President’s Monthly Message

2023 Archived Devotions from President James Rockey

January 2023 – Mercies New…Same Purpose!

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness. Psalm 115:1

I’m quite sure you’ve been hearing some of the same phrases: “New Year, new me!” “New Year, New Resolutions!” “New Year, New Purpose!”

As I’ve been hearing and reading these phrases, I’ve been struck by how easily we do two things. We throw out the year past like there is nothing of value worth retaining. Secondly, at the heart of these statements, there is an underlying focus on self.

Yes, each of us desperately needs the Lord’s “mercies new every morning”. Yet here’s the problem. Our lives as Christians, the Church, and our faith are not about us. It’s not about our agendas or our plans. No. It’s about the Lord and His plans. Our lives, the Church, and our faith are about His Kingdom and His glory!

For many of us, that’s hard to hear. It’s counterintuitive. Especially today, when we live in a time, where more than we realize, it’s every man or woman for themselves. It’s the source of conflicted relationships. It’s what distracts us and derails us from what we should be doing or who we should be. It’s that constant mirror that assures us of our need for God’s grace. As Luther would say, “It’s a First Commandment issue.” I say this because putting ourselves above God is what drives our focus on our agenda and glory. However, when we come face to face with these realities, God uses it to remind us that life is simply not all about us. It’s about Him – His plan, His kingdom, and His glory.

Have you ever thought about how God made that clear from the very first words of the Bible? “In the beginning, God . . .” When we consider this reality, it can truly change how we think about ourselves, our purpose, and how we deal with life. Everything that was created was made by God and…for God. All that was created, all the wonders and glories of this world were made to point to His glory. Everything. That includes you and me. We were not made to live self-directed lives…living for our own moments of glory. No, we were created to live for Him.

So how do we do this? Is it in some great tasks or work you do for God? Is it through some religious act? No, but in every aspect of our lives. I love how Paul helps us understand this in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Did you hear it? “Whatever you do!” Paul’s view of how we live for the glory of God isn’t about big, glorious moments or accomplishments. Instead, he focuses on the mundane daily tasks such as eating and drinking. Do you get it? From the simplest to the greatest tasks of life, our focus and desire should be to bring glory to God.

Consider again the Psalmist’s words: “Not to us, LORD, not to us but to Your name be the glory.” Yes, this is not easy to remember or do, but as we begin a new year, let us rejoice that His mercies are new every day! Christ, whose birth we have just celebrated, came that we might be forgiven and that He would receive the glory!

So, as we celebrate His mercy, may we remember that our purpose in this new year has not changed. It remains to give Him the glory and to point others to the same!

A blessed New Year as we give God the glory!

President Rockey

February 2022 – God So Loved… And He Still Does!

I have loved you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

I bet as you read the title of this E-blast your mind immediately added the rest of the verse…that He gave His one and only begotten Son (John 3:16)! Yes, we know that God loves us and, in a sense, views us as His valentines! It’s that time of year that we express with cards, flowers, chocolates, and, in other ways, our love for those who are dear and special to us. Whether spouses, children, or valued friends, sharing how much they mean to us and our love for them is a wonderful thing.

For many of us, our earliest recollection of Valentine’s Day was the anticipation of getting a valentine from the one we liked or secretly “loved.” We couldn’t wait to open our decorated bags with the children’s greeting cards or the candies that said, “Be Mine!” or “Kiss Me” or “Cutie!” We would even read into the cards and candy all kinds of meanings! Then there was the heart-pounding that came with not getting a valentine from someone that you cared about and how crushed that would leave us. 

I love how the Lord addresses us…with love. “Dearly beloved.” God addresses every one of us saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31: 3). In truth God just acknowledging our existence would have given us great joy…but to have Him care so much about us to put His love in writing and to demonstrate that He means it when He says, “I love you!” is amazing. Yes, for God proved His love by giving us His most precious possession, His only Son – and that makes His the best Valentine of all!

Think about it. God didn’t leave us guessing as to how He views or feels about each of us. In the waters of our Baptism, He claimed us as His own. He gave us His Spirit, He washed away our sins and He gives us forgiveness and life. On the cross with His outstretched arms, He made it clear, “This is how much I love you” by taking your place and my place. Yes, for God, love is not an emotion or a feeling or a sentiment but an action. So, whenever you feel unloved, open His Valentine – His Holy Word – listen and take each promise personally because they are for you!

Truly, God does not love as the world. Instead, His love is not just bound in words, but in action. His Holy Word points us to the ways in which He has loved us in action! As the Apostle Paul records in Romans 5: 8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Halleluiah, right!

Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for his friend” John 15: 13. That is what our Lord Jesus has done for us and all people!  Dear friends in Christ, I believe that as those who have experienced and received this undeserved gift, we must share it. The Apostle John continues this teaching when he wrote: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us” 1 John 4: 7-12.

Florida-Georgia District, may it be said of us, “They know how to love…like Jesus.” 

Compelled by Christ’s love 2 Cor. 5: 14,

President Rockey

March 2023 – He Wants You!

I don’t want your sacrifices—I want your love; I don’t want your offerings—I want you to know me. Hosea 6:6

What I want instead is your true thanks to God; I want you to fulfill your vows to the Most High. Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you. Psalm 50:14-15

Relationships are truly one of the greatest blessings in life. Yet sometimes they are one of life’s most challenging, especially with those who are closest to us. For many, when we discover that a friend or family member has a problem, we might find ourselves jumping in and trying to “fix” the problem. But in truth, what they want most is us.  

God had a similar complaint regarding His people Israel. His people were active in religious practices and festivals and in offering animal sacrifices. Yet God said: “I have no complaint about your sacrifices or burnt offerings you constantly bring to my altar” (Ps. 50: 8). But He was not looking for their bulls and goats. He had no need of anything from them, because it all belonged to Him. More than their gifts, He wanted them! God’s people had forgotten that it was all about the relationship He desired with them.

As part of that relationship, God wanted His people to thank Him (Ps. 50: 14). He wanted to be thanked because saying “thank you” can be evidence of a healthy relationship. Those who recognize who God is in their lives and how much they depend on Him are people who know all they are and have come from Him. As we recognize this essential connection with God, we overflow with gratitude.

God also wanted his people to fulfill their promises (Ps. 50: 14b). It was God who took the initiative and told the people of Israel that He would be their faithful God. In response, they assured Him they would be His faithful people. The closest of relationships was born. But sadly, the people tended to forget – so vows went unfulfilled, promises ignored, and the relationship deteriorated. Yet God still longed to have His people back again. God also wanted His people to trust Him (Ps. 50: 15). Imagine God’s pain when we, His children, get ourselves into trouble and then turn away from Him to seek help in other people and things. However, He doesn’t change. He still wants us to turn to Him for his help. And do you know what? He is always ready to respond.

What God wants is no mystery. He wants thankful, trusting, and faithful people. He wants people who will actively live in relationship with Him. He wants people He can delight in, love and who love Him! He wants us!

This month we launch our 75th Anniversary Capital Campaign. We have committed to raising $1.5 million dollars by our President’s Equip Conference in September. These funds are being designated to provide grants for ten new Congregation Starts over the next five years! You see, the Florida-Georgia District began as a mission district and today remains a “mission” district! Our focus from the beginning in 1948 was about reaching people throughout Florida and Georgia so that they too would be connected to Jesus!

We are asking each congregation and member of the District to be part of this wonderful opportunity through the following ways: Pray for the lead gifts that are being gathered so that we will see $500,000 raised this spring to provide a $1 for every $2 raised match from individual & congregational gifts That each congregation and all members see themselves as “church planting” congregations and start something new. The opportunities around us are limitless, and each congregation can find one new way to reach their community for Christ. That every congregation will accept the challenge to give a thank offering for 75 years of mission and ministry together. Let’s be bold, but at a minimum, if each congregation raised $7,500, we would meet this overall goal.

Pray – pray about personally participating. My wife and I have prayed and have been led to give this year 1% of the total goal ($15,000). How has the Lord blessed you in your relationship with Him? How can you respond with a bold gift in thanksgiving for His love & faithfulness?

It is appropriate for us to tell those we care about and value that we love them. Likewise, may we recommit ourselves to expressing our love to the Lord by daily growing, celebrating, and living out our relationship with Him. Yes, He loves us unconditionally! May we love Him with all that is His!

President Rockey

April 2023 – Needing to Hear the Story… Again!

He became obedient unto death, even death on a cross! Philippians 2:8

This week we begin our Holy Week journey. I have to admit that this year I have come to see Lent and Holy Week differently. Although I preach regularly around the District for various occasions, this year I have not preached and led mid-week Lenten services. Like many people, my days are filled with appointments and the work that I am blessed to do as your District President. But by the time I finish at the office or get home from my appointments, it’s been difficult to drive the hour to get to church by 5:30. As a result, I’ve joined in the services by live stream. But because I am not writing and preaching the sermons, I find that I must work at being fully attentive to what the pastor preaches and what we sing in the songs.

Whether tired from the drive, learning to listen to others preach more than myself or because I’m getting older (I did just turn 60), I’ve caught myself being distracted or even dozing off. My first inclination is to point the blame elsewhere. Even to the extent of thinking, “The story is always the same — Jesus lives, He dies and He rises.” There are no surprise endings. The Passion readings have been the same for years. The hymns are loved, but so familiar.  And listening to or watching various pastors reveals how challenging it is to be original or help people connect to this familiar message. But, you see, the problem lies not so much with others but within me. I have an Old Adam that makes a Pharisee out of me. I’ve learned the motions and routines, but I can easily miss just soaking up the message and Word for me. My head can interfere with the message getting to my heart. In truth, I know that many experience this challenge. Even the Apostle Paul wrestled with doing things he knew he shouldn’t do. So how do we get over it?

We have a wonderful tool in our churches that helps. In front of our sanctuary, fastened securely to the wall, is a captivating cross. There, it hangs with two different types of beautiful wood, finely sanded. It is hardly the picture of torture that it represents, but that cross helps me.

The story of Lent and Easter may be familiar, but its elements are both shocking and amazing. It all began thousands of years earlier with two people in a perfect garden called Eden. The prelude to the passion account is illustrated in thousands of years of history about a people struggling to honor God and do right but often doing wrong. Yet God, in mercy and love, pursued His people to redeem and save.

When Jesus broke into history being born in Bethlehem, we already knew we were in for something out of the ordinary and out of this world. Imagine, God, the King of all creation being born in the lowliest of conditions! Then again, this week, entering Jerusalem triumphantly on the back of a donkey! What kind of God is this?

Well, we have the answer in the cross. “He became obedient unto death.” Now here is where looking upon that cross becomes so helpful. The death Jesus was obedient unto…was my death! The King of the universe took my sentence. He had a crown of thorns upon His head when it should have been a crown of jewels and gold. He was nailed to the cross. He suffered beyond my ability even to imagine. He bled and He died. As I gaze upon that cross again this Holy Week, I see my Savior and Lord take what should have been mine! He became obedient unto death to pay the price for my sin. He did it all so that I might be forgiven and have life eternal! For as we profess in Luther’s Small Catechism, “Christ redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought and won me from all sins, death, and the power of the Devil.” My friends, He did all this for me, and He did all this for you!

What made dying on the cross so terrible? Not only did it bring death, but it was a torturous and humiliating death. Death sometimes took days to come. When it did come it usually did not result from piercing wounds in the hands or feet. It came from asphyxiation. The trauma that leads to the execution soon combines with the inability to take a deep breath. In time, after hours or days of struggling, death comes. It was also a humiliating way to die. Crucifixions were designed as the ultimate public spectacle. It was to ring out a warning that certain crimes carry with them the worst punishment. This is how our God was treated.

Today we place the cross front and center, but it is more than a decoration.  It is a bitter reminder of just how serious our sin is and how hopeless we are on our own. Our wrong thoughts, words, and actions demanded the highest of all prices — the execution of God’s perfect sinless Son.

You bet that this story hasn’t changed — and it better not, for there is no other means by which you, me, and all others can be saved. How do I fight my Old Adam? I focus on that cross. When I listen carefully, I sometimes imagine I hear the pounding of the piercing nails. And then I remember I caused it with my sins. Now I am listening to hear the forgiveness He brought and the victory of Easter Sunday. Now I am looking upon that cross as a reminder of the victory that is mine and yours through the One who was “obedient unto death!”

“Hey, Satan! Get behind me!” I must never grow weary of this story. It is the most important of all that we are privileged to hear, believe, and share!

President Rockey

May 2023 – Out of the Grave and into the Garden

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever. Psalms 30:11-12

As Jesus arose and came out of the grave, the first steps He took were into a garden! For me, the use of that word causes me to envision it as one filled with life, beauty, and hope. The apostle John writes, “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid” (John 19:41). Mary was the first to see Him alive there in that garden. Given who He is, what He had done, and what He promises to do for us, it’s no surprise where she found Him.

The tomb was His first and only grave, but He was very familiar with gardens. In the garden, God had placed the first man and woman (Genesis 2:8–9). When Jesus came to earth and declared the Kingdom of God, He used illustrations from the garden (Matthew 13:32). As the hour of His suffering drew near, He prayed, “…not my will, but yours be done.” in a garden (Luke 22:42b). And one day, when He comes to judge the world and make all things new, He’ll establish a great city, and there will be a garden in that city (Rev. 22:1–2).

So why might the Lord repeatedly choose a garden? While graves, like His, may stand for the death He conquered, gardens captivate us — with the hope and joy of the new life He gives. I believe that’s why I still love taking care of my own lawn and garden. There, week after week of mowing or watching new growth occur on the trees and plants reminds me of the new life that Christ gives.

In contrast, graveyards are solemn, even frightening places. Row after row of tombstones stares back at us with the finality of death. Life comes and goes, advances and changes, but not in the grave. Not among those stones. Walking through a graveyard, we realize again just how short and how fragile life really is! For many, that thought easily feeds one’s worst fears (Hebrews 2:14–15).

Graves may inspire fear, but gardens…gardens awaken hope! Spring brings a stunning reminder each year, that death is not as invincible as it seems. All that died a few months ago suddenly emerges again — and before long is vibrant and alive again! Each new bloom is a wonderful reminder that Christ came out of the grave and into the garden of life!

If Christ did not come, there would be no hope of life beyond the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, we read about the only real hope that counts. This passage is often read at Easter, but it shouldn’t be the only time to read it. The hope of the Resurrection is an awesome and powerful thing to celebrate 365 days a year. In this passage, Paul describes what would have happened if Christ had not been raised from the dead. What would our lives be like? Paul says, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless” (v. 17). If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then you are still in your sins. If there is no resurrection, then you and I still must face the judgment of God for our sins. Yet, by faith in Christ, we are a people of Hope who can rejoice & dance! We can rejoice that Christ has made room for us because He has broken the chains of death and the grave!

Many of us have relatives who went to war, and they may have shared stories of those that they served beside. But I read a fascinating story recently. In the chaos of battle and the death of brothers, it wasn’t always possible to return their bodies to their homeland for burial. Many lay where they fell and died and are only remembered today by anonymous graves.

After one battle in France where a group of US soldiers was fighting, a group of them approached a Catholic priest to ask if they could bury one of their fallen brothers in the small graveyard adjoining the church. Their request seemed reasonable. However, to their surprise, the priest turned them down for two reasons. First, the dead man was not a Catholic, and secondly, there was no room in the overcrowded graveyard.

The men were deeply upset and, with heavy hearts, returned to their platoon. They had no choice but to bury their friend just beyond the small wooden fence that marked the cemetery boundary and put up a simple cross to mark the burial spot. A few months later the war came to an end. The military prepared for the journey home. But those men longed to return to the grave for a last goodbye to their dead friend. They traveled back to the church. The cemetery looked the same, but they couldn’t see any sign of the simple wooden cross. They walked around and around the perimeter, feeling very angry. Surely the priest hadn’t removed that simple memorial to their dead friend. So, they ran towards the church to confront the priest. But as they got closer, the priest came out to meet them: “I’m so glad you have returned. After you left, I was troubled by my decision. I saw the dignified way you buried your friend. I can sense the anguish my decision caused you. I couldn’t change the fact that the cemetery was full. So, I decided to solve the problem in a different way. I moved the boundary fence so that your friend’s grave is now within the graveyard itself. I hope you can forgive me”.

This powerful story actually happened in the horror and devastation of war. Yet, I am struck by this, we could not change our sinful condition and due judgment. But Christ solved our problem in a different way. He made room for us! No, not in a grave but with Him for eternity where there is no war, no sorrow, no death, and no grave! He made room for us in the garden of paradise by His suffering, death, and resurrection on our behalf! Therefore, let us rejoice, for He has turned our morning into dancing! “He has clothed us with joy, that our hearts may sing His praises and not be silent.” Out of the grave… From mourning to dancing in the garden!

President Rockey

June 2023 – Cornerstones

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men, but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5

Prior to being elected District President last summer, I was blessed during my fifteen-year ministry in planting Amazing Grace Lutheran in Oxford to lead it through three building projects. Those were exciting days, and I thank the Lord for the ways He worked through His people to see Christ’s Kingdom grow!

From our modern perspective, it’s easy to think of the Church as a building made of steel, wood, bricks, and mortar. Yet when the New Testament speaks of the Church, it is talking about people. In fact, some suggest that the earliest evidence of a house being converted architecturally into a place of Christian worship is not until approximately 241-256 AD.

In Peter’s first letter, he describes the Church as “living stones,” people who are “built up as a spiritual house” with Jesus as the “cornerstone.” From Peter’s perspective, the Church is not so much a physical building or an institution but people that God is molding and bringing together in Jesus. The Church…is you and me! Therefore, it’s important to remember that what makes us as “living stones” fit together in a cohesive unit is that the cornerstone is in place. In the construction of a building, the cornerstone is set first in the foundation, and all the other stones are positioned in reference to this stone. If the cornerstone is weak or not set in the right place, everything else in the building will be off.                 

How we view the Church greatly influences how we approach mission & ministry. Our understanding of the Church influences why we, the members of our respective congregations, are even here. It’s not about a building, although the building is a vessel that can further support the work of bringing people together or connecting them to Jesus. It’s not about us having a place that is everything we want or envision for our own enjoyment or worship. No, instead, it is about a people who gather to hear the Word of God and the message of hope and life in Christ faithfully proclaimed. This further becomes evident through the lives of God’s people in word & deed. The Church is where the unconditional love of God is shared with all and where lives continue to be transformed through Christ.

We live in a day when so many are living in darkness, hurting, and looking for that which is true and unchanging. As the Church, may we regularly remind ourselves that what we do is not about buildings or an institution but about the living, breathing Body of Christ. May we take these words to heart, that we, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. It is vitally important that our churches are built on the only foundation that can stand, Jesus. May each of us continue to be those “living stones” so that many more may be connected to the true “Cornerstone,” Jesus!

President Rockey

July 2023 – Free Indeed

This week, we will celebrate our Independence and the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. I pray that you and your family will not only enjoy this national holiday but also truly reflect upon this great gift and heritage.

For nearly two hundred and fifty years, citizens of our nation have been blessed to celebrate our independence on The Fourth of July. We fly the flag, put up red, white, and blue decorations, march in parades, shoot off fireworks, and enjoy BBQs and picnics. This day was set aside so that throughout all our celebrations, we would be reminded of the gift of our freedom as a nation. Indeed, we are blessed in the United States with exceptional liberty, for which we ought to thank the Lord. As a follower and servant of the One true God and Savior, I pray that each of us will also count the significance of our freedom’s impact upon our faith lives. This impact includes the freedom to believe and worship as we choose, to pray and praise the Lord when and where we are led, to share our faith and the hope that we have with others freely, and to know that no matter what, our future and freedom is eternally secure!

As I consider these incredible freedoms, God’s Word regularly rises in my mind and heart. The Lord says through the Apostle Paul: “In [Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

These words in Ephesians 3:12 celebrate another kind of freedom, a freedom that is even more amazing than the freedoms guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The Greek word translated here as “freedom” refers specifically to “freedom of speech” (parrhesia, with a literal meaning of “all speech”). The word rendered as “approach” suggests one’s authorization to draw near to a king. Slowing down to look at this Scripture is somewhat mind-blowing. Who am I to “approach God,” our King and Lord, with confidence? Yet, these words of our Lord remind us that “through him” we can be confident in our “freedom of speech” and “authorization to approach” God!

Incredible right? In Christ, you and I have the freedom to draw near to God, to tell God anything, without holding back. We can express to God not only our joys, our hopes, dreams but also our sorrows. We can share with Him not only what we are confident in and thankful for but also our doubts or anger. This is an amazing freedom.
However, it is a freedom that we, as Christians, can easily take for granted, just as citizens can hold their political freedom too lightly. When we’re used to praying to God at any time, in any place, with any words, we can forget the stunning nature of our access to God. Think about it. The God who created the universe, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the God of all wisdom and justice, this God invites us to speak our mind, to share with him our thoughts, our feelings, fears, dreams…and our failures and sin. The more we reflect on this invitation, the more I believe we’ll come to realize and celebrate just how amazing it is.

There is one more verse that always seems to come to my mind as Independence Day approaches. Jesus said in John 8: 32, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. In this day when many are using their freedom for things our forefathers, nor our Father in heaven ever had in mind, when people are so adamant about their individual freedoms and rights over those of society and community when it seems the government is limiting our real freedoms in various ways while on the other hand affirming freedoms that are anything but, it’s time for us to focus our attention and energy on celebrating and defending our greatest and truest freedom of all!

So let us cling to our freedom in Christ, the Son who has set us free from Satan, Sin, and Death! Let us cling to the freedom we have to profess and share this true freedom giver. Finally, let us approach His throne of grace no matter the circumstances or what our world and others may say or do. For He is the One true God who loves to hear from His children and has given us unconditional access!

So, my fellow Americans and citizens of God’s Kingdom, take time this week to thank God for the freedom we have in this country. I also encourage you to step back to consider the freedom Christ has given you to approach God with deep confidence.

President Rockey