In seventh grade, our teacher called us "The Garfield Gashouse Gang," because we stuck together, cheered each other, and had a great time in class. Public education has been curdled by the DEI and CRT agendas.
"During the last few years, most conservatives have become at least dimly aware that leftist ideology, in the guise of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), has infected public education. It’s unlikely, however, that many Americans realize just how far the disease has advanced. It has long since spread beyond a few courses embedded into the social studies curricula of secondary schools and elite colleges. Public school students as young as 9 and 10 years of age effortlessly recite leftist shibboleths even as they descend into functional illiteracy in reading, writing, math, and science."
"God continues to bless our synod with the generous and faith-filled offerings of his people, even in these difficult economic times. Rev. Kurt Lueneburg, director of the WELS Ministry of Christian Giving, reports:
By the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, God’s people remitted $3.36 million of Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO) in December. (This is $15.00 more than CMO given during December 2021.) We thank our Lord for these generous offerings!"
Editor's note - WELS is enriched with faith-filled gifts and yet the entire world, back to Adam, is forgiven and guilt-free without faith. If the guilt-free saints in Hell are suffering, how much better off are the KJV-free professors at their shrinking seminary?
Move to Minnesota. Glen and Esther know all about cold.
Ranger Bob came over to borrow a snow-scraper, the second innocent in several days. Tupperware does not do the job.
He said, "Your snow is soft. My driveway is all ice."
I said, "Did you notice the aquamarine-colored salt?"
No answer.
Even the Laotian family left their snow and ice on the driveway.
A few hours after I lightly salted the driveway, half of it was easily scooped to the side. Yes, I took chemistry and physics in high school, so I knew about salt melting snow and moving downhill to keep the magic working. I should have moved to Arkansas. I coulda been someone. I coulda been a contender.
Tomorrow is almost torrid, so the snow-ice will mostly melt away.
This is the third day of my captivity, so I grew ambitious and went out to shovel some snow ice. The grain shove could not find a way to dig snow up and toss it aside to let the sun do the melting.
Instead, I opened the bag of ice melt, delicately colored aquamarine, and tossed it over the ice, just in case the cloud-filtered sun tipped the scales toward melting, with some help from the salt.
I started my adventure by using the windshield tool again to clear off the barrel lids where the creatures fed yesterday. Starlings came in force to enjoy the corn. A blue jay landed, picked up a peanut in the shell, paused and took off again. I assume he was motivating me to scatter more peanuts.
It sounds like the University of Phoenix will be purchased by an entity in Arkansas.
Items to note from Provost Woods' video
"Last week a news report broke the story of a potential deal between the
University of Phoenix and the University of Arkansas System. Discussions
are underway, but there's no agreement at this time. If something does
develop, we'll be sure to keep you informed."
Do we get the UOP Stadium in the deal? Or does Arkansas give up its coaches?
Ski, Glende and other WELS pastors/staff (8 total) went to Osteen's church years ago to soak up what WELS seemed to be lacking. One of my friends was offered free tuition at Fuller to learn about evangelism for the sect. He refused.
Isn't that Joel Osteen with Ski?
Wayne Mueller was lying about "no Church Growth in WELS" while The Love Shack was sponsoring leaders, world missionaries, and pastors to attend Fuller. Lawrence Otto Olson, D.Min. Fuller, tried to establish his innocence in the pages of Christian News.
The LCMS is just as guilty, and ELCA goes to the same pathetic citadels of Enthusiasm.
Grackles are large, loud, and creaky sounding. Like starlings and crows, they arrive and leave in large numbers.
I do not wish an ice storm on anyone. Tree limbs break. Furnaces quit. Traffic comes to a halt and accidents increase. I am sure weather has dulled my brain. Two people notified me of outrageous typos, which is fine, when they do it in a caring, compassionate, diplomatic, and gentle way.
I used my windshield broom/scraper tool to brush the barrel lids down to their natural green and yellow colors. Then I poured corn and peanuts in a pile on each barrel, a handful flung across the place where the birds forage for seed on the ground.
Soon after, the food was covered up with a layer of snow and ice, so I figured nothing would happen. Just now I found a large flock of grackles (larger than starlings, cousins to the crows) working both barrels at once with even more birds on the ground. I spotted one female cardinal and some other birds on the perimeter, hoping or hopping for some food.
Squirrels were here and there, kept at a distance by the size and noise of the grackles.
New Cloth on an Old Garment, New Wine into Old Bottles
KJV Matthew 9:16 No man putteth a piece
of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh
from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
People
scratch their heads over this parable, but the comparison is simpler than it
appears at first. The parables are for the studious, not for the superficial
who guess at and even make up their inventive and creative solutions. This is
made worse by a popular assumption that the Old Testament is all law and condemnation,
the New Testament all grace and forgiveness. True Judaism is also true
Christianity, but many have tried to patch Pharisaic legalism with Christian
words and phrases. Judaism declined into the perfection of the Pharisees in
works. Many modern Christian denominations are inclined to deny the Scriptures,
miracles, and divinity of Christ, replacing the Gospel of the Savior with man
redeeming society with new laws. This Social Gospel, as they called it, only
differs in kind from the old cloth of works righteousness. The National Council
of Churches is an example of the bitter fruit of Christian socialism.
17 Neither do men put new wine into old
bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles
perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
The
second comparison is clearer because skins were used then and even in modern
times to hold wine or water. As Lenski observed himself, the goat skin was
removed in on piece, with the feet and tail openings sewn shut. The neck
opening was used for filling the skin. Since leather is fragile, new wine in
old wineskins could split the skin and splash the wine onto the ground, both
wine and wineskin ruined.
This
wrongful improvement, causing destruction, is easily found many quasi-Christian
sects today. The Bible is praised, the New Testament is emphasized, but the
effort to pour alien ideas into the container has ruined the Christian Faith mixed with
the cults’ or sects’ dogma.
KJV Luke 6:47
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you
to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man
which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when
the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not
shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth,
and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the
earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell;
and the ruin of that house was great.
Jesus performed many miracles, even stating that if
people did not listen to Him, they should at least believe on Him because of
those wonders.[1]
Many were drawn to Him and yet fell away when they heard hard words – as in
John 6. This parable compares the outcome of those who hear and do the sayings
of Jesus. It is also the closing of the Sermon on the Mount, KJV Matthew
7:24-29.
The Lukan version starts with hearing and doing the Words
of Jesus. Jesus began with the positive description of a well-built house
weathering a storm.
Therefore, Jesus first portrayed a home built
correctly –
·A man built a house and began by digging
it deeply.
·He laid the foundation on a rock.
·The flood arose and the stream beat
against it vehemently.
·The storm could not shake it because it
was founded on a rock.
Our
news is filled with photos, videos, and descriptions of storms, floods, and
tornados, and hurricanes. The power of Creation is so great that poorly built
homes are washed or blown away in a moment. They float away like cardboard
models.
KJV
Luke 6:49
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation
built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently,
and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
The second part of the
parable compares the gulf between a house built but only upon soil. Immediately
the swollen stream sweeps it away.
[1]
KJV John 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I
do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe,
that the Father is in me, and I in him.
KJV Matthew 5:14
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;
and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is
in heaven.
Luther used the sun and the moon to compare the Gospel with
the Law, since the energy of the sun is needed for the moon to illuminate the
night sky. In the same way, the light of Christ is in those who believe in Him
and absent in those who do not. Even the smallest light can be seen in complete
darkness. In fact, utter darkness makes light especially important for
believers and unbelievers alike.
President Ronald Reagan’s farewell speech included this
Biblical reference, a great contrast when compared to the deliberate darkness
of dystopia today:
In
my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept,
God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace;
a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there
had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone
with the will and the heart to get here.[1]
No one can hide a city built up high on a hill or
mountain. The light of that city penetrates the darkness and draws people to
it. In contrast, darkness makes people afraid, and they stumble from the
smallest obstacle. When my brother lost his shoe in a sheep pen at night, we
were playing with the farmer’s children. No one knew how to find it in the muck
– until the farmer brought out his flashlight, laughing. The farmer did not
hide the light but shone it until the shoe was found and extracted with the
expected jokes.
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so
shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven.”
The secondary light
from the Light of the World shines in us as we practice the forgiveness which
bears fruit in love. Most importantly, that begins with our own households,
where faith, forgiveness, and grace dissolve the darkness of our natural selves
and selfishness. The early Christian martyrs witnessed to their faith by dying
instead of silencing themselves and hiding the truth. They were honored to
model the Savior in their deaths - and in doing so - to spread the Gospel. John
Hus’ death as a martyr paved the way for Luther, who stated, “We are all
Hussites,” and the Reformation which changed Europe and the world.
PS - Note that these are first drafts, with more details later.
Sometimes the hawk will land on a barrel and dare me to make a move toward him. No thanks.
Yesterday was getting colder and the icy snow began to fall. The birds had enjoyed a feast but the snow-ice covered the remaining corn on the two barrels. I found two aging apples in the fridge and put one on each barrel.
I did some grading work and came back to look at the feeding zone. A squirrel was hugging and eating his apple on the recycle barrel. No one was going to get it from him. A starling was pecking the apple's flesh away steadily on the garbage barrel. The normal feeding contingent was all over the ground, finding the slightly covered seed I tossed earlier.
WELS-LCMS-ELS did not go along with the radicals. They led the radicals while pretending ELCA was bad!
Hugs for Thy Word Is Truth
Just ask Starr!
SP Schroeder is truly a laughable disgrace. He is not a leader but a follower.
Retired Michigan WELS DP Seifert - promoting the cause with Barefoot. I remember Seifert kicking a pastor out who had a new baby. The same pastor told me about the Church Growth fad being pushed from the top down.
ELCA activist Wengert writings are linked here. The LutherQuest and ALPB Ovaltine Gang Members are too lazy to remember that the ELCA-WELS-LCMS publishing partnership is old news, ancient news. Why fuss about the new Large Catechism? It is just another way to generate cash for Matt the Fatt and his failing sect.
Friendship Sunday in WELS. Visitors are asked, "Were you born in Wisconsin?"
The purple ice clouds are scudding across the radar maps today, going straight over us, with wintry mix to follow for the 10 days.
I was so pleased with green in the garden on New Year's Day, but a procrastinating winter is common here. The month of January has been mostly pleasant.
I dished out the corn and sunflower mix before the bad weather hit, so we had the full display of birds and squirrels early. They knew! They were out in force at 9 AM this morning.
When company is coming, I get the bird food out for entertainment. The kitchen windows overlook the barrels which serve as feeders, easily filled, shaped to drain excess moisture. A few peanuts in the shell are in the mix, so blue jays will grab one, hold it up, showing off, and fly to a safe place to get the peanuts out.
I like having a lot of wintry bushes serving as shelter and perches for the birds. The tiniest birds love fragile branches which support them but dump predators. Finches and chickadees will rest safely on them while enjoying some food.
I often wonder why people look at all the relationships in Creation and imagine everything evolved perfectively so every living thing could serve as food and as eaters. Meanwhile, the politicians, most of them with law degrees, cannot get anything right.
One way to treasure the English language is to appreciate the two pillars - Shakespeare (aka Oxford) and the King James Version (aka Tyndale). I find it amusing that some want to make Tyndale insignificant because there were so many English Bibles floating around. Most of those were Tyndale derived because the King had him murdered. Translating was a capital crime so no one wanted to sign on as a Tyndalean. The WELS-ELS-LCMS pastors know exactly what I mean. "Oh please do not name me in a blog post, Greg. Better yet, not even a hint of who I am or where I live."
At least one expert has argued that Tyndale and Luther were independent creators of their basic languages and styles, and that makes more sense than what I wrote for the graphic above, years ago. Both men were uncommon language geniuses, and German does not easily translate into English. Two countries were blessed with groups of dedicated translators before the horrid Jesuit Douai-Rheims came in late.
Funds come in regularly to support the free copies of KJV Bibles which I send to people for free and give away locally. People in prison appreciate the comfort and guidance of a Bible, so we are giving them 10 at a time.
If you want a KJV Bible in the normal size, with easy-to-read print, let me know by email, and it will be sent free of charge. The funds are already there. You may want to send one or more to others, so that can be done too. There is nothing better than getting them around to people, who may have none, or no translations except the Evil Four (RSV, NRSV, ESV, NIV) plus One (Beck).
Three of the Evil Four are licensed by the gay Marxist National Council of Churches, not that anyone should shun these delightful, creative, and completely erroneous paraphrases.
Hymn #24 Lord of My Life 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 Romans 13:8-10 The Gospel Matthew 8:23-27 Glory be to Thee, O Lord! Praise be to Thee, O Christ! The Nicene Creed p. 22 Sermon Hymn #467Built on the Rock
Faith and Fear
Hymn #307Draw Nigh 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 Hymn #649Jesus Savior Pilot Me
Prayers and Announcements
Friday was the 61st wedding anniversary of Alicia Meyer and her late husband Gary. The flowers on the altar are in his honor.
Alicia's brother Lawrence is staying at her house to recuperate.
Kermit Way, Maria Ellenberger Way's husband, is undergoing treatment. Others in sick bay are Pastor and Mrs Shrader, Callie, Anita Engleman.
Avelin Kirtsen, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, was born January 24th.
Avelin
KJV Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
KJV Matthew 8:23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Lord God, heavenly Father, who in Thy divine wisdom and fatherly goodness makest Thy children to bear the cross, and sendest divers afflictions upon us to subdue the flesh, and quicken our hearts unto faith, hope and unceasing prayer: We beseech Thee to have mercy upon us, and graciously deliver us out of our trials and afflictions, so that we may perceive Thy grace and fatherly help, and with all saints forever praise and worship Thee; through Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Introductory Material Those who follow the Pilgrim's Progress class or read the book will notice remarkable parallels with this event. In a few verses, through many dramatic episodes, the story illustrates a lesson about faith in God. For example, when Christian tries to carry his great load of sins to Legality, the weight grows so much that he can no longer make progress. Forgiveness through the Law is impossible, and could have killed him. There is only one entry to forgiveness, the straight and narrow, in Pilgrim's Progress, the Wicket Gate. Passing through allows him to be taught at the Interpreter's House (the Holy Spirit's House), where he learns about the Law and Gospel, sin and forgiveness. There are several ways to teach against faith, and they are used all the time by the great and mighty, to preserve their private delusions while appearing to say the opposite to the faithful. One is to change meanings and announce something strange that is an effort to replace Biblical doctrine with fancy talk. Thus they imagine - Jesus did not die on the cross for our sins, but to show solidarity with the poor. The wannabe Marxists know what that means - Jesus was a revolutionary who died as a symbol of the battle between good and evil, nothing more. Or they use grand titles and phrases designed to mean - "you think so, but I know better." The preachers and theologians will talk about the Easter faith of the disciples - on Easter - meaning Jesus rose from the dead only in the sense of Him becoming the Savior in their hearts. The elite nod their heads - he gets it! Believers wonder what that really means. But when worldly wisemen and highly educated women hear a sermon about faith, they are angry and start a fund to pay for the gallows. Miracles are for little children, they think. Faith versus Fear
KJV Matthew 8:23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
The opposite of fear is not courage, but faith, trust in God, a conviction that the most important details of life are not subject to what we see but by what we believe. What seems to matter most belongs to Satan and what matters the least belongs to God. This miracle reminds us that the seasoned veterans of this great body of water were experts in how dangerous the Sea of Galilee could be. In a storm, the waves are whipped up and smash against the boats, which were designed to be stable with a group of men, a catch of fish. A storm eliminates the sense of direction and the distance from the shore. Waves crash against the ship and soak the occupants who feel the cold and see their fate.
Jesus was asleep. I remember that being shocking, because anyone would hate to be in that boat, let alone being soaked with the waves and the wind creating a penetrating chill with all the effects of a storm at night on a great body of water. Everyone wonders the first time - "How could this be? I would be terrified, miserable, and hoping to reach land very soon."
The primary role of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, "because they believe not on Me." (John 16)
Paraphrased John 16:8ff.
And when the Holy Spirit is come, He will accuse the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on Me;
10 Of the righteousness of faith, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because thePrince of this world is judged.
First point - the foundational sin is unbelief. The solution to this is not our promises or efforts or endowment gifts, but faith in Jesus Christ.
Faith in Jesus takes away our sins, which are drowned in a sea of grace. The sins disappear and we are righteous.
Satan looks powerful and rules over the entire visible world, but he is already condemned.
All the knowledge and senses of the disciples made them think of the storm as impossibly strong, and they felt weak with Jesus asleep. We all have fears and anxieties, a buildup of dread about the future or something we must face.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
It is easy for us to say, "Jesus was with them. They could see Him in the same boat." But that is also true with us. Jesus is with us in His Word - spoken, read, and remembered. The question is whether we look to the storm or the Savior.
America and the West suffer alike from the Great Apostasy, supposed Christian leaders who do not believe even the basics of Christianity. Lutheran leaders in America are no better -
They reject Justification by Faith, clearly taught by Paul, the Gospel writers, and the Lutheran Reformation.
They despise the KJV and only use the uninspired, corrupt Evil Four plus One Bibles - RSV, NRSV, ESV, NIV plus Beck.
They use ELCA as their model synod and bow to ELCA's DIE demands: Diversity, Inclusion, Equity.
Just as faith promotes faith, unfaith promotes unfaith. Bit by bit - or byte by byte - the doctrines of the Bible are reversed or forgotten or mocked. Yes, the faithful are persecuted today in Christian America by the so-called Christian leaders. That is why their numbers are collapsing and their schools and congregations are closing or merging. (Merging is a polite way of saying - closing.)
Chaos and apostasy inspire fear, but the Word of God counters that. The "liberal" (aka faithless) leaders should repeat to themselves 1 John -
KJV 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
When we become believers through the Word of the Gospel, we are born again, new life in Christ.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Jesus Himself made the connection, and so should we. "Why are you full of fear, ye of little faith?" They believed enough to say "Save us!" but they were still full of fear.
That is why it is good and a constant blessing to worship, to pray daily for others and for our needs and anxieties, to pray for our leaders and our enemies.
First Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea. This is the efficacy of God's Word. Jesus both the Logos - the Word, and the Son.
When God commanded Creation by the Word, the Son was and is that Word. That is why we can say that the entire Bible is efficacious (effective), always accomplishing God's will, never failing, and always prospering His will.
Peter rebuked Jesus for predicting His suffering and death; Jesus rebuked Peter for siding with Satan rather than God. (Matthew 16) Jesus' appearance to the disciples completed their lessons in the power and glory of the Son of God.
No matter what we know and believe, we still have fears.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
The Word teaches us not to be afraid but to trust in the one who commands the Universe, the winds and waves.
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