Nomads2

“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

““But do not fear, O My servant Jacob, And do not be dismayed, O Israel! For behold, I will save you from afar, And your offspring from the land of their captivity; Jacob shall return, have rest and be at ease; No one shall make him afraid.

Do not fear, O Jacob My servant,” says the Lord, “For I am with you; For I will make a complete end of all the nations To which I have driven you, But I will not make a complete end of you. I will rightly correct you, For I will not leave you wholly unpunished.””
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭46‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Do you believe the Word of God? If you do believe His Word, what conclusion can you come to about Israel?

God is not through with the nation Israel! God will punish them, but will not put an end to them…

“Has God cast away His people…?” (Rom. 11:1). No way!

Let God’s Word stand and accept it at face value…

There’s something about Israel that makes people uncomfortable, and it’s not what they say it is.

They’ll point to politics, settlements, borders, and wars. But scratch beneath the outrage, and you’ll find something deeper. A discomfort not with what Israel does, but with what Israel is.

A nation this small should not be this strong. Period.

Israel has no oil. No special natural resources. A population barely the size of a mid-sized American city. They are surrounded by enemies. Hated in the United Nations. Targeted by terror. Condemned by celebrities. Boycotted, slandered, and attacked.

And still, they thrive like there’s no tomorrow.

In military. In medicine. In security. In technology. In agriculture. In intelligence. In morality. In sheer, unbreakable will.

They turn desert into farmland.

They make water from air.

They intercept rockets in mid-air.

They rescue hostages under the nose of the world’s worst regimes.

They survive wars that were supposed to wipe them out, and win.

The world watches this and can’t make sense of it.

So they do what people do when they witness strength they can’t understand.

They assume it must be cheating.

It must be American aid.

It must be foreign lobbying.

It must be oppression.

It must be theft.

It must be some dark trick that gave the Jews this kind of power.

It must be blackmail.

Because heaven forbid it’s something else.

Heaven forbid it’s real.

Heaven forbid it’s earned.

Or worse, destined.

The Jewish people were supposed to disappear a long, long time ago. That’s how the story of exiled, enslaved, hated minorities is supposed to end. But the Jews didn’t disappear. They actually came home, rebuilt their land, revived their language, and brought their dead back to life — in memory, in identity, and in strength.

That’s not normal.

It’s not political.

It’s biblical.

There’s no cheat code that explains how a group of people return to their homeland after 2,000 years.

There is no rational path from gas chambers to global influence.

And there is no historical precedent for surviving the Babylonians, the Romans, the Crusaders, the Inquisition, the pogroms, and the Holocaust, and still showing up to work on Monday in Tel Aviv.

Israel doesn’t make sense.

Unless you believe in something beyond the math.

This is what drives the world crazy. Because if Israel is real, if this improbable, ancient, hated nation is somehow still chosen, protected, and thriving, then maybe God isn’t a myth after all.

Maybe He’s still in the story.

Maybe history isn’t random.

Maybe evil doesn’t get the last word.

Maybe the Jews are not just a people… but a testimony.

That’s what they can’t stand.

Because once you admit that Israel’s survival isn’t just impressive, but divine, everything changes. Your moral compass has to reset. Your assumptions about history, power, and justice collapse. You realize you’re not watching the end of an empire. You’re witnessing the beginning of something eternal.

So they deny it.

They smear it.

And rage against it.

Because it’s easier to call a miracle “cheating” than to face the possibility that God keeps His promises.

And He’s keeping them still.

From-(AP on X)

“Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him.

And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭36‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

King Jehoiakim did not think much about the Word of God. He took it and just chucked it into the fire…

Who is an actually reading and studying the Bible today? Is it really any different ignoring the Bible today? Isn’t it like chucking it into a fire?

“Maw, I found an old, dusty thing high upon the shelf. Just look!”

“Why, that’s a Bible, Tommy dear, be careful. That’s God book.”

“God’s Book?” the young one said, “Then, Maw, before we lose it

We’d better send it back to God, ‘cause you know we never use it.”

““Now you shall say to this people, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭21‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God is saying the same thing today!

He has provided His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for us, to pay our sin debts, arising so we might have righteousness… If you are to be saved, you must be in Christ Jesus….

Are you, in Him???

You are a Christian, and someone quoted this verse to you. Remind them of the very next verse…

“I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Only God can make a heart transplant! If you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God has given you a new heart-

God is a heart specialist-

God is the Great Physician!!!

Horatio Gates Spafford was born in New York, on 20th October 1828, but it was in Chicago that he became well-known for his clear Christian testimony. He, and his wife Anna were active in their church, and their home was always open to visitors. They counted the world-famous evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, among their friends. They were blest with five children, and considerable wealth. Horatio was a lawyer, and owned a great deal of property in his home city.

Not unlike Job in the Old Testament of the Bible, tragedy came in great measure to this happy home. When four years old, their son, Horatio Jnr, died suddenly of scarlet fever. Then only a year later, in October 1871, a massive fire swept through downtown Chicago, devastating the city, including many properties owned by Horatio. That day, almost 300 people lost their lives, and around 100,000 were made homeless. Despite their own substantial financial loss, the Spaffords sought to demonstrate the love of Christ, by assisting those who were grief-stricken and in great need.

Two years later, in 1873, Spafford decided his family should take a holiday in England, knowing that his friend, the evangelist D. L. Moody, would be preaching there in the autumn. Horatio was delayed because of business, so he sent his family ahead: his wife and their four remaining children, all daughters, 11 year old Anna, 9 year old Margaret Lee, 5 year old Elizabeth, and 2 year old Tanetta.

On 22nd November 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship, Ville du Havre, their vessel was struck by an iron sailing ship. Two hundred and twenty six people lost their lives, as the Ville du Havre sank within only twelve minutes.

All four of Horatio Spafford’s daughters perished, but remarkably Anna Spafford survived the tragedy. Those rescued, including Anna, who was found unconscious, floating on a plank of wood, subsequently arrived in Cardiff, South Wales. Upon arrival there, Anna immediately sent a telegram to her husband, which included the words “Saved alone….”

Receiving Anna’s message, he set off at once to be reunited with his wife. One particular day, during the voyage, the captain summoned him to the bridge of the vessel. Pointing to his charts, he explained that they were then passing over the very spot where the Ville du Havre had sunk, and where his daughters had died. It is said that Spafford returned to his cabin and wrote the hymn “It is well with my soul” there and then, the first line of which is, “When peace like a river, attendeth my way..” There are other accounts which say that it was written at a later date, but obviously the voyage was one of deep pathos, and is the clear inspiration of the moving and well-loved hymn. Horatio’s faith in God never faltered. He later wrote to Anna’s half-sister, “On Thursday last, we passed over the spot where she went down, in mid-ocean, the waters three miles deep. But I do not think of our dear ones there. They are safe….. dear lambs”.

After Anna was rescued, Pastor Nathaniel Weiss, one of the ministers travelling with the surviving group, remembered hearing Anna say, “God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why.”

Naturally Anna was utterly devastated, but she testified that in her grief and despair, she had been conscious of a soft voice speaking to her, “You were saved for a purpose!” She remembered something a friend had once said, “It’s easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God.”

Following this deep tragedy, Anna gave birth to three more children, but she and Horatio were not spared even more sadness, as on February 11th, 1880, their only son, Horatio (named after the brother who had died, and also after his father), he also died at the age of four.

In August 1881 the Spaffords left America with a number of other like-minded Christians, and settled in Jerusalem. There they served the needy, helped the poor, and cared for the sick, and took in homeless children. Their desire was to show those living about them, the love of Jesus.

The original manuscript of the Spafford’s hymn has only four verses, but later another verse was added. The music, which was written by Philip Bliss, was named after the ship on which Horatio and Anna’s daughters had died – Ville du Havre.

Horatio Spafford died of malaria on 16th October 1888. Anna Spafford continued to work in the surrounding areas of Jerusalem until her own death in 1923. Both Horatio and Anna were laid to rest in Jerusalem. It can truly be said, in the words that Spafford penned that, “It is well with their souls.”

“And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then 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 stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭30‬-‭34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“If religious books are not circulated among the masses and people do not turn to God, I do not know what is to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused, error will be. If God and His Word are not received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendancy. If the evangelical volume does reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will. If the power of the Gospel is not felt through the length and the breadth of the land, anarchy, misrule, degradation, misery, corruption, and darkness will reign without mitigation or end,”

Daniel Webster.

“The longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of the truth that God governs in the affairs of men.”

Benjamin Franklin.

“if My people who are called by My name will 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.

Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.”
‭‭II Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!””
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬-‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

These verses are the only bright spot in all of the Book of Lamentations…

There’s something about Israel that makes people uncomfortable, and it’s not what they say it is.

They’ll point to politics, settlements, borders, and wars. But scratch beneath the outrage, and you’ll find something deeper. A discomfort not with what Israel does, but with what Israel is.

A nation this small should not be this strong. Period.

Israel has no oil. No special natural resources. A population barely the size of a mid-sized American city. They are surrounded by enemies. Hated in the United Nations. Targeted by terror. Condemned by celebrities. Boycotted, slandered, and attacked.

And still, they thrive like there’s no tomorrow.

In military. In medicine. In security. In technology. In agriculture. In intelligence. In morality. In sheer, unbreakable will.

They turn desert into farmland.

They make water from air.

They intercept rockets in mid-air.

They rescue hostages under the nose of the world’s worst regimes.

They survive wars that were supposed to wipe them out, and win.

The world watches this and can’t make sense of it.

So they do what people do when they witness strength they can’t understand.

They assume it must be cheating.

It must be American aid.

It must be foreign lobbying.

It must be oppression.

It must be theft.

It must be some dark trick that gave the Jews this kind of power.

It must be blackmail.

Because heaven forbid it’s something else.

Heaven forbid it’s real.

Heaven forbid it’s earned.

Or worse, destined.

The Jewish people were supposed to disappear a long, long time ago. That’s how the story of exiled, enslaved, hated minorities is supposed to end. But the Jews didn’t disappear. They actually came home, rebuilt their land, revived their language, and brought their dead back to life — in memory, in identity, and in strength.

That’s not normal.

It’s not political.

It’s biblical.

There’s no cheat code that explains how a group of people return to their homeland after 2,000 years.

There is no rational path from gas chambers to global influence.

And there is no historical precedent for surviving the Babylonians, the Romans, the Crusaders, the Inquisition, the pogroms, and the Holocaust, and still showing up to work on Monday in Tel Aviv.

Israel doesn’t make sense.

Unless you believe in something beyond the math.

This is what drives the world crazy. Because if Israel is real, if this improbable, ancient, hated nation is somehow still chosen, protected, and thriving, then maybe God isn’t a myth after all.

Maybe He’s still in the story.

Maybe history isn’t random.

Maybe evil doesn’t get the last word.

Maybe the Jews are not just a people… but a testimony.

That’s what they can’t stand.

Because once you admit that Israel’s survival isn’t just impressive, but divine, everything changes. Your moral compass has to reset. Your assumptions about history, power, and justice collapse. You realize you’re not watching the end of an empire. You’re witnessing the beginning of something eternal.

So they deny it.

They smear it.

And rage against it.

Because it’s easier to call a miracle “cheating” than to face the possibility that God keeps His promises.

And He’s keeping them still!

Berel Salamon.

“O most glorious God, direct my thoughts, words, and work, wash away my sin in the immaculate blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart by Thy Holy Spirit, daily frame me more and more into the likeness of Thy Son Jesus Christ whom You gave to die for me and hast given me the assurance of my salvation.”

President George Washington’s prayer journal, April 30,1789

“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭22‬:‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

In the land of Israel, there was not a man to be found, that could stand in the gap. We all need to thank God that He found a Man that could stand between yours and my sins. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Man that stands in the gap. God sees those who belong to Him in Christ

I am thankful for the Man who stands in the gap today!!!

A couple of months ago the obituaries of two women were published in major newspapers¹.  Both were centenarians; Julia Parsons, an American, was 104, and Betty Webb, a British woman, was 101.  More newsworthy was the fact that both women were code breakers during World War II, part of top-secret teams working to unscramble messages sent by the German military.

The Germans encoded their communications using a device called the Enigma machine.  Originally developed by the Dutch to communicate banking secrets, the Germans bought the patent for Enigma in 1923 to use for intelligence purposes.  Enigma encrypted codes offered 150 quintillion (150 followed by 18 zeros) possible solutions, and the Nazis believed their codes were unbreakable.

However, the Polish government had worked to decipher Enigma codes, and gave their findings to the Allies in 1939.  In 1941 the Royal Navy captured a German U-boat with an on-board Enigma machine; this was a closely guarded secret because they did not want Germany to know they had the machine.  

Julia was recruited in 1942 by the U.S. Naval Communications Annex in Washington to decode German messages.  She was told, in no uncertain terms, that she could not speak with anyone, including her husband, about the nature of her work.  Betty started at the British Government Code and Cypher School in Bletchley Park with a dire warning: she would be shot if she ever leaked details about her work. 

Betty Webb never spoke about her work.  She often saw a colleague, known only by her code name Biddy, on a street in Birmingham.  They never spoke, only nodded.  Then one day in 1975, Biddy shouted across the street: “It’s out.  We can talk.”  The previous year the British government had declassified the work done at Bletchley Park.

The news came to Julia Parsons in 1997 when she visited the National Cryptologic Museum near Fort Meade, MD.  On display were Enigma machines, along with how they worked.  Julia asked why, since the devices were top-secret.  A tour guide replied they had been declassified in 1974.

We can appreciate the need to keep some professional or private secrets.  For instance, I was not at liberty to discuss some of my work for the government, and I did not tell Kathie about a surprise birthday party I planned for her.  On the other hand, people often have dark secrets they do not want to reveal, many of which the Bible calls sin (Matthew 15:19).  It can be difficult or embarrassing to talk about a divorce, an abortion, an addiction, a lie, etc.

Yet how many times have we acted like Adam and Eve, trying to hide our enigma from God (Genesis 3:6-11)?  They thought their sin had been encrypted by avoiding the Lord, but He quickly decoded their act of eating forbidden fruit.  God made it known He will judge every secret, whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14).  Jesus declassified all secret sins when He taught us the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:4); we can now talk about it.

In contrast, the secular worldview tries to convince us there are aspects of our faith that should be kept secret and not talked about.  Like sharing the good news (Mark 16:15), or that Jesus is the only pathway to Heaven (John 14:6).  Those secular codes are already broken, so we can go everywhere and proclaim God’s word.  Or sing it in the southern Gospel style of Stuart Hamblen: “It is no secret what God can do, what He has done for others He will do for you.”

“And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.””
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God called Ezekiel by this title one hundred times in the Book of Ezekiel. Daniel is also called by this term. These are the only two men in the Old Testament to be called the son of man.

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus used this title for Himself, eighty-six times.

It speaks of Him in His rejection, His humiliation, and His exaltation;

He, Jesus Christ, is the Son of Man…

Faith is the ability to feel so sure of God, that, no matter how dark the day, there is no doubt as to the outcome. For God’s people there is a GLORIOUS FUTURE…Henry H Halley.

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.

To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.”
‭‭

Habakkuk‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Habakkuk signifies an embrace, or one who embraces another, takes him into his arms. He embraces his people, and takes them to his arms, i.e., he comforts them and holds them up, as one embraces a weeping child, to quiet it with the assurance that, if God wills, it shall soon be better.

Dr. Charles Feinburg.

““Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God gives mankind the only two choices available.

Notice the two groups that are mentioned.

The lost, those that believe in themselves, and those that trust in the Lord.

The ain’ts and the saints, the two people groups of this world.

Don’t wait and take a chance, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved….

God hath not promised skies always blue,

Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;

God hath not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;

He hath not told us we shall not bear

Many a burden, many a care.

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the laborer, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailingly sympathy, undying love.

Annie Johnson Flint.

“The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.””
‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Is there no other way, Oh, God,

Except through sorrow, pain, and loss,

To stamp Christ’s likeness on my soul,

No other way except the cross?

And then a voice stills all my soul,

As stilled the waves of Galilee.

Can’st thou not bear the furnace,

If midst the flames I walk with thee?

I bore the cross, I know it’s weight;

I drank the cup I hold for thee.

Can’st thou follow where I lead?

I’ll give thee strength, lean hard on Me!

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Gold, incense, but no myrrh. Wonder why? Myrrh spoke of Jesus’s death at His first coming. His second coming is victory!

Why read the Old Testament? Why study prophecy?

Prophecy is the mold into which history is poured…

“We grope for the wall like the blind, And we grope as if we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭59‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Darkness! The reality of every person that does not have a personal relationship with God! Believe on the Lord, Jesus Christ today…

“Christ has come, and in Him the heavens have bended down to touch, and touching to bless this low earth, and man and God are at one once more.” Alexander Maclaren.

““I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “And I will heal him.””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭57‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“God alone can speak peace to the heart of the sinner.”

““For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. “

“For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beneath the cross of Jesus

I fain would take my stand-

The shadow of a mighty Rock

Within a weary land;

A home within the wilderness,

A rest upon the way,

From the burning of the noontide heat,

And the burden of the day.

Upon the cross of Jesus

Mine eye at times can see

The very dying form of One

Who suffered there for me:

And from my stricken heart with tears

Two wonders I confess-

The wonders of redeeming love

And my unworthiness.

-Elizabeth C. Clephane,

“Beneath the cross of Jesus”

“Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭49‬:‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God is setting the stage of which Israel is the center. Right now, everything is out of place. Israel should be in their land, serving God, receiving blessings. Not happening! The church should be in heaven with Christ. Has not happened, yet! Satan should be in hell, yet he is still going around the earth seeking those to devour. The Lord Jesus Christ should be sitting upon the throne of the earth, ruling the earth, but He is at the right hand of God.

Still many things need to be sorted by our Heavenly Father… if you are a child of the King, you and I have a glorious future to look forward to!!!

“Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭46‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Chapter 46 is all about idols. Today, idols are all around us and in the church. For many people today, just going to church is a burden. Like a worthless idol, or ritual that has to be performed.

God wants to tell us something, He has something to say to each and every believer. God doesn’t want us to carry Him, as we would an idol, God wants to carry us!

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will carry you…

We read this update/report from Kendrick Neal, the California Disaster Relief director. We have served with Kendrick on at least four deployments and enjoyed his leadership and dedication. This article that Kendrick wrote just has to be shared…

CSBC Family,
As I sit here in the garage of Church on Pearl in Santa Monica, reflecting on the past 73 days, I’m overwhelmed with a deep sense of both awe and gratitude. This room—once our Incident Command post for the devastating fires in Los Angeles—now serves as a space for closure. While California Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams will continue to assist residents with personal property recovery, our formal deployment is concluding, and many teams are returning to their respective states.

The impact of these days is immeasurable. Our teams served tirelessly, preparing over 11,000 meals and assisting more than 400 families in recovering personal belongings from homes destroyed by fire. We also distributed more than 400 Bibles. But the most significant impact can’t be captured in numbers—it was seen in the lives touched, the relationships formed, and the Gospel shared. More than 6,500 people were ministered to, and nine individuals made the life-changing decision to profess Jesus as their Savior for the first time. Even in the midst of heart-wrenching loss, God’s presence was undeniable, and His power to bring life out of devastation was on full display.

Disaster relief work often begins with the expectation that we are going to serve— that we’ll teach others about Jesus, share His hope, and bring comfort in pain. But like most mission trips, I’ve found the journey to be just as transformative for those of us sent as it is for those we serve.  This deployment was no exception. As the primary Incident Commander in my own state for the first time, I expected to offer help, hope, and healing to those affected by disaster. Yet God also used this experience to stretch, challenge, and shape my own understanding of Him and His Church.

I’ll be the first to admit—I faced plenty of frustrations in my own decision-making. About two weeks into this journey, I confided in a mentor about mistakes I’d made and decisions that seemed to cause more chaos than peace. He wisely reminded me, “Good decisions come from experience, and experience comes from bad decisions.”

Despite my missteps, God’s grace covered every mistake. I learned to trust His control over my own. In the midst of chaos, I found peace, not in controlling the situation, but in surrendering to God’s perfect plan. I quickly realized: everything was under control, just not mine.

This experience also deepened my appreciation for the Church. As a former pastor, I’ve seen God work through the local church, but this deployment showed me the beauty and strength of the Church in a new way.

I wasn’t just seeing the Church—I was living it. I saw God’s people rise up in the face of destruction and despair to display His glory. I witnessed the power of prayer, the outpouring of generosity, and the selfless service of volunteers from across the country. The Church stood united—not just in belief, but in action. We never lacked what we needed, because God’s provision through His Church was more than enough. In fact, we were often blessed out of His abundance, allowing us to do far more than we’d planned.

What stood out most was the unified spirit of the Church. Local churches, Associations, state conventions, Send Relief, Gateway Seminary, and California Baptist University—all were united in mind and spirit, contributing to the effort. Over 280 volunteers from 12 Southern Baptist conventions left their families, used vacation time, and gave of themselves to serve. Together, we became a living testimony to the love of Christ, reflecting His heart through our actions and attitudes. We didn’t serve out of obligation, but out of love for one another and for those we came to help.

The three churches that housed our teams embodied true Christian hospitality. We weren’t just guests or volunteers. We were family. The love and warmth extended to us was overwhelming. We became part of the local church family—welcomed at worship, invited to fellowship, even included in the celebration of Chinese New Year.

What’s more, the love our teams shared didn’t go unnoticed. Homeowners and community members saw how we cared for each other. From Gold Shirts at the ice cream shop to those working late on a church fence, the way we served and supported one another spoke volumes. It brought to life the truth of John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This powerful display of love and community wasn’t just for us—it was a witness to a watching world. We were reminded that the Church is alive and active – a force that cannot be ignored – alive, vibrant, and ever-growing.

As I near the end of this deployment, I’m deeply moved by what God has shown me. I’ve often found myself defending the Church against the attacks of the world, but through this experience, God reminded me that He is in control. He does not need us to defend His Church. He calls us to be active participants in it. When we love one another, accept one another, forgive one another, and serve together, we embody the fullness of God’s love. That’s when the Church shines brightest, and when God is most glorified.

So, Church, I encourage you—as God encouraged me these past couple of months—let’s stop being defenders, critics, or spectators of the Church. Let’s be the Church. Let’s continue to live out our faith in love and unity, and may the world see the power of the Gospel through the way we care for one another and for those in need.

May God bless you, and may His Church continue to be a beacon of help, hope, and healing -not only for those affected by disaster but for all in need of a Savior!

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””
‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/1th.5.4-6.NKJV

“Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭32‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The King is the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the Lord!”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭31‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The message for us is clear, when we turn away from God and start trusting in anything else we are traveling the wrong road…

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭20‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Some trust in money or material things, some trust in so called experts. Have you asked God???

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,”

and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
‭‭I Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Things that bring closure…

“You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21‬:‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
‭‭I Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Amen…

“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

For sure…

“I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭22‬:‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

““Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open:”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What a FANTASTIC way to live! To place our lives in the hands of Him, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, who is able to open or close any door!!!!

The reality of driving in southern California…

“God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the …evening and the morning were the first day.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The morning is coming

The night of weeping will soon be over

The new day will dawn

Man’s evening of failure, sin and darkness will end

God’s morning will be ushered in

When the Sun of Righteousness comes…

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.”
‭‭Nahum‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

““Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭28‬-‭31‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Haven’t I ordered you, ‘Be strong, be bold’? So don’t be afraid or downhearted, because Adonai your God is with you wherever you go.””
‭‭Y’hoshua (Jos)‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭CJB‬‬

““Don’t you understand yet?” he asked them.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭59‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ NKJV

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

““And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭11‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“You drink wine by the bowlful and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions. You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s nobody’s business what I drink.

I care not what my neighbors think,

Or how many laws they choose to pass.

I’ll tell the world I’ll have my glass.

Here’s one man’s freedom cannot be curbed.

My right to drink is undisturbed.

So he drank in spite of lawor man,

Then got into his old tin can,

Stepped on the gas and let it go,

Down the highway to and fro.

He took the curbs at fifty miles,

With bleary eyes and a drunken smile.

Not long ‘til a car he tried to pass,

Then a crash, a scream, and breaking glass.

The other car was upside down,

About two miles from the nearest town.

The man was clear, but his wife was caught,

And he needed the help of that drunken sot,

Who sat in a maudlin, drunken daze

And heard the scream and saw the blaze,

But too far gone to save a life.

By helping the car from off the wife.

The car was burned and a mother died,

While a husband wept and a baby cried.

And a drunk sat by, and still some think

It’s nobody’s business what they drink.

Author unknown.

A recent NY Times opinion column¹ asked the question: What is available worldwide, requires no new technology, costs no money and could save more than 800,000 children’s lives a year?  The answer was “breastfeeding.”  

While the opinion was written while the authors were in Kenya, the implications are worldwide.  Many African women give water, instead of breast milk, to their babies during the first six months of life. Unlike more developed nations, this water comes right out of rivers and is not treated.  Babies do not have fully developed immune systems, so they are at risk from pathogens found in river water.  

However, the estimate of saving 800,000 newborns a year is a world-wide number, based on data suggesting less than half of all babies born around the world are nursed by their mothers.  Apart from water, the major replacement for mother’s milk is artificial baby formula.  The components of formula, while the best effort of humans, falls short of natural mother’s milk.  For example, colostrum, the milk produced for 2-4 days after birth, is highly concentrated with white cells, stem cells, antibodies, and immune factors that protect the baby from infection.  Transitional and mature milk continue providing these ingredients and nutrients in less concentrated form.  

Why the decline in breastfeeding? Some mothers are unable to produce enough milk.  Some cultures have a social stigma connected with publicly feeding a baby.  Some claims imply formula is as good as mother’s milk.

I want to focus on the divine plan that was, perhaps, unintentionally inserted into the NY Times article.  The authors stated, “In many ways, breast milk is miraculous. It has been custom designed for babies’ health over thousands of years.”  

The word “miracle,” from the Latin miraculum, was used to translate ancient Hebrew and Greek words for “wonder” or “sign.”  Of all the miracles mentioned in the Bible, none deal specifically with breast milk.  There are, however, scriptures indicating its vital importance in health and well-being.   The Lord likened the ignorance of wicked Israelites to babies who were plucked from breastfeeding (Isaiah 28:9).  To grow in our faith, we must be like newborns who crave spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2).  We learned to trust in God when at our mother’s breast (Psalm 22:9).

It is impossible to separate the wonder of breast milk from the custom design for a baby’s health.  We believe God never acts against the ultimate order He has created.  Yet we have only a superficial knowledge of the creative order.  The Bible simply states that God created humans (Genesis 1:27).  Just as no complex physics algorithms were offered in the creation of the universe, so too, we have no biological details of the complexity of human life.  We have, though, discovered how carefully God designed milk for newborns.  While manufacturers may be reluctant to admit their formula is no match for what the Lord had designed, we cannot but stand in awe of God’s almighty creation, from gametes to babies to breast milk.

I wonder if more of us considered mother’s milk to be a miracle, whether we would be more motivated to help all mothers see this wonder; not from a humanitarian perspective, but from reverence to the divine design.

¹  https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/08/opinion/breastfeeding-africa-women.html by Nicholas Kristof and Trisha Mukherjee, 1-8-2025

““Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.””
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When as a child, I laughed and wept, Time crept;

When as a youth, I dreamed and talked, Time walked;

When I became a full grown man, Time ran;

When older still I daily grew, Time flew;

Soon I shall find in traveling on, Time gone.

Unknown author…

One day we will find only ashes in our hands and eternity ahead of us- are you ready?

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, He will lead you into eternal life…

In chapter 4, God is going to try to win Jonah over to His point of view. This chapter will show us that God will never interfere with our Free Will. God will not force on us any issue whatsoever, we are all free moral agents.

God has actually moved heaven and hell and has come by way of a cross to knock at your heart’s door. But, He will not come any farther than that until the door is opened from the inside.

God will never come in uninvited…