I am really tired of all of the crap!
Yet I find myself neck deep in it every day. Everywhere I turn, more of it. It piles up all around me. It stinks! It makes moving forward in a positive manner seemingly impossible.
Thank God for Sunday and the divine service! Thank God for the Our Father (Lord’s Prayer)! Thank God for the Creed! Thank God for the Catechism! Thank God for the gift of my loving and faithful wife! Thank God for the life that we share in Him!
Suddenly the crap is gone!
+ + +
Showing posts with label Catechism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Catechism. Show all posts
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Blogging Volume
It seems that everyday I have multiple ideas, for which I jot some notes and add to my stacks of possible blog posts. Some I have even spent many hours and in some cases even days studying. Most blog posts require a considerable investment of my time. A few are of such a nature that I can simply cut and paste, but most take much time in order to treat them with seriousness and to attempt accuracy and truthfulness. Matters of the Faith most certainly should not be haphazardly composed and posted.
Even converting the sermons to PDF, HTML, and MP3 and then to upload to the web site usually takes an hour or two.
And so I frequently wonder whether people really benefit. I wonder whether it is good stewardship of my time and energy. But occasionally I do hear from someone that the efforts are beneficial and appreciated.
It seems that the most beneficial efforts are those that I direct toward those who are in prison. The one friend to whom I send sermons every week often comments on how helpful he finds them, and that he passes them on to his friends who pass them on to others. Recently I sent him a copy of the Enchiridion, i.e., Luther’s Small Catechism, and he requested 2 more copies for his friends who eagerly received them.
What can be better than to hear of such things? It gives me a tiny sense of what the Lord Jesus says happens among the heavenly hosts when even one sinner repents. It also causes me to remember David’s joy when he wrote:
For those who do find my posting and uploading of sermons to be of benefit to you, I am glad.
+ + +
Even converting the sermons to PDF, HTML, and MP3 and then to upload to the web site usually takes an hour or two.
And so I frequently wonder whether people really benefit. I wonder whether it is good stewardship of my time and energy. But occasionally I do hear from someone that the efforts are beneficial and appreciated.
It seems that the most beneficial efforts are those that I direct toward those who are in prison. The one friend to whom I send sermons every week often comments on how helpful he finds them, and that he passes them on to his friends who pass them on to others. Recently I sent him a copy of the Enchiridion, i.e., Luther’s Small Catechism, and he requested 2 more copies for his friends who eagerly received them.
What can be better than to hear of such things? It gives me a tiny sense of what the Lord Jesus says happens among the heavenly hosts when even one sinner repents. It also causes me to remember David’s joy when he wrote:
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord (Psalm 122:1)
For those who do find my posting and uploading of sermons to be of benefit to you, I am glad.
+ + +
Friday, August 12, 2011
Change?
As I remember things, McDonald's had an advertisement in the past where they emphasized that they would give us change. Give them a dollar and they would give us change.
It occurred to me this evening, that this is what Obama really meant in his campaign mantra. He (and the FED and Congress) would take our dollars and give us mere change. At least McDonald's gave us greasy food and sugar with our change.
Of course, Obama and Company have given us other change, too. We now have sky-rocketing prices on almost everything, beginning with the price of fuel, extending to every other form of necessary goods and services. With this the national debt has grown to incalculable figures. McDonald's gave us change and fat bodies. The governmental leaders and bankers have given us fat government and banking institutions.
Then, also, where we once had at least the illusion of privacy, now the government and the bankers and the corporations know more about us than we do. While that may not be a change, the fact that we now are aware that they know more about us than we do is a change.
While I thought of this as a humorous thought to share when I first pondered it, having written it, I'm not laughing. I'm not even amused.
I guess I had better pull out the catechism and the hymnal and hear something to lift my spirit again.
+ + +
It occurred to me this evening, that this is what Obama really meant in his campaign mantra. He (and the FED and Congress) would take our dollars and give us mere change. At least McDonald's gave us greasy food and sugar with our change.
Of course, Obama and Company have given us other change, too. We now have sky-rocketing prices on almost everything, beginning with the price of fuel, extending to every other form of necessary goods and services. With this the national debt has grown to incalculable figures. McDonald's gave us change and fat bodies. The governmental leaders and bankers have given us fat government and banking institutions.
Then, also, where we once had at least the illusion of privacy, now the government and the bankers and the corporations know more about us than we do. While that may not be a change, the fact that we now are aware that they know more about us than we do is a change.
While I thought of this as a humorous thought to share when I first pondered it, having written it, I'm not laughing. I'm not even amused.
I guess I had better pull out the catechism and the hymnal and hear something to lift my spirit again.
+ + +
Friday, October 01, 2010
Hungry Kenyans
The day before my birthday I received an e-mail from a man in Kenya by the name of Eric. He told me that he had visited our web site and found what is posted there to be inspiring and encouraging and therefore was contacting me to teach them the Word of God.
The little congregation is hungry, very hungry. They are hungry to be fed the Word of God for their salvation and comfort. They have encountered the pretense of the many churches, the hypocrisy of one thing being professed as official doctrine, but another thing being practiced in the various congregations. So they are gathered together in the hope of hearing the Truth and walking in Him.
Money is an issue for them. Their pastor, Eric, earns $1.00 per day digging for people. He walks 15 kilometers to town to rent computer and Internet time at the cyber café and then walks home again. He checks his e-mail every day to see what new information I have sent to him. If I miss a day or two he wonders whether I am OK. It makes my heart hurt to realize that I failed him. I think of these dear people continually, but sometimes I have no new things to send and fail to take into account that they are looking for daily communication.
How many people in America would walk 15 km, that is, 9.32 miles, in order to receive little bits of new teaching concerning the Gospel? How many Americans would take from their grocery money in order to pay to download such bits of teaching concerning the Gospel?
Stephanie and I can relate somewhat. Yet I am amazed at the desire of these dear people for the Word. And they are indeed in need. They have no Bibles. They have no hymnals. Moreover, what they receive from me is in English, which is not their native tongue. Yet they say that they rejoice to receive what I send them. Pastor Eric downloads my sermon each week, pays to print it, and then delivers it the following Sunday to the congregation. Some of the older people do not know English, so he has to translate and explain parts of it for them.
I am amazed that they say that they understand the sermons. People in America have criticized me for being too deep for them. Yet these people in another land and of another tongue say that they are benefitting. All that I can say to this is: Thanks be to God!
Thus far I have been able to print the Enchiridion from the Concordia Triglot for them and have sent them some copies. I also received from the Lutheran Heritage foundation a copy of the Enchiridion in Swahili, which they graciously gave me permission to reprint freely. I have scanned it and formatted it for a larger print booklet and have printed it and sent some copies as well. Through Biblica in Nairobi I have been able to purchase and send 3 copies of a Kiswahili Reference Bible along with 3 paperback KJV Bibles. None of these have yet arrived, but they are eagerly awaiting their delivery.
This is all that Stephanie and I have been able to do so far. We would like to do more. Perhaps in time we will have some more funds available. Sadly, the bills and debts must be paid. But at least the dear people will now have the Scriptures available to share in together, and copies of the Enchiridion (the Small Catechism) for their growth in understanding the Faith.
Much of my free time has gone toward these efforts. It is exciting to be a part in such an opportunity for the Gospel. It is a great joy to observe people who are hungry for the Gospel.
The little congregation is hungry, very hungry. They are hungry to be fed the Word of God for their salvation and comfort. They have encountered the pretense of the many churches, the hypocrisy of one thing being professed as official doctrine, but another thing being practiced in the various congregations. So they are gathered together in the hope of hearing the Truth and walking in Him.
Money is an issue for them. Their pastor, Eric, earns $1.00 per day digging for people. He walks 15 kilometers to town to rent computer and Internet time at the cyber café and then walks home again. He checks his e-mail every day to see what new information I have sent to him. If I miss a day or two he wonders whether I am OK. It makes my heart hurt to realize that I failed him. I think of these dear people continually, but sometimes I have no new things to send and fail to take into account that they are looking for daily communication.
How many people in America would walk 15 km, that is, 9.32 miles, in order to receive little bits of new teaching concerning the Gospel? How many Americans would take from their grocery money in order to pay to download such bits of teaching concerning the Gospel?
Stephanie and I can relate somewhat. Yet I am amazed at the desire of these dear people for the Word. And they are indeed in need. They have no Bibles. They have no hymnals. Moreover, what they receive from me is in English, which is not their native tongue. Yet they say that they rejoice to receive what I send them. Pastor Eric downloads my sermon each week, pays to print it, and then delivers it the following Sunday to the congregation. Some of the older people do not know English, so he has to translate and explain parts of it for them.
I am amazed that they say that they understand the sermons. People in America have criticized me for being too deep for them. Yet these people in another land and of another tongue say that they are benefitting. All that I can say to this is: Thanks be to God!
Thus far I have been able to print the Enchiridion from the Concordia Triglot for them and have sent them some copies. I also received from the Lutheran Heritage foundation a copy of the Enchiridion in Swahili, which they graciously gave me permission to reprint freely. I have scanned it and formatted it for a larger print booklet and have printed it and sent some copies as well. Through Biblica in Nairobi I have been able to purchase and send 3 copies of a Kiswahili Reference Bible along with 3 paperback KJV Bibles. None of these have yet arrived, but they are eagerly awaiting their delivery.
This is all that Stephanie and I have been able to do so far. We would like to do more. Perhaps in time we will have some more funds available. Sadly, the bills and debts must be paid. But at least the dear people will now have the Scriptures available to share in together, and copies of the Enchiridion (the Small Catechism) for their growth in understanding the Faith.
Much of my free time has gone toward these efforts. It is exciting to be a part in such an opportunity for the Gospel. It is a great joy to observe people who are hungry for the Gospel.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
