinion or simply a recording of events; it rather works in you life! (See Ps. 119:93, 107).

So, when you don't feel like meeting Jesus where He locates Himself in the Divine Service, don't let that nagging conscience or apathy or pride or old habits or whatever have its way with you.

Let me tell you: you need help. And, remember, this pastor can struggle also. OK, I admitted it!

See you in church! [1]

Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran

[1] The basic thoughts of this blog comes from "Robert Preus: Essays on Scripture, Doctrine is Life," Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006, pp. 112-113. I think you can get it from CPH for around $5!

The Lord has caused me to serve in various ways, for which I'm deeply thankful.

One - it is hoped - gains a heart of wisdom, through interaction with His Word and the world. I've been around a while, for which I rejoice! This is not my first rodeo!

Over the years, people (not always the young, retirees for financial reasons do the same) believe it's best to live together before or outside of the marriage bed.

Well, the One who certainly has been through many rodeos is God Himself; He is marriage's architect some four to ten thousand years ago! He is Wisdom (Proverbs 8:12 f; 1 Cor. 1:30).

Some reason: let's try it out first; let's see if we love each other.

Well, love is not a feeling but a commitment. Commitment - as evidenced by God Himself in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world..." reveals love's definition.

God didn't check you out to see whether you're compatible. God first and continually commits and continually gives of Himself to you.

This is sustainable love. Such is marriage God's way. It's a daily grind with the Spirit's help to fight to put self last and the other one first, is it not?

Sexual experimentation before or outside of marriage is absolute destruction to your faith in Jesus!

As St. Paul says, "For if you live according to the flesh (fleshly desires), you will die..." (Romans 8:13). That is, you undermine and may even lose your faith in Jesus! It's a spiritual poison!

"Pastor, what is the one thing that would increase the chance of me having a divorce?" "Glad you asked; it's cohabitation." Don't live together before your public commitment! God the architect writes in Hebrews 13:4, "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed by undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous." Your heavenly Father knows best; violation of the marriage bed has destructive consequences!

America disparages the marriage bed, by cohabitation, open and multiple marriages! This is a dishonoring of the marriage bed and, according to God, it's not "acceptable worship," (Heb. 12:28).

Secular studies affirm the fact of the destructive consequences of cohabitation!

Glenn T. Stanton writes that "cohabitation increases the possibility of divorce by as much as 50 percent."

He continues: "In both situations (premarital and cohabitation) intimate emotional, physical and even spiritual bonds are being made-without being backed up by the kind of commitment they demand.

It is like walking on a tightrope without a net below."[1] And, he states (in citing another author), that "cohabitation (is) one of the most 'robust predictors of marital dissolution'- making living together first one of the worst things you can do for your marriage. Wow, it is the worst thing to do!

What is one to do? Have your conscience - and body - cleansed by Jesus' blood in church!

Repent and believe the Good News! And, don't let the world keep seducing you into unholy ways. God's word and counsel is always best. It's not His first rodeo!

Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran

[1][1] The Ring Makes All the Difference: The Hidden Consequences of Cohabitation and the Strong Benefits of Marriage," Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2011, pp. 62-63, emphasis added.