Greetings (Finally) From Germany

"But his delight is in the Law of the Lord; and in His does he meditate day and night."  (Psalm 1)

The storm which was hitting everywhere in Europe, even as we were landing in Amsterdam and then in Berlin, also knocked out power in much of Northern Germany.  There were no trains running on Sunday.  Then we took what was supposed to be an alternate train the next day and it stopped short of Wittenberg.  So, when all else fails, we rented a car for a day and finally made in to Wittenberg/Lutherstadt in the early morning of October 31.  The Church building was full, and we couldn't go in, but I told Sarah that I was not here for a "service."  I was in that small German town for the same reason Paul was hurrying to be in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost.  That date, as is October 31, 1517, a milestone in Church history.  Of course for most we don't have to elaborate on what happened on the Day of Pentecost, but perhaps we do on "Reformation Day."

The Roman Church had by in large replaced the Bible with their tradition and "add-on-theology."  And the one thing Wycliffe, Hus, Luther and the other reformers agreed upon and, I might say, fought for and some died for, was the Bible as the, "God-Breathed," Words of, "The Word of God," Himself, Jesus.  The departure from, "the Words of God," happened with alarming speed, as early as the Second Century AD.  Leaders in the church thought that more clarification on, "the Words of God," were necessary for keeping the Church "safe."  But safe from what, and from whom?  The ensuing result, which is going on right up to this very moment, has been not only in Catholicism, but in every "mainline" denomination, as well as the Charismatic "movement."  The Bible is mostly a reference book for "relevant preaching."  The driving force in all of this, and make no mistake about it, is that we know better than, "The Word of God."  A sort of, "Yes, but......." has taken over much of Christendom.  Some are calling for a "second reformation," but I sometimes wonder if they realize what they are "calling for."  If a "second reformation" actually occurs in modern Christendom, then it will look very, very similar to that which occurred on that simple door, on that remote Church building in that remote town in Germany.  Paraphrase, the 95 Theses read: Down with the words of man.  Up and Up with, "The Words of God."

Father, in Jesus' Name, that is the "second reformation" I want.  Amen.

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I sent a very short video at the site of the the Theses posting to Facebook, but could not get it to go through in our email.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'" "Looking unto Jesus" Hebrews 12:2