Cubans Find Biblical View 

     Evangelical churches promote human life, providing hope and support to pregnant women, even as Cuba's quality of life deteriorates. Their pro-life movement began in 2016. One woman, for example, had only a cup of coffee for breakfast, and smoked a cigar at lunch time to battle hunger pangs.

     For years, women had blinders about shedding of innocent blood. A team could not afford a building for pregnancy care, but they could make house calls. One congregation rallied around new mothers, and child dedications started becoming common place. Cuba's leaders wanted more babies due to the negative population growth...not because what God may want.

     There is a pro-life movement across the nation. Churches have real conviction rather than fleeting emotional responses. Even unregistered churches are joining the movement. One woman gave up her steady $20 per month income to lead a pregnancy counseling team. 

     The challenges of living in Cuba are mounting. There is a shortage of food, supplies, medicines, electricity etc. Hurricane Melissa left families homeless. Without Venezuelan oil, gas to power garbage trucks trash has piled u. Breadlines extend for blocks. Shopkeepers only accept dollars, keeping the average Cuban from buying food. The communist regime exports all beef as a cash crop.

      A volunteer says, "If God created a baby, He will provide for it." Churches are growing. Our government puts the number of Protestants at about 55,000, or 5 percent of Cuba's population. Schools have more children. A volunteer said, "Glory to God. This is the work that the Lord is doing in this place." 

     And we'll see what President Trump has in mind, and what the charge against Raul Castro might lead to. A good life for all these babies, we hope.  

              Jimmy  

Why Charge Raul Castro?

     Picking up where we left off, in 1996 an organization called "Brothers to the Rescue" was searching for Cuban refugees who needed rescue at sea. Three Americans and one Cuban American in two Cessnas were doing something extra. From international airspace they released fliers with anti-government messages, somehow destined to come ashore at Havanna. 

     They may not have known about Cuban intelligence in Miami and Tampa, and among some members of our Congress. Raul Castro was informed, sent two fighter jets to down the Americans, and so he is accused of murder. Who started the process? Donald Trump, in 2016. 

     Raul, 94, is no longer president but still involved. A number of people at the head of government are named Castro or are Castro women who married others. The Cuban people suffer. Yet, many Americans think communism is the way to go.  

     Six decades of communism has taken its toll, leaving many Cubans impoverished and angry. In 2022 and 2023, Cuba lost 18 percent of its population...to Venezuela, Russia, (communist) China, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia. Some, like doctors, volunteered for programs and never returned. Cuba closed its borders for two years. 

     About 15 years ago, we and a few others transferred from our church in Wesley Chapel Florida to a dying church on the county lines of Hernando and Pasco counties. Years later, Wesley Chapel sent us a Cuban immigrant, who knew some English, and his wife, to be our new pastor. In Cuba he had to borrow clothes to attend church. Now, he pastors two English and two Spanish services every Sunday.

Sunday: more Cuban life 

Life in Cuba...More Babies Live 

     In 1963 I was in the Army at Ft. Lee, VA as one of seven guys with journalism or business degrees, working for a "school" for those who provide the Army with everything from uniforms to weapons. 

     One morning I woke up to learn a number of guys in our barracks were gone. There might be war with the Soviet Union which was placing artillery in Cuba. President Kennedy had decisions to make. Americans everywhere were nervous, including a lady at my church back home. 

     I had leave to visit home. I asked if I should stay at Ft. Lee, and he said I was not included in this. So, I drove home, wondering if a Russian missile might find me along the way. On Sunday at church, a woman scowled, "What are you doing here?" 

     That's my Cuba story. Fidel Castro and brother Raul turned communist while in jail reading Karl Marks. They were friendly with Russia, China and North Korea. Iran would join the team. The Castros were freed in 1956 and three years later, with 160 men for starters, overthrew dictator Batista and executed dozens of his officers. 

     This week, the U.S. charged Raul Castro, now 94, with killing four people in 1996. Stay with us. We'll get to the babies later.

          Jimmy    

     

Death Through Adam

Life Through Christ

     "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin...for before the law was given, sin was in the world. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a commandment, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. - Romans 5:12-14. 

     "The gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin. The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 

     "For if the trespass of one man, death reigned, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through one man, Jesus Christ. - 5:16-17 

>    "The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. - 5:20-21 

Friday, we go to Cuba

 Showing God's Love 

     From YouVersion:

     In Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus shared God's greatest commandment - to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. 

Note: Our heart, soul and mind, and emotions, are what lasts forever. 

     Then He says something equally important - You shall love your neighbor as yourself. - Matthew 22:39. 

     Jesus calls us to love others as ourselves, because doing so is how we show we love Him. YouVersion provides three ways to love people:  

* Ask a friend how you can pray for them.

* Encourage someone by sharing a Bible verse and what it meant for you.

* Pray about loving others. 

~ ~ ~

     We have not yet learned that a man is more powerful 

     on his knees than behind the most powerful guns. 

     We have not learned that a nation is more powerful

     when it unites in earnest prayer to God than

     when its resources are channeled into weapons. 

                                the late Billy Graham 

 Midterms

     "The problem for the president is the Republican and independent voters who supported him in 2024, but are not his natural constituency. Polling suggests most of them are happy with his foreign policy, but unhappy with his economic policies. From tariffs to running roughshod over allies, these voters prefer him to the alternative, but they may not show up in the midterms." 

Erick Ericlson

     "They want some accountability for the president, even if it means 
Democrats take control in Congress. That is the historic nature of midterm elections. Trump remains a transcendent politician, but the rules of politics still apply. Midterms tend to benefit the party out of power. The party out of power is more motivated to vote and the president's voters who are not actually his strongest supporters tend to stay home."

"If you're somewhere right now in a world

where you don't think you're loved,

you need to know Jesus loves you."

Billy Graham

Things That Matter 

     Do we organize our life by distractions, or purpose? 

     Do our activities leave us exhausted, not fulfilled? 

     Does our success and happiness crowd out contributions? 

Hmmm. I'm not scoring high.

     Does our attention skip meaningful work?

     Are daily habits aligned with deeply held values?

     Do we focus on meaningful service to others? 

Well, once in a while. 

     This is from Joshua Becker, 51, a former pastor and now state senator. He is also an author, speaker and philanthropist. What else does he ask?

     Do we make room for what deserves lasting attention? 

     Do we ever rethink success itself?

     Does meaningful life depend less on what we accumulate than on what we choose to prioritize? 

              Jimmy

Continuation of Saturday's list concerning salvation

Four additional ways, if...

...we are conscious of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. "This is how we know that he (Jesus) lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. - 1 John 3:24 

...we strive to follow Jesus' example and live as he lived. "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." - 1 John 2:6. 

...we believe, accept, and remain in the "Word of life." i.e. the living Christ (1 John 1:1, and in the original message of Christ and the NT apostles. 

...we have an earnest longing and an unbending hope for Christ's return to receive us to himself. "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be, has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." - 1 John 3:2-3; John 14:1-3. 

 

 Assurance of Salvation

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. - 1 John 5:13

We have assurance of eternal life if... 

...we believe in the name of the Son of God. There is no eternal life without an earnest faith in Jesus Christ that confesses him as God's Son, sent to be our Lord and Savior.

...we are honoring Christ as Lord of our lives and are sincerely trying to obey his commands. The man who does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. - 1 John 2:3-5 

...we love the Father and the Son rather than the world, and if we overcome the influence of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - 1 John 2:15-16

...we habitually and persistently practice righteousness rather than sin. He who does what is sinful is of the devil. - 1 John 3:7-10 

...we love our brothers and sisters (in the Lord). This is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence. - 1 John 3:19-20.  

Four more ways, tomorrow. 

 Assurance of Salvation

     How we avoid hell is a topic Jesus referred to numerous times. Everyone should know there is a horrible eternity for minds, hearts/souls and emotions - whatever survives death of the body. Jesus spoke of "fear of the Lord." He made heaven and earth, and that includes hell. 

     In recent times preachers have focused on salvation, without addressing the alternative. It's in the Bible we claim to trust - in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Tomorrow and into Sunday we will list nine ways to be sure of eternal life, thanks to John. 

     John was one of Jesus' 12 disciples. While dying on the cross, Jesus gave John responsibility to care for his (virgin) mother. John ministered as well as other disciples, but he used letters in old age, 60 or more years after Jesus returned to heaven. 

    John wrote one of the four Gospels (good news). Read the awesome first 18 verses of chapter 1. He also wrote 1 John, emphasizing truth and righteousness, and repudiating errors by false teachers. 2 John's theme is walking in truth. And 3 John emphasizes acting faithfully.

     John also wrote Revelation. It begins with John's encounter with Jesus the king of kings (not the human), prophecy, letters, visions, truth, faith, and more. And the last three chapters: the thousand years, the new heaven and earth, and Satan's doom. 

     Tomorrow, we go to 1 John for nine ways to know that we are in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Our Views had over a thousand readers (a record) yesterday when the word "hell" was in our title. Friday, we will respond to this, and on the weekend, we will provide nine ways to assure salvation, directly from our Bible. 

Justified by Faith 

     We follow up on yesterday's faith of Abraham (Genesis chapter 22), who became "father of us all." There were no laws to obey. 

     Centuries later, the "Son of God" was born, grew up without sin in an unimportant town, began his teaching and healing, and finally gave his life in the most painful way. Religious rulers knew he miraculously healed people, but when Jesus declined to evict Roman soldiers and restore the nation (like David might?) they begged Pilate the governor to crucify him. Before he died, Jesus forgave them. 

     This occurred by divine providence. Jesus paid the price all humans in all history deserve, and when he returned to life, he instructed his disciples and appeared to others over 40 days. They saw him return to heaven. He sent the Holy Spirit to earth, and the "good news" has been spreading over the world ever since. 

     Jesus spoke from above to an intelligent Jewish leader named Saul, also called Paul, who was persecuting Christians. Paul became a believer and revised his thinking. Among his many letters, four written while he was in prisons, Paul addressed Christians in Rome in A.D. 57. 

     "Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring - not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all." - Romans 4:16 

     "The words 'it was credited to him' were not for him alone, but also... for us who believe in him (God) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." - Romans 4:23-25  

How We Avoid Hell 

     In the first book, Genesis, we find the answer in chapter 15-v. 6. Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. 

     Is it that simple? When God promised Abram and his wife a child, and they both were beyond child-bearing years, Abram still believed God. Is that all? 

     Believe (Hebrew 'aman') means to persevere in trust and belief with obedient faithfulness. Abram trusted God. He was in a right relationship with God and his will. He received God as his shield and reward. So, no, belief isn't a one-time statement that carries us through to salvation. 

     In Genesis 22 Abraham's faith was tested when God told him to take his son Isaac to a mountain and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. When this father had raised his knife, an angel intervened, saying, "Now I know that you fear God..." Now, God knew that Abraham was a God-fearing man whose chief concern was to do God's will.   

     Abraham had many offspring, and today he is considered the "father of all who believe." - New Testament, Romans 4:11. 

     Has yours truly been tested? Yes, but I didn't have to threaten my kids to prove my faithfulness. Have you been tested? We recommend you read all of Genesis chapter 22.

           Jimmy

 Prayer to Celebrate July 4th 

     Most of us, we hope, know our 250th-year celebration is drawing near. Our president has called on Americans to pray for us to "rededicate ourselves to one nation under God." 

     Yesterday our blog on birds noted that 91 million Americans are bird watchers. If only 91 million of us prayed daily for "one nation under God" to forgive us and to give us favor and understanding. 

     Pastor Robert Jeffress said, "There is no more important service for Christians to provide for our country and its leaders than consistent, fervent prayers on their behalf."  

     The U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development asked, "What if one million people prayed for our country every week until July 4th? What if each believer got together with 10 people - friends, family, colleagues, work associates - 10 people each week to pray for our country and fellow citizens?" 

     This, the Lord has already called us to do. "Scripture directs us to pray for 'all who are in high positions' because this 'is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.'" - (1 Timothy 2:2-4) 

     Rep. Andy Harris, Maryland, said: "When our nation feels divided, when political violence and fear threaten to harden our hearts, prayer is exactly what we need. We can draft laws and cast votes, but only God can change hearts." 

                Jimmy

 

Flocks Attract Younger Flocks   

     My boyhood home was on a street well named Shady Avenue. There were large maple trees on both sides of the street. Two trees shaded our front yard...perfect limbs and branches for huge flocks of starlings. Spring or fall, I don't recall, but annually they flew down for a rest. 

     Their rest was a test. You see, bird "bathrooms" were the shady trees. Much of their mess fell on our shady properties. Dad took a board and banged it on the cement railing. Better yet, our neighbor two doors up used his gun. One bang, and off they flew. 

     My uncle Bill might not have approved. He was the first head of Everglades National Park, following the war. We drove from Pennsylvania to Florida when I was 10 to visit them and another uncle and aunt. Before Bill passed away, he claimed to have seen and identified 500 birds all over the country. 

     Today, Bill would be happy to know more Americans, and younger ones, have taken up bird watching. They see a world around them that they never really observed. Bird watching helps one appreciate nature, and it becomes a hobby. Upwards fly the birds, and upwards is the number of American birders, 91 million, and the average age, 49, down from 53 in 2011. 

     Yours truly isn't one of them, but we salute people who can leave the television for a while and do something else. 

           Jimmy 

Jesus said:

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. - Matthew 7:1-2

Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. No one is good - except God alone. You know the commandments: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother. 

"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus looked at him and loved him. One thing you lack, he said. Go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then, come, follow me. - Mark 10:18-21 

Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all - he is the greatest. - Luke 9:48 

Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.    - John 5:22-23   

U.S. Postal Service - Bankrupt?

     When this kid was very young, our mailbox was on our front porch. The mailman came off the sidewalk to deliver and to pick up any outgoing mail. A high school friend, Chuck, after the Army, became a mailman, his (Pennsylvania) walk sometimes freezing, snowy or rainy.  

     As for me, on our school's lunch hour I had a job bicycling mail from a factory to and from the post office. There were two other stops on my route. There is no part-time work for teenagers today. That factory and others no longer exist. Like so many northern businesses. 

     Today we seldom send mail, and most mail we receive is from organizations or politicians asking for money. With email, cellphones and such, the United States Postal Service is down from a high of 213 billion pieces annually to 109 billion...about half.  

     Last year the Service lost $9 billion, and it could go bankrupt in 2027. So said postmaster general David Steiner. 

     USPS has been funded by stamp sales and package fees, but two decades have passed without a profit. Steiner wants Congress to authorize borrowing more money so USPS can operate like an independent business. Really? USPS legally must deliver to all U.S. addresses. More than 70 percent of its routes are unprofitable.   

     USPS has a partnership with Amazon, more than 6% of its annual income. Any volunteer mail carriers out there?

            Jimmy 

Try Worshiping in China 

     Last October, governing authorities arrested and imprisoned 18 Christians. They are still held on charges of anti-government online activities. The daughter of a pastor arrested, now in the U.S., said "They didn't want to join government sanctioned churches, which would infringe on their ability to worship God wholeheartedly. This is just one example of a new wave of persecution." 

     "In 2018 the government made it impossible to rent out any other space, so the church started meeting online and offline, and it holds services through online media. The Chinese government claims this is illegal. But their sermons are still on YouTube, and people are meeting. It's not political, just the gospel," she says to WORLD magazine. 

     "Today, there are no direct family communications with any of the 18 detained. They are not allowed to meet the prisoners. They're not allowed phone calls or even letters. Lawyers who once provided information are having their licenses revoked." 

     "The Chinese government controls with Communist Party songs and core socialist values. They fear anything they can't control. Free Christians also provide services to the poor and vulnerable, as they do in other countries. But the government thinks it is the only party that can help people, so people rely only on the Communist Party." 

     But Christianity is growing in China. The daughter (above) believes persecution often makes the faith grow faster and firmer. She says "We know that God is faithful and is using this for good. When another pastor asked my father, 'How would you feel if they were coming for you?' My dad just said, 'Hallelujah, the gospel will spread even further.'" 

     She asks that we pray for those in prison, and their families. 

     I don't need to comment.   Jimmy  

Jews and Gentiles

Setting the Record Straight  

     Friends, from time to time this month we'll include a few verses from the informative book of Romans. After 25 years of spreading the gospel, Paul (a Christian Jew) planned to follow his letter to Rome. He wanted to correct rumors and attitudes about Jews and Gentiles, both ways.  

(Neither had plentiful Bibles until recent times. Today, American Christians and Jews in Israel have joined hands to help people in need. But Satan and other demons are at war with both. Easily fooled Americans chant the end of Israel. Every author in the New Testament was Jewish, except Luke, who wrote "Luke" and "Acts." Now, back to Paul:

     Romans chapter 2: "There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism."  

     Romans 3. "Let God be true, and every man a liar. What shall we conclude then? We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written, 'There is no one righteous, not even one' (Paul includes himself). Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in his (God's) sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."

     "But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known. This righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are (can be) justified freely by his grace. God presented (Jesus) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. He did this...because He left the sins committed beforehand unpunished ... he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time."

     "Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes...since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that faith. We (Jews) uphold the law." 

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Trump vs. Western...Allies? 

     President Trump wrote that "NATO wasn't there when we needed them." NATO has its opinion of the U.S. that may explain why the North Atlantic Treaty Organization isn't involved in our war with Iran. 

     Most of those countries needed the U.S. during World War II, and in following years when the Soviet Union was gobbling up territory. Iran isn't NATO's friend, but Iran is not a threat to them either. 

source: WORLD magazine

     A poll revealed mistrust between Washington and European allies before the war on Iran. Some respondents even said the U.S. is more of a threat to Europe than China, Iran or North Korea. (Those three probably aren't threats to Europe. But, America?) Well, Hitler and Stalin are gone, and Europeans are thinking for themselves.  

     Russia? Europeans have real issues, a costly influx of immigrants from Ukraine, spats with eastern neighbors and concerns for security. What if Russia defeats Ukraine and turns its eyes on Europe? "You'll have to learn how to fight for yourself; the U.S.A. won't be there to help you anymore," Trump wrote in late March. 

     Trump's rift with Europe has led to speculation that the U.S. might withdraw from NATO. Such a decision would require congressional approval.  

            Jimmy

Which List Is Ours? 

     Jewish leader Saul was a fierce opponent of those newcomers who called themselves Christians. Jesus, then in heaven, spoked to Saul while he was headed to Damascus...to arrest more Christians. He gave him the name Paul, who wrote many letters we now call books, in the Bible. Obviously, Paul was highly intelligent, among other attributes. 

     Paul's notable letter to the Romans, where some Christians were living, includes words describing Christianity, and twice as many describing the world...all in chapter 1.   

        Our Faith                                           Our World 

        Son of God                            foolish hearts   wrath   wickedness

        gospel    grace                                godless    lies   futility 

        faith    love                                 foolish     images   desire   

        peace    prayer                            impurity       created things    

        spiritual gifts   mercy                   shameful lust    indecent acts

        encouragement                             perversion   depraved minds

        wisdom   power of God                         greed      envy 

        salvation for Jew and Gentile          murder     strife     deceit    

        righteousness   divine nature           malice   gossip    slander 

                                                           insolent   arrogant   boastful

                                                             disobedient     senseless  

                                                                faithless    heartless  

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Two Airmen Down...Pause the War 

     A wounded U.S. weapons officer, a colonel, is back home on the mend after his jet crashed in Iran. The jet went down in a mountainous region, and Iranians offered a reward for capture. He avoided discovery for nearly two days. The first message rescuers received from him said, God is good. 

     The rescue search involved four bombers, 64 fighter jets, 48 refueling tankers, and 13 rescue aircraft. The plane's pilot was recovered several hours after the crash. 

Fertilizer Anyone? 

     Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted about one-third of the global fertilizer trade, a threat to food security and prices. Gulf Arab nations are major producers of the most commonly used fertilizer. They also export liquefied natural gas, a raw material for fertilizer production. 

     Farmers in the U.S. and Australia have switched to crops needing less urea, such as barley and soybeans, while planting less wheat, canola and corn. Like it or not, we do have a dog in this fight, along with the fight.

Remember Alcatraz? 

     One of the most secure prisons, in the water outside California, was closed in 1963. It now serves as a tourist attraction. 

     The White House has requested millions in the 2027 budget to reopen Alcatraz as a prison. Alcatraz cost three times more than any other federal prison. The funding request may not go through. Congress sets the budget, so the request functions as a suggestion. 

    Our request is that violent offenders are in prison, yes, and taught about heaven and hell. 

             Jimmy

Tomorrow: The good and the not in Rome

War with Satan and the Demons

     Our conclusion to a weeklong series. For individuals, our true enemy is not the Russians, Chinese, Iranians etc. Our lifelong enemy is in the spiritual world. 

     We began this series with Adam and Eve and how their relationship with God was destroyed by disobedience. They ate a bite of the forbidden fruit. Big deal? The result remains with the human race today. 

     Human relationship with God was destroyed. All of us entered the world with a sin nature. The Bible does not say Adam's sin and his guilt is imputed to the human race. "Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all men (and women) because all sinned." - Romans 5:12.  

     How do we escape this predicament? "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." - Romans 8:1-2. 

     And how does Jesus the Son of God do this? After three years of teaching and healing people, and raising the dead, Jesus allowed Roman soldiers outside Jerusalem to whip and crucify him. He paid for your sins and mine. And on the third day he appeared alive and well, showing his disciples his damaged hands and side. 

     He wants us not simply to believe but follow him. See the New Testament for details. 

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"The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to earth and his angels with him." - Revelation 12:9 

     "He (an angel) seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years." - Rev. 20:2. (the millennium to come) "When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations...And the devil who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur." - Rev. 20:7-10. 

     Yes, we're in the New Testament, history of the first century A.D. and revelations to come. It concludes with the new heaven and new earth, and the new Jerusalem, in chapter 32. 

     Meanwhile, the apostle Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 2:11 to be careful that "Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." He adds, "Just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray."  

     Conclusion tomorrow

 More Demon Activity

     "The next day an evil spirit came forcefully upon Saul." - 1 Samuel 18:10

     "One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 'Does Job fear God for nothing?' Satan replied. 'But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.' The Lord said to Satan, 'Very well then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself, do not lay a finger.'" - Job 1:6, 9, 11-12  

     "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel." - 1 Chronicles 21:1 

     "Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me?" - Isaiah 36:19-20    

     "Then he showed me Joshua, the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, 'The Lord rebuke you Satan. The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you. - Zechariah 3:1-2 

     What about Christians? Are they hated by Satan? There are at least 33 times in the New Testament where Satan or his fellow demons make themselves known. 

Tomorrow: Satanic influence in today's world

 Demons in the Torah 

     Jewish people value the first five books in the Old Testament...called the Torah. They know about the devil who appeared to Adam and Eve. And years later, in the fifth book, Deuteronomy chapter 32: 

     "They (God's people), sacrificed to demons, which are not God - gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear." This verse follows 40 years of teaching/preparation for entrance into the Promised Land. 

Commentary: "Behind the false gods and religions of this world are the spiritual powers of demons. Demons may act through their followers, even performing miracles."

     Later, around 1050 B.C., the Lord's people now settled, "God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem..."  

     In Psalm 106:37, "They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons." 

Commentary: "Those who served idols in OT times were dealing with demons, for behind all false religions are demonic manifestations, powers and influence. Likewise, when a believer in Christ adopts the world's ungodly customs and ways, he or she is in reality submitting to demonic influences."

Tomorrow: Still more Old Testament demons

Satan's Heavenly Name: Lucifer 

     Yesterday, Genesis chapter 3 introduced dishonest Satan, a key angel expelled from heaven along with many others. The Lord allowed him to test Adam and Eve, and he and they angered God, a lasting effect on our world. 

     The lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob led to the Jewish race. While kings and other leaders did their thing, Jewish prophets received God's teaching for future benefit. They revealed positives and negatives, and the future. One special revelation in Ezekiel chapter 28 tells us where the Devil came from. 

V 

     "The word of the Lord (in part) to Lucifer: You were a model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God (the serpent in Monday's blog). You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. So, I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God...in the future: All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end (not yet) and will be no more." 

     So that's the chief cause of world trouble. God hasn't thrown him into hell, yet. In fact, God uses Satan. He will imprison Satan during the millennium. At the end, He will allow him out to rally unbelievers. Then! Hell for all fallen angels and the remaining human unbelievers.

 Tomorrow: Any more Jewish commentary on satanic activity?

      

 Before There Were Kings, Prophets and Rabbis 

     There was a special man, Abram, in Genesis chapter 12, later known as Abraham. Does that mean Genesis chapters 1-11 don't matter? 

     Chapter 1 & 2: God made the heavens and the earth, the Garden of Eden, and the first man, Adam. The only rule, Adam was not to eat from "the tree of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Then God created the first woman, Eve.   

     Chapter 3: Oh oh! The fall of man. What? Already? God permits a serpent to speak. The snake chooses Eve: "Did God surely say...?" She knew what God warned her husband, and answered the serpent. He lied: "You will not surely die...for God knows that your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."  

     Still in chapter 3 of our 2,039-page Bible. Eve saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye. And it was desirable for gaining wisdom. She gave some fruit to Adam, and the eyes of both of them were opened. The Lord scolded the serpent (Satan) and Adam and Eve. Another eight verses reveal how an angry God dealt with his first humans.

     In chapter 6, the world had become so wicked God flooded the earth, with only Noah and his family surviving. Still no Abraham. 

     Is this the last we read of Satan?  

Come back tomorrow.

  

     

                                        Jesus Said:

When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. - Matthew 6:6 

Jesus called the Twelve and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all. Whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me. - Mark 9:35, 37 

Then he said to them all: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self. - Luke 9:23-26 

I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.  For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. - John 5:19 

God's Covenant with Abraham 

     Is it still in effect? 

     Yesterday we blogged about the October 17, 2023 massacre and what Israelites are doing to recover...and excel. In ancient times there was the Passover, Old Testament law, fear of the Lord, God's covenant with Israelites...with David...Jerusalem, prophets, the glory of God...and more. 

     We know that Israelites lost their nation to Rome in 70 A.D. We know there were still faithful millions of Jews, scattered, when Hitler decided to call them "evil" in the 1930s and World War II. There were 9,689 million Jews in 22 European nations. Worse than Germany, 3 million were killed in Poland, and 1 million in the Soviet Union. In the 22 nations, death fell on 5,594 million, or 57.74 percent of Jews. 

     That horrible tragedy - and little reaction among Europeans and the United States - who suffered the war - convinced some Jewish men to take over the holy land, which they did in 1948. They had to fight for it. 

     Everything was wonderful. No. They had to fight Egyptians. Still in the 20th century, Iran was overtaken by Muslim radicals. They couldn't just rule Iran. They consistently call Israel "little Satan," and the United States, "great Satan." 

     There is anti-Israel sentiment in the world today, even in America. On Sunday, Views will continue with quotes by Jesus. On Monday we'll look for Satan. 

           Jimmy 

Remembering Oct. 7, 2023 

     "October 7 is with us all the time," says a member of Israel's management team in Nahal Oz, a kibbutz, where 90 percent of residents have made a quiet return. The agricultural community was founded in 1951. 

     "Not everyone is willing to risk living so close to Hamas-ruled territory. Since the early 2000s, Nahal Oz suffered relentless mortar fire and rocket attacks from Gaza. When bomb warnings would sound, residents had seconds to reach shelter. They saw Hamas members training on the other side, heard them digging tunnels under their homes, and watched incendiary balloons devastate their crops. 

 Excuse me. The government did nothing?

     "The October 7 surprise attack left more than 1,200 people dead and others carried away. The Trump administration's Board of Peace gives hope of some security. The board will oversee Gaza reconstruction and civil administration, yet to go beyond rhetoric. 

     "The challenge for a new generation is believing that Gaza can look different from its past. Israel's early leaders expected the borders would grow safer over time, and they believed relations with their neighbors would normalize. But the notion that Jewish people are secure in their ancient homeland was shattered. 

     "Israel's government wants to show security is possible. It began plans to rebuild two weeks after the incident. Since then, it has renovated buildings and rebuilt infrastructure. The region now has 3,000 more residents than before and plans to double the population by 2033.

     "Gilad Yavetz, a renewable energy businessman, believes Nahal Oz could become a showcase for agricultural technology. His 23-year-old son, Yiftach, led the force that confronted the terrorists on Oct. 7, preventing a larger massacre. Yiftach died during the battle. His father feels a duty to strengthen the community his son died to protect. 'My son helped save 400 people. I want to follow his path.'"

 WORLD magazine

Are You a New Creature?                     - a message from our pastor -

     "There is our linage, our DNA, our education, our good deeds, our failures, our age, our appearance.

     "But, if we are children of Jesus Christ, we are new creatures. We are no longer primarily the above identities. We are not even primarily the product of our parents. 

     "In Christ, we are products of the Heavenly Father. 

     "The late Smith Wigglesworth, plumber turned preacher, said: "I am a thousand times bigger on the inside than I am on the outside." Why so? Because the Spirit of God dwells within us. 

     "Many or most of us don't talk to ourselves like that. We look in the mirror and rehearse the same old lines. 

     "If we have made the confession to God (seriously) He has placed his Spirit in us. We are worth more than we imagine. We are a thousand times larger on the inside than we are on the outside." 

  Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. - 1 John 4:4. 

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Proverbs

     How to better understand ourselves and others, our weaknesses and strengths. 

     Most of the book of Proverbs was written by King David's son and successor, Solomon. In chapter 1:2-7 Solomon promotes wisdom and understanding in behavior, righteousness, justice and equity. Simple people can be prudent; youth can gain knowledge and discretion, and the wise might become wiser. Following are words in chapters 1and 2:

            Wisdom                                        Foolish

             insight                                       rush into sin   

          discipline                                         wayward

           discretion                                  love simple ways  

          discerning                                          plunder

      fear of the Lord                                 ill gotten gain 

         knowledge                                         mockery 

            listen                                             schemes 

          insight                                            complacent     

        blameless                                          dark ways  

          faithful                                              devious  

      fair and just                                         seductive

          love                                                 unfaithful

     straight paths                                    paths to the dead

 Reality Crisis

     Columnist Andree Seu Peterson wrote a zinger in WORLD magazine under the subhead, "What happens when we can no longer trust everything we see?" 

     After five long paragraphs about questionable information in our world, she turns to the Bible.

     "Psalm 119. Its 22 stanzas correspond to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza has eight verses, all starting with the same letter. Key words are repeated throughout, hinting at a message in a pattern of eight. In Isaiah, a sequence of thoughts is presented and then repeated in reverse order, with a third idea inserted in the middle, such that the middle idea is emphasized by virtue of its position." 

     "The Bible is a living code. We have now entered the rarefied realm of 'gematria,' secret patterns of numerical values of Hebrew letters and meaningful repetitions of 7s, 4s, and 40s, not only in the literary content but in the frequency of words and the lengths of sections."

     Peterson touches on nature's pattern of numbers, and biology. Then to Scripture: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!" - Romans 11:33 

     She concludes: "The Word of God is a light in a dark place. We always said that was true. And now, more than ever before, the darker it becomes the brighter His Word shines."

Money Money 

     We don't particularly care to write about money, but it's a subject most people deal with. 

     On the positive side, some 25% of American adults want to start investing in the stock market this year. Younger adults are leading the way. Some 42% of those aged 18-29 are considering investing for the first time.  

     Younger adults have shifted from buying a starter home to investing in the stock market. The typical sale price for a smaller, more affordable starter home exceeded $260,000 last year, more than double the 2015 price of $110,000.

     Meanwhile, consumer use of debt for necessities, instead of discretionary spending, reached an all-time high last year. Total American household debt is nearly $19 trillion, and a record number of consumers lack enough money to repay debts. 

     Analysts expect the trend to continue this year. Almost 30% have more credit-card debt than emergency savings. Paying down credit-card debt and increasing emergency savings is difficult. 

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Jesus said:

Matthew 5:44, 45 - But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  

Mark 8:34-38 - If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?  If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels. 

Luke 8:16-18 - No one lights a lamp and hides it. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known. Therefore, consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.  

John 4:23-24 - Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth. 

 

A Story of Friendship  

     We know about Mark Twain (not his real name), a literary genius. And Ulysses S. Grant, the general who brought our Civil War to an end. 

     You may not know that Twain had failed investments and other personal loss. In 1884, Grant faced financial collapse due to a fraudulent business partner and a terminal diagnosis of throat cancer. 

     Would no one in North America help this man who - along with Lincoln - saved our Union? Mark Twain would. The two met at a Washington banquet. Twain's humor broke through Grant's reserved demeanor.

     Grant began to write his memoirs as a way to provide for his wife. Publishers offered modest terms, but Twain saw the literary value. He offered his new friend a more generous deal and took the book to market. As Grant labored through pain, Twain organized sales, recruiting agents and ensuring the book reached a wide audience. 

     "The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant" became a triumph in literature and financially. Grant didn't see its impact, but his final effort proved as resolute as any campaign he had fought. 

     "Twain was known as a cynic, but he was a steadfast friend." 

                      Tomorrow: What did Jesus say?

Freedom and Prosperity... 

     Creates fertile ground for idolatry and covetousness. - Janie Cheaney

     "Credit scores sink and bankruptcy claims rise. Problem gamblers have a higher rate of suicide attempts than alcoholics or drug addicts. This is about coveting and misplaced love. 

     "In Exodus 20 the Lord pronounces the Ten Commandments in a voice of thunder that terrifies them - so the fear of the Lord will keep you from sinning. It appears to work. All that the Lord has spoken we will do. But we know how our promise worked out. 

     "Commandments Two through Nine address actions. Commandments One and Ten aim directly at the heart: 'You shall have no other gods before me' and 'You shall not covet (anything that belongs to your neighbor.)' 

     "Displacing God and desiring what is not lawfully mine are the heart of sin. 

     "Even for sincere Christians it's a continual struggle. Unlawful desires lurk in the byways. 'We will do everything the Lord has commanded,' people promise. Except the first thing and the last. 

     "Covetousness may be the chief problem of democracy, especially when a nation becomes wealthy and self-indulgent. Rule by and for the people often means that people get what they want.  Every generation of Americans had its idols and gimmes, rushing for fame and treasure over broken commandments. 

     "The U.S. is not uniquely sinful, but our system, so conducive to freedom and prosperity, was the first to make covetousness pay off. At least for some. Freedom and prosperity are good things, the very things God promised to his people if they keep his commandments. 

     "But if we don't guard our own hearts against idolatry and covetousness, who will?" 

   

Socialism's Salesman  

           A few words from an article on New York City's new mayor. 

     Zohran Mamdani had placed his hand on the Quran and taken the oath of office to become mayor of New York City.  

     The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have the perfect pitchman to sell its politics to a new generation of voters in New York and beyond. 

     Americans underestimate the dedication of DSA activists who devote nearly every free hour to advancing socialism. 

     Mamdani is very popular with immigrants, who played a huge part in getting him elected. 

     Americans are more positive toward capitalism than socialism, but the gap is shrinking, with only 54% viewing capitalism favorably - down from 60% in 2021. Meanwhile, the positive numbers for socialism are gradually climbing, from 36% in 2021 to 39% in 2025.  

WORLD magazine

The First Sinners...our examples   

     It was only fruit, but Adam and Eve ate from the tree God forbid. They failed his test, and we do the same today, far worse than apples.

     Our pastor says, "We try to cover shame with success, image, religion, busyness, or 'being a good person.' Not that those are wrong, but they can't restore relationship with God."  

     "On the night of Jesus' resurrection, the disciples were locked in a room, fearing Jewish leaders who wanted their status restored. Doors are shut. Dreams shattered. Their leader for three years has been crucified. Suddenly, Jesus stands before them. He doesn't need the door. He is the door."  

     "Peace be with you," he says. "Like in Genesis when God breathed into Adam and he became a living soul, Christ breathes into his followers and they become spiritually alive." 

     "Today we may feel locked in anxiety, shame, a painful past, or circumstances. Doors shut. But the risen Jesus doesn't need an open door to reach us. He steps into our room and says, 'Peace be with you.'" 

     "It's not patching ourselves with better fig leaves. It's Jesus giving us life. The Holy Spirit taking residence. Beginning to produce love, joy, peace, patience and more. You don't have to fix yourself first. You simply believe that he died and rose again, confess your sin, and receive the breath that starts it all." 

     John 20:22. "When he had said this, he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit." What to pray?

     "Jesus, I confess that my independence has left me empty. I lay down my self-effort, my pride, my attempts to fix myself. Breathe on me, and let your peace fill every locked room of my heart." 

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 What is TrumpRx? 

     Never heard of it? Me neither. While the war with Iran gets the headlines, the Trump administration is active in numerous ways to improve life and wellbeing. They are testing a strategy to lower prescription drug costs by linking U.S. prices to what other wealthy countries pay. 

     The theory is that Americans should not pay more for the same medication than patients in Europe or Canada. The TrumpRX website lists discounted cash prices for certain medications that foreign and domestic drug manufacturers have agreed to offer. 

     People without insurance or who need drugs that insurance does not cover are most likely to benefit. About 8% of Americans are uninsured. That's 28 million who might benefit from a cash-only option. 

     The 43 drugs currently available are all brand-name. Those most likely to benefit consumers are weight loss and fertility medications, the least likely to be covered by insurance. Consumers still need to shop. Most patients can also take a generic drug for a fraction of the cost of a brand name prescription. 

     Supporters and skeptics alike agree that more competition could benefit consumers, but they disagree on how many people TrumpRX will benefit.   

WORLD magazine

Jewish Man Seeks Safety...in Germany! 

     How history can rise again. Welsh billionaire Sir Michael Moritz, 71, is applying for German citizenship because the U.K. has become "an uncomfortable place" for Jews. 

     Anti-Semitic attacks spiked in the U.K. after an October synagogue attack. Germany - where millions of Jews died during World War II - is now more welcoming of Jews.

     Moritz's grandparents were killed in the Holocaust. German law allows descendants of those stripped of their German citizenship by the Nazis to return. 

Historic Session 

     First Lady Melania Trump presided over a United Nations Security Council meeting on March 2. 

     Really. It was the first time a sitting first lady took the gavel for the meeting. The U.S. held the rotating Security Council presidency for March. Normally the UN ambassador or a senior government official chair the meetings. 

     Mrs. Trump said, "The path to peace depends on us taking responsibility to empower our children through education and technology. Conflict arises from ignorance, but knowledge creates understanding - replacing fear with peace and unity." 

     Last year, her husband the President criticized the UN, that all it seems to do "is write a strongly worded letter, and then never follows that letter up." 

Do you see what we see? She speaks of "the path to peace" while her hubby was already starting a war. Both necessary for eventual peace.  

                Views 😉