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 😉

 Jesus said:

     "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:20 

     "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. Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? - Mark 8:34-37 

     "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you." - Luke 6:37-38

     "Everyone who drinks water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." - John 4:13-14

A Spiritual Battle

     Pastor Gary Hamrick continues: "In Romans 11, Paul writes, 'I say then, has God cast away his people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew.'" 

     "Christians have become the beneficiaries of the blessings of God, grafted into the vine. ...remember, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Salvation is available to all," he writes. "For God does not show favoritism," Romans 2:11. "Israel has a unique place in world history." 

     'For you are a holy people to the Lord your God...chosen to be a people for himself, a special treasure above all the people on the face of the earth.' Deuteronomy 7:6.   

     "Make no mistake" - Hamrick writes - "This is a spiritual battle. Satan incites antisemitism, and antisemitism is satanic. And no one bears more responsibility in the fight against antisemitism than the church." 

     "God chose Israel for a sacred purpose. Because of this, we bless Israel, we honor the Jewish people, and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem" - Psalm 122:6. 

So, the U.S. military (some members Christian) and Israel have joined forces in conquering to some extent the satanic leadership of Iran. The Bible says that "there will be wars and rumors of wars." 

  

 Friends at Last! 

     Isn't it interesting that the U.S. (the great satan) and Israel (satan) are joined in war on Iran's leadership, a tool of the real Satan? 

     Today, there are Americans in colleges, workplaces, politics, even in some circles of the church, who fall under antisemitism. Around the world, there is hatred for tiny Israel for no reason, other than Satan.  

     God loves people, his creation, and yet he allows Satan - his creation turned against him - to incite people and nations. There will be an end to Satan, but we're not there yet. "People have hated Israel ever since the tiny nation became the conduit for God's redemptive plan for mankind." (Pastor Gary Hamrick) 

      The "chosen" people themselves haven't always pleased God, and the rest of us, likewise. Still, he loves us. 

     "God, through the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, introduced the Savior to the world. His name is Jesus, Yeshua - Jewish Messiah, on a rescue mission to save. This Savior was born in Israel, died in Israel, rose from the dead in Israel and is coming again to Israel!" 

     "God's covenant that he would establish a people and a place through whom Messiah would come for the sake of the whole world - is the basis for why we support and bless the Jewish people while we pray for their salvation." 

 Continued Saturday

     

Trump, China, Christians, Muslims

     Continuing Wednesday's blog, "President Trump has criticized America's military entanglements. A 'fellow' (woman) in Washington says that Trump's military action in Iran follows in the same vein as his Republican predecessors. "It was the dream of neoconservatives to get rid of the Iranian regime after getting rid of the Afghan and Iraqi regimes. 

     She added, "Years of American opposition to Iran in the form of economic sanctions bolstered the regime's position by weakening Iranian society, unintentionally stalling reform efforts and pushing the Islamic republic into the arms of China. China buys more than 80 percent of Iran's crude oil exports."

     She worries Chinese propaganda painting the U.S. as "reckless" and the People's Republic as the "true upholder of international law and stability." She also is concerned that the Trump administration's intervention could jeopardize internal Iranian resistance efforts. 

     Another expert agreed, but noted Operation Epic Fury may also strengthen the U.S. in the eyes of its Asian rival. Trump is willing to back up foreign policy objectives with force. 

     Christian ministries say growing numbers of Iranians are becoming disillusioned with Islam and are looking elsewhere for answers. Heart4Iran is a ministry that broadcasts Christian programming into Iran. Its satellite TV station operates a 24/7 call center. The CEO, who fled from Iran, said, "The Iranian people's perspective regarding Islam has changed a lot, long before this attack. 

     The doctoral student in Ohio (see yesterday's blog) is considering moving back home - but only if the regime fully changes. "I want the whole world to know the true nature of this government. How their ideology destroyed my beautiful country." 

           Jimmy  

Tuesday's Update

     Cancel 8 p.m. Eastern-time all-out bombing. President Trump: "If Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend bombing for 2 weeks." Cease fire. Talk better than bombs. This morning looked unwinnable. Tonight, Trump wins again. If the Iranians keep their word. 

Wednesday Morning                                          WORLD magazine

     On the news that Iran's supreme leader was dead, an Iranian college student in Ohio, on his way to class, remembers, "For a moment, I couldn't breathe," he said. "I just started crying for all the years that they ruled us. We begged for that. This man killed his own people." 

     "U.S. and Israeli forces have destroyed much of Iran's military might. Thousands of Iranians flooded the streets of cities across the globe to celebrate. But not all Iranians share that view. 

     "They worry foreign interference could sabotage ongoing efforts to advance democracy...and lead to worse crackdowns or civil war. Other critics argue the war violates U.S. campaign promises. 

     "The student in Ohio says most students coming to the U.S. are 'just desperate for a life out from under the prying eyes of the government.' A study showed that on average a protest occurred in Tehran once every three days from 2009 to 2024. A U.S. organization verified the Iran government killed more than 6,000 protesters, and is investigating over 17,000 other deaths.   

     "Operation Epic Fury is not a 'regime change' war, but our president urges Iranian people to 'take over your government.' That appears unlikely. The U.S. achieved its objectives: preventing the Islamic Republic from developing nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, naval power and terrorist armies. 

     "Without their dead leaders, other Iranians launched a series of attacks by drones. Israeli air defenses have intercepted hundreds of Iranian missiles, some fired by Hezbollah."

Tomorrow: NBC poll. 54% of Americans disapprove

 

New Identity, Based on Truth 

     Humans are born; we live our lives and die.  

     Oh, there are differences in how we live, but death wins. 

     God himself, in the person of Jesus, died on the cross to pay for our sins. Then he came back to life, offering new life to all of us. Death doesn't have to win. 

     Father, Son and Holy Spirit - with more love than we have - want us to be born again. (Ask Nicodemus.) If you...know how to give good gifts...how much more will our Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? - Luke 11:13. 

     On Resurrection Sunday we wrote about God's message through Peter, chapter 3:18-22. In the days of Noah, God flooded the disobedient world. Only Noah and his family survived. 

     God tells us through Peter that the flood symbolizes baptism...that now saves us also...a pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at God's right hand...with angels and power in submission to him. 

     Baptism is an obedient expression of our repentance, our faith in Christ and commitment. Once baptized, we belong to Christ and (spiritually) have died and risen with him. God wants more from us, but baptism opens the way.  

          Romans 6:3-5   Galatians 3:27   Colossians 2:11-12   Acts 2:38-39

     No one ever imagined a world flood. But Noah believed God and survived.  

     This blogger was baptized as a baby, like so many of us. At age 30, I was baptized, by my decision. Which one did God favor?  

             Jimmy   

Yes, we know this is a serious day for Iran

Easter Sunday is over.

But the resurrection daily calls on sinners to believe and repent.

Baseball History 

     In my last year of college, I was walking toward my appointment when I happened on a group of students listening to the seventh game of the 1960 world series, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. the vaunted New York Yankees. I think each of the Yanks' three wins were blow outs. 

     I moved on and returned to find...nobody. Was the game over?

     The Pirates' young Bill Mazeroski, known for his second base defense, came up to lead off the bottom of the 9th inning, score 9-9. 

     While I was posing for my photo, I missed seeing Mazeroski crush a fastball over Pittsburgh's left field fence to secure victory, and his place in baseball history. 

     Mazeroski died this February, at age 89. 

Football History 

     A football coach led six different football programs to bowl games. Lou Holtz died in March. He too was 89. 

     He took over William & Mary, and after a short time with the New York Jets, he was an assistant at Ohio State, coached Arkansas and Minnesota. Then he coached Notre Dame, winning 100 games in 11 seasons, including the Fighting Irish's last national championship, in 1988.  

     Holtz then broadcast football for CBS and ESPN. We remember him as very likeable, even when he brought Notre Dame (our lady) to Columbus for a tussle. 

                           Jimmy 

The Resurrection  

     Early Sunday morning, after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene (for whom Jesus had driven out seven demons) went to the tomb. There was a violent earthquake. An angel rolled back the stone and sat on it. The frightened guards became like dead men. 

     Mary heard a voice, thinking it was the gardener. Jesus said, "Mary." She turned around and saw him. She cried out, "Teacher!" "Go to my brothers," he said. "I am returning to my God and your God." 

     Jesus' "brothers" didn't believe Mary. But Peter and John ran to the tomb and saw strips of linen and the burial cloth folded up. They still didn't understand from Scripture that Jesus would rise from the dead. 

     Two men who heard the news were walking from Jerusalem to their home in Emmaus, seven miles away. They wished that Jesus was the one who was going to redeem Israel. A stranger began walking with them, saying "How foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory. He explained Moses, all the prophets and about himself. Reaching home, they invited him in. He suddenly disappeared. 

     "Their eyes were opened and they hurried back to Jerusalem and the 11 disciples." Truth was breaking out. 

     Later, Jesus appeared to his disciples, not through their bolted door; he just appeared. He invited them to touch his damaged hands and feet. He was not a ghost, but flesh and bones. And he told them, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. Receive the Holy Spirit." 

The above a summary of reports. Some varied.

Note: As my relatives immediately changed facial expressions when they died, their minds, not brains, went somewhere. Jesus went somewhere after he cried out on the cross and gave up his spirit. Like other authors in the Bible, Peter wrote what God revealed. In 1 Peter chapter 3, that Saturday - between Friday's crucifixion and Sunday's resurrection - Jesus went to Hades, just short of hell. He gave Noah's disobedient generation a scolding, apparently. Peter also wrote, "The Spirit of Christ spoke in times past through the prophets." We will have more from Peter sometime this week. 

   

  

Jesus, the way to the Father

     In John chapter 14 - Jesus was beginning to inform his disciples I am going to prepare a place for you. You know the way to the place where I am going. 

     Thomas said, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Good question. Jesus answered,

     I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.

     Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 

     Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. Don't you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father living in me, who is doing his work.

     We understand that everything Jesus - born by a virgin - taught, he received from the Father. On Friday, we wrote of the crucifixion. On Saturday, Thomas, Philip and other disciples, and the women close to Jesus are extremely upset. If Jesus and the Father are/were as one, how can this be? His death on the horrible cross? How can the dead go anywhere, much less a very special place? 

     Mary Magdalene and two other women, weeping over the death of their Jewish Lord, are preparing spices to anoint Jesus' body at daybreak after the Sabbath day. Of course, they don't know who will roll the heavy stone away from the tomb. 

   

     

Good (?) Friday 

They Mock Jesus

Then the governor's men took Jesus into the Praetorium...

They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him...

And twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. 

They mocked, "Hail king of the Jews!" They spit on him and struck him. 

On the Way to the Cross  

Soldiers took charge of Jesus. 

Jesus told women mourning for him, Do not weep for me; weep for yourselves.

The Crucification 

They forced him to carry a cross. They brought him to "the place of the skull." 

Those hurled insults at him. "Come down if you are the Son of God." 

And they crucified him. They cast lots to see what clothes each would get. 

The "notice of charge" against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

Those who passed by hurled insults. Chief priests and teachers mocked him. 

"He saved others, but he can't save himself!" 

The Death of Jesus 

Darkness came over the land. When Jesus had cried out, he gave up his spirit.

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The earth shook and rocks split. Many holy people were raised to life.

Those guarding Jesus were terrified and said: "Surely he was the Son of God." 

The Burial of Jesus

A rich man asked Pilate for Jesus' body. He placed it in his own new tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb 

Chief priests and Pharisees asked that the tomb be secure to prevent deception.  

So they made the tomb as secure as they knew how and posted a guard.  

Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19 

None of us deserve the substitute He became for us.

Young children are the exception.

The Suffering Iranians  

     Columnist Lynn Vincent recalls her long-ago meeting with teenagers Mohammed and Hussein, 7,000 miles from their home, Iran. 

     She says, "Their parents sent them to America, out of the killing path of the Ayatollah Khomeini, the radical Shia cleric, and his followers, who called their uprising 'the Islamic Revolution.'" 

     "Khomeini promised justice, peace and dignity and the worship of Allah. Many believed and supported him. Instead, Khomeini institutionalized repression. The Islamic Republic fused religion with politics and purged dissenters." 

     "Women lost legal rights, were forced to wear the hijab, and were beaten if they refused. Protesters were shot in the streets. That's how two Iranian teens wound up in Scottsboro, Alabama. Their parents feared for their lives." 

     "All this makes the current U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran very personal to me. I've learned that many parents sent kids to America, while they stayed behind under the boot heals. What American parents can imagine sending their children 7,000 miles from home, even amid simmering racism?" 

     "The people who stayed behind in Iran are still paying the price. They still cry, 'Azadi' 'Azadi' - Freedom! Freedom! Vincent's young friends - now maybe grandparents - "are blessed with self-determination secured by the sacrifice of their parents."

     "But their countrymen still suffer imprisonment, rape and public executions under a dictatorship desperate to hold onto power. Forty-seven years is enough. For the sake of my friends, their families and all families like them, I cry with them. Azadi!" 

Do some of us despise this war to end nuclear threats? Or went along with our President, but now fed up with higher gas prices, wanting this to end, never mind suffering Iranians? Well, the goal was to destroy everything nuclear. 

             Jimmy

 

   

Our Thoughts

     Yesterday we wrote about our thoughts and how they come and go, and sometimes become actions on the broad roads of life. 

     In Isaiah (our favorite Old Testament book) chapter 55, God spoke about thoughts. He addressed those who are thirsty and those who are poor, urging them (us) to come to him. 

     He said David, "my everlasting covenant," is our "witness." David had faulty thoughts, like us, but he ended life a solid follower of God. (And in the New Testament we read that David will govern Jerusalem when the Lord returns.)

     "Seek the Lord," the Lord himself said. "Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Turn to the Lord" for mercy and pardon. 

     God continued, "My thoughts are not your thoughts nor your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." 

     "This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign." 

 That's the "narrow road" God wants us to take. 

   

 Feeling Guilty?

     If you are like me and many others, we often do or think the wrong thing. On self-examination, we feel guilty, but of course we don't dwell on it or share our guilt with friends. 

     What if someone told us wrong thoughts are not a sin? So said a pastor on TV recently.

     Was he approving wrong thoughts? Not at all. But he explained that human beings as we are, thoughts of all kinds come and go. Jesus knows who we are, and died to pay our penalty. He offers salvation to those who repent - as often as necessary - and strive to think and do what pleases him. 

     There's another mind involved...Satan. He has a mind, all wrong, and he and/or his followers seek to work on our minds. 

     So, while aware of our shortcomings, we should resist allowing the wrong thoughts to take hold. We recognize and replace wrong thoughts with God's thoughts. We may fail, but we repent and move on. 

     Need help? It's there in the Bible God provides. We all want what benefits us to some degree or another. The best benefit is knowledge of the Word of God, which saves us from hell. 

     Let's replace our wrong thoughts as we catch them, and replace them with God's thoughts...plentiful throughout the Bible. 

     Let's replace our hidden sin nature with the truth of God's Word. We will be so glad we did. No one, not the pope, not the so-called greatest Christian who ever lived, deserves salvation. But, God loves us and wants to bring us into his family. Satan hates God and wants to keep us from joining God's family.

             Jimmy 

   

Swallow-Tailed Kite

    We planned to write about Peter Schweizer on China's exploitation of birthright citizenship - and how Christian language is used against us. But the truth is too disturbing. 

    So, we'll praise God's swallow-tailed kite (my favorite bird). 

    My bird book on the Florida's Everglades describes the kite as "loveliness of form, beauty of plumage patter, and graceful flight." I've seen one in the trees behind our Florida home and will never forget it. 

     "White feathers cover the bird's head and underparts. Black plumage with purple sheen clothes its back, it's long, narrow. pointed wings and its deeply forked tail." 

     "In flight, this hawk may soar high in the sky or swoop for a drink without pausing, it seizes prey with its talons and eats the food while flying. Its menu includes large insects, amphibians, small reptiles and nesting birds. The kite chooses tops of tall trees (as in our back yard) for nesting."

     "The female uses her talons to snatch large twigs and mosses for nest building. Spectacular flocks leave the park in August, flying to Central and South America." 

     There. Isn't that better reading than what the Chinese are doing to use nests for births in countries linked to America? To give them voting rights? 

         Jimmy

   

     

Palm Sunday    

     Jesus made a "triumphal entry" to Jerusalem on Sunday. Well, the people who loved his healing power considered it a triumph. They must have thought he came to replace the Romans. 

     In Luke 19, we read that on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples ahead to find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden.

     They found the colt, brought it to Jesus, and put him on it. Not a kingly wagon, or even a horse. A colt, which normally would not tolerate a rider. 

     When he approached Jerusalem, a whole crowd of disciples joyfully praised God in loud forces for all the miracles they had seen. "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" They through palm branches and clothing on the road.

     Did Jesus grin and wave to the crowd? No! He wept over the special city, and he warned...what enemies were going to do to them, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you. Luke 19:41-44. 

     Five days later Jesus was crucified, voluntarily enduring the sentence the Jerusalem crowd - and all of us - deserve. 

    God loves us that much. Do we recognize the limited time we have? Heaven or hell. Nothing halfway. 

  

 

Who Really Owns Your House?

     "It may be the government," writes Andree Peterson in WORLD magazine. 

      "These days, young people can't buy houses, and retired people have difficulty holding on to them. For seniors, mortgages were paid off long ago. We own them free and clear...or do we? We can still lose them. An estimated 42 million homeowners are in danger of going bankrupt.

     "In all states, K-12 schools rely on revenue from property taxes. The appraising district sets the value of your house - often inflated - for taxing purposes. The legitimate worth of your house is thus fraudulently overvalued, which gives the taxing entities an extra few thousand dollars worth of value to play with. 

     "What makes your house worth more than it was five years ago? It may be nothing. It happened because school districts are borrowing money and using your house as collateral. Money also goes to many NGO's with names like Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul, and American Indian Family Center. 

     "You have now entered the big boy world of federal markets, of $23 trillion in property overvaluation affecting every home in the country...and of compound interest that can never be paid off. On a fixed income, this is unaffordable. 

     "One of President Trump's proposed affordability measures is to repeal property taxes. Good for him. How about we get local schools out of the bond business and have them overate on a cash-only basis?"

Who really owns your house? "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." - Psalm 24:1

A Historic Decline

     "For the first time in half a century, more immigrants left the United States than entered. Researchers examined immigration and Customs Enforcement data, which show deportations within the interior of the U.S.- away from the border - jumped 46 during Trump's first nine years in office. 

     "ICE arrests quadrupled as a whole, including a sevenfold surge in arrests of immigrants with no criminal convictions. ICE conducted more than 675,000 deportations last year. That included almost 300,000 from within the interior of the country - a record for this century. As the Trump administration continues its crackdown, net migration will likely continue to decline."

Better Than Expected

     "Economists expect the global economy to expand by about 3% this year and next. Based on strength shown by the private sector and governments last year, despite economic shocks from trade disruptions and marketplace uncertainties. 

     "Experts revised their expectations upward after observing responses to tariff increases that began in April, investor optimism and surging tech investments. Worldwide, economic growth has averaged about 3% each year since 2021.

     "Trade and market analysts were surprised that global economics, led by the U.S. and China recovered well following the 2020 recession. 

     "The risks rosy projections remain numerous: rising government debt levels, higher than predicted inflation, reduced AI investments, and economic or military disruptions to supply chains." 

 

Drawn to Darkness

     Teens are succumbing to the lure of violent online extremism. Can their families save them before it's too late?

     An article in WORLD magazine: "Radicalization often happens behind closed doors, making it impossible to know the entire scope of the problem. But existing metrics suggest this is a significant and growing threat." 

     "Happy kids aren't stumbling on these sites and they are being radicalized. The are already struggling with difficult experiences and broken relationships and want to know 'does anybody else feel like I do?"

     And a reminder from Scripture. Ephesians 6, in this war-like world, we must put on the armor of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and Spirit. 

Views has company this week. Our blogs continue, but short.

 

It Was the Lord's Will

Isaiah 53:9-12 

     He was assigned a grave with the wicked. and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 

     Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. 

     After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life, and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 

     Therefore, I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Your blogger is a transgressor,

but Jesus took my punishment. 

How about you? 

We Know Who He Was and Is 

Suffering and Glory     Isaiah 53:5-8

     But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

     He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgement, he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people, he was stricken. 

Isaiah 53:9-12 tomorrow

What the Lord Suffered for Our Escape from Hell 

700+ years before it happened    Isaiah 52:13-15   

     See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up (on the cross) and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him, his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness - so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand. 

Isaiah 53:1-4   v 

     Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 

Jesus was not handsome, as portrayed today.

     He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

Continued tomorrow

     

 

 Never Be Discouraged

There is really nothing we need to know

or even try to understand.

If we refuse to be discouraged

and trust in God's guiding hand.

So take to heart and meet each minute

with faith in God's great love,

aware that every day of life

is controlled by God above.

 And never dread tomorrow

or what the future brings.

Just pray for strength and courage

and trust God in all things.

For God never comes too early, 

and He never comes too late.

                                             Helen Steiner Rice

Friends, stay with us, back 2700 years to Scripture more important than Christmas, beginning Sunday.