Overcoming Evil

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited. 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: 

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 

(Proverbs 25:21-22)

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:9-21 NIV) [1]

 

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[1] https://biblehub.com/niv/romans/12.htm

 

 

What Must I do to be Saved?

“As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.  She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”  And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. 

But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.  And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.  They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”  The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.  And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.  Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,  and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.  When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”  And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.  Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”  And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.  And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.  Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” (Acts 16:16-34 ESV) [1] (emphasis added)

 

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[1] https://biblehub.com/esv/acts/16.htm

 

Weeds and Good Seed

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.  So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.  And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’  But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:24-30 ESV)

 

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”  He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.  The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.  Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.  The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:36-43 ESV) [1]

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[1] https://biblehub.com/esv/matthew/13.htm

 

The Price is not too High

When I was in town today, I noticed that a name brand filling station and convenience store was selling unleaded regular gasoline for $4.09 a gallon. The price that store was asking for diesel fuel was over $5.00 per gallon. Earlier in the week, I purchased unleaded gasoline from the same company at a different location for $3.92 a gallon.  This is a snapshot, and it may not accurately represent the average price of fuel in our area.  You can get blended gas for a few cents less.  It does show, however, that you have to pay high prices for gas and diesel fuel right now. 

It reminded me that there is a ration card my mother saved from World War II in our family papers. During that war, people sacrificed in order that the war effort could be successful. Our current military effort in Iran is very different from World War II. However, in any war it is necessary for the folks back home to share some of the burden. 

While there may be other factors at play regarding fuel prices, the Iranians have closed off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and the reduction in the world’s oil supply is driving the price of oil higher. President Trump has issued an ultimatum to Iran.  If they refuse to allow shipping through the strait, the United States will attack Iran’s electrical infrastructure.  It is uncertain whether the Ayatollahs care, but there will be hardship for everyone in Iran if that happens. When the choke point is relieved, we hope that gas prices will go down. 

The public dialogue is replete with praise and criticism regarding our military effort in Iran. Please allow this small attempt to bring clarity to the discussion. 

The prospect of the radical Islamist regime in Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon is the western world's worst nightmare. If they get the bomb, they will use it or threaten the use of it to force the nations of the world to do their bidding. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) would have Americans believe that there is no imminent Iranian nuclear threat to the US because Iran does not have a delivery system that can reach our shores. *  This argument ignores some very important considerations, some of which might include: 

There is more than one way to skin a cat, and there is more than one way that Iran can deliver a nuclear strike against the USA.  Furthermore, by treaty if Iran delivers a missile borne nuclear strike on one or more of our NATO allies, we must treat it as an attack on the United States.  Iran has pledged to destroy Israel.  A nuclear attack by Iran on Israel would draw the United States into a conflict that might possibly involve a nuclear response on Iran by Israel.  There is no way to know if Russia and China would stay out of that fight. 

Whatever temporary sacrifices we need to make to ensure that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons are worth it. If I have to pay even more for a gallon of gas to get that done, I will do it happily. We cannot pass on to our children and their children the prospect of a nuclear attack from a terrorist regime like the one in Iran. The Ayatollahs must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons.  It would be like giving a five-year-old a loaded pistol at a birthday party. 

President Trump and his team have stated that regime change it's not a goal in Iran for now, but simply put, if regime change does not happen, we cannot permanently rid ourselves of the threat of a nuclear Iran. They will continue to try to obtain nuclear weapons until they get them. 

Fellow citizens, it is rare for anything worthwhile to be achieved without effort on somebody's part. Please believe as I do that the inconveniences we are experiencing are worth it, and they will end when our mission in Iran is accomplished. Give President Trump the room he needs to operate. If permanently ending the threat of a nuclear Iran is all we accomplish, what the President is doing is in our long-term best interests.

* Fox News "The Sunday Briefing" interview of Ro Khanna by Jacqui Heinrich       15 March 2026 

Freedom of Religion

The right of American citizens to worship as they choose is protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution: 

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” 

Many of the world’s nations have an official state religion. The First Amendment prohibits the US government from designating an official state religion.  It also prohibits the government from interfering with any citizen’s faith related activities. 

Although the United States has no official religion, the majority of Americans  self-identify as Christians, Jews, or Religiously Unaffiliated.  There are over a thousand different religious groups or subgroups in the United States. 

Lamp in a Corner is a Christian blog.  It is an effort to inform people about the way of salvation provided to us through faith in Jesus Christ.  This salvation is the only way that people can come to the One True God and receive eternal life … to be spent in the joy of His presence and serving Him forever. 

Although Christians have an obligation to warn others who do not share our beliefs that we will all eventually stand in the presence of God and give an account of ourselves, it is not our job to judge others unto condemnation.  Instead, we must pray for them and peacefully persuade them to believe in Jesus Christ. 

Lamp in a Corner respects the right of people to worship as they please.  We urge everyone to regard freedom of worship and practice as a universal human right … so long as doing so does not prevent others from worshiping as they choose. 

No one has the right to use violence or coercion to convert others.  Historically, Christianity has “converted by the sword.”  Today, true Christians recognize that does not honor God.  We oppose other countries or religions when they use violence and persecution as a way to make converts. 

A great many of the world’s nations do not allow freedom of worship.  We call on them to recognize that each individual has the right worship as they choose.  In the end it is God - and only God - who will decide who is correct. 

It is not God’s way to kill, injure, coerce, persecute or discriminate against those who do not share the same religious beliefs that we do.  Please do not use force except to defend yourselves and others.  Peacefully persuade.  Pray for your enemies.  If you do, God will bless your efforts.

"Let the Sunshine In"

On Sunday 8 March 2026, “a day that shall live in infamy,” we will again be required to change our clocks and observe daylight saving time.  There are bills before the Senate and House of Representatives that are referred to as the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, (SB29 and HR139), which would make the change to daylight saving time permanent.  If passed by congress and signed by the president, there would be no further requirement to switch from daylight saving time to standard time.  Although it would be preferable to make standard time permanent, rather than daylight saving time, these bills are better than ongoing time change requirements. 

Over the years there have been multiple legislative efforts at the federal and state level to deal with the time change requirements.  Arizona and Hawaii do not observe daylight saving time.  Since 1966, daylight saving time has been protected by federal law, but the law does not prohibit the states from choosing to remain on permanent standard time.  A previous federal attempt to impose daylight saving time only was repealed because the people did not like it. 

Other legislation is now pending that would leave the time change requirements up to the individual states.  Although this legislation may be more consistent with the 10th Amendment, it would be detrimental to the conduct of business and travel, and the results would be chaotic.  Furthermore, it would cause the negative impact of time change requirements to be year around, rather than semi-annual. 

Therefore, since Article I, Section VIII gives congress the authority to regulate foreign and domestic commerce, and the impact of the individual states setting their own time change rules would negatively impact both, Article I, Section VIII may take precedence.  In short, deferring the issue to the individual states does not solve the problem, it makes it worse. 

 Although I prefer permanent standard time, observing permanent daylight saving time is better than dealing with semi-annual time changes.  If you agree, please write, email, or call your senators and congressional representatives and urge them to approve one or the other. Many health experts have said that the time changes are unhealthy.  It would be an act of mercy for congress to eliminate them.

 

The First Must be Last

Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;  and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” 

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” 

And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 

They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” 

But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 

They said to Him, “We are able.” 

So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.” 

And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.  But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”                                          (Mark 10:32-45 NKJV) [1]

 

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[1] https://biblehub.com/nkjv/mark/10.htm