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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

Monday Jan 20, 2025

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

Many people try to make Jesus into a sort of idealist, kumbaya, eastern guru, who frankly, let’s just say not real genuine. No, stop it, did you know that Jesus talked more about money, than He did about heaven? And it’s not in the sense of “ok, come on, gotta pony up more money”. No it’s in the sense of we are given this stewardship by God as one of many ways that we grow in Him. Jesus was very practical and very empathetic on the topic of money, but it along with many other issues, is something that has a very profound impact on people and should be taken seriously. In Matthew 25:18-23 “The one who received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.” Now this doesn’t earn this person any more in his eternal salvation, but as Jesus was a good and faithful servant to us, we should be to Him. We should trust that the Holy Spirit is working through us in order to conform us to God’s will, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And kinda not talking about money so much as: “Well done good and faithful servant.” We are trusting what Jesus is asking us to do. I saw one person say that in today’s value, we would be talking about $10,000. That’s not a lot of money, it’s not small either. But Jesus is saying you have trusted in me, you have followed my leading. You were faithful to me to do My will. We owe so much to Jesus in every part of our life, how can we truly serve 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

Tuesday Jan 21, 2025

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

We’re talking about Matthew 25:18-23 where Jesus’ servants go and serve Him with the resources He has given us in order to serve Him. I know, such an abhorrent thought that we should be “serving” anyone. Hmmmmm how much would our family relations improve if we saw ourselves as more in how to serve our spouse, children, parents, siblings. Oh no, we can’t do that! We’re here to grab for everything we can in order to boost our place in the world, not to put someone higher than us. Sure there are plenty of times where we are given the opportunity to improve our place in the world, and usually we jump on it. But too often what we are given by God is taken for granted, and we don’t really appreciate what we are given. Jesus gave His life to serve us, that He did to pay for our sins, He made us righteous and worthy to have everlasting life in Him in His resurrection. Jesus tells His faithful: “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” It is my purpose in life that I will be worthy to hear Him say that to me when I am in His presence. This isn’t what I earned, everything I have is earned and given to me by Jesus, but I am faithful to Him in how I serve Him. Jesus finishes “Throw out the worthless servant into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” So many like to make Jesus into a cream puff, that He takes whatever we give Him and He’s just happy with that. If you won’t serve Jesus, you just don’t care how it works out, you are saying that He is not important to you and you won’t be important to 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 Jan 22, 2025

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

Dr Reed Lessing one of my favorite seminary professors. He’s written a lot of books, I’m in the middle of his book “Overcoming Life’s Problems.” The book is a commentary on the Book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah suffered immensely from Israel’s enemies, and from his own people in Israel, and totally unjustly. He is reporting to the king what God tells him to report. Jeremiah isn’t trying to provoke anyone, but he has to serve God as God directs him. Dr Lessing uses this one example of how we can start with great intentions, still end up paying for what we thought was right, he writes: “Maybe you heard about this incident on a company accident form. ‘When I got to the building, I saw that the earthquake had knocked off some bricks around the top, so I set up a beam with a pulley at the top of the building and hoisted up two barrels full of bricks. After I fixed the damaged area, there were leftover bricks. I went to the bottom and began releasing the line. Unfortunately the barrel of bricks was heavier than I was and, before I knew it, the barrel started coming down, jerking me up. I decided to hang on since, in a matter of seconds, I was too far off the ground to jump. When I hit the beam at the top, the barrel of bricks hit the ground, spilling the bricks. I was now heavier than the barrel. I started down at high speed. When I hit the ground, I landed on the bricks. I let go of my grip on the rope and the barrel came down, hitting me in the head.’ Talk about concussion protocol. Happened to Jeremiah, it’s happened to me. We are called to be good and faithful servants and we are going to get lumps when we do and we have to trust God’s will and not worry about our feelings or how bad we physically suffered.

I’m Jim Driskell the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church 1302 E Washington St, New Castle, Pa check us on the webChristlutheran-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 Jan 23, 2025

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

We are talking about Dr Reed Lessing’s book “Overcoming Life’s Problems”, we do the best we can as I quoted him yesterday with the man and the barrel of bricks, but we can still end up getting hurt. And yes, sometimes we will have to take the lumps, people have been doing it for centuries in the cause of Christ. Those people we call martyrs, they stood up for their faith in Jesus, knew the possibilities and ended up paying with their life. I’m not hear to be a recruiting poster for Jesus as so many who are phony in their faith in Jesus. He told us that the world would hate us that we would suffer. We serve Jesus, the world wants to bring us down into the pit of sin and mediocrity and we weren’t meant for that. But Jesus still does do miracles and I’ve been blessed by that too. Dr Lessing writes: “It’s tempting to cut everyone out of life. We no longer have the energy it takes to invest in relationships. Depression and anxiety overwhelm us. Sadness and fear… John tells us why. ‘When Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days’. Many Jews in Christ’s day believed that after death, a person’s soul hovered over the dead body for three days. On the fourth day, however, the soul departed. That’s when death became irreversible. That’s when Jesus shows up – on the fourth day. Jesus didn’t want to do a difficult miracle. Jesus wants to do an impossible miracle – something that demonstrates beyond any doubt that He is God.” We know He is God and we submit to Him and trust His will. His is that good and perfect will and is all for those He loves in Jesus and who serve 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 Jan 24, 2025

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

If you know science, especially in terms of mathematics, computers, technology, you will know the name Blaise Pascal.

There are these pretentious little fops out there who like to tell people like me, Oh I believe in science… and wouldn’t even know who Pascal was. Just like so many of the most brilliant minds in history, they were devout Christians, as well as the highest rank of scientists. They knew perfectly well that everything around us had to have been created, that it is statistically impossible for the universe to just create itself the way that it’s created. If you understand the complexity and the obvious “intelligent design” of everything in the universe and made that way in order for us to be able to survive on this tiny little blue dot in a rather remote spot in the universe than you will understand that it had to be the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, transcendent power of a completely all powerful God, not an accident or the inert, consciousless “universe”. In his book “Pensees” Pascal writes: It is the heart which experiences God, and not the reason. This, then, is faith: God blessed by the heart, not by the reason.

Faith is a gift of God; do not believe that we said it was a gift of reasoning. Other religions do not say this of their faith. They only gave reasoning in order to arrive at it, and yet it does not bring them to it. Do not wonder to see simple people believe without reasoning. God imparts to them love of Him and hatred of self. He inclines their heart to believe. Men will never believe with a saving and real faith, unless God inclines their heart; and they will believe as soon as He inclines it. And that is what David knew well…” God gives us the faith to know Him, to trust Him, to serve Him and to know that in the end we will be in His very presence in a perfected, magnificent world where as Jesus promised there will be life and life more abundant. That will be as a result of the faith He gave us and what Jesus did to save us. Nothing we did for faith or our eternal salvation.

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 Nov 11, 2024

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

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

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

Tuesday Nov 12, 2024

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

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

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

Wednesday Nov 13, 2024

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

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

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

Thursday Nov 14, 2024

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

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

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

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

Friday Nov 15, 2024

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

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

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