A Little Wine, A Little Wine
Today’s Bible Verse:
1 Timothy 5:23 ESV
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
It’s the Friday of Independence Day weekend, so my thought today goes to something funny that happened to me this week.
I was at a local cancer center sitting in the waiting area. A man sitting a chair away from me said, “Howdy” when I sat down. “Good afternoon, my friend,” I responded. While sitting there, I noticed him go inside his jacket and pull out a flask. In a cancer center! He took a nip of whatever was in it and noticed I was staring. “Don’t worry, Father. It’s just a little wine, a little wine,” followed by a small giggle. “But you should know, Father, I follow the Bible. So I’m drinking a little wine, a little wine.”
What? The Bible told him to drink wine … in public … in a cancer center! He looked at me said “Just check out First Timothy. Paul tells (Timothy) to stop drinking only water, and drink a little wine to settle his stomach since he’s always sick.” Sure enough, it does say that! And I smiled!
The man’s name is Kevin and he was at the center for chemotherapy treatment for stomach cancer. We will pray for him this weekend and then have a little wine, a little wine, during the. Lord’s Supper. You know - the body and blood of Jesus Christ in, under, and with the bread and wine in that holy sacrament for the forgiveness of sins. Have a blessed Friday!
PRAYERS
Keep in Your Prayers:
Those struggling to make ends meet.
All people dealing with cancer
Those who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
A Prayer for Today:
Lord, You gave us laughter to lighten up our lives. Thank You for this blessed gift that brings smiles and warm hearts. In Jesus’ name, I pray.. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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