Wednesday, September 11, 2013

We Shall Ever Forgive . . . & . . . Live




A thought and emotion provoking image on this day of 9/11:



In my Internet search I also found:



While the first image does not say the same as the second, such remembrance leads to the same in many if not even in all instances.  Remembering the wrong done and the loss incurred ultimately leads to anger and resentment and eventually even hatred.

We humans do not have the capability of erasing such things from our memories.  We can suppress them or avoid them or ignore them.  We can try to bury them with busyness and other thoughts.  But we are designed to remember.  Our contacts and encounters are stored permanently in our memories.

However, we do not have to dredge up our memories.  We do not have to make them our point of focus.

Furthermore, at least for those who are regenerated into God’s Holy Communion in Christ, we have the gift of Forgiveness.

Forgiveness does not equal forgeting.

Forgiveness is the disassociation of those who are forgiven from their sinful actions.

This is how the Lord says concerning this matter:

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.  (Hebrews 8:12)


How is it that the omniscient God who knows all and remembers all is able to say that He will remember His forgiven ones’ sins no more?  It is because He has taken their guilt and made it His own and paid the price of redemption Himself.

As a good friend frequently reminds me, guilt is not a feeling, it is an accounting term, a legal accounting term.  Guilt is not merely a feeling that accompanies awareness of wrongdoing.  Guilt is the accounting that binds a person to the wrongs that have been done.  It is the pronouncement of an unpayable debt.  Redemption from guilt can only be paid by one who is free of such debt, one who has no guilt, one who has committed no wrong.

This is what God has done for sinners.  He took the sin of the world and declared the entire world to be guiltless in Christ.  This does not mean that people are guilt free apart from Christ.  Only in Christ is this declaration valid.  The justification that God has accomplished for all is IN Christ.  God applies this declaration to individuals through Baptism, baptism into Christ.

In this way God divorces individuals from their unrighteousness and marries them to His own righteousness in Christ.  Therefore, for all who are in Christ, there remains no condemnation.  Thus, for all who are in Christ, He remembers their sin no more, for He has set them free from their sin so that it is no longer accounted as theirs.

So what does it profit a person to cling to the memory of their lost loved ones?  Surely we will remember.  Surely various dates will cause us to remember them and what gifts they have been to us and in many ways continue to be to us.  Surely we will remember the wisdom taught to us by parents and grandparents and other teachers.  Surely we will rejoice in such remembrance.  But what value is remembrance that recalls grief and perpetuates the sense of loss?

There is truly only one such remembrance that serves us profitably.  That is the continual remembrance of our loss of accountability for our sin, the loss effected for us in our baptism and continually renewed for us in Christ’s Holy Supper.  Through these our identification of guilty ones has been taken from us and replaced with identification with the name of Jesus, the holiness of God.  In Him we rejoice in remembering this great and wonderful loss, a loss that is everlasting profit and blessing to us.

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Confusing Propaganda in Christendom



This morning as I was preparing for my day with prayer and hymns alongside of contemplating planning for my workday and responsibilities, after checking a weather forecast I also visited a Christian/Lutheran site and was reminded that today is the anniversary of the 09-11-2001 events.  I occasionally visit this blog to see what is presented.  Here is a snapshot of today’s posting and the previous post.



As I observed this my heart felt distressed.  I wondered which of the two is really what is being practiced during this Fifteenth Week after Trinity by those professing to be Christians.

I do realize that with this particular choice of images that the blogger’s motives and intended conveyance could be that Christians should remember those who suffered from this incidence of worldly violence and wickedness so as to be moved to pray for those who suffered as well as for those who committed this great wickedness.  Certainly this is to put the best construction on the intentions behind the use of this image.

But is this in any way indicated by the blogger?  Is this at all what is commonly understood by “Never Forget”?

A Google Internet search produced this compilation of images.  There appears to be a plethora of images produced concerning the sentiments and beliefs of people regarding the 9-11-01 events and the information disseminated by the government and media agencies.

Ultimately, however, what real advantage lies in remembrance of this day?  Who truly benefits from it?

If we stand back and divorce ourselves from the emotional impact of whatever is perceived regarding 9-11-01, what has been the result of propagating remembrance of this?  What things have been pursued in connection with “remembering”?



The bottom line is the point of concern.  With this image is expressed a great and horrible world-view, one that perpetuates itself and brings endless abuse, suffering, and grief.

“I learned on 9/11/01. Never Forget!!

Never Forgive!! Enough Said.”



Is this not the prevailing mindset and sentiment of those who say: “Never Forget”?

I certainly am not a defender of the religion of Islam.  I believe it to be a great evil in the world.  I believe that it enslaves people to a false god who hides his true identity, demanding to be called “the merciful” without any example of mercy demonstrated.  He demands to be embraced as the one who “oft forgives” without showing forgiveness.  He does not redeem but demands sacrifice.  He demands war against all of mankind, not in defense but to conquer by brute force.

This is the way of sinful mankind.  This is the way taught by their father, who has promoted disruption and deception and murder from the beginning.  This is the way of the sinful nature in which all men are conceived and born.

But this is not the way of the Lord.  This is not what He espouses or commands.  This is not the way of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church.

His way is the way of forgiveness from the heart.  His way is to pray for one’s enemies.  His way is the way of the cross, bearing the shame of sinful mankind, offering forgiveness and life in exchange.

The Lord is merciful.  His command to His people is that they should not act vengefully.



For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  (Hebrews 10:30)


Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.  (Deuteronomy 32:34-36)


Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.  (Romans 12:16-21)




This concept is entirely foreign to the sinful nature.  Sadly, very few who profess to be Christian truly understand this either.

Thus, the vengeance of the Lord is often preached to the opposite end of what He Himself declares.  His judgment is turned upside down and inside out.  He Himself explains it very plainly.




And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:   That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.  (John 3:14-21)
   

What is the Lord’s recompense for evil?  What does the Lord mean by saying that vengeance belongs to Him?

He shows us from the cross.  On the cross He punishes wickedness in His own body and soul.  Having taken the flesh of humanity, having taken the sin of the world into Himself, He took vengeance for all of the wickedness and evil of all time.  He paid the vengeance price with His own suffering and death, His own rejection by the authorities and the religious leaders and the people and mankind.  He took the world’s condemnation and cried out in His suffering: FORGIVE!

We find this as His declared will already in Genesis.  He reiterates it endlessly throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, again in the New Testament Scriptures.

Yet the Lord is not blind to the daily struggles that mankind faces in this world of sin.  As a true Father, He does provide measures to help curb these so that evil does not completely obliterate His creation, especially for the sake of Man.  Thus He does speak of various temporal forms of punishment against wickedness in the world.  He does provide rulers, all of whom are sinful and therefore do not follow His will fully, often even with great wickedness of their own.  Yet through them He does limit and curb overall chaos.  This also is referred to as vengeance, which finds its ultimate display in the suffering and death of Jesus as well.

For the Lord and His household of faith, the continual cry of the heralds is: FORGIVENESS!

Forgiveness for all!

Sadly, most refuse this forgiveness and continue in their unbelief or self-defined beliefs.  Either way the result is the same, they turn the Lord’s forgiveness into something else.  They hinder themselves and others from rightly perceiving the will of the Lord.  Thus many view Christendom as nothing more than another worldly abuse, as a house of hypocrites and hate.

But that is not the way of Christendom.  The true Church of Christ is all about forgiveness and restoration and the love of God in Christ.

The Remembrance of the true Church is that proclaimed with the eating and drinking of the body and blood of the Lord, where it is His Remembrance that is shown and taught and proclaimed till He comes.  It is as with the Old Testament Passover, where the Lord says that the blood is a sign unto Himself so that He Passes Over His redeemed.  He made the same declaration concerning the rainbow, that it was sign to Himself never again to destroy the world by a flood.1  His signs then also serve us, as we see that He is true to His promises to do as He has promised.  In His Church of the New Testament He has replaced circumcision with Baptism, the Passover with His Supper, and the various sacrifices with the divine liturgy and Confession and Absolution.

Those who receive and practice these as He has ordained them, without reinterpreting them, without redefining them, without adulterating and compromising them, they are the true Church.  Within this true Church forgiveness, mercy, grace, and peace reign.  These are what the true Church teaches the saints to hear and to remember so that they may continue in the new life into which they have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

The true Church has always been a tiny remnant.  False representatives and false churches have filled the earth so that very few ever know the joys of God’s Holy Communion.  But where the pure means of grace are administered, there the true saints are congregated by the Lord to Himself and they are continually renewed in Him.  Thus they are moved to act in conformity with what He restores in them.  As He forgives, so they also forgive.  As He remembers His promise not to call to His remembrance their sins and wickedness, so they demonstrate to those who do them wrong.

So, if Christians are moved to Remembrance on this day of great calamity twelve years ago, let this be their remembrance, their preaching, their teaching, their confession, and their practice.

The peace of God to all in Christ Jesus!




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1 The flood was used to save Noah and his family from obliteration from those who had turned from fearing the Lord to their own ways.  The promised Seed and Salvation was to come through Noah.  As the last believer and preacher of faith in the Lord on earth, he and his family would have faced the same persecution as is being demonstrated today.  They would have been killed and Jesus would not have been born to save the world.  After the flood, God declared that this means of preventing the extinction of His people would not be repeated.  We see the fulfillment of this when unbelievers began to organize at the tower of Babel to establish a one-world-order by which they intended to raise themselves over mankind.  At Babel the Lord disrupted their wicked intentions by means of the confusion of their languages so that they dispersed and desisted their works of establishing themselves as gods over the rest mankind.  Although they continued in their unbelief and wickedness, nevertheless they were halted from their united efforts against the Lord and His plan of salvation.

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Saturday, August 24, 2013

Great Sale on Grass Fed Beef




Satchel Creek Steaks
is having a STEAKATION Sale!
50-75% Off!
Stock up for Labor Day Now!

They regularly send e-mail notification to their Savers' Club Members.

Here is what I received from them today:







If you would like to be added to their mailing list you may do so at
this link.

Their e-mail address is:  satchelcreek@yahoo.com
Phone #:    316-320-4262

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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Pervasive and Pernicious Homophobia


Signs such as this one illustrate boldly the effects and affects of homophobia upon society.  The original of this photo is at D'Avid RC's Photos.





This photo shows the extreme cleverness and deceptive power of the methods used in this society changing agenda.  The fact that this is a very deliberately orchestrated agenda is so in-your-face that most people do not even recognize it as an agenda.  Rather, most people have come already to accept it as the norm rather than an overthrow of the norm.

The very term of homophobia has been presented in a deceptive manner.  A term describing a natural and normal reaction to a dangerous and destructive behavioral pattern and choice has been repeatedly and endlessly presented as something to be abhorred and avoided.  The natural reaction that people have to something that they instinctively perceive as dangerous and aberrant from the natural order of life has been presented as an irrational and unhealthy reaction.

Yet the facts of life remain unchanged.  The facts of nature stand against all of the attempts to deny them.

The fact is that humanity has a natural awareness of the dangers of the totally unnatural perversions of the natural order.  Choosing to act in opposition to the natural order does present both obvious and subtle dangers.  And to have a phobia or fear of things that cause danger is not only normal and natural, but also healthy and proper.

Imagine the reaction that would be observed from people if a father were known to teach his children that they need not to be afraid of sticking their hands under a running lawn mower.  Imagine the public outcry that would result if a kindergarten teacher were known to teach the children that they should not be wary of the advancement of strangers.  Yet these same teachers are now required to use curricula that teach the children to accept diversity and not to fear aberrant lifestyle choices, choices that do have undeniable dangers associated with them.

It has and continues to be frequently presented that the homosexual agenda merely seeks the safety of homosexuals to enact their life choices privately without fear of consequences from so-called homophobes.  But this is a blatant lie.  While some homosexuals merely desire not to be judged and not to be attacked and simply desire to be left alone, this is not the agenda presented publicly.  The homosexual agenda is to force the rest of society to change so as to accept this aberration as normal and to allow it to be promoted as an alternative to the natural order of life.  This agenda has as its objective the use of legislation to force people to accept the sexual deviations as normal and to allow these deviations to be presented to children as alternatives to what both nature and their parents teach them.

Within this agenda is included the doctrine that homosexuality is not a choice but how those with these unnatural urges are born.  Some actually go as far as to call it a genetically inherited trait.  And while there are some children who are born with both forms of genitalia, it is absurd to claim that this is normal or even inherited.  This is a genetic aberration.

It also is true that some children are born with personalities that demonstrate more or less femininity or masculinity.  This is indeed normal, but not truly genetic.  It may be inherited, but at a level far more powerful than the genes.  Regardless, this is not the same as being born a homosexual.  Rather, this is simply the diverse range of emotional composition of people’s personalities.

There is no doubt that females are born with emotions and patterns of thinking that are more feminine and males with more masculine.  But within both sexes there is a naturally occurring wide range of expression of these traits.  Again, this does not make a person more or less of a homosexual.

However, people do become confused regarding their own understanding of their own emotions.  Most especially people can become confused regarding the difference between philos and eros, that is, the difference between affection and sexual attraction.  At the emotional level these are very closely related, so closely that they are often thought to be the same.  But they are different.  Actually, they are very different, yet also similar.

Most people, without being taught the difference, think that peanuts are nuts.  But peanuts are legumes, which have many similarities with nuts, but also are truly very different.

Philos and eros both are emotions, and very powerful emotions.  Both include a powerful sense of being attracted to another person.  But the two are very different, even though they are often confused as being the same.  For example, it is perfectly natural for two men to experience philos for one another.  This is not a sexual attraction, even though this philos may move them to embrace one another intimately, even with a kiss.  This is not sexual.  However, it can easily be mistaken as a sexual emotion.  Likewise, it is perfectly natural for a man and a woman to experience eros for one another, being attracted to one another sexually.  This leads to reproduction of the human race.  Philos and eros do naturally occur together in such a relationship.  They are naturally paired in the sexual relationship of husband and wife.  These two emotions lead to the union of husband and wife and the formation of a stable family.  This is the natural order.  This is called marriage.

Such a union or marriage cannot occur between two people of the same sex.  Yet the homosexual agenda is to force the rest of society to deny this fact.  The homosexual agenda seeks to use the law to force the rest of society to accept what is clearly unnatural and even impossible.

The human anatomy and physiology teach the facts of life.  Marriage of two human beings of the same sex is simply impossible.  It cannot occur.  It is unnatural to try to make it so.  No matter how many times two women pretend to have sexual relations with one another, or two men with each other, this is not true sexual union.  Living together in this pretense does not constitute marriage.  It is like the old saying of trying to make a square peg fit a round hole.  The two can be forced together, but not in a true fit according their actual design.  Forcing such a union does severe injury to both and changes both into something other than what they truly are.

Yet the homosexual agenda is to force this activity upon the rest of society.  The homosexual agenda demands that the rest of society accept this unnatural and brutal change of sexuality and of society itself.

This agenda also seeks to mute the truth regarding the dangers of this aberrant sexual activity.  This agenda seeks to force society to ignore the truth of the dangers created by this   But the dangers are real.  Ignoring them does not make them less dangerous, but more dangerous.

It is difficult if not impossible to list all of the dangers, let alone to prioritize them according to levels of danger.  However, in this discussion, health dangers will be mentioned first.

The most obvious of the health dangers are the STDs or the Sexually Transmitted Diseases.  These are not the only health dangers, but certainly seem to be the most obvious.  The dangers of STDs accompany any sexual promiscuity, but are especially identified with same sex sexual activity.  For this reason both the United Blood Services and the American Red Cross list criteria for eligibility to donate blood.  As is listed especially on the American Red Cross web site, the policy for rejecting donations from homosexuals is an FDA policy.  Here is a snapshot of that information:




As is mentioned, the homosexual agenda pursues the elimination of such safeguards and there are people who speak out as if this were in some way unfair.  Yet it seems unlikely that these same people when undergoing surgery or other cause for blood transfusion would demand of their doctor that blood from a homosexual be administered.  It is always easy to speak of these things in the abstract, but when the danger hits home, the person’s perspective often returns to the norm.

There are other health and physical dangers connected with homosexual activity, but for now, the one of the dangers to society will be presented.  Healthy societies have always had a clear definition for family.  This is both natural and necessary for a society to function with good order and minimal obstructions.  While polygamy has been practiced throughout history, one man and one woman nevertheless has prevailed.  The difficulties of multiple spouses in a family have always instructed people that one man and one woman is both the most practical and functional.  From the maternal side of this, children always gravitate to acknowledge only one mother.  Where more than one mother is the practice, rivalry always develops both between the wives as well as between the various children.

But homosexuality never produces family.  Never.  In order for homosexuals to obtain children, they must obtain them from a breakdown in the societal norm of healthy man/woman-husband/wife family structure.  Either through the breakdown by adultry/fornication, or by divorce, or by death of parents, or by abandonment by parents, the normal societal family and reproduction functions must be broken in order for homosexuals to obtain children.  This is not normal.  This is not healthy.

Moreover, children cannot learn from two of the same sex the normal and natural order of familial structure and interaction.  They cannot learn the proper distinction of philos and eros from such an arrangement.  Therefore they are cheated of this normal childhood development.  Society is damaged as these children grow and struggle to know their proper place in society.  Ultimately the society breaks down from this unnatural ignorance of the natural order.

Much more can be said in these matters, but now the hypocrisy displayed in the so-called church sign seems to be appropriate.  Here again is the photo:



First of all, notice the hypocrisy of this church judging others for what they themselves have and do promote, that is, the acceptance of divorce and remarriage.  This church has long been known to undermine the concept of the sanctity of marriage, not only regarding the homosexual issue, but regarding promiscuity and divorce as well.  So for this church to point fingers at those they have excused for marrying, divorcing, and remarrying in an endless cycle is the highest hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy amongst those professing to be godly certainly is not a new occurrence.  It can be traced to the very first couple.  It manifested itself horrifically in the life of their first son.  It was manifested amongst the people of Israel.  Jesus denounced it during His ministry amongst the Jews.  His apostles denounced it in their ministries.  The only man never to demonstrate hypocrisy is Jesus.  All the rest of us must confess our own hypocrisy and seek to hear God’s absolution.  Only with this honest self-evaluation can we move forward with godly and healthy lives.  Only abiding in the grace of the Lord can we judge ourselves rightly and then interact in holy, godly, and healthy ways with our fellow man.

It is not the Christian’s place to make oneself judge over others.  It is, however, the Christian’s place to speak the truth in love.  This does include speaking the judgement that has already been declared by the Judge of all, speaking this judgment with the holy desire that honest confession of people’s sinfulness and need of God’s forgiveness and restoration result.  Ignoring the truth about people’s sinfulness is not love.  It is not even kind.  Moreover, such ignorance is in itself judgment of the worst kind.  For this deliberate ignorance of the needs of others is a judgment by which people are judged to be unworthy of such caring and love and effort.

Sadly, most Christians falsely imagine that they have been called by God to legislate morality and godliness.  But the way to which the Lord calls His saints is the way of Agape.  It is the way of His love in action.  His way is the way of speaking the truth in love so that people hear the truth and are confronted with it for their well-being.  His way is to call people to acknowledge His holiness and to be moved to desire for Him to work this in them through the means of grace that He has already ordained to be administered in His Church on earth.

The sanctity of marriage cannot be enacted by law.  Certain protections for family and marriage can be enacted by law, so as to protect married couples and their families from certain intrusions and abuses by both government and society, but the sanctity of marriage cannot be established nor enforced by law.

On this point, the hypocritical statement in the photo of the church sign does make a true inference.  For it is true that one hypocrite cannot enforce the sanctity of anything upon another hypocrite.  Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit, who works through the means of grace to convert hypocrites into true believers, who thereby follow His urging to live in accord with the will of God that has been taught to them in their regenerated hearts and souls and minds.

Thus, while the statement in the sign has the appearance of hypocritical motivation, it does nevertheless point to the truth that each person should be first concerned with one’s own sanctification.  If such a person gives the due attention to this concern, very little time or energy will remain for pretending to be God and judging others.  Rather, such people will embrace one another within the Holy Communion ordained by the Lord, calling to one another saying, “Let us return again to the Lord to partake of His grace through His ordained means that we may indeed enjoy His mercy, love, and holiness together.”

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Monday, July 22, 2013

More Rain! Hallelujah!

More Rain! Hallelujah!

The Lord has showered His blessed rain upon our unjust land according to His merciful grace yet again.  Earlier this past week we received about 1 1/2 inches and another 1/4 inch this morning.

The Lord promises that He sends His rain both upon the just and the unjust.  Thankfully, even this statement is one of pure grace, for no one is truly just except by the Lord's declared righteousness imputed to those who have been generated into His kingdom of righteousness through Baptism.

How wonderful this association is, that with this statement concerning His gracious outpouring of life giving water from the heavens to refresh the earth for both the just and the unjust, so also this reminds us of His gracious outpouring of life anew in His kingdom through Water and Spirit.  In Titus 3 St. Paul calls this a bath or washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.  And for the soul that hungers for the Lord's righteousness, this is refreshment indeed!

Nevertheless, the rains are cause for immediate thanksgiving.  TB2G!

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Thursday, July 11, 2013

TB2G! It’s Raining!



Thanks be to God!  It’s Raining!

We very much need the moisture.  The hot sun and winds have dried the landscape.  The rain is falling, very gently, but it is falling.  Thanks be to God!

Moreover, the temperature dropped into the 70s, upper 70s, but 70s nonetheless.  It is actually cooler than at 5:30 this morning.

When the sun shows itself again, it will surely become very muggy.  That’s OK with me.  The volume of rain will likely be slight, but it will be measurable.  Relief is wonderful, even when slight or brief.

TB2G!


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HOT!



Hot!  Scorching!  Roasting!




It has been over 100 degrees, several days of 105, 103, and the like.  Of course, working under the sun is considerably hotter still.

This is definitely weather requiring super hydration for anyone working outdoors.  I carry 3 gallons of water and it is usually mostly depleted by end of day.

Sweat.  Sweat.  Sweat.

It is amazing how much body energy is required for sweating.  It can be exhausting.

Work a few minutes and drink.  Work a few minutes and drink.  The weather is scorching, but with is pattern of working one can make it through the day without overheating, especially when one is accustomed to such working conditions.

Of course, those who work in air conditioned offices all day will need to be cautious when doing weekend duties in the sun.  The body needs to acclimate to the conditions over a period of time.  Shorter work periods for weekend duty warriors are advisable.  Work a few minutes, drink, rest, work a few minutes, drink, rest.  This is the cycle.

Most people are at least aware of this, but such things are often forgotten and neglected once the work begins.  “Gotta get done!”

Heat exhaustion or fatigue is serious and heat stroke can be fatal.

The old-timers remedied this quite successfully back home in Florida.  They would shower with the hottest water that a person could endure.  This opened the pores and drew out the heat from the body, allowing it to recover.

Anyway, it has been very hot.

Heigh ho!  Heigh ho!  It’s off to roast I go!


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Saturday, July 06, 2013

Weekly Sermons

For those who are interested, I have again started posting the weekly sermons at the  Bride of Christ ELC website.  The weekly sermon is posted here.

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Thursday, July 04, 2013

Independence Day!



Today I happened to visit Cyberbrethren where he has posted the article Festival of Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth in which he includes this wonderful artwork displaying the visit of Mary to Elizabeth:



Since he did not give the information crediting the author, I cannot give it at this time either.  But it filled my heart with joy to see this representation of this blessed event.  This artist truly portrays these women as the Holy Spirit moved them to know and respond to the salvific activity that the Lord was working in and through them.

Upon seeing this artwork my heart was immediately moved to pray, “Oh Lord, how dear Mary must have needed this visit and this encouragement that You provided her through this encounter.  Such an unusual and heavy burden she bore as the one through whom You came into the world to save us.  Yet this is the joy that You give to those in whom You are at work to save and to bring Your kingdom to mankind!”

I considered these things and thought that this truly is a fitting graphic for July the 4th as the Independence Day celebration.  For this surely is the true independence that mankind should happily celebrate.

I find it amazing that according to our sinful nature we look for independence with the mindset that we must set ourselves free from being dependent.  But as this wonderful graphic displays, truly joyful independence is being set free to be dependent upon the One who truly loves us and provides all good things for us from above.  Like a newborn babe, happily dependent upon mommy and daddy for all good and joyful things, so the regenerated believer in Christ Jesus is happily dependent upon the one true God, having been baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit to live in the perfect and holy Communion of the Lord forevermore.

Christ came into the world to set us free from dependence upon the things that prevent us from partaking of this blessed dependence upon our loving God.  For only in trusting Him do we realize the true freedom that our hearts long to know.

God grant us a happy and blessed Independence Day!

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

And That’s Enough



It seems today that nearly everyone calling oneself a Christian has adopted a new creed:


I believe in Jesus Christ
as my Lord and Savior,
and that’s enough.

This seems to be what is heard again and again, without fail.  It seems that whenever a person is confronted with Scriptures that clearly teach that this confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is clearly defined by further specific doctrine, people fall back to this as the only confession and doctrine that they will permit.

Well, there is, of course, this:

   
I cannot judge what is in another person’s heart.

It seems that people forget that the entire point of the Gospel is salvation for sinners who by Adam’s refusal to trust God’s Word have died to God and the life that is in His Communion.  They seem to forget that the preaching of forgiveness means preaching that people have an actual need to be forgiven.  They seem to forget that the primary cause of the need for forgiveness as proclaimed in the Holy Scriptures is the unbelief and false belief of people.

How can the forgiveness of unbelief and false belief be preached and administered without clearly declaring people's unbelief and false belief?

Why do so many sects exist within what is known as Christendom?

Is it not on account of the diversity of beliefs concerning what the doctrine of the Scriptures really is?

Is it really possible to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior while redefining what He says that this means?  Is it really possible to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior while openly denying what He says concerning the means of salvation?  Is it really possible to trust with true faith in the Messiah or Christ while opposing the very means through which the Scriptures teach that He builds His Church and works in it and through it to save the lost?

Who can even begin to speak of saving the lost without identifying them as the lost?



This group, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, clearly identifies, even with pictures, those whom they are hoping to save from their lost condition.  How many people consider this to be unloving?  How many people say, “Oh no, I cannot judge these children as being lost”?

If a child is born with spina bifida, do people say that one cannot judge the child as having this deficiency in gestational development?  If someone insisted on calling the diagnosis of such children as cruel, would this not be counted as irrational and even absurd?  How can corrective surgery be pursued for such a child without judging or diagnosing the child as a sufferer of spina bifida?

Yet concerning the most serious broken condition of all, people are inclined to judge that such a condition must not be clearly diagnosed.  They treat the matter of spiritual brokenness to be a matter that should not be diagnosed in absolute terms.  Rather it is said to be a “personal matter.”

Who is really the uncaring and cruel person?

Is it not the person who refuses to acknowledge what has already been clearly diagnosed by the true Physician, the one who truly knows the condition of brokenness of mankind and openly declares both the cause and the cure?  Is not the truly cruel person the one who redefines both the condition and the cure so that neither are rightly recognized?  Is not the truly cruel person the one who administers the cure in an adulterated form that either has no efficacy or may even make the condition worse?

The Lord Jesus through His apostle declares the necessity of speaking the truth in love, saying:

       
     I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)     
      And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.    (Ephesians 4:1-16)

Therefore it seems absolutely necessary to ask:


      Is it really enough to direct people to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior without actually defining clearly and in unmistakable terms what this belief means?


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Monday, June 24, 2013

Old and New



This weekend as I studied and prepared for the divine service, I examined anew a passage of the Scriptures that I have pondered many times previously.

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.  (Matthew 13:52)


As I read the text in the Greek language I noticed something that I’ve never noticed before.  Here is a literal translation of the text:

Then said he unto them: Therefore, every scribe having been discipled into the kingdom of heaven, same essence is to a man, a  housemaster, which throws out from the thesaurus of him, new and old.


The word that most prominently caught my attention is the word that we usually translate as treasure.  This treasure is Thesaurus.  Remarkable!  The word is actually Thesaurus.

Moreover, this treasurehouse of words is a source of both old and new declarations for the scribe who has been discipled into the kingdom of heaven.  The scribe, the student of the Scriptures, who has been truly discipled into the kingdom of heaven, truly looks to the Scriptures as storehouse of the revelation of the living Word of God.  Every time that this true disciple of the kingdom of heaven enters the storehouse, he throws out to the household of faith new and old proclamation.  The old never changes.  It remains the treasure of the ages.  But along with the doctrine that has been rightly preached time and time again, he also throws out to his hearers new riches from the thesaurus.  The old and the new are in perfect agreement.  The new is a fresh perspective and application of the doctrine of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, offered to the Church through the means of grace.

How can such a message ever be regarded as anything less than a rich treasure?

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Judge Not?

Isn't it amazing how many people will say:

"No one's perfect!" 

and then go on to say
that they can't judge others?

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Friday, June 21, 2013

Inflation Low?

Does anyone in the entire world actually believe this nonsense?


Does anyone who actually purchases real life staples buy this line of nonsense?

What honest person would ever even consider using a gauge of consumer prices that deliberately excludes food and energy?  Are these not the very things that people need the most?  Are these not the largest portion of their spending?

Moreover, 1.1 percent?  Does anyone believe this?  The prices of my purchases have increased dramatically.  The high price of fuel is driving up the price of everything.  The insane increase in governmental interference and regulations, especially for the trucking industry, also is driving up the prices.  Even things like trash service are increasing, and not by 1 or 2 percent, but by 20% or more!

Fuel and oil, fuel filters and oil filters, products made of plastic, products made of steel, products made of aluminum, all of these continue to rise.

The only thing NOT rising is the income of the people!

And the number of people who say that they cannot find real work has never been higher in my encounters.

When will we ever hear that the FED, a private banking cartel, is taxed on their income?  When will we ever hear reported their level of income?  When will we hear an explanation regarding why the FED is allowed to charge interest for the nation's money?  Why are they allowed to tax us through inflation?  Why have they been given control of the nation's money supply when the Constitution entrusts this to Congress so that there would be almost no inflation and no income taxes and no raping of the poor and the making of the poor through centralized banking usury?

The practice of usury is forbidden by the Lord for this very reason.  But because of the idolatry of greed, even common people have accepted usury and gambling (both as gaming and as playing the stock market) as the way of life.  And so they allow their idolatrous greed to enslave them.  Instead of looking upon their fellow man as their brethren for whom they are responsible, they seek to steal from one another through usury, gambling, and other forms of dishonest and selfish gain.  Usury produces nothing but enslavement of the borrower to the money controller/lender.

But people in general have accepted this as the way to provide for themselves.  Thus we have inflation that robs us of everything that we earn, everything that we build or invent or create, everything that we save.

It seems amazing, even incredible, that people actually give their trust to the Federal Reserve.  Most people do not even know that this is a private corporation that makes huge profits.  Rather, they trust the media's lies and propaganda about how small business people should pay more taxes, which of course causes MORE inflation and MORE debt and MORE loss and MORE poverty.  The people have accepted that instead of caring for one another directly in love and care, that the facade of government should take care of their brethren and that paying taxes releases them from their debt of love for their fellow man.

In less than two weeks the Fourth of July celebration of Independence Day and the Declaration of Independence will again sweep America.  Yet most people have no idea what the Declaration of Independence declares that the fathers of this nation fought to overthrow.  It was the British oligarchy's enslavement of the people through taxation without representation, which means, taxation through the inflation and debt manufactured and forced upon the people through the centralized banking cartel.  This is the worst kind of tax for everyone because it never goes away and it impacts absolutely everything that people need for their daily living.

In the meantime the Obamas take a 100 million dollar vacation to Africa to help spread and ensure the control of the globalist and banking elite, aka, democracy.  This control over the people is the real agenda of the so-called Green Movement and the pretense of protection from terrorism and the so-called spread of democracy.

It is indeed amazing to realize that the ordinances of the Lord were established to prevent this sort of abuse.  The nation of Israel had NO taxes under the Lord's ordained ways.  They had no wars for as long as they lived in accord with His ordinances.  Only when they put their trust in princes and government did they have these terrible troubles to face.

As the above article Inflation at 53-Year Low Gives Bernanke Time to Press on With QE says, the FED was created through the use of the lie that it would stabilize the economy and prevent the very troubles that it creates.  The truth is that the FED was created to allow the global elite to usurp control of the world's resources and people.

And the people of the world buy it, putting their trust in the very thieves from whom they need protection.


Monday, June 03, 2013

Accident



It has been a while since I have taken the time to post.  In large part this is due to the fact that I have been scrambling to recover from an accident in which my chipper truck and chipper were totaled.

On March 8 I was merging from westbound Kellogg onto northbound I-235.  Apparently, as I was looking back to prepare for the merge, I must have drifted to the left, because I found myself headed for the dip/ditch between the merge lane and the highway.  Attempting to correct this situation would almost certainly have caused the truck to flip, so I chose to continue onward through the ditch and make the correction on the other side.  But the ditch was too much for me and I ended up in the median against the guard rail on my side.









Thankfully, my preparations for merging were blessed by the Lord so that no one else was involved.  Moreover, the Lord carried me through this incident without serious injury to my body or person.

The recovery time has primarily involved replacement of the truck and chipper and the many challenges involved in this process.  I finally have things restored to a point that I am able to function nearly normally again in my tree business.  I still have more to do, but at least I am able to begin servicing the needs of those who are requesting my services.

So, for those who care to know about what has happened, this will provide at least a snippet of the story.

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

American Citizen Imprisoned in Iran





If you desire to sign the petition on-line, click here.

It seems strange that such a petition would be necessary.  Saeed Abedini is an American citizen.  Both Congress and Obama know of his illegal arrest and imprisonment.

But then the same is true here in America, where citizens also are known to be innocent of the crimes for which they have been convicted and are nevertheless still held in prisons.  Such cases, whether here at home or in far away Iran, should be addressed with urgency.


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Quirky Google Blogger & IE

Having been informed that viewing my blog in IE (Internet Explorer) the margins are askew, my apologies to anyone frustrated by this problem.  It works perfectly in Firefox and Safari when I check it, but in Internet Explorer it does go haywire.

I gave up on IE long ago when it kept presenting security hazards.  But it also seems to be very quirky and unstable when playing/working with other browser compatibility issues.

It seems that the problems for my blog appeared with the last post that included the embedded code for the tag program.  I am wondering whether this post may cause an override.  If not, I will delete the other embed code to see what effect it has.









OK. It seems that the issue was with Internet Explorer, or at least with IE and Google's Blogger. But as usual, other browsers functioned correctly while IE refuses. Other browsers seem to accept the embed codes without any problem. Why do so many people still use IE?

??????????

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Freedom Banned in Washington


CATO Institute has an article entitled: Freedom Banned in Washington.  The article shares that in Washington DC there are limits to what a person is allowed to use on vanity license plates.

FREEDOM is one of the banned words.

Apparently a person can use the method below to test various words to learn whether or not the words are permitted.

(embeded code for tag test deleted due to conflicts with IE)

Try it here.

Indeed, Freedom is not permitted.

I tried a number of others that would surely be more controversial and those particular ones were deemed to be OK.  But Freedom is not OK.

Try it yourself.

Among a few others that I tried that turned out to be banned are:

LOVE
GRACE
DAUGHTR
BELIEVE
NO
YES
MY
JES
JUSTICE
SALVATN
SATAN
UP
BOO
WOW
OMEGA
BUM
NUT
CRAZY
BLUE
EVE
CRIB
GAS
FROG
BUT
DEACON
SERVANT
(but Slave is OK)
CRUD
STAR
MUDDY
QUACK
BLOOD
SWEET
JET
GUN
JOKER
DRUGS
IRISH
SCOTCH
BRITISH
MEXICAN
LAMB
WIN
DORK
SHEEP

Can You Believe THIS?



At the government site for the State of Maryland’s Health Department here is what is posted:





Can you believe this? Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Mental Hygiene?

Is this another term for Brainwashing?

Is this getting scarey yet?

Better than Obamacare



Yesterday I was reminded of a previous post, God’s Grace in Injuries & Healing .  The following picture was displayed after my knee injuries had healed.



I was surprised by the comments that were made, seemingly oblivious to the statements that I had made about how wonderfully and marvelously the Lord had granted healing.  I was left wondering if they read my words at all.  Their display of concern and caring was nice, but did they read what I said?

Here is a picture taken today of the same injuries.




I had not really paid much attention until today as I have had no pain or other cause to pay any attention to my knee.  I was rather amazed to realize that the scars are so negligible that even with close examination I hardly notice them.  In fact, my scar from when I was a youngster and fell on a freshly sharpened lawn mower blade is far more noticeable, even though it, too, has faded over the years.

At any rate, I wish to share this with whomever may be interested.  I did not rush to the emergency room and pay outrageous fees.  I received no stitches, no pain meds, no powerful antibiotic shots or pills.

I thank God for the functions that He has built into my body.  I thank God that I do not need the Federal government to mandate what my body needs.  If only the Federal government would stay out of my life and let me and my neighbors live in peace.

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Assisted Living Facility where Assisting to Live is Forbidden



I find what is shared in this video at The Blaze hard to believe.  A nurse speaks to a 911 operator, calling for emergency assistance for a dying woman, but refuses to help the woman.  The facility’s policy forbids doing CPR to save a resident’s life.



I cannot imagine anyone signing such a restrictive policy.  Well, Obama or Sebelius or Feinstein, yes, but well . . .

This is hurtful to my soul.  Moreover, it is becoming commonplace.

It is hard to imagine that on Facebook and other social media that people post endlessly about abuse of animals and saving the lives of dogs and cats, even old and decrepit dogs and cats.  Meanwhile the daughter of this woman, a nurse, says that she is satisfied with the care that her dying mother received.  What care did her mother receive?

Perhaps this 87 year old woman did not want CPR.  Perhaps she did not want to be assisted.  Perhaps this is why she came to live at this facility.

Was this the case?  Is it my place to speculate?  Is there a time when such a decision is appropriate?

And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
   (Genesis 49:33)


And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
  (Genesis 50:22-26)

As I ponder what has been reported, and consider the statement of this woman’s daughter, perhaps I really should be careful about presuming to know more than I do.  After all, this woman lived in a very comfortable environment.  She did receive assistance in her day to day needs.  She was blessed to live to 87 years of age.  Her body was weakened.  Her bones were frail.  She elected to live in a facility where the policy was stated that the rigors of CPR would not be performed.  Does this policy take into account the low success of CPR on such older people?  Does this policy take into account the likelihood of deep and painful bruises, possible broken ribs, and even possible rupture of blood vessels?

Perhaps I am wrong to presume to judge these people of whom I know so little.  After all, they did not withhold food or drink from her.  They did not administer lethal drugs.  They did not refuse to call for paramedics who have the defibrillation and other equipment.

If this is the way, then perhaps this should be explained to the EMS people so that they are not put in the horrific situation that this creates.  As I listened to the audio, my heart ached for this dispatcher.  It seems that at the very least, facilities such as Glenwood Gardens should be required to list their policy with the EMS and explain why CPR is not practiced.  These facilities often are frequent callers of EMS.  The dispatchers should be given better information, both for their own conscience’s sakes as well as to avoid such ugly misunderstanding.

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