Iowa Wind Turbine vs. Tornado - May 21, 2024

 

Bringing Joy, Good Will, And Worthwhile Acts into Each Day

Porchie and Dustmop entertain Charlie, who even waits in a drizzle to play with them.
Racing along the fence is great fun for everyone.

Someone asked about ways to be cheerful in the light of so many disasters around us. I could name them, but they are widely known and generated on purpose. For instance, I have experienced companies deliberately cheating on a bill. One company overcharged me by 50%, and I had their own email proving how far off they were. The first response was the muddled lying used by companies now, if not their AI robot, then a humanoid with an even lower IQ. I twice told one company that "No, I do not want to renew...ever." They billed me $900!  At the same time, a computer company billed me $250. I settled all three falsehoods simply by talking about "legal responsibility" and "fraud." 

If they are building up fury in the costumer, I know it is a confidence scam - knowingly cheating so the customer will slam down the phone and give up. In case anyone wonders, the best way is to cheerfully and politely suggest the doom developing for the crooks. They want a tantrum with empty threats. I may say, "I have already talked to my attorney," but I would rather stir their imagination. The credit union sued me for $200 that was already paid, using a lengthy, attorney letter with various threats. I stated the facts on their voicemail, mentioned my attorney, and got two apologies, the second one especially gracious and apologetic.

We have to stand up for ourselves with dishonest people in the short run. In the long run they have to face God Himself for their chicanery.

Worthwhile Acts

I post on this blog every day, starting with the Daily Luther Sermon Quote. I am happy to hear all the responses and I enjoy each one myself. 

I was going to slow down on blogging but one reader said that many were counting on it for information. I never expected more than 20 readers per day, and now there is a larger group. Our congregation has grown rather than shrinking, so I know we are doing something wrong!

This is not a gardening neighborhood, so I share the excesses. I used to take roses to all the doctor appointments but now I take them to neighbors and Bible John's wife. Mother's Day is for every mother getting roses. Christina said, "Grass is boring. Make the front yard a rose garden." I have had people stop their cars and ask about it. I give Creation Gardening to people.

This is the happy corner, which now has the ID of Christina for her first day at Augustana College, the day we met. I told my brother I was going to ask for a date and maybe marry her. She said "Maybe?" when I told Moline friends, 40 years later. One Moliner (same dorm) told everyone that Christina could not stop saying my name over and over. She said, "I don't remember that!" We all laughed that much more.

Norma A. Boeckler's garden.

ALPB Ovatines Shocked at the Latest Bad News Bears

 

The ALPB Online Forum continues its solemn march into higher education oblivion. I just wrote about California Lutheran (ELCA) firing its president and hiring John Nunes (LCMS/ELCA) as a temporary president. His credentials include closing the NYC LCMS college, so he is going to be in demand to close a few more schools in a few more years.

The Forum Letter is a bit shocked about how far their ELCA buddies are taking liturgy. More reports are coming in, all parading the same package. I could copy a few paragraphs, but today's Big Five shock - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC - only stirs up boredom, ennui, and despair.

In other news, the failing LCMS college in Ann Arbor has announced cutting its athletic program (yawn) when they previously promised it would continue another year. Colleges do not implement or dissolve programs overnight. Claiming it was going to last one year more (Les Mis) is the same as ending in one year. 

Once upon a time an engineering firm asked for everyone to meet in the conference room. A witty guy asked, "Will this be for resume writing?" They were being absorbed by a much larger firm. Nothing was named but people were looking ahead, and it did happen.

Reformation Seminary - New Testament Greek Lesson - Beatitudes

 

Click here for all previous YouTubes

Matthew 5:1 ιδων δε τους οχλους, ανεβη εις το ορος και καθισαντος αυτου, προσηλθον αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου

ochlophobia, cathedral, math

2 και ανοιξας το στομα αυτου, εδιδασκεν αυτους λεγων

stomach; didactic

3 μακαριοι οι πτωχοι τω πνευματι οτι αυτων εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων

pneuma, pneumatic, pneumonia; Basil; Uranus

4 μακαριοι οι πενθουντες οτι αυτοι παρακληθησονται

"called close beside"

5 μακαριοι οι πραεις οτι αυτοι κληρονομησουσιν την γην

6 μακαριοι οι πεινωντες και διψωντες την δικαιοσυνην οτι αυτοι χορτασθησονται

dipsomania

7 μακαριοι οι ελεημονες οτι αυτοι ελεηθησονται

eleemosynary - works of mercy

8 μακαριοι οι καθαροι τη καρδια οτι αυτοι τον θεον οψονται

Kathy

9 μακαριοι οι ειρηνοποιοι οτι αυτοι υιοι θεου κληθησονται

Irene, 

10 μακαριοι οι δεδιωγμενοι ενεκεν δικαιοσυνης οτι αυτων εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων

11 μακαριοι εστε οταν ονειδισωσιν υμας και διωξωσιν και ειπωσιν παν πονηρον ρημα καθ υμων ψευδομενοι ενεκεν εμου

12 χαιρετε και αγαλλιασθε οτι ο μισθος υμων πολυς εν τοις ουρανοις ουτως γαρ εδιωξαν τους προφητας τους προ υμων

I.

Copy a Greek word into the search, add Strong for sorting out and Thayer for definitions.

That will give you a page of examples and explanations for that Greek word.

II.

Always look for Greek words that are common English words - Irene, pneumonia, Uranus. People who learn NT Greek have a much higher score on English exams, IQ tests. 

Three rules for learning Greek - repetition, repetition, repetition.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity - "This word signifies that there are three persons in God. It is a heavenly mystery which the world cannot understand. I have often told you that this, as well as every other article of faith, must not be based upon reason or comparisons, but must be understood and established by means of passages from the Scriptures, for God has the only perfect knowledge and knows how to speak concerning himself."

 

Luther's Sermons - John 3:1-15. Trinity Sunday

Text: John 3:1-15 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

I. THE HOLY TRINITY.

1. Today we celebrate the festival of the Holy Trinity, to which we must briefly allude, so that we may not celebrate it in vain. It is indeed true that the name “Trinity” is nowhere to be found in the Holy Scriptures, but has been conceived and invented by man. For this reason it sounds somewhat cold and we had better speak of “God” than of the “Trinity.”

2. This word signifies that there are three persons in God. It is a heavenly mystery which the world cannot understand. I have often told you that this, as well as every other article of faith, must not be based upon reason or comparisons, but must be understood and established by means of passages from the Scriptures, for God has the only perfect knowledge and knows how to speak concerning himself.

3. The great universities have invented manifold distinctions, dreams and fictions by means of which they would explain the Holy Trinity, and have made fools of themselves. We shall therefore quote only passages from the Scriptures in order to determine and establish the divinity of Christ. In the first place, we quote from the New Testament, where we find many proof texts; for instance, John 1:1-3: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.” Now if he is not made, but is himself the Maker, he must indeed be God. John also says afterwards: “And the Word became flesh.”

4. Again, we quote from the Old Testament, where David says, in Psalm 110:1: “Jehovah saith unto my lord, Sit thou at my right hand,” that is, sit upon the royal throne and be a lord and king over all creatures, all which must be subject to thee — “until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” In Psalm 8:4-8, we read: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him but little lower than God, and crownest him with glory and honor. Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.” That means: Thou hast made him Lord of the whole world. Paul explains this passage, in Ephesians 1:20 and Colossians 2:9-10, in a masterly way. Now, if God has set him at his right hand and made him lord of all in heaven and on earth, he must indeed be God; for it would not be fitting that he should set him at his right hand and give him as much power over all creatures as he himself possesses, if he were not God. God will not give his glory to another, as he says in Isaiah 48:11. Thus, we have here two persons, the Father, and the Son to whom the Father has given all that is subject to him. To “sit at the right hand of God” means to be over all God’s creatures; he must therefore be God to whom is given all this.

5. God has also commanded us not to worship strange gods. Now, we read in John that, according to the will of God, we should honor the Son even as we honor the Father. These are the words of John 5:19-23, where Christ says to the Jews: “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and greater works than these will he show him, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth the dead and giveth them life, even so the Son also giveth life to whom he will. For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgment unto the Son; that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him.” These are, to my mind, truly clear and distinct words concerning the divinity of Christ. Now, as God commands that we should have only one God, and should not render to any other creature the glory which belongs to God and is due him, and yet he gives this glory to Christ, Christ must indeed be God.

6. Paul says in Romans 1:2-4: “The Gospel he promised afore through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord.” Therefore, according to the flesh he began to exist, but according to the spirit he existed from eternity, although it was not clearly understood before; as it was not necessary that we should make a God of him, but only that we should declare and understand that he is the Son of God. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, as Christ himself says in John 16:13: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth.” And elsewhere the Evangelist writes, John 17:1-5: “These things spoke Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that the Son may glorify thee: even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life. And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ. I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do. And now, Father. glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

7. We also read in Psalm 2:8: “Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” He is truly enthroned king of all. He is God’s child, and the world it subject to no other prince or king. Likewise, in another psalm, David openly calls him God, when he says: “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of equity is the scepter of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Psalm 45:6-7. God will make no one such a king who is not God, for he will not give the reins out of his hands; he alone will be the Lord over heaven and earth, death, hell, the devil and all creatures. If he, then, makes Christ Lord of all that is created, Christ must truly be God.

8. We can. therefore, have no surer foundation for our belief in the divinity of Christ than that we enwrap and enclose our hearts in the declarations of the Scriptures.