Prosperity promised in this age—with persecutions

He tells him and all the apostles with solemn emphasis that there is no one that has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who would not receive in return, as a reward of grace, much more, a hundred times more, even in this present world. Even here on earth, in Christ and in the Kingdom of Grace, a Christian finds full compensation for everything that he has given up and sacrificed in this world’s goods; for the standards of the kingdom of God are entirely different from those of the world, Mark 10, 30. And finally, when the time set by God has come, He will give to the believers the inheritance of eternal life, not on account of any works or sacrifice, but as a reward of grace. Then all that he may have been obliged to suffer, to sacrifice, to deny, will sink into insignificance and be forgotten in the enjoyment of the heavenly bliss.

Paul E. Kretzmann, on Luke 18:28-30

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Augsburg Aggregator will close

The Augsburg Aggregator will close 1 November 2010. I warmly thank all who supported the aggregation website by visiting it, linking to it, or suggesting member blogs for it.

The categorized list of confessional Lutheran blogs is available as this OPML file for importing into other aggregators. Please leave comments related to any efforts to offer a similar aggregator to the public.

I will continue to focus my own efforts on the Agapē Enthroned blog.

Theologians of the cross

The new “Theologians of the cross” category of the Augsburg Aggregator features blogs devoted entirely to Lutheran theology, that is, orthodox christology. If you know of an unlisted blog that meets the following criteria, please leave its URL in a comment:

  • Agreement with the Book of Concord;
  • Complete absence of non-theological posts such as those on technology, church or state politics, or family life;
  • Real names of post authors;
  • Quality of content and presentation comparable to that of the blogs already listed.

Blogs listed under other categories meet another set of criteria.

Tools for midday devotions

Have you found one verse a day is not always enough to combat the constant attacks of the Murderer? See the “Daily Devotions” in the “Words of eternal life” folder of the Augsburg Aggregator.

Evening, morning, and noon

I cry out in distress and He hears my voice.

To facilitate prayer, the worship page of Dawning Realm now has a link to these noon prayers as well as a frame with the Daily Devotions.

Don’t Worry About Food and Drink

This sermon by Rick Stuckwisch, Ambassador of Reconciliation, complements What does it mean to seek the kingdom of God?

Do not worry about what you will wear tomorrow, but seek to return to the white wedding gown of your Baptism each and every day. Thus are you clothed and not found naked.

So, too, does God your Father feed you with the Bread of Life, the Body of Christ, which is real food for body and soul, for life everlasting. And He gives you to drink from the Cup of Salvation, the overflowing Chalice which is the New Testament in Christ’s Blood, poured out for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.

thinking-out-loud: Don’t Worry About Food and Drink