Herrenhuter readings for Monday, the 9th September 2013

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

DAs neue TestamentThey will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. (Jer 50:5 NIV)

Christ is the mediator of a new covenant. (Heb 9:15 NIV)

Posted in Losung & Lehrtext | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Löhe on Galatians 5:25

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Holy GhostSince we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Gal 5:25 NIV)

The apostle differentiates between two things: Living by the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit. Both aspects are off course linked together. Whoever doesn’t live by the Spirit, can’t keep in step with the Spirit either. However you can live by the Spirit and yet not keep in step with him even if that’s quite detrimental to do that on the long run. The evil which is then tolerated starts to overwhelm the good until it is quite suppressed. The apostle does not want this ambiguous situation to continue. Therefore if the new life is alive in you – starts to bud and sprout, prosper and flourish and if the Holy Spirit motivates you to do good, then don’t linger in the old and sinful ways, but rather proceed to the light and live in the light with body and soul. If you don’t, this light might fade and even be extinguished. The Holy Spirit is alive and motivates, but the old ways have a habit of popping up again and again. This is a constant struggle in Christians and gives them most pain and troubles the caretaker of souls too. The Word of God and his faithful admonitions seek to help. A life by the Spirit needs to become one in step with the Spirit. This happens by the efficacious Word of God, which motivates us by magnifying the merits of Christ and his vicarious sacrifice. That is the true driving force of any holy life.

O God and Father! Form us into your property and instruments so that we don’t desire or do anything without or against your will. Sanctify us with your Holy Spirit, that we will desire good and do it too. Bring us to the holy community of Saints, to which you have called and elected us. O great God, let us be enlightened by your light and lighten up all darkness that keeps us from beholding your goodness and glory. Fix all our senses onto you and your kingdom, subject us to your good will and lead our mind and being to never depart from you. Abide in us, so that we might be in you for ever and ever. Amen. (J.Böhme)  

Who trusts in God, a strong abode In heav’n and earth possesses; Who looks in love to Christ above, No fear his heart oppresses. In Thee alone, dear Lord, we own Sweet hope and consolation, Our Shield from foes, our Balm for woes, Our great and sure salvation. (Joachim Magdeburg, 1572 tr Benjamin H. Kennedy, 1863)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the fifteenth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 320 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

Posted in Meditations by P.Wilhelm Löhe (Translation) | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Herrenhuter readings for Sunday, the 8th September 2013

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Ascension of JesusTurn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. (Psa 25:16 NIV)

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Act 1:11 NIV)

Posted in Losung & Lehrtext | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Seminary Open Day: Downloads

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

DSC_0468The student choir sang a few songs. Here is a sampling as MP3 file: 

Rev. Nkambule introduced Rev. Sithole with the following anecdote: 

Here is the keynote address by Rev. S.E. Sithole (PhD) given at the Seminary Open Day as a MP3 file:

My report was in the form of a Powerpoint Presentation – but saved here as a pdf file for your convenience: RR Open Day 2013

Posted in LTS in Tshwane | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Löhe on Galatians 5:24

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Suffering JesusThose who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal 5:24 NIV)

Such apostolic admonitions are not just friendly reminders of holy obligations. They have the power of a vitalizing wind and warming fire. They wake up Christians and help them up and forward. There is a blessing inherent to them and I think you will be able to confirm these apostolic truths from your own experience. If the holy way, the godly obligation and duty to commit yourself entirely to Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit seem rather demanding and difficult, then stick to the apostolic sermon and faithful preaching. Let the caregiver of your soul, your pastor and other brothers encourage you, to live out this godly way of life and to promote these valuable gifts from on high. The living Word will empower and encourage you even as your weakness threatens to weigh you down. The crucifixion of your flesh with its passions and desires which the apostle addresses here is the discipleship of Christ and occurs out of love for him. It keeps focused and centered on Christ’s suffering and dying in faith and love. Discipleship gives up worldly passions and desires of the sinful flesh. The Christian needs to practice this devotion and concentration on Christ crucified as a ongoing habit. The more you keep eyes, mind and heart fixed on Jesus and his suffering the easier it will be for you to fight victoriously in the battle of sanctification against sinful passions and desires.

Lord Jesus Christ, you were sacrificed for us on the cross. Have mercy on us. By your grace keep us from sinning. Strengthen our faith, grow our hope and unite us in love. Come to those restless hearts, to those embittered, the lonely, suffering, sinful and help them all, bring them home to the Father, grant them respite and rest in your peace. Hinder all evil, protect us from it as our firm shield and fortification, but also grant us the weapons of combat to fight victoriously against all devilry and cunning. Let your kingdom come to us. Build and strengthen your Church. Bless your people and confirm your inheritance. Magnify yourself amongst us and let us be yours here and eternally. Amen. (G.Mensching)

 I need Thy presence every passing hour. What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power? Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me. (Henry F. Lyte, 1847)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the fourteenth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 319 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

Posted in Meditations by P.Wilhelm Löhe (Translation) | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Herrenhuter readings for Saturday, the 7th September 2013

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus and MosesThe LORD loves righteousness and justice;  (Psa 33:5 NIV)

“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” (Act 13:38-39 NIV)

Posted in Losung & Lehrtext | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Löhe on Galatians 5:22

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

fruits of the spiritBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23 NIV)

Nine fruits of the Spirit instead of one! They are all possible and really present in the Church. And each one is a debit-order that is made out in the name of the vineyard owner Jesus Christ. He did not provide sap and strength of his Holy Spirit in our Baptism. These nine fruits of the Spirit, which are found only in abundance amongst rather few of us are most pleasing to God.  Yet even those amongst whom they are found will have to consent that for the most time it remains a struggle to bring forth these fruits – even if it could and should happen in power and vitality, with joy and praise. Even those of us, who want to be Christians most fervently must confess, that these fruits of the Spirit still grow rather poorly and sparsely amongst us. When will we do those deeds and full bring such actions in Jesus name that are worthy of bearing his name and start to be victorious and thus serve our Church honorably? Oh, that we would be heroes in following Jesus and not such weak and feeble warriors that are prone more than not to die rather than conquer.

Oh Lord strengthen your worn out and battle weary Christians, that too often oppose and reject the workings of your Holy Spirit. Help us with the word of your truth, grant repentance, conversion, faith and sanctification and let the fruits of your Spirit grow and flourish amongst us to the benefit of your Church and to praise your most holy name.  Amen.

Help and bless me with celestial grace that I would always flourish in your presence; grant that the summer of your grace would bear forth ample fruit of faith all year round.

Make yourself at home within me that I become a good tree rooted deeply within you; grant that I be a beautiful flower in your garden blossoming to your glory always.

Elect me to your paradise and let my soul and body flourish and prosper to the very end so that I may at all times serve you willingly both here and there to your glory. (Paul Gerhard, 1607-1676)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Friday after the fourteenth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 318 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

Posted in Meditations by P.Wilhelm Löhe (Translation) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Herrenhuter readings for Friday, the 6th September

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Lorenzo_Veneziano,_Christ_Rescuing_Peter_from_Drowning._1370_Staatliche_Museen,_Berlin. (1)The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand (Psa 37:23-24 NIV)

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Mat 14:31 NIV)

Posted in Losung & Lehrtext | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Löhe on Galatians 5:21b

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

law and gospel1I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:21 NIV)

“Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal 5:21b NIV) That’s like a rolling thunder of truth, justice and judgment over those living like this – even if they are called Christian and have a passionate hope for eternal salvation. No, whoever lives like this is lost. There is repentance and conversion even of these sins as they too can be forgiven. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us of all sin. Yet those who sin willingly, unrepentantly and audaciously while even encouraging others to follow their bad example and themselves don’t seek to follow God’s holy ways  – they are on the way to hell and eternal destruction. Then finally they will realize that their impudent sinning was nothing but lies and vanity of the devil, but then it will be too late for conversion or repentance.

Lord – our creator! We are your craft and handiwork. You gave us body and life to live according to your holy will and promise. There will come a day, when you will require us to answer your calling and we will have to give an account whether we honored these your creative gifts to us appropriately or whether we disregarded and even misused them. You would have us keep and preserve our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. Therefore discipline us by thy Holy Spirit. Grant us steadfastness in all temptations. Grant us victory in the ongoing battle against sin and the world. The world is passing away with all its pleasure; yet, he who remains in you and your will, remains forever. Amen. (Church book of Württemberg 1931)

Take my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise, Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move At the impulse of Thy love; Take my feet and let them be Swift and beautiful for Thee, Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing Always, only, for my King; Take my lips, and let them be Filled with messages from Thee, Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold; Not a mite would I withhold; Take my intellect, and use Every power as Thou shalt choose, Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; It shall be no longer mine. Take my heart; it is Thine own; It shall be Thy royal throne, It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour At Thy feet its treasure-store. Take myself, and I will be Ever, only, all for Thee, Ever, only, all for Thee. (Frances R. Havergal, 1874 LH 400)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Thursday after the fourteenth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 317 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

Posted in Meditations by P.Wilhelm Löhe (Translation) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Herrenhuter readings for Thursday, the 5th September 2013

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus Christ crucifiedGuide me in your truth and teach me! (Psa 25:5 NIV)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Joh 14:6 NIV)

Posted in Losung & Lehrtext | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment