 |
| Pastor Paul Rydecki above and Pastor Steve Spencer below - at the first and only Intrepid Lutherans conference. |
ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Question for Pastor Paul Rydecki
Five Inches of Rain on Sunday
 |
| Barbra Streisand |
Anticipating a long rain, I did everything except roll up the window in our Town Car, the very spot I parked my computer case (minus the laptop). The case is now drying out in a secure, undisclosed location.
My first pre-storm job was placing milk spore disease powder in the front and back yards. The second part of prevention will involve removing the adults from the rose blooms (and gene pool) during their graduation-from-soil parties next summer, when they mate and lay eggs. That openly destructive period lasts about two weeks. The disease, which only affects white grubs, will slowly build up in the soil. Relax gardeners, it is a bacterium naturally found in the soil.
I am collaring the roses and adding Peat Humus (stinky peat) to the collars, to increase the insulation and feed the root growth all winter. Many plants work all winter in establishing their spring growth plans. Autumn - or hardy - bulbs do most of their growth during the winter, only to pop out and bloom at the right time in the spring, often decorating the snowy lawn with their colors. Crocus are good for that, but squirrels dig up and replant them, making people wonder if the gardener is drinking on the job. They also eat a few of the crocus, so I am planting only grape hyacinth now.
The storm was just what we needed when it arrived. I had some Butterfly Weed and Yarrow planted and soaked with stored rainwater. I can look over the new areas and see how everything is sprouting and fill in low spots.
I have had the most success with using young plants and almost no success with seeds - 5,000 yarrow, carrot, and feverfew seeds. That is not a total - but 5,000 each - but they are very inexpensive at that level. However, I also planted hundreds of sunflowers, and of all these seeds, nothing grew to maturity. So - forget seeds - since squirrels and rabbits are more effective than Agent Orange.
 |
| Bride's Dream |
Plants Where They Can Be Seen and Nurtured
I used the fence where I once grew roses to plant some Crepe Myrtles, with Yarrow and Butterfly Weed in-between them. A few Hollyhock plants came in the mail, so they will also grow along the fence.
The area is sunny and easily watered. I initially planned to put them in the Butterfly Garden, but that area is the least seen, so I decided to leave that with tall-growing plants. Everyone wants to know about my Wild Ginger Hidden Lily plants that are already thriving there.
That garden is also good for Joe Pye Weed. They will thrive there in the sun and be the reserve food for the Butterfly Bushes in front of our bedroom window, where we view so much of Creation. All summer we had birds, squirrels, hummingbirds, and butterflies to watch. Joe Pye Weed will attract more species of butterflies and not require much attention.
 |
| Edith's Darling, Named from Downtown Abbey |
Raining on the Hostas
The Hostas were moved to the front yard when I realized how much they like the same growing conditions as roses - morning sun, afternoon shade.
I expected very little growth in the Hostas, but they took off at once, arriving a short time ago. My favorite supplier is Hostas Direct. They ship plants like each one is an individual crystal glass - wrapped, secured, labeled with a solid plastic marker for each plant to go in the garden. Once I dug up a living rose plant and found its tag - "Great, now I know what it is when not blooming." The rose tag was bleached white from the sun. Hosta Direct tags are solid and good for poking into the soil.
 |
| Hosta - Liberty |
The Hostas leaves already tell me what they will be like. Mrs. Ichabod is a big fan of Hostas. Norma Boeckler grows them too.
So this long, stretched-out, five inch rain was ideal for the Hostas. Their roots will reach down for more water - no stress - and the soil creatures will be more active in the short-term. Soil temperatures will be above freezing for a long time - with a few nights that are 20 degrees. That is the forecast, at least. That means the warmer, sunny days will foster a lot of root activity even while the plants are becoming dormant.
 |
| Empress Wu - Hosta |
Pine Needles
I have contracted with two neighbor teens to haul pine needles for underneath the Mother of All Crepe Myrtles. I insist on paying them, over their mother's objections. They can put a massive amount around the CM, which will suppress grassy weeds all summer and feed the plant all winter.
The neighbors dislike their build-up of needles, and I covet their windfall. If they have too many, we can put the extras in the former Hosta garden behind the house. I am still growing Hostas there and will keep rows of them growing. We want Hostas up front for viewing, backyard for the Hummingbirds.
 |
| Mr. Lincoln |
Not Enough Creation Thinkers
The biggest problems today come from the lack of understanding about Creation.
I said to one family, "Do you want almost free food? Plant these seeds." They were never planted, but I did see the family at Walmart, buying food. They had an enormous yard with no trees - but no plants until they started a few for decoration.
Long ago I gave two boys paper bags to pick all the edible pod peas they wanted for their family. They acted like I was sending them out to be tortured. Once was enough. But two people from Hong Kong were thrilled with the chance to have a lot of pea tendrils, because soil is so precious there. They wanted to pay me for something that made the peas grow even more.
Gardening and farming, even on a small scale, are exercises in observation, trial, failure, and success. "I heard that..." has to be tested again and again. The desire for success leads to reading and observation.
Many books repeat old slogans without any analysis about why the slogans are correct, wrong, or dangerous. A classic rare book changed my ideas about weeds - Weeds Guardians of the Soil. Much later, I finally learned about how much roots contribute to soil humus levels. I should have known, but a farmer in North Dakota revealed what he learned from successive crop failures.
Creation or organic gardeners love to dump organic matter on the soil - and that is a worthwhile project. But the second part is even better - letting living roots grow as long as possible. I could give a statistic on how many miles of root hairs grow on a plant - no metric can be grasped by us mortals. The root hairs are growing and dropping off, but they are also making a deal with the fungus to give them carbon in exchange for needed water and nutrition. That also defies the imagination.
"Man is the measure of all things." Really?
"The proper study of man is man." No wonder Jesus had to admonish Nicodemus about the basics of Creation.
 |
| White collar crime. Actually, these are useful and easy to assemble. |
Sunday, October 22, 2017
First Christian Church in Moline to close: 'It was a very difficult decision' | Faith and Values | qctimes.com
 |
| Rev Charles Willey. Someone in Arkansas interviewed me and asked, "Do you know him?" GJ - "Yes, he converted me to Lutheranism. I left his church and went to Salem Lutheran, across the street." |
First Christian Church in Moline to close:
'It was a very difficult decision' | Faith and Values | qctimes.com: "First Christian Church of Moline was so busy in the 1960s, there were three services on Sundays and chairs had to be brought in every week to accommodate the crowd.
Dwindling membership and financial support in the past several years, part of a trend seen across the United States, means the church will officially close on Oct. 1.
This date ties to the 111th anniversary of the church founding, and events are planned to start at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, with a special service, light lunch and time to share memories beginning at noon.
LaVelle and Paul Stewart, Moline, are longtime members of First Christian Church: LaVelle for 62 years and Paul for 70 years. They recall when the late Rev. Charles Willey did a daily inspirational radio show.
"New members joined us every Sunday, and we had three services on Sundays," LaVelle Stewart said. "We had to set up chairs in the back to accommodate the people."
 |
| Rev Jane Courtright |
The decision to close First Christian Church came after many prayers, according to the Rev. Jane Courtright, interim pastor. Courtright, who has a background in helping people to transition and grow in life, joined First Christian more than a year ago, never planning to be part of a church closing.
According to the Gallup Poll, Americans are much less likely now than they were in the past to claim membership in a church, synagogue or mosque.
In 1937, when Gallup first asked about church membership, 73 percent said they were a member of a church. This figure dropped into the upper 60 percent range in the 1980s and decreased from that point on. It fell to its lowest point of 54 percent in 2015 but increased slightly to 56 percent in 2016.
Still, as Stewart said, "It was a very difficult decision to close.""
'via Blog this'
The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. Holy Communion Is a Litmus Test
The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2017
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Hymn # 292 - Selnecker, Concordist Lord Jesus Christ
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #657 Beautiful Savior
Holy Communion - Litmus Test for Biblical Doctrine
The Communion Hymn #249 Luther - Isaiah Mighty Seer
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #261 Luther - Lord Keep Us Steadfast
Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity
O mighty and everlasting God, who by Thy Son Jesus Christ didst mercifully help the palsied man both in body and soul: We beseech Thee, for the sake of Thy great mercy: Be gracious also unto us; forgive us all our sins, and so govern us by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not ourselves be the cause of sickness and other afflictions; keep us in Thy fear, and strengthen us by Thy grace that we may escape temporal and eternal wrath and punishment, through Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
KJV Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
KJV Matthew 9:1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
Holy Communion - Litmus Test for Biblical Doctrine
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
After the same manner also He took the cup when He had supped, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of it; this cup is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you and the remission of sins. This do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Litmus Test
My landscaper-neighbor was telling me about a litmus test for soil, something I never do. The test indicates whether the soil is more acidic or more base (sweet). That will show what kinds of plants will thrive in the soil or what to do to change it.
Holy Communion is a litmus test, so it is good to review during this season and year of the Lutheran Reformation.
Luther did not set out to define a denomination, but others did make a point of defining themselves as against his Biblical teaching. The issue is not the group but the Biblical interpretation.
Once I would have gone over the Roman Catholic portion quickly, because Lutheran pastors and laity did not become Romanists, did they? But now they do, and there is just as much aping of Romanism as there is of Fuller Seminary claptrap.
So the litmus test in this case concerns what Holy Communion means, compared to the others. The answer lies in the definition of Enthusiasm, separating the Holy Spirit from the Word. All false doctrine comes from this divorce, because the Bible always teaches them as belonging together in each and every case. In short:
- The Word is always effective, thus having the divine energy of the Spirit.
- The Spirit only works through the Word.
- Having a personal revelation or an insight contrary to the Bible is divorcing the Spirit from the Word.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed,
This harkens to the Old Testament practice - not just remembering but re-enacting the sacred events of the past. The original Passover is repeated to this day and carried out in the same way. Jesus instituted Holy Communion so we would receive His forgiveness individually while remembering His atoning sacrifice for our sins.
He was betrayed and yet He strengthened the disciples with His body and blood. We read of the stark contrast between the weaknesses of the disciples and His nurturing Promises, which ultimately kept them together, except for the one who belonged to Satan.
took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake it and gave it to His disciples
The wording is quite similar to the Feeding of the Multitude, for good reason. The first miracle prepares us to understand the Sacrament. How could Jesus multiply the food and have leftovers? Answer - the divine Word that created the universe can accomplish anything. Those who doubt the Feeding also doubt Communion, and vice versa. Ultimately such thinking turns into Unitarianism (Jesus a mere man) and atheism.
Not by accident Jesus taught Himself as the bread of life coming down from heaven, as the manna did in the Exodus.
saying, “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
Here the Enthusiasm agree to oppose the Scriptures. The Romanists say that a priest has the unique office to consecrate the elements. They make this Sacrament central rather than the Word, so their traditions are placed above the Word and thousands of pages can be cited to support them. Also, because they emphasize the form, faith has very little meaning in connection with this Sacrament. Obedience is the most important element.
The non-Lutheran Protestants are similar, constantly chanting "There is no is in Hebrew and Aramaic." But this Scripture and all the other citations are Greek, the basis for Western Civilization, and the verb is is used here - and abundantly in the Greek New Testament. No Aramaic New Testament has ever been found. Ditto Hebrew. Aramaic is a form of Hebrew.
The Protestant argument makes Holy Communion merely symbolic. Of course the Sacrament is symbolic of death, atonement, the Exodus, and resurrection - but it is not merely symbolic.
The worse insult again Holy Communion is calling it (and Baptism) "an ordinance," which relegates it to the Law. Protestants - "We commune because we have to commune - it is a law." Or they say - "We commune as a witness to others." But witnessing what one does not believe is rather weak and found to fail in that respect.
Rationalism about Holy Communion leads to the same vice of human reason being used against everything that is a mystery (revealed only by the Holy Spirit). They ask - How can Jesus give His body to millions over time? Answer - How could Jesus feed the multitudes with almost nothing? The Word belongs to God and retains His power.
Therefore, the Words of Consecration impart the Promises. The power does not belong to the priest or to those who receive it (Receptionist position, Synodical Conference, still taught by some yahoos today. Receptionists say - It is not the body or blood of Christ until it is received!)
Given for you
This is a vivid statement of the Atonement. When the ELCA was forming, all the divine Promises were mocked in the Braaten-Jenson Christian Dogmatics. What happens from such thinking, then, is a focus on grand, colorful, incensed ceremonies that are conducted without faith
This do in remembrance of Me.”
The Romanists defy the meaning the Gospel when they say that sins are forgiven but not paid for. Thus someone must always add works to faith and that too is not enough. Every faithful Roman Catholic is promised Purgatory for hundreds or thousands of years - torture to pay for those sins. Thus like many others, they can grasp the words of the Bible and make them say the opposite.
The non-Lutheran Protestants teach the same methods. They do not like the words - Sacrament, Means of Grace. They take away infant faith, which Jesus taught, and say "How do we know an infant who has died is in heaven? Because he was innocent and not yet at the age of accountability."
The Disciples of Christ in Moline had this on their altar - "Do this in remembrance of Me." It was just a remembrance, but celebrated with the elements distributed in the pews - unleavened bread and grape juice.
Therefore, the Romanists have people communing daily, because it is never enough - even then. And the Protestants hardly ever have communion because it is just an ordinance, a Law. They even package kits for people, which WELS ended up promoting.
After the same manner also He took the cup when He had supped, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of it; this cup is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you and the remission of sins.
Did Paul believe in the Real Presence in Holy Communion? In 1 Corinthians 10:16, he makes that point exactly.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
Did Jesus? Mark 10
37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
The Roman Catholics teach, "This is necessary but your sins are not completely forgiven."
The Protestants teach, "This is required, and your sins are not forgiven.''
Also - "Why so many Means of Grace? God does not need them." That is a typical changing of the subject. God does not need them - we do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)