Pastor Puls is pastor of both Grace Lutheran Church in Bishop and Mammoth Lakes Lutheran Church in Mammoth Lakes, serving the Owens Valley and Eastern Sierra. He graduated from Ft. Wayne Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1987. He served Canoga Park Lutheran Church in Canoga Park, California from 1987 to 1997. In January of 1997 he was called to pastor Grace Lutheran Church in Bishop. In November 2014 Pastor Puls was installed as pastor of Mammoth Lakes Lutheran Church. He continues his education by attending the Ft. Wayne Theological Seminary Symposium each year.
Pastor is passionate about sharing the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus. In addition to Sunday worship services, he preaches over the radio waves, in prisons and jails, in hospitals and nursing homes, and he loves teaching little children through weekly preschool chapels and midweek school. He is married to Sheri, and they have four grown children and four grandchildren.
BELIEVING CHRISTIANS ASK GOD TO PRESERVE AND INCREASE THE FAITH HE HAS KINDLED IN THEM
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" Luke 17:5
As great as the unhappiness of unbelievers, so great the happiness of soul of believers who abide in the true knowledge of God, of Jesus Christ and His salvation. For unbelievers are like a room that is not lighted, which is gloomy and dreary. But believing souls are like a room in which a bright light is shining. That light is faith. No human being can give faith to himself. It is God who kindles faith in us, either through Holy Baptism, in which the Holy Spirit is poured on us abundantly, or through the Word of God, by which a person obtains knowledge and understanding of salvation, gives assent to the Word of
God by God's power, regards it with the whole heart as divinely true, apprehends God with firm confidence, and appropriates Jesus Christ and His holy merit.
Believing Christians, then, should thank God for bringing them to faith and to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and thus granting them a happiness that non-Christians do not know. They should remember their baptismal covenant and the glory that they have obtained by it, and should not willfully break the covenant they have made with God. They should diligently and reverently hear God's Word, in order that they may become ever more enlightened and attain to greater knowledge. They should put into practice whatever they hear and read, and thus manifest their faith by their works. Therefore, true Christians will not be content saying, "I believe," but they will also cause the fruits of faith - godliness, love, chastity, patience, meekness, and the like - to shine forth in their entire life. They must believe not only for a time, but must remain faithful to God until death. Then they may comfort themselves with the assurance that they will receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls.
Pastor Puls comments:
"What glorious words! It is good to be reminded of the great gift God has given us in our faith. It is the most precious gift we might ever receive, though we often take it lightly, dismissing it as commonplace or ordinary, taking for granted the grounding it gives to our every day lives and the peace it secures for our lives in eternity! Often, the fruit of faith in our lives is severely lacking. We say harsh words, we think ill of others, we act unbecomingly, or we refuse to act when our hearts are called upon to assist others in some way. Thanks be to God we have a great Savior! Jesus is our remedy for our lack of faith; Jesus rescues us from our unbelief; Jesus releases us from the consequences of our sin. Amazing grace! Our Savior tenderly revives our souls and restores our faith. For this we are forever grateful. Worship Him with us this Sunday!"
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