These Days

 

God put us here for a purpose.

“Maybe we were made for these days.” These lyrics from a Jeremy Camp song fall short of God’s expectations for His people. Equipped with the time and talents provided to us, God did indeed put each of us in this time and in this place for His purpose. We were created to pursue justice. We were created to spread the Gospel to all the ends of the earth. We were made to take a stand against evil. We were made to worship and glorify our God by spreading the love of Jesus to all our neighbors. Yes, we were wonderfully made, specifically created for times such as these.

Evil thrives and violence spreads throughout our nation and the world. The current strategy employed that ignores the growing threat only encourages further escalation of that evil. Just as children who do not face consequences for their actions become spoiled and disobedient, today’s left pushes the boundaries of lawlessness as far as the consequences, or lack thereof, will allow. The left’s embrace of evil is metastasizing as if it were a cancer spreading throughout the human body.

Leftist ideology is attacking the most vulnerable as our children are indoctrinated with deviant sexuality. It is attacking the very fabric of this nation as the left calls for insurrection and disregard of the rule of law. It has infiltrated our churches, replacing the worship of our God with the worship of tolerance, diversity, and the things of this world. Our institutions have been polluted with antisemitism, the embrace of socialism, and hatred of opinions deemed inappropriate to their chosen wokeism tenets. There is a real danger that our nation, the last bastion of true freedom in the world, will be lost forever.

There is a great evil overtaking our nation and world. Evil thrives in an environment that allows it to grow. The silence of good people is deafening. We can no longer simply remain silent and “let someone else” confront this evil. If unchecked the left will destroy everything that is good and true. If unchecked the left will lead this nation down a path to destruction. The democrat party has not only embraced leftist ideology, but they have also doubled down on all things woke. Democrats must be voted out of office until they become an impotent minority. We must retake our schools to eliminate the indoctrination of our children. If we fail to hold the left accountable, we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

The easy way to combat this rampant evil would be to respond in kind, but we cannot repay evil with evil. Hatred only begets more hatred that is certain to entangle us within the influence of the evil one. The easy path can often be the most dangerous path. We can only mend fences and open minds through and with the love of Christ. Christ died for our sins while we were still sinners and enemies of God, including those unduly influenced by the evil one today.

We are long past due to stand strong in our faith. We were made to be God’s hands and feet on this earth. We are called to plant the seeds of faith so that the Holy Spirit can nurture and grow those seeds within those we meet and receive. Sharing the love of Christ is our greatest calling and the best way to show God our gratitude for our undeserved grace. To share the joy of salvation with the lost is our sacred duty as Jesus called for us to make disciples of all the world in the Great Commission. We need to keep singing and sharing until all have heard!

The first step in reconciliation is forgiveness. Without forgiveness, doors will remain shut and walls cannot be overcome. Without forgiveness there is no avenue to engage in constructive dialogue. Without forgiveness both sides remain at odds. Once anger, bitterness, and resentment are eliminated on one side of the equation, one can truly love one’s enemy. There is but one bond that unites all humanity and His name is Jesus Christ.

“And now, Lord, take notice of the threats they have made, and allow us, your servants, to speak your message with all boldness.” Acts 4:29

 

The Father of Lies

 

  Persuading the masses that good is evil and evil is good.

The difference between reality and fantasy has been skewed.  The left has accelerated the devolution of society, championing the murder of the unborn, recklessly flooding the nation with illegal aliens, encouraging the mutilation of children, promoting racial bias, and endorsing hatred towards those that do not support their unhinged lunacy.  It is becoming progressively difficult to determine what is “normal” and navigating these new things leads one to carefully parse any speech, lest one becomes labeled as phobic and subject to cancel culture. Satan is most certainly winning the battle for the soul of America.

The ever-leaning leftward democrat party hyperventilates that Trump is a threat to democracy, but democrats are destroying this nation that relies upon the rule of law by weaponizing government using censorship and lawfare. The ripple effect of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) instituted via President Biden’s executive order, has had an adverse effect on society. This insidious order, that sounds so appealing, is nothing of the sort. Just as the evil one uses appealing language to tempt humankind to accept what is sinful as good, this order perverts language to fool the masses and assuage the purveyors of evil in our nation. No longer are the best and brightest promoted, promotions are now based on skin color, sexual orientation, and gender. This will end the meritocracy that has served this nation well and lead to the under-qualified ascending to vital positions.

ESG (environment, social, and governance) is another program designed to bring us closer to socialism. By requiring businesses to adhere to the standards of ESG, profitability suffers and, as with DEI, forces companies doing business with the government or any business connected in any way with the government, to base production methods, hiring, firing, HR and purchasing based upon environmental sustainability, race, and gender identity. This will effectively destroy those companies that cannot remain profitable while following these insane policies. These deceptive policies, that sound so reasonable, are meant to integrate government control into all aspects of life in this nation. In fact, the government is incrementally eroding the rights of the citizens to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. Satan must be so proud of his democrat party underlings that are accomplishing his purposes.

For far too long, mainstream America has sat back and acquiesced to the wokeness infiltrating society, satisfied with being ever tolerant, accepting, and welcoming to this pestilence. When schools began using remote learning during the COVID scare, parents saw first-hand that their children were being indoctrinated by teachers that were antithetical to the morals and values the parents held. The unrest we have witnessed on college campuses is a direct result of the kindergarten to university indoctrination with leftist ideology. The trust we have afforded our educators has been misplaced. Distracted by the busyness of daily life or shirking parental responsibility to be involved in our children’s education, we have given Marxist educators license to mold our children into their image. Finally, there is pushback.

In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy a charge to parents is given, “These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.  And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” The Holy Spirit inspired author of these verses highlights just how important a parent’s role is instilling faith, morals, and values in their children. As lives become more complex, the parental role has been ceded to our educational system. When that system has been perverted, we fail in our responsibility to properly raise our children.

When children are indoctrinated away from the tenets of faith, when values and morals contrary to parental desires are instilled, the evil one wins. Traditional mores have been written on our hearts by our Lord and Creator. The abandonment of our Judeo-Christian value system is a recipe to our own destruction. Leftists want nothing less than to destroy this nation and the democrats are firmly in bed with them. Leftists want to sow the seeds of discontent and move us away from our God. Leftists pursue the goals of the evil one, dividing us by race, creed, and gender. If we fail to wake up and understand what the democrat party is attempting to achieve, we will have no one to blame but ourselves. The party that propped up a cognitively impaired Joe Biden, for democrats and the deep state to control, is evidence enough of their disdain for we the people. Democrats must be swept out of office, up and down the ballot. The leadership of the democrat party are willing tools of the evil one. Keep them in power and we will get what we deserve.

Ancient Words

“How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted. Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed.” Habakkuk 1 3-5. It’s not often that one hearkens back to one of the lesser known books of the Old Testament, but many of you may find yourself pleading to God to intervene amidst the wickedness of our time, similar to the petitions offered by the Prophet Habakkuk. It is often hard to accept the fact that God allows injustice to reign in our world without raising His almighty hand to deliver us from all those who encourage and promote evil against humanity. Even some of our elected leaders endorse violence and confrontation against those they disagree with. Civil disobedience has always been the best used tool for the radical left, but now some of our leaders revel in violating our Constitution and laws in an act of political virtue signaling while an ever growing segment of the public openly support this appalling behavior. When will God say enough is enough?

In Habakkuk’s time, God grew so impatient and angry at the disobedience and outright evil in His chosen people, the Israelites, that He allowed an even more evil people, the Babylonians to attack and defeat them, carrying them away into bondage. I can’t imagine God being more upset with His people as evil abounds in this present age. Abortion is celebrated. All types of perversion are lifted up and praised. God’s own church calls out and berates those who hold fast to the Word and uphold traditional Christian doctrine. Churches openly advocate against Israel and fall into league with terrorist organizations that would want nothing less than to convert them to Islam or kill them. The evil one must be very pleased in this world today.

Well, in this present age, the wicked do not outnumber the righteous. It may seem so, since they typically are louder, more confrontational and less encumbered by maintaining the societal norm of engaging in rational and acceptable behavior. Our tendency to respond without having all the facts present infects all sides of the political and religious spectrum. We have become our own worst enemies in dealing with conflict. The left continually blames President Trump and talk radio for the decline of our political discourse, but the left has too long been unchallenged in establishing the “acceptable political narrative”, all the while berating those with whom they disagree. Long established truths of our faith are being, not only challenged, but altered to fit in with the world. Many churches no longer teach that Jesus is the only way, that there are many other valid paths. In many ways the church has become enamored with and overcome by the world, no longer offering a path to salvation, but uplifting the selfish nature of humanity over the will of the Lord.

Listening and engaging with those who hold the same opinion without any discourse with others with differing opinions leads society to engage in group think or what is called the “silo effect”. Social media infects our discourse with quick hitting accusations from the safety of our devices without discerning all the facts. False and misleading articles from unreliable sources cause many to become enraged. Far too many simply look at headlines without even taking the time to read the article before asserting their opinion for all to see. The deliberate avoidance of any discussion about religion or politics among those holding differing opinions only leads us away from any common ground or agreement. We are trapped in our own version of reality and will discount any opinion that contrasts from our own. Left vs. right political views and the, dare I say, hijacking of religion by the left, in an attempt to dilute and minimize our faith, will continue to gnaw away at our society until we end up at each other’s throats.

So, how does a Christian live in the world, but not be overcome by the world? How do we bridge the gap and engage in respectful and meaningful dialogue with our neighbors? What would Jesus want us to do? As difficult as it seems to be, Paul declared, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:17-21 Easier said than done, you may say. How can one engage in productive conversation with someone who will not listen? Ask questions in an attempt to better understand the other’s position. If someone is in obvious error, pattern your questioning to elicit a response that forces them to uphold their argument with logic and facts. When the wayward attempt to convince you of the validity of their argument, it likely will shine the light upon the lack of any logic to their argument. “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26

Avoid arguments and let the lost find their way by attempting to explain the unexplainable. Any attempt to convince will often lead to a door closing, ending any possibility to reconcile them to God. It is not us that can convince, it is the Holy Spirit. We can only attempt to plant the seeds of reconciliation; it is up to God to bring it to fruition. Once we realize that God’s got this under control, not us, we can begin to lessen our worries and concerns. “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

Everybody is Doing It!

Guest Post by Sandy Kriefall

I commute to 37th and Juneau Avenue to go to work. A part of that drive each day is down side streets of Milwaukee. One of the first things that caught my attention as I drove to and from work was the number of people who run red lights. I was shocked that when the light turned yellow, not one but two or more cars also went through the now very red light. I have watched countless cars, busses, and trucks fly through intersections after the light has clearly turned red. Everybody seems to be doing it. I was so conscious of it that for a while I actually made a game of counting the number of red light offenders per trip. As time went on, I no longer paid attention to cars pushing red lights; it became a common part of everyday life.

One of the characteristics of sin is that we know it is wrong. When we see it happening around us, initially we are amazed and pay attention to it. We can’t believe someone would actually do that! The Holy Spirit can communicate to our conscience and we heed the voice. But the danger of living in a sinful world is that eventually we become dulled to the sin around us. It is no longer shocking, if you see it enough it becomes a part of everyday life. That voice no longer whispers in our ear and we accept that sinful behavior as a common way of life.
 
One day I was running late and the light turned yellow. In a split second I had to make the choice to stop or to push the light like I see so many others do. Why shouldn’t I go through too, it would get me to my destination a minute or two earlier. There were no cars near the intersection and there were no officers in sight. I quickly looked in my rear view mirror to make sure no one was behind me, and I made the split second decision to stop. I was very tempted to go through the yellow light that would probably be red by the time I reached the crosswalk but something in my head said ”just because everyone is doing it, doesn’t make it right”.

One of the hardest challenges in living a Christian life is to live with integrity in all situations. The problem is that if you do something once, it makes it easier to do it twice and soon that little voice in your ear fades away and the sinful behavior becomes a way of life you no longer notice. Another example is if we are frequently exposed to an environment where people commonly use foul language, it is easy to pick up words here and there and at some point we don’t even notice the swear words spewing out of our own mouth. It has become normal and by doing it we fit in. The devil enjoys it when Christians act worldly, because it blurs the lines between Christians and non-Christians and makes those who profess to be Christians look like hypocrites.

When we make a conscious effort to not follow the norm of this world but to do what we know is right, even when it is not popular to do so, it is not easy. But it is then that something inside you begins to change. Your sensitivity to sin becomes heightened and you become more capable of making a choice to do the right thing. If a police officer is in view, most of those people wouldn’t go through the red light like they do when no one of authority sees them. But when you make the choice to do what is right no matter if you are alone or in the view of others it transforms your character. When this happens, the Holy Spirit’s voice becomes more noticeable and can guide you when you are not sure of what choice to make and it will strengthen you to do avoid the patterns of this world even when everyone is doing it.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Positive Reinforcement

How do we, as the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” For the time has come where people are no longer putting up with sound doctrine. Instead the people today have gathered around themselves theologians and church leaders that lift up their selfish desires and preach to them what their itching ears want to hear. Saving our brothers and sisters in Christ that have fallen prey to false doctrine means walking that fine line between correction with great patience and judgmental finger pointing. It is never easy to correct, rebuke or encourage someone who truly believes that they are on the proper path. It is very easy to shut out the very persons that are truly acting in Christian love when our words are often taken as hypocritical condemnation. One needs to find the words that open an avenue of constructive communication.
 
The contemporary Christian band, Hawk Nelson’s song “Words” echoes this sentiment.
“They've made me feel like a prisoner. They've made me feel set free. They've made me feel like a criminal, made me feel like a king. They've lifted my heart to places I'd never been. And they've dragged me down, back to where I began. Words can build you up, words can break you down. Start a fire in your heart or put it out. Let my words be life. Let my words be truth. I don't want to say a word unless it points the world back to you”. Well intended words often are not accepted by the recipients of those less than helpful comments.

When, as citizens, we criticize our government leaders or laws, we understand that there are differing opinions in civil society. We may become angry for a time, but we move on. When another country criticizes our government leaders or laws, we tend to take greater umbrage. Consider the outpouring of negativity when Piers Morgan, a CNN correspondent and British citizen, criticized our second amendment rights to bear arms. And the anger and dismay over an immigration protest where illegal aliens displayed Mexican flags, while disrespecting the American flag. We tend to take on a bunker mentality, rally the troops and move to protect our sovereignty, even to the point of defending those leaders and laws that we may personally disagree with.

When we are over critical of the leaders of the ELCA, those brothers and sisters that remain members of that wayward organization begin to circle the wagons, as many believe that criticism is also targeting them. So, how does one point out the danger that each and every member of the ELCA faces from all the false doctrines that permeate this defiant church without them putting up a wall to shut you out? Just as one cannot trust the government without the proper checks and balances, one can no longer blindly trust the leaders of our churches. Sounds inappropriate, since the message from the pulpit is expected to be led by the Holy Spirit, but behind each pulpit, behind each robe, and behind every leader of every church, stands a human being. And human beings are prone to falling short of the glory of God and to be led into trap of the evil one. We are called to dwell in God’s word to try to discern His will for us and pray unceasingly for guidance and direction in our lives. We cannot simply attend church on Sunday, hear the word and be content that our spiritual appetites are satisfied. His word is always there for us and we must study and learn so that whatever “new things” that are promoted by the church are truly God’s will.

Whenever we reach out to our brothers and sisters adrift in all of the apostasy driven churches, we must do this carefully and without the appearance of being judgmental. Focus on some of the good things that their churches do and commend them for furthering God’s mission in those ministries that are Christ centered. Once we can get their attention and enter into an even discussion, we can ask those questions about errant doctrine and help direct them to the truth. It really is quite plain when one looks at these issues without that defensive wall that closes the door to reasonable discourse. Temper your argument from being against their errant teaching to being for the truth. Temper your calling out of sinful behavior with the realization that we all are sinful and fall short. Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” We will never be successful in correcting, rebuking and encouraging if our words end the discussion. Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit inspires us with the words that will point the world back to Christ.”

Mutually Inclusive

Many in the secular world decry Christianity as being the most exclusive religion. After all, Christianity confesses only one way to salvation, faith in the Risen Christ. John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” This “exclusive” way to heaven is derided by those much more enlightened than I, labeling Christians as condemning, self-righteous and hypocritical. How could Christians be certain that there are not many other valid religious beliefs and alternate paths to salvation? “After all, and as many Evangelical Christians have argued, if you can go to heaven without believing in Christ, what's the point of faith in the first place? This certainty, in turn, lends believers a sense of authority, even power, as they have a clear standard by which to judge "who's in" and "who's out." Talk about seductive!” David Lose, Director of the Center for Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary St. Paul. MN.

It just may be true that other religions worship the same God. Unfortunately, human beings have perverted God's will by using their flawed and selfish reasoning. Many religions, even with the best of intentions, just plain get it wrong. Christianity, while also governed by flawed human beings, looks to the writings of the Holy Spirit inspired authors of the Bible. And many Christian churches have also betrayed our Lord and Savior in their misguided attempts to fix our broken world. Jesus called upon us to preach the Gospel and to make disciples of the world, but there is no earthly requirement that anyone must accept the truth of Jesus Christ. If one hears and chooses to ignore the Word, there are no earthly consequences. If one truly accepts, nothing else is necessary to receive the gifts of grace, forgiveness and salvation. One is free to continue living as they did before. But, once one receives the joy of salvation and understands the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for us, everything changes. We are so grateful that we want to please our Lord in all we do, and obedience to His will becomes an honor and joy rather than simply rules that we must obey. Everything we are and have, are gifts from a loving God. We are imperfect, sinful human beings that deliberately disobey and dishonor our Father in Heaven each and every day. Yet, the only requirement that our God places upon His children to obtain eternal life is to believe that His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, took upon himself the punishment meant for us, His sinful and disobedient children.

Many of the more tolerant and open minded in society believe that today’s morality trumps what Christianity teaches. Many progressive churches, including the ELCA, agree with society as they call out those that hold fast to the authority of Scripture. Problem is, they are actually right and yet they are totally wrong. They are right asking why would anyone want to be a part of a religion that has so many judgmental hypocrites sitting in their pews? Well, I for one, stand accused and am guilty as charged. So does every other Christian in this imperfect world. There are no righteous human beings in this world, especially not any Christians. There is a reason that we need a Savior and Redeemer, because, if it was up to us to earn our salvation, we never could. To those who reject our Lord and Savior because of me and my fellow believers, please understand that I am a greater sinner than any of you could possibly be. I want everyone to share in the joy that faith in the Risen Christ can bring. I want everyone to come to Him and be granted eternal life. I want everyone to love and care for their neighbor.

They are wrong because God created this world for us, His children. If you want to believe that, somehow, all of this was some random comingling of molecules and just a mathematical inevitability, take a look around you. See how intricate this world and universe is and try to come to the conclusion that God did not create it. As awesome as God is, He cares for and loves each and every one of us. He wants so much to live with His children in eternity that, rather than punish us justly for our sinfulness, He sent His only Son, to take our place. Now understand that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three, but also one, so when Jesus hung on that cross, God Himself was experiencing the pain and suffering in our stead. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s act of forgiveness was accepting the punishment meant for us. Total, complete, and utter forgiveness, no matter what you have done. Just believe that Christ died for you. No conditions. There is no requirement that you face the east and pray five times daily. You don’t even have to pray at all if you so choose. Non-believers are not required to be converted or killed. There are no enemies to Christianity but the devil and his minions.

They are wrong when so many progressive churches, like the ELCA, go out of their way to be more inclusive in order to placate the secular world. Christianity could not be more inclusive as the gift of eternal life is offered to all who choose to simply have faith in the Risen Christ. John 6:40, Jesus said, “For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day." What could be more inclusive than that?

Symptoms of a Greater Disease

A cough and sore throat may simply reveal that the patient is suffering from a common cold. These same symptoms can also indicate a more insidious disease, such as throat cancer. Doctors that simply treat the symptoms, often keep their patients suffering from the disease that may not be diagnosed until it is too late. While alleviating symptoms may make the patient feel better temporarily, this will not cure the root cause of those symptoms. Treating the person as a whole, diagnosing the malady and prescribing a course of treatment that will lead to a cure, will make the patient whole again. An article printed in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel March 15th, 2012 reported that the ELCA has issued yet another draft statement in their long line of social commentaries. This particular meddling in the affairs of the secular world calls for reform of the nation’s criminal justice system. Jeff Barrow, Bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the ELCA, called this a great idea and lamented about our broken justice system, stating, “The criminal justice system has not brought about any reforms, it’s expensive and I think there are better ways to make our communities safe.”

The article goes on to state, “Thursday’s statement says the ELCA affirms the fundamental principles of the U.S. criminal justice system, such as due process and the presumption of innocence, but that the system is in need of reform. The ELCA is troubled by the high rate of incarceration compared to the rest of the world, and racial disparities that lead to a higher rate of incarceration for minorities. It notes that 1 in 31 adults is in prison or on parole or probation; 1 in 11 for minorities. The statement calls for, among other things, greater use of prison alternative programs, changes in the national drug policy and opposition to the trend toward privatizing prisons.” Again the ELCA, so enamored of the world, fails to look toward God’s will for His children, and instead, looks to repair our broken world without His guidance.

After serving the Greater Milwaukee area as a law enforcement officer for almost 30 years, I have had more than a little experience in dealing with our criminal justice system. Those convicted of crimes are incarcerated according to state statutes and federal laws.To be a member of society requires one to obey the law of the land.  Those that choose to violate those laws pay the consequences for their disobedience.  In larger counties however, such as Milwaukee County, the justice system tends to be much more lenient, due, in part, to the vast number of criminal cases brought into the system. Many criminal charges are dismissed without the offender ever seeing a court room and many other offenders are diverted to alternate programs that often lead to the trivialization of the law. 1 Peter 2:13-17, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”

The misguided leaders of the ELCA try to cure the symptoms without regard to the very cause of the maladies befalling those that run afoul of the criminal justice system. We live in a society that actually promotes and rewards out of wedlock births. What was once a safety net for families in need, has now become an avenue for those who would rather depend upon the government for their livelihood than try to support themselves by entering the workforce. Offered just more than subsistence living conditions, low income women have numerous children by numerous fathers that often have little or no role in the upbringing of those children that they have fathered.  Families receive payments for each child, health care and transportation assistance.  These children are raised without a father's guidance, instead leaning almost exclusively on the women of their extended family. God rarely has a place in these families, so moral responsibility has become foreign to many of these children. This vacuum in their lives is often filled by association with other amoral individuals that have no respect for others, engaging in criminal and gang activity. These families have indeed become slaves to the government that supports them, nurtures them and makes them beholding to the politicians that enact these entitlements that many now believe that they deserve. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

While Scripture calls for God’s children to obey the laws of the world and that each of us should cheerfully give of ourselves to build up God’s kingdom, the leaders of the ELCA think it better to weaken the law and promote the selfishness of humankind. Without consequence those choosing to violate the law will not choose to obey if the laws are made more lenient. This tact does nothing to address the root cause of the crowded jail system in this country, nor will cause the crime rate to diminish.  If the leaders of the ELCA would choose to use their “bully pulpit” to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ and call to repair our broken families, it just may begin to alleviate the problem with the disparities in our prison population. As we know, the ELCA is so obsessed with quotas, so perhaps they can begin with promoting the quota of one mother and one father as the family heads that work together raising children, teaching them the Lord’s prayer, the Ten Commandments and bringing them to hear the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that through the power of the Holy Spirit, they may come to know and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Wishful Thinking

Those that hope for an outcome that would be most pleasing to them often use wishful thinking when making decisions, rather than considering real evidence, logic or truth. This pattern of thinking continues to persist throughout human society and now is being embraced by “mainstream” religion. When one decides on a course of action which is deliberately guided by wishful thinking, things may actually go well for a time. But, fantasy can never be reconciled with reality. As things start to go south, the wishful thinker will often make an even more determined effort to keep their dream alive. Then, as reality closes in and everything starts to unravel, the illusion crashes back to earth. For the leadership of the ELCA, their “new things”, such as bound conscience, are in the process of falling apart. As more and more congregations discover the direction that the ELCA is heading, more are taking steps to disassociate. The ELCA’s leadership is currently engaged in a very determined effort to keep their dream of an all welcoming, tolerant, accepting and appeasing religion that does not recognize sin, alive. They have changed the rules for congregations that are in the process of discerning whether or not to continue in their relationship with the ELCA. They have taken a hard line with the faithful, seeking to maintain unity in their wayward church by using threats and subterfuge.
The leadership of the ELCA persists in adhering to two different hermeneutics that are irreconcilable, promoting that man is in authority of Scripture, while also proclaiming to profess the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, or Scripture alone. Unfortunately, because they so foolishly wish that their “bound conscience” will give them license to justify any worldly desire, they have also deliberately led their unwitting membership along the path of unintended consequences. This wishful thinking leads the misguided that long to have their lifestyle affirmed by the church, to ascertain that because Jesus did not specifically comment on homosexuality, one can derive that this indicates that He does not disapprove of that lifestyle. No matter how much one would want this to be true, Jesus over and over cited the Old Testament laws as valid. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-20, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” So, although we are no longer bound by the law in order to gain our salvation, it still is important to not only obey, but to uphold the law by teaching sound doctrine.

Another “new” concept that intrigues the leaders and scholars of the ELCA is that hell somehow no longer exists, or is at least irrelevant, apparently since hell is cited only 53 times in the Bible. This is just one more example of wishful thinking. To encourage teaching that God is a God of love and nothing but love breeds a dangerous assumption. Promoting the idea that God would never punish His children and that since Jesus died for everyone it is not necessary to know or even believe in the Risen Christ to gain salvation, is more than simply wishful thinking. It is a perilous notion that jeopardizes the salvation of those foolish enough to trust a church that promotes or at the very least, acquiesces to this errant doctrine. 

These are nothing more than false doctrines that the leaders and scholars of the ELCA have concocted and illegitimately foisted upon their trusting members. These leaders and “Biblical scholars” claim that God is now telling them a new thing, appealing to the emotions of those who want a God who affirms them within their sinful behavior. Bound conscience is no different than saying, “If only I want something bad enough and truly believe it, then it will come true.” This type of thinking will only lead one to a bitter disappointment. I’m sorry, but being a follower of Christ carries great responsibility. It’s not about us and what we want; it is all about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:8-9, “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Expose the heresy of those that seek to redefine Christianity. Reject those that preach a gospel other than the one our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ taught. Pray that those lost or that have fallen from the path of righteousness return to the Lord. Proclaim the true Gospel with all your heart and with all your might, praying that the Holy Spirit gives you the wisdom and strength to persevere.

Praises after the Storm

On Sunday, May 22, 2011 at approximately 5:30PM a category 5 tornado, the product of the convergence of three massive storm systems, touched down in Joplin, Missouri.  The wind speed of the tornado was over 300 MPH as it touched down, then decreased to about 220 MPH as it slowly moved through the heart of the city.  Tornados typically travel at ground speeds of 25-50 MPH.  This storm crawled at 10 MPH, literally destroying everything in its path.  The tornado carved a path of destruction one mile wide and more than 5 miles long through the heart of Joplin.  Tornado touchdowns always leave wreckage in their path.  This storm absolutely leveled the city, leaving it looking more like Hiroshima or Nagasaki at the end of WWII.  Piles of rubble where homes once stood, trees twisted into shards of wood, still rooted in the ground.  No words can appropriately describe the devastation to this community.   1 Peter 1:6-9, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”   More than 150 of our brothers and sisters in Christ perished on that day.  Many more are still hospitalized and the death toll is expected to continue to rise.  But, the spirit of so many of those affected by this tragedy still remains fixed upon our Lord.

So many are thankful for the blessings received from the Lord, even in the midst of so much destruction.  Even though over 9000 homes were completely destroyed and many more damaged extensively, there are so many  thankful to have survived and have loved ones that survived this calamity.  As we drove through the devastation that was once Joplin, we observed signs spray painted on the foundations of homes, often the only part of the house left standing.  “Thank you Jesus for sparing us.”   “Thank you Lord, we survived.”  “I love you Jesus.”  “Thank you to all the volunteers.”   We observed the pouring out of God’s love by the numerous volunteers that came to Joplin to help in the cleanup and rebuilding.  I was approached numerous times by residents of Joplin that stopped and thanked us for coming to help and how much we were appreciated.  The 16 Wisconsinites from Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church that partnered with the 24 Missourians from Lee’s Summit Methodist Church were accepted and welcomed in true Christian love.  The Holy Spirit is alive and well in Joplin, Missouri.  The Holy Spirit is alive and well in the over 50,000 volunteers that descended upon Joplin in the aftermath of this terrible tragedy.  The Holy Spirit is alive and well when God’s children can continue to praise Him, even after experiencing great personal loss.

Romans 8:16-21, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”  Joplin will be rebuilt.  The Holy Spirit fills those who have endured great loss.  Praises to our Lord continue to radiate from Joplin in spite of the toll from the storm.  Do not forget our brothers and sisters in Joplin.  Continue to pray for them and contribute what you can to help them rebuild.  Everything we are, everything we have is a gift from God and we should share what we can with our brothers and sisters.  Praise be to God!