Nomads2

“There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the Lord.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21‬:‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Reading and studying through the book of Judges,we came across this…

The parallel between the life of Samson and that of Jesus Christ-

An angel announced both of their births…

From the womb, they were both separated to God…

Both were Nazarite’s…

The Holy Spirit gave them their power…

Rejected! They were both rejected by their own people…

Samson destroyed Israel’s enemies, Jesus Will destroy His enemies…

In contrast-

Samson lived a life of sin, Jesus a sinless life…

Samson prayed, “O God, that I may at once avenged of the Philistines for my eyes.”

Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Samson died with outstretched arms in wrath…

In death, Jesus had His arms stretched wide in love…

Samson died…

Jesus Christ LIVES!!!

Do you know Him today? Seek Him today with all your heart…

This year I missed the live telecast of the Little League World Series championship game.  Kathie, however, saw it and gave me a recap.  Subsequently, I did watch video portions of the game and the post-game interview.

The Lake Mary, FL team represented the Southeast region of the US.  Chinese Taipei represented the Asia-Pacific region.  They advanced through the championship rounds in Williamsport, PA, and met for the championship game on August 25^th.

Taipei had a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the 6^th inning (the last regular inning in Little League baseball).  With two outs and two on, the Florida batter hit a soft liner to left field, scoring the runner who had been at second base.  Two extra innings were played.  In the bottom of the 8^th Lake Mary had runners at first and second.  The next batter, Hunter Anderson, laid a bunt down along the first base line.  The Taipei pitcher fielded the bunt and threw towards first for the third out.  Except no Taipei player was covering the bag; the ball flew into right field, and the runner on second scored.  Lake Mary won 2-1.  What happened next is why I am writing this devotional.

Not surprisingly, the Lake Mary team rushed on the field hugging Hunter and Lathan Norton, who scored the winning run.  Though excited, they cut short their personal celebration and formed a line to shake hands with Taipei players and coaches.  When the handshaking was done, you could see some of the Taipei players crying.  Manager Jonathan Anderson wrapped his arms around the disconsolate Taipei pitcher.  Lake Mary players hugged and consoled their distraught opponents.  An Orlando Sentinel editorial summarized the post-game this way: “that image of human kindness and connection … will dwell in the hearts and memories of Lake Mary fans … “

Acts of kindness are not something those ballplayers were born with.   They, like us, had been instructed, based on the word of God.  The players’ coaches were a model.  We are to do to others as we would want them to do to us (Matthew 7:12).   Even in victory, we should also look to the interests of the losers (cf., Philippians 2:4).  Those 12-year-olds from Florida are an inspiration to those of us who have, over the years, lost some of that perspective.

There is also a second lesson found in this Little League game.  Shortly after the game ended, but before the press conference, someone asked Hunter Anderson about his bunt.  He did not elaborate on his skill, but rather, simply said he did what the coach told him to do.  His comment is an apt reminder of what Jesus, our great coach, told us.  And modeled.  If we love the Lord, we will obey what He has commanded (John 14:15).

Too often we get caught up in the desire to win, and forget how to be winners.  We win first prize at the fair for our apple pie, and act as if we are the perfect baker.  We are nominated to be a deacon in our church, then behave as if we wrote the New Testament.  

Lake Mary ball players won a close ballgame, then demonstrated how to be true winners.  If they had lost the game, could they still be winners?  I believe the answer is yes, provided they understood the true meaning of love your neighbor.  Sure, they might have cried, but they would have had a moment to share in their opponent’s joy.  A game well played by two winners.  

Win and winner, lose and winner, are the same result to different outcomes.  The Lord would be pleased in either case.

“So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.”

And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.

Then the Lord said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.””
‭‭Judges‬ ‭7‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Is this a lesson in, ‘divine election’ and man’s, ‘free will?’ Yes. This is the way that the two work together.

Argue about it if you want to, but in real life, it works!

It works because it is God’s way…

Each one of the ten thousand men in Gideon’s army exercised his free will. God did not interfere with their choice at all.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”
‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭37‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

You cannot argue election! You just can’t…

Good news- you can come to God if you want to…your the elect…

The bad news- if you don’t want to come to God- you are not elected…

Othniel, Deborah, Barak, and Gideon judged Israel 40 years.

Ehud, twice 40 years.

Eli judged Israel 40 years.

Saul, David, and Solomon each reigned 40 years.

At the Flood it rained 40 years.

Moses fled Egypt at the age of 40, was in Midian 40 years, was on the mount 40 days.

Israel wandered in the desert 40 years.

The spies were 40 days in Canaan.

Elijah fasted 40 days.

Nineveh was given 40 days respite.

Jesus fasted 40 days and sojourned (I like this word) 40 days after His resurrection.

“40”

40 years seems to denote a generation.

Numbers in the Bible are always interesting…

youtube.com/watch

1. Spiritual Apostasy
2. Moral awfulness
3. Political Anarchy…

“In this day of gathering storms, as moral deterioration of political power spreads its growing infection, it is essential that every spiritual force be mobilized to defend and preserve the religious base upon which this nation is founded; for it has been that base which has been the motivating impulse to our moral and national growth. History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline. There has been either a spiritual reawakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster.”

General Douglas MacArthur.

Last month there was a colossal failure in computer systems around the world.¹Airline flights were cancelled, financial markets disrupted, and industrial operations faltered.  The failure appeared to involve just business computers using Microsoft Windows systems.  A cybersecurity company, CrowdStrike, delivered a defective update that produced the computer crashes.

When computers crashed in 1993 while using Widows 3.0, Microsoft referred to it as a “blue screen of death” error.  A computer, unable to operate safely, generates a blue screen and a message error in white print.  Experts referred to the problem as a “stop error” since Windows stopped working.  

Apparently, stop errors are hard to fix.  The reason for the failure can be generally understood, but the specifics are more complex.  One expert explained the error occurs at “the deepest levels of the operating system, where detailed interactions with hardware occur.”  I did, though, understand his examples: problems with memory or overheating.

A variety of ways to fix blue screen of death errors were offered online, nearly all were above my level of comprehension.  One fix I could understand was to turn your computer on and off 15 times; a universal problem solver!!

Stop errors have been around since the time God created the first mobile computer, man.  Adam and Eve had perfectly functioning minds until they installed an update offered by a serpent (Genesis 3:1).  Shortly thereafter, they had a stop error that included a message from God to stop living in the Garden of Eden.

Since then, we have all been living with imperfect minds that can produce critical errors.  The Israelites installed an update for something to lead them to the Promised Land since Moses had been on Mt Sinai a long time (Exodus 32).  Their system crashed because of a golden calf update, and they would experience the equivalent of the blue screen of death, a plague (32:35), as well as the death of the whole generation because of their unfaithfulness (Numbers 14:26-32).

At the deepest levels of our heart and mind we have defects leading to all kinds of evil that will destroy us (Proverbs 6:12-15).  Offering sacrifices or living by our own standards may give us a sense of worthiness, but it is really just overheating our thought processes to the point of stop errors in our commitment to the Lord.  

In the postmodern world we are offered updates so bizarre and complex we think they must surely work.  Put something up your nose.  Swallow a pill.  Join a cult.  Tear out pages of the Bible, keep what suits you.  Change your identity.  The list goes on.

Perhaps one of the most popular fixes is to turn God off and on 15 times.  Attend worship awhile and then stop going for a year or so.  Come back when there are cantatas.  Pray as long as it feels good, when it doesn’t, stop.  Resume when you have a need.  Live as you would six days a week, then ask the Lord to forgive you on Sunday.

The Son of God brought to earth the only fix possible for our spiritual blue screen of death (John 3:16).   Confessed faith in Jesus gives us a whole new operating system (2 Corinthians 5:17).   The blue screen of our sinful life is replaced by a white robe of eternal life (Revelation 3:5).

Caleb, along with Joshua were the only two spies to give a positive report. We have the Lord of the universe, we can take this land. The nine tribes and the half are to have their inheritance by lot. Caleb obtains Hebron, by privilege!

Caleb had found the fountain of youth- the first is to have the Faith to forget the past, second, have Faith to face the facts, and third, Faith to face the future…

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, But he who refuses correction goes astray.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;”
‭‭Titus‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””
‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

One hot afternoon in Apache Junction Arizona. We left our truck outside their gate as AZDR Bryce came to our rescue. He hauled us and the Recovery unit to Globe.

We have been working nonstop to setup a workable team at Trinity Baptist Church. The conditions are not the best, but we are ever grateful for our Lord…

This our prayer tonight:

“Come, let’s sing to Adonai! Let’s shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation! Let’s come into his presence with thanksgiving; let’s shout for joy to him with songs of praise. For Adonai is a great God, a great king greater than all gods. He holds the depths of the earth in his hands; the mountain peaks too belong to him. The sea is his — he made it — and his hands shaped the dry land. Come, let’s bow down and worship; let’s kneel before Adonai who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people in his pasture, the sheep in his care. If only today you would listen to his voice:”
‭‭Tehillim (Psa)‬ ‭95‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭CJB‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1275/psa.95.1-7.CJB

The 2024 Olympic Games are in full swing this week.  Regardless of the sport, I enjoy the awards ceremonies and the playing of the national anthem of the country that won the gold medal.  Particularly interesting are how the athletes react when their anthem is played.  I became curious about the words in each anthem, and what they might have meant to each athlete. 

Some, but not all, anthems had reference to God or Christian values in their lyrics.  Many countries with spiritual words in their anthems now have populations where 50% or more of the people claim no religious affiliation.  Nearly every country has lyrics related to wars and struggles. 

New Zealand’s anthem begins with the words, “God of Nations at Thy feet …” though half the population claims no religious preference.  “God be with our Suriname” has unpopular Christian references because their history includes Dutch settlers who brought African slaves to Suriname.  

In contrast, Saint Kitts and Nevis, with populations that are 75% Christian, share an anthem which begins, “With God in all our struggles, Saint Kitts and Nevis be, A nation bound together, With a common destiny.”  A Dominican friar wrote the Peruvian anthem; while there is reference to the God of Jacob, greater emphasis is on the struggle for freedom.  In like fashion, South Africa’s anthem is the combination of two songs, one for God to bless them, and the other for a call to unity.  Great Britain’s anthem is “God Save the King” and by inference, divine protection on the country through the king. 

Our Star-Spangled Banner was written during the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814; only in the third verse is there reference to “in God we trust.”  To our north, the original lyrics of the Canadian anthem mention God only in the fourth verse; the modern official wording does not mention God.  To the south, the ten verses of the Mexican anthem refer to wars and freedom; verse one does, though, refer to their destiny being written by the “finger of God.”  

One of our adversaries, China, is mostly atheistic, and the words of “March of Volunteers” focus on building a new Great Wall when they, ‘brave the enemy’s gunfire.”  Another adversary, Russia, has had several versions of its national anthem, including one, when Boris Yeltsin was President, that had no lyrics.  This infuriated Vladimir Putin because Russian athletes at the 2000 Olympics had no words to sing.  After reviewing 2,000 songs, the government selected a new anthem extolling, “Russia is our sacred state … the native land so kept by God.”

If an athlete remains stoic during the playing of their national anthem, are they anti-God?  Does singing with gusto reflect equal enthusiasm for God and country?  Are emotional displays a sign of personal achievement or the privilege of representing a country?  If someone raises a fist or takes a knee during the playing of an anthem, is it to protest God or support some political ideology?  Is it okay to have a mixture of feelings?

I consider myself an American patriot; I love this country though it has its flaws.  Often, though, I sing the third verse of the Star-Spangled Banner while others sing the more familiar first verse.  I believe one cannot equally love God and country.  Our first love must be for God (Mark 12:30); only then can we love our neighbor, and in doing so, love our country.

It’s OK to wrap yourself 

in red, white, and blue

As long as others can see 

God living in you

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The law of appropriation. God gives, but we must take.

“Only be thou strong and very courageous…”

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Anyone wishing to become a U.S. Citizen must pass a test.  The first part requires understanding the English language.  The second part is a 10-question oral exam where at least six questions must be answered correctly.  If you can read this, you understand English.  Now, answer 10 questions taken from the USCIS study guide.

1.       Who wrote the Declaration of Independence: a) Benjamin Franklin, b) John Adams, c) Thomas Jefferson, d) George Washington

2.      What are the first three words of the Constitution, describing self-government: a) When in the course of human events, b) We the people, c) I pledge allegiance, d) We hereby declare 

3.      How many voting members are there in the U.S. House of Representatives: a) 435, b) 325, c) 100, d) 50

4.      If the President and Vice-President can no longer serve, who becomes the President:  a) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, b) Secretary of State, c) President Pro Tempore of the Senate, d) Speaker of the House

5.      How many amendments are there in the Constitution:  a) 10, b) 13, c) 27, d) 50

6.      What is a responsibility that applies only to U.S. Citizens:  a) serve on a jury, b) pay taxes, c) obey the law, d) all the above

7.      What is the name of one of the U.S. Senators in the state where you live?

8.      Who was the President during World War I:  a) Theodore Roosevelt, b) Woodrow Wilson, c) Franklin Roosevelt, d) Harry Truman

9.      Name a state that borders Canada:  a) Washington, b) Vermont, c) Pennsylvania, d) all the above

10.   One of the two longest rivers in the U.S. is the:  a) Hudson River, b) Ohio River, c) Colorado River, d) Mississippi River

To become a Christian does not require a test, but you must make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ.  The following is only a test to see how much you know about the Bible.

1.      How many books are in the Christian Bible:  a) 33, b) 39, c) 66, d) 72

2.      What is the name of the location where Jesus was crucified: a) Rome, b) Jerusalem, c) Valley of Bones, d) Golgotha

3.      Jesus spent his childhood in what city: a) Capernaum, b)Bethlehem, c) Jerusalem, d) Nazareth

4.      What is the name of the person who replaced Judas as an apostle: a) Barnabas, b) Matthias, c) Joseph, d) Nicodemus

5.      Where did God give Moses the Ten Commandments: a) Mt Sinai, b) Mt Gerizim, c) Beersheba, d) Jericho

6.      When God sent rain and Noah entered the ark, how many days was the flood waters on the earth: a) 7, b) 40, c) 150, d) 300

7.      Based on the number of words, what is the shortest book in the English Bible: a) Obadiah, b) Jonah, c) Jude, d) 3^rd John

8.      What hour of the day did Jesus die on the cross: a) 3^rd, b) 6^th, c) 9^th, d) 12^th

9.      Where did Jesus perform his first miracle, turning water into wine: a) Nazareth, b) Cana, c) Jerusalem, d) Bethany

10.  Where was the book of Revelation written: a) Patmos, b)Ephesus, c) Rome, d) Laodicea

How did you do on both the civics and Bible tests?  If we are to be in the world, we must know something about it, and if we are to be witnesses, we need to know something of God’s word.

The answers to the civics test can be found at https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/questions-and-answers/OoC_100_Questions_2008_Civics_Test_V1.pdf   The Bible has its own answers.  Or see the keys below.

Civics answers:  c – b – b – d -c – a – your state – b – d -d

Bible answers: c – d – d – b – a – c – d – c – b – a

Back to the desert…

“I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;

With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭89‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication,

with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known to God;

and the peace of God,

which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
‭‭

Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.”
‭‭I Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭122‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭9‬:‭11‬

Holes where trees used to be…

“For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but God’s gift. You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast. For we are of God’s making, created in union with the Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do.”
‭‭Ephesians (Eph)‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭CJB‬‬

“For behold, He who forms mountains, And creates the wind, Who declares to man what his thought is, And makes the morning darkness, Who treads the high places of the earth—

The Lord God of hosts is His name.”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“then, if my people, who bear my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.”
‭‭Divrei-HamYamim Bet (2 Ch)‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭CJB‬‬

“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬-‭27‬ ‭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

My favorite Disaster Relief verse…

“For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So many events in our lives today that our Lord Jesus Christ had His Hand in!!!

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

PRAISE THE LORD

“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord— Your salvation according to Your word.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭41‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Your word I have hidden in my heart,

That I might not sin against You.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Not only memorizing God’s Word, but Obey His Word.

Memorization- good, Obey- best…

“It is strange that of all of the pieces of the Bible which my mother taught me, that which cost me the most to learn, and which to my childish mind most repulsive- the 119th Psalm- has now become of all the most precious to me in its overflowing and glorious passion of love for the Law of God.” John Ruskin.

Psalm 119. The longest Psalm and longest chapter in the Bible. With 176 verses praising God, (with the possible exception of two).

We all need to praise God by reading His Word!

Why not start with this Psalm? A challenge to yourself…

Psalm 119- Praise to the Word of God…

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!

For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭117‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This Psalm is the shortest Psalm and shortest chapter in the Bible.

So much is said in these two verses! An explosion in the midst of the Psalms.

When this Psalm is fulfilled, you won’t find a postmillennialist or an amillennialist. The fulfillment will come when Jesus Christ is reigning on this earth during the Millennium.

“Praise ye the Lord “- Hallelujah!!!

“O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭116‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“But we will bless the Lord From this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭115‬:‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high, Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭113‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭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

www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/disaster-relief-responding-to-new-mexico-wildfires/

Psalm 88- We can have confidence in God in the midst of suffering…

“O Lord, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭88‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“God of my salvation…” The one ray of hope in this Psalm…

The Psalm closes with the word, “darkness.”

“The Psalm ends with an energetic expression of its main thought- the immediate vicinity of death. The darkness is thickest at the end just as it is in the morning, before the rising of the sun.” Hengstenberg.

“The Lord loves the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! Selah”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭87‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This same view was expressed before in Psalm 48…

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭48‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The nations WILL come to Jerusalem to worship…

youtube.com/watch

If you served in Lahaina from September to December of 2023 as a Disaster Relief worker, this is a good video and will definitely bring back memories…

God Bless…

I have been on three medical mission trips to Haiti in the years following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that killed 220,000 people in 2010.  I felt reasonably safe, given the country’s history of armed gangs.  Gangs and gang violence were not as prevalent following the earthquake; in large measure because the UN Peacekeeping Force was still there (2004-2017).  

Since the withdrawal of UN soldiers, gang violence has increased dramatically.  The homicide rate went from 20 per 100,000 residents in 2021 to 41 in 2023 (US rate is 7-8).  Thus far in 2024 there have been more than 1,500 homicides attributed to gangs.  

On May 23^rd of this year, David and Natalie Lloyd, American missionaries, were coming out of a worship service in Port-au-Prince, along with Jude Montis, a church leader.¹ Suddenly, an armed Haitian gang drove into the compound.  David, 23 years old, was tied up and beaten.  The gang was stealing vehicles and whatever else they thought was valuable.  A second gang arrived on the scene and began a firefight with the first gang.  David was shot and killed, as well as his 21-year-old wife and the church leader.

To say that the death of these Christians is a tragedy only scratches the surface.  We read Bible passages about how difficult life can be as a follower of Jesus.  The Lord told us we would be hated (Matthew 24:9).  In parables, we are likened to servants who are mistreated and killed because we serve the Master (Matthew 21:33-39).  Yet in America, we often treat such scriptures as an academic exercise in how committed we are to our faith in Christ.  We seldom go below the surface of God’s Word to ask ourselves if we are prepared to be killed for what we believe.

Certainly, there are people living in other countries where they could be beaten or killed for being a Christian.  When we dig deeper into the Bible, we find a more troubling root for violence and murder.  It is not just love of money that is evil (1 Timothy 6:10).  Out of our hearts come all manner of evil thoughts (Mark 7:21).  The first chapter in Romans describes the nature of what occurred in Haiti; the gang members had depraved minds because they had lost all knowledge of God (1:28).  They murder irrespective of the victims’ faith.

David, Natalie, and Jude were killed, not because they were Christian, but because they were Christ’s presence in a very dark and sinister environment.  They could have kept the doors to the compound closed and hired armed security.  Instead, they opened the doors so youth could come and worship, learn about God.  Faith in action got them killed.

How these missionaries served reminded me of sayings on the walls of the church compound we stayed at on our Haitian mission trips.  One was: assemblons-nous pour nous fortifier pour sortons pour server (we gather to strengthen ourselves to go out and serve).  Those missionaries lived and died sharing the Gospel in a hostile environment; they had the strength to be faithful to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).

Another was: acun mal n’est plus l’ignorance (nothing is worse than ignorance).  David, Natalie, and Jude were a witness to the light that shines in the darkness of ignorance (John 1:4-5).

We can never be completely sure how we would react in any situation.  It is not in everyone’s nature to be a missionary in a violence-torn country.  But I hope all of us would have the strength to be faithful, and a light unto the world, wherever the Lord places us.

I have been on three medical mission trips to Haiti in the years following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that killed 220,000 people in 2010.  I felt reasonably safe, given the country’s history of armed gangs.  Gangs and gang violence were not as prevalent following the earthquake; in large measure because the UN Peacekeeping Force was still there (2004-2017).  

Since the withdrawal of UN soldiers, gang violence has increased dramatically.  The homicide rate went from 20 per 100,000 residents in 2021 to 41 in 2023 (US rate is 7-8).  Thus far in 2024 there have been more than 1,500 homicides attributed to gangs.  

On May 23^rd of this year, David and Natalie Lloyd, American missionaries, were coming out of a worship service in Port-au-Prince, along with Jude Montis, a church leader.¹ Suddenly, an armed Haitian gang drove into the compound.  David, 23 years old, was tied up and beaten.  The gang was stealing vehicles and whatever else they thought was valuable.  A second gang arrived on the scene and began a firefight with the first gang.  David was shot and killed, as well as his 21-year-old wife and the church leader.

To say that the death of these Christians is a tragedy only scratches the surface.  We read Bible passages about how difficult life can be as a follower of Jesus.  The Lord told us we would be hated (Matthew 24:9).  In parables, we are likened to servants who are mistreated and killed because we serve the Master (Matthew 21:33-39).  Yet in America, we often treat such scriptures as an academic exercise in how committed we are to our faith in Christ.  We seldom go below the surface of God’s Word to ask ourselves if we are prepared to be killed for what we believe.

Certainly, there are people living in other countries where they could be beaten or killed for being a Christian.  When we dig deeper into the Bible, we find a more troubling root for violence and murder.  It is not just love of money that is evil (1 Timothy 6:10).  Out of our hearts come all manner of evil thoughts (Mark 7:21).  The first chapter in Romans describes the nature of what occurred in Haiti; the gang members had depraved minds because they had lost all knowledge of God (1:28).  They murder irrespective of the victims’ faith.

David, Natalie, and Jude were killed, not because they were Christian, but because they were Christ’s presence in a very dark and sinister environment.  They could have kept the doors to the compound closed and hired armed security.  Instead, they opened the doors so youth could come and worship, learn about God.  Faith in action got them killed.

How these missionaries served reminded me of sayings on the walls of the church compound we stayed at on our Haitian mission trips.  One was: assemblons-nous pour nous fortifier pour sortons pour server (we gather to strengthen ourselves to go out and serve).  Those missionaries lived and died sharing the Gospel in a hostile environment; they had the strength to be faithful to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).

Another was: acun mal n’est plus l’ignorance (nothing is worse than ignorance).  David, Natalie, and Jude were a witness to the light that shines in the darkness of ignorance (John 1:4-5).

We can never be completely sure how we would react in any situation.  It is not in everyone’s nature to be a missionary in a violence-torn country.  But I hope all of us would have the strength to be faithful, and a light unto the world, wherever the Lord places us.

“In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,

For You will answer me.” Psalm 86:7.

Call out, you will never be put on hold, God will always answer your heart cry…

Opinions are shaped by how we interpret evidence.  Sometimes, though, different opinions can arise from the same factual evidence, as in the case of two witnesses to a car accident.  Witness credibility comes into play.  Suppose one witness was not wearing their prescription eyeglasses; they did not lie, but did not see clearly.  It would be quite a different story if a lie was told, or evidence falsified.

Academic journals have the reputation of presenting trusted evidence for topics ranging from agriculture to history to medicine to zoology.  Recently, some have come under fire for publishing articles based on falsified data¹.  One publishing firm will shut down 19 journals because of research fraud.  In the past two years it had to retract about 11,300 published studies because of compromised data.

How much harm can be caused by fake data?  Falsely yelling “fire” in a crowded theatre?  Buying the wrong fertilizer to put on a cornfield?  Switching medications to one based on fraudulent research?  Hiring a new employee who submits a doctored resume? 

When it comes to matters of faith, many opinions exist.  For instance, Methodists have differing views on salvation than Baptists.  Baptists interpret scriptures on baptism differently than Catholics.  Catholics disagree with the church organization of Quakers.  Though all might find common ground on the fundamentals of faith, diverse opinions likely remain on how to achieve the fundamentals.  

In the secular world, you will find groups opposed to anything connected with organized Christianity.  They have infiltrated politics, governments, schools, families, and even churches.  Their opposition is based on evidence purposefully extended beyond the point of truth, to become a lie.  We are warned to guard against such false prophets and teachers (Matthew 24:11; Revelation 2:14, 20).  

False religions, like fake science, are very real and harmful.  Some change scriptures to turn the truth into a lie.  Replace the definitive article (the) for word in John 1:1 with the indefinite article (a), and Jesus (word) is no longer God.   Likewise, fraudulent teachers claim the plural form of heavens (Genesis 1 & 2) is evidence of multiple levels we can attain in God’s dwelling place.  Others attempt to have us believe the Big Bang theory and organic evolution replace creation, or that everyone is created in the image of God with transgender preferences.

We all need to have one or more individuals with the reputation of telling the truth about life, especially about the revelation of God.  Maybe it’s a pastor, a parent, a teacher, or a friend.  Someone who proclaims the truth, and encourages you to study all of God’s Word in order to differentiate opinions of the secular world (John 17:17).  

Don’t take my word for it.  Examine the evidence in your Bible, and see if it is truly the revelation of God through Jesus Christ.  You will find the truth that sets you free.

“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…

Douglas Hegdahl was a Seaman Apprentice on the USS Canberra in the South China Sea in 1967.  When the Littoral class combat ship fired its 5-inch guns, Hegdahl was blown off the ship’s deck and floated for 12 hours before being captured by the North Vietnamese.

As a guest at the Hanoi Hilton, Douglas convinced his captors that he could not read or write or see very clearly.  His North Vietnamese captors called him the “poor peasant” because they thought he was mentally challenged.  When they failed to teach him how to read and write, they decided to write a confession for him to sign.  Which he did as, “Seaman Apprentice Douglas Brent Hegdahl III United States Navy Reserve, Commanding Officer, USS Canberra.”

The ”poor peasant” was allowed to sweep and clean the prison yard because the guards felt he was harmless.  As he cleaned the yard, he would put handfuls of dirt into the gas tanks on vehicles parked in the yard.  A US Air Force officer taught him to memorize the names of the other 256 prisoners by singing “Old MacDonald.”

The POWs vowed that none of them would ever accept an early release.  In 1969 an early release was offered; Hegdahl was ordered by the American POW commanding officer to accept the offer.  Unknown to the North Vietnamese, the young seaman had not only memorized the 256 names, but, as he cleaned the front gates, had memorized the location of the prison in the city of Hanoi.  When released, the young sailor sang the names of the POWs, along with names of their children or pets and social security numbers.  And the exact location of Hanoi Hilton.  Such information was a significant force to get all the prisoners released.

As we approach Memorial Day, many will likely sing patriotic songs.  In song we remember those who died in service to our country.  These patriotic tunes also remind us it is God who provides strength and courage in times of peril (Joshua 1:9).   

We who have put our faith in the Lord understand patriotic songs are, by definition, a hymn – a song of praise to God.  Lifting our voices in song is our way to both remember the sacrifice of others and express our gratitude to the Lord God.  “America the Beautiful” carries the theme blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12).  “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” captures the vision of a holy God seated on a throne, high and exalted (Isaiah 6:1).  The second verse of our National Anthem recalls our trust that the heaven-rescued land praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation (Psalm 20:7).

Sing the songs, and maybe this Memorial Day, also take a moment to read or pray the POW Hymn to someone.  The hymn may add a new dimension to how you remember veterans.  It was written in 1971 by Colonel J. Quincy Collins, an Air Force aviator, while in the Vietnamese prison camp dubbed “Camp Unity” in downtown Hanoi.  The American prisoners first sang the hymn publicly at a White House dinner on May 23, 1973.

Oh God, to Thee we raise this prayer and sing,

From within these foreign prison walls,

We’re men who wear the gold and silver wings

And proudly heed our nation’s call.

Give us strength to withstand all the harm,

That the hand of our enemy captors can do,

To inflict pain and strife and deprive every life,

Of the rights they know well we are due.

We pledge unswerving faith and loyalty to our cause,

To America and to Thee.   Amen.

“Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭85‬:‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭84‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Amen!!!

“That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord, Are the Most High over all the earth.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭83‬:‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Our recovery team worked their last site today, all of them will fly home tomorrow to California and Utah/Idaho. They have been a blessing to serve with and have shown Jesus to this community. Arizona and some New Mexico DR workers will be here till Monday.

“Don’t be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer. Share what you have with God’s people, and practice hospitality.”
‭‭Romans (Rom)‬ ‭12‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭CJB‬‬