The Top 5 (May 31)

1) “By Appeasing Rogue Judges, Trump Legitimizes Leftists’ Judicial Coup” (Shawn Fleetwood, Federalist)

From the article -- Leavitt’s evasive answer prompted Hemingway to once again pressure the press secretary about how the White House intended to fight back against activist judges’ efforts to sabotage the will of the more than 77 million Americans who voted for Trump last year. “You’re saying you’re responding to each and every one of these actions, efforts by these judges to delay or thwart the implementation of the agenda. But is there going to be anything more than that, or is it just going to let this operation continue even though it could delay everything for years until the presidency is over?” Hemingway asked.

Leavitt’s answer was less than reassuring.The press secretary said the administration “is operating under the directive given … from the president that we need to comply with the court’s orders,” and added that the White House intends “to fight them in court, and we’re going to win on the merits of these cases, because we know we are acting within a president’s legal and executive authorities.”

In other words, Trump and his administration have no current plans to end the judicial coup at all. They’re going to continue abiding by these rogue lower court judges’ overreaching edicts, thereby giving legitimacy to the unconstitutional effort crippling Trump’s presidency and America’s separation of powers.

Related article: "Trump Should Buck Rogue Judges, Not Buckle To Them" (Brianna Lyman, Federalist)

2) “Indoctrinating Children Into The Demonic: It’s Past Time For A Total Rethink Of ‘Education’” (Alex Newman, Harbinger's Daily)

From the article -- As the Newman Report has been documenting for years, paganism and anti-Christian religious indoctrination have become a staple of what passes for “education” in government schools today, all across the nation. Aside from Hinduism, Buddhism has also been invading classrooms nationwide under the guise of “meditation” techniques and “mindfulness” education.

In fact, peddlers of these programs openly boast of teaching this supposedly “secularized” Buddhism and Hinduism to government-schooled children across America. In a video on “Mindfulness in Education” by expert Amy Burke, the very first quote comes from an Indian guru and so-called “World Teacher” by the name of “Jiddu Krishnamurti,” from his book “Education and the Significance of Life.”

The decision to quote this particular guru offers significant insight into what this is all about. The guru, adopted and trained by the head of a Luciferian cult known as the “Theosophical Society” that inspired the National Socialist (Nazi) movement, was blunt about his pagan agenda. “You want to have your own gods – new gods instead of the old, new religions instead of the old, new forms instead of the old – all equally valueless, all barriers, all limitations, all crutches,” Krishnamurti explained.

3) “The Party of Ba’al and Jezebel” (Kevin Finn, American Thinker)

From the article -- In my debates with Democrats, I like to ask them for their Top Ten List of things their party has done to make America safer, stronger, more prosperous, and more united. Only one person has ever listed ten, most list a few and then change the subject. But even the items they list turn out to have been ultimately harmful or ineffective. Obamacare is high on the list, as are the COVID “vaccines,” public schools and welfare.

When I look at that party’s history I see a consistent and frightening pattern. Southern Democrats owned the slaves, started the Civil War, formed the KKK, opposed passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, and passed Jim Crow laws and the Great Society legislation that decimated the nuclear family. They currently promote the losing side of every 90/10 issue facing America, such as championing MS-13 gang-bangers and Islamic terrorists and placing graphic pornography in K-12 schools.

How likely is it that a party would consistently choose actions that are harmful to those they claim to serve? “Once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence, three times is enemy action.” (Ian Fleming) Promoting evil for personal gain is as old as humankind and people have always looked for the source. Scripture warns us that we "…do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

4) “On The Moral Misanthropy of the Left: They operate on a single principle: nihilism and civilizational regression.” (Jason D. Hill, Front Page Magazine)

From the article -- Against the backdrop of all this decades ago, a friend of mine told me of a paradox he presented to a friend of his. His friend is a female pediatrician in her 60s who is childless. He asked her: Do you think there is anything paradoxical about pro-choice vegans who are committed to the inviolable dignity of chickens and fish, to the point of refusing to eat hens’ eggs or caviar on moral grounds, but not extending that moral principle to protecting fertilized human eggs?

Her reply was: What are you talking about? There is no connection between the two! He replied, In both cases an egg is destroyed, and in the case of the abortion, the egg is fertilized. The pediatrician replied, In reference to the fertilized human egg: It’s not a human being, so don’t even go there. And you’re a male, so you don’t get a say in the matter.

5) “How And Why Southern Baptists Are Losing Confidence In The ERLC” (Elle Purnell, Federalist)

From the article -- Criticisms of the ERLC mostly fall into two categories: allegations that the commission is useless and ineffective on the right political issues, and that it actively devotes resources to the wrong ones...

“They’ve been completely absent on the big fights over big issues,” Sen. Mike Lee told Basham earlier this year. As Basham noted, Lee has been at the forefront of several legislative battles over the issues the ERLC purports to focus on. Rachel Bovard, a Federalist contributor and Hill veteran, told Basham a similar story. “In 12 years on the Hill I don’t ever remember hearing from the ERLC,” she said. “They really are not viewed as being actively helpful on advancing conservative politics on the Hill,” added Mike Whitehead, the ERLC’s former general counsel.

The Top 5 (May 24)

1) “The Messed-Up World of People Who Believe Abortion Is Love” (Ellie Gardey Holmes, American Spectator

From the article -- Figures like Scarlet A author Katie Watson, as well as the #ShoutYourAbortion movement, remained at the level of arguing that abortion was a great benefit to society in terms of safety and resources. Yet, at this time, other members of the pro-abortion movement began to push the narrative, arguing that abortion, more than being societally beneficial, was a loving act.

In November 2019, a blog post published by the National Women’s Law Center asserted that “abortion is love” in the strongest terms possible. “The media often paints abortion as a divisive political issue,” said the author, “but here’s the truth: abortion actually is an act of love, an act of compassion, an act of healing, and an act of selflessness.” The author was, she said, “sick and tired of having to justify why we need to be able to get an abortion.”

2) “The Closer Israel Gets To Victory Over Hamas, The More The Nations Rage” (Amir Tsarfati, Harbinger's Daily)

From the article -- Europe, I love so many of you. But I’m sorry to say that most of your governments and media elites are a flat-out mess. Case in point – Eurovision. For those of you on the western side of the Atlantic, Eurovision is an annual song contest between nations. Each country sends a representative who presents their song, and the contestants are voted on. These votes come in two kinds. There is a five-person jury from each country. They are media elites who are very political and very biased. Then there is the public, which is made up of normal, everyday people. Israel’s representative was Yuval Rafael, a young lady who had been at the Nova Festival on October 7 and survived by hiding under dead bodies. Yuval sang beautifully, winning the hearts of the televoting public who voted her to the number one position by a wide margin. The political jury vote, however, placed Yuval all the way down in a tie for 14th place. This is not surprising.

Even before the competition, the Slovenian broadcaster of the program demanded that Israel be excluded. Spanish, Icelandic, Belgian, and Irish broadcasters said that removing Israel from the program must be discussed. Spain’s prime minister declared that Israel should be banned, as did a spokesperson from Belgium. Former contestants weighed in also, with 72 previous participants signing a letter that Israel be removed from the competition. In fact, this year’s winner, JJ from Austria, said that next year, the event should be “in Vienna and without Israel.” The antisemitism wasn’t just surrounding the contest; it was heard during it. While Yuval sang in her final performance, boos sounded from the audience.

But despite this brainwashed anti-Israel bias, the votes don’t lie. The fact that the public voted Israel number one says that not everyone in Europe has fallen into the devil’s trap of antisemitism. Sadly, they aren’t the ones pulling the strings of their countries’ governments, where the hatred of Israel is palpable.

3) “I’m a Yale free-speech champion -- arrested for words I never said” (Lauren Noble, New York Post)

From the article -- I never thought I’d end up in handcuffs and a jail cell for something I didn’t say. But last May, police in New Haven, Conn., arrested me — because a parking attendant falsely claimed I had used a racial slur against him nearly a year earlier. I denied it. I asked the cops to check the parking lot’s surveillance video.

They didn’t — and the state charged me first with disorderly conduct, then with three counts of breach of peace in the second degree.

It took almost a year, tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees and endless stress before the nightmare ended on March 27, when the prosecutor finally dropped all charges. Why? “Insufficient evidence,” “inconsistencies,” “credibility issues,” video that “clearly contradicted” the accuser’s claims — and a possibility that I wasn’t even the right person. The judge dismissed the case.

If this can happen to me — a First Amendment advocate with resources, legal counsel and a public reputation to defend — it can happen to anyone.

4) “House passage of bill defunding Planned Parenthood draws excitement, caution from pro-lifers.” (Ryan Foley, Christian Post)

From the article -- The measure's fate now rests in the hands of the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate. Republicans currently have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning that if support for the legislation comes down along party lines as it largely did in the House, they can only afford to lose the support of three senators for the bill to pass...

While most reactions to the measure from the pro-life community have been overwhelmingly positive, Katie Brown Xavios of the American Life League maintained that "this bill is not the full win it's being portrayed to be." Xavios expressed concern that the House-approved "big, beautiful bill" will "still fund Planned Parenthood for abortions in the cases of rape, incest, and the mother's health." 

"Give Planned Parenthood an inch, and they will take a mile," she warned. "If the exceptions are the only way Planned Parenthood will get paid, you had better believe that every abortion will now become a life-or-death situation so that Planned Parenthood ensures that it will get its money."

5) “Reflections on Radical Discipleship -- Re-Visited” (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

From the article -- I continue to hope that the days of “great awakenings” are not all behind us. We are, after all, promised that the mercies of God are new every morning. Therefore, revolutionary change can yet occur in individual lives and even in culture, if we simply unplug ourselves from the world and connect our minds instead to the glorious Creator God Who gave His Son for our salvation.  So, please come with me for a look at 5 themes marking the radical discipleship of the early years of the Christian Brotherhood.

Reflections on Radical Discipleship (Re-Visited)

Yesterday I was honored to present the sermon at a memorial service for a fellow alumnus of the Christian Brotherhood, Jim Fisher. It was a duty greatly ennobled by Claire and I spending time  a couple of days earlier with his remarkable family. They all represented very persuasive evidence of the sincerity and depth of Jim’s life in Christ. And thinking about Jim and the other Brotherhood friends we saw at the event got me to thinking about a piece I originally posted here on Vital Signs Blog (with photos, no less!) back in 2016. That article examined the 5 basic strengths the Lord used in making the Christian Brotherhood such a powerful discipleship ministry. Knowing some of you might find the post of interest, I re-print it below.

Reflections on Radical Discipleship

Last month Claire and I were blessed to participate in a reunion party involving people from the Christian Brotherhood’s early years. It was a momentous event as more than 50 of us celebrated the grace of God poured out upon America during the days of the Jesus Movement in the early 1970s.  We celebrated too the Lord’s ongoing grace as He has continued to lead, protect, correct, and use the lives of many believers who came through the unique ministry that was the Christian Brotherhood.

In reading through the printed testimonies, talking to people at the reunion party, and then reflecting on our common experiences over the last few weeks, I couldn’t help but compare what happened to us in those exciting days with what’s happening or, more to the point, what’s not happening with Christian youth today.  As a result of those reflections, I decided to address the topic of radical discipleship in this month’s letter. For I continue to hope that the days of “great awakenings” are not all behind us. We are, after all, promised that the mercies of God are new every morning. Therefore, revolutionary change can yet occur in individual lives and even in culture, if we simply unplug ourselves from the world and connect our minds instead to the glorious Creator God Who gave His Son for our salvation.  So, please come with me for a look at 5 themes marking the radical discipleship of the early years of the Christian Brotherhood.

1) A dramatic change of identity.  The converts to Christianity in those heady days of the Jesus Revolution wholeheartedly embraced the chance to be forgiven, to be made completely different from what they had been, and to live completely different from the culture in which they had previously walked.  Nowadays, I’m afraid, too many Christians boast in being just like everybody else. They downplay, even mock, the idea of a radical lifestyle change.  In fashion, in entertainment choices, in accepting the aggressive liberalism of the government schools, in chasing the constant lure of advertisers, in language and demeanor, young people in the church tend to copy their non-Christian peers. But the young people involved with the Christian Brotherhood were delighted to be different. We willingly accepted the responsibilities of living counter-culture lifestyles because, after all, we knew all too well that the world had nothing to offer us.  We had been there and done that. Thus, we jumped at the chance to exchange darkness for light, lies for truth, slavery for freedom.

We stopped boozing and doing drugs. We ended our promiscuity and criminal behavior.  We moved away from bad influences. We stopped watching TV, not because it was necessarily evil, but simply because we now had a host of other things to do…things that were interesting and active, things that were pure and beneficial. I believe we need a new sense today of how peculiar (the Bible’s word) a people we are; how set apart and set against the cosmos we are; how revolutionary should be our outlook on life, truth, God, the future, and the world around us.

2) A solid theological foundation. The Christian Brotherhood gave us a strong, unshakeable theological foundation.  This was somewhat unique among other Jesus People ministries as it featured Bible classes that were taught by skilled and experienced Bible scholars, including instructors at Grace Bible Institute who came into the inner city to deliver expositional, exegetical Bible classes to us several nights a week.

And we couldn’t get enough of it!  We not only listened intently, we filled our spiral notebooks with the notes we took from those lectures. And it wasn’t easy stuff either.  No cream puff Christianity here. Indeed, we learned later that the Grace instructors were giving us the very lectures they gave in their upper level theology courses at the college.  But, unlike many of the Grace students, we new converts would eagerly listen, carefully study our notes, and then compare them with what we were learning in our personal Bible study. We would also discuss them in depth with one another.  We knew we had an awful lot to learn…and a lot to unlearn too. Indeed, we sometimes fell back into patterns from our past and so our sanctification required us to regularly repent and even make restitution when possible. But God’s grace kept moving us forward and we took our duties as disciples very seriously.

Do you see much of that in today’s churches?  Young people so eager to learn that they forsake entertainment and sports and social media in order to attend hard-edged Bible studies?  Young people crowding into the front rows at church (as the Brotherhood kids did when we went together to hear Darrell Scott at Pleasantview Berean Church), kids holding well-marked Bibles along with pens and notebooks to learn more?  Young people who added to lectures and sermons their own studies in apologetics, church history, evangelism, and comparative religion?  Young people being stretched intellectually, held accountable for their beliefs and lifestyles, and challenged to learn to pray and serve and be ever conformed to the image of Christ?

Or do you see instead church youth of today isolated in their own age groups,
being coddled and pampered, given heavy doses of comfort and fun, protected from sacrifice and hard work, promised popularity and prosperity?  Such a state is a far cry from the discipleship required of young Christians throughout history. And it’s a far cry too from the discipleship undergone by most young believers in Third World churches today. Isn’t it time the Western Church embrace again the biblical ideals of radical discipleship? For our sake as well as God’s?

3) Godly fellowship. The discipleship process at the Christian Brotherhood was very strong on fellowship.  But our fellowship was not about fun and games, even though there was often a fun element to it.  Rather, it concentrated on our common participation in the new adventure we were enjoying in the Lord.  Bible study.  Giving witness to the gospel in the parks and on front porches.  Praying.  Commiserating with one another over our past hurts and failures while taking bold actions to change.  Talking about what we were reading.  Involvement in various ministries. Worshipping together with guitars and choruses and old hymns.

We quickly realized we needed frequent stimulation to love and good deeds, the spur to keep learning and maturing. We also knew we needed an accountability factor to help protect us from the easily-besetting sins of our past.  And, as a bonus, this kind of intimate, energizing fellowship taught us what our spiritual gifts were and how to best use them in ministry.

4) Practice in Christian service.  As was the case with the apostles who walked with Jesus in the 1st Century, the new converts at the Christian Brotherhood learned from precept, from example, and from direct participation.  We were young (most of us) and very inexperienced, yet we welcomed the activity the Lord brought our way in evangelism, prayer, counseling, physical labor, developing study habits, getting involved in church, repairing the damage we had caused in our families. The writer of Hebrews describes mature believers as “those who by practice have had their senses trained to discern good and evil.” We also were being trained as we practiced our faith in the real world.  Oh, yes; there was a lot of uncertain and amateurish action on our part and plenty of learning through our failures.  But learn we did.

5) Reading and reflecting. There’s one more item that was crucial to my early
discipleship, one so influential that it deserves special note.  And that is that the Christian Brotherhood “baptized” me into books! I had been an avid reader in my youth and, even in my otherwise wasted years of high school, I found pleasure and value in literature. But in my sad spiral downward after high school, I had stopped reading altogether.  And even when I was converted to Christianity in the early spring of 1970, I was very slow to get serious about books.  That all changed dramatically when I hitchhiked into the strange town of Omaha that summer of 1970.  For within 24 hours of hitting town, I was living at the Christian Brotherhood and directed to start reading Harry Ironside’s commentary on The Book of Acts. That was followed by a dozen more Ironside commentaries and then books by C.S. Lewis, Dwight Pentecost, Howard Hendricks, Donald Grey Barnhouse, and Anthony Hoekma.  I also began to buy my own Bible study books: concordances, commentaries, a Greek/English interlinear New Testament, the 5-volume ISBE, and more.  And towards the end of my time at the Brotherhood, I discovered Francis Schaeffer and others that were part of L’Abri. Those books opened up an adventurous new chapter in my learning…and my life.

Those books provided a strong foundation for me, one that only grew stronger in the decades since as I was introduced to other writers who rocked my world (notably G.K. Chesterton), as I read more widely (including a return to classic literature), and as I learned the value of re-reading.  Books have contributed greatly to my life and ministry.  They have enriched my relationships. They have given me great personal pleasure.  They have been a key defense against the moral pollution and intellectual debilitation brought on by watching too much television and modern film.  And, again, that all started at the Christian Brotherhood where I was blessed beyond measure to receive a radical discipleship.

A healthy Christianity that yields peace, happiness, and confidence? A holy lifestyle that lights up the darkness instead of being compromised and covered up by the surrounding cosmos? I’m convinced that these things begin with a regimen of radical discipleship highlighted by the five themes I’ve described: 1) A dramatic change of identity.  2) A solid theological foundation.  3) Godly fellowship.  4) Practice in Christian service.  5) Reading and reflecting.    If the Church has any hope of reclaiming its power to influence the world, it must bring these things back into play for our congregations.  And especially for our youth. We must pray to that end. But, in addition to our fervent intercession, you and I must act in whatever ways we can to advocate, and model, and encourage radical discipleship in the cause of Christ.

General Patton on "Defensive" Warfare

“While the command post was at Etain, I visited the Verdun battlefields of World War One, particularly Fort Douaumont. This is a magnificent, though futile, monument to heroism. You can see all over the ruinous fragments where brave men died to maintain something they could have saved much more easily by attacking period to me. Douaumont epitomizes the folly of defensive warfare.” (George Patton, War As I Knew It, published 1947, page 127)

“Pacifists would do well to study the Siegfried and Maginot Lines, remembering that these defenses were forced; that Troy fell; that the walls of Hadrian succumbed; that the Great Wall of China was futile; and that, by the same token, the mighty seas which are alleged to defend us can also be circumvented by a resolute and ingenious opponent. In war, the only sure defense is offense, and the efficiency of offense depends on the warlike souls of those conducting it.” (George Patton, War As I Knew It, published 1947, page 238)

The Top 5 (May 17)

1) “We May Have Seen Political Revival, But If the People Don’t Repent, There Is No Hope for America” (Jack Hibbs, Harbinger’s Daily)

From the article -- We’re on the brink of insanity, ladies and gentlemen! The direction this country is going is nothing short of insane. We are on the brink, I believe, of God judging this nation for the wicked sins that we have committed as a country. We need to repent.

In the house of God, we need to cry out to the Lord and intercede for every American, even those who do not believe. As a church, if pastors do not wake up and blow the trumpet of warning, it is going to be too late.

This is the reality even under Trump’s administration. Forget about the government for a moment. If we, the people, do not turn back to God in short order, I don’t believe there’s hope for America. We have had a political revival—that’s great. And yet, where’s the church? Islam is rising in America. Bizarre immorality is rising in America.

A related article: “American Churches Turned into Mosques — But Who’s Really to Blame?” (Raymond Ibrahim, The Stream)

2) “Warren Buffett Walks Away From Wall Street -- But Not From Butchering Unborn Babies. The Oracle of Omaha may be retiring from Berkshire Hathaway, but he won't give up his other title -- the biggest funder of abortion in history.” (Hayden Ludwig, American Spectator)

From the article --The billionaire’s secret is masking his abortion funding as “philanthropy.” Since 2002, he’s poured a vast fortune into a set of foundations deeply involved in bankrolling abortion-on-demand groups — including Planned Parenthood — and the United Nations’ population control crusade in poor, non-white countries.

One of these you know: the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 39 percent of whose revenues actually come from Buffett. Much of that wealth goes toward anti-human advocacy groups such as the Population Council, created in the 1950s to depopulate the Third World. 

The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, however, does a much better job of hiding its radicalism. The group’s website advertises “college scholarships for Nebraska students” and “does not respond to other inquiries.”

This same “benign” education philanthropy has poured $76 million into Marie Stopes International (MSI), a far-left purveyor of abortions overseas for girls as young as 16 — some of them illegal. MSI, incidentally, is named for Britain’s version of Margaret Sanger, a eugenicist who wrote love poetry to Adolf Hitler. (Really.) Virtually all of its clinics are based in African and Asian countries that restrict abortion or enshrine the right to life for the unborn in their national constitutions, such as Kenya.

3) “The Decivilizing of America” (Victor Davis Hanson, Blade of Perseus)

From the article -- But in the last two decades, our major cities have been de-civilizing. Citizens are told not to flush non-biodegradable plastics down their toilets, both to preserve the environment and to ensure municipal septic systems work properly. They are reminded to pick up their pets’ excrement on sidewalks and in parks. For purposes of collective health, they are taught not to urinate, spit, or defecate in public areas.

Is all that for naught? After all, our mayors and city councils in our biggest and most iconic cities simply destroyed centuries of such health protocols and allowed tens of thousands of homeless people with impunity to inject, urinate, defecate, and fornicate in or on storefronts, streets, gutters, parks, and sidewalks. The stench, flotsam, and jetsam have utterly transformed American inner cities. Central Seattle, Los Angeles, parts of San Francisco, Portland, and Washington, DC, now resemble medieval London or Paris—as if a millennium-long knowledge of basic public health was simply ignored or mocked. In truth, the centers of America’s big cities are spaces where public health protocols are no longer enforced, where all the ancient and hard-won rules of civilization no longer apply. It would likely be safer to walk through Dickensian London of 1850 than to take a nocturnal ride on the New York subway.

Another hallmark of Western civilization was the creation of a judiciary that gave the state the power to enforce laws, ensure justice, and deter criminals by swift punishment, unaffected by ideology, bias, bribes, and personal vendettas. From the law codes of Justinian to the American Constitution, ascendant civilizations rose with a codified legal system applied uniformly, disinterestedly, and fairly. Not any longer. Ideology has turned the American legal system into a commissariat of sorts in which relativism is now the norm...

4) “Hawley ‘Stunned’ by DOJ’s Sudden Shift on Key Abortion Pill Case” (Suzanne Bowdey, Washington Stand)

From the article -- As far back as last year’s Republican National Convention, Americans have watched with surprise at the mixed messages from Donald Trump on abortion. The man widely considered the most pro-life president in history has sent confusing signals since campaigning for a second term. And unfortunately for pro-lifers, one of the biggest gray areas is also one of the most dangerous: chemical abortion.

The news that the president’s Justice Department urged the court to drop a case racing to protect women from the horrors of the abortion pill made both sides’ jaws drop. But is the DOJ’s move the disappointment conservatives think it is — or is this part of a more complex legal strategy than the Trump team is letting on? The Left certainly thinks so. In the legacy media, several outlets are warning liberals not to get overly excited by the shift. The headlines may be “welcome,” NBC concedes, “but supporters of abortion rights shouldn’t celebrate too much.”

Lost in all of the hype, Susan Rinkunas cautions, is that “the Department of Justice didn’t say anything about whether it thinks the drug should remain available.” And, she adds, “[T]here’s no guarantee the right-wing judge assigned to the case will dismiss the lawsuit, and there are many other ways the administration and its allies can still restrict abortion pill access.” So yes, “while it’s true that the Trump DOJ sided with the Biden administration, it did so only on the technical details of who sued and when, not on the merits of the case.”

A related (and more hopeful) article is this one: “HHS Secretary RFK Jr. Orders ‘Complete Review’ of Abortion Pill After Shocking Study” (Katherine Hamilton, Breitbart)\

5) “Planned Parenthood Is Performing More Abortions Than Ever While Getting Record Federal Funding” (Michael Snyder, America First Report)

From the article --The blood of the children that are being slaughtered is crying out for justice. But the federal government is not against what Planned Parenthood is doing. In fact, the federal government is the primary source of funding for what Planned Parenthood is doing.

According to the numbers that Planned Parenthood just released, the organization got nearly 800 million dollars in government funding in just 12 months…

-- $2.522 billion in net assets, up from $2.517 billion the previous year.
-- $792.2 million in government funding, up from $699.3 the previous year.
-- More than $2 billion in total revenue, almost equal to the previous year.
-- $27.4 million in excess revenue (calculated by subtracting total expenses from total revenues, down from 178.6 million the previous year).
-- $684.1 million in private contributions and bequests, down from $997.5 million reported the previous year.

Every year, hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars go to Planned Parenthood. And every year those of us that are against abortion ask the federal government to stop doing that. But every year our politicians in Washington just keep showering Planned Parenthood with more cash.

Related articles: “Planned Parenthood Killed 402,000 Babies. It’s Just an Abortion Business” (Randall O'Bannon, Life News) and “Planned Parenthood Claims Abortions are Just 4% of What It Does. That’s Totally False” (Steven Ertelt, Life News)

Other recommendations this week?

* “One Of Trump’s Most Important Executive Orders Went Entirely Unnoticed” (Issues & Insights Editorial Board)

* “Trump’s Drug-Price EO Should Have Happened Decades Ago – What’s ‘free market’ about Americans paying the tab for the rest of the world’s prescription drugs?” (Scott McKay, American Spectator)

* “Republican Looks To Dismantle 'Eyesore' White House Peace Vigil. The decades-old encampment has sat on federal land since 1981.” (Jon Levine, Washington Free Beacon)

* “Germany’s Catholic Bishops Approve Blessings for Pansexual and Transgender Couples. New rules permit Church to employ defrocked priests even if they are cohabiting with a man or a woman.” (Jules Gomes, The Stream)

* “The War on Womanhood: Women, not ‘birthing people,’ are God’s design.” (Denise George, Decision)

The April LifeSharer Is Up (VSM's Monthly Letter)

Dear friends of

Vital Signs Ministries,       

                     
Whoosh — there went April! And given the winds we have experienced this past month, whoosh seems the perfect word to describe how swiftly it carried us along. And, now that I think about it, whoosh also seems an appropriate word to describe the pace of ministry activity we’ve kept up these last few weeks. Those ministries have ranged from hosting 20 people for the Assure Women’s Center banquet, to singing Easter hymns during our prayer and sidewalk counseling sessions out in front of the Planned Parenthood abortion business, to holding the hand until the ambulance crew arrived of an elderly woman who had fallen at a volunteer appreciation breakfast held at Pacific Springs. And yes, there was a whole lot more. Indeed, let me review for you a few of those ministry activities.

* The Sunday afternoon church services at Aksarben Village Senior Living continue to go “swimmingly well.” The music is always fantastic — as attested by the increasing numbers of you asking us to send the links to the songs we use on Sundays. The sermons are short but spot on. And the fellowship afterward (enjoyed along with coffee, lemonade, and Claire’s chocolate chip cookies) is always lively and refreshing. Alas, we have lost several beloved members of our congregation recently yet, at one of our recent services, we had 23 in attendance, not counting the members of our visitation team that day.

* In addition to our church services, we were honored to create and conduct a Good Friday service for the Aksarben Village residents. Plus, we have been blessed to make a few personal visits to friends who are no longer able to make it to church.

* As you know, we take the ministry of correspondence seriously and April saw us writing 92 letters and cards of advocacy, encouragement, gratitude, etc. Included in that number were a few “open letters” to political figures and business leaders; that is, letters that are not only directed to specific recipients but also published through our social media.

 * In addition to the Assure banquet mentioned earlier, Claire and I were honored to attend the Lincoln Pregnancy Center fundraising banquet with Kevin and Samantha Sorbo. They were fantastic speakers! (Thank you, Deb.) There was also a profoundly sobering luncheon of the Pachyderm Club where we heard Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine speak about the rampant, violent lawlessness which has become a defining element of America’s cities, including Omaha.

* Our regular duties outside the abortion mill continued in April and we had to endure some most un-springlike weather. Yipes. The month also saw my continued participation on the Board of the Business and Professional People for Life. We conducted a BP4L Board meeting; we arranged the date and venue for the next luncheon; and I provided items for the group’s newsletter. Oh yes, April also involved Claire and I hosting at our home the Vital Signs Board members for dinner and our quarterly meeting.

* The quarterly Vital Signs Book Brunch was this past month with Diane, Mary and Christopher, Ruth, Karla, and Claire and I discussing Randy Alcorn’s terrific Lord Foulgrins’s Letters over coffee and tea — and pumpkin muffins and cream puffs and lemon tarts and chocolate chip cookies!

* Our fellowship ministries in recent weeks have included a wonderful time with old friends from the Christian Brotherhood days; a group prayer meeting in a friend’s hospital room; a quick visit to an “art show” of another friend; the regular Tuesday Zoom conversations with members of my family; and several breakfasts, lunches, coffees, and back-porch visits with a terrific assortment of friends and colleagues.

* Our April “When Swing Was King” shows were super with larger crowds than usual. Indeed, a presentation at Sterling Ridge drew 42 residents, the largest we’ve ever had for that facility. Also, we have added 2 new senior living facilities to our monthly schedule.

* Claire’s visit to a dermatologist ended up with his removing quite a few “brown spots” from her arms. But, in two places — one on her left arm and the other on her forehead — he told her he “didn’t like the look of them at all” and he dug those out deeper for biopsies. The one on her forehead required 4 stitches to close. Thank the Lord, however, that the subsequent tests for cancer were much better than he expected.

* Among Claire’s April tasks were her figuring out the taxes for Vital Signs (and for us). And, blessed with the help of a good friend (Thank you, Hope!), everything worked out just fine.

* Among our exhortation efforts through social media in April was an effective alert about the pro-abortion positions of Omaha mayoral candidate, John Ewing. There was also the Top 5 compilation posted and sent every Saturday; the open letters I mentioned earlier (Trump, Fischer, Bacon); and several articles posted on Vital Signs Blog and/or the VSM website. The five articles from this past month we most recommend are:

1) “Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing” (April 30)
2) “I Knew Every One of Those Songs!” (April 28)
3) “The Earth Is the Lord’s” — Arbor Day vs Earth Day (April 22)
4) Is One’s Salvation A “Done Deal?” (April 13)
5) Chastity: The 5 Most Frequently Asked Questions (April 9)

 * And finally a few “home life” items from April — We have been busy with the lawn…..A conscientious, persistent team of mechanics at Woodhouse Hyundai finally discovered (and fixed!) a major problem that had “grounded” our Hyundai since late October…..A visit from our “furnace guy” resulted in him fixing a dangerous leak that we knew nothing about….We purchased one of those “revolving photo frames” and really love it…..Claire’s cookies continue to find their way to bless so many people…Among our free time pursuits this past month? Music, of course, but also several swashbuckling, silent movies starring Douglas Fairbanks, Ozzie and Harriet TV programs, and Jack Benny radio shows…..And finally, our April reading included Lord Foulgrin’s Letters (Randy Alcorn) and Artists in Crime (Ngaio Marsh) for Claire and then Failure Is Not an Option (Gene Kranz), Lord Foulgrin’s Letters (Randy Alcorn), The God Who Is There (Francis Schaeffer), and Dombey and Son (Charles Dickens) for me.

Okay, I see I have no room for a genuine signature here, let alone the space to adequately tell you how much we appreciate your prayers and support. But we do! Until next time,

Denny & Claire

The Top 5 (May 10)

1) “An Entire Generation Has Turned Feral: The teenagers of yesteryear are not like the feral kids of today.” (James Fritz, American Spectator)

From the article -- Naysayers will argue that teenagers have always acted like teenagers. Besides, this country has a long history of unrest and rebellion. The anti-war protests, Woodstock, the civil rights movement, the anti-nuclear protests, the anti-Apartheid sit-ins. Kids have always taken to the streets and fought against the Man. So, just give them space and let them grow out of it. Right?

There are three differences between the teenagers of yesteryear and the feral kids of today. The first is that many teen gatherings in the past were purpose-driven. Anti-war activists protested the Vietnam War and burned their draft cards. Civil rights organizers marched for racial integration. Concertgoers at Woodstock went to listen to The Who, Hendrix, and the Dead. Today, 17-year-old girls storm Michigan Avenue in Chicago and twerk on top of police cars. What’s the political statement there?

The second difference is that of logistics and technology. Before the internet, it took days, weeks, and months to plan a protest. Organizers had to print fliers, make phone calls, hang up posters, and spread the word. This gave local governments and law enforcement time to prepare. Now, teenagers are able to chat on social media, meet at a specified location, and overwhelm the authorities — all within minutes. When police officers finally do arrive on the scene, most of the troublemakers have already fled...

The third and most important difference...

2) “Omaha Planned Parenthood struggles as departing staff blame the corporation itself” (Cassy Cooke, Live Action)

From the article -- Earlier this year, The New York Times published an exposé on the ‘crisis’ facing Planned Parenthood. According to The New York Times, the abortion chain is facing frequent employee turnover, financial problems, low patient numbers, and patient lawsuits. And now, the Omaha Planned Parenthood is coming clean about similar troubles.

One nurse, Sabrina Stratman, said she was pressured to assist in surgical abortions on more than one occasion, violating Planned Parenthood’s own standard operating procedures. To commit a surgical abortion, the facility is supposed to use an abortionist, two nurses, and several support staff; in these instances, Stratman was the only nurse. She was made to participate even though she told management she felt uncomfortable. Though she eventually left Planned Parenthood, she still supports legal abortion.

“(Planned Parenthood is) kind of creating a ban of its own,” Stratman said. “I didn’t leave because I didn’t believe in the work,” she said. “I left because the environment became unsustainable.”

Note: The link to the Omaha-based article from which the Live Action piece was written is right here -- “Dysfunction, turnover at Omaha Planned Parenthood clinic further limiting abortion access in Nebraska” (Sara Gentzler, Flatwater Free Press)

3) “The Pulitzer from hell” (Scott Johnson, Power Line)

From the article -- On the morning of October 7, I was at home in my small studio apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Aza when Hamas terrorists burst in, shot me and dragged me across the border into Gaza. I was one of 251 men, women, children, and elderly people kidnapped that day from their beds, their homes, and a music festival.

For almost 500 days I lived in terror. I was starved, abused, and treated like I was less than human. I watched friends suffer. I watched hope dim. And even now, after returning home, I carry that darkness with me – because my best friends, Gali and Ziv Berman are still being held in the Hamas terror tunnels.

So imagine my shock and pain when I saw that you awarded a Pulitzer Prize to Mosab Abu Toha.

This is a man who, in January, questioned the very fact of my captivity. He posted about me on Facebook and asked, “How on earth is this girl called a hostage?” He has denied the murder of the Bibas family. He has questioned whether Agam Berger was truly a hostage. These are not word games – they are outright denials of documented atrocities.

You claim to honor journalism that upholds truth, democracy, and human dignity. And yet you have chosen to elevate a voice that denies truth, erases victims, and desecrates the memory of the murdered.

4) “Illinois Forces Pro-Life Organizations to Hire Pro-Abortion Employees” (Alliance Defending Freedom)

From the article -- During debates about the new bill, sponsors in the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate made it clear that the Act’s exemption for religious employers would not protect “crisis pregnancy centers” that were “religious” or “Christian” but not “affiliated with any particular denomination.” The bill still passed both chambers, and rather than vetoing it due to its clear First Amendment violations, Gov. Pritzker approved it. Attorney General Kwame Raoul expressed excitement that the bill would help make Illinois a “haven” for abortion.

The new bill forces PCC of Rockford and the Diocese of Springfield to hire employees who don’t share their beliefs about the sanctity of life, and it prohibits them from disciplining employees if they choose to have abortions themselves. Both the pregnancy center and the diocese are committed to living out the teachings of Scripture in every respect, but that goal would be undermined if their employees do not affirm Christian beliefs about the sanctity of life.

In addition, the statute prohibits organizations from expressing certain messages about abortion that could be deemed “offensive,” and it requires organizations that offer accommodations for new mothers to also provide accommodations for women seeking abortions.

5) “Bad Day Sunshine? Climate Dimwits Declare War on the Sun: UK scientists want £50M to dim the sun and fight climate change—because nothing says “solution” like blocking out the thing that keeps us alive.” (Thaddeus G. McCotter, American Greatness)

From the article -- Standing with both hands extended for a £50 million squeeze of the public teat, United Kingdom scientists claim the sun you celebrate in song contributes to “runaway climate change.” And these white-robed high priests of perfidious Albion’s climate cult have a novel idea to control the weather and forestall the impending apocalypse: dimming the sun. (Apparently, for these climate cult dimwits, sunshine on their shoulders makes them anything but happy.)

“Everything we do is going to be safe by design. We’re absolutely committed to responsible research, including responsible outdoor research… We have strong requirements around the length of time experiments can run for and their reversibility, and we won’t be funding the release of any toxic substances to the environment.” (Author’s Note: The professor is not funding anything. The British public is.)

See? The only thing going up in flames is someone else’s money. Besides, what could go wrong when prospectively using “stratospheric aerosol injection” that “would see scientists launching sulfate particles into the Earth’s lower stratosphere at altitudes up 12 miles high?” Unforeseen consequences, you say? Please. Next, you’ll claim that COVID resulted from a lab leak.

And a few other options I recommend?

* “What Is The Point Of Having A GOP Congress?” (Shawn Fleetwood, Federalist)

* “The New Pope’s Far-Left Takes On Immigration, Climate, Covid, And Race Relations” (The Federalist Staff)

* “Report Damns FBI Spin of 2017 Congressional Baseball Game Shooting” (Joshua Arnold, Washington Stand)

* “How Can You Be a Cop in a City That Hates You? In Chicago, the number of police suicides is far higher than anyone knew: 53 in the past decade. ‘It’s so overwhelming because there’s all these outside people pointing fingers at us.’ (Olivia Reingold, The Free Press)

* “The Rise and Fall of Russell Moore: It’s Time to Say, ‘No Moore.’” (David Mitzenmacher, Founder’s Ministries)

Are Prayers About Politics Important?

In addition to a Christian’s prayers of worship and gratitude, prayers for spiritual guidance and empowerment, prayers for gospel breakthroughs and victories in one’s daily spiritual battles, and intercessory prayers on behalf of loved ones, should we even consider prayers touching politics and culture? Are such pedestrian, secular matters “spiritual enough” for our prayers? 

Well, let’s hear from the apostle Paul:

“Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior...I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” (I Timothy 2:1-3, 8) And...

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

Well, there you go! This is why I have begun to occasionally post prayer targets relevant to our cultural moment. (See Vital Signs Blog posts “For the Watchmen on the Walls: Prayer and Advocacy Priorities for 2025” (December 13); “After the Election -- Round 2 (Including My Top 10 Pro-Life Requests of the New Administration)” (November 21); and “After the Sigh of Relief: 7 Post-Election Observations” (November 8) as examples.)

To join me in this prayer project takes only a minute or two -- just about the time it takes to read through the list.  So, now that you get the idea, I hope you’ll join me in this prayer opportunity. 

* The Islamic jihadists and the Communists are stepping up their violent persecution of Your Church, Lord. Please stay the hands of the wicked even as You pour out Your abundant grace and power upon Your people. Also, we entreat You to push back the increasing attacks on Your people in the West too.

* Revelations of just how odious and corrupt the Deep State has become continue to shock and alarm Americans. Lord Jesus, as You cleansed the Jerusalem Temple of malevolent men, please clean out the “bad guys” working on America’s destruction from the secret, sorted halls of power. Bring to light the darkness and decadence of these villains. And rally more and more citizens (especially church leaders) to oppose the demonic schemes of this Deep State.  

* As if the Russia/Ukraine war wasn’t enough...and the evil machinations of Iran and other Arab terrorists against Israel were not enough...and the saber rattling of such evil regimes as China and North Korea were not enough --- now we have India firing missiles at terrorists in Pakistan! Dear Father God, bring peace to our troubled world. Most of all, we pray that the Prince of Peace Himself will enter the hearts of many, many people as they see the effects of sin in the world and turn to Jesus Christ in repentance and saving faith.

* Freedom of speech is under terrible attack not only in Communist and Islamic nations, but even in places like the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. Lord, please clear the paths of freedom and come strong against the father of lies who is so intently fighting against truth -- truth of any sort and any degree -- being broadcast. And, speaking of lies...Lord, please  dismantle the “establishment media” and especially let Your people begin to connect to healthy, honest news sources.

* Thank You Lord for the increased revelations about the squalor, illegality, meanness, and barbaric bloodshed practiced by Planned Parenthood. Please bring these strongholds of abortion to total ruin. And bring the lies that are promoting and protecting the killing of our preborn kids (including those dying horrific deaths by cruel and poisonous pills) ever more to the devastating light of Your truth.

The Top 5 (May 3)

1) “New EPPC Study Confirms Previous Findings of Abortion Drug Dangers” (Chuck Donovan, Washington Stand)

From the article -- The study is significant in many ways in addition to the size of the study population. First, it covers a sample of women who have taken the drug in recent years, whereas prior safety and efficacy studies date back a decade or more. The EPPC study examined the impact of the drug under the loose conditions that have actually prevailed in the past decade. These conditions, as prior investigators have warned, include deletion of multiple medical visits originally recommend by the FDA, the use of “no test” protocols designed to confirm pregnancy and to assure it is not ectopic, online distribution of the pills, and use for at least three and sometimes more weeks later in pregnancy than when the drug was originally approved in the year 2000. Mifepristone is known to become less effective and more hazardous for women as the pregnancy proceeds.

Mifepristone now dominates abortion provision in the United States, constituting nearly two-thirds of the procedures carried out in the country. It is tailor-made for a laissez-faire national policy on abortion as our already weak system of abortion incidence and injury reporting makes tracking safety especially difficult when women experience harms and are treated not by the medical personnel who have supplied the drug but by third parties who may be unaware of or misinformed about their medical history. In its first 16 years, mifepristone harms, including injuries and deaths, were subject to mandatory reporting to the FDA. In 2016, that mandate was lifted, and the FDA required the reporting of harm only when use of the pill led, as it sometime does, to a maternal fatality.

For more on this matter, see “The Importance of the EPPC Study on Health Risks of Chemical Abortions” by Michael J. New and “New Report: The Abortion Pill Harms Women” by John Stonestreet.

2) “Advice For The Class Of 2025: Never Put Your Hope In Earthly Kingdoms” (Nathanael Blake, Federalist

From the article -- Of course, we see liberalism as a contributor to, rather than the cure of, said handbasket’s trajectory. But our answer to depressed left-liberal students looking for hope should not be primarily political. Rather, we should tell them that if Trump’s election has destroyed their hope, then they put their hope in the wrong place. 

Yes, we think that the left’s political and cultural beliefs and programs are wrong, but many of us know that even the best politics will not and cannot provide the fullness of hope we need. Politics matters, of course, but a hope based in politics, regardless of right or left, will always disappoint. All the social justice dreams of the left, or all the MAGA schemes of Trump’s most ardent fans, cannot save us from despair, because politics cannot cure what ails us. 

It may seem sensible to hope in politics. After all, politics is about power, and it is tempting to believe that power can fix the world’s problems. In some cases, it can ameliorate matters. But our fundamental problem is not politics, it is sinful hearts. And dealing with our selfish, sinful natures isn’t a matter of votes or laws or court rulings, but of repentance, starting with oneself. A people given over to wickedness will ruin even the best political system. Nor can we vote our way to righteousness; politics cannot make us love our neighbors as ourselves.

3) “Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing” (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

From the article -- When it comes to theology and biblical interpretation, beware the “new and improved” claims... 

Of course, this begs the following kinds of questions. Are not changes required of even longtime believers? Must not even mature Christians learn new things, adapt to different situations, accept correction and even rebuke when called for? Certainly. After all, the Christian life is by biblical definition an existential and growing thing. Becoming more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ is not merely the goal, but the process itself. 

That does not mean, however, that we should carelessly allow unprecedented, contrarian, and “creative” teachings that break on the scene to steer us away from those historic, Bible-based convictions our spiritual forefathers passed along to us. Furthermore, a healthy skepticism of these new doctrines, discoveries, and hermeneutic methods is especially crucial when the adherents of the same are full of categorical put-downs of well-established Bible teachings of the Christian heroes who have gone before us -- heroes of the Faith who have shown both by precept and personal practice their value as Bible interpreters.

4) “What Does ‘Separation of Church and State’ Really Mean?” Our Constitution does not forbid government entities from working with religious groups, and the ‘separation of church and state’ is an ahistorical misnomer. (Andrea Dill, Alliance Defending Freedom)

From the article -- The phrase “separation of church and state” is nowhere to be found in the U.S. Constitution. The term has been based on the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses, but those clauses merely state that Congress “shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The phrase “separation of church and state” rather originates in a letter sent by President Thomas Jefferson to a group of Baptists in Connecticut. The Danbury Baptist Association, a group of 26 churches in the state, had written to Jefferson to congratulate him on his election and convey their concern that Connecticut’s system of government (in which the Congregational Church was the official or “established” denomination) had led to their ill treatment.

In their letter, the Baptists affirm their belief in religious liberty—“That Religion is at all times and places a Matter between God and Individuals”—and express their dismay that they enjoy this freedom only as “favors granted” rather than as an inalienable right.

Replying to the Danbury Baptists, Jefferson agrees that “religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God.” Further, the president notes that the language of the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses build a “wall of separation between Church & State.” This context clarifies that Jefferson was speaking of protecting religious exercise from an overbearing government. His response to the Danbury Baptists was a reassurance that the United States Congress would not impede their free exercise of religion.

5) “Who are You? Voter ID law and election integrity should be top priority in new Congress. Voters want it, and with good reason.” (Glenn Harlan Reynolds)

From the article -- At any rate, the GOP should make a national photo ID requirement for federal elections a top priority in the next Congress.  And it should go further.

There are other tools, used in countries we’ve liberated but not in our own country, like dyeing people’s fingers purple so they can’t vote more than once.  And of course, maintaining trustworthy voter rolls, so that when someone shows up claiming to be entitled to vote, there’s good reason to believe that they actually are.  If a person shows up with a photo ID, and it matches a person who is entitled to vote, the odds are very good that they are who they say they are, and they are entitled to vote. Rules in other countries are generally stricter than what prevails in the United States...

In the United States, of course, even basic safeguards are wildly controversial among Democrats.  The photo ID requirement, for example, though consistently upheld by courts, is always denounced in the press as racist and claimed to be unconstitutional.  But it’s also favored by huge majorities of, you know, actual voters. “Majorities of Republicans and Democrats favor early voting as well as requiring a photo ID to vote, although large party gaps exist on these as well. Having an early-vote option for all voters is backed by virtually all Democrats (95%) as well as 60% of Republicans, while requiring all voters to show photo ID is supported by 97% of Republicans and 53% of Democrats.  Independents' views fall about halfway between Democrats and Republicans on most of the policies tested. However, independents' 84% support for photo identification is significantly closer to Republicans' level of support than to Democrats'.”

Getting a national photo ID requirement, as well as requiring states to keep voter rolls up to date, and to count votes openly and transparently, would go a long way toward restoring confidence in the system.

And the “count votes openly and transparently” part needs to be stressed as well, with federal guidelines that require that counts take place under public observation, with not only poll watchers from all parties, but also members of the public, able to observe what is going on, and with everything from voting itself, to the collection and counting and reporting of votes, generating a reliable audit trail.

10 Questions to Help You Better Interact with the Bible

Looking for a a little help in your Bible reading or devotionals? Interested in a few questions that could be used for either personal meditation or springboards for conversation about the passage? If so, here is a list of 10 questions I've compiled that might be of value to you.  

1) Did you take time to pray before reading?

2) Did you take time to carefully, prayerfully read the verse/passage?

3) Can you state the most important point of the passage? (The general subject?)

4) Are there examples here to avoid? To emulate?

5) Is there a command (or more) to obey?

6) Is there a sin to avoid? A change to be made?

7) Are there words/phrases/questions that need to be highlighted for further reading, study?

8) Relevant to this passage, are there prayers suggested for yourself, for others?

9) Are there applications to be better protected from the world, the flesh, the devil?

10) Are there insights here regarding the confrontation of our present culture/church life?