Lutheran Hour Ministries - Canada

10/19/2026

Congratulations to Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary St. Catharines on 50 years of forming pastors and church workers for faithful service! 🎉
Our Managing Director, Lisa Jackson, is at the LLL Canada booth for the seminary’s 50th anniversary conference, “Respectful Theological Dialogue in the Digital Age.” It’s a timely conversation. More and more of our words are spoken online, and as Christians we’re called to speak there with the same grace, gentleness and truth we bring face to face.
That’s the heart of My Digital Voice and the Digital Conversation Pledge, resources that help Christians share the hope of Jesus in a scrolling world.
If you’re at the conference, stop by and say hello to Lisa! 👋

10/19/2026

Growing

Monday, October 19, 2026

TEXT: He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. (Psalm 1:3-4)

Scripture has a lot to tell us about plant life and growing things, but not for the purpose of giving us gardening advice. Through these Spirit-inspired words about life and growth, God leads us to grow in faith. We learn about trees, fruit, vineyards, mustard seeds, lilies of the field, grains of wheat, roots, and fruitful branches. In His parable of the sower, Jesus compares the preaching of God’s Word to the work of a farmer who scatters seed in a nearly reckless way. In Jesus’ teaching, there are four possible outcomes for this scattered seed. Some of the seeds are snatched from a path by birds. Other seeds cannot sink strong roots into rocky soil and so wither and die. Some of the seeds manage to grow, only to be choked by thorns. These examples of failed growth represent those who hear the Word of God and choose, ultimately, to reject it. The scattered seed of the Word also falls onto good soil, into human hearts where by God’s grace it grows and bears the fruit of faith and godly living.

Jesus’ parable addresses four possible outcomes. Our psalm describes only two outcomes brought about by different responses to God’s Word: a growing, fruitful tree or windblown, discarded chaff. The wicked are not rooted in faith. They are the people who willfully and stubbornly choose to reject the Lord and His Word. As a result, the wicked are like chaff, the broken bits of stalks and leaves separated from the grains and carried away by the wind. The wicked are not rooted in faith. God knows their evil ways and they will not stand before His throne in righteousness on the day of judgment.

The second outcome in the psalm teaches us about the people who are righteous because they trust in the Lord. They delight in His Word and believe His promises. They grow like thriving, fruitful trees. By God’s grace through faith in Jesus, we stand among these blessed, fruit-bearing trees. We are rooted in Jesus our Savior, the Son of God who took on human flesh and grew up before God “like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground” (Isaiah 53:2a). We are righteous because Jesus bore our sins in His body on the tree of the cross. We are united to Him, the true Vine, growing and nourished by the gift of His body and blood. Through the reading and study of His Word we are refreshed with the living water that is the Spirit of God. Whatever the season, whatever the circumstances, we grow and yield the fruit of love and service.

WE PRAY: Jesus, nourish me through Your Word and Sacrament so that I will grow in faith toward You and in love toward others. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.

Reflection Questions:

Do you like caring for plants? Are there plants you find difficult to grow? If so, why is that?

What do you think it means when the Bible says that “in all that he does, he prospers”?

How does knowing that Jesus gives us water from which we will never thirst again (see John 4:13-14) give you hope and comfort?

10/18/2026

“All Depends on Our Possessing”

Sunday, October 18, 2026

TEXT: “Well He knows what best to grant me; / All the longing hopes that haunt me, / Joy and sorrow, have their day. / I shall doubt His wisdom never; / As God wills, so be it ever; / I commit to Him my way.”

“All the longing hopes that haunt me, joy and sorrow have their day.” We know what it is to experience hope, joy and sorrow. With longing hope we pray for better health, for the resolution of family strife, for forgiveness for our sins, and for a deeper knowledge of God’s Word. We know the joy of friends and family and worship, as well as the deep sorrow of illness, loss, and grief. All of these emotions and experiences “have their day” within our lives. The words of the hymn remind us of the wisdom of God’s Word: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven … a time to weep and a time to laugh … a time to seek and a time to lose” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4a, 6a).

In the Scriptures we find many people who knew the same hopes, joys and sorrows. David prayed, “How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalm 13:2b). Yet the psalmist found joy in the steadfast love of God, knowing that the Lord knew best how to fulfill longing hope: “My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation” (Psalm 13:5b). The people of Israel, living as exiles in a foreign land knew both longing and lost hope: “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost” (Ezekiel 37:11b). God breathed life and joy into dry bones and brought His people home. Jesus’ disciples knew joy in the presence of their Lord, only to suffer sorrow and longing hope after His death and burial. Two disciples on their way to Emmaus spoke of that longing: “We had hoped that He was the One to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21a).

God knew best how to grant their longing hopes—and our own. He raised His crucified Son from death. Jesus joined those traveling disciples and in His presence doubt and despair turned into astonished joy and the need to share the good news! Our crucified and risen Savior knows the longing hopes that haunt us. He walks with us through days of joy and sorrow. We can trust our Lord to know what is best for us. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated Satan and lifted the penalty of death that threatened to crush all hope. We trust God, through the gift of His grace, for our eternal salvation. We can trust Him in everything else, too: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday” (Psalm 37:5-6).

WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, when sorrow troubles me, lead me to find hope in the promises of Your Word. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “All Depends on Our Possessing,” which is number 732 in the Lutheran Service Book.

Reflection Questions:

Can you recall when God was with you in a very difficult space in your life?

It can be hard to commit our way to God when things are going badly. How do verses like Matthew 6:25, Romans 8:31-32, and Philippians 4:19 give us strength to press on?

How can you be there for someone else when things are troubling them?

10/17/2026

A New Lease on Life

Saturday, October 17, 2026

TEXT: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

A “broken spirit”? A “contrite heart”? What kind of sacrifices are these?

King David is speaking of repentance here—of being sincerely sorry for our past sins and turning to God for mercy and forgiveness. But how does this work, really? How can our sin-ridden hearts seek to turn away from that “sin which clings so closely (Hebrews 12:1b).

Well, that’s part of God’s truly good news. Repentance isn’t something He is demanding that we “come up with,” or “generate” from within ourselves, through some religious effort or mystical experience. The good news is that it is God who gives repentance to us.

Writing to Timothy, St. Paul explains that God grants “repentance that leads to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25b). Here God gives repentance to each of us as a gift; this is the only way anyone can have genuine repentance.

In the book of Acts, we read that through Jesus Christ, God gives “repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31b). And later, in Acts 11, many early Jewish Christians learned from Peter that “to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18b).

God gives us the gift of repentance through His cleansing, life-giving Word. In somewhat the same way, God graciously leads us to repentance through the power of His Law. In Romans, Paul writes that “if it had not been for the Law, I would not have known sin” (Romans 7:7b). This, too, is God’s gift, as the Holy Spirit works through God’s perfect Law, declaring to the world its sin. “And when He [Jesus] comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).

Through God’s Law and Gospel, the Spirit of God works in our hearts. He assures us that no matter what sin we have committed, no matter how far we’ve strayed from our Heavenly Father, He still loves us. It was God the Father who sent not just a son but “His only begotten Son” Jesus Christ (see John 3:16) to die on the cross and pay the supreme penalty for our sins. In Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, His Father was satisfied with the offering Jesus made for all our sins. So much so that “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

These riches are for you, too, my friend. You can have a new and a better life going forward. There is no need to live burdened with guilt or regret over your past mistakes. Jesus took them all to the cross. Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Through His sin-cleansing and life-giving Word and Spirit, God is near you. He wants you to be part of His kingdom now! Like a parent draws a son or daughter close, so also through God’s gift of repentance, the Heavenly Father is drawing you close unto Himself. And, when there is repentance before God, there is forgiveness. And where there is forgiveness, there is life and salvation for you today.

WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, lead us unto lives of repentance each and every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Based on “Getting a New Start!” a sermon by Rev. Dr. Wallace Schulz, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour

Reflection Questions:
1. Why is repentance important in the life of a Christian?
2. How is it that our “broken and contrite heart” matters to God?
3. How does God work in our lives through our repentance?

10/16/2026

The Heart of the Matter

Friday, October 16, 2026

TEXT: [Jesus said to the Pharisees,] “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21b)

The Pharisees thought they had Jesus in a trap. They ask Him whether or not they should pay taxes to Caesar. It’s a loaded question; by asking it, they put Him in a tight spot.

But Jesus asks a question of His own in response: Whose likeness and inscription is on the denarius? (the coin for taxes). And they say, well, it's Caesar’s. (See Matthew 22:17-21.) Then Jesus drops these famous words: “Therefore, render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God’s.”

With these words, Jesus doesn’t just give an answer about taxes. He gets to the heart of the matter. And the heart of the matter is our relationship with God. All of us, each and every one of us, at times find ourselves in tight spots and no doubt we don’t always react as we wish we would. Maybe it’s with anger or frustration or simply silence. You fall into a trap—and sometimes it’s of your own making.

But this is why Jesus came. Not just to escape the trap laid by the Pharisees in this particular moment recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. He came in order to free you and me from the ultimate trap—to pull us out of the tightest of spots: the trap of our own sin. And far worse than any scheming of humans is the conniving of the one whom Scripture calls a roaring lion seeking his prey: the devil himself, Satan.

St. Augustine, the great teacher from the early church, says that the devil thought he had Jesus in the ultimate trap … when he had Him on the cross. “Now I've got him once and for all,” Satan thought. But Augustine uses a delightful phrase in one of his sermons. He says that the cross was “the devil's mousetrap.”

Just when the devil thought that he had Jesus right where he wanted Him—it turned out that the trap went the other way. And now the devil himself was caught, because Christ was sprung from the ultimate trap of death. He broke out of the grave, and now having escaped from that trap, He frees you and me, not only from the tight spots that we might find ourselves in day to day—in hard talks, tricky interactions, and sticky wickets of all kinds—but He frees you from the most fearsome traps of sin, death, and hell. Jesus, by His death and resurrection, has delivered you and me from it all.

When we fail and when we fall—as we all do—He still lifts us up. You can be sure of that. It’s why we can enter into our day-to -day life with boldness and confidence, prepared to provide a winsome witness even when we find ourselves in tight spots. In those moment, we know right where to go: to the heart of the matter.

WE PRAY: Blessed Jesus, we give You thanks for delivering us from the ultimate traps of sin, death, and Satan. Give us courage and boldness to bear witness to You. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Ryan Tinetti.

Reflection Questions:

What are some “tight spots” you tend to find yourself in?

How have you seen and experienced the Lord’s deliverance in your own life?

When you think of the “heart” of the Gospel, what parts of the message do you like to emphasize?

10/15/2026

Check out this month's issue of the True North Lutheran Laymen!

📰New issue of the True North Lutheran Laymen News!
Stories from the road. Conversations that matter. Hope shared one relationship at a time.
This month: Lisa’s visits to Inglis and Winnipeg, MB, plus what it looks like to share our faith through everyday conversations.
Read more here: https://conta.cc/4hLcvh4
📍 Next Spiritual Conversations Workshop: Edmonton, Nov 14
Would you like to receive this monthly update directly to your inbox? Email [email protected] or DM us your details. ✉

10/15/2026

One Single Request

Thursday, October 15, 2026 (St. Luke)

Note to readers: This is an alternate reading from the Three Year Lectionary, and may not match up with the readings your church uses this Sunday.

TEXT: After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go. And He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.”’ (Luke 10:1-9)

If you’re like me, you’re used to getting prayer requests. People at church ask you to pray for them; there’s probably a list in the bulletin. You may have friends and family who call you and ask you to pray. And because you love them, you pray.

But what about Jesus? It wasn’t till last year that I realized He had a prayer request for us too—as far as I can tell, the only one He ever asked of us. It’s this: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

This sounds like the kind of thing Jesus would ask, doesn’t it? Because the one thing He wants most is for as many human beings as possible to be saved—reconciled to God, set free from evil, brought into God’s family as His own dear children. Because He loves us, and He wants us home! But how will this happen? Jesus is planning to suffer and die a painful, shameful death on a cross to make it happen—and then He will break the power of death by coming alive again for all of us.

This is the whole reason He came into the world. When Jesus dies, He will be like a seed, planted in the grave—a seed that rises into new life and produces a huge harvest. And that harvest includes you and me—everybody who trusts in Jesus and receives new life from the Holy Spirit.

But for them to believe, someone has to tell them about Jesus! And that’s why Jesus asks us to pray. He needs as many people as possible to go and spread the Good News—as many harvesters as He can find! And so He calls us—and He tells us to pray for more help.

WE PRAY: Dear Father, please call many more harvesters into Your fields, that as many people as possible may be saved through Your Son Jesus. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

How could you make Jesus’ prayer request a regular part of your own prayers?

Have you ever told someone about Jesus?

If you find that difficult, where could you find help?

10/14/2026

Download this week’s pages and explore God’s gracious invitation with your little ones! 👇

The table is set. The invitation is sent. 🍽️
This week, kids discover that God has prepared everything we need in Christ.
📖 word: Pardon
Forgiveness, or release from punishment.
“He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7)
His mercy is greater than our sin. 💛
Grab this week’s Lectionary Learning Pages. Link in bio! DM to receive them directly to your inbox each week.

10/14/2026

Final Affairs

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 (St. Luke)

Note to readers: This is an alternate reading from the Three Year Lectionary, and may not match up with the readings your church uses this Sunday.

TEXT: But as for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing. Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:5-18)

At the end of 2 Timothy, we can see Paul wrapping up his final affairs in this life. He knows he’s likely to die soon. There are only a handful of things he wants before the Lord calls him home—which will be by martyrdom.

And what a mix of things it is! Paul thinks first of the people he loves. How he misses Timothy! For at least one of his co-workers in the mission has deserted him and Christ both, or so it seems. Three others are away, probably for better reasons. Luke is with Paul, which is a comfort, but he still urges Timothy to come as well—and to bring Mark, too. Apparently they’ve buried the hatchet, and now Paul is glad to have him serving with him. That’s not the case with Alexander, however, and he warns Timothy against him.

And then the things—Paul doesn’t need much, at the end of his life, but he’d appreciate an extra cloak and the books and parchments he left in Troas. That’s it.

Because Paul’s mind is fixed on what comes next—when he is finally with Jesus, in His kingdom, with the Lord he loves. Paul has no doubt of where he’s going, because Jesus loved him and gave His life for him on the cross—and yes, and rose from the dead so that Paul would have everlasting life. And Jesus did this for us as well. We, too, are sure of what will happen to us—because Jesus has promised, and we believe Him. We will be with Him forever in His kingdom. And what more could we ask?

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, when my last days come, bring me to You! Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

What matters most to you—people or things?

What about Jesus—what matters to Him? How can you tell?

What will be the best part of being with Jesus in His kingdom, do you think?