The Word of God Has Its Own Ways To Find the Good Soil

 

A young man stopped by with a brochure and questions about home prices on our cul-de-sac. One thing led to another, talking higher education, radicalism in the public schools. 

We got onto the topic of Biblical studies and Greek. I said, "My church nominated me for distributing good Biblical books." He said, "I have a Greek New Testament on one side and the KJV on the other." We were both pleasantly shocked, and I invited him to see our church service broadcasting and the library room.

As we talked I pulled out around 8 books for him to keep or share for free. Some were from Alec Satin. Others were from Zach Engleman. I added the KJV book and some others.

"You give away KJVs?" He liked that.

We talked about Lutheran doctrine, Justification by Faith, and my definition of holiness. I said, "When we are forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ, holiness is the result."

California and New York State Were Once Considered the Best Places for Public Education and Low Costs. Thank You - Rick Strickert and LQ

 

Rick Strickert (Carlvehse) Senior Member Username: Carlvehse Post Number: 10714 Registered: 10-2003

Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2023 - 11:55 am:       California heads toward hell in a handbasket Excerpted from The Daily Signal June 13, 2023, article, "State Senator Tells Parents to Flee His Own State Amid Bill That Would Take Kids Away From Non-’Affirming’ Parents": quote: A California state senator [Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita] told a gathered crowd of parents at the California Senate Judicial Committee to flee the state on June 13 during a hearing on a bill [AB957] which would put parents who don’t affirm their child’s “gender transition” in danger of child abuse charges. "I’m now in year 11 in the state legislature, and all the time we’re proposing policies to protect children. After 11 years, I’ve come to the conclusion that we need to start protecting parents. "That’s just not happening. "I’ve been here and witnessed a full frontal assault on charter schools, taking away parents’ choice in how their children are going to be educated to the detriment particularly of children of color. "In recent years, we have put government bureaucrats between parents, children, and doctors when it comes to medical care—and now we have [AB 957] where if a parent does not support the ideology of the government, [children are] going to be taken away from the home… “In the past when we’ve had these discussions and I’ve seen parental rights atrophied—I’ve encouraged people to keep fighting,” the senator added. “I’ve changed my mind on that.” “If you love your children, you need to flee California. You need to flee,” he said. Excerpted from AB 957: quote: This bill, for purposes of this provision, would include a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity as part of the health, safety, and welfare of the child. SECTION 1. Section 3011 of the Family Code is amended to read: 3011. (a) In making a determination of the best interests of the child in a proceeding described in Section 3021, the court shall, among any other factors it finds relevant and consistent with Section 3020, consider all of the following: (1) (A) The health, safety, and welfare of the child. (B) As used in this paragraph, the health, safety, and welfare of the child includes a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity. .... (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the court shall not consider the sex, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation of a parent, legal guardian, or relative in determining the best interests of the child. Don't hold your breath waiting for imprecatory prayers in California Lutheran church worship services.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Luke 5 - This Gospel Brings Before Us Two Parts, In Which It Exhorts to Faith And Strengthens Faith.

 

Complete Sermon Here -> FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

SECOND SERMON: LUKE 5:1-11. 

CONCERNING FAITH, THE CARE OF GOD, AND OUR DAILY OCCUPATION.

1. This Gospel brings before us two parts, in which it exhorts to faith and strengthens faith. In the first part it shows that Christ cares for those who believe in him, so that they are abundantly supplied against temporal and bodily needs. In the second part it shows that he will help them still more against spiritual needs, thus in reality proving the truth of what St. Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:8: “Godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come.” The Scriptures are everywhere full of these two kinds of promises.

2. To faith he assures temporal and bodily help by giving to Peter and his partners so great a draught of fishes after they had vainly toiled all night and caught nothing, and now could have no expectation or hope of taking anything. But herein he adheres to the rule and order which he himself has given and taught in Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” He here acts according to this saying and shows its truth by example and experience, inasmuch as the people press upon him in crowds, first to hear his words, and to such an extent that, in order to preach to them, he sets out from land in one of the boats. But when he has taught them he proceeds further to provide for their bodily needs, inasmuch as they are in distress and want.

3. Although it is not indeed the purpose of Christ’s coming or preaching to foster and provide for the body, yet he is not unmindful of it when the first thing sought is his kingdom. He therefore takes upon himself the distress of these poor fishermen who, through all this night, and with all their efforts and toil, have caught nothing. However, as they have lent him their boat to preach, and have listened to him, he, without any thought on their part, and before they have uttered any prayer, provides for them a draught of fishes so great that they are thereby enabled fully to learn and clearly to understand that in him they have a Master who cares for them and will not forsake them, provided they abide in his Word and remain his disciples.

4. He would that his Church, or believing people, should be comforted by the fact that he provides for them, and that somewhere on earth they shall find bread and an abiding place, even though they are everywhere so persecuted and scattered, that their place and provision in the world must be uncertain. We find this set forth, not only in the present instance, and in others like it, but in many a beautiful passage, such as Psalm 34:10: “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good thing.”

Hebrews - Daily Verses, "Not Mixed with Faith."

 

KJV Hebrews 4

1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Explanation

Hebrews can be quite involved in its statements, but this also leads to the most glorious passages, ones which we know, but often without recalling the location. That is true of Hebrews 4:12.

One way to clarify is to go back a few verses to see if the classic declaration has an introduction. A big question concerns why the Gospel is proclaimed but not believed. Lutherans - the true Pentecostals - know the Word is never without the Spirit and the Spirit never without the Word  (Hoenecke). Thus others imagine the Word requires a charming pastor, or gorgeous costumes from CM Almy, or splendid architecture, or a way to make the message reasonable or sweet or humorous. Lacking these props, the Word is not profitable when not mixed with faith. 

Not mixed with faith can influence the preacher and his/her gimmicks or the congregation with their demands. In our era of Rationalism, Satan worship, and Whack-a-Doodlism, people may still glean from long-held truths sprinkled in a worship service, remnants from the past. But many are without this nurture, as Hebrews states.

Various times I have been invited to preach for another congregation or group. Teaching the basics - such as the inerrancy of the Scriptures or the divinity of Jesus Christ - means that arms will fold and scowls will form, or heads will nod in agreement. The Spirit at work in the Word hardens and darkens those who oppose God's truth. The Word energized by the Spirit also converts, encourages, strengthens, and calms the others.

How did we get to the point where people would recite the Sparkle creed - from a United Church of Christ minister - and ignore the wisdom of Theodore Schmauk? Lutheran pastors seem to graduate from seminary without Luther - how much weaker are they in understanding:

1. Schmauk
2. Jacobs
3. Loy
4. Krauth?

And yet they can recite the canons of McGavran, Kelm, and Drucker!

Edina Community Lutheran Church - ELCA - The Future Has Arrived

 

• Pastor Anna Helgen leads the "Sparkle creed" at the altar, YouTube below. 
• The author of the "Sparkle creed" is UCC Pastor Rachel F. Small Stokes. 
• More on Stokes.
• The Sparkle creed has been officially mentioned by the ALPB Online Ovaltines.

JEFF SARTAIN

PASTOR

What book, other than the Bible, has had an impact on your faith?

“Many years ago I read, “Encountering God: A Spiritual Journey from Bozeman to Banaras,” by Diana Eck. It introduced me to a way of understanding God that transcends any one religious tradition.”

Growing up in the small Canadian border town of Littlefork, Minnesota Jeff learned the gift of story-telling, which he brings to his preaching. He loves learning about the ways God works in people’s lives. Jeff has served small churches in rural areas of Minnesota and Wisconsin, and he also served several years at a large inner city congregation in Minneapolis. Brief forays in professional fundraising and in social work round out his experience. A life-long learner, he continues to explore interests from learning to teach yoga and meditation to taking up the accordion, which is his latest project. Jeff and his husband, Mark, have two grown children, three-grandchildren, and a cabin in the woods of Wisconsin where they love taking their dog for an overnight get-away.

Edina Community ELCA Church

Giving Witness to Justice (est. $2.35M Debt Retirement + 10% Mission component)

Since 2016, ECLC has had to use existing cash reserves to service our mortgage liability, averaging $80-100k annually. Those reserves have now been fully spent. Our church’s finances are in a precarious situation going forward. In addition, since 2016 ECLC has run significant operating deficits in the annual budget since servicing the mortgage debt. The financial statements that were presented, mitigated this impact by using transfers from designated funds, or Council’s release of funds to balance the budget. These were dependent on existing cash reserves. To stabilize church operations, church leadership looked at several different models, including refinancing, significant staff reductions, or a capital campaign.

Free Republic Post and Comments are here.

Another video of "the Sparkle creed" is below.