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Thought for the Day April 21 – 25, 2025

Monday April 21, 2025

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

Today is Patriots Day, the one that’s been around since 1820, it is observed in Massachusetts and Maine. Patriots Day commemorates the beginning of the American Revolutionary War which began on the Lexington Green. Paul Revere, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem that school children used to have to memorize to commemorate the “Midnight Ride…” well Longfellow said it was about Paul Revere. Revere was quite instrumental in this opening confrontation with the British, he wasn’t alone. Dawes and Revere made it to Lexington then Prescott caught up to them, a British patrol stopped them and held Revere while Dawes and Prescott escaped and proceeded to Concord to alert the Minute-Men there. The British plan was to capture stores of weaponry that had been built up by the colonists. The British had no right to disarm the colonists like this, but in that period the British weren’t terribly concerned with the rules. I’m going to give you a condensed version of Longfellow’s poem: “Listen my children and you shall hear of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. On the eighteenth of April in 75 hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year… One if by land two if by sea and I on the opposite shore will be ready to ride and spread the alarm to every Middlesex village and farm… But mostly he watched with eager search the belfry-tower of the Old North Church, … on the belfry’s height a glimmer and then a gleam of light!… But lingers and gazes till full on his sight a second lamp in the belfry burns…” The Minutemen met the British on the Lexington Green. They were quickly broken up but gave the company in Concord more time to organize. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote the “Concord Hymn” “By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, there one the embattled farmers stood And fired the shot heard round the world.” The Americans turned the British Army back at that bridge in Concord and all the way back to Boston about 20 miles, Minutemen were attacking the British all along the way. These were the opening shots that resulted 7 years later in the British surrendering and America becoming a free and independent country. These ordinary men really did affect the course of human history and were a model for countries seeking independence around the world.

Christlutheran-new castle.org questions comments contact me on the website. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, ALL ARE WELCOME! With the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Tuesday April 22, 2025

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

OK, strap in cause this is going to rock some boats. There are organizations that often try to game the unsuspecting onlooker, they try to be the in-crowd, the all-knowing source of knowledge. Many have this odd idea that they know more than they actually know, and they presume on other areas of life much to their hazard and to the hazard of people who buy into their nonsense. We have churches that claim to be churches, but seriously seem to be a front for big-business. We have “churches” that ok, are churches, but their doctrine is so distorted and based on the teachings of people who have no basis for making their claims, teaching, but do, and it falls under that’s my opinion. If you have cancer try a cure from someone who gives you their “opinion”, good luck with that, I’m betting you’re going to die. Then there’s organizations that say they’re not churches, but seem to undermine orthodox, genuine churches with this sort of schtick: “Well we’re really not a church, but we claim, totally without any basis, that all churches lead to the same “god” and that actually “gods” that date back thousands of years are still present and active as “god”. When you start hearing double talk, or talk that is gimmee this, than gimmee more, than more, and never stops because it’s never satisfied, walk don’t run. As a genuine Christian minister, I’ve been vetted on a very regular basis, I have extensive education and training and now fifteen years of experience in various aspects of Christian ministry and I know that what I teach and guide people in is fact. The more I study, teach and write, the more I hone what I know to be genuine Christian truth. Many others don’t know, but they are running a game based on what they want with no basis for what is. They don’t know the original languages, they really don’t know the history or cultures, they don’t know genuine Christian doctrine and they don’t care. They create this populist belief system out of thin air, and then people actually buy into it, much to their future loss. If you don’t know the genuine/historic Jesus and what He is about, you’re not saved. If you believe some Lodge or group that has no basis in what they are telling you, you are risking your eternal soul. There are many groups out there that want you to turn away from genuine salvation in Christ and they will spare no lie, deception, or diversion to turn you away. Going to talk more specifically this week. But bear in mind, you, not you’re lodge leader or your ill-trained self-designated “pastor” or your teacher/professor don’t really know what they’re talking about, they’re not concerned with your salvation and most of them have some serious personal issues that and you will be alone in front of Jesus who will ask you why you believed the nonsense and you won’t have a good answer and it won’t go real well with you.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, ALL ARE WELCOME with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Wednesday April 23, 2025

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

If you believe some Lodge or group that has no basis in what they are telling you, you are risking your eternal soul. There are many groups out there that want you to turn away from genuine salvation in Christ and they will spare no lie, deception, or diversion to turn you away. Going to talk more specifically this week. But bear in mind, you, not you’re lodge leader or your ill-trained self-designated “pastor” or your teach/professor don’t really know what they’re talking about, they’re not concerned with your salvation and you will be alone in front of Jesus who will ask you why you believed the nonsense and you won’t have a good answer and it won’t go real well with you.

We have groups that are lumped under the label of Free-Masonry, Masonic Order, Masons, etc, these men have maintained what they claim is a benign, neutral doctrine that’s really just Christian and gee whiz, nothing for you to worry about. A fraternal, charitable order, that is men only, that raises lots of money for good causes, Shriners Burn Center for example, but what they teach is out of the pit of hell. In his book “Masonry beyond the Light” William Schnoebelen was a member of different parts of masonry and rose to a fairly high level and knows about the parts of masonry known only by those higher in rank and very dedicated to the cause and expansion of Free Masonry. He has become a Christian and been educated as an orthodox Christian pastor. He has had extensive experience in masonry, cults and the occult. Oh I get it, many people dismiss all of this, but it is very real and exercised by many people. My home state Massachusetts has had an official “witch”, Laurie Cabot for decades and she is serious. It would seem that Free Masonry is dying and pretty impotent. But the negative effect it has on its members and it’s continued attempts to undermine Christianity that show that what is inside the outer shell is very much actively antagonistic to Christianity and actively trying to turn men away from Christ.

Thursday April 24, 2025

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

We’re talking about Free-Masonry this week and the effect that it has mostly on men. We’ve got way too many men in the world who think that they are just way too cool, for Jesus, pretty sure they have the whole Jesus heaven thing all figured out, that Jesus is all about them and making them happy, and the lodge is just a good-ole boy network. When William Schnoebelen author of “Masonry Beyond the Light” was being initiated he writes: “One of the men chuckled in a “hail-fellow-well-met” sort of way and clapped me on the back, saying, “We’ll be sure to clean all the tar and feathers out of his hair before we send him home.” Both of them laughed conspiratorially at great length, and Sharon looked at me as if to say, “Do you really want to join an organization with these creeps?” I’m sure you know the type, the big-mouth blow-heart smart guy, who isn’t anywhere near as smart as he thinks he is and manages to bully other men because he’s a big mouth. Way too many guys out there who are happy to believe in some blow heart instead of the men who really do know the score. The big-mouth has never really done anything in his life but run his game and sucker other people, but never puts himself on the line. He knows there are plenty of guys he can play to take his line and do the work for him. All those smart guys out there, end up looking like dopes. Not only do they end up getting spit out of the Lodge, but they believe the silly schtick that the lodge is “Christian” and therefore all Christians and Christianity is messed up and reject Christ on that basis. We are all going to have to stand in front of Jesus. Do you really think that He’s going to be really interested in the guy who was Joe Cool, but now standing in front of Jesus trying to justify his activity in the lodge that is a passive denial of Jesus. Jesus is our Savior, He gave us God’s plan of salvation for us, that in Jesus we know what our ultimate eternal life will be. Masonry sure doesn’t have any response for that except all roads lead to God, do lots of good deeds that will make God have to save you and believe lots of nonsense that has nothing to with anything except some seriously misquided opinions over the centuries.

J Schnoebelen, William . Masonry Beyond the Light (p. 68). UNKNOWN. Kindle Edition.

Friday April 25, 2025

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

We are talking about Free-Masons and while it denies that it is a “religion”, a faith system, it really is. It makes it plain, without straight out saying it, that genuine Christianity is for women and masonry is for “real men”. You should see some of the examples of “real men”… Any man associated with a genuine Christian church is somehow a little effeminate and Masonry is full of the good ole boys who will make sure you know reality and ain’t in that bible. This phony “hail-fellow-well-met” fakery is so corrupting of any man and will lead your soul to destruction” William Schnobelen in his book “ Masonry beyond the Light”, writes: “Right in the Masonic Bible [that should be a hint right there, there is no Bible but what has been given us through the real Christian church] there is an article by “Rev” [ya really] Joseph Fort Newton,he writes: “the Bible, so rich in symbolism … a part taken for the whole… the Will of God as man has learned in the midst of year… Thus by the very honor which Masonry pays to the Bible, ‘It TEACHES US TO REVERE EVERY BOOK OF FAITH”… What??? No!!! There is nothing in the Christian Bible about any other faith books. The doctrine of the Bible based on “by faith through grace”, that it’s all about what Jesus does, nothing we do can save us. All other beliefs teach “works-righteousness”. When you’re good ole boy grand master and then you are standing in front of Jesus trying to get Him to understand it’s all about them and their works, then Jesus shows them the nail holes in His hands and repeats His very words “I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me”, what do you think the big-mouth blow heart has to say while he is being guided down to Hell. You have to be very aware of what the Bible teaches and the nonsense you hear in the world. That is why you need to take time to study the Bible, to pray, to make confession and receive absolution, to receive the true Body and Blood of Christ to strengthen and preserve you in body and soul to life everlasting, amen. Anything else leaves you in eternal damnation and no big mouth lout is going to help you out of it. It’s all about Jesus and His church, not about your opinion, what you like or want or anything else but Jesus’ sacrificial death to pay for our sins and restore us to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Thought for the Day April 14, to April 18, 2025

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Monday April 14, 2025

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

This is Holy Week, Sunday was Palm Sunday, also Passion Sunday, both profoundly important points in our Christian faith. Palm Sunday where Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem. This is also uggghhh Tax Day, sorry to face reality. Palm Sunday wasn’t just a social thing this is very meaningful in a lot of senses. First, to further authenticate the prophecies of the Old Testament. Second that again as prophesied that Jesus would come to Jerusalem as the King, that the people would cry out to Him as the much – awaited Messiah of Israel, of the world.

Prophecy is very important, there are thought to be 322 prophecies in the Old Testament about Jesus. Maybe not about Jesus per se, but about the Messiah and in every case Jesus fulfilled these prophecies which is pretty stunning, it makes Him the Messiah. You might say, not so great He just arranged to fulfill them. Really? Born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2, born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14, die with the wicked buried with the rich Isaiah 53:9. How do you “arrange” to do these things. Jesus fulfilled them all. Dr Peter Stow did the math and he calculated that the odds of one man fulfilling all 322 prophecies, was 10 to the 28^th power. 10, with 28 zeros, i.e. statistical impossibility, yet Jesus did it. That is solid history, not myth, legend, wishful thinking way too much witness and personal attestation in and out of the Bible to what Jesus did. You can try and deny it or brush it away, but it happened, as solid historical fact as any part of history. Jesus is the most studied, written about man in the entire course of human history. Trying to dismiss Him as a myth or legend, is intellectually dishonest, you aren’t dealing with reality, with genuine history.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Tuesday April 15, 2025

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

Confession is a very important part of our faith. James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power.” James is talking about not just bodily, mental healing, but also from the effects of sin. We need to share with someone we have great trust in our sins and that person is capable of absolving us of those sins. A Lutheran service starts with confession and absolution, especially if you will be receiving the Lord’s Body and Blood. You have to know you have been absolved of your sins. So spare me “that’s so Catholic blah-blah,” it has to be done and frankly you have to be concerned for those “Christians” that have never had that. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor was very convinced of the need for confession and absolution: “…confession serves the Christian community especially as a preparation for participation together in the Lord’s Supper. Reconciled to God and human beings, Christians desire to receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. It is the command of Jesus that no one should come to the altar with a heart unreconciled to another Christian. If this command applies to all worship, indeed, to every prayer we offer, then it applies all the more to receiving the sacrament. The day before the Lord’s Supper together will find the members of a Christian community with one another, each asking of the other forgiveness for wrongs committed. Anyone who avoids this path to another believer cannot go to the table of the Lord will prepared. All anger, strife, envy, malicious gossip, and conduct to the detriment of one another must have done away with if all wish to receive together the grace of God in the sacrament.” -from Life Together pp 116-117 “A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Carla Barnhill

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Wednesday April 16, 2025

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

This is Holy Week. Holy week begins on Palm Sunday, which is also referred to as Passion Sunday. Passion Sunday referring to the lead up from Thursday night, Maundy Thursday to when Jesus is buried in the tomb on Friday. Palm Sunday is when Jesus arrives in Jerusalem. He knows this is the last time He will be in Jerusalem while all His followers look around and see this tumultuous welcome that Jesus is receiving. Zechariah wrote about Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem about 600 years before Jesus was born. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9. Have to admit that is talking about Jesus.

All four of the Gospel writers include the Palm Sunday narrative. Matthew 21:6-11 “⁶The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. ⁷They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. ⁸A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna^[b] to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[c]“Hosanna^[d]

Matthew 21:1-11 NIV – – Bible Gateway

in the highest heaven!” ¹⁰When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” ¹¹The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Somehow what was a triumphant entrance for Jesus comes crashing down on Friday. It may seem that way, but David Cole writes from the perspective of Celtic Christianity: “We mistakenly see Jesus as a victim led to the Cross, the sheep led to the slaughter. Jesus certainly knew what this was about and the Celtic view was that Jesus rushed eagerly to the Cross, knowing this would be the instrument of Satan’s destruction. He stopped before the cross, stripped off the armor of the cosmic battle, climbed up the cross for His love to hold Him to suffer and until He proclaimed, “Father into your hands I commend my Spirit” Luke 23:46. All was at Jesus’ discretion, exactly at the right time and what overcame death, man’s enemy. Death defeated by our hero, how CS Lewis portrayed Aslan giving his life, knowing it would be returned to him, to rescue those who trusted in him. Jesus died as a warrior and defeated death by rising from the dead on Sunday” This was all set before the beginning of time and this is how Jesus had to attack sin and death as that warrior, God the Son fighting for His people. Had to be that way.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thursday April 17, 2025

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

Today is Maundy Thursday, the day we remember when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. Of course we have those oh so smug smarmy bores of the sixteenth and seventh century and today, telling us poor little simple folk that of course this is silly, we’re not eating Jesus’ Body and drinking His Blood. His disciples were upset about this, those He had fed many simply picked up and left. This guy is crazy, He wants us to eat His Body and drink His blood. Everyone who heard Jesus say this, Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:23 understood exactly what He was saying. This is not a metaphor, if you understand the Greek, there should be no doubt in your mind and that is where the problem comes. Many want to simply deny this because it just doesn’t make sense in their rationalism. Jesus was not known for rationalism. Paul in 1 Corinthians even points out that many who received Jesus’ Body and Blood “unworthily” became sick and many died. I would attribute this to not understanding or accepting what Jesus said. Treating the Body and Blood of Jesus casually, disdainfully, hey ain’t no big thing. If you don’t understand and vow to accept what you receive in the Lord’s Supper, then you receive it unworthily and it could cause you a problem. That’s why as a Lutheran you have to be a member of the church to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus. We want to make sure you know and accept what you are truly receiving. The Christian religion is very mystical, very profound. You would be advised to ignore the ones who are ignorant of this or worse trying to undermine your belief. Jesus sacrificed and continues to sacrifice His Body for our benefit. As I say as I finish each time I serve His Body and Blood “now may the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you in body and soul to life everlasting amen. A little piece of bread and sip of wine, or worse, grape juice has no power to do that. I’m going with Jesus’ genuine version and ignore the silly folk who want to make this just a memorial.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Friday April 18, 2025

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

Today is Good Friday, the soberest most reverent day on the Christian calendar. On Sunday we observe Easter. Both of these days are the most holy of days of the year. While most of Christianity seems to ignore Good Friday, oh it’s so primitive and gory and scary we are simply not saved. Romans 6:23 the wages of sin are death. There must be blood to wash away the sin in our life. That has been since the beginning but we are relieved of that burden because Jesus’ bloody death was all that was necessary for our sin to be washed away. Jesus suffered, died, was sacrificed for the sin of the world. But only those who are in Jesus are saved from their sin by the substitutionary atonement of Jesus, that He died for our sins. He is God the Son, He chose to live a human life, but that ultimately it would be the perfect sacrifice for all of our sins. Man has no way to pay the penalty of his sin. We simply cannot save ourself from our sin. Jesus has, but when we ignore what He did and decide it’s all about us, then we will die in those sins. Our works are not going to be sufficient for God the Father. Our sin has separated us from Him and only through Jesus have we been reestablished as His child. Unless we have been baptized in Jesus, received His Body and Blood, know that He died to make perfect atonement for our sin, then we are not saved. The silly little folk who try to talk you away from that, are putting you in eternal jeopardy, really eternal condemnation. They ignore Jesus His very words, try to make sense of them and instead distance themselves even further from Jesus and bring condemnation on themselves. I sincerely hope you make the effort to attend a genuine Good Friday worship service today. This most profound time cannot be ignored. It was not good for Jesus on this day, He suffered and died to make the perfect sacrifice for our sins. But that makes it a very “Good” day for us. We are now restored to the Father in the Son and saved to eternal life.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Christ’s Lordship, He is with us through our trials.

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The last few years have been tough. Six years ago my wife, two years younger than me, had a stroke that left her mostly incapacitated. For five years I provided care to her, run the house and perform my ministry duties. December of 2023 my wife died unexpectedly, which was a complete gut punch to me.

The following months that winter were very gray, I look back and yes, there was some real depression going on. The summer came and things looked brighter. I have only lived here for two years. We moved here because my sons live here and I got some help with my wife’s care. So reality was that I was pretty much alone. Summer came and I started seeing someone. Things were brightening up. Other people were giving me different kinds of care, it was nice that people were being so kind and the loneliness was passing.

Early March I had been having some uncomfortable symptoms for awhile and decided to have it checked out. Ya, I know, nothing good comes from it when someone starts writing this way. The night before the colonoscopy prep, pretty tough. It needs to be done, don’t avoid it, but it’s tough.

Had a colonoscopy and I expected to wake up and hear that I needed some pills, a regular procedure, get back to life. Ya, not so fast. Woke up having five people staring hard at me, you know no good can come from this! Then those words “you have cancer.” I have colon cancer and cancer on my liver, stage 4. So the process begins. Had a procedure to take some tissue out of the rectum to make sure it wasn’t cancer. It wasn’t, praise God. But have had a sore butt since. Had a PET scan, which for me, pretty claustrophobic, but again necessary and was determined that the cancer was limited to the colon and liver. Praise God again. This past week had an MRI. Mercifully I was given a sedative, but it was not easy. Still waiting for the results. Have started treatment with chemo-therapy.

The first Sunday after this all started to break was not good. I’m not sure it was all attributable to the cancer. But I was physically having problems and before worship that morning, I was confronted with five people in the office saying that I had to go home. If I passed out on the altar, it would be traumatizing for those in the congregation, we have a lot of children and others, further I would be taken to the hospital. None of which I wanted to happen. Now I know how Captain Queeg felt, just kidding.

So the last couple of weeks have been being very aware. Last Sunday I completed everything. Yesterday, mid-week Lenten service went according to script. Then this morning, regular Thursday morning Matins, went well. I got through this morning Praise be to God with none of the physical symptoms that I’ve been having for awhile, I won’t go into detail, but it’s been tough. I think I’ve scraped off the ocean bottom, at the bottom of the trough (to use more sea metaphors) and I’m starting to climb up the next wave. People have been very supportive here in getting me through this issue. I’m having some bad days, I’m also having good days. No question it is in God’s dominion and all of these are for a reason. At some point I will realize what God is doing and see how that is supposed to work in me. For right now, I have some wins under my belt going into Holy Week. No I’m not going to push it, but I will be there. I will be crossing that finish line. I am so grateful for the loving, caring attention of people in the congregation and those people in my personal life who have listened to my whining and given me comfort and encouragement. I have to trust God, it’s going to be His will. But He seems to have set this up that He will guide me to overcome this and I will move on in my life. All praise to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit amen.

There is more to come. I’m still kind of holding my breath for the MRI results. But everyone seems to feel that should not be a problem. A few weeks of treatment, trying to work to get my strength back, maybe some radiation and operation, then fight my way back up physically. So much thanks to those who have supported and encouraged me. Don’t tell my God doesn’t provide, that’s just dopey. Yes, He allowed the trials to come into my life. With my wife and now with cancer. But He’s also provided the support in so many ways to get me through and I am so grateful. It will surely make me a better more empathetic pastor. It also make you stronger.

There is obviously more to come. So this blog is a TBC, and trusting in God this will be a testament to Him and how He works in our life.

Thought for the Day March 17-21, 2025 NCTV-45

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Monday March 17, 2025

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

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. Ya, this is one of the best holidays of the year. Saint Patricks Day back home in Boston is taken very seriously, very seriously. Ya, there’s the green beer and all that stuff. We don’t really have a proximate river to turn green and frankly not very cool. For example, I went to the Saint Patrick’s Day mass at Holy Cross Cathedral in Boston, the Roman Catholic, at the time, cardinal’s seat. Wow, have to give credit, that was an incredible mass. That was as real church as you can get! Not the phony big box church nonsense. There was no doubt what that mass was about, and a genuine show of reverence and true worship that we should always be ready to render our Lord Jesus Christ. You could not walk away in any doubt whatsoever as to who Jesus is. St Patricks is observed throughout the city. There’s a St Patrick’s Day parade in Boston. There’s a St Patrick’s breakfast which is where the local politicians hold a roast, taking shots at each other, not always so good natured. It is actually a holiday, everything closed on March 17. Mayor James Michael Curley, there’s a disproportionate number of men named James, Curley is why. He decided he needed a non-religious reason. Came to find out that during the American Revolution, March 17 was the day British evacuated Boston. Came to be known as “Evacuation Day”. The British never returned, they had their butt kicked at least three times in Boston, they didn’t want to deal with us. I have an ancestor who fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Anyway, St Patricks Day/Evacuation Day has become a very big part of my culture. Erin Go Bragh

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Tuesday March 18, 2025

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

I have this thing about Dietrich Bonhoeffer going on lately, but I think he has a lot to share Carla Barnhill in A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer quoting from A Testament to Freedom: “In the face of the Cross the disciples realized that they too were his enemies and that He had overcome them by His love. It is this that opens the disciples eyes and enables them to see their enemy as a brother or sister. They know that they owe their very life to One who, though he was their enemy, accepted them, who made them his neighbors, and drew them into community with himself. The disciples can now perceive that even their enemies are the object of God’s love, and that they stand like themselves beneath the cross of Christ.” We do forget that our sin does set us as being enemies of God. Yes even the sweetest, nicest little folk sin, sinners by nature and are an enemy of God. The disciples were right there with Him and they realized how much in opposition they are to Jesus. We have these nicey little folk who are all about “Jesus loves the little children”, Jesus meek and mild, trying to drag Jesus down to them to make Him the ideal boyfriend and deny that He is the Lord of the universe. That Jesus should submit to their whims and desires instead of stepping up to the reality of who Jesus is, He who should be feared, that we submit to Him and His leading. He established His church to guide us and help us to faithfully follow Jesus instead of being entertained and patted and told how special we are. The only way we are special and saved is in Jesus. If we think it’s all about us and how we should be pleased and patronized, the further away we are from Jesus, maybe even out of sight of the genuine Jesus and too much about a Jesus we contrived to please ourselves.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Wednesday March 19, 2025

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

On a little bit more somber note, I was diagnosed with colon cancer and on my liver. We all expect healing and full recovery, but it will be a process. This is the first time I’ve ever had to confront any real medical problem. My wife and I were being received at a new doctor’s when I was in my early 60’s and the medical assistant was incredulous, almost to the point of indignant that I was not any kind of medication. I have tried very hard, work out 5-6 times a week, hoping I will do my 75th triathlon this summer and frankly yes, no question blessed by God. When i came out of anesthesia, everyone that was part of this was looking at me, ya, with a look like, mmmmm this is not good. When I went into this, I was sure, ehhh, no biggie, have to start some medication, a few days and badda bing, back to my active obnoxious self. Wrongo amigo! It is treatable and will be for awhile, and not pleasant, but, my perception shouldn’t be something to inhibit my lifestyle, much, right now I am recovering from a procedure, but, I’m aiming to be back to a more normal life style next week and progress from there. It has put me in mind of Tim McGraw’s song “Live like you were dying”. OK, I’m not jumping out of a plane soon, or riding a bull named Fu Manchu, but I sure understand the sentiment. When your life has a shelf-life, all of a sudden, your life perspective changes. I have had really wonderful support, and I feel I’m in good hands from the medical people treating me. Needless to say your prayers are coveted.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thursday March 20, 2025

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

Jesus made it abundantly clear that His disciples “bear your cross”. Matthew 16: 24 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. There are way too many people that come into Christianity, encouraged by either those who are deliberately deceptive or just not very intelligent that Christianity was either this therapeutic, moralistic, deism, Jesus wants you to be happy, wealthy, live this wonderful la, la land or just everybody is ok, God loves everyone, etc, etc. God sent His Son, Jesus, to suffer and die, to redeem us from our sin. We have become such vile sinners and have no way to save ourselves and Jesus came to suffer and die to take all our sin on Himself. But we have to trust in Him, we are saved by faith alone through grace alone in Christ, Paul’s words in Romans. All this other big church blather is just not in the Bible and is frankly spiritual poison. It will end up condemning you. Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes about what Luke and Matthew quote Jesus saying: “The first Christ-suffering which every person must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old person which is the result of our encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death – we give our lives overto death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise God-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls us, he bids us come and die. It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther’s, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same death every time – death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old person at his call.”

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Friday March 21, 2025

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

I just finished a book by Mosab Hassan Yousef, “Son of Hamas”. Yousef gave a very indepth view of his life as the son of a sheik who was involved in Hamas from its very beginning. Yousef became a Christian and has rejected the violence, death and destruction of Hamas and other like groups. But after the horrible terror inflicted on Israel this past October, a tiny little spot in the midst of Muslim hatred, it is kind of tough to be really empathetic with the “cause” of Hamas. Yousef put himself on the line, no question, but this mindless hatred and bigotry of Muslims towards Jews and Christians, getting a little hard to accept. One of the precepts of Islam is that all non-Muslims need to be driven off their lands, cause Islam feels that everything belongs to a false “god” Allah. To wit, this is from the Book of Joshua, it is where God is repeating what He has been telling Moses and this is in the context of many others who knew about the constant interaction between God and Moses to give His chosen people, the Jewish people their land, the land Muslims have been trying to conquer since Islam began in the fourth century, which notably, is about 3,000 years before Islam appeared:

Joshua 21: 43-45 “So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers and no one of their enemies stood before them; the promises which the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the LORD HAD MADE TO THE HOUSE OF iSRAEL FAILED; ALL CAME TO PASS.” Ya, if only, you have people who show up 2,500 years later and decide they will murder and destroy because they’ve decided they are entitled to absolutely everything. Which they are clearly not. For some odd reason too many in the world, the evil Satanic world, decided that the Jewish people shouldn’t have that safety of their own country given to them by God 3,000 years ago, because of greedy, vicious, vile haters abetted by other God haters and bigots in the world.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thought for the Day March 3 -7 2025

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Monday March 3, 2025

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

In her book “Jesus Calling” Sarah Young has Jesus talking to us and telling us things that we need to keep in mind about Him. In this passage, she emphasizes how much we need to focus on Him, especially when we may be dealing with challenges, trials in our life. This is her idea of how Jesus would tell us to stay focused on Him: …you must be on guard against; self pity, self preoccupation, giving up. Your inadequacy presents you with a continual choice – deep dependence on Me or despair. The emptiness you feel within will be filled either with problems or with My Presence. Make Me central in your consciousness by praying continually: simple, short prayers flowing out of the present moment. Use My Name liberally, to remind you of My Presence. Keep On asking and you will receive, so that your gladness may be full and complete”. P 55

She cites “Pray continually” 1 Thess 5:17, praying reminds us who we turn to who we trust, who we need in our life. Not always to “answer” our prayers, but to continually remind us that we turn to Jesus in our life, we turn our issues over to Him, we don’t trust it to ourselves. Jesus wants to deal with the times we doubt, we want to quit, we are in despair.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Tuesday March 4, 2025

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

One of the biggest problems I have with the big box churches is that they will tell anyone/everyone, well we’re all good, we don’t need forgiveness, we have it down, we just need to get better in our lives, moralistic, therapeutic, deism. It’s not Christianity, what Jesus tells us in Scripture is about what we tell Jesus so He really knows what it’s all about. The hubris is horribly stunning. Jesus is perfectly aware of where we are at and we are sunk in our sins. Anyone who thinks otherwise is simply not a Christian, Jesus Himself says Matthew 7: 21-23 ²¹“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ You say Jesus Jesus, but only for your purposes. David Rosage writes: “The words of absolution in the sacrament of penance can well be ‘the sounds of joy and gladness’ which we, as well as the psalmist, long to hear.

Jesus instituted the sacrament of penance when he said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. /if you forgive men’s sins, /if they are forgiven them; / if you hold them bound,/ they are held bound’Jn 20: 20, 22, 23. “ “Rejoice in Me” David Rosage p 80

You can certainly live in whatever delusion you chose but you are sunk in your sins, we all are. If we weren’t, Jesus wouldn’t have had to suffer and die. We have so many people today who are so entitled, have been given so much in their life and are sure they don’t have anything to worry about, they are above it all. That’s why they get sucked in by phony big-box churches. We are all sinners and as Rosage writes, when we are given assurance of our forgiveness in Jesus and that we are saved to eternal life in Jesus, then we have joy and gladness. We know that we are saved in a way far above our ability, we trust in Him who is Lord of the universe, of all things we are completely saved in Him.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Wednesday March 5, 2025

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

Meditation has been a practice that is historically been minimized in the Christian Church, I think that it has been somewhat conflated with prayer. I understand that and certainly both can take both forms. Prayer to me is more thought of in terms of these are the things that I really want to discuss with God. Meditation is this is what I understand, either from reading the Bible or other devotional, or from what God seems to be impressing into my conscience. Which for me leads to journaling, writing down what God seems to be teaching me in, guiding me in. My thoughts aren’t hard and fast, you could write a book on both but DIetrich Bonhoeffer had these insights which I think are very helpful: “In the interruption and fragmentation of our previous ordered life brings with it, in the danger of losing inner discipline through the host of events, the incessant claims of works and service, through doubt and temptation, struggle and disquiet of all kinds, meditation gives our life something like constancy, it keeps the link with our previous life, from baptism to confirmation, to ordination. It keeps us in the saving fellowship of the community, the brethren, our spiritual home. It is a spark from that hearth which the communities want to keep at home for you. It is a source of peace, of patience and of joy; it is like a magnet which attracts all the resources of discipline to its poles; it is like a pure, deep water in which the heaven, with its clouds and its sun is clearly reflected; but it also serves the Highest in showing us a place of discipline and of quietness, of saving order and peace. Have we not all a desire for such a gift? Unacknowledged perhaps, but still profound? Could it not again be a healing power for us leading to recovery?” Carla Barnhill “A year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer p 52 from a “A Testament to Freedom” p 457 I’ve talked a lot about the Christian “disciplines” and this is certainly another. As he wrote a place of discipline and of quietness, order and peace and I would add, to focus, really dig down on something else that will strengthen our maturity and strength in Christ.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thursday March 6, 2025

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

In John 14: 15 Jesus tells His disciples “…if you love me, you will obey me.” Now I can hear some little self-justifier whining; “…oh that’s so legalistic, that’s just not right!”. After I get over my what??? Jesus said that, not me. There are way too many people out there who call themselves “Christian” but have no idea what that really means. Most of them are stuck in the 1960’s flower children, and have decided that Jesus is some “guru”, who is all about “peace, love, drugs, sex etc”. That’s not the Jesus of the Bible, but people love to create their own Jesus and in denial of truth project that on to anyone who is listening. Again I don’t know how you’re going to explain that to Jesus when you have to step before His throne. 2 John 2:16 John writes: “And this is love that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.” Any real Lutheran pastor and should be any genuine Christian pastor will tell you that God gave us the Law and He expects us to follow the Law. His Law is completely just and righteous as God is who is completely Holy and separate. He will not tolerate violations of His Law. How as very fallible, sinful human beings supposed to overcome that? Tune in tomorrow!

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Friday March 7, 2025

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

Last week, we saw our caped crusaders preparing to… Oh sorry wrong intro. Anyway, yesterday we were saying that despite popular misconception, Jesus isn’t some 1960’s flower child, no free love, free drugs, free food, He did produce food, but that is not what He is about. God gave us the Law and He expects us to follow the Law. His Law is completely just and righteous as God is who is completely Holy and separate. He will not tolerate violations of His Law. How are very fallible, sinful human beings supposed to overcome that? Tune in tomorrow!This is tomorrow and the whole reason for the incarnation, the life of Jesus was to “redeem us”, the vicarious atonement is what it is called. In our own efforts, by our “good behavior”, that will not redeem us. If we violated the Law once, against God, we have violated His Law forever and cannot ever earn our way to “redemption”, forgiveness, because we are just not perfect, Jesus is. Michael Reeves in a podcast for Renewing your Mind”says: “it is the grace of God that trains us to renounce ungodliness. That is the gospel, God’s grace His forgiveness and all in Jesus. Law commands, stirs up sin, but there is no way to be forgiven. Law shows us our need for Gospel, what holy living looks like. The Law won’t change a sinners heart. The Gospel in Christ does change a sinners heart, it tells people they are loved. The Law says love the Lord your God, but it’s only by the Gospel as the Holy Spirit can change hearts.” All these “nice” things the culture tells you, won’t work, unless you are in Jesus. For our life to be in the ultimate eternal life of the resurrection we have to be in connection with God, sin destroys that connection. Jesus came to restore that connection and give us the promise of forgiveness and eternal life in Him in the resurrection. Jesus is the only way it can happen and only through Him. The Law condemns, but we need Law, the Gospel saves, but can only be in Jesus Christ.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, all are welcome with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thought for the Day Week of February 24 -28

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Monday February 24, 2025

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

I’ve talked about Dietrich Bonhoeffer before, there was a full length feature movie in theatres about him a few months ago. He moved back from the United States to his home country of Germany during the second world war, became involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler which failed and he was executed. Until then he was a very well known writer, Pastor and commentator one his books is “Life Together”. Carla Barnhill quotes from it in her book “A year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer” and I am quoting her: “The fact that we are brothers and sisters only through Jesus Christ is of immeasurable significance… My brother or sister is instead that other person who has been redeemed by Christ, absolved from sin and called to faith and eternal life. Our community consists solely in what Jesus has done to both of us. That not only is true at the beginning as if in the course of time something else were to be added to our community, but also remains so for all the future and into all eternity … The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more everything else between us will recede, and the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is alive between us. We have one another through Christ, but through Christ we really do have one another. We have one another completely and for all eternity.”

By “community” Dr Bonhoeffer refered to the Christian community which always means Jesus’ church, where we who are in Christ are together. Now that doesn’t mean we are all lumped together. Christians are the most heterogenous people in human history. But we are all family in Jesus, much more meaningful and eternal family than anything in our life. I have had four brothers, they are my physical siblings and also brothers in Jesus I am blessed. Our true siblings for eternity will be the ones in Jesus.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Tuesday Feb 25, 2025

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

David Rosage in his book “Rejoice in Me” quoting Psalm 103:10 p. 77: “Not according to our sins does he deal with us, not does he requite according to our crimes”. God’s mercy does not depend upon our deserving it, only on our willingness to receive his loving forgiveness.

The paradox is: God’s grace is greater than man’s sin.

St Paul reminds us also: “Despite the increase of sin, grace has far surpassed it, so that, as sin reigned through death, grace may reign by way of justice leading to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 5: 20-21) This is something that we need to be continually reminded of. Unless our sins are egregious and there is no repentance, than yes, God lets us go on in our repentance. He doesn’t give up on us. By the same token you aren’t saved either. You have rejected the forgiveness of Jesus. For those of us who are repentant, who are trying to work out their sinful situation, who are turning to Jesus for His forgiveness, yes, the sin does not matter, we are forgiven. God’s grace is always greater than any of our sin. We do need to be repentant, maybe even sorrowful over our sin, but trust that no matter the magnitude of our sin and we are all sinful, that God will forgive us in Jesus.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Wednesday Feb 26, 2025

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

King Solomon the wisest man in the world, ever, excepting Jesus obviously. He wrote three books in the Bible, as you might expect the wisest man in history to contribute to God’s Word. The books Solomon wrote are very earthy, very real world. Solomon had the advantage of seeing life in many ways compared to us who have been in comparably humble lives. Solomon seems to have certainly lived in the lives of his subjects, but he was also the greatest king, along with his father David in the history of Israel, and I would make the case that he was one of the greatest in the world. In his book Ecclesiastes, he seems to have come to the end of his life and was looking back at how he conducted his life. He was the most fabulously wealthy and powerful king, yet many would say that his wisdom in terms of God was not what it should be. He was responsible for the division of the kingdom, between Israel and Judah. It didn’t happen during his reign, but God promised it would happen and it did shortly after Solomon died. Israel went from one of the most fabulously wealthy, powerful nations in the world, on a downhill slide that left it wiped out in about 500 years. He probably would have been really wise if he had really followed his comment in Ecclesiates 12: 13: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.” He forgot, Solomon got involved in foreign “gods”, he had almost 1,000 wives and concubines, about 999 too many. And instead of making God his highest principle, goal, he sort of forgot. Take Solomon’s advice. Fear God and keep His commandments. Fear in this sense is more about respecting God, that He is the most important part of our life. When you think you want to do something that will offend God, decide that you should fear Him rather than offend Him.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thursday Feb 27, 2025

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

We were talking about King Solomon yesterday. Solomon wrote three books of the Bible. Proverbs, Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes. If you are a fan of the Byrds, the who you ask? No that was another 60’s band. The Byrds hit song Turn, Turn, Turn, was ripping off Solomon, Ecclsiastes 3:3-8. Wow! Lucky there were no copyright laws in Israel 1,000 BC. Anyway I was talking to my lady friend about “two are better than one”, that it’s always better to be with someone, have someone in your life. Certainly one should be a romantic partner, the other should be a same-gender besty friend. I’m blessed to have many stand up guy friends and through the years I can see so many people romantic or guys who fit Solomon’s words in Ecclessiastes 4: 9-12: “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” We have become so physically isolated, we think we have real friends in cyberspace. No! Think about the weather we’ve been having your computer won’t keep you warm like a real human being will and your computer won’t pull you out of a hole or help you fight off someone who is attacking you, etc, etc. God had always intended us to live in community. I don’t care who you are or who you think you are but you always need someone else in your life. That is part of what Christ’s church is all about, people who reach out to show people Jesus so that they will be led to eternal life by the Holy Spirit and to be there when you are cold, or trapped or attacked.
The church is a cord of three strands where we are strongest, able to stand against the attacks of Satan and the world when we pull together in the church of Christ. Otherwise we are vulnerable to so much of the hatred of the world. Find someone to be there for you and for you to be there for them.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Friday February 28, 2025

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

Dr Heath Curtis in his book “Telling people what to think”, reminds us that we Christians are “People of the Book”, that is the Bible, Scripture. There are 40 men who wrote one of the 66 books of the Bible. We can certainly make the case that while these people wrote about what they saw, what they knew, that God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit guided what they wrote. Dr Curtis writes: Having heard the Words of Christ in the Gospel we now speak back to Him what has been spoken to us. He has told us who He is, so we now confess that we believe His Word. We do so in the Creed of Nicaea. This is the great confess of the New Testament faith given in defiance of all the enemies of the Gospel, the statement draws a line between what is Christian and what is not.” I can hear the petty fussers now: “none of the creeds are in the Bible, they were made by man”. You have to wonder what their motivation is to talk such smack.

These are people who think they can deny the historic Word of God’s church and recombobulate it into their little happy place, where they can think and believe only nice things. More and more people are convinced that they are living in a world that they can make their little private place and dictate how it’s all going to end up. No, no, no. I know we have our happy clappy, big box churches that tell you it’s all about you. But people stood and died for the church so you can have your big house, car, trophy spouse, 2.8 perfect children. No on all counts. The Creeds; Apostle’s, Nicaean, Athanasian, were written by people who stood up for Christ in a world of great danger and animosity toward God. Despite what some silly little shoe salesman tells you it’s not about “Your Best Life Ever”, it’s about standing against the evil of Satan and the world in order for us to stay focused on Christ and the promise we have of an eternal life that will be magnificent beyond all imagination. Don’t listen to the phonys who aren’t Christian and just trying to separate you from your money. Trust that we know the genuine Words of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and those have been brought together by the universal Christian Church to say we believe in the Words of Scripture and will stand by them and defend them against all the attacks of the world and Satan.

Oh by the way, today is the last day of February!!! Yay to that!!! It has been a miserable month and sayanara baby to you, not soon enough. The only thing good about February, no not the Super Bowl, yikes! Baseball’s spring training started in Florida and Arizona, the much better promise of the return of spring than the bluebirds.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thought for the Day February 17-21, 2025

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Monday Feb 17, 2025

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

Today is President’s Day, that is what has become the day observed as President’s Day. It’s kind of confusing. We now have a day that recognizes those who have served as President of the United States. 45 men have served as president since 1789 in 236 years of American history. Some count it back to the men who served as president of the Congress, which gets us way more convoluted than we have to.

The Presidents Day observance was to replace the individual holidays for George Washington’s birthday and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. I do have to say that I think there is a lot to say about these two men, one who probably endured the most to establish the independence of our country, referring to George Washington and the one who kept the country from splitting apart, referring to Abraham Lincoln. There were many “leaders” who would have allowed the country to remain British and the others who would have allowed the United States to no longer be United. It takes a great deal of strength and will to stand against those who are satisfied with letting events take their own course. Luckily as Americans we had leaders who seemed to arrive at just the right time to pull our country from the precipice to allow us to continue to grow and prosper as the greatest country in the history of the world. I know many would say that is so chauvinistic, but, this country has always strove for the highest human ideals and as a Christian country. Say what you will but in total we have been faithful to the Christian ideals that have come down to us through history. No it certainly hasn’t been perfect, but we Americans have strove for the highest ideals by far more than any country, again in the course of human history and Washington and Lincoln stood against those who would have taken the easy way. Lincoln especially probably suffered more personal abuse than any president, yet has been one of the most honored. I get it, we should honor all 45, no, some did not at all befit the office, others were mediocre people pleasers of personal people, some should be honored for their courage and perseverance. But in my humble opinion none surpass either Washington or Lincoln and we should honor them separately than the most who aren’t in the same class.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Tuesday Feb 18, 2025

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

Too many people today have a very minimalistic view of God. It’s not a new concept. St James was the half-brother of Jesus, that is he was Mary and Joseph’s son, where Jesus was Mary and God’s Son. James was also the de facto Christian bishop of Jerusalem. He did not appreciate Jesus’ activities initially. He with the rest of his family tried to put Jesus away, shut Him up basically. But after he saw the resurrected Jesus James became one of Jesus’ most ardent supporters. No doubt he heard the silly platitudes of others in his position as the leader of the Christian church. Some variation of “I’m spiritual, but not religious, blah, blah. Another one is well I believe in God, as if “belief” is all that is necessary in order to be somehow justified in God, ah no. James wrote: “you believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder” James 2 :19. You can believe , it doesn’t get you any traction. People need to start getting serious about their life instead of living in the delusion that their beliefs make the difference instead of their actions. Let’s put boot leather to what we think, and not worry about sharing our opinion. No one’s interested in your opinion it’s what you do that matters to people.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Wednesday Feb 19, 2025

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

Your relationship didn’t work out? God knew it was going to happen. That didn’t catch Him off guard; He’s already lined up someone better than you can imagine. Your business has slowed down, the contract didn’t work out? That setback is not stopping you; it’s setting you up for new levels. You’re going to come out, not like you were before, but healthier, stronger, promoted, increased.” I won’t say who said this, but this is so obviously fallacious.

I can hear the “people pleasing” little folk whining, well you can believe what you want to believe, and that is certainly true. There is stuff you can disagree on, then there’s stuff that has no basis in fact. This is the cut to the chase and I’ve said before and frankly requires constant repeating. You can believe what you want, but if it is not in Jesus you are not saved and you will die in eternal condemnation. When people hear stuff that well gee gosh, God wants to make me happy and prosperous and pretty and talented… No! God wants to make you a grownup, like you want your children to be responsible mature grownups. Thinking God is a benevolent gini in the sky is absurd, and has no basis anywhere in Christian belief. He is a strong Father who wants us to be mature, strong in our faith. It’s up to you to be discerning and realize when someone is completely wrong in what they are teaching. Go to a real, well-trained, educated, genuine pastor one with a lot of life experience, who knows that he is subject to His Lord and Savior Jesus and ask that pastor about what is real in Jesus and life. Think about what you and others say, not what you think makes you happy.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thursday Feb 20, 2025

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

The theme for the last couple of weeks is how we as Christians contend with the trials in our life. We can feel that God is picking on us for no good reason and that is not what God is all about. If God is imposing a trial on you pray, journal, go to worship, talk to your pastor, study your Bible, be baptized, receive the Body and Blood of Jesus, all sorts of ways to try and discern what God’s will is and if it is His trial He will have something specific that He is trying to get you to learn and apply in your life. Dr J Vernon McGee suggests: “God gives us trials to help us to grow in patience. Patience will produce hope, which will produce godly love. Trials help us to grow to become mature Christians. Trials are always imposed for a particular purpose and to enable the Christian to grow in our Christian strength, faith, maturity.” First yes, I certainly need to grow in my patience, a lot! I fully admit I have no patience, if God wants me to have patience, well it better be quick by dingy!!! When we talk about love in God, we are talking about loving God with all our heart and with all your soul. Matthew 22:37 This is not your mooshy, enabling your sin, making everything about you. Copernicus called and you’re not the center of the universe, certainly neither am I! We need to be stronger in our faith and works. That doesn’t save us, but it makes us far better conditioned, like any well trained athlete in his sport, we are better conditioned to withstand the trials of life. God’s not imposing these trials to be mean, punish you, He’s doing it to make you stronger in your faith and to withstand those times that will challenge your faith, so that instead of giving up on God, you will turn to Him for support and to go through the trials with Him, He will never leave you or forsake you. The goals of the Gospel is to rescue you, transform you, redirect you, not to affirm you in anything but in Jesus

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Friday Feb 21, 2025

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

We continue to talk about the trials in life. Wednesday one of our little prosperity gospel people pleasing minister poser, tried to tell us that trials are there to give us something better. If things don’t work out with the current romantic interest, just wait God is moving to set you up with someone even prettier, wealthier, smarter, the whole trophy spouse thing. What!!!! No, no, no, no, no!!! That’s absurd where does anyone see that anywhere in Scripture? Sorry that smells like sulphur from Hell and yes there is a hell! I’ve been offering up thoughts from various men on why they think God imposes trials. We see throughout Scripture that God imposes trials in order for His children to grow stronger. This is from John MacArthur: “Trials don’t destroy faith, they chasten us, push us to perfection, true faith endures trials. True faith gives us a joyous attitude even through difficult trial. We know God is in control, testing of your faith builds endurance, will help you persevere. “When you’re going through trials don’t lean on your own understanding” James. You need wisdom for a trial to remain joyous.” This is from MacArthur podcast on February 11, 2025 James is saying don’t trust what you think a trial is or isn’t take it in prayer, ask God to guide you, help you understand. When I’ve done it, it does give me a peace that God is in control and the whole issue will come to fruition in God’s time and to His glory. As Christians that is what we should be about.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Monday Feb 10, 2025Hi this is Pastor Jim Driskell of Christ Lutheran Church with

Thought for the Day February 24-28, 2025

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Monday February 24, 2025

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

I’ve talked about Dietrich Bonhoeffer before, there was a full length feature movie in theatres about him a few months ago. He moved back from the United States to his home country of Germany during the second world war, became involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler which failed and he was executed. He was a very well known writer, Pastor and commentator one his books is “Life Together”. Carla Barnhill quotes from it in her book “A year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer” and I am quoting her: “The fact that we are brothers and sisters only through Jesus Christ is of immeasurable significance… My brother or sister is instead that other person who has been redeemed by Christ, absolved from sin and called to faith and eternal life. Our community consists solely in what Jesus has done to both of us. That not only is true at the beginning as if in the course of time something else were to be added to our community, but also remains so for all the future and into all eternity … The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more everything else between us will recede, and the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is alive between us. We have one another through Christ, but through Christ we really do have one another. We have one another completely and for all eternity.”

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Tuesday Feb 25, 2025

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

David Rosage in his book “Rejoice in Me” quoting Psalm 103:10 p. 77: “Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite according to our crimes”. God’s mercy does not depend upon our deserving it, only on our willingness to receive his loving forgiveness.

The paradox is: God’s grace is greater than man’s sin.

St Paul reminds us also: “Despite the increase of sin, grace has far surpassed it, so that, as sin reigned through death, grace may reign by way of justice leading to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 5: 20-21) This is something that we need to be continually reminded of. Unless our sins are egregious and there is no repentance, than yes, God lets us go on in our way. He doesn’t give up on us. By the same token you aren’t saved either. You have rejected the forgiveness of Jesus. For those of us who are repentant, who are trying to work out their sinful situation, who are turning to Jesus for His forgiveness, yes, the sin does not matter, we are forgiven. God’s grace is always greater than any of our sin. We do need to be repentant, maybe even sorrowful over our sin, but trust that no matter the magnitude of our sin and we are all sinful, that God will forgive us in Jesus.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Wednesday Feb 26, 2025

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

King Solomon the wisest man in the world, ever, excepting Jesus obviously. He wrote three books in the Bible, as you might expect the wisest man in history to contribute to God’s Word. The books Solomon wrote are very earthy, very real world. Solomon had the advantage of seeing life in many ways compared to us who have been in comparably humble lives. Solomon seems to have certainly lived in the lives of his subjects, but he was also the greatest king, along with his father David, in the history of Israel, and I would make the case that he was one of the greatest in the world. In his book Ecclesiastes, he seems to have come to the end of his life and was looking back at how he conducted his life. He was the most fabulously wealthy and powerful king, yet many would say that his wisdom in terms of God was not what it should be. He was responsible for the division of the kingdom, between Israel and Judah. It didn’t happen during his reign, but God promised it would happen and it did shortly after Solomon died. Israel went from one of the most fabulously wealthy, powerful nations in the world, on a downhill slide that left it wiped out in about 500 years. He probably would have been really wise if he had really followed his comment in Ecclesiates 12: 13: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.” He forgot, Solomon got involved in foreign “gods”, he had almost 1,000 wives and concubines, about 999 too many. And instead of making God his highest principle, goal, he sort of forgot. Take Solomon’s advice. Fear God and keep His commandments. Fear in this sense is more about respecting God, that He is the most important part of our life. When you think you want to do something that will offend God, decide that you should fear Him rather than offend Him.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thursday Feb 27, 2025

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

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Friday February 28, 2025

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

Dr Heath Curtis in his book “Telling people what to think”, reminds us that we Christians are “People of the Book”, that is the Bible, Scripture. There are 40 men who wrote one of the 66 books of the Bible. We can certainly make the case that while these people wrote about what they saw, what they knew, that God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit guided what they wrote. Dr Curtis writes: Having heard the Words of Christ in the Gospel we now speak back to Him what has been spoken to us. He has told us who He is, so we now confess that we believe His Word. We do so in the Creed of Nicaea. This is the great confession of the New Testament faith given in defiance of all the enemies of the Gospel, the statement draws a line between what is Christian and what is not.” I can hear the petty fussers now: “none of the creeds are in the Bible, they were made by man”. You have to wonder what their motivation is to talk such smack.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thought for the Day Feb 3, to Feb 7, 2025

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Monday Feb 3, 2025

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

In a culture that asserts how non-conformist and individualistic it is, it is becoming more inauthentic and disingenuous. The people of this culture don’t even try to make any genuine intellectual argument for their intellectually vacuous claims. Why? It doesn’t really matter that’s what I believe because that’s what someone I know is telling me and after all they would know, because, well it really doesn’t matter that is what I like and it makes me feel smart except there is nothing intellectual or of any substance to anything I believe. I’m reading Dr Harold Koenig’s book (one of my favorite Lutheran authors, he has done a great deal of study and research into the areas of trauma and spirituality in the areas of law enforcement personnel and military personnel. In his book Spiritual Readiness Dr Koenig takes up the issue of “spiritual readiness” mostly in relation to the military, United States, more particularly. He asserts that in order to perform in such an intense, trauma filled, emotional environment, one’s spiritual readiness also needs to be prepared. He delves into the issue of the “spiritual, spirituality”. The culture takes those words and spins them completely out of context and makes it into some form of “whatever I want to believe no matter how vacuous and baseless”. Well frankly that’s my perspective. But Koenig based on his research and that of many associates sees “spiritual” as much more of the psychological and not much in terms of the transcendant or supernatural. That’s important because there is a greater power. We don’t control him, he is the lord of our life, we are not the lord of our life. But hey, we have so many in today’s world that are convinced it’s about them and they will find a way to make it that way until they die and find out differently and then it will be too late.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Tuesday Feb 4, 2025

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

Talking about Dr Harold Koenig’s book relating to the “Spiritual Readiness” primarily of United States military and also about United States law enforcement. Shouldn’t there be some level of understanding and appreciation that man’s spirit is profoundly affected when he has to make life and death decisions. This is really God’s call, but we certainly are instruments of God’s will. When are we being led by the Holy Spirit versus being led by some blood lust in our own psyche? Since we do not create life and never really will, shouldn’t we be better prepared in the event that we might have to take life? It’s certainly nothing to take lightly and most civilized nations have been protected by men and women of the highest values and very much trusting in God to perform their enormously difficult duties. Less and less that is the case today and in a culture that is so sure we can prepare people for any eventuality and yet we become poorer in preparing. The more we think we know, the less we are able to put into practice to prepare our military and law enforcement. All through the history of the United States we knew who we were serving. In the Revolutionary War one of the most popular rallying calls was “No king but Jesus”. Of course that got buried beneath the disingenuousness of our secular culture. In the Civil Way the Battle Hymn of the Republic was very clear that we were going to war to free people from slavery and were on God’s side doing it. Now it is much less defined. We only have to look back to the Vietnam War to realize that there was little in terms of a higher purpose and never in American history was more American military disillusioned with what they were called to do and did for their fellow Americans. We need to be better prepared in why we put our military into hostile environments and helping those men and women know a much more transcendent reason, that is what they are doing in service of their fellow man in terms of our God.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Wednesday February 5, 2025

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

From “Faith Alone” edited by James Galvin: “Good works have always been valued more highly than faith. Of course, it’s true that we should do good works and respect the importance of them. But we should be careful that we don’t elevate good works to such an extent that faith and Christ becomes secondary. If we esteem them too highly, good works can become the greatest idolatry. This has occurred both inside and outside of Christianity. Some people value good works so much that they overlook faith in Christ. They preach about and praise their own works instead of God’s works.” For me my good works are always in Jesus. Seems I get moved along on a regular basis to do some sort of good works where I have no idea really what is needed, but realise that this is what has to happen. We are called to serve anyone with good works on a regular basis. People we don’t know, of any other different human groups, someone we may not like or even have good reason not to like. It is always in faith in Jesus and we know when the Holy Spirit is moving along to do a good work for someone. It may be the least likely person or the oddest situation. But we trust His leading and afterwards realize it was all about Him and as Jesus told us to recognize we are an unworthy servant.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Thursday February 6, 2025

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

We continue to discuss Dr Harold Koenig’s book on the “Spiritual Readiness” of our United States military personnel and law enforcement personnel. D Koenig discusses this in terms of the general attitude of the culture. It is oh so haute couture to describe oneself as “spiritual” not religious. Jesus didn’t make any provision for customized “spiritual” perspectives. He gave us the basis for our faith in the Christian religion. There are many iterations of that, which certainly shows that there are many ways to be in relationship with Jesus, but off on your own, where you live an do whatever you want in terms of God and He is just supposed to meet your every need because you were such a good little girl performing for “god” and entitled to all your treats. That’s just not serious and there is nothing to abet such a vacuous idea. God has put us on the earth first to glorify Him. He made us, He gave us everything we have, yes we should glorify Him. The Westminister catechism says: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” We were created for God and we should certainly glorify Him for our creation and sustaining. Koening writes: “… the term spiritual many be used to describe a completely secular of humanistic individual, where the definition is primarily in positive psychological terms. For example, the term spiritual may be defined as having meaning and purpose, feeling a profounc connection with others, or experiencing a deep inner peace. These psychological states are often the consequences of having a devout religious faith, not a separate non-religious spiritual state.” It has to be in relation to God, it’s meaningless unless it is for a transcendent being who gives us meaning in our life and what it means for our eternal life. We need to be frank and open with those who serve in ways that put their lives at risk and could have the trauma of ending another life. How does one reconcile that in terms of our very finite “psychological” make up?

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day

Friday February 7, 2025

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

Subject of a book I’ve been reading discussing “Spiritual Readiness” by Dr Harold Koenig. It is very in-depth studies of how people in the military handle high stress, life or death situations. No one handles dealing with death well. In a military environment it does come with the territory. One thing that was always repeated in the military that military work is inherently dangerous work. No question about it. That includes being aware of your environment for enemy or terrorist attacks, or in the elements such as dangerous seas, weather, extreme cold or heat. All types of possibilities how do you handle it in a manner that allows you to be functional, to trust that what you are doing has a higher good?

Koenig writes: “spirituality is a broad term that technically refers to any aspect of life

But then the issue is whether what you believe has “divine or metaphysical quality” if it really doesn’t and it’s some humanistic construct that’s only about trying to be some way to simply distract people, even counting on some “placebo” effect? I am a Christian pastor. I know that what I teach from the Bible is genuine. I know that I can teach this to a member of the military, public safety, people who have mediate contact with mortality, know the realities and give them something that is genuine, that they can hang on to in times of stress, perhaps their own mortality. I’m not going to do that with some humanistic or fabricated story there is no basis to trust in it’s reality. There is no doubt who Jesus is and that is who and how we are going to have to deal with our eternal life. That is who I will be presenting in any aspect of what I am working within. Know Christ for your eternal life.

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. For a transcript of today’s Thought go to: wordpress.com/view/revjamesdriskellmdiv.com Sunday worship is at 10:30am, with the NCTV 45 thought for the day, God bless your day