Watch God Work? 

     We long to see the "bad guys" go down. But God desires our vindication, not our retaliation. He doesn't invite us to relish the destruction of people, some of whom might be saved, some day. He invites us to trust him as our vindicator. 

     He knows how to unravel the schemes of the enemy and how to expose what needs exposing, in His time, in His way. 

     In Exodus 14, Israel trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. God told Moses, Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord. 

     Vindication means: God's faithfulness and truth are put on display through your story. It's not that your enemies crash and burn; it's that they later say, "We thought we wrecked you, but God restored you." 

     When we seek retaliation, we slip back under the power of the flesh and the fear of man. Psalm 23:5 says, You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

     Do I hope God will take down certain people? Yes. What would it look like to release them to God's justice, praying instead for His glory and my own heart's freedom? 

     Your bogger is 100 percent behind the U.S. and Israel taking out evil leaders and their weapons, giving the hope of freedom to millions of Iranians and peace in the Middle East. Am I wrong? 

           Jimmy

 

 Who is jimmy donut views by the sea? 

Copilot search on Bing

Jimmy Donut is a blogger known for his online presence under the name Views by the Sea. He shares personal reflections and insights, often addressing various topics such as faith, politics and personal experiences. His blog is known for its engaging content and has a following that appreciates his candid writing style. You can find more about him on his blog here.

blogspot.com   AI 

     Friends, my son in law, Ken, who encouraged me to blog, almost 12 years ago, discovered the above and passed it on to me...and you.

     Who wrote the above? We don't know, of course. I didn't even know observers comment on bloggers. This is not a prize, just a surprise. 

     So, if you are a Views reader, consider yourself among the countless people all over the world who read blogs, as we once read newspapers. Several years ago, I discovered that Views had (a few) readers all over the world. For whatever reason, I don't have that information any longer. No matter. I'm interested in Americans. I care about truth and honesty. 

     And feel free to scroll down and give us feedback as you wish.

               Jimmy

Finally, Decisive Action

     "For far too long, the world has been haunted by Iran's bully threats of 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel.' Republican and Democrat administrations alike have vowed, for decades, that Iran should never possess a nuclear weapon."

     "Finally, an American president took decisive action. President Trump sent out B-2 stealth bombers to drop bombs on Iran's entrenched nuclear facilities." 

     If that seems odd, it's because the magazine article was about Trump and the Israelis bombing Iran in 2025, taking out nuclear facilities. Fast forward to this weekend; the Iranians stubbornly returned to nuclear development. The U.S. and Israel had enough. Iranians in the U.S. support the attacks. 

     After the 2025 attacks, Trump thanked everybody, "in particular, God. I just want to say we love you, God, and we love our great military. God bless Israel, and God bless America." 

     Of further interest, Jeb Bush, who traded insults with Trump during the 2016 election campaign, congratulated Trump yesterday. Bush helps lead a movement that opposes Iran's nuclear ambitions.  

     Well, our leaders and all of us are living in a fallen world. God sent his Son, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved - John 3:17. And 2 Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

     Too bad the 40 or so dead Iranian leaders had the wrong faith. 

                Jimmy 

 

Friends, 

My sister and husband are on their way home,

Missouri, after helping us and our dog in ways

we had not planned. We planned to resume Views

today but news coming from Iran is more important

for you and all of us. 

We do note to our surprise large numbers

of people read Views Thursday and Friday...our 

supposed days off. But, hooray, Wednesday's 

message in praise of Christ was still there to read,

and our "off days" were "on" for so many readers.

 We expect to return on Sunday. 

And we have a special message for Monday. 

 

  We are busy with company from up North.

 Will be back on Saturday. 

People Are Limited 

     That's a strange statement in a country full of experts, leaders, influencers...the elites of any age...even our recent hockey heroes. 

     Many financial experts, medical experts, spiritual experts and such are helpful and needed. A pastor cautions that our confidence primarily in people - even pastors - naturally sets us up for disappointment at times. 

     In our day, we haven't just trusted people, we've often made idols out of leaders and systems. The Lord himself wants us first of all to believe in and trust in him. We believers may have troubles of all kinds, as did those in New Testament chapters. And Charlie Kirk. But God is watching over his flock. We trust and obey.

     Are the mentors, voices and systems we rely on building our confidence in God, or making us dependent on them? ...says the pastor. 

     Bankers get fired. Governments change. Movements rise and fall. Reputations shift. But God's Word is settled - Psalm 119.89. 

     On Sundays, Views is providing four statements of Christ, one each in the four gospels. We'll do this as long as you join us. There are lots of good messages from good leaders.

     But no one - no not one - can do for you what Jesus promises and fulfills, for eternity. 

 

 

      

Minnesota, famous for ICE...not just frozen water. 

     Border czar Tom Homan changed tactics following public backlash and concerns over the midterm elections. Some 700 of 2,000 ICE agents left Minnesota.

     President Trump had targeted the Twin Cities in December and expanded to all of the state. Aggressive tactics drew criticism, even by those who support immigration enforcement. A small majority of Americans still support the idea that people living here illegally should be deported.

     Minnesota had and still has something else going. Fraudsters are accused of stealing billions in public funds by setting up companies that billed state agencies for social services they never provided. 

In midterm elections, the party in power almost always loses the majority in one or both houses of Congress. The economy weighs more heavily on the minds of voters than immigration, says a WORLD magazine writer.

     It's something, that many Republican and independent voters care more about their wealth (understandable) than the threat of foreign criminals and such. As for Democrats: total control of America is their aim, and they lie daily to that end. 

     Don't believe me? Watch the Trump speech tonight and see how disrespectful the Dems are. That is, those who choose to attend the annual speech to begin with.  

                    Jimmy

  

The Kids Are Not Alright 

     Yours truly grew up in the 1940s in a small but prosperous town up north. That was before industry began moving south. On into high school in the 50s, I wasn't aware of much abnormal behavior...a few fist fights...but seldom did police need to intervene. We had the best football and wrestling teams north of Pittsburgh. 

     There were four drug stores. They took turns being the open store on Sundays.   

     Today, parents are spending more on their children's behavioral health than ever before. A study found that behavioral health expenses for children 6 to 17 years old have nearly doubled nationwide since 2011. 

     With advancement in technology and so many other areas, why are kids having depression and anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and substance use disorders? A medical team reported that "behavioral" healthcare costs went from 22% of all pediatric health expenditures in 2011 to 40% in 2022. Out of pocket spending increased from $2.1 billion to $2.9 billion, in 2022.

     The study attributed costs to behavior issues, worsened by COVID-19 school closures and social isolation. And more families are seeking treatment. 

WORLD magazine

     Well, I'm sure my hometown is not having behavioral issues. That's because all the industry left town, and elderly people have moved in, taking advantage of lower housing costs. There are no more schools in town, even the Catholic. Kids that do live in town are bussed out to the township.  

              Jimmy 😒

Pull over 

     Any of us can pull over for any of several reasons, but a certain driver had a strange thought that he needed to stop. In heavy traffic (life's business) he looked for a safe exit (redirection), and a place to park (new beginning). 

     Engine off, he wondered why he did this. Then without sound he heard these words: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4 

     While he pondered this surprise, his mind heard: If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Mark 3:24 

     Before he could digest that, he heard, Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. Luke 6:20-23  

     He isn't poor, and he isn't hated...or is he? And then, Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. John 3:14-15 

     This driver ponders what he heard. He finally gets back on the busy streets. Maybe we'll learn more about this next Sunday. 

Steppingstones to God

An aching heart is but a steppingstone

To greater joy than you've ever known.

For things that cause the heart to ache

Until you think that it must break

Become the strength by which we climb

To higher heights that are sublime

And feel the radiance of God's smiles

When we have soared above life's trials.

So when you're overwhelmed with fears

And all your hopes are drenched in tears,

Think not that life has been unfair

And given you too much to bear,

For God has chosen you because

With all your weaknesses and flaws,

He feels that you are worthy of

The greatness of His wonderous love.

          Helen Steiner Rice          

                          A collection of encouragement   

When Faith Requires Faith

     She is almost never sure that she should write what she writes. She gets on her knees and asks for guidance, skill, accuracy and such.

     Then she sits on her chair and - fear and trembling follow. "Therefore, my beloved...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" - (Philippians 2:12). 

    We take our steps with less than 100% certainty. What else can we do, not walk at all? It gets complicated. Do we keep the Sabbath "holy" so there is a distinction between one day and the other six?  

     "Of course," she says, "the Lord alone knows the secrets of the heart. 'Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness. Then each one's praise will come from God.'"

     She does the best she can by study of His Word and not allowing energies to be consumed in second guessing. Rather, pressing forward. 

     As far as she knows, she is obeying God. If she is wrong, He will let her know when He returns, she says. Daily challenges sometimes happen in 50-50 situations. She picks one way and doesn't look back. 

Andree Seu Peterson, WORLD magazine

   

Money

     This and that. "The typical household is spending nearly $1,000 this winter to keep the heat on. That's about $85 more than a year ago. Residential electricity prices have risen about 25% since 2019. Although in the Northeast and the West Coast, electric bills in some states are less than in the 2010s, after adjusting for inflation. 

WORLD magazine

     "Paychecks for hourly wage earners have risen 3% to 4% every year since 2019. More than a third of homeowners reduced or went without necessities to pay an energy bill at least once.  

     Discounts. "More wealthy Americans are shopping at discount stores, a sign that inflation is reaching more income levels. About 30% of people earning more than $170,000 a year said they now shop at Walmart, ALDI and Dollar General, especially for food and household items. That's up from 20% four years ago. Surprised? 

     Graduation Blues. "College grads may struggle to land a job this spring, as businesses cut expenses. One quarter of 183 employers polled anticipate hiring more graduates this year. About half those surveyed rated the job market 'fair or poor,' the most pessimistic view since the pandemic. 

     "Declining sales and business leads, an uncertain economy, and budget cuts are the primary reasons. Economists expect the unemployment rate to remain elevated for most of 2026. But researchers say employers who didn't hire college grads last year may be looking for them this spring."

 

By the Numbers

     $953 

     Estimated cost to purchase a new electric water heater when DOE environmental regulations take effect in 2029. With many Americans concerned about affordability, government policies provide a clue for why prices keep going up. 

     36% 

     The share of American households that have put off large purchases like cars or appliances, citing discomfort with their financial situation. 

     7 

     The number of times regulators have imposed tighter environmental requirements on washing machines, beginning in 1988 and most recently in 2024. Regs have increased costs while reducing cleaning capacity and creating reliability problems. 

     99%

     The share of LED light bulbs currently on the market that will not meet Biden-era regulations when they take effect in 2028. The DOE estimates that light bulb prices will increase from $2.98 to $5.68 per bulb.

Buy them now? Jimmy

The above by John Dawson 

Can they put the betting genie back in the bottle?

    conclusion

     The SAFE Bet Act would ban sportsbook marketing during live sporting events. Preserving the reputation of leagues has motivated some to push back on sports betting. Ohio Governor DeWine announced intention to crack down on wagering based on certain actions rather than the end result of the game. 

     This came after Cleveland pitcher Luis Ortiz threw first pitches well out- side the strike zone in two games, so bettors could wager on the pitches being balls. The FBI investigated Terry Rozier who allegedly told a friend that he would leave a game early, allowing (his friends) to wager more than $200,000 on his under stats. 

     A professor at Cedarville University believes it will be difficult to put the entire sports betting genie back in the bottle. Even Christians have mixed views about it. Over half of pastors believe sports betting is wrong, but only about 7% discouraged the practice from the pulpit last year. 

     "You'll have churches that are running March Madness pools," said the professor. He acknowledged that while many members don't play for money, it still legitimizes the practice. 

     "And that's just, I think, setting people up for failure." 

            Jimmy

 

Betting the House - #2

     Now, where were we? Oh, yes. Connecting sports and mobile wagering can easily become "enslaving," says an economics professor. Young men are susceptible to addiction. 

     Less than 5 percent of bettors make a consistent profit, meaning the sports books make most of their revenue on losers. A survey found that about 1 of every 4 betters said they couldn't pay a bill. About 15% took our loans to fund wagers.  

     Many needs people should be saving money for are being spent on gambling or gaming. Roughly 20 million Americans report "Problematic gambling behavior." And roughly a quarter of them think their habit is out of control. The majority of addicts likely don't report their symptoms. Not everybody is forthcoming about their problem, due to guilt and shame.

     Is anyone doing something? Two bills introduced last year could force the federal government to get involved. The Gambling Addiction Recovery Investment and Treatment (GRIT) Act would set aside 50% of federal gambling tax revenue to fund addiction treatment and research grants. The government took in about $150 million in taxes for money wagered on gambling in 2024. 

     We bet I can find enough information to extend this article one more day. Wanna bet? 

Jimmy

    

Our Mentality

"I'm not smart enough."

"No one in my family has ever done that."

"My past disqualifies me."

     God isn't saying those things to us. Our history, our insecurity and our enemy, maybe. We're not being humble, but limiting...limiting what God wants to do through us.

     Well, it's always been this way. It'll never change. I'm just being realistic. Jesus says: With God all things are possible - Matthew 19:26. Possible not with our resume or excellent record...but with God.

     Our past does not define our future when God is involved. "They" might not do what we wish. But God can open a door. - Rev. 3:8. When He opens a door, no one can shut it. 

     There are giants, obstacles, roadblocks. Do we see ourselves in light of the giants or the light of our God? He delights in his children. He has plans we won't know until we reach out to him in prayer.   

Our pastor

Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing when she was 19 months old. Talk about giants, obstacles and roadblocks. She is known for 454 quotes, 14 books, lectures, political activity and more. She received a college degree. She was an "ardent believer" in a Christian denomination.   

Jimmy

 Betting the House 

Really?

     Before there was TV, yours truly was addicted to sports on the radio, or in person. In football season, I kept records on four teams - two high schools, one college and one professional. Forty wins was satisfying and expected.

     I never knew the word "betting." 

     Today, there are those who put their home up for sale to pay for a gambling debt. A counselor says, "It's all so accessible, now that you don't have to get in your car and drive to a casino. Sports betting has come under high profile FBI investigations. It is too tempting for players as well as fans." 

     "But fans are the ones who suffer most. Thanks to the rise of mobile sportsbooks, many Americans have found they just can't quit," the counselor says. "A few dollars leads to three-figure losses. Many don't even realize they are addicted."

     "Today, 39 states and the District of Columbia permit gambling. Mobile sportsbooks are legal in 32 states. Using prediction markets, even gamblers living in states that don't allow betting can wager on events. Gamblers wagered more than $148 billion last year, about 45 percent online. Nearly half of men under 50 have an account with at least one sportsbook." 

     What does this say about husbands, fathers, male teachers and voters, etc? We may follow up with this on Monday.

                Jimmy

Help in Difficult Times  

     Paul dealt with "much trembling." Soloman said, "I am but a little child." Gideon pleaded, "I am the least in my father's house." Moses moaned, "I am slow of speech. Please send someone else."

     We're needy during difficulties, but God assures us:  

                              "I will be with you" (Exodus 3:12)                                                                         "I will help you speak and teach you what to say" (Exodus 4:12)                                                "I will make a way in the wilderness" (Isaiah 43:19)                                                                   "I will supply all your needs" (Philippians 4:19)                                                                            "I will fight for you" (Exodus 14:14)   

                                     "I will rescue you" (Jeremiah 1:8)                 

              "I will restore you to health and heal your wounds" (Jeremiah 30:17)                                                        "I am a shield to you" (Genesis 15:1)                                                                 "I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten" (Joel 2:25);                                               "I will not leave you as orphans" (John 14:18)      

                              "I will not fail you" (Joshua 1:5)                    

                     "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). 

     By Whitney Williams, a nurse in Dallas 

 Broken bonds

     "Cutting contact with parents won't heal children's wounds.

     "Idealization of the self will not heal emotional emptiness. Young people determined to forge their own identities forget (or don't know) that we are made and shaped by others as much as by individual personality traits.

     "It's only by seeing ourselves reflected in close, sometimes difficult, unions that we understand who we truly are. God, a relationship in himself, means to shape us in relationship, beginning with our mother's arms and father's voice. 

     "'Honor your father and mother' is a weighty command. To break that bond for self-centered reasons makes us weightless."  

Janie B. Cheaney, WORLD magazine

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