* OLD TESTAMENT/NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES
Our staff writers for “Lessons From The Old Testament” have led us through Genesis, the Book of Beginnings, which ends with God’s people in Egypt. A last article covered lessons from the book of Job.
We come next to the last four books of Moses (Exodus to Deuteronomy) which treat the oppression of God’s people in Egypt, and their subsequent deliverance. Rather than chapter by chapter, a broader brush often covering several chapters will be used by the writers to lead us through these books. Thereafter, the plan is to continue on through the divinely recorded and inspired historical books of Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings and so forth.
And all for the purpose, as St. Paul writes: “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
As for the New Testament studies — with this issue we conclude the chapter studies of Corinthians. The plan is to continue on through the Epistles of Paul. Since they do not always lend themselves to a whole-chapter approach (the chapter divisions are not inspired), these studies will rather focus on chapter sections or overlaps.
As we thank our Old Testament writers for lessons gleaned that we might have hope, so we thank our New Testament writers for helping us lest we succumb to the all-too-common plague of scripture twisting. St. Peter writes: “…As also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction” (2 Pet. 3:15f).
Lord, may we all benefit from the wisdom You gave to “our beloved brother Paul”!
–PGF
* EXPLORATORY SERVICES
We intend to run the table of preaching stations for the Board of Missions twice annually (February & August). Giving the phone number should suffice for necessary contact to be made. If any desire further information be shown in the Spokesman, send it along for our Announcements section.
Any updates or corrections, additions or deletions, for this table should be sent directly to the editor via snail-mail or e-mail (cf. masthead).
–PGF
* THE WORMHAVEN GARDENING BOOK
Pastor Gregory Jackson’s latest book is lighter fare than other titles he has written (e.g. Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant, Liberalism: Its Cause And Cure; Angel Joy). One of the pastor’s avocations is gardening. He hadn’t lived in New Ulm more than a year before he was elected president of the city’s gardening club.
Who can appreciate any aspect of nature or creation better than one who sees it for what it is — a product of the creative hand of the Almighty. But the lowly earthworm?! The reader of this 150-page soft-cover book will soon discover that the Creator’s purpose and intent with the earthworm is far more than fish bait. The garden in your backyard is a worm haven. What that garden produces is to the credit of the Creator — and His seemingly insignificant earthworm.
The book is subtitled: “Understanding God’s Six Day Creation Can Make Gardening easy, Fun, Inexpensive, Healthy and Educational for the Whole Family.” Besides treating organic gardening, the book is an apology for Creation. Says the author: “When we have a clearer under- standing of Creation, all other doctrines also mean more to us.”
The book can be enjoyed by both children and adults. Included are 25 projects for children so that parents and parochial school teachers can illustrate the principles of Creation from common events, plants, and animals in the backyard.
“Of course, the real heroes among God’s creatures working the soil in Wormhaven are far more amazing than fictitious sand worms of the classic science fiction tale Dune . . . The reader of Wormhaven is truly in for a treat. Pastor Jackson’s marvelous sense of humor is found on almost every page” — Dr. David Menton
–PGF