Thought for the Day NCTV 45 transcripts

Monday Nov 11, 2024

Hi this is Pastor Jim Driskell of Christ Lutheran Church with the NCTV 45 thought for the Day.

Today is Veteran’s Day observed. Did you know that only about 1% of Americans wear a military uniform. Back in Vietnam it was less than 10 %, Korea, World Wars, it was over 10 percent. But today’s military is very specialized, very highly trained, highly motivated and very professional at all levels. In the Coast Guard, for example over 25% of the enlisted personnel have bachelor’s degrees. The American public is served by a very elite military in all branches and at all levels. These people all put themselves in the forefront of the action, putting themselves where they protect Americans and our various interests in areas all around the world. This may seem self-serving. I had the privilege of serving in the UNITED STATES COAST GUARD in various capacities for 29 years, at a boat station saving lives and property in Naval Coastal Warfare ready to deploy anywhere in the world to protect United States and Allies High Value Assets. I did a stint in the Aids to Navigation, maintaining the buoy system, lighthouses and other aids in the Massachusetts Bay area. I am very privileged that my son was in training to be a combat medic, my nephew served in the Air Force, my oldest brother Coast Guard, next Army, next Navy and my last brother served in the Marines. My father served in the Air Force, so our family has all the services covered and we were all very blessed and very privileged to do so. It is nice to hear people thank you for your service, but we are privileged to serve a great people and a great nation.

I’m Jim Driskell the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church 1302 E Washington St, New Castle, Pa check us on the web Christlutheran-new castle.org questions comments contact me on the website. Sunday worship is at 10:30am all are welcome, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day.

Tuesday Nov 12, 2024

Hi this is Pastor Jim Driskell of Christ Lutheran Church with the NCTV 45 thought for the Day.

The Rev Dr Martin Luther, who essentially founded the movement of the Protestant Churches because of his stand against the Roman Catholic church which brought the split of those churches disputing Roman Catholics teaching of works, of indulgences, money the penitent would pay to lessen their time in purgatory, which Luther asserted doesn’t exist. It doesn’t there is nothing at all in the Bible that refers to purgatory. Luther was a great proponent of prayer and not in some gratuitous way that many others in the Protestant churches make it to be. Luther once said I pray for over an hour each day, and if it’s going to be a busy/difficult day, I pray for two hours. That was to emphasize the need he and the rest of us have for prayer, especially when we know the going will be tough that day. Dr Luther’s barber asked him how he should pray. Luther wrote the book “A simple way to pray for Peter the Barber”. Our Synod president, he’s the president of all the Lutheran churches, translated Luther’s book from German. You should get a copy it is very helpful, very encouraging. You can order it from Concordia Publishing House, on-line it’s cph.org We all need to continue to grow in our prayer life. Dr Luther helped Peter and millions of others to go deeper in their prayers for their benefit and to be moved closer to God. You will too.

Wednesday Nov 13, 2024

Hi this is Pastor Jim Driskell of Christ Lutheran Church with the NCTV 45 thought for the Day.

Started talking about “A Simple way to pray for Peter the Barber”. Dr Luther titled the book that way, not because it was just for Peter the Barber, but because Peter asked him about prayer. This was translated by Rev Dr Matt Harrison the president of our synod. So often it happens to me, obviously to Luther and I’m sure every parish pastor. The disciples asked Jesus “Teach us to pray”, Luke 11: 1-13. Is there a “right” way to pray. I’ve had many times where it’s been, here it is God, help me to deal with this. As I’ve said before, these are called the “spiritual disciplines” for a reason, they are discipline just like any other activity that requires skill, training. I do triathlons, whether a person is good or not, I’m not good, but in order to finish to improve, to achieve the conditioning necessary you need to have discipline and do what is necessary to even achieve your goals in any “discipline. Dr Luther said he prayed for at least an hour each day . I wish I had that kind of discipline, guess I need to work on my game. One way to break out of praying the laundry list that so much of us do, take some time to read through Scripture, I recommend the Psalms or one of the Gospels. When you come to a passage that has particular meaning lift it up in prayer to the Father in Jesus’ Name. Maybe even write out in a journal what you read and what you took away from it. This way we grow deeper, our spiritual roots are stronger. We can bear the trials and issues in our life by our discipline.

Thursday Nov 14, 2024

Hi this is Pastor Jim Driskell of Christ Lutheran Church with the NCTV 45 thought for the Day.

As you would imagine disciplines require a certain setting, certain equipment, certain mindset. Dr Harrison suggests:

“Praying in the way described by Luther requires a time of solitude and intentionality. It will also require a period of preparation—perhaps following a brief order of prayer like that found on pages 294–98 of Lutheran Service Book (Concordia, 2006), or the inside front cover of The Lutheran Study Bible (Concordia, 2009).” you can get all this “equipment” through Concordia Publishing house, cph.org These will give you a lot of good information and will really set the stage to help you get situated for a time of serious prayer. Yes, it does take some time. Try getting up earlier in the morning. Create a family “altar”. Mark it with a crucifix. Yes, a crucifix, come on let’s start getting real about Jesus. If Jesus didn’t die on that cross than all the other stuff really doesn’t matter we die in our sins if Jesus doesn’t make His vicarious sacrifice to pay the penalty of our sins. Certainly have a Bible on the altar, a Lutheran Service Book would be good. The Lutheran Study Bible is a great way to really study Scripture and these resources all complement each other. Bring your journal with you, lift up your prayers. Take your time, write down some things during the day that aren’t just a wish list, but what it is that the Holy Spirit is doing in your life. Wait on God, be patient, let Him guide you. You may not like it, He may not be going fast enough or in the “right” direction, but it is going to be the way He wants it whether you like it or not.

Friday Nov 15, 2024

Hi this is Pastor Jim Driskell of Christ Lutheran Church with the NCTV 45 thought for the Day.

We are talking about Pastor Matt Harrison’s translation of Dr Martin Luther’s classic book “A Simple way to pray for Peter the Barber”. It’s for all of us to pray better, get more out of our prayers, grow closer to Jesus. Pastor Matt writes about Hebrews 13:17: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” OK might seem a little self-serving and worthy of a much deeper discussion, but for now let’s focus on how you can take guidance from the Bible, in prayer, in order to follow God’s will. God made it for a man to serve as a pastor. We may not always think the pastor is the best choice, but it’s God’s call not yours, I assure you, you, me, no one in the congregation is smarter than God. Pray on what God is doing through His under shepherd, His pastor. Also this will get you into a mode that will stop making it about every thing that is really kind of small in terms of eternity; heal my creaky joints, let me get a raise at work, why can’t that grouchy neighbor next door move and move you into genuine growth in what is God’s will for your life, not what you want to fuss about. This is called Christian maturity. That is what your pastor and God are trying to move you towards.

Pastor Jim Driskell

If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write. – Dr Martin Luther

Thought for the Day NCTV 45 transcripts

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Share this:

Related

Leave a comment Cancel reply