tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post6913903110320629161..comments2024-03-27T15:47:46.091-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: The temptation of virtual reality. . . Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-47663566707015212142016-08-21T21:07:24.126-05:002016-08-21T21:07:24.126-05:00John Flanagan I appreciate your comments. Really I...John Flanagan I appreciate your comments. Really I do. But you and others need to know that there are people, whose sole purpose in attending church is to try and damage the churches. They have no interest in the Gospel at all. Rather than kick these people out, our congregations tolerate them because that is the "loving thing to do". <br />These people are the fierce wolves that Paul described in one of his writings. <br />I am just not going to churches that deliberately and willfully deny and contradict Biblical teaching. The truth is almost all churches are like this. My friend, whose is an LCMS pastor, who I have known for 15 years, tells me that cohabitation is very prevalent in the LCMS congregations. <br />The Bible says "if anyone is sexually immoral, don't even eat with such a person".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-50174306254894623952016-08-20T13:19:04.334-05:002016-08-20T13:19:04.334-05:00Easy Fashion....just one parting comment, and you ...Easy Fashion....just one parting comment, and you can have the last word if you so desire. We cannot distress ourselves over the perceived failure of other people to repent. We each have enough on our own plates to worry about. God is in compete control and will judge all. All we can do is strive to be faithful, share the Gospel of grace, live in humility without being puffed up or prideful in our own righteousness. The Johnny Cash song I remember well has lyrics which read, "God will cut you down." When I was a new believer I fell into an early dilemma which was this: I became for a time very legalistic and judgmental. Then the grace of God revealed that pride was in my heart, and that Jesus calls us to humility and compassion. Many people struggle with repetitious besetting sins, addictions, weaknesses, and try to live good Christian lives but become depressed and worn down. The weight of sin is strong. But we know our works and righteousness cannot save us. Like the unworthy thief on the cross, we rest on Christ alone.John Joseph Flanaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06596324816480709495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-28411947390865792002016-08-20T08:25:52.651-05:002016-08-20T08:25:52.651-05:00I realize I fall short and need forgiveness. The c...I realize I fall short and need forgiveness. The chief problem with our churches is they are filled with people who have no intention of ever repenting! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-31746613826256354342016-08-20T07:37:50.394-05:002016-08-20T07:37:50.394-05:00To: Easy Fashion
From: Jesus
Subj: Grac...To: Easy Fashion<br />From: Jesus<br />Subj: Grace<br /> You are a sinner, and you do need grace. You do fall short in many ways. I know you better than anyone.<br /> Sometimes you regret your sins, sometimes you repent. Sometimes you are unrepentent.<br /> Your works, even your best ones, are flawed. And yes....I did give you a free pass, even if you did not deserve it.John Joseph Flanaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06596324816480709495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-58324659678556083472016-08-19T23:51:24.553-05:002016-08-19T23:51:24.553-05:00"We are all sinners in need of grace, we all ..."We are all sinners in need of grace, we all fall short.." <br />This is the typical response to give unrepentant sinners a free pass. <br /><br />"I do not think we should honestly lay all the guilt on the LCMS, as some have posted here." <br />I will accuse them of laxity. Note to LCMS pastors: It is better to die on your feet serving the Lord than to live on your knees accommodating the world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-62892107982555181202016-08-19T22:29:56.039-05:002016-08-19T22:29:56.039-05:00I do not think we should honestly lay all the guil...I do not think we should honestly lay all the guilt on the LCMS, as some have posted here. Sure, I for one criticize the informality I have observed in some of our churches, the poor preaching, and the rampant worldliness of American Christianity today. It is like blaming the teacher when the students are lazy, preoccupied with selfish motives, and unwilling to learn the lessons they need to know. The technology alone, social media, television, cultural vanities and the fashions of the times are continual distractions. Even in the relatively low tech agrarian and industrial past, people found things to pull them away from God and His word. The truth is that the righteous in all generations are always in small numbers and among the remnant, while most professed Christians give a mere wink and a nod toward God, and go on with their worldly pursuits. We are all sinners in need of grace, we all fall short, and we all need to practice our faith, not just talk about it.John Joseph Flanaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06596324816480709495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-47119550652443758252016-08-19T12:36:19.435-05:002016-08-19T12:36:19.435-05:00The internet is the new catacombs. Most churches (...The internet is the new catacombs. Most churches (Lutheran included) are apostate. There is no fellowship. Attending church is like going to a movie theater. Most churches condone frivolous divorce and remarriage. Most churches have a good many members who are cohabiting. Yup, Lutheran parishioners shack up. Listen to Pastor Mark Surburg (LCMS) Issuesetc.org broadcast "The Churches Institutionalized Fornication". Today, a Christian is someone who approves of immoral behavior. Add in the feminism and malicious gossip and there is no incentive to show up at church. What guy in his right mind wants to be castigated for imagined offenses on fathers day? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-34059658621860558042016-08-19T12:04:04.083-05:002016-08-19T12:04:04.083-05:00Spiritual discernment cannot become a part of us b...Spiritual discernment cannot become a part of us by indiscriminately reading/watching online without prior instruction. Banks teach (or used to) their tellers how to tell the counterfeit by becoming familiar with the real thing. Pastors are the ones who should be teaching "the Real Thing." Evangelicals today cannot be sure their pastors feed them anything better than TBN. If the Holy Scripture is not being read and taught in your church (whatever stripe), run!Janis Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02947508427040251166noreply@blogger.com