Luthertist or Baptluthian

A friend suggested I change the name of this blog to "
Baptist, finally submitting to the truth"

I had to Laugh at that. There is something about being a Lutheran that fills me with satisfaction, But as I have ranted at people who call themselves Catholics who do not accept or follow the doctrine of the Catholic church, I have to ask,,,, Can I still call myself Lutheran even though I attend a Baptist Church?

Last night was the last night of my teaching a class at the Lutheran/Presbyterian Lay Ministry for Mission school. What a Blessing that was. As we progressed through the weeks many students asked why there churches are dying. As I have recently left Zion Lutheran I guess I could tell them,,,,, but because I'm am not all there, :) my reason will probably never be the normal response. Holy Spirit told me to go. This has been validated by the events that have come into play since I left Zion.

The men who I am a Missionary with in Prisons ( I prefer the title Servant) we have expanded our Ministry to non-Denominational Churches. Three time in four years we have held outside of Prison Keryx weekends and have had a resounding success in bringing real salvation to people who claimed that they were saved.
How do you know if your saved in Christ Jesus? Your life is dedicated to the furtherance of Gods Kingdom.

So anyway the Sad, Sad thing is that religious people who would not walk across the street to help a Catholic, Lutheran or what ever, and would never, never set foot in a Methodist or Catholic 4 day weekend BUT would in the same teaching attend a weekend in a Mission or Baptist church.

The thing is in all of this,,,,, God be praised, God be worshipped, God wants to have a loving, sustainable relationship with YOU.

So It seems God has tagged me to evangelize to EVERY CHURCH IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN regardless of religion. I have started this with some success.

The Problem is the Carnal aspects of church leaders.... How to convince them that this is the eternal life giving water that Jesus promised and not a device to steel there sheep? OR,,,,Heaven forbid to evangelize there flock, OH MY! more work for pastor or priest.

Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gracia

But excluding myself why are people leaving the big 5 churches?

Logic?

If Faith comes by hearing or reading,
The Big 5 do not promote Bible reading or study, They have sold there souls to the Lectionary and there is no continuation of worthwhile scripture. Also many in the Big 5 do not believe the Bible is the word of God. There are parts they do not like so they do not speak of them. They would like to have a Bible written in # 2 pencil so they can become there own god.

so there people have no faith because they do not hear.
There is no Grace because there is no faith,

Hell fills up.

The growing churches Instead of hearing a Sermon about the ecology hear the word of God by chapter, WITH NO PERSONAL COMENTARY. and then are fed, nourished sustained and give there lives completely to God.

OR

It is all Predestination and so God chooses and so it does not matter what a person does, his path is fixed.

Aleichem shalom,,,,,, Upon you be peace

I ran away from Luther

When I left the Lutheran Church in St.Ignace last December after attending for 40 years, I did not tell anyone other than my wife why.
Tongues wag, gossip fly's and here are some samples of what people gossip about of why I left.

1. I was not chosen to lead the church
2. I was not put into position to provide pulpit supply
3. It was a certain woman who is a non believer who forced me to leave
4. goddess worship was supported.

AND I should have taken control and forced people to choose sides.

I am a Christian, I have no allegiance to any church (corporate) except the Body of Christ, the Bride, or as we say in Cursillo and Keryx WE ARE THE CHURCH, me and you.

The reason I left Zion is that the Holy Spirit told me it was time to go. I have and friends of mine who are of all different sects of Christianity who have prayed for years for me to attend a Christian church rather than Zion Lutheran.

I believe that as long as the past Minster was their, God wanted me to be there as a sentinel, a person to hold the pastor accountable to the Gospel of Christ. On her last day as a pastor as I was walking by the alter on the way out, That was when the Holy Spirit spoke, " You will never worship here again"

After that night in mid December, My house caught unfire, and i was burned a bit. I stayed with my son and his family for a week out of town and then when I came home the church I was planning to attend was closed due to a bad snow storm. So I did not attend any church for a month. I now attend a Baptist church and I am happy there. Am I still a Lutheran? I teach in the Lutheran lay school. And If the Synod blesses me with a Licence to be a lay minister in prisons then yes i will be a Lutheran lay Minister. I love the Lutheran church, BUT first and foremost I am a Christian.

What I have learned in all this.

A. A wonderfull style of preaching the word.
B. A desire to attend a lot of different churches to witness about mission in Prisons, and Long term care, the homeless, Mission work in America.
C. That at my old church it was not the council but the whole church body who did not care If that church was becoming non-Christian. They did not care. It is go to church for an hour and then gone as fast as they can. No desire to small group, bible study, outreach to the poor and hurting. Dry Bones that once held flesh.
D. That God works his plan and we have to be ready to go out and serve him.

I have just attended a meeting of Pastors of many different Sects of Christianity, and witnessed to them about ' The short course in Christianity." I have been asked to attend a Baptist Church 100 miles away to talk about prison Bibles and Mission.

And starting soon four, 4 day missions in 4 different Prisons.

God is good. All the time.

So I put Luther in my pocket, and thank God for his tutoring. I pray that the ELCA will not be ripped apart.

And I follow the narrow road, to Salvation.

Aleichem shalom Upon you be peace

Is America adopting the Homosexual life style?

Is the Homosexual agenda a small model of what America has become today?

It is a fact that Homosexuality is being forced upon us against our will by gay and straight people in America, most notably the press and Hollywood, the Babylon of America, and even in churches. Once again I have to laugh at people who profess to be Christian and yet support whole heartedly a gay agenda, and/or Gay ordination into Christ's church.

Homosexuality is a life style that is totally self centered, like Americahas become as a whole, we have become a nation of " ITS ALL ABOUT ME!!!"

Some say that Gay men are born that way. A heated debate over the existence of a "gay gene" emerged from a 1993 report published in the journal Science by then-NIH researcher Dean Hamer, PhD. That study linked DNA markers on the X chromosome to male sexual orientation.

ooooo kay

Ok I can see that point, If your born gay it must be ok to have gay sex? But what of the Alcoholic? If a person is born a alcoholic, then they can choose or pray for deliverance from this curse of alcoholism.
Born flawed, but by the grace of God made whole. I am a alcoholic but I can choose not to let that life choice drag me down into death.

Clergy and other people who support the Gay lifestyle do so in disregard of Scripture, A Lutheran Pastor form Escanaba last spring told me that Jesus would have supported Gay people.
Whoa!
There were Gay people around before the time of Jesus and yet he did not mention to take care of them like other requirements i.e. visit people in prison, or the orphan or widow. Doesn't look like Jesus said, give my Homos a pass. Sin,,,no matter how you argue it is sin.

Would Jesus have cared for them? I believe so, but he would have said " Go and sin NO more"

Many Ministers who graduated from seminary who are not Christians, sad. Scripture points to this, and how many so called Christians do not believe the Bible is the word of God?
How many Christians say that Jesus was just a good wise man? I know Pastors who have said so ,

Sad

It is getting so bad, people calling themselves Christian that I am happy to call myself something else. like Follower of the WAY. A disciple of the Christ Jesus.

What of you? Is it logical that if you call yourself Christian that you would need to follow ALL the words of Jesus?

God is our Father
Jesus our Savior
Holy Spirit our helper.

Al praise glory and honor be to the three. Abba, Jesus, Holy Spirit.
Amen

The long and winding road

It has been a long and winding road. It has been awhile since I have last thrown anything onto this electric screen to see what may stick.
Prison work has kept me busy, but to my great joy I have been working on outside prison teams along with my peeps all 35 plus of us leading the churched to salvation. How Holy Spirit uses us for God glory is nothing short than amazing.

I begin next week teaching a Lay school class, " The Holy Spirit and the Church in Mission". This is a joint Lutheran / Presbyterian class and I intend to shake things up because I do not see nether the Holy Spirit nor Mission work in Lutheran churches today, at least not here in the Hinterlands. I greatly Appreciate what the larger church has done in mission though. The ELCA does a fine job in reaching the least of these in the world. It is the dry bones of local churches though that is a real problem.
Im my case do I stay and divide a church to bring them into reconciliation with God? or do I leave? And If I leave how can I a Christian continue to be a Lutheran Christian and remain faithful to Abba?
As a Lutheran for 56 years and a member of the Zion Church council for 25 years to whom shall I go? Who has the words of eternal life?

To God be all Glory
Amen
Rick Weiss 2-14-09

I know what the bible says, but I believe this,

1 Cor 12:12-27 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves [4] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

That’s not the first time you’ve heard this. Just as importantly as our salvation being an individual, personal matter – Scripture does tell us in Philippians 2 to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that we, the church have been justified by faith.
As Romans 5:1 says – working that salvation out is for me to do and for you to do. But the point of the 1 Corinthians passage is to show us that our salvation is also, in a sense, a “we” matter. “We” are the church. As a corporate body. The question I want to raise here, for you, knowing that as a Christian, if you are one, that your salvation came from God and God alone, how much do you trust Him. Just how much? How much do you submit? How much do you believe He is sovereign? That God is truly, presently, actively in charge of all things, governing His creation in the same way He has since he created it? Listen to what God had to say to His people in Isaiah 46, verses 8-11: “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.”

Do we, Christians living under the New Covenant, believe that? Really? How about Psalm 115:3?: “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that he pleases.”
How about Isaiah chapter 14, verses 24-27? “24 The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand, 25 that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.” 26 This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. 27 For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?”

How about Proverbs 16? The first 9 verses: The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. 3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. 4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. 5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. 6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. 7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. 9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

That’s all Old Testament, right? Doesn’t apply to us because we’re under the New Covenant – we’re not under law, we’re under grace…oh, yeah?

Where are those passages annulled or made not applicable in the New Testament? Let’s go to the New Testament. Romans 8.
Some Christians get nervous when you start reading from Romans. There are some, as Peter referred to them in 2 Peter 3, some “things that are difficult to understand” in Paul’s letters. Here’s one.
Romans 8:28-30. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, [7] for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined He also called, and those whom he called He also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
We like verse 28. God works together all things. All means all, right. But for whom – for those who are called according to His purpose. Then it says those whom he foreknew He predestined to be conformed to the image of His son. As soon as you mention predestination to some people they throw up their hands and object. Immediately.

But to flat out say they don’t believe in any form of predestination, then they have to blow off Romans 8 and 9 and Ephesians 1, for starters. Maybe your belief in predestination isn’t the same as mine, but you better have SOME form or you aren’t believing the whole Bible. Paul goes on in Romans 8 with what is called the golden chain of salvation, then goes on to talk about the assurance of the Christina’s salvation and then in Romans 9 addresses the salvation of the Jews. Paul even addresses some objections he knows will come up during the course of his teaching. In verse 14, he knows there will be an objection, so he asks the rhetorical question, “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part?” In verse 19, Paul says this: “You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” What was so objectionable? Saying that God loved Jacob and hated Esau. Saying that God will have mercy upon whom He will have mercy. Both times using the Old Testament passages to prove his points. I could go on. Go back and read Romans 8 and 9. Several times. Try to read it and come away not understanding God is absolutely sovereign. Absolutely. Over everything. He does as He pleases.

Is God sovereign. They all say, “Sure He is.” But then you ask a few questions – is He sovereign over this? Well, sort of. How about this? No, because my God is a God of love and He wouldn’t do that. I bet if I went around this sanctuary and asked this question: “Is God sovereign over your choices?” I‘d get some pretty differing answers. I know there are those here who disagree with me. That’s OK. But here’s what I believe. That Almighty God, in His sovereignty, created us and has the right, the authority and the ability to do whatever he wants to with us. He created us as creatures with the ability to make choices. I believe He also created us and ordains, as the Westminster Confession of Faith says, “whatsoever comes to pass.” Even my own choices. You might say that makes me a robot. No, it doesn’t. Scripture shows, time and time again, how God prophetically says what will happen and then it does happen and it happens through the free choices of humans. Like my friend likes to say, that’s a hard teaching. But read the Bible. Is not our God mighty enough to make us creatures who have free choices and that He can ordain or decree those free choices and do it in a way that does not violate His won standard of holiness, justice and righteousness? Making a point about the fall of man. The consequences of Adam’s sin. Everybody agrees that the Scripture made that point. But then one guy says this, and pay attention to what he said – he said, “I know the Bible says that, BUT I believe………….” I know what the Bible says, but I believe….” You laugh. It’s not funny.

a verse from Proverbs 16:4. 4The LORD works out everything for his own ends-- even the wicked for a day of disaster. “I know what the bible says, but I believe……..”

My point is this – are you ready and willing to submit to and believe all the Scriptures? Even the hard ones? Are you ready to understand that being a Christian is not about that book you can go to Wal-Mart and buy written by a guy with more white teeth than I could ever dream of and who says you can have your best life now and get the best parking space and get the hot blonde wife and never be sick a day if you just have enough faith.
Jesus didn’t come and die so I could get the hot blonde. Jesus didn’t come and die so I could get out of my job. Jesus didn’t die so I could bench press 300 pounds and be as healthy and active as I was when I was running track in high school.

Jesus came to give glory to His Father. That’s why He came. And He came to give glory to His Father by coming to save people who deserved the just condemnation of the pits of Hell for our sin and rebellion against Almighty God. Jesus came to fulfill the Law by obeying the Law perfectly and by dying a horrific, bloody, public, shameful death on the cross. And He did it willingly. Jesus came to provide redemption for our sorry rear ends and He did it out of love. For His Father. And for His people.

Matthew 1:21 says He came to save His people from their sins. He came to do the will of His Father and John 6 says that will was to save those who the Father gave him. That’s how Jesus gave glory to His Father. How about us? Do we think otherwise? That our Christianity is all about making our ride through life a smooth, sweet one and Heaven is just icing on the cake? Do we perform acts of Christian service so we can get mainline the Holy Spirit? Do we serve Missions on Keryx weekends or Emmaus weekends or go on short-term missions trips to get our next Holy Spirit high? If that’s true, are we any different than those people out there who run around looking for the next high or the thing that will satisfy their own lusts of the flesh? Isn’t that humanism? Isn’t humanism sin? Then don’t veil our humanism in Christian clothing. Paris Reidhead was a missionary to Africa back in the 40’s. He thought he had God all figured out. He wrote a sermon is called “Ten Shekels and A Shirt.” ( you can download a recording) It’s from Judges 17 and 18. What this man found in Africa is that the people there did not want Christ, they wanted what they wanted. Plain and simple. Just like in America today where Americans choose to live in the filth they desire. It is no wonder that we have a 50% divorce rate. Selfish, I want what I want, Me, Me, society. We leave destruction in the wake of a self centered society.

Prison was Profitable

Chippewa Prison was good,
We had 22 out of 24 men come to Christ. Will they stick? Will they be Pilgrims on the WAY? or will they fall? I have seen the weak become strong and the strong become weak. I have seen Miracles where men who had no one working for there release men who had years yet to serve, I have seen them released within 2 years of accepting Jesus as there savior. I have seen men, who suicide was attractive find a reason to not only live but to work hard for him who gave his all to us. I have seen cold hard killers cry with gratitude for the love that only God can give. For that Peace that is worth more than gold.

The two that did not accept Jesus one was a Jew who might have been manic, the other was a Muslim who certainly did smile a lot. We blessed them and told them we loved them. And we meant that!

We are a Spiritual SWAT TEAM, we come in show them the love of Christ,read to them the way of salvation and we go, we come back every month and we attend weekly Bible study's with these men in Prisons. It does not matter what they did, Only that Salvation comes through Jesus. Only that we never die but live forever either with our Father or in Hell. Hell being "without God"

Tomorrow night I will be in another Prison, The Pike Unit (level 1 ) sharing the Gospel with men who will be released inside of a year, They have done there time and will be paroled, These guys when they hit the street will at least know that Jesus Loves them, Will be watching them, and will be judging them. As for me. I am the beggar that showed other where to find bread, that bread of life.

God Bless
Rick