St. Paul Lutheran Church

08/22/2026

Update: All spots have been filled. Thank you. Please check back after September 10 if you would like to see if there are any cancellations or get your name on a waiting list.

St Paul is partnering with the Checkered Flag and Napa again this year to give free oil changes to those who might need a little help during these hard economic times.. Oil, filters, needed fluid levels, tire pressure and vacuuming the front seat, cleaning the windshield will all be provided at no charge on September 13th by appointment only. Limited number of services available. Please call 785-258-0218 to schedule your appointment. Must have year and make and model of car, and how many cylinders. No diesels .

08/17/2026

Sometimes it’s almost painful to learn how others see us as compared to how we think others see us or how we see ourselves.

Maybe we think we’re humble and kind. Maybe others think we’re uppity and selfish.
We may think we are good Christians and others may see us as fakes.
Maybe we think we’re homely but other see us as very pretty.
Maybe we think we’re friendly but others think we’re snooty.
Maybe we think we’re pretty intelligent, but others see us as being a brick short of a full load.
Or maybe we think we’re dumb but others think we’re pretty smart.

Maybe we think we’re ambitious but others think we’re lazy.
Maybe we think we are very strapped for money and others see us as very comfortable.

Perspective is everything and many of you have heard me say “ your point of view depends on your viewpoint.”
For instance: people who work in a 40 hour week job they think they’re very ambitious and hard workers. But people who work a 40 hour week and another part-time job and are still struggling may see people as lazy if they only work 40 hours a week.

Maybe you are a talker and visit with just about anybody you see and know but if the day comes when you don’t speak with someone or have to be in a hurry and don’t talk to someone,  they think you are uppity or unfriendly.

We all know we can’t please everybody every day, but we keep trying to live in a godly way and be kind to others.

Is there such a thing as internal and external goodness? Can we seem aloof and uncaring on the outside, but have a kind and generous heart?
Maybe when people are seemingly unkind to us for no reason we need to try to understand why – try to know them better and show them the way of Christ with our kindness and goodness.
Maybe we need to be as willing to seek out the good in them as we are to criticize them. Maybe we need to practice forgiveness.

Even Jesus, in yesterday‘s gospel, basically ignored the Canaanite woman who asked for his help- at first. Her feelings had to be terribly hurt- but she persisted in getting what she needed from him and he recognized her faith and God‘s power and love. Are we willing to be that persistent in seeking the goodness and generosity of God and others?

And so let us continue trying to be examples of God‘s love and goodness- even when we feel like others have slighted us or ignored us. Let us give them the same grace we want to receive
when we have dropped the ball on showing kindness. Let us try to understand what is in the heart.

Heavenly Father,
Let us just “ love one another, ”
and broaden our point of view.
Amen.

08/12/2026

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD
I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to see this, but I’ve recently come to realize that there are two sets of promises found in the Scriptures. There are promises that are ours simply because God Loves Us, but there is also a set of promises that belong to Those Who Love God.

For instance, everyone knows John 3:16 “For God so loved… that He gave His only son… that we might have eternal life.” The gift of eternal life is AVAILABLE to us because of “God’s Love for Us.”

There are other scriptures, however, that offer God’s promises with the prerequisite that “We Love Him.” I’ve quoted the promise of Romans 8:28 much of my life without fully appreciating or comprehending what it says. It tells us that “All things work together for good…. TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD”. Not to those “whom God loves” (that would be everybody). What a blessing to know that nothing can come my way except for that which is completely FOR MY GOOD! But, the condition of that promise must be met first… I must LOVE GOD.

I’m thankful that He loves me! But, to gain the full benefit of being in relationship with God, the love needs to be reciprocated. Here are a few other promises that remind us that there are special promises for those “WHO LOVE GOD.”

1.) James 1:12 (NIV) “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.

2.) 1 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV) “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM.”

3.) Psalm 145:20 (NLT) “The LORD protects all those WHO LOVE HIM, but he destroys the wicked.

4.) Daniel 9:4 (NIV) “I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with THOSE WHO LOVE HIM and keep his commandments.”

(Today's devotion from "My Morning Walks with God, Volume 1" - Available on Amazon)

This is certainly food for thought – I’ve never thought of it this way.

08/11/2026

Today is Tuesday, 11th of August.
Today, Pastor will lead our first Brown Bags and Bible study at Saint Paul. We will start at noon by eating the lunch that we each brought for ourselves and then go into about an hour Bible study on the topic of heaven. We will have questions and discussions about what we believe and Pastor will guide us through what the Bible says about heaven and what it means. Everyone is welcome to attend – certainly you do not have to be a member of Saint Paul- this is for anyone at all who is interested
We will start at noon and finish up about 1:30. If you do not want to bring lunch, you don’t have to and we will start about 12:20 or 12:30 with our Bible study. We look forward to seeing you there – you might want to bring your Bible but we will also have Bibles there for your convenience.

08/10/2026

There are many things that remind us of God’s grace and love.
My family had an unbelievable scare this weekend when my grandson had a four wheeler accident. Your heart stops when you hear the news – and then you realize it’s not life-threatening and it could’ve been much worse. And you go from being angry and scared to being so incredibly thankful to God for showing his grace and love and being there to love and protect.
Many of you have heard me say that sometimes you have to be so thankful for what did not happen that what did happen doesn’t seem so bad.

So today especially, my heart is full to the max of thankfulness to God. The longer I live, the more I realize how true his promises are and how much grace he gives us all.
My grandson was just confirmed this spring, and so I have tried to use this incident to remind him of some of the things he learned in confirmation - how God always fulfills his promises and is always with him – how he will always hear his prayers and answer them. His injuries will heal, and the pain will be forgotten, but I hope he will always remember that God was with him on the day of the accident and every day.

Give thanks to the Lord,for he is good; his love endures forever." — Psalm 107:1

08/10/2026

08/05/2026

What is your ministry? How do you practice your faith? Do you go to church? Do you help with food drives or getting food to those who need it? Do you pray for others or attend bible study?
Do you financially support organizations that help others?
Do you volunteer in your community to make it a better place for everyone?

There are so many ways that we can practice our faith-and faith without works is dead- that is revealed to us in the book of James. Does that mean that if we do not practice our faith, we are spiritually dead?

It doesn’t have to be great big acts- sometimes the smallest acts of kindness mean the most. I know I fall short, but I try every day to do something kind for someone else. Maybe it’s a phone call to someone who is ill or alone, maybe it is a text trying to build somebody up, maybe it’s a Facebook post sharing my faith, maybe send a card or a treat, maybe it’s an act of kindness to a family member, acquaintance, or even a stranger. And definitely I pray for others – alot.
I’m ashamed to admit how many days I probably forget or think I’m too busy. Sometimes though we share those acts of faith without even realizing it. Maybe it’s a big smile to someone having a bad day, or a hug or just listening or showing compassion. Maybe it’s sharing a story of our faith or what Jesus has done for us. Maybe it’s just being a good human being.
 The important thing is to realize that we are encouraged by each other and each other’s faith- whether it’s as big and loud as singing in church on a Sunday morning or as gentle and quiet as hands pressed in prayer.
Don’t ever doubt that your acts of faith, however small matter. Every day is a great day for faithful work. And because of our faith, we will be led to kindness and love for one another.

Gracious God, bless the work of my hands and heart to encourage others in their faith. Amen.

08/04/2026

I was reminded this morning that God ain’t finished with me yet – (nor is he finished with you).
It’s easy to assume in the twilight of our years that we can just kick back and relax – just do what we wanna do and let the world go by as it will. We’re really too old to change much of anything now anyway. We think we have peaked and it’s someone else’s turn to do the job. Think again.!

We might wonder” if that is so, when will he be finished with us?” I guess that answer is when Jesus comes again to take us home.
Do you see what God is doing?
He is doing good works in you and through you. And he will not stop. So continue to do good works that are pleasing to him.
Cause he ain’t finished with you yet either!

“ Jesus will keep you strong until the end so that there will be no wrong in you on the day Our Lord Jesus comes again.”
1 Corinthians1:8.