St. Paul's

St. Paul's A congregation of the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod serving Kemmerer, Diamondville, Frontier, Opal, Twin Creeks, and Cokeville, Wyoming.

06/07/2026

Portals of Prayer

SUNDAY, JUNE 7

Read Matthew 5:14-16
Psalm 49:14-18

You are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14

You Are the Light

Solar lights are a popular addition to landscaped yards. They absorb energy from the suns rays during the day and release it when the sun goes down,giving off gentle light. Without the power of the sun, solar lights would be useless; you may as well put a stick in your yard.

As Christians, we function a bit like solar lights. We are called to be the light of the world, but we cannot give off any light without Jesus. It's tempting to think that we're giving off light from within ourselves when we show kindness, hold our tongue when others wound us, or do good deeds that enrich others' lives. But without the light of Jesus filling us, forgiving us, and making us new, we cast as much light as a stick. We must receive power from the Son if we are to shine at all!

Through God's Word, we are continually filled with His light. His Spirit renews our faith in our Savior, reminds us of God's grace, and points us to live in our God-appointed callings as husbands, wives, parents, coworkers, neighbors, and friends. Through our daily living, God uses us-flawed but forgiven people-to be the light of Jesus.

Jesus, let Your light shine on us so we can be
the light of the world in what we say, think, and do. Amen.

06/06/2026

Portals of Prayer

SATURDAY, JUNE 6

Read Luke 23:44-49
Psalm 56
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed.
Luke 23:44-45

Extinguished Light?

Perhaps you may recall a few years ago when a total solar eclipse crossed parts of the nation. I experienced it in person. It was eerie. Daytime seemed like late evening, and even the birds quieted their afternoon song. If we hadn't known what was happening, we could have been terrified. Which makes me wonder: What did people think when the sky went dark the day Jesus died?

In that moment, the disciples and women who followed Jesus must have wondered if the light of the world was being extinguished for good. God caused all of nature to respond to the despair of that hour as Jesus took all the evil of the world upon Himself, suffering the fullness of God's anger over our sin. It looked like evil had won. And yet, in the very moment when it appeared the darkness was victorious, the Light was breaking its power forever.
The appearance of defeat was actually the very moment of victory. Three days later, dawn broke, and the Light rose again, the victor over death and the grave-and all who trust in Him were given hope that can never be extinguished.

Jesus, light of the world, no power of darkness is greater than You.
You are victorious over all things, even death. Praise the Lord! Amen.

06/05/2026

Portals of Prayer

FRIDAY, JUNE 5

Read John 1:1-5
Psalm 90:7-12

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying,"I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

Jesus, the Light

I'm sure most of us can relate to the experience of waking at night and, rather than turning on a light, groping about with arms outstretched, shuffling our feet and hoping we have not misjudged the distance to the door. After an unpleasant confrontation with the furniture, we get smart:
We plug in a night light. Problem solved!

We all know the difference one small light makes in a dark room. So how well do we recognize the difference the true light of the world makes in our darkness? Jesus is the light of the world; He is also the light of your world.
Encounters with His light can be painful: He exposes the selfishness that keeps us from fully loving others. Our pride flinches in the light of truth as our true nature is revealed.

But the light of Jesus drives the darkness right out of us.
Every day, the Holy Spirit works to reveal our sin to us and draw us continually back to the light of grace and truth found in Jesus, the Word made flesh. He fills us with His light so that we can live in true light and life.

Holy Spirit, let the light of truth convict me of sin and lead me in the right way of living. In Jesus' name. Amen.

06/04/2026

Portals of Prayer

THURSDAY, JUNE 4

Read Isaiah 30:18-26
Psalm 44:1-8

Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,... as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord binds up the brokenness of His people, and heals the wounds inflicted by His blow. Isaiah 30:26

The Coming Light

Have you ever noticed the moon's reflection on a wind-stirred lake? It's disjointed and hazy. You can see only a fractured image of the whole. And yet, despite the imprecise representation, the moon's light is visible in the reflection.

In a similar way, the Gospel was revealed in the Old Testament. The precise how, when, where, and what were hidden, but the embers of the coming light were visible.
God's faithful people believed that the coming fulfillment of His promises would free them from their enemies, restore the broken, and be as the sun breaking the horizon at dawn, bringing new understanding and knowledge of God.

We stand on the other side of those promises. Jesus Christ is the light that destroys the darkness of sin, death, and Satan. His power over death restores us to true life, and we live in the light of God's grace, holding on to God's promises that He will one day return and finish His work of restoration. In that day, His power and glory will be on full display.

Jesus, thank You for the promise You gave Your faithful people and for the fulfillment we now live in as Your children. Amen.

06/03/2026

Portals of Prayer
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3

Read Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm 4

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Exodus 34:29

Veiled Face

'he was glowing with pride." "His face glowed when he
saw his bride," we might say. Our faces can convey the radiance of deep joy, but I've never met anyone whose face glowed in a way that I was afraid to look at it. The Israelites did, though.

Moses met with God on the mountain for forty days, and when he came down, his face was glowing because he had been in the presence of God. The light of Moses' face terrified the Israelites. Why? Because it was a visceral reminder of the fierce holiness of God and the very real unholiness of His people. So Moses wore a veil in the presence of the people, serving both to calm their fear and to remind them of their sinfulness.

That veil has been removed. God became flesh, and many people walked, talked, ate, drank, and experienced life with Jesus. They looked at God and lived. When Jesus died, He tore the veil that separated us from God (Matthew 27:51). One day, we, too, will look upon God's face in all its glory, without fear, and live.

Jesus, thank You for removing the veil and allowing us to come into Your presence. Amen.

06/02/2026

Portals of Prayer

TUESDAY, JUNE 2

Read Genesis 3:1-7
Psalm 27:1-5
I will put enmity between you and the woman... ;
He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."
Genesis 3:15

Darkness Enters Light

The theme of darkness and light has long been used to represent evil and good. The “good guys” are the candle in the darkness, the dawn breaking the dark night, the hope ever burning. The "bad guys," categorically evil, are represented by darkness or the color black. As Christians, this is familiar because the darkness-and-light analogy originates with the ancient pages of humanity's story.

In the beginning, God created light, and God's creation was perfect. But with the first sin, all creation was marred with its darkness. Sin corrupted God's perfect light.
Instead of eternal light and peace, the darkness of our sin introduced shame, separation from God, suffering, and discord with one another. Yet even then, while Adam and Eve sat in the despair of the darkness they had brought upon themselves, God offered a burning candle of hope: a Savior for all people. There would be One who would shatter this darkness and bring victory over sin and death, ensuring eternal light for all who believe.

Gracious God, Your eternal light penetrates the darkness brought about by our sin. Thank You for Your grace given in Jesus, which covers our sin and restores our light of hope. In His name. Amen.

06/01/2026

Portals of Prayer
MONDAY, JUNE 1

Read Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 19:1-6

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
Genesis 1:3

Let There Be Light

Light is crucial to our existence. Plants require it to grow. They, in turn, provide food for all creation. The sun is, of course, the source of light for our world. Studies of the sun show that if the earth's distance from it were to change even the slightest, our world would either quickly freeze over or be scorched. When God said, "Let there be light," He was being intentional, purposeful, and highly specific.

However, the first light did not come from the sun, for the sun, moon, and stars were not created until day four.
The first source of light was God Himself. He created light and yet did not create the physical source of light for our world-the sun-until later.

By this act, God reminds us that He is the source of light and also the source of life. His gift of light keeps the world alive, but it is God who sustains that light. His creation. of light by His Word alone points us ahead to the light of the world, the Word who became flesh: His Son, Jesus, who entered into this world to bring us true life and light through His death and resurrection.

Creator of light, You are our light and our life. Let Your Word pour on our hearts both light and life daily as we turn to You for all needs of body and soul.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

05/31/2026

Portals of Prayer
SUNDAY, MAY 31

THE HOLY TRINITY AND THE VISITATION

Read John 16:12-15, 20-24
Psalm 51:10-12

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. Psalm 51:12

Our Triune God Gives Joy

In our psalm verse, we pray, "Restore to me the joy of Your
Salvation." Why would we need joy restored? Because our sinful nature, the devil, and the world around us sn**ch away our salvation-joy.

The Father gives us salvation-joy because He loves us so much that He gave His eternal Son to die for us. He gives us this joy because, as Jesus says in our reading, "Whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you" (John 16:23). The Father wants to give us all the salvation-wonders associated with His Son. Ask for them!

The Son gives us the joy of salvation, for He created our salvation by His life, death, and resurrection. Because He went through all of that for our salvation, He certainly wants us to have the joy of salvation.

The Holy Spirit gives us the joy of salvation as He brings Christ to us through Word and Sacrament. Without the Spirit, we could not have any such salvation-joy. In the words of Psalm 51, immediately before we ask that the joy of salvation be restored, we pray: "Take not Your Holy Spirit from me" (v. 11). In other words, "God, keep me in Your Word and Sacraments so that the Spirit keeps restoring the joy of Your salvation."

O triune God, we praise You for creating our salvation and for restoring our joy in it. Amen.

05/30/2026

Portals of Prayer

SATURDAY, MAY 30

Read Titus 2:11-14
Psalm 130
And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Psalm 130:8

Our Redeemer Has Come!

Psalm gives the reason for praying the other verses of the psalm.
Verse 1 indicates that we pray this psalm when we are in the depths of misery, in pain, feeling discouraged, and mourning. Why are there such depths of misery in our lives? Sin. The psalm then says that no one-because of sin-should be able to stand before God. Then, amazingly, the psalm reminds us believers that we can stand before God because with Him there is forgiveness.
This psalm reminds us that as we wait for God's timing in our lives, we continue to look to His Holy Word, wherein we find the truth we desperately need. That truth centers in the prediction made in the final verse of the psalm: "And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities."

Why should God forgive us and hear us when we pray?
Why should we wait for God in our trials? Why should we put our hope in God's Word? Answer: The Redeemer who was predicted in the final verse of the psalm has come and has already redeemed us from iniquity by dying and rising from the dead!

Out of the depths of our sin-caused pain and problems, we joyfully trust in "our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us" (Titus 2:13-14).

Dear Redeemer, we trust that through You we can come to our Father in every need. Amen.

05/29/2026

Portals of Prayer
FRIDAY, MAY 29

Read Matthew 21:1-11
Psalm 118:25-27

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Psalm 1 1 8:26

The Liturgy of Salvation

The chanting of Psalm 118 was a significant part of Jewish worship in Jesus' day. The people prayed, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!"
The most significant day for praying Psalm 118 was Passover. As the Passover lambs were being sacrificed at the temple, the people were privileged to join the priests in chanting "Save now." "Save now" is the meaning of the Hebrew word hosanna. At the slaying of the Passover lambs, the Jews were chanting, in chorus, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

When Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem on the Sunday before Passover, the people chanted the familiar words: "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Perhaps it was due to the festive joy of Passover week. Or perhaps some of the Jews were making a connection between Jesus and the Passover lamb.

The church now appropriately incorporates these words into the Communion liturgy. As sinners, we chant,
"Hosanna" —that is, "save now." And as Jesus comes to us with His cross-centered salvation, riding, so to speak, on the donkey of bread and wine, we appropriately chant,
"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."

Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! In Jesus’name name. Amen.

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Sage And Opal
Kemmerer, WY
83101

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