Who Says? 

     "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.

     "The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

     "The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. 

     "They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

     Not possible? It will be normal during the millennium to come, when Christ returns to rule the world. The above is from Isaiah chapter 11, written centuries ago. Isaiah wrote many verses that interest all of us who believe and hope in the Lord. 

     In verse 10: "In that day, the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people..." 

We have little idea how great our Savior is, do we? 

           Jimmy

Peace in the Middle East 

     Should Americans care? Mike Huckabee is the U.S. ambassador to Israel. He had visited Israel some 25 times before this. 

     He had a front row seat to the war in Gaza, and Israel's fight against Iran and terror groups in Lebanon and Syria. President Trump made peace in the Middle East top priority, although some of his supporters question his investment in time and energy. A former Baptist pastor, Huckabee wants to convince skeptics that the U.S.-Israel relationship is vital. 

     The plan is for a board of peace to replace Hamas as the ruling authority over Gaza. President Trump will oversee every single person on that board. Members must be committed to creating a different kind of Gaza, he says, adding that "I really believe we're on the brink of something historic in the Middle East." 

     "And it wouldn't have happened without President Trump. He's the only person I know who could have gotten every one of the Arab nations to come to Sharm El Sheikh and sign that document...saying they're going to be a part of the future of Gaza." 

     Views understands the president's position, whether or not he is a Christian. We know what some of our leaders don't. Israel is God's nation. Jesus will rule the world from Israel when he returns. Plans for Gaza aren't central to all that. But, we know what the Jew-hating world doesn't. Satan leads the opposition. His primary goal is to overtake God's headquarters, and he will make trouble until Jesus returns and sends him into a hellish prison. 

     Trump and Huckabee alone can't save Israel, but they are on the right side of history.  

               Jimmy

  

 From WORLD's mailbag

 Immigrants, good and otherwise

     "Having worked my teenage years on the family's farm in the 1960s with illegal immigrants, I can attest to their value, hard work, ethics, and decent values. They crossed only for the harvest seasons, returning to Mexico every November, to return every April or May. 

     "They sent 90% of their paychecks back home. My brothers and I worked alongside them for 10-12 hours a day. They paid into Social Security without hope of collecting a dime. They sometimes begged to work for cash as they didn't have funds to buy fake documents. Back then, the INS hunted them down like animals and stole our helpers when we needed them the most. 

     "Now, millions are let in without vetting, and we will pay the price for that for years to come. Yes, we need immigrants, but we need them here legally, vetted, and based upon their ability to assimilate in the American economy. 

     "Canada vets immigrants and requires them to speak English or French and have a skill that can be employed in Canada. These types of requirements were introduced into Congress during Donald Trump's first term but never made it out of committee. Immigrants will save our economy, but drug dealers, gang members, sexual predators and worse must be vetted out. 

     "I pray for sound leadership, but before we reform the system and perhaps even provide a path to citizenship, we must cleanse our cities and land from the mess of illegal, unfettered, and dangerous immigrants who are not here to forward our interests." 

                   Craig Borgardt, Wisconsin

God's Goodness

     The call to proclaim God's goodness rests upon every believer. This call beckons us to move beyond passive belief into active. We carry an anointing to declare God's loving kindness. 

     Research shows that declaring positive truths can rewire our brains, reduce stress and foster healing. We engage in a divine partnership with God. 

     "Let those who fear the Lord say: His love endures forever." - Psalm 118:4.

     Prayer: Lord, empower my voice to speak of your goodness. May I reflect your everlasting mercy and inspire others to seek you. Amen.

Provided by our pastor

The American flag, 1972 conclusion

I have a dream

     As I dream of the next one hundred years, I see our indestructible, imperishable Spirit of Human Freedom spreading to the uttermost parts of the world! I dream of new airports, new doors opening, old walls falling and old ideologies fading away, until the prayer we have been singing for years comes true:

     Not for this land alone, but be God's mercies shown, from shore to shore. And may the nations see that men should brothers be, and form one family, the wide world o'er.

     Many a morning I recall rising at dawn to hear the trumpeter in camp arouse the slumbering to a new day with the sounds of reveille.

     We stand today on the threshold of a new day, a new era, a new age.

     Do you feel it? 

     Rise up and make your country and your world great! 

#

Well, what do you think? The late Dr. Robert Schuller (voice of the flag) was calling on us to be great long before President Trump took up the challenge.

Now we have AI, driverless automobiles, satellites and a closed border. We were on the threshold of failure until 2025. The communist/progressive political party does not want us to be "great." They are one election away from getting their way, as in 2021, or worse. Unless enough Americans continue to love our flag and what it represents. Your blogger thinks Dr. Schuller would be more sad than glad. What can we do? The spiritual battle rages on. We can/should pray daily for many reasons. 

 Our flag speaks, in 1972:

Think of it

     Only two hundred years ago my people were a motley group of foreigners. They spoke at least 15 languages. Somehow, they managed to overcome nationalistic prejudices, hostilities and differences. I say, a miracle of God. Then nationhood was ripped by a ghastly civil war, neighbor against neighbor, father against son. 

     But my country survived. Covered wagons gave way to railroads, and railroads gave way to airplanes. Again, war came and depression, soup lines and suicides. Somehow, a deep faith surged. Then came four wars in a period of six decades. Still the country survived. What has kept this young giant standing on its feet? Where did endurance come from? 

     Say what you will. You cannot explain this country without taking into account her churches, her temples and her Bibles. The explanation of our national strength can be found in the words of One. Jesus Christ promised:

     Whosoever hears the word of God and follows it, I will compare him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 

     It has become fashionable to discard all that has been held sacred. I warn, you cannot have the fruit without the root. Forsake God's virtues and you cut yourself off from spiritual faith, and courage that has made this country great. Seal off spiritual power with modern revisionism, and I warn you, your freedoms will suffocate and die.

Saturday: Conclusion. Our flag has a dream.

 1972   The American flag says...

Freedom depends on morality

     I have a second word for you. Be humble. 

     Look at the sins that remain and settle for nothing less than a deep cleansing. In your heart you know what needs to be cleaned. Know where your glory comes from. "Old Glory," I am called. My glory is the freedom that I give to every law-respecting man, woman and child. But mark this, freedom depends on morality. 

     The Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Word of God are the foundation of time-tested morality. Remove these foundations and suffer future shock. The vast majority of our citizens was trusted as self-disciplined followers of the Ten Commandments. Should the majority of our citizens forsake the disciplines that come through moral commitment, the society will no longer trust itself. 

     If my people depart from the virtues of God, they will find their freedom fading. Be humble. The high cost of freedom is commitment to God and the self-discipline it will demand. Without God, my stars will be clouded, my stripes will fade, my glory will depart, and your freedoms will erode and die. I the American flag have known humiliation too. I see men and women of high rank spending their millions on debasing pleasures. 

     Then they pledge their allegiance to me without guilt or repentance. I think of those who died for my country's freedom, and then I wonder if it was worth it! Oh God, what a waste. No! Not a waste; a challenge to call all back to the religious virtues that made freedom possible. 

Friday: a miracle of God?

     

 Our flag speaks  _part 3 

Freedom in my country

     No country knows greater freedom than my country. Freedom to each man, woman and child, to choose life's work. Freedom to travel from state to state without armed guards at borders. Freedom to try. Freedom to fail and not be cast into prison. Freedom to speak, write, praise, question or criticize anyone, and not fear a knock at the door. (Well, normally).  Freedom to worship, or not to worship, as the heart dictates.  

     Every Saturday I am found in Jewish temples where worshipers chant: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord." And Sundays in Catholic churches I hear them repeat: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." And in Protestant churches they sing, "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear." 

     Freedom to borrow and build, to buy and sell, to make honest profit in return for real service. Freedom to start your own business, to create dignified job opportunities for people to learn the pride of honestly working for a living. I see the harvest of my fifty states. Look at the fruit of the land, her factories and laboratories an endless creation of new products flows forth:

     Wonder drugs and vaccines to destroy ancient plagues...tools to handle any task - to reach the moon, move mountains, photograph the inside of a human heart - tools made of iron, of plastic, tools made of diamonds, tools made of glass, tools made of laser beams. 

     Possibilities are unlimited...except as we limit them with a cynical, bitter, negative attitude! 

     Yes, when you see me flying in legislative halls, schools, courthouses and churches, listen to the rustle of my stars and stripes as I cry out to every boy and girl, every man and woman - Dream your dreams! Dare to believe! You can make it in America. 

 Tomorrow: Part 4. Be humble.

part 2

Our Flag Speaks

     I say, be proud of your country! There is much that is beautiful, compassionate, tender, powerful, yet gentle. I have heard children by the millions pledge their allegiance to me in their schoolrooms. I have looked into their faces, in Brownie, Cub Scout and Boy Scout meetings, and in Little Leagues, Minor leagues and to Major leagues where tens of thousands rose with respect as I made my gallant entrance. 

     Yes, I've been torn, spit upon and defiled by my detractors for two hundred years. Still... I am proud of my country, its schools, its courts of law. I'm proud of my country: managers, laborers, firemen, policemen, my army, navy, air force, marine corps, all dedicated to the dignity of man! 

     I the American flag am proud of my country. Yes, in spite of all her sins, and they are many, in spite of her share of shames... Show me a country that is stainless, spotless, sinless or shameless. For I know of no other people have who have spent billions to rescue beleaguered people with skin colors and foreign religions that all seemed odd to kids from Peoria or Sioux City. Young G.I.'s saw them only as oppressed, tortured, human beings who were crying for help. 

     They simply went home to Mom, expecting no gifts. The gifts have been packed in the suitcases of doctors, clergy, missionaries and educators. Together we travelled to Africa, China, India, Japan and the uttermost parts of the earth, to share the good life. Ambassadors built hospitals, schools and churches that still stand. 

Wednesday: Greatest freedom

 

 I am the American flag

Date: 1976     Forward 

     I will speak from the wisdom of a long life. I unfurled my thirteen stars nearly two hundred years ago. I saw clattering horses pulling carriages over cobblestone streets. I have looked up to see silver jets streaking across blue skies. 

     I have known 37 presidents. I have unfurled my pride on sailing ships, steamers and mighty vessels of armed power to bring peace and freedom to oppressed people around the world. I have traveled on the tip of a mighty Saturn rocket to soar through space until I stood on the surface of the moon. I am the American flag.

     I was in the hand of my first President in the blood and snow of Valley Forge. Who could be called for help, in distress? I saw the child grow strong to belch smoke from steel furnaces and to break virgin prairie until they were blanked by fields of ripening grain. I flew from steel birders on skyscrapers in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. 

     The price paid for my freedom of speech is a price few remember. In my memory are young men who died for me at Pork Chop Hill, Verdun, Normandy, Iwo Jima, Pearl Harbor, Okinawa, Corregidor and the Asian jungles. I wrapped them in my love and draped my honor over their caskets in tropics, deserts and seas. I rise every morning to watch over the graves of our finest, whose years were short. 

     Now, I will speak about my land, her tragedy and triumph, her sins and her glory. 

Tuesday: Much that is good

I Am the American Flag 

     So, one of the celebrations of our 250th anniversary will be a race-car event in our capital city. Okay. Hopefully America will be in order by then. 

     What was America like in our 200th year? And would a comparison teach us anything? Happily, we have a short book. The author was the late Dr. Robert Schuller, then pastor of Garden Grove Church in California. Fifty years ago, he wrote as if he was the American Flag.

     We will give you excerpts all week. Here is his forward: 

     Always, in our nation, there are negative thinkers who deluge us with cynical, gloomy, pessimistic predictions that would discredit our country.  

     At an hour like this I suggest we stop talking and start listening to the voice of the American Flag. 

     I imagine that Old Glory, as some call her, with the wisdom of two hundred years of history behind her, would have fitting words for us today. 

     Week after week she stands silently behind me in this pulpit. Without the authority that she represents, I would not have the freedom to speak as I have. Today she speaks. Let us listen to her.

If you are concerned about our nation, please join us all week. You can give friends and family our address: jxdonut.blogspot.com. 

 Salvation for who?

John MacArthur:

"In all four Gospels, it is crystal clear that salvation...

     is not for those who are good; 

          is not for those who try harder; 

               is not for those who live better; 

                    is not for those who are more moral or more religious or 

                            forsake certain vices or pray certain prayers. 

It's a work of God." 

     Nicodemus wanted to do whatever was required to escape judgment, have a relationship with God and forever bound for Heaven. 

     Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

     No contribution we make puts us in the kingdom. Somewhere between John chapter 3 and John 9, Heaven came down on Nicodemus. 

    God saves sinners when they realize they are utterly undone, when in spiritual emptiness they cry out, "God, be merciful to me a sinner." 

 Protests...Largely Peaceful? 

     Happy new year. Anti-ICE protests erupted in Minnesota, as you know. Demonstrations were estimated at 1,000 events from Houston to Seattle. Largely peaceful, Major Frey claimed, while 29 people were arrested for vandalizing a hotel. 

     An ICE officer fatally shot resident Renee Good, who was blocking ICE traffic, and may have intended to run him over. Governor Walz said she was merely trying to drive away. Of course, he doesn't know that for certain. The officer himself had previously been dragged by a car driven by someone trying to flee an ICE traffic stop. 

     As we wrote yesterday, Minnesota has a case in which 98 fraudsters are accused of raising $9 billion pretending the money is for city improvement. 

     A cartoon in a magazine shows a reporter interviewing a man jailed for participating in that fraud. He asks: "What should you have done differently to avoid prison?" The convict says, "I should've opened a child-care center in Minneapolis." (a fraud)

     Meanwhile, Ohio and Los Angelis have similar fraud cases.

Protests...Not Peaceful 

     Thousands of people have died and many arrested during mass protests in Iran. It is a response to a deteriorating economic situation. The protests grew into calls to overthrow the government. Of course, Muslim leaders don't resign. They took over Iran in the 1970s and their plan is to conquer the world. Satan's desire...in the Bible. 

     President Trump - who wants world peace - has sent warships to the region. 

           Jimmy

Fraud and Ice and Antisemitism 

     Minnesota Governor Tim Walz - can you picture him in the White House? - announced January 5 that he will not seek reelection for a third term. 

     Prosecutors allege that fraudsters stole up to $9 billion by setting up companies that billed state agencies for social services they never provided. They have charged 98 defendants, 85 of whom are of Somali descent. (Ilhan Omar, Congresswoman, is suddenly a multimillionaire) Pressure on Walz grew in December after a YouTuber exposed the fraud. There were arguments that regulators ignored warnings, allowing payments to continue.

     The scandal prompted the Dept. of Homeland Security to send 2,000 agents to Minnesota. Local opposition to federal presence boiled over on January 7 when an ICE agent shot and killed an uncooperative woman who started her car toward the agent. Later, an uncooperative man with a pistol and ammunition was killed.  

     President Trump made a call to Walz, apparently resulting in a shift by the governor, who had compared ICE to the Nazis, and said a girl in Minnesota might be the next Anne Frank.  

     Meanwhile, a Republican judge, Patrick Schults, is having fits over activity by ICE. He took the ICE director to court. Numerous orders have not been followed, apparently. 

     Another meanwhile, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Minneapolis is the target of antisemitism, and there was a backlash from Jewish organizations. Political rhetoric endangers more lives. 

     Vacation in Minneapolis anyone? January temperatures are below zero, but political temps are boiling.  

                  Jimmy

Joy in the Old Testament 

     For the Lord your God will bless you...and your joy will be complete. Deuteronomy 16:15 

     Splendor and majesty are before him, strength and joy in his dwelling place.  1 Chronicles 16:27 

     They ate and drank with great joy, in the presence of the Lord that day. (Soloman acknowledged as King)  1 Chronicles 28:22 

     There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of So0lomon son of David king of Israel, there had been nothing like this.  2 Chronicles 

     Then the people of Israel...celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.  Ezra 6:16 

     For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread because the Lord had filled them with joy.   Ezra 6:22   

     Nehemiah said...This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.    Nehemiah 8:10 

     In every province and in every city wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews.   Esther 8:17 

     He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.   Job 8:21

     You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  Psalm 16:11    David 

We'll bring you more joy sometime later. The Lord want's his creation to be joyful.

 Minneapolis in August

     Current trouble in Minnesota is preceded by a shooter in August. During Mass at a Catholic church, a 23-year-old fired a shotgun and a pistol through a church window, killing two kids age 8 and 10, and injuring 18 others, including 15 more children. 

     The shooter. identified as transgender, expressed hatred in his writings toward Christians, Jews, black people, Mexican people, and other groups. His attack had the hallmarks of a term the FBI adopted last year - Nihilistic Violent Extremist - to describe those who commit crimes out of hatred for society at large, and a desire to sow chaos. 

Immigration Crackdown

     Meanwhile, President Trump had pledged to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally, and who had been convicted of other crimes. He and border czar Tom Homan warned all illegal immigrants that ICE might apprehend anyone who is living in the country unlawfully.

     The administration also canceled several programs providing temporary legal status for thousands of immigrants, causing panic among business leaders worried about workers for construction and agriculture. 

     ICE announced it would hire 10,000 more agents, and received about 175,000 new job applicants as of October 15. 

     The Department of Homeland Security said more than 2 million illegal immigrants had left the country as of September 23. 

     Increasing ICE raids and arrests caused massive protests in LA and other cities. One protest in Chicago turned violent, and DHS claimed assaults against ICE agents have risen 1,000% since Trump took office. 

We assume all this has to do with the 2026 elections,

Jimmy

 What is Love?

     In 1986, my children were stunned. I was defeated. Their mother wanted a divorce. My mind turned to 1 Corinthians 13. 

     If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

Then I took a large sheet and marker...

    Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

     Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease, where there are tongues, they will be stilled, where there is knowledge, it will pass away. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

     Did God draw me to that chapter? I don't know. But I know what Jesus said to the Pharisee who asked him, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" He answered:  

     Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like it, Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.

  

The Wrong Road?

     Andrew Walker, an editor with WORLD magazine, says "The right cannot save itself by embracing the politics of resentment and nihilism."

     "Conservatism has always been a guard-rail, keeping the nation tethered to sanity, moral clarity and the lessons of history. Some believe that the future of conservatism lies in blowing it up, for something more tribal, more angry, and less moral. 

     "The American conservative tradition was never about blood or tribe. It rests on belief that human beings are endowed...by their creator with equal dignity and worth. It is rooted in Genesis, the Psalms and Paul's sermon in Athens. All people share the same origin, dignity and moral significance. 

     "If conservatives abandon that premise, we are sawing off the moral branch on which the entire American experiment sits. There is room for reform, but not nihilism and resentment. 

     "Fortunately, many conservatives still understand what is at stake. Conservatism is not defined by rage or grievance, but what is true, good and beautiful. 

     "A conservatism worthy of survival must recover its sources: natural law, Scripture's teaching, human dignity. family, social order, humility and truth. If we lose that - whatever is left will be something far more morally impoverished, and ultimately destructive."

Comment: The "left" isn't going to think and act this way, so conservatives must continue what our founders provided, and out vote the communists and progressives. The recent Biden administration showed us clearly where we are headed if conservatism weakens. 

    

What About Illegal Drugs? 

    On the first day of his second term, President Trump issued an order designating drug cartels as global terrorist organizations. You probably saw pictures of airstrikes on boats delivering drugs from Venezuela. 

    Traffickers have entered governments in the Western Hemisphere, and drugs entering the U.S. kill tens of thousands every year. Cocaine is also sent from South America to Europe, where demand has skyrocketed and penalties are not stiff. Much of the cultivation is in Columbia, Peru and Bolivia.  

     Chinese traffickers began exporting fentanyl into America in 2013. through ports of entry. In 2024 fentanyl was 93 percent of illicit opioid seizures. The drug is a powerful depressant that slows bodily functions and produces feeling of euphoria. It can also be used to treat severe pain in cancer patients.  

     America's heroin stems from opium harvested from poppies in Asia or Latin America and smuggled across the U.S. Mexico border.  

WORLD magazine

Don't know about you, but we don't see any solution to illegal drugs, so long as users in America and in Europe are willing to pay, and willing to risk death. The producers will earn their living, so long as customers want. The U.S. has intercepted large amounts of drugs, enough to destroy our way of life. But, they keep on coming.

            Jimmy

Christ in the Old Testament

   No. 7 

     In the OT, persons, events and other history focused on redemption.

     Israel's exodus from Egypt was the greatest redemptive event under the old covenant. It lays the way for Christ and his redemption under the new covenant.

     In Exodus - Moses, the Passover, the Red Sea crossing, manna, water from the rock, the Tabernacle and the High Priest - carry the theme of redemption. 

     Abraham waited 25 years - beyond his ability to father a child, to become the father of Isaac. Now, Jews have returned to Israel, although they share their land with Muslims and Christians. They still wait for their Christ. 

     "But when the time had come, God sent his Son, born under law, to redeem those under law, that they and we might receive the full rights of sons." - Galatians chapter 4.

     Jesus was crucified, rose to life, and returned to the Father. Everyone on earth is invited to believe in Him and receive redemption. No one enters eternal life by their "works," not even their righteousness, which describes Christ himself. (Philippians chapter 3). 

     Like Jews, Christians wait. And they carry the good news to the ends of the earth.      

 conclusion 

Mayhem in Minnesota 

     Who are the rioters (not "peaceful protesters" as claimed). What's up with the governor and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul? Why aren't police engaged? 

     The mayhem resembles the riot in LA a number of years ago. Military call-up is on the table.  

     In December, Immigration & Custom Enforcement (I.C.E.) began to arrest Somali nationals for deportation orders. President Trump criticized the community for its role that several individuals of Somali descent had in siphoning hundreds of millions of dollars in food and housing programs. 

     The president also claimed that Somali gangs are tormenting the state. In November, he planned to end Temporary Protected Status for Somalia, which protected about 700 Samali nationals from deportation. 

     As we write, rioters (who is paying them?) battle I.C.E. agents, while local politicians and members of Democratic organizations support the gangs. This is happening because millions of people welcomed into America under the Biden administration are still here, many of whom would never get a legal invitation. 

     Democrats once approved of I.C.E. Now they want to end it. 

     When word got out about the millions (billions?) of stolen money, Gov. Walz announced he will not run for reelection. We hope to learn more about the thievery, and how something like this can rise up in the USA.    

              Jimmy 

 Multisyllable - that's 7 - words 

     In journalism school, better yet, working for Westinghouse when company headquarters had a department overseeing communications one individual did at each of its many locations. We wrote the monthly magazine and whatever else management might want employees to know. 

     We were to assume employees had a 10th grade education. Using even 3-syllable words was discouraged, but of course they are common and necessary, as you see in this paragraph. My job was in a factory of 5,000 employees...unionized.  

     Today, I counted syllables in the Bible to see what God did, if anything, about big words. Of course, it's in English, so...  

Genesis 1. The start. About 120 words, of which 23 are 3 syllables, one every 5.2 words. No PhD language in Eden. 

Deuteronomy 16. The Passover...92 words, 35 of 3 syllables, every 2.6 words. Wow! This wasn't grad school either, but words like unleavened, possession, anniversary, menservants and partiality had to be included.

Psalm 23. Awesome. Just 25 words, only "righteousness" - big. 

Ephesians 1. 580 words, just one 3 syllable every 14.8 words. 

Revelation 1. 85 words, one 3 syllable every 8.5 words. 

Revelation 22. The end. 89 words, one 3 syllable every 4.7 words. Jesus himself used 10 of the 17, none of them PhD level words.

     We bought a book by a Jewish author writing about the U.S. and Israel. One hyphenated word totaled 17 syllables. How could he expect wide readership? I put the book away for another day.  

               Jimmy

 

Nimrod's Legacy Today 

     Bible scholars consider Nimrod, the great grandson of Noah, to be the first "antichrist." 

     The other day when I closed a book I bought recently, inside the cover was information I used for a blog some years ago. How did that happen? Anyway, here it is. If you don't think Christianity is for you, here are some options from around the world:

     Animism   voodoo   cults   false gods   spirit worship   witchcraft   tribal   spiritist   mystical   ancestor worship   astrology   magic   head hunting and river spirits. 

     The nations in which they exist include, Benin,  Burundi,  Cameroon,   Central African Republic,  Chad,  Ethiopia,  Gambia,  Guinea-Bissau,  Indonesia,  Malawi,  Malaysia,  Mali,  Niger,  Nigeria,  Senegal,  Togo, Uganda,  Congo,  New Zealand,  Burkina Faso,   Boque,  Myanmar,  Zaire, Laos,  Liberia,  Sierra Leone,  Jamaica,  Kenga,  Madagascar,  Mozambique, Zaire,  Papua New Guinea.  Some nations have more than one "religion."

     Did we forget to list the United States? Billions more people follow major religions such as Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Shintoism and others. 

     Judaism and Christianity offer eternal life, and that for those who live their faith, daily. Muslims - a religion since the 7th century AD offer salvation for those whose good deeds outnumber their sins. Oh well. 

     Do you think, maybe there is a devil at work? Why do people want a false religion? If only Nimrod could return to life and confess.   

      Jimmy 

 Can we influence when Jesus returns?

a pastor's thoughts

     "Advancing the day of the Lord is more than evangelism. It's also living with focus and dedication to God's purposes."

     "Imagine...if every believer took this seriously. If we all showed up for prayer with the same enthusiasm we show for entertainment. If we actively looked for opportunities to share Christ's love." 

     "If we all lived with the understanding that our faithfulness today impacts eternity. Our lives matter more than we realize. Our obedience has eternal consequences. Our faithfulness is part of God's grand plan to redeem the world."

Ephesians 3:19: And to know this ls love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 

Monday: The religions of the world. Did Nimrod start this?

Christ in the Old Testament 

  No. 6

     When world leaders leave this life, they may be remembered with statues, or street names, even a city or state. But their influence in future decisions comes to an end. 

     The disciple John, having watched with Mary the horrible crucifixion of Jesus, was still carrying on with Jesus' Word, 50 years or so later. It still has not come to an end.

     Jesus had risen from the grave. His disciples couldn't believe the report, until Jesus himself met with them several times before he returned to the Father. 

     Psalm 33:6, written long before Mary gave birth to Jesus, God being the Father: By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. 

     Hebrews 1:10: In the beginning O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 

     Also in the book of Hebrews: God spoke through the prophets. In the last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he made the universe. The Son is the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. 

The Real Battle 

     No. 3 of 3

      Pastor Hibbs quotes Isaiah 62:6, "I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace, day or night." 

     He writes, "God is still looking for watchmen, for men and women who will stand guard in prayer and speak boldly in public. It's time for the church to rise, to be alert, vocal and unashamed. Like Nehemiah's workers who built the wall with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other, we must be people who both pray and contend."

     "Hope and engage," he says. "Too many Christians are standing on the sidelines, waiting for someone else to speak up, to lead, to fight. But the responsibility to pray and to stand belongs to every believer." 

     "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven... 2 Chronicles 7:14. "

     "God's answer to America's problems is found among his own people, the church. We must humble ourselves and seek his face."

     "The call is clear: Pray fervently. Stand courageously. Our hope isn't found in a party, a policy or a politician. Our hope is in Jesus Christ. And when the church prays and stands, God moves through us to bless those around us."

  Thank you, Pastor Jack Hibbs   

PS. God used people from Abraham to John to accomplish his written history. Since then, he has used numerous men and women to spread the Word and save souls. He can use you and I as well, as we pray.  

 

The Real Battle 

  2 of 3

     Pastor Hibbs says this is spiritual warfare, against "principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12)." Not in courtrooms or newsrooms? Well. How do we fight heavenly enemies? 

     As a child of God, I have the Holy Spirit. Ah ha! I don't have to fight demons (I would lose anyway) but I can pray heartfelt, persistent, faith-filled prayers that God calls us to. Is that right, Pastor Hibbs?

     "In Jude 3, we're urged to 'contend' for the faith. Contend means to struggle, to wrestle, to fight for what matters." So, pastor, there are many forms of fighting, but physically old and weak as I am, the Bible says I can fight the evil ones? 

     "We're not called to blend in. We're called to speak up, even when it's unpopular. The early church turned the world upside down, not because they were polite and quiet, but they were bold and filled with the Spirit of God. Elijah didn't just pray that people would follow the Lord. He confronted evil, and so should we."

     Pastor, I'm not one to be mean, angry or ugly. So? "The Bible says, 'Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one (Colossians 4:6).' We are called to speak the truth in love. That means calling sin what it is. Defending life, marriage and Biblical morality. We don't compromise with darkness. We shine light into it."

Friday: Watchmen on the wall

 The Real Battle for America 

   1 of 3

     Does yours truly need a kick in the pants...a wake up and get with it? Yes, and yes and yes. 

     We are awakened by a pastor we have seen on TV, Jack Hibbs, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel in Southern California. He says, "After 250 years, America needs the church more than ever." 

     He claims "we are not the nation we once were. We've drifted from the Biblical principles that shaped our founding. Truth is under attack. Evil is called good, and good is called evil." He believes God is calling his people to wake up.

     "The real battle for America isn't being fought in courtrooms or newsrooms. It's being fought in the prayer closets of God's people."

     This blogger is retired and enjoys our lounge chair, with Kleenex close at hand. Not a sin. But Hibbs says, "As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to do the hard work of fervent prayer, while contending for truth in a world that's trying to silence it."  

     But, Pastor Hibbs, isn't this the job of you pastors and missionaries? 

     "Paul urges us to 'pray without ceasing' and to 'shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.' One verse calls us to our knees. The other calls us to our feet. In this moment in our nation's history, we need both like never before." 

     Hmmm. As in sports? There are coaches, but players do the work? 

Tomorrow: Warfare is spiritual

     

Christ in the OT 

  No. 5 in a series 

     Allusions. Sometimes New Testament writers referred to Old Testament passages without quoting a text, persons, events or things, and not prophetic of Christ. 

     God's promise. In Genesis 3:15, before he scolded Adam and Eve, God spoke to the serpent, he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. "He" and "His" refer to Christ. The "heel" would be the crucifixion, many centuries to come. 

     Romans 16:20: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

     1 John 3:8: He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. 

     John 1:29: The next day John (the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" 

     Isaiah 53:7: He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shears is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 

     Exodus 12:3-4: Tell the community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb...one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor. The chapter continues with lambs blood on door frames, which God would Passover, while He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt. In 1 Corinthians 5:7: For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.

Coming soon: He laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens. 

Fairness in Girls' Volleyball 

     The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow concerning laws that aim to ensure fairness and safety in women's sports. The issue is trans-identifying male athletes. 

     All-girl teams have beaten teams with boys, so what's the beef?

     "It isn't just about wins and losses," says a lady with Concerned Women for America. "It's about dignity and safety. Every time a male athlete steps on the court, he denies women fairness and safety on both teams." 

     She says, "On average boys are taller and stronger, run faster, jump higher and spike the balls harder. In men's volleyball, the net is 7 inches higher for all those reasons. A male athlete faces a net 7 inches shorter than he should." 

     "Their hitting velocity is not the only advantage. Their height, limb length and jumping power give them an advantage at nearly every position."

     A high school team in Ann Arbor, Michigan and other schools conceal male player identity to comply with federal law: protecting student privacy. Identity at a school in California is no secret. A male women's volleyball player won (boys) state track-and-field titles in the high jump and triple jump last May. 

     President Trump signed an order last year denying federal funds to schools that let boys play on girls' teams, but a number of states' athletic associations have continued to let boys compete in accordance with their self-proclaimed gender identity.

What Assumptions? 

     Shepherds outside Bethlehem one night assumed the sun would come up as always. Well, before sunrise, they were startled by the light of angels announcing that the Lamb of God had been born. 

     They dopped everything and hurried to the place where the baby lay. And - we assume in daylight - they excitedly told numerous people what they saw.

     One summer years ago, I was looking over a map of Colorado. Ho hum. But when a friend and I arrived at the youth camp we were going to serve, in the mountains, it took my breath away. Almost. 

     We live with assumptions about God. Maybe we take things for granted. We have pictures in our mind of things the Bible says and preachers preach. 

     God said through Isaiah, See, I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Chapter 43:19.  

     Looks like the day Jesus returns to Jerusalem and new things occur.

     Meanwhile, we can break through our assumptions and open our hearts to new things that God wants to do through us. It took me 48 years (regular church attendance) before a really bad occurrence drove me to my knees and eventually took away my breath. Almost. New things were waiting for me to wake up, after all those years. 

             Jimmy

Our blogs on Thursday and Friday, Galatians chapter 3

You might scroll back if you missed them.

Minnesota

     Perhaps you've been watching the news on riots in Minnesota's capital. Since December, ICE is trying to arrest illegal people who entered the US during the Biden term. Many have criminal records, in particular, Somali nationals are getting final deportation orders. 

     President Trump had criticized the Somali immigrant community for the role that several individuals played in a years-long welfare fraud scheme that siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars meant for food aid, autism services and housing programs. Trump said that Somali gangs are tormenting the state. 

     In November, Trump said he planned to end Temporary Protected Status for Somalia, which shielded about 700 Somali nationals from deportation. 

     Governor Tim Walz - he who ran for US vice president - encouraged those resisting the president's orders. He has a year left in his position, and he suddenly announced his intention not to seek another term. We don't know if he knew about the $$$ scam, but either way he is unfit to rule...except in blue states. 

         Jimmy

PS. See where Democrats are, also in Illinois, New York, California, and other states. Their interest isn't so much in government. It is money and power. 

The Law, or the Faith?

     In Galatians chapter 3, Paul tries to restore truth in people he thought were spiritually sound already. "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The scripture does not say 'and to seeds,' meaning many people, but 'and to your seed,' meaning one person, who is Christ."

     Paul continues, "The law, introduced 430 years later (Moses) does not set aside the covenant established by God (time of Abraham) and do away with the promise to Abraham. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise." 

     So, what was the purpose of the law? Paul wrote, "It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law put into effect through angels does not represent just one party. But God is one."

      Our commentary: Old Testament law was holy, good and righteous. But it could not impart spiritual life. The law acted as a temporary tutor for God's people. 

     Paul continues, "The scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus."

     "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

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Consider Abraham

     Paul, formerly known as Saul, a Jewish leader, tells churches in Galatia (and us) what they (and we) need to know. A two-fold question: Is faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior the only prerequisite for salvation? Or is obedience to certain practices and laws required?

     He wrote, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel." He was shocked with the Galatians and called them "foolish." 

     In chapter 3, "I would like to know just one thing: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? (What is our answer?) Are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?"

     "Consider Abraham. He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Understand that those who believe are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.'" 

     "It is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.' Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because 'the righteous will live by faith.'"

     "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus...so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." 

Tomorrow: Who was/is Abraham's seed?

 

Closing the Book 

     Historic Farmers' Almanac will stop the press in November, ending weather predictions, gardening advice, and folksy humor. 

     Its peak circulation reached in 1994 was 4 million, way higher than current estimates at 510,000. Four employees still work at the company in Maine. 

     The accuracy they claim for weather predictions is 85%, although a study by the U. of Illinois puts the number at 52%. 

     Is this the sad end? Nah. 

     The original Old Farmer's Almanac which began publishing in 1792 has no plans to cease operations. 

On the Go 

     Looking at our calendar for January and February, Mrs. and I together have some 10 appointments on the 17 weekdays of the month. It could be doctors, haircuts, automobile service, dentists, a blood draw or some checkup or other. 

     We may be retired from our occupations, but we're tired of appointments. 

Baby Returns Home 

     Our special great grandson, age 3-1/2 months, has CHARGE syndrome, an issue that affects thousands of newborns. These children need round the clock attention.   

         Jimmy 

} picking up where we left off before Christmas {

Christ in the Old Testament 

     No. 4

     Zachariah 9:9, written around 500 B.C.: Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation. 

     The disciple Matthew (21:1-15) connects that with the Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem, humbly riding on a donkey. John wrote of this "triumphal entry" in his chapter 12. 

     David had no way of knowing who he was writing about in Psalm 22. In verse one, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? In verse 18, They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. Exactly what Roman Soldiers were doing as Jesus hung on the cross, centuries later. 

     David wrote in Psalm 16:10-11: ...you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. David certainly wasn't writing about himself. He was predicting a resurrection from death. 

     In Acts chapter 2, when Peter addressed the men who had received the Holy Spirit (the day of Pentecost; the beginning of the church), without a prepared speech, he quoted David in verses 25-32. And in chapter 13 Peter again quoted David, noting that David's body decayed, but the one whom God raised from the dead did not decay. 

Coming soon, No. 5. Allusions

What is Fascism?

     "Fascism is not on the right; it is on the left, along with socialism and communism.

Views has never quoted a reader of WORLD magazine until today.

     "The Nazi's platform included state control of banks, industry, education, media etc. The author of fascism was a committed socialist. And Benito Mussolini (Italy) got his inspiration from him...who believed that true democracy is when citizens subordinate themselves to the state. Government takes care of one another like a family. He believed private interests must serve the public interests or the state.

     "Gandi was a nationalist. So was Nelson Mandela. George Washington and the Founding Fathers were strong nationalists. Their goal was to wrest control from a centralized power (the king) and give it back to the people. Some say our current administration is fascist because it persecutes illegal aliens, like Nazis persecuted Jews. But these examples are completely different.

     "The deportation of illegal aliens follows the rule of law of a rational democratic republic. Nazis persecuted their own citizens under the misguided banner of ethnic superiority. 

     "So why do people believe that fascism is on the right? The reason comes right out of the Nazi playbook. Joseph Goebbels, minister of propaganda for the Nazis, said 'If you repeat a lie often enough people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself."  

     "Today, anything nationalistic and/or militaristic gets the label fascist, when the real test is top-down control versus government in the hands of the people." 

Kevin Lantaff 

 Finding, Receiving, Giving Love

     Just like Simeon (see yesterday's blog), whose life changed the moment he held baby Jesus, we too can experience life-altering moments of divine love.

     These encounters anchor our faith, allowing us to understand that God's love is not coming, but a present reality. It renews us. 

     Some 30 years after baby Jesus was in the arms of Simeon, in Jerusalem, Jesus told a crowd the two greatest laws are loving God and to love others. 

     We can go about our days, looking for opportunities to encounter divine love in all its forms - prayer, worship, acts of kindness. In Ephesians 3:17-19, Paul prays that we may "know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

     There is no science or intelligence in this. God's love often surpasses understanding, inviting us into a richer relationship with him. 

     Remember, other accomplishments aside, the Lord calls us to come to him as his children. Those who die before reaching the age of accountability are said to be welcomed into heaven. No good deeds needed. 

     We who are accountable - faith, deeds and love all good - still are God's children. No one, not the greatest of servants, enters heaven on their merits, even sincere love. Present deeds are welcome and may matter in the next life. 

     But Jesus bore our sins on the cross. That alone is our opportunity    for salvation, eternal life.  

     

Eight Days Later  

     We don't know exactly what day/night Jesus was born in Bethlehem. But we do know that eight days later, Joseph and Mary had arrived with the baby in Jerusalem.

     Why Jerusalem? Following the law of Moses, Jesus (so named by an angel before he was conceived), was to be circumcised in the temple, as the law required. 

     God had saved Israelites from Egyptians; therefore, He considered children his property. 

     In the book of Exodus, chapter 13, the Lord told Moses, "The first offspring (child) among the Israelites belongs to me." In Leviticus chapter 12 we learn that parents could buy back the child if they provided a lamb as payment. If they weren't wealthy enough, two doves and 2 pigeons would suffice. 

     You know which gift Joseph and Mary could afford. God was and still is relating to people in the humblest way. We don't please him with wealth and intellect, though the risen Jesus chose a (poor) intellectual to take the gospel to Gentiles. 

Luke chapter 2: "Anna, age 84, who never left the temple, gave thanks to God and spoke about the child...looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit came upon Simeon, saying he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. He took the baby Jesus, saying, 'My eyes have seen your salvation...a light to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.' Simeon also spoke of challenges Jesus would face. Three decades later, Jesus became the Light, though many never believe.

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