When Weeding Needs To Be Radical - Down to the Roots

 

Church Growth, Church Unique, Unstuck Church - the panic is growing.

 Everything has failed, so why not try Christianity as taught by the Holy Spirit in His only Book.

The original plan was to grow Butterfly Bushes outside the bedroom window, because the photographs looked good. Chaste Tree was added, and they grew well. Beauty Berries had to be watered in the early days, but they grew so vigorously that the path to the fence was shut off by the two plants merging. Over time the area became The Jungle, admired by PFC for attracting birds, bees, and the occasional squirrel.

I pruned the remarkable Chaste Tree, which seems to be immune to all threats. We thought one died when it was moved to the front yard. I pruned it way back after digging it in, added a bag of peat humus to its base, and waited. That one leafed out and featured big blooms visited by Bumble Bees. Ranger Bob saw the bee activity at a distances and the bright blue flowers - "What is that tree or bush over there?" I explained that the the beans were used for medicine and still are today. Look up Chaste Tree Oil on Amazon.

That section of land could be labeled - Lutheran Synods in the Last Century. Few noticed at the time, but the mergers (the old ALC of 1930 to The ALC of 1960; the General Synods/Councils merging into the ULCA, then the LCA; etc) led into a complete rejection of what was taught in the 1920s. Another deformation happened under the watchful eyes of various apostates (LCMS, WELS) - the original Justification by Faith stance of the WELS and the LCMS became a complete rejection of the Chief Article of Christianity. 

Pay Attention -  In America, the Lutheran Reformation is now the Roman Catholic Council of Trent, and all who confess Justification by Faith from the Scriptures are anathematized - "Let him be damned to Hell!" - in harmony with the Holy Father, the Pope-King Antichrist and his minions.

 CPH - Here I Stand socks, plus the Dogma-tanic and their giant Luther's Small Catechism teach Objective Justification.

Weed Removal Essential

At this stage, just like the jungle that developed in the most neglected part of the land, the weeds have to be removed down to the root level.

The only precise translation of the Bible is still the King James Version. Using the NIV and ESV paraphrases is like confusing the Cliff Notes version of Moby Dick with the actual book.

The mockery and neglect of the Reformation's 500th Anniversary in 2017 proved that the deformation was complete. All the evil fads of the past blossomed and bore bitter fruit.

 Herman Otten had no qualms about selling this lying, disgusting book about Luther - to celebrate the Reformation. No apologies from him, because he endorsed Objective Justification.

Grinning Universalism

 

 Stanford Olsen is a Mormon operatic tenor.

YouTube said I needed to watch Dvorak's "Coming Home", so I did, a few times. The smile on the singer's face  - Sissel - was strange, as if she were revealing a secret. The message is - everyone will be in Heaven.

There's no break, ain't no end

Jus' a livin' on

Wide awake with a smile

Going on and on

Going home, going home

I'm jus' going home

It's not far, yes close by

Through an open door

I'm jus' going home

Another song in contention, is "The Holy City." Stanford Olsen sang the song, which was written by the author of "Oh Danny Boy" - Frederic Weatherly.

I saw the Holy City

Beside the tideless sea

The light of god was on its streets

The gates were open wide

And all who would might enter

And no one was denied.

The two singers seduce the listeners with thoughts of Universalism. Someone left the gates open.

Heaven's Gate - by Banksy

An Atlas in My Living Room

 

Dogs are logical. They know how to be cute, friendly, and safe.

When Sassy follows me home, she likes to check out her favorite sniffing areas. I leave the front door almost shut to get her inside a little faster. I walked over to the kitchen, then heard a commotion. Alaska's little friend, Atlas, was sitting in the living room, looking as cute as can be.

Alaska and Atlas are frequent escapees, and they pick our house as a refuge and safe place for going back home. I said, "OK Sassy, let's get them back home again." The super-sized puppies jumped and raced around as we walked back, stopping to give my hands a lick or a nudge. We got to Scott, where cars like to race, but this was after the morning rush, so it was still and quiet. 

Wise old Sassy walked along as they jumped, bobbed, circled and assumed protection from the inevitable meeting with Mom. I rang their bell, "Animal Control!" Mom opened the door, "Oh Good Grief, not again!" 

I consider it quite an honor for them to wait for me for the half-block trip home. Their fence will be mended soon and their trips will be curtailed. 

Corncordia Open University, South India, Honors Norma A. Boeckler, International Fine Artist, Michigan. Bethany Lutheran - Church of the Augsburg Confession.

 

Norma has provided an almost unlimited supply of beautiful Christian art for everyone to enjoy, and to use for my publishing work.

She and I had a great laugh from a Missouri Synod pastor, now retired, asking me, "How did YOU get to know Norma Boeckler?" He was startled that Norma was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church.

Everything we do in publishing at Bethany is non-profit. 

How Did I Get on the Isolated Islands List at YouTube?

 

YouTube is the source of dreadful, classic, and relaxing music-v  plus idiosyncratic features, which are often tossed into the mix.

Yesterday and today, I found the Faroe Islands and Tristan da Cunha. The Faroe Islands are near the Arctic Circle but never really freezing. However, the rain and winds are good for 2/3rds of the year. 

Tristan da Cunha is 2,000 miles west of Cape Town, Africa. They boast an active volcano near their village, but the 1961 eruption stopped short of their homes.

Many Christian believers feel like they are on isolated islands today. The old warhorses of the Left are still printing their flotsam and jetsam, and Boomers can trace the history of these inbred warriors of apostasy. In many cases, the sons of faithful leaders were trusted to be leaders of the next generation. Fuerbringer  - father and son - were good examples. Both were president of Concordia, St. Louis (called "the other seminary by the ELDONUTs). But the father was faithful while the son served as traitor and facilitator of the Tietjen gambit.

Other factions arose - like the Church Growthers and lavender network - and no one opposed them. If anyone did, the felons of fidelity were quickly and thoroughly coated with manure. 

ELCA-WELS-ELS-LCMS-CLC (sic) - proved they were absolutists about the Book of Concord. However, they applied Luther's forgotten introduction to the Large Catechism only to those who believed the Scriptures.

Preface - Large Catechism

12 And what need is there of many words? If I were to recount all the profit and fruit which God’s Word produces, whence would I get enough paper and time? The devil is called the master of a thousand arts. But what shall we call God’s Word, which drives away and brings to naught this master of a thousand arts with all his arts and power? It must indeed be the master of more than a hundred thousand arts.

13 And shall we frivolously despise such power, profit, strength, and fruit-we, especially, who claim to be pastors and preachers? If so, we should not only have nothing given us to eat, but be driven out, being baited with dogs, and pelted with dung, because we not only need all this every day as we need our daily bread, but must also daily use it against the daily and unabated attacks and lurking of the devil, the master of a thousand arts.

 The translation, gender-sensitive, and Church Growth vandals have been building and correcting for the last 50 years or more, so nothing much is left to demolish.

 Congratulations! - for protecting false teachers, alcoholic adulterers, and incompetent lazy-bones - not at your cost but from raiding the coffers of the synod treasury (and those frozen food checks never entered on the books). You have made a shining example of what a few, dedicated dolts can accomplish in one lifetime. Let's sing the WELS Planning Hymn to honor you and  your Father Below.

Don't Fail To Miss This New Book on Luther

 

 Conrad Braaten (RIP) seems to be the brother of Carl Braaten.

"Prickly, earthy, and contentious as he often was, the 'domestication' of Martin Luther by subsequent generations of pious Lutherans has been an odd kind of achievement. This book continues the re-discovery of 'the forgotten Luther,' and restores some of his fiery critique of false images and ideas of godliness and systems that oppressed ordinary people." — The Rev. R. Guy Erwin, Ph.D., president, United Lutheran Seminary

Rev. Dr. Guy Erwin, right, is the president of the soi-disant United Lutheran Seminary.

From Father Mapple

Very interesting post today: http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2021/09/dont-fail-to-miss-this-new-book-on.html

We can see in the blurb included how the Evangelical church generally is being pulled into the new morality of the a g e n d a twenty one plan.  For example even in this short excerpt:

- the Spirit ed book club - The new gnostic paganism only believes in emotional experience as the mark of worship. 

- reclaiming a vision - In the new order we follow the visions of the authoritarian leaders, mini-popes and mini-fascists.  Individual thought is a crime against god and the state and especially your neighbors.

- of global community - "We are all in this together" and "No one will be left behind" and "If you see something say something" and "build back better" are all part of the new morality.  It is a wholesale return to the days of the tower of Babel - no national loyalty, but a recreation of man above God, without need of the One True Creator.  Man himself is his own "savior" of the earth.

Horrible - but coated with such sweet sauce that the poison is not only not recognized, but in the general mind seen to be a good and moral thing.

Lord deliver us!

Cardboard, Rainwater, and Some Plants

 

I had a few Basil plants to get in their own area, plus a beautiful plant gift. The rainwater supply was low, so I consolidated what was left in the old wheelbarrow. 

Years ago I learned that soaking bare root roses could continue for weeks. However, most plants cannot last that long  in water. Overnight almost finished a few Bee Balms I soaked. I dropped them into the Rose Garden and they eventually created a mass of blooms.

If no rainwater is left, I fill a barrel so the chlorine can evaporate out, for a day or so. But the leftover rain was enough for these few plants.

One concern is putting invigorated plants into dry soil that will pull the moisture away. The Basil might survive the struggle, but there is no reason to create one. Like a miser, I gathered the rest of the rainwater and watered the area after planting.

Digging in plants is always fun and relaxing. I use a small digging tool and a large square of cardboard for sitting on the ground while avoiding a chigger invasion.

I got out the shovel for the potted plant, which soaked in the barrel, then got a thorough shower of rainwater there. Once in the ground, in a special place, I watered it all over again.

A few hours later, I filled those two small garden areas with water from the hose.

The rain came that night, confirming them in their growth.

I hope bunnies leave them alone.

 These are the Blackberries loved by squirrels and birds. 
Basil and Little Joe Pye have replaced them.

Your Midnight Icha-Peak

 

One friend looks for Ichabod posts three times a day, so his final peak is around midnight.

I have formally started two efforts. One is Lutheran Christina: Memories about a Pastor's Wife.

The other is converting Ustream videos to video platforms.

I also have a clue about a literature discussion group, so that should move along now.

Breaking WELS News

The new WELS hymnal, Aus Tiefel Not schrei ich zu dir (From Tiefel's Nothing, I Cry to Thee) will be very costly - a drain on church budgets, but promises 25 new Calvinist pop hymns. The bigger the congregation, the more they will pay for leasing modern Enthusiasm instead of worship classics. 

This will go over like Jerry Lewis' last film (never released).

 The Anti-Faithians keep repeating the bromides they learned by heart at the highbrow schools.

The Fourteen Sunday after Trinity, 2021. Fruits of the Spirit.

 

  Norma A. Boeckler

The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2021

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

https://video.ibm.com/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight Time

The Hymn # 528:10-15             If God Himself Be For Me               

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Behold, O God, our Shield, and look upon the face of Thine anointed: 

for a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand.

Psalm. How amiable are Thy tabernacles, 

O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, 

yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Keep, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy Church with Thy perpetual mercy; and because the frailty of man without Thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by Thy help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual 

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord: 

and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High.

V. To show forth Thy loving-kindness in the morning: 

and Thy faithfulness every night. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion: 

and unto Thee shall the vow be performed. Hallelujah!

      

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #288            Lord, Help Us Ever To Retain (Loy Translation)         
   

Inevitable Fruits of the Gospel

The Communion Hymn #224      Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord

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 # 189                   He Is Arisen, Glorious Word!

Announcements and In Our Prayers

• Andrea Anderson will celebrate her third birthday this week.
• Enzo Meyer has started college at Grand Canyon University campus in Phoenix.
• Diagnostics and treatment - Mary Howell, Kermit Way, Pastor Jim Shrader.
• 
  

 Norma A. Boeckler

KJV Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity

Lord God, heavenly Father, who by Thy blessed word and Thy holy baptism hast mercifully cleansed all who believe from the fearful leprosy of sin, and daily dost grant us Thy gracious help in all our need: We beseech Thee so to enlighten our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may never forget these Thy blessings, but ever live in Thy fear, and, trusting fully in Thy grace, with thankful hearts continually praise and glorify Thee; through Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Inevitable Fruits of the Gospel

Background for the Epistle Lesson - Galatians 5:16-24, Fruits of the Spirit

The nine-fold fruits of the Spirit, by their title, suggest two categories at the same time. The Spirit means - these come from the Spirit in the Word and in us. In other words, these fruits come from God, His power and grace. So many churches think they need more money, more smiles, more programs, more everything except the one thing needful - more Gospel. The other category is fruits. These qualities grow from the power of Gospel, so the hearing of the Gospel moves us to be fruitful. The four stages in plants are - seed, plant, flower, and fruit. More fruit comes from the living seed of the Gospel. For someone who does not believe, the broadcast of the Gospel is the start of that seed of faith. The plant grows, flowers, and produces the fruit of Christian life. The qualities listed are the beginnings of the blessings that come from the Gospel.

KJV Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Walk in the Spirit means walk in the Word, because those two are never separated. The believer should be used to dwelling on the Word (Torah, teaching, Psalm 1) day and night. Where the Word of God is present, the temptations of the flesh diminish.

When we have the Scriptures or Scriptural hymns on our minds, that moves against the desires of the Old Adam. That is not limited to the Prodigal Son's sins, which began with demanding his share of the estate, then losing it all to fast women and slow horses.

Many of the gravest sins are those which begin in the mind - and blossom into terrible actions. Coveting and jealousy are entirely inside of us at first, but they lead to crimes, as King David showed, Some people store up their evil and manipulate others to carry out the sin. Just as the Gospel of contrition and forgiveness yields fruit, so the tendencies of mortal people lead to death - hardness of heart, lack of forgiveness, rejection of the Christian Faith.

So they are contrary to each other - the Spirit in the Word and the flesh.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 

This is where the Antinomians (anti-Law) get lost. I dealt with an obvious one long ago. He said the Ten Commandments were obsolete - and they were for him, a supposed Lutheran pastor. He also rejected the divine Creation. And then he rejected Christianity altogether.

Luther understood this quite well. We can act by compulsion or by our own desires. The Gospel moves us to act, in contrast to living by the Law, where everything is forced, a "must," commands, punishment, and even revenge.

If someone says to me, "You don't have to..." I say, "That's right. I want to."

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

There are ways to categorize the list, which is not intended to be complete. The first group is sexual because the pagan world thought little of their festivities (which are next) destroying the family. We have an enormous spread of these two groups in our world. The Word of God and Christianity are dismissed in the world around us while the most outrageous behavior is encouraged, praised, and even ordained into the "Gospel" ministry. Paganism has always been the rejection of anything divine, so that has great appeal as an excuse. As someone wrote, the Romans may not have believed the ancient stories, but that did not keep them away from the unrestrained hedonism that went with the ceremonies. Now we know the wealthiest around the world are united in the same kind of human sacrifice, trafficking, slavery, and prostitution. Draw a circle around Epstein's island to see who is connected. I am bidin my time until the truth comes out for everyone to see. 

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The works of the flesh are not an exact parallel to the fruits of the Spirit. The works come from us, from the Old Adam. The fruits are from God's work through the Spirit in the Gospel Word. Here is a simple program that does not cost more than a few dollars altogether.

1. Jesus Christ is acknowledged as the central subject of the entire Bible, from Genesis 1 to the end of Revelation.
2. Therefore, faith in Christ is always the topic of lessons, sermons, hymns, and the worship service. (That is seldom true today.)
3. The faith of Christ (belonging to Jesus, Romans, Galatians, Philippians) is part of this teaching because the Word wants to show us that Christianity began with the faith that belongs to the Son, faith in the will and works of the Father.
4. The extent and the benefits of the Gospel of forgiveness are always taught.
5. People pray for each other.
6. The efficacy of the Word and the visible Word of the Sacraments is always featured as basic to the Scriptures.

Gardening teaches us so much about the Word, because the Creation is the visible manifestation of the Word. How could anyone miss this?

The living seed we plant is very much like the living Seed of the Word. The planted seed is so alive that we can wrap it in damp paper towels and see the roots and first leaves popping out, as if from nowhere. The blackberry garden has become the borage and buckwheat garden for now, because sowing those seeds would immediately let them in the mulch.

Borage and buckwheat flower and fruit easily. As they say in the profession, "They drop seed and plant more of themselves, all the time." The flower invites the bees, which set them up to fruit - the seed.

In the same way, the Word of God takes root easily among people, and they grow spiritually in many different ways. What is taught from the Word multiplies in them - and the Gospel is multiplied in Word and deed. 

As many know who read and study Luther, his lessons from the Bible are so striking that they dwell in our minds and shape our thoughts and actions. Most denominations agree he is the greatest Biblical teacher of all time, but his Biblical wisdom is ignored or mocked.

Luther wrote something about loaning once and when the topic came up. loaning a neighbor, I thought, "Of course." And that worked beautifully.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

This is a striking figure of speech, reminding us of the crucifixion of Christ atoning for all our sins, not only the small ones but also the great and terrible sins. They are left behind and vanquished each day through faith in Christ cleansing us from sin. Instead of looking back at horrible times, we look forward, absolved of sin through faith in Christ, led by the faith of Christ, from faith TO faith.

 Norma A. Boeckler