When "Christians" Aren't

Check out this example of what happens when "Christians" dump the "Our Father," i.e. the "Lord's Prayer," of the one holy Christian (catholic) and apostolic church for the pietistic "Ijustwanna's" straight from the hearts of men: among other things, the petition we need answered most and which our Lord invites, desires, and even commands us to pray is lost--along with the gracious gift of which it speaks.

Westboro Church to Protest at Elizabeth Edwards' Funeral

"And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this [Matthew 6:7-9a]:"

". . . And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

"What does this mean?

"We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor deny such petitions on account of them; for we are worthy of... none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much, and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we verily, on our part, also heartily forgive and also readily do good to those who sin against us."
[Luther's Small Catechism explanation to the Fifth Petition of the Lord's Prayer http://www.bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php#lord]

Sometimes Ya Just Gotta Laugh!

I'm sure if you are a sinner like me, you have experienced boredom with the life and vocation you have been given by God many times over.

But this is beardumb. And methinks it is a once in a lifetime experience.

The Son of Man Coming

People of Zion,

To hear how you can recognize the Son of Man Coming with your redemption, both now and on the Last Day, click on this mp3 audio link.
The Son of Man Coming

Continued Advent blessings as you prepare for Christmas and our Lord prepares you for His second coming and your redemption.

A Complimentary Lesson from AVG

"complimentary": 2. given free as a courtesy or favor [Mirriam-Webster's complimentary online dictionary]

Given the Lutheran appreciation of (if not obsession with) things that are free, and the fact that most of my internet friends and readers are Lutheran, I suspect that I am not alone in having suffered a computer meltdown due to a well-meaning, yet aberrant and incapacitating AVG update last night.

This debacle goes to show you that just because something is free does not mean it is ultimately beneficial or without cost to somebody.

In my case, the only cost to me was some recreational, read "Bejeweled Blitz," computer time last night and an hour's trip to Prime Systems computer shop this morning. However the cost to the proprietors of Prime Systems, and thousands of reputable computer shops like them, is great in that they are cleaning up the mess AVG created for their customers on their dime—not to mention the lost income and additional labor costs for countless other proprietors who do their own tech support and rely on AVG to keep their computers open for business. Kudos to Prime Systems and their ilk!

That nothing--and I do mean nothing--is actually free or ultimately without cost in this world is even and most especially true when it comes to our salvation in Christ. Though priceless and not available for our purchase, our salvation came at a cost. Truth be told it came at the greatest of costs—the holy, precious blood, and the innocent suffering and death of the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thanks be to God, He does not pass that cost to us, but graciously offers it to us through the work of the Holy Spirit in His holy Christian church by the preaching of the Gospel along with the waters of Baptism, the proclamation of Absolution, and the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion. In this way we receive the complimentary service of our Lord that not only cleans up the mess we sinners have made of our lives, but gives us eternal life with Him in the kingdom of heaven.

The Feast of St. Andrew

"The Martyrdom of Saint Andrew" by Charles Le Brun, 1646-47, The Getty Museum

Today, January 30 is the day the holy Christian church celebrates God's gift of the life and martyrdom St. Andrew. He was the brother of Simon Peter, and originally a disciple of John the Baptist until he "found the Messiah."

"The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, 'What are you seeking?' And they said to him,(BK) "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, 'Come and you will see.' So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus." -- The holy Gospel for the Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle, John 1: 35-42a

From St. Andrew we learn at least four things:
1) A disciple's, i.e. a believer's, finding of the Messiah is really a matter of the Messiah finding him.
2) A believer, having been found by the Messiah, as he goes forth in his daily life amongst his acquaintances brings them to meet Jesus as the believer lives his faith.
3) The life of a believer is not an easy road, and he is not necessarily going to be loved or even tolerated by the people of the world in which he lives.
4) God gives the strength, courage, and peace to endure anything and everything that the believer will encounter as he bears the cross of Christ that gives him life.

Church history has it that St. Andrew was martyred on an "X" shaped cross. According to the 15th-16th century Lutheran theologian, Valerius Herberger;
"When St. Andrew was threatened witht he cross, he said joyfully, 'If I feared the punishment of the cross, I would never have preached the mystery of the cross.' Then when he saw the cross, he spoke, 'Hail, precious cross, you who were dedicated by the body of Christ; may He receive me through you, who redeemed me through you.' And when he was living after three days on the cross, his hearers wanted to take him down by force, but he said, 'Ah, let God take care of it! Do not make the peace of the Gospel suspect by your unnecessary revolt against the government.' That was apostolic constancy and long-suffering! This is what it means to 'leave everything and follow Christ,' all the way to the last catch of fish!" -- [The Daily Treasury of Prayer, CPH, p. 968]

Your King Is Coming to You

Advent greetings to you!

To hear how our Lord comes to you today, humble, even as He came to Jerusalem some 2000 years ago, click on this mp3 audio link.
Your King Is Coming to You



Have a blessed Advent as you prepare for Christmas and our Lord prepares you for His second coming and the resurrection of all flesh.

Oil for Your Lamp

Dear saints of God,

To hear how God keeps the lamp of your faith filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit so you will be ready when our Lord comes to take you home on the Last Day (or your last day), click on this mp3 link. Oil for Your Lamp

Have a blessed week in the Lord filled with His gifts of faith and love. "Let us give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endureth forever."