Christopher Gillespie

"It's a great huge game of chess that's being played—all over the world—if this is the world at all, you know." --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

Reformation Day—Abram and Lot—Genesis 13:1-18 https://youtube.com/live/uy5p5_UDP5o

Fantastic piece of writing! nostr:naddr1qqgrwvrzvc6rsdp5vvexvvpcxsenjqgdwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkcq3q4hq5lgadtyy9dhvtszq46dnl0s0xwdddqr7e32rdqqhma8a4xhssxpqqqp65w6f56pd

The Call of Abram—Genesis 12:1-20 https://www.youtube.com/live/OD3Vvrz2fUg God chose Abram solely by grace. He called Abram away from worshiping false gods to trust in Him, just as He has called us through His Word from unbelief to faith. When Abram hesitated at Haran, God called him again and led him out of Haran with the promise. The promise grows from the least to the greatest: God would make Abram into a great nation, and many would trust in that nation or land instead of in the promise. Others would trust in Abram's great name rather than in the God who granted that name. Through Abraham's seed, all peoples on earth would be blessed because that seed is Christ, who offered His blood as payment for everyone’s sins. Now, that great name of the seed has been placed upon us in Holy Baptism—blessing those who bless us and cursing those who curse us. This blessing in Jesus’ name always points us to the cross and our death, so that Christ may live in us and through us. Every day, we call on that great Name above all names, just as Abram did, for there is no life outside of it.

But Jesus doesn’t come to make us look righteous. He comes to make us new. And the new life He brings can’t be stuffed into the old wineskin of self-righteousness. That’s why the Pharisees couldn’t stand Him. Their religion was working for them. Their fasting, their praying, their rituals—they made sense. They made them feel holy. And then Jesus shows up and sits down with tax collectors and prostitutes and sinners. He eats with them. Drinks with them. Forgives them. And that offends everyone who still believes holiness can be earned. nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqfydqalpwf5dacjn5vwr8n2u4z82cqca8kv0thgt897vavmhcc30qyt8wumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgtcpzpmhxue69uhkumewwd68ytnrwghsq5meda6j6cmpde6z6ur0w4ez6argv5kkueth94kxjen994hkvttrdpexjum5945kuar0946xsefddakxgttnv4kxvtthv4jxuetnv3shjtt0vckhgunfde5hg7fdxyuj6v3sxg6symnpv4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiJiwuuvtr8

Considering using a tax attorney and/or financial planner to manage personal finances and two small businesses. But I need someone BTC-savvy who supports using tax structures to build a BTC treasury. Local folks have been super skeptical, and I don't need to orange pill them. Suggestions?

The Tower of Babel—Genesis 11:1-9 https://youtube.com/live/AJYtVgVEoJI

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. —Paul the Apostle

He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. —Proverbs 13:20

Scripture says, “Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 20:10). An “abomination” is a “disgusting thing.” In Biblical times, a dishonest scale cheated the buyer or the seller. Today, our dishonest scales are hidden in how our money is created and managed. When new money is printed, added to a bank ledger, or borrowed into existence, the first to receive it benefits, while everyone else bears the cost later through higher prices. nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqfydqalpwf5dacjn5vwr8n2u4z82cqca8kv0thgt897vavmhcc30qyt8wumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgtcpzpmhxue69uhkumewwd68ytnrwghsqtnvv468getj946x7tt5dpjj6etyd96x7u3dvfex76m9dckk6mmwv4uj6cnjda4k2m3ddphk6etnmm0mp7

The Flood—The Promise of the Rainbow—Gen. 9:1-17 (18-29) https://youtube.com/live/qxpOkiutFME

The Flood—The Lord Remembers Noah—Genesis 8:1-22 https://www.youtube.com/live/5kElVatW2Fg

"Catechism means the instruction in which the heathen who want to be Christians are taught and guided in what they should believe, know, do, and leave undone, according to the Christian faith. This is why the candidates who had been admitted for such instruction and learned the Creed before their baptism used to be called catechumenos. This instruction or catechization I cannot put better or more plainly than has been done from the beginning of Christendom and retained till now, i.e., in these three parts, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Our Father. These three plainly and briefly contain exactly everything that a Christian needs to know. This instruction must be given, as long as there is no special congregation, from the pulpit at stated times or daily as may be needed, and repeated or read aloud evenings and mornings in the homes for the children and servants, in order to train them as Christians. Nor should they only learn to say the words by rote. But they should be questioned point by point and give answer what each part means and how they understand it. If everything cannot be covered at once, let one point be taken up today, and tomorrow another. If parents and guardians won’t take the trouble to do this, either themselves or through others, there never will be a catechism, except a separate congregation be organized as stated above." --Luther's Words, AE53:64-65.

"Christ, to train men, had to become man himself. If we wish to train children, we must become children with them. Would to God such child’s play were widely practiced. In a short time we would have a wealth of Christian people whose souls would be so enriched in Scripture and in the knowledge of God that of their own accord they would add more pockets, just as the Loci Communes, and comprehend all Scripture in them. Otherwise, people can go to church daily and come away the same as they went. For they think they need only listen at the time, without any thought of learning or remembering anything. Many a man listens to sermons for three or four years and does not retain enough to give a single answer concerning his faith–as I experience daily. Enough has been written in books, yes; but it has not been driven home to the hearts." --Luther, AE53:67.

It is not we who call ourselves Lutherans. Rather, our adversaries call us that. We allow this to the extent that this title is an indication of the consensus that our churches have with the orthodox and catholic doctrine that Luther set forth from Holy Writ. Therefore we allow ourselves to be named after Luther, not as the inventor of a new faith but as the asserter of the old faith and the cleanser of the church from the stains of Papist dogmas. Consequently, we also do not reject the names “Christian” and “catholic,” nor do we render ourselves unworthy of it by the approval of any heretical dogma, as did the Arians. Nestorians, Eutychians, etc. Rather, we called "Christians" from Christ as the only Author and Teacher of our faith. We are called "catholics" from our consensus with the catholic faith. We are called "Lutherans" from Luther as the asserter and defender of that faith, but especially as the reformer whom God raised up. Johann Gerhard, Theological Commonplace, XXV.

And here comes Jesus—with no lecture, no conditions, no delay— “Take heart, son. Your sins are forgiven.” That’s not just a kind word. That’s a word that changes everything. That’s a word that moves you from death to life. We might think Jesus got it wrong—this man came for healing, and Jesus gave forgiveness. But that’s the point. Forgiveness is the healing. The real sickness isn’t in the legs; it’s in the heart. It’s the sin that separates us from God. And Jesus cuts straight to it. This isn’t Jesus showing off for the Pharisees or using the man as an object lesson. No, He loves him. He loves him enough to give him what matters most: peace with God. nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqfydqalpwf5dacjn5vwr8n2u4z82cqca8kv0thgt897vavmhcc30qyt8wumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgtcpzpmhxue69uhkumewwd68ytnrwghsqjmxdaexw6tkv4hx2umn94hkvttnd9h8xttxd3hhwuedveex7mfdvd58y6tnw3ej6cmjdaehxttfde6x7tteda6hyttvd9nx2tt5wf5ku6t50yknzwfdxgcrydgeuc83y https://youtu.be/1RF0l3LeO2I

The Marks of a Living Church: Faith – receiving the Word with the Spirit’s power. Love – laboring for neighbor amid affliction. Hope – steadfastly waiting for Christ’s return. Election – grounded in Christ, not in speculation. Conversion – turning from false gods to the living God. As Gerhard writes, “Where these three—faith, love, and hope—flourish, there the Church is alive, for Christ Himself dwells there through the Spirit.” https://youtu.be/7mJxD8HNg8s

Sunday’s OT and Epistle—Isaiah 44:21–23; Eph 4:22-28 https://youtube.com/live/qYiXWqpVVkc

413: Debrief on the Bondage of the Will https://youtube.com/live/XWES5fJM7Iw