Everybody talks about how important it is to forgive one another, but do we really believe it, especially if we’ve been hurt in a big way? Some say forgiveness is a possibility, others say “no”, it’s just a pious platitude that idealistic people wish for but isn’t practical. Most would probably say forgiveness depends on the severity of the hurt the individual has experienced.
How about you? How do you feel about forgiving other people? More importantly, are you able to forgive? If you’re like most of us, you probably would like to be able to forgive a whole lot more than you do.
But it is hard to forgive. The feelings are so strong. Feelings of resentment, bitterness and even downright hate can overwhelm us.
And then we go to church on Sunday and pray the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Those words stop us in our unforgiving tracks. Jesus says that we can’t expect God to forgive us if we can’t forgive other people. Forgiveness is that important!
If you are starting to feel a little uncomfortable, maybe even some resentment – that’s okay. We’re all beginners when it comes to learning how to forgive. But no matter how hard it is, forgiving is the wise way of the Christian life.
Someone once said, “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” We all need help in this area of our lives. Let’s begin to walk the path of forgiveness together.
Saturday evening service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
Friday, July 28, 2017
Friday, July 21, 2017
The Ant and the Grasshopper
In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"
"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil.
When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger - while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for days of need. Aesop
It’s an old story many of us heard when we were little children. The point is pretty obvious: be disciplined in getting your work done before you play. Discipline, that’s a hard word for all of us at any age. There is a powerful portion of Grasshopper in all of us that just wants to put off the tough stuff in life until another day. In no area of life is this disdain for discipline more harmful than in our relationship with Jesus.
When we’re young we’re too busy for him because we’re having fun. In middle age we don’t have time for him because we need to make money. And in later life we just don’t care any more because we’re all tired out.
This Sunday we continue our series in the book of Proverbs called The Way of Wisdom with a study on the disciplined Christian life. While discipline may not be the most attractive word in our vocabulary, it is definitely one of the most important. If the Grasshopper attitude is taking over more of you than you’d like, join us for one of our services this weekend.
Saturday evening service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"
"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil.
When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger - while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for days of need. Aesop
It’s an old story many of us heard when we were little children. The point is pretty obvious: be disciplined in getting your work done before you play. Discipline, that’s a hard word for all of us at any age. There is a powerful portion of Grasshopper in all of us that just wants to put off the tough stuff in life until another day. In no area of life is this disdain for discipline more harmful than in our relationship with Jesus.
When we’re young we’re too busy for him because we’re having fun. In middle age we don’t have time for him because we need to make money. And in later life we just don’t care any more because we’re all tired out.
This Sunday we continue our series in the book of Proverbs called The Way of Wisdom with a study on the disciplined Christian life. While discipline may not be the most attractive word in our vocabulary, it is definitely one of the most important. If the Grasshopper attitude is taking over more of you than you’d like, join us for one of our services this weekend.
Saturday evening service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
Friday, July 14, 2017
Feeling Good
“I just want to feel good, have some fun and be happy.”
You might be thinking, “Since this is a church blog the quote above isn’t the way I should feel. But to be honest, I can’t help wondering what’s wrong with wanting to feel good, have some fun and be happy?”
The answer to that question is, “Absolutely nothing!” Christians would definitely be very warped people if we only wanted to experience pain, suffering and unhappiness. The great difference between feeling good as a Christian and feeling good as a non-believer is the goal. Christians see feeling good as a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ. For many non-believers, pursuing those things which make them feel good is the primary goal of life. For Christians, we have limits and boundaries which protect us from distorting our desire to feel good. On the other hand, without Christ it is not difficult to find oneself living by the motto: “If it feels good, do it,” which has led to incredible physical and emotional pain in the lives of countless people.
Rather than restricting or forbidding human pleasure, God designed that part of us and tells us how best to enjoy this blessing without it taking over. If lately, you’ve been asking yourself, “Am I having fun yet?”, join us for one of our weekend services. You may discover that God is the Master of feeling good, having some fun and being happy.
Saturday evening service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
You might be thinking, “Since this is a church blog the quote above isn’t the way I should feel. But to be honest, I can’t help wondering what’s wrong with wanting to feel good, have some fun and be happy?”
The answer to that question is, “Absolutely nothing!” Christians would definitely be very warped people if we only wanted to experience pain, suffering and unhappiness. The great difference between feeling good as a Christian and feeling good as a non-believer is the goal. Christians see feeling good as a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ. For many non-believers, pursuing those things which make them feel good is the primary goal of life. For Christians, we have limits and boundaries which protect us from distorting our desire to feel good. On the other hand, without Christ it is not difficult to find oneself living by the motto: “If it feels good, do it,” which has led to incredible physical and emotional pain in the lives of countless people.
Rather than restricting or forbidding human pleasure, God designed that part of us and tells us how best to enjoy this blessing without it taking over. If lately, you’ve been asking yourself, “Am I having fun yet?”, join us for one of our weekend services. You may discover that God is the Master of feeling good, having some fun and being happy.
Saturday evening service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
Friday, July 7, 2017
When No One Is Watching
Integrity is what you do when no one is watching; it’s doing the right thing all the time, even when it may work to your disadvantage. Integrity is keeping your word. Integrity is that internal compass and rudder that directs you to where you know you should go when everything around you is pulling you in a different direction. Some people think reputation is the same thing as integrity, but they are two different things. Your reputation is the public perception of your integrity. Because it’s other people’s opinions of you, it may or may not be accurate. Others determine your reputation, but only you determine your integrity.
Integrity is critical to everything we do because it is the foundation of trustworthiness in our own eyes, in the eyes of those around us, and in God’s eyes.
From the moment you are born, you—and you alone—determine whether you will be a person of integrity. Integrity does not come in degrees—low, medium, or high. You either have integrity or you do not. (Tony Dungee, Uncommon)
Join us for one of our services this weekend as we continue to walk in the way of wisdom as it is presented in the book of Proverbs. This week we’ll consider what it means to live a life of integrity – even when no one is watching except the Lord.
Saturday evening service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
Integrity is critical to everything we do because it is the foundation of trustworthiness in our own eyes, in the eyes of those around us, and in God’s eyes.
From the moment you are born, you—and you alone—determine whether you will be a person of integrity. Integrity does not come in degrees—low, medium, or high. You either have integrity or you do not. (Tony Dungee, Uncommon)
Join us for one of our services this weekend as we continue to walk in the way of wisdom as it is presented in the book of Proverbs. This week we’ll consider what it means to live a life of integrity – even when no one is watching except the Lord.
Saturday evening service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
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Hawaii Lutheran Church (WELS)
- Community Lutheran Church
- Honolulu, HI
- Community Lutheran Church holds protestant chapel services in Honolulu, Hawaii near Pearl Harbor, HI. We are next to the USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hickam Air Force Base, and Fort Shafter Hawaii. Look for us directly behind the Salt Lake, Hawaii, Target.