What Is Your Easter Looking Like This Year?

As Easter approaches each year, our family has the usual conversations about who’s going to host the brunch or dinner and what church service we’ll attend. Who’s up for sunrise service and who wants to sleep in later? You probably have similar discussions.

Our Easter will look different then in the past since hubby is having spinal fusion surgery four days before and might even still be in the hospital on Easter. If not, he’ll be in recovery mode and I’ll be in caretaker mode, but it doesn’t matter where we are or what’s happening in our life physically on Easter because spiritually Jesus is with us everywhere we go. We can worship and celebrate Him anywhere, anytime.

It’s easy to become preoccupied with our traditions: performances, cantatas, pageants, new clothes, family gatherings, decorating the house, egg hunts, and Easter baskets. All good things. Soon one of the holiest days of the year is over. We probably went to church, said a prayer before meals, maybe even read some Bible passages about the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection.

But did we take time to praise God for the painful sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, and consider how it changed our life? Last week, I wrote a very important blog The Bible Is Offensive to Those Who Tolerate Sin. In the article, and when I posted it on social media, I asked how many of your pastors even talk about sin, which is the whole reason Jesus went to the horrific Cross. Only two people responded that their pastor speaks about sin boldly and courageously. That was disappointing and disheartening to me that so many pastors may say Jesus wants us to turn from our sins but never define sin. They may venture into talking about salvation this Easter but never mention what we’re saved from.

A Holy Spirit inspired pastor knows exactly how to speak the Gospel truth, especially on Easter when many worldly sinners who need to hear the truth will be attending to appease family members or out of tradition. It might be their only opportunity to be convicted and convinced that living a godly life forgiven of their sins is superior to living a carnal sinful life.

Easter commemorates the foundation of our Christian faith. The Gospel! The Good News! Without Easter, there would be no hope. Easter is the reason we have forgiveness for our sins and the assurance of eternal life. As the Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians:

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Many pastors might read the above passage this Easter while glossing right over the definition of sin. Many people listening might consider themselves “good people,” but never consider that they’re living the sins delineated in Galatians 5:18-21, which would be a great transition for pastors.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹envy, 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. Gal. 5:18-21 NLT

Congregants and guests need to hear that when we ask Jesus into our heart and receive the merciful forgiveness of our sins that nailed Him to the cross, we experience a spiritual rebirth. Hallelujah! Then, as we grow in our faith, we need a daily empty-tomb reawakening, not just annually at Easter.

Jesus lives within the heart of every Christian and He wants us to live as if we believe it!

The life of Bible-believing Holy Spirit filled Christians is one of evolving renewal! It’s not once and done when we become a Christian.

We continually cast off old patterns of sinful thinking and behavior as we transition into a richer more fulfilling faith.

But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Colossians 3:8-10

5 Ways to Experience Spiritual Renewal This Easter

1. Renew Your Mind

What we let enter into our mind—positive or negative—controls our emotions, actions, and beliefs. What is bothering you right now? What is seeping into your psyche that keeps you up at night or troubles you during the day? Can you identify it? The news. Politics. Television. Social media. Stock market. Family crises or dysfunction.

Whatever is stressing you, try a mental fast! Free your mind from everything that furrows your brow. You may never want to let those things have dominion over your thoughts again. Admittedly, it could be your job. You can’t just walk away, but maybe you could initiate a plan to find another job more suitable for you. God will guide if you let Him.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Personal Renewal: God wants us to rid our mind of worldly ways and saturate our mind with His wisdom. Proverbs is God’s Book of Wisdom, so try reading a proverb every day and write it on an index card. When your thoughts begin to drift to things of this world, recite the day’s proverb. If you’re ambitious, read an entire chapter in Proverbs daily and in thirty-one days you’ll have read the entire Book of Proverbs. When you finish, start back at Proverbs 1:1. You can never be too wise!

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.—Proverbs 18:15

2. Renew Your Heart

God created us uniquely with our mind, heart, and spirit intertwined. A renewal of one, affects the other two. A mind change touches our heart and our spirit nudges us to act according to our mind and heart. If our heart fills with compassion for a situation, our mind follows suit and again our spirit reminds us of how God wants us to act.

We are to have the mind of Christ and what breaks His heart should break our heart too.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

Personal Renewal: Who could you invite to Easter services? Maybe you’ve asked them to join you at church before and they’ve declined or it’s someone you’re sure would say no. Perhaps your heart has become a bit hardened toward their spiritual future. Ask God for the courage to ask them anyway. This could be the Easter their life changes forever.

If they say no, then commit to pray for them to say yes to God someday soon. We never know when Jesus will come for His people.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

3. Renew Your Commitments

A commitment is a sacred vow, a promise, to honor your word. Commitment often involves a sacrifice of putting others’ needs before your own needs, even when it’s inconvenient or painful.

Our Christian faith hinges on a commitment we make to Christ to follow Him and adhere to His Word, whether easy or difficult. At Easter, we remember the ultimate cost Christ paid on the cross to fulfill His commitment to save a lost world. Now he expects us to honor our commitments to Him and to others.

Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved. Ecclesiastes 5:6 NLT

Practical Renewal: Have you committed to something you wish you hadn’t? We’ve all been there. Learn from it and pray next time before you make a decision; but this time, follow through on your commitment. Backing out of a promise damages the credibility of your Christian witness.

All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:37

4. Renew Your Testimony

There is no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what He has done in your life. No one can question your testimony because it’s your personal experience. The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) isn’t just for disciples and pastors; it’s for every follower and believer of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be an evangelist to share your story.

As we mature and evolve spiritually, we retell our testimony to benefit others. You and I are Christians today because twelve disciples obediently followed Jesus’ command to tell the world the Good News. They shared their personal gospel experience with anyone who would listen and with many who didn’t listen.

When we become Christians, our charge is to tell the world why we love Jesus!

Your story becomes your testimony when the focus is on God, not on you. This would be a great Easter verse for a pastor to gently discuss sin and how grace sets us free.

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7

Personal Renewal: When you give God the glory for something in your life, you testify to God’s goodness. Your salvation testimony shares your life before Jesus. How He changed your heart and spiritually, maybe literally, saved your life.

God has given you a story to share, so seize every opportunity to tell it. Sometimes God redeems your testimony by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn’t become their future.

Who needs to hear this Easter what Christ has done for you?

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:11-12

5. Renew Your Soul

Easter is springtime in our souls! God is calling His people into a closer relationship with Him so that we can share Jesus with others who need more of Him in their life . . . or don’t yet know Him. The world is full of unsaved people stumbling in spiritual darkness. God calls every Christian to help those lost in darkness to find their way to the redeeming Light.

When Jesus spoke . . . he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

We need to refresh, renew, and refuel our body, mind, and soul so the illuminating joy of Christ radiates from us!

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:30-31

Personal Renewal: Let the songs you sing on Easter, and the messages you hear, revive your spirit and speak directly to your soul. Bask in the glow that Jesus is alive!

If you’re ready to arise and be God’s messenger, start praying now for those divine appointments where God will use you in a hurting and lonely world.

I pray this Easter season finds you refreshed and renewed in your relationship with Christ and the purpose He has given each of us to keep the memory of Easter alive and vibrant, every day in our hearts, speech, and actions. Let us never forget:

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14 (NLT)

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

Please leave a comment here.

April 14, 2025

Return to top of page

Did You Even Know March is Women’s History Month?

I have to admit, until I was asked by Crosswalk to write an article on 4 Ways Christians Can Celebrate Women’s International Day on Saturday March 8, I had never heard of Women’s History Month. The media and liberals make a big deal about Black History Month in February, but why don’t we hear anything about Women’s History Month in March? Maybe that’s because it conflicts with “Bisexual Health Awareness Month” also in March. We do need to stop and pray for women all over the world especially right now in the Democratic Republic of Congo described as “hell on earth” with killing and raping of women and killing of Christians.

Women are vulnerable in all countries. Yes, even in America. While we have more freedom and rights than women in Afghanistan or the Congo do, we’re rapidly losing some of those freedoms. However, thankfully President Trump is aware of this loss and recognized Women’s History Month by signing an Executive Order proclamation declaring March 2025 as Women’s History Month! President Trump has many capable and highly qualified women in his Administration. As he signed the EO he said, “This is an honor.”

Most people have forgotten that Women’s History Month began in 1987, but it hasn’t been recognized or acknowledged during the left’s current war on women until President Trump! Thank you, Mr. President.

Women have a history of fighting for equality and constitutional rights in our country. Suffragists fought for women’s right to vote, and a constant battle continues for women to be treated fairly and equally in jobs and careers. But who would’ve ever imagined that in the 21^st Century women would be fighting to defend and protect our very existence and definition of a woman?! Or maintaining Title IX to keep women’s sports exclusive to women? We’re going backward in history instead of forward.

The Biden administration promoted and favored a tiny fraction of men suffering from gender dysphoria, or have a perverted fetish, or are so mentally ill they want to use their body to abuse women in sports. We now live in a world where President Trump had to write another executive order “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” to demolish the left’s obsession with perversion of God’s creation.

President Trump legally mandated that the Federal Government only recognizes what God biblically mandated at creation: there are only two sexes–male and female. The executive order also explicitly states, “sex is not a synonym for and does not include the concept of ‘gender ideology.’”

What we’ve all known and lived by for years that gender is not fluid has been satanically distorted by diabolical political ideology from Democrats and their propaganda arm of the mainstream media. CNN hosts say about the executive orders that, “unnamed scientists, critics oppose ‘new definitions’ of male, female.” They aren’t new definitions; they’re God’s definitions since the beginning of time. He created them male and female, and he blessed them and called them “human.” Gen. 5:2

Then at President Trump’s Speech to Joint Session of Congress, we saw the Democrats, including the women and crossdresser Tim McBride (D-Del) dressed in pink, set on their hands with stone faces when President Trump honored Payton McNabb. Payton was a member of the Hiwassee Dam High School girls’ volleyball team in Cherokee County, NC, until a male crossdresser playing for Highlands High School cut her dreams down in September 2022. The male Highlands player, who towered over his female opponents at 5’11,” spiked the ball into McNabb’s face, leaving the then 17-year-old unconscious with a brain bleed, concussion, and permanent whiplash. Payton has brain damage, vision issues, and paralysis on her right side—injuries that prevented her from pursuing her dream of securing a volleyball college scholarship.

Payton has turned a terrible tragedy into a purpose by working hard in recent years to ensure that other women and girls don’t have their dreams similarly stolen and smashed by opportunistic men emboldened by Democrat-championed policies.

After explaining Payton’s harrowing life changing experience by a male, President Trump told McNabb, “From now on, schools will kick the men off the girls’ team, or they will lose all federal funding.” He added that the inclusion of men in women’s sports is “demeaning for women, and it’s very bad for our country. We’re not going to put up with it any longer.”

Yet, the very day before President Trump’s speech, EVERY Democrat Senator voted against moving forward a bill that would codify President Trump’s Executive Order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” It had already passed the House with all Republicans voting for it and all but two Democrats voting against it, even though a supermajority of all Americans—Democrat and Republican—want men out of women’s sports. Yet, a number of Democrat governors, even women governors, are defying President Trump’s executive order and continue to let vulnerable girls be abused by men in women’s sports.

Not only is keeping women’s sports exclusively for women common sense, it’s moral, ethical, and biblical to protect women from this invasion of cowardly, sick, and pathetic men into women’s sports, locker rooms, and private spaces.

God made men stronger with prowess to protect women, not abuse them. Everyone knows a man is physically and biologically stronger, faster, and can physically outperform a woman. Every man that cross-dresses knows that too, and so should every Congress man/woman, Senator, Governor, State Legislator, School Superintendent, Coach, parents, and doctors!

The Democrats, including pink ladies, not only didn’t stand for Payton McNabb, but they also didn’t stand for Laken Riley or Jocelyn Nungaray, both tortured, raped, and killed by illegal alien men the Biden administration and Democrats let into our country!

A Note to Parents

Parents I feel for you. Kids going through puberty do and say crazy things. We all went through it. As hard as it is, parents need to be parents. Kids have learned through TikTok and other social media that all they have to say is that they’re going to kill themselves to get their scared parents to comply. Sadly, kids during puberty are confused and try experimental things. They may start drinking, smoking, cutting, or even turn to drugs. Many times, they want to do shocking things to get attention. Gender ideology has become so prevalent in the past few years because it’s promoted in schools, on social media, the culture, in politics, the media, and peer pressure. It’s become a fad.

It used to be that drag shows were not allowed in public and those who participated were considered what they are, perverted. But suddenly a self-described gay activist Marxist is head of the National Library Association and drag story hour is offered to small impressionable children whose parents take them?!

The gay/trans population is small, but they have a large vocal activist lobby in D.C. and they’re going after the children. Successfully, I might add. Romans 1:10-32, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, and 1 Tim. 1:9-11 provide God’s view of this perversion. Parents’ job is to protect their children from it! The only anecdote is Jesus in their lives. Attempting to do the impossible, change your gender, is NOT normal, mentally or physically healthy, or productive. What the children need is a change of heart and mind.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Pr. 22:6

Sadly, unethical doctors have learned how to do sexual mutilation surgeries and give castrating drugs that make them lots of money. Once you start a precious child down that road, they’ll be a patient for life. Just the words “Puberty Blocker” is a red flag. Our bodies were created to go through puberty. It’s a physical maturing process for both men and women. Trying to stop it plays havoc on a child’s body, emotions, and brain.

They’re not happier after this unethical medical intervention. Look at the numbers of trans who have shot up schools and got themselves killed. The Biden Administration and the media tried to hide this to the detriment of children and parents. Kids aren’t experimentation projects. No one knows the long-term effects of the drugs and doctors downplay the immediate effects. But we do know they have side effects of aggression, anger, depression, violence, and self-destruction.

No mentally healthy male wants to put on girls’ clothes and pretend he’s a girl or vice versa with girls wanting to be boys. These kids need Christian psychological and pastoral help not the indoctrination they’re getting in schools and on social media. Usually, something traumatic has happened in their life and they’re acting out in a way that has now become socially acceptable and even tragically encouraged. We’re seeing a generation of confused children not happy in their own body, and it’s being culturally motivated and promoted by Satan. It’s a demonic lie that you can change gender. You can’t.

If a child says he or she wants to be a horse and run in a horse race, we wouldn’t take them to a veterinarian to start turning them into a horse and enter them into races. That isn’t any more ridiculous than letting boys/men cross-dress and enter into girls’ /women’s sports. In both scenarios, they need to go to a well-researched child psychologist or treatment center, preferably a Christian one. Some of these boys didn’t do well when they participated in men’s sports, so they decide to “identify” as women to play in women’s sports where they take away dreams, trophies, scholarships, and even cause great harm to girls. It’s wrong on every level!

Just like you wouldn’t encourage kids that are on drugs to become addicted for life, trying to change their identity is just another addiction and needs the same kind of therapy and treatment. I don’t know why more people aren’t speaking out about this. Maybe fear. Listen to a detransition interview or whistleblower Dr. Ethan Haim who almost went to prison under the Biden Administration for exposing transgender surgeries at Texas Children’s Hospital after they claimed to have stopped. (Trump’s DOJ dropped all charges against Haim in January 2025).

The detransitioned children say doctors didn’t give their parents any other option but drugs and/or surgeries to try and do the impossible of changing gender when all it does is castrate and sterilize them for life. The doctors didn’t offer counseling or psychological help to work through the issues. They instead scare parents with threats their child will commit suicide, but sadly many who go the attempted “transition” route tragically do just that.

Statistics show higher suicide numbers for kids and adults given puberty blockers or mutilation surgery to try to achieve a biological lie that they can change their gender. Trans surgeries increase risk of mental health conditions, suicidal ideations study | Fox News

What Can We Do to Help Women?

I believe the left’s obsession with favoring crossdressing men invading girls’ sports is because they’ve abandoned a biblical worldview. They’ve abandoned God. They’ve embraced the lie of the enemy and ruler of this worldly culture, Satan. The only hope for them is to repent and run to Jesus for forgiveness and turn away from the lobbyists, doctors, drug companies, organizations, activists, and any wealth they may be receiving from this insanity.

We need to vote the Democrats out of office because their lack of respect for women isn’t their only demon. They want to kill baby boys and girls up through and after birth. They want illegals to roam free in our communities and rob, pillage, rape, and kill girls and women.

It’s the party that’s obsessed with hate for President Donald Trump. Hate causes hearts to turn stone cold. Look at their faces during Donald Trump’s speech and I’m sure you’ll agree they’ve lost their minds and their hearts to the evil one. They’re an embarrassment to everything America stands for and they’ve abandoned women.

Run for office if God leads you. Write articles in your local paper. Speak up for women! Whatever you do, don’t sit quietly by and let them get control again of our beautiful America. Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance of what He wants for you to do in your family and your country.

I hope you’ll also read my article “God Knows What a Woman Is!”

And my blog Who’s Behind the War on Women?

Please leave a comment here.

March 10, 2025

Return to top of page

Don’t Let Politics Cancel Thanksgiving This Year!

I know all of you don’t receive my monthly free About His Work Ministries Newsletter, so I wanted to share with you the November opening article that posted today in case you missed it. It’s so important that we don’t let politics or an election cause us to boycott or ghost friends and relatives on a day that’s all about thanking and praising God for His goodness to us. Don’t let anyone persuade you differently. If you’ve already read this article in the newsletter, I hope it blessed you. If you haven’t read it yet, here you go. Have a blessed and joyful Thanksgiving from Dave and me!

14 Ways to Celebrate a Peaceful Prayerful Post-Election Thanksgiving!

An extended family member was surprised we were celebrating a family Thanksgiving this year. She had heard the ludicrous decree that families and friends with differing political views shouldn’t celebrate Thanksgiving?! She believed this outrageous proclamation as fact and surveys show she’s not alone. A quarter of Americans say they’re canceling Thanksgiving plans over political clashes. Pathetic and tragic.

Much of the mistruths, lies, and gas lighting made from the liberal side of the aisle works to disintegrate and divide friends and families instead of uniting them around the things they do agree on like loving your family regardless of their political or faith beliefs. Family is stronger than politics and God tells us to love those who don’t agree with us, even though we don’t always love their actions or beliefs.

Absolutely, we’re having a joyous family Thanksgiving celebration! We have much to be thankful for this year beyond the election. So yes, I’ll be making my famous sweet potatoes for those who love them. And I’ll be bringing my Thanksgiving tablecloth, which you can read about at the end of this article. We won’t let political or faith differences prevent us from giving praise, glory, and thanks to our Lord and Savior for another year of life together.

In the fragile aftermath of a volatile election, I imagine many of you are having similar concerns and conversations. I remember my mom cautioning that if you want to keep the peace, don’t talk about religion or politics. As a kid, I never understood that warning. Believers are supposed to tell everyone about Jesus. Since being a Christian is our first identity . . . how could we not talk about our Savior? Likewise, if we’re happy about our vote resulting in political policies that align with our faith and beliefs, then we shouldn’t have to stifle our joy.

I’m bold about my first role in life: being a born-again Christian. All other roles come second. As I wrote in Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, “Bold doesn’t mean obnoxious. It simply means not being afraid to speak the truth, even in the face of adversity: ‘Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold’ (2 Cor. 3:12).”

For example, if someone asks what I write, I answer, “Christian living nonfiction.” Or, “I’m a Christian author and speaker.” My response often opens the door for further discussion of my books. If someone asks if I’m happy with the results of the election, I respond with a resounding, “Ecstatic!” I recently wore my “Make America Healthy Again” hat on vacation, as I do around town when home, and I’m inundated with smiling people loving my hat. I worked hard and prayed hard for the outcome that represented my biblical worldview, and I’m not ashamed. I do understand others are disappointed, just like I was in 2020, but we still had Thanksgiving that year too!

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. Philippians 1:20 NLT

So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 2 Timothy 1:8 NLT

Is Thanksgiving a Religious Holiday?

That could be an awkward question in some circles. I was with a group of people and mentioned how I hoped people would set their differences aside on Thanksgiving Day, and one person said, “It’s just a time for eating a lot of food, watching football, and shopping online anyway.”

Me: “I’m pretty sure the first pilgrims who celebrated Thanksgiving didn’t have TV or Amazon.

Another responded: “Well at least Thanksgiving isn’t a religious holiday.”

I asked: “Who then are we thanking?”

Complete silence.

Of course, the answer is: God. Abraham Lincoln made it an official national holiday “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe.” The English colonists we call Pilgrims celebrated days of thanksgiving as part of their religion as days of prayer, not feasting.

Yes, it’s a time of family and friends gathering, but as we sit around the feast together, we can’t thank each other, or aliens, or the “big bang” for giving us life, the sun, moon, trees, food, the earth, water, sky, sweet babies, and all the blessings we enjoy.

We read in Genesis that God spoke everything into being, and yet, many of us will be sharing turkey and dressing with people who don’t believe or discount the existence of God. They don’t know where they’re going when they die or where everything we enjoy on earth came from . . . and maybe they don’t even care.

They’ll walk out of the room when we pray before the meal, and may try to bait us into an argument over who we voted for and why. Maybe after a few drinks, their conversation will turn ugly, even though innocent young eyes are watching how the “adults” interact.

Daily, not just at Thanksgiving, my husband and I pray beseeching God to prepare us to be a light in the darkness . . . not to avoid the darkness because that would be the cowards way out . . . but to help us respond as if Jesus was standing behind us speaking through us. You’ve all been in situations where it seemed like Satan was standing behind or speaking through the other person. So how can we let Jesus reflect through us? Granted, some might not recognize Jesus . . . but they’ll see there’s something different about us.

14 Ways to Maintain Peace and Joy on Thanksgiving

As I prayed and talked to the Lord, here’s a list I hope will help all of us. I’d love to hear your ideas too.

Don’t worry what to say—“Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Mark 13:11 (Jesus was talking to his disciples if they were arrested, but I think it could apply to us too if we felt our faith or political beliefs was being tested or put on trial.)
Speak kind words—“Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Pr. 16:24 NLT
Strive for peace—“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18
Don’t instigate or respond to antagonistic discussions—“Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.” Pr. 26:17 NLT
Play with children present—“We will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.” Ps. 78:4 NLT
Don’t drink—“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 NLT
Smile, Smile, Smile—“Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.” Psalm 42:5 The Message
Listen—“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” Pr. 12:15 NLT
Take a deep breath and think before you speak—“There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.” Pr. 29:20 NLT
Less is more—“The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they?” Ecc. 6:11 NLT— There’s “A time to be quiet and a time to speak.” Ecc. 3:7 NLT
Pray mind prayers.—^“Pray continually.” 1 Thess. 5:17
Have a sign or word with others that signals: Change the subject if the conversation gets heated or move into another room.—“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” Ecc. 4:9
If you’re hosting—Thank God for each guest. Pray over your home and each chair at the table. Pray as you normally would at the meal, your guests know they’re coming to a Christian home.—“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 Peter 4:9
If you’re a guest—As you approach the home, pray to be a blessing. If your hosts don’t pray before the meal, bow your head and pray over your food as you normally would. — “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Gal. 5:22-23

Thanksgiving is a day for harmony and focusing on God and giving Him thanks and praise in whatever way He leads. Fiction writers have a saying: “Show don’t tell.” You don’t always have to speak Jesus with your words. Show Him with your actions. People will want what you have!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4 NLT

I give thanks for each of you who follow me on this Monday Morning Blog. I pray you have a joyful, peaceful, and God-filled Thanksgiving Day.

Memory Making Thanksgiving Tablecloth

In Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I share how to use your tablecloth as a conversation piece and a way to make memories for generations to come. Here is an excerpt from the book. I hope it gives you some ideas. I’ll be taking our Thankful Tablecloth with us this Thanksgiving to my daughter’s house. My grandchildren love to look back at their tiny handprints and drawings when they were toddlers and the comments written over the past twenty-one years.

When my breast cancer journey started, I became keenly aware of making memories with my family. At times like that, you think seriously about your mortality and the legacy you want to leave with your loved ones. You appreciate each new day of life. The sun rising every morning is an act of God to celebrate.

Holidays like Thanksgiving have new meaning. Typically, Thanksgiving is a celebration where family and friends gather for a feast, and everyone says what they’re thankful for in the past year. But after finishing the dishes and putting away the leftovers, how many really remember what everyone said?

Please leave a comment here and I’ll reply!

November 25, 2024

Return to top of page

5 Ways To Avoid Condoning Sin!

God hates sin and we should too! He sent his One and only Son, Jesus Christ, to a bloody cross to offer believers forgiveness for their inevitable sins not for a free pass to keep on sinning. Yet today, we see sin glorified, accepted, legitimatized, and even legalized in our culture and sadly, few churches or Christians are horrified by this affront on God or willing to speak out against it. Do you think that might be overstated or not true? How many pastors today are teaching about what the Bible says about condoning sin? Or even what is sin. Some churches and Christians have let the culture normalize sin and have adapted to it themselves.

What Does it Mean to Condone Sin?

Condoning sin means accepting sin. God doesn’t want Christians condoning sin as it leads to pain, destruction, and separation from Him.

The dictionary defines ‘condone’ as to regard or treat something bad or blameworthy as acceptable, forgivable, or harmless. Condoning sin means you accept, allow, and yes approve of that sin in your life and in the lives of others.

Sin is condoned in today’s culture. Many rationalize allowing sin to invade their own lives and the lives of others. Sins like murdering children through abortion, same-sex marriage, living together, gay or trans lifestyle . . . lying. A government that no longer respects God or His principles legalizes the mutilation, indoctrination, and sexual grooming of young children.

Some Christians are even afraid of speaking out against sin for fear of being called names or accused of “judging.” Recognizing sin for what it is–going against God and the Bible–is what Jesus, Peter, the disciples, and Paul spent their life doing to help people repent from a sinful life. We don’t say they were “judging.” We understand that they were trying to open peoples’ eyes to the truth that sin kills, and repentance saves. Yes, they all suffered for speaking out against sin, but many lives were saved because of their dedication to love people enough to help them change and turn from their wicked ways.

Yes, none are perfect and we all sin in our humanness, but our goal as Christians is to become aware of our sins, ask forgiveness, and as Jesus said to the woman at the well, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Jesus wasn’t judging her when He pointed out every sin she had ever done; He was offering her living water, which was Himself.

Paul wasn’t judging all the churches he wrote to when he pointed out their sins. He loved them enough to say the life you’re leading now is wrong and you must repent. Paul, Peter, the disciples, and Jesus never condoned sin and we as Jesus’ followers shouldn’t either! We take a stand for righteous living ourselves and encourage others to do the same. Their very life both here and in eternity could depend on it.

We don’t condemn, but we never condone sin regardless of how many sinful laws are passed! Christians remain steadfast to the truth in the Bible.

What Does the Bible Say about Condoning Sin?

There will always be sin in the world because Satan is the author of sin and as long as he’s allowed to roam around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, his intent is to entice with sin that opposes God’s ways. That’s exactly what sin is, going against God. You can profess to be a Christian, but if you’re willfully choosing to sin, you’re controlled by Satan not God. Sometimes we can’t see it in our own life, and we need other believers to gently, lovingly, and compassionately use Scripture to point out to us where we’ve slipped into Satan’s grip and bring us back into the fold.

Someone who had been previously married once asked me to condone her having sex with her boyfriend since neither of them were virgins anymore what did it matter? It mattered because God’s Word says sex is between a husband and wife. Again, like Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, the man you’re living with now is not your husband. That’s a sin.

Others want justification to live together for financial reasons. God can’t bless something He condemns for any reasons. Parents want to condone gay or transgender lifestyle because their children have fallen into that sinful trap, but it’s still heartbreaking sin.

The entire Bible addresses not living in or condoning sin but repelling it. Here are a few refresher verses, but there are so many more.

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: ¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, ¹⁹a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. Pr. 6:16-19

Do you ever feel like God isn’t hearing your prayers? Could it be you’re condoning sin in your own life, the culture, or someone near you?

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Is. 59:2

²³For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 6:23

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Acts 3:19-20

²⁶If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, ²⁷but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Heb. 10:26-27

The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; ⁶ you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest. Ps. 5:5-6

No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 1 John 3:6

But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 1 John 3:8-9 NLT

Following is where God through Paul clearly spells out His definition of sin and God’s response. God’s wrath against sinful humanity that we see tolerated today is reflected in these verses. Read them carefully.

¹⁸The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

²¹For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

²⁶Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. ²⁷In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

²⁸Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. ³²Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. Rom. 1:18-32

5 Ways We Can Avoid Condoning Sin

1. Pray for God to Give Us Wisdom to Confront Sin

Many use Matt. 7:1 as an excuse not to confront sin in others because they consider it judging and God will be the final judge. It’s true that God will be the final judge, but we are His hands and feet on earth helping spare others of the final judgement of eternity in hell. We don’t judge by comparing them to ourselves or thinking less of them. We love them enough to want to see them repent, be saved, and live a life pleasing to God.

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ²Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Gal. 6:1-2

2. It’s Biblical to Confront a Fellow Believer Who Is Sinning.

When we see a fellow Christian sinning, maybe cheating on their spouse or at work, using drugs, swearing, mistreating their family, sleeping around, we’re called on to lovingly confront them, pray with them, and encourage them to repent.

¹⁵“If your brother or sister^[^a^] sins,^[^b^] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ Matt. 18:15-16

3. We Can’t Condone Sin in the Life of Our Family, Friends, or Self.

In Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, I shared that my daughter always felt loved, but I never condoned her living with her boyfriend. I didn’t treat them as a couple. Just because it’s our child who’s choosing a sinful lifestyle, it’s still a sin and an affront to God. We compromise our own faith when we accept or condone wrong behavior . . . especially in our own life. I acknowledged my sins to God and my daughter and asked forgiveness for the times I’d sinned while raising her.

We always extend unconditional love, but never bend in our beliefs. We pray for our family and friends like their life depended on it, because it does.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Eph. 4:15

4. Take Action!

It’s easier to look the other way and not get involved, but as we watch sin legalized, even codified, in our country, how can we as concerned Christian citizens condone sin? We must speak out against it. Vote against it. Support candidates who condemn legalizing sin.

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Is. 5:20

5. Overcome Fear!

It can be uncomfortable to take action against sin because you’re taking a chance of being called all sorts of unpleasant names or rebuffed. But if you live so that everyone knows you’re a righteous follower of Christ, who cares what they call you? Our goal is to please an audience of One, Jesus Christ, not man.

For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. 1 Pet. 2:1 NLT

Staying Silent is Condoning Sin

With every law passed condoning sin, it not only affects us, but future generations. Avoiding the confrontation of sin isn’t the way of the Holy Spirit. When you encounter sin, you’ll be convicted to say or do something. God will give you the opportunity and the words. It’s up to us to humbly, but boldly, follow the Lord’s leading. He will put words in our mouth. Yes, God is a God of grace, but Paul puts it best.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Rom. 3:23-24

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ²By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death [to sin]? Rom. 6:1-3

Why am I talking about sin today? Because we’re watching blatant sin exposed and indulged everywhere and the world is in turmoil. All the signs are here that the rapture could be coming soon. As the opening picture depicts, people get ready, Jesus is coming! Keep looking up!

Please leave a comment here and I will reply.

There won’t be a blog for the next two weeks, but I’ll close out the month with my newsletter. If you don’t receive my monthly About His Work newsletter you can sign up for free here.

July 8, 2024

Return to top of page

The Great Debate that Begs the Question: Who is the Real Commander in Chief of the United States?

This week, we cautiously and with trepidation anticipate the celebration of July 4^th in remembrance of our great country winning independence from under the rule of England. So why do I use the descriptive words “cautiously” and “trepidation” when this is typically a day of joyous celebratory parties and BBQs in backyards, parks, and beaches commencing in nighttime fireworks displays? Because most Americans are asking and concerned about, “Whose rule are we under now?”

During the June 27th presidential debate between former President Trump and current President Biden, the world could no longer deny that Biden is president in title only. It doesn’t matter your political or religious persuasion, nationality, or ideology . . . it’s evident to the world that someone else, or a cabal, is running our country and probably has been since January 22, 2021. Americans aren’t truly free or independent right now. An unelected person or people are making decisions and executive actions destroying our free republic. We’re entitled to know who ‘they’ are. Instead of pondering and speculating, Congress should be demanding and investigating answers!

Hal Lindsey put it best in his blog of June 30, 2024:

“If you watched the US Presidential debate on June 27th, you don’t need me to tell you what you saw. If you are a Democrat, the debate probably left you at least somewhat troubled. If you are a Republican, you probably feel that your guy won. Still, I don’t see Republicans dancing in the street. (Come to think of it, I’ve never seen Republicans dancing in the street.) You might expect exuberance from Republicans at so large a perceived victory. Instead, I see Americans of all political persuasions held in the grip of a deep sense of unease.”

Did you ever think we would be living in a time when love of country, respect for the American Flag, and standing for the National Anthem would become controversial? Who is deeming patriotism as racist, toxic, and deplorable?

The federal government is attempting to divide Americans into identity groups and pit them against each other. Children are taught in school to judge each other by skin color and question their own biological gender! Young children are castrated with their bodies surgically mutilated while a “Biden” trans official pressures the woke organization “The World Professional Association of Transgender Health” (WPATH) to eliminate limits on sex-change procedures for minors?! (Did you even know there was an association like that?)

A radial climate hoax is ruining our economy while millions of unvetted illegals from all countries, including our enemies, storm our open borders. Men invade women’s sports and private areas. DEI replaces Dependable, Expert, Intelligent, and even Skilled. College students protest in favor of terrorists . . . and the list goes on and on and on . . .

Can America Be Saved?

It’s alarming what’s happening in our federal and some state governments, but what’s even more alarming is that many people think merely electing someone else will solve all our problems. It will certainly help, but since the current administration’s agenda is demonic, the only real way to fight Satan is with a populace who understands and appreciates the power of God and persistent prayer while voting their values and beliefs! America must repent and turn to God not government to save our country.

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Hal Lindsey continues . . .

“We have good reason for concern. As a nation, we are not embracing the self-discipline needed to maintain liberty. We are not repentant over our national sins. The nation tends to put its hope in men and technology — not in God. . . Maybe your side’s winning in the presidential race this year, or maybe — for the moment at least — it’s not. Either way, this is a time for humility and repentance. We are in trouble as a nation, and the answer is to turn to God our Father.”

I love the song “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood, and I sing along with him, especially the lines, “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.” But I’m even prouder to be a Christian American! A follower of Jesus Christ.

The current administrative cabal and the Democrat party are not loyal to America or proud to be American. They continually denounce us as a racist country and claim half the population, at least those who are conservative, Christian, white, drive pickups, and wave American flags, are a threat to our country?!

Instead, they’re attempting to see how far to the extreme Socialist, Communist, Marxist, tribal, racist, liberal, progressive left they can take America. They’re turning America into a country our forefathers wouldn’t recognize. A country where men and women of all colors gave, and continue to give, their lives to defend.

If you’re saying don’t make the 4^th of July political—Independence Day marked the initiation of politics!

A Pop 4^th of July Quiz

Have you watched a man-on-the-street interview asking people if they know facts about our country’s history? It’s embarrassing. I wonder how many could answer questions about the 4^th of July and why it’s a national holiday?

“What does July 4^th stand for?”

From what country did America fight to win their freedom?
Why is July 4^th Independence Day?
What year was the Declaration of Independence signed and adopted?
What is the significance of 13 stripes and 50 stars?
Why are our patriotic colors red, white, and blue?
What does a national flag represent?
Why are caskets of fallen soldiers wrapped in the American flag?
Why do we have fireworks on the 4^th of July?

How about asking these questions and offering a prize to the one who knows the most answers at your 4^th of July gathering. Here’s a website with a succinct overview: History of the Fourth of July – Brief History & Early Celebrations – HISTORY

So much of our history is lost in a culture that is trying to rewrite it and has forgotten our Christian roots. Liberal left progressive politicians want to erase our heritage as if it never happened and turn a republic of freedoms into a country of government socialistic control. They make it sound like the freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness isn’t as valuable as the carrots they dangle of free healthcare, free college, free immigration free… free…which the naïve lap up without realizing nothing is free. Americans will pay the price with the loss of sovereignty and personal freedoms that so many brave soldiers gave their life to grant each of us. It will cost us dearly in taxes, independence, and quality of life.

Since the Biden cabal and “sanctuary states” want to give illegals free health insurance, they’ll need to put more than a 70% increase on our taxes to pay for it. How good do you think that healthcare is going to be when stretched to the limits with no money to back it and millions of extra people getting it for “free?” That’s why whoever is running the White House hasn’t given specifics of how they would achieve this.

Some politicians have said we’re the only major country without socialized healthcare. What Americans need to remember is the entire point of July 4th is we didn’t want to be like other nations. Other nations come to America for medical treatment. People are not migrating to other countries or invading other country’s borders; they come to America because we aren’t like other nations. The White House cabal has put out the welcome mat at the expense and threat to American citizens who are being murdered, raped, and robbed.

We Must Return to Our Roots!

For those who try to say we weren’t founded on Judeo Christian values, how do you explain our currency’s motto, “In God We Trust” NOT “In the government we trust”? While the liberal progressive socialist left tries moving our country away from God, Christians must stand in the gap and keep America a blessed nation under God.

The 4^th of July celebrates the fight for freedom to be different from other countries. A republic of the people, by the people, and for the people. Where the government works for us NOT controls us.

As you plan your festivities—parades, BBQs, fireworks, pool parties, trips to the beach—how about starting those events with the Pledge of Allegiance, singing the National Anthem, and a prayer to God who has allowed us to live in this great country.

Remind children at the gatherings why you’re celebrating this holiday. Our generation must pass down to the next generation our country’s history and why we don’t want to repeat past mistakes. God has allowed each American to live in the greatest nation in the world, so far. Have you ever opened your eyes in the morning and said thank you God I’m an American? If we take God, freedom, and patriotism out of America, we won’t be able to say that anymore.

Let’s take a stand for what the majority of American people really want and deserve— A country that honors God and His Word first and foremost! Honors our flag and those who went before us to secure our freedoms. A fair justice system that adheres to the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of the United States of America!

May God bless America and may America be worthy of His blessing!

The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. Zech. 14:9

Please leave a comment here and I will reply!

July 1, 2024

Return to top of page

6 Ways to Respond to Vileness, Vitriol, and Violence

Last week, I wrote about a local business owner, Mark Fitzpatrick, who decided to counter “gay pride” month with “Heterosexual Awesomeness Month” at his establishment, The Old State Saloon (OSS) in Eagle, Idaho. Here’s the link to that blog if you haven’t read it yet. I did preface there that while we don’t drink, many restaurants we eat at do have a bar, we just don’t imbibe. Old Sate Saloon is no different, so they have our full support. Mark is a vocal Christian and I’ve since learned there’s a Bible Study on Sunday mornings at OSS for people who might never set foot in a church. Their Facebook post today, Saturday, as I’m writing this week’s blog read: “Don’t forget! Bible study Sunday morning at 10 am. This week we have a special guest teacher, David McClellan, who will be covering Ephesians 3.”

Their regular Sunday morning Bible study teacher wrote on OSS’s Facebook page: “Some people raise their eyebrows when they learn I teach a Bible study each Sunday morning in a Saloon. If you’re in the Treasure Valley, it’s 50 E State Street in Eagle. Start time is 10 am … we wrap up no later than 11. Everyone 21+ is welcome.” With that, he posted the opening meme in this article.

Mark Fitzpatrick’s fun, yet bold and firm, stand for heterosexuality and his Christian faith has gone viral across the nation, but predictably it’s also brought out vileness and vitriol on the Old State Saloon’s social media pages. So far, praise God, I haven’t heard of any violence, which we’ve prayed against for him all month. Mark said in the beginning that he was surprised at the vile vitriol in social media comments on their Facebook page and they would be removing any offensive comments using slander, foul language, or profanity.

I posted my last week’s blog, God Created Us Heterosexual and Idaho Celebrates That As Awesome, on OSS’s Facebook page, and as you might expect, the hate and vitriol flowed along with self-righteous comments. I’m sure many were also trolls with nothing better to do than write nasty, profane, and often heinous verbal attacks. I’ve learned to never engage with these sick people and just ignore them as they pour out their vitriol against my ministry, Christianity, and me.

I actually feel sorry for each one as I read their hateful ignorant slander with blasphemous memes against Jesus and Christians. Tragic that they’re living a lie and resort to vicious vileness that I doubt they’d be willing to say to Mark or my face. I doubt some of them even read my blog because no one left a comment on my website post. They were looking for a bigger audience on OSS’s Facebook page, which has attracted hundreds of comments since the publicizing of Heterosexual Awesomeness Month special events.

As I’ve been writing and speaking in the public forum for years, I’m not naive that people exist who troll on their phone or computers looking for an opportunity to spew vile words, while calling you hateful names and slinging accusations. They’re lost, deceived, maybe lonely, and either have never heard the Gospel or have rejected it. They need prayer, but not indulgence. They want you to respond so they can keep going, but when you ignore them, they don’t know if you’ve even read what they wrote. That surely frustrates them. What a sorry way to live!

Satan’s Offensive Playbook is Vileness, Vitriol, and Violence!

In the wake of the horrific Hamas attack on Israel, we’re watching violence on college campuses. Brainwashed kids protesting in favor of terrorists and creating mayhem are being allowed to setup encampments on the campuses, until they inevitably start destroying and defacing property. Sometimes they’re not even arrested or held accountable. It’s as if the college administrators are afraid of the students or think if they indulge them, they’ll get tired and go away. These kids obviously were never taught how to peacefully, politely, and intelligently express their viewpoint. Often, they have no idea what or why they’re even protesting. But they do know how to express vileness, vitriol, and violence!

Vile language and behavior, profane vitriol, and destructive violence do not come from the Holy Spirit, Jesus, or God. That means the only other spirit in our world, a satanic evil spirit, is producing this behavior. Have you noticed on the news during clips of violent protests or gay parades and speeches, all you hear are bleep, bleep, bleep, because the media can’t let those vile profanities be heard on television. So, the protestors aren’t saying anything intelligent, just a series of bleeps

Public TV also can’t show the true vileness of the lewd acts being performed in the streets during gay parades, often in front of little children, so you’re only seeing sanitized short clips, which are bad enough. And what about parents who expose young children to these vile obscenities and actions instead of protecting them from profanity and sexual lewdness?! These parents are letting their children be mentally and visually influenced by obscenity and immorality. Normalizing it as acceptable. After all, if your parents think it’s okay, it must be okay.

The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. Pr. 23:24 NLT

Adults and children persuaded by satanic actions and rituals instead of godly purity and morals are opening themselves up to demonic behavior. I doubt the parents taking their children to gay parades or drag queen story hours are taking them to Sunday school. A power play of Satan versus God. We know who wins in the end, but how many souls will be lost along the way.

The Bible tells of people possessed or influenced by demons. From these examples, we can find some symptoms of demonic influence and gain insight as to how a demon possesses someone. Here are some of the biblical passages: Matthew 9:32-33; 12:22; 17:18; Mark 5:1-20; 7:26-30; Luke 4:33-36; Luke 22:3; Acts 16:16-18.

Demon possession is not always as dramatic as in biblical times, but it can cause the individual to say and perform evil acts. Judas being the main example. Or King Saul, after rebelling against the LORD, was troubled by an evil spirit (1 Samuel 16:14-15; 18:10-11; 19:9-10) with the apparent effect of a depressed mood and an increased desire to kill David. There’s a wide variety of possible symptoms of demon possession, such as a physical impairment that can’t be attributed to an actual physiological problem, a personality change such as depression or aggression, supernatural strength, immodesty, antisocial behavior, violent anger, spewing obscenities, lewdness, and sexual depravity.

In Judas’ case, he opened his heart to evil by his greed (John 12:6).Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve (Luke 22:3). So, it’s possible that if one allows his heart to be ruled by some habitual sin, it becomes an invitation for a demon to enter, which always leads to ungodly behavior and a mindset against God as the apostle Paul told us in the following verses.

²¹Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. . . ²⁴So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. ²⁵They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. ²⁶That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. ²⁷And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

²⁸Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. ²⁹Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. ³⁰They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. . . Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:21, 24-29, 32 NLT.

So How Should Christians Respond?

If you’re encountering vileness, vitriol, or threats of violence on social media or in person, here’s how I try to handle it. Maybe it will help you too.

Don’t try to one up, reason with, or engage them.

Attempting to change their mind is unlikely to succeed, but it will usually intensify the debate and consume considerable time and energy. Even though you’re sure you have the perfect response, in my experience, I’ve never seen anyone concede or surrender their opinion or verbal attack. Typically, they become more hostile while their vile vitriol escalates.

Ignore them.

I know that’s hard to do because you want to help them see the truth, but they’re just looking for an argument and you’ll only become more frustrated and irritated yourself.

Delete their comments and consider blocking them.

You’re not obligated to leave their vitriol on your social media and blocking them will prevent them from returning. You can also report them to the social media administrator. A troll is just looking for an argument and you have better things to do with your time.

In person, change the subject.

Offer your point of view if you want, but if the conversation is deteriorating, tell them to have a blessed day and move on. Don’t ever let Satan cause you to match their vileness, vitriol, or violent behavior.

Pray for them.

Hard as it is, Jesus tells us to love and pray for our enemies (Matt. 5:44-45). Maybe, just maybe, their eyes will open and the blinders fall off because they’re headed for a mental, emotional, and spiritual crash, if not already there. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Eph. 6:18

Our offensive playbook is the Word of God, the Holy Bible.

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Eph. 6:17

The apostle Paul also advised, Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Rom. 12:18 NLT

Please leave your comment here. I reply to all your comments and appreciate receiving them.

June 17, 2024

Return to top of page

No More Recreational Christianity!

You might be thinking, “Well I’m a Christian and I enjoy recreation!” I do too. I’m not talking about squelching fun in fact I encourage it. In the context of this blog, I’m using recreational as light, undemanding, even entertaining, Christianity.

Christian living encompasses an obligation beyond what feels good or is easy and comfortable. God isn’t expecting us to be the smartest person in heaven. He’s going to be more interested in how we used the gifts and talents He gave us to further His kingdom here on earth to overcome pervasive evil.

Yes, being a Christian goes beyond fellowshipping and enjoying the company of like-minded believers, even beyond our personal spiritual maturity, although these are all important elements of our Christian life. But even more important is our willingness to go where Christ calls us to go and do what He says to do. I’m not suggesting going on the mission field, unless that’s where you feel God calling you. When we look around us with discernment, we see a huge mission field of evil engulfing our world from the government to the schools.

It’s easy to think there’s nothing we can do about it. Or, who are we to get involved? I would answer, “We’re Christians. That’s who we are and that’s why we do get involved. If not us, than who? If not now, then when?”

The Bible tells every Christian, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.” Pr. 31:8 NLT

Right now, our children and grandchildren are being crushed by evil in a secular culture that sees them as innocent prey. In schools. Libraries. Entertainment. The medical profession. Satan puts a bullseye on children he can’t murder in the womb.

Abortion is a sacrament of Satan. It’s demonic. Satan knows he can’t kill God, so he breaks God’s heart by killing or deceiving God’s creation using demonic industries like Planned Parenthood that performs the majority of abortions and is one of the top producers of gender alternation medications. Assaults on children by Planned Parenthood, the medical profession, and the Democrat transgender agenda are evil golden cash cows.

I found myself yelling at the television when Democrat Congressman Jerry Nadler told Congress we need more illegal immigrants because Americans are having less babies and our population is diminishing. He admitted the Dems do have a plan to replace American citizens with illegals. I wanted someone to tell him, “The population is decreasing because the Democrats support the murder of babies, transgenderism, and castrating, mutilating, and chemically sterilizing young children!” That’s not a political statemen; it’s factual.

You might think we won the battle of abortion when Roe v Wade was overturned. While that was an amazing accomplishment, the battle is far from over as each state now sets its own abortion laws and Biden is trying to codify abortion as the law of the land. Every time a red state passes strict abortion regulations, the Biden Administration sues that state! The Federal government has also approved abortion pills mailed into states that prohibit the sale of them, like Idaho where I live. That’s why abortion will be a central part of the Presidential campaign. Sadly, many pro-life politicians have been defeated. There are a number of pro-abortion Republicans in both the Senate and Congress who have either bought the “healthcare” lie or aren’t willing to tell the truth about abortion. They compromise to win.

I was happy to see our Idaho legislature changing the terminology for our state to reflect the true sanctity of life. Fetus and stillborn fetus are now replaced with preborn child and stillborn child.

I know you’ve seen an infant recently in your family, church, or community. What a blessing that child is but we weep for all the precious lives ended before they could begin. Only those deceived by Satan would champion indiscriminate sex over a precious conceived life. If you study this issue, you quickly learn that Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, first called Planned Parenthood the American Birth Control League. She’s credited with originating the term birth control. Research shows that her intent was that women could have sexual pleasure without the responsibility of pregnancy. It also involved eugenics, as she wanted to eliminate blacks and any child with potential birth defects. Straight from Satan’s playbook.

I challenge you to find anywhere in the Bible where God, the Creator of life, uses the term birth control, or espouses the concept of humans, instead of God, controlling birth. Just the opposite. Man also thinks he can control the weather. Again, trying to usurp God.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Gen. 1:28

An atheistic mind that believes there is no God, concludes there’s no need or respect for human life. It’s a false humanism religion denying that we are both body and soul. Exactly where our secular culture is today and yet so often the church is afraid to talk about this or expose the satanic repercussions. We’d rather talk about things that make us feel good—recreational entertaining Christianity instead of righteously effective Christianity.

Planned Parenthood is also behind pornography and “Sex Ed for Social Change” in schools, school libraries, and public libraries. If they can corrupt innocent minds with sex and sexual deviations, they control them for life. Those who are paying attention can clearly see this is all a prelude to normalizing sex with children, pedophilia. It’s already happening as we saw in the movie Sound of Freedom. Child sex trafficking rings are prevalent, especially with the border invasion. Horrible stories appear in the news like videotaping toddlers being sexually abused while perverts attempt to lower the age of sexual consent for children!

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matt. 18:6

Does that seem too extreme to be true? Many of us can remember when sex outside of marriage was taboo. Virginity was cherished. Living together before marriage was unacceptable, and if a couple got pregnant, they got married. Sex, nudity, couples in bed together, multiple lovers, and promiscuity weren’t allowed on television. Now it’s all been normalized and somehow Christians let it happen.

Let marriage be kept honorable in every way, and the marriage bed undefiled. For God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery. Heb. 213:4

Every Christian must defend morality! One day, we’re all going to stand before God and He’s going to ask what did you do, or not do, about the evil corruption in your culture.

I would encourage you to listen to this YouTube conversation with Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills and Seth Gruger who has a Pro Life Ministry, A White Rose. I learned that Pastor Hibbs is an abortion survivor. In his teens, he overheard his mother telling someone that a neighbor discovered his mother mutilating herself by trying to abort him with a coat hanger. After three weeks in the hospital, Pastor Hibbs’ life was saved. He didn’t understand the complete impact of his rescue until he later became a Christian. How many future pastors, presidents, inventors, physicians, missionaries, parents, musicians, athletes . . . God’s children . . . weren’t rescued and saved? If you’ve ever heard Pastor Hibbs preach or speak, you know he’s living out his purpose.

We were all saved and called to a purpose that promotes God’s kingdom here on earth. We must discover that purpose and fulfill it for the Lord’s glory!

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30

Update on Our Local Library

Some of you have been following my unexpected and unplanned role spearheading the removal of obscene and pornographic books targeted for children in our local library. You can read the history in my blogs Jesus Reveals the Opposing Fathers of Truth and Lies and Be Alert for Where and When the Lord Wants You to Get Involved!

As an update, a friend and I accepted an invitation to meet with the librarian who at first was determined that we were censors. But after talking with us, she agreed to amend the board minutes referring to us as “people in favor of censorship” and suggested I send a letter to the library board asking them to review the books according to Idaho’s definition of pornography.

In God’s perfect timing, our Idaho Legislature’s House State Affairs Committee has introduced a new bill for libraries to either remove or move to a designated “Adults Only” section of the library “harmful materials” directed to minors, or materials that include “nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sado-masochistic abuse.” Under the Legislatures definition of “sexual conduct this includes any act of homosexuality. With this new legislation, students, parents and legal guardians could fill out a written notice to libraries asking to relocate a library item that they deem “harmful” to the adult section. A library that doesn’t comply would be fined.

There was a similar law last year that made its way to Governor Little’s desk and he vetoed it. One Republican vote prevented overriding the veto. They’ve revised the bill according to the changes the governor asked for and are hoping to get this one passed. I’m happy to see Republicans didn’t give up, as I haven’t given up.

I’m not telling you this story for pats on the back or an at-a-girl. I’m sharing it to make the point that we never know where God is going to “call” us to get involved for a just cause. I would’ve never predicted I would be enmeshed, let alone the spokeswoman, for this issue in our little town, but God knew. Therefore, I can’t be deterred or dissuaded. Instead, I ask for prayer and go where He leads and change is happening for the good. I want to encourage each one of you to do the same.

When Hobby Lobby won the case in the Supreme Court to not be required to offer abortion in their employee’s insurance plans, California sent a letter to churches that California wasn’t going to abide by the ruling and churches would be required to offer abortion to their employees. Pastor Hibbs went to battle against it and eight years later, won!

We know God’s truth and we must stand our ground for it wherever God has planted us!

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. ¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matt. 5:13-16

⁴The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ⁶And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. 2 Cor. 10:4-6

Please leave a comment here and check back for my reply.

January 15, 2024

Return to top of page

10 Ways to Share the Gift of Jesus This Christmas

If you go online and search lists of words that best characterize Christmas, you’ll find words like gifts, family, friends, decorations, busyness, happy, magical, celebration, dazzling, lights, baking, winter, shopping etc. Those are all appropriate words that apply to Christmas, but sadly when most people think of Christmas, they don’t think in biblical terms unless they’re Christians. Even some Christians busily preparing for Christmas don’t readily consider the foundational reason for Christmas. Instead, many first think of words that describe the commercial, cultural, and even secular aspects of Christmas.

Some people, like the Pro-terrorists-Hamas activists at New York City Rockefeller Center’s tree lighting ceremony, are suggesting that Christmas be canceled this year! How dare they? How quickly they forget that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus! Or could it be because Jesus was a Jew that’s exactly why they want it canceled?

Christmas is also a federal holiday formally recognized in the United States by the House of Representatives, the Senate, and President Ulysses S Grant who signed a bill designating Christmas into law as a legal holiday in 1870. It’s actually the only federal Christian holiday, even though it has become greatly secularized. So to even suggest Christmas be canceled, you know it’s the work of the enemy trying to deny the Christian celebration of our Lord and Savior’s birth, a Jew born in Judea in the city of Bethlehem.

Federal businesses have attempted to prohibit employees from showing any Christmas displays because “it might offend someone who doesn’t believe in Christmas.” Denying Christmas is offensive to me! It’s a weak excuse that should offend every Christian and be illegal.

Christmas is a federal holiday whether it offends someone or not. Post offices, banks, schools, federal offices close on Christmas. Secularists in schools now call Easter a “Spring break” and since it falls on Sunday, they’ve gotten away with minimizing the Christian significance. But not so with Christmas and we must not let them. Every employee in every business should be allowed to decorate their desk or work area for Christmas.

As we watch the Islamist countries joining against the tiny country of Jews in Israel, God’s chosen Holy Land, while activists and protesters threaten Jews in America, you can be sure that Christians are next. We must never bend or succumb to any attempts to change language or prohibit the public celebration of our Savior’s birth or His resurrection. Even though the Christmas tree isn’t biblical, it’s associated with Christmas even at the White House, so Christmas trees and manger scenes should be allowed in public places.

BTW—the heart of the word Christmas is Christ! The English term “Christmas” comes from the combination of the words “mass” and “Christ. Never forget that it’s CHRISTmas!

**What Can Christians Do to Remind People of the True Meaning of Christmas?**

Unfortunately, this year Christmas won’t be celebrated as usual in Bethlehem. The city’s municipality announced the traditional Christmas decorations and lights in Manger Square “will not be put up in an effort to show solidarity with those suffering in Gaza.” Bethlehem Pastor Stephen Khoury doesn’t agree with the decision. “So if they want to not do the light celebrations, that’s fine. I don’t like it, but it’s a decision. They’re not holding us back from doing prayer services and doing a Christian religious service. They’re not holding us back or stopping us from doing that.”

In a CBN article by Chris Mitchell, “As Christmas Decorations Go Dark in Bethlehem, Pastor Shines Light of Jesus with Tent Display,” Pastor Khoury outlined his plan to keep the focus of Christmas on Jesus. “So, here’s what we’re doing: where we tell people to let the lights go out, but let the light of Christ shine, let the decorations be taken down, but let the symbol of Christ’s promise be heard, and stand – what we’re doing in the month of December, and probably till the early January is, we’re going to set up a tent.”

“We’re going to call it the nativity encounter Christmas tent, the Hope tent,” Khoury told us. This nativity encounter tent is, we’re going to get people to walk through this tent . . . And it’s a Bible discovery experience. And people can feel –touch something – dealing with what it would have looked like during Christ’s days in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. And they walk out the other side getting the message that the miracle has happened here.”

“We are bringing it back to ground zero and that the Christmas season, it’s about Jesus. He’s the reason for this season. And that’s what I plan to do throughout Christmas. And we invite the world to pray, to stand and to come volunteer with us at this tent,” he said.

That started me thinking about ways Christians could keep the focus on Jesus Christ this Christmas. I love how Samaritan’s Purse, who does the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, sends their teams to help in areas of crisis, disaster, and pandemics like Covid, always making it clear they’re helping and serving in the name of Jesus Christ as they share the Gospel wherever they go. Even the shoeboxes include the Gospel message.

How can we imitate a similar outreach as individuals this Christmas and openly share the true reason for Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His birthday should be a reminder of the reason He humbled Himself to come into the world as a baby to die on a cross to offer forgiveness and eternal life to you, me, and everyone who believes in Him.

Following are 10 ideas to share the gift of Christmas with others, remembering that helping others actually helps us. I’m sure you can think of more.

Give the Gift of Encouragement. Instead of writing letters to Santa, have children write letters to people who need encouragement this Christmas or include them in your Christmas card list. For example: military, first responders, police, medical staff, nursing home residents, or hospital patients. Be sure to include a Scripture or two from the biblical Christmas story.

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 1 Thess. 5:11 NLT

Give the Gift of Hope. Adopt a disadvantaged family in your church or community. Bless them with Christmas presents like age-appropriate Bibles, Christian authored books, personal necessities, toys, or provide a special meal. Include a Gospel track* with the food and goodies. Ask if you can pray with them for any prayer requests.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. Eph. 1:18 NLT

Give the Gift of Joy. Find simple ways to bring a smile to someone’s face during the Christmas season. For example, pay for the car behind you at a drive-through and give the cashier/server a Gospel track* to include with their order. Give an extra track to the server and be sure to leave a nice tip.

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Ps. 16:11 NLT

Give the Gift of Kindness. Offer your time and energy to someone in need. Hang lights for an elderly neighbor or help decorate their house. Wrap presents for an overwhelmed new mom or someone recovering from an illness or surgery.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Col. 3:12 NLT

Give the Gift of Words. Speak words of affirmation and affection to your friends, family, customer service, waiters/waitresses, store employees . . . Take time to write a personal note in your Christmas cards or Christmas letter.

Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Pr. 16:24

Give the Gift of Faith. Read the biblical Christmas story with your family. If you read a chapter in the Book of Luke starting December 1, you’ll finish on Christmas Eve. You still have time to catch up. Look for opportunities to talk about what Christ’s birth means for your life today.

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. Heb. 11:1-3 NLT

Give the Gift of Peace. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, and the unsettling news reports, set aside at least one “silent night” a week for the family to be home. Light a fire if you have a fireplace, curl up with cups of hot chocolate or tea, play worship Christmas music, and take a few moments to rest and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Give the Gift of Hospitality. Invite someone to your home who may not have family close by or host a Christmas open house for your neighbors, friends, family, fellow workers, or Bible study group.

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 1 Pet. 4:9 NLT

Give the Gift of Time. Help nursing home residents write Christmas letters and read the Christmas story to them from the Bible. Offer to baby-sit so busy parents can go on a date or Christmas shopping together. Spend a few hours volunteering at a shelter. Help with Christmas festivities or services at your church or community.

Serve one another humbly in love. Gal. 5:13

Give the Gift of Love. Presents under the tree won’t make you or anyone else happy for long, but the presence of Jesus will! The happiest Christians are evangelistic all the time, not just at Christmas. Engage people with the love of God.

“Love is never wasted for its value does not rest upon reciprocity.” C.S. Lewis

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave^[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NLT

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹²And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12 NLT

*You can purchase Gospel tracks from places like Christianbook.com, but I also found a Souls for Christ Ministry that offers free printable tracks to make yourself.

If you missed my November newsletter, the opening article is “An Urgent Message of Christmas” and includes my Christmas poem “Time to Sit with You.” Here’s the link.

Please leave a comment here and share your thoughts and ideas with others. I reply to every comment.

December 4, 2023

Return to top of page

Be Alert for Where and When the Lord Wants You to Get Involved!

If you follow me regularly, you know I’m always challenging my readers to be Christians of action and not just full of biblical knowledge. It’s one thing to know the Bible; it’s another to live the Bible. The Lord wants us to do both. Not only be knowers of the Word, but also doers. In our volatile world today, we don’t have to look far for where we can get involved in promoting good where evil is invading our culture.

It’s easy and comfortable to be armchair critics where we sit on the couch and watch on television, social media, or our electronics the world atrocities contradicting reason and right. We complain about how insanely wrong things are today.

We might even gather in groups and discuss our opinions and complaints, but talk is powerless unless we put our disgust and distress into some kind of positive action to make a difference.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22

There was a time when our frustration focused mostly on the world stage or maybe even centered on our government, but Satan is shooting his flaming arrows into our neighborhoods, families, schools, and yes, even, our churches.

We’re watching horrific pictures and narratives of evil at its worst as satanic barbarians attempt to wipe out the country of Israel. An evil attempted genocide of Jews we never expected to occur again after the Holocaust. How could this current atrocity happen to one of America’s allies and the people God has called His chosen?

I think some of the surprise attack came from relying on technology that can always be hacked or fail. Also, complacency and apathy to the reality that until Jesus returns for His church, Satan really is the ruler of the world.

We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. 1 John 5:19 NLT

We must remain alert to the enemy’s tactics, which are ALWAYS evil and destructive with the motive of deception and denial of God’s principles.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

Complacency masquerading as “tolerance” has allowed the enemy to infiltrate almost every area of life today. Americans think we’ll never be blindsided by a 9-11 style attack again. We take our shoes off and go through metal detectors and put our liquids in 2 oz. bottles to board an airplane because that was the vehicle of evil used the last time, while millions of illegals flood our borders and throw away their passports and ID’s once inside so they can assume new identities in America. Why would anyone want to do that? You know it isn’t for good. Are we ready? Is the church ready?

I’m not talking provisionally ready; I’m talking spiritually ready. Are our loved ones ready? Are we willing to reach out with the gospel to those who aren’t?

Yes, it can be uncomfortable. Inconvenient. Unpopular. Challenging. Scary. But when I find myself in those situations, I rely on the promise God gives us in Luke 21:14-15 . . .

¹⁴ Don’t worry about what you will say to defend yourselves. ¹⁵I will give you the wisdom to know what to say. None of your enemies will be able to oppose you or to say that you are wrong. Luke 21:14-15 CEV

My Recent Getting Involved Experience

I hope you know I would never challenge you to do something I’m not willing to do myself. My mantra for years has been that the church, you and me, need to get involved in our local communities to right any wrongs that God brings to our attention. I’ve also said that we shouldn’t look only at the national level, but open our eyes to what’s going on in our own backyards. Maybe it will be running for office or actively supporting candidates who support our values. Every position is important from school boards to library boards.

I also would encourage you to investigate Christian-based organizations keeping a pulse on what’s happening in your area. I follow several in Idaho and one of those is Freedom Foundation. I receive their emails which often expose unethical issues in our state and draw our attention to pray over, and if we feel the Lord leading, to get involved. Since I live in a very small rural community most of the issues I read about are not in our area. But several weeks ago, there was an email from the Freedom Foundation addressing sexually obscene, pornographic, inappropriate books for children discovered in our local community library.

How could I ignore this? I couldn’t. So at first, I just posted the article on my social media page and a community social media page. Little did I know I was starting a firestorm! The comment attacks were fast and furious. I have to admit I was shocked that so many people were in favor of these books.

My main question was why were the books in our library? What was the purpose in making them available to our local children? But instead of answers, I received attacks on Christianity and my “morals,” although I never said I was a Christian. But it seems if you took a moral view of this atrocity, you must be a Christian. I was told, “keep your morals in your church.” I wondered what kind of “morals” the accusers had.

I learned there was a “Material Reconsideration Form” we could fill out to request these books be removed from the library. So I announced the situation to my church congregation and asked others to join me in filling out the forms. I was encouraged that many did. The two-sided form wasn’t easy to fill out and it required reviewing the dark material in these books, which I didn’t want to do. I felt like I needed a shower. How would I get the images and words out of my mind? It was just too dark.

Did I really want to do this? When my grandchildren were younger and visited us, I used to enjoy taking them to the children’s section of our library as a fun activity, but they’re older now, so these books weren’t affecting me personally. But I care about all children. I care about the next generation.

You would recognize some of the book titles as the same books parents are bravely contesting and reading aloud in school board meetings. Now God had brought them to my attention in my town. I had a choice to just complain or take further action beyond filling out the forms.

Then I discovered a podcast “Banned?” with Pastor Jack Hibbs interviewing Karen England, from Capitol Resource Institute. In this podcast, they discuss the sexually explicit and pornographic books that are plaguing our public-school systems and public libraries. Karen kept pointing out that we may be surprised to learn this isn’t only a problem in liberal cities, but many of these books are often available in conservative “red states” as well. They were talking about the very books in our “red state” small community library or on their website as an e-book download that children could access.

“Banned?” is an important podcast for every parent, grandparent, and concerned citizen to hear. It’s hard to listen, and yes, it’s dark, but that’s where Satan does his work. Especially, if you’re in a “red state” like we are in Idaho and think that none of this could happen in your local library or school. It is happening in school districts and libraries throughout our state! You can’t escape it.

It was a timely podcast for me. I thought if this brave Christian woman, Karen England, can subject herself to knowing the content of these books and go around the nation exposing them to protect our precious children, I can and will do my part.

I prayed long and often late into the night for God to give me the words, wisdom, and courage to take a stand and encourage others to join me. Many did. We attended the next library board meeting where those opposing our “moral” position and those joining me opposing the books each were given three minutes to present our arguments to the board.

Even a young twenty-year-old woman courageously read a disgusting sexually graphic page from one of the books and others told testimonies of the horrific acts that occur when young minds are exposed to pornography. To the board’s credit, they listened and allowed everyone the opportunity who wanted to speak. They recorded the meeting, and we were told they would review and make their final decision, which as of this writing we haven’t received.

Applause and Assaulted

A group of us stood outside the library hugging and thanking each other for speaking out and for those that came to support us. But as you can imagine, not everyone was happy about us being there. It only took a day for me to be attacked personally on the community social media page. I received the usual “hater” slander, my ministry was ridiculed, and I was pretty much told to stay in my own Christian lane. Which actually I was!

I could also see the delusional confusion when the slanderer accused me of making the young woman read the vulgarity from the book and referred to her as my “daughter”?! I had no idea she was going to read or what she was going to say. I was just delighted to have the next generation participate and speak the truth.

Sometimes you just have to laugh at delusion. The Lord reminded me I should be flattered they thought this 20-year-old was my daughter, since my own real daughter just turned 50!!!

Jesus told us to expect persecution but also not to stop sharing the gospel because there are some who will listen just as He experienced.
Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. John 15:20

Paul said, ¹²We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; ¹³when we are slandered, we answer kindly. 1 Cor. 4:12:13

I’ve chosen to not give the satisfaction of answering the latest slanders because I choose not to escalate the discussion with those who are blinded by lies. That’s a lose/lose attempt and only gives them more of a platform. I can only pray that one day their eyes will open to the truth.

As an author myself, I know that authors write to a target audience with a purpose and focused message. I can’t imagine what kind of mind writes this smut for children. An author would have to have a sinister agenda and purpose to write books like these directed towards children. Their purpose is either pedophilia or grooming.

If you saw the movie Sound of Freedom, they really are coming for our children! I wrote a blog last year on November 8, 2021 by that very title They’re Coming for Our Children! We can’t stay silent.

Jesus didn’t say living the gospel-life would be easy. It’s often heartbreaking to see so many people championing evil as a “freedom” when we’re talking about innocent little minds and bodies. If you’re willing to take action in the schools and libraries in your area, I want to leave you with this tool.

Obscenity Law Defined: Supreme Court Defines Obscenity

Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476 (1957). Ruled on two criminal convictions for obscenity. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the convictions, holding that obscene speech is not protected by the First Amendment. It further determined that the standard for obscenity is “whether, to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material, taken as a whole, appeal to prurient interest. (Emphasis added)

Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973), reaffirmed the Roth ruling. “In sum, we (a) reaffirm the Roth holding that obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment; (b) hold that such material can be regulated by the States, subject to the specific safeguards enunciated above, without a showing that the material is “utterly without redeeming social value”; and (c) hold that obscenity is to be determined by applying “contemporary community standards” not “national standards.” (Emphasis added)”

Where is God asking you to get involved?

[God] who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 2 Tim. 1:9 NKJV

“Today is no random day. It’s a God-planned day for His devoted children.” Greater Purpose by David Jeremiah

Please leave a comment here. I reply to all comments.

Also, Facebook has been lowering visibility of my blog posts, so please always feel free to share them!

The middle picture is from Andrew D Griffin of Love Alive.

October 16, 2023

Return to top of page

4 Prayers for When You’re Hurting, Mad, or Sad!

It’s hard listening to the lies, corruption, and political injustice coming out of Washington D.C. without feeling angry, betrayed, or maybe even hopeless about the fate of our beautiful country. We’re watching the destruction of moral values and biblical principles our country was founded on and that helped us flourish as the world leader now seemingly being destroyed by our Marxist tyrannical government. It reinforces how important Christian and Conservatives’ votes are because if we didn’t have a majority in Congress all the corruption and lies would’ve never been exposed.

If you’ve seen the movie Sound of Freedom, you know our country has the highest rate in the world of child trafficking with cartels controlling our borders. You feel sick, sad, mad, helpless, and depressed wondering as we all said when we walked out of the theater, “What can we do to stop this?” We beg God to please help these children who our government is turning a blind eye to as they allow illegals and bad people to flood our borders using the “back door” instead of the “front door” into our country.

The President and Democrats show no compassion for children as they try to indoctrinate them into perverse sexual practices in the classroom, codify killing babies in the womb, and ignore child trafficking. I can say with certainty people condoning this evil will never see heaven but will spend eternity in hell. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Luke 18:17

Jesus said, “⁴Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matt. 18:4-6

If you’ve read 1^st and 2^nd Kings, which I referred to in last week’s blog, Loving God and America is “Dangerous” in 2023, there was always a bad king, then a good king, then a bad king who undid and overturned all the good of the previous king, which in some cases was his father.

Can a corrupt throne be allied with you—a throne that brings on misery by its decrees? ²¹The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. ²²But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. ²³He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them. Ps. 94:20-23

Sin motivates depravity motivated by power, money, pride, self-indulgence, disregard for others, convenience, acquisition, greed . . . me, myself, and I doing what feels good. Men and women wanting to be their own gods just like we saw in the tower of Babel. Do you feel sometimes like you just want to give up?

Well Habakkuk felt like that too, but I encourage you to read Chapter 2 in the Book of Habakkuk. Here’s the link to The Message translation where God so clearly describes a world like we’re living in today. Habakkuk prayed, “What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst. I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon. I’ll wait to see what God says, how he’ll answer my complaint.” (2:1)

Praise God, Habakkuk didn’t give up and as long as the Lord gives us breath, we can’t give up either. We pray and wait as Habakkuk did. For me, I pray for God to use my writings and life for His glory, but you don’t have to be a writer to share God’s truths in our current depraved culture. You can pray and live a righteous life for others to emulate until the Lord returns!

And then God answered: “Write this.
    Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
    so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
    pointing to what’s coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
    And it doesn’t lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
    It’s on its way. It will come right on time. (Hab. 2:2-3)

Many of you experience hurts beyond world events, or maybe brought on by current events and our detestable culture. Your own private world might seem under attack. I want to use the rest of this blog to pray for and with you. I hope you’ll feel comfort and inspiration from the Lord as you wait, pray, and listen.

4 Prayers for Difficult Times

In Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer and Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents, I encourage the reader to personalize Scripture as if God wrote it just for them. We can do the same when we pray for someone hurting or for ourselves. We don’t always need to come up with the perfect words because God already has. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry. (Ps. 10:17)

People don’t need us to fix things. When they’re hurting, they want a shoulder to cry on, an arm around their shoulder, and company in the darkness of their soul. There might be a time later when we can sit down over a cup of coffee and help them work through details of their situation, but for the moment, they just need to feel God’s closeness and comfort in and through us.

Here are 4 prayers to help guide you in praying with people for specific situations, or if you’re in this situation, please personalize and pray for yourself.

Prayer for Those Grieving

Father, we pray for those suffering the loss of a loved one or someone close to their heart or even a beloved animal. The hurt runs so deep and grief so all encompassing, their mourning is palpable. They’re inconsolable: “You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.” (Ps. 88:18 NLT)

While they celebrate a life that’s hopefully now in Your loving arms, they’re left alone wondering how their life can go on without this precious person. Only You Lord can bring light back into their life and wipe away the tears. “You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.” (Ps. 18:28 NLT)

You promise someday mourning will turn to dancing and we’ll dance together before Your thrown. Lord, only You can fill the void left in a broken heart. Only You understand the depth of grief and pain. Only You can help the grieving ever smile again. Father, please flood their mind and heart with sweet memories when thoughts wander into hopelessness and the pain seems overwhelming, especially on birthdays and holidays.

Remind the grief-stricken that Psalm 116:15 (NLT) assures, “The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die.” You, Lord, care deeply when we’re sad. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle You have recorded each one in your book.” (Ps. 56:8 NLT)

Help those with immeasurable sorrow to hold onto the truth that after a little while, those who know You as Savior will be united again. Until then, hold each one close in Your loving arms. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.” (Ps. 116:15) Amen

Prayer for When Disaster Hits

Heavenly Father, You promise “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” (Ps. 9:9) You know the trouble that surrounds anyone experiencing a disaster when everything seems bleak. Help them trust that You will show a way out of this dark hole when there seems to be no visible way. Guide the many decisions, show the paths to take in moving forward when they just want to sit down in despair and cry.

You knew hard times would come and You will use this disaster to accomplish Your perfect will in their life. Give them courage not to fear the future with You by their side. Help them remember, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam, let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!” (Ps. 46:1-3 NLT)

Bring those to their side to help by showing Your love in tangible ways that express, “My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows.” (Hosea 11:8 NLT) Amen

Prayer for Health or Mental Illness

Dear Lord, let our hearts hurt and cringe with those who have received a harsh diagnosis or are in the throes of a painful illness. Remove platitudes and trite comments from our mouth and give us an ear to hear and feel their pain. Father, even if we’ve had a similar illness, we can’t fully understand their experience. Give us a kind, caring, and loving presence to let them pour out their heart.

Father, You promise in Joshua 1:5 that You will never leave or forsake us, so we pray Your presence surrounds anyone with an illness whether in the doctor’s office, the hospital, or the sick bed at home. Provide friends or family to hear their cries of pain and soothe their trembling body from fear or symptoms.

We pray Lord for the physicians and medical professionals they encounter in their journey who are a healing balm for this time of sorrow and pain. We thank You in advance for providing the human comfort and the Holy Spirit’s constant soothing for physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. You, Lord, are the Great Healer, the Great Jehovah Rapha. Only You can ease pain. Healing comes from Your power working through doctors, treatments, and medication, but we pray You won’t give anyone more than they can bear.

Provide those who are suffering with constant comfort and peace knowing, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” (Is. 41:10 NLT) Amen

Prayer for Loss of a Job or Provision

Lord, it’s devastating not being able to provide financially for family or loves ones. Fear of the unknown of what to do next to find a new job is overwhelming. Many are in this position today. It’s paralyzing and depressing.

Father, we pray for doors to open. This loss might be a time to pursue new opportunities. Please provide wisdom, direction, courage, and humbleness to reach out for help in the interim and let others be responsive. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17)

You tell us to be aware of those in need, that the body of Christ is benevolent and ready to help our fellow brother and sisters, so please surround those in economic loss with others who have extra to share. “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!” (Pr. 19:17 NLT)

Guide everyone in this situation to seek help. It’s humbling, but You love when we’re humble. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” (James 4:10 NLT) Provide employment, replace lost possessions, and help families pull together not be pulled apart. “Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.” (Ps. 10:17 NLT)

Please Heal Our Country!

The promises of God are far more powerful than the sins of people. So, Lord, we humbly claim Your promises and pray in unison as Your people that we would do our part to heal our land. ¹⁴If 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15) Amen

We all need prayers, and when we see those prayers answered, God wants us to reach back and help others who are going through something similar. Today, we pray for those who are hurting and someday we hope that others will pray for us. It’s God’s way and plan for His people.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. ⁴He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Cor. 1:3-4 NLT)

We never know if God is going to heal our hurts and problems here or in our heavenly home, but He does promise for all who believe in Him as their Lord and Savior that . . .

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev. 21:3-4

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters^] Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 1 Peter 3:8 NLT

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Ps. 34:18 NLT

“But oh! God is in his holy Temple! Quiet everyone—a holy silence. Listen!” Habakkuk 2:20 The Message

Portions of the above prayers appeared in my Crosswalk article 4 Comforting Sympathy Prayers for Those Who Are Hurting, May 13, 2021

Please leave a comment here. I reply to all comments and enjoy reading your thoughts.

August 14, 2023

Return to top of page

5 Ways to Experience Spiritual Renewal This Easter

A Note to Parents

14 Ways to Celebrate a Peaceful Prayerful Post-Election Thanksgiving!

Is Thanksgiving a Religious Holiday?

14 Ways to Maintain Peace and Joy on Thanksgiving

Memory Making Thanksgiving Tablecloth

What Does it Mean to Condone Sin?

What Does the Bible Say about Condoning Sin?

5 Ways We Can Avoid Condoning Sin

Staying Silent is Condoning Sin

Can America Be Saved?

A Pop 4th of July Quiz

We Must Return to Our Roots!

Satan’s Offensive Playbook is Vileness, Vitriol, and Violence!

So How Should Christians Respond?

Update on Our Local Library

What Can Christians Do to Remind People of the True Meaning of Christmas?

My Recent Getting Involved Experience

Applause and Assaulted

4 Prayers for Difficult Times

Please Heal Our Country!

Subscribe to My Newsletter

Search This Site

Receive My Weekly Blog

Blog Archives

Grab and Share My Button

Golden Scrolls Finalist

BibleGateway

Subscribe to My Newsletter

Categories

Latest from My Weekly Blog

Subscribe by Email to my Blog

Subscribe to Our Weekly Blog

Contact Janet

Topics of Interest

Meta

A Pop 4^th of July Quiz

**What Can Christians Do to Remind People of the True Meaning of Christmas?**