Receiving Good Gifts from God

Operation White Widow (2011) from Jmtm00 on Vimeo.

Christ, The Word, entered into human history some 2011-or-so years ago. The date itself isn’t important, December 25, April something, or whatever. This event is worth celebrating 365.25 days a year.

Today and tomorrow, this placeis playing some extraordinary Christmas music. Not the “Santana got run over by a reindeer” type of music. At the moment, they are playing:

NT

Happy December 16, 2011!

Wow! Things are moving quickly to the end of the year. Tomorrow is the dress rehearsal for the children’s Christmas program at Zion, Sunday is the presentation of the program.

See that little “NT” at the top of the post? Clicking it will allow you to download a “Read through the New Testament in 2012″ Schedule that I enjoyed putting together. I figured that it would be the perfect “bookend” to go with his schedule to read through the Old Testament that I posted a couple of days ago.

Supper is calling, so I need to run. Greetings to you at this festive time! Lisa

Happy Monday!

I have been coughing like crazy today. Yesterday, I was okay – but I am way more than making up for it today. I even feel exhausted.

That didn’t stop my attempt at creativity. I am trying to put together some handmade and downloadable gifts for you. Here is the first – a "Read through the Old Testament in 2012" Schedule. It has a couple of mildly unique features. For starters, it is not tied to any particular version of the Bible. Try to pick a good one! (And yes, I can discuss that with you – do not expect me to recommend some of the wildly popular "interpretations of interpretations of interpretations," but I am not a "King James only" girl.)

I also only scheduled readings for four days a week. I know my friends very well – we need built-in "catch up" days!

Let me know what you think!

I have been having long-running discussions with one of my friends. Since she grew up with a patchwork of Christian influences, including contact with a pedophile pastor of a free range Baptist church, her understanding of the word "Gospel" is something akin to "Here is your impossible to keep agenda of things to keep an angry God appeased so that you don’t get squished this week." No wonder she’s cautious about listening to anyone say anything about Christ or the church.

Meanwhile, I received one of my favorite digital journals. Here, I will show you a snippet of the e-mail:

I have come to know Ellie along my way to becoming a Deaconess. She loves Scripture better than most people that I know, and is a character!

Since she is so familiar with the Gospel as the GOOD NEWS that it is, I think that I will recommend Ellie’s short article to Kat. It would do her heart good, and be a balm to a very wounded soul.

Comments, anyone?

Funny how things work! I just finished my class in The Gospel of Luke, and now I have a new gig at my church: I am the new Sunday School Superintendent.

Of course, I have set up a website for them, but it’s not quite ready for prime time. I’ll probably eventually tell you about it…

It is available here

Meanwhile…  The readings for today are:

             Old Testament       Isaiah 25:6–9
             Psalm       Psalm 23
             Epistle       Philippians 4:4–13
             Gospel       Matthew 22:1–14

Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).

I do not remember reading the scripture from Isaiah before!  It is astonishing and beautiful, setting the stage for the rest of the readings.  This is one I want to carry with me all week:

   6       On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples
   a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
   of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
   7       And he will swallow up on this mountain
   the covering that is cast over all peoples,
   the veil that is spread over all nations.
   8       He will swallow up death forever;
   and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces,
   and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
   for the LORD has spoken.
   9       It will be said on that day,
   “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
   This is the LORD; we have waited for him;
   let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Is 25:6–9.

I’ve finished the assignments for the week and have turned them in.  It’s already time to be discouraged about this week’s lessons.  This class, I’m struggling.

I really can’t wait for this! Most of you know that I think That "Issues, Etc" <http://issuesetc.org/> is one of the best things on the Internet. They are getting ready to outdo themselves again, comparing Confessional Lutheranism with several other "flavors" of Christianity. Again, check it out at http://issuesetc.org/

Issues etc. Reformation Week 2011
October 24-28, 4-5 PM Central Time

Scheduled Speakers and Topics:

• October 24, Confessional Lutheranism and Roman Catholicism – Rev. Paul McCain
• October 25, Confessional Lutheranism and Calvinism – Dr. Ken Schurb
• October 26, Confessional Lutheranism and Liberal Mainline Protestantism – Dr. Martin Noland
• October 27, Confessional Lutheranism and Liberal Lutheranism – Dr. Ron Feuerhahn
• October 28, Confessional Lutheranism and American Evangelicalism – Dr. Larry Rast

It is so worth while to look at how Scriptures interpreted and used by various bodies! God’s Word is life itself.

The beautiful weather kind of distracted me, and I’m afraid I did not listen as much to the sermon as I sometimes do. The readings are really powerful, though. They stuck with me… As did the sermon hymn. Here is what I’ve come up with it so far…

Sermon:"Hoarding God’s Grace" Matthew 21:33-46
Readings: Isaiah 5:1-7.
Philippians 3:4b-14
Matthew 21:33-46.

Midi click here

from http://www.hymnsite.com/

544 O Love, How Deep

1 O love, how deep, how broad, how high,

Beyond all thought and fantasy,

That God, the Son of God, should take

Our mortal form for mortals’ sake!

2 He sent no angel to our race,

Of higher or of lower place,

But wore the robe of human frame,

And to this world Himself He came.

3 For us baptized, for us He bore

His holy fast and hungered sore;

For us temptation sharp He knew;

For us the tempter overthrew.

4 For us He prayed; for us He taught;

For us His daily works He wrought,

By words and signs and actions thus

Still seeking not Himself but us.

5 For us by wickedness betrayed,

For us, in crown of thorns arrayed,

He bore the shameful cross and death;

For us He gave His dying breath.

6 For us He rose from death again;

For us He went on high to reign;

For us He sent His Spirit here

To guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.

7 All glory to our Lord and God

For love so deep, so high, so broad;

The Trinity whom we adore

Forever and forevermore.

Hymn "O Love, How Deep." The text is attributed to Thomas a Kempis in about the 15th century and translated by Benjamin Webb into English in the 19th century.

Verses that relate to this hymn:

Stanza 1

1 John 3:1; Ephesians 3:17b-21; Hebrews 2:9-10, 14-18; John 1:14; Philippians 2:6-9

Stanza 2

Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 2:9-10, 14-18; John 1:14; Philippians 2:6-7

Stanza 3

Matthew 4:1-11; Hebrews 2:9-10, 14-18; Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:31-34

Stanza 4

Luke 21:37; John 17:20-26

Stanza 5

Matthew 26:47-49; Matthew 27:29; Philippians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 5:15 Matthew 27:45-56; Mark 14:41; Mark 15:33-41; Luke 23:44-49; John 18:2-3; John 19:2; John 19:28-30

Stanza 6

Hebrews 8:1; Philippians 2:9; 2 Timothy 1:7; John 14:16-17

Stanza 7

Ephesians 3:17b-21