Wait for it….

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It’s God’s timing, not yours

A shout out to my Pastor, Jason Esposito for the inspiration for this post.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 This is the charge to parents as they raise their children and help them formulate their faith, values, and morals. As leftist ideology replaces traditional learning in public education, our nation is running the risk of creating a generation of indoctrinated youth. Diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI) curricula place more emphasis on social engineering than mathematics, science and reading. The precipitous decline of United States standardized testing is clear evidence that it has adversely affected the competency of our students. If instilled early enough, the tenets of Critical Race Theory, (CRT) transgenderism, social and climate justice will be ingrained into our youth’s belief systems. Children are particularly vulnerable to suggestion and are innate learners, trusting implicitly those charged to teach and train them. Just as computers utilize only information that is inputted, children are an open book waiting for the proper instruction to formulate how they will approach their futures.

And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 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. Deuteronomy 6:5-8 This is critical guidance for parents. Parents have a duty to make certain that their children follow the narrow path and are not led astray. If parents allow the State to usurp their authority and instill values contrary to their own, they have failed in their responsibility to, not only their children but to God.

The intrusion of government into the affairs of the populace has been deliberately amplified for decades. When Barack Obama ascended to the Presidency, it was intensified ten-fold. His strategy of promoting race and class division in our society is textbook leftist ideology. While we had a brief respite from the headlong rush to redefine our nation when Donald Trump was elected, it has gone into hyperdrive after the election of Joe Biden. One of Biden’s first executive orders was to integrate DEI into all government agencies and have it trickle down to businesses and education. It has been extraordinarily effective. As we go about our busy lives, blissfully unaware of this destructive mandate, we allow our children to be manipulated by this malicious scheme. DEI promotes gender, race, and inclusion, discounting merit and ability, and advancing individuals less qualified for those positions. This will eventually lead to less qualified doctors, military, airline pilots, plumbers, electricians, and on and on, diminishing society.  

How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. Habakkuk 1:2-4 Have you ever just cried out to God? Know this, He hears all our laments. He hears our pleas for justice. He hears our cries of pain and despair. Prayer takes many forms and God listens and answers them all. Our time and expectations are not God’s though. Even in the Old Testament times, God answered His people in His own time. Prayer, when sincere and God-centered, will be answered. Some prayers are answered before we even realize that we have the need or before we ask.

Our time, our talents, and our resources are given to us to use to give God the glory. We are often given the tools to right those wrongs or heal those infirmities before we even recognize the deficiency in our lives. For healing, God provides the medical community. For the fight against evil, God provides our church community and His Word. The spiritual armor that God provides gives us the wherewithal to stand up to the evil that seems to have overtaken this world. Often, we can become the answer to prayer if we relinquish control and allow Him to rule our lives.

In our faith community, we have the spiritual resources to help guide our lives. As parents, we can surrender to God and gain the strength to stand up to the forces that seek to destroy faith and family. With God’s help, we can take back our nation and be instrumental in returning this nation back to Him. With faith in God, anything can be accomplished. Throughout time, God has used His people as instruments to accomplish His will. Divine intervention can be God tapping you on the shoulder to act on His behalf. It is not too late if we choose to act now. Stand strong in the Lord and refuse to acquiesce to the evil that has become so pervasive in our world. Evil may seem to have won today’s battle, but we know who ultimately wins this war. 

No Tears for the Fallen

There are two professions in which the practitioners understand full well that they may not return home from their tour of duty alive, soldiers during wartime and police officers. These brave men and women that wear the law enforcement badge upon their chests know full well their next call may be their last. Yet, they are willing and able to protect and serve the public at the risk of their own lives. I served for 29 years in a Milwaukee County suburb and the only time I ever shot my firearm was during training. Every day I prayed that God would guide my mind and body to take whatever action was necessary to protect the public. I prayed that if I was put in a position to use any type of force, I would be guided to use no more than what was lawful and necessary. Law enforcement officers are highly trained, skilled in more than just the use of firearms and are dedicated to placing their lives before those they are called to protect and serve, even those who break the law. Now those who put themselves in harms’ way to protect society are in the crosshairs of those that seek to gain political advantage over tragedies that deeply sadden decent citizens. President Obama’s first chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said it best when he declared that no crisis should go to waste.

No law enforcement officer begins his or her tour of duty with intent to cause anyone harm, no matter what color their skin is. To intimate otherwise is propagating a bald faced lie. As in any part of society, some people fall through the cracks, but 99.9% of the 800,000 law enforcement officers in the US treat everyone they meet with respect and want every contact with citizens to end peaceably. As I read the news stories today I am saddened by so many that are rejoicing that at least five Dallas Police officers were gunned down, simply because they wear the uniform and the color of their skin was white. During a peaceful protest, the officers assigned to keep the peace were executed by an assailant that was angered over some recent police shootings. Realize that the incidents are still under investigation and if the officers involved committed a crime they will be held accountable, yet due to the incendiary rhetoric from the left, this depraved individual felt compelled to commit these heinous crimes.

Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evildoers. They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear. They encourage each other in evil plans. They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” Surely the human mind and heart are cunning. But God will shoot them with his arrows; they will suddenly be struck down. He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; Psalm 64:2-5,7-8

What has become of our democracy? Evildoers use the freedoms granted by our constitution to create havoc and push our nation towards anarchy. Satan and his minions like Saul Alinsky, should be proud of the bitter hatred that is overcoming our society. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t make our country right again. Pre-judging police interactions with persons of color by our commander in chief simply emboldens those who choose to hate and harm our great democracy. As President Obama now tries to pick up the pieces over the dead bodies of five of our finest with his fine rhetoric at their funerals, it is too little, too late. He has fueled the fire beyond human abilities to quench it. The only way to bridge this societal upheaval is to turn to God. It is always when we think that we have the ability to fix problems of our own accord is when we spiral out of control. The experiment called the “Great Society”, put into place to end poverty, has been an abject failure, trapping so many African Americans into decaying inner cities, enabling men to father, then abandon their children, and pushing God out of their families. A return to God is in order, lest we continue our fall into the abyss.

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark 12:28-32

Pray fervently that we come to see the error of our ways before it is too late to turn back. Pray for each and every law enforcement officer that the Lord protects them, as they in turn put their lives on the line to protect us. And finally, pray that those who come into contact with police simply comply, rather than try to escalate situations, based on false pretenses, that would otherwise end peacefully.

A New Creation

Our family just welcomed our fifth grandchild, Kyle Frederick, middle named in honor of my late father-in-law. Kyle was scheduled to arrive 3 days before my birthday, but decided to give my wife a special birthday present and come into this world on her birthday. He truly is a gift from God. I marvel at how such a tiny human being will grow to be an adult someday. God is great all the time and I am so thankful for all the gifts he has given me and my family.

The leaders of the ELCA proclaim lots of new creations these days. Each time the secular world decides to embrace what our Lord prohibits, they decide that now God is telling them “new things” that allow them to support those secular ideals. 1 John 4:1, 5, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.” It would appear that the all-knowing leaders of the ELCA fail that smell test. Murdering the unborn becomes a woman’s right to choose and the child is depersonalized and described as fetal tissue. Even the ELCA health insurance plan covers any and all abortion procedures. Homosexuality becomes a loving monogamous relationship between persons of the same gender. Church doctrine is then contrived in order to allow the ELCA to lift up and affirm behavior specifically prohibited in Scripture to show the world how welcoming and tolerant they are. Masculinity is offensive to the feminists and God becomes a woman with pagan goddess worship replacing God in the church’s liturgy. Acknowledging that humans are by nature sinful and unclean harms the self-esteem of those wanting to be affirmed within their sin and confession and absolution is made optional. Satan serves up the Kool-Aid and the enlightened leaders of the ELCA can’t drink enough.

We are all made a new creation the day we, through the power of the Holy Spirit, come to believe that God’s one and only Son, Jesus Christ took our sins to the cross, suffered the penalty we deserved, died and rose again, opening the door for us to have eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Whatever we were prior to that time dies and we are born again to love and serve the One who gave His life so that we may live. Every verse of Scripture does indeed speak to us. What the leaders of the ELCA call so quaintly a book of faith stories, is the blueprint that God gave His children to help us lead godly lives. Certainly, God is not asleep at the wheel and if you open your hearts and minds, He will speak to you.

Artwork done by grandson Jack, July 2012.


Jack and Ian, Kyle’s six year old twin brothers, are as different as can be. Jack is very analytical and deliberate, while the elder Ian shoots from the hip, tending to be more reactionary. Grandma and grandpa were spending time with the twins to keep them occupied while mom recovers from the delivery. Grandma was tasked to put the boys to bed and was going to pray the standard, Now, I lay me down to sleep prayer, when Jack asked for a special prayer. Grandma prayed a short prayer asking for healing of Kyle’s diaper rash, for mom to recover, for forgiveness for any misbehavior, and thanks for all of God’s gifts to them. After praying, Jack said, “When you are listening, Jesus can talk to you. He told me what you were going to pray before you said it. Jesus is in your heart, but he is also in your head.” Out of the mouths of babes. Grandma affirmed that God can talk to you if you truly listen. Jack again said that Jesus really did talk to him. Ian was skeptical and raised his doubts, but Jack was steadfast, certain that Jesus is alive and speaks to all His children, if we only listen.

Perhaps as we get older, our ability to hear our Savior speak wanes with all the distractions of our busy lives. Sometimes we need to listen with that innocence of a child, with the faith that He is present in our lives. Jesus speaks to us in many different ways. Each opportunity to serve is an invitation from our Lord to do as He would do. Each prayer we offer is answered, sometimes very obviously, sometimes not always as we would want them to be answered, but we always ask to do what is His will, not ours. From the praise hymn, He is Here, “He is here, He is near us, in our hearts, in our lives, in our midst. He is here, He is near us, calling us to trust in Him.” Talk to the Lord. Offer your prayers. He will answer if we only listen.

Upside Down

Our world as it exists today no longer applies to the rules of normalcy and things have become even more upside down as the days progress. The current administration of the United States has abandoned this country’s core principals in an attempt to institute the “democratic socialist” values embraced by Europe that are failing, country by country. Lavish entitlement programs force the US government to borrow forty cents of every dollar it spends, creating a national debt of over 15 trillion dollars.  Public assistance per capita is higher today than any other time in our history, including during the Great Depression.  Now the government employs or supports more than 50% of the population. The dwindling work force employed by the private sector, is no longer large enough to pay the bills to run this country. US debt is growing at a pace that will greatly expand beyond even the most optimistic economic growth estimates, creating a debtor nation. If the dollar is replaced as the standard currency for world trade will necessarily initiate double digit inflation for this nation, or worse cause another great depression.

In Wisconsin, union activists are attempting to overturn an election because the elected Governor, Scott Walker, enacted legislation to honor his promises made during the election. No malfeasance in public office, no sex scandals, nothing but passing legislation that makes public employees responsible for a portion of their pension contributions, instead of burdening the taxpayer with the entire bill for their generous benefits. Taking these and other reasonable steps to reduce spending has allowed Wisconsin to balance its' budget after the previous democrat administration left a deficit of over 3 billion dollars.  Rather than being thankful for receiving such generous benefits for over fifty years, these "activists" lie, cheat and try to steal an election using thuglike tactics, including unscrupulous parties that obtain false and duplicate names on recall petitions.

The Occupy movement is hailed by the mainstream media as a grass roots uprising while the Tea Party movement is derided as a Republican backed scheme to undermine the Obama administration.   Islam is continually cited as a religion of peace as more and more are murders are committed by radical Islamists shouting “Allah Akbar”. The attack at Fort Hood that took the lives of 14 of our brave soldiers is reclassified as “workplace violence”.   ATF allows guns to "walk" to Mexican drug cartels leading to the death of a US border agent and the administration stonewalls the investigation.  Crime is rampant and the vast majority of the perpetrators come from homes without a father present, yet the “nuclear family” is considered outdated and unnecessary. Christians that dare to speak out for the Lord and publicly declare their faith are mocked and ridiculed. And churches that call themselves “Christian” promote that faith in Jesus is not necessary to gain one’s salvation, instead preaching tolerance and advocating that “other paths” to heaven are just as valid. 

How did this happen? Are we all asleep and this is just a terrible dream? Unfortunately, no. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ told us to turn the other cheek and while we have heeded His command, the world has taken full advantage. We are not only struck on the cheek, but Christians are literally attacked and brutalized by the so called compassionate and tolerant left. What is so hard to understand is, that the leaders of God’s church are actually out in front of the attack on the truths of Christianity, the very truths they are charged to uphold. We are called to be in the world but not of the world. When Israel was in bondage in Babylon, the Lord was clear in his commands to His chosen people. Jeremiah 29:7, 11-13, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  This country is on track, not to prosperity, but to ruin, both economically and spiritually even as many of His churches fail to seek the Lord, instead seeking the approval of the world.
 
Through a reckless embrace of secular ideals and a misguided attempt to fix our broken world, many of God's churches forgo their responsibility to bring the lost to Christ. Our world is broken because of our disobedience. We cannot fix this world any more than we could create it. Only God can repair what we have spoiled. From the beginning man’s disobedience has wreaked havoc upon this world and himself. God gave us a clear set of rules to guide us in this life on earth, but we continually choose to disregard His law.  Now many of His churches have enacted doctrine to allow their membership to ignore His will with their blessing. Romans 2:2, “Do not conform any longer 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.” 

When we think that we are so enlightened that we can reinterpret our Lord’s word to fit in with our modern society, we widen the chasm that exists between us and our Father. These new things that the leaders of the ELCA say that they are hearing are not from God. They are exactly what the evil one wants us to hear.  Is all lost?  Absolutely not!  But, the onus now falls upon the faithful to be our God's hands and feet because many of the leaders of His church no longer listen to Him.  We need to be the proclaimers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Continue to dwell in His word and listen to the Spirit as you meditate on Scripture. Continue to meet with other believers and study and learn His word. Let the Holy Spirit equip you with the spiritual armor necessary to fight Satan and rescue those who foolishly listen to those pleasing words that they long to hear. Preach the Gospel to all who will listen so that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, they will come to understand His Truth and realize that the ELCA is preaching a false gospel. Pray unceasingly for those trapped by the false teaching of the ELCA to have their hearts and minds opened to the Truth.  And always trust in the Lord.  Even though we may not understand His plan for this world, His Truth and His kingdom will prevail, so hold fast to our Lord's commands, continually praying that His will be done.

Now What?

It may be someone you've just met or it may be a life long friend.  A lively discussion turns to religion. Then that person asks you about your relationship with Jesus Christ and salvation.  During the discussion the Spirit inspires that person to be open to giving their life to Christ.  Now what?  Sometimes that gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit is more like a kick in the teeth.  Someone is searching for Christ and the Holy Spirit has chosen you to bring one of the lost to Him.  How do I help lead this baby Christian to the Lord?  We can simply pray for the Lord to give us the words and not to let us mess this up or we can prepare ourselves for that eventuality.  2 Timothy 4::3, "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." The following may help you if you are ever faced with the task of leading one of the lost to Him.

Prayer For a New Christian

The Lord has been waiting patiently outside, and now you have chosen to let Him in.

Let us pray together,

Lord,

“Father, I know that I am broken and my sinful nature has separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life and toward you. Please forgive me, and lead me on the path you have set before me. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ suffered the punishment and died for my sins, That He was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to lead me to do Your will for the rest of my life.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”

The Holy Spirit now dwells within you, and you have been reborn to life in Christ.

                   

You have begun an incredible journey and an exciting new life in Christ!  I pray the Lord will bless you wondrously.

The Lord has entered fully into your life; your sins are now forgiven from your past; Let us pray that you turn away from your past sin and don't look back. The Lord has granted you eternal life; Let us pray that you share it joyfully with Him.  You have become a blessed child of God.  Let us pray that you and I strive to do our Father's will. A great adventure lies ahead for you; Let us pray that you will triumph in His love.

And when the Great Deceiver tries to tempt you, let us pray that you resist his every move.

We pray this In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Power of Prayer

Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Matthew 21:22, Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Mark 11:24, Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Prayer can be particularly powerful. Those of us who have experienced answered prayers can attest to that.

My wife and I are dog lovers and have always had at least two Siberian Huskies in our family since our kids were little. In April of 2008 one of our huskies bolted out of our home and ran away. Siberian Huskies are notorious runners and many runaway huskies, when found, are sometimes recovered more than 100 miles away from home.  This was a particularly tough time for us since two of our huskies, Digger and Nikka, had recently succumbed to cancer within months of one another. Sakari was adopted from Adopt a Husky, Inc. in July of 2007, and since there were highways with speed limits over 45 MPH all around, we prayed that she would be found and returned safely to us. Several weeks passed and even though we searched every day, notified every animal shelter, veterinarian's office and police department within a 100 mile radius and all of the Adopt a Husky volunteers were searching, we heard nothing.

A woman who lived about 8 miles away from us and had no knowledge that Sakari was missing, was praying on her drive home. She was asking God for an answer. As she passed beneath the train overpass on a state highway near our home, she felt the Spirit nudge her that she would find an answer there. She ignored the nudge and continued on home. The next day the same thing happened, again she ignored the Spirit's nudge and continued home. For the third day in a row the Spirit finally compelled her to stop. She got out of her car, climbed up the steep incline to the train tracks and started walking down the tracks. About 50 yards from the bridge, she found the remains of a dog wearing a pink leather collar with tags. Sakari had been struck by a train and killed. She removed the collar and tags and called us to inform us that she had found Sakari. God used this woman to give us an answer to our prayer. It was not the answer that we had hoped for, but at least we were able to find closure.

1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 6:18, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all of the Lord’s people.” We must continue to pray for our brothers and sisters held hostage by the false teachings of the ELCA. Pray continually that the Lord will lift up leaders within the ELCA that will rise up, defend the authority of Scripture and condemn this false teaching. Pray that God will open their hearts and minds and that they will ignore those that seek to discard Scripture and replace it with their own selfish cravings. James 5:15, “And the prayer offered in faith will make them well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”

Prayer can move mountains. Prayer can and will save God’s children that are trapped in the ELCA. When we give ourselves to the Lord in prayer, He will listen to our petitions. We must remain diligent in our prayers believing that the Lord will answer us and save his children.

God's Truth Will Prevail

As the leadership of the ELCA races to re-invent Lutheranism one thing is clear, the truth is not in them. Where our Lord has cautioned us to remain in the world, but not of the world, the leaders of the ELCA are in a headlong rush to instill worldly desires above the law that our God has set before us. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:17-19, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven." Our Lord makes it abundantly clear that we are to obey God’s law. Jesus said in Luke16:16-17, “Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. 17 But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.” It was so easy for the leaders and scholars of the ELCA to overturn Scripture by placing man’s opinion and experience above God’s intent by invoking the doctrine of bound conscience.

1 John 2:15-17, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” The leaders of the ELCA would have you believe that it is so very important to lift up the things of the world over the commands of our God. They proclaim that God is now telling them a “new thing’. They are overly influenced by the enlightened opinions of man to the point of disregarding our God’s will. They are so determined to be everything to everyone and to promote the love of self, our Lord’s command to go and make disciples of all nations is a less than an afterthought. In fact, ELCA missionaries are not allowed to proselytize. Restricting missionaries from doing the work our Lord has commanded is beyond inappropriate. Doing good works without taking the opportunity to preach the Word is absolutely inexplicable.

How can a church fall so far astray? When the leaders of what was once our Lord’s church become so enamored with their role in modern society and fall into the trap of political correctness, God’s plan becomes secondary to the pleasing of those enlightened elites of this world. James 4:4-6, “Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? 6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.” So, in effect the leadership of the ELCA has decided to ally themselves with the things of this world and become an enemy of God. There is much more at stake than mere heresy within a church body. The leadership of the ELCA is widening the chasm between their membership and God by promoting the false gospel of love of self and of the world. So many are accepting of this false gospel and are unwittingly consenting to disregard God’s law to be more accepting, welcoming and tolerant of their neighbor, not realizing that we need to love the sinner, not their sinful behavior. Galations 6:1-2. “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”

It is indeed unfortunate that we can no longer trust the leadership of our church. But, if we trust in the Lord and dwell in His Word, we will know His Truth and indeed, God’s Truth will prevail. Continue in prayer that those trapped within the ELCA will find their way back to the Truth and find a church that is true to our God.

Hope and Change

Hope and change was the rallying cry for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. His administration has begun the process of changing the very fabric of our nation, and many now hope and pray that our nation will survive as the founders intended. A kindred spirit, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, looks to change Lutheranism with the hope of drawing in a new and dynamic audience. Obama pledged to fundamentally transform America. The leadership of the ELCA has been on a course to fundamentally transform Christian Lutheranism even before its inception in 1988. This new administration of the United States is attempting to abandon the core principles of a nation established on Judeo-Christian beliefs and values. The ELCA is rewriting Scripture and tearing down the core beliefs of our faith. Patriots that respect this nation are welling up in a grassroots effort to bring it back to its foundational principals. Lutherans strong in their faith are boldly speaking out for the Lord and challenging the doctrinal shifts advanced by the leaders and scholars of the ELCA. Strong parallels exist between a President that professes that the United States is no longer a Christian nation and a Lutheran denomination that questions the very foundations of our Christian faith.

Our hope is in the Lord. Psalms 42:5, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Those true to the Lord rest their hope and prayers with the Lord and trust in Him. The leadership of the ELCA has always been in the forefront of doctrinal change for the Lutheran Church. Progressive scholars and leaders look to modernize God’s Word to make it more appealing to the secular world. The authors of Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit, are accused of being uneducated, biased, and influenced by their own experiences and history. Their scholars cast doubt upon the truths of Jesus’ Resurrection, the Virgin Birth, promote universalism and categorize the Bible, not as God’s Word, but as a book of faith stories, indelibly connected to the time that it was written and not always pertinent to today. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” They question the validity of the Lutheran Confessions simply because they were written 500 years ago and, as such, their scholars consider them outdated and obsolete. What will be left if these learned “Biblical” scholars continue to cast doubt upon the very foundation of Christianity?

These self proclaimed “enlightened” ELCA scholars and leaders look at Scripture and determine that, for centuries, we have either misconstrued God’s intent or that, somehow, God is now telling us something new and different. They use Scripture to bolster their secular arguments, but deliberately fail to cite verses that would discredit these new doctrinal shifts. The leadership of the ELCA calls for respect from those that challenge this false gospel, and then accuse them of incivility, willful misunderstanding and forming hurtful caricatures of those with whom they disagree. The Bible is God’s Word, plain and simple, now and for all time. It is our Lord’s instruction manual for us, His children. When children stand up and are willfully disobedient, they are subject to discipline from their parents. Our Father loves us beyond human understanding, but how long will He tolerate those that discredit and disregard His Word. Our path to salvation has been sealed by our Savior’s suffering, death and resurrection. God’s grace is freely offered if only we believe. If we are to truly believe and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, why then would we wish to remain in fellowship with a church that denies Him? We must continue in prayer for all who remain trapped within the ELCA. Remember, there are still those that are unaware of this false gospel and we need to continue to proclaim God’s Word and expose these misguided doctrinal shifts so that all will hear and make themselves right with God.

Justified by Faith Alone

John 14:6, Jesus Said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Our faith in the risen Christ is the only way to our salvation. There is nothing else we can do that will earn us the grace that God so freely grants to all those who believe. Romans 3:21-26, “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – 26 to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justified those who have faith in Jesus.” Because our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered the punishment that was meant for us, we are freely justified and redeemed from the burden of our sin. In the Old Testament, animals were offered by the Israelites as a sacrifice to God to receive, symbolically, the punishment that the Israelites deserved. When Jesus died on the cross for us, He was punished, in our place, as a complete sacrifice to cleanse us from all sin. We need only to believe and have faith in the risen Christ to receive God’s grace.

Romans3:27-31, “Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of the law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” Paul asserted that faith in the risen Christ is the only way to salvation. He also wanted to make clear that he was not teaching to reject the law. Even though we are justified by faith alone, it is clear that our Father has rules of conduct for His children. If we disobey and break God’s law, will it affect our salvation? No, we have been forgiven all our sins by Jesus’ death on the cross. When we sin, we do need to ask for His forgiveness. God’s grace does not give us license to make up our own rules and conduct ourselves as we please. When we decide to give ourselves up to the Lord and trust in Him, we will gladly obey His law because we will want to please our Lord.

Why then does the ELCA persist in questioning God’s laws by promoting doctrine that contradicts God’s Word? By invoking the doctrine of bound conscience, they elevate man’s experience and interpretation of Scripture over God’s intent. Why does the ELCA question the validity of the virgin birth of Jesus and His bodily resurrection? ELCA/Resurrection and http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/New-or-Returning-to-Church/Dig-Deeper/Virgin-Birth.aspx are links to the ELCA website that explain what they truly believe, and teach in their seminaries, about Jesus’ birth and resurrection. Apparently, man has achieved the intellectual pinnacle and can begin to disregard all that we believe and profess in the words of the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed and the Augsburg Confession. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we must realize that the ELCA is going to a place that is departing from our Lord. While the ELCA continues to do good works in the world, their leaders are unconvinced that the Bible is truly God’s Word and question the very tenet of Christianity. We must continue to love and pray for those caught in the trap that the ELCA has woven. We must also open our hearts and minds to our Lord’s will while we pray and discern where God is leading us. Are we with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as He leads us on a path to salvation or will we remain affiliated with a church body that casts doubt upon our Lord and diminishes His Word in an attempt to justify the values of this world?

Where is the Spirit Leading You?

When we commune with God in prayer, we need to listen to hear where the Spirit is leading us. Often what we want to hear is not the direction that God intends for us. We need to be careful not to answer our own prayers and tune out the Spirit. Often when we pray, we want something so badly that we will only listen if the Lord tells us what we want to hear. It is difficult, but we need to remove our selfish desires from the equation when we petition the Lord. Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Do not place yourself before the Lord. Always keep God’s will as first and foremost in your prayers, knowing that He is in control. His plan for you may not always be obvious today, but it will ultimately become clear.

We need to submit ourselves to the Lord, to forget about ourselves and realize that our Lord is in charge. James 4:3, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives”. When we are selfish in our petitions, or do so with our hearts in the wrong place, our prayers will be ignored. Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer that, God’s will be done, not ours. A foolish person will ask for advice and not hearing what he wants to hear, disregards the advice and does what he wanted to do in the first place. We must not be foolish and only listen to what our selfish cravings desire, for this is not His will. 1 John 5:14-15, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him.” God answers prayers, but we need to humble ourselves before Him and be content that whatever answer we receive is part of the overall plan He has for us.

Ephesians 6:7-8, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one of you for whatever good you do.” We need to perform our tasks well, as if we were serving the Lord, whether it be in our occupations, responsibilities as parents, or any other task that is set before us. 1 Timothy 4:10, 15-16, ‘That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” We work towards leading the type of lives our Savior desires for us, both in our spiritual lives and the performance of our earthly duties. Our faith in the risen Lord saves us, but others in the world are watching us and we can be instruments for our Lord, showing others the way to salvation.

The Lord works in mysterious ways. The trials and tribulations of today will give rise to our spiritual development and growth of tomorrow. Our Lord will not burden us more than we can bear, even if it seems that we are at our wit’s end. It is when we attempt to handle our troubles alone that they seem insurmountable. No matter what we are faced with, we can be triumphant when we uphold our faith in God, realizing that He is in control. James 1:12, “Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God had promised those that love him.” When we are faced with these tests, we need to put our faith in the Lord that we accept His plan for us and that we welcome being used to give glory to our Lord.

The Great Moral Conflict

Over the past two years our pastor has chosen a number of people from our congregation to be lifted up as leaders of the church. Teaching laity to be leaders of the church is no small undertaking. I commend our pastor for having the fortitude to work to open the spiritual eyes, hearts and minds of those four leadership groups that he has chosen for this daunting task. Being a leader carries with it a great responsibility, not only to serve the Lord, but to serve their church and church family. Reading, learning and living the Word as God directs us, becoming prayerful, and leading by example are just a few of the responsibilities that a leader is expected to fulfill.

1 John 2:4 “Those who say, “I know him,” but do not do what he commands are liars, and the truth is not in them.” 1 John 4:5 “They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.” The leadership of the ELCA has lost its way and is promoting a false gospel, emphasizing the secular while leading our brothers and sisters on a path away from God. Social justice is the rallying cry while God’s Word is debated, voted on, and disregarded. Many pastors are using the “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach and hoping to avoid any discussion of the matter in order to remain “on the fence.” What does God expect from the leaders of His Church? Scripture is quite explicit in this matter. As leaders, our Lord expects us to make a stand for Him and His people. 1 Peter 5:2 “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve.” Those who are not strong in the Spirit must be lifted up so they do not follow blindly into the abyss.

Whether a congregation chooses to leave or remain within the ELCA church body, we all must work to bring the ELCA back to the true Gospel. It is not good enough to be only a faithful witness; we all must actively fight for our Lord. The Spirit compels us to obey God’s law and to do what is right. Galations 6:1-2 “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Those that remain in the ELCA cannot just sit on the sidelines or be neutral; they must take up the Cross and speak out for the Lord at ELCA functions and assemblies. Those that choose to leave must continue to pray for the people who remain and challenge the false gospel. Let God’s Word be heard. Ephesians 6: 11, 18 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Through prayer, anything can be accomplished. A small minority of those who wish to hijack the church in order to promote their worldly desires cannot prevail against the Word of God if we are strong enough in the Spirit to proclaim His Word, loudly and proudly!