EChurch@Wartburg – 1.6.13

Posted on by January 5, 2013avatar

Welcome to a Gathering of EChurch@Wartburg

lossy-page1-759px-Children_in_their_Sunday_clothes_pose_in_front_of_adobe_church,_Alamo_National_Forest,_N._Mex._Terr._(now_Lincoln_Nation_-_NARA_-_523027.tif
Alamo National Forest Country Church-National Archives

​

A New Year Prayer link
Holy Father,
God of our yesterdays, our today, and our tomorrows.
We praise You for Your unequaled greatness.
Thank You for the year behind us and for the year ahead.
Help us in Your new year, Father, to fret less and laugh more.
To teach our children to laugh by laughing with them.
To teach others to love by loving them.
Knowing, when Love came to the stable in Bethlehem, He came for us.
So that Love could be with us, and we could know You.
That we could share Love with others.
Help us, Father, to hear Your love song in every sunrise,
in the chirping of sparrows in our backyards,
in the stories of our old folks, and the fantasies of our children.
Help us to stop and listen to Your love songs,
so that we may know You better and better.
We rejoice in the world You loved into being.
Thank You for another new year and for new chances every day.
We pray for peace, for light, and for hope, that we might spread them to others.
Forgive us for falling short this past year.
We leave the irreparable past in your hands, and step out into the unknown new year knowing You will go with us.
We accept Your gift of a new year and we rejoice in what's ahead, depending on You to help us do exactly what You want..
I say it again, we rejoice!
In Jesus name,
Amen.

A Celtic Prayer link
I arise today
in your strength to uplift me,
in your power to direct me,
in your love to enfold me,
in your wisdom to guide me,
in your way to lead me
this day and every day.
Amen

If you are new to EChurch, please click on this link for an explanation

Scripture Reading:  Galatians 3:26-28 (NASB Bible Gateway)

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Shepherd-King Celtic Prayer link
As I travel the road of life,
Shepherd-King walk beside me.
As I fall into pot-holes,
Shepherd-King raise me
As I baulk at the rough places,
Shepherd-King encourage me.
As I wander away from you,
Shepherd-King lead me.
As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
Shepherd-King surround me.
Amen

Prayer for a New Year link
Remember us, O God;
from age to age be our comforter.
You have given us the wonder of time,
blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.
Bless your children at the turning of the year
and fill the months ahead with the bright hope
that is ours in the coming of Christ.
You are our God, living and reigning, forever and ever.
Amen

A Scottish Benediction link
May the blessing of light be on you – light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire,
so that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.
And may light shine out of the two eyes of you,
like a candle set in the window of a house,
bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.
And may the blessing of the rain be on you,
may it beat upon your Spirit and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there a shining pool where the blue of Heaven shines,
and sometimes a star.
And may the blessing of the earth be on you,
soft under your feet as you pass along the roads,
soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day;
and may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie out under it.
May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be out from under it quickly; up and off and on its way to God.
And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly.
Amen.

Comments

EChurch@Wartburg – 1.6.13 — 31 Comments

  2. Thanks, Wanda! Happy New Year to you and your family as well! We thank you and Dee for the outstanding effort you two have given to encourage others this past year through Wartburg! May the Lord continue to bless you and your ministry.

  4. The bible sets women free!!! I cheered inwardly when you said that, Wade. Then I nearly fell out of my chair when I heard you explain how Paul was very directly “knocking the legs out from under the prayer of the Pharisees” in Galatians!!! Nice one, Paul. I’ve been studying the bible for years but never made that connection or heard/read that explanation before. Thank you for being brave enough to teach on this subject, wish the videos in this series were on YouTube…I’m kind of a YT junkie and believe me, they’re needed there.

  5. When he was speaking of the argument about how if no one is in charge NOTHING will be done? You know what I pictured? Two men that thought they were top dog, and YEP nothing got done. They were too busy fighting about who was right, more knowledgeable, etc.

    It's a wonder mankind got as far as we have isn't it? (laughs)

  6. What an absolutely wonderful series of teachings this has been, Wade!

    There are still several areas where women are not free to serve in many churches today due to a misunderstanding of Paul’s words. The Talmud prohibitted women from learning: “Let the words of the law be burned, rather than that they should be delivered to women.” That’s why his words to Timothy were so radical in insisting they “learn” first. His reasoning was that the man (Adam) was formed (spiritually) and now woman (Eve) should be formed (spiritually) so she (they) won’t be deceived.

    Women were not permitted to sit at the feet of Rabbis to learn. But Mary boldly sat at Jesus’ feet to learn and He clearly said it was of greater importance than other distractions and duties. Women today have no restrictions on learning so many are equipped to serve in leadership areas of ministry as God continues to open doors and set them free to exercise their gifts.

    Thank you, Wade, for greatly contributing to women’s spiritual growth and men’s understanding of her value in the body of Christ.

    And special thanks to Dee and Deb for following Paul’s example in being uncompromising about the liberty we have in Christ and their courage in exposing false teachings that bring bondage.

    Many are being blessed by your ministries. Happy New Year to you all!

  7. Thank you, Dee and Deb, for hosting the Echurch, and Wade, for your messages! I have been staying home from church the last couple Sundays with my newborn daughter and have been blessed with the Echurch here at home. I know that this website is instrumental in pointing out problems in Christianity today, but i also applaud you for doing this positive thing, with the Echurch, to combat some of the problems.

  8. Felicity,

    Congratulations on your little bundle of joy! Glad our EChurch has been helpful.

    We sat behind a young couple in church this morning who had a baby November 27. I attended the baby shower, and he is so precious! Cherish every moment because they grow up fast!

    Happy New Year.

  9. Women were not permitted to sit at the feet of Rabbis to learn. But Mary boldly sat at Jesus’ feet to learn and He clearly said it was of greater importance than other distractions and duties. Women today have no restrictions on learning so many are equipped to serve in leadership areas of ministry as God continues to open doors and set them free to exercise their gifts.
    ~ Victorious ~

    Victorious,
    Remember also that when all the men hid out & holed up for fear of the Roman patrols & their own skins, it was a woman who first told the Good News that Jesus had risen from the dead.

  10. Pastor Burleson,
    Powerful message! We may have an inerrant Bible and even inerrant interpretations of the Bible at times [Thou shalt not murder & Thou shalt not steal]. But what we don’t have in all cases is inerrant conclusions for real life.

    It is my fervent hope that your series on gender spreads far abroad in the land and provides some serious push-back to those who insist upon creating a Talmudic religion out of St. Paul’s writings.

  11. This series was a blessing and an encouragement. I think being around so much male control and abuse growing up placed me in fear of and actually, anger at men in general. I’ve come a long way and the anger is not necessarily there anymore, but the fear definitely is. The fear of being controlled by a male. I think male control and abuse of authority is definitely prevelant in some churches. I hope God will lead me to a community that understands this equality that you made clear in these sermons. Thank you for Echurch. It has been a blessing and good for my heart.

  12. Tammy Carter,

    I believe there are many Christian women who share your sentiments. I will be praying that you will find other believers who are like-minded.

    Blessings!

  13. Something powerful happened at our church today I want to share.
    when the service was almost over the childrens minister who had been out with the 4-5 year olds came in and said he had to make an announcement. During the service a haggard looking young woman came in to the church with a toddler. She said she had been living in her car for 2 days fleeing from an abusive husband. Our childrens minister was in tears as he shared her plight with us. Just to make it short, we have set her up in a safe place so we can help her sort things out. No one told her to go back. No one told her she was wrong. No one questioned her story. No one told her her marriage was the most important thing. The only thing folks did were to come up to the minister and offer help in real terms. One man offered to pay for a week in an extended hotel and stock it with food. The only reason I know this is because his wife told me over lunch. You see, his wife is a former victim of domestic violence from her first marriage and she was in tears over her husbands kindness as she recalled the days she felt so alone. And her husband is not even a member. He is a Catholic.

    We all agreed that we must help first and ask questions later.

    I am blessedto be in such a place with such people. The part I loved best is he told the entire church. During the announcement she was being listened to and cared for by some women of the church.

    AFter that the preacher said, I was going to make some announcements but no way after that. There was not a dry eye in the house.

  15. Anon 1,
    Kudos to you and the congregation you belong to for bridging the gap between the preached Jesus & the practiced Jesus.

  17. Muff Potter wrote:

    It is my fervent hope that your series on gender spreads far abroad in the land and provides some serious push-back to those who insist upon creating a Talmudic religion out of St. Paul’s writings.

    Actually, the writings of St. Paul are inspired Scripture, not the musings of man like the Talmud.

  18. Nicholas

    I believe that Muff was referring to those who interpret Paul in such a way as to form absolute “rules” about issues such as women speaking in church, etc. I can assure you, due to the wide range of beliefs floating around the various groups like TGC, we are stuck with the musings of man.  If not we would all agree.

  19. Anon 1~

    That is awesome!! How wonderful that body of Christ was built up in love by your children’s minister relaying what had happened. By telling the whole church, the love of God exhibited by those members caring for that woman and her child is shared by all and all can praise Him. Beautiful!

    Wade~

    I enjoyed your sermon. “It’s in dialogue, not pontification. It’s in people discussing the issues, not just one person acting as if he has all the answers.” Very nice!

  21. Wade –

    This has been a wonderful series! Thank you so much for reminding us of the freedom we have in Christ, of the freedom and beauty that was given to us at creation as image bearers of God. I pray that all men and women will begin to see this truth and will live as those made in His image.

  22. Anon 1 –

    Thanks for sharing that wonderful testimony of the love of Christ being lived out in your church. It is beautiful!

  23. Wade –

    Is this series available as a set, possibly as a download from your church website? Better yet, have you considered posting them as a series on YouTube so others can link to them? I think it would be refreshing to see such teaching where it is accessible to the masses.

  24. Bridget,

    I would be happy for the series to be on You Tube. I am not a techno geek and would have no idea how that could be done, but if Wartburg’s guru (or our tech guy) can get it done, it would be fine with me!

  26. All the sermons/messages carried via The Wartburg Watch are on the Vimeo (similar to YouTube):

    http://vimeo.com/emmanuelenid/videos

    If the videos on Vimeo are tagged with proper meta-tags and grouped, the search crawlers will pick up the contents.

    Of course, YouTube has a wider reach.

  28. I am not new to reading this blog ( been lurking a little over a year ) but this is my first post . I wanted to tell you how grateful I am for your study and your sermons on this issue . This series has taught me more about the love and freedom that I have in Christ , as a person and a woman !