Stille Nacht

 

Stille Nacht

 

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Halleluja,
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Christ, der Retter ist da!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'.
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Christ, in deiner Geburt!

 

 

Silent Night

 

Silent night, holy night
All is calm all is bright
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia;
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth*

 

 

 

 

*Pastor Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber, Christmas Eve 1818.  (Modern versions may contain more verses.) [1]

 

---

[1] https://www.thoughtco.com/stille-nacht-silent-night-1444302

 

Our Hope is Grounded in The Word

We can find hope in God’s Word.  The Word of God was fully God, and He came to live among us. 

The Apostle John testified: 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1-5 ESV) 

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV) [1] 

The Prophet Isiah testified:

 

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough places smooth;
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
(Isaih 40:3-5 NKJV) [2]

John the Baptist testified: 

“And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”  And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”  So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”  He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 

(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)  They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”  John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,  even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”  These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.” (John 1:19-28 ESV) [3] 

God’s Law as given through Moses repeatedly states that the testimony of two or three witnesses may be taken to be fact: 

“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.” (Deuteronomy 19:15 ESV) [4] 

And all God’s people said, “Amen!”

 

---

[1] https://biblehub.com/esv/john/1.htm

[2] https://biblehub.com/nkjv/isaiah/40.htm

[3] https://biblehub.com/esv/john/1.htm

[4] https://biblehub.com/esv/deuteronomy/19.htm

 

The Only Way to the One True God

The Jack Van Impe ministries’ Intelligence Briefing, (Volume 31, No. 11, November 2025, p.1) reports that a recent survey (State of Theology) by Ligonier ministries found that about half of the 637 evangelicals surveyed believe that God accepts all religions. It would seem that some of our brethren may not be clear about what the Holy Bible says about the way to God. 

We must believe in Jesus unto salvation. James tells us that it is not enough just to believe that God exists: 

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:19 NIV) [1] 

Peter declared to the Sanhedrin: 

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name (Jesus) under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 NIV) (parenthesis added) [2]

Jesus said: 

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.  And you know the way to where I am going.”  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”  Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in
me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”
(John14:1-11 ESV) (emphasis added) [3] 

The world calls it bigotry.  Believers call it the truth.  Jesus said: 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16-21 ESV) (emphasis added) [4]

 

---

[1] https://biblehub.com/niv/james/2.htm

[2] https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/4.htm

[3] https://biblehub.com/esv/john/14.htm 

[4] https://biblehub.com/esv/john/3.htm

 

Thanksgiving 2025

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens!

Praise him for his mighty deeds;

praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;

praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance;

praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with sounding cymbals;

praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

(Psalm 150 ESV) [1]

As I was thinking about writing this post, news reports began coming in about the two National Guardsmen who were shot in Washington DC earlier today.  I was doubly heartsick.  I was filled with sorrow for our soldiers and their families, and I was also sorrowed because it happened the day before Thanksgiving.  Then I got angry.

I thought, why on Thanksgiving?  Citizens, we cannot allow these lawless criminal/terrorists to ruin our Holidays.  Don’t give those who are evil any kind of victory. 

We are heartsick about today’s events in Washington, and we must pray for our brave soldier's recovery.  Rightly so.  Let’s strengthen our resolve as well, and go forward in the confidence that the Lord will help us if we humble ourselves and pray for His deliverance: 

“… if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2Chronicles 7: 14 ESV) [2] 

It is Thanksgiving.  We must remember the many blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us and be grateful for them. In America, our blessings far outweigh our problems. In times of trouble, it may seem difficult to praise the Lord for his goodness to us, but it is at these times we must offer our praise as a sacrifice to God; in spite of how we may feel in the moment. 

“… be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’  So we can confidently say, 

‘The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

(Hebrews 13:5-6 ESV) [3]

Jesus said:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33 ESV) [4]

Praise the Lord!

[1] https://biblehub.com/esv/psalms/150.htm
[2] https://biblehub.com/esv/2_chronicles/7.htm
[3] https://biblehub.com/esv/hebrews/13.htm
[4] https://biblehub.com/esv/john/16.htm

Following Orders

 

“In a video posted on X Tuesday, Democratic lawmakers Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Sen. Mark Kelly, Rep. Jason Crow, Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Rep. Chris Deluzio and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan said the ‘threats to our Constitution’ are coming ‘from right here at home,’ and repeatedly urged the military and intelligence community to ‘refuse illegal orders.” https://www.wral.com/story/democratic-lawmakers-urge-troops-to-disobey-illegal-orders/22253445/ 

We respectfully urge their constituents to begin recall proceedings or vote them out of office. 

Let's be clear about one thing. What these elected officials did is wrong. That is our unambiguous and irrevocable response.  Anything that follows, should be understood in the context of that statement. 

If elected officials object to the actions of the President, they have the option to challenge those actions in court.  It is flagrantly irresponsible for them to publicly, and by visual media, urge military personnel who are engaged in combat to refuse orders Make no mistake, those Democrats’ remarks were directed at our service people who are obeying orders to use lethal force to stop narco-terrorists from smuggling illegal drugs into the United States. 

Those who have read some of our previous posts know that I'm a veteran. I served during the Vietnam war, but I did not serve in Vietnam. Nevertheless, the issue of obeying orders, legal or illegal, was ingrained in my memory and value system.  Please understand, you must live it in order to understand it fully.

On March 16, 1968, American soldiers led by Lt. William Calley killed a large number (300-500) of South Vietnamese civilians at a village named My Lai. During his court martial, Lt. Calley claimed that he was acting on the orders of his company commander, Captain Edwin Medina.  The court martial found that to be no excuse for his actions. https://armyhistory.org/my-lai/  

Subsequently, in ROTC, and later during my Infantry Officers Basic Course (IOBC) at Ft. Benning, I received training about refusing to obey illegal orders.  At Benning, an entire block of instruction was devoted to “The Law of Land Warfare.”  While I was at Ft. Benning, Lt. Calley was under house arrest there, during the due process of his case.  It got our attention. 

Our military servicepeople do not need partisan politicians, whose motive appears to be their hatred of President Trump, telling them about their “duty to refuse illegal orders.”  They are trained about that.  However, it may create a subtle misgiving in the soldier’s mind that our military men and women might be prosecuted in the future.  If they obey what liberals regard as “illegal orders,” what might happen when the Democrats get back in power?  Do you see the double-bind that puts them in? 

Furthermore, the resulting confusion might cause them to hesitate at a crucial moment.  In armed conflict hesitation can get you killed.  It can get your buddies killed.  It can cause the mission to fail. 

Military personnel do not have the luxury of evaluating whether each and every order they get is legal or illegal.  If it is obviously illegal*, they have the ability to refuse the illegal order, although it may be reviewed by military authorities and result in the legality of the order being determined by a court martial.  To put it plainly, if a service person refuses to obey an order that they think is illegal, they may be court martialed, and the court will then decide whether it was legal or not. Military personnel do not have the right to become armchair lawyers and to refuse any order they don’t like. 

If military people are allowed to arbitrarily refuse orders, the result would be chaos.  Unit cohesion would be disrupted.  There would be divisions among the rank and file of our operational units – ‘to obey or not to obey, that is the question.’  It’s madness to let that happen.  Our ability to defend the American people would get flushed down the toilet. 

 

* In Ukraine, the Russians are doing things that are obviously illegal.  Their war crimes include: purposely killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure, committing rape, kidnapping children, and mistreating prisoners of war.

Mercy

Paul must have been “reading my mail” when the Holy Spirit prompted him to say: 

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.  The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.  But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. 

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.  Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Galatians 5:16-25 NLT) 

I keep committing the same sins over and over.  It is a wonder that God hasn’t thrown me into Hell a long time ago: 

“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?  Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24-25 NLT) 

We cannot continue in a sinful style of living, willfully doing wrong, and treading underfoot God’s love and mercy.  To break the power of sin, we need to walk in the strength of the Holy Spirit and in vital union with Christ.  If we break fellowship with God by sinning, He will restore it if we sincerely turn away from our sinful lifestyle, confess our sins to Him, and accept His forgiveness. (Romans 8:1-2) 

“This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.  So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.  But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.” (1John 1:5-10 NLT)

 

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

 

Let all Israel repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

Let all who fear the LORD repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

 

In my distress I prayed to the LORD,

and the LORD answered me and set me free.

(Psalm 118:1-5 NLT) * 

 

*  Acknowledgement: All Bible verses quoted were copied from: https://biblehub.com/

 

Persecuted for Jesus

According to the “World Watch List” maintained by Open Doors International, worldwide in 2025, “more than 380 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.”  They report that “1 in 7 Christians are persecuted worldwide, including: 4,476 murdered, and 4,744 imprisoned, while 7,679 churches and other Christian properties were attacked.” 

Open Doors International has a map that shows the countries where Christians are persecuted, and they rank the five countries where persecution is the worst.  These countries are: #1 North Korea, #2 Somalia, #3 Yemen, #4 Libya, and #5 Sudan.  According to Open Doors, Nigeria ranks #7.  https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/

The Voice of the Martyrs has a similar map that shows the countries where Christians are being persecuted all around the world. https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/?gad_source=5&gad_campaignid=21514348932&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzZbmptf1kAMVQRqtBh1SYQCVEAAYBSACEgJiN_D_BwE

Radical Islamists and communists are the primary persecutors. However, radical Hindu fundamentalists in India, guerilla groups and drug cartels in South America, and traditional religions in Mexico are also a major problem.

Here in the United States Christians have been increasingly persecuted for their faith in Jesus, and their desire to follow His teachings.  Hundreds of churches have been vandalized and burned, and leaders have been forced out of their positions in business and local government. The educational system has repeatedly disciplined Christian students and undermined their parents.  Government regulators and lawsuits have nearly, (and in some cases completely), driven Christian small business owners out of business.  National leaders have been mocked in the press. Violent demonstrators have tried to prevent access to Christian rallies and worship services; most recently at UC Berkley.  This anti-Christian hatred has even resulted in the assassination of the prominent Christian Evangelist, Charlie Kirk.

We thank God that President Trump has called attention to this problem, and that several members of the US Congress have taken notice as a result.  We also are grateful that there has been some reporting in the national broadcast media.  All freedom loving Americans should support freedom of religion. 

We are called to contend for our faith in Jesus Christ, but the Holy Bible is clear that Christians will be persecuted for it.  We need to pray, read the Bible, and draw on the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we will not falter when we are put to the test. 

Jesus said: 

If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.  The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.  Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.  They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.  They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.  Anyone who hates me also hates my Father.  If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father.  This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’

But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.  And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry. (John 15:18-27 NLT)

On his missionary journeys, the apostle Paul traveled from city to city preaching the gospel and planting churches. He always went to the synagogues first to give the good news to the Jews. He was favorably received at first. However, the religious establishment always stirred up opposition to him. When that happened, he carried the message to the gentiles. At first, the message was received favorably once more. However, the religious leaders stirred up opposition again. Paul was beaten, jailed, stoned and left for dead, and run out of town.  Yet, the churches he planted continued.  We are beginning to experience same thing now. Currently, the persecution is not so severe. It will get worse. 

Paul said: 

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,  I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.  I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (2Corinthians 11:23-27 NIV)

 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,  persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.  In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2Timothy 3:10-13 NIV) (emphasis added) 

Peter wrote: 

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?  But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”  But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,  keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.  For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. (1Peter 3:13-18 NIV)

The Apostles set an example for us:

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”  But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.  The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.  God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” 

When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.  But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.  And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.  For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.  After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.  So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;  but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice,  and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.  Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.  And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. (Acts 5:27-42 ESV) (emphasis added) *

 

 

* All Bible verses quoted were copied from: https://biblehub.com/

 

 

Veteran's Day 2025

To All Veterans:

 

Thank you for your service.

Where do you Stand?

Once, there was a young couple that was engaged to be married, and they asked me whether I was a Republican or a Democrat. I said I was neither – I was a Christian. 

Of course, I did not mean that a Christian could not also be a Republican or a Democrat. Many Christians affiliate with one party or another. It is not mutually exclusive for a person to be a Christian and also to be a Democrat or a Republican. 

What I meant was that I examine how a candidate or a party stands with regard to the issues and compare it with the truth of God's Word. If a party or a candidate is advocating for something that is contrary to God's Word, then I do not vote for them.

When I vote for a candidate or contribute to a political party I try to find the candidate or party whose positions are closest to the principles and values taught in the Holy Bible. In doing so, I feel that I am taking a stand for what is right. There are those who say that Christians should not impose their religion on other people. I believe that Christians have as much right to advocate for their point of view as others have.  We must not allow others to shut us out of the public discourse. 

Democrats have sought to change society to fit their vision of how things should and ought to be. Republicans do the same thing. There are many Muslims in Europe and the United States who want to be governed by Suria law. Atheists want to remove all reference to God from the public square. Capitalists advocate for private property and a market driven economy. Communists want to abolish private property and have a centrally managed economy. 

In a free society, everyone should have the opportunity to advocate for their point of view in the marketplace of ideas. Then, the strongest argument should be allowed to prevail in free and fair elections, and in the deliberations of a representative government. 

Therefore, I have no problem with advocating for the Christian point of view in the marketplace of ideas, and I hope that those ideas will prevail ... in public opinion and at the polls. Like the country song says, “You've got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.” 

This calls for people to use patience and tolerance. If the ungodly prevail, temporarily, those of us who disagree must continue to advocate for Christian values. We must use the legal, nonviolent alternatives available to us to influence society and public policy. We must trust that God will to win out in the end. No one, Christian, atheist, Republican, Democrat, capitalist, or socialist should resort to violence. That is not God's way, and it is not the way of a free people. 

Listen - if you will - to the Prophet Isaiah.  God's truth rings out through the prophet's words. Please take heed. If our country does not listen to God, we will end up on the trash heap of history. 

“I and the children the LORD has given me serve as signs and warnings to Israel from the LORD of Heaven’s Armies who dwells in his Temple on Mount Zion. 

Someone may say to you, “Let’s ask the mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do.” But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead? 

Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.  They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because they are hungry, they will rage and curse their king and their God. They will look up to heaven and down at the earth, but wherever they look, there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness.”  (Isiah 8:18-22 NLT) (emphasis added) [1]

 

---

[1] https://biblehub.com/nlt/isaiah/8.htm

 

Joy

In a televised news program yesterday Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-California) announced that she would not seek reelection. With no disrespect intended, her announcement filled the hearts of many Americans with joy and a profound sense of relief. 

There is, however, a fly in the ointment. Given the results of the mayoral election in New York City a few days ago, we should be concerned about who to the liberals in San Francisco might elect to replace her. Instead of a far-left liberal, we could end up with a far-left radical. Please pray it does not happen. 

Caution should be used when interpreting the results of the recent elections in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia. These are places where the Democrats usually win. Furthermore, the Republican candidates made a stronger showing than they usually do there. In the same vein, we can expect the people of San Francisco to elect a Democrat to replace Mrs. Pelosi. 

Chances are the voters in San Francisco will not elect a centrist to replace Rep. Pelosi. Therefore, it is incumbent upon Republicans, independent conservatives, and other good people with common sense to get out and vote in the 2026 midterm elections. We can't sit back on our laurels and expect conservatism to prevail in that election. Indeed, we must redouble our efforts.  From the current deadlock in Congress, it is plain for everyone to see that conservative presidents need a strong conservative majority in both houses of Congress to get anything permanent accomplished.  Please elect conservative candidates in 2026.

 

Spiritual Discernment

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.  This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.  But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. 

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.  Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them.  But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.” (1John 4:1-6 NLT) [1]

 

---

[1] https://biblehub.com/nlt/1_john/4.htm

SOS?

Morse code is an internationally recognized cipher used around the world as a method of communication. SOS is recognized worldwide as a distress signal. In Morse code it looks like this:

 …   ---   …  [1]

Here in Idaho, there is a strongly held conviction among many that SOS stands for “shoot on site” when applied to wolves, (erroneous material removed 11/02/2025).   People who feel differently about that have often migrated here from blue states and are trying to bring their liberal politics along with them. They continue in this effort despite the fact that liberalism has ruined the states they came from - like California.  But I digress. 

President Donald Trump seems to have employed “shoot on sight” against drug traffickers trying to bring illegal drugs into the United States. Politicians who sit on the left side in both houses of Congress have raised objections about the administration's use of lethal military force to interdict vessels in international waters that may be bringing illegal drugs into our homeland. They are alleging that the actions of President Trump, (by blowing them out of the water), are illegal and unconstitutional. 

Those who support the president site the horrific number of deaths in the US resulting from illegal drug overdose.  They point out that more Americans die each year from illegal drug overdose than have been killed in combat around the world since the Korean War. Good point. The American people have a right to self-defense. Further, there are strong arguments that the constitution and the law give the president the right to use military force to defend our people. 

I am not a legal scholar, and I have not had the “benefit” of a legal education. Therefore, I will let the courts decide the legality of the president's actions. Until then, I will give qualified support to the president and agree in principle that his actions are legal. Furthermore, it seems that self-defense makes common sense. 

There is, however, a 500-pound gorilla in the room. That gorilla is the blatant fact that there would be no cartels, or terrorists if you will, trafficking drugs and human beings into the United States of America if there was no market for it. 

I am definitely not a liberal, and I do not blame all of the world's problems on the United States. Unlike former President Obama, post-colonialism is not part of my worldview. Nevertheless, the truth is the truth. The fact is that the criminal activity bringing illegal drugs and trafficking human beings into our country is funded by American dollars spent by some of the American people who refuse to obey the law. 

Within the constraints of the rule of law, we should do everything possible to stop those who are smuggling illegal drugs and trafficking in human beings. Illegal drugs are killing our people. During the Biden administration, illegal migration resulted in the deaths of thousands of illegal migrants each year.

However, in a land with a representative government the people bear a corporate responsibility for the actions of the government we elect.  Therefore, we must do what we can, within the limits of the law, to accept the responsibility to act to ensure the legality of our government’s efforts to end the sale and use of illegal drugs and the rewards our society offers to people for illegally entering the United States. 

We must also elect government officials who oppose illegal entry and who wholeheartedly support law enforcement. This means fully funding the police, the courts, and the infrastructure necessary to secure our borders, end illegal migration, interdict illegal drug trafficking, and to destroy those who refuse to stop poisoning our people. 

The struggle is not between conservative and liberal.  It is not between those who have and those who have not.  The struggle is between good and evil.  As a people, we must do everything we can to make the United States of America a force for good in the world. 

I am asking our elected officials to set aside partisan politics and to act in the best interest of the American people first; with fundamental fairness to the rest of the world. The first duty of government as described in the constitution is to defend our people. It is time, and well past time, for positive action to be taken.

---

[1] https://morsecode.world/international/morse2.html

 

Fruit Inspectors

In today's world, it seems that it's getting harder and harder to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Often, we find ourselves having to choose between the lesser of two evils.

What are we to do, then? Sometimes we sit and shake our heads, and we bemoan the current state of affairs that we find ourselves in. 

Jesus told us not to judge others. Some commentators that I have read interpret that to mean that we shouldn't pass sentence on others or condemn them out of self-righteousness. Jesus himself provided the answer: 

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15-20 ESV) 

It is by a person's actions, and the outcomes of those actions, that we may know whether a person's motives are good or evil. We are not required to suspend all critical thinking or discernment.  We can choose whether to associate with a person socially, do business with them, enter into marriage with them, or to defend against them. (2Corinthians 6:14)  However, it is for the Lord to decide whether people have served God or the Devil. 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV) 

How can we usurp the prerogative of Christ by judging others to the point of condemnation?  We must not.  Some people may appear to escape justice now, but we must trust in God’s justice.  We must remember that we all have fallen short of God’s righteous standard.  Those who are saved escape God’s just punishment for our sins because Jesus paid “a debt He did not owe by paying a price we could not pay,” and our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 20:11-15) That is why with hearts filled with love for Him, in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we do the things He has planned in advance for us to do. 

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.  You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.  All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)  For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.  So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:1-10 NLT)

 

 

 

Acknowledgement:  The Bible verses shown were copied from https://biblehub.com/

 

Life Through the Holy Spirit

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.  And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.  The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.  So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.  He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. 

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.  So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.  For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.  That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. 

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)   And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.  The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. 

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.  For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”  For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:1-16 NLT) [1]

 

---

[1] https://biblehub.com/nlt/romans/8.htm

 

Happy Hunting

Hunting season is here again.  To my fellow hunters, I wish you good hunting and pray that God will protect you and keep you safe. 

As with any sport, it is useful to review the basics from time to time.  Here are a few suggestions that will help you have a safe and successful season. 

Review the information published by your state’s Game and Fish department.  Familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations that apply to hunting in your state.  Make sure that you follow all laws and regulations. 

Some states do not require blaze orange clothing.  Wear it anyway, whether it is required or not.  You may live longer, and the deer will see it as gray. 

Hunt ethically.  Good hunters respect their game and follow the principles of fair chase. 

Be sure that any shot you take will result in a clean kill if you hit the target.  If you think you missed, go to the place where your game was when you shot at it.  Conduct a thorough search of the area to be sure that you didn’t accidentally wound it.  Remember that animals may run for quite a distance, even though they are fatally wounded. 

Obtain permission from the landowner before you hunt on private property.  Ask the landowner how they want you to leave any gates you may pass through.  Don’t shoot near their residence or outbuildings.  Be careful not to disturb or harm their livestock. 

Stay current with weather forecasts for the area where you are hunting.  Take tire chains and cold weather clothing.  The Forrest Service, Bureau of Land Management, County Sheriff's Department, and others have better things to do, and don’t need to spend their limited resources extracting you and your vehicle if you get stuck in bad weather.  Getting towed out by a recovery vehicle can cost you a lot of money.  If the weather goes bad, everything else can get bad in a big hurry.  Take enough gas, food, and water to last a few days longer than you intend to stay. 

The same thing is true about getting lost.  Be familiar with your hunt area.  Get some good maps.  Remember, you may not have cell phone coverage.  Take a polished metal signal mirror and an emergency whistle with you.  A tourniquet and emergency first aid supplies are a good thing, too. 

If you are in rugged terrain, be sure you have an exit strategy before you climb steep, precipitous slopes, boulders, cliffs, rockslides, ice and snow fields, and the like.  Others will have to risk their necks to recover you, whether you are alive, broken, or dead. 

Make sure you put your fires dead out. 

Always obey the rules of gun safety.  Treat every gun as if it were loaded.  Always unload your gun before setting it aside or storing it.  Never carry a loaded gun in your vehicle.  Never point any weapon at anything you do not wish to destroy.  Be sure of your target before you shoot.  Be sure that the round will not kill another animal after it passes through your intended kill.  Never shoot without a backstop.  Always be sure the area around your target is clear before you shoot.  Don’t shoot across roadways.  Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to discharge a round.  Do not use alcohol and drugs when handling guns and other weapons.  Leave your distracting thoughts and worries behind and concentrate on using your weapon safely.  Always keep your weapon pointed in a safe direction.  Clear your firearm before handing it to someone else or field dressing your game.  If you shoot someone accidentally, you will wish to be able to undo it over and over again for the rest of your life, but you can’t. 

Call home when you can.  Your loved one will be worried about you.  Keep someone at home informed of the area where you will be hunting and your vehicle license plate number and description. 

Leave God’s country the way you found it.  Pack out your trash.  Pack out the trash others have left behind if you can.  Please don’t rut out wet, muddy roads with your vehicle.  You don’t need to get to that promising hunting spot so bad that you contribute to erosion and ruin the roads for everybody else. 

The anti-hunters are going to complain about us anyway. Please don’t give them additional material to slander us with.  Hunting has a prominent place in the management of wildlife, the economy, and conservation.  We can hold our heads high if we hunt the right way.  Let’s all do our best to mentor and encourage new hunters. 

If I missed anything, do that, too. 

Good luck.  God Bless.

 

Why do Terrorists Take Hostages?

On October 7, 2023, Hamas loosed armed insurgents into Israel from the Gaza Strip.  They murdered about 1,200 Israelis and others in the most brutal ways imaginable.  The dead were mostly civilians, and they included men, women, children, infants, and the elderly.  During the attacks, Hamas took 251 persons of various nationalities hostage. [1] 

Why do terrorists take hostages?  There may be any number of reasons.  These present themselves to be obvious to any observer with a brain that works.

Terrorists take hostages to use as a bargaining chip.  The families of the hostages are desperate.  They want their loved ones released at any cost.  Humanitarian groups, the press, the UN, organized protest groups – you name it – all pressure Israel to agree to anything in order to bring about the release of the hostages.  While the desire to bring the hostages home is understandable, giving in to the demands of the terrorists only plays into their hands.  It motivates the terrorists to take more hostages in the future. 

Terrorists like Hamas commit atrocities and take hostages to terrorize their enemies.  It is what they do.  They are TERRORISTS.  Now that some of the hostages have been released, we are learning that Hamas brutalized them while they were in captivity. 

The BBC reports that the female hostages were starved, intimidated, kept in underground tunnels without outside contact, and used as forced labor. [2] 

CBS states that medical examination of the released hostages found that they were suffering from PTSD, kept from knowing about their loved ones who were also being held hostage, starved, physically abused, psychologically abused, sexually abused, denied medical care, branded, and kept in restraints. [3] 

Reuters relates that the hostages, including minors, were burned and branded.  Female hostages were sexually abused. The hostages were tortured, physically and psychologically abused, starved and medically neglected. [4] 

The knowledge that the hostages are being mistreated and dying in captivity increases the pressure to agree to concessions to obtain their immediate release – regardless of the long-term adverse consequences to the safety of the Israeli people.  Hamas mistreats their prisoners because terrorists are vile, immoral criminals. 

Hamas is a terrorist organization.  They want to divide and discourage Israel.  They want to make Israel’s government appear to be heartlessly ignoring the plight of the hostages and their families.  They want to do everything they can to turn the nations of the world against Israel. 

They are TERRORISTS. It is what they do.  They know they don’t stand a chance in a stand-up fight with the IDF, so they hit below the belt – in ways that are the epitome of evil. 

The charter of Hamas calls for the destruction of Israel.  It is their ultimate goal, and they will not stop – will not stop – until they have achieved it.  Or, until they die trying. 

It is a humanitarian tragedy, for the Palestinian people, for Israel, and for the entire world.  We support President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to end this mess.  Let us pray that he can get it done without allowing Hamas to continue in its terrible barbarity. 

---

[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxnwnz1ldko

[2] Ibid.

[3] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doctor-who-treated-freed-hamas-hostages-describes-physical-sexual-and-psychological-abuse/

[4] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-captors-tortured-hostages-including-minors-israeli-report-says-2024-12-29/

 

Why Read the Bible?

We read the Bible so we can find the power of God’s word, and the way to God through Christ Jesus the Lord. 

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV) 

If God sees every single thing we do, good and bad, how can anyone stand before Him without guilt.  We can stand before Him only because Jesus paid the price for our redemption, and God will see Jesus’ righteousness instead of our inability to live according to God’s holy standards. (Philippians 3:9; 2Corinthians 5:17-19, 21; 1Corinthians 1:30-31; Romans 10:13) 

“By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.  By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit.  We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God.  We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.  By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, we also are in this world.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.  We love, because He first loved us.” (1John 4:9-19 NAS) 

It is because of the righteousness of Christ that we can stand before God without fear. 

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV) 

Because we believe in Jesus that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and we will escape the judgement reserved for unregenerate sinners. (Revelation 20:11-15)  

Watch out, however, because the precious Grace of God is not an excuse to continue in a sinful style of living. 

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!  Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?  But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.  You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 

I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.  When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.  What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:15-23 NIV) [1]

 

 

 

---

[1] https://biblehub.com/