“Lawlessness Ablaze”

It is an all too obvious and very tragic truth that our world is absolutely ablaze in lawlessness. Absolutely, out of control ablaze. Nevertheless, there remain Christians who stick their head in comfortable sand and try to ignore the flames, while other believers naively downplay the extraordinary degrees of rebellion, blasphemy, and bloodshed of our time, insisting that modern society’s lawlessness is no worse than previous eras in history. The facts are terribly clear, however, that the ever-escalating levels of lawlessness which Holy Scripture reveals as an alarming signal of the end times can be seen daily all around us. 

And the evidence of this lawlessness ablaze is not merely shown in the actions of the primary lawless deeds themselves, but also in the gross inefficiency, indifference, even enablement of our broken judicial system. Indeed, rather than acting as firemen dousing the flames, our modern politics, courts and prosecution policies actually aid and abet the arsonists. For instance, members of my generation can recall days when there were appropriate (and swift) penalties for crimes. But now? Justice is drowned in a complicated, corrupted sea of reduced charges, plea bargains, low (even cashless) bail, early parole and probation policies, laughable “community service” options, and so on. It wasn’t that long ago that “three strike” laws and extended punishment guarantees for gun crimes would put career criminals away for life. But today’s policies excuse and coddle thugs, quickly putting them back on the street to rob, rape, and murder again. Capital punishment even for such crimes as murder, rape, kidnapping, and treason? Forget about it.

Drunk and chemically impaired drivers were once taken from behind the wheel and jailed instead of being given pass after pass until they finally cripple or kill someone. Case in point? Just last week, 70-year old, Grammy-nominated musician Roderick Macleod was out walking his dog when he was run over and killed by a car driven by Shannon Godbout, a career criminal with more than 100 arrests with an additional 82 court warrants served against her over the years as well as 40 traffic citations.

How about how vandals, shoplifters, looters, and rioters are dealt with nowadays? Did you steal less than $1,000? Okay, see you later. Destroy an exquisite, centuries old work of art as an act of anti-Israel protest or climate change activism? Oh well; there’s still plenty of paintings and sculptures. Pay a small fine and we’ll let it go. 

Need more evidence still? Consider the overwhelming corruption of our elections; the flood of illegal immigration which so dangerously threatens the Republic; legalized gambling which has now gone far beyond Las Vegas and into every home in the nation through our phones and internet; sex trafficking; endless scams whereby cruel, conniving thugs stealing money from the most vulnerable; shameless vagrancy (often involving public drunkenness); aggressive begging; the multitude of traffic violations so routinely practiced that police cannot begin to keep up; and rampant drug abuse which destroys both the user and the public peace. And yes, this includes the increasing dependence of young and old on legal, yet still mind-numbing “medical” marijuana dispensed by an endless number of neighborhood shops.  

And, of course, the most horrific crime of all, the bloody lawlessness of the wholesale slaughter of preborn boys and girls via savage curettes, monstrous suction machines, and cruel chemical poisons. Oh yes, lawlessness is ablaze in our day.

Another key element of  today’s lawlessness is its arrogant and highly hypocritical posturing. For while all of these crimes are being ignored (even defended), society leaders, politicians and the police, the judges, and the press are targeting grandmas who pray outside abortion chambers instead. Or parents who resist turning their kids over to the dastardly clutches of the NEA and the government schools. Or coaches who dare lead their teams in prayer. Or a homeowner who uses a legal firearm to defend his family from savages staging a home invasion. Or parents who protest sexual deviants invading their daughter’s bathroom and locker room. Or a preacher who dares to keep his church open when told by government bullies to stay closed. Or a pregnant mother who refuses to get jabbed with a new, untested, and potentially lethal drug while proven medical treatments and medicines are denied her. Or a Christian who dares to voice biblical truths on a college campus. And on and on and on.

No, make no mistake. The furious, wicked flames of lawlessness (the Greek word is often translated as transgression as well) are unprecedently burning out of control just as the Bible predicted would be the case in the last days. The Lord Jesus spoke of this lawlessness in speaking to His disciples (recorded in Matthew 24) as He warned them of wars, hatred, persecution, false prophets, earthquakes, famines, and a dramatic increase in lawlessness.

And though 2nd Thessalonians refers to the anti-christ, the ultimate ringleader of this wickedness, as “the man of lawlessness,” it’s important to remember that the initial force behind this surge of sin in the last days is man himself. The anti-christ will be judged for his rebellion against the Law (more specifically, against the Lawgiver Himself), but he isn’t responsible for the righteous judgment directed against human sinners. No, that’s the wages of our sin that must be paid. The anti-christ will ride the crest of this wave of wickedness, but it became a wave in the first place because men and women surrendered to their own unlawful desires, opinions, and deeds, becoming a law unto themselves. 

This is emphasized by a quick look at the Greek word translated as “lawless” in the passages I’m citing...and will cite. The Greek word is anomia -- nomia meaning law and the prefix a meaning without. The word itself could suggest either an absence of law or even an ignorance of the law. But the most common interpretation of the word by conservative Bible scholars is that lawless (and lawlessness) points to a transgression of the law, a deliberate denial of the law’s authority. This fits. For even as we use the phrase, “ignorance of the law is no excuse,” a person who crosses the line unwittingly, still crosses the line. However, more relevant is that an appeal against the judgment of God because, “Golly, I didn’t know any better” denies the striking fact that I did know better!  For not only does the Law exist wherever God is -- and that is everywhere -- making the essence of His Law (the emanations of God’s own character) also omnipresent. But also because the Bible explains that because man is created in the image of God, His law is a part of our very nature. His law is written on our hearts. And what laws of God we do understand, we have broken. We are guilty before His law; we are even guilty before our own. (Romans 2). No one has an excuse. The lawlessness of our time has been riled up by us. 

So, let’s look at this a bit more closely, not only in how the social lawlessness of the end times plays out in history, but in how the lawless spirit in one’s soul plays out in his personal destiny. All men are sinners; all men are transgressors of His Law, whether it is His Law written on stones or His Law written on our hearts. And so, beyond our individual plight of standing before the all-holy God, we must own up to our contributions to the wave of lawlessness which is now engulfing the world, the wages of which are the “second death” and a terrible, eternal separation from God. That is, unless we can find a substitute, one who could satisfy the demands of God’s righteousness, a completely sinless man who could intercede for us and himself pay the penalty of our sin. 

And, to be sure, that’s the exact definition of a Christian; that is, a sinner who has received by simple faith the gift of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross in their behalf. This is the gift which is forgiveness, cleansing, eternal life. This is the path of rescue, the path of redemption, the only path of freedom. Jesus “gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness.” (Titus 2:14). Indeed, trusting in Christ’s loving sacrifice liberates us forever from both the penalty and the power of our lawlessness. (Hebrews 10:17, Romans 4:7,8)

Thus we see the Bible teaching that lawlessness creates four major tragedies. First, it corrupts each human person and increasingly enslaves them. That’s right, Romans 6:19 reveals that our lawless deeds actually lead to yet more lawlessness. Second, that lawlessness sets us up for divine judgment. (Again, unless you let Jesus step in and act as your substitute.) The third tragedy is that individual lawlessness pollutes the group (family, nation, world) and stimulates social disorders that end up running unchecked...as see happening today. And finally, the fourth tragedy is that lawlessness will usher in the eschatological crisis. This, I believe, is the wave of lawlessness that will culminate in the Rapture of the Church and the beginning of God’s holy judgment upon the world.

And what then of the Christian’s attitude and action in this eschatological crisis? Here are a few of the responses I think are the most important.

* Our culture’s blazing lawlessness should cause us to be ever more careful to avoid getting burned ourselves! For instance, we must thoroughly respect and love God’s law and not be tempted to ignore the devastation lawlessness creates. We cannot ignore lawlessness; we cannot make light of it; we cannot coexist with it. Our gratitude and love for Christ must show a daily devotion to holy living and a bold proclamation of biblical truths.

* Biblically-minded believers in Jesus should be the most ardent champions for law and order. We should be active in this responsibility in prayer and proclamation, in our families and churches, in our neighborhoods and nation. So be informed. Be a watchman on the wall. Be a vocal defender of justice. In whatever ways are open to you, be an opponent of barbarism and crime and false teaching. Stand in the gap for the innocent and needy, especially the unborn children, the victims of persecution, the victims of sex trafficking. And be a firm friend of the police and truly conservative public officials. 

* And speaking of being vocal, you might also find, as I have, that talking about the dangers and shame represented by our society’s increasing lawlessness is an excellent springboard for evangelism. Your neighbor (perhaps even your hard-hearted, leftist in-law) most likely sees what you do and realizes -- to some degree at least -- that modern culture is coarser, crazier, and downright scarier than the world he grew up in. You may discover then that he is more open than ever to consider the biblical view of reality including divine creation, the indispensable rightness of moral law, sin and the subsequent judgment, and, most certainly, the gospel. For Jesus is the world’s only hope.

* Finally, one more very important response to the lawlessness of the present age is to let it stimulate your confidence in and yearning for the day when the government of the entire world will be on Christ’s shoulders -- that forever day when peace reigns in redeemed hearts, when the glorified bodies of God’s children enjoy the splendors of the New Earth, and when delightful harmony is the constant in our relationships with God, one another, and all of his creation. Wow!

So to wrap up this devotional...It is of the utmost importance to frankly admit that the lawlessness of the end times is blazing all around us, even to accept the evidence that is accelerating on its way to a foreordained doom.  But Christians serve the living and almighty God Who not only protects us from human enemies, demons, and the league of the anti-christ, but Who also empowers us with the Holy Spirit to fight for justice, righteousness, and truth while we can. Therefore, this is a most excellent time to “win our spurs” in our Lord’s service as watchmen on the wall, as advocates, as ambassadors, as “wolf fighters,” and as teachers and evangelists. And while we bravely take on these honored challenges, Christians should look forward with joy and confidence to the day of our King’s eternal victory -- a day we will share with Him, His angels, and the whole family of the redeemed. Come, Lord Jesus!

Making Prayer a Crime?

“So, are you praying?” asked the British policeman to the woman who had been standing quietly across the street from an abortion business in Birmingham.

“Well, I’m not saying anything.  But, yes, I’m praying in my mind.”

“So, you are praying?” the policeman repeated.

“Well, yes.”

“Then you’ll have to come to the station with us, ma’am.”  And he put Isabel Vaughn-Spruce, a local leader of 40 Days for Life, under arrest.

Tragically, denials of what have historically been the sacred freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and conscience are happening more and more as leftist tyrants and their all-too-willing toadies in the press, schools, business, and government bureaucracies ramp up their intolerance of the ideals of Western civilization, Christianity, and Christians.

We have, of course, been dealing with this sad injustice for awhile now. Bakers, innkeepers, and florists are denied the freedoms of religion and conscience. Coaches cannot pray with their teams (no matter how willing the student/athletes are to do so) and valedictorians are not allowed to mention Jesus to their classmates. Wearing a Christian T-shirt gets you thrown out of the mall, the school, the public library, the company picnic. And on and on. 

Indeed, the arrest of Mrs. Vaughn-Spruce provoked a vivid reminder of a similar situation I encountered a few years ago outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.  It was the night before the March for Life and Claire and I were in town with three of our Omaha colleagues for the event.  

But on the night before the March, we had gone to spend a few minutes in prayer outside the U.S. Capitol, the Senate and Congressional offices, and now we were at the Supreme Court.  It was late.  It was very quiet.  There was no one besides the 5 of us on the whole plaza. But just a few seconds into our corporate prayer, one of the Supreme Court police (yes, they’ve got their own) interrupted us and told us that we couldn’t pray there. Though incredulous and angry, I was calm, respectful, and very courteous in my response…as was he. Here’s how it went:

“Officer, thanks for checking on us. But let me ask, did I hear you correctly that we aren’t allowed to pray here?”

“That’s right.”

“Good grief. May I respectfully ask by what authority you make this remarkably un-American demand?”

The Supreme Court policeman was a bit disconcerted.  “Look, I know it doesn’t seem right but they’ve told us not to let crowds gather here or to let anyone do any demonstrating.”

“Officer,” I spoke gently, “are you considering five people a crowd, especially when we’re the only ones in this whole plaza?  And do you really interpret the five of us quietly standing here a demonstration? And I haven’t even mentioned you telling us we can’t pray!”

“I know it doesn’t seem right, sir. But I’m just following orders.”

“Okay, let me ask you this -- when I saw you coming across the plaza, it looked to me like you were already determined to chase us away.  But what if we were simply tourists enjoying the sights of D.C.? Would you have ordered us to leave?”

“No, of course not; that would have been fine.  But I could tell that you were praying by the way you had your heads bowed.”

“Wow; that’s interesting. So, let me get this straight; you’re suggesting that it wasn’t the prayer itself that bothered you. It was seeing us in a posture of prayer.”

“Yes, I guess so.  Because the way you looked, anybody could see that you were praying. And that’s I when I could get in trouble.”

“Got it. But I’ll bet you’ll agree with me that with all the murders and the rapes and the robberies in this city, you’ve got to feel at least a little silly for telling us that praying in this empty place at night is the crime you’re determined to prevent.” He looked kinda’ crestfallen at that and so I followed up quickly, “Look, I’ve got an idea. You and I are not going to settle here tonight the Constitutional legality of our freedom to assembly. And I have no desire to get you or me or any of my friends here in trouble. So, here’s my suggestion.  Why don’t you walk away and leave us alone for another few minutes.  I promise we won’t get on our knees or bow our heads or intertwine our fingers.  We will look just like tourists -- tourists that are simply appreciating the beauty of the Supreme Court lit up at night and thinking about the things it has traditionally stood for…things like, say religious freedom and other stuff!  Then you walk back by here in ten minutes and we will be gone. What do you say?

“I guess that would be okay.  ‘Cause, you know, I don’t want to be a hard-case about all this.  Still, I’m pretty sure that when I walk away, you folks will probably start praying again.”

I smiled.  “But, officer, even if we were so bold to do that, you wouldn’t know.  Nobody would know.  And why? Because you came over here and warned us against assuming a posture of prayer. Mission was accomplished. I promise we won’t do that.  And, like I said, we’ll just be here a few minutes more.  How about it?”

The fellow paused a moment.  “Okay, goodnight, folks.”  He finally walked away and left us to finish our prayers (abstaining from a prayer posture, of course) before we headed back to our hotel. It was a memorable night, for even though we managed to escape penalties for praying in the public square, it was a clear warning of what was coming. And, as I suggested, that incident came back in a rush when I watched the video of Mrs. Vaughn-Spruce’s arrest.  “So, you are praying?  Then you’ll have to come with us.”

My friends, because of the accelerating hatred of the world for God and because the Church has cowardly surrendered so much of her responsibilities to live holy, separated lives as well as to lovingly speak truth into the culture, this is going to keep happening. The powers that be will tell us -- “Sure, it’s fine to have your religion. We will graciously allow that. However, your religion must be a totally private (even secret) thing that finds no expression whatsoever in the public square, the schools, the marketplace, politics, the local library, etc. And, as long as your convictions give way before the ideals (and compulsory orders) of Science, Progress, the State, and the “enlightened elite,” you can feel as many religious feelings as you’d like. ‘Cause, you know, we don’t want to be a hard-case about all this.”  

Lord, have mercy. Help us to hold on tight to a heavenly perspective regarding the trials of living all-out for You. Please be our strength and shield as we pursue godliness in our personal lives and as we undertake the light-bearing responsibilities we have been given as Your ambassadors.

There Are Wolves in the World

"Brothers and sisters, there are wolves in the world — ravenous, treacherous, and relentless wolves in the world. These beasts are also proud, wicked, and full of bloodlust. And, make no mistake, their frantic passions are ever-increasing to kill and devour, to spread panic and despair..."

The rest of the September letter from Vital Signs Ministries is right here.

The Latest Word...On Letters

No, we don’t wait for P.A.L. Nights (Vital Signs Ministries quarterly series of letter-writing parties) to express through letters and cards our education and advocacy, our gratitude and encouragement, and our protest. Indeed, our letters represent an important -- and continual -- opportunity to shine our lights for Jesus Christ, to be a preservative seasoning in our culture, and to “do justice” in practical ways. So, they are too valuable a witness to lay idle in between those letter-writing parties. Of course, we look forward to our P.A.L. Nights (we have actually have added morning editions nowadays) and we sure hope you plan on joining us for our next scheduled letter-writing parties on August 5.

As I said, however, we make it a regular part of our week to engage in a bit of “correspondence outreach” and, from time to time, I share examples here on Vital Signs Blog. Here are 3 of the latest. (And note -- When most relevant, I provide links to articles that give you fuller picture of the situation that prompted my letters.)

1) Dear Nebraska University,

Just a quick note to add my disappointment and protest of the contemptible bigotry demonstrated by the drag performance mocking the Catholic mass for which the university rewarded a doctoral degree from the Glenn Korff School of Music. Though not a Catholic, I find it deeply troubling for such an intentionally blasphemous program to be sponsored by the university.

Catholic group demands U. Nebraska ‘held accountable’ for drag show mocking Mass (Gabrielle Temaat, Catholic Fix)

2) Dear National Park Service,

 Please stop the programs of ideological fix the foolish historical revisionism you’ve begun with the Mellon Foundation and others regarding as in the changes in the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. These plans, as currently expressed, show a terrible lack of concern for historical accuracy as well as for the good of the Republic.

A Woke Jefferson Memorial?: The National Park Service should halt current efforts to make the memorial’s once-excellent basement museum into a condemnation of the author of the Declaration of Independence. (Jeffrey H. Anderson, City Journal)

3) Versions of the following letter were sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson, members of the Nebraska delegation, and President Trump.

Dear ------------------

Well, the "Big Beautiful Bill' has passed. Thank you for your efforts. However, that bill failed to address many of the yet-critical disasters created by previous administrations. And I'm appealing to you to finally make these things true priorities in the next phase of legislative action.

1) The complete and permanent de-funding of the mega-abortion profiteer that is Planned Parenthood. 

2) Repeal of the F.A.C. E. act.

3) A serious scaling back of the poisonous abortion drugs that are killing millions of preborn children as well as severely injuring so many of those children's mothers.

4) Increased conscience protection for those who refuse to perjure their souls by supporting in any way such blasphemous actions as abortion or sexual perversion.

A Top 10 Pro-life Priority List

A Top 10 Pro-life Priority List

(Encouraged for Lawmakers

by Vital Signs Ministries & Friends)

1) The defunding of Planned Parenthood.

2) The appointing of genuine pro-life people to places of high influence in the new administration and, of course, also in the judiciary.

3) The immediate release of all pro-life advocates who the Biden administration has thrown into federal prisons because they dared pray in front of an abortion mill.

4) To reinstate the Mexico City policy and cut off all other funding to anti-life agencies and programs.

5) To rescind all Biden administration orders and policies that seek to force radically immoral abortion/gender/sexuality/indoctrination practices on Americans.

6) To end the pollution of our nation’s water system from the dangerous chemicals contained in abortion pills.

7) To use the power of the federal government to defend the sanctity of life rather than undermine, even criminalize, that noble purpose.

8) To actively enforce the Comstock Act, a law that governs how the Postal Service deals with the mailing of abortion poisons.

9) To restore the real meaning of Title IX.

10) To do whatever possible to help build a culture of life in America -- a culture that applauds and encourages adoption, that protects freedom of religion and conscience from all attacks, that prohibits Big Tech from maintaining a monopoly on information, and that assists traditional values regarding sexual morality and healthy family life.

Recapturing Thanksgiving Day Territory

Claire and I are becoming more serious and intentional every year in recapturing the spirit of Thanksgiving Day that we enjoyed (and were inspired by) when we were kids. For since those days, the importance of that holiday has been overwhelmed by many forces -- an intolerant secularism that disdains religious expression, Americans being increasingly ignorant and indifferent to their nation's history, the innumerable distractions arising from the commercialization of Halloween and Christmas, the dwindling devotion to family fellowship, and dare I say it, the overall indifference to the critical virtue of gratitude. 

At any rate, this Thanksgiving season has been a particular blessing to us thus far.

 1) Actually using the Mayflower Compact as the springboard for a sermon at Herman Community Church. 

2) Having a wonderful time reading Thanksgiving-oriented stories and essays but also a new discovery that we are taking great delight in, Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience by Melanie Kirkpatrick. 

3) Preparing for Vital Signs Blog (and the VSM website) a 27-page Thanksgiving Present of poems quotations, presidential proclamations, and more which is available for your encouragement and pleasure. 

4) Recording a brief video for our YouTube channel about the American Christians' spiritual forefathers, the Plymouth Colony Pilgrims. 

5) Enjoying the hospitality of friends who have invited us to a Thanksgiving feast (a little bit after the Day itself). 

6) Having the honor of entertaining 7 dinner guests ourselves featuring the
traditional menu fare on Thanksgiving Day. 

And 7) Officially kicking off the Christmas season with our longstanding tradition of watching Miracle on 34th Street on the night of Thanksgiving Day. 

So, Happy Thanksgiving Day -- and Season -- to you all!

Appealing for Justice Towards Persecuted Christians

“Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are badly treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.” (Hebrews 13:3)

In the next couple of days, Claire and I will be sending letters (like the one I’ve posted below) to political leaders and ambassadors of some of the countries who are the absolute worst in persecuting Christians: Burma, China, Eritrea, Belarus, India, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Vietnam. (The addresses to the respective embassies can be found here.)

We hope this action encourages you to lift up prayers for our brethren who are suffering under such despotic regimes…and you might even decide to write a letter or two or three on you own. Indeed, if you need information or assistance, just let us know.

A letter to the leaders of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,

I am writing as an American minister of Christ’s gospel with an urgent appeal for you to initiate new moves of justice and compassion regarding the sad plight of prisoners who are experiencing unfair and harsh imprisonment in your nation because of their faith in Jesus for eternal salvation. Please recognize that sincere Christians represent a wonderful blessing to your nation as they are morally upright, diligent workers, respectful, kindhearted, and generous. They do not seek to undermine the State, but indeed seek to enhance your nation's strength and culture through prayers, devotion to family life, and peaceful service.

Therefore, to mistreat persons merely because of religious differences (or other acts of conscience) is a tragic mistake, one that frustrates, angers, and saddens people of tolerance and goodwill throughout the world. Please act quickly to open the jail cells of those enduring undeserved punishment for their religious faith. 

“Religious freedom, an essential requirement of the dignity of every person, is a cornerstone of the structure of human rights, and for this reason, an irreplaceable factor in the good of individuals and of the whole of society as well as of the personal fulfillment of each individual.” (John Paul II)

Thank you for your consideration of this crucial human rights matter.

94 Christmas Letters...and Counting!

Yesterday our home was the setting for Vital Signs Ministries' 2 Christmas card parties (the December "edition" of our quarterly letter-writing parties) with 6 of us involved in the morning brunch event and 7 of us getting busy in the evening. The total of cards and letters from those events?  94. Wow. Nice job, guys!

The recipients of our writing efforts included government officials, businesses, champions of Christian service, pro-life colleagues, Supreme Court Justices, and two colorful Christas cards to each of 12 men imprisoned by the brutal regimes of Communist China and Eritrea solely because the men dared to openly proclaim Christ Jesus. The messages in those cards, by the way, were in the prisoner's own language!  

As is our practice, we print below a few sample letters as an encouragement for you to follow suit and let the light of Christ shine through YOUR letters and Christmas cards.

Sandy wrote Riley Gaines -- Thank you so much for standing up for women and girls rights to be protected against men and boys invading female locker rooms, dorm rooms, sports competitions. I have six daughters, most of whom swam competitively (as I once did myself) so I was particularly drawn to your story and I am so proud of you and your courageous stand. I pray for your protection and that God will give you strength and courage to continue this good fight. Merry Christmas!

Denny wrote to Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito -- Just a quick Christmas message 1) to express our prayers that God continue to protect, empower, and use you mightily; 2) to encourage you with the reminder that we are only two of the millions who pray for you regularly; 3) to thank you for the wise and courageous service you have provided not only to America but for the cause of justice and constitutional law that influences the whole world; and 4) to send along our hopes that God grant you and your family an especially bright, beautiful, and spiritually enriching Christmas season. 

Claire wrote the gaming company Activision -- As you well know, most people would want to be hired on their merits, not squeezed out of obligatory categories based merely on race, gender, or political ideology. Why not take this Christmas season to change your business discrimination practices before the federal government comes after you?

And another thing. Deliberately destroying kids’ natural innocence by polluting their minds with violence, debased characters, and sordid, unnatural themes with your game content is shameful in the extreme. Please consider what you can do to improve the culture, not tear it apart. Christmastime can change hearts, please let it change yours.

Becky wrote to State Senator Kathleen Kauth -- Merry Christmas! Thank you for all the hard work and time you put into getting LB 574 and 753 passed. I’m praying for continued wisdom for you as you seek to honor God in this important position. 

Sam wrote to Tim Tebow and the team at the Tim Tebow Foundation -- I hope you are all doing well this Christmas season. I am very impressed with the wonderful work you have all been doing. I pray that you continue to receive God’s blessing. Tim, I particularly love that you have turned your status and fame towards a God-honoring ministry. Your Foundation is certainly honoring James 1:27 where we are told that “pure and undefiled religion is to visit orphans and widows in their distress.” Bless you and your work this holiday season. 

Don wrote Samaritans’ Purse Director, Franklin Graham -- I so praise and thank God for all He is doing through the ministry God has given you. You’re simple preaching of the gospel has brought so many to saving faith. Because God leads you to share His love for the lost, He is bringing many to saving faith and we are all grateful for your efforts. We know the enemy is always going to try to stop what God has called you to, so that is where our prayers really come into play. I know the efforts of God’s people will thwart the devil’s evil schemes.

Again, I thank you for all you do for his Kingdom. He is using you and your family (and, of course, your colleagues at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and at Samaritan’s Purse) to bring Jesus’s love and light to a dark and needy world. Have a very Merry Christmas with you and your family.

Denny wrote the team at Assure Women’s Center -- Just a quick word of thanks for the absolutely super job you were all doing in ministering to women and families and the culture at large... and saving lives too! May the joys of this special season be yours in abundance and may our precious Lord continue to protect and empower all of your ministries for His Name's sake.

Claire wrote Home Depot -- We have not shopped at Home Depot for many years because of your decisions to support radical leftist causes that are tearing families apart and sending our young children in an evil direction. How about this Christmas season you take a hard look at the path you’ve chosen and turn around? Face the facts; wokeness isn’t working for your company…or for America.

Becky wrote Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas -- Merry Christmas! Thank you so much for the firm stance you have taken on the sanctity of human life and for religious liberty according to biblical principles (and yes, the U.S. Constitution too!) I am praying for you and praising God for you. 

Claire wrote Essential Pregnancy Services -- Thank you for all you do for the moms and babies in our area! Continue to stand firm against the darkness. After all, you’re fighting on the side of the angels! Thanks too for your smiles and waves when we’re praying outside Planned Parenthood.! Blessings…

Sandy wrote pro-abortion State Senator Kavanaugh -- Please, as you celebrate Jesus’s holy and miraculous birth, reconsider your opposition of compassionate and just pro-life efforts. Remember, the first person to recognize Jesus was John the Baptist, and he did so from his mother’s womb! (Luke 1: 43,45) In the Bible, children are called “gifts from God,” and they are. Every one of them! Senator, in this Christmas season, I pray that every time you see a manger with the baby Jesus represented there, you will appreciate that He came as an infant to save us all! Sincerely.

Becky wrote the Nebraska Family Alliance -- Merry Christmas! Thank you for all the work you do to honor God and his Word. I’m praying for you to stand firm in the truth and to continue to be bold and fighting for what’s right. 

Claire wrote Target -- The Christmas season time gives all of us an opportunity to take a look at our lives and honestly consider ways to change ourselves for the better. Remember Ebeneezer Scrooge? Well, then, what hat a great time for the executives at Target to drop their callous and counter-productive polices and once again become a genuinely “family store.” Face the facts; wokeness isn’t working for your company…or for America.

Denny wrote to the team at Bott Radio in Lincoln -- Just a quick word to thank you for all the inspiration, challenge, encouragement, and excellent Bible teaching that you air on your station. Every single day lives are greatly assisted in ltheir desire to walk in the pilgrim way towards Christian maturity…and non-believers are informed about the matchless grace of the Savior Whose birth we celebrate in this holy season. Thank you so much and merry Christmas!

Denny wrote President Biden -- In this wonderful and holy Christmas season, we are praying that the Lord Jesus will bring the divine truths regarding the sanctity of human life to your heart and that you will take a hard turn from the evil ways you have mindlessly pursued most of your life. Move instead towards the grace, righteousness, and power of Almighty God through faith in the Christmas gift which is Jesus. And then you will champion holy causes: justice, the immeasurably precious lives of babies in their mother’s wombs, the divine sanctions of marriage between a man and a woman, and so on.

As the President of the United States, you have remarkable powers, so use them for holy goals, not foolish and wicked ones. May our loving God grant you wisdom, courage, and a long overdue faith in Him in this holy season of Christmas.

The Real St. Patrick

The arrival of St. Patrick’s Day will elicit various celebrations. For instance, there will be much made of the uniqueness of the Irish race but, at least for the duration of the holiday, the non-Irish are invited to participate in the fun: sporting green clothing, wearing leprechaun decorations, pinching, eating corned beef sandwiches, politically-correct parades, and painting big green shamrocks in the public streets...usually outside the taverns.

It's all strange behavior and quite irrelevant to the memory of St. Patrick. Indeed, when one bothers to look beneath the pagan coverings of St. Patrick's Day to the man himself, one finds a truly noble Christian hero. So, let’s take a look at the historical figure of Saint Patrick. Let’s ignore the silliness and learn the lessons God would teach us about a faithful, zealous servant of Christ.

You might know the legends - how Patrick expelled the snakes from Ireland; how he explained the Trinity by reference to the shamrock; and so on. But the historical Patrick is more intriguing and inspirational than even the Patrick of legend.

The first revealing fact is that Patrick was not Irish! He was a Scot by birth, the son of a decurio (town councilor) who served as a deacon in the church. His grandfather was also a man of the cloth. While still a youth, Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and reduced to slavery there. It was a life devoted to tending his master’s goat and sheep herds but Patrick finally began to find a measure of comfort and strength through prayer. This was in dramatic contrast to his earlier years in Britain when, as Patrick himself described it, he “knew not the true God” and did not heed the “clerical admonitions for salvation.”

Patrick escaped from his slavery -- after six years -- and made his way to a port some 200 miles away on the southeast coast of Ireland. He persuaded some sailors to take him with them, but it would still be a long time before Patrick reached home. In fact, there were various adventures in foreign lands ahead, including days where he nearly starved to death. But God was gracious to him and Patrick finally returned to his family, though very much changed. He had embraced the Christian faith of his family by his own convictions now. And he embraced too the call of service in Christ’s kingdom.

Patrick first received a basic clerical training. This would have included instruction using the Latin Bible (which he came to know well) but it was not a highly academic education, the lack of which he always regretted and for which he was sometimes criticized in later years by his enemies. His own Latin writings are certainly inelegant, even at times rustic, but they reflect a purity and power arising from a heart dedicated to the Lord.

Then, in a remarkable display of compassion and courage, Patrick decided to return to Ireland. By his own choice, he returned to the land where he had been worked as a slave, this time to bring the liberating message of the gospel. This was in 435.

Patrick worked principally in the North with his base at Armagh. It was from here that he made his many missionary journeys among the heathen Celtic tribes. Those efforts were blessed by God and were very successful. Patrick was a tireless worker, an expert organizer, and a man of consecrated prayer. By the end of his life, he had planted over 200 congregations and introduced thousands to the true religion of Jesus Christ.

Patrick’s most crucial goals were confrontational and were pursued with tremendous zeal -- abolishing paganism, idolatry, and sun-worship. He was ready for imprisonment or even death in following Christ. Nevertheless, he was generally popular. He made no distinction of classes; he was simple and unpretentious; he was compassionate and humble.  And he never forgot his origins. Indeed, Patrick retained, even in his old age, vivid memories of being an unlearned exile, a slave, a desperate fugitive, and a lost soul who, by the incredible mercies of God, had learned to trust wholly in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for his salvation.

Patrick lives in example, but he also lives through his writings, the earliest to still survive from the British church. They are his Confession (his autobiography), the Letter to Coroticus (which was a protest against British slave-traders), and the Lorica (translated “Breastplate”) which stands as one of the most beautiful pieces of ancient Christian literature. Here's a passage from the latter:

May the strength of God pilot us.

May the power of God preserve us.

May the wisdom of God instruct us.

May the hand of God protect us.

May the way of God direct us.

May the shield of God defend us.

May the hosts of God guard us against the snares of the Evil One and the temptations of the world.

May Christ be with us. Christ before us.

Christ in us. Christ over us.

May thy salvation, O Lord, be always ours this day and for evermore.

(The above text is a recently edited version of a “Vital Signs” radio transcript I wrote back in the 90s...maybe even the 80s. Yipes!)

Among Our Ministry Heroes...Alliance Defending Freedom

Among the ministries Claire and I support with prayer, financial donations,
encouragement through letters, and passing the word along to others about their invaluable and truly superb work is Alliance Defending Freedom, the nation’s largest legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, marriage and family, parental rights, and the sanctity of life. 

And they are educators too. Case in point? This excellent article, "What the FDA Hasn’t Told You About Mifepristone," by Erik Baptist, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom. It's one of the best I've read in exposing the FDA's irresponsibility. 

Below is the link to that article. And then below that is a link to ADF's website where we encourage you to go and browse around a bit. You may well decide that you'd like to start supporting them also.

"What the FDA Hasn’t Told You About Mifepristone"

Alliance Defending Freedom

R.I.P. Religious Freedom

“So, are you praying?” asked the British policeman to the woman who had been standing quietly across the street from an abortion business in Birmingham.

“Well, I’m not saying anything.  But, yes, I’m praying in my mind.”

“So, you are praying?” the policeman repeated.

“Well, yes.”

“Then you’ll have to come to the station with us, ma’am.”  And he put Isabel Vaughn-Spruce, a local leader of 40 Days for Life, under arrest.

Tragically, denials of what have historically been the sacred freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and conscience are happening more and more as leftist tyrants and their all-too-willing toadies in the press, schools, business, and government bureaucracies ramp up their intolerance of the ideals of Western civilization, Christianity, and Christians.

We have, of course, been dealing with this sad injustice for awhile now. Bakers, innkeepers, and florists are denied the freedoms of religion and conscience. Coaches cannot pray with their teams (no matter how willing the student/athletes are to do so) and valedictorians are not allowed to mention Jesus to their classmates. Wearing a Christian T-shirt gets you thrown out of the mall, the school, the public library, the company picnic. And on and on. 

Indeed, the arrest of Mrs. Vaughn-Spruce provoked a vivid reminder of a similar situation I encountered a few years ago outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.  It was the night before the March for Life and Claire and I were in town with three of our Omaha colleagues for the event.  

But on the night before the March, we had gone to spend a few minutes in prayer outside the U.S. Capitol, the Senate and Congressional offices, and now we were at the Supreme Court.  It was late.  It was very quiet.  There was no one besides the 5 of us on the whole plaza. But just a few seconds into our corporate prayer, one of the Supreme Court police (yes, they’ve got their own) interrupted us and told us that we couldn’t pray there. Though incredulous and angry, I was calm, respectful, and very courteous in my response…as was he. Here’s how it went:

“Officer, thanks for checking on us. But let me ask, did I hear you correctly that we aren’t allowed to pray here?”

“That’s right.”

“Good grief. May I respectfully ask by what authority you make this remarkably un-American demand?”

The Supreme Court policeman was a bit disconcerted.  “Look, I know it doesn’t seem right but they’ve told us not to let crowds gather here or to let anyone do any demonstrating.”

“Officer,” I spoke gently, “are you considering five people a crowd, especially when we’re the only ones in this whole plaza?  And do you really interpret the five of us quietly standing here a demonstration? And I haven’t even mentioned you telling us we can’t pray!”

“I know it doesn’t seem right, sir. But I’m just following orders.”

“Okay, let me ask you this -- when I saw you coming across the plaza, it looked to me like you were already determined to chase us away.  But what if we were simply tourists enjoying the sights of D.C.? Would you have ordered us to leave?”

“No, of course not; that would have been fine.  But I could tell that you were praying by the way you had your heads bowed.”

“Wow; that’s interesting. So, let me get this straight; you’re suggesting that it wasn’t the prayer itself that bothered you. It was seeing us in a posture of prayer.”

“Yes, I guess so.  Because the way you looked, anybody could see that you were praying. And that’s I when I could get in trouble.”

“Got it. But I’ll bet you’ll agree with me that with all the murders and the rapes and the robberies in this city, you’ve got to feel at least a little silly for telling us that praying in this empty place at night is the crime you’re determined to prevent.” He looked kinda’ crestfallen at that and so I followed up quickly, “Look, I’ve got an idea. You and I are not going to settle here tonight the Constitutional legality of our freedom to assembly. And I have no desire to get you or me or any of my friends here in trouble. So, here’s my suggestion.  Why don’t you walk away and leave us alone for another few minutes.  I promise we won’t get on our knees or bow our heads or intertwine our fingers.  We will look just like tourists -- tourists that are simply appreciating the beauty of the Supreme Court lit up at night and thinking about the things it has traditionally stood for…things like, say religious freedom and other stuff!  Then you walk back by here in ten minutes and we will be gone. What do you say?

“I guess that would be okay.  ‘Cause, you know, I don’t want to be a hard-case about all this.  Still, I’m pretty sure that when I walk away, you folks will probably start praying again.”

I smiled.  “But, officer, even if we were so bold to do that, you wouldn’t know.  Nobody would know.  And why? Because you came over here and warned us against assuming a posture of prayer. Mission was accomplished. I promise we won’t do that.  And, like I said, we’ll just be here a few minutes more.  How about it?”

The fellow paused a moment.  “Okay, goodnight, folks.”  He finally walked away and left us to finish our prayers (abstaining from a prayer posture, of course) before we headed back to our hotel. It was a memorable night, for even though we managed to escape penalties for praying in the public square, it was a clear warning of what was coming. And, as I suggested, that incident came back in a rush when I watched the video of Mrs. Vaughn-Spruce’s arrest.  “So, you are praying?  Then you’ll have to come with us.”

My friends, because of the accelerating hatred of the world for God and because the Church has cowardly surrendered so much of her responsibilities to live holy, separated lives as well as to lovingly speak truth into the culture, this is going to keep happening. The powers that be will tell us -- “Sure, it’s fine to have your religion. We will graciously allow that. However, your religion must be a totally private (even secret) thing that finds no expression whatsoever in the public square, the schools, the marketplace, politics, the local library, etc. And, as long as your convictions give way before the ideals (and compulsory orders) of Science, Progress, the State, and the “enlightened elite,” you can feel as many religious feelings as you’d like. ‘Cause, you know, we don’t want to be a hard-case about all this.”  

Lord, have mercy. Help us to hold on tight to a heavenly perspective regarding the trials of living all-out for You. Please be our strength and shield as we pursue godliness in our personal lives and as we undertake the light-bearing responsibilities we have been given as Your ambassadors.

An Important Addendum: A Take from Great Britain

I’ve asked our dear friend and pro-life colleague, Dr. Greg Gardner from Birmingham, to comment on Mrs. Vaughn-Spruce’s arrest and related matters.  His take is of the most profound value – enlightening and challenging and well worth the read.

I’ve been thinking a little about how to put into context the arrest of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce outside the Robert abortion centre in Birmingham for praying silently. It goes back quite a long way. In October 1967 the UK Parliament changed the law on abortion to make it permissible (not legal) to perform an abortion if certain conditions applied. The first abortuary to open its doors in the UK (in 1969) was a place called the ‘Calthorpe Nursing Home’ here in Birmingham. By 2007 it was doing around 10,000 abortions per year and was the largest single abortion provider in the country. The first prayer and pavement counselling that took place outside the Calthorpe was in 1989, kick started by Fr. James Morrow of Scotland. This continued on a weekly basis for many years. The abortion centre was eventually acquired by Marie Stopes International, now known simply as ‘MSI.’ It changed its name from ‘The Calthorpe Nursing Home’ to ‘The Calthorpe Clinic.’ 

Eventually ’40 days for life’ took up the challenge and would have prayer and pavement counselling for 40 days twice per year. Isabel was the local leader for this and was very diligent in organizing rotas, filling in gaps herself, if necessary, despite living a considerable distance away, exhorting people to come out and pray and generally leading from the front. She has been really inspirational. Originally the Calthorpe was open for business 6 days per week, then people began to notice that there would be some days when it would be closed and this happened more frequently. Finally, it closed its doors for good in 2019. This left only one abortion provider in Birmingham called ‘The Robert Clinic’ named after an abortionist. It is owned now by the largest National Abortion Provider called BPAS (The British Pregnancy Advisory Service). 

After the closure of the Calthorpe, 40 days for life turned its attention to The Robert clinic and have had twice yearly prayer vigils there since 2019. These vigils which normally involve two, or maybe three people at most are typically attended by Catholics praying the rosary or other Catholic prayers, punctuated by offers of information to women or couples attending an appointment at the Robert Clinic. Since the place is located in a residential area, with houses adjacent and opposite, the prayer vigil can be seen and sometimes heard by local residents if they are walking past. Some of the residents have been verbally abusive and occasionally violent although others have been supportive. There are now several women who have come out in public saying that their baby was saved from abortion because of the presence of pro-lifers at the Robert Clinic and similar places. Isabel has held in her arms babies saved from abortion at the last minute. False accusations of intimidation have been circulated by local residents and subsequently spread by the local socialist MP.

In response to complaints by local residents and the police who get fed up with having to answer calls (by both sides) the local council in Birmingham decided to launch an online ‘consultation’ (see attached). The local police are funded by the local council so any perceived unnecessary increase in police activity is seen unfavourably. As you can see from the consultation, many of the questions are biased. For example, the question over whether there should be a bubble zone at all was not asked. Rather, it was assumed that they were going ahead with it and the questions were about whether the proposed area was too large/too small etc. I’m also attaching a letter written to local residents by Isabel and some of my responses to the consultation.

I attended a meeting in May with two representatives from the local council along with Isabel, her colleague Ben from ‘March for Life,’ a lawyer called Michael Phillips from the Christian Legal Centre and a local priest. The bias was plain. There was also a public meeting a couple of weeks later where the sentiments of the council representatives were clearly on display. At one point one of their team started to applaud something a resident was saying against ’40 Days for Life’ and then had to stop himself. The local ordinance was duly passed and so prevented any prayer and pavement counselling during the autumn campaign in October and November. There is however a Catholic church about 200 yards away at the other end of the road which is outside the bubble zone so people have been gathering to pray in the car park.

I have previously taken part in previous 40 Days for Life campaigns but decided not to join the latest one and keep a lower profile. One of my colleagues on the abortion/preterm birth paper is concerned that our academic credentials need to be protected so it is important to try to avoid misrepresentation – at least while we are trying to get published.

Since those meetings in the summer, Parliament has gone one stage further and voted for bubble zones outside abortion centres throughout the UK. Numbers of ‘conservative’ MPs also voted for this. Anyone breaching this could end up in jail. You have to ask what is the Conservative Party for since they have not conserved anything for a long time. In this respect they are not conserving free speech and they are not conserving/protecting unborn life or conserving the right of women attending abortion appointments to receive adequate information. The Conservative Party have also imposed abortion on Northern Ireland and introduced same sex ‘marriage’ and now ‘no fault divorce,’ thereby not conserving the status of marriage. Now there is a civil war in The Church of England about whether their clergy can conduct same sex ‘weddings.

Coming back to Isabel I think what she has done is to expose the absurdity and extremism of the bubble zone ordinance if you can be arrested for praying silently on the street (and possibly going to jail). What she has done in reality is committed blasphemy against the religion of secularism which doesn’t tolerate any rival.

Os Guinness has spoken about being against the world for the world’s sake. This is as good a recent example of this as you can find.

Dr. Greg Gardner

An Apostolic Argument (Acts 15: 36-41)

"An Apostolic Argument" is a brief sermon that Denny presented dealing with a fascinating New Testament passage, Acts 15: 36-41. How could it happen that two heroic leaders of the early Church experience such a dramatic difference in opinion? And how could these men who had worked so bravely and effectively together in the immediate past actually torpedo a proposed mission together and head off in their own directions? And what does this historical incident mean for we Christians today?

Denny has some important answers, some wise counsel, and a few terrific surprises in this presentation. Check it out.

Writing Persecuted Christians

In recent days I have posted a few of the letters from the latest Vital Signs Ministries letter-writing party...and I have briefly described in those posts why and how we conduct this important ministry of advocacy and encouragement.

Well, there is another audience that we frequently address in these quarterly meetings and that consists of the persecuted believers listed by Voice of the Martyrs website. We so appreciate VOM's efforts to serve those imprisoned and otherwise persecuted simply because they serve Jesus Christ. And we believe that the wonderful procedure they have created to write letters -- in the prisoner's own language! -- is a blessing beyond measure. 

I post below a sample letter from those we sent out last week. (By the way, our cards and letters to these dear saints are always in cards or on stationary that includes inspirational scenery because we want to add beauty to the blessings of encouraging content.)

Dear -----

When one part of the body suffers the whole body suffers. Many Christians around the world are standing with you. The Lord is your shepherd and He will be with you. I pray you feel the arms of our Lord surrounding you.

John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."

Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Revelation 21:4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

To see how it works (including how the phrases and Scriptures YOU select for the body of your letter are translated), simply follow this link.

An Eventful Saturday

It was certainly an eventful Saturday for us beginning with my drive to Lincoln early this morning to pick up Harold Berry so that he could participate in the upcoming Vital Signs Book Brunch we were holding at Community Bible Church. We had a wonderful conversation. 

Then the event itself was remarkably successful --- 38 people, a delicious brunch (scrambled eggs, sausages, croissants, a couple of types of iced coffee cake, fruit salad, donuts, and hot drinks), a stimulating group discussion of Dr. Mark Christian's book The Apostate which tells of his exodus from Islam, and finishing with Dr. Christian himself talking about his life and new ministries in Christ. 

It went extremely well and we are deeply grateful for the special help from Allen Nelson, Mark & Benita Fichter, and Keith & Carol Moran in setting up and cleaning up. You guys are super friends!

And then this evening's highlight? That huge rain, hail, and wind storm! One of the very large branches of one of our front yard silver maples broke off and was blown over onto our neighbor's driveway hitting his car. Yipes. The damage wasn't really bad but enough to get our insurance guy on the job. We started cleaning up and another neighbor from across the street came over with his chainsaw which made the task of moving the branch back over to our driveway MUCH easier. 

Then a little more cleanup with another neighbor whose trees had also lost some big branches. And then finally, we got back inside to dry off and get ready for my sermons at tomorrow's church services at Wellspring Lutheran and Aksarben Village Senior Living. Like I said, it was an eventful Saturday, indeed.

Attention Christmas Card Writers!

Monday, November 29th from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at our home is the site for the annual VSM Christmas Card Party. Vital Signs Ministries hosts a quarterly letter-writing night which helps Christians serve as pro-life, pro-family advocates to political officials, business leaders, and media; letters of encouragement to persecuted Christians; and thank you sentiments to military veterans, first responders, and heroes involved in key Christian ministries. 

However, the Christmas Card edition of this important series is always especially engaging, enjoyable, and festive. So, please plan on joining us. We will supply all the materials including the Christmas cards, the address sheets, the postage, and the Christmas treats needed to sustain the letter-writers! 

And, of course, RSVPs are deeply appreciated.

And What Might We Learn From This Country Church?

My, my, my. Did we ever have church yesterday morning!  Claire and I are in Branson and we re-visited Friendly Baptist Church, a church we have attended a few times since meeting many of their members when we joined them two years ago for the Life Chain.  In fact, we assembled with them again yesterday afternoon for that same pro-life witness.

But let me get back to the church service.  Before I go into a description of this church, however, let me warn you that you just might find my remarks a little unsettling. Why? Because they may suggest some important things that your church should be doing too…but are not.  If that’s the case, be aware you are far from being alone.  Indeed, the reasons that I’m talking about them is both to encourage you by the fact that there are still churches in America like this…and to illustrate a few “targets of opportunity” for all of us to work towards in those of our churches that need revival and reform.

First of all, let me say that the sermon was a fine, biblically-centered one.  Excellent content.  Well-crafted and delivered, though with humility and compassion.  Relevant.  Bold. Furthermore, it was a sermon which presented illustrations of a “grown-up sort” instead of Hollywood film clips, pop music lyrics, video game parallels, GIFS and memes, corny jokes, quotes from modern celebrities, and so on.  I really appreciated that.  Instead, the preacher used several other Scriptures to illustrate and expand the morning’s text (James 1:26-27) as well as insightful references to Charles Dickens, Martin Luther, Alexander Hamilton, the opportunity of a new Supreme Court Justice who would oppose Roe v Wade, the terribly poor record of the food stamp policy to alleviate poverty, the U.S. Constitution, the counter-productive rhetoric and actions of Black Lives Matter, a kind but firm presentation of biblical truth to someone caught up in sexual perversion, and more.  The sermon was challenging, persuasive, and presented important and immediate applications for the hearers.

But though the text of the Bible should always be the star of a Sunday morning church service, there are other elements. In this case, there were times of prayer, Bible reading, and music. (And, I mean, a lot of music -- but I’ll get to that in a moment.)  Let me begin with a review of the prayers. There were prayers lifted to God for the effect of that afternoon’s Life Chain, for the health of the President and First Lady (and other members of the administration who had tested positive for the Covid virus), and the health of several members of the church congregation who were undergoing trials.  Also, there were prayers for Amy Coney Barratt and the Supreme Court; for persecuted Christians around the world, for an overcoming end to the lies, chaos and destruction fomented by the devil; for the pastor and his hearers; for police and firefighters; for the election; and for all of us to hear carefully and heed consistently the message God had for us through His Word. These were critically important matters for believers in our time that were brought before the throne and Claire and I really appreciated that often-neglected ministry.

The Bible reading included a lengthy reading of Proverbs 14 by one of the congregation’s lay leaders who gave an excellent introduction to the text before asking those who could to stand while he read the Bible text itself.  Later, the pastor began his sermon with reading from Chapter 1 of James and the congregation stood for that as well. 

And then there was that wonderful music. We purposefully arrived at Friendly Baptist Church early because we knew that 8-12 musicians show up long before the service begins. They come to play beloved hymns about a half hour before with dozens of the saints coming in to enjoy the worshipful concert. These musicians (mostly older) play guitars, keyboards, fiddles, saxophone, steel guitar, harmonica, and more.  It is a really superb ministry with the people listening to great old hymns (instrumentals only) as they sing along, pray, enjoy memories, and prepare their hearts for the teaching of the Word.  But when the service starts, there are plenty more hymns to sing as well as 2-3 special music presentations. It was, as we have experienced before at this church, charming and inspiring and something which well contributes to a wholesome body life for the congregation.

But I’m not done yet.  Let me finish by telling you a bit about the announcements, the church bulletin, and what’s going on throughout the week at this church because they reveal how much further the ministry of the church goes beyond the Sunday morning program. In this too, I must say, the church is unfortunately unusual among evangelical churches of our day.  For instance, the announcements included a heartwarming pitch for the Life Chain outreach given by the pastor.  He spoke eloquently about the need for such public witnesses for the sanctity of life, warmly thanked the congregation for their faithfulness in this outreach in the past, and then gave a personal charge to everyone to join him in the afternoon’s event. Perhaps it’s needless to say, but that also impressed Claire and I a great deal.  Later, one of the members of the missionary committee explained how a final push for Operation Christmas Child would let them beat the record for the number of shoeboxes they had set in previous years. Yes, there were a couple of announcements that dealt with programs centered around the church building but how refreshing it was to see how this church sees it’s “holy business” as being outside the walls of the building too.

This visionary perspective was even seen in the church bulletin for there we saw another pitch for Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Child outreach, more information about the Life Chain, information about two other missionary endeavors, and finally, the weekly prayer calendar suggested by the Voice of the Martyrs, Wow. And the building is used beyond that Sunday morning too. For although, Covid has caused them to suspend Sunday evening services for awhile longer, there’s still Sunday School classes, a Monday night Bible study, a sewing circle, Wednesday night prayer service, and who knows what else? 

Like I said, we really experienced church yesterday morning. And how we pray that other American churches would rediscover (and quickly too) the need to speak to truth to the culture, to challenge pew-sitters to stop being molded by the world, to heartily seek to equip and  mobilize the church in counter-culture outreach, to get seriously involved in pro-life ministries, to find new respect for the beauty and power of traditional hymns which have been so beloved by generations, and more. Thank you, Lord, for allowing Claire and I the blessing, the inspiration, and the serious challenge that came our way yesterday through the brethren at Friendly Baptist Church.

About the Supreme Court’s Latest Decision Against Religious Freedom

Yes, Virginia; that case of Calvary Chapel of Dayton Valley vs the State of Nevada is a VERY big deal.

And to help you come up to speed on the matter, I offer 2 things here. The first is an introduction and link to a Tom Gilson article over at The Stream. And 2) excerpts from the dissents of the injustice, hypocrisy, and remarkable audacity of that Supreme Court decision made by Justices Alito, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh.

Tom Gilson, in an article written for The Stream (an article I post a link to at the end of the quotation), observed, “The Supreme Court could not have said it more clearly than they did last weekend in their Nevada decision: Religious freedom is no longer protected in the United States. Not even the freedom of religious assembly. It was perhaps the last shred of uncontested freedom Christianity has enjoyed here, but now it’s up for grabs.”

https://stream.org/pray-for-persecuted-church-nevada/

However, what is certainly as important is to read the excerpts of the dissents in that horrific Supreme Court decision last week from Justices Alito, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh. (Justice Thomas joined the dissent but did not write a separate opinion.)

I post a few of the comments from those dissents immediately below:

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
No. 19A1070
CALVARY CHAPEL DAYTON VALLEY
v. STEVE SISOLAK, GOVERNOR OF NEVADA, ET AL.
ON APPLICATION FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
[July 24, 2020]

The application for injunctive relief presented to JUSTICE KAGAN and by her referred to the Court is denied.

JUSTICE ALITO, with whom JUSTICE THOMAS and JUSTICE KAVANAUGH join, dissenting from denial of application for injunctive relief.

The Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion. It says nothing about the freedom to play craps or blackjack, to feed tokens into a slot machine, or to engage in any other game of chance. But the Governor of Nevada apparently has different priorities. Claiming virtually unbounded power to restrict constitutional rights during the COVID–19 pandemic, he has issued a directive that severely limits attendance at religious services. A church, synagogue, or mosque, regardless of its size, may not admit more than 50 persons, but casinos and certain other favored facilities may admit 50% of their maximum occupancy -- and in the case of gigantic Las Vegas casinos, this means that thousands of patrons are allowed. That Nevada would discriminate in favor of the powerful gaming industry and its employees may not come as a surprise, but this Court’s willingness to allow such discrimination is disappointing. We have a duty to defend the Constitution, and even a public health emergency does not absolve us of that responsibility...

For months now, States and their subdivisions have responded to the pandemic by imposing unprecedented restrictions on personal liberty, including the free exercise of religion. This initial response was understandable...But a public health emergency does not give Governors and other public officials carte blanche to disregard the Constitution for as long as the medical problem persists...

For Las Vegas casinos, 50% capacity often means thousands of patrons, and the activities that occur in casinos frequently involve far less physical distancing and other safety measures than the worship services that Calvary Chapel proposes to conduct. Patrons at a craps or blackjack table do not customarily stay six feet apart. Casinos are permitted to serve alcohol, which is well known to induce risk taking, and drinking generally requires at least the temporary removal of masks. Casinos attract patrons from all over the country. In anticipation of reopening, one casino owner gave away 2,000 one-way airline tickets to Las Vegas. And when the Governor announced that casinos would be permitted to reopen, he invited visitors to come to the State. The average visitor to Las Vegas visits more than six different casinos, potentially gathering with far more than 50 persons in each one. Visitors to Las Vegas who gamble do so for more than two hours per day on average and gamblers in a casino often move from one spot to another, trying their luck at different games or at least at different slot machines. Houses of worship can -- and have -- adopted rules that provide far more protection...

The idea that allowing Calvary Chapel to admit 90 worshippers presents a greater public health risk than allowing casinos to operate at 50% capacity is hard to swallow, and the State’s efforts to justify the discrimination are feeble...

Moreover, even if the State’s special regulatory power over casinos could justify different rules for those facilities, the State would still have no explanation why facilities like bowling alleys, arcades, and fitness centers are also given the benefit of the 50% rule. And while the State suggests that it strictly enforces the rules applicable to casinos, photos and videos taken in casinos after they were allowed to reopen show widespread and blatant safety violations...

In sum, the directive blatantly discriminates against houses of worship and thus warrants strict scrutiny under the Free Exercise Clause.

The directive fares no better under the Free Speech Clause...

Compare the directive’s treatment of casino entertainment and church services. Both involve expression, but the directive favors the secular expression in casino shows over the religious expression in houses of worship. Calvary Chapel has also brought to our attention evidence that the Governor has favored certain speakers over others. When large numbers of protesters openly violated provisions of the Directive, such as the rule against groups of more than 50 people, the Governor not only declined to enforce the directive but publicly supported and participated in a protest. He even shared a video of protesters standing shoulder to shoulder. The State’s response to news that churches might violate the directive was quite different. The attorney general of Nevada is reported to have said, “‘You can’t spit . . . in the face of law and not expect law to respond.’” Public protests, of course, are themselves protected by the First Amendment, and any efforts to restrict them would be subject to judicial review. But respecting some First Amendment rights is not a shield for violating others. The State defends the Governor on the ground that the protests expressed a viewpoint on important issues, and that is undoubtedly true, but favoring one viewpoint over others is anathema to the First Amendment...


JUSTICE GORSUCH, dissenting from denial of application for injunctive relief.

This is a simple case. Under the Governor’s edict, a 10- screen “multiplex” may host 500 moviegoers at any time. A casino, too, may cater to hundreds at once, with perhaps six people huddled at each craps table here and a similar number gathered around every roulette wheel there. Large numbers and close quarters are fine in such places. But churches, synagogues, and mosques are banned from admitting more than 50 worshippers -- no matter how large the building, how distant the individuals, how many wear face masks, no matter the precautions at all. In Nevada, it seems, it is better to be in entertainment than religion. Maybe that is nothing new. But the First Amendment prohibits such obvious discrimination against the exercise of religion. The world we inhabit today, with a pandemic upon us, poses unusual challenges. But there is no world in which the Constitution permits Nevada to favor Caesar’s Palace over Calvary Chapel.


JUSTICE KAVANAUGH, dissenting from denial of application for injunctive relief.

I join JUSTICE ALITO’s dissent in full and respectfully add these further comments...

The risk of COVID–19 transmission is at least as high at restaurants, bars, casinos, and gyms as it is at religious services. Indeed, people congregating in restaurants, bars, casinos, and gyms often linger at least as long as they do at religious services. And given the safety measures that Calvary Chapel and other places of worship are following -- including social distancing, mask wearing, and certain additional voluntary measures -- it is evident that people interact with others at restaurants, bars, casinos, and gyms at least as closely as they do at religious services. In my view, Nevada’s discrimination against religious services violates the Constitution.

To be clear, a State’s closing or reopening plan may subject religious organizations to the same limits as secular organizations. And in light of the devastating COVID–19 pandemic, those limits may be very strict. But a State may not impose strict limits on places of worship and looser limits on restaurants, bars, casinos, and gyms, at least without sufficient justification for the differential treatment of religion. As I will explain, Nevada has thus far failed to provide a sufficient justification, and its current reopening plan therefore violates the First Amendment..

Fourth are laws -- like Nevada’s in this case—that supply no criteria for government benefits or action, but rather divvy up organizations into a favored or exempt category and a disfavored or non-exempt category. Those laws provide benefits only to organizations in the favored or exempt category and not to organizations in the disfavored or nonexempt category...

To be clear, the Court’s precedents do not require that religious organizations be treated more favorably than all secular organizations. Rather, the First Amendment requires that religious organizations be treated equally to the favored or exempt secular organizations, unless the State can sufficiently justify the differentiation...

I turn then to analyzing Nevada’s rules under the Court’s precedents. As JUSTICE ALITO explains in his dissent, Nevada has now had more than four months to respond to the initial COVID–19 crisis and adjust its line-drawing as circumstances change. Yet Nevada is still discriminating against religion. Nevada applies a strict 50-person attendance cap to religious worship services, but applies a looser 50% occupancy cap to secular organizations like restaurants, bars, casinos, and gyms. Nevada has gestured at two possible justifications for that discrimination: public health and the economy. But
neither argument is persuasive on this record..

The State has not explained why a 50% occupancy cap is good enough for secular businesses where people congregate in large groups or remain in close proximity for extended periods—such as at restaurants, bars, casinos, and gyms -- but is not good enough for places of worship. Again, it does not suffice to point out that some secular businesses, such as movie theaters, are subject to the lesser of a 50-person or 50% occupancy cap. The legal question is not whether religious worship services are all alone in a disfavored category, but why they are in the disfavored category to begin with. And Nevada has not advanced a sufficient public health rationale for that decision. To reiterate, the State has substantial room to draw lines, especially in an emergency or crisis. But Nevada has not demonstrated that public health justifies taking a looser approach with restaurants, bars, casinos, and gyms and a stricter approach with places of worship...

More broadly, the State insists that it is in the midst of an emergency and that it should receive deference from the courts and not be bogged down in litigation. If the courts simply enforce the constitutional prohibition against religious discrimination, however, the floodgates will not open...

But COVID–19 is not a blank check for a State to discriminate against religious people, religious organizations, and religious services. There are certain constitutional red lines that a State may not cross even in a crisis. Those red lines include racial discrimination, religious discrimination, and content-based suppression of speech. This Court’s history is littered with unfortunate examples of overly broad judicial deference to the government when the government has invoked emergency powers and asserted crisis circumstances to override equal-treatment and free-speech principles. The court of history has rejected those jurisprudential mistakes and cautions us against an unduly deferential judicial approach, especially when questions of racial discrimination, religious discrimination, or free speech are at stake...

The Constitution “protects religious observers against unequal treatment.”…Nevada’s 50-person attendance cap on religious worship services puts praying at churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques on worse footing than eating at restaurants, drinking at bars, gambling at casinos, or biking at gyms. In other words, Nevada is discriminating against religion. And because the State has not offered a sufficient justification for doing so, that discrimination violates the First Amendment.