June 2025 • Our God is Great and Awesome…
There’s building…and then there’s re-building. Our younger daughter was a “builder” of Legos growing up. They were always on her Christmas and birthday wish lists. We knew they would be a present she’d love by the fact that she’d open and begin to build whatever it was that very day. Over the years, she ended up with quite a collection of Star Wars, Robots and more. Once put together, they stayed assembled.
Yet it wasn’t that way for me when I was young. Certainly, we didn’t have such incredible Lego sets to choose from, but me and my friend Stevie used to take those perfectly constructed sets, and we’d keep playing with them. By that I mean, we’d disassemble them piece by piece and those pieces would then become new creations with pieces from the other sets.
That was me then, but now I’m more of a person who likes things to look like the instruction manual. I mean, isn’t that picture of the kit the “Right” way to build with these Legos? When a piece comes loose, we pull out the picture and put it back exactly where it is supposed to go. It’s quite a contrast to swapping parts and combining sets to end up with silly and unique creations.
Yes, if I had a big crate of mixed-up Lego sets, I think I’d want to make it a spring project to sort the Legos back into sets and then following those instruction manuals put them all together the right way once more. This sounds like the ultimate project. Get everything in its “right” place and all will be right with the world.
The truth is, it would take a great deal of time and effort because I truly believe building is far easier than rebuilding. Building starts with a clean space or slate. The pieces are clearly sorted and separated. Building does not begin with confusion.
But re-building starts with brokenness, mess and rubble and we must restore what’s broken and remake or even re-design what is lost. In the book of Nehemiah, God’s people rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem that had been destroyed by their enemies and left in ashes and mounds of rubble for years. During the rebuilding, they were harassed, mocked, and threatened by enemies, and yet they kept working. Some guarded while others built. Some built with one hand holding a weapon and the other hand laying bricks. They refused to be sidetracked, delayed, or stopped.
The rubble, however, almost defeated them. Nehemiah 4:10 says: In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble. We will never be able to rebuild the wall. ” (Nehemiah 4:10).
That’s what almost broke them. One Bible Study on Nehemiah writes: It was that exhausting rubble that just about took them down.
Many of us have a sense that the church as we know it has been under attack, has lost its once honored place in society, has in some ways been torn down and is struggling to hang on. Whether it’s the realities we face in the Church or realities in our personal lives, there are things in life that are discouraging and exhausting.
Over the past several years, whether because of the effects of Covid, the decline of decency, heightened selfishness, a failure to love and treat all people with value as God’s children, it’s been easy to be defeated by brokenness. Ministries, jobs, finances, churches, school plans, friendships, health and connections with others… all may need rebuilding, and such rebuilding is exhausting and hard. We can’t just jump in with a new vision, a clean slate and build. No, we need to re-build. There are hurts tangled up in this. There’s sadness over what has been lost. There is letting go of what has been. There is anger, frustration and uncertainty. There is a feeling of helplessness because we have no control.
In the midst of such, there can be an intense desire to just get things back to the way they were before, the way they are “supposed” to be—and then protect them so that they can never be changed again.
However, that is not our reality. My friends, we need God to equip us for the rebuilding, to strengthen us to face enemies and strengthen us to clear out the seemingly never-ending rubble and start raising the walls again. Nehemiah said to the discouraged, worn-out, battle-weary people of Judah:
“Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes” (4:14).
Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome. This is not too much for Him! That is the reminder I sense we need. It may take time, it may take creativity, it may mean hard work and standing against the Enemy. The truth remains, though: Our God isn’t just able to build; He is able to rebuild. He has done it before, and He can do it again. He is great and awesome! Therefore, let us “fight for your families…” and all those who need the touch of our “great and awesome” God!
– –
As we prepare to gather for our District Convention in 5 days, please join us in fervent prayer that Christ’s love would COMPEL us in connecting many more to Jesus!
- Pray that our Convention work will result in greater fruit for the Kingdom
- Pray for a united and joyful spirit as we work together
- Pray for our lay and pastoral Delegates that they may come prepared and ready to serve
- Pray for the Resolutions that will come before the delegates and that they would further clarify our primary work and how we can best work together
- Pray for those who have been nominated for leadership positions
- Pray for the staff at the hotel and all who will serve us
- Pray for the District Staff and the Convention Committee as they prepare for the Convention
- And pray that all we do may be used now and in the years to come to equip, empower and engage every congregation and member in living as Christ’s witnesses.
Serving together and connecting people to Jesus!
President Rockey
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2025 Monthly Messages
May 2025 • Keep On Celebrating!
The older I get, the more I realize that we too quickly leave life’s celebrations behind. This can be true of trips that we have anticipated for months, but as soon as we return home, they’re forgotten. Likewise, this is often true of festivals and celebrations in the Church. For instance, we prepare and sing Christmas carols for weeks, but come December 26, they’re put aside like Christmas trees by the curb.
I find this especially true of Easter. In the Lenten weeks leading up to Easter, we give serious attention to our sinful condition and need. We focus on self-examination, repentance, and humbling ourselves before the Lord. And not that I don’t enjoy our Lenten hymns, but when it comes to Easter, those powerful hymns and songs of praise are gone way too quickly.
I find that this is a time that I am thankful for “earworms”, that is, those tunes that rise in my heart and get stuck in my ear. I then find myself singing or humming, Jesus Christ is Risen Today… I know that My Redeemer lives… or Hail Thee, Festival Day.
I find great comfort in the saying, “Every Sunday is a Little Easter.” Some attribute this to Martin Luther, although no real evidence exists of him saying that in such a way. But what a powerful and wonderful practice to remember and celebrate Christ’s resurrection, and the life He won for us over sin, the devil, and death…every Sunday and every day!
Over the past few years, I have lost several dear loved ones. Life can quickly remind us how life is often filled with challenges, sorrows, fears, and uncertainty. It is then that I find comfort and strength in the Easter message and return to the celebration.
In a way, that’s how life is when every morning is Easter morning, and every day is a new beginning! As Luther writes, “ the old Adam in us should… Daily… be drowned… And a new man should daily emerge and arise…” That, my friends, is the power that is ours in Baptism through Christ’s death and resurrection! Romans 6:4 says, “We were buried with Him… In order that just as Christ was raised… We, too, may live a new life.”
Therefore, let me encourage you to keep on celebrating and singing those Easter victory songs every day, no matter what you face. The cross is bare, and the tomb is empty! Today and every day, we can start anew, and tomorrow and every day that follows is a new opportunity to do the same!
Praise God, we are Resurrection people who know and believe that because our Redeemer lives, so shall we!
PRAYER REQUESTS
- For our District Convention (June 5-7)
- For our Lay and Pastoral Delegates as they prepare
- For a united spirit focused on living as along-siders to connect people to Jesus
- For joyous worship, fellowship, and Resolutions that will guide our mission and work in the coming triennium
- For vacant and calling congregations seeking pastors and other staff
- For recently placed new graduates from the Seminaries and Vicars
- For the vision and mission of the District and each congregation & school
President Rockey
April 2025 • April Showers
Today, we enter the month of April, so as the old saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers!”
Have there been any showers in your life lately?
There’s an old story about two pots. One was perfect in every way. The other had cracks and broken places. Each day, a woman filled the pots with rainwater she collected and then carried them down the path to her home. The first pot felt proud that she never spilled a single drop. The other felt ashamed because no matter how hard she tried, she lost a lot along the way.
One day, the two pots overheard the woman talking with someone who lived nearby. The neighbor exclaimed, “The flowers along your path are so beautiful! What’s your secret?” The woman answered, “One of my pots is broken, and the water that spills out helps the flowers grow every day.”
That story reminds me of Isaiah 53:5, But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our sins; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.
For a powerful version, please listen to the song called “By His Wounds” that’s a collaboration featuring Mac Powell from Third Day, Mark Hall from Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Brian Littrell.
As I consider these words from the prophet Isaiah, I am reflecting upon some of the “showers” and pain in my life. Pain is no fun and it’s often hard to see the good that can come out of it. I’m quite sure most of us have asked the Lord, “How can you use me when I’m so broken?”
Read again those words from Isaiah or listen to the song.
Did you hear? “By HIS wounds, we are healed!” My friends, take those words to heart! They can change your perspective in the midst of life’s showers and pain. Yes, through Christ’s wounds, we are truly healed, and because He lives and He lives in us…our wounds can also be used to bring healing to others too.
“By His wounds, we are healed.” Isn’t it amazing that God doesn’t leave us to try and restore or figure things out for ourselves? He doesn’t leave us to somehow make ourselves right with Him. No. God’s ways are not our ways.
Therefore, He took what was perfect, His Son, and made Him broken in to bring us healing. So, if you’re wondering if God can use you because you’re not perfect and you’re reeling from the rain and storms in your life—know that they may be one of your life’s greatest opportunities.
My fellow servants of Christ, we are like the second pot in the story. Our “April showers” can truly lead to “May flowers” because God can use our brokenness, and He can use it to bring forth beauty that blesses those around us.
President Rockey
March 2025 • The Hope of Spring
It seems that we’ve had some interesting weather this winter and early spring, at least here in north Florida. In 2023-24 my grass never died from a frost and was green all winter. This year the freezes came in November and the weather has been up and down since. Some days I’m out in shorts walking and working in the yard and others I’m in my heavy jacket trying to get the dogs to hurry as we make our nightly mile walk. We even had azaleas blooming in January and then the freeze came again.
Sometimes we go through seasons in our lives like this spring has been here. Up and down. Warm and cold. Trials and triumphs. Sorrow and joy.
When life is good and we’re having one of life’s mountaintop experiences, it’s easy for most of us to rejoice. Much like those warm spring days when the birds are singing and there’s new life springing forth all around us. But when things turn cold and the hardships of life overtake us, it’s easy to lose our joy and dwell on the present suffering.
Most of us would agree that life has its ups and downs. King Solomon knew this and wrote about such fluctuating circumstances. He wrote: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Eccl 3: 1-4). Solomon’s father, David, was a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam 13: 22). Yet David’s life revealed how life is filled with seasons of ups and downs. Whether is was grieving over his sin and the death of his son with Bathsheba or the death of his rebellious son, Absalom. Yet he also wrote songs of praise.
There is an old story about a man with a very cheerful, happy countenance, in spite of the fact that his life was filled with trouble and tragedy. Those in his community couldn’t understand it and one day someone asked him how he could stay so cheerful. The old man replied, “I get it out of the Bible.” “What do you mean, you get it out of the Bible?” the person asked.
To that he responded, “Over and over in the Bible I see the words, ‘And it came to pass,’ (FYI in the KJV it shows up 727 times) but never do I find ‘And it came to stay.’ This keeps me moving,” the man said.
Pretty great, right?! What does this say to us? We all face sorrows, suffering, grief and loss in life that we must accept. But on the other end of the spectrum of sorrow is the rainbow reminding us God is here and never leaves us. Trouble will come and go, but the Lord remains forever. He is with us through it all.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “The seasons change and you change, but the Lord abides evermore the same, and the streams of His love are as deep, as broad and as full as ever.” Yes, spring may at times seem to be slow in coming but “The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made” (Psalm 145: 13).
As you begin to see the signs of spring, I encourage you to remember these words of Martin Luther. “Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time!”
President Rockey
February 2025 • Give Me Your Heart!
“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 (NLT)
Sometimes, we have problems relating to those closest to us. For many, when we discover that a friend or family member has a problem, we might find ourselves saying, “You should have known!” Or, maybe even, “I told you so.” Then for many of us our next response is to jump in and try and “fix” the problem. But in truth, whether it’s a spouse or someone else, what they want most is US.
God had a similar complaint about His people, Israel. His people were all in when it came to religious festivals, observances, and 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 bulls and goats from their herds. He had no need for anything from them. In fact, even if He did have need (which he didn’t!), He certainly would not have told them because His resources were greater than any need. More than their gifts, He wanted them! God’s people had forgotten that it was all about the relationship He wanted with them.
As part of that relationship, God wanted His people to thank Him (Ps. 50: 14). He wanted thank offerings so that His people would recognize that He is the Giver of all good gifts. In addition, saying “thank you” can be evidence of a healthy relationship. Those who recognize who God is in their lives and know how much they depend on Him are people who know that all they are and have comes from Him. The more we recognize this essential connection with the Lord, the more 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 that they would be His faithful people. This is a powerful picture of the relationship between God and His people, Israel. But the people tended to forget – so vows went unfulfilled, promises ignored, and the relationship deteriorated. But God still loved His people and longed to have them back again.
God also wanted His people to trust Him (Ps. 50: 15). Imagine God’s sorrow when we, His children, get ourselves into trouble and then turn away from Him to find help in other people and things. Remember, He is our “Ever-present God and help.” God is present and wants us to turn to Him and ask for His help. Indeed, He is always ready to give it.
What God wants is no mystery. He wants thankful, trusting, faithful people. He wants people who will actively live in a relationship with Him. He wants people He can delight in and love who love Him! He wants us!
This month, as we observe Valentine’s Day, telling those we care about and value that we love them. But may we also ponder and recommit ourselves to loving the Lord God by daily growing, celebrating, and living fully in relationship with Him. Yes, He loves us unconditionally! He wants us!
President Rockey
January 2025 • MERRY CHRISTMAS…It’s Not Over!
Merry Christmas! I extend this greeting to each of you from my heart because that is what I truly pray you both experienced this past week and continue to experience.
Now I know that those of you reading this are people of faith and understand that Christmas is far more than a day of gifts, feasts, football, and a day off from work. It is indeed the festival of our Savior’s birth. Therefore, as those who believe and celebrate Christ’s birth, it is indeed appropriate that we greet one another with “Merry Christmas!”
But have you ever wondered…wondered where the phrase “Merry Christmas” comes from? I know that since Thanksgiving, many of us have been greeting others with these wishes and sending cards and letters expressing this to family and friends. But in a culture where “Happy Birthday” and “Happy Easter” are the norm, using “Merry” is a bit out of the norm.
Saying “Happy Christmas” just doesn’t feel right. It may be because saying “Merry Christmas” is so familiar and engrained, but in truth, there are those who do say “Happy Christmas.” It is still widely used in England. Some say that this is because “happy” carried a higher-class connotation than “merry” which was associated with the rowdiness of the lower class. The royal family adopted “Happy Christmas” as their greeting. Even Queen Elizabeth continued to wish her citizens a “Happy Christmas” throughout her life rather than a merry one.
A letter from Bishop John Fisher to Henry the VIII in 1534 reveals that “Merry Christmas” has been used for at least 500 years. Also, the English Christmas carol, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” used the phrase when it was introduced in the 1500s.
So, how did we begin to use it here in the US? Some historians believe that it likely comes down to a grammatical lesson. “Happy” is a word that describes one’s emotional condition or feeling. However, “Merry” is more of a description of behavior. It is something active and maybe even raucous!
Did you hear that? That speaks volumes to me. Christmas is more than an emotion or a feeling. It’s more than a holiday. Christmas describes a behavior. Consider the “act of merry-making” versus simply being “happy.” Now listen carefully – I’m talking about our response! Living in such a way that we behave or live with abandon reflects the joy, the merriment, and the life that we have received through our Savior born in Bethlehem!
But get this: As I said, Christmas describes a behavior that reminds us that it all began with God. His action in abandoning His throne in heaven to come here to us. His “merry making” by His suffering, death and resurrection that takes away all sorrow, tears and pain. We have “Merry Christmas” because of Christ’s behavior, His action and saving work for you, me and all people!
You may be reading this on January 1, but Christmas is not over! Christmas may be the day our Lord was born, but that shouldn’t limit us from continually living and behaving in ways, that those around us experience the “Merry” in Christmas. My dear friends, may your life overflow with the joy and merriment of what Christ has done for you! May you continue to be those who share the life-changing joy of our Savior, born in Bethlehem.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year,
President Rockey
Archived President Messages
2024 Archived Devotions from President James Rockey
December 2024 • A Counter-Cultural December
Here am I, the servant of the Lord: Let it be to me according to your word. Luke 1: 38
I want to live like Mary! I know, that sounds odd, right? Yet I’m serious. Mary was on the verge of one of the most exciting periods of her life. She was engaged to a righteous and respected man and soon to be married. Her future was bright indeed.
But then the angel Gabriel appeared to her and said: “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you…Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Notice how Mary didn’t respond. Sure, she was “deeply troubled” and wondered what this could mean. Yet she didn’t run or reject what she was told, saying, “I have plans.” Or “I’m too young.” Or even, “Find someone else. You can’t interfere with my life.” Instead, she simply asked, “How could this be?”
Here’s what I believe you and I need to be reminded of. “With God, nothing is impossible!” (Luke 1:37). You see, it wasn’t about Mary. She was “favored” but not perfect. You see, it’s all about God. The word used here for “favored” means unmerited favor. It’s saying that there was nothing in Mary that deserved this favor or honor. Mary, just like me and you needed a Savior. Mary needed God’s grace. Mary was shown favor because God chose to show her favor, not because she earned it.
I can’t imagine what was going through her mind, but her simple and trusting response speaks volumes about how she trusted God and obeyed Him. “Here am I, the servant of the Lord: Let it be to me according to your word.” In her straightforward response to the angel, a profound truth is revealed. This truth holds relevance for our own Christian Walk with the Lord. Mary’s declaration reveals a heart willingly serving the Lord. This should prompt us to reflect on how we respond to the opportunities the Lord places before us to serve Him wherever He has placed us – in our homes, neighborhoods, churches and places of employment & activity.
I titled this “A Counter-Cultural December.” My intent is to help us recognize that we are so busy, so preoccupied, so booked with over-filled calendars and agendas that we let those things control us and keep us from hearing and responding like Mary, “Here I am, a servant of the Lord!” That is true most all the time, but even more so during the holiday season. This year, let us be like Mary. Let us recognize our need for God’s unmerited favor & grace. Let us then live in response to His favor by willingly serving Him in all we do!
Serving together!
President Rockey
November 2024 • A Season of Pruning
Over the past several weeks we have seen the devastation and resulting damage of hurricanes Helene and Milton. As we consider the scope of damage, we have much to be thankful for as the damage is significantly less than it could have been!
As I have driven up and down the Gulf coast visiting congregations and families impacted, my eyes have continually been drawn to the impact that the winds have had on the trees. If you have been in an area affected by a hurricane or watched the news reporting the aftermath, you know what I am talking about. I’ve seen a lot of damage from hurricanes over the years both while growing up in Florida and then working for Allstate Insurance. Yet for some reason, I have been seeing this damage in a seemingly different way than in the past. Those fallen branches remind me of pruning.
Consider these words of Jesus in John 15. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
When we moved into our new home in 2020, I planted more than a dozen trees and a number of shrubs. One of the reasons I did so was for privacy. As they have grown, I have celebrated the growth, beauty and increased privacy. Yet I know that pruning is necessary for healthy growth in the long run – even if it delays my desired privacy.
Dear friends, pruning is a necessary part of spiritual growth and can have several benefits including:
- It removes hindrances: God prunes us to remove things that hinder our spiritual growth and relationship with the Lord.
- It can help reveal idols: The pain of such pruning can reveal idols in our hearts.
- It helps produce good fruit: We are here for that very purpose, to “bear fruit that will last.” So pruning results in healthier plants that help us to bear more fruit for the Kingdom.
- Pruning shapes us: Pruning can help shape our character and mold us into the likeness of Christ.
- And, it provides comfort: Our nature is that we don’t want to let go of or lose anything. Pruning causes us to do just that. However, God is present in the pruning and in the resulting healing and growth that results.
I’m pretty sure that you can easily remember the times in your life, even over the past year, where there has been pruning. It might be in the loss of someone or something you loved, it might be in a time of pain or difficulty in a relationship, job or in the lives of friends and family. We’ve all felt the pain of pruning – the cutting away of the good and seemingly fruitful things – and the exhaustion of enduring a season that seemed to go on without end.
As painful as it feels to be pruned, I can’t help but see how God is always good. Consider again John 15:1, where Jesus told His disciples, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” For those who remain in Jesus, pruning serves a productive and powerful purpose. All farmers and gardeners know to prune if they want their farms and gardens to flourish. Likewise, we must be pruned by our Father, who knows exactly what hindrances to remove from our lives, if we want to flourish with the fruit of the Lord.
Now, here we are. Colder weather, and yet I cannot get over the truth that in every season, God is good, and His hands will not harm us. For God our Father, the good Gardener, doesn’t prune us to punish us. He prunes us that we might produce good fruit.
A final note: Although I indicated that the damage from these hurricanes was far less than it could have been. The reality is that there was still incredible loss and thousands who have suffered greatly. Please continue to keep those individuals and communities in your prayers. I also encourage you to listen and respond to how the Lord is calling you to “love your neighbors as yourselves.” That is, love and come alongside of those in need. There is still a great need for volunteers within the FLGA District and in the Carolinas. You can learn more about volunteering through this link: https://www.lcms-lert.org/agency/detail/?agency_id=119487 You can also learn more or donate to our disaster response effort as we provide assistance to congregations, schools, workers and more here: https://flgadistrict.org/lert/
President Rockey
October 2024 • Lessons From Football
In the movie “Any Given Sunday”, Al Pacino plays an aging NFL coach. Toward the end of the movie, he gives a halftime speech about how football, like life, is a game of inches: “…The inches we need are everywhere around us. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches, that’s gonna make the difference between winning and losing!”
Sure, a long pass or a return kickoff to the end zone are exciting. But in between the big plays are a lot of short ones, and those short plays are often decided by a matter of inches.
Following Jesus often can be similar. Baptism, confirmation, or finally understanding how much God loves you — are like big plays that make it to the highlight reel on SportsCenter. But other steps feel more like first downs—not as exciting but still moving us closer to the goal of becoming more like Jesus.
As our congregations begin a new “Season”, may we consider two lessons we can learn from football. 1. Small Choices now can lead to “highlight” moments later. In coaching, ESPN and other networks will often televise the introduction of a new head coach. Yet such a moment is not possible without the roles that prepared the coach to be a head coach, like the long hours as a low paid graduate assistant or living behind the scenes as a special teams coordinator.
We sometimes see or hear stories of how someone invited a friend to church and his or her life was changed. These stories should be celebrated! In truth, all of us would like to impact someone’s life in a similar way. But it takes small steps to be prepared. It can be as simple as memorizing a Bible verse and being prepared to share it in the moment. It can come from being faithful in one’s own daily Bible reading or devotions and letting that Word speak to us so that we might share it with another. Many small acts can lead to highlight moments.
My prayer for each of us and for all those within our congregations, schools and various ministries, is that they be encouraged to prepare. Note the following verses that call for such preparation:
1 Timothy 4:8 For while bodily training is of some value, (training in) godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
2. Fundamentals build the foundation. As a coach, you must build your team up. In the game of football, defenses must defend against multiple types of offense, but before you can teach them to defend, they must learn how to tackle. It’s a skill that is a simple expectation of fans, but every coach knows how important at every level it is to practice tackling. Tackling is a fundamental element of football that leads to success. Consider these three fundamentals that are important to practice as followers of Christ:
- Prayer – learning how to listen and communicate with God and asking Him to work in and through you. Ask Him to reveal to you where & who He has prepared for you to come alongside.
- Reading God’s Word – Here we also learn to listen to what God is saying. Here we get fed and strengthened for the next round of plays. Here we keep our eyes on the goal – to not only know and love our Lord, but to make Him known and share His love with all.
- Serving – This reminds us that it’s not a set of have-to’s, but it’s about us loving and serving our God by helping other people connect with Jesus and experience His love!
Looking for opportunities to apply these fundamentals in your life cannot only make a difference for you, but it will make an eternal difference in the lives of others. It is through being faithful with the fundamentals that we are prepared and God can turn those “inches” into “highlight” moments!
The inches—every small choice we make—can be the difference between winning and losing. As a Christian, we know that in Christ we win, but we must also continue to fight for those inches, so that others may receive the salvation that can only be found with Jesus.
Fighting for those inches, that others too may win!
President Rockey
September 2024 • Are You Ready for some….
How did you complete the above title? As we are now at the beginning of September, I have a feeling that most of you read it, Are you ready for some Football?! Although I enjoy the college football season, well, Gator Football season, that’s not what I have in mind.
What is on my mind is the fact that before those players or any of us when we were playing sports went out onto the field, it was essential that we prepared both individually and as a team. Right now, across college campuses, players are in the weight rooms, running and doing every sort of conditioning available to get ready. In addition, they are honing and learning skills, plays and even trying to learn about their opponents. In short, before the coach or referee says, “Let’s Play Ball,” there’s work to be done for us to be ready.
We are on the verge of a new fall season of mission and ministry. The question before us and every member of the Body of Christ should be, are you ready? I believe Luther understood such a need for preparation. Consider this from the Preface to the Large Catechism: But for myself I say this: I am also a doctor and preacher, yea, as learned and experienced as all those may be who have such presumption and security; yet I do as a child who is being taught the Catechism, and every morning, and whenever I have time, I read and say, word for word, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Psalms, etc. And I must still read and study daily…
My prayer for each of us and for all those within our congregations, schools and various ministries, is that they be encouraged to prepare. Note the following verses that call for such preparation:
1 Timothy 4:8 For while bodily training is of some value, (training in) godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
In truth, the season of mission and ministry never ends. Our District has always been about the “mission of God”, committed to connecting people to Jesus as we live as along-siders. The season is before us, and its prospects are promising and exciting! I look forward to continuing to personally prepare and to prepare alongside of you so that we might see many more experience the joy of the Lord’s salvation through Christ!
President Rockey
August 2024 • Don’t Be Surprised… We’re Meant to be Counter Cultural
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24
It doesn’t take much to see how we as Christ-followers are not like the world around us. That became even more apparent last week at the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. In the ceremonies there was a parody of the Lord’s Supper with drag queens, a golden calf, a horseman from the apocalypse spoken of in Revelations and more. Yet as my title says, “Don’t be Surprised…”
The world, along you and I all continue to deal with our own sinful flesh. We daily deal with the reality that the world and Satan continue to attack. Add to that Jesus saying: “And you will be hated because of me” (Matt. 10:22). Or in John 15: 20, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”
As Isaiah 53 clearly states, “We have gone astray and turned, everyone to his or her own way”. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised that cultural norms veer far from the path given us in God’s Word. The visual arts, music, literature, politics and civil law and online “communities” all reflect mankind’s very lost condition. The believer may recoil from the darkness, the ugliness and the evil that often marks cultural expression today, but here it would be wise for us to consider the cross and our response.
The reaction to this attack on our faith and Christians has been criticized by many. Indeed, we should stand up for what is right and of God. Yet this is a time where it is more than us calling out those who attack our God and faith. It is more than us revealing what it is that we stand against. Therefore, I am drawn back to the words of Joshua as he addressed the people who had wandered and pursued their own pleasures and gods. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
As Lutheran Christians, many of us remember that our faith is more than what we “do” when we go to church or are with other believers. I believe to some extent that is why we teach and practice living out our ‘Christian vocation.’ No matter what setting, position, relationship or activity we are in, we are called to understand that “whatever you do, do it all for the glory of the Lord” (1 Cor. 10:31)
The darkness we find in our culture is not countered by simply banning the objectionable or by staying away. The key to redeeming culture is the light of Christ! “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (Is. 9:2). My dear friends in Christ, you have seen the Light and even experienced the Light. It has transformed you and me. “For you once were darkness,” wrote Paul in Ephesians 5:8, “but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.”
Yes, there are certainly times when we need to protest and stand against what is wrong. There are times when we must cry out against ungodliness and call for such things to end. But may that not be all we do. I hope we remember the best form of protest is to stand for something better. That all are created by, loved by and valued by the Lord. That our God and Savior came to love and redeem us from the darkness and by grace, give us the gift of forgiveness and life!
So, will you join me in engaging this world and culture so that they can experience and receive the peace that passes all understanding in the dark world and the hope that we have in suffering, persecution and yes, even death?! Now note that doing so means you have to be engaged with them.
We can’t just remove ourselves from the world or culture that is not like us. Consider this, is there any unbeliever in your life that’s close enough to smell, the “pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing”? (2 Cor. 2:15).
Yes, we may need to stand against wrong. But may we more so stand for Christ in whatever culture we live in. May we live lives that acknowledge the need for God’s judgment and lives that are filled with overwhelming gratitude for His grace. As culture increasingly celebrates the darkness, may we live out the Light. That’s counter-cultural.
President Rockey
2024 Archived Devotions from President James Rockey
January 2024 – New Beginnings Make New…
A few years ago, I read this quote, “No one can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending” (Unknown). Those words struck me in such a way that I began to reflect on that statement and its meaning. The conclusion was that we can’t start over; but we can begin again right where we are, making things new in our lives!
As a believer in Christ, it’s not about saying I will do this, and I won’t do that and then failing at what we committed to do. It’s more about asking the Lord to help us each day grow in our faith and fall deeper in love with Him. That way our focus will be on what He has done for us and on our relationship with Him…on all the things of heaven and not on the things of this world.
Maybe a New Year’s resolution each of us could make could be to have a deeper commitment, a deeper love, and a deeper relationship with the Lord!
As I look to the beginning of this new year, this phrase and truth I hear from God’s Word keeps arising in my heart saying: “I Am more than enough. I Am more than enough in every area of your life.” As individuals and as a Church Family, these are words we all need to hear. When life is hard – He is more than enough! When we are challenged in some way to do something we don’t think we can – He is more than enough! When we’ve started well with good intentions and then stumble and fall hard – He is still more than enough!
Here is what I love about the Lord (well one of many things). He is the God of New Beginnings! “His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness” (Lamentations 3). How awesome to know that when we fail, we can have a new beginning, whether on January 1, February, August, a Monday or a Thursday or whenever! Our God loves. Our God forgives and our God freely offers New Beginnings!
Yet there is more to this. It’s not just about the New Beginning. Because with each New Beginning we can change what lies ahead. We can “Make…New Endings! You see each time – every time – God provides us with a New Beginning, the result is a New Ending!
The Florida-Georgia District is about sharing New Beginnings & New Endings with all people. We do this in our churches and schools through Worship, providing an excellent education in Christ-centered safe environments, Bible Study Groups, Support Groups, Serving others, being a place of Community and by loving each and every neighbor as ourselves! Picture this – a person Baptized not only has a new beginning but now a new ending as a child of God. A parent of a child in one of our early learning centers hears the message of Christ’s love and discovers a New Beginning out of their painful reality – and has a new ending as a parent and forgiven person of faith!
Yes my dear friends and partners in the Gospel, with Christ we have New Beginnings that make new endings! May the Lord continue to help us daily experience, celebrate and share New Beginnings and rejoice in the New Endings He gives!
President Rockey
February 2024 – What’s Love Have to Do With t?
I love what I do as the District President, but it’s at times like this that I miss serving in the parish even more! Maybe it has to do with my sense of humor or maybe it’s because I see how such occurrences give great opportunities to proclaim the truths of the faith.
What am I talking about? This month we begin our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday, February 14, Valentines Day! So, this year, with the intersection of these two widely observed events, there is in a sense a contradiction. Ash Wednesday is a time of solemn reflection and repentance over our sin and need. We even come face to face with the reality of death as we receive ashes on our forehead and hear the words, “from dust you came and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19). And with Valentine’s Day, there is this hyper focus on love and how we share that love with someone near and dear. Sure, it’s been taken over as a retailer’s opportunity, sentimentality, and superficial love but either way, it certainly doesn’t align with our focus on Ash Wednesday. Or does it?
Sure, Valentine’s Day is supposedly all about love. But I believe that in an even more genuine and powerful way, Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent are all about love! You may be asking, “What’s Love Have to Do with It?” Great question. Sure, we have “all fallen short of the glory of God.” We understand that we are “sinful from the time our mothers conceived us” (Psalm 51:5), and we know that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). But Ash Wednesday and our Lenten journey are all about pointing us to the One who “so loved the world”, who so loved you and me, that He could not bear being separated from us. He is the God and Savior who offered Himself as the payment for our sin that death may not have the last word.
So, when you receive the ashes in the form of a cross on your forehead, know that this is not only a reminder of our sin, but of God’s incredible, undeserved and unceasing love! My prayer for each of us as we begin our Lenten journey this month is that we will take these six weeks spending them with the Lord in reflection and prayer so that we may fully experience the depth of His love anew. May we then live in response to His radical love by honoring and serving Him in all we do and say.
What’s love have to do with it? Everything!
President Rockey
March 2024 – Let’s Stay!
Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. Mark 9:5
I well remember hearing my dad and mom saying, “It’s time to leave!” Whether it was while at a friend’s house, enjoying some event at Boy Scouts or Youth Group or just some place where the fun was just beginning, those words still echo in my mind. When those words were spoken it seemed like I would put my heels down and dig in for a fight. And yes, as adults we often feel the same way when we must say goodbye to family or friends and leave an exciting event or move on from an enjoyable location.
The disciples had just experienced an incredible event as they were on the mountain with Jesus. They had seen their Savior transfigured before their eyes. His clothes became “dazzling white and there before them appeared Elijah and Moses,” the patriarchs. Amazing! How could anything compare with that?! The experience had impacted them profoundly and sent their spirits souring.
Then Peter said just what many of us have said. “Let’s just stay!” It makes sense, doesn’t it? To be in the presence of the Lord, to see Him manifested as God’s own Son and to be there with the patriarchs. Why not just stay? Why leave the mountaintop, this place where they had experienced this once-in-a-lifetime event, filled with such exhilaration and excitement? Why did they need to go back down to life as it was? Peter wanted that experience and joy to last.
I’m sure we’ve all felt that way. Maybe it was when your faith truly became your own, not just that of your parents. Maybe it came with the joy of a worship service or concert where God really spoke to you and filled your spirit with incredible joy. Maybe it was when your child professed their faith in Confirmation or when a wayward loved one came home confessing their faith. Maybe it was a time when your family or your church saw God work in a miraculous way. So why? Why do we have to go? Why must we leave the mountaintop?
Today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark not only records the disciple’s mountaintop experience, but them coming down from the mountain. They had work to do. They had something to share! You see, there were more mountains to climb; more experiences to encounter and more joys to share. Others needed to know and receive what they had!
God gives us the blessing of mountaintop experiences to inspire us for service and witness in the daily paths of life. He gives us joy to encourage, empower and lead us to new people and areas we can serve in His Kingdom!
My prayer for you this month is that you rejoice in your mountaintop experiences. Cling to and be filled with the presence of the Lord. Remember the experiences of God working in your Baptism, the study of His Word, the sacrament of the table or in some other way you’ve been reminded of His love, provision and be inspired! Then…step down and follow the sometimes-difficult path of sharing the gift of God’s love. Step down and share those mountaintop experiences with the message that Jesus came down…into the world to save all!
President Rockey
April 2024 – We Want to See Jesus
Historically, Easter Sunday has been one, if not the day with the highest attendance in churches. Many have bemoaned this reality, even referring to such attendees as “C & E people” (Christmas & Easter).
Yet I’ve been thinking about this. Over my years of ministry, I have known or been told about people worshipping with us who have come with little or no faith. Yet they sat with a loved one or friend and listened. Many never returned, but at times there have been others that through the Spirit’s work a seed of faith was planted or rekindled! Yes, I rejoice in those that the Lord has led through His holy Word and its proclamation to come to believe that God is real, God is love and God changes everything through His Son, Jesus Christ!
We live in a day filled with challenges and change. This is true socially, politically, morally and more, and this has pushed many to the brink. Whether caused by loneliness, fear, racial division, political tension, the economy, inflation, increased violence, hate, broken families or attacks on our values and beliefs. All of this has left many fearful, wondering about the future and uncertain where to turn.
It is with that in mind that I am praying, boldly, that the Lord will fill every church with these very people! If you agree that many are wrestling with these realities, then what better place for them to be, than to come to church on Easter, and every Sunday. Sure, they may not know what they are looking for, but God does. They may not know how the Lord can help, but they don’t have to.
My prayer is that through people like you and me…those who are struggling and hurting will hear from us the hope, the joy and even the peace that we have through the Lord! As we live in such lives, the Lord can lead them to say (even if just on the inside), “We want to see Jesus!”
Those words echoed in my mind and spoke to me as I drove back from South Florida this week. “We want to see Jesus!” I want to see Jesus – with all that is going on, all the suffering, all the uncertainty, all the challenges – I, personally, want to see Jesus! For it is in and through Him that I find comfort, hope and life.
I believe that was somewhat the case with those in John chapter 12. “Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival (Passover). They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.” In downtown Los Angeles, there was a historic church called “Church of the Open Door.” For nearly a century it had a tremendous impact on reaching the lost. This church sat 4,000 people – I can only imagine preaching to so many. I read that if you stood behind the pulpit you could easily have it go to your head. But just as your ego might begin to inflate, you quickly come down to earth when you looked down at a little plaque attached to the pulpit with the words of John 12: 21, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus!”
That my friends is my prayer…and I ask you to please join me in that prayer. Pray that the Lord would send many who “Wish to see Jesus!” May they see Jesus through our personal invitations, genuine welcome and most of all, through His Word and the message of the Gospel!
The Church, you and me, we are here for this very reason, to come alongside of others, that they may see and believe in Jesus who suffered, died and rose so that they too may live!
President Rockey
May 2024 – Let’s Go Fishing!
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets but threw the bad away. Matthew 13:47-48
Over the past few days I’ve been on a mini-stay-cation while a dear friend and accountability partner in my life has been visiting from Tennessee. We spent a couple of days together fishing on the Gulf off Crystal River. Truly this is one of my favorite activities and ways of spending sabbath time with my Lord in His creation.
Yet while leaving the house shortly after 5:30 a.m. each morning, catching some nice trout and a few sea bass and Spanish mackerel, I was thinking about the life that we are called to…that is “fishers of men” and Christ’s witnesses.
Some of you may know, but fishing is my hobby and if I could, I’d probably fish every day. Now I am no great fisherman, but I do well and often bring home a meal or two. I love the feel of a tug on the line and then the battle to reel in the fish and get it in the boat. However, I haven’t always been the most effective fisherman. Growing up I’d go out with my dad but often we wouldn’t catch anything or anything worth keeping. Yet I kept going. The older I got, I sought to learn from others and would regularly read “Florida Sportsman” and watch fishing shows to learn more. In short, it took practice to develop knowledge and skills that could effectively be used.
Now you may already be thinking to yourself, “Well I’m no fisherman and I certainly have no skill to bring others to faith.” But before you disregard the rest of this devotion, please remember that as Christ-followers, we are all called to be fishers of men. Our mission is not fulfilled unless the Great Commission is at the center of it. Reaching men, women, young, old, families, friends, neighbors, coworkers and even those who are hard to love is our calling and privilege. Jesus loves them and He desires each and every one to experience His love. He died for them just like us!
As we move into the summer season, many congregations see ministry activities slowing or even shutting down. Yet in truth, we’re in a prime time for casting our nets through spending time with those living without Christ. This leads me to ask myself and you, how effective is our ministry or witness? Are we actively participating in God’s Kingdom work? Are the nets of our life full of people being drawn in from the depths of darkness to the Light of His grace and love? Broken nets will not catch a fish. Nets folded neatly on the shore do nothing to fill the boat.
One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So, he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. Luke 5:1-7
Some say fishing is an art. To learn the sport, it takes practice. Determining what bait to use or casting a line is not often achieved on the first try. You must continue to learn to set the reel and throw the line remembering not to let go of the rod at the same time. There’s a lot of hand-eye coordination going on at the same time. Just like a cast net, it is not subject to beginners’ luck but those who truly want to catch some fish will keep trying.
Discipleship is to teach. Jesus came and taught from Simon Peter’s boat that day. Peter did what the Lord asked because fishing was not going well. When Jesus finished speaking, He instructed Peter to push out deeper into the water. Once, there he was told to let down his nets. Peter explained to Jesus that they had worked hard all night and caught nothing. BUT… He would try again. This is an essential truth hidden in this conversation that has the potential to change our life and every single outcome! Peter did what Jesus told him to do. Too often we are picky about where we let down our nets, when we cast them out and how we fish. Doubt keeps our nets on the boat rather than continuously casting into the water. Peter believed Jesus enough to overcome his experience and his pride to do it one more time…and God delivered.
My dear friends, one last thing. Have you ever asked yourselves why in the reading above in Matthew 13, it seems that that catch of fish is indiscriminate, “fish of all kinds”? I’ve had some say to me that it seems God is forcing people to come to faith. But I believe it is just the opposite. Instead, I believe this is a wonderful reminder that “God so loved the world”, the whole world. God loves and desires “all mankind to be saved.” So, I believe this is a powerful reminder that Jesus has come to redeem, save, and love all people.
Therefore, my prayer is that each of us will cast our lines or our nets boldly, faithfully, and continually, that all may come into a saving relationship with the God who loves us for this life and eternity!
Yes, let’s keep fishing!
President Rockey
June 2024 – Change!?
The titles of sermons and devotions can set the tone and give a clue as to what the writer hopes the hearer receives. This title arises from having just celebrated Pentecost.
So, as we celebrate Pentecost and journey through the longest season in the Church Year, what are you expecting… as a follower of Christ and therefore as a recipient of the Holy Spirit? My sense, sadly, we don’t expect much or give it much thought. Sure, we profess belief in the Triune God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but we don’t really go much past that we receive the Holy Spirit through the Word & waters of Baptism, and, that as Paul says, “no one can confess Jesus Christ as Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”
Yes, we celebrate the Festival of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Christian Church. But when all that was happening, things were changing. Jesus was crucified, dead, buried but He rose from the grave. He was then with His disciples for another 40 days until His ascension. Things were changing. He was no longer with them. What were they to do? How were they to go forward? What was God’s plan? Then He does what He promises and sends them the Holy Spirit. Oh yes, things were changing, but in truth, the disciples don’t get it all either. Yet one thing they knew, there would be “change.”
Before I go on, let me clarify that God’s purpose had not changed. As we read in John ch. 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one & only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Now listen carefully to this. V. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him…” Did you get it? God’s plan, God’s love for His people, for us does not change!
But as we remember the sending of the Spirit and the change that followed…I encourage you to see that by the power of the Spirit, the change begins with us. You see, through the Holy Spirit and faith, we become New Creations; changed!
2 Cor 5: 17 says: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, all have become new.
In the gift of the Spirit and faith in Christ, we have forgiveness! We’re changed! So, in
1 Cor 2: 12 Paul says: You have received the Spirit who is from God that we may understand what God has freely given us. Changed? Yes, in that we have forgiveness freely in Christ. As recipients of the Spirit and people of faith, we are not meant to be the same. We may not grasp it or live it fully…yet. But God is still at work in us so that we will reflect that change.
Paul writes to the church of Galatia 2: 20, I have been crucified with Christ & I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me & gave himself for me. And He’s not through changing us.
Consider these verses:
- Romans 12: 1 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed (changed) by the renewing of your mind.
- 2 Cor. 3:18 And we are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
I’ve said many times, “But it’s not all about us!” As those who are filled with the Spirit, we are God’s agents to change the world!
Acts 1: 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth.
2 Cor 3:2-3 You yourselves are our letter… known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Dear friends, we have changed and are no longer the same. We are forgiven. We’ve received His Spirit and we have been called to be His witnesses – His change agents. Therefore, we are to be like living testimonies, letters, messages to those around us!
But in our flesh, we are distracted, doubtful, hesitant. We think we are incapable or not really called to change the world or even one life. That’s our sin and that too the Lord forgives and sends us out again. Remember what Paul says in Rom 8: 26, The Spirit helps us in our weakness. You’re right – you can’t change someone or transform a life…but God can and does through His Word, Spirit, and through changed, transformed people like you and me!
President Rockey
July 2024 – Spend Your Inheritance!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. 1 Peter 1: 3-4
At times while serving in my last parish, I would hear, “We’re spending our kids inheritance!” In addition, this attitude shows up on bumper stickers as well. Unlike some past generations, not all parents today are concerned about leaving something to their children. Yet even when they do, it’s often not what they’d hoped to leave due to the realities of our economy and life.
In sharp contrast, Peter writes of the inheritance God has for His children, It can never perish, spoil or fade. By using these negative words, Peter highlights the greatness of our inheritance in Christ. Who can rob us of God’s full forgiveness for our sins? The Devil tries, our consciouses accuse, but God points to the cross of His Son. What can spoil the peace we have with God? Storms may rock our lives; tears may dim faith’s view. But God points to the cross of His Son – His peace is still there as sure as the nail prints in the hand that holds our hand. What can devalue the glory of heaven? The world may laugh, calling it “pie in the sky,” “a dream, an illusion” or “a crutch for the weak.” But God points us to the cross and gives us the assurance that what is waiting for us is far better.
Unlike some earthly parents, our heavenly Father is concerned about an inheritance for each, and every one of us. That’s why He sent Jesus to the cross and raised Him from the grave. That’s why He promises to keep us in faith in Jesus. He wants us to have an inheritance that is truly out of this world!
But there is another side to this…each of us have that inheritance right now! As such, we should ask ourselves, what are we doing with it? Are we hoarding it, keeping it to ourselves or are we spending it…or better said, are we sharing it? You see, it can never perish, spoil or fade – it can’t run out!
Yes, our gracious and loving God has given it to us so that we might have His riches in Christ. But we also get it to share it with others. That is our privilege as believers and as the Body of Christ here in the Florida-Georgia District!
This summer would you please pray daily that the Lord would open your eyes and heart to seeing who He is sending you to share your inheritance with? Will you pray that He would continue to guide each congregation in looking toward plans to share the inheritance with the growing community around us through existing and new ministries? Yes indeed, we have an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – and we get to share it without it ever losing its value!
President Rockey
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
2023 Archived Devotions from President James Rockey
December 2023 • Out of Time
As we enter the month of December, my sense is that many of our lives seem to parallel that 1977 song, “Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne. Yet as we enter this season of Advent, a more appropriate theme arises in my thoughts and prayers, “Out of Time.”
When Advent arrives, have you ever noticed that it’s as though a push notification pops up telling us, “Christmas is Coming.” “Time to shop.” “Don’t forget those mid-week Advent Worship services.” Or simply to remind us that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” Yes, with Advent comes this internal “push notification” that says: “‘Jesus is coming! Would you like to do or plan something?” In short, as a season of preparation, Advent reminds us that our time is limited, and in ways, it even calls us to understand that we are nearly “Out of Time.”
Yes, Christmas is about the birth or first coming of Jesus, but as Christians, before we rush to singing Silent Night or listen to the beautiful account of Jesus’ arrival as our Emmanuel God, we also recall that Jesus promised to come again.
So, instead of just focusing on the first coming, our attention is turned during Advent to reminders that “People will faint from fear of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory” Luke 21. We are further warned to “Be on guard…be alert at all times praying that you may have the strength to stand…” These words from the Gospel of Luke also describe our world today.
They are words of NOW: Our cities and even churches are full of people who are afraid — afraid of loss of their jobs, income, health, compassion, safety, change, irrelevancy, and of so much more. Yet, in truth, there has never really been a time in human history when we’ve not had such fears. Luke’s words are also the words of our yesterdays. We may imagine that the past was better, safer, cleaner, or more stable, but that’s not the case. We are fragile humans, and our history is filled with fear. And sadly, they are probably the words of many of humanity’s tomorrows.
But listen! Jesus says, “When you see these things, do not cower in fear, for your redemption is drawing near!” Advent teaches us that in the darkest places suffering, the pain, the violence, the heartache of grief, and all the uncertainty…that God’s reign is among us!
Yes, my friends, all of this reminds us that we are at any moment “Out of time.” Therefore, there is an urgency for us to not only be prepared personally for the Lord’s return but there is an urgency for us to share this message of hope with all people! Now is the time! Now is the time for us to realize that our “redemption is drawing near”, the Lord is coming, and He will redeem and save us!
It is with the certainty that the Lord keeps His promises that we go forward in faith, that we utilize each moment knowing that we are soon to be “out of time.” This, my friends, is no time for fear but for celebration. The Lord sent His Son to take our place and be our Savior. How awesome that even though we are running out of time, God, who knows no time, cuts through our fear as He enters human time to dwell with us, Emmanuel, God with us!
President Rockey
November 2023 • A Season of Feasting
My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you. Psalm 63:5
Are you ready for the feasts?! This month we begin a two-month journey of celebrations and feasts, beginning with our National Day of Thanksgiving. December will not only be filled with gatherings and feasts on Christmas but for many, the whole month will be filled with feasting!
Over the years, holiday feasts in our family have varied. Some years we lived far from our family. So, for a holiday feast, we gathered around the table with friends and co-workers who had become like family. Other years we would invite those who had no family to join us.
Yet many years, we have been blessed to live close enough to our families that we could travel and enjoy the holiday celebrations together. With Martha and me both having 3 or 4 siblings, these holiday feasts have often been around a huge table that still couldn’t seat all our family!
Our family loves to talk and laugh, and as a result, our gatherings are loud and full of life. However, some years it has been different when we’ve lost someone through death or sickness that has kept them from being with us.
This year, we once again have so much to give thanks to God. Yet, in some ways, it seems a bit quieter and reflective. It’s not so much what’s happening in our family but in the world and the lives of others around us. There’s the war in Israel and the Ukraine. There’s increased violence, crime, and mass shootings, and then there are so many who are dealing with depression, loss, and uncertain futures.
When I read the above Scripture, I imagine a feast. I picture a lavish table, beautifully decorated and overflowing with the finest foods. Words like satisfied and sing capture my attention. As people who love to host others, I’m tempted to try and make everything perfect so that our celebration will be filled with abundance and joy like I imagine. Yet the picture I get in this verse is not entirely accurate. When we read the verses that surround this text, it paints a very different picture. Instead of a feast, it’s famine. Instead of the blessing of community and family, it’s wilderness. David wrote Psalm 63:5 when he was in the wilderness of Judah, “My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you” Psalm 63:5 GNT.
While none of us would ever wish to be in such a wilderness, I’m encouraged because this truth helps us see that a feast is not reserved for the best of circumstances. When our circumstances leave us empty, hurting, alone, afraid, or lacking, we can still feast and be satisfied!
In fact, this isn’t the only time that Scripture speaks of feasting in unlikely places. David writes in Psalm 23 of how the Lord prepares a feast for him in the presence of his enemies. Jesus found sustenance in the wilderness when He responded to Satan’s temptation saying, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord (Matthew 4:4).
I know that I can relate to that. Life, at times, has had its difficulties, hardships, looming questions, and uncertainties. Yet the Lord not only provided for us and carried us through, but satisfaction was found in Him and His Word. Such satisfaction doesn’t just come in one moment of reading or feeding, it comes as we continually seek the Lord and are assured of His faithfulness in His Word day after day.
Indeed, where there is a celebration, there is often a feast. As I’ve come to this realization, I am trying to apply more feasting on God’s Word in my life. I’ve started looking for reasons to celebrate. Whether it’s a simple text sent to celebrate something in another’s life, a brief but refreshing interaction of coming along-side someone, or a pause to praise God for an answered prayer, we can feast on God’s Word and His goodness even in the midst of life’s difficulties, sorrow and uncertainty.
President Rockey
October 2023 • Living as Long-Siders Means… Giving them What you Have!
Then Peter said (to the lame beggar), “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. Acts 3:6
Life and living as a follower of Jesus is an incredible journey! I love how through all of life’s circumstances, realities, trials, and experiences, God is present and working. My last parish before being elected District President was truly an incredible journey. I’m still amazed that God chose me to come and work with 13 people outside of The Villages to plant a new congregation. I’d never planted a church. I’d not gone through any specific training to do so. Sure, I had a deep passion for mission, but starting a new church from nothing?!
Yet from the time I received the Call to serve as mission planter, God taught me time and time again that He was in charge and all He was asking of me and the core group I began with was to not worry about what we lacked but instead to give from what we have!
In 2007 it all began with no bank account, no place to worship or gather, no incorporation or constitution, and no plan. Yet within a short time, the Lord provided a Baptist church right in the area we were targeting that had a building we could use exclusively and only for $500 a month. God brought together a growing group of people who not only wanted a place where they could receive God’s gifts of grace but to reach the existing and growing community living without Jesus. Small group Bible studies began almost immediately; six months after arriving, we had our first worship service, and we were able to charter with over 100 people in less than two years.
After 4 years, 140 members came together and bought 10 acres. Some said, “But we don’t have enough people or money…it’s too soon.” But the Lord said to us, “Give what you have!” Then just a year later, we were challenged again with the words, “Now is the time!” As we discussed building a facility on our newly purchased land, some again said, “But it’s too soon. We haven’t paid off the land. We’re only 150 people. We can’t afford to build.” And the Lord again said, “Give what you have!”
I am still moved when I think of what the Lord did in and through His people at Amazing Grace. During those mini self-run campaigns for the land, church, or school, the Lord exceeded what was needed each time! No one ever said how much anyone should give or even how or what they should give. Instead, we were encouraged to “Give what you have.” So, we gave…we gave from the heart…we gave after prayerful consideration and struggle. We gave sacrificially, and we gave joyfully, knowing that whatever we gave – it all belonged to the Lord anyway.
Nehemiah was doing a great work for God as he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. But his enemies tried to convince him to come down from the wall for a meeting, and they were relentless. It was a diversion to get Nehemiah off the wall so they could attack Israel, but he refused to come down. Nehemiah said, “Four times they sent the same message, and each time I gave the same reply” (Nehemiah 6:4 NLT). “I realized they were plotting to harm me, so I replied by sending this message to them: ‘I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?’” As I think about this, I can’t help but also remember Jesus’ words in the feeding of the 5,000. Where shall we buy bread for them to eat? Philip said: Here is a boy with five loaves and two small fish. Jesus’ reply was You give them something to eat. In summary, “Give them what you have!”
We just concluded one of the greatest events in the history of the Florida Georgia District, our President’s Equip Conference, where over 1,000 people gathered around the theme, Living as Along-Siders: Disciples Making Disciple Makers! It was a reminder that as God’s people, we are called to “Go and Make disciples…” (Matt 28). And it was a reminder that the best way for this to happen is through individual relationships where you, me, and all of us as followers of Jesus “Give them what you have!”
Yes, give them what you have…give them the love and mercy that you experience daily as one of the Lord’s redeemed. Share with them the message of hope and compassion as they cry out for someone to hear them and walk along-side of them. Give them the gift of forgiveness, unconditional love, and life that you yourself receive daily through Christ. Give them what you have – give them Jesus!
For 75 years, the Florida-Georgia District has been about connecting people to Jesus. My dear friends, our mission remains the same! As we enter this new era of disciple-making, we do so in order that many more will be connected to Jesus and the Lord’s Kingdom will grow! Therefore, may each of us be assured that we already have what we need to live as Along-siders. Let us boldly and faithful “give them what we have!”
President Rockey
September 2023 • Celebrating the Gift of Labor
This weekend we observe the Labor Day Holiday. I know for many, this has become little more than another holiday or a sign that summer is over. Yet I believe that this holiday gives us a wonderful opportunity to consider the gift of work!
I believe that work has been given to us by God as a gift. From the beginning, man was placed in God’s creation to work, serve, and honor Him. As such, we are to work in a way that results in bringing blessings and value to the society and community where we work. Work is, therefore, not only for our benefit and joy but is also about our relationship with the Lord and one another.
The integration of faith and work allows and provides for a purpose-driven view of work. Work is to be done to God’s glory and celebrated as an endeavor that brings joy to the worker and blessings to those who benefit from what we do. Sadly, most people today view work in terms of benefiting the individual rather than for the purpose of glorifying God or even doing work for the joy of the work itself. In reality, we’ve seen work reduced to being primarily or even solely about personal financial benefit.
Yet I believe that Labor Day is not only the opportunity to thank the Lord for the work or jobs that He provides for us. It is also an incredible opportunity for us to consider our Christian vocations. You may remember that our “Christian vocations” are not just what we do for an income or living but about how we serve and honor the Lord in whatever we do and wherever we are called to do it. I believe Paul’s words to the Colossians echo this when he wrote: “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3: 17).
So, my dear friends and fellow servants of God. If you are serving the Lord, you are doing great work for God. Maybe you’re an usher, a youth volunteer, a Sunday School teacher, a Small Group leader, a member of the Welcome Team, a Board member, a prayer warrior, a coach, a cook, a musician or singer, a part of the clean-up crew or an office volunteer. You’re doing a great work for God!
No matter what you are doing for the Lord in His church or elsewhere, one person’s work for God is not greater than another’s work. It is not about better or worse. It is all about responding to the God who is always faithful to us. It’s about doing what God has given each of us to do.
Nehemiah was doing a great work for God as he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. But his enemies tried to convince him to come down from the wall for a meeting, and they were relentless. It was a diversion to get Nehemiah off the wall so they could attack Israel, but he refused to come down. Nehemiah said, “Four times they sent the same message, and each time I gave the same reply” (Nehemiah 6:4 NLT). “I realized they were plotting to harm me, so I replied by sending this message to them: ‘I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?’”
Whatever work God has called you to do, do it fully, stay engaged and focused, knowing that what the Lord has given you is a “great work.” It is with this in mind that we should make every day and every task we do count! Yes, “Whatever you do, do it to the glory of the Lord!”
One of the most powerful images of joy in God-centered work is illustrated in the movie, “Chariots of Fire.” When Eric Liddel, the Scottish athlete portrayed in the film, is confronted by his sister over her perceived higher calling of missionary work to the work Liddel is engaged in, he responds with the blessing of an integrated view of work and faith. He says, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” May you, my fellow servants of Christ, feel His pleasure and the joy of Laboring for Him in all you do!
President Rockey
August 2023 • A More Perfect Union
I know you’re probably wondering why I’m beginning with a quote from something other than Scripture. Yet, since returning from the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Convention in Milwaukee, that phrase has risen in my mind as I’ve assessed the decisions and spirit of the Convention.
We all recognize this phrase from the preamble of the U.S. Constitution. We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union… Although the intent and mission of the Church is far more critical and a worthy cause, there is something to be applied in our calling as the citizens of the Lord’s Kingdom, and for that matter, of the LCMS.
Indeed, I rejoice along with many of you in being part of our church body. We are a church that has consistently sought to proclaim, extend, and preserve the message of God’s love and the free gift of salvation through Christ Jesus alone. In a world where many church bodies have forsaken the truths of God’s Word and the very faith that saves, the LCMS has continued to hold up that God’s Word is unchanging, that He is the One true God who is Father and Lord of all and desires to see all come to saving faith. In His Holy Word, He has revealed that He is a God of mercy and grace and blesses us through His Law to see our sin and need for a Savior, and in the Gospel, shows us our Savior through whom we receive forgiveness and life.
A more perfect union. Sometimes, I sense there is a view that, at one time, we were perfectly united as a church body. Although, in many ways, we may have been united in doctrine and mission, I believe we would all agree we were not perfect. I hear many concerns over where we are as a Synod. How we are divided or have given up our primary purpose for existing – the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and extension of the His Kingdom. Yet I would suggest that is still at the heart of who we are and what we are about. Yes, we may approach mission and ministry in different ways based on our settings and the communities we have been called to reach. I believe we should honor such a faithful response to our call to be His witnesses. I also believe we should cling to our unwavering stance in the inerrancy of Scripture, that salvation can be found in no other Name, and that our doctrines are a true exposition reflecting God’s teaching and will.
No, we are not a perfect union or church body, but in Christ and through Him, we are forgiven and go forward. I came across a quote recently from Jon Meacham that seems to reflect my prayers of late. “To know what has come before is to be armed against despair. If the men and women of the past, with all their flaws and limitations, ambitions and appetites, could press on…then perhaps we, too, can right wrongs and take another step forward toward that most enchanting and elusive destinations: a more perfect Union.” (2018).
In truth, we will not experience a perfect union or unity until the Lord returns. Yet my prayer is that in this fast-changing and decaying world, in this time of discord and misplaced agendas, we would recommit ourselves to living as “Synod”; to living as those who “walk together” in seeking to proclaim the only true message of hope, the Light of the world. That we would seek to listen and trust each other, to love and serve our neighbors as Christ’s servants so they too may have the same hope and joy we have, that all may receive the gift of life and salvation through our perfect Savior and Lord! By the grace of God, I do believe we can work towards a more perfect union in our Synod for the sake of fulfilling God’s mission.
Equipping, Empowering, and Engaging…to Connect People to Jesus!
President Rockey
P.S. Our District was wonderfully blessed by well-prepared pastoral and lay delegates to the Convention. Please note that we will be working to help communicate a summary report from the Convention. Our hope is this report will be shared and expounded upon by your delegates in a Circuit Forum or other appropriate setting.