Thursday, September 25, 2025

Reformation Semnary Lecture - Revelation 9 - Parts A and B. 10 AM Central

 


And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Working on Email



My email crashed and did not come back. Once upon a time I had Thunderbird email (inexpensive and easy to use. Then I went to the inexpensive later version - Betterbird, yes very corny. 

Emails are ultimate now.

I was working on Google Workspace, which did not go well with me. I was resting on those thoughts with Charlie when GW went blank, perhaps fearing an initial use would have to move faster.

Microsoft 365 is supposed to be good.

I would like to see something straightened out. 

I just ordered two books on Microsoft emails, one a summary, the other more complete.



Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Reformation Seminary Lecture on Revelation 8 -10 AM

 

When a sudden and violent storm blew at the large ELCA church, during "The Vote," the steeple reminded many of Revelation in threats and fears.

8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

New Garden Emerges from the Rains

 


The heat and lack of rain combined to make the garden areas barely alive. Even when actual rain began to fall, normal growth failed to emerge. The new roses began tentatively, timidly, torturously. Finally, I had roses for Doggy Day Care and my Asian friend across the street. 

My mushrooms began to sprout and provide some approval. She said - "I am coming over tomorrow!" Oddly enough, I had bags of grocery store mushrooms in the deep freezer, as if they should keep providing until New Year's Day. That is one of those casual mistakes of routinely buying more mushrooms, which have the double role of opposing cancer and improving stew. Onion! My farm-bred parents said, "You don't know what's good for ya. You don't know how good you have it. You know what's wrong?!" Inevitably - "You are spoiled! Spoiled ROTTEN!" 

I expect even more storms today, and the backyard continues to absorb more rain. The reluctant roses now have beautiful booms in various places. The much-maligned Joe Pye Weed has been trained down to the soil level for the rest of the season. They have been defeated by cannas, which provided free stops for hummingbirds. 

Roses showing up now are Veterans Honor, Fragrant Cloud, Queen of Sween, Elizabeth, and some heavily scented English roses. Ketchup and Mustard - as a rose - was only good for one blooming for the season. 




Monday, September 22, 2025

Emails Useful

 

Google Gmail product logo

Start today - it's easy

If you need help, there's 24/7 email, chat and phone support from a real person.


greg.jackson.edlp@gmail.com    Alec

bethanylutheranworship@gmail.com  Zach


gmail

Google Workspace | Gmail

Gmail - justgoodapp

B. Biblical


We are in our fifth day of rain after a summer of drought. The soil seems dry enough to absorb even more water than expected.

I was thinking overnight about the drought of Biblical knowledge and teaching. The Book of Revelation (starting Chapter 8 tomorrow) is vivid, displaying what the final  times will offer. It is a combination of the Savior's work as the Creating Word (Genesis 1 and John 1), and His condemning reaction against unfaith or anti-faith.

The Bible holds everything we need to know and far more than we can contain. Nevertheless, people grab for entertainment and even better - for churches' drive-in coffee and car repair (LCMS, Midland, Michigan). As Luther observed, our actions and thoughts are meaningless without faith. How many times have I heard about the numbers!?

Fellow seminary students (Waterloo, Ontario) would ask me, "Why are you studying GREEK?" We had a great old professor (Otto Heick) who taught faith in Jesus Christ, but now they have only a few students in that same building, where dogs are provided to cheer up the chapel. Theology is absent, but cute.


Sunday, September 21, 2025

Trinity 15 - 2025. In Memory of Charlie Kirk

In Memory of Charlie Kirk 

 



xxxx

The Hymn # 575                      Before the Lord We Bow               
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit
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

Collect
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 

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 #581                    All Ye Who on Earth

American Freedom Came from the Scriptures


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 #577               God Bless Our Native Land




Announcements and In Our Prayers
  • Enzo Meyer finished his fourth year at Grand Canyon University campus in Phoenix. And - the Meyer girls held a tea party.
  • Diagnosis and treatment - Sarah Buck, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris, 
  • Kermit Way is celebrating his birthday today!
  • We may have an email solution.

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.

                                    American Freedom 
                        Came from the Scriptures

Those who came over from England came with KJV Bibles, printing, and resistance to English tyranny. The path comes all the way from the Old and New Testaments.

St. Paul - Freedom Came from Paul to Luther
Paul was highly regarded as a Jewish scholar and Roman citizen. The Risen Christ converted Paul  - and the new Apostle began the rugged work of preaching to Jews and non-Jews, converting them and also enraging them. Paul showed our future world that freedom could move through manage societies and languages, always with the truth of freedom through faith in the Savior. 


Martin Luther - Freedom given from the Elector and then to Scriptures
Luther was the perfect example of slavery to kings, monks, and popes. Unfortunately for many, Luther began to see that the Scriptures were far more powerful than the other books and teachers so appealing to Medieval teachers. 
    The Elector was short on the votes for the Roman Catholic ruler, so Luther had the leverage on the better votes 500 years ago. The winepress - soon a printing press - sent Luther's work all over Europe and in all languages.

Tyndale - English, Burned at the Stake - Freedom and the Future KJV Bible
"Tyndale had written on topics like justification by faith."
    The best translator for the English Bible became the hidden translator and the invisible translator. But now we can trace what was done in the midst of all those attempts at that time. Tyndale refused to lie about his work, and he was killed then burned at the stake. "Lord open the king's eyes!" - his final words. So Tyndale was not embossed on the KJV Bible but its beauty and clarify were.
    

Freedom KJV America - Patriots - The Parker Honors
    They have traced a relative back to the Patriots, men who risked their lives to escape from English tyranny and enjoy their freedom.

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Enormous Rain - Northwestwest Arkansas - Rainbarrels Overflowing

 


The circular pattern suggests repeated lightning and thunderstorms, not entirely appreciated by Charlie Sue.

Yes, we really heard and felt the red zone for Springdale. 

Click this link for the overall colorful, moving pattern.

God's creation is awesome and Christ Jesus watches over us.

Friday, September 19, 2025

An Unavoidable American Conflict - By Chuck Mason

 




An Unavoidable American Conflict

Charlie Kirk’s assassination by a radical young “all-American” leftist demonstrates that the ideological crisis that’s raging in education, politics, and pop culture has irreversibly escalated.  His death marks the beginning of a new chapter for America.  We’ve crossed a cultural Rubicon; the nation is irreparably divided by competing moral visions, national unity is forever lost, and conflict is unavoidable.

Kirk’s death was as tragic as it was predictable.  Many lay the blame on evil, but evil came in a virulent form of social Marxism, equity, that’s cloaked in the woke cultural rizz of transgender rights, social justice, equality, fairness, tolerance, Critical Race Theory, DIE, anti-racism, white supremacy, systemic inequality, and patriarchy, to name a few.  It’s a toxic philosophical cocktail, an expansion of classical Marxism transformed by Critical Theory and post-modern philosophy, that’s become the best of the worst of what the world’s deadliest ideology, the gospel according to Karl Marx, has to offer.

Equity is taking America by storm — it’s the price America pays for bailing on Christianity and religion in record numbers.  It captured the Democrat party.  (The Biden administration was committed to building equity into the “everyday business of government” — see Executive Order 14091.)  Countless Americans like Kirk’s assassin were drawn to its promise of an infinitely tolerant, progressive, permissive post-Christian society, where everyone is equally free to choose his gender, lifestyle, and sexual preferences without the moral judgment of the “Thou Shalt Nots” of the Christianity they despised.

But as it turns out, there’s a serious downside to decadence.

The despisers of religion can’t live as atheists.  A world without God leaves humanity suspended in moral ambiguity, lacking an ultimate authority.  It’s an intolerable existence that sends people searching for a new moral constitution that could liberate them from the constraints of a biblically influenced worldview.  Atheists need religion.  As John Grey notes in Seven Types of Atheism, “the God of monotheism did not die, it only left the scene to reappear as humanity — the human species dressed up as a collective agent pursuing its self-realization in history” (p. 1,157).

Post-Christian Americans looking for moral guidance turned to equity as a new secular religion, and equity was happy to oblige.

This set America up for the showdown that has plagued humanity for over a century, Christianity versus Marxism, and it put Charlie Kirk in the crosshairs.

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

America Has Embraced the Follies of the Last Days.
Reformation Seminary Revelation - Chapter 7.

 



1.1 - God gave John the Revelation - directly.

1.11 - Patmos - Spirit, Trumpet, Alpha and Omega

2.4 - Lost the first love

3.14 - Laodicea - spit out, luke warm

4 - Throne set in Heaven, Thou art worthy, glory, honor, power

5 - 2 Who is worthy?

      11 Worthy is the Lamb

6 - The six Seals



7 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.7And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

I Set the Phone in an Obscure Place and Totally Forgot!

 I was able to broadcast the broadcast a little bit. That was OK.

Yes, I need a regular email for all of us.

My helpers are having a riot of laughter.

Chapter 6 of Revelation - Tuesday - 10 AM Central -





More in the future!  

More - my iPhone is NOT missing!!  9-26-25

7And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.