St. Paul's

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

09/08/2026

Portals of Prayer

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

Read | Kings 8:1-4
Psalm 86:8-13

Teach me Your way, O LoRD, that I may walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. Psalm 86:11

Halakh b'Emet (Walking in Truth)

It’s embarrasing , getting caught telling a lie causes a brokenness in trust, especially between those with whom we are closest. The psalmist knew what it was like to go far astray from God's will and way. Not only did he tragically let people down, but he let himself down too (see 2 Samuel
11-12).

We are told that the most difficult member of our body to tame is the tongue. Although it is one of the smallest members, it can be the most destructive. For with it we can both bless the Lord and denigrate others (James 3:9).

When I first came to faith in 1973, I had a heightened awareness of every word I spoke. The Holy Spirit was guiding me into the truth of God's Word. There was genuine peace in my life. But over time, I grew complacent, and untruths crashed into my thoughts and words.

Do you wrestle with speaking God's truth? We are all in the same boat. The enemy of our souls connives to separate us from the love of the Lord by driving a wedge into our thoughts and actions. "Teach me Your way" is a plea to stay near to the Lord and to bless others while walking in His holy truth. Be comforted that you can draw near to the Lord in His Word and be strengthened by His body and blood.

Abba, Father, teach me to walk in truth by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

09/07/2026

Portals of Prayer

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

Read Matthew 22:1-10
Psalm 39:12
And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good.
So the wedding hall was filled with guests. Matthew 22:10

Ushpizin (Guests)

The invitation had been extended and the banquet was waiting, but the people ignored the invitation.
Have you been invited to events you did not attend?
Have you invited others to celebrate with you and been disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm? Our culture is sadly isolation-centered. We huddle in our homes and eschew engaging with others as a defense mechanism to avoid the potential of painful interactions or rejection.
God created us to thrive in social settings. We need one another for the communal good and to bring fulfillment to our lives—be it at school or work, among family or strangers. God invites us to be His guest in His kingdom and offers us joy and shalom (peace) when we abide in His blessings and promises.

What is the key to this parable in Matthew 22? The first to refuse Christ's invitation to salvation were the Jewish people. The second were the Gentiles. Still, He sends His servants, pastors, to share the Gospel with everyone, "both bad and good" (Matthew 22:10). Praise be to God that we are clothed in Christ's righteousness, guests at His eterna feast!

O Lord, empower us to go outside our comfort zone and be great guests through Jesus. In His name. Amen.

09/06/2026

Portals of Prayer

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Read Isaiah 4:2-6
Psalm 42:1-6
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 42:1-2

Nefesh Tzame (My Soul Thirsts)

As a youngster, I spent several summers at Camp Reed near Spokane, Washington. The two-week sessions were filled with horseback riding, archery, boating, swimming, and hiking. The memory of one of those hikes remains with me to this day. It was much warmer than usual, and we were traveling without canteens. Unfortunately, there was no water to drink along the path.

Halfway through the hike, I developed a huge thirst! No water was available to quench my parched throat. But at the end, there was a pump to draw up refreshing, cool water from a well. It seemed no matter how much water I took in, my body still demanded that I take in more.

In the years since, I continuously encounter my real need: to have my spiritual thirst quenched by God's gift of salvation. Jesus' promise of living water flows into my parched soul and brings new life.

Today, when we contend with spiritual drought, it is not because the fountain of life stops flowing but because we journey the highways of life by ourselves, without the Lord.
Praise God that He reminds us to draw living water from the well of salvation that Jesus provides.

Lord, keep us close to You and pour living water daily

09/05/2026

Portals of Prayer

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Read Nehemiah 8:14-17
Psalm 119:105-110
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105

Ner v'Or (Lamp and Light)

Are you ready for the Lord's return? Jesus taught His disciples in parables. One parable was that of the wise and foolish virgins waiting for the bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13). Half came prepared with flasks of oil should he tarry; the others did not, and they ran out. The foolish virgins had to secure more oil. While they were gone, the bridegroom came and invited those prepared with Ner v'Or (lamp and light) to come into the celebration.

This world is a dark place. Spiritual forces of evil seek to engulf us and keep us away from the light of life.
Distractions are strewn across our paths to hinder and block our way of drawing close to the Lord.

Can you see it in your life? If someone has neither the lamp of the Law nor the light of the world, they will founder and be closed out of the kingdom forever. Such is the potential plight of nearly six billion Gentiles and 99 percent of the sixteen million Jewish people today. We must declare the Gospel of Christ crucified now.

Those who know Messiah are led by the Holy Spirit, who lovingly guides us through the treacheries of this brief life. Let's bring the message of light and life, of grace and mercy, to those trapped in spiritual darkness.

Lord, strengthen me today to be a shining light, illuminating the hope of Your salvation through Jesus. In His name. Amen.

09/04/2026

Portals of Prayer

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Read Deuteronomy 31:10-11
Psalm 119:97-103

Oh how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.
Psalm 119:97

Torah (The Law of God)

Some may think that when God gave the law to Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave only Ten Commandments, the
ones written on tablets of stone. By tradition, some Jews count 613 commands recorded in the Books of Moses.

These commands focus on agriculture, festivals, women, damages, holy things, and purifications.

The Lord gave all these commands to Israel. He called on Israel to meditate on His laws, pass them along to their children, and teach them when they go out and come in.
Once every seven years, Israel was to present herself to the Lord for a complete hearing of the Law of God. This was a teaching time when the next generation received their first hearing of God's instruction and the older generations received reminders and reinforcement of God's commands.

The psalmist reflects an attitude of deep yearning for the Lord and His Law. How does this impact your life? Do you live for yourself or for the Lord and His kingdom? How are you doing with loving the Lord with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul?

Draw close to God and His Word, and let His love wash over you today. He loves you greatly-so much so that He sent His own Son to fulfill the Law for you once and for all!

Lord, help me meditate on Your Law and receive the joy of Your salvation once again. In Jesus' name. Amen.

09/03/2026

Portals of Prayer

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

Read Deuteronomy 16:16
Psalm 122:1-7
I was glad when they said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LorD!" Psalm 122:1

Aliyah (To Go Up)

Three times a year, the men of Israel were called to make
aliyah-to go up to Jerusalem-bringing with them the firstfruits of the barley harvest at Passover, the wheat harvest at Pentecost, and the fruit harvest in the fall at Tabernacles. It is called aliyah because Jerusalem is built upon a hill. Regardless of which direction you are coming from, you are always ascending. Aliyah was a great joy.

Life was hard in the land. When the harvest was done, Israel looked forward to coming together, presenting their offerings, and rejoicing before the Lord. God granted His grace, mercy, and blessings for their efforts and faithfulness.
Today, there is no temple in Jerusalem. The voluntary offerings are not brought forward. Yet we do have the joy of coming together weekly as a body of believers in Y'shua-Jesus, the Messiah-and celebrating that He offered Himself for us.

When you attend worship services, do you find it a mere custom or the expectation of others? Or are you genuinely glad to go to the house of the Lord, receive His Holy Meal, and praise Him for what He has done in your life? Count your blessings; name them one by one. Rejoice greatly today!

Lord, thank You for Your gifts and promises.
I rejoice in what You have done! In Jesus' name. Amen.

09/02/2026

Wednesday Bible Hour!
Join us at St. Paul's Lutheran Church tonight. Bring your questions and ideas to the table.

09/02/2026

Portals of Prayer

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Read Leviticus 23:33-36
Psalm 16:7-11

You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:1 l

Orach Hachi'im (The Path of Life)

When I first began my ministry in the 1970s, I did a lot of traveling around the country. We told our mission story and sought the prayers and support of other Christians. The hardest part was getting to each church. This was before GPS and cell phones. I had to ask for very specific directions.

Sometimes, we were looking for small signposts directing us where to turn. The path was uncertain as we traveled unfamiliar roads. Today, of course, it is much different. Set the GPS on my car or open the app on my cell phone and turn-by-turn directions are voiced, even making corrections when I miss a turn. Oh, what a difference!

Wouldn't it be great if we had such a device for the daily path of our lives, a guide and directions that compensate when we miss turns and get off our spiritual track? The good news is that the Lord has given us a guide-His Holy Spirit infusing our life with His love and direction. No, He will not drive the car for us, but He will give us corrective notices if we are willing to listen. Best of all, Jesus has traveled the path before us and prepares a place for us-salvation and eternity in heaven with Him!

Lord, help us to clearly hear Your guiding voice on life's winding roads. In Jesus' name. Amen.

09/01/2026

Portals of Prayer

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Read Leviticus 23:4
Psalm 116:1-6
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. Psalm 116:13

Ktzav Hachi' im (The Rhythm of Life)
Oh, how easy it is to get out of kilter and try to go it alone. The demands on our attention are incessant: the news of the minute, the horrors of wars, inhumane treatment of our fellow man. It is no wonder our spirits are vexed. When we get out of rhythm with the Lord, we spiral downward.

Life is hard. The enemy of our soul revels in false victory, shifting our focus to things that do not count for eternity.
Our living Lord invites us to join Him in caring for ourselves and one another through His yearly festival cycle. Through God's Word, these biblical holidays and Church Year observances remind us of His intervention in human history, especially in sending His Son, Jesus, as our Savior. God's appointed feasts are designed to renew joy in our hearts. The Lord invites us to live in community, becoming the people He intended.
This spiritual journey offers us deeper understandings and intensified relationships with our God and those we know. Indeed, it is risky to step forward in faith. But what are the alternatives? A life of pseudospirituality and humdrum activities that lead nowhere?

Let us lift the cup of salvation and call on the Lord to renew our spirits, and let us serve Him with gladness.

Lord, I come to You today, asking for Your leading and for growth in my walk with You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

08/31/2026

Portals of Prayer

Read John 6:35-51
Psalm 14:1-4

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:40

Through Jesus, We Know God

As scientists explore the wonders of outer space with ever more sophisticated telescopes and satellites, the little lanet we live on can seem insignificant. How do human beings fit into the vast universe? Who is God? Where is He?

Gazing at a tiny newborn, we see the perfection of low all the complicated parts of a human being have been niraculously pulled together out of our sight, in the safety ind secrecy of a mother's womb. Perhaps our creative God seems a little more up close and personal from this angle?
One thing is sure: Only foolish people deny the existence of God (Psalm 14:1).

There is a reliable way to know God: through knowing the Son, Jesus, of whom it is written, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). God dwelling among people-that sounds like paradise! Jesus promises that those who eat of the living bread that came down from heaven will live forever: "And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh" (John 6:51).

Jesus, thank You for taking human flesh so that You could die for our sins and rise again, that we may have new life eternally with You. Amen.

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Sage And Opal
Kemmerer, WY
83101

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