Luke 13 - Jesus Mourning Over the Fall of Jerusalem

 

GJ - So appropriate! Even though I saw it coming a long time ago, I never guessed America could sink this deep in its own offal and have clergy, politicians, and academics wallow in it, defend it, and work for more of the same.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 8 - "No One Sends Them. They Come of Themselves."

 

ELCA now allows the radical non-binary creed conjured from the United Church of Christ. Thrivent Insurance is the unifying force - they need the dough.

Click here for the complete ->Trinity 8, Third Sermon

Babtist Andy Stanley drew a fawning group of WELS pastors to his Synagogue of Satan: Ski, Glende, Bishop Katie, and a bunch more WELSians. Future DP Patterson flew another group of groupies to an even bigger shindig.

Yes, we are so richly overflooded with the Gospel that we have now become tired of it, and are almost turned against it, as Paul prophesied in 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables.” Thus we see time and again throughout the whole Scriptures, how highly it offends God and that he considers it the greatest sin, when his Word is despised which is so dear and precious that it cost him the blood of his dear Son, while we so lightly cast it to the winds. For this reason he also visits us with the worst of all calamities, which is not to be compared with the other calamities in the world, so that the people become so hardened, blindfolded and misled by the false prophets, that heaven itself is closed against them and hell opens to receive them, and life eternal is lost forever. Even though you fall under the sword of the Turk or of tyrants, if you only die in the true knowledge of God’s Word and in true faith, what is that but a blessed death, devoutly to be desired? But to deliver the soul forever to the devil, is eternal wrath, an everlasting calamity and hell itself.

Mark Jeske gathered ELCA-LCMS-WELS pastors to teach pastors of various synods as if they were one in the Spirit.

11. God has now begun to visit us with manifold temporal and bodily calamities. But a far worse calamity will await us, when the holy Gospel is banished from Germany, or other false teachers appear, when one teaches this, another that. Then heaven will be closed, and the false preachers will not permit it to be opened. Hence there is great need that we pray earnestly. But, alas, how very cold our hearts are, and the reason of this is that our walls are not yet on fire, and we do not feel the loss. Nevertheless the devil has determined to drown all Germany in blood, and to take the Gospel from us, unless he be prevented beforehand and held in check by the prayers of pious Christians. “Who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.”

 "No one sends them. They come of themselves."

12. No one sends them. They come of themselves. And this is the real nature of false prophets, that in order to preach they force themselves upon us. Some do this for a living, which I do not value very highly, for they will not have it quite as easy as they think. But those who force themselves upon us with the boast that they do it for the sake of Christian love, on account of the truth and that the Holy Spirit constrains them to do so; and that they seek nothing but the salvation of souls; of all such be on your guard, for the devil has most certainly sent them, and not God. For those whom God sends are called and constrained to enter upon their work. Nor do they boast much of themselves. But of whatever they do boast, they prove by their work. Therefore, the Lord would say, beware of those you see are neither sent nor called, but come of themselves at the devil’s call.

The LCMS, WELS, ELS, and CLC (sic) agree completely with the English translation of Knapp. Seminexers and ELCA  are in the same sinking boat.

13. Yet they ever boast they have the Holy Spirit? Answer: whoever would convince you that he is moved by the Holy Spirit and does this from Christian motives, say to him: As you boast so much of the Spirit, give me proof of it. For you testify of yourself, and the Scriptures forbid me to believe anyone who only testifies of himself. For even Christ, the Son of the living God, would not bear witness of himself, as we read in the Gospel of John 5:31 and John 8:14. However, he furnished testimony by which men might know that he was sent from God, and that his Word and doctrine were true. As you then say you have the Holy Spirit, give us evidence of your Spirit, prove it with facts that we may believe you. For here a divine testimony is necessary to prove the presence of the Spirit of God, in order that there may be two witnesses, you and God. If you will not do this, then we can neither hear nor believe you.

14. For, if we grant it is true, that one is a true spirit and has the true Holy Spirit; even then you should not hear him. For God has commanded that you should observe his order, and ask for two witnesses, and demand the proof and record of his call. Therefore say: I will not listen to you on the ground of your pretenses and boasting, even though you should have the true Spirit, for God would thus test me, whether I wish to remain in the order he has established. Therefore God is satisfied and well pleased, if you do not receive such a spirit; for God thus acts with us to try us, to see whether we will continue in his Word; as a father who plays with his child, gives it an apple and takes it again.

15. Therefore, when a spirit comes self-called and brings something new, then know how to guard yourself and say: I do not ask what you preach, but whether you are sent, or you come of yourself? If you come of yourself, I will not hear you, even though you have the Holy Spirit; for the devil in the Gospel can also say: “What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? I know thou art the Holy One of God.” Mark 1:24.

So the vulgar crowd also say: Here is the real and true Word of God which this man preaches, let us hear him. Yes, look out beforehand whence he comes. The devil can preach too, but he does it for an occasion to win adherents; then he comes forth and sows his poison among the good grain, so that it becomes worse than at the beginning. Therefore Christ so diligently warns us against those who come of themselves

Church and Change, WELS, was no different from the LCMS and ELCA versions of in-house brain-washing. Fuller Seminary spread the virus.

 

Hymn - Behold the Sure Foundation-Stone

 

"Behold the Sure Foundation-Stone"
by Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

1. Behold the sure Foundation-stone
Which God in Zion lays
To build our heavenly hopes upon
And His eternal praise.

2. Chosen of God, to sinners dear,
Let saints adore the name;
They trust their whole salvation here,
Nor shall they suffer shame.

3. The foolish builders, scribe and priest,
Reject it with disdain;
Yet on this rock the Church shall rest
And envy rage in vain.

4. What though the gates of hell withstood
Yet must this building rise.
'Tis Thine own work, Almighty God,
And wondrous in our eyes.

Hymn #460
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Psalm 118:22
Author: Isaac Watts, 1719
Composer: William Croft, 1708
Tune: "St. Anne"

Creation Gardening and the Scriptures

 

New idiocies rise up to greet us every morning. I received an early warning months ago - when people posted the need to get rid of the gas stove in their house. Now I see official efforts to stop the hideous use of safe, efficient gas stoves, which "endanger Planet Earth."

The Scriptures require a unified view of the Bible, because it is one Book with one Author. That is where so many religious leaders fail. Their job titles are connected to the corporate monster that feeds them, houses them, and provides titles and honors. It is no small job to keep up with machine that keeps issuing new versions of NewSpeak.  Old words are forgotten, new ones are invented to justify the ungodly. 

The Creation Garden does not honor betrayal of the original design. Every part of its work is carried out on time, with the right combination of elements, plant and animal kingdoms, climate, and other engineering achievements of the Lord of Creation.

Yesterday I walked along the sidewalk to see how the roses, pollinator plants, and weeds were doing. The Joe Pye Weeds were changing from flowers to seeds, so they are swarmed by tiny butterflies and typical bees. I was bumping into dozens of them, and nobody felt a need to sting me. Photographs are fine, but nothing compares to watching their work from inches away.

The Creation Garden is building its own trust, caused by increasingly better soil. Leaves, dead flowers, and the contribution of roots give soil creatures a place to live, reproduce, and die. One author (Teaming With... books) pointed out that these ignored creatures hold onto water and nutrients before passing them into the next generation. The result is a mixing of soils (not just clay), a carnival of productive chemicals, and a storage medium for water.