The Law

Reading The Law by Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850) will explain what is happening in our financial markets with such simplicity and clarity that anyone (with the possible exception of the Treasury Secretary!) can grasp his ideas. Fortunately for us, a majority of the House of Representatives still understands Bastiat's definition of legal plunder -- but how is this legal plunder to be defined? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some person what belongs to them and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime.
Then abolish this law without delay, for it is not only an evil itself, but also it is a fertile source for further evils because it invites reprisals. If such a law -- which may be an isolated case -- is not abolished immidietely, it will spread, multiply, and develop into a system.
Read The Law and ask your representative if they have a copy and have read it. Our temporal liberties may depend upon it.

St. Michael and All Angels

2 Kings 6:15-17 (ESV)
When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" He said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Then Elisha prayed and said, "O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see." So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
521 Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Unshaken

1 Christ, the Lord of hosts, unshaken
By the devil’s seething rage,
Thwarts the plan of Satan’s minions;
Wins the strife from age to age;
Conquers sin and death forever;
Slams them in their steely cage.

2 Michael fought the heav’nly battle,
Godly angels by his side;
Warred against the ancient serpent,
Foiled the beast, so full of pride,
Cast him earthbound with his angels;
Now he prowls, unsatisfied.

3 Long on earth the battle rages,
Since the serpent’s first deceit;
Twisted God’s command to Adam,
Made forbidden fruit look sweet.
Then the curse of God was spoken:
“You’ll lie crushed beneath His feet!”

4 Jesus came, this word fulfilling,
Trampled Satan, death defied;
Bore the brunt of our temptation,
On the wretched tree He died.
Yet to life was raised victorious;
By His life our life supplied.

5 Swift as lightning falls the tyrant
From his heav’nly perch on high,
As the word of Jesus’ vict’ry
Floods the earth and fills the sky.
Wounded by a wound eternal
Now his judgment has drawn nigh!

6 Jesus, send Your angel legions
When the foe would us enslave.
Hold us fast when sin assaults us;
Come, then, Lord, Your people save.
Overthrow at last the dragon;
Send him to his fiery grave.

Text: © Peter M. Prange Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, number 100010138.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

neighborhood survey

We took a prayer walk and neighborhood survey on September 20, and will be going out again on October 18. I have revised the survey as follows:
Hi! I’m ______________ from Concordia Lutheran Church (and this is…). We’re taking a short spiritual survey to help us better understand and serve our community.
Do you have a moment for a few questions? Great!

1. What do you think are the greatest problems or concerns facing our community?


2. What do you think is important for the church to be doing?


3. What do you think about Jesus?


4. May I tell you what Jesus means to me?

pulpit freedom Sunday

The Alliance Defense Fund has designated 9/28/08 as "Pulpit Freedom Sunday." On this occasion some ministers of the gospel will exercise their right to free speech in contradiction to the 1954 ammendment to the 501(c)3 code on tax-exempt organizations. This change (instigated by LBJ) purports to prohibit preachers from speaking out about specific candidates (and by inference, specific issues) of the day from the pulpit. Certain things have been designated as "hate speech" by our neighbors to the north (Canada). Apparently, the Orthodox bishops of California either haven't heard of the 1954 ruling, or have concluded that in this case, it is better to obey God than men. We all face similar choices. Here is the final paragraph of their statement:

Therefore, we, the Orthodox bishops of California, call upon the faithful, as responsible and concerned citizens of California, to overturn this ruling by the California Supreme Court by voting in favor of Proposition 8 this coming November. This proposition is a regrettably necessary measure to restore the true definition of marriage in the eyes of our state. A state that believes same-sex couplings constitute “marriage” implicitly — and sooner or later, explicitly — denies the role of the Church and all faiths that adhere to traditional values in public life. Please exercise your citizenship and vote in November. The passage of Proposition 8 is an imperative.

What a Feast

Lutheran Service Book #623

Lord Jesus Christ, we humbly pray
that we may feast on You today;
Beneath these forms of bread and wine
enrich us with Your grace divine.
GIve us, who share this wondrous food,
Your body broken and Your blood,
the grateful peace of sins forgiv'n,
the certain joys of heirs of heav'n.

(text: Henry E. Jacobs, 1844 - 1932)

laborers in the vineyard

Here is a marvelous explanation on yesterday's Gospel of the workers in the vineyard:
Let us imagine that one day all the inhabitants of the world would assemble to put into effect this sharing of goods; and that in fact each person, granted that the world is very big, received an exactly equal portion of the wealth existing on earth.
Then what? That very evening one man might way, "Today I worked hard; now I am going to take rest." Another might state, "I understand this sharing of goods well; so let's drink and celebrate such an extraordinary happening." On the other hand, another might say, "Now I am going to set to work with a will so as to reap the greatest benefit I can from what I have received." And so, starting on the next day, the first man would have only the amount given him; the second would have less, adn the third would have increased his.
Then what do we do? Start redistributing the wealth all over again? Even if everybody began to work right away with all his might and at the same time, the results would not be identical for all. ...To continue the argument, even if there were only two persons in the world, they would not succeed in maintaining absolute equality; for in the whole universe there are no two things completely identical in every respect. (Maximilian Kolbe, + 1941)

first prayer walk

Tomorrow will be Concordia's first prayer walk in response to the second prescription in our revitalization process to address our lack of clear vision. Prior to and during the prayer walk, Satan will try to convince you that this is not for you, that it does no good, that there is no visible result, that others are not as committed as you, that you are using your time foolishly. He will try to disrupt your sense of unity and bring in outside adversity. He will attempt to distract you from your focus and purpose. The best resistance to such schemes is praise and thanksgiving to God for all his promises and presence.
In addition, teams will be taking a brief community survey asking three questions:
What three words would you use to describe the Church in our community?
What needs to you see folks in our community struggle with meeting?
If you were looking for a church home, what characteristics or qualities would you look for?
May God help us to see our community more clearly and have the same love and concern for it as He does.