What's Going On? 

     We are not yet "great again." There are those who are not teaching truth. Call them "false teachers." They introduce ideas our founders didn't have. There are politicians who shamefully lie on TV.

     Some teachers lead people astray. There are men who practice lawless deeds, such as Antifa in Portland, Oregon. Corruption is most evident in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York, and a few others. 

     Politicians and their helpers are bold and arrogant, not afraid to slander anyone they dislike. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, or do not want to understand. They are creatures of instinct.

     They seduce the unstable, the ill-informed. These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. They mouth empty, boastful words and appeal to the desires of sinful nature. 

     They entice people. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity. 

Here's What 

     These sins are taken from the book of 2 Peter, chapter 2, written 2000 years ago. We just applied them to America today. Human nature has not changed since Adam and Eve. Knowledge has expanded, but sin doesn't quit. Not yet. 

          Jimmy

 

How to Win! 

     "To him who overcomes," Jesus says seven times in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, and he will give unspeakable rewards: the tree of life, escape from second death, a permanent place in the Book of Life and the privilege of being in his presence. 

       Does that interest us?                             WORLD magazine 

     "Jesus doesn't say 'to him who has faith, or who loves, or who obeys,' although those would be true. In Revelation, he emphasizes incentives to saints who might remain in a sin. 

     "Overcoming suggests final victory. It looked like followers were never going to master their temper, pride, or that silent treatment strategy. The devil may have told them it was no big deal. 'Christ is enough.' 

     "Jesus didn't talk like that. Each soul has its own weakness (as did the seven churches in Revelation). When Jesus tells us to overcome, he is referring to that area of bondage that has wrecked our relationship all along. He insists that overcoming is doable. A divine command comes with grace to obey it. 

     "Overcoming is so highly valued by the angels 'there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent' - Luke 15:7. If a person doesn't deal with a sin, God will provide obstacles until he or she either obeys or dies without victory - 1 Corinthians 3:12. 

     "He only wants our overcoming ... he the landowner who doled out the same reward (pay) to the 11th-hour hires as to those hired earlier" - Parable in Matthew chapter 20.

 

Yesterday, Hegseth's Army 

Today, God's Army 

Note: Over the years we blogged for six days a week, then five, and three, and seven. Realizing that we can still offer you worthwhile information in our "old age," we return to seven days, sharing articles that are begging to be read. And Sundays will be the Lord's day. From our pastor: 

     "Peter understood the importance of being spiritually armed. He knew we need more than casual familiarity with God's Word. We need to be trained. When we arm ourselves with Scripture, the lies that once seemed so convincing begin to lose their power. Temptations become more recognizable for what they are. Our spiritual muscles grow stronger with each truth. 

     "This isn't to win arguments. It's about allowing God's truth to reshape our thinking, realign our priorities, and redirect our actions. When we are armed with the Word, we begin to see the world through God's eyes rather than our limited perspective.

     "Whatever form it takes, remember that this preparation isn't optional - it's essential for every soldier in God's army." 

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12 

Restoring Our Military 

     Did you ever? Some 800 generals and admirals from around the world sat quietly in the Quantico, Virginia Marine base this week. Most of them were older than our age 40 Defense Secretary.    

     I think we won WWII with far fewer officers. Was this a call to war? 

     Pete Hegseth, read about it on your computer, made his case. We are no longer going to be politically correct - but discourage war - by preparing. Every soldier and sailor - officers included - will become physically fit, and whatever else they can do to protect America.   

     We aren't protected by DEI rules, or overweight officers more interested in their careers. Hegseth said those in the room not interested in the required leadership are welcome to retire. 

     Peace. Strength. Competence. Training. Lethality. Risk taking. Merit. Standards. Fitness. Leadership. Obedience. 

     "No more playing games," Hegseth said as he paced across the stage, apparently without teleprompters. "No more walking on eggshells."

Views: Christians, Pete is one, aren't guaranteed success, safety, or health. We may enjoy such, but to suffer for Jesus as he suffered for us is righteous. 

The U.S. may become greater in freedom, safety, success etc. For a time. But enjoying our Lord comes first. 

As for the Lord, Views is going back to Sunday blogs, focused on the Bible. If you want to pass that up, we'll see you on Mondays.  😉

Can we be persuasive again? 

     Part 3 of 3 with Os Guinness 

Where are evangelicals today?

     "Part of evangelicalism has been politicized. The first thing to say about politics is that politics is not the first thing. It's Rousseau and the left that tried to make everything political. Evangelicals are now seen as purely political. 

     "But we are the people of the good news - the best news ever. We've got to explore the greatness of that good news and not tie it down just to politics. Politics is important, but not more than it should be. 

You would say politics is a thing?

     "Yes, it's incredibly important. But you've got to get churches, families and schools right first - that's where freedom is won and preserved. Then you'll have a healthy politics. 

What about states still allowing abortion?

     "Abolition took nearly 50 years of intense prayer, apologetics and political action...persuasion. And then they passed a law that enshrined it. Christians had the numbers, so they rammed it through. It was disastrous. No persuasion, only legislation. 

     We've got to do the persuading. We're increasingly in a culture of death. We've got to make arguments for the sanctity of life."

Saturday: Hegseth drills officers & admirals

  

A Cut-Flower Civilization

We're cut from our roots

     "When that happens, the flower shrivels and dies. Unless there's renewal. Take the American experiment, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and many of the Founders. There's a tie among faith, virtue and freedom. I call it the Golden Triangle of Freedom: freedom requires virtue, virtue requires faith, and faith requires freedom.

     "Today, the Framers' republic is on its last legs. The challenge is to restore it, but no one's talking about that. 'Make America Great Again' is always a matter of economy or the military. America didn't become great through economics or the military. 

But you're still an optimist?

     "Decline always leads to fall. But decline and fall is not the Biblical pairing. The Biblical pairing is exile and return. Reject the way of the Lord, and there will be displacement, dislocation, exile. 

     "Adam and Eve were east of Eden. Israel was under Babylon. The Church, again and again and again has been corrupt and decadent. G.K. Chesterton's line: 'Looking at history, five times the Church has gone to the dogs, and in each case, it was the dog that died.'    

     "So, we have the grounds for renewal. Will there be renewal? Only the Lord knows. I'm wary of announcing revivals, but we cannot be pessimists."

                                      Friday - conclusion  

To Whom Are We Loyal?

Nick Eicher interviews Os Guinness on power and politics. 

Is another shock coming? 

     "I think we're in the middle of a profound crisis. You see this in Friedrich Nietzsche. His last words were, '...it's the will to power - and nothing besides.' 

     "Worldwide today you see the shift to authoritarianism and totalitarianism. We just saw Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un getting together. But the same crisis is in the West itself. 

On the left or on the right?

     "The obvious part is the left, power in the state and cultural Marxism. But Christians need to be aware of examples on the right in America too. Take the administration saying, 'We want to make America great again.' They never say what made it great in the first place. They're trying to reassert American strength through power. That's dangerous.

How should we reassert American strength?

     "We need to go back, as followers of Jesus, to the Biblical, Jewish-Christian understanding. The Bible has a different view of power. The supreme example is the cross. Christians turned that inside out, made it a matter of glory. God's way of dealing with the world is not from power. We are faithful to our Lord and not captured by the spirit of the age.

                             Next: Cut from our roots?