Joining up with Dave

THE NATIVITY
From the picture by Sandro Botticelli, in the National Gallery, London

I'm joining forces with my husband Dave on a single blog. Be sure to visit me at http://lambert-blog.com/.

I'll still be blogging weekly at Ephesians 6:18 which is the blog for the Praying Moms of Our Shepherd Lutheran School.

Merry Christmas!

Nicholas of Myra - The Movie

http://nicholasofmyra-movie.com

Happy St. Nicholas Day

December 6 is St. Nicholas Day.

There is lots of information on the Internet about St Nicholas. My favorite website is http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23.

Happy Reformation Day

Meet Coffee

We have a new member in our family --- Coffee, the guinea pig. She is about 2 months old and an adorable little piggie. Alex is thrilled beyond belief and Cinnamon has a companion again.

PSALM 139 MV

Nutmeg

Yesterday, October 17, we had to help our son make a hard decision about his beloved Nutmeg -- the guinea pig. Nutmeg was 3 years and had been suffering with cancer since March. She had a very large tumor as well as numerous small tumors. After prayer and discussion with the Vet we decided that the humane thing to do was to 'put her to sleep'. Alex was a courageous 11 year old. It was so hard, but he feels he did what was best for Nutmeg. We miss her so much. Now Alex will focus all his love on Cinnamon and remember Nutmeg fondly.

Happy Birthday BJ

Where have the years gone? Happy Birthday Jill. 29 years ago (1979) you arrived on a snowy South Dakota night 2 months ahead of schedule. You were a peanut -- 3 pounds 12 ounces and 17 inches long. And now you are beautiful young woman successfully navigating life and you don't weigh 3 pounds anymore. You don't remember, but we called you BJ (Baby Jill).

Pirate Christian Radio

Pirates are mean and cruel robbers and thieves, why would you name a Christian radio station "Pirate Christian Radio"?

"Pirate" radio stations are those that broadcast from outside of "the system". We are no different. Now-a-days, far too many "Christian" radio stations have become havens for every absurd fad and all types of foul winds of bad doctrine that are blowing through the church. Sadly, the Gospel and sound doctrine have mysteriously disappeared from large segments of the 'Christian' airwaves. The system has become corrupted by false doctrine and false teaching. That is why it has become necessary for us to create a "pirate" Christian radio station.

Pirate Christian Radio is an online radio station that is free from the scurvy plagues of pop-psychology, goofy fads, self-help, pietism, purpose-drivenism, the prosperity heresy, contemplative mysticism, seeker-sensitivism, liberalism, relevantism, Emergent nonsense, and the sissy girly Oprah-fied religiosity that is being passed off as "Biblical Christianity"..

This station proclaims "Christ crucified for our sins" and exalts and defends THE historic Christian faith.

If you're looking for "Biblical Principles" that will improve your financial situation, help you raise happier children or have a more fulfilling sex life then you're NOT going to like Pirate Christian Radio.

But, if you are looking for Christian programming that is truly Christ Centered and proclaims the good news of Christ's death and resurrection for your sins, then you will find Pirate Christian Radio to be a refreshing stream of living water that quenches the thirst of your soul.

~ from http://www.piratechristianradio.com/

Evangelism Equipping Program

I'm a proud hiker on The Wittenberg Trail. Earlier this year Pastor Bill Cwirla from The God Whisperers posted a great way to evangelize.

This is Rev. Cwirla's 7-Step Evangelism Equipping Program™

1. Talk to people about sin and Jesus' death and resurrection wherever and whenever you can.
2. Don't worry that people will think you're weird, you are.
3. When possible, invite them to church and hang with them through catechesis to their Baptism.
4. Practice talking sin and Jesus with folks in your congregation, most of whom are Christians already, but hey, if you can't talk about sin and Jesus in church, where can you?
5. Memorize the small catechism so you'll have something intelligent to say and don't just blather on and on about yourself.
6. Don't worry about failure; God works through that too.
7. No ifs, ands, or buts when it comes to faith in Jesus or it isn't "good news." If you don't know what that means, go back to catechism.

The God Whisperers

You say you have a God problem? God isn’t the problem. The problem is people wanting to be God. We reintroduce God; we retrain people. Craig Donofrio and Bill Cwirla are

The God Whisperers

The Book of Concord

The Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod as well as most confessional Lutherans subscribe to the Book of Concord. Here it is online in an easy to navigate and read form. Enjoy!

http://bookofconcord.org/

The Lutherans Song by Lost and Found

I realize this has an ELCA flavor...but it's great!

Praying Moms of Our Shepherd Lutheran School

Summer is basically history at our house as Alex begins school next week. I am clueless as to where summer went!

As Alex begins his second year, as a 6th grader, at Our Shepherd Lutheran School I am very excited to be leading a group of moms who will be praying throughout the school year. I've started a new blog for that group. It's called Ephesians 6:18 (http://www.prayingmomsos.blogspot.com/)

"Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..."

What Is Prayer?

What is Prayer?

This is a short video that explains 'what is prayer?' as Lutherans understand. This is part of a 15 week adult instruction course. It's only 5 minutes long!

Prayer is talking to God with your mouth and lips or with your heart. Prayer is an opportunity for you to exercise your faith.

O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.

Psalm 139: 1-4

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Matthew 6:7-8

Commemorating the Fifth Evangelist -- Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach, Kantor

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) is one of the most famous and gifted of all composers in the entire western world. He was orphaned at the age of ten and basically taught himself music. His professional life as conductor, performer, composer, teacher, and organ consultant began at the age of 19 in the town of Arnstadt and ended in Leipzig, where for the last 27 years of his life he was responsible for all the music in the city's four Lutheran churches. In addition to his being a superb keyboard artist, the genius and bulk of Bach's vocal and instrumental compositions remain overwhelming. Bach was a devout and devoted Lutheran, and is honored in Christendom for his lifelong insistence that his music was written primarily for the liturgical life of the church to glorify God and edify his people.

1 Peter 3:16

FIVE MINUTES A DAY WITH LUTHER

July 26
And keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

1 Peter 3:16

And keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. Of this St. Paul has already spoken above. We cannot disregard it. If we will follow the Gospel, then must we be despised and condemned by the world, so that men shall hold us as contemptible rabble. But let the devil and all the world rave and rage, let them abuse us as they will, yet they shall at last be made to understand, with shame, that they have injured and defamed us, when that day shall arrive - as St. Peter has said
above - in which we shall be secure, and stand up with a good conscience. These are, in every respect, suitable and forcible replies, which can comfort us and make us courageous, and yet we
will go on circumspectly, with humility.

And grant me, Lord, to do,
With ready heart and willing,
Whate'er Thou shalt command:
My calling here fulfilling;
To do it when I ought,
With all my strength; and bless
The work I thus have wrought,
For Thou must give success.

From Five Minutes a Day with Luther .... Pastor Robin Fish
http://lcmssermons.com/5mins.php?d=2008-07-26

1 Peter 3:15

FIVE MINUTES A DAY WITH LUTHER

July 25

But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

1 Peter 3:15

We must here acknowledge that St. Peter addressed these words to all Christians, clergy and laity, male and female, young and old, of whatever state or condition they may be. From these words it will follow that every Christian should know the ground and reason of his faith, and be able to maintain and defend it where it is necessary. Yet with gentleness and reverence. That is, if you are examined and questioned about your faith, you should not answer with haughty words, and proceed to respond with contempt and hostility, as if you would tear up a tree by the roots, but with such gentleness and reverence as if you stood before God's tribunal, and were there required to give an answer. You must stand in faith, and not rely on your own strength, but on the Word and promise of Christ

"But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."

Matt 10:19-20

It is right, when you are to answer, that you should prepare yourself well with passages out of Scripture; but beware that you do not insist on it with a proud spirit, since God will even take the most forcible reply out of your mouth and memory, though you were previously prepared with all your replies. Therefore reverence is proper.

O let me never speak
What bounds of truth exceedeth:
Grant that no idle word
From out my mouth proceedeth;
And then when in my place
I must and ought to speak,
My words grant power and grace,
Lest I offend the weak.

From Five Minutes a Day with Luther .... Pastor Robin Fish http://lcmssermons.com/5mins.php?d=2008-07-2

Traditional Lutheranism

Suzuki Family Camp at Blue Lake

Alex and I attended Suzuki Piano Family Camp at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan. We went when Alex was 7 and now he's 11. It was awesome. Alex played lots of music and made new friends.
He played lots of music on wonderful pianos!

Faculty Night was devoted to Russian composers! What a bonus for us!

Spirituality of the Cross -- Bearing the Cross in Vocation

Notes from Chap 5

Bearing the Cross in Vocation

• For all of the exalted spiritual significance in everyday life posited by the doctrine of vocation -- how God is present and active in our work and our relationship -- it is evident that we often fail, suffer, and experience frustrations in our vocations.

• Since God is at work in vocation, observes Wingren, the devil seeks to thwart vocation. One way is to turn it away from sacrificial service and love of neighbor to a 'theology of glory', to self-aggrandizement, pride in good works, and the achievement of a spiritually vacuous success.

• Another ploy of the devil is to pry the person out of his or her calling.

• Trials in vocation drive us to prayer. Prayer, from our perspective, brings God into our vocation.

• "Prayer is the door through which God, Creator and Lord, enters creatively into home, community, and labor." (Wingren)
  

About Prayer

I am reading Grace Upon Grace by Dr. John Kleinig. It's an excellent book on spirituality and it's solid Lutheran. I am also leading a Moms In Touch type effort at my son's school for the coming school year. In preparing information on prayer for the families I found a thoroughly wonderful quote on prayer:

“Prayer, then, is a gift of the triune God. When we pray, we engage with the three persons of the Holy Trinity. We pray to the Father; we pray together with the Son; and we pray by the power of the Holy Spirit. What we do when we pray depends entirely on what the Son gives us in His Word and on what the Spirit does with us through our faith in Christ. Our ability to pray does not come from us, but from faith in Jesus Christ and His Word, faith that receives the gift of prayer.”

Cold Lemonade

Lemonade for Eulalio

Would you like an icy cold glass of lemonade? My son has set up his lemonade stand. Today business was brisk and he made $10. Proceeds will go to Eulalio, the boy we sponsor in Honduras. He's the same age as Alex. "Little Dan" is the yellow Slow Down guy who helps sell lemonade. Remember -- the speed limit in subdivisions is 25 mph.

The Brotherhood of John the Steadfast

As promised, on June 25, the anniversary of the Augsburg Confession, the new website for the Brotherhood of John the Steadfast was launched.

Check it out!

http://www.steadfastlutherans.org/

Augsburg Confession June 25

Today is the anniversary of the Augsburg Confession.

http://www.ctsfw.edu/etext/boc/ac/
http://www.bookofconcord.org/augsburgconfession.html
http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/LCMS/augsburg.pdf

Where the H*** is Matt? (2008)

Turn up the speaker and smile!

Laymen with Issues, Etc

This is more good news for confessional Lutherans in America.


http://laymenetc.typepad.com/

Pirate Christian Radio

Yes siree --- Pastor Wilken and Jeff are returning to the airwaves. Check it out! Pastor Wilken will give you the details!

http://www.piratechristianradio.com/

Holy Trinity Sunday

Albrecht Durer. The Adoration of the Holy Trinity.

1511. Oil on panel.
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.

I'm a day late...but it's still worthy to post about Holy Trinity Sunday. Yesterday was Holy Trinity Sunday. It's the Sunday after Pentecost.

"This Sunday in the Church Year is called The Holy Trinity. This is the one major celebration in the year that has its focus in a doctrine or teaching. The word "Trinity" cannot be found in the Bible, neither can "Triune." Nonetheless, the teaching or revelation from God is there, and people needed to call it something. The name has also been chosen for a Sunday and more than one congregation.

What is most interesting about all of this is that this particular doctrine or teaching is one of the most complex and difficult in all Christian theology. I always say that is fitting and should not surprise us at all. It helps us to avoid thinking we could ever fully understand God. Anyone who writes a book entitled, "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About God," is either self-deceived or trying to deceive us. We struggle enough with what God has revealed about Himself; there is so, so much more that we could not begin to comprehend."

From www.lcms.org

Prince Caspian

We went to see Prince Caspian today. I loved it. It was basically true to the book -- a few changes to make for movie excitement. Read the book and then go. The book gives you more detail. The movie is filled with battle scenes, but that is how it must be. The movie has a PG rating which means the battles are more fantasy than gory realism.

Pentecost

Girolamo da Cremona active:1450 - 1485 Northern Italy

It's the 50th day of Easter -- Pentecost

"The word "Pentecost" is derived from the Greek word for "fifty."

The Day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2, occurred 50 days after Jesus' resurrection and 10 days after His ascension.

The day celebrates the sending of the Holy Spirit to the disciples following Jesus' ascension.

On the 50th day after the Sabbath of Passover week, the Jews celebrated a festival of thanksgiving for the harvest. It was known by a number of different names:

• Feast of Weeks (Ex. 34:22; Deut. 16:10)
• Feast of Harvest (Ex. 23:16)
• Day of First fruits (Num. 28:26)

The "Feast of Weeks" was the second-most important festival for the Jews. (The most important was Passover.) This explains why so many people from all over the Roman empire were in Jerusalem on the day when the Holy Spirit was sent (see Acts 2:8-11).

The Day of Pentecost is seen as the culmination of the Easter season.

In many calendars, the day is listed as "Whitsunday." This comes from the phrase "White Sunday," and refers to practice of the newly baptized appearing in their white, baptismal garments on that day.

The color of the day is red, symbolizing the tongues of fire that appeared on the apostles.

In the early church, Jesus' ascension and the sending of the Spirit were celebrated together.

By the seventh century, Pentecost had become such an important festival that the whole week following was set aside to observe it. Law courts were not in session, and most work was forbidden. By the 12th century this was limited to only three days. In most European countries the Monday after Pentecost is still observed as a holiday."

Taken from the LCMS website

Ascension Day

Ascension of Christ 1510 1520

Garofalo

Today is Ascension Day for those who follow the church calendar.

What is Ascension Day? It is a moveable feast of the Christian Church that comes 40 days after Easter (Acts 1). Ascension Day marks the day when Jesus Christ ascended up into Heaven. This year it's on May 1st.

I'm a Lutheran But....

I've been busy listening to past years of Issues Etc thanks to the downloading efforts at http://wittenbergmedia.org.

For my Lutheran friends and family who say I'm a lifelong Lutheran, but I don't agree with this or that, listen to Pastor Wilken as he talks about what it means to be a Lutheran. Do you understand what your denomination professes?

http://wittenbergmedia.org/audio/Im_a_Lutheran_But_-_Wilken.mp3

Spirituality of the Cross - Having a Calling

Notes from Chap 5

The Spirituality of Ordinary Life

Having a Calling

• The Lutherans were the first to use 'vocation' to refer to secular offices and occupations.
• Behind the term is the notion that every legitimate kind of work or social function is a distinct 'calling' from God, requiring unique God-given gifts, skills, and talents.
• "God does not need our good works, but our neighbor does." Wingren in the Exposition of Psalm 147
• Strictly speaking, we do not "serve God' -- rather, He is always the one serving us; instead, we serve our neighbors.
• The vocation of marriage itself causes selfish human beings to care for each other and support each other more than they would on their own.
• The vocation of parenthood causes normally selfish adults to sacrifice their own needs for the well-being of their children.
• Our own sinful inclinations do not necessarily thwart the way God works in vocation.
• Essentially, your vocation is to be found in the place you occupy in the present.
• Vocations are multiple. Any given person has lots of vocations.

Spirituality of the Cross -- Vocation

Notes from Chap 5

Vocation

The Spirituality of Ordinary Life

• Luther described the various occupations -- parenthood, farming, laborers, soldiers, judges, retailers, and the life -- as all being "masks of God."




• In the doctrine of vocation, spirituality is brought down to earth to transfigure our practical, everyday life.
• God is sovereign over every aspect of His creation.
• Lutheran theology speaks of TWO kingdoms, that God rules both the spiritual and the earthly realms, though in different ways.
• In the spiritual realm, He works, as we have seen, through the Word and the Sacraments.
• In the earthly realm, He rules through vocation.
• God is providentially at work caring for His people, each of whom contributes according to his or her God-given talents, gifts, opportunities, and stations.

• God, who pours out His generosity on the just and the unjust, believer and unbeliever alike, hides Himself in the ordinary soical functions and stations of life, even the most humble.
• All of the vocations are thus channels of God's love.
• "God bestows all that is good on us," says Luther, "but...you must work and leand yourself as a means and a mask to God."

OK Go - Here It Goes Again

Some days this is the way life feels!

Why Silence Issues Etc??????

Good Shepherd Sunday

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. It's the 4th Sunday after Easter. The readings for today:

Acts 2:42-47

1 Peter 2:19-25

John 10:1-10

The Shepherd and His Flock

1"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Spirituality of the Cross -- The Hidden Life

Notes from Chap 4

Spirituality of the Cross
The Hidden Life

• The Lutheran evangelical theology of the cross offers a theology of suffering, but more than that, it offers a practical, realistic and spiritually-dynamic paradigm for the Christian life.

• The theology of the cross is not asceticism.

• Bearing one's cross has to do precisely with the suffering that we do not choose for ourselves, the trials and difficulties that are imposed on us from the outside, that we have no control over whatsoever.

• Bearing the cross often has to do more with the petty, ordinary obstacles and frustrations of everyday life.

• Ironically, what in many traditions would be a sign of spiritual failure -- doubting one's election, feeling God's absence --- for Luther is a sign of the greatest sanctity, reserved (thankfully) for the spiritual giants.

• To believe in God's Word of promise, despite one's feelings, is faith. That is why all trials, both major and small, are occasions for the exercise of faith.

• "We live by faith, and not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7

• In the darkness, when we cannot see, we can only listen for God's voice, whereupon we can draw closer to the hidden God.

• When we are in desperate need, we pray with an intensity, a heartfelt passion, that is particularly genuine and authentic. Crying out to God in the depths of one's need is an act of faith and an occasion in which the hidden God who answers prayers draws closer.

• For now, it must be remembered that God is hidden -- that is, He cannot be seen or experienced -- in the crosses we bear, He is nevertheless genuinely present, a real presence grasped by faith.

• Luther speaks much of how our 'old man' is in conflict with our 'new man'. The baptized, converted sinner is given a new spiritual nature, a new life in Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

• Only at death, when the flesh passes away, will this conflict be resolved, with the regenerated nature attaining full perfection when it enters eternal life. But in the meantime, the new man is hidden.

• God sees Christians through the prism of the cross: Our sins and failures are hidden by the blood of Christ; our ordinary lives are hidden, and we are robed by Christ's righteousness. When God looks at a Christian, He sees Jesus.

• God's Spirit is at work in the lives of every Christian, mysteriously changing the heart, acting with Word and Sacrament, ministering in trials and tribulations, creating someone who will stand before God in heaven as holy.

• But this process cannot be evident to the naked eye, nor can it be measured and tracked, nor is the Christian himself necessarily conscious of how far he has come.

From the Lutheran Book of Prayer -- Hard Times

Prayer during hard times:

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Merciful Father, You know how difficult these days are me. In Your holy Word You have promised to hear those who cry unto You in the day of trouble. Listen to my cries for mercy and send me help from the sanctuary of Your grace. Preserve me from bitterness of spirit and rescue me from every temptation to despair. Calm my frustration with the knowledge that my life is secure in Your redeeming love, for I am baptized into the death and resurrection of Your Son. Draw me out of self-centered worry, which stifles faith, and cause me to take comfort in the great and precious promises that You have made to me and all believers in the Gospel. Sustain and strengthen me under every cross and affliction, that Your grace might be made perfect in my weakness. Give me confidence to pray without losing heart and to trust in Your mighty deliverance according to Your good and gracious will. Father, into Your hands I commend myself. Hear me, for the sake of Your Son, who alone is my Brother and Savior.

Amen

Spirituality of the Cross -- Bearing the Cross

Notes from Chapter 4

Spirituality of the Cross
Bearing the Cross

• Being helpless and utterly dependent, is precisely our spiritual condition.

• We are utterly helpless to save ourselves.

• We are to rest in utter dependence on Jesus Christ. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

• The attitude of complete, self-sufficiency cannot only undermine faith, it can wreck God's design for human relationships.

• Both the Law and the cross drive us to an ever-deeper and more-intimate dependence on Jesus Christ, who meets our sin and our sufferings in His cross.

Spirituality of the Cross -- The Hiddenness of God

Notes from chapter 4

The Theology of the Cross
The Hiddenness of God

• The hiddenness of God is one of the most profound themes in Lutheran spirituality.

• To say God is hidden, of course, does not mean that He is absent. On the contrary, somewho who is hidden is actually present, just not seen.

• Coming to faith, involves being broken by the Law, coming to grips with our moral failure. Legalistic religions, in which one saves oneself by one's own efforts, are very specifically theologies of glory, optimistically assuming success and glorifying the powers of the successful, virtuous person.

• When we realize just how lost we are, then we cling to the cross, trusting Christ to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. This is saving faith, the theology of the cross.

The Lord's Prayer

This is precious --- thanks Laura for putting it on your blog so I could find it and put it on my blog.

Spirituality of the Cross -- Holy Communion

Notes on chap 3

Presence of God The Sacraments
Holy Communion

• In our relationship with God, He is the one who acts. We do not seek Him: He seeks us. We do not love God: He loves us. (1 John 4:10)

• This action is OBJECTIVE. God comes to us from the outside. Though it is true that Christ and the Holy Spirit come to dwell in our hearts, they are not a mere function of our psychological state, our experiences, or our inward selves.

• Look to something OBJECTIVE and tangible: to the cross, to God's Word, to the immutable promises of God.

• Christianity has always affirmed the religious significance of the physical.

• The means of grace through which the Holy Spirit works on us to create faith and spiritual growth are evangelical. That is, they bear the Gospel of forgiveness through Christ.

• In the sacrament of Holy Communion, all of Lutheran spirituality is crystallized: God acts, objectively, through matter, embodying the Gospel and promising the forgiveness of sin. And, more than that -- or rather, making all of these efficacious --- is the real presence of Jesus Christ. This another astonishing claim, one which many Christians draw back from, but one that is at the pulsing heart of Lutheran evangelicalism.

• The Lutherans' exceedingly high view of the sacraments derives directly from their exceedingly high view of God's Word.

• The Lord's Supper is nothing less than the Gospel.

• God routinely feeds His people, with their daily bread and with Himself. It is His actions, and even our blindness or dull insensibility does not take anything away from His gifts.

• Without food, we would starve to death.

• The Gospel of Christ converts us, but it also nourishes us.

A Wonderful Visit Today

We had 3 visitors at our home today from Russia. These boys are staying with host families for a week and we pray that they find new families! My Russian/American -- Alex -- is the boy in the middle with the glow-in-dark speed stacking cups.

The Blogs

We live in a world where you are one click away from anywhere thanks to the Internet. Granted, that can get you in trouble as you can use the wrong words or perhaps react too quickly. But it is also such a blessing as we learn from others and share with others. The cancellation of Issues Etc has connected so many people in awesome ways. I read my favorite blogs which in turn link me to other blogs. So now I've added to my list of favorite blogs: (This list will grow!)

http://churchandliturgy.blogspot.com About liturgy
http://rasburrysres.blogspot.com/ Pastor Asburry in St. Louis
http://revcwirla.blogspot.com/ Rev. Cwirla's Blogosphere (Underground) It's his personal bunker in case of synodical terrorism.
http://www.redeemerfortwayne.org/blog.php?msg=9142 A great post about the LCMS from Pastor Petersen at Redeemer Lutheran in Fort Wayne, IN
http://augsburg1530.wordpress.com/ A grassroots movement to understand why Issues Etc was cancelled.
http://adelphoitouchristou.typepad.com/savethelcms/News & Information from the Christ-Centered Cross-Focused Resistance Movement
http://laymenetc.typepad.com/ Exactly what it says!
http://bringbackissues.blogspot.com/ Exactly what it says too!

The Listeners Got ISSUES

About that PEW Report

PEW Research recently released its findings on religion in America. In addition my local paper, the Oakland Press, released a story on that report. While I can't argue with their findings and I don't know how valid the survey really is, I can make some observations on the newspaper article.

The article suggests that churches have to keep their services current. It states that the non-denominational churches seem to growing and that's true. The clergy quoted say that people are searching for something and often leaving the mainline denominations that they grow up in. That's probably true and very sad.

It leaves me wondering about a few things though.

• Why has the traditional church with hymns and liturgy which have been around for 2000+ years all of sudden become insufficient and irrelevant?

• The non-denominational churches tend to create their own hybrid 'creeds'. Are the historic creeds insufficient and irrelevant?

• Church seems to be about feeling fed and being happy and knowing your purpose in life. Exactly why did Jesus die and why do I belong to a local congregation and attend worship regularly?

From my vantage point (I'm a baby boomer) it's not about me at all, rather it's about what Jesus did on the cross and what God gives to me with that. No amount of my work can give me forgiveness of sins and make me a child of God. God works that through faith which only the Holy Spirit can give through the means of grace, namely Holy Baptism, Holy Communion and the Word.

Of course therein lies a part of the problem. Somehow many people think they need to help God do the saving by their decision and prove it by their acts of service. Some think you have to add good works in addition to what God gives in Holy Baptism. Some think that acts of service and being a good person will gain your access to heaven. Actions of service are essential, but they have nothing to do with salvation.

I can only speak for the Lutheran church (specifically LCMS) as that is the denomination I am a part of.

Why do you leave?

• Perhaps you don't really understand that when you attend that 'boring' liturgical service that God is present in Word and Sacrament. (The Divine Service)
  

• Perhaps you don't understand that the hymns you sing are oozing with the Word of God.
  

• Perhaps you don't understand that faith that saves (forgiveness of sins) is a free gift given to you even through you are poor, miserable sinner.

• Perhaps you don't understand that when the Pastor speaks that God is using the Pastor's voice -- He forgives your sins with the absolution, He speaks Law and Gospel, that is the Good News that Christ died for YOUR sins and you are forgiven.

When you decide to go to the local non-denominational church that is culturally relevant you are no longer receiving the means of grace. You may hear the Word of God, but it will most likely be 'Law, Gospel, Law'. Where's the Good News in that? The last time I looked most non-denominational churches are not sacramental and there is no room in their statements of faith (assuming you can find it) for Holy Baptism, Holy Communion and hearing the Word as the means for creating a saving faith.

Just because you were confirmed as a teenager or maybe you went through a short new member class, doesn't mean you are done growing. You have to sustain your faith in the same way that you have to care for your body with means of food, shelter and rest. Open the Word regularly, strive to understand what happens in liturgy, learn what the theology of the Lutheran church is (ie how faith is created for starters), read and re-read Luther's Small Catechism. Avail yourself of the means that God has ordained -- Holy communion, worship, and His Word. That's how you sustain your faith. Remember Holy Baptism is not the Willy Wonka golden ticket. You can lose your faith if you are not careful.

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Albrecht Altdorfer

Altar Piece
The Resurrection of Christ
c. 151
Oil on wood, 70,5 x 37,3 cm
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Holy Week

Holy Week happened and I never made to my blog. The first event of the week was on Holy Tuesday when the LCMS saw fit to cancel Issues Etc (on www.kfuoam.org) and terminate Pastor Todd Wilken (the host) and Jeff Schwarz (the producer). It has been a wild ride on The Wittenberg Trail as it relates to this bad move by the Synod. The blogosphere is 'ablaze' with this story and I'm not talking Ablaze as in the efforts by the LCMS to evangelize.

I have spent too much time hiking The Wittenberg Trail as well as sending my share of emails to synod contacts. And I'll continue spending too much time.

My dad had a pacemaker put in this week and that went very well. Praise God for the vocation of medicine.

Alex was the penitent thief in the Passion Play that the 5th graders do every year at his school. The entire cast was wonderful and what a tremendous witness they were to everyone who attended. We were thrilled that Alex's godparents came -- Bob, Sherry and family.

We attended our first Maundy Thursday service at Our Shepherd. It was a very powerful service as the altar was stripped and all the lights extinguished. The 22nd Psalm was chanted by two men and it was so moving.

We attended our first Good Friday service also. It was a Tenebrae service. The only lights in the sanctuary were the candles in front of the altar. The pastors woke simple black robes. It was so sad and somber. We heard mediations on Jesus' last 7 words and sang the hymn "Jesus, in Your Dying Woes' throughout.

On Saturday we had a seder at home. We combined what I have experienced at seders in the past with information on found on the Internet. Our goal was to remember what God did for the Israelites as they left Egypt and what He did when He sent His Son. And finally we made Resurrection cookies.

Our New Church Home

We were privileged today to officially join our new Lutheran church. We are members of Our Shepherd Lutheran in Birmingham.

We have been attending a class for the last 7 weeks which helped us to know what kinds of opportunities are available. Since we were transferring from another LCMS church we didn't attend the Living Discipleship class which explores Lutheran theology. However I plan to attend it later this spring. I didn't pay attention to confirmation as a teenager many decades ago.

We were warmly welcomed today both in the service and at a potluck afterwards. Today was also first communion for the 8th graders so there were many people at the 11:00 service. Since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, the theme of the potluck was green. Alex was one of the winners in the icebreaker and received a large chocolate bunny -- that thrilled him. And we came home with a shamrock plant and a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers.

I am in awe of our Lord Jesus Christ as I reflect on the various church stops I have made in my life. I grew up basically in one church (starting at age 8 -- can't remember much before then) and then got married and moved away to South Dakota. I found a church home there.

But I took a detour and ended up back in Michigan as a single mom with a 7 year old. I returned to the church I grew up in and met my second (and last) husband. We adopted our son and began to feel a need to make a church change.

So with fear and trepidation we did. In fact we jumped synods, moved across town and joined a very large church. That created tension in my family as I left the 'family' church. We changed worship style -- contemporary, praise and worship. And we grew tremendously in that church.

After several years of homeschooling Alex returned to school -- a Lutheran school. That gave us re-exposure to traditional Lutheran (liturgy) and a desire to return back to liturgy grew. We couldn't return to the church that I grew up in as I now have doctrinal concerns, plus it made sense to be at the church that is associated with Alex's school.

So we joyful continue on our faith journey as we head towards eternity and that face to face meeting with Jesus.

Great Music

While hiking on the Wittenberg Trail yesterday I read a post a fellow hiker inquiring about a musician. He mentioned that he listens to a radio website from WELS. There are 6 channels: choral, contemporary, Easter Time, instrumental, mix and traditional.

http://streams.wels.net/radio

Spirituality of the Cross -- Baptism

Notes from Chap 3

The Presence of God
The Sacraments -- Baptism

• Lutheran spirituality is a sacramental spirituality, centered in the conviction that the Holy Spirit actually descends in the waters of Baptism, and that Christ is really present in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.

• Lutherans believe that the Gospel is conveyed, objectively, when a human being, even an infant is baptized. The Gospel is also conveyed, objectively, when the Lord's Supper is celebrated and the communicant is fed with bread and wine, in which is present the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ given for the forgiveness of sins.

• The Holy Spirit is strongly at work in local congregations, unlikely as it may sometimes, seem, as the pastor proclaims the Word and teaches and applies it to his people.

• According to Romans 6:3-5, Baptism unites a person to Christ, specifically, to His death and resurrection.

• As Luther explains in the Large Catechism, "To be baptized in God's name is to be baptized not by men but God himself."

• Infant Baptism, in fact, is perhaps the best illustration of justification by faith. Faith is not a matter of intellectual mastery, nor is it a decision. Faith is trust, a relationship of utter dependence on Christ.

• Baptism plays a continual role in the spiritual life of Lutherans. We are always told to 'remember your Baptism'. Every day when you wash your face, said Luther, you should think of your baptism.

• The fact of one's baptism is also tied to the assurance of salvation.

Lifelight -- Timothy, Titus and Philemon

I have started my second Lifelight Study. We are studying Timothy, Titus and Philemon. This study is a bit easier than the Revelation Study and very practical as we are joining a new church this Sunday.

The first lesson dealt with the first chapter of 1 Timothy. This chapter warns against false doctrine. False doctrine abounds in the world and often it is rather covert.

What comes to mind for me is the teaching that a person must contribute to their salvation by making a decision. That is taught in a multitude of churches -- mainline and non-denominational.

I have a series of Adult Information Class DVDs from Messiah Lutheran in Seattle. One of the sessions, on justification (I think) used a great illustration. Can a physically dead man on the ground order a Starbucks latte? NOPE! Can a spiritually dead man save himself? NOPE! I can't --- only God can do that through the work of the Holy Spirit.

We Have a Winner -- Iditarod 36

Iditarod 36 has a winner -- Lance Mackey won it for the second year in a row. I have been following Jeff King and he came in second this morning at 4:05 am Alaska time. http://iditarodblogs.com/news/2008/03/12/king-claims-second-in-iditarod-36

My other two mushers are still mushing -- DeeDee Jonrowe and Ed Stielstra. What was fun about the race this year was that 20 of the mushers (including Lance and Jeff) had GPS units on their sleds so you could follow their progress live via satellite.

Happy Adoption Day Alex

10 years ago day (March 11, 1998) Dave and I arrived on the overnight train from Moscow to Kirov. We traveled on the Transiberian Railroad. What an adventure. We arrived at about 8:30 am, jammed into a vehicle and traveled a few miles to the Kirov orphanage. At a few minutes before 9 am, Alex entered the room in the arms of a caregiver. We played for 30 minutes and then headed to court. By 11:30 am we were legally Alex's parents (both in Russia and the US, since the US recognized the court proceeding). By 5 pm we were on the overnight train back to Moscow with Alex. Our first night was in a small train berth chugging through the snowy countryside. That 10 years seems like yesterday and yet so long ago. Thank to God for his wonderful gift of Alex.

Spirituality of the Cross -- The Bible

Notes from Chap 3

The Bible

• God, in His direct inspiration and providential control of history, caused His Word to be put into writing. Consequently, Christians believe that "all Scripture is God-breathed." (1 Timothy 3:16)

• Christians believe that God's Word is something tangible, written down ink and paper, accessible and objective.

• Lutherans and other Christians agree, then, that the Bible is authoritative. It is the source and test, the touchstone, of all valid theology.

• Lutherans and other Christians agree that the Bible gives us accurate information about God's action in history.

• Lutherans, however, see something else happening when we read or hear the Bible. It is a means of grace. God is literally and objectively present and working, inscribing in our hearts the gift of faith.

• The content of God's Word is Law and Gospel. The Bible reveals God's holiness, His will, His demands, and His judgments. The Bible also reveals His love, His grace, and His promises -- how God constantly rescued His children from their sin-caused slavery, how Christ offered Himself as the expiation for our sins.

• To read the Bible as a spiritual venture is to be confroned, in the most personal terms, with God Himself.
  

Spirituality of the Cross -- The Word of God

Notes from Chap 3

The Word of God

• Central to every level of Lutheran theology and spirituality -- its source, its method, and its practice -- is the insight that God Himself addresses human beings through human language.

• For Lutherans, God comes from the outside; the Holy Spirit is to be found objectively. God speaks directly and effectually to us in His Word.

• The Christian's relationship to God, like all other relationships, thrives on two-way conversations - the Christian speaks to God by prayer, and God speaks to the Christian who rad His Word.

• Lutherans insist that the Bible, though written by human beings, is indeed the Word of God.

• The main difference between God's Word and merely human words, is that God -- the Holy Spirit -- promises to be at work whenever His Word is spoken. "My word that goes out from my mouth", says the Lord, "will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11).

Spirituality of the Cross -- The Means of Grace

Notes from Chapter 3

The Means of Grace
The Presence of God

• We are saved solely by the action of God: He is the one who saved us by performing everything we could not.

• Lutheran theologians speak of "objective justification". Strictly speaking, justification took place outside of ourselves, in the actual historical events of Christ's death and resurrection. On the cross, two millenia ago, our salvation was accomplished as an objective event.

• Though Christ atoned for the sins of the entire world, it is clear that not everyone has faith.

• If faith is not a decision nor an experience nor some inner work, and if salvation is totally the work of God, it would seem that faith too must be the work of God.

So the big question is:

How do we attain a saving, life-changing faith?

The answer, in Lutheran spirituality, has to do with the so-called means of grace. We are connected to Christ, and the Holy Spirit works both faith and good works in our lives by means of the Word and the Sacraments.

This is a broadcast from Law & Gospel (Pastor Tom Baker) on the Means of Grace from February 28, 2008
http://www.kfuoam.org/mp3/LG/Law_Gospel_Feb_28.mp3

Iditarod 2008

http://www.iditarod.com/

I was introduced to the Iditarod when we were homeschooling. I"m hooked. I am not a dog lover, but the race fascinates me. The race begins tomorrow morning (Saturday March 1) at 10 am with the 'restart' on Sunday. The race follows the northern route since it is an even year. The race covers over 1000 miles with the finish line in Nome.

I found a Lutheran connection. The Teacher on the Trail is a Lutheran school teacher. Jane Blaile is from Christ Lutheran School in sunny Phoenix, Arizona.

I'll be keeping track of the following racers:

Ed Stielstra who is from Michigan and a veteran racer.

DeeDee Jonrowe who is from Alaska and a veteran racer.

Jeff King who lives in Alaska and is one of the favorites to win.

God's blessings on all the racers and their teams.

Spirituality of the Cross -- The Paradoxes of Lutheranism

Notes from Chapter 2

Paradoxes of Lutheranism

• Lutherans tend to be highly conscious of sin, without falling into moralism.

• Lutherans treasure theology and have a rich intellectual tradition, while emphasizing the limits of speculative reason.

• Lutherans are skeptical of mystical emotionalism, but they cultivate an intense inner piety and a worship centered in in effacable mysteries.

• The Christian, according to Luther, is simul justus et peccator -- at the same time righteous and sinner.

• The Christian is totally free, yet a slave -- in Christian service -- to everyone.

Spirituality of the Cross -- Law and Gospel

Crucifixion (Città di Castello Altarpiece)
Raffaello, 1502-03

Notes on Chapter 2

Justification
Law and Gospel

• "There is no one righteous, not even one [so much for moralism!]; there is no one who understands [so much for speculation!]; no one who seeks God [so much for mysticism!] Romans 3:12

• A genuine confrontation with God's Law destroys complacency, security, and every shred of self-righteousness.

• For Lutherans, God's Law has many 'uses' -- to restrain evil in society; to serve as a guide for Christians; to cut through our layers of self-deception so that we realize just how lost we really are. In biblical language, the Law brings with it the 'conviction of sin', inspiring 'repentance'.

• The Law is the prelude to the Gospel. Those broken by the Law are convinced of their need and of their inability to save themselves. Then the message that God does it all comes as an astounding relief, as good news.

• Faith itself is considered by Lutherans to be a gift of God, created in the human heart as His action through the Holy Spirit. Properly speaking, it is Christ on the cross who saves. Faith is simply dependence on that sacrifice.

• The pattern of conversion is repeated every Sunday, in the confession and absolution, in the pastor's sermon which is always a proclamation of Law and Gospel.

• He [Luther] said that we should be broken by the Law and animated by the Gospel every day: "The old Adam in us, together with all sins and evil lusts, should be drowned by daily sorrow and repentance and be put to death."

• Those who have been justified by Christ are changed from the inside. Good works flow unconsciously from the work of Christ.

• Christians, however, have a double nature -- indwelling Christ [Luther's new man] and the old sinful nature from Adam ["the old Adam"]. These are in constant conflict.

• The disciplines of prayer, confession, and the ministry of Word and Sacrament, enable the Christian to grow in holiness and good works -- a process known as sanctification.

• There is a dynamic oscillation between lows and highs, knowledge of sin and knowledge of forgiveness, repentance and assurance. The Gospel is to predominate.

Spirituality of the Cross -- Justification

Notes on Chapter 2

Justification
The Dynamics of Sin and Grace

• Instead of insisting the human being attain perfection, Lutheran spirituality begins by facing up to imperfection. We cannot perfect our conduct, try as we might. We cannot understand God through our own intellects. We cannot become one with God.

• We do not have to ascend to God; rather, the good news is that He has descended to us. Lutherans insist that there is nothing we can do, but that God does literally everything.

• Human sin and God's grace are the two poles of Lutheran spirituality. They are resolved in the principle by which, it is said, the church stands or falls; justification by grace through faith.

Paths to God

• Moralism -- seeks to earn God's favor, or a satisfying life, through the achievement of moral perfection. Good people go to heaven, it is thought, while bad people go to hell.

• Speculation -- the assumption that knowledge is the key to spiritual fulfillment. Many answers have been offered, but they keep changing, as the history of human thought shows. One school of philosophy is succeeded by another, and even scientific theories keep having to be revised.

• Mysticism -- attaining the ecstatic experience of becoming one with God. The techniques of achieving such experiences are varied, from ascetic self-denial to elaborate methodologies of mediation, but they all promise spiritual ecstasy and supernatural empowerment.

• Lutheran spirituality begins with the insight that all human efforts to reach God are futile. God is the one who is active, not human beings. The issue is not our ascent to God, but God's descent to us.

Lutheran spirituality is all about what God does. To rescue us from our miserable and depraved human condition, He became a human being Himself. The God-man Jesus Christ accomplished the perfection moralists only aspire to and took upon Himself the punishment for everyone's moral failures by dying on the cross. The spiritual life has to do with recognizing God's work -- what He accomplished on the cross and what He continues to accomplish in people's lives through the Holy Spirit.

The Spirituality of the Cross

This is Lent and a time to reflect on your faith. There are many ways to do that. Three years ago I read The Spirituality of the Cross, The Way of the First Evangelical by Dr. Gene Veith. I have re-read the book 4 times since. It is a short book, as books on theology go, and easy for the average person to read. Dr. Veith is a layman -- not a theologian or a pastor. The book is free of technical language. I have underlined, highlighted and filled a notebook with notes.

The table of contents reads:

Introduction: The First Evangelical
Justification: The Dynamics of Sin and Grace
The Means of Grace: The Presence of God
Theology of the Cross: The Hiddenness of God
Vocation: The Spirituality of Ordinary Life
Living in Two Kingdoms: The Sacred and the Secular
Conclusion: Worshiping God

Some notes from the first chapter:

• The term "evangelical" is simply a term derived from the Greek word for "Gospel", which in turn literally means "good news." "Evangelical" means someone who focuses on the Gospel of Jesus, the good news that Christ, through His death and resurrection, has won forgiveness of sinful human beings and offers salvation as a free gift.....the word "evangelical" meant Lutheran.

• They (Lutheran) were also the first to emphasize the Gospel to such an extent that it became central to every level of their doctrine and practice.

• The fact is, there can be no spirituality without theology, no religious experience apart from religious belief.

• One of the strengths of the Lutheran tradition is that theology is taken seriously and has been thoroughly worked out.

There is a study guide available for download through the Concordia Publishing House.

Hearing God's Voice

Hearing God's voice -- What does that mean?

We had a Service of Light/Evening Prayer for Wednesday night service as it is Lent. Pastor gave a message which was so clear and simple. He used the message that he had shared with the children at chapel earlier in the day. His message talked about Calvin and Hobbs and how much fun it is to have imaginary friends you can talk to. But he also talked about our friend Jesus and specifically how we talk to Him and how He talks back to us.

The message was simple -- one way we talk to Jesus is in our prayers and Jesus answers back in his Word. His Word may shape the thoughts that we have and the dreams we dream, but the clear response back from Him is always in Word and Sacrament.

On Changing Churches

The one thing in life that is constant is change and one of the hard things for me is to change churches. I have always been a faithful member of a church. I haven't changed churches often, but when I have it's been hard and for good reason.

The one constant is, I have always been and will always be a Lutheran. Faith was created in me by the Holy Spirit when I was only a 2 month old infant and my parents had me baptized at Lookout Lutheran Church in Gilmanton, Wisconsin. Throughout my life I have been sustained by the means of grace -- namely Word and Sacrament. That's one of the treasures of being a Lutheran.

In 2000 I found it necessary to make the biggest church change in my life -- I left the church that I grew up in and that my family attends. It was an ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) church and I made the synod jump to the LCMS(Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) that was across town. Not a great way to win a popularity contest with your family -- but that was not what the change was all about. It was an opportunity for me to more fully explore what being Lutheran means. What I discovered in that process was that there are some fundamental differences between the ELCA and the LCMS. And those differences mattered to me.

When we made the jump across synods we also made a leap into a new worship style. We attended a large LCMS church which uses a praise and worship style for worship. The words to the music and anything that needed to be said as a congregation is projected on large screens. The service begins with a medley of songs (praise songs as well as hymns). The music is led by a worship team which might be a few people or many. There might be only a pianist or a large group of musicians. The traditional liturgy is not used, however aspects of it are included. Like many Lutheran churches, communion is not given weekly, but twice a month. The messages are usually a series on a topic that covers multiple weeks. The church calendar is not evident in terms of colors and I don't think the lectionary is used to determine readings and prayers.

Now it's 2008 and I've found it is necessary to make another change. Our 7 years in that particular church were filled with blessings and many friends. We have been feeling a desire to return to a smaller Lutheran church with liturgy and weekly communion. I feel that I've returned home in some regards as we are transferring back to a traditional Lutheran church. But in the last 7 years I have fully embraced the LCMS and I now understand liturgy in all its richness.

The comfort I take in all this over the years is that:

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 40:8

For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.

1 Peter 24-25